Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 69

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ISSUE 69 VOLUME 16

Why Do White People Control the Marijuana Industry?

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BY JANET HOWARD

egal weed is creating an opportunity of a lifetime; but for whom?

White people are earning profits on a product that landed millions of African Americans in prison for decades.

It’s a booming industry. Less than two weeks after sales of recreational marijuana kicked off in Nevada, Las Vegas, stores are running out of pot to sell, according to the state's Department of Taxation. It’s such that Gov. Brian Sandoval endorsed the department's call for a "statement of emergency," which

Jamaican PM: Enough Talk Time for Action ...see page 3

continued on page 8

Financing 101 for New Graduates ... see page 7

Affordable Housing in NYC: How to Apply

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n New York City, there are many housing programs intended to ease the financial burden of renting apartments for people earning a wide range of incomes. You can be solidly middle class and in some cases even earn six figures and still land a subsidized apartment via New York City’s system of affordable and middleincome housing lotteries. Consider this article your primer on how affordable housing lotteries for rentals work

Estate Planning is a Necessity; not a Luxury. Get Your Will Done.

CALL NOW FOR A FREE CONSULTATION:

Take Responsibility Kamla ...see page 2

Roper: Velvet Gloves and Balls of Steel...see page 6

Call 855-768-8845

Caribbean Star: Dr Patricia Nicholas...see page 7

continued on page 3

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Food for Thought:

DEMOCRATS, they are the “leaders” in NYC and NYS with no solutions for

Ilegal Stop & Frisk. Therefore, more arrests for Blacks & Hispanics, than Whites for Simple Marijuana Possession; hence the criminalization and

recidivism of minorities, resulting in no jobs and no business ownership);

and the criminalization of immigrants, resulting in the inadmissisability for a

Green Card and disqualification for Citizenship. If Democrats are the friends of minorities, what are the Republicans?

This STD is Becoming ‘Smarter’ and Harder to Treat ... see page 10

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Caribbean Consulates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grenada 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

IN THE NEWS Grenada Aging Commission Launched the First Aqua Sunday to Bring Awareness to Dementia and Alzheimer’s in Grenada

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t. George, Grenada: Alzheimer’s is a global crisis! The Alzheimer’s Association reports that over 47 million people are living with Dementia and that someone in the world develops Dementia every 3 seconds. Dementia is one of the biggest health and social challenges facing the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Globally, 59% of people incorrectly believe that Alzheimer’s is a typical part of aging.

The importance of early assessment and treatment is crucial to care.

The Grenada Aging Commission held its first annual Aqua (aqua is the color of healing) in St. George, Grenada event, created to build awareness of Dementia, Alzheimer’s and other Dementias. Mrs. A. Williams, Chair of the Aging Commission, states, “Our goal is to provide non-medical programs and informa-

tion that will help people living with the disease, caregivers and family members.”

The Dementia/Alzheimer’s mobilization efforts,spearheaded by The Aging Commission with the support of by Ms. Arlette Murrain, consultant from the U.S. and native of Montserrat, met with fifteen organizations and private citizens, for examplw, St. George Anglican Church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ministry of Health, Grand Anse Home, Ministry of Social Development & Housing and business leaders. Special thanks to Sissons Paint and Spice Island Beach Resort. “It is my mission and honor to provide information about Dementia/Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases to Grenada and other Caribbean islands,” said Ms. Murrain.

Take Responsibility, Kamla

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BY PHILLIP ALEXANDER

amla Persad Bissessar has put out a release calling on Keith Rowley to stop focusing on small things and focus instead on the realities facing the average citizen and rightly so, but what she fails to acknowledge is the 'text message' he referred to and the one she wants him to ignore is a text sent to her that she read into the public space ringing an alarm for a kidnapping that never occurred.

What Kamla must not be allowed to do is to use Rowley's failures to disguise her own. She accuses him of employing distraction, but that is precisely what she is doing here.

She is yet to apologize for leading the nature astray for sharing fake news to the public about a kidnapping that never occurred, and while calls for other people to up their game are laudable, we all have to take responsibility for what WE do and say to the listening public. Her kneejerk reaction was highly irresponsible especially to a nation living in fear. Her lack of policies or plans of her own while

Persad Bissessar

in government is also brought into stark contrast by her calling him out on his. Six ministers of national security in five years is a failure or epic proportions, and while she is leaning into the shortcomings of others, she also has to lean into that.

The reality is that neither party has done anything of substance to curb crime because crime is now big business in T&T.

Aqua Sunday will utilize the power and influence of church leadership and people of faith to promote and bring awareness to Dementia and Alzheimer’s. “It is the responsibility of clergy leaders to create health ministries within their congregations that will support, provide compassionate care, educate and design tailored programs in their respective communities,” Mrs. Williams said.

The Aging Commission, St. George’s Grenada mission is to educate, advocate and provide informational programs that will assist and enhance the quality of life for seniors in Grenada.l Read more Caribbean news at www.cawnyc.com. Visit us on Facebook @cawnyc

Instead of wasting time spreading rumors and attacking each other, BOTH of these leaders should be advising the nation as to their plans for social development and management to eradicate the poverty driving crime, their plans to shut down the nation's borders to cut off the cocaine supply financing crime and the illegal guns facilitating crime, what they intend to do to right-size and redeploy an effective, professional and properly funded police service, and their plans for a justice system in pre-collapse.

The nation is tired of political bacchanal and noise. The word on the street is clear. The average person is understanding what the government's role in the national equation is, and is starting to see how badly BOTH of these parties have failed them.

We the people need to demand better, starting with changing what we give our attention to, what we allow to pass as the national conversation.

It is time to end the politics of wasteful old talk, bacchanal and noise.l

Jamaican Youth to Be Awarded Queen’s Young Leader

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amaican, Abrahim Simmonds, was received by Queen Elizabeth at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London as one of 60 young people from the Commonwealth who received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award.

Simmonds is the co-founder of the Jamaican Youth Empowerment through Culture, Arts and Nationalism (JAYECAN). The awards are given in recognition of exceptional young people between the ages of 18 and 29 who are changing their communities throughout

the Commonwealth and bettering people’s lives. In 2017, the winners were recognized for working to support others, raise awareness and encourage change on many fronts, including bullying in schools, environmental protections, and promotion of gender equality.

Simmonds, 23, was selected on the basis of his work using the arts to develop skills in young individuals. While visiting the UK, the winners participated in a program that includes networking opportunities, training sessions, and mentoring. The pro-

gram is designed to help them in the development toward leadership that will have a growing impact on people’s lives.

The Queen’s Young Leaders Program was created by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Comic Relief, and The Royal Commonwealth Society to honor the Queen’s 60 years of service. The program’s goal is to enable young people to become leaders who can improve the lives of people throughout the Commonwealth.

The program was designed to last four years and will end in 2018.l

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!

TIME FOR ACTION

Enough Talk: Time To Act and Fully Implement CSME, Says Jamaica PM

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INGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, has urged his regional colleagues to make haste and fully implement the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He made the call yesterday as he contributed to discussions on the CSME during the first plenary session at the 38th meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Grenada.

“The true expression of the realization of the integration dream is to get the CSME going, and we have to have the resolve as leaders to do this,” he urged.

“It is how our people will experience true development and prosperity. And so, Jamaica wants to urge members to seri-

Affordable Housing/ continued from page 1

in NYC, how to apply and what to expect.

What is Affordable Housing in NYC? New York City works with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to encourage local real estate developers and community groups to create for-rent and for-sale housing options at prices that are affordable to low- and middle-income New Yorkers. Keep in mind that “affordable” is a relative term and of course means different things for different people.

According to the HPD, however, affordable means that the housing costs are no more than 30 percent of a person’s income.

Although the HDP sets affordability at 30 percent of one’s income, local government housing programs (New York City’s included) use the area median income to determine who qualifies for affordable and middle-income housing.

Area median income (AMI) takes into account the varying costs of living and income levels within a specific city, town or county to set the local benchmark.

Based on how much you earn relative to your AMI, your housing options will

ously put our efforts and commitment behind the CSME.” Holness said regional leaders have been speaking about implementing a CSME for too long with little action.

He said only three countries can truly

claim to have compliance in adopting the CSME, while for many it is a dream not realized and even denied.

“We should all make the commitment and redouble our efforts to have compliance toward creating the real CSME. Otherwise, the reality is that we will keep meeting and eventually it will wither away,” said Holness during the first working session with regional leaders.

The leaders met in caucus and discussed several matters of regional importance, including CARICOM’s response to Great Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, as well as the situation in Venezuela, among other matters.l

vary. In 2016, the AMI for New York City was $81,600 for a family of three.

How to Apply for the NYC Affordable Housing Lottery All New York City housing lotteries are funneled through NYC Housing Connect, an online portal for applying for low and middle-income rentals.

Housing Connect is a component of the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC). To apply for a housing lottery, you have to first set yourself up on NYC Housing Connect. Follow these steps: •Register and create an account on NYC Housing Connect. All you need is a valid email address and basic contact info. Tip: Only one account per household.

•Enter all your household information.

This step is more involved and requires you to enter all the employment and income information for all members of your household. Don’t worry – you don’t have to complete this in one sitting. You can save a draft, but you must complete all fields before submitting your application.

TEAM

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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 Contributors Janet Howard Candace Bahr Ginita Wall Phillip Alexander

Email: cariaweekly@aol.com Telephone: 718-771-0988

Website: www.cawnyc.com

•Submit it! The best part is you can submit an application for any lottery you qualify for. Just make sure you submit one application per property and you submit by the deadline.

•Track your application history. The housing lottery is the kind of thing where no news is a bad sign. They will only contact you if you have been selected for acceptance into the program. That said, you can view all the lotteries you applied for to help keep track. Again, it’s a very slow process so don’t freak out if you haven’t heard several weeks after submitting your application. It can take months. l

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CIVIL RIGHTS

Trump-Pence-Kobach Voter Suppression Efforts are Underway

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ASHINGTON—Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement following the issuance of two letters by the Trump administration that indicate it is laying the groundwork for mass voter purges. In a letter sent by the Department of Justice to states covered by the National Voter Registration Act, the government is requesting information on voter registration list maintenance procedures. In another letter sent

by Kris Kobach, who along with Vice President Mike Pence co-chairs President Trump’s efforts to investigate so-called election fraud, the government is requesting all publicly available data from each state’s voter rolls: “These two letters, sent on the same day, are highly suspect, and seem to confirm that the Trump administration is laying the groundwork to suppress the right to vote.

It is not normal for the Department of Justice to ask for voting data from all states covered by the National Voter Registration Act. It’s likely that this is instead the beginning of an effort to force unwarranted voter purges. The fact that the Justice Department letter coincides with the Kobach letter should cause vot-

ers serious concern. Kris Kobach is a man with an agenda and a history of discriminatory and regressive views on voting rights. We are particularly concerned that these calls for information may be used to wrongly remove eligible Black and Hispanic voters from the rolls through the problematic process known as Crosscheck.

The integrity of our elections is indeed under assault – just not in the way that Donald Trump claims. Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars with a new effort led by two Republicans to promote President Trump’s highly questionable and thoroughly discredited voting agenda, the American people deserve to know how Russia interfered with our last election and how we can fix the serious obstacles eligible voters face to fully participate in our democracy.”

Gupta also opposed the Trump’s Nomination of Eric Dreiband for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She stated, “I had the honor and privilege of running the Civil Rights Division at a time when civil rights issues were at the front and center for the country. Whoever leads the ‘crown jewel’ of the Justice Department must have deep relationships with stakeholders and marginalized communities, and have a deep,

abiding faith in our nation’s civil rights laws. They must respect the laws that touch everyone, rights that people have literally died for. They must respect the role of what has been called the conscience of the federal government. In all those regards, Eric Dreiband is woefully unqualified to lead the Civil Rights Division.

Now, more than ever, the leader of the Civil Rights Division must uphold its mission. This is an administration that has shown an open hostility to, and a demonstrated record of, undermining our nation’s core civil rights. We need a leader who will take the lessons of previous administrations and reject the politicization of the division. We need a leader who will be fair and yet aggressive about protecting civil rights, and can bring together faith, business, and law enforcement communities in pursuit of that goal.

Dreiband does not have the qualities needed to lead.

Dreiband has devoted the vast majority of his career to defending corporations accused of employment discrimination.

He has opposed important legislation to safeguard our civil rights. And he has no known experience in most of the Civil Rights Division’s core issue areas, such as voting rights, police reform, housing,

education, and hate crimes. He is the wrong person for the job.”

Dreiband has made a name for himself as one of corporate America’s go-to lawyers in an effort to restrict the rights and remedies for discrimination victims.

He testified against legislation to reverse the Supreme Court’s infamous Ledbetter decision that allowed for pay discrimination against women, and against legislation to reverse a Supreme Court case that was a severe setback for age discrimination victims. He criticized the Obama EEOC’s litigation priorities, including its important ‘ban-the-box’ guidance, which promotes fair chance hiring by removing the conviction history checkbox from job applications. In recent years, he also filed lawsuits challenging the Affordable Care Act’s provisions that require employers to extend reproductive health care benefits to women employees.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Division. The American people deserve a leader of the Civil Rights Division who will embrace its historic mission and fight for the civil rights of all Americans. Eric Dreiband is not that person and The Leadership Conference calls on the Senate to reject his nomination.l

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MONEY MATTERS

Finance 101 for New Graduates

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

raduation is a time for new beginnings. As you join the world of work, realize that you have a tremendous power to shape your financial future. That’s because you hold the greatest of all assets—time! The ability to set goals and know what needs to be done to reach them begins the exciting journey toward financial maturity.

Finance 101: Budgeting for the Young and Restless Budgeting, yuck! If you’ve never attempted a budget before, the whole idea may seem frightening and unpleasant.

But viewed from the proper perspective, budgets are a power tool that gives you more enjoyment from the money you spend. While budgets can help control spending, they can also help with saving for particular goals. And within the basic guidelines, budgets can be flexible. You can decide where to expand and contract discretionary spending. Plan your finances rather than spending recklessly, and you’ll be happier, and your money will go farther.

Managing the Credit Monster Students today are offered a dizzying array of credit opportunities that can

strain their finances to the breaking point if not approached with caution. The credit card companies are in the business of extending credit. They count on you, the cardholder, not to take on more debt than you can handle and to take good care of the FICO score that can determine your future borrowing power. Knowing how best to use credit and how to avoid abusing it can literally save your financial life.

Don’t take on more credit card debt than you can comfortably pay back within the coming year.

Saving and Investing With Father Time The future can seem too distant to be real

when money is needed today for rent, transportation, meals, and more. But here’s an example of the wisdom of saving and investing for tomorrow rather than spending “in the moment.”

A $10,000 investment earning 8% will grow to $20,000 in 9 years, and in nine more years you’ll have $40,000, then $80,000, then $160,000. Don’t have $10,000 to invest? Try $100 a month.

Compounding of earnings is so powerful that those who begin in their twenties can amass large nest eggs with relatively little effort as long as they invest regularly.

Money left to grow over years and years can be your ticket to a lifetime of finan-

cial security. Even if the initial investment is small, time is on your side.

Congratulations graduates, you just passed finance 101! Use your financial power wisely, and you will have a bright future ahead of you.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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NY POLITICS

The Brooklyn Civil Court Candidate with the “Velvet Gloves and Steel Balls”

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BY NIA BENJAMIN

andra Elena Roper as a civil rights lawyer, while also a hospital pharmacist, has been an ardent community advocate referred to as the woman with “Velvet Gloves” and “Steel Balls”, by the press. Roper, an AfroLatina from Panama, was the first person of color to run for Brooklyn District Attorney after taking the baton from the late Judge John Phillips after he was unceremoniously removed as a candidate by the incumbent. Roper’s bravery, tenacity and perseverance kept her on course despite no political backing, incredibly modest finances and disproportionate malicious tactics by the incumbent, which led to her granted request for federal election day monitors by then US Attorney General John Ashcroft.

As a first time candidate, Roper ran a truly grassroots campaign with the orchestration of John O’Hara, Judge Phillips’ campaign manager. During that election the incumbent threatened to have her disbarred and attempted to do so by all means thereafter. Although The Grievance Committee found Roper had committed no offense, as the saying goes

a prosecutor “can indict a ham sandwich”. Indeed, the incumbent did just that by falsely claiming that a special prosecutor had been assigned to prosecute Roper for fraud of a litigious former client that was well known to the incumbent as questionable in veracity.

Governor Pataki refused the incumbent’s request for a special prosecutor. Likely, indicating that Governor Pataki refused to sully his hands with the prosecution against Roper, leaving the incumbent to do his own “dirty deeds” against his former opponent. The incumbent used Roper as an example to frighten away other opponents when he continually reminded the press as to the woes he

inflicted against Roper. So mean-spirited was incumbent that he actually attempted to have Roper taken to Rikers Island even though she had in full cooperation personally surrendered. Roper refused to succumb to his attempts to have her admit to any wrongdoing after attempting several times for an Alford Plea.

Roper’s faith and Mom gave her the strength and tenacity to endure this David and Goliath fight.

Roper opened the doors much to her peril for subsequent opposition campaigns against the incumbent culminating on that fateful day. On November 5, 2013, Roper and her Mom, an integral part and her primary confidante during her campaign for DA, watched the election results in Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital as it was announced that the incumbent DA had finally lost. Even though her Mom was very weak and was about to be transferred to hospice, she mustered up enough strength to give a smile and thumbs up. At her mom’s insistence, Roper attended the victory party of the new Brooklyn DA, where she was introduced to the late Ken Thompson. Ken greeted Roper ebulliently and she was so very humbled as he thanked her for being a progenitor for

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his ultimate victory against the incumbent. Roper’s Mom succumbed to ovarian cancer that Monday thereafter.

Roper as an Afro-Latina American from Panama is the eldest from Ralph and Norma Roper and Grandparents Lionel and Cecilia Scott. Her educational background was so much in the sciences that she was frequently pushed to become a doctor, instead opting to become a Hospital Pharmacist in 1980, later on attending Brooklyn Law School and New York University Law School for her LLM degree specializing in pharmaceutical law. Never did Roper know that she would be lead to civil rights law in a small storefront practice on Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant. Roper says often that she was quite fortunate to have had many exciting albeit challenging experiences; whether successfully fighting predatory lending; race or sex discrimination, police excessive force, voting rights in the Supreme Court of the United States, unfair trade practices against local pharmacies by big corporate pharmacies, just to name a few.

But, Roper’s greatest attribute, that she lives by the motto- upon whom much is given, much is expected, which was instilled in her by her Dad. Roper believes that with all she has already done thus far for society via the law, that she has more to give in the rendering of Justice as a Brooklyn Civil Court Judge.

Roper has consistently been “unbought and unbossed” as Shirley Chisholm has coined during her presidential campaign.

As an independent Democrat Roper is a member of the Challenger Slate of Civil Court Judges against the Kings County Democratic Party spearheaded by very successful Gary Tilzer, who is responsible for many successful wins for independent Democrats in Brooklyn. This is an unprecedented Civil Court race in Brooklyn offering the people of Brooklyn real choices and not merely rubberstamped Party picks. Roper joins John O’Hara, who was also retaliated against by the Kings County party and former DA Charles Hynes for malicious prosecution for illegal voting was overturned by the Brooklyn DA conviction review unit earlier this year; Thomas J. Kennedy, an attorney at Glancy Prongay & Murray, LLP; Patrick Hayes, formerly an assistant Brooklyn DA and founding member of the Law Office of Patrick Hayes; and a principal court attorney for the NYS Supreme Court in Brooklyn, Isiris Isela Isaac.l RoperForJudge2017@NYC.Com has more in depth information as Roper with her Challenger Team are gearing up for the Democratic Primary, Tuesday, September 12, 2017 and the General Election, November 7, 2017.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION, FREE LEGAL CONSULTATIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN A TV!

CARIBBEAN STAR

First Caribbean-Born Female Installed as President for NYSPMA

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he New York State Podiatric Medical Association (NYSPMA) is proud to announce the election of Patricia Nicholas, DPM, as the 75th president of the association. Dr. Nicholas was installed as president during the NYSPMA 121st Annual House of Delegates on June 3. Dr. Nicholas is the first Caribbean-born female to serve in this prestigious position.

Dr. Nicholas has been a practicing podiatrist for over 24 years. She currently practices at her private practice, Lite Step Podiatry in Wading River, NY, and is affiliated with Peconic Bay Medical Center Northwell Health.

Born in Haiti in the late 1960’s, podiatry was unknown to her. Today, she is proud to have the opportunity to lead the NYSPMA and advocate for the full integration of podiatry into the health care system. “I am truly humbled to have been afforded a position that allows me to give back to the profession that I love so dearly,” said Dr. Nicholas during her inauguration speech at The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, NY. “Podiatry is the best kept secret in medicine, and together with the NYSPMA, I will continue to work tirelessly toward aligning our agenda with the New York State

Public Health care initiatives. I am honored to be the voice of the profession for my patients and my colleagues.”

Dr. Nicholas’ goals for the 2017 – 2018 term include advancing NYSPMA initiatives including insurance, legislative and policy advocacy, career awareness and student recruitment. “We should be proud to be podiatrists,” said Dr. Nicholas to a room of over 100 House of Delegates attendees that included local and national member podiatrists, key members of the NYSPMA leadership board from across New York State, lobbyists and distinguished guests. “Let us embark on this journey together and embrace our unique position on an integrated multidisciplinary health care team.”

Dr. Nicholas migrated to the United States in 1982 and graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn in 1984. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis College in 1989 with minors in French and Philosophy. Dr. Nicholas further pursued a doctoral degree and graduated from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in 1993 and completed her residency from Wyckoff Heights

Dr Nicholas

Medical Center.

Dr. Patricia Nicholas has served on the board of the NYSPMA since 2010 and as past president of the Caribbean American Medical and Scientific Association. In 2016, News Americas named her as one of the top 10 leading Caribbean-born female doctors across the United States. Additionally, Dr.

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Nicholas is the founder of the Kindest Hearts Foundation (O'Rouck (Anse-aVeau), Haiti), which she created after volunteering in Haiti after the devastating earthquake of 2010. The organization focuses on rebuilding Haiti one town at a time by teaching the people of O’Rouck to help themselves through valuable, self-sufficiency tools that deliver success.

Family is of high value to Dr. Nicholas, and it is no surprise that she filled the room with immediate and extended family and friends during her inauguration ceremony. During her speech, Dr. Nicholas recognized her husband Nigel, whom she has been married to for 26 years, and her three children for all of their love and support as she followed her career path in podiatry. She thanked her parents, who traveled from Florida to witness the event, for always pushing her to strive to become more than she could be.l

For more information about Dr. Nicholas, visit www.litesteppodiatry.com.

For more information about the NYSPMA, visit www.nyspma.org.

Podiatrists. Strides towards saving lives.

NEW YORK’S ONLY FOOT SPECIALISTS SINCE 1895.

The NYSPMA congratulates

Patricia Nicholas, DPM, of

Wading River, NY, who was

recently appointed 75th president of the Association.

Haitian-born, Dr. Nicholas is the first female of

Caribbean descent to hold this prestigious position.

ENGAGE

EXPLORE

CONNECT

info@nyspma.org

nyspma.org

facebook.com/NYSPMA

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Why Do Whites Control the Marijuana Industry/ continued from page 1

would allow for more licensed distributors. Why is this opportunity of a lifetime controlled by whites and not blacks and other minorities? Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean are noted for marijuana, with the St Vincent and the Grenadines boasting the best weed.

Last year, of the initial 15 preliminary licenses awarded by the Medical Cannabis Commission to grow the plant, none of them went to a company owned or controlled by an African American.

That’s a pretty clear disparity. In Maryland, Governor, Larry Hogan, ordered the state to conduct a study on whether racial disparities exist in the process for obtaining a state license for growing or selling medical marijuana.

However, the state already completed a disparity study, released on February 8, looking at opportunities for African Americans, women, and racial minorities to start businesses in the general (non-weed) business market. The results weren’t great: The 562-page report concluded that “minorities and women are substantially and significantly less likely to own their own businesses as the result of discrimination than would be expected based upon their observable characteristics, including age, education, geographic location, and industry.”

Among the Report’s Findings: •Overall annual average wages for African Americans, from 2010 to 2014, were 37 percent lower than for similarly situated white men—a “large and statistically significant” difference.

•Overall annual earnings for selfemployed African Americans during the same time were 41.8 percent lower than for white males.

•The business formation rates for African Americans were 2.4 percentage points lower than for white men.

All of these disparities held true for Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans as well, showing “large, adverse, and statistically significant” differences, compared to their white counterparts.

The report also found that minorityowned firm loan requests were “substantially more likely to be denied than non-minorities,” even when controlling for firm size and credit history.

The diversity, or lack thereof, in the marijuana industry has been a concern for advocates throughout the United States. Medical marijuana is legal in 29 states. But an investigation by BuzzFeed last year, estimates that only about 1 percent of the nation’s more than 3,500 marijuana dispensaries are owned by African Americans.

“It’s disappointing that the very people impacted the most by this part of the war on drugs are not now able to participate in what is now the legal regulated world,” says attorney Christian

CURIOUS ABOUT MARIJUANA?

Sederberg. He’s with the so-called Marijuana Law Firm in Colorado, where weed is legal. “And it’s not just because of criminal backgrounds, but because these businesses in some states have high barriers to entry: lots of money, huge infrastructure costs and political connections. It’s not that no people of color have those, but it’s a classic American sort of new industry dominated by white men.”

Starting a Marijuana Business In New York, where the registration fee alone was $200,000 when the medicalmarijuana program went online last year, the average applicant likely spent millions. The cannabis-business advising firm 4FrontAdvisors told MarketWatch the total capital and operating costs of New York dispensaries will be somewhere between $15 million and $30 million for each of the five companies granted operating licenses in the first year.

In an article by Allison Keyes for The Root, longtime African-American marijuana activist and entrepreneur Wanda James gets furious when she talks about the racial disparity among the owners of weed businesses.

“It angers me to my core!” rails James, founder and CEO of the Colorado-based Simply Pure dispensary and edibles.

“Why do white men in Colorado … get to sell a billion dollars’ worth of weed,

HOT TOPIC

yet a black kid in Texas selling a $24 bag can still go to jail for a felony for a year?

Your zip code determines whether you are a felon or a millionaire.”

But she stresses that though the business is not cheap, it is not impossible for blacks and Latinos to get involved as long as people of color move to make sure their paths to getting in aren’t permanently blocked.

“One, is being part of the rulemaking in every state, because they are putting barriers up,” James says, noting that in Colorado, if you had a drug felony, you couldn’t be in on the industry, but if you were a rapist, you could. “It’s stuff like that that makes no sense so it becomes dog whistle and racist because we have been targeted for the last 80 years and given ridiculous [weed] sentences.”

James says that people of color need to lobby to make sure the barriers are reasonable, and that they have the tools to navigate them successfully.

“Let’s not think you can open a dispensary with $25,000 in the bank. We’ve got to be prepared with partnerships. It doesn’t matter that one person doesn’t have a million,” James explains, “but partnerships can be formed to take on investors and be ready to be in this industry in a big way. It does require business acumen, but if you’ve got the desire to do this, find the people you can partner with to make this happen.

They’re out there. You just have to find them.”l

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NEWS 9

NEWS

nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

Saint Lucia is Rated Top Caribbean Destination

S

Sugar Beach, Saint Lucia

aint Lucia has been listed as one of the top 3 vacation destinations in the Caribbean by the US News & World Report. The publication just released its World’s Best Places to Visit and it ranks Saint Lucia as the third best Caribbean island for the ultimate holiday. According to US News, Saint Lucia is ‘a lush, unspoiled island’ with ‘a growing fan base’ that spans honeymooners, thrill seekers and music lovers alike. It highlights the fact that Saint Lucia does not limit itself to offering just one type of vacation; visitors can get whatever kind of holiday experience they want when they come to the island.

The list is compiled using a methodology that brings together travelers’ opinions along with travel editors’ and experts’ analysis. Each destination is judged according to a set of 10 criteria including adventure, nightlife, food, culture, romance and sights. Over 300 countries were analyzed in these and other categories to come up with the rankings.

Saint Lucia continues to be a favorite among tourists due to its array of premier hotels, resorts, villas and other boutique accommodation. Its tours and attractions such as the iconic twin peaks, the Pitons, and the Sulphur Springs mud baths entice families, couples and sole travelers looking for adventure.l

Forbes Magazine Says Jamaica Top Exporter of Top Models

T

he Saint modeling agency, which is managed from Jamaica, has produced many global runway fashion stars during its nearly 20 years in business, and its achievements were noted by Forbes Magazine. Some of the agency’s successes include Brandon Bailey, a Jamaican who made his debut modeling on the Prada runway in Milan, Italy, in 2015. He went on to make runway appearances for Paul Smith, Berluti and Yeezy, in addition to being featured in an ad campaign for Ralph Lauren. Other models from Saint include Tami Williams, former face of Valentino and the Calvin Klein Collection who modeled in Chanel’s Métier d’Art show in Tokyo, and Kai Newman, former face of Ralph Lauren and a “fixture” on the runway for designers such as Gucci, Prada, Loewe and Burberry Prorsum.

The founder of Saint, Deiwght Peters, celebrates the international achievements of his models every year by closing down busy Knutsford Boulevard in Kingston to hold an outdoor runway festival known as

nSPORTS

nDINING

Kitchen Corner: Caribbean Grilled Crab Cakes "Absolutely delicious! I have made these in a skillet as well and they taste just as delicious as on the grill. I prefer to use fresh crabmeat, but you can use whatever is on hand."

-Juliep, AllRecipes.com

Ingredients For Crab Cakes: 3/4 pound crabmeat 1 cup plain bread crumbs 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 egg, beaten 2 green onions, minced Hot sauce, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste

For Mango Salsa: 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced 1 red onion, diced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 lime, juiced Minced jalapeno, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions Drain the crabmeat. In a large bowl, mix the crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayon-

“Fashion Block.” For one night, featuring a DJ and sponsored bar, the general public has the chance to watch as the models, global ambassadors for Jamaica, take the runway. The 2017 staging of Fashion Block featured Lydia Barnett, 16, who Tami made her debut for Fausto Puglisi and Philipp Plein in Milan, and Jamaica-based accounting student Naki Depass, who models for Céline, Isabel Marant and Giorgio Armani in her spare time. Long-time model Brad Allen of Saint is the current face of Polo Ralph Lauren. Saint’s 20th anniversary comes in 2020, and its founder says he has accomplished his mission: finding the best black models in the region and getting them to work with the top designers, stylists and brands in the world. Peters believes that the models are “exceptional” ambassadors to the world. His one remaining goal: to see a top American or British group cover his models in a fashion shoot in Jamaica.l —StephanieK/Jamaicans.com

naise, egg, green onions, hot sauce, and salt and pepper until combined. Shape the mixture into 16 small cakes.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the diced mango, onion, basil, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno (if using), and salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To grill: Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate or a grill basket. Grill about 8 minutes, turning once.

To pan-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cake patties until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Top crab cakes with mango salsa and enjoy.l

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10

HEALTH MATTERS

This STD is Becoming 'Smarter' and Harder to Treat

G

NICOLE CHAVEZ, CNN (Via Apple News)

onorrhea is becoming harder and in some cases impossible to treat with antibiotics, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

"The bacteria that cause gonorrhea are particularly smart. Every time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them," said Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist at the WHO, in a news release.

Three superbugs — bacteria that cannot be killed by the best available drug — were detected in Japan, France and Spain, according to the WHO. "We need to be more vigilant now," Wi told reporters in a phone briefing.

Each year, about 78 million people worldwide are infected with gonorrhea, the WHO said. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are 820,000 new gonorrhea infections each year.

Data from 77 countries collected by WHO shows there is a widespread resistance to older, cheaper antibiotics and in some countries, the infection has became "untreatable by all known antibiotics," the international health organization said in the news release.

Earlier this year, gonorrhea was named among 11 types of bacteria that health experts believe pose the greatest threats to human health because they are in urgent need of new antibiotics.

Marc Sprenger, WHO's director of antimicrobial resistance, said there's an urgent need for drugs and tests to prevent, diagnose and treat gonorrhea.

More specifically, Sprenger said, the health community needs new antibiotics, a long term vaccine to prevent the infection and tests that will predict with accuracy if an antibiotic will work on a particular infection.

Gonorrhea has developed resistance to nearly every class of antibiotics used to treat it such as penicillin, tetracycline and fluoroquinolones, the CDC said.

"It's important to understand that ever since antibiotics appeared on the scene, Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been fairly quick in developing resistance to all the classes of antibiotics that have been thrown at it," Manica Balasegaram, director of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, told reporters.

From 2009-2014, the WHO says that several countries discovered a widespread resistance to drugs used to treat gonorrhea like ciprofloxacin, azithromycin and even last resort treatments such as extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), the health organization said.

In 2016, the organization began advising doctors to switch to a two-drug combination: ceftriaxone and azithromycin after more than 50 countries reported that ESCs were no longer effective in some cases.

Why drugs stop working The sexually transmitted infection is becoming resistant to the usual recommended treatments around the world and creating new antibiotics is "not very attractive for commercial pharmaceutical companies," the WHO said.

Gonorrhea symptoms include a burning

sensation when urinating and unusual discharge from the penis or vagina. Left untreated, the infection can cause serious health problems including long-term abdominal pain and pelvic inflammatory disease, which could lead to ectopic pregnancy and infertility.

But most people who are infected do not have any symptoms and in some cases, doctors mistakenly diagnose gonorrhea, health officials said.

Using antibiotics improperly is contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhea as well as other bacterial diseases, health officials said.

In the US, the CDC recommends a twodrug regimen — ceftriaxone and azithromycin — for treating gonorrhea.

Last year, a cluster of infections in Hawaii did not succumb as easily to the antibiotics as infections have in the past.

"Since 2005, we have seen four isolated cases that showed resistance to both drugs. But the Hawaii cases are the first cluster we have seen with reduced susceptibility to both drugs," said Paul Fulton Jr., a spokesman for the CDC.l CNN's Susan Scutti and Meera Senthilingam contributed to this report.

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