Bennett as new Harlem Office Director

By TANDY LAU

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

Courtney Bennett will direct the Manhattan District Attorney’s Harlem community office starting Feb. 6. The lifelong Harlemite most recently served as the executive director of One Hundred Black Men, Inc. of New York.

Bennett is also a former teacher and worked at local organizations like the Boys Choir of Harlem and the NY Mission Society’s Minisink Townhouse. He said his decision to move out of the nonprofit world into the public sector largely stems from the opportunity to assist Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a fellow Harlemite.

“I’m hoping that my experience in having open door policies will be used to have folks come in from different sectors, whether they’re young people, seniors, clergy, [or] folks with housing concerns,” said Bennett. “And I don’t want folks to just come when they have concerns because we need to make sure the D.A. understands what people are thinking about safety before something happens.”

He mentions his experience with Operation SNUG and the city’s Cure Violence model, which preemptively addresses gun violence through engaging with at-risk youth and settling disagreements long before a firearm can be picked up. Such work expands outside of just police involvement and frequently requires clergy, local business owners, and credible messengers.

“Courtney Bennett is a wonderful addition to the District Attorney’s Office,” said Bragg. “As a Harlemite, Courtney has a deep understanding of the community’s rich history and needs. His wide-ranging experience, from teaching to non-profit work, and focus on anti-violence initiatives, makes him an asset and resource that Harlem can take pride in, and reflects his commitment to ensuring Manhattan is a safer and fairer borough. I look forward to working with Courtney and can’t wait for the rest of the neighborhood to do the same.”

According to the Manhattan D.A.’s website, the office provides assistance for domestic violence and immigration fraud. Linda Janneh is currently the director.

Bennett will be working out of the Harlem State Office Building on 125th Street and 7th Avenue. The branch initially opened in 1987 and was meant to serve the entire uptown population before Bragg’s predecessor Cy Vance opened another location in Washing- ton Heights in 2015.

“It’s also important to know that the office is not going to be solely focused on Central Harlem, that East and West Harlem are just as important and each faces its own issues as cultures are slightly different across the board,” Bennett added. “And there are many different types of people living in Harlem. The office is open for all people that live in Harlem, regardless of race, creed, color, and so on. So I want folks to know that I am moving with the D.A.’s priorities and that we’re here to serve everyone in the community.”

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.

Hudson County, Hoboken City raise Pan African flag for Black History Month

Hoboken residents were invited to “attend and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout the community and across the country” by taking part in the raising of the red, black and green Pan African flag on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Hoboken City Hall. The tri-color Pan African flag––designed to represent people of the African diaspora and symbolize Black liberation in the United States––was also raised by Hudson County officials outside the William J. Brennan Courthouse on the same date.

National African American Read-In at Monmouth County

Join activist, educator and entrepreneur Rev. Kerwin Webb in Long Branch this Saturday, Feb. 4 (515 Bath Ave., Long Branch, N.J.) from 3–6 p.m. for the National African American Read-In. Webb is the education specialist with Interfaith Neighbors in Asbury Park and an associate minister at Encounter Christ Global Fellowship. As the founder of the Renew My Word (RMW) Foundation, Webb seeks to nurture leaders who are committed to community initiatives. For more information, email kerwin@kerwinwebb.com.

Register for “Meet Harriet Tubman,” Feb. 7 on Zoom

This Black History Month, Dr. Daisy Century returns to the Stoutsburg Sourland

African American Museum (SSAAM) at 6 p.m. on February 7 to portray abolitionist and American heroine Harriet Tubman in a free live virtual event. This event is free but requires registration. To sign up and add “Meet Harriet Tubman” to your calendar, go to http://ssaamuseum.org/tubman. Registrants will receive an email with the Zoom invitation link before the event. SSAAM can be reached via email at info@ssaamuseum.org.

Montclair Brewery creates beer to help preserve James Howe House

The Montclair Brewery will make a special Belgianstyle beer to help raise funds to preserve the historic James Howe House, locally known as the “Freed Slave House” (369 Claremont Ave.). The James Howe House is one of the town’s oldest homes, standing since 1780. It is where James Howe became Montclair’s first African American homeowner and yet was once listed for potential sale to an investor. The Howe House Belgian-Style ale “was brewed to highlight and support the preservation of the ‘Freed Slave House,’” said the Montclair Brewery on its website. “The house is one of the oldest standing houses since 1780 and is one of Montclair’s most important pieces of history. It was the first Montclair house to be owned by a Black person. The Howe House recently faced a potential erasure from history when it was put up for sale, targeting investors. The Friends of the Howe [H]ouse quickly organized and saved the house from an investor sale. A portion of all taproom sales from this beer will

By TANDY LAU

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

Author Brittney Dias couldn’t bring the Pacific Northwest to New York City, but her work remains as evergreen as her hometown of Tacoma, Wash. She penned her “Ava & Mae” series for Black youngsters who rarely see themselves in the children’s genre outside of picture books about the Civil Rights Movement.

“There are very [few] stories out there that just portray Black children—normal kids— having fun like white children get in their media,” said Dias. “And that is where they get started.”

Her characters open lemonade stands and organize fashion shows. This work started when Dias noticed on classroom read-alongs how overwhelmingly white the faculty and students were around her. To many of them, “Ava & Mae” served as anti-racism education and diversity training. But for the handful of Black children she encountered, Dias recalls the indelible impact her stories made on them.

“There was a girl in the front—and the little Black girls always go right to the front [and are] always so excited to see an empowering story that represents them,” she said. “She looked at the characters and she was like, ‘Wow, I love their hair, their hair looks just like my hair. I love Ava and Mae.’ And she’s touching her hair.”

The girl also touched Dias’s heart. Not too long ago, the author felt like the world was ending. Her public health studies at the University of Washington took a real-life turn when the pandemic hit in during her