CHALLENGER COMMUNITY NEWS

INSIDE ROCHESTER

City to Host Upstate MWBE Conference March 22-24

Mayor Malik D. Evans encourages minority and women business owners to register to attend the City of Rochester’s inaugural Upstate MWBE Conference March 22 through 24 to learn how they can compete for government contracts.

MWBE (Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises) is a federal program administered by state and local governments to help minority and women business owners overcome racial and structural barriers to securing government contracts for goods and services.

The City’s MWBE policy seeks to direct 30 percent of the City’s aggregate annual spending on private contracts to certified MWBEs. To accelerate this goal, Mayor Evans expanded the MWBE team in the Purchasing Bureau from one to three employees.

The Upstate MWBE Conference will kick off at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 22 at the Strathallan Hotel, 550 East Ave., with a jazz reception, awards dinner and networking opportunities. It will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24 at the Wegmans Conference Center, 200 Wegmans Market St., with interactive training sessions, presentations, discussion forums, and an MWBE Opportunities Expo. Visit: CityofRochester.Gov/MWBEConference2023/ to register learn more.

The objective of the Upstate MWBE Conference is to promote meaningful conversations on a variety of topics to help MWBEs better understand the MWBE certification process, meet contractual obligations and establish relationships among industry peers and large “prime contractor” firms that often subcontract MWBEs. The discussions will emphasize the challenges and opportunities of working in the Upstate economy.

Renowned Children’s Defense Fund CEO Dr. Starsky Wilson Coming to Rochester

On Saturday, February 25, from 1-3 p.m., the Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the renowned Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and CDF Action Council, will be the guest speaker at Spiritus Christi Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh Street.

Rev. Myra Brown, Lead Pastor of Spiritus, said her church was one of just a few across the country selected to work with the Children’s Defense Fund over the next three years to help, in the CDF’s words, “envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.”

This mission particularly resonates with Rev. Brown, she says, when she looks at the dire statistics the Rochester community is facing:

•Nearly half of all children in Rochester, NY live in poverty, according to the U.S Census Bureau

•Rochester ranks second highest in the nation in poverty, of areas with a population of 100,000 or more

•This past fall, of the more than 12,000 Rochester City School District students who took the iReady assessments, 41% are three or more grade levels behind in reading, while 42% are three or more grade levels behind in math.

Dr. Wilson’s talk is entitled “Our Hope for Years to Come: Toward a Vision of Child Well-Being,” and will be offered both in-person and via Livestream on the Spiritus Christi website and on its Facebook page.

Tickets $25 each; $30 for families and $10 for students. Attendees can also purchase enhanced tickets that include a VIP Reception following Dr. Starsky’s talk. Sponsorships for families are being offered; all tickets all available at Eventbrite.com.

The Black Cinema Series Screening of Film by Black

French Director

The Black Cinema Series, a collaboration between the Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ) and the Little Theatre, presents "Saint Omer," March 1.

The film is about a novelist who attends the trial of a woman accused of killing her 15-monthold daughter. But as the trial continues, her own family history, doubts, and fears about motherhood increase as the story of the accused is gradually revealed.

Following the film, there will be a post-screening panel discussion. Black French director Alice Diop is known for her award-winning documentaries. "St. Omer" is her full-length feature film debut.

Doors open at 7 p.m.; film at 7:30 p.m. at The Little Theatre, 240 East Avenue.

Supplemental SNAP Ending in February

Due to federal changes, the last supplemental Emergency Allotment of SNAP benefits will be distributed in February 2023. Starting in March you will only get 1 monthly payment, your normal benefit. Find your normal benefit at www.connectEBT.com or calling 1-888-328-6399.

www snap585.org

Mayor Evans

Dr. Wilson

I’Jaz Ja’ciel Makes Local History at Investigative Post

I’Jaz Ja’ciel joined Investigative Post as the head of Urban Affairs in August 2022, becoming the news organization’s first Black journalist. Ja’ciel graduated from SUNY Buffalo State University with a B.A. in Journalism in 2019 and as valedictorian with an M.S. in Data Science and Analytics in 2020. Born and raised in Buffalo, Ja’ciel has devoted her career in journalism to telling the stories of the city that shaped her. Before joining Investigative Post, she was a journalist at Spectrum News 1 Buffalo and a weekend anchor at WBFO-FM. Ja’ciel’s data-driven approach to investigative journalism allows her to produce stories that focus solely on the facts and uncover hidden truths.

New Date Set for Black Resource Awards Event

Due to inclement weather forecast for this Thursday (February 23), the Black Resource Awards Black History event has been changed to Tuesday, February 28.

"Join us as we honor individuals that have personally made a difference in the foundation of Black Resource Magazine.

"I believe that it is necessary that we let people know how they have impacted our lives, while they are still here and that's what this event is about," says owner and host Carlanda Meadors. Titus Wilson, is Youth co-host of the event.

The event will take place Tuesday, February 28 from 6-8:30 p.m. with Red Carpet at 5:30 p.m. at the Northland Corridor. Dinner is provided by Manna at Northland and sponsored by Fortune America's Companies. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling Carlanda Meadors 716-800-1348.

Five Retired BPD Officers To Speak On Police Abuse

Five Black retired Buffalo Police Officers will speak on their experiences, both positive and negative, while they worked in law enforcement in the Buffalo Police Department. These officers will appear on the Willie Stewart Show on Cable Access TV, Channel 1302, on Tuesday, February 28th at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.. Also, they will be on Face Book Livestream on Thursday, February 23 at 5 p.m.

These retired officers made the decision to come forward and talk about the Code of Silence and the difficulty of being asked to adhere to the culture of the Blue Line while attempting to perform their day to day duties after two current police officers and a mental health clinician filed a lawsuit against the police department for harassment and discrimination. Be sure to tune in! -Submitted by Betty Jean Grant

Praise for Celes Tisdale's Groundbreaking New Book When The Smoke Cleared Attica Prison Poems and Journal

In this era of mass incarceration and neo-enslavement, When The Smoke Cleared is "a piece of poetic history" in the aftermath of the Attica rebellion.

Celes

Tisdale’s newly released book, When The Smoke Cleared : Attica Prison Poems and Journal, is being hailed as critically important in this era of mass incarceration and neo-enslavement.

Published by the prestigious Duke University Press, what makes the anthology equally impressive is the amazing 50 year time span associated with its birth.

A former long-time Buffalo resident, Tisdale, himself a poet and Distinguished Emeritus Professor of English, began leading poetry workshops behind the walls of the notorious Attica Correctional Facility in May of 1972, eight months after the September 1971 rebellion, the deadliest prison uprising in U.S. history. He credits his friend and fellow thespian Buffalo Black Drama Workshop founder Ed Smith with recommending and encouraging him to accept the position.

Tisdale’s first ever poetry workshop at the facility- which he taught for three years - created a space of radical Black creativity and solidarity, in which inmates who lived through the uprising were able to turn their experiences into poetry.

In 1974 The poems written by Tisdale’s students were published in his book Betcha Ain’t: Poems from Attica by Broadside Press, the first major Black-owned publishing house in America. also the first Arts Movement prison anthology dedicated solely to poetry to be published in the United States. Long out of print, it has been reissued by Duke University Press as the Smoke Cleared: Attica Prison Poems and Journal. The new, expanded anthology con tains the entirety of Betcha Ain’t, edited by Tisdale; Tisdale’s own poems and journal entries from the three years he taught at Attica; a previously unpublished collection of poems by Attica poets; and a well documented introduction by poet and writer Mark Nowak.

Professor Tisdale says that unlike newsworthy books previously written about the Attica rebellion, “When the Smoke Clears gets inside the men’s minds.”

He notes: “I wrote a poem called ‘Remember this’ at the end of the book because I want people to remember that these incarcerated men and women are human beings.”

Pulitzer Prize nominated writer and recipient of the coveted McArthur Genius Award , author and former Buffalonian Ismael Reed, says this about his friend: “Celes Tisdale has been able to inspire men in one of the country’s most notorious hellholes, Attica prison… The poems from Tisdale’s workshops stand up next to any of those published in contemporary anthologies.”

Professor Tisdale is the recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; has taught at several colleges and universities; and has read his poetry and lectured throughout the United States and Canada. He acted on the OFFBroadway stage prior to his work as a radio and television personality for ABC, CBS, and NBC, and he was an on-air announcer and host of his own weekly public affairs television program (ABC).

His love for children led him to become a professional storyteller for Young Audiences of America, Inc. He and his wife, Tujuana now reside in Georgia.

Among the many favorable reviews of When the Smoke Cleared: Attica Prison Poems and Journal, are those by The Paris Review, PEN America, Poets and Writers, Inc., Dissent Magazine, and the Harvard University School of Law publication, Inquest.

Reviewer Malcolm Tariq writes in PEN America: "When the Smoke Cleared is an undeniable piece of history, something Tisdale knew even before the publication of the 1974 volume. From beginning to end, the book is a journey into the world of people who have been cast from society, but refuse to let their humanity fade. Remembering the core of one’s human nature is the thread weaving the tapestry of these poems together."

When The Smoke Cleared is available at Zawadi Books, 1382 Jefferson Avenue, (716)9036740. Open Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 12 noon - 4 p.m. -Staff Writer (with references from the introduction to When The Smoke Cleared and the review by PEN)

The Dogon’s Extraordinary Knowledge of the Cosmos

The Dogon, an ancient people in Africa, are mainly populated in the modern nations of Mali and Burkino Faso in West Africa ; the epicenter of the historical medieval Mali Empire. When western anthropologists first began to study Dogon culture they were baffled at the group's advanced knowledge of the universe. They were specifically astonished at their intricate understanding of the Sirius planetary system.

The Dogon 's a astronomical lore goes back thousands of years to 3200 BC. According to their traditions, the star Sirius has a companion star which is invisible to the human eye. This companion star has a 50 year elliptical orbit around the visible Sirius and is extremely heavy. It also rotates on its axis.

Two French anthropologists, Marcel Griaule and Germain Dieterlen, recorded it from four Dogon priests in the 1930's. Of little interest except that it is exactly true. How did a people who lacked any kind of astronomical devices know so much about an invisible star? The star, which scientists call Sirius B, wasn't even photographed until it was done by a large telescope in 1970.

The Dogon stories explain that also. According to their oral traditions, a race people from the Sirius system called the Nommos visited Earth thousands of years ago. The Nommos were amphibious beings that resembled mermen and mermaids. The Nommos, according to the Dogon legend, lived on a planet that orbits another star in the Sirius system. They

I’Jaz Ja’ciel

Health Is The Greatest Wealth Master Class Series

Wellness advisor Kathleen Nicole MPH, founder of Melanin Rich Wellness Invites you to free master classes.

The classes are scheduled over three days where you can learn some of the fundamental principles of healing to radically improve your health and wellbeing.

•March 16th, 6p.m. – Detox 101: The What, Why, and How of Detoxing

•April 20th, 6p.m. – Get Your Pantry Poppin': The Do’s and Don’ts of Clean Eating

•May 18th, 6p.m. – You’re Not Hungry, You’re Hurting: Overcoming Emotional Eating

When you register, you will receive a zoom invite link the day before each Masterclass. You will receive the link for each class, so feel free to join one or all!

If you are unable to make it, we will provide you with the replay link as well!

Visit melaninrichwelness

facebook page

Students Shine During Health Sciences

Black History Celebration

Health Sciences Charter School, located at 1140 Ellicott Street, just blocks away from the Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue, brought the community together for a Black History Celebration last Thursday afternoon at Bethesda World Harvest Church on Main Street.

The annual Black History Celebration in honor of Black History Month featured student led performances, singing, dancing, community and school award presentations and more. This year’s event, said Principal Rob Baxter, "gives honor to our past, our present and you young people, our future!"

It was truly a celebration after a tumultuous 2022 and rough start to 2023 here in Buffalo. The students, staff, and community of the East Side have been extremely resilient and this was much needed as we all continue to heal and work together to uplift and empower the residents of the East Side.

Entrepreneur and nationally known rapper Westside Gunn was the special guest. He congratulated the young people on their talent, and shared his own story of resilience and ultimately success. “I went from the streets to a CEO,” he said. He cautioned the youth about the perils of the streets and urged them to take advantage of being able to get a good education. His message to “every Buffalo Kid” is “with hard work anything is possible.” He flew into town just for the program.

The event opened with a stirring rendition of the Black National Anthem performed by extraordinarily talented young violinists from the Vibrant Strings.

Congratulations to Health Sciences Charter!

200 Women In Pink In Honor of Women’s History Month

W.A.V.E & Elims Girls 2 Women

Mentoring 3 Days of Fellowship

Checking in with our STRONG FRIENDS, Are You Okay?

March 2 - Skate Fellowship at Rainbow Rink

6:30-8:30 p.m., 101 Oliver Street, (free event)

March 3 - Candid Conversations for Women & Girls

Break Out Session, Elim Christian Fellowship

6:30-9 p.m., 70 Chalmers Ave., Praise & Worship followed by Girls Breakout Sessions (free event)

March 4 - You Don’t Know My Story Empowerment Brunch & Fellowship. 9:30am-1:30pm, 70 Chalmers Ave. $30.00 in advance- $40.00 at the door Youth $15.00 in advance- $20.00 at the door. Tickets and more info on Eventbrite or email wavebuffalo@gmail.com or call 716- 848-0515.

Kathleen Nicole

“Our history did not begin in chains. It will not end in chains.”

STUDENTS SHINE! Scenes from last Thursday's Back History celebration and awards event hosted by Health Sciences Charter School included vocalists Daun Patton and Mikaela Embry, poetress Mia Finch,Vibrant Strings and the crowd pleasing Health Sciences

Charter Drill Team! Alvin Lamar Worthy known professionally as Rapper Westside Gunn, was the special guest. Street Legacy Photos and Photos Courtesy of Buffalo Health Sciences.

Say Their Names, Honor Their Legacies

The Uncrowned Queens Institute Unveils Special Oral History Project

Each of them has his or her own unique story.

One is a WWII veteran who served in the Pacific Theater and relocated to Buffalo from Alabama.

Another, an experienced businessman, politician, and community activist, is a native Buffalonian.

Yet another, a North Carolina native, was a Buffalo Public School educator. She pioneered a groundbreaking school that served pregnant and parenting teen girls. And then, a fourth was sent to Buffalo from Mississippi, by her family, to escape the dangers of Jim Crowism. She, too, is an educator who served on local, state, and national educational policy-making boards. While their backgrounds are different, they all share narratives with a common theme. They have experienced discrimination and racism. And yet, each one has an extensive history of community building, which has continued to this day. Even though they are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s they contribute their time and talent to activities that make our community a better place.

They have earned recognition as community elders, and last Friday, the community joined The Uncrowned Queens Institute in honoring the legacies, wisdom and insight of eleven of these senior community Builders at the unveiling and reception of a new exhibit at The Buffalo History Museum, “Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies.” The new exhibit will remain through the spring.

The Uncrowned Queens Institute and its partners want to make sure that we not only know their names but hear their stories. The elders share experiences, lessons learned, and advice for younger people in short videos. Their interviews illustrate constructive, instructive, and inspiring examples of how another generation confronted and survived social, civic, and political threats to their achievement.

The “Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies” project speaks to the urgency of documenting and preserving the first-person narratives of these history-makers. It is a collaboration between the Uncrowned Queens Institute (founders Barbara Seals Nevergold and Peggy Brooks-Bertram) and Yves-Richard Blanc (Blanc Photographie), whose artistry enriches this project. The Uncrowned Queens also appreciate the support of their sponsors, Hon. April N.M. Baskin, Chairwoman, Erie County Legislature, Catherine Schweitzer, and the Baird Foundation. A special partnership with the Buffalo History Museum has contributed to the creation of an exhibit to showcase this project.The Buffalo History Museum is located at One Museum Plaza. Visit the Queens Facebook page @ Say Their Names Honors Legacy Project . (Not pictured: Felton Davis, Constance Eve, Cecelia Henderson,) All photos

by Blanc

Photographie.

Clifford Bell Eva Doyle Florence Hargrave-Curtis

Ronald Bassham

Florence Johnson

Irene Greene Josephine Robbins

Paul Woods

Barbara Nevergold Richard Blanc Peggy Bertram

FAITH & FAMILY

Women Against Violence Everywhere (W.A.V.E.) and Elims Girls 2 Women Mentoring

Presents Three Days of Fellowship For You!

Checking in with our strong friends, Are You Okay? 200 Women In Pink, Women's History Month Brunch & Fellowship (Wear your Pink) Three days of Fellowship provided by W.A.V.E. and Ellims Girls 2 Women Mentoring program include:

March 2-Thursday: Strong Friends Check In- Skate Fellowship at Rainbow Rink 630-830, skate lessons, fun & fellowship. FREE & Open to the public

March 3- Friday: Strong Friends Check In- Candid Conversations for Women & Girls Break Out Session, Elim Christian Fellowship 6:30-9p.m. Praise & Worship with Nia Badger, girls breakout Session with Min. Kristeka Rogers & Adult Moderator Elder Jackie Vinson & Elder Renita Shadwick. Spiritual Outlook. Panelist include Tracy Cooley, Lady Patricia Wideman. Ladies Lets Be Real & More. FREE & OPEN TO the public.

March 4- Saturday: You Don't Know My Story- 200 Women in Pink Checking In with Our Strong Friends Empowerment Brunch & Fellowship with Joanna Wingo, Adri V., Marnetta Malcolm, Ellen P. Peoples, Shetice Jackson,Netta Sullivan, Anita Collins. There will be a PRETTY PINK PURSE RAFFLE, Vendors & more. $30 in advance- $40 at the door Youth $15 in advance- $20 at the door. Tickets and more information on eventbrite or email wavebuffalo@gmail.com or call 716- 848-0515.

Black History and The Historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

-Conclusion-

*The women of the Vine Street Church planned the "North Star Literary Fair" in January, 1850 to solicit subscribers and raise money in support of Frederick Douglass' Rochester based newspaper, the North Star. Douglass presented several lectures in the City in connection with the Church's Literary Fair.

*In March, 1921, A Philip Randolph, the militant young Black activist and leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, addressed a gathering at Bethel. Randolph spoke on the topic, "Proposed Solutions to the Negro Problem." Randolph concluded that the "Negro" should put little faith in either of the major political parties in the United States.

*Shortly after his arrival at Bethel, Rev. Walker initiated a series of programs which became known as the "Bethel Civic Forum." The speakers included scholars, political leaders, religious leaders, such as W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, and Benjamin Davis.

In 1953 under the leadership of the Rev. Harry White, Bethel moved to her present location located 1525 Michigan Avenue.

Nia Badger Sherrell Mclean

Love Alive Fellowship Church Black History Program

Love Alive Fellowship Church, 141 Lewis Street is set to have their Black History Celebration Program: "Lift Me Up", to be held on Sunday, February 26 at 4p.m.

Artistic Expressions in the form of music,poetry,dancing, skits and more. Recognition Awards will also be presented.

For more information please contact 716-856-1670 or lovealive1994@gmail. com. Bishop Jeffery B. Bowens is Pastor.

Old Time Religion

“Old Time Religion: A Discussion on Religion throughout Black History” is the topic of a presentation by author/ historian M. Lion Blyden on Sunday, February 26 from 2-5 p.m. at the Meriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue.

Home Going Celebration for Laura Bell Colston

Sunrise October 16, 1933

Sunset February 10, 2023

Laura Bell was born in Bessemer Alabama. She is the Loving wife of Sherrill (Owner of Colston Mobil) and Mother of Cheryl Colston, Esq. and William Colston. She passed away peacefully in her home on February 10, 2023.

Laura Bell is survived by a host of relatives.

Family and friends will be received on Thursday February 23, 6 - 8p.m. at Thomas T. Edward’s Funeral Home 995 Genesee Street.

Services will be held Friday, February 24 at Humboldt Parkway Baptist Church 790 Humboldt Parkway

Visitation: 11AM

Funeral: 12PM

Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery

M. Lion Blyden

Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet's Indelible Performance

Last Friday night there were two standing ovations for the outstanding talents of the Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet, another amazing jazz experience presented by Pappy Martin Legacy at True Bethel Baptist Church on E. Ferry. The performance both soothed and uplifted the crowd and in true Pappy Martin fashion, everyone’s ears were educated as Nduduzo ( pianist ,improvisor, healer and scholar, educator) spoke of the importance of collective memories and histories. He opened the listeners to how deeply connected we are as a people through spirit and past/present/future and constant emerging sound paradigms. It was truly a night to remember. The quartet pictured l/r includes Nduduso Makhathini, (piano), Aaron Djuan Burnett (saxophone), Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere, ( bass - Zwelakhe-Duma played the legendary Pappy Martin bass for this performance!) and Francisco Mela( drums, flute).

Artists Panel Discussion and Community Forum

The community is invited to attend and participate in Making Accessible, an artists panel and discussion centered around accessibility to creative and cultural institutions and experiences. Making Accessible will take place starting at 6 p.m. Friday, February 24 in the Buffalo Arts Studio Community Space. Suite 500, TriMain, 2495 Main Street

•The Spinners at Seneca Niagara Casino Bear's Den, 8 p.m. Friday March 3 & Saturday March 4. Tickets @ Ticketmaster.

ON STAGE

•LARRY SALTER SOUL ORCHESTRA will be Celebrating Black History month at Broadway Market 999 Broadway, Sat. Feb.25 12:30-3:30 p.m. on the Market stage.

Poetry at EmTEA Coffee Cup

•Najee 8 p.m. April 22 Buffalo State Performing Arts Center 1300 Elmwood Ave. 716.878.3005 email. rhpac@buffalostate.edu

•Black Violin, 8 p.m. March 10, Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, Rockwell Hall, 1300 Elmwood Ave.716.878.3005.

•BRIAN MCKNIGHT, with special guest After 7 Saturday, March 11, 8 p.m. Buffalo Shea’s Performing Arts Center.

•Boney James 8 p.m. Thurs. April 6, Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, Rockwell Hall, 1300 Elmwood. Tel. 716.878.3005 e.mail rhpac@buffalostate. edu .

Josep Caballé-Domenech, conductor

Michelle Cann, piano

Florence Price’s exquisite Piano Concerto, along with the whimsical Burleske by Richard Strauss, complement Beethoven’s short and spirited Eighth Symphony, and the Beethoven-inspired Fate Now Conquers by Carlos Simon.

23043

Take A Solar Moment presents a pre-live recording performance featuring Queen Solar with musical arrangement by Buffalo Bully Brass A BlackDen Movement on Thursday, February 23 from 6-9 p.m. at EM Tea Coffee Cup Café, 80 Oakgrove Ave. $5 donation welcome. Call

Stuart Chafetz, conductor

An evening of totally tubular hits from Phil Collins, Rush, Michael Jackson, George Michael and more, plus selections from 80s flicks like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. Add-on tickets available for the post-concert, 80s Prom Party featuring Nerds Gone Wild!

Michelle Cann performs PRICE PIANO CONCERTO

Garnell Whitfield to Keynote No More Tears 10th Anniversary Awards Banquet

The No More Tears at Last, Inc. Organization will celebrate its 10th Annual Homicide Awards Event on March 11, at the Grapevine Banquet Facility, 333 Union Road from 7 to 11p.m. Tickets are $65, and $650 per table.

This year the organization will honor many Individuals and groups locally as well as from across the United States, who have dealt with traumatic deaths, whether from homicide, domestic violence, suicide, vehicular homicide, etc. Former Fire Commissioner of the Buffalo Fire Department and a social justice advocate, Garnell Whitfield will be the Guest Speaker. Mr. Whifield received national attention for spreading awareness of White supremacy and domestic terrorism after his beloved 86-year-old mother, Ruth E. Whitfield, was killed in the 2022 racist fueled massacre of ten people at the Jefferson Avenue Tops Market on May 14.

This year’s honorees include: Guest Speaker Garnell Whitfield; Saving Ourselves of Chicago and Mississippi; Nashville Peacemakers/Mother's Over Murder of Nashville, TN; Families United of Louisville, KY; Million Youth of Charlotte, NC; WNY Peacemakers; Buffalo FATHERS; Cold Spring Baptist Church Youth Program; Stop The Violence Coalition; Delores Carthon; Crystal Turner of Jacksonville, FL; Yvette Price Johnson; Jerome Brown; Andreia Feagin of Niagara Falls; JoAnne Mann; Arnester Vanoy; The Robinson Family of Charlotte, NC; Robin & Cliff Hatton; Larry Tillmon of Auburn, NY; LaToya McBeth of Atlanta, GA; Danielle Lane; Patricia Underwood; ShaKyra M. Aughtry; Sarena Worthy of University District Block Club Coalition; Buffalo Police Department; Cheektowaga Police Department; Eddie Mitchell of Syracuse, NY; Mark Vincent Johnson II; Thomas Gant of Brockport, NY; Holly Tucker; Tammy Young; Dr. Eva M. Doyle; Daren R. Thomas; Mallory Thornton of Meban, NC; Life Savers Darlene McMickens; Elizabeth Colston; United Women Empowerment of California; Mother's Against Gang Violence of Atlanta, GA; D. Anderson and Erie County Probation Department; Deonna Jones; Charlie Brown; Cordley O’Bryan Gray, of Talladega, AL; Tamika McClain; Carlanda Meadors; Tamyra Brown; Douglas (Rome) Hunt; Veola Brown; Jayla Johnson; Jocelyn Bishop; Dayonna Johnson; Monsha Stallworth-Owens of Tuscaloosa, AL; and Lady Kandice Drayton.

On Saturday March 11 Breakout Sessions will be held at Health Science Charter School, 1140 Ellicott Street, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.. The sessions will deal with topics on Traumatic Deaths, with informational vendors on the same subject. Light breakfast and lunch will be served.

If you are interested in tickets, or a Souvenir Journal Ad, information or other details, contact Tina Sanders at 716-816-8264, or Tracey Mullen at 716-6986785. EMAIL nomoretearsatlast@yahoo.com

The deadline is March 1. There will be no tickets sold at door.

Academy of Performing Arts to Honor Yvonne James-Brown Dance Wing Named in Honor of Beloved Teacher

The Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts is observing Black History Month by celebrating the legacy of Yvonne James-Brown on Tuesday, February 28 at 7 p.m.at the school located at 450 Masten Avenue. A school-time matinee will be held at 9:50 a.m. All tickets are $5 reserved seating. Call (716)816-1220 ext. 4233

In honor of the beloved dance teacher who died suddenly last year, the school’s dance wing will be named the Yvonne James Brown Dance Wing. James-Brown was one of the founding faculty members of the Arts Academy and was well known for her contributions and choreography in AfricanAmerican modern dance.

ART ON VIEW

Black Men of Excellence Gala Event

The Black Men of Excellence will present a Be You Black Excellence Gala and Black Excellence Vendor Event on Saturday, February 25 from 5-10 p.m. at Main Events, 1420 Main Street.

Rashied H.McDuffie and Aqueira Oshun will host the gala which will also feature a live band, DJ, VIP, open bar, buffet and more. Tickets can be purchased at King City Records, Doris Records or on line at https://www.eventbrite. com/.../be-you-black-excellence .

LEROI: LIVING IN COLOR

Burchfield Penney Arts

1400 Elmwood Ave

Artist Leroi C. Johnson retrospective with over 70 + works from his 30 year career as well as work by local students who worked with the artist and curator to create work inspired by the artist. Show is on view until March 26. Go to burchfieldpenney.org for more info .

ARTISTS OF COLOR EXHIBITION

At Niagara Arts & Cultural Center located 1201 Pine Ave. Gallery Hours for the Townsend Gallery, Kudela Garden Gallery, and permanent exhibits within the building are from 12:00pm-5:00pm daily, excluding holidays. Go to thenacc.org for more info.

Mr..McDuffie Ms. Aqueira Oshun

Garnell Whitfield

Wakanda Alliance Youth Panel at Delavan-Grider Center February 25

Join Galactic Tribe's Wakanda Alliance program every second and fourth Saturday at 1pm for their monthly program of culture comics and community as they explore Afrofuturism at Delavan-Girder Center 877 E. Delavan.

On February 25th 1pm join them for a Galactic Youth Panel led by local Black youth with a vision! Recommended age 8yrs+ free to attend refreshments provided.

Visit thegalactictribe. org for updates and forthcoming events and follow them on social media @ thewakandaalliance.

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE SUPPORT THE YOUTH

Carl's Story: Did We Forget About The Survivors of The May 14th Massacre?

Since the May 14 shootings at the The Jefferson Street Tops Market, the neighborhood appears to be healing. But is it?

On that faithful day last year, thirteen people were shot. Of the thirteen ten would perish and three would survive their wounds. But little if any focus has been on the countless others who were in the store and escaped the massacre. They too are survivors.

I recently connected with Nate Boyd to meet with one of the Tops survivors named Carl. Carl's major concern since the shooting is that all the attention and focus has been solely on the victims that died on that fateful day or were wounded. Like many others he asks, what about all the other survivors?

When the shots rang out everybody began to run he recalled. Carl was fired on twice by the gunman, but he missed. At one point he tried to help a woman who had been shot. The unknown lady died in Carl's arms.

It took a lot of inner strength for Carl to be able to tell his story to Nate Boyd on live stream. His only concern is recognition for the survivors. Carl is a construction worker with over two decades of experience, but due to the mental stress (PTSD) as a result of that experience on May 14, Carl is no longer able to work.

Fragrance, a Tops employee who survived the massacre along with her daughter, told the media some time ago that she was unable to return to Tops Market when it was time for her report back to work.

Brother Carl has mentioned to Nate that other survivors he is contact with are not willing to talk about that day that forever changed the EAST SIDE and the people.

Equally as tragic as those who died or were physically wounded, is the fact that we have forgotten those who survived yet continue to suffer ….I’m jus sayin’…

landed on Earth in an "ark" that made a spinning decent to the ground with great noise and wind. It was the Nommos that gave the Dogon the knowledge about Sirius B.

The legend goes on to say the Nommos also furnished the Dogon's with some interesting information about our own solar system: That the planet Jupiter has four major moons, that Saturn has rings and that the planets orbit the sun. These were all facts discovered by Westerners only after Galileo invented the telescope.

Sirius A is the brightest star in our sky and can easily be seen in the winter months in the northern hemisphere.

BLACK HISTORY Continued From Page3

Blizzard Looting Mostly In White Neighborhoods

Contrary to the public perception, most of the businesses broken into during the 2022 December storm were away from the East Side. The suburbs were not spared.

By I'Jaz Ja'ciel Investigative Post

Morethan 100 businesses were looted during the “Blizzard of ’22.” While press and social media accounts focused on theft on the city’s East Side, an Investigative Post analysis found most of the looting took place elsewhere in the city and in the suburbs. Investigative Post identified 108 looted businesses, using posts on social media and reports we obtained under the Freedom of Information Law from police departments in Buffalo and the first-ring suburbs of Amherst, Cheektowaga and the Town of Tonawanda.

About 40 of the 108 businesses targeted were on the East Side. Stores on Broadway, Bailey Avenue and Genesee Street — some of which have yet to reopen — were the most frequent targets. Around 20 each were in Black Rock and Riverside.

The North District had 22 looting-related incidents, more than any other Common Council district in the city.

“They hit Grant Street, they hit Niagara Street, they hit Hertel — surprisingly. There are places all over the city that were hit. It wasn’t just the East Side,” said Pastor James Giles of Back to Basics Ministries.

Out in suburbia, Cheektowaga reported 13 break-ins; Amherst, seven; and the Town of Tonawanda, three.

Looters’ most popular targets were dollar stores, pharmacies and convenience stores. Fifteen out of 22 confirmed dollar store burglaries were Family Dollars. Seven Rite Aid drug stores were burglarized in Buffalo, as well as seven 7-Elevens across North Buffalo, the West Side and Cheektowaga.

Big-box stores were not spared. For example, the Target on Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo, near the city line, was looted no fewer than three times. Thieves used a U-Haul truck during one of the break-ins, making off with $9,000 in electronics.

Four groceries were looted, all on the East Side. They include two Save-A-Lots, an ALDI, and the Broadway Market.

The Save-A-Lot on Genesee Street suffered $750,000 in losses and damage.

“The management team was devastated. This is what they did on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day; they basically watched the looting on their cell phones,” said Daniel Eichelberger, the store’s regional manager.

“We have about $150,000 in insurance, so we’ll be eating the rest of that ourselves. It is going to be a concern going forward if this store is going to be a profitable location for us.”

The Aldi on Broadway near Fillmore lost about $400,000 due to stolen goods and vandalism.

The Erie County District Attorney’s office confirmed 22 arrests related to the looting across the region — 19 in Buffalo and three in Amherst.

Unlike other areas, some of the stores looted on the East Side remain closed. They include the Family Dollar store in the Jefferson-Utica Plaza, adjacent to the Tops Friendly Market that was the scene of the May 14 murder of 10 people.

“[With] the small amount of businesses here, it really devastated this community probably more than the others,” Eichelberger said.

There’s concern that some may never reopen, and that the looting could discourage investment.

“That has been investors’ concerns about developing on the East Side or in those urban communities,” Giles said. “Their concern is, there’s heists, theft, or something’s going to happen where it’s not going to be profitable for them, and this only further drives that point home for them.”

That concern is shared by Alexander Wright, founder of the African Heritage Food Co-Op.

“I believe the folks that were already against investing in our community are going to point to this looting and go, ‘See? This is why we can’t go there. They’re just going to rob it and destroy it.’

“That was a very small percent of the community. Most of the folks were being good neighbors, helping each other.”

Wright said he’s hopeful that the closing of some chain businesses might open the door for small, locally owned enterprises.

“Some of these stores that have closed and are never coming back, I feel, were looking for an excuse to never come back,” he said.

“They’ve been in our communities for a while, prices haven’t been great, they haven’t met a lot of our needs anyway, and I’m hoping that with some of these spaces closing, it will give us an opportunity — not just us as a co-op, but us as a community — to come up with real solutions in these spaces.”

For a full list of confirmed looting sites go to https://www.investigativepost.org/2023/02/06/blizzard-looting-mostly-in-white-neighborhoods/ Investigative Post’s reporting can be found at investigativepost.org and on WGRZ TV and WBFO FM. SUPPORT

Prisoners Are People Too Meeting February 27

Prisons and The Evolution of Enslavement

Last month at the monthly meeting of Prisoners Are People Too, Inc., at The Rafi Greene Community Center on Fillmore Avenue, Black Liberation Army veteran, Jalil Muntaqim was our keynote speaker. In a very timely and unhurried way, Mr. Muntaqim spoke to us about the in depth and insidious ways that enslavement can be imposed on people. The example, Mr. Muntaqim, gave was as in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of The United States where it says that slavery will be abolished in every state in these United States, with the exception. Mr. Muntaqim showed us that the exception to the abolition of slavery in New York state and every other state in these United States is conviction of a crime. Then very methodically, Mr. Muntaqim showed us how insidious the application of the exception is so that Black, Brown and poor White people have been and are targeted for arrest and conviction so that they can be treated as Slaves!

What makes this even more insidious is what we have identified as crime generative factors having been created and maintained in our communities. Crime generative factors like manufactured poverty, single parent households, public assistance dependency, all making our youth/our people more vulnerable to entrapment in delinquent thinking and behavior than anybody else.

For example, when the so-called newly freed African person stepped off of the plantation where he or she had been held captive for many years, they had no identification, no personal residence and no job. In America, that was called vagrancy and the newly freed person could be locked up, re-enslaved, even leased out on farms to work for nothing or just placed on chain gangs until a way to continue to steal their lives and labor was figured out by white enslavers.

Currently, there are over two and a half million people in prison in these United States. More than half are Black, Brown and poor White. There are over 6 million people on probation or parole and more than half of them are Black, Brown or poor White. And though we know that people are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty most of the time those millions of people in detention in the United States are treated as slaves, the same way as those convicted of crime by the criminal justice system. What it boils down to, my people, is that we have been living a lie.

Again, we have been hoodwinked and bamboozled because we believe the lie. Yet, on the inside we feel that something just ain’t right. That feeling, right now is perhaps more important than our thinking because it is intuition that was given to us by God as a protection against brainwashing, so we could at least feel the truth even if we could not reasonably think it out because of the brainwashing.

If we would just tap into it and not be persuaded by those who support the status quo and say that your intuition is uncivilized because it ain’t approved by white people. Think about this: people in prison are working jobs that provide goods or services and they are paid less than $1.00 a day. That is slavery! And still our taxpayer dollars are being used to the tune of $70,000.00 per year, per prisoner which is theft of our money on top of that. They tell us that this money is allegedly for the upkeep of the prisoner’s food, medical care and housing. Do you believe that? That is why your money is being taken? Similarly, a prisoners’ labor is being stolen for profits that go to white profiteers’ bank accounts?

That’s a lot of money, coming from where and going where? They keep telling us it’s about security, but whose security are they talking about? Most prison guards live in closed communities of their own. Are we paying for security in their communities? I am sure none of that money is coming to the Eastside of Buffalo, or the Westside.

My people the brainwashing is so deep that we have to check ourselves daily to see where our thinking is coming from so we don’t continue to get played by a people and system that ain’t never been committed to serving Black people!

So, this month at our Prisoners Are People Too, Inc. monthly meeting we will be going all the way into this idea of brainwashing to see exactly how it was done and continues to be done to all of us in this society. We will be viewing a video by Doctor Asa Hilliard and then we will have a very active live discussion of what we see and feel about this idea of Black people being brainwashed and how we can overcome it!

Please come out to The Rafi Greene Community Center, 1423 Fillmore Avenue @ Glenwood in Buffalo on February 27th, from 7:00 to 9:00 in the evening. We will have refreshments. My people we need YOU there...for US, about US!!!

(Prisoners are People Too holds monthly meetings at The Rafi Greene Community Center, 1423 Fillmore Avenue @ Glenwood in Buffalo from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. )

“Knowing when to stop, you can avoid any danger.” -Tao Te Ching

LEGAL NOTICE Bid

NOTICE FOR BIDS

Gilbane│Turner will be soliciting Bids for the BUFFALO BILLS NEW STADIUM PROJECT.

Upcoming Packages for Foundations and Structural Steel include*:

BID PACKAGE 08C – Foundations

BID PACKAGE 08D – Foundations

Aux Building

BID PACKAGE 10A – Structural Steel & Canopy Roof

BID PACKAGE 10B – Structural Steel Aux Building

All businesses interested in bidding as a Prime/Tier-1 subcontractor must prequalify to receive an invitation to bid.

For an overview of the prequalification process, reference the Prequalification Navigation Guide at www.buffalobillsnewstadium.com.

We encourage NYS certified minority-, women- and service-disabled veteran-owned and local businesses to participate. Please refer to bid documents for full MWBE/SDVOB plan information. If you provide services relevant to any of the above packages and are interested in participating at a lower-tier level, apply to participate in the Meet the Primes session via the “Contracting Opportunities” section on the project website.

*Subject to government approvals

February 23, March 2, 9, 116, 23

COUNTY OF ERIE

95 FRANKLIN STREET BUFFALO, NEW YORK 14202

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

County of Erie, New York

RFP RELEASE

The Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) is seeking proposals from qualified agencies to provide After Hours Emergency Foster Care Services. The RFP #2023013VF can be found at http://www. erie.gov , or a copy can be obtained by contacting Judith Kolmetz at 716858-7932, or via Judith.Kolmetz@ erie.gov as of 2/24/2023.

All correspondence, communications and/or contact with the County in regard to any aspect of this proposal shall be with the ECDSS contact person listed on the specific RFP. Prospective proponents, or their representatives, shall not make contact with or communicate with any representatives of the County, including employees and consultants, other than the designated person in regard to any aspect of this proposal.

Proposals are due to the Erie County Department of Social Services by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on 3/24/2023. Submissions are done electronically.

Erie County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and waive any informality.

Marie A. Cannon, Commissioner of Social Services

LEGAL NOTICE

COUNTY OF ERIE

SUNY ECC City Campus 2021

Ellicott Street Building

Clay Tile Roof Repairs REBID

Project No. 2019-955-02

Sealed bids for General Construction for the above project will be received by the County’s Commissioner of Public Works in Suite 1400 of the Rath County Office Building, 95 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 until 10:30 AM local time on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. NYS

Vendor Responsibility Form CCA-2 A/B/C, NYSDOL wage rates, MBE/ WBE, Apprenticeship program, and Local and Disadvantaged Workforce requirements may apply to this project. Additional information must be found at: www.erie.gov/dpw.

NOTICE OF INVITATION REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR POLE MOUNTED TELECOMMUNICATION CABINETS

Proposals are requested by the ErieNET Local Development Corporation (ENLDC) seeking qualified suppliers for pole mounted outside plant telecommunications cabinets, for a middle mile dark fiber optic network for use by Erie County governments, companies, internet service providers, and other stakeholders on an Open Access Network (“OAN”).

The top-rated respondents will be selected to enter into agreement with ENLDC. The material to be supplied under the Contract, in accordance with the Contract Documents, consists of supplying and delivering all materials, equipment, labor and incidentals necessary or convenient for the procurement of outside plant pole mounted telecommunication cabinets and carry out all the duties and obligations imposed upon the Contractor by the RFP, and RFP Specifications.

Proposals are to be submitted in the exact format of submittal available from ErieNET Local Development Corporation, 95 Franklin Street, Room 1012, Buffalo, New York, 14202, Telephone (716) 858-7495. Proposals will be due on March 17th at 12:00 p.m.

ENLDC emphasizes that declining to respond at any step of the procurement process prior to selection will not hinder firms from being solicited for future jobs.

To obtain a copy of the guidelines or review documents related to this invitation, please call the above number, write to the above address or by email, erienetldc@erie.gov for an electronic copy or visit www.erie.gov and search under “Requests for Proposals” at the bottom of the webpage, or visit www.erie.gov/erienetldc.

This invitation does not commit the ErieNET Local Development Corporation to accept any proposal, nor does it obligate ENLDC for any costs associated with preparing or submitting proposals.

By: Thomas E. Baines, Esq., Chair ErieNET Local Development Corp.

LEGAL NOTICE BID

COUNTY OF ERIE

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Reconstruction of Kenmore Avenue (CR 189) PROJ# CAP-189-21

Department of Public Works, Division of Highways seeking sealed bids for highway full depth reconstruction of Kenmore Avenue. Sealed proposals will be received at Rath County Office Building, DPW, 95 Franklin St, Room 1419A, Buffalo, NY 14202 by, and opened at, 10:00 am local time, Thursday, March 9, 2023. Certified check in the amount of $140,000.00 bid deposit is required with the bid submittal. Pre-let meeting scheduled Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 10:00 am local time at Rath County Office Building, DPW, 95 Franklin St, Room 1419A, Buffalo, NY. NYSDOL Wage Rates, NYS Vendor Responsibility

CCA-2 A/B/C, Local Minority, & Disadvantaged Workforce goals, NYS Apprenticeship, and MWBE goals may be required. Plans and additional bid submittal information on the Erie County website at: http: // www3.erie.gov/dpw see On Line Bid Retrieval.

LEGAL NOTICE RFP

Request for Proposals for the Erie County Cultural Plan (RFP #2023019VF).

Notice is hereby given that the County of Erie is seeking proposals from companies to provide the products and services listed above.

Proposals must be submitted by March 9, 2023 as specified in the RFP.

Full request details are available at http://www2.erie.gov/purchasing

NOTICE OF INVITATION REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR OUTSIDE PLANT FIBER OPTIC CABLE

Proposals are requested by ErieNET Local Development Corporation (“ENLDC”) seeking a single fiber optic cable supplier, for approximately 400 miles of middle mile open access network for use by Erie County governments, companies, internet service providers, and other stakeholders on an Open Access Network (“OAN”).

The top-rated respondents will be selected to enter into an agreement with ENLDC. The Contractor will provide the material to be supplied under the Contract, deliver all materials, equipment, labor and incidentals necessary or convenient for the procurement of outside plant single mode loose tube optical fiber cables manufactured by Corning or an equivalent and carry out all of the duties and obligations imposed upon the Contractor by the RFP.

Proposals are to be submitted in the exact format of submittal available from ErieNET Local Development Corporation, 95 Franklin Street, Room 1012, Buffalo, New York, 14202, Telephone (716) 858-7495. Proposals will be due on March 17th at 12:00 p.m.

ENLDC emphasizes that declining to respond at any step of the procurement process prior to selection will not hinder firms from being solicited for future jobs.

To obtain a copy of the guidelines or review documents related to this invitation, please call the above number, write to the above address or by e-mail, erienetldc@erie.gov for an electronic copy or visit www.erie.gov and search under “Requests for Proposals” at the bottom of the webpage or visit www.erie.gov/erienetldc.

This invitation does not commit ENLDC to accept any proposal, nor does it obligate ENLDC for any costs associated with preparing or submitting proposals.

By: Thomas E. Baines, Esq., Chair ErieNET Local Development Corp.

LEGAL NOTICE BID

COUNTY OF ERIE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Grover Cleveland Golf Course

Schenck House & Restroom

Renovation Project

PROJECT NO. 2022-911-01

Separate sealed bids for: General Construction, Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical work for the above project will be received by the County’s Commissioner of Public Works in Suite 1400 of the Rath County Office Building, 95 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 until 10:30 AM local time on March 8, 2023, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. A site visit is scheduled for February 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM local time at the Schenck House at Grover Cleveland Golf Course. NYS Vendor Responsibility Form CCA-2 A/B/C, NYSDOL wage rates, MBE/WBE, Apprenticeship program, and Local and Disadvantaged Workforce requirements may apply to this project. Additional information must be found at: www. erie.gov/dpw

LEGAL NOTICE RFP

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The NFTA is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for BNIA - Sustainable Master Plan 2023 Project No. 30BG2246. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM on March 15, 2023. www.nftaengineering.com

LEGAL NOTICE

Request for Qualifications

Minority and Women Business

Enterprise Compliance Monitoring Services

Proposals are being solicited for MWBE compliance monitoring for a construction project at Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park. Laborers Way, LLC, an affiliate of Zephyr Partners (“Zephyr”) is constructing a cannabis production facility at the site which was recently purchased from Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park-1, LLC an affiliate of Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (“BUDC”). As part of the land sale transition, Zephyr must adhere to BUDC’s MWBE utilization goals. To ensure that these goals are met BUDC is soliciting firms for compliance monitoring services to make sure that BUDC’s MWBE goals are obtained. For a copy of the RFQ please go to: https://www.buffalourbandevelopment.com/rfp

Proposals are due by March 13, 2023 no later than 4:00 p.m. to the office of BUDC, 95 Perry Street, Suite 404, Buffalo, NY 14203 Attn: Brandye Merriweather, President or you can email your proposals to: bmerriweather@buffalourbandevelopment.com

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

BIYYAH BEAUTY LLC, Arts of Org filed with the NYSS on 11/3/2022. Office in Erie County. NYSS designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. NYSS shall mail copy of any process to the LLC at: 25 Haven St, Bflo., NY 14211. Purpose: any lawful.

January 26 February 2,9,16,23 March 2

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY MEDUSA DEVELOPMENT 1, LLC filed Articles of Organization with NY Secy of State on 10/3/2022. Office of the LLC: 719 BUSTI AVE, BUFFALO, ERIE COUNTY, NY 14213. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to LLC at: 719 BUSTI AVE, BUFFALO NY 14213. Purpose of LLC: any lawful act or activity.

January 19,26, February 2,9,16,23

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

The Caffe Elmwood LLC filed articles of organization with the NY Secretary of State on 01/19/2023. Erie County. Principle business location 957 Elmwood Ave Buffalo NY 14222. Michaela Phetteplace Schmidbauer is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. NYSS may mail copy of process to 179 Merrimac Street Buffalo NY 14214 Purpose: Coffee Shop.

February 16,23, March 2,9,16,23

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

Re-Establishing Resources, LLC, filed with SSNY on 12/12/22. Office Erie County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 210 Sprenger Ave, Fl 1, Buffalo NY 14211.

PURPOSE: Any lawful purpose.

January 26 February 2,9,16,23 March 2

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

TYLER WESTCOTT MUSIC, LLC filed Articles of Organization with NY Secy of State on 9/15/2022. Office of the LLC: 300 AMHERST ST, BUFFALO, ERIE COUNTY, NY 14207. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to LLC at: 300 AMHERST ST, BUFFALO NY 14207. Purpose of LLC: any lawful act or activity.

January19,26 February 2,9,16,23

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed bids for Project Nos. 44774-C, 44774-H, 44774-P and 44774-E, comprising separate contracts for Construction Work, HVAC Work, Plumbing Work, and Electrical Work, Expand Arsenal, Building No. 1 & Replace Perimeter Security Controls, Collins Correctional Facility, 490 Middle Road, Collins (Erie County), NY will be received by the Office of General Services (OGS), Design & Construction Group (D&C), Division of Contract Management, 35th Fl., Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12242, on behalf of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, when they will be publicly opened and read. Each bid must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders and must be accompanied by a bid security (i.e. certified check, bank check, or bid bond in the amount of $106,000 for C, $23,400 for H, $14,300 for P, and $25,200 for E).

All successful bidders will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and a Labor and Material Bond pursuant to Sections 136 and 137 of the State Finance Law, each for 100% of the amount of the Contract estimated to be between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000 for C, between $250,000 and $500,000 for H, between $100,000 and $250,000 for P, and between $500,000 and $1,000,000 for E.

Designated staff are Jessica Cook, Jessica Hoffman, and Pierre Alric in the Division of Contract Management, telephone (518) 474-0203, fax (518) 4737862.

Pursuant to Public Buildings Law § 8(6), effective January 11, 2020, for any projects where the project design commenced on or after January 1, 2020 and for any contracts over $5,000 for the work of construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any State building, a responsible and reliable NYS-certified Minority or Women-Owned Business Enterprise that submits a bid within ten percent of the lowest bid will be deemed the apparent low bidder provided that the bid is $1,400,000 or less, as adjusted annually for inflation beginning January 1, 2020. If more than one responsible and reliable MWBE firm meets these requirements, the MWBE firm with the lowest bid will be deemed the apparent low bidder.

XX Project commenced design before January 1, 2020. Not subject to provision.

___Project commenced design on or after January 1, 2020. Subject to provision.

The only time prospective bidders will be allowed to visit the job site to take field measurements and examine existing conditions of the project area will be at 8:30 a.m. on March 3, 2023, at the OGS Field Office, 14312 Taylor Hollow Road, Gowanda NY 14070. Phone the office of Kim Himes (716-532-5151) a minimum of 72 hours in advance of the date to provide the names of those who will attend the pre-bid site visit. Only contractors that schedule a visit at least 72 hours in advance will be allowed to participate in the pre-bid site visit. Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Article 15-A and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, OGS is required to promote opportunities for the maximum feasible participation of New York State-certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (“MWBEs”) and the employment of minority group members and women in the performance of OGS contracts. All bidders are expected to cooperate in implementing this policy. OGS hereby establishes an overall goal of 30% for MWBE participation, 15% for Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (“MBE”) participation and 15% for WomenOwned Business Enterprises (“WBE”) participation (based on the current availability of qualified MBEs and WBEs) for Construction Work and an overall goal of 20% for MWBE participation, 10% for Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (“MBE”) participation and 10% for Women-Owned Business Enterprises (“WBE”) participation (based on the current availability of qualified MBEs and WBEs) for HVAC Work and Electrical Work and an overall goal of 10% for MWBE participation, 5% for Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (“MBE”) participation and 5% for Women-Owned Business Enterprises (“WBE”) participation (based on the current availability of qualified MBEs and WBEs) for Plumbing Work. The total contract goal can be obtained by utilizing any combination of MBE and /or WBE participation for subcontracting and supplies acquired under this Contract. Trades with 0% goals are encouraged to make “good faith efforts” to promote and assist in the participation of MWBEs on the Contract for the provision of services and materials.

Article 17-B of the New York State Executive Law provides for more meaningful participation in public procurement by certified Service-Disabled VeteranOwned Businesses (“SDVOBs”). Bidders are expected to consider SDVOBs in the fulfillment of the requirements of the Contract. Such participation may be as subcontractors or suppliers, as protégés, or in other partnering or supporting roles. OGS hereby establishes overall goals for SDVOBs’ participation under this contract as follows: 6% for the C trade contractor, 3% for the E trade contractor, 3% for the H trade contractor, and 3% for the P trade contractor, based on the current availability of qualified SDVOBs. Trades with 0% goals are encouraged to make “good faith efforts” to promote and assist in the participation of SDVOBs on the Contract for the provision of services and materials.

The Bidding and Contract Documents for this Project are available for viewing and downloading from OGS Design & Construction’s plan room hosting service, Bid Express. Vendors wishing to view and/or download bid documents must complete a one-time registration for the Bid Express service. There is no cost to register for Bid Express. Registration along with viewing and downloading of documents can be accessed at the following link: http://www. bidexpress.com

For questions about downloading of bid documents, please send an e-mail to support@bidexpress.com, or call the Bid Express toll-free number at (888) 352-2439.

For all other questions, please send an email to DCPlans@ogs.ny.gov, or call (518) 474-0203.

For additional information on this project, please use the link below and then click on the project number: https://online.ogs.ny.gov/dnc/contractorConsultant/esb/ESBPlansAvailableIndex.asp.

OGS Design & Construction Group

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

BC Products 1, filed with SSNY on 1/11/23. Office Erie County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 60 W. Cleveland Dr. Upper, Buffalo NY 14215. PURPOSE: Any lawful purpose

January 26 February 2,9,16,23 March 2

Bourgeoisie Bue LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on the 25th day of April, 2022. Office location: Erie County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom shall process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served upon him or her to: 5949 Camp Rd #1196, Hamburg, NY 14211. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity. February 2,9,16,23, March 2,9

EMPLOYMENT

Raptors vs Pistons: The Final 5 Seconds

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

* High School Diploma or GED

Experience:

*Experience working in community outreach and/or have navigated community to healthcare

*Relationship with healthcare providers, and local business community

*Some program management experience and a basic comprehension of “good health” concepts

Key Competencies:

* Computer/ virtual communications, writing, and verbal skills

*Self-starter/ time manager

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

MKL TRUCKING, LLC filed Articles of Organization with NY Secy of State on 11/5/2022. Office of the LLC: 4712 PINECREST TER, EDEN, ERIE COUNTY, NY 14057. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to LLC at: 4712 PINECREST TER, EDEN NY 14057. Purpose of LLC: any lawful act or activity.

January19,26 February 2,9,16,23

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

E’Finity Cleaning LLC. Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept. of State: December 10, 2022. Office of the LLC: 4498 Main St. Suite 4 #1220. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to the LLC at 4498 Main St. Suite 4 #1220, Buffalo, New York 14226. Purpose of LLC: (Commercial Cleaning). No specific duration attached to LLC.

February 2,9,16,23, March 2,9

HIRING

BUFFALO URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION POSITION OPENING

Director of Project Development & Construction Applications consisting of a cover letter and resume should be sent to Brandye Merriweather, BUDC President, at 95 Perry Street, Suite 404, Buffalo, NY 14203. Applications can also be sent via e-mail to bmerriweather@ buffalourbandevelopment.com. Three references should be included. Applications will be accepted through February 28, 2023 at 4:00 P.M. For Job description go to https://www.buffalourbandevelopment.com/news/article/ current/2023/02/07/100159/werehiring

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

BLK-for hair with texture, LLC. Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept. of State: January 12, 2023. Office of the LLC: 11 Veronica Drive West Seneca., NY 14224, ERIE. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to the LLC at 11 Veronica Drive West Seneca., NY 14224. Purpose of LLC: To conduct any lawful business for which the limited liability companies may be organized under the laws of the state of New York. No specific duration attached to LLC February 9,16,23, March 2,9,16

HIRING MUSICIAN

New Hope Baptist Church located at 2090 Genesee Street, is seeking a musician (keyboard player) for Sunday Services. Would need to be available Sunday mornings at 9:45 am, and rehearsals with Praise team on Thursdays at 6:30pm. For further information, please contact Trustee Counts at 716-602-1442.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

Name of LLC: Davis Legacy Property Management LLC. Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept. of State: December. 19, 2022. Office of the LLC: Erie County. The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to the LLC at P.O. Box 1684, Buffalo, NY 14225. Purpose of LLC: Any lawful purpose permitted for LLC's under NY Limited Liability Campany Act

January19,26 February 2,9,16,23

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

THIRTEENTH STREET FARM, LLC filed Articles of Organization with NY Secy of State on 9/12/2022. Office of the LLC: 329 PLYMOUTH AVE, BUFFALO, ERIE COUNTY, NY 14213 The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to LLC at: 329 PLYMOUTH AVE, BUFFALO NY 14213. Purpose of LLC: any lawful act or activity.

January19,26 February 2,9,16,23

OnSunday, February 10, 2023 the Raptors hosted the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons held one of the worst records in the NBA. So most NBA connoisseurs probably thought a victory by Toronto was a foregone conclusion. But this was not to be the case as the game went down to the final 5 seconds. Two free throws by Precious Achiuwa with 4.1 seconds left gave the Raptors a 4 point lead. A last ditch 3 pointer by Detroit’s Jaden Ivey at 0.1 seconds was all for naught. The Raptors won the game 119118. All-Star guard from 2022 Fred VanVleet(pictured - Raptors #23 attempts a layup while being defended by Detroit players I. Stewart, J. Ivey and #12 I. Livers) led all scores with 35 points. Pascal Siakam(Raptors #43 in picture) who was recently named a 2023 NBA All-Star Game replacement had 28 points. The Pistons were led by Bojan Bogdanovic(Pistons #44 in picture) with 33 points. (photo by A. Dorcely)

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Zakiyyah’s Rundown (ZR) Daily Vibrations

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SUPPORT Black BUSINESSES!

THURS. FEB. 23

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Board of Trustees of Brick Buffalo Academy Charter School meeting 5:30 p.m., Hansa Workspace, 505 Ellicott St. 716-806-6410 or buffalo@brickeducation.org

FRI. FEB. 24

Buffalo Funk Fest Foundation

Black Tie for Black History Extravaganza, The Metropolitan Entertainment Complex, 1670 Main Street, 7-11 p.m., $40. Tickets Doris Records.

SAT. FEB. 25

Education Fest for high school students and parents, 9 a.m.-2p.m., Friendship Baptist Church, 1402 Clinton St.(716)698-7695. Email: jpblkedu@aol.com

Black Men of Excellence

Gala and Vendor Event 5-10 p.m. Main Events, 1420 Main Street . Tickets at King City Records, Doris Records

Wakanda Alliance Youth Panel , 1 p.m. Delavan-Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan.

The Truth and Nothing but The Truth with host Sam Herbert 1-1:30 p.m. WUFO 1080/& AM & 96.5 FM.

SUN. FEB. 26

“Old Time Religion: A Discussion” BY M. Lion Blyden

2-5 p.m. at the Meriweather Library.

TUES. FEB. 28

Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts celebrates the legacy of Yvonne James-Brown 7 p.m. 450 Masten Avenue. School-time matinee 9:50 a.m. All tickets $5 reserved seating (716)8161220 ext. 4233

TUES. FEB. 28

Black Resources Black History Awards 6-8:30 p.m. with Red Carpet at 5:30 p.m. at the Northland Corridor. Dinner by Manna at Northland . Tickets $25 call Carlanda Meadors 716-800-1348.

FRI.. MARCH 3

Fish Fry Friday & Ribs Dinners, St. John’s Lodge, 17 Kingsley, 716-903-6740 See ad this Page.

TERRENCE D. McKELVEY

Attorney at Law 181 Franklin Street Suite #301 Buffalo, New York 14202