New York Amsterdam News Sept. 5-11, 2024

HOW SUMMER HEAT IN SCHOOLS MAKES INDOOR LEARNING UNBEARABLE

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By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press

International News

Trinidad and Tobago reckons with colonialism in debate over statues, signs, and monuments of its past

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—In a small auditorium in the seaside capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Christopher Columbus and other colonial-era figures came under scrutiny late Wednesday in a lengthy debate punctuated by snickers, applause, and outbursts.

The government had asked residents of the diverse, twin-island nation in the eastern Caribbean if they supported the removal of statues, signs, and monuments with colonial ties and how those spaces should be used instead. One by one, people of African, European, and Indigenous descent stepped up to the microphone and responded.

Some suggested a prominent Columbus statue be placed in a museum. Others requested it be destroyed and people be allowed to stamp on the dusty remains. One man encouraged officials to round up statues of colonial figures and use them to create a “square of the infamous.”

The majority of the more than two dozen people who spoke, and dozens of others commenting online, supported removal of colonial-era symbols and names.

“It’s an issue about how, after 62 years of independence...we continue to live in a space that reflects the ideals and the vision and the views of those who were our colonial masters,” said Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada, executive chair of the islands’ Emancipation Support Committee.

Trinidad and Tobago is the latest nation to embrace a global movement that began in recent years to abolish colonial-era symbols as it reckons with its past and questions about if and how it should be memorialized as demands for slavery reparations grow across the Caribbean.

The public hearing was held just a week after the government announced it would redraw the nation’s coat of arms to remove Christopher Columbus’s three ships — the Pinta, the Niña, and the Santa María — and replace them with the steelpan, a popular percussion instrument that originated in the Caribbean nation.

Others pushed for further changes on Wednesday night.

“What the hell is the queen still doing on top of the coat of arms? Please let us put her to rest,” said Eric Lewis, who identifies as a member of the First Peoples, also known as Amerindians.

Trinidad and Tobago was first colonized by the Spanish, who ruled it for nearly 300 years before ceding it to the British, who governed it for more than 160 years until the islands’ independence in 1962. The colonial imprint remains throughout streets and plazas, with a statue of Christopher Co-

Vandalized statue of Christopher Columbus stands in Columbus Square in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Officials in the Caribbean island nation are reviewing whether to remove statues, signs, and monuments that reference European colonization. (AP Photo/Robert Taylor)

lumbus dominating a square of the same name in the capital of Port of Spain.

The islands’ National Trust calls that statue “one of the greatest embellishments of our town,” but many differ.

“It’s disrespectful to those who were the victims of him. The people suffered tremendously,” said Shania James as she called for the statue to be placed in a museum. “His atrocities should not be forgotten.”

A handful of people dismissed concerns about how their ancestors were treated, including tour guide Teresa Hope, who is Black.

“They survived, and I survived, and we will keep on moving,” she said, adding that if the actions of all historical figures were scrutinized, “everything would get knocked down.”

Rubadiri Victor, president of the Artists’ Coalition, said his country should instead erect statues and monuments to honor

some of the more than 200 Trinibagonians who represent the best of the islands.

“We [are] stumbling and tripping over heroes,” he said. “To have produced so much genius, and that lineage is nowhere present in the landscape.”

Among the suggestions of people to honor were Nobel Prize-winning author V.S. Naipaul; Cyril Lionel Robert James, a historian and journalist; and Kwame Ture, who helped spearhead the Black Power movement in the U.S. Others suggested that prominent Amerindians and more local women be honored, including Patricia Bishop, an educator and musician, and Beryl McBurnie, a teacher credited with promoting and saving Caribbean dance. The debate was scheduled to continue soon in the sister island of Tobago, with the government having received nearly 200 submissions overall so far about what it should do.

Sen. Cleare and colleagues urge Hochul to sign bill to help older NYers pay energy bills

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

Senator Cordell Cleare hosted her annual National Senior Citizens Day in Harlem last week, to honor neighborhood centenarians and highlight a bill that would help lower energy bills for seniors.

Now in its third year, Senior Citizens Day in Harlem is held at

the plaza at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building. Cleare, Harlem electeds, and local organizations gave out free community resources, fresh produce, and groceries; hosted entertainment, games, and activities; and provided health screenings to more 1,300 senior citizens.

“This National Senior Citizens Day in Harlem is a shining example

of community collaboration and a tribute to the trailblazers who have nurtured, mentored, shared their wisdom, and sacrificed so much for us,” Cleare said in a statement.

“This event celebrates our elders, on whose shoulders we stand, who have paved the way for us, and who continue to contribute so much to our community. They are truly deserving of this recognition.”

The celebration honored three centenarians: Charlotte Patton, Irene Billips, and Ottiene Sanders, who are all 102 years old, and Walter Micheaux, who is 103.

“Today, we honor the unwavering strength and enduring legacy of our senior citizens — the true foundation of our communities,” Senator Robert Jackson said in a statement.

“Standing in solidarity with lead-

ers like Senator Cleare and our community partners, we reaffirm our commitment to empower and uplift our elders, ensuring they continue to live with dignity in the city they helped build.”

Last year, Cleare introduced legislation, Bill 8760A, that would require the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to

For International Overdose Awareness day, advocates take fight to Gov. Kathy Hochul

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

Advocates for safe drug use laid 19 body bags outside Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Manhattan offices on Aug. 26, calling it a display illustrating daily overdose deaths statewide.

The action also included a symbolic funeral march for those lives lost across Third Avenue as International Overdose Awareness Day loomed on Aug. 31. Participants from organizations like Drug Policy Alliance, Housing Works and VOCAL-New York demanded for more harm reduction policies like overdose prevention sites and less criminalization.

VOCAL-New York drug policy campaign coordinator Steven Gray says the protest organized people directly impacted by drug use laws and services.

“Black and Brown New Yorkers are dying at the highest rates,” they said. “And again, Hochul says that she has a coordinated plan to re-

spond to the overdose crisis and yet we see that can’t be the case when more than 19 New Yorkers continue to die every day. We’re seeing the governor propose and double down on the drug war.

“We are demanding leadership and we are literally saying with this display of body bags that our loved ones continue to die, our community members continue to die without a coordinated response from [Hochul] and bringing that directly to her doorstep.”

Protesters specifically called for more overdose prevention centers in the wake of non-government funding as a possible source. Opioid settlements against pharmaceutical and consulting companies secured by New York Attorney General Letitia James yielded more than $2.6 billion and go “towards New York communities for treatment, recovery and prevention efforts.”

Legally, the settlements cannot “supplant or replace existing state

State Senator Cordell Cleare (podium), Assemblymember-elect Jordan Wright (left), and Senator Robert Jackson (far left) with AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, right) on 3rd Annual National Senior Citizens Day in Harlem on August 28. (Photos contributed by Cleare’s office)

Senator Cordell Cleare with Majority Leader Andrea StewartCousins, Senator Robert Jackson, Councilmember Yusef Salaam, and Assemblymember-elect Jordan Wright on August 28.

Demonstrators carry symbolic body bags to represent those who die daily from an overdose in New York State. (Tandy Lau photo)

See ENERGY BILLS on page 27

A nip-and-tuck presidential race

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

As most political pundits know, Labor Day has traditionally been a fairly accurate barometer in a presidential race, and the current down-to-the-wire contest is nip and tuck, with Vice President Kamala Harris edging Trump by the slimmest of margins. While Harris has improved her numbers in the Rust and Sun Belt states over the last several weeks, she is doing better in the battleground states, with a 3-point margin of error.

If these margins hold until Election Day in November, Harris may be able to squeak out a victory, and Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania — bulwarks in the Electoral College count — are sure to be deciding factors. Dems are hoping that the enthusiasm now billowing the sails of the Harris and Walz team doesn’t turn out to be another disappointment, as it was in 2016 when Hillary Clinton beat Trump by 3 million votes in the popular vote but failed to succeed in the Electoral College.

Usually the candidate in front at Labor Day crosses the finish line first, but this race is still too close for the Harris team to rest on its laurels. This presidential race, like no other in history, has been choked with surprises — and we still are several weeks from the customary October surprise.

Harris may continue to hold the lead in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all with Democratic governors who defeated their opponents by at least 2.5% in 2022. On the other hand, three other swing states — Arizona, Georgia, and North

Black hair as a battleground: from DNC stage to school suspensions

Carolina — only voted for Democratic candidates once this century, most recently for Georgia and Arizona in 2020, which ultimately bolstered Biden’s outcome.

On Labor Day, Harris took her message and energy to Northwestern High School in Detroit, the vortex of the labor movement. After being introduced by a union leader on Monday, Harris said, “It is always good to be in the house of labor,” a greeting that was met with resounding applause and cheers.

“Don’t we love Labor Day? Everywhere I go, I tell people, ‘Look, you may not be a union member. You better thank a union member.’

For the five-day work week, you better thank a union member. For sick leave, you better thank a union. For paid leave, you better thank a union for vacation time.”

If elected, she promised to pass the PRO Act to give workers more power to organize.

Among the chants interrupting her speech was “Trump’s a scab,” which adorned the Tshirt of United Auto Worker (UAW) President Shawn Fain during his appearance at the Democratic National Convention. He stood on the stage with Harris and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. Harris closed her speech with some fresh poll numbers from the Detroit Free Press that showed Trump one point ahead of Harris in a head-to-head matchup in a four-way race that included Robert Kennedy, Jr., who suspended his campaign and immediately announced his endorsement for Trump. “We know this is going to be a very tight race,” she concluded.

By QUINTESSA WILLIAMS Word in Black

During the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Michelle Obama’s braids and Tennessee Rep. Justin Pearson’s afro were celebrated nationwide as symbols of Black pride, cultural identity, and resistance.

Given that the former First Lady once said America wasn’t ready to see a Black woman with anything but straight hair in the White House, their hairstyles symbolize a growing acceptance and recognition of natural hair in political spaces.

However, while Black hairstyles are becoming more accepted in politics, there is a stark contrast in America’s public schools. Black hair may be embraced in some places, but it remains heavily policed and criminalized in classrooms.

Hair dress code policies in schools disproportionately affect Black students, leading to higher rates of negative perceptions about their identity, severe psychological effects, and students being shoved into the school-to-prison pipeline.

Just weeks before the DNC, a judge dismissed a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Darryl George, a Black student in Texas, after it was ruled that he was lawfully punished for wearing locs, a hairstyle rooted in African culture and spirituality. The school cited “its dress code” as the reason for the suspension.

A national issue for Black students

Savannah Walker, an Andrew Jackson High School senior in Jacksonville, Florida, told Word In Black that when schools enforce such policies, they are “not only policing hair but identity as well.”

“They’re basically telling us that we as our natural selves are unacceptable and that we must conform to white norms to be seen as respectable and worthy,” said Walker. “This is hurtful, especially for young people like me who are still figuring

out their sense of self and identity.”

In 2017, 17-year-old Jenesis Johnson was sent to in-school suspension for wearing her natural afro to school. The school’s dress code mandated that hair be “kept neat and out of the face,” and administrators claimed her afro was a distraction.

In 2018, Faith Fennidy, an 11-year-old from Louisiana, was sent home because her braided hairstyle allegedly violated the school’s dress code. Fennidy’s case garnered national attention and sparked outrage over discriminatory hair policies in schools.

In 2019, Tyler House, a high school wrestler in Kentucky, was forced to cut his locs on the spot or forfeit his match. The referee insisted that his locs were not compliant with the sport’s regulations, despite other athletes with similar hairstyles not being asked to make changes. These incidents, and many others like them, highlight the ongoing struggle Black students face in schools across the country.

According to a 2020 report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Black

students, who make up only 15% of the U.S. public school student population, account for 45% of all school suspensions related to hair being cited as a dress code violation. In addition, 25% of Black students reported being penalized for wearing their natural hair, compared to just 5% of white students.

Does the CROWN Act protect Black students?

As of 2024, 25 states have passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN Act), which protects against hair-based discrimination in workplaces and schools.

The act first became law in California in 2019 and is designed to ban discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles, including locs, braids, twists, and afros. In March 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the federal version of the CROWN Act.

The Biden Administration has voiced its support for the legislation. However, the bill stalled in the Senate, leaving millions nationwide without protection against hairbased discrimination.

In May 2024, Democrats reintroduced the CROWN Act at the federal level.

“This is not a partisan issue,” said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a leading voice in the fight for the act. “The federal government would simply be following the lead of our states. This is an issue of justice. This is an issue of fairness. This isn’t just an issue of ending discrimination that has existed for too long. Enough is enough.”

Meanwhile, in Jacksonville, Walker’s father, Kadeem Walker, said he believes a potential federal ban on discrimination against Black hair will ensure all students are free to express their cultural hair identity without fear of punishment.

“We must implement federal protections like the CROWN Act and hold schools accountable for discriminatory dress code policies,” he said. “It will be a giant step in ending these discriminatory practices on natural hair across the nation.”

In states without the CROWN Act, 67% of Black students report experiencing discrimination or bias related to their natural hair in school. States with the CROWN Act have seen a 25% decrease in reported incidents of hair discrimination. Where do we go from here?

Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Inga O’Neale campaigning for Kings County Supreme Court

Black New Yorker

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Civil Court Judge Inga O’Neale is one of a bench of judges nominated to run for a seat on the Kings County Supreme Court this year.

Judge O’Neale’s name will be on the ballot this Nov. 5. She was nominated as one of seven Democratic Party contenders for the Brooklyn-based Supreme Court at the Judicial Convention on Aug. 8.

The recognition and nomination are honors, she says, and if she wins the judgeship it will give her the opportunity to continue her family’s tradition of working in service to the community. “I worked in the Supreme Court for 19 years as an attorney before I ran for office,” O’Neale told the AmNews. “So I’ve dedicated my entire 22year legal career to public service.

“What we do in the courts system, regardless of title, is public service,” she said. “The people coming to court don’t come because they want to. They come because something has happened in their lives. Our responsibility is to make sure that we address whatever that issue is. So, it’s important for the bench to be diverse because it helps so that we –– as the bench –– are making decisions that are in tune with the community appearing before us.”

Born in Antigua, O’Neale and her family moved to Grenada when she was young. She was raised there among extended family members who mostly took on jobs as nurses and teachers.

“Being that I am someone who moved here as a young adult from the Caribbean, I understand what it is to feel unfamiliar with being able to navigate the [New York State court system] process.”

Which savings strategy works for you?

Sponsored content by JPMorgan Chase

Getting in the habit of saving money is important, as it helps lead to creating a financial cushion to cover future expenses. Saving is not easy, especially when everyday products are at an all-time high given recent years’ rising inflation and simply suggesting cutting back on small indulgences can be irritating.

High Yield Savings Accounts are increasingly popular, often coming with higher interest rates, making them suitable for short-term savings goals. They work a lot like the typical savings account, allowing for deposits and withdrawals, but there may be transaction limits and minimum balance requirements. They are also protected up to $250,000 at FDIC insured banks.

Her grandmother was the first in the family to come to the U.S. looking for better economic opportunities. Later she encouraged her children, O’Neale’s aunts and uncles, to make the move as well. But her parents initially remained in the Caribbean because her father had a secure job. What she and her brother came to understand was that both of their parents came from large families where they had not been afforded the opportunity to attend college. Still, their parents instilled in them the importance of education, having a strong work ethic, getting a good job, and being committed to community.

Their father was involved in the Rotary Club, a community service organization, and their mother took on a job as a nurse while working with groups that aided their school and helped local children’s homes.

O’Neale grew up seeing her parents as community builders and from an early age started doing things like serving as a Girl Guide (a British equivalent to the Girl Scouts) to follow their model.

“I guess for me, I always wanted to help and to serve. I wanted to either be a doctor or a lawyer –– I know it sounds cliché, but I wasn’t sure which one I wanted to do. So, when I moved here, I ended up at Stony Brook thinking, okay, I’m going to do medicine. I did my first semester of the sciences. And you know, I think it was chemistry: it’s not that I couldn’t do it, but it just didn’t give me joy. I love English and history, because I love stories, I love reading, I love learning about people and what I do every day at work, it’s the same thing: I’m listening to people’s stories. I’m listening to each side before I

Thankfully, there are options to help saving money become more of a habit to better equip you for life’s unexpected needs. Before determining how much to start saving, first understand money coming in and money coming out – like cost of rent, food, car or public transportation, utilities, and other direct payment expenses, such as subscriptions to various streaming services. Apps can help track these recurring expenses, making it a good time to reconsider or renegotiate them.

Once you’ve understood your monthly budget, check what’s remaining to determine a doable amount to start setting aside each month. When it comes to saving, there are various strategies, from keeping a certain amount in your bank account each week, to automating transferring money from your checking to your savings account each month. You can also save for something specific, like a vacation, home project, or a splurge you’ve had your eye on for a while. Here are a few saving account options to consider:

Standard Saving Accounts are the most common, easy to access and typically open. Savings accounts can often be accessed and managed online or through the bank’s mobile app, which can make things easier. Before choosing an account that best suits your needs, ask if there is a monthly service fee and potential ways to waive the fee.

Money Market Accounts are similar to savings accounts, but the customer receives more interest on their money, something that varies with banks. They usually require a minimum balance.

Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are highly sought after when interest rates are favorable, but you must commit to leaving the money deposited in the CD untouched for the agreed upon term, which is usually months or years. There may be minimum deposit requirements, but they offer returns so are useful for short-term goals, such as the down payment on a house or car.

Long-Term Accounts provide an opportunity to accumulate returns over years, depending on how the markets fluctuate. These accounts are designed for a specific financial goal and have tax advantages. Consult your financial institution for long-term savings account options, some of which may include:

• 529 Plans: Saving over the years to pay for the education of a child, grandchild, or niece/nephew. Savings are tax-deferred and can only be used for the beneficiary’s education, whether for college or another educational institution.

• 401(k): Retirement savings accounts your employer offers. Contributions are usually made monthly (a percentage of the salary) via direct deposit. There are limits to how much you can contribute.

• IRA: There are various types of individual retirement Accounts (IRAs), offering another personal retirement savings option. Contributions are limited, not necessarily offered by an employer, and like the 401(k), they are only used after retirement.

Be sure to ask your bank or financial advisor whether the account you plan to open has a monthly deposit or balance minimum, or any additional requirements or fees. For more budgeting and savings tips, visit chase.com/financialgoals.

For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any individual. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its

and/or

Judge Inga O’Neale was nominated to run for a seat on the Kings County Supreme Court this year. (Alister Julien Photography photo)

Rev. Sharpton, Al B. Sure!: Medicare to reinstate coverage for ‘lifesaving’

post-transplant blood tests, particularly for Black and Brown patients

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

The Rev. Al Sharpton and singer Al B. Sure! were an unlikely pair of leaders at the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC), but together they made major headway in getting Medicare to reinstate coverage of non-invasive post-transplant blood tests after months of advocacy.

For the last several years, blood tests that detected organ rejection were covered under Medicare and preferable to a surgical biopsy because they are non-invasive, can be done from home, and are less time-consuming. In March 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced sizable cutbacks for transplant patients and restrictions on these non-invasive tests. This was especially concerning for disproportionately impacted Black and Brown patients.

“Health equity is a treacherous mountain to climb, but today, Black and Brown organ transplant patients regained access to a blood test that helps determine their health outcomes,” said Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network (NAN), in a statement.

Steven Potter, M.D., is the kidney and pancreas transplant surgeon at Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute, professor of surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and former Chair of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) Legislative and Regulatory Committee. He explained that when a patient receives an organ transplant, they have to take immuno-suppressive drugs and need to be carefully watched for signs of “allograft injury,” or organ rejection. Prior to the advent of noninvasive molecular tests, organ rejection was monitored through “limited legacy tools” like

checking for abnormal blood or urine tests, said Potter, which would lead to a sometimes painful and costly tissue biopsy.

“[A biopsy is] uncomfortable, expensive, and it carries significant risk to the patient and their kidney,” Potter said, pointing to the most common type of organ transplant. “There is a risk of bleeding, which may be massive, and risk of infection. So it’s naturally not something patients want to undergo. And if you talk to kidney transplant recipients, they’ll uniformly tell you how much they dislike biopsies and fear the idea that they might need a biopsy. Before the invention of these tests, we’d been doing things the same way for three decades, but the development of cell-free, donor derived DNA and gene expression profile testing allowed us to move us into a brighter future.”

blood tests allow earlier detection of organ rejection than legacy tests, like serum creatinine or urine protein levels, from previous decades. This advanced notice of injury or rejection in the transplanted organ is critical to saving lives and improving long-term health outcomes, said Potter.

The decision to limit access to these tests was made by a private contractor that reports to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In response to a public outcry and months of advocacy on behalf of transplant patients, CMS recently reversed the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) decision, which did not cover the post-transplant blood tests under Medicare.

“The decision to reinstate Medicare coverage for the use of surveillance blood tests is

a positive step toward health equity,” Sharpton continued, “and we thank CMS and Administrator Brooks-LaSure for returning to a Medicare coverage policy that aligns with the merits and facts presented by the transplant community. This decision ensures that all transplant patients, regardless of their socioeconomic status or geography, have access to the benefits of this critical tool.”

Al B. Sure!, née Albert Brown III, received a life saving liver transplant in 2023 after suffering from a sudden coma for two months and not knowing why. He had multiple surgeries to repair a hematoma/hernia and dealt with a fungal pneumonia, sepsis, infected lymph nodes, a tracheostomy, was placed on a ventilator for 38 days, and had over 50 blood transfusions. Once recovered, he went on to co-found HEiTC alongside Sharpton and NAN communications advisor Rachel Noerdlinger. He currently serves as executive chairman of the HEiTC.

“As any organ transplant recipient will tell you, the path to recovery is a steep, uphill, and daily battle,” Brown said. “What’s less known is that this journey poses even greater risks for Black Americans because we are biologically more likely to experience organ rejection, and are disproportionately represented in the transplant population.”

HEiTC actively engaged lawmakers, regulators, and other stakeholders to advocate for restored coverage of critical noninvasive blood tests.

“Our journey is far from over as we must now ensure that any future LCD reflects the voices of the entire transplant community before any coverage changes are implemented, but today’s results certainly get us a step closer to achieving real equity in healthcare,” the singer added.

Efforts underway to protect New Yorkers from Mpox, a resilient viral threat

By SRI PRANITA CHERUKURI and HEATHER M. BUTTS, JD, MPH, MA Special to

the AmNews

As people continue to recover from ongoing public health crises, a continuing concern has re-emerged: Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox).

This viral illness, related to smallpox, has primarily affected those in close physical contact with infected individuals. According to Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University and director of the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia; and Dr. Mathilde Krim, founding chair of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) and chair of global health epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, in an interview with the AmNews, “There are a couple of things that are of concern. Although Mpox is not at the center

of the media at this point in time, it never really went away completely in the United States. We’ve had ongoing ... small, limited numbers of cases all along.”

(Editor’s note: The authors of this article are affiliated with the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health but do not work with El-Sadr.)

According to the GLAAD, “although it is rarely fatal, Mpox can cause severe pain and permanent scarring…Mpox is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection, and scientists are still investigating whether the virus can be spread via bodily fluids. However, any prolonged, skin-to-skin contact [with] an infected person, including sex, does increase the risk of transmission. In the current outbreak, most cases are associated with sexual contact...Anyone can spread or contract Mpox regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, but the virus is spreading in high numbers among gay men, bisexual men, and other men who have sex with other men.”

According to recent data, the U.S. has reported more than 4,000 Mpox cases since the outbreak began, with the majority in New York City. While the numbers have stabilized, new cases are still being identified, particularly among high-risk groups.

El-Sadr said that “…now there’s a large outbreak that’s ongoing in several African countries and that’s of great concern for a couple of reasons. We’ve learned from COVID-19 that whatever happens somewhere else in the world, we have to be cognizant that we are part of that world and it inevitably will be at our doorstep…we’ve learned the hard way that we need to worry…the strain of Mpox that’s causing this outbreak in several African countries now appears to be causing a more severe illness than the strain that caused the 2022 outbreak.”

El Sadr added that “there’s substantial concern…because of the travel and connections between people. We need to be prepared and we need to be appropriately ready to respond to a potential surge in the numbers of cases. I

do think what’s important is at this point we mobilize [and] remind people that Mpox is still here. We do have a vaccine that works quite well and that people should avail themselves of, as well as to learn and be cognizant of how to protect themselves—be aware of the common symptoms.”

Early recognition of symptoms, such as rashes and flu-like conditions, can lead to timely care and prevent further transmission.

The New York State and NYC Health Departments emphasize the importance of awareness, vaccination, and safe practices to prevent further spread. Stay informed by visiting the New York State Department of Health and the NYC Department of Health websites for updates and resources: https:// www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/zoonoses/mpox/.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is available and recommended for those at higher risk. The CDC has a vaccine finder for locating the closest place to obtain the Mpox vaccine.

The newer non-invasive

Photo of singer Al B. Sure!, Rachel Noerdlinger, and Founder of National Action Network (NAN) Rev. Al Sharpton (from left to right). (Photo contributed by Actum LLC.)

AmNews Roving Camera

By SIYAKA TAYLOR-LEWIS

Q: What do you think Kamala Harris’s chances are for winning the election in November?

Jacob, 72

Bed-Stuy

“Good chances, because the women are already behind her. But once the Black men get behind her, she can’t lose. We’ve been waiting. Her family is like my neighbors back in St. Anne Parish [Jamaica].

KAMALA CAN’T LOSE!”

Asiyah, mother of 4 YouTube: asiyah.coproductions Bed-Stuy

“If she had spoken to us [the community leaders in Bed-Stuy] at Restoration Plaza, she would have had better chances, but you haven’t talked to the community or store owners, so how do you know what we want? I want to speak to her. I have been a community organizer for 36 years.”

Shawn, 49

Bed-Stuy

“I don’t align with politics. Can’t stand for her ’cause she stood for prison reform a few years back. I was locked up for 22 years. There’s a bridge between that reality and my reality.”

Amir, 32

Bed-Stuy

“Slim. A lot of Black men have ended up in jail under her watch. I don’t like that she said no to reparations. As a member of an activist family, that’s a problem.”

On 9/11,

Clarence Singleton was retired from the FDNY. But he ran towards the fires

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

These days, Clarence Singleton spends life after the New York Fire Department (FDNY) taking scenic strolls, maintaining his garden and attending church services virtually. Such leisure wasn’t always the case.

A former fire lieutenant, Singleton retired from Bushwick’s Engine 218 in August 2000. Both his sons were in college and he was working part-time as a mortgage inspector. But on his way to the job on a September day that next year, he heard over his car radio that a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers. He initially assumed a small aircraft had veered off course.

But the broadcast reported a second plane had also hit the towers. Singleton realized it wasn’t a simple accident. And he was no stranger to heroics at the World Trade Center—while still in the FDNY, he and his unit responded to the 1993 bombing.

So he went back to the house, threw on his FDNY t-shirt along with boots and a

pair of jeans and hopped onto the subway as he couldn’t get across the bridge due to traffic traveling from Flatbush. When Singleton arrived close to the scene, he saw commissioners of the uniformed agencies caked in dust. But it didn’t dawn on him yet that a tower had collapsed.

“My mind just wasn’t grasping the moment [and] the situation,” Singleton said. “So I came to an engine company and the chauffeur was trying to connect to the hydrant so he could put some water on some vehicles that [were] in proximity to the North Tower because it was still standing. As I walked past them, my intention was to go over to the opposite side of the tower—I assumed that’s where the command post was, and I was going to check in with the [fire] chiefs and tell them to use me in any way you want.”

But he heard the firefighters ask a civilian to open a fire hydrant valve. Seeing the perplexed civilian staring at the hydrant in bewilderment, Singleton knew then this was where he was needed, and went into action to help extinguish

Clarence Singleton (Photo courtesy of Clarence Singleton)

(Siyaka Taylor-Lewis photos)

West Indian Day parade celebrations in Brooklyn marred by shooting, resulting in 1

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

This year’s Labor Day weekend marked the 57th Annual J’Ouvert and West Indian Day parade on Monday, Sept. 2. Thousands showed up to march down Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn to celebrate Caribbean pride, diaspora, and culture.

The jubilation officially kicked off at 6 a.m. with J’Ouvert, meaning ‘daybreak,’ where people danced in the streets with steel bands while throwing paint, powder, and oil as a symbol of freedom and cultural expression.

The gated route went from Flatbush Avenue to Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights in Brooklyn. It was outfitted with flood lighting and additional officers screening for alcohol and weapons, said the city. This portion of the event “was probably one of the safest J’ouverts we’ve had

three years in a row” thanks to the efforts of crisis management teams (CMS), local clergy leaders, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) removing at least 25 guns off the streets, said Mayor Eric Adams at his Tuesday morning press briefing.

After J’Ouvert, the West Indian Day carnival and parade began at 11 a.m. on Eastern Parkway with giant floats, steel-pan and calypso bands, reggae and soca music, and elaborate masqueraders (Mas) in decked out costumes. The event of Mas goes back to the days of slavery, when on the plantation, the ‘Lord and Ladies’ would gather for masquerade balls. The route marched down the parkway from Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza.

City and state electeds, including State Attorney General Letitia James, Adams and City Hall staffers, Bronx Bor-

ough President Vanessa Gibson; Councilmembers Yusef Salaam, Sandy Nurse, Chris Banks, Crystal Hudson, Farah Louis, Rita Joseph; and Assemblymembers Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Brian Cunnigham, and Stefani Zinerman were all spotted waving their flags and marching with parade goers.

The festivities were briefly interrupted by sudden gunfire on Monday afternoon, but the parade continued. The NYPD reported that at 2:35 p.m. on Monday, a Black male shooter “intentionally” fired shots into the crowd at Eastern Parkway and Franklin Avenue. A 69-yearold female was shot in the right shoulder, a 64-year-old male was shot in the right arm, a 36-yearold male received a gunshot wound to the head, a 25-year-old male was shot in the stomach, and a 16-year-old male was hit in the left arm. The police weren’t

sure who the intended target was at the time of the shooting.

Adams maintained that the city had been “proactive” with a “well-executed” safety plan all things considered.

“How do you stop a nut from taking a gun, shooting it at a crowd of five people?” asked Adams at the briefing. “No telling how many shootings we prevented. These random acts of violence. We had police coverage there.”

The five shooting victims were taken to Kings County Hospital. The 25-year-old male shot in the stomach died from his injuries. He was later identified as Denzel A. Chan, who was visiting from Spring, Texas.

“I know one person died,” said Adams. “Our hearts go out to the family members, because you come out to celebrate [and] you don’t want to come out and have that violence that we’ve seen in

the past.”

“I am saddened and horrified by today’s shooting at the West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn. My prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time. The parade is a beautiful display of culture and community that I have been honored to attend over the years, including this year,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who was also at the parade, about the shooting. “Every American should be able to celebrate their heritage without the threat of gun violence. No one in Brooklyn, New York, or America is safe until we get weapons of war off our streets. America cannot be the best version of herself until we crush the scourge of gun violence once and for all.”

Adams adamantly declined ideas about canceling J’Ouvert and the parade in the future.

Young parade goers in elaborate costumes at the West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn on Monday, Sept. 2. (Ariama C. Long photos) Brooklyn United (BU) youth band dancers at the parade.

Attendees at the start of the parade.

New York City Councilmembers on the parkway.

Harlem Councilmember Yusef Salaam (left) and wife, Sanovia Guillory (right) at the city council float.

Union Matters

Fallon Ager-Norman to chair NYC Labor Day parade

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

As New York City’s annual show of union strength marches up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 64th Street this Saturday, Sept. 7, look out for Fallon Ager-Norman, the international vice president and region 1 director of the United Federation of Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) to be out front of this year’s Labor Day Parade.

Ager-Norman is set to chair this year’s spectacle. The young union advocate says that she was shocked and elated when the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the organizers of the parade, asked her to join the march.

“I know that there are so many champions for workers’ rights and labor heroes who have served in this position before me. So for my name to be held in such high esteem is really just extremely humbling.”

Ager-Norman grew up in Queens Village and attended Jamaica High School. Her plan at the time was to attend Hunter College after graduation. However, a casual conversation with a neighbor about looking for summer employment changed her trajectory. She wanted to earn money to buy school clothes, and the neighbor told her there was a position open where she worked. Ager-Norman jumped at the opportunity for an interview. Thinking it was simply going to be a quick gig she could use to make some cash, she confesses she didn’t ask any questions about the employer.

At the interview, Ager-Norman was told it was a job working for a union, which still confused her.

“I had no idea what a union was,” she said. “When I heard ‘union,’ I thought ‘credit union.’ because my mother used to always take us with her to the credit union.”

Ager-Norman’s parents were self-employed, so she learned little about organized labor from them. But she comes from a twogeneration strong New York City born-and-bred family. Her maternal grandparents moved to New York from Savannah, Georgia and her paternal grandparents

came from Cocoa, Florida. AgerNorman witnessed her mother’s father doing work as a window washer on Manhattan skyscrapers: he was a member of 32BJ SEIU for over 40 years. Ager-Norman’s grandmother worked two jobs for most of her life, having worked in a hospital for years before finally retiring from work after a career with the post office.

The couple had been forced to work hard to support seven children, but because they had secure jobs, Ager-Norman reflects, they were able to pool their funds and purchase a home. “I would say that those union jobs are what afforded them the abil-

ity to move their family from the projects in Brooklyn and purchase a home in the middleclass neighborhood of Cambria Heights, Queens.

“They still lived in it till the day we lost my grandfather during the pandemic. But my grandmother still lives there. And yeah, she’s still living off of that hardearned union pension. So yeah, I do realize the difference that a union makes,” she said.

“I wish my grandparents would have told us. Because with my involvement in the movement, I wish they would have told us that it was because of the union that they got to move their family and give

ferent department, I would do that while working as an assistant to the executive assistant to the president. I learned a lot of things that way. I moved through there and then there was an opportunity to help on an organizing campaign in the city –– they were looking for young folks to help out and so they asked me to help on that campaign. My last role at Local 338 was as the field director, overseeing all of the field staff and that’s before I moved on to work for the international union in 2015.”

For 23 years now, Ager-Norman has been organizing workers and promoting labor unity. She’s proud of the actions UFCW has taken to elevate the jobs of its 1.2 million members who work as grocery workers, in meatpacking and food processing plants, as retail, bookstore, pharmacy and health care workers, winery, distillery and chemical industry employees, and as workers in the newly emerging cannabis industry.

“Cannabis is our biggest focus right now. That’s an emerging industry where we are holding employers accountable and making sure that those workers are able to build careers and have apprenticeship programs,” she said. “We’re just making sure that those are jobs that workers with families can sustain as careers, not just jobs. We’re excited about the role that we’re playing there, making sure that these employers are doing the right thing by these workers.”

them a good life and take them on vacations and things like that. Because that definitely is what afforded them the ability to do that.”

Helping workers build careers

As a high school graduate, Ager-Norman accepted the offer to work as a filing clerk with Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Local 338. She started out filing medical claims in the medical department and worked her way up through various other departments. “I always wanted to learn new things and challenge myself,” she said. “So whenever there was an opportunity to try something in a dif-

The UFCW represents workers across the country. In New York they have been working on legislation to grant the state’s farm workers the right to collectively bargain. “Those are some of the world’s most vulnerable workers –– most exploited workers –– who were left out of the [National Labor Relations Act] back in 1935, so we were extremely proud of the fact that we were able to get that law passed and able to organize the first farm workers in New York State.”

Ager-Norman’s work with UFCW, an international labor union, has reinforced her advocacy for workers to hold jobs that can help sustain themselves and their families, while simultaneously altering the mindset that they’re not just jobs – they’re careers.

Fallon Ager-Norman (UFCW photo)

VP Harris: Address the needs of striking hotel workers

On Labor Day, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris spent time in Detroit and Pittsburgh, where she declared, “It’s always good to be in the house of labor.” Her presidential campaign’s focus on labor should extend beyond the holiday, as well as into other “houses of labor” beyond these traditional enclaves and into regions where farmworkers and others need attention.

In particular, Harris needs to address the growing hotel workers’ strike, much in the manner she did back in January in Nevada for casino workers.

If she said anything about the hotel workers’ strike, it paled in comparison to her concerns about workers at the point of production in manufacturing. When hotel workers in Baltimore joined the massive strike against major hotel chains, it intensified a need for Harris to speak out more forcefully on this issue.

The strike at hotels is now occurring in nine major cities, with more than 10,000 workers at 25 hotels from Boston to Hawaii on strike early Sunday. Although a good number returned to work on Tuesday, a considerable number continue to walk the picket lines, demanding an increase in salaries, better working conditions, and more staff help, including workers deployed in the daily cleaning of rooms.

The UNITE HERE union, which represents more than 40,000 workers, has been locked in contract negotiations with several big hotel chains, including Hilton, Marriott, Omni, and Hyatt.

“I walked out today because we just cannot keep working paycheck to paycheck, not able to pay our bills,” said Jerome Roberts, a dishwasher at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, in a statement. “Going on strike is hard, but not nearly as hard as trying to get by on what we are getting paid. We told the bosses in our negotiations how much we are struggling right now, but they didn’t care. We are on strike to make them pay.”

Hotels in Baltimore are feeling the impact of the strike, but those in New York City seem to be going along with business as usual, at least for the moment. As they deal with labor issues, Harris and her team should not ignore the complaints of hotel workers because their plight can quickly become a problem in the last few weeks of the campaign.

Is my room ready?

PFAS toxicity exacerbates environmental injustice for communities of color

By JONATHAN SHARP

Environmental racism is burdening communities of color nationwide, fueled by past oppressive policies and practices such as racial segregation. Racial segregation has been forcing Black communities to live near pollution hotspots, including truck routes, industrial sites, airports, military bases, and landfills, which results in unreasonable toxic exposure. To understand the severity of the problem, it is important to note that Black people are 75% more likely than the average American to live near facilities that produce hazardous waste.

While communities of color in close proximity to pollution hotspots are constantly exposed to fumes, toxic dust, ash, and soot, they also often drink water contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and the human body for a long time. These substances pose a great danger to health. Exposure can be responsible for thyroid disease, high cholesterol, liver disease, fertility issues, and pre-eclampsia, as well as possibly fatal illnesses such as testicular, kidney, breast, and prostate cancer.

“Forever chemicals” refer to a group of approximately 15,000 substances. The most-studied chemicals in this class are PFOA and PFOS. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified the former as a possible carcinogen in 2014 and the latter in 2023. If these chemicals are released in areas where people of color live, they can easily infiltrate drinking water sources, causing serious toxic exposure and endangering health.

Once PFAS are present in the bloodstream, it takes nearly four years for their level to go down by half, assuming no additional exposure occurs, which is rarely the case in Black communities.

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief

Damaso

Reyes: Executive & Investigative Editor

Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor

Aaron Foley: News Editor

Cyril Josh Barker:

Siobhan "Sam" Bennett:

Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009):

New York’s military bases is major source of PFAS water contamination for disadvantaged communities of color

Home to five military bases, New York State also has several airports partially controlled by the military. The state’s Black population is a little over 23%, and many of these people reside near military bases where PFAS have been used. AFFF, a suppressant used to extin-

guish fires caused by combustible and flammable liquids and gases that contains up to 98% “forever chemicals,” is the source of these substances at military installations, including the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Established in 1928, the military facility has 1.3 million parts per trillion of forever chemicals in its drinking water, eclipsing the safe exposure limit by 327,500 times. Black and Hispanic individuals comprise 26.6% of the community living near this military base.

The Hancock Field Air National Guard Base also has a high PFAS concentration in the drinking water. There, the forever chemicals level is 139,500 parts per trillion, which exceeds the safe exposure limit by 34,875 times. Black and Hispanic people residing close to this installation comprise 38.9% of the population.

At the Schenectady County Airport, which is also used by the military, the level of forever chemicals is 5,610 parts per trillion or approximately 1,400 times over the safe exposure limit. Black and Hispanic people comprise 32.8% of the community living near this airport. Communities near these facilities inevitably may end up drinking toxic water since housing is close to these military sites.

It could be argued that PFAS have become so ubiquitous that exposure to these substances cannot be avoided by anyone; 97% of Americans have detectable levels of forever chemicals in their blood. Why is this a Black people prob-

lem? The answer lies in the amount of PFAS communities of color have in their bodies. Since the higher the level of these chemicals, the more likely a person is to develop a life-threatening illness, Black and Hispanic individuals who live near pollution hotspots are considerably more prone to adverse health effects. In fact, for every military fire training area or airport in a community, Harvard researchers found up to 108% increases in PFOA in drinking water and a 20 to 34% increase in PFOS, so these communities are disproportionately exposed to forever chemicals.

Achieving environmental justice for communities of color affected by toxic exposure

Today, roughly one-third of New Yorkers live in segregated counties, and 95% of Black residents are living in a county that is highly segregated from white households, according to a report by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. Despite racial segregation being officially abolished 60 years ago, the problems it created for communities of color still persist, and environmental injustice is just one of these issues. There are numerous health disparities among Black people, some of which are the consequence of toxic exposure. Compared to individuals of other races, Black people have higher rates of developing and dying from many types of cancer, and have the highest death rate for cancer.

Combating environmental racism is an uphill battle. The most effective strategy to achieve justice is a mix of grassroots activism and collaboration with private law firms. While filing a lawsuit against the entities responsible for releasing carcinogens into the air requires a lot of time and patience, it might be worthwhile. Not only can it help ill people obtain compensation, but it might also discourage businesses from acting unethically.

The military is planning to phase out the use of AFFF by the end of 2024, which will end drinking water contamination with forever chemicals, but communities of color will still be exposed to toxic agents, so change has to happen fast.

Jonathan Sharp is Chief Financial Officer at the Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., a law firm headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., that provides assistance to victims of toxic exposure.

(MountainFae photo via Wikimedia Commons)

Women’s voices, women’s wisdom

By PAULA COLE

How many times have the young men in the room interrupted me, their senior by decades, their professor and scholar? The unbelievable cheek. And no surprise: over the young women of the classroom. How many times do young women not speak when I know that they know?

I am speaking.

Kamala Harris enunciated these three perfect words, piercing me, shooting an arrow into the fleshy politeness, the WASP-customs I’ve accrued. I don’t have her language, and I need that language. Singing and writing gave me that language, but speaking? Hardly. Too often, I’ve lacked spine in the moment on a pulpit, a stage — I too was the quiet young woman in the classroom. Too often, I become the martyr or the victim, the feminine options I was taught by my Swedish mother to be considered ladylike.

Women aren’t given the pulpit, the presidency, with open arms — we aren’t given the floor, the listening, unless we adopt a prosecutor’s words and a queen’s carriage.

I am speaking.

How many times have I stopped speaking when others roll their tongues out like smelly old carpets …“others” — Let’s just call it: usually, men. How many times have I faded out my volume, my confidence, taking a passive role to listen? How many times have I — professor, scholar, lauded winner of shiny awards — ironically, for my voice and words — been steamrolled by blurting and thoughtlessness?

Countless times. It’s time to rip out the old carpeting.

I am speaking.

A perfect sentence. One the world needs to hear from its female counterparts. Half of the Earth’s population is still on unequal footing economically, in employment, education, societal standing. Now, we women in the United States watch, state by state, the agency of our own bodies dissolve like red acid tabs — a disintegrating, patchwork quilt of the American map. Women in red states are becoming second-class citizens, their bodies legislated to be enforced incubators, female persons enslaved into pregnancy — even in cases of incest and rape. Many women will die from lack of proper health care.

I am speaking.

I was asked to write an article about my thoughts, as a mother to a daughter of color, about Kamala Harris and the presidential election. And the first subconscious thought to bubble up was, “How dare I?”

And that is how Trump will win. And that is how women will lose.

And so I adopt a prosecutor’s words and a queen’s carriage.

I am speaking.

It is an outrageous reality that we are labeled and organized by gender and/ or race, essentially commodified, used so those in power will benefit from our disenfranchisement. It must stop. Silence must stop. Women must speak and be heard.

“I am speaking” is a new mantra for women. Nancy Pelosi spoke to Biden, changing the course for Democrats, giving them an opportunity to protect this fractured country from a disordered man’s quest for autocracy. I try not to speak his name, for it feels like excrement in my mouth, but Trump is attempting to minimize the vice president, a female person, portraying her on her knees, sexualizing her, racializing and discriminating against her. He is threatened. He is accustomed to women, blonde and obsequious, catering to his fragile ego.

It is outrageous that we are here, polarized. That our country cannot see what is so obvious on one hand: a sexual predator, a felon, a kleptocrat, a habitual liar with fantastic television charm — or the very decent Vice President Kamala Harris. The divide is so explosive, I can’t speak politics in my purple town.

I have lost friends at my daughter’s former schools. Don’t they see that my child is biracial? Don’t they hear it in my music? Don’t they know who I am? How can so many Caucasian women parrot their Republican husbands’ views and votes, allowing the overturn of Roe v. Wade, removing rights from their daughters?

My daughter is now in her early 20s, out of NYU Film School, beginning her professional life in New York City. She wants to direct films, write screenplays, create children’s television, and write books. She is brilliant. She will be a voice for women, for women of color. Will she inherit a society who listens to a female leader? Sometimes, I hear

her fade the volume of her sentences as louder male-dominant voices interrupt.

I want my daughter to be listened to. She will direct a team. I want the largely male crews to become more genderbalanced, I want them to listen to their director, regardless of gender or race.

Can we imagine a country where women are equal in pay, status, agency, and voice? We are perilously close to hurtling back to the 1950s should we vote in the Republican. Flo Kennedy, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and Shirley Chisholm did not do all that intersectional feminist work for us to throw it away now.

We are speaking.

Kamala Harris must be our next president. She must defeat the coward, the bully, with a prosecutor’s words and a queen’s carriage. She must be the first female president of a sullied nation slumping under sordid history.

We must heal — we must change this story of America. It’s time for men and women to back the female candidate, together. The alternative is catastrophic. Will our feminism save this country or will machismo carpet over women’s voices and rights yet again?

We need to listen to women, young and old. We need to listen to Kamala Harris. We must protect our daughters — the next generation. We must protect diversity, prevent division.

It is not just a decision of moral versus immoral. Voting for Kamala Harris for president is a potent step toward forging intersectionality of race, gender, class, religion, ability, identity; our Caribbean, our South East Asian; our red, white, blue, beige, Black and Brown; healing the patchwork that truly makes America the Beautiful.

Paula Cole is the first woman in history to be nominated solely for the Best Producer Grammy. She is a Grammywinning, multi-platinum artist, former professor, visiting scholar at Berklee College of Music (2013–24), wife, activist, and mom. She is presently on tour for her newest album, “Lo.”

National Preparedness Month

CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.

Did you know that September is National Preparedness Month? It is a time for individuals and families to have conversations about how to deal with emergencies.

For many, September is hurricane season. For some, September can be filled with rain and floods and all types of surprises when it comes to home repairs due to excessive water. For others, September is a heightened time for forest fires and evacuations. Wherever you live, it is never too early to have conversations about what you need to do to prepare.

This September, I am going to do a few small things to help put my mind at ease. It is definitely time for me to test my smoke detectors to make sure all of the rooms in my home are properly protected. My carbon monoxide detector plugs into the wall, so I do not need to worry about batteries. However, my smoke detectors operate by battery power and should be checked more regularly.

I will also purchase extra batteries to have in my home in case of emergencies. It has been far too long since I’ve checked my flashlights (I might have to find them first). I will also need to be sure I have candles for the occasional blackout. There are times when the electric company gives a warning about upcoming outages, but due to increasingly violent storms, fallen tree, blackouts, and power interruptions have become much more frequent.

Some of you may re-

member the blackout of 2003, when the entire city was off the grid for 29 hours. Some stores stayed open to assist their communities, but if you did not have cash in hand, it was impossible to purchase necessary goods. As I prepare this month, I will also make sure I have a little “petty cash” in case of emergencies. So many of us have become so reliant on debit cards or Apple Pay on our phones that we seldom carry cash. Having a little stash will help in the event of a blackout.

It is also time to review my various insurance policies. It is imperative to have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance — yes, renter’s insurance. If you are a renter, your landlord has insurance for themselves and to protect the building, but rarely does their insurance extend to their tenants, so it is very important to insure your own belongings. It is also helpful to have those policies in digital form in the event you are unable to access your files and claim numbers.

These are just some small things I plan to do to be prepared. I hope you will think of other things you can do to stay organized for the season ahead. As the old saying goes, “You don’t need to get ready if you stay ready.”

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.

Then-Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., at vice presidential debate on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020 (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Caribbean Update

Arrival of U.S. armored vehicles boost to Haiti anti-gang effort

BY BERT WILKINSON, Special to AmNews

This week, the Kenyan-led group of police officers fighting gangs alongside local troops and police in Haiti offered what is being acknowledged as a major glimmer of hope for a battle-weary population by recommitting plans to wipe out heavily armed gangs that have been terrorizing the capital for the past three years.

Encouraged by a successful operation in three urban areas in the past week, the Kenyans said they are beginning to logistically and operationally understand the situation on the ground. They pledged to continue exercises against the gangs in the coming weeks with the help of national security forces.

The pledge came just two weeks after Prime Minister Garry Conille and his interim administration sounded alarm bells about the deteriorating situation, and the cabinet had called for a faster response from the international community to put together a lethal force to deal with the gangsters.

However, Kenyan Commander Godfrey Otunge responded to Conille and his nine-person administration’s level of desperation by issuing a statement expressing the estimated

400-person contingent’s pledge to help wipe out the gangs.

This effort has been boosted by the recent arrival of close to 20 armored military vehicles from the U.S., many of which were used in the operation in three areas in the past week. Additional batches of vehicles and other equipment have also arrived in recent months, ever since the United Nations approved the multinational force for Haiti. Facilities to accommodate up to 2,000 such personnel from a dozen countries

are still being constructed near the main international airport, which had been effectively shut down by gangs until recently, triggering cancellations by most carriers which service Haiti.

To improve security at the facility, authorities are currently demolishing about 80 buildings overlooking the aerodrome to make it safer for international flights and the international force when it is fully subscribed to.

The full-scale offensive will continue.

Otunge said that “the pacification operations will be conducted by sea, land, and air, the security operations being conducted road to road, street to street, and house to house, leaving no room for the gangs to operate. It is therefore incumbent upon the gangs to put down their weapons and surrender to the government to face the rule of law. Our officers remain committed to their mandate and are professionally adhering to the international human rights law, as outlined under the human rights due diligence policy. This is to ensure and guarantee that civilian security remains our number one priority.”

Apart from working with the international community to improve security, the interim administration is also mandated to prepare for fresh general elections and a new government by February 2026. Conille said this deadline remains in trouble unless the security situation is improved drastically.

“Our commitment to decisively deal with the gangs in Haiti has just begun,” said Otunge in a statement of assurance to Haitians. “The security mission and Haitian National Police are conducting clearance operations in Delmas, Bel-Air, Solino, and their environs to weed out gangs and return normalcy in these zones. We thank the U.S. government for its continued support by heeding our call for additional equipment. MSS has received additional vehicles and equipment over the last week, leading to more sustained joint operations between HNP and MSS personnel. I wish to reiterate that operations to counter and clear gang activities across Haiti are taking shape, while noting that it will be a process and a journey that needs all of us to walk together.”

Despite ruling, USCIS to continue accepting ‘Keeping Families

Together’

policy applications

Despite a recent ruling by a Donald Trump-appointed judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, which administratively halted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from granting parole in place under the Biden administration’s executive “Keeping Families Together” initiative, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced it will continue to accept filings from eligible immigrants.

In response to the court’s decision, USCIS confirmed last week that while it will not approve any pending parole-in-place requests under the Keeping Families Together order, it will still continue to accept Form I-131F applications. This form is for noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens — those who entered the country without inspection or overstayed their visas and having been living here since because they would have to leave to adjust their status but faced a 10-year ban on re-enter-

ing. The USCIS decision allows these individuals to apply for parole in place. USCIS will also continue scheduling biometric appointments and collecting biometrics at its Application Support Centers (ASCs), it said.

USCIS further clarified that the court’s stay does not affect any applications that were approved before issuance of the administrative stay order at 6:46 p.m. Eastern Time on August 26, 2024.

The Keeping Families Together order, implemented by the DHS on August 19 through a Federal Register notice, provides a pathway for certain non-citizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to request parole in place, allowing them to remain in the United States and potentially adjust their status without having to leave the country.

Eligibility Criteria for Form I-131F — noncitizen spouses or stepchildren of U.S. citizens may apply for parole in place if they meet the following conditions:

They are present in the U.S. without admission or parole.

They have been continuously physically present in the U.S. since June 17, 2014, if applying as a spouse, or since June 17, 2024, if applying as a stepchild.

They are in a legally valid marriage to a

U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024, or are a stepchild whose non-citizen parent had a valid marriage to a U.S. citizen on or before that date, before the stepchild’s 18th birthday.

They have no disqualifying criminal history.

They do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.

Required documentation

Applicants must submit various forms of evidence, including:

Identity documents, such as a government-issued driver’s license or passport.

Proof of the U.S. citizenship of the spouse or stepparent.

Evidence of the marital or parental relationship to the U.S. citizen.

Documentation of continuous physical presence in the U.S. since the required date.

Information regarding any criminal charges, if applicable.

Path to adjustment of status

The parole-in-place process allows eligible non-citizen spouses and children of U.S. citizens to potentially adjust their status under existing laws without having to leave the U.S. to obtain an immigrant

visa. However, this process does not alter the eligibility criteria for Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status.

Applicants who are granted parole in place may apply for adjustment of status by submitting Form I-485, along with any related forms, such as Form I-601, if necessary. These applications will be reviewed separately from the parole-inplace decision.

If the U.S. citizen spouse has died, surviving spouses might still be eligible to adjust their status, provided they meet certain conditions. If a Form I-130 was filed before the spouse’s death, it will be automatically converted to a Form I-360. If not, the widow(er) may file a Form I-360 as a self-petitioner within two years of the spouse’s death.

For more information about how to file or more details, visit the official USCIS website at USCIS.gov.

Do not fall prey to scammers. Get the facts.

Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news about the Black immigrant communities of the Caribbean and Latin America.

A masked demonstrator walks past a burning roadblock placed by protesters demanding that the police and the Prime Minister take immediate action against gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

(AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

How summer heat in schools makes indoor learning unbearable

By HELINA SELEMON Blacklight Science reporter

Summer may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t guarantee that many classrooms opening across New York City this week won’t be stifling, as lingering elevated outdoor temperatures and indoor temperatures keep old buildings and everyone in them feeling the heat.

Even when temperatures begin to drop as fall approaches, some public school students are experiencing more frequent uncomfortably hot days in summer and the shoulder months of September, October, and March through May. A 2022 Chalkbeat analysis of federal data found that more than 30 days of the school year are at temperatures of at least 80 degrees.

“You get the hottest temperatures in September,” said Janice Quiles-Reyes, an arts educator and former parent coordinator. “The whole month of September fluctuates so much. You get some of the hottest, most stagnant pockets inside a classroom.”

Extreme heat has a negative effect on health—it leads to an average of 350 deaths every year in New York City. Children are among the most vulnerable to the effects of heat, with symptoms including increased sweating, swelling in hands, clammy skin, and muscle cramps.

“They’re far more sensitive to heat … and then you’re trying to teach them, in 110 degrees?” said Tricia Geisel, a former school nurse and a workplace health and safety specialist for New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). The union’s report last year on extreme heat provided testimonies from hundreds of teachers on the sweltering conditions in their classrooms across the state.

“Children’s learning conditions are staff’s working conditions,” Geisel said. “Who could really function” at such temperatures?

Heat has other negative impacts for the students: Student performance drops in class, and testing scores for Regents exams and PSATs go down as temps go up. Children, including younger ones and those with disabilities, are also often unaware of how the heat is affecting them or cannot speak up for themselves. Teachers like Quiles-Reyes say students’ tempers also flare as patience wears thin on hot days.

“A lot of the fights would break out in the hallways,” said Quiles-Reyes. She believes that the heat compounds other issues at older, underfunded schools where she’s worked in Sunnyside, Queens, and the South Bronx, further disenfranchising her students, most of whom are of color.

“Children’s learning conditions are staff’s working conditions... [at such temperatures] who could really function?”

—Tricia Geisel, former school nurse and a workplace health and safety specialist for New York State United Teachers

“We’re all clawing at all these other levels of oppression, and then we can’t even have a say in how our environment feels, and when we do try to make our environment feel softer, more open, cooler, it’s just not enough. And then it gets taken away from us, because systemically, the inspection says we’re in violation,” she said.

There isn’t complete data about air conditioning in schools nor good information about A/Cs by classrooms, but it’s been reported that 38% of New York City schools lack air conditioning. Back in 2017, the de Blasio administration announced that the city would get air conditioning in all classrooms by 2022. A 2021 report to the City Council re-

ported that one in five classrooms still did not have A/Cs. When asked about updated figures, a spokesperson for the NYC Department of Education provided the Amsterdam News with the following statement: “Every instructional space that was part of the AC for All initiative has been equipped with air conditioning and school custodians are ensuring that HVAC systems are operational.”

Most New York City schools are also in older buildings: Half of NYC’s schools, more than 1,400 in all, were built before 1949. These aged buildings were built before the widespread use of air conditioning; without a major overhaul of their HVAC units, they would not be able to keep a school cool.

Cooling schools and updating HVAC systems is a complex and expensive endeavor, said Geisel. The city has spent more than $400 million in capital costs and A/C installations. No two schools are alike, so recommendations for repairs and maintenance vary depending on the reported needs of a school.

The New York State Department of Education requires schools to complete a building condition survey every five years to identify conditions and potential issues.

N.Y. State Sen. Robert Jackson (D, District 31) removes his coat in portable sauna in Albany, N.Y., on May 16, 2024. NYSUT installed sauna in Legislative Office Building to simulate excessive classroom temperatures. State senate and assembly have since passed a bill to set maximum temperatures in schools now sitting on desk of governor. (Photo provided by NYSUT)

Summer heat

Continued from page 15

The reality is that schools depend on someone in the building to see the process through, said Todd Crawford, a research scientist at the New York State Department of Health’s School Environmental Health Program, a program that provides guidance and best practices to schools across the state.

“Things really get done when there’s one particular person or group of people that are really interested,” said Crawford. This might be the special ed teacher or a janitor who takes on the cause and stays on it, he said; they refer to those who take on this initiative as “champions.”

Formal processes exist to report broken A/ Cs, but Quiles-Reyes said that when she tried to get her classroom’s A/C replaced since it was not working, she was told that the process relied on her school’s main office to handle the communications to get a repair done.

Another challenge with cooling schools is that there are no rules regulating how cool schools should be. Schools, like all buildings, have to provide heat in the wintertime, and there are temperature limits on how cold it can get, “but there isn’t an upper temperature limit in the summer or in the heat,” Crawford said.

Teachers’ unions have advocated for legislation to mandate a maximum temperature for schools. In April, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) passed a resolution calling on NYC to adopt its own heat thresholds for classrooms. NYSUT took a mobile sauna to Albany and challenged legislators to feel

the heat that students, staff, and teachers experience. The latest bill to establish a maximum indoor temperature in schools and indoor facilities has passed the State Senate and assembly. A spokesperson for the governor’s office said she’s in the process of reviewing hundreds of bills, including this one. Nationally, a lot of schools don’t have extreme heat policies, said Melissa Guardaro, an extreme heat researcher at Arizona State University. Part of making sure a school is “heat-ready” is making sure kids are safe at

school outdoors as well.

“Just like we need policy about workers and exposure, we need policy about children and exposure,” Guardaro said. “There aren’t really a lot of school policies around that say when it’s over x degrees, we are not going to have outdoor recess, or when it’s x degrees predicted, we will have an hour of recess in the morning as they arrive.”

Guardaro runs a training program throughout 51 schools in Phoenix for school staff, such as nurses and principals, about how to

monitor students during recess and other activities when it’s very hot. The program, called the HeatReady Schools project, also aims at cooling outdoor areas where kids play, involving the community, and preparing people at school to know the signs and implement the policies for their school.

Quiles-Reyes said parents may play a part in changing the momentum. “Parents have such a strong voice,” she said. It may be hard for some parents to know just how bad it can be in the classroom, though, she added.

She now teaches at a school in Brooklyn—a new building that is fully air-conditioned—but she still remembers an early day of her career in Queens when she was bringing snacks for students who were taking exams in extreme heat.

“I walked into a classroom where it was just all Brown faces in tears in the sweaty heat; all their little upper lips were all beaded,” she said. She sighed. “And I walked out of there, and I just went to my office and started crying. Like, how can I be a part of this? And now, what can I do?”

Quiles said she never regretted speaking up about the extreme heat at her schools, although some might be discouraged if leadership took issue with their complaints. “All of us ever said, anytime we were in small groups and safe groups and clusters…we just want to teach.”

For educators, school staff, and administrators: The NY State School Environmental Health Program will host a free health conference on “Climate Action in Schools” in Saratoga Springs, NY, on Thursday, Oct. 24. Register by Friday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. https://bit.ly/3ZuzAfp

Heat risks for children (Graphic provided by Climate Central)

Air conditioning units project from the facade of Prospect Heights High School in Brooklyn. (Helina Selemon photo)

Arts & Entertainment

Vacant storefronts become canvases in West Harlem’s ongoing renaissance

By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews

Let’s be honest: There’s no place on Earth quite like Harlem. West Harlem, although often quieter, is infused with the creativity of a diverse and ever-growing community that draws people from around the globe.

Yet, the relentless push of gentrification continues to take its toll, with many storefronts shuttered and once-thriving momand-pop shops fading into memory. In a powerful homage to the resilience of this community and a bold step to revive the area’s commercial corridors, the West Harlem Arts Alliance, in partnership with Art on the Ave NYC, has transformed some of these vacant storefronts into public art galleries. This initiative is the latest chapter in the

cultural history of West Harlem, a testament to its enduring spirit and commitment to the arts.

The project, which spans the historic neighborhoods of Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights, reimagines the Hamilton Place corridor at Montefiore Square Park. Once a bustling hub of commerce, this area has been transformed into an interactive art space where 50 local artists are showcasing their work over three months.

The exhibition is divided into two rotations and offers fresh perspectives on themes central to the community: social equity; environmental health; and the inclusive, creative energy that defines West Harlem.

For residents of West Harlem, these storefront galleries represent far more than a mere

beautification effort. They are emblematic of the neighborhood’s ongoing cultural renaissance. The art on display serves as both a mirror and a dialogue, with each piece accompanied by an audio statement from the artist. These narratives, accessible via QR codes, offer deeper insights into the works and the connections the artists have with the community.

This initiative comes at a critical juncture for West Harlem, as the neighborhood confronts the dual pressures of gentrification and economic shifts. By repurposing empty spaces into galleries, the project underscores the importance of preserving the neighborhood’s cultural identity amid these challenges.

As it revitalizes public spaces, the project also empowers the artists themselves.

Ruthy Valdez, curator, captured the project’s significance when she said, “West Harlem is a community where art is not just alive, but thriving and continuously evolving. The diversity here — both in the art space and within the community itself — is what truly brings vibrancy to this neighborhood. By placing art at street level, we’re creating a space where people can engage with it in their everyday lives, making it relatable and accessible.”

Richard Rodriguez, an artist in the exhibition, reflected on his connection to the neighborhood: “I’ve walked this city — everywhere except Staten Island. I was a restless kid, always on the move. Markers in my pockets; spray cans in my bookbag, squeezed in next to my books. For a long time, I

turned countless surfaces into my canvas …. that was a long time ago. Today, my art lives on canvas and in digital spaces. To say that Harlem has been good to this Puerto Rican, Bronxborn man does not even scratch the surface. The more I walk her streets, the more I love her — Harlem.”

Ultimately, this exhibition serves as a powerful reminder of West Harlem’s artistic legacy and its role as one of New York City’s most dynamic cultural quarters. In a neighborhood where history and creativity have always been intertwined, these storefront galleries stand as a testament: The spirit of West Harlem is very much alive, and its future is as bright as its storied past. For more info, visit www. artontheavenyc.com.

“Bongostract” by Richard Rodriguez. Spray paint on canvas, embellished with acrylic markers. 12 x 9. Image made mid-journey (Photos courtesy of West Harlem Arts Alliance) “Giovanni” by Zelinette Estrada. Oil, 9 x 12

Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inducts hip hop legends DJ Hurricane, Davy DMX, DJ Jazzy Jay

By DAVID GOODSON Special to the AmNews

One consistent thing about hip hop is that it can and will flip anything. In this case, the phrase “break a leg,” usually associated with success, was remixed. With some help from the universe, it was symbolically changed — and with it, probably the trajectory of the history of hip hop — thanks to a broken arm.

“My DJ broke his arm, and we were booked to do a world tour,” recalled Kurtis Blow, hip hop’s first superstar, who became one of the major beneficiaries of these ripple effects, of the events that transpired roughly 40 years ago. “I asked him if he’d be ready to go and he said yes, but his father killed the plan. I was stuck and needed a DJ. My DJ suggested someone with equal skill and that was it: We made history.”

Peep the players in this story, in respective order: DJ Run (the son of Kurtis Blow) and Davy DMX — DJ Run relinquished his DJ position to Jason Mizell and partnered alongside Darryl McDaniels to form the collective RUN DMC. Davy DMX was able to parlay that opportunity to the heights of “All Time Great” in the hip hop genre, and his accolades were acknowledged Saturday, Aug. 24, as he was enshrined into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF).

This year’s class of Davy DMX, DJ Hurricane, and DJ Jazzy Jay took it back to the very essence of hip hop, as they paid homage to the glue of hip hop music. “The induction of DJ Hurricane, Davy DMX, and DJ Jazzy Jay into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame highlights the importance of DJs in hip hop’s early days,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chair Tom Needham.

“These pioneers transformed the art of DJing, making it a central element of the genre and influencing countless artists. Their legacy is a vital part of hip hop’s story, and we are proud to honor them.”

DJ Hurricane expressed gratitude, saying, “It’s always a blessing when someone wants to honor you and show that they appreciate the long hard work you put out through your career. I’m glad to be here to accept the flowers.”

To classify the class of 2024 as “just DJs” would be an inaccurate assumption. As the genre changed, so too did the role of the DJ. These three honorees also delved into the production realm to further justify their positions.

Blow, who was arguably the first to multitask on an A-level, understands that evolution all too well. “Production is a whole other world in rap/hip hop, and the DJ has a distinct advantage because he knows what people move to,” he said. He called his comrade Davy DMX “an incredible DJ, very accurate, fast, and quick.

“He was also a multi-talented musician. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards, and sings.

From 1980 to 1986, when I was on my Rap Producer of the Year run, Dave was right there with me. In fact, this is the 40th anniversary of our greatest year in production. We had great records with Dr. Jeckle & Mr. Hyde, Sweet G, Love Bug Starski, the Fearless Four, and the Fat Boys.”

It was the following year that their legend was forged. “In 1985, Davy created the very first sample loop, which took the theory of the quick mix from the DJ and was able to keep a certain section of a song in continuous motion,” Blow said.

With that, the game changed forever. Early rap records until that time had a formula where studio musicians played popular radio songs or breakbeat staples. They

could replicate the music but couldn’t duplicate the authenticity.

“With that song ‘If I Ruled The World,’ we revolutionized the whole industry because we were able to bring that real funk, soul, and feeling to hip hop,” said Blow.

With a lengthy résumé of stellar musicianship, Davy wants to make sure that the art of turntablism is maintained, just as he did early in his career. While researching his history, a story on YouTube caught my interest. The word is that cutting and scratching was a mystery in different regions of the country, particularly Los Angeles. Club owner Lonzo Willams invested in bringing one of the hottest acts in the country to his venue and got more than he

bargained for. “The history of scratching on the West Coast came from the East Coast,” said Williams, who managed, at that time, a group called the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, featuring Dr. Dre and DJ Yella.

“I brought Kurtis Blow to California for the first time, and Davy DMX was his DJ. There was a song on his record with scratching, and we wanted to know how to make that noise. Davy taught Yella, and Yella taught Dre. Up until then, we weren’t scratching on the West Coast at all.”

That sentiment is what Davy wants to continue as he advises the present generation, “Always keep scratching in the music. We gotta keep the DJ in here.” Concur, sir. Over and out, holla soon.

Davy DMX with Kurtis Blow (Dave Goodson photos)

DJ Hurricane

‘Kaos’ — A modern odyssey of power and corruption, now on Netflix

By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews

Now streaming on Netflix is “Kaos,” a limited series where actor Jeff Goldblum takes on the role of Zeus, the King of the Gods. In this contemporary reimagining, both the character and the series itself have a distinctly modern twist.

The ancient tales of vengeance-fueled deities are notoriously complex. In “Kaos,” creator Charlie Covell reintroduces us to the Greek pantheon, charting their rise and fall while illuminating the wild desires, quirky obsessions, and profound insecurities that drive these mythic figures.

Spanning eight episodes, the narrative unfolds as a modern allegory, reminding us that the dangers of absolute power were insidious then, are insidious now, and, dare I say, always will be.

Evil, however, can become tedious quickly.

“Kaos” begins with Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) enduring his eternal punishment: chained to a rock while an eagle devours his liver daily. The true tragedy lies in the history between Prometheus and Zeus, once close friends.

Prometheus’s fateful decision to stand up for humanity sealed his doom, leaving him with centuries to contemplate a prophecy that foretells the downfall of these backbiting gods.

We first encounter Zeus living extravagantly, surveying the world from the opulent gardens of his vast Mount Olympus estate, resembling one of those enigmatic billionaires who secretly controls everything. As he watches humanity celebrate Olympia Day in the city of Krete, live, alongside his cunning sister-wife Hera

(Janet McTeer) and his son Dionysus (Nabhaan Rizwan), a defaced statue sends him into a thunderous rage. This incident recalls a long-forgotten prophecy: “A line appears, the order wanes, the family falls, and chaos reigns.” This ominous prediction begins to haunt him, driving him to prevent its fulfillment at all costs. Meanwhile, on Earth, three mortals become entangled in this prophecy: Eurydice, or Riddy (Aurora Perrineau), a beauty adored by her rock-star husband Orpheus (Killian Scott), and Ari (Leila Farzad), the daughter of Krete’s president, who sees the growing cracks in their world as the populace tires of worshiping temperamental and frankly useless gods. In the Underworld, led by Zeus’s brother Hades (David Thewlis) and his wife

Persephone (Rakie Ayola), the long-dead Caneus (Misia Butler) exists in limbo between the living and the dead, until fate intervenes and a mysterious figure alters the course of his afterlife.

Creatively, the series grapples with the challenge of maintaining interest in a cast of characters who, while entertaining in small doses — like Zeus’s yacht-loving younger brother Poseidon (Cliff Curtis) — ultimately form a collective force of malevolence.

Among the episodes, the sixth stands out for its resonance and thematic connections. Here, we witness humans mindlessly following rituals, enriching the wealthy while the poor suffer — a narrative all too familiar and eerily reflective of our present-day reality.

“Kaos” is now streaming on Netflix.

Go with the Flo

Rihanna is the new face of J’Adore!; Martin Lawrence Day in Detroit; Kenan Thompson Hits Atlantic City

Rihanna is making waves in the new J’Adore film! The superstar songstress turned billionairess has become the new face of the Dior perfume and stars in the brand’s latest short film, directed and shot by Steven Klein. In a statement, Rihanna said, “I have always loved this perfume. My mother worked in a perfume shop, and she used to bring home the testers when they were almost empty. There was always a bottle of J’Adore in the house” …

On August 30, Martin Lawrence jetted into Detroit to do a comedy show at the Little Caesars Arena with special guest Deon Cole. While in the Motor City, the actor/comedian received a proclamation that declared Martin Lawrence Day. The presentation took place in front of Garden Court Condominiums, the real-life building where his television show “Martin”was set. Lawrence posted on Instagram, “Standing in front of the original building from the Martin Show for the very first time AND have it be declared ‘Martin Lawrence Day’ in @cityofdetroit was a dream come true.” …

On Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20, “Saturday Night Live”/Emmy-winning comedian Kenan Thompson will return to Atlantic City, as VIP Access Comedy takes over the Celebrity Theater at the Claridge Hotel on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. On September 20, Thompson, along with top industry leaders and scouts, will be on the lookout for the next big star. With opportunities like a residency at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club on the Las Vegas Strip, comedy festivals in Toronto and Las Vegas, other national and international shows, and even attending a show of the golden 50th season of “SNL,” the stakes couldn’t be higher. Comedians who are chosen to be Thompson’s special VIP guests will also attend the “SNL” VIP after-party … Raptress MC Lyte has pegged some of the music industry’s most influential and powerful voices, Mary Mary and rising star Muni Long, for a new single titled “Thank You,” which appears on MC Lyte’s upcoming ninth studio album, “1 of 1.” It will be released on September 20. The video for “Thank You” is now out. Said MC Lyte, “In this music video, you’ll see young versions of me, Mary Mary, and Muni Long, showcasing the power of friendship and collaboration. From our humble beginnings to the big stages, this video is a love letter to our journey and to you, our amazing supporters.”

Billie Piper (left) as Cassandra and Aurora Perrineau as Eurydice/Riddy in Netflix’ “Kaos”

Jeff Goldblum as Zeus and Janet McTeer as Hera in “Kaos” on Netflix (Images courtesy of Netflix)

HOROSCOPES BY KNOWYOURNUMB3RS

SUPREME GODDESS KYA

By

WWW.KYAFRENCH.COM | CONSULTATIONS 866-331-5088

A cycle week of enlightenment, fulfillment, and ending. A magical experience will occur spiritually and physically, like watching a caterpillar transform into a butterfly in your presence. Dive deep into what you love to do and stick with it until you manifest it. The elements of fire and water are present this week and blend well if you balance the energy into a creative project and trust your gut feeling. Be yourself instead of allowing your emotions to spiral out of control; allow what you feel to assist you in handling things in a better way. Keyword: VISUALIZATION.

Show up for yourself in September. What are the things you say when you talk to yourself about things you are going to do? Utilize your creativity this month along with any social media appearances or networking with the community. Spiritual messages are all around you through conversations, images, signs, commercials — anything that resonates with your spirit that grabs your attention and makes you think. Be open and utter words to attract things into your life. Say it, speak it, walk it, and apply the footwork to match what you ask for to see the results. Keyword: EXPANSION.

Everything you need to know is a projection from the inside world. The details are laid out in plain sight, and some information is only meant for your eyes to see for inner knowing and confirmation. You must decide on a direction once you process the information given to make a firm decision. Change occurs every day from the moment you were born into this physical world. You came from living in an internal world and were born into an external world — that in itself a change. Keyword: TRUST.

Moving forward in life requires handling prior obligations, wiping the slate clean, and cleansing the body, mind, soul, and spirit to begin a new journey. The question becomes: Are you ready for a new quest in life? When you are, you act the part. You take on a leadership role, and you operate differently from what you were previously comfortable doing. In this rebirth process there is a new song, feeling, dance, praise, ritual that you can do to assist in initiating the process to move forward. New advancement, investments, partnerships, real estate, and other opportunities are being presented to you. Keyword: PREPARATION.

Wow, woah, what is taking place this cycle week? Your dreams are showing you certain details, clues, and hints that will lead to revelations or déjà vu. With Uranus retrograde, jot down the instantaneous insight you receive and listen to those unexpected visits from the wise elders that enter your life. There are times when we operate in public, then recuperate in private to prepare for the next day. Write the vision you see for the next project, then work toward it. Keyword: FAITH.

Walk in your purpose and you will shine, because your ancestors are walking with you. This cycle week, mysterious information is coming to you in all sorts of ways that gives you a knee-jerk feeling with a tug here and there. Serving the timing is key this week to reap the rewards due to you. Balancing your schedule, making the necessary adjustments, handling your personal and business responsibilities are in order. There is an old ancient issue arising and a need for change in your diet, appearance, and daily routine. Keyword: FOLLOW-UP.

—Aagam Shah

Keyword: COMMITMENT.

Concentration, preparation, consistency, and reconstructing for the advancement of growth is vital for executing your mission. September’s theme for 2024: Manifestation of the foundation built in 2020. This week, when you ask for something you seek or need, follow up and put in the footwork, time, effort, sweat, and commitment to reap the rewards. Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto in Capricorn were in conjunction in 2020. Pluto is taking its last dip into Capricorn, the last phase to reward those who did the work and put up with its slow transformation since 2008. The rebirth of the new nation is occurring. “Sometimes you just have to die a little inside in order to be reborn and rise again as a stronger and wiser version of you.”

Wait, before you ask, to make sure this is the route in which you are willing to invest your time — and not for the short term, either, when things are not going your way. It’s time for a meeting of the minds, possibly with the boss, president, or vice president; or during other community events you've been invited to. Family affairs are a priority at this moment; mainly siblings, aunts, and uncles need you. You have questions that need answers. Call on your ancestors to assist you. When you do, apply the magic footwork to see more results. Self-development occurs as you reach certain peaks and pinnacles in life. Keyword: GROWTH.

When transformation of an old way is taking place, allow the changes to occur and watch them grow to crystallize into something else. The transformation that is taking place will remind you of you or when you were a baby. There are certain stages, phases, and transformations that a baby goes through. You see the baby's progress inch by inch before you really notice a change. Things have to germinate before they bear fruit, and this is that cycle week. Allow nature to do its job. You will find women are a resource to your inner-standing. When change occurs, things shed, die, and are born and grown again, so relax. Keyword PATIENCE.

Shock your system with cold water this week. You are fired up internally and externally; that makes the body sweat, and can cause things to ignite or spark a fuse. Go outside and get some air, take a nature walk, or walk through the park and ground yourself. Things can get haywire this week. Relationships can seem strange, or things seem strange due to the universe having its ways of getting messages to you. Finances, responsibilities, and sudden meetings are taking place; follow up on the follow up, as things may be slightly delayed yet on time. Believing is trusting yourself. Keyword: STRUCTURE.

What in-between messages are you receiving upon meeting with people, be it by phone, in-person, or when you are sleeping? This cycle week you will receive a spiritual message. Mentally and spiritually, something is driving you to follow your passion on another journey. Write out your plans for the vision, then work towards the end results. Keyword: SPIRIT.

September is filled with heavy duty assignments to be completed one after another. As you are building, organizing, and decluttering your space, accept opportunities that best suit your needs as you accept the new beginnings in your life. The sounds of victory, the feeling of joy in your heart, peace of mind, effort, sweat, late-night investments, and volunteer work are all paying off in a handsome way.

To make a difference in your life, you must do things in a different way. This cycle week goes against the comfortable way of your normal routine. It will give you insight into your vision and the foundation you are building for your mission. Pay attention to changes within your business and personal relationships, as they can be emotional, or nurturing issues that need to be addressed, or that you are feeding into. Take a step back and ask yourself what you love to do, and create the reality. Keyword FOCUS.

AmNews Food

Talking SCHOP! Outstanding, just outstanding

By KYSHA HARRIS Food Editor, @SCHOPnyc

One of my greatest joys in my food and hospitality career is meeting chefs and food makers, and learning about what they do, how they do it, and—of course—eating all of their creations. It is like witnessing an artist create, and being fortunate enough to know why they create. It is an honor every time.

One of these great chefs is a 2024 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Chef, Chef Renee Touponce. She is the co-owner and executive

chef of Port of Call and Oyster Club in Mystic, Conn. I met her last year on a visit to Mystic to celebrate Jacques Pepin’s birthday at Stone Acre Farm, where she and other chefs were cooking in his honor. It was a special night.

I had the pleasure to eat at both of Chef Renee’s restaurants, the day after the dinner and on another visit for a fundraiser. She is thoughtful, meticulous, and generous in her approach to food and with her staff. It shows on the plate and in the service. I still vibrate from their hotdog bahn mi served on a housemade bao.

from 401 Oyster Co.; and get salutations (replete with a full weather report, even though it was a stunning day) from Jim and his team.

Soon we were off to learn more about Watson Farm and their regenerative practices, before making our way to an open field overlooking Narragansett Bay, where the sun magically set before us. As we made our way, we passed the mobile kitchen with Chef Renee and the team assembling the first course.

A tall, green grass path led us to the white linen table set in an open spiral, much like OITF’s logo. Soon the unique celebration began with a hyper-local meal progression of bread, cultured butter, jam, and roasted vegetables; cantaloupe with spicy pork jowl and cucumber salad with cashew hummus; roasted squash and corn porridge with “The

When I saw that the legendary Outstanding in the Field, “a roving restaurant without walls” featuring local purveyors and chefs, would be helmed by Chef Touponce in Jamestown, R.I., of course I had to go. I rode back up to Connecticut with my best-good Judy, and Harlem’s Melba Wilson, before party-busing to the field at Watson Farm with colleagues, now friends.

Until this moment, I had not been to an Outstanding in the Field event since its beginnings 15 years ago and a dinner at Queens Farm. I can’t say anything has changed in that time, and that is an outstanding thing. Kudos to the founder, Jim Denevan, who has created an experience just as magical as his sand sculptures.

The 100 guests gathered barnside to imbibe Martha Stouman wine, local Pivotal Brewing Company beers, and Chef Renee’s homemade kombucha; partake in fabulous passed hors d’oeuvres; sidle up to the raw bar for Charlestown, RI, Beachway oysters

Gray,” a specialty cheese sourced from its creators at the Mystic Cheese Company (and is a whole vibe in itself, this cheese) roasted Watson Farm beef short ribs with Korean style banchan plate to make lettuce wraps; and finally, citrus polenta Bundt cake with peaches and cream after the sunset.

OITF, Chef Renee, and their teams did the damn thing! The experience will continue to live rent-free in my head until the end of time. Truly a food bucket list item to check off your list soon.

Happy eating and thanks for reading!

Kysha Harris is a chef, food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant, and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for more than 22 years. Follow her on Instagram, @ SCHOPnyc and on Facebook, @SCHOPnyc. Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@ SCHOPnyc.com.

Kysha Harris is flanked by Chef Renee Touponce (left) and Melba Wilson.

Table in field at Watson Farm. (Kysha Harris photos)

Bread and cultured butter plate, roasted garlic and peppers, blueberry jam.

Fresh corn porridge, tomatoes, shaved The Gray cheese

The rise of African diaspora tourism: Traveling to learn about culture

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

African diaspora-centric tourism is a fast-growing travel industry market. In contrast to traditional leisure-based and consumption-oriented mass tourism, diaspora tourism emphasizes traveling to learn about culture.

Black people in the United States are booking more trips outside of this country and traveling to other nations to learn about and be part of diverse diaspora Black communities. In places like England, they can meet with the group Black History Walks, which offers bus tours, talks, river cruises, and walking tours to inform people about Britain’s Black history.

Mexico recently observed its Afrodescendencias Festival in the center of Mexico City. On August 10, the eastern Mexico state of Veracruz held its Yanga Carnival, its annual celebration commemorating the creation of the first selfliberated Black city in the Americas.

In Argentina, local activists from Lunfarda Travel conduct tours of Afro Argentina’s past and present. In Brazil, the self-styled Afrotourism platform Guia Negro provides local news on its website, sponsors walking tours, and promotes local Black-owned businesses. This type of heritage-oriented tourism is being touted as bringing more socioeconomic benefits to communities by creating a wider range of local jobs. In many African nations, tourism was principally geared toward entertaining visitors in the past who wanted to go on wild animal safaris and hunting trips. Heritage tourism steers visitors toward local restaurants, cultural sites, and businesses, and encourages more interaction with local residents.

Diaspora travel in the spotlight

Ghana’s successful Year of Return campaign in 2019 catapulted diaspora travel into the spotlight. When the Adinkra Group, an American cultural resource organization, joined forces with the Ghana Tourism Authority to promote what it calls birthright journeys, it opened up explicit spaces for Black people in the Americas to reconnect with the continent.

Year of Return metrics show that the effort was a financial windfall for Ghana. “According to Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, about 1.1 million people arrived in Ghana in 2019, compared to 956,372 in 2018,” according to the United Nations’ digital magazine Africa Renewal . Ghana’s Diaspora Affairs Office added that some

1,500 Black Americans have moved to the country since 2019. The Ghana government found the venture so successful that it created a 10-year “Beyond the Return” project so it could continue promoting tourism to the country until the year 2030.

Mari Conyers Taylor is in awe of Ghana. She had worked as a healthcare professional in New York City, but after a move to Georgia, she and some friends established a successful event planning agency. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, she put her healthcare hat back on and did her part to contribute her expertise to helping people pull through. As the pandemic neared its end, Conyers Taylor said she was still feeling a wave of depression from all the pain she’d witnessed—but then her daughter invited her to take a trip with her to Ghana, where she was going to be part of a wedding.

“I went to Ghana and my life has not been the same,” she said. “I could not find peace. I had traveled to Georgia, I had traveled to North Carolina, I traveled to my grandparents’ grave, I traveled everywhere in the States to try to find peace—to places that used to bring me peace…the moment I landed

in Ghana, it was as if my spirit took a breath, if that makes sense. I didn’t know what had happened. I felt this new feeling of happiness.”

Now the director of Culture Seekers and Culture Seekers Africa, Conyers Taylor said that even though she owned a travel company, she hadn’t considered traveling into Africa any further than Egypt or Morocco, even though it was something her grandmother had always spoken of wanting to do. When Conyers Taylor’s grandmother died from COVID, she sought to honor her by fulfilling her dream.

“It was amazing to be there,” she said, “and I know my daughter for a moment thought that I had lost my mind because I was talking to myself. But I was really speaking to my grandmother, because my grandmother taught me that our ancestors stay with us and whenever I walk into a room, my ancestors walk in with me. So, as I got off the plane, I said, ‘Hey, Grandma, here we go. We’re in Ghana.’”

With Culture Seekers Africa, Conyers Taylor has partnered with Ghanaians and locals in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Cape Verde, Benin, Uganda, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Seychelles, Mauritius, Tanzania, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire,

and Botswana to offer personalized itineraries for visitors who want a curated guide throughout their journey, or to be taken to historic sites.

Tourism is a culture

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been really promoting a lot of the heritage tours because the demand is high,” said Richard Cox of the Harlem Tourism Board. “Folks would like to discover their ancestry and a lot of the folks who booked the tours really like to ‘start at the exit routes,’ as we say.

“The exit routes are in Ghana and the castle at Elmina, or some people like to go through the other door of no return, which is in [Gorée Island,] Senegal. Those two locations, whether you’re exiting out of Ghana or Senegal—that’s where folks like to see: the exit points.”

The Harlem Tourism Board is currently promoting a 10-day trip to Ghana on its website that it’s co-hosting with the Taste of Afrika for this November. The trip is being marketed as “More than a trip, it’s a legacy…This journey isn’t just about ticking off destinations; it’s about leaving your mark. Visit community projects, engage with local businesses, and be part of a collaborative effort that empowers and uplifts,” the promotion states.

Wakanow, a tech-forward African travel company based in Nigeria, deals with every aspect of tourism, but its core business is providing flights and hotel services to customers across the continent. Although it can offer tour, hotel, and airline reservations to people worldwide, most of its customer traffic remains internal, mainly from users on the African continent.

Gbenga Onitilo, vice president of Wakanow’s B2B business, noted that more African governments—in countries like Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Namibia, Kenya, and Rwanda—are trying to divert money to revenue streams and invest more in tourism.

“Tourism is a culture in most of these countries,” he told the AmNews . “The government is making major investments to ensure that the people are part of the ecosystem and [that] whatever is happening anywhere in the world does not impact that, because Africa is still trying to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of economic growth and development. Tourism is what some of these countries have talked about and are trying to use to rebrand themselves and also to position themselves. Tourism is key for most of these countries.”

Screenshot from tourist video promotion for Yanga, Mexico.

Anime NYC was the place to be

By JASMINE ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

Anime NYC 2024 was truly a time! From cosplays to panels, to all the creativity thriving in one place, it was absolutely beautiful. From the moment I walked into the Jacob Javits Convention Center, I felt the community and creativity flowing around me. This year, there were 101,000 attendees—compared to the 65,000 attendees last year, this is a huge jump!

There were cosplay meetups throughout the entire weekend in the river pavilion, including from Soul Eater, JJK, Jojo Bizarre Adventures, one piece, demon slayer, genshin impact, and many, many more. I had the opportunity of participating in the Soul Eater cosplay meetup, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary since its first release on television. It was an amazing time, celebrating Soul Eater with all the cosplayers and fans. Crunchyroll gave us anime premieres, including “Tower of God” Season 2 and Episode 1 of “Goodbye, Dragon Life.”

The exhibit hall and artist alley had so much going on, from anime merch and art to interactive spaces. Play NYC was a new partner this year and the gaming floor was a massive hit. My friends and I checked it out and let me just say, we were there for hours. Saturday was the busiest and most fun day. I checked out the Haikyu! panel FLY & CONNECT, hosted by Toho Animation at Sakura Stage. Haikyu fans got some behind-the-scenes insight about the haikyu movie being made, with clips and pre-animated artworks from the movie itself and a Q&A with panelists Keiko Matsushita and Shoichiro Taguchi Matsushita. Taguchi said they very surprised that so many fans supported Haikyu, and specifically the movie.

“From the U.S., Asia, Europe, and all over the world, there has been such an overwhelming amount of support.”

When asked what it was like to work on the fourth season of Haikyu as well as the movie, Matsushita responded, “I build the team when going from animator to producers. From production team to music team, I pick the best to bring Haikyu to life. That’s my job!”

I found it interesting when both panelists were talking about the role of a director: “The director is the type of person who has to experience it before he animates it and produces it.” We got to see more Crunchyroll premieres of shows, including “Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga li,” Season 2 of “MF Ghost,” and “Mashle: Magic and Muscles.” A special event panel presented by Aniplex of America featured special guest Aleks Le (from the English cast of “Mash Burnedead”); director Tomonari Tanaka; composer Masaru Yokoyama; producer Sota Furuhashi; and a special music performance from the second season opening theme artist, Creepy Nuts. It was absolutely an amazing time!

Sunday was the chillest day. Some of the day’s cosplay meets included My Hero Aca-

Danganronpa, Sonic the

and many more. There was such a bittersweet sensation in the air as Anime NYC came to an end. While it was fun, there is still a need for some improvements: For example, the WiFi wasn’t the best this year. It was very hard to get online to pay for merchandise in the exhibit

hall, and it was also hard to locate and meet up with friends and family because of how bad the WiFi situation was. For the future, I would recommend a stronger WiFi setup to help handle the high volume of attendees, and for the con to bring back the program booklets so people can have them in hand as well. From the community to the events,

what a weekend! Whether you are a fan of anime, manga, gaming, etc., Anime NYC is the con for you. There is something for everybody to love and enjoy.

Anime NYC 2025 will take place August 22–24 of next year, so be on the lookout for that badge drop. I hope to see all of you there next year!

demia,

Hedgehog,

Soul Eater cosplay meetup (Photos by Najee Wright and Dorian Duho)

Sugar Hill, Black Fiddler, Island Jazz

As summer slowly pulls down its shades and shies away from its long summer nights, there are a few more hot flings left as New York City, the mecca of jazz and everything swinging, immerses itself in absorbing rhythms from the soul of Black American music through three separate all-day festivals on Sept. 7, all free to the public.

We start in Harlem at 2 p.m., where the 8th Annual Sugar Hill Music Festival commences at the Sugar Hill Luminaries Lawn (Edgecombe Avenue, W. 155th Street).

The event will pay tribute to the revered word warrior Greg Tate (who passed in 2021), whose words were as potent as a John Coltrane riff pierced with burning reflections of Amiri Baraka. Tate’s “Fly Boy in the Buttermilk” will be a festival highlight. The ensemble that he founded, Burnt Sugar Arkestra, will accompany excerpted readings by author, journalist, and filmmaker Nelson George; poet and sound artist LaTasha Natasha Nevada Diggs; and historian and multidisciplinary artist Carl Hancock Rux.

The deep-honey-toned vocalist, guitarist, and composer Allan Harris will headline the festival. The native Harlemite will draw from his immense repertoire of original songs and a reservoir of jazz standards that he has reconstructed with his own creative signature.

Sugar Hill will round out with an all-star lineup featuring the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra, performing Afro-Cuban, salsa, and mambo classics; pianist and composer Marcus Persiani and the Uptown Hi-Tones; and vocalist Jennifer Jade Ledesna, whose vocal stylings have been accompanied by such musicians as Elew, Roy Hargrove, Joatan Nascimento, James Carter, and Janis Siegel. Donations are accepted for this worthwhile nonprofit organization.

For more info, visit whilewearestillhere.org/upcoming-events.

Ode to the Black Fiddler (OBF) Music Festival: A Celebration of Talent and Culture doesn’t present the typical European classical music string configurations. No— as the title might suggest, this festival takes on an entirely different

perspective, a different sound, a new dimension similar to bebop’s in-your-face fiery spontaneity.

This unique (a word not to be used lightly) all-day festival (1 p.m.–9 p.m.) at the Bronx Brewery and Empanology (856 E. 136th Street) will highlight the cultural richness and versatility of string music through an eclectic lineup, including Majid-Khaliq, recognized by Downbeat Magazine as a Rising Violinist (2017). Joining him is Patrick “Dr. Violin” Bogui, a soulful violinist and aspiring medical doctor who earned the Association of American Medical Colleges Award in 2022. The lineup also includes Classique, a violinist, singer, and two-time winner of “Show Time” at the Apollo Theater. The festival offers continuous DJ sets throughout the day, with a food and vendor marketplace.

According to Iymaani Abdul-Hamid, founder and executive producer of the festival, “This will be our eighth year presenting innovative performances by professional string musicians of color for audiences from across the tri-state. Our string musicians have performed under the OBF brand at various venues in Harlem, Brooklyn, and lower Manhattan.” This will be the festival’s finale to a three-year venue residency at the Bronx Brewery.

Abdul-Hamid founded the festi-

val eight years ago on Juneteenth, saying, “We sought to teach our young students at the IAH Studio about the significance of this day. In doing so, we uncovered the rich legacy of Black violinists during U.S. slavery. Out of a group of 300 runaway slaves, 17—more than 5% —were described as playing the fiddle, violin, or fife ‘tolerably well’

(“The Afro-American Fiddler,” Theresa Jenoure). This profound discovery inspired the creation of the Ode to the Black Fiddler Music Festival to honor these musicians and provide a platform for today’s top professional artists who play everything from jazz [to] Latin, Hip Hop, classical, and electronic — demonstrating the extensive musical range

of these outstanding artists.”

Donations are welcome for the ongoing education of young students of color in the world of classical music.

Celebrating Visual Arts and Jazz takes place at the Governor’s Island Jazz by the Water, from 12 noon–5 p.m. The lineup will feature the Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet. Adderley is a keyboardist, songwriter/composer, and longtime music director and co-writer for Luther Vandross. Artists will include the Ronnie Burrage Quintet, led by Burrage, a seasoned drummer whose star is still raising and who has earned a reputation across genre lines in R&B; straight-ahead with Woody Shaw; avant gardism with Arthur Blythe, Andrew Hill, Billy Bang, and Hamiet Bluiett; the Ray Blue Quintet, led by saxophonist and composer Blue, a Harlem mainstay, who has a big, all-engrossing sound that has astounded the globe as a leader and sideman; Whiteny Marchelle Quintet, a singer who has performed with Jeremy Pelt, Steve Turre, Patience Higgins, and Riza Printup; and Cindy Lou Robinson & Her Blues Band.

The event is free but ferry tickets are required; for more info, call 212665-5313, email artsandjazzfestnycifo@gmail.com, or visit www. artsandjazzfestny.com.

Charlie Parker Jazz Fest wraps its 32nd year

Jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy closed out this year’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. (Bill Moore photos)

Ronnie Burrage (Photo courtesy of artist)

CLASSROOM IN THE

Introducing Ruby Dandridge, who matched daughter Dorothy in films and TV

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

Ruby Dandridge is best known and remembered as the mother of Dorothy Dandridge, but like her daughter, she made an indelible mark in the world of entertainment — both on stage and in film. She was born Ruby Jean Butler in Wichita, Kansas, on March 3, 1900. One of four children, her parents were Nellie Simon and George Butler, who worked in the entertainment industry as a “minstrel man.” In September 1919, she married Cyril Dandridge In her autobiography, Dorothy wrote that her father was known as an entertainer and later owned a grocery store and was the principal of a school. Her mother, Dorothy added, attended school where she learned dancing, singing, horseback riding and acrobatics. Dorothy said her parents broke up while her mother was still pregnant with her. “She left him, and I have never learned clearly what the breakup was about,” she wrote. “But Ruby Dandridge said she had mother-in-law trouble and that Cyril was no provider.”

By 1921, the Dandridge couple lived in Cleveland, and she divorced Cyril in 1922. It is not clear who Ruby’s companion became later; in Dorothy’s book she was named Eloise Matthews and in other places she is listed as Geneva Williams, if in fact this is the same woman. Noted film authority, Donald Bogle, offers only a brief bio on Ruby, writing that she was born in Memphis. Later, she reportedly had a partnership with Dorothy Foster in which they purchased land in California with plans to build a subdivision with 250 homes.

ACTIVITIES

FIND OUT MORE

Along with her autobiography with Earl Mills, Donald Bogle has authored a biography of Dorothy Dandridge with more information about Ruby.

DISCUSSION

It has been reported that Ruby was quite an acrobat, but there is no word about the details of those particular acts or performances.

PLACE IN CONTEXT

Ruby arrived during the very dynamic period when film stars began appearing on television, and despite minor roles, she helped in this transition.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY

September 3, 1895: Charles Hamilton Houston, the esteemed attorney was born in Washington, D.C. He died in 1950.

But as Bogle wrote, it was her minor roles in films and television that she gained fame and a little fortune. In many of her film roles, she was uncredited, beginning as a native dancer in “King Kong” in 1933. Ten years later, she was Mrs. Kelso in “Cabin in the Sky,” featuring Lena Horne, Ethel Waters and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson. In 1959, she was Sally in “A Hole in the Head,” starring Frank Sinatra and Edward G. Robinson. Ruby was just as prolific on television as she was in films, and nowhere was she more in America’s living rooms as in the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” and “Beulah,” where she shared the screen with Hattie McDaniel. Her high-pitched voice, not unlike Butterfly McQueen’s, was a distinguishing feature and reverberated in most of her roles.

on YouTube, with Ruby taking lead vocals on a song she composed. Back to work on television, for one season in 1961-62, she played the maid on “Father Knows Best.”

will know what to do.” She also asked to be cremated.

While it was not widely known, Ruby was also a singer and led her own band the Rhythmanians. One of their recordings “I Gotta Have My Lovin’” in 1957 can be heard

According to Dorothy’s co-author Earl Mills, in 1965, he was given an envelope by Dorothy giving him instructions on what to do in the event of her death: “If I have anything, money, furniture, give it to my mother, Ruby Dandridge. She

Whether she was cremated or not, Ruby attended her funeral. On October 17, 1987, Ruby died of a heart attack at a Los Angeles nursing home and was interred next to Dorothy at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Glendale, California. In the 1999 made-for-cable film, “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” Ruby is portrayed by Loretta Devine.

September 4, 1981: The iconic singer/actress Beyonce Knowles was born in Houston, Texas.

September 5, 1947: Drummer George Buddy Miles, who recorded with Jimi Hendrix, was born in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dorothy Dandridge, left, holding her daughter with her mother, Ruby looking in 1944. (Photo courtesy of Earl Mills & Associates)

automatically identify and enroll participants in the state’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC) into the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) to help lower the cost of their heating and cooling bills.

“As chair of the Aging Committee, I advocate for our elders daily, from senior housing to closing the waitlist for senior services, increasing funding for the LongTerm Care Ombudsman Program, and securing more monies to provide nursing services for our Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities,” Cleare said. “I want to continue to create essential legislation; protect and promote resources, and successful health programs; and … bring benefits to seniors in our communities.”

The bill has already passed in the State Assembly and Senate and is now awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature to become law. At the event’s press conference, Cleare urged Hochul to sign the bill, taking into consideration how weather extremes can cause year-round financial strain for New Yorkers.

“For the last two summers, we have endured sweltering temperatures and continue to urge our residents to take precautions and protect themselves during these heat waves,” Cleare said. “Black people suffer disproportionately from heat-related illnesses and even death,

due to economic, environmental, and health disparities. However, as the cooler months approach, we want to ensure that our older New Yorkers are able to take advantage of all of the state’s heat-related benefits as well.”

According to a 2023 Con Edison study analyzing climate change vulnerability, the city will experience up to 17 days a year with temperatures of 95 degrees or higher by 2030, up to 27 such days by 2040, and up to 32 by 2050. The ConEd report is based on climate change projections developed by Columbia University and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in 2019.

“Our seniors are invaluable members of our community and need assistance to help pay their energy bills and stay safe.

Automatic enrollment in HEAP [Home Energy Assistance Program] for New Yorkers already receiving EPIC is common-sense legislation that will ensure our seniors in need can benefit from this program,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

“It’s hard to imagine why the governor wouldn’t sign this common-sense bill. Doing otherwise would only leave millions of federal dollars on the table, and thousands of older New Yorkers without the help they need, and deserve, with home heating and cooling costs,” added AARP New York Associate State Director Reggie Nance. “The legislature has done its part. Now it’s up to Governor Hochul.”

Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (left) and Senator Cordell Cleare (right) at Senior Citizens Day in Harlem. (Photo contributed by Cleare’s office)

Health

Sickle cell ‘warrior’ speaks about new treatments while authoring children’s books

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

Stacey Sottile is a self-described sickle cell “warrior” who was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at age 11. In a Q & A with the AmNews, she talked about living day in and day out with the disease, being a warrior, her published books, and new advances in the treatment of sickle cell disease. (This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)

AmNews: Could you tell the AmNews readers about your sickle cell disease journey?

Sottile: I go by Sickle Cell Warrior or Sickle Cell Advocate … I was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Genotype SS. SS people experience more pain crises. When I was 11 months old, my parents found out [that I had this condition]. I have spent my whole life fighting sickle cell with different pain crises, pneumonia several times, a lot of bacterial infections, and something called acute chest syndrome, which is sort of like pneumonia — it’s like a pain crisis in your lungs and is very dangerous. I was having a lot of those. About 10 years ago, I was in and out of the hospital all the time with that and my doctor was concerned, so he put me on transfusion therapy. I go for blood transfusions — they’re called exchange transfusions — where they take the bad sickle cell blood out of my body and they replace it with donated healthy blood. I go for those treatments every six weeks and that’s been pretty much keeping me out of the hospital. I went from being hospitalized about seven to eight times a year for anywhere from a week to two weeks to now, maybe once a year, I’ll go in for a pain crisis, so it significantly changed things for me. I’ll be 53 in October and I have two boys. One is an adult — he’s 25 — and the other one is 17.

AmNews: You recently authored a book. Could you tell the AmNews readers about that?

Sottile: I’m a writer. I graduated from Baruch College in creative journalism and I published a poetry memoir book years ago, but I just published my first children’s book on sickle cell disease. I’m happy. It’s called “Guess Who Mama Pooh,” which is a childhood name. It’s loosely based on my life as a little girl growing up

in Queens with sickle cell disease.

AmNews: Why is having a Sickle Cell Awareness month so important?

Sottile: As someone living with sickle cell, it’s a big deal. June 19 is also World Sickle Cell day. Sickle cell is not an American Black disease. It’s important to know that,

even though people in the African diaspora have more people with sickle cell. Within our community, I’ve met older people from different national backgrounds — Italian, Greece, Irish, all over the world. That’s another myth or stigma that’s out there that works against productivity and finding a cure and funding and treatment.

Sickle Cell Awareness Month is very important for warriors because actually advocating does give us a purpose — it gives you that power. Sometimes when you go to a hospital, you might be misunderstood.

We definitely need more doctors to study sickle cell. Sickle Cell Awareness Month is a great way to gather in the community and to get out there, to go into the hospitals and speak to the people who treat sickle cell so once someone comes in the emergency room or makes an appointment with them for treatment, they have an idea of what this disease is really about.

AmNews: Is there anything else you want people to know about being a sickle cell warrior?

Sottile: I’m 53 and we are living longer. We have people who have sickle cell disease that are in their 70s and 80s. Progress is being made because of different forms of treatment. I have been around longer with the illness, so I know the things that I should be doing. If I go out, I have to stay hydrated. I have to make sure I don’t overexert myself. I can pretty much live a productive, full life. It is an invisible illness, so a lot of time, people will look at me or other people with sickle cell and say things like, “Well, you don’t look sick.” It can be misleading because people can get a lot sicker than they actually look. Having sickle cell is kind of like a doubleedged sword.

A lot of progress is being made as far as treatment, but there are still many hurdles that we have to get over. There’s a stigma. Some people either don’t want to admit that they have sickle cell because they feel like they’ll be judged or they won’t be able to be hired to work full-time. It’s not a death sentence. I was able to go back to work. [I want to give] hope to the people who are coming up and the parents who may have had a recent diagnosis for their child, just to give them some inspiration, to let them know it’s not a death sentence.

Stacey Sottile (Contributed photo)

Shining a light on Sickle Cell disease Awareness Month

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

“The day to day can be very unpredictable because it’s an invisible illness. I can get pain at any time. Sometimes I might have plans and I might have to change those plans.”

This is from Stacey Sottile, a sickle cell “warrior” who spoke with the AmNews about living with sickle cell disease. “I was only a baby [when I was diagnosed]. My parents were told when I was 11 months old and … they had never heard of sickle cell [disease]. I’m the youngest of seven kids and I’m the only one of their children to have sickle cell.”

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, designated by Congress to bring awareness to the disease and those who live with it on a daily basis. The 2020 Presidential Proclamation from then-President Donald Trump states in part that “[a]s our Nation recognizes National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month, we do so with an unwavering commitment to a future in which people with the condition live fully, without pain and impediments, and ultimately experience a cure ... A cure is within reach. [T]he Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved new treatments and more are on the horizon, and several initiatives are underway to make better use of all available tools in the battle against this disease.”

Sickle cell disease affects more than 100,000 Americans, primarily African Americans. One in 13 African Americans carries the gene for sickle cell disease. About 1 in every 365 African American infants are born with sickle cell disease. Speaking with AmNews, Dr. Karina Yazdanbakhsh, vice president and director of research at the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, says “Sickle cell is a genetic disorder that affects the red blood cells … What happens is those red cells become very rigid and they become very sticky, so … the red cells get stuck in the blood vessels and as a result, you have the blood flow not going properly, not getting to the organs like your brain, like your heart, like your kidneys, your lungs.”

What happens as a result? According to Yazdanbakhsh, “two things happen. One, your tissues, your organs are not getting enough oxygen that is carried by red [blood] cells, so they start not functioning properly. You [may] get organ failure down the line progressively … Number two, this blockage of the vessel is associated with debilitating pain, so these patients suffer from chronic pain and sometimes when there is a lot of blockage, they get acute pain [and] they have to go to the emergency room.”

Both Sottile and Yazdanbakhsh believed Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month is a huge benefit. “It’s so important because … a lot of people still don’t know much about it and it affects [so many] people of African descent,” said Sottile. “[There are] a lot of

disparities involved. In the world that we live in now, where you hear so much about [the] opioid crisis, when you show up in a hospital with a disease that if you’re not treated soon enough [with an] opioid, you might not make it out of the hospital.” Patients who are Black and in pain might not receive the treatment they need because medical facilities don’t understand sickle cell, she said.

Yazdanbakhsh also said the awareness month helps with understanding treatment and awareness of the physical pain these patients go through. “It’s so important to highlight that we need better treatments for these patients,” she said. “Right now, we don’t have that many compared to other diseases … but one of the goals of many of the treatments is to prevent [a] painful crisis.”

Sottile noted that her sickle cell condition means that “it may take me a little longer to accomplish things, but I always keep my eye on the task. Maybe at one moment, I can’t do what I wanted to do [or] accomplish, but I stick with it. As long as God gives me more time, I’m committed to accomplishing as many goals as I can while I’m here.”

To learn more about sickle cell disease and research, visit https://www.nybce. org/our-research/areas-of-research/sickle-cell-information-center/sickle-celldisease-research/. Information from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is available at https://www.health.ny.gov/ health_care/medicaid/fact_sheets/docs/ sicklecell/english.pdf.

Bishop Mugavero Senior Apartments

Monsignor Mullaney Apartments

4301 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

29 Greene Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Beginning January 27, 2024 our 15-unit building 4301 8th Ave in Brooklyn will be re-opening the waitlist for to the elderly (head of household or spouse is 62 or older) or those with a mobility impairment or developmental disabilities. Income restrictions apply and are based on Section 8 guidelines.

Qualifications and eligibility for the affordable apartments, which include units for the mobility impaired, will be based on Section 8 guidelines. Interested persons may obtain an application:

Beginning September 2, 2024 our 85-unit building at 29 Greene Avenue in Brooklyn will be re-opening its waiting list to the elderly or head of household or spouse is 62 or older or those with a mobility impairment. Qualifications and eligibility for the affordable apartments, which include units for the mobility impaired, will be based on Section 8 guidelines.

Interested persons may obtain an application:

Interested persons may obtain an application:

BY MAIL

ONLINE

POP Management – Bishop Mugavero Senior Apartments. 191 Joralemon St 8th Floor, Brooklyn NY, 11201

POP Management – Msgr Mullaney 191 Joralemon St 8th Floor, Brooklyn NY, 11201

*Writtenapplicationrequestsmustbe receivedby2/7/24

*Written application requests must be received by 9/9/2024

https://www.ccbq.org/service/ senior-housing info.popm@ccbq.org OR

https://www.ccbq.org/service/ senior-housing Or by emailing info.popm@ccbq.org

Completed applications must be sent by regular mail to the PO Box listed on the application and be postmarked by 2/13/2024. If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or any other type of reasonable accommodation, please contact Sheena Williams at (718) 722-6155.

Completed applications must be sent by regular mail to the PO Box listed on the application and be postmarked by 9/17/2024. If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or any other type of reasonable accommodation, please contact Yhasara Humphrey (718) 722-6081.

(National Human Genome Research Institute illustration)

Education New school year for Columbia, same story for Harlem say anti-displacement advocates

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

As Columbia University kicks off another school year this week, the campus remains divided from the surrounding community, both literally and figuratively.

That community includes Harlem, where locals are pushing back against the institution’s planned development between 125th and 133rd Streets from Broadway to 12th Avenue. Meanwhile, recent pro-Palestinian protests led to restricted access on campus, further divorcing the university from its surrounding uptown neighborhoods.

“The relationship between the community and university right now is probably at an all time low,” said Dr. Dedrick Blue, vice chair of New York Interfaith Commission for Housing Equality. “Not since 1968 has the community been under more threat than what it is right now.”

Of course, 1968 similarly coincided with mass student demonstrations over issues abroad and at home, including a gym construction in Morningside Heights with a separate entrance for non-student locals.

When Nemat “Minouche” Shafik became

university president last year, she made early efforts to connect with the neighborhoods surrounding campus. She credited Columbia’s “commitment to the notion that universities can and must engage beyond their walls,” a commitment which starts with the school’s neighbors.

Early on, Shafik followed up on such promises by meeting with local leaders including Council Member Shaun Abreu, Assemblymember Al Taylor, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

But as pro-Palestinian student encampments persisted throughout Shafik’s first year as president, the university cut off public access to the campus. Today, those restrictions remain through a color-coded threat tier system as students, staff and guests can only enter through designated checkpoints with a valid campus ID or proper authorization. And the protests returned on the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Two people, both aged 21, were arrested according to an NYPD spokesperson. It is unknown whether they were students at press time.

Kai Cogsville, founder of Young Atlas and Defend Harlem, pointed out the symbolism and sees the closed campus as a dis-

service for locals seeking exposure to the Ivy League institution.

“It’s obviously very metaphorical of such a barrier and it’s a physical one,” he said. “[Columbia] is a landmark in walking through the campus, and it’s just a beautiful place and a place to embrace [for] younger people, or anyone that wants to go to school … for people not to even be able to walk through that just doesn’t seem fair. It just shows how divided we really are.”

“It’s interesting to me that people can grow up in a neighborhood with one of the premier academic institutions in the world in their backyard and not be able to walk through it, not be able to touch it, not be able to access it,” said Blue. “It’s like a child on the outside of the gates of Disney World with no money to get inside to take the ride.”

Cogsville and Blue advocate for State Senator Cordell Cleare’s bill that “essentially stops the Columbia University Education Mixed-Use Development Land Use Improvement and Civic Project Modified General Project Plan.” Locals rallied on Juneteenth to support the legislation, which they hope can curb the school’s “land grab”

of Harlem and delay the historically Black neighborhood’s ongoing gentrification. But it will no longer be Shafik’s problem. She announced her exit last month and almost immediately crossed the Atlantic for a role in the British government. Her interim successor is Katrina Armstrong, a leading official for Columbia’s medical school. Cogsville hopes whoever ends up as the next president will both be more mindful of the school’s local impact as well as reattempt to create dialogue.

“It starts with stopping [the] displacement of tons of residents,” he said. “And [then] more of a partnership and a way to use each others’ resources for the betterment of both community and university. I’m not anti Columbia at all. I think it’s a great institution, and they do great work. It just has to be done in a more thoughtful way.”

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who 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.

NYPD officers detain a pro-Palestinian supporter as they hold picket line outside Barnard College, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Continued from page 5

make a decision. … I thought this was a way that I could help people by being a lawyer and being a teacher. I love to teach people, to share my knowledge and to help. So that’s how it led me into the path of me going to law school. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in law, but I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.”

O’Neale began working as an attorney in the court system in 2002. She eventually worked as a criminal court judge for one year before being transferred to civil court, where she’s been assigned for the past two years. She is a member of the Equal Justice in the Courts committee, Metropolitan Black Bar Association, Judicial Friends Internship Committee, Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, the Brooklyn Bar, Caribbean American Lawyers Associations, and of the Brooklyn Canarsie Lion’s Club. If O’Neale becomes a justice in the Kings County Supreme Court, she will serve a 14-year term.

The Kings County Supreme Court handles matrimonial actions, personal injury, breach

of contract, labor and employment, felony cases, foreclosures, and elder law/guardianship cases. Judges are responsible for making decisions that are fair, after having listened impartially and to both sides of a case, O’Neale points out, because their decisions affect people’s lives. “So, it is important for the general population –– the voting public –– to be aware of who’s on the bench. Because we have to follow ethical rules.”

Many of the people showing up for court dates are coming there for the first time in their first exposure to the court system.

That’s one of many reasons why it’s important for the bench to be diverse, Judge O’Neale contends, so that the judicial system remains sensitive to the issues that are faced by the people appearing before it.

“For me, regardless of what someone looks like or where they’re from or what language they speak, my responsibility is that I’m committed to treating everyone the way that I would want a friend, a family member, or even myself to be treated if I were appearing before a judge or in the court and interacting with court staff," O'Neale said.

9/11

Continued from page 8

nearby ambulance fires. As the North Tower collapsed. Singleton dislocated his shoulder and was enveloped in dust. He was treated for his shortterm injuries. Long-term in the extended mourning period, there was mental and emotional damage to deal with. The day undoubtedly stuck with him, and he knew going back to a low-stakes job in mortgage inspections wouldn’t be enough. Singleton, a Purple Heart recipient, sought out the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs office to treat his depression brought on by the trauma of 9/11. He credits those meetings for helping him get out of bed.

In 2005, Singleton moved to Midlothian, a suburb of Richmond, Va. to ameliorate his post-traumatic stress. Early on, he was afraid to lie down for prolonged periods in fear of falling back into depression. Today, storytelling keeps him grounded. Singleton says he enjoys speaking with young people about his experiences on 9/11. But woven into those accounts are conversations about

You remembered their books.

You remembered their forms. You remembered their schedules.

Be sure to remember their vaccines.

They’re safe and reduce the risk of severe preventable illnesses, like measles, polio, chickenpox, flu and COVID-19. Talk to your child’s health care provider to make sure they are up to date with their immunizations. For more information, visit nyc.gov/studentvaccines or call 311.

mental health and vulnerability.

“We’ve had kids follow me [and] my wife out to the parking lot asking questions and they just want to know more,” Singleton said with a laugh.

He also wrote a book, “The Heart of a Hero,” to share his story in another medium, joking that he gives away more copies than he sells. Singleton also sits on the board for the Freedom Flag Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the remembrance of 9/11 through a symbolic flag.

“It’s my belief that we don’t

truly die until we stop being remembered,” Singleton said. “And if we can feed this information to our kids who weren’t born at the time, it keeps the memory of all who perished on Sept. 11 alive.”

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who 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.

Eric Adams Maire

Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD Commissaire

Clarence Singleton keeps room in remembrance of 9/11. (Photo courtesy of Clarence Singleton)

Religion & Spirituality

Virtual faith: Why Black churchgoers are staying home on Sunday

By REV. DOROTHY S. BOULWARE Word in Black

In March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced houses of worship nationwide to shut down, both the ministry and congregants adapted to a new, supposedly temporary reality. Like schools and offices, church services would be conducted remotely, streamed over the internet into homes on pandemic lockdown.

When asked, about nine in 10 parishioners insisted they would return to inperson worship as soon as the pandemic ended. They missed the handshakes and hugs of in-person fellowship, the resonant sound of the choir, the feel and scent of hymnals.

More than three years after the official end of the pandemic, however, about a third of regular churchgoers haven’t returned to the pews — and only about two in five Americans regularly participate in church services at all.

The situation is a bit more acute when it comes to the Black church, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

“While 13% of Protestants who belong to historically Black churches say they attend church in person and don’t regularly watch services virtually, most say they join services both in person and virtually (37%) or only watch remotely on screens (20%),” according to the Pew report, issued last June.

That illustrates a conundrum for faith leaders struggling to meet the new reality of a hybrid method of worship.

“Pastoring the virtual church creates an accountability and connection challenge,” said Rev. Jamal Brown, pastor of Family Restoration Worship Center in Philadelphia. “It’s not dissimilar from the traditional congregation challenges,” but the church, as well as the individual, bears responsibility for the decline of in-person worship.

Virtual worship “offered people an opportunity to hide from the responsibility of giving time, talent, and tenth,” Brown said, referring to donations and tithing. “However, embracing the virtual church also exposed deficits in the church systems. What existed pre- was enhanced in the post-virtual church.”

Jason E. Shelton, a sociologist and professor, and director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas

at Arlington, put a finer point on it in a February interview with Christianity Today.

“The future does not look good for organized religion in Black America, especially the historic traditions,” he said. “The Baptists are still the largest, but they’re losing people. The Methodists are really down small. The Pentecostals are losing, but

they’re not losing nearly as many, since they’ve always been small.”

The numbers are part of an overall trend of declining church worship in the U.S. According to Gallup, 42% of U.S. adults regularly attended church services two decades ago; now, that number has slipped to around 30%.

Reasons for the dropoff in attendance vary, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Some former churchgoers are still worried about contracting COVID-19; others say they’re facing new physical challenges that keep them from going to church in person; still others say they prefer worshiping from the comfort of home.

It’s to argue with the modern comfort and convenience of watching Sunday home worship services, streaming live over a platform like Zoom or Facebook. Yet data from Lifeway Research found that 91% of those polled not long after churches shut down said they would return to the pews when the pandemic was no longer a problem.

However, “as of the fall of 2022, the average church had 85% of its pre-COVID attendance numbers,” according to the study. A year later, Pew reported 27% of U.S. adults faithfully watch services online, compared with roughly a third who regularly attend church in person.

Among Black parishioners, two in 10 prefer to watch worship services online at home, according to Pew.

Part of the reason for the dropoff is “continuing concern about COVID-19, which struck Black communities with particular force,” according to Pew. At the same time, however, “viewers who are members of historically Black Protestant churches are more likely to say they feel like active participants in these virtual services than are viewers who belong to some other faiths.”

Realizing what’s at stake, faith leaders are taking steps to draw their flocks back into the pews. Some are reaching out to absent congregants in person; others are holding social events. One minister found that offering water baptism was a draw for some. For Shelton, the decline in in-person worship is a worrisome trend for the Black church, an institution with a long, storied history in the community.

“The church has always been the vessel that we as Black people have used to have community and solidarity,” he said. “It’s the church that connects [Black society], so as the nones” — Black people with no religious affiliation — “fall away from that, what does that mean for the community? What does that mean for Black music? What does that mean for Black politics? And what does that mean for the long-standing legacy of racial discrimination in this country?”

(RDNE Stock project photo)

Overdose awareness

funding” because of a unanimous bill passed in 2021. A board established by the legislation recommended using the settlement money towards establishing overdose prevention centers statewide.

Hochul pushed back on the recommendation last November, citing legal reasons. The nation’s first two overdose prevention centers both opened in Upper Manhattan three years ago under former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s watch. However, such services aren’t approved by New York State as they technically would be in violation of federal law.

Yet despite the Biden administration’s oversight, open knowledge of their existence, and other states authorizing similar centers, the city’s overdose prevention centers continue to operate without enforcement. The New York State Department of Health can legalize such services through emergency regulations, permitting an authority to sanction syringe exchange services as an HIV prevention measure. The organizers add that Hochul can also use executive actions to approve overdose prevention centers on a state-level.

Overdose prevention centers provide sterile paraphernalia and allow people to bring their own drugs to use under medical supervision. The sites also connect clients to services under their own volition.

While relatively new to the United States, the sites are a tried-and-true harm reduction strategy in Europe.

No overdose death has ever been recorded at an overdose prevention center, according to the National Institutes of Health. So the organizers blame Hochul’s poor response for the roughly 19 or more overdose deaths daily across the state, which they see as preventable under safe use practices.

Protester James Velez says he moved from New Jersey to New York to access the overdose prevention site in Washington Heights.

“People [don’t] usually look at drug use like a sick person,” said Velez. “Just like people got cancer, people under the influence of drugs and alcohol have a disease. It’s called addiction and they have no control of it…and it affects everybody and anybody. People with cancer don’t get stigmatized—cursed at and yell[ed] at.”

On a city level, statewide support would increase overdose prevention center funding access to the other four boroughs. Last year, Mayor Eric Adams’s mental health plan aimed to create “legal pathways to operate and fund overdose prevention centers.”

New York City’s two overdose prevention centers—located in East Harlem and Washington Heights—are privately funded, although the operating nonprofit OnPoint NYC does receive state funding for other programs. Settlement payout backing would allow the two sites to open around-theclock, says executive director Sam Rivera.

“Every day, our team has to deal with the pain and the trauma of closing our doors every night, which is very stressful to us and more importantly, stressful to our par-

ticipants who have nowhere to go,” he said over the phone. “Operating an OPC 24 hours a day also means that people have a space to go 24 hours a day…it is very difficult for us to constantly squeeze dollars out of wherever we can squeeze dollars from [by asking] the same few foundations and individuals to step up and support us to keep beautiful New Yorkers alive.

“Throughout the country, people are celebrating New York for this model for all the peoples’ lives we’re saving and all the work we’re doing, but [Hochul] hasn’t stepped up and done her part. And the [settlement] money is for us. The money is specifically for people who are using opioids, people using drugs, and keeping these people alive.”

Expanding OnPoint NYC’s overdose prevention centers could also offer a solution for the services’ opponents, who say the sites are a factor in rising crime and open drug use—though research does not support such assertions.

“When the community says they didn’t want drug use in the community, they didn’t want paraphernalia [and] they didn’t want their children to see all of these activities, we agreed,” Rivera said. “We don’t want that in the street either…if [Hochul] gave us the money to open 24 hours a day, all of these folks who are outside in the middle of the night, freezing or too hot, [would] be inside with us, spending time with us. Not all of them would only be using the OPC. They would be using other services.”

Meanwhile, Hochul’s administration touted an estimated 9% reduction in overdose deaths statewide excluding New York City from March 2023 to March 2024. The Governor’s Office points to distributing around 700,000 narcan kits and 20 million fentanyl and xylazine testing strips as well as establishing outpatient programs.

More than $335 million in settlement money has been redirected towards recovery services and harm reduction, including distributing more than $100 million across local governments to tackle overdoses on a municipal level.

“Our administration is engaged in aggressive, ongoing efforts to address the opioid and overdose epidemic, which has tragically taken far too many neighbors, friends and family members in New York and across the

nation,” a spokesperson for Hochul said in an email to AmNews. “Our efforts are making an impact, as recently released federal data showed that overdose deaths are declining across New York – and we’re working every day to keep deploying the resources that save lives and ensure New Yorkers struggling with addiction get the support they need.”

But Drug Policy Alliance New York State Director Toni Smith told the AmNews during the rally that there is a tendency to “move on to other priorities” when overdose data shows improvement.

“We are here to say this crisis is not abating in the most impacted communities,” said Smith. “It’s not abating for Black, Brown [and] Indigenous New Yorkers. It’s not abat-

ing for New Yorkers who are unhoused or unsafely housed or sheltered. There are sensible [and] practical solutions that are possible that we are asking for—overdose prevention centers [are] one solution that [are] widely supported and evidence based that Gov. Hochul has rejected.”

The numbers related to the 19 body bag count are unofficial and stem from a very rough estimate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uniquely tallies New York City and New York state overdose deaths separately. The national health agency also lists both officially reported and predicted estimate numbers due to a lag from state vital registration offices.

The organizers use the estimated count from December 2022 to December 2023 between both city and state, which totals 6,553 or roughly 18 deaths a day. A 19th body bag accounts for any additional underreporting, including suspected overdose deaths in New York City that weren’t confirmed by an autopsy due to medical examiner staffing shortages.

International Overdose Awareness Day started in Australia back in 2001 and lands each year on Aug. 31.

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who 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

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NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT – NEW YORK COUNTY – WEST 45TH RETAIL LLC, Plaintiff v. ALANDALOUS PROPERTIES CORP. f/k/a PEOPLES FOREIGN EXCHANGE CORPORATION, et al., Defendants. Pursuant to an Amended Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision and Order on Motion entered on September 29, 2023 (the “Judgment”), I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder in Room 130 of the New York County Supreme Court, 60 Centre Street, New York, New York, on October 9, 2024 at 2:15 p.m., the premises known as 24 West 45th Street, Unit C-1, New York, New York. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in New York County and State of New York: Block 1260, Lot 1001, as more particularly described in the Judgment. Approximate amount of Judgment is $1,632,632.61, plus additional interest and fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index #850207/2021. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District's Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee. Andriola Law, PLLC, 1385 Broadway, 22 nd Floor, New York, NY 10018, Attorneys for Plaintiff

KETTELY LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/25/24. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 470 W 165th Street, Apartment 24, New York, NY 10032. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. MICHAEL IACOVELLO and CARMELLA M. IACOVELLO, Defts. - Index # 850041/2019. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 10, 2021, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 7,000/28,402,100 tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as Phase I HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $56,809.33 plus costs and interest as of January 23, 2020. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, not in its Individual Capacity, but Solely as Owner Trustee of CSMC 2019-RPL11 Trust , Plaintiff, vs . UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW OF Hyunjeong Han, If Living, and If THEY Be Dead, Any and All Persons Unknown to Plaintiff , ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on May 17, 2023 and a Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on April 9, 2024 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on September 18, 2024 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 70 Little West Street, Unit 22G, New York, NY 10004 a/k/a 70 Battery Place, Unit 22G, New York, NY 10280. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 16 and Lot 1878 together with an undivided 0.36855 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $665,379.10 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850044/2021. Cash will not be accepted. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale.

Thomas R. Kleinberger, Esq., Referee

Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff

HEYDAYDREAMS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 6/21/24. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 242 W. 104th St. Suite 3ER, New York, NY 10025. Purpose: Any lawful act.

2MFINITY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/20/2024. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 86-42 131st St, Richmond Hill, NY 11418. Purpose: Any lawful act.

STAU LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/21/2024 Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: SOHO WORKSPACES, INC., 447 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10003, USA. The registered agent of the LLC is SOHO WORKSPACES, INC., 447 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10003, USA Purpose: Any lawful act.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.

BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE ATALANTA CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff -against- PATRICK LEUNG, LUZIA DOS PRAZERES, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale nd dated February 28, 2024 and entered on April 17, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on September 18, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, the condominium unit known as Unit No. 7B in the building known as "The Atalanta Condominium" together with an undivided 1.9549% in the Common Elements. Block: 190 Lot: 1440

Said premises known as 25 N. MOORE STREET, APT 7B, NEW YORK, NY 10013

Approximate amount of lien $58,834.98 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 160015/2023.

MARK MCKEW, ESQ., Referee Belkin Burden Goldman, LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 60 East 42nd Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10165

External Affairs LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/05/2024. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 329 East 6th St, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, Index No. 850087/2022

Six Gramercy LLC, Plaintiff, v. Westside Units 17th Street LLC, et. al., Defendants.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered May 17, 2024, the undersigned referee will sell at public auction on October 9, 2024, at 2:15pm in Room 130 at the Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, NY, NY, the property located at 7 East 17th Street, Unit 6C, New York, NY 10003 (Block 846, Lot 1310).

The approximate amount of Plaintiff’s lien is $1,443,159.80 plus interest and costs. The premises will be sold in one parcel and subject to provisions of the judgment and terms of sale.

Georgia Papazis, Esq., Referee Law Offices of Tae H. Whang, LLC, Attorneys for Plaintiff, 185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 201, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, Tel. (201) 461-0300, 415 White Oak Road, Palisades, NY 10964 (By Appointment Only).

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstGARY C. MORSE, VASSO G. MORSE, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated on March 1, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on September 25, 2024 at 2:15

p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenantin-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an undivided 0.0381% interest in common Elements. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442513 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302.

Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $22,122.59 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850285/2023.

GEORGIA PAPAZIS, ESQ., Referee

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39078

CheKells Enterprise LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 6/7/2024. Office location: Kings County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 928 E 86th St, Brooklyn NY 11236 Purpose: Any lawful act.

CEZI LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/07/2023 Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 557 Grand Concourse Suite 6005, Bronx, NY 10451 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Commons Software LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/12/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 10 Hanover Square Apt 6S, New York, NY 10005. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -against- CHLOE A. CALLOW, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated on March 6, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on September 25, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $12,452.09 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 850190/2023. ROBERTA ASHKIN, ESQ., Referee

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39359

Sport Temp LLC filed w/ SSNY 2/17/21 Off. in NY Co. Process served to SSNY - desig. as agt. of LLC & mailed to Yehuda Brown, 1472 E. 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230. The reg. agt. is Yehuda Brown at same address. Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Qualification of CASCADE GROWTH LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/05/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/07/24. Princ. office of LLC: 330 Third Ave., Apt. 21E, NY, NY 10010. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Independent financial sponsor.

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of New York ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE Index #: 850192/2022 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Plaintiff, vs Lixin Wang If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, Board Of Managers Of The Park Avenue Condominium, United States Of America Acting Through The IRS, People Of The State Of New York John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 120 East 87th Street New York, NY 10128 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of New York. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Lixin Wang Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Francis A Kahn of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Ninth day of July, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York, in the City of New York. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by Lixin Wang dated the May 26, 2016, to secure the sum of $750,000.00 and recorded at CRFN 2016000203383 in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County on June 16, 2016. The property in question is described as follows: 120 East 87th Street, NEW YORK, NY 10128 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT, YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or visit the department's website at WWW.DFS. NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to "save" your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner's distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: August 1, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 81995

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstLYNN CAMPBELL, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 6, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on September 25, 2024 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, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.00986400000% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $12,386.86 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850233/2023.

ROBERTA E. ASHKIN, ESQ., Referee

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

DLG# 39324

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstSHARAD BHAGU PATEL, NISHA SHARAD PATEL, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 1, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on September 25, 2024 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, being an undivided ownership interest as tenantin-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .019728% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37.

Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $23,707.35 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 850179/2023.

SOFIA BALILE, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

DLG# 39301

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK

BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST, -against-

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NEW YORK AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF MARIAN S. O’HARA, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York on May 16, 2024, wherein BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST is the Plaintiff and PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NEW YORK AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF MARIAN S. O’HARA, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the NEW YORK COUNTY CIVIL SUPREME COURTHOUSE, ROOM 130, 60 CENTRE STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10007, on October 9, 2024 at 2:15PM, premises known as 340 WEST 57TH STREET, UNIT 9-E, NEW YORK, NY 10019; and the following tax map identification: 1047-1096.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE, OR PARCEL OF REAL PROPERTY WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN CONTAINED, SITUATE, AND BEING A PART OF A CONDOMINIUM IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, COUNTY, CITY, AND STATE OF NEW YORK, KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS APARTMENT UNIT NO. 9E AT 340 WEST 57TH STREET TOGETHER WITH A .1080 PERCENT UNDIVIDED INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS OF THE CONDOMINIUM

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 850377/2015. Shari S. Laskowitz, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Notice of Qualification of COMVEST GROUP HOLDINGS LP Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/17/24. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 02/01/02. Princ. office of LP: 360 S. Rosemary Ave., Ste. 1700, W. Palm Beach, FL 33401. NYS fictitious name: COMVEST GROUP HOLDINGS L.P. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. #101, Dover, DE 19904. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

LEGAL NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE, Supreme Court – New York County, WHITE WALKER HOLDINGS 1 LLC, Plaintiff v. 388 BROADWAY OWNERS LLC, et al. , Defendants, Index# 850264/2021. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale docketed on June 28, 2024, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in Room 130 of New York County Supreme Court, 60 Center Street, New York, New York 10007, on October 9, 2024 at 2:15 PM of that day, the premises known as 388 Broadway , New York , New York 10013, Block 195 Lot 3. The approximate amount of Judgment is $26,503,146.50 plus interest, advances, and expenses accrued from February 29, 2024 to the date of sale of the Premises. Premises will be sold subject to: (a) provisions of Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale docketed on June 28, 2024; and (b) the terms of sale. IF YOU ARE BIDDING AT THE AUCTION, YOU MUST BRING A CERTIFIED CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO THE REFEREE ELAINE SHAY , ESQ . IN THE AMOUNT OF 10% OF YOUR BID. If you have any questions, contact Attorney for Plaintiff: ANNA GUILIANO, BORAH, GOLDSTEIN, ALTSCHULER, NAHINS & GOIDEL, P.C., 377 Broadway, New York, New York 10013, (212) 965-2628.

Blue Diamond Trading Company L.L.C. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/31/2024 Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #742246, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Townsend & Bastien, LLP Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on July 19, 2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 1350 Ave Of The Americas, Flr 2, #1068, New York, New York, 10019. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of SUBIN, LLP Cert. of Reg. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/10/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLP: 515 Madison Ave., #8076, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLP at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Law.

Dog Person Coffee LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/07/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: UNITED STATES CORPORATION AGENTS, INC.: 7014 13TH AVENUE SUITE 202, BROOKLYN NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful act.

OPDEE HOLDINGS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/28/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 347 W 57TH ST, Suite 40A, New York NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful act.

JENPONYC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/20/2024. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 1460 BROADWAY, 11F, C/O ANNE CHANG, New York, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of OMNI NOSTRAND PARTNERS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/02/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOAH 2004 REALTY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/16/04. Latest date to dissolve: 12/31/2099. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Antonino Settepani, 602 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Joseph Ceccarelli; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 29, 2021, and Amended September 23, 2022, and Amended April 18, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, in Room 130, located at 60 Centre St, New York, NY 10007 on September 18, 2024, at 2:15PM, premises known as 200 East 32nd Street, New York City, NY 10016. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of NY, Block 912 Lot 1165. Approximate amount of judgment $1,676,660.05 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 850018/2017. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 1st Judicial District. Arthur Greig, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing

Notice of Formation of CARTOON PHYSICS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/30/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 207 W. 25th St. - 6th Fl., 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.

Notice of Formation of MRA IVC MANAGER I, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/30/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC, 555 Madison Ave. - 6th Fl., NY, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

MATAURO LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/22/10. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Matthew Klein, 375 Willowemoc Rd, Livingston Manor, NY 12758. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

676 Broadway LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/10/2020. Office: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o Boddoohi & Friedlander LLP, 29 W. 125th St, 3rd Fl, NY, NY 10027. Purpose: any lawful act.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.

NYCTL 2021-A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN

FOR THE NYCTL 2021-A TRUST, Plaintiffs -against- EDDIE Z. CHEN a/k/a EDDIE CHEN; CHEN@HOME LLC, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on April 15, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on October 2, 2024 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, known and designated as Block 440 Lot 1301 on the New York County Tax Assessment Map.

Said premises known as 427 EAST 12TH STREET, #1A, NEW YORK, NY 10009

Approximate amount of lien $598,893.24 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 158480/2022.

PAUL R. SKLAR, ESQ., Referee Phillips Lytle LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs

28 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Rochester, NY 14614

RT HORATIO PROPERTY LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/29/24. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 167 Madison Avenue, Suite 205, #328, New York, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Dostar Marketing LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/09/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 330 East 38th Street Apt. 38L, New York, NY, 10016. Purpose: Any lawful act.

H' CHILDREN GROUP FAMILY DAYCARE, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/17/2024. Office location: BRONX County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 3205 GRAND CONCOURSE APT 2B, BRONX, NY 10468 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of MISCHIEF MERCANTILE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/16/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, Index No. 850084/2022

Six Gramercy LLC, Plaintiff, v. Westside Units 17th Street LLC, et. al., Defendants.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered May 14, 2024, the undersigned referee will sell at public auction on October 2, 2024, at 2:15pm in Room 130 at the Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, NY, NY, the property located at 7 East 17th Street, Unit 3N, New York, NY 10003 (Block 846, Lot 1304).

The approximate amount of Plaintiff’s lien is $1,881,618.28 plus interest and costs. The premises will be sold in one parcel and subject to provisions of the judgment and terms of sale.

Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee Law Offices of Tae H. Whang, LLC, Attorneys for Plaintiff, 185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 201, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, Tel. (201) 461-0300, 415 White Oak Road, Palisades, NY 10964 (By Appointment Only).

Safari Atelier NYC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/20/2023. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 900 W 190 ST #15B, New York, NY 10040. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of LS RETAIL, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/02/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Georgia (GA) on 07/22/09. Princ. office of LLC and GA addr. of LLC: 11175 Cicero Dr., Ste. 650, Alpharetta, GA 30022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 214 State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Fillet Edge LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/06/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 435 W 31st St., Apt 8G, New York, NY, 10001. Purpose: Any lawful act.

CONSERVATIVERAP LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/15/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: LEGALCORP SOLUTIONS, 11 BROADWAY SUITE 615, NEW YORK, NY 10004. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of MALHOTRA FAMILY 2024, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/26/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Vikram Malhotra, 168 E. 74th St., Apt. 4C, NY, NY 10021. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

BRUNSONCLINE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/29/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: United States Corporation Agents Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY, 11228. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of JFH BRAND HOLDINGS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/15/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/19/24. Princ. office of LLC: 350 Fifth Ave., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10118. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of GRAMERCY E 22ND OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/02/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/17/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Div. of Corps. - John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

THE NEW YORK INJURY LAW FIRM PLLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/23/24. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the PLLC, 48 Wall Street, Suite 1100, New York, NY 10005. Purpose: For the practice of the profession of Law.

Notice of Qualification of GREYSTONE MONTICELLO FUNDING SH-74 LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/23/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/17/24. Princ. office of LLC: 600 Third Ave., 21st 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. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Engaging in and exercising all powers permitted to a limited liability company formed under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.

Notice of Qualification of TH MSR HOLDINGS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/25/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Arizona (AZ) on 06/30/24. Princ. office of LLC: 1601 Utica Ave. South, Ste. 900, St. Louis Park, MN 55416. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Cert. of Form. filed with Executive Director, 1300 W. Washington, 1st Fl., Phoenix, AZ 58007-2929. Purpose: Owning and managing mortgage servicing rights.

Notice of Qualification of 20 EXCHANGE PLACE OWNER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/22/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/12/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Stephen Benjamin, 729 7th Ave., 15th Fl., NY, NY 10019. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., No. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of WSC OPCO LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/22/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/13/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, c/o Winter Properties LLC, 9 W. 57th St., 47th Fl., NY, NY 10019. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of a NY Limited Liability Company. Name: FATHI ELGADDARI, DMD, PLLC. Articles of Organization filing date with the Secretary of State (SSNY) was 06/21/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as the agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to 35 EAST 85 STREET, 1N, NY, 10028, USA. The purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

Autobahn Collision And Repairs LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on May 25, 2024. Office location: Richmond County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 1388 Richmond Rd, Staten Island, NY 10310 Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE is hereby given that a license, number NA-0340-23149525 for liquor, wine, beer & cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell liquor, wine, beer & cider at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 151 Dyckman St, New York, NY 10040, New York County for on premises consumption. Luis Restaurant Corp d/b/a Room 151

Notice of Qualification of INVESTCORP US PRIVATE CREDIT FEEDER, LP Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/24. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/08/22. Princ. office of LP: 280 Park Ave., 39th Fl., NY, NY 10017. NYS fictitious name: INVESTCORP US PRIVATE CREDIT FEEDER, L.P. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Yankees need stability from Torres and Volpe to secure AL East title

By RUDY ROBINSON Special to the AmNews

Gleyber Torres and Anthony Volpe, both relatively young and athletic, are important pieces of this year’s Yankees team. Torres, 27, at second base and shortstop Volpe, 23, in only his second season in the major leagues, must provide offense, defense, and speed — elements that are crucial for this Yankee team to reach their championship goal.

As with most young players, they both have had ups and downs this season, but their performances will go a long way to determine their and the team’s future. Both Torres and Volpe have been slightly above average offensively this year. They have each hit first in the lineup this season and have shown speed on the bases in front of the heavy hitters Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

But Torres and Volpe have been inconsistent. After Monday’s game, an 8-4 victory over the Rangers, Torres and Volpe had 92 walks and 250 strikeouts combined. Volpe does have a team-high 25 stolen bases, but he has been moved down in the lineup by manager Aaron Boone. Torres has four this year and is presently the leadoff hitter by default.

Neither gets on base enough to take advantage of their speed or force teams to pitch to Soto and Judge, who were No. 1 (Judge, 112) and No. 2 (Soto, 110) in walks in MLB when the Yankees played the Rangers on the road again on Tuesday. Not an ideal situation.

Torres was batting .244 with an on-base percentage of .319 and Volpe was at .254 with an OBP of just .303 for a Yankees squad that was 80-58, only a half a game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Os were 80-59 in the race for the AL East title.

Defensively, the youthful combo has been virtually equally effective. They rank high in fielding percentage for their positions, with Volpe fifth and Torres seventh. Viewing their defense from a different perspective, their range can be a blessing and a curse: Both players are in the top five in errors. Volpe had 14 before Tuesday’s game and Torres 15.

Like all pitchers, the Yankees’ staff rely on defense from their fielders for optimal results. If Torres and Volpe aren’t firm in the field, it could be the difference in winning the division and making it deep into the playoffs.

Strength up the middle is a key for most championship teams. Having Torres and Volpe feel comfortable with each other on the field and have set slots in the lineup can only be beneficial to the team.

Torres will be a free agent after the season and it’s unsure if he will return next season. He has been criticized for not hustling, even removed from a game this year by Boone.

Volpe, however, was a Gold Glove winner at shortstop last year. His future with the team seems secure. Letting them grow together could be a good thing. Stability brings consistency.

Alcorn State alum Brandon Rembert forges a career as an MLB scout

By JAIME C. HARRIS

AmNews Sports Editor

Brandon Rembert travels. A lot! Thousands of miles on a regular basis. At only 25 years old, it has become the essence of his life.

For some, this type of constant travel would be physically taxing and socially prohibitive, the antithesis of establishing a stable and routine existence. Yet, Rembert’s regular treks provide him deep meaning. A Midwest area scout for Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, he is experiencing a labor of love and forging a career that offers tangible and visceral fulfillment.

“I love what I do,” said Rembert to this writer on Monday speaking via cellphone. “I know this may seem like a cliche, but it is a dream come true. I don’t view it as work. Baseball is my passion. Each day is a new learning opportunity. To build my skills and hone my craft. Having played baseball my entire life it all [naturally] to me feels like this is where I belong.”

Rembert’s route to the Pirates is tinged with irony as it aligns with his circuitous scouting schedule.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, Rembert attended Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, upon graduating high school. He transferred to Coastal Alabama Brewton Community College, where he played for one season before matriculating to Alcorn State in Lorman, Mississippi, an HBCU whose football program has pro-

duced over 50 NFL players. Rembert was an impactful outfielder for the Braves, playing three seasons, being afforded the third after his 2020 senior season was shortened due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. While he was on the radar of MLB teams as a potential draft prospect, Rembert mentally grappled with the thought of spending years toiling in the Minor Leagues.

Instead, shortly after graduating from Alcorn State in 2021, he accepted a position with the Pirates as a Minor League Baseball operations assistant.

Based at the Pirates’ baseball academy in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, some of Rembert’s responsibilities included quantitative and qualitative data collection, video collection and administrative assignments.

“Being in the Dominican Republic allowed me to build a foundation of understanding and learning many aspects of baseball, seeing it both through the lenses of player and administrator,” said Rembert.

During his time there, several members of the Pirates organization with whom Rem-

bert was working suggested he explore Major League Baseball’s scout school held in Phoenix, Arizona, headed by Tyrone Brooks, senior director of the league’s Front Office and Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program.

“It was a significant moment for me,” Rembert said, his tone shifting as he recalled the occasion.

Next week in Part Two of this story, Rembert shares the details of life as a scout, his aspirations, and views on the declining number of African American baseball players on all levels of the sport.

The Yankees are relying on secondyear shortstop Anthony Volpe to provide offensive and defensive production in final weeks of regular season. (AP Photo/ Adam Hunger)

Former Alcorn State baseball standout Brandon Rembert is now a Midwest region area scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates. (Photos courtesy of Brandon Rembert)

Stunning upsets of favorites shape final week of 2024 U.S. Open

By B.L. OLIVER

Special to the AmNews

Carlos Alcaraz? Overtaken. Novak Djokovic? Out. Coco Gauff? Done.

Three of the world’s best tennis players, two who were the tournament champions last September, were ousted from this year’s U.S. Open before reaching the final week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz, seeded No. 3, who already has won four

singles majors, including the U.S. Open two years ago, was the first to exit. He was vying to win his third straight Grand Slam and was taken down last Thursday in the second round by unseeded Bortic Van de Zandschulp 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

The 37-year-old Djokovic, the No. 2 seed and arguably the greatest men’s player ever, with a record men’s singles 24 Grand Slams, one being the 2023 U.S. Open, fell a day later in the third round to No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4,

2-6. 6-4. The losses of Alcaraz and Djokovic were just the third time, with 1973 and 2000 being the other years, in the Open era that two of the top three men’s seeds were eliminated before the fourth round.

The women’s No. 3 seed Gauff, just 20, who won her first Grand Slam 12 months ago at the U.S. Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, dropped her match on Sunday to No. 13 Emma Navarro in the fourth round 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Gauff double-faulted 19 times for numerous self-inflicted mistakes.

“Too many points on my serve,” she said. “Mentally and emotionally I gave it my all…I think if I could have served better, it would have been a different story for me in the match.”

As for the man known as Joker, he readily acknowledged his surprisingly shaky showing. “I have played some of the worst tennis I’ve ever played, honestly,” said Djokovic. “It was just an awful match for me.”

Naomi Osaka returned to the U.S. Open after taking time off from tennis last year to give birth to her daughter Shai in July 2023. Osaka, 26, a four-time Grand Slam champion, won the U.S. Open singles titles in 2018 and 2020.

She received a wild card to enter this year’s Open and took her first match against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 in the first round before bowing out to Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-6 in the second round.

“I think, during the pressure moments, I got nervous and I don’t know if I just have to keep playing more matches and get used to that feeling, especially on a really big stage,” said Osaka.

American Kim Pegula, the No. 6 seed, played in her seventh Grand Slam quarterfinal last night as she faced the No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek. The 30-year-old Pegula was still searching for her first major victory title.

On the men’s side, American Frances Tiafoe, seeded No. 20, took on No. 9 seed Grigor Dimitrov in their quarterfinal match on Tuesday. It was the 26-year-old Tiafoe’s third straight appearance in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Tiafoe joined Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Pete Sampras as the only American men to reach three U.S. Open quarterfinals this century. The women’s singles final will be played Saturday (3:30 p.m. Eastern time) while the men’s championship will take place Sunday (2 p.m.).

Liberty barrels full speed into the final stretch of WNBA’s regular season

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

With just two weeks and seven games remaining in the regular season, the Liberty keep rolling toward the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs. They have already clinched a postseason spot, but there is still work to be done. The Liberty held a 2.5 game lead over the No. 2 seed Connecticut Sun, which were 24-8 when the league’s slate of games tipped-off on Tuesday. The Liberty will host the Seattle Storm tonight at the Barclays Center 27-6.

In addition to the Liberty, four other teams have secured their place in the playoffs: the Sun, Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, and Storm. The Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury look likely, but the eighth spot will probably not be determined until the final regular season game is played.

After a rough 94-88 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on August 28, the second game of a three-game West

Coast road trip, the New York Liberty reasserted their dominance with a 98-85 win over the Storm last Friday to go 2-1 out west. They had defeated the Phoenix Mercury by 84-70 on August 26 to open the trip. The Liberty faced the Sparks without starting forward Jonquel Jones, who was listed as having a non-COVID illness.

Jones was back in the lineup to help the Liberty calm the Storm —no simple task, because the Storm began this week 19-12 and the No. 5 seed in the WNBA standings. In the end, Breanna Stewart (32 points) and Sabrina Ionescu (25 points) displayed their undeniable adept Paris Olympics gold medal-winning skills. In a statistic that stunned even Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, New York out-rebounded Seattle 45 to 17.

“After the Olympic break, we’ve hit the glass way more consistently than we ever have,” said Brondello. “That’s just having discipline, and knowing those extra possessions help.”

For Stewart, it was a bit of a homecoming: She played the first six seasons of her professional career with the Storm (missing 2019 due to injury), winning two WNBA titles. She acknowledged that she was disappointed that this was the Liberty’s only game in Seattle because it is always heartwarming to reconnect with fans. Liberty reserve center Nyara Sabally continues to progress and seems to be playing at a higher level since the Olympics. In the win over the Storm, she had seven points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes of play. “Nyara is very efficient,” said Brondello. “Rebounding, that presence there. She’ll learn a lot from this. She had to guard Nneka [Ogwumike]. That was a hard guard for her at times, but the experience is certainly going to help her. She’s critical for us as we move forward.”

After the Storm, the Liberty will meet up with the Aces this Sunday (4:00 p.m.) in Brooklyn and the Dallas Wings on the road next Tuesday.

(L-R) American Frances Tiafoe advanced to his third consecutive U.S. Open quarterfinals as 2023 women’s champion Coco Gauff was knocked out in an upset loss in the fourth round. (Margot Jordan photo)

New York Liberty forward Nyara Sabally continues to progress for Liberty both offensively and defensively. (Brandon Todd/New York Liberty)

Tristan McFarlane and Fordham women’s soccer open solidly at 3-1-1

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

Fordham University women’s soccer opened the season with three wins, one tie, and one loss.

After defeating Manhattan (2-1), Drexel (1-0), and Albany (4-2), and tying Wagner (1-1), the Rams were outplayed by a potent Fairfield squad this past Sunday in Connecticut, falling 5-0. Still, the defeat has not dampened Fordham’s solid beginning.

Thus far, it has been satisfying for senior midfielder Tristan McFarlane, who is savoring her final

collegiate season. She has played soccer her entire life, so being on the pitch is second nature.

“I’ve always really loved sports,” said McFarlane, who also played competitive hockey while growing up. “I just loved playing soccer so much. Right around high school, I decided I wanted to choose soccer. My team was also very successful, and I love winning.”

After freshman year at the University of Hartford, McFarlane transferred to Fordham, embracing the campus and the pace of life in New York City. This is also Head Coach Magnus Nilerud’s third

year at Fordham, and McFarlane is excited to be a part of building something new. “Also, I’m a business/finance major and the business school is really good here, and New York City has so much opportunity in finance,” she said.

With an eye to the future, McFarlane is focused on building connections, but her priority is doing her utmost to keep the wins coming. She is open to playing professional soccer after completing her bachelor’s degree.

“From the start of this season, since we all came back on campus, I feel like everyone [on the soccer

team] has connected so well,” said McFarlane. “We feel really close. There’s not one person on the team I feel like I cannot talk to. On the field, I feel there’s so much chemistry. We talk about how we have a lot of depth on our bench. Anybody can come on the field and make an impact. Anybody can come on the field and we can play well with them.”

Tonight, Fordham women’s soccer plays Stonehill College in Massachusetts and then takes on Yale University in Connecticut on Sunday afternoon. Next week, it’s the Bronx versus Man -

hattan when the Rams play Columbia University. Such road trips are a great time to forge bonds. At the beginning of the season, several team bonding events gave the players the opportunity to get to know each other and talk one-on-one. The upperclasswomen plan events and make an effort for everyone to feel connected.

“I’m really happy with the team. I think our season ahead is promising, and we’re going to get better and better,” McFarland said. “Being able to share success with your teammates is really rewarding.”

Figure Skating in Harlem welcomes South Africa’s 9Miles Project

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

In the summer of 2023, a group from Figure Skating in Harlem (FSH) traveled to South Africa for the trip of a lifetime. In addition to sightseeing, the young women learned about surfing from similarly aged teenagers who are part of the 9Miles Project, a community-based organization that is “changing lives one surf at a time.” The group also took the surfers to an ice rink and helped them experience skating.

FSH serves girls 6 to 18 with on-ice skating and extensive office programming.

Last month, a group from 9Miles came to New York City, and the FSH girls were excited to show them around. “It was really nice seeing them,” said long-time FSH participant Zayda Rojas, 17. “We got to exchange fun, cool facts. We gave them a tour of Riverbank [State Park, where FSH trains] and what

we’re accustomed to when it comes to skating. When we were in South Africa, we traveled in cars, but they got to be on our public transportation system, and it was nice to have that raw, authentic vibe.”

Rojas said they enjoyed showing the visitors NYC culture, and she even learned some new things for herself. This included a meal at Sylvia’s Harlem Restaurant and a visit to the Apollo Theater. “We showed them a bit of our history and how it all came to be,” she said. “It was really nice seeing their reactions.”

Natalie Momperousse, 17, was part of the South Africa trip, saying it was incredible experiencing another culture. “When we met them in Cape Town, they came to us with open arms,” she said. “Here in New York, I literally ran up to them when I saw them.” Rojas recalled a similar reaction. “It was really nice being able to show them a part of my world,” she said.

Rojas and Momperousse both take part in FSH’s synchronized

skating team, so they took the visitors to Chelsea Piers for a practice session. “They watched us for about a half an hour and then they put on skates and came on the ice,” said Rojas.

As they head into their senior year of high school, Rojas and Momperousse are focused on deciding on the colleges to which they will apply. Momperousse wants to continue skating, so she’s looking into colleges with skating teams. Of course, they’re also eager to get back on the ice at Riverbank and prepare for performances and synchronized skating competitions.

Senior Fordham soccer midfielder Tristan McFarlane is cherishing playing her final season of collegiate soccer. Fordham women’s soccer team has had encouraging start. (Fordham Athletics photos)

The Figure Skating in Harlem program hosted members of Cape Town, South Africa’s, 9Miles Project, a nonprofit youth and community development organization. (Figure Skating in Harlem photo)

Jets open 2024 season with realistic Super Bowl aspirations

By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews

At the start of last year’s NFL season, there were hopes and excitement about the New York Jets after the acquisition of four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers in April 2023.

Then, on the first offensive possession of the Jets’ first game of the season, Rodgers, who will turn 41 in December, ruptured his left Achilles tendon. With the since-departed Zach Wilson (traded to the Denver Broncos this past April), the Jets’ first round pick in 2021 and No. 2 overall pick, lacking the necessities to carry the QB baton, the Jets in short time became a below-average team, finishing 7-10.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh maintained last season was one of battling through what seemed like perpetual adversity.

“To grow in the world, to grow as an individual, you got to live

in uncomfortable environments, and I would say last year was one of the more uncomfortable environments that you could create for an organization, and because of it, I think of players, coaches, everybody in this building are better for it and because of it,” Saleh said via Jets.com. “I think the team is better for it and better equipped.”

As they look ahead to the new season, which begins on the road on Monday nigh t against the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, the Jets essentially have a do-over with Rodgers.

While much of the focus rightfully will be on the future Pro Football Hall of Famer, other players on both sides of the ball have established themselves among the best in the league at their respective positions. On offense, running back Breece Hall is one of the most versatile offensive players in the league and

finished fourth in yards from scrimmage a year ago with 1,585. Entering his third season, he’s poised for an All-Pro campaign because the Jets’ running game will be crucial to their success.

However, for Rodgers and Hall, it all starts up front with the Jets’ offensive line, which has been a source of uncertainty and for too long a weakness, due to injuries and underperformance. As of today, their starting front of John Simpson, Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, Joe Tippman, and Alijah Vera-Tucker is a marked improvement from recent years — at least on paper.

Guard Vera-Tucker has been with the team since being drafted by the Jets in the first round (No. 14) in 2021. Tipmann, a center, was a second-round pick (No. 43) in 2023. Veteran tackles Moses and Smith, the latter a surefire Hall of Famer, and guard Simpson, in his fifth season in the NFL, are in their first season

with the franchise.

The defense, led by defensive back Sauce Gardner, the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a two-time First-Team All-

Pro, and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, a 2022 First-Team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection, is expected to be one of the best units in in the league.

What will be the Giants’ identity in a defining 2024 campaign?

By JAIME C. HARRIS

AmNews Sports Editor

One!

That is the answer to the question: How many Pro Bowl players did the Giants officially produce last season?

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was the team’s sole representative. A persuasive case could be made that linebacker Bobby Okereke, who had 149 tackles— ninth in the league—and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who posted 11.5 sacks, were worthy.

Nevertheless, the Giants’ 6-11 record was an indicator they didn’t have superlative performances across their roster, so this season is a reset. What the Giants are or will become is yet to be determined as they move closer to Sunday’s (1:00 p.m.) regular season opener versus the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium, devoid of a conclusive positive identity.

One step in the process of being a squad with an unmistak-

able makeup is head coach Brian Daboll taking over the offensive play-calling duties. In his two previous seasons as the Giants’ head coach, Daboll delegated those responsibilities to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

“I’m the head coach, so I’m responsible for everything, whether it’s the defense, the special teams, the offense,” said Daboll on Tuesday.

The Giants’ 280 total yards per game last season ranked 29th out

of the league’s 32 teams. They used the No. 6 overall pick in April’s draft to select dynamic wide receiver Malik Nabers to help rectify their offensive challenges, but have an unproven quarterback in Daniel Jones. They’re charged with getting him the ball, although he’s coming back from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered last November 5 in Week 9.

If there was a singular player who provided the Giants with a remnant of star power, it was running back Saquon Barkley, who was the face of the franchise from 2018 when he was drafted by the Giants with the second overall pick through last season. But Barkley departed to the Philadelphia Eagles—the Giants’ longtime NFC East division rival—via free-agency in March.

General manager Joe Schoen, Daboll, and first-year defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who held the same title

with the Tennessee Titans the past three seasons, have constructed what they believe can be a competitive group. The addition of two-time Pro-Bowl defensive end Brian Burns, in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in March, upgrades the talent base and enhances leadership.

Until the games are played, projections of the Giants’ prospects are primarily based on the belief that the past is predictive and an assessment of collective ability. Most pundits have them finishing near the bottom of the conference. What’s in front of the Giants is an opportunity to prove critics wrong—or affirm their skepticism.

Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas will try to return to his 2022 form, which ended with being named Second-Team All Pro. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Jets two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will be central to defensive unit expected to be one of best in NFL this season. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)