VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 8
COMPLIMENTARY
Unapologetically Delivering News To Communities Of Color in Westchester & Surrounding Areas
BLACK WESTCHESTER
FEATURES
WESTCHESTER COUNTY CORONAVIRUS CANCELATIONS, CLOSINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGES 6 - 7
GIRLS INC WESTCHESTER & PCSB BANK LAUNCH GIRLS PROGRAM AT BENJAMIN TURNER MIDDLE SCHOOL PAGE 12
WESTCHESTER IN ACTION PAGE 17
STEPINAC HS SENIOR AJANI CORNELIUS TAKING TALENTS TO UNIV OF RHODE ISLAND PAGE 23
MARCH MADNESS 2020 WHEN CORONAVIRUS SHUT DOWN THE SPORTSWORLD BY AJ WOODSON
PAGE 22
KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN FILM Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. is not here to tell his story, but Life-Aid recorded it and this new film documents the entire act of state terrorism by the White Plains Police Dept. The audio and film was the blueprint given from Mr. Chamberlain as a guide to his family, , an example of strength and courage of a black man protecting his rights to live in his home without unlawful search and seizure.,, (continues on pages 14-15)
RACISM BY ZIP CODE PART 3: ANTONINI, POLICE COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT THE CULTURAL CONDITIONING OF MT VER-
DR. EUGENE WOODSON NON BY OUR BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS IN MVPD BY GEORGE JOSEPH PAGE 16
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS
BY DAMON K JONES
PAGE 9
PAGE 8
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2 BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
Notice a change in a loved one? We are here to help. For many families, the holidays are the first time they’ve seen their loved ones in a while. If someone is acting differently, and you suspect it may be dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter is here for you. We have a variety of programs and resources that can help. Call our 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 or visit us online at alz.org/hudsonvalley.
800.272.3900 • alz.org/hudsonvalley This advertisement is supported in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Health.
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BLACK WESTCHESTER 3
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
On June 23rd vote for experience, leadership and integrity for Yonkers City Court Judge.
Justice for Yonkers #ProtectYourBench VOTE PRIMARY DAY June 23rd
Re-Elect Judge Thomas
DALY
Elect Attorney Verris
SHAKO
Keep Judge Brendan
McGRATH
Black Westchester_1/2 page1.indd 2
3/6/20 10:40 AM
Where The Name Speaks For Itself
@topclasslimo
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4 BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
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BLACK WESTCHESTER 5
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
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 and @PBPRadio Instagram: @BlackWestchester Facebook: /BlackWestchesterMagazine
Publisher DAMON K. JONES @DamonKJones
Editor-In-Chief AJ WOODSON
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 our CoronaVirus Edition of Black Westchester. We delayed our the printing and distribution of our March 15th edition, due to the coronavirus social distancing prevention insisted by our local, state and federal goverments. Most of the l locations, the churches, community center, libraries etc, are eith closed for now or people are urged to stay away from. So we revised the issue and dedicated as much of it as we could on the Cooronavirus, closures, cancelations, announcements, the affects on the sports world etc and we are relesing this digital version.
@BWEditorInChief
We encourage all of our readers to share this digital version and stay inside and protect yourself
Mistress Of Information Brenda L. Crump
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.
News Reporters/ Writers AJ Woodson Damon K. Jones George Joseph Derickson Lawrence
Peace and Blessings
Photographers AJ Woodson Damon K. Jones Graphic Designers AJ Woodson Paula S. Woodson/ PS Visually Speakin’ For Advertising Rates AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com Letters To The Editor BWEditorInChief@gmail.com
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6 BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
WESTCHESTER COUNTY CORONAVIRUS CLOSINGS, CANCELLATIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MORE BY AJ WOODSON The Westchester County Department of Health is maintaining and keeping current information on its website at https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus
HOTLINE PHONE NUMBERS
If you have symptoms you may call any of these numbers and they will ask you questions to determine the course of action. • Westchester County COVID-19 Information Call 211 • NYS Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline (888) 364-3065 • People under self-quarantine or exposure to a known case, call (866) 588-0195 For people who need food assistance, please see Feeding Westchester’s Mobile Food Pantry Schedule at https://feedingwestchester.org/find-help/mobile-food-pantry-schedule/. WESTCHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDING CHILDCARE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS During this time of great need in Westchester County, the school districts in Westchester, in conjunction with New York State and Westchester County Government, are opening their doors to the children of healthcare workers and first responders so that those on the front lines can continue to do their jobs that benefit all of us. For the greater good, all school districts in Westchester County are now providing childcare for children ages 5-12 for healthcare workers and first responders (police, fire, EMS, corrections officers and all public health workers) with no other childcare options. Latimer said: “This is an important thing we as a County can do to help support these brave men and women who are the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. I want them to be able to focus on their work and know that their children are well taken care of. It’s often said ‘it takes a village’ – today that village is a whole County and we are here to support and care for one another during this difficult and stressful time.” Those who would like to drop off a child must provide proof of employment (such as work ID) at child drop-off. The service is available to all County residents, and those healthcare workers and first responders who live outside of Westchester County but work in the County. This service is provided regardless if your child attends a private school or a public school. Hours are from 8a.m. – 6p.m. five days a week. The children that participate will be separated into groups of 10-12 children, social distancing will be practiced. Each child will have their temperature taken when they are dropped off and no children with any flu-like symptoms may attend. Each room will have an aid and/or teacher present as well as a nurse. The program will be assigned a full time administrator. *Residents should contact districts directly for more information.* · Ardsley: Concord Road Elementary School, Bedford: Mount Kisco Elementary School, Blind Brook: Bruno M Ponterio Ridge Street School, Bronxville: Bronxville Elementary School, Byram Hills: Armonk Children’s Corner, Croton-Harmon: Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School, Dobbs Ferry: Coordinated with the existing afterschool program at Springhurst Elementary School, Edgemont: Edgemont High School, Greenburgh – North Castle: Kenneth B. Clark Academy, Harrison: Harrison Elementary School, Hastings on Hudson: • Pre-K to 4th Grade: Hillside Elementary School; • 5th and 6th Grade: Farragut Middle School, Hendrick Hudson: Hendrick Hudson Elementary School, Irvington: Dows Lane Elementary School, Katonah – Lewisboro: Elementary School, Mount Vernon: Holmes Elementary School Additional childcare resources will be provided at Macedonian Baptist Church; Mount Vernon Heights Congregational Church and Allen Memorial Church or the Church of God in Christ, New Rochelle: City School District of New Rochelle’s District Offices (second floor of New Rochelle City Hall), Ossining: Park Elementary School, Peekskill: Uriah Hill Elementary Schools, Pelham: Siwanoy and Hutchinson Elementary School(s), Pocantico Hills:, Rye City: Rye High School or Rye Middle School, Somers: Somers Intermediate School, Tarrytown: John Paulding Elementary School, Valhalla: Easter Seals or Valhalla Middle/High School, White Plains: Post Road Elem School between 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Yonkers: Each site may accommodate 2-3 classes of 10 students aged 4-12 • Casimir Pulaski School – 150 Kings Cross, Scarsdale • Montessori School 31 – 7 Ravenswood Rd • School 17 – 745 Midland Ave · Yorktown: Yorktown High School between 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Provisions for the younger children (0-5 years old) in the County are still being fleshed out. Additional details will be shared when plans are finalized. WESTCHESTER COUNTY LIBRARY CLOSINGS Ardsley, (until further notice); Bedford, (March 14-31); Bedford Hills Free Library (March 16-31) Briarcliff Manor, (March 16 until further notice); Bronxville (March 16-30); Chappaqua, (March 14-29); Croton (March 15-31); Dobbs Ferry, (March 13-31); Eastchester, (March 15 until further notice); Greenburgh, (March 13-30); Harrison and West Harrison, (March 16-29); Hastings-on-Hudson, (March 14-April 1); Irvington, (until further notice); Katonah, (March 16-22); Larchmont, March 14-March 29; (South Salem) Lewisboro, (March 16-29); Mamaroneck. (March 16-30); (Montrose) Hendrick Hudson Free Library (March 18-23); Mount Kisco Public Library (March 16-31); Mount Pleasant and Valhalla (March 14-31); Mount Kisco (March 16-March 31); Mount Vernon Public Library (March 16 until further notice); New Rochelle, (March 13-25); Huguenot, (March 11-25); North Castle and North White Plains, (March 14-31); (North Salem) Ruth Keeler, (March 1629); Ossining, (March 15 until further notice); (Peekskill) Field Library, (March 13-31); Pelham, (March 14-31); Port Chester-Rye Brook, (March 14-22); Pound Ridge Library (March 17-31); Purchase, (March 14-27); Rye Free Reading Room, (March 16-29); Scarsdale, (March 14-22); Somers Library (March 16 until further notice); Tarrytown Warner, (March 15-18, closed on Sundays); Tuckahoe Public Library (March 16-28); White Plains (March 15 until further notice); Yonkers, all branches (March 15-31); Yorktown John C. Hart (March 16-31). METRO-NORTH Starting Tuesday, March 17, Metro-North will be no longer accepting cash fare payments at its ticket counters or on trains. Cash will be accepted at ticket vending machines. As of Wednesday, March 18, the following station ticket offices are closed: Bronxville, Croton-Harmon, Mount Vernon East, New Rochelle, North White Plains, Port Chester Rye, Tarrytown, White Plains,
WESTCHESTER COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES
ARDSLEY The village declared a state of emergency from March 16 until April 17. Village Hall is closed to the public until further notice. Village departments can be reached by calling 914-693-1550. Village Court can be reached at 914-693-1703 and village police can be reached at 914-693-1700 for non-emergency issues. BEDFORD Town offices are closed. Parks are closed unless walking on trails or grounds. The Recycling Center is open and on a regular schedule. Town Supervisor Chris Burdick will hold a virtual Town Hall tomorrow, March 20 at 3:00 PM. You may participate by means of Zoom. Please join me. You do not need to have an account or incur any service charges. Here’s how: Join Zoom Meeting click to go: https://zoom.us/j/8679189653pwd=OGRNaDRCQzNZNU4yVHdIdnk2 VC83UT09 Meeting ID: 867 918 9653Password: TownHall Three Individuals Testing Positive in Bedford. There has an increase from one to three in the Westchester County report of confirmed cases in Bedford. It should be noted that HIPPA and privacy laws prohibit the disclosure to the public of the identity of any individual testing positive. It also should be noted that due to the insufficient capacity of testing kits and testing sites, the number of confirmed cases is lower than is likely to be the case. BRIARCLIFF MANOR The village offices will be closed to the public. BRONXVILLE The village has declared a state of emergency and is imposing an 8 p.m. curfew for all residents 18 years and under to avoid large gatherings. This week’s village election has been postponed until April 28. Bronxville police ask that visitors call ahead before arriving at the office. CROTON Croton-on-Hudson declared a state of emergency on Monday, March 16, effective for 30 days. “I hereby direct the police department, fire department, department of public works, and emergency medical services to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure and other such emergency assistance as deemed necessary,” Village Manager Janine King said in a statement. The state of emergency provides the village manager, as chief executive officer, the ability to issue emergency orders, Croton officials said. One such order issued is the closure of all village playgrounds, ball fields, and basketball courts, with the goal of social distancing. The village’s passive parks and walking trails remain open. The Croton Police Department has suspended the following programs indefinitely: Child Safety Seat Inspections; Croton Youth Cadet Program; DARE Program; Westchester County Youth Cadet Program; Prescription Drug Drop Off Box in Headquarters Lobby; Courtesy Civilian Fingerprinting; Coffee with a Cop. All activities of the Croton Senior Citizens Club have been canceled through March 31, including the weekly meetings and the St. Patrick’s Day party. The village of Croton-on-Hudson has canceled all senior programs and recreational classes until further notice. EASTCHESTER The Eastchester school district’s safety, security and infrastructure bond vote scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, has been postponed until a later date. (continues on page 7) GREENBURGH Greenburgh’s schools have been closed for two weeks and the town has canceled all of its community activities at the Theodore D. Young Community Center. Library services have been suspended. Town Court sessions have been suspended for the week of March 16 to March 20. Town Hall is closed to the public. All business is being conducted through the mail. Forms are available online, and paper forms can be requested over the phone and mailed to residents. Meals on Wheels is still in effect. MAMARONECK The Mamaroneck School District has closed all of its schools until March 30. This includes the closure of the Hommocks Pool. The pool and the Hommocks Ice Rink will remain closed through March 30. All other Town Recreation Programming scheduled through March 30 is postponed or canceled. Please visit the Town’s Recreation Dept. website for a detailed list of program cancellations. The Town Senior Center will remain open for now for the nutrition program and for small group senior citizen activities.The St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Village of Mamaroneck has been postponed. MOUNT KISCO All village facilities, including the library, are closed until March 31. MOUNT VERNON Alternate side parking is suspended until further notice. All alternate side tickets received since Monday, March 16th will be forgiven. City Hall is open to the public on a limited basis. - Clerk’s Office – by appointment only – 665-2351 – 9 am to 1 pm, Monday-Thursday. - Comptroller’s Office – 9 am to 2 pm. The Assessor’s Office is now closed to the public. Contact them at CMVrenewal@ci.mount-vernon.ny.us The city is partnering with Feeding Westchester to provide food to the needy. On Friday from 5 to 7 pm, non-perishables and fresh produce will be distributed at the Doles Center, 250 South 6th Avenue. Anyone who is homebound and needs food delivered should call 914-665-2420. On Monday, March 16th, the City of Mount Vernon declared a State of Emergency effective immediately. Due to the spread of the coronavirus outbreak across the country, and there are grave concerns that the City of Mount Vernon is extremely vulnerable to the spread of Covid-19. As a result, we are taking the following steps during this State of Emergency: Strongly urging Mount Vernon residents to stay inside their home from 9pm-5am, excluding those who are traveling for work. Personal care businesses such as beauty salons, makeup studios, barbershops, spas, massage parlors, and nail salons are ordered to close starting on Wednesday. We are recommending all businesses that are not grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and gas stations to close their stores by 5pm starting Wednesday and going forth operate between 11am and 5pm. As we monitor the outbreak, we may close all businesses excluding health care operations, grocery stores, shelters, media outlets, gas stations and banks. Restaurants may remain open offering take-out/delivery options only, as recommended by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
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THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION On Wednesday, March 18th, the mayor has amended the State of Emergency Order following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.5; Beauty Salons, Barbershops, Nail Salons, Spas and Massage Parlors can re-open on Thursday, March 19th The Mount Vernon Public Library is allowing residents to apply for library cards online. They will have 35 days to verify proof of city residency by uploading necessary documents online at mountvernonpubliclibrary.org or faxing documents to 914-699-1118. Applications will be immediately processed and pin numbers will be available to use digital services. Patrons will have access to the library’s online electronic tutorial services, video, and music streaming, education resources, and audio and digital books. Self-serve media box checkout and check-in services will remain available at the library’s First Avenue entrance between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. All other library services are suspended. The library will develop shut-in services for homebound seniors who want access to the library’s collections. NEW ROCHELLE The Planning Board Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. has been canceled. The Civil Service Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 at 3 p.m. has been canceled. The New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency and Corporation for Local Development meetings scheduled for March 25 at 7:30 p.m. have been moved to 2:30 p.m. the same day. These meetings are closed to the public but the public could listen via telephone. The link will be provided on the IDA and CLD calendars. City Hall will be closed to the public and all public hearings and citizens-tobe-heard are canceled until further notice. Essential municipal services, including sanitation, police, fire, and emergency medical responders will continue. To accommodate urgent inquiries for information and services, departments have set up the following phone numbers which will be operational during normal business hours 8:30 a.m-4:30 p.m. Bureau of Buildings (914) 654-2034/2036 - City Clerk (914) 654-2159 - Assessment (914) 654-2052 - Tax (914) 654-2059 - Human Resources (914) 654-2168 - Senior Services (914) 654-2365 - City Manager (914) 654-2140. Parks remain open, and playgrounds are being regularly cleaned by park staff. Metered parking enforcement is suspended Citywide until further notice. The New Rochelle Public Library will be closed until March 25. A library spoken word event, “Read650,” was moved from March 15 to Oct. 18. The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee with the Chamber, originally scheduled for March 11, has been postponed until April 8. Its Dinner Dance is postponed until May 20. OSSINING The Joseph G. Caputo Community Center is closed until further notice because the gym is being re-purposed to provide food distribution. Patrons can drive up or walk up for curbside distribution. Food distribution will be provided Tuesday, March 17 and Friday, March 20 at the following locations: the Ossining Community Center 9 a.m.-11 a.m., market square noon to 2 p.m. and the Star of Bethlehem Church 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Home delivered meals will continue for those seniors who have signed up. Seniors can sign up for daily welfare check calls by call 914-762-1350 to register to get a call each morning. The Public Reception for the Lent Art Exhibit, originally scheduled for March 11 at The Center at Mariandale, was canceled. The exhibit will be on display through April 15. The reception will be rescheduled to a yet-to-bedetermined date. The Senior Nutrition Program at the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center will transition to only serving home-delivered meals starting Friday, March 13. All events and programs at the Senior Center have been canceled until further notice. All of the Town and Village of Ossining Parks including sports fields and courts, playgrounds, dog parks, and pavilions will be closed until further notice. The waterfront parks, walking, and jogging trails will remain open encouraging social distancing at these locations. Any questions, contact the Recreation Department at (914) 941-3189. Dale Cemetery and Sparta Cemetery are closed with the exception of burials. Burial gatherings are limited to 10 people. For any questions about the cemetery closures, contact Dale Cemetery at (914) 941-1155 or the Town Supervisor’s Office at (914) 762-600`. PEEKSKILL A public hearing that was scheduled for Monday, March 23, on the creation of a Senior Citizen Advisory Council is postponed until further notice, by order of the city’s Common Council. All public events at the Hudson Valley MOCA scheduled in March will be postponed. For those who have made reservations for Portfolio Review Day on March 22, the event will continue as planned PELHAM The Pelham Town Court Thursday night sessions on March 12 and 19 and the Wednesday morning session March 18 have been canceled. PORT CHESTER From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., take out meals will be available to all students through March 31 at the Edison School Orchid Street cafeteria entrance, the Park Avenue cafeteria entrance, and the entryways of JFK and King Street schools. Each student will receive a package with breakfast and lunch items to take home. The Open Door health centers at JFK and PCMS are available to Port Chester students in need of care. No walk-ins allowed, call ahead and make an appointment. To make that appointment call 914-9391477. The Don Bosco Boys and Girls Club closed. Out of concern for the daily supper that the club’s children depend on, each weekday at 4 p.m. starting in March there will be a take out dinner outside the club at 22 Don Bosco Place. The dinner program is only available to members to the Boys and Girls Club and their siblings. TARRYTOWN The village declared a state of emergency on March 15. Members of the public are temporarily prohibited from entering any village facilities, including the senior center and recreation center. Village departments are accessible via phone or email. Playgrounds are closed until further notice. Parks are open. Members of the public are temporarily banned from attending village board meetings. The Westchester Women’s Summit, scheduled for March 19 at the Doubletree by Hilton Tarrytown has been postponed to Sept. 10. The full-day conference will feature former Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson and former Obama administration national security adviser and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as keynote speakers. YORKTOWN Town Supervisor Matt Slater has declared a local state of emergency after the parent of a Yorktown Central School District student tested positive for coronavirus. The declaration allows the town supervisor to issue emergency orders that could include curfews, regulating movement into and out of certain areas and ordering public places closed, among other powers, according to a statement. On Saturday, Slater issued three emergency orders: Owners and managers of residential buildings with more than six dwelling units, and all homeowners associations, condominium boards and cooperative boards in town must provide town officials with reliable emergency contact information. The information should be sent to jbelcastro@yorktownny.org by 5 p.m. March 18 in the following format: building address, full name, telephone number and email address of a primary and secondary emergency contact person. All permits and licenses the town issues to door-to-door peddlers and solicitors are suspended. All providers of home health aide services in Yorktown must ensure their home health aides are screened for warning signs of COVID-19 and cleared before they start new assignments in town. The Town Board’s meetings are canceled in March. Town officials have expanded restrictions on public gatherings to protect public health. Public-health safety measures include: • The Nutrition Center will be closed until April 1. Staff will be enhancing the meals on wheels program to deliver to seniors who rely on town services. • All extracurricular activities at the Albert A. Cappellini Community and Cultural Center
BLACK WESTCHESTER
7
will be suspended until April 1. • Staff who enter occupied homes for inspections or repairs will only do so for emergencies until April 1. • The John C. Hart Memorial Library will limit its capacity during operating hours and it will close on Sundays until April 1. • Governmental meetings will continue, but public hearings will be postponed until April. • Yorktown Stage will close through April 1 and their production of The Sound of Music scheduled for the end of April is canceled. • SOAC Basketball’s season finale scheduled for next week is postponed to an undetermined date in April. • Maple Weekends at Hilltop Hanover Farm and White Oak Farm on March 21, 22, 28 and 29 are canceled. • Hilltop Hanover Farm’s Pancake Breakfasts are canceled. • The housing voucher program (Section 8) at the Cappellini center will only accept mailed applications. On Sunday, Slater issued additional emergency orders, which are as follows: Access to town-owned buildings (other than Yorktown Police Headquarters and Yorktown Justice Court) will be restricted to town employees only. No more than two people at a time may occupy the lobby of the Yorktown Police Headquarters and Yorktown Justice Court. Town’s Building Maintenance Director will install a secure drop box outside Town Hall, which will be emptied every business day at 9 a.m. Town documents may be deemed receivable by the town on the previous business day. Town employees may work remotely if approved by their department heads. All child care facilities in town will establish staggered pickup and drop-off times to reduce crowding in entrances and hallways by at least 50%. On Monday, Slater issued two additional orders: All town playgrounds and ball fields are closed. Passive recreation areas, like trails, remain open. All supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, and warehouse clubs must allow senior citizens and people with respiratory conditions and compromised immune systems to shop inside their establishments for at least 30 minutes without any other customers allowed inside. On Tuesday, Yorktown Chamber of Commerce and town officials launched Yorktown’s Take-Out Pledge in support of Main Street small businesses. The pledge consists of a social media campaign and a Google Sheets informing the public who’s offering take-out, curb-side pickup or home delivery. The public link to the Google Sheets is https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/ d/1DRTu3HoB2pAauN6v2rMA6mIKJsks5fZl8b02T2B_Eqk/edit?usp=sharing YONKERS The Yonkers police station has closed to the public. If you need immediate assistance, please call 914-377-7724. Police are also asking Yonkers residents currently self-quarantined to alert them by calling -914-377-7900. This is a VOLUNTARY request; the information will be used to notify first responders should you need assistance. All Yonkers public buildings are closed to walk-ins. The 65th annual Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade planned for March 21 has now been postponed to Sept. 19, the half-way point to St. Patrick’s Day 2021. Yonkers Raceway has suspended racing through Wednesday, March 18. John Brennan, a horse trainer who lived in New Jersey, came down with coronavirus and died. All Police Facilities will be closed to the public. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced several city programs have been canceled. Effective immediately, the following programs/events will be canceled through March 27: • Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation Senior Recreational Programs at: Cola Community Center, Scotti Community Center, Bernice Spreckman Community Center, Nodine Community Center, Nepperhan Community Center • Senior Centers at non-parks facilities at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian, St. Mark’s Hall, Runyon House, Northeast Jewish Center, Nepperhan Community Center and Our Lady of Fatima • Little Learners Program located at the Cola, Scotti, Spreckman Community Centers and Will Library • All Parks Community Recreation and Developmentally Disabled Programs at Parks Facilities • All indoor Parks Department program permits at Yonkers Public Schools • All public programs scheduled at all Yonkers Public Library branches. All city libraries are closed on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17 • All Mayor Advisory Boards meetings • Mayor’s Mobile Tax Offices • E.J. Murray’s Skating Rink • Coyne Park Rifle Range • City of Yonkers events through the end of March including Women of Distinction Ceremony, Yonkers Senior Spring Dance and the Yonkers Annual Skating Exhibition *Note: All Office for the Aging nutritional programs for seniors will remain operational; sites will be closed starting Monday, March 16. Yonkers Animal Shelter will remain open by appointment only. To limit residents’ need to visit City Hall to pay taxes due next month, City of Yonkers also will reimburse online credit card fees should taxpayers opt to pay taxes online at www.yonkersny.gov. The JCY-Westchester Community Partners Holocaust Remembrance Program at the Lincoln Park Jewish Center scheduled for March 9-13, was canceled, as a precaution. Efforts to reschedule the program will be made. The Untermyer Performing Arts Council has delayed the start of its Creative Hands-free Art Course for Children until March 28. Yonkers police are asking city residents who are self-quarantined due to COVID-19 to report that information to police by calling 914377-7900. It is a voluntary request that the city is making “in a continuing effort to ensure the safety of our community members, police officers, and first responders,” police said in a statement on March 16. The information will be used to create an alert in the city’s computer-aided dispatch system to notify first responders of the need for special resources in case of a response to a self-quarantined resident’s location. Residents’ information will not be shared with any outside organizations or saved in a database once the alert expires, police said. WHITE PLAINS White Plains Library: The library will be closed from March 15 until further notice. All of the library’s programs are canceled through March. All youth-focused programs have been canceled through April 12. Latest information on the library’s website, www. whiteplainslibrary.org. The LOFT: LGBT Community Services Center is suspending all in-person groups and services effective immediately through March 31. The Westchester: The Westchester mall in White Plains closed on Wednesday, March 18, and will reopen on March 29. Stay tuned to Black Westchester as we will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.
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8 BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
CORRUPTION AND BRUTALITY ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MOUNT VERNON DETECTIVE ARE ECHOED BY CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS BY GEORGE JOSEPH
do not say what the warrant was for and the police department did not respond to a question about it. But police claimed they found a plastic bag of cocaine by the store’s counter. Lab results later showed that there were no drugs in the bag. Antonini’s colleague, Detective Jesus Garcia, reported that he also found a box with just over two thousand dollars next to the cash register. Antonini said that he found a locked safe, and cracked it open using a hammer and crowbar with Fegan and Garcia at police headquarters. Antonini later told investigators he could not recall how much money was inside the safe. Garcia and Fegan reported finding $8,980. Police vouchered those sums, but after the operation, Ali Fadhel, the deli’s owner, alleged that he had had nearly $10,000 more near his store counter and in the safe. Police investigated his complaint and concluded that he had no evidence to back up his allegations. Detective Garcia did not respond to an interview request left with the department’s detective division.
Detective Camilo Antonini (right foreground) leaving a press conference held by Mount Vernon’s former mayor and police commissioner. [FACEBOOK]
Mount Vernon residents have filed numerous complaints against a controversial detective that mirror accusations of brutality and corruption raised by a fellow officer. Detective Camilo Antonini was investigated by the department’s internal affairs unit at least eight times between 2014 and 2015, according to confidential police documents reviewed by Gothamist/WNYC. The civilian complaints allege that he and fellow officers committed sexual abuse related to body searches, used excessive force and, in at least two cases, committed robbery. The civilian complaints echo those outlined in a 2015 lawsuit by Murashea Bovell, an active-duty police officer in Mount Vernon who previously worked alongside Antonini in the narcotics unit. Bovell claimed he saw Antonini beat up civilians in custody, rob residents, and collaborate inappropriately with drug dealers to rack up arrests. The whistleblower also alleged that their narcotics supervisor, Sergeant Sean Fegan, tolerated Antonini’s misconduct and used racist language about black residents. Bovell lost his lawsuit on procedural grounds, and has filed a new suit alleging retaliation from supervisors. Antonini and Fegan remained on the force. Police documents show that the department cleared Antonini and fellow officers in response to every one of the civilian complaints. Fegan conducted the initial investigation in five of the eight complaints. In those cases, the department followed Fegan’s recommendations and dismissed them. In two of the other three allegations, Fegan was not the initial investigator because he himself was also a subject of the investigation. In those cases too, the department dismissed the civilian complaints. Gothamist/WNYC called Antonini to discuss the allegations against him, and the detective quickly hung up the phone. Sergeant Fegan also declined comment. The Mount Vernon Police Department did not respond to questions about whether other civilian complaints have been filed against Antonini, and whether the number or nature of the complaints are unusual. The disclosure of two years of complaints against Antonini comes at a critical juncture for Mount Vernon, a city of 70,000 just north of the Bronx. In January, a new mayor and police commissioner took office in a city that has struggled for years with political in-fighting and corruption. With these new leaders and a contested District Attorney’s race in Westchester County this year, some observers are hoping for more oversight and reform. “The DA’s office and the police leadership have to take these allegations seriously first, and they have to investigate them,” said Damon Jones, a New York representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America and publisher of Black Westchester Magazine. “The problem was in the past that the leadership didn’t care about the civilians that they serve,” he said. “So now with new leadership, hopefully working alongside the district attorney’s office, the concerns of the public will be met.” Glenn Scott, Mount Vernon’s newly-appointed Commissioner of Public Safety, declined to comment on the specific allegations involving Antonini and Fegan, citing Bovell’s pending legal action. In an email, however, Scott affirmed his commitment to transparency. “One of my top priorities is to rid the Police Department of bad actors and create a culture of Community Policing,” he said. The City of Mount Vernon also issued a statement, noting that Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard supports the establishment of a Civilian Complaint Review Board to “produce a substantial shift if community relations.” According to a city spokesman, such a review board could allay concerns about police officers being investigated by their direct supervisors. But Mount Vernon city officials have been considering the idea for nearly two years, and what powers the board would actually have, if launched, remain unclear. Robbery Allegations One of the most serious civilian allegations against Antonini stemmed from an incident that took place on the afternoon of September 7th, 2014. The detective was part of a team that executed a search warrant on a deli on Gramatan Avenue in downtown Mount Vernon. The records we obtained
In 2014, Antonini and a group of officers executed a search warrant on this deli. The owner claims police stole thousands of dollars. [GEORGE JOSEPH]
Standing in front of the deli counter over five years later, Fadhel said the raid is still hurting his business. “Everybody said, ‘Oh that place is suspicious for selling drugs’ for no reason. I wasn’t doing that. I’m a family man,” he said. “But now I’ve been paying the price since then.” Pointing at the half empty shelves in the back of the deli, Fadhel says he is considering closing his business. He filed for bankruptcy in January. “Those people they’re supposed to be protecting you, not attacking you,” said the shopkeeper, trailing off in exasperation. “Who are you going to call? The police against the police?” Less than three weeks after the raid on the deli, Antonini was accused of stealing about $100 from a drug suspect who was arrested during a car stop. In his police report, Antonini said he found just under $200 in cash on the man. From jail, the man wrote a complaint claiming that he actually had $290 total. “I watch Det Antonini take my money and phones and put it in his desk, which I never seen again,” he wrote. “When I asked about my property, I was told to ‘shut the f*** up.’” Fegan conducted the investigation and determined that Antonini should be cleared. Top police officials agreed with his recommendation, the documents show. Anthony Mitchell, a veteran Mount Vernon police sergeant who is now retired, said that even though the complaints are unsubstantiated, they are still troubling. “Anytime you have [a complaint about] money missing, jewelry missing, within a short period of time, it should raise red flags—especially when the individuals don’t know each other,” said Mitchell, who served under several administrations. In his 2015 lawsuit, Officer Bovell claimed he witnessed Antonini rob Mount Vernon residents “on numerous occasions” while executing search warrants of vehicles and homes. Bovell alleged that during these operations, Antonini would sometimes find suspects’ money and ask out loud, “Did anybody see this?” as he pocketed the cash in front of his fellow officers. A Reputation For Getting Physical Allegations of excessive force and rowdy behavior have also dogged Antonini for years. Early on in his career in Mount Vernon, Antonini was put on modified duty following an off-duty incident in which he broke another man’s jaw “at a gathering,” according to Carl Bell, Mount Vernon’s former police commissioner. In 2012, Mitchell briefly took over the narcotics unit and said he raised concerns about the incident to Bell. “Anytime you have what I consider to be an officer that’s heavy-handed, it can compromise your investigations,” he said. “You depend on the people in the community to give you information—even if it’s a bad guy. If you’re fair, most bad guys will give you information.” (continues on page 24)
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BLACK WESTCHESTER 9
RACISM BY ZIP CODE PT. 3 - THE CULTURAL CONDITIONING OF MOUNT VERNON BY OUR BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS
BY DAMON K JONES
BLACK LIVES MUST MATTER TO BLACK PEOPLE BEFORE IT MATTERS TO BLACK POLITICIANS IN A RACIST POLITICAL STRUCTURE In Racism by Zip code Parts 1 and 2, we covered the implicit racism in policies, practices in decision making on how resources are used in healthcare in Black communities. It is a hard reality to swallow; unfortunately, we have been sleeping at the wheel. Many fear the discussion of racism in Westchester County. How can there be? Westchester is the home county to our New York State Governor Cuomo. Many A list superstars, entertainers, athletes, and Fortune 500 CEOs live here, how can racism exist. We can somewhat agree that institutional and structural racism exists. As Black people in Westchester, we have seen the cultural conditioning of implicit racism firsthand in our education, in how we’re policed, including inequality and widening the economic gap. Now the most populated Black city in the County is losing its Hospital. Cultural Conditioning is the social process in which authority figures such as parents, professors, politicians, religious leaders, peers, and the media define our cultural values, beliefs, ethical systems, and ultimately, the way we perceive ourselves in the world. It seems like every year, Black folk in Westchester are lulled to sleep by community leaders, politicians, or clergy members that what we are experiencing is not implicit racism. Nor do they take any responsibility; the closing Mount Vernon Hospital is a prime example. As I stated many times, it wasn’t any secret the Hospital was closing. So instead of being emotional, the people must ask the question of the most senior elected officials; what was the plan? It is one thing to say your working for us but it is another to see services and institution disappear before our eyes. Instead of being honest with their constituency about the problem, our elected officials have played politics. Our elected officials and community leaders and organizations play a significant role in the cultural conditioning of our people by misdirecting the blame. Mount Vernon is a prime example when a city of 70 thousand people loses a hospital, and the leadership cries foul ball AFTER the fact. It was no secret that the Hospital was closing since 2013. What were our elected officials doing since then? There is significant justification for many members of the Black Community to disconnect themselves from the idea of any existence of effective Black Leadership today. President Theodore Roosevelt, on October 31, 1936, at Madison Square Garden, said, “Government as an Organized economy is as dangerous as government as an organized mob.” Our leaders act no different than the gangs that our leaders claim to despise or use as an excuse for their ineffectiveness to address real solutions to enhance the quality of life of our people. So, the Bloods and Crips are just little gangs imitating their more prominent counterparts; the churches, the democrats, the republicans. Many of the leadership that only show up in the “Hood” for parades and elections, but when there is a crisis, like losing a hospital, all the Black community gets are tasty sound bites and quotes. Still, no real solutions to solve the dilemma. I have seen so many times how our elected officials have handled the same situations differently in a town that is majority white compared to a city that is majority Black. The elected officials have dropped the ball to ensure the people of Mt. Vernon would have the proper services of a medical facility. So now those same elected officials that are now crying foul ball like Lyndon Williams, Congressman Engel, Senator Schumer, Assemblyman Pretlow have yet to explain what they have done to keep the Hospital from closing since 2013. Not one of them have talked about the process of closing a hospital in New York State. Not one of them informed the people of Mount Vernon that is was in the hands of the New York State Board of Health and Governor Andrew Cuomo. Not one of them directed the disdain of the residents to call on the need for the assistance of the Governor who appoints the Commissioner of the New York State Board of Health. Our Politicians have intentionally misdirected the people’s anger for political reasons and have sacrificed medical services all for the candidate they support to get in office. The vast majority of Black or people of color are Culturally Conditioned to accept these institutional inequalities in Westchester. Unfortunately, there should be a louder voice to what is going on to the people of Mount Vernon. But the majority of Black people are under an illusion of inclusion just because a small percentage of us have college degrees, a home, and a Mercedes Benz. Black leaders fail to have an honest discussion about implicit racism in Westchester. I don’t know why, because White people who understand implicit racism speak freely against it every chance they get. The fact of the matter is, many of our Black leaders are culturally conditioned by outside forces that give money, donations, and fundraisers. On any given day, look at the campaign contributions of any Black Politician. You will not see the average person who’s making minimum wage or the single mother who’s trying to make ends meet. You will not see Pookie or Ray-Ray making $2,5000 donation to any campaign. What you will see is the most fortunate, the business people, contractors, and builders. People that don’t look like Pookie or Ray-Ray and don’t have the same interests as them either. In 1992, the African-American Advisory Board summated a report to thenCounty Executive Andrew O’Rourke. The report detailed how minorities, especially those on social services was purposely moved to cities like Mt. Vernon, Yonkers, Peekskill, Portchester, and New Rochelle. Other cities have changed the process around and are beginning to thrive. But that same zeal that other cities have is not in Mt Vernon. As a result, Mt. Vernon houses 30% of all families in Westchester that receive social services. The lack of supported services to these families has become a burden to taxpayers. Ironically, the Hospital is collateral damage of failed support, policy, governance, and failed Black Leadership. Instead of fighting for the interest of the people, it has been politically convenient to blame the Acting Mayor Andre Wallace, who has only been the Mayor for six weeks when the county, state, and federal elected officials were aware that the Hospital was closing since 2013. Six weeks to six years, you do the math. Do we think any company will invest in a city that has no credit rating, has no hospital, no trauma center? In the latest news article by Lohud.com, Disparities in counts of homeless kids
hinder assistance efforts. The article states that: Mount Vernon counted nearly 900 homeless students out of 2,799 in the county in 2018, according to the federal Education Department, by far the largest number in Westchester. County Legislator, Lyndon Williams had the unmitigated gall to post building work permits obtained by Montefiore to accuse an Administration that has only been operating for six weeks. But he failed to explain what he done since 2013 when he had a press conference about the hospital closing six years ago. As our county legislator you would think it would be on his radar since he was well aware of the dilemma. In 2010 former County Exec. Robert Astorino changed the contract for the County Inmates to be seen at Mount Vernon Hospital instead of the Westchester Medical Center. It was known then it was a financial move for the hospital to gain revenue. Legislator Willams and other Mount Vernon electeds attacked Astorino for the move but never addressed the hospital’s need for revenue. If Astorino didn’t make the move to Mount Vernon Hospital, because of the lack of revenue, the hospital might of close many years earlier. These elected officials had no forums, no press release, no information to the public that the hospital was in need of revenue to operate. Where is a solid agenda for Black people from our Black elected officials and Black Clergy? Shouldn’t we have an agenda? Every other ethnic group does. Where is the collective commitment of Black men in Westchester to stand firm against institutional racism and the need for better education, vocational training, and economic development in our communities? Black families have the most significant proportion of female-headed households than any other subgroup. More than 44% of black families are female-headed and are raising a household at or below the poverty level. Black folks couldn’t even govern to Memorial Field built. Are we serious? Ten years and the field is not built. They have built a New Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, and even a new Tappan Zee Bridge. All projects started after the announcement of the renovation of the field and all projects finished before Black people can even start a field. Unfortunately, instead of accepting collective responsibility they rather play politics with the quality of life with those they represent. Unfortunately, there some Black County’s political leaders have always maintained that the segregation that exists in Westchester County is not about race, it’s all about class, basically, the haves and the have nots. Many Blacks and Latinos cannot afford to live in towns like Scarsdale, one of the nation’s wealthiest suburbs is the excuse. But this is the Cultural Conditioning of an entire... (continues on page 24)
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10 BLACK WESTCHESTER
AN INNOCENT BLACK MAN WAS LYNCHED IN ALABAMA
BY DAMON K. JONES
Reexamining America’s Capital Punishment - Racist And Unjust The execution, or should I say public lynching of Nathaniel Woods, shouldn’t be a shock anyone when it comes to any justice for Black people and Black men in particular in America. 43-year old Woods was found guilty and convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 2005 for the June 17, 2004, killing of three Birmingham police officers. Woods was not directly part of the killings. Even though the killings were carried out by his co-defendant Kerry Spenser, prosecutors were able to get a murder conviction against Woods. According to reports, Mr. Woods did not shoot any of the police officers and Mr. Woods surrendered to the police saying, “I give up” when an officer came at him with pepper spray before the shooting began. The issues around Mr. Woods’s case is no different than many circumstances surrounding a murder trial of a Black man as a defendant in America. There were complaints of incompetent counsel, police corruption, witness and evidence tampering. Even with these complaints and a temporary stay order from Supreme Court Justice Clalrence Thomas, the Alabama Governor, Kay Ivey did not stop the execution. Let’s not forget this is the same Governor that in 2019 had to publicly apologize for wearing blackface in college. The Alabama NAACP issued a statement calling for Ivey’s resignation, saying her apology “does not erase the fact that she participated in these activities that mocked and intimidated African-Americans.” Black people in America always have to question what’s in the heart of those in power, who have the opportunity to correct the wrong but are to damn afraid of true justice in America? An innocent Black man was lynched today by the government of Alabama and nobody in power cared! As Lynchings were racial terrorism against Black People, government executions of an innocent man is also a form of terrorism. To put fear in Black residents of Alabama and cause a kind of “psychological distress.” Punishment and social, economic, racial placement have always been the modus operandi our criminal justice system. Mr. Woods and every black man in America will always be subject to Justice Robert Taney’s 1857, the Dred Scott case ruling; that black people “are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word ‘citizens’ in the Constitution, and can, therefore, claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States.
According to the Criminal Justice Project of the NAACP, there are 2,656 people on death row in the United States as of July 1, 2019. Since 1976, when the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, 1,512 people have been executed (as of December 12, 2019). Even though Black people make up only 12 percent of America’s population, Blacks people are 41 percent of the inmates on death row. It has already been established that racial bias plays a role in our justice system. With all current information and data, we have only made baby steps in solving this dilemma. After the unjust execution (lynching) of Mr. Woods, U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, other lawmakers and civil rights advocates implored Congress to abolish the death penalty nationwide. Rep. Pressley proposed People’s Justice Guarantee legislation and a bill (H.R. 4052) she introduced in July 2019, that would “prohibit the imposition of the death penalty for any violation of federal law and other purposes.” America must come to terms that its capital punishment system is racist and flawed. It is far from a perfect system—organizations like the Innocence Project, who have helped to exonerates 365 wrongly convicted individuals, lets us know there are many, many more innocent people sitting on death row.
POLICE TRAUMATIZE 11-YEAR-OLD, HANDCUFFING 1ST BLACK ARIZONA STATE APPELLATE COURT JUDGE SAYS BLACKS
ON THE STATE’ S CONSTI T UTI O NAL COURTS ARE DWI N DLI N G HER AFTER SUSPECTING HER OF ATTEMPTED CAR THEFT BY AJ WOODSON BY AJ WOODSON She said officers mistook her daughter for a 16-year-old suspect and handcuffed the girl before asking how old she even was! DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The mother of an 11-year-old girl said she is “livid” after police reportedly misidentified her child as a suspect in an attempted car theft, handcuffed her and put her in the back of a patrol car. And the mother said she even offered proof that the girl was innocent. According to mother Cynthia Hendricks, DeKalb County Police rang the doorbell to her home off of Poplar Falls Avenue near Lithonia around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 4th and asked for her 11-year-old daughter by name. Hendricks told WXIA-TV (11Alive), that the officer she spoke with said that her daughter was suspected of trying to steal a neighbor’s car minutes before. According to the mom, the DeKalb officer told her that a teen girl about 16 years old and two teen boys tried to steal a car on the same street. The neighbor gave her daughter’s name, London, as someone possibly involved. The officer added that the neighbor said the female suspect ran off in the general direction of Hendricks’ home. London’s name was said to have been given to the officers by a neighbor after she fit the description, even though there is a five-year age difference. Even though Hendricks told the officers her daughter was at home since 4 pm and even gave camera evidence from her Ring doorbell camera and other surveillance equipment the officers detained London anyway despite having the proof. Once London was in the police car, officers asked about her age and the clothing she was wearing. The officers were surprised to find out she wasn’t 16, eventually letting London go. London was held inside the police car for at least ten minutes, WAGA-TV reports. “(The officer) placed handcuffs on my daughter, placed her in back of police vehicle with intent to transport her to juvenile detention,” Hendricks said. Is it really that hard to not put handcuffs on black children? One would think that given report after report after report on cops handcuffing or otherwise using excessive force on black children as young as 8-years old, people in law enforcement would get the message that the practice is unnecessarily cruel. And yet, here we are again, Cynthia Henricks wrote for The Root.com. “I am beyond livid and disgusted at DeKalb County Police for, one, not bothering to ask my daughter’s age before traumatizing her, two, blatantly ignoring the fact that our surveillance cameras show that London did not exit the house whatsoever, and, three, not doing their due diligence before coming to my home to attempt to arrest my child,” Hendricks said. DeKalb County Police Department told 11Alive they were “not made aware of any concerns.” Hendricks stated she will be filing a complaint against the police department and hopes that a policy change will follow.
Cecil Patterson is used to being a trailblazer: He was the first black judge appointed to the Maricopa County Superior Court, the first black lawyer in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the state’s first African-American Appellate Court Judge. While he is proud of his career and achievements one thing he is not proud of is dwinding number of Arizona’s constitutional court judges. Judge Patterson said he is concerned that the number of African Americans on the state’s constitutional courts are dwindling. “Which I believe is not the way
we should be progressing, and it certainly isn’t the path that we started out on.” He said efforts need to be made to bring more people of color into the judicial system to ensure a bench that represents the way the community is composed. Cecil Patterson said he can still hear his father’s voice speaking at the breakfast table of his youth. “My dad would talk about wishing that he could have had the opportunity to go to law school,” Patterson said, “and you know that fixation sticks in your head.” But like his father, Patterson couldn’t afford it. After finishing college in 1963, he joined the Air Force, which eventually brought him to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. After five years of service, Patterson used the GI Bill to attend law school at Arizona State University. When he started, there were only three black attorneys in the state. “Which is part of the reason I decided to stay,” Patterson said. “Because I figured this is fertile ground, and I could try to do something in that void.” He went to work for the public in legal services, as a public defender, and as an attorney at the Phoenix Urban League. The Honorable Cecil B. Patterson Scholarship Endowment will be announced at a celebration and scholarship reception Tuesday, February 28th, at the Beus Center for Law & Society in downtown Phoenix, home of Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Patterson, who retired in 2011 is raising money for an endowment established in his name as part of Campaign ASU 2020, a comprehensive effort to raise at least $1.5 billion to accelerate the university’s mission. If he raises $500,000, it will establish a scholarship for outstanding minority law students. Patterson has served as a mentor to many African Americans in the Phoenix legal community, including ASU College of Law Professor Emeritus Myles Lynk. “What’s striking about Judge Patterson’s career, is that he was the first at a time when most people would have thought there were no more firsts to be had,” Lynk said.
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Danromanoforjudge@gmail.com Danromano4judge
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12 BLACK WESTCHESTER
GIRLS INC. WESTCHESTER & PCSB BANK LAUNCH GIRLS PROGRAMMING AT BENJAMIN TURNER MIDDLE SCHOOL T
BY AJ WOODSON
o kick off Women’s History Month, Girls Inc. Westchester as part of a $60,000 grant award received from the PCSB Community Foundation launched a three-year enrichment initiative, Tuesday, March 3rd, that will serve over 300 girls at Benjamin Turner Middle School. The PCSB Community Foundation is making a major investment in the girls of Mount Vernon. Under the direction of its Chairman, President and CEO Joseph D. Roberto, a native of Mount Vernon, the PCSB Community Foundation has awarded Girls Inc. of Westchester County (GIWC) a $60,000 grant award to fund a three-year enrichment initiative at the Benjamin Turner Middle School. Benjamin Turner Middle School is located in Mount Vernon, NY and serves 360 students from 6th through 8th grade. “As a community-focused bank, we look forward to supporting an initiative that will give young people important tools and enrichment that will help position them for future, long-term success,” said PCSB Bank Chairman, President and CEO Joseph D. Roberto. “Having been raised in Mount Vernon, I am especially proud to provide funding for this multi-faceted Girls Inc. program, which will make such a significant difference in the lives of the students and their families for years to come.” The Girls Inc. programming which begins March 2020, will serve 300 girls over three years at Benjamin Turner Middle School. Led by dedicated facilitators, curriculum will be delivered through weekly, weekend, and summer sessions to include financial literacy, STEM, college & career, goal setting, healthy relationships, anti-bullying strategies, and tools for living safe and strong. The Girls Inc. experience is unique in that it is offered in an all-girl environment focused on helping young girls acquire knowledge and exposure to strategies that build confidence, promote self-esteem, engender leadership characteristics and develop skills to conquer obstacles, both social and academic, to future success. “It is so symbolic and meaningful for us to initiate our program in March, Women’s History Month”, said Michelle A. Nicholas, Executive Director, Girls Inc. Westchester. “We are beyond delighted to be able to bring the Girls Inc. programming to girls in the Benjamin Turner Middle School and the Mount Vernon School District at such an important stage in their development. As we all know, early adolescence is such a formative and dynamic time for all of our children, particularly girls. The support of community partners like PCSB Bank, Principal Rodney McBride, the School District, and Board of Directors speaks volumes to the overall commitment to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.” Led by dedicated facilitators, curriculum will be delivered through weekly, weekend, and summer sessions to include financial literacy, STEM, college & career, goal setting, healthy relationships, bullyism, and tools for living safe and strong. In attendance for the launch of the three-year initiative were Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, Mount Vernon School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hamilton, PCSB Bank Chairman, President and CEO Joseph Roberto, Benjamin Turner Middle School Principal Mr. Rodney McBride, Girls Inc. of Westchester Executive Director Michelle A. Nicholas, and Anitra Hadley of the Girls Inc. Westchester Board of Directors Dr. Hamilton said the school district was looking for a great program that is to girls what My Brother’s Keeper is to boys. “We are excited to welcome Girls Inc. to the Mount Vernon City School District. Programs such as this, that support our students, particularly young women, both in and out of the classroom are critical to the success of our schools. We look forward to this partnership and the positive impact it will have on our school and students.” Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard who strongly supports the influential program that will help shape our young girls into future leaders gave an inspirational speech to the young girls. “I stand on the foundation of powerful women who were strong, smart, bold and didn’t ask for permission to run. Girls Inc. is an influential program that will help shape our young girls into future leaders,” Mayor Patterson-Howard shared with Black Westchester. This program symbolizes the power of our collective impact to create powerful initiatives to propel our girls. The collaboration between, the City of Mount Vernon, PCSB Bank, the Mount Vernon City School District and our non-profits shows how much work can be accomplished when we move forward together.” Girls Inc. of Westchester is a leadership development organization for girls age 9-18, which focuses on helping girls to grow up Strong, Smart, and Bold. The organization is dedicated to providing each participant with a comprehensive whole girl development approach that equips them to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and to grow up healthy, educated, and independent. Girls Inc. of Westchester County teaches more than 1,000 participants in several school districts throughout Westchester County, including Port Chester, New Rochelle, Ossining, Yonkers, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, White Plains, and Peekskill. About Girls Inc. of Westchester County: Girls Inc. of Westchester County (GIWC) is an affiliate of Girls Incorporated, a 156-year-old national nonprofit providing more than 140,000 girls across the U.S. and Canada with life-changing experiences and solutions to the unique challenges girls face. GIWC is a leadership development organization for girls dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of girls ages 9 -18 by helping them become Strong, Smart, and Bold! (our mission). GIWC was established in 2007 and delivers girls-only programming in a safe and nurturing environment through in-school and after-school programs, in community centers, and youth bureaus throughout Westchester County. For more information about Girls Inc. go to their website, girlsincwestchester.org.
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14 BLACK WESTCHESTER
#KILLINGOFKCFILM
COVER STORIES BW COVER STORY
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN MOVIE IS A REALITY CHECK FOR AMERICA, BLACK LEADERSHIP, & AMERICA’S POLICING CONSCIOUSNESS BY DAMON K. JONES
I have spent my 30 years as a Law Enforcement Professional, and I am also a childhood friend of Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. I heard the news straight from Kenneth’s mouth that the White Plains Police Dept. killed his father. I assisted many families of questionable police shootings, but the killing of Kenny’s father to me was personal, it was like getting a call that my father was killed. I have watched those who claimed they supported Justice for his father to stay silent in public, and others we thought would rally the call but for political reasons stay away from the issue. This movie makes us question our commitment to Justice, and before black lives can matter to anyone, it must matter to black people first.
When the audio from the life alert recording was first made public, we could never imagine
that officers would act in that manner towards anyone. I also would never guess that an officer serving in that manner would not be punished by their department or criminally charged by the District Attorney. Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. is not here to tell his story, but the audio recording recorded the entire act of state terrorism by the White Plains Police Department. The audio recording was the blueprint given from Mr. Chamberlain as a guide to his family, an example of strength and courage of a black man protecting his rights to live in his home without unlawful search and seizure. The audio recording, Mr. Chamberlain’s words, ultimately was a guide for this powerful movie; in my opinion, this movie will create the ongoing conversation needed on how police deal with mental health and the ongoing need for how police leadership deals with racial biases within the police culture. If you didn’t know Mr. Chamberlain, you will meet him in this movie. Actor Frankie Faison brings Mr. Chamberlain to life. He brings the struggle of a man dealing with mental illness and makes a fatal mistake activating his life pendent and just wanted to be left alone to go back to sleep. You will also meet the fictional White Plains Police Officers, Seargent Parks, played by Steve Odonell, Officer Jackson, played by Ben Marten, and Officer Rossi, played by Enrico Natale. The audience becomes first-hand witnesses to police biases and prejudgments of someone base on where they live and their color, an unfortunate problem in our law enforcement culture. I felt like a fly on the wall witnessing an escalation from what we called trained professionals who are supposed to deescalate at every means necessary. As a retired Correction Officer and United States Marine Veteran, you see Mr. Chamberlain several times attempt to deescalate the police even after these so-called trained professionals escalates a situation to the point of no return. This movie is a harsh reminder of the responsibility of Law Enforcement leaders, as I said many times, that Law Enforcement Leadership is the primary key to Law Enforcement Officer accountability. Law Enforcement Leaders and politicians fail to address the rooted racial bias, conscious or unconscious in policing when it comes to Black people, especially Black men in particular. The unjust shootings of Black men by Law Enforcement has become more American than Apple Pie. Of course, many in this Justice System genuinely believes in the core tenants of Justice. At the end of the day, the rank and file of our Justice System are victims as well because of fear of losing a paycheck, promotion, or so-called respect of their comrades; they play along with this dismal downfall of trust in this system we call Justice. All along forgetting the oath, we take to uphold the State Constitution and the Constitution of the United States and its citizens. The visual fight of Mr. Chamberlain to stand his ground to protect his home, his constant contact with Life Alert, and his quoting of his constitutional rights is encouraging. Even knowing that Mr. Chamberlain will be killed, you still sit on the edge of your seat, hoping his stance for his respect and his home leads to another outcome. Like many black men before and after Mr. Chamberlain, his rights didn’t mean anything to these officers. Their continued actions to justify their actions put an exclamation point to Justice B. Tayney’s 1957, Dred Scott case opinion that all blacks — slaves as well as free — were not and could never become citizens of the United States. The framers of the Constitution, he wrote, believed that blacks “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect. Mr. Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. – black man, veteran, retired Correction Officer, called “nigger” and shot and killed by White Plains Police when he refused to open
his door when his medical alert alerted the police by accident; is a proven fact that this Supreme Court Opinion has yet to be reversed in the DNA of Law Enforcement. I watched the movie at both showings, and both times seeing the movie, I cried. I cried because of the pain I saw Mr. Chamberlain endure, the pain of knowing his son and his family, and the pain they have endured. I cried cause of the pain of being a black man who puts on that same uniform and badge as these officers and is conscious enough to know that without that badge, without that uniform, I am nothing but a nigger and will be killed just like Mr. Chamberlain. New York State has a history of 27 Black Law Enforcement Officers in plain clothes or off duty, who was shot, shot at, or killed by their white counterparts, but incidents like this have never happened in reverse. A study, published in The Lancet, found that when U.S. officers shoot and kill unarmed Black people, it has a negative impact on the mental state of Black Americans in those states Researchers pored over mental health survey data and a database on police shootings to solidify their findings, which they described as “observable and real.” As someone who has worked closely with families of victims of unjust police killings, I can say first hand that it takes an enormous toll on the mental stability of family members and friends. According to a 2012 poll by lohud.com, 84% of the people polled thought that the killing of Kenneth Chamberlain was NOT JUSTIFIED. This movie is a sad reality of what Black people face on a daily basis. But how do we have the needed conversation when our own Black elected officials refuse to watch it? This movie was shown for two days, and out of all the Black elected officials invited, only two attended. Not one elected official from White Plains attended and not one County Legislator. It is unfortunate that this special screening wasn’t important to our Black elected officials. The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain Movie was and is the sad history of racism in Westchester that many Black elected officials refuse to accept or publicly acknowledge. It is a punch in the gut reality that still our black leaders have refused to accept or are afraid that the visual that this movie gives will force them to finally act. In dealing with police and community relations, this screening was the most important Black History Month event in the county. The elected that did attend, will they take the information given to make a change, or will we see more of the same? Our Black elected officials must realize that they are not immune to the chance that the next man or woman that is killed might be their close friend or family member. The only way to truly address this disease is to pass local, state and federal legislation for oversight of law enforcement’s use of force policies, training of officers and independent investigations of complaints of questionable actions by officers. The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain movie is beyond the touch of anti-police rhetoric; it is based on real police actions and words. It is a reality America needs to face, and Black America’s leadership needs to finally see. Damon K. Jones is the Publisher and Co-Owner Black Westchester. Mr. Jones is also the NY Representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America (BLEA). He has been a guest commentator on NY radio stations WBLS (107.5 FM), WLIB (1190 am) WRKS (98.7 FM), WBAI (99.5 FM) and Westchester’s WVOX (1460 am).He has appeared on local television broadcasts including Westchester News 12 “News Makers” and Public Television “Winbrook Pride. You can now hear Damon on Bob Marone’s Radio Westchester
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BLACK WESTCHESTER 15
BW COVER STORY
THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN BY AJ WOODSON
AT 7:09 AM JUST ABOUT TWO HOURS AFTER A MEDICAL ALERT DISPATCHER CALLS TO SEE IF THE FORMER MARINE IS OK, KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN IS PRONOUNCED DEAD…
W hite people cannot comprehend the deadly conqsequence of being Black. Even many Black People I’ve talk to find it hard to comprehend, how a call to the police
department for a wellness or welfare check turns deadly and a 68-year-old military veteran and Westchester County Department of Corrections retiree can be killed by the White Plains Police Department because he triggered his life-aid alert. Another example of suffering the deadly consequences of being Black. Many believe, myself included, had his name been Horowitz, Cohen, Schneiderman, Zimmerman - or something like that - instead of Chamberlain, he would still be alive today. I know many are saying why does it always have to be about race, while reading these very words. Everything is about race, in every situation. Different ethnicities of White People can sit in a room and if they do not open their mouth you will not know what their nationality is. They can hide that they are Jewish or German or Polish or Albanian, if they so desire. But there is nothing we can do to hide our Blackness in any situation and if everyone is completely honest, we are judged on the color of our skin in many situations, especially when it comes to how the police see us. “I went inside that room and I just saw my father, his eyes wide open, his tongue hanging out his mouth and a bullet hole in him,” Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., recalls of that tragic morning that would forever change his life. “And I just asked what happened? What happened? Why did you kill my father? Why did this happen? And I couldn’t get an answer. In fact, the law enforcement officers that were on scene were very disrespectful to me, they were cursing at me, they were yelling at me, they were screaming at me. Telling me they didn’t have to tell me anything, and they begin to threaten me. They surrounded me and I remember saying to one of the police officers, ‘Do you wanna know the difference between me and other people you’ve done this to?’ He said ‘What?’ And I said, ‘You’re dealing with an intelligent Black man, I know how to fight you.’ He literally looked me up and down, smiled and said Fuck You.” That early November morning in White Plains, the police did not see a Marine who served his country, a retired member or law enforcement, a father or a grandfather, all they saw was a Nigger and that’s what they called him and it was all caught on tape and recorded by the Life-Aid company. Mr. Chamberlain was mocked about being in the military, called racial slurs, had his door broken down and was shot with a bean bags, tasered and then fatally shot to death – the very definition of the deadly consequences of being black. Much like the memorable last words of Eric Garner, “I can’t breathe,” what was heard over and over on the recording is “Please leave me alone,” and another Black Man is killed by the police and again no one goes to jail or loses their job. There are seasons where you can hunt and kill deer and other animal, but in America it is always open season for killing a black man with impunity. What white people will never fully comprehend, despite what neighborhood we live in, or economic status or educational background, we are always just one bullet away from being a Hashtag #. Dealing with the deadly consequences of being black. While they made a movie about it, this is real life, this really happened less than 20 minutes from where I lived, in a building across the street from the courthouse. Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. was fatally shot on November 19, 2011, in White Plains, New York. Mr. Chamberlain wore the medical alert bracelet due to a chronic heart problem. After his LifeAid medical alert necklace was inadvertently triggered, White Plains Police came to his home and demanded that he open his front door, despite his objections and statements that he did not need help. The police called him Nigger, broke down Mr. Chamberlain’s door, tasered him, and then shot him dead in was supposed to be a call for medical assistance, not a criminal matter. Mr. Chamberlain was a 68-year-old, Black Man, a father, retired Marine and a 20-year veteran of the Westchester County Department of Corrections. He was also a victim of a governmental sponsored Lynching by racist White Plains Police Officers and one scared black cop who stood by and allowed this ungodly act to happen. Damon K. Jones recalls the tragedy in a November 2016 editorial in Black Westchester titled; Modern Day Lynching: DA & Federal Judge Dismiss use of The Word Nigger by Police in Chamberlain Killing… The District Attorney took no action holding the officers accountable for the racial slur and provided no proof that a racial slur has ever been in any law enforcement manual or training to distract a black person. The District Attorney devalued Mr. Chamberlain’s life and made a legal excuse for the use of the word nigger by police officers. The shooting of Mr. Chamberlain was a clear overreaction of the White Plains Police Department. The officers using the word Nigger and killing Mr. Chamberlain, all should be charged with hate crimes by the Department of Justice “POLICE OFFICERS LIE!!! White Plains Police Officers claim that my father posed an imminent threat to life and well-being and that he was shot and killed to protect the life of an officer he was supposed to be attacking with a knife,” Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., shared with Black Westchester. “THAT’S THE NARRATIVE THE POLICE PUT OUT THERE! According to the Westchester County Chief Medical Examiner Kunjlata Ashar, stated that the fatal bullet that struck my father hit him in the ‘right upper arm, 4½ inches from the right shoulder.’ It went through his arm without hitting bone and entered his right chest, “then passed through the upper lobe of right lung … through the thoracic vertebra 4 and then through the upper lobe of left lung. The direction of the wound track is from right to left in a straight line,” and my father died from hemorrhaging in the lungs.Because the bullet came from the side, not straight on, the report “makes it impossible for him to be holding a knife in his hand and advancing on police,” also according to the Medical Examiner skin cells of the knife that my father
Black Westchester’s AJ Woodson (left) and Damon K. Jones (right) with actor Frankie Faison who played Kenneth Chamberlain - at private screening of The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain at Pace Law School in White Plains, Thursday, February 26th [Black Westchester]
was alleged to have had in his when he was killed did not match. So, who’s DNA was was it??? I won’t get into the fact that Officer Carelli claims he fired two shots center mass and yet there was a bullet hole 16 inches from the floor. Ladies and Gentlemen members of the WPPD shot and killed my father when he was on the ground and was no threat to anyone. Again, POLICE LIE!!!” Nine years later Kenneth Chamberlain Jr is still fighting for justice for the summary execution of his father at the hands of the White Plains Police Department.
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain writer David Midell, Frankie Faison, BW’s Brenda L. Crump and the film’s director Enrico Natale at screening at Pace Law School [Black Westchester]
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THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
16 BLACK WESTCHESTER
REV. DR. EUGENE WOODSON BY AJ WOODSON Every now and then we try to spotlight an individual in the community who has a long history of service and who selflessly gives of themselves.These individuals usually are persons who, through their hard work and selflessness, goes above and beyond what is asked of them. These Unsung Heroes are people who do the thankless jobs to any make everyone’s life they come accross better. This month I have the profounnd pleasure of spotlighting my uncle, my dad’s oldest brother Reverend Dr. Eugene Woodson. He hasnt only been a blessing in my life and a role model, but a biblical scholar, whose teaching of the bible has been unparalled. On Saturday, February 22nd, New Rochelle’s Shiloh Baptist Church honored four leaders in the community, Funeral Director Andre Baker, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Social Services, Family Investment Rosa W. Boone Morgan, Educator Edith Bly Jenkins and Rev. Dr. Eugene Woodson. My cousin Thomas Umstead introduced our uncle... Good evening, I am honored to introduce today’s honoree, the Rev. Dr. Eugene Woodson, who I affectionately call Uncle Gene. Anyone who has frequented Shiloh Baptist Church over the past 60 years has undoubtedly seen, talk to, shook hands with or shared a smile with Dr. Woodson because he is an institution in and of himself. Whether it was attending service as a young man with his siblings while his mother -- and my beloved Nana -- Henrietta Woodson played piano for the Sunday School, or teaching Sunday School here for more than 50 years, or delivering one of his searing and inspiring sermons from the pulpit, there’s no mistaking the anointing that he has as a fervent and humble servant of God. He is a preacher, teacher, writer, mentor, friend, educator, communicator and a pillar of the New Rochelle/Mt. Vernon community. Yet before he earned his Bachelor of Theology at New World Bible Institute; before he earned his Master of Theology at Berean Christian College, before he earned his Doctor of Theology at New World Theological Seminary; before he served as interim Pastor at this great church -- before all of that, to me he was Uncle Gene, one of my biggest heroes. So without further adieu, I present to you my uncle, the Rev. Dr. Eugene Woodson.
A native of New Rochelle, New York, Dr. Eugene Woodson attended the New Rochelle school system where he graduated from New Rochelle High School. Both in his formative years and throughout his life he attended Shiloh Baptist Church where his mother was the pianist for the Sunday school. As a youth, he realized that there was a call on his life for Christian Ministry and pursued his college education in theology. Dr. Woodson earned his Bachelor of Theology at New World Bible Institute, his Master of Theology at Berean Christian College, and his Doctor of Theology at the New World Theological Seminary. He continues to be a consummate student of the Bible and a renowned Bible teacher. Rev. Woodson has devoted his life to God in true service and worship. His mastery of the scriptures is immediately evident to all who sit in any of his classes. He possesses an uncanny memory of scriptures that allows him ease and accuracy in his delivery. Dr. Woodson’s preaching ability precedes him particularly the Westchester area as an erudite preacher/teacher. Dr. Woodson has been called to evangelism and prefers this commission to being a full-time pastor. His passion for evangelism has taken him into many different churches where he is called to preach, not only in Westchester County but throughout the entire New York Metropolitan area. Dr. Woodson has also served in several leadership positions at Shiloh, including Associate Minister, Minister of Visitation to the Sick and Shut-in, Minister of Evangelism and Minister of the Junior Church. He also was a member of the Senior Choir and Men’s choir. He has been a loyal and faithful member of Shiloh Baptist Church for more than 60 years and has served as Shiloh’s Interim Pastor from 2003 to 2005. Dr. Woodson has a love for teaching God’s word and continues to serve as Shiloh’s weekly Bible Class teacher and the Sunday School teacher for the Adult Women’s Class. He delivers and advances the understanding of the Word of God in a practical and dynamic way that all worshippers of Christ can understand and grasp. He has also been honored with the Education Award for Excellence in teaching and instruction by the Board of Christian Education of Shiloh Baptist Church. Dr. Woodson’s philosophy is, “Living a sermon is better than hearing one any day.” His belief is that we should practice Godly character at all times and should always be filled with, governed by, and controlled by the Holy Spirit. In my book Spiritual Minded - Da Daily Devotion For The Hip-Hop Generation, I recall a conversation between Uncle Gene and his brother (my father). In the conversation, Dr. Woodson was talking about while delivering a recent sermon at the time, he told my dad he felt like he was preaching to himself. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, I was probably ten-years-old or younger, but I remembering being confused. He was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church, a pretty big church and every time I heard about him either preaching or teaching, I always heard the pews were full. It was until many years later while living in Atlanta, I was probably in my early 40s and I was speaking with a good friend who had come to me for inspiration. My friend said they were praying for the strength to all she had to do and was looking for inspiration to not give up. While encouraging her, it was like I could hear God whispering in my ears, ‘Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?’ I too had been struggling with not giving up doing Spiritual Minded Radio and Magazine and had been looking for the inspiration to continue. At that moment I remembered the conversation between Uncle Gene and my dad and finally understood what he meant by preaching to himself. I share this memory because Dr. Woodson has been an inspiration to many. I did an article for Upscale Magazine about being Trapped In Church and one of the women I interviewed who joined a church because her ex-husband and his family belong and shortly after she felt she wasn’t being spiritually fed but she felt trapped from leaving because of her husband and his families ties to the church. It wasn’t until attending one of Dr. Woodson’s bible study classes at Shiloh where she answers to the questions she had been asking God in the lesson. She returned to his class a few more times and after speaking to Dr, Woodson after one of them found the strength to leave the church she felt trapped in and join another, a bible-based church, that she felt she could grow spiritually. He gave her biblical examples that changed her life. This is one of the many examples of how he has changed and/or touched the lives of those he comes in contact with. BW salutes Dr. Rev. Eugene Woodson for his many years of service in the church and his community and I am proud to call Uncle Gene.
Rev. Dr. Eugene Woodson with his family celebrating his 80th birthday, December 2018 [Black Westchester]
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THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
BLACK WESTCHESTER 17
WESTCHESTER IN ACTION BY AJ WOODSON
In times of crisis New Yorker step up and come together like no one else. Here in the county of Westchester we have seen evidence of just that. Unsung heroes coming to gether to make sure individuals and seniors in their community have food. In the city of Mount Vernon, The Recreation Department spent the day, Thursday, March 19th giving out over 1000 bags to the city’s senior. If you know a senior in need you can call the City of Mount Vernon Recreation Dept. 914665-2420. On Friday, March 20th, fresh produce and veggies at the Dole Center ( South 6th Ave) and the parking lot on South 5th Avenue and Second Street (across from Grace Baptist Church while I was writing this. On Wednesday, March 18th Rotary Yonkers-East Yonkers President Steven Simpson and his Team once again gave up their lunch hour to be at The Yonkers Community Action Program (YCAP) to pack groceries for #Yonkers’ home-bound seniors and disabled residents. Special guests partnered up with Y-EY Rotary Club including Yonkers City Councilwoman Tasha Diaz, former Councilwoman Lorraine Lopez, brought re-useable grocery bags from the City of Yonkers, Yonkers IDA. Simply because the believe seniors shouldn’t have to go without their much-needed groceries. An example of Service Above Self. In New Rochelle, Walter’s Hot Dogs and Bona Bona Ice Cream teamed up with their respective food trucks to feed the community including families with kids who relied on schools for warm meals, National Guard members and workers outside Westchester Community Opportunity Program in New Rochelle. Talk of the Sound took a citywide tour of six food distribution sites set up in New Rochelle in response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. The food preparation and distribution reportedly experienced a few minor growing pains according to some of those on hand to assist but what we saw was plenty of food available, all of it delivered quickly with just a few brief flurries of short lines at peak times. The City School District of New Rochelle along with its partners at Feed Westchester, WESTCOP, New Rochelle Muncipal Housing Authority and New York State National Guard have ramped up food distribution to children and their families from zero last Wednesday to 5,000 meals plus other food supplies by the following Tuesday. (New Rochelle pictures courtesy of TalkOfTheSound.com) The effort has been coordinated by Assistant Superintendent for Business & Administration Greg Kern. Kern and his community partners has sites up and running at six locations; New Rochelle High School House IV 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, WESTCOP (95 Lincoln Ave) 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, NRMHA/Bracey (345 Main Street) 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Trinity Elementary School 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Columbus Elementary School 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and City Park (570 Fifth Avenue) 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. The District began this week preparing and distributing 5,000 breakfast and 5,000 lunch meals in New Rochelle High School to be distributed at the six locations. Those numbers will be adjusted to meet demand so every eligible child in New Rochelle is served. For more information go to TalkOfTheSound.com Thess are just some of the many stories of community coming together that we are proud to share in our community spotlight - Westchester In Action. For more location for food distribution throughout the county, check pages 6 and 7 in this issue of Black Westchester. And stay tuned to BlackWestchester.com for more unsung heroes in the county. Feel free to send us your pictures and stories to BlackWestchester@gmail.com so we can spotlight them as well.
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18BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
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BLACK WESTCHESTER19
DEMOGRAPHICS GENRE Male - 42.55% female - 57.45% RACE/ETHNICITY/NATIONALITY Black/ African-American- 62.24% Hispanic or Latino - 6.12% White - 23.47% Asian - 2.04% Caribbean - 10.20% Native American - 7.14% Other - 2.04% AGE 17 OR YOUNGER- 5.15% 18-20 - 1.03% 21-29 - 4.12% 30-39 - 6.19% 40-49 - 31.96% 50-59 - 29.90% 60 OR OLDER - 21.65%
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About Black Westchester: BlackWestchester.com is a magazine (website) and print newspaper for people of color for Westchester and the Tri-State area of New York at every economic level. Black Westchester is committed to being a platform to profile life, culture, economics, politics, sports and entertainment and those who are representing vision in these marketplaces and who can both encourage and provide role models to other men and women. Black Westchester, through its online magazine, print newspaper, weekly talk radio show, and editorial content, will be a vessel of community information throughout Westchester and the Tri-State area of New York. Our mission is to promote the concept of “community” through media. The Black Westchester Newspaper is a monthly newspaper, 10,000 distributed monthly throughout Westchester and Surrounding areas with a heavy concentration in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Yonkers, Elmsford, White Plains, Greenburgh, Peekskill, Tarrytown, NE Bronx, Harlem, Stamford, CT with a slightly smaller presence elsewhere in the county and surrounding areas. Black Westchester is the best vehicle to reach communities of color throughout the county, but not limited to just communities of color, we have a large non-African-American readership as well. Black Westchester and the People Before Politics Radio Show started in July and August of 2014 respectively and the print edition started on our three year anniversary in August 2017. In such a small amount of time, Black Westchester has heavily influenced the county, public policy, and the elected officials while informing the public in a way that was missing, filling a necessary void.
EMPLOYMENT STATUS Employed, Working Full-Time- 46.24% Employed, Working Part-Time - 5.45% Self Employed - 15.05% Unemployed - 5.38% Retired - 18.28% Disabled, Unable To Work - 8.60% RELATIONSHIP STATUS Married- 33.68% Widowed - 3.16% Divorce - 14.74% Separated - 1.05% Domestic Partner or Civil Union - 2.11% Single but Cohabiting - 8.42% Single, Never Married - 36.84% HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION Graduated from High School- 9.72% GED - 2.78% Some College - 23.61% Graduated College - 37.50% Some Graduate School - 8.33% Completed Graduate School - 18.06% POLITICAL AFFILIATION Republican- 5.26% Democrat - 50.53% Independent - 25.26% Something Else - 18.95%
Larger news outlets such as The Journal News (Lohud), News 12 Westchester and Fios1 News, The New York Post, ABC News and others also follow us and have quoted us for breaking stories that they, in turn, did follow up stories on. Black Westchester is the voice of the voiceless and has covered many stories that other news outlets often overlooked and in turn followed our lead and reported later. Black Enterprise Magazine reported, “Black buying power currently stands at over $1.1 Trillion dollars annually and is on the road to hit about $1.5 Trillion by 2021. These figures have also been documented by the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, MediaPost.com, Fortune Magazine, and many other respected media outlets. This collective buying power means that nearly $2 Trillion dollars will be flowing through Black American annually very soon, making us a centerpiece for various researchers, marketers, advertisers and other campaigns designed to influence black spending patterns. With that said, for businesses who do business and want to do businesses with communities of color in the Westchester County and surrounding areas, advertising with Black Westchester, not only makes dollars but also makes perfect sense. We are the voice of the Black Community. Sponsorship and advertising are also available of our weekly talk radio show People Before Politics Radio, where we have been bringing you Real Talk For The Community since 2014.
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20 BLACK WESTCHESTER
THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
Opportunity – Marketing The Wall Street Journal called WVOX and WVIP "America's Great Community Stations!" And now as the last remaining, true community stations in Westchester ... we're adding to our Marketing and Advertising Departments with Immediate Openings for highly-motivated and dynamic Advertising Account Executives ... perfect opportunities for personable, confident and articulate individuals who know and love Westchester as we do ... where you make your own hours ... as a full or part time Advertising and Marketing Executive. Call our station President David O'Shaughnessy and come in for a tour of our modern studios in New Rochelle. Hudson Westchester Radio Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. David O’Shaughnessy 914-636-1460 David@WVOX.com
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THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
BLACK WESTCHESTER
21
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE PROFANE TO BE PROFOUND. NOT.
BY DERICKSON K. LAWRENCE AND HANK MILLER
“I don’t need no fake-ass legislators who are allowing fear-mongering to try and go after our people,” said Assemblyman Michael Blake (D-The Bronx). He was allegedly referring to Senate Democrats who are looking to fix the nine–week old (as of this writing) criminal justice reform law. In a deep blue state and legislature, this sort of open fracture among liberal and progressive voices is good for democracy, even when neither side shows signs of backing down. Fighting for an end to cash bail, criminal justice advocates pulled out all the stops last year. The argument: the old practice created two tiers of the justice system: In one, wealthy people can bond out of jail and work out their cases upon release; in the other, poor people, often accused of low-level crimes, can’t afford bail and have their lives upended while awaiting trial. The bill signed by Governor Cuomo became law on January 1, 2020. But just days after the law took effect, all hell broke loose. A spate of anti-Semitic attacks over the holidays, in New York City and surrounding areas, spurred critics of the bail law to call for a hate crime exemption to it. Independently, others have chimed in. High-ranking judges have called for rollbacks to protect people from possibly dangerous defendants being put back on the streets. Former Westchester DA, and New York’s chief judge Janet DiFiore, as one example, called the new law “counterproductive”, as reported by the New York Post. “At this moment New York --alone in the nation – does not allow judges the discretion to consider the critical important factor of whether or a not a defendant poses a credible risk of danger to an identified person or groups of persons,” she said at her annual state of judiciary speech. While passion is high, many of the voices speaking out against the law are not opponents. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D- Yonkers) said her plans would create “the most progressive justice reforms and justice systems in the nation.” But that she would give judges some discretion with extremely strict guidelines and guardrails. And both Governor Cuomo and Mayor DeBlasio, Democrats who are frequently at odds, have expressed support for the concept of tweaking the law to include some form of judicial discretion. Adding to the pressure is the change in public sentiment. A February 24, Siena College poll found that 40% of New York voters support the law, down from 55% from last April. However, the change in public sentiment to date has not been enough for a key progressive holdout: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx). Why? He is waiting for “relevant data to analyze” before he responds.
Nonetheless, as more members of both houses of the New York Legislature reconsider their positions, the sticking point for the public remains whether the elected officials can find the right balance between individual rights and public safety. That balance can be best achieved by letting the judges determine on a case-bycase basis who is a flight risk or a danger to the public and helping them make this determination through data-based assessments. New Jersey has implemented such model worth noting. Judicial discretion is also necessary in the discovery component of the law. To turnover “contact info on anyone who has relevant information on a case”, where the defendant on the case walks, imposes a chilling effect on those who may want to aid law enforcement in solving crimes, as with Crime Stoppers; or with victims of domestic abuse. Advocates of the new law should take solace in the notion that there is a common sense middle ground without having to retreat. To get there legislatively requires compromise. In that setting, the loudest voice, or the most profane, does not necessarily produce the best outcome. Protecting communities from violence and preventing the return to over-incarceration are still mutually achievable goals. “Even the best pieces of legislation sometimes have unintended consequences that need to be assessed and acted on,” said New York City’s lead progressive, Mayor Bill D Blasio . We can’t argue with that. Submitted by Derickson K. Lawrence; Hank Miller contributed to this article. Both gentlemen are residents of the City of Mount Vernon. Mr. Lawrence is Chair of Westchester County Crime Stoppers; and former 2018, NY- CD16 Congressional Candidate
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MARCH MADNESS 2020: THE MONTH MAJOR SPORTS BECAME COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF THE CORONAVIRUS BY AJ WOODSON
When you think of March Madness, usually terms like brack·et·ol·o·gy - the
activity of predicting the participants in and outcomes of the games in a sports tournament comes to mind. Images of the NCAA college basketball tournament stealing the attention of all men, leaving their wives and girlfriends wondering where the hell they disappeared to! Well, ladies, you may not have to worry about that this year. In 2020, March Madness has a new meaning, it will be forever remembered as the month the entire sports world stopped. In 2020 women may be praying for something to get their husbands and boyfriends out their hair since the world as they know it has ended and now they have nothing to do. In the year 2020, March Madness came to a screeching halt even before a bracket could even be filled out. Wait, what! Yes, the unthinkable has become reality. Sports have paused before like after 911 for example but this is much different. This is the first time where just the gathering of the fans - whose cheers fuel the athletes - just their mere gathering could become a health risk. Wait, what, yes that’s right, so far only one measure has been effective against the coronavirus: extreme social distancing, and that means March 2020 will forever be known as the month major sports became collateral damage of the coronavirus, a disease that is deadlier than the flu. Early guesstimates, made before data were widely available, suggested that the fatality rate for the coronavirus might wind up being about 1 percent. If that guess proves true, the coronavirus is 10 times as deadly as the flu. But there is reason to fear that the fatality rate could be much higher. According to the World Health Organization, the current case fatality rate—a common measure of what portion of confirmed patients die from a particular disease—stands at 3.4 percent. This figure could be an overstatement because mild cases of the disease are less likely to be diagnosed. Or it could be an understatement because many patients have already been diagnosed with the virus but have not yet recovered (and may still die), The Atlantic reports. March Madness 2020 will forever be remembered as the year, the NCAA canceled its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments Thursday, March 12th because of the spread of coronavirus, putting an abrupt end to the season less than a month before champions were to be crowned. March Madness 2020 now represents an unprecedented move that comes a day after the NCAA announced the games that were scheduled to start a week later, would go on, but played in mostly empty arenas. That would have been drastic enough and had far-reaching effects alone, but that plan was scrapped as every major American sports league from the National Basketball Association to Major League Baseball to Major League Soccer put the brakes on its season due to concerns about the pandemic. Then the National Hockey League followed the lead of several other professional sports leagues in suspending Its season, Thursday afternoon. Even the Pro Golf Association cancels not just the current tournament, but their next three tournaments. The NFL the only league not in season has canceled its annual meeting, set for March 29th, and let’s not forget about The XFL who picked a heck of a spring to start up its league. The new football league that was doing fairly well, at least compared to other start-up professional football leagues, and then COVID-19 happened. Thursday, March 12th will forever be remembered as the day the sports came to a standstill, the day the sports world stopped! ‘’This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to the spread of the pandemic and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during the academic year given the ongoing decisions by other entities,’’ the NCAA said in a statement. But believe it or not, this is bigger than sports, this is a global pandemic. This is about being a responsible global citizen to help prevent further spread of the coronavirus one reporter said on ESPN, Thursday night. While may are looking for answers one thing for sure all remaining winter and spring tournaments have been canceled. So what is March Madness without the madness of the NCAA tourney, or all organized major sports as we know it, we are about to find out. Wait what, forget about the brackets, forget about being able to attend the games, what about our fantasy leagues, oh noooooo. When will the madness end? gone to far, Give me liberty or give me death, but thou shalt not take away my sports, its the 11th commandment. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are Now, this coronavirus has gone too far, Give me liberty or give me death,
but thou shalt not take away my sports, its the 11th commandment. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness from routing for your favorite sports team, its right there in the Declaration of Independence. When a manmade decease can postpone or delay the opening of America’s favorite pastime. What’s a world without sports. In World World II FDR said the game must go on after JFK was shot the game went on, but the effects of this Coronavirus pandemic are the things of movies, an unthinkable plot that has you hanging on the edge of your seat, but this isn’t a movie. This is a gut check for America, but it is absolutely the right thing to do, its all about health over profits, people before pro sports. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It doesn’t lessen the implications that were already being felt by the hotel industry, the airlines, the restaurants, the service industry, the independent contractors, the vendors and all those who count on these sporting events to make a living. The money they lose for this undefined period of time, they will never be able to make up. What about the sports network? What will the sports news networks and reporters talk about? They will be discussing the effects of the coronavirus instead of giving up sports scores and the up-to-date sports news, we love and rely on to stay up on whats going on with our favorite teams or league. What does a world without sports look like? We are about to find out the hard way. “We don’t know enough to be more specific than that,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in his announcement that the NBA hiatus is likely to last at least 30 days. No one knows the implications short term or even long term. We are in uncharted waters. 30 days takes us to April 10th the first day of the NBA playoff is April 18th. Two players of the Utah Jazz have been diagnosed as confirmed cases of coronavirus which largely in part led to the suspension of the NBA season. Sports can be a diversion. Sports can be a hobby. And, for a fortunate few, sports can change the world. Nelson Mandela, the legendary South African activist and politician who died Thursday, December 5, 2013, at 95, stands as one of the 20th century’s most notable figures for his efforts to end apartheid. And while he used a combination of methods to dismantle South Africa’s system of institutionalized racism, sports ranked high on the list. Mandela realized the transformative and unifying power of sports and used that power to make changes that protests and diplomacy could not. “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.” Sports also gives people hope and never has there been a time for hope as there is today. “Sports have always served as a source of comfort for us in difficult times. The postponement of live sports events due to coronavirus virus fears puts us in unprecedented territory.” R. Thomas Umstead, senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News shared with Black Westchester. Justin Walters, former sports director, and anchor for WRNN-TV/Fios1 News and now a sports multi-media journalist for PIX11 agrees sports is a diversion and if there was ever a time for a much-needed diversion, it now, but also agrees the suspensions and cancelations are the right decision, even though the nation will go through hoops withdrawal. “Sports has always been a diversion from the negativity in our lives. We no longer have that escape,” Justin Walters shares with Black Westchester. “It’s unfortunate and bizarre to see premiere events like March Madness being canceled and the NBA/NHL season being suspended. Albeit a tough decision, it’s the right one. We are still learning more about this virus. So for now, I think you have to be cautious.” While writing this editorial on Friday the 13th ESPN reported that NASCAR has announced that it is suspending Sunday’s race in Atlanta and next week’s race at Homestead-Miami due to coronavirus concerns.in addition to the NASCAR announcement the Madness continues as The Masters that has been played every year since World War II has been postponed. Some sports analysts are speculating The Masters may be canceled all together this year. The importance of sports in our life is crucial. Sports help to reduce the levels of stress. They help one to deviate away from other things that may be stressing them in life they are able to focus on. Sports are a country’s brand. Different countries have been known for particular sports like for instance the Republic of India is known for cricket, Brazil for football and Kenya for athletics. Sports are in this way a special kind of signature and this helps in the preservation of the culture of that country. The ironic part? If sports fans had been given these new instructions for how to live our lives under different circumstances, it would be something close to utopia. Work from home? No school? Self-quarantine? In the middle of March? Oh yes, we could have handled all the social distancing you need. Just keep the pizza deliveries coming and the fridge stocked with cold beverages. All we would need is a comfortable couch, a remote control, and wall-to-wall coverage of the NCAA Tournament, spring training, leading up to the NBA Playoffs, the PGA, NASCAR, etc, what more can a diehard sports fan ask for. And that, of course, is the problem. We aren’t just entering uncharted territory here, with so much of American society bracing for an unprecedented shutdown. We’re doing it without one of the important things that that unites and distracts us. We’re about to go cold turkey from sports. No spring training or opening day for baseball. No NBA or NHL playoff games on the horizon. No Top 10 Plays on ESPN’s Sports Center to end our day. No international soccer matches on weekend mornings. No high school basketball in our community gymnasiums. March Madness 2020 means a world without Sports! You name it, and it’s gone -- for weeks, for months, maybe longer. Nobody knows when we’ll have our sports back. It is, in a word, depressing.
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THE CORONAVIRUS EDITION
BLACK WESTCHESTER 23
STEPINAC HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AJANI CORNELIUS IS TAKING HIS TALENTS TO UNIV. OF RHODE ISLAND BW HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FEATURE SPOTLIGHT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
BY AJ WOODSON
The
Archbishop Stepinac High School Senior from Harlem, Ajani James Cornelius (known to his friends and family as AJ), announced he would be attending the University of Rhode Island during a signing ceremony Wednesday, February 5th. Standing 6’5 and tipping the scale at 315 pounds, there was never a second during the past three years where the magnitude of his performance failed to match the scope of his stature. A Goliath among Davids from his spot at Offensive Tackle/Guard, Cornelius has been an integral and priceless cog in a machine that has scored 1,193 points, rushed for 7,274 yards, passed for an additional 7,057 yards, while accounting for 152 touchdowns from 2017-2019. During this stretch, the Stepinac Crusaders won two NYCHFL AAA titles, as well as back-to-back state titles (CHSAA). In • • • • • •
addition, Cornelius has earned the following accolades: 2019 CHSFL Lineman of the Year (NYS) 2019 Joe Riverso Lineman of the Year (Stepinac) 1st Team ALL-STATE Lohud 1st Team All-Star NY HSFB (High School Football) 1st Team OL 2019 FuturePhenom’s Best O-linemanTeam Captain
Academically, Cornelius holds a 3.1 GPA and an 1190 SAT score. He earned full scholarship offers from seven different NCAA Division I programs (Lafayette, Morgan State, Howard, Bryant, Hampton, Delaware State, and Rhode Island). On Wednesday, February 5th, Cornelius signed his National Letter of Intent to The University of Rhode Island. “I knew with my talents if I put in the hard work eventually everything would come,” said Cornelius, who was named the CHSFL’s ‘AAA’ Lineman of the Year last fall. “The most important thing for me was being patient and just waiting for my time. When it came, I was able to go to a place that felt like home.” Outside of the NCAA’s Early Signing Day in December, Wednesday, February 5th marked the first-day college football recruits could sign with their new programs. Ajani announced earlier he had committed to Rhode Island, and he made his decision official on National Signing Day.
On Sunday, February 9th, AJ Cornelius stopped by People Before Politics Radio Show to talk about his high school career, influences on and off the field, his dedication traveling every day from Harlem to White Plains and taking his talents to the University of Rhode Island (URI) in the fall. BW: Tell us a little about yourself AJC: I’m from Harlem, New York, I grew up in Harlem, I played for the Harlem Jets, I went to school in White Plains, I play for Archbishop Stepinac. I’ve been there for the last four years, I recently just signed to the University of Rhode Island and I’ll be going there next year. BW: Living in Harlem, what made you decide to attend and play football for Stepinac? AJC: It was a big decision for me in going to high school outside of the city. I was focused on football and academics and I really wanted to excel and be in the best place I could be and I felt that Stepinac was the right decision. Making that trip every morning and after school was something necessary to get to where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to play football and a lot fo the schools in the city didn’t really have great football teams, where you could actually get an opportunity to go to college. I knew I would have to go to the Catholic High School Football League (CHSFL) and I was introduced to that by Mike McCauley who was the father of a teammate I had on the Harlem Jets. I visited a couple of schools like Cardinal Hayes, and Iona Prep and I decided that Stepinac would be the best fit. I knew I definitely wanted to play football at a competitive level in high school. BW: Tell us about your schedule traveling to school every day, you take the Metro? AJC: Yes, I take the Metro-North. So I wake up about 5:30 in the morning, that’s when my alarm is set for, do all the essentials brush my teeth, shower and get ready for school. I leave about. I have to get on the bus to the train, then I’m at the MetroNorth at 7:22, then I get off at White Plains about 8 and then a get on another bus for a twenty-minute ride to the school and get there about 8:20. then when practice and school my day ends around 6:30 or 7 and I got home from there. My mom usually picks me up or I carpool with one of my other friends that also live in the city. BW: Now that’s dedication. I hear there’s several students that come from the city to go to schools in Westchester every day AJC: I actually have a lot of friends from the Harlem Jets that I played with who go to schools across Westchester and all across the state and New Jersey in the CHSFL. BW: What’s your team’s record? AJC: The season that just ended we lost two games to one to Cardinal Hayes and the other to Iona Prep during the regular season and we lost in the championship this season. But before that, we won two state championships, which was an awesome experience. My sophomore and junior years back to back. BW: A lot of student-athletes don’t have a backup plan, where do you see yourself going in the future, of course, the NFL, but what are your plans if you don’t go pro? AJC: Right now I’m thinking about getting a degree in business and managing a company something like that. BW: That’s great because even if you make the NFL, these days your career is like a business, so a degree in business is great for your career and to set you up for life after the NFL. AJC: My mom and dad tell me that all the time, start promoting myself so I can make a name and a business for myself in the case I get to that level BW: What advice would you give to youngsters that want to do what you do? AJC: The biggest thing I can tell someone younger than me that’s looking to achieve the same goals I am is to have discipline and stay focused. Don’t give in to the distractions around you like the substances or even the negative people around you. Separate yourself from those things so that you can focus and get to where you need to be. Don’t fall for distractions, that’s what I’d tell them. Stay focused in the classroom, work hard in the weight room and on the field and get to your goal.
AJ Cornelius [Photo courtesy of Lonnie Webb Photography]
BW salutes and is proud to spotlight AJ Cornelius. To see and hear his entire 45 minute PBP Radio exclusive interview you can go to http://www.blackwestchester. com/ajani-cornelius/
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CORRUPTION AND BRUTALITY ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MOUNT VERNON DETECTIVE ARE ECHOED BY CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8) As a narcotics supervisor, Mitchell said he did not see Antonini engage in misconduct. But the retired sergeant notes he was only in charge of the unit for two months before he suffered the knee injury that would eventually end his career. Sometime in the two years after Mitchell’s departure, Fegan joined the unit as a supervisor. According to Bovell’s lawsuit, that’s when Antonini’s “aggression became worse.” Bovell alleged that during his time in the narcotics unit he and other officers “repeatedly observed Detective Antonini using unnecessary force against black male prisoners in his custody by repeatedly punching and slapping them around.”
community as a whole.” The future of Antonini’s career within the department remains unclear. According to three current police department sources, around the time Gothamist/WNYC published a story about Bovell’s whistleblower case last November, Antonini was taken off a county drug task force and put in a general investigations unit, which investigates a variety of crimes such as rapes and robberies. Joseph Murray, Bovell’s attorney, says Westchester County prosecutors need to take action. In February of 2019, he said his client provided the DA’s office with evidence showing that multiple other officers have also witnessed serious misconduct involving Antonini and Fegan. “I don’t have any faith in the district attorney’s office because it’s [been] over a year since we provided this evidence, and my client is continuing to provide them with other evidence,” he said. “Nothing is taking place. I cannot fathom this.” The DA’s office declined to comment on whether they are investigating Antonini. Murray says as long as authorities delay, those who have spoken out on the streets and in the department may be in danger. “So the people who are the subject to these complaints and allegations, what are they doing right now?” he said. “And how are they going to protect themselves? That’s the scary part.” If you have a tip about a prosecutor’s office, a law enforcement agency or the courts, email reporter George Joseph at gjosephwnyc@protonmail.com. He is on Twitter @georgejoseph94 and Instagram @georgejoseph81. You can also text or call him with tips at 929-486-4865. He is also on the encrypted phone app Signal with the same phone number.
Officer Murashea Bovell standing in front of a gas station in Mount Vernon’s south side last November. [GEORGE JOSEPH]
Another current member of the Mount Vernon Police Department, who requested anonymity citing concerns over reprisal, echoed Bovell’s claims. “On the street, people have said he hits people in handcuffs,” said the member. “I’ve spoken to several people on the street who have complained about it getting physical, going overboard.” In January of 2014, Antonini was promoted to the rank of detective. In the following two years, civilian complaints alleging physical and, in at least one case, sexual abuse related to a strip search, began to stream in. One man, arrested in a narcotics investigation in February of 2014, claimed that Antonini pulled him out of a car, grabbed him by his neck and then beat him in the back of the head as he was pinned to the pavement. He claimed other officers hit him too. Police claimed that the man was resisting arrest and attempting to swallow a white substance. They also said he tried to escape in his car, ramming Antonini in the leg. Photos in the police files show a scratch on the leg that an officer, presumably Antonini, endured from the encounter. They also show the complainant, having a busted lip, several cuts on his face and a slash under his left eye. In January of 2015, another man claimed that Antonini and Fegan held him down in his home and forcibly searched his anus for drugs—a procedure that is supposed to involve a doctor and a warrant, according to longstanding Mount Vernon Police guidelines obtained by Gothamist/WNYC. “Det. Antonine had put latex gloves on,” the man wrote. “He put his fingers in my anal [sic] then he squeeze my intestens were I had a hernia the pain was sevre.” The man also complained of being denied medical attention and being searched in the house instead of at the police station with cameras. Police disputed his account, claiming that the search was limited to a visual strip search in his home, not a body cavity intrusion. Police also denied his claim that he sought medical attention after the search. Currently, Antonini and Fegan are being sued by a man who claims he was falsely arrested by police and punched in the head by Antonini. The attorney for the two officers has thus far denied all the allegations. The Mount Vernon Law Department did not respond to Gothamist/WNYC’s Freedom of Information Law requests for all of Antonini’s complaint records, and Westchester prosecutors refused to release them, citing the controversial New York Law that shields police personnel records, known as Civil Rights Law 50-a.
RACISM BY ZIP CODE PT. 3
(cont’d from page 9)
group of people to accept abnormal as usual. Why does Mt. Vernon have so much crime and violence? Because it is designed that way! For the most part, Black and Latino people have been conditioned to live a certain way by an unseen hand of White Supremacy in Westchester County. The only way for us to defeat it, we must recognize it, talk about it, and pass proactive policies and legislation to change it. We cannot continually accept politicians that look like us only to use racism to protect themselves but refuse to recognize racism to address policy in their elective positions. If we genuinely believe we are a Westchester County that welcomes all races and economic status without prejudice, then we need more action and less rhetoric that is more symbolism than substance. Now that Shawyn Patterson Howard, the newly elected Mayor of Mount Vernon, along with a list of inspiring new Black leadership throughout Westchester, has been elected into office. Maybe they can turn the tide around for Black politics and Black communities in Westchester County. The need is tremendous, but the resources are small. The people need truth, fairness, justice, and leadership that is not afraid to stand in the gap, speak truth to power, and stick to their principals! I write this with no malice, bad intent in my heart, just love for my people. When will we accept the greater responsibility of our leadership for all Black people? Mount Vernon is in the position to be the Mecca or the Wakanda for Black people. It
Critics Cast Doubt on Police-Led Investigations Anthony Mitchell, the retired sergeant who served under several administrations, says the department’s response to the civilian complaints show a lack of care. He pointed out that Fegan, who investigated most of the complaints, had a built-in conflict of interest while probing his own officer’s conduct. “To me it’s incompetence or turning a blind eye. It’s one of two things and neither one of them are good,” he said. Commissioner Scott defended the department’s investigatory practices. “As a department we expect our supervisors to investigate, truthfully and honestly, any and all incidents concerning their subordinates,” he said, adding that some civilian complaints stem from “alleged violators” trying “to get out of tickets or minor narcotics arrests.” But Daniel Terry, a Mount Vernon spokesman, said the city is trying to address conflict of interest concerns by establishing a civilian complaint review board. “This board will eliminate the possibilities of a single supervisor reviewing the same subordinate,” he said in a statement. Both Mitchell and the current member of the Mount Vernon police department said supervisors may have ignored warning signs about Antonini because of the detective’s reputation for aggressively going after arrests. “You need to get your numbers up, so I’m going to tell my guy, ‘I just need my numbers,’” the member said, referring to Antonini’s supervisors. “I don’t ask how.’” Scott denied claims that the department uses “a number based policing model,” citing the negative effects such an approach would have “on the
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