Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 84

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Yes, Your Child. Why Every Child is a Suicide Risk

BY DR MARK GOULSTON

S

uicide rates keep climbing, especially for teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate for white children between 10 and 17 years old was up 70 percent between 2006 and 2016, and up 77 percent for black children.

Nearly every time a child dies by suicide, their bereaved parents say, "I had no idea." When other (rightfully shaken) parents hear this, they wonder how anyone could overlook an at-risk child. They may even say, "That would never happen

Haiti Has a New Prime Minister...see page 4

continued on page 7

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica Honored...see page 8

NY Wants Police to Stop Arresting Students for Minor Misbehavior... see page 4

Saving Your Home from Foreclosure and Predators

BY ERIN TELESFORD

T

he greatest financial crisis in the United States was last recession which spanned from December 2007 to June 2009. During this time, unemployment rates were raised by about 6.1% resulting in a loss of consumer spending and business investments. Before the recession, many Americans bought houses using mortgages they couldn’t afford, eventually causing them to fall into poverty and

their homes into foreclosure. The effects of the Great Recession did not recover once the economy stabilized in 2009. According to The State of Working America, “In October 2010, 16 months after the official end of the recession, the economy still had 5.4% fewer jobs than it did before the recession started.” The unemployment levels are little to no better in 2019, and speculation that another economic collapse has come into the news.

The devastation of the Great

Help! I Have Feelings for Someone Else ...see page 14

continued on page 11

Were You In a Car Accident? What You Should Do Now! ... see page 9

INSIDE: 4-page Home Buying and Health Pullouts!

Pastor John Williams Talks about Crisis in Central Brooklyn ...see Health Pullout

The Easter Story As Told in the King James Bible Download at www.cawnyc.com

Barbados Night ... see CaribVillage, pg 13

The Immigrant’s Journal: Immigrants Denied Citizenship for Working in the Legal Marijuana Industry

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

CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP Haiti Has a New Prime Minister

P

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

ORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti: The man chosen to be Haiti’s interim prime minister after Jean-Henry Ceant and his Cabinet were ousted last month, has officially been given the job.

Prime Minister Jovenel Moise announced on Twitter that Jean Michel Lapin has been appointed Ceant’s successor.

Lapin, a former culture and communications minister, was one of three people being considered for the post, and was selected after Moise’s consultations with the Presidents of the Chamber of

K

INGSTON, Jamaica: Soon, the Jamaica Government will open the first initial public offering (IPO) of a state-owned company in almost 30 years. And it’s hoping to raise J$5.5 billion (US$42.4 million) from the sale of all the shares in the company which is the English-speaking Caribbean’s largest wind energy facility.

Eleven billion shares in Wigton Windfarm Limited, at a price of 50 cents each, are being offered to Jamaicans under the IPO which opens on April 17 and will close on May 1. Of that amount, 2.2 billion shares will be reserved for public-sector workers.

Minister of Finance and the Public Service Dr Nigel Clarke said that in addition to being the first IPO of a government-owned company in almost three

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

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

decades, the sale is significant in another way.

“It is also significant because the government is divesting, via the stock exchange, 100 per cent of Wigton. There is no precedent for that. Previous IPOs 30 years ago would have divested parts of government-owned companies,” he explained, adding that the IPO is being

structured to ensure the widest possible distribution of the opportunity to Jamaicans.

Wigton Windfarm, the largest wind energy facility in the English-speaking Caribbean, began operating in 2004.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the undertaking is intended to facilitate wealth creation for Jamaicans at all levels.

“This is the best way of giving back to people of the country. This is the best way of achieving the goal of socialization of wealth,” he said at the launch of the IPO on Tuesday.

Holness said he has “great hopes” for Wigton in private ownership, in light of renewable energy being the “future of investments”.l

Trinidadian Arrested as US Officials Foil Terror Plot

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

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

Deputies and the Senate.

The other two were Majorie Alexandre

Jamaica Government Opening First IPO of a State Entity in Almost Three Decades

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

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

PM Jean Michel Lapin

Brunache, a former Consul General of Haiti in Boston and the daughter of former president Boniface Alexandre; and Gabriel Fortuné, the Mayor of Les Cayes.

Lapin must now choose his government before going to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to have his program ratified.

He took over the number two spot in government on an interim basis on March 21, three days after the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of removing Ceant. l

Rondell Henry

M

aryland: A Trinidadian-born man has been accused in the United States of plotting to plow a stolen van into a crowd at a large shopping and entertainment compound outside of Washington, DCin what prosecutors said was an ISIS-inspired attack.

According to court documents, 28year-old Rondell Henry, a naturalized US citizen who lives in Maryland, allegedly admitted to the plot after being arrested on March 28. The charging documents have only just been unsealed. He has been charged with interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Although Henry faces no terrorism

charges, court documents detail terrorism-related accusations. According to the prosecutors’ detention memo, Henry stole a U-Haul van with the intention of using it as a weapon against pedestrians on sidewalks within the National Harbor complex along the Potomac River in Maryland.

Prosecutors said that for two years, he harbored “hatred” for those who do not practice the Muslim faith. And, allegedly inspired by videos he watched of foreign terrorists, he decided to conduct a vehicular attack similar to the 2016 truck attack in Nice, France, for which ISIS claimed responsibility.

“He had no escape plan, intending to die while killing others for his cause,” the detention memo stated.

According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on March 26, the Alexandria Police Department was contacted concerning a leased U-Haul vehicle that had been stolen from a parking garage at a mall in Alexandria, Virginia. The driver who had rented the U-Haul vehicle had noticed a man driving a blue BMW follow the U-Haul off Interstate 395 and onto mall property, then follow the U-Haul into the parking

garage and park a few spaces away.

When police arrived at the garage, they found the BMW near where the U-Haul had been stolen. A check of the BMW’s registration records revealed that the BMW was registered to Henry.

The next day, the stolen U-Haul was located at the National Harbour in Maryland. Before he arrived at the Maryland complex, however, Henry spent nearly two hours at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on March 27, assessing crowds there.

However, he found too few people for the scale of the attack he envisioned and moved on to National Harbor where he parked the U-Haul and walked around a popular part of National Harbour before breaking into a boat to hide overnight.

Henry wanted to create “panic and chaos” at National Harbour, the “same as what happened in France”, the detention memo said.

However, by the following morning, police officers had discovered the location of the stolen U-Haul, and when Henry jumped over the security fence from the boat dock, they arrested him.l

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3

OPINION

Jussie Smollett's "Privilege," Preventing Prosecution

BY BLACK ACTIVISTS

W

ashington, DC: After prosecutors dropped charges against actor Jussie Smollett in the case of an alleged Chicago hate crime hoax, members of the Project 21 black leadership network are condemning the situation as a crass display of "celebrity privilege" harmful to both race relations and the reputation of the law enforcement community.

"This case stands for one clear proposition — regardless of color. In America today, people of wealth and privilege can escape accountability for the same acts that mainstream Americans cannot," said Project 21 Co-Chairman Horace Cooper. "This deal stinks, and it makes a mockery of the idea that all Americans are equal before the law."

After a lengthy investigation by the Chicago Police Department, Smollett — a singer and actor on the television show "Empire" — was indicted by a grand jury on 16 charges of lying to law enforcement officials. Smollett claimed he was attacked in January by two men who reportedly targeted him because he is black and gay. The investigation changed from an alleged hate crime to an alleged hoax after evidence pointed to Smollett having orchestrated the attack with people he knew and possibly paid to help him. But Cook County prosecutors dropped the charges, accepting his forfeited $10,000 bond

Photo credit: shutterstock.com

payment and 16 hours of community service with Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH. This did not constitute Smollett's innocence. Cook County State's Attorney spokesman Tandra Simonton told the local CBS affiliate: "We stand by the Chicago Police Department's investigation, and our approval of the charges." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the decision "a whitewash of justice."

"Jussie Smollett is either the luckiest guy in Chicago or the shrewdest. The bombshell dropping of all charges against him has stunned critics who call it an outrageous instance of black celebrity privilege," said Project 21 member Nadra Enzi. "This is no less than a slap in the face to the Chicago Police Department and race relations!"

"Jussie Smollett fabricated a self-glori-

fying hate crime hoax. The police investigation determined as much, and the grand jury indicted Smollett. Though Smollett is obviously a liar and fraud who trivialized real victims of racial criminality, his 'punishment' is forfeiture of a $10,000 bond and having performed 'community service' for Jessie Jackson's Operation PUSH. He also benefits from a sealed record," noted Project 21 member Derryck Green.

"And yet Smollett maintains his innocence — saying he's been 'truthful and consistent' from the start. For all the talk these days about 'white privilege,' there's nothing like being gay and black in the age of intersectionality. That's privilege!" l Update: The City of Chicago on filed a civil complaint against actor Jussie Smollett trying to recoup the cost of his complaint to police that he'd been the subject of a racist and homophobic attack.

The complaint outlines the allegations against Smollett in detail, citing text messages, GPS records and statements made to police by his alleged accomplices. The complaint says Smollett "knowingly made numerous false statements of material fact" and is asking for a civil penalty of $1000 for each of those statements.

In addition, the complaint states that the Chicago Police Department incurred $130, 106.15 in overtime pay and the complaint is asking for triple that amount

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

NY Wants Police to Stop Arresting Students for Minor Misbehavior

BY JOHANNA MILLER

New York State is now

Stock photo: shutterstock.com

I

n some New York schools, students can get arrested for “acting boisterous in a hallway.”

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) has represented students arrested for just that, and we’ve also come to the defense of students apprehended for having a cell phone and starting a food fight.

Thankfully, it appears the state is moving towards making sure these types of arrests don’t happen anymore.

Last week, the New York State legislature adopted a new requirement for school districts that will reduce and regulate the role of police in our schools. The new law requires every district to make it clear that school employees are responsible for school discipline. We’re hopeful this will cut down on the number of kids being exposed to the criminal justice system for minor misbehavior. This is a victory for advocates trying to shut down the school-to-prison-pipeline that carries students from the classroom into the hands of police.

The criminal justice system is simultaneously too harsh and too lenient a punishment for kids who act up. It’s too harsh because they could face lifelong consequences; too lenient because it fails to

saying, unequivocally, that educators are the ones who should respond to kids who break school rules.

hold them accountable to their teachers and peers for disruption. Alternatives like restorative practices do the opposite— they require young people to take responsibility for their actions, in the classroom, and to restore the harm their actions caused in the community.

We estimate there are 9,000 law enforcement officers and security guards working in New York schools. But there are no statewide standards for how they do their jobs. In some schools, police are responsible for maintaining classroom and hallway discipline, in others, they respond only to emergency calls for assistance, and in others they are only responsible for checking visitors into the building.

The lack of statewide standards results in unfair outcomes for students. Behavior

that is considered merely disruptive in one school could be treated as a crime in a school where police patrol the hallways.

Predictably, it is mostly black kids who are targeted by law enforcement for these types of arrests; data from across the country confirms that police are far less likely to arrest white students for nondangerous behaviors.

New York State is now saying, unequivocally, that educators are the ones who should respond to kids who break school rules. This puts teachers in control of managing their classrooms and allows them to teach kids self-regulation and accountability in the process.

Now we’re asking the state to put its money where its mouth is and provide $50 million to support teachers in this

work, by hiring more counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals in each school.

The new law requires school districts to get input from students, parents, educators, and community members on what their new agreements with local police departments should look like. This is a wonderful opportunity to do your part to stop the school-to-prison-pipeline in your own community. If you want to get involved, you can reach out to our chapter staff in your area.

Each New York community has its own specific needs. But kids in every school have the right to an education, and they all deserve the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.l Johanna Miller is the Director of the Education Policy Center, Education Policy Center, NYCLU.

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5

DIASPORA CONCERNS

Why It’s Critical to Take a Closer Look at Foreign-Worker Petitions Data

BY GUILLIMERO CANTO

A

merican businesses rely on foreign-born workers in many industries and the country’s immigration system has channels specifically dedicated to employment-based immigration. The Trump administration, however, has deliberately restricted and slowed the pace of these legal immigration channels. This is reflected in an abrupt jump in immigration application denial rates, increased scrutiny of nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions, and a significant growth in requests for evidence.

In order to understand these shifts and the historical background of employment-based admissions more generally, the American Immigration Council filed a lawsuit on April 9 to compel U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to release ten years’ worth of granular data about foreign-born workers, employers, and industries.

Different types of petitions are filed to allow foreign-born workers into the United States temporarily or on a permanent basis.

Individual-level data is essential to learning more about the factors that influ-

ence decisions on these petitions. While USCIS periodically releases data in summary form, that format is not sufficient to fully understand the variety of factors that might contribute to a denial or an approval.

With the data we requested, we can help determine what factors increase or decrease the chances of approval, denial, or requests for evidence. These include the type and characteristics of the employer, establishments where the work would be performed, attributes of foreign-born workers, or type of job.

Some questions that this data will help us address: •Are employers based in certain areas of the country more likely to have their petitions approved?

•Are petitions filed on behalf of individuals from certain countries more likely to be denied?

•Are particular industries more likely to be negatively affected by USCIS decisions than others?

Overall approval or denial rates is just the tip of the iceberg. They are good indicators of overall trends and to a large

degree, an expression of the political direction of the immigration admissions system. But that is only one piece of the story. There are other, less obvious factors that may shape those outcomes.

For example, a few years ago, a study shed light on the nationality bias in the Department of Labors’ (DOL’s) labor certification review process–a first step for foreign born individuals seeking permanent residence through their employment.

Specifically, the data analyzed revealed that chances of approval were lower for immigrants from Latin America than for immigrants from Canada or Asia.

It is unclear whether these or other implicit biases exist in the USCIS petition review process. But this speaks to the importance of these types of analysis. In order to ensure fairness in immigration agency decision-making, we first need to understand how our current system actually functions. This includes assessing whether the adjudication process is fair and consistent. That’s why access to the data we’re requesting is so critical.l

Listen to The Week In Immigration at www.cawnyc.com

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WORLD NEWS

6

Rwanda Genocide: Nation Marks 25 Years Since Mass Slaughter

BY BBC WORLD NEWS

R

wanda’s president said the country had become “a family once again”, while marking the 25th anniversary of the genocide that killed 800,000 people.

Paul Kagame, who led a rebel force that ended the slaughter, lit a remembrance flame in the capital Kigali.

Rwandans will mourn for 100 days, the time it took in 1994, for about a tenth of the country to be massacred.

Most of those who died were minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus, killed by ethnic Hutu extremists.

“In 1994, there was no hope, only darkness,” Mr Kagame told a crowd gathered at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where more than 250,000 victims are thought to be buried.

“Today, light radiates from this place.

How did it happen? Rwanda became a family once again.”

How is Rwanda remembering?

The commemoration activities began with the flame-lighting ceremony at the memorial. The flame will burn for 100 days.

The 61-year-old President, who has led

Photo: APP via BBC

About 2,000 people attended the vigil the country since 2000, then delivered a speech at the Kigali Convention Centre.

He said the resilience and bravery of the genocide survivors represented the “Rwandan character in its purest form”.

“The arms of our people, intertwined, constitute the pillars of our nation,” he said. “We hold each other up. Our bodies and minds bear amputations and scars, but none of us is alone.

“Together, we have woven the tattered threads of our unity into a new tapestry.”

He added: “The fighting spirit is alive in us. What happened here will never happen again.”

Mr Kagame then led a vigil at the Amahoro National Stadium, which was used by United Nations officials to try to protect Tutsis during the killings.

About 2,000 people marched together on a walk of remembrance from parliament to the stadium, where candles were lit.

Cries for those who were lost There was a moment – when all the candles were lit, and their lights bobbed around the stadium, when people were taking pictures with their smartphones – when it was almost possible to forget the horror that brought thousands of people together on this warm evening in Kigali.

But then I turned to the man next to me, and asked him what tonight meant to him.

“Well,” he said, “it’s important.” In the understated way which so many people in Rwanda speak he said: “I lost people.

I lost my parents. I lost my siblings.”

We had already heard the names of entire families wiped off the map read out, accompanied by a promise never to forget. We had watched students march in silence from the parliament to the stadium.

But it was as the final speaker took to the stage, to describe how he survived to grow up and give his children the names of the four siblings he had lost, that the emotion seemed to bubble to the surface, and anguished cries were heard above the crowd.

Sometimes on this day, my neighbor said, it is hard to keep the emotions in. l

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7

FAMILY MATTERS Yes. Your Child/ continued from page 1 to my kid."

But the truth is, yes, it could happen to your child…and you too may miss the warning signs.

Everyone always thinks that suicide impacts other people’s kids, but the reality is that it can strike very close to home. Suicide can affect any family at any time, and all parents should be on the lookout for behaviors that could indicate that their child is at risk.

Before you jump to judgment, there are a few things parents should know. The warning signs of suicide might be easier to piece together in retrospect, when you are looking for them. But in day-to-day living, they can be much harder to detect.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to help everyone understand the suffering and isolation impacting the at-risk community.

This is why the message of new documentary Stay Alive, (available on YouTube) which serves at-risk populations, is so important. (#StayAliveNow).

In Stay Alive, viewers get an inside look into what it feels like to be on the journey from despair to healing. The documentary, featuring suicide survivor Kevin Hines and suicide prevention advocate Rayko, delivers messages of education, compassion, and caring for those who are in deep despair, along with guidance for their families and friends who love

them. The raw and intimate personal disclosures, paired with proven approaches to help those who are suffering, make this program uniquely valuable and unlike any other you have ever seen.

To really move the needle toward saving lives, we need to remove the societal stigma surrounding suicide. This begins with helping the people who care about at-risk individuals gain understanding and offer support. The next step is helping society recognize the true struggles of those at risk. Misunderstanding and judgment only further isolate a person who is suicidal. Instead, it’s time for more compassion. When everyone understands how much suffering is really going on, we have a real chance to reach

out and save lives.

Meanwhile, parents need to be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary in their children’s behavior. It’s crucial for them to learn to recognize the early warning signs of despair that could lead to suicide and break through at a time when their children need them the most.

Keep reading insights on suicide and suicide prevention: First, accept that anyone can become suicidal. Prevention starts with understanding that suicidal thinking can strike anyone (yes, even your high-performing, seemingly confident, and happy child) at any time.

Know that your kids probably won’t open up to you. They aren’t going to come to you in despair, like you might imagine. They may feel that you won’t understand, or that there’s nothing you can do to make them feel better. They also might think that what they’re going through is a “failure,” and worry that you’ll be disappointed in them. As adolescents making their first foray in independence, they may even feel ashamed that they can’t handle this on their own.

Look for changes, even subtle ones. Be aware of any changes in your child’s demeanor. Keep in mind, though, that these changes can be more difficult to spot among naturally moody teens who tend to isolate themselves even in the best of circumstances. Teens are moody—that’s to be expected—but don’t write it off as just moodiness.

When it crosses over into physiological disturbances of sleep, appetite, sexual desire, or just an unshakable dark feeling, and stays stuck there, it has then crossed over into a mood disorder and can be incredibly destructive.

Know that little things can cause bigger problems. Look for little things that could cause a disruption in your child’s life. Something seemingly insignificant could in fact make a larger impact than you realize. So be aware of possible catalysts, whether it’s the stress of starting a new school year, changes in their medicine, and so on. It’s also important to be aware of what’s going on with their friendships, their peer group, and their social media accounts.

Initiate the conversation. Most importantly, parents must ask their teens how they are feeling. It’s not enough to rely on indicators that you may or may not spot. You have to make the time to do this frequently. Things can change quickly in the life of a teen, so reach out often.

Really talk to them and listen. If you suspect your child may be struggling, or even if you don’t, here are five questions that might get the conversation flowing: “At the worst that you can feel, how bad does that get?”

“When you’ve felt how bad it could get, how often did you feel alone?”

“And when you were feeling that horricontinued on page 12

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IN THE NEWS/COMMUNITY

8

Black Mama Matters Alliance

B

lack Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance. We center Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.

Their Goals: •Change Policy: Introduce and advance policy grounded in the human rights framework that addresses Black maternal health inequity and improves Black maternal health outcomes •Cultivate Research: Leverage the talent and knowledge that exists in Black communities and cultivate innovative research methods to inform the policy agenda to improve Black maternal health •Advance Care for Black Mamas: Explore, introduce, and enhance holistic and comprehensive approaches to Black mamas’ care •Shift Culture: Redirect and reframe the conversation on Black maternal health and amplify the voices of Black mamas Their Story The Black Mamas Matter Alliance was sparked by a partnership project between the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective (SisterSong) that began in 2013. The two organizations collaborated on story collection on the obstacles that Southern

Former Jamaica Prime Minister Simpson-Miller Honored

Photo courtesy: BMMA

Black women face in accessing maternal health care, leading to poor maternal health outcomes and persistent racial disparities. These findings were included in a joint report – “Reproductive Injustice: Gender and Racial Discrimination in U.S. Health Care” – submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

Monica Simpson of SisterSong, Katrina Anderson of CRR, and Elizabeth Dawes Gay co-organized a convening in Atlanta in June 2015 that brought together experts, activists, and stakeholders from a variety of sectors who were concerned about Black maternal health. “Black Mamas Matter” was an outcome of this meeting, along with a call to action to

produce toolkits for activists in the South working to improve maternal health.

Over the course of the next year, CRR, in collaboration with members of BMM, created the Black Mamas Matter Toolkit.

A second convening was held in Atlanta in June 2016 to launch the toolkit and discuss how to implement it in Georgia, where some political momentum on this issue seemed to exist. At this meeting, members identified the myriad strategies needed to effectively tackle the crisis of maternal health (advocacy, culture shift, research, and service provision) and called for a Black women-led initiative to leverage these strategies.

Recognizing the need for the BMM project to become its own entity, CRR and SisterSong initiated a process to create a Steering Committee to guide BMM into its next phase. In November 2016, BMM hosted its first Steering Committee retreat. At this two-day meeting, the group decided on the “alliance” structure, and crafted a vision, mission, values, goals, and work plan for the upcoming year.

The founding Black Mamas Matter Alliance Steering Committee members include Angela Doyinsola Aina, Elizabeth Dawes Gay, Joia Crear-Perry, Kwajelyn Jackson, and Monica Simpson.

In June 2018, Angela Doyinsola Aina and Elizabeth Dawes Gay became codirectors of the Alliance.

Recently, BMMA observed Black Maternal Health Week which takes place every year from April 11 to 17. The month of April is recognized in the United States as National Minority Health Month – a month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities. Additionally, we are joining dozens of global organizations who are fighting to end maternal mortality globally in advocating that the United Nations recognize April 11th as the International Day for Maternal Health and Rights.

The campaign and activities for Black Maternal Health Week serve to amplify the voices of Black mamas and center the values and traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements. Activities during BMHW are rooted in human rights, reproductive justice, and birth justice frameworks. l

Presentation of Congressional Proclamation to Former PM, Portia Simpson-Miller L-R: Irwine Clare, Snr, Blane Stoddart, Portia Simpson-Miller and Dr. Vincent HoSang.

F

ormer Jamaica Prime Minister, The Most Honorable Portia Simpson-Miller, ON, was presented with a United States Congressional Proclamation from Congresswoman Hon. Yvette D. Clarke of the Ninth Congressional District in New York. The presentation was given at the recently held Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) 25th anniversary reception held April 1, 2019, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.

Under the distinguished patronage of the Governor General of Jamaica, His Excellency, The Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, the evening which was appropriately themed, “Celebrating Volunteerism, Heralding Excellence,” paid homage to individuals who have positively impacted their communities and humanity through their acts of philanthropy and concern for those in need.

Simpson-Miller also received the TJB Chairman Impact Award.

In her response Simpson-Miller said, “I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Irwine Clare and the entire Team Jamaica Bickle family for awarding me the ‘TJB Chairman Impact Award’. I am truly honoured to have received this important award. and as I said in my remarks on Monday evening, this is an award which I will always treasure. My heartiest commendations to Team Jamaica Bickle on celebrating 25 years of invaluable service to our athletes, who participate at the Penn Relays yearly, who are not just from Jamaica, but the region. I was also pleasantly surprised and am very grateful to be recognized with a Citation from Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. I am honored and deeply humbled to have been acknowledged in such a manner. I thank my sister and friend and wish for her continued success and God’s richest blessings.”

In his remarks TJB’s Chairman Irwine Clare, Snr., thanked Simpson-Miller for her steadfast support and lauded her enviable record of ‘achievements and firsts,’ in Public Service. l

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9

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

You’ve Been In a Car Accident—What Should You Do Now?

BY MARILYN SILVERMAN

Y

our alarm clock echoes in the early morning hour as you begin your daily routine of flipping on the TV to listen to the traffic report. The last thing you want is to be late for work.

But you might be very late for work if you’re in a car accident. Becoming a statistic should not be on your workday agenda—sitting at your desk checking your emails should be on your workday agenda. But, unfortunately, it could happen and does happen. Just read those newspaper headlines over that cup of coffee.

What precisely happens when you’re a victim of a car crash? You will be experiencing whiplash. According to the Mayo Clinic, this occurs when your head is forcefully and rapidly thrown first backward and then forward. This type of injury can injure bones in the spine, discs between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and other tissues of the head.

Rear end collisions are a major contributing factor.

According to Utah Pain and Rehab, whiplash affects different people differently. Your age, physical condition, and gender play a role. As you age your body changes and you start to lose strength and flexibility in your neck. As

a result, your neck cannot handle the strain from a car mishap as it could in the past. Women experience whiplash more frequently than men since the latter have stronger neck muscles and women, furthermore, have smaller neck bones.

Most of its sufferers will recover in a mere few weeks provided of course that they adhere to a treatment plan which incorporates pain medication and exercise. Some people, however, will experience chronic pain on their neck and experience as well, long-lasting complications.

The Mayo Clinic delineates its symptoms which can be quite painful indeed: •Neck pain and stiffening •Worsening of pain with neck movement

•Loss of range of motion in the neck •Headaches •Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back or arms •Numbness in the arms •Fatigue •Dizziness •Blurred vision •Ringing in the ears •Irritability •Sleep disturbances •Difficulty concentrating •Depression •Memory problems That is quite an unpleasant smorgasbord of symptoms.

You wonder, when should you make an appointment with your family physician?

The answer—ASAP. The symptoms may not be manifested for months, so it’s imperative that you seek professional medical care immediately to see if whiplash has occurred. Your doctor will first move your head, neck, and arms and will ask you to perform a series of relatively simple tasks to determine your range of motion. He’ll recommend a set of treatment options to alleviate the pain.

Rest may be beneficial during the first 24 hours but don’t hibernate for the winter; too much rest can delay your recovery.

Over-the-counter medication with such familiar names as Tylenol, Advil and Motrin are the drugs of choice that can control mild to moderate pain.

Prescription medicine is recommended for more severe pain. Muscle relaxants may be prescribed for short-term use.

Your doctor won’t just be scribbling medicine on his prescription pad-another beneficial treatment option is exercise—you’re certainly not going to lace up your running shoes and enter the marathon but doing stretching exercises specifically designed by your doctor to treat your condition. The goal is to get you back to your normal activities.

Physical therapy prescribed by a therapist will strengthen your muscles, continued on the page 14

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JOBS & CAREER

10

Keep Your Job Search Secret

BY FREEPARALEGAL.ORG

T

he old saying, “what we don’t know can’t hurt us,” is good for a laugh when we’re talking about the number of calories in a mocha frappuccino. However, we really do want to know as much as we can about how certain predictable life events can affect us, especially our finances.

When searching for a new job, you may feel like letting everyone in the world know that you’re available and ready for a change. Everyone in the world, that is, except your current employer. The scenario has played out for many professionals in the past. They are fed up with their current jobs and on the hunt for a new one until all of a sudden their employer finds out. Just like that, job security is a thing of the past and the job search becomes more urgent than ever.

There is nothing wrong with finding a new position if you’re unhappy in the one you have. But there are ways to do so quietly without drawing attention to your intentions.

No Company Email This may seem like a no-brainer, but avoid using company email, phone or messaging systems for your job search.

There is an information technology professional overseeing all of your company systems, and finding any evidence of

your job search is as simple as performing a basic search of your correspondence or Internet history.

Using your company’s equipment is only half the problem. You also don’t want to be caught using company time to conduct your search. This can make you seem sneaky and unethical, so keep your efforts outside of the workspace.

Network Wisely It may be difficult to network within your office or even your industry if you work in a specialized one, but using your trusted sources can be a great way to find a new position. According to data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking. But networking with the wrong people can land you in hot water with your boss. The key is

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starting with only the people you trust the most. They will hopefully keep your secret while also introducing you to someone who could open new career doors for you.

‘Confidential’ You also can use discretion by letting prospective employers know that your job search is confidential. Place a watermark on your resume or in the email subject line that reads “confidential.”

Address your situation in your cover letter, as well. Add a line that encourages respect for your wishes to remain confidential and let them know you appreciate their cooperation.l

Knowledge is power! Read more career articles at www.freeparalegal.org

There’s something to say about experience: Starting a Business at 50+

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Workers who know their rights and speak to a lawyer put themselves in a better position to obtain a recovery.

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11

SAVE YOUR HOME Save Your Home/ continued from page 1 Recession implored many people to take better action with their finances and mortgages in fear of another financial crisis that could cause them to lose their homes. However, many Americans lack knowledge on the options available for them in lieu of another recession and end up needing to file for bankruptcy when financial hardship arises. Much of the recent financial problems lower income individuals and families face are a result of their inability to afford or deal with unexpected major expenses such as job loss or medical bills. When these expenses become detrimental, one decision could be to file for bankruptcy.

According to a study published recently, 46 percent of bankruptcies were related to outstanding medical conditions.

The major cited reasons in this category included injury or illness, medical expenses not covered by insurance or losing at least two weeks’ worth of work because of illness. Other causes of bankruptcy include reduced income, job loss, credit debt, illness/injury, unexpected expenses and divorce. In the same time period, the percentage of filers age 55 or older more than doubled; those filers now account for about 20 percent of all bankruptcy petitioners. The study also found that 60 percent of bankruptcy filers have salaries of less than $30,000.

Bankruptcy is not a moral decision. It is a legal choice made when the debt situation is hopeless. Filing for bankruptcy can save your home and also stop wage garnishment. This can be troublesome due to the racial inequality involved with lawyers who specialize in bankruptcy.

In an interview with Brian Figeroux, Esq., on the radio show, Ask the Lawyer, he stated that you must ”know the motives of the person giving you advice.

There have been cases where people of color in America, specifically black Americans, encountered lawyers and investors who claim to want to help them save their homes when, in reality, “10 out of 10 times, they are trying to hoodwink you.”

Figeroux also warned about a New York Times article which stated that white attorneys were not giving the best advice to black clients.

According to the New York Times article, Blacks Face Bias in Bankruptcy, by Tara Siegel Bernard, Blacks are about

twice as likely as whites to wind up in the more onerous and costly form of consumer bankruptcy as they try to dig out from their debts, a new study has found.

The disparity persisted even when the researchers adjusted for income, homeownership, assets and education. The evidence suggested that lawyers were disproportionately steering blacks into a process that was not as good for them financially, in part because of biases, whether conscious or unconscious.

The vast majority of debtors file under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code, which typically allows them to erase most debts in a matter of months. It tends to have a higher success rate and is less expensive than the alternative, Chapter 13, which requires debtors to dedicate their disposable income to paying back their debts for several years.

The study of racial differences in bankruptcy filings was written by Robert M. Lawless, a bankruptcy expert and law professor, and Dov Cohen, a psychology

professor, both with the University of Illinois; and Jean Braucher, a law professor at the University of Arizona.

A survey conducted as part of their research found that bankruptcy lawyers were much more likely to steer black debtors into a Chapter 13 than white filers even when they had identical financial situations. The lawyers, the survey found, were also more likely to view blacks as having “good values” when they expressed a preference for Chapter 13.

As communities of color, we have to be aware of what is happening. Persons are coming into our communities, offering to purchase our homes for cash. These persons are not trying to help you. Your property is an investment. It is the path to wealth-building and transferring wealth from one generation to another. Do not be fooled.

Figeroux's real estate office, Equity Smart Realty, Inc., was created because he “saw how our people suffered” from these types of scams and wants to be truthful with the black community in order to prevent the wrongful foreclosure of our community’s houses through bankruptcy consultation.

For a free bankruptcy or save your home from foreclosure consultation with the Law Firm of Figeroux and Associates, call 855-768-8845.l

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FREE BANKRUPTCY CONSULTATION Documents Required: Save Your: *Home *Business *Car

*Health *Peace of Mind/Health *Marriage/Relationship

*List of debts *Your most recent tax returns *Correspondence from creditors *Lawsuit documents *Social Security and ID *List of assets

Filing a Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy may be your only choice!!!

The Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY. Visit www.falaw.us VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE!

HOT TOPICS

12 Yes. Your Child/ continued from page 7

Money Mondays!

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According to Entrepreneur.com, Whether you need a little extra cash to make rent or you simply want to explore your passions outside of work and get paid for it, a side hustle can be a lucrative way to bring in more income — without waiting for your boss to hand out a raise. The side hustle economy is booming. In fact, according to a study from BankRate, nearly 37 percent of Americans have a side job, and they’re making an average of more than $8,000 every single year.

Learn how to turn your passion into profit and make money in your spare time!

Ready to be a Side Hustler?

Join us for an orientation on Thursday, May 2 at 6pm Location: 26 Court Street, Suite 701 Downtown Brooklyn

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"When you've felt how bad it could get, how often did you feel alone?"

"And when you were feeling that horrible and alone with it, what did it make you think, feel, and want to do?"

"And what did you do?"

"If that is the case, I don't want you to be alone with those thoughts and feelings.

So I'm asking you to call me when you are feeling that way and I will do my best to listen to you, hear you, and keep you company. I promise, I'm not going to give you advice or solutions unless you ask me for them. So would you be willing to call me when you're feeling like that? And by the way, if you think you're a burden, you're not. You're not a burden because inside you I can see and feel the good person that you are and also that you matter, neither of which you can see or feel when you're feeling so awful." (Remember that if they are in crisis, it's not the right time to start giving advice; let them know you are here to listen unless they want your advice.)

Let them know they are loved and that they are not alone. Pain is pain; suffering is feeling alone in pain. When you eliminate the aloneness, suffering that people can’t live with becomes pain that they can live with.

Even if your child doesn’t show it, they need you to see them, hear them, and support them. Don’t wait around for them to ask for help. Reach out now—even if your child appears to be healthy, happy, and thriving—and show them that you are here no matter what. Your attention and willingness to stay present could truly be lifesaving.l Dr. Mark Goulston is the co-creator and moderator of the suicide prevention documentary Stay Alive. He is a former UCLA professor of psychiatry, FBI hostage negotiation trainer, suicide and violence prevention expert, and one of the world’s foremost experts on listening.

Car Accidents/ continued from page 9

improve posture and restore normal movement. Interestingly, according to Web MD, in the past whiplash was often treated with immobilization whereby the patient would wear a cervical collar-today movement is the recommended course of action.

Are car crashes with such devastating side effects avoidable? According to the Street Directory, the following is recommended: Follow traffic regulations •Buckle up with that seat belt –it’s there to protect you—it’s not just decoration for your car •Don’t drink and drive—put a cork in that bottle hours before driving or have a designated driver do you a favor •Don’t speed down an isolated highway •Avoid distractions—like that cell phone that’s in everyone’s hands these days— that conversation can wait •Your body is suffering. Your quality of life is suffering. Your bank account is suffering due to the enormous cost that’s necessary to get you back on your feet.

Notary Public Training Course

This 3‑hour New York Notary Public Training course is designed to educate individuals with the legal terminology, concepts and clauses contained in the framework of the New York State Notary booklet.

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Fee: $50 covers course materials.

Location: 26 Court Street, Suite 701 Downtown Brooklyn For registration and dates, visit www.nacc.nyc or call 718-722-9217.

So the inevitable question is—can you sue? By hiring a personal injury attorney that can become a reality.

According to Quora, you shouldn’t delay hiring a personal injury attorney since the medical costs can be thousands of dollars. The decision to sue after a car accident is a legal means of getting compensation for the damage that another person caused. That attorney will need: •Accident reports •Witness names and contact information •Property damage estimates •Medical costs This compensation can be a reality if you contact an experienced attorney such as the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates, a team of knowledgeable, compassionate legal experts who have successfully won huge damages for their roster of clients over many years who will help you be the beneficiaries of substantial monetary damages for your devastating injuries. Get a free consultation by calling 855-768-8845. You can also visit www.311pesonalinjury.com It’s bad enough that you’re compelled to suffer such traumatic injury; you should be confident that financially you will not be suffering.

Nothing Less!”l

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nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

Barbados Night at the Barclays Center

nSPORTS

nHOROSCOPE

Jamaican Reggae Artist Makes History

BY STEPHANIE K, JAMAICANS.COM

B

rooklyn, NY: Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) hosted their Annual Barbados Night at the Barclays Center on April 3 at during the Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors game.

Guests were treated to a cultural extravaganza as Barbados took over the arena and transported game attendees to Rihanna’s homeland. The Barbadian flair came to life as attendees danced to live music from local Bajan singers and ate culinary delights from a Bajan chef and mixologist that were on-site.

One of jazz's most thrilling and emotive performers, Elan Trotman, enticed attendees with his saxophone performance.

Attendees will got a taste of why Barbados has been named the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean and the Birthplace of Rum with food and drinks provided by Javon Cummins, awardwinning head chef at Treasure Beach, and Philip “Casanova” Antoine, awardwinning mixologist.

Decked out in dazzling Crop Over costumes, special appearances were made

by Lesley Chapman-Andrews, Miss Universe Barbados 2017; Meghan Theobalds, Miss Universe Barbados 2018; and two Bajan international models, Kimberlyn Parris and Tricia Mitchell.

This year’s event was even more special as some of Barbados’ very own dancers performed in Crop Over attire and danced alongside the Brooklynettes to Caribbean music as soca artist, Rupee performed during half time. For the first time ever, the Brooklynettes dance team held auditions outside of Brooklyn and Barbados was their first pick. Earlier this year, the Brooklynettes were supposed to return home with two lucky dancers but were blown away by the talent in Barbados and selected six dancers to perform at Barbados Night at the Barclays Center.

BTMI welcomed Bajans, NYC locals and visitors alike to celebrate the wonderful island of Barbados while watching the Brooklyn Nets take on the Toronto Raptors. The afterparty was held at Club Marquee. l

Photo: Facebook

A

t age 19, Jamaican reggae singer Koffee is the youngest artist to head the Billboard “Top 100” chart. Her first EP “Rapture” debuted at Number 1 on Billboard’s Reggae Album Chart, as well as taken the top ranking on iTunes Reggae Chart, a place that reggae legend Bob Marley has held, off and on, for a long time. Koffee’s “Rapture” project includes five tracks, three of which were previously released – “Toast,” “Throne,” and “Raggamuffin.” – and two of which are new – “Blazin” and the title track ”Rapture.” “Blazin” features Jane MacGizmo, who has been called the “poetic author of Jamaican music.” Koffee has described her EP as a “kind of fresh and new vibe,” and she noted that she was excited about its release as this was her first chance to present herself to the world on an extended play. She believes this represents a “huge milestone” in her career.

Koffee said her favorite song on the EP is “Rapture.”

Koffee was born Mikayla Simpson on

February 16, 2000, in Spanish Town, Jamaica, outside of Kingston. Her mother raised her alone, as her father moved to New York when Koffee was just an infant.

The singer has said that her mother struggled so she didn’t have to, working as an actress and for Jamaica’s Ministry of Health where she gives sex education and “body-positive” talks to young people.

Koffee’s mother sheltered the future reggae star from much of the violence suffered by their community. She attended Ardenne High School, and while she was able to avoid explicit scenes of violence, the socio-political challenges facing Jamaica are addressed in her music, a feature that helped to shape her art. Much of her music, she says, is about entertaining people while focusing on the nation’s problems at the same time so that they can be part of the solution.

Koffee describes herself as “somewhere between” a singer, a rapper and a deejay.

Some of the artists who have influenced her in addition to Protégé include super Cat, rapper Smino, and UK rapper Giggs.

And while reggae is her focus at the moment, she sees herself doing many different things in the future. “I want to try it all.” She also says she wants to bring positive things into the world and isn’t focused on the material aspects of her own success. “My personal success could be ten cars and a big house but that doesn’t influence many people other than myself and the people around me who that benefit from that. I want to be a positive movement and make a positive movement, at the same time. I want to bring vibes and positive change.”l

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

14

Help! I Have Feelings for Someone Else!

Kitchen Corner The Best Thai Coconut Soup

BY JENNINE ESTES, MFT

I

f you’re in a relationship and develop feelings for someone else, you wind up in a world of confusion. What does it mean and when should you leave?

Question: I am in a relationship of 7 years and I have feelings for my friend. I text her all the time, I make excuses to see her, and I’d prefer to talk to her over my girlfriend. I keep putting myself in situations that I know aren’t right, but I just can’t seem to stop. I know she has feelings for me too. I love my girlfriend, but this has me so confused. What do I do?

Answer: First things first. Don’t take this issue lightly. Your heart has been touched and you can’t ignore that feeling.

Pay attention to this feeling and be serious with the issue. Our hearts get touched for various reasons and you need to figure out how yours got here to begin with. If a person is in a secure relationship, emotions don’t simply spark out of the blue. Yes, we may have crushes along the way, but when our emotions take over, this is a sign that there is more going on than meets the eye.

Think of this time in your life, and these feelings, as a serious wake-up call.

Maybe you have been screaming out for certain needs to be met and your partner missed it. Or maybe you never really shared what you needed and now this certain someone is touching that tender spot. Maybe you never really were in tune with what you actually needed until you got a sample of it. Or, this may be the sign that you are emotionally done with your current relationship with your girlfriend. Before you make a quick jump, I suggest major soul searching first.

Being around the friend right now will only complicate your emotional world.

Interacting with this friend may only show you a distorted image of a glamorous time together without exposing the “daily grind” of life. Comparing the friendship to your relationship is like comparing apples to oranges. They are in completely different categories. Put the

BY JESSICA, ALLRECIPES.COM

interaction on hold so you can make a decision on your current relationship with a more clear head. This is probably the hardest part. Sometimes we can feel so alive with this other person that putting the interaction “on hold” may be very challenging to do. However, you and your 7 year relationship deserve the time it takes you to make a clear decision. Get a support and an accountability partner that will help you through this.

The cleanest cut is making sure to close one chapter before you start a new chapter. Maybe your current relationship isn’t exactly done. Once you have this step back from your friend, examine the good, the bad, and the ugly in your relationship. Take note on what is going right and what is missing.

surance with your girlfriend. Seek out professional help from a counselor that will help you two navigate how to mend things and make it right.

If you answered no to the questions, and you aren’t willing to invest time in the relationship no matter what your partner does, this may be the sign that you are really done. I recommend reaching out to others and counselors to help you through this time. Make sure you close this chapter without guilt before you enter in to the next relationship or rondevu.Whichever way resonates with you, the important thing is to just do it for the longevity and health of your marriage. It’s an investment that could potentially continue to pay dividends for years to come. l

Answer the following questions: 1. Is your relationship something you are willing to invest time and emotions in to?

2. If your partner make serious changes, would this help you consider diving back into the relationship?

If you answer yes to the questions, then maybe it is time to start expressing exactly (and clearly) what you need in the relationship. Your partner needs to know the seriousness of the requests and it can be helpful to let her know about your heart. Don’t avoid the conversations any more and make this relationship a priority. This may mean that you need to disconnect from your friend for the long term to create a sense of safety and reas-

Jennine is a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, CA. Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples.

Supervisor. She writes relationship and self-growth advice for her column Relationships in the Raw. Creator of #BeingLOVEDIs campaign. MFC#47653 Reprinted with the kind permission of Estes Therapy.

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Figeroux & Associates

Ingredients •1 tablespoon vegetable oil •2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger •1 stalk lemon grass, minced •2 teaspoons red curry paste •4 cups chicken broth •3 tablespoons fish sauce •1 tablespoon light brown sugar •3 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk •1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced •1pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined •2 tablespoons fresh lime juice •salt to taste •1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro Directions Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp; cook until no longer translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantro.l •Prep 35 m •Cook 30 m •Ready In 1 h 5 m

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"Authentic, bold, and delicious Thai flavors make this soup irresistible! This is the best Thai coconut soup I've had. You won't be disappointed with this one!

Serve over steamed rice."

Se Habla Español

Schedule your appointment today.

Call 855-768-8845

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15

CONVERSATIONS

Life Events and Your Finances: Are You in the Know?

BY CANDACE BAHR

T

he old saying, “what we don’t know can’t hurt us,” is good for a laugh when we’re talking about the number of calories in a mocha frappuccino. However, we really do want to know as much as we can about how certain predictable life events can affect us, especially our finances.

Although we can’t know everything about what our future holds, we can make some educated guesses and give some thought to the “what ifs?” When women look toward their financial future, they have some unique issues to consider.

Key Life Events that Affect Financial Strategy For most women, financial planning is not an end in itself, but a means of reaching life and family goals. National surveys have shown that for women, achieving financial peace of mind is over seven times more important than accumulating wealth. Women think particularly of their finances in the larger context of their life and family situation,

their loved ones, their values and their hopes for the future.

They especially want to understand and reflect on the key life events that will affect their finances. Issues unique to women include the likelihood that they will outlive their spouses, may have to take care of ailing family members, or may take time out from working to raise children. For women, financial planning is about peace of mind, and financial success is about protecting themselves and the people they love from uncertainty.

Here are some life events to think about: Marriage: How will you and your spouse share the management of financial resources?

Children: How will you finance their care and feeding for twenty years (or more)?

Divorce: Statistics show that 50% of marriages end in divorce. That’s a big “what if?” Not a happy prospect, but one to face with compassion and clarity.

Career Turning Points: Will you work or stay home with the kids? How will you

stay current and employable?

Widowhood: Women born during the Baby Boom are likely to be widowed by age 67 and to remain a widow for 15 years or longer. Nine out of ten women are on their own financially at some point in their adult lives.

Caregiving: The need to care for aging parents and/or spouses is becoming the norm as our lifespans increase. Your finances may be affected by the time, energy, and resources required.

should take place well in advance of the final life event, this is a truly significant one for all who hope to leave this world a better place and assure the best future and most comfortable transition for their loved ones.

When we think of life as an exciting enterprise, full of ups and downs to be shared and learned from, we keep ourselves in the best position to enjoy it. We can use what we do know to help prepare for the things we can’t know.l

Retirement –How will you finance the potentially 30-year span after you and/or your spouse leave the work force?

Estate Planning: Although planning

Candace is the co-founder of the nonprofit Women’s Institute for Financial Education, WIFE.org, Reprinted with permission.

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Immigrants Denied Citizenship for Working in the Legal Marijuana Industry

BY MELISSA CRUZ

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swaldo Barrientos has lived as a legal immigrant in Denver, Colorado for almost his entire life. Now 30, he and his mother immigrated to the United States from El Salvador when he was a year old. But in his recent interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he was denied American citizenship—simply because he works in the legal marijuana industry.

Barrientos’ situation exposes the inher-

ent conflict between state and federal marijuana laws. Some immigrants are now getting trapped in the crosshairs.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Colorado for almost two decades. Thirtythree other states, as well as the District

of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also legalized marijuana.

But immigration officials are choosing to ignore state laws. They instead opted to only focus on federal laws, which have not decriminalized marijuana.

As a result, life-long U.S. residents like Barrientos can be denied American citizenship for lacking “good moral character,” as his USCIS denial letter described it.

This means Barrientos—a hardworking, continued on page 3

‘We Just Heard Screaming.’ ICE Arrests 280 Workers in the Largest Immigration Raid in a Decade

BY MELISSA CRUZ

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he scene outside a technology repair company in Allen, Texas on Wednesday was bleak. In the aftermath of an immigration raid, family members gathered to make phone calls, connect with attorneys, and give support to the workers arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USCIS) that afternoon.

ICE agents arrested more than 280 employees suspected of working at CVE Technology Group without

Photo credit: LBJ Library

authorization.

The agency reportedly began the investigation in January 2019, after receiving tips that the company may have knowingly hired immigrants without permis-

sion to work in the United States.

ICE has not confirmed whether they arrested any CVE employers or managers during the raid. Overwhelmingly, continued on page 3

‘Your Client Is Going Bye-Bye.’ New Investigation Details Immigration Judges’ Cruel Behavior

BY KATIE SHEPHERD

T

Vol. 104

exas—and specifically El Paso— has been ground zero for many of the incredibly harmful policies introduced under the Trump administration, such as family separation, returning asylum seekers to Mexico to wait for hearings, and keeping migrant families under an overpass for days to wait for processing. Findings uncovered in a new complaint, however, reveal profound deficiencies detained immigrants face in the El Paso immigration court system.

The detained immigration court in El Paso, Texas, known as the El Paso Service Processing Center or “El Paso SPC Court” is riddled with due process concerns. Immigration judges (IJs) often make derogatory comments to the asylum seekers and their attorneys and employ incredibly problematic practices to run their courtrooms. Not surprisingly, the El Paso SPC court has the lowest asylum grant rate in the entire nation.

In response, immigration advocacy groups—including the American Immigration Council—filed an administra-

Photo credit: Immigration Impact

continued on page 2

House Votes to Reauthorize VAWA. Time for the Senate to Do the Same VIA SEEMA NANDA, DEMOCRATS.ORG

House Leader Nancy Pelosi Photo: shutterstock

T

he House just voted to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). We need to keep up the momentum and tell the Senate to follow suit.

One of the most important and personal reasons I am proud to be a Democrat is because Democrats are the party that champions women. We as Democrats know that what some may refer to as "women's issues" affect all of us in this country.

Democrats also know that domestic abusers should not have access to firearms.

This shouldn't be remotely controversial. But it's exactly what's holding up reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in Congress — and the National Rifle Association (NRA) is leading the charge.

Democrats in the House just voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act —- but the NRA is counting on their Republican allies in the Senate to stop the bill there. Speak out now and urge the Senate to reauthorize VAWA. Since 1994, VAWA has been the landmark piece of legislation designed to protect all women, no matter their income or ZIP code, against domestic abuse and sexual violence. A key element of VAWA is the "red flag" amendment, which prevents domestic abusers and those convicted of stalking from owning firearms — and for good reason: •Survivors of domestic abuse are five times more likely to be killed by their abuser if the abuser owns a gun.

•Domestic violence incidents involving guns are 12 times deadlier than those without.

•Nearly two-thirds of the women whose lives were claimed by gun violence in 2011, were killed by a domestic partner.

We cannot and should not let continued on page 2

IMMIGRATION MATTERS

2

VAWA/from page 1

Bye-Bye/from page 1

Republicans and the NRA muddy the waters. Domestic abusers should not have access to guns. The truth is Republicans in Congress are using their alliance with the gun lobby to block VAWA—and force women to live in constant fear of extreme violence and even death Congressman Eliot Engel, who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester counties, issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 1585, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act: “I am pleased to see the Violence Against Women Act reauthorized after Republicans let the program lapse last year during the Trump Shutdown. Our Democratic Majority is committed to improving the safety and welfare of all Americans, which is why reauthorizing VAWA was such a high priority. Women and children deserve to be safe in their homes, and we must do everything we can to eliminate the terror of living with domestic violence.

“Since its initial passage in 1994, VAWA has allowed victims of domestic violence and abuse to seek the justice they deserve. In that time, the rate of domestic violence in the U.S. has fallen more than 50%, but there is still more that needs to be done.

“The 2019 VAWA reauthorization provides the needed investments in

tive complaint on April 3 with government oversight agencies. The complaint outlines systemic due process concerns around unprofessional behavior by IJs and troubling court practices in El Paso.

The complaint draws from court observations of hundreds of immigration hearings, several judge-specific rules, and sworn statements from attorneys appearing before the Court. The Court observations, declarations, and statistics paint a sobering picture. The data suggests that immigrants appearing in the El Paso SPC Court face some of the highest obstacles to due process and fair adjudication of claims for relief.

Of the cases that went to trial (cases that were decided on the merits), IJs only granted 31 out of 808 asylum applications (less than 4 percent) between fiscal year (FY) 2013 and FY 2017. In FY 2016 and FY 2017 combined, IJs at this court granted just seven out of 225 cases (about 3 percent).

The Court’s asylum grant rate is so low that one IJ crassly referred to the El Paso SPC Court as “the Bye-Bye Place.”

The complaint also sheds light on a culture of hostility and contempt towards immigrants and their attorneys. IJs are required to observe “high standards of ethical conduct,” remain impartial, and avoid “impropriety or the appearance of impropriety” in everything they do in the court. Declarants and Court observers alike noted a variety of inappropriate statements and conduct by the IJs in the court, including: •One legal practitioner—who shared her experience under condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by the IJs—reported that IJs openly voiced disapproving and negative opinions about attorneys, calling them “dishonest,” “lazy,” or “useless.”

•One IJ was observed saying “You know your client is going bye-bye, right?”

•Another IJ reportedly stated that a female respondent was very attractive and that that was likely the reason she was being persecuted.

•Yet another IJ called an immigrant who had suffered a mental breakdown while

resources for both communities and law enforcement to protect victims and prosecute abusers. The bill expands protections for women, children, LGBTQ individuals, and Native American tribes. It also closes dangerous loopholes, such as the ‘boyfriend loophole,’ to further protect individuals who are abused by their significant other.

“Put simply, this bill will save lives. I have always been a strong supporter of VAWA and am proud to have helped pass its reauthorization here again today.”

“Longer processing times mean families struggle to make ends meet, survivors of violence and torture face danger, and U.S. companies fall behind.”l

in detention “crazy” and openly mocked his mental health in court.

•Perhaps most troubling, according to Court observers and local attorneys who regularly represent detained clients at the El Paso SPC Court, IJ William Abbott stated, “Due process is an opportunity, not a privilege.”

The complaint demonstrates that the use of problematic standing orders—individual rules regarding the operation of an IJ’s courtroom—by the IJs at the El Paso SPC Court undermine due process and limit access to counsel.

For example, the IJs use standing orders to set arbitrary limits on the amount of evidence applicants can submit and to pre-adjudicate cases before necessary evidence can be submitted.

Also, IJs are refusing to allow attorneys to appear telephonically, setting up unnecessary financial and logistical burdens to pro bono legal assistance.

The concerns raised in the complaint illustrate a systemic pattern of dysfunction and lack of meaningful oversight— not just in the El Paso SPC Court—but in the U.S. immigration court system at large.

Immigration courts across the country are suffering from many of the issues plaguing the El Paso SPC Court—the use of problematic standing orders, reports of inappropriate conduct from IJs, and highly disparate grant rates. This suggests that outcomes may depend on which Court or judge is deciding the case rather than established principles and rules of law. l

Listen to The Week In Immigration at www.cawnyc.com

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.IJLEF.ORG FOR MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS & UPDATES

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IMMIGRATION MATTERS Denied Citizenship/continued from page 1

We Just Heard Screaming/ continued from page 1

ICE data shows that workers—not employers—are most often the targets of worksite enforcement under the Trump administration.

What happened during the immigration raid?

Immigration agents stormed the company Wednesday morning. According to people at the scene, agents divided up the hundreds of workers based on their legal status.

Workers with proper documentation stood together and were given green wristbands to wear.

The employees—mostly women—had varied reactions. Some screamed when they saw the agents; but by the time they were separated by status, many had fallen silent. “Standing, no talking. Ladies crying,” one employee said.

Buses from a private prison facility waited for workers outside of the company. Family members, including children, who had been alerted to the raid also stood nearby.

One worker, a Guatemalan woman with two teenage children, started at the company five years ago. She was released after spending hours in ICE custody with directions to appear in court.

She said: “The hardest thing was when the bus started taking off. There was a long moment of silence, people crying.”

What will happen to the immigrant workers?

ICE claims that it will interview everyone who was arrested during the raid. If it follows procedures, the agency will make note of any “humanitarian situations,” such as whether the arrested worker is a sole caregiver of a child or has special medical needs.

Based on the outcome of the interviews, the agency is supposed to decide whether someone remains in custody or can be considered for “humanitarian release.”

Every single person, however, will still get fingerprinted and processed for removal from the United States.

How will this raid potentially affect the local economy?

With over 2,000 employees, CVE is the third-largest employer in Allen, Texas. Losing about 15 percent of their staff due to the raid could have a detrimental affect on the business and the town.

Local economies often suffer after massive immigration raids. Postville, Iowa—the site of the largest immigration raid in the country—got thrown into an economic crisis after ICE raided the town’s meatpacking plant.

Businesses picked up and moved and residents foreclosed their homes.

Decades later, Postville and the surrounding towns still feel the damage.

The economy never fully recovered and the remaining workforce is shrinking.

Worksite enforcement raids ignore the needs of the communities they target. They devastate local economies, rip long time residents away from their families, and traumatize the community and its remaining residents.l

tax-paying, legal U.S. resident who has no criminal background—is stuck in limbo. His attorney warned him that he can’t even travel abroad. There is now a real risk he’d get detained by airport authorities.

Barrientos says he started working at the dispensary after his mother received a stage 3 skin cancer diagnosis in 2014.

“I didn’t get into it because I’m some kid in his mom’s basement, bored, and all he does is smoke pot.

I truly am interested in the benefits this industry can bring on a medicinal level.”

This is reportedly not an isolated incident, either. An attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center says USCIS recently denied other legal immigrants their citizenship for the same reason in Colorado and Washington State, where marijuana was is also legalized.

Some state officials are questioning how the federal government is implementing these laws.

In a letter sent to the Department of Justice, the City of Denver and Mayor Michael Hancock requested formal guidance to “clarify and adjust policies that are negatively impacting the legal immigration status” for employees of the state’s legal cannabis industry.

He was inspired to write the letter after meeting with Barrientos and another decades-long Denver resident who was also denied citizenship for working in the industry. Hancock hopes the government will use this as an opportunity to respect Colorado’s voters and correct “an injustice.”

This is yet another example of the Trump administration needlessly placing legal immigrants at risk.

Rather than denying citizenship, the administration should encourage immigrants’ participation in an expanding and legal industry.l

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.IJLEF.ORG FOR MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS & UPDATES

HEALTHY FAMILY

Healthy Life

Welcome to our Healthy Family, Healthy Lifestyle Special Section. Our focus is on diabetes.

Diabetes is the biggest KILLER in our community. More than cancer. Read on.

Diabesity: A Crisis in the Caribbean Community of Brooklyn

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tating that diabetes is ravaging the Caribbean community in Brooklyn, a coalition of faith-based and community groups is partnering with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and major area hospitals in conducting a diabetes exposition and symposium on Saturday, April 27, at Erasmus Hall High School, 911 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

According to Guyanese community leader, Minister John Williams, who is spearheading the initiative, the coalition, called the New Creation Community Health Empowerment Corporation, launched the “Island of Flatbush Diabetes Task Force” three years ago, and has “mapped out three areas in Central Brooklyn, dubbed “The Island of Flatbush,” “The

Village of Bed-Stuy/Bushwick” and “The Town of East New York/Brownsville. The Island of Flatbush is renowned to have the “largest concentration of Caribbean people anywhere in the United States.”

“This population is one of the greatest sufferers of the diabetes epidemic in New York, especially the new type that was discovered, called the ‘Flatbush Diabetes,’” said Williams in a letter to more than 100 places of worship that he expects to participate in this weekend’s event.

Besides churches, Williams said the task force is comprised of Islamic centers, schools, community centers and organizations “with the 20/20 vision to reverse the incidence of diabetes by 20 percent by the year 2020.”

He said these churches, most of which are affiliated with the Adventist Church, and

centers, will be designated as “Centers for Preventive Health and Wellness.”

“This symposium is designed to arm faith leaders and their teams of community health workers and lifestyle coaches with the resources and tools to conduct an effective warfare against the epidemic,” Williams said.

He added that the event will also feature, among other things, tests, screenings, and education and information sessions on diabetes, vision, heart disease, stroke, nutrition, podiatry, dentistry, obesity, stress and depression. “People with diabetes have medical expenses 2.3 times higher than

non-diabetics, and are at risk for blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, amputation and death.” It has been evidenced that diabetes prevention education slashes the risk of developing diabetes by 60 percent.

The exposition /symposium takes place from 11am to 3pm and 4pm to 7pm respectively. For more information, contact Williams at (347) 962-0451, or at jhw361@gmail.com.u

HEALTHY FAMILY - HEALTHY LIFE

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Diabetes and the Blue Book

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ocial Security uses the list of impairments, also called the "Blue Book," as part of the disability determination process.

Most individuals who apply for Social Security disability don't know what disability criteria the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to determine whether claimants are disabled. In part, disability examiners use a list of impairments known as the "Blue Book" to determine if an individual will meet the Social Security definition of disability.

What Is the Blue Book?

The Blue Book is a list of impairments with detailed requirements for when the SSA should judge a medical condition to be disabling. The official name of this disability handbook is Disability Evaluation Under Social Security. This listing of impairments contain the most common medical conditions considered to be severe enough to keep an individual from working. If you match the requirements of a listed impairment (called a "listing"), you will qualify for disability automatically, regardless of whether you can actually work or not.

The Blue Book Is Divided Into Two Main Parts: Part A is dedicated to adult disability assessments. Part B is dedicated to childhood disability assessments.

Each of these parts is divided into sections

the requirements for how severe the symptoms, clinical findings, and laboratory tests for a particular impairment have to be — to make sure that the condition is severe enough for an automatic approval. (If your condition doesn't match a listing, the SSA goes through a longer determination process to see if you're disabled, but if you can match a listing, the process stops there.)

Here's how to use the listings to see if you should automatically qualify for disability:

(15 for children, 14 for adults), which contain information about different types of disabilities. The major body systems addressed within the Social Security disability handbook are as follows: Musculoskeletal, Special Senses (Vision and Hearing), Respiratory System, Cardiovascular System, Digestive System, Genitourinary System, Hematological Disorders, Skin Disorders, Endocrine Disorders, Multiple Body Systems, Neurological, Mental Disorders, Neoplastic Diseases (Cancer), and Immune System Disorders.

For each major body system, the Blue Book contains a list of disabling conditions.

For instance, you will find fractures and spinal disorders addressed in the musculoskeletal section.

Using the Listing of Impairments to Help Your Case Because illnesses and injuries have varying degrees of severity, the Blue Book sets out

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Is Your Condition In the Blue Book?

You can look at the SSA's impairment listings to see if you can find your medical condition in a listing, or look at our list of illness-specific articles, which will tell you whether the condition is listed.

Does Your Condition Match a Listing?

If your disability is listed, the next step is to determine if your medical condition meets the specific criteria for that condition to automatically qualify for benefits. The listing requirements are often quite complex; your doctor can help you determine if you meet a listing (or again, you can read our illness-specific articles, which attempt to simplify some of the medical jargon in the listings).

If you haven't had the clinical or laboratory tests required in the listing, you can ask your doctor to perform them. (Or you can wait for the SSA to pay for a consultative exam, but this makes your claim take longer, and it's generally better if the test results are already in your medical record.) Then you can check to see if your test results meet the requirements of the listing.

Does Your Condition "Equal" a Listing?

If your impairment doesn't match the requirements of the listing, the disability claims examiner will determine if your impairments can be considered equivalent to a similar listing, in terms of severity. The SSA allows you to "equal" a listing because it can't include every form or variant of a severe disability in its impairment listings. The SSA also recognizes that there are various ways to diagnose and document the same illness. For instance, the listing may require a specific result on a specific lab test, and you weren't given that test, but you did take a test that shows the same results as the test required by the listing.

Another way to equal a listing is by having a combination of impairments that by themselves are not severe enough to meet a specific listing, but combined, their severity equals that of a listed impairment. If the SSA says your impairments are equally as severe as those in the listings, you will be granted disability benefits. If you have to appeal an initial denial of benefits, and you want to argue that your condition is equal to a listed impairment, you would probably need a disability lawyer to argue your case.

Are All Impairments In the Blue Book?

Not all medical and psychological conditions are listed in the Blue Book—it would be impossible to list all disabling illnesses and injuries in a handbook. You can get disability for a condition not listed in the Blue Book if you can prove the condition limits your functioning too much for you to work.u

Source: nolo.com

Did You Know?

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he Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 ("Amendments Act" or "ADAAA"), is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities include those who have impairments that substantially limit a major life activity, have a record (or history) of a substantially limiting impairment, or are regarded as having a disability.

Title I of the ADA covers employment by private employers with 15 or more employees as well as state and local government employers. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act provides similar protections related to federal employment. In addition, most states have their own laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of disability. Some of these state laws may apply to smaller employers and may provide protections in addition to those available under the ADA. EEOC enforces the employment provisions of the ADA. This document, which is one of a series of question-and-answer documents addressing particular disabilities in the workplace, explains how the ADA applies to job applicants and employees who have or had diabetes. In particular, this document explains: lwhen an employer may ask an applicant or employee questions about her diabetes and how it should treat voluntary disclosures; lwhat types of reasonable accommodations employees with diabetes may need; lhow an employer should handle safety concerns about applicants and employees with diabetes; and lhow an employer can ensure that no employee is harassed because of diabetes or any other disability.

As a result of changes made by the ADAAA, individuals who have diabetes should easily be found to have a disability within the meaning of the first part of the ADA's definition of disability because they are substantially limited in the major life activity of endocrine function. Additionally, because the determination of whether an impairment is a disability is made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures, diabetes is a disability even if insulin, medication, or diet controls a person's blood glucose levels. An individual with a past history of diabetes (for example, gestational diabetes) also has a disability within the meaning of the ADA. Finally, an individual is covered under the third ("regarded as") prong of the definition of disability if an employer takes a prohibited action (for example, refuses to hire or terminates the individual) because of diabetes or because the employer believes the individual has diabetes.

Title I of the ADA limits an employer's ability to ask questions related to diabetes and other disabilities and to conduct medical examinations at three stages: pre-offer, post-offer, and during employment.u Source:eeoc.gov

HEALTHY FAMILY - HEALTHY LIFE

3

Getting Disability Benefits for Diabetes

Do You Have Seasonal Discomforts?

It's difficult to get disability for controlled diabetes, but most diabetic applicants suffer from related medical problems that limit their ability to work.

BY STACY YOUNG

A

n individual may qualify for Social Security disability benefits based on uncontrolled diabetes or related symptoms like peripheral neuropathy or poor vision. While diabetes that is wellcontrolled with medication won't form the basis of a successful claim on its own, most disability applicants with diabetes also suffer from other medical problems that limit their ability to work. When filing for disability benefits for diabetes, it's important to list all your symptoms and diagnoses, even those unrelated to your diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic medical condition marked by an inability to process glucose in the blood. When the pancreas fails to produce sufficient amounts of the hormone insulin, which sends signals to other body cells to absorb excess glucose, blood sugar levels rise.

Elevated blood sugar levels often can be controlled through medication and diet, but

persistently high blood sugar levels may give rise to neuropathy (nerve damage) causing numbness, burning, and tingling in the extremities. Other complications of diabetes include cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, skin infections, and visual changes.

Type 1 diabetes, often referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes, typically manifests in childhood and requires daily insulin injections and monitoring of blood sugar levels. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce the insulin which regulates blood sugar levels. Only about five to

ten percent of diabetic individuals suffer from Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, also called adultonset diabetes, occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin and thus fail to process sufficient amounts of glucose. Type 2 diabetes is most common in those over 45, and it is strongly associated with obesity, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle. Genetic factors also play a role in the development of Type 2 diabetes. continued on page 4

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When you’re using natural solutions, check your sources for quality. DoTerra offer the highest grade of essential oils you can get in the market today. Check the link for sources and quality testing procedures to be called Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (1). You’ll have to try it to see why they have earned the name most tested and most trusted essential oils company internationally. Without using quality standard essential oils, the remedies wouldn’t work properly and it could be dangerous.

There are three ways to use to help you find relief. First, diffuse 3 drops each of DoTerra lemon, peppermint, and lavender whenever you’re indoors. You can also diffuse by putting 2 drops in your palms, rub them together and breathe in deeply until the smell is gone. Breathing the diffused air helps build immunity and works as a natural antihistamine for your body. Study shows, inhaling “lavender essential oil suppresses allergic airway inflammation and mucous cell hyperplasia in a murine model of asthma”. It also promotes a positive mood for everyone around you from breathing in the essential oils.

Second, apply topically 2 drops each of DoTerra lemon, lavender, and peppermint oils on your chest and small amount on your nose to support healthy respiratory function from seasonal discomforts. The natural antihistamine works to cool inflammation and reduce the over reaction to the immune system from the environment during the Spring and the Summer.

Third, drink 2 drops of each oil above with 4-6 ounces of water in a glass cup. It naturally cleanses the body and aids digestion. It works naturally to build immunity around environmental threats. Each single oil is beneficial for many remedies. Using them in combination in these three ways helps to reduce your chances of sinus issues and all things related to environmental threats. Using them in proper doses and consistently will also decrease your chances of discomforts each year. u Stacy is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach. Contact her at 917-459-8431.

HEALTHY FAMILY - HEALTHY LIFE

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Disability Benefits/ continued from previous page Diabetes is generally treated by endocrinologists, who prescribe medication, blood sugar monitoring, and lifestyle changes to control the disease.

Diabetes and Social Security's Disability Listings In 2011, Social Security removed its disability listing for endocrine disorders, including diabetes, from its Blue Book, a list of impairments that automatically qualify for disability. As a result, it's no longer possible to get approved for disability based on a disability listing specifically for diabetes, but you may be able to "meet" other listings in the Blue Book depending on the severity of your symptoms. For example, a person can match the requirements for Listing 11.14 for peripheral neuropathy, when he or she, in spite of treatment, experiences involuntary movements, tremors, or partial paralysis in two extremities that makes it difficult to walk or use his or her hands.

Diabetic retinopathy that causes less than 20/200 vision in the better eye would meet Listing 2.02.

Other complications related to diabetes, from kidney failure to cardiovascular issues to amputation of a limb, could also meet or "equal" one of the Blue Book listings.

Note that diabetic children under 6 who require daily insulin or 24-hour supervision (depending on the age of the child) will be automatically found to meet Listing 109.08

until they reach age 6.

Qualifying for a Medical-Vocational Allowance Based on Diabetes Getting a medical-vocational allowance is by far the more common way to get approved for disability benefits. If the symptoms of your diabetes prevent you from performing your past work or any other jobs in the economy, you can get approved for benefits under a medical-vocational allowance. A medical-vocational allowance takes into account your age, education, vocational history, and Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) in deciding whether you're capable of meeting the demands of any fulltime work.

Your RFC is an assessment of how much you can still do despite your impairments.

Social Security regulations require your

RFC to be based on medical evidence, so you or your attorney should submit copies of your relevant medical records to demonstrate the extent of your functional limitations. What your records should include depends on the specific symptoms involved. For example, an individual with peripheral neuropathy might submit medical evidence mentioning an unsteady gait, poor fine motor control, or numbness and tingling in the extremities. Or an individual with chronic hyperglycemia might submit evidence from a psychiatrist documenting difficulty concentrating and fatigue that interferes with his or her ability to sustain full-time work.

Clinic notes from specialists are generally considered more persuasive than those from family physicians. For example, if you suffer from diabetic retinopathy, you should

seek a referral to an ophthalmologist. Those with kidney disease should receive treatment from a nephrologist, while heart disease patients should consult a cardiologist, and so on.

In addition to clinic notes, you should ask your treating physician, preferably your specialist, to offer an opinion as to your work-related impairments. This is most easily done by providing the doctor with an RFC form addressing your abilities to sit, stand, walk, lift, and carry. The RFC form should also include postural limitations (bending, twisting, stooping), manipulative limitations (reaching, handling, fingering), and environmental limitations (noise, dust, extreme temperatures). Also ask your physician to note whether you would be expected to miss more than two days of work per month, a limitation that generally prevents any full-time work.

Finally, note that special SSA regulations known as the grid rules make it easier for older individuals to obtain a medical-vocational allowance. For example, a 50-yearold with a high school education but no transferable skills would be found disabled under the grids even if she is able to perform sedentary work. If this individual were over 55, she'd be found disabled even if she can do light work. The grid rules frequently come into play in cases involving Type 2 diabetes, which generally manifests during adulthood and tends to worsen as one ages.u Source: nolo.com

No.15

Avoid FSBO: For Sale By Owner

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hether you are buying or selling a property, ‘For Sale By Owner’ is a hazard you should try hard to avoid.

The concept sounds simple enough.

Sellers can avoid paying the extra percentages to realtor fees while buyers can speed through the purchasing process without having to sign papers all day at the bank.

Not so fast, say most industry experts.

Paperwork Headaches The documentation required to execute a for-sale-by-owner transaction is reason enough to avoid falling into the trap. Complex contracts, legal papers and disclosures complement the buying-selling process and are best left to experienced professionals.

Real estate agents can steer you toward the safest, most current methods for selling or buying a home in your region. They can also provide a checklist of the required steps to make a transaction official, including purchas-

ing title insurance and having the deed recorded properly at the courthouse.

Missing any of these steps can lead to big problems down the line.

Market Knowledge Real estate professionals have it, but common homeowners do not. Extensive market knowledge is something that takes years of industry experience and comprehensive research to accrue.

Agents are skilled in analyzing all of the

factors that contribute to properly pricing a home. Aspects like proximity to good schools, nearby flood zones and neighborhood reputation can be the difference between a good home and a great one.

Real estate agents are experts in gathering and communicating this information.

It is in your best interest to let them help you avoid potential pitfalls that could leave you regretting your decision for years to come.

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Risk Mitigation Real estate agents have seen it all, from the sneaky homeowners who try to hide potentially dangerous aspects of their home to the aggressive buyer who makes an offer at far less than market value.

Realtors are able to spot such behaviors and alert buyers/sellers to the red flags.

Without professional help, you may encounter a challenge that requires industry pedigree and past experience to overcome, and by the time you conduct the necessary research, it could be too late.

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INSIDE: Invest in Local Real Estate............................................2 Landlords: Shop Around...............3

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urchasing a home is a big expense, so you should be entitled to some tax deductions, right?

The good news is you are.

There are several primary home purchase tax deductions that can reduce your overall tax liability, and there are also some items that may not be deductible. Always check with a professional tax consultant for advice in your personal situation.

Settlement Costs When purchasing a home as a primary residence, the escrow company will provide new home buyers with a settlement statement at the time of closing.

This statement will show all the closing costs that were paid out in order to secure your new home. All or some of these costs can be deducted on your income tax return.

Closing cost items that typically may be deducted include lender points and fees, appraisal fees, title and escrow fees, processing fees, notary fees, prorated tax payments, pre-paid interest, homeowner’s insurance premiums, any sales taxes and possibly private mort-

Smart homeowners and first-time homebuyers read this paper!

Save for Your Down Payment......4

gage insurance (PMI).

There may be additional items listed on your statement that are deductible.

Interest You are allowed to deduct any interest or additional real estate tax payments that were paid from the time of your home purchase through the end of the year. These figures will be sent to you on a Form 1098 from your mortgage company.

If you did not pay your real estate taxes through your mortgage company, you most likely paid them yourself. Keep track of these costs so you can deduct them on your income taxes.

Exceptions Even though there are many primary home purchase tax deductions that can be written off on your tax return, there are a few items that are not allowed. Some of those items include home improvements, home maintenance, hired help, depreciation and utilities such as water, gas and electricity.

If you own a condo or townhouse, the homeowner association dues are not deductible. In addition, you cannot deduct your down payment, your earnest money deposit or any forcontinued on page 4

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EQUITY SMART REALTY

Invest in Local Real Estate

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f you’ve been thinking about your financial future lately, you may have considered the prospect of investing in real estate. Now is the time. Whether you’re planning to purchase your first home or buy a property for rental income, there are many factors making today an ideal time to enter the market.

With the memory of the Great Recession and housing bubble burst behind us, the real estate market has climbed its way back into being a stable, affordable investment that can have big returns in the future.

Here are a few main reasons why now more than ever, it makes great financial

sense to invest in a home: • Mortgage interest rates: No one knows how long mortgage rates will remain at low levels, which makes it a great time to invest. Rates aren’t as low as they were a few years ago when they dipped into historically low percentages, but they are still very reasonable for both 15- and 30-year loans.

Check with you local mortgage specialist or banking official for exact rates, which will vary based on your area and your personal credit history.

Foreclosures: There are still many fore-

closed properties on the market at affordable prices. These can be great options if you’re looking for low risk and potentially high return as a landlord renting the property to tenants.

Do your homework to make sure all major systems and structural aspects of the home are in good shape before sinking a large down payment into a house.

Hot markets, low costs: Ever think about buying a vacation home in Atlanta, Florida, Michigan or Nevada? This may be your chance. Real estate prices in these markets are at affordable levels and feature great opportunities for smart investment opportunities. Coordinate with your local

realtor to orchestrate the process. They will be able to connect you with the appropriate resources out of state.

Real estate equals profit: Look back at property costs 30 years ago. Those same properties today are valued much higher.

Unlike a car or truck, home value generally increases over the years, depending on how well you care for it and improve the property. This can make a home or two the perfect addition to your investment portfolio.

We are happy to help and share our insight and experience to help you with the real estate investing process. Schedule an appointment today. Call 888-670-6791. n

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Landlords: Shop Around

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specially if you are a first-time renter, knowing where to start looking for a reputable, fair landlord can be a challenge. Some landlords are deeply involved in the tenant relationship, requiring regular check-ins on the property, while others are hands-off and remain largely out of the picture.

When searching for a house or apartment to rent, these may be factors in your decision.

Be sure to weigh how you feel about the prospective landlord’s character and personality before signing on the dotted line.

This gut feeling can be as important as the rent cost and neighborhood location.

The Maintenance Are you a handyman or woman with a knack for making simple repairs around the home? If you answered yes, then you should share this information with your prospective landlord. You may be able to reduce your rent costs if you offer to fix up parts of the home.

Be sure to ask your landlord what his or her policy is on other simple maintenance activities, such as mowing, weeding and shrub trimming. Again, you may save yourself some money by offering to take care of these simple issues.

Landlords are busy and appreciate your initiative in protecting and improving their

investment. Don’t be afraid to bring up some ideas on how you can help make this happen.

Pets or No Pets Different landlords have varying rules regarding allowing pets in their homes. How important is a restriction on pets to you? If you planned on moving in your favorite pooch or kitty with you, be sure to check with your landlord on any related rules.

Take what your landlord tells you seriously. If you are found with a pet when it’s against the rules, you can be subject to extra costs and could be evicted.

There are plenty of available rental properties that allow pets. Picking the right home for you and your pet is a responsible

decision.

The Trust Factor Handing over the keys of your home to a perfect stranger can be a scary proposition for a landlord. That’s why, as a renter, it’s so important to establish yourself as a trustworthy individual. Show your landlord that you value and appreciate the work that went into making the house rental-ready.

Always be sure to keep a signed copy of your rental agreement in a safe, accessible location. This may be an important document to reference should there ever be an issue.

Need help? Schedule an appointment today by calling 888-670-6791. n

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a FREE consultation.

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HOME OWNERSHIP

Save for Your Down Payment

Home Purchase Tax Deductions continued from page 1

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verwhelmed at the thought of scrounging together 20 percent for a down payment on your dream home? Don’t be.

Saving for a down payment is serious business, but is not an insurmountable task. It takes dedication and discipline, and can be achieved with the help of the following tips:.

Consider Your Options A down payment is traditionally 20 percent of the final price of the home, but buyers can actually pay as little as five percent or less in some cases.

Most lenders will allow buyers to pay a smaller down payment, but it comes at the cost of extra non-principle payment on their monthly mortgage payments.

Private mortgage insurance is what banks use to protect themselves from buyer default, and it will typically add a chunk to your monthly payments until 20 percent of the home is paid down.

Your lender can educate you on the different rates and options that are available when it comes to private mortgage insurance.

Ask for Help Some lenders participate in down payment assistance programs that can help buyers expedite the process of moving into their dream home.

Acceptance into programs can be dependent upon your past payment history and credit reports. Qualification requirements vary by lender and state, so be sure to explore your options. You never know unless you ask.

Invest Your Money Experts urge savers to keep their down payment stockpile separate from their other accounts. This helps refrain them from dipping into the house savings for unexpected expenditures that can crop up at any time.

Savers are also urged to invest their home savings into low-risk options like money market accounts or certificates of deposit.

Tighten Up You may be surprised by how much you are spending on fast food, movies, and rounds of golf.

Create a spreadsheet and document your spending over the course of a couple of months, and find out exactly where your money is going. The results may change your spending habits and might convince you to cut out or reduce some of your monthly bills.

Every penny counts when you’re saving for your new home’s down payment.

If you're currently on the market for a home, you may want to contact one of our mortgage professionals for more information.We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance. Schedule an appointment today. Call us at 888-670-6791.n

feited deposits.

In addition to the above, there may be some additional tax benefits for new homeowners that have been approved by the federal government in recent years. Depending on the program you qualified for, you may be entitled to even further tax benefits.

Owning a home can reduce your overall tax obligations. These primary home purchase tax deductions are for singlefamily homes, condos and townhouses that you occupy.

There are different tax rules for rental properties or if you use part of your home for business purposes. It is strongly advised that you check with a tax consultant since tax laws are sometimes confusing and are constantly changing.

If you're currently on the market for a home, you may want to contact one of our mortgage professionals for more information.We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance. Schedule an appointment today. Call us at 888-670-6791. n