Caribbean American Weekly (Issue 65) - What You Need to Know About ICE’s Arrests at Courthouses by Caribbean American Weekly

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ISSUE 65 VOLUME 16

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BY WALTER EWING

ccording to their own guidance on the subject, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is supposed to practice restraint when it comes to arresting people at “sensitive locations” such as schools, churches and hospitals—as well as “any organization assisting children, pregnant women, victims of crime or abuse, or individuals with significant mental or physical dis-

business, homebuyers & health

expo

Thursday, June 22, 2017 See page 23 for details

continued on page 10

USCIS Recommends TPS for Haitians ... see page 2

Immigrants Could Get a Second Chance in Court If Their Lawyers Give Them Bad Advice

BY AARON REUCHLIN-MELNICK

mmigrants rely heavily on the advice of their lawyers, often times entrusting their entire livelihood on the merits of the counsel. But what happens when a lawyer gives their client bad advice, and that advice becomes the catalyst for their deportation? This is the question the Supreme Court tackled recently, asking whether an immigrant given “supremely deficient” advice by his lawyer about the consequences of taking a plea bargain can have his plea overturned, his con-

Scared? Nervous

about President Trump’s Immigration Plans?

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continued on page 5

Jamaican Government Says Sorry to Rastafarians...see page 6

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Trump’s Latest Attack: Buy American, Hire American ...see page 14

Can My Landlord Enter My Apartment Without Prior Notice? ...see page 15

Selling Your House? 5 Things You Need to Know ...see page 12

2017: Year of Rihanna ... see page 17

Brilliance of Derek Walcott ... see page 22

Jamaican Is World’s Oldest ...see page 2

The Racial Wealth Gap ... see page 7

The Four Walls Strategy to Keep You Afloat After Divorce ... see page 9

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 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1101 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

Grave Concerns by Reports that USCIS Recommends Ending Protections for Haitians

ASHINGTON, DC: The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) expressed grave concern regarding reports that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is recommending that the United States end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals in January 2018. AILA President William A. Stock stated, "In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake's devastating impact on Haitian infrastructure, the U.S. government offered temporary relief to Haitian nationals while they worked to rebuild their country. Since then, the country has continued to be ravaged by disease and political instability, which have been exacerbated by limited access to potable water, food, and medical services, and a lack of adequate housing. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew ripped through Haiti, further damaging the already fragile island nation. It is impossible to reconcile the notion that our government would consider ending in a few short months TPS for Haitians with the reality of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in a country that is still reeling from the effects of natural disaster." Benjamin Johnson, AILA Executive Director, noted, "The provision of a safe haven to those who would face dire conditions if forced to return to their home countries, is fundamental to U.S. humanitarian policy. The bottom line is that conditions in Haiti have not improved to an extent that would remotely justify the end of TPS. The elimination of TPS for Haiti will not only create immense hardships for close to 47,000 Haitian individuals who have lived

Members of a Formed Police Unit serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) UN Photo/Marco Dormino

in the United States under the protection of this program for more than 7 years, it will also impact their children, many of whom are U.S. citizens, and their families back home, who rely on remittances for their basic needs. There is bipartisan support for extending Haiti TPS and it is not too late for DHS to act. Extending TPS for Haiti is simply the right thing to do." Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council recently voted unanimously on to end its 13-year-long peacekeeping mission in Haiti and replace it with a smaller police, which would be drawn down after two years as the country boosts its own force. The peacekeeping mission, one of the longest running in the world and known as MINUSTAH, has been dogged by controversies, including the introduction of cholera to the island and sexual abuse claims The 15-member Security Council acknowledged the completion of Haiti's presidential election, along with the inauguration of its new president, as a "major milestone towards stabilization."l

New Marina Brings Jobs and Yachting Hub Potential to Vincentian Island

INGSTOWN, St Vincent and the Grenadines: The Vincentian island of Canouan is now home to a state-of-the-art multi-million-dollar marina expected to transform the island into a major hub for yachting. Glossy Bay Marina is being touted as the first super yacht marina in the eastern and southern Caribbean, with 120 berths, including 24 “super yacht” berths capable of accommodating yachts between 100 and 300 feet long. “When full, Glossy Bay Marina will act as a host to nearly a thousand yachts people, professional crew, charter guests and owners. That is the equivalent of a 500room hotel, bigger than anything else in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Let us plan to work together to make this project a success for both its investors and the nation,” Bob Hathaway, manager of the marina told the grand opening ceremony. Chief executive officer of Glossy Bay Marina Ltd Elena Korach told the open-

ing that 700 tradesmen had worked on the construction. “The contribution to the Canouan economy has been also significant,” she said, adding that rentals alone amounted to a monthly bill of EC$130,000. A beaming Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is eyeing significant opportunities for Vincentians from the project. “When the marina is finished, there are going to be opportunities here galore, there are already opportunities for Vincentian entrepreneurs. And they will work in conjunction with the management and leadership of this facility, this extraordinary facility, and I hope that some of those who would sell goods here to you, Dermot, and to the yachts, that some of them would really become rich. “Not as rich as you, but be able to [earn] some money, which is part of developing an entrepreneurial class in our country. It’s very important,” Gonsalves remarked.l

IN THE NEWS

Jamaican Woman Is World’s Oldest Person

Violet Mosse-Brown Photo: Jamaican Observer

ven after living 117 years, Jamaican Violet Mosse Brown is as fit as a horse, witty, humble and still hardworking. Not once in her quiet life did she imagine landing in the world’s history books as the oldest woman, but she is overjoyed at having done so. “I feel good, I feel happy to be the oldest person (in the world),” MosseBrown, affectionately called Aunt V, told the Jamaica Observer newspaper. Mosse Brown, who was born on March 10, 1900, entered the pages of history as the oldest person on Earth last Saturday, after the passing of the previous oldest, Italian Emma Morano, who was born on November 29, 1899. “I did not feel I would become the oldest person. I feel I would pass long ago. Thank God for whatever He has given to me,” declared Mosse-Brown, who remarkably suffers from no ailment. Longevity seemingly runs in her genes. According to the Jamaica Observer, both her parents lived to 96 years old and her oldest son, Harold Fairweather, turned 97 on April 15. Mosse-Brown jokes that she is healthier than Harold and her other four children. “I had six children; one died, five alive, but them all sick. Them sick more than me,” she said with a laugh. The supercentenarian, who still eats everything except chicken and pork, credits her long life to her deep faith in God and hard work. She worked as a cane farmer and also operated the only bread shop in her community. MosseBrown was also a music teacher and seamstress. Her hard work was undergirded by her deep faith in God. At 13, she was baptized as a member of the Baptist church, serving in virtually every capacity.“I spent all my time in the church – from a child right up,” she said. Meanwhile, Jamaicans have been celebrating Mosse-Brown’s achievement. She has emerged a star in her Duanvale community, just a stone’s throw away from the hometown of track legend ,Usain Bolt. “Trust me, we feel proud. That lady is great. She is good. She mek wi feel proud in the district as the oldest person in the world come from Duanvale here,” resident Renford Weir told the Jamaica Observer.l Via: www.caribbean360.com

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TIME FOR ACTION

Peoples Climate Movement

n the 100th Day of the Trump Administration, we will be in the streets of Washington D.C. to show the world and our leaders that we will resist attacks on our people, our communities and our planet. We will come together from across the United States to strengthen our movement. We will demonstrate our power and resistance at the gates of the White House. We will bring our solutions to the climate crisis, the problems that affect our communities and the threats to peace to our leaders in Congress to demand action. We invite you to join the Peoples Climate Movement on Saturday, April 29th as we march to:

nAdvance solutions to the climate crisis rooted in racial, social and economic justice, as we are committed to protecting front-line communities and workers. nProtect our right to clean air, water, land, healthy communities and a world at peace. nImmediately stop attacks on immigrants, communities of color, indigenous and tribal people and lands and workers. nEnsure that public funds and investments create good paying jobs that provide a family-sustaining wage and benefits and preserve workers’ rights, including the right to unionize. nFund investments in our communities, people and environment to transition to a new clean and renewable energy economy that works for all, not an economy that feeds the machinery of war. nProtect our basic rights to a free press, protest and free speech.

Getting to the March We are still confirming final details on exact march route and meeting locations, but it will be in the vicinity of the White House, Mall and Capitol — all highly accessible areas of Washington D.C. In general, taking mass transit is highly advised. Parking will be very limited, as there will likely be road closures throughout the area that may impact accessibility. Join the Peoples Climate Movement this April 29th in Washington, D.C. and across the country to stand up for our communities and climate.

TEAM

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

Everything we have struggled to move forward in the United States is in peril. Our loved ones feel under siege, and those in power in Washington are advancing a dark and dangerous vision of America that we know is untrue. To change everything, we need everyone. March with us on April 29th as we

come together to resist and march for our families, our communities and our planet.l For more information, please visit www.peoplesclimate.org

Contributors Walter Ewing Aaron Reuchlin-Melinck Michele Walsin Jennine Estes Candace Bahr Ginita Wall Krista Mills Ron Johnson Tatyana Bellamy-Walker Simom McMormack Yunju Nam Darrick Hamilton William A. Darity, Jr. Anne Price Janet Howard Email: cariaweekly@aol.com Telephone: 718-771-0988

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CIVIL RIGHTS

Poor New Yorkers Get Lost in the State’s Broken Public Defense System

BY SIMON McCORMACK

ew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls his state “the progressive capital of the nation,” but when it comes to public defense, New York is anything but. The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) released a video recently, calling on Gov. Cuomo and legislators to overhaul and properly fund the state’s failing public defense system. New York state leaves responsibility for public defense to its counties, creating an underfunded, patchwork, and unconstitutional system in which poor New Yorkers accused of crimes often do not receive adequate legal representation. Under the Sixth Amendment, every person is guaranteed an attorney regardless of their ability to pay. Poor New Yorkers who are accused of crimes often rely on public defense lawyers who are short on resources and have massive caseloads. Some attorneys spend just minutes with their clients while many poor New Yorkers languish in pretrial detention waiting for their lawyer to get to them. Unprepared to manage the criminal justice system, poor New Yorkers lose their jobs, homes, and families while often languishing in pre-

Under the Sixth Amendment,

every person

is guaranteed

an attorney regardless of their ability to pay.

trial detention because their lawyers don’t have the time or resources to work on their cases. Sometimes the accused plead guilty even when they are innocent. This only fuels our mass incarceration problem. New York came very close to fixing its broken public defense system last year. Last summer the state legislature passed unanimous bipartisan legislation to establish standards for effective counsel and to shift financial responsibility for services from counties to the state. Late on New Year’s Eve, however, Gov. Cuomo vetoed the bipartisan bill. The state budget process now is New York’s best chance to fix its deeply flawed public defense system, ending the needless violation of countless New Yorkers’ basic rights.

The NYCLU has fought for more than a decade for systemic public defense reform. In a major class action lawsuit in 2007, the NYCLU charged that the understaffed, poorly resourced, and largely dysfunctional public defense system violates the U.S. Constitution, the state constitution, and the laws of New York. In one of his last acts in office, Attorney General Eric Holder submitted a statement of interest supporting the lawsuit, the first ever U.S. Department of Justice show of support in a state court proceeding on public defense. With pressure mounting, New York in 2014 agreed to a settlement on the eve of trial that brought sweeping public defense reforms to the five New York counties named in the litigation: Ontario, Onondaga, Schuyler, Suffolk, and Washington. The settlement laid the foundation for

statewide reform The NYCLU is calling on the governor and legislature to pass the Justice Equality Act to establish and uphold basic standards so that, rich or poor, all New Yorkers receive effective legal representation. Real systemic reform must include representation at first court appearance, limits on the caseloads public defenders can carry, proper training, supervision, and support staff for attorneys as well as access to resources needed to mount an effective defense. We can’t let poor New Yorkers continue to get #LostInTheSystem any longer.l Simon McCormack is the Communications Officer, NYCLU and Contributing Writer, Speak Freely

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DIASPORA CONCERNS

Immigrants Could Get a Second Chance/

What happens when a lawyer gives their client bad advice, and that advice becomes the catalyst for their deportation?

continued from page 1

viction vacated, and take his chances at trial. The decision in this case could have a far-reaching impact on immigrants struggling with the criminal justice system— and whether their fate depends solely on their attorney’s advice about a plea bargain, no matter how bad that advice might be. In Lee v. United States, the Court took up the case of Jae Lee, a restaurant owner from Tennessee who legally immigrated from South Korea as a child. He was arrested for a drug charge in 2009, years after arriving in the United States. Because Lee had lived in America the majority of his life, his chief concern was whether he would be deported. However, his lawyer gave him what all parties now agree was legally incorrect advice, assuring Lee repeatedly that his strong ties to the U.S. meant he was not at risk of deportation. Taking the plea, however, essentially guaranteed his deportation. Unfortunately, Lee only discovered the depths of his attorney’s mistake on the day he believed he would be released from jail; instead, he was sent to an immigration detention facility and eventually ordered deported. Now, Lee seeks to have his original plea bargain overturned, arguing that his

attorney’s ineffective assistance denied him the right to adequate counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. The Sixth Court of Appeals initially rejected his request, holding that Lee wasn’t prejudiced by his attorney’s bad advice. The Court argued that because the evidence of Lee’s guilt was overwhelming, the choice to go to trial could never be “rational.” Lee is challenging this decision at the Supreme Court, arguing that it can indeed be rational for an immigrant to take their chances with a trial, even in the face of strong evidence of guilt, when a plea deal would guarantee deportation. Like many Americans, immigrants who face the criminal justice system are often pressured to take a plea bargain rather than go to trial. As Justice Breyer com-

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

Gun Law in New York

Do you want to own a gun? Do you want to change the state’s gun law? Are you concerned about gun violence?

mented during oral arguments on Tuesday, “we are in a world where 95 percent of the people and what happens to them depend upon pleas, not upon trials.” If the Court rules in Lee’s favor, however, immigrants will be protected from similarly poor advice, helping to prevent further miscarriages of justice. But convincing the Supreme Court to side with Lee may be an uphill battle for John Bursch, the immigrant’s attorney. Justices Alito, Kennedy and Roberts each questioned how a Court would determine when potential deportation consequences would make it “rational” for an immigrant to risk trial, even in the face of overwhelming evidence against them. Though Justice Alito agreed that Lee’s circumstances were “very sympa-

thetic,” he was hesitant to adopt a broader rule. Justice Kennedy was also concerned that the proposed standard would require judges to determine an individual immigrant’s subjective desire to avoid deportation, suggesting the measure was impractical. Lee’s case was helped by Justice Kagan, who noted dryly that this exact standard had already been in use for 30 years in similar situations. Justices Sotomayor and Ginsburg were also sympathetic, with Justice Sotomayor saying that an immigrant could rationally choose to “roll the dice” and risk an additional year in prison to avoid guaranteed deportation. The government’s attorney, Eric Feigin, argued that no rational jury would ever have found Lee innocent, meaning that his attorney’s bad advice couldn’t have prejudiced him. Justice Kagan, on the other hand, asserted that this case didn’t depend on what a jury would have done, but whether “the deficient performance [by Lee’s attorney led] to a different decision by… Mr. Lee to go to trial or not, to plea or not.” At the end of the arguments, it seemed clear that Lee had at least four justices on his side, but getting a fifth will be difficult. If the court deadlocks, the Sixth Circuit’s decision would stand and Lee will be deported to South Korea. A decision is expected later this spring. l

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ISLAND FOCUS: JAMAICA

54 Years After State Inflicted Violence on Rastafarians, Jamaica Government Says Sorry

INGSTON, Jamaica: It took more than five decades, but the Jamaica Government has finally formally apologized for a 1963 incident in which several Rastafarians were beaten and jailed and had their locks forcibly cut by agents of the state. Fifty-four years ago, a Rastafarian in the Coral Gardens community was shot by a property owner in a dispute over lands. Some Rastas retaliated by burning a petrol station in St James, which eventually led to a massive crackdown by the police. An April confrontation between Rastafarians and the state left eight Rastafarians dead. Others were arrested and had their locks chopped. But Prime Minister Andrew Holness apologized to the victims of the stateinflicted violence and announced that a trust fund of no less than $10 million would be established for the benefit of survivors of the incident. “In this regard, I will work alongside the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that this fund is set up properly and with due regard for the needs of those it is meant to benefit,” he said in a statement to the House of Representatives. “...Without equivocation, we apologize for what occurred in Coral Gardens. We

A peaceful march by the Rastafarian community against the March 16, 1963 Coral Gardens Massacre a few years ago.

express our regret and sorrow for this chapter in our national life that was characterized by brutality, injustice and repression, which was wrong and should never be repeated. “We cannot restore life and we may not be able to restore property that was destroyed, and we certainly may not be able to heal those that have suffered, but it is important that the State acknowledge

when a wrong was done and commit sincerely and solemnly not to allow these wrongs to happen again,” he added. In 2015, the Public Defender, in a report, recommended an apology in the Coral Gardens incident in which a policeman was also killed. “Whilst I know that this cannot erase the brutality, oppression and injustice

which was meted out during that tragedy, I am comforted by the willingness of the members of the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society to keep the dialogue going. I am happy to have finally reached the point where we can discuss concrete and tangible actions which can ease some of the heavy burdens that survivors and the community have faced,” he said. Holness noted that the Public Defender will be asked to continue the work that her office began, in terms of locating survivors and gathering important information about them and their families, in consultation with the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society and the Member of Parliament for that area. The Coral Gardens Benevolent Society will also be given advice and assisted in accessing resources and benefits for its members. Also, in keeping with the principle of cultural preservation, six lots at the property at Pinnacle in St Catherine will be declared by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) as a protected heritage site and will be developed as a Rastafari Heritage and Cultural Centre. For his part, Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Peter Phillips, welcomed the move by the Government to recognize and apologize for the incident.l

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MONEY MATTERS

The Privilege of Investing In Our Kids and the Racial Wealth Gap

BY YUNJU NAM, DARRICK HAMILTON, WILLIAM A. DARITY, JR., & ANNE PRICE

merica’s racial disparities in wealth are enormous. The whiteto-black disparity in median net worth – the value of what a family owns over and above what it owes is 19 to 1. (For a detailed description of this issue, see Hamilton and Darity’s Oct. 7, 2015 Urban Matters posting, “The Stark Black and White of America’s Wealth Divide.”) This vast wealth divide has deep, longterm implications. One consequence is that when black children become adults, they are far less likely than their white counterparts to get financial help from their parents for higher education – a disparity that has financial implications over the course of the adult child’s life and reinforce unequal socio-economic status across generations. Our recent report, “Bootstraps Are for Black Kids,” illustrates how this plays out. We used data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) that consisted of almost 900 whites and just over 500 blacks between the ages of 35 to 46 in 2013, and who were children or stepchildren of household heads in the 1984 PSID sample. We are able to track

whether an inter-generational financial transfer was made from parents to support an adult child’s costs of higher education – a widely accepted indicator of an investment in a child’s human capital. White adult children – whose families have substantially more wealth – are more than twice as likely to receive financial support for higher education. Specifically, we find that 34% of white adult children received some financial help, compared to just 14% of black adult children. The reason for this divide is an enormous pre-existing structural disparity in black and white economic resources. Beginning with chattel slavery on through the foreclosure crisis in the

aftermath of The Great Recession, the U.S. has a long history of racially disparate treatment and policy that has limited the capacity of blacks to accumulate and pass wealth from one generation to the next. In spite of these realities, black families use comparatively meager financial resources to help pay for their children’s higher education. The median wealth of black parents who provide financial support for their adult children’s higher education is about $25,000. In contrast, the median wealth of their white counterparts who did not provide financial support was nearly 300% larger, almost $74,000, while the median wealth of

white parents who did provide financial help was nearly $168,000 – about 675% greater than black parents who did provide support. Commitment to education has been a hallmark of black history in the U.S.A, and these findings show that this tradition remains strong today. We also found that parental financial assistance matters. Blacks and whites who received parental financial support for education experience better outcomes in homeownership, income, and household wealth than their counterparts who never received such support. Yet, despite our finding that over a

Creditors’ Harassments! Lawsuits! Foreclosures! Wage Garnishments!

continued on page 8

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AMERICAN DREAM

Knowing Your Rights is the Best Ally to Ending Housing Discrimination

The Privilege of Investing In Our Kids and the Racial Wealth Gap/continued from page 7

BY KRISTA MILLS

his Fair Housing Month, HUD is partnering with dozens of national, state, local and nonprofit partners throughout the nation to promote fair housing facts and ideals. We do this every year because for many people who face housing discrimination, the worst thing is not knowing their rights. Since 1968, the Fair Housing Act has protected people from housing discrimination under seven core categories: Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, Familial Status and Disability. Still, last year HUD and our Fair Housing Assistance Program partners received more than 8,300 complaints alleging some form of discrimination under these categories. Every day, discrimination still happens. Sometimes it’s a blatant ad that says, “No Kids.” But often, it’s a subtle lie to a single mom, a person in a wheelchair or to an immigrant of, “Sorry, the apartment has been rented.” Is this discrimination? It may or may not be, but under the Fair Housing Act,

you have the right to report the incident and HUD will investigate it. Part of our goal is to help families recognize discrimination when it happens. Our 2016 Annual Fair Housing Report to Congress details the public education

work HUD’s Office of Fair Housing conducts to try to educate families and individuals on their rights so they can exercise their rights and report discrimination. For example, HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) awarded $38 million in competitive grants last year to 155 organizations to help enforce the Fair Housing Act, and to educate the public and industry stakeholders on the latest fair housing developments.This includes “Know Your Rights” workshops, trainings, speaking engagements, newsletters and community presentations. And as part of the Education and Outreach Initiative, the FHIP program awards up to $1 million for a national media campaign each year. In 2016, the National Fair Housing Alliance received the grant to develop a multimedia educational campaign titled A Zip Code Should Not Determine a Child’s Future. If you want materials to help educate others in your neighborhood or community, you can also go to HUD’s website to download other fair housing posters and materials, such as printable brochures. Finally, if you or a member of your family or community believes their rights have been violated, you can call the fair housing toll-free number at (800) 6699777 to file a complaint, or you can file a complaint online. Together, with the right information, we can put an end to housing discrimination.l

Krista Mills is HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Note: You can also file a discrimination lawsuit. Call 1-855-768-8845 for a consultation.

quarter of the black adult children who received parental help attained a graduate degree, stark racial differences in both income and net worth persist. The median household income of blacks who got parental financial support for education is only about half that of their white peers ($58,583 versus $105,281), and their median household wealth is less than 20% that of their white peers ($17,300 versus $74,000) for this young adult population. So here is an inescapable conclusion: While black parents of modest means often unselfishly manage to assist their children in the pursuit of higher education that support alone is insufficient to produce dramatic upward mobility. It definitely does not translate into closure of the racial wealth gap. Indeed, the most certain route to economic security as you enter adulthood is to be born into a family with ample financial resources. Of course we don’t choose the family in which we are born. That’s why we advocate for the public provision of substantial Child Trust Accounts (“Baby Bonds”). These accounts could provide opportunities for asset development for all newborns regardless of the financial position of their families at birth. Child Trust Accounts would provide capital for young adults, enabling them to begin a lifetime of asset building and economic security.l Yunju Nam, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Buffalo at the State University of New York. Darrick Hamilton, Ph.D., is an associate professor of economics and urban policy at the Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy, and the Department of Economics, The New School for Social Research, both at The New School. William A. Darity, Jr., Ph.D., is the Samuel DuBois Cook professor of public policy, African and African American studies, and economics and the director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University. Anne E. Price, M.A., is managing director and chief asset officer at the Insight Center for Community Economic Development. Reprinted with the kind permission of the New School.

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FAMILY MATTERS

How Understanding the Four Walls Strategy Can Keep You Afloat After a Divorce

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

he biggest mistake women make when they decide to get divorced (and most divorces are instigated by women) is that they fail to plan for their post-divorce life. This is understandable. The decision to separate from a marriage is highly emotional, and it can be difficult to focus on practical questions, such as how you will cover your mortgage without your husband’s income. The truth is that your financial life will probably change more than you imagine. to the Government According Accountability Office, women face an average loss of 41% of their household income after a divorce. We don’t have to tell you that it is a whole lot harder to buy groceries, cover the mortgage, and keep gas in your car with 40% less money coming in each month. We know how traumatic divorce can be, but if it is possible, we encourage you to sit down and start planning for your post-divorce financial life before you pull the divorce trigger. On his blog, money guru Dave Ramsey suggests a unique strategy that is especially useful

for women as they seek to make ends meet after a divorce.

Introducing the Four Walls Strategy When you get divorced, you are going to have to learn how to do more with less. Your first responsibility is to cover your basic necessities, what Ramsey calls “The Four Walls.” These are: nFood nShelter/Utilities nClothing nTransportation

The Four Walls Strategy is simply a means to help you prioritize your spending and budgeting. Before you get divorced, determine the monthly cost of your four walls. How much do you spend on food? What about shelter, clothing, and transportation? This is the minimum amount of income you need each month

to breathe easy and keep yourself in a financially stable situation. Now, focus on how much income you can expect to receive each month. This may include child support and/or alimony, though you may want to consult with a divorce attorney to determine if a court is likely to grant either of these payments to you. (Are you eligible for alimony?)

Can You Cover Your Four Walls? What happens if the cost of your four walls is higher than your anticipated post-divorce income? Unfortunately, this is the entire point of implementing the Four Walls review before your divorce. If you cannot cover your four walls, then your entire financial life will come crumbling down if you don’t make big changes. Too many women have no idea how much their current standard of living costs, and then they quickly run out of

money after their divorce. The Four Walls review will keep that from happening. If the numbers don’t add up, then you need to make some changes to your post-divorce plans. Remember, the Four Walls represent the bare essentials. You must find a way to cover these costs if you want to achieve any type of stability. The biggest cost for most Americans is their housing. If your mortgage is simply too much, it may mean you’ll have to downgrade after your divorce. It can be hard to give up a house you love (especially if you have children), but your first duty is to your financial stability. (Should you keep your house after the divorce?) The Four Walls Strategy is a good place to start when planning your post-divorce life, but it is only a beginning. You will have a lot of decisions to make and a lot of changes in your life. Make sure you are ready for them all. l Reprinted with permission. Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP® are co-founders of WIFE.org, a nonprofit that aims to teach females how to take financial control of their lives after major life transitions — like divorce.

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10 ICE#Arrests at Courthouses/

continued from page 1

abilities.” Arrests in such locales are permissible under “exigent circumstances” when public safety or national security is at stake. However, ICE has been rather loose in its interpretation of “exigent circumstances,” as evidenced by arrests they have conducted outside of a church and in front of a school. One category of “sensitive locations” is interestingly absent from ICE guidance on the subject: courthouses. This is a surprising omission given the sensitive nature of the work which takes place in a courthouse—witnesses to crimes providing testimony, jurors deliberating the fate of the accused, and so on. Sensitive or not, ICE has been arresting people at courthouses. For instance, on February 9, ICE agents took an unauthorized immigrant into custody inside an El Paso courthouse, where she had just been granted a protective order against an abusive ex-boyfriend. California’s Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye has taken exception to this intrusion upon the court system. On March 16, she wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, pointing out that: “Our courts are the main point of contact for millions of the most vulnerable Californians in times of anxiety, stress, and crises in their lives. Crime victims,

victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, witnesses to crimes who are aiding law enforcement, limited-English speakers, unrepresented litigants, and children and families all come to our courts seeking justice and due process of law… Our work is critical for ensuring public safety and the efficient administration of justice.” On those grounds, she argued, “enforcement policies that include stalking courthouses and arresting undocumented immigrants, the vast majority of whom pose no risk to public safety, are neither safe nor fair.” She respectfully requested that ICE refrain from such activities in California. In their response to Cantil-Sakauye, Sessions and Kelly argued that arrests at courthouses were necessary because some states and localities implemented “statutes and ordinances designed to specifically prohibit or hinder ICE from enforcing immigration law,” such as denying officers’ requests to enter pris-

ons and jails to make arrests. In other words, ICE does not seem inclined to place courthouses on the official list of sensitive locations anytime soon, nor likely to follow its own guidance. Nevertheless, some lawmakers are trying to reign in ICE when it comes to arresting people in sensitive locations. House Democrats from Oregon, New York, and Virginia have proposed a bill—the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act—that would turn ICE’s guidance on the topic into a law prohibiting ICE officers from conducting arrests, searches, interviews, or surveillance at sensitive locations. However, passage is far from certain in the Republican-controlled House. The issue of sensitive locations may be complicated further if California passes its “state sanctuary” bill, which would prevent law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities in tracking down and arresting people solely on the basis of their unauthorized status. The bill has already moved successfully though the state Senate. President Trump has threatened to withhold federal grants from jurisdictions that pass such laws, while ICE already has retaliated against sanctuary cities such as Austin with stepped-up enforcement operations. This sets the stage for a series of confrontations between the Trump administration and those states and localities that refuse to become the enforcers of federal immigration policies.l

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EQUITY SMART

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Selling Your First Home

t's often so exciting to think of buying a new home that homeowners forget about the sale, but there are a lot of details involved in putting a home on the market. Whether you're just considering selling or are readying to put your home up, here are some things you might not know about the process.

Marketing Strategy Is Important The days of putting a sign on the front yard and waiting for buyers are gone, so it's important to have a strategy that will successfully highlight your house. Whether you decide to make a website, use social media or invest in a profes-

sional photographer, ensure you're prepared to put your home out there.

The Right Price Is Everything You have the ability to change your asking price at any time, but it's best to hit the market with a price that is both reasonable and competitive. This will not only prevent your home from lingering on the market, it will make it more likely you'll get the offer you're looking for. Fixing It Up Is Important You might want to avoid minor fix-ups before selling your home, but mainte-

nance issues can impact the offers receive. you'll Instead of leaving these for the next homeowner, put time aside to do paint touch-ups, repair doors or insulate the windows so the small things don't affect your offer.

Prepare to Pack It's great to receive an offer on your home, but packing up can be one of the most stressful aspects of moving. Instead of leaving this to the last minute, do some preliminary 'spring cleaning' to discard the stuff you won't use and pack up the stuff you won't soon need. This will make moving out a little smoother.

Be Ready for an Open House It can be a pain to stage your home and leave on short notice to accommodate an interested homebuyer, but a good open house is one of your best bets for selling

your home. This means your house should be clean and clutter free all the time so only a few last-minute fix-ups will be required.

There are a lot of things involved in selling your first home, but by completing the little fix ups and choosing the right price, you'll be well on your way to an interested buyer. If you're currently getting ready to put your home on the market, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals at Equity Smart Realty, Inc for more information at 1888-670-6791. l

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JOBS &â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EMPOWERMENT

5 Great Things About Being a Paralegal

career as a paralegal (also known as a legal assistant) can be a wonderfully fulfilling profession. Paralegals perform legal, regulatory and business-related research for lawyers working at their organization. Most of the time paralegals work for law offices, corporations' legal departments or courts. These professionals also provide legal support services to attorneys. They assist lawyers in filing materials such as motions, memoranda, pleadings and briefs in various court systems, as well as accompany lawyers to see clients and/or to go to court. Here are 5 great things about being a paralegal:

1. Rise In Pay Paralegal compensation has risen steadily in the past decade, despite a bump in the road in the depths of the 2009-2010 recession. As paralegals perform a broader and more complex range of tasks (paralegals even represent clients in court in certain countries and administrative tribunals), paralegal earnings continue to rise. The average paralegal salary hovers at around $50,000 per year but paralegals often make more through bonuses. Overtime hours can also add significant

cash to a paralegal's paycheck.

2. Explosive Employment Outlook The paralegal field is one of the fastestgrowing professions on the globe. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the employment of paralegals and legal assistants to grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. Among the factors driving this growth is client demand for cheaper, more efficient delivery of legal services. Since hourly rates charged by attorneys are typically double or triple the rates of paralegals for the same task, law firm economics mandates the increased use of paralegals to minimize costs. As a result, a paralegal career is one of the hottest non-lawyer jobs in the legal industry.

3. Easy Career Entry Unlike lawyers who must complete seven years of formal education and pass the bar exam to practice law, you can become a paralegal in as little as a few months of study. 4. Intellectual Challenge Paralegal work is intellectually challeng-

and developments while interfacing with attorneys, opposing counsel, vendors, staff members, clients and others. The work is varied and each day brings new challenges.

5. Rising Prestige As paralegals perform more complex and challenging work, paralegal prestige is rising. Paralegals are no longer simply lawyer's assistants; they are assuming management roles in corporations, leadership roles in law firms and entrepreneurial roles in independent paralegal businesses. Over the years, paralegals have transcended the image of glorified legal secretary to become respected members of the legal team.

ing and involves a range of high-level skills. The most successful paralegals are problem-solvers and innovative thinkers. Paralegals must become subject matter experts in their specialty area and master legal procedure, research, drafting and other skills. They must stay on top of ever-changing laws and new legal trends

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally. It offers a unique opportunity to help others. These opportunities vary, depending on the paralegal's practice area.Paralegals in the public interest sector help poor and disadvantaged segments of the population with legal issues ranging from protection from domestic abuse to assistance preparing wills. Ready to take the leap?l Next Track: Tues, May 9 @6pm

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JOBS & RECESSION

Trump’s Latest Executive Order Targets High-Skilled Immigrants

BY MICHELE WASLIN

n April 18, President Trump signed the Presidential Executive Order on Buy American and Hire American. Similar to the other immigration-related executive orders, this one has no immediate effect. The executive order does not change the existing requirements for any visa category or the processes for approving a petition or application for a particular visa category or for issuing a visa. It simply calls for the Attorney General and the Secretaries of Homeland Security, State, and Labor to propose new rules and issue new guidance, if appropriate, to protect U.S. workers. Any serious overhaul of the H-1B visa would require Congress to pass a law. The executive order specifically targets the H-1B visa classification, which is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa category that allows employers to petition for highly educated foreign professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. While the tech industry does utilize H-1B visas, it is not the only sector to use H-1Bs. For example, states rely on doctors in H1B status to work in medically underserved areas. Any changes to the visa classification can have widespread implica-

tions. The executive order calls on the Attorney General and the named Secretaries to “suggest reforms to help ensure that H1Bs are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries.” Currently, a lottery is conducted to choose among the employer petitions. On April 7, 2017, USCIS announced that it had received more petitions than the entire H1B cap for Fiscal Year 2018 allows. If the cap is hit during the first five business days, USCIS conducts a lottery to determine which employers’ petitions for H-1B workers will be processed. This year, USCIS received 199,000 petitions, and the lottery was conducted on April 11. This means that petitions were

selected through a computer-generated random process in order to meet the cap of 65,000 for the general category and 20,000 for the advanced degree “cap exemption.” USCIS first conducts the lottery for the 20,000 cap exemption category and any requests not selected are put back into the pool for the 65,000. The statute requires H-1B visas to be allocated “in the order in which petitions are filed.” The lottery system was created by regulation in 2005 to address the situation when demand for H-1Bs is particularly high and enough petitions are received within the first five business days of the filing period to reach the cap. Thus, any efforts to change the lottery process would likely require new rulemaking at a minimum, and depending on the nature of the change, possibly a statutory amendment. Unfortunately, the entire premise of the executive order is flawed. It states that, “in order to create higher wages and employment rates for workers in the United States, and to protect their economic interests” rigorous enforcement of immigration laws is necessary. But many reputable studies show the benefits to native-born workers from foreign-born workers. Research has found that: H-1B-driven increases in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

(STEM) workers were associated with a significant increase in wages for collegeeducated, U.S.-born workers in 219 U.S. cities. A one percentage point increase in foreign STEM workers’ share of a city’s total employment was associated with increases in wages of 7 to 8 percentage points paid to both STEM and non-STEM college-educated natives, while non-college educated workers saw an increase of 3 to 4 percentage points. From 2009 to 2011, wage growth for U.S.-born workers with at least a bachelor’s degree was nominal, but wage growth for workers in occupations with large numbers of H-1B petitions was substantially higher. Unemployment rates are low for occupations that use large numbers of H-1B visas. For example, many STEM occupations have very low unemployment compared to the overall national unemployment rate. These low unemployment rates signal a demand for labor that exceeds the supply. Foreign-born workers complement U.S. workers and play an important role in American productivity and innovation. Reform to the current system must be thoughtful and carefully considered. Flashy changes for the sake of headlines will not result in positive changes.l

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NEWS 15#

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Can My Landlord Enter My Apartment Without Prior Notice?

common landlord-tenant dispute concerns the rights of landlords to enter rental property versus tenant privacy rights. To avoid problems, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key to adopt fair (and legal) policies specifying the circumstances (such as to make repairs) when the landlord may legally enter rented premises.

What are a landlord's maintenance responsibilities? Do tenants have responsibilities? Under most state and local laws, landlords must offer and maintain housing that satisfies basic habitability requirements, such as adequate weatherproofing, available heat, water, and electricity, and clean, sanitary, and structurally safe premises. Local building or housing codes typically set specific standards, such as the minimum requirements for light, ventilation, and electrical wiring. Many cities require the installation of smoke detectors in residential units and specify security measures involving locks and keys. Your local building or housing authority and health or fire department, can provide information on local housing codes and penalties for violations. Tenants have the responsibility to keep

their own living quarters clean and sanitary. If you do not, you can't go to the landlord and request repairs that are due to your negligence, such as infestations of pests such as ants. In that case, the landlord could have the work done and send the repair bill to you. When the landlord is responsible for making certain repairs, the landlord can usually delegate the repair tasks to the tenant in exchange for a reduction in rent (if the tenant agrees). If the tenant fails to do the job well, however, the landlord is not excused from his responsibility to maintain the property in a habitable condition.

If a landlord doesn't make required repairs, what are the consequences? If a tenant requests repairs and the landlord or property manager doesn't meet the habitability requirements, a tenant usually has several options, depending

on the state. These options include: n making the necessary repairs and deducting the costs from the next month's rent nwithholding the entire rent until the problem is fixed n paying less rent while the rental remains substandard ncalling the local building inspector, who can usually order the landlord to make repairs, or nmoving out without responsibility for future rent, even in the middle of a lease. A tenant can also sue the landlord for a partial refund of past rent, and in some circumstances can sue for the discomfort, annoyance, and emotional distress caused by the substandard conditions.

When may a landlord enter rental property? Is advance notice required? Landlords can enter rented premises only

in the following circumstances: nto make needed repairs (or in some states, just to determine whether repairs are necessary) nin cases of emergency, or nto show the property to prospective new tenants or purchasers. Several states also allow landlords or property managers the right of entry during a tenant's extended absence (often defined as seven days or more) to maintain the property as necessary and to inspect for damage and needed repairs. In most cases, a landlord may not enter just to check up on the tenant and the rental property. States that regulate landlords' access require landlords to provide advance notice (usually 24 hours) before entering a rental unit. State by State.) In most states, without advance notice, a landlord or manager may enter rented premises while a tenant is living there only in an emergency â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as a fire or serious water leak â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or when the tenant gives permission.l Source: nolo.com

This article is not a subsitute for legal advice.

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SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS

What the Steel Pan Can Teach You About Entrepreneurship

BY RON JOHNSON

he steel pan of Trinidad & Tobago is sometimes credited as being the only musical instrument to have been developed in the 20th century. The modern version of the steel pan emerged in Trinidad in the 1930s, when a variety of objects such as pots and pans, car parts, biscuit tins, dustbins, oil drums and other items were used as percussion instruments. During this time, innovative Trinidadians saw discarded oil drums as having great potential to become a musical instrument, and they started to experiment with creating a unique sound. These early ‘pannists’ were responsible for crafting a completely new art form from discarded oil drums. Today, the steel pan is highly regarded as a musical instrument par excellence, and the history of the Trinidadian steel pan has a number of lessons for entrepreneurs. Here are five things that the Trinidadian steel pan can teach you about entrepreneurship.

Be creative As a businessperson, there will be times when you may not have access to all of the resources you’d like. In times like these, you’ll need to be creative, and just like the

early pannists of the 1930s, you’ll need to use the resources you have available to create something beautiful and unique.

Be proud of your work Many historians trace the roots of the steel pan to the impoverished communities of Trinidad & Tobago. The steel pan was considered to be a “street instrument” and it was quite some time before ‘pan’ was accepted and respected as a legitimate musical instrument. Despite its humble beginnings, the steel pan has been adopted as Trinidad & Tobago’s national instrument. Here’s an important lesson for entrepreneurs. Even if you come from humble beginnings, be proud of your work.

GET MONEY FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

Have fun! There’s no such thing as a sad pannist! If you’ve ever attended any event where the steel pan is being played, you’ll know that it is virtually impossible for a pannist to remain still while playing the pan. Chances are that just about every pannist in the band is moving to the groove of the music and having fun. And with good reason! There is a growing body of research which suggests that happy people are healthier, more creative and more productive. Okay, so your workmates might find it odd if you suddenly started dancing and singing while in the workplace, but you can still take a cue from Trinidad’s pannists and enjoy your work! By the way, according to the World Happiness Report, Trinidad and Tobago is the Caribbean’s happiest country. Hmmm…maybe playing the steel pan has something to do with the happiness level of the country.

The world is your market The steel pan may have started in Trinidad & Tobago, but it’s now an instrument in demand all across the globe. Today, the steel pan has been used in just about every musical genre possible, from soca to reg-

gae to jazz and hip-hop. Master pannists are also in high demand all over the world for their skills with the instrument. Today’s entrepreneurs live in a hyper-connected global village. It has never been easier to get your products and services into markets outside of your home turf. If you’ve got an innovative product or service, you owe it to yourself to investigate whether you can entice customers from other countries.

Protect your Intellectual Property The Trinidadian steel pan has been plagued by a number of intellectual property issues, many of which revolve around the filing of patents by persons residing outside of Trinidad & Tobago. The whole issue has gotten pretty contentious. The lesson for entrepreneurs is clear. No matter how unique your product, there is always the possibility that other persons can find ways to claim sections of your work. Always be prepared to protect your intellectual property.l Source: caribbean360.com

Ron Johnson is co-founder and Managing Director of Blueprint Creative

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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

Time to take your business to the next level!

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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.

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NEWS 17

NEWS

nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

nSPORTS

nHOROSCOPE

2017: Year of Rihanna

BY JANET HOWARD

he year 2017 is barely four months old and it’s shaping up to be the Year of Rihanna. Who could forget how Rihanna made the Grammys hers in February just by being herself. Remember the jewelencrusted flask. While some fell asleep, Rihanna sipped. In March, the month observing women, Rihanna accepted the Humanitarian Award from Harvard as the total boss woman she is. After the guest speakers spoke to Rihanna’s cultural and philanthropic impact, the singer took the stage and addressed her public. “So, I made it to Harvard,” she said, opening the speech with a grin and hair flip. Rihanna then went on to explain how watching commercials as a child that encouraged viewers to donate 25 cents to save a life informed her attitudes toward charity. “I would say to myself, ‘When I grow up, and I can get rich, I’m gonna save kids all over the world,’” Rihanna recalled. “I just didn’t know I would be in the position to do that by the time I was a teenager.” The Harvard Foundation, which annually honors prominent public-spirited leaders, named Rihanna as the recipient of the Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award for her charitable work promoting healthcare and education in the Caribbean. In addition to funding a stateof-the-art center for oncology and nuclear medicine in her home country of Barbados, the singer has set up the Clara Lionel Foundation Scholarship Program to help Caribbean students attending universities in the U.S. succeed. “All you need to do is help one person, expecting nothing in return,” Rihanna continued. “To me, that is a humanitarian. People make it seem way too hard, man. The truth is — and what the little girl watching those commercials didn’t know — is that you don’t have to be rich to be a humanitarian, to help somebody. You don’t have to be famous. You don’t have to be college-educated.” She continued her dominance by showcasing her Spring Fenty x Puma Collection in France. Everyone wants to get their hands — or shall we say feet — on Rihanna's new Fenty X Puma shoe

5 Tips to Turn Your Home Into a Retreat

here's a reason why they say your home is your castle. This is a place of rest and refuge. The next time you find yourself with a quiet evening or weekend, make selfcare and pampering a priority. In fact, you can borrow a few pages from the wellness playbook with expert tips from one the world's most storied resorts. Destination Kohler is located in Kohler, Wisconsin, and recently named one of the top 15 wellness resorts by Conde Nast Traveler. A few simple additions to your home, says Garrett Mersberger, director of Kohler Waters Spas, can greatly increase the relaxation factor during your down time.

collection. Both Topshop and Forever 21 are facing legal action by Puma for copying her designs. You know what they say about imitation; it’s the sincerest form of flattery. Adding more accolades to her already award-winning year, Rihanna is set to be honored by the Parsons School of Design, at the school’s 69th annual benefit, taking place on May 22 at Pier 60. “Parsons is proud to present Rihanna with this honor, as she has inspired millions through her powerful music and distinct style,” said Joel Towers, the school’s executive dean, in a statement. “She has championed our recent alumni on a number of occasions by wearing their designs. She is also creating important philanthropic programs, which support communities by fostering effective education, health, and emergency response programs around the world through her Clara Lionel Foundation.” Now, Rihanna's venturing into the world of luxury. The singer, who successfully took over the ready-to-wear market with her Fenty x Puma collection, is adding jewelry designer to her résumé as she recently collaborated with luxury brand Chopard for a collection launching this May. She posted a picture of herself to her Instagram account wearing a few

of the designs. According to Elle, RiRi drew inspiration from the gardens and Carnival celebrations in her home island of Barbados for what is called the "Rihanna Loves Chopard" collection. It consists of nine pieces she codesigned with Chopard's creative director, Caroline Scheufele, and each design will be "super limited edition" with only 2,000 of each being made available for purchase. When Rihanna accepted the Vanguard Award last year from MTV, she said: “I think about the Vanguard Award and receiving this tonight, all I could think of was my country. They're going to be so proud. This is the first Vanguard to land anywhere close to my country. And so you know, my success, it started as my dream. But now my success is not my own. It's my family's. It's my fan's. It's the Caribbean's as a whole. It's women's, it's black women's. So many people feel like their little piece is such a major part of this puzzle and I have to thank you all for supporting me over and over.” You are so right, RiRi. We are so proud of you, Rihanna, Bajan-born, Caribbeanowned. Continue taking 2017 by storm. Blessings.l

1. Include the five senses. The secret to setting up the best spa experience, Mersberger says, is making positive connections to all the senses: touch, smell, taste, sight and sound. "If one of these is missing, the experience isn't the same," he says. Even the smallest changes can transform your space and elevate your mood. You can light a candle and plug in the indoor water fountain to create sound and lighting that soothes the mind. Snuggle into a plush robe and encase your feet in super soft socks or slippers after your shower or bath. Finally, don't forget to set yourself up with a glass of wine and a cheese plate.

2. Prepare your body with hydrotherapy. People have known this since ancient times: water has great powers of restoration, which is why hydrotherapy is central to any worthwhile spa experience. At home, it's as simple as making small adjustments to your shower routine. Mersberger suggests changing the pulses in your shower head and experimenting with hot and cool blasts of water, which he says are good for the skin and blood flow. To ready your body for sleep or relaxation, finish with a shower that's a neutral temperature (about 92-97 degrees Fahrenheit), to return your body to normal. continued on page 18

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Gwendolyn Brooks Brings Couple’s Love Story to Life BY TATYANA BELLAMY-WALKER

Gwendolyn Brooks

early 60 years ago, one Brooklyn woman met her husband through the poems of literary activist, Gwendolyn Brooks. It was Brook’s Pulitzer-Prize winning poem, “Black Love” that got them hooked. “She is dear to us,” said Betty Harris Neals, a retired middle school teacher from East Orange, New Jersey. “Her poetry is so moving. What attracts me is its bare truth.” Neals was one of nearly 100 residents who gathered at Medgar Evers College in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn last month to attend the National Black Writer’s Conference celebrating the poetry and life of Gwendolyn Brooks among other published African-American writers. Brooks, a native of Chicago launched her writing career in the early 1930s. Her first poem, “Eventide” was published in American Childhood Magazine. In 1950, Brooks was the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize. Brooks later became a teacher in higher education. As a shaker in the literary world, Brooks is known for her innovative writing style. After the Black Arts Movement, some critics noticed a change in Brook’s work. According to a 1997 article in the Oxford Companion to African-American Literature, some critics say Brook’s work acquired an “angrier” tone following the movement, while others say her work has always focused on social justice issues. During this era, Brooks shifted from

5 Tips to Turn Your Home Into a Spa Retreat/ continued from page17

3. Release blocked energy. Start your quest for relaxation with a simple yoga move called the seated cat/cow position. "In addition to releasing blocked energy, it also opens the spine," says Ashley Kohler, Manager of Yoga on the Lake at Destination Kohler. To do this, sit cross-legged on the floor and place your hands on your knees. As you inhale, lean your chest forward and lift your gaze to the sky. As you exhale, round out your spine while drawing your

major publishing houses to smaller black ones. “She published with black publishers,” said Dr. Haki R. Madhubuti a publisher of Third World Press. “[The poetry] didn’t lose fundamental ground.” Angela Jackson, a playwright and novelist said that Brooks took risks within her work. “From the beginning, she was experimental,” Jackson said. “In each poem, she remakes herself. Her intention after 1968 may have been more conscious. she reinvented herself in a more direct way so she can appeal to a broader audience.” Marilyn Nelson, a former Fulbright Teaching Fellow added, “Its clear, her work did change, but it’s not right to make an issue of it.” Brook’s works tackled a range of controversial issues. Jackson praised Brook’s sensitivity to abortion in the 1945 poem, “the mother.” “It doesn’t take a stand for or against abortion, but embodies the pain,” Jackson said. “It put her on the side of women.” Some writers identified with Brooks struggle with censorship. Nelson, said an editor wanted her to cut the phrase, “parallel universe,” from her young adult book because a younger demographic would not understand the work. After Nelson read the selection to a classroom of middle schoolers, the editor changed her mind. Sore Agbaje, 21, recited a Gwendolyn Brooks poem and read an original work, “Crossed Oceans Dilute Culture.” Agbaje said writing gave her “permission” to express her opinions. “No one was policing what I was saying,” said Agbaje, an award-winning young adult poet. “Writing was the only way I could speak and be free without feeling like I was wrong or judged.” Meanwhile, the 65-year marriage between Neal and her husband later grew into a longtime bond with Brooks. When the poet was in-town they would treat her to dinner – Brooks has also met the couple’s children. While weather concerns disrupted plans to attend the poet’s funeral, Neals says Brooks will always be “part of her heart.” l

LIFESTYLE

Kitchen Corner

Tamarind Tofu with Vegetables and Soba BY JOCELYN HELLING, ALLRECIPES.COM

"Brightly colored vegetables with a tamarind, ginger, and garlic sauce are tossed with baked tofu triangles and served over bi-colored soba noodles with sesame and peanut crunch. Garnish as desired. Orange or pineapple slices are pretty on this dish." - Jocelyn

Ingredients • 1 pound tamarind pods • hot water to cover • 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu • 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided • 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts • 1/4 cup sesame seeds • 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber • 1 cup grated carrots • 1 cup diagonally sliced green onions • 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper • 4 cloves crushed garlic • 1 orange, juiced • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 tablespoon grated ginger • 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste • 5 ounces light soba noodles • 5 ounces dark soba noodles Directions 1. Break open tamarind pods and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Cover with hot water and let soften, about 1 hour. Push softened tamarind through a sieve with the back of a spoon to extract pulp, discarding seeds and tough fibers. Measure out a 1/2 cup of tamarind pulp; set aside.

2. Slice tofu crosswise into 6 rectangles. Cut rectangles in half into 12 squares. Cut squares in half diagonally to make 24 triangles. Layer tofu on paper towels, pressing to extract excess liquid, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Toss tofu triangles with 2 tablespoons peanut oil; arrange on baking sheet. 5. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes.

6. Combine peanuts and sesame seeds in a large skillet or wok over medium heat; toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.

7. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add cucumber, carrots, green onions, and red bell pepper; saute just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

8. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tamarind pulp, orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and red pepper flakes; simmer until sauce is combined, about 3 minutes.

9. Stir baked tofu triangles, peanuts, and sesame seeds into the sauce. Fold in cucumber mixture.

10. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add light and dark soba noodles; cook, stirring occasionally, under tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Top with tofu and cucumber mixture.l • • • • •

shoulders forward, gazing down. 4. Hone your breathing technique. Breathing is a vital component of managing stress levels, Kohler says. Yet most Americans only breathe with a third of their lung capacity, creating "flight energy" in the body and cultivating that feeling of stress. "Conscious breathing will ease your nervous system and help control stress levels and help you unwind," Kohler says. Here's an easy antidote: Sit

Prep Cook Ready In Servings Calories

35 minutes 1 hours 3 hours, 5 minutes 4 826

quietly for a few moments, taking full-body, deep breaths.

5. Relieve stress by going outside. The benefits of going outside in the winter is not only good for our bodies, being outside chases away the winter blahs, as research has told us. Go ahead and skip the treadmill and go jogging in the park. Or take a walk. When you're done, there's no better feeling than coming in from the cool air, knowing you are truly in for the day. l (BPT)

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Island of Flatbush COMMUNITY SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2017 11:00AM TO 6:00PM CITY VACANT LOT

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A FREE Event for the Entire Family

TESTS & SCREENINGS

EDUCATION & INFORMATION

tHeart Disease Stroke

tObesity

tHIV/AIDS

tCooking Demos

tHypertension

tColon, Breast, Prostate & Lung Cancers

tPodiatry

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tCOPD & Asthma

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FLATBUSH DIABETES TASK FORCE

Symposium

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Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Erasmus Hall High School, 911 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn

City Council & State Assembly Members will be in attendance

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Asst Comm, NYC Dept of Health & Mental Hygiene Dr Torian Easterling

For more information, please contact: John Williams Tel: 347-962-0451 Email: jhnw361@gmail.com

Presented by New Creation Community Health Empowerment Inc

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SOCIAL CONCERNS

NYC Department of Health Hosts Women's Health and Activism Summit

BY TATYANA BELLAMY-WALKER

ust days after National Women’s and Girls HIV/Aids Awareness Day, dozens of women gathered at the Women’s Health and Activism Summit in Brooklyn to gain mentorship from some of the city’s top health advocates. “As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we continue to acknowledge the important role that activism plays in protecting and improving women’s health,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the keynote speaker in a press release. In 2013, approximately 105,000 New were diagnosed with Yorkers HIV/AIDS, according to AIDSVU, a virtual map on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. Women of color face a greater risk for the disease. Black and Latino women account for nearly 90 percent of new diagnoses among women, reported the NYC Department of Health. For LGBT women of color these diagnoses are even higher. La La Zanelle, a lead organizer at the TransWomen of Color Collective, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. said misgendering affects the physical and emotional health

of trans women of color. “I am a black trans woman and I am born to be disposable to this world,” said Zanelle in a panel that explored activism and intersectionality. “If you go to a doctor’s office and you’re not affirmed — how can you affirm me to take my medication? How can you affirm me to make sure I’m coming to my appointments?” Zanelle added that women of color should create new policies to incite change. Deborah Levine, the Executive Director of Love Heals, an HIV/AIDs education and advocacy group, said women are at the center of healing communities. “The reality is if the women in the community aren’t healthy, the community is not healthy,” said Levine in a panel regarding self-love, empowerment and sexual health. “You can’t be present for someone else if you can’t be present for yourself.” According to the panel, self-care is one of the first steps toward a healthier and happier life. Kimberleigh Joy Smith, Senior Director for community health planning and policy at the Callen Lorde project, said it’s important for women to be their “authentic self” in the context of sex and sexual-

Photo by Stephanie Daniel for Voices of NY

ity. The New York State Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS brochure, “Transition Guide: How to get a good start on the inside,” advises patients not only to take care of their housing, food and treatment plans, but also their sexual wellbeing—such as practicing safe, consensual sex. One of the new tools for HIV/AIDS prevention is PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). Julie Meyers, the director for HIV Prevention at the NYC Department of Health, said PrEP is a daily pill to prevent the HIV infection – serving populations that are at a higher risk of getting the disease.

Oni Blackstock, a primary care doctor and HIV activist, said PrEP is one of the first methods toward user controlled HIV/AIDS prevention. “When you think of other methods of HIV prevention to varying degrees they require the cooperation of the other partner,” Blackstock said. “PrEP doesn’t require a negotiation for your partner to use.” The 2017 Women’s and Health Summit was organized by the city’s Women’s Advisory Board (WAB). For more information and tips on living with HIV and AIDS prevention, New Yorkers can visit the NYC Health Department website at NYC.gov. l

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Life on the Fence: One Foot Out of the Door

ship? Will the problems you face allow you two time for recovery if he starts showing up EXACTLY how you need him to be? Or is it “too little too late?”

BY JENNINE ESTES, MFT

omen who are unfulfilled in a relationship soon begin to live on the fence. Half invested the relationship, half completely checked out and ready to leave. When this happens, you can’t seem to find that feeling of love and feeling alive. Thoughts of stepping out of the relationship become more frequent and much more tempting. Women might feel especially torn because they don’t want to do the wrong thing, the guilt takes over, or the fear of the unknown gets overwhelming. The hardest part is when children are part of the equation; women can feel a strong sense of obligation to make it work for the kids yet they are dying inside. If you’re on the fence, look for the signs of burn out and ask yourself some big questions.

Burn Out Do you feel burnt out in your relationship? No matter how hard you try to feel emotions, you just can’t seem to find a spark? Hours of the same arguments, trust issues, and feeling unheard can lead to the same burn out you experience when you spend too much time getting frustrated about anything. When you feel burnt out, you may begin to have difficulty sleeping, feel anxious often, and just be sick of dealing with your partner. At this point in the relationship is when women will often consider leaving. Before you head out the door, how-

ever, take the time to really ask yourself important questions and weigh the options.

How Much Are You On The Fence? Having uncertainty in your relationship because your partner continues to be unfaithful is very different than being on the fence because he is needy or calls too much. One of these issues is a serious crack in the foundation of your relationship, and the other might be fixed with an honest conversation. When you are on the fence, a large part of you is already out of the relationship but a small part is hanging on and might consider staying. When you find yourself on the fence of a relationship, take a step back and imagine if there is anything he could magically change or become, would it help you consider putting a little bit of your heart back in the relation-

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Are You Telling Him What You Need and Exactly Where You Are? It’s important to ask yourself when you’re considering leaving your relationship: “Have I told him what’s bothering me and the changes I need to consider working on in the relationship?” If your partner is blissfully unaware that anything is wrong (or the severity of where you are) things can’t get better! Communicate how severe things are, what you need, and the ways in which you think the relationship needs to change. Then…listen! Once a dialogue is open, you might find that you start to feel more secure in the relationship and get off the fence.

Is He Willing to Work On It? It really does take two to make a relationship work. If you are on the fence because you have expressed what you need or want to change and your partner is unwilling to bend, you probably feel like you’re in the relationship alone. When you find yourself here, it’s time to consider seeking counseling NOW! Make sure you are ready to leave by sorting through the history of how you got to this place. You may be flirting with the idea of landing on the other side of the fence – leaving — but make sure you have exhausted all your resources and attempts. Still, it is hard to fight for a rela-

tionship when the other person is not equally invested or willing to work on it.

Is a Third Party Involved? If you are a woman on the fence because you are having a fling, or have feelings for someone else, the first step is to cut off communication with the third party – at least in the short term. Only once you have stopped talking to the other object of your desire can you have a clear head about whether or not you should stay or go in your current relationship. If you do decide to leave the relationship, make sure to close that door completely before you start something new. Experiencing relationship burn out is something many women experience, and doesn’t necessarily signal the end of the relationship. If you are willing to put in work, and so is your partner, you might be able to salvage what you have. If you decide to move on, do yourself a favor and make sure one relationship is over before you start a different one – or things will only become more complicated.l

Jennine Estes, MFT, is a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, CA., certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples. She write relationship and self-growth advice for her column, Relationships in the Raw. She is also the creator of #BeingLOVEDIs campaign. MFC#47653

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CARIBBEAN STAR

The Brilliance of Sir Derek Walcott

erek Walcott, whose intricately metaphorical poetry captured the physical beauty of the Caribbean, the harsh legacy of colonialism and the complexities of living and writing in two cultural worlds, bringing him a Nobel Prize in literature, died at his home near Gros Islet in St Lucia on March 17, 2017. He was 87. Walcott’s expansive universe revolved around a tiny sun, the island of St Lucia. Its opulent vegetation, blinding white beaches and tangled multicultural heritage inspired, in its most famous literary son, an ambitious body of work that seemingly embraced every poetic form, from the short lyric to the epic. With the publication of the collection In a Green Night in 1962, critics and poets, Robert Lowell among them, leapt to recognise a powerful new voice in Caribbean literature and to praise the sheer musicality of Walcott’s verse, the immediacy of its visual images, its profound sense of place. He had first attracted attention on St Lucia with a book of poems that he published as a teenager. Early on, he showed a remarkable ear for the music of English – heard in the poets whose work he absorbed in his Anglocentric education and on the lips of his fellow St Lucians – and a painter’s eye for the particulars of the local landscape: its beaches and clouds; its turtles, crabs and tropical fish; the sparkling expanse of the Caribbean.

speaks to each and every one of us. In him, West Indian culture has found its great poet.”

Walcott Grandeur Walcott’s art developed and expanded in works like The Castaway, The Gulf and Another Life, a 4,000-line inquiry into his life and surroundings, published in 1973. The Caribbean poet George Lamming called it “the history of an imagination.” Walcott quickly won recognition as one of the finest poets writing in English and as an enormously ambitious artist – ambitious for himself, his art and his people. He had a sense of the Caribbean’s

grandeur that inspired him to write Omeros, a transposed Homeric epic, published in 1990, with humble fishermen and a taxi driver standing in for the heroes of ancient Greece. Two years later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. The prize committee cited him for “a poetic oeuvre of great luminosity, sustained by a historical vision, the outcome of a multicultural commitment.” It continued: “In his literary works Walcott has laid a course for his own cultural environment, but through them he

Identity As a poet, Walcott plumbed the paradoxes of identity intrinsic to his situation. He was a mixed-race poet living on a British-ruled island whose people spoke French-based Creole or English. At the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, where he majored in French, Latin and Spanish, he began writing plays, entering into a lifelong but rocky love affair with the theatre. His first play was produced in St Lucia in 1950. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1953, Walcott taught in schools in St Lucia, Grenada and Jamaica while continuing to write and stage plays. His verse dramas Ione and Sea at Dauphin were produced in Trinidad in 1954. TiJean and His Brothers, a retelling of a Trinidadian folk tale in which Lucifer tries to steal the souls of three brothers, was produced in Trinidad in 1958. Walcott studied directing with José Quintero in New York for a year and, on returning to the West Indies, founded a repertory company, the Little Carib Theater Workshop, which in the late 1960s became the Trinidad Theater Workshop. His best-known play was Dream on Monkey Mountain, which received an off-Broadway production in 1971. He later wrote the book and collaborated with singer-songwriter Paul Simon on the lyrics for The Capeman, a musical about a Puerto Rican gang member who killed three people in Manhattan in 1959. The show opened at the Marquis Theater in 1998 and closed after 68 performances, becoming one of the most expensive flops in Broadway history. With the publication of In a Green Night in 1962, Walcott captured the attention of British and American critics. Robert Lowell in particular was enthusiastic, and served as a point of entry to the American literary world. With each succeeding collection – Selected Poems (1964), The Castaway (1969), The Gulf (1970) and Sea Grapes (1976) – Walcott established himself as something more than an interesting local poet. The wanderings in Omeros were rivalled by Walcott’s own zigzag itinerary as a teacher and lecturer at universities around the world. He taught at Boston University from 1981 until retiring in 2007, dividing his time among Boston, New York and St Lucia but constantly en route. Walcott’s three marriages ended in divorce. His survivors include his longtime companion, Sigrid Nama; a son, Peter; two daughters, Anna WalcottHardy and Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw; and several grandchildren. His twin brother, Roderick, died in 2000.l Originally printed as an Obituary in The Irish Times)

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