FREE
A D.B.A. OF I.Q. INC.
ISSUE 62 VOLUME 16
Bipartisan Bill to Protect DACA Recipients Introduced VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.CAWNYC.COM
TO ADVERTISE IN OUR PUBLICATION CALL 718-771-0988
A
BY JOSHUA BREISBLATT
bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill on to temporarily protect individuals eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Senators Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (DCA), Graham (R-SC), and Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy (BRIDGE) Act, which would provide work authorization and relief from deportation to individuals who are eligible for the DACA initiative created in 2012, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under DACA, eligible individuals who arrived in the United States as children, pass a background check and meet spe-
The Legacy of President Obama ...see page 7
cific age, education, and United States residency requirements, are granted a temporary reprieve from deportation and are eligible to receive a renewable twoyear work permit. Currently, over 741,000 individuals have received DACA.
What Was the U.S. Gov’t’s Last Experience with a
Muslim Registry?
A
BY ROYCE MURRAY
long the campaign trail, thencandidate Donald Trump promised a special registry and database tracking system for Muslims in the United States. Although his spokesperson later claimed that he “never advocated for any registry or system that tracks individuals based on their religion,” President-Elect Trump is currently being advised by the original architects and advocates of a registry for nationals of Muslim and Arab countries. One of these architects is Kris
Kobach, the current Kansas Secretary of State, whom he met with recently. Kobach designed the post 9/11 special registration system for immigrants while working at the Department of Justice under President George W. Bush and many fear that Trump will reignite this constitutionally-questionable and discriminatory program. The National Security Entry-Exit System (NSEERS) program was initiated exactly one year after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 which functioned in two ways: First, as of September 11, 2002, continued on page 12
Many Republicans have long taken issue with DACA because it was done through the executive and not through legislation. President-elect Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would repeal President Obama’s executive actions, continued on page 10
Scared? Nervous
about Presidentelect Trump’s Immigration Plans?
CALL NOW FOR A FREE CONSULTATION:
Call 718-222-3155.
Brian Figeroux, Esq.
DUI Will Get You In Prison and Deported ... see page 17
Female Exporter of the Year.. see page 18
Nanny Training Program... see page 13
MLK: An Extraordinary Life ...see page 4
DJ Puffy from Barbados... see page 19
Michelle Obama: Choose Hope, Not Fear...see page 3
Dark Days Ahead for Digicel?
...see page 2
T&T’s Ato Boldon Honored... see page 2
What Can I Do If My Ex-Husband Will Not Pay Child Support ... see page 9
2
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 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
For more Consulate information go to www.cawnyc.com/directory
IN THE NEWS T&T Olympian Ato Boldon Named SI’s 2016 Best TV Analyst
Jovenel Moise Is Haiti’s New President
I
t’s official! Businessman Jovenel Moise is set to be installed as the new President of Haiti, ending weeks of uncertainty following the November 20, 2016 election An election tribunal stamped its approval on Moise’s election, as it ruled out allegations of massive fraud at the polls. “There was no massive fraud in the election. There were irregularities, which did not affect the electoral process,” the tribunal reported. Spokesman for the tribunal, Nicole Simeon, declared that Moise, who campaigned on behalf of the Bald Heads Party (PHTK) led by former President Michel Martelly, won 55.6 percent of the votes. His closest rival, Jude Celestin only mustered 19.5 percent of the vote. The tribunal’s declaration is being seen as vindication for Moise, 48, who had won the first round of the election in October 2015. Those results were scrapped after authorities ruled there was
Moise
widespread fraud. Moise, who runs a banana export company, is expected to be sworn in on February 7, 2017 and will take over from interim President Jocelerme Privert, who was appointed after Martelly left office in February last year without a successor in place.
Source: www.caribbean360.com
Dark Days Ahead for Digicel?
L
ondon, England: A leading voice on global credit markets has raised a red flag about the operations of telecommunications provider Digicel. Independent research provider CreditSights has released a gloomy report about the company, which operates in 32 Caribbean countries, warning that turbulent times were ahead. In the presentation released in London, entitled, ‘Digicel: Should I stay or go’, CreditSights debt analyst Michael Chakardijan said the company was burdened with high debt estimated at more than US$6 billion and this was unsustainable. “We view that there is limited to no equity cushion. This gives the company little wriggle room for poor performance and there is not an immaterial threat of distress in the event of poor results in key markets,” he said in a report published in the Irish Examiner. Digicel, which is owned by Irish businessman Denis O’Brien, has rejected the report, saying: “Digicel’s outlook remains positive with robust plans to deliver by monetizing our network investment and through realistic costmanagement initiatives.” The company has, however, embarked on a major cost-cutting plan and hired financial consultants McKinsey and Goetzpartners to help cut its massive debt burden. The plan, dubbed Project Swan, includes using more technology and the streamlining of back office functions to maximize efficiencies. At the same time, Digicel said it would significantly grow its earnings and is pinning its hope on a significant drop in
O’Brien
expenditure when its cable and fiber program begins to bear fruit. Recently,the company assured bond market investors that these initiatives would increase its profits by 24 percentage points by March 2018, leading to a return to growth. CreditSights, is howeve,r not convinced. Chakardijan described the plans as “highly ambitious” and “opaque” and doubted management’s ability to deliver. “We believe management’s deleveraging plans come with substantial execution risk, which is a very important point,” he said. The expert explained that Digicel’s debt woes were compounded by declining interest in its services, noting that revenues from phone calls have dropped as users opt for calling services provided by Viber, Whatsapp and Skype. Chakardijan said the company also had to be concerned about currency fluctuations in some of its overseas markets. In October last year, O’Brien pulled an initial public offering of Digicel shares, in which the company was seeking to raise as much as US$2 billion to help lower its debt mountain, expand operations and list on the New York Stock Exchange.l Source: Caribbean360.com
T
he successes of retired Trinidad and Tobago track star Ato Boldon have continued off the track. Boldon, a four-time Olympic medallist and T&T’s most decorated track athlete of all time, has been named as one of the best television analysts of the year by Sports Illustrated. The 42-year-old former sprinter, who recently celebrated his birthday and NBC’s Roddy Gaines were named joint best television analysts of the year by Sports Illustrated when it announced its best and worst media awards for 2016. Boldon was awarded because of his insightful and educational commentary during the 2016 Olympics held in Brazil. According to Sports Illustrated, “Boldon educates track viewers through his preparation, and when you listen to him, you realize how rare it is to have a sports TV analyst make you a smarter viewer. The high point for me was when Boldon tipped Japan for a medal in the 4×100-metre men’s relay prior to that Olympic race.” “This is a sleeper team,” Boldon had said. “They ran an Asian-record 37.68 in their heat, beating Jamaica, and they pass the baton better than anyone else in this field…Some teams practice for a month or a week. Japan has been practicing for the entire year.” The Japan team finished second in a new Asian-record time of 37.60 seconds, just 0.33 behind Usain Bolt and his Jamaican teammates.l
No More St. Lucia Jazz Festival
T
he St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival will be no more. Prime Minister Allan Chastanet has announced that the festival, which has drawn visitors from all over the world to the Eastern Caribbean island for the past 25 years, has been scrapped because the $14 million price tag for the two-week event was just too much. The well-known event is being replaced by a Summer Festival – a series of events that will include not only music, but food and arts. It will begin in May with a Jazz Week, include an expanded St Lucia Carnival, and culminate with the Creole and Heritage Festival in November.l
Source:www.caribbean360.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
MESSAGES
Michelle Obama: Choose Hope in the Face of Fear
M
ichelle Obama delivered an emotional and prescriptive final speech as First Lady of the United States on Thursday, January 6, at the 2017 School Counselor of the Year event saying, "Being your first lady has been the greatest honor of my life and I hope I made you proud." The event aimed at honoring the 2017 School Counselor of the Year just exactly two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office. The ceremony, which Obama initiated in 2015, highlights high school counselors who have demonstrated leadership skills. It's part of her "Reach Higher" program to promote higher education. In her time at the White House, Obama has championed education, fitness, and military families, often using the East Room or the South Lawn to speak out on her chosen topics. During her remarks at the White House, the first African-American first lady, along with multiple guests, were visibly moved to tears as she offered a passionate defense of diversity in American society, urging young people to fight for the country they want to live in and to choose "hope" in the face of "fear". “For all the young people in this room and those who are watching, know that this country belongs to you, to all of you. If you or your parents are immigrants,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6 Publisher I.Q. INC.
Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Assistant Editor Marilyn Silverman
Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Lana Delgadillo Obama
know that you are part of a proud American tradition. Don’t be afraid of diversity, Obama said. "Don't ever let anyone make you feel like you don't matter, or like you don't have a place in our American story — you do." She added, "I want our young people to know that this country belongs to you — to all of you, from every background and walk of life." "I want our young people to know that they matter, that they belong," Obama said, her voice breaking several times near the end of her remarks. "So don't be afraid. You hear me, young people? Don't
be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered. Empower yourself with a good education. Then get out there and use that education to build a country worthy of you, boundless promise. Lead by example with hope; never fear." Obama urged listeners that diversity of color and religion in the U.S. "is not a threat to who we are." She stressed, "Our glorious diversity of faiths, colors and creeds is not a threat to who we are — it makes us who we are." l
Dear Friends:
readership well-informed and also connected them to their shared heritage. As we work to build a stronger, more equitable future where all people have the chance to thrive, I am proud to join in applauding Caribbean American Weekly’s staff and supporters for fortifying the bonds between our cultural communities and uplifting and empowering Caribbean Americans in our city and beyond. On behalf of the City of New York, Chirlane and I offer our best wishes for continued success in the New Year. l
A Happy & Healthy New Year
de Blasio
TEAM
3
It is a great pleasure to send greetings to the readers of Caribbean American Weekly and to extend my best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. New York rises on the foundation of its diversity and the core values of inclusion and equality for people of all backgrounds that have shaped and strengthened our city. Our dynamic Caribbean American community has contributed so much to the rich cultural fabric of the five boroughs, and publications like Caribbean American Weekly have been vital resources for New Yorkers of Caribbean descent. In addition to offering a variety of articles and in-depth coverage of current events in our city and far beyond, this publication has kept its
Sincerely
Bill de Blasio Mayor
Contributors Joshua Breisblatt Royce Murray Mark Mardell Patrick Mc Neil Candice Bahr Ginita Wall Sarah Mehta Jamil Dakwar Dr. Naa-Solo Tettey Ishaw Hodge
Email: cariaweekly@aol.com Telephone: 718-771-0988
Ask the lawyer on Facebook
Figeroux & Associates
Feel the warmth of the Caribbean on your fingertips. Connect. Visit
our website at www.cawnyc.com for daily news and more!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
4
MLK: An Extraordinary Life
M
artin Luther King Jr. lived an extraordinary life. At 33, he was pressing the case of civil rights with President John Kennedy. At 34, he galvanized the nation with his "I Have a Dream" speech. At 35, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. At 39, he was assassinated, but he left a legacy of hope and inspiration that continues today. Any number of historic moments in the civil rights struggle have been used to identify Martin Luther King, Jr. — prime mover of the Montgomery bus boycott, keynote speaker at the March on Washington, youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate. But in retrospect, single events are less important than the fact that King, and his policy of nonviolent protest, was the dominant force in the civil-rights movement during its decade of greatest achievement, from 1957 to 1968. King was born Michael Luther King in Atlanta on Jan. 15, 1929 — one of the three children of Martin Luther King Sr., pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Alberta (Williams) King, a former schoolteacher. (He was renamed "Martin" when he was about 6 years old.) King enrolled in Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1944. He wasn't planning to enter the ministry, but then he met Dr. Benjamin Mays, a scholar whose manner and bearing convinced him that a religious career could be intellectually satisfying as well. In 1948, King attended Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pa., winning the Plafker Award as the outstanding
Hon.Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
student of the graduating class, and the J. Lewis Crozer Fellowship as well. King completed the coursework for his doctorate in 1953, and was granted the degree two years later upon completion of his dissertation. Married by then, King returned South to become pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. There, he made his first mark on the civilrights movement, by mobilizing the black community during a 382-day boycott of the city's bus lines. King overcame arrest and other violent harassment, including the bombing of his home. A national hero and a civil rights figure of growing importance, King summoned together a number of black leaders in 1957 and laid the groundwork for the organization now known as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). King was elected its president, and he soon began
helping other communities organize their own protests against discrimination. Three years later, King's nonviolent tactics were put to their most severe test in Birmingham, during a mass protest for fair hiring practices and the desegregation of department-store facilities. Police brutality used against the marchers dramatized the plight of blacks to the nation at large, with enormous impact. King was arrested, but his voice was not silenced: He wrote "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" to refute his critics. Later that year King was a principal speaker at the historic March on Washington, where he delivered one of the most passionate addresses of his career. Time magazine designated him as its Person of the Year for 1963. A few months later he was named recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize. Soon after, King took on new challenges. In Selma, Ala., he led a voter-registration campaign that ended in the Selma-to-Montgomery Freedom March. King next brought his crusade to Chicago, where he launched programs to rehabilitate the slums and provide housing. In the North, however, King soon discovered that young and angry blacks cared little for his preaching and even less for his pleas for peaceful protest. Their disenchantment was one of the reasons he rallied behind a new cause: the war in Vietnam. Although he was trying to create a new coalition based on equal support for peace and civil rights, it caused an immediate rift.
CIVIL RIGHTS But from the vantage point of history, King's timing was superb. Students, professors, intellectuals, clergymen and reformers rushed into the movement. Then, King turned his attention to the domestic issue that he felt was directly related to the Vietnam struggle: poverty. With this in mind, he began to plan a massive march of the poor on Washington, D.C. King interrupted these plans to lend his support to the Memphis sanitation men's strike. He wanted to discourage violence, and he wanted to focus national attention on the plight of the poor, unorganized workers of the city. The men were bargaining for basic union representation and long-overdue raises. But he never got back to his poverty plans. Death came for King on April 4, 1968, on the balcony of the black-owned Lorraine Hotel just off Beale Street in Memphis. While standing outside with Jesse Jackson and Ralph Abernathy, King was shot in the neck by a rifle bullet. His death caused a wave of violence in major cities across the country. However, King's legacy has lived on. In 1969, his widow, Coretta Scott King, organized the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change. Today it stands next to his beloved Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. His birthday, Jan. 15, is a national holiday, celebrated each year throughout the United States. The Lorraine Hotel where he was shot is now the National Civil Rights Museum.l
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
5
CIVIL RIGHTS
Victory for Injured Undocumented Workers
I
BY SARAH MEHTA & JAMIL DAKWAR
n 2004, Leopoldo Zumaya was working as an apple picker in Pennsylvania when he fell from a tree, breaking his leg and leaving him with permanent nerve damage and chronic pain. A treating physician said Zumaya’s injuries were among the worst he’d ever seen. Most workers in Zumaya’s position would have received workers’ compensation benefits. But instead of disbursing his rightful worker’s compensation, his employer reported his immigration status to the insurance company, which then refused to pay his benefits, leaving him unable to access medical care. Zumaya hired a lawyer, but due to his immigration status he reluctantly accepted a settlement for less than one-third of the money he would have received had he been authorized to work in the U.S. The next year, Francisco Berumen Lizalde, an undocumented worker from Mexico, was working as a house painter in Kansas when he fell from scaffolding, severely injuring his hand. Shortly after filing for workers’ compensation benefits, Berumen-Lizalde was arrested by immigration enforcement officers, prosecuted for visa fraud, jailed and deported in what appeared to be retaliation for having filed for workers’ compensation. He was unable to pursue his claim for Philando Castile
Alton Sterling
Everyone who works in the United States deserves basic labor rights if they get hurt on the job.
disability or to secure payments for medical care. Both men have been waiting more than a decade to undergo necessary medical treatment and the compensation to which they are entitled. In 2006, the ACLU, the National Employment Law Project and the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s Transnational Legal Clinic filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), challenging the U.S. government’s failure to protect these two clients, and millions of others like them, from exploitation and discrimination in the workplace. The petition was filed in the wake of Hoffman Plastic Compounds v. NLRB, the 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision that held that an undocumented worker, who had been illegally fired for participating in protected union activities,
continued on page 8
Civil Rights Advocacy Training & Radio Hosting 5-week Program
To register for these classes, call 718-722-9217 or visit www.chambercoalition.org/blm
FREE Presentation by the EEOC from 6:00pm-6:45pm
Delrawn Small
Rights for All Workers Human rights law recognizes the rights of all workers, regardless of their legal
BLACK LIVES MATTER!
Session 1 - Jan 26
Freddie Gray
could not recover back pay — the wages she would have earned if she not been fired. While some states, like California, do recognize greater labor rights for undocumented workers, several others were emboldened by the Hoffman decision to limit or even eliminate core workplace protections, like compensation for injuries. The IACHR published its long-awaited decision this week finding that the United States is responsible for violating Zumaya and Berumen-Lizalde’s human rights by denying them the right to equality before the law and access to justice and labor protections. The InterAmerican Commission made several recommendations to address those violations.
status, to be treated humanely and justly, without discrimination. But in the decade since our case was filed, it has become more difficult for undocumented workers, who perform some of the most dangerous and lowest-paid jobs in the United States, to receive compensation and care when injured. The patchwork of state laws on compensation and workers’ rights leaves many workers across the U.S. especially vulnerable and without recourse when their work risks their lives. Often, undocumented workers who do receive the compensation they are entitled to receive far less than their documented co-workers, for no reason other than their immigration status. Over the years, many undocumented workers who have sought medical benefits or reported abuse from their employers have faced retaliation by U.S. immigration officials, who deport them before they can receive the compensation they are entitled to. While the federal government has provided some guidance to immigration enforcement officers and the Department of Labor to ensure that immigration enforcement does not interfere with workers’ rights, this guidance has critical limitations in its coverage and implementation, and it needs to be strengthened. The extra protection is especially needed as some employers
Session 2 - Feb 2
FREE Presentation by the CCHR from 6:00pm-6:45pm
Session 3 - Feb 9
FREE Presentation by the NYC Comptroller’s Office
from 6:00pm-6:45pm
Session 4 - Feb 16
Session 5 - Feb 23
FREE Presentation by the NYPD from 6:00pm-6:45pm
FREE Presentation by the CCRB from 6:00pm-6:45pm
Class IV Case Studies: Trayvon Martin, FL and Abner Louima, NY Discussion IV
Class V Your Civil Rights Trial - With and Without an Attorney * Affordable Housing vs. Low Income Housing * How do I qualify? * Closing Remarks
Presented by the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates from 6:45pm-7:30pm
Class 1: Introduction: A Brief history of Civil Rights Law and How it has Evolved Case Studies: Trayvon Martin, FL and Abner Louima, NY Discussion I * My Civil Rights was Violated, Who Can I Sue? * Filing a Notice of Claim against a City, Town, or Municipal Agency in NY. * Statute of Limitations * Settlement: Verdict search: Can I settle now?
Class 11: The 50-H Hearing Case Studies: Trayvon Martin, FL and Abner Louima, NY Discussion II
* Suing the City of New York: Library Resources to Support a Notice of Claim and 50-H Hearing * Bill of Particulars * Settlement: Verdict search: Can I settle now?
Class 111 Case Studies: Trayvon Martin, FL and Abner Louima, NY - Discussion III * The Complaint I * Settlement: Verdict search: Can I settle now?
* The Complaint II * The PC Conference * Interrogatories * Winning Your Case at the Deposition * Settlement: Verdict search: Can I settle now?
To register for these classes, call 718-722-9217 or visit www.chambercoalition.org/blm
OUR PLAN: Make NYC spend one billion dollars in legal fees defending Police Misconduct
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
6
HOT TOPIC
Fascism, the 1930s and the 21st Century
F
BY MARK MARDELL
or the first time ever in this country a neo-Nazi group is to be banned. Using the 2000 Terrorism Act, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "National Action is a racist, antisemitic and homophobic organisation which stirs up hatred, glorifies violence and promotes a vile ideology, and I will not stand for it." But why now? Perhaps because some think it is necessary to wage a new war against fascism. Partly perhaps of the murder of Jo Cox, the Labour MP shot by a man with links to far-right organizations and an apparent fascination with the Nazis and white supremacism. Maybe because of a rise in antisemitism. But National Action is simply the latest in a long line of very similar groups who have held this view. Also on the increase, are assaults on people who are identified by their attackers as not British: probably partly due the public being more willing to report alleged offenses and the improved logging of hate crimes by police. So one reason for the ban could be the determination to make it clear that while Brexit may be red, white and blue it is not red, and white with a big black swastika in the middle of it. The claim that the Brexit vote has
Donald Trump has been called a fascist.
unleashed the forces of extreme nationalism has mainly been made by enthusiastic "remainers". But it isn't unreasonable to think the government and others backing Brexit might want to underscore the argument that wanting to leave the European Union does not legitimize hatred for the alien. Of course there's a broader context. Thuggish young men with shaven heads and a taste for Nazi regalia are, of course, a huge problem for those they assault. But such movements are not the face of the great upheaval we've seen in 2016. But Trump has been called a fascist. UKIP has been called fascist. On the continent, parties in Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany and
GREEN CARD SLAVERY? Don’t put up with ABUSE anymore! We can get a Green Card for you and your children PLUS a divorce. Call 718-222-3155 now for a FREE consultation!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
France have all been called fascist. Some of those do indeed have deep roots in older movements. It is an easy insult, a broad brush tarring them with the legacy of one of the worst political crimes in history, Hitler's systematic murder of the Jews. But it is worth reflecting what fascism was and wasn't, is and isn't. As ever, it is just a word. Some of the heated debate relies on the Platonic notion that somewhere in the sky there's a package which when unwrapped will reveal what "fascist" really means. There isn't. So we are arguing about how we want to define stuff that has happened, looking for threads, commonalities and discontinuities. The fasces — the Roman bundle of flogging sticks bound around an executioner's axe, symbolizing authority and unity — became the name and the symbol of a movement which swept Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Mussolini's fascist party came to power in Italy in 1922. Franco ruled Spain for 36 years, until the mid-1970s. Incidentally, Spain is one of the few countries in Europe that doesn't have a modern far-right party of any influence. And Italy's fascist heirs, the MSI, merged into the mainstream in 1995. In the UK, Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists, often the focus of violent controversy, made little electoral headway before it was banned — and more than 700 of its members interned —in 1940, a year into World War II, for alleged pro-Nazi sympathies. So does the new hard right have roots in the 1930s? When you hear the world "Nazi" or "fascist" it's likely that what pops into you head is an image of a phalanx of goose-stepping men in military-style uniforms, a screaming Fuehrer, banners and flags. You don't see that these days. Fascism was a brotherhood born out of the trenches, a belief in the honesty of military virtues over wily, tricky politicians. Now, none of the new groups on the populist right believe in military conquest: expanding territory in a thirst for glory and living space. Rather the reverse. There was a glorification of violence, speed and movement. Most of the new far-right try hard to distance themselves from this, with varying success. Central to all fascist groups was a
hatred of communism and a desire to beat it on the streets, smashing workingclass organisations in the process. Neoliberalism has already done the job. It's not much of a problem these days, when even the communists are capitalists. Now to the overriding fear. Let's remember that, while antisemitism was the central driver of Nazism, racism was incidental to most fascists. Antisemitism was also central to French groups but wasn't a main force behind Mussolini or Franco's fascism. I once asked the French Front National's founder, Jean-Marie Len Pen, father of a Marine, if he was a fascist. He replied "that was a movement in 20th Century Italy" — by implication, of little relevance to 21st Century France. He has a point, of sorts. But is there a mindset that gives rise to a right-wing radicalism? The concerns of the new far-right are immigration and globalization — a force which didn't really concern the 1930s. A core belief is often opposition to Islam, and connecting the dots between that religion in general with its most radical, violent, manifestations. Often they make a harsh distinction between Islam and Western or European values. Here, there is a dislike of the EU and the euro: in the United States a distaste for multinational organizations. Some groups are socially liberal on issues like homosexuality and feminism: indeed the Dutch Freedom party makes this a mainstay of its assault on Islam. Others, like the ruling Polish Law and Justice Party and many Trump supporters, do echo more traditional concerns with "degeneracy". What the new groups and the old ones have in common is an overriding concern with identity, and how it relates to blood and soil, a scorn for "politics as normal" and the failures of an elite. That is not to dismiss their concerns about immigration, globalisation or the European Union. But it is important. They emerge center stage when there is a grim economic backdrop and, for very different reasons, an insecurity about the future direction of the world. There's an admiration for strong leaders, and a feeling they alone can express the will of the people. Indeed, it is the force of the leader's own will which triumphs over the compromises common to lesser politicians. Whether you like or dislike what has happened this year, the sensitivities about ethnic and national identity are as raw now as they were in the 1930s. It is in part about security in an insecure world. Understanding these complex historical currents may be more useful than flinging insults. It might even be more productive than banning groups, however odious.l Mark Mardell is the Presenter for The World This Weekend.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
MOVING FORWARD
Historic Presidency, Historic Opposition: The Legacy of President Barack Obama
B
highly favorable of the President. “President Obama is still going to be held in high regard [after he leaves office],” Gillespie said, adding that the president will be “part of the culture.” I think most historians and presidential scholars will say he did as well with what he had as any President. Pointing to the President’s approval numbers, Gillespie said that when they’re taken apart by race, Obama rarely polls below 80 percent among black voters.
BY DANIELLE C. BELTON
arack Obama is going to be in the history books. This will happen regardless of his critics or his fans, both of which are legion. It will happen regardless of who won the White House in November 2016. It will happen whether you love him adoringly, deride him with cynicism or hate him with all your heart, or whether you somehow have managed to be one of the few who took no sides, choosing a nuanced take on the modern—marked by partisans, stymied by political gridlock—presidency. Maybe you don’t think he’s that great. Or maybe you have a picture of him hanging up in your living room next to a trio of faded portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Jesus. Regardless, he’s going into the history books because Barack Obama is the first African-American President, a feat once deemed so impossible, many thought that it wouldn’t be seen in their lifetimes. And come January 2017, that “is” will turn into a “was” as a new president is sworn in and into history Obama goes. But before we get to that moment, The Root plans to take a good, long look at the highs and lows, feats and defeats, that make up the Obama presidency. And so we debut His Lasting Legacy, our new monthly series on that presidency. Each month until the election, The Root will examine some part of the Obama presidency—from race and foreign policy to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, the Affordable Care Act and more. We will examine his relationships, family, politics and promises to the American people. To kick things off, The Root spoke with two observers of Obama’s historic presidency: Andra Gillespie of Emory University, who teaches and researches African-American politics, particularly that of the post-civil-rights generation, and is finishing a book on Obama’s legacy—Symbol, Substance and Hope: Race and the Obama Administration—due out in late 2016 or early 2017; and Saladin Ambar, associate professor of political science at Lehigh University, who focuses on American politics, the presidency and governorship, and American political development. Both academics had a lot to say about Obama’s legacy. The Death of Post-Racialism Gillespie put things into context, citing how racial progress has always come with setbacks, and how the incredible progress of the first African-American president’s election came with unprecedented political gridlock and a rise in racial tensions and animus. She posited that this is the lens through which the
7
Barack Obama is the first African-American president, a feat once deemed so impossible, many thought that it wouldn’t be seen in their lifetimes.
Obama presidency will have to be viewed as historians examine his efficacy as President. One can’t separate the President from the turbulent times. “[A lot of African Americans think] racism has definitely hindered his process in his ability to do anything in general,” said Gillespie, who believes that blacks will view what Obama went through during his presidency “through the lens of race.” Gillespie said that Obama experienced a “backlash” after his historic election, “in part due to race.” She said that history should have warned us, that this would happen, but instead, America was seduced by the notion of a “post-racial” movement. The movement was a bust. I think he’s going to be viewed as a transitional figure, someone who was not quite part of the civil rights era, yet not young enough to belong to this Black Lives Matter generation. “Racial progress in the U.S. is not linear; it’s a jagged political process,” Gillespie said. “[University of Connecticut professor] Jelani Cobb brought this up at the dawn of the Obama administration, the notion that stunning racial progress is met with resistance. … We shouldn’t have been surprised that President Obama got called out on the floor of the House during a joint session of Congress. We shouldn’t have been surprised about the jokes that got discovered. We should have expected that, and that’s still likely a part of the narrative and is definitely going to make Obama more sympathetic in the minds of some people. [Historians] will take this into account as they’re assessing.”
A Man of Transition Ambar, while acknowledging the racial
discord that has marked Obama’s presidency, talked more about the at-times awkward in-between space the President holds within African-American society. “I feel that most black people in the United States understand that he is deeply confined by his office,” Ambar said. “You can even physically see it sometimes in how he shifts in his chair. “I think he’s going to be viewed as a transitional figure, someone who was not quite part of the civil rights era, yet not young enough to belong to this Black Lives Matter generation,” he continued. “He is often mentioned as a figure from the Joshua generation, the first group of African Americans to obtain political and economic success during a time where they had to be first. Part of that transitional legacy will be lots of praise and pride for Obama, but there will also be tremendous disappointment. This present generation is also facing exceedingly difficult circumstances,” Ambar said, citing unemployment rates for African Americans and Latinos, failed education systems, the policeshooting deaths of unarmed black men and women, and a “corrosive” criminaljustice system that has led to the mass incarceration of African Americans. “All of those disappointments, I fear, will be heaped on Obama,” he said. But will those disappointments dim the bright light that many African Americans shine on the first family? Unlikely. “I think there’s going to be a long-term feeling of goodwill towards Obama and, really, the Obamas, Michelle and the children,” Ambar said, adding that there has been a sense of pride about a scandalfree black family in the White House. Gillespie pointed out that how the Obama presidency is viewed will depend on who your audience is, and if the audience is black, the view is likely to be
The Historical View As for how history (and historians) will judge, both academics are optimistic. Pointing to his handling of the financial crisis (“I think people today have almost forgotten how bleak the economy was in 2008. I don’t think historians will”), the landmark Affordable Care Act and the historic deal with Iran, Ambar says that historians will rank Obama high, just below the first tier of American presidents. He says that Obama is likely to share space in the second tier with Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. “I think that’s a very realistic place for him,” he said. Gillespie’s assessment was similar. “Scholars tend to rank presidents higher if they are progressive on civil rights issues, so that’s probably going to work in President Obama’s favor in terms of his ranking. There’s a lot of debate whether he’s in the sort of top, top-tier, ‘deserves-to-be-on-Mount Rushmore category.’ … He’s definitely not going to be at the bottom with the Warren Hardings, the Andrew Johnsons. He’s not in that category, despite the overblown rhetoric. “[The debate will be] is he closer to the median or closer to the top-core top? He’ll get credit for managing the economy during the worst period since the Great Depression. He’ll get credit for achieving legislation [the Affordable Care Act] that Bill Clinton and Harry Truman couldn’t do before him. It’ll get factored in nonetheless.” Ultimately, though, Obama will be judged within the context of his time. “I think most historians and presidential scholars will say he did as well with what he had as any president,” Ambar said. “If we wanted to go down the line, we could criticize, can see lots of shortcomings. But given the limits of his presidency—the Congress he dealt with, the economic crisis, international scene—he performed as well as could be expected under those circumstances.”l Danielle C. Belton is managing editor of The Root.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
8
AMERICAN DREAM
First-time Home Buyers: Here's a Quick and Easy Guide to Your First Mortgage
D
elving into the real estate market for the first time can be a very intimidating thing with all of the mortgage and housing options available. Whether it's market conditions or the amount you should be spending, there are a number of factors you'll need to be aware of. If you're just starting out and not sure where to begin, here are some points to consider that will set you on the right path.
Is It the Right Time to Buy? Many people try to time the market, but the right time to buy a home is when it works for you. If you have a solid down payment and you're truly prepared for home ownership, it's probably the right time to start looking. While a good home and low interest rates can certainly push you in this direction, if it's not quite the right time, hold off until it's right for you.
What's Your Payment Plan? It's easy for a first-time buyer to be taken in by their dream home, but it's important to be clear on all the costs associated with home ownership like property tax, insurance, maintenance and other fees
most important steps in your application, but there are a number of things you'll need. Beyond recent pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements, you'll also need your credit report, so take a look over it to ensure that it's correct and displays your financial history in a positive light.
that will bump up the monthly payment. If you can formulate a budget that includes all of your monthly costs and is feasible in the long term, you're good to go.
What Documentation Is Required? Having your personal documentation in order and available will be one of the
Starting the Search You may be ready to move as soon as you start looking, but buying your first home can be a rather lengthy process. Instead of being sucked in by too much house or taking the first things that appeals to you, ensure that you have a good sense of the size, neighborhood and style of house you want so you can get out there and find the home that works for you. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to buying your first home, but by being ready to invest and having your finances in order you'll be well on your way. If you're currently on the market for a home, you may want to contact one of our mortgage professionals at 888-670-8791 for more information.l
Victory for Injured Undocumented Workers/ continued from page 5
continue to threaten undocumented workers and report them to immigration authorities when they pursue their rights. In the coming years, labor protections — particularly those for vulnerable immigrant workers — are likely to be threatened, and yet more important than ever. The President-elect’s pick for Labor Secretary, Andrew Puzder, has already come under scrutiny from many labor rights organizations, who point to his record of opposing rules to strengthen workers’ health and safety protections, as well as overtime rules. And for undocumented workers, the looming threat of retaliation, immigration raids and mass deportations under a Trump administration may leave these workers even more vulnerable and unlikely to report abuse or attempt to organize or seek remedies to protect their labor rights. While the commission’s decision and recommendations are not legally binding, they offer a blueprint that have the potential to impact the lives of millions of undocumented workers who have been living in the shadows while contributing to our economy and society. Everyone who works in the United States deserves basic labor rights if they get hurt on the job.l Sarah Mehta is the Researcher and ACLU Jamil Dakwar the Director at the ACLU Human Rights Program
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
9
FAMILY MATTERS
What Can I Do If My Ex-Husband Won’t Pay Child Support?
M
BY CANDACE BAHR, CEA, CDFA AND GINITA WALL, CPA, CFP®
onthly child support payments can be a financial life saver after a divorce, especially if you earn far less than your husband. After a divorce, you will need to learn how to make do on a single income while raising children who seem always to be emptying your refrigerator, growing out of their clothes, and needing money for uniforms, field trips, school supplies, and more! If you rely on child support payments to make ends meet, it can be devastating if your ex suddenly decides to close his check book out of spite, greed, or because he claims that he is broke. What are your options, and how can you get the payments your children deserve?
Start with a Conversation Before you spend your hard-earned money on a lawyer and drag your ex into court, start with a conversation. Maybe there are extraneous circumstances that you don’t know about. Perhaps, for example, your ex lost his job, didn’t earn an expected bonus, or is dealing with an expensive health issue. It could be that your ex-husband very much wants to
financially support his children, but he just can’t make the payments at this particular time. If this is the case, you may want to consider whether the two of you can come to some sort of agreement. Perhaps you can ask for a lower payment until your ex gets back on his feet. This isn’t ideal, but some money is better than nothing at all. Another option is to waive child support payments for a specific amount of time with the understanding that your ex will make higher payments at the end of the grace period until the full amount is paid off. This may give your ex the time he needs to find a new job and address a short-term cash crunch.
Go the Legal Route If you are not on speaking terms with your ex, or if he simply refuses to make child support payments despite an ability to pay, you may need to get the law involved. If you haven’t received payments for six months or more, you can go to court and ask that the child support be enforced. The courts have the power to garnish your spouse’s wages, withhold his tax refunds, suspend his professional license, and even throw him in jail. Incarceration is usually a last resort, since your ex’s prison wages won’t really cover what he owes you.
Don’t Depend on Child Support Unfortunately, if your ex-spouse is a deadbeat, you may have to come to terms with the fact that you cannot expect child support payments each month. You aren’t alone. The Office of Child Support Enforcement found that in 2009, parents were owed $108 billion in child support back payments. Perhaps the best option for you is to focus on how you can cover all of your expenses without depending on child support. If the check comes, then that’s great! That money can help boost your college savings account or buy a few more groceries for the family. In the meantime, put yourself into a situation where you don’t desperately need the child support payment each month. That may mean working with a financial advisor after your divorce to help you figure out a new budget for your postdivorce life.l
Reprinted with permission. Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP® are the founders of WIFE.org, a nonprofit aims to teach females how to take financial control of their lives after major life transitions — like divorce.
Family Law Practice Summarized
NEW YORK IS NOW A NO-FAULT DIVORCE STATE
nDIVORCE nSEPARATION nSUPPORT nCUSTODY The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!
uContested &
Uncontested Divorces
uSeparation & Prenuptial Agreements
Has your spouse disappeared? We can find your spouse!
Matrimonial Investigations
u Business & Degree Evaluations
u Spousal Maintenance
u Custody/Visitation
uBank & Asset Searches
u Paternity
uWire Transfers
uRelocation
uAlimony Reduction
uChild Support
uCo-habitation
uAbuse/Neglect
Investigation
uRestraining &
uDivorce/Dating/Fraud
uInternet Dating/Fraud
Protective Orders
uModification of Previous Orders & Awards
LAW OFFICES OF FIGEROUX & ASSOCIATES
uVideo Surveillance
BROOKLYN: 26 Court Street, Suite 701. Tel: 718-834-0190 VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
10 Bipartisan Bill/ # continued from page 1
including DACA. Therefore, with Trump taking office in January, an effort to replace DACA with something from Congress is being undertaken by these senators. While actual text of the legislation is not yet available and will need to be examined carefully once introduced, various media outlets have reported on the details of the bill, as well as a factsheet describing the legislation. According to those reports, the BRIDGE Act would provide what the bill calls “provisional protected presence,” relief from deportation, and employment authorization for three years to DACA-eligible individuals. Under the bill, individuals who are not DACA recipients but who are eligible for DACA would be able to apply. Like DACA, this bill would require individuals to pay a fee, undergo a background check and show they meet the eligibility criteria. When discussing the bipartisan legislation on the Senate floor earlier this week, Senator Durbin said: I’m glad to say that Lindsey Graham, the senator from South Carolina and I are joining in an effort to draw up legislation to achieve that goal and at least to give those eligible for DACA a temporary reprieve so if there is elimination of this executive action, we don’t eliminate the protection that keeps them here in the United States, where they cannot be
deported, and they have a chance to work.” Other Republicans also seem open to the legislation, including Senator Tillis (R-NC) who reacted to the introduction of the bill saying, “I think we could look at this and maybe identify a broader base of people who may be willing to support it.” Senator Flake (R-AZ) also expressed his support for finding a way to ensure that those with DACA are able to remain in the U.S. Time magazine reported Trump dialing his anti-DACA rhetoric back a bit when he told them: “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud…They got brought here at a very young age, they’ve worked here, they’ve gone to school here. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And they’re in never-never land because they don’t know what’s going to happen. Abruptly ending DACA would not only have a profound effect on the recipients themselves, but also on the U.S. economy. According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), ending DACA “would wipe away at least $433.4 billion from the U.S. gross domestic product, or GDP, cumulatively over a decade.” While the bill will need to be re-introduced when senators start their new session in January, this bipartisan effort continues to build momentum around the country to protect those eligible for DACA.l
IMMIGRATION USCIS Announces Extension of Parole for Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens
T
o allow immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and certain “stateless” individuals to maintain legal status in the CNMI, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the parole program for these relatives, effective immediately, until December 31, 2018.
To apply for extension of this parole, you must: nReside in the CNMI; nBe an immediate relative, which for purposes of this parole program means you are the legal spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent (regardless of the age of your child) of a U.S. citizen; and nHave been previously granted parole.
Your request for extension of parole must include: n A letter from you, the immediate relative (or from the U.S. citizen family member if the immediate relative is a child who is too young to complete the parole request package). The letter must: nAsk for an extension of parole; nExplain under what relationship you are requesting this parole (such as parent, spouse, child); and nNote whether you have been arrested or convicted of any crime since your last
request. nForm G-325, Biographic Information, that you completed within the past 30 days nA copy of your I-94; nA copy of any Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that you received; and nA copy of your passport (only if a new one was issued since you last applied for parole) This parole extension will allow the immediate relative to lawfully remain with the U.S. citizen in the CNMI, but parole does not authorize employment. Immediate relatives must, as before, obtain an EAD by submitting Form I765, Application for Employment Authorization, or obtain work authorization as a CW-1 CNMI-Only Transitional Worker or in another employment-based nonimmigrant status under federal immigration law. This announcement does not extend to anyone other than the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and certain “stateless” individuals. USCIS may grant parole on a case-by-case basis based on the individual circumstances and has exercised parole authority on a case-bycase basis in the CNMI since 2009 for special situations..l
WE HELP IMMIGRANTS!
lGET THE FACTS
lBE SMART
lMAKE THE RIGHT DECISION
uHealth Care (RN/OT/PT/TSHH/SLP’S & IT Cases) uExtension of Status & Visa Renewals uWork Authorization uH-IB Professional Workers uF-1 Students Visa uJ-1 Exchange Visitor Trainees uO-1 Extraordinary Ability uR-1 Religious Workers uU.S. Citizenship uFamily-based Petitions and Fiancee Visa uGreen Cards/Labor Certification (RIR) uImmigration Visa Petitions:Employment Based uTemporary Work Visas uU.S. Citizenship & Derivative Petitions uLabor Certifications uU Visa - Crime Victimd uApplication for Asylum uPetitions for Writ of Habeas Corpus uAppeals to the Board of Immigration Appeal uLawsuits involving Eligibility and Processing for Citizenship uDACA, DAPA & Provisional Waivers uDeportation Defense, 601 Waivers, etc
lBEWARE OF IMMIGRATION FRAUD
LAW OFFICES OF FIGEROUX & ASSOCIATES
CALL 718-834-0190 26 Court Street, Suite 701 Brooklyn, NY 11242
lPERSONAL INJURY lACCIDENTS lFAMILY LAW lPOLICE BRUTALITY lCRIMINAL LAW lCIVIL LITIGATION lBANKRUPTCY lREAL ESTATE
Visit our website at: www.311immigration.com
BROOKLYN: 26 Court Street, Suite 701. Tel: 718-834-0190 VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
12
Muslims Registry/ continued from page 1
selected individuals from five Muslimmajority countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and Syria) who arrived at ports-ofentry were fingerprinted, photographed, and interviewed under oath. They were required to report to immigration authorities 30 days after arrival and annually if they remained, and depart the United States only through designated airports that could track their departure. The second phase was the domestic “call-in” application of NSEERS. Specifically, males ages 16 and older, who were already in the United States by virtue of a nonimmigrant visa and who were nationals of one of 25 Arab, South Asian, and Middle Eastern countries (plus North Korea), were required to appear at an Immigration and Naturalization Office (“INS,” the legacy immigration agency prior to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003). All registrants were given narrow windows of time in which to report, although information about the program was not widely disseminated and left many unclear about their obligations. The fall out was that many registrants faced immigration consequences whether or not they complied with NSEERS. Any nonimmigrant subject to registration who failed to comply without “good cause” was considered to have failed to maintain his immigration status. Likewise, any registrant who failed to meet departure requirements was deemed to have entered
the United States “to engage in unlawful activity.” There was also the possibility of facing criminal prosecution as one who “willfully fails or refuses” to register. But many of those who successfully complied with NSEERS faced immigration proceedings as well if their nonimmigrant visa had expired. After a significant backlash, in December 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), that inherited the program from INS, suspended the domestic registration requirements but allowed DHS to use its discretion to continue to selectively subject certain individuals to heightened scrutiny. In April 2011, DHS finally de-listed the 25 countries noting that other intelligence and tracking programs superseded the need for this program. However, the damage to many immigrants and their families had already been done—83,000 individuals in the country registered and more than 13,000 were placed in deportation proceedings. The regulatory infrastructure for NSEERS remains in place to this day. The idea of a religious or national origin registry that treats people categorically and institutionalizes racial profiling is antithetical to American values. If we learned anything after 9/11 it’s that demonizing an entire group of people does not heighten security but rather what is needed is strategic, targeted enforcement and stronger alliances within communities to foster collaboration and communication that can ultimately keep us all safer.l
DIASPORA CONCERNS
Caribbean Nationals Among Immigrants Nabbed
C
aribbean nationals were among a large number of immigrants nabbed in 2016, as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sought to protect America “from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety.” In its Year-in-Review report, the agency said that its mission was accomplished by the people of ICE “working together and by adhering to our values of integrity, courage and excellence.” ICE offered a “snapshot” of its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Management and Administration’s “daily work” in the report. In March, during a five-week operation dubbed “Project Shadowfire,” ICE said 1,133 immigrants, including Caribbean nationals, were arrested. According to the agency, the sweep included more than 900 transnational criminal gang members and others associated with transnational criminal activity, such as drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering. Nationals from 13 countries in Central America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean were reportedly arrested in “Project Shadowfire,” which was a
“surge operation” conducted under Operation Community Shield. ICE said that 1,001 were charged with criminal offenses, and 132 were arrested administratively for immigration violations. The operation was aimed at arresting and removing convicted criminal immigrants from the US, and arrests were made in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri. The following month, officers from ICE and ERO arrested 58 persons during an operation spanning the New York metropolitan area, targeting criminal immigrants and “other enforcement priorities.” According to ICE, those arrested had criminal histories with past convictions for rape, kidnapping, robbery, burglary and other serious criminal offences. The foreign nationals arrested during the operation included citizens of 17 countries, including Jamaica; Trinidad and Tobago; Dominican Republic; Belize; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Guyana; Mexico; Philippines; Indonesia; Guatemala; Ecuador; El Salvador; Lebanon; Colombia; Israel; Romania, and the United Kingdom noted.l www.caribbean360.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
#
Why Become A Nanny? I BY MARILYN SILVERMAN
n today’s economic landscape, two-income families are increasingly the norm as parents struggle to put food on the table and pay rent. They don’t just need someone to sit in their apartment and watch their children while they are at work. Nannies are now required to possess a degree of training in child care and in some instances, must be certified or even have a formal academic degree in the field of child development. So, as you can see, there is more to childcare than playing games, baking cupcakes and watching tv together
Make a Difference Interestingly, a nanny may spend more time with her charges than their parents. As a nanny, you have the ability to shape their small minds and allow parents to focus on
their jobs comforted that their children are safe and happy at home. Very often, in addition to taking care of the child, nannies are now mandated to sit next to the children at their desks and lend a helping hand with their homework assignments as well as prepare nutritious meals for both the children and their fam-
ilies and perform housekeeping duties.
Vocation If you feel your mission in life is to work with children, working as a nanny gives you the ability to do just that. But the bonus of working as a personal nanny as opposed to a temporary babysitter or a childcare worker in a day care center, is that you truly get to know them. Like school, children in a daycare center move from teacher to teacher until they enter elementary school when they leave their daycare days behind them. You may stay with the same family for years and watch your charges grow from babies to young adults and recognize your contribution
via your role as nanny.
Being a Bridge Beyond caring for the children, you are responsible for acting as a liaison between the children and their teachers and parents. For example, as a nanny you may work with the parents to establish a routine for the children and you will have to keep track of the children’s after school activities, scheduled television time and medication schedule if any. You will be responsible for observing any abnormal developmental continued on page 14
INSIDE:
Why Become a Nanny? .......................................13
How to Get a Tax ID......14
Nanny Training Certificate Course Descriptions...................15
Nanny Certificate Program.........................16
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
14
NANNY TRAINING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Why Become a Nanny?/continued from
page 13
As a nanny, you have the ability to shape
their small minds and establish lifelong habits, such as manners and
organizational skills, that will aid them in
succeeding as adults. delays, health issues or the achievement of milestones.
Training If you have experience working with children, a career as a nanny may be a good match for the skills you already possess. Then combine this with patience, maturity, exceptional organizational skills and a sense of humor. It must be emphasized that some families will also require a background check before they will hire you since you will be entrusted with their most valuable commodity--their children. They want to ascertain that when they insert that key into their homes in the morning before going to work, that they can have peace of mind knowing they can trust you. Nannies provide a valuable service in the nurturing, care, social, emotional and academic development of their charges.
Understanding cognitive as well as emotional development empowers nannies to understand the rationalization behind choices, behavior and actions even when the child does not fully grasp their full import. A good place to start is with the New American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) Nanny Training Certificate Program. The Chamber’s mission is to empower nannies to start nanny businesses utilizing the skills developed, from our Nanny Training Certificate Program and our Small Business Boot Camp (Starting a Daycare Edition). We establish through our Nanny Training Certificate Program, knowledgeable, nurturing and loving nannies, who are dedicating their careers to challenging children to achieve greatness. Call us at 718-722-9217.n
How to Get a Tax ID
A
n Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain, a Social Security number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The IRS issues ITINs regardless of immigration status, because both resident and nonresident aliens may have a U.S. filing or reporting requirement under the Internal Revenue Code. They do not serve any purpose other than federal tax reporting. An ITIN does not authorize work in the U.S. or provide eligibility for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Do I need an ITIN? You must obtain an ITIN if: 1. You do not have an SSN and are not eligible to obtain one. 2. You identify with one of the following categories: • Nonresident alien who is required to file a U.S. tax return. • U.S. resident alien who is (based on days present in the United States) filing a U.S. tax return. • Dependent or spouse of a U.S. citizen/resident alien.
• Dependent or spouse of a nonresident alien visa holder.
When should I apply? You can apply for an ITIN any time during the year when you have a filing or reporting requirement. At a minimum, you should complete Form W-7 when you are ready to file your federal income tax return by the return’s prescribed due date. If the tax return you attach to Form W-7 is filed after the return's due date, you may owe interest and/or penalties.
Checklist to Obtain ITIN 1) Office Fee: $175 per year (tax preparation) 2) Free preparation of IRS Form W-7 (Application for ITIN Number) 3) Need a notarized copy of Biographic Data Page of valid and unexpired passport (MUST be notarized by the appropriate Consulate General) 4) If last entry into the U.S. was on a validly issued Visa, provide said Visa and last Date of Entry. Appointment Call 718-243-9431 to schedule an appointment to apply for your ITIN today.n
Nanny Training Certificate Program
Enhance Your Child Care Skills!
Our mission: The Chamber’s mission is to empower nannies to start nanny businesses utilizing the skills developed from our Nanny Training Certificate Program and our Small Business Boot Camp. We establish through our Nanny Training Certificate Program, knowledgeable, nurturing and loving nannies, who are dedicating their careers to challenging children to achieve greatness.
Classes begin Sat, January 28, 2017 @10am sharp! Deposit of $500 5 payments of $200
To schedule an apppointment to process your application or for orientation:
Telephone: 718-722-9217
Who should attend?
Great for new parents, practicing and entry level nannies!
Location: 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn
Register at www.nannytraining.nyc
Program includes 5-week Small Business Boot Camp: Starting Your Day Care Business
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
15
NANNY TRAINING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Child Development: Ages 2 to Adolescence Material covered addresses the characteristics and needs of children ages 2 through early teens, with an emphasis on ages 2 through 7 years. Aspects of social, emotional, intellectual, moral and physical development are included. The psychology of effective childcare includes cognitive, behavioral and temperamentbased techniques of interaction and teaching, as well as some current popular schools of parenting.
Child Development: Birth to Age 2 This course teaches the principles and theories of child development from birth to age 2. The purpose of the course is to gain an understanding of the processes of growth and development in order to provide age appropriate and professional care for children in a loving, creative and educational environment.
Child Abuse Awareness On average, more than five children die each day as a result of child abuse or neglect in the United States. There are over 6.2 million reports made of child abuse and neglect each year. Over 15 million children witness violence in their homes each year. Child abuse can broadly be defined as an act—or failure to act, that results in a child's serious harm or risk of harm including physical or emotional harm, exploitation or death. Every child has basic needs. A child whodoes not receive basic needs could be regarded as neglected. This occurs when a caretaker fails to provide for a child's basic needs. Every child has a right to a safe childhood and a life free from violence. The effects of abuse affect each child differently. Child abuse can be long-lasting and hinder children from experiencing a healthy life. Children need to be safe and overcome the effects of trauma throughout their lives. The students are presented with information on what signs to be aware of identifying child abuse and procedures for reporting to authorities.
Learning Disabilities A learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence; after all, successful people such as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning
disabilities. There are many kinds of learning disabilities. Most children affected by them have more than one kind. Certain kinds of learning disabilities can interfere with a person's ability to concentrate or focus and can cause someone's mind to wander too much. Other learning disabilities can make it difficult for a child to read, write, spell or solve problems. A diagnosis of a learning disability can feel upsetting; however, it is the first step in resolving this condition. There is no cure for a learning disability. You don't outgrow it. But it's never too late to get help. Special Needs Awareness–Autism The family dynamics that come with a special needs child can be challenging at times. It is important to learn how to deal with certain special needs issues Every month and many days of the year have been set aside to promote awareness or advocacy of an illness, disability or other special needs-related cause.
Developing Interpersonal Skills in Children Babies start to develop interpersonal relationships as soon as they are born. Infants bond quickly with parents and siblings making eye contact and recognizing faces, voice sounds, tone and pitch. Smiles usually follow from about two months old and as any parent will know, babies have a way of communicating that something is wrong from a very early age, for instance, if they are tired, hungry, in pain or need changing. As children develop, so does their interpersonal and social skills around siblings and peers as they learn to share and also to be assertive and persuasive. Children learn interpersonal and social skills based on their experiences--by what worked in the past. Interpersonal skills go far beyond social niceties such as being polite and civil. As children develop communications skills, so their interpersonal and social skills also mature.
Children’s Dentistry Students will learn how to maintain healthy teeth and how to reassure and soothe children’s anxiety on visiting the dentist.
Creative Play Students explore creativity and creative play (within the context of child development). Students should emerge from the class with the ability to identify the purpose of play throughout child development; an understanding of the importance of play in learning and development; the ability to identify and create age-appropriate play opportunities and materials; an identification of their own creative abili-
ties/strengths; and play materials to develop cognitive skills from the first few weeks of life. Identify the contribution of play in the process of cognitive development.
Etiquette Manners makes man and lady too!This course prepares the students to teach their charges social graces including table manners, thank-you notes and greetings.
Fire Safety Students will learn how to react in the event of a fire and how to keep themselves and their charges safe.
Hearing, Language & Speech The students will be presented with a class on hearing and speech difficulties and what to do or not do and when to recommend professional advice if a problem is noted. Home Safe Home Childproofing Students will learn proper childproofing in homes.
Infant Care Preparing for baby’s arrival: Preparing the Family: Mother’s physiological and psychological changes; Caring for Baby: Breast and Bottle, nutritional needs of the newborn, Infant Sleep Patterns: Crying: Reasons why and ways to comfort and soothe. Life Saving Techniques Includes Standard First Aid, Adult, Infant, Toddler and Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Defibrillation, Heimlich Maneuver, Emergency Care, Poison Prevention, and Epi Pen.
Nutrition and Organic Foods This course teaches students to identify those items which must be present in the diet to ensure adequate nutrition and the appropriate balance. Students will also learn how to purchase, prepare and cook healthy meals for children and cooking for special dietary needs. Weekly menu preparation is also included. Students will visit local organic food stores and learn how to differentiate true healthy foods and the advantages to eating organic foods. Vision Issues Students will learn how to recognize children with vision problems and how to address them.
Museum Students will visit the Museum and will be exposed on to how to escort their charges
through a museum, and learn what activities to involve their charges in before, during and after their visit to make it an interactive experience.
Traveling with Children Students will be presented with recommendations for preparing for and traveling with their charges with an emphasis on safety and comfort. . Water Safety and Rescue Students are taught techniques for water rescue and how to keep their charges safe in and around pools, oceans and other bodies of water.
Small Business Boot Camp (Starting a Day Care Edition) Starting a day care or child care business in New York involves a particular set of legal considerations that are specific both to the type of business and to New York State. These include choosing the proper business entity, obtaining licenses and permits, dealing with health and safety, getting adequate insurance, and dealing with employees. This 5-week program covers these topics and more.
Accent Reduction Accents are a unique phenomenon, as it demonstrates the blending of one’s original culture with a new one. But it is also true that strong foreign and even regional accents can make it difficult for others to understand--undermining the benefits of a diverse, global workplace. This course willhelp you reduce your accent and hence, help you to communicate clearly and effectively.
Workers’ Compensation, Insurance, Unemployment, Tax & Payroll As in any walk of life, there are hundreds of reasons why having the right insurance cover could one day be the savior of a nanny. Some nannies assume that because they are employed by the child’s parents, they cannot be sued for negligence. But this is not the case. Public liability insurance covers nannies for anything happening to children in their care for which they can be held legally liable. Learn about public liability, workers’ compensation, unemployment, tax and payroll.
Health Insurance (Obama Care) We want students to be aware of the various public and private health insurance coverage and care options available to New Yorkers.n
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
Nanny Training Certificate Program
Enhance Your Child Care Skills!
Our mission: The Chamber’s mission is to empower nannies to start nanny businesses utilizing the skills developed from our Nanny Training Certificate Program and our Small Business Boot Camp.
We establish through our Nanny Training Certificate Program, knowledgeable, nurturing and loving nannies, who are dedicating
their careers to challenging children to achieve greatness.
Who should attend?
Great for new parents, practicing and entry level nannies!
General Requirements lPrior experience working with children is an asset; not required lFluency in English
Academic Completion Requirements
The full number of hours prescribed for the program at an overall performance level of 70% or above must be completed within 14 weeks of commencement of the program to receive a certificate of academic completion. Students must also have all Required Documentation submitted and approved to receive their Nanny Certificate.
Nanny Training Certificate Program
For more information:
Telephone: 718-722-9217
Location: 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn Register at www.nannytraining.nyc
Nanny Training Program Practicum
(Required) During the academic session, all students participate in an inhome Newborn and Toddler Practicum with a local childcare organization. At minimum, the organization will have newborn infants and toddlers between the ages of 2 and 4 years. This experiential education program takes place once per week for ten weeks. This practicum allows students to utilize the techniques learned in the classroom with children, giving them hands-on experience in the profession. Students will be responsible for keeping weekly logs of their activities with the children. These logs will be reviewed by staff and applied toward the trainee’s grades. The child care organization submits weekly evaluations concerning the progress and activity of each student, which are kept in the student’s file.
lAccent Reduction lAmerican Museum of Natural History lBrooklyn Children’s Museum lChild Abuse Awareness lChild Development: Birth to Age 2 lChild Development: Ages 2 to Adolescence lChildren’s Dentistry lCreative Play & Outings lDriving School (recommended) lEtiquette lEquestrian Safety lFire Safety lHealth Insurance - ObamaCare lHearing, Language & Speech lHome Safety & Childproofing lHow Money Works lIndependent Contractor vs Employee
TOPICS:
lInfant Care & Massage lInterpersonal & Intrapersonal Relations lLearning Disabilities lLife Saving Techniques - First Aid & CPR lMusic, Arts & Drama lNutrition & Organic Foods lPersonal Awareness & Child Security lPublic Transportation & Safety lRole of the Nanny lSafety with the NYPD lSocial Services lSpecial Needs Awareness - Autism lTraveling with Children lVision Issues lWater Safety & Rescue lWorkers’ Compensation, Insurance, Unemployment,Tax & Payroll
Program is non-accredited.
Students who wish to start a placement agency or are selfemployed must attend our Small Business Boot Camp
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
NEWS 17
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
DUI Will Get You In Prison and for Non-Citizens, Also Deported
S
BY MARILYN SILVERMAN
tringent laws are on the books in the United States to address the alarmingly high drunken driving statistics. A gargantuan number of people—over 100,000 to be precise—are charged with DUI (driving under the influence) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) every year and face the frightening specter of imprisonment and for non-citizens an even more frightening specter of deportation. It is quite feasible, which is certainly encouraging news, that an experienced attorney will possess the legal machinery that will persuade the prosecution to drop or reduce the charges levied against you. You need an attorney to fight for you—to be your advocate. If you are confronted with a scenario whereby you had a few drinks with some buddies and got behind the wheel of your car and are pulled over to the side of the road by police officers, and are subsequently arrested, here are some defenses that an attorney will employ: The situation can unfold whereby there is no probable cause to arrest you. Let’s say, for instance, that your evaluation of the episode is such that you feel that you were placed in handcuffs due to such fac-
tors as race or ethnicity, an injustice that is increasingly being perpetuated in our multicultural communities. Consequently, any evidence that was seized while you were being arrested could be prevented from being introduced as evidence at trial. A police officer is legally mandated to read you the Miranda Warnings. Simply put, the provisions of that document stipulate that if you face arrest, you enjoy certain rights, e.g., you have the right to remain silent, that anything you say be used against you and that you have the right to an attorney. Furthermore, it is possible that you may be able to exclude some evidence at trial if the arresting officer fails to comply with the provisions of the Miranda Warnings. As you can see, police officers can, and do, make mistakes. You can challenge the arresting officer’s testimony regarding your behavior. Witnesses may play a pivotal role. The arresting officer should understand that your performance of the sobriety test might have been adversely impacted by certain variables which can result in an erroneous positive test result of drunkenness. Police officers administer chemical tests to measure blood alcohol content
(BAC) within your body, specifically in your blood, urine or saliva. The results constitute a major determining factor in the prosecutor’s case against you in a court of law. If you can successfully challenge the accuracy of these tests, the results may be deemed inadmissible at trial. There is a likelihood that the arresting officer failed in his obligation to advise you that if you should refuse to take a chemical test, your license may be automatically suspended. If this is the case the test results might not be admitted in court or in a license suspension hearing. If you are able to prove that the officer did not comply with these requirements, or that the machine was faulty, or that the technician was incompetent, you may be able to get the test results thrown out. Even if this is just your first offense you
will be understandably frightened and apprehensive about what will ensue. You won’t be facing harsh penalties, but you may be confronted with additional charges if (a) you are underage; (b) there was a minor seated in your vehicle; (c) your blood alcohol level was excessively beyond the legal limit, also known as an aggravated BAC; (d) you caused a traffic accident; (e) you were involved in a hit and run; or (f) you hurt or more tragically, killed someone. If, however, this is your second offense the penalties will be more serious and include yet not be limited to (a )jail time, (b) court-ordered community service, (c) driver’s license revocation, (d)probation, (e)court-ordered drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation, or (f) traffic school. The penalties imposed for third offenses are significantly more severe and could involve a one- year imprisonment. If you are arrested for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated, you will be punished; but an attorney can fight these charges. Remember, you cannot fight these charges alone. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For expert legal advice contact the Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates at 855768-8845.l
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
18
SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS
Diverse Businesses Shine at the Caribbean Exporter of The Year Awards
B
ridgetown, Barbados: The West India Biscuit Company Limited (WIBISCO), widely known for baked goods such as biscuits and cookies, is the 2016 Caribbean Exporter of the Year Award. The 2nd annual Caribbean Exporter of the Year Awards honoured six winners. The event was held recently at the Hilton Barbados Resort, hosted by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and funded by the European Union (EU) via the 10th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme. It aimed to recognize and promote the contributions of outstanding exporters to the region’s economy. WIBISCO exported to over 20 countries across the world and realized their motto ‘Baked in the Caribbean, Loved Everywhere’. With a company culture of innovation and a continuous drive for excellence they have successfully introduced new techniques and equipment to increase efficiencies and output in response to the fast-paced ever changing global marketplace. The Female Exporter of the Year Award sponsored by RBC Royal Bank was won by Haitian Yve-Car Momperousse, owner of Kreyol Essence.The company
Caribbean Exporter of the Year Award Winners – WIBISCO – receiving the award from Barbados’ Minister of Commerce Donville Inniss (second from right). At right is Executive Director of Caribbean Export, Pamela Coke Hamilton.
manufactures organic natural hair, skin and aromatherapy products including exotic oils, pomades, soufflés and therapeutic candles. The Green Exporter of the Year, sponsored by Williams Industries Inc., was taken by Perishables Jamaica Ltd (PJL) for their efficient use of green technologies in the production of herbal teas that use authentic Jamaican raw materials. From their 20-acre farm they operate on a 15Kw Photovoltaic system, which has reduced their electricity cost by 70 pecent since installation. SMAKS Luxury Group which has been
in business since 2011, and produces a range of Caribbean-flavoured teas took home the Emerging Exporter of the Year Award sponsored by Automotive Art. In the past three years, a new product was developed — Chai Rum, the world’s first tea-infused rum, which the company now exports to seven countries in Europe. The Special Award for Excellence in Service Export, which recognizes an outstanding Caribbean firm whose primary area of business is the provision of services with global reach, was won by Nand Persaud International Communications Inc. from Guyana.
That organization, which employs over 500 people has experienced an impressive 31 percent increase in export growth in the provision of a range of customer support services to their international clientele. Glyn Partridge, Founder of 10 Saints Brewery Ltd, was the Agency’s Choice Award winner on the night. 10 Saints is a Barbadian micro-brewery that has leveraged several opportunities from Caribbean Export exemplifying the great drive and determination required to successfully export products and services globally. Executive director of Caribbean Export, Pamela Coke Hamilton said the vision in creating the awards was to raise the profile of SMEs in the regional and international marketplace. “And I firmly believe that we are on the right track with this initiative. This belief was validated in 2015, when the inaugural Caribbean Exporter of the Year, the CEO of Sacha Cosmetics, revealed that this achievement opened the doors for his company into Cuba — a market that they had previously pursued without any success,” she said.l Source: www.caribbean360.com
Why Join Our Chamber?
Because membership in the local chamber offers numerous benefits and keeps business owners on top of important, ever-changing issues and trends within their community and local marketplace.
reasons to join: lBrings credibility to your business lIncreases your visibility in the community lCreates networking opportunities lGain a voice in government lMake business contacts lReceive Chamber newsletters lAcquire customer referrals lAttend Chamber events and programs lBenefit from promotion and publicity lFree small business consultations
Become a Chamber member today. Call 718-722-9217 or visit www.chambercoalition.org
Ready to join our Chamber? Keep in mind, however, that you can’t just be a member of the Chamber to reap the benefits of chamber membership. Paying your annual dues just isn’t enough. You must also make an investment of time and effort in Chamber activities and become involved. Simply put, what you get out of Chamber membership is directly relative to what you put in.
Time to take your business to the next level!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
NEWS 19
NEWS
nHEALTH
nENTERTAINMENT
nRELATIONSHIPS
nRECIPES
nSPORTS
A DJ’s Journey from Barbados to Winning the World DJ Championship
S
Dj Puffy
ANTIAGO, Chile: A 25-year-old Bajan, DJ Puffy, has done what no other Barbadian has done before. Rocking crowds while spinning different styles in an original and super smooth ride —as well as demonstrating amazing stage charisma, an exuberant personality and great track selection — earned him the international title of Red Bull Thre3style World DJ Champion 2016. After four nights of … the world’s best DJs displaying their skills, DJ Puffy emerged victorious on day five of the 7th World Final in the Red Bull Thre3Style at the Vélodromo del Estadio Nacional in Santiago…. Barbados is a small island in the Caribbean that you may have heard of. Thank you, Rihanna. If you haven’t, it is 166 square miles of amazing beaches, good food, an eclectic music scene and now, home to another internationally acclaimed music star. I think it’s safe to say, Barbadians know and love music. On December 17th, that love was displayed… on the world stage of the Redbull Thre3style World DJ Championship Competition. Andre Parris, commonly known as DJ Puffy, won the prestigious 2016 Redbull Thre3style World DJ Championship and not only did he do it for his love of music, but he did it for his country…. his story isn’t just about winning the championship. DJ Puffy’s journey to winning is the story of a dreamer. It all started … when he heard about the Redbull Thre3style competition….This competition in the DJ industry is considered the Olympics for DJ’s, based on the internationally known platform and status it provides. At that time DJ Puffy was a local DJ who had just begun his career…. To enter, you simply needed to send in a video submission, but they would only be selecting 3 wild cards worldwide to enter the
competition. DJ Puffy decided to create a submission video and nervously sent it in. Months had passed and he heard nothing. He was convinced that he didn’t make the cut so he decided to forget about it and commenced a global tour with his management. Months later,…he received an email from one of the judges. It said, “Congratulations Andre, you have been selected as a competition finalist to compete in Santiago, Chile!” He was shocked. He looks out at the crowd and realizes that he doesn’t speak their language. To him though, none of that matters because music is a universal language and he knows that once the first beat drops, their bodies will react. So with confidence, he steps on to the stage…. He remembers running to the front of the stage and dancing with the crowd, then running back to his turntables…. he has played ten different genres seamlessly and the judges are in awe. They realize that a remarkable talent is before them and select him as the winner of the preliminary round. Andre vividly recalls that poignant moment on stage when, still reeling from the shock of winning, he turned around to see the Barbados flag flying proudly in front him. He wakes up the next morning to a social media frenzy. Everyone is starting to notice this wild card winner.Pictures from his first win have been retweeted over a hundred times. Celebrities like DJ Jazzy Jeff guest star on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) have started to tweet about him and it is overwhelming. Winning the preliminary round is only the first step in this competition, so he…decides to rehearse his music set. … DJ Puffy started to think about the final competition against other DJ’s representing the UK, Australia, Canada and Japan. He started to run through the songs in his head and abruptly decided, the day before the competition, to change his entire set. “I want my music set to tell a story – a story about me – and I needed to hear it over and over to make sure every song fit. I wanted it to express my personality, who I am as an artist, as an entertainer and as a human being.” Heart pounding but hands steady, he hears his introduction and steps on to the stage. His set starts with an intense scratching that commands everyone’s attention. People start dancing instantly, intuitively. He mixes popular hip-hop, soca, old reggae, new reggae, pop hits and jazz effortlessly. I even heard the Super Mario theme song, and of course no set would be complete without his fellow Barbadian superstar, Rihanna. Just like that... the crowd is going wild. They start chanting his name after he has finished and it was clear who the winner was that night. When he was announced as the 2016 Redbull Thre3style World DJ Champion he dropped to his knees in shock and gratitude. Two years ago, this was just a dream for him and now, with determination and hard work DJ Puffy has remixed his way to the top.l
Columnist with The Huffington Post, Bhavna Anna Guyadeen, spoke to DJ Puffy after his win about his journey.This is an edited version of the original article. Source: www.caribbean360.com.
nHOROSCOPE
Kitchen Corner
Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients •1 cup soy milk •1/2 cup rolled oats •1 banana, broken into chunks •14 frozen strawberries •1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract •1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
BY ASTROPHE ALLRECIPES.COM
"This is a fast vegan smoothie with a deep pink color and a rich, creamy texture. VERY filling, and perfect for people in a rush in the morning. You don't have to give up a good breakfast when it's this fast to make! I use vitamin fortified soy milk." - Astrophe
Directions: In a blender, combine soy milk, oats, banana and strawberries. Add vanilla and sugar if desired. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. •Prep: 5 minutes •Ready: 5 minutes
Tip: Start with a tasty base, then customize your smoothie with protein, flavor boosts, and fruits and vegetables.l
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
20
HEALTH
Becoming Heart Smart New Orthodontics Practice In White Plains!
O
BY NAA-SOLO TETTEY
If someone is interested in getting braces or InvisalignⓇ how can they start? Potential patients can make an appointment by calling (914) 821-5400 or book a free consultation at http://wnyorthodontics.com W Orthodontics accepts most insurances and patients receive a full overview of their specific case at the consultation.
D
Dr Washington
r. Bradford C. Washington, owner of W Orthodontics, is excited to start serving the White Plains community in winter 2017. Located at 95 Church Street, White Plains, NY 10601, patients can easily take the Bronx River the Cross Westchester Parkway, Expressway (1-287) and the White Plains Metro North Train Station to his brand new office. Dr. Washington brings a breadth of expertise from his schooling at Morehouse College, The Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Here are some keys answers to know about Dr. Washington’s new practice:
What is the process of getting braces? At your first consultation, Dr. Washington and his great staff will explain the entire process of getting braces or invisalign! The process of getting braces or invisalign is the same for adults and children and over 30% of orthodontic patients are adults! Depending on your custom treatment plan, braces or invisalign treatment can last from 6 months to 2 years. The appointment when braces or invisalign are applied is easy also! It usually takes about one hour and then we explain some great foods you can still eat! Some examples are oatmeal, smoothies, ground beef/turkey/chicken and rice!
Can someone be too young or too old for treatment? It is never too late to create a great smile, as healthy teeth can be moved at any age. For younger patients, the American Association of Orthodontists encourages parents to bring their children in around age 7, as some patients can benefit from early treatment.
What sets W Orthodontics apart from other orthodontic practices? W Orthodontics has one of the newest orthodontic practices in the city, equipped with digital patient charts and offers low dose, digital x-rays. The office accepts CareCredit, a third party financing company, as well as provides payment plans to accommodate all patients. Additionally, Dr. Washington offers special technology that can help patients complete their treatment 50-75% faster than traditional methods.
What brought Dr. Washington to the Westchester community? Dr. Washington saw a need for the type of service he can
provide to patients. In contrast to franchise style orthodontic clinics, Dr. Washington is a doctor who is present and cares. He is active in the community, a member of the White Plains New York Chamber of Commerce and supports local businesses. He is very excited to serve this community!l
n July 23, 2015, Sarah James took her usual shopping trip to Downtown Brooklyn, but this trip would turn out to be different. As she exited the bus on her return home she felt a heaviness in the left side of her chest. When she arrived home she sat down hoping the heaviness would stop. However, the heaviness continued and then moved into her left arm. She laid down briefly, but there was still no improvement. At this point she knew it was time to call 911. The operator instructed her to take off any tight-fitting garments and to chew an aspirin. The ambulance arrived within five minutes and took her to Kings County Hospital. Upon admission the doctors believed that she had suffered a heart attack. However, a cardiac cauterization showed that her arteries were clear. Later she was taken in for a CAT scan and a clot was found in her right lung. She was treated for seven days with blood thinners. She was then discharged and continued to receive treatment with blood thinners for six months. Sarah credited the HeartSmarts Class and her instructor, HeartSmarts Ambassador Carol Hylton for her ability to act fast at this crucial time. She stated, “I found the HeartSmarts class to be a blessing. All of the symptoms I was expe-
Dr Tettey
riencing were discussed in the class. I was able to follow everything that I learned such as calling 911, not driving myself to the hospital, and chewing an aspirin. Praise the Lord that I was able to take this class." The HeartSmarts program is sponsored by the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at the New York Presbyterian Hospital\Weill Cornell Medical Center. It was created by Dr. Naa-Solo Tettey and uses a faith-based curriculum to educate communities about heart disease. The program also teaches participants about blood pressure, cholesterol, stress, diabetes, nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. Heart disease is the number one killer of all Americans but affects AfricanAmericans and Hispanics at much higher rates. However, up to 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable. It is important to know the risk factors for heart disease and make healthy lifestyle choices.l
LOVE YOUR HEART: Get Heart Smart! Participate in the HeartSmarts Program to learn how to empower others and yourself to live heart-healthy lifestyles. The program seeks to educate pastors and community leaders to become educators in the community about cardiovascular health.
Hosea: 4:6 - My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
Classes start on Friday, February 3 @4pm. Register now at www.chambercoalition.org/hs Call: 718-722-9217 for more information!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
22
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
10 Reasons Why Divorce Is Better Than Staying in a Bad Marriage
M
BY ISHAW HODGE
arriage should demonstrate and remind us of why you fell in love. However, as many of us can attest it’s not always a happy ever after. Divorce may be the best option for various reasons; here are 10.
1) Infidelity. This leads to insecurity, trust issues and resentment and relays lack of commitment. It may appear in various ways such as having sexual relationships or flirting and other physical contact with someone other than your spouse. Infidelity also opens the door to health-related issues such as sexual transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS.
2) Lack of Trust. Trust is one key to building a great relationship but the lack of trust will do the complete opposite. A partner who cannot be trusted leaves their mate with many unanswered questions wondering what to do. Also places that mate in a position to question even the smallest matters or circumstances concerning the relationship, as well as the stir up of arguments and fights. The continuance of such behavior then creates barriers and unresolved issues. 3) Physically Abuse. This is unacceptable
no matter what it stems from, and also does its share of damage on marriages. A person involved in any form of abuse leaves the door open for more and more abuse to occur. It is life threatening and can lead to a homicide or suicide of the abuse victim or both. 4) Emotional Abuse. This affects the well-being of many individuals, preying on their mental health, even more on those with lower self-esteem. A spouse should be that go-to person for communication, love and affection. The one that builds you up and gives you the confidence and support you need to face any situation.
5) Drug Abuse. This is a killer in marriages that should never go unnoticed or untreated; some couples have lost their friends, jobs and identity. The harmful substances found in many drugs can lead to addictions and abnormal behavior such as hallucinations and paranoia, to name a few. Effects and severity can be long term and in contrast the best hope is in separation by divorce.
6) Gambling. This has done its share in shattering homes, some couples have lost their homes. In other cases, many individuals are forced to move back home with parents or other family members and have
caused their family to endure hardship in many ways.
7) Financial Hardship. This is something many of us have face in one way or another. Couples in this dilemma endure the stress of maintaining a home, a car, supporting the family or even providing food. This can be from having low-income or being laid off from work, as well as entering a marriage with one party or both having debt and bad credit.
8) Abandonment. This is not waiting for a military spouse back from war. Abandonment involves leaving all responsibilities on the other person. It may cause much emotional stress and depression on the partner behind pondering all the things that could lead to it, while still not sure if the person is dead or alive. Some partners have spent years holding on to a thought of the other person returning only to become more and more stagnant in life by not letting go and moving forward. In the event, choosing to get a divorce, would grant a way of starting over.
9) Imprisonment. Living without a spouse can be hard at times, it takes away the companionship you enjoyed as a couple. While some have gone through the
process and were able to pick up where they left off, many have found it difficult to get past that chapter of their marriage. In addition to the years being apart and changes that took place, they may have grown apart. Sometimes the only bright future for either couple is to divorce and move on.
10) Tragedy. Past or present, this can negatively affect a marriage with the memories that play out time and time again. At times, it is one party not willing to forgive the other or not being able to let go, or just dealing with the death of a child or loved one. In other cases, it may be tragedy from childhood that was not dealt with that creates challenges in the couple’s marriage that become more and more burdensome or hard to overcome.
Divorce is an option in many cases for couples that have had devastating dilemmas that took a toll on the marriage. Many of those individuals live with the aftermath and even the fear of even committing again. The terror many endure while in wedlock is why divorce is better than staying in a bad marriage. For those who endured more tears than joy, more pain than bonding, divorce can bring them peace of mind after all.l
Did he/she get the Green Card and leave?
$399 Divorces Se Habla Español
+Court Fees
nSpouse’s nFast
signature not needed
and inexpensive
nDivorce
by mail or online available
(www.311divorce.com) nNo nIf
Court appearance required
your spouse hires an attorney, it
becomes a contested divorce nIf
you receive SSI or public assistance,
you do not need to pay the Court fee
Office Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am to 4:00pm
We also handle contested divorce matters such as child custody and support, alimony and distribution of assets.
Schedule your appointment today. Call 855-768-8845
FIGEROUX & ASSOCIATES, Attorneys at Law 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Toll Free: 855-768-8845 Online www.311divorce.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!
After the Celebration Comes Taxes!
FOCUS ON YOUR BUSINESS & FAMILY...
Let us take care of your taxes... we are the experts! Bring this ad to receive up to
$50 OFF
your tax preparation
FREE CONSULTATION WITH THIS AD!
Call 855-6taxguy OR 855-682-9489 lTax Preparation (Individual & Business) lIRS & NY Audit Representation lOffers in Compromise lMultiple Year Non-Filers lAmended Returns lExtensions lLater Filings lSales Tax Filings lTax ID/W7 Assistance
All States prepared! Year-round!
lWading through tax records lFretting about filing your income tax returns lMaking costly mistakes lUsing a tax program in a box that cannot represent you in an audit
DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE IRS? You don’t have to go it alone. There's hope: the Professional Tax Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. Call us now.
Call 855-6taxguy OR 855-682-9489
Please bring the following applicable documents: W2, 1099, 1098, Interest Statement, Dividend Statement, Mortgage Statement, K1 Schedule (business owners), Social Security Statement and Retirement Statement. VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!