New York Amsterdam News Issue #4 Jan.26-Feb.1,2023

No hope for HOPE: Advocates not optimistic for annual homeless survey (See story on page 6)

Cruising

(Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography

Council member Charles Barron (center) speaks at prayer vigil with gun violence czar A.T. Mitchell (right) for violence interrupter shot in Brownsville. (Angelina Miller)

USPS

2340 Frederick Douglass Boulevard

New York, New York 10027

EDITORIAL

Editor – Nayaba Arinde

Nayaba.Arinde@AmsterdamNews.com

Managing Editor – Kristin Fayne-Mulroy KFM@AmsterdamNews.com

Digital Editor - Josh Barker

Josh.Barker@AmsterdamNews.com

Investigative Editor – Damaso Reyes Damaso.Reyes@AmsterdamNews.com

STAFF WRITERS

Karen Juanita Carrillo

Karen.Carrillo@AmsterdamNews.com

Ariama C. Long

Ariama.Long@AmsterdamNews.com

Tandy Lau

Tandy.Lau@AmsterdamNews.com

DISPLAY & DIGITAL ADVERTISING

CONSULTANT

William "Bill" Atkins (212) 932-7429

William.Atkins@AmsterdamNews.com

DIGITAL, BRANDED CONTENT & HYBRID ADVERTISING CONSULTANT

Ali Milliner (212) 932-7435

Ali.Milliner@AmsterdamNews.com

LEGAL, LLC & CLASSIFED ADVERTISING CONSULTANT

Shaquana Folks (212) 932-7412

Shaquana.Folks@AmsterdamNews.com

CIRCULATION /SUBSCRIPTION

Benita Darby (212) 932-7453

Benita.Darby@AmsterdamNews.com

International News

ANTI-FRENCH SENTIMENT BOILS OVER IN WEST AFRICA

cursions about a decade ago.

Last week, the Burkinabé government ripped up the five-year-old accord that governed the presence of French armed forces on African territory. The French soldiers were given a month to fully pull out and close the French base.

Mohamed Sinon, one of the main leaders of the protestors, said they supported Burkina’s junta Capt. Ibrahim Traoré and the security forces, including the Wagner Group of Russian fighters who have been fighting jihadists in the arid areas of the North.

(GIN) — French flags were set ablaze in the streets of Ouagadougou as hundreds of citizens of the West African nation of Burkina Faso gathered in the capital city over the weekend. Many carried placards with the message: “French army, get out!”

Anti-French sentiment has been soaring here, fed by the failure of the French military in the region to protect citizens from jihadist attacks as outlined in a bilateral accord.

“We want cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia, but also the strengthening of friendship and of cooperation with Guinea and Mali,” Sinon said.

France has some 400 special forces based in Burkina Faso tasked with helping local forces battle the Islamist insurgency that has spread across the Sahel from Mali over the past decade.

On Friday, the military said the captives had been freed.

In the country’s North, where the women were abducted, the jihadist groups have prevented trucks carrying food from using roads, forcing residents to venture farther out to get supplies to avoid going hungry.

Since becoming the country’s leader, Traoré has said his goal is to recover territories lost to armed groups.

Until the recent unrest in the country, Burkina Faso was renowned for its music and its intellectuals, among them Joseph Ki Zerbo, a Burkinabé scholar, historian, and writer, recognized as one of Africa's foremost thinkers in teaching African history at the University of Ouagadougou.

For starters, cryptocurrencies have gained acceptance among a large proportion of the low-income population that had been marginalized by traditional financial institutions. Most banks in Africa were not accessible to this large sector and even when they were, low-income account holders were discouraged by high transaction fees.

Now, the ease of use of crypto for small retail payments has been powering crypto adoption and usage, with the region conducting the world’s highest proportion (80%) of crypto retail payments of less than $1,000, according to a report by Chainalysis, a blockchain research firm.

unsolicited

Amsterdam News assumes no responsibility for the return of

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country famously known for leading in African art culture and hosting the largest craft market in Africa, has been overrun by extremist groups loosely affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State that have spread in recent years from neighboring Mali and Guinea, where they made in-

According to local Burkinabes, the French have done little to stem rising jihadist activity that resulted in thousands killed and more than 2 million displaced—about 10% of the population. The violence has worsened regional food insecurity.

This month, some 60 women and girls, including four babies, were abducted while searching for food in an area blockaded by insurgents.

Other scholars include Malidoma Patrice Somé, an interpreter of African spirituality, and filmmakers Sarah Bouyain and Fanta Régina Nacro. The best-known in the U.S. is Thomas Sankara, a pan-Africanist and Marxist revolutionary who launched programs for social, ecological, and economic change. He was assassinated in 1987 by troops led by Blaise Compaore.

SPECTACULAR GROWTH SEEN IN CRYPTO MARKET IN AFRICA (GIN) — Why is cryptocurrency booming in Africa but sinking in rich western countries, including the U.S.?

In fact, a recent report by Chainalysis found that between July 2020 and June 2021, Africans received $105.6 billion worth of cryptocurrency payments—an increase of 1,200% from the year before. Notably, Chainalysis ranks Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria among the top 10 countries for cryptocurrency use.

Because cryptocurrency platforms bypass traditional banking services by introducing decentralized peerto-peer lending services, they can help level the economic playing field and expand finance options to underserved customer markets.

Many Africans have already integrated crypto into everyday life. In

Catholic Church should ask Blacks for forgiveness

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

It’s been disclosed that Epsy Campbell Barr, president of the United Nations’ Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, has formally asked the Catholic Church to ask “forgiveness for the complicity, as well as the direct and indirect encouragement of the atrocities suffered” by millions of enslaved African people in the Americas.

In a letter dated January 3 and entitled “Pardon, reparation and reconciliation request from the Catholic Church to the people of African descent of the American continent and the Caribbean …,” Campbell wrote: “I am a Black, Latina woman, with an identity that I hold with great pride—that of the African diaspora around the world. I have inherited a great cultural and historical richness

which I [have] no qualms about sharing with the world.

“Yet still, in the collective memory of our minds, the worst and longest crime that humanity has ever lived through, which was built up over centuries, weighs heavily on us: the genocide experienced by my ancestors, men and women of African descent, who were trafficked and enslaved for centuries in the Americas and the Caribbean.”

In the letter, Campbell asked Pope Francis to, in the name of the Catholic Church, ask Black people for forgiveness “for the complicity, as well as the direct and indirect encouragement of the atrocities suffered by millions of people, victims of the trans-Atlantic trafficking of African people and their enslavement for more than three centuries.” She also noted that “The Church has already acknowledged See CATHOLIC CHURCH on page 31

Epsy Campbell Barr, president of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, has asked the Catholic Church to ask Blacks for forgiveness (UN Photo/Manuel Elías photo)

Hell week: NYC violence hits the young, old and those who oppose it the most

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

This past week in New York City was an alarmingly violent one, especially for Black and brown youngsters. On Saturday, 17-yearold Nyheem Wright was fatally stabbed in Coney Island. No arrests were made as of Jan. 24 and police are currently searching for six teens tied to the murder.

“This week our students repeatedly suffered from senseless acts of violence and tonight we mourn an utterly tragic loss of life,” said NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks in his statement about Wright. “I spoke with the young man’s principal this evening, who described him as a joyful leader. He was on the verge of graduation, and was a hard worker who took an active role in leading other young people at his school.

“Our city suffers because of these losses. We will support the students and schools impacted by violence this week as they grieve and work with all schools to help young people turn away from violence.”

DOE Chief of Safety and Prevention Partnerships Mark Rampersant added that weapons and other dangerous items are banned from schools and department programs are aimed at preventing youth violence.

“This past school year, we’ve rolled out a range of supports and interventions, including maintaining our commitment to ensuring every school has supports via social workers and guidance counselors; emphasizing Social-Emotional Learning for our youngest New Yorkers; and as part of our community collaboration work, introducing project pivot to provide critical inter-

ventions,” he said. “…we rely on our young people and the members of our school community, as well as our external partners, who do the essential work of telling a trusted adult when they see or hear something that could affect school safety.”

Wright was a student at Liberation Diploma Plus High School in Brooklyn, according to Councilmember Ari Kagan.

On Thursday, police found two Bronx teenagers with gunshot wounds—15-year-old Josue Lopez-Ortega was pronounced dead at the hospital and a 16-year-old boy is currently in stable condition, according to police. “ABC News” reported that the surviving teen was released from the hospital on Friday.

The elderly were not spared from deadly violence this past week: 74-year-old Maria Hernandez was

CM Velazquez: snag in crackdown on unlicensed smoke shops

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

Weed in New York was legalized in 2021 and a whole host of unlicensed smoke shops cropped up across the state. Now that the first legal retail cannabis shop has opened in Manhattan, the city is having a heck of a time cracking down on those illegal cannabis sales.

In an oversight hearing on Jan. 18, Councilmembers Marjorie Ve-

Metro Briefs

Representatives want a reparations commission in New York

New York state lawmakers are again looking to create a commission to research the possibility of reparations for African slavery. Assembly Bill A9435––sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, who chairs the Assembly’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus––was passed in the State Assembly last year but did not make it out of the Senate. By re-introducing the bill this year, lawmakers are giving New York another chance to create an 11-member reparations commission that would examine African enslavement in New York City and state.

Commission members would be asked to detail how and why Africans were enslaved in the local area and, according to the bill’s language: “Examine the extent to which the federal and state governments of the United States supported the institution of slavery in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to which such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of freed enslaved Africans to repatriate to their homeland…Examine federal and state laws that discriminated against freed enslaved Africans and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present…Examine other forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed enslaved Africans and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present...Examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery…on living African Americans and on society in the United States.”

lázquez and Gale Brewer called for stronger enforcement and regulation to the now-hundreds of stores selling illegal cannabis products.

The only licensed cannabis store in the state currently is Housing Works Cannabis, LLC in Manhattan, which has had a line out the door since it opened. Cannabis community leaders said that the rollout of the cannabis industry has been “unequitable” to the most afftected so far by centering on lower Manhattan. They testified that many cannabis shop owners

are not educated about how to get licenses and are carrying the brunt of enforcement, while landlords who leased to these shop owners or sellers who market products to children receive little attention.

“What happens to me when the sheriffs come in in my smoke shop when I have a CBD license and I’m selling appropriately what’s supposed to be sold? I don’t sell cigarettes, vapes,” said T. Montgomery, a Black man who runs a smoke shop, at the hearing. “What

See VIOLENCE on page 27 See CM VELAZQUEZ on page 27

‘Keep Harlem, Harlem,’ says community against One45 truckstop

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

The Harlem community continues to rally against a truck depot that a “retaliatory” real estate developer placed on W. 145th Street after Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan and the community board voted down his proposed One45 housing project.

“What we’re asking for is that this developer meets the standards like everyone else,” said Richardson Jordan. “It’s not about

a personal tiff, backroom deals, and power and money. It’s definitely not about me. It’s about the community and meeting a standard so that we can have our Harlem be Harlem.”

The most recent rally was held this past Saturday in front of gated trucks on W. 145th. The group was joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who spoke on the necessity of housing as the key to combating housing instability and homelessness.

“The owners of this should be ashamed of themselves,” said Wil-

liams. “Communities like the ones in Harlem are dealing with a lack of housing and environmental issues, like asthma, that are connected, of course, to trucking. So why would you bring…a truck depot (to Harlem)? What you’re saying is that you never really cared about this community.”

Williams said that at first, he was a little concerned about the initial housing plans being voted down, but then he found out that most of the planned apartments were going to be studios and one-bedrooms

Solages told the AmNews: “It’s helpful that other states and localities are coming out with their reports or discussing similar commissions; it’s really creating a synergy amongst all of us that this is a topic that is so important to discuss, especially when we talk about the inequality that is happening to Black New Yorkers and Black Americans. It’s why we need to have a discussion about chattel slavery, segregation, mass incarceration and all of the other ills like redlining––how that impacts our community and how we can take the vestiges of these and create positive, moving-forward policies for Black Americans across the country and across New York state.”

The assemblywoman said that those who want to see this bill passed should speak up about the need for reparations for historical Black settlements like Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Black Wall Street, Central Park’s Seneca Village and upstate New York’s Timbuctoo.

New York residents can contact their state legislators and ask them to support Solages’s reparations bill when it is reintroduced. “Now is the time to really express your support and express that we need to be having this conversation within the confines of New York state,” she said. “It’s important that members of the community talk to their local state legislators and tell them that this conversation on reparations is very important to them and that we need to pass legislation supporting a commission on reparations.”

Renovations at Washington Heights/Sugar Hill NYCHA developments

The 862 residents living in units at the Audubon Houses (1909 Amsterdam Ave. between W. 154th and 155th Streets); Bethune Gardens (at 1945 Amsterdam Ave. between W. 156th and 157th streets); and Marshall Plaza (1970 Amsterdam Ave. between W.157th and 158th Streets) in Manhattan are scheduled to have their apartments upgraded, now that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has finalized a $137.6 million renovation financing deal.

The massive renovation project will see new doors, windows, flooring, kitchen appliances and baths. Building interior and exterior ground improvements will include new energy-efficient windows, trash compactors, security cameras, elevators and laundry rooms, as well as upgraded community rooms.

NYCHA has contracted with Pyramid ETC Companies, Dantes Partners, the Apex Building Group and Faria Management––all minorityand women-owned businesses––to undertake the renovation project, which is projected to last for three years.

Attorney Crump to sue Gov. DeSantis on AP rejection

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

Spurred by a decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis to block a new Advanced Placement (AP) course about African American studies from being taught in Florida high schools, noted civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump announced his plans to sue the governor.

Crump was joined at a press conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday by several Florida state legislators, including House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell and Fedrick Ingram, secretarytreasurer of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Also joining Crump at the press conference were three AP honors high school students. He said these students will be the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit if DeSantis “does not negotiate with the

College Board to allow AP African American studies to be taught in classrooms across the state.”

Earlier, in anticipation of Crump’s press conference, Gov. DeSantis said the state wants “education, not indoctrination.”

“In the state of Florida,” he said, “our education standards not only don’t prevent but they require teaching Black history, all the important things. That’s part of our core curriculum...The issue is we have guidelines and standards in Florida. We want education, not indoctrination. If you fall on the side of indoctrination, we’re going to decline. If it’s education, then we will do.”

The state’s education officials did not specify exactly what content was found objectionable, saying, “As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly

lacks educational value.” Among a halfdozen areas of concern noted by the state were works by Angela Davis; Gloria Jean Watkins, who was better known as bell hooks, and who died in 2021; and Kimberle W. Crenshaw, famous for discussion of critical race theory.

DeSantis and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. argued that the course is a Trojan horse for “indoctrinating” students with a left-wing ideology under the guise of teaching about the Black experience and African American history, which is mandated in the state.

On Tuesday, the College Board said it would release a new framework for the AP course, which they said has been under development since last March. Crump is also representing the family of Tyre Nicols, who was fatally beaten by police officers in Memphis.

Attorneys liken Tyre Nichols arrest to Rodney King beating

By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis police officers beat motorist Tyre Nichols for 3 minutes, treating him like “a human piñata” in a “savage” encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King, attorneys for the family said Monday.

Attorney Ben Crump said police video viewed by the family on Monday showed that Nichols was shocked, pepper-sprayed and restrained after the 29-year-old FedEx worker and father was pulled over Jan. 7 minutes from his home while returning from a suburban park where he had taken photos of the sunset. Another attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said that Nichols, who

was Black, was kicked before Crump stopped him from saying more.

Crump said Nichols’s family agreed to investigators’ request to wait a week or two before making the video public to “make sure to give this family what they want most, and that is justice.” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said in a statement Monday that investigators don’t want to risk compromising the investigation.

Crump said the video shows the encounter was “violent” and “troublesome on every level.” Romanucci called it “savage” and out of proportion to the alleged offense.

Nichols—described by family as a “good kid” who loved skateboarding, photography and his 4-year-old son— was arrested after officers stopped him

for reckless driving. Police said in a statement the day after the encounter that “a confrontation occurred” as officers approached the vehicle and Nichols ran; they said officers caught up to him and that “another confrontation occurred” while they were taking him into custody. Police said Nichols complained of shortness of breath and was taken to a hospital, where he died three days later.

Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), demanded swift charges against the five officers fired after beating Tyre Nichols to death during a traffic stop in Memphis.

“Firing these officers for misconduct is not enough,” said Sharpton. “Justice will only be served when all five are

Cruising for a bruising: Struggles to house newly arrived migrants continue in 2023

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

New year, same concerns. Mayor Eric Adams recently announced a new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook. And as with the two previous other adult male HERRC facilities, in Orchard Beach and Randall’s Island, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for Homeless nonprofits expressed concerns about flooding.

Advocates from the two organizations released a joint statement criticizing the placement of the new shelter.

“Not only do we have concerns with the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center’s ability to comply with the city’s Right to Shelter obligations, but the forthcoming HERRC at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal announced today is also in a highrisk flood zone, according to the city’s own maps, and will needlessly expose future residents to the elements during some of the coldest months of the

year,” they said. “Hotels have always been the better short-term option, in contrast to erecting tents in inaccessible parts of New York City that are prone to flooding.

“Instead of wasting more taxpayer dollars on HERRCs and jeopardizing the safety of migrants in need of relief, the city must utilize existing voucher programs, such as CityFHEPS, to help homeless New Yorkers move into permanent housing, thereby allowing shelters to accommodate new entrants.”

New home for LGBTQ Community Center

Last weekend, the Newark LGBTQ Community Center moved into a new location in the Equal Space building (89 Market St., 2nd Floor, Newark, NJ 07102). The Center held an open house on the evening of Jan. 19 to welcome the community and celebrate the grand opening. At this new location, the Center will offer education, social justice and outreach programs to the local LGBTQ community.

“On October 3, 2013, the Center began in direct response to the many murders, suicides and hate crimes over the years against lesbian, gay and transgender people in Newark,” the Newark LGBTQ Community Center has stated. “Our community struggle to create a safe space went into full gear immediately after the shocking 2003 murder of Sakia Gunn, a 15-year-old lesbian whose life was taken on the streets of Newark while she was returning home from a visit to New York City.”

The Center is already planning a film festival as one of the features among its many new programming and events. They are looking for BIPOC LGBTQ filmmakers to submit both short and full-length films for the first-ever Newark LGBTQ Film Festival, scheduled to take place April 14–16, 2023. The Newark LGBTQ Community Center can be reached via email at nwklgbtqcenter@gmail.com or by phone at 973-424-9555.

Black History Month events at the Montclair History Center

The Montclair History Center (MHC) is sponsoring an in-person “Guided House Tour: Eyewitness to Black History” event Sunday, Feb. 19, noon to 3 p.m. Visitors will view artifacts and primary source documents on Black history at its Crane House & Historic YWCA location (110 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ 07042).

The MHC will also host the film and discussion series “The Price of Liberty,” which focuses on issues related to race, segregation, integration and civil rights. “The Price of Liberty” will feature screening of the films “Free Renty” (2021) by filmmaker David Grubin and “Reparations” (2021) by filmmaker Jon Osaki. Film screenings take place on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. at Montclair Film’s Cinema 505 (505 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, NJ). Screenings will also be available online free to the public, with no registration necessary, through Zoom.

Black History Month celebration at the Mount Zion Baptist Church of Newark

Lawrence Hamm, chair of People’s Organization for Progress, will be the guest speaker at the Black History Month celebration of Mount Zion Baptist Church of Newark (208 Broadway, Newark NJ 07104) on Sunday, Feb. 19; service starts at 11 a.m. For more information, email to mountzion15@aol.com or call 973-482-1915.

––Compiled by Karen Juanita Carrillo

Playwright Ina Norris’ work with youth takes center stage

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

Bronx-based playwright Ina Norris is for the children. Her first job after graduating from Hampton University was with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, where she staged a sit-in at the ACS Commissioner’s Office to get a nursery built.

“I don’t know necessarily where I got this passion [from] other than my parents,” said Norris. “I wasn’t afraid to fight for others—put it that way. I worked at the Learning Tree [Cultural] Preparatory School. I was the director of performing arts when I worked there for eight years but it’s just a passion, for children to have the opportunity to be in a space that they’re safe. They can be their best creative selves.”

She initially thought she’d end up as a child psychologist, but as luck would have it, Norris’s advocacy for local youth led her to theater.

At the time, she was working for the Housing Authority, but was looking to raise money for her eventual employer, Learning Tree—the Black independent school in the Bronx was on the verge of closure then.

To raise money for the school, Norris stitched together her collection of poems and skits, then pitched the work to the Henry Street Settlement’s Abron Arts Center & Playhouse—a theater traditionally impenetrable for firsttime playwrights. But the director loved Norris’s creation. The end result was her debut play, “Nobody Loves a Black Little Girl When She Becomes a Woman.”

“We were the longest-running play at the Symphony Space Theater on 95th and Broadway,” said Norris. “And then I wrote another one and another one and…I kept writing, and that’s how I got into producing and writing plays.”

Today, she runs a theater and film company, In A Woman Productions. Norris also started the Kwanzaa Film Festival, which she’s quick to point out runs beyond just Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. After all, there’s enough dramatic pause from her stage actors—Norris’s work is yearround. The concept is simple: The films have to exemplify one of the seven principles of the Pan-African winter holiday.

And while she gushes over the HBCU education Hampton provided her, Norris still found her way

all of that. For me, in New York, it’s just so vast and it’s just a melting pot that I just love.”

Although she never quite became the child psychologist she aspired to be, Norris still managed to go on a journey of self-discovery, both for herself and the youngsters she aspired to help.

Black New

Yorker

back from Virginia to the Big Apple.

“There’s always something to learn in New York, there’s always someone new to discover in New York, and I like that as a writer,” she said. “And when people want to go to the hills [to] look at the water, I want to ride the train. I want to find

my character as well. I’m riding the train, because there’s going to be so many varied people on the subway. You walk down the street and you can walk from one street and go through different types of community, different types of ethnicities, different types of income and

“The plays I wrote—‘Nobody Loves a Black Little Girl When She Becomes a Woman,’ ‘A Secret Lies Inside My Sister’s Womb,’ ‘Ain’t Yo Mama Crying On The Pancake Box-Car,’ ‘The Turnstyle Warrior’ and ‘Don’t Play That Song for Me’—you will see a theme in all of those plays of us fighting for our young people…and trying to heal some of the ills of society that prohibit them from having the life that they deserve. You’ll see that being overwhelmingly in my work,” she said.

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https:// bit.ly/amnews1

Ina Norris submitted photo (Michael Law photo)

No hope for HOPE: Advocates not optimistic for annual homeless survey

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

The city started counting the local unsheltered population this week for the annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Survey. But homeless advocates— like Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Dave Giffen and Vocal-NY Housing Campaign Coordinator Joe Loonam—aren’t counting on much with the results.

“There’s no complete sense of how many folks are where they’re at,” said Loonam. “Ultimately, what the city will discover is that the vast majority of housing-insecure people are still relying on their families and neighbors and that the city has not built a social service apparatus that many people want to engage with at all.”

“The federal government mandates that municipalities provide an annual point-in-time count of the number of unsheltered and sheltered homeless persons, and that’s used for allocation of federal funds, etc.,” said Giffen, “so it does have some input and the city is mandated to conduct this count, but it really doesn’t have a lot of practical value in terms of understanding the number of people who are without homes in New York City.”

For starters, the estimate—Giffen is careful not to call the survey a “count”—only includes those living on the streets and other public spaces, so conducting the tallies during the harsh New York City winter means fewer people get counted. The estimate also ex-

cludes those living in shelters, doubled-up situations, and illegal or unsafe housing situations, which are likely to make up a majority of New York City’s unhoused population. The survey is limited to just once a year, ignoring the dynamic nature of street homelessness, especially in the summer months when counts are likely the highest.

Then there’s the matter of who is surveying the unhoused. The advocates point out the brunt of the estimate comes through the footwork of short-term volunteers.

According to the HOPE Survey website, they’re trained through online videos and a webinar the night before the tallies.

“The more you do a thing, the

more you have an opportunity to develop people who are good at it,” said Loonam. “If you limit a count to once a year [and] you run it on a volunteer basis in large part, you’re never giving people an opportunity to learn the skills that would be really, really good to have if you wanted to get a real, accurate account.”

There will be 14 HOPE Survey volunteer sites, although all four Manhattan-based locations are south of 70th Street. Teams of two to four will be mobilized around midnight to canvass for estimated numbers. The data is collected through a mobile app. Any unhoused person encountered will be offered transportation to

a shelter.

Giffen added that the city’s recent efforts to expel the unhoused from public spaces through subway removals and involuntary mental health hospitalizations are likely to further influence unsheltered New Yorkers to not be seen.

Little is known about whether the recent influx of migrants to New York City will affect this year’s counts.

Last year, the HOPE Survey found 3,439 unsheltered New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. But in the same year, the New York State Department of Education found roughly 5,500 unsheltered students in New York City—in total, more than 104,000 local youngsters were experiencing homelessness, and those estimates only count youth enrolled in New York City schools.

Giffen also mentioned disparities between the HOPE Survey and the number of shelter referrals accepted during the pandemic shutdown.

“When the governor closed down the subway system in May of 2020, when the pandemic first hit, the city started doing outreach at endof-the-line subway stations,” said Giffen. “There were more than 9,000 people in those end-of-line stations who accepted referrals to shelters. So think about that. That’s just a handful of subway stations ... Then, of the people who might be in the subway at those stations, it’s only those who agreed to speak with outreach workers [who are counted]. And of those, it’s only those [who] agreed to a referral to a shelter. And that number was more than 9,000 unique individuals.

“That tells me that there are a lot of people over the course of the year [who] are ending up out in unsheltered situations of living out in public places [and] are cycling in and out of homelessness or newly homeless or returning to the streets after having been in a shelter or in some other makeshift situation. The number of [3,439]—the last HOPE estimate—what does that tell you? It really doesn’t tell you a goddamn thing.”

The city thinks last year’s count indicates a decrease in unsheltered individuals, credited to its unique legal right-to-shelter guideline.

Mayor Eric Adams called the HOPE Survey “an important tool in our ever-growing toolbox to end homelessness.” Giffen hopes HOPE will one day truly become such a tool.

“We want to see the day when the Coalition for the Homeless is going out of business. That’s the count we’re looking for—the count that allows us to shut our doors,” he said. “But the fact that we have, tonight, close to 70,000 people in the shelter system, and that you can’t walk down the street without seeing people who are very clearly in need of permanent housing and healthcare and mental healthcare and food and clothing—that’s really all you need to know.”

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

Kyrie Irving boosts GoFundMe donations after devastating flood at Third World Press

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

Dr. Haki Madhubuti was devastated, overcome with tears, when he saw the photos of his flooded property. “I was in Cleveland on December 9, 2023, getting ready to speak at a local event when Antoine Lindsey, one of my associates, notified me that the basement was flooded because a pipe had burst below the building,” said Madhubuti, an acclaimed poet and author, during a phone interview 10 days after the incident. “To correct the damage, they had to dig up the entire street in front of our building.” It took at least three weeks to repair the broken pipes and

drain the seepage. After consulting with his board at the Third World Press (TWP) Foundation, a press Madhubuti founded 55 years ago, members of his staff and volunteers were able to salvage many books and relocate them in the building. When Madhubuti arrived later to assess the damage, there were more tears on seeing huge dumpsters filled with the company’s stock. “Two large dumpsters the width of the building were overflowing with books and I could not hold back the tears, watching my lifetime of work destroyed. Our losses are catastrophic,” he said, his voice breaking up as he recounted the experience.

Dr. Diane Turner, a TWP board member, suggested a GoFundMe Drive for a nonprofit company that had already been enduring periods without heat and water, and only a couple of functioning toilets. Currently, the GoFundMe campaign has been moving along quite successfully, and was given a considerable boost by a $50,000 donation from basketball star Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets.

“His donation is almost half of what we’ve received, and I am considerably thankful for the more than $53,000 from ordinary hardworking people,” Madhubuti said. The activist and artistic community has also mounted a serious effort of support.

When it was determined that

the damage was nearly $200,000, Madhubuti balked at asking that much, believing it was too much. A goal of $95,000 was established. “We will keep the campaign going through February and Black History Month, and then close it down,” he said.

One donor, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “This is a monumental setback, and particularly painful when you consider that Third World Press is an independent Black company upholding the ’60s notion of self-determination,” she said.

“He and the company have been there for us and we’ve got to be there for them.”

Some of the donors expressed their heartfelt concern. Schol -

ar Dr. Maulana Karenga wrote on the donor page for TWP to “continue the struggle, keep the faith and hold the line.” Poet and author Quincy Troupe observed that “Third World Press is a repository of African American literature.” Author and musician Ishmael Reed said that “being a Black businessman in a country that’s opposed to Blacks acquiring assets is hardship. Especially, if the product is thought. In the 19th century, Black newspapers were burned to the ground. Nowadays other means are employed.”

To donate to and support the Flood Fund for Third World Press Foundation, go to https:// gofund.me/e98d712c

New York City Mayor Eric Adams kicked off 2023 Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) count at P.S. 116 (210 E. 33rd Street), Monday, Jan. 24, 2023. (Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office photo)

Only 38% of Americans have a written financial plan* 62%

don’t have a written financial plan

Now there’s an easier way to get one started, with impressive digital tools from Bank of America.

We get it. Financial planning can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With dozens of digital tools, personalized solutions and local experts in New York City, Bank of America makes it easier to start this year fresh—and stay on track.

José Tavarez President, Bank of America New York City

Go to bankofamerica.com/metroNYC to learn more

What would you like the power to do?®

*Source: TIAA 2022 Financial Wellness Survey, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund, 2022. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender © 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Go With The Flo

FLO

ANTHONY

Tongues are wagging that Beyoncé was paid $24 million to perform an hour-long concert in Dubai on Jan. 21 at the invitation-only opening ceremony of Atlantis The Royal, dubbed Dubai’s hottest destination, according to GQ. The luxurious hotel on the water is located in the heart of Palm Jumeirah. This was Beyoncés first full-length concert in four years. People magazine and various other outlets report that at one point during the show, the 24-time Grammy-award winner was joined on the stage by her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter for a duet of their song “Brown Skin Girl,” which comes off of Beyoncés 2019 “The Lion King” companion album. At the end of the number, Blue Ivy hugged her mom and walked up the stage’s steps, where she then struck a pose and blew kisses to the audience. The evening included dinner at one of the hotel’s restaurants, with Heston Blumenthal, Milos by Costas Spiliadis, and Ariana’s Persia Kitchen. Beyoncés husband, Jay-Z; their other two children, Rumi and Sir Carter; mother Tina Knowles Lawson; father Mathew Knowles; and many celebrities were also in attendancen ...

Although Drake performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Jan. 21 and 22, the rapper hurt his ankle before hitting the New York City stage and was treated at Atria, reports Page Six. However, the injury didn’t slow the Toronto rapper down one bit. According to the outlet, he was spotted all over the Big Apple during the week at Zero Bond, Socialista and eating at Cucina Alba, and was invited to a birthday party on Jan. 18 at the Whisper Room, the new hip hop room at the Musica nightclub. Variety reports that at the Apollo, Drake was joined onstage by 21 Savage and Harlem legends the Diplomats, who included Cam’ron, Jim Jones, Jules Santana, and Freeky Zekey. Before Cami and the crew left the stage, Drake presented each of them with a custom OVOX Dipset bracelet. Everyone at the concert received a free commemorative T-shirt and complimentary drinks. The show will also air on Drake’s exclusive Sirius XM Channel Sound 42 …

Contemporary flute-playing and jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside has been nominated for a 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album (Instrumental) for her sixth career album, “Thrill Ride.” This year’s NAACP Image Awards Ceremony is set to take place on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Pasadena Civic Center in Pasadena, California, and will air live at 8:00 p.m. EST on BET. Longtime collaborators Dennis Johnson and Bob Baldwin produced the album “Thrill Ride,” along with producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis and James Lloyd of the veteran group Pieces of a Dream …

We hear three -time Olympic Gold medalist, track and field star Sanya Richards-Ross, who is currently on the “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” dashed into New York City recently to appear on the “Sherri” show. After her appearance on the chat fest, which has been nominated for a 2023 NAACP Image Award, Richards-Ross enjoyed an early dinner at the popular Hunt & Fish Club in midtown Manhattan, where she dined with a small entourage and was lovely to the staff whom sources say she tipped well …

Harlem hosts rally for affordable housing

At yet another Harlem rally, Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan and community members rejected the controversial

145th Street Truck Stop/Layover between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell, demanding instead real affordable housing. Public Ad -

vocate Jumaane Williams, activist Tanesha Grant, and others spoke in support of median-related affordable housing.

Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs announces historic naming of Immigrant Heritage Plaza

On Jan. 18, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams’s Office of Immigrant Affairs renamed the Park at Bowling Green Park as Im-

migrant Heritage Plaza. Commissioners Manuel Castro and Laurie Cumbo were in attendance. Chinese students

from Staten Island School and immigrant cultural groups representing Mexico performed.

(Bill Moore photos)

In historic event Bowling Green Park is renamed Immigrant Heritage Plaza (Bill Moore photos)

Councilmember Barron joins 500 Men Making A Difference for Dr. King celebration

Councilmember Charles Barron joined 500 Men Making A Difference for their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of the annual holiday. Barron served as the keynote speaker, presenting the radical King to community members and members of 500 Men. He noted that historical propaganda has had King frozen as the

“I Have a Dream” 1963 King, and not the “redistribute the wealth/anti-capitalist and socialist” King of 1968.

Barron delivered the 1968 Dr. King in resounding fashion, while including several anecdotes about the city budget and the fight to redistribute wealth to combat poverty right here in the city of New York. The speech was met with raucous applause.

Nightlife

All power to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Can’t speak for all alumni of HBCUs, but from where I sit after a loooonnnggggg while, it looks like we made significant headway in terms of notoriety and respectability. We got the eyes now.

Not sure how far back the public at large will extend the previous generations the same acknowledgment, but if the next few graduating classes will have greater accessibility and opportunity for successful futures from here forward, it’s a win.

But alas, now come a few instances that indicate that looks can be deceptive. NFL Hall of Famer Dion “Prime Time” Sanders resigned from his position of head coach at Jackson State University for what many believe is a bigger, better and more lucrative situation at the University of Colorado.

With this exit, the future of athletics at the collegiate level was given a gloom and doom forecast, until the hire of fellow NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed by the Bethune Cookman Wildcats. Once he institutes his program for winning on the field and generating huge financial opportunities for that particular university, the conference it plays in and HBCUs across the map all will be righted and all will be swept under the rug. Well, that situation ended before it started as Bethune Cookman rescinded the head coach offer to Reed and is now in search of a suitable replacement.

Serious issues and concerns have been levied against HBCU institutions since the departures of these esteemed personalities and now the strides made may come to a screeching halt. Let’s not buy into the propaganda about to be unleashed as grown adults are about to engage in verbal and perhaps legal warfare. Let’s emphasize positive opportunities for the students. In that regard, we learned that the Legacy hair care brand Creme of Nature announced that its scholarship for HBCU students has returned for a third year. The fund will be administered by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

The Creme of Nature Legacy of Leadership scholarship was created to provide financial assistance to deserving students who are enrolled at HBCUs. The program aims to propel promising students, providing them with needed financial assistance as they matriculate into contributing members of society. A student applies by submitting a 2-minute video about “What Legacy Means to Me.”

Stephanie Burks, senior marketing director at Revlon Multicultural, said, “The ability to provide this scholarship goes beyond its monetary contribution. It’s a fundamental part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This scholarship will not only help alleviate the financial burden of higher education, but it will also support and encourage the academic and personal growth of our recipients. We’re unbelievably proud to be a part of their story.”

Betsy Burton-Strunk, VP of the TMCF, said, “The confidence, creativity and passion that HBCUs pour into their students is phenomenal. Our partnership with Creme of Nature allows TMCF to expand opportunities to allow students to take their place as tomorrow’s leaders.”

Creme of Nature has also partnered with Impressions of Beauty (IOB), a multi-cultural college marketing company that connects students with beauty brands. IOB’s network of student ambassadors will help to promote the scholarship and build awareness among students.

Legacy of Leadership applications are open through March 27, 2023. Students selected will be honored at a virtual celebration event in the fall.

To learn more about the Legacy of Leadership program, visit https://cremeofnature.com/legacy-of-leadership/.

Script-flipping the news until some of the issues are worked out is paramount. Let’s go! Holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.

Written by David Goodson

(Keron Alleyne photos)

Union Matters

Homeland Security allowing undocumented workers to report workplace violations; Carlos’ Law established in New York

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Under a new directive issued by President Joe Biden’s White House administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will grant migrant and undocumented immigrant workers the ability to report workplace violations without jeopardizing their immigration status.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that undocumented workers who are collaborating with federal, state or local labor enforcement agencies can use the deferred action request process on the DHS website to report workplace violations.

The process will protect them from threats of retaliation due to their immigration status from an abusive employer. The deferred action requests will be submitted through a central intake point with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which will forward the requests to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Final determinations about workplace violations and deferred action requests will be made on a case-by-case basis.

“Unscrupulous employers who prey on the vulnerability of noncitizen workers harm all workers and disadvantage businesses who play by the rules,” Mayorkas said in announcing the new directive. “We will hold these predatory actors accountable by encouraging all workers to assert their rights, report violations they have suffered or observed, and cooperate in labor standards investigations. Through these efforts, and with our labor agency partners, we will effectively protect the American labor market, the conditions of the American worksite and the dignity of the workers who power our economy.”

Undocumented African and Caribbean workers, a portion of the 88% of Black immigrants to the United States , are often exploited: They find employment in jobs that pay low wages and with companies that often do not maintain health and safety standards.

The Migration Policy Institute said that, “Depending on their status, immigrants may be unable to access public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income, which can offset poverty.” In their desperation for work and to stave off abject poverty, undocumented Black foreign workers often accept work roles that make them vulnera -

ble to wage theft, harassment, unsafe working conditions, discrimination and other workplace violations.

“Refraining from reporting violations due to a fear of immigration-based retaliation creates unfair labor market conditions and perpetuates the com -

firms accountable

In related news, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed legislation to create Carlos’ Law, a bill that increases the penalties for construction companies found criminally liable for a worker’s death or serious physical injury.

Harco Construction had been repeatedly warned that the trench could cave in, and supervisors were told to get their workers out of the space—but did not do so. Harco Construction was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. The company paid a $10,000 corporate fine for Moncayo’s death, at the time the maximum penalty under New York state law. Now, under Carlos’ Law, the maximum fine for criminal liability jumps to at least $500,000.

“After years of fighting for my sponsored bill, we are relieved that Gov. Hochul signed Carlos’ Law to prevent unscrupulous construction firms from taking advantage of the working-class, especially immigrant workers in my district,” State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn said in a statement.

“After several iterations [of the bill], I’m pleased to finally hold construction firms accountable for providing proper workplace training and safety. Carlos’ Law will now force construction firms to value workers’ well-being, instead of writing off serious workplace injuries as a cost of doing business.”

State Sen. James Sanders Jr., who brought the bill to the Senate, said that Moncayo’s employers were not adequately punished for their negligence.

“In his case, justice was not served and his employers escaped an appropriate punishment for criminal actions. Since then, many New York workers have suffered serious injury and even death on the worksite from similar behavior by their supervisors without facing the full consequences of their actions. Carlos’ Law will finally strengthen the law to hold employers duly accountable and help deter future criminal behavior and prevent the injury and death of workers in the future.”

mission of unlawful and inhumane acts by employers, including nonpayment of wages, the imposition of unsafe working conditions, and chilling workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain to improve such conditions,” DHS said in a press release.

Carlos’ Law to hold construction

Carlos’ Law (S.621B/A.4947B) is named for Carlos Moncayo, a 22-yearold construction worker originally

was working for Harco Construction on April 6, 2015, in an unfortified 13-foot-deep trench when the walls of the trench caved in, crushing him with thousands of pounds of dirt.

A 2021 report by the New York State comptroller found that immigrants were employed in 53% of New York City’s construction jobs. “Nearly half came from Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, China, and Poland,” the report states. “Overall, the construction industry had the secondhighest share of foreign-born workers of any sector. The construction industry offers good-paying jobs to workers who have not earned a college degree.”

New York’s construction companies tend to hire undocumented migrant workers, and these workers can too easily be exploited.

from Ecuador. Moncayo

"Undocumented African and Caribbean workers, a portion of the 88% of Black immigrants to the United States, are often exploited: They find employment in jobs that pay low wages and with companies that often do not maintain health and safety standards."

Biden beware!

Another recent poll from Emerson College indicates that Trump has a threepoint lead over President Biden in a hypothetical rematch in 2024. Trump also tops any other Republican in the primaries, including Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, polling 55 percent to DeSantis’s 29 percent. President Biden should be less concerned about this early poll than the seemingly daily finding of classified documents he mishandled, the debt ceiling, the war in Ukraine, or the number of mass shootings and the proliferation of gun violence.

Of course, Biden is hardly alone on the discovery of classified documents. Trump is under investigation for his cache of documents at his home in Mar-a-Lago and now it’s reported that Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president, was in possession of similar documents. Who’s next? Barack Obama, Kamala Harris?

If we can return to the recent Emerson poll for a moment, the people surveyed said the economy was the top issue for them, followed by healthcare, immigration, threats to democracy and crime. Obviously, we need to take a close look at who these people are and whether they are Democrats or Republicans. How and why Biden didn’t take steps to conduct his own search of documents, leaving it to his trusted staff and then delaying going public with the findings, is simply baffling. Even so, these discoveries appear to be no more than one party accusing the other of being less than mindful about handling classified materials.

Now we hear that Biden and the First Lady failed to salute a Marine upon arrival at the White House from a Marine One helicopter a few days ago. A video of the incident was used in an “ABC World News Tonight” segment and posted in full on YouTube. It clearly shows they did not salute the Marine.

There is no rule or regulation that requires them to do so, but this is fodder for the opposition, who, over the next several months, will use every gaffe, mistake and decision to undermine Biden’s return to office.

All we can say is “Beware, Biden.”

Biden’s activities and statements, whether not remembering the name of the person being honored in a birthday song or a misleading report about a failure to salute, will be pounced on by his adversaries. All we can say is “Beware, Biden.”

Creating a truly universal early childhood education program for New York City Public Schools families

By CHANCELLOR DAVID C. BANKS

Every parent knows that the first five years of a child’s life are the foundation of lifelong success. New York City Public Schools is committed to making sure that all our youngest New Yorkers and their families are fully supported with a bright start and ready for a bold future. It has never been a better time to be a parent of a young child in New York City. With the improvements we are making, I invite you to enroll your child in one of our many diverse early childhood programs built to meet your family’s needs and preferences.

As chancellor, I made it a focus to ensure that we are delivering a high-quality early childhood education that gives every New York City child a fair shot at that bright future—no matter your ZIP code, race or

anything else. This vision is made possible in partnership with our community-based organizations, district schools, and countless educators, all who have who selflessly devoted their lives and careers to our youngest learners and their families.

The previous administration is to be commended for its commitment to early childhood programming. Upon becoming chancellor, it was my responsibility to assess this and other initiatives we inherited. I learned some hard truths about the state of our early education program. Many families were placed on waitlists, while there were empty seats in neighborhoods in other parts of the city. I discovered that 3K and Pre-K for All was not truly “for all.” These programs failed our children with disabilities whose families waited years for equal access to education.

We heard from the dedicated people providing many of these critical services that our bureaucracy has served as a barrier to providing optimal services for children.

So, we went to work to fix the systemic issues and build equity throughout.

I am most proud of the work Mayor Adams, my team, and this entire administration did to make early childhood education genuinely inclusive for all of New York City’s children—specifically those with disabilities. Recently, we announced our investment in an expansion of special education access across our portfolio. Come spring, I am proud to share that this expansion is expected to open enough preschool seats to serve every single preschool child with a disability across the five boroughs.

We are actively working to transform

Issues being raised as NYC awards retail weed licenses to ‘nonprofit’ organizations

By AMADI AJAMU

Cannabis licensing in New York State has become a political issue with recent retail licenses awarded to “nonprofit” organizations that have a history of antidrug and anti-violence advocacy. Why the 180 degree flip? Follow the money.

Some say, “It’s legal now, or the same thing happened with the legalization of liquor after the prohibition. Making it legal solved some problems.” What is happening now? Thousands of low-level marijuana dealers remain in prison, as well as those who were criminalized for marijuana possession while a multi-billion-dollar marijuana industry is now regulated, controlled and taxed by state governments.

convictions and their family members. Three New York City-based nonprofits— Housing Works, the Doe Fund, and LIFE Camp—were among the organizations awarded licenses.

Of the individuals who were granted licenses, 19 belong to racial and ethnic minority groups and 20 were from areas with some of the lowest median household incomes in the country, OCM spokesperson Freeman Klopott reported. Why are NYC nonprofit organizations based in low-income, working-class Black communities being targeted and awarded retail licenses by the Cannabis Control Board? And why are those organizations getting on board despite their decades-long anti-drug advocacy?

one-on-one with participants to orient them, assess their needs, and set goals— including selecting occupational training and education tracks. In turn, participants commit to maintaining their sobriety and paying any owed child support. They begin a curriculum of evening classes and courses that last the duration of the program, including financial management, parenting, and general education.

To end the cycle of homelessness and recidivism, America must pass criminal justice reforms that end mass incarceration, alongside investing in community-based solutions that address the root causes of crime: poverty, lack of opportunity, mental illness, and substance abuse.”

Kristin

Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor

Nayaba Arinde: Editor

Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor

Damaso Reyes: Investigative Editor

Siobhan "Sam" Bennett: Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Advertising Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus

New York State announced its first batch of licenses for retail dispensaries of recreational cannabis on Nov. 21, 2022, and nonprofit recipients include three New York City-based nonprofit organizations. Of the 36 licenses issued by the NYS Cannabis Control Board, 28 were awarded to individual businesses and eight to nonprofits, the state Office of Cannabis Management announced. These initial dispensary licenses were given in accordance with the state’s Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, which gives priority to people with past drug

According to a Housing Works statement, “Since 1990, we have provided a comprehensive array of services to more than 30,000 homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. We believe that providing stable housing is healthcare, and is the first step toward living a long and healthy life. Supportive services include—but are not limited to—housing, healthcare, meals and nutritional counseling, mental health and substance use treatment, job training, and legal assistance.”

The Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing & Able program has advocated making a commitment to change for more than 30 years.

“On day one, participants begin earning a paycheck through in-house work assignments while they adjust to the program’s demands. Case managers work

The I Love My LIFE Campaign, LIFE Camp, founded in 2002, “provides positive youth development opportunities that harness youth and community strengths and resources to address the epidemic of youth violence, and the conditions and behaviors associated with youth violence such as substance abuse, criminal justice involvement, and poor academic and professional engagement. LIFE Camp’s programs and services are community-driven and holistic, developed with the understanding that the best solutions to community problems reside in the hearts and minds of the community, and that strong collaboration and coordination of diverse stakeholders is essential to achieving positive outcomes for youth.”

Their Anti-Violence Outreach workers are “required to serve as support for in-

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief

Power by fire

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the New York Amsterdam News. We continue to publish a variety of viewpoints so that we may know the opinions of others that may differ from our own.

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

The pursuit of moral and fiscal responsibility is a sacred duty. In these troubled times, when the very foundations of our society seem to be under attack, it is more important than ever that we stand up for what is right and just. The choices we make as a nation have the power to shape the course of history, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we are guided by a higher purpose, a deep sense of morality, and a commitment to the common good. The divide between the two major political parties on matters of spending and fiscal policy is a matter that highlights this, for it reflects deeper differences that go to the very heart of who we are as a people

On one side, we have the GOP—champions of fiscal conservatism and stewards of the nation’s purse strings. They understand that every dollar spent carries with it a burden of responsibility, and they are committed to ensuring that taxpayer money is used wisely and efficiently. In contrast, the Democrats seem all too willing to recklessly inflate the deficit, with little regard for the long-term consequences of their actions.

This was made all too clear when Kevin McCarthy, now Speaker of the House of Representatives, declared his intention to put an end to wasteful spending in Washington. “If a federal bureaucrat wants to spend it,” McCarthy declared, “they will come before us to defend it.”

To this obviously meritorious statement, one deeply held by most Americans, Democrats sat silent in their seats, turning a potential inflection point in a deeply divided nation into their own show. This is a grave disservice to the American people, and it is a betrayal of

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story

the trust that has been placed in them to represent the interests of the people.

We deserve better. We deserve leaders who are willing to put aside partisan differences and work together to build a brighter, more prosperous future for all, not just their party.

This lack of accountability is a stain on our democracy and a betrayal of the trust that the American people have placed in their leaders. It is especially evident in the findings of Senator Rand Paul’s annual “Festivus” Report, which exposes instances of government waste and mismanagement in all its forms. The 2022 report was particularly damning, revealing that a staggering $480 billion was wasted by the government on an array of absurd and unnecessary projects. One example includes the National Institutes of Health spending $2.3 million to inject beagle puppies with cocaine. This is outrageous and unacceptable. Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund such frivolous and wasteful endeavors.

Fiscal responsibility is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of common sense and basic morality. Many Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, understand the value of a dollar and the impact that government spending has on their own financial well-being. They know that every dollar spent must be accounted for and used in a way that truly benefits the American people. This is why it is time for a change. Republicans have shown their commitment to making this change a reality, and it is up to all of us to support them and hold them to this promise.

But it is not just about clutching our purses. It is about in -

vesting in the things that truly matter—in infrastructure, education and programs that support those in need. It is about building a future that is brighter and more prosperous for all Americans. A future that pays back the money that we put in—a true investment into our country and its people.

It is crucial that when we spend money, we do so in a way that is sustainable and doesn’t jeopardize the financial stability of future generations. Reckless deficit spending may provide shortterm benefits, but it ultimately undermines the very foundations of our economy and puts the burden of repayment on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren.

The time has come for us to have a serious, honest and overdue conversation about the role of government and its impact on the lives of American citizens. For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be divided by petty politics and self-serving rhetoric, and it is high time that we put aside our differences and work together to find common ground and solutions that will benefit us all. This starts with acknowledging the importance of morality and fiscal responsibility, and giving the Republicans and Kevin McCarthy the chance to follow through on their commitment to responsible spending.

It is a chance that we cannot afford to miss.

Armstrong Williams (@ ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www.armstrongwilliams.co | www.howardstirkholdings.com

Dear readers, I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. Some of you may know that “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Project” by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah Jones is coming to our television screens. On January 26, we can watch the latest iteration of Jones’s efforts on Hulu as part of a six-part limited docu-series.

A blurb in the New York Times about the upcoming film said, “In keeping with the original project, the series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative. The episodes — ‘Democracy,’ ‘Race,’ ‘Music,’ ‘Capitalism,’ ‘Fear’ and ‘Justice’ — are adapted from essays from The New York Times No. 1 best-selling ‘The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story’and examine how the legacy of slavery shapes different aspects of contemporary American life.”

Jones’s 1619 Project first appeared in the New York Times roughly two years ago. The articles were met critical acclaim and a podcast followed suit. Public forums and lesson plans for schools were also part of the larger conversation about this important project. As Jones and her colleagues laid out bare truths about the origins and realities of the “American experiment,” their work articulated facts that were undeniable. However, this is America, so detractors invented theories and baseless complaints about the information presented in the 1619 Project—and Jones addressed and rebutted each complaint with a surgeon’s precision. This new visual project will

further help Americans understand the essence of the 1619 Project. As I argue in my grio. com podcast The Blackest Questions each week, Black history is American history. Jones makes it abundantly clear that we cannot understand this nation without first understanding the interconnected ways of politics and capitalism…past and present. The 1619 Project tackles everything from migration to music to mass incarceration.

I am excited to see how Jones and her team bring these important issues to the screen. Many of us remember watching docu-series like “Eyes on the Prize” to help us understand race and racism in America. This 21st-century analysis will help new generations of Black and non-Black people better understand this nation.

If you have not done so already, be sure to purchase The 1619 Project from your local bookseller. You can also read excerpts on www.pulitzercenter.org and search for “The 1619 Project.” And don’t forget to tune into the docu-series on Hulu beginning January 26. We must support this important work and spread the word to our communities. We cannot let people attempt to erase the realities of the brutal beginnings of this country. By reading and watching the 1619 Project, we are contributing to a collective and necessary truthtelling project.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream; and co-host of the podcast FAQNYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.

CHRISTINA GREER PH.D.

This new visual project will further help Americans understand the essence of the 1619 Project.

Caribbean Update

Millions disappear from Usain Bolt’s investment accounts

BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews

Former Jamaican and global sprinting legend Usain Bolt must be rueing his decision to invest more than $12 million of his retirement funds in a local investment firm that is now reporting that all but $12,000 of it has been stolen in a massive fraud scheme at the company that authorities uncovered earlier this month.

The fraud at the Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) has shaken the Jamaican financial sector to its core and forced Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the central bank, the bankers’ association and related institutions to hurriedly issue words of assurances to prevent a run on investment companies that could severely weaken the sector.

Word of the disappearance of more than $12 million of Bolt’s money first surfaced at

the turn of this year and has left many wondering why the sprinting icon chose SSL, given its checkered past, serious problems with transparency and previous brushes with theft of investors’ money.

Authorities say that up to 40 investors have been defrauded of at least $25 million, many of them elderly or recently retired like Bolt.

Embarrassed by the situation, Holness addressed the nation on the issue late last week, saying that he was “upset and disgusted” at the scandal.

“There is a dimension of a heightened public sense of betrayal, which I share, that a national icon who has brought so much pride to all of us is also a victim of the alleged fraud,” he said as he promised a full investigation.

“The government will ensure that the laws and systems in place work for the benefit of

the general public good, accountability for those responsible and justice for those negatively affected. The affected investors and the public can be assured that the investigative and prosecutorial agencies have the necessary competencies and resources, and have already started to act decisively to gather information and evidence.”

Last week, local police raided the upscale city home of a former SSL employee who is being regarded as the main person who had “borrowed funds” from the accounts of clients without their consent. Bolt appears to be a main victim in this regard.

The alleged fraud at SSL has now triggered a review of the company’s track record over the years, with many former board members and senior executives saying SSL’s license should have been suspended long ago because

of several instances of basic rule breaches.

The Gleaner newspaper reported over the weekend that a financial services commission report back in 2017 had threatened to recommend the suspension of SSL’s license because of “a range of breaches and other problems.” One of the reports had described SSL as being “a problem institution with a culture of non-compliance and mismanagement of client funds” for years.

Investors like Bolt—at least 40 of them—still continued to have the company invest their money, hoping brokers would multiply their investments to their satisfaction.

Bolt and his lawyers have given authorities until late this week to return his investment in full—they are blaming lax oversight by regulators for his plight and that of others. Speculation is already rife that

U.S. Immigration Weekly Recap

FELICIA PERSAUD

IMMIGRATION

KORNER

Get ready for a new U.S. immigration program under the Biden administration as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency said it saw 216,162 individuals trying to enter the U.S. on its southwest land border in December 2022—an 11% increase from the month before. Here are the top immigration news items making headlines recently.

1: Welcome Corps program is here

The Biden administration has announced the launch of a new immigration program: the Welcome Corps.

The program, according to the U.S. State Department, is meant to complement the traditional U.S.

Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) by permitting Americans to join with others, in minimum groups of five, to apply to sponsor a new refugee.

As part of this process, such a group will have to raise $2,750 per refugee, pass background checks and create a support plan.

The State Department aims to line up 10,000 Americans who can help 5,000 refugees during the first year of the program. The new initiative will roll out in two phases. Logon to https:// welcomecorps.org/ to sign up as a sponsor.

2: More than 20,000 immigrants in detention

The latest Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) data showed that as of January 15, 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held 20,892 immigrants in ICE detention. TRAC

data also pointed out that 11,710 migrants out of the 20,892—or over 56%—in detention have no criminal record. Many more have only minor offenses, including traffic violations.

Most of the detainees—10,174—are in Texas.

The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, held the largest number of ICE detainees so far in FY 2023, averaging 1,477 per day, followed by the state of Louisiana with 4,833, Georgia with 1,824 and California with 1,773.

3: Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to become new immigrant relief center

New York City is set to open a new relief center at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to provide temporary respite to the continued influx of asylum-seekers entering the city, officials say.

The new site is scheduled to serve approximate -

the government and the local private sector may have to chip in and financially assist Bolt if the money cannot be recovered, at least in the short term. Even more astonishing are comments from several former executives at SSL who have said that they were unaware that Bolt had even been a company client because nothing about him or his accounts had ever been mentioned at meetings or appeared in any official documents.

Government also said that there had been indications of malfeasance dating back to 2010 and still no serious action had been taken and SSL was still allowed to operate.

“There were several red flags before, which were known and documented. I came in and I met with the financial services commission,

apprised myself of what the issues were before I got there, and set up a committee specifically focused on repairing those irregularities,” the Observer newspaper quoted former SSL CEO Zac Harding. “Everybody worked very hard because the company was at risk of losing its license. Everybody was involved and there was a project committee that was set up just to deal with the issues that were identified by the commission. Usain Bolt’s name never came up as a customer of SSL. He was never mentioned in any management meeting, in any strategy meeting, in any client review meeting so it’s not a case of, ‘How come the runner had so much money in there and it gets stolen and nobody ever saw it.’ I was not aware of him having an account there, his name never came up; it never ever arose while I was there,” Harding said.

ly 1,000 asylum-seekers, specifically single adult men, who will be moved from another humanitarian relief center. It will also serve newly arriving single men, the mayor’s office said. The cruise terminal site will be the fifth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center to open in the city to manage the arrival of immigrants, who have been bused in from other parts of the country in recent months. The center is expected to be in operation until the spring, when the terminal reopens to the public for cruise season.

“With more than 41,000 asylum-seekers arriving in New York City since last spring and nearly 28,000 asylum-seekers currently in our care, our city is at its breaking point,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. On ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,”

Adams said: “This is a national problem and our national government, Congress and the White House must do a long-term comprehensive immigration policy. But the White House must deal with the immediate emergency we have now … And quite frankly, migrants shouldn’t be used as political pawns.”

4: Premium processing expansion for EB-1 and EB-2 Form I-140 petitions

The UCSIS is implementing the final phase of the premium processing expansion for Form I-140 or Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications.

Petitioners who wish to request premium processing must file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. Beginning January 30, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests for all pending E13 multinational executive and

manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions and all initial E13 multinational executive and manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions.

5: DHS changes strengthen efforts to hold unscrupulous employers accountable

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that noncitizen workers who are victims of, or witnesses to, the violation of labor rights can now access a streamlined deferred action request process. Deferred action protects non-citizen workers from threats of immigration-related retaliation from exploitive employers. Workers will be able to visit DHS.gov for additional information in English and Spanish, and to submit requests.

The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com – The Black Immigrant Daily News.

Beauty Inside Out: Study shows effects of relaxers and skin lighteners on Black women

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

One thing we know for certain when dealing with Black hair is that it’s not just hair, whether that be because of history or society or a personal view. WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a local group centered around environmental justice for communities of color, decided to take a closer look at chemical hair straighteners and skin lighteners among women of color in Harlem and the South Bronx.

The Beauty Inside Out study surveyed 297 women and LGBTQIA+ people of color about their hair care and skin products in an effort to raise awareness about beauty perceptions and health impacts.

“I’m glad this study is being done so that we can know about our hair, the hair of Black women,” said Harlem Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan, who keeps her hair natural and in an afro style. “I would never tell any Black woman how to keep her hair, but I think it’s important that we get educated about different health effects and we know the impact.”

The study found that Black women surveyed were more likely to use relaxers than non-Black ones. Family members who expressed a preference for straight hair had an influence on what women would use, as well as the perception that straight hair or lighter skin was beautiful, professional or youthful.

The study concluded that there is still a “pervasiveness of racialized beauty norms” in the hair care and beauty realm. In addition to relaxers and keratin treatments, women of color used skin-lightening products for the face more than any other place on the body.

Beaumont Morton, director of environmental health and education at WE ACT, said at first glance, this may not seem like an environmental issue. But what people put on and in their bodies is important, she said, in thinking about how many beauty stores, salons and hair care products are located in mostly Black and brown neighborhoods.

“It was very interesting to see, across the board, that folks in the study did think that straight hair made them look more beautiful, more professional and attrac-

tive,” said Morton. “That was sorta shocking to see, especially when we think about the prevalence of the natural hair resurgence.”

Jennifer Jones-Austin, 54, chief executive officer and executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) who previously chaired the NYC Racial Justice Commission, keeps her hair natural as an adult. She said that for a long time, in primary and elementary school, she was the only Black student in class, causing her to imitate white girls’ hair care. Her mother also had naturally bone-straight and thin hair. She recalled her and her sister begging her mother for a relaxer for her thick hair when she was about 13 years old.

“I wanted my hair to look like the other little girls in this predominantly white school,” said Jones-Austin. “We insisted that she get us relaxers that she didn’t even know a lot about. We kept, kept, kept [asking]. Finally she got us perms. And it didn’t take but two or three weeks for our hair to begin to break off.”

In 2009, Jones-Austinwas diagnosed with leukemia and ended up losing her hair twice. Doctors attributed the cancer to environmental factors, possibly caused by the fallout and debris after the 9/11 terror attacks that Jones-Austin had been caught in in 2001. She said during this period, many

women made a point to tell her that her hair would be more “lustrous” and the “texture would be better” when it grew back.

Currently, Jones-Austin considers her natural hair to be fairly soft and curly in what could be seen as “easier” to handle. She is careful not to judge other women’s hair journeys and perceptions of their hair.

“I remember during COVID, many of my sistas not being able to get a perm or relaxer and trying to figure out what to do with their hair,” Jones-Austin said. “Many said they were getting a wig, or figuring out wraps or ties, because they weren’t able to get to the stylists. And I remember many times feeling like ‘Don’t even weigh in on this conversation, because I don’t have that issue.’”

Morton said that colorism, hair textures and anti-Blackness play a specific role in the conversation about Black hair and skin care.

The Crown Act was signed into law in July 2019 by former Governor Andrew Cuomo in an effort to end hair texture or style discrimination. Morton said it was helpful in protecting women from the pressure to have straight hair styling for work and other settings.

“I think it’s helpful to be reminded that we had the civil rights act, voting rights and affirmative action, but that didn’t necessarily change mindsets, values and be-

liefs. Having a law that offers protection will do but so much,” said Jones-Austin of the Crown Act.

Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, one of the original sponsors of the Crown Act, said the law was passed to uplift the message that Black hair is beautiful. Bailey said that creating legal protections against hair discrimination across the state was a “vital step” toward creating a more “respectful and open world” for natural hair, as well as ending racialized beauty norms and colorism that disproportionately affect Black women and girls.

“As a father of two girls of color, I want my daughters to understand that they are beautiful and belong in all spaces exactly as they are,” said Bailey. “It’s critical that our policies address these needs and continue to improve access and inclusion for all women and girls of color at all levels of society.”

Morton also suggested that there should be legislation around more label transparency for beauty products. Morton didn’t specifically ask about health effects in the WE ACT study, but research done by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Tamarra James-Todd and others have.

James-Todd’s research found that Black hair products, such as relaxers, oils, moisturizers, lotions, leave-in conditioners and gels with certain “endocrine disruptors” chemicals, may be linked

to serious health issues such as breast cancer. She also noted that elements like phthalates could cause obesity, increased risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, as well as preterm birth, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes in pregnant women.

Morton said that manufacturers fail to disclose the harmful chemicals in their beauty products while targeting their marketing to women of color.

“A concerning number of beauty and personal care products marketed toward Black women and girls are linked to serious health concerns and toxic chemical exposure, which further drive racial health inequities and poor health outcomes,” said Bailey. “Women and girls of color are at greatest risk for exposure to marketing of beauty products that say their hair needs to be worn a certain way, or their skin should be a certain shade in order to be seen as beautiful and conform to social norms and expectations.”

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

(Pexels/lee-chinyama)

(Pexels/godisable-jacob free stock photos)

Weighing risks of a major surgery: 7 questions older Americans should ask their surgeon

By JUDITH GRAHAM Kaiser Health News

Larry McMahon, who turned 80 in December, is weighing whether to undergo a major surgery. Over the past five years, his back pain has intensified. Physical therapy, muscle relaxants and injections aren’t offering relief. “It’s a pain that leaves me hardly able to do anything,” he said.

Should McMahon, a retired Virginia state trooper who now lives in Southport, North Carolina, try spinal fusion surgery, a procedure that can take up to six hours? (Eight years ago, he had a lumbar laminectomy, another arduous back surgery.) “Will I recover in six months—or in a couple of years? Is it safe for a man of my age with various health issues to be put to sleep for a long period of time?” McMahon asked, relaying some of his concerns to me in a phone conversation.

Older adults contemplating major surgery often aren’t sure whether to proceed. In many cases, surgery can be lifesaving or improve a senior’s quality of life. But advanced age puts people at greater risk of unwanted outcomes, including difficulty with daily activities, extended hospitalizations, problems moving around, and the loss of independence.

I wrote in November about a new study that shed light on some risks seniors face when having invasive procedures. But readers wanted to know more. How does one determine if potential benefits from major surgery are worth the risks? And what questions should older adults ask as they try to figure this out? I asked several experts for their recommendations. Here’s some of what they suggested.

What’s the goal of this surgery? Ask your surgeon, “How is this surgery going to make things better for me?” said Margaret “Gretchen” Schwarze, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Will it extend your life by removing a fast-growing tumor? Will your quality of life improve by making it easier to walk? Will it prevent you from becoming disabled, akin to a hip replacement?

If your surgeon says, “We need to remove this growth or clear this blockage,” ask what impact that will have on your daily life. Just because an abnormality such as a hernia has been found doesn’t mean it has to be addressed, especially if you don’t have bothersome symptoms and the procedure comes with complications, said Drs. Robert Becher and Thomas Gill of Yale University, authors of that recent paper on major surgery in older adults.

If things go well, what can I expect? Schwarze, a vascular surgeon, often cares for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms, an enlargement in a major blood vessel that can be life-threatening if it bursts. Here’s how she describes a “best case” surgical scenario for that condition: “Surgery will be about four to five hours. When it’s over, you’ll be in the ICU with a breathing tube overnight for a day or two. Then, you’ll be in the hospital for another week or so. Afterwards, you’ll probably have to go to rehab to get your strength back, but I think you can get back home in three to four weeks, and it’ll probably take you two to three months to feel like you did before surgery.”

Among other things people might ask their surgeon, according to a patient brochure Schwarze’s team has created: What will my daily life look like right after surgery? Three months later? One year later? Will I need help, and for how long? Will tubes or drains be inserted?

If things don’t go well, what can I expect? A “worst case” scenario might look like this, according to Schwarze: “You have surgery, and you go to the ICU, and you have serious complications. You have a heart attack. Three weeks after surgery, you’re still in the ICU with a breathing tube, and you’ve lost most of your strength, and there’s no chance of ever getting home again. Or, the surgery didn’t work, and still you’ve gone through all this.”

“People often think I’ll just die on the operating table if things go wrong,” said Dr. Emily Finlayson, director of the University of California, San Francisco Center for Surgery in Older Adults. “But we’re very good at rescuing people, and we can keep you alive

for a long time. The reality is, there can be a lot of pain and suffering and interventions like feeding tubes and ventilators if things don’t go the way we hope.”

Given my health, age and functional status, what’s the most likely outcome? Once your surgeon has walked you through various scenarios, ask, “Do I really need to have this surgery, in your opinion?” and “What outcomes do you think are most likely for me?” Finlayson advised. Research suggests that older adults who are frail, have cognitive impairment, or other serious conditions such as heart disease have worse experiences with major surgery. Also, seniors in their 80s and 90s are at higher risk of things going wrong.

“It’s important to have family or friends in the room for these conversations with high-risk patients,” Finlayson said. Many seniors have some level of cognitive difficulties and may need assistance working through complex decisions.

What are the alternatives? Make sure your physician tells you what the nonsurgical options are, Finlayson said. Older men with prostate cancer, for instance, might want to consider “watchful waiting,” ongoing monitoring of their symptoms, rather than risk invasive surgery. Women in their 80s who develop a small breast cancer may opt to leave it alone if removing it poses a risk, given other health factors.

Because of McMahon’s age and underlying medical issues (a 2021 knee replacement that hasn’t healed, arthritis, high blood pressure), his neurosurgeon suggested he explore other interventions, including more injections and physical therapy, before surgery. “He told me, ‘I make my money from surgery, but that’s a last resort,” McMahon said.

What can I do to prepare myself? “Preparing for surgery is really vital for older adults: If patients do a few things that doctors recommend—stop smoking, lose weight, walk more, eat better—they can decrease the likelihood of complications and the number of days spent in the hospital,” said Dr. Sandhya Lagoo-Deenadayalan, a leader in Duke University Medical Center’s Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health program.

When older patients are recommended to Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH), they receive a comprehensive evaluation of their medications, nutritional status, mobility, preexisting conditions, ability to perform daily activities, and support at home. They leave with a “to-do” list of recommended actions, usually starting several weeks before surgery.

If your hospital doesn’t have a program of this kind, ask your physician, “How can I get my body and mind ready” before having surgery, Finlayson said. Also ask: “How can I prepare my home in advance to anticipate what I’ll need during recovery?”

What will recovery look like? There are three levels to consider: What will recovery in the hospital entail? Will you be transferred to a facility for rehabilitation? And what will recovery be like at home?

Ask how long you’re likely to stay in the hospital. Will you have pain or aftereffects from the anesthesia? Preserving cognition is a concern, and you might want to ask your anesthesiologist what you can do to maintain cognitive functioning following surgery. If you go to a rehab center, you’ll want to know what kind of therapy you’ll need and whether you can expect to return to your baseline level of functioning.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, “a lot of older adults have opted to go home instead of to rehab, and it’s really important to make sure they have appropriate support,” said Dr. Rachelle Bernacki, director of care transformation and postoperative services at the Center for Geriatric Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

For some older adults, a loss of independence after surgery may be permanent. Be sure to inquire what your options are should that occur.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

(SKAMAN306 / GETTY IMAGES)

Arts & Entertainment

Luqman Tariq Hadid Brown, legendary Harlem musician and sound designer, dies at 52

Harlem native Luqman Tariq Hadid Brown, longtime leader of the punkfunk band FunkFace, died on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, due to health complications after receiving a heart transplant on his 52nd birthday just four weeks earlier.

A beloved fixture in the New York City music scene from the 1980s onward, Luqman fronted and supported several dynamic musical projects. Before graduating from high school, he founded his first and longest musical collaboration, FunkFace, which he continued to lead for more than 30 years. The FADER magazine called FunkFace “the hardest hitting band in the world,” and the group was featured in the documentary “Afro-Punk” as leaders in the Black rock scene.

He performed at a range of venues and spaces, including the Apollo Theater, CBGB, Rikers Island, Highline Ballroom, Lincoln Center and many more, presenting his own projects or collaborating with Greg Tate and Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber, and the Black Rock Coalition Orchestra. He wrote and recorded dozens of songs for his record label BuddhaBug Records, often collaborating with producing partners Philip Preuss and Brian Gosher. Luqman also led a 10-piece soul band, Mackie Riverside & The Streetpushers, which performed classic soul and R&B hits from the Stax Records and Atlantic Records vaults.

Luqman’s third major musical identity was MC Whistler, a persona he developed alongside Idris Elba when they were chatters with the Wikkid Crew during New York City’s only weekly East London-style dance party. It was through that lens that Luqman nurtured his final musical project, Dope Sagittarius, which gave voice to a new level of musical sophistication. Evolving over 15 years, Dope Sagittarius included elements of electronica, hip hop, rock, jazz, and contemporary R&B. The sonic exploration yielded undeniable dance tracks and classic love songs alongside highly conceptualized cultural commentary, with a companion comic book and flash drive to boot.

In his late 30s, Luqman added the title of sound designer to his extensive list of pro-

fessional credits, and he taught a course on the topic at Princeton University in January 2022. His widely admired work as a designer was considered uniquely grounded, deeply dramaturgical and musically always on point. In his baker’s dozen years in the theater industry, he won two AUDELCO Awards and designed all over the country: at the Old Globe in San Diego, Guthrie in Minneapolis, Humana Fest in Louisville, and numerous venues across New York City, including the Signature Theatre. His sound design credits include work on productions by playwrights Radha Blank,

Katori Hall, Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, Liza Jessie Peterson and others. As an actor, Luqman appeared in works developed or written by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, and Aisha Cousins and Tate. He also composed music for the Radha Blank film “The 40-Year-Old Version.”

Luqman continued to further his music education in late 2022, taking online courses at the Berklee School of Music even as he awaited his new heart in Mount Sinai Hospital. He brought a unique voice to his work, grounded in the Black experience, the world of music and the incredible di-

versity of the lives he lived.

Luqman’s parents, Lauren Johnson, a special education teacher, and Carlyle Brown, a playwright, contributed greatly to his values, creative interests, and unfettered sense of self, including a love of the sea, which Luqman developed as a young teen working alongside his father on boats. Not only an accomplished musician, Luqman was also a sailor, an outdoorsman, a surfer, a producer, and a business owner.

Always hungry for knowledge and to learn what lay beyond the horizon, Luqman found the perfect life partner in LaRonda Davis. Together they traveled far and wide, seeking and finding adventures across America and overseas. Professionally they worked together under the auspices of Primordial Punk and contributed to the efforts of the Black Rock Coalition, of which LaRonda is the president and Luqman was a longtime member.

Luqman’s ever-present smile, confidence, and passion for trying new things in the musical realm and outside of it inspired everyone who met him. Whether it was learning to play a new instrument, or finding a new fishing spot, he knew how to say yes and figure things out as he went. He took on every challenge that came his way, unafraid and unapologetic.

Luqman Brown's loved ones ask that donations in his name be made to Harlem School of the Arts (www.hsanyc.org) and Outdoor Afro (www.outdoorafro.org). A public tribute will be held in the spring.

Film/TV

Luqman Brown 2023 mural (Art and photo by William C. Richardson, Jr.)

Luqman Brown (William Amenta photo)

“You People”—funny in unexpected ways

By MARGIRIA Special to the AmNews

At a recent cocktail party thrown at Nobu 57, Netflix invited a small group of critics, journalists and influencers to screen their newest comedy “You People” and between the superlative sushi and perfect cocktails, director Kenya Barris did the rounds.

I would have never imagined that I would be writing these words, but here it is: Actor, producer, screenwriter Jonah Hill is sexy in “You People”—I know, I know, I can’t believe it either, but he is.

In this new romantic comedy, Hill plays Ezra and his character actually has all the right moves to land the love and devotion of an African American woman (Lauren London), despite the complications of their cultural differences.

Ezra is middle-aged (35) and single but yearns to find a sincere relationship. He’s a hard-working man stuck in a job that he hates, at a brokerage firm making money but zero love connections.

At a glance, Ezra looks like a nervous man without much in terms of social skills, but he’s actually hip. He collects Nike sneakers and has beautifully crafted tattoos covering his arms.

He’s a happy, outgoing Jewish man. On a date, he tells a woman he met at the synagogue that he has a podcast with co-host Mo (Sam Jay) that focuses on pop culture. She says: “You’re a Jew from West L.A.,” adding with a deadpan expression that speaks volumes, “What do you know about culture?”

On a chance meeting, Ezra gets in a car that he assumes is his Uber ride. It’s not. The car belongs to Amira (Lauren London) and once the crazy is turned down to a reasonable decimal level, they acknowledge the chemistry. On their first date, we learn she’s an aspiring costume designer and doesn’t rush into relationships. At first glance, Ezra seems out of her league, but his charm is powerful, and six months later, after moving in together, they decide to get married.

What force could stop this growing love affair? Winning over Amira’s parents Fatima (Nia Long) and Akbar (Eddie Murphy), a hardline Muslim who wears T-shirts that reads “Fred Hampton Was Murdered.”

Now, let’s take a moment to recap. Ezra is white and Jewish; Amira’s parents are not, and are downright

suspicious. I mean, why does he want to marry their daughter?

Now, if you are of a certain age, you know that when you get married, it’s more than just the couple. The joining of two families is essential to having a happy marriage. The cultural differences explored in this movie aren’t that significant—not really. But in the hands of comedic genius, the envelope is pushed, and pushed and pushed—and pushed again. Does it work? The answer is sometimes, but more often, the movie feels like sketches and they wear thin.

Full disclosure: I am a fan of Barris (creator of ABC’s “Blackish”), for all the reasons you would suspect, and a few that surprise me. For this new movie, he cowrote the screenplay with Hill, and I suspect the cast was given room to play.

When Ezra finally brings Amira home to meet his parents, Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Arnold (David Duchovny), his mother can’t stop complimenting Amira on her hair and accessories, stumbling into her feelings about police brutality and other things that make you feel uncomfortable. The idea of having a daughter-inlaw of color makes her feel hip; Akbar, on the other hand, isn’t embracing Ezra and takes every opportunity to make him look stupid

Comedic hijinks ensue: At a dinner with both sets of parents present, the polite conversation

quickly dissolves into an edgier exchange. At a pickup basketball game, Akbar tries to embarrass Ezra, live-streaming the game. When Ezra goes to his bachelor party in Las Vegas, Akbar tags along uninvited, hoping to catch his future son-in-law in an embarrassing situation. Shelley and Fatima host a bachelorette party in Palm Springs for Amira and her

best friends. It does not go well.

Mo, Ezra’s best friend, drops so many truth bombs, it’s hard to keep track. By the time the couple are sitting down to their wedding night dinner, they are exhausted—not from each other but from their families. Ezra and Amira question if their marriage could survive with this level of tension, so they break up.

And then what happens? I won’t

answer because “You People” will be available for streaming to Netflix subscribers beginning Jan. 27, 2023.

Starring Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, David Duchovny, Sam Jay, Elliott Gould, Travis Bennett, Molly Gordon, Rhea Perlman, Deon Cole, Andrea Savage, Mike Epps, Anthony Anderson, Hal Linden and Richard Benjamin.

(L to R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Shelley, David Duchovny as Arnold, Lauren London as Amira, Nia Long as Fatima, Eddie Murphy as Akbar and Jonah Hill as Ezra in “You People.” (Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023)

(L to R) David Duchovny as Arnold, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Shelley, Jonah Hill (writer-producer) as Ezra, Lauren London as Amira, Eddie Murphy as Akbar and Nia Long as Fatima in “You People.” (Parrish Lewis/ Netflix © 2023)

Music On The Inside: Changing lives of the incarcerated through music

By NADINE MATTHEWS Special to the AmNews

Alina Bloomgarden, founder and director of arts program Music On The Inside (MOTI), told the AmNews in a recent interview that it was none other than jazz great Louis Armstrong himself who inspired her to start the program. She was producing a show at Lincoln Center about the music legend when she first learned that he spent time as a child in the Colored Waifs Home for Boys. The then-11-year-old had been sent to the reform school reportedly for shooting six blanks from his stepfather’s .38 revolver at a New Year’s Eve parade. “They had a music teacher and a band and it was the first real music education that he ever had, even though he already loved music,” she said.

The revelation made her pause. “I asked myself, ‘What are we doing for incarcerated youth and adults today?’ Because I know how healing music can be.”

It took another year of ruminating on the subject before Bloomgarden finally came up with the idea for MOTI, a program that takes musicians into prisons as teachers and mentors. As the founding producer of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Bloomgarden had many contacts to whom she turned for help with the idea. “I knew a lot of jazz musicians and had learned over the years that a lot of musicians in general have a tremendous empathy for people who have been impacted by incarceration, and they wanted to help.”

The organization got off the ground in December 2015.

Interestingly, Bloomgarden herself is not a musician but has been a music lover, particularly jazz, for much of her life. It was this enthusiasm for the genre,

plus her exposure to musician Barry Harris’s historic Jazz Cultural Theatre, that led to her founding Jazz at Lincoln Center. “I would just feel the healing quality of the music [at Jazz Cultural Theatre] and it moved me so much. I later wrote proposals to consider that jazz had a rightful place in America’s preeminent performing arts center.”

It took a number of attempts over a four-year period, but Lincoln Center’s president at the time, Nat Leventhal, finally gave her the go-ahead. Jazz at Lincoln Center was founded in 1987 and opened in 2004 in Time Warner Center.

MOTI, Bloomgarden said, has been “an amazing experience for me.” The program has worked with adults and some youths at facilities in New York State such as Rikers Island and the Greensboro Correctional Facility, and is expanding to other states.

“We already have people in Philadelphia and are working with developing some people out of Georgia,” said Bloomgarden.

The main focus is music mentorship. “We match adults and some youths who’ve served years and sometimes decades in prison, who kept themselves alive through music, one-on-one with a musician on their instrument.”

Meetings between mentors and mentees occur in person as well as virtually. Mentors include renowned musicians such as Arturo O’Farrill, Don Braden, and Peter Malinverni.

The program consists of six-week-long “semesters” that culminate in a musical performance.

What makes it special and necessary for Bloomgarden is that it departs from traditional notions of what people who are, or have been, incarcerated need to eventually reintegrate into society.

“The main focus seems to be on jobs and housing,” she said. “But our feeling is that people need to feel parity and to feel good about themselves again. Nothing is more immediate to [creating] parity with another person than music.”

One of MOTI’s mentees is Chontay Smith, who served more than 20 years in the Eastern Correctional Facility and Green Haven Correctional Facility. A pianist participating in the mentorship program for the past year, Smith said he also looks to Louis Armstring as an inspiration. “His story is so similar to mine in terms of a man who finds himself through an instrument and through music and the arts.”

According to Bloomgarden, “Chontay is a very naturally talented, musically engaged, person but he never had any real education.” MOTI partnered him with jazz pianist Peter Malinverni. “Peter was giving him real skills and real pedagogy in terms of how to

practice and how to understand music theory.”

While incarcerated, Smith created a keyboard using paper, and would memorize the music he heard at the prison’s church services. He would then go back and “play” on his makeshift keyboard. After leaving prison, MOTI helped him hone those skills. “They provided me with mentors and coaches who helped me to develop everything that’s musically inside of me,” he told the AmNews Smith also said MOTI provides rewards beyond strictly musical training. “There’s a leadership aspect where they actually helped me become a better leader and find myself through music. They caused me to change and challenge my perspective on life and make better choices. They’ve helped me develop a talent that exceeds my reputation and my past. They have provided me with a better and much brighter future that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. They’ve made the impossible possible for me.”

MOTI mentee Chontay Smith (left) and Alina Bloomgarden, founder of Music On The Inside and Jazz at Lincoln Center. (Ben Asen photo)

com

Glynn Turman & Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun, 1959

photo: Friedman Abeles

photo by Bobby Quillard:

By SUPREME GODDESS KYA

January 26, 2023—February 1, 2023

Rebirth of a New Nation: Life is a magnificent turn of events, like the magic carpet ride in Aladdin or the evil stepmother in Cinderella. Even when folks are malicious, trying their best to prevent or manipulate something from happening, greatness and divine love rise in their pure form to teach them a lesson. As long as you apply the footwork, you are an unstoppable force to be working with while they figure you out and plan accordingly. This week, put your hip, back, footwork, muscle work, strength, craftsmanship, mind, etc. to work, and do whatever it takes to get you through what you need to get through or accomplish. Allow the new moon in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus station direct and set you on a new course. “Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.” —Richie Norton

Much more is hidden in the unspoken words down to the very last details and gestures. Silence is your best friend as you build the dream you envision. Listen more to the unspoken, rather than the spoken, words and actions of self and others. A sudden change is brewing up like a quiet, slow snowstorm. The key to your happiness lies in your progress to see results, and within your preparation to see your growth. When you get on the other side you will notice more. Continue the journey. The details of January start to weigh in around the evening of January 27 till the dawn of January 30 to put your clues and hints together as to what is taking place.

Is your plate full or just enough to squeeze in some dessert after your meal? In this weekly cycle, you have questions as you search for answers, and they can be found within the stillness of breath. The answers will be revealed spontaneously or in divine order. Keep applying the footwork to see results as you travel through the unknown in your development. When you get the message you will understand why you had to wait and the exact time it made itself known. From the peak of dawn on January 30 till 3 p.m. February 1, look at the reflection in the mirror. Do you like what you see and the progress you see in your attributes? If yes, keep up the good work; if no, make improvements.

Remuneration is in effect from both sides of the receiving and giving end. Scenes are playing out like déjà vu; some give you the chills and some baffle you. This is the past, present and future occurring at once. Take note of the 411 right in front of you, like the clothes you are wearing. Certain things will alarm you—remember, it’s all happening for you since the effect of Neptune station going direct back in December is now catching up. The waterfall effects can be trippy or a trigger. Beginning February 1, slow motion is in effect, and a wake-up call (like the afore-mentioned Michael Jackson song “Do You Remember the Time?”).

Vroom, vroom, vroom is the sound of your takeoff within your profession, investments, relationships and other affairs. Old and new deals and offers are on the table now. The decision is yours. Reflect on the past for just a few moments, and on what happened when you did this or that, or your involvement in something. You are moving forward, not backward, so pass the test. From 48 minutes past 1 p.m. on January 25 till 42 minutes past 6 a.m. on January 27, there is no coincidence.

Information traveling at the speed of light—even the police officer is not able to write that ticket or track the speed and pull you over. That explains how you flew over their heads without even flying with the information they didn’t see coming. Offers; sponsors; donations from groups like memberships, programs, sororities, fraternities and secret societies would like for you to come onboard or join the team. Reflect on your why and your passion and what led you up to this position or seat. It wasn’t wishful thinking; look at where you are now. Choose the direction that speaks to your heart, mind and soul, and the drive and push that was given to make a move. It’s time to complete that right or left turn or keep focusing on what’s ahead, Join, become a member or simply collaborate without any strings attached, just building on the program. From January 27 till the mist of sunrise on January 30, ain’t no mountain high enough.

What’s the alarm going off in your head that’s bringing up past experiences, that swept you off your feet at first sight? It’s not all about what’s in front of you, just like it takes two to tango. What is inside of you that needs to be faced or released to elevate you higher to the next level? Make the commitment now and you will see results manifest later in May. Keep putting in the work and the concentration needed to get where you are going. A heart-to-heart conversation is needed with self and whoever else. On January 30 till 11 minutes past 3 p.m., it’s a total understanding of self like an inside joke. You got to laugh at how it started and your intentions.

Physical exercise and working are the antidotes needed to get your mind back in the game. Taking the lead and being the boss isn’t glitter and gold; it comes with a whole lot of experience that pays off later. It’s all a learning experience to specialize in your craft and select the best team. Keep moving right along because greatness takes time to develop. It’s not like a hot-and-ready Little Caesars pizza. Growth, faith and learning are key to the recipe until it looks right or the food fits your taste buds. Beginning February 1, the process starts off like a turtle and picks up like a lion in the jungle claiming its meals.

Vibe with the universal principles, laws like the pinnacle’s peak you hit at a certain age. This is one of those where following through on your plans is more efficient than the wait-and-see games. Take matters into your own hands and the help will pour in like raindrops falling from the sky. There is an invaluable lesson to be learned, hidden in conversations, messages, songs and even your feelings. Take heed of what’s in plain view. From January 25 till January 27, it’s all a dream—or was it? And whose dream is it? Is it yours?

The hidden messages will always show up in the public eye once you’ve learned what you’ve learned. This is some old, ancient information coming through that even textbooks are not allowed to share, due to the explicitness of the hidden truth. Catch the download while you can; it’s like a dolphin swimming in the ocean and making a big splash. Watch and learn as the story or movie plays out. From January 27 till January 30, as the saying goes, just like old times and what old folks used to talk about is a reality. A zigzag kind of experience with twists and turns is about to catch you like a surprise party or something that startled you. The truth was lying dormant like a rug at the front door. You catch the drift now. Pay attention to details because sudden partnerships are forming; just clarify the terms and conditions. You have been warned. Revelations of insights are occurring, also dramatic changes within your home, business and personal affairs. The truth will always be revealed. Take the high road—the one that calls on your spirit and soul to carry out. From January 30 till February 1, don’t mind grabbing some popcorn for the introduction and actions of people’s stories playing out like a movie.

It’s time to get to the root and the bottom of something that doesn’t sit well with you. Well, the Big Bang Theory is here toward the later days of January. The wheels are turning on the bus as they go round and round. As with everything, sit still and it will come to you. You are on a mission to help others on their journey as you evolve within your quest. This is a soul mission and destiny plays a role in a lesser way in January. When it happens, you will know. Beginning February 1, who left the water hose on as the water hit you like a refresher, like the cereal Rice Krispies “snap, crackle, pop”?

Here comes “I told you so.” You weren’t playing when disbursing information to help folks better themselves. Here comes the shakeup. This week, watch how the details of the news and folks’ conversations play out and how people’s reactions are before and during the storm. In the midst of everything, you are building on the mission of this great quest you were sent to do. Old and new bones are waking up and popping up all over the world. Thanks to the direct motion of Pluto, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Mars and retrogrades, it’s all making sense. Your health, finances, profession and relationships are changing. From January 25 till January 27, you sense something big is stirring up.

Vinateria

New African fiction to explore

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews

During these three weeks of the new year, time that the world has been learning and living within, it is important to understand that we as a Black community, a culture of grace and pride, must realize that the roots of our ancestors of the African diaspora are always within us. Since last year, African literature has become more and more prevalent in Western culture, giving due to the voices of African creativity, vision and imagination. African storytelling and its woven internal narratives has given rise to a new breadth of voices that deserve inclusion in the Black literary canon.

We, as children of the Harlem Renaissance, children of enslaved human beings, are being connected with those who are born of our generational soil from hundreds of years ago. Here are new African fiction books that are being published in this very new, very exciting year.

TheLastGiftoftheMaster Artists:ANovelby Ben Okri |

Penguin Random House

The award-winning Nigerian author has written an incredible, unique tale of a son of a king and a daughter of a craftsworker in the profound world of the historical African slave trade. Okri originally wrote this story in 2007 and published it throughout the African diaspora under the title Starbook. He chose to rewrite the novel to embody the reality of the Middle Passage with the backdrop of his imaginative story to deepen readers’ understanding the trials in tribulations which his people, and consequently his characters, needed to overcome. The Last Gift is a visionary revision that reveals the need for African stories to be shared throughout the Western world as a symbol of the future importance of the examination and realization of African literary fiction.

TheLanguageofLanguages

by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o |

University of Chicago Press

The iconic Kenyan author, academic and essayist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o began writing his beautifully clear, intelligent and diverse works in 1977 in his native tongue, an act that he considered to be a position of representation and resistance in the commodification of African writing. His newest work, The Language of Languages, is a piece of auto-translation, meaning Thiong'o translated his own writing to expand the breadth and reach of his seminal works, which include lectures and essays that he believes to be necessary to share with the world at large. He writes of his translations, “We find Ngũgĩ discussing translation as a conversation between cultures; proposing that dialogue among African languages is the way to unify African peoples…exploring the essential task translation performed in the history of the propagation of thought; and pleading for the hierarchy of languages to be torn down,” according to the University of Chicago Press.

Nightbloomby Peace Adzo Medie | Workman Press

Nightbloom is a new work of fiction that highlights the beauty and complexity of female friendship as two cousins, both of whom love each other and never wanting to be apart, find themselves separated when one is accepted at an American university to study medicine. They are brought back together through crisis, and the experiences they live while reconnecting allow author Peace Adzo Medie to share the truth of what Ghanaian immigrants face while living in the cultural intricacies of the United States and the delicate balance of maintaining their culture, families and self-identities.

ASpellofGoodThings by Ayobami Adebayo | Penguin Random House

The second novel by the award-winning Nigerian writer, Ayobami Adebayo, whose debut Stay with Me was translated into 22 languages and garnered International acclaim, continues her literary journey with A Spell of Good Things, a story of two young people from different social classes whose lives collide due to political conflict in the region. Adebayowhose’s ability to illustrate powerful cultural differences and disparities in her native country, combined with her stunning prose and wisdom beyond her years in her storytelling, makes her an exciting new African author. Her talent has the potential to open doors for a new generation of diasporic fiction and offer opportunities for the world to engage with fresh voices and creative perspectives.

Classic ‘Black Women Writers at Work’ republished nearly 40 years later

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews

The groundbreaking collection “Black Women Writers At Work,” originally published in 1983, will touch a new generational landscape in postmodern America. Republished during its 40th anniversary by the leftist independent publisher Haymarket Books, “Black Women Writers at Work” shares the writing process and practices of 14 Black American women writers including poets Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez; essayists Audre Lorde and Alice Walker; and authors Toni Morrison and Sherley Anne Williams. Princeton University professor and literary critic Claudia Tate writes an engaging introduction to the 2023 version of the book, noting its goal is to capture the lives and thoughts of these women, whose work is inextricably linked to their experiences as Black women in America. “This book orig-

inates in this belief,” writes Christine Jackson for Still Magazine. Feminist writer Tillie Olsen wrote the foreword.

The conceptualization of the writing practices and techniques of these women are published as a series of interviews allowing the highlighted writers to share their stories and personal understanding of what it takes for them to produce such powerful works consistently throughout their lengthy careers. This book was one of the rare collections that explored the minds of Black women writers who historically struggled to find equality in publishing. The relevance of “Black Women Writers at Work” is upheld through this reprinting. In these interviews, writers reflect on for whom they write and their responsibilities, as well as the places where fiction and lived experience overlap. Their responses are both candid and full of insights. In Maya Angelou’s section, for example, she responds to a question about whether she

envisioned Maya (the character) as symbolic of every Black girl growing up in America. “‘Yes, after a while I did,’ she says. ‘It’s a strange condition, being an autobiographer and a poet. I have to be so internal, and yet while writing, I have to be apart from the story so that I don’t fall into indulgence … It’s damned difficult for me to preserve this distancing. But it’s very necessary,’” continues Jackson in her piece for Still.

Tate shares a poignant thought, “Black women writers and critics are acting on the old adage that one must speak for oneself if one wishes to be heard.”

The full list of featured writers is: Maya Angelou, Toni Cade Bambara, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alexis De Veaux, Nikki Giovanni, Kristin Hunter, Gayl Jones, Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, Margaret Walker, and Sherley Anne Williams.

For more info, visit www.haymarketbooks.org

Angela Bassett makes history as first Marvel actor nominated for an Oscar

By MAGRIRA and SUNIL SADARANGANI Special to the AmNews

Processing the announcement of the 2023 Oscar nominations through the lens of African-Americans, Latinos, South Asians and Asians takes some time and effort. There’s a lot missing, and that is Hollywood’s problem. The issue begins at the source, meaning it starts with which films are greenlit and/or funded.

No African/Afro-Latino/African-American actors landed an Oscar nomination in the lead actor category.

Critics are quick to wiggle their fingers in judgment at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but the truth is that the lack of diversity and inclusion begins inside the Hollywood machine itself. If films are not greenlit, they won’t get made, and they have no hope of being nominated if they don’t get made. It’s a vicious circle. As people of color, we know that if we don’t keep the pressure on (24 hours, 365 days a year), we will slowly lose ground, and before we know it, we will feel like we’re living inside Jim Crow laws all over again.

On the positive side of diversity, Angela Bassett made history as the first Marvel actor to be nominated for an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) for her portrayal of Ramonda, the Queen Mother, in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the Black Panther sequel. She has already earned several accolades for her role—in addition to win-

ning a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress, she also has been nominated for a SAG and a BAFTA.

Going out on a limb here, but we predict the Oscar for best song will go to “Naatu Naatu” from the global crossover hit film “RRR” directed by director S.S. Rajamouli.

This song is the first to come from a fully funded and produced south Indian film. The momentum is strong for “Naatu Naatu,” which won the best song award at the Golden Globes (January 10) with M.M. Keeravani, the composer of the film’s score and co-writer.

If “Naatu Naatu” wins, it will follow what happened in 2019 with the Oscar going to “Jai Ho” from the film “Slumdog Millionaire,” which also won best picture that year. The composer was A.R. Rahman, who won the best score twice. Note the difference: “Slumdog” was a British production and “RRR” is solely a south Indian production. Southern Indian Cinema is used to refer collectively to the four distinct film industries: Tollywood (Telugu), Kollywood (Tamil), Mollywood (Malayalam) and Sandalwood (Kannada) as a single entity.

SNUBS:

The elephant in the room as it relates to snubs was Ms. Viola Davis, “The Woman King,” which was a big surprise since the film won critical accolades along with box office success.

Danielle Deadwyler in “Till”—directed by Chinonye Chukwu, a Nigerian American—was considered the “breakout” per-

formance for her portrayal of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of murdered teen Emmett Till. Indicators pointed in the right direction since she earned a SAG and Critics’ Choice nomination and even won a Gotham Award, but she failed to land an Oscar nomination.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Best Picture: Although the original “Black Panther” became the first Marvel movie to land a best picture nomination, the sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” did get a best picture nomination despite earning a Producers’ Guild Nomination. The film did mark a place in the cinema history books, with Angela Bassett (supporting actress) being the first ever actor to be nominated for a Marvel film.

It’s heartbreaking that no female directors are nominated for best director after a two-year (consecutive) winning streak. Snubbed are the uber-talented Gina PrinceBythewood (“The Woman King”), Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”) and Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”).

The other heartbreak is the dismissal of “RRR,” directed by S.S. Rajamouli. His engaging and entertaining film about two real-life Indian revolutionaries eats the screen, stepping into the story with sheer bravado. The film nomination for the song “Naatu Naatu” is nice, but the film deserved a best picture nomination.

SURPRISES:

Brian Tyree Henry’s nomination under

best supporting actor is a lovely surprise. His fellow thespians have been warming to him for a while now. In the film (“Causeway”), he plays the character James, a grieving New Orleans auto mechanic who befriends Jennifer Lawrence’s recuperating soldier Lynsey.

The nomination of Cuban-Spanish Ana de Armas in “Blonde” for best lead actress was another welcome surprise. Interestingly, Monroe’s mother, Gladys Pearl Monroe, was born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, in 1902, according to birth registration documents. The Monroes had immigrated to the town across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, after a series of droughts ravaged the Midwest in the 1880s.

In the documentary feature and documentary short film categories, two films were nominated that come from India:

“All That Breathes” by Shaunak Sen (HBO Documentary Films, Best Documentary) and “The Elephant Whisperers” by Kartiki Gonsalves (Netflix, Best Documentary Short Film). Both films were highlighted in a recent article for Deadline Hollywood by Sadarangani (https:// bit.ly/3R7qsXQ).

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honor films released in 2022 and is scheduled to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on March 12, 2023.

To see the complete list of Oscar nominations, visit https://www.oscars.org/.

(L-R): Dorothy Steel as Merchant Tribe Elder, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Danai Gurira as Okoye in Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL)

AmNews Food

Pair soup and sandwich for a warming winter meal

Cool winter days and their cold, crisp air call for a quick warmup in the form of a classic combo: soup and sandwich. Next time you need to be warmed up from the inside out, go for a homemade pairing that brings together a cheesy handheld and hearty minestrone.

When you sit down for a wintertime meal with the family, Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Aunt Nellie's Pickled Beets provides

the comfort you crave with caramelized onions, gooey melted cheese and toasted sourdough. Slowly simmered to savory perfection, 3-Bean Tortellini Minestrone— powered by READ 3-Bean Salad—plays the ideal complement to the griddled sandwiches as a filling soup without the hassle. To find more comforting meal ideas made for combating the cold, visit AuntNellies.com and READSalads.com.

3-Bean Tortellini Minestrone

Recipe courtesy of Joy of Eating

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

1 can (15 ounces) READ 3-Bean Salad

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

3 peeled garlic cloves, minced

2 pinches salt, plus additional to taste, divided

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste, divided

Drain and rinse bean salad; set aside.

In large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 pinch salt; sauté until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, celery and zucchini with remaining pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp and tender, 5–7 minutes.

3 small carrots, trimmed, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Parmesan rind (optional)

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

9–10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 cups baby spinach

Jarred pesto, for serving (optional)

Stir in tomatoes. Add Parmesan rind, if desired. Cook about 10 minutes until most tomato juice evaporates. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Add tortellini; cook 2 minutes, or just until tender. Stir in bean salad and spinach. Cook 2–3 minutes to heat through.

Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with pesto, if desired.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Pickled Beets

Recipe courtesy of Carlsbad Cravings

Prep time: 60 minutes

Caramelized onions:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 large yellow onions, halved, sliced 1/4inch thick

1–2 tablespoons water (optional)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

To make caramelized onions: In Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.

Cook until onions are caramelized and rich, deep golden-brown, about 25 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat to medium-low or add water if onions are dry or start to scorch before caramelizing.

Add sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Onions should be jammy and darkly caramelized when done. Remove to plate to cool.

To make sandwiches: Spread out bread slices on flat surface. Spread

Sandwiches:

8 large sourdough slices, 1/2-inch thick

1/3 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, at room temperature

1 jar Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets (about 32 beets)

2 cups baby arugula

2 tablespoons butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

thin layer of mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.

Turn four bread slices over and spread goat cheese on plain side. Top goat cheese with Gruyere, even layer of beets, caramelized onions and arugula. Top with remaining bread, mayo side out. Secure with toothpicks, if desired. In large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add two sandwiches, cover and grill until bottom of bread is toasted—about 5–7 minutes—and cheese starts melting, checking often. Flip and cook, uncovered, until cheese is melted and bottom of bread is toasted. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. (Family Features)

BILL’S PLACE, BIRDLAND, CAMILLE GAINER JONES

The saxophonist and flautist Frank Wess played a major role in bringing the flute into the jazz mainstream. The native of Kansas City toured the globe, performing everywhere from Japan to Germany and Europe. He was a regular at New York’s Birdland, the Blue Note and St. Peter’s Church in Manhattan.

Wess’s infectious solos on both flute and tenor saxophone made him an invaluable member of Count Basie’s band in the early 1950s and ’60s; later, he became an impressive composer and arranger. Basie liked his flute for its colorful tones. Today it remains a toss up on which instrument Wess was the most proficient. If you listen to his rendition of “The Very Thought of You,” you may lean toward his flute, but those boastful, lyrical, soul-swinging rhythms on his tenor sax—wow.

On January 24-28, the Scott Robinson Octet will pay tribute to the jazz man (who would have been 101 this January) at Birdland, two sets each night. Scott Robinson has reassembled the octet that he and Wess started in the early 1990s. The

repertoire will consist of many original arrangements written by Wess that the group performed with him on many occasions (kindly provided by his widow, Sara Tsutsumi, who will be in attendance).

The octet will include multi-instrumentalist and musical director Scott Robinson (on tenor and baritone sax, alto clarinet and bass flute); Bill Easley on tenor and alto sax, flute; Frank Greene and Mike Rodriguez on trumpets; Steve Davis, trombone; Michael Weiss, piano; Rufus Reid, bass; and Dennis Mackrel on drums. This is an all-star line-up that may not happen again. These are musicians with distinction as bandleaders and composers, representing the 20th and 21st centuries of jazz music.

When many fans think of Wess, they automatically recall saxophonist Frank West during their Basie days when the two were known as “the Two Franks.” In the Count Basie band, they were known for their duets and “tenor battles.” They continued their association long after leaving Basie and often performed together.

Wess’s extensive résumé includes playing in the pit band for “Golden Boy” on Broadway, starring Sammy Davis, Jr. and playing

for TV shows such as “The David Frost Show” and “Saturday Night Live,” and on jingles. Wess was not only an incredible musician; he was a wonderful human being and quite humorous.

For reservations, visit the website birdlandjazz.com or call 212-581-3080. Birdland is at 315 W. 44th Street.

Many prolific jazz musicians have called Harlem home and were adopted as honorary residents. Some of them include Scott Joplin through the Harlem Renaissance, with James P. Johnson to Billie Holiday, and bandleaders Jimmy Lunceford, Chic Webb, Count Basie and Roy Haynes. However, there is a native son: The saxophonist and composer Bill Saxton didn’t travel to New York to perfect his craft, he was born at Harlem Hospital. Today his original speakeasy jazz club Bill’s Place (148 W. 133rd Street; once a part of Swing Street on 133rd Street during Prohibition, where Billie Holiday performed) carries on the jazz tradition every weekend on Friday and Saturday nights with the Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars. There are two sets each night at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Don’t look for major names on the

bandstand, but don’t be surprised if they show up, which often happens. For many years, when Saxton wasn’t touring, he was mentoring young aspiring musicians like Camille Thurman, Camille Gainer Jones and Lakecia Benjamin.

Saxton makes a habit of hiring young students. “For the last 17 years, I have practiced hiring young musicians, it gives them experience on the band stand and helps perfect their stage presence,” he said. “When I was coming up, musicians like Jackie McLean and Clark Terry allowed us young cats to sit in, plus there were a lot of clubs that offered jam sessions with the older guys.”

Bill’s Place offers audiences an opportunity to witness rising stars in the making, led by the accomplished composer and bandleader Saxton. Some of the many legends Saxton has played with include Frank Foster, Charlie Persip Big Band, Roy Haynes (who donated his drum set to Bill’s Place), Pharoah Sanders, Nancy Wilson, Tito Puente and Carmen McRae (also born in Harlem). As a big band contributor, he was a regular in Frank Foster’s Loud Minority, Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band and most recently the Charles Tolliver Big Band.

Bill’s Place is where aspiring musicians rise to the top.

Reservations required—call 212281-0777.

Camille Gainer Jones, the versatile drummer with a keen sense of swing, will perform for one night only at Brooklyn’s hard-hittin’ jazz spot Sista’s Place (456 Nostrand Avenue) on January 28; two sets, 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Jones will be joined by an able cast featuring pianist Willerm Delisfort, alto saxophonist Chris Hemingway and bassist Lonnie Plaxico. Be prepared for her creative journey, free-swinging melodic beats that will be under and over her intuitive band carrying the flow. Audiences will be on the edge of their seats. If some funk gets in the mix, you may want to dance. It’s Sista’s Place so don’t be afraid to get down.

The drummer has played with musicians from a variety of genres, including R&B singer Jean Carn, Roy Ayers, Cyndi Lauper, Alicia Keys, Marc Cary and Greg Osby. With surely a varied list, it’s easy to realize that the drummer has some vibing music to offer.

For reservations, call 718-3981766. Admission is $25.

Frank Wess (left) and Jimmy Owens, Rochester, NY, August 1977 (Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frank_Wess_&_Jimmy_Owens.jpg), “Frank Wess & Jimmy Owens,” https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode)

Childhood memories of Annie L. Burton CLASSROOM IN THE

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

We are not sure if the image on this book is actually Annie L. Burton or one of the other writers included in the volume. The woman depicted on the cover may merely be representative, but let us presume it is a likeness of Burton because her story is absolutely compelling and warrants discussion.

For us, she was first encountered years ago in Margaret Busby’s definitive collection Daughters of Africa. After profiling several preRevolutionary War individuals who lived in the northeast, we felt it was time to balance the geography and venture South again. Women’s Slave Narratives and Burton’s story is an informative portal.

Busby’s brief precis provides an engaging introduction to Burton, noting that she was born into slavery circa 1860. “Her father was a white man from Liverpool, England,” Busby begins, “and she was liberated in childhood by the Union army. Moving North in 1879, she was among the earliest Black emigrants there from the U.S. South during the post-Civil War era.

“First as a laundress,” Busby continued, “and later as a cook, she successfully supported herself in Boston and New York. She took on the responsibility of raising her sister’s son, moved to Georgia, and eventually became a restaurateur in Jacksonville, Florida and subsequently in Boston, seeing her nephew through college. She married Samuel Burton in 1888.” Burton published Memories of Childhood’s Slavery Days in 1909, and the excerpt below is from her opening chapters, where she begins recollecting a happy life on the plantation.

“The memory of my happy, carefree childhood days on the plantation, with my little white and black companions, is often with me. Neither master nor mistress nor neighbors had time to bestow a thought upon us, for the great Civil War was raging. That great event in American history was a matter wholly outside the realm of our childish interests. Of course we heard our elders discuss the various events of the great struggle, but it meant nothing to us. On the plantation there were ten white children

and fourteen colored children. Our days were spent roaming about from plantation to plantation, not knowing or caring what things were going on in the great world outside our little realm. Planting time and harvest time were happy days for us. How often at the harvest time the planters discovered corn stalks missing from the ends of the rows, and blamed the crows! We were called the ‘little fairy devils.’ To the sweet potatoes and peanuts and sugar cane we also helped ourselves.

“Those slaves that were not married served the food from the great house, and about half-past eleven they would send the older children with food to the workers in the fields. Of course, I followed, and before we got to the fields, we had eaten the food nearly all up. When the workers returned home they complained, and we were whipped. The slaves got their allowance every Monday night of molasses, meat, corn meal, and a kind of flour called ‘dredgings’ or ‘shorts.’ Perhaps this allowance would be gone before the next Monday night, in which case the slaves would steal hogs and chickens. Then would come the whipping-post. Master himself never whipped his slaves; this was left to the overseer.

“We children had no supper, and only a little piece of bread or something of the kind in the morning. Our dishes consisted of one wooden bowl, and oyster shells were our spoons. This bowl served about fifteen children, and often the dogs and the ducks and the peafowl had a dip in it. Sometimes we had buttermilk and bread in our bowl, sometimes greens or bones. Our clothes were little homespun cotton slips, with short sleeves. I never knew what shoes were until I got big enough to earn them myself. If a slave man and woman wished to marry, a party would be arranged some Saturday night among the slaves.

“The marriage ceremony consisted of the pair jumping over a stick. If no children were born within a year or so, the wife was sold. At New Year’s, if there was any debt or mortgage on the plantation, the extra slaves were taken to Clayton and sold at the courthouse. In this way families were separated. When they were getting recruits for the war, we were allowed to go to Clayton to see the soldiers. I remember, at the be-

ACTIVITIES

FIND OUT MORE

While childhood memories are the gist of things in the narrative, it is still an insightful recollection of plantation life, providing an alternative perspective.

DISCUSSION

We remain concerned about the image on the cover of her book, but perhaps one of our readers can help us in this pursuit.

PLACE IN CONTEXT

Burton clearly identifies the period in which she lived as the Civil War raged.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY

ginning of the war, two colored men were hung in Clayton; one, Caesar King, for killing a bloodhound and biting off an overseer’s ear; the other, Dabney Madison, for the murder of his master. Dabney Madison’s master was really shot by a man named Houston, who was infatuated with Madison’s mistress, and who had hired Madison to make the bullets for him. Houston escaped after the deed, and the blame fell on Dabney Madison, as he was the only slave of his master and mistress. The clothes of the two victims were hung on two pine trees, and no colored person would touch them. Since I have grown up, I have seen the skeleton of one of these men in the office of a doctor in Clayton.

“After the men were hung, the bones were put in an old deserted

house. Somebody that cared for the bones used to put them in the sun in bright weather, and back in the house when it rained. Finally the bones disappeared, although the boxes that had contained them still remained.

At one time, when they were building barns on the plantation, one of the big boys got a little brandy and gave the children a drink, enough to make us drunk. Four doctors were sent for, but nobody could tell what was the matter with us, except they thought we had eaten something poisonous. They wanted to give us some castor oil, but we refused to take it, because we thought that the oil was made from the bones of the dead men we had seen. Finally, we talked about the big white boy giving us the brandy, and the mystery was cleared up.”

Jan. 22, 1931: Famed vocalist and songwriter Sam Cooke was born in Chicago. He was killed in 1964.

Jan. 24, 1993: Thurgood Marshall, the Black Supreme Court Justice, died in Maryland. He was 84.

Jan. 25, 1981: Grammy Award-winning singer and pianist Alicia Keys was born in New York City.

found dead on Wednesday in her Upper West Side apartment, bound and gagged. Lashawn Mackey, 47, was arrested and charged for her murder. He reportedly once worked as a super in the victim’s building. The NYPD is also looking for a second, “unidentified” suspect connected to the killing.

Even those who disrupt the violence were subject to it. A prayer vigil was held at Brookdale Hospital for Taronn Sloan, a violence interrupter known by the community as “Tree,” who is recovering from a gunshot to the chest. He rep-

CM Velazquez

Continued from page 3

happens to me?”

Velázquez reasoned that people who were justice-involved or affected by the “war on drugs” should be respected in the cannabis industry and nothing excuses unlicensed retailers who may come from similar backgrounds.

“The intention should be to respect the good actors— the ones who are doing right by following the letter of the law, and certainly do the arduous task of going through the licensing process and application,” said Velázquez. “We can’t keep devaluing our small businesses in their hard work and effort to build up communities versus the smoke shops that are coming in and disrespecting communities by doing it so close to schools, churches and senior centers.”

In Velázquez’s district, she said, many smoke shops have opened near schools, community spaces and houses of worship, which would be illegal if they were legally licensed cannabis shops. The proximity to schools has created opportunities for underage minors to visit these cannabis stores.

Brewer’s office identified 22 of the 26 illicit cannabis retailers in her district as also selling psychedelics, illegal tobacco products and banned flavored e-cigarettes. She said that in one instance, a shop’s contraband was cleared out, but less than two days later, they were back to being fully stocked. Brewer said she does not wish to see shop owners end up in the criminal justice system, but enforcement has to be “routine and present” in government.

“I am concerned that the free-for-all environment will become entrenched and undermine the law’s intent before the legal market takes shape. There are public health risks such as underage use and contaminated products,” said Brewer. “There is no ambiguity in the law—it’s illegal to sell cannabis without a license, but there’s ambiguity in who can enforce it.”

New York City Sheriff Anthony Mi -

resents Brownsville In, Violence Out (BIVO), one of the city’s six official Cure Violence model sites in Brooklyn. Such programs are designed to prevent shootings through preventive measures such as working with at-risk youth and defusing potentially violent disagreements.

“This was random,” said New York City gun violence czar A.T. Mitchell. “From what we understand, he wasn’t [a] target. This was a random situation. And thankfully he survived it. But we want him to know that this community and his colleagues and comrades of the crisis management system and the gun violence awareness movement have his back and wish him a speedy recovery.”

At the vigil, Councilmember Charles Barron

randa works alongside the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), and NYPD on a compliance task force that’s been put together to “weed out” illegal smoke shops.

“We continue to collaborate,” said Miranda. “I think that we are effectively working as a team, collaborating, exchanging information and personnel as needed. And we’ll continue to do these operations at various times and dates so that people know that we’re out there addressing the issue.”

Miranda testified at the hearing that there has been a huge increase in visible unlicensed cannabis shops, with more than 1,200 identified locations that need to be inspected. Their team has seized at least 15 cannabis mobile trucks, about 147,000 cannabis products and 604 pounds of cannabis since last year. Both criminal and civil violations have been issued by the interagency task force and at least 17 search warrants issued. There have been 951 complaints related to smoke shops via 311, which the police use to get information about stores. In some cases, shops are communicating with one another to avoid inspections and compliance visits, said Miranda.

Meanwhile, there’s been an increase in robberies and violent incidents around these illicit shops at an “alarming” pace, said the NYPD. Last year, there were 593 commercial robberies of smoke shops, a 137% increase from the previous year. About 30% of the people arrested for the

urged the public to look at prevention from disruptors like Sloan when engaging with news on violent crime.

“You know what’s not recorded?” said Barron. “When y’all have a shooting and you make sure there’s no retaliation. What’s not recorded is what y’all prevent when you go there and do some negotiation, mediation. That’s not on the news. That’s not in the statistics.”

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News.Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

robberies are young adults aged 15 to 19.

The NYPD said they offer security tips and crime prevention surveys for how owners should protect themselves. They’re also taking a direct approach to protecting store owners by parking squad cars in front of shops and tracking groups across boroughs that seem to be committing the same types of robberies in other stores.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://bit. ly/amnews1

Metro Briefs

Continued from page 3

Black-owned restaurants participating in 2023’s NYC Restaurant Week

Twenty-two Black-owned restaurants are participating in this year’s NYC Restaurant Week, which began Jan. 17 and actually lasts four weeks––until Feb. 12. Restaurant Week allows diners to sample prix-fixe meals like a twocourse lunch or a three-course dinner at participating restaurants. The Black-owned restaurants listed as participating this year are: in the Bronx—Flava’s Restaurant and Lounge; Brooklyn—Kokomo, The Ariapita, Sweet Catch, Therapy Wine Bar 2.0, Sweet Brooklyn Bar, Allan’s Bakery Bar & Café, Mac Shack, Bleu Fin, Bushwick Grind, Lips Café, and Wi Cafe & Wine Bar; Manhattan—Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine, Bixi, Harlem Hops, Sylvia’s, Vinatería, Paté Palo Bar & Grill, BLVD Bistro, Omar’s Kitchen &

Queens—Neir’s

Rum Bar, and Lagos Times Square; and

Tavern.

––compiled by Karen Juanita Carrillo

Council member Charles Barron (center) speaks at prayer vigil with gun violence czar A.T. Mitchell (right) for violence interrupter shot in Brownsville. (Angelina Miller photo)

Councilmember Marjorie Velazquez and others hold rally and oversight hearing on proliferation of unlicensed smoke shops at City Hall. (Contributed photo)

Education

Brooklyn Robotics League holds championship competition

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) held a championship com-

petition recently for kids who participated in the Brooklyn Robotics League. After a 10-week series of after-school workshops where kids were taught how to use LEGO

EV3 Robotics and the LEGO Spike Prime set, the Jan. 21 “Super Powered” championship competition convened teams from all over Brooklyn at the borough’s Central

Library, where they were able to demonstrate their understanding of STEM concepts.

BPL partnered with NYC First to host the free STEM workshop

classes. Kids interested in taking part in the 2023 Brooklyn Robotics League should contact their local BPL branch to find out when classes will start again.

Kids were challenged to demonstrate their understanding of STEM concepts in the Brooklyn Robotics League competition (Gregg Richards/Brooklyn Public Library photos)

not meant for families. The initial plans for the development project included three mixed-use buildings with two towers, one 27 stories and the other 31 stories high, that spanned five lots of land space on W. 145th Street between Lenox Ave./Malcolm X Boulevard and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.

Developer Bruce Teitelbaum’s plans also included a new National Action Network (NAN) headquarters, signed off on by the Rev. Al Sharpton; a green energy component; and, after much heated debate, a portion of “affordable housing” that wasn’t market rate.

Richardson Jordan and Teitelbaum had fraught negotiations over the proposal’s lack of affordable housing that could benefit the Area Median Income (AMI) level of residents already in the community. The developer made some last-minute changes to the building plans to satisfy angered residents, but eventually withdrew the plans for the site just before the land use vote on May 31, 2022. The developer then dumped a truck depot in the middle of where the housing project would have been and has not indicated that he will come back with a renewed housing proposal.

Richardson Jordan is known for not believing in “private back door deals with developers” and will only hold meetings with developers with community members. Richardson Jordan said she has not been in contact with Teitelbaum, the mayor’s office or state officials, but has reached out to all stakeholders. She said other developers with projects have decided to meet community standards for affordability and that Teitelbaum is an outlier who is not used to being told no.

“At one time, no one wanted to come to Harlem. Now everyone wants to come to Harlem because Harlem is now considered an opportunity,” said Community Advocate Dolina Duzant at the rally. “These opportunists do not have the community’s care and concern in mind. Harlem continues to deal with issues of high crime, affordable housing, health disparities and environmental injustices. This truckstop is a tantrum.”

Another housing advocate, Delsenia Glover, described Teitelbaum as “arrogant, disdainful and disrespectful” during meetings and hearings.

Several speakers at the rally were upset that leaders such as NAN and other Black electeds hadn’t been more vocal about the developer or the truckstop.

“The media should be asking all of the mainstream entrenched politicians in Harlem why they are silent about this,” said Don Curtis of the Unified Black Caucus (UBC). “They should be asking Rev. Al Sharpton, who’s right there, why he’s not saying anything about toxic poison and fumes in this community. Why is he silent on it?”

A NAN spokesperson said that to their knowledge, no one from NAN was invited to Saturday’s rally, but there is the possibility that members from the office walked over; NAN headquarters is a few doors down on the same block from the truckstop.

“NAN has grave concerns and those who are directly impacted by the possible environmental concerns over a truck stop have relayed those concerns in conversations with the Borough President’s office, Community Board 10 and the lawyers for the developers,” said the spokesperson.

NAN is in intense negotiations with the developers over whether it’s a matter of where and when NAN has to move its headquarters, said NAN. They are also holding a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Esplanade Gardens who will be affected by this.

Assemblymember Inez Dickens, who is running for City Council District 9, said she applauds Manhattan Borough President Levine and others for drawing attention to the “very real and very serious issue” of affordable housing in the Harlem community.

“Those in positions of power need to recognize the importance of not just refusing what they consider inadequate proposals but also bringing solutions to the table,” said Dickens in a statement. “I have done this time and time again, most recently through negotiations to have more affordable housing built right here in Harlem at the National Urban League development on 125th Street. This type of success doesn’t come from constantly moving the goalposts when you don’t get your way. Harlem families are at stake here and that needs to be the priority.”

Similarly, Assemblymember and City Council candidate Al Taylor said the city is facing a housing and affordability crisis, and Harlem is facing a health crisis with asthma and respiratory issues as well as injuries and deaths from vehicular traffic.

“A truck depot is absolutely unacceptable to this community,” said Taylor in a statement.

“I am willing to work together with stakeholders on every side in order to get this community what it needs: safe, healthy and truly affordable housing. I believe that we can and we must work together to build up neighborhoods in ways that strengthen the communities on the ground, provide resources and jobs, and create a more livable New York City.”

The Amsterdam News reached out to Teitelbaum’s company, the Royal Promotion Group (RPG), for a comment. There was no response by press time.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https:// bit.ly/amnews1.

Attorneys

charged with killing Tyre Nichols for the simple act of driving while Black. I have spoken to Tyre’s family, offered my support and told them I plan to travel to Memphis in the coming days. The fact that these officers are Black makes it more egregious to those of us in the Civil Rights Movement. These officers should not be allowed to hide their deeds behind their Blackness. We are against all police brutality—not just white police brutality. A message must be sent that these lethal levels of force will not be tolerated, ensuring that perpetrators of this violence cannot use their badge to shield themselves from prosecution, so that Tyre’s four-year-old son can grow up in a world where he does not have to live in fear of those who are supposed to protect and serve us. Authorities must be transparent, which is why it is imperative they release the footage as soon as possible. Thirty-two years after the nation called for us to do better after the brutal beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles, our leaders failed Tyre Nichols, Terence Crutcher and countless others.”

The city has been on edge about the release of the police footage because of the possibility of unrest. Nichols’s stepfather, Rodney Wells, asked that if there are protests, that they remain peaceful, saying violence “is not what Tyre wanted and won’t bring him back.”

Relatives have accused the police of beating Nichols and causing him to have a heart attack and kidney failure. Authorities have only said that Nichols experienced a medical emergency. The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the arrest, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether excessive force was used.

Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis announced Friday that five officers involved in the arrest were fired after the police probe determined that they used excessive force or failed to intervene and render aid. The officers were identified as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond

Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith.

All five officers are Black, although Crump said that was irrelevant—that Black and brown motorists often are treated differently than whites regardless of the officers’ race, and the pain of Nichols’s death “is just the same.”

Wells, who said the family wants the officers charged with first-degree murder, told reporters that his stepson had good reason to run from the officers. “Our son ran because he was scared for his life, and when you see the video, you’ll see why he was scared for his life.”

Attorneys said Nichols can be heard on the video crying out for his mother.

RowVaughn Wells said that on the day of the arrest, her son was looking forward to a chicken she was going to cook for dinner that night.

“All my son was trying to do was come home,” she said. She sobbed during the news conference and told reporters Nichols was less than 80 yards (73 meters) from home when Memphis police officers “murdered him.”

“We’re going to get justice for my son, Tyre, if that’s the last breath I take,” she said.

After the family’s news conference, about 10 activists walked into the lobby of Mulroy’s office to demand answers to why the district attorney was withholding the video from the public for up to two more weeks and why he hadn’t charged the officers.

“People want to see what happened to Tyre,” activist Pamela Buress said, “and we’re angry about it.”

The Nichols case is the latest high-profile death to rattle the city. Since November 2021, Memphis has seen the fatal shooting of rapper Young Dolph in a daytime ambush at a bakery, a crime rampage in which a man has been charged with fatally shooting three people and wounding three others, the killing of a United Methodist Church pastor during a carjacking in her driveway, and the early-morning kidnapping of a jogger whose body was later found near a house.

Associated Press video journalist Noreen Nasir, and reporters Rebecca Reynolds in Louisville, Kentucky, and Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, contributed to this story.

Religion & Spirituality

Grenada’s journey to 50

By NOSAYABA ODESANYA Special to the AmNews

Our Lady of Refuge Church Hall and St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, both in Brooklyn, will be two of the locations celebrating Grenada’s 49 years of independence this weekend.

To mark “The journey to 50. Reflecting on the past—Planning the future,” the Grenada Independence Anniversary Committee of New York (GIACONY) will host the 49th celebration of independence. The committee “[w]elcomes Grenadians and friends to celebrate this astonishing accomplishment with a series of awe-inspiring events.”

The theme of the scheduled events was chosen by the National Celebrations Committee and members of Grenada’s Cabinet. Along with the annual series of events, this year’s celebrations will feature the visiting presence of Hon. Joseph Andall, Grenada’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export; Hon. Andy Williams, minister of Mobilization, Implementation and Transformation; and Hon. Delma Thomas, member of the opposition in Grenada’s Parliament.

“The entire team at the Grenada Independence Anniversary Committee of New York, is collectively encouraging Grenadians and friends of Grenada, to celebrate ‘The journey to 50, reflecting on the past, planning the future,’” said Gerry Hopkins, GIACONY spokesperson and events co-organizer.

Events will be held from January 27 to February 4, 2023, featuring three major events that will lead to the annual 49th celebration. The festivities will kick off with “A Cultural Evening” on Friday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Refuge Church Hall in Brooklyn. The second event is “The Independence Youth Fest” on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the same location. The third and last event for that weekend will be “The Independence Ecumenical Service” on Sunday, Jan. 29, 4 p.m. at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn.

“Don’t worry, you will get a chance to cool off your feet for the week, but then you will need to get back on it to close out the Grenada Independence tradition and celebrate with GIACONY for the 49th Anniversary of Independence Gala, Dinner,

Awards, Dance & Raffle on Saturday, Feb. 4, 9 pm to 2 am,” said Hopkins.

The gala will be held at Antun’s Catering Hall (96-03 Springfield Gardens, Queens). Four highly accomplished Grenadians in the diaspora will receive awards for Excellence in Community Service, Cultural Heritage, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Distinguished Children/Youth Leadership.

There will be free drinks and door prizes, including a high-tech therapeutic mattress, Hopkins said, as well as live entertainment by In-Sync Band, violinist and singer Donnell Best, and saxophonist Jarel Bartholomew. Along with the live performances, classic music will be provided by DJs Little Bee, Joe Bailey, One Drop and Naughty Vybz.

But wait, there’s more, Hopkins added: “There will be a chance to win a $5 raffle [for] a Cartier watch and cash prizes of $500 and $1,000.”

Proceeds from the gala will be used to cover the cost of staging the planned activities in NYC. Donations will be made to the Nephrology Unit at the General Hospital in Grenada, which is being upgraded to offer full dialysis services.

For more information, go to https://www. facebook.com/giacony74?mibextid=ZbWKwL), call 347-350-4285 or email giaconypr@ gmail.com.

Hon. Joseph Andall — Member of the Parliament of Grenada & Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export

Hon. Andy Williams — Member of the Parliament of Grenada & Minister of Mobilization, Implementation and Transformation

Hon. Delma Thomas — Opposition Member of Parliament and former Minister for Social Development, Housing and Community Empowerment

addition to retail transactions, remittances and commercial transactions have been key drivers for Africa’s high adoption and usage rates.

“Crypto usage in Africa is driven by everyday necessity, as opposed to speculation by the already well-off,” Chainalysis found.

Anyone with access to a mobile phone and internet connectivity has the opportu-

Catholic Church

Continued from page 2

this on several occasions with Indigenous and Native peoples.”

Campbell, the former vice president of Costa Rica (she was the first vice president of African descent in Costa Rica and in Latin America), noted in the letter to Pope Francis––the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church––that “You have been a religious leader who is committed to the causes of justice, who is compassionate, and who has an infinite capacity to work for the common good and welfare of people. That’s why I am sure you clearly understand the horrors of violence, discrimination, and racism, which have caused pain and suffering in the lives of millions of people…

“[T]he request for forgiveness to descendants of enslaved people is a necessary historical path that contributes to human fraternity, reconciliation, and reparation for the harm done to millions of victims.”

This is, of course, not the first petition from Black people asking the Catholic Church

Weed licenses

dividuals to enhance their assistance, and use of opportunities and programs in the community job programs, GED, drug treatment, and mentoring.”

NYS Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a $200 million CAURD program in her FY 2023 Executive Budget, the nation’s first to make funding available for equity entrepreneurs at the forefront of the adult-use cannabis market. Through the program, industry licensing fees and private equity would support the development of dis-

Early Childhood

the system to meet the needs of families from birth to 5 years old. We heard numerous families vocalize a need for more infant and toddler seats in their communities. A truly universal system listens to the families it serves and prioritizes their needs. That is why we have already moved more than 600 seats to areas in need and converted approximately 500 unfilled seats to infant and toddler seats, increasing hours of care and ensuring year-

nity to engage in activities similar to those conducted through financial institutions and intermediaries, without costly bank fees. That includes payments, sending remittances and making investments.

While African commerce benefits from the unregulated aspects of cryptocurrency, western investors are hesitant to enter the market without government oversight.

The collapse of crypto exchange FTX, including the December 2022 arrest and extradition of FTX founder Sam Bankman-

to repent for its role in the enslavement of people of African descent. A Pew Research Center analysis found that the majority of Black Catholics—some 77%––believe that opposing racism is essential to being a good Christian. Members of the Oakland, Calif.based St. Columba Catholic Church have sent open letters to Pope Francis since 2015, inviting him “to apologize to African Americans and all people of color for the way our church family, the Roman Catholic Church, has contributed to the sickness of racism within our church and in society at large.”

The St. Columba Catholic Church has sent five letters to Pope Francis so far. “We [have] sent the letter every year since the Holy Father’s visit to us. Never did we get a response,” St. Columba’s Father Aidan McAleenan said in an email to the AmNews: “Sad.”

In a recent opinion piece in the National Catholic Reporter, Villanova University Professor Shannen Dee Williams wrote: “In the 15th century, the Catholic Church became the first global institution to declare that Black lives did not matter. In a series of papal bulls beginning with Pope Nicholas V’s ‘Dum Diversas’ (1452) and including Pope Alexander

pensary facilities for equity-entrepreneurs with a CAURD license.

As a disclaimer, the NYS Office of Cannabis Management states at the top of its website (https://cannabis.ny.gov/retailers-distributors), “Note this is not a license to sell marijuana. The Cannabinoid Hemp Program only regulates products derived from hemp.”

Is cannabis marijuana? Government double talk

According to the National Institutes of Health, “People often use the words ‘cannabis’ and ‘marijuana’ interchangeably, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.’ The word ‘cannabis’ refers to all products derived

Fried, hurt many large investors seeking quick profits. The U.S. Department of Justice shuttered the Russian exchange Bitzlato on Jan. 18 and the Department of Justice made an initial announcement suggesting that strong actions would be taken against the crypto sector.

FTX’s liquidity woes have spread contagion across the sector, as crypto investors fear another shoe will drop. Bitcoin is weathering the storm but is still down more than 17% over the past five days.

VI’s ‘Inter Caetera’ (1493), the church not only authorized the perpetual enslavement of Africans and the seizure of ‘non-Christian’ lands, but morally sanctioned the development of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. This trade forcibly transported at least 12.5 million enslaved African men, women, and children to the Americas and Europe to enrich European and often Catholic coffers. It also caused the deaths of tens of millions of Africans and Native Americans over nearly four centuries.

“In the land area that became the United States, the Catholic Church introduced African slavery in the 16th century long before 1619. In fact, at various moments in American history from the colonial era to the U.S. Civil War, the church was the largest corporate slaveholder in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. We must also never forget Roger B. Taney, the nation’s first Catholic Supreme Court Justice and a descendant of prominent Catholic slavers from Maryland, infamously declared that Black people ‘had no rights which the white man was bound to respect,’ while denying the freedom petitions of Dred and Harriet Scott and their

from the plant Cannabis sativa. The cannabis plant contains about 540 chemical substances. The word ‘marijuana’ refers to parts of or products from the plant Cannabis sativa that contain substantial amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the substance that’s primarily responsible for the effects of marijuana on a person’s mental state. Some cannabis plants contain very little THC. Under U.S. law, these plants are considered ‘industrial hemp’ rather than marijuana.”

What does industrial hemp contain? It is clear that these products can have an effect on a person’s mental state. How much is a “little” THC? The bottom line is industrial hemp is expected to generate more than a

round programming to better accommodate the schedules of working families.

We are not stopping there. New York City Public Schools are continuing to shift approximately 40,000 empty seats across our city to areas that will better serve children across the five boroughs.

This work is only possible with our partners; we are committed to making this system work better for the community-based organizations that families have relied on for early childhood education for years. We intentionally choose to work with local, com-

munity-supported organizations. These are the people who know these neighborhoods and the children who play there, and have a talent for getting stuff done—they are your neighbor, aunt, or brother who have dedicated their lives to service.

Few realize the impact the rapid Pre-K expansion has had on these providers. We are building an infrastructure that empowers the leadership of our community-based organizations, elevates their voice to the forefront, removes bureaucratic barriers, and engages in a supportive and meaning-

two daughters in 1857.”

Pope John Paul II, who led the Catholic Church from 1978 through 2005, made apologies for Catholicism’s role in enslaving Africans. In 1992, the Associated Press noted that “[d]uring his nine visits to Africa, John Paul… consistently apologized for the church’s role in the slave trade. ‘I cannot but deplore this cruel and sad offense to the dignity of the African man,’” the pope reportedly stated.

But while the Catholic Church has issued apologies, it has not asked for its victims to forgive the church for the harm it has caused.

“Forgiveness, as you have said repeatedly,” Campbell Barr wrote, “must be a welcoming forgiveness, that embraces the victims; that allows for reconciliation, for a fraternal reunification with Afrodescendant brothers and sisters.”

“We cannot change history, nor can we recover the thousands of lives lost in one of the greatest genocides in history. But we can accept historical mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and build a better future––and spare our Black children, and the next generations of African descendants, more pain and suffering.”

billion dollars in New York State within the next few years.

New York’s cannabis legalization law contains a provision to expunge certain convictions for marijuana-related offenses, and the state Office of Court Administration said the measure is expected to wipe out criminal records for potentially tens of thousands of people.

The deadline for expunging marijuanapossession convictions is two years from when the law was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021. The estimate of marijuana-related offenses that will be expunged is about 108,000, but that number is expected to grow to about 150,000 when all portions of the relevant cases can be identified.

ful partnership to make sure every program is high-quality.

We have done a tremendous amount of work in a short amount of time, and there is still so much more to do. That is not a challenge, but an opportunity. We want to give New Yorkers an early childhood program that works for all and that they can be proud to say their child attended.

For more information about New York City Public Schools’ early childhood program or to enroll your child today, visit schools.nyc. gov/3k or schools.nyc.gov/prek

CLASSIFIED ADS

100 PUBLIC NOTI CES

RULES AND REGULATIONS

CANCELLATIONS must be made in writing by 12 Noon Monday.

The forwarding of an order is construed as an acceptance of all advertising rules and conditions under which advertising space is sold by the NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS. Publication is made and charged according to the terms of this card.

Rates and regulations subject to change without notice. No agreements as to position or regulations, other than those printed on this.

Til forbid orders charged for rate earned. Increases or decreases in space take the rate of a new advertisement.

The New York AMSTERDAM NEWS reserves the right to censor, reject, alter or revise all advertisements in accordance with its rules governing the acceptance of advertising and accepts no liability for its failure to insert an advertisement for any cause. Credit for errors in advertisements allowed only for first insertion.

CLASSIFIED

• Classified advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Four line minimum on all ads except spirituals and horoscopes (14 lines).

CLASSIFIED DISPLAY

• Classified Display (boarder or picture) advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Display (boarder or picture) advertisements one column wide must be 14 lines deep; two columns, 28 lines deep; 3 columns, 56 lines deep. Classified Display (boarder or picture) placed as close to classifications as rules and makeup permit.

CLASSIFICATIONS

All advertisement accepted for publication is classified according to the standard classifications. Misclassification is not permitted.

BASIS OF CHARGE

Charges are based on point size and characters per line. Upon reaching 15 lines the rate converts to column inch. Any deviation from solid composition such as indentation, use of white space, bold type, etc., will incur a premium.

In Case of error, notify the Amsterdam News 212-932-7440

101 LEGAL NOTICES 101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES 110 SERVICES

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. LUCKIE PROPERTIES LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company, Deft.- Index #850107/2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated February 24, 2022, I will sell at public auction Outside on the Portico, NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 2:15 pm, a 0.0519144314871446% tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $70,678.13 plus costs and interest as of October 21, 2021. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges Georgia Papazis, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell & Novitz, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. VERANIECE WILLIAMS, Deft.- Index #850124/2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated February 24, 2022, I will sell at public auction Outside on the Portico, NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 2:15 pm, a 0.009864% tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as 57Th Street Vacation Suites located at 102 West 57th Street, in the County of NY, State of NY Approx imate amount of judgment is $22,110.44 plus costs and interest as of October 21, 2021. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges Georgia Papazis, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell & Novitz, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY

Notice of Formation of 121 GREENE STREET LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/20/22. Office location: NY County SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o DLA Piper LLP, Attn: Bruce Saber, 1251 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10020. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Formation of 282 WEST 11TH STREET LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/21/22. Office location: NY County Princ. office of LLC: 207 W. 110th St., Apt. 4, NY, NY 10026. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC Purpose: Any lawful activity

40 PLUS FAMILY LLC. Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 12/08/22. Office Location: Kings County SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 765 Stanley Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11207. Purpose: Any lawful activity

AfroBeets, LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 9/19/2022. Office Location: Manhattan County SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: 1740 Broadway, Suite 1500, New York, NY 10019 Purpose: Any lawful act.

FINE PRINT INK, LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 9/30/22. Office Location: NY County SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process may be served & shall mail to: 120 W 97th St, #13J, NY, NY 10025. Purpose. Any lawful activity

BROTHERLY LIQUIDATION LLC Art of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/10/2022. Office: New York 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, LEGALCORP SOLUTIONS, 1060 Broadway, Suite 100, ALBANY, NY 12204. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Built Ahead LLC filed Articles of Organization with the NYS Department of State (SSNY) on 12/15/2022. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the Company upon whom process against it may be served, and a copy of any process shall be mailed to 7 Lexington Ave., Apt. 4B, NY, NY 10010. Purpose: any lawful business.

Notice of Formation of CSA PRESERVATION MM LLC

AJL Construction and Management LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 12/17/2022. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 40 Monroe Street, Apt FF6, New York, NY 10002. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of ARHC SPALBNY01, LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/12/23. Office location: NY County LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/12/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543 DE addr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert of Form filed with Secy of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Own, rent, lease and manage commercial real estate

Notice of Formation of ARMORY PLAZA HOUSING CLASS B, LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/23/22. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity

GJV Enterprise LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 6/11/22. Office Location: NY County SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process may be served & shall mail to: 208 West 119th St., Apt 5Q, NY, NY 10026.

Purpose. Any lawful activity

Notice of formation of Bayview Capital Solutions, LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/13/2022. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail copy to: Thomson Ollunga LLP, 41 Madison Ave., 31st Fl., NY, NY 10010. Purpose: Merchant cash advances.

Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company Name: EC Central Hudson 2 LLC (“LLC”). Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (“SSNY”) on December 23, 2022. NY office location: New York County. The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to EC Central Hudson 2 LLC, c/o Exact Capital Group LLC, 150 East 52nd St., 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/11/23. Office location: NY County Princ. office of LLC: 116 E. 27th St., 11th Fl., NY, NY 10016. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Real estate - Development

Notice of Qualification of LEGGETT AVENUE PROPERTY LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/21/22. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/11/22. NYS fictitious name: 1175 LEGGETT AVENUE PROPERTY LLC SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543 DE addr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert of Form filed with Secy of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

MKSLSL LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 12/08/2022. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designat ed as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to Michael Emmel, CPA, 270 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Ms Laura LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/03/2023. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designat ed as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S., #913865, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Purpose/character of LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity

Tender Mountain LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 11/28/2022. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: Alice Liang, 228 Park Ave S., #584754, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity

WEB3 MEDIA PARTNERS LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 2/11/2022. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 1755 Bdwy Front 3, #1005, NY, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful activity

WEB3 SOCIAL GROUP LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 2/2/2022. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 1755 Bdwy Front 3, #1006, NY, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful activity

110 SERVICES

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866393-3636

Don't Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again! American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

Get DIRECTV for $64.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Save an additional $120 over 1st year First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888534-6918

Don't Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again! American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: MonFri 7am-5pm PST)

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-5085313 DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866595-6967

ATTENTION VIAGRA USERS: Generic 100mg blue pills or generic 20mg yellow pills Get 45 plus 5 free $99 + S/H. Call Today 877-7075523

Biochemist. Shirley. Research & study organic & inorganic compounds of cancer biology & microbiology; therapeutic compounds development and new drug development. Req'd: MS chemical engineering or related; Knowledge of biochemistry; organic chemistry; structural biology; molecular cloning; protein expression & purification; X-ray crystallization; Cryo-EM; Softwares Pymol, Coot, CCP4 and Phenix. M-F, 9-5. Send resume to Job #3, Creative Biomart Inc., 45-1 Ramsey Rd., Shirley, NY 11967.

E. Flatbush, 3 Bdrms duplex, 1½ bath, $2,600/m. 3 Bdrms Ocean Hill, $2,500/m. E. Flatbush, 1 Bdrm Ground Fl., Util incl $1,575/m. E. Flatbush, 1 Bdrm, $1,575/m. Call Realtor 917.541.6394

368 BKLYN UNFURN APTS

Large Furnished Room available Working male preferred. Close to Train and bus Call 718-496-5341

501 QUEENS HOUSES FOR SALE

QUEENS VILLAGE HOUSE FOR SALE

Queens Village, 3 BR, 2 baths Asking $710,000. Contact agent 917-686-7557.

634 DONATIONS

Drive Out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-9054755

Wheels For Wishes benefiting Make-A-Wish® Northeast New York. Your Car Donations Matter NOW More Than Ever! Free Vehicle Pick Up ANYWHERE We Accept Most Vehicles Running or Not. 100% Tax Deductible Minimal To No Human Contact Call: (877) 798-9474. Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes www.wheelsforwishes.org

The advocates are referring to the Department of City Planning’s Flood Hazard Mapper, which designates the facility’s address—72 Bowne St.— as being in an “A zone.” Properties in such an area are probably required to purchase flood insurance, according to the New York City official website. But unlike the two previous shelters, this one is in an insulated, indoor location. The Orchard Beach and Randall’s Island sites were often dubbed as “tent cities,” given the use of outdoor pavilion-like structures to house migrants. According to Adams, the new HERRC can house up to 1,000 asylum seekers.

“With more than 41,000 asylum seekers arriving in New York City since last spring and nearly 28,000 asylum seekers currently in our care, our city is at its breaking point,” he said. “We continue to surpass both our moral and legal obligations and meet the needs of people arriving in New York, but as the number of asylum seekers continues to grow, we are in serious need of support from both our state and federal governments.”

Concerns over the city’s ability to comply with the legal right to shelter stem from the system’s overcrowded conditions. Shelter populations hit an all-time high after the busing of asylum seekers to New York City from southern border states by officials like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

There’s also the matter of transportation. Both of the previously scrapped facilities were remote and far from public transit. Advocates like Theodore Moore, vice president of policy and programs at the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), fear much of the same for the new Red Hook location.

“By providing temporary housing at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which is a half-hour walk away from the closest subway station,

the city is cutting people off from integrating in New York,” he said by email. “This is a major reason why the HERCCs at Orchard Beach and Randall’s Island did not work. There are empty hotel rooms all over New York, and we encourage the City to continue utilizing these spaces as the best solution for temporary housing for asylum seekers.”

Last October, the Orchard Beach location was the city’s first veritable attempt at an HERRC, but along with flooding anxieties, there was concentrated Bronx community pushback, as well as backlash over contracting with a construction company that worked on ex-Pres. Donald Trump’s wall to keep the same such migrants from crossing the southern border into the U.S. The advocates’ concerns were realized when a weekend storm flooded the nearly completed shelter, prompting the city to move the facility to Randall’s Island before the first site could even open. The subsequent location was open for less than a month before closure.

When the Randall’s Island site was shut down, the NYIC commended Adams and the city for moving its residents to the Watson Hotel in midtown Manhattan.

This is the first northeast winter for many migrants, but Moore says an assortment of clothing and coat drives organized by council members like Speaker Adrienne Adams, along with borough presidents and grassroots organizations, is keeping the newcomers warm.

New York City officials are also pressuring the federal government for aid. This past Saturday, Adams held a rally to drum up support for asylum seekers.

Earlier in the week, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also held an event calling for federal aid, in addition to promoting unity between newly arrived migrants and long-time residents who may feel slighted due to the attention and resources allocated to asylum seekers.

But Moore believes the biggest dividing factor is the Adams administration, who he believes is feigning a scarcity of resources while the city projects a fiscal year budget surplus of $2.2 billion, according to the State Comptroller’s Office.

“If the mayor is really concerned about New Yorkers, he would be allocating funds to ensure the health and safety of everyone who calls New York home, and the first step to support all New Yorkers is to ensure that every New York family can access affordable and stable housing, food, health coverage, a quality education, and—in the case of immigrant New Yorkers— access to legal services to keep their families together and to help asylum seekers get on the pathway to legalization and work permits,” Moore said.

“NYC is a sanctuary city because New Yorkers believe that immigrants are integral to our social, cultural, and economic success, and New York is a Right to Shelter city because New Yorkers believe that every family experiencing hardship should have a chance to get on their feet with a roof over their heads. New York immigrants currently contribute over $60 billion annually in taxes.”

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by

Council Members Join with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams to Hold Press Conference Regarding the Mayor and State’s Response to Asylum Seekers Crisis. (John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit)

New York Liberty makes huge trade bringing Jonquel Jones to Brooklyn

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

With dignitaries from the Bahamas Consulate of New York, including Consul General the Honorary Leroy F. Major, in attendance, the New York Liberty officially welcomed Jonquel Jones to Barclays Center. Bringing the 2021 WNBA MVP to Brooklyn involved a three-team trade that involved Jones’s longtime team, the Connecticut Sun, as well as the Dallas Wings.

Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb described this as one of the biggest trades in franchise history. He extended thanks to the Liberty’s ownership group, operations and analytics departments, coaching staff, and other teams involved in the trade, but most especially the players who are now on other rosters, particularly Rebecca Allen, who played for the Liberty through multiple coaching and roster changes.

“Whenever you get a player of this caliber, you have to give up value. It’s hard,” said Kolb. “[Rebecca Allen] was a staple of this franchise.”

Jones, 29, who is from the Bahamas, has played for the Connecticut Sun since she joined the WNBA in 2016. In

addition to earning MVP honors, she is a four-time WNBA All-Star, three-time AllWNBA Second Team member, two-time member of the WNBA All-Defensive First Team and three-time WNBA Peak Performer in Rebounding. She said at this point in her career, she wanted a change, and New York seemed the perfect fit.

“I felt like it was time for a change, time for a new chapter,” said Jones. “I felt for my growth as an athlete, as a person, I wanted to step into a new situation, come into a new organization and better myself. I’m happy I chose New York, and I’m happy New York chose me.”

Despite being one of the few remaining original WNBA franchises, New York has never won a championship. Their last trip to the Finals was in 2002. Jones said helping the Liberty to its first title would be amazing. “Everybody knows that New York is a basketball city; the people love the game,” she said. “It would mean everything to me to be able to bring the championship here to New York, but also I think it would mean a lot to the WNBA.”

There has been rampant speculation about which free agents the Liberty will sign to join Jones on the roster. No doubt, there is more news to come before training camp commences this spring.

DjLayyy takes on a new role in esports

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

It has been a busy and exciting couple of years for Alaina “DjLayyy” Haney. In 2021, she was selected in the NBA 2K League draft, a professional e-sports league cofounded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software. She spent a season with the Celtics Crossover Gaming, an affiliate of the Boston Celtics. After an incredible six months focused on gaming, Haney headed back to her position as an air traffic controller in St. Louis.

“Being an air traffic controller is a really good career, so I didn’t want to give that up. They let me take the six-month leave to go to Boston,” Haney said.

There are three women in the draft pool this year and she wishes them well.

Haney credits her education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and work experience with giving her calm under pressure and visual acuity. Recently, she took on an exciting new challenge when she became esports director for Oklahoma City Charge, a gaming, entertainment and clothing company. Now she helps other individuals who have aspirations of playing in the 2K league realize their dreams.

“We’re about to be on the rise,” said Haney. “We have a Pokémon team

going. We also have, of course, a 2K team. We also have a Call of Duty team, and we have content creators. We have partners in different companies. I’m managing every team that we have. Eventually, we’ll have an Apex team. I make sure I get the teams signed up for events. I keep track of the progress of the teams…and keep pushing the organization forward.”

Haney also owns her own brand, HeartCrushers, which competes in various esports tournaments. “I coach and GM the team,” she said. “I have five amazing guys that I put under the brand. They are pursuing [making] the 2K league. I’ve already been in the league. I know the ins and outs …so they can compete and get their names out there.”

Haney gravitated to NBA 2K having played basketball in high school and AAU travel ball, but is taking a break from playing it. She currently plays Apex, as does her fiancée, Lauren, who she met through gaming.

The growth of collegiate esports competition makes Haney very happy. “I’ve been a gamer all my life, so seeing that is exciting,” she said. “There’s an esports course coming this fall at my former high school (in South Carolina), which I think is extremely cool. I’ll fly home and speak to the students about that.”

Alaina Haney is taking on new challenges

Jonquel Jones (c) with New York Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb and head coach Sandy Brondello (New York Liberty photo)

Defense will determine uneven Knicks’ course

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

Defense prevails.

This should be the Knicks’ mantra for the next 33 regular season games if they expect to compete for a topsix seed in the Eastern Conference and avoid being a Play-In Tourna-

ment team. Furthermore, sound defense is what will be the Knicks’ most valuable asset to prevent them from descending in the standings and potentially fighting for a lower Play-In seed.

Tuesday night’s 105-103 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden is evi-

dence of this premise. The Knicks harassed the Cavaliers’ dynamic AllStar backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland into a combined 15-41 shooting, and made two gamedefining defensive stops against Mitchell in the final 88 seconds to secure a critically important win.

RJ Barrett blocked a Mitchell drive to the basket at 1:18 with the Knicks up 103-100, then center Isaiah Hartenstein turned back Mitchell’s attempt at the basket with 47.1 seconds left and the score unchanged. The Cavaliers guard had one more chance with the Knicks up 105103 but was smothered on a foray into the paint with 4.1 seconds to go—and the Knicks held on. The win broke the Knicks’ four-game losing streak going into their game tonight on the road versus the Boston Celtics, the team with

the best record in the NBA at 35-14 as of yesterday (Wednesday).

Julius Randle provided much of the Knicks offense, scoring 36 points on a highly efficient 11-21 shooting night, including a sizzling 8-12 on 3-pointers. Randle also added 13 rebounds.

“Yeah, we dropped a few that we felt we should have won,” he said. “For us to respond like that with a tough matchup with Cleveland—it’s great.”

During their losing stretch, the Knicks allowed an alarming 126 points per game. It caused head coach Tom Thibodeau, a defensive-minded practitioner, rightful concern. The nosedive from a high defensive rating before the slide could be traced directly to Mitchell Robinson fracturing his thumb on January 13 at the Garden in a 112108 win against the Washington Wizards. Robinson had surgery last week to repair the fractured right thumb and is expected to be out at least three more weeks. He is averaging 1.8 blocks—fifth in the NBA, 8.9 rebounds per game and 4.3 offensive rebounds, which is second in the league behind the Memphis

Grizzlies Steven Adams.

The Knicks are not built to win consistently by generating or exceeding offense. Randle leads them in scoring at 24.8 points per game, 18th in the league. As a team, they are near the middle of the league, ranking 14th at 114. 1 per game. They were third in opponents’ field goal percentage allowed when the league’s schedule tipped off last night at a sturdy 45.2%. Hartenstein noted the Knicks’ defense after the victory over Cleveland.

“I think it was a team effort,” said the first-yeak Knick. “I think we all knew during the four-game losing streak (that) even when Mitch [Mitchell Robinson] was there, we weren’t playing good team defense, and it was not on the bigs or on the guards, it was on all of us. This game was a step in the right direction, but we just have to keep getting better.”

The Knicks will play the Nets on Saturday in Brooklyn, then host the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James, who is closing in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s alltime NBA points record, next Tuesday, followed by the Miami Heat at MSG on next Thursday.

Nets try to maintain with Durant still weeks away from returning

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

Nets forward Kevin Durant spoke with the media on Tuesday regarding the status of his sprained right MCL. He has missed the last six games heading into tonight, when the Nets will face the 76ers in Philadelphia.

Durant sprained his MCL for the second straight season on January 8,

playing against the Miami Heat on the road. The 34-year-old 12-time NBA All-Star, who is third overall this season in the All-Star voting behind LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, said the responsibility for the injuries is squarely on him.

“I’ve been through that (MCL sprain) three times and pretty much every time, I was in no man’s land, not guarding my man or not even in help position,” said Durant. “I attribute all of that to basically not being locked in on that moment and somebody used the space that they felt like they had and (I) just fell into that space. I knew exactly what happened as soon as I did it, so I was just thinking about the recovery after that.”

It shows leadership that Durant is willing to blame himself. But injuries sometimes are unavoidable.

The Nets released a statement to give an update on his progress. “Kevin Durant's right MCL sprain was reevaluated yesterday by Dr. Riley Williams III at the Hospital for Special Surgery,” it explained. “Dr. Williams is very pleased with Durant’s recovery thus far, as he is progressing well and as expected. Durant will continue to strengthen his knee and begin running and on-court basketball activities this week. He is scheduled to be reassessed in another two weeks.”

Until Durant is healthy enough to hit the court, the rest of the team will have to step up. They were 29-17 and No. 4 in the East-

ern Conference before playing the 76ers. The Nets were behind the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics (35-14 as of last night), the No. 2 seed Sixers (30-16) and the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks (30-17).

The Nets lost four in a row after Durant went out, but then defeated the Utah Jazz 117-106 last Friday and the Golden State Warriors 120-116 last Sunday, both on the road.

Kyrie Irving is carrying the offense. He was spectacular in scoring 48 against the Jazz and dropped 38 on the Warriors to lead the Nets back from a double-digit fourth quarter hole.

Facing Utah, Irving hit eight three-pointers, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out six assists in 39 minutes.

“He’s just in a different world,” said Nets center Nic Claxton, who continues to develop into one of the league’s most productive centers. Claxton entered last night averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds on 73.3% field goal shooting. He scored 20 points against the Jazz, then had a huge performance, posting 24 points with 15 rebounds two nights later—both career highs—against the defending NBA champion Warriors.

“He’s locked in,” said Claxton of Irving. “He’s in a different type of zone, and he makes those big shots time and time again.”

The Nets will host the Detroit Pistons tonight and the Knicks on Sunday at the Barclays Center before LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers come to Brooklyn on Monday.

Nets center Nic Claxton has elevated his production with Kyrie Irving carrying bulk of team’s scoring load in absence of injured All-Star Kevin Durant (Bill Moore photos)

Nic Claxton

Mitchell Robinson

R: Donovan Mitchell

Kyrie Irving

With Knicks center Mitchell Robinson sidelined with a thumb injury, his team ended a four-game losing streak with a 105-103 win over Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. (Bill Moore photos)

Maya Moore officially announces her retirement from pro hoops

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

On Jan. 16, the day before her inspirational memoir cowritten with husband Jonathan Irons was released, Maya Moore officially announced her retirement from professional basketball. It did not come as a surprise. Moore has not played in more than four years. She took the 2019 and 2020 WNBA seasons off to concentrate on family, ministry and advocacy for criminal justice reform and then didn’t return.

Shortly after Irons was released from prison on July 1, 2020 (Moore played a significant role in getting his conviction overturned), they got married. Last year, they welcomed their first child. On Jan. 17, “Love and Justice: A Story of Triumph on Two Different Courts” was released. The book speaks about each of their journeys, as well as the long road to Irons’s freedom.

Moore’s basketball career is the stuff of legends. It includes two NCAA Championships, two Olympic gold medals, four WNBA titles and countless accolades, including WNBA MVP. She is often credited as the crucial piece that propelled the Minnesota Lynx into the team that dominated the league from 2011 to 2017. Through it all, she was a vocal social justice advocate, with the Lynx breaking league protocol in 2016 to wear T-shirts advocating for racial justice.

She was part of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team that established a new record, winning 90 consecutive games spanning from April 2008 to December 2010. Toward the end of that streak, a journalist asked what the UConn Huskies were learning about winning and losing if they never lost. At the time, I wrote a piece for the Amsterdam News saying what they learned was how to be excellent.

At Big East Media Day in 2010, I asked the UConn players in

attendance what that winning streak taught them about excellence. Moore thought about it and gave a detailed response not only about hard work and practice, but also about commitment, focus and belief in yourself. She showed that sense of excellence in her determination to see Irons freed from wrongful incarceration.

“Our personal story with Jonathan was just at the forefront for me over these last few years in shifting away from the game,” said Moore. “This has definitely been unexpected, but at the same time, it’s been really thoughtful and planned and prepared. That’s life. A lot of it is unexpected, but you also do your best to try to be prepared. That’s basketball, too; you don’t know how the game’s going to unfold, but you do your best to prepare.”

Moore may not literally be prepared for everything life hands her from now on, but she will always bring her sense of excellence.

Government intervention in name, image and

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

This week it was reported that a top high school football recruit was granted a release by the University of Florida after signing a binding National Letter of Intent due to a proposed name, image and likeness deal falling apart.

Quarterback Jaden Rashada, a high school senior attending Pittsburg High School in the San Francisco Bay Area, allegedly was set to sign a deal worth upwards of $13 million with the Gator Collective and attend Florida.

Supposedly, after the initial offer, Gator Collective deemed the teenager’s NIL value to be less than initially assessed and sought to renegotiate the terms.

It has become a common occurrence in the high school and college sports landscape since the June 2021 Supreme Court ruling on the NCAA v Alston case, which determined the NCAA could not legally limit education-related payments to students, notably student athletes. Individual states subsequently instituted NIL rules.

In plain language, the long overdue exercise of studentathletes benefitting from a capitalistic system that makes billions off of their physical ability was unleashed. It changed the business—and make no mistake, it has always been a business—of recruiting and increased the agency and leverage of athletes. Young men and women could offer financial assistance to their immediate family by earning hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars from endorsement deals, public appearances, and creating products in which they maximize their brand.

But many coaches, particularly college football coaches who run programs that are the highest revenue producer for athletic departments at most major institutions such as the University of Florida, as well as athletic directors and university presidents, are referring to NIL as the Wild West. They are pleading for government intervention, which is code for regulation, as they cannot control the industry. Be mindful that over 1,000 collegiate college basketball and football coach -

likeness should be minimal

es earn over $1 million annually and 50 make a minimum of $3 million per year. It is the master-slave psychology.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tubberville of Alabama, a former head football coach at Auburn and the University of Mississippi, has been at the forefront of achieving congressional NIL regulation. “I’ve talked to all of my [coaching] buddies, they’ve never seen anything like it," he said in an interview last summer. “When you don’t have guidelines and direction, no matter what you are doing, you are lost. They are lost right now.”

Tubberville is the epitome of hypocrisy as he is part of the senate minority Republican Party that advocates for deregulation of many major industries so that their greedy, ruthless corporate wealthy donors can operate unfettered in pursuit of billions of dollars in gains for themselves and shareholders.

But as it relates to NIL, the free market is no longer working as it should in the perspective of Tubberville and his cronies because they can’t dictate how studentathletes receive money and how much they are afforded.

Former college football coach and current U.S. senator Tommy Tubberville is proposing government intervention in the NIL industry for student-athletes (Wikipedia photo)

After a stellar college and pro playing career, basketball great Maya Moore announced her retirement last week. (Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, Maya Moore speaking at the Marshall Project in Washington DC (48751715837) (cropped), CC BY-SA 2.0)

Chiefs and Bengals will meet again in AFC Championship Game

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

With recuperating Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in attendance to provide an emotional lift to his team, the No. 3 seed Cincinnati Bengals didn’t agree to go along with the script. Playing on the road in snowy Orchard Park, New York, they defeated the Bills 27-10 in a divisional matchup and will now take on the No. 1 seed Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday (6:30 p.m.) in the AFC Championship Game. It will be a rematch of last season’s AFC championship, when the Bengals topped the Chiefs in Kansas City by 27-24 in overtime.

If the Bengals are going to get back to the Super Bowl for the second straight season, they’ll have to win at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City again. The Chiefs will be playing in the AFC

championship for the fifth consecutive season.

“It’s going to be a fun one,” said Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. “Two of the top guys in the league”— speaking of himself and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes—“two of the top teams in the league, great defenses, great overall teams, great coaches.” The Chiefs and Bengals met this season in Week 13 in Cincinnati. The Bengals also took that game, 27-24. Hamlin, who had to be resuscitated twice, once on the field, on Jan. 2 after he went into cardiac arrest resulting from a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in a game that was canceled after the shocking incident, provided inspiration to fans and players. His story was shared around the world and millions of dollars were donated to Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation in the days after he was hospitalized in critical condition.

The home crowd at Highmark Sta-

dium gave him a warm and loud welcome when he appeared on a big screen. But the Bengals were ready to defend their AFC title, took an early 14-0 lead, and never gave it up. “Obviously, we wanted to play for him,” said Bills quarterback Josh Allen of Hamlim. “We just ran into a team that played better than us tonight.”

Allen, who was 25-42 for 265 yards and one interception, was outplayed by Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who was 23-36 242 yards, two TDs and no turnovers. The Bengals defense also stopped Allen from hurting them with his running ability, holding him to 26 yards on eight carries.

Kansas City was able to win Sunday against the No. 4 seed Jacksonville Jaguars despite Mahomes suffering a high right ankle sprain in the first quarter that sidelined him for much of the first half. He was replaced by backup Chad Henne, who came in and threw

his first career playoff touchdown on his first drive, a 1-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce that extended the Chiefs’ lead to 17-7 with 3:54 left. A Jaguars field goal made the score 17-10 at halftime.

Mahomes was forced to go to the locker room by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and medical staff for evaluation before the end of the second quarter. He returned to the field in the third with his ankle taped. “I did not want to go, and they kind of gave me the ultimatum that I wasn’t going back in unless I went in there,” Mahomes explained. “It’s going to take a lot to keep me out of a football game.”

Before he was pulled, Mahomes was 12-15 for 84 yards. He finished the day 22-30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s a credit to the guys around me,” he said. “… Guys made plays around me. That’s what a great team does.”

Giants ascend despite a defeat to Eagles

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The Eagles are clearly better than the Giants.

That is not a negative criticism of the Giants—just credit for how prolific the Eagles have been this season. Neither the Giants nor their fans should feel dejected or embarrassed by the 38-7 butt-kicking the Eagles administered in one of two NFC divisional round games on Sunday. In the other, the San Francisco 49ers eliminated the Dallas Cowboys by 19-12.

This past Sunday’s Giants-Eagles matchup transpired virtually how their first meeting of the season, a 48-22 Eagles waxing in Week 14 on December 11, proceeded: the Eagles scoring early and often with little resistance. In the divisional game, they put up 14 points in the first quarter and equaled that total in the second. By halftime, it was 28-0 Eagles and the Giants season, for all intents and purposes, was over.

After throwing for 301 yards and running for 78 in a career best game versus the Minnesota Vikings’ deficient defense in the Giants’ 31-24 wild card game victory on the road the prior weekend, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was suppressed by a star-laden Eagles unit that led the NFL in sacks this regular season with 70. The Kansas City Chiefs

were a distant second with 55. Jones was just 15-27 for 135 yards and one interception. He was sacked five times and had only six carries for 24 yards.

"Well, crash landing here. Give Philly credit,” said Giants head coach Brian Daboll at his postgame presser in succinctly summarizing the loss. “They did ev-

erything better than we did today. Tough game. We really got beat in all facets, so it wasn’t one thing in particular.

“It was a team game and we just didn’t get it done. Congratulations to Philly. They get to move on and unfortunately we don’t.”

In his first season as the team’s head coach, Daboll, along with first-year general manager Joe Schoen, transformed the Giants from a 4-13 franchise that fired former head coach Joe Judge to a 9-7-1 squad this season that made its first playoff appearance in six years. Now they will take the next five months or so to reassess, evaluate, and plot their course to close the gap between themselves and the Eagles, who were 14-3 this season and structured to remain a perennial playoff contender for the foreseeable future, led by their All-Pro quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The two most important decisions will be the free-agency status of Jones, 25, and running back Saquon Barkley, who is also 25-years-old. The Giants are certain to sign Jones to a multi-year contract that should be the median of the top 15 QBs in the league. Barkley’s injury history - he played in just 15 of the Giants’ 33 games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons - and the market value of running backs will be the most important factors in negotiations between the parties.

This season, Barkley had a resurgence, fin-

ishing fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns playing in 18 of the team’s 19 games including the postseason. He was sat out by Daboll for the last regular season game along with many of the Giants starters on both sides of the ball.

"He's a great teammate,” said Schoen of Barkley meeting with the media on Tuesday.

“He's a guy we would like to have back. It's just, again, we haven't had our end-of-season meetings yet… Everybody is going to step back, take the emotion out of it, evaluate the roster and then, again, we've got to operate under the salary cap…We would like to have Saquon back if it works out."

On Jones, Schoen was more definitive. “We're happy Daniel's going to be here,” he emphasized. “We're happy he's going to be here. Hopefully we can get something done with his representatives. That would be the goal – to build a team around him where he can lead us to win a Super Bowl.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will try to avenge a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in last season’s AFC Championship Game when the teams meet this Sunday (All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA photo)

After a stellar bounce-back season, Giants running back Saquon Barkley will enter freeagency hoping to sign new deal with team (Giants.com photo)