CHALLENGER COMMUNITY NEWS

INSIDE ROCHESTER

Rochester Int'l Jazz Festival Lives Up to Its Billing!

The 20th Edition of RIJF lived up to its billing of the world’s top jazz artists with 100 free shows and workshops plus 192 Club Pass series shows at 11 Club Pass venues, making for a very busy 9 days in Rochester. To round out the festival on day 9 was another line up of excellence.

Houston Person and Eric Person , “Person2Person,” was a combination of brilliant creative alto and soprano saxophones by Eric Person. Although the legendary award-winning artist is 88 years young, he performed with energy and enthusiasm especially on updated versions of Billie Holiday’s “Lover Man” and “Old Hat Feathers.”

Tia Fuller did a number from her latest CD “Diamond Cut” with her sister on piano and organ, Shamie Fuller Royston, Colby Royston (Shamie's 20-year-old son) on drums and a young woman on bass made for a very captivating evening of music. “Fury of a Da’mond” and “In the Tenches” showed off Ms. Fuller's creativity including her final song of the night, “Continue to Rise,” a spoken word piece along with her outstanding saxophone and flute solos.

The Christian Sand Trio, a five-time Grammy nominee, was original with a strong sense of his own style. He played the piano with such a sense of purpose that he mesmerized his listening audience. Sand said,” My music is about teaching the way of jazz and keeping it alive.” Both his solo and trio performances delivered the peacful tranquility of water like his title CD "Be Water."

Glen David Andrews is a native son of New Orleans Tremé’ neighborhood which is considered the oldest Black community in the United States. Andrews, a former member of New Birth Brass Band, has a commanding voice and fierce performance style. His gritty voice took over on songs like “You Don’t Know,” and “Make the Headboard Shake” and “Bad by Myself.”

Ms. Lisa Fischer was the best vocalist of the 9-day festivals. She’s a real song stylist that makes

every song she sings truly her own. On “How can I ease the Pain” (her biggest hit song) the arrangement was very creative, producing a totally new version that captivated the audience. “I Loves you Porgy” really showed us her vocal range and her rendition of Roberta Flacks “Killing me Softly” was expertly done and performed along with her pianist Taylor Eigsti.

Catherine Russell is a Grammy nominated vocalist and no stranger to RIJF, who is actually a favorite artist performing straight ahead jazz songs. She performed several songs from her current CD “Send for Me,” like the title cut and my, favorite “At the Swing Cats Ball,” a Louis Jordan song that Ms. Russell performed expertly with zest and zeal.

Troy Trombone Shorty, currently touring off his latest CD “Lifted” did just that as he elevated a packed audience (estimated at over 15,000 people) outside on Parcel 5 in the heart of downtown Rochester. Rich with New Orleans Black tradition, his showmanship is the best by any artist in this modern era with a high energy show featuring jazz, HipHop, Blues, R&B, fusion songs like “Come Back”, “Might Not Make It Home Tonight” and he closed the two-hour set with his Classic Jazz influenced trumpet led song “Hurricane Season."

2023 Pride Marshals! Reenah Golden and Todd Ranous Have Been Named the Grand Marshal and Honorary Marshal of Rochester Pride!

The ROC Pride Fest and Parade will take place at Cobbs Hill Park immediately following the parade July 15 from 1-8pm. The parade will start at 1:00 PM at the intersection of Alexander Street and Park Avenue, down Park Avenue, right on Culver Road, and end at Cobbs Hill where the Festival begins! There will be food, wine & beer, games and activities, vendor tables live music and performances. General admission tickets are $5 and VIP tickets are $50. Kids under 12 are free!

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ! Pictured above Musicians top l/r Albino Mbie Small, Catherine Russell, Christian Sands, Felycia Ray, George Jontavious Willis, Eric & Houston Preston, Tia Fuller, Catherine Russel with her trio.

CEO of African Heritage Food Co-Op Steps Down

Alexander J. Wright,the charismatic young visionary who founded the African Heritage Food Co-op is reportedly stepping down due to personal circumstances, severing all ties with the organization.

The African Heritage Food Co-Op was formed in 2016 to increase access to affordable and nutritional food to underserved communities in WNY.

Pastor Kinzer Pointer will step in as Chief Executive Officer. Pastor Pointer says "Operations will continue to flow, as the mission of the organization supersedes any one person."

Tracy Garner-Robinson Receives Buffalo Business First Excellence In Health Care Award

Tracey Garner-Robinson is the recipient of the Buffalo Business First Excellence in Health Care Award. Mrs. Garner-Robinson serves as Director of Practice Transformation at CINQCARE, which improves patient health outcomes with a focus on members of Black and Brown communities in under served areas. With 21 years experience in healthcare, she is the recipient of numerous awards and achievements including the Buffalo Niagara Partnership Outstanding Achievement Award and the Women Who Walk In The Footsteps of Greatness Utopian Euphoria President’s Award. She holds a B.S. from Tennessee State University and an MBA and MMPA from the University of Phoenix. She and her husband David reside in Lancaster. She cites Project Mona’s House as being among her favorite non-profits. Tracey was featured in the June 9-15 edition of Buffalo Business First. Congratulations!

East Side F.A.T.H.E.R.S. Volunteer Group and Community Freedom Fighter Rev. Hemphill Honored With Trailblazing Signs

Lenny Lane & The F.A.T.H.E.R.S

A Buffalo Fathers Way Trailblazing sign was unveiled on the corner of Grider & Leroy Streets at the Arthur O. Eve School on June 30.

In 2000, after two bullets went through a kindergarten classroom at this school, the Buffalo F.A.T.H.E.R.S. Group began when 12 fathers with children attending that school, stood on the front steps, and declared, “Enough is Enough!” Led by retired Buffalo Firefighter Lenny Lane, they vowed to be at the school each day when the students arrived and left. They never knew 23 years later they would still be there and would now be recognized with a Trailblazing sign to recognize them. They have now grown to 30 men and women who are mobilized to respond to any disaster in East Buffalo. In collaboration with the Buffalo Peacemakers, they created a Mobile Response Team, birthed out of the Tops Market mass shooting on May 14, 2022. Pastor James Giles oversees the Peacemakers, which has a membership of more than 60 individuals from East Side organizations who work everyday reducing violence and hunger in the city.

Prior to the unveiling of the Trailblazing sign The Buffalo F.A.T.H.E.R.S. Group celebrated this occasion by distributing free food and supplies to neighbors from Pearl’s Playground, adjacent to the Arthur O. Eve School.

Services Set for Mother of Judge Craig Hannah

Funeral services for Maggie Hannah, the mother of the Honorable Judge Craig Hannah, will be held Thursday, July 13 at 11 a.m. (Wake) followed by the funeral at 12 Noon at Faith Baptist Church, 626 Humboldt Parkway.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Justice Hannah and his family.

Rev. Hemphill Freedom Fighter

Prior to the unveiling of the Trailblazing street Sign in honor of Rev. James E. Hemphill Sr. and his wife Drucilla on July 1, family, friends and supporters gathered for a heartfelt dedication service held in the church he pastored for many years, Walls Memorial AME ZION.

Melanie Hemphill, Rev. Hemphill’s articulate and lovely granddaughter, shared how the desire to learn more about her lineage caused her to launch the research into her grandfather's legacy – ultimately leading to her writing to Council President Darius Pridgen in 2021 requesting a trailblazing sign be place in Rev. Hemphill’s honor in light of his amazing accomplishments.

“As we shift to rebuild our communities and those who came before us, it’s important to reflect on the history of Buffalo, highlight the strength of an active, thriving community and hope to inspire a generation of leaders to carry that history forward…” she said. “From organizing the first minority church-sponsored nursery school, which later became the prototype for the national Head Start program, to establishing the Walls Memorial Recreation and Athletic Club, Rev. Hemphill's impact was immense.”

His Uncrowned Community Builders profile cites in part:

“A Buffalo native (he) attended Buffalo Public Schools, also Livingston College and Hood Theological Seminary both in Salisbury, North Carolina. A long-time civil rights leader, Rev. Hemphill was president of the NAACP Branch in Thomasville, South Carolina while serving as pastor of St. John African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church there and he led a fight to integrate public buildings in Thomasville.

When he returned to Buffalo in 1958, he served as president of the Buffalo branch

Hidden Black History

Wrought iron process that drove UK success was from Black metallurgists.

An innovation that propelled Britain to become the world’s leading iron exporter during the Industrial Revolution was appropriated from an 18thcentury Jamaican foundry, according to historical records.

The Cort process, which allowed wrought iron to be mass-produced from scrap iron for the first time, has long been attributed to the British financier turned ironmaster Henry Cort. It helped launch Britain as an economic superpower and transformed the face of the country with “iron palaces”, including Crystal Palace, Kew Gardens’ Temperate House and the arches at St. Pancras train station.

Now, an analysis of correspondence, shipping records and contemporary newspaper reports reveals the innovation was first developed by 76 black Jamaican metallurgists at an ironworks near Morant Bay, Jamaica. Many of these metalworkers were enslaved people trafficked from West and Central Africa, which had thriving iron-working industries at the time.

Dr. Jenny Bulstrode, a lecturer in history of science and technology at University College London (UCL) and author of the paper, said: “This innovation kicks off Britain as a major iron producer and … was one of the most important innovations in the making of the modern world.”

The technique was patented by Cort in the 1780s and he is widely credited as the inventor, with the Times lauding him as “father of the iron

Continued Page 13

(Pictured above Lenny Lane.)

(Pictured above Melanie Hemphill & Adia Hemphill Funderberg granddaughters Dr. Jacquelin Hemphill Peoples, daughter & James T. Hemphill Jr., Continued Page 13

Alexander J. Wright

FAITH & FAMILY

Metropolitan UM Church Vacation Bible School

The Metropolitan United Methodist Church located at 657 Best (corner Herman Street), invites all children, young adults, and adults to join us for our Vacation Bible School. This event will be held the week of Wednesday, August 9August 11, 2023, from 5:30 pm - 8 pm. A Light Dinner will also be served. Applications are now being accepted. There is no charge so, please come and join us. For an application or more information please, contact the church office at (716) 891-5652 or email: metroumchurch@gmail.com. Angela R. Stewart is Pastor.

Love Alive Fellowship Summer Day Progam

Love Alive Fellowship Summer Day Program presents its 15th year of summer programing. This year's theme is "Exploring The Creation." The program began July 10 and runs through August 11 Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 4-12. Features include the Summer Reading Challenge, S.T.E.A.M., music, dance, crafts, outdoor recreational activities, field trips and more. For registration and more information call (716)856-1670 or emailcampalive2007@gmail.com

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

2023 GOSPELFEST!

The 37th Annual Gospelfest will take place Saturday July 22 in Martin Luther King Park, from 2 until 8p.m. Great gospel music will be performed by some of Buffalo’s best local and National recording Artists, such as Kimera Lattimore, Lady Kathy Bowman, Robin Adams, Pastor Andre Clark, True Bethel Music Ministry, Tailisha Drayton, Moe Badger, Sisters Valerie & Tracey Foye Green, Zion Dominion “presents the Team” ministry, Pastor Julius Groomes, Cynthia Benning, Carol Milhouse, pastor Craig Cauley, Sherri Singletary, Patricia Bozeman, Bessie Patterson & the City-Wide Choir, The Collins Four and many more! Admission is free, sponsored in part by: M&T Bank, Councilman Ulysees Wingo, ECMC, Tim Kennedy, Mayor Byron Brown, Councilman Darius Pridgen, Councilman Rasheed Wyatt, Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Legislator April Baskin, Legislator Howard Johnson, Connect/Life, Buffalo Teacher’s Federation,West Herr, Alan Core Funeral Home and WUFO Radio 96.5. Bessie Patterson is the Coordinator. Come with your folding chairs and stay all day! Vendors will be there!

What Do you Want The 5/14 Tops Massacre Memorial To Look Like?

The 5/14 Memorial Commission was formed after the Tops Massacre to plan and construct a living memorial honoring the lives taken and the lives impacted on May 14, 2022 at the Jefferson Avenue market.

The commission recently announced that there will be two public meetings and an on-line public opinion survey so that citizens can have input.

• The first meeting will be held next Tuesday , July 18 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Stanley Makowski Early Childhood Center, 1095 Jefferson Avenue at Best St.

•The second meeting will take place Tuesday, August 15, same place, same time, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Makowski Childhood Center.

•Residents can also take an on-line public opinion survey by going to: https://wnysurveys.com/514memorial

The Commission’s mission is to “respectfully develop a living and lasting memorial that will honor the survivors and the lives lost during the racially motivated mass shooting on Buffalo’s East side. PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

For more information visit www.514memorial.com

Local Churches Urged to Join the Black Church Food Security Network!

The Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) helps churches use their assets to establish gardens on their land, host miniature farmer’s markets, and buy wholesale from Black farmers.

The opportunity for local churches to join this historic initiative to solve food and health challenges in your community will take place Saturday, July 15 at the Beverly Gray Center,3324 East Utica Street near Jefferson during Membership Sign Up Day from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

The Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) is the fruit of Maxine’s Garden at Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD.

Today, the BCFSN spans much of the country.

Become a member today! www.blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/become-a-member

HEALTH MATTERS

Who is Bebe Moore Campbell and Why It Matters to Our Community During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. It was designated as such in July 2008 by Congress. The resolution was sponsored by Rep. Albert Wynn [D-MD] and cosponsored by a large bipartisan group to achieve two goals:

●Approve access to mental health treatment and services and promote public awareness of mental illness.

●Name a month as the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month to enhance public awareness of mental illness among underserved communities.

This recognition is in honor of African American author, Bebe Moore Campbell, who founded NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Inglewood, which is a suburb of Los Angeles. Ms. Campbell’s advocacy efforts were a result of her daughter Maia’s struggle with mental illness and finding the proper supports for her.

What makes this so important, is that, as a community, mental health challenges are woven into our shared history, which includes centuries of discrimination, and personal and historical trauma. It has been documented that since the Middle Passage, the abuses that we have endured have produced a crisis in of unforeseen proportions. Everything from what are known as social determinants of health (economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built in environment, and social and community context) to health disparities, has revealed major gaps in between those in black and brown communities and their counterparts here in the U.S. The rates of suicide in our black youth is skyrocketing and we are facing more stress across the board, which results in increased issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

What Ms. Campbell did was to highlight these inequalities in an effort not just to help her daughter, but to help the entire African American community, nationwide, to the extent of even traveling to the U.S. Capitol in D.C. to deliver her message.

In her own words:

"Stigma is one of the main reasons why people with mental health problems don't seek treatment or take their medication. People of color, particularly African Americans, feel the stigma more keenly. In a race-conscious society, some don't want to be perceived as having yet another deficit."

Herein lies the key message: the stigma that is experienced in the black community comes from, not wanting to be seen as having any shortcomings. “Be strong. Don’t reveal how you’re feeling because you’ll be seen as being soft.” This message needs to be eliminated and replaced with affirmative language such as, “It’s okay to ask for help,” or “Strength can come from being open about how we feel.”

When I consider the years that I have been a mental health advocate, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the power of sharing one’s story and how it is possible to connect with others through this experience. And while our stories may not all be the same, we can all connect at a deeper level that helps us to heal emotionally. It is through this shared experience that we can break down the walls of stigma that have surrounded us for centuries and build nurturing connections for future generations. Be safe and Be well.

Karl Shallowhorn is the director of youth programs at Mental Health Advocates of WNY and vice-chair of the Mental Health Association in NYS.

MOON WATCH NEW MOON JULY 17 IN CANCER

The affect of this new Moon can cause you to be moved easily, because during this New Moon you become highly sensitive.

You need emotional intelligence more than ever. On a spiritual level the New Moon in Cancer 2023 opens up sacred doorways within you. This can bring you a greater sense of awareness of the emotional vibration of love and connection.

A New Moon is a wonderful time to receive Spiritual Guidance. New moons are known as initiation points—days for planting seeds that we'll harvest six months later at the corresponding full moon.

New Moon Energy can be powerful. Tapping into this energy can support your dreams and desires. We can harness the energy of the new moon to fulfill our visions and make our desires come true by creating a new moon ritual.

Now is the time to get going on creating our world the way we want it to be and creating ourselves the way we want ourselves to be. Get healthy by creating it.

Don’t just watch calories, eat healthier! More fruits and veggies. It is summertime so go to the farmers markets and get the fresh stuff with all the nutrition still in it!

Take care of yourself. Hang out with the people you love and tell them how much you appreciate who they are! Have some fun in the sun with friends and family. Enjoy each other while we are here. Love each other and treasure each other each and every day. Appreciate all you have learned from those around you. Appreciate all those things that you are getting from those around you who love you enough to give. Create for yourself a new storefront that will help the community. What talent do you have that you can share with the community to ease suffering and bring joy? Do it in your own special way that is just yours uniquely.

Now is the time for the rebirth of your spirit. What can you do to rebirth yourself and the world around you? How can you re-invent yourself to be more uniquely helpful to your community with your special talents. What obstacles need to be removed for you to make this happen? How can you begin to make that change starting right now? You are the change!

The new moon is about starting with an empty clean slate; it is the conception of an idea to become birthed into life with the coming full moon.

•Use this time wisely. •This is a time of new beginnings! •Die to the old to begin again! •Use this energy to discover what has been holding you back. •Plant seeds of manifestation. •Harness the energy of all things of beauty.

Look after yourself, and you’ll be ready to throw yourself into this New Moon with gusto! It’s a wonderful, transformational vibe. If you feel like something exciting is about to get started, you’re right! We’re about to turn a big corner. It’s going to be glorious. Make sure you dance!

Uncrowned Queens Institute Announces Winners of 2023 Memorial Scholarships

The Uncrowned Queens Institute is pleased to announce the winners of the 5th annual Mary Crosby Chappelle and Ida Dora Fairbush Memorial Scholarships.

In late Spring of this year, the Scholarship Committee reviewed and evaluated the submissions of local graduating student applicants and selected Brooklyn Bullock, from Olmsted H.S. for the Fairbush Award and Xavier Mann, from City Honors for the Chappelle Award. The two award recipients will each receive a $1,000 scholarship at a reception to be held at the Buffalo Historical Society on Monday, July 17 at 5: p.m.

The scholarships are supported by a grant from the Buffalo Teachers Federation and the Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc.

THERE IS A STORY TO TELL ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN GARDENERS

Author Abra Lee has written a hidden figures story about 45 unknown African American Gardeners. Her Book; “Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country's Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers “is an interesting read.

Hear Abra Lee share stories on July 19, 2023, at a FREE COMMUNITY EVENT from 5:30 - 6:30pm. A Light Reception follows the presentation.

Also hear the story about Mrs. Frances Nash’s garden that was located on the grounds of the NASH HOUSE Museum. Attendees are welcomed to schedule a tour of the Nash House Museum.

The event will take place at the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor at 132 Broadway Avenue. ABRA LEE, horticulturist, educator, and author of the forthcoming book "Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers," has been featured in The New York Times, Fine Gardening, Veranda Magazine, and NPR. Abra’s work is centered on unearthing what she refers to as “love stories” on the richness of U.S. garden history and culture.

Support for this program has been generously provided by The M & T Charitable Foundation and is hosted by The Nash House Museum and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.

Abra Lee

Colored Musicians Club Returns for 19th Annual Queen City Jazz Festival

Festival featuring Gerald Albright, Spyro Gyra and Local Artists to Celebrate

The Colored Musicians Club and Buffalo’s Iconic History of Jazz

OnSaturday July 29 jazz music

will fill the air in downtown Buffalo as the Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum Presents the 19th Annual Queen City Jazz Festival in front of the Downtown Erie County Public Library in Lafayette Square from 1 to 8 pm.

Attendees should definitely bring chairs and be prepared for a beautiful day of music from fresh and upcoming artists to veteran and seasoned artists. Musical genres will include gospel to fusion jazz, improvised eclectic jazz, to smooth jazz from local artists who have performed extensively in the city, as well as to international acclaim like pianist and producer Rod Bonner, The Damone Jackson Outcome led by drummer Damone Jackson and the GLVT Love Xtreme jazz ensemble led by seasoned musician Gregory Treadwell. Headliners at the 2023 festival include Spyro Gyra an internationally known group born from the City of Buffalo and Grammy award winning saxophonist Gerald Albright.

“We are thrilled to have such a diverse group of artists this year who represent the very best of Buffalo’s thriving and innovative jazz and music community, to headliners who have literally traveled the world with their expertise in Jazz Performance,” said Linda Appleby CMC board member and contributing member of the events committee, all of whom make this annual festival a lively entertaining experience for the Queen City in the heart of Downtown .

This is the 2nd year the festival is being held in this location as the club, which is in the heart of the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, is still under renovation. There will also be a diverse group of vendors this year that will feature food trucks, community information booths, and artisans. If you are a vendor there is still time to submit an application deadline is July 15.

The festival is free to the public. Parking can be found around the immediate area surrounding the Erie County Library, as well as train service that drops you off directly in front of the venue on Main street.

For more info visit the club online at www.thecoloredmusiciansclub.com

Chef Darian's Jamaican Market Set for July 22!

Celebrity Chef Darian Bryan and his family invite the Buffalo community to join them for their annual celebration of Jamaican culture with food, live performances, local vendors, contests, educational activities and more for the 3rd annual Jamaican Market in Larkin Square , 745 Seneca Street July 22 from 4pm-8pm.

A one of a kind experience in town, Chef Darian brings all walks of life together for this family friendly Jamaican Market experience. Attendees will enjoy live performances including both the American and Jamaican National Anthems, dancing, a drum circle, and live music. There will be delicious food and a variety of goods sold by 30 participating local vendors for this years event and music by DJ Ruption! “I can’t believe this is already our 3rd annual celebration,” said Chef Darian. “Years ago, my family and I saw a need for a Jamaican festival in Buffalo, and we were excited to start one and make it our own." With his home grown experience of creating delicious Jamaican cuisine, new inviting dining experience, a fresh and creative platform for vendors from the community and activities for the whole family, this celebration of Jamaican culture is a winwin! “The ability to bring a small amount of our Jamaican culture to our home in Buffalo is such an honor. Just like in Jamaica all are welcomed and we will have a great time” said Sherece Lewis who is sister to Chef Darian and chair of the 3rd annual Jamaican Market. So stop-shop-eat and enjoy the Jamaican vibration this wonderful family bring to the city with love and always good vibes. Follow @jamaicanmarketbuffalo on social media for updates.

LARRY SALTER’S SOUL ORCHESTRA RETURNS TO MANDELLA’S THIS SATURDAY! Larry Salter’s Soul Orchestra will return to Mandella’s on Jefferson and Ferry this Saturday, July 15, for another great afternoon of live music from 6-8 p.m. Don’t forget to bring your chairs! See you there!

SUPPORT THE ARTS!

Gerald Albright

Spyro Gyra

Among Local Artists performing this year at Queen City Jazz Festival l/r Rod Bonner, Damone Jackson,Gregory Treadwell

Chef Darian on right, inset his two sisters Nemia and Tiffany raising the Jamaican flag in Larkin Square

Powerful Beats, Enduring Influence: Hip Hop Icons Doug E Fresh, EPMD, KRS-One, Rakim, and Slick Rick to Rock Blue Cross Arena in a Legendary Celebration on Saturday, July 22!

Get ready to experience the ultimate celebration of Hip Hop as the Masters of the Mic Hip Hop 50 concert takes center stage at the renowned Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, July 22. This monumental event marks the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and promises an unforgettable night of iconic performances by legendary artists Doug E Fresh, EPMD, KRS-One, Rakim, and Slick Rick.

Hip Hop lovers, music enthusiasts, and concert goers from Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, New York, and even Canada are grabbing their tickets for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will ignite the spirit of the culture. The Masters of the Mic Hip Hop 50 concert is set to showcase the very best of the genre, paying homage to the roots while embracing the future.

But the Masters of the Mic Hip Hop 50 concert goes beyond the music—it's a celebration of community and recognition of influential figures. As part of the festivities, we are proud to present The Beat 105.5 FM Hip Hop Hero Award. This prestigious award will acknowledge Michael Peace, one of Gospel Hip Hop's first soloists, who hails from right here in Upstate New York (Rochester). Michael Peace has dedicated his life to empowering youth and families through Bethel Express of America, Inc., a remarkable community outreach and ministry program.

As the beats drop and the rhymes flow, the audience will be transported on a musical journey through five decades of Hip Hop history. Doug E Fresh, known as the "Human Beatbox," will mesmerize with his unparalleled vocal percussion skills and electrifying stage presence. EPMD will bring their legendary style and infectious energy, taking fans back to the golden era of Hip Hop. The lyrical genius of KRS-One, Rakim, and Slick Rick will captivate the crowd, reminding us why they are considered the true pioneers of the genre - James Wilson of The Beat 105.5 FM (Hip Hop and R&B).

"This concert is not just about the music; it's a movement that honors the rich heritage of Hip Hop while embracing the positive impact it has made on communities across the nation," said Wilson. "By presenting The Beat 105.5 FM Hip Hop Hero Award to Michael Peace at the event, we also shine a spotlight on the remarkable work being done right here in Rochester by a trailblazer who has contributed to the infrastructure of Hip Hop and the positive impact made in Rochester's historically marginalized neighborhoods."

Tickets for the Masters of the Mic Hip Hop 50 concert are still available. Don't miss your chance to witness this historic event that brings together legendary artists and pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Secure your tickets today by visiting Doris Records, 286 E. Ferry Street in Buffalo OR www.ticketmaster.com or the Blue Cross Arena box office.

2nd Annual 716 Music Awards Celebrating Buffalo's Hidden Talent

July 15 will be another successful year highlighting local artists at the 716 Music Awards. Their first year in 2022 attracted over 400 attendees and the anticipated event this year is expected to bring more enthusiastic support on Saturday July 15 at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino Bears Den in Niagara Falls.

This original event is one that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to celebrating the achievements of local artists, producers, engineers and videographers in Buffalo who push the culture forward with fresh innovative creativity in music.

Buffalo is brewing with talent so its no wonder why there are over 20 categories and more than 150 nominees for this years awards ceremony presented music media company Lit City and event planners D&A Events.

Keeping the energy lit for the evening will be hosts Dave Standfield and Solar with performances by Big Boss Blossom, AudioBandz, Dime Doda,ChristopherDoughBoyQui and Friends along with sev-

eral special guest presenters throughout the evening.

Doors open at 4p.m. ceremony runs from 5-10p.m. Tickets can be found on Ticketmaster. There’s also an afterparty for the event that will be held at Grand Rapids Theatre,1711 Main street in Niagara Falls with music by DJ Allstar. Visit 716musicawards.com for updates

716 Music Awards Hosts l/r Solar & Dave Standfield

THE BRAYMILLER FACTOR

Attention Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs!

If You Are In Need Of Financial Assistance You Are Urged To Attend The July 18 Finance Committee Meeting at 10 a.m. in Council Chambers. Councilmembers, Led by Representatives Darius Pridgen and Rasheed Wyatt Continue to Push Back Against Mayor Brown’s Fight to Fund Braymiller Market With American Rescue Money While ignoring Small Businesses Across the City, Some of Which Are on the Verge of Closing Down! Come Out And Express Your Opinion!

Activist/columnist Betty Jean Grant sounded the alarm in her May 3 op-ed when she wrote: “Please tell me when or if Braymiller Market gets that half million dollar ($563,000) grant (not a loan), they are asking for. That store is privately owned, just like Grant's Variety Shoppe and other struggling, pandemic-affected businesses, especially on the Eastside of Buffalo. The money is supposedly left over from the federal pandemic grant awarded to the City. How is money left over when the Eastside still looks as if it has been bombed and no minority businesses east of East Ferry and Jefferson Avenue received any grant monies from the city even though they applied for loans and grants ...When one considers the level of resources Braymiller Market has already received through tax abatement, sales taxes exemptions and other incentives allocated to it by using monies designated to help poor people and to relieve poverty and blight, one would think the elected leaders would consider the partial, 'can of worms' they are opening by assisting this particular business and not offering that same level of help to other businesses in the same financial boat.”

A few people in high places agreed.

On June 27 the Common Council voted unanimously to deny the mayor’s grant request to Braymiller. Councilmember Pridgen led the charge, supported by Councilmember Rasheed Wyatt and others who agreed that it would be unfair to reward a single business with a half million dollars while others were in need and/or at risk of going out of business.

Most recently however, Brown, fighting hard for this single business, placed the measure back on the council agenda continuing his crusade to fund Braymiller with the half-million-dollar forgivable loan.

This past Tuesday(July11) the Council did not vote on Brown’s request for “immediate passage” to bail out Braymiller and decided, instead to refer it to its Finance Committee for July 18 at 10 a..m. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND

ENTREPRENEURS ARE URGED TO ATTEND AND EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS!

The majority of the councilmembers, said Pridgen, see the need and an opportunity to get significantly more money for small businesses. They want Brown to reconsider allocating funds just for the Braymiller Market and prioritize financial support for small businesses in each council district, as well.

A Resolution by Councilmember Wyatt was also passed on Tuesday emphasizing the need to allocate American Rescue Plan (ARP) and COVID relief funds in a manner that supports the recovery and growth of small businesses across the City of Buffalo.

The Resolution in part:

•Urges Mayor Brown and the Office of Strategic Planning to reconsider any future plans to allocate funds for the Braymiller Market and instead allocate $62,506.40 for businesses in each Council District, totaling $562,557.57 in funds for COVID-19 relief. The Braymiller Market would be able to apply for this funding along with all other local businesses;

• Further urges Mayor Brown and the Office of Strategic Planning to work with each Council Member to identify small businesses in each respective district that were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;

•Requests that the Office of Strategic Planning work with the Council Members to engage with small businesses in their respective districts to identify areas of need and collaborate on strategies to effectively distribute the allocated funds .

"We really wanted to give it to small businesses, because they have been hurting," said Councilman Wyatt, who presented this resolution to the chamber floor. "There are businesses closing as we speak that were affected by the pandemic. Where's our sense of urgency for them? We have this urgency for Braymiller, but not the sense of urgency for these other businesses...I want people to know we're fighting for them!"

-Reminder-

Mayor Brown insists the market is vital to growing the residential population downtown. Although it's a stone's throw away from a thriving East Side community, it's not designed - price wise or otherwise - to serve that community which remains without a major supermarket. Braymiller will undoubtably get something in the end. Brown is fighting like the sky will fall if they don't.

The question - or the elephant in the "equation"- is how hard has Brown been fighting since 5/14 to bring another full service supermarket to Buffalo's East Side which still only has one? The Braymiller issue is a sad reminder of how this mayor operates; where his priorities and allegiances have been for the past 18 years; and why our community continues to suffer under his irreverent watch. -a.b.

Primary Elections: Progressives Strike Out —Again

By Geoff Kelly /Part2 Conclusion

For the past four years, a majority bloc of five (and sometimes six) Council members have proved willing to buck the mayor on some issues. On budget matters, they’ve only tinkered at the margins.

That majority bloc comprises Wyatt, Bollman, Pridgen, Niagara District Council Member David Rivera, and Fillmore District Council Member Mitch Nowakowski.

The minority bloc comprises Golombek, Wingo, and South District Council Member Chris Scanlon.

Delaware District Council Member Joel Feroleto moves between the two factions, depending on the issue.

Brown lost a reliable factotum with Wingo’s departure, but also shed a powerful counterweight in Pridgen, whose power base rivals the mayor’s.

The mayor supported Everhart and Halton-Pope, though he remained largely invisible during their campaigns. (“Brown’s polling numbers are terrible,” a Democratic insider who supported Everhart told Investigative Post.) He also backed Golombek, who usually supports the mayor’s agenda, but not Bollman or Wyatt, who sometimes do not.

Brown has good reason to believe the balance of power has swung in his favor: The mayor, Peoples-Stokes and Kennedy are allies, and Everhart’s and Halton-Pope’s candidacies arose from that alliance.

Indeed, the two first-time candidates raised astonishing sums of money for their races, aided by the extensive donor networks of their bosses. A parade of Democratic officials — including several incumbent Council members and even state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs — offered endorsements and money. So did a host of real estate developers, lobbyists and other political insiders.

“Our candidates were faced with decades and generations of entrenched mediocrity, corporate backings and status-quo politics that serve a small and powerful group of Buffalonians,” OCAB said in its post-election statement.

Turnout was low on Primary Election Day: About 16.5 percent of eligible voters cast votes in the five Council districts that had races. That’s comparable to turnout in Council races four years ago, which suggests the insurgents failed to bring new voters to the polls.

“OCAB’s candidates missed the mark when it came to connecting with voters,” Fillmore District’s Nowakowski told Investigative Post.

He described the primary results as a victory of “progress over platitudes.”

Nowakowski faced no challenger in the primary and has no opponent in the Nov. 7 general election. He was first elected in 2019 with the party endorsement, after serving as a Council staffer. His husband won a Buffalo City Court judgeship last year, with backing from Democratic leadership and the mayor — two parties that rarely agree on anything.

He’s a dealmaker.

At the same time, Nowakowski has been a key member of that majority bloc of five (and sometimes six) Council members that occasionally stick their finger in the mayor ’s eye. That majority ended Brown’s school zone speed camera program, for example, and codified a reserve fund policy against the mayor’s wishes. Just this week the majority bloc voted down a $562,000 subsidy to Braymiller Market downtown — a subsidy the Brown administration pushed hard. Early in his first term, Nowakowski used that majority to compel the Brown administration to adopt and implement a long-stalled program to combat lead poisoning. Nowakowski said he believes Everhart — assuming she beats Walton again in November — will fill Pridgen’s spot in the current majority’s caucus.

“What we lost, we gained,” he said. “I think next year you’ll see at least five members acting independently of the mayor.”

The proof of Nowakowski’s assertion will manifest in January, when the new Council chooses a president. Scanlon — an ally of the mayor who rallied vital South Buffalo support to re-elect Brown in 2021 — has been angling for the job. So has Nowakowski.

A compromise candidate could emerge, possibly even one of the newcomers. Regardless, Halton-Pope’s and Everhart’s votes will win the day for someone.

Meantime, OCAB looks to the future.

“Our City Action Buffalo and our endorsed candidates are building a movement that will set the table for generations to come through smart,strategic and people-focused policy platforms that just make sense. Our work is far from over,” said Leighton Jones, the organization’s communications coordinator.

They might find inspiration for their work in Cheektowaga, a bastion of conservative Democratic politics.

There, two-term Town Council Member Brian Nowak — like Walton, a self-described democratic socialist — is mounting a campaign for town supervisor.

Nowak didn’t have a primary on June 27. He’ll appear on the Democratic and Working Families party ballot lines in November. He will face Michael Jasinski, who has the Republican and Conservative Party lines.

Voter registration numbers suggest Nowak has a good chance of prevailing.

There are about 28,000 registered Democrats in Cheektowaga and 400 members of the Working Families Party. There are 12,000 Republicans and 1,300 Conservatives. Another 13,000 registered voters are independents.

Investigative Post is a nonprofit investigative reporting center based in Buffalo. You can find their work at investigativepost.org and on WGRZ, Channel 2. You can subscribe to their free weekly newsletter by emailing info@investigativepost.org

Our Health Really Is Our Wealth…

Have you ever wondered why we see so many children grossly overweight? There is a very serious problem plaguing America today. It’s called OBESITY and it’s not only effecting adults, but our children and their future!

I recently read about how over the past 20 years, the rate of childhood obesity in the United States has doubled. Like adults, children today are dealing with diseases like type two childhood diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma and liver damage. Obese children are more times likely to become obese and sick adults. In one study, it was noted that 80% of children that were obese at 10 to 15 years of age were obese at 25. Some of the culprits that cause our children to grow from obese youngsters into obese adults include, first and foremost, poor diet: fast food, sugary drinks, noodles, foods and snacks high in sodium, candy and cakes. Also canned goods which contain many preservatives that are harmful to the body and cancer causing. Modern Technology, i.e. Social media, video games x-box/ cell phones etc., also plays a major role in influencing obesity among children. Many children today lack adequate physical activity and social interaction, which is limited to being in school.

It's our responsibility as parents/adults and caretakers to not only set examples for our children, but help them develop life saving habits to ensure a healthier life. We can start with the diet by replacing the junk and helping them develop healthy eating habits: plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholerain products; limit sugary drinks and sugar and saturated fats and drink more water. We can encourage them to become more physically active (summertime is a great time for that!) – and even exercise with them! – walk, jog, jump rope, swim etc. We can also make sure they get enough sleep and limit screen time – both TV and video games.

Let’s focus on our health and our children’s health this summer and beyond. Let’s continue to read and grow and share lifesaving information. Our health really is our wealth…I’m just sayin’…

NATIONAL/WORLD

Martinique’s reparations request denied by France

PARIS — France’s highest court has rejected a request by three groups seeking reparations for enslavement in a case that originated on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. The court’s decision said that no one produced evidence showing they had “suffered individually” any damage from the crimes that their ancestors had been subjected to. Slavery was abolished in France in 1848, but before that had a significant slave trade, shipping more than 1 million Africans to colonies in the Americas.

U.S. Based Black Radicals Convene in Atlanta

A historic gathering of African/Black was held June 23 thru June 25 in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme for the conference was “Unity in our Lifetime: Connecting the National Black Struggle for Self-Determination with Pan-Africanism .” Kamau Franklin, the founder of Community Movement Builders (CMB) and the organizational host of the gathering states that one of the main objectives of the recent gathering is to “bring together Black radical organizers from all over the country to a single location to discuss the pressing issues of our liberation struggle.” info@communitymovementbuilders.org

Back to the Plantation in Academia?

By Dawoud S. Adeyola Par 1 of a 2-Parts

“How we have arrived at the present state of affairs can be understood only by studying the forces effective in the development of Negro education since it was systematically undertaken Immediately after Emancipation. To point out merely the defects as they appear today will be of little benefit to the present and future generations. These things must be viewed in their historic setting. The conditions of today have been determined by what has taken place in the past, and in a careful study of this history we may see more clearly the great theatre of events in which the Negro has played a part. We may understand better what his role has been and how well he has functioned in it.”

(Carter Woodson in The Miseducation of the Negro (pub. 1935)

It has been clear since the Brown vs Education decision that education is an issue that remains central to politics in the USA. The recent Supreme Court decision overturning Affirmative Action is according to many, including this writer, an historic setback to our African American agenda. The decision is based on many misconceptions and calumnies. The court held, in a 6-3 opinion for the conservative majority, that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s admission policies violate the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment.

One to the major proponents of this decision was Justice Clarence Thomas who has been on a mission to get rid of Affirmative Action for years and who is described by Michael Eric Dyson as an example of “malignant self-hatred.” Malignant meaning something pernicious, destructive and counter to healthfulness.

Howard Law School Professor and Executive Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, Justin Hansford said, “This is the culmination of a dream that has been held by Justice Roberts and especially Clarence Thomas for decades.” This “dream” is an anomalous and interesting one coming from a man who grew up in the Jim Crow South and went on to attend Yale Law School, which had an explicit affirmative action policy at the time he was admitted, but it is clearly an opinion that he has held and espoused for decades.

Thomas has been on the Supreme Court since 1991, and in a continuation of his decades long embarrassing debacle, went to great detail in a 58-page harangue against affirmative action writing, “All forms of discrimination based on race—including so-called affirmative action—are prohibited under the Constitution”. He also belittles Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s argument that our society should work to undue the ills of systemic oppression and slavery, calling obvious signs of inequality such as the wealth gap “irrelevant.” Instead, he says that “the law must disregard all racial distinction.”

Jamie Nelson who serves as director-counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, in speaking on this issue, told MSNBC’s Alex Wagner about how this Supreme Court decision will have a devastating affect that will not be limited to academia but will ripple throughout American society because it flies in the face of encouraging and promoting diversity as an American value. Vice-President Kamala Harris spoke at the Global Black Economic Forum alongside moderator Thasunda Brown Duckett who serves as the President and CEO of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) recently . Her main topic was the state of Black America, with a specific focus on the recent Supreme Court decision that restricts race-based affirmative action in higher education. As part of her speech, she stated:

“The court has not fully understood the importance of equal opportunity for the people of our country. And it is in so many ways a denial of opportunity.” She also states unequivocally

continued Page 13

It Is Time For The Community To Man and Woman Up!

Abeloved community activist,named Charles Burgin, has a famous saying when he used to go around imploring Black men and women to be more responsible in helping to solve the many social and economic ills in our community.

"Man Up!" or "Woman Up!" he would yell from the back of whichever room or meeting place he was attending.

Community, I am at a loss on how we can stop the killing of young Black men and women who seem to be getting murdered younger and younger.

Who is being killed almost exclusively are Black boys and girls, not children of any other race.

For whatever reasons, we, as a race of people, have failed to provide a safe community for our children. We are dancing and partying when we should be marching. We don't go out to vote in new leaders when clearly, the status quo is unable or unwilling to do the job of getting guns off our streets or getting our youth to put them down!

We can blame racism all we want. It might make us feel better by blaming one possible cause but it does nothing to stop our children from dying at the hands of those who look like them and more likely, are in the same economic or living situation as their killers. There is drug addiction, drug dealing, poverty and dysfunction in many, various racial households in this nation. My question is: Why are we Black people the only ethnic group that is killing one another?

Take a quick tally of those who died needlessly at the probable hand of a fellow Black man, over the past 50 years. The numbers are clearly in the hundreds of thousands of deaths column. If these mainly young, Black men had died in war or at the gun of law enforcement, we would be up in arms ourselves!

Shaking our heads, wringing our hands and wailing at funerals is not going to resolve the issue the Black community has in this 21st Century America. It is going to take individuals like me who do not care if they are loved or not or highly thought about or not, to run for, and win, those city, county, state and federal political offices, to change the ' blame game' narrative and help to decrease the killings.

That 13 year old baby girl was not born to be mowed down and murdered recently before she even had a chance to grow up and take her rightful place in this society. And neither were any of the other hundreds of thousands of murdered men and women born who so needlessly and violently died by the hand of 'their brother.'

Buffalo, I feel we are at that crossroad of whether we can stop the killings and give all children a decent chance of surviving our mean streets. Sadly the odds are against many of those young people who are being raised without a responsible, male, role model in their lives and they don't stand a chance.

I am personally doing my part helping to raise the last two of my grandsons. I want them to live and to be in an environment where they are safe and insulated from those malcontents who do not have their best interest in mind. I want to help other people's children as much as I can but with some parents so out of balance, it may be difficult to help those who believe their children can do no wrong.

NOTICE FOR BIDS

Gilbane│Turner will be soliciting Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the BUFFALO BILLS NEW STADIUM PROJECT

Proposal Packages include*:

Group 1

16A – HVAC - Air - East

16B – HVAC - Auxiliary Building

CRAC Units

16C – HVAC - Air – West

16D – HVAC – Wet

17A - Electrical High Voltage Distribution

17B - Electrical Emergency Power (EPS)

17C - Electrical Branch

17E - Electrical Branch (Level 200 and above)

18A - Underground and Storm System Plumbing

18B - Plumbing Auxiliary Building

18C - Plumbing Stadium

19A - Fire Protection

19B - Fire Protection - Auxiliary Building

21 - Fire Alarm and BMS

23 - Audio, Distributed TV, and Broadcast Systems

24 - Security and Telecomm

56 – Pools, Saunas, and Steam Rooms

Group 2

25A – Drywall - Field, Mezzanine, and Main Building

25C – Drywall - Luxury Suites, Clubhouses, Upper Level, and Press Area

26 – Stadium Seating

27 – Spray-On Fireproofing (SOFP) and Intumescent Paint

28 – Roofing and Waterproofing

29A – Misc. Metals - Bowl Railings

29B – Misc. Metals - Masonry / Hoistways

29C – Misc. Metals - Metal Pan Stairs and Rails

30A – Masonry - Lower Levels (Field Level and Mezzanine)

30B - Masonry - Upper Levels (Main, Suites, Club, Upper, Press)

47 - Scoreboard, Video Display, and Ribbon Board

59 - Playing Field

All businesses interested in submitting as a Prime/Tier-1 subcontractor must prequalify to receive a Request for Proposal (RFP). 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 proposal 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 change June 22,29 July 7,13,20

LEGAL NOTICE RFP

The Erie County Department of Mental Health (ECDMH) is issuing a Request for Proposals to provide Supported Housing for individuals that are trying to successfully transfer out of Buffalo Psychiatric Center (BPC) or a BPC residence and OMH

Supported Housing. New York State Office of Mental Health is funding this RFP through the Erie County Department of Mental Health, RFP # 2023-044VF. Eligible applicants to respond to this Request for Proposal are agencies who provide OMH supportive housing services under contracts with the Erie County Department of Mental Health. The RFP and associated forms can be obtained at: https://www3.erie.gov/mentalhealth/ requests-proposals. Responses must be received no later than on August 8, 2023, prior to 3 p.m., and submitted per specifications delineated within the RFP.

LEGAL NOTICE

7/14/2023

TOWN OF HAMBURG DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

“ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDDERS”

Sealed Bids Are Hereby Requested

For Project 2023 - 01:

“Infrastructure Reconstruction”

All in accordance with specifications on file with the Hamburg Town Clerk’s Office, Hamburg Town Hall, 6100 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, New York 14075. Said specifications may be obtained from the Hamburg Town Clerk during regular business hours, Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (One (1) “Bid Package” may be collected at no charge. Additional “Bid Packages” can be purchased for $50.00 each. Funds paid for additional Bid Packages will NOT be returned. Checks for additional Bid Packages should be made payable to the: “Hamburg Town Clerk”.

Said bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the Hamburg Town Hall conference room at 11:00 a.m. local time (according to the clock within Hamburg Town Clerk’s Office) on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 and thereafter considered by the Town of Hamburg. Attention is called to the fact that Community Development Funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are being used to reconstruct approximately 2,600 linear feet of road within the Village of Blasdell. Due to the use of federal CDBG funds, compliance with Title VI and other applicable provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 11246 (Buffalo Plan); Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 as amended; Section 109 of Order 11625 (Utilization of Minority Business Enterprises); Davis-Bacon and Related Acts is required. “The Town reserves the right to reject all bids and to waive any informalities.”

Sealed Bids Must Be Marked:

INFRASTRUCTURE RECONSTRUCTION”

Dated: July 14, 2023

Catherine Rybczynski; Town Clerk Town of Hamburg

County of Erie Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry

95 Franklin Street- Room 1260 Buffalo, NY 14202

Erie County Department of Parks is seeking proposals, RFP #2023042VF, for the Chestnut Ridge Park Casino Concessions, Due July 28th, 2023 by 3:00PM. 95 Franklin Street Room 1260 Buffalo, NY 14202

Contact: Katherine.Hilliman@erie. gov

Public Notice Charter School of Inquiry Board of Trustees Annual Meeting and Regular Monthly Business Meeting Will be held on:

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Starting at 5:00 PM for Annual Meeting

Starting at 5:30 PM for Monthly Business Meeting at Charter School of Inquiry 404 Edison Buffalo, NY 14215

The public is invited to attend in person or via Zoom: Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89148950

341?pwd=R1Z5V21hZ3M1S2FyOEp

XYkJSdTFsZz09

Meeting ID: 891 4895 0341

Passcode: 712754 Call 716-833-3250 or email info@ csicharter.org for further information.

LLC 'S

LLC'S

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF

A

DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

Wild Vines Floral Design, LLC

Art. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/23/2022. 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, 2302 Main St, #1, Buffalo, NY 14214. Purpose: Any lawful purpose June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

KAMAZAN GROUP, LLC. Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept. of State: March 23, 2023. Office of the LLC: 156 Rosemont Dr, 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 156 Rosemont Dr Amherst NY 14226 . Purpose of LLC: (Finance Consultant). No specific duration attached to LLC. June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

EVERY BODY PLUS LLC filed Articles of Organization with NY Secy of State on 3/16/2023. Office of the LLC: 149 Swan Street, Buffalo NY 14203. The NY Secy of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of process to LLC at: 149 Swan Street, Buffalo NY 14203 STREET, Purpose of LLC: any lawful act or activity.

June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of Formation of Protekt Ur Krown. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2022-07-12. Office location: Erie County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Protekt Ur Krown: PO Box 673 Buffalo NY 14231. Purpose: Any lawful purpose June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITS THE DETAIL ESTABLISHED 2023 LLC Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept of State: February 4, 2023.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 any process to the LLC at: 427 Saint Law-rence Ave. Buffalo, NY 14216. Purpose of LLC: Mobile service providing customers with your basic automotive de-tailing needs.

June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Button and Bows Boutique LLC filed Articles of Organization with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 6/8/23. Office location: Erie County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 50 Hewitt Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215.

Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

June 15,22,29, July 6,13,20

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Fast Clean Car LLC. 290 Kenmore Ave Buffalo NY 14223. Erie County

Articles of Incorporation filling date

06-06-2023

July 13,20,27 August 3,10, 17

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Maliek Nomir, LLC. Filed with SSNY on 04/05/2023. Office: Erie County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail copy to 346 Cable St, Buffalo, NY 14206. Purpose: any lawful.

June 22,29, July 6,13,20,27

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Che Butter Skin, LLC. Filed with SSNY on 04/03/2023. Office: Erie County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail copy to 264 Bryant St, Buffalo, NY 14222 Purpose: any lawful.

June 22,29, July 6,13,20,27

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

The Earverse LLC. Filed with SSNY on 05/31/2023. Office: Erie County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail copy to 346 Cable St, Buffalo, NY 14206. Purpose: any lawful.

June 22,29, July 6,13,20,27

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Jaali Cypher LLC filed Articles of Organization with the NY Dept.of State 5/21/2023 Office of the LLC: 501 Washington Street buffalo NY 14203 Apt 610. Erie County The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served : Justin Smith NYSS may mail a copy of process to the LLC at 501 Washington Street buffalo NY 14203 Apt 610. Purpose: Representation of the Business that is done by JAALI CYPHER.

June 22,29, July 6,13,20,27

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Diagnosing Sitcoms & Movies Podcast LLC’s Articles of Organization were filed by the with the Secretary of State (SSNY) on 5/6/2023. Its office location is Erie County. Its purpose is any lawful purpose. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to the LLC at 10 Markus Dr. Buffalo, NY 14225.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPANY

Fijas Fitness LLC. Date of filing of Articles of Organization with the NY Dept. of State: 1/26/2023. Office of the LLC: 636 W Delavan Ave. Buffalo, NY 14222 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 636 W Delavan Ave. Buffalo, NY 14222. Purpose of LLC: Provide coaching for runners and fitness plans. No specific duration attached to LLC. June 8,15,22,29 July 6, 13

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITYCOMPAN KUSCZAK LLC filed Articles of Organization with the New York Department of State on 03/17/2023. Its office is located in Erie County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the Company upon whom process against it may be served and a copy of any process shall be mailed to 205 Martin Ave, Blasdell, NY 14219. Purpose is any lawful purpose.

June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6,13

Job Posting

Date: 7/7/2023

Job Title: Musician/ Keyboard Player

Job Site: St. John Baptist Church and Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church

Days: Every Sunday and one rehearsal weekly

Hours: 9:00-11 AM on Sundays and one hour rehearsal weekly

Requirements:

Must be able to play piano and organ with demonstrated knowledge and experience in playing hymns, Anthems, Spirituals, Gospel, and sacred music.

Submit Applications/Resume by July 26,2023 to: St. John Baptist Church 184 Goodell Street Buffalo New York 14204

Attention: Human Resources Department Or Email to: sjbc@stjohnbaptist.org

Enterprise Charter School (ECS) Overview:

Enterprise is a public charter school in Buffalo, New York educating children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Founded in 2003, ECS is committed to "Engaging young minds through projects and partnerships."

We pursue our mission through our Charter's key design elements, with our primary focus on highly engaging project-based learning, comprehensive arts education, and individualized instruction for enrichment and acceleration. We celebrate diversity and inclusion and engage a variety of partners to support our students academically, socially, emotionally, and culturally.

Enterprise Charter School is seeking new staff for the 2023/2024 school year:

• Dean of Students

• Middle School Science Teacher

• Middle School Math Teacher

• Middle School ELA Teacher

Qualified candidates should apply at WNYRIC.ORG SCHOOL-WIDE COMPETENCIES:

• Accountable for students' success and believes Enterprise's students must receive the highest quality education possible

• Relentless commitment to mission of educating Enterprise's students

• Actively demonstrates a commitment to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion

• Serves as an advocate for racial equity with the school's colleagues, parents, students, community, and external stakeholders to promote equity in education and closure of the achievement gap

Enterprise Charter School offers a competitive salary, health benefits and is a member of the NYS Teacher Retirement System. Enterprise Charter School is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the community we serve.

“2023

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF TYSHAWN YOUNG

NOTICE TO THE PRINCIPAL IS NOTICE TO THE AGENT

NOTICE TO THE AGENT IS NOTICE TO THE PRINCIPAL Applicable to all Successors and Assigns

LET IT BE KNOWN I AM THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND HEALTH CARE PROXY the day authorized to this very day and forever of my mother Althea Silmon D/b/a ALTHEA MAE SILMON born on 11/20/1952 with birth certificate registration number XXX-XX-XX28 Lawfully and legally date on 10/11/2019

See 12 page CONTRACT from the original wet ink ON PUBLIC notice/ record for the public to see. See state and county records Provision.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF TYSHAWN YOUNG LLC

NOTICE TO THE PRINCIPAL IS NOTICE TO THE AGENT

NOTICE TO THE AGENT IS NOTICE TO THE PRINCIPAL Applicable to all Successors and Assigns

Let it be known my name is Tyshawn Young. Since BORN 12/09/1982 ss# xxx-xxx-2176. An ESTATE and trust was created with me Tyshawn Young being the BENEFICIARY of all that is in my PROPERTY NAME. I domicile in the City of Buffalo Republic. My place of abode is 1440 Jefferson Suite 245.

I AM not a minor and let it be known

I am THE agent person TYSHAWN YOUNG LLC. I am not the PERSON and, I Tyshawn Young will not be surety for property I own I will be doing business in the contradicting states in America for the person TYSHAWN YOUNG foreign LLC.

Student Success Navigator in Student Success and Retention

Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Student Success Navigator in Student Success and Retention.

Reporting to the Director of Student Success & Retention Initiatives, Student Success Navigators will act as the lead transition support professional amongst a team of professional staff collectively referred to as the “student support network”. Student Success Navigators will work closely with a cohort of identified incoming students during their inaugural year at Buffalo State University. Student Success Navigators will engage with the student cohort in both group and individual settings. Their main focus will be to prepare, educate, and empower students to meet the academic rigor of college by identifying and addressing potential barriers (academic, social, financial, and career-related). For students who need a more individualized approach, these professionals will use a student-centered coaching model to develop ongoing goal-oriented success plans to avoid/minimize the impact of identified barriers. Additionally, these plans will coordinate the connection of students to important campus resources. Through the usage of predictive analytics, RMS, and studentcentered qualitative data, Student Success Navigators will regularly evaluate student progress and develop data-informed interventions as needed. Most importantly, Student Success Navigators will model professional mentorship and act as a campus “bridge builder” to encourage campus interconnectedness amongst new students and campus support departments (Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, the Registrar, Tutoring, Weigel Health Center, Student Leadership & Engagement, Student Conduct, Athletics, Academic Standards, UPD, CAPE, CCE, and all other relevant campus departments)

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, with experience in a higher education setting; specifically, one that required the professional to work with FY, First Gen, “at-risk”, and diverse student populations. Must be self-motivated with strong interpersonal and communication skills, flexible in approach, collaborative, open to professional development and critique, and proficient in Microsoft office, student management technologies, and social media. Should be available to work occasional “non-traditional” office hours (nights, weekends).

Interested candidates should have experience working with various college student populations such as those deemed “higherrisk”, first-year, first-generation, and diverse groups. Possess the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines. Exude strong interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written). Have some familiarity and the ability to develop a thorough understanding of general education and programmatic requirements, college policies, and campus resources/services. Experience with college data management systems (e.g., Banner, Banner Admin pages, Starfish, and Degree Works), Microsoft Office, and social media platforms.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Social Work, Education, Psychology, or other relevant degrees; combined with the aforementioned required qualifications.

Qualified applicants may apply online at https://jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/6901

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ERIENET LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

MEETING NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the ErieNET Local Development Corporation will hold the following meeting on Tuesday, July 18, 2023:

Board of Directors Meeting – 1:00 p.m.

The meeting will be held at the Offices of the ECIDA, 95 Perry Street, 4th Floor Conference Room, Buffalo, New York 14203. You may also join the meeting via Webex or livestream using the following links:

WebEx Link: https://erie.webex.com/ erie/j.php?MTID=m625311d9611647 ad19a27372a2924cbd

Livestream: https://www.youtube. com/@erienetldc/streams

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Melissa Hartman at: Melissa.Hartman@erienet. com

PLANTATION ACADEMIA continued from page 11

that “Colorblindness is being blind to history.”

As previously reported by many who involved with higher education, the ruling will not only curb admissions of students of color at top universities many of `which give consideration to race as a factor (among many others) when determining admissions, but also have a devastating impact that will ripple through the entire educational system. Affirmative Action and other programs that evolved from the mid-20th century were originally intended to at least acknowledge if not rectify the horrific American trajectory of slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, murder, rape etc. of Africans in the USA and other parts of the diaspora. Ms. Harris also

BLACK HISTORY continued from page 3

trade” after his death. The latest research presents a different narrative, suggesting Cort shipped his machinery – and the fully fledged innovation – to Portsmouth from a Jamaican foundry that was forcibly shut down.

The Jamaican ironworks was owned by a White enslaver, John Reeder, who in correspondence described himself as “quite ignorant” of iron manufacturing, noting that the 76 black metallurgists who ran the foundry were “perfect in every branch of the iron manufactory”, and, through their skill, could turn scrap and poor-quality metal into valuable wrought iron.

Some of these workers are named in records, and include Devonshire, Mingo, Mingo’s son, Friday, Captain Jack, Matt, George, Jemmy, Jackson, Will, Bob, Guy, Kofi and Kwasi. Their innovation came after the workers introduced the use of grooved rollers into the foundry to mechanise the formerly laborious process of hammering out impurities from low-quality iron. The same kind of grooved rollers were used in Jamaican sugar mills.

“It’s like a mechanical alchemy,” said Bulstrode. “You’re taking essentially rubbish and turning it into something of very high value through this process.”

Submitted by Modell galt, source: Hannah Devlin -Science correspondent theguardian.com

REV. HEMPHILL continued from page 3

NAACP. He was also an organizer and past president of the Minority Coalition, an organizer and board member of the Community Action Organization, a past resident of the Southern Christian Leadership conference and a board member of the Black Development Foundation and the Black Businessmen's Development Corporation. He also brought the Opportunity Development Corporation to the Buffalo Niagara region and became its first president.

“A member of the Interdenominational Ministers Association, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Sigma Rho Sigma honorary fraternity and the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons. He ventured into politics briefly in 1984 when he ran unsuccessfully for Common Council in the Masten District. He made his transition on May 12, 2002 in his home after a lengthy illness. He was 73.

encourages us to read Justice Ketanji Brown Jacksons dissent to the decision in which she wrote, “Deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life…”

“[Thomas] does not dispute any historical or present fact about the origins and continued existence of race-based disparity (nor could he) yet is somehow persuaded that that these realities have no bearing on a fair assessment of “individual achievement” . She also wrote that Thomas “Ignites too many more straw men to list, or fully extinguish here.”

As a result of the dismantling of Affirmative Action, universities and colleges will now have to ascertain other, more permanent ways to ensure that they still foster diversity, without being able to take an applicant’s race into account during the admissions process. Carter Woodson tells us that we must understand history in order to understand how we got here. It’s a centuries long story but we can start by deciphering the logic by which education was made illegal and totally impermissible for slaves.

Frederick Douglas, who was born into slavery and secretly taught to read and write, simplified the reason we were to be denied education when he said, “Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” Also penning the famous query, “What, to the American slave is the 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him more than any other day in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages…”

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Participants in the July1, 2023 dedication service included Rev. Loretta Lewis Brooks, the spirited Pastor of Walls Memorial AME Zion; Rev. Kevin D. Coakley, Presiding Elder of the Buffalo District & Pastor of St. Luke AME Zion Church; Bro. Frank Clark, Chairman of the Trustee Board; Melanie Hemphill , granddaughter of Rev. Hemphill; Rev. Dr. James A. Lewis Pastor of Miracle Missions Full Gospel Church; and Mrs. Elverna D. Gidney, Historian/Curator.

It is no coincidence (in the mind of this writer) that the legal setback to Affirmative Action by the US Supreme court came down in the week before the nation’s observance of “Independence Day” which as Mr. Douglas correctly pointed out, is no holiday of ours.

NEW YORK STATE LOTTERY NUMBERS

365-902-784-456-790-109-535-780-735-632-460-179106-801-634-610-235-780-456-900-954-436-578-789195-434-567-801-089-435-791-225-883-107-457-091534-361-798-670-108-357-091-054-679-809-195-698238-584-137-479-340-645-790-190-653-334-568-919784-546-894-769-234-145-136-044-074-347-092-651908-756-090-108-652-882-681-192-345-678-978-567786-846-675-677-147-790-052-453-132-824-314-328182-913-427-680-909-845-781-173-356-891-019-671-

MA RUTH SPEAKS THE TRUTH! SURE HITS!

168-985-678-198-256-890054-698-679-943-001-202-

147-001-865-732-855-648-

514-996-202

Aquarius -496-235-165-579

Pisces - 056-362-237-694

Cancer - 482-372-895-718

Aries - 289-946-034-594

Taurus -258-231-026-695

Gemini-495-257-694-508

Leo-345-213-157-201

Virgo 385-291-431-170

Libra -247-723-179-501

Scorpio - 453-253-571-597

Sagittarius389-701-234-924

Capricorn:893-275-342-506

648*123*104

980-422-809-981989-970-990-080-800-

515-996-390-196-102-

581-752-319-408-378-

352-126-189-444-886514- 332-522-112-432421-423-154-039-524119-616-719-593-655-97-127-111-019-200-

120-339-303-889-900

007-013-590-698-888

Turn Around Casino & Bingo Trip

A turnaround casino and bingo trip to Turning Stone Resort & Casino will be held Saturday August 19. The bus will depart from McDonalds 262 Grider St. at 6 a.m. and arrive back to Buffalo at 1 a.m. Cost is $75 per person. Way to Pay: Zelle 716-493-9235; CashApp moneyjaz1; ApplePay 716-493-9235; or Venmo 2Lenabaker52. For more information call Lena B. at (716)440-4109.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

THURS. JULY 13

WUFO Black Radio Collective Annual 45 PARTY & Fundraiser Hosted by CEO Sheila Brown, 5 p.m. WUFO Studios, 143 Broadway, $45 per person, RSVP to LjReid@ blackradiohistory.com

SAT. JULY 15

The Black Church Food Security Network Membership Sign Beverly Gray Center, 324 East Utica 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Larry Salter Soul Orchestra, Free Concert, Mandella's Jefferson & Ferry, 6-8 p.m.

MON. JULY 17

Hustle for Health 12pm at Gloria Parks: 3242 Main St, Buffalo. FREE for ages 55+ Visit www.HustleforHealth.com

Salsa In The Park, With Sarah Haykel and Jerome Williams 6:30, The Rose Gardens. Delaware Park, 199 Lincoln Pkwy. On Line Tickets $15 day of event 4 p.m. www.SalsaSarah. com

TUES. JULY 18

What Do You Want The Tops Massacre 5/14 Memorial To Look Like? The 5/14 Memorial Commission public meeting 5:30-7 p.m. at the Stanley Makowski Early Childhood Center, 1095 Jefferson Avenue at Best St. Residents can also take an on-line public opinion survey by going to:

African Consciousness Workshop

Every Monday 4-6 p.m., Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave. “Where we learn About Our Glorious Past & Present African Family.” (716)400-8644 Bro. Shango or kmtflix@gmail.com

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

IMAGES OF US

NO CAP!

Barbershops play an important role in the Black community.

“The barbershop is a safe space that every Black man needs,” says Professor Tommy J. Curry. No one knows that better than the talented barbers at No Cap Barber Shop & Salon located at 3076 Bailey Avenue at Kensington. Pictured above: Butter, Dustin, Ray (former Challenger Barber of the Year!), PJ, Smiley Jones and owner Eric Humphry are ready to serve you! The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call (716) 7830099 for appointment. WalkIns welcome! Challenger Photo

CONFESSIONS OF THE ACCUSED

The Shocking True Story of a Sixteen Year Old Sentenced to Life

Derrel Moore Jr. (AKA Derrel Austin to some) is an author, truth teller and change agent from Buffalo NY. He is a youth advocate and mentor, focused on finding creative ways to reach and reclaim the youth that society has seemingly renounced. He is a lighter and survivor with a unique perspective based on decades spent in New York’s toughest maximum security prisons from the age of sixteen. Derrel is committed to using his life and h people from following the paths that led him to a life sentence

His new book, Let’s support our own and purchase a book made for us, by us, and about us.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON STARTING July 16th • https://bit.ly/confessionsoftheaccused FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.ONEMOOREPAGE.COM

For more info visit www.onemorepage.com @confessionsoftheaccused