Volume 1/ Issue 11 BLACK WESTCHESTER - JUNE 2018

VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 11

COMPLIMENTARY

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

JUNE 2018

MAYOR THOMAS -VS- NYS AG’S OFFICE

BLACK WESTCHESTER

BY AJ WOODSON

FEATURES

JOSEPH SPIEZIO: HIS ILLEGITMACY AS POLICE COMMISSIONER AND PUTTING A COMMUNITY AT RISK

BY DAMON K. JONES

PAGE 24

CHECK OUT THE BLACK WESTCHESTER POWERHOUR MONDAY, JUNE 4TH 11AM-NOON

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH

PAGE 12

Just in case you haven’t been keeping score, here is a quick recap on Mayor Richard W. Thomas’ highly publicized battle with the New York State Attorney General’s office.

On Monday, March 12th former NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who have worked together to fight corruption through their Joint Task Force on Public Integrity brought charges against Mayor Thomas as part of their corruption probe into campaign finance irregularities. Mayor Thomas was arrested and arraigned, after an investigation that exposed the alleged theft of approximately $12,900 from his campaign committee, and the diversion of over $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and his failure to disclose it.

The case was schedule to begin on Tuesday, May 1st but was postponed by the judge until June 1st. A week later, Schneiderman resigned on Monday, May 7th as state AG, after a New Yorker report detailed four women’s accusations that he emotionally and physically abused them. Hours later Mayor Thomas called for an investigation of Scheiderman.

On Monday, May 14th, Mayor Thomas commenced a CPLR Article 78 Petition to declare Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood - in her official capacity as Acting AG - does not have legal authority to investigate him. Two days later, on Wednesday, May 16th, Mayor Thomas was indicted by a grand jury, on charges that he stole campaign funds and failed to disclose his receipt of inaugural funds that he used for personal expenses.

On Monday, May 21st Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron, Judge denies bid by Mayor Thomas to block AG case.

Four days later on Friday, May 25th Mayor Thomas was arraigned at White Plains County Court, Room 303 before Judge Barry Warhit. The AG’s case against Thomas begins Friday, June 1st, to be heard by Judge Ann E. Minihan... (Continued of Page 14)

LET JANIS GIRLS LEARN DECISION

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES PAGE 25

BY DAMON K. JONES PAGE 21

WELCOMING MARIJUANA WRONGFULLY ACCUSED WHILE UNDERSTANDING A 345 YEAR ADDICTION SOCIAL EQUITY

BY YASMIN HURSTON CORNELIUS PAGE 19

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES

PAGE 21

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BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

“We are asking you to vote for Eliot Engel for Congress on June 26.”

State Senator

Andrea Stewart-Cousins

County Legislator

Christopher Johnson

Assembly Member

Gary Pretlow

County Legislator

Lyndon Williams

State Senator

Jamaal Bailey

County Legislator

Terry Clements

County Legislator

Benjamin Boykin

He is also Endorsed by the Black Democrats of Westchester Eliot Engel is being supported and endorsed because of his record of working for us, and fighting for equal pay for equal work, to protect Social Security and Medicare, for equal rights, and for gun control.

He is always fighting for us. Vote for Congressman

➧Eliot Engel

ADD SPACE VOTE · TUESDAY, JUNE 26 · DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

➧

www.engelforcongress.com

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FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK Founded in 2014 by DAMON K. JONES AJ WOODSON Published by URBANSOUL MEDIA GROUP 455 Tarrytown Rd., Suite 1318 White Plains, NY 10607 (914) 979-2093 www.BlackWestchester.com

Email:

BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Publisher DAMON K. JONES @DamonKJones

Editor-In-Chief AJ WOODSON

@BWEditorInChief

Copy Editors Brenda L. Crump News Reporters/ Writers AJ Woodson Damon K. Jones Lorraine Lopez (Latino Empowerment) Yas Hurston Paul-Anthony Cuesta Cynthia Turnquest-Jones Rashad Bilal Paul Feiner Photographers AJ Woodson Shane Samuels N. Woodson-Berbick Getty Images

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.

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.

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.

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 FEW WORDS FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Welcome to the June 2018 Edition of Black Westchester Newspaper!

June is Black Music Month or African-American Music Appreciation Month as President Obama renamed it. June is also the month of Father’s Day. I like to salute all te real Black Fathers out there, that the media tells us do not exist. A special shout to all those raising another man’s children, being that father figure, because for one reason or another, their father is not in their life. This month we celebrate Black Fatherhood and groups like F.A.I.T.H - Fathers Alive In The Hood. June is also Men’s Health Month. After my own health scare I encourage all Men to go to the doctor, get your check ups and tested for all the things we need to get tested for especially as we get up in age!

I like to welcome photographer Shane Samuels to the Black Westchester family. His addition to the team is just what we needed. In the upcoming issues as well as on BlackWestchester. com you will see more coverage of more events, thanks ot Shane.

As always in this issue we covered an array of issues, news and events, including extensive coverage of the Mayor Thomas/ Attorney General Case from several different angles, debunking the myth of the missing Black Father, the Wrongfully Accused, three of the greatest Hip-Hop hits hailing from the 914, the illigitimacy of Joseph Spiezio Police Commissioner position and much more.

Thank Cynthia Turnquest-Jones for once again, bringing us the Summer Reading List for students Once again in addition to People Before Politics Radio every Sunday night you can now catch us on WVOX every first Monday. This is our eleventh issue, we are coming up on the one year anniversary of Black Westchester, the newspaper, email us about special advertising rates for that issue.

Thank you to all our supporters, advertisers, distributors, writers, photographers, editors and everyone who had a hand in us bringing you another edition on Black Westchester.

Send us your feedback and let us know what you think of this issue and let us know subjects / topics you would like to see us cover in the future by sending an email to BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com.

Peace and Blessings AJ Woodson Editor-In-Chief

Graphic Designers AJ Woodson Paula S. Woodson For Advertising Rates AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com Letters To The Editor BWEditorInChief@gmail.com

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BLACK WESTCHESTER NEWS

YONKERS LAUNCHES BIKE SHARING PROGRAM

VANDALS ATTACKED THE CITY’S NEW BIKE-SHARING PROGRAM DAYS AFTER ITS LAUNCH YONKERS - Yonkers officially launched its new bike sharing program Monday, May 21st.

Mayor Mike Spano kicked off the first dock-free biking sharing program in the New York metro area, and was joined by transportation advocates and biking enthusiasts down by the Yonkers waterfront.

60 OFFICERS GRADUATE FROM

WESTCHESTER COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY (Purchase, NY) – Sixty police recruits graduated Friday, May 25th from the Westchester County Police Academy, and are headed off to work at 17 Law Enforcement Agencies, 16 police departments in Westchester and one in New York City. The new officers, who completed 20 weeks of training at the police academy in Valhalla, received their diplomas during a ceremony at Purchase College SUNY.

Photographs of the shared bikes put on Yonkers streets by the LimeBike company begin to appear on social media thrown in the Saw Mill River, dismembered or otherwise mistreated, just days after the launch. The dockless LimeBikes in Yonkers can be left anywhere, so they are unlike the better-known Citi Bikes in New York City that remain locked in docks when not in use. Yonkers may want to revisit adding locks and docks to this otherwise great idea.

Created by smart mobility company Lime, the bikes are equipped with GPS and are 3-G enabled. To borrow a bike, riders need to download the Lime app on their smartphone.

Once they have the app, they scan the barcode on a bike to use it. There are currently 500 County Executive George Latimer addressed the graduates of the 145th Session BaLime bikes across Yonkers, and there are plans to have 1,000. A ride on a Lime bike will cost sic Police Recruit Class, and praised them for mastering the physical and academic demands of the Academy. $1 for 30 minutes.

“I want to congratulate all the graduates, and their family members and loved ones who are present” Latimer said. “Police work is a challenging profession, and I want to urge these officers to never lose sight of the ideals that brought them here- the desire to be a protector and serve their community with fairness, compassion and integrity.”

(New Rochelle, NY) – New Rochelle Sgt. Joe Salerno co-signs Roseanne Barr’s racist rant The new officers and their departments are: about former President Obama adviser Valerie Jarret on Facebook. Sgt. Salerno is the same Bedford: Jason Doelz, Nicholas Hansen, Christopher Olson officer who was involved in pulling out a gun on neighborhood kids having a snowball fight a few Eastchester: Matthew Stupple years ago, in respond to a 911 call of someone having a gun.

Harrison: Joseph Ader, Frank Corvino, Richard DiBuono

The City of New Rochelle should have adoopted a Social Media Policy after New Ro- Mamaroneck Town: McCabe Glass chelle Police Officer Chris “Stigs” Castiglia who went on a rant about having to protect BLM,July Mount Pleasant: Walter Hickey, Ryan Perucci 8, 2016 and was suspended after a Black Westcheser story ran about it. If they did in fact inact Mount Vernon: Steven Alcantara, Dante Barrera, Conrado Builes-Ramirez, Leslie a policy Sgt, Salerno should be suspended Chapman, Nicholas DiDomizio, Sarah Hughes, Christopher Iannelli, Louis Magnotta,

Sgt. Salerno’s actions has sparked outrage in the community, one resident was willing Aura Marshall, Francis Pompilio, Alberto Ramos, Marco Ranallo, Nicholas Scimia, Jason Velez to speak to BW on the record..

North Castle: Nicola Ciero, Jeanna Marie Saccoccio

“In a climate where racism is at an all-time high under this current presidential adminis- Peekskill: Matthew Rivera tration, and with community organizations such as Black Lives Matter and My Brother’s Keeper Port Chester: Jason Fox, Moises Ochoa, Joseph Romanello fighting for the equality of people of color, we find ourselves in a new “nadir” of race relations. Rye: William Plimpton Roseanne Barr’s recent racist tweet about former President Obama adviser Valerie Jarret, in Scarsdale: Jamie Crespo, Terrence Doyle, Maxwell Goldberg which she tweeted, “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby” naturally caused Tarrytown: Adam Turcotte, John Garro national criticism, resulting in ABC and Disney to cancel Roseanne’s revamped sitcom show.

Tuckahoe: Bryan Madan As a resident of New Rochelle, NY, a community that is known for, and celebrates its diversity, White Plains: Carlton Carter II, Frank Confalone, Arianna Kosky, Jewel Lynch, Rocco I find it appalling, abhorrent, and unacceptable for any New Rochelle police officer to support Romano, Marc Troiani her racist rhetoric. Especially an officer who patrols and works in neighborhoods of color. Well Yonkers: Vanessa Antepara, Vanessa Capllonch, Liam Deane, Connor McMullen, that is exactly what Sgt. Joe Salerno did,” New Rochelle resident Markeia Miller and Community Daniel Piparo, Adam Sousa, Rui Sousa Activist tells BW. “Sgt. Salerno’s history involves numerous altercations (fist fights in Lincoln Westchester County: Andrew Barbato, Eric Berg, David Byrnes, Kevin McDonald, park, he was also one of the officers on the scene with guns drawn at a group of teenagers for Christopher Orlando, Raimond Restbergs, Matthew Russell, Michael Scimia, Nicholas Zebrowski having a snowball fight) with black and brown residents from our community.(Continued on page 7) SUNY Downstate Medical Center: Mohamed Kamel

LOCAL NR OFFICER SUPPORTS ROSEANNE’S RACISM

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LOCAL NR OFFICER SUPPORTS ROSEANNE’S RACISM YONKERS RACEWAY/ EMPIRE CITY CASINO,

BY AJ WOODSON

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)

“His wife, a Facebook friend and someone who I went to elementary, middle, and high school with, posted a meme on the social media network, showing her support for the comedian/actress Roseanne Barr. What I found even more appalling was that Sgt. Salerno ‘liked’ his wife’s post, as an officer of our community. It left me up in the wee hours of the morning asking myself how people of color in the communities can that Sgt. Salerno encounters can feel confident or safe with him if he supported such blatantly racist rhetoric,” Miller continues.

BW reached out to New Rochelle City Councilman Jared Rice, who says keeping racial bias out of the NRPD is top priority.

“I referred this matter to the City Manager’s office for appropriate action to be taken. Ensuring that our Police Department is free of racial bias remains a top priority for the City of New Rochelle, Councilman Rice shares with BW.

We were unable to confirm whether or not New Rochelle has a social media policy, but even though everyone from Mayor Noam Bramson down that we spoke to ovr previous incidents, claims racism bais and racism do not exist in the NRPD, the aformentioned incidents beg to differ. In the Mayor;s defense, every Mayor and Police Commisioner in Weschester all have he same response, so its not just a Nw Rochelle problem. Its that denial that inadvertingly justifies these incidents, accuring throughout Westchester.

Law enforcement countywide as well as nationwide wonder why there is such distrust in law enforcement, especially in communities of color.

Miller agrees’ “How could a person of color feel that they are being treated fairly and just in their encounters with the New Rochelle police if they hold true biases against us?”

Blacks in Law Enforcement of America’s president Damon K. Jones adds, “ This is a continuous failure of our elected officials and police management to address institutional racism within their police departments.”

THE GREENBURGH REPORT

BY PAUL FEINER

We then decided to pursue an affordable housing development with a developer who offered the town a lot of rental revenue but county lawmakers did not approve the plan because the affordable housing developer was not known in Westchester. Since the property is located on Westchester Community College property – the county had the right to reject any proposed use of the property.

Although Rob Astorino’s administration was never enthusiastic about using the property for affordable housing, shortly before the November, 2017 elections the former County Executive held a press conference and agreed to use the property for senior housing - 54 units. Between 2011 and 2017 the property was left vacant. One of the benefits of an election is that both Republicans and Democrats decided (prior to the election) to support affordable housing at the site.

The lease submitted last October was for only 54 units, the Latimer administration has now come to an agreement with the Town of Greenburgh, the surrounding neighborhood and School District for an expanded 74 units.

The County Exec worked cooperatively with the town, Valhalla school district and Mayfair Knollwood Civic Association.and Valhalla School district decided to support the proposal. No children will be sent to the school district so there is no impact to school taxpayers.

I also want to thank the County Executive for the way his administration handled this proposal. The County Executive practiced what he promised - the County was a good neighbor. The County Executive encouraged the Town and the developer to reach out to the community and School District - which we did. We explained what was being proposed and the community agreed to support the senior housing. This is exactly what needs to be done. Making the community a partner with the town and county is smart governing--there was a spirit of let’s make something good happen by all the parties.

Valhalla School Board Member Laverne Clark said: “This has been a long time coming – and I am glad it is finally happening now. Valhalla is a very small School District and any impact to it would be difficult for taxpayers to absorb.”

The plans call for the developer, Marathon Development Group, to pay $1.5M $900K to County and $600K to town, on behalf of County, in exchange for town relinquishing all rights to site. The new development will serve a wide mix of income levels, including 40% to 60% of Area Median Income as well as 80% to 90% of Area Median Income. Market analysts note the mix of units will broaden the property’s appeal to the senior community.

Government works best when there is a partnership with the community.

Recently, County Executive George Latimer announced plans to develop 74 units of affordable senior rental housing at the abandoned WESTHELP homeless shelter in Greenburgh. Former County Executive Rob Astorino closed the homeless shelter in 2011. The building is located on the grounds of Westchester Community College and was originally built by a young Andrew Cuomo in the late 1980s. Mr. Cuomo was working for his father- Governor Mario Cuomo at that time. I was a member of the Board of Legislators at the time we approved the WESTHELP homeless shelter. Prior to the Westchester County Board of Legislators approving the homeless shelter an agreement was reached- that the town could use the complex for a public purpose at the end of the agreement.

The land is owned by the county but the town was given rights to the land for a 20 year period after the shelter closed.

I would also like to recognize the work of Greenburgh Town Board members Ken Jones, Kevin Morgan, Francis Sheehan, Diana Juettner who worked very hard to make this happen.

And, want to thank the Mayfair Knollwood Civic Association and Valhalla School district for working with the town and county on this agreement. We all partnered together and came up with a plan that everyone can be excited about.

The new senior citizen housing apartments will enhance the quality of life for many seniors. I also hope that the seniors will take advantage of the terrific programs at the Westchester Community College—just a few seconds walk from the soon to be built development.

The WestHELP site, a six-acre parcel located off Knollwood Road adjacent to the campus of Westchester Community College, had been subject to years of political controversy after the former County Executive closed down the shelter. Initially, the town was approached by a group that helps the developmentally disabled population to use the property for their needs. The town was offered significant dollars but county lawmakers objected because it was not af- ` fordable housing and the plan died. - PAUL FEINER, Greenburgh Town Supervisor

SOLD TO MGM RESORTS FOR $850M

YONKERS - MGM Resorts International announced that it bought Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway for $850 million from the Rooney family, who has owned the racetrack and casino for more than 46 years.

“This acquisition represents an excellent opportunity to further solidify our presence on the East Coast and, in particular, expand our reach into the high-density New York City region,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. “We believe this transaction enhances our free cashflow profile and presents attractive future opportunities for the company, and we look forward to welcoming the Empire City team and guests to the MGM Resorts family.”

MGM Resorts said it has agreed to pay an additional $50 million if Empire City is awarded a license for live table games prior to Dec. 31, 2022.

“With Empire City’s approximately 40 percent share of gross gaming revenues in the market, we believe there are significant opportunities for MGM Resorts to further drive growth,” said Dan D’Arrigo, executive vice president and chief financial officer of MGM Resorts International.

The 97-acre facility sits just 15 miles from Times Square in Manhattan and offers more than 5,200 slots and electronic table games, multiple dining outlets, entertainment, and both live and simulcast horse racing. Empire City features the sixthlargest gaming floor in the country and welcomes nearly 8 million visitors each year.

The racetrack and casino employ more than 1,200 people and reported $230 million in net revenues for the fiscal year ended on March 31.

“Our vision for this property has always been to develop it into one of the world’s greatest entertainment destinations,” said Tim Rooney Sr., president and CEO of Empire City. “We have been a partner of New York State and its communities for 46 years, and it was important to us that we identify an entity that could build on the strong foundation we have established and bring our vision to fruition. We are confident we have found that in MGM Resorts, one of the premier gaming entities in the world.”

With more than 78,000 employees, MGM Resorts owns hotels and resorts across the globe, including those in Las Vegas, Detroit and Maryland. The company also owns the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. In 2018, the company opened MGM Cotai in Macau, China, and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai.

The company is also in the process of developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.

In Connecticut, the company aims to create a $675 million casino-hotel resort along Bridgeport’s waterfront.

The Yonkers acquisition follows the announcement in November that the Rooney family was looking for the “right strategic partner” to transform Empire into a global entertainment destination. Empire City retained J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to advise the company as it planned to “explore alternatives,” including strategic partnerships, to expand the casino’s gaming and entertainment offerings.

The casino has recently faced new competition to the north. Earlier this year, Empire Resorts Inc. opened the $1.2 billion Resorts World Catskills casino and resort in Monticello in Sullivan County.

Yonkers Raceway was founded in 1899 as the Empire City Trotting Club, and the Rooney family acquired Yonkers Raceway in 1972. In 2012, Empire City completed a 65,000-square-foot expansion that added gaming and restaurant space.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals. The total cost includes the refinancing of $245 million of Empire City’s outstanding debt, and MGM Resorts expects that approximately $260 million of the remaining consideration will be in the form of common stock.

John Ravitz, executive vice president of the Business Council of Westchester, called the sale an “economic milestone” for Yonkers, Westchester County and the state, adding that the Business Council “has long been an ardent supporter of this invaluable economic resource, and we will continue to take a leadership role in advocating for thoughtful, necessary and appropriate expansion and varied uses.”

“The proximity of Empire City to New York City and the entire metropolitan area is unrivaled, while its potential for far greater financial success with the addition of full gaming license remains untapped,” he said.

PAMELA HALLMAN-JOHNSON, PEEKSKILL SCHOOL BOARD TOP VOTE GETTER

PEEKSKILL - First time candidate, Pamela Hallman-Johnson was the highest votegetter in the 2018 Peekskill School Board Trustee election, Tuesday, May 15th with 351 votes.

Another first tie candidate Allen Jenkins, Jr., recived the second available seat with 205 votes. The 2018-2019 budget (Proposition #1) passed with 75% of the vote 409-108.

Hallman-Johnson and her husband, Reginald J. Johnson, have lived in Peekskill for 15 years and have three daughters, one a graduate of Peekskill High School now a senior in college and two attending Peekskill High School. She has long been an advocate of quality public school education. She is currently a Special Education Teacher (English grades 9-12) at New Rochelle High School and has more than 20 years of experience.

She has been employed as an accountant for Pepsi and a Trust and Estate paralegal for Clifford Chance Law Firm in NYC. She has worked for Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, Lakeland Central School District and the New York City Department of Education. She has been employed as a teacher’s aide, substitute teacher, and special education teacher all at the secondary level. As an emergent leader, Hallman-Johnson has been employed as a Special Education Coordinator and a Transition Coordinator.

She is a vested member of the Peekskill City School District. She regularly attends and participates in SEPTO meetings and she has been employed by the district as a substitute teacher and a LEAP teacher. She has worked as a teacher leader for the Peekskill Middle School LEAP Program and she has served on the school district’s FOCUS team under former Superintendent Dr. David Fine. HallmanJohnson has also served as a school building and district leader administrative intern for the district. Pamela holds a B.B.A. in Accounting, Paralegal Certification, M.S. in Adolescent Education, M.S. in Education, an Advanced Certificate in School Building Leadership, an Advanced Certificate in School District Leadership and a NYS School Building Leadership Certification. Hallman-Johnson stated that her educational philosophy can be summed up as this: “Paving the way for every student every day.”

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SURROUNDING AREA NEWS NEWS ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA, DUTCHESS & PUTNAM COUNTIES, LONG ISLAND & THE FIVE BOROS

JETS OWNER & CHAIRMAN CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON: “I’LL PAY PLAYERS FINES IF THEY WANT TO KNEEL”

BY AJ WOODSON

Johnson addressed the situation Wednesday: “I do not like imposing any club-specific rules. If somebody [on the Jets] takes a knee, that fine will be borne by the organization, by me, not the players. I never want to put restrictions on the speech of our players. Do I prefer that they stand? Of course.

But I understand if they felt the need to protest.

There are some big, complicated issues that we’re all struggling with, and our players are on the front lines. I don’t want to come down on them like a ton of bricks, and I won’t. There will be no club fines or suspensions or any sort of repercussions. If the team gets fined, that’s just something I’ll have to bear.”

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, under the new

The NFL passed a rule Wednesday, May 23rd that will fine teams for perceived disrespect of the American flag or national anthem.

The league revealed the policy in a statement outlining the change:

“1. All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.

“2. The Game Operations Manual will be revised to remove the requirement that all players be on the field for the Anthem.

“3. Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room or in a similar location off the field until after the Anthem has been performed.

But NY Jets owner said he will pay any fines his players might be subjected to as part of the NFL’s new national anthem policy.

policy, NFL personnel may stay in the locker room if they don’t want to stand for the national anthem.

Teams could be subjected to fines if players or staff don’t stand during the anthem while on the field.

The policy also states teams can develop their own rules regarding personnel who choose not to stand during the anthem, as long as it is in conjunction with the new league-wide policies.

According to Rapoport, NFL owners passed the new policy unanimously. However, San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York said he abstained from the vote, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

Johnson previously spoke out against a rule change forcing players to stand during the national anthem.

“I can’t speak to how other people run

their teams, but I just think that trying to forcibly get the players to shut up is a fantastically bad idea,” he told reporters in March.

Woody Johnson, Christopher’s brother and Jets co-owner, is the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom for President Donald Trump.

Trump has spoken out against NFL player protests during the national anthem. He said owners should fire anyone who kneels during the anthem at a rally in Alabama last September.

The controversy over players who kneel during “The Star-Spangled Banner” has raged since 2016, when Kaepernick, then a quarterback with the 49ers, first refused to stand as a lone protest against police brutality, particularly against black Americans, and racial oppression.

GRAND JURY INDICTS HARVEY A.G. UNDERWOOD ANNOUNCES CRIMINAL INDICTMENT OF QUEENS INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR DEFRAUDING WEINSTEIN IN RAPE CASE ELDERLY CLIENTS OF NEARLY $5 MILLION DEAN S. MUSTAPHALLI — OWNER AND OPERATOR OF MUSTAPHALLI CAPITAL PARTNERS FUND, LP — ARRAIGNED ON 99-COUNT INDICTMENT CHARGING SECURITIES FRAUD, GRAND LARCENY, FORGERY, AND SCHEME TO DEFRAUD

NEW YORK — A grand jury has voted to indict disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein on rape and sexual assault charges, the Manhattan District Attorney said Wednesday, May 30th

The DA said in a statement:

“This indictment brings the defendant another step closer to accountability for the crimes of violence with which he is now charged. Our office will try this case not in the press, but in the courtroom where it belongs. The defendant’s recent assault on the integrity of the survivors and the legal process is predictable. We are confident that when the jury hears the evidence, it will reject these attacks out of hand.

“I thank the heroic survivors for their strength throughout this process.

I also thank Commissioner James O’Neill and members of the New York City Police Department for their dedication to this case. This investigation remains active and ongoing. We continue to urge additional survivors and others with relevant information to call us at 212-335-9373.”

Movie Mogul Harvey Weinstein turned himself in to NYPD’s 1st Precinct stationhouse just before 7:30 a.m., Friday, May 25th to be booked on numerous sex assault accusations. The disgraced producer was charged with first-degree rape and third-degree rape for an incident with one woman, and first-degree criminal sex act – forced oral sex – with another, after being marched out of a New York City police station in handcuffs before a jeering crowd.

In a statement issued through a spokesman earlier in the day, his lawyers said, Weinstein won’t testify before the New York grand jury that’s weighing whether to indict him on rape and other sex charges. They decided there wasn’t enough time to prepare him to testify. They say he learned the specific charges and the accusers’ identities only after turning himself in Friday, with a deadline set for Wednesday afternoon to testify or not.

As part of his pre-negotiated bail, Weinstein put up $1 million in cash, has to wear a monitoring device on his ankle and forfeit his passport. If found guilty, Oscar winner Weinstein could find himself behind bars for up to 25-years.

NEW YORK - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood today announced a 99-count criminal indictment charging Queens investment advisor Dean S. Mustaphalli — the owner and operator of Mustaphalli Capital Partners Fund, LP — with operating a multi-million dollar securities fraud scheme.

Mustaphalli allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud investors — many of whom were elderly and at or near retirement — out of their savings by investing them in his hedge fund without their knowledge or consent. During the relevant time period, Mustaphalli’s hedge fund collapsed, losing 92% of its value. The Attorney General’s indictment, unsealed in Queens County Supreme Court, charges Mustaphalli with Grand Larceny, Forgery, and Securities Fraud violations under the Martin Act, among other charges. If convicted, Mustaphalli faces up to 10 to 20 years in prison.

According to the Attorney General’s criminal indictment, Mustaphalli’s scheme brought in more than $5 million from 22 victims between June 2014 and March 2017 alone — including many southeast Queens residents, including a number who live in Rochdale Village, a MitchellLama affordable housing complex. A separate civil lawsuit filed by the Attorney General’s office in June 2017 alleges that Mustaphalli fraudulently solicited an additional $7 million from prior investors between 2012 and 2014. In total, Mustaphalli allegedly fraudulently solicited his former clients to invest over $12 million – and lost over $11 million of their hard-earned money.

“New Yorkers should be able to trust the people they turn to for investment advice,” Attorney General Underwood said. “Yet, as we allege, Dean Mustaphalli deceived the clients that trusted him – looting and squandering millions from senior New Yorkers who relied on those savings. Our office will continue to crack down on unscrupulous financial advisors who scam and swindle New Yorkers out of their hard-earned money.”

In June 2017, after a years-long investigation, the Attorney General’s Investor Protection Bureau filed a civil complaint in New York County. In February 2017, the Attorney General’s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau commenced a criminal investigation into Mustaphalli’s conduct, resulting in the 99-count criminal indictment.

As set forth in court documents and according to statements made by prosecutors at arraignment, Mustaphalli’s scheme allegedly targeted elderly New Yorkers who had been his investment advisory clients for many years before he opened his own hedge fund, and who had very little prior investment experience. As their investment advisor, Mustaphalli knew that these investors had relatively conservative investment objectives.

Nevertheless, beginning in 2010, Mustaphalli allegedly moved his clients’ assets to a platform that would conceal his risky trading activity. Without explanation, and simply saying that the fund would be “better” for clients, Mustaphalli allegedly diverted his clients’ relatively safe investment portfolios to a hedge fund run solely by Mustaphalli.

The criminal case is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Maureen Grodidier, Kristen Bitetto, and Kenneth Haim of the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau, with the assistance of Legal Analyst Rebecca Jacobson and Supervising Legal Analyst Paul Strocko. The Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Stephanie Swenton and Deputy Bureau Chief Joseph G. D’Arrigo. The Criminal Division is led by Margaret Garnett, Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice.

The civil case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Tanya Trakht and Senior Enforcement Counsel Steven Glassman, with the assistance of Legal Assistant Eddie Aguilar of the Investor Protection Bureau. The Investor Protection Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Katherine C. Milgram and Enforcement Section Chief Cynthia Hanawalt. The Investor Protection Bureau is overseen by Executive Deputy Attorney General for Economic Justice Manisha M. Sheth.

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ACROSS THE NATION

BLACK WESTCHESTER 9

NEWS WITH A BLACK POINT OF VIEW

ESPN’S JEMELE HILL NAMED STACEY ABRAMS WINS DEMOCRATIC NABJ18 JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR PRIMARY FOR GEORGIA GOVERNOR

ELECTED, THE FORMER PARTY LEADER Jemele Hill has been selected as INIFTHE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD BE THE the 2018 Journalist of the Year NATION’S FIRST BLACK FEMALE GOVERNOR. by the National Association of BBY AJ WOODSON Black Journalists (NABJ). The annual award recognizes a black journalist who has amassed a distinguished body of work with extraordinary depth, scope and significance to the people of the African Diaspora.

Known for her provocative commentary on what’s happening in sports and in the news, Hill is a senior correspondent and columnist for ESPN’s The Undefeated. She uses her platform to address national, social and cultural issues, in addition to sports.

Hill nearly broke the internet last Stacey Abrams won the Democratic nomination for year when she criticized Presi- governor of Georgia Tuesday, May 22, delivering a dent Donald Trump. She also, victory for the national liberal groups and elected oftaking up the NABJ spirit of advo- ficials who backed her historic bid.

If elected in November, the 44-year-old cacy, addressed athletes’ rights to take a knee to protest police brutality. Abrams would be not just Georgia’s first woman governor but also first black woman governor in the She did all this while co-anchoring a groundbreaking rebrand of surfaced. Hundreds of thousands used their social media platnation. She previously served 10 years in the GeorESPN’s marquee show SportsCenter, or SC6, along with fellow forms to support Hill. Supporters included her peers, athletes, gia House, and for much of that time was her party’s NABJ member Michael Smith. politicians, and celebrities. leader in the chamber.

“It would be a serious understatement to call this rec- Hill has said publicly that while she has no regrets,

Her primary win reflects the increasingly diognition from NABJ special. This organization has been a sec- she is reflective about her experiences in the past year. In each verse makeup of the state’s Democratic voters, as ond family for me, both personally and professionally,” Hill said. instance, she had the full support of NABJ. well as the party’s turn toward a more base-centric strategy.

“I am humbled to be honored by an organization whose values “Jemele Hill is a gem. She exhibits strength, grace,

The landmark nature of her candidacy atnot only match my own journalistically but has tirelessly dedi- and doggedness,” NABJ President Sarah Glover said about tracted a surge of national attention and resources cated itself to developing and nurturing journalists like me.

Hill’s perseverance. “NABJ appreciates the courage and steadthat helped her clinch the nomination, according to

“This is the biggest accomplishment of my career.” fastness Jemele has demonstrated as a journalist and comKerwin Swint, a Georgia politics expert at Kennesaw

Hill’s tweets about Trump, back in September 2017, mentator speaking truth to power.”

State University. included one post calling him “the most ignorant, offensive A Detroit native and Michigan State University gradu Her nomination “energizes the Democratic president of my lifetime. His rise is the direct result of White ate, Hill joined ESPN in 2006 as a columnist. Soon, she began Party in Georgia to a large degree,” Swint said. Abrams supremacy. Period.” appearing on several several ESPN TV programs including The defeated former state Rep. Stacey Evans, 40, who

Hill’s words drew widespread criticism, and even the Sports Reporters, Around the Horn, Outside the Lines, Sportsran as a champion of the HOPE scholarship ― a ire of the White House, which called for her firing from ESPN. Nation and Highly Questionable. She also broke new ground greatly-diminished free public college program from Hill withstood the backlash. She also pressed on after a two- at the sports network with the popular podcast-turned-TV-show which she benefited. week suspension from ESPN in October 2017. This “second “His & Hers,” with Smith.

In the general election, Abrams will face violation of [ESPN’s] social media guidelines,” occurred after Hill previously worked at the Detroit Free Press either Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle or Secretary of State Hill’s highly-publicized Twitter response to Dallas Cowboys and the Orlando Sentinel, where she was the only female Brian Kemp. Cagle and Kemp were the top two voteowner Jerry Jones’ threat to bench his players who didn’t stand black newspaper sports columnist in the U.S. at the time. getters, but neither won an outright majority, so they during the National Anthem. response to Dallas Cowboys owner “Jemele is the epitome of what a black journalist proceed to a July 24 runoff.

Jerry Jones’ threat to bench his players who didn’t stand during should be,” said Marlon A. Walker, NABJ’s vice president of print.

A key premise of Abrams’ bid is that in Georthe National Anthem. Hill’s suspension then became part of the Hill will be honored in her hometown at the NABJ gia the Democratic Party no longer needs to cater to narrative that started with former San Francisco 49ers Salute to Excellence Awards during the NABJ Convention moderate white “swing” voters in the state’s suburquarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began kneeling before and Career Fair on Aug. 4 at the Detroit Marriott at the Reban and rural areas who have increasingly migrated games in 2016 to raise awareness about police brutality. naissance Center. She is also the honorary co-chair of this to the GOP since the 1990s.

In both instances, a hashtag, #IStandWithJemele, year’s convention.

It’s a strategy promoted by Californian Steve Phillips, author of Brown is the New White, which argues that Democrats can win with the help of a “new American majority” ― progressive whites, Latinos, Asian Americans and black voters, especially black women.

Seeing a prime opportunity to vindicate his theory, Phillips, whose wife Susan Sandler is heir to a mortgage banking fortune, has boosted Abrams’ bid both with his checkbook and his platform. PowBY AJ WOODSON erPAC Georgia, which is associated with Phillips’ The senator has been one of the president’s most nonprofit Democracy in Color, spent $1.5 million on vocal GOP critics in Congress and announced Abrams’ behalf. last fall he would not seek another term.

That money supplemented Abrams’ own

Flake and Trump have had their fair share considerable campaign haul of $3 million. of sparring matches in the form of social media Abrams also benefited from an all-out bombardment posts and speeches in recent months. of support from major progressive groups, including

One of the most notable came from the Democracy for America, the Working Families Party, senator on the Senate floor, where Flake drew atMoveOn, NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s tention to the long-term danger of the president’s List. attacks on the media could cause the U.S.

Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Cory

Flake expressed concern about the recent Booker (D-N.J.) campaigned for her on the stump, shakeups in the White House, something he and and both Hillary Clinton and her 2016 presidential some other lawmakers believe could be paving primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), endorsed the way for Trump to fire special counsel RobAbrams’ bid. ert Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod

Abrams also enjoyed the support of nearly Rosenstein. every labor union in Georgia, three of its four DemoMueller has been investigating Russian cratic U.S. House members and almost every civil WASHINGTON — United States Senator Jeff Flake rights leader in the state.

(R-Ariz.) expressed his concern with members of interference in the 2016 presidential election.

She has run on protecting voting rights, exCongress for their unwillingness to stand up to Presi- Rosenstein oversees the investigation.

“There is concern that the president is laypanding Medicaid using Affordable Care Act funds, dent Donald Trump during an interview with NBC’s ing the ground work to move on Mueller or Rosenraising the minimum wage, eliminating cash bail and “Meet the Press” on Sunday, May 28th allocating more needs-based college aid, among

The Senator said there is growing concern behind stein and if that were to happen that would cause a constitutional crisis,” Flake said. “I have been other liberal priorities. the scenes that the president could take action against concerned that we haven’t spoken loudly enough

But Abrams will need all the help she can special counsel Robert Mueller. get in a state that has not elected a Democrat as

“When the president says things that are just and told the president ‘You simply can’t go there.’ governor since 1998. totally wrong, it’s the responsibility of members of He’s obviously probing the edges as much as he

“Georgia is turning purple but it is still a red Congress, particularly those in the president’s party, can to see how far Congress will go.”

While he isn’t running for re-election to state and I think she would do very poorly outside to stand up and say, ‘That is not right. Truth is not rela- metro Atlanta,” Swint said. “It really depends on how tive, and there are no alternative facts here,’” Flakesaid. the Senate, Flake left open the possibility that he big the blue wave is this year. If it’s a tidal wave it “And I have seen instances where we haven’t done that could challenge Trump in a primary in 2020, he said, he has “not ruled anything out. could help her chances. If it’s a ripple, probably not.” well, and we’ve got to do it better.”

SENATOR JEFF FLAKE SAYS GOP NEEDS TO STAND UP TO TRUMP MORE FORCEFULLY

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REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

JUNE 2018

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BW CELEBRATES BLACK MUSIC MONTH

JANETJACKSON

FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO RECIEVE BILLBOARD ICON AWARD HONORS

BY AJ WOODSON

Legendary pop singer Janet Jackson received the ICON Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, Sunday, May 20th.

The award was started in 2011 as a way to recognize extraordinary contributions to music. Jackson, now 52, becomes only the seventh artist -- and first Black Woman -- to receive the award, joining Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Cher who preceeded her.

Ms. Jackson shared her excitement on Twitter, posting multiple thank-yous for the honor.

T h e a w a r d s comes four days after her 52nd birthday and the 25year anniversary of one of her greatest albums, Janet.

‘Janet’ remains one of only seven albums in history to produce six top-ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, including the number-one singles “That’s the Way Love Goes” and “Again”. The album sold over seven million copies in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and won a GRAMMY for “That’s the Way Love Goes”

“Thank you Bruno, thank you Billboard,” she said as the crowd chanted “Janet.” “I’m deeply humbled and grateful for this award. I believe that for all the challenges, we live in a glorious moment in history. It’s a moment when, at long last, women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated or abused. I stand with those women, and with those men equally outraged by discrimination who support us. This is also a moment when your public discourse is loud and harsh. My prayer is that weary of such noise, we turn back to the source of all calmness. That source.. that source is God. Everything we lack, God has in abundance: compassion, sensitivity, patience, and a boundless love. So again, I want to thank all of you for this honor. And I thank God for giving me the precious energy that lets me live my life as an artist who seeks everyday to expand my capacity to love. Thank you so much.”

Each ICON recipient also performs, and Janet was no exception, Ms. Jackson shut it down, performing her hits “Nasty” and “Throb” in her first performance on television in nearly a decade, before Bruno Mars -- in a surprise appearance -- presented her with the award.

“The name ‘Jackson’ represents artistic genius and iconic performance,” Bruno said while presenting the award. “The Jacksons are music royalty and the first family of entertainment…She is an activist… She’s a humanitarian. She’s a powerful woman. And she is the first black woman to receive the Billboard Icon Award.”

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

The youngest of Black Music’s First Family,The Jackson, but not one to be overshadowed by her brothers including, Micheal - The King of Pop, Janet has had over 100 billboard #1’s, spent more than 300 weeks at #1, is the first woman in history to score five consecutive #1 albums, has a total of seven #1 albums on the Billboard 200, has 19 #1 Dance/Club Chart Singles, is the only artists with 18 consecutive Top Ten Hits on the Hot 100, set recordsfor biggest selling debut tour in history and is only one of four artists to have a #1 album in each of the last four decades. She is a Emmy, Golden Globe and Acadeny Award Nominee and again the FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO RECEIVE THE BILLBOARD ICON AWARD

Black Westchester celebrates Janet Jackson for Black Music Month. Congrats Ms. Jackson for making history and becoming the newest Billboard ICON!

THREE GREATEST HIP-HOP SONGS COMIN’ FROM THE 914 While I know and expect everyone will have their own opinion and we not only invite it, we encourage you to say ya peace. Here it is bam in ya face… without further ado, you know how we do, we present, Black Westchester’s Top 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs Comin’ from The 914.

Back in the day it was strongly believed you had to be from one of the 5 boros to truly represent in hip-hop. Slowly but shortly, many other regions held it down like Strong Island, Philly and Jersey just to name a few. Then regions like the west coast and the dirty south ran away with rap music and never came back.

But the area code to truly make noise and get the respect of the world outside of the boros was 914, just miles past the North East Bronx. Yes I’m talking about Westchester County containing Hip-Hop Meccas that each have contributed to the history of New York hip-hop. Yonkers known as Y-O, was the stomping ground of DMX and The LOX, Money Earnin’ Mount Vernon gave birth to Heavy D & The Boyz and Pete Rock & CL Smooth and New Rochelle aka Now Rule (separated from NYC by the barely mile-wide strip of Pelham Manor) gave us Brand Nubian and the Masters of Ceremony.

While everyone has their own opinion on what the greatest songs in hip-hop are. I scanned through the internet real quick to see what some consider the authority in music, like The Source Magazine, Ego Trip and Rolling Stone, had to say about the greatest hip-hop joints. Even on a ‘My Favorite 100’ list, emcee Talib Kweli did for Rolling Stones proved one thing, some of the greatest hip-hop records came out of 914, including some real hip-hop classics.

BY AJ WOODSON

– All For One (Album) Rolling Stone Essential Hip-Hop/ R&B Recordings Of The 90’s

Over a funky sample of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians’s “What I Am”, (listed as one of Complex magazine Top 100 Hip-Hop beats of all time), Grand Puba, Sadat X and Lord Jamar lyrically lay out a cautionary tale of fast living in the height of the crack era. Off ‘All For One’ the only BN Album to consist of all three righteous rappin emcees, until the reunion album ‘Foundation.’ All For One goes down as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all times.

THEY REMINISCE OVER YOU (T.R.O.Y.) – PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH (1992) – 151 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs According to The Source – 100 Best Rap Singles in The Source – #12 Rolling Stones 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs Of All Time – Talib Kweli ‘My Favorite RUFF RYDERS ANTHEM – DMX (1988) 100 Hip-Hop Songs’ (Roll– 151 Greatest Hiping Stones Magazine) – Mecca and The Soul Brother (Album) 100 Best Rap Albums in issue 100 of the Source in 1998 – Mecca and The Soul Brother (Album) Rolling Stone Essential Hip-Hop/R&B Recordings Of The 90’s

Hop Songs According to The Source – Talib Kweli ‘My Favorite 100 Hip-Hop Songs’ (Rolling Stones Magazine)

Can’t touch Pete on the beat! Over a mean saxophone and bass sample of Tom Scott’s cover of “Today” by JefTo this day when you ferson Airplane, CL Smooth unravels fond memories of hear DMX bark, “Stop, his own childhood creating a timeless track, that was has become one of the greatest hits in the 90’s, inspired by drop, shut ’em down open up shop Oh, no That’s the death of friend Trouble T-Roy. how Ruff Ryders roll” without being able to control it, the head starts nodding and ya begin to make that ugly SLOW DOWN – BRAND NUBIAN (1991) face, shouting along as you rock to not only one of hip– #6 Ego Trips Book Of Rap List – Hip-Hops Greatest hop greatest joints but one of the craziest anthems and posse cuts.

Hits By Year (1991) – 151 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs According to The Source HONORABLE MENTIONS: – 100 Best Rap Singles in The Source Its All About The Benjamins remix – Puff Daddy & Family (1997) – All For One (Album) received 5 mics in The Source Mr. Big Stuff – Heavy D & The Boyz – All For One (Album) 100 Best Rap Albums in issue 100 Sexy – Masters of Ceremony of the Source in 1998 Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down – Brand Nubian

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UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS

JUNE 2018

BLACK WESTCHESTER NIGHT - WEDNESDAY, MAY 9TH

GUEST RINGMASTER AJ WOODSON

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COVER STORIES BW COVER STORY

MAYOR RICHARD THOMAS VS NYS ATTORNEY’S GENERAL OFFICE S ince the heavily publicized March 12th arrest and arraignment of Mayor Richard W. Thomas on criminal charges including grand larceny as part

of a corruption probe by the New York State Attorney General’s Office into campaign finance irregularities, the Mount Vernon Mayor and the AG’s office have been involved in a heated battle with both sides not giving an inch or backing down.

Mayor Thomas maintaining his innocence and vowing he would not go down without a fight attempted to use Eric T. Schneiderman’s resignation following a report on allegations of assault by multiple women in The New Yorker, Tuesday, May 8th to his advantage Thomas claimed then Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood has no authority to prosecute him on corruption charges.

“As a result of the Attorney General resigning abruptly under a cloud of impropriety, there is no attorney general,” Thomas says in an emergency lawsuit to block the ongoing investigation, Monday, May 14th.

Upon request for comment, the Attorney General’s office told Black Westchester, it was business as usual as far as the investigation was concerned. Schneiderman’s resignation was not going to stop the investigation into Mayor Thomas.

Acting Attorney General Underwood striked back and a Grand Jury indicted Mayor Thomas two days later, Wednesday, May 16th on charges that he stole campaign funds and failed to disclose his receipt of inaugural funds that he used for personal expenses

MAYOR THOMAS PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO GRAND LARCENY & FALSE STATEMENT CHARGES AT ARRAIGNMENT

White Plains – Mount Vernon Mayor Richard W. Thomas pleaded not guilty in the Richard J. Baronco Westchester County Courthouse (111 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd) to an 8-count indictment charging him with grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing, on Friday, May 25th.

Surrounded by his attorney Randall Jackson, his wife Cherish, several siblings and over two dozen other supporters which included several city of Mount Vernon employees.

Mayor Thomas maintained his innocence, saying he would be vindicated. He thanked his supporters and encouraged the youth who have a desire to run for office to never let anyone stop them or get in their way.

“I understood that there was going to be challenges along this way but my faith will never waiver and I’m just going to keep it in God’s hands. We’ll let my attorneys, I have full confidence that they’re going to make sure that the facts get out and we’ll be vindicated and we can move Mount Vernon forward,” Thomas said.

“My journey to become mayor was won on faith and my faith will continually be tested and so will Mount Vernon’s,” Thomas said, adding later “I understood that there was going to be challenges along this way but my faith will never waiver.”

He was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury Wednesday, May 16th on charges that he stole campaign funds and failed to disclose his receipt of inaugural funds that he used for personal expenses.

The ruling led some Mount Vernon clergy members to urge the Attorney General to forego prosecution and pursue an “alternative resolution” to the case.

Mayor Thomas and his attorney focus continues to be getting the charges dismissed as they challenge the authority of the New York State Attorney General’s Office to bring them in the first place. the judge gave Thomas

BY AJ WOODSON

Mayor Thomas’ Article 78 petition seeking to declare the Attorney General office’s felony complaint against him was issued in violation of lawful procedure was denied by Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron, Monday May 21st.

Judge Engoron ruled the AG’s office can upon request of the Comptroller, “investigate the alleged commission of any indictable offense in violation of the law, which the Comptroller is required to execute and to prosecute the person or persons believed to have committed the crime or any offense arising out of investigation….”

Here’s where it gets interesting and why Thomas continues to try to get the charges thrown out, the judge goes on to rule, if the Court were forced to decide if the AG had authority to investigate, it would decide it did not. However on May 16, 2018, a Westchester Grand Jury indicted Mayor Thomas for fraud. As a result of the indictment, what had been an attempt to prevent an investigation is now a collateral attack on a criminal case pending in another county. The “investigation” has become a “prosecution.” Thomas had a chance to get charges thrown out if the Grand Jury hadn’t indicted him.

The New York Legislature voted on the next day to confirm Barbara D. Underwood as the state attorney general, officially making her the first woman to hold the post and filling the sudden vacancy left by Schneiderman’s resignation. In the chess game between Thomas and the AG’s office this move nulifies Thomas’ argument that since acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood was not appointed by the Legislature, she has no authority to bring an indictment against him. She does now! Thomas’ lawyers file motions and the saga continues.

five days to file the motion.

His lawyer, Randall Jackson, said they “appreciated” a recent state Supreme Court judge’s “determination that the Attorney General’s Office has been operating outside of the scope of its jurisdiction.” That judge rejected on jurisdictional grounds Thomas’ bid to stop the prosecution but Jackson said outside the Westchester County Couthouse that he would file a motion to dismiss the indictment in Westchester County Court in the next week.

State prosecutors are confident they will be able to proceed with the criminal case against Thomas, arguing that the Attorney General’s Office had the authority to investigate and bring charges against him, because their investigation began with a legitimate referral from the state Comptroller’s Office that led to the allegations that Thomas had stolen campaign funds, they contend in court papers.

The ruling in state Supreme Court in Manhattan the week before denied Thomas’ bid to block the prosecution. However it did give the mayor and his defense team hope because the judge inserted language suggesting that the Attorney General did not have authority to investigate.

“... if the Court were forced to decide if the AG had authority to investigate, it would decide it did not....,” Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron ruled

Thomas’ next court appearance will be on July 20 in front of Judge Larry Schwartz

MAYOR THOMAS CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON GETTING CHARGES DISMISSED AND CHALLENGING THE AUTHORITY OF THE NYS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE

REAL TALK WITH AJ WOODSON

Mayor Thomas and wife on way to arraignment at Westchester County Courthouse, May 25th [Black Westchester] As we were going to print a city official shared with Black Westchester that Mayor Thomas’ defense attorney Randall Jackson, partner at Boies Schiller & Flexner, LLP, located at 575 Lexington Ave in Manhattan is expected to file a motion in Westchester County Court seeking to have the indictment dismissed. Jackson contends that the Attorney General did not have the authority to investigate and prosecute the mayor over the matters for which he was charged.

A legal expect shared with Black Westchester, while the Mayor’s defense team are smart to continue to challenge the AG’s office authority especially with the language the judge used when he ruled against the Mayor’s bid to block the investigation.

He also pointed that in his legal opinion he could not see a judge ruling against the AG’s office because it will make it hard for any Attorney General or Acting Attorney General to do there job.

It would set a precedent and create case law that others being investigated by the AG’s office to use to get their charges dismissed.

While this is a bold move and what you would expect from a high paid defense attorney, the other side of the coin it’s a crap shoot. If it is not successful, it only make the Attorney General’s office more dedicated to prosecuting you to the fullest extent of the law. It’s a long shot, a legal Hail Mary, it makes sense to go for it, but a lost in court will almost surely be the beginning of the end, Real Talk!

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BW COVER STORY THE LEGACY OF MAYOR RICHARD W. THOMAS

WILL CORRUPTION CHARGES DESTROY A PROMISING POLITICAL CAREER?

BY AJ WOODSON WILL MAYOR THOMAS MAKE HISTORY AGAIN AS YOUNGEST MAYOR TO BE CONVICTED AND REMOVED FROM OFFICE?

What effect will the arrest and 8-count indictment and corruption charges of grand larceny and offering a filing a false instrument have on the legacy of Mayor Richard W. Thomas? That is a question many are watching closely and patiently awaiting the answer, if convicted.

Will these charges from the Attorney General’s office destroy a promising policital career?

Will the name Mayor Richard Thomas join the long list of Black Politicians with promising careers that ended up doing time for their crime, like Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (2002—2008), New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (2002 – 2010), Newark, New Jersey Mayor Sharpe James (1986-2006), Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry (1979— 1991 and 1995-99) and Trenton, New Jersey Mayor Tony Mack (2010—2014)?

Of the aforementioned African American political leaders who fell into ethical trouble, the one most similar to Mayor Thomas would be former Democratic Michigan State Representative and Mayor of Detriot, Kwame Kilpatrick. Much like Mayor Thomas, he was look at as the future of Black Politics.

At 31, Kwame was the youngest mayor in Detroit’s history — alternately dubbed “King Kwame” and the nation’s first “hip-hop mayor” — and seemed to embody the glamorous lifestyle of a paparazzi-starved star. Much like Mayor Thomas, he had a brilliant future ahead of him.

He was a leader of the Democrats in the state Assembly at 30, he was loved by both the Democratic Leadership Council and Blackvoices.com, which called him one of “America’s new kings”.

The story of Kilpatrick’s once promising political career went from Young, Black and Gifted to Corruption, Conviction and Incarceration, trading the Mayor’s Mansion for a 15-by-10-foot county jail cell.

He would eventually resign after 8 months of accusations, denials and litigation that cost the city millions of dollars and brought its political development to a halt.

One more thing he had in common with Mayor Thomas, Mr Kilpatrick’s handling of the allegations seemed to show both poor judgment and inexperience.

Like the city of Mount Vernon, sadly for Detroit, the scandal came as the city was working hard to shed its image as crime-ridden, run-down and corrupt.

He has also fired the imagination of young urban blacks who saw him as a role-model. For all these reasons, I mention him in this article because the fate of Mr Kilpatrick mattered, not only to Detroit, but to Michigan and beyond.

The same can be said about the fate of Mayor Thomas.

Mount Vernon being one of the few Black run cities has the eyes of Black America upon her. Mount Vernon has the potential to be the new Black Wall Street and much like Detroit, many memorable recording artists hail from it’s streets.

Will Mayor Thomas fate be similar to Kilpatrick’s?

Will Mount Vernon’s be much like Detroit’s? Mayor Thomas was the youngest City Councilmember in the City of Mount Vernon and four years later he was elected the youngest Mayor of the city as well.

The Mayor, the Millennial generation could relate to because he was one of them. As he likes to remind us, a son of the city who was born and bred and was a product of the Mount Vernon publc school sysytem. He might not have been as flashy as Kilpatrick but he never met a camera he didn’t like. Like Kilparick thought to be the

“Future of Black Politics” by some.

Much like the junior United States Senator from New Jersey, Cory Booker, the first African-American U.S. Senator from New Jersey, and previously the 36th Mayor of Newark, he knows his way around the media especially social media. Some feel it’s what helped him defeat fourterm Mayor, Ernie Davis and what will ultimately lead to his demise.

In a time where Black People are searching and in desperate need of political leadership, do those we believe will lead us to brighter future end up taking us to darker places.

Before anyone reads this say give the guy a break, why are you beating up on a Black Man trying to do good for his community, let me say, he hasn’s been convicted of anything yet. He was just accused, arrested, arraigned and indicted by a Grand Jury. But to be fair we are all innocent until prove guilty in this country, or atleast we are supposed to be.

And yes our crimnal system is build on racism and designed to take us down. but in some cases like the Kilpatricks of this world, their demise is self-inflicted.

Mayor Thomas often brags that the city of Mount Vernon overwhelmingly voted for him to lead this city, let’s just hope for him, his family and the fate of the city a jury doesn’t overwhelming vote for his gulty and conviction.

Maybe Mayor Thomas prevails victorious and beats the charges and goes on to truly turn things around for the city as he promised. Maybe he lives up to the hope that respresented for so many. For many who had lost hope and just began to except that just the way it is in Mount Vernon.

He almost got the charges dropped when he commenced the instant CPLR Article 78 Petition asking the court to declare the Comptroller and Attorney General did not have the authority to investigate the Funds as Comptroller’s authority is limited to state funds, and it cannot confer upon the AG authority which itself does not process and to declare Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood, in her official capacity as Acting AG does not have legal authority to carry out the enforcement actions such as seeking an indictment from a grand jury.

Underwood responded by having a Grand Jury indict Thomas. A move that has some already throwing dirt of his political coffin and talking about who will be the next mayor after he is taken out of office.

For some its already over, its just a matter of time for the piece to fall in place. While other pledge blind loyalty to him and shout his innocence from the highest mountain for all to hear. Whether he wins this case of not, one thing is for sure, either way the residents, the tax payers, the homeowners who

are the big losers.

How will this play out in the courts, only God knows. What effects will it have on the promising career it appear to many he had, while campaigning? Will he join the list of Black Politicians that ended up doing time for their crimes? What effect will the case (win or lose) have on the reputation of the City of Mount Vernon.

What effect will it have on Black Politics in Westchester County and New York State?

Will his actions in response to the allegations lead to his demise? What effect is this case having on his family? Will the city of Mount Vernon trust the next Mayor that sounds like he is the answer?

I heard it said there a million stories in the naked city. I can’t confirm that but I can confirm there are a million questions surrounding this adminstration and this investigation.

I will end like I started. Will these coruption allegations destroy what once appeared to be a promising political career? Will Mayor Thomas make history again as the youngest convicted and removed from office?

Time will tell. I have no idea. But this I do know, like Tupac, All Eyes are on Richard Thomas right now!

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BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

THE BLACK WESTCHESTER POWERHOUR RADIO SHOW ON WVOX

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE:

Creating Healthy Schools & Communities in the city of Yonkers ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) is a five year grant initiative from the NYS Department of Health, designed to fight obesity in the city of Yonkers - led by the Nepperhan Community Center, Dr Jim Bostic, Executive Director (Lead grantee) and the YMCA, Shawyn Patterson Howard, President & CEO (Sub-contractor); Cheryl Brannan, CHSC Program Director; Mayor Mike Spano; Yonkers Superintendent of Schools, Edwin Quezada; Various elected and City officials; residents of the city of Yonkers; and the YMCA Living Your Fullest Everyday (LYFE) Coalition, consisting of over 75 multi-sector stakeholders, working toward the elimination of health disparities.

As a result of this community partnership, Yonkers has passed a

Complete Streets Policy (promoting safety & active transportation), a Yonkers School District Wellness Policy, initiated the Mayors Healthy Business Award; A Community Partners Recognition Program, and lots more focused on access to healthy foods and physical activity. The program is now in its third year, and CHSC program leaders include: Carol Blakney & Beryl Weaver, School Coordinators and Gladys Alvarez, Community Coordinator.

The initiative has been recognized as a role model in NYS for its many accomplishments making policies, systems and environmental change. It takes a Village & Team Yonkers is making great strides!

For more information email nccchsc@gmail.com​@yonkerslyfe or call (914) 965-0203​

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BW COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

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SINGLE MOM CHRONICLES

JUNE IS MEN’S HEALTH MONTH

BY YAS HURSTON

June is recognized as National Men’s Health Month by the Men’s Health Network, a non-profit organization devoted to bringing education and awareness about men’s health issues to men and boys where they live, work, play, and pray. This initiative began in 1994, as a way to help medical providers and community leaders encourage men to be proactive about their healthcare.

Despite major advances in healthcare since the inception of Men’s Health Month, men in the US are still 100 percent less likely to engage regularly in health services than are women. They also are at a greater risk for cancer and are expected to have lifespans almost five years shorter than that of women.

Men and boys should be getting regular physical examinations by their primary care physicians to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, prostate health, and more. Crucial for early detection of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, these exams become even more important after the age of 50, when they should be conducted annually.

In addition to regular checkups with their physicians, men should to be getting enough exercise and also eating a healthy and vitamin-rich diet. Maintaining a healthy weight and good level of fitness can help prevent a plethora of health conditions, especially as aging occurs.

Performing monthly self-exams is another way that men can be proactive and monitor their bodies for signs of disease, particularly cancer. The testicles, breasts, skin, and mouth should be checked regularly for lumps, irregular moles, and lesions; if any are detected, a physician should be consulted immediately.

As men advance in age, it is important that they have consistent healthcare to monitor for age-related issues such a bone health, hormone regulation, loss of hearing or vision, and cognitive changes. Prevention and early detection are key for maintaining a healthy body and living a long life.

Observe Men’s Health Month by making an appointment with your healthcare professional. Taking care of yourself is the first step toward taking care of your family and your future.

Yasmin ‘Yas’ Hurston is the Executive Producer of OnPoint! Experience radio show and President of SAY YAS Productions. In addition, she is a football mom! Check out Yas Hurston’s blog Single Mom Chronicle at http://onpointradioshow.com/blog/

WELCOMING MARIJUANA WHILE UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL EQUITY

BY YASMIN HURSTON CORNELIUS Many states are legalizing adult use of marijuana, but the use and possession of marijuana still violates federal law. In August 2017 Senator Cory Booker introduced the Marijuana Justice Act, later co-sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, to help combat the adverse impact of marijuana’s status as a Schedule 1 drug on economically challenged and minority communities across the United States. Senator Booker is not the first to introduce a bill to legalize marijuana or to develop protections to portions of the marijuana industry. The March 2018 omnibus funding legislation passed by both the House and Senate included the Rohrbacher-Blumenauer amendment, extending protections that have existed since 2014 prohibiting the Justice Department from using federal funds. The goal is to prevent certain states” from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.” Senator Booker’s bill is different.

In addition to eliminating the status of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, it proposes that federal courts expunge the records of Americans with prior convictions related to use or possession. It gives states incentive to do the same and permits any minority or economically challenged person arrested for possession to sue for bias. States refusing to cooperate would be penalized. They would lose federal criminal justice funding, particularly if is has been proven that existing laws have had a larger impact on its minority populations than on others. Senator Booker, in promoting the bill, stated that the states that have legalized marijuana are experiencing less crime, reaping more revenue, and freeing up the resources of local law enforcement to focus on more serious crime.

It is widely acknowledged that marijuana-related arrests and the direct and collateral consequences of a conviction have damaged the lives and careers of otherwise decent, law-abiding citizens, their families, and their communities. These individuals may face imprisonment, the loss of voting rights, the inability to hold certain licenses or jobs, loss of eligibility for public housing or student financial aid. The negative impact of these consequences has been disproportionately felt by minority and economically challenged communities.

Law enforcement bias and misguided policies of the “War on Drugs” are most often cited as the causes of inequity of this impact. According to a Quinnipiac University National Poll 60 percent or American voters agree that the use of marijuana should be made legal in the U.S. Despite this fact, in 2015, over 570,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession, which is about 70,000 arrests more than all combined violent crimes including murder, rape, and aggravated assault. According to a 2016 report by the Human Rights Watch and the ACLU, Black Americans made up 14 percent of all drug users in the country, but based on police data from 39 states, the probability of a Black adult being arrested for

marijuana possession was more than four times higher than that of a white adult.

In January 2018 Governor Cuomo proposed to fund a study of the possible impact of legalizing recreational marijuana in New York State and the consequences of legalization in neighboring states. New York State presently has “Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act,” NYS legislation sponsored by Buffalo Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes (A 3506 - B ‐ 2018) and Senator Elizabeth Kruger (S 3040-B ‐2018) sitting in committee which addresses the decriminalization, taxation, and regulation of marijuana. There is no mention, however, of how the communities and individuals disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana will be included in the burgeoning marijuana industry.

The legalization of marijuana in New York State is a necessary and important first step which would lower the future rate of incarceration of the communities and individuals most harshly affected by marijuana criminalization. However, this is not enough to undo the years of harm and ongoing effects of their arrests. Based upon my recent visits to Denver, CO and Los Angeles, CA, I believe that to remedy this injustice, New York State should adopt this four-pillar approach, focusing on (1) entrepreneurship/ employment opportunities, (2) community reinvestment, (3) criminal justice reform, and (4) health equity.

The awarding of adult use marijuana licenses in New York State should include a social equity component, requiring the involvement of a person directly affected by the criminalization of marijuana. There should be incentives and training to encourage the employment of such individuals in legal marijuana businesses within the state. Massachusetts is in the process of utilizing this state-wide social equity program. In addition, to reinvest in the negatively impacted communities, a specified percentage of the tax revenue gained from marijuana businesses within the state should be directed back to these communities.

A process for the expungement of marijuana convictions under certain conditions, as exists in New Jersey, is fair, and upon the legalization of marijuana, those currently serving sentences should be able to appeal their convictions. Black Americans have been unreasonably harmed as a consequence of marijuana criminalization both nationwide and in New York State.

At the end of 2015, 50 percent of individuals imprisoned for drug possession were Black. A 2016 Marijuana.com report, based on data obtained from 25 states by filing a Freedom of Information Act request, showed that New York State had both the second highest rate of arrests for possession in the country, and the largest racial disparity among those arrested. Statewide, in 2013, Black Americans were thirteen times more likely than white Americans to be arrested on this charge.

To ensure health equity, the education and

engagement of New York residents on the benefits of medical marijuana, and the lobbying of declassifying marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance should be undertaken. Despite public support, and as comprehensive as Senator Booker’s bill is, it is unlikely to gain much traction in Congress without public education and engagement.

In this there is an opportunity and a need to create the New York Minority Alliance, an affiliate chapter of the California Minority Alliance, which has been a strong voice for communities excessively affected by marijuana criminalization. The New York Minority Alliance’s board comprises of former elected officials, business developers, policy makers, union affiliates and former law enforcement executives. This organization will provide education, economic opportunities and awareness to support inclusive participation in the medical and adult use marijuana industries. The late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan said, “Education remains the key to both economic and political empowerment.” This four-pillar approach to the legalization of marijuana in the State of New York demonstrates how inclusive legislation can empower economically challenged communities through appropriate training, tools, resources, and guidance.

YASMIN HURSTON CORNELIUS is currently an elected New York State Committee Member representing Central Harlem and the President of the newly formed New York Minority Alliance.

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HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/LATINOEMPOWERMENT/

https://www.facebook.com/paulanthony.pacheco

My name is Paul-Anthony Presendieu-Cuesta.

Born and raised in the City of New Rochelle, NY, as the second son of two immigrants.

My mother was born in Cali, Colombia and father was born in Saint Marc, Haiti. I hope my story inspires my fellow members of the Latino Community in Westchester County as much as my parents inspire me. Hearing about their hardships pushes me to better myself and my surrounding community.

I am a proud product of the public schooling system in the City of New Rochelle, known by many as the Queen City of the Sound. From Youth Sports, to Troop 11 of the New Rochelle Boy Scouts of America, I have always considered New Rochelle (and Westchester) to be full of resources for the empowerment of our Latino Youth. I currently serve as the Director of Community Gardening for Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County. A position that allows me to work with wonderful volunteers in an effort to become champions for overlooked members of Westchester County.

I am a proud graduate of SUNY Westchester Community College, where I serve as a member of the College’s Alumni Association, but am also a student at both Manhattanville College for International Studies and SUNY Empire for Bachelors of Arts with a concentration in Public Affairs. The sky’s the limit for any Latino that is able to discover and channel their passion.

SUNY Westchester Community College changed my life. Going from being a student on academic probation to receiving the college’s “Key Award” was a life changing experience.

My family is proud of the strides that I have taken in Westchester. From the County’s Earth Day Award in 2015, the County Board of Helth’s J.R. Tesone Youth Public

JUNE 2018

Health Service award in April, to now being featured by Westchester Magazine as a Top 22 Under 30 “Wunderkind”. I am a man on a mission to highlight to my family and the Latino community the potential of our people by following our passions.

I strongly believe that resources for professional development are not being streamlined to the Latino (and Black) Youth at a rate that keeps them competitive with the student profiles of the youth in predominantly white communities. There are shortages in numerous job markets such as healthcare and education; where Latinos should be empowered to pursue careers at an early age.

I don’t think there is enough Latino Leadership in Westchester County. There is only one Latina on the County Board of Legislators in Virginia Perez, but Latinos make up more than 1/5 of the county’s population.

I believe in empowering the Latino Population to pursue careers in public office. This will allow us as a people to speak on issues that affect the Latino Community. This ranges from Immigration to the transparency of resources.

I am proud of the passage of the Immigrant Protection Act. Laws like this allows us as a County to be on the Right side of history, despite any legislation from the national level. Some immigrants are undocumented due to confusion during the processing of paperwork, or overall fear from misconceptions or rumors regarding the immigration process. It is honestly our duty as Americans to support our fellow countrymen from sea to shining sea; otherwise we will be abandoning some individuals to a “Sub-American” experience in Westchester County, NY.

If anyone would like to contact me please feel free to reach me at: PaulCuestaNY@Gmail.com

YONKERS HISPANIC FEDERATION CHAMBER OR COMMERCE MEET & GREET DIA Y NOCHE RESTAURANT 640 MCLEAN AVENUE, YONKERS - THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018 - BY LORRAINE LOPEZ

The Yonkers Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of President Grace C. Borrani and Chairman Edwin Aponte hosted a great night celebrating and networking on May 17th at Dia y Noche Restaurant located at 640 McLean Avenue in Yonkers NY.

“Our event was spectacular, we had wonderful attendance & were able to enjoy the company of Salsa Legend, Entrepeneur & Community Liason, Willie Colon.

In addition we had a record turn out of Women Who Mean Business from Westchester County, The City of Yonkers & surrounding communities,” shares Chairman Aponte.

In keeping with their slogan of “Building, Strengthening, and Diversity Entrepreneurial Opportunities”, they highlighted the event with a “Women Who Mean Business” theme. They highlighted women who work in business as well as women who own businesses.

The mission of the Yonkers Hispanic Federation Chamber of Commerce, Inc., YHFCC, is to create, expand and promote business opportunities to the Hispanic business community of Yonkers and beyond. YHFCC, will advocate, represent and create access for its members by providing informational forums and technical assistance; garner and secure business relationships, develop and implement programs; lobby and monitor legislation and policies that will impact, create access and more business opportunities to its members. Our primary goal is to create a solid network of Hispanic businesses to strengthen, facilitate access to resources that will grow and develop economic opportunities for Hispanic companies and the communities its serves.

Special guest of the well attended event was Salsa Legend Willie Colon who was on hand to lend his support and host a meet and greet with folks.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OF YONKERS HISPANIC FEDERATION CHAMBER OR COMMERCE GO TO WWW.YFHCC.ORG E-MAIL: INFO@YFHCC.ORG OR CALL (914)364-5040

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REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

WRONGFULLY ACCUSED - A 345 YEAR ADDICTION

The punishment continues long after being convicted. A loss of family time, freedom, and pinochle moments in life where you cannot turn back the clock. You have a criminal record despite you being innocent the punishment lingers on until proven, if proven. Being wrongfully convicted dates back to 1673, Thomas Cannell was accused and hung for the murder of his mother. Recently, in the news we watched a man John Bunn, who was convicted at 14 for a crime he did not commit and was finally exonerated this year. In August 1991, John was accused of murdering a correction officer in New York.

The evidence was tainted and not surprisingly provided by a former New York City police detective Louis Scarcella. Bunn served 17 years behind bars. They had the wrong man the entire time. He is now 41.

Cynthia Turnquest-Jones from Black Westchester Magazine sits at the table with a mother and a father of wrongfully convicted Black boys.

From a Mother...

In the streets while rallying for Ramarley Graham I met this Warrior Mother. I could not wait to see her and listen to what she had to say. Each rally I would secretly sort her out and stand within ear and eye shot to follow this Mother. A power of sharp words dripping from her heart. A member of the new Black Panther Party was also a contributor of the draw. She was Civil but Disobedient. She was Beautiful but Grotesque.

She was Curt but Lofty.

A mother. A mother of a convicted son. Hannibal Rushadeen is his name. Hannibal Rushadeen was targeted as a suspect, watched, and preyed on. He too was a member of the new Black Panther Party. Swept up in the dragon’s mouth of mass incarceration. The re-birth of mass incarceration can be traced back to the 1970s in an effort to resuscitate the New Jim Crow. Which happens to be one of the most extraordinary atrocities that lends to a high oppressive act. You see those who are confined are out of sight and out of mind.

But, this is not the case for Hannibal Rushadeen.

We were summoned to support Hannibal at The National Black Theater in Harlem for a fundraiser. Hannibal is not guilty and like many young black boys was held for hours against his own will and impelled to admit to a crime that he did not commit. Sounds familiar and remains familiar. Yusef stated, “Prison is a part of the system. It’s the whole system that needs to be dismantled, the whole system that needs to be re-evaluated. The best people to fix it are the people that are affected by it – the inmates and prisoners who have no voice.” Yusef Salaam of the Central Park Five was once in the same jail as Hannibal.

Many families are carrying the cross of a loved one being incarcerated. Professor Dr. Cornel West once said, “Words are too cheap when action is necessary. They are brutally trying to de-niggerize our Black Boys! Stop laughing when it ain’t funny. Stop scratching when it doesn’t itch.”

Everyone deserves to live in America according to The Declaration of Independence, which specifically mentions these rights–which human beings possess by birth or by natural-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No one should be denied these universal rights. Since they are “unalienable,” nor may they rightfully surrender them. With support and action, of all justice minded people we agreed that future convictions occur on the basis of justice, not politics! The morality of this is constipated.

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST- JONES

The beautiful mother of Hannibal Rushadeen, Khadijah Shakur is surrounded by concerned parents and understanding members of the community. All of them believing in the stopping of the mass incarceration of black youth. The system is not just making single arrests to fill their jails. They are also making sure that early-morning raids at housing complexes lead to the arrests of more than 100 suspects on a given day. Families are not prepared to pay for expensive lawyers which result in savage lengthy incarcerations. The criminal justice system tragically failed many black boys like 16-year-old Kalief Browder, who spent three years of his young life in Rikers Island jail, while awaiting trial. With at least two of those years served in the SHU, the hole, the box, Prison inside the prison, under the harshest inhumane conditions of solitary confinement. After being simply and only arrested and charged for allegedly stealing a backpack. The case was never prosecuted, the charges were ultimately dropped.

People of all colors everywhere are realizing that a systematic war has always been waged on our youth. Mothers like Khadijah Shakur will not turn her back as she fights to collapse the system of mass incarceration.

From a Father...

The community was looking for a solution to the conflict. They were not happy with military style helicopters and 400 officers.

Running into buildings, knocking down doors, accosting, and traumatizing. They took an older brother out of the home while his little brother stood and watched with tears racing down his cheeks. “Why are you crying, we will be back for you in a couple of years,” replied an officer. This is somewhat familiar to South Africa Apartheid raids in Cape Town and Soweto. “When you take out 103 male individuals you “sterilize” the community.”

“When he got charged, I could not believe it. But, I understood it. When you take 103 youth out of the community and charge them with thirty to forty years, of course those being charged are going to say what they want to hear. It was like a 1865 lynching during the Jim Crow era,” said Taylonn. Facebook was the primary key evidence. Dealers were facing 15 years.

Boys were facing 15 years verse being free. There were conflicting stories. There was no DNA. There was no evidence. There was no $120 dollars missing. Still, his son was convicted for fifty years to life which is more time than the two individuals who murdered his daughter.

“At that time I was asking for help, resources, and support with the neutral zone.” Old Broadway is a short block, located inbetween Grant and Manhattanville Houses, this has been envisioned as a conduit for peace. “The idea of opening a community center of support on Old Broadway is what he felt was an area in disarray.” Mr. Murphy stated, “You always need a neutral zone. A safe space where individuals can come together.” But, that idea went totally south. That was not the police department and system underlining focus. The area was engineered to keep the youth at odds, in constant war, confusion and chaos. But, Taylonn did not give up. He went to another area. Where he was born, Queens Bridge located in Long Island City.

Why was Taylonn Murphy so hungry to build General Ulysses S. Grant Houses and Manhattanville Houses? The love for his children. The murder of Tayshana Dejenea “Chicken” Murphy and the incarceration of Taylonn Murphy Jr. Tayshana was a high school basketball star and basketball playground legend who on the early morning of September 11th year 2011 met her physical demise by two executioners. Taylonn “Bam” Murphy Jr. was sentenced to 50 years to life for the 2011 murder of Walter

Sumter, conspiracy, robbery and weapon charges.

Bam was twelve when he moved to Harlem, Dad said, “You know it is difficult to move into a neighborhood you never started in especially while going thru puberty, unbalanced, and emotional.” At the age of Sixteen Bam was chased into the building by the assailants that murdered his sister. He decided to remain in the same building for two years after the death of his sister. He refused to leave his mom. Bam started self-medicating himself during ages 17 and 18. After the death of “Chicken” the family was not offered any mental health services. “We as parents strived to get him help. He was angry. He was confused. He was always in the lime light because the case was high profiled with a lot of publicity.”

Bam had minor offenses. He was out on bail for a misdemeanor of robbery. During the predatory incursion he was implicated in the raids for conspiracy. A host of charges: murder, conspiring to commit murder, robbery, major & minors. The deck was stacked up against him. A lot of the cases were infused into the indictment. Taylonn shared that co-defendants got misdemeanors or probation. “I think they had an agenda. For example, they let the youth do whatever and run out of control. Some events being engineered. Surveillance the same way.” Individuals were “street families” those who eat, play, and attended school together. If they have a nickname law enforcement turned them into a gang member.

These trials were bogus in the eyes of many. The murders were not on the conspiracy charges. Chicken was in a picture doing a gang sign and the detectives named her as a gang member. There was only one picture with no proof. They went back to a fifteen-year-old sealed, closed, unfounded case about Chicken and brought it up although she was a victim.

She was murdered, and the prosecutors tried to paint a picture of reason for her being murdered.

Taylonn Sr. believe that social issues can be rectified. He proved it in Queens Bridge. Six Blocks, 96 buildings and zero shootings marked its 365th day on January 19, 2017. He is working as a violence interrupter in Queensbridge. Mayor Bill de Blasio made a visit to sit and get firsthand how this was done. When asked has any reached out to him from General Ulysses S. Grant Houses and Manhattanville Houses the answer was no. “They have not reached out to me, but I am working with young people who are caught up in the criminal justice system on probation. Please note that Community Board Nine has the most money in the entire city.

They have the monies to change in West Harlem.”

The message was to build peace in the community. However, he knew it was a trap. He knew that the local trusted leaders, the politicians, the church movers and shakers, plus law enforcement officials turned their backs to an ongoing 40-year-old feud. Which means that the people of West Harlem’s concerns were ignored for 40 years. “Peace is needed”, said Taylonn Murphy. Instead, during the break of dawn before the rooster could roost on June 4th the year 2014, General Ulysses S. Grant Houses and Manhattanville Houses were swarmed with over 400 law enforcement officials. One hundred and three Black and Latino males cuffed and shuffled away.

Welcome to Mass incarceration! Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you...

THE NEW JIM CROW! The reality of the New Jim Crow!

CAN JANUS VS AFSCME SUPREME COURT DECISION BE THE DEATH OF UNIONS OR SPARK A LABOR RENAISSANCE WITH UNION ACCOUNTABILITY BY DAMON K JONES

The recent Janus vs AFSCME Supreme Court case focuses on public sector unions’ ability to collect fees from nonmembers.

Mark Janus, a child support specialist for the state of Illinois, chose not to join the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, but the law says he’s required to pay fees to the union. The logic is that since Janus’ compensation is determined by a contract negotiated between AFSCME and the state, Janus should be required to pay “fair share” fees to the union. Otherwise, he could be accused of freeloading.

The argument is that requirement to pay union dues when unions support political candidates that’s not in views of all its members violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly: No union members should be compelled to fund a political organization he rejects. The key point in the case is whether the union dues we pay force a member to do that.

Right now Twenty-three states allow their public unions to collect the fees. The Supreme Court upheld the system in the 1977 case Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. Under Abood, unions can collect the fees without violating the Constitution so long as they only use the revenue to cover costs directly related to their collective-bargaining work. At the same time, the Court said, the money can’t be used to pay for a union’s political or ideological activities.

Union Presidents claim that if Janus prevails in the Supreme Court it will diminish unions operating funds to Union Presidents claim that if Janus prevails in the Supreme Court it will diminish unions operating funds to the point of ineffectiveness. But the conservative justices are not swayed, saying that overruling the 1977 decision wouldn’t change the condition of unions. They said that if employees think they have benefited from union representation, they will still pay union dues or fair-share fees, even if the fee is not mandatory.

In the last Westchester County Executive election, law enforcement unions, including my union, the Westchester Correction

Benevolent Association (COBA) supported Republican Rob Astorino for reelection despite his openly attack on union rights and benefits and collective bargaining. COBA President Alonzo West and some Executive Board members stood with Republican Astorino after eight years of horrific loss of salaries and health care benefits without the memberships consent.

The refusal of COBA President Alonzo West to abide by a membership vote to stop Correction Sergeants from working as Correction Officers on overtime because of favoritism in work assignments. What is the point of bylaws and rules when the President does not abide by the rules and regulation with little push-back by the executive board? Why pay dues when the so-called democracy of your union doesn’t really exist?

When correction union members organized under a fraternal law enforcement organization and decided to speak to county elected officials regarding workplace safety and benefits, COBA officials sent a Cease and Desist. What union will attempt to stop its members from talking to county elected officials and use their union dues money to sue their members? There is a more significant fear of the Janus decision; the lack of union democracy within union today might send membership running.

If we’re honest and dialogue without emotion, many unions members have complained about the same problems with what some might call union status quo. Lack of representation, lack of accountability, lack of information — has been the unfortunate norm. Merely switching unions like you change a pair of shoes is not a recipe for a stronger, more democratic union. That requires members to take control of the union but with Janus Supreme Court case; it will be an option on the table.

The total number of U.S. workers who belong to a unions fell to 10.7 percent, a record low. That number could go a lot lower in the next few years. Following decades of declining membership, unions face an existential crisis as right to work laws being pushed at state and federal levels by Republicans whom law enforcement unions like the Fraternal Order of Police have openly supported against their and labors interest.

AFSCME — the union involved in this case — conducted

600,000 one-on-one interviews with employees covered by AFSCME contracts and found that 35 percent would keep paying dues, 15 percent would not, and half were “on the fence.”

There are many union members who are dissatisfied with the operations their union, who see that their leadership is unaccountable, who only get stonewalled when they complain or make suggestions, often come to the conclusion that they need to “get a better union.” This is a rational desire — and union leadership is nervous — but it is usually not a practical solution but now, if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Janus, it creates a new conversation with union leadership and its members.

As a Black Law Enforcement Professional, dealing in essential protections of civil rights and equality of opportunity for racial minorities officers—the practices of many law enforcement unions can hardly be described as pro-equality outside of collective bargaining protections. Many unions have a long history of racial discrimination—and it is this tradition of discrimination which is responsible, at least in part, for the marginal status of the Black Officer. Even if the union President is black because his concern is to distance himself from his blackness to stay in office so he can never be labeled “too Black”, “a Radical” or he will be outcast from the dominant white culture of Law Enforcement.

There is no doubt in my mind that unions are important but I don’t believe that the Janus decision will be the end of unions. I believe it will be a labor renaissance where the status quo union leadership will have to communicate and represent all members equally. Union members will have to right Personally, I believe we will be in a labor renaissance where the status quo union leadership will be exposed to be either for labor rights or fraud for themselves, and union members will have the right to reorganize and get the power back to the membership. Only time will tell.

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22 BLACK WESTCHESTER

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

JUNE 2018

CELEBRATING

BLACK FATHERHOOD

THE CALL TO THE FATHERLESS THE MYTH OF MISSING BLACK FATHER

BY KENNY CARTER

Fatherlessness in America is a direct result from mass incarceration and many other facets that continues to separate the family unit. The peak in violence around the country can be attributed to the absentee parent whom is usually the authority figure in the household. The father plays an intricate part in the development of the young male or female offsprings. Without his presence there is an emptiness of masculinity which usually helps balance the feminine energy in a household. Without him the home is as unbalanced as the scale in the hand of the blindfolded lady justice. This same system established on commercial codes and Merrit Time Law, and slave code has dismantle the family unit. Now that the result has spilled over into the living rooms of America it’s a problem.

It’s been my observation as a father whom is alive, attentive & alert in the hood, or community which ever one you chose to identify your environment as, holding the title as a father doesn’t compare to being one. There are so many responsibilities that are attached to the title. Being a teacher is the first important task a father has to do. Providing sustainability for the family is a necessary act as well. Very often in different communities throughout America the vicious cycle of abandonment continues. Young boys who grow up without a man showing them how to love a woman are being raised by single mothers. These same boys assume the role as the man of the house. From boyhood to manhood is a critical jump for a young male. Very often the emotions of the single mother molds him to be over emotional especially without a male role model involved in his upbringing. I on the other hand, my father was there but I can’t recall his influence to much in my life. I can recall the abusive relationship that he had with my mom, I can recall the broken promises, the feeling of expectation and the disappointment that followed.

My father actually was an example of what I didn’t want to be as a father.

Everything that he showed me I had to figure out on my own by watching successful relationships. I’m 41 years old with 2 children, boy-16 and a daughter that is 4 going on 5 in July. I’m married to the mother of my daughter, but this is my second marriage. I’ve also gotten divorced after five years of being in a sterile relationship. I can honestly say that I’ve never been physically abusive in either marriage, my current or previous one. My father gave me a real life example of what not to do or how to be as a father. I witnessed enough to brake a weak male, I thank God for my strength and understanding.

Kenny Carter is head of F.A.I.T.H. - Fathers Alive In The Hood. F.A.I.T.H. a Jegna/mediation/security group who mentally engage fathers, mothers, parents or families in the community in which they reside. For more information go to their website https://www.fathersaliveinthehood.org

BY AJ WOODSON

While this is to in no way denies that absentee fathers has been a problem in the Black Community, we must debunk the myth that most Black Fathers are not present in their children’s lives as the media keeps telling us. I will not tell you deadbeat dads do not exist in the Black Community, deadbeats dads exist in every community, but the media has made Black Men the poster of Absentee Fatherhood in America.

Everyone reading this knows some brothers who are not handling their business when it comes to raising their children, maybe even some in your own family, but that is not the whole story, we should not continue to allow it to be the only way we are portrayed in mainstream media, anymore. There are a lot of Black Men very present in their children’s lives, even if not married to their mother, and let’s not take anything away from the strong Black Men who are raising other men’s children. While their own dads may not be in their lives they are far from fatherless as the statics would have you believe. The missing Black Father has became a staple in many political speeches and campaign propaganda to get votes from a many white audiences, who since they may not have daily contact with many black families and only have what they read or see on TV to go on.

However, responsible fatherhood only goes so far in a world plagued by institutionalized oppression. For black children, the presence of fathers would not alter racist drug laws, prosecutorial protection of police officers who kill Black Fathers like Eric Garner, Akai Gurley and too many others in this country, mass school closures or the poisoning of their water. By focusing on the supposed absence of black fathers, we allow the perception that this oppression is not real, while also further scapegoating Black Men for America’s societal ills.

Of course, there are studies that show that children who grow up in two-parent households perform better in school, are less likely to commit crime and have higher future earning potential. What these studies often don’t take into account is the impact of depressed wages, chronic unemployment, discriminatory hiring practices, the history of mass incarceration, housing segregation and inequality in educational opportunity, not just on family structure but on the resources available to black families to produce results similar to their white counterparts.

Let’s not forget the disproportionate incarceration of black men for similar offenses puts Black Dads in jail, leaving fatherless children who are more likely to face all sorts of problems in the future, including criminal behavior.

Having unmarried parents does not make a child fatherless. Some unmarried couples live and raise children together.

Many studies of fatherlessness also mistakenly use housing as their sole determinant. This is why fatherlessness statistics in general are inflated. Many children of divorced parents don’t share a legal address with their fathers but still see their fathers often. They’re not fatherless.

A previous report by Justin Wolfers, David Leonhardt, and Kevin Quealy for the New York Times found there are 100 black women not in jail or prison for every 83 non-incarcerated black men. So mass incarceration has actually drained 1.5 million black men — many of whom are young and of marrying age — from their communities, making it more difficult for black women to find committed partners of the same race.

Father’s Day is steadily approaching, and it’s a holiday that deserves to be celebrated boldly and proudly. Black fathers are often misrepresented in the media, even though we see, experience and all know some amazing men who nurture, love and cherish their children.

Black Westchester wants to help change the narrative society has about black fatherhood, so we’re asking our readers to share photos of you and your awesome dads on social media using the hashtag #BlackFathersMatter & #BlackWestchester.

Me and my dad on his 70th birthday - Happy Father’s day dad Get Black Westchester Delivered To Your Home For $25 a year - www.BlackWestchester.com/subscribe

JUNE 2018

REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

BLACK WESTCHESTER 23

STOP SUMMER LEARNING LOSS

BY RASHAD BILAL

By June, most children in the US have closed the books for the school year. For some children, summer means camp, or family vacations. For teens, it could mean a job or internship.

Perhaps it’s just lazy days playing with friends. But just because children are not stuck behind desks doesn’t mean they have to stop learning.

The fact is, learning doesn’t occur only in the classroom.

Parents can provide their children with books and activities in and outside of the home. These books and activities reinforce lessons learned at school: music lessons, summer camp, clubs and sports aren’t merely fun for children. They provide opportunities to use the skills they have been taught in play or real-life situations.

After a summer of “hanging around,” these intellectually under-stimulated children have lost reading skills, while others have stayed the same or even made gains.

Kids who are behind tend to dislike school and perform poorly. Teachers are frustrated because each fall, they have to spend precious classroom hours in reviewing last year’s material before going ahead.

If children spend the summer merely “hanging around,” studies show that summer learning loss equals at least one month of instruction. Summer loss is more pronounced for math facts and spelling than for other tested skill areas. That might be because it’s harder to work math enrichment into summer schedules than reading enrichment.

It’s important, therefore, to consciously plan activities that seem like fun to kids while reinforcing number skills. What better way than some money games? Kids love to play games, and are fascinated by money: how to acquire it, how to hang onto it, and what to do with it once they’ve gotten it.

Here are some ideas: Coin Games. Children learn very early on that money has value. Once they are old enough to handle small objects, teach them how much each coin is worth and do activities using the coins. Let kids feed parking meters and pay for small purchases in the store themselves. Have everyone in the family empty their change into a large jar so they can see the money accumulating. After a time, have everyone guess how much is in the jar, and then count it. Award prizes, of course!

Play “Bank.” Put a pile of coins in the middle of the table. By turns, roll a die and take that number of pennies from the pile. As you accumulate enough pennies, you can trade them in for nickels, dimes, or quarters. The first player to get one quarter wins the round.

Make Coin Caterpillars. Gather a number of coins of all denominations. Lay a few out in a wavy row on a piece of paper. Draw legs and feelers on the paper to turn the row of coins into a cute caterpillar. Add up the value of the coins to see how much your caterpillar is worth. Or, assign each child an amount—say, 75 cents—and have

them select coins adding up to that amount to form their caterpillar.

Board games. In Monopoly, players buy, trade and develop property, and collect rent from their opponents. (The recent “Electronic Banking” edition uses debit cards instead of bills.) In The Game of Life, players work their way from college through retirement, paying out expenses along the way. In The Allowance® Game, players do chores, collect an allowance, then get to spend it. There are many other such games. The advantage of traditional board games is that they’re multi-player, giving you an opportunity to play along with your children.

Video Games, Online Games, and Apps. If kids are going to play games on their computers, phones, or other electronic devices—and most do—they might as well be learning something in the process. Many of the traditional board games, like those mentioned above, have online versions. MassMutual has developed Save! The Game, an app for the iPad and iPhone that teaches kids the difference between wants and needs. Disney has developed The Great Piggybank Adventure, which explores such financial concepts as goal setting, wise spending, diversification and the effects of inflation. For middle- and high-schoolers, Visa has developed Financial Football, which teaches teens about personal finance using the rules and structure of the National Football League. Most of these games are free.

Make the Most of Your Summer “Down Time” While your children take time to continue their learning, consider focusing part of your summer “down time” on your household’s finances. To learn more or access helpful materials, speak with a local financial professional or visit https://www.massmutual.

Provided by Rashad Bilal, a financial representative with The Bilal Group LLC, courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)

SUMMER READING LIST BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES Jandames Baldwin said, “For these are all our children.” All children are full of hopes dreams. Yet, too often challenges get in their way. We need to give our children

hope. We need all parents, politicians, activists, friends, and community members to rally behind our children. Reading requires daily practice, which is wonderful because it means that we can all help our children become super readers every moment of every day. We know that reading is a great equalizer and has power to break down the typical barriers to education. The invisible walls will be torn down this summer thru reading.

Writing also has a strong and positive impact on reading comprehension.

Reading is the input and writing is the output. When your child is reading it is imperative for them to stop and jot, have a conversation, and interact with the text by annotating (in the book or on post-it). At the end of reading your child can create a poster board about his or her favorite characters, write a book report, write a book review, and share on social media their thoughts about the book.

Make books a part of gift giving. Add it to the list if things to do over the summer. It is required for all children to read one hour a day. Increase the hours to two during the summer. Black Westchester Magazine is providing a list of books for our children to enjoy over the summer vacation.

THEME: BELONGING Grades K-2 My People by Langston Hughes Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester Spoon by Amy Rosenth Grades 3-5 Baseball in April and other stories by Gary Soto Crow Call by Lois Lowery Dream Big: Michael Jordan and The pursuit of Olympic Gold by Deloris Jordan My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Pete and Ryan Elizabeth Pete Safe at Home by Mike Lupica Tsunami! By Kimiko Kajikawa Grades 6-8 Drama by Raina Telgemeier Little Green: Growing Up During the Chinese Cultural Revolution by Chun Yu She is a Friend of Mind by Toni Morrison The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros The Lions of Little Rock by Kristen Levine

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce Wonder by R.J. Palacio THEME: CURIOSITY Grades K-2 Abuela by Arthur Dorros Call Me Tree by Maya Christina Gonzalez Cooper by Kasal Kibuishi Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young Grades 3-5 A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein If You’re Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand by Kalli Dakos Nic Bishop: Lizards by Nic Bishop Salsa Stories by Lulu Delacre Grades 6-8 47 by Walter Mosley Being by Kevin Brooks Soul Looks Back in Wonder by Tom Feelings To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee THEME: CONFIDENCE Grades K-2 A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon Harlem’s Little Blackbird by Renee Watson Pete the Cat & His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin The Camping Trip that Changed America by Barb Rosenstock Grades 3-5 Alice the Brave by Phyllis Naylor Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings by Deborah Hopkinson My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada Sonya Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx by Jonah Winter The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein Grades 6-8 American Chinese Boy by Gene Luen Yang Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by Louise Borden & Mary Kay Kroeger Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Poetry Speaks: Who I Am by Elise Paschen The Green Bicycle by Haifaa Al Mansour

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24BLACK WESTCHESTER

JUNE 2018

REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

JOSEPH SPIEZIO: HIS ILLEGITIMACY AS A POLICE

COMMISSIONER AND PUTTING A COMMUNITY AT RISK! In March 2018, NYS Attorney Generals Office filed a Felony Complaint against Mt. Vernon Mayor Thomas. In May 2018, Mayor Thomas was indicted on all charges.

An investigation further revealed that Thomas allegedly lied on his 2016 annual state ment of financial disclosure with the City of Mount Vernon when he did not reveal that businesses controlled by an individual referred to in the felony complaint as “Individual-1”.

After examining the Felony Complaint, the reader can quickly figure out that Individual -1 is no other than Mount Vernon Deputy Commissioner, Joseph Spiezio III. March 2018 Felony Complaint:

4. In mid-September 2015, while THOMAS was running for mayor, three payments from three separate entities (Company 1, Company 2, and Company 3) totaling $2,800 were paid to THOMAS personal America Express card.

4-C. All three companies are controlled by the same individual (“Individual-1).

8. On November 16, 2015, a wire payment from Company-3’s bank account at Westchester Bank for $5,253.88 was made to the Thomas Amex.

16. Shortly after taking office, THOMAS appointed Individual-1-- the same person who had paid over $8,000 towards the Thomas AMEX account -to a high -ranking position with a City agency that deals with public safety, although he had no prior law enforcement experience.

It’s unfortunate for the people of Mt. Vernon that they have to endure such shenanigans when all they want is a safe, clean city. How can you have Legitimacy, Transparency, and Accountability when you have a Deputy Police Commissioner, Joseph Spiezio who is not legitimate, who has no prior police experience and bought his way into a position that has caused serious concern about Mount Vernon’s Public Safety?

Former Mount Vernon Commissioner of Public Safety Robert Kelly legal testimony to explains Spiezio’s role in usurping his authority as Police Commissioner.

Spiezio used his position as a Thomas campaign and personal financer to take control of the police department illegally. According to Kelly, Spiezio had a Florida drivers license, meaning he wasn’t a New York State resident and it was illegal for him to hold a law enforcement position not being a resident.

Commissioner Kelly Stated:

7.

Present in the conference room were THOMAS, Joseph Spiezio (herein SPIEZIO), an associate of THOMAS who had made both political and personal financial contributions to THOMAS.

8. On or about January of 2016, KELLY was informed directly by THOMAS that he was appointing SPIEZIO as a Deputy Police Commissioner. KELLY clarified with THOMAS in person at City Hall, that this was only an honorary position and provided THOMAS with an Honorary Deputy Police Commissioner badge for this purpose. THOMAS acknowledged same and accepted the honorary badge he would give to SPIEZIO.

15. On or about January of 2016, KELLY held a staff meeting at Police Headquarters where he informed senior police staff that SPEIZIO had no line authority in the Police Department. KELLY informed staff that SPIEZIO as an Honorary Deputy Police

BY DAMON K. JONES

Commissioner, did not have authority to make decisions or give orders impacting police operations.

16. Following that meeting on or about January of 2016, SPIEZIO sent KELLY multiple text messages, one that read in part, “Please make certain that the men know my position in the department and please refrain to (sic) statements that I have no authority and not to listen to me or like I am a nobody.... but if anyone wants to challenge my authority then that will be an issue... I suggest those in the staff people are corrected.”

18. On February 1, 2016, SPEIZIO was present at police headquarters and completed personnel forms to formalize his position as a Deputy Police Commissioner with the City of Mount Vernon. These form(s) required KELLY’s endorsement to legitimize SPIEZIO’s appointment pursuant to the City Charter.

19. As a form of identification in support of required documentation, SPEIZIO provided a Florida driver’s license. As a matter of law, New York Consolidated Laws, Public Officers Law - PBO § 3-b(1), appointment to a sworn law enforcement position requires New York State residency. SPEIZIO’s prima facie out of state residency made him ineligible to hold a sworn law enforcement position in New York. KELLY subsequently refused to endorse SPEIZIO’s personnel appointment.

Spiezio is a professional garbage man. Now there is nothing wrong with being a garbage man; it’s a notable profession, but he has no place being in charge of Public Safety. His actions have only put the hard-working officers of MVPD and the community at risk, leaving the city with way too many lawsuits and judgments, and taxpayers footing the bill. The result is the many losses of life that we have seen under his command that he has failed to understand.

The illegal appointment of Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Spiezio, a major campaign donor, a civilian, with no law enforcement background and has inserted himself into homicide investigations and harassed city employees. His actions in our Police Department over the last year should cause alarm for all residents in the city of Mt. Vernon.

Mayor Thomas has put the city in danger by allowing a campaign donor to hold an illegal Law Enforcement position and unfettered access to systems like New York Statewide Police Information Network NYSPIN. The NYSPIN system is for official use only and may only be used for criminal justice purposes.

He also has access to The National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Criminal justice agencies enter records into NCIC that are accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide. With a click on a computer, Mr. Spiezio can gain anyone private and personal information, current investigations for his personal gain.

We have taken the liberty to print a few documents to support our conclusion that Spiezio has put the Mt. Vernon community at risk, retaliated and harassed city employees and elected officials and used his position as Deputy Police Commissioner for his own personal benefit. for more documents and videos you can go to http://www.blackwestchester.com/spiezio-documents/

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JUNE 2018

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

LET GIRLS LEARN

Girls and Mothers from Westchester, Long Island, Brooklyn, Long Island, and Hudson Valley joined at Mt. Vernon Public Library Let Girls Learn Day with incitement. “Let Girls Learn Day is merely about believing that we as a community have to help our girls forge their way in the world,” shared Cynthia Turnquest-Jones. In 2015, Michelle Obama pioneered this initiative #letgirlslearn. She recognized that adolescent girls face multiple challenges in pursuing an education, Let Girls Learn is employing a holistic approach to change the perception of the value of girls at the individual, community and institutional levels; foster an enabling environment for adolescent girls’ education; and engage and equip girls to make life decisions and important contributions to society.

The vision is to expose girls to women of excellence. The mission is to make a ripple in the minds of impressionable girls who will become leaders of tomorrow.

Cynthia shares that social media and televisions play a major role in shaping the minds of your young girls. “It is appalling to see how our Black and Brown sisters are portrayed. Let Girls Learn unmask the excellency in our community to our girls at arm’s length.” Cynthia hosted the first “Let Girls Learn Day” in 2017 partnering with Mount Vernon Public Library. Girls in grades 1-6 were invited to the library to engage with women from different careers and cultures who shared the importance of education and reading.

Celebrating Women is embedded in the month of May, organizations and Church’s create agendas where women in our communities are honored and noted for the modern-day Ester they portray. Cynthia was asked by the community director, Cathy Webb to add on another day for girls ages 13-17 to attend. “With our 1317-year olds I pitched the idea to Cathy to incorporate a know your rights segment plus bullying conversations. Inviting a honorable women from our community was not a challenge.” DD Wright is an author who captured poems about bullying. As an educator for over fifteen years DD Wright captures the attention of our girls thru written words and self-publishing over three books. Shawyn Patterson-Howard currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the YMCA of Yonkers where she continues to use her influence to serve the community. DJ Jazzy Joyce has been a pioneer in the game for over thirty years. She has witnessed the transition of HipHop from its inception to the present day. As a 13-year-old who was in clubs feeding the people music she understands the benefits of letting Girls Learn.

Cupcakes were provided by Cupcake Cutie Boutique owned by Miesha and Montika. Miesha attended college in Miami studying to become a nurse she decided to make cupcakes in college and sell them while living in the dorms. This helped with the cost of books and extra spending monies. After she graduated she shared her newly found passion with Mom. Baking together became a household culture and Mom started to become a part of the dream as well. Montika Jones was born and raised in the City of Mt. Vernon where she is serving the community as a detective for thirteen than years. Both joined the other women to share their experience. Detective Montika Jones spoke to the Girls about “Knowing Their Rights.”

During the two-day workshop Girls from 100Sisters shared knowledge with one another about toxic ingredients in slime and earned Rhythm and Soul gifted tickets to attend the Universal Soul Circus. While listening to music by DJ Jazzy Joyce, Girls actively worked on a place-mat with word puzzles and word scrambles, provided

by The Social Butterfly. Priscilla Echi, founder of The Social Butterfly who has also been around music, fashion for over 20 years joined Let Girls Learn for the second year. She deciphers that Let Girls Learn Day is embedded with teaching Self-Love, equating to a revolution. In the climate of being aware of police brutality and street brutality Cynthia understands that it is important for the Girls to comprehend their rights. ACLU provided the “Know Your Rights” business cards for girls to place in their wallet and whistles were provided for them to carry in case of an emergency.

“Girls simply enjoyed themselves while learning and received love from adults who champion three words Let Girls Learn.” Cynthia Turnquest-Jones, founder Tha Brown

BLACK WESTCHESTER 25

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES

Urban Mother Partnership

Mount Vernon Public Library welcomed Girls with open arms. Tha Brown Urban Mother Partnership captures “Let Girls Learn Day” thru testimony from guest, girls and photos.

Fabiola Gonçalves and her daughter Honoree journeyed across the Tappan Zee Bridge, made slime and addressed the mothers & daughters. Fabiola stated, “I am back in America from Morocco and was a part of the Michelle Obama #letgirlslearn initiative. What we did in Morocco was focus on Girls who are marginalized and started an American school that was out of the Casa Blanca region.”

“Let Girls Learn Day was an event that not only girls benefit from but women.

To empower is to enable and inspire learning. Not only did my daughter learn but I did as well. I am certain the future was touched. The energy was the proof!” Author DD Wright

“I thought that it was an inspirational experience. I did like the experiments.

I also learned that no matter what I can be my own person, and no one can take my education away from me.” Kyra Ramsey, Student Brooklyn, NY

“It’s beautiful to see events like Let Girls Learn at our Mount Vernon Public Library. With leaders in our community like a Cynthia and other women I am confident that our girls have role models to look up to and learn from.” -Malcolm Clarke, MVPL Trustee “I loved Let Girls Learn Day because I learned about my rights in regard to police and about bullying and adult bullying. I thought it was really cool that I met an author and got to pick out a free book to add to my collection. Oh! I love the crafting jars that was cool too!” -Skylar, Student Performing and Visual Arts Magnet school in Mount Vernon, NY

“I like the books and that I got to meet an author and learn about police bullying and my rights from the detective.” -Mimi, Student at Performing and Visual Arts Magnet school in Mount Vernon, NY

“Let Girls Learn Day 2018 was by far one of the greatest experiences of my life! To see so many melanated girls, of various ages, family dynamics, financial situations, interests and dreams, come together to have fun, learn and push the agenda that girls want to learn and when given adequate attention, thrive in whatever environment they are in, was an beautiful thing to witness. My daughter Usha, just 17 months of age, enjoyed herself thoroughly. And for me to place her in that setting, at that age, seeing a black girl as a DJ, a black girl as the host and organizer, and just surrounded by girls who look like her, is something that I’m certain she’ll cherish for years to come.

I’m eagerly looking forward to attending Let Girls Learn Day in 2019 and beyond!” -Author Sugar Ray

“I have always envied my mom for raising two very strong women in my sister and I. With that said I really tried to tap into everything my mother taught us before she passed away. Let Girls Learn embodies the empowerment my mother instilled in us that education would be the foundation for everything we would need to be successful in life. To watch teen girls really be engaged in what they were doing was and is inspiring.” Cathlin Gleason MVPL Trustee

“Auntie TJ had us making volcanoes out of lemons. This made me understand what a volcano may look like and what it does when it erupts.” -Isis, Student The Walt Disney School, Bronx, NY

“Mothers took time to bring their daughter out for Let Girls Learn Day. We were part of a greater movement of ensuring our Girls have a fair chance to become successful women.” -Felicia Barnes, Mother

“It was wonderful to see so many shades of beautiful and smart brown girls sharing a moment of intellect. I was amazed my some of the things they knew and how open they we’re to learn more. It put my mind at ease to know that these young ladies are the future and that they have a bright future ahead. I can’t wait to see what “Let Girls Learn” has in store for the coming years and where will Cynthia Turnquest-Jones have in store for all our brown skin girls. It is said “If you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation”. Let us continue to help let girls learn so or nation is unstoppable.” -Tanisha Burgess, Make-up Artist

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26BLACK WESTCHESTER

JUNE 2018

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

June 19, 2018 6:00pm

28 SOUTH FIRST AVENUE MOUNT VERNON, NY

914-668-1840

www.MTVPL.org

LIBRARY BUDGET VOTE & TRUSTEE ELECTION RESULTS

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COMPLIMENTARY

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

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JUNE 2018