The AmsterdamNewsassumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Photographs and manuscripts become the property of The Amsterdam News. Published weekly. Periodicals Class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to NYAmsterdamNews,2340 Frederick Douglass Blvd., New York, NY 10027.
Golden Day: NYC sees highest turnout ever for early voting
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Golden Day — the last day to register to vote in New York State and the first day of early voting — kicked off this past Saturday with the highest turnout at the polls in New York City history.
Local social justice organizations, such as the Brooklyn branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), one of many making themselves visible, didn’t miss the opportunity to get the vote out in Brownsville. NAACP Brooklyn Branch President L. Joy Williams and Councilmember Darlene Mealy led their on-the-ground efforts. They were joined by sorority and fraternity members, Medgar Evers students, and the New Grassroots Democratic Club.
“This is a historic time,” Mealy said.
Volunteers poured into the basement of Mount Ararat on Howard Avenue, ready to text, phone-bank, and street-canvass in
Brownsville to let voters know about the start of early voting and the last day of voter registration. Their goal was to reach at least 30,000 New Yorkers and remind them to get to the polls. After Golden Day on Oct. 26, voter’s ballots will not count toward the general and presidential election on Nov. 5.
“It’s called Golden Day, and being a part of Sigma Gamma Rho, ‘we are golden’ — our colors are royal-blue and gold, so it speaks to
who we are and what we are,” said Alyssa Abernathy-Boston, founder of the Life Equip Group and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. “I’m absolutely passionate about giving back and being a part of such a momentous time in history. I would not have it any other way. [B] eing here is me contributing to change.” Golden Day is a new practice in the city. Assemblymember Robert Carroll intro-
Trump’s MSG rally hits a Puerto Rican nerve
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
Racist jokes and vulgar speeches were the highlights of former President Donald Trump’s fundraising rally this past Sunday, Oct. 27.
The Madison Square Garden (MSG) event brought out MAGA supporters like former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, former wrestler Hulk Hogan, and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). These and other speakers took turns making racist and sexist comments about Blacks and Latinos –– including a notably offensive comment regarding Puerto Rico.
One speaker called Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris “the Antichrist.” Right-wing comedian Tony Hinchcliffe told a joke about having a Black “budd[y]” that he “carved watermelons” with. He also made the crude comment, “… there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
The Trump-Vance MSG rally has seemingly energized the Latino community and its allies. It reminded many Puerto Ricans of Trump’s visit to the island just weeks after Hurricane Maria in 2017, when much of the region still
lacked power and officials struggled to accurately assess the storm’s fatalities.
Trump arrived in the capital and chastised residents by saying that aiding Puerto Ricans was making the U.S. government spend unnecessary funds. He notoriously tossed paper towels at a small crowd of people who had packed a room to see him. Trump then forced Puerto Rico to wait nearly three years before he would allocate funds for full hurricane relief.
Bigoted insults
“The bigoted insults hurled at Puerto Ricans today show once again how Donald Trump feels about Boricuas,” the Power 4 Puerto Rico coalition, a grouping of diaspora Puerto Ricans, said in a statement. “He has called us dirty, corrupt and threatened to trade us like a piece of cattle to Denmark in exchange for Greenland during his term in the White House.
“This is one more example of why a second Trump term is unacceptable and dangerous for Puerto Ricans and Americans alike, and we call on all eligible Puerto Rican voters to register and vote this November to demand the respect we
New real estate rules could widen Black wealth gap
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS INFORMATION
Homeownership remains central to building wealth in the U.S., but Black real estate professionals are cautioning that recent industry shifts could make it challenging for buyers trying to manage the extra costs associated with purchasing a home.
Because of a 2023 federal lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR), real estate brokers can no longer require home sellers to cover the fees for both the seller and buyer’s agents. That means that home sellers can now negotiate with their real estate agent
about whether they want to include a payment to the buyer’s agent in their sale price or not. It also means that buyers will now need to figure out how to pay their own agent’s fees. The class-action lawsuit that led to that decision may have been designed to ensure fairness for home sellers, but it could also lead to further racial wealth disparities, asserts Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, the president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB).
NAREB calculates that there are nearly 2 million mortgage-ready Black homebuyers, who have the income and credit to purchase a home. But they may not have the extra savings or down payment funds needed for extra expenses.
“The class-action suit was brought by consumers, but consumers that are on the seller’s side, not the buyer’s side,” Rose said. “One thing to note is that right now, home ownership in the white community is right around 75% [or] 76%, which is pretty significant. That’s almost pretty much everybody who wanted a house got a house. We compare that to the Hispanic community, which is 49% [or] 50%; the Asian community was at about 54% [or] 55%; [and] the Black community at 44% [or] 45%.
“It’s almost safe to say that the majority of people who are selling properties are white Americans. And the majority of the people
See BLACK WEALTH GAP on page 33
See GOLDEN DAY on page 25
See TRUMP’S RALLY on page 25
A December 2023 infographic highlights the locations of significant Puerto Rican populations in the United States. (Center for Puerto Rican Studies photo)
Brooklyn Branch NAACP President L. Joy Williams (left) with firsttime voter Elijah Reddick (right) across the street from Weeksville Heritage Center on Oct. 26 (Ariama C. Long photo)
Jersey City marches against police brutality in the Black community
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
Racial justice supporters marched across Jersey City on Oct. 22 in a continuing call for police accountability in response to the 2023 killing of Black New Jerseyan Andrew Washington during a mental health response call.
From late afternoon to dusk, marchers called for “Justice for Drew” and to “stop police brutality in the Black community” as the Garden State mulls whom to send during a mental health crisis.
Oct. 22 marked “Fists Across America,” a nationwide movement against police brutality and repression. Washington’s aunt, Tony Ervin, brought the protest to Jersey City, organizing it for a second year in a row. Initially, she was asked to join actions in Newark.
“I said, no, it’s time for Jersey City to start to participate,” said Ervin. “I had planned something here in Jersey City last year. It
was on the weekend, so it was very well-attended, and we had quite a few people who came out to support. And surprisingly enough, even this [time] being on a week[day] evening, we had quite a few people.
“Last time, we went to our local county park. This time, we came into City Hall and wanted to express just our displeasure [about] the misconduct that’s going on in our police department — it’s not being addressed.”
Throughout the route, onlookers greeted marchers with supportive honks and cheers. When protesters passed a local high school, football players paused practice to throw their fists up in solidarity.
Ervin said the protesters are also calling for more transparency and vetting how officers are hired.
Ervin remembered her nephew as a jokester who loved sports and fried fish. He also rapped under the stage name Drew3 which is now the name of the
mental health advocacy organization Ervin started after he died.
“Where Drew lived on Randolph Avenue, his neighbors were in outrage because Drew literally lived in the same area the majority of his life,” said Ervin. “Drew had a full life: He came and went, he walked the dogs, he had a job, [and] he had things that he was going on. It just so happened that time during July and August, he was spiraling out … however, the community was outraged [at his death]. They loved him.”
Earlier this year, New Jersey passed the Seabrooks-Washington Act, named after Washington and Najee Seabrooks, another man killed by police during a mental health response last year. The bill put $12 million toward local municipalities to establish pilot Community Crisis Response Teams to deploy in mental health emergencies.
Efforts to remove the NYPD from mental health crises mirror efforts across the river —
A shadow war and ghost voters
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
With Halloween in mind, it makes perfectly good sense to talk about a “shadow war” and “ghost voters,” each consequential to the presidential race. As the contest nears the finish line, Vice President Kamala Harris is counting on young women — the so-called ghost voters — to turn out in considerable numbers. The Harris team is targeting young women between the ages of 18 and 35 as she continues to push women’s reproductive rights and abortion to counter Trump’s strategy to make the economy and immigration vital issues. Ghost voters are those women who have not voted or have only occasionally expressed support for Harris. They are virtually invisible in the various polls, and Harris is doing all she can to make them more visible and supportive when they enter the voting booth.
earlier this month, the AmNews reported on the Department of Justice’s involvement in a discrimination lawsuit over police deployment to mental health emergencies as opposed to medical professionals to physical health emergencies.
Currently, a program called B-Heard deploys medical professionals instead of the NYPD exists in largely Black and Brown neighborhoods, including Harlem, but not every call is guaranteed to provide a nonpolice response. In New York State, a Daniel’s Law task force formed in response to the killing of Chicagoan Daniel Prude in Rochester.
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.
This is not to say that Trump is without his share of ghost voters — noncollege educated voters turned out in massive numbers for him in 2016 and 2020, making a mockery of the polls.
This domestic issue is balanced by a global one in the Middle East, and Trump has placed his cards on conflict that will upend Harris and the Biden administration’s support of Israel, particularly in the battleground state of Michigan.
The current conflict underway in the Middle East, with the presence of proxies of Iran (the Houthis and Hezbollah), are examples of participants in a shadow war, acting on behalf of major countries. But as the war spreads, so does the shadow and Harris, with her position still closely associated with the U.S. support of Israel, stands to suffer if the Arab population either sits out the race or votes for Trump.
To a great degree, the ongoing war in Ukraine and the invasion by Russia have elements of a shadow war, since the U.S. is involved in the supply of armaments to Ukraine. This puts them in opposition to Trump and his favoring Putin’s outlook, whether in war or politics.
In effect, the arrival of ghost voters and the outcome of a shadow war will have a decisive impact on the election, domestically and globally.
Jersey City protesters stand in solidarity last Tuesday, Oct. 22 (Tandy Lau photo)
(Elvert Barnes photo via Wikimedia)
Puerto Rican dignity is beyond debate
By JESÚS CHUCHO GARCIA
Special to the AmNews
Translated by KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO
Amsterdam News Staff
Donald Trump’s campaign continues to promote racism and xenophobia. In his first presidential term, he said that Africa was a continent of criminals. When hurricanes Maria and Irma hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, leaving thousands dead and the island destroyed, Trump showed up and threw rolls of paper towels at people.
In his current campaign he has said that if he wins the presidency, he will deport more than 2 million migrants –– similar to what the Dominican Republic is now doing to Haitian migrants in their territory.
Most shocking for many were the words that Donald Trump and his Republican Party recently said at New York’s Madison Square Garden Theater via a comedian named Tony Hinchcliffe who said that “Puerto Rico was a floating island of garbage.”
The AmNews recently spoke about Puerto Rico with Agustin Laó-Montes, a social sciences professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who is an activist with Articulacion Regional Afrodescendientes de America Latina y el Caribe (ARAAC/Regional Articulation of Afro-descendants of Latin America and the Caribbean).
AmNews: When did the process of annexation of Puerto Rico to the United States begin, and what was the pro-independence reaction of Puerto Ricans?
Laó-Montes: Rather than annexation, what is more fundamental is to characterize the archipelago of Puerto Rico as a U.S. colonial territory and Puerto Ricans –– whether they live in Puerto Rico (where there are 3.5 million) or in the U.S. (where there are 5 million) –– as colonial subjects of the Yankee empire.
In economic terms, we could say that this process began in the mid-19th century when the nascent United States empire became an important buyer of sugar produced in Puerto Rico. But the historical reference point is when Puerto Rico became a colonial possession of the United States after the Spanish-Cuban-U.S.-Philippine
War of 1898, which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, when Puerto Rico became a colony of the United States. Up until today, our sovereignty still resides in Congress and with the Executive of the U.S. imperial state.
AmNews: How many military bases does the United States have in Puerto Rico and what are their functions?
Laó-Montes: Until a decade ago, Puerto Rico was a pivotal territory in the repertoire of United States military bases. Its strategic location in the middle of the Caribbean gave it a major role in the U.S. geopolitical military cartography. For example, U.S. military invasions, such as those of Grenada in 1983 and Panama in 1989, were rehearsed and maneuvered from U.S. military bases in Puerto Rico. In addition, Puerto Rican soldiers have been placed on the front lines –– as cannon fodder alongside African Americans –– in a series of wars, from World War II to the present day. One of the unintended results of the compulsory participation of Puerto Rican soldiers in imperialist wars is that this has been a school of racism and imperial violence that has nurtured the Puerto Rican independence movement both in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. By now, most of the U.S. military bases in Puerto Rico have been closed, this role has been displaced to Colombia where there are now 10 U.S. military bases.
AmNews: What role have Puerto Rican, or Boríquen, representatives played in the United States Congress? Can you list the transcendental struggles of these Boríquen congress members?
Laó-Montes: Boríquen congress members in the U.S. have played a progressive role from Herman Badillo, a community organizer from New York who was the first to the most recent one, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The two congresspeople who have played the most progressive roles have been Luis Gutierrez of Chicago and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York: in addition to supporting Puerto Rico’s selfdetermination and criticizing its colonial status, they have supported the most important struggles in Congress, against imperialist wars and in favor of the rights and representation of the dispossessed communities in the United States.
NYC electeds wish NYC a happy Halloween!
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Spooky good times were had the weekend before Halloween as politicians all over the city held fun-filled pre-holiday events in preparation for All Hallows’ Eve on Oct. 31. They partied! They put on costumes! They… skated!
Go! Sports NYC founder Ray Mendez hosted a Halloween Skate Party at Loreto Playground in the Bronx. Mendez was supported by Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Councilmember Kristy Marmorato, and the Morris Avenue Business Improvement District.
Children of all ages were invited, because what could be scarier than falling flat on your face on the asphalt and shedding a little blood? The event featured a live DJ, an Icee vendor with tasty treats, and giveaways.
“I want to thank the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the Morris Park Business Improvement District; Go! Sports NYC; New York City Council Member Kristy Marmorato; New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez; New York State Assembly Member Michael Benedetto; and everyone else who supported our Skate Party this weekend,” said Gibson in a statement. “Together, we are fostering connections with our community and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles for our residents.”
Marmorato said that she brings her own daughter to Loreto Playground and knows firsthand how important events and parks are for the families in the community. “It means so much to be able to provide this Halloween celebration for our neighbors, creating a space for kids and parents to have fun, skate, and make memories together,” said Marmorato in a statement. “And as a roller skater myself, it’s a joy to share that experience with the community and my own daughter.”
Other Halloween events
Trick-or-Streets returns for a third season in 2024! The city is partnering with Open Streets, plazas, and other corridors on
Halloween to add pedestrian space for families looking to celebrate car free. Information on citywide locations available at NYC.gov/trickorstreets
Councilmember Crystal Hudson plans to be at BAMBoo! with her family for an afternoon of fun, games, and spooky surprises! From arts & crafts to candy giveaways and family-friendly films, it’s a Halloween celebration the whole family will love. Perfect for kids of all ages!
The events will take place on Oct. 31 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. outside the BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building located at 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman will be at Brooklyn’s Restoration Plaza for Book-O-Ween on Oct. 31 from 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. This event is designed to celebrate the joy of reading and will be open to families and community-based organizations. There will also be book giveaways, candy, music, and other fun activities. Families are encouraged to dress up in costumes, with a prize awarded for the best costume. Register HERE! http://bit.ly/4e7CvhD And check out our Events Page at amsterdamnews.com/events for info on Halloween events happening all over the city!
Puerto Rican activist Agustin Laó-Montes is a social sciences professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Agustin Laó-Montes photo)
Volunteers prepare protective gear for skaters. (Photos contributed by BP Gibson’s office)
A young skateboarder at the Halloween Skate Party at Loreto Playground in the Bronx on Oct. 25.
Oregon star lineman Ajani Cornelius stays true to Harlem roots
By TANDY LAU
Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
They call football a game of inches, but Oregon tackle Ajani Cornelius racked up miles chasing his gridiron dreams. Yet his heart remains home in Harlem, even now as he stars for the top-ranked college team while on the other side of the country. Pride swells in his voice when recounting his uptown upbringing and describing how his parents and older brother supported him throughout the journey.
“I started playing football when I was about 9 with an organization called the Harlem Jets, and that's what really got me into football,” Cornelius said. “I'm just so grateful for them as a program, for not only taking me [and] my friends [in] but also just giving the kids something to do. Football is not that common in New York [City], so for them to just be an organization out there helped a lot as a kid and that's where I fell in love with football.
“In order to continue to play football and have a chance to go to college for it, I ended up going to Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York, which was about an hour and a half commute in the morning — two trains, two busses — and then hour and a half commute back at night —two trains, two buses.”
Despite his dedication, he garnered little
Black New Yorker
recruiting interest out of high school. An initial commitment to Howard University fell through and Cornelius went to Rhode Island University, where he started as a freshman.
Two strong seasons led him to hit the transfer portal, where he ultimately flipped field positions with the University of Oregon Ducks. While the “swaggy” jerseys certainly spoke to Cornelius as a Harlemite, he credits the people for bringing him out west. He says his teammates made him feel at home in Eugene — nearly 3,000 miles away from New York City. He even embraced Polynesian culture thanks to the number of Pacific Islander players on the roster.
On the field, Cornelius continued his success on college football’s highest level, finishing last season without giving up a sack and earning an All-PAC-12 honorable mention. He returned for his senior year, with Oregon making a move to the Big Ten Conference. Over the preseason, Football Writers of America named him on the watchlist for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the college football’s best lineman.
Like most star tackles, Cornelius plays a thankless role in the trenches. But the unheralded star is key to keeping Oregon quarterbacks like Heisman frontrunner Dillon Gabriel and current Denver Broncos starter Bo Nix upright over the last two years. In no small part to Cornelius, the Ducks are See BNY on page 29
East West Bank opened our doors in 1973 with the mission of serving people who were often overlooked by mainstream banks. Even as we’ve grown, we’ve stayed true to our roots, helping minorities and underserved populations connect to new opportunities.
Your goals are our motivation. Your success is our mission. When you’re ready to buy your first home, we’ll help you Reach Further. Visit eastwestbank.com/homebuyer or
Oregon tackle Ajani Cornelius (center) plays against Michigan State. (GoDucks.com photo)
Is Trump’s MSG rally the start of NYC election unrest?
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
Former president Donald Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden has election safety advocates fearing further political unrest in the Big Apple.
The NAACP’s Dr. Hazel Dukes called Sunday’s Trump rally “a disgrace to America” in an interview with the AmNews and blamed the former president for racialized division across the country. The longtime civil rights leader says the NAACP will work with law enforcement to ensure nobody is harassed or intimidated while in line to vote on Nov. 5.
“On Election Day, if we see anything, hear anything, we are reporting it,” said Dukes over the phone. “We have command centers that our lawyers — the NAACP lawyers — will lay out across the country, even here in New York State.”
Leading up to Sunday’s rally, Mayor Eric Adams refused to call Trump a fascist and asked New Yorkers to “dial down the temperature” over rhetoric concerning the former president.
“This is America, this is New York, and I think it’s important that we allow individuals to exercise their right to get their message clear, to New Yorkers, and our job as a city and as a police department is to make sure they can do that in a peaceful way,” said Adams during his press conference.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams expressed disappointment in Adams’s comments given “there’s literally only one side that has been promoting and pushing violence this whole time.” While Williams doesn’t believe every rally attendee this
past Sunday aligns with the racist remarks made by Trump’s allies, he certainly feels there are valid parallels to the 1939 Nazi rally at the Garden.
“Trump is already saying that they’re cheating in Michigan and we’re not even finished with the election and they’re [already] trying to incite folks,” said Williams over the phone. “My hope is that it doesn’t happen, so I don’t want to say it definitely will. But the type of things that are being said [in] Project 2025 and the MSG rally, they have always been a part of this country. I like to think I'm a part of the country that always pushes back on that and [tries to] help us be our better selves.”
For the rally, the NYPD deployed a “large” police presence encompassing Madison Square Garden with undercover officers embedded around the area. West 32nd and West 33rd Streets from Sixth to Seventh Avenue were closed off to vehicles and pedestrians. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner said the NYPD was not tracking any specific credible threats but deemed the rally a “very elevated threat environment generally.”
“We’re applying a lot of resources to this, not just because of the hypothetical whatifs, but because of everything we’re seeing unfold across the country and around the world, and that’s why we’re going to be very well prepared for tomorrow,” said Weiner during the Mayor’s Office press conference.
One person was ultimately arrested according to the NYPD. A 26-year-old man with a Kansas address allegedly entered 2 Penn Plaza without permission and was charged with criminal trespassing.
Election-related violence, like the Jan. 6th insurrection, often stems from impromptu unrest according to Brian Higgins, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He says while social media monitoring and intelligence gathering can root out those looking ahead to incite violence, stopping people from getting caught up in the moment can be trickier. Even in sports crowds can become “overly energetic” and turn violent.
“Putting those measures in place and being prepared for [the election] is part of law enforcement’s job and their day-to-day responsibilities,” said Higgins. “The positive about this is we have dates, we know on Nov. 5 and the following day or two, when the outcome, when the elections are
called, is when if there’s any issues, we’ll see [them] … you have two elements right here: the back of it — the social media posting, the gathering of people, the messaging — and then, of course, you have the physical: people who are physically gathering items that are being purchased or brought to potential protest cycles.
“There also has to be within the police department, this preparation for those days. I’m sure officers are able to put on alert, [reassigning] their days off or vacation days flocked for those days leading from November on forward [for] at least a week.”
Higgins, a former police chief for New Jersey’s Bergen County, says law enforcement operate on a crowd management/ crowd control binary when preventing political unrest. Crowd management focuses on gauging the “tenor of the crowd” even when totally peaceful. By the time crowd control is needed to handle violence and unrest, there is little police can do than to let it boil over or respond with force themselves. Still, there’s no direct formula.
“Policing is generally responding to the unknown, 24/7,” said Higgins. “Even though police officers have been to those incidents, we’ve seen similar incidents across the country [and] we’ve learned from those every time. Every one of those incidents has some element that’s slightly different. It’s not like a recipe, right?”
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.
A guide to navigating polling place problems on Nov. 5
By
• For the five boroughs in New York City, voters should contact their county BOE with any issues at 1-866-Vote-NYC (866-868-3692)
• The Election Protection Coalition’s hotline is 866-OURVOTE/866-687-8683 and the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project hotline is 877 523-2792
• Get registered or check that your status is active and check for your proper polling place https://amsterdamnews.com/ election2024/
• A person can vote in New York who is 18 years of age or older (pre-registration starts at 16), a state resident for at least a
month before the election, a U.S.-born or naturalized citizen; not currently in prison for a felony conviction or in jail awaiting trial, or is on parole or probation or under supervised release
• You need to say your name and address when you get to your polling place
• Voters don’t need to show identification or state ID to vote, unless you are a first-time voter who did not provide ID when registering
• If you do not appear on the active voter registration list, then you are entitled by state law to a paper ballot and an affidavit envelope
See complete guide here
(Eden, Janine and Jim photo via Wikimedia)
ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
When voting at the polls this November, YOURVOTE COUNTS!
IMPORTANT PROPOSALS FOR cleaning public property, public safety legislation and more will be on the other side!
IMPORTANT PROPOSALS FOR cleaning public property, public safety legislation and more will be on the other side!
DON’T FORGET TO FLIP YOUR BALLOT!
Creators of ‘Empire City’ podcast discuss NYPD past and present, what media gets wrong about police
By SHANNON CHAFFERS Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
“‘Empire City’ is an objective history of the police,” said Chenjerai Kumanyika when asked to classify his new narrative nonfiction podcast that chronicles the history of the NYPD.
“What you might feel is different about ‘Empire City’ stems from the fact that the dominant story about the police — one that is still being told in newspapers — is a … lie.”
Kumanyika, a veteran podcaster and journalism professor at New York University, was speaking at a university event titled “Reporting the Empire City: Ethical Reporting on Crime and Police,” which took place on Friday, Oct. 20. He was joined on stage by story editor Diane Hodson, producer Sam Riddell, and public historian Asad Dandia, who was featured on the podcast.
The podcast, an eight-part series produced by Crooked Media, Wondery, and Pushblack, challenges the commonly held belief that the NYPD was created to keep all city residents safe. By delving into the events surrounding its formation in the mid-19th century while weaving in present-day examples, the series reveals how the impetus for the department had much more to do protecting the physical and economic security of the city’s elite — motivations that shape the force’s operations to this day.
Ryan Howzell, project manager of NYU’s Ethics and Journalism Initiative, moderated the panel. The conversation ranged from technical discussions about the creators’ archival research process to the media’s central role in shaping public understanding of the police.
Kumanyika kicked off the conversation by discussing his motivation for creating the podcast: He had always viewed the institution of policing with skepticism because his father, a civil rights activist, was arrested and surveilled by the NYPD for protesting racial injustice in the 1960s. After the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, his skepticism sharpened into a question for which he couldn’t find a satisfactory answer.
“At a certain moment, one of the things I began to wonder was: Where did the police actually start?” he said.
Kumanyika’s genuine curiosity as he searches for an answer through a variety of interviews with historical experts, and a sprinkling of endearing conversations with his four-year-old daughter, makes for an engaging listener experience.
“It’s an actual journey that you’re going through versus one that you’re just crafting for the purposes of the podcast,” said Hodson. “When you have to create an artificial journey, the listeners feel it, they hear it. When we can make it as real as possible,
neighborhood where English is spoken not even as a second, but as a third language,” Dandia said.
While in college, Dandia and his friends started a mutual aid food charity called Muslims Giving Back. Soon after, he began to hear from friends with police contacts that the NYPD was surveilling them. His fears were confirmed in the fall of 2012, when he opened up Facebook to a post from a young man who had recently become a volunteer at the charity.
“The first thing I see is a confession from that young man, who had reached out to me earlier that year [and] said he had a troubled past and wanted to get involved: ‘I was an informant sent by the NYPD to investigate terrorism,’” Dandia recalled.
it translates.”
During this journey, the creators unearthed an array of compelling anecdotes and historical figures. One of the main challenges was selecting which stories to feature, with an overarching goal that was twofold.
“Everybody has a feeling about the police. Very, very few people know how we got to this point … so we had to both show the dominant narrative, what was being said, and also simultaneously subvert that,” Hodson explained.
Much of this work involved combing through various newspaper archives.
James Gordon Bennett’s New York Herald provided insight into the mainstream narrative that drove the creation of New York’s first modern, professional police department in 1845. In the years leading up to that point, Bennett used his influential newspaper to criticize the existing police force, which was a more informal group of constables and watchmen. Frustrated by their inability to solve crime, and fearful of how a growing sense of disorder in the city’s poorer neighborhoods could harm the city’s business prospects, Bennnet called for a new and improved force.
Black and abolitionist newspapers, meanwhile, highlighted how the police posed a threat to the city’s Black population, as constables, and later NYPD officers, arrested those accused of escaping slavery and returned them to the South. The Subterranean, a newspaper self-published by the working class Irish politician Mike Walsh, criticized the presence of police in poor immigrant communities, whose residents were frequently cited for committing minor offenses.
In all, Kumanyika paints a picture of a department that emerged to safeguard the lives of the white upper classes, whether by heavily policing the city’s poorer neighborhoods or protecting the economic structure of slavery that enriched the New York elite.
“What gets defined as danger — and the
media, James Gordon Bennett plays a key role in initiating this — is about what’s dangerous to capital,” he said.
As the podcast entered the 1900s, Kumanyika turned to the Amsterdam News to tell the story of Black activism against police brutality, such as the community’s reaction to the 1964 killing of Harlem teenager James Powell, which set off a wave of protests across the city.
“I think we already had a New York Times version of history, but we don’t have the Amsterdam News version of history, so I had to go to the Amsterdam News and see what they were saying about police killings and what Black folks were saying, and what the community was calling for,” Kumanyika said in an interview after the event.
From past to present
Uncovering the NYPD’s origins was only part of the podcast’s goal, however. “The real project … is to look at the lines of continuity,” Kumanyika said.
One way the series accomplished this was through the story of panelist Dandia, a Brooklyn native, who was featured in the seventh episode, “The American Problem,” which focused on how the police developed methods for surveilling immigrant communities.
In the early 1900s, the NYPD’s Commissioner Francis Vinton Greene implemented the tactics he learned during America’s colonial rule over the Philippines, when the American colonizers created a Filipino-run police department to keep tabs on revolutionaries. After Greene took command of the NYPD, the department began to surveil immigrant Italian and Chinese neighborhoods by using people from those neighborhoods as undercover informants or hiring them as officers. Anarchists and communists soon became targets as well.
By the mid-2000s, the NYPD was focusing its efforts on Muslim communities like Dandia’s under the guise of fighting terrorism.
“I grew up in the type of New York City
Dandia was soon approached to become a co-plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit that challenged the NYPD’s surveillance tactics. In 2016, the group reached a settlement that shut down the unit that was spying on him and other Muslim New Yorkers.
As the discussion came to a close, panelists discussed some of the overarching lessons of the podcast. Kumanyika argued for a more nuanced approach to the common refrain in activist circles that the policing system in America is operating as it was designed. This perspective, he said, can lead to a sense that the way the police developed was inevitable, and is now set in stone.
“I think when we say everything is working in design, we’re ignoring stories like Asad’s, when someone pushed back and carved out a victory,” he said. “I just think it’s a more powerful indictment, not to say they were working as they were designed back in 1845, but to say there were all these moments where they had an opportunity in that history to [in] a different direction, where people pointed it out, where people protested, where they could have formed in a better way. And instead, they developed in the wrong way.”
He also had a message for the news media, calling on journalists to interrogate and shift how they cover crime. Rather than focusing on what the police define as crime, he said, journalists on a public safety beat should focus on harm.
“Start asking: Where is harm being committed? Who’s committing it? Who’s committing harm on the most massive scale? Is it a person who hops a turnstile and doesn’t pay a $2.90 fare, or is it someone on Wall Street who is doing things that affect people all over the world?”
Shannon Chaffers is a Report for America corps member and writes about gun violence for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/ amnews1.
“Empire City” host Chenjerai Kumanyika (center) and story editor Diane Hodson (right) discuss their new podcast at New York University event moderated by Ryan Howzell (left) (Photo courtesy of Yebu Ji)
Why one Harlem assemblyman’s conflicting image both charms and concerns constituents
By NANA TOURE Special to the AmNews
On Oct. 3, Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs was arrested and handed a summons for disorderly conduct. According to Politico, the District 68 representative was cuffed by officers following an altercation after he and his brother were pulled over for driving an unregistered vehicle. The familiarity of the scene was startling.
Gibbs, once a young man in the same neighborhood facing prison time, now sat in the back of a police cruiser, only this time as an elected official — which is on brand for the assemblyman, who has quickly become East Harlem’s sweetheart. The arrest comes in the midst of the 2024 election season and draws attention to Gibbs, but has a paradoxically opposite effect on his reputation by working in his favor.
Gibbs presents himself as a politician who puts the people first and polls second. The incumbent district representative is running unopposed for a seat in New York’s State Assembly for the second time in a row. But the inevitability of his representation doesn’t mean he has the borough staunchly behind him. Most of the community has never heard of him.
Eddie Gibbs’s story began in New York City in 1987, not in triumph, but beaten sneakers, hand-me-downs from his older brother, and handcuffs. His journey from disgruntled inmate to unchallenged assemblyman in a few decades’ time could not have been foretold.
“He credits his incarceration with turning his life around and is motivated as an elected official to make sure that everyone has chances in life right from the start, free from violence and poverty,” reads Gibbs’ official assembly page. “As a community leader for over two decades, Eddie has held annual coat drives for seniors and people experiencing homelessness, Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas toy giveaways, back-to-school supply drives for underprivileged kids. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eddie cared for vulnerable seniors and distributed food, water and PPE [personal protective equipment].”
Gibbs's struggle resonates with locals, and he lets them know it. His campaign website states: “I share a similar story with many of you. I was raised in an East Harlem NYCHA development. We grew up on welfare, but it was not enough to provide for us. I faced the criminal justice system without proper legal representation. I am running for re-election because no one will fight harder than me for New York’s 68th Assembly District.”
Upon mention of Assemblyman Gibbs, seven in 10 District 68 residents will reply “Who?” with furrowed brows. But add that he has worn the orange jumpsuit, and they suddenly went to preschool together.
“I don’t need to know anything else about him,” says East Harlem born and bred Marvin Gunning, “Everyone’s done things they aren’t proud of. My vote is his.”
“I’m very likely to endorse him,” agrees social worker and local substance use counselor Essivi Collins.
Many residents do not feel the need to research statements as a base for their opinions and are blissfully unaware of the fact that they have no other options — it is Gibbs or no one.
To the public, his story is swoon-worthy. Gibbs, whose charm and affability with the public is spun from his humble beginnings, is the type of politician one can picture having a beer with, is by no means the most known man in El Barrio, and it’s working for him. “He has that average Joe appeal to him as a politician that makes everyday folks feel seen,” an East Harlem-based officer notes as his radio babbles. “A record can actually work to a lawmaker’s advantage, contradictorily enough,” his partner chimes in after a swig from a Dunkin’ cup. Neither was authorized to speak on the record.
Despite the community’s lack of knowledge of Gibbs, it is clear where their loyalties lie.
Superficial loyalty and under-informed voting will keep East Harlem running in place. There is “a dangerous juncture of substance abuse, homelessness, and mental health issues,” said Collins, who sees this every day. “The work is far from done. I’ve made this my livelihood. Considering his upbringing, so should he.”
While Gibbs’s redemption arc resonates with voters, the lack of engagement with who he is beyond his triumphant backstory leaves critical questions about his legislative priorities unanswered.
“People have nowhere to live, they’re sick, they’re starving,” Collins continued. “Harlem’s been gentrified and people are forced
onto the streets. They have no idea who’s supposed to be fighting for them.”
“I’m scared every day to let these babies go when the bell rings,” said assistant kindergarten teacher Marta, whose last name is excluded due to her immigration status, on rising crime rates. “I just pray to see them all in the morning.”
“He can say he’s for the people if that gets him the spot. Thing is, when you make that promise, you’ve got to keep it. There’s no place for empty promises in politics,” said Matthew Alba as he restocks beverages in the deli he works in.
Peggy Anderson, retired from her job as a secretary, takes an “old school” approach to politics. “Could you call it old school to care about your representatives?” she mused. A lifelong resident of East Harlem, Anderson likes to study local politics. “I’m bad with all these gadgets,” she said, gesturing her hands fussily, “But I do what I can. I need to be able to make up my mind for myself. We need to do right by our community. Not knowing whose hands I am in is not an option.”
A third police officer, off the record, commented: “Absolutely, it’s important to know where your local representatives stand. I mean, how else can you hold them to their word if you don’t know what they think?”
Jayden Romero, a student and first time voter agreed. “I think everyone should be able to name important policies of people they’re voting for.”
See ASSEMBLYMAN on page 31
The Knowledge House Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
By ANDY HARRIS Special to the AmNews
The Knowledge House (TKH), a non profit dedicated to strengthening the educationemployment pipeline, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Founded in 2014, the primary objective of the Knowledge House is to close the gap in employment in the technology field by providing training in technology for students in underserved or lower-income communities across the South Bronx.
Over the last 10 years, the Knowledge House has seen several program alumni go on to work in the technology field. The organization’s cofounders, members of the board of trustees, and several reputable community members attended a recent anniversary celebration.
According to Kim Marshall, the organization’s spokeswoman, one of the primary goals of TKH is to diversify the technology industry. “Diversifying tech means being able to reach people in underrepresented communities across the country,” Marshall said.
While TKH started its outreach in the Bronx, they have expanded to all five boroughs in New York City as well as other parts of New
York state. Through the help of donors and supporters, the Knowledge House has been able to reach other metropolitan areas in the country. In addition to New York, TKH now has locations in Newark, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. The new locations were opened in 2021 to help underserved students in those states by giving them the same opportunities to receive technology training.
The Knowledge House CEO and South Bronx native Jerelyn Rodriguez spoke to supporters and staff members who attended the celebration. “We did it, Joe,” Rodriguez said to her cofounder Joe Carano in a callback to Vice President Kamala Harris’s viral video celebrating her victory with President Joe Biden in 2020. Rodriguez told the AmNews she’s both proud of the successes of TKH and excited about what the next 10 years can bring.
“A lot of nonprofits don’t make it to 10 years. So not only have we made it this far, but we’ve accomplished so much,” she said. “We’ve served over 3,000 folks in technology education programs, we’ve changed lives, we’ve partnered with corporations to help close the digital divide, and we’re just excited to keep going.”
In March, Rodriguez was named Pix11’s
2024 Remarkable Woman of the Year. Every year, the network highlights remarkable women who are making a difference in their community. “I think it was all because of Pix11 … I was a finalist for New York. Then I got to join 112 other finalists who are also remarkable women in their cities, and it was great to celebrate everyone’s impact around the country,” Rodriguez said of the awardwinning experience.
Rodriguez also told the AmNews how proud she is of the organization’s expansion. “Right now, we have stories from all corners of this country. We can talk about folks who can help their parents because they have a high-paying job or a mom who can take care of her child because now she’s working in tech. So the fact that the impact is spreading is great because it just feels great to give back.” Rodriguez also told us the next step for the Knowledge House is to open a location in Washington D.C., as well as Silver Springs and Prince George’s County in Maryland.
New York State Assemblymember Amanda Septimo spoke to the attendees about what the Knowledge House means to her. Septimo represents the 84th district, speaking for her home in the South Bronx. “We are celebrating
one of the crown jewels of our borough and that is the Knowledge House…What actually makes The Knowledge House special to me is that it is founded from a place of deep love,” Septimo said.
Jerelyn Rodriguez (Derrick “Udo” Salters photo)
Union Matters
Black workers should ‘vote their interests’ in this year’s elections: CBTU
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
The stakes are high for union workers in this year’s Nov. 5 elections. The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) has a few suggestions about what Black trade unionists should be looking out for this election cycle.
Black workers in the United States continue to face many challenges. Unemployment is higher, Black Americans are paid lower wages and are often discriminated against in various ways while at work. Black workers are also often excluded from important networking opportuni-
ties that could advance their careers, and have higher fatality rates because they are often employed in occupations where injuries are more common.
The CBTU’s Dwight Kirk emphasized that these factors should be considered as union workers head to the polls this year. “Most of our folks understand the consequential stakes in this election and what it means in terms of our ability to continue to make life better for working people, African Americans, people of color in this country –– or whether or not we’re going to be playing in a defensive mode for the next four years,” Kirk said. “To that extent, people are talking about the issues that say, ‘Well, if you want to protect your right to vote, or if you want to protect your ability to collectively bargain, or if you want to protect the healthcare benefits that you have, then you have a choice in front of you. And that choice is to show up at the polls and to vote. Vote your interests.’
Accessibility at the ballot box
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
People with disabilities and the elderly often face unique challenges getting accessible voter information that others may not encounter. It’s important to remember heading into Election Day on November 5 that interpretation services and assistance can be made available for those in need.
“I am deafblind,” said New York DeafBlind Advocates founder Marc Safman, who was recently awarded a REVUP! microgrant to help register more disabled voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. He is also an Accessible Voting Advisory Committee (AVAC) member for the New York City Board of Election (BOE).
According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) latest report, voter turnout among those with disabilities increased in the November 2022 elections. The EAC reported about 15.8 million disabled citizens across varying demographics — like gender, race, ethnicity, age, and region — helped close but did not eliminate the turnout gap. A big factor in boosting the vote was the decision by multiple states to make it easier to vote by mail between 2018 and 2022. New York State attempted to follow suit in 2021 by making mail-in voting permanent through a state constitutional amendment but it was voted down. The state’s lawmakers tried again in 2023, passing the No-Excuse MailIn Voting law. Republicans filed a suit against the law, but it was upheld by the state’s Supreme Court this year.
The EAC’s 2022 post-election survey found that “14% of voters with disabilities had some
type of difficulty voting” at a polling place or with a mail-in ballot. These individuals are also less likely than people without disabilities to have access to the internet for voter information, and are more likely to use noninternet sources such as printed mailings or TV, said the report.
Using the grant, Safman created a series of print voter guides in Braille and using quick scan QR codes that he’s worked to distribute to schools and organizations for the deaf and blind. The NYC Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) does provide a braille version of their voter guide but it’s only upon request.
“With the younger generation, there’s an emphasis on screen readers and audio,” said Safman. “And it’s not very helpful if your power goes out or if you actually want to walk away and review what you just heard.”
Safman noted that many candidate’s campaigns struggle to have adequate American Sign Language (ASL) and tactile ASL interpreters for their intended audience. Some rely on free audio description, transcriptions found on social media platforms, screen readers, or widgets and overlays on websites to be compliant with accessibility standards, said Safman, but very few invest in tools that help their message reach voters with different kinds of disabilities.
“There’s just a huge shortage of interpreters, qualified interpreters. There’s a very severe shortage of nonwhite, culturally appropriate interpreters,” said Safman. “So it’s very, very challenging.”
The NYC BOE has made strides toward meeting interpretation and language needs for disabled residents.
“We strive to provide in-person interpre-
“We’re hoping that we can make the case to people that it is in their interest to be motivated enough to vote and to vote in their best interests.”
The CBTU, a nonprofit membership organization, speaks from a powerful social justice position. Across the nation, its chapters sponsor scholarships, help youth apply for jobs in the trades, and work on projects that confront food scarcity and housing problems.
The recent death of William “Bill” Lucy, a co-founder of the CBTU, resonates deeply for the organization’s members –– especially during this election season.
Lucy was a long-term civil rights and trade union activist. He helped organize the 1968 Sanitation Strike in Memphis, Tenn., that moved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so much that he came to support the Memphis workers. Lucy also authored the famous “I Am a Man” phrase that laborers carried on placards as they demanded rec-
ognition of their often-dangerous work. His work led to his serving as international secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) for 38 years, and his social justice work led him to cofound the Free South Africa Movement (FSAM) in 1984. Lucy was also the first African American president of Public Services International (PSI), an organization he helped push to form closer relations with Latin American and African countries.
“When you look at the span of time that Bill was in the movement, involved in different issues and consequential things –– from Martin Luther King and participating in the Sanitation Strike in 1968 in Memphis to Nelson Mandela being freed in South Africa in part due to the work that anti-Apartheid leaders like Mr. Lucy engaged in, to Barack Obama becoming
tation for a twohour window during the time frame the voter plans to cast their ballot,” said the BOE’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Unit Director Ariel Merkel in an email response. “If we are unable to secure in-person interpretation, we will provide video remote interpreting (VRI) for the designated time frame.”
Voters with disabilities may request ASL or tactile interpreters by submitting a request in advance to ASLRequest@boenyc.
gov. Safman suggested that voters give the BOE 48 hours notice to find an interpreter and to email at least 48 hours prior to voting with your full name, email address, phone number, date and time frame you plan to vote, and your assigned poll site.
Merkel added that voters should be able to ask poll workers on site or request a Ballot Marking Device (BMD), if they need assistance reading the ballot. Voters with other print disabilities — like blindness, low vision, dyslexia, dysgraphia, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities that limit writing abilities — can apply for an accessible ballot electronically and vote using their phone or tablet at home, however the deadline to request one online was October 26.
Voters can still apply for one in person at a county BOE through November 4, 2024.
“Voters also have the right to have some-
one they trust help them read and mark their ballot, as long as that person is not the voter’s employer, union representative, poll watcher or a candidate on the ballot,” said Merkel.
Lastly, Safman said that voters with mobility challenges could use discounted Uber and Lyft rides to get to the polls on Nov. 5 if they can’t arrange other transportation. https://www.uber.com/newsroom/ vote-2024/ https://www.lyft.com/vote
For more in depth information on how NYC BOE ensures the voting process is accessible to voters with disabilities, watch lighthouseguild.org/accessible-votingknow-your-rights/
For more information on requesting sign language interpretation at the polls, visit vote.nyc/important-notices/sign-languagepoll-sites
For more information on the BMD, visit vote.nyc/page/ballot-marking-device
See
Accessibility line at early voting poll site for elderly voters at Remsen Hall on Oct. 26. (Contributed photo by Marc Safman)
A consequential election like no other!
As the tumult in the presidential race increases, especially from the Republican ranks, Trump has doubled down — as we knew he would — on the outrageous insults and demeaning of people and countries. He also gave additional validity to his promise to be a dictator from day one by hosting a rally at Madison Square Garden, as if to give credence to a historical gathering there by Nazis in 1939.
In effect, the charge that his ideas are freighted with fascism becomes more evident each day, and Americans had better heed what he promises dictatorially.
Here lately, his surrogates are carrying water for him, most recently comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during his appearance at Madison Square Garden, where he sparked a furor when he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” In this, Hinchcliffe echoed Trump’s comments the other day when he said America is “a garbage can for the rest of the world,” in keeping with his anti-immigrant agenda.
Hinchcliffe was only letting his leader know how much he agreed with him on the matter of garbage. It unleashed a backlash from Republicans concerned that it might torpedo plans to embrace Latinos, Black voters, and other people of color. And they better do what they can to repair this situation, with the latest national polls showing Harris resuming her leadership in a race just a few days from the finish line. Things are getting scarier and scarier as we approach Halloween, and neither candidate can afford a misstep or gaffe in the final push to gain the Oval Office. We agree with Gov. Hochul that Trump’s speech at Madison Square Garden had a ring of concession, but knowing what we know of this snake oil salesman, he will do whatever misdeed is possible to win this election, and like the snake he is, not until we completely disconnect his head will he concede. Even then, defeat is not assured, as we learned so well in 2020.
Kamala and her team are moving wisely, doing overtime in the battleground states, especially in Michigan, where the Arab vote, like everything about this election, is consequential.
Kamala Harris & Beyoncé say: Get in formation and vote for freedom
By KEITH BOYKIN Word in Black
“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.
HOUSTON — They say everything is bigger in Texas, and Kamala Harris’s huge rally there on Friday night was no exception. With just over a week to go in the election, Harris came to the Lone Star State and accomplished three goals.
1. Exposing the human cost of abortion bans
First, Harris exposed the danger of the Trump abortion bans that threaten the lives of women and re-centered reproductive rights as an issue in the final days of the campaign.
Ondrea Cummings of San Antonio told the crowd of 30,000 people that when she discovered her pregnancy was not viable, she was given no options to protect her own health. “Because of Texas’s extreme laws, I was told I had to wait,” she said.
Watching the tearful Cummings tell her story of being diagnosed with sepsis and surviving a partial lung collapse reminds us that abortion is not some abstract academic issue for debate. These are reallife people.
“Texas abortion bans unleashed by Donald Trump almost cost me my life,” Cummings said. “I’m here to advocate for the women who are unable to share their truths, for the many Black and Brown women whose pain is often dismissed and disregarded.”
It takes courage for a Democratic presidential nominee to go to the belly of the white evangelical world and fight for reproductive rights, but Kamala Harris was not afraid to bring it, even fighting off a few MAGA hecklers who infiltrated the crowd.
2. Spotlighting down-ballot power
Allred, a fourth-generation Texan, told the rally how he tried to defend the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. “I went to public school in Texas — I’m not just going to sit there,” he said. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol, the Canadian-born Texas senator who led Trump’s effort to overthrow the election was nowhere to be found. “Ted Cruz was hiding in a supply closet,” Allred said.
3. Closing the deal with confidence — and Beyoncé and Kelly
Third, Harris demonstrated confidence heading into the final stretch of the election. The truth is that red states have millions of blue voters who need to be inspired, and some states, like Texas, are on the verge of turning purple if we just show up to vote.
Which brings us to Destiny’s Child.
“Houston, we are grabbing back the pen,” Kelly Rowland told the rally, asking them to write a new chapter and a new song for the state and the country. It was a point Beyoncé made in her remarks as well.
Second, Harris shined a light on Texas Democratic Senate candidate Colin Allred, who is running to unseat Ted Cruz. Harris reminded voters that Democrats need to vote in down-ballot elections for Senate, House, governor, state legislature, and other offices to accomplish her policy objectives. “When Texans vote for Colin Allred for United States Senate, we will be … closer to being able to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade,” Harris told reporters in Houston.
“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said. And as a mother, she reminded us that “it’s time to sing a new song.”
With the unexpected rally in Texas, Harris returned her campaign to where it began in July with a message of freedom that echoed in Beyoncé’s music. Republicans have hijacked the word “freedom” in recent years to mean freedom for businesses to avoid government economic regulations and freedom for the worst people to carry the worst guns, but the Harris campaign has created a new vision of freedom focused on community.
Harris’s vision of freedom is freedom to control your own body, freedom to love who you love, freedom to read the books you choose, freedom from gun violence, and freedom not just to get by but to get ahead in a new opportunity economy. It’s not a divisive freedom for some to be difficult to others — which the MAGA Republicans yearn for — but an inclusive freedom for all of us to live our dreams because we’re safer, stronger, and more prosperous when our neighbors are, too.
“There’s one thing I know about Texas is that we believe in freedom,” Allred said, “but that’s not just a Texas value. It’s the defining question of this election, and men have every reason to be concerned about the women in our lives. Because of Donald Trump, today’s young women have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers did. And if Trump gets back in office, many others will have their rights taken away as well.
“As Kamala Harris reminded us, whether you live in one of the seven swing states or deep in the heart of Texas, your vote is your power. Don’t give up your power.”
Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, co-founded the National Black Justice Coalition, co-hosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in AfricanAmerican Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.
Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief
Damaso Reyes: Executive & Investigative Editor
Beyonce at the Kamala Harris Rally in Houston October 25th, 2024 (Greg Noire photo via Wikimedia)
What’s love got to do with this election?
REV. DR. JACQUI LEWIS
FIERCE LOVE
Who are you voting for, family? Maybe that’s not a polite question. What are you voting for? Let me tell you my answer.
My great-uncle, George Jordan, a farmer in Ruleville, Miss., was a trustee at St. James Chapel. That’s where Fannie Lou Hamer came to find her vocation to work for voting rights in Sunflower County with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). George Jordan joined her in this work, walking up and down dusty country roads to register folks to vote. He did this at risk to his job, his property, and his reputation. He did this at risk to limb and life. When we were young children, we heard the story: “They shot in Uncle George’s house because he worked for justice …” like we heard, “No matter what, you must vote.” Those two truths are always with me; they are with me today.
I’m voting for Uncle George. I’m voting for Fanny Lou Hamer. For my grandmother, Louella Jordan Edwards, who we called “Ma’ Dear” before Tyler Perry’s warm and wicked character came on the scene. I’m voting for my late parents, Emma and Richard Lewis, who grew up in Jim Crow, raised six children, sent us to college, and taught us we were young, gifted, Black, and amazing because we were their children and God’s children, too.
I’m feeling powerful as I think about going to the polls for my people, my ancestors, and my progeny. I’m voting for my nieces, my nephews, and my grandchildren. I’m taking them to the polls, and I am taking my trans-staff and friends; I am taking the women and femmes in my congregation and in my national neighborhood who deserve reproductive choice. I’m voting for an economy that works for all of us, for science that helps us love our Mama Earth. I’m voting for guns off the street, for truth-telling in our classrooms and in the public square. I’m voting for racial/ethnic equality and for all genders and sexualities to feel safe, seen, known, and loved in our nation.
Love your neighbor
I’m a universalist Christian, and I’m voting for the values of Rabbi Jesus.
He taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves. In fact, as a Universalist, I am fascinated by the fact that all the world’s major religions teach this neighbor love. Judaism teaches, “You should love the stranger because you were once strangers in a strange land.”
Zoroastrianism and Islam both teach,
“Don’t withhold from your neighbor that what you need for yourself.” Buddhism teaches, “Whatever is disagreeable to yourself, do not do unto others.”
The Sikh tradition teaches, “Do not do anything to break anyone else’s heart.”
Can you hear that ubiquitous call to love? It is rooted in the ancient South African philosophy of Ubuntu: A person is a person through other persons. I am not human by myself; I am not human without you, beloved. I can’t be who I am, Dr. King said, unless you can be who you are. We must love our neighbor, so we can be who we are. Therefore, I’m voting for love of my neighbor. I’m voting for love of the stranger. I’m voting that we do not withhold what our neighbors’ need. I’m voting for everyone to have enough. I’m voting for peace and the end of war and genocide everywhere. I’m voting for the least of us, for my siblings on the margins.
I admit that no one is perfect, no candidate or party is perfect and I’m rolling the dice to vote for the candidates and the party that seem to me to not be “the lesser evil,” but rather, to be for the
“greater good” for the most of us. As I write this ,I am demanding, every day I can, a permanent ceasefire. I’m calling POTUS (212-456-1111) and engaged in the ceasefire movement, and I am not letting up just because there is an election coming.
I’m voting for humanity to survive and thrive. I’m voting for decency and the end of name-calling. I’m voting in the name of Rabbi Jesus — who was at once homeless and an immigrant — for economic justice for poor people and for immigration policies that honor the fact that this is a nation of immigrants (and Jesus was one, too.)
I’m voting for Love. Period. Not hatred, love. Not bigotry, love. Not enmity, love. Not hoarding, but love. Not name-calling, love. Not fascism, love. I’m voting for Love. And Love demands justice. Love corrects everything that stand against love.
I’m voting for Just Love. Period. What about you?
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is senior minister and public theologian at Middle Church in New York. She champions racial, economic, and gender/sexuality justice. The author of several books, including “Fierce Love” and the “Just Love Story Bible,” her work has been featured on NBC, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, NPR, and in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Ebony and Essence magazines.
Early voting has begun
CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.
I know I’ve been talking about the importance of the November 5 election for several months, and now election season is actually upon us. Some voters like to vote on Election Day. They like the energy and promise of the actual day at the polls. Others, however, know they might be too busy on the first Tuesday in November and therefore choose to vote early. I am one of those people.
I am usually a little busy on Election Day, giving interviews and analyzing how I think swing states might behave, based on everything from last-minute attack ads to the weather. I’m incredibly busy the day after the election, even if we don’t have exact results. However, when it comes to exercising my civic duty, I like to vote as early as I can so my spirit can relax just a bit, knowing I have made my ancestors proud.
When I go to the polls, I tend to think of my grandparents and ancestors, who did not have the full franchise. I think of the dangers my grandparents and so many other Black people faced in just trying to exercise their right to vote. Black people faced not just physical violence and threats — so many also faced loss of employment merely for exercising their right to vote.
I recently completed a manuscript that will come out in a few months, “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams,” analyzing the bravery of these Black women in helping to
create a stronger foundation for all people to participate in politics, especially at the ballot box. Luckily for New Yorkers, we have resources to help us know where to find our polling site and to get a glimpse of our ballot before we head to vote. Early voting began on October 26 and extends to November 3. For some voters, their early voting polling site may differ from their site if they choose to vote on November 5, so it’s important to get accurate information before heading out. There are also six ballot initiatives you should familiarize yourself with before seeing these wordy descriptions on your New York ballot. By reviewing them early, you will have the opportunity to talk to friends about how you’d like to vote, or have them answer any questions you may have. I know I’m voting Yes on the first initiative and No on initiatives 2–6, but that’s just me. Do your own research so you can be informed about what is best for you. If you’d like a preview of your ballot before voting, go to http://whosontheballot.org/ to see your actual ballot, get your polling station, and preview the ballot initiatives. For most of us, there are several additional elected positions for you to vote on. An informed voter is what we need this election.
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.
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and her parents
Caribbean Update
Caribbean pushes Britain to talk reparations
By BERT WILKINSON
Special to the AmNews
The Commonwealth summit, involving more than 50 former British colonies around the globe, ended over the weekend in the Pacific island nation of Samoa, with the Caribbean delegations being somewhat pleased that they had helped to force the British to agree to formally discuss reparations for the transAtlantic slave trade.
The region — comprising about a dozen independent nations, along with African powerhouses like Nigeria and Ghana, as well as Pacific nations with links to slavery — had held a strong unified position, demanding that Britain own up to the horrors of slavery and be prepared to not only apologize for its role, but also shell out monetary compensation and consider debt write-offs at future forums.
A document signed by the heads or delegation leaders of the 56 nations indicated that “the time has come” for Britain to engage in dialogue about reparations, noting the need for “discussions on reparatory justice” for a system of human abuse it described as “abhorrent.” The doc-
ument also said that it is time for “meaningful, truthful, and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.”
Even before last week’s summit in the Pacific, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) nations had fired some tough political salvos, warning that Britain must no longer be allowed to escape from facing up to its genocidal role in the slave trade in more than a dozen countries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had refused to acknowledge that the issue would have been one of the dominant topics at
the summit. Instead, he told reporters that the grouping had enjoyed a “positive two days” and that the climate change issue had been the main topic of discussions.
“The dominant theme of the two days has been resilience and climate,” Starmer said, pointing to references to reparations amounting to only one paragraph of more than 20. “None of the discussions have been about money. Our position is very, very clear in relation to that.”
The Caribbean had been demanding a formal summit with
Europe to discuss slavery, but strong resistance had come from France and Portugal in particular. Regional officials have said that the Netherlands appeared to be the most open to dialogue, had even apologized for its role in slavery two years ago, and has said it is willing to engage in future talks about almost any topic. That was back in December 2022.
Meanwhile, Starmer said a planned Caribbean-UK forum in March next year might well be the next best opportunity to push ahead on the issue, even as the region has
already engaged a British law firm to prosecute its case. The prognosis is that the region should go ahead because the case is a legal “slam dunk.”
Before the summit, Caricom Chair and Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell had said the grouping was determined to fight its case. “Our position on the matter is clear. Reparations and reparatory justice is an issue we are, and will champion, whether the British chooses to acknowledge it or not. This is not merely about paying or payment. The Caricom 10-point action plan makes it clear that we are dealing with and seeking acknowledgment of the horrors of the Atlantic slave trade; the enslavement of Blacks and persons of African descent in the Caribbean; the plantation and colonization economy that dehumanized, marginalized, and impoverished Blacks and persons of African descent. We are seeking partnership in dealing with these atrocities and the consequences of the atrocities from those nations [that] committed those acts.”
Colleague Mia Mottley of Barbados had told an international forum recently that Britain’s bill to the Caribbean amounts to just under $5 trillion.
Caribbean immigrants optimistic for a Kamala Harris win
With the Nov. 5 general election approaching, many Caribbean American voters are hopeful that U.S. Vice President Kamala Devi Harris, 60, will secure a historic victory over former President Donald Trump and be sworn in as the nation’s 47th president in January 2025.
For many, Harris’s ties to the region through her Jamaican father, economist Dr. Donald Harris, add a personal connection to her candidacy. Yet, more pressing is the anxiety among Caribbean immigrants about the implications of a Trump return. Harris has given minimal acknowledgment to her Jamaican heritage since becoming vice president and the Democrat-
ic nominee, but naturalized Caribbean American voters — who form a significant part of the foreign-born Black electorate — are energized by the possibility of electing a U.S. president with Caribbean roots. Harris would not only be the first female president, but also the first Black woman, second Black leader, and first U.S. president of Caribbean descent. With an estimated 4 million Caribbean immigrants in the U.S., particularly in states like New York, Florida, New Jersey, and Georgia, many Caribbean American voters are rallying behind Harris, even though her campaign has directed minimal outreach toward Black and Caribbean media.
Antiguan-born political adviser Dr. Issac Newton is among those confident in a Harris victory, noting that the political landscape is driven by “double dislike” — strong opposition within some Republican circles
against Trump’s extreme behavior and a factional resistance to a Black female president. “These raw, potent forces are difficult to measure, but they could decisively impact the outcome if party bases remain steady,” Newton said. “My intuition suggests that, due to these dynamics, the actual margin of victory may be broader than current polls indicate and give Kamala the win.”
Jamaican-born Clement Humes, a U.S. voter and host of “Groovin Radio” in New York, shares this optimism. “I have a lot of confidence Kamala will win,” Humes said. “I think Americans are looking beyond race and know Mr. Trump is dangerous for America, with his talk of wanting to be a dictator and having generals like Hitler. As long as we exercise the right to vote, Kamala can win.”
Gregory Smith, a Jamaican immigrant and Obama campaign veteran, also sees Harris emerg-
ing victorious. “She will win like Obama did in ’08,” Smith said, adding he has already cast his vote for her.
Another hopeful voice is Guyanese immigrant and U.S. veteran Annan Boodram, who now leads The Caribbean Voice, a nonprofit focusing on mental health advocacy. Confident of Harris’s chances, Boodram believes her support is stronger than polls suggest. “I believe Kamala will win because of differences not only in personalities but in their approach to campaigning; and because of Trump’s campaign to demonize, demean and label,” he said.
With polls showing a near 50/50 split, Caribbean American voters remain hopeful that Harris will gain the edge to make history.
Trinidad & Tobago-born photojournalist Hakim Mutlaq urged voters to assess the candidates’ integrity as they would in a personal relationship.
“If your partner lies every day and continues even after it’s pointed out, how long would that relationship last?” he asked. “In my world, they’d be out of my life quickly.”
Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news about Black immigrant communities from the Caribbean and Latin America.
Dominica-born Helena Joseph, a senior marketing leader and host of Defining YOU, believes Harris’s support base is broader than many expect. “I’m confident Harris will win by a larger margin than expected because there’s more support for her than the polls capture,” she said. “I predict this underreported support will surprise many, and I’m thrilled to see her potentially make history, embodying the strength and values that I and so many Caribbean-Americans hold dear.”
Apia, Samoa. Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a session at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa. (Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street photo)
International News
Rwanda shrugs off ‘sportswashing’ criticism in pursuit of winning development formula
By ADRIAN BLOMFIELD Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — He may be the president of a small, landlocked state in central Africa, but Paul Kagame has always had outsized dreams.
In recent months, Rwanda’s president has embarked on perhaps the biggest of them all by pitching to bring a Formula 1 Grand Prix to a country that was mired in genocide 30 years ago but now sees itself as one of the continent’s leaders.
Determined to overcome his country’s geographical disadvantages, Kagame has relentlessly pursued a political, diplomatic, and economic strategy to make Rwanda an African heavyweight.
In the past four years, he has sent troops to engage rebels in the Central African Republic and mount counterinsurgency operations in Mozambique.
At home, he has pursued economic reforms to lure foreign investors, transforming Rwanda into a country with a reputation as one of Africa’s least corrupt and most business-friendly, despite Kagame’s own reputation as a democratic laggard.
When it comes to sport, his aspirations extend well beyond Africa.
Since 2018, his government has secured sponsorship deals with some of Europe’s biggest soccer clubs, developed a partnership with the NBA, and spent hundreds of millions of dollars in developing Rwanda’s sports facilities. Next year, Rwanda will stage the world championships for bicycle road racing.
Kagame has built a close working relationship with Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, which has opened an office in Rwanda and held its annual meeting there last year. Now he is taking the biggest step yet in his ambition to transform the country into a global sporting power, with F1 executives confirming that they are in exploratory talks with Kagame’s government about a possible Rwandan Grand Prix.
Experts say that could require billions of dollars in investment and outlay. Given that Rwanda’s Gross Domestic Product stands at just $14.1 billion and there is, at yet, no track on which to host a race, the idea of a Rwandan Grand Prix might seem far-fetched. However, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton pushing for an African F1 race and given Rwanda’s reputation as one of the continent’s more reliable and transparent states, it is not impossible, either.
Stefano Domenicali, F1’s chief executive, has described Rwanda’s proposal as “serious,” telling motorsport.com that “they have
presented a good plan.”
“We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan,” he added.
Both the Kagame administration and F1 officials are reluctant to reveal details about what they describe as “ongoing” discussions, but Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said hosting an F1 race would allow the country to move “from being a consumer of sport to a participant in the business of sports.”
“Rwanda’s interest in Formula 1 aligns with our strategy to leverage sports for transformative impact,” she said. “We seek every opportunity to drive forward Rwanda’s development, including through global sporting partnerships.”
Rwanda is not alone in seeking an F1 race, with potential competitors also in Africa.
South Africa, which hosted Africa’s last Grand Prix in 1993, and Morocco, which staged 13 races between 1925 and 1958, are also reportedly keen to re-enter the fray.
That Rwanda is bidding at all reveals much about how Kagame views sport as an economic and geopolitical weapon. If Rwanda can navigate the obvious economic risks, its ambitious sporting strategy could yield big dividends, both financially and diplomatically. The Seoul Olympics in 1988 helped South Korea transform its global image from an in-
sulated, war-ravaged backwater to an emerging economy open to the world.
Although no other sub-Saharan country has quite such a comprehensive and ambitious strategy, Rwanda is following the example of countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, which have used sport — including hosting Grand Prix races — to boost their reputations abroad.
Like them, Rwanda has faced criticism that it is using sport to distract attention from a checkered human rights record. Kagame, who secured 99.2% of the vote in July’s presidential election, is accused of using increasingly repressive methods to consolidate his 30-year grip on power. Critics of his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front have experienced intimidation, arrest, and even death.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has accused Kagame’s government of stoking, funding, and arming a rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda’s troubled neighbor to the east. The United States cut military aid to Rwanda in protest.
Both Rwanda and its international sporting partners have faced accusations that they are using sport to divert attention from Kagame’s rights record, a practice known as “sportswashing.”
In August, two U.S. senators, Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jeff Merkley, wrote to the NBA accusing it of “putting
profit over principle” by forging close ties with the Rwandan government.
The prospect of a Rwandan F1 race has renewed such criticism.
“The critical question is what kind of due diligence Formula 1 did to ensure it lives up to its own stated human rights commitments and avoid contributing to laundering the Rwandan government’s human rights record,” said Clementine de Montjoye, senior researcher in the Africa division of Human Rights Watch. “Rwanda’s partners should open their eyes and see Kigali’s wide-reaching human rights abuse for what it is: the consequence of three decades of impunity for the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front.”
Rwanda is far from the only country with a contentious rights record that has used sport to shape a different narrative about itself. Saudi Arabia, stung by scrutiny after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, has invested more than $10 billion in sport, including golf, F1, and soccer. Infantino has steered the men’s 2034 World Cup hosting rights toward Saudi Arabia. Qatar, which has close commercial links with Rwanda, spent $230 billion on hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Yet Rwanda is a financial minnow in comparison and depends on donor aid to fund 40% of government expenditure, leading to questions about the wisdom of seeking to emulate Gulf petrostates.
“The Saudis employed this sort of strategy to get people to forget about awkward things like dismembering journalists,” said Michela Wrong, author of “Do Not Disturb,” a book critical of Kagame. “The difference is Saudi Arabia can afford these deals. Rwanda can’t. Rwanda is a very poor country, heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture and foreign aid, which is pouring millions of dollars into some of the world’s richest clubs. There is something innately distasteful about this.”
There is little doubt that Kagame’s sports strategy is an economic gamble. Despite his business-friendly policies, Rwanda’s market has proved too small to lure significant inward investment, something that hosting big-ticket sporting events could go some way to address, particularly if it gains “first mover advantage” by getting ahead of other African rivals.
On the other hand, even richer states have struggled to make event hosting pay.
“Sporting events are incredibly expensive to stage and the net impact is very often negative rather than positive,” said Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport and geopolitical economy. “For Rwanda, given its relative economic weakness, this will be a concern.”
Rwandan president Paul Kagame (Reinis Inkens, Saeima via Wikimedia)
You have power. Vote with it.
For your family, for your community, for our city — let’s light up the polls on November 5. Scan the QR code or visit vote.nyc to find your polling site and other resources.
Arts & Entertainment
Joshua Henry on dream role in ‘Ragtime’ at NYCC
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
Joshua Henry has a remarkable voice and incredible stage presence, and is a marvelous performer, so I was thrilled — although not surprised — to learn that he will lead the cast of the New York City Center (NYCC)’s production of “Ragtime,” Oct. 30–Nov. 10. Playing the role of Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Henry will lead an all-star cast, playing opposite Nichelle Lewis as Sarah, with additional featured cast members John Clay III, Rodd Cyrus, Colin Donnell, Matthew Lamb, Tabitha Lawing, Caissie Levy, Ben Levi Ross, Stephanie Styles, Shaina Taub, and Brandon Uranowitz.
“Ragtime” is a powerful musical that looks at racism and inequality in this country. It has a tremendous book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and is based on the E.L. Doctorow novel of the same name. The musical will feature direction by Lear DeBessonet with music direction by James Moore.
Just as rehearsals were beginning, Henry took the time to speak with the AmNews about this project and his professional journey, along with finally getting his dream role.
AmNews: How did you hear about the role of Colehouse Walker, Jr. in the NYCC production of “Ragtime?”
JH: Last year, Lear deBessonet was directing a workshop of a piece I’m writing. On a 10-minute break, she said “I have this idea for ‘Ragtime,’ but is this something you’re interested in?” All I could do was laugh because it’s the only role from a revival I’ve remained interested in. She couldn’t believe I’ve never played him before. So grateful for Lear’s vision. This is my only dream role and I’m finally ready to embody him.
AmNews: What do you identify with, regarding the character of Coalhouse Walker, Jr.?
JH: Coalhouse’s DNA is music. He loves it like breathing and he uses it to bring people together. He’s a leader aware of the shoulders he’s standing on. He is steadfast and committed to those around him. He’s made some hor-
rible mistakes, but demonstrates his commitment to making them right. I’m certainly not this every day, but Coalhouse makes me want to try harder.
AmNews: What does it mean to you to be performing the role for the Oct. 30 gala, where the original Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell will be honored?
JH: Speaking of shoulders I get to stand on … Brian Stokes Mitchell is a giant to me and to so many other Black men in art and beyond. I hope to honor the legacy of power, versatility, and grace he symbolizes, as well as the
advocacy for artists he continues to fight for.
AmNews: Why is “Ragtime” so relevant today?
JH : America is a beautiful, triumphant experiment. It was in 1902 and it is in 2024. “Ragtime” paints a picture of a country asking itself, “Will you live up to all that you claim to be?” It shows that America is at its greatest when that question is at the forefront.
AmNews: How excited are you to work with Nichelle Lewis as Sarah?
JH: Nichelle is incredibly talent-
with my brother David. It was at those places where I learned how to sound like me.
AmNews: How do you keep your fantastic instrument in shape?
JH: Thank you very much! I sing a lot and practice strengthening different parts of my voice like an athlete trains different parts [of the body] each day. One day, I’ll just practice certain vowels with a lighter sound; other days, different vowels with a heavy sound. My voice is not my identity but I’m committed — healthily obsessed — to find ways to keep it growing. [I drink] lots of water — usually around a gallon a day in rehearsal/performance. I’m also constantly singing different styles with other music I write, which only helps with the current sound I’m making in “Ragtime.” I do love my voice!
AmNews: What do you feel when you play a role like this?
JH: I feel a sense of peace [in] playing this role. Coalhouse has been my only dream role. In 2010, there was a revival I auditioned for but didn’t get. Honestly, I wasn’t ready … but I’m ready now. I’ve lived some life, I’ve had three amazing kids with my glorious wife Cathryn, and most importantly … my spirit feels ready. I respect and admire Coalhouse’s journey so much.
AmNews: What advice would you give to young people who want to enter this industry?
ed and so easy to work with. She brings an honesty, openness, and excitement to her work that is so refreshing to witness.
AmNews: Joshua, you have graced the stage in many musicals, and your voice is legendary. Where did you get your professional training?
JH: I’m proud to have trained formally at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, but I found my voice at Victory Bible Fellowship in South Florida, where I was on the praise team. Then I was in a band called Peanut Butter and Jam Session
JH: My advice to young artists is make a habit of asking yourself, “What kind of artist do I want to be?” And this answer may change over time. It can be an artist who can pay the bills, one who dabbles in it for fun, or one who wants to be exceptional and of service to humanity. All those require a different kind of commitment. Try to be honest about where you want to be and then get curious, research, and practice what will be required for you to get there.
AmNews: Why should people come to experience the production at NYCC?
JH : I believe they will be moved beyond belief, feel a deeper sense of connection to their neighbor, and leave singing the most glorious songs ever written for the stage.
Joshua Henry stars in “Ragtime” at NYCC (Jenny Anderson photo)
Black curators bring Pan-African aesthetic to the Met
By BRENIKA BANKS Special to the AmNews
More and more often, institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, commonly known as the Met, are prioritizing the showcasing of artworks from Black and Brown artists. The museum’s recent “Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism” exhibition was a massive success and has contributed to a culture shift in the institution.
The Met will continue to spotlight Africandiasporic art with the upcoming “Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876–Now,” opening Nov. 17. Characterized as an artistic, scholarly, and scientific engagement of modern Black artists and cultural figures with the art and culture of ancient Egypt, the exhibit serves to challenge racist, eurocentric constructions of the celebrated civilization.
Curator Akili Tommasino anticipates a continuing evolution of exhibitions focusing on Black and African diasporic art. “Certainly, the shifts in museum leadership have opened up avenues for previously marginalized perspectives to be highlighted,” Tommasino said.
Having held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston as well as the Museum of Modern Art, Tommasino became an associate curator at the Met in 2021 and was promoted to curator in the summer of 2024. Only approximately 4% of museum curators in the United States are Black, according to data from the Mellon Foundation.
While coming up in the museum world, Tommasino had envisioned a project for the past several years that would be transhistorical and interdisciplinary. Because of his Black and Caribbean background growing up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, he recognized and was aware of his global Africanness. “I was surrounded by the kinds of vernacular esthetics that exist throughout the African diaspora and Black communities, expressing a connection with ancient Egypt,” said Tommasino. He conceptualized this project as a “Pan-African phenomenon” and designated Egypt as a symbol for people of African descent globally. “The exhibition really is a product of my whole lifetime of collecting images, memories, and experiencing things growing up,” he said.
Tommasino described the story told by this upcoming production as paying homage to Pan-African history. “We have been planning the programming for months,” said Heidi Holder, the Met’s chair of education. “This exhibition is looking at Egyptian culture, history, and its esthetics and its formation.”
Holder comes from a background in education and arts-education programming, and started her Met position during the pandemic. The Trinidad and Tobago native described that pandemic period as “the time of reckoning for institutions like ours.” Since then, the Met has had time to rethink its plans and approaches with regard to local visitors
See FLIGHT INTO EGYPT continued on next page
Met curator Akili Tommasino (Brenika Banks photo)
Fred Wilson (American, born New York, 1954), Grey Area (Brown Version), 1993 (Brooklyn Museum, bequest of William K. Jacobs, Jr. and bequest of Richard J. Kempe, by exchange)
Continued from page 18
and communities. “The Met is an educational institution — this is the perfect time for me to be here,” said Holder. Her particular skills and resources help highlight the exhibits as both an artistic and educational experience.
Holder emphasized that the museum is open to all, especially those in Black and Brown neighborhoods. “I’m an educator, so I will also say this idea of art is very much about problemsolving and thinking critically,” she said.
“Flight into Egypt” will support the museum in welcoming more diverse audiences, as when it attracted a record-high 56% BIPOC visitors from the United States, according to the Met’s July 2024 news release; a major part of that visitor growth was reported to be due
to the “Harlem Renaissance” exhibition.
Holder mentioned a connection to the Harlem Renaissance with this newer project, with the ideas of modernism shaping cultural pride in the African American community. Multidisciplinary art, interdisciplinary art, music, and literature all play factors in this new display, she said. The show will also include live performances in a designated gallery known as the Performance Pyramid, inspired by Egyptian esthetics.
“The programming is going to be lit,” said Holder, laughing. “It will be for all ages.”
The Met intends to work harder to reflect
New York City’s metropolitan location. These African diasporic art exhibitions will continue to exist especially because of the staff and curators who are dedicated and invest-
ed in creating shows like them. “Everything is changing,” said Holder, who applauded Tommasino for his thorough research in curating “Flight into Egypt.”
“This exhibition will have something for everyone — the breadth and depth of materials is extraordinary — and I hope the show attracts people to the Met who were not previously aware that the institution was available to them,” said Tommasino.
“It will open eyes, it will open up minds,” said Holder. “The Met is the people’s Met — this is their Met. There is amazing stuff happening here.”
“Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876–Now” opens at the Met on Sunday, Nov. 17. For more info, visit www. metmuseum.org/exhibitions.
Place, 1974. Directed by John Coney (Courtesy North American Star System Production; John Coney)
Henry Ossawa Tanner (American, 1859–1937), Flight Into Egypt, 1923 (Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Lauren Halsey (American, 1987), FreedomEx, 2022 (Photography: Allen Chen/SLH Studio. Courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery)
Iman Issa (Egyptian, 1979), Heritage Studies #7, 2015 (Courtesy the artist and Sylvia Kouvali, London/Piraeus)
AmNews FOOD
Talking SCHOP! Thanksgiving in July?
Happy Halloween! I hope you gals and ghouls have a sweet and safe All Hallows Eve. And now, just as how Labor Day suddenly becomes New Year’s Day, it is time for all of the Thanksgiving turkey talk! I have been fortified with years of cooking, yes, but also with a workshop I attended in July 2023. Now, the time is right to share it with you.
During my great hiatus from this page there were many fun and informative food–related events. One of those events was a hands-on Thanksgiving turkey workshop from Diestel Turkey Farm at My Cooking Party. Led by fourth-generation turkey farmer Heidi Diestel, we learned about the farm and what they produce, how to prep and stuff turkeys, and ate a food comaworth of food.
Diestel Family Farm (www.diestelturkey.com) is a 75-year-old turkey farm in Sonora, California. With over 90 products to their name, Diestel raises their turkeys by using regenerative, modern, and sustainable practices to benefit everything from the soil and the animal and to the consumer. In a time when American farming is difficult, Diestel continues to forge ahead with their honorable mission for thoughtful quality.
Back to this amazing Thanksgiving in July workshop …
Before we began cooking, Heidi whet
our appetites with a taste test of a flight of some of Diestel’s most popular turkeys — organic young turkey, oven roasted whole turkey, organic American heirloom turkey (rare turkey breeds), regenerative raised, and pecan-smoked turkey (my turkey bae).
This was a redemptive moment for all of the bad, underseasoned, overcooked turkeys I have eaten in my life. We then moved to the lesson. In teams of
two, we prepared a traditional herbed stuffing for the cavity and a simple rub of butter, paprika, salt, and pepper to paint the bird. Some of the best tips Heidi offered us are:
• roast the turkey in a 325 degree preheated oven only (no starting high and lowering the temp)
• measure the internal temperature of the bird accurately by inserting a thermometer until bone is hit then retracting it to
the center of the flesh
• pull the turkey from the oven before it hit the internal temperature of 165 degrees as it will continue cooking as it rests outside of the oven for up to one hour You can find more helpful turkey roasting instructions and all of their turkey offerings on their website.
We did not have to wait for the turkeys we prepared to be roasted for us to have our July Thanksgiving feast; those were roasted and delivered to a NYC food bank. We dined on our selection of roasted Diestel turkeys with salad, cranberry chutney, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, and Diestel’s rich turkey gravy product.
Over a year later, this event remains one of the more memorable Thanksgivings I have had. It was a delicious meal I did not need to prepare, free of the seasonal entertaining pressures plus “leftovers” that keep giving.
Thank you Heidi and the whole Diestel Family Farm for a fun and informative afternoon.
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 over 22 years. Follow her on Instagram, @SCHOPnyc and on Facebook, @SCHOPnyc.
Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@ SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD.
KYSHA HARRIS FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC
Taking tasting notes of Diestel turkeys Stuffing and preparing Diestel turkey class Diestel turkey stuffed and ready for roasting Diestel turkey Thanksgiving in July meal
With Heidi Diestel of Diestel Farm (Kysha Harris photos)
November 2024 Dance Calendar
By CHARMAINE PATRICIA WARREN Special to the AmNews
Topping this month’s calendar is Garth Fagan Dance in their return to the Joyce Theater (through Nov. 3) with two New York City premieres, according to the release. Artistic Director Norwood Pennewell’s “The Rite of Spring” “… offers the audience an intimate look into the Shaman class rituals — intended to mold and empower the Chosen One, their newest initiate.” Executive Director Natalie Rogers-Cropper’s work “Life Receding” explores “… resilience and the impact of global warming on her native Caribbean islands.,” Also on the program are works by the company’s founder, Garth Fagan: “Prelude” (1981) and “Sanku” (2006).
For more info, visit www.joyce.org.
Still running:
Oct. 30–Nov. 2: After 30 years, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company returns to BAM’s Next Wave with “Still/Here,” the controversial 1994 multimedia dance theater work. Created during the AIDS epidemic, “Still/Here” breaks boundaries between the personal and the political, exemplifying a form of dance theater that is uniquely American. This production is supported by Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels. For more info, visit www.bam.org.
Also this month:
Nov. 1–3: Matthew Rushing’s “Sacred Songs: A Journey of the Spiritual” offers dance and music dedicated to and inspired by the legacy of Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece “Revelations.” It is part of “Edges of Ailey” at the Whitney Museum of Art.
For more info, visit www.whitney.org.
Nov. 1, ongoing: “STAGED,” the digital world premiere by vAL, will feature Corey Scott-Gilbert and Roderick George in an endless loop of false starts where two nihilistic characters rally through self-reflection to interrogate their roles in a theatrical conundrum. Accompanied by the voice of Gus Solomons, Jr.
Subscribe to the newsletter for access at www.baryshnikovarts.org.
Nov. 2: As part of the 50th Anniversary Gathering for Danspace community artworkers and artists that have been part of their 50 years, Danspace has invited 50+ artists with special connections to create short films in response to the prompt “50 Forward: The Future Is ...” Admission is free and open to the public with RSVP to danspaceproject.org.
Nov. 2–3: At the Rose Theater, choreographer Huang Yi and audiovisual pioneer Ryoichi Kurokawa dismantle and reconstruct the calligrapher Tong YangTze in the U.S. premiere of “Ink.”
For more info, visit www.lincolncenter.org.
Nov. 5–10: Limón Dance Company opens at the Joyce Theater with Limón’s “Gethsemane in The Traitor, Scherzo, and Missa Brevis,” a world premiere by Kayla Farrish described as a reimagining of two lost Limón works, and Doris Humphrey’s “Two Ecstatic Themes.”
For more info, visit www.joyce.org.
Nov. 7–9: Presented as part of “Edges of Ailey” at the Whitney Museum of Art, Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s work explores cycles, ritual, heritage, and lore.
For more info, visit www.whitney.org.
Nov. 7–23: “UNDOXX,” curated by zavé martohardjono, Maya Simone Z., and Jamie Chan Created, this multi-week series features performances, films, and new media works by NYC-based art-
50 Cent rejects Trump's $3 million offer; Keke Palmer is Creme of Nature’s new CBO; Kerry Washington campaigns for Kamala Harris
ists and international artists, with conversations, teach-ins, resource-sharing, and more.
For more info, visit www.jackny.org.
Nov. 8–9: As part of its Dancing Futures Residency, Pepatián’s presents “Maima: The Water Spirit,” which explores language of movement as a way of communication and time travel through music, in partnership with BAAD!
For more info, visit www.baadbronx.org
Nov. 8–9: Inspired by the Lila ceremonies, traditional mystical and musical celebrations of his native Morocco, Ismaël Mouaraki explores trance with a group of male dancers in his newest creation.
For more info, visit www.newyorklivearts.org.
Nov. 9: Danspace Project hosts the Bebe Miller Company for a NYC residency focusing on Miller’s 1982 “Vespers, Reimagined,” which premiered at Danspace Project as part of “Parallels,” a series curated by Ishmael HoustonJones and later revisited at the Danspace Project in 2012.
For more info, visit danspaceproject.org.
Nov. 13–16: Levi Gonzalez brings “Hoary,” “a practice of being in our bodies, of not knowing something but making something anyways.” to the Chocolate Factory.
For more info, visit chowww.colatefactorytheater.org.
Nov. 14–16: The New York premiere of Ralph Lemon’s “Tell it anyway” opens the exhibition “Ceremonies Out of the Air” at MoMA PS1. “Lemon and his collaborators weave abstract movement and song lyrics into an explosive examination of memory, race, and impermanence,” according to the release.
For more info, visit www.momaps1.org
Black-founded legacy hair care brand Creme of Nature has officially announced award-winning actress/songstress Keke Palmer as their first chief brand officer! In this role, Palmer will not only serve as the face of the brand as an on-camera model and spokesperson, but she will also work closely with the Creme of Nature team to help shape their product lines and more. Palmer posted on Instagram. “I’m beyond excited to announce my new role as @cremeofnature first-ever Chief Brand Officer! Let’s make some magic!”
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson turned down a $3 million offer to perform at former President Donald Trump’s controversial rally at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27, the rap mogul revealed on “The Breakfast Club” radio show on Oct. 29, reports Variety. Host DJ Envy directly asked 50 if it was true that Trump offered to pay him for an endorsement. 50 answered, “yes,” then continued. “I got a call, but they wanted me [for] Sunday.” Envy went on to ask if it was true that 50 was also asked to perform his song “Many Men” this past summer at the Republican National Convention. Said 50, “They offered $3 million,” presumably speaking about the MSG rally, but confirming he was asked to attend both......
Blue Engine Records — Jazz at Lincoln Center’s in-house record label — announced the release of Wynton Marsalis’s “The Shanghai Suite,” a live recording featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (JLCO) and special guest clarinetist Ye Huang. Captured during the U.S. premiere of “The Shanghai Suite” at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater in 2022, Marsalis’s newest longform work is a musical meditation on ancient and modern China, inspired by that civilization’s rich mythology, cuisine, and architecture and set to the language of jazz rhythm. ...... Multi-award winning actress Kerry Washington is on a roll. On Oct. 23, the “UnPrisoned” star attended a dinner hosted by Tod’s at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, California. The following night, she was honored at the WIF Women In Film Honors with the Entrepreneur in Entertainment Award in Beverly Hills, California. Then, on Oct. 27, Washington hit the road and traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to campaign for Vice-President Kamala Harris’s race to the White House
South Bronx’s arts and cultural scene gets new stage at Bronx Music Hall
By MARIELLE ARGUEZA Special to the AmNews
After a decade of fires in the Bronx, 24 theaters, nightclubs, and music halls crucial to the borough’s unique musical and cultural landscape were lost. Save for the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1980, the two dozen venues for the performing arts were shuttered — abandoned, burned, or failed. No new performing arts center was built for decades.
More than 50 years later, the Women’s Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco), a nonprofit affordable housing developer, changed that on Oct. 18 when they opened the Bronx Music Hall.
Integral to the identity of their third and largest affordable housing development, the Bronx Commons, the Bronx Music Hall welcomed the public with three days of musical and dance festivities. The opening brought names like MC Sha-Rock, credited with being the first woman rapper; Ghanian dance group Wuza Wuza Ensemble; woodwind and brass band the Individuals for Peace; and Grammy-nominated percussionist and South Bronx native Bobby Sanabria.
The completion of the Bronx Music Hall was especially close to Sanabria’s heart. As co-director of WHEDco’s pet project, the Bronx Music Heritage Center, Sanabria told reporters during a press tour on Oct. 17 that the musical legacy — apart from its invention of hip-hop — would have nearly been forgotten had it not been for the tremendous efforts of grassroots groups like WHEDco.
The Bronx Music Heritage Center, which was originally housed in another WHEDco development, provides free and low-cost dance and musical classes for housing and neighboring residents. Now, it will be head-
quartered and continue to grow its programming from the Bronx Music Hall.
“We’re going to be continuing that, but on a grander scale,” said Sanabria.
“Grander” is the right word: The affordable housing development itself has 305 units, 26,500 square feet of retail space, and 150-seat 3-K and pre-K schools. The music hall itself was a $15.4 million project that takes up 14,000 square feet and features a 250-capacity theater, dance studio, green room, recording facilities, and back-
stage dressing room for performers. Rooms at the music hall will also be available for rent to the public.
Sanabria wants to bring more types of music, dance, and acting classes to the hall, including plans for a well-trained youth orchestra. The public-facing programming will continue the mission of the heritage center, which will help keep a nearly forgotten cultural history alive and in the neighborhood.
“All of that’s available now to the commu-
nity. They don’t have to go to Manhattan — they can come here and feel comfortable, and do it in a world-class setting,” Sanabria said. “There’s so much talent here in this borough that doesn’t get an opportunity to shine, and we’re going to allow it to shine here at the Bronx Music Hall.”
The Bronx Commons would not have existed without the Bronx Music Hall. Upon winning the bid, WHEDco wanted to go beyond the basic needs of the Melrose neighborhood. Research guided by Fordham University academics and archives focusing on Black history, and community surveys, heavily informed the resources and businesses WHEDco wanted to support and attract.
“I don’t think we would have won this city [request for proposal] without [the performance arts] being central to what we were bringing, because everybody does housing,” WHEDco President Davon Russell told the AmNews. “This is why this all made sense to us, again, given the history.”
The nonprofit’s exploration into the neighborhood also revealed that longtime residents longed for communal areas and were nostalgic for places to observe or participate in the diverse cultures found in the neighborhood. WHEDco Vice President of Community Development Kerry McLean said the music hall will help current and future South Bronx residents.
“Music just happened organically where people gathered,” said McLean. “That’s what we heard from people and corroborated. Now, here is a space where all of that history, and all of that hope, too, for that music to pass on to the next generation, or for the next generation to refine and take it to the next level.”
For more info, visit www.bronxmusichall.org.
Exterior of the Bronx Music Hall (Photo courtesy of Bronx Music Hall)
WHEDco President Davon Russell gives media tour to reporters before public opening of Bronx Music Hall (Marielle Argueza photos)
WHEDco Vice President of Community Development Kerry McLean plays grand piano featured in entrance of Bronx Music Hall
New books for Black girls: ‘Black Girlhood’ and ‘Brown Girl, Brown Girl’
By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews
Our young Black women are a powerful source of inspiration for growth, empowerment, and poetry, and a true potential for artistic and literary leadership in the United States and globally. Two new books that support the well-being and knowledge of Black girls are “Freedom Fire: Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood,” edited by Leah Johnson, and “Brown Girl, Brown Girl,” by Leslé Honoré. These books are refreshing and offer Black girls and youth opportunities to acquire pride and inner peace.
“Freedom Fire: Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood,” edited by Leah Johnson
“Freedom Fire: Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood,” edited by Leah Johnson, is an enchanting collection that illuminates the joys, strengths, and unique experiences of Black girls. This middle-grade anthology features contributions from a remarkable lineup of 15 Black female authors, including Ibi Zoboi, Sharon M. Draper, and Dhonielle Clayton, each offering a fresh perspective on what it means to grow up as a Black girl.
The collection weaves together diverse narratives and poems, showcasing the
myriad experiences of Black girlhood. Each story is a vibrant celebration of resilience, creativity, and community. From whimsical adventures like escaping a mysterious dollhouse to heartfelt moments like bringing a favorite stuffed animal to a sleepover, the anthology encapsulates both the lighthearted and profound aspects of childhood.
Other contributors include Renée Watson, known for her poignant storytelling, and Kalynn Bayron, who brings a modern twist to traditional narratives. Each author offers a distinct voice and style, ensuring that every story resonates with the themes of joy and empowerment. Together, they create a rich tapestry that reflects
the multifaceted nature of Black girlhood.
“Brown Girl, Brown Girl,” by Leslé Honoré
“Brown Girl, Brown Girl” by Leslé Honoré is a viral poem by Honoré that explores the experiences of Brown and Black girls as they navigate a world that often prioritizes appearance over individuality. The book opens with the lines, “Brown girl, brown girl, what did you see? A world that sees my skin before it sees me.” This sets the stage for a narrative that reflects on identity, visibility, and the importance of self-acceptance.
Each stanza invites readers into a celebration of the everyday triumphs and challenges faced by girls of color. From moments of laughter to expressions of resilience, the poem honors the shared experiences that unite Brown and Black girls, fostering a sense of solidarity and empowerment.
As illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, a Caldecott Honor-winning artist, the visuals in “Brown Girl, Brown Girl” are a feast for the eyes. The artwork complements Honoré’s text, bringing to life the vibrant spirit of the characters and their environments. Cabrera’s illustrations enhance the narrative, emphasizing the joy and strength inherent in the experiences of Brown and Black girls.
MORE THAN $86 BILLION CONTRIBUTED TO NEW YORK PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 1967� MORE THAN $86 BILLION CONTRIBUTED TO NEW YORK PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 1967�
Jazz Foundation of America, Dizzy’s, Nublu Review
On Oct. 31, The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) continues its Thursday afternoon series at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem (58 West 129th Street) with guitar master Teddy Royal. His sound was the real definition of R&B. He has lent his bluesy rhythmic flow to such the bands as Hank Crawford, Koko Taylor, Lou Rawls, and Patti LaBelle, but most die-hard old school blues folks will acknowledge him for his 30-year tenure with the legendary Fats Domino on hits like “Blueberry Hill,” “Blue Monday,” and “Ain’t That a Shame.”
On Halloween afternoon at 2 p.m., before the goblins come out for fun and mischief, Royal, the New Orleans native, will perform with a trio that’s sure to pull out some oldies but goodies, as well as his originals from his previously released albums. This event is FREE and open to the public! For more info, visit www.jazzfoundation.org.
From Oct. 31-Nov. 3, as witches and werewolves howl through the streets of New York on that special frightening night, Dizzy’s jazz club (10 Columbus Circle) will be busy on their usual jazz front featuring the super all-star collaborative septet The Cookers. Since their inception in 2007, conceived by trumpeter David Weiss, the septet with over 250 years of experience has captivated audiences around the globe. Their dynamic arrangements and improvisational musicianship make for a different journey regardless of how many times you experience their performances. The lineup of longtime collaborators features trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss, tenor sax Azar Lawrence, alto sax Craig Handy, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Hart.
One question that crosses my mind: Is the name The Cookers at all related to the albums “Night of the Cookers: Live at Club la Marchal,” Vols. 1 & 2 recorded in 1965 at the noted Brooklyn club and released on Blue Note Records in 1965 and 1966, respectively? Those two incredible nights also presented an all-star septet that featured trumpeter Lee Morgan, saxophonist James Spaulding, pianist Harold
Mabern Jr., bassist Larry Ridley, Pete LaRoca, and percussionist Big Black. Regardless of the answer, the current Cookers are carrying on their predecessors’ tradition in grand fashion.
For one night only, one of the most invigorating trumpeters on the music scene, Josh Evans, brings his big band into Dizzy’s jazz club on Nov. 4. When the first call trumpeter isn’t gigging with the likes of Christian McBride, Rufus Reid, Gregory Porter, or David Murray, he is off leading his own band.
Evans has performed with such an array of musicians in and out of his own bands, it will be a surprise to see who will be part of this big band, which is sure to be an exciting evening. Over the years he has performed with a prestigious list of musicians such as Muhal Richard Abrahms, Jackie McLean (his mentor), Gregory Porter, Oliver Lake, Rene McLean, Billy Harper, and Charles Tolliver.
For one intriguing night, Evans will showcase his big band which should include some of his contemporaries, who, like him, bring fresh music and ideas pushing the elements of jazz to new realms, presenting his own arrangements of original material and standard tunes. They will perform two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. For more information and to make reservations, visit jazz.org.
Nublu, the tiny music nest on the Lower East Side known for
its independent music explorers who often go beyond jazz limits, recently featured Japanese trumpeter and composer Seiki Yukimoto. Only in the Apple for a brief moment from his native Japan, he managed to sell out both shows for his one-night appearance. His ensemble was a gathering of New York established band lead-
ers, who performed with Yukimoto during his city engagements. The noted musicians included guitarist and producer Spaceman Patterson (Miles Davis, James Brown), bassist Stanley Banks (George Benson), percussionist (congas, bongos), Jose Luis Abreu (Andrew Lamb, Matt Lavelle), drummer Craig Holiday Haynes
(Freddie Hubbard, Gloria Lynne), and Newman Taylor Baker on the rarely used washboard; he is the “one man percussion orchestra” as described by Max Roach, known for his drumming he found a unique sound on the washboard (Matthew Ship, Henry Threadgill). With only a sound check, no rehearsal, and a few collaborative notations with Yukimoto, the group jumped right into a deep whirlwind of blistering music. It was an evening of genre cross pollination. They played off each other with an intuitive sense allowing for hard-hittin’ solos with Spaceman bringing the guitar funk, Abreu’s Latin tinge, Burrs’ R&B keyboards with Banks soul á la mode, Haynes bringing it home with lyrical melodic inserts, Baker’s wash board improvisations, and the leader playing bold trumpet riffs and yet something new on his Quena flute bridging the sound of East and West.
Yukimoto, who arranged and composed all the music, explained, “I like using different musicians to give me a different sound that stretches the parameters of jazz,” he explained. “I want to have an all-around sound in jazz tradition but with more grit. I play jazz and beyond that is what we call it in Japan, it’s not fusion.” Yukimoto isn’t new to the Apple, having lived here during the 1980s while attending Columbia University. His two notable roommates were avant garde trumpeter and composer Don Cherry and Miguel Pinero, playwright and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café. He says of Cherry, “Don was completely different; everything he did was new to me. He was a super musician. The NYC musicians play with so much power and there is so much competition so I have to do lots of practice to try to keep up always practicing but I love playing in New York it’s so much energy.”
Here in the city, Yukimoto has a modest reputation, but in Japan he is a renowned bandleader, having led his popular Soulbleed band for over two decades. “I am educating young people to play my music in Japan, it is a mix of East meets West with some of my influences Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Don Cherry,” commented the trumpeter. “I am working on music for his [Cherry] documentary.” For more info, visit seikiyukimoto.com.
Japanese trumpeter and bandleader Seiki (Ron Scott Associates photos)
Trump’s Rally
deserve at the ballot box.”
Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka added that, “the selection of [the comedian] Hinchcliffe as a headliner at the event … a deliberate choice, as even a cursory scan of his social media posts indicates the racist loathing and venomous hostility of a white supremacist.”
Hunter College’s Center for Puerto Rican Studies published a “demand that Trump condemn this characterization of Puerto Rico. Moreover, we demand that Trump explain what his position is on Puerto Rico, and what his policy priorities are for this U.S. territory, the home of more than three million U.S. citizens. We also call for the Republican Party at the national and state levels to clarify what their positions are on Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans in the United States.”
New York City’s annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade labeled the statements at the Trump-Vance rally racist and misinformed:
“First, Puerto Rico is a beautiful island whose U.S. citizens make tremendous contributions to this country in the military, medicine, science, education, sports, and many other disciplines. Puerto Ricans alone have earned over 2,700 Purple Hearts in defense of the United States.
“Our historical and cultural legacy and the beauty of Puerto Rico are not just well-documented, but also globally recognized. Another 5.8 million American citizens who recognize and embrace their Puerto Rican ancestry live in the states, in crucial voting states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina. Shockingly, people choose to speak with ignorance about Puerto Rico, spewing garbage statements. This insult will not diminish who we are or what we represent but should remind us of the critical importance of voting on November 5th.”
Latin trap/reggaeton musician Bad Bunny responded to the rally by promoting Kamala Harris’s plan for Puerto Rico to his more than 45 million Instagram followers. In an interview broadcast this past Labor Day, Bad Bunny had called for more political activism among Puerto Rico’s seemingly apathetic youth voters; he said protesting when things go wrong is important, but it’s even more critical to vote and have a say about who is named to sit in a governing position in the first place.
Meanwhile, lawyer Sunny Hostin, who is a co-host on ABC television’s talk show “The View,” reacted to the Trump-Vance rally by saying, “Puerto Rico is trash? We are Americans, Donald Trump.
“My fellow Puerto Ricans, trash collection day is November 5, 2024. Don’t forget it.”
Demeaning, dehumanizing
The Trump-Vance rally’s insult to Puerto Rico was magnified by the event’s timing at MSG: the Republican Party rally coincided with the 50th anniversary of the largest demonstration for Puerto Rican independence in U.S. history.
The “Day of Solidarity with the Independence of Puerto Rico” took place October 27, 1974 at Madison Square Garden. It was the largest demonstration for Puerto Rican independence ever, larger than anything that had ever happened in Puerto Rico.
“There were nearly 20,000 people there filling Madison Square Garden,” recalled Alfredo López, lead organizer of the Day of Solidarity with Puerto Rico.
“There were people from all kinds of communities; people actually purchased tickets so we can kind of trace and track the demographics of the crowd. There were 11,000 from Puerto Rican communities –– mainly mobilized by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party in those communities. And then there were about 8,000 … from other organizations and cities that we had organized. We’d spent a year and three months organizing the thing: I remember I was 24 years old when we started and the pain of running around the country, organizing work committees in every one of the 12 cities where we organized and mo-
voted for the first time on Saturday. He said that while he cares about the shortage of jobs and housing among his friends, he was not particularly “inspired” to vote.
“I feel like it’s a duty,” Reddick said. “Like people should vote, but I’m not really inspired to do it.” He was much more excited about walking with the band to the polling place and thought that was a cool experience.
Voter turnout overall has continued to improve.
bilized … it was just a gigantic effort.”
The Trump-Vance rally taking place on the anniversary of the gathering for the Day of Solidarity with Puerto Rico felt like a slap in the face, said López and Angel Roman, who are both now members of the activist group, Radical Elders. They said that prior to October 27, they had come across a few proTrump Puerto Ricans. Deep down, these were people who wanted to vote for Trump because they did not want to vote for a woman to be president, particularly a Black woman. After this week’s rally, López told the Amsterdam News, it would be inconceivable for any conscious Puerto Rican to vote for Donald Trump now.
“It is such a profound affront: even if they didn’t know the coincidence of dates, it is such an insensitive and demeaning, dehumanizing way of approaching a people. But I suspect that somebody in that freaking campaign knew about the coincidence of events because, what the heck, it’s one of the most historic events in the history of the Puerto Rican independence struggle. You put something on at Madison Square Garden like that on the exact 50th anniversary, and you open it up with a filthy joke about Puerto Rico? That’s just too much; I don’t believe in that kind of a coincidence,” López said.
minorities, feeling like we had someone who identified with us going into this space.”
Early voting ends on Nov. 3. Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
duced the Bill S. 5984-A/A. 6132-A to create a “Golden Day” on the first day of the early voting period so New Yorkers could register to vote and cast their ballots at their polling places on the same day without hassle.
It was introduced in 2023 as a part of a larger legislative package designed to strengthen voting rights and was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul last September. Bills in the package that were passed included protections for absentee ballots counting, forcing “faithless electors” to resign, establishing a deadline for changing location of a polling place, establishing an early voting by mail system, disseminating voter registration information at city jails, training programs for poll workers, and promoting student voter registration and pre-registration.
“It’s a progressive piece of legislation, and last year was the first opportunity to see it at
play,” said Assemblymember Latrice Walker, who volunteered her time on Golden Day to help the Brooklyn NAACP text-bank voters throughout the state. “We were standing outside of a poll site and people were walking by and we [would ask], ‘Are you registered to vote?’ We got a number of people who said no, so the immediacy of ‘I can register to vote and vote’ will heighten the chances of a person actually voting, because it’s not like you have to be reminded to come back or something.”
In an effort to capture the attention of more Black and Brown youth and get them to cast their ballots on Golden Day, Williams and Mealy asked the Brooklyn United (BU) youth band to escort voters to the early voting poll site at Weeksville’s Heritage Center. They played music, marched, danced, strolled, stepped, and promenaded through the streets with volunteers in tow chanting, “Fired up and ready to vote!”
Elijah Reddick, 21, a Brooklyn native who attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School,registered and
On Oct. 26, the New York City Board of Elections (BOE) announced that this year’s first day of early voting was the “highest day” ever for turnout. Early voting lines in Brooklyn were down the block at times from when polls opened to when they closed, said line clerks.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 29, early voting check-ins were up to 495,478 throughout the five boroughs (unofficial and cumulative as of close of polls), posted the BOE. The most votes were cast in Brooklyn (150,805), Manhattan (136,206), and Queens (112,350). The fewest were cast in the Bronx (50,830) and Staten Island (45,287).
“It’s kind of like we’re back in an Obama moment, right?” said Abernathy-Boston. “Because when Obama was running it was such a huge response to us, people of color,
Brooklyn NAACP members and volunteers with Councilmember Darlene Mealy on Golden Day. (Ariama C. Long photo)
CLASSROOM IN THE
Barbara Ann Alston, lead singer and co-founder of the Crystals
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
When vocalist Barbara Ann Alston died in 2018, she left behind a trove of great recordings and a legacy of complicated legal entanglements, but she is best remembered as the lead singer and co-founder of the Crystals, one of the most popular early doo-wop girl groups in the early 1960s.
Alston was born on December 29, 1943, in Baltimore, Md., and grew up in Brooklyn. Her singing career began after she won a talent show with a group called the Delphi Thezonians, before co-founding the Crystals, which was named after songwriter Leroy Bates’s daughter. She was still a teenager when she joined a quintet of high school girls from Brooklyn to organize the group with inspiration and guidance from her uncle, Benny Wells. While her main interest in the beginning was merely to oversee the choreography, her colleagues soon realized the potential
of her alto voice as the lead singer.
With her voice out front, she was backed by Dolores “Dee Dee” Kenniebrew, Mary Thomas, Patricia Wright, and Myrna Giraud.
When producer Phil Spector heard the group, he found what he had been seeking, and then pushed Alston to be the lead singer for his newly formed Philles Records. According to several sources, he had overheard them singing the Brill Building, a musical fulcrum in Manhattan. The group was soon an important niche in Spector’s “wall of sound” and established him as one of the nation’s top producers. The gospel-tinged “There’s No Other (Like My Baby)” was the group’s first hit in 1961, making the Billboard Hot 100. It was composed by Spector and Alston’s uncle, with her as the lead singer.
The recording was done on the evening of the prom at William H. Maxwell Career and Technical High School, with Alston, Thomas, and Giraud. It reached number 20 in 1962 and was the debut record-
ing on Spector’s label. In the same year, the group was No. 20 on the Billboard charts with “There’s No Other (Like My Baby).” This hit was followed by “He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss),” which did well despite the element of domestic abuse, though Alston regretted recording it. “‘He Hit Me” was absolutely the one record none of us liked,” she said. “We knew in our hearts that it was going to be a controversial piece and argued on several occasions with Phil about releasing it.”
Most troubling about the tune were the lyrics, particularly a line from the verse that said “I could have never made him mad/But he hit me and I was glad.” Moreover, they sang “Yes, he hit me and it felt like a kiss.” The song was composed by the great team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who wrote the song after discovering that their babysitter and singer “Little Eva” Boyd was being regularly beaten by her boyfriend.
From 1961 to 1964, the Crystals had a string of hits, including
such enduring recordings as “He’s a Rebel,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” and “Uptown,” which gave them their second radio hit. It was after this hit that Giraud, then pregnant, was replaced by Dolores “Lala” Brooks. In 1963, Brooks became the lead singer, and two years later, Alston left the group.
Alston continued as a performer in the Broadway production of “Cabaret” in 1966, and later returned to the Crystals in a brief reunion. Soon her singing career was over, however, and she began working in secretarial jobs in New York and later in Charlotte, N.C. Her marriages to Daniel Prophete and Kenneth Pitter ended in divorce. She had a daughter with Prophete, who later claimed that Alston sued Spector for her share of royalties, and two children with Pitter. There was also a son with L.C. Cooke, Sam Cooke’s younger brother.
Alston died at a hospital in Charlotte, N.C., on February 16, 2018. She was 74.
ACTIVITIES
FIND OUT MORE
Most of the information here was gathered from obituaries, although there is a biography of the group by Bruce Eder.
DISCUSSION
We chose not to delve too deeply into the litigation and the issue of royalties that would have required extensive research.
PLACE IN CONTEXT
Alston lived to 74 but most of the fame she acquired occurred in the 1960s, when she was a member of one of the most popular girl groups of the era.
THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY
Oct. 27, 1922: Actress and activist Ruby Dee was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She died on June 11, 2014. She was 91.
Oct. 29, 1945: Tony Award-winning actress Melba Moore was born in New York City.
Oct. 30, 1930: Jazz musician Clifford Brown was born in Wilmington, Del. He was killed in a car accident in 1956.
Barbara Ann Alston (far right) (Publisher-Beat Publications/Prestige Publishing-Cinnamon Cinder teen club via Wikimedia photo)
Health
People 50 and older should get pneumococcal vaccine, U.S. health officials recommend
By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer
U.S. health officials recommended on Wednesday that people 50 and older get a shot against bacteria that can cause pneumonia and other dangerous illnesses.
The recommendation was made by a scientific advisory panel and then accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The decision lowered the minimum recommended age from 65 for older adults to get the shot.
“Now is a great time to get vaccinated against pneumococcal disease in preparation for the winter respiratory season,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement Wednesday night.
The advisory committee voted 14–1 to make the change during a meeting earlier in the day in Atlanta. The guidance is widely heeded by doctors and prompts health insurers to pay for recommended shots.
Pneumococcal shot recommendations are sometimes called the most complicated vaccination guidance that the government issues. The CDC currently recommends shots for children younger than 5 and adults 65 or older, as long as they have never been vac-
cinated against pneumococcal disease. Officials also recommend the shots for children and adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, such as those with diabetes, chronic liver disease, or a weakened immune system.
There are more than 100 known types of pneumococci bacteria, which can cause serious infections in the lungs and other parts of the body. Each year, the U.S. sees roughly 30,000 cases of invasive pneu-
mococcal disease, which includes blood infections, brain and spine inflammation, and other illnesses. About 30% of cases are among 50to 64-year-olds.
The first pneumococcal vaccine was licensed in the U.S. in 1977, and since then pharmaceutical companies have been coming up with newer versions that target a dozen or more types in a single shot. Different vaccines have fallen in and out of favor, including Pfizer’s Pre-
vnar 13, which was once a top-seller but is no longer available.
Four vaccines are now in use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this year approved the newest — Merck’s Capvaxive, which can cost around $300 a dose and protects against 21 types, including eight not included in other pneumococcal vaccines. A Merck spokesperson said it was specifically designed to help protect against the bacteria types that cause the majority of severe disease
in adults aged 50 and older.
The CDC advisory panel recommended the vaccine in June as an option for adults at higher risk. At the time, the committee also talked about the possibility of lowering the age recommendation for older adults. They noted that illness-causing infections peak at age 55 to 59 in Black Americans — a lower age than what’s seen in white people. But the committee put off that decision until this week’s meeting.
Some concerns: A booster shot may prove to be necessary, perhaps in about 15 years, and some new vaccines in development that could force another update to the recommendations.
“Pneumococcal has been a very confusing recommendation for many, many years and it’s hard to have a new recommendation every two or three years,” said Dr. Jamie Loehr, chair of the committee’s pneumococcal working group. He was the only person to vote against the proposal.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Condom use declining among younger generations
By DEVNA BOSE AP Health Writer
Condom usage is down for everyone in the U.S., but researchers say the trend is especially stark among teens and young adults.
A few factors are at play: Medical advancements like long-term birth control options and drugs that prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs); a fading fear of contracting HIV; and widely varying degrees of sex education in high schools.
Although this might not spell the end of condoms, public health experts are thinking about how to help younger generations have safe sex, be aware of their options — including condoms — and get regular STI tests.
“Old condom ads were meant to
scare you, and all of us were scared for the longest time,” said Dr. Joseph Cherabie, medical director at the St. Louis HIV Prevention Training Center. “Now we’re trying to move away from that and focus more on what works for you.”
The Associated Press examined the factors behind the trend and how public health experts are responding. Here are key takeaways.
Medical advances change attitudes
As the fear of contracting HIV has declined, condoms are no longer a priority for men who have sex with men.
Today, there are many options to prevent HIV and other STIs, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and doxycycline post-exposure pro-
phylaxis (doxy PEP), which can be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex and can help prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
The downward trend is evident among men who have sex with men via apps like Grindr, a popular gay dating app, which lists condom use under “kinks” instead of “health”
Researcher Steven Goodreau believes the lack of use is trickling down to younger generations, and that the promotion of PrEP has overshadowed condoms as an STI prevention strategy. Two federal HIV strategies don’t mention condoms.
Andres Acosta Ardilla, who works at an Orlando-based clinic that cares for Latinos with HIV, said condom use among men who have sex with men
Scanning electron microscope image of Strepotococcus pneumoniae bacteria (yellow) being attacked by irregularly shaped white blood cell (red) (Photo via National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
They came to America looking for better lives — and better schools; results were mixed
By BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS AP Education Writer
AURORA, Colo. (AP) — Starting seventh grade at her first American school, facing classes taught entirely in English, Alisson Ramirez, 13, steeled herself for rejection and months of feeling lost.
“I was nervous that people would ask me things and I wouldn’t know how to answer, and I would be ashamed to answer in Spanish,” the Venezuelan teen said.
But it wasn’t quite what she expected. On her first day in Aurora Public Schools, a Denver suburb, this past August, many of her teachers translated their classes’ relevant vocabulary into Spanish and handed out written instructions in Spanish. One promised to study more Spanish to better support Alisson.
“That made me feel better,” Alisson said. Outside the classrooms, it’s a different story. While that school system is striving to accommodate more than 3,000 new students, mostly from Venezuela and Colombia, the city government has taken the opposite approach. The City Council has tried to dissuade Venezuelan immigrants from moving to Aurora by vowing not to spend any money on helping newcomers. Officials plan to investigate the nonprofits that helped migrants settle in the Denver suburb.
When Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman spread disputed claims of Venezuelan gangs taking over an apartment complex there, former president and current GOP candidate Donald Trump magnified the claims at his campaign rallies, calling Aurora a “war zone.” Immigrants are “poisoning” schools in Aurora and elsewhere with disease, he has said.
Trump has promised that Aurora, population 400,000, will be one of the first places he launches his program to deport migrants if he’s elected.
This is life as a newcomer to the United States in 2024, home of the “American dream” and conflicting ideas about who can achieve it. Migrants arriving in this polarized country find themselves bewildered by its divisions.
One thing has seemed obvious to Alisson’s mother, Maria Angel Torres, 43, as she moved around Aurora and nearby Denver looking for work or running errands: While some organizations and churches are eager to help, some people are deeply afraid of her and her family,
The fear first became apparent on a routine trip to the grocery store. Torres was standing in line when she moved a little too close to the young woman in front of her. The woman — a teen who spoke Spanish with an American accent — told Torres to
keep her distance.
“It was humiliating,” said Torres. When Coffman— and then Trump — started talking about Venezuelan gangs taking over Aurora, Torres didn’t believe it, but keeping out dangerous people is important to her: The whole reason her family left Venezuela was to escape lawlessness and violence. They didn’t want it to follow them here.
Torres also has an older daughter — Gabriela Ramirez, 27 — whose partner owned a food truck in Venezuela. Government workers there extorted a bribe from him. He paid them the equivalent of $500, about half a week’s earnings, to continue operating. When Ramirez’s business partner later refused to pay, the government workers stabbed him in the bicep, and threatened to kill Ramirez and her young son. He sold the business, and the family fled to Colombia.
A little over two years later, they headed north on foot through the Darién Gap. In Mexico, they crossed the border in Juarez and turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol. They all have deportation hearings scheduled for 2025, where they will have the opportunity to plead their case for asylum.
Torres and her daughter tried to get their kids into school soon after they arrived in Aurora in February, but they were confused by vaccine requirements. Alisson and Dylan stayed home for months. Dylan played math or first-person shooter games. Alisson watched crafting videos on TikTok.
Aurora is accustomed to educating immigrants’ children — more than a third of residents speak a language other than English at home, according to the 2020 U.S. Census — but the arrival of so many students from Venezuela and Colombia who didn’t speak English caught some Aurora schools off guard. Teachers in some schools have as many as 10 newcomer students, or a third of their classroom rosters.
When Aurora Hills Middle School Principal Marcella Garcia visited classrooms where only English was spoken, she noticed the newcomers weren’t talking. The district’s central office recommended a strategy called “translanguaging” — using Spanish at times to help students understand the English lessons and conversations happening around them.
Before the school adopted this new approach, teachers may have shut down a conversation among students in Spanish.
Now, they say students are encouraged to help each other in any language they can.
While teachers try out new Spanish vocabulary, English-speaking students show a range of responses. Some seem bored or annoyed. Bilingual students appear proud when they can help teachers trying to use more Spanish in class.
Still, some English-speaking and bilingual students have harassed Alisson. A few weeks after school started, a group of boys tried to stop her from sitting in her seat in class. They called her ugly and told her to go back to her country.
After spending most of the day in mainstream classes, Alisson and her newcomer peers let loose in a class called Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. — the only class explicitly designed to help new immigrants speak English.
The teacher, Melissa Wesdyk, does not speak fluent Spanish. She recently started using Google Translate at times as a simultaneous interpreter. The course also demands more of the students, whom Wesdyk presses into pronouncing words in unison and answering questions.
Toward the end of the class, Wesdyk tells the class they are going to do a “whipshare.” Each student is to share one of the words they wrote earlier, when the class was identifying English words for each letter of the alphabet. When Alisson offered the word “pink” for the letter P, Wesdyk appeared surprised and a little flustered. “That’s not one of the words I wrote down, but [a] good word.”
For the letter F, another boy said “flor,” as in Spanish for flower. To observers, he seemed to be trying to say “flower,” but mispronouncing it. Wesdyk didn’t appear to understand. “Floor?” she said back to him. The boy repeated “flor,” and Wesdyk said, “Floor?” emphasizing the English R sound. The boy looked embarrassed.
In mid-September, Alisson’s mother received messages from Aurora Public Schools that there had been rumors of bomb threats at its schools. It’s not clear if the threats are related to Trump’s false rhetoric about Venezuelan gangs taking over Aurora. After all, similar problems ensued after his false comments about pet-eating Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.
Neither of them understands how American schools and children could become a target, even if it’s just a rumor.
“This doesn’t happen in my country,” said Torres.
The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters, and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Dylan Martínez-Ramírez (center) high-fives teacher Aliah James (left) after school Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Assemblyman
Many of Gibbs's bills remain in committee according to BillTrack50, such as laws preventing gun violence, supporting students below the poverty line, and providing rental assistance to those struggling with housing insecurity. For local politicians, Anderson finds pressure to be an effective strategy. “If we breathe down his neck a little more, he’ll know we mean business. He’ll know he has to deliver.”
Still, the opposite effect of Gibbs’s missteps is undeniable. East Harlem residents feel that Gibbs’s arrest is reflective of his nature as relatable and connected to his community, particularly through their struggles. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. This should make his cause even stronger. He should be all the more likely to protect people with similar experiences,” commented Macy Jones on a stroll with her maltipoo. “A leader that’s like an average citizen will win people over. It shows he’s connected to the community even though he’s in politics. He’ll get the votes because he’s not perfect.”
“Honestly, it’s kind of cool,” said Josh Francis on Gibbs’s recent arrest in between cheers for his school friends shooting hoops at the park. “He knows what’s up. I just turned 18 a couple weeks ago. I’ve never heard of him before, but I’m definitely voting for him now. He seems like a guy you can trust.”
Mary Solomon, who did not wish to dis-
close her real name out of concern for her parole status, has had a criminal record since she was 16 years old. Her support for Gibbs, to her, is common sense. “Absolutely, I’ll vote for him. Why shouldn’t I? I’ve never been able to see myself in a politician. I’m sure people in my position can relate. We need people who know our struggle. He still goes through it and it makes me trust him. It proves he’s still for us. Who would be better?”
Residents understand the importance of engagement with local politics, concurring that Gibbs’s story can be appreciated while still “looking to the future,” in Collins’s words. Alba stresses the reality of the state of the neighborhood. “This isn’t some fairytale. It’s not pretty, but this is our life,”
Alba said. “This is real.” Collins echoed that sentiment. “How many more people do we need to see shooting up, getting high in the streets? How many more of our kids need to get shot playing in the park? How much longer do we need to suffer for change to be made?” she asked.
The ability for Gibbs to enact significant change begins with the community knowing who he is as a representative, not just a man with a past.
“This is what matters the most now: how does he plan to combat substance abuse?” Collins continued. “How does he plan to support the homeless? The people making these decisions get their foot in the door with our votes. We get them there, so we as the community need to make an informed choice,” she said. “Baby steps are progress.”
WHEN WE VOTE, WE WIN.
When our rights are on the line we
Dance Calendar
Continued from page 21
Nov. 14–15: Omar Román de Jesús’ Boca Tuya will present three works: “Caress them in a way that hurts a little,” “Like those playground kids at midnight,” and “Los Perros del Barrio Colosal” at 92Y.
For more info, visit www.92ny.org.
Nov. 15: The first-generation GambianAmerican multidisciplinary artist Babou Sanneh of RareBreed Productions will offer an evening of work at BAAD! as part of the Dancing Futures series presented by Pepatián.
For more info, visit www.baadbronx.org.
Nov. 15: Choreographer and founder Dana Tai Soon Burgess, a fourth-generation Korean American, takes inspiration from his ancestors, his family, and his own experiences to explore the themes of identity, belonging, and home with “Hyphen, Becoming American” and more at the Korean Cultural Center.
For more info, visit www.koreanculture.org.
Nov. 16: The Kupferberg Center for the Arts offers an evening of dance and live music in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the CUNY Dance Initiative, featuring Sonia Olla & Ismael Fernández, and Sekou McMiller.
For more info, visit www.kupferbergcenter.org.
Nov. 16: Presented as part of Edges of Ailey at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Bill T. Jones will present “Memory
Piece: Mr. Ailey, Alvin … the un-Ailey?”
For more info, visit www.whitney.org.
Nov. 17: The Argentine dancer/actress/ storyteller Anabella Lenzu will present the 20-minute film premiere and live performance of “Listen to Your Mother” at Center for Performance Research. It is dedicated to the lives of women artists who are immigrant mothers living in New York City.
For more info, visit www.cprnyc.org.
Nov. 18: Tango Essence with Pedro Giraudo’s Tango Quartet will be offered as part of the “Work & Process” series in conjunction with the Guggenheim Museum. For more info, visit www.worksandprocess.org.
Nov. 21– 23: At Danspace, Ayano Elson + Wendell Gray II will share an evening of new work. Both artists have recently shown work-in-development in Danspace’s DraftWork series.
For more info, visit www.danspaceproject.org
Nov. 19–Dec.1: The Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns to the Joyce Theater with a retrospective of works by co -founder Dwight Rhoden, including “Ave Maria,” “Growth,” “Naked Perfume,” “Mercy,” “Higher Ground,” and “Star Dust.”
For more info, visit www.joyce.org.
Nov. 22–23: New York City and New Orleans-based gaudanse and its founder/artistic director Imani Gaudin will present Gaudin’s “obinrin” At BAAD! as part of the Dancing Futures Residency by Pepatián. For more info, visit www.eventbrite.com.
make history (again)!
Let’s vote for progress and the future we deserve. Vote for the leader who’s been fighting for us for years.
Election Day is November 5th. Vote for Kamala Harris.
Religion & Spirituality
Two historic Philadelphia churches offer lessons for an America divided today and in its infancy
By LUIS ANDRES HENAO Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — George Washington. Benjamin Franklin. Betsy Ross. The two Founding Fathers and the seamstress of the American flag all once worshiped on the now centuries-old wooden pews of Christ Church. It’s the site of colonial America’s break with the Church of England — and where the U.S. Episcopal Church was born.
Less than a mile south, past Independence Hall, Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church stands on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by Black Americans. It’s the mother church of the nation’s first Black denomination.
Two churches, across the centuries. Generations after their birth in this nation first envisioned in Philadelphia, both churches continue to serve as the spiritual home for hundreds in the city.
Church members see the role of their congregation as crucial, a beacon ahead of a contentious presidential election in Pennsylvania — the most pivotal of swing states. They also express concerns about political division that the Founding Fathers once feared could tear the nation apart.
“We’ve grown as a nation, but I think at this point, we’re at a standstill. We’re terribly divided,” said Christ Church parishioner Jeanette Morris. A registered Republican, she previously voted for former President Donald Trump, but plans to back Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5 because of her support for reproductive rights. Morris is concerned about health issues following the repeal of Roe v. Wade.
Today’s list of divisive issues is long: from abortion and immigration to taxes, climate change and the wars abroad. It’s also the first presidential election since an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, an act of political violence steeped in the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
“I think things have changed: Slavery is abolished. The Civil Rights Act was put in place. But still, deep down, the denizens of the United States haven’t really come together,” said Keith Matthews, 61, a Mother Bethel AME parishioner. “There’s still a lot of hatred
and misunderstanding among the races.”
The nation’s church was at the center of it all
At its infancy, the United States of America also was deeply divided. And some members of Christ Church — from Washington to the parish rector — seemed to be at the center of it all.
“What we’re going through right now is certainly unprecedented politically. And there’s a huge amount of potential instability and concern that a lot of people have in this church and the United States,” says Zack Biro, executive director of the Christ Church Preservation Trust. “And Christ Church is a perfect example of kind of weathering that storm.”
The church was founded in 1695 by a group of Philadelphia colonists as the first parish of the Church of England in Pennsylvania. Congregants later included slaves and their owners, loyalists and patriots. They listened to sermons favoring and opposing independence.
Anglican clergy loyal to the British king led weekly prayers for the monarch. But on July 4, 1776, Christ Church’s vestry crossed out the king’s name from the Book of Common Prayer — a defiant act of potential treason. The book is preserved today in an underground museum, a testament to the church’s
revolutionary spirit on Independence Day.
“We tend to think that the early American republic was a time of great unity, but, like today, the political culture was deeply polarized,” said John Fea, a professor of American history at Messiah University in Pennsylvania.
Christ Church’s current senior pastor is the Rev. Samantha Vincent-Alexander, the first woman to serve as rector in its more than 300-year history.
“The idea of what do we do in this political environment right now and how do we deal with that is an incredible challenge,” she said.
“Most of our congregations are not a unified voting bloc. They represent different people much like at the time of the American Revolution.”
Methodism was the fastest growing denomination in America in the 1790s. But some Methodist Episcopal Churches still segregated Black worshippers during services to the upstairs galleries. This prompted free Black Americans to start their own congregation.
Mother Bethel AME fought for freedom from the start
The African Methodist Episcopal Church has been involved in the struggle for freedom and equality from its roots.
Its founder, the Rev. Richard Allen, was born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1760 before buying his freedom in Delaware before he was 20. He returned to the city in the 1780s and became a minister.
After white leaders at a Methodist church segregated Allen, Jones and other Black worshippers to the upstairs galleries for a prayer service, the group left the church
and formed what would eventually become Mother Bethel AME. The church became a place of refuge for Black people fleeing slavery along the Underground Railroad and later a major gathering point for the Civil Rights Movement.
By creating Mother Bethel, Allen “carved out a space where Black people could resist … at a time where during slavery in the Deep South, Black people could not even congregate without the presence of a white man in between them,” said Bethel AME’s pastor, the Rev. Mark Tyler.
Today, the AME Church has more than 2.5 million members and thousands of congregations in dozens of nations worldwide.
“Certainly, we’ve made progress,” said Tyler, citing Kamala Harris’s campaign to become the country’s first Black female president. But he also believes that much more needs to be done to bridge America’s racial inequality and he worries about the potential of another Trump presidency. The AME Church, he said, has not “outlived its usefulness.”
“The fact that we have a person who openly embraces white supremacists, who has been president once and potentially could be president again in the 21st century, is all the evidence that you need to know that we still need places for Black people to come together and organize like the Black church,” he said.
During a recent Sunday service, Tyler encouraged his congregation to vote. Some members later reflected on America’s beginnings and its progress and shortcomings.
“Two things can be said at the same time: They were brilliant in the development of this nation. But they still carried slavery ideas, women were not allowed to vote, and that needed to be changed,” parishioner Donna Matthews said about the Founding Fathers.
“Who are ‘We the people’? I think people need to ask themselves that,” said Matthews, 63, who attended the service with her husband, Keith, and their young grandson, Ezekiel. “It’s everyone. And it’s the essence of why this church was started.”
At the end of the service, parishioner Tayza Hill, 25, led groups on a tour of the church’s museum. It preserves an original wooden pulpit used by the Rev. Allen and Black leaders including abolitionist Frederick Douglass and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois when they addressed the congregation.
Hill says she has been hearing the same question in radio shows as the election approaches: “Is the sun rising, or is the sun setting on democracy?” She remains hopeful and believes the continuity of her church is vital.
Mother Bethel AME Church Philadelphia and a statue of its founder Richard Allen. (Michael Clemmons photo via Wikimedia)
with an opportunity to purchase homes are most likely in communities of color: that’s who the homebuyer of today and tomorrow is.”
The new real estate commission changes mean that new homebuyers will not only be negotiating the purchase of a new home, but that they will also have to factor in the cost of any fees paid to their realtor. Some people might be able to negotiate a cheaper fee, but most homebuyers don’t have that ability.
The fee changes place new homebuyers at a disadvantage by requiring them to negotiate realtor fees while trying to purchase a home. This could scare some Black buyers away from using realtors, Rose says, particularly if they are first-time homebuyers. They might think that not working with an agent could save them money. But real estate agents aligned with groups like NAREB are trained to help their clients research neighborhoods, get access to and qualify for bank loans, and find out about any government housing grants that are directed to Black homebuyers.
Rose, head of the 76-year-old NAREB, talked with the Amsterdam
CBTU
Continued from page 10
News about the vital role NAREB agents have played in helping Black clients navigate housing obstacles and access essential resources since the organization’s founding in 1947. NAREB was formed in response to the exclusion of Black real estate agents from the National Association of Realtors, which only began admitting them in 1961.
Rose explained that working with a real estate agent remains important for home buyers for several reasons: “Number one is experience. Even when you’re a first-time buyer, even when you’re a second- or thirdtime buyer, this is not what you do every day. The rules, the industry, the process changes day to day, year to year. So if you haven’t purchased a home –– or you did once but that was 10 years ago –– well, that process is different now than it was 10 years ago.
“Your ability to hire a professional that does this every day –– that’s in tune with the updated regulations, that’s in tune with the updated pricing and markets –– that’s important, particularly when it comes to the most expensive investment that most people ever make in their life. … I wouldn’t want to do this for the first time and not have experience on my side.
“Number two is negotiation skills.
the president — Bill Lucy was the person who opened the door for him with labor in 2007; without Bill Lucy, there would possibly be no Barack Obama,” Kirk said. Hillary Clinton was the initial Democratic Party front-runner for the presidency, but because Lucy invited Obama to speak at the 2007 CBTU convention, he was introduced to Black trade unionists who had a very positive response to his campaign.
“Mr. Lucy secured CBTU’s endorsement for his campaign, which helped other unions say it was okay to invite him to speak at their locals, raise money for him, supply volunteers for his campaign. It was critical, and, as we saw, eventually Obama won the nomination, won the presidency. Bill Lucy was the one who, at the beginning, opened the door for Obama to get that strong support from Black workers and then to get labor support in general.”
The CBTU has historically promoted work that fosters a better society. With this year’s elections, the organization says labor union workers should select candidates that help give create a better chance of becoming a better society. “In that vein, what candidate can do specific kinds of things to make the situation that people of color and Black folks encounter
A lot of people don’t know everything that goes into negotiations and all of the things that keep being negotiated. We always think about price, but we don’t think about closing costs. We don’t think about repairs. We don’t think about other critical things that keep being negotiated. Without that experience, you as the buyer may not know about all the opportunities for negotiations that you have.
“The third thing is just speed and convenience. I don’t think real estate is rocket science; maybe a buyer could figure things out on their own, but there are certain things that you don’t do on a day-to-day basis. And that learning curve takes time, resources, and energy away from what your existing career is, from what you might be doing with your family, and other responsibilities that you have. One advantage of a real estate professional is having someone that’s focused on your file, while you as an individual have all the other things to focus on. It’s somebody’s job to help you get into that home and that’s a great benefit and a great resource to have on your side.”
The new real estate commission structures may deter some home sellers from publicly listing their properties. They might only want to advertise with brokerages that can
better?” asked Kirk.
“I think it’s pretty clear. Harris has made it pretty clear that she … has an agenda that appeals to the interest of Black working people. This election is one where you can feel the tension everywhere, and that should tell you that people see this election as being important.
“I just hope that for the folks [who] believe that things should not go back to the past, that they just do their part. Just vote. Yeah. Just vote.”
bring in buyers who can afford to pay both the seller and buyer fees. This could, again, lead to fewer opportunities for Black home buying
Monsignor Mullaney Apartments
4301 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
23811 Hillside Ave., Jamaica, NY 11426
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.
Beginning October 21, 2024, our 50-unit residence located at 238-11 Hillside Avenue in Bellerose will accept applications for its waiting list. This opportunity is available for elderly individuals, heads of household, or spouses aged 62 and older.
Eligibility and qualifications for the affordable housing units will adhere to Section 8 regulations.
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:
*Written application requests must be received by 11/4/2024
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 11/7/2024. If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or any other type of reasonable accommodation, please contact Yhasara Humphrey at (718) 722-6081.
in the United States. These new real estate commission changes could have a significant impact on the Black wealth gap.
(Photo via Wikimedia)
CLASSIFIED ADS
RULES AND REGULATIONS
CANCELLATIONS must be made in writing by 12 Noon Monday.
The forwarding of an order is construed as an acceptance of all advertising rules and conditions under which advertising space is sold by the NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS. Publication is made and charged according to the terms of this card.
Rates and regulations subject to change without notice. No agreements as to position or regulations, other than those printed on this.
Til forbid orders charged for rate earned. Increases or decreases in space take the rate of a new advertisement.
The New York AMSTERDAM NEWS reserves the right to censor, reject, alter or revise all advertisements in accordance with its rules governing the acceptance of advertising and accepts no liability for its failure to insert an advertisement for any cause. Credit for errors in advertisements allowed only for first insertion.
CLASSIFIED
• Classified advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Four line minimum on all ads except spirituals and horoscopes (14 lines).
CLASSIFIED DISPLAY
• Classified Display (boarder or picture) advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Display (boarder or picture) advertisements one column wide must be 14 lines deep; two columns, 28 lines deep; 3 columns, 56 lines deep. Classified Display (boarder or picture) placed as close to classifications as rules and makeup permit.
CLASSIFICATIONS
All advertisement accepted for publication is classified according to the standard classifications. Misclassification is not permitted.
BASIS
OF CHARGE
Charges are based on point size and characters per line. Upon reaching 15 lines the rate converts to column inch. Any deviation from solid composition such as indentation, use of white space, bold type, etc., will incur a premium.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY
BD NOTES LLC, Plaintiff -against- GAROFALO REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS, LLC, et al., Defendants.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 3, 2024 and filed July 26, 2024 bearing Index No. 850162/2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on November 6, 2024 at 2:15 pm at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, Room 130, New York, NY 10013; 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 and State of New York, Block 1247; Lot 49, the premises known as 330 West 86th Street, New York, NY 10024. Premises sold subject to the provisions of filed Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Terms of Sale. Approximate Judgment amount $5,542,012.52 plus interest and costs. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with the New York County Supreme Court Auction Plan in effect at this time. Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee. Harry Zubli, Esq., attorney for plaintiff, 1010 Northern Blvd., Suite 306, Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 487-5777.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY. NYCTL 2021A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Pltf. vs., JILA SOROUDI, Defts. Index #157345/2022. Pursuant to for judgment of foreclosure and sale entered May 8, 2024 and order extending time to sell entered July 12, 2024, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 4, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. prem. k/a 150 West 51 st Street, Unit 15-5, New York, NY 10019 a/k/a Block 01003 Lot 1240. Judgments amount $52,273.92 Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. DORON LEIBY, Referee. THE DELLO-IACONO LAW GROUP, P.C., Attys. For Pltf., 312 Larkfield Road, Lower Level, East Northport, NY. File No. 22-000027 - #101659
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Real Estate Request For Proposals
RFP No. EZ102024: Opportunity to lease one or both freestanding retail units at MNR’s Croton-Harmon former Station Building, Croton-on-Hudson, New York. For info on this RFP, please go to https://new.mta. info/agency/real-estate/
Mason Victor LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/03/24. 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 #108704, New York, N.Y. 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of AUGUSTANA HOMES ACQUISITION, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/17/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice is hereby given that license serial number NA-0340247-140688 for an On-Premises license has been applied for by the undersigned to permit the sale of beer, wine and spirits at retail in a bar under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at Lash located at 196 N. 10 th Street, Brooklyn in Kings County for on-premises consumption. MurrayWalsh LLC, 196 N. 10 th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
smile from The Lower East Side LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the SSNY on 10/15/2024. Office: New York County. United States Corporation Agents, Inc. designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc. at 7014 13th Avenue Suite 202 Brooklyn NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
NYCTL 2021-A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiffs -against- CHINESE AMERICAN TRADING CO., INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on June 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 November 13, 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 1314 Lot 1315 on the New York County Tax Assessment Map. Said premises known as 235 EAST 40TH STREET, #36B, NEW YORK, NY 10016
Approximate amount of lien $98,785.30 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 159713/2022.
CHRISTY M. DEMELFI, ESQ., Referee
Phillips Lytle LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs
28 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Rochester, NY 14614
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY. NYCTL 19982 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Pltf. vs. SONIGIO LLC, BOARD OF MANAGERS OF 310 WEST 52 ND STREET CONDOMINIUM, Defts. Index #158610/2022. Pursuant to for judgment of foreclosure and sale entered October 6, 2023 and order to forfeit deposit and reset sale entered June 21, 2024, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on November 13, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. prem. k/a 310 West 52 nd Street, Storage Unit 155, New York, NY 10019 a/k/a Block 1042 Lot 1470. Judgments amount: $2,827.20 and $2,494.69. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. JEFFREY R. MILLER, Referee. THE DELLO-IACONO LAW GROUP, P.C., Attys. For Pltf., 312 Larkfield Road, Lower Level, East Northport, NY. File No. 22-000139 - #101648
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Laelia, LLC , Plaintiff, vs . Matthew Glazier , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 12, 2024 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 20, 2024 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 90 East End Avenue, Unit 10B, New York, NY 10028. 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 1580 and Lot 1025 together with an undivided 2.11807 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $3,335,374.80 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850135/2019.
Jerry Merola, Esq., Referee Vallely Law PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
Notice of Formation of FOX SHORE PRESERVATION, L.P. Cert. of LP filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/12/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LP: 6 Greene St., Ste. 500, NY, NY 10013. Latest date on which the LP may dissolve is 12/31/2123. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
1227 Holdings LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 9/19/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 156A East 83rd Street,, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Multiverse Of Stuff LLC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/14/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 357 EDGECOMBE AVENUE APT 5D , NEW YORK, NY 10031. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Apparo NYC Cleaning Co LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/30/24. 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 #689045, New York, NY 10003 R/A: US Corp Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave, #202, BK, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Twin Bull Properties LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 7/10/24. Office location: Fulton County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: Twin Bull Properties LLC, 693 Lakeview Road, Broadalbin NY 12025 Purpose: Any lawful act.
BISOU BISOU RADIO LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 7/30/2024. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #263339, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
CONCORE CABINETRY LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/21/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 570 GRAND ST, APT H901, NEW YORK, NY 10002. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Reunion Event LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/7/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 75 West End Ave C15H, NY, NY 10023 Purpose: Any lawful act.
VRH 430 E 13 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/14/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: C/O Parag Sawhney, 41 Madision Ave, New York, NY 10010. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Meteor Property Management LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/4/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 200 E 94th St Apt 2217, NY, NY 10128. Purpose: Any lawful act.
DNA WATCHES NYC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/12/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 15 W 47TH ST STE 900, NEW YORK, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Tom Pina Edit LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on September 22, 2024. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 152 N Walnut Street, Beacon, NY 12508. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Sekai Collective LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/15/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to: 340 W 42nd St, Fl 2, New York, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of WEITZMAN LITIGATION ADVISORY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/19/24. 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 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of DD LENDER 88 STREET LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/16/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 201 W. 79th St., NY, NY 10024. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF HAFLETCHER CONSULTING LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/19/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: 7014 13TH AVENUE SUITE 202 BROOKLYN NY 11228. The principal business address of the LLC is: 228 Park Ave S #423622 New York NY 10003. Purpose: any lawful act or activity
Tristate Bedbug Dogs LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/16/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 500 8th , New York, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act.
214 WEST 11TH ST REALTY
LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/23/19. 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, 214 West 11th Street, New York, NY 10014. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
DUKE OUT EAST REALTY
LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/26/24. 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, 201 East 86th Street, Apartment 13F, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Mental Millennials LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/27/2024. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 4178 Grace Ave, Bronx, NY, 10466 Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of 56 WILLOUGHBY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/02/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: United American Land LLC, 73 Spring St., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10012. 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 CARBONDALE MILL STREET PRESERVATION DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/21/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of BARI RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT
LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/18/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Mr. Anton Mayer, 240 Bowery, NY, NY 10012. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF FORMATION of Cannabis NYC Fund, LLC (the “LLC”) filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (“SSNY”) on 08/08/2024. Office location: New York County. The principal business address of the LLC is: One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006. SSNY has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail service of process to c/o New York City Economic Development Corporation, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006, Attention: General Counsel. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of CARBONDALE MILL STREET PRESERVATION GP, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/21/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of 60 E 8TH STREET LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/10/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Melissa E. Sydney, Esq., Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C., 101 Huntington Ave., Ste. 500, Boston, MA 02199. 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. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 888 BROADWAY MEZZ OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/23/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/16/24. Princ. office of LLC: One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Ste. 1050, San Francisco, CA 94105. 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: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 888 BROADWAY OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/23/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/16/24. Princ. office of LLC: One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Ste. 1050, San Francisco, CA 94105. 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: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 28TH STREET RETAIL LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/02/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/01/24. 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 of DE, John G. Townsend Bldg., Federal and Duke of York St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of SoHo Retail Portfolio 72-76 Greene Street LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/26/24. Princ. office of LLC: 233 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 4700, Chicago, IL 60606. 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, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of SoHo Retail Portfolio 415 West Broadway LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/26/24. Princ. office of LLC: 233 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 4700, Chicago, IL 60606. 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, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of DIFFERENTIAL VENTURES
FUND III GP LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/11/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/04/24. Princ. office of LLC: 350 Park Ave., Fl. 27, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
JUDY TING MANDEL LCSW, PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/23/24. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 201 WEST 17TH STREET, 9C, NEW YORK, NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Qualification of LAZARD FO WIND GP LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/20/24. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NY, NY 10112. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of FEP BEVERAGE LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/15/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/14/24. Princ. office of LLC: 1330 6th Ave., Ste. 3600C, NY, NY 10019. 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, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 945 MADISON AVENUE, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/10/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/04/24. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of State of DE, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of LAZARD FO WIND LP Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/23/24. Princ. office of LP: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NY, NY 10112. NYS fictitious name: LAZARD FO WIND 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: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
BK Dems hold Gala 2024
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
The Brooklyn Democratic Party held its annual Gala at Giando on the Water this past Monday, featuring attendees such as New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling for action in the current presidential election.
“I am so angry about that spectacle that occurred in our revered arenas that host our Rangers and our Knicks,” said Hochul, alluding to former President Donald Trump’s recent MAGA rally at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. “They have sullied that place by their presence. And here’s why: They didn’t talk about their vision for America. They spent time and energy mocking America. Insulting Americans. And I want to tell you right now, we will fight back with every fiber of our body.”
Jeffries added that the “extreme MAGA far-right agenda” in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate is absolutely a concern. “If Roe v. Wade can fall, then anything can fall,” he said. “Social Security can fall. Medicare can fall. Democracy itself, as we know it, can fall, so we need your help taking the House, holding the Senate, electing Senator Gillibrand, and making sure we have enlightened leadership at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”
“We want to thank all of our labor leaders for making sure that workers are afforded their rights with care, benefits, and good pay,” said Assemblymember and Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. “We thank you. We honor you. And we also thank you for supporting the Democratic Party.”
The Gala featured presentation of plaques to a whole stage full of county committee members and district leaders, including Joseph Bova, Alan Rocoff, Anthony Beckford, Michael Boomer, Renee Collymore, and Jennifer Rappaport. The event also honored several local unions and small businesses, including TWU Local 100, NYC District Council of Carpenters, Mason Tenders District Council, CWA Local 1109, Teamsters Local 237, Allan’s Bakery, Banco Popular, R.F. Wilkins Consultants, Marine Florists, and ParCare Community Health Network.
BK Dem Gala honored county committee members and district leaders, shown on stage to receive awards at event on Monday, Oct. 28 (Ariama C. Long photos)
Brooklyn Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (left center) and Governor Kathy Hochul (right center) at Gala U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks at Gala
Vanguard Independent Democratic Association (VIDA) President Henry Butler (left), New York State Attorney General Letitia James (center), and Bedstuy Restoration Plaza Director of Event Services Marlon Rice (right) pose for photo op at Gala on Monday, Oct. 28
Nets guard Cam Thomas rising as one of the league’s most lethal scorers
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is proving to be one of the NBA’s most exciting players and top scorers early this season. The 6’3”, 23-year-old led the team in scoring last season averaging 22.5 points per game, and through the Nets’ first three games played as of this edition’s printing, was at 30.7.
He tallied 32 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn’s home opener, a 115-102 victory, the team’s first win of the season. Rookie head coach Jordi Fernández, who notched his first career win, commended Thomas on his continued development.
“He talked to his teammates, constantly talked to me on both ends,” said Fernandez. “He was very good, very involved. So that’s what I want to see from him and I want to see this growth.”
Fernandez noted that while putting the ball in the basket is Thomas’s obvious strength, a key objective for him is to strive to be an impactful player on both ends of the court.
“We will give you the ball because we know (scoring is) your super power now,”
Fernandez said of his emphasis to Thomas. “Can you do it efficiently? Can you make your teammates better? Can you guard? So all those things he’s doing right now, and I’m going to keep pushing him to even do it better.”
Fernandez wants Brooklyn to be a ball pressure team that plays fast, takes high-quality shots and stays connected defensively.
Brooklyn didn’t sign Thomas, who was drafted by the franchise in the first round (27th) in 2021 out of LSU, to a contract extension by the October 21 NBA deadline. Therefore, he will become a restricted free agent at the end of this season. The Nets are weighing multiple options as Thomas elevates his value. He could be signed to a longterm deal or moved before the Feb. 6 2025 trade deadline for additional draft capital.
The Nets currently own four first round picks and two second round picks in next year’s draft. And with Ben Simmons’s expiring contract an attractive trade chip, the Nets have a promising foundation on which to rebuild.
Brooklyn hosts the Chicago Bulls tomorrow, the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, all at Barclays Center.
UConn women picked No. 1 in Big East hoops but will face a tough test
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
It is no surprise that University of Connecticut placed first in the Big East Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll and redshirt senior guard Paige Bueckers was voted Big East Preseason Player of the Year. What is a bit surprising is that Providence College is third. After struggling for years and finishing near or at the bottom of the conference, new coach Erin Batth has instilled a sense of confidence in the players, and they are ready to take on even the toughest opponents.
Xavier University placed 11th out of 11 total teams in the poll, but coach Billi Chambers is undaunted. “Continuing to build, I think we have a great group of young women who are passionate about how we want to play and what we want to do,” said Chambers. “I’m loving seeing the development each day and the confidence that’s starting to show for each of them.”
Marquette has a new coach, Cara Consuegra, and the players have quickly adapted. Junior guard Olivia Porter was excited to see program alum Natisha Hiedeman playing in the recent WNBA Finals. “It inspires you to keep playing, keep trying,” said Porter. “Our goal as a collective is just to be the best that we can be. There are a lot of people saying what we can’t do, but we know what we can do.”
There’s a substantial New Jersey presence on the Georgetown Hoyas. Graduate student guard Kelsey Ransom, from South River, is intent on again being named All-Big East First Team and Big-East All-Academic. “So much hard work, so many days, so many hours that it’s rewarding to start play,” said Ransom. “I’m excited every single time I hit the gym, so I’m
excited for every day, every opportunity. I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Also, repping the Garden State is graduate student forward Chetanna Nweke, who comes to the Hoyas after graduating from Princeton. Her former Tigers teammate Kaitlyn Chen has joined the UConn Huskies, so after three years together, which includ-
ed three Ivy League titles and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, they will now be opponents. “We were best friends and teammates, but she knows once it’s gametime we’re not messing around,” said Nweke, who is pursuing a master’s degree in health in the public interest. “I’m definitely excited for this new chapter.”
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has begun this season as one of the NBA’s top scorers, as he averaged 30.7 points through the team’s first three games. (Bill Moore photo)
The head coaches of the Big East with commissioner Val Ackerman. (Lois Elfman photo)
The Jets’ playoff hopes rapidly fade away after fifth straight loss
By DERREL JOHNSON
Special to the AmNews
When the New York Jets traded for fourtime NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in April 2023, it was in hopes of making a permanent mark on the franchise by winning its second Super Bowl. The first and only came in Super Bowl III in 1969.
Rodgers and the franchise have added to the Jets history, but not in the way worth celebrating. This past Sunday, Gang Green became the first team in NFL history to score 20 or more points, not committing a turnover, and allowing fewer than 250 yards on defense and lose, falling 25-22 to the New England Patriots on the road.
Before Sunday, including the postseason, such teams were a staggering 750-0. The Jets managed to lose the game despite New England Patriots rookie starting quarterback Drake Maye being removed from the game in the second quarter with a concussion. Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who began this season as the starter, rallied the team for the improbable win, leading a 12-play, 70-yard go-ahead touchdown drive with just 22 seconds remaining.
Though the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh after a 23-17 Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on October 6 in London, it didn’t change them for the better. The team looks much worse under interim
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson had five catches for 113 yards in a 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. (Jets.com photo)
head coach Jeff Ulbrich. In three games leading the team, the defense has regressed, giving up 85 points as opposed to 85 total in the prior five games for the now 2-6 Jets, which are tied with the 2-6 Patriots for last place in the AFC East
Aside from Sunday’s historic loss, a sign of
an inexcusable lack of execution was the Jets using all three of their first-half timeouts in the first quarter. The soon to be 41-year-old Rodgers continues to give generic responses for the offense’s ongoing issues.
“I thought the energy was great today,” he said after Sunday’s loss. “I thought guys
were engaged. I thought we played with some passion. We just, execution-wise, I didn’t do enough offensively. You know, we set our sights on scoring 30 and it was right there for us.”
The Jets have averaged 18.8 points this season, with a season-high of 24 points scored in each of their two wins. The team lacks identity and a clear direction, even after trading with the Las Vegas Raiders on October 15 for wide receiver Davante Adams, who was longtime teammates with Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers, as well as agreeing to a reworked contract with linebacker Haason Reddick on October 20. Reddick had been holding out since training camp and had not played until the new deal was done.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the Jets five-game losing streak is the team’s ability to have potentially won four of the five games, as they lost to Denver in Week 4 by one point (10-9), the Vikings by six and, and the Buffalo Bills (23-20 in Week 6) and Patriots by a field goal. The team acquired Rodgers to win close games but the opposite has happened. The franchise should consider benching Rodgers and trading veterans to focus on the 2025 NFL Draft and season.
The Jets will look to get their first win since a 24-3 September 19 win over the Patriots when they host the 6-2 Houston Texans tonight at MetLife Stadium.
Unable to ascend, the Giants sink near the bottom of the NFC
By JAIME C. HARRIS
AmNews Sports Editor
Following a 26-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road on Monday night, at 2-6, the Giants are tied with the New Orleans Saints for the second worst record in National Football Conference. Of the NFC’s 16 teams, only the 1-7 Carolina Panthers are below them. It’s not where the team foresaw themselves entering this season yet they now are woefully positioned as they will pass the halfway mark of the 17-game NFL schedule after this Sunday’s game (1:00 p.m.) against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium.
The contrast between the Commanders and Giants, who are trending in distinctly opposite directions, is stark. The franchises have a historic decades-long rivalry. They have met 185 times with the Giants holding a 108-72-5 advantage. Washington put an ugly stain on the league under previous owner Daniel Snyder. While at the top of Washington’s hierarchy from 1999-2023, the team won just two playoff games and was embroiled in a toxic culture in which allegations of sexual harassment were made by at least 40 women.
Furthermore, Snyder, who grew up in the D.C. area as a Washington fan, for most of his years as their owner, staunchly resisted changing the team’s name from their racial-
Giants running back Devin Singletary (No. 26) surveys the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense to protect quarterback Daniel Jones in a 26-18 road loss on Monday night. (Giants.com photo)
ly offensive moniker. He finally succumbed in 2020 when chief sponsor FedEx made clear it would cut dealings with Washington in the midst of worldwide protests of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis by law enforcement officer Derek Chauvin as COVID-19 still raged.
Josh Harris, managing partner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, purchased the team in July 2023. He subsequently named Adam Peters, plucked from the San Francisco 49ers, as general manager, hired Dan Quinn, and drafted Heisman trophy-winning quarterback
Jayden Daniels out of LSU with the No. 2 overall pick last April. Now, the Commanders are one of the rising and enviable organizations in all of sports.
Daniels is the leading rookie of the year candidate and in the race for MVP as he has helped dramatically transform the Commanders from a 4-13 squad last season and last in the NFC East to one of the best teams in football at 6-2 and atop of the NFC East. So it lends hope to the Giants that they can get through another disappointing season and reset next year, perhaps still with general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, both in their third years with the organization, but with a new QB.
Current quarterback Daniel Jones isn’t the primary the Giants have regressed since making the playoffs two seasons ago, but QBs are almost always a source of a team’s lack of success. Maybe Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, viewed as the No.1 draft eligible college prospect at the position, can be a force multiplier for the Giants as Daniels has been for the Commanders.
Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch have to be as prudently daring as Harris of the Commanders has been. The latter has established a foundation for what seems to be a sustainable winner — a team the Giants will have to battle in the division for years to come.
An infusion of new players reshapes St. John’s and Seton Hall women’s hoops
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special
to the AmNews
With the graduation of leading scorers Unique Drake and Jillian Archer, St. John’s women’s basketball has a new look. Picked to finish fourth in the Big East Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll, returning players are building chemistry with newcomers as they aim for a return to the NCAA Tournament.
“I’m pretty excited about the team this year,” said junior guard Jailah Donald, who is studying sports management. “We have a lot of different pieces. I’m looking to com-
pete, work hard and play for a Big East title. Practices have been good, very competitive.”
Graduate student guard Ber’Nyah Mayo is entering her second season with the Red Storm. She’s excited to play again in Madison Square Garden during conference action. “It’s always a blessing to be able to play in an NBA arena, obviously not many people get to do it,” said Mayo. Johnnies newbie Lashae Dwyer, a senior guard, is looking forward to a winning season. “Honestly, I’ve just been working on shooting the ball, trying to be more of an onthe-ball type of person,” said Dwyer.
This is the second year at Seton Hall for
graduate student forward I’yanna Lops, who is studying digital information technology. Last year, she earned a certificate in public relations, and she promises to be more active on social media sharing her basketball journey. “I love the closeness and the community at Seton Hall,” said Lops, who noted that both head coach Anthony Bozzella and assistant coach Ka-Deidre Simmons are Seton Hall alumni.
Guard Amari Wright, in her fifth year, has been at Seton Hall throughout. She’s looking forward to enjoying her last year of college basketball, winning and playing with a great group of people.
Bozzella said he deeply appreciates the sense of community at Seton Hall, and he’s excited to see what this basketball season brings. “Every coach is always excited this time of year, but I’m a little extra excited,” he said. “The kids are fun to work with. They work really hard. We have a great group of younger and older players. Our freshmen are eager to learn, so they kind of bring a little bit of energy, and the team is doing really well. It’s the fastest team we’ve had in the last five years, and I’m going to utilize that speed to put pressure on other teams.”
Columbia women’s hoops aims to level up after historic 2024 season
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
Columbia University women’s basketball has a lot to live up to. Last season the team advanced to its first-ever NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament, not to mention seeing two of the program’s alums picked in the WNBA Draft. A fact of life in college basketball is that student-athletes graduate but the team continues.
“I really believe that this could be the best team Columbia’s ever seen,” said head coach Megan Griffith, now in her ninth season.
“We’re on a very long journey and trying to make every day count, get better every day, but also try to get to understand each other better. We have five newcomers, but we also have quite a lot of experience returning, which is very exciting.”
The tri-captains of the team are seniors Kitty Henderson and Cecelia Collins along with junior Perri Page. Henderson said that over the summer the returning players worked on aspects of their games that the coaches asked them to address. “Summer is where you can try new things and get better,” she said. “You can push yourself. I think we did a good job of challenging ourselves.”
Collins noted that although the players
were not all together — some had internships — they stayed in communication and held each other accountable, which they continue to do. “It’s obviously on us three to make sure we maintain that culture every single day, but at the same time down the line every person has to hold up their end of the bargain as well,” she said.
The team has several international players as well as people from different parts of the U.S. Page said when the team travels to cities in the U.S. where players are from, they’re able to introduce teammates to local sites and culture. She also shares her practice of visualization. “Putting yourself inside the game before the game actually happens,” Page said.
The team’s goals this season are big, among them winning the Ivy League outright (best record) and prevailing in the Ivy League Tournament, which will lead to a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. After the New York Liberty won their first WNBA title, the Columbia players felt a surge of energy and purpose to represent New York City in the best way possible.
“We’re playing in one of the greatest cities in the world,” said Griffith. “Basketball and New York are synonymous. To be the (premier women’s) college program in Manhattan…is a really special thing that we do not take lightly.”
(L-R) Lashae Dwyer, Jailah Donald and Ber’Nyah Mayo of St. John’s at Big East Basketball Media Day. (Lois Elfman photos)
(L-R) I’yanna Lops, Savannah Catalon, Faith Masonius and Amari Wright of Seton Hall.
The tri-captains of Columbia women’s basketball (l-r) Cecelia Collins, Kitty Henderson and Perri Page. (Lois Elfman photo)
Sports
The Yankees look within to achieve World Series aspirations
By RUDY ROBINSON
Special to the AmNews
The Yankees began Game 5 of the World Series last night (Wednesday) at home in the Bronx with the same peril as Game 4 on Tuesday: win or their season was over.
They avoided being swept on Tuesday in the best-of-seven series, showing pride and fortitude with an 11-4 victory in Game 4. A grand slam by shortstop Anthony Volpe and a three-run home run by second baseman Gleyber Torres powered them live another day. Trailing 3-0 after losing Games 1 and 2 in Los Angeles and dropping Game 3 at home on Monday, the Yankees went into last night hoping to get back to L.A. for a Game 6 tomorrow and miraculously become the second team in MLB playoff history and the first in the World Series to win the championship overcoming the aforementioned deficit.
Home runs highlighted both Dodger victories in Game 1(6-3 in 10 innings) and Game 2 (4-2). First baseman Freddie Freeman provided the power for the Dodgers with a game winning walk-off grand slam in Game 1, the first ever in the World Series. Dodger manager Dave Roberts said after the game Freeman’s blast “might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones.”
One of three Black managers to win a World Series, Roberts woke up yesterday morning on the cusp of becoming just the second Black manager to win multiple World Series championships. Cito Gaston had previously won two times piloting the Toronto Blue Jays. Dusty Baker is the third of the group, capturing the title in 2022 guiding the Houston Astros.
Games 2 and 3, both 4-2 victories for the L.A., were close games in
which the Yankee offense was nonexistent. Held to four and five hits respectively, their lack of run support didn’t complement the performances of the bullpen which allowed one run in both games combined. Aaron Judge and Austin Wells were batting under .200 for the series entering last night. Many fans and media called for manager Aaron Boone to move Judge from the third spot in the lineup, but they were resisted.
Instead, he moved Jazz Chisholm to fourth in front of Giancarlo Stanton, and the Yankees produced their largest run output on Tuesday. The Yankees need to look within for the answers as to why they went down 3-0 in the series. While the Dodgers performed up to their resume, as the best regular season team in baseball, they didn’t begin this World Series as a juggernaut.
The San Diego Padres took them all the way to the final game of the
opening round series and the Mets beat them twice, eventually losing 4-2 in the National League Championship Series. The Yankees losses have been by and large self-inflict-
ed, including Boone deciding to bring Nestor Cortes out of the bullpen in the 10th inning in Game 1 rather than Tim Hill to pitch to Freeman leading to the fateful ending.
The new look Knicks are a work in progress early in the NBA season
By JAIME C. HARRIS
AmNews Sports Editor
Knicks team president Leon Rose made consequential moves heading into this season by trading for forward Mikal Bridges and forward/ center Karl-Anthony Towns in dra-
matically reshaping a roster that made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season.
The 28-year-old Bridges, a Philadelphia native, named to the 2022 All-Defensive First Team, was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in July. Towns, also 28, grew up in Pis-
cataway, New Jersey, less than 40 miles from Madison Square Garden. He was long rumored to be a player the Knicks coveted and they finally brought the league’s 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick back home on October 2 in a deal with Minnesota Timberwolves, with which Towns had spent his entire career.
The four-time All-Star and twotime All-NBA selection came to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, players that were part of a group that had realistic designs to unseat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and reach the franchise’s first finals since 1999. It was risky for Rose to part with Randle and DiVincenzo, who were essential to the Knicks building a symbiotic culture and identity characterized by toughness, resolve and exhaustive defense under demanding head coach Tom Thibodeau.
One of the persistent criticisms of the uber-talented Towns throughout his professional career is that despite possessing an ideal frame at 7-0, 250 pounds to play with punishing physicality, he did not impose his size and
strength consistently in the paint and preferred to play more on the perimeter, where he is one of the best shooting big men the game has ever seen, making nearly 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Thibodeau coached Towns with the Wolves from 2016-2019 and faced Bridges frequently when the latter was a member of the Nets so had a clear vision of how they would adapt to the Knicks’ offensive and defensive schemes, and more importantly, carry with them a selfless and win-first mindset. Thus far, early this season the Knicks are expectedly a work-in-progress. They were 1-2 going into last night’s road game versus the Miami Heat coming off of a 110-104 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at MSG on Monday.
“…The thing you got to strive to be (is) a forty-eight minute team and we’re nowhere near that,” said Thibodeau after the defeat. “Yet we got to keep working on it and keep our focus on improvement. Get better each day.”
Towns finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds on just eight shot attempts.
Team captain Jalen Brunson, who led the Knicks with 21 points but had an off shooting night at 8-for-24, saw consistent double-teams from the Cavaliers, said it’s his responsibility to increase his big man’s role on the offensive end.
“I would say as good as [Karl-Anthony Towns] is, no one can really take him out of the game,” Brunson said. “It’s on us. It’s on me as a teammate to make sure we’re all on the same page. Making sure that everyone’s eating. I got to be better when it comes to that, I got to adjust, and I got to see.”
The Knicks will continue on a four-game road trip playing the Detroit Pistons tomorrow, the Houston Rockets on Monday and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. They finally return home on November 8 to host the Milwaukee Bucks.
Forward Mikal Bridges, in his first season with the Knicks, was averaging 18.7 points through three games before facing the Miami Heat on the road last night. (Bill Moore photo)
Dave Roberts led the Los Angeles Dodgers into Game 5 of the World Series last night in the Bronx versus the New York Yankees seeking his second championship as manager of the team. (MLBbro.com photo)
