Challenger Community News May 13, 2020 by Challenger Community News

WE’RE STILL ON PAUSE!

The Weather Is Breaking. But COVID-19 is Still Here! • Wear A Mask Wash Your Hands • Practice Social Distancing • STAY HOME WHEN YOU CAN ! STAY SAFE! STAY POSITIVE!

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May 13, 2020 | FREE |

Enough is Enough!

Jamil Crews Organizes Local Run in Solidarity with the National Call for Justice in the Murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Page 8

VOICES

Dominique’s Story: Driving While Black and Poor in Buffalo Page 9

LOCAL

A Candid Conversation about COVID-19 with Buffalo’s Black Journalists Page 3

ROCHESTER

Council President Scott Takes Issue With Police Accountability Board Ruling Page 2

HEALTH: LIVING STRONG! Going Forward Our Health Is Number #1 Page 5

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BUFFALO, N.Y. PERMIT NO. 164

INSIDE ROCHESTER

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

Judge Rules Rochester’s Police Accountability Mayor Warren Says Board Cannot Legally Discipline Officers Protective Masks to Council President Loretta C. Scott Blasts Decision: Says Council Will “Defend the Will of Our Citizens”

ochester City Council President Loretta C. Scott Blasted Supreme Court Justice John Ark’s ruling last Thursday that Rochester’s Police Accountability Board cannot legally discipline officers.; a move that blocks the Board’s key power. In its wake, Council President Scott released the following statement: “Last November Rochesterians went to the polls, and 3 out of every 4 voters made the choice to approve a referendum that would establish Council President Scott a transparent and accessible Police Accountability Board. They voted to give this Board the power to investigate complaints, to subpoena information, and to set minimum discipline by establishing a disciplinary matrix, formed with input from the Chief of Police and Locust Club. The Court’s decision negates the will of the citizens of Rochester, and the City Council stands ready to appeal Judge Ark’s ruling to the higher courts. We must operate within the context of our legal system, but the City Council is ready to defend the will of our citizens, and this decision is not the final say.”

HAVE YOU LOST A LOVED ONE TO COVID-19? If you have lost a loved one to the Coronavirus/COVID-19, we invite you to send their photo, name & age to be included in a special upcoming “In Remembrance” feature. The deadline to receive the photo and information is Saturday, May 23. Be sure to include your name and a contact number or email address (not for publication). This is free. Space is limited, so please send as soon as possible. EMAIL TO: editorial@thechallengernews.com or MAIL TO: The Challenger Community News P.O. Box 474 Buffalo, NY 14209 For more information you may leave a message at 716-881-1051 or email us at editorial@thechallengernews.com

be Mailed to City Residents

Nearly 480,000 masks to be provided to 96,000 households. Another 20,000 masks to be reserved and distributed to support public health efforts and reopening activities as needed

Faith Community Alliance Issues Statement Related to Rochester School Superintendent Selection

Faith Community Alliance and supporters are calling upon the entire Rochester Community,especially and particularly Rochester City School District (RCSD) parents, grandparents, other family members, guardians and taxpayers, to join us in expressing our disgust and dismay concerning the possibility and likelihood that the seven persons who have been entrusted by the citizens and voters of Rochester, NY to act as our top education leaders and representatives, have continued to demonstrate blatant disrespect and disregard for us and our children, by reportedly choosing a new, permanent superintendent of schools, without any attempt to ascertain our thoughts, preferences, aspirations, or ideas regarding the choice.

Mayor Lovely Warren announced last week that protective masks will be sent to every household mailing address in the City of Rochester. Nearly 96,000 homes will receive five masks each for a total distribution of nearly 480,000 masks. An additional 20,000 masks will be reserved to support public health efforts, as well as reopening activities and will be provided to businesses, churches and apartments as needed. The masks were provided to the City from the Monroe County stockpile.

New Health Screening Unveiled To Help Prevent Further Spread Of Covid-19 ROCHESTER, NY – Monroe County Executive Adam Bello joins Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, Common Ground Health CEO Wade Norwood and County Public Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza to urge area residents to sign up for ROC COVID, a health screening tool that could help prevent further spread of COVID-19 throughout Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region. Data collected by ROC COVID will also increase understanding of the virus, measure efforts to slow its progression, and help determine where to focus testing or adjust stay-at-home and physical distancing requirements. The online survey tool is available at ROCCOVID. org, and takes only seconds to complete.

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

LOCAL BRIEFS

Madison Carter, president of the Association of Black Journalists.

A New Normal: A Conversation about COVID-19 with the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists Join members of the BABJ as they discuss what’s next as Western New York learns how to navigate a new normal surrounding COVID-19 on Saturday, May 16 from 3-5 p.m. p.m. on Power 96.5 WUFO FM/WUFO Mix 1080 AM. Hear from local leaders, business owners and doctors about how testing impacts our ability to reopen, as well as how this pandemic will impact our health, wellness and wallets moving forward. "Our members have been out front from day one, working hard to keep the community safe and informed,” said Madison Carter, president of the Association of Black Journalists. “We want to bring you those experiences and give an inside look at what’s happened from our perspective over the last two months. And this time, we’re asking our community to be a part of the conversation, as we all work to navigate what’s going to be our new normal," concluded the WKBW Channel 7 newscaster. The community will also have an opportunity to ask questions via social media and live call-ins to Power 96.5 FM at 716-837-1112. Questions? Join them on their Facebook page @ Buffalo Association of Black Journalists. Get the Facts on Covid-19!

Community Leaders Discuss New Models for Education Buffalo community leaders hosted a virtual town hall meeting last Friday about new models for education in Buffalo. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how blended learning and independent learning will play a major role in the future of education. This interactive event welcomed input from community members. Rob Baxter, principal of Health Sciences Charter School and leaders from the national school network Learn 4 Life discussed their model. Scheduled speakers included Bishop Badger of Bethesda World Harvest International Church; Ivy Diggs Washington, Buffalo Urban League; Duane Thomas, The Change Church Buffalo; and Sam Radford, Director of We The Parents.

CAO Distributes 2,000 Mother’s Day Dinners The Community Action Organization of Western New York (CAO) handed out 2,000 turkey dinners across three locations last Friday, in honor of Mother’s Day. Families enrolled in the Head Start program picked up their meals at three locations across Western New York including Defrancesco Academy in Niagara Falls; The Ferry Academy at 909 E. Ferry St. Buffalo; and St. Hyacinth's Academy in Lackawanna.

EAST SIDE VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD! COVID-19 Testing at Leroy Coles Library Now Available to Anyone Who Wants to Be Tested Erie County Legislator April N. M. Baskin, in conjunction with the Erie County Department of Health, Kaleida Health and the African American Health Disparities Task Force, has announced that Eastside residents without symptoms who want to be tested for COVID-19 will be able to get an appointment at the Leroy Coles Library testing location. “East Side voices have been heard” said Erie County Legislature Chair April N. M. Baskin. “There is still much work to do in fightLeroy Coles Library testing location. ing the COVID-19 crisis in our community, and we have only begun to address the systemic health care imbalances in low income and minority communities, but this is a victory. I want to stress that appointments are still required. But same-day appointments may be available. There is no charge for the test.” The Leroy Coles testing location was opened two weeks ago in order to serve residents of communities in the zip codes 14208, 14211, 14215, which have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Early diagnosis is essential to improving outcomes for those with COVID-19, especially those with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and lung disease. The Eastside site, located at the Coles Branch Library at 1187 E. Delavan Avenue, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Appointments are required in order to avoid high volumes of persons spreading the virus. Those interested in scheduling a test can do so with Kaleida by going to their website at www.kaleidahealth.org or by calling 859-3222.

Police Advisory Board Calls For Investigation Into Buffalo Police Incident

On May 10, 2020, a young man was held down by Buffalo Police Officers while repeatedly being hit in the face by one of these officers (video footage of the incident is available on the Buffalo Police Advisory Board Facebook page). According to the victim’s brother, officers broke his eye socket and his collar bone. The Buffalo Police Advisory Board (BPAB) first called on the Buffalo Police Department (BPD), as well as Buffalo Common Council, to fully investigate this incident. The BPAB recommends that the Buffalo Police Department remove the involved officers from patrol while an investigation takes place. The BPAB additionally calls on the BPD to further preventive policing practices by improving the Use of Force policy, de-escalation training, and transparency regarding these practices and policies. Specifically, the BPAB recommends that the BPD incorporate five additional components into department Use of Force Policy based on national best practice models and not currently included in BPD policy: •Require de-escalation prior to use of force, •Require a warning before shooting, •Require another present officer to intervene, •Mandate a comprehensive report of other police officers’ actions or arrests that included use of force IMAGE OF BRUTALITY. Screen•Ban chokeholds or strangle holds shot from video footage of incident. The BPAB has previously made recommendations to the Buffalo Common Council Police Over-sight Committee regarding the need for increased use of Community IT'S SPRING WILLIAM COLSTON Policing practices. ASE Certified Technician TUNE-UP TIME!

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African Americans in Medicine Part 1 •Onesimus, an enslaved African, describes to Cotton Mather, the African method of inoculation against smallpox. The technique, later used to protect American Revolutionary War soldiers, is perfected in the 1790's by British doctor Edward Jenner's use of a less virulent organism. •1783 Dr. James Durham (also spelled Derham in some records), born into slavery in 1762, buys his freedom and begins his own medical practice in New Orleans, becoming the first AfricanAmerican doctor in the United States. As a youngster, he was owned by a number of doctors, who taught him how to read and write, mix medicines, and serve and work with patients. Durham had a flourishing medical practice in New Orleans until 1801 when the city restricted his practice because he did not have a formal medical degree. •1788 Dr. James Durham is invited to Philadelphia to meet Dr. Benjamin Rush, who wanted to investigate Durham's reported success in treating patients with diphtheria. Dr. Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was so impressed that he personally read Durham's paper on diphtheria before the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Durham returned to New Orleans in 1789, where he saved more yellow fever victims than any other physician. During an epidemic that killed thousands, he lost 11 of 64 patients.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

BUILDING COMMUNITY AMID Positive Examples of Working Together Within Our Communities To Support Ourselves And Our Neighbors During The Covid-19 Crisis

Mobile Food Pantries

Sen. Tim Kennedy partnered with the NAACP and Feed More WNY to host a Mobile Food Pantry at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 701 E. Delavan Avenue last Wednesday. A similar event will be held at 2655 SouthPark Ave. from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.

Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle Offers Second Day of COVID-19 Testing This Friday

CODE19 SHELTER ASSISTANCE

If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness in WNY a Code19 Shelter has been opened at ECC Flickinger Center located at 21 Oak Stree in Buffalo 24/7 through the COVID-19 crisis and is eligible to anyone who needs a safe place to stay. The walk-in intake process includes screening for symptoms of coronavirus or COVID-19, Dial 211 or call 888-696-9211 for assistance.

A new and exciting collaboration designed to expand access to residents of the East side of Buffalo, brings additional coronavirus testing especially to those living in 14215, which is the current COVID-19 hot spot of Erie County. The testing Site was launched May 11 and will continue this Friday, May 15 at the Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle, 391 Edison St. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Make an appointment by calling The Community Health Center at (716)986-9199 ext. 5907.The testing site is made possible by way of the collaboration of the office of the Honorable Rasheed N.C. Wyatt, the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc., Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle and Quest Labs. This is a drive up and walk up diagnostic testing experience designed to meet the needs of anyone needing an appointment. We look forward to serving you!

Support The Black Cross Nurses HAND SANITIZER INITIATIVE!

he Universal African Black Cross Nurses Hand Sanitizer Initiative is growing! We would like to thank all those who have purchased sanitizer or donated to the mission. This act of group economics has allowed the local Black Cross to provide sanitizer to youth and elders around the city. You can now support by donating via CashApp: $Buffalo433, ordering online at Melanatedgreats.com or purchasing from The Ink Spot at 1440 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208. These times are proving that "we are all we got!" Hopefully, on the other side of this pandemic we will be stronger as a village unit. One God, One Aim, One Destiny!

Oak Room & ABC Hardware Mask Giveaway Dennis Wilson and the owners of The Oak Room and ABC Hardware joined together to support the community by providing a free masks, gloves and hand sanitizer giveaway Saturday at The Oak Room located at 1435 Main Street on the corner of Glenwood Avenue. At one point the line of cars stretched from the Oak Room on Main St., around the corner to E. Utica and Michigan Street. The Oak Room and ABC Hardware are encouraging everyone to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing. Challenger Photos

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H E L P I N G O U R R E A D E R S S T AY E D U C A T E D, S A F E, A N D H E A LT H Y For up-to-date information, visit our COVID-19 Information Portal at TheChallengerNews.com

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

Councilman Wyatt Announces Walk Up COVID-19 Testing Next Wednesday

LIVING STRONG! If the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us anything, it's the importance and benefit of being healthy and having a strong immune system. Here’s our “Living Strong” tip for the week. *Ankh wedja seneb - “Be alive, strong and healthy!” Anti-viral Supplements Anthony William, the Number #1 New York Times Best Selling Author suggests the following antiviral supplements as critical virus-fighting tools for your immune system you can consult with your physician or practitioner about: •Liquid Zinc Sulfate: Our immune system’s number one defense •Cat’s Claw: Powerful antiviral and one of best tools against all viruses, sinus infections, sore throats, earaches, urinary track infections, bloating, lung infection and more. •L-Lysine: Hinders and slows down viruses. “Everyone has viruses inside their body” writes William. •Vitamin C: Feeds your immune system and is also an anti-inflammatory He also recommends: •B12 with Adenosylcobalamin and Methylcobalamin: helps protect our entire body from neurotoxin damage from viruses •Lemon Balm: fights all kinds of viruses •Spirulina: Strengthens immune systems and helps stop viral growth •Mullein Leaf: Helpful for preventing viral infections •Golden Seal: Great for viral infections such as colds, flus and other viruses (Anthony William is the author of 6 extraordinary lifegiving books including his most recent, Medical Medium Cleanse to Heal. *(Ankh wedja seneb is an Egyptian phrase expressed as "life, prosperity, and health" or “Be alive, strong and healthy” which often appears after the names of pharaohs.)

In a continuing effort to provide testing in the community hardest hit by the coronavirus, University District Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt has announced that his office is partnering with Dr. Myron Glick founder of Jericho Road and Steve Tybor, president of Eight Days of Hope , to host a COVID-19 Walk-Up testing site in the parking lot of Eight Days of Hope at Clarence and Kensington Avenue on Wednesday, May 20 from 9a.m.-5p.m. According to Council Member Wyatt, residents will be able to get the Covid Test (to see if you Council Member have the virus) as well as the antibody test Rasheed Wyatt (to determine if you’ve been exposed to it) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free masks, hand sanitizer and gloves will also be distributed.

Legislators Baskin and Johnson to Offer “Lunch Break Mask Giveaway”

In partnership with WUFO Radio, legislators launch mask distribution effort. Bagged lunches from EM Tea Coffee Cup will be provided to first 100 participants Erie County Legislators April Baskin and Howard Johnson will begin their mask distribution effort with a lunchtime event at WUFO at 143 Broadway, geared towards those who live and work downtown. This will mark the beginning of their effort to distribute masks throughout the community, Legislators Baskin (L) and Johnson with more giveaways to be announced soon. The mask distribution will take place at WUFO’s Broadway studios from noon-2 p.m. on Friday, May 15th. All residents are encouraged to attend. They can drive up to the front of the station and masks will be provided on a first come, first served basis. There will be free lunches available to the first 100 participants. The lunches provided will be from EM Tea Coffee Cup, a Black-woman-owned business. They hope that those with a lunch break at that time will take a moment to grab a free lunch and take free masks to protect themselves and their families from the spread of COVID-19. “I am grateful to Sheila Brown from WUFO for hosting and to Kat Tyler for providing lunch,” said Baskin. “Black owned businesses form the bedrock of our community and we should all do our part to support them during this crisis. WUFO is at the center of Black life in Buffalo and this event is another example of their dedication to strengthening the ties that bind us together. Small business owners like Kat have suffered the brunt of this pandemic, which is I why I was eager to purchase the lunches from her restaurant. Our community must stand together now more than ever before.” In a related development, EM Tea Coffee,will also begin offering takeout service on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on May 15. Anyone with questions or concerns can contact Legislator Baskin’s

remote district office at 370-6651 or Legislator Johnson’s office at 842-0490. LEGAL NOTICE

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COUNTY OF ERIE ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDDERS 2020 Capital Overlay Contract A PROJ# CAP-207-2020 The Department of Public Works (DPW), Division of Highways, seeking sealed bids for road mill & overlay of William St. (CR 207) from City Line to Tamark Court, Town of Cheektowaga project. Sealed proposals must be received at the DPW, 95 Franklin St, Room 1404, Buffalo, NY at 10 am, Thursday, May 21, 2020. Bid deposit of $90,500. required with bid submittal. Minority Workforce, MBE/WBE participation, Apprenticeship goals, and Local & Disadvantaged Workforce requirements may apply. Pre-let WebEx virtual meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 10 am. Plans and additional bid submittal information on the Erie County website at: http:// www2.erie.gov/dpw

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

COGIC Church Hit Hard By Coronavirus Deaths Among Its Leadership by Madison J. Gray BET--The Church of God in Christ (COGIC), the nation’s largest African American Pentecostal denomination, has been particularly affected by coronavirus as many among its leadership have died of the disease. The Washington Post reports church leadership in states like Michigan, New York, California and Mississippi, all states where COGIC has a strong presence, have seen as many as 30 bishops and other clergy felled by COVID-19. Deaths in the church include First Assistant Presiding Bishop Phillip A. Brooks of Detroit; Bishop Tony Scott of Clarksdale, Miss.; and Bishops Robert E. Smith of Flint, Mich., and Robert L. Harris, also of Detroit were reported by various news outlets. Similar losses have taken hold in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel. COGIC presiding Bishop Charles Blake has been

providing directives for church members since March and has advised that services and other functions stop, including major conferences planned for 2020.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to unequivocally state that all Church of God in Christ local, district, state and international gatherings should absolutely cease,” Blake said in a video to church members. “Saints of God, let us please continue to do all we can to contribute to the flattening of this pandemic’s curve. I cannot stress the vital importance of doing so for the safety and well-being of all.” Like the National Baptist Convention, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the United Methodist Church, COGIC is an institution within the African American community with 7.7 million members worldwide. People who study the Black church say what is happening to the denomination is another exposure to how health disparities are being exploited by coronavirus to harm African Americans.

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

WHERE CAN I GET TESTED? Parents Ask Governor to Commit to Never Return to Old Ways of Education Express Support for Reimagining Education Initiative Parents held a virtual press conference in support of Gov. Cuomo’s Reimagining Education initiative Monday, May 11. “Recently WKBW ran a story that gave the impression that parents in Buffalo want to go back to how education was being done before COVID-19,” a press statement released by the parents said. “The parents that were interviewed were not an accurate representation of the average district parent, both in race and school attendance type. The parent that was interviewed had a child that attended city honors and was non-Black.” “Black parents make up the majority of the Buffalo school district and the majority of students do not attend the worldclass school City Honors (that has been cited by the Office of Civil Rights for their lack of enrollment of Black students)." During the press conference two Black parent leaders gave their support to Gov. Cuomo’s initiative and explained why the education system was NOT working for the majority of Buffalo parents pre-COVID-19. Their message: “Governor Cuomo, parents in Buffalo do not want to return to a system that does not work for the vast majority of children. We support your effort to reimagine education as long as we are imagining a system that works for the majority of children. Equity matters.”

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•Rite Aid 2474 Bailey Avenue Buffalo and' 1030 Pine Avenue Niagara Falls -Testing available for all adults at select locations -Self-swab nasal tests -Appointments available now online Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center 621 Tenth Street Niagara Falls •\Drive-thru testing •Available mornings at NFMMC, afternoons at satellite sites in Lockport or Wheatfield, depending on week •Pre-registration and prescription required •Call 716-278-4496 to schedule an appointment

Left to right: Jessica Miller, Ducann Kirkwood and Patricia Elliott.

•Leroy Coles Branch Library – Call Kaleida to schedule a testing appointment at (716) 859-3222 or by way of their website at www.kaleidahealth.org. Testing Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 1187 E. Delavan Ave. near Bailey. •Community Health Center of Buffalo – (716) 986-9199. Testing every Tuesday and Wednesday Mobile Unit, 34 Benwood Avenue Parking Lot. •G-Health – Call the Nurse Triage Line at (716) 604-0504 or download the GBUAHN, GBUACO OR UFO apps to complete a COVID-19 survey. •Kaleida Health – (716) 859-3222 -•Friday May 15:East Side COVID-19 Testing Site: Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle, 391 Edison Rd., 9 a.m.–4 pm; Call for appointment (716)9869199 ext. 5907. • Wednesday May 20: COVID-19 Walk-Up Testing: Parking lot of Eight Days of Hope at Clarence and Kensington 9a.m.-5p.m.

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

national Fauci Warns Of ‘Suffering And Death’ If US Reopens Too Soon

right side photos by Teo David What Would Teo Do Photography

Screenshot from cellphone video shows injured Georgia jogger after being being ambushed and shot by 2 gunmen.

"I RUN WITH AHMAUD": From Brunswick, Georgia (images of protesters on the left) to Buffalo, New York, where Jamil Crews (right with bull horn) organized a run in Delaware Park last weekend, people are calling for Justice in the Murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Jamil Crews Organizes Local Run in Solidarity With the National call for Justice in the Murder of Ahmaud Arbery

n an unseasonably tagging their efforts as others cold Friday May 8th, have around the world with entrepreneur, activ- awareness hashtags #Runist, leader and community WithMaud #IRunWithMaud builder Jamil Crews orga- and #JusticeForAhmaud nized over 50 locals to not A former runner turned only celebrate what would occasional jogger, Crews have been the 26th birthday is conscious of what any of Ahmaud Black man Arbery, but “The color of our skin – at any to stand in should not be deemed given time s o l i d a r i t y as a threat and we - including with the call shouldn’t have to fear himself for justice in can face in the wake of for our lives because America. his brutal of other people’s fears “I live in murder. one of the and insecurities." Ahmaud is most affluthe young African Ameri- ent zip codes in Buffalo and can man who was sense- when I’m running in my lessly gunned down in neighborhood, I can’t help Brunswick, Georgia by but to make sure my prestwo White men while on a ence is not a threat to people daily morning jog not very who don’t look like me befar from his own home. cause I want to make it home Crews especially orga- to my wife after a workout. nized people to come to- He shared that sometimes he gether and stand in solidar- crosses the street "if I see ity with the national Call for people coming toward me, Justice in Ahmaud Arbery’s or make sure I am running name. “The color of our at a certain time during the skin should not be deemed day where I and others are as a threat and we shouldn’t visible. It sucks that I have have to fear for our lives to take these precautions, but because of other people’s that’s the unfortunate reality fears and insecurities.” Said for Black men in America.” Crews. In addition to motivating He took his activism to the runners through bullhorn Delaware park creating a communication, Crews used successful social distance the opportunity to amplify run ( walk and some even accountability and called rode bikes) for roughly 2.23 for our global community miles despite the chilly 32 to use their voices, influence degree temperature pep- and platforms to speak out pered with snow flurries. against injustice in our comWith all participants co- munities. “I was also calling vid19 conscious and prop- on those who call themselves erly protected in masks to allies of the Black commu“Run with Ahmaud” also nity to use their privilege to

advocate for those who continue to be marginalized,” Crews concluded.“We must keep applying pressure until justice is truly served.” Follow this young leader on InstaGram @JamilCrews -by Staff Reporter -The “lynching” Ahmaud Arbery's parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery Sr., remember their son as a vibrant and well-mannered young man, who had his entire life ahead of him. They said that their 25-yearold went for a routine afternoon jog on Sunday, Feb. 23, through the Satilla Shores, Georgia, neighborhood that's located a town over from where he lived in Brunswick. After seeing Ahmaud Arbery, who is African American, Gregory McMichael alerted his son Travis McMichael, and the two men, both White, set off to confront Arbery, police said. Armed with a shotgun and a .357 magnum handgun, respectively, and the Georgia laws -- which allow civilians to pursue a suspect if they see a crime being committed and make an arrest until law enforcement arrive -- the father and son hopped into their white pick-up truck and went after Ahmaud Arbery. Ahmaud was shot and declared dead on the scene by the coroner. After the shooting Gregory McMichael told police that there were "several break-

ins" in the neighborhood and that he saw the "suspect," according to police reports. During the following months, neither of the McMichaels were arrested or charged with, or in connection to, Ahmaud Arbery's death. But on May 5, a 28-second cellphone video leaked onto social media. The video showed Arbery getting shot and killed Thirty-six hours later (and 74 days after the killing), officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations secured warrants to arrest the McMichaels, who are presently booked in a Glynn County. But the arrests of McMichael and his son is just the beginning of the fight for justice.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned bluntly Tuesday of “really serious” consequences of suffering, death and deeper economic damage if state and local officials lift stay-at-home orders too quickly, even as President Donald Trump pushes them to act to right a free-falling economy. Fauci’s testimony before a Senate committee came as more than two dozen states have begun to lift their lockdowns as a first step toward economic recovery. Underscoring the seriousness of the pandemic that has reached Congress and the White House, Fauci and other experts testified by video from their homes. Sen. Lamar Alexander chaired the hearing by video from the study in his cabin in Tennessee, though several members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee did attend at the Capitol.

Black Family Terrorized in North Carolina A former sheriff’s deputy faces charges after “terrorizing” a Black family in North Carolina as part of a large group of white men and women, some of whom were armed, in what appeared to be a case of mistaken identity, officials said. The former deputy, Jordan Kita, who was fired by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, was charged with trespassing, breaking and entering and willful failure to discharge duties. Another man, Austin Wood, was charged with “going armed to the terror of the public” in connection with the May 3 episode in Avendale in Pender County about 25 miles north of Wilmington, N.C. Kita, a detentions deputy, was among a group of armed White men who knocked on the door of the home of Monica Shepard and her son Dameon that night.

VOICES

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

Dominique's Story: Driving While Black and Poor in Buffalo Buffalo's Longstanding Budget Deficits Are Pulling the Poor Deeper into Traffic Debt

magine, every time that you choose to drive, you are stopped and ticketed by the Buffalo Police or forced to drive into a traffic checkpoint. To makes matters worse, most of the tickets do not promote public safety but are for minor traffic infractions, such as tinted windows, broken tail lights, loud muffler, or lack of lighting on your license plate. Ultimately, the sum of the tickets leads to a longstanding cycle of punishment and poverty, and you lose your driver’s license. As a driver that lives on the Eastside of Buffalo, this was Dominique's experience. Dominique began driving in 2014 at the age of 21, to get to and from work and support his young daughter. Like many young drivers, Dominique was excited to begin his driving journey. However, what should have been a liberating and happy experience, soon turned into a nightmare. Not long after he began driving, Dominique started feeling the impacts of driving while Black and poor in the City of Buffalo. He drove a 2009 Black Impala, and within his first year of driving, Dominique received countless traffic tickets, for minor traffic infractions. Assuming he was a target because of the style of his car, he began driving a Jeep Cherokee. Despite his efforts to mitigate police encounters on the road, Dominique continued to be stopped by the Buffalo police (BPD) when driving. One incident that he remembers vividly is when the police stopped him for having no lights above his license plate. "I remember leaving my house to go and pick up my daughter, and as I began to drive, a Buffalo police officer started following me. Soon after, I was stopped and ticketed, not only for the license plate visibility issue but for tinted windows. This was the moment that I began falling deep into debt that I could not afford to pay." Between 2014 and 2018, Dominique was stopped, questioned, and ticketed by the Buffalo police over fifty times. He has experienced over twenty traffic stops, over ten checkpoints, his car has been impounded, and he has served time in Erie County’s Holding Center. Dominique’s repeated encounters with BPD began to pull Dominique deep into debt, and driving became a source of anxiety. Between paying for traffic fines, administrative fees, and impound fees on top of his car insurance and car note, driving became too expensive. Unable to afford all of his tickets, in 2016, Dominique lost his driver’s license, but because he still needed to get to work and take his daughter to essential places, like many Americans, he continued to drive. Eventually, driving without a license resulted in more tickets, which cost Dominique his freedom. In 2017, he ended up serving time in Erie County’s Holding Center, for driving without a license, which was the first and only time that he was incarcerated. Dominique, received so many suspended license tickets, that he was one ticket away from becoming a felon. In 2018, the cost of driving while Black and poor became too much, and Dominique decided to give up driving entirely and initiated a voluntary repossession of his car. It has been two years since Dominique had a vehicle, and while he no longer receives tickets, he spends nearly $300 every two weeks, taking the bus, train, and using ride-sharing. Now amid the COVID19 crisis, Dominique continues to use public transportation, despite the health risks that it poses because he is an essential worker and needs to access essential services. "Right now, I have no other choice but to use public transportation and risk my health because the city relies on the work I do, and more importantly, my daughter relies on the work I do." Ultimately, the regressive tax placed on Dominique to drive in Buffalo, cost him more than $3,000, much of which he still owes today. Stories like Dominique’s exposes the long-standing practice of municipalities and police departments criminalizing the activities of low-income people and people of color to generate revenue for the budget. Since 2012, the City of Buffalo has used cash reserves to plug operating deficits, and since 2013, the city has relied on revenue from traffic fines and fees to balance its budgets. These fines and fees act as a regressive tax because they fall disproportionally on people of color and people of low income. Amid the COVID19 crisis, the City of Buffalo continues to experience a shortfall in their budget. This time, it is a 35-million-dollar deficit. Who will pay the cost of this deficit? History says people like Dominique will. While the city has taken some steps to protect drivers amid the COVID19 crisis, the barriers people face to drive also demand state and local policy reforms that extend beyond the COVID19 pandemic. The City of Buffalo should stop criminalizing poverty and repeal its July 2018 amendment to Chapter 175 of the city code that added 13 new traffic fees under the Buffalo Traffic Violations Agency. At the state level, New York State should pass the driver's license suspension reform bill to ensure that people, like Dominique, no longer lose their ability to drive because they are too poor to pay. Author: Jalonda Hill / Co Author: Dominique Bowden Challenger Community News P.O. BOX 474 Buffalo, NY 14209 “We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us.” - John Russwurm, Freedom’s Journal. 1827 America’s 1st Black Newspaper

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An Open Letter to the Buffalo BIPOC Community Community Response to Freedom Gardens Was Amazing!

ll around the country community responses to the COVID-19 virus have been varied, most have been uplifting and inspiring and a few divisive and disturbing. The virus has manifested in Buffalo like it has in other places, spreading in Black populations disproportionally thereby resulting in more cases and deaths. It has exposed and exploited the systematic conditions that arise when poverty and race are neglected and ignored. Our response to this crisis has been to target the underlaying causes that perpetuate the health disparities in our communities…the lack of healthy fresh nutritious food. Our health will improve when we have neighborhoods that prioritize health and wellbeing. This letter is a thank you to everyone who contributed to our marketing success and provided funding for Freedom Gardens. For over a century Buffalo has been the epicenter of Black freedom movements created in response to challenging moments in history. An expansive coalition of community-based organizations announced the Buffalo Freedom Garden initiative to bring organic gardens that inspire resilience, independence and community building to residents in the zip code areas hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus. Our print campaign was launched last week with an ad and article in The Challenger News. The message that Freedom Gardens was our response to the COVID crisis was carried by influencers on social media, radio programs on POWER 96.5, and undergirded by a direct marketing campaign fueled by the power and influence of community-based organizations! Once the community began to take notice in less than five days over 334 households applied for 50 gardens! I would like to thank all the families and individuals that filled out an application. Your outpouring of support is being used to expand the number of gardens we can establish in an attempt to meet the increased demand. Black owned media outlets, Citigroup, WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Juneteenth Festival Agricultural Pavilion Committee, Food for the Spirit, Grassroots Gardens, Access To A-Free-Ka and others played a critical role in organizing, promoting, funding and providing leadership for this initiative. Please join me in acknowledging our sponsors and supporters. Our best moments come when we unite as a community to do the work of the people! Together we rise! Gail V. Wells. President, CopperTown Block Club Freedom Garden

Community Watchdog

Does One Need A Permit To Save Lives?

Who Gave the Order to Shut Down Betty Jean Grant’s Lifesaving Efforts? By now, everyone knows that Betty Jean Grant has been in the forefront of consistently reaching out to this community and ensuring as best she can, that everyday people are equipped with life-saving masks, gloves and sanitizers during this COVID-19 pandemic. Armed with sheer determination and commitment, she braves the elements and rides through town urging people to follow the safety guidelines. Her donors and supporters are many and the base grows with each act of genuine leadership. Last Saturday morning she revealed on her radio program, “The Red Black and Green Show,” which Despite a driving rain, Betty Jean Grant (foreand daughter Sherry Sherrill, are picshe co-hosts with her daughter Sherry Sherrill, that ground) tured above preparing to give away masks, during a recent giveaway at the Broadway Market she gloves and sanitizer at the Jefferson Street was approached by an officer and ordered to shut it Plaza.Challenger Photo down because she did not have a permit. With at least 100 people still waiting in line, Betty Jean Grant, in true “We Are Women Warriors” form, adamantly refused. “I told him I would go to jail if I had to,” she said. Fortunately the officer was decent, and finally suggested that she move her giveaway to a parking lot across the street – which she did. She said she asked if the order came from the Police Commissioner, to which the offer replied that it did not. “He said it came from downtown.” There are giveaways going on almost daily from masks to free food. Has anyone else been threatened to halt their activity because of lack of a permit? Does one need a permit to save lives? So who gave the order to shut Betty Jean Grant down? And why? • • • •

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

EMPLOYMENT

RISE UP RIGHT/SPORTS BILLS RELEASE 2020 NFL SCHEDULE Welcome to Rise Up Right, where we give you the best sports news and highlights, and updates taking full circle in the sports world. Thank you for your continued support....and with that being said Let's Rise Up.... Sports Fanatics!!!!!!!!! We Are One Step Closer to the NFL football season as the schedule came out last Thursday night. Many people were intrigued by the thought that the NFL was going to start the season with AFC vs NFC matchups. As we know the Buffalo Bills were scheduled to play the NFC West and the AFC West this year. Honestly, I was one of the people who thought it would make sense to schedule the NFC West games in the beginning of the season due to the fact that we don't know if covid-19 will postpone the season. If the NFL would have scheduled those games first it wouldn't interfere with divisional games that are more important and used to determine tiebreakers and playoff seeding. On Thursday that thought never came to fruition as the Buffalo Bills first two games of the season will be against two division opponents being the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Some people think that this is the NFL's way of being confident in their season and that covid-19 will be minimized before the season starts. Here is the Buffalo Bills schedule for the 2020 NFL season. Week 1: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 13 Week 2: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 20 Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 27 Week 4: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 4 Week 5: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 11 Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, October 15 (TNF) Week 7: at New York Jets, Sunday, October 25 Week 8: vs. New England Patriots, November 1 Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, November 8 Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, November 15 Week 11: BYE, Sunday, November 22 Week 12: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, November 29 Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers, Monday, December 7 (MNF) Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, December 13 (SNF) Week 15: at Denver Broncos, Saturday, December 19 or Sunday, December 20 Week 16: at Patriots, Monday, December 28 (MNF) Week 17: vs. Miami Dolphins, Sunday, January 3 Looking at the schedule it seems that the sports world is giving the Buffalo Bills are whole lot of respect as they have 4 Primetime games this season. In the next article, I will give you an updated prediction on the 2020 season. Rise Up Right will also get into what should happen if people cannot attend the Buffalo Bills home games and who should attend these games if it is possible for people to attend.

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Qualified and interested candidates Can send a cover letter (including Salary requirements) and resume to: employment@caiglobal.org (subject: ATFC Manager) or apply online at caiglobal.org

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

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community calendar FRIDAY MAY 15 East Side COVID-19 Testing Site: Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle, 391 Edison Rd., 9 a.m. – 4 pm; Call for appointment (716)986-9199 ext. 5907. SATURDAY MAY 16 A NEW NORMAL: A Candid Conversation about COVID-19 with members of the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists 3-5 p.m. Power 96.5 WUFO-FM/ WUFO Mix 1080AM . Call in at 716-837-1112. WEDNESDAY MAY 20 COVID-19 Walk-Up Testing: Parking lot of Eight Days of Hope at Clarence and Kensington Avenue from 9a.m.-5p.m. Free masks, hand sanitizer and gloves will also be distributed. Public Meeting Notice: Board of Westminster Community Charter School, 3 p.m. If interested in participating lease email info@bufalo-promisesneighborhood. org for further details TUESDAY MAY 26 Legal and Financial Planning for Dementia ON LINE VITUAL WORKSHOP: Free a 12 noon – 2 p.m. Registration required at alz. org/CRF or call 1-800-2723900. Presented in partnership with the Center for Elder Law & Justice and Jesslyn Holbrook, Esq..

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •May 13, 2020

the way we were...

Ain't no party like a Jefferson Avenue Street Party! Summer 2019. Before COVID-19. No masks, no gloves, lots of love! Challenger Photos