Caw 55 - Birthright Citizenship: What It Is and Why We Need to Preserve It by Caribbean American Weekly

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Birthright Citizenship: What It Is and Why We Need to Preserve It VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.CAWNYC.COM

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zenship, Michele Waslin, Ph.D. explained the background and ramifications of changing it: “Birthright citizenship, or the principle of jus soli, means that any person born within the territory of the U.S is a citizen, regardless of the citizenship of one’s parents. This principle was established well before the U.S. Constitution, and was enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment. It was necessary to include the citizenship clause in the Fourteenth Amendment because the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision of 1857 had denied citizenship to the children of slaves. Following the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment

BY WENDY FELIZ

here has been a media frenzy over one of the more draconian components of Republican presidential contender Donald Trump’s immigration policy platform. In his plan, he wrote that the U.S. should “End Birthright Citizenship.” However, despite the attention Trump is getting for this, he is not the first—nor the last—to suggest changing the Constitution as a way to reform our immigration system. Volumes have been written in defense of birthright citizenship, yet it is regularly attacked by anti-immigrant politicians. In 2010, when the Arizona legislators behind SB1070 went after birthright citi-

TOPICS:

HOT

continued on page 12

I Put In White Tenants! ... see page 4 NYPD Hiring Discrimination Policy?... see page 6

The Impact of Financial Stress on Domestic Violence

BY SUE-ANN COMMISSIONG

ccording to the Department of Justice National Crime Survey, an estimated 2.1 million American women have at least once been victims of domestic violence (Lagan & Innes, 1986). It is also estimated that 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence occurred; 500 women are raped or sexually assaulted every day in the U.S.; and 1-4 women have experienced violence by spouse or boyfriend.

consultations on

DACA/DAPA Provisional Waiver and Spousal Abuse Petitions (VAWA)

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Dr Stein: A New Society, A New Economy

bring about the much- needed change from the two-party political status quo that currently exists in this country: “the current political system is more involved with preserving the status quo and preserving their wealthy donors; they …aren’t really interested in change that would meet people’s urgent needs, so I then became involved in the effort to clean up government and make it more responsive to get the big money out of politics and put the people back in; but what I

BY VANDELL PARK

he Green Party of the United States of America, is hoping to change the political landscape established for presidential elections in this country, by building what its leaders term, grassroots momentum, to ensure access to the election ballots for all states. Dr. Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential candidate for the 2016 general elections, says her party, which contended for the presidency in 2012, will, by all means necessary, try again to get on the ballot for the elections so as to

Dr. Jill Stein, Presidential Candidate

Former Jamaica PM Promises New Leadership... page 7

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What Comes Next in the DACA/DAPA Case? ...see page 10

continued on page 18

Green Business Summit ... see back page. Starting a Green Business ... see page 17

Trinidadians Get Some Tax Ease ...see page 2

Guyana’s President: New National Defense Policy ...see page 2

Grace Lee Boggs: American Revolutionary ... see page 5

Rihanna: Racism in Business ... see page 19

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Caribbean Consulates

Anguilla 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200

Antigua & Barbuda 305 East 47th Street, Suite 6A New York, N.Y. 10020 Tel: 212-541-4117

The Bahamas 231 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-421-6420

Barbados 820 Second Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-551-4325

Belize 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1911 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-593-0999

Dominica 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400H New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-0853

Dominican Republic 1500 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-599-8478

Grenada 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400K New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-599-0301

Guyana 308 West 38th Street New York, N.Y. 10018 Tel: 212-947-5119

Haiti 815 Second Avenue,6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-697-9767

Jamaica 767 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-935-9000

Martinique 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-838-6887

Montserrat 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200

Panama 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-840-2450

St. Kitts & Nevis 414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel: 212-535-5521

St. Lucia 800 Second Avenue, 9th Floor New York, N.Y. 10007 Tel: 212-697-9360

NEWSBRIEFS

Guyana President Outlines New National Defense Policy

EORGETOWN, Guyana: Against the background of what he said were continued territorial threats from both Venezuela and Suriname, President David Granger has announced a Total National Defence Policy. “All the elements and instruments of national power need constantly to be employed in order to protect our territory,” he said as he met with Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officers. Venezuela has been laying claim to the vast mineral-rich area of jungle west of the Essequibo River, which accounts for about 40 percent of Guyana’s territory. Earlier this year, Nicolás Maduro extended Venezuela’s maritime claims after Exxon Mobil announced it had made a significant oil discovery in Guyana’s territorial waters. Then earlier this month, Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse was quoted in the media in his country as saying that the issue regarding the New River Triangle territory, which both countries have been claiming intermittently for decades, was back on the agenda. Granger said that in order for Guyana to face head on, the claims being invented by Venezuela and Suriname, a plan for total national defense is vital. The Total National Defence Policy will give regular and reserve forces the resources they need to perform their mission over the next five years. The president has instructed that the reserve force is

Guyana’s President David Granger

never again to fall below the required 50 percent of regular force strength. He explained that the long-term objective is to ensure that Guyanese can depend on defense forces to ensure the safety of the citizens and the security of the country. “The age of very visible warfare, in the form of harassment on our borders or the intrusion of gunboats into our waters is not yet over,” Granger declared. He said the new policy would focus on the reorganization and strengthening of the GDF on five pillars: personnel, readiness, infrastructure, morale and equipment, with emphasis on the Air Corps, the Coast Guard and the Engineer Corps. “These changes must be designed to develop the Force’s capability to provide continuous surveillance over Guyana’s air, territorial and maritime borders and approaches, to provide search-and-rescue

services to persons in distress and to provide assistance to the civil authority in response to any threat or disaster,” Guyana’s Commander-in-Chief said. The policy will see the re-establishment of the People’s Militia as a credible reserve in all 10 regions, and the National Cadet Corps to allow boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 years in secondary schools to pursue part-time training. A Civil Defence Corps will also be established to support the work of the Civil Defence Commission in responding to and managing disasters. Granger stressed that, in the case of maintaining public order, the GDF would operate only in support of, and alongside the police on clear and carefully defined missions, and made it clear that everyday law enforcement remains primarily the task of the police and the GDF would not be allowed to become a regular feature in that role. The GDF Chief of Staff, BrigadierGeneral Mark Phillips, said the new policy was “timely” and would provide a framework for elected civilian officials and military officers to continuously review the roles and missions of the Force. Similar sentiments were expressed by Commanding Officer Colonel Patrick West, who said that the new defense policy will allow the GDF to align its training and operational planning to achieve the national objectives.l

Trinidadians Get Some Tax Ease

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidadians will be paying less Value Added Tax (VAT) and personal income tax, but are now shelling out more for gas and will also be required to pay increased National Insurance contributions. Those were among the tax measures contained in the TT$63 billion (US$9.9 billion) budget delivered by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert. The biggest chunk of the 2015-2016 budget has gone to national security – TT$10.8 billion (US$1.7 billion). Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley explained to reporters after the budget presentation, that the high allocation was made because crime was a major national concern. “This should let the population know that crime is having a serious effect on the pop-

Trinidad’s Finance Minister, Colm Imbert

ulation,” he said. “We have to treat and roll back the cost of criminal activity in this country. Otherwise, if it continues like that, we keep funneling money away from health, education and other productive areas trying to cope with the crime of hopefully a small minority.” In his presentation, Imbert lamented that the economy was in an even more perilous state than the new government had envisaged, as he accused the previous adminis-

tration of economic mismanagement and leaving the economy “running on fumes”. “In order to maintain its inordinate and unsustainable levels of expenditure, the previous government maxed out our overdraft at the Central Bank, taking us from a positive cash position in 2010 to a perilous situation in 2015, where we were running on fumes, dangerously close to the legal overdraft limit,” he charged. But former Prime Minister PersadBissessar defended her government’s economic stewardship and dismissed the budget presented by Imbert. “There is one word to describe it; it is a deceptive budget. The sting is in the tail,” she said, warning that there would be an “IMF budget” come March 2016.l Source: caribbean360news.com

St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 800-786-2278

St. Vincent & The Grenadines 801 Second Avenue, 21st Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-687-4981 Trinidad & Tobago 125 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10038 Tel: 212-682-7272

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CONVERSATIONS

Hispanola, A Moral Crisis

BY PEDRO R. RIVERA, (NiLP)

he long-unresolved status of Haitian migrant workers and their descendants in the Dominican Republic (DR), has led to a crisis of considerable ramifications. Contributors to this problem as of late are the usual suspects: the Dominican and Haitian states, as well as international bodies and figures, foreign dignitaries and NGOs. The losers are always the Haitian and Dominican peoples, victims of an old situation steeped in emotions and misinformation. Tens of thousands of people may be in legal limbo, and the two countries that reject them might share poverty as much as they share an island if mediations continue to find no suitor. Instead of thoughtful appeals for harmony, influential voices in the international community, such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, hint at pressures that could affect the Dominican economy, despite the fact that its industries, skewed as they are, are the only sources of jobs and commerce for many in the island. The main parts and counterparts remain simplistic and obdurate in their positions. On one side, the Dominicans face an increasingly tough opposition that seems to make little effort to distinguish the deeds of state officials from the daily struggles and aspirations of ten million people. In return, influential figures and couriers of the Dominican political and social elite use this conflation to whip up public opinion and local sentiments with stories of international conspiracies. And so, hardly anything that comes from any side, Dominican or other, is the full report. The tragedy, the real one of people losing out on bread and dignity, is reduced to fundraisings and accusations that seem to put human rights and selfdetermination at odds. But no one beats an NGO or a politician in framing an issue. In Haiti, for example, campaigns are shaped by bashing the situation in the DR. Instead of using Haiti's standing as a member of CARICOM to call for more reasonable dialogues, some Haitian leaders go on the offensive and put themselves in disagreeable positions. The truth is that the Haitian state cannot shelter and provide jobs and documentation for all Haitians in Haiti, much less account to those gone (or even sold) to the DR. But playing to nationalist passions, they point fingers from a glass house, that is far from transparent. They demand respect for people in the DR, admitting to their Haitian origin yet showing disagreement at repatriations. One twisted example is the Haitian president. He has on occasion called for Dominican to stay in those affected in the DR on account of their being Dominican and not Haitian in nationality. His posture is seen as less than caring, for his statement is akin to Dominicans who disown people on origin. Pigheadedness is the foremast of battleships, and rather than confessing to a crisis partly of their doing, the Dominicans prefer to go on the defensive in a game

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that their diplomats hardly know how to play. Conversely, their cries for "sovereignty," and "cultural integrity," of "Haitian invasion," "forced fusion," "conspiracy" and "illegals" are no match for the more extensive arsenal of attacks they now face from NGOs and others, which includes charges of "racism," "antihaitianismo," "concentration camps," "xenophobia," "apartheid," "statelessness," "genocide," "ethno-cleansing," and "tropical Nazism." International clamor is rising, and a small nation dependent on foreign capital is bound to collapse by this weight if potential tourists and investors are being taught to think of the DR in these terms. Economic sanctions might be the wages of a Dominican original sin visiting a fourth generation. For a hundred years, the Dominican government has shown little care even for the people it defines as its own, and the state has acted even more unsympathetically towards Haitian workers and their descendants. From the first United States military invasion of the island (1915 Haiti, 1916 DR), the Dominican ruling elite has been catering to special interests from Europe and North America. Sweat and sugar shops displaced local people with offers of low wages, while U.S. marines brought the Haitian labor replacements to Dominican estates enlarged with lands expropriated from local peasants. The state and the propertied class took over part of these operations and managed the flow of Haitian workers for the decades after, and in efforts to modernize the lot, they extolled the land over its peoples, and committed crimes against humanity and memory. Tourism and mining are the investors' paradise today, and despite the economic growth that makes the DR stand out as a success in the region, more indigents than immigrants exist, both living under an official indifference that is yet to make amends for the violent extermination of thousands of people in a 1937 corte y chapeo de haitianos. In 2013, a judge and head of a high tribunal sentenced Dominicans of Haitian descent to go live in Haiti, including those whose parents came in the 1970s, when the judge worked as a government overseer in charge of certifying their entry. A movement has been rightly building on this sentence, yet NGOs can move their benefactors and the international community more sensibly. Organizations involved and foreign news agencies can help give the people of the world a story of hope with just tweaks of the message they pitch. This is what the international community seems to ignore: Dominicans

and Haitians are the most dedicated critics of this whole situation; they make urgent pleas with noble arguments and the nerve of Nobel champions wanting sanity to prevail in the island. Dominicans of the kind of equanimity of Huchi Lora and Haitians of the sagacity of Edwin Paraison, are worthy of more visible platforms and support. Here is the cue: ultranationalists rally and call them "traitors" worthy of death. As tensions promise a mortuary turn, we are seeing the hand of an improbable ally who is proving to be smarter about business than his predecessors: the Dominican President. In 2014, the executive branch issued a law and decree calling off deportations and ordering the restoration of rights infringed by the retroactive intent of the 2013 sentence. This was a constructive initiative, but it went unacknowledged, as a receptive world heard the recent accusations from de Blasio and Coderre warning against racism and deportations. One nosy part of this case is that some Dominican politicians, experts at mudslinging, preferred to look silly with "sovereignty" talkbacks than hit against their bedfellows in Toronto and New York. Two multinational companies, Barrick Gold and Goldman Sachs, got their schemes exposed recently and the shady deals that allowed one to blow up mountains and poison rivers for minerals, and the other to collect a DR debt to Venezuela for double the profit. This is an untidy crisis where no one is right, and each will have to confess it. Let us refashion an old cry to war into a call for peace: the time for doubletalk and half measures must end. The island will be leveled to a wide and terrible misery if only jingoists and profiteers speak their way. Hispaniola belongs to the long suffering people of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as they have no other inheritance on earth that is so precious and indicative of their ability to endure for five more hundred years. The world has a stake in the sustainability of their survival or the world will be unevenly populated and ultimately consumed. Everyone must help reset the course and start with conciliatory appeals and the understanding that, in this crisis, no one has the moral high ground.l

Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Assistant Editor Marilyn Silverman

Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Lana Delgadillo

Contributors Wendy Feliz Vandell Park Claude Leach Sue-Ann Commissiong Chef Alex Guarnaschelli Candace Bahr Ginita Wall Pedro R. Rivera Mark Huffman Beth Werlin Kat Chow Patrick Taurel Larissa Hirsch, MD

Email: cariaweekly@aol.com

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Pedro R. Rivera is an assistant professor of Latin American and Caribbean history at Savannah State University. He was born in the Dominican Republic and lived in New York City for more than ten years before moving to Washington, DC for graduate studies at Howard University. He can be reached at riverap@savannahstate.edu

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CIVIL RIGHTS

I Put In White Tenants!

BY DW GIBSON

or the past three years, I've traveled around the city, talking with New Yorkers as they experience gentrification. There is little consensus on the topic — even the word itself is defined differently by each of us. I've spoken with tenants, activists, lawyers, investors, architects, construction workers, real-estate agents, drug dealers, business owners. Many people occupy several of these spaces at once, a fact that underscores just how quickly this conversation becomes complicated. Ephraim is both developer and landlord. His thick beard and heavyset frame make him look much older than his 26 years. He is a Hasid, and he started buying buildings a few years ago, in the wake of the housing crash. A real-estate agent introduced us. "Anything for that guy," Ephraim told me when I asked if I could interview him. We met in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens where I found him sitting in his parked car with the engine running. I hopped into the passenger seat and went for an afternoon ride-along through the neighborhoods where he does most of his business: Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights. It is important to remember that Ephraim is one voice on a wide spectrum. And it is important to know that

They don’t know — here he

lowers his voice — that even

if they get the money and they left, they could always come

back. They don’t know that part. And it’s so scary sometimes

because they could come up in the middle of construction and say, “It’s my property, I didn’t

understand what I was signing, and I want to come back.”

Ephraim is a pseudonym for reasons that will become obvious. Ephraim turns the car on. I stammer through a request to hear what it’s like to be a landlord in so many evolving Brooklyn neighborhoods. Ephraim nods and stares out the window, as if he lacks the will or energy to answer such a broad question. Do you know anything about property? There’s a deed and there’s a note. Like with a car, if you have a lease, the title is in your name but you don’t actually own the car. The deed to the house is the same thing. If you have a mortgage, the actual thing, the house is the bank’s. So they have a note, and they can transfer it to other banks, they can sell it to big companies, they can make packages of notes. You still own the deed — that’s

yours. And if the bank wants to take it from you, they have to go through the process of foreclosure. If the house has a small mortgage, that’s fine — you can sell the deed — but if the house is underwater, you can’t really do anything with it. So we came up with the idea: The bank takes a long time before they take the property away. It can take them up to five, six years. So we go to the owner, buy from him the deed, and then we rent it out. When the market went up a little bit, about 10 percent of the mortgages were almost at market value, so we’d pay them off and keep the building. If it’s a big mortgage, I don’t have any choice; I just sit until the bank takes it away. I’m just sitting, collecting rent. And that’s it. It’s not 100 percent — I mean, it’s legal, but sometimes in the mortgage there’s a clause that says if you sell the deed, you have to notify the bank and if you don’t notify them the bank can take the property. But even if you didn’t notify them, the bank has to go through the whole process of getting the property and that takes some time. And the banks don’t care. They actually like when people take care of the building. Because it will actually cost them $100,000 a year — people breaking in, pipes busted. As long as everything is good, everything running, they just leave it alone until they’re taking it.

DW Gibson, author of “The Edge Becomes the Center: The Oral History of Gentrification in the Twenty-First Century.”

People that have small mortgages, they’re going to want a lot more for their deed, to give over ownership. A person that sells a deed with a big mortgage usually wants to get $5,000. They don’t care. They didn’t pay the mortgage for, like, two years — the property’s shit. So we would give them $5,000, $10,000, and they give us the deed. We started out with this, buying over one hundred deeds, all over the place, and we collected the rent. I used to love it. But the bad part was, come Monday, I used to go to the buildings in my car, and knock on every single door. This was like five years ago. And they didn’t give me payment. One out of 10, one out of 20, maybe. And they were yelling at me, “You fucking Jew! Leave me alone!” “Hello, this was our neighborhood. What are you doing here?”l

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“A noisy, tender tour of New York much in the mode of Studs Terkel...Mr. Gibson is a skilled and sensitive interlocutor with an eye for the revealing gesture...Mr. Gibson lets the city speak for itself, and it speaks with charm, swagger and heartening resilience.” (The New York Times) “A generous, vigorous, and enlightening look at class and space in New York; it ought to be required reading…Gibson has found vibrant humanity in a subject that is, paradoxically, lacking in it…The Edge Becomes the Center raises critical questions about what we expect from our cities and how groups become communities. Mainly, though, it’s a joy to read, its chorus of voices a reminder of oral history’s power. Anyone who cares about the shape and gestalt of life in New York―and anyone who believes in cities as centers of culture―will come away moved.” (The Paris Review)

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CIVIL RIGHTS

Grace Lee Boggs: Activist and American Revolutionary

“You cannot change any

BY KAT CHOW

race Lee Boggs, 100 (19152015) is a Chinese American philosopher, writer, and activist in Detroit with a thick FBI file and a surprising vision of what an American revolution can be. Rooted for 75 years in the labor, civil rights and Black Power movements, she challenges a new generation to throw off old assumptions, think creatively and redefine revolution for our times. Boggs, who has spent much of her life advocating for civil rights and labor rights, became such a noted figure in Detroit's Black Power movement that people assumed she must be partially black. In some of her FBI files, Boggs, who is Chinese-American, was described as "probably Afro Chinese." Born in Providence, R.I., to Chinese immigrants in 1915, Boggs studied at Barnard College and went on to earn her Ph.D. in philosophy from Bryn Mawr College. For years, she pored over the work of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Karl Polanyi and Karl Marx, and even translated three of Marx's essays from German to English. She was transfixed by the process and challenge of thinking through complicated ideas. After finishing grad school, Boggs

society unless you take responsibility for it,

unless you see yourself as belonging to it

and responsible for struggled to find work — any work, she told a group of students in 2012. "Even department stores would say, 'We don't hire Orientals,'" she recalled. So she moved to the Midwest, where she found a job with the University of Chicago's philosophy library. It paid only $10 a week, a stipend so low she was forced to find free housing in a rat-filled basement. But even the rats had an upside. One day, as Boggs was walking through her neighborhood, she came across a group of people protesting poor living conditions — which included rat-infested housing. This, Boggs recalled, connected her with the black community for the very first time. "I was aware that people were suffering, but it was more of a statistical thing," Boggs said. "Here in Chicago I was coming into contact with it as a

changing it.”

human thing." A few years later, in the 1940s, she moved to Detroit to help edit the radical newsletter, Correspondence. There, she met a charismatic auto worker and activist named James Boggs. "When he rose to speak his mind, he would speak with such passion, challenging all within hearing to stretch their humanity ... he would often bring down the house," Boggs wrote in 1998 in her autobiography, Living For Change. They married in 1953.

Re-Creating Herself James Boggs died in 1993, when Grace was 78. After her husband's death, Grace became even more active in Detroit's activist communities. "I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do on my own or, indeed,

whether there was any 'my own.' That is what often happens when you lose the person with whom you have lived and worked closely for decades," she wrote in her autobiography. "Especially if you are a woman, you need time to re-create yourself, to discover who you are." In 2005, she began writing a weekly column for the Michigan Citizen, a Detroit-area newspaper, until she was 98. Two years ago, keeping in line with her dedication to working with young people, she helped start the James and Grace Lee Boggs School, a charter school that weaves Detroit — and its issues — into its curriculum. Boggs, who is in hospice care, had talked publicly about aging — and the changing waves of activism she's been through. In the documentary, American Revolutionary, which was about Boggs' life, she acknowledged that she was dying, and said that living longer than everybody else made for a lonely life. But she remained optimistic. "To me that's not a terrible thing. ... I see this as a period of transition that I can make a transition by the things that I choose to engage in," she said. "I don't know what the next American revolution is going to be like, but we might be able to imagine it if your imagination were rich enough."l

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HOT TOPIC

NYPD Hiring Discrimination Policy?

BY MARILYN SILVERMAN

t’s past midnight; you’re exhausted from work; you place your feet on the empty subway seat. You’re strolling through a city park after dusk to enjoy the refreshing evening breeze. You’re in a hurry so you jaywalk on a busy avenue. You need the first car to reach your destination so you walk between subway cars. Will these minor incidents be recorded in the annals of the New York Police Department (NYPD) as heinous crimes against society? Certainly not. But, if you are a young African American or Hispanic man and you’ve done your due diligence and after brainstorming with your family have decided that joining the NYPD is on your job agenda, they will constitute a serious impediment for your consideration. Police Commissioner William Bratton, recently issued a controversial statement that was printed in the Guardian, a British newspaper with a New York bureau. He claimed that the justification as to why young men of color encounter this barrier to recruitment is due to the fact that a sizable percentage are burdened with arrest records which automatically disqualifies them from the NYPD applicant pool. We all know why there are so many of these arrests. Stop and frisk stopped men of color for crimes that are not crimes in the white community. According to Noel Leader, Executive Board, National Association of Law

Commissioner William Bratton

Enforcement Officers for Accountability and Justice, “Although there are individuals in NYC who have criminal records among African Americans, many do not have criminal records.” The implication of Bratton’s statement is that the black community is characterized as a community where criminality is rampant; he’s ignoring the huge number of blacks who have not been arrested or spent not a single millisecond behind bars. When the barrage of negative reaction from the black community immediately followed what Bratton said, he endeavored to clarify his remarks which is certainly encouraging news since the police department is cognizant and committed

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to the critical importance of expanding and growing the diversity of the department by recruiting a force that racially mirrors our city’s population. This can be extremely instrumental in improving the volatile and explosive relationship that is currently the norm between police and the Black and Hispanic communities. Protecting the men, women and children who live in our rich mosaic of our city’s multicultural communities today is the dedicated mission of our young men of color who want to become police officers. As Leader said, “As a young black man myself, when I came to the police department I had my misgivings about the police department but I knew it was a good job… well- paying job. I knew there was a need for black police officers…there is a large segment of individuals who in spite of the hostile relations want to become police officers.” Recognizing the importance of growing the diversity of the NYPD and its actual implementation are miles and miles apart. According to Leader, “Clearly he [Bratton] is not doing a good job in recruiting African Americans… [in] the last two academy classes…9% of the class was African Americans and this is in a city where 25% of the population …is African American. It’s not even a poor job. He’s failing at recruiting African Americans to the NYPD...the history of the police department never reflected the population of African Americans in NYC.” This is a deplorable and disgraceful reality. According to Leader, the animosity that currently plagues our community can easily be ameliorated if only the NYPD would introduce a new policy that does not involve arrests as the only methodology. “As a police officer, if you want to establish good relations with the residents of the community, if you see someone in the park when it’s dark and they don’t belong there, walk over to them and say, ‘did you know there’s a sign that says no one is supposed to be in the park?’ ‘Oh no Officer, I didn’t know that.’ ‘Well there’s no hanging out in the park in the dark. So you have a nice day. I see you guys are not doing anything; you’re not hiding behind bushes waiting to mug someone…if you are a transit cop and you see someone with their feet on a chair, say, ‘can you move your feet off the chair? Someone might want to sit there and the seat is dirty.’ They’ll say, ‘I’m sorry officer.” And just let it go. ..But …officers want to meet a quota…when commanding officers demand they come back with summons…this happens in the Latino and African American communities.” So rather than endeavoring to establish cordial amicable relationships by engaging in these types of nonconfrontational dialogues, the only mode of action is arrest. Leader continues, “…you should interact with people…[and say] ‘you can’t do this. I’ll let you go with a warning. But under this police administration…the mode of operation is very aggressive, very summons oriented.” And who are the victims of this very aggressive, summonsoriented policy? Young men of color who

are then excluded from the pool of candidates for the NYPD. As Robert Granger, Director, Police Reform Organizing Project, said, “If Commissioner Bratton…wants to attract people of color … his most effective step would be to change police practice so that policing…truly serves to protect people rather than harass and sometimes take steps that criminalizes these people. One of the twisted ironies—the very practice of the police department particularly in regard to Latino and African American communities, serves to disqualify a lot of people who might otherwise be eligible to be police officers. In many ways the activities and practices of the police department itself…makes it difficult for them to recruit people of color to the force. One is the deep- seated antagonism many people of color have toward the police department and the very activities of the police officers in carrying out broken windows policing.” The police should be focusing on apprehending the serious criminals who roam our streets-- the rapists and the murderers who terrorize and torture us. As Gangi said, “Broken windows…under the law they they’re not even considered crime. People get arrested—people of color [for] putting their feet on a subway seat. Right now there’s a fear of cops in the multicultural communities, rather than a fear of criminals lurking in the shadows.” Gangi said, “It’s not an exaggeration to say being Black and Latino, if I see a police officer in the street I walk on the other side. When I speak to white people about police officers more than likely they’ll say when I see a police officer in the street I feel safe.” When we are conducting our daily routine and see a police officer walking down the street doing his job, we should breathe a sigh of relief, not a sigh of fear. According to Leader, ”These little infractions under NYC charter...shouldn’t prohibit African Americans from being police officers…any blotch like…being in a park after dark…all these little trivial summons the African American community is bombarded with on a daily basis.” We can only speculate on the absurdity of this policy since the young men who are arrested for these minor infractions which are certainly not hurting anyone, are willing to risk their lives to protect us from the muggers and rapists and murderers who are hurting us. Leader said, “Yes [they see the absurdity] but they don’t care…the black community is fodder for the NYPD.” Ganger said, “All of these activities have been virtually decriminalized in white communities. Black and Latino people feel targeted and discriminated against and they’re very aware that the department engages in on a daily basis, blatant recruitment tactics.” As NYC Public Advocate Letitia James astutely observed in a statement, “Part of improving police community relations is ensuring our law enforcement reflects the communities that police officers are sworn to protect. We need to enact policies that promote diversity for our police force.” l

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ISLAND FOCUS: JAMAICA

Jamaica’s Opposition Leader Promises New Leadership Once Elected to Office

BY VANDELL PARK

he Proud Jamaican Foundation, formed in 2014, by eight individuals with the aim of informing Jamaicans living in the Brooklyn diaspora and the United States about what happens in Jamaica, invited former Jamaican prime minister and current opposition leader, Andrew Holness, to interact with members of the diaspora. Founder/member of the Foundation, Patrick Maitland, explained why the foundation invited Mr. Holness, leader of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), to address Jamaicans living in Brooklyn and the tri-state area: “The Proud Jamaica Foundation is a social development group formed with the objective to educate and engage Jamaicans here in the diaspora about activities in Jamaica so we invited Mr. Holness to come and share his vision for Jamaica and to put forward policies and plans that a JLP government would consider.” According to Mr. Holness, Jamaica’s economy is in a turbulent situation and the some 2.7 million Jamaicans living at home are experiencing various forms of difficulties; therefore the country is reliant on the diaspora for assistance to lift the country out of its current state: “Jamaica is a country struggling to find its footing in many ways. We’re a struggling economy; we’re struggling with crime. We are struggling with infrastructure; water, for example, is a major issue. We are struggling with education; we are struggling with healthcare. We are struggling with high levels of poverty and unemployment,… we have a shared interest in making Jamaica a better place, and I want to say to you that you can play a big role in this.” Mr. Holness says the Jamaican diaspora across the world consists of 2.5 million people, with a wealth of approximately $42 billion; that group of Jamaicans can significantly change the economic landscape of the country if their resources are strategically harnessed: “So far, the contribution of the diaspora to the Jamaican development has been in the form of remittances, and to be fair, without remittances, Jamaica would be in serious trouble. Remittances are actually the second largest foreign exchange source in Jamaica. That is what feeds the families, pays the mortgages, pays the school fees, buy the clothes… but, is there a way for us to use the great wealth of the diaspora outside of remittances? There is a second way which many of you in the diaspora participate in; a lot of you give back to your schools, and some do contribute to the healthcare system in a big way, but I get a lot of complaints that it is so hard to give back to Jamaica, that when you try to mobilize the resources and you send back the container of school bags or hospital supplies, you get so much hassle at the wharf and through the Customs; it’s so difficult to give back. Well, I would

like to say to you, that the government that we will form after the next election, will make a concerted effort to utilize the great resources of the diaspora. Firstly we will establish an agency that will work very closely with the diaspora groups to ensure that your effort at giving is made easy.” The JLP leader informed the noticeably small gathering, that should his party be elected to office at the upcoming general elections, that there are some policies his government will introduce to the Jamaican people that will incorporate the resources of the overseas base Jamaicans, policies he says, that will be beneficial to both Jamaicans at home and abroad. He outlined five proposals that will contribute significantly to the country’s development: “The first is a National Education thrust that will create the foundation for sustainable and facilitated giving. It will build more high schools that are technologically equipped in Jamaica. In Jamaica we have to build schools to export our education, meaning we build the schools in Jamaica and people from the diaspora can send their children to those schools with proper boarding facilities and a high standard of education, but, certainly [with] the Jamaican value system and the Jamaican way of educating our children, and there are many parents who want to take advantage of that opportunity. That would be a big foreign exchange earner. That’s another way in which we plan to engage the diaspora. Second, we will establish a diaspora bond. This will enable us to create opportunities for members of the diaspora to build their second home or possibly own their first home in Jamaica. [We] will make ways for the diaspora to make direct investments in Jamaica. [We] will establish a facility for persons from the diaspora to access a mortgage or a loan from Jamaica to invest in the country, thus driving construction in Jamaica. Third, we are going to create a tourism marketing tool to encourage second- and fourth- generation Jamaicans to return to or visit Jamaica; fourth, [we are going to] develop a peace corps in Jamaica…a diaspora service corps of Jamaicans who will give back in service to Jamaica. By establishing the National Diaspora Service Corps we have to take charity, philanthropy and care of our own com-

Former PM of Jamaica, Hon. Andrew Holness

munity seriously, we can’t leave it up to other people from other countries alone to come and take care of our people; and fifth, my government will establish an electronic database system that will document the contributions of the diaspora and will make contributing to the needs of the country easy even by way of a credit card; whatever small or large contribution, we are going to make sure that the monies donated go directly to what it is designated for.” The former Jamaican prime minister also proposed parliamentary representation by members of the diaspora, thus providing a platform for advocacy of the needs and issues of concerns the diaspora might have: “[we must provide] the

diaspora representation in the Jamaican Parliament. You cannot sit in the parliament if you are not a citizen of the British Commonwealth. We are looking at changing our constitution to allow members of the Jamaican Commonwealth, because you see what the British have done is to say that the former colonies of the British Empire are now members of the British Commonwealth, but, we have a web spread all across the world. We have a diaspora in the U.S., Canada, U.K, in Ethiopia, a smaller size in Ghana. There is a large Jamaican diaspora in Panama, an entire island in Costa Rica, in Columbia, in Antigua, in the Bahamas, Cayman and Belize. What we should be doing is embracing them and say that you are a part of our commonwealth… we feel that it is necessary that you have a representation in the Jamaican parliament and that you can have your voice heard in the country that you call your homeland. We are close to an election and it is time that we make a move from the philosophy of politics to one of prosperity. It is time for Jamaica to embrace prosperity, we mustn’t be ashamed of it, we mustn’t be afraid of it, and we must proclaim it. I don’t think that Jamaica was destined to be poor…it is time for new leadership to emerge in Jamaica.” l

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AMERICAN DREAM

Top 10 Tips for First Time Homebuyers

Topography is also very important. Ideally, the house should sit at the highest point of the surrounding area for good drainage. If the house sits below grade, you could be looking at a wet basement, if not immediately then in the future.

BY MARK HUFFMAN

t's easy to fall in love at first sight with a house when you are looking for a new place to live, but letting your emotions enter the equation can spell trouble. It can cloud your judgment and result in a bad decision. Instead of letting your heart tell you where to call home, leave it up to your head. Make a list of the most important considerations in a new home and make sure any property you get serious about measures up. Real estate site Zillow recently issued a list of what it considers the most important criteria prospective buyers should consider when looking for a home. They are practical guidelines that, in most cases, can help buyers get a dream home that also turns out to be a good financial investment.

1. Location There's a very good reason that the word “location” is repeated three times when given as a selection criteria. It's that important, not just to your enjoyment of the home but what it will mean when it comes time to sell it.

The house may be ugly, the yard may look like a desert, but if it is in a really nice neighborhood, close to things that people value, then you definitely should

If you are considering a condo, a first floor unit may be more desirable than one on the sixth floor. An end unit townhouse is more desirable than an interior unit.

give it a hard look. A great location will remain an asset no matter what the real estate market does in the future. You can make an ugly house attractive but you can't make a bad location great.

2. The school district If you have school-age children then you will obviously be concerned about what school district the house is in. But even if you don't have kids at home, having a home in a desirable school district will pay off when it comes time to put your home on the market. Parents want their kids to go to a good school and that can drive up prices of homes in those districts. Even though you might end up paying a bit more for a

house in a good school district, be assured you will get it back – and more – when you list your home for resale. Once you move in, don't ignore the schools. Stay in touch with how they are doing because it's in your best interest that they maintain their lofty standards. 3. Position on the lot A house doesn't exist in space. It is surrounded by trees, other homes and terrain. This can affect the desirability, both for you and a future buyer. For example, what is the set-back from the property lines? A large set-back will give a feeling of spaciousness. A short set-back could mean your living room looks into your neighbor's bedroom.

4. Crime A great house at a bargain asking price could mean it lies in a high crime area. Before you get too involved in the homebuying process, check out the crime stats in the neighborhood. A lot of this information is online, meaning you don't have to pore through police reports. Websites, like MyLocalCrime.com, can provide a snapshot of recent crime activity reported in the vicinity of the home you are considering.

Don't be surprised if you see more crime than you expect. Crime is everywhere these days and a several reports of petty crime, like theft, may mean that people in the neighborhood are vigilant about reporting it. continued on the next page

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AMERICAN DREAM

continued from the previous page

5. Walkability People like to be able to walk to a destination now and then, even if it is just to a nearby park or a corner drug store. One thing to look for are sidewalks in the neighborhood. Many newer housing developments don't have them but most neighborhoods developed before the 1970s do. Sidewalks encourage people to be out and about in the neighborhood, a key factor in discouraging crime. It's increasingly an important consideration for home buyers and Zillow even has a Walk Score for most homes.

6. Neighborhood’s character What's the neighborhood like? It's an important question you should answer before getting serious about a home. If you prefer quiet evening at home and the neighbors have loud parties on weekends, you might want to keep looking. And if you like to party on the weekend but the neighbors look like they hit the sack at 9 p.m. most nights, you might not fit in. Visit the neighborhood at different times of the day and night and, if possible, try to meet some of the neighbors.

7. Don’t buy the best house on the block Generally speaking, it's much better to buy the worst house in the neighborhood than the best. The worst can only go up in

value but the best is as good as it's going to get. If you buy the worst house, you can improve it and add value to what you have derived from being in a great neighborhood.

8. Understand what you are buying You can get a great deal on a “handyman special” but if you aren't aware that is what you are getting, you could be in for a nasty surprise. Today, with home inspections being standard operating procedure, it's harder to get blindsided this way. If the listing states the property is to be sold “as is,” it usually means repairs will be required and the seller isn't making

them. If you aren't willing to take on a project, it's best to keep looking. 9. Long-term value Despite your negotiating skills, you are probably going to pay the market value for the home that you buy. You need to think about ways you can add some value. If market conditions change and you need to sell, you want to be sure than you can at least recoup your investment.

10. Taxes, dues and fees After you purchase a home, there are still costs involved in owning it – costs above and beyond normal maintenance. If you are in a community with a homeowners association, there will be an assessment. It could be a small annual fee for a single family home but keep in mind condo fees are usually monthly, and can be quite high. You could pay a little more for a single family home and still save money over a condo because you would not be paying a fee that can be every bit as much as the taxes. Taxes are another cost many people tend to overlook. If you are looking for a home in a city, keep in mind the taxes may be significantly lower if you bought just across the city boundary in a neighboring jurisdiction.l Mark Huffman has been a consumer news reporter for ConsumerAffairs since 2004. He covers real estate, gas prices and the economy and has reported extensively on negative-option sales.

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10 NEWS

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

What Comes Next in the DACA/DAPA Case?

BY BETH WERLIN

ecently, a divided panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the federal government’s appeal of the preliminary injunction that has halted implementation of President Obama’s 2014 deferred action initiatives. These initiatives—namely, the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and an expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—could provide as many as 5 million immigrants with temporary relief from deportation. The Fifth Circuit’s decision means that the deferred action initiatives remain suspended, and the lives of millions remain in limbo. This decision is not all bad news. What was hailed as a “win” for Texas and the 25 states challenging the federal immigration policies actually signals an important and hopeful turning point in the case. Most significantly, the decision has cleared the way for the Obama Administration to take this case to the U.S. Supreme Court. And today, the White House announced that it will take aggressive steps to seek Supreme Court review. Prompt action means that the Supreme Court could hear the case this term—likely with oral arguments being held next spring—and issue a decision before the term ends in June 2016. If that happens, it would be possible for the immigration agencies to implement

DAPA and expanded DACA before the current Administration leaves office. Many had expected that the Fifth Circuit would issue its decision at the end of the summer or earlier in the fall, setting the stage for Supreme Court review earlier in the year. Yet, the Fifth Circuit— without explanation, but with much speculation—took longer than anticipated to issue a decision in a supposedly expedited appeal. The delay did not go unnoticed by the dissenting judge in this case, who wrote: “I have a firm and definite conviction that a mistake has been made. That mistake has been exacerbated by the extended delay that has occurred in deciding this ‘expedited’ appeal. There is no justification for that delay.” The clock is ticking and with each passing day, Supreme Court review this term may become less obtainable. But there also is no reason to believe that the Supreme Court will allow the parties to drag their feet by allowing unnecessary extensions of time or dilatory tactics. The Court can move quickly when it chooses to do so and can enable the prompt resolution of this case. This case represents precisely the type of high-stakes conflict where review by the country’s highest court is so crucial. At the center of this case is a policy dispute—Texas and 25 other states disagree with the President’s policy regarding how

the immigration agencies should use their limited enforcement resources. But what often goes unrecognized is that there is a deep divide among the states. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia, plus 73 U.S. mayors and county officials support the Administration’s policies and urged the Fifth Circuit to reverse the preliminary injunction. According to the Migration Policy Institute, the cities backing these initiatives have a larger population of undocumented immigrants than the states that are suing the federal government. The fact that the cities potentially most impacted by DAPA and expanded DACA believe that these initiatives are beneficial to their communities is particularly telling and undermines the plaintiffstates’ claims about harms to their communities. Giving a single state the power to up end a nationwide federal program that is supported by many other states is a dangerous precedent. Beyond the conflict among the states, there also is a conflict among the appellate judges and the circuit courts regarding the legal issues in the case. At this point in the lawsuit, four different Fifth Circuit judges have weighed in—a panel of three judges on the emergency stay (decision issued in May 2015) and a panel of three judges on the preliminary injunction (decision issued yesterday). Two of the judges were on both panels

and in both decisions, ruled in favor of Texas. The other two judges—one on each of the two panels—found in favor of the federal government. As a result, despite two 2-1 decisions in favor of Texas, the judges who considered these issues are evenly divided, 2-2. Moreover, the other lawsuit challenging DAPA and expanded DACA—the suit filed by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio— was promptly dismissed by the district court, and that decision was upheld by a three judge panel in the D.C. Circuit Court. Finally, this case represents a conflict with past precedent. Since at least 1956, every U.S. President has granted temporary immigration relief to one or more groups in need of assistance. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that it is well within the executive’s authority to decide how and when to enforce the law and to exercise prosecutorial discretion. Plain and simple, the Fifth Circuit’s decision is out of line with past precedent. Undeniably, the Fifth Circuit’s decision is disappointing and has devastating consequences for families who would most directly benefit from DAPA and expanded DACA. But it also cleared the way for Supreme Court review and highlighted the profound conflicts at issue here. It is now up to the U.S. Supreme Court to correct what up to this point has been a series of grave mistakes. l

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IMMIGRATION

Some 3-Year Work Permits Being Recalled by USCIS

BY PATRICK TAUREL

he federal government announced that it would take more aggressive steps to retrieve 2,600 three-year DACA grants, including launching home visits for a small number of people. This move stems from developments in Texas v. United States, the legal challenge to expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA).

Background. Expanded DACA and DAPA were announced in a memo by DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson. Among other things, that memo says that effective November 24, 2014, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was to begin issuing three-year DACA grants to people who meet the requirements for the original DACA program. And that’s exactly what the government did. In fact, after that date, USCIS issued roughly 108,000 three-year DACA grants in the form of work permits. Then, on February 16, 2015, Andrew Hanen, the conservative judge presiding over Texas v. United States handed down a preliminary injunction that ordered a temporary halt to the implementation of expanded DACA and DAPA. That injunction, how-

ever, does not apply to the original (2012) DACA program, which has been and continues to operate normally. After February 16, 2015, the government stopped issuing three-year work permits. However, being a large agency with many employees and adjudications offices set up throughout the country, USCIS inadvertently mailed about 2,600 3-year work permits after the injunction for people who qualified for 2012 DACA. The judge considers the issuance of these 2,600 work permits to violate his injunction. The government has been able to obtain some of these three-year work permits, but not all. And Judge Hanen is up in arms. Calling the government’s attitude about rectifying the situation “cavalier,” the judge has taken the astonishing step of ordering the Secretary of Homeland Security to his court in Brownsville, Texas to explain why he should not be held in contempt. Judge Hanen has set a deadline of July 31 for an update on the status of the retractions.

Which three-year DACA grants is the government retracting? Only those three-year DACA work permits that were issued or mailed to the DACA recipient after the date of the preliminary injunction in Texas v. United States (February 16, 2015) must be sent

majority of DACA recipients with threeyear work permits fall into this category.

back. There are roughly 2,600 three-year DACA work permits that meet this description. Of these 2,600 grants, a small subset (“Group 2”) presents a particularly unusual situation: they were approved and mailed prior to the injunction, but returned to USCIS as undeliverable, and then subsequently re-mailed after the injunction. Three-year DACA work permits that were mailed before the injunction do not need to be sent back. The overwhelming

What is the government doing to retract these post-injunction threeyear DACA work permits? Individuals, other than those in Group 2, who received post-injunction three-year work permits have been sent three letters from USCIS informing them of the need to send back their cards in exchange for a two-year card. The most recent letter––and the only one received by individuals in Group 2––threatened termination of DACA if the individual does not comply with the instructions set forth in the letter, which include a requirement that the DACA recipient appear in person at a USCIS field office. In addition to letters, USCIS customer service representatives have been placing phone calls to affected individuals. Finally, USCIS will begin taking the extraordinary step of sending plain-clothed USCIS officers to make home visits to retrieve the threeyear work permits. In addition to all of this, the government has been updating all relevant databases to reflect that these individuals are only authorized for employment for two years.l

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Birthright Citizenship: What It Is and Why We Need to Preserve It/continued from page 1

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righted that injustice and became the foundation for civil rights law, equal protection, and due process in the United States.” Waslin also explained the ramifications of altering it: “Far from affecting only illegal immigrants, birthright citizenship impacts everyone. If simply being born in the U.S. and having a U.S. birth certificate were not proof of citizenship, Americans would have to navigate complex laws to prove their citizenship. Other than a birth certificate, most Americans do not have government documents that establish U.S. citizenship.” In 2015, when the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to attack birthright citizenship, Mark Noferi, Esq., wrote that repeal would not be upheld by

the Supreme Court and attacks are based on faulty reasoning: “…it is doubtful that legislation to repeal birthright citizenship would be constitutional. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.’ Based on this, the Supreme Court has upheld birthright citizenship for children of foreigners several times— holding that the Fourteenth Amendment means what it says, especially in light of its history…Moreover, repealing birthright citizenship is unnecessary. There is no evidence that undocumented immigrants come to the U.S. in large numbers just to give birth. ‘Anchor

IMMIGRATION

babies,’ a term the American Heritage Dictionary calls offensive and disparaging, make no sense given that a child cannot sponsor a parent for citizenship for at least 21 years.” Marshall Fitz, Esq., also defended it as a core part of our American heritage and reminds those who continue to attack it of its history: “Why do these Republican members want to revive the long moribund policies that their party’s most revered president (Lincoln) fought so hard to eradicate? Why do they want to create once again a legally sanctioned vulnerable and exploited underclass in this country? In order to advance an extreme anti-immigrant agenda under the dubious theory that changing the 14th Amendment’s citizenship rules will deter unauthorized immigration.” Fitz adds that the “14th Amendment is not just another immigration policy…It defines who we are as a nation” and “categorically rejects the notion that America is a country club led by elites who get to pick and choose who can become members.” Eliminating birthright citizenship would do nothing to solve our immigration issues. In fact, it could have the opposite effect by increasing the size of the undocumented population. The Migration Policy Institute study found that if citizenship were denied to every child with at least one unauthorized parent, the unauthorized population in the U.S. would reach 24 million by 2050. Ultimately, this idea does nothing to advance real, immigration reform.l

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14 NEWS

FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY

Anti-Poverty Initiative for Faith Leaders

BY VANDELL PARK

he Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) is challenging faith leaders to become more involved in helping to stem the tide of poverty that is overwhelming the City of New York. The FPWA recently convened an anti-poverty initiative for faith leaders in New York City and outlined to them seven policy investments that can aide in the reduction of poverty in the city. The seven policies are: Transitional Jobs, Earning Supplements, Increased Minimum Wage, Increased SNAP Benefits, Increased Housing Vouchers, Guaranteed Child Care Vouchers and Senior and Disability Tax Credit. FPWA Director of Policy, Advocacy and Research, Emily Miles, says the study identifying these seven policies was a collaborative between her organization, the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and the UJA-Federation of New York. According to Miles: “The outcomes of this research demonstrate that combining anti-poverty policies can have a significant impact on poverty in New York City. We targeted investments in a set of policies that provide job training, economic security and support for working families in NYC and these policies once adopted and implemented, can have a profound effect on the men, women and children of New York City.” FPWA Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Jones-Austin, says while the policies are

Pictured from l-r: Reverend Camara, FPWA’s Jones Austin and Reveend Waldrond

workable, there needs to be someone responsible for their implementation; therefore her organization is calling on faith leaders to be among the first in New York City to share their vision for the eradication of poverty: “Faith leaders and institutions play a critical role in the development and success of our communities. This series of events are designed to provide faith leaders with the tools and opportunity to positively effect change through policy development and eventual implementation.” The FPWA says the effort to impact change across the city is greater than any single organization; therefore, a collaboration between faith leaders and the New York City and State officials is needed to quickly halt the emerging trend of home-

Breakfast Empowerment Seminar Series

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Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge

Join us for a financial literacy empowerment session, focusing on faith-based organizations and nonprofits.

In order to make sure that a not-profit is able to best complete its mission, a manager of the organization must determine how to allocate the resources it has today, and ensure the financial future of the organization by managing the funds to work for them in the long-term; basically, to have more money to do more mission.

You will learn: •How to get more funds from current sources •How to find and develop new sources of funds •How to keep more of what you get •How to use your funds to do more mission over the long term

Plus: •Learn the eight characteristics of financial empowerment •Get ideas and techniques you can begin to use tomorrow

BONUS: RELIGIOUS PETITIONS FOR FAITH-BASED WORKERS:10,000 GREEN CARDS ARE AVAILABLE

Join us on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Breakfast and registration starts at 8:30am. Program starts at 9:00am Location: 26 Court Street, Suite 701, downtown Brooklyn Register: info@chambercoalition.org or call 718-722-9217

lessness and poverty in New York. As a result, the organization convened a forum for faith leaders, City officials and New York State representatives to be more equipped to aide in the reduction of poverty. Rev. Michael Walrond, Chair of Mayor Bill de Blasio Clergy Advisory Council, represented the City and informed faith leaders that poverty is real and efforts to eradicate the growing social epidemic must be practical and realistic and as faith advisors to the Mayor his team advocates strongly for urgent action: “The Clergy Advisory Council came into being as a result of Mayor De Blasio keeping a covenant which he signed due to a campaign promise. We do not serve as go-betweens, but we are a group of persons who represent the diverse community of faith within this City from all five boroughs, and the primary purpose is to advise on issues of policies that impact this City. The reason why I think that is important to note is because it gives the faith community another role in this City that has not always been acknowledged and that is, the faith community has a voice when it comes to the welfare of this City, and not just an ecclesial voice, but I think a strong social and political voice in this City with regard to policy. Those of us who are leaders of faith communities or work at organizations that are faith based, we understand the issues from the ground, from a grassroots perspective and what motivates most of our work, is not political ambition or a desire to make compromising decision based on some political hope for the future; and, we do not as it has been in the past, make our primary agenda seeking personal provision over policy…it is what the faith-based community has to say to the issues that impact New York City. Not only what do we have to say to the issues, but also how do we develop solutions and ideas that help to bring ease to some of the more critical and pertinent issues that impact the City.” Rev. Walrond stressed that the clergy advisory council is divided into five subgroups. Those groups are housing, education, public safety, health and economic justice, and the role they play is to engage various communities in this City to understand their needs and advise the mayor on how to address those needs so as to reduce the crisis these communities face: “One of the initiatives that we would be launching this month is what we call our borough convenings. We are under no illusions that 40 or 50 people represent the full diversi-

ty of the faith communities in New York City, and so the hope of the numerous borough convenings is to gather faith leaders throughout the various boroughs and to hear from them the issues that impact individual congregations and their surrounding neighborhoods or communities and to talk about what we have seen as the working programs that sought to alleviate the crisis and pressure and how do we expand those programs in ways that could have borough wide and city wide impact. We are not just there to give advisement to the mayor, but, also partner with agencies in the delivery of services to our communities, because what we discover, those of us who work in the various religious institutions and with these various organizations, is that our doors and organizations are always bombarded by people in need, and one of the most helpless positions that you could ever feel in your work is when people come to you in need and you do not know how to access the resources that are here. It is not that there are not resources in this City, that there are not outlets that seek to alleviate the pressures, but many times we just don’t know of them; we do not know how to bridge the gap of knowledge and to place people in our community in touch and in contact with the spaces and places that have been created in the City to help alleviate their personal and community driven crisis.” Deputy Commissioner of New York State Homes and Communities, Rev. Karim Camara, also echoed the sentiments of resources that are available, but faith leaders often do not know how to access those resources. He also said that there needs to be a revival to disarm poverty in the City and faith leaders are called upon to take up the challenge: “There is a great need for faith leaders to lead a revival, because we don’t have enough faith leaders involved in community engagement…. The establishment of the faith- based position with the State of New York was an acknowledgment that we already have faith leaders doing great work in our State, but the State needed a better opportunity to build relationship, to bridge relationships, and to take responsibility to let people know more of the resources that exists. That is our role. We are here to communicate resources. We have the handout for the $50 million infrastructure program. If you have a nonprofit that receives any type of State grant that is something you would be eligible for. In addition to the $50 million, the State is in the final stages of reviewing and approving some $800 million in grants. This money is made available through the agencies of Children and Family Services and the office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse. We also fund youth programs through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance among others, so these are agencies that are funding nonprofits throughout the State that faith leaders need to know about. We want to make sure that we are getting the word out to you about the grants, but also to help you with capacity building if necessary, and to let you know how to start a separate nonprofit organization, how to apply for grants and how to go to the grant board.”l

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FAMILY MATTERS

Sexting: What Parents Need to Know

REVIEWED BY LARISSA HIRSCH, MD

hese days, almost every teen has many ways to get online: via smartphones, tablets, and laptops, all of which can be used in private. It's very easy for teens to create and share personal photos and videos of themselves without their parents knowing about it. Most of the time, this is no big deal. By sharing something with a friend, your teen could have a memory to enjoy forever. But if what gets shared is a little too personal, your teen's reputation could be harmed. Even if the image, video, or text was only meant for one person, once it's been sent or posted, it's out of your teen's control. It could be seen by lots of people, and it could be impossible to erase from the Internet, even after your teen thinks it has been deleted. Any sort of photo, video, or message that shows someone doing or saying something embarrassing or offensive can be damaging to a reputation. But this is especially true if there's nudity, sex, or sexually suggestive content involved. This type of sharing, known as "sexting," has the potential to haunt a teen for the rest of his or her life. What Is Sexting? Sexting (or "sex texting") is the sending or receiving of sexually explicit or sexually suggestive images, messages, or video via a cellphone or the Internet.

Examples of sexting include sending: •nude or nearly nude photos or "selfies" •videos that show nudity, sex acts, or simulated sex •text messages that propose sex or refer to sex acts

Why Do Teens Sext? Many girls sext as a joke, as a way of getting attention, or because of "pressure from guys." Guys sometimes blame "pressure from friends." But for some, it's almost become normal behavior, a way of flirting, being seen as cool, or becoming popular. And teens get some reinforcement for that when lewd celebrity pictures and videos go mainstream and the consequences are greater fame and reality TV shows, not ruined careers or humiliation.

What Parents Should Know Teens' decision-making skills, judgment, and ideas about privacy are still being formed. It can be hard for them to grasp the permanent consequences of their impulsive interactions. Just as they might not consider how smoking now can lead to long-term health problems, they can be reluctant to curb their "share everything" tendencies now for the sake of their reputations later. One of the top responsibilities of parents is to teach their kids how to take responsibility for their own safety and their own actions. It's important to send that message about the virtual world too. Even if a

teen's intentions are playful or harmless, if messages or pictures become public, the outcome can be anything but.

What to Say to Your Teen It's crucial to talk to your kids about how pictures, videos, emails, and text messages that seem temporary, can permanently exist in cyberspace. One ill-considered picture sent to a crush's phone easily can be forwarded to the recipient's friends, posted online, or printed and distributed. Even an image sent to a boyfriend or girlfriend could lead to problems if someone else sees it or it's distributed after a breakup. Intense peer pressure to take or send nude pictures will pale in comparison with the public humiliation that follows when the images land on Facebook or the cellphones of hundreds of other kids and even adults. So how can you get through to your kids? The answer is to have open conversations about personal responsibility, per-

sonal boundaries, and how to resist peer pressure. Conversations like this should occur throughout kids' lives — not just when problems arise. Explain to your kids, early and often, that once an image or message is sent, it is no longer in their control and cannot be taken back. It can, and likely will, spread beyond the person who was meant to see it. Teach kids to follow the "WWGT" ("What would Grandma think?") rule. If Grandma shouldn't see it, they shouldn't send it. In the meantime, parents can make it clear that there will be consequences if their kids are caught sexting, such as taking away cellphones and computers or having limits to when and how they can use these devices. l

Family Law Practice Summarized

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16 NEWS

EMPOWER YOURSELF

The Impact of Financial Stress on Domestic Violence/continued from page 1

Staggering? Yes. Data collected from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence indicates the recession that started in 2007, and continued through 2008/2009, created the highest unemployment level since the early 1980s. As the recession progressed, unemployment climbed and foreclosures rose, so did the statistics on domestic violence. While no society is ever static, and things are constantly changing; simultaneously, there is a huge link between domestic violence and financial stress. Some statistics reveal that domestic violence increases when women’s financial status has decreased and there seems to be less evidence of domestic violence when women’s social status has increased. This might be so because some women in higher economic brackets have more access to services, e.g. health care, education, they can relocate, find better jobs in different states, they have access to cash flow and more options are readily available to them, or they nonchalantly keep up the “status quo” by living in denial. On the other hand, some reasons why many women stay trapped in abusive relationships: employment issues, poverty, lack of education, lack of or inadequate social support networks, child care issues, cumulative stress issues resulting in lack of empowerment, physical and mental

health problems, fear of threats and/or violence against family members, lack of emotional support from family, friends, and abusive partners often sabotage their efforts to find and keep work. We know that domestic violence has been prevalent long before any recession. If truth be told, and even if we ourselves have never been victims of domestic violence, we might have witnessed incidents of domestic violence at home, at someone else’s home or on the street. One television show, Law & Order (Special Victims Unit) has made quite an impact in bringing the issue closer to home. Some reasons why men have used aggression against women for a long time— suffering from alcohol and substance abuse, impotency, psychological baggage from childhood, participation in war and lack of education, to name a few. In 2009, the incident of domestic violence involving Rihanna and Chris Brown made national as well as international headlines. Interviewing with Diane Sawyer, Rihanna empathically stated “When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result into some young girl

getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn’t be responsible…If Chris ever hit me again, who’s to say that their boyfriend won’t…kill these girls.” From that moment, we might have envisioned a stronger Rihanna. As fans, we might have expected her to reclaim her power not only as a woman, but also as a person worthy of the best, emerging as a newer kind of role model. Unfortunately, just three months later Rihanna released her seventh album “Unapologetic,” in which she and Brown recorded the song, “Nobody’s Business,” sending new messages. As an entertainer though, it was everybody’s business. The Rihanna/Chris Brown incident has made it crystal clear: Domestic violence knows no boundaries; it makes no difference of how rich or poor a person is, how beautiful or intelligent a woman is. It breaks down all barriers of socio-economic status, ethnicity, and geographic location. Remember, there are incidents of domestic violence in same sex relationships, and also in relationships involving older women, but enough data has not been collected. In a patriarchal

society, domestic violence borders on male power exercising dominance and control over the woman—her body and her right to live equally among men because she is still today considered the lesser (weaker) sex. Even when a woman raises her economic and earning potential via hard work and education, she is often still seen as a threat to her unemployed spouse, or a partner who makes less income than she does. She nonetheless becomes a target for domestic violence in the home as one of the most vicious cycles of dark ages long past, continues today. Still, far too many women have remained inside the boundaries of silence and shame. Economic stress and domestic violence have far reaching and devastating effects on women and their psyche. It extends to children, the community, and also to society at large. When a woman is battered she loses all self worth and respect; she, over time, because of the lack of stability in the home, becomes unfit as a mother, wife and career person. Her contribution to society is drastically muted; it becomes void of productivity. She endures a seemingly invisible life except maybe for seeking help with those who are a part of the social services systems (Public Assistance, Welfare). Without empowerment, career rehabilitation and stronger emotional support systems (individual, family and children, group counseling), a battered woman is unlikely to reenter the society’s communities to contribute holistically as she was so created to do.l

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SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS

Starting a Green Business

rom changing a light bulb and using recyclable products, to installing energy efficient equipment and systems, every business can make simple changes that save energy costs and natural resources. More can be done. One can actually start a green business. The explosion of organic and ecofriendly products on retail store shelves is more than just a passing fad. It's big business. This reality presents opportunities for environmentally minded entrepreneurs ready to start their own small businesses. Successful green businesses not only benefit the environment, but also use green business practices as a means to market their products. If you are thinking of starting a green business, consider the following tips:

Find Your Niche The eco-friendly lifestyle continues to catch on with consumers which presents many growth possibilities for businesses. Production of food, cosmetics and cleaning supplies are growing areas within organic trade. To be successful, look for opportunities that match your interests.

Get Certified To differentiate your product or service as environmentally sound, consider

Certification Program

•Wood Products: Criteria set by Forest Stewardship Council; certified by Scientific Certification Systems

Ecolabel Resources •The Global Ecolabeling Network is a nonprofit association of third-party, environmental performance labeling organizations to improve, promote and develop the "ecolabeling" of products and services

obtaining certification from an independent, third-party. Being certified means that you can include their "ecolabel" on your product's label and other marketing materials. This ecolabel is important for attracting "green" customers, and can strengthen the value of your brand. Investigate the following organizations and programs for certification opportunities:

Domestic Certification •Products: Green Seal sets product standards and awards its label to a wide variety of products

•Agriculture, Manufacturing and Electricity: Certified by Scientific Certification Systems

•Buildings: The U.S. Green Building Council certifies new and existing buildings using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System

•Chlorine-Free Products: Certified by the Chlorine Free Products Association

•Energy Efficient Products: Certified by the U.S. Government's ENERGY STAR Program

•Organic Produce: Certified by The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program •Renewable Energy: Certified by the Center for Resource Solution's Green e-

•The Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP) is an international organization that helps broker national policies for energy efficiency standards and labels for appliances, equipment, and lighting products

Practice What You Preach The most successful green businesses don't just sell the green lifestyle. They live it. Selling green means being green, and this helps build your brand and image as socially responsible. Before you start your business, attend our Green Business Summit on Thursday, November 19, 2015. Come and learn about government incentives and more! Register at: www.greenbusinesssummit.nyc..l Source: sba.gov

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18 NEWS

AMERICAN POLITICS

Dr Stein: A New Society, A New Economy/

pressure can move Congress to respond to the needs of the people.”

continued from page 1

found, is that neither of the political parties, namely the Republicans nor the Democrats, would allow that to happen. We saw that there was a record low turnout at the elections in 2014, because the Democrats are not giving the people anything to turn out for and the Republicans have become the party of hate and hate speech and of immigrant bashing and the unapologetic party for the rich and the economic elite, and the Democrats have failed to stand up to that and offer an alternative. There are about 58 percent of the voters who say that they want a major independent party, so our job now is to get the word out and to get on the ballot, because that’s part of how the establishment protects itself, how it maintains this system that favors the big banks and the big corporations but not everyday working people, not people who need jobs and small businesses… young people now are very excited about our campaign.”

Making the Ballot According to Dr. Stein, the Green Party is, so far, confident of making the ballot for some 40 states and is hoping to do so for the rest of the nation within the near future so as to put up a formidable opposition to the two main political parties at the 2016 presidential elections. She also stressed the importance for getting access to televised debates on the national stage against the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, an area she says is difficult for third parties to break through, but the Green Party will not be bullied in the 2016 general elections: “When it comes to the final debates and these are the biggest ones that most people watch, those debates are controlled by the Republican and Democratic parties which is really outrageous. That’s why we have filed two lawsuits in the courts; one is suing the commission that controls presidential debates, and the other is suing the Federal Elections Commission, and while I do not want to get into the technical details of these cases, we are using the force of law because the American people deserve not only to vote, because we have a right to vote, but we also deserve the right to know who we can vote for because otherwise your vote doesn’t mean anything if it is not an informed vote, and that’s what the debates are supposed to do. So the Green Party is in the court of law to try to force open these debates, and we have these petitions on our website for people

to sign, because we deserve open debates…that’s why our fight is to get heard. We don’t have to convince people because when they hear that there is a voice for them, we have all the support we need to turn the White House into a Green House and to turn our communities into sustainable striving green communities, but we have to fight against a very empowered system in order to get heard.”

Platform Dr. Stein says the Green Party’s message to voters is simply one that puts the needs of people first and the time has come for people to realize that the established Democratic and Republican parties do not care about their well-being: “Our platform creates an America that works for all of us…we are pushing for an emergency jobs program, because they tell us that we are in recovery from the 2008 recession but for most people it is not a recovery; it is still an emergency. We are calling for the creation of 20 million, good wage full-time jobs that would be through small businesses. We will give them support, provide the loans that they need, in fact, giving them incentives to go ahead and hire the people that they need to jump-start these businesses. We will allow for community cooperatives and workers cooperatives; we will look at major public works projects in order to green our economy. This takes on two emergencies at once--an economic emergency and a climate emergency. The 20 million jobs will jump-start the economy and will provide clean renewable energy by 2030. We are also in the process of creating a healthy local food supply that makes us healthy instead of the foods that

Dr Stein on the campaign trail

are subsidized now. And we will also look at a public transportation system so that we will green the economy and will make wars for oil obsolete. That is the core of our platform, but in addition, we are calling for education as a human right; that means reviving our public schools and investing in them, making sure that children in all communities have great public schools. We want to stop this emphasis on high-stake testing that is not supported by science. It’s not supported by the data; it is not helpful; we need to teach to the whole student for lifetime learning… this high-stake testing is very unfriendly and drives them down the school to prison pipeline. We are calling for health care as a human right through an expanded Medicare for all systems which will save us money and allow us to cover everyone comprehensively and take out the profiteering from health care. We are calling for an emergency action plan for racial justice now that will end racist policing, racism in the courts and in the prison, as well as segregation in education, housing, and hiring. Finally, we are calling for a foreign policy based on human rights and international law and not based on these wars for oil, regime change and military interventions that are currently causing us a trillion dollars a year and is actually making us less secure. We need chambers of commerce to advocate for small- and community-based businesses so that we, the people, can get the kind of economy that we really need. This is the program that I will push for as president, and as president, I will not just be a commander in chief; rather I will also be an organizer in chief, because if we, the people, need it, we should get it and that kind of

Gun Violence On the issue of gun violence, Dr. Stein says that the Green Party believes the United States can follow the examples of other countries that have considerably eliminated gun violence from their cities and communities by simply enforcing gun control laws. She pointed out that her administration will push for stricter gun control laws by pressuring Congress to table legislation that will remove assault rifles from personal gun ownership and implement stricter laws for ownership of hand guns: “Gun violence is really the second cause of deaths for young people in this country after automobile accidents and we need to do what needs to be done here; this is not rocket science…we need background checks so that people who do not need to have guns in their hands, do not get them. We need to take automatic and semi-automatic weapons off the shelves. Automatic weapons are not for hunting; they are for killing people… communities have a right to make rules to create safety, communities have a right to deal with the dangers that they are facing, so while we support banning automatic weapons and background checks, that is a national policy… the community ban on hand guns is a way to start. Gun violence or any kind of violence, does not exist in a vacuum; it exists because people are desperate, because people are stressed, because poverty drives people to do desperate things, and poverty drives conflict, which is why we have to make jobs a part of this. Make good schools and education [is] a part of this, which is why we have to deal with homelessness, and when the political establishments say that they do not have enough money they are saying that they do not have enough money for you, and this is what a part of the “Green New Deal” will address. It guarantees the right to a living wage job, it guarantees the right to affordable housing and the right to healthcare and this is the basis for reducing gun violence in our communities. We can fix this and we have the power to fix this. I just want to implore you to go to our website: jill2016.com and sign up to make the change. It’s time to build a people’s movement to end unemployment and poverty, avert climate catastrophe, build a sustainable, just economy and recognize the dignity and human rights of every person. The power to create this new world is not in our hopes; it’s not in our dreams-it’s in our hands.” About Dr Stein Dr. Stein is a trained medical doctor, who hails from Lexington, Massachusetts. She graduated from Harvard College in 1973, and from Harvard Medical School in 1979. She is married to Richard Roher who is also a physician and has two sons. Dr. Stein is an expert on environmental health and has championed the cause of “A healthy people, a healthy planet” for years as an environmental activist.l

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NEWS 19

NEWS

nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

nSPORTS

4 Steps Toward Greener Living

iving a greener lifestyle isn't just about conserving natural resources, it's also about saving money. Whether you're renovating your existing home, or building from the ground up, you can create a home that's more efficient, cost effective and "green."

1. Insulate against air In terms of heating and cooling, a well insulated home conserves the most energy by creating an airtight seal, locking out any potential hot or cold air drafts. To properly insulate, replace old windows and doors with more energy efficient options, such as those made by Pella, including triple-pane glass, and add extra insulation to the walls, roof and basement.

2. Make energy-efficient choices Inefficient appliances can cause a spike in your gas, water and electric usage. For a simple change, choose LED bulbs for all your light fixtures. To conserve even more energy, opt in for high-efficiency upgrades for your larger appliances, like refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes dryers, and install water-conserving bathroom fixtures to help cut down your home's overall water usage.

nHOROSCOPE

Kitchen Corner

Walnut Stuffed Cherry Tomato Halves BY CHEF ALEX GUARNASCHELLI

CELEBRITY CHEF & FOOD NETWORK STAR

"Who doesn't love a stuffed cherry tomato?" Alex Guarnaschelli says. "A mixture of cheese, peppery arugula and juicy tomatoes brings out the great richness of the nuts. Stuffed cherry tomatoes are satisfying without being filling, and make a great alternative to bread-based starters. You can assemble these appetizers ahead of time and refrigerate them until you're ready to serve."

3. Maximize natural light When you're able to rely on natural light for most of the day, the cost of your electric bill decreases. If you're renovating, think about ways you can incorporate new window openings to increase the amount of natural light your home is currently receiving. If you're building, think about incorporating an open floor plan with lots of windows to maximize the flow of natural light from room to room.

4. Design it to last Trends come in and out of style quickly. For the larger architectural features of your home, choose design elements that will stand the test of time — reducing the likelihood of another renovation. Leave the trendy design choices to smaller decor pieces that can easily (and inexpensively) be switched out when it's time for a change.l(BPT)

Ingredients: 3/4 cup fresh arugula leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (2 ounces) coarsely chopped Fisher Walnut Halves and Pieces, toasted 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/8 teaspoon salt 36 cherry tomatoes

Directions: Toast the walnuts by placing them in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently until the walnuts

turn golden — about three to five minutes. Combine the arugula with the walnuts, cheese, olive oil, vinegar and lemon zest; set aside.

Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Use a small spoon (such as an espresso spoon), the handle of a teaspoon or a melon baller to gently remove the majority of the seeds and pulp, taking care not to pierce the skin. Season the insides lightly with salt. Fill the tomatoes with the walnut and arugula mixture. Serve at room temperature. l(BPT) Yield: 12 servings Prep time: 15 minutes

Rihanna: Racism in Business

he pop megastar sat down with author/director Miranda July for a rare interview with the New York Times. In a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from childbirth to music, July asked Rihanna about race and power. “I wanted to ask her about being a young black woman

with power in America, but it seemed somehow wrong to speak of this; maybe she was postracial now,” July wrote. “So I directed my question to a younger Rihanna, and asked if she had suddenly felt aware of race in a different way when she moved to New York.” Rihanna replied: ‘‘You know, when I started to experience the difference — or even have my race be highlighted — it was mostly when I would do business deals.’’ Business deals. Meaning that everyone’s cool with a young black woman singing, dancing, partying and looking hot, but that when it comes time to negotiate, to broker a deal, she is suddenly made aware of her blackness. ‘‘And, you know, that never ends, by the way. It’s still a thing. And it’s the thing that makes me want to prove people wrong. It almost excites me; I know what they’re expecting and I can’t wait to show them that I’m here to exceed those expectations.’’l

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20 NEWS

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

To PreNup Or Not To PreNup?

BY CANDACE BAHR, CEA, CDFA & GINITA WALL, CPA, CFP®

prenuptial agreement (or prenup) is often more important in a second marriage than in a first. Because of obligations to children, existing assets, and prior legal commitments, a written agreement assures that everyone’s needs are clear and their financial interests protected. If your future spouse feels uncomfortable about the idea, reassure him that the agreement is intended to benefit and protect you both. The fact that you are revealing all of your assets prior to marriage, should be taken as a sign of trust. A properly drafted prenuptial agreement generally will cover the same topics that you have been discussing, except that it will formalize your discussions into a written agreement. That agreement should specify:

• How any premarital debts will be paid • How jointly owned assets will be split in the event of a divorce or death • How separate assets will be treated, regardless of the laws of the state in which you are living at the time you are married, divorced or die • How your respective incomes are split during the marriage and upon divorce •Who is responsible for childcare and

education expenses during marriage and upon divorce Prenups can protect your children’s assets, providing for their inheritance in the event that you die or get divorced. Similarly, having a written agreement is critical if either you or your new husband owns a business. Prenups can also include language to protect your current interest and all future benefits that flow from a patent, trademark or creative idea, whether it be a book manuscript, a computer software program, or a pharmaceutical patent. Both you and your soon-to-be spouse should consult a family law or matrimonial lawyer to negotiate the terms of your prenuptial agreement and draft the final document. If you don’t know of a suitable attorney, ask a trusted professional

adviser for a referral.

Do prenups hold up? Courts tend to honor prenuptial agreements as long as both parties to the contract are open and honest about their assets and liabilities and both have received advice from their own attorneys. Courts generally will not uphold prenups that include false financial information or omit pertinent information about either partner’s assets and liabilities, or agreements that were signed under duress. Given this last consideration, it’s generally wise to sign the agreement at least one month before the wedding, so there is little argument of coercion. If you did not sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage, you may want to

use a postnuptial agreement to protect assets for yourself and your children, especially if you receive a sudden windfall or are expecting a large inheritance. Like a prenup, a postnuptial agreement will specify how assets and liabilities are to be divided during marriage, after divorce or after one of you dies. Many couples use a postnuptial agreement to discuss one particular asset, such as an inheritance, business interest, or new home. Just as with the prenup, both of you should have separate legal counsel and provide full disclosure of all present and future assets to create a legally binding agreement.l Candace Bahr is known nationally as an advocate for women’s financial independence. As a trusted financial guide, she has enhanced the lives of thousands of people through her non-profit endeavors.

Ginita Wall is a columnist and a nationally recognized expert on the subject of women and money and is a frequent speaker for conventions, professional groups, and philanthropic organizations. Candace and Ginita are co-founders of WIFE.org.

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NEWS 21

HEALTH

Men: Undiagnosed Type 2 Diabetes May Be Hurting Your Sex Life

en who experience impotence may face twice the risk of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes compared to men without such sexual problems, a new study suggests. “This effect was more significant among middle-aged men 40 to 59 years old,” said lead researcher Dr. Sean Skeldon, a resident in family medicine at the University of Toronto in Canada. “The probability of having undiagnosed diabetes increased from one in 50 in men without erectile dysfunction, to one in 10 in men with erectile dysfunction,” Skeldon said. It’s important to note this study only found a link between impotence and type 2 diabetes. It didn’t prove a cause-andeffect relationship between the health issues. The report was published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. For the study, Skeldon’s team collected data on more than 4,500 men 20 and older who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004. The researchers looked at the association of erectile dysfunction with undiagnosed high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes in that group.

The investigators didn’t find any link between having trouble achieving or keeping an erection and undiagnosed high blood pressure or high cholesterol. But they found that the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was 11.5 percent in men with impotence compared to about 3 percent among men without the disorder. In men aged 40 to 59, the rate of undiagnosed diabetes was 19 percent in men with erectile dysfunction compared to 3 percent in those who didn’t have erectile troubles, the study found. Erectile dysfunction is a risk factor for future heart disease, Skeldon said. Unlike

diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which typically have no obvious symptoms, impotence is something men recognize as a problem, he said. “Men with erectile dysfunction should see their doctors to ensure they are properly screened for diabetes,” Skeldon said. “Doing so may help prevent heart disease down the road. Conversely, doctors should ensure that they perform the proper screening for men with erectile dysfunction.” Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore

Medical Center in New York City, said, “Usually, erectile dysfunction is not an early complication of diabetes — it’s a late complication caused by changes in nerve function.” These findings indicate that men with erectile dysfunction may have had undiagnosed diabetes for an extended time, he added. However, men with impotence who are at an early stage of diabetes may have another medical problem having nothing to do with their diabetes that led to the erectile dysfunction, Zonszein said. Zonszein said doctors are often lax in asking their patients about their sexual health. “In clinical practice we don’t get a good history of erectile dysfunction,” he said. Doctors should get a history of sexual function, because erectile dysfunction can be a sign of undiagnosed diabetes, Zonszein explained. “Diabetes is not a benign disease,” he said. “We have to make the diagnosis early and we have to treat diabetes early and aggressively.”l

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22 NEWS

LIFESTYLE

6 Easy Tips to Avoid Calorie Overload During the Holidays

rom office parties to neighborhood gatherings - during the holidays, food is everywhere. Despite your healthiest of intentions, it's not easy to eat right during the holiday season - no matter how determined you are to stay on track. Fear not! With a few simple tricks and a game plan, you can still enjoy your favorite festive foods without feeling like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon by the time New Year's Day rolls around.

Don't waste calories. Before you place anything on your plate, survey the entire spread of food options. Decide which foods are must haves and which are better left on the table. Not only will selective eating allow you to savor your choices even more, you won't waste calories on anything you won't fully enjoy. If you find yourself standing in front of a table overflowing with options, step away. Survey the scene. Don't stand near the food and only use one plate. Throw it away when you're finished so you're not tempted to go back for unnecessary seconds.

Snack smart. "When heading out to a holiday gathering, make sure to have a small snack before you leave home,"

The basic idea

behind fat loss is

simple: eat better,

exercise more.

However, hidden in

this formula are

numerous caveats

advises Nicki Briggs, MS, RDN, Food and Nutrition Expert for NatureBox. "Reach for one that offers a combo of protein and fiber, like nuts and dried fruit or hummus and whole grain crackers. It will keep you feeling full so that you'll have the willpower to not overdo it at the buffet."

Don't drink your calories. Opt for lower calorie beverages like water, tea, or coffee whenever possible. If you're going to indulge in an alcoholic drink, stick with light beer or a wine spritzer instead of punches or mixed drinks. (Some holiday drinks can have up to 500 hidden

and footnotes.

calories!) And make sure to drink a glass of water between each beverage to help you stay hydrated and keep your drink count in check.

get to the gym an extra time per week. Exercise releases endorphins, which will have you feeling extra cheery when you arrive at every holiday party.

Revamp your fitness routine. The holidays are a time to indulge in treats, but that doesn't mean you need to forgo your fitness. Get some friends together and try a new workout class or make a point to

Follow these tips to feel your best during the holidays, while enjoying the food and company you love. l(BPT)

Host with health in mind. When hosting your own holiday party, don't skimp on the better-for-you options. Serve up feel-good foods like veggie trays and lean meats.

Don't beat yourself up. If you end up overindulging at a party, don't let it get you down. Use it as a learning experience and take steps to do better next time. Tomorrow is a new day and you'll be motivated to make smarter and healthier choices.

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NEWS 23

DIASPORA CONCERNS

The Future of Affordable Homeownership in New York City: A Challenge

ed entities that engage in practices harmful to homeowners such as distressed note purchases by profit-driven actors.

BY CLAUDE LEACH

he Coalition for Affordable Homes is on the march and working most diligently to unite New Yorkers for affordable homeownership. This is a major task especially when one considers the diverse neighborhoods that exist in New York. Of course the diversity that exists in these neighborhoods are so because of the varying cultures. In a great number of these neighborhoods working families have had the opportunity to invest in their communities mainly through purchasing homes of their own. The ability to purchase homes have given these homeowners a stake in New York. That stake is one that allows the said homeowners to live and work together. The neighborhoods of middle-and working class persons that have been able to come together have helped to balance our housing stock. The Coalition for Affordable Homes, in planning for the future of New York City has been placing priority and emphasis on how best to preserve the communities and homes that have been built up over the years by the middle- and working class. This planning is vital and must be acted upon to ensure that the neighborhoods that have held together as a bridge to the middle class, now seems threatened. While middle- and working class homeowners have been working together to keep affordable housing in New York, there are those who were targeting the communities and causing a foreclosure crisis. It should be noted that while some of these neighborhoods have weathered the foreclosure storms and the real estate market has been rebounding, that there is still a great deal of work yet to be done even as some of these neighborhoods are struggling to recover. An overheated market driven by predatory lenders and being under constant attack by speculators and investors trying to buy homes cheaply and then flip them for big profits could drive families out of the communities that they have called their home for a long time. The Coalition for Affordable Homes have come up with a Policy Platform for keeping "a long term housing plan for New York." According to them, there needs to be a plan that would consider and address the fact that affordable homeownership opportunities must be preserved and where little or none exists, every attempt should be made to develop some. The Coalition for Affordable Homes has created a road map which they propose can be used for protecting the affordable housing stock in the city: 1. Prevent Displacement of Low- and Moderate- Income Homeowners nIncrease available funding for grants and loans for low- and moderate- income homeowners to repair and renovate their homes. Simultaneously, existing programs should be reexamined and streamlined in order to deliver consumer friendly service in a reasonable timeframe.

nSupport the Base Campaign pilot program to legalize safe basement apartments and keep them affordable nEnsure that 1-4 family homes are incorporated into the City's comprehensive anti displacement strategy. nPrevent foreclosures and new waves of predatory lending, foreclosure rescue scams, and deed theft scams by continuing to ensure that homeowners have access to housing counseling and legal services in their community. nSupport community organizations and education for homeowners and tenants in 1-4 unit buildings. nStop the sale of City tax and water liens for Class 1 properties, which includes 13 family homes, to private investors. nReform City tax policy and water sewer fees to promote affordability for low and moderate income homeowners and renters in these homes. Options for

doing this include the Good Neighbor Tax Credit, which would provide a Real Property Tax Abatement to owner-occupants of small buildings (2-4 family homes) who rent apartments to eligible low- and moderate- income tenants at below market rates; or capping water and sewer charges in exchange for maintaining affordable rental units. nDeter speculation by imposing an Antiflip Tax or by increasing real Estate Transfer Taxes on all transfers to nonowner occupied (investor purchased) units. At the same time, ensure that information about the ownership and financing of properties owned by corporate entities are made public. Invest revenue from these taxes into housing trust funds, and use them to fund long-term affordability programs. nEnsure that City funds are not used to enrich real estate speculators and affiliat-

2. Enhance and Expand Opportunities for Affordable Homeownership nSupport community development financial institutions and credit unions involved in lending to small building owners and condo home buyers. nExpand down payment assistance to level commensurate with property values for low- and moderate- income homebuyers. 3.Implement Community Land Trusts in New York City nDevelop local tax-assessment strategies that ensure the long-term stability and affordability of properties located on community land trust land, and create incentives for the development and transfer of land to community land trusts

4. Increase Funding for the Creation and Preservation of Lower Middle Income Homeownership The Centre for New York City Neighborhoods is moving onward with its policy platform for Affordable Homes in New York. Its vision is for a New York where middle-and workingclass families live in affordable homes and vibrant communities, and where everyone shares in the economic opportunities of a strong city and state. l

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