New York Amsterdam News Issue November 9, 2023 by AmsterdamNews

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Vol. 114 No. 45 | November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW BLACK VIEW

FATAL CUTS?

SLASHING VITAL PROGRAM MAY COST LIVES (See story on page 6)

Paid in full: East Harlem’s Second Ave subway extension reaches full funding after feds split bill

City Council has new blood: Yusef Salaam and Chris Banks win seats (See story on page 3)

(See story on page 3)

(Photo courtesy of Dorin Hammond)

Preservation Trust May Be NYCHA’s Best Hope Urban Agenda by David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York - See page 5

)

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(GIN)—As the world tightens its belt to use less dirty oil and more solar and other clean energies, one country on the African continent is moving full speed ahead in the opposite direction. Uganda recently signed on to one of the largest fossil fuel infrastructure projects in the works anywhere in the world. The planned oil pipeline has already devastated thousands of livelihoods and will worsen the global climate crisis, said the NewYork-based Human Rights Watch in a new report. When completed in 2025, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project will have hundreds of miles of roads, camps and other infra-

structure, and a 900-mile pipeline connecting oil fields in western Uganda to Tanzania. Uganda’s support for the pipeline has angered environmental activists who point to the number of displaced families, threatened wildlife habitats—home to vulnerable species such as elephants and chimpanzees—and increased carbon emissions as part of ongoing construction. These considerations have led to several Western banks pulling out of investing in the more than 870 miles of the so-called EACOP pipeline, but concern is growing over news this week that Chinese financier Sinosure and the state-owned Export-Import Bank of China could be throwing their weight behind the project instead. “China has maintained that they’re a friend of Africa, [and] as such they must reconsider EACOP and invest in clean energy instead of fossil fuels,” said Diana Nabiruma, a spokesperson for the African Institute for Energy Governance in Uganda, in an interview with Voice of America. “We urge

News

China to stand on the right side of history by rejecting EACOP and funding Africa’s renewable future.” The project has a 40:60 debt equity ratio, meaning more than half the costs need to be secured as debt. Irene Batebe, with Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, took issue with the activists, saying that Kampala is in advanced talks with the Chinese financiers to provide credit for the pipeline. “We are confident, by the end of October of this year, we should close the debt component,” she told Reuters, adding that Sinosure would be “one of the biggest” contributors to the debt, without giving the exact amount they would be providing. While Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged in 2021 to build more clean energy projects, he is still reportedly working hard on securing oil and coal flows into China itself to make sure the world’s second-largest economy is energy secure. Samuel Okulony, director of Uganda’s Environment Governance Institute, which is also part of the #StopEACOP campaign, told

Voice of America that new funding from Chinese financiers would raise questions about Xi’s green pledges. “This is the double-speak that we condemn,” he said. “We’re tired of leaders using newspapers and big platforms to make promises that are meant to hoodwink the public, but have no plans to act on them.” TA-NEHISI COATES ON THE ‘NONCOMPLEXITY’ OF THE MIDDLE EAST WAR

Ta-Nehisi Coates (GIN photo)

(GIN)—As political theorists, activists, politicians and others struggle with ways to understand the current war in the Middle East, a clarity came to prize-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates on his return from a 10-day tour of Israel and Palestine. See INTERNATIONAL on page 29

Afro Venezuelan migrants––between a blockade and the hope of return By JESÚS CHUCHO GARCIA Special to the AmNews Translated by KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

as they fled despotic governments. And because of the armed conflicts that lasted for almost half a century in Colombia, Venezuela received nearly 5 million Colombian immigrants.

In February 1996, the magazine Africamerica, published by my Venezuela-based Fundación Afroamerica Y Diaspora Africana, ran a front-page story that declared “Migrations: problems of the third millennium.” Our 1995 analysis looked at the fact that Venezuela, after World Wars I and II, became a receiving center for European migrants. While they welcomed migrants as a gesture of solidarity, Venezuelan governments of the day also promoted bringing in Europeans as a way of helping “improve the race” (“mejorar la raza”), according to former Venezuelan Minister of Economy Alberto Adriani, who helped facilitate European migration. Venezuela was traditionally a country mostly comprising Blacks and Indigenous people. Later, when dictatorships took over in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Uruguay, Venezuela received tens of thousands of migrants from those nations

Venezuelan migrations With the election of President Hugo Chávez in 1998 and the rise in oil prices, Venezuela once again became a nation that attracted thousands of migrants. It saw a large number of migrants from 2002 (after the attempted coup against Chávez) until the March 9, 2015, declaration by then-President Barack Obama that Venezuela was an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States. When Donald Trump came to power, his administration initiated some 900 coercive and unilateral measures against Venezuela. His actions led to an inhumane blockade that prohibited medicine and food, and seized Venezuelan state funds in international banks, among other perverse effects. These coercive measures have led many Venezuelan men and women, regardless of their views on the Venezuelan government, to make the decision to

migrate. Most are just February 1996 cover of Africamerica declared looking to survive: They “Migrations: problems of the third millennium” are searching for better (Fundación Afroamerica Y Diaspora Africana conditions and opportu- photo) nities for wages, salaries, health, and food to satisfy their general needs. The migration of millions of Venezuelans became a business for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations agencies, and the Organization of American States, who became the intermediaries for funds issued by international organizations. The interagency coordination platform Refugees and Migrants (R4V), which coordinates with United Nation agencies, NGOs, and other civil society groups for its statistics, shows that some 7 million Venezu- than 1.5 million), and the United elan migrants have relocated so far. States (which, as of September 2022, Most have migrated to Colombia registered 545,000 who have mostly (more than 2 million), Peru (more See AFRO VENEZUELAN on page 29

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Paid in full: East Harlem’s Second Ave Subway extension reaches full funding after feds split bill By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member Stand clear of the closing deals, please. A political who’s who gathered this past Saturday morning to proclaim full funding for the stalled Second Avenue subway phase two extension to East Harlem’s 125th Street. From former Rep. Charles Rangel to current U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, officials—both state and federal—signed the grant agreement to pay for the second phase of a project first proposed almost a century ago. “It was so crushing…when East Harlem found out that the Second Avenue subway was going to stop at 96th Street,” said Rangel. “But fortunately, East Harlem will have an opportunity now to participate in the work and dreams of New Yorkers and all Americans. Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler, and I were there chopping away, but it took

my successor to be the tugboat to bring this great ship to this great neighborhood.” Rangel is, of course, referring to Rep. Adriano Espaillat who, alongside Sen. Chuck Schumer, announced $3.4 million from the federal government for the $7.7 billion extension on October 24. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) temporarily seized several properties in East Harlem under eminent domain earlier this year to prepare for second-phase construction. It involves extending Q train service from 96th Street to 125th Street and then on 125th Street to Park Avenue. There will be two new stations at 106th Street and 116th Street, and one transfer to Metro North trains. “We worked hard to ensure that we kept the money coming in for the MTA for the public transportation system in New York City, which is fueled financially by ridership,” said Espaillat. “In this neighborhood, the ridership has been pretty steady, because it’s essential workers. These are the men and women [who] went to work right in the middle of the pandemic as we got

hammered by the pandemic, so they deserve this project. “And I know that the first phase is a great phase, but it went through some of the richest ZIP codes in the country.” In 1919, shortly after World War I, the Second Avenue subway project was called the Independent Subway System (IND). The IND was “crippled” by a lack of funding during the subsequent Great Depression era, according to information published by Milrose Consultants. Schumer and Espaillat said that funding remained a primary issue in why the project couldn’t get “under” ground. The line was approved by the transportation board in 1929, but the Depression continued to affect building costs. By 1939, it was abandoned. Ten years later, during the Korean War, the transportation board picked the project back up and actually managed to dedicate $112 million in funding to it from a state bond measure before construction was once again postponed. plans for the line routes changed multiple By 1957, the money was spent elsewhere, times, and arguments over where stations though. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, the See SECOND AVE on page 25

City Council has new blood: Yusef Salaam and Chris Banks win seats By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member When the polls closed this Tuesday, Nov. 7, it marked the end of this year’s elections with a slew of City Council candidates on the ballot. Incumbents in Black-led districts were voted in again with the exception of two newcomers: Councilmember Yusef Salaam in Harlem and Chris Banks in East New York. Since most of the hard work of securing a win in the primary was out of the way, the atmosphere was certainly festive at various candidates’ watch parties. As the polls

closed, the conquerors rejoiced with family and friends. “I am humbled by the trust that you have placed in me, and I take this responsibility with the utmost seriousness,” said Salaam. “I pledge to be a leader who listens, seeks common ground, and is dedicated to the progress of all of our people. I pledge to you, here, today, to be a true public servant for our village. Together, we will write, we will rewrite, we will right, we will reright, the next chapter of our story. It’s hip hop, y’all.’’ The New York City Board of Elections (BOE) counted 85,957 votes in this year’s early voting results, most of which came

Newly elected Councilmember Chris Banks at watch party on Nov. 7 in Brooklyn. (Contributed by Jabran Akram)

from Manhattan with 25,540 voters. By 6 p.m. on Election Day, the BOE counted 444, 511 votes from the polling sites, mostly from Queens. Salaam is a staunch activist, Harlem native, and member of the Exonerated Five. He celebrated his victory at Just Lorraine’s Place 2 (Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. in Harlem). The bar was jam-packed with supporters, media, his relatives, his children, and other activists, such as fellow Exonerated Five member Raymond Santana. “For too long, Harlem has been stuck in neutral, unable to maximize the talent that made our streets famous. But tonight, See ELECTION on page 25

Tracy McCarter sues NYPD alleging false arrest in estranged husband’s 2020 death By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

licious lie” by an NYPD officer sent to the scene, which led to her prosecution. She maintains the death was an accident. Murray, who struggled with addiction, consumed alDomestic violence survivor Tracy Mc- cohol, according to investigators, and arrived Carter filed a lawsuit against the NYPD last at her Upper West Side apartment demandThursday, Nov. 2, over how police investi- ing money. McCarter says he stumbled onto gated her estranged husband’s 2020 death, the knife she held in self-defense and that she in which she was accused of murder and never told police otherwise. manslaughter. Those charges were com“I heard a police officer say that I said pletely tossed out last December and she’s [Murray] tried to take my purse, so I now alleging that a false confession led to stabbed him in the chest,” she said. “And her immediate arrest and subsequent 205- I remember turning to someone and day detainment on Rikers Island during saying, ‘Why do you keep saying that? I “the terrifying early phase” of the COVID- never said that.’” 19 pandemic. The conversation was documented by The complaint alleges that McCarter’s con- police body camera footage, according fession to stabbing James Murray was a “ma- to the filing, including the open denial of

a confession. McCarter hopes the lawsuit will serve as a lever of accountability for police, especially for the officer she alleges claimed the false confession. “What we also are trying to do is hold them accountable for those lies, but also make it very clear how much those lies matter, even when ultimately the right outcome happens,” said McCarter’s lawyer, Tess Cohen. “How destructive those lies are even if the criminal justice system comes to the correct conclusion: The process is traumatic. The ending is not the end of this. And so we’re trying to hold them accountable for the process as well.” After her arrest, McCarter could not return to her job as a nurse or her advanced clinical management and leadership stud-

ies at Columbia University. While both her employment and her enrollment remained on hold, she stayed in administrative limbo due to electronic monitoring and a student conduct suspension. McCarter missed the birth of her grandchildren and the funeral of an aunt and a grandparent. Cohen, who was also on McCarter’s defense team, pointed to Daniel Penny, who was not immediately arrested and charged after the death of unhoused Black New Yorker Jordan Neely. Instead, he was later charged with manslaughter and released on bail. “He was not arrested [at] that moment, no one put cuffs on him [at] that moment, and they could have made that same choice See MCCARTER on page 27

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Biden needs an Obama-like comeback By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

margin is very narrow, with Biden edging Trump by only 2 points. It may not be time for Biden and his team to If the conflict in the Middle East between panic since it’s still early in the race and many the Israeli military and Hamas isn’t enough pundits agree that things can change dramatstress for President Biden, a recent poll has ically. Remember when President Obama was him trailing Trump in key battleground states. on the brink of being counted out in his reelecIn five of six states (Arizona, Georgia, Michi- tion bid in 2012, only to recover? gan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania), Trump leads Obama was behind in a dozen swing states, by a range of 4 to 10 points. Wisconsin, an- trailing Mitt Romney, the former Massachuother vital state in the 2024 presidential elec- setts governor, 43-48%, and losing to Newt tion, has favorable results for Biden, but the Gingrich, the former House Speaker, 45-48. No

lesson in history is needed here to know that Obama defeated his opponents decisively. Of course, this is not to compare Obama’s comeback with Biden’s possibility. We are in different times with different personalities. And with Trump using his fraud trial as a campaign platform, there is no telling how things will turn out. The recent New York Times-Siena also disclosed that Biden was losing numbers in his African American base, which was instrumental in his comeback victory four years ago.

What’s to be done to turn things around for a candidate many deem too old for the job? Several notable political commentators have suggested that Biden step down and allow Vice President Harris seek the office, but her polling numbers are no better than those of her boss. Biden is facing a tumult of difficulties. He and the Democratic National Committee should consider accentuating all of their positive accomplishments and letting them stand up against what the country would look like under Trump.

Across the Redline: NYS AG report highlights “deep” racial gaps in homeownership By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member A new housing report released by New York State Attorney General (OAG) Letitia ‘Tish’ James last week finds that there are deep racial disparities in homeownership in every region across the state due to discriminatory lending practices and credit access, among other factors. The report shows white households are more than twice as likely as Black or Latino households to own their home. “Owning a home is an essential part of achieving the American dream and building wealth to pass on to future generations,” said James in a statement. “Unfortunately, unequal access to affordable credit is still pervasive across our state, reinforcing the legacy of segregation, leading to a disparity in homeownership, and fueling the racial wealth gap. This report makes it clear that our state must do more to provide better resources for homebuyers and strengthen housing laws to help empower more New Yorkers.” These racial disparities are the direct result of decades of redlining, or segregating Black people into impoverished neighborhoods, through public policy and institutional bias since the 1930s, said the report. The Fair Housing Act in 1968 supposedly banned racial discrimination in housing, as did the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974, and the Community Reinvestment Act in 1977. But laws on the books hardly changed hearts and minds right away. There was significant underenforcement that continued. For instance, during the “subprime lending boom” that came before the 2008 financial collapse, lenders filled communities of color with predatory loan products that caused waves of foreclosures. And years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many already affluent and white New Yorkers invested in property while Black homeowners struggled to stay afloat, said the report. “Even though the Fair Housing Act and the New York State Human Rights Law prohibit discrimination in home sales and mortgage lending, it still occurs at an alarming rate,” said M. DeAnna Eason, executive director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal in a statement. “The issues of systemic racism that plagued our

communities decades ago remain today and pose significant barriers to families of color. This report from Attorney General James shines a light on a very serious wrong, so that we can continue to combat these prejudices.” The report found that Albany has the second-largest gap between white and Black homeownership of any city nationwide, second only to Minneapolis. In the 1930s, Albany had a small Black population deemed “hazardous” for lending. This com-

lower rate. The report estimates that overall Black and brown borrowers faced $200 million more in interest and other costs and fees over the course of their loans as compared to white and Asian borrowers. The OAG found that lenders and bankers rarely open branches in communities of color across the state, meaning Black and brown people often have to travel farther white neighborhood counterparts to reach a bank. There’s also a persistent distrust of banks in Black communities and many preemptively don’t apply for mortgage loans because they assume they’ll be discriminated against, said the report. Statewide, lenders received fewer applications from Black and Latino applicants than their proportion of the state population, with 7.6% of purchase applications from Black applicants and 9.5% from Latino applicants. President and CEO of Hispanic Federation Frankie Miranda said in a statement that there’s a long way to go to ensure that communities of color have equitable opportunities to own a home. “Homeownership is a crucial way for famAP Photo/ ilies to build generational wealth, and it’s unMark Lennihan. acceptable that Black and Latino New Yorkers (Graphs continue to face higher costs and interest rates contributed that shut them out of the real-estate market. It’s by Attorney past due for the state, federal, and private secGeneral Letitia tors to come together and begin breaking down James’ office) these barriers so that all New Yorkers, regardless of their race or zip code, have an opportunity to own a home,” said Miranda. The OAG suggested state-level policy solutions in the report that could help close the racial homeownership gap. It said that the state should subsidize down payments and interest rates for first-generation Black homebuyers, increase state funding to nonprofits that support underserved communities, pass the New York Public Banking Act to establish more public banks, open more fair lending investigations, munity was redlined into the South End, and explore options for state-provided bankArbor Hill, and West Hill neighborhoods. ing services at places like libraries and post ofAdditionally, the report said that “all ap- fices to increase access. plicants of color are denied mortgages at higher rates than white applicants, regardAriama C. Long is a Report for America corps less of credit score, income, size of the loan, member and writes about politics for the Amand other factors,” even if applicants had sterdam News. Your donation to match our high credit scores. Applicants of color also RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this face higher interest rates for their loans than one; please consider making a tax-deductible their white counterparts and are less likely gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit. to be approved to refinance their loans to a ly/amnews1.

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Shanny Herrera has improbable rise to directing Council District 9’s constituent services By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member Shanny Herrera likens her childhood to John Travolta’s character in “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble” due to her grocery list of allergies and illnesses. “I was very sickly and they said to my parents [that] if I lived to see the age of 17, it would be a miracle,” she said. “So I have to say that God is still a miracle business, because I have since surpassed, of course, that age timeframe that they gave us. And I have done a lot of stuff in that timeframe.” Her story starts in Harlem. The daughter of Honduran immigrants, Herrera lost her mother before graduating high school. She remembers her mother as a community organizer whom she credits as an inspiration for her own current role as director of constituent services for Council District 9 in Harlem. “She helped our community in many ways. I remember feeling like our home was like a group home,” said Herrera. “I remember Sundays when my mother cooked this enormous meal and I did not understand at the time why she was cooking so much. The whole thing was if she cooked, she would feed people…I remember sitting at the table and sharing meals with these people who were unfortunate people [who] needed space [and] mentorship. My mother did all that.” Her mother was also quite the seamstress, making every piece of clothing for Herrera and her siblings “except for the underwear that we wore.” And she probably could have made those, too, if she had wanted to. As a result of that example, Herrera got into fashion retail after high school with aspirations of working as a buyer one day. But a clothing career didn’t work out and Herrera ended up moving out of New York City for a spell. After losing her home, working, and struggling with a Section 8 application, she faced homelessness and took her sons to Texas, where she got back on her feet, applying her Spanish skills to working with youth. Yet she was determined to make it back in the Big Apple. Herrera moved back to New York City more than a decade ago. She was initially unhoused, but a connection floated her for a program director role with an afterschool program. “I thought this was so exciting and each time that I got these opportunities, I just reflected on my mother because she was so community-orientated—always helped the community—definitely was about the youth,” she said. “[To] make a long story short, I landed that position and I not only landed that position, but I excelled.” She moved around school programs for a while until Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network enlisted her to kick off a Bronx Chapter, which started her career in “real activism.”

Shanny Herrera poses with street sign commemorating Greater Zion Hill Baptist Church’s Rev. Frank J. Blackshear (Contributed by Shanny Herrera photo)

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 5

THE URBAN AGENDA

By David R. Jones, Esq

Preservation Trust May Be NYCHA’s Best Hope A monumental moment arrived this week for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), when tenants at the Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn began voting on whether to become the first development to join the NYC Public Housing Preservation Trust, a state-created public entity that has the power to access more private and public funding for capital repairs. Tenants will cast ballots over 30 days to decide if Nostrand is transferred to the Trust, which can lease public housing units, transfer them to a more financially stable housing program, and raise funds for repairs while using procurement methods currently unavailable to NYCHA. It represents the best opportunity in years for a new funding stream for repairs of NYCHA’s deteriorating apartments.

Black New Yorker Meanwhile, her jerk chicken business took off in Harlem, connecting Herrera with local vendors and the constant advocacy they needed. The work caught the eye of Council District 9, but she initially turned down recruitment offers so she could care for her mother-in-law, who died this past April. A month later, Herrera finally joined Councilmember Kristen Richardson Jordan’s office to work outreach. “It was a no-brainer for me to do more at that office because I can,” she said. “I had the skill sets already. It wasn’t challenging for me to do the work that needed to get done. And then once I got to do constituent services, it was like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s like the best job I’ve ever had.’ Not only am I helping people resolve their issues, I have a little bit of authority, [I’m] getting some results.” Herrera said she’s helped a grand assortment of Harlemites with everything from getting an 81-year-old’s air-conditioning fixed to removing “cat-sized rats” for a parent of a disabled child. She credits Richardson Jordan as the vehicle for such community engagement. With the councilmember leaving office and an election for the seat this week, Herrera’s future is uncertain. But no matter where she ends up, she knows her place is in helping her community. 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.

I strongly support the Trust, especially given the federal government’s diminished role in public housing. It ensures that these apartments stay publicly owned and keeps intact protections for residents. That’s important, as NYCHA is the only source of affordable dwellings for many of New York City’s low-income and working-poor families. NYCHA plans to repeat similar votes at developments around the city in the months ahead. At stake may be the very survival of NYCHA, which faces a mounting backlog of capital repairs in virtually its entire approximately 175,000-unit portfolio. Tenants also have the option to vote for Nostrand to participate in the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) initiative which allows NYCHA to enter into long-term leases with private developers who come in to manage developments and fund repairs with tax credits, mortgages and bonds. In the alternative, tenants could also vote to keep the status quo, traditional Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 9 public housing. When Mayor Eric Adams pushes for more repair funds, he says NYCHA needs an estimated $78.3 billion-worth in 264 developments over the next 20 years. Still, if the repairs are completed now, the total need going forward will be much lower. Indeed, about $38 billion of the total need is already covered in slated conversions and ongoing work. At a time when huge amounts of new directgovernment funding by City Hall, the New York Legislature or the federal government does not appear to be in the cards, the Trust and PACT represent the best chance for repair dollars. In either case, both programs promise residents will continue to pay no more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Under the Trust and Section 9, households cannot be evicted without “good cause” in accordance with HUD regulations and the NYCHA lease. It is unclear if evictions will rise, fall or remain the same under PACT.

Even so, it will require a leap of faith by NYCHA tenants to believe the Trust or PACT will avert the crisis that befalls the housing authority and political headwinds that make some lawmakers gun shy, if not outright hostile, to advocating for more investment in public housing. There are concerns about the effort to secure new funds for repairs at NYCHA, which is under the watch of a federal monitor. What happens to residents displaced by the renovations? How long will they be displaced? What assurances do they have that they will be returned to the renovated apartments? What happens if NYCHA administrations change? Tenants need clarity on the details. Then there is the issue of jobs. Will the Trust and PACT deliver? NYCHA repairs is a great opportunity to create work for public housing residents and other low-income workers under a too-often neglected HUD program called Section 3. It requires that 15 percent of the labor budget on NYCHA construction contracts greater than $500,000 be set aside for housing residents, who complete at minimum a 10-hour construction course. Over the years, underfunding and chronic issues, such as insufficient heating, lead and mold in apartments, created strangulating red tape that made boiler failures and other problems annual affairs. Ultimately, NYCHA is hostage to a paradox: On one hand, it must deliver housing as it did decades ago. But at the same time, the political, economic, engineering and social forces battering NYCHA have never been so complex and perplexing. NYCHA has only a handful of strong public advocates. Aside from Democratic officeseekers, few elected officials speak in support of NYCHA. No one prominent has stepped forward to own the NYCHA issue. Let’s all agree that courage is a rare commodity in American politics today. But for more than half-a-million renters in New York City — a city within the city, equivalent to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Cleveland — public housing has provided desperately needed affordability at a time of high interest rates, soaring income inequality and the increasingly expensive costs of living and housing in New York City. The Preservation Trust is the best option for funding repairs of NYCHA’s critical infrastructure. The entire endeavor, however, will succeed or fail on winning the trust of NYCHA’s tenants. They deserve a Section 3 jobs program that allows tenants to work on the construction. And the housing authority must be forthcoming about tenant protections, displacements and how the repairs will truly impact their immediate futures.

David R. Jones, Esq., is President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York (CSS), the leading voice on behalf of low-income New Yorkers for more than 175 years. The views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer. The Urban Agenda is available on CSS’s website: www.cssny.org.

6 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Mentors warn cutting Next STEPS program for public housing youth will cost lives By SHANNON CHAFFERS Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member The Department of Probation (DOP) has come under fire in the past few months after abruptly cutting funding this past August for NextSTEPS, a popular and effective mentorship program that served young residents in the city’s public housing developments. The move has left the program’s proponents shocked and has prompted larger concerns about the direction of the DOP under new Commissioner Juanita Holmes, who was appointed in March. Next STEPS (Striving Towards Engagement and Peaceful Solutions) was a violence prevention program operated through 17 service providers that contracted with DOP. These organizations offered individual and group mentoring to more than 200 young people in 14 NYCHA developments who had experienced serious violence. The program began in 2014 as part of thenMayor Bill de Blasio’s Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, which was designed to address disproportionate levels of violence at the selected NYCHA developments. It was modeled on Arches, a program started under the Bloomberg administration that targeted 16- to 24-year–olds on probation. Both Arches and Next STEPS employ credible messengers—those who have experience with the criminal justice system—to engage youth in a cognitive behavioral therapy-based curriculum designed to steer them away from violence. But unlike Arches, Next STEPS was open to all youth, regardless of probation status. “[With] Next STEPS, we were able to get [to the youth] before they became justice involved,” said Dorin Hammond, deputy project director at the Living Redemption Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit that operated both programs for residents of Harlem’s St. Nicholas Houses. Next STEPS had an annual budget of $2.5 million. According to Hammond, many service providers were told in May that the program would be extended until June 2025, but in late August, the DOP went back on that decision. On August 24, the 17 service providers contracted with DOP to operate the program received an unexpected email, advising them that the department would no longer provide funding. The message included a directive to cease operations by August 31. Service providers expressed their astonishment and disappointment in a letter addressed to Holmes. Tee Haywood, the lead mentor for the Osborne Association—the Next STEPS provider for Bronx NYCHA developments—told the Amsterdam News about the abrupt nature of the program cuts. “It was very sudden,” he said. “They gave us a notice and two weeks later, they took the program out.” Holmes doubled down on these cuts in a

lation for youth in secure detention increased from 106 in June 2021 to 227 this August. Others at the hearing questioned the cost effectiveness of cutting the program. Ahmed Rodriguez, director for community engagement and mediation at Queensbridge Houses, noted that it costs around $560,000 to incarcerate an individual for a year, and that programs like Next STEPS can help reduce this expense. “We’re saving money by investing in this program,” he testified. Holmes declined an interview request, but the DOP provided a statement echoing her reasoning at the hearing: “Based on a thorough annual evaluation, DOP has determined that young New Yorkers living in public housing can get the mentorship support they deserve through other existing programs and will not renew this $2.5 million program. Every single New Yorker served by this program will be able to get mentorship support from the exact same providers Living Redemption’s Deputy Project Director Dorin Hammond (center) with Next STEPS through other DOP and city programs, includprogram participants Keonna Bishop (left) and Isieni Bermudez (right) at Living Redemption’s ing Arches, Blue Chips, and Girl Talk,” the stateoffices in Harlem (Shannon Chaffers photo) ment read in part. (While Arches targets the call with service providers on September 6, outcomes of the program, like helping partici- same age group as Next STEPS, Girl Talk is deand continued to defend her decision at a pants achieve an educational milestone, secure signed for teenage girls, and Blue Chips is an September 29 meeting of the City Council’s employment, or stay out of gangs. athletic-based program for 12-17 year olds). Committee on Criminal Justice. But providers said that they were never told At the council meeting, Holmes asserted what data Holmes was looking for. In addiInside Living Redemption’s Next that Next STEPS was redundant to other city- tion, they said they produced monthly re- STEPS program run mentoring programs, and that its service ports that included updates on participant At Living Redemption, the cuts to Next providers had failed to provide her with evi- outcomes like GED attainment, college en- STEPS have hit hard. dence demonstrating it was successful in re- rollment, and employment. The program is housed at Harlem’s Soul ducing recidivism. Overall, service providers and council mem- Saving Station, a church built on the founda“Unfortunately, Next STEPS was cut be- bers took the cuts as a sign that the DOP was tion of second chances—especially for those cause they couldn’t support the metrics I was heading in a more punitive direction under a affected by the legal criminal justice system. looking for,” she said. director with a long history at the NYPD. Throughout the building, murals encouragHolmes attributed the short notice of can“I am deeply, deeply concerned…that the ing justice and peace cover the walls. There’s cellation to the fact that she was only made department is regressing to its darker days of a T-shirt press and a newly installed 3D printaware of the program a few weeks before the a punitive agency, of an agency that looks like er, which Hammond hopes will both encourcontract was set to expire. the police department,” said Councilmember age youngsters to engage with their creativity. “It was just thrust, you know, in my face,” Alexa Avilés at the hearing. Over eight years, Living Redemption’s Next she said. Hammond said Holmes’s actions are a sign STEPS program served 192 youth. The proAfter providing her testimony and taking that she is skeptical of community-based, gram operated in cohorts of 16, with parquestions from council members, Holmes left credible messenger-led programs, noting how ticipants typically graduating within nine the meeting before representatives of service she touted the NYPD youth mentorship pro- months. Hammond said 74 of their youth providers gave their testimonies. grams—Blue Chips and Girl Talk—as alter- were connected to employment, and 11 have natives to Next STEPS. Holmes started both enrolled in college. Service providers’ response these programs during her time at the NYPD. At the beginning of the program, particiBoth council members and service provid“The credible messenger movement, al- pants would work with mentors to create iners at the meeting rejected Holmes’s justifica- lowing things to be credible messenger-led— dividualized success plans. tions for cutting Next STEPS. she’s not okay with it. And these are the… “We would do an intake with them, have They argued that the credible messen- undertones that you hear with her adminis- them do a self-assessment, and just meet ger-led nature of the program set it apart tration,” Hammond said. them where they’re at,” Hammond explained. from other mentoring programs and made it While Holmes insisted at the hearing that The program itself consisted of 72 sessions, uniquely equipped to engage hard-to-reach those enrolled in the program would be di- with participants attending two times per youth. They also pointed to a 2018 evaluation rected toward other mentoring programs, ser- week. The sessions involved both one-onthat demonstrated Arches was successful in vice providers said that a successful transition one and group mentoring, using an interacreducing recidivism as evidence that Next had not yet taken place. Instead, they said, tive journaling-based curriculum that aimed STEPS should be considered an effective pro- many participants have been left in limbo, to help youth change their mindset about vigram as well. putting them at risk for engaging in violence. olence by teaching them de-escalation strat“Commissioner Holmes failed to provide a “When we cut effective preventative pro- egies and how to handle difficult emotions. clear, credible, or even rational explanation grams, more young adults end up in our crimIn addition, the mentors helped youth with for the abrupt termination of the Next STEPS inal justice system, where we waste millions practical tasks, like obtaining a Metro card program,” Councilmember Lincoln Restler of dollars incarcerating people, instead of and an ID, and preparing for court dates or told AmNews. helping them get on the right track,” Restler job interviews. Holmes said she was only able to get atten- told the AmNews, noting that the population Each participant also received a $60 stipend dance figures from Next STEPS service provid- of minors incarcerated in the city has doubled ers, when she was looking for clear, measurable in the last two years: The average daily popuSee NEXT STEPS on page 31

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November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 7

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8 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS W I T H T H E F L O

Go With The Flo Commemoration events as Malcolm’s ‘Message to the Grassroots’ turns 60 FLO ANTHONY

Tongues are wagging that Brandy has announced she is putting out her first holiday album, “Christmas with Brandy,” on November 10. The project is the songstress-actress’s first album since 2020. She also has a Netflix original film “Best. Christmas. Ever!” debuting later this month. The album is described as a beautiful journey through the ups, downs, and surprising twists that accompany the holiday season. An extremely busy entertainer, Brandy will also be performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade....... The students, parents, faculty, and staff of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Public School 5 recently joined community leaders, parents, and neighbors for an official dedication of the Donnie McClurkin, Jr. Music Room. The Grammy Award-winning gospel recording artist McClurkin, who was in attendance, was also feted with a school tour and full school assembly that included student art and music presentations, as well as a solo performance by Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School student Joshua Joseph. “I’m truly honored,” said Pastor McClurkin, who was emotionally touched, and showed his gratitude by serenading the audience in song performing the timely gospel hit “May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me.”..... Various industry notables attended the 27th Annual Urbanworld International Film Festival on November 3 for Day 3 of the five-day event in the Big Apple. Festival ambassador The RZA and Gerald Barclay, co-directors of the documentary “A Wu-Tang Experience: Live from Red Rocks Amphitheatre,” were on hand to present their film. Misty Copeland, Nelson George, and Leyla Fayyaz, producers of the experimental short “Flower,” attended on behalf of their film as well as retired astronaut Leland Melvin, Benny Boom, Apolline Traore, and Thembi L. Banks...... The Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ) 2023 Gala was held at the Lighthouse at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers in Manhattan, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the organization and support its ongoing efforts to make fresh food more accessible and improve nutritional health within New York City and Denver’s low-income communities through school-based, youth-led hydroponic farming. The Gala featured Oscar-winning actress and emcee Ariana DeBose and celebrity chef Melba Wilson. The Honorees of the 2023 Gala were Teens for Food Justice Champion Randy Stern and TFFJ alumna Alyssa GardnerVazquez. The auction and fundraiser was conducted by CK Swett......

Malcolm X Commemoration Committee will conduct a virtual conversation on the 60th anniversary of Malcolm Xs Message to the Grassroots

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff In his “Message to the Grassroots” speech, Malcolm X made a point of delineating the differences between Black revolutionaries and the leaders he saw heading the Civil Rights Movement revolution. Malcolm thought Civil Rights Movement leaders were headed down the wrong path: not trying to truly alter Black lives, just rework them. “A revolution is bloody. Revolution is hostile. Revolution knows no compromise,” he told the audience at his November 10, 1963, speech at the King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. “Revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way,” he said. “And you, sitting around here like a knot on the wall, saying, ‘I’m going to love these folks no matter how much they hate me.’ No, you need a revolution. Whoever heard of a revolution where they lock arms, as Reverend Cleage was pointing out beautifully, singing ‘We Shall Overcome’? Just tell me. You don’t do that in a revolution. You don’t do any singing; you’re too busy swinging. It’s based on land. A revolutionary wants land so he can set up his own nation, an independent nation. These negroes aren’t asking for no nation. They’re trying to crawl back on the plantation.” Radical statements like these made Malcolm X iconic and the reason he remains a pinpoint for activists who want to empow-

er Black communities. Malcolm’s “Message to the Grassroots” speech is where he talked about the difference between the “house negro” and the “field negro,” and where he discussed the importance of the Bandung Conference and the alliances it established between Asian and African nations. To commemorate the 60th anniversary, activists and organizers will come together at the same King Solomon Baptist Church (6100 14th Street in Detroit) this Friday, November 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. to discuss the famous speech and its continuing impact. Speakers including Luke Tripp of Detroit’s historic League of Revolutionary Black Workers; Zayid Muhammad of Brooklyn’s Malcolm X Commemoration Committee (MXCC); Don Freeman of the Revolutionary Action Movement; scholaractivist Akinyele Umoja, the author of “We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement”; reparations movement lawyer Nkechi Taifa; and lawyer-scholar Charles Simmons, will join Rev. Charles E. Williams II, pastor of King Solomon Church, to talk about the imprint Malcolm’s speech made on the concept of Black nationalism. On Saturday, November 11, at 5 p.m., the MXCC will present a special, live virtual conversation with William Sales, professor and author of “From Civil Rights to Black Liberation: Malcolm X and the Organization of Afro-America Unity.” The discussion will be carried on MXCC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

“Malcolm must be appreciated as a paradigm shifter,” MXCC’s Muhammad told the AmNews. “He was the revolutionary voice of the Black radical tradition who almost single-handedly forced a shift within the so-called Civil Rights Movement. He laid down the gauntlet to the movement––particularly to young people––not to be co-opted by philanthropy and denied the chance to place our struggle in the broader space of the global revolutionary struggles of those epic times. “He must also be appreciated for the original Pan Africanist that he was, linking our particular struggle here in the U.S. to those struggles on the African continent. ‘Message to the Grassroots’ captured all of that. His call for a broad-based, united front at that moment is as timely today as it was 60 years ago as we face the prospects of an emerging fascism that seeks to undo the modest gains of that time. “Finally, the ‘Message to the Grassroots’ foreshadowed the Pan African character of his organization, the Organization of Afro American Unity. It was to be an organization of Afrodescendants from all corners of the globe. He was especially concerned with uniting Afrodescendants from throughout the Western hemisphere. ‘Any person of African descent anywhere in the Western Hemisphere is an Afro American,’ he posed pointedly with the launch of the OAAU in New York on June 28 the following year.”

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS O U T & A B O U T

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 9

Nightlife

Written by David Goodson

ONE Musicfest Rocks! Perched high and secure in the upper echelon of power brokers in Black music you would find the surname Carter, most notably associated with Dwayne and Shawn. Slowly but surely, we may have to make room for another Carter who’s making his presence felt in an attempt to breathe in that rarified air. As the founder of one of the premier music festivals in the nation, ONE Musicfest, J. Carter issued a statement in early summer for the planned vision of the 2023 edition in Atlanta. “We are beyond excited about the 14th annual ONE Musicfest. To have the opportunity to host Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, and other iconic artists in the middle of Piedmont Park is a dream come true, especially on the 50th Anniversary of hip hop. It doesn’t get any better than this. It will be a premium experience for the artists, the attendees, and our partners. We look forward to our new home in Piedmont Park and delivering an elevated experience to our many fans,” he said, knowing that if this edition performs as it should, ONE Musicfest is that much closer to becoming a household name and a permanent destination for lovers of live Black music and the artists that make it. In the days leading up to the event, Carter further described his vision on WXIA-TV, saying, “It’s an amazing cultural good time, good feel event. It’s an incredible weekend of live music, festival activities, and amazing food. Something we curate almost as stringently as our artist lineup is our food lineup.” He continues, “It’s an incredible event to experience and be a part of. The giveback Killer Mike

Tems (David Goodson photos)

Lady Of Rage

and what we do for the city as well is just as important.” Part of that giveback came in the form of the combined efforts from HBCU Change, Asbury Automotive Group and Aetna, which along with ONE Musicfest donated $65,000 to Morris Brown College and FAMU. Underrated music industry giant Ed Lover and The Dream, a creative force in the music industry with a hand in over 100 million records sold as a singer/songwriter/producer, both received Atlanta City Council proclamations for their contributions to the growth and strengthening of black music and culture.

The main event boasted an impressive lineup over three stages, including Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, Tems, Coco Jones, El DeBarge, Durand Bernarr, Bryson Tiller, Lil’ Kim, Fabolous, Jadakiss, KRS One, and Big Daddy Kane. These were some of the big name performers and all delivered A1 performances. Lil’ Kim provided one of the more surprising guest appearances with the addition of Sukihana, who draws inspiration from the legendary rapper. A gracious Sukihana shared her gratitude online, as she expressed how much the moment meant to her. “@lilkimthequeenbee brought me outtttt,” she wrote on Instagram. “This means so much to [bee emoji] my hard work is paying off. I am Ed Lover

actually just getting started. So excited to show the world SUKIHANA. This is a dream come true for me.” Janet Jackson joined the superstar friend phase by inviting J. Cole for a rendition of their 2015 track “No Sleep” as well as Jazze Pha and Jermaine Dupri. But none of that was necessary as Ms. Jackson affirmed who she was and IS in this game! While those were high points, it was the local stars that shone bright. If there were any doubts about the legendary status of The Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, and T.I after experiencing the reciprocal love between artists, lay them to rest expeditiously!. That love for their own is real and a sight to behold. Can’t wait to see what 2024 brings. Over and out!! Enjoy the nightlife. El DeBarge

10 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Union Matters Starbucks increases U.S. hourly wages and adds other benefits for non-union workers

Hating hate Gregory Floyd President, Teamsters Local 237 and Vice President at-Large on the General Board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The Amsterdam News recently reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released a comprehensive report on hate crime statistics for 2022. The data in the report are the result of compiling submissions from 13,293 law enforcement agencies, covering more than 256 million U.S. inhabitants—93.5% of the total population. The findings are troubling. They reveal a surge in hatefueled incidents across the United States. In 2022, law enforcement agencies reported 11,634 criminal incidents involving 13,337 offenses, motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity. This should come as no surprise to most Americans, especially many New Yorkers. It’s hard to ignore the headlines. With African Americans and Muslims continuing to be overrepresented among the victims, there was a 25% increase in antisemitic incidents and antiLGBTQ crimes were on the rise by 16%. Now, with the current chaos in the Middle East, the FBI’s next hate crime report is likely to contain statistics that pale by comparison. Not long ago, I received the World Peace Prize and was named “Roving Ambassador for Peace.” This prestigious award was bestowed upon me by an organization dedicated to social and labor justice, founded by Father Sean McManus. At the awards ceremony, their two main objectives were described: “To assert the basic principle that peace is the fruit of justice and that working for peace means, in fact, working for social justice.” The American Labor Movement was cited as the body that has ceaselessly worked on behalf of these principles since the late 1800s. Fr. McManus talked about great labor leaders such as Richard Trumka, the

late president of the AFL-CIO, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who both believed that labor justice and social justice are forever intertwined. You can’t have one without the other. Dr. King’s words were cited as summing up the sentiment best: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Sage advice. But now that I was entrusted with a mighty title and lofty assignment, the questions remain: How does one “rove for peace”? Is it something you actively look for like a missing puzzle piece? Is it even a job that one person alone can accomplish? And, perhaps the biggest question, especially in light of the times: Will peace eliminate hate, or is it the other way around? Work on getting rid of hate and peace will follow. For our own country, I may not be 100% sure of the correct answer, but I think a good place to start is voting. We need to elect leaders focused on one thing, and one thing only: us, the American people. No distractions. No eye toward personal gains—you won the prize, now prove your worth! We need laws and policies that make our citizens feel protected; make them feel they matter; make them feel “at home” in their own nation. We need a show of strength from our leaders that is both reassuring to us and fear-provoking to others. The net result will be a sense of fairness; a unity based on common interests; peace of mind and a feeling of hope that leaves hate with no room to infiltrate. Voting is the best tool for any and all “Roving Ambassadors For Peace.” Peace and hate are inextricably bound. Voting and voting wisely is the best way to pull them apart: leaving the latter in tatters and the former the foundation for the future, a legacy for our children.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Additional reporting by KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Starbucks is increasing pay and benefits for most of its U.S. hourly workers after ending its fiscal year with record sales. But the company said on Monday, Nov. 6, that unionized workers won’t be eligible for some of those perks, a sign of the continuing tension between the Seattle coffee giant and the Starbucks Workers United (SWU) union trying to organize its U.S. stores. At least 366 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize

since 2021, according to the National Labor Relations Board. But Starbucks and the SWU union have yet to reach a labor agreement at any of those stores. Starbucks has 9,600 company-operated stores in the U.S. Starbucks said Monday it will increase wages—which currently average $17.50 per hour—starting Jan. 1. Employees at both union and non-union stores who have worked four years or less will get raises of 3% or 4% depending on years of service. Employees who have worked five years or more will be eligible for a 5% increase, but since that’s a new benefit, it must be negotiated with SWU and is therefore not

A Starbucks store in Brooklyn, New York (Karen Juanita Carrillo photo)

available to unionized stores, the company said. SWU rejected that claim and said it will file unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “Withholding benefits from unionized stores is against the law,” the union said. Starbucks said it is also shortening the time hourly employees must work before accruing vacation days from one year to 90 days. That benefit is also only available to workers at nonunionized stores. The company also announced a new North American barista championship open to employees in the U.S. and Canada. The company said that program also won’t be available to employees at unionized stores since it involves prize money and travel. Starbucks’ actions go against a September ruling by an administrative law judge for the NLRB, who ruled that the company acted illegally last fall when it raised pay for only non-union workers. The 45-page decision by Administrative Law Judge MaraLouise Anzalone determined that Starbucks developed a corporate-wide response to SWU’s organizing efforts “involving a sophisticated online messaging campaign aimed at convincing [Starbucks workers, who are called] partners to reject union representation and instead entrust management to fix working conditions.” The antiunion campaign instead proposed a “worker-management cooperation” method that would be able to improve wages and benefits. The new wage rates that are proffered to only nonunion workers reinforces that narrative. Starbucks has appealed Judge Anzalone’s ruling, saying NLRB’s standards don’t allow employers to make unilateral changes in the wages or benefits of unionized employees. Meanwhile, the SWU plans to stage another unfair labor practices strike and day of action at Starbucks stores across the country on November 16th. The day-long strike will protest against the union’s alleged harassment and illegal firings of unionized workers.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 11

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12 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Opinion No justice for Elijah McClain EDITORIAL

Ever since we first heard of Elijah McClain’s fatal encounter with the police in Aurora, Colorado, in 2019, we held out hope, like his mother, Sheneen McClain, that the officers and paramedics involved would be prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to prison for killing him. McClain, 23, was an aspiring African American musician and massage therapist who was arrested because he was seen walking down the street wearing a ski mask, his arms flailing, which his friends claimed were gyrations accompanying the music he was listening to. According to the police, McClain resisted and one officer claimed he heard another shout, “He is going for your gun.” From attorney Mari Newman, a noted civil rights activist who was then representing the family, we learned how the tragic encounter unfolded. McClain, she said, was slammed against a wall and subsequently held on the ground for 15 minutes. This rough encounter left him in distress. Once his arms were handcuffed behind his back, one of the officers applied a “carotid artery control hold,” according to a district attorney’s report. He repeatedly cried, “I can’t breathe,” and was soon rendered unconscious. It was a repeat of what happened to Eric Garner and George Floyd.

As we reported at the time, McClain was barely responsive when paramedics arrived and injected him with 500 mg of ketamine, an allowable sedative in Colorado to calm excited delirium. While being transported to the hospital, he suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced brain-dead three days later on August 30, 2019. An autopsy identified McClain’s history of asthma and the carotid hold, neither of which the report said contributed to his death, according to the report; it also noted the amount of ketamine in his system was at a “therapeutic level.” The officers involved were initially placed on administrative leave but were later reinstated when prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges. We are as outraged as Elijah’s mother that two of three officers have avoided prison after being found not guilty. A third officer was convicted in the earlier trial of the lesser charges he faced: negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Two paramedics from the Aurora fire department are awaiting trial later this month. Given the previous verdicts, we hold little hope that McClain will receive justice. We can only pray that the case is not marked “closed” with another young Black man becoming a forgotten statistic. Elijah McClain’s civil rights— no, his human rights—were brutally violated. Maybe this can be a path toward some form of justice.

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher Member

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Rent rates increased on October 1— but it’s not too late to freeze your rent By JASMIN BATISTA and ROBIN LEE Special to the AmNews For more than 20 years, Beridiana Calderon has lived in her modest apartment in Washington Heights with her daughter and granddaughters. Like thousands of New Yorkers, she worried about keeping her home. She is not alone. Against the backdrop of inflation and global economic uncertainty, the city was able to protect tenants in rent-stabilized housing from higher and more unsustainable rent increases, locking in rent rate increases at approximately 3%, while ensuring small property owners still have the necessary resources they need to maintain their buildings. Yet, Calderon doesn’t have to worry: Her rate increase will be 0%. Fortunately for Calderon, an older New Yorker living on a fixed income in a rent-stabilized apartment, she found out that she qualified to freeze her rent. While Calderon’s story is common, its ending is rare. The most recent Rent Freeze Ombudsperson report revealed a concerning statistic: In 2020, only 71,665 income-eligible seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities froze their rent, representing a 5.1 percent decrease in Rent Freeze recipients from the previous year, despite the fact that an estimated 135,000 households were eligible. As one part of the mayoral administration’s approach to make sure eligible New Yorkers know they qualify for this life-changing benefit, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU) is partnering with the Department of Finance and the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate to encourage residents to take advantage of the Rent Freeze Programs. Qualifying applicants will receive either the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE), which supports eligible older New Yorkers over age 62, or the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE), which

helps those with disabilities. These exemptions enable recipients to freeze their rent—usually at the rate paid in their prior lease— and the city will offset the rent increase by applying a tax credit to their landlords’ property taxes. It’s important for New Yorkers to sign up for Rent Freeze as soon as possible: The longer that qualifying New Yorkers are in the program, the more they benefit. A New Yorker who enters the program now and continues to renew their benefits could pay the same rent in 20 years as what they pay today. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, an independent office in the Department of Finance, works on

gible New Yorkers and help them enroll in the Rent Freeze program. But don’t wait for us to come to you: New Yorkers can call the Public Engagement Unit Rent Freeze Hotline at 929-252-7242 to speak with one of our trained and compassionate Rent Freeze Specialists. With rents reaching all-time highs or close to such levels throughout the boroughs, it is more important than ever for residents to be informed and contact the hotline to inquire about eligibility. Together, the Public Engagement Unit, Department of Finance, and Office of the Taxpayer Advocate offer the Rent Freeze Programs to keep families in their homes and ease the burden of financial and housing instability. This builds off the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s tenant protection efforts to keep people in their homes by creating and preserving affordable homes through a variety of tools, including empowering tenants with more resources and aggressively enforcing city codes. Our collective work is not just about saving money; it is about ensuring New Yorkers can remain in their homes. Older New Yorkers and New Yorkers with disabilities do not have to suffer in silence. Calderon reached out to the Rent Freeze hotline and trusted us to solve her rent issue, resulting in being able to continue living in the home where she raised her family. She now saves more than $900 a year on her rent, and with each renewed year, she saves even more. Others can do the same.

“It’s important for New Yorkers to sign up for Rent Freeze as soon as possible: The longer that qualifying New Yorkers are in the program, the more they benefit. A New Yorker who enters the program now and continues to renew their benefits could pay the same rent in 20 years as what they pay today.” behalf of New Yorkers to resolve tax issues when all other avenues have been exhausted. The office makes recommendations to improve programs such as Rent Freeze. In addition to the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate and the Department of Finance’s Rent Freeze outreach efforts, the Public Engagement Unit’s Rent Freeze specialists also have a hotline and do direct outreach to atrisk New Yorkers to ensure that those who qualify are getting the benefit. We recognize that navigating government bureaucracy and paperwork is no easy task, especially for older New Yorkers and New Yorkers with disabilities. That is why our teams will go door-to-door this month to reach thousands of eli-

Jasmin Batista is the outreach director of the Tenant Support Unit with the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement Unit and can be reached at 347-834-5860. Robin Lee is the taxpayer advocate for the New York City Department of Finance’s Office of the Taxpayer Advocate and can be reached at 212-748-7272.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS O P I N I O N

In the theater of illusion, Sam Bankman-Fried’s final curtain has fallen DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the New York Amsterdam News. We continue to publish a variety of viewpoints so that we may know the opinions of others that may differ from our own.

ARMSTRONG

WILLIAMS

Editor’s Note: This column has been updated to reflect the latest events The fraud trial of the century has come to an end. Sam BankmanFried (SBF) and his accomplices at FTX, the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange that stole $8 billion in consumer funds through fraudulent means, have revealed the dark underbelly of the altruistic façade that SBF personified during FTX’s golden years. The revelations are not just disturbing, but utterly unbelievable. Each one could fill an entire page of writing itself. There have been many revelations, but these are the most shocking. • FTX bragged about an insurance fund to quell the fears of its customers. In a tweet, SBF proclaimed they possessed more than US$100 million, designated to counteract user losses during liquidation episodes. Yet, it emerged that this figure was whimsically derived by multiplying FTX’s daily trading volume with an arbitrary number. • Alameda Research sought to retrieve $1 billion that was frozen on exchanges in China on Huobi and OKX by courting Chinese government officials with bribes. There is no evidence that this occurred, but it was discussed by SBF as an option. Moreover, Alameda Research purportedly discussed employing Thai prostitutes to open accounts on Huobi and OKX, in a desperate bid to reclaim the money. • To depress the price, SBF asked Caroline Ellison to sell the company’s Bitcoin if it reached $20,000. Crucial testimony emerged, notably from an ex-employee of Al-

ameda Research, coupled with a damning audio recording of a pivotal conversation. The prosecutor’s intention in presenting this material was to highlight that, even after his resignation from FTX, SBF was still at the helm, steering decisions that exacerbated monetary losses and perpetuated fraudulent acts. The evidence strongly suggests that, despite SBF no longer holding the title of CEO at Alameda Research, he remained the puppet master. He was reportedly in constant contact with Alameda employees, enjoying unrestricted access to their proprietary data and directly shaping their trading strategies. His tweet regarding the monumental business decision— the sale of FTX sale to Binance, their rival—alongside a recorded affirmation from Ellison that he indeed was still running the show, indicate that he remained privy to operations throughout. At this point, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that SBF will end up in prison for the rest of his life once he is sentenced. Yet, our collective introspection should pivot from merely penalizing these individuals to proactively safeguarding against future deceptions of this magnitude. Reflecting on the FTX saga and SBF’s orchestration, the international manipulation becomes glaringly apparent. Retrospectively examining the scenario, we perceive an ostensibly innocuous individual: quirky, short, chunky, and unassuming—a quintessential geek engrossed in video games; one who could care less for the business of doing business. He was lauded as the “effective altruist,” the one who didn’t just do good, but the one who actually made a difference. This charade hypnotized media outlets, political figures,

venture capitalists, and—tragically—FTX’s depositors. It was an effective charade. People are eager to observe a person and base their perceptions of them on the persona they represent. After all, nobody expected the nerdy altruist to be the worst financial fraudster of the century; that was probably the last thing on anybody’s mind. The SBF case is the embodiment of what is wrong with American media: He was able to build himself a narrative. It is embarrassing, as a media owner, to look at videos like Nas Daily’s infamous “OneMinute” about SBF, watching him call SBF “the most generous billionaire in the world,” or observing the glowing endorsements from renowned publications such as the New York Times and more, lauding such individuals to the extent that he was is emblematic of what’s wrong with journalism today. Recognizing people for their achievements is perfectly acceptable, but his impact was nebulous; very difficult to discern. The issue lies in media outlets’ relentless praise of him and other public figures while bashing others, all to craft a narrative that benefits their bottom lines or specific worldview. The level of praise SBF received, time out of mind, was extremely suspect. Had these media outlets conducted even a cursory investigation into SBF, I’m confident they would’ve uncovered the issues that surfaced during the trial. It’s the same level of scrutiny they apply to public figures they disapprove of. Yet, we find ourselves on the eve of the century’s most significant trial because SBF and his accomplices bit off more than they could chew, not because someone dared to take a closer look at the socalled greatest man on Earth. Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www. armstrongwilliams.co | www.howardstirkholdings.com

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 13

Celebrating Bayard Rustin CHRISTINA

GREER PH.D. A few years ago, I wrote and narrated a TedEd cartoon about the late, great Bayard Rustin. I wanted more people to learn about the African American leader who changed the course of history through his work in various social movements. Rustin worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes, for the advancement of civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights, to name just a few. Because he was born in 1912, one can imagine the various types of discrimination Rustin experienced throughout his life. Due to Rustin’s sexuality, he often served as an advisor (and not the face) for many domestic and international endeavors. There is a new movie about the life and work of Bayard Rustin, and I am beyond excited to learn more about this brilliant man who worked with A. Philip Randolph on the March on Washington Movement beginning in 1941. If you may recall, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom did not come to fruition until 1963. Rustin consistently pressed for an end to racial discrimination in employment, later organized Freedom Rides, and worked on everything from helping to organize African Americans to integrate unions and serving on humanitarian missions to aid refugees from Haiti, Vietnam, and Cambodia. On November 17, “Rustin” will have its premiere on Netflix, starring Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald. This is the first film where Emmy-winning Domingo os the lead and we are indeed lucky as viewers to witness this star shine so bright on the screen. George C. Wolfe serves as the director—you might know his brilliant work from the film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” with Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman. This star-studded cast tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement and the 1963 March on Washington from a new and different perspective. Many retellings of this story

Bayard Rustin at news briefing on the Civil Rights March on Washington in the Statler Hotel (Public domain photo)

center on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. However, this film centers Rustin as the strategist and architect of the march that shed a light on the civil rights struggles of African Americans. Organizing and assembling thousands of African Americans in the nation’s capital was no small feat and “Rustin” shows the coalitions, struggles, strategies, and personalities that helped push American democracy forward. It is imperative we support films like “Rustin” so more stories of lesser-known civil rights icons can be told. We must support films with predominantly Black casts, so studios know there is a want and need for stories beyond superheroes and action films. We must be sure to share this film with friends and family so they can have a better understanding of the past to help direct their steps moving forward into the future. “Rustin” is in select theaters now and on Netflix beginning on November 17. Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio; and a 2023–1924 Moynihan Public Scholars Fellow at CCNY.

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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Caribbean Update

Jamaican foreign policy moves called into question BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews In times gone by, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad, and—to a lesser extent—Barbados were among the Caribbean Community (Caricom) nations that had tried as much as practicable to take strong, principled positions at multinational forums like the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS). But the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and other critics say their foreign policy positions might have sunk to a new low with Jamaica’s recent absence from a UN General Assembly vote for a humanitarian truce in the war between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors. Calling Jamaica’s refusal to vote in favor of the resolution strange, the PNP said the Andrew Holness administration had sunk to “a new low in Jamaican foreign policy history” by its failure to vote for something as basic and important as a humanitarian truce. “Despite Jamaica’s role as the

chair of the Caricom foreign ministers’ caucus, it failed to vote in support of the resolution, in contrast to Caricom’s agreed position. This absence of Jamaica’s representative from this crucial vote is a new low in Jamaican foreign policy history. Jamaica’s non-participation in support of such a significant resolution is inexcusable,” the party said, noting that the failure to vote clearly gives the impression that the Caricom nation does not care about the Palestinian people. “We hope that this impression will be promptly and definitively dispelled by the government. There should be no recurrence of this major failure in our foreign policy conduct,” the PNP said. The resolution was adopted with 120 countries in favor, 14 against, and 45 abstaining. Jamaica was among the countries that abstained, with Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith explaining that consultations did not conclude in time for the vote. “Jamaica’s respected international stature has dramatically

fallen under this minister of foreign affairs. Coming out of last week, Jamaica will need to have sober conversations with our regional and international partners to heal what seems to now be a fragmented relationship,” the Observer newspaper complained. The PNP’s comment comes in the midst of similar expressions of concern by an increasing number of people as they wonder what is behind some strange foreign policy moves by the Jamaican government in recent years. The Observer recently carried a column detailing what it described as some strange developments by Kingston. It harked back to late 2017, around the time when the U.S. had threatened to cut aid to countries that did not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. When the time came to vote, Jamaica abstained despite the fact that it had, over the decades, supported a twostate solution as a means to end conflict in that part of the world. The paper also pointed out that back in February 2018, when then

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the island as the prospective chair of Caricom, Jamaica did not invite Caricom member states “for their input to discuss matters concerning the region.” A year later, the government announced its intention to expropriate shares in PDVSA, the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company, and supported the U.S. resolution at the (OAS) not to recognize Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. “Never in our history have we done this,” the Observer said. “This decision was made after the Venezuelan government and people helped to save our economy through the PetroCaribe Agreement. Now Venezuela is supplying oil to our Caricom neighbors and will not countenance Jamaica.” Other areas of complaints from the Observer include: March 2019, “Prime Minister Andrew Holness meets privately with President Trump. The context within which this meeting was held implied that Jamaica would not take additional loans from China.” January 2020, “U.S. Secretary of

State Mike Pompeo visits Jamaica, and we comply with the U.S. request to only to invite eight of 15 Caricom countries to meet with him, excluding the Caricom chair, Prime Minister Mia Mottley.” February 2021, “India begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines to Caricom countries. Barbados was the first to receive and Jamaica was last.” February 2022, “The government bungles the safe return of Jamaican students from Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion of that country.” April 2022, “Jamaica announces its bid to run for Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, much to the surprise of its Caricom partners, and begins a flamboyant campaign. Jamaica loses, and it is clear why—Caricom and Africa did not vote unanimously as a block for us, which was a shock.” October 2023, “Jamaica is ‘out of the room’ and absent from the most recent UN resolution for the protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas.”

U.S. immigration updates you should know from consumers. The supplemental visa allocation will help address the need for seasonal or other temporary workers in areas where too few U.S. workers are available. Additional IMMIGRATION KORNER details about the H-2B program safeAs we close the book on 2023, here guards, as well as eligibility and filing are some of the latest updates from requirements, will be available in the the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration temporary final rule when published Services agency (USCIS), Depart- on the USCIS webpage, uscis.gov. ment of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Labor (DOL), and Automatic employment extenState Department to be aware of, es- sions pecially if you are an immigrant. Certain renewal applicants who have filed Form I-765, Application H-2B temporary non-agricul- for Employment Authorization, now tural worker visas qualify for an automatic extension of On November 2, the DHS and their expiring employment authoriDOL announced that they will make zation and/or Employment Authorian additional 64,716 H-2B tempo- zation Documents (EADs) while their rary non-agricultural worker visas renewal applications are pending, available for Fiscal Year 2024, on USCIS said. As of October 27, those top of the congressionally mandat- who are eligible will receive 180-day ed 66,000 H-2B visas that are avail- extensions in accordance with existable each fiscal year. ing regulations, including those who American businesses in indus- have applied for or received Tempotries such as hospitality and tourism, rary Protected Status or asylum. landscaping, seafood processing, and more turn to seasonal or other EB-5 processing times temporary workers in the H-2B proImmigrant investors in regiongram to help them meet demand al center programs have seen a de-

FELICIA PERSAUD

crease in EB-5 processing times. Reports indicate that projects have received approvals for Form I-526E, Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor, within only 12 months. To improve efficacy for EB-5 investors in rural areas, the USCIS provided priority processing of their petitions. This included Form I-526E and Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status. Although progress appeared unlikely in the months immediately after, recent application turnaround times suggest priority processing is a likely solution for reducing EB-5 backlogs. U.S.-based investors can also file for I-526E concurrently with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. This allows them to adjust their status and apply for an EAD and travel permit. This increased flexibility furthers improvements to the EB-5 process. Sole proprietors and immigration filing On October 20, 2023, the USCIS issued policy guidance to clari-

fy that a sole proprietorship may not file a petition on behalf of its owner. The USCIS makes this distinction because a sole proprietor does not exist as a distinct legal entity separate and apart from the owner. This clarification aligns with existing guidance and becomes effective immediately. The Policy Manual update further distinguishes a sole proprietor from a self-incorporated petitioner, such as a corporation or a limited liability company with a single owner, where the corporation or the single member limited liability company is a separate and distinct legal entity from its owner, which may petition for that owner. U.S. passports On October 2, 2023, the State Department provided updates on passport processing timelines and demand. Between October 2022 and September 2023, the federal fiscal year, State issued more than 24 million passport books and cards—the most ever in U.S history. In light of increasing passport

application processing times, State encourages all Americans to check their passport expiration dates before making plans for international travel and renew their passports well in advance of international travel. Processing times have changed several times in 2023. As of October 2, 2023, State has been processing routine applications in eight to 11 weeks, and expedited applications in five to seven weeks. Processing times begin when the application is received at a passport agency or center, and does not include mailing times. It might take up to two weeks of mailing time for State to receive an application, as well as for the processed passport to be delivered to the applicant. As the State Department takes steps to improve this process, customers are advised to check the status of their passport applications online and sign up for updates via email. The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the Black Immigrant Daily News.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 15

Mayor Adams shuffles Louis Molina from DOC commissioner to assistant deputy mayor for public safety By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

NYC Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner Louis Molina is moving his office to City Hall. Mayor Eric Adams announced the former NYPD officer’s appointment as assistant deputy mayor for public safety last Monday, Oct. 31. “After the tremendous success we have achieved at the Department of Corrections to reduce violence and improve safety, I’m honored Mayor Adams has selected me to take on even greater responsibility for public safety in our city,” said Molina. “I returned to the city where I was born and raised to serve in the Adams administration because public safety has been my life’s mission.” The well-traveled Molina assumed DOC leadership last year. In addition to his stint in the NYPD, both in uniform and as a detective, he’s also a former Marine. Molina assumes a role under Deputy Mayor of Public Phillip Banks and is “tasked with coordinating with all city agencies on public safety matters to ensure they align with Mayor Adams’s vision to keep every New Yorker safe.” This transfer occurs after Molina reportedly denied rumors of resigning earlier in October. Adams fondly referred to Molina as “Lou” in a statement and described the ap-

pointment as a promotion. “Over the last 22 months, Lou has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication as the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, helping to reverse decades of mismanagement and neglect,” said Adams. But advocates aren’t so glowing about Molina’s tenure, pointing to 19 deaths in or immediately after DOC custody last year and continued reporting of poor jail conditions by a federal monitor installed before his leadership. Another nine people died in or immediately after taken into department custody so far this year; almost all were held at Rikers Island when they died. “The message that [Adams] is sending to the community and those that are directly impacted by this insidious jail complex is that he really does not care,” said Melanie Dominguez, the Katal Center’s lead organizer. “He really does not care. If he really cared about the community and those that have been impacted [and] that have passed away in New York City jails at Rikers Island, he would hold the commissioner accountable. “What (Molina has) done in his tenure was he had 28 people pass away in just two years, so it’s infuriating that instead of holding him accountable, (the mayor is) just giving him a cushy job at City Hall.” Dominguez, a proponent for federal receivership over city jails, said responsibility for

Rikers conditions squarely rests with Adams, even before Molina’s transition. “No matter who comes next or who who’s appointed [as] the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, we are going to continue to make sure that we hold this man accountable in getting us to where we need to be, which is shutting down Rikers, [and making sure change happens], and we urge the judge to appoint an independent receiver,” she said. Freedom Agenda co-founder Darren Mack, a member of the Campaign to Close Rikers, believes the jail complex cannot be reformed regardless of who takes over. “I hope that this mayor appoints a new commissioner who clearly understands that Rikers can’t be fixed,” he said. “And not only meet the immediate needs of people detained in custody, but [provide] transparency and [decrease] the population so we can ultimately close Rikers Island.” Under Molina, the jail population currently sits around 6,000. The borough-based jails scheduled to replace Rikers by 2027 can only hold slightly more than half that number. In a hearing last winter, Molina projected a steady rise in city jail populations. To be clear, city jail trends are harder to gauge under Molina abecauses he assumed leadership after the COVID-19 pandemic, when detainee populations dropped drastically. There

have been marked improvements with staff attendance, but also steady rises in detaining those experiencing serious mental illness. But generally, concerns about unsatisfactory jail conditions continue to be reported by the federal monitor. The most recent report, which documents this past summer from May to August, found unsanitary conditions, fire safety issues, and airflow deficiencies. Re/Creation founding facilitator John Proctor, another member of the Campaign to Close Rikers, recalled meeting Molina when he served as deputy commissioner for the Westchester County Department of Correction. Back then, Molina was seen as a model reformer and Proctor initially held high hopes when Adams appointed him. Those expectations are long gone. “Molina has provided a useful public face as a proven liberal, even progressive administrator, to then do illiberal, unprogressive things as administrator at Rikers,” he said. The DOC did not comment on the news and referred the request to the Mayor’s Office.

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.

LEARN HOW YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPACT. Are you looking for a powerful way to make a difference on issues you care about? As the community foundation improving life in the five boroughs, Long Island, and Westchester, The New York Community Trust makes it easy to turn your assets into a force for good. Streamline your giving through a donor-advised fund, get personalized philanthropic guidance from our advisors, or create a charitable legacy that will live on in your name for generations.

nycommunitytrust.org/philanthropist

16 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

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Health CM Narcisse, Bill battling sickle cell disease passes city council By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member City council passed legislation last week, championed by former nurse and Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse, to include more education and detection of sickle cell disease in New York City Health + Hospitals. The disease is most common in African nations and in people of African/Caribbean descent, which has led to a wide disparity in how those afflicted receive care and treatment. “We have a large population that are of Caribbean and African descent in New York City, even before the asylum seekers were increasing. So it is our problem,” said Narcisse. “I’m from the Caribbean and I have sickle cell trait, my daughter has the trait, and I have two nieces with sickle cell disease.” Sickle cell is a lifelong blood disease that affects the way red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. It can lead to stroke, eye problems, infections, and chronic pain. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), sickle cell disease “affects more than 100,000 people in

Council Members Mercedes Narcisse, Tiffany Cabán and colleagues held a press conference calling for passage of state laws to make access to victim compensation more accessible and equitable. (William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit photo)

the U.S. and 20 million people worldwide.” Additionally, about 1-in-13 Black people are born with sickle cell trait, carrying only one copy of the altered hemoglobin gene. The disease is also found among Hispanic, southern European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Indian communities, per NHLBI. The bill, Introduction 968-B, requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), to create culturally sensitive guidance to educate medical professionals and the public about the sickle cell trait and disease, often found through genetic screen-

ing and pain management of the condition. New York City is currently in the throes of an opioid crisis, an issue that dominated the early 2000s and decades prior, and has led to a high number of overdose deaths in Black and brown communities. The opioid crisis, coupled with medical bias and the systemically racist assumption that Black people can tolerate more pain than other races, means that they often experience discrimination when it comes to patient pain assessment and pain management. “The amount of pain that comes with it

It’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month MSK.ORG/RLC

[sickle cell disease], all you want is the medication. You’re crawling like a baby sometimes, it’s so painful when you’re in crisis,” said Narcisse. This is why her bill is focused on educating professionals, delivering care, and making sure the population understands the disease. Racial disparities in medical treatment and access to healthcare in the U.S., along with a lack of investment in medical research, have exacerbated the negative impacts of the disease on Black individuals diagnosed and their families, said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “By educating and guiding medical professionals and the public on how to detect the sickle cell trait, we are making necessary investments into life-saving preventative care,” said Adams. Narcisse is excited about advancements in gene therapy and editing that can prove to be a “gamechanger” cure for the disease. A bone marrow transplant is currently the only cure. She said the screening and treatment process is considered expensive, but the earlier people know their status the easier it is to plan for it. She notes that if you’re born in the city or U.S., you’re likely screened for sickle cell See HEALTH on page 29

This month, the MSK Ralph Lauren Center is encouraging the LGBTQ+ community to breathe with pride and take the first steps to quit smoking or cut down. Did you know LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of smoking compared to non-LGBTQ+ people?

Ready to make a plan to quit or cut back? MSK can help. Point your smartphone camera at the QR code, and tap the link to learn more.

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Arts & Entertainment

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 17

Theatre pg 17 | Film/TV pg 19 | Dance pg 21 | Jazz pg 24

Pg. 20 Your Stars

Malcolm’s furious passage unfolds in ‘X,’ the opera (Herb Boyd photo)

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews Distillations of the life and legacy of Malcolm X, the essential meaning of his brief stay among us, have appeared in nearly every conceivable format, image, and genre. He has been the luminous subject of a biopic, several documentaries and biographies, dissertations, reams of poetry, rap recording samples, and countless essays of fact and fiction. It was perhaps only a matter of time before his furious passage would be the subject of an opera, and sometimes even twice in the capable hands of the Davis family: Anthony, the composer; Christopher, the storyteller; and their cousin Thulani, the librettist. Their second iteration of “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X” premiered last

Friday at the Met with a fresh veneer since its debut in 1986. In one interview, Thulani said the production, which began in Detroit under the steady and imaginative direction of Robert O’Hara, had been trimmed a bit, although at nearly four hours, you wonder how and where. The performance was spearheaded by Kazem Abdullah, the conductor, with stellar moments from Will Liverman as Malcolm; Leah Hawkins doubling as Malcolm’s mother, Louise, and his wife, Betty; and the extraordinary Victor Ryan Robertson as both Elijah Muhammad and Street, Malcolm’s sidekick during the Roxbury days. Capturing Malcolm’s dynamic days, no matter that they only encompassed 39 years, can be a daunting task, but the Davis clan

and Abdullah parsed them well, with an extensive highlight on Malcolm’s tutelage under Elijah. The production was accompanied by an array of brilliant montages of light that hovered over the stage; a nimble and tireless ensemble of dancers embellishing the dramatic episodes; and a variety of sounds, from shades of spirituals, gospel, dollops of jazz and rap, down to the final gunshots. As in the film version of Malcolm’s life, the production gives short shrift to 1964, arguably the most eventful year in his life, particularly his travel abroad and meetings with a coterie of famous leaders. Certainly, the opera showcased his hajj to Mecca, but it slowed the opera to a standstill, notwithstanding the dazzling chandeliers dangling

over the set. While the music was at times lush and passionate, more opportunities from the embedded jazz ensemble would have been refreshing, with a little more blues nuance. This would have enhanced Malcolm’s Harlem years and some of his musical escapades with such notables as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Charlie “Yardbird” Parker. Regrettably, there was no love song or intimate moments between Malcolm and Betty, and only Street’s “Shoot your Shot!” is a vocal clip with more than passing resonance. Malcolm’s early years were vividly recounted, particularly the arrival of “KKK X” and his father’s violent death, as well as the influence of Marcus Garvey on their nationalistic outlook. A similar

scenario or two could have been devoted to Malcolm’s creation of the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity after he departed from the Nation of Islam. Unlike “Porgy and Bess,” there were no unforgettable melodies you might later hum or whistle, no recitative or soliloquy that was quotable, except for the passages where Thulani’s poetry had intimations of Sterling Brown’s “Old Lem.” Comparisons, of course, are often odious, and to expect the optics in “X” to match those of Spike Lee’s film, particularly when you have Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett in starring roles, is wishful thinking. In short, Malcolm’s odyssey may still not have received the specifics where his charisma was unde-

niable, but almost to the point of distraction—and your eyes had to be quick to read the busy transcriptions that flashed across the ceiling of the production, but his command of the zeitgeist was unmistakable. And was that the hovering cosmic mothership in the montages that Elijah forecast, radiating from scene to scene? The opera has a monthlong stay at the Met, more than enough time for folks to compare their memories of a man who, with each year, acquires increasingly mythic dimensions; a veritable John Henry or High John the Conqueror. If this production fails to satisfy or deliver the legend of your approximations, don’t worry: Something more about him is on the horizon—“Malcolm X: The Broadway Musical”?

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R T S

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N

‘The Spirit is in Charge’: Chester Higgins Jr. visualizes the Black Pantheon

Photographer Chester Higgins Jr. poses in front of a few images from his Black Pantheon series. (Photo by Damaso Reyes)

By DAMASO REYES AmNews Staff

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin (Chester Higgins Jr.)

If one thing embodies all the images that photographer Chester Higgins, Jr. has taken, from his portraits of kings and political leaders to musicians and visual artists, it is dignity. In a world filled with negative visual depictions of people of color, what comes across in his decades of visual art is the love he has for Black people, a love he wishes they had for themselves as well. “I want[ed] to change the visual image... redefine the visual image of Black people in the media,” Higgins, 77, said about his motivation to become a photographer when he moved from his birthplace of New Brockton, then a hamlet of 800 souls in southeastern Alabama, to New York in 1969 to learn the craft. It was that negative image of Black and brown folks, which dominated (and some say still does) the media, that pushed Higgins to become a photographer. That same drive led him to the New York Times, where he spent 40 years as one of its most celebrated portraitists and photojournalists. “The newspapers and the radio and TV stations didn’t show us as American citizens petitioning the government,” he said of the media he consumed as a young man during the Civil Rights Movement. “We came off looking, I thought, [as] potential thugs, arsonists, and rapists,” he added— a reminder of the critique many had of the images that spread during the summer of George Floyd in 2020.

“That taught me a very important lesson,” Higgins continued. “People tend to think of photography as evidence and that it does not lie. It tells the truth. Well, my experience taught me that there’s a continuation to that sentence. And that is, ‘the photograph never lies about the photographer.’” During his decades behind the camera, Higgins photographed many of the greats of Black culture, including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Shirley Chisholm, long before they came to prominence. Many of his subjects “were considered enemies of the state” when he first captured their images, he told the AmNews in

influence policy-makers [and] decisionmakers” through his imagery, and the Times provided him with a huge platform. “My people, in addition to having a huge capacity of self-hate and denial, really have a hard problem accepting the fact that they African people,” he said of his lifelong motivation to document the African diaspora, which he has done Historian John Henrik Clarke through his books, including “Echo of the (Chester Higgins Jr.) Spirit,” “Feeling the Spirit,” and most recently “Sacred Nile.” His recent show “Black Pantheon,” curated by Dr. Deborah Willis at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery in Chelsea, provides a glimpse of the giants of Black culture Higgins documented over more than 50 years. Many of the images are iconic, but the depth and breadth are impressive. Each image is deeply centered in love—in fact, centered in self-love—of Blackness. “I’m proud to make a record of them,” he said of this body of work, but he is also acutely aware that the monumental task that he set for himself all those years ago is still not complete. “This battle...can’t be won by me, by Gordon Parks...it takes thousands of eyes constantly pushing back” on the negative narrative of Black people in the media, he said. Perhaps the weight of being a warrior for love had taken a bit of a toll on him when he said, toward the end of the conversaPoet Maya Angelou (Chester Higgins Jr.) tion, that “it may be 100 years after I’m a wide-ranging interview. dead that my work has relevance.” But the In addition to changing the way the depth of his love could not be diminished. public, especially his community, saw “In the end, the Spirit is in charge,” he Black people, he said that he “wanted to concluded with a smile.

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Scorsese’s masterpiece unveiled: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ shocks, enthralls By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews Martin Scorsese’s new film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” is based on David Grann’s book “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the F.B.I.,” but before you ask, no, it’s not another gangster movie—the genre with which the director is most associated. However, this is as violent as it gets, set in America’s Indian country in the 1920s, where a story about love, greed, and heartbreaking betrayal takes center stage. It’s also a true-crime epic that fits neatly into Scorsese’s artistic repertoire. Like all his films, no matter the level of violence he presents, there›s a mix of sorrow and grace. And more importantly, because it’s crafted by such a brilliant storyteller, the film holds significance. America is an evil place, built on genocide and the blood of African men, women, and children, and this country has never kept its word…not even once, so nothing depicted in this film should surprise anyone. The story predominantly revolves around the Osage Reservation in northern Oklahoma and dares to shed light on the violence that most of us aren’t aware of. The narrative begins around 1921, but there were, sadly, earlier killings that involved the brutal murder of several dozen

JaNae Collins, Lily Gladstone, Cara Jade Myers, and Jillian Dion in “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple TV+ photos)

Osage. However, since history is often “His-story,” who can say how many more victims there actually were? Some people were blown up, others were shot to death, while still others died from illnesses, most likely due to poisoning. This is America— I repeat: Nothing should shock you. This particular period of injustice is often referred to as the Osage Reign of Terror, without delving into who actually perpetrated the terror. “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a grand movie about important matters, with all the larger-than-life elements we expect from an epic: thoughtful camerawork, sweep-

ing vistas, and a compelling story. Leading the narrative is war veteran Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), who moves at the speed of the people around him. The fighting and shouting make him feel alive with just a glance. He has come to Oklahoma to work with his uncle, William Hale (a fantastic Robert De Niro), a cattle rancher who lives with his family in a place surrounded by prairie. Known as “the King of the Osage Hills,” Hale immerses him in the Osage way of life, noting that the money is flowing due to oil strikes. Ernest serves as our narrator, guiding us into this new and evolving world. He secures a job as a chauffeur-for-hire in Fairfax, a town determined to shake off the dust of the 19th century. There, he meets and falls in love with Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), an Osage woman, and they quickly marry. Based on Grann’s 2017 book, there’s no turning away from the nonfiction account of how, in the early 20th century, evil, money-obsessed whites preyed on and lied to the newly oil-rich tribe. Scorsese has a lot on his plate with this film. It’s a western, a drama, a murder mystery, and a love story, effortlessly blending to create a generous ebb and flow. In this regard, and thanks to Scorsese’s masterful direction, you never know the direction

of the story. This unpredictability adds to the power of the overall mystery. Murders continue, the body count rises, and the circumstances become more outrageous and horrifying. Terror takes many forms. After Ernest and Mollie marry, he moves into her house, which she shares with her sick mother, Lizzie Q (Tantoo Cardinal), and her sister, Anna (Cara Jade Myers), who carries a gun in her purse. You genuinely care about these characters; there’s an expression of love in every camera move. Nothing is wasted. This is a violent film. I can’t emphasize this enough, but here, the violence has a specific historical context, so the impact is different. The name of the game is oil, and the motivation is money. Here, human life holds no value when compared to money and land. White men steal. They create laws to support their theft and genocide, essentially rewriting his-story. This is Scorsese›s latest heartbreaking masterpiece, and I suspect “Killers of the Flower Moon” will receive a Best Picture nomination (and most likely, a win) come Oscar voting time. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese. Screenplay by Eric Roth, Scorsese, and David Grann. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, and Tantoo Cardinal. Rated R.

Native American stories take center stage in Season 7 of ‘Stories from the Stage’ By NADINE MATTHEWS Special to the AmNews In the wake of the release of Martin Scorsese’s groundbreaking film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” chronicling one horrific chapter in the history of the Osage tribe, and with Native American Heritage Month now upon us, it seems quite fitting that Season 7 of “Stories from the Stage” trains its eye on stories from those of Native American heritage. Per its website, the series, which airs on WORLD Channel and public television stations around the country, “invites storytellers from around the world to share extraordinary tales of what it means to be human. Each episode features both on-stage performances and interviews.” It’s co-hosted by comedian, actor, writer Wes Hazard and writer Theresa Okokon. In the November 13 episode, “Sacred Circle,” all three storytellers are of Native American ancestry. One is Nebraska-based Levelle Wells, a member of the Omaha tribe who is president of the Big Elk Native American Center and co-founder of Wells and Bailey Trauma Intervention Specialists. Wells creates experiences to help Native Americans work through the trauma that plagues many in the community. In his interview before taking the stage, Hazard asked Wells what he felt was the greatest challenge facing Native Americans today. Wells replied, “Trauma, generational trauma.” He believes this trauma has led to an epidemic of low selfesteem that prevents some Native Americans

Levelle Wells, a storyteller from Season 7 of “Stories from the Stage” (Patricia Alvarado Nunez photo)

from having as much agency over their lives as they otherwise might. When he takes the stage, Wells, who is half Black, explains he was profiled by police at age 17. He received a drug charge for which, he said, he was wrongfully convicted. He said his innocence ended there. “Prison turned me into a monster.” He was an inveterate criminal for the next 20 years, basking perversely in the “street status and respect” garnered through chronic delinquency. Finally, picked up for the umpteenth time by the police as a drunken, drug-addled, middle-aged gang-banger, something started to shift. Wells takes the audience with him on that journey to sobriety and turning his “pain into purpose.” Now a filmmaker and professor, Rebecca Schlichting grew up on reservations and in and out of foster care. She takes the stage to talk about preparing for her beloved Aunt Mary to die, or “go to the happy hunting grounds,” as those of her Ioway tribe sometimes describe it. The family had just taken her aunt off life support, so they knew it was only a matter of time.

Schlichting, as her name indicates, is part white. She reveals that her father has German heritage. She also said that her mother struggled with accepting and loving her Native American identity, something with which many people of color can relate. It was the aunt who stepped in and taught Schlichting how to appreciate and love her culture and Native American heritage, and who shared her love of filmmaking. Overwhelmed with gratitude for all her aunt gave her, Schlichting said she grappled with finding the best way to express it. In her aunt’s honor, she sang, prayed, gave offerings, and wore a pair of the aunt’s moccasins on her final trip to see her at the hospital where, for her “final touch,” she placed them on Aunt Mary’s feet. Finally, Charlie Perry, a Kansas-raised, Los Angeles-based producer of nonfiction content, tells his story: It’s a love letter to his mother, and about his own journey to be accepted as a Native American. Perry describes the experience of putting together and telling his story as “cathartic.” Although a proud member of the Potawatomi tribe, Perry is white-presenting, and his euro phenotype caused some feelings of being an impostor and an outsider. In his episode, Perry takes the stage to tell the audience about his experience of finally completing his high school degree and attending Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) as a white presenting Native American in his late 20s. His mother also attended HINU. He explains that Haskell has major historic significance beyond his being the second gen-

eration in his family to attend; it’s one of the original boarding schools created in the 1800s that many Native American youths were forced to attend to assimilate into western society. Beyond how harsh that was, the schools have been revealed to have been abusive to Native American students. These types of schools also existed in Canada and Australia, where the indigenous populations were displaced by the British. “Government agents,” Perry tells the audience, “would snatch these children up and bring them to these schools to convert them to the white man’s ways.” Perry grew up in urban Kansas until the age of 17, when he moved to a reservation. “All I knew about being an Indian is what I got off the Pocahontas Disney VHS,” referring to the popular late-20th-century consumer video recording device. He recounts how challenging it was to make friends, so much so that he grew resentful of his mother’s work with Native American foster children. He recalls asking, “Why would I want to help a community that doesn’t care about my family?” However, he explains, by using his mother as a role model, he was finally able to come to a place in the Native American community where he fit in. At the beginning of the episode, viewers are told the circle is an important symbol in Native American cultures. These three stories, whose subjects all come full circle, show how beautiful they can be as well. Visit https://www.pbs.org/show/storiesstage/ for more details.

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HOROSCOPES BY KNOWYOURNUMB3RS

By SUPREME GODDESS KYA WWW.KYAFRENCH.COM | CONSULTATIONS 866-331-5088 NOVEMBER 9, 2023—NOVEMBER 15, 2023

Rebirth of a New Nation: Fall season is upon us. You can tell by the change of the tree leaves falling in the process of rebirthing itself plus the days are darker sooner and nights are shorter. Human beings can go with the flow like trees in times of shedding, reinventing ourselves to a newer version of we the people. When you allow yourself to let go of what doesn’t evolve, you grow sooner and life seems to catch up to bring you things, people, and take you places for your growth. “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” -F. Scott Fitzgerald

Alright Cappy, dust yourself off like the Aaliyah song “Try Again,” this

Being true to yourself is the original version of you and no one can take that away from you. The originality of you grows and shapes your thoughts. You become it and you wear it, whether you know it or not. You become what you Dec 22 June 22 no shoelaces loose or you will find yourself tripping, slipping trying to think and feel about yourself. During the month of November, focus on you Jan 21 July 23 catch yourself before you fall on the floor. Don’t allow your jaw to hit the and pay attention to the details of the art of you. From November 11 around floor, this is prime time for all the right reasons to take initiative, leaving 1:39 p.m. until November 13 around 9 p.m., expressing yourself through your people jaw dropping for what you did or said. The days leading to November 16 in the work defines you and gives you the meaning of the original version of you. morning, the writing is on the wall: check your documents/paperwork.

 time on a new accord with a trajectory and a plan of action. Ask for what Capricorn you need and be direct about it then follow up. Get it done this week, leave

 Cancer

A whole lot of talk and show yet Erykah Badu said in her song “Tyrone” Fasten your seatbelt, the mission ahead has no rules, no promises of right “Like Badu I’ma tell you the truth, show improve or get boot.” When you inor wrong way of completion. It’s all about getting the job done and making teract with the higher ups, or you are a part of the conversation in selecting Leo July 24 or hiring folks, that means your opinion is valuable. In conversation, your Aquarius it happen for yourself. When times of questioning the process, that’s just you Aug 23 Jan 22 checking in with your inner self. When the answer reveals itself, acknowledge words and the vibration of the tone of your voice will touch others when you Feb 19 what is showing up. Financially, romantically, professionally and spiritually, share your story even when you speak. From November 13 around 9:23 p.m. a vacation has a curve ball attached to it. From November 9 around 3:08 a.m. until November 16 around 2 a.m., ask what you need, and the universe will add to what you until November 11 around 1 p.m., choose the best offer at this present time; not everything already are in return the support will come. that sparkles, glitters, and glams is gold plus there’s a story associated with it.

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The battle within your mind of your intellect can take you to a higher or Saturn completed its first cycle of retrograde in your sign on November 4 lower mindset—yet in both mental pursuits you learn more about you. that began on June 17, 2023. Did you lose or forget something? Did you check You learn about what keeps you in a certain state or mindset and in going Virgo Aug 24 your mail, voicemail, messages, or financial statements? Did the Saturn retrothrough that process you learn about the power of your mind. During the Pisces Sept 23 Feb 20 grade in Pisces have you pulling your hair out and driving yourself up a wall? month of November observe yourself for one day and then observe that day Mar 20 Most importantly, what lesson did you learn? Saturn in Pisces focuses on end for one day. Then compare the two and see what revelation has in store for results. Follow your first mind and let the rest flow where it needs to go to get you. The days leading to November 16, partnerships, semi-legal matters, the research you you where you need to be. From November 11 around 1:39 p.m. until November 13 around have been doing, and philosophy you discover seem to have something in common. 9 p.m., ask and then wait for the response.

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Jay-Z has a song titled “Hard Knock Life.” This cycle week in particular, a What’s your cue that will make you drop everything and haveyou walking, hard knock life lesson will aid in your growth towards your business, home, skipping, and hoping even to jump to what pulls your heart in a new direcfriendships, and personal affairs. Being open to listening to what elders have Libra tion? When it tugs on your heart, your mind must be in sync like the healto say is invaluable. Ask someone who’s been living longer than you for some Sept 24 Aries Oct 23 ing mantra called “Om mani padme hum.” Listen and read carefully over the advice. After you receive the advice, does it relate to your life or give you hints Mar 21 Apr 21 details, facts, figures, presented to you. You weigh your options as only you and clues you can add to your daily life aspects? From November 9 around know what you can carry. From November 13 around 9:23 p.m. until Novem- 3:08 am until November 11 around 1 p.m., sometimes it’s one word or thought in a conversaber 16 around 2 a.m., the divine creator gives you what you can handle and experience to tion that sparks something in you to evolve yourself. learn from it.

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The word fluid comes to mind as I write the Scorpio numerical horoscope. It’s time to break loose of something that’s hindering you from flying from Before you wake up do you feel the fluid in your body moving? If so, imagthe mother nest. It’s time to try something new without the support you are ine when you stand by a river or body of water. Watch how the air and water Scorpio used to. You can change the roles of the operation and try a pilot run. Knowlinteract with each other. What do you feel at the moment? Now think as you Oct 24 Taurus Nov 22 edge is acquired through experiences, lessons, environment, and the folks in breathe, as you lay down feeling the water moving through your body. What Apr 22 May 21 your mental faculty. Who are your wise elders who can give you phenomenal signals are you receiving from the fluid moving through your body? When advice and tools to rise to the occasion? On the days leading up to November you press on the area does it feel tense, weak, strong, lovely? The whole point of this is to allow 16, Rick Ross said it best in his song “Hustlin.” So get to the hustle until you make a brick-and- yourself to feel more to express yourself. mortar business out of it with investors scouting you out like in a baseball game.

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What makes you is being true to yourself. Either you live by the law or live Twist and turn within the mind deciding where you are in your state of mind by your own law. Kendrick Lamar has a song titled “Pray for Me.” You are that reflects what you project into the world. When you hear the word “law,” Sagitarius going to do what you feel is right—through the scars, fights, good or bad what comes to mind to you? When you hear or read the word partnerships experiences, you choose you. The month of November is catered to your Nov 23 Gemini Dec 21 what comes to mind or scenes play out in your mind? There’s great in everyself-improvement through the imperfection of you to evolve. From NoMay 22 June 21 thing you do. From November 9 around 3:08 am until November 11 around vember 13 around 9:23 p.m. until November 16 around 2 a.m., any human 1 p.m., dig deep to think big and act accordingly. You’re a Gemini: the mental being can live. Yet to live for a purpose or be a service has a more cause, effect and meanthinker who can think your way in and out of anything. ing—making a difference in you and other people.

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Dance Calendar November 2023 By CHARMAINE PATRICIA WARREN Special to the AmNews Dance in November offers some returning favorites and some new stuff. Begin with Leslie Cuyjet who will bring both together in “With Marion” (Nov. 30– Dec 2) at The Kitchen. In “With Marion,” Leslie Cuyjet “…mines her family archive to construct a performance from memory and research surrounding her great aunt, Marion Cuyjet—who founded Judimar School of Dance in 1948, training Black dancers (including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater artistic director emerita Judith Jamison) in Philadelphia, where they were forbidden from training in white studios,” according to the release. The performance is an extension of Cuyjet’s work in The Kitchen’s ”Dance & Process” series in 2021. For more information, visit https://thekitchen.org/on-view/with-marion/. ALSO THIS MONTH Nov. 8–12: The Kyle Marshall Company (KMC) makes their Joyce Theater debut with New York premieres of the three most recent KMC works. “Ruin” investigates humans’ physical relationship to sound and uses dynamic listening devices designed and monitored live by sound collaborator Cal Fish. Dedicated to those on the verge of transformation, “Alice” is a solo work about the spiritual journey to self-acceptance, guided by the music of Alice Coltrane and inspired by KMC’s creative director, Edo Tastic. Rounding out the program, “Onyx” commemorates the Black and brown artists who spearheaded the revolutionary genre of rock and roll, featuring a soundscape collage by Kwami Winfield. For more information, visit https://www. joyce.org/performances/kyle-marshallchoreography. Nov. 8–18: Choreographer, dancer, director, and writer Bill T. Jones and poet Marc Barmuthi Joseph come to the Perelman Center with the world premiere of “Watch Night,” which fuses melodies rooted in spirituals, percussive breath, and fiery opera with the urgency of slam poetry. Jones and Joseph are joined by collaborators composer Tamar-kali and dramaturge Lauren Whitehead. For more information, visit https:// pacnyc.org/whats-on/watch-night/. Nov. 9: Under artistic director Cal Hunt and the street dancers of “It’s Showtime NYC!,” commissioned by “Works & Process,” an in-process performance of “Pyramid” with composer and cellist Johnathan “Akuma” Moore will be at the Guggenheim. For more information, visit https://www. guggenheim.org/press-release/works-process-announces-fall-2023-season. Nov. 9–11 & 16–18: At Trisk, the Jamal Jackson Dance Company will present “TEETH,” a dance and theater work that takes a classroom of young students on a journey to explore their identities, experiences, and roles in shaping the United States of Amer-

Leslie Cuyjet

ica during its quest for independence at the end of the 18th century. For more information, visit https://www. jamaljacksondancecompany.org/. Nov. 9–11: National Stardust & Onyx Studio continues “The MAXlive 2023” series featuring works from Lisa Jamhoury, Modesto “Flako” Jimenez, musicians from the Knights and Paula Matthusen, Kate Ladenheim, Paul Pinto and Kameron Neal, Matt Romein with Peter Mills Weiss and Julia Mounsey, Sister Sylvester, Mike Tyus, and Luca Renzi. For more information, visit https://mediaartexploration.org/max-live-2023/. Nov. 11: With local choreographers in the Bronx, BAAD! presents “Simply the Best: Tina Turner Dance Tribute,” featuring works by Malinda Ray Allen and Michelle Smith, Ian Fernandez, Darius Gregory, Rush Johnston, Nuludanza, and more for the signature “Dance Compilation” series. For more information, visit https://fareharbor.com/baadbronx/items/491536/. Nov. 12: Hip Hop artists Kwikstep and Rokafella will present the culmination of their residency in a one-night-only show-andtell “Wus Poppin,” as part of the “Works and Process” at the Guggenheim. For more information, visit https://www. guggenheim.org/press-release/works-process-announces-fall-2023-season. Nov. 14–26: Complexions Contemporary Ballet will celebrate its 29th season under the direction of co-founding artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson in a two-week season at the Joyce Theater. Three programs will include world premieres by Rhoden, Abdul Latif, and Jenn Freeman, and company premieres by Ricardo Amarante and Justin Peck. For more information, visit https://www. joyce.org/performances/complexionscontemporary-ballet. Nov. 15: “EMERGE125” kicks off the 2023– 2024 season with a selection of classic and newest works by artistic director Tiffany Rea-Fisher at the Center for Ballet Arts.

For more information and to RSVP, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fallfor-e125-tickets-714827206417. Nov. 16–18: At Lincoln Center, Akram Khan will offer the New York premiere of “Jungle Book reimagined,” “…a rethinking of the Rudyard Kipling classic The Jungle Book, which updates the original’s colonizer-centric perspective to tell the story Mowgli as a young girl and refugee child stranded by the cruel realities of climate change,” according to the release. For more information, visit https://www. lincolncenter.org/series/lincoln-centerpresents/jungle-book-reimagined. Nov. 16–18: The Weeksville Heritage Center will host the third part of “3 Rites: Happiness” by Edisa Weeks’s Delirious Dance. “Happiness” is “a celebratory investigation of how laughter and pleasure reside in the body. The rite is about selfcare, and making time to relax, laugh, and recharge for the labor to uphold the values of life, liberty and happiness,” according to the release. The series is presented in partnership with 651 ARTS. For more information, visit https://www. eventbrite.com/e/3-rites-happiness-tickets-705403148807. Nov. 16–18: At NYLA, Juni One Set—a collaboration of Senga Nengudi, eddy kwon, and Haruko Crow Nishimura and Joshua Kohl of the Degenerate Art Ensemble—presents “Boy mother / faceless bloom,” a blend of mythology and autobiography, drawing from the diverse lineages of queer, anti-colonial, and care-based artistic practices. For more information, visit https://newyorklivearts.org/event/boy-mother-faceless-bloom/. Nov. 17–19: The VISIONS Contemporary Ballet will be at the Riverside Theater to perform “Backbone, Tainted Bla’k” and “Roots” by founder/artistic director Ranardo-Domeico Grays under the evening’s theme of “Humility and Faith.” For more information, visit https://www. visionscontemporary.com/performances.

Nov. 28–Dec. 2: Brooklyn-based performer, choreographer, and writer Okwui Okpokwasili and director, visual artist, and sound designer Peter Born will present their new cross-disciplinary performance “adaku, part 1: the road opens,” the first chapter of a larger speculative mythology, at BAM. In this production, a pre-colonial African village is at the cusp of a major upheaval. For more information, visit https://www. bam.org/adaku. Nov. 29–Dec 14: The Park Avenue Armory will host the New York premiere of Senegalese performer and choreographer Germaine Acogny’s “The Rite of Spring,” an homage to the late choreographer Pina Bausch’s “The Rite of Spring” (1975), danced by a company of 36 dancers from 14 African countries. Acogny has been called “the mother of contemporary African dance.” Also on the program is a new duet, “common ground[s],” created, performed, and inspired by the lives of Acogny and dancer Malou Airaudo, who performed leading roles in many of Bausch’s early works. For more information, visit https://www. armoryonpark.org/programs_events/ detail/rite_of_spring. Nov. 28–Dec. 10: Guest performers, musicians, and innovators, including Maki Namekawa, Lucinda Childs, Chanon Judson, Justin Peck, Leonardo Sandoval, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Or Schraiber, will present a series of five choreographic sequences titled “Dancing with Glass—The Piano Études,” set to selections from Phillip Glass’s signature work, at the Joyce. For more information, visit https://www. joyce.org/performances/dancing-glass-piano-etudes. Nov. 29–Dec. 31: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New York City Center for their 65th anniversary with world premieres by artistic director Robert Battle, former Ailey company member Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, and Amy Hall Garner. Also slated for the season are new productions of Ronald K. Brown’s “Dancing Spirit,” Alonzo King’s “Following the Subtle Current Upstream,” Jamar Roberts’s “Ode,” and Hans van Manen’s “Solo,” plus Ailey Classics and Ailey & Jazz with live music. Ailey’s must-see masterpiece “Revelations” will be performed throughout the season, with soul-stirring live music on the opening night and first weekend. For more information, visit https://www.alvinailey.org/engagement/new-york-city-center. Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Trisk’s “Split Bill” series features NYC-based movement artists Stephen Shynes and Grace Yi-Li Tong. For more information, visit https://www. triskelionarts.org/split-bill-41-2023. Nov. 30–Dec. 2: The YY Dance Company brings “Ripple” and “Through the Fracture of Light” to Gibney. For more information, visit https://gibneydance.org/yy-dance-company/.

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New York ComicCon 2023: There’s nothing like it! By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews Every year, my children and I look forward to attending the New York ComicCon (NYCC), and this year was as marvelous as ever! Cos-play, panels, sci-fi, horror, adventure, fun—you name it, NYCC had it, and it was all there on off-the-chain levels. There was such a warm, family-friendly feeling in Jacob Javits Center as entire families came out in full costumes, even for the toddlers and babies in strollers. You just got such a welcoming sense of the camaraderie of NYCC attendees. The Jacob Javits Center was packed, but no matter how long the lines for the interactive exhibits, the areas to play new video games for free, and the lines to get into the amazing panels that covered everything from Star Trek to Marvel comic book themes to advice panels for those who are trying to create and sell their own comic books—the vibe was one of joy! There was something for everyone at NYCC. I attended a Star Trek panel that talked about “Star Trek Prodigy,” and Kid Cudi was there to talk about his work with the Star Trek franchise. We viewed sneak peaks, which were quite fun. We also got to see Season 4 of “Star Trek Lower Decks,” an episode called “CAVES.” I must admit that I was not familiar with this program, but after seeing the episode, I found myself running home to look it up on Paramount+. I could have never imagined a Star Trek animated series where characters use profanity, but it was actually quite hilarious! This is definitely not your parents’ or grandparents’ Star Trek. Mike McMann, the creator of “Star Trek Lower Decks” shared his vision of this series. “With Star Trek, people learn about aliens, friendship, morals; there’s a sense of humor—when you’re writing it, it feels like you’re hanging out with all your friends,” he said. That’s exactly what the vibe in the room felt like. It was also announced that “Star Fleet Academy,” a new anime, will start shooting next year. I can’t wait for that. “Attack on Titan” celebrated its 10th anniversary with the 10-year celebration Dub Panel. Trina Nishimura, who plays Mikasa, and Bryce Papenbrook, who plays Eren Yaeger, looked back on their 10 years of voice acting in “Attack on Titan” and their journey. They recalled how they got involved with “Attack on Titan” a decade ago and talked about some of their favorite moments on and behind the scenes. Bryce had a funny moment where he was supposed to record a scream that Eren was going to do, but because he had had sweet potato fries beforehand, the scream refused to come out. Trina’s favorite moment was sweeter, believe it or not: meeting and connecting with fans, and finding that common love and experience with the fans. One fan in particular she connected with was a young child with cancer who had come to a ComicCon

(Jasmine Armstrong photos)

event and told her that the show was a comfort during her cancer journey. The audience was also treated to a live tabletop reading of a scene between Eren and Mikasa from Season 4. Another wonderful panel was about “My Hero Academia (MHA) Original Episode World Premiere,” at which MHA fans were the first to see this episode before its release in Japan. I won’t tell you what it’s about, but I will say that the energy and experience in the room was full of laughter and fun. It was truly a wonderful time. Anytime you go to ComicCon and attend a panel, the sense of oneness that the audience members feel is so comforting, so transcending. There is nothing like being in a room with sci-fi-nerds and people who just get you! The Jacob Javits Center becomes a safe place to be who we want to be, to feed into our geekiness, our childhood joy, and also to realize the deep place that so many of the shows that create worlds other than the one that we live in—it allows us to grow as

people in so many ways. There is something so accepting when you go to NYCC and you see grown men dressed from head to toe as Sailor Moon and looking fabulous. NYCC also shows that it is for everyone. Thank goodness it is there to make every person feel accepted and safe, and know that they have something in common with total strangers, who by the end of NYCC may become friends. Walking around ComicCon 2023, there is so much to do. If you were not going to panels, you could see the latest comic books or buy collectibles. You could buy T-shirts, sweatshirts, costumes, swords, comic-themed artwork, mugs, pins, hats, and so much more. As you walked around ComicCon, you found yourself surrounded by people dressed as Spiderman, Superman, Wonderwoman, Harry Potter, Sailor Moon, the Incredible Hulk, Disney princesses, Batman, the Riddler, Zena, Mr. T, Roger Rabbit, Mario, Freddy, and Poison Ivy. There was a booth for “Cynanide & Happiness”—

the first original adult cartoon. There was a booth by Hypland, a Black-owned franchise begun by Jordan Bentley; at the Hypland X Sonic booth, people could play Sonic and other games for free. CultureFly had clothing and stuffed animals that had to do with horror. There were booths for Dragonball Z, Nickelodeon, Dungeons & Dragons, Call to Arms and too many games and cartoons to name. The Genshin Impact booth attracted a great many people and had a long line of people waiting to walk through an aquatic scene. There were sets to take photos in front of scenes from “Beetlejuice,” “Demon Slayer,” and “Genshin Impact” to name a few. There were places for everything from posters to autograph sessions. Two cast members from “Good Times” signed autographs and had show memorabilia and merchandise to sell commemorating the series’ 50th anniversary. Yes, Ralph Carter (Michael Evans) and Bernadette Stanis (Thelma Evans) were there the entire four days and the fans came out. Carter was thrilled to say that the energy, support, and loyalty of the “Good Times” fans was absolutely wonderful to experience. He said they came out in droves and showed a great deal of love. It looks like “Ain’t We Lucky We Got Them, Good Times” is a phrase that the actors and the audience can say about each other. I must say, the feeling of “Good Times” was had by all throughout this fantastic event. ComicCon 2023 had such a feeling of community that you simply can’t get anywhere else. The smiles on the faces of children and adults alike are worth the entrance fee alone. There is such a sense of joy, welcome, and belonging that you can’t imagine being anywhere else for those four glorious days. There is nothing like NYCC. See you again in 2024! For more info, visit www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

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‘I Need That’ leaves audience inspired, hopeful, and cheering! By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

“I Need That,” playing on Broadway at the American Airlines Theater (W. 42nd Street), is a funny, touching, honest, revealing look at the human issue of hoarding and not wanting to let go of material things that hold precious memories. The play, by Theresa Rebeck, will captivate you on many levels. There are aspects of this work that are funny, some that are sad, and others that speak to that part of us that does not want to let go of our loved ones when they have passed on. Imagine living in a house that has 62 years worth of stuff—from clothing to board games to books, old magazines, and furniture; everything stacked in such abundance that there is nowhere to sit down. That is the life of Sam, brilliantly played by Danny DeVito. His home is the only place he has been for years. He does not go out; his home is filled to capacity, and his front and backyards are full of weeds. In fact, his home is in such disarray that he has been reported by his neighbor. Sam has a long-time best friend, Foster, stunningly portrayed by Ray Anthony Thomas. Foster is a Black older man who is struggling, but he truly worries about Sam. He understands Sam and comes by to bring him food and visit. Sam has a daughter named Amelia, played by DeVito’s real-life daughter Lucy DeVito. Amelia is worried about her father and the

Scene from “I Need That” with (l-r) Ray Anthony Thomas, Danny DeVito, and Lucy DeVito. (Joan Marcus photos)

condition of his home, especially since the fire department has told him to clear the house or they will condemn it and put him out. Lucy DeVito has such a natural presence on stage. The chemistry between Danny and Lucy DeVito is marvelous to experience. You can feel the actual care, frustration, and love that both these characters have for each other. As you get to know all three characters, you learn things about their relationships that may surprise you, but when you reflect on it later on, you will realize that relationships can be very complicated.

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Rebeck’s enthralling story shines a huge, needed spotlight on why some people hoard and find themselves living constantly in the past, sharing the stories of the materials that surround them in their homes. It’s interesting to also realize that one person being a hoarder can have an adverse effect on their family members. But I won’t say anymore about that. This play makes one realize that mental health is something that we can’t take for granted. When a loved one dies, you may want to keep a keepsake, but it is not healthy to surround yourself with their things. The

main thing we have to do is keep the memories by sharing stories of that loved one with others so they always have a place in our hearts and our lives. This play also provides a more compassionate view of people who can’t help but live in the past. At first, seeing Sam’s home, you are taken back and shocked, but as he reveals the connection he has to some of the items in his home, you understand why he has tried to keep them. Some connections are items from his childhood, some from his father, and some from a soldier he knew in the army. When we are placed on this Earth, everyone has their own particular journey that they set out on, but if someone is taking a dangerous, unhealthy path, it is moving when their friends and family can help them to get on the right course, recognize they have an issue, and actively help them overcome it. “I Need That” leaves the audience inspired, hopeful, and cheering. The DeVitos and Thomas are what we all need. This production has perfectly timed direction by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. This Roundabout Theatre company production will have you talking and laughing, and touch you at your core. The set by Alexander Dodge is memorable and abundant as it sums up the course of Sam’s life. The production also features lighting design by Yi Zhao, costume design by Tilly Grimes, and sound design by Fitz Patton and Bradlee Ward. For more info, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.

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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N

Sista’s Place, Calhoun at Dizzy’ There is no better fit for Sista’s Place (456 Nostrand Avenue) on November 11, than Greg Lewis better known as “Organ Monk.” He brings a funky soulness to his many favorite Thelonious Monk tunes in his assorted arsenal. The Sista’s Place family love jazz but they like a little spice in the swing, some soul in that harmony. “Thelonious Monk’s sense of harmony was so fresh and savory that it would be nice to have individual moments of it frozen, expanded and prolonged, just to let the sounds get deeper in the ear, to let those mixed colors intensify and explode,” said Lewis. “One could do it digitally, feeding Monk’s music through the right tools, but as an organ player I can do it in real time by keeping the keys pressed down.” Once the New York-area musician divorced his piano to satisfy his newfound interest, he devoted his time to practicing the organ while committing the transfer of Monk’s genius repertory to the Hammond C3 organ. Lewis can usually be found leading a quartet of abled musicians on tenor saxophone, guitar, and drums. Regardless of his configuration, rest assured the evening will be an excursion of soul-stirring Monk tunes and a few Lewis originals, in the tradition of such organ greats as Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Larry Young and Dr. Lonnie Smith. There will be two shows at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. For reservations call (718)-398-1766.

included in his vocabulary. As a Bronx cat, he brings that rhythmic hip hop Bronx flava. In his continual search to carry on the drumming tradition of the ancestors during his various tours, he makes a point of traveling to small villages in Mali, Senegal, Belize and Northern Brazil in an effort to learn and gain wisdom from the elders. “I am always looking to document and study the history of drums, rhythm, sonic vibrations, and their impact on modern music,” said Calhoun. The multi-time Grammy winner is at the forefront of this music called jazz. His musical expeditions continue to bring new and exciting perspectives to this forum from his explorations of Afrofuturism, avant garde with urban beats, blues, Indigenous sounds, and West African rhythms all merging from the Black diaspora. For Calhoun playing music regardless of its origin is key, but just as significant is understanding from where the music came and its history. His music is a panoramic view of the world stretching to the Australian Outback. Calhoun says he wants to keep it open and play what feels good. His repertoire may have vocalist Glover performing a Bill Withers tune with that soul blues vibe. “I really want to play an early Jackie McLean tune from his bop days, along with Wayne Shorter and Mongo Santamaria,” said Calhoun.

Be ready for an evening where the music hits you like a bum rush rapper’s delight, hip as a Wayne Shorter tune, with as many colorful styles as a kaleidoscope, and of course the master drumming of Calhoun. It’s always concerning why someone with as much creative The renaissance music man, musicianship as Calhoun is only drummer, percussionist, compos- making his second appearance er Will Calhoun brings his astonish- at Dizzy’s. His resume more than ing organic boundless in-and-out speaks for his accomplishments. repertoire to Dizzy’s jazz club (60th Let’s hope this drummer gets his Street & Broadway) on Wednesday, just desserts and is offered at least November 15, two shows only at a week's engagement. He more 7:30pm and 9:30pm. than deserves such a stint which Calhoun will be joined by the his drums will surely demonstrate. creative forces of tenor saxophonFor reservations visit the website ist Emilio Modeste, pianist Orrin jazz.org. Evans, bassist John Benitez, and special vocal guest Corey Glover Ok, forgive for this short (his band member from Grammy column which I am currentwinning group Living Colour). ly writing on the rooftop restauCalhoun is a seeker of truth, rant of the San Marino Hotel in an ancestral spirit consistently Ghana. My plane is leaving soon, looking to bridge musical gaps getting to the airport is a priority. regardless of genre, a term not More on Ghana later…

“Be ready for an evening where the music hits you like a bum rush rapper’s delight, hip as a Wayne Shorter tune, with as many colorful styles as a kaleidoscope, and of course the master drumming of Calhoun.” Will Calhoun (Andre Betts photo)

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Second Ave Continued from page 3

should be became “controversial.” The city began construction in 1972 on phase one plans, but stalled three years later and would not return to the project until 1995, said Milrose. In the early 90s and 2000s, former Mayor Mario Cuomo pushed the project forward, but it was cut from the city’s budget. Funnily enough, his son, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, spearheaded the project in 2014 by securing funding for the updated line routes. Construction for phase one to extend the Q line was almost complete in 2016 and finally had its first trains run in 2017. It costs approximately $4.4 billion, reported AmNews. East Harlem remained a “transit desert,” with an abundance of public housing development residents struggling to commute to work, said Schumer. “It has been too hard for too long for residents here in East Harlem,” said Buttigieg. “It can take two hours a day round trip even within Manhattan. And because there’s not another option, the 4, 5, and 6 trains get so crowded. The kinds of transportation access you have or don’t have can decide the kind of job that you will have or not have, the kind of health care that you will have or not have, the kind of

time with your family—and at the end of the day, time is all we’ve got—that you will have or you will not have.” While the focus was East Harlem’s residents, Espaillat nicknamed the end-ofthe-line “Uptown Grand Central,” pointing to the Metro North Station next door. He said that most of the needed funding came during the pandemic in 2020 and from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure law aimed at centering transit equity. “This is truly a regional hub, I believe, for transportation in any community [where] most families use public transportation to get to work,” he said. “This is so important to East Harlem. This is going to connect East Harlem to the rest of the world. That’s how I see [it].” While Gov. Kathy Hochul was thrilled about federal assistance, she was quick to point out the state’s role in splitting the tab. “Thank you for the $3.4 billion,” she joked. “That’s almost as high as my $4 billion. but who was keeping track, so if you want to go a little higher, okay, you got a little competition going on here.” Ariama C. Long and Tandy Lau are Report for America corps members who write about politics and public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep them writing stories like this one; please consider making a taxdeductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

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Election Continued from page 3

we turn the page and begin a new Harlem Renaissance,” continued Salaam. “This victory is not about me. I want you to understand this. This victory is not about me—it’s about you. My brothers and sisters of Harlem. You cast your votes with a clear mandate for change and a commitment to equity and restorative justice, and I promise to honor that mandate every day I serve as your elected representative.” As expected, Salaam dominated the race, unopposed with 98.29% of the votes. He replaces former Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan in District 9, which covers Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, the Upper West Side, and East Harlem. “Tonight, the voters of the 42nd Council district, representing the communities of East New York, Starrett City, Canarsie, Remsen Village, East Flatbush, and Brownsville, reinforced their desire to see our communities move in a direction of unity and progress,” said Banks. A life-long East New York resident and activist, this was Banks’s fifth time running against the Barrons for the City Council seat. The “forever” incumbent Charles Barron represented the City Council and assembly district with his wife for the last

two decades. Banks scored 98.59% of the votes in the general election. “I am humbled to have received the support of my family, organized labor, my team, elected officials, community stakeholders, and—most importantly—the thousands of voters who have entrusted me to make the future of our district bigger, brighter, and better,” Banks continued. “Thank you all for banking on Banks. I look forward to working tirelessly for the betterment of the 42nd Council district.” Banks celebrated the win with a fun and festive watch party at Fusion East Restaurant (Elton Street in Brooklyn). Unofficial BOE election night results show incumbent Councilmembers Kevin C. Reily (Bronx); Althea Stevens, Nantasha Williams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (Queens); Crystal Hudson, Chi Ossé, Sandy Nurse, Rita Joseph, Darlene Mealy, Farah Louis, and Mercedes Narcisse (Brooklyn); and Kamillah Hanks (Staten Island) all holding on to their City Council seats that represent largely Black and brown districts. Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member who writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

A N I M P O RTA N T M E S S AG E F R O M M E D I C A R E

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If you are struggling with your prescription drug costs, Extra Help is a Medicare program that can help pay for your drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other out-of-pocket costs. If you make less than $22,000 a year, it’s worth it to apply. Visit ssa.gov/extrahelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to apply.

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THE

CLASSROOM

Actor Richard Roundtree was more than ‘Shaft’

ACTIVITIES FIND OUT MORE Accessing HistoryMakers is always a good go-to resource since it offers firsthand accounts. Thereafter several notable critics such as Donald Bogle are resourceful. DISCUSSION Information on his early years may exist on HistoryMakers as well as other personal information not found on media platforms. PLACE IN CONTEXT Roundtree was a significant actor in the history of Black cinema, with no role more important than Shaft and the subsequent era of Blaxploitation films.

Richard Roundtree as groundbreaking private detective John Shaft in the film ‘Shaft’ (Publicity photo for ‘Shaft’)

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews A mere posting on these pages that the actor Richard Roundtree had joined the ancestors is not sufficient, even though this column tends to give notice to those less famous. Something more seems necessary for such a distinguished artist, whose performance as Shaft in Gordon Parks’ film by the same name gave both of them eternal recognition and honor. Born July 9, 1942, in New Rochelle, NY, to John and Kathryn Roundtree, he attended New Rochelle High School where he was a member of the school’s nationally ranked football team. A talented athlete, he earned a scholarship to attend Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, but he answered a more compelling calling to the world of modeling and acting and dropped out of school. During an interview with HistoryMakers in 2018, Roundtree recalled that day in 1963 when Eunice Johnson of Ebony magazine hired him to model for the Ebony Fash-

ion Fair. Four years later, he was a member of NEC (Negro Ensemble Company) where he played the lead role as the great boxer Jack Johnson in “The Great White Hope.” But his real breakthrough occurred in 1971 when Parks chose him to star as groundbreaking private detective John Shaft. The film “Shaft” was pivotal for him and for propelling the development of the so-called Blaxploitation era in which author Nelson George cited “Roundtree's trend-setting wardrobe...established several recurring Blaxploitation themes: Black nationalists are depicted as inept if well-meaning supporting characters; young women of all colors are sexual pawns or plaything; white and Black mobsters are in constant collaboration and conflict." Two subsequent sequels followed the wide popularity of the film: “Shaft’s Big Score!” (1972) and “Shaft in Africa” (1973). After the success of the Shaft trilogy, Roundtree was awarded the Golden Globe Most Promising Newcomer Award in 1972. According to HistoryMakers, Roundtree went on to

appear in several films throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including “Earthquake” (1974), “Escape to Athena” (1979), “Game for Vultures” (1979), and “Day of the Assassin” (1979). In 1977, he appeared in the ABC television miniseries “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s book “Roots: The Saga of an American Family.” Roundtree reprised the role of John Shaft in the 2000 reboot, starring Samuel L. Jackson as his character’s nephew, directed by John Singleton. Roundtree has also appeared in several television series including “Soul Food,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Heroes,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” In 2013, he became a series regular on the television show “Being Mary Jane,” appearing alongside actresses Gabrielle Union and Margaret Avery. Roundtree also appeared in multiple episodes of FOX’s television series “Star” in 2017 and 2018. In 1993, Roundtree was diagnosed with a rare form of male breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. The illness and his prominence brought more awareness about the disease

THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY Richard Roundtree interview with HistoryMakers (HistoryMakers photo)

and more exposure and advocacy for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Know Your Score Men’s Health Initiative. He received the MTV Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in “Shaft,” as well as Image Award nominations in 1971 and 1998, a Peabody Award, and a Black Theater Alliance Award Lifetime Achievement Award. Roundtree was afflicted with pancreatic cancer when he passed away on October 24, 2023, at the age of 81.

Nov. 6, 1901: Actress Juanita Hall was born in Keyport, NJ. She died in 1968. Nov. 7, 1967: Cleveland’s Carl Stokes was the first African American elected mayor of a major city. He was 68 when he died in 1996. Nov. 8, 1952: Actress Alfre Woodard was born in Tulsa, OK.

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McCarter Continued from page 3

for Tracy,” Cohen said. “Because they chose to cuff her that night and put forward a narrative that she said ‘he tried to take my purse and I stabbed him in the chest’...they shaped the narrative in that moment. “That meant she was remanded when she was cuffed. She was charged with murder. Those first decisions decide the whole of a case in a lot of situations.” McCarter received a groundswell of support after her arrest, with more than 20,000 supporters demanding her charges be dropped. The issue had an impact on the Manhattan district attorney’s race, with the campaign of eventual winner Alvin Bragg tweeting support for McCarter. Detailed in the lawsuit’s complaint are alleged instances of Murray abusing McCarter after relapsing into alcohol addiction in late 2016, the same year the couple moved in together in New Jersey. It recounts pushing, choking, punching, kicking, and hair-pulling. The two remained together because McCarter was “hopeful that [Murray] would eventually overcome his alcoholism.” While McCarter is far from the only criminalized domestic violence survivor, her case coincided with both the public support of pandemic-time medical workers and the racial reckoning of the George Floyd protests. Public support naturally followed for the Black nurse, and four blue-chip private law firms soon signed on to help.

Despite her ordeal, McCarter considers herself lucky in regard to navigating the legal criminal justice system. “The difference is the caseload and the choice of these lawyers to take my case— how many defendants get four law firms that are fairly well-funded to represent them?” said McCarter. “Only the richest among us, and I don’t have those kinds of funds. I would never have gotten the robust defense that I did, if it weren’t for lawyers coming forward and doing this work pro bono, and so it just points to how unsustainable the system is as a whole. “Because if it takes this much resource[s], if it takes a million-dollar defense to get one so clearly innocent Black woman out of the jaws of the system, and it takes three years to do that even with all of those resources, the system is always going to be stacked against us and therefore it can’t continue to stand the way it is. It’s not fair. “It absolutely cannot happen that every person who did not commit a crime is going to garner this much press, this much attention, this much community support, [and] this much legal support. It just doesn’t happen. So that’s why so many people take pleas, because the system just isn’t designed to actually fight for our innocence.”

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My Bklyn. My Care.

Thank You WE EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE AMNEWS 9TH LABOR UNION AWARDS BREAKFAST AND BEYOND THE HEADLINES CONVENING FOR MAKING BOTH EVENTS A SUCCESS. YOUR ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT WERE INVALUABLE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE COLLABORATIONS WITH THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

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Education Hunter College’s CENTRO holds community archiving event By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

A weekend of panel discussions and workshops promises to show locals how to document and save important information about their communities. Hunter College’s Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) is sponsoring a three-day weekend of community archiving that will show participants the power and importance of safeguarding everyday histories. The “Preserving Our Heritage: A weekend of community archiving at CENTRO” symposium will be held at Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work auditorium (2180 3rd Ave., Manhattan) from Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, through Saturday, Nov. 11. The event will start with a virtual keynote featuring CENTRO’s new director, Dr. Yomaira FigueroaVásquez, and Joy Bivins, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in a conversation moderated by University of Connecticut Professor Briona Jones. The three women will talk about what archiving en-

tails, why it is important for individual families, and what it can mean for the larger community. On Friday, Nov. 10, participants can listen in on several discussions about archiving, copyrighting materials, and preserving artworks with representatives from the Lesbian Herstory Archives, Whitney Museum of American Art, En Foco, Volunteers Lawyers for the Arts, and more. Saturday, Nov. 11, will allow participants to begin learning how to archive and digitize papers, photographs, or letters with the assistance of CENTRO Archives staff and members of the heritage preservation group, XFR Collective. “In the case of this event, what we’re looking to do is to bring the archival practice back to the people, instead of just holding that near and dear to our chest,” said Cristina Fontánez Rodríguez, CENTRO’s archival collections manager. “To give people more agency and to demystify the process of archiving, [because] it can be very overwhelming, we put together a program that was meant not for academics and not for other archivists or people in the

mentation concerning neighborhood projects, local artwork, and unpublished materials can be important for archives. “But it’s very subjective,” Fontánez Rodríguez said. “Archives are not neutral and people are not neutral entities, so what we wanted to take back to the community in terms of a message is that your story is important, beyond you. For example, when we talk about family papers: a photograph of your family on a vacation that you took CENTRO participants preparing documents for an exhibition (Brandon or during a day in the park, you Chacon photo) may think they’re only valuable to you because they have sentimeninformation field, but more for has been a prescriptive idea of tal value. But in reality, that is docpeople who have their own collec- what is historically important, umentation of a family––of what tions that they want to archive, or which, in turn, shapes what ends a family can look like, of the type they want to start documenting.” up in archives and publications of fashions of the time period, of The symposium is free and open and films and documentaries, et what a space looked like, of what to the public. Those interested cetera, and that’s usually the sto- the inside of a home looked like. in taking part can register for in ries of white, straight men. And that has a lot of different person or virtual attendance on “Now we’re looking at this new tentacles into different kinds of CENTRO’s webpage. The event model––and not just here, but for fields, from art to interior design is part of CENTRO’s celebration a long time in the archives com- to sociology. of Puerto Rican Heritage Month, munity, we’ve been looking at this “With this event at CENTRO, which is this November, but the model that kind of wants to re- we’re trying to communicate panels and workshop are open to frame that thinking of what is his- [that] your family stories or your people from all communities. torically valuable.” personal story is not just about Fontánez Rodríguez noted that, Items like photographs, meeting you, but it’s about your space and “for a very, very long time, there minutes from local groups, docu- time in society.”

Lewis Latimer Fellowship looking for 2024 nominees By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff On August 28, 2020, the day 43-year-old actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from colon cancer, Jon Cropper says he had a revelation. Cropper is the founder of Futurlogic Advanced Concepts, a multicultural marketing and trend forecasting firm. He is also on the steering committee of the Edison Awards, the annual celebration that awards innovative companies with gold, silver, and bronze prizes that honor the legacy of the inventor Thomas Edison. “You know, we were so proud of Chadwick Boseman and so proud that his movie, ‘Black Panther’–– about Afrofuturism––went on to become the biggest box office success in the world. We were so proud,” Cropper said. “And then we were dealing with George Floyd. And Donald Trump. It was on that day that I called Frank Bonafilia, who runs the Edison

Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program hosted a memorial event on September 23 to place a new headstone at the gravesite of its namesake (Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program photo)

Awards, and said, ‘You know, there’s this guy named Lewis Latimer who was Edison’s right-hand guy, he helped him invent and refine the filament in the light bulb. Then he went on to work with Alexander Graham Bell and helped him to develop the telephone. He invented air conditioning and the water closet on trains—he was a pianist, a poet, a painter: I mean, this guy was

unbelievable.’ And we decided that we wanted to do something to support future Latimers–– future young, emerging talents who could go on to become…the Lewis Latimers of this era. That’s really how it all started.” Three years ago, Cropper cofounded the Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program along with Bonafilia and entrepreneur-investor Dr. Carmichael Roberts.

Each year, the fellowship selects six Black inventors and entrepreneurs, and offers them a one-year learning course that helps them delve deeper into their respective fields and shows them how they can use science, art, and culture to create new ideas. The Latimer Fellowship Program is currently accepting nominations for its 2024 cohort of Latimer fellows. They will be chosen by a group of advisors, based on the innovative ideas they present. The fellowship used to be an invitation-only program—this is the first year it’s being opened up to more people. Anyone conducting research or working on a new venture concept with the potential to affect society is welcome to apply for the Latimer Fellowship Program at www.latimerfellows.com/inquire, or to email info@latimerfellows.com for more information. The construction engineering company Black & Veatch and Bill Gates’s investment firm Break-

through Energy Ventures, are also working in association with the Latimer Fellowship to promote the work of the program’s Black innovators. The fellowship program is modeled on the MacArthur Genius Award, as well as the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, so the six yearly Latimer Fellowship winners will have a supportive curriculum developed to help them advance their ideas. They will also be aided in creating a financial and advertising model that will help bring their ideas to market. Fellowship awardees are mentored, taken on field trips to factories, introduced to major thought leaders in various industries, and then guided toward the successful development of their designs. In its first three years, Latimer fellows have included people like former Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones, who is developing a new system for building See FELLOWSHIP on page 31

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Middle Eastern studies to understand the basic morality of depriving a people of basic rights like the right we treasure most—the right to vote. And then declaring that state ‘a democracy’… It’s actually not that hard to understand. It’s actually quite familiar to us with a familiarity with African American history.” “There’s no way for me,” Coates went on, “as an African American, to come back and stand before you, to witness segregation and not say anything about it. The most shocking thing about my time over there was how uncomplicated it all was. It’s not that hard to understand for people of African American ancestry. I know that, A, because of my upbringing, and B, because of my vocation as a journalist, you can’t behold evil and then return and not speak on it. And segregation is evil.” “I’ve spent a lot of time trying to do the political calculus on this,” he said. “And I think at a certain point, we have to just stop and say, ‘They believe it.’ They believe bombs should be dropped on children. They just think it’s OK or at the very least, they think it’s the price of doing business.” Coates is an American essayist, journalist and writer who explored contemporary race relations. Among his published works are “Between the World and Me” (2015), “The Beautiful Struggle” (2008) and “We Were Eight Years in Power” (2017). Last month, Coates and several other participants in the Palestine Festival of Literature in London signed an open letter in the New York Review asking the “international community to commit to ending the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza and to finally pursuing a comprehensive and just political solution in Palestine.”

AFRICAN FASHION BURSTING WITH OPPORTUNITIES, UNESCO SAYS (GIN)—If you thought UNESCO was just about dusty old artifacts, think again. UNESCO, which stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, was created in 1945 “to build peace through international cooperation as it is the only way to build bridges between nations.” As a laboratory of ideas, UNESCO has a broad range of expertise in education, science and culture. This year they sponsored African Fashion Week that included a roundtable discussion, “African Fashion Sector: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities for Growth,” with internationally renowned figures and entrepreneurs exploring the role of African fashion designers as catalysts of sustainable development. African fashion is in a boom era, according to UNESCO’s inaugural report on African fashion trends. Increased demand has come from an expanding urban middle class in Africa and international buyers, who value the originality and quality of African design and craftsmanship. It estimates annual African textile, clothing, and footwear exports at $15.5 billion. But Africa’s potential is still held back by a number of challenges. Africa-based designers are held back by poor infrastructure, sparse investment, and limited intellectual property protections, as well as difficulties accessing new markets and sourcing quality materials, the report said. UNESCO estimates that Africa’s textile, clothing and footwear trade deficit is $7.6 billion, a consequence of decades of policy changes that

stifled local production, inviting an influx of second-hand clothing from abroad. Despite a minefield of obstacles that should discourage them, Africa’s fashion entrepreneurs are sticking to the program come hell or high water. Institutional funding that flows to African film, music and technology startups has yet to consider fashion a noteworthy investment category. That compels brands to bootstrap towards stability against the tides of costs and competition, while constantly scrambling to find capable staff willing to commit to long periods of engagement. Handmade designs crafted to be worn by upper middle class career professionals and fashion enthusiasts have become a favored product of many African fashion houses. But industrial-scale production for the mass market is on the rise too, including in Rwanda where Ashanti rolls out thousands of ready-to-wear garments from a 24,000 square foot plant powered by over 4,000 staff.

ezuelans who have migrated to the aforementioned countries are of African descent. Afro Venezuelan migrants who live in reached the U.S. by traversing Panama’s those countries, as well as others who Darién Gap). have returned, have spoken of experiencing racism and xenophobia in countries Afro Venezuelan migrations such as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and the My estimations and information gathered United States. Migration, according to inin Afro Venezuelan towns from the Network ternational law, is a right; the United Naof Afro-Venezuelan Organizations (ROA) tions Human Rights Commission states show that 15% of the total number of Ven- that “all migrants, regardless of their

status, are entitled to the same international human rights as everyone else. As with all rights holders, states have an obligation to migrants to respect, protect, and fulfill their human rights.” Being a migrant should not be a crime. Afro Venezuelans have contributed to the diversification of cultures in the countries they have migrated to. Thanks to Afro Venezuelan migrants, Afro Venezuelan music is now heard in New York and

Florida, Colombia, Peru, Spain, France, and Germany, among others, as are our culinary specialities, such as the arepa, hallacas, dulceria, and sancocho cruzado. We have also transported our traditional drinks, spiritual practices, and professional services in the fields of medicine, chemistry, and pharmaceuticals alongside the transcendental understanding we have of sharing, solidarity, and love among Afro Latin Americans.

crisis has made it difficult for immigrants to access healthcare altogether. Dr. Seydi Sarr, founder of African Bureau of Immigration and Social Affairs (ABISA), said that she encounters at least 10 different African languages and dialects a day dealing with the city’s immigrant population. She said that social services eligibility is the focus because it’s hard to get people access and familiar with the bureaucracies of insurance with the language barrier. ABISA’s language lines are often utilized by nurses and doctors to speak with their patients, said Sarr. She suggested that city language line workers be hired from within established immigrant communities in New York to provide 24/7 assistance for asylum seekers. Sarr added that the city needs more emphasis on effectively training service providers on how to communicate with their patients who come from a range of cultural backgrounds

and speak vastly different languages. “They come into our communities and it’s a very transactional model,” said Sarr. “If service providers are not taking the time to educate communities about what’s going on, then what’s the purpose of it?” Founder of the Black and Arab Migrant Solidarity Alliance (BAMSA) Diane Enobabor said historically and currently there’s not enough information collected on people’s health needs during intake. “When they’re triaged at Roosevelt and signing up for housing, I’m confident that what could be considered an ailment is not adequately communicated just because there [aren’t] enough language translators or interpreters for African communities,” said Enobabor. Enobabor added that asylum seekers are extremely wary of asking for medical assistance because they fear it will affect their asylum claim in court and they aren’t always

aware of their rights as an undocumented person. In addition, healthcare access requires city or state identification and other information that’s not readily available in respite centers or shelters, said Enobabor. “I think we’re at a surge of people right now,” said Enobabor. “The sentiment for many asylum seekers, given language barriers, is that these things are inaccessible until you have some sort of work authorization or identification card.” Narcisse’s bill is awaiting a signature from Mayor Eric Adams to be enacted.

International Continued from page 2

He had heard the descriptor, “complexity,” frequently pop up in opinion pieces and other scholarly writings about Israel and the conflict with the Palestinians. “What I expected was that it would be hard to separate right from wrong, to understand the morality at play, to understand the conflict,” Coates said. But what surprised him, he said, was that he immediately recognized what was going on, having grown up in a society replete with racism, violence, and inequality. “It dawned on me that I was in a region of the world where some people could vote and some could not. And that was obviously very familiar to me,” he said. During a visit to Hebron he had another view at close range of the reality of the occupation. Walking up to the marketplace, he was stopped at a checkpoint. An Israeli guard, probably the age of his son, asked him what his religion was. Not really religious, he replied. He was then asked what religion his parents and grandparents were. Coates’ grandmother was a Christian. “And then he allowed me to pass,” Coates said. “It became clear to me what was going on,” Coates explained. “Your mobility is inhibited, your voting rights, housing, water are all inhibited based on ethnicity. That sounded extremely familiar to me.” “History is always complicated,” he continued, “but the way that it’s reported in western media is as though one needs a Ph.D. in

Afro Venezuelan Continued from page 2

Health

Continued from page 16

automatically. But if a person immigrated here it’s more likely that they won’t be diagnosed or have access to adequate care. She is advocating in her bill for more education and outreach among undocumented groups prone to the disease. “That’s the bottomline, get everyone screening. And we know that most of our undocumented population end up at H + H hospitals,” said Narcisse. Amsterdam News reached out to a few African immigrant advocate groups about the bill. The consensus was that the goal to provide screening for sickle cell disease was admirable. But they agreed that the more overarching language barrier and resource issues in the ongoing asylum seeker

(GIN photo)

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

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Religion & Spirituality Helene ‘Nomsa’ Brath, freedom fighter and companion to Elombe Brath, passes at 81 By HERB BOYD and CINQUE BRATH Special to the AmNews Helene “Nomsa” Brath was inseparably linked to her husband Elombe, and together, they were a dauntless, defiant duo against racism, colonialism, imperialism, and white supremacy. If she chose to remain out of the limelight and the forefront, devoting time and energy to raising her children, she was nonetheless a formidable force in the fight for justice and liberation. She was born Helene White on March 15, 1942, in Harlem to mother Hurline White and father James Foster White. Last year, during her 80th birthday, she chuckled that she did not expect to be here at 80. After surviving several strokes and multiple aneurysms, she finally acknowledged that she was a fighter for civil and human rights. An activist since she was a teenager, her first act of defiance was telling her mother that she was not going to straighten her hair anymore. Her mother figured that she would get a man to talk “some sense” into her and called her brother Harry, a war veteran— and teenage Helene told him the same thing. She was very active in her community until chronic health challenges slowed her down, but she was in a good space with her life. Nomsa, as she was affectionately known to many, still found time to be featured in two documentary films: “You Say You Want a Revolution: Rebellious Women in the Fashion and Entertainment Industry” (2019) and “AJASS: Pioneers of the Black is Beautiful Movement” (2022), as well as being portrayed by actress Adepero Oduye in Ava Duvernay’s miniseries on Netflix, “When They See Us.” Nomsa was a mother, wife, community organizer, educa-

Helene ‘Nomsa’ Brath (John Brathwaite photo)

tion activist, education reformer, educator, public speaker, and artist. She was married to and often worked with her husband Elombe for more than 50 years. In the 1960s, she was one of the original Grandassa models and president of the organization. They

were both pioneers in the Black arts and Black is Beautiful movements in the 1960s. Her advocacy and activism role in the case of the Exonerated 5 is still understated, but acclaim was not relevant for her; she only wanted to see them exonerated

HAVE YOUR LOVED ONES MEMORIALIZED IN THE AMSTERDAM NEWS’ OBITUARY SECTION. FOR MORE INFO EMAIL: William.Atkins@amsterdamNews.com

to shutting down unsafe primary and grade schools in the 1970s. It was known that 20% of the schools in New York City had asbestos, and the risk of mesothelioma in young children had not been properly addressed. Nomsa researched and learned the dangers of asbestos. Her research led her to work with the superintendent and stress the importance of closing down the schools. Along with pushing to close the asbestos-filled school buildings, Nomsa urged the superintendent to bus children to different schools throughout New York that were free of asbestos problems. She starred in both congressional and senate hearings to address the issue. The financial toll the NYC school system and New York had to endure was a litmus test for what could happen if parental advocacy was realized in other schools. Since then, federal guidelines have been enhanced, clarified, and expanded based on her work. Nomsa worked alongside the late Senator Claiborne Pell, who called her the original whistleblower, and the late Jacob Javits, who later made her the national spokesperson for Partners for Reform in Science and Math (PRISM). She was recognized by the United Federation of Teachers for saving many lives by forcing the Board of Education to accept and mitigate research about mesothelioma, which led to closing schools and making renovations in others. Nomsa was about saving lives, or at least extending them. She and compensated. extended her own life at least Nomsa was an advocate for the a decade on sheer will, but on removal of asbestos from New Monday, October 30, she took her York City public schools. In 1985, last breath. the Journal of Law and EducaNomsa will be remembered and tion highlighted her asbestos re- ideally never forgotten. Memorial moval advocacy work. Her work services are pending; at this time, and efforts, along with others, led the family requests some privacy.

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Next Steps

to the crew to help extract the participant. As a result of their help, the participant was able stay on track and go to college. every two weeks for attending the required “Two years into college, he sent a text saying, sessions. The stipends were helpful not just ‘Thank you for being in my life. If it wasn’t for for the participants, but also their families, Next STEPS, I would have never made it to colmany of whom were struggling to get by. lege,’” Hammond said. “That stipend might not seem like a lot to other people, but that $40, $60, goes Cuts “heartbreaking” for participants a long way when you are trying to feed a For now, Living Redemption is continuing house(hold),” said Christopher Moore, a pro- to engage with the youth who were in Next gram coordinator at Living Redemption. STEPS, but the mentors are fearful that the The stipend also gave participants a sense instability caused by the cuts puts youth at of self-sufficiency and hope. risk for justice system involvement in the “It was showing that the kid was able to help long run. Five of the current participants will because they were able to do things. Mother’s have the opportunity to transfer to Arches, Day didn’t have to be so sad [anymore]...be- but Hammond said that there is no mentorcause they get a chance to buy something. ship program equivalent to Next STEPS for Christmas [didn’t] have to be so horrible,” those who aren’t eligible for Arches, which added Dedric “Beloved” Hammond, the site’s he noted is already underfunded. chief credible messenger supervisor. Two of Living Redemption’s Next STEPS parIn addition to financial support, partici- ticipants expressed disappointment about the pants cherished the emotionally supportive DOP’s decision to slash the program. environment of the program—so much that Keonna Bishop, a 20-year-old who credthey would come even on days they weren’t its Next STEPS with helping her graduate from required to be there. high school, land a job at Chick-fil-A, and save “It gave them an opportunity to drop their and prepare for college, was shocked when she guard and be able to really feel safe,” Beloved heard the program was being cut. Hammond said. “Why would you take something away that’s The fact that the mentors were available for also giving back and actually helping people, participants all day, not just during program actually changing people’s lives in a way? Behours, contributed to this sense of safety. cause Next STEPS changed my life,” she said, In addition, the mentors’ own lived experi- explaining that the program provided her with ences allowed them to understand the lives a second family. of their participants, like the gangs or crews “Having staff living in the actual projects they might be part of, or their family situa- where you stay [is a big benefit] because they tions, which meant participants could trust understand what you’ve been going through,” and rely on them. Bishop said. “They work in the wee hours in the night to Participant Isieni Bermudez said he recenthelp triage and mediate all types of traumas ly returned to the program after originally joinand adversities that our youth and their fam- ing around 2017. The 24-year-old said he could ilies are facing,” Hammond said. always rely on Hammond and the other menHammond gave an example of one partici- tors, and that they’re now helping him navigate pant who sought advice for how to stay out of a life as a single father. crew that was trying to recruit him. Hammond Hearing that the program was cut was “heartsaid they were able to use their connections breaking,” he said. “I don’t want it to close. I don’t Continued from page 6

Fellowship Continued from page 28

low-income, affordable housing; Vanderbilt University Professor Audrey Bowden, who is creating a light-based biomedical photonic tool that can be used for early cancer diagnoses; actor Shameik Moore, the voice of Miles Morales in the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” who has created an Etsy-like e-commerce platform called The People’s Pact (TPP) that features offerings from Black entrepreneurs and creatives; scientist Lisa Dyson, who founded the company Air Protein, which is developing a technology that converts elements in the air into “air meat”; and MIT professor Asegun Henry, who has invented a new battery technology that has already received major investment interest. Latimer Fellows are encouraged to push their ideas forward and honor the achievements of past Black inventors, like Latim-

er himself. Several fellows came together to place a headstone at Latimer’s gravesite in Fall River, Massachusetts, this past September 23. Latimer’s headstone was custom-made by the same sculptor and artist who created the Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Atlanta. “Now more than ever, society needs to cultivate a new army of elegant inventorartist-statesmen and women, who work together to imagine a brighter future, just like Lewis Latimer,” according to the Latimer Fellows Selection Committee website, “Fundamentally, this is about futurism,” Cropper added. “We’re in the middle of such radical societal change, a lot of which is obviously being driven by technology and artificial intelligence. I think that as Black people in America, we have to, as the old saying goes, ‘work twice as hard for half as much.’ We have to stay current with new technologies in the rapidly evolving nature of our culture. We’re really interested in education; we want to teach people about how to develop their ideas into something commercial.”

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 31

want it to end, because there’s just so much that they try to do for the community.” Tyree Hicks and Kyani Freeman, alumni of Osborne Association programming who are now credible messengers, also rued the end of the NextSTEPS program. “A lot of my youth don’t have a safe haven place to go to anymore or mentors that they may rely on or even a place where they may be able to bring their friends just to come to unrelease baggage or problems or issues they may be facing at school [and] in the community,” said Hicks. “That’s one of the biggest effects that we have had since shutting down the program.” “If they don’t have a safe haven or base they can come to, they will never cope…kids need that space to grieve and [come into] their inner self,” added Freeman. What’s next? Since the DOP cut Next STEPS, Living Redemption’s program remains under operation without funding on either end. Yet Hammond and his mentees continue to show up without promise of salary or stipend. “Even though the program is shut down, basically, it’s not going to stop us from (conversing) with (participants), because it’s something that they built,” said Bermudez. “They came from the street, they came from the ’hood; we all did. We still live in St. Nick. For them to actually build it from scratch to put youth like us in a program where it helps us be better—you can’t give that up.” To that end, Living Redemption plans to host a rally in Harlem in the next few weeks

to draw attention to the cuts. On the City Council side, Restler said he and other colleagues would provide more oversight of the DOP, and look into ways they can refund Next STEPS. “If we can identify the resources to restore Next STEPS, we absolutely should,” he said. Living Redemption is also exploring other ways to fund Next STEPS, such as through the Department of Youth and Community Development, or through funding from a well-resourced organization or foundation. To avoid a similar situation in the future, they want to make sure they have more control over the program and its funding. The participants are determined to fight for Next STEPS as well. “We’re still going to push the same way that we’ve been pushing, because we’re St. Nick’s kids. We never give up,” Bishop said. Shannon Chaffers is a Report for America corps member who 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. 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.

Holy Spirit Senior Apartments 4624 17th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11204 Beginning on November 6, 2023 our property located at 4624 17th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11204 will be re-opening its waiting list to the elderly (head of household or spouse is 62 or older) or those with a mobility impairment. Qualifications and eligibility for the affordable apartments, which include units for the mobility impaired, will be based on Section 8 guidelines. Interested persons may obtain an application: BY MAIL Holy Spirit Senior Apartments c/o POP Management Corporation 191 Joralemon Street, 8 th Floor Brooklyn, New York 11201

ONLINE www.ccbq.org/service/seniorhousing info.popm@ccbq.org

Applications must be sent by regular mail to the PO Box (listed on application) and must be postmarked by November 20, 2023. 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.

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This is to announce that the next meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School Board of Trustees will occur in person on Thursday, November 16th, 2023 at 7:30am. The meeting will be held at 245 West 129th St, NY, NY.

This is to announce that the next meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy I Charter School Board of Trustees will occur in person on Thursday, November 16th, 2023 at 7:30am. The meeting will be held at 245 West 129th St, NY, NY.

101 LEGAL NOTICES

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of New York Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Index #: 850197/2022 Mortgage Assets Management, LLC Plaintiff, vs Bonnie Wiener As Heir To The Estate Of Linda Orlin, Unknown Heirs Of Linda Orlin If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, United States Of America Acting Through The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, United States Of America Acting Through The IRS, People Of The State Of New York, The Board Of Managers Of 220 East 60th Street Condominium, City Register Of The City Of New York, County Of New York “John Doe #1” Through “John Doe #12,” The Last Twelve Names Being Fictitious And Unknown To Plaintiff, The Persons Or Parties Intended Being The Tenants, Occupants, Persons Or Corporations, If Any, Having Or Claiming An Interest In Or Lien Upon The Subject Property Described In The Complaint, Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 220 East 60th Street Unit 5M New York, NY 10022 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of New York. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Linda Orlin Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Francis A Kahn of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Eighth day of September, 2023 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York, in the City of New York. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated November 21, 2008, executed by Linda Orlin (who died on October 31, 2019, a resident of the county of New York, State of New York) to secure the sum of $625,500.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2008000487819 in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County on December 26, 2008. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed November 14, 2012 and recorded on November 27, 2012, in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County at CRFN 2012000464586. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed August 8, 2022 and recorded on August 26, 2022, in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County at CRFN 2022000335785; The property in question is described as follows: 220 East 60th Street Unit 5M, New York, NY 10022 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: October 9, 2023 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy, LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 78222

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). Name: Albany State Street GP LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (“SSNY”) on October 17, 2023. N.Y. office location: New York County. The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to Albany State Street GP LLC, c/o CSC, 80 State Street, Albany, New York 12207-2543. Purpose/character of LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

NOTICE OF SALE In pursuance and by virtue of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly granted and entered on or about July 26, 2023, in an action pending before the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, entitled SND Management v. 321 East 84th Street Owners, Inc., et al., bearing Index No. 850152/2017, by The Honorable Francis A. Kahn, III, IAS Part 32, I, the Referee, duly appointed in the action for such purpose, will expose for sale and sell at public auction to the highest bidder on December 6, 2023, at 2:15 p.m., in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, at 60 Centre Stret, New York, New York 10007, the mortgaged premises designated as Block 1547, Lot 11, in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, State of New York and known as 321 East 84th Street, New York, New York. The approximate amount of the judgment is $4,996,965.97 plus interest and other charges, and the property is being sold subject to the terms and conditions stated in the judgment, any prior encumbrances and the terms of sale which shall be available at the time of sale. The sale is subject to the New York County Auction Part Rules. Dated: November 6, 2023 New York, New York Thomas P. Kleinberger, Esq. Referee 411 5th Avenue New York, New York 10016 David P. Stich, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff 521 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor New York, New York 10175 (646) 554-4421 Notice of Formation of AD XXIII Consulting LLC. Arts of Org Filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/16/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 160 Riverside Blvd, Apt 22A, NY, NY 10069, R/A: US Corp Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave, #202, BL, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of CPG STEVENSON B4 GP LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/06/23. 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 12207-2543. Purpose: Real estate investment/development.

SUMMONS IN TAX LIEN FORECLOSURE–SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK – NYCTL 2021A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN FOR THE NYCTL 2021-A TRUST, Plaintiffs, against TAHIR, et. al., Defendants. Index No. 158819/2022. To the above named Defendants –YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action within twenty days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service or within thirty days after service is completed if the summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. Plaintiffs designate New York County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the county in which the property a lien upon which is being foreclosed is situated. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Hon. Francis A. Kahn III, J.S.C., dated October 11, 2023. The object of this action is to foreclose a New York City Tax Lien covering the premises located at Block 1010 Lot 1637 on the Tax Map of New York County and is also known 157 West 57th Street, Unit 46B, New York, New York. Dated: October 18, 2023 BRONSTER LLP, Attorney for Plaintiffs, NYCTL 2021-A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN FOR THE NYCTL 2021-A TRUST, By: Josef F. Abt, Esq. 156 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019 (347) 246-4776 NOTICE OF FORMATION of limited liability company (LLC). Name: MEKBROS, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/19/2023. Office location: New York Co. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and address SSNY shall mail a copy of process is 39 W. 14th Street, New York, NY 10011. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

101 LEGAL NOTICES

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK - COUNTY OF NEW YORK HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, -against- ANDREW OVIKUROM ORU, if living, and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, Defendants. INDEX NO.: 850030/2020 FILED: OCTOBER 25, 2023 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff's attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service or within 30 days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant an Order of the Hon. Francis A. Kahn III, a Justice of the Supreme Court, of New York County, dated October 23, 2023 and entered October 23, 2023 NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT: THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Timeshare Mortgage in the amount of $109,286.23, recorded in New York County Clerk's Office on October 3, 2011 in CRFN: 2011000349327 of Mortgages covering the (1) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit, (2) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit, and (3) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit which all comprise a portion of the premises known as 102 WEST 57th STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019-3302. The relief sought in the within action is a final Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale directing the sale of the (1) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit, (2) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit, and (3) .009864% undivided tenant in common interest of the Timeshare Unit which comprises a portion of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage. New York County is designated as the place of trial on the basis of the fact that the real property affected by this action is located wholly within said County. Dated: February 1, 2023, Westbury, New York. Maria Sideris, Esq., DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC, Attorneys for Plaintiff, 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, New York 11590, (516) 876-0800. WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court – New York County – Hilton Resorts Corp., Pltf. v. YAKUBU O. AFOLABI, if living, and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, et al., Deft. – Index # 850172/2017. The foregoing supplemental summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Honorable FRANCIS KAHN, III, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, dated the 5th day of October 2023 and duly entered the 10th day of October 2023 in the office of the Clerk of the County of New York, State of New York. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY, 5165868513. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s attorney, within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State) In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is for the foreclosure of: An undivided 5,000/16,783,800 tenants in common interest in Phase 2 of HNY Club Suites located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY. Section: 4 Block: 1006 Lot: 1302. Mortgage bearing the date of February 23, 2015, executed by Yakubu O. Afolabi to Hilton Resorts Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, to secure the sum of $31,875.00, and interest and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of New York County on May 29, 2015, in CRFN 2015000181419. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises as described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee

Notice of Qualification of 1S REO OPPORTUNITY 1, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/02/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/09/19. Princ. office of LLC: 370 Highland Ave., Ste. 200, Piedmont, CA 94611. 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 of the State of DE, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Is to own real estate in the State.

Notice of Qualification of THE HEAVY JAMZ LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/23/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/05/23. Princ. office of LLC: 111 E. 10th St., #8, NY, NY 10003. 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 Jeffrey W. Bullock, Secy. of State DE, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of COMMONWEALTH PIER F&B LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/05/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 853 Broadway, 17th Fl., NY, NY 10003. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Union Square Hospitality Group at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of PALACE CAPITAL LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/10/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/05/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP, Attn: Gina Piazza, Esq., 1350 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10018. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Currant Productions LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/27/2023. 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 them is 135 W 52nd St, Apt 31B, New York, NY 10019. The principal business address of the LLC is 135 W 52nd St, Apt 31B, New York, NY 10019. Dissolution date: Perpetual. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity. GCW & Associates LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/29/2022. Office: NEW YORK County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York, Emigrant Funding Corporation, Plaintiff, vs. Hershey chan Realty, Inc., ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Amended Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on July 14, 2023 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the portico of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on December 6, 2023 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 44 Bowery, 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, City and State of New York, Block 202 and Lot 28. Approximate amount of judgment is $4,103,570.52 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850215/2021. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. Borchert & LaSpina, P.C., 19-02 Whitestone Expressway, Suite 302, Whitestone, New York 11357, Attorneys for Plaintiff

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff AGAINST FARHAD M. BOUKANI, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 19, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse in Room 130, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on November 22, 2023 at 2:15PM, premises known as 467 WEST CENTRAL PARK, UNIT NO. 1D, NEW YORK, NY 10025. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 1842, Lot 1003. Approximate amount of judgment $332,718.76 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850053/2019. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NEW YORK County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Roberta Ashkin, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-003391 77790

Notice of Formation of BRODSKY FLATIRON LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/11/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: The Brodsky Organization, Attn: J. Dean Amro, 400 W. 59th St., NY, NY 10019. 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.

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101 LEGAL NOTICES

Supreme Court – New York County – Hilton Resorts Corp., Pltf. v. NAYDA FIGUEROA AND CARISSA R. VILLANUEVA, if living, and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, et al., Deft. – Index # 850135/2020. The foregoing supplemental summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Honorable FRANCIS KAHN, III, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, dated the 5th day of October 2023 and duly entered the 10th day of October 2023 in the office of the Clerk of the County of New York, State of New York. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY, 5165868513. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s attorney, within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State) In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is for the foreclosure of 0.00986400000% undivided tenants in common interest in 57th Street Vacation Suites located at 102 West 57th Street NY, NY. Block: 1009 Lot: 37. Mortgage bearing the date of December 31, 2016, executed by Nayda Figueroa and Carissa R. Villanueva to Hilton Resorts Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, to secure the sum of $26,373.60, and interest and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of New York County on March 8, 2017, in CRFN 2017000092280. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises as described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Supreme Court – New York County – Hilton Resorts Corp., Pltf. v. ISKANDAR RIZAL AND ISKANDAR FAREED, if living, and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, et al., Deft. – Index # 850171/2018. The foregoing supplemental summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Honorable FRANCIS KAHN, III, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, dated the 5th day of October 2023 and duly entered the 10th day of October 2023 in the office of the Clerk of the County of New York, State of New York. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY, 5165868513. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s attorney, within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State) In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is for the foreclosure of: An undivided 7,000/28,402,100 tenants in common interest in Phase 1 of HNY Club Suites located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY. Section: 4 Block: 1006 Lot: 1302. Mortgage bearing the date of January 15, 2015, executed by Iskandar Rizal and Iskandar Fareed to Hilton Resorts Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, to secure the sum of $43,353.00, and interest and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of New York County on June 1, 2015, in CRFN 2015000182108. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises as described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

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34 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

101 LEGAL NOTICES

Supreme Court – New York County – Hilton Resorts Corp., Pltf. v. CHRISTOBELLE KEELSON-ANFU, if living, and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, et al., Deft. – Index # 850135/2018. The foregoing supplemental summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Honorable FRANCIS KAHN, III, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, dated the 5th day of October 2023 and duly entered the 10th day of October 2023 in the office of the Clerk of the County of New York, State of New York. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY, 5165868513. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s attorney, within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State) In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is for the foreclosure of: An undivided 5,000/28,402,100 tenants in common interest in Phase 1 of HNY Club Suites located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY. Section: 4 Block: 1006 Lot: 1302. Mortgage bearing the date of April 11, 2014, executed by Christobelle Keelson-Anfu to Hilton Resorts Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, to secure the sum of $30,000.00, and interest and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of New York County on August 14, 2014, in CRFN 2014000271732. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises as described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -against- ELIZABETH FERRER, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 27, 2023 and entered on July 3, 2023, 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 29, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442513 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY. Approximate amount of lien $19,155.50 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850084/2019. ELAINE SHAY, ESQ., Referee. DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 Notice of Qualification of RGNMCA BOWMANSVILLE I, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/26/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/25/23. 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., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ELEVATE CONSTRUCTION GROUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/02/23. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Joel Kipnis, 137 Duane Street, #2E, New York, NY 10013. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Qualification of FOCUSED RESEARCH ORGANIZATION FOR IMMUNOLOGY, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/31/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 05/05/23. 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.

TNTSERVICE23 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/09/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy to: 156 West 141 St, Apt 3G, NY, NY, 10030. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

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101 LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff -against- AYODELE ANIMASHAUN, ABISOLA AYOANIMASHAUN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 27, 2023 and entered on June 29, 2023, 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 22, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 3.1810% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442513 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY. Approximate amount of lien $86,295.18 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850110/2020. SCOTT H. SILLER, ESQ., Referee, DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff -against- JOHN M. DAGNON, PATRICIA DAGNON, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated January 27, 2023 and entered on January 29, 2023, 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 22, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenantin-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 1.4182% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit HU2, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442513 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1303. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, UNIT HU2, NEW YORK, NY. Approximate amount of lien $72,457.30 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850033/2017. SCOTT H. SILLER, ESQ., Referee, DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Gerarda Ragone a/k/a Gerarda Anna Ragone, Individually and as Trustee of the Ragone Living Trust; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 21, 2023 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse in Room 130, located at 60 Centre St, New York, NY 10007 on December 6, 2023 at 2:15PM, premises known as 415 East 37th Street Unit 14K, New York, NY 10016. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 969 Lot 1114. Approximate amount of judgment $75,165.09 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 850017/2018. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the First Judicial District. Allison Furman, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 4304792 Dated: October 19, 2023 76999

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF 435 EAST 117TH STREET CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff -against- CHRISTINE HEALEY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 29, 2023 and entered on July 3, 2023, 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 December 13, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, State and County of New York, known and designated as Section 6 Block 1711 and Lot 1203. Said premises known as 435 EAST 117TH STREET, UNIT NO. 3, NEW YORK, NY. Approximate amount of lien $57,680.99 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 152950/2022. GEORGIA PAPAZIS, ESQ., Referee Mitofsky Shapiro Neville & Hazen, LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 152 MADISON AVENUE, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10016

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK AVANT CAPITAL 52 EAST 64TH STREET LLC, Plaintiff -against- 52 EAST 64TH STREET LLC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to the Consent Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 16, 2023 and entered on June 20, 2023, 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 22, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York; known and designated as Block 1378 Lot 41. Said premises known as 52 EAST 64TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY. Approximate amount of lien $17,978,720.88 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850134/2020. SCOTT SILLER, ESQ., Referee KRISS & FEUERSTEIN LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 360 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10017

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York, Board of Managers of 207-209 East 120th Street Condominium, Plaintiff, vs. Kwame Leslie Dougan, Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on April 5, 2022, a Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on June 26, 2023 and an Order duly entered on October 13, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the portico of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 6, 2023 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 207 East 120th Street, Unit 1F, New York, NY 10035 a/k/a 207-209 East 120th Street, Unit 1F, New York, NY 10035. 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, City and State of New York, Block 1785 and Lot 1001 together with an undivided 10.2363 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $37,331.07 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #158033/2019. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Attn: Danny Ramrattan, Esq., One Battery Park Plaza, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10004, Tel: 212.825.0365, Attorneys for Plaintiff Stop, Drop & Scroll LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/04/2023. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave. #619229, NY, NY, 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF M. Perotti LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/08/2023. 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 her is: United States Corporation Agents, 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn NY 11228. The principal business address of the LLC is 320 W 38th Street, New York, NY 10018.

Notice of Qualification of 570 WASHINGTON STREET LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/06/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/04/23. Princ. office of LLC: 40 W. 57th St., 29th Fl., 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. HOLISTIC AFFAIRS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/29/2023. Office: Bronx County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 828 E. 149 St., Apt. 405, Bronx, NY 10455. Purpose: Any lawful act. ROMchip LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/24/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 769 Broadway #1102, NY, NY, 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF New York ADR LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/27/23. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Fensterstock, P.C., 200 Vesey Street, 24th Fl., NY, NY 10281. Principal business address of the LLC is 200 Vesey Street, 24th Fl., NY, NY 10281. Purpose(s): any lawful act or activity.

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November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 37

The Knicks face their first long road trip of the season By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor The Knicks spoiled James Harden’s Los Angeles Clippers’ debut on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, and hosted the San Antonio Spurs and their rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama’s first appearance at MSG last night ahead of a fivegame road trip. The long stretch away from home begins Monday in Boston versus the Celtics and ends on November 20 in Minnesota against the Timberwolves. The Knicks will travel to Boston after playing the Charlotte Hornets at the Garden this Sunday afternoon. Their 111–97 win over the Clippers broke a two-game losing streak. They went into last night’s game against the Spurs with a 3–4 record. Guard RJ Barrett returned to the lineup after sitting out in the Knicks’ 95–89 loss to the Cleveland Cav-

aliers at home on November 1 and then a 110–105 defeat in Milwaukee to the Bucks in their first of four group stage games in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. The Knicks, in the Eastern Conference’s Group C with the Bucks, Miami Heat, Hornets and Washington Wizards, will play their second tournament game November 17 versus the Wizards. Barrett’s 26 points against the Clippers was impactful and Julius Randle led the Knicks with 27 points and 10 rebounds, but continued to be less efficient than ideal from the field, shooting 9–21. Randle began last night’s game as a career 47% shooter but is just at 30% this year coming into the game against the Spurs. Center Mitchell Robinson’s strong play continued with 13 points and a team-high 15 rebounds against the Clippers. Barrett became the youngest Knick in franchise history to

record 5,000 or more points. “That’s pretty cool, that’s pretty cool,” said the 23-year-old guardforward. “Just a testament to all the work and the trust that the organization has had in me and all my teammates and all my coaches. Just going to continue to work and I’m grateful that it came on a night where we got a win.” With the Knicks’ offense an inconsistent work in progress, they’ll have to lean into their defense to grind out wins. First-year Knick guard Donte DiVincenzo, who has established himself as a key reserve, acknowledged that defense has to be an area of focus. “If we’re a top-10 defensive team, we give ourselves a chance every single night,” he said on Monday. “Make or miss shots, I think if we rely on the defensive end, I think we’ll be fine because the night shots are falling and we run away with it and the night shots aren’t falling, you still have a chance to win.”

Donte DiVincenzo and the Knicks hosted rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs last night (Wednesday) at Madison Square Garden (Bill Moore photo)

Brooklyn Nets struggle with challenging early schedule By DERREL JAZZ JOHNSON Special to the AmNews NBA team schedules are not dissected and discussed as much as NFL schedules are, but for the Brooklyn Nets, facing some of the league’s best teams early has affected them getting off to a 3–4 start going into last night’s game at the Barclays Center against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday afternoon. The Nets’ wins—three straight from October 30 through last Friday, all on the road—were versus the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls, each under .500 when the league’s slate of games tipped off yesterday. Brooklyn lost their road opener to the Dallas Mavericks. Their home schedule has been more difficult. Their threegame home stand, which concluded last night, matched the Nets against arguably the two best teams in the conference: the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics and the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. Brooklyn was competitive in both contests, but lost to Boston 124–

114 and Milwaukee on Monday night, 129–125. Boston has added former New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis and former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, while Milwaukee now has seven-time NBA All-Star guard Damian Lillard. The Nets fought hard against Milwaukee, which encouraged their head coach. “I think that’s something we can take away from today…the fact of being extremely resilient, no matter what happens throughout the course of the game,” said Jacque Vaughn. “I thought our group (was) pretty much locked into the game plan.” Nets starting center Nic Claxtom missed his fifth consecutive game on Monday with a high ankle sprain and was expected to be out again last night. He has only played 28 minutes, all in Game 1 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers more than two weeks ago. After two games in which he scored under 20 points, versus Miami and Chicago, Nets guard Cam Thomas continued his phenomenal scoring, putting up 27 points against Boston

and exploding for 45 against Milwaukee. “The interesting part is (Cam) and I watched film today and it was defense,” Vaughn said of his coaching of the talented scorer. “There was no offense on that thing...so for him, just continue to have the habits that he’s had, whether that’s boxing out, whether that’s knowing who he’s guarding, helping us rebound— all those things he’s done at a high level. “And you saw tonight,” Vaughn continued, “him (scoring) from all levels on the floor, but also being able to distribute the basketball. That's the next phase of this thing. He’s going to still have attention and what he does with the attention he’s shown, he can make shots. I think his teammates trust him. He knows I trust him. He’ll continue to grow…the last shot was for him, and he’ll probably see another one.” Brooklyn is in Boston on Friday to face Jayson Tatum and the Celtics for the second time in seven days, before returning home the following night to host the Washington Wizards. The Orlando Magic visit Barclays Center on Tuesday.

Nets starting point guard Spencer Dinwiddie was averaging 11 points and 5 assists through six games this season before his team hosted L.A. Clippers in Brooklyn on Wednesday night (Bill Moore photo)

38 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S

Jets’ and Giants’ offenses keep lowering the bar By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

While Jets second-year wide receiver Garrett Wilson flashes Pro Bowl talent, team’s offense ranks near bottom of league (Jets.com photo)

The Jets’ 27–6 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night at MetLife Stadium had much more gravity and harmful consequences than the Giants’ 30–6 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on the road a day earlier. Nevertheless, both teams’s setbacks are distressing for their respective fan bases and indictments of the offenses that are historically bad. The Jets only have eight touchdowns and the Giants nine. The Jets are 4–4. The Giants are 2–7. That’s an average of one TD per game for both. In an era when NFL rule changes over the past two decades have been enacted to help generate more offense, the New York teams are determined to go back 80 years to the days of leather helmets. The Jets came into their game versus the Chargers looking to seize possession of second place in the AFC East and improved to 4–4. They ended it in third behind the 6–3 Miami Dolphins and 5–4 Buffalo Bills by committing three turnovers, producing only two rushing first downs. Unable to sustain a threatening drive, they stopped cold in going 3–17 on third downs under the continued

shaky direction of quarterback Zach Wilson and an offensive line unable to pass or run block. Wilson was sacked eight times, both he and the line equally at fault, and has fallen far short of his third NFL season when he was a play-making difference maker, unless it’s favoring the Jets’ opponents. Head coach Robert Saleh’s high-caliber defensive unit, with

elite talent at all three levels, has resoundingly persevered. Yet, they can’t mitigate their brothers on the other side of the ball with their 16.5 points per game scoring average, which ranks 30th out of 32 teams. The Giants are last at 11.5. “There was enough blame to go around,” Saleh said Tuesday. While acknowledging Wilson’s flaws, Saleh was mindful that

many other areas of the offense will be graded poorly. “It’s lazy to just put it all on him. I think, like I said…it was collective all the way across the board.” Mirroring the Jets, the Giants’ offense didn’t leave them a chance to be competitive, either. The Raiders outplayed their defense, too, giving former Giant Super Bowl (2008) winning linebacker Antonio Pierce,

Vegas’s interim head coach, his first NFL head coaching victory. The game became emotionally deflating for the Giants when down 7–0, Daniel Jones—who returned after sitting out the three previous games with a neck injury—went down with a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee, after being sacked on the last play of the first quarter. The 25-year-old Jones showed physical and mental toughness by coming back on the field to begin the second, but on the Giants’ next play, his knee buckled without contact, and he immediately shrunk to the turf. He was replaced by rookie Tommy DeVito. The 25-year-old’s day and season were over at that moment, and his long-term future with the franchise is unclear. However, the transparent outlook for the Giants as a whole for the remaining eight games is that they are playing for pride and jobs, and, by extension, money—strong motivators when a playoff spot is not attainable. They are last in the NFC East and tied with the two other 2–7 squads—the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears—for the thirdworst record in the league. The Jets will be in Vegas this Sunday night to play the Raiders and the Giants will face the Dallas Cowboys in Texas.

Despite many new faces, Columbia basketball goals remain lofty Columbia University women’s basketball returning starters Kitty Henderson (l) and Abbey Hsu (r) with head coach Megan Griffith (Lois Elfman photo)

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews The last two years have been an incredible time for Columbia women’s basketball, which ascended to new heights, including earning an Ivy League conference title and making it to the final of the postseason WNIT. But last spring saw the graduation of seven seniors, resulting in the team looking very different than it did last year. “Obviously, it is a big change, but I think that just means Abbey [Hsu] and I have had to step up, especially as leaders and having that strong voice on the court and off the court as well, and also challenging the new people to have that voice as well,” said Columbia women’s basketball junior guard Kitty Henderson, who noted that the returning players have spent a significant

amount of time building an off-court relationship with the newbies. Senior guard Abbey Hsu, who has already been named to three watch lists for postseason honors, spent time over the summer playing with USA Basketball at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. “I’m kind of just bringing back the knowledge I learned playing against some pros—how physical they are and the pace that they play,” said Hsu. Henderson noted that Hsu came back from the experience with a new sense of leadership. Over the next two months, Columbia will play an intense non-conference schedule, taking on highly ranked teams such as Duke, Georgia and Villanova. Hsu and Henderson said they’re approaching every game the same but know that big names will pack the stands

at Levien Gymnasium. Season tickets have already sold out. “[Last season] raised the bar,” said head coach Megan Griffith, who has been named to the watch list for the inaugural Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. “It’s not about trying to repeat something that happened or be that team. We made that really clear early on. Even though we’re newer, we have a lot of new faces, I still believe we can be a great program this year. … It’s been amazing to see the growth of the program, but I know there’s a lot more to go for us, and I think we’re going to peel back those layers this year.” Columbia’s season began on Monday night with a 73–85 loss to Stony Brook. The Lions return to action tomorrow on their home court versus Seton Hall.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S

November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023 • 39

Four-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs inspires future leaders Joetta Clark Diggs with daughter Talitha Diggs (Photo courtesy of Joetta Clark Diggs)

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews Joetta Clark Diggs knows about persistence, hard work and thorough preparation. Her father, the late Joe Louis Clark, a high school principal and inspiration for the film “Lean on Me,” instilled in her the mindset of excellence. Today, Clark Diggs is a sought after speaker, helping people find their true value and potential. Her father told her pressure is to be embraced. Clark Diggs was a middle distance runner who competed in four Olympics (‘88, ‘92, ‘96 and ‘00), not finishing her 28-year competitive career until she was almost 40. “The driving force in sports was that I was still good,” she said. “Mentally and physically, I was still able to do the work at a high level. When I did the 2000 Olympic Games, I knew that was it. I was able to make the transition to business because I was doing that parallel to track and field.” In addition to her own vibrant career, Clark Diggs is relishing seeing her daughter, sprinter Talitha Diggs, excel. She admires her daughter’s individuality. The only advice she offers with reference to track is being steadfast in her training.

“It’s a blessing to see her follow in my footsteps, but also bridge out and do her own thing,” said Clark Diggs. “Seeing her run at high levels and deal with the family background—her mother and aunt are Olympians—that is a lot. You have the pressure of upholding the past. I tell her to embrace our story. I’m proud that she’s been able to navigate through all of the situations that are her life.” Her message to her daughter is the same she shares to people who hear her speak, attend her annual Women’s Empowerment Summit, or read her book, “Joetta’s ‘P’ Principles for Success: Life Lessons Learned in Track and Field”: there are no shortcuts. When she presents to corporations, law firms and women’s groups, the New Jersey native addresses leadership and team building. She shares her P’s: have a purpose, get prepared, be patient, get perturbed, persevere and pray. “I use those P’s as a businesswoman and those are the things that I tell people, especially women, that they have to focus on today,” said Clark Diggs. “Then, we do my S’s: have a strategy, know your skillset and have staying power. “I also do diversity and inclusion work,” she added. “I also develop fitness challenges for corporations when they want to have fun health and wellness events.”

New documentary looks deep into the life of Candace Parker By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews Several years into her professional career, people commented that Candace Parker had not yet won a WNBA Championship. Those doubters should have had more confidence in her. As of October, Parker became the first WNBA player to win championships with three different teams. Although her role with the Las Vegas Aces this year was more as sideline support—due to injury— she was on court for the first two: 2016 with the Los Angeles Sparks and 2021 with the Chicago Sky. “My first championship was the hardest thing I think I’ve ever had to do in my career. It was a nine-year drought,” Parker told ESPN’s Elle Duncan at the espnW Ojai Summit held shortly after the Aces victory. “Coming from high school and college, the expectation was you win immediately. “Chicago was that full circle moment where the people that watched me first pick up the ball got to watch us cut down the net,”

with her basketball and personal journeys are chronicled in the ESPN film “Candace Parker: Unapologetic,” which premiered in New York yesterday and debuts on ESPN on Sunday. It is an unvarnished look at injuries, rehab, motherhood and daughter Lailaa, divorce, remarriage to wife Anna Petrakova and the birth of their son, Airr. Today, Parker, 37, is also a broadcaster. She also started her own production company, Baby Hair Productions, which is behind “Unapologetic.” The film’s title speaks to her tossing off the notion that women need to constantly apologize. “Some athletes, like myself, had to learn to be [unapologetic],” said Parker. “I’ve learned from being a parent because I can’t tell my daughter to be her or to be who she is or to follow her dreams or to love who she loves or to go and study what makes her happy if I’m not doing that. In this day she added. “In Vegas, it’s a comOver the course of Parker’s center of attention. At times it was and age, I’ve been inspired by the pletely different dynamic. … I was career, which includes two NCAA lavish praise and at times harsh athletes around me that have eninspired by watching them. Being titles and two Olympic gold criticism. Parker’s tenacity, per- couraged me to be fully me and to able to help any way I could.” medals, she has often been the severance and leadership along be unapologetic about it.” ‘Candace Parker: Unapologetic’ provides a frank look at the basketball star’s life (WNBA photo)

40 • November 9, 2023 - November 15, 2023

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Sports Tamirat Tola sets course record to win the men’s NYC Marathon Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola crossing the finish line (Bill Moore photos)

By JUANNE HARRIS Special to the AmNews

tinued to grow. By the time Tola reached Central Park he had outdistanced his competitors to cross the finish line completely Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, 32, won Sunday’s alone in his record-setting performance. 2023 NYC Marathon men’s race in 2:04:58, breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s 2011 record by Marcel Hug captures the Marathon eight seconds as he crossed the finish line men’s wheelchair title just over two minutes ahead of Albert Korir, Marcel “The Silver Bullet” Hug, of Switwho finished in second place. zerland won Sunday’s NYC Marathon Men’s Sunday’s win was a redemption of sorts Wheelchair race in 1:25:29, just missing the for Tola who had a disappointing showing course record he set last year by three seconds. at the World Athletic Championships in Hug led the race most of the way and by the Berlin where he was forced to drop out of half marathon mark was more than four minthe marathon because of stomach issues. utes ahead of his nearest competitor. “The people of New York [are] amazing The second half of the race was a solo to give me moral support every kilometer,” effort by Hug as he raced against himself said Tola. “Thank you all people. It was a to beat his 2022 course record. Hug’s vicfew long kilometers to run alone.” tory was a record-setting sixth career win Tola was healthy as he ran a masterful race at the NYC Marathon. With the win, Hug and notched his first World Marathon Major also swept all six World Marathon Majors win. Tola led the pack through the half mara- races this season, becoming the first man thon split and he and his countryman, Jemal to ever do so. Yimer, began to surge ahead of the other “It’s incredible,” Hug said after his hiscompetitors after the Queensboro Bridge. tory-making victory. “At the moment, I’m With about eight miles to go Tola began just so, so tired. It was really tough. But I’m to pull away from Yimer and his lead con- happy as well.”

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug earned NYC Marathon title on Sunday.

Hellen Obiri holds off Gidey and Lokedi to win the women’s NYC Marathon (Left photo) Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and (right photo) Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner captured 2023 NYC Marathon championships (Bill Moore photos)

AM News

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AM News

06/08/23

By JUANNE HARRIS Special to the AmNews

Obiri also won the Boston Marathon earlier this year in April, In a dash to the finish line, Kenya’s making her the first athHellen Obiri, 33, won her second appear- lete in 34 years to win ance in the NYC Marathon’s women’s race both Boston and New in 2:27:23. York City in the same The women’s marathon came down to season. a three-person sprint between defending champion Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri, and Catherine DebrunLetesenbet Gidey. As the runners entered ner Breaks Course Central Park, Obiri pulled away from Gidey Record In 2023 New and Lokedi dropped back into third place. York City Marathon Obiri and Gidney continued to battle and World record-holder were neck and neck in the homestretch, Catherine Debrunner of but Obiri managed to outrun second place Switzerland set a course finisher Gidey in the final 600 meters to win record in her NYC Marby six seconds. athon debut on her way to winning the ished third this year in 1:48:14. It was DeNews AM esNewsbrunner’s third straight marathon win. “In New York we don’tAM [focus on] the time. women’s wheelchair race. Dubunner It’s all about winning the race,” said Obiri. tablished an early sizable lead over the Earlier this year she set course records at 08/17/23 11/2/23 “I said, ‘let me be patient up until the last pack and at the half marathon mark was the Chicago and Berlin Marathons, where few miles.’ So when I went into Central already more than three minutes ahead of she also set the marathon world record. Park, I said, ‘Can I make the move?’” her nearest competitor. While the women’s finish proved to be “I knew it was the toughest marathon,” said more dramatic than the men’s, this year’s Debrunner. “I came away much earlier than women’s race was slower than expected and expected and I did the whole race by myself… AM News AM News the runners never came close to the course I won the whole marathon series and that’s so record some predicted might be broken. In insane. It’s been a fairy-tale season.” 11/09/23 08/24/23 fact, this year’s winner Obiri finished more Debrunner crossed the finish in 1:39:32, than one and a half minutes slower than her shattering the course record of 1:42:43 set 2:25:49 sixth place finish last year. last year by Susannah Scaroni, who fin-

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