New York Amsterdam News Issue #8 Feb.23 - March 2,2023

MALCOLM X FAMILY V. NYPD

MALCOLM X’S

TO SUE CIA AND FBI FOR WRONGFUL DEATH

Fast times at the Legislative Caucus in Albany (See story on page 6)

DAUGHTER

Another round of budget cuts to NYC education (See story on page 3)

(See story on page 4)

The Vulcan Society’s first woman president Regina Wilson resumes leading historic Black firefighter organization (See story on page 6)

(Pexels photo by RODNAE Productions ) (Ariama C. Long)

Ilyasah Shabazz, a daughter of Malcolm X, second from right, speaks during a news conference at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in New (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

(Tandy Lau photo)

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INDEX

Arts & Entertainment Page 17

» Astro Page 20

» Books Page 18

»

Jazz Page 24

Caribbean Update .........................Page 14

Classified Page 32

Editorial/Opinion Pages 12,13

Education Page 28

Go with the Flo Page 8

Health Page 16

In the Classroom Page 26

Nightlife Page 9

Religion & Spirituality Page 30

Sports Page 40

Union Matters Page 10

SUBSCRIPTIONS INFORMATION

SANKARA FAMILY REJECTS PLOT CHOSEN

BY GOVERNMENT FOR HIS REBURIAL

(GIN) — The military government of Burkina Faso announced this week that the burial of the country’s former president, Thomas Sankara, will take place in a private ceremony next week at the spot where he was assassinated in a coup more than three decades ago.

“The burial of Capt. Sankara and

his 12 companions murdered on Oct. 15, 1987, will take place on Thursday, Feb. 23,” said Communications Minister Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo in a published statement.

Sankara’s remains will be reburied at the memorial erected in his honor in front of the Conseil de l’Entente, where he was assassinated .

While the government had announced reburial plans previously, no date had been specified.

The announcement came days after Sankara's family said they would not attend the burial because they disagreed with the choice of the site.

“How can you bury such a hero in the place where he was murdered?” the family asked In a press release. “We believed and continue to believe that it is fundamental that a space be found that allows us to gather and appease hearts, and not divide [us] and increase resentment.”

The government said the choice

of burial site was “mainly based on socio-cultural and security imperatives of national interest.”

After his murder in 1987, ordered by Blaise Compaore and his cronies, Sankara and his comrades were buried in common fields with no names. In 2015, their bodies were exhumed for legal proceedings.

The 13 bodies were exhumed from a cemetery on the outskirts of the capital after Compaore’s downfall. An investigation that followed culminated in the trial of 14 people accused of plotting the assassination of Sankara.

In April 2022, Compaore, who was the main defendant, was handed a life term in absentia.

Nicknamed Africa’s Che Guevara, Sankara was a military officer and socialist revolutionary who served as president from his coup in 1983 until his assassination in 1987. He remains highly regarded among left-wing Africanists for his anti-imperialist stance.

NIGERIAN CENTRAL BANK ON HOT SEAT AFTER SWEEPING BANKNOTE RECALL (GIN) — Chaos!

It’s hard to find a better word to describe the confusion, frustration, and anger felt by many Nigerians on discovering that, in a surprise move by the Central Bank, their naira currency was being pulled from circulation and replaced by a redesigned version that was still unavailable in many banks.

Efforts to replace old banknotes with new ones before a February deadline were stymied by long lines, gas shortages, insecurity, and a lack of water and electricity. People found themselves spending hours at the banks fruitlessly attempting to withdraw their money. With elections coming up at the end of the week, it was an oddly illtimed move by bank officials.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is stepping down after the

See INTERNATIONAL on page 31

Nigeria gears up for February 25 presidential election

By NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor

Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election is scheduled to take place on February 25. There are 18 candidates, with perhaps fewer than a quarter of that number having any real chance of making a significant mark at the polls.

Front runners include Peter Obi of the Labor Party; Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC); and Atiku Abubakar of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The country’s unbalanced economy, ongoing security issues, and political strife have been some of the major themes in the race, which has dominated Africa’s most populous nation for the last few months.

“The Nigerian democratic process is maturing,” Sphynxnet’s Gregory Osagie Ihama told the Amsterdam News. “Eight years ago, we experienced a peaceful transfer of power from the incumbent government of the largest political party in Africa to a seemingly new political party at the time. Furthermore, the current political campaign cycle has galvanized a vibrant movement of young people organically aligning themselves with one of the presidential candidates, without the typical inducement of cash that pervaded our political systems from its incep-

tion. These are the hallmarks of a developing democratic process and therefore, I believe the Nigerian political system and level candidature is experiencing positive growth.”

Despite a population of 200 million, there are reportedly only 93 million registered voters in Nigeria. The presidential candidates are banking on civil engagement over lethargy for Saturday’s election.

“It's my turn,” said Tinubu, 70, a multi-millionaire and former governor of Lagos state (1999–2007), when asked why he should be president. The Yoruba Muslim co-founded the APC in 2013 with current—some say beleaguered— President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu has used his connections to mount a formidable campaign for the incumbent party over the last few months, but his rigorous opponents are undeterred. Heeding the public call, Tinubu promised the electorate that he will use an enlarged military to combat the over a decade-long Islamist insurgency in the north of Nigeria.

The electorate are not easily convinced of age-old campaign promises, though.

Tinubu has faced rumors of misappropriation of funds and corruption, all of which he has denied. Charges brought against him have never stuck, including being cleared by Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal.

But, of course, fellow candidates make hay while the sun shines with such allegations.

Religion is always the unseen, but not unmentioned running mate of many—mostly between Muslim and Christian candidates, with the continued issue of control and influence. There also have been tribalism charges between the three major ones: Yoruba, Hausa, and Ibo.

Tinubu’s vice president choice is Kashim Shettima, the Muslim former governor of Borno state.

Running for the sixth time is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is a northerner, a Muslim, and a Fulani. Abubakar has campaigned heartily on a record as vice president in 1999 and 2007 that he claims positively aided the economy, via banking, telecommunications, employment, and pensions.

As he dodges charges of misappropriation of funds and giving pals positions, Abubakar has promised that he also will tackle social insecurity with a better-equipped military, to target Islamic extremists and rebels in the northeast and unrest in southeastern with Biafra secessionists.

Perhaps in acknowledgment of those heavy challenges, Abubakar running mate is Delta state’s Christian Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.

Leading the pack is the Labor Party’s Obi, 61. The youngest of the

senior citizens, the former governor of Anambra has managed to harness the attention of a jaded and disenfranchised, anti-establishment young voting segment.

Using social media and a strong connection to Nigeria’s youthful urban population, Obi’s rallying and protesting Obidents feel confident that they can win.

Obi, a southeastern Christian Igbo, was Abubakar’s 2019 PDP running mate.

He has pointed out that when he left his position as governor of Anambra state 10 years ago, he had accumulated an unprecedented budget surplus. He has also determined that a better-resourced military could tackle the security issues. He wants to expand Nigeria’s economy and reduce the nation’s dependence on oil exports.

Also noting the traditional ethnic and tribal constraints in Nigerian politics, Obi’s vice president choice is economist Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, a former senator from the northern Kaduna state.

“Amidst the three front runners, it’s a toss up,” Nigerian activist and commentator Ogugua Iwelu told the Amsterdam News. “Nigeria is at a cross-road to make or break it economically and politically. [I] doubt if the commander in chief wants to leave.”

See NIGERIA ELECTION on page 31

Thomas Sankara (GIN photo)

Another round of budget cuts to NYC education

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

The city is once again grappling with proposed $351 million cuts to early education and a severe pay backlog for early childhood providers, mirroring last year’s intense budgeting season. It’s especially disheartening since Mayor Eric Adams had announced so many investments in childcare and education in 2022.

“Ultimately, all of this is hurting our children, their families, and hardworking early childhood providers. This is particularly concerning for the city’s low income residents and communities of color who desperately need more extended day and year seats,” said Councilmember and Education Chair Rita Joseph. “We need to stay on top of this and ensure that

this does not happen again.”

On Feb. 15, Joseph led an oversight hearing on the Department of Education’s (DOE) issues funding universal pre-K and 3-Kindergarten, and millions in delayed reimbursements to early childhood providers. Joseph said that many providers have permanently shut down as a result.

The current budget for early childhood education is $2.2 million, and there are more than 140,000 children at the pre-K to 3-K level, according to the DOE. Still, there’s under-enrollment across the city of about 40,000 seats. The DOE largely blamed the backlog in payments on invoice filing issues, a flawed payment system, and too many similar education seats in one location.

“That’s not to say everything is perfect. It is not. You can absolutely find providers that are waiting longer. We have to do better, but what this repre-

sents is real improvement,” said First Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg.

The DOE testified that there were nearly 4,000 invoices predating Adams’ administration that had not been completed, indicating a “destabilized” sector pre-pandemic. The DOE said they’ve submitted at least 3,800 back invoices from the previous fiscal year, resulting in over $122 million in payments. For fiscal year 2023, the DOE anticipates paying out $1.2 billion to early childhood providers. So far this year ,they’ve received over 2,000 invoices and paid out about $162 million, claiming the average payment was doled out in 17 days.

Many in the hearing, including the DOE, noted that early childhood education is a profession often made up of Black and brown women who are already paid less than their public

Speaker Adams, Mayor Adams on state budget

By ARIAMA C. LONG

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Mayor Eric Adams provided testimony at the New York State Joint Legislative Public Hearing for the state executive budget on Feb 15.

The hearings discussed the governor’s executive budget for state fiscal year 2024 and its potential impact on New York City. The city’s leadership asked for state funding for items such as affordable housing, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), education, mental healthcare, and services for asylum seekers.

Mayor Adams began by highlighting parts of the executive budget he liked: funding for the promised NYCHA Trust, child care, and the Earned Income Tax Credit; expanding the speed camera program; and

investments in minority- and/or women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). He was also “extremely pleased” with the governor’s commitment to funding for affordable housing, public safety, and addressing New York’s mental health crisis.

“But while the executive budget contains many shared priorities, the cuts and cost shifts significantly outweigh the assistance the state is providing to address the asylum-seeker crisis,” Adams said in his speech.

Adams added that those cuts and cost shifts will have a severe impact on schools, public transit, and Medicaid. He said that last year’s bill to reduce class sizes was passed without additional funding to build schools and hire teachers, and new education laws that increase charter school caps would cost the city $1.3 billion over five years.

On the asylum-seeker crisis, which

the city expects to spend about $4 billion on, Mayor Adams was questioned about receiving federal support since immigration is ultimately a federal issue. He maintained that in addition to comprehensive immigration reform, the “right to shelter” should be a statewide responsibility, not just New York City’s.

In a brief Q&A, the mayor addressed former Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins’s decision to step down. Until Feb. 7, Jenkins had been at the helm of handling the homelessness and asylum-seeker crisis simultaneously. He said that Jenkins had done a remarkable job under impossible odds, but ultimately decided to transition out of that role.

Most controversially, Mayor Adams testified about public safety, bail reform, and cracking down on

Queens Hotel HERRC, asylum-seeker influx continues

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

The asylum-seeker crisis continues in New York City—more than 45,000 people have arrived since last year. To provide temporary housing, the city is set to open up another emergency shelter hotel in Queens but advocates insist that is not enough.

The Wingate by Wyndham Hotel in Long Island City, Queens, will be the city’s seventh Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center

(HERRC). The center will provide 144 rooms for families with children. Other HERRCs include the Row NYC, Stewart Hotel, and Watson Hotel.

After 10 months of dealing with the crisis, tensions are running understandably high for city government officials, homeless individuals, and newly arrived people. At the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and again at the Watson Hotel, male migrants staged a bit of a standoff when told they would be moved to a different facility. They were worried about holding down jobs amid relocations and

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter sponsors ‘Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence’

The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter will sponsor their national program, “Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence,” a series of free monthly sessions for boys ages 11 to 14. Topics include STEM education, encouraging leadership skills, discussing cultural experiences, goal-setting, and more. The purpose of the program is to focus on and acknowledge improving the lives of a new generation of African American young men.

The kick-off and orientation event will be held at Achievement First Endeavor Elementary School (510 Waverly Ave. between Fulton St. and Atlantic Ave.).

The sessions are intended to enhance and build interest in a variety of future career paths that lack in Black representation, recognize the achievements made throughout the Black community, and create a well-structured support system. For questions or to register, email EMBODY@BrooklynAumnaeDST.org.

Black History Month Showcase and Book Launch Party celebrates new children’s book by Chandler Bishop

Black History Month is in full throttle as events and activities continue to celebrate Black culture, poetry, music history, and entrepreneurship, including the publication of Chandler Bishop’s newest children’s book, “Writing African American Invention ABC’s.” The book, which teaches children about the inspiring achievements, experiences, and the history made by Black people, past and present, will launch officially on February 22 through the author’s website, www.chandlerbishop.com. The in-person event will be on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 5–8 p.m., with showcase performances starting at 6 p.m.

To acknowledge and celebrate the launch of Bishop’s new book, attendees will be taken down memory lane with musical arrangements from favorite hip-hop, R&B, reggae, Soulful Oldies, and AfroBeats hits while networking with fellow creatives and enjoying appetizers and signature cocktails. The event will include performances by members of Black New York Poets.

The event will be held at the Bedstuy Art House (198A Lewis Ave., Brooklyn 1122). Attendees are asked to wear all black.

Queens Metropolitan High School hosts second annual Virtual Black History Museum

As Black History Month proceeds, students at Queens Metropolitan High School have continued to recognize the Black experience through their second annual Virtual Black History Museum. Through their online museum, viewers can learn more about the history, culture, and achievements of important Black figures.

being in inadequate “tents” during winter weather.

“Whenever we talk about moving people around, there’s going to be a natural response,” said Abdullah Younus, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) senior director of advocacy.

Younus said HERRCs do fine in addressing the immediate needs for asylum seekers, but more permanent solutions for housing in general are necessary. At its root, the issue is about shelter and affordability for

Queens Metropolitan High School teachers Chris Kelly and Dena Freeman developed the idea of a virtual museum during the pandemic, when they had to adjust to the new remote learning system.

This year’s showcase demonstrates substantial growth and support—it has expanded to seven wings, two more than last year’s event. It has now become a month-long celebration and its message still stands years later.

The online exhibit features Black historical figures such as Carter G. Woodson, who is recognized for his role in establishing a week to celebrate Black history.

“As a white person in America, I’m aware of the privilege I have, so it’s really important that people educate themselves about the different successes of Black people in society and throughout history,” senior Maya Levkovich told PIX11.

Compiled by Morgan Alston.

See BUDGET CUTS on page 27

See BUDGET on page 29

Biden in Ukraine

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

In a Twitter post on Monday, President Biden said, “As we approach the anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I’m in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

The comments came as part of his surprise visit to the devastated, war-torn country where he was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv,” he said in an official Telegram channel. “Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians.”

While several European leaders have visited Ukraine, this was Biden’s first visit since the invasion and comes in advance of the anniversary of Russia’s attack. A three-day visit to Poland is part of the tour, and it shores up Ukraine’s ally and signals

the U.S.’s ongoing support, in terms of dollars and munition.

“When [Russian President Vladimir] Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.”

In this war of attrition, Russian troop losses in eastern Ukraine are having an impact on Putin’s offensives in the region, according to British defense officials. With the anniversary of Russia’s invasion last February 24, Putin’s forces have suffered considerable casualties, as many as 60,000 by some accounts. These setbacks are certain to mount with long distance missiles promised to Ukraine’s forces.

Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, echoed some of Biden’s intentions as well as his charge of genocide, declaring that Russia had “committed crimes

against humanity.” She said Russia and those “complicit” in the acts will “be held to account.”

She bolstered her assertions with evidence of the atrocities, noting,“First, from the starting days of this unprovoked war, we have witnessed Russian forces engage in horrendous atrocities and war crimes,” she said. “Russian forces have pursued a widespread and systemic attack against a civilian population, gruesome acts of murder, torture, rape, and deportation…executionstyle killings, beating, and electrocution.

“Russian authorities have forcibly deported hundreds of thousands of people from Ukraine to Russia, including children,” she added. “They have cruelly separated children from their families.” In her speech, she said the Russian forces had deliberately bombed a maternity hospital.

All this may be no more than a sound and fury signifying nothing, since neither Russia, Ukraine nor the U.S. are part of the International Criminal Court agreement.

Malcolm X’s daughter to sue CIA and FBI for wrongful death

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — The family of slain civil rights leader Malcolm X marked on Tuesday the anniversary of his 1965 assassination by announcing plans to sue agencies including the CIA, FBI, the New York Police Department and others for $100 million, accusing them of playing a role in his death.

Two of his daughters, Ilyasah Shabazz and Qubilah Shabazz, were joined by attorney Ben Crump at a news conference at the site of the former Audubon Ballroom in upper Manhattan, where Malcolm X was fatally shot as a crowd gathered to hear him speak on Feb. 21, 1965.

For decades, questions have circulated over who was responsible for his death.

Three men were convicted, but two were exonerated in 2021 after a renewed investigation into the cases against them showed the evidence used to gain convictions was shaky and that authorities had held back some information.

Ilyasah Shabazz, the co-administrator of her father’s estate, filed notices of claim, which is the first step in the process, saying that the agencies “conspired with each other and with other individuals and acted, and failed to act, in such a way as to bring about the wrongful death of Malcolm X.”

“For years our family has fought for the truth to come to light,” she said at the news conference. “We want justice served for our father.”

Emails seeking comment were sent to the

CIA, FBI, Department of Justice and New York City’s legal department. The DOJ and NYPD declined to comment.

Crump noted the anniversary date and said that ever since then, “there has been speculation as to who was involved in the assassination of Malcolm X.”

He cited the 2021 exonerations and said that government agencies including the Manhattan district attorney, the NYPD and the FBI “had factual evidence, exculpatory evidence that they fraudulently concealed from the men who were wrongfully convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X.”

Asked if he believes government agencies conspired to assassinate Malcolm, Crump said, “That is what we are alleging, yes. They infiltrated many civil rights organizations.”

Malcolm X’s legacy alive and well

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

“Living the Legacy” was the theme of the 58th commemoration of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X event Tuesday evening at the Shabazz Center. And speakers such as Attorney Benjamin Crump, poet Jessica Care Moore, MSNBC host Joy Reid, Democracy Now co-host Amy Goodman, Tamara Payne, the daughter of the late journalist Les Payne, Keynote Speaker Dr. Angela Davis, and moderator Marc Lamont Hill gave fresh vibrancy and resonance to Malcolm’s life and legacy. Their words and memories were received with enthusiasm by the massive audience.

After the drums of the African Healing Circle, and libations by Rev. Dr. Mother Khoshhali, and remarks by the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, the evening was a dazzling dis-

play of erudition and moderator Hill moved the lengthy festivity along with smooth efficiency. News broadcaster Reid established a family tone to the occasion, recalling that “My mother loved Malcolm X because she said, ‘That’s a man…a man who will never stop loving you.’”

Love was also evoked by Ms. Payne, who like Reid was a recipient of a Vanguard Award from the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center. “It was a labor of love,” she said of her father, whose book “The Dead Are Arising,” won a Pulitzer Prize.

And Amy Goodman expressed her administration for the daughters of Malcolm and Betty—four of whom she said were in “this very place where Malcolm” was assassinated on February 21, 1965.

Attorney Crump extended the salutations to the Shabazz family and commented on his representation of Dr.

Ilyasah Shabazz, and the 1$100 million lawsuit they have filed against the NYPD, the CIA, FBI, and other governmental agencies as complicit in Malcolm’s death.

“That lawsuit,” Crump elaborated, “is to let them know we will never forget Malcolm X.” He also briefly discussed his involvement in the case in Florida where on behalf of his clients he’s challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis and his decision to eviscerate AP courses in the school system.

Assad Koshul, co-founder of the Malcolm X Educational Curriculum, delivered a sample of the course, which with its graphics and visual complements promises to be very informative and engaging. Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric

Passaic native Justin Ellen has become one of most-sought-after bakers in New Jersey

The new Netflix show “Is it Cake?” has been finding some of today’s most talented bakers—and one of them is a 20-year-old Black entrepreneur. The social media sensation is Justin Ellen, a Passaic native who has been taking the world by storm with his baking abilities.

Ellen had just turned 18 when he was offered an opportunity to be featured on “Is it Cake?” He even sacrificed attending his high school graduation and prom to take the spot on the hit Netflix show.

Taking the “nontraditional” route of not attending college has allowed Ellen to build a six-figureand-growing business at just 19. Now, celebrities are starting to notice his work: Grammy Awardwinning singer and R&B icon Mary J. Blige hired Ellen to bake her cake for her 52nd birthday party. His business, Everything Just Baked, has become one of the most sought-after custom cake and dessert businesses in the state of New Jersey, and he has compile more than 120,000 followers on Instagram. His premium custom cake business was inspired by his mother and grandmother, the two people who introduced him to baking.

What was once a fun pastime has grown into a full-blown career for Ellen. He hopes that he can inspire other Black creatives to challenge themselves and never set limitations.

Black History Month: Improving health and wellness in our communities

According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the main causes of death in the African American community.

Heart disease and stroke have become the number-one killer in women, while stroke disproportionately affects the African American community, according to research by the American Heart Association. However, there are a variety of ways to tackle these illnesses to live a healthier and longer life. During Black History Month, New Jerseyites are encouraged to learn to become healthier. These are some of the top tricks selected by top doctors and researchers to accomplish that goal. Eating a healthy diet regularly that contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products makes a major contribution to how one feels on the inside and outside. Adults also need at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to maintain a healthy heart and an overall better lifestyle. Limiting alcohol and becoming smoke-free will also lower the risks of illness.

Research shows that women should have no more than one drink of wine or other alcohol a day and men should have no more than two.

Grant students continue to celebrate Black History Month

The South Plainfield Board of Education recently held a meeting where students from the Grant School were able to take to the podium and recite their favorite poems created by famous African American creatives. The Open Mic Contest was part of the school’s presentation in honor of Black History Month and was sponsored through the See

page 29

Lisa Easton, “Millionaire Morning Mama” creating financial freedom

By MORGAN ALSTON Special to the AmNews

After overcoming a 23-year marriage filled with toxicity, Lisa Easton had found herself stuck in financial trouble with $55k debt following her. As a mother of four, she also had full financial responsibility for their college expenses. With no support and her mental health in a downward spiral, Easton knew that she had to make major sacrifices to change her life.

“I refused to be paying off debt for five to 10 years. I am going to make the sacrifices now and get out of this situation one way or another,” Easton told the Amsterdam News . She had decided to stop letting the money and negativity control her as she began to focus on her inner healing and personal manifestation.

In just three short years, Easton had fully paid off her debt, created the life that she had envisioned, and developed a coaching business that is tailored to teaching other women how to get their own financial freedom. “I truly believe that I hacked the system, and I want to teach other women how to take control, [and] attract and grow

their own wealth as they reach their own financial goals,” Easton said.

Today, Easton is the CEO and founder of Millionaire Morning Mamas, where she guides women with tips and tricks to manifest millions. Her 20-minute-day system has led to appearances on CBS, The CW, META, and more to discuss her successful brand. Her impact can also be seen through her social media presence of more than 190,000 followers on TikTok and more than 150,000 on Instagram.

Easton was never new to entrepreneurship—she comes from a family that also created their own brands and establishments. Before creating Millionaire Morning Mamas, Easton had worked with millionaires for almost 15 years as an executive assistant and chief of staff to support their careers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Easton was one of many who were laid offs. However, six months before the pandemic affected her role, she had already begun to build her online coaching business.

“The universe just knew,” she said. “I had already started the foundation and I just knew that this was a sign. When I got laid off, I knew that this was a sign to continue and

to not look back.” Since then, Easton has created a name for herself and is helping other women to do the same.

As an Afro Latina woman, Easton believes that there is a significance in educating women of color about financial literacy. “It is critical,” she said.

Easton also believes that due to the lack of advantages and the lack of proper education around finances, women of color must take the initiative to change the trajectory of financial struggle. Her goal is to help mentor women who might be living from paycheck to paycheck, not able to live beyond what they make, or who lack the confidence to attract what they deserve.

Lisa Easton is making a difference as she continues to mentor women and offer tips about how to start on their path to abundance and wealth.

Bees power healthy ecosystems. So we’re proud to partner with The Bee Conservancy, which has protected an estimated 10 million bees to date.

Lisa Easton (Lisa Easton website photo)

Fast times at the Legislative Caucus in Albany

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

This past weekend was the 52nd Annual New York State Association Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, Asian Legislative Caucus (NYSABPRHAL) in Albany. It’s a joyous and impactful occasion in which legislators and entrepreneurs from all over the state gather to celebrate culture while highlighting important issues in communities of color.

Early Friday morning, legislators and caucus-goers descended on the Hilton Hotel in downtown Albany, just blocks from the grand chateau Capitol building that’s been operating in government since the 1880s. The town was already lit with excitement for the caucus to formally begin.

“What’s important about this conference is that our members use their power to empower people across the state of New

York. It serves as a major network and incubator for issues that’s affecting people from Brooklyn to Buffalo,” said Executive Director of NYSABPRHAL Charlene Gayle, who has been organizing the caucus event for the last four

years. “We are so happy to celebrate our 52nd annual legislative conference, themed ‘Fight the Power.’”

The weekend presents a unique opportunity for minority legislators to hear directly from their

constituents and vice versa. This year’s festivities focused on the expansion of minority- and/ or women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), criminal justice reform legislation, fair wages for healthcare workers, housing affordability and homeownership, education disparities, the new marijuana industry, and fostering economic growth, among other things. Tens of thousands of people attended the workshops and conference booths that were underneath the cavernous Empire State Plaza in a subterranean 98acre convention center between government buildings built in the 1960s.

Criminal Justice Reforms

Plenty of legislators, like New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, held workshops and forums centered around open discussions with residents on criminal justice reforms. Panelists spoke about hard topics like how best to prevent foster

care youths from ending up in the prison system, de-stigmatizing incarceration, and the challenges of reentry into society after imprisonment. A few shared heartbreaking stories of their experiences in and out of the criminal justice system. There was a wholehearted support of finally passing the Clean Slate Act, which would automatically seal people’s old conviction records; the Solutions Not Suspensions bill, and more violence prevention.

“I think obviously Clean Slate is a big thing for us and making sure we pass that this session as well as making sure that young people never enter a state where they have to use Clean Slate,” said Cunningham at a workshop he facilitated with Assemblymember George Alvarez. “So putting resources into communities to make sure we don’t have this issue.”

Fair Wages

On the issue of fair wages, a

The Vulcan Society’s first woman president Regina Wilson resumes leading historic Black firefighter organization

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

The new face of the Vulcan Society is a familiar one. Regina Wilson returns as president of the Black fraternal order for Fire Department of New York (FDNY) employees after first serving between 2015 and 2018. She was the first woman to lead the Vulcans since the organization was founded in 1940, and replaces outgoing head Dellon Morgan.

“My role as the president is to make sure that I am managing the organization on every level, be it our property that we own on Eastern Parkway, right [up to] managing everything that’s happened within the firehouse, EMS station, with our fire inspectors as well as our civilian members within headquarters of the FDNY,” said Wilson. “The scope of our responsibility [is] not only to our membership that works—uniform and civilian—but also to our community, whether it’s educating them on fire safety, going out to meet some of the needs, and handing out fire safety information [as well as] toys at Christmas, clothing, backpacks, [and] haircuts to the homeless.”

Joining her on the executive board are vice presidents Khalid Baylor and Kaseem Porter, along with treasurer Kevin Simon, sergeant at arms Cameron Crayton, and secretaries Tyeisha Pugh, Gregory Shephard, and Alonzo Baker. The positions are unpaid and voluntary, outside of president, which receives a stipend that Wilson says is “not nearly enough to cover the gas for the week.”

She told the Amsterdam News her return as president was largely predicated on preparing the executive board to pass the baton to future Vulcans.

“I want to be able to train my board so that they, in turn, could go to the membership, teach them so we will have a more educated organization and a board that [will] be able to lead this organization into the future,” she said. “I think we were not on that track. I wanted to be able to make sure that I supplement that for us to have this strength of leadership moving forward.”

Wilson herself formerly served as a vice president and recording secretary on the executive board before moving up to Vulcan Society president. On 9/11, she was a first responder at the World Trade

Center. Today, she’s a 24-year veteran of the FDNY, a department where few firefighters are Black or women, never mind both. When Wilson applied in 1999, she was just one of seven Black candidates and the only woman in her class, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Officially, she’s the 12th Black female firefighter ever to join the FDNY, according to the United Women Firefighters organization.

Mayor Eric Adams swore in the new executive board, including Wilson, last Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Queens Borough Hall’s Helen Marshall Cultural Center.

“Vulcan Society represents such a significant part of what we do,” said Adams. “Regina at the helm,

the energy that she brings—and trust me, when you give her your number, you will get a call at 3 a.m. She’s committed, dedicated, and I think these are crucial times as we define what firefighters are going to represent.

The organization traces its 83year history to supporting Black firefighters and ending discriminatory practices in the FDNY. Back in 2002, the Vulcan Society successfully sued the city over racially discriminatory hiring practices. Since then, the percentage of Black firefighters jumped from 3% to 9%. Their class action lawsuit opened the door for other groups like Latino and Asian Americans to grow their ranks

within the FDNY as well. Last year, the Vulcans helped co-author a package of five bills to promote diversity within the fire department, including the Speaker Adrienne Adams-sponsored Intro. 516-A, which requires the FDNY recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups, with a mandated report annually delineating the efforts. But there’s still work to be done, said Wilson.

“People drive an hour, an hour and a half, almost two hours to come work in Bed-Stuy, East New York, and Brownsville,” she said. “But we can’t get Black faces to work in those firehouses. It’s absurd to me. It’s important to be able to have these positions for somebody that will invest so much time to drive in a neighborhood that they don’t even live [in], to be able to have the people that live [also] work there, represented.”

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

See ALBANY on page 36

Mayor Eric Adams swears in Vulcan Society’s new executive board. (Tandy Lau photo)

Photos of the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators 52nd Annual Legislative Conference in Albany on February 1719, 2023. (Ariama C. Long photo)

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Go with the Flo

FLO ANTHONY

Actor Wendell Pierce has received the distinguished NAACP Image Award nomination for his starring role in the No Equal Entertainment production of “Don’t Hang Up” on Bounce. The performer is up for the award during the 54th annual ceremonies on Feb. 25 for outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series, and Dramatic Special. The other notable contenders are Morris Chestnut for “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” (Peacock); Samuel L. Jackson for “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” (Apple TV+); Terrence Howard for “The Best Man: Final Chapters” (Peacock); and Trevente Rhodes for “Mike” (Hulu).

In “Don’t Hang Up,” Pierce plays Chris Daniels, a man who receives a call that his daughter has been kidnapped. The kidnappers demand that he complete a series of different missions to get her back, including one crucial direction to not hang up the phone. The 54th NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast on BET …

In other NAACP Image Awards news, Variety reports that just a few weeks after becoming the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, Beyoncé won three awards out of five nominations during the non-televised Image Awards, which took place on Feb. 20. Queen Bey’s awards included Outstanding Female Artist, while her hit record “Renaissance” won Outstanding Album and “Cuff It” took home the prize for Outstanding Soul/R&B song ...

Other winners included Rihanna for Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for her “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” ballad, “Lift Me Up.” Chris Brown picked up two awards for Outstanding Duo, Group, or Collaboration (Contemporary) featuring WizKid and Outstanding Male Artist for his album “Breezy.” …

The Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) debuted “Healing & Hope,” which discusses and explores various topics related to the impact of COVID-19 and other issues that are critical to the Black church and the communities it serves. “Healing & Hope” will uplift, inform, and call viewers to action in the face of the COVID19 pandemic and others of today’s most pressing social justice issues. The 30-minute show will air twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. on the Impact Network (check your local listings). Guests will include some of the nation’s most prominent faith leaders of the largest historically Black denominations …

Ice-T received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Feb. 17. The rapper and actor was honored with the walk’s 2,747th star, located at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Ice’s wife Coco, their 7-year-old daughter Chanel, and Russell Simmons attended the ceremony, and “Law & Order” franchise creator/producer Dick Wolf, Ice’s “Law & Order:SVU” co-star Mariska Hargitay, and Public Enemy’s Chuck D all gave beautiful speeches where they raved about Ice’s talent and wonderful personality …

Community celebrates Viola Plummer’s 86th birthday with reparations rally

by NAYABA ARINDE

On Thursday, Feb. 16, December 12th Movement co-founder Viola Plummer celebrated her 86th birthday with a community rally calling for the people to demand that their elected officials push for passage of the New York State Reparations Bill. Assemblymember Jabari Brisport and City Councilmember Charles Barron sat alongside Plummer and addressed a packed Restoration Plaza event space. Later at Sis-

ta’s Place, friends and family shared a Cousin John’s birthday cake, sparkling cider, and champagne to honor the longtime international human rights activist, mother, and grandmother. The December 12th Movement work continued with the 58th commemoration of the death of Malcolm X at Bed Stuy’s New Canaan Baptist Church on Feb. 21.

On Friday, Feb. 24, they will show “The Durban 400” (and the New York State Reparations Bill).

The December 12th Movement Inter-

national Secretariat was instrumental in the call for the third United Nations World Conference Against Racism [WCAR] 2001 in Durban, South Africa, and led the largest U.S. delegation in history, dubbed “The Durban 400.” The WCAR final declaration stated “the trans-Atlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity,” and called for reparations. The film will be shown at Sista’s Place (456 Nostrand Avenue, corner of Jefferson Avenue) in Brooklyn at 7 p.m. For more information, call 718-398-1766.

Viola Plummer surrounded by friends at 86th birthday party. (Omowale Clay and Nayaba Arinde photos)

Conference panels at the 52nd annual BPRHAL

The New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Conference in Albany hosted several panels. Speakers included Hon. Eddie Gibbs on Challenges of Re-entry,

Hon. Inez Dickens on Homeownership, Hon. Cordell Cleare on Fair Pay for Home Care Workers, DA Darcell Clark, and Eric Gonzalez on Fair Justice.

Female City Council members show they are the New Majority NYC

Harlem holds swearing in for Hon. Edward Gibbs

Harlemites held a Swearing In Ceremony & Black History Month Celebration for Assemblymember Hon. Edward Gibbs, District 68 East Harlem, at the Johnson Community Center. Participants included Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and Mayor Eric Adams, along with electeds Sen. Cordell Cleare,

AG Letitia James, DA Alvin

Written by David Goodson

Getting ready for Combs Global and the Roots Picnic

When word got out about P Diddy readying himself to re-enter the music industry with a new venture, those who know, know waited with bated breath—especially when it was revealed that it would be an R&B label. Who gonna front on the legendary recordings he’s had his hands in with Mary J Blige, Jodeci, 112, Faith Evans, Carl Thomas, Total, and—if you remember—Gina Thompson?

Making the anticipated return to music, Combs announced the launch of Love Records, an allR&B record label, that adds a new music imprint to his portfolio and builds on the legendary legacy of Bad Boy Entertainment.

After three decades of entrepreneurial success across his renowned brands and a historic last year, including a landmark acquisition leading to becoming the largest minority-owned, vertically integrated multi-state operator in the cannabis industry, Sean “Diddy” Combs announced the rebranding of his parent company from Combs Enterprises to Combs Global.

The announcement marked the global expansion of his portfolio of businesses that have represented dominance in music, entertainment, fashion, spirits, and media/ television.

Combs Global started with Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Spirits (Cîroc Vodka, DeLeón Tequila), AQUAhydrate, REVOLT MEDIA, Sean John, Capital Preparatory Charter Schools, and the Sean Combs Foundation. Since then, it has expanded to include new business units and ventures such as Empower Global (formally Shop Circulate), Our Fair Share, Love Records, and into cannabis. Combs Global is entering a new chapter with a distinct vision and his stride won’t be broken.

“Combs Global represents the next chapter in my journey as a business leader and a bigger vision to build the largest portfolio of leading Black-owned brands in the world,” said Combs. “I’ve enlisted world-class teams of top executives, specialists, and strategic partners to bring this new dream to life and put us in the best position to keep making history while leading another 30 years of dominance across industries.”

This past year, Combs expanded the Combs Global portfolio with the acquisition of the Nile List, his $2 million investment in creator platform REC Philly, and the historic $185 million acquisition of key markets and assets from leading cannabis company CRESCO Labs. Combs also grew his Capital Preparatory charter schools to include campuses in the Bronx, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut.

The launch of Combs Global included a complete rebranding of the website, social channels, and brand communications, ushering in an exciting new era for the company. The announcement of the new visual identity coincides with plans to take the company and its business units international. With the 30th anniversary of Bad Boy Entertainment, 15th anniversary of Combs’s partnership with Diageo, and 10th anniversary of REVOLT, Combs will continue setting the standard as one of the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs of all-time.

If you’re thinking that 2023 will find Combs solely in briefcase mode, don’t get it twisted. At press time, Grammy Awardwinning multiplatinum hip-hop luminaries the Roots and Live Nation Urban shared the details for the 2023 installment of “Roots Picnic.” Known for its complete musical and cultural immersion, the two-day festival will be back at the Mann in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday, June 3 and 4, 2023.

A special stand-up comedy performance from Dave Chappelle and the Roots will kick off the weekend at Wells Fargo Center on Friday, June 2. The announced headliners of the music portion are Diddy with the Roots delivering a set highlighted by decades of his definitive hits, and Lauryn Hill, who will co-headline and perform the entirety of »The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill »—a rare event—to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the seminal album’s release.

I’ll have much more information about the Roots Picnic throughout the year, but you might want to cop your tickets now!

Over and out. Holla next week. ’Til then, enjoy the nightlife.

The New York City Council’s “New Majority NYC” gathered at Foley Square, Manhattan, last week in a show of strength.

Bragg, past Gov. David Paterson. and other local officials. Providing cultural entertainment were Laureate Kayden Herns and the Sean-Harbor Children’s Choir. There was a large turnout from family, friends, and the community.

(Bill Moore photos)

Legal Aid workers petition for a living wage

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Lawyers, paralegals, and administrative staff working with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), the non-profit organization that provides free legal assistance to all New York City residents, took part in a two-day strike action Feb. 21.

Hundreds of NYLAG office workers stood out on the picket line in front of 100 Pearl Street, where NYLAG is based. On Feb. 22, the union president was out in front with a guitar leading members as they sang traditional union songs like “Which Side Are You On?”, “We Shall Overcome,” “If I Had a Hammer,” and a song specifically for the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys union.

“We’re making history because this is our first ever strike,” Ervis Burdo, who works with NYLAG’s financial empowerment services, told the AmNews. “As other New Yorkers are doing, we’re striking for a fair contract, which is: fair wages, better work-life balance, and a specific workload proposal.”

According to a statement from their union, A Better NYLAG (ABN)-UAW Local 2325, workers have held bargaining sessions with NYLAG for a better contract “since June 2022, and eight months later, NYLAG has still refused to move meaningfully on the issues most important to its workforce: salary, healthcare, and a sustainable workload.”

The group says these legal assistance workers provide underserved communities with resources that are often beyond their reach. Yet these often-heralded advocates for others are, during their own workday, overburdened with cases.

The only contract NYLAG is offering so far increases salaries at a paltry .9% a year. ABN’s Bargaining Committee states that it “has repeatedly told NYLAG in bargaining and elsewhere that they will not allow their members to continue to be underpaid and undervalued when they are on the front lines of eviction prevention and recent arrival removal defense.”

Questions for comments about the strike action from NYLAG were not answered by press time.

NYC Comptroller reports plateaued Black unemployment rates, decreased value in $15 minimum wage due to inflation

By TANDY LAU

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

New York’s successful “Fight for $15” might be in for a refresh. NYC Comptroller Brad Lander projects the state’s hourly minimum wage will fall below $13 in local value when adjusted for inflation.

“When you freeze the wage, even if it’s just for four years—at a time of high inflation—that’s like cutting the minimum wage back down,” he said. “We include in this analysis the purchasing power, the inflation adjusted minimum wage that hit $15 in 2019, but now that’s only worth $12.85 Because as inflation has driven up the cost of rent and food and electrical energy, what $15 bought is only worth $12.85.

“Minimum wage workers have essentially seen a real decrease as a result of inflation through the pandemic.”

Lander adds that 18 other states have confronted similar problems by indexing their minimum wage—in other words, adjusting for inflation to rise alongside the growing cost of living. While the idea was floated here in New York City, lawmakers ultimately opted to maintain a flat $15 hourly pay. It’s remained the same since 2019, despite dramatic pandemic-related inflation over the past few years.

Currently, there are dueling proposals to index minimum wage in New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget plan—promised to benefit women and people of

color the most—would increase pay commensurate with Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners (CPI-W), a regional authority on inflation, but is capped at a 3% annual raise. If passed, Lander projects a $.45 minimum wage increase next year and says it is not enough to catch up to inflation rates, which was around 6% this year. Raise Up NY, the alternate bill sponsored by State Sen. Jessica Ramos, is also indexed to CPI-W but mandates a set wage increase up to $21.25 by 2027.

“Our commonsense plan to peg the minimum wage to inflation will not only put more money into the pockets of hundreds of thousands of hardworking New Yorkers, it will also provide predictability for employers and spur more spending in local economies and businesses,” said Hochul in January.

“The Governor’s proposal for adjustments to our minimum wage does not reflect the seriousness of our affordability crisis,” said Ramos. “With her plan, minimum wage workers would only get $13 more a week— that barely buys you lunch in New York City. We have to do better. We have to raise the wage and then index it to keep pace.”

The Comptroller’s Office also found Black unemployment in the city remains steadily around 10-12% following the COVID-19 shutdown while citywide unemployment rates have cratered since 2021. All the while, other groups are seeing dramatic decreases in unemployment. The Hispanic rate was once the highest in New York City at 23.1% in 2020, but now rests just above city average at 6.8%. White unemployment was

Roofers’ union opens apprentice program

The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers, Local Union No. 8, based in Long Island City, New York, will conduct recruitment for 25 apprentice positions from March 13 through March 24.

Only 250 applications will be accepted, on a first-come, first-served basis, for a total of 10 business days or until 250 applications have been submitted, whichever comes first. Applications must be completed and submitted online only at www.roofers8.org, from 8 a.m. on March 13, 2023, through 11:59 p.m. on March 24.

Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old. Proof will be required after selection and before enrollment in an apprenticeship.

• Have completed at least a 10th-grade education or higher education or GED. All proof of education must be original copies and no online diplo-

mas will be accepted. Proof will be required after selection and before enrollment in an apprenticeship.

• Attest in writing that they are physically able to perform the work of a roofer, which includes working from ladders and scaffolds from 6 feet in height up to and including buildings of more than 50 floors; lifting materials and equipment (such as roofing and waterproofing materials) weighing up to 65 pounds for extended periods of time; repetitive bending and kneeling; having manual dexterity and range of motion; working in extreme weather conditions, such as heat, cold, and wind; and performing strenuous manual labor, such as roof removal, roof replacement, and removal of roofing debris over extended periods of time.

• Have reliable transportation to and from various work sites and required

around 12% during the height of the pandemic, but is now under 3%.

“Unemployment amongst what [Community Service Society] calls disconnected youth—which are overwhelmingly people of color—[is] staggering, while white people have [more] connections to get them their first job,” said Lander. “People of color are much less likely to have those kinds of connections into good entry-level jobs. They’re less likely to know someone who runs a law firm or small business.

“The minimum wage is obviously a little bit of a different thing because it affects if you’re employed, not if you’re unemployed. But it also is true that the folks who are getting paid the minimum wage are overwhelmingly more likely to be people of color and to be women as well.”

And all this ties into public safety for New Yorkers, says Lander.

“If you’re a young person, and you don’t see a path to a decent job, then your connections to the institutions of well-being and stability are a bad thing,” he said.

“That adds up to an unwellness that can express itself in disorder and crime. The more we can help people have jobs to pay enough to live, the better off everybody is.”

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

classes at the approved school.

• Pass a drug test, at the expense of the sponsor, after selection and before enrollment in an apprenticeship.

• Reside in the jurisdiction of Local Union #8 at the time of application, which includes the counties of New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, Richmond, Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan, Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, and Putnam, as well as east of the Hackensack River in Hudson County, New Jersey.

• Have proof of minimum qualifications in the form of original documents (no online diplomas will be accepted) that must be submitted at time of enrollment in an apprenticeship.

For further information, applicants should contact United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers, Local Union #8, at 718-361-1169.

Hundreds of NYLAG office workers stood out on the picket line in front of 100 Pearl Street to demand a new contract. (Karen Juanita Carrillo photos)

Forever Malcolm X!

Commemoration and celebration of Black History month were in abundance this year, and as usual it was highlighted by the tribute to the life and legacy of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz). It was a massive turnout for the 58th commemoration on a date immortalized by his assassination on February 21, 1965.

Besides the flowing tributes and festive occasion at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center on Tuesday evening, a press conference earlier in the day called by attorney Benjamin Crump announced the filing of a $100 million lawsuit against the NYPD and other governmental agencies on behalf of Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz and the family.

During his speech later at the “Living the Legacy” event at the Shabazz Center, Crump stated that one of the reasons for the lawsuit was to demonstrate the complicity of the police and government forces in Malcolm’s death. “We will never forget Malcolm X,” Crump declared.

Nor is Malcolm forgotten in other parts of the country and the world, and sometimes not under the best circumstances, most notably in Mason, Michigan, where he attended high school. The city council voted down a resolution to create a Malcolm X Day of Observance. It stimulated a strong response from community residents, several of them speaking before the council.

From California, to Indiana, to the east coast, Malcolm was the word, and what more than one commentator noted: “We need more than a special occasion to honor this fearless leader.” Indeed, time is often taken out to recall his birthday and death day, but it’s those days between that mark his furious passage among us, and as Attorney Crump reminds us, moments and a man who should never be forgotten.

Universal Hip-Hop Parade for Social Justice & Hip-Hop 50th anniversary celebrations coming up this summer

By JEFFERY KAZEMBE BATTS UHHP Founder & President

The year 2023 will be memorable because Hip-Hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary. On Saturday, Aug. 12, as part of NYC’s 50th Anniversary celebration, plans are for the Universal Hip-Hop Parade (UHHP) for Social Justice to hold its best social justice/Hip-Hop parade ever through the streets of Bed-Stuy.

The parade is a mashup celebration of both the legacy of Marcus Garvey and the creativity of Hip-Hop culture.

Garvey was arguably the greatest mass organizer of people. Without the modern technology of cellphones and computers, Garvey built a worldwide organization dedicated to uplifting Black people who were oppressed globally.

Hip-Hop has grown from Kool Herc’s South Bronx basement party on August 11, 1973, to become the world’s pop culture. Anywhere on the planet, youth and adults embrace the multidimensional art form.

Since 2000, recognizing these two influential and global movements as the 20th century was winding down, the UHHP decided to combine them into the Universal Hip-Hop Parade for Social Justice and create a new form of edutainment for the community.

This year, legendary Hip-Hop icons are in place as Ambassadors of the culture to assist in making the 2023 UHHP social justice procession as energetic, uplifting, and enjoyable as possible. Ambassadors representing the original elements include James Top (graffiti), Ralph McDaniels (video), King Uprock (dance), Phoenix Orion (rap), and Hard Hittin’ Harry (DJ).

On Saturday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m., the UHHP will host a “Black/Hip-Hop History” Activation networking and fundraising event at the Bed-Stuy Restoration Plaza with most of the Ambassadors.

The UHHP organization is a grassroots, voluntary association that helps young adults, college students, and community members plan, build, and implement the parade and related community events. Over the years, the parade has showcased activist marchers, bikers, car clubs, floats, graffiti banners, marching bands, martial arts schools, motorcycle clubs, sound trucks, stilt walkers, and more. Families and individuals often march in the procession while others view the parade from the sidewalk.

Starting at the historic Magnolia Tree Earth Center, the procession goes down Lafayette Ave. to meet up at Marcus Garvey Blvd. (MGB).

Along the parade route, the procession stops to acknowledge various community institutions. The Bed-Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BSVAC) has traditionally been the first stop. Most people don’t know that the founder of the BSVAC was a popular DJ: James “Rocky” Robinson, who died in 2019. He would set up a sound system and blast music before and after the parade procession passed by.

Continuing down MGB, the next regular stop is the Bed-Stuy Boxing Gym. Brother Nate, who manages the ] gym, sets up a sound system where uprockers and other b-boy dancers display their skills before joining the procession.

The procession then passes the park at PS 44, Brown Sugar, and Bethany Baptist Church before turning onto Fulton Street.

The parade then goes into the heart of BedStuy’s commercial district, passing the BedStuy Restoration Plaza, going through the busy Nostrand Ave. and Fulton St. intersection before ending at Bedford Ave., where the legendary Slave Theater used to stand.

For more information about UHHP organization activities or the August 12 parade, contact the UHHP at 718-6351801, uhhp4socialjustice@gmail.com (email), or IG: @theuhhp.

Malcolm X Commemoration Committee speaks!

By BRO. ZAYID MUHAMMAD

Malcolm X (Malik el-Shabazz) was assassinated on February 21, 1965.

The Malcolm X Commemoration Committee joins with everyone who calls for reopening the case of Malcolm X. However, we are not and will not be among those looking to forgive and have any compassion for the late Ray Wood.

We call Wood’s confession his “non-confession” because of two lies he tells: one, that he was coerced into doing what he did; and two, that he didn’t know Malcolm was the target. His “confession” suggests that he was a novice and wrongly pressured into doing what he did that ultimately had a hand in Malcolm’s death.

capacity—he was, in fact, a provocateur seeking to provoke illegal activity to set up their leadership for prosecution, in particular their leader, Herb Callender.

There is also evidence that the Statue of Liberty plot—the plan that compromised key men in Malcolm’s security—was first floated to the CORE chapter Wood had penetrated, and that it was Wood who promoted that idea among them.

Beyond being outraged about his role in facilitating the assassination with the NYPD’s Bureau of Special Services (BOSS), we are outraged that this confession asserts that he was “not aware that Malcolm X was the target.”

It is an absolute insult to all of our intelligence...

ers would have gotten away scot free!

There is nothing innocent about Wood’s deeds here. Historian Garrett Felber reminds us that he received a promotion to detective second grade for his work in the Statue of Liberty 4 case—not something you would associate with someone facing coercion.

Wood continued to function as an undercover operative for at least six more years, infiltrating the Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM) and the NY Chapter of the Black Panther Party.

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In fact, it is well known that before he infiltrated Malcolm’s Organization of AfroAmerican Unity (OAAU), Wood was an operative who infiltrated the Bronx branch of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). It is also known that he was not simply an informant in that

Herman Ferguson and Yuri Kochiyama, both founding members of Malcolm’s OAAU and our organization, have always said that they saw Wood at the Audubon at the assassination and also saw him being aided away from the scene by the police as if he might have been wounded from the shootout that ensued with Malcolm’s soldier Rueben X Frances, who heroically hit one of the assassins, Talmadge Hayer, in the melee that ensued after Malcolm was felled by the assassin team.

Of course, we must remind everyone how heroically important Brother Reuben was in all of this. Had not he been armed and ready on that fateful afternoon, all of Malcolm’s kill-

He was no one’s innocent operative. He had, in fact, become an expert operative who produced desired results at critical times for his overseers. Deadly results at times, and we are still reeling from the gravity of Malcolm’s murder.

To be sure, Wood’s “work” in aiding Malcolm’s assassination draws parallels to another New York operative, one whose provocations also got him decorated and on through law school: Edward Howlette. Howlette played a similar role in jamming Herman Ferguson and his co-defendant Arthur Harris. They would be charged with conspiring to kill moderate civil rights leaders Roy Wilkins and Ralph Bunche. Both opted for exile.

Ferguson exiled himself in Guyana for 20 years. He faced prison at 69 when he returned to New York in an effort to clear

The forgotten town: East Palestine’s Catastrophe Ignored by Biden

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

A catastrophic train derailment has unleashed toxic fumes and pollutants into the air and water of East Palestine, Ohio, leaving the town’s inhabitants reeling with uncertainty about their future. The once-thriving community now stands in a state of disarray, with residents left wondering if they will face long-term health consequences and their town will ever be the same again.

Despite the severity of the situation, weeks after the disaster, President Biden has failed to visit. To make matters worse, he decided to instead visit Ukraine. This move has only exacerbated the betrayal felt by the people of East Palestine. With this move, he has turned the concept of “America first” on its head, treating Americans last, and leaving many Americans feeling as if they are last in line for his attention and concern.

The people of East Palestine are not political pawns to be ignored or overlooked. They are hardworking citizens who deserve compassion, empathy, and a strong leader who will take their concerns seriously. Rural America has been hit hard in recent years, and East Palestine is no different. It is time for our elected officials to prioritize the needs of all Americans, regardless of their location or background, and work toward creating a brighter future for everyone.

East Palestine has endured its fair share of challenges. Once a bustling community centered around coal mining, the town has been dealt a severe blow by the industry’s decline. Job losses and economic hardship have become a way of life for many residents, despite the valiant efforts of local leaders to attract fresh investment and industries.

Compounding the town’s woes is the opioid epidemic, which has wreaked havoc on many lives, leaving them struggling with ad-

istration should ignore international issues, but instead that it needs to balance these concerns with a commitment to domestic issues and the needs of all Americans.

diction and the resulting social and economic consequences.

Despite East Palestine’s ongoing struggles, U.S. politicians, including President Biden, have largely ignored this community. While the president has taken steps to address rural America’s concerns through such initiatives as the American Jobs Plan and the Rural Partnership Program, he has neglected the specific needs of communities like East Palestine, and with his visit to Ukraine, he has cemented the idea that they will always be treated as subhuman because their votes matter little in presidential elections.

To be clear, the conflict in Ukraine is a pressing issue that demands attention and engagement from the United States. However, it is equally vital that we do not overlook the struggles of East Palestine and similar communities. The two issues are interrelated, as the decline of traditional sectors like coal mining in the United States is linked to global economic trends and the shift toward alternative forms of energy production. By ignoring the challenges faced by communities like East Palestine, the president risks further entrenching the economic disparities driving much of the discontent and division in the country.

Furthermore, the disregard for communities like East Palestine prompts legitimate questions about the President’s dedication to achieving his stated aim of unifying the country. If the administration remains preoccupied with global issues and geopolitical concerns at the expense of the needs of rural and working-class Americans, it risks further heightening the feelings of estrangement and frustration that have prompted many voters to embrace populist and nationalist movements. This is not to suggest that the admin-

President Biden’s choice to overlook the environmental catastrophe taking place in East Palestine during his recent visit to Ukraine is a worrisome occurrence that raises significant concerns about his priorities and dedication to the welfare of all Americans. While the conflict in Ukraine is a crucial issue, the plight of rural and workingclass communities in the United States must not be cast aside. The perceived lack of attention from the Biden administration, highlighted by missteps from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to the president himself, reinforces the sense of neglect felt in these communities. While Biden is in Ukraine, former President Donald Trump is in East Palestine showcasing the care and attention a leader should exemplify during a major disaster such as this.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, President Biden’s actions risk conveying the impression that he is out of touch with and unsympathetic to struggling Americans. This perception could alienate swing voters who are already discontented with the direction of the country. The people of East Palestine, are in urgent need of assistance, and it is the federal government’s responsibility to collaborate with state and local authorities to provide not only the necessary support and relief to alleviate the current crisis, but also empathy and care by our elected officials to show that they care more about them as people than they do about their votes.

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

We must figure out policing and guns

CHRISTINA GREER PH.D.

I recently visited Iceland and I was struck by a few things. First, the country is absolutely beautiful and I felt like I was exploring the moon most of my stay, but I digress.

What I immediately noticed on my first day was the absence of police officers. During my entire one-week stay on the frigid and windy island to our north, I only saw one police car.

Iceland is one of the safest nations around. Granted, there are only roughly 370,000 people on the island; however, I am going to allow my political imagination to think of a better way for us in the United States to coexist. The police officers in Iceland do not carry guns because by and large, the population does not have access to guns. Iceland makes it incredibly difficult for someone to obtain a firearm, so as you can imagine, the obstacles in obtaining a gun significantly decrease those able to purchase or possess a fire arm. And since the population is not armed to the teeth, the police force does not feel the need to be armed and ready for battle, either.

testor who was trying to protect the land and prevent the beautiful landscape from turning into a deadly training ground, he too was a victim of police gun violence…and subsequent lies about how he was armed and provoked the attack—a story and a lie we as a community have heard far too often.

“Until we figure out how to decrease America’s obsession with simultaneous gun culture and hyper funding of police departments, I do not see a clear solution in sight.”

I know so many police departments look at certain neighborhoods and see those civilians as the enemy. We do know proper policing is possible because we have seen police officers peacefully detain white offenders as they kick, scream, curse, punch and spit on officers. We have seen police officers bring in white offenders with nary a scratch on them after they have chased their white suspects for blocks and blocks.

Like many people, as I process Memphis, I am simultaneously reprocessing deadly police interactions with innocent Black people in Staten Island, Ferguson; Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, California— the list goes on and on and on, and my heart is exhausted thinking of all of the families and communities who continue to be retraumatized with each deadly killing.

I think about the building of “Cop City” just outside of Atlanta and the death of a peaceful pro -

I wish I had a solution to this quandary. The anti-Black racism that persists is exhausting. Until we figure out how to decrease America’s obsession with simultaneous gun culture and hyper funding of police departments, I do not see a clear solution in sight. We need leaders who are aggressive about making it more difficult for people to obtain guns and equally as aggressive in finding solutions beyond over-funding police departments.

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 FAQ-NYC and host of the “Blackest Questions” podcast at TheGrio.

Caribbean Update

Caricom reparations leaders to meet shortly

By BERT WILKINSON

Special to the AmNews

Ever since the Dutch apologized to the Caribbean for the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade, there has been renewed focus on making Europe atone not only for the sins of slavery, but also on specific atrocities done by specific nations.

In late December, the Dutch said it was sorry for its role as the leading slave-trading nation among the Americas and gave more than a strong hint that the apology by Prime Minister Mark Rutte was not necessarily the final chapter on this subject.

Since then, the region has been trying to up the pressure on European nations, western institutions (including churches), and others

that have benefited from the slave trade and are now thriving, prosperous countries or entities built on the back of free labor.

When Caribbean Community leaders met in the Bahamas for their biannual summit last week, the question of the role France had played in not only the slave trade, but financially pillaging Haiti after it had defeated the French to gain independence, came to the fore through Prime Minister Ariel Henry and other leaders who attended the three-day summit that ended on Friday.

The Nassau Guardian newspaper had asked Henry whether he believes that France owes Haiti reparations not only for the slave trade but for also making it pay millions in compensation in exchange

for diplomatic recognition of the newly independent Haiti. Haiti was the first country to defeat European colonizers in the Americas and win freedom. Henry said he had had a discussion about French reparations with former president François Hollande. He intends to push ahead with its reparations agenda.

“And I will say what Hollande said; he recognized that he has to do some reparations for Haiti,” Henry said. “He said that France would engage itself in some education to do some reparations. There is something that maybe has to be discussed with France. We have a good relationship with France and when we have problems, we put them on the table. And we’ll put that.”

Other regional leaders, like

Mia Mottley of Barbados and Rooesvelt Skerrit of Dominica, also say that Caricom has no plans to allow the French to escape for the way it has treated Haiti.

“We believe that as a community, this ought to be the subject of discussion and to the extent that those discussions take place, Haiti, of course, has to be at the center of it, as the first country to have declared independence and to have emancipated Black people as slaves,” Mottley said. “What we had was a society and an economy that had been sucked dry and wealth extracted from it for centuries. Now, if you start with a deficit, you have hell to catch up and that has been our experience in these 50, 60 years since independence.”

The regional team of lead-

ers and support personnel on reparations is scheduled to meet in the coming weeks to continue the fight against Europe.

Haiti was the key agenda item at the summit. The participation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as a special guest, helped attract international attention to the summit and the issue of the near collapse of the Haitian government, its economic standstill from weeks of gangrelated riots, and its tenuous security situation. More than 100 officers have been killed in recent weeks.

Canada has a large Haitian diaspora in many of its provinces.

Announcing plans to help Haiti, Trudeau said Ottawa will send navy intelligence vessels to the Caribbean island to back up the work of

local police in fighting heavily armed gangs and will also provide mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles for police to use. The assistance package to Haiti included a $10 million grant to the International Office of Migration to help Haitian women struggling along the border with the Dominican Republic and $12.3 million in direct humanitarian aid.

”Together with Caricom, Canada and international partners can help Haitians bring an end to the crisis and build a better, and more hopeful, future for their country,” Trudeau said. “The toll of human suffering in Haiti weighs heavily on me. As Canadians, our fundamental objective is to ease this suffering and empower Haitians to chart their own future.”

Immigrants now have to deal with prejudice from an app

FELICIA PERSAUD IMMIGRATION KORNER

Just when you think nothing can shock you anymore, along comes a headline that not only stops you in your tracks but sends your anger and anxiety levels ticking up fast.

According to a report in the UK Guardian, not only do Black immigrants have to put up with bias from the right wing in the real world, but now we are forced to deal with bias in artificial intelligence (AI).

Here’s the latest shocker in the immigration asylum drama and why it’s so relevant to this column. The U.S. government’s new mobile app for migrants to apply for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, called CBP One, is reportedly blocking many Black immigrants, especially from Haiti and Africa, from being able to file their claims because of facial recognition bias in the technology.

Yes, you read that right. Now you understand why my anger and anxiety levels were pushing up past 10.

The U.S. government announced in early January that the new CBP One mobile app would be the only way migrants arriving at the border can apply for asylum and exemption from Title 42 restrictions. At the time, the government said CBP One would “reduce wait times and help ensure safe, orderly[,] and streamlined processing.”

But according to advocates and the UK Guardian report, CBP One is failing to register many people with darker skin tones, effectively barring them from their right to request entry into the U.S. The nonprofits call it an apparent algorithm bias in the technology that the app relies on. They say the algorithm is sharply reducing the number of Black asylum seekers who can fill out their applications.

Emmanuella Camille, a staff attorney with the Hai-

tian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit that helps Haitian and African asylum seekers, said the CBP One app has helped “lighter-skin toned people from other nations” obtain their asylum appointments “but not Haitians” and other Black applicants.

In the Mexican city of Tijuana, at the end the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego, another large community of Haitian asylum seekers is waiting and experiencing the same problems with the app, according to nonprofits that are assisting them, as are people from African countries and other Black migrants trying to enter.

“The facial recognition is not picking up [images] if people have darker skin tones,” Erika Pinheiro, executive director at Al Otro Lado, a binational legal and humanitarian aid organization, was quoted as saying. She said because the app is unable to map the features of many darker-skinned asylum seekers, they cannot upload their photos to receive an asylum

appointment with the U.S. immigration authorities.

“The Haitians at [a] workshop were getting error after error message on the app,” she said. “We’ve also seen it affect Venezuelans who are darker skinned.”

“The app is working for some migrants but blocking others, especially those who are most vulnerable,” Felicia Rangel-Samponaro, co-director of the nonprofit the Sidewalk School, which provides educational programs for asylum seekers in the Mexican cities of Reynosa and Matamoros, near the eastern end of the Texas border, where many Haitians are living in makeshift camps, told the paper.

“There are about 4,000 Black asylum seekers waiting in Reynosa and at least another 1,000 Haitians in Matamoros. Hardly anyone is getting an asylum appointment. Neither population is being represented as it should [be].

I’ve yet to speak with a white asylum seeker who has had the same issue. And we help

everybody in both cities,” Rangel-Samponaro added.

Yet migrants are “being told by CBP that the only way they can cross the border is by using this app.”

For now, Rangel-Samponaro said advocates are experimenting with ways to get the technology to work for darker-skinned asylum seekers. One fix they’ve come up with is installing bright construction lights at the shelter in Reynosa, which Haitians and others shine on their faces as they take photos to upload to the app.

“So far, it seems to be working, so the adults can get past that,” she said. “But it’s still not working for children under the age of six.”

Pinheiro pointed to studies showing that kind of technology tends to do a poor job of identifying people of certain races and ethnicities.

A study from Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published in 2018 found that facial recognition programs perform

best on light-skinned men— with an error rate of less than 1 percent. Facial recognition systems performed worst on dark-skinned women, getting it wrong more than a third of the time.

“There are really high error rates with certain races, especially Black and Asian applicants, so we would expect that people who are not white are going to have a harder time with the facial recognition feature,” Pinheiro said.

So far, the makers of CBP have only said they are aware of some of its technical challenges and will “continue to enhance the mobile application as additional improvement opportunities arise.”

How many battles do we have to fight, all because of our rich melanin? If your anxiety level is also up after reading this, I understand. Welcome to the day in the life of a Black immigrant.

Health

Black Civil War surgeons get recognition in Canada

By HEATHER M. BUTTS, JD, MPH, MA Special to the AmNews

On February 9, 2023, two plaques were unveiled at Trinity College in Toronto, Canada, honoring the lives of two of the first Black physicians to attend medical school and be licensed in Canada: Dr. Alexander Thomas Augusta and Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott. Chris Bateman, plaques manager at Heritage Toronto, told the AmNews, “Heritage Toronto is thrilled to add these plaques about Dr. Abbott and Dr. Augusta to our program and to mount them on the street where people can discover the stories of these remarkable men. These plaques also help ensure Toronto’s diverse shared past and lived experiences are better represented within our plaques program.”

The history of these men has gone largely unrecognized until now. According to Dr. Nav Persaud, Canada research chair in health justice at the University of Toronto, who led the effort for the plaque recognitions for Dr. Abbott and Dr. Augusta, “I only heard about Dr Augusta in the last several years, even though I studied medicine at the University of Toronto and lived at Trinity College. I hope these plaques mean that current and future students will be aware of the contributions of Black people to healthcare throughout history. I also hope people will be inspired to excellence and start to think about other stories that need to be told today.”

Abbott was born on April 7, 1837, in Toronto, Canada. His parents were Wilson Ruffin and Mary Ellen Toyer Abbott. Abbott was able to attend prominent schools both in Toronto and the United States before returning to Toronto as a medical student and Augusta's mentee.

According to a letter written by Abbott and now housed in the National Archives, he was intent on serving in the Civil War: “Dear Sir, I learn by our city papers that it is the intention of the United States government to raise 150,000 colored troops. Being one of the class of persons, I beg to apply for a commission as Assistant Surgeon. My qualifications are: That I am twenty-five years of age, I have been engaged in the study of practice of medicine five years.

I am a licentiate of the college of physicians and surgeons Upper Canada. A board of examiners appointed by the Governor General to examine candidates for license to practice. I am also a matriculant of the Toronto University. It is my intention to go up for my degree of Bachelor of Medicine in the spring.”

Abbott served as a surgeon during the Civil War between 1863 and 1865 at various sites, including Freedman’s Hospital. He is widely credited with being a physician at the bedside of President Lincoln when Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, and Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd, gave him the shawl that Lincoln wore at his first inauguration upon Lincoln’s death.

In 1866, Abbott returned to Canada, started a family with his wife Mary Ann Casey, and became a pivotal member of the medical and Black communities in Toronto. He died in 1913 at the age of 76 and is buried at the Toronto Necropolis.

Augusta was another of the first licensed Black doctors in Canada. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and received his education in secret due to racist local laws and traditions that prevented the education of African Americans. In the 1840s, Augusta moved to Baltimore to begin studying medicine. After being rejected by several American medical schools that were not routinely accepting Black applicants, August moved to Toronto, Canada, with his wife Mary, who was very successful in her own right.

According to Toronto researcher and historian Dr. Alanna McKnight, “Mary Augusta was one of the few Black women in 19th-century Toronto who owned a business. While her husband completed his medical education and ran a pharmacy, Mary ran a dressmaking shop. She advertised in the Provincial Freeman newspa-

per, and her shop was located very close to the Ward, where many new Canadians lived. It’s probable that she gave Black women from America their first paid employment. Her story has so far been largely eclipsed by her amazing husband, but thanks to her inclusion in the heritage plaque, her story will be known.” They moved to Canada, where Augusta studied medicine at Trinity College.

Augusta petitioned to receive a commission as a surgeon in the Union army. He wrote to Lincoln several times after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed in 1863. It would not be until April 4, 1863, that August would finally get his coveted appointment at the rank of major.

He was assigned to the contraband hospitals in Washington, D.C.—Black individuals that escaped slavery were known as “contraband” and hospitals that were built to care for them were known as contraband hospitals. While serving at the contraband hospitals, Augusta was met with confusion and skepticism. According to a letter from Commander James J. Ferree to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, “knowing that Dr. Augusta ranked as Major and that I ranked only as Captain...I referred him to Dr. CB Webster, Surgeon in Charge of the Contraband Hospital, who being a contract surgeon was embarrassed by the same consideration.”

In addition to a constant fight for equality, both Abbott and Augusta had difficulty getting pay commensurate with their rank. It would not be until Augusta took their case to Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson that there would be any kind of redress of this injustice.

In another instance, Augusta was attacked by a white mob in Baltimore and defended in a published statement his right “to wear the insignia of my office, and if I am either afraid or ashamed to wear them, anywhere, I am not fit to hold my commission.”

While Abbott returned to Canada after the Civil War, Augusta remained in the United States. He became a faculty member at the newly formed Howard University Medical School in Washington, D.C., and received two honorary degrees from Howard University in 1869 and 1871.

He is also noted for being instrumental in the integration of streetcars in Washington, D.C. When he died in 1890, he was the first Black officer buried at Arlington National Cemetery, America’s national military cemetery.

We cannot fully know our history if the stories we tell ourselves are incomplete. Any accurate retelling of the history of medical care, of the Civil War, of care of others that does not include Black medical pioneers is incomplete and leaves us all with an incomplete understanding of ourselves.

(L-R) Alexander Augusta and Anderson Abbott (Images courtesy of Trinity College)

Arts & Entertainment

NAACP’s Derrick Johnson offers light on 54th NAACP Image Awards

By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The 54th NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. (live ET/on delay PT) on BET from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. More than 70 categories will be highlighted this year—another example of African-American excellence.

In case you didn’t know, the NAACP (originally the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was founded in 1909—the same year as this newspaper—in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country. The NAACP is the largest civil rights organization in the nation. Its mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all people.

Now that we’ve established the importance of the organization, it goes without saying how vital the 54th NAACP Image Awards are in 2023. The more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s part of the wisdom that I gleaned from interviewing Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, via Zoom. Johnson has a strong presence and a warmth that I found comforting. And those are brilliant qualities for a leader to possess.

As president and CEO of the NAACP since 2017, Johnson has a unique vantage point, having served as vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, as well as state president of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP. That history as a longstanding member and leader of the NAACP has helped him guide the association through a period of re-envisioning and reinvigoration.

Under Johnson’s leadership, the NAACP has undertaken efforts such as the 2018 “Log Out” Facebook Campaign, pressuring Facebook after reports of Russian hackers targeting African Americans; the Jamestown to Jamestown Partnership, marking the 400th year enslaved Africans first touched the shores of America; and 2020’s We are Done Dying Campaign, exposing inequities embedded in the American healthcare system and the country at large.

As the Biden administration took office in 2021, Johnson led the charge in calling for a Cabinet-level position focused squarely on advancing our nation’s longstanding issue of racial justice. President Biden signed an Ex-

ecutive Order establishing an interagency effort to eliminate systemic racial barriers and ensure federal policies are rooted in equity, optimizing the well-being of all in public policies.

Johnson continues to be on the frontlines of some of the most pressing civil rights issues of our time, calling out Virginia Governor Ralph Northam for his use of blackface, condemning the burning of Black churches in Tennessee and Louisiana, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in opposition to then-Attorney General William Barr’s nomination, and overseeing the NAACP’s vote to impeach President Donald Trump at the 110th National Convention in Detroit.

Johnson elevated the NAACP’s visibility and voice in calling for a national response to the coronavirus pandemic that was informed by existing racial disparities in healthcare outcomes, access, coverage, and services, as well as the disparate impact of COVID-19 on African Americans and other people of color.

Recognizing the critical importance of quality healthcare, Johnson has long advocated for expanded Medicaid eligibility, affordable health insurance options, and investment in community-based healthcare infrastructure through a strong network of equitably located, well-resourced community health centers.

Johnson is frequently featured on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and many other outlets, advocating on behalf of the Black community and all those who are affected by systemic oppression and prejudice.

Here’s what Derrick Johnson, president and

CEO of the NAACP, had to say about the upcoming 54th NAACP Image Awards and the role of the organization today and in the future.

AMSTERDAM NEWS (AMN): Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the 54th NAACP Image Awards. Why does this award have such credibility, 54 years after being founded?

DERRICK JOHNSON (DJ): You’re welcome. We celebrate Black excellence, so it’s always important for us to celebrate one another. It’s always important for us to recognize the contributions we’ve made to the culture and the culture that we’ve set for this country.

AMN: Why do the 54th NAACP Image Awards have so many categories?

DJ: It’s because we begin to recognize that the contribution of African Americans is more than just in front of the screen. It’s also behind the screens, and in writing [screenwriting, television, novels, etc.], costume design, etc.—it’s all areas.

We have to recognize creativity on social media platforms because it’s important as a result of some of their work. [Some creatives] have larger followings than the networks; therefore, we are here to celebrate Black excellence, wherever it shows up in the entertainment industry. The categories will continue to evolve as a result.

AMN: The flexibility and swift response by the 54th NAACP Image Awards committee moving with the times is smart business. On my social media feed, there were

so many “thank you for my nomination” posts—it was thick with gratitude.

DJ: We just had the nominee event on Saturday, and tnd the beautiful thing about the luncheon, as it is every year, is that it is an opportunity for those who have been nominated to all convene in a room together outside of the media glare. We get to embrace [in a] collective celebration that in itself generates the necessary energy.

AMN: How did you step into this role?

DJ: I never planned to be in the job I have. I had been a volunteer in multiple capacities since being an undergrad in 1999—I went to Tougaloo College in Mississippi, and it was instilled in us that we had an obligation around social justice, and I took it to heart. And I continue to work—it was the thing that I enjoyed and it comes naturally to me because I’m a student of history. I began to move up through the ranks, and when the organization was in need of leadership change in 2017, I was elected as vice chair of the board, and then ultimately asked to step into the role as interim CEO. I’m still here five years later. For me, this is a journey of giving and loving my community and making sure we step up our ability to operate with excellence.

AMN: I often tell my South Asian and Latino sisters and brothers that the NAACP is for them as well, especially for my Afro-Latino communities. The struggles are the same. It is the white male majority that creates the illusion of division when our shared DNA says something differently.

DJ: You know, race is a social construct. And because it is a social construct, we must understand this about power, domination, and control.

On the other side of that, we have to recognize the caste system that we can self-impose on ourselves within our community. You’re right: There is no distinction between people of African descent when it comes to that social construct, because the goal is to dominate, control, and exploit for cheap labor and for profit. Whether you are Latino, Caribbean, from Sierra Leone or from Chicago, the reality is the same because our pigmentation has given some people a license to exploit it. We stand united, we can address it. And we cannot self-impose caste systems between one another so that others outside of our community can leverage our pigmentation for their benefit.

AMN: Thank you for your time. It was eyeopening and illuminating.

DJ: You are welcome.

Derrick Johnson is president and CEO of the NAACP (NAACP photo)

New book offerings include classic and non-fiction Octavia E. Butler works

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews

The postmodern and resoundingly positive reception of science fiction author Octavia E. Butler has been one of the most important revivals of a literary figure in Black and American literature. Two books—her lesserknown novel, 1987’s “Dawn” and the new nonfiction book, “A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia E. Butler” by author and essayist Lynell George—highlight her brightness of imagination, wit, and African American science fiction infused with folklore.

I was also happy to see the publication of author and professor Francesca T. Royster’s new follow-up to her excellent nonfiction music history book, “Black Country Music” published last fall. “Choosing Family: A Memoir of Queer Motherhood and Black Resistance” is a pivot from her musicology scholarly work—a memoir offering a glimpse into Royster’s world: her family, and her relationship and alignment with the inner and external reality of Black

queer life.

These books, written by Black women of great intelligence and stature and published from two different eras, are exciting and allow readers to see similarities and poignantly inspiring differences from the 1980s to the 2020s.

“Dawn” by Octavia E. Butler | Grand Central Publishing

Butler is of the ilk of great literary masters, and the preservation and

republishing of the volumes of her visionary contribution is of measurable note and celebration. “Dawn: Book 1,” the first in a three-part collection of science fiction novels, “Lilith’s Brood Trilogy,” is a compelling work of imaginative fiction that includes humanoids, a nuclear warscorched Earth, and a voice from the unknown that guides Lilith Iyapo to a new planet where she experiences salvation. “Hopeful and thoughtprovoking, this post-apocalyptic

narrative deftly explores gender and race through the eyes of characters struggling to adapt during a pivotal time of crisis and change,” writes Grand Central Publishing.

“A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia E. Butler” by Lynell George | Angel City Press

Angel City Press writes of the new nonfiction offering “A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky”: “There’s a great resurgence of interest in Butler’s work. Readers have been turning to her writing to make sense of contemporary chaos, to find a plot point that might bring clarity or calm.” It’s wonderful to see nonfiction books examining Butler’s work and telling her story in unique ways from the voices and consciousnesses of Black women. “A Handful of Earth” explores Butler’s unique

writing process. It’s “about creating a life with what little you have—handme-down books, repurposed diaries, journals, stealing time to write in the middle of the night, making a small check stretch—bit by bit by bit,” says Angel City Press.

“Choosing Family: A Memoir of Queer Motherhood and Black Resistance” by Francesca T. Royster | Abrams Press

Author and professor of English Francesca T. Royster has returned this year with a new memoir of great emotional proportion. In her new book, “Choosing Family: A Memoir of Queer Motherhood and Black Resistance,” her vulnerability shines in a work written through the lens of Black queer womanhood—a praxis written extensively by authors like Audre Lorde and Alice Walker. Royster illustrates, according to Abrams Press, “configurations that sit outside the white normative experience and are the richer for their flexibility and generosity of spirit. A powerful, genre-bending memoir of family, identity, and acceptance.”

Interlochen Arts Camp brings ‘Movement of Liberation’ to Lincoln Center, March 3

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH

Special to the AmNews

Musicians of the New York Philharmonic, led by the NAACP’s James Weldon Johnson and Distinguished Achievement Awards winner Dr. Leslie Dunner, will perform music by Black composers on March 3 at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York City.

This event is in celebration of the new New York Philharmonic Interlochen scholarships in partnership with NYC Arts. The 2023 inaugural Interlochen class of 30 young musicians will perform a piece entitled “MUKTI: A Movement of Liberation.”According to a press release, “[T]he program opens with the school’s world premiere performance of a collaboratively created piece combining original music, song, poetry, spoken word, dance, and film to

celebrate international liberation movements throughout history.”

According to directors of the Interlochen Arts Academy, “With the task of creating a program that assessed liberation on a global scale, spanning centuries and cultures, we delved into movements through music, theatre, dance, visual art, creative writing, and film and wove a web of intricately created moments. Students generated work that responded to the growing world around them as they understood it [while] keeping in mind the history that came before them and the truths that may not be theirs, but are nonetheless deeply felt and valid.”

This program, and its scholarships, support the advancement of young orchestral musicians from underrepresented communities in and around New York City. It is a foundational resource that will create a trajectory for the

growth and diversity of orchestral seats in national and international classical music.

“Led by Interlochen’s Dr. Leslie B. Dunner, [the young musicians] will interpret works by four living Black composers,” according to

the release: ‘Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked: Requiem for Rice,’ in which John Wineglass explores the history of enslaved people in America, will receive its New York premiere, as will ‘Equality,’ a work set to Maya Angelou’s poetry by Interlochen alumnus Jonathan Bailey Holland. The program’s second half is completed by Mary D. Watkins’s ‘Soul of Remembrance,’ a movement from her orchestral suite ‘Five Movements in Color’, and Valerie Coleman’s ‘Umoja,’ named for the Swahili word for “unity,” which denotes the first day of Kwanzaa.”

Interlochen directors said, “We will explore liberation of all kinds from a global perspective that represents our diverse student body. The performance culminates in the possibility of hope and new considerations—an ending aptly created by the next generation of creative changemakers.”

(Chris Hintz photo)

Can Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter win again?

By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews

The talent of costume designer and Oscar winner Ruth Carter is undeniable. Her work for Marvel Studio’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is stunning. Although the film didn’t earn a Best Picture or Best Director nomination for Ryan Coogler, the impact the film has made globally and now, streaming on Disney+, can’t be denied. Facts are facts, and data is data.

On the award circuit, Carter—already an Oscar winner for “Black Panther” in 2019— seems to be the favorite to snag another statue in 2023. Her jaw-dropping creations after her Critics Choice win are among the indicators that she just might become the first African American woman to win more than one statuette in any category.

That raises an interesting question: Just how many other artists have multiple Oscars? In the 95-year history in which more than 3,100 Oscar statuettes have been handed out (gulp), only 18 were awarded to African American women to date.

As this is a world geared toward men, it’s no surprise that African American men have won more than one Oscar. Those actors include Russell Williams II (“Glory” and “Dances with Wolves”), Denzel Washington (“Glory” and “Training Day”), Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight” and “Green Book”), and sound mixer Willie D. Burton

(“Bird” and “Dreamgirls”).

The second question is, who’s Carter’s real competition? Insiders say the person she has to beat is Catherine Martin, the mostnominated woman this year, for her work on “Elvis.” Martin’s past wins include “The Great Gatsby” (2013) and “Moulin Rouge!” (2001).

Carter was nominated twice, for her work on “Amistad” (1997) and “Malcolm X” (1992), before her win in 2019. As a costume designer, she has worked on more than 60 film and television projects. She understands how to develop character and combine her nuanced use of color and texture. She is without question an essential storyteller, firmly committed to sharing the past, present, and future of Black culture.

In 1988, Oscar winner and film legend Spike Lee recruited Carter to design the costumes for his film “School Daze,” and she has worked with him on 14 films since then and has designed for many other directors, including Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, John Singleton, and Steven Spielberg.

In 2019, Carter was the subject of an episode of “Abstract,” a Netflix documentary series highlighting artists working in the field of design. The same year, she was honored by the Costume Designers Guild with a Career Achievement Award and by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science with the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSICAL HERITAGE OF BLACK CULTURE

Thursday, March 2, 7:30pm Saturday, March 4, 8:00pm

Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall

Ruth E. Carter with the award for best costume design for “Black Panther” in the press room at the 2019 Oscars (AP photo)

TAROTSCOPES By K

February 23, 2023—March 1, 2023

With this past Monday’s new moon in Pisces, this week is a wonderful time for new beginnings—both large and small—in any aspect of your life. Start that project, implement that exercise practice, plant those (literal or figurative) seeds, and use the energy of the waxing moon to help give your plans a boost. Read below for tarot guidance for your sign, rising sign, and/or moon sign for the week ahead.

FOR ARIES/ARIES RISING/ARIES MOON:

Page of Cups: Figure out what’s most important to your heart this week, and make that your priority whenever possible. If you go with what intuitively feels right rather than what seems the most logical or correct, you’ll have a better outcome. Look out for messages, possibly from a younger person, or news of a pregnancy or birth.

FOR TAURUS/TAURUS RISING/TAURUS MOON:

Ten of Pentacles: Inheritances, legacies, and long-term family plans and issues might be featured this week. You may feel called to do some ancestral work. Give thanks for what you already have and look for ways to celebrate how far you’ve already come.

FOR GEMINI/GEMINI RISING/GEMINI MOON:

King of Wands: You may be feeling fired up about something, and rightly so. You have the enthusiasm and vision needed to bring people around to your side if needed. Just be sure to continue with the same energy you started with, or your new project might fizzle out before it’s even gotten off the ground.

FOR CANCER/CANCER RISING/CANCER MOON:

The Tower: This may be a week of epiphanies. Something might come to light that feels shocking at first, but after sitting with it for a minute, you realize it was actually long overdue. You’re divinely guided to clear out the outmoded thing that’s taking up space and sucking up energy. (On a more mundane level, check electrical appliances and connections, and make sure you don’t overload any power strips or outlets.)

FOR LEO/LEO RISING/LEO MOON:

Judgment and The Sun: The Judgment card says, “Now is the time to stop and assess: what do you want to bring forward with you into this next phase of life, and what do you want to leave behind?” while the Sun card indicates a bright and successful next step. Do the spiritual housekeeping, then move forward; you’ve got the green light.

FOR VIRGO/VIRGO RISING/VIRGO MOON:

Six of Cups: Nostalgia and reminiscing could be keys to inspiration this week. Think back to your favorite books or hobbies as a child, or to times in the past when you felt the most creative—you can unearth something from a memory that could be valuable in guiding your next steps. Also, give yourself permission to loosen up this week, and make time to relax and have fun.

FOR LIBRA/LIBRA RISING/LIBRA MOON:

The High Priestess: Go within for guidance this week, and pay special attention to dreams and intuitive flashes that come up during meditation. If there’s a choice this week between taking action or being quiet and waiting, choose the latter—guidance will come, and things will be more clear if you wait.

FOR SCORPIO/SCORPIO RISING/SCORPIO MOON:

The Chariot: You might have something, a task or destination, that needs your full focus, and you might be feeling impatient, but you’re battling with different ideas or opinions about it and having a hard time moving forward. (Same if you’re a team leader and trying to get everyone on the same page.) Use your will to get everything and everyone in line and heading in the same direction. You can do it.

FOR SAGITTARIUS/SAGITTARIUS RISING/SAGITTARIUS MOON:

Strength: This card invites you to address things with compassion and calm this week, rather than fighting fire with fire. Someone might be working your last nerve, but even if they deserve to be put in their place, do so with grace. This might be more about soothing your own inner demons and not letting them control your actions.

FOR CAPRICORN/CAPRICORN RISING/CAPRICORN MOON:

Two of Cups and Knight of Cups: Valentine’s Day might be turning into Valentine’s Month for you. Love, or a meeting of the heart, could be in the air. You might connect with someone new over a creative or spiritual endeavor. Look out for those rose-colored glasses though—try to see people for who they are, and not only for who you want them to be.

FOR AQUARIUS/AQUARIUS RISING/AQUARIUS MOON:

Three of Pentacles: You might be receiving acknowledgment, or a much-anticipated “yes, go-ahead,” for something you’ve been working on. You’ve completed the first hurdles; there’s more work ahead but you’re on the right path for success. People admire what you’re doing and want to help—let them! You deserve both the praise and the support, and “teamwork makes the dream work” is a cliché for a reason.

FOR PISCES/PISCES RISING/PISCES MOON:

Eight of Wands: Travel is indicated, especially short and fun day trips and weekends away. Things might be moving fast in a creative endeavor, but you’re divinely guided, so trust it, go with the flow, and see where everything lands.

Travel

Explore Richmond’s booming Black culinary scene

By TRACY E. HOPKINS Special to the AmNews

Richmond’s Black culinary scene is blossoming because of chefs and restaurateurs who have fought to preserve their foodways and ancestral connections in the city that was at one time the largest slave-trading center in the Upper South.

“The joy, pain, and stories of our past and present are centered around food. In celebration, in sorrow, food connects us,” said Amy Wentz, a proud Richmond native and co-founder of the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience. The goal of the weeklong event (March 5–12, 2023, https://rbre365.com/) is to celebrate the city’s Black culture and cooking traditions, and to counter economic disparity affecting minority-owned businesses. Signature events incorporate music and art, food trucks, and live cooking demonstrations.

“There was a national buzz focused on Richmond being the newest foodie town to visit. A local restaurant week and other food-focused events that, although they were great experiences, didn’t always include Black-owned restaurants,” said Wentz. “We wanted to be intentional [about] adding to the narrative and showing how diverse and inclusive the Richmond dining scene truly is.”

The entrepreneurial spirit of Richmond’s Black culinary leaders can be traced back to trailblazers like John Dabney, a bartender and caterer known for his mint juleps, who bought his and

his wife’s freedom with his earnings.

After the Civil War, Richmond’s historically African American Jackson Ward neighborhood was hailed as the Harlem of the South. Although the pandemic and economic downturn have shuttered some businesses in this downtown district, one that’s still going strong is the Urban Hang Suite (304 E. Broad Street; www.order.urbanhangsuiterva.com; IG: @urbanhangsuiterva). It was significant for owner Kelli Lemon to open her coffee shop and social hub where Maggie L. Walker, a civil rights activist and the first woman to own a bank in the United States, lived and flourished.

“[Kelli] has Maggie Walker on the wall [in a mural] and she talks to our ancestors all the time. This was her dream: to have a space in this area that caters to the community, and caters to Black people, specifically. A place where we can feel safe and welcome and free to be ourselves,” said Mercedes Benson, Urban Hang Suite’s general manager.

Borrowing its name from neo-soul singer Maxwell’s debut album, Urban Hang Suite offers a variety of coffee, teas, soups, salads, sandwiches, and local artisan souvenirs. It’s the kind of friendly neighborhood spot where baristas know their customers by name. That Southern hospitality may have protected the business during the volatile protests that followed the murder of George Floyd.

“We were here through all of the protests and the boarding up of all the businesses around us,” recalled Benson. “We boarded up for a short time, but we realized really quickly that nobody was going to harm our

space. I think that some people actually looked out for us.”

Mike Lindsey’s ML Steak Modern Chophouse (328 E. Broad Street; www.mlsteakrva.com; IG: @mlsteak.rva) also draws a diverse crowd in Jackson Ward. This is the seventh restaurant the North Carolina transplant has opened in Richmond since 2020.

“I love the energy. I love being able to be in this neighborhood, with its Black history and its Black Wall Street,” said Lindsey. “It’s cool to be a Black entrepreneur and open up a steakhouse that when you walk in, you don’t say, ‘Oh, it’s a Black restaurant.’ You’re like, it’s an incredible restaurant and ‘Oh, the owner’s Black.’ There’s not a lot of spaces that are Black-owned and the dining room is half white.”

The gregarious chef runs his rapidly expanding Lindsey Food Group with his wife, Kim Love-Lindsey. His recipe for success is offering Southern classics like buttermilk-fried chicken and baked macaroni and cheese, along with more exotic dishes that pique his diners’ interest.

“I think you have to create the menu that everybody wants, and give people opportunities to try [something different],” Lindsey said. “I’m going to put roasted carrots on [the] menu. That’s not for Black people, but they’re going to eat it. And [they’re] like, ‘Oh, my God, I didn’t know carrots could taste like this.’ But it’s the herbs, candied walnuts, and spicy honey. I’m [also] introducing white people to West African jollof rice, and they’re eating it, and they’re asking questions.”

Lindsey has helmed kitchens in Bal -

timore and Durham, but he said Richmond is different. He credits the Jackson Ward Collective, an incubator program for minority businesses, with helping him launch his popular eatery, Lillie Pearl (416 E. Grace Street; www.lilliepearlrva.com; IG: @lillie.pearl.rva), named in homage to his grandmothers.

“To me, Richmond is one of the best places, as a Black person [to start a business], because that support is so deep,” he said.

To explore more of Richmond’s Black food scene, here are five other restaurants to sample.

Mama J’s (415 N. First Street; www.mamajskitchen.com; IG: @mamajsrva): It’s a family-owned eatery known for tasty soul food and homemade cakes.

Southern Kitchen (41 N. Second Street; southernkitchenrva.net; IG: @southernkitchen_rva): Come for the sharable portions and date night ambience.

Croaker’s Spot (1020 Hull Street; www. croakersspot.com; IG: @thecroakersspot): Seafood reigns at this comfort food staple.

The Beet Box (in the Hatch Food Hall, 414 Hill Street; www.beetboxrva.com; IG: @thebeetboxrva): Grab a smoothie bowl and avocado toast.

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant (9 N. 17th Street; www.addisrva.com; IG: @addis_ ethiopian_rva): Pair a spicy appetizer with a crisp glass of honey wine.

Lillie Pearl Mama J’s (Photos courtesy of Richmond Region Tourism)

Urban Hang Suite (Eddie Johnson photo)

Osso Buco: As cozy as it gets

By KELLY TORRES Special to the AmNews

Don’t let the weather fool you: The season is still upon us where we get to turn our ovens on and let the mouth-watering smells of whatever we’re cooking permeate our living spaces. Osso Buco is as cozy as it gets, best served with warm polenta or a side of egg noodles, or even rice pilaf. My riff on this Italian beef shank braise delivers an elegant sauce made with vegetable stock, mushrooms, onions, and red bell

pepper. To attain some of the tradition to this popular Italian meal, I garnish it with gremolata, which is a mixture of lemon zest, parsley, and minced garlic. The gremolata adds a pop of color to the numerous shades of brown in this meal, and wakes up the nuance of flavor with citrusy garlic notes. Making this dish at home checks off a variety of cooking techniques you would learn in culinary school: searing, creating a roux, braising, and more. If there was ever a meal that would help you understand

technique, it is Osso Buco, because you start with a hard sear on the meat. This creates that maillard reaction I once described in my cauliflower recipe. Then, adding flour will allow you to create a roux, and not cooking the flour for too long will get you a blonde roux, which is the lightest of the four different types of roux: white, blonde, brown, dark brown.

Bumping up the flavor with the addition of stock will result in creating a sauce, but most importantly, it is the liquid needed to braise

the meat—the most vital cooking technique used in this dish.

Braising is a moist heat method of cooking that helps tenderize the main food item; in this case, the Osso Buco. Essentially, it is cooking a food item in liquid inside a tightly covered vessel for a slightly longer period of time, usually an hour and some minutes. To avoid confusion, let me help: The main difference between a braise and a stew, or even soup, is that you use a lot less liquid in a braise. Finally, you will need time: the

time it takes—about an hour and a half—to braise the meat. The Osso Buco transforms into something magnificent during this time. The meat is succulent and tender. The sauce becomes slightly thickened, flavorful, and rich. When you garnish the Osso Buco with gremolata, please do not forget to take a photo and show it off on social media. Please. It will make your friends believe you accomplished something major in the kitchen. And when you think about it, you did. Kudos to you!

Osso Buco with mushrooms & red bell peppers

By KELLY TORRES Special to the AmNews

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients for the beef shanks:

2 lb beef shanks

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped yellow onions

Instructions for the beef shanks: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Instructions for the gremolata:

In a small bowl, add the minced garlic, lemon zest, and minced parsley. Thoroughly combine. Use as garnish for Osso Buco.

Heat up a cast-iron braiser or dutch oven for 2 minutes on high heat. Turn the heat down to medium high. Add the extra virgin olive oil. Season the beef shanks to taste with salt & pepper on both sides. Sear the beef shanks on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes each side, or until golden-brown. Remove and set aside.

Add the butter and all-purpose flour. Stir to create a blonde roux.

2 large portobello mushrooms, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick

4 cups vegetable stock

1 red bell pepper, large dice

Salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients for the gremolata:

3 garlic cloves, finely minced Zest of 1 lemon

Parsley, large pinch, finely minced

Add onions and portobello mushrooms. Stir to thoroughly combine, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock and stir to combine. Add the beef shanks back to the skillet and nestle them deeply in the sauce. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and uncover. Increase the oven heat to 405 degrees F. Add the diced red bell pepper, stir the sauce without moving the beef shanks too much—keep the beef shanks nestled in the sauce. Transfer back to the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with the gremolata. Enjoy!

(Kelly Torres photo)

What you can learn from film independent board member Brenda Robinson

By MAGRIRA Special to AmNews

To get ahead in this world, you need allies. And for aspiring creatives who want to find success in television and film, there’s Film Independent; they help. A lot of people only know them from their successful award show—the Indie Spirit Awards, often called the “indie Oscars”—but the award and the organization are much, much more.

If film is your passion, there are many perks for becoming a member of Film Independent, starting with the fact that it is designed for filmmakers, film industry professionals, and film lovers. The common connector is their shared passion for artistdriven visual storytelling.

And their team does not mess around when it comes to providing opportunities. Film Independent serves the community with an array of events, including exclusive screenings, conversations, classes, valuable resources and services, and more.

For a long time, the suits in Hollywood didn’t play fair. And since most of the “gatekeepers” in the film industry are white, heterosexual males, it’s no surprise that communities of color struggled to find their place. Aspiring talents could not be hired because they didn’t have experience—but how can you gain experience if you can’t get hired? You see the paradox.

Film Independent did, and they crafted programs to jumpstart careers and smash the proverbial “catch-22,” with one of their great success stories being the Film Independent’s Artist Development program. They have been helping to promote unique, independent voices since 1993 by empowering filmmakers to create and advance new work through initiatives like Screenwriting, Producing, Documentary, and Episodic Labs; Global Media Makers; Fast Track; and Project Involve (PI). They are not playing around. These programs have made magic happen and are highly regarded in Hollywood for the depth of their diversity and inclusion initiatives. As of filing this story, PI added 30 new faces in the Class of 2023 of its free, nine-month program for writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, animators, programmers, and entertainment execs from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.

Past Project Involve mentors include Ava DuVernay (“Selma,” “When They See Us”); Barry Jenkins (“If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Moonlight”); Charles D. King (“Fences,” “Mudbound”); Bradford Young, ASC (“A Most Violent Year,” “Selma”); Forest Whitaker (“Arrival,” “The Last King of Scotland”); Effie T. Brown (“The Inspection”), Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”); Justin Simien (“Dear White People”); Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”); Alma Har’el (“Honey Boy”); Mako Kamitsuna (“Pariah,” “Mudbound”); Spike Jonze (“Adaptation,” “Being John Malkovich”); Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight,” “Memento”); Veena Sud (“The Killing”); Christine Vachon (“Carol,” “Boys Don’t Cry”); and Bradford Young, ASC (“A Most Violent Year,” “Selma”).

And who are the members? In my journey to learn more, I was introduced to board member Brenda Robinson, an entertainment attorney and producer with extensive experience in the film, television, and music industries. Robinson is currently head of Film Finance and Inclusion Strategies for HiddenLight Productions, a global studio creating premium documentary, scripted, and unscripted entertainment for film, TV, and digital that was founded by Hillary Clinton, Sam Branson, and Chelsea Clinton.

Robinson’s most recent credit was as a financier of the Academy Award-winning documentary “Icarus,” as well as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “Step.” She is an executive producer on numerous projects, includi ng the BAFTA-nominated “Passing,” directed by Rebecca Hall and produced by Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker; the Emmy-nominated “United Skates,” with executive producer John Legend; “The Great American Lie” by director Jennifer Siebel Newsom; “Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story,” with executive producer Steph Curry; “Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands,” directed by Rita Coburn for the PBS American Masters series; and “The Empire of Ebony,” directed by Lisa Cortes and produced by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams.

Robinson is a member of Impact Partners, a film-financing collective dedicated to funding independent documentary storytelling that engages with pressing social issues and propels the art of cinema forward. As a dedicated philanthropist in the arts and entertainment community and advocate on behalf of creative artists, Brenda currently serves as the board chair of Film Independent; is on the board of the Representation Project founded by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom; and is an advisor to the Redford Center, co-founded by Robert Redford and his son James Redford. She is a board member of Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival and currently acts as legal counsel to the festival. She is also currently chair of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and a member of the Recording Academy and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Here is what Film Independent board member Brenda Robinson had to share about her role and the future of the organization. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

AMSTERDAM NEWS (AMN): Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Has Film Independent met its own goals on the layered issue of diversity and inclusion?

BRENDA ROBINSON (BR): Film Independent continues to strive to not only meet, but exceed, our goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion.

AMN: How long have you been a board member of Film Independent?

BR: I became a member of this organization more than 10 years ago because it was

evident that inclusion was baked into the very values of the organization itself, and is not treated as an afterthought. I joined Film Independent as an Arts Circle supporter and became a member of the board in 2020, vice chair in 2021, and board chair in 2022.

AMN: As a member of the board, what are you most proud of individually and as a group?

BR: I am most proud of the inclusive culture of this board. Our board is comprised of a collection of very successful, experienced, and committed industry executives, filmmakers, and thought leaders who share a passion for elevating the independent storytelling community. Individually, I am proud to be a product of Film Independent, having spent many years participating in its programs, attending seminars, forums, and screenings, receiving an education on the business itself and finding community with its members.

AMN: I enjoyed the Academy Award-winning documentary “Icarus” as well as “Step.”

BR: I am excited to have had the opportunity to be one of the numerous financiers who supported “Icarus” and “Step.”

AMN: Documentaries have seen a lot of changes. Do you agree?

BR: For the past several years, we found ourselves in what many referred to as the “Golden Age” of documentary. It was an exciting time for the field because the form itself began to take new shape, more diverse voices were beginning to find a seat at the table, more buyers became active on the sales and distribution side and many individuals, including private equity investors and philanthropists, contributed to the growth of this industry and created more opportunities for more voices. Even in the current moment as this seems to be slowing a bit, there is still an appetite for good stories and that will never go away.

AMN: You’ve produced and helped finance some of my favorite films, like “United Skates” (Loved. It.) and another example of your eye—standing behind the creatives of “The Empire of Ebony,” directed by Lisa Cortes and produced by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams—two of my favorite creatives. They are consistent, kind, and encouraging.

BR: I have enjoyed the journey that each of these films has taken me on. When I consider which projects to get involved in, whether as a financier or creative producer, whether documentary or narrative, I consider first my own personal connection to the material and always use this as a baseline.

AMN: What does it mean to you to be an advocate on behalf of creative artists? I understand that’s a big question, but helping people isn’t for everyone.

BR: I enjoy doing what I can to make the impossible possible, to knock down barriers, to create access, so I have always seen my role in this industry as being one who must use my own time, talent, and treasure to open doors—the same way that someone before me once turned around, reached back, and pulled me up to their level.

AMN: You are also on the board of the Representation Project and an advisor to the Redford Center. That’s a lot of guidance you are providing. What do you like about being an obvious leader?

BR: First, I really appreciate this very generous recognition. It is often said that people make time for what is important to them. I enjoy being a resource to any organization that demonstrates a real commitment to furthering access, opportunity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry.

AMN: You are most welcome. Last question: What’s the best advice for new producers stepping into 2023?

BR: My advice to all filmmakers, whether emerging or experienced, is to be strategic in how you build your relationships in this industry. Do not look for transactions; look for partners. Consider what your goals are long-term and from there, consider who you should bring on this journey with you.

The Indie Spirit Awards celebrates its 38th year in 2023 and will be hosted by Hasan Minhaj, the son of Indian immigrants and a UC Davis political science major. The man is a certified comedy-world superstar, selling out arenas coast-to-coast, hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and boasting six seasons (and two Peabody Awards!) for his acclaimed Netflix series “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.” Not a bad CV for the 37-year-old comic. Click here for a full list of the 2023 nominees.

Indie Spirit Award winners will be revealed in person on March 4 in Santa Monica and streamed live on IMDb and on other social platforms, including Film Independent’s YouTube channel, at 2 p.m. PST. You can see the previously announced film and television nominees at https:// www.filmindependent.org/spirit-awards/.

Film Independent board member Brenda Robinson (Courtesy photo)

HARLEM IN PARIS, VILLAGE VANGUARD, SISTA’S PLACE

The Harlem Renaissance (1918–1930s) was an active, cohesive consortium of intellectual and creative Black minds who stormed Harlem (part of the great migration) with an abundance of talent in dance, music, writing (novelists and poets), fashion, theater, and political activism. The Renaissance brought Harlem into international fame, earning it the title “the Black culture capital of the World.”

Despite Harlem’s worldwide impact on intellectualism and the arts, though, its ingenious participants were still treated as second-class citizens—still welcomed only through back doorways, performing before segregated audiences, as racist politics remained in full effect, while across the pond, their works were eagerly being consumed by African and Caribbean Black writers, living in Paris where the movement had a great influence.

During this same period, Paris was a European capital where Blacks were celebrated for their genius and not their color (not to imply that racism didn’t exist). This respect led Harlem Renaissance artists and activists like Richard Wright, Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker, and Adelaide Hall to survey the scene. The latter two eventually became expatriates of the city. Those writers who followed the path to Paris years after the Harlem Renaissance included James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Chester Himes, and Melvin Van Peebles. This cultural exchange over the years has enriched French culture and allowed African Americans to leave a lasting imprint on the country.

On Feb. 23, an in-depth discussion about “The Harlem Renaissance & Paris” will take place at the Harlem School of the Arts (645 St. Nicholas Avenue) from 5:30–8 p.m. The panel will feature Eric K. Washington and Dr. Joshua Cohen, and will be moderated by Harlem’s own cultural and historical fashion innovator Lana Turner. The panel will be followed by a live Jazzmobile performance featuring saxophonist and composer Patience Higgins and the Sugar Hill Quartet, with special HAS vocalist Amandi Obregon.

For tickets and information, visit Jazzmobile.org.

From Feb. 21–26, the vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross: Good Vibes will perform at the legendary Village Vanguard (178 7th Avenue), for two shows each night, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Pre-COVID, Ross was very likely to turn up at any club, lending his unique vibra-harmonic tones to yet another jazz band. During Winter Jazzfest a few years ago, Ross led his own band but still found time the same evening to perform with two other groups.

Like to his vibraphone colleagues Joe Locke and Warren Wolfe, Ross is well-respected as a leader and welcomed contributor. He is bringing his individual sound with a little Chicago flair and voicings that expand the conversation of his instrument as well as the jazz tradition, following on the path of Lionel Hampton and Bobby Hutcherson.

Joel Ross: Good Vibes will include pianist Jeremy Corren, bassist

Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Jeremy Dutton. Having been playing together for a period of time, they are in an intuitive groove, and Ross gives them a range of latitude.

On Feb. 26, saxophonist John Zorn will return to the Village Vanguard with his New Masada Quartet. This is not an evening performance—it is Zorn’s annual matinee performance at 3 p.m., one show only.

The time slot seems weird, but he has been presenting these afternoon gigs since before COVID and they are always sold out. Although Zorn has a large, dedicated avant garde following, he doesn’t play in the city on a regular basis. He is a musician who explores and experiments; don’t attempt to categorize him. The producer, arranger, and composer plays primarily on the shores of avant garde, but don’t hold him to that—he might insert classical, rock, jazz, or even opera movements into the improvisational moment.

Zorn found avant garde on hearing Anthony Braxton’s album “For Alto” (1969) and later, while studying composition at Webster College in St. Louis, Missouri, he had the opportunity to attend classes taught by the rising arranger, composer, and musician Oliver Lake.

While at Webster, Zorn experimented with a gumbo of various genres incorporating jazz, avant garde, and even cartoon scores (Looney Tunes) stalling into his recordings. Zorn went on to explore the music in varying degrees while leading such earlier groups as Naked City and Painkiller.

The name Masada represents his musical group, with rotating personnel, that he formed in the early 1990s. Masada was the musician’s first ensemble to perform his compositions inspired by Radical Jewish Culture and written for small group performances. The New Masada Quartet will include guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Jorge Roeder, and drummer Kenny Wollesen.

For ticket information, visit villagevanguard.com.

Sista’s Place (456 Nostrand Avenue), where the music swings with purpose and harmonies of revolution fill the air, will present the Reggie Woods Quintet on Feb. 25 with two shows, at 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Woods, a Queens native, said he was influenced by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon, so there lies his talent to swing in the rhythms of soul and linger in the deep melodies of hard bop. Over the years, he has developed an individual soulful sound that will make you want to dance and snap your fingers. During his career, he has performed with the likes of Betty Carter, Ben E. King, and Doc Cheatham, among others.

An accomplished arranger and composer, Woods will dive into his song book of originals while lending time to jazz standards that will no doubt take a different path of interpretation.

For more information and reservations, call 718-398-1766.

Patience Higgins in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem (Linda Fletcher photo/ Adjoajo; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patience_Higgins._Marcus_ Garvey_Park_in_Harlem.jpg, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/3.0/legalcode)

Lana Turner (Photo courtesy of Jazzmobile)

Addie Wyatt, a stalwart, visionary union leader

By HERB BOYD

Special to the AmNews

We featured Ben Fletcher of the IWW last week, but it’s not possible to follow up with Black female members of the organization since no women were allowed to join. If the union had had an open door policy, though, there’s a good chance that Addie L. Wyatt would have been a member. The IWW could have used her vision and savvy in the same way the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union did, where she became the first African American woman elected as international vice president of a major union.

Born Addie Cameron on March 8, 1924, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, she was the second child and oldest daughter of Ambrose and Maggie (Nolan) Cameron. She was 6 years old when the family moved to Chicago in 1930. This was during the Great Depression, and like so many African Americans, her parents left the South for what they hoped were better opportunities up North.

Wyatt was 16 when she married Renaldo Wyatt, a postal finance clerk. She took on the responsibility of raising several of her younger siblings after her mother died and her father was incapacitated. One of the first jobs she applied for was as a typist for Armour and Company in 1941. She learned of the company’s duplicity when the promised job as typist turned out to be packing cans of Army rations.

In the early 1950s, Wyatt joined the United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA). Her leadership ability was quickly recognized by the union and she was soon up front in the fight to make sure the anti-discrimination policy remained part of the union’s pledge.

By 1955, Wyatt was working full-time on the staff of the UPWA and representing workers across five states. In her leadership role, she pushed hard for equal pay and successfully made a sizable salary breakthrough for Black, Latino, and white workers. All of

this was done before the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

She was elected vice president of her branch, Local 56, in 1953, becoming the first Black woman to hold senior office in a labor union. Three years later, she was the program coordinator for District One of the UPWA. In addition to her duties and responsibilities at the union, she also began assisting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in raising funds for the Montgomery Improvement Association.

Eleanor Roosevelt recognized Wyatt’s prominence in the union and appointed her to a position on the Labor Legislation Committee of the U.S. Commission on the Status of Women.

In her capacity at the union, she was also significantly involved in working the floors of meatpacking plants along with union obligations. The next step up the ladder of success was her membership in the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. She campaigned relentlessly for the recruitment of Black men and women to work shoulder to shoulder with the majority-white union members. In 1972, she was among the founding members of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Later, she became chair of union’s National Women’s Committee, and subsequently helped to pave the way for leadership positions for women in AFL-CIO.

Another organization that benefited from Wyatt’s insight and activism was the Coalition of Labor Union Women in 1974. Her voice was unequivocally outspoken on behalf of the union and its mission. “Racism and sexism,” she said, are economic issues. “It was very profitable to discriminate against women and against people of color. I began to understand that change could come but you could not do it alone. You had to unite with others. That was one of the reasons I became a part of the union. It was a sort of family that would help in the struggle.”

A year later, in 1975, with the politician Barbara Jordan, Wyatt

ACTIVITIES

FIND OUT MORE

No book about labor history and its unions is complete without mention of Addie L. Wyatt’s commitment to the struggle, particularly on behalf of African American women. Articles in the Chicago Tribune alone showcase her remarkable odyssey.

DISCUSSION

Addie L. Wyatt’s work in association with the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King provide a broader aspect of her activities.

PLACE IN CONTEXT

Addie L. Wyatt was born as the Harlem Renaissance was blooming and lived to play a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.

CLASSROOM IN THE THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY

Feb. 19, 1940: Motown immortal William“Smokey” Robinson was born in Detroit.

was the first African American woman named by Time magazine as Person of the Year.

Her commitment to her faith cannot be ignored—she was ordained, along with her husband, a minister in the Church of God. She was inducted as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1983. From 1980 to 1984, she was one of Ebony magazine’s 100 Most

Influential Black Americans.

In 1987, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists established the Addie L. Wyatt Award. She was inducted as a laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the state’s highest honor) by the governor of Illinois in 2003 in Religion and Labor.

Addie L. Wyatt was 88 when she died on March 28, 2012.

Feb. 20, 1895: The great statesman Frederick Douglass died on this day in Washington, D.C. He was 77 or 78.

Feb. 21, 1965: Human rights icon Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City. He was 39.

Rev. Addie Wyatt

Budget cuts

teacher counterparts in schools.

Dr. Sanayi Beckles-Canton is the executive director at Chloe Day School & Wellness Center and previously ran the Harlem education council in District 5. She poured her life savings into building a pre-K program. Her organization is three years in with a contract approved in July 2021, but has had to deal with the city’s inefficient payment system and lack of communication.

“Due to the systematic bureaucracy we have experienced with the [DOE] and the Department of Health, our school has yet to be open fully,” said Beckles-Canton. “We still have not received one payment.”

Other advocates and organizations also testified that their contracts and payments had not been fulfilled for an extended period of time, for some several months, leading to staff missing paychecks and community-based providers resorting to taking out loans to stay afloat. They demanded systemic change in addition to rapid response teams and advance payments doled out last year when the backlog first became an issue.

Councilmember Julie Menin sponsored bills aimed at funding universal child care policies and existing child care centers when the legislative package was passed. Menin said that it was “unacceptable” that people aren’t getting paid on time. She in-

troduced a new bill to track and monitor the payments for childhood care providers. Meanwhile, city leaders looked to the state for help. Dr. Kaliris Y. Salas-Ramirez, who sits on the Panel for Educational Policy, said early childhood programs were very much funded by the federal stimulus money the city received during COVID that can only be used for education. “We are going to get a little money from the state that may offset some of the cuts this year, but again moving forward that’s a [gray area],” said Salas-Ramirez.

Mayor Adams and Speaker Adrienne Adams both pleaded with the state in budget hearings last week to help with fund-

ing schools, help with increases in the charter cap, and accommodate bigger class sizes as well as universal pre-K and 3-K.

“As our city has experienced, investments in Pre-K yield large dividends for our children and families. While the Executive Budget includes funding to expand Pre-K around the state, New York City is not guaranteed access to these funds,” testified Speaker Adams. “We would hope that our foresight on early childhood education through 3-K and Pre-K is rewarded with needed state support.

Mayor Adams said that the overall goal is to protect and fully fund childhood education, but it’s concerning that the city was

funding permanent programs with temporary stimulus money while dealing with under enrollment. “The funding from the federal government, as you know, is going to run out in 2025. It is a substantial dollar amount. Our goal is to continue universal pre-K and I also believe we made a major error,” testified Adams. “We were funding seats and not bodies in the seats.”

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 photo by RODNAE Productions)

Re-establishing history: the fight to save the Audubon Ballroom

By AMADI AJAMU Special to the Amnews

As we commemorate Malcolm X on the 58th year after his murder, the community recalls the “Fight to Save the Audubon Ballroom.”

The historic Audubon Ballroom once stood at 165th and Broadway in Harlem. It was where Malcolm X began organizing the Organization of Afro American Unity, after leaving the Nation of Islam and traveling to Africa to address the Organization of African Unity meeting in Cairo, Egypt, in 1964. He expanded his world view and led weekly rallies organizing our people’s struggle for human rights and Pan Africanism. It was also where he was assassinated on February 21, 1965.

Community discontent rapidly developed, sparked by a Village Voice story written by investigative journalist Peggy Dye, “High Tech Ballroom,” on December 5, 1989, which exposed the plan to destroy

the Audubon.

In 1983, Columbia University acquired possession of the Audubon, then a city-owned property, from the NYC Office of Economic Development. In 1987, the university implemented its $200 million plan to destroy the building and erect biotechnology laboratories, financed by state and city loans.

Columbia University’s decadeslong takeover of land in Harlem hit a breaking point. The Save the Audubon Coalition (STAC), led by the late veteran activist Olive Armstrong of the December 12th Movement, took to the streets. Massive demonstrations, including the Black Consciousness Movement, Columbia Student Organizations,

grassroots political organizations, historians, and everyday people, stormed offices of then-Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Felice Michetti, picketed the university president’s home, took over the university library for days on end, blocked the entrances to the George Washington and Triboro Bridges, and con-

fronted elected officials.

They demanded the preservation of the Audubon Ballroom as a memorial to Malcolm X, which Columbia’s President Michael Sovern rejected outright. He said, “Biomedical research is glorious, because not only does it generate jobs, it saves lives.”

The director of planning and development added, “We are not in the business of building museums.”

STAC leaders retorted by emphasizing the fact that most of the high-paying jobs in laboratory research required advanced degrees that community residents did not possess. Clearly it was not for their benefit.

The years-long struggle continued and the end result was, indeed, preservation of the Audubon Ballroom as a memorial for El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. “All Power to the People.” As Olive Armstrong would say, “Never give up!”

Long live the fighting spirit of Malcolm X.

Brooklyn Lab Charter School’s career day exposed students to what they can become

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Students at ter School

Looks Like Me” career day on Feb. 15. The event brought some 20 Black professionals to the school to speak with 6th through 12th graders about how their educa tion can chart a path for the rest of their lives.

Brooklyn Lab’s CEO Dr. Gar land L. Thomas-McDavid start ed the day out by telling students her own story. She was raised in Brooklyn, in a family without many financial means, and later became a teen mom and high school dropout. It wasn’t until she worked toward a college degree that she realized her life could be different.

“There were days when we didn’t seem to have enough food and everybody else seemed to have a better life and things going on and we just were always walking around with these secrets,” Dr. Thomas-McDavid told the students assembled for the career day. “So, if there are any of you who might be going through things…

I just want you to know enough about me that I still made it here. Even with the things I didn’t know and even with the things I was going through, I still made it here, and you can still make it here. So, don’t count yourself out. Don’t buy into any belief that you can’t make it.”

Brooklyn Lab invited several Black professionals from across New York to speak to its students about the experiences that led them to chart career paths they had never thought they’d turn to.

“I ended up going to South

Korea and teaching English for two years,” The Honor Roll Foundation’s Tabatha Williams told the students. “While I was there, I was able to start making apparel as a hobby and I pretty much connected with manufacturers in Korea, and I was also able to connect with manufacturers in China.” Williams went from making apparel clothing to mentoring students and creating the Honor Roll Foundation whose mission is to help high

school students transition to successful college students.

Garçon Couture co-founder Ilbert Sanchez spoke about how he and his friends created their company after looking to create a line of clothing that was authentic to their culture. Tasha Hilton, BET’s marketing director, spoke of how BET makes the effort to target the Black community with programming they want to view. Andre McDonnell noted that his non-profit,

It’s From The Sole, has provided 37,000 free sneakers to people with no access to footwear in 16 countries and 43 cities around America. Meanwhile, the National Action Network’s Dominique Sharpton talked about being an actress and producer while trying to help run a civil rights organization: “Whenever a big injustice of some sort happens, we really go in and have organized demonstrations because there’s a strategy involved,” she explained. Demonstrations are meant to affect legislation, she said. “We want to change the laws [which were how we] got to this point, for this injustice to possibly happen.”

After hearing from an initial panel, students broke out into smaller individual group conversations where they could talk intimately with Black professionals who came to spotlight how being open to exploring could help students as they head toward creating life-careers.

Brooklyn Lab Charter School sponsored its career day program to further push its students toward college enrollment and future careers.

Participants in the Brooklyn Lab Charter School career day were (l to r): NYC Supreme Court Judge Dweynie Paul, National Action Network’s Dominique Sharpton, It's From the Sole founder Andre McDonnell, The Honor Roll Foundation’s Tabatha Williams, BET Marketing Director Tasha Hilton, and Garçon Couture co-founder Ilbert Sanchez. (Courtesy photos)

Kyle Richey speaks to students at Brooklyn Lab Charter School.

(Ricky Flores photos)

illegal cannabis shops. He said that changes to the least-restrictive standard for bail reform in the state budget will go a long way toward solving the recidivism problem. He spoke specifically about 2,000 “violent” individuals and 9,000 identified repeat offenders whom he feels are exploiting the criminal justice system.

“People who state that we’re criminalizing the poor, that [we go] after people who are repeat offenders—they’re wrong,” he said. “We’re going after and criminalizing the poor when poor and low-income New Yorkers are being unemployed because we’re losing those businesses in our city. We can’t allow repeat offenders to make a mockery of the criminal justice system.”

Speaker Adams said in her testimony that the state has relied on New York City too much to balance state budgets for decades. Similarly to the mayor, she spoke about the city’s grim economic outlook since the pandemic and the quickly diminishing federal COVID relief funding.

She said she appreciated the state’s decision to build more housing, expand housing voucher programs, legalize basement apartments, and help convert commercial buildings to apartments. However, she advocated for more funding to develop and preserve “deeply affordable housing” and provide more dollars for NYCHA residents.

“I must also note the need for increased city-state efforts to preserve and expand homeownership,”

Speaker Adams said. “Affordable homeownership is one of the best avenues to grow community stability and wealth that helps curb New York City’s significant Black population decline by increasing housing opportunities.”

Senators on the hearing panel also highlighted an “exodus of Black residents” who have fled the city over the last decade, mainly because of the rising cost of raising a family, higher rents, and a lack of truly affordable safe housing.

The speaker asked for more money to be invested in colleges, higher education institutions, and early childhood education programs. She also encouraged the governor to continue providing local governments with the federal funding enhancements needed to cover Medicaid costs.

“We also see opportunities to invest in proven safety solutions that prevent crime before it occurs

to make us safer, including intervention programs, crime victim and trauma recovery services, pre-trial and recidivism-reduction programs, and funding for public defenders and DAs,” said Speaker Adams, who is more progressive on the topic of public safety.

All these issues are compounded by the asylumseeker crisis, she said. She agreed with the mayor that the $1 billion in state funding for shelter services for asylum seekers was not nearly enough.

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

New Jersey News

Continued from page 4

school’s guidance department.

For the contest, students had the opportunity to select African American poets whose work had an impact on them. They were then asked to conduct research on the poet’s life and work. As the students worked independently or collaborated in small groups, they learned to recite the poems to perform in front of their peers during ELA classes for a chance to win a small prize.

The school’s Open Mic Contest is one of several Black History Month activities taking place at Grant during the month of February. Other activities, such as trivia games, educational presentations, and more are aimed at helping students learn about the African Americans who have contributed to this country. The educators at the school find it important for students to know not just the history of African Americans in the United States, but their achievements as well.

Compiled by Morgan Alston.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams testifies before New York State Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committees in Albany on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

(Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

Religion & Spirituality

In loving memory of Harlem luminary Abe Snyder

By DALEEL JABIR MUHAMMAD Special to the AmNews

“It is with profound sadness that we announce a founding member and chair emeritus of the African American Day Parade, Abraham Snyder, passed away on February 3, 2023,” reported Yusuf Hasan, current chair of the parade. “He dedicated his life’s work to uplifting the African American community and organizing the African American Day Parade since 1968.”

Snyder was an iconic figure and native Harlemite who took pride in bringing African culture to Harlem every year since the parade began in 1969. His reach throughout Black America has bought countless African American performers from marching bands, fraternity groups, community activists, elected officials, celebrities, and community supporters to the heart of the Black Mecca—the village of Harlem.

Snyder was a respected and humble man who took seriously the importance of being Black in America. “We were so sick and tired of having negative press that we started the parade to deal with dignity and pride of the Black community,” Snyder said in a 2006 statement on the parade website.

“My father was a humble man, he never looked for praise or accolades,” said his

daughter Sheila. “He was a role model, a hard worker, and he instilled in us to put God first, family, and the love of our people.”

Notable African American leaders such as Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Shirley Chisholm, Muhammad Ali, Spike Lee, Rubie Dee, Ossie Davis, Joe Frazier, Melba

Moore, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Doug E. Fresh, Hafeez Muhammad, former NYC Mayor David Dinkins, former U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, current NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and countless others have known Abe Snyder and graced the Af-

rican Day Parade since its inception. Harlem leaders and supporters mourn this humble giant, who died on the third day of Black History Month due to his struggles with Alzheimer’s for over two years. He leaves behind two children, Sheila and David; one granddaughter, Jasmine Robinson; one great-grandson, Akil Robinson; and a host of family and friends from the Harlem community.

The funeral was held on February 17, 2023, at Mount Olivet Baptist Church, with Reverend Charles Curtis officiating.

The 54th African American Day Parade in September will be dedicated to Chair Emeritus Abe Snyder.

Activists still working to memorialize Flatbush African Burial Ground

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Brooklyn activists say they are still waiting to hear from Mayor Eric Adams about how he plans to help them save the Flatbush African Burial Ground.

The city-owned vacant site, located at 2286 Church Ave. in Brooklyn, has been a point of contention ever since former Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Council Member Mathieu Eugene announced in October 2020 their plans to build an affordable housing complex there.

The lot had been abandoned since 2015 when the building that housed Public School 90 (P.S. 90) was demolished because of potentially dangerous structural issues.

The city claimed locals wanted something built on to the 29,000-square-foot property that would benefit the community. So, the plan to construct 100 affordable housing units and a youth-oriented community center appeared to be the perfect answer.

But even the city had acknowledged that the Church Ave. site contained remains from an African burial ground, and locals wanted more information about what the new housing complex might be built on.

The then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams co-chaired the Flatbush African Burial Ground Remembrance and Redevelopment task force which was created to consider what the community would like to see done with the land. During that first meeting, Historical Perspectives, Inc.

the organization hired to research the site, stated that a burial ground had definitely been located on the land. “And immediately we were like, ‘Well, you know, no to any kind of development,’” Samantha Bernadine, one of the leaders of the Flatbush African Burial Ground Coalition (FABGC), explained. “HPD (Department of Housing Preservation and Development) was very adamant that housing is needed in the community. But why is it that when it comes down to us that there is an excuse as to why things cannot be done the way it’s supposed to be done? This made no sense to us. So as individuals, we did our own way of informing the community and when we informed the community they were like, ‘Housing? Why would you

put housing on top of a burial ground?’ And that is how we sparked the community’s engagement and how the FABGC was born.”

Borough Pres. Adams wrote a letter to then-Mayor de Blasio stating that “a memorial and open space” would be best for the site. “Our borough absolutely needs to build more affordable housing, especially in Flatbush, but I cannot support building it on an area shown to have human remains of enslaved peoples below,” he wrote on Oct. 8, 2021. “This is an opportunity to truly reflect on the painful past of our city’s founding and recognize the role that our overlooked ancestors have played

See FLATBUSH on page 36

Cong. Charlie Rangel, Rev. Herb Daughtry, Yusef Hasan

Rev. Herb Daughtry (Daleel Muhammad photos)

Abe Snyder (AADP Website photo)

Nigeria election

Continued from page 2

Running again is Omoyele Sowore, 52, the Ondo State-born Nigerian human rights activist and presidential candidate for the African Action Congress. He has a family in New Jersey and founded Sahara Reporters in Manhattan, where he attended Columbia University and taught modern African history at the City University of New York and post-colonial African history at the New York School of the Arts.

Sowore, a tri-state-connected student activist who was jailed and beaten in the last campaign, ran an energetic campaign against current president Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Meanwhile, age and health questions are commonly levied against septuagenarians Tinubu and Atiku.

In 2019, the convoluted, once-rescheduled election had, according to the Independent Nigerian Electoral Commission, an eventual turnout of only 35%.

In attempts to curtail vote-buying with money (and food), as alleged in 2019, the naira currency was completely revamped a few weeks ago. Public outcry led to the government implementing an extension to enable people to re-adjust

without undergoing the reported currency change hardships.

Reports have often said that there is a huge youth populace in Nigeria— almost 10 million recently registered voters under 34 years old. The unemployment rate has many disaffected youth searching for work and purpose. They are savvy and aware. Sowore and Obi have courted this population.

Social observer Lamadi B. told the Amsterdam News, “Elections are not [won] on social media, they are won on the ground. Obi has a strong presence, but the two established parties—APC and PDP— have both a tried and tested major infrastructure. Meanwhile, there’s a lot of hardship. People are suffering. You cannot win if you display insensitivity to the people.”

Seun Kuti, the son of world icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist known as Fela, is an outspoken critic of politicians and policies that have worked against the Nigerian people. He has re-established Fela’s Movement of the People.

“I am not good at predictions,” he told the Amsterdam News, “but I can explain patterns in a system. Our election will throw up another imperialist capitalist stooge.”

As recent elections worldwide have proven, polls are subjective and not

necessarily accurate barometers of the political climate.

“As it is, the economy is in a serious crisis,” said Wuyi Jacobs, the host and producer of WBAI.FM AfrobeatRadio, told the Amsterdam News. “The present administration carried out a currency swap a few weeks [before the] election, and literally withdrew cash from circulation, ostensibly to reduce the use of hoarded cash for vote-buying by politicians, so the economy is facing a collapse, while on the political front, the country’s regional, ethnic, and religious fault lines have become the dominant feature of the election. Meanwhile, the country is very tense in terms of its security situation. There have even been allegations of coup-plotting. The country may be heading for a political and electoral stalemate.”

If there is an undisturbed and unobstructed high turnout, the election results on Feb. 25 will be a strong indicator of what Nigerians are looking for in leadership.

“Nigeria is at a precipice. If it does not get it right in this forthcoming election, I fear it runs over the cliff edge,” warned Odili Obi, a Britishbased Nigerian activist. “Africa is waiting for Nigeria to get its leadership right, and the whole world is watching. February 25, 2023, is the day that will determine the future... Long live Nigeria!”

Continued from page 2

legal two-term limit, defended the swap, saying the redesigned denominations of 200 (43 U.S. cents), 500 ($1.08), and 1,000 naira ($2.17) notes and new limits on large cash withdrawals would help curb money laundering and make digital payments the norm in Africa’s biggest economy.

But Nigeria’s main ratings agency called the process “rushed,” with commercial banks unable to supply new cash to customers.

“The two critical sectors of the economy—trade and commerce, as well as agriculture— have been very badly affected because they do a lot of transactions in cash, especially in rural areas,” said Muda Yusuf, head of the Nigeria Center for Promotion of Private Enterprise. “This policy has brought their economic activities to a halt.”

“No ATM is giving money,” complained 21-year-old Alexander Okwori. “I went to 10 banks. There are no new notes. To get my PVC [voting card], I have to line up again. For what? They [politicians] are all the

same,” he told a reporter.

The main candidates vying to replace Buhari are Bola Tinubu of the president’s governing party, Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition group, and Peter Obi of the largely unknown Labor Party of young social media-savvy supporters. “[This election] is the old against the new,” Obi told the BBC.

Tinubu and Abubakar are old political hands, wealthy but also dogged by corruption suspicions in the minds of many voters, while followers of Obi— nicknamed Obidients—said they were hoping to remove the “same old people.”

Ogho Okiti, managing director of BusinessDay Media Ltd., said the new banking policy, although profitable, is already showing signs of poor implementation.

Finally, activist and publisher Sowore Omoyele, has thrown his hat into the ring for a second time and has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialist Movement. At the launch of his campaign in Kano, Sowore publicly pledged to form “a socialist government focusing on workers’ welfare, free education, job creation, and pension reforms.”

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CAPITAL ONE, N.A., Plaintiff -against- MAJESTIC HOLDINGS (USA) LLC, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF CIPRIANI CLUB HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION A/K/A THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF CIPRIANI RESIDENCE AT 55 WALL CONDOMINIUM, Defendant(s). Pu rsuant to a ju dgment of foreclosure and sale dated October 7, 2022 a nd entered on October 7, 20 22, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at pub lic au ction on the portico of th e New York Coun ty Courthouse located at 60 Centre Stree t, New York, NY on Ma rch 29, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, bounded and described as 55 Wall Street, Unit 714 , New York, New York being the same property conveyed by 55 Wall Associates LLC to Majestic Hold ings (USA), LLC and recorded on 11 -24-2006 under CRFN 20060 00 651956

All Bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all time s and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or th e social distancing mandat e will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 55 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NY

Approximate amount of lien $960,250.96 plus interest and

costs

Premises will be so ld subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale

Index Number 850024/2015

JOSEPH BUONO, ESQ., Refe ree

MENASHE AND LAPA LLP, ATTORNEY(S) FOR PLAINTIFF

400 RELLA BLVD., SUITE 19 0, SUFFERN, NY 10901

DATED: February 16, 2 023

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. AUDREY MARIE-ANNE ABRAHAM, JORGE ABRAHAM, Deft. - Index #850086/2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 22, 2022, I will sell at pu blic auction Outside the Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 5,000 /28,402,100 tenant in common interest in th e timeshare known as Phase I of HNY CLUB SUITES located at 13 35 Avenue of the Americas, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $40,974.74 plus costs and in terest as of January 13, 2022. Sold su bject to te rms and condition s of filed Ju dgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenan ce fees and charges Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Stree t, Farmingdale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. AMANDA SALIH, BRIAN CORNES, Deft. - Inde x #850113/2021. Pu rsuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 22, 2022, I will sell at pu blic au ction Outside the Portico of th e NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an un divided 0.00986400000% tenant in common in terest in the timeshare known as 57TH STREET VACATION SUITES located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, New York. Approximate amount of judgment is $34,601.23 plus costs and interest as of January 12, 2022 Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which in cludes annual main tenance fees and charges Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitche ll, Novitz, Sanchez, Ga ston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingda le, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. STANLEY WILLIAMS, JULIA F. WILLIAMS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU, Deft. - Inde x #850135/2021 Pursua nt to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale da ted June 14, 2022, I will sell at pu blic au ction Outside the Portico of th e NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on We dnesday, March 15, 2023, at 2:15 pm, a fractiona l interest of 5,000/28,402,100 in the timeshare known as HNY Club Suites located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the County of NY, State of NY Approx imate amount of judgment is $6,700.96 plus costs and interest as of August 26, 2021. So ld subject to terms and condition s of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges Hayley Greenberg, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitche ll, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. DANIEL NYAMEKYE-AMOATENG, Defts - Index #850178/2020. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 22, 2022, I will se ll at public au ction Outside the Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wed., March 8, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 0450946335738578% common interest in the vacation ownership interest timeshare known as Phase II of HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in th e County of NY, State of NY Approx imate amount of judgment is $62,766.50 plus co sts and interest as of August 4, 2021. Sold subject to terms and cond itions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which in cludes annual mainten ance fees and charges Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Stree t, Farmingdale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. BRIAN JOHNSON, CARRIE JOHNSON, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU, NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU, NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, Defts. - Index #850117 /2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 18, 2022, I will sell at public auction Outside the Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 0.0450946335738578% common interest in the vacation ownership interest timeshare known as Phase II of HNY CLUB SUITES lo cated at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judg ment is $36,010.01 plus costs and interest as of Janu ary 17, 2022. Sold subject to te rms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual mainten ance fees an d charges Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanche z, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. GARY D. LOWER, JESSICA M. LOWER, Defts.- Index #850259/20 21 Pu rsuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale da ted December 22, 2022, I will se ll at public au ction Outside the Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 2:15 pm, a 0.00986400000% tenant in common interest in the timeshare kn own as 57th Street Va cation Suites located at 102 W. 57th Street, in the County of NY, State of NY Approximate amount of judgment is $14,673.01 plus costs and inte rest as of May 17, 2022. Sold subject to terms and condition s of filed Judgmen t and Terms of Sale which includes annual ma intenance fees and charges Hayley Greenberg, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitche ll, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingda le, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. RACQUEL JULIA STONE, DAVID CARMICHAEL STONE, Defts. - Index #850043/2019 Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sa le dated March 22, 2022, I will se ll at public auction Outside the Portico of the NY Coun ty Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 7,000 /16,783,800 common in terest in the vacation ownership in terest timeshare known as Phase II of HNY CLUB SUITES loca ted at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the Coun ty of NY, State of NY Approximate amount of judgment is $55 ,433.29 plus costs and interest as of January 23, 2020. Sold subject to terms and condition s of filed Ju dg ment and Terms of Sale which includes annua l ma intenance fees and charges. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitche ll, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingd ale, 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 lo cation: NY Coun ty SSNY de signated 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 is hereby give n that an On-Premises Liquor License for beer, wine and spirits has been applied for by the undersigned to permit the sa le of beer, wine and spirits at retail rates for on-premises consumption (restaurant) at TBD located at 425 Pa rk Aven ue, New York, NY 1002 2 under the Alcoholic Beverage Control La w. 425 Park F&B LLC and JG Midtown LLC

Adalys Trains LLC filed Arts of Org. with the SSNY on 1/10/2023. Office: NY County SSNY ha s been de signated as agent of the LLC upo n whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to : 530 East 88th St., #1B, New York, NY, 10128 Purpose: any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of ARHC SPALBNY01, LLC

Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/12/23. Office lo cation: NY Coun ty LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/12/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upo n whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corp oration Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543 DE ad dr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert of Form file d with Secy of State, 40 1 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Own, rent, lease and ma nage commercial real estate

Notice of Formation of ATLANTIC AVENUE GP LLC

Arts of Org. file d with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/31/23. Office lo cation: NY Coun ty Prin c. office of LLC: 7 Penn Plaza, Ste. 600, NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr of its princ. office Purpose: Any lawful activity

Built Ahead LLC filed Articles of Organization with the NYS Depa rtment 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 Le xington Ave., Apt. 4B, NY, NY 10010. Purpose: any la wful business.

Notice is hereby give n that a license, serial #13583 29 for beer & wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer & wine at retail in a Tavern under the ABC Law at 138 Audubon Ave., New York, NY 10032 for onpremises consumption; Café 56 Corp.

Notice of Qualification of ELYSIAN COMMUNICATIONS LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/14/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in New Jersey (NJ) on 10/03/12. Prin c. office of LLC: 255 W. 94th St., Apt. 11-U, NY, NY 10025. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Kristina B. DiPalo at the princ. office of the LLC Cert of Form. filed with State Treasurer, Dept of the Treasury, PO Box 002, Trenton , NJ 0862 5-0002 Purpose: Any lawful activity

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf v. TALEB AVWEROSUO TEBITE, Defts. - Index #850058/2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 28, 2021, I will se ll at public auction Outside th e Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, Ma rch 8, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 0.00986400000% common interest in the vacation owne rship interest timeshare known as 57TH STREET VACATION SUITES located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $49,905.98 plus costs and in terest as of January 28, 2022. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment an d Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sa nchez, Gaston , & Zimet LLP, Attys. fo r Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingd ale, NY

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. AILEEN E. WARREN, ROBERT W. WARREN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF 57TH STREET VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Defts - Inde x #850181 /2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated Nove mber 21, 2022, I will sell at public auction Outside the Portico of the NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, Ma rch 15 , 2023, at 2:15 pm, a fractional interest of 0.009864 00000% in the time share known as 57th Street Vacation Suites located at 102 We st 57th Street, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $20,07 9.37 plus costs and interest as of January 17, 202 2. Sold subject to terms and cond itions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges Jerr y Merola, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingd ale, NY

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, -aga in st- FOLAYEMI ANIFOWOSHE, if living, and if they be dead, an y and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown perso ns being herein generally described and intended to be in cluded in the fo llowing desig nation, namely: the wife, widow, hu sband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, de scendants, executors, administrators, devisee s, legatee s, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assig nees of such de ceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, th rough or u nder them, or either of them, and their respective wives, wido ws, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, le gatees, cred itors, trustees, committees, lienors and a ssigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, Defendants. INDEX NO.: 850029/2020 FILED: February 16, 2023

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS:

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to an swer the comp laint in this action, and to serve a copy of yo ur answer, or, if t he complaint is not served with th is summons, to serve a no tice of appearance on the Plaintiff's attorney with in 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service or within 30 days after comp letion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery with in the State. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by de fault for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by p ublication pursuant an Order of the Hon. FRANCIS A. KAHN, III, a Justice of the Supreme Court, New Yo rk County, dated January 24, 2023 and entered January 31, 2023

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Timeshare Mortgage in the amount of $28,125.00, recorded in New York County Clerk's Office on August 14, 2014, in CRFN: 2014000 27 1605 of Mo rtgages covering the 5,000/28,402,100 undivided tenant in common in terest in the Timeshare Unit ident ified as HNY CLUB SUITES Phase I which comprise s a portion of the NYH Cond ominiu m at th e premises also referred to as the New York Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 1 0019-6012

The relief sought in the within action is a fina l Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale directing the sa le of the 5,000/28,402,100 undivided tenant in common interest in th e Cond ominium Unit known as the Timeshare Unit identified as HNY CLUB SUITES Phase I which comprises a portion of the NYH Condominium at the premises also referred to as the New York Hilton, described a bove to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage.

New York County is desig nated as the place of trial on th e basis of the fact that the real property affected by this action is located wholly within said County.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK INTERAUDI BANK, Plaintiff, -against- SOHO 1602 OWNER LLC, BOARD OF MANAGERS OF TRUMP SOHO HOTEL CONDOMINIUM NEW YORK, TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTELS MANAGEMENT LLC, NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, and JOHN DOE NOS. 1-5, Defendants. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 6, 2022 and entered on September 9, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at pu blic auction at the New York County Courthouse located on the portico at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on March 29th, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. the following premises identified as Block: 491 and Lot: 1276, located in the premises identified as Block 491 Lot: 36 and Block: 491 Lot: 34, situ ate, lying and being in the Borough of Ma nha ttan, City, County of New York, known as Unit No 1602 in the condomin ium kn own as "Spring Street Condominium f/k/a Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium" toge ther with an undivided 0.1315% interest in the common elements, said premises, Block: 491 and Lot: 1276, to be sold in one parcel. All bidd ers must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction. Sa id premises known as 246 SPRING STREET, UNIT 1602, NEW YORK, NY Approximate amount of lien is $376,915.68 plus atto rney's fees of $18,287.45, interest and co sts. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment an d Terms of Sale Index No. 850039/20 22

ALLISON FURMAN, ESQ., Referee

Dona ld Pearce

Attorney for Plaintiff

260 Madison Avenue, 17 th Floor New York, NY 10016 (212) 221-8733

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NEW YORK COUNTY

U.S. BANK NA, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, NA, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO LASALLE BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE WAMU MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-HY6, Plaintiff against BRENDA GALLANT, et al Defendant(s)

Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein, Su ch & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered October 19, 2021, I will sell at public auction to the highe st bidder at the Portico of the New York Coun ty Courthouse, 60 Centre St, New York, NY 10007 on March 15, 2023 at 2:15 PM. Premises known as 40 Sutton Place, Unit 2D, New York, NY 10022, 40 Sutton Place, Unit 2E, New York, NY 10022 and 40 Sutton Place, Unit 2F, New York, NY 10022. Block 1370 Lot 1005 and Block 1370 Lo t 1007 and Block 1370 Lot 1006. All the certain lo t, piece or parce l of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judg ment is $1,785,016.43 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 850284/2017.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District's Covid 19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee sh all enforce any rules in place regarding facial co verings and so cial distancing. Referee will only accept a certified ba nk check made payable to the referee.

Thomas Kleinberger, Esq., Referee SPSJC179

Notice of Formation of CSA PRESERVATION MM LLC

Arts of Org. file d with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/11/23. Office lo cation: NY

Good Kid En tertainment LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 10/12/2022. Office Loc: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: Omar Diongue, 233 West 111th St., Apt. 3C, NY, NY 10026 Purpo se: Any lawful activity

Guangstar LLC filed Arts of Org. with the SSNY on 1/17/2023. Office loca tion: NY County. SSNY has been de signated as agent of th e LLC upo n whom process against it may be served and shall mail to: 307 W. 111th St., Apt. 2R, NY, NY, 10026. Purpo se: any lawful activity

HOVDEN LAW LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/23/2023. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: Hovden Law, 250 West 15th St., Suite 6B, New York, NY 10011. Purpo se: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of JLT HOLDINGS, LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/06/23.

Office location: NY County.

LLC formed in Virginia (VA) on 01/29 /19. NYS fictitious

name: JLT HOLDINGS 197 1

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. VA addr of LLC: 13511 Split Creek Dr., Chester, VA 23831. Cert of Form. filed with State Corp Commission, 1300 E. Main St., Richmond, VA 23219-3630. Purpose: Any lawful activity

KLM Advisory, LLC filed Arts of Org. with the SSNY on 1/15/2023. Office loca tion: NY County. SSNY has been de signated as agent of th e LLC upo n whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: KLM Advisory, LLC, 64 East 94th St., #6F, NY, NY, 10128. Purpo se: Any lawful act.

MERCER CM, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/09/2022. Office loc: Bronx Coun ty SSNY ha s been designat ed as agent up on whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 79 Alexander Ave Ste 33A, Bronx, NY 10454. Reg Agent: Aaron Yaghoobi an , 79 Alexander Ave Ste 33A, Bronx, NY 10454. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of formation of Limited Liab ility Company

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

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

Notice of Formation of NYPC CROWN, LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/26/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY de signated 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 12207-2543. Purpo se: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of OTCex Derivatives Hold ing LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/24/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/07/22. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upo n whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmin gton, DE 19808. Cert. of Form filed with DE Secy of State, 401 Federal St - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Dated: Westbury, New York October 28, 2022

Maria Sideris, Esq. DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorneys for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue Westbury, NY 1 1590 (516) 87 6-0800 WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

Ms Laura LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/03/2023. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S., #913 865, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Coun ty Prin c. 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., Alban y, NY 12207. Purpose: Real estate - Development

Formation of CARNUTE LLC filed with th e Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/1/2022. Office loc.: NY County. SSNY de signated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The registered agent and address SSNY shall mail process to Corporate Service Bureau Inc., 283 Wash ington Ave., Albany, NY 12206. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of MAROON PEAK MANAGEMENT LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/10/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/01/22. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmingt on, DE 19808. Cert of Form. filed with DE Secy of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

FINE PRINT INK, LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 9/30/22. Office Location: NY Coun ty SSNY ha s been designat ed as agent up on whom process may be served & shall mail to: 120 W 97th St, #13J, NY, NY 10025. Purpo se. Any lawful activity

Notice is hereby give n that a license, serial #13585 73 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by th e undersigned to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a catering establishment under the ABC Law at 148 E. 40th St., NYC 10016 for on -premise s consumption; Maison Rouge NYC LLC

TICKET ME PINK LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/13/23. Office : New York County. SSNY de signated as agent of the LLC upo n whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 178 Duane Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013. Purpo se: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of DD

ATLANTIC AVENUE LLC

Arts of Org. file d with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/31/23. Office lo cation: NY Coun ty Prin c. office of LLC: 7 Penn Plaza, Ste. 600, NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the Corporation at the princ. office of the LLC Purpo se: Any lawful activity

RADER COMMUNICATIONS LLC, Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/28/2022. Office loc: NY County. SSNY ha s been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served & sh all mail process to: 250 West 94th St., Suite 15D, NY, NY 1002 5. Purpo se: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of THE DIGGING CREW LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/27/23. Office lo cation: NY Coun ty SSNY de signated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Sam Karp, 279 Crown St., New Haven, CT 06511. Purpose: Any lawful activity

101 LEGAL NOTICES

RHG Chelsea LLC filed Arts of Org. with the SSNY on 01/12/2023. Office: New York

Coun ty SSNY ha s been designat ed as agent of the LL C upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail to: Gary Wallach, 2 Renwich St., NY, NY, 10013. Purpose: an y lawful act.

CHRISTIAN G CAROLLO MANAGEMENT, LLC filed Arts of Org. with th e Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/6/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY has be en designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 12 Ash Pl., Huntin gton, NY, 11743. Purpose: any lawful act.

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 ma il to: Alice Liang, 228 Park Ave S., #584754, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity

RHG Time Square LLC file d Arts of Org. with the SSNY on 01/12/2023. Office: New York County. SSNY has been de signated as agent of th e LLC upo n whom process against it may be served and shall mail to: Gary Wallach, 2 Renwich St., NY, NY, 10013 Purpose: any lawful act.

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“I think anytime a leader finds themselves pointing to one group of people as the reason for the ills of another group of people, and when those groups actually are just people being squeezed by oppressive forces related to austerity, we’re talking about poor people and immigrants that are arriving here,” said Younus. “I think it should probably be considered. There are better ways to talk about what we are navigating right now, and pitting groups against one another is never a good idea.”

In addition to advocating for asylum seekers, NYIC is prioritizing passing the Access to Representation Act (ARA),

Legacy

Continued from page 4

Garner, who was another Vanguard Award honoree, was unable to attend, but the moderator provided listeners with a summary of her commitment to other mothers who have lost children to police brutality.

The poet and activist Jessica Care Moore offered her usual fare of brilliance and insight with her recitation of “We Want Our Bodies Back.” And tthese stanzas signify the defiance and demand:

“we want them anointed in oils we want them wore around your neck.

“ We want them remembered, we want them worshipped on Sunday.

“we want our magic you try to bottle we want our essence you attempt to steal we want our elegance our sex our walk we want our cool we want our recipes our intelligence, our science, our stars, our history…”

It was perfectly aligned with Dr. Safiya Bandele’s reflections to the tribute to Dr. Betty Shabazz, and her words captured the essence of an educator and the lessons she left us. A

which provides an attorney for any person facing deportation who can’t afford one. Younus suggested the city also expand the CityFHEPS program, a rental assistance supplement, and streamline communication between government agencies.

Younus feels that the immigration movement, while incremental, has been “making progress.”

“New York City is a beacon of hope to anyone searching for better opportunities for their families, particularly those escaping war, persecution, and political oppression,” said Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol in a statement. “With the opening of the latest humanitarian relief center for families in Long Island City, New York City and Mayor Adams are ensuring that these new families receive the help they need as

harbinger of those lessons leaped from the remarks of Ana Coyanda-Parkzes, a Taft School student leader. Her lecture was replete with quizzes where she asked the audience if it could recall certain heralded and unheralded African Americans.

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz introduced Davis, who during her half-hour at the podium eloquently recounted the magic and majesty of Malcolm’s journey. She deftly placed him on a continuum of struggle and self-determination and love for his people. Malcolm was an “internationalist,” she stressed, a courageous freedom fighter. Each word she uttered—racism, capitalism, sexism, colonialism, neo-colonialism—was often cited by Malcolm who always sought to put the African American struggle in a broad context.

“We know we cannot exclude any community that suffers from the effects of racism,” Davis said. “And this includes Asian Americans, and this includes Arab Americans. This includes Palestinians….and this includes nonhuman co-inhabitants of this planet.”

Toward the end of her speech—much of which she had discussed earlier

they pursue their dreams.”

The Adams administration has been criticized for its handling of the crisis so far, but the mayor seems committed to providing more support to arriving asylum seekers. Governor Kathy Hochul has pledged at least $1 billion in her state budget to support asylum-seeker housing and emergency shelters. In his testimony about Hochul’s budget before the state legislature, Adams asked the state and federal government for more financial aid to curb the crisis in the long term.

“New York City is caring for more asylum seekers than any other city in the United States,” said Adams in a statement. “As the number of asylum seekers who have moved through our intake process in the last 10 months has now surpassed the total

number of people who were in the city’s shelter system when I took office, it’s clear that New York City is in dire need of more support from our federal partners.”

Adams also said that the burden of “right to shelter” is not just the city’s to bear but the state’s as well.

NYIC is mobilizing across the state throughout the budgeting season to put pressure on the city and state to provide more resources on immigration issues.

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

on Democracy

Now with Goodman and David Gonzales—she stated “We’re on the verge of substantial shifts in the way people think about race and racism. And those who want to prevent these shifts from happening are frantically trying to turn back the clock.”

The only sound that could melodically or mellifluously follow Davis was the trumpet of Keyon Harrold, and as he did

last year, his horn echoed the evening’s theme of “Living the Legacy” with lilting, and sometimes haunting phrases. Closing comments and a call to action from Dr. Regina Jackson, a prayer from Imam Jaaber, and a drum recessional from the African Healing Circle and the turnout was turned loose, and down to the lobby where hot pans and succulent food gave the event a tasty conclusion.

Angela Davis speaks at podium (Herb Boyd photo)

Sheena Meade advocates for social justice at All-Star Weekend

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

The NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday included events that provided platforms for participants in the NBA’s Social Justice Coalition to exchange ideas and bring awareness to their causes. Among those in attendance was Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, a national bipartisan policy model that works to update and expand eligibility for arrest and conviction record clearance if a person stays crime-free for a specific period of time.

“Last year, the NBA Social Justice Coalition invited me to Summer League to speak to their coaches and players about civic engagement and the importance of advocating around policies and issues like Clean Slate,” said Meade. “I was able to bring us back to the human aspect of it. I shared my stories. I talked about the power of being able to use their platform to advocate for change.”

Meade appreciated the intentionality of the NBA to give the players a voice and have an impact way beyond the basketball court. She feels the NBA has taken an unapologetic stance on issues of policing, voting rights, and criminal justice reform—committing to doing more than simply wearing shirts with a message.

“A lot of the players have family members and loved ones that need a clean slate and want to hear more about it,” said Meade, who was excited to meet LeBron James because she admired his support for social justice issues.

“That’s how this partnership continues to grow. They invited me to the NBA All-Star festivities along with other social justice leaders.”

Last month, the NBA Social Justice Coalition joined with the Utah Jazz to co-host the Utah Clean Slate Summit, an event that helped people not eligible for automatic relief under Utah’s Clean Slate law navigate the expungement process.

“There are people from all across the country coming to

the All-Star Game and there’s an opportunity to meet leaders, influencers, and players who are able to get the message out about [the] Clean State Initiative,” said Meade. “There are millions of people right now, across the United States, who may have had a minor offense around drug-related charges, who are eligible right now to get their records cleared, and it’s too hard in their state to go through the petition process, whether because it’s costly, it’s cumbersome, it’s intimidating, or the wait times are so long.” Clean Slate is working to have eligible people’s records automatically cleared without having to go through the petition process. This will enable people to apply for jobs, housing, and school without facing barriers or shame.

Load management looms as a critical NBA CBA issue

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is a master of strategic communication. He has followed the paradigm exquisitely crafted by his predecessor David Stern, who brilliantly spearheaded the growth of the league into a global sports behemoth, of controlling the narrative of critical issues. As the CEOs of NBA franchises and the NBA Players’ Association face impending negotiations on a new labor agreement, load management (a term to describe players sitting out games to rest and recover) will be a key subject of discussion as it could affect the league’s next media rights deal. The league’s existing seven-year collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2023-24 season, but both the CEOs of the 30 teams and the players union can opt out of the agreement before then.

“This isn’t a new issue,” said Silver of load management on a Saturday meeting with media at All-Star Weekend in Utah. Sliver was the NBA’s deputy commissioner before succeeding Stern in February 2014. Stern, who passed away in January of 2020, stepped down as commissioner in January 2014 after 30 years in the position.

“I understand it from a fan standpoint that if you are…buying tickets to a particular game and that player isn’t playing,”

he continued. “…There’s a marketplace of fans who at the end of the day are the ultimate adjudicators of whether this is a product worth watching and paying for. Right now, they’re telling us that they love the NBA, and they’re attending and watching it at record levels.”

Multiple reports have the NBA seeking a $75 billion multi-year package from broadcast and streaming partners which would increase the Association’s salary cap and thus the value of players’ contracts. For instance, the annual amount of supermax contracts would increase exponentially and potentially pay players eligible for extensions in the coming years, such as the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounpo roughly $70 million per season. The NBA’s current pact with ESPN and Turner Sports, a nine-year extension of their previous agreement, which began at the start of the 2016-17 season and runs through the 2024-25 season, pays the league $24 billion.

It’s a certainty that ESPN (owned by Disney), Turner, and others bidding to broadcast and stream NBA content worldwide expect the league to consistently present its most appealing product, which entails the stars appearing in a high percentage of their games. Significantly reducing the number of regular season games from the current 82—the league played 72 in 2020-21 still adjusting to the

COVID-19 pandemic—and paying players based on the number of games they play have been suggested to address load management.

One or both could lead to deadlocked negotiations and a potential work stoppage that neither side wants to relive. Commissioner Stern locked out the players in 2011 and it lasted 161 days from July 1 to December 8, consequently cutting the number of regular season games to 66. NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio, who assumed the role last year after former executive director Michelle Roberts retired from the position following an impactful six-year tenure, rightly noted on Saturday while attending All-Star Weekend that a work stoppage would be harmful to both sides.

“First of all, I don’t think a lockout benefits anyone,” noted Tremaglio. “I also think it’s important that we all recognize to some extent our players stated from the very beginning that they were fine with having the contract continued through the 2023-24 season.”

The prudent stance articulated by Tremaglio doesn’t lessen the gravity or reality of the delicate points of concern that must be navigated.

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and other of the league’s top stars can reap huge financial gains from an impending new media rights deal and collective bargaining agreement. (Bill Moore photo)

Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, participated in a discussion on social justice at the NBA All-Star weekend in Utah (Clean Slate Initiative photo)

Rebranded and rebooted XFL debuts

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

The XFL didn’t give devoted football fans any time to miss the sport. With the Super Bowl ending the NFL season two and a half weeks ago, the XFL—an acronym for Extreme Football League—began its season last weekend, playing games on both Saturday and Sunday.

Following a similar model in the NFL, the XFL will also hold games on Thursday nights. All of the league’s games will be broadcast by either ESPN, ABC, FX, or ESPN Deportes.

Vince McMahon of WWE fame founded the XFL in 2001, but it lasted just one season. In 2018, McMahon restarted the league with 2020 as its launch, but after only five weeks into the season, the league was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Actor and entrepreneur Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who played college football for the University of Miami and gained famed as a WWE wrestling star, partnered with a consortium that includes Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing partner of private investment firm RedBird Capital Partners, along with Johnson’s ex-wife and current business partner Dany Garciato, purchase the XFL from McMahon for $15 million in 2020.

“An incredible weekend for our XFL opening,” wrote Johnson on his social media page. He made personal appearances at the game in Arlington on Saturday afternoon where the Renegades took on the Vegas Vipers and later in Houston on Saturday night to watch the home Roughnecks host the Orlando Guardians.

“Atmosphere was elec-

tric at every stadium,” noted Johnson. “Humbling experience all weekend that I will never forget.”

The XFL’s eight franchises are divided into North and South divisions. North consists of teams in St. Louis, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. South has three teams in Texas cities—Arlington, Houston, and San Antonio—and one in Orlando, Florida.

Coaches and players who have played and or coached at the NFL, Canadian Football League, and college levels comprise the franchises.

The XFL season goes through May. Each team will play a 10-game regular season—five games at home and five away. The top two teams from each division will make the playoffs. The championship game will be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The deep history of PSAL boys basketball continues

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The long and rich 120year history of New York City’s Public School Athletic League (PSAL) basketball has produced some of the game’s most illustrious and decorated players, including Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers John Isaacs (Textile High School), Bob Cousy (Andrew Jackson), Lenny Wilkens (Boys High), Connie Hawkins (Boys High), Nate “Tiny” Archibald (DeWitt Clinton), and Bernard King (Fort Hamilton); in addition to some of the NBA’s most talented players of their time period, such as Rod Strickland (Truman) and Stephon Marbury (Lincoln).

Ray Haskins is also from that lineage. The current PSAL commissioner was a standout at Boys High— now Boys & Girls High— before a stellar career at

HBCU Shaw University. Haskins subsequently had successful head coaching stints at Alexander Hamilton, winning the 1981 city championship, and Long Island University in Brooklyn, leading the then-Blackbirds to an NCAA tournament berth in 1997.

Haskins will now closely watch the next generation of rising NYC public school players battle for the 2023 titles, highlighted by the Boys AA Division, whichbegin their playoffs next Monday. One championship was already decided on Valentine’s Day when Metro-Brooklyn Democracy Academy defeated Mott Haven Campus 66-56 at York College in the Multiple Pathways A Division final. Head coach Joe Zollo’s squad ended their league-schedule unblemished at 14-0.

The AA Division has the No. 1 overall seed Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx trying to become the first team from the borough to win a city title since Wings Academy in 2015. Head coach Roosevelt Byers’ group earned their second straight Bronx Borough Championship on Saturday with a 74-57 victory over

Wings. Yet, until proven otherwise, Brooklyn still reigns supreme. A team from Brooklyn has seized 12 of the past 14 championships— five by Abraham Lincoln, three by South Shore, three by Boys & Girls, and one by Jefferson. South Shore has built a recent dynasty, taking the past three. They edged Jefferson 67-65 in the Brooklyn Borough Championship to garner the tournament’s No. 2 seed.

Despite the loss, No. 4 Jefferson, which reached the borough final by besting Eagle Academy Brooklyn 83-80 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the semifinals, is arguably the best team in the PSAL and will have a chip on their shoulder entering the playoffs. That mindset could find them hoisting the championship trophy when all is said and done. No. 3 seed Eagle Brooklyn, which lost to South Shore 77-52 in the city championship game last March at the Barclays Center, is also formidable and built to win the title.

Benjamin Cardozo and Murry Bergtraum enter the playoffs as the Queens and Manhattan Borough champs respectivly.

From left to right, XFL owners Gerry Cardinale, Dany Garcia and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson celebrate the relaunch of the football league last weekend (XFL.com photo)

Eagle Academy for Young Men of the Bronx earned the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming PSAL Boys AA playoffs after a 74-57 victory over Wings Academy in the Bronx Borough Championship last Saturday.

WNBA Champion Simone Edwards passes away at 49

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Simone Edwards, the first Jamaican to play in the WNBA, dubbed her 2017 autobiography “Unstoppable,” and she seemed to be just that even as she battled an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Although she died last week, Edwards’s impact lives on in her former teammates, friends, and Simone4Children Foundation, which built a learning center for children in her native Jamaica.

“Simi had this aura of energy,” said Tully Bevilaqua, who played with Edwards on the Seattle Storm in 2003 and ’04. “She was a magnet for children. That showed in the work she did with her foundation in Jamaica. Just an amazing spirit. We all had different roles on the team. They were all important, whether you were playing 35 minutes or not getting on the court. Hers was that she connected the fans and the team together like no other person.”

Although 6-foot-4, Edwards didn’t take up basketball until her late teens, when a U.S. college scout told her about the possibility of an athletic scholarship. She learned the game and achieved her goal of attending college in the U.S., first at a junior college in Oklahoma and then at the University of Iowa.

After her collegiate days, Edwards was

signed by the New York Liberty as a developmental player and witnessed the team’s inaugural season firsthand. She made a WNBA roster in 2000, joining the Seattle Storm in its debut season, playing with the team through 2005, and winning a WNBA Championship in 2004.

“Simone was real raw; she was just a great athlete,” said Lin Dunn, who coached the Storm from 2000–’02. “We were thrilled to pick her up, and then we found out what a great person she was. It was more about her energy, her enthusiasm, and her love

for the game and for the people. In the early days before Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird became the faces of the franchise, Simone was the one the fans came to watch.

“Even when the team got better and she had a different role, she was still a fan favorite,” Dunn added. “When she made her battle with cancer public, it reconnected everybody to her because not only was she fighting for herself, but typical Simone, she was fighting for others… Thoughtful, grateful, thankful, joyful, positive. Just a wonderful person.”

Sidney Cooks finds her basketball home at Seton Hall

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

A gifted post player, Sidney Cooks looked forward to building her basketball skills and enjoying fierce competition as a student-athlete, but it took her a while to find the right fit. After playing at two high profile institutions—Michigan State and Mississippi State—Cooks decided to use her final two years of eligibility at Seton Hall University, where she not only found an environment that suited her, but also an unlikely perfect teammate, guard Lauren Park-Lane. They are the Pirates’ top scorers.

“To be able to stay in Division I basketball and come to a program that accepts me and lets me mature and be the best version of myself, obviously on the court and then off the court as well, it’s made my life much happier,” said Cooks, who will complete her master’s degree in public administration this spring. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Mississippi State.

Cooks hopes to play professionally, but after basketball is done she thinks she may pursue law school. Seton Hall has a distinguished one, which caught her attention when she was deciding to play there.

She and Park-Lane are team captains, and Cooks feels comfortable in a leadership role. “They’ve given me this confidence and the ability to do what I knew I was capable of,” Cooks said. At Mississippi State, she played small forward. As the tallest person on the Seton Hall team, she plays center. She can still shoot the three when called upon, but also post up. “The versatility that I bring in the system that we have, it’s been a perfect match,” she said.

From the beginning, Cooks and ParkLane shocked each other. Cooks never previously played with a guard that small who possesses the ability to read the de -

fense and get to the basket at will, and Park-Lane hadn’t played with a big who could shoot the three. “When we balanced that out, it became so much fun,” said Cooks. “We trust each other on another level. We know what each other is capable of and are comfortable holding each other accountable. Our leadership has trickled down to our teammates so they can feed off of our energy.”

They think about playing together overseas, but right now the focus is on finishing this collegiate season with a flourish. “Right now, our slogan is ‘win every day’” Cooks said. “It’s one day at a time.”

Seton Hall’s Sidney Cooks is relishing her final season of collegiate basketball (Seton Hall Athletics photos)

Sidney Cooks (Center)

The Jamaican Hurricane, Simone Edwards (Photo courtesy of Simone Edwards)

Simone Edwards (center) with fellow 1997 Liberty players Jasmina Perazic-Gipe and Cassandra Crumpton-Moorer at team’s 20th anniversary celebration (Lois Elfman photo)

Sports

Coming out of All-Star break, Knicks eye a top 6 spot

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The stretch run is upon the Knicks and the other NBA teams contending for a playoff spot and favorable postseason seedings. The Knicks return from their eight-day All-Star break tomorrow to face the Washington Wizards on the road. They went into the hiatus 33–27 and winners of five of their last six games, including three straight, to wrest the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference from the No. 7 seed Miami Heat, which are a half game behind the Knicks at 32–27.

Tom Thibodeau has and will continue to maintain the Knicks as focused on the moment, purpose-driven on defeating the immediate opponent. No one should doubt that the Knicks’ intense head coach is not looking beyond the Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans, which will visit Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Clichés notwithstanding, Thibodeau, along with those wholly invested in the franchise, is acutely cognizant of the ramifications and dichotomy of ending the regular season at No. 6 instead of No.7. No. 6 assures a playoff berth and 7 only grants a chance to compete in the NBA Play-In Tournament with the No. 8, 9 and 10 seeds for the remaining two spots.

As they have been doing for 60 games, forward Julius Randle and point guard Jalen Jalen Brunson must lead the Knicks’ charge in averting the Play-In. Both have been outstanding this season.

Randle made the second AllStar appearance of his nine-year career last weekend, leading the Knicks in scoring (24.8) and rebounding (10.8). He and center Isaiah Hartenstein are the only Knicks to play in all 60 games.

Brunson, who signed with the Knicks as a free agent last July after four years with the Dallas

Mavericks, which drafted him out of Villanova in 2018, with the 33rd overall pick in the second round, had a convincing case to be named an All-Star. Brunson is averaging 23.9 points and 6.2 assists, but numbers don’t reflect his comprehensive value to the Knicks. Qualitatively, Brunson has filled a long void at the point guard position for the franchise, assumed an immeasurable leadership role, and instilled heightened mental and physical toughness throughout the roster that characterizes the team’s identity.

“He’s good and he knows he’s good,” said Thibodeau after Brunson paced the Knicks with 28 points in a 122–101 blowout of the Atlanta Hawks on the road in their last game before the All-Star. After the Wizards and Pelicans, the Knicks will host the Boston Celtics at MSG on Monday and the Brooklyn Nets at the Garden next Wednesday.

The Nets try to stay near the top of the East after trading stars

by VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

The Nets are trying to become a cohesive team on the fly after trading All-Star Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks and Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. Since dealing them—Irving on Feb. 6 and Durant on Feb. 9 at the trade deadline—the Nets have expectedly struggled.

They were 2-4 without Irving when their All-Star break began on Feb. 15. At the time Durant was traded, he hadn’t played since spraining the MCL in his right knee versus the Miami Heat on Jan. 8. Durant had missed 14 straight games with the Nets at the time he was sent to the Suns in exchange for forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four unprotected future first round picks. The Nets traded Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks on the same day they received him (Feb. 9) for two second round picks.

Now they are trying to create

positive continuity with nearly three-fourths of the season already played. They are 34-24 and the No. 5 seed in the East, two games ahead of the No. 6 seed Knicks. The Nets have become accustomed to drastic change. Team CEO Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks fired former head coach Steve Nash on Nov. 1 only seven games into this season. They were 2-5 at the time Nash was let go. He was replaced by assistant coach Jacque Vaughn. The Nets changed Vaughn’s status from interim coach to head coach and on Monday he agreed to a multi-year extension that will run through the 2026-2027 season. From Nov. 27 to Jan. 2, Vaughn led the Nets to a 17-1 record, including winning 12 in a row. He was named the NBA Coach of the Month for December after going 12-1.

“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our

entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” Marks said in his statement to the press in announcing the contract extension.

“On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level, while displaying tremendous instincts for the game,” also praising Vaughn’s character and representation of the team. “As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque.”

The Nets have 24 regular season games remaining. They get back at it tomorrow night after eight days off with a road game against the Chicago Bulls

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau and point guard Jalen Jalen Brunson can be optimistic that their team can secure a top six finish in Eastern Conference with only 22 regular season games remaining. (Bill Moore photos)

Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the Kevin Durant trade, have key roles in determining the Nets’ playoff seeding. (Bill Moore photos)

Tom Thibodeau Jalen Brunson

Cam Johnson

Mikal Bridges