New York Amsterdam News: Issue # 48 Dec.1-2,2022

JEFFRIES TAKES DEM LEADERSHIP

Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) speaks to media at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

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International News

While in prison, Waluś became a symbol for young Polish nationalists and fascists. His South African citi zenship was revoked in 2017. Some have called for his deportation.

Solly Mapaila, general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), was quoted to say: “For the right-wingers who wanted to plunge our country into chaos, they killed comrade Chris Hani.” His murder “left a gaping wound in his family, the SACP and the ranks of the working class... The judgment has rubbed salt in the wound.”

intervention. South Africa now runs the world’’s largest HIV treatment program. Of the 5.4 million people on anti-retroviral treatments as of June 2022, roughly 60% are already on dolutegravir, a drug that is freely available and has raised life expec tancy from 49 to 60 years old.

Of the AIDS activists across the continent and in the U.S., these are some of the many in each region:

Judge Andrade da Silva at the ruling. A total of 202 witnesses testified against the group. The ruling was the latest in efforts to clean up the trail of corruption that ended the era of the dos Santos clan.

(GIN)––South Africa’s Dept. of Correctional Services has con firmed “an unfortunate stabbing incident” of the killer of anti-Apart heid hero Chris Hani. The rightwing Polish-born Janusz Waluś survived the incident and is still slated for release later this week.

The announcement of Waluś re lease on parole stunned supporters of South Africa’s ANC ruling party and the South African Communist Party. Hani, the leader of the South African Communist Party, was a senior member of the military wing of the African National Congress, the former liberation movement which is now in power. He was the most popular politician after South Africa’s first Black president, Nelson Mandela, and his murder caused much shock and anger.

Hani’s wife, Limpho, called the decision to free Hani’s killer, Janusz Waluś “truly diabolical.” She and the government had vigorously opposed attempts by Waluś, 69, to gain his freedom after almost three decades in prison.

In his ruling on behalf of the Con stitutional Court, Chief Justice Ray Zondo acknowledged that Waluś had committed a “very serious crime.” “He nearly plunged South Africa into a civil war after carrying out a coldblooded murder,” the justice said, but nonetheless, the refusal to grant Waluś parole was “irrational.”

“The principle of equality before the law was not just written for those who fought Apartheid––but [also for] those who actively supported it,” Zondo maintained. Waluś should now be released within 10 days.

Clive Derby-Lewis was Waluś’s coconspirator in the murder, giving the gun to Waluś that was used to kill Hani. He was released on parole in June 2015 and died a year later at age 80. Waluś, a Polish immigrant, had links to the Afrikaner far right.

WORLD

AIDS DAY TO ADDRESS INEQUALITIES BETWEEN GLOBAL SOUTH AND NORTH

(GIN)––Every year, on the first of December, the world commem orates World AIDS Day. People worldwide unite to show support for those living with HIV and re member those who have passed on from AIDS-related illnesses. Ten years ago, HIV had infect ed at least 10 percent of the pop ulation in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namib ia, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some 50,000 in fections per year were reported in the U.S. over the same time period.

In response, African AIDS activ ists took to the streets and to the halls of the government to demand prevention programs, such as the Use a Condom campaign, free HIV testing and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation’s outreach programs. The programs have seen a measure of success. AIDS-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa were 33% less in 2011 than in 2005. New HIV in fections in sub-Saharan Africa in 2011 showed a 25% decrease from 2001. New HIV infections in the U.S. declined 8% between 2015 and 2019. Higher rates are found for people of color, Latinos and people of mixed ethnicities.

In 1990, to address the early HIV numbers, Abdurrazack “Zackie” Achmat of South Africa stepped up to become one of the iconic AIDS crusaders and the backbone of movements advocating for the rights of gay and lesbian South Af ricans, as well for millions of under privileged people living with AIDS.

His activist group—the Treatment Action Campaign—fought for crucial drugs for low-income South Africans while fighting a government that denied the existence of the AIDS epi demic and the pharmaceutical com panies that profited from the lack of

Inviolata Mbwavi, the first CEO of the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV in Kenya. At the time of her death in 2020, she was national coordinator of the Internation al Community of Women Living with HIV, which addressed the needs of women and girls, gay men, and transgender people.

Robinah Babirye, an advocate for young people of Uganda living with HIV, who is passionate about the issues affecting the girl child.

Emma Touny Waundjua Tuhe pha, the first Namibian woman to state publicly that she was HIVpositive. Along with 130 HIV-pos itive activists, she declared their status in the border town of Rundu, insisting it is AIDS, not the border war with Unita rebels, that was the real threat to their survival.

Mizé of Lubango in southern Angola, who is helping to transform the lives of women living with HIV. Diagnosed with HIV at an early age, Mizé took her status in stride, cul minating in her key role in the for mation of PRAZEDOR, a support group whose meetings are attend ed by 15 to 20 women at a time.

U.S. AIDS activists include Cal ifornia Rep. Barbara Lee, Phil Wilson, Peter Staley, DeeDee Chamblee, Antwan Matthews and Katrina Haslip.

SOLDIERS AND BANKERS OF ANGOLAN EX-PRESIDENT DRAW LONG SENTENCES IN CORRUPTION TRIAL

(GIN)––Dozens of former soldiers who performed illegal services for Angola’s ex-president Jose Eduardo dos Santos received jail terms of up to 14 years for fraud and embezzle ment in a closely watched high-pro file mass corruption trial in June.

In addition to the soldiers who went on trial were bankers and hun dreds of “ghost” employees who re mained on the government payroll between 2008 and 2018.

“It was proven that the state was seriously damaged because of ... the continued illegal activities, so this court found them guilty,” said

The salaries paid to the ghost military workers cost the govern ment some 38 billion kwanzas ($77 million), the court found. Some of the army officers were accused of keeping stashes of for eign and local currency found in boxes and suitcases by Angolan prosecutors earlier last year.

Investigators found $4 million US and 391,000 euros in cash at two Luanda properties owned by army major Pedro Lussaty. He was also found in possession of 30 watches worth $600,000, the judge said.

The sheer number of defendants and witnesses forced the trial to be moved to a larger venue, about 19 miles south of the capital Luanda.

More than 30 lawyers defended the accused, who indicated they will appeal the convictions and sentences.

The epicenter of the crimes was the office of the secretary-gen eral in the presidency. President Joao Lourenco, a former general, came to power in 2017 by prom ising to tackle rampant corruption that took root under his predeces sor Dos Santos. He was re-elect ed after a narrow win in an August vote that was disputed by the main opposition party UNITA.

Dos Santos, who died in July in Barcelona, weeks after suffering cardiorespiratory arrest, had been accused of appointing family and friends to key positions during his 38-year rule, including his son, Jose Filomeno do Santos, former head of the country’s sovereign wealth fund. His son was found guilty of embezzlement and influence peddling and his daughter, Isabel, had her assets and bank accounts seized by the court. She and her as sociates reportedly owe more than $1 billion to national accounts.

A controversial figure, dos Santos received many international awards for his commitment to anti-colo nialism and promotion of peace negotiations with Western-backed anti-communist rebels, most nota bly UNITA. He was also praised for improving Angola’s economy and attracting significant foreign invest ment. Later, he was criticized as having been a dictator and was ac cused of creating one of the most cor rupt regimes in Africa, with a deeply entrenched patronage network.

CHRIS HANI’S KILLER, STABBED IN PRISON, IS STILL SLATED FOR RELEASE LATER THIS WEEK

Turkey Day at Rikers: Mayor Adams visits embattled jail on Thanksgiving Day

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

Mayor Eric Adams capped off a busy Thanksgiving Day last week visiting Rikers Island to meet with the jail’s employees and de tainees. He based his visit off a “three-fold mission,”

“Number one, I wanted to thank the officers who are here,” said Adams. “I think they [are] just un der-appreciated [for] a very diffi cult job dealing with some of the ‘most violent’ offenders in the city, but they do it every day. And I wanted to visit the inmates and engage in the conversation and tell them that where they are is not who they are. It’s about reen gaging themselves, learning from whatever placed them here in the first place, and coming out with the desire not to return.

“And lastly, we have a mother here with a child, a newborn—

I wanted to visit her because no matter what an individual does in their lives, we need to treat people in a humane way and I want to stop in and say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here and wish them the best as the new holiday season.”

For the last third of his mis sion, Adams visited the nursery at the Rose M. Singer Center, where a woman detained at “Rosie’s” gave birth in the women’s jail six months ago, reports NY1.

But not everyone was heart warmed by the gesture. Anna Pas toressa, a founding member of a leading campaign to close Rikers, Freedom Agenda, felt Adams’ comments calling detainees “some of the most violent offend ers in the city” mischaracterized those actually held in the infa mous jail.

“He talks like if this is a maxi mum security prison—even if it was a maximum security prison,

you don’t talk that way—but he actually knows that this is not a prison, these are not convicted people,” she said. “These are pre sumably innocent people accord ing to our Constitution and they are innocent until proven guilty.”

Pastoressa’s son was held at Rikers for six years. She says Thanksgiving is a bittersweet day for families of detainees— the worst part is the uncertain ty of when, or if, the empty seat at the dinner table will be filled again. As for those spending the holiday in custody, she hopes they’ll be afforded some cheer, even for one night.

“For Thanksgiving the same way you have soup kitchens all over the city, why don’t you go there and bring some food or blankets to these people” said Pastoressa. “These people are not supposed to be seen as substandard humans. They are

See RIKERS on page 27

Children stabbed by Bronx mother, city’s mental health crisis pulled to the forefront

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

A Bronx mother who exhibit ed signs of mental illness and was living in a shelter tragical ly stabbed her two small children this past weekend. Instances of vi olence such as this have inspired Mayor Eric Adams to buckle down on how first responders handle unsheltered individuals and those in need of mental health care.

“This city must become a trauma identifier,” said Adams in a press

conference on Nov 29. “There are things that are happening behind the doors but we are aware that this person is going through some severe challenges. We need to be a community and respond as a community to people who are in need.”

On Saturday, Nov. 26, said the NYPD, police responded to a 911 call of an “emotionally disturbed” person in a shelter in Mount Hope in the Bronx. They found Dimone Fleming, 22, acting erratic and placed her into custody. She was taken to Saint Barnabas Hos

pital for psychological evalua tion. Cops were later called back to the apartment, finding Flem ing’s two sons. Octavius FlemingCanada, an 11-month-old, and 3-year-old Dashawn Fleming had multiple stab wounds and were pronounced dead at the hospital.

Fleming was charged with mul tiple counts of murder, said NYPD. The Associated Press reported that Dwane Fleming, Fleming’s father, said that she had a crip pling case of postpartum depres sion and wanted to get help. And

See STABBING on page 27

Public Safety Roundup: Thanksgiving week crime down from last year

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

Index crime is down this past Thanksgiving week by 7.2%, re ports the NYPD. Headlining the recent public safety news is the dramatic East Harlem rescue of a man stuck on subway tracks mo ments before an incoming train by police officers.

“We honor Officers Taufique Bokth and Brunel Victor,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “They embody the values of courage, caring, and

compassion. And patrolling our subway system can be a challeng ing job. I know it far too well, be cause I did it for many years. But on Thanksgiving Day, a man expe riencing homelessness felt dizzy and fell onto the subway tracks. Both Officer Bokth and Victor, who are proud members of New York City’s 25th precinct, did not hesitate to take action.”

He credited the “blue surge” at stations propelled by a surge of transit-related crime through out the city last month. The two officers were present due to the

increased police presence ini tiatives. But the NYPD union Police Benevolent Association felt the rescue happened despite the added uniforms to subway platforms.

“Police Officers Victor and Bokth deserve far more than praise for their heroism,” said PBA President Pat Lynch in a statement. “Like all New York City police officers, they are over worked and underpaid. They de serve a competitive salary that will reverse the current NYPD

Metro Briefs

Adams announces plan to provide care for those with untreated mental illness

Mayor Eric Adams today announced a new pathway forward to address the ongoing crisis of individuals experiencing severe mental illnesses left untreated and unsheltered in New York City’s streets and subways.

In a public address, Adams detailed a compassionate new vision to tackle this crisis, beginning with a directive being issued immediately to city agencies and contractors involved in evalu ating and providing care to individuals in psychiatric crisis so that more people in need of help receive it.

Adams also laid out an 11-point legislative agenda that will be among his top priorities in Albany during the upcoming legislative session. The agenda takes aim at gaps in New York State’s Mental Hygiene Law that intensify the city’s challenges in meeting the needs of its most vulnera ble residents with severe mental illness.

The mayor announced new clinical co-response teams deployed in New York City’s subways to respond to those with serious mental health issues, as well as an enhanced training in partnership with New York State for all first responders to compassionately care for those in crisis.

Inner-City Scholarship Fund hosts 45th annual awards dinner

Inner-City Scholarship Fund held its 45th annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 1 at The Plaza Hotel. Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, presented the 2022 Inner-City Scholarship Fund Award to John R. Greed, chair, president and CEO of Mutual of America.

The event featured remarks by Peter T. Grauer, chair at Bloomberg and president of Inner-City Scholarship Fund. This year’s Inner-City Scholar ship Fund featured student was Joskarl Nunez, All Hallows High School Class of 2024. Guests enjoyed special performances by St. Raymond El ementary School and Notre Dame School of Manhattan.

Inner-City Scholarship Fund provides tuition assistance to low-in come students in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York. The Annual Awards Dinner generates funds that are essential to In ner-City’s ability to accomplish its mission. Inner-City provides schol arship support to more than 9,000 students (90% minority and 37% non-Catholic). An astonishing 99% percent of seniors attending in ner-city Catholic high schools graduate, and 98% of seniors pursue post-secondary education.

Al B. Sure! narrates radio spot for Rev. Al Sharpton’s documentary

R&B singer Al B. Sure! recorded the new radio ad for "Loud mouth," the highly anticipated documentary on the life of the Rev. Al Sharpton, which is due to hit theaters Dec. 9.

This is Sure!’s return to voicing national campaigns after his major medical scare this summer. Over several months, he re ceived a new organ, was intubated, placed on a ventilator and at one point considered for hospice care.

Prior to performing a tracheotomy on Sure!, doctors were ad vised to be mindful of his vocal chords and the placement of his trachea, because we are certain he fully intends to continue his career in radio and crooning for the New Jack hip hop R&B fans around the world.

That begins with the new 60-second spot"Loudmouth," which explores the life, career and legacy of Sharpton. The documenta ry chronicles his rise from a boy preacher to a firebrand activist in 1980s New York City, and eventually to an elder statesman of the Civil Rights Movement. The ad piece began running in New York City over the Thanksgiving weekend and will begin premiering in Los Angeles, Richmond, Va. and Atlanta over the coming week.

If GOP falters, Jeffries is ready

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

America’s electorate could get another rarely discussed lesson in civics and political issues, if Repub licans fail to heed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) admonition about the upcoming election of the next speaker of the House. Earlier this month, McCar thy won the House GOP nomina tion for the position defeating Rep. Andy Higgs (R-Ariz.), but securing the victory requires they take the majority. “We have to speak as one voice,” he warned his cohort. “We will only be successful if we work to gether, or we’ll lose individually.”

If the Republicans don’t do the right thing, McCarthy continued, “the Democrats can take the ma jority…and end up picking who the speaker is.”

McCarthy was alerting his constit uents on what needed to be done on Jan. 3, the first day of the new Con gress when the House will vote on the Speaker post. Going into the

midterm elections the Republi cans felt they had a decisive edge on the Democrats and would secure enough new seats in the House to assure control. But they had a rude awakening when the expected “red wave” did not occur, reducing their margin of victory to around 222 seats to maybe 213 for the Dems.

In effect, the GOP and McCarthy can only afford to lose a few Repub lican votes, and at least five House Republicans—Higgs, Bob Good (Va.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Matt Rosendale (Mont.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.)—are members of the conser vative wing of the party and have al ready stated that McCarthy won’t get their vote. And several others seem to be sitting on the fence.

Should there be such an outcome, then Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jef fries, leading Democratic contend er, could carry the day and step in to fill the leadership spot held for many years by Nancy Pelosi.

The reluctance to support Mc Carthy centers on such issues as his position to not slash the spend

ing budget; his resistance to rules changes proposed by the Free dom Caucus; and whether he will commit to the impeachment of Ale jandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security secretary. Last week, Mc Carthy called for him to resign or face an investigation that could lead to his impeachment.

All of this could be academic if Jeffries prevails, and those favor ing reparations will be exceeding ly jubilant. He is one of nearly 200 co-sponsors of a bill to create a na tional commission to study and develop proposals on slavery repa rations. Also, if he’s able to establish a consensus in the divided caucus, he would be in a prime position to con tinue some of the legislative moves already on the agenda that Pelosi put in place. When he announced his candidacy for the post, he de clared, “I promise to prioritize and value input from every corner of the Caucus. … It will be my mission to make sure that every single Member of the Caucus has an authentic seat at the legislative table.”

Jeffries for House Dem leadership

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

House Democratic Caucus Chair and Brooklyn U.S. Rep. Hakeem S. Jeffries is the next Dem leader after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped down two weeks ago. He’s the first Black person to hold the po sition in history.

Pelosi, 82, was already groundbreaking in that she was the first woman to hold that position for the last 20 years. She announced on Nov. 17 that she was staying

in Congress but stepping down as leadership. A Brooklyn native, 52, Jeffries is an unshakeable ally of Pelosi’s and has long been con sidered next in line to replace her as speaker, a point solidified by the fact that he managed to run unopposed.

In a brief Q&A with the press on Tuesday, Nov. 29, Jeffries prom ised to beat back the “red wave” and extremism in the House while simultaneously finding “common ground” with Repub licans whenever possible. He advocated for a comprehen sive report of the midterm elec

tions to analyze what Democrats can do to win back congressio nal seats lost in New York State. He said that the Democratic way of being for the people is “not a slogan but a way of life” he in tends to uphold.

“We look forward to the chal lenges that lie ahead for our country,” said Jeffries. “We’re going to continue to fight for values that lift up working fami lies, middle class folks, those who aspire to be part of the middle class, young people, seniors citi zens, veterans. The poor, the sick,

See

NewJersey News

Booker announces Senate hearing on Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff

New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) led a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on their Enslaved Voyages Me morial Act, which would au thorize the establishment of a memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia to honor enslaved persons, on Dec. 1. Booker and Norton’s bill passed the House in September. The memorial, to be established by the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour, would honor enslaved persons’ presence, celebrate their contributions to history, and recognize their re silience and fortitude.

“In a dark chapter of our na tion’s history, millions of en slaved people were brought to this land against their will. We must ensure that their stories and immense contributions are lifted up and never forgot

ten,” said Booker. “I applaud the House for passing my Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act and com mend the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resourc es for taking up this important legislation.”

By the 19th century, nearly 12 million enslaved Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic. The first enslaved Af ricans were brought to what would become the United States in late August 1619—more than 400 years ago.

“The memorial our bill autho rizes will be a powerful marker of truth-telling and remem brance, and I am proud to have gotten it passed in the House,” Norton said. “Thank you to Sen ator Booker for introducing the companion bill in the Senate and to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resourc es for holding this important hearing. Let us honor the per sonhood of these individuals, who were repeatedly assumed to have none, so that they will never be forgotten.”

NJPAC hosting free Kwanzaa Family Festival

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff

JEFFRIES

on page 31

Justice for Shanquella Robinson

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

The murky circumstances sur rounding the death of 25-yearold Shanquella Robinson, a Black woman from North Carolina who died on a trip to Mexico with her six “friends” back in October, has not only spurred an international investigation but a fierce debate in the Black community about loyalty and trust among peers.

A video, circulated on social media, shows Robinson in a luxury villa in San Jose del Cabo,

Mexico. One Black woman in a bonnet appears to be viciously beating Robinson as a man can be heard in the background ap parently mocking her. No one in the video stops the fight.

Most unofficial sources on social media and YouTube are speculating that Robison’s death was at the hands of asso ciates Daejhanae Jackson and Wenter Donavan with “best friend” Khalil Cooke orchestrat ing. Alysse Hyatt, Malik Dyer and Nazeer Wiggins were also in volved. Unofficial sites theorize that the group planned the beat

ing and robbed the defenseless Robinson because of jealousy over her financial success.

The Associated Press report ed that Robinson’s death was on Oct. 29 in the same room seen in the video. The video raised suspicions that Robinson was likely killed by people she was traveling with.

According to TIME, some one alerted medical staff at the resort that Robinson was drunk around 2 p.m. that day. A doctor told the group Robinson should be transferred to a hospital See SHANQUELLA on page 31

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) is host ing its annual Kwanzaa Family Festival on Dec. 17. This year’s event returns as an in-person celebration.

Free performances will be held every hour in the Arts Center’s Prudential Hall Lobby from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free family activities, including dance and drumming class es, face painting, storytelling, child-friendly arts and crafts workshops, plus a coat and toy give-away for the children of the community, will be held throughout NJPAC’s indoor campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each event and activity embod ies one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, a holiday dedicat ed to celebrating African Amer ican culture and community.

A Kwanaa candle-lighting ceremony and a Vibunzi—a tradition of honoring young

people with an ear of corn (or in this case, a slice of corn bread) to represent the hope for the future they bring—will be a highlight of the day’s cel ebration.

In addition, the Arts Center’s annual Kwanzaa Artisan Mar ketplace featuring local craft ers, artists and merchants, will fill both the Prudential Lobby and the hallways outside Pru dential Hall’s First and Second tier entrances all weekend.

For the first time, the Kwan zaa Festival is presented in collaboration with a collec tive of the city’s other anchor cultural institutions includ ing the Newark Museum of Art, Newark Arts, Newark Sympho ny Hall and the Newark Public Library, as well as in partner ship with the City of Newark.

Registration for the Family Festival opens at 9 a.m. in person, and activities continue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Families can also register in advance at njpac.org.

Picture Perfect: Artist-photographer Murph Johnson brings a new lens to Black Wall Street Gallery

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

Murph Johnson is currently tabling at Art Basel Miami, where he’s seen Floyd May weather Jr. pass by at the ritzy internation al art fair every few minutes. But he’s more intent on capturing the everyday.

“I really just like to take photos of joy,” he said. “I like to see people in a natural ele ment, conversing.”

Johnson’s story starts as a miracle baby in the South, born so prematurely that he was pronounced dead at birth. But he needed to breathe life himself before he could breathe life into the art world. Thanks to his mom, he not only survived but found his pur pose—she was the family photographer and taught him how to use a camera during vacations. It wasn’t always his calling. Ini tially, Johnson aspired to preach due to his Baptist upbringing. Theology classes in his early childhood changed his mind.

Later on, his family moved to the sub urbs of Richmond, Va. where he strug gled to adapt early on to the new setting.

Johnson certainly couldn’t imagine living in the hustle and bustle of New York City back then. Thankfully, he could fall back on his passion.

“Art was a safe haven for me, I will always

be able to come home and be comfortable myself,” said Johnson. “And my friends were very comfortable with themselves. And that just gave me more reason to push forward.”

Photography not only brought him to New York City, but onto the front door step of the Black Wall Street Gallery in lower Manhattan, where he was shoot ing a well-known model for another proj ect. Founded in Oklahoma, the art center commemorates the Greenwood neigh borhood’s history of Black entrepreneur ship prior to the Tulsa Race Massacre. One thing led to another and today, Johnson serves as the gallery’s director of media and content strategy.

“I work a lot with the artists on visual as pects of the gallery,” he said. “Right now we’re working on a library, different media, media checkpoints during the gallery to help patrons interact more with the work through a lot of social work for us, as far as getting the word out about Black Wall Street and being out and networking for us visibil ity aspects and bringing in different indus tries into fine arts.”

Beyond the gallery, Johnson is also plan ning a show in April and is working on a soon-to-launch brand for artists. He also highlights his work with GALA by GALER IE, a bi-annual event for an independent artist collective. And he teaches kids tech

and crafts on the side.

Black New Yorker

As for his time in the city, Johnson is no ticing his southern accent slipping away the longer he stays in the “Big Apple.” After all, New York City is a part of who he is.

“In Richmond, you’re usually by yourself at home—your neighbors are half an acre away,” said Johnson. “They’re not beside you, below you, above you. You have this sense of isolation at home.

“In New York, [when] I put my head phones on I don’t see anyone. I realize that

I can escape within the chaos in New York. It’s beautiful.”

Murph Johnson can be found on Insta gram @Wheresphi.

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

Murph Johnson (Andres Paulino (@itsandres66) photo)

Adams signs FDNY diversity bills

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

Mayor Eric Adams and the city council took legislative steps this week to solve racial and gender disparities in the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), the larg est fire department in the entire country. Despite its size and a dis crimination lawsuit decades ago, the FDNY is still overwhelmingly white and male in its uniformed department and higher paid ranks.

“For decades, advocates and or ganizations like the Vulcan Society have fought to advance changes that the legislation passed by the Council aims to achieve. Many of our Black, Latino and women fire fighters themselves have sounded the alarm about the need for their equal representation and treat ment in the department in order to succeed in making the depart ment more diverse,” said Speak er Adrienne Adams. “Their calls were not always heard, support ed or considered, but indeed that’s changing.”

Black men have been firefight ers in the city since the 1920s and women since the 1980s. In 2007, the Black Vulcan Firefighter Soci ety filed and won a lawsuit against the FDNY for continued discrim ination in the exam process to wards Black and Latino applicants. The lawsuit wasn’t settled until 2014. Even so the FDNY today is composed of 8% Black firefighters, 13% Latino, 2% Asian and less than 1% women, said the city.

The legislation aims to address recruitment issues of firefighters of color and women, confront ex clusionary practices, and require more transparency on the demo graphics of firehouses through public reporting. Electeds also plan to “retrofit” firehouses with long awaited upgrades to serve a mixed gender workforce and to require ongoing harassment training.

FDNY Commissioner Laura Ka vanagh, the first woman ever to hold the position, said she has been championing these kinds of changes to the department over the course of her career. “I have said this over and over since I was appointed a few weeks ago, change and tradition can live side by side, and I know that because I have lived it,” said Kavanagh at the signing. “I know that this is an or ganization that we talk about with tradition, and it certainly has those great traditions. We will always be brave and honorable, but change

has also been a fundamental part of our story and of the city’s story. Without change, we would not be here. It is how we have risen from our darkest days.”

At the bill signing, Mayor Adams spoke of FDNY bravery on Nov 5. Four firefighters dangled from a rope 20 stories above ground to save people from a burning highrise in midtown Manhattan that left 38 injured.

“No matter who we are in these various places of profession, at one time we were locked out. At one time, we were denied access, and through the change of time, we were allowed to open the doors to all groups and we produced a better product because of that,” said Mayor Adams. “Those fire fighters did not worry about their gender, ethnicity or background of their colleagues or the people they were rescuing—they put their lives on the line for their fellow New Yorkers. They trusted each other to get the job done.”

Councilmember Kevin Riley cochairs the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and sponsored bills 552-A and 553-A. He said his bills would further support the goal of open ing clear measures for transparen cy and accountability in the FDNY.

“I am honored to stand alongside the mayor and my colleagues at the signing of this legislative pack age that will transform the lack of diversity and inclusion within the FDNY,” said Riley in a statement. “Today, we make our mark to ad dress generations of systemic dis parities within our infrastructure, as well as to create more welcom ing and safe workplaces for all New Yorkers.”

Councilmember Nantasha Wil liams sponsored bill 560-A, which focuses on producing an annual report on complaints filed with the FDNY’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO). There’s been numerous firefighters of color and women who complained that their filed EEO reports were ignored or no corrective action was ever taken. “After receiving a number of complaints regarding diversity and discrimination in the FDNY, I was proud to sponsor this bill,” said Williams in a statement.

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

Eye in the Sky: More than half of registered government drones statewide

are for law enforcement finds NYCLU

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…one of the 19 drones registered by the NYPD? Earlier this month, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) found 530 drones ac tively registered to government agencies in New York state via public records request; 327 were tied to law enforcement agen cies. New York State police’s fleet is the largest, boasting 126 reg istered drones. Yet prior to this request, there was little under standing of how many populat ed the Empire State skies.

“Unregulated use of drones threatens New Yorkers’ priva cy and safety, further creat ing a society in which our every move is monitored, tracked, re corded and scrutinized by the authorities,” said NYCLU exec utive director Donna Lieber man in a statement. “Without public oversight and legislation to curtail drone use, the threat of constant police surveillance by drones equipped with inva sive technologies will become our new normal.”

The data was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administra

tion by Daniel Schwarz, NYCLU’s senior tech and privacy strate gist. The agency mandates regis tration for all unmanned aircraft weighing over 0.55 pounds.

“Across the board, we’re talk ing about military type technol ogy, even if it is geared towards the consumer market,” said Schwarz. “The vendors are con stantly trying to pander towards military clients as well and try to

push AI capabilities that would make sense in the field, in zones of war.”

He also mentions the preva lence of DJI Technology, the in dustry’s largest manufacturer worldwide, which makes 86% of the registered government agency drones statewide. Last month, the Chinese compa

Buffalo gunman pleads guilty in racist supermarket massacre

By CAROLYN THOMPSON Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)—The white gunman who massacred 10 Black shoppers and workers at a Buffalo supermarket in May 2022 pleaded guilty Monday to murder and hate-motivated ter rorism charges, guaranteeing he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Payton Gendron, 19, entered the plea Monday in a court house roughly 2 miles from the grocery store where he used a semiautomatic rifle and body armor to carry out a racist as sault he hoped would help pre serve white power in the U.S. Gendron, who was handcuffed and wore an orange jump suit, occasionally licked and clenched his lips as he pleaded guilty to all of the most serious charges in the grand jury indict ment, including murder, murder as a hate crime and hate-moti vated domestic terrorism, which carries an automatic sentence of life without parole.

He answered “Yes” and “Guilty” as Judge Susan Eagan referred to each victim by name and

asked whether he killed them because of their race. Gendron also pleaded guilty to wounding three people who survived the May attack.

Many of the relatives of those victims sat and watched, some dabbing their eyes and sniffling. Speaking to reporters later, sev eral said the plea left them cold. It didn’t address the bigger prob lem, which they said was racism in America.

After the roughly 45-minute proceeding ended, Gendron’s lawyers suggested that he now regrets his crimes, but they didn’t elaborate or take questions.

“This critical step represents

a condemnation of the racist ideology that fueled his horrif ic actions on May 14,” said Gen dron’s lawyer, Brian Parker. “It is our hope that a final resolution of the state charges will help in some small way to keep the focus on the needs of the victims and the community.”

Gendron has pleaded not guilty to separate federal hate crime charges, which could result in a death sentence if he is convicted. The U.S. Justice De partment has not said whether it will seek capital punishment. Acknowledgment of guilt and

(NYPD online photo)

Go With The Flo

FLO ANTHONY

According to Life & Style, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ wife, Britta ny Mahomes, gave birth to their second child on Nov. 28. Britta ny posted a photo of their new born son on Instagram wearing a onesie laying on a blanket em broidered with “Mahomes.” She captioned the precious picture with “Patrick ‘Bronze’ Lavon Ma homes III 11/28/22 7 lbs. 8 oz.” Patrick and Brittany are also par ents of 15 month-old daughter, Sterling. The couple were high school sweethearts who have been together ever since the NFL star was a freshman.

Al B. Sure!, crooner, songwrit er, producer, radio host and social justice activist, record ed the new radio ad for “Loud mouth,” the highly anticipated documentary on the life of the Rev. Al Sharpton, which is due to hit theaters Dec. 9. This is Sure!’s return to announcing national campaigns following his major medical event this past summer. Over a period of several months, the entertainer received a new organ, was intubated, placed on a ventilator and at one point, was considered for hospice care. Prior to performing a tracheot omy on Sure!, doctors were ad vised to be mindful of his vocal chords and the placement of his trachea because he wanted to continue his career in vocal en tertainment. His new 60-second spot for “Loudmouth” started running in New York City over Thanksgiving weekend and will begin premiering in Los Ange les, Richmond, Va. and Atlanta over the coming week.

After winning three Soul Train Awards on Nov. 26, wearing a micro-mini pleated skirt, Be yonce joined her husband Jay-Z as they enjoyed a date night in Santa Monica, Calif., on Nov. 27, reports the Daily Mail. The su perstar songstress and her bil lionaire rap mogul hubby looked very happy as they exited Giorgio Baldi Italian restaurant following a romantic dinner in one of the restaurant’s private rooms. The power couple officially top the music industry with a tied total of 88 Grammy nominations.

In celebration of Small Busi ness Saturday, Bed-Stuy Gateway BID hosted its annual ribboncutting ceremony launching their Winter Wonderland Holi day Marketplace. Joining were U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jef fries, NY State Assembly member Stefani Zinerman, NYC Council man Chi Ossé, BID Chair Joyce Turner, BID Vice Chair Marcia Melendez and Brooklyn Cham ber of Commerce CEO Randy Peers. “We are truly excited to join Neighborhoods Now and its team of experts in bringing to the Bedford-Stuyvesant com munity an evergreen tradition that will last a lifetime,” said Dale Charles, executive director, BedStuy Gateway BID. “This couldn’t be possible without the guid ance and generous support of Wells Fargo.” Presented by Wells Fargo, the shop-small initiative provides local merchants an op portunity to increase foot-traffic, while offering crafters, creatives and small business owners a viable platform to showcase and sell their goods and services.

Bed-Stuy Gateway bid hosts Winter Wonderland

In celebration of Small Busi ness Saturday, the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID hosted its annual ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch their 2022 Winter Won derland Holiday Marketplace. Joining were U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, NY State As semblywoman Stefani Ziner man, NYC Councilman Chi Ossé, BID Chair Joyce Turner, BID Vice Chairperson Marcia Melendez and Brooklyn Chamber of Com merce CEO Randy Peers.

“We are truly excited to join Neighborhoods Now and its team of experts in bringing to the Bedford-Stuyvesant com munity an evergreen tradition that will last a lifetime,” said Dale Charles, executive director, Bed-Stuy Gateway BID. “This couldn’t be possible without the guidance and generous support of Wells Fargo.”

The shop-small initiative gives local merchants an opportuni ty to increase foot traffic while offering crafters, creatives and small business owners a viable platform to showcase and sell their goods and services. Winter Wonderland is a collaboration with Neighborhoods Now, an initiative from the Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute to support local organizations lead ing their communities’ pandem ic recovery. “We’re thrilled to help bring [Winter Wonderland] to life and grateful for Wells Fargo’s continued support of this excit ing community gathering,” said Deborah Marton, executive di rector of the Van Alen Institute. This year, the BID will share its platform with local community stakeholders. Programming will include Community Thursdays, dedicated to nonprofit organiza tions, and Caroling in the Plaza on Fridays featuring Yule-tide sing-alongs with local houses of worship. Additional familyfriendly activities include pic tures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, live music and much more.

“This holiday season, Wells Fargo is thrilled to continue our support of the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID, the Van Alen Institute and the Urban Design Forum, and their efforts to provide opportu nities for local entrepreneurs and small businesses,” said Cathe rine Domenech, vice president, New York Community Relations at Wells Fargo. “Brooklyn is pow ered by small businesses, and we’re committed to helping them

succeed financially.”

Supporting partners include Con Edison, TD Bank, Buro Hap pold, Dash Marshall, Moody Nolan, Fried Frank, Gretel, Block by Block, New York City Depart ment of Transportation and Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.

Seasonal activities will include an annual Tree Lighting Ceremo ny at 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, in Marcy Plaza’s Open Street. On Saturday, Dec. 3, Bike New York will lead a kids’ learn-to-ride program from 2–4 p.m. and a free kids’ bike giveaway for up to 30 young people. Citi-Bike will be on hand to demonstrate how to

unlock and access the Citi-Bike. Centrally located in Brook lyn, the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID has proudly stood as one of the borough’s most prominent commercial and cultural focal points. Since 2009, the agency has partnered with local neigh bors and stakeholders to enrich its community through eco nomic development while pro moting its history of cultural diversity. Through a wide array of programs and services, the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID is com mitted to seeing the commu nity thrive and blossom into the popular destination for all things Brooklyn.

Chi Ossé and Dale Charles took up residency at Winter Wonderland Santa Hollow as Mr. & Mrs. Claus

Bed-Stuy Gateway BID's annual ribbon-cutting ceremony launching their Winter Wonderland Holiday Marketplace (Keith L. Forest photos)

‘Wild ’N Out is the Black SNL’

The horn blared, indicating it’s halftime and the game between the home town Knickerbockers and the Portland Trailblazers is a nip-and-tuck, back-andforth affair. Suddenly the excitement was doused for a few of the fans sitting a row down to my left. “Wow, she just won tick ets to that show! I can’t find seats any where” is what the young man said. That response was revealed after a lady was shown on the Jumbotron sharing a photo opp and getting blessed with a pair of tick ets to the sold-out Dec. 1 Wild ’N Out con cert with one of the writers/performers of the show, Rip Michaels.

Ironically, we had a discussion with Rip Michaels regarding the significance of the show at the World’s Most Famous Arena—Madison Square Garden. “Very few people, especially minorities, can ac tually say they played the Garden. A lot of people have performed at the Hulu The ater, and the theater is cool, but to actual ly play the Garden is legendary. Jay-Z said it best: ‘From Marcy to Madison Square.’ Once you’ve been there, you’ve done it. There’s nothing left after that. This will al ready go down in history as the first time ever that someone promoted and sold-out the Garden in three weeks.”

A native of Chicago, Rip Michaels mi grated to NYC as a fledgling comedian for the chance to make an entry into the world of comedy. Through attrition, he has earned a reputation as one of the hardest working comics in the business. Having performed at more than 30 military bases and more than 200 colleges and univer

sities, and even on a few major tours in cluding Lady GaGa, Drake, Rihanna and the Watch the Throne Tour (Jay Z and Ye), he has writing credits for the likes of An thony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Brandon T. Jackson, Johnny Depp and— perhaps his most fruitful alliance—Nick Cannon. Through that union, Rip’s skillset of comedian, producer and writer are all on display, as well as his newest wrinkle: concert promoter.

A cocktail of sketch comedy, game show and music in an improvisational blend, the show “Wild ’N Out” has been able to resonate loudly since its inception with what was thought to be a niche hip hop audience and has become an entertain ment Goliath. Michaels attests to that status: “The show stays current and show creator Nick Cannon always finds new talent and adds new perspectives.” For the sake of comparison, think of a pro gram like “Saturday Night Live.” Rip con curs, “‘Wild ’N Out’ is the Black ‘SNL.’ It’s an institution—a fraternity, if you will, of people who [support] new talent and con tinue to respect the old talent and the pio neers that made it happen prior.”

How did the idea of a Wild ’N Out tour manifest? “A conversation between me and Nick sealed an inevitable partnership of us merging our two brands together. Me from selling out tours in arenas and him from having a successful television show.”

The combination of the realms of a con trolled studio audience and the unhinged world of live venues had growing pains. Rip explains, “It was an uphill battle get

ting people to understand and build the excitement for the live show. We had to add different aspects in order to make it a live show. I involved live stand-up and more music, and just turned it into a nonstop event for all ages. Being able to sell out that first tour—it was the #2 tour on Pollstar that first year and it set a Pollstar record in Washington, D.C., for selling out two arenas in the same night [Capital One Arena and Show Place Arena]—was an amazing accomplishment.”

Which leads us back to what may be the pinnacle of the tour: Madison Square Garden for the largest “Wild ’N Out” live show in its history. “After over 200 epi sodes, this is monumental for not only myself, never having performed at the Garden. It’s monumental because Nick has never performed at the Garden. It’s monumental for me being able to put together this platform for everyone and say everyone got a chance to perform at the Garden. I appreciate being blessed enough to have the opportunity and the platform to share it with them.”

“Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ’N Out Live” features fan favorites from the orig inal cast of “Wild ’N Out,” including Nick Cannon, Rip Michaels, DeRay Davis, Michael Blackson, Justina Valentine, Emmanuel Hudson, Hitman Holla, Con ceited, Pretty Vee, Harlem’s own Charlie Clips, Radio Big Mack and DJ D-Wrek. Mu sical guests are slated to be GloRilla and A Boogie wit da Hoodie.

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

Written by David Goodson

JB Smooth

Tank (David Goodson photos)

Chante Moore Coco Novi Brown

Union Matters

Amazon faces race bias lawsuit, Make Amazon Pay campaign

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Christian Smalls, the former Amazon Staten Island warehouse worker who was fired from his job and went on to co-found the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), is petition ing to lead a class action lawsuit against the multinational e-commerce company.

Smalls wants to be able to bring a lawsuit against Amazon that alleges the company did not provide proper safety precautions for its majority people of color line work ers who worked in person throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Smalls claims that, in contrast, white workers— who held most of the management level positions at the company’s Staten Island warehouse, which is officially known as the JFK8 Amazon Fulfillment Center—had their health and safety concerns better at tended to.

When Smalls worked at JFK8, he orga nized fellow workers to take part in a walk out on March 30, 2020. Workers were upset when they realized that JFK8 employees with COVID symptoms were being urged to continue coming in to work as long as

they had not yet tested positive for the virus. Smalls’ lawsuit alleges that Amazon. com Services LLC fired him because he led the walkout. His suit also claims a racial factor in his firing, which became evident, his attorneys claim, when Amazon’s gener al counsel sent a memo to CEO Jeff Bezos characterizing Smalls as “not smart or ar ticulate.”

U.S. District Court Judge Rachel P. Kovner dismissed Smalls’ initial lawsuit on Feb. 7, 2022.

Kovner’s opinion stated that “Smalls has not pleaded facts providing even mini mal support for the inference that his race played a role in Amazon’s decision to ter minate his employment. Smalls alleges that Amazon fired him within two hours of his speaking at a large rally, and that Amazon invoked his failure to comply with a quar antine order as the basis for his dismiss al. He offers no allegations to support an inference that race played a role in Am azon’s decision. Smalls points only to a letter allegedly sent by Amazon’s general counsel to Amazon’s CEO a few days after Smalls’ firing, which ‘characterized Smalls as “not smart or articulate” and suggest

ed that Amazon make him the face of its workers criticizing its response to the pan demic,’ … But the letter does not address the company’s rationale for terminating Smalls’ employment. Instead, it addresses the company’s public-relations strategy in response to criticism of its COVID-19 pro tocols. More critically, the letter does not mention or otherwise refer to Smalls’ race.” Smalls’ attorneys brought the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Cir cuit this week, to see if he can go forward

with his allegations.

Amazon is weathering weeks of labor activity

Besides the racial bias lawsuit from ALU’s founder, Amazon has been weath ering weeks of labor activity. ALU mem bers protested the appearance of Amazon CEO Andy Jassy at The New York Times’ annual DealBook Summit on Nov. 30. The

University of California/New School staff hit the picket lines

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Academic strikes are the latest wave of labor unrest taking place across the coun try.

On Monday, Nov. 14, some 48,000 Univer sity of California employees grabbed picket lines and took to the streets in what their union is saying could be the U.S.’s largest academic strike ever among higher educa tion workers.

Those striking included UAW 2865’s teaching assistants, graduate student in structors, tutors, and readers; members of Student Researchers United-UAW; and the postdoctoral scholars and academic re searchers who are part of UAW5810. Em ployees on all 10 UC campuses supported the strike authorization in voting held be tween Oct. 26 and Nov. 2—a total of 36,558 votes were cast and 98% of the workers said they would strike if necessary.

When the strike began Nov. 14, UC would not accede to union demands for income increases—union members have com plained that their average income is around $24,000 a year, which does not cover the cost of living in California. Labor unions want base salaries for all academic student employees to go up to $54,000. Housing costs are one reason workers want a raise: labor unions claim that 90% of UC’s grad

workers are rent-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their pre-tax income for housing. “UC touts its graduate hous ing as an affordable alternative to the ex pensive private market,” says Fair UC Now, the umbrella organization representing the unions. “Unfortunately, few workers actu ally save money by renting from UC. … At no campus is the discount offered by UC housing significant. In fact, at some cam puses UC housing is more expensive than the private rental market.” The unions also want better childcare reimbursements and healthcare for workers who have families to support: accessible technology and soft ware for disabled workers; and more funds to retain international scholars, among other demands. As of press time, UC and the unions continue taking part in daylong negotiations to resolve the now-three week-long strike.

In the New York City area, part-time fac ulty members at The New School and Par sons School of Design staged a walk-out on Nov. 16 after their contracts expired on Nov. 13.

“Across the country, exploited academ ic workers have been organizing en masse for fair pay and decent working condi tions. The New School’s reputation rests on its progressive history and professed values—a reputation with which its treat ment of workers fails to align,” claims Ac

ademics Come Together/UAW (ACT-UAW) Local 7902, which represents the strikers. “Part-time faculty are 87% of The New School’s instructional staff. The universi ty’s spending on their salaries comprises a mere 7.5% to 8.5% of its budget. While ad ministrative bloat is a problem in univer sities across the country, The New School pays 2.3 times the national average on ad ministration relative to instruction. Parttime faculty have not received a raise in over four years; as a result, their real earn ings are down 18% from 2018. After making only three compensation proposals in over 28 sessions, the university’s final offer is a mere 3.5% wage increase in a time of record inflation.”

In an online statement, The New School claims that it has “finite resources—far less than some other institutions in our area— that must cover a huge range of faculty, staff, and functions across the institution. The union’s proposed compensation pack age would cost the university more than $200 million over the course of the con tract; that’s almost 50% of the total uni versity annual operating budget of around $460 million.” But union reps are counter ing this claim, stating that “The Universi ty cites financial constraints but refuses to offer to the union and broader New School community full financial transparency that would adequately evidence constraints.”

The New School advised students and faculty who choose to support the strike to find other ways to complete their course requirements while negotiations continue. “We know that all our faculty care deeply about students and their education. We en courage those who choose to strike to let their students know how they can contin ue to make progress toward their learning outcomes,” The New School’s Provost Dr. Renée T. White wrote in a guiding state ment for students and faculty. “In general, we are advising that students continue to follow the syllabus requirements for their courses even if their faculty choose to honor the strike by not teaching/meeting their classes.”

University of California employees grabbed picket lines and took to the streets (FairUCNnow.org photo)

Brazil workers took part in the Make Amazon Pay campaign on Nov. 25 (Photo courtesy Make Amazon Pay campaign)

Dems cry about midterms but Black voters showed out

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

A series of tight races, like the yet-to-be-determined Senate race in Georgia, and a few flipped seats have Dem ocrats nationwide a little nervous since the midterm elections capped in early November. Regardless, Black voters seemingly showed up to the polls in droves.

Elected officials waited with bated breaths to see where the balance of power would be in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

In New York State, con gress lost seats in Nassau County and Hudson Valley to Republicans and there was a tip to the Republi can side for control of the House. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus and next in line to be House speaker, was adamant about Democratic efforts to retake the majority in November 2024.

“Democrats at our best fight for the people,” said Jeffries in a presser this Tuesday. He plans on centering “the messag ing principle” that values unity, defends freedom and promotes economic opportunity for families nationwide. Jeffries also advocated for a thorough data collection to see what Democrats can improve upon in swing districts.

Meanwhile voters still have to wait until Dec. 6 to see who gets control of the Senate. The runoff election between Black candidates, incumbent Sen. Rapha el Warnock and GOP chal lenger Herschel Walker will be the deciding factor.

“Of course it’s con cerning that you see that we lost seats in cer tain places,” commented Harlem State Sen. Cordell Cleare. “Some people did much better than I feel they should have done in this city but that just means we have a lot of work to do as Democrats

in our communities to make sure that we’re ed ucating people. To make sure that we’re motivat ing people, igniting a flame in the community and addressing things in our own party.”

Corey Dukes, lead of state-level advocacy at Pro tect Democracy, offered an analysis of the performance of Republicans and Demo crats this year. The usual midterms is that the party not in power makes a play on the party in power. He said that the midterm elec tions were surprising since “most expected outcomes” were assumed to be in favor of Republicans.

“Whether you thought it was going to be a red wave or tsunami, I think that the expectation was that like normal midterm elections with imperiled economic en vironments the party that’s not in power would win a lot of seats,” said Dukes in his analysis. “So I think folks are quite surprised.”

Two things Dukes noted

about this year’s midterms as good milestones was the underperformance of “election deniers” or people who still believe that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, and very strong turnout from women, youth and voters of color.

“People have a lot more faith and trust in democ racy, and when they’re pre sented on the ballot with folks who question or deny the results and would at tempt to overturn the re sults, they made their voices heard very clearly,” said Dukes.

Slate reported that across the ballot, Democrats and “sane Republicans” put money into defeating election deniers. So even though former President Donald Trump announced a run for a second term in 2024 against President Joe Biden, and Congress hasn’t passed Electoral Count Act reform yet, there’s still hope on the horizon for democ

Rukia Lumumba and Kayla Reed, co-leaders of the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives, added to that senti ment. They said that com munities of color made history on Election Day by showing up at the polls in extraordinary numbers to vote for people and poli cies in places such as Ala bama, Tennessee, Oregon, Vermont, Michigan, Cal ifornia, Kentucky and Arizona.

“We elected several pro gressive Black candidates who will be the firsts in their states, and 90% of Black voters helped flip Pennsylvania’s Senate seat blue. Black organiz ers in St. Louis mobilized voters to legalize marijua na, expunge records and elect three Black progres sive leaders to office, each of whom was previously outraised by their oppo nent,” said the co-lead ers in a statement. “This was all possible because

Black voters, organizers and activists, who time and again lead the fight for Black liberation.”

They said based on exit poll data, Black people are a “united front” when it comes to voting, at least in 2022, and posited that any seats Democrats lost were because the party moved toward the center at the ex pense of Black families and communities.

“A MAGA Republicancontrolled House of Rep resentatives is a setback, but we have generations of practice coming together to fight for our freedom,” said the co leaders.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics in New York City for the Am sterdam News. Your dona tion to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing sto ries like this one; please consider making a tax-de ductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://bit.

A little more oil on the creaking wheels of justice

A giant step was taken on Tuesday when Stewart Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

He and several of his cohort were con victed of obstructing the presidential electoral count and could face up to 20 years in prison.

No doubt the verdict and sentence will be appealed but this makes the long pro ceedings in the House worth the time and ex pense, and now they can go and convict the rest of those so-called patriots calling themselves Proud Boys.

But rounding up the hooligans will not be complete until all of them are brought to jus tice, including the provocateurs who egged them on, urging them to storm the Capitol Building. Trump was the instigator, the cheer ing section, and just as guilty as the perpetra tors. His latest dinner fête with Ye and a white supremacist should be enough to disqualify him from seeking a return to the Oval Office.

Slowly the wheels of justice are creaking along and even the Supreme Court surprised us with a decision denying Trump’s request to block a congressional committee from getting his tax returns. Moreover, some GOP leaders and former Vice President Pence have rebuked his dinner with an unrepentant Holocaust denier and it’s hard to think of anything more repre hensible.

At this rate of rejection and missteps with plenty of time for more, Trump may self-de struct before we get a chance to toss him in the dustbin of history where he belongs.

You know the jig is nearing an end for Trump when Sen. Mitch McConnell says “there is no room in the Republican Party for anti-Sem itism or white supremacy,” in chastising him for meeting with Nick Fuentes, who accompa nied Ye to the Florida resort.

None of this means anything unless it metas tasizes to an extent that Trump is completely debilitated and rendered politically null and void. And as he exits from the electoral arena he can take Rep. Kevin McCarthy with him down the yellow brick road to Dr. Oz’s redoubt.

Making legal medical marijuana easier to access for NYCHA residents

By BARBARA MCFADDEN

As someone who has been a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) resident for more than 30 years, has been elected president of the Nostrand Houses Resident Asso ciation for 14 consecutive years and was elected to the Citywide Council of Presidents for the New York City Housing Authority this year, I want to make sure that New York ensures public housing residents have access to medical marijuana. The Mari juana Regulation and Taxation Act, which was signed into law in 2021, legalized adult-use marijuana in New York with an eye toward social equity. The new law also allows for an expansion of the medical mari juana program, which is something I fully support because the current program is very complex, expensive and hard to get to, which makes it less accessible for communities of color, older adults and those with disabilities.

The medical program has 10 Reg istered Organizations, and many of the 38 dispensaries are in wealthi er communities, like Park Slope and the Upper East Side. They are not lo cated near me in Sheepshead Bay nor are they located near NYCHA de velopments in communities like East New York, Jamaica or Brownsville. New York State claims it is on track

to open 20 recreational dispensaries by the end of the year, but there is no news on new medical dispensa ries to serve my neighbors and me.

Additionally, I am seeing firsthand how an illicit market is thriving by setting up shop near NYCHA devel opments in communities like mine to fill a gap. This leaves residents in these communities who need medi cal cannabis relying on less effective treatments with potentially signif icant side effects. These operators have not passed high safety and health standards but oftentimes, they are the only operators within walking distance of a NYCHA devel opment.

The New York State Office of Can nabis Management should ensure that new medical marijuana dispen saries are able to open in communi ties of color that are home to large amounts of public housing. These dispensaries should be operated by Registered Organizations owned and operated by, or partnered with, people of color and especially those who know how difficult it is to access health care in communities that have historically been left behind. This would also create an opportu nity to develop a continuum of care in communities where health care and mental health care needs are significant. A 2020 survey of NYCHA residents in the Far Rockaways

found that one-quarter of residents say that living conditions direct ly affect their physical health, rang ing from asthma to central nervous system problems, and one-third say that living conditions directly affect their mental health, adding great ly to stress and depression. Some of these are conditions that could be treated with easy access to af fordable medical marijuana. These are my tenants and many tenants throughout public housing.

To create a continuum of care, the new dispensaries should extend health care by offering to facilitate a patient discussion with a physician about health issues. This creates key opportunities for early intervention and the ability to coordinate care.

New York is making history and moving in the right direction as we legalize adult-use marijuana and correct the wrongs of our past, but we cannot forget about those who desperately rely on medical mari juana but cannot easily access it be cause of where they live.

Barbara McFadden has lived in NYCHA for 30 years. She current ly serves as the president of the Nos trand Houses Resident Association, where she has been elected into the role for 14 consecutive years. She was also elected to the Citywide Council of Presidents in 2022.

AMNEWS READERS WRITE

End the Cuban embargo: Support NYC City Council Resolution 0285

By JOAN P. GIBBS, ESQ

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief

Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor

Nayaba Arinde: Editor

Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor

Damaso Reyes: Investigative Editor

Siobhan "Sam" Bennett: Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Advertising Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus

Earlier this year, New York City City Council member Charles Barron introduced a resolu tion calling on President Biden and Congress to end the Cuban embar go and U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba. The resolution, numbered 0285, was referred to the Committee on Cultur al Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup

Relations, where it remains, await ing a vote by the committee or to be discharged for a full vote by the Council. As of this writing, Resolu tion 0285 had been co-sponsored by 18 of the Council’s 53 members. With a population of approximate ly 11 million people and location only 90 miles away from the U.S., Cuba is one a very small number of countries that U.S. citizens cannot travel to freely. To travel to Cuba, U.S. citizens must not only first obtain a visa but also fit into one of 12 authorized travel categories. Travel outside of the authorized

categories can result in significant fines. Earlier this year, Airbnb, for example, was required to pay a fine of $91,172 for accepting payments from U.S. citizens who traveled to Cuba outside of the 12 categories.

Virtually since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in January 1959, the United States has sought, through a variety of unsuccessful covert and overt means, to over throw the Cuban government. The covert means most famously in clude the failed Bay of Pigs invasion

Qatar is the best supporting actor for U.S. in Arabian Gulf

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.

Final stretch

CHRISTINA GREER PH.D.

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

I was born under a lucky star!

I had a wonderful opportunity to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Qatar as part of an official United States dele gation. The FIFA World Cup is the Ursa Major of international athletic extrava ganzas worthy of the cinematic genius of Cecile B. DeMille.

Despite the formidable logistics chal lenges, Qatar has harmonized the multiple moving parts in hosting the tour nament with the proficiency of Arturo To scanini conducting an orchestra.

I was privileged to enjoy considerable face time with the United States ambas sador to Qatar, Timmy T. Davis, and the Qatar ambassador to the United States, Excellency Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al-Thani. Both are diplomats par excel lence: engaging, informative, candid, undisputatious, debonair and unfail ingly courteous. They refute the cynical British definition of an ambassador— “an honest man sent to lie abroad for the commonwealth.”

If Oscars were given in international af fairs, Qatar would win an award for best supporting actor to the United States in the Arabian Gulf.

President Joe Biden designated Qatar as a major Non-NATO ally of the United States last March 10, a designation richly deserved.

Qatar hosts the largest United States military base in the Middle East. The Al Udeid Air Base in west Doha Qatar is home to the headquarters of United States Central Command and United State Air Force Central Command. The national security significance of the base cannot be overstated.

Yemen is a failed nation convulsed by civil war and sanctuary for the terrorist Houthis, a proxy of Iran’s radical Shiite Ayatollahs. Iran—a state sponsor of ter rorism—resists renouncing its destabi lizing nuclear ambitions. It has become a menacing regional hegemon asserting controlling military and political influ ence over Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

The Arabian Gulf, including the Straits of Oman, is indispensable to the interna tional oil market and United States pros perity. Indeed, President Jimmy Carter in his 1980 State of the Union Address

warned: “Let our position be absolute ly clear: an attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of Ameri ca, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including mili tary force.”

Unlike some of its neighbors, Qatar has not been a fair weather friend. It was a first responder in assisting the United States’ evacuation of tens of thousands from Af ghanistan after the 2021 takeover of Kabul by the Taliban. Qatar served as a major gateway for 55,000 persons airlifted out of the country—nearly 50% of the total evacuated by U.S.-led forces. It conduct ed rescue missions on its own with a few hundred troops and military aircraft.

On Nov. 12, 2021, Qatar agreed to serve as the United States’ “protecting power” in Afghanistan to a regime not recognized by President Biden.

Qatar abandoned OPEC to focus on natural gas. “Qatar will not rejoin OPEC because trying to sway global oil prices doesn’t fit with its strategy,” Energy Min ister Saad Al-Kaabi explained.

Qatar features Al Jazeera Network, a journalist gem in a region notorious for censorship and the murder or torture of dissenters. Al Jazeera has won a cavalcade of coveted awards. Al Jazeera English, for example, was named Broadcaster of the Year at the 2022 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards for the sixth consecutive year. It rivals the BBC in worldwide audiences with an estimated 50 million viewers.

Al Jazeera is the nightmare of the many Middle East dictators. Its journalists have been detained for long years in Egypt for honest reporting. Tunisia has closed Al Jazeera’s broadcast offices.

Qatar and the United States enjoy a re ligious affinity. We are both people of the Book who believe in God. Christian churches and synagogues are permitted in Doha.

Qatar opposes radical Islam. It is an active participant in the Global Coali tion to Defeat ISIS and all the Defeat-ISIS working groups. It maintains an inter agency National Counterterrorism Com mittee (NCTC) with representatives from more than 10 government agencies. The

NCTC formulates Qatar’s CT policy, en suring interagency coordination, fulfill ing Qatar’s CT-related obligations under international conventions, and partic ipating in multilateral conferences on terrorism. Qatar restricts the overseas activities of Qatari charities, requiring all such activity to be conducted through one of four approved charities—to pre vent the hijacking of charitable giving to advance terrorism.

The media reporting on the 2022 World Cup has fixated on Qatar’s migrant work ers and LGBT proselytizing—inflating fleas into elephants. The migrants vol untarily left their home countries for the greener and more welcoming pastures of Qatar. To the extent workers have been cheated or exploited, employment agen cies in their home countries are over whelmingly responsible. The migrants are nine times the number of Qataris, and its humane and responsible migrant em ployment regulations cannot be perfect ly enforced.

But the same is true of highly devel oped countries like the United States, where laws purporting to protect migrant workers are flouted daily. If the treatment of Qatar’s migrant workers were as shock ing as some media reports insinuate, they would stop coming instead of standing in a queue eager for entry.

Qatar’s culture frowns on public dis plays of LGBT orientations or enthusi asms as do many nations. FIFA knew that in choosing Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. Attendees know in advance that publicly exhibiting LGBT member ship risks legal consequences. When in Rome, do as the Romans do is a timehonored courtesy expected of visitors in foreign lands.

The United States would be well ad vised to anchor its Middle East strategy to Qatar as Achilles relied on Patroclus in the Trojan War.

Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Sta tions and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www.arm strongwilliams.co | www.howardstirk holdings.com

We are in the final stretch of 2022. Is it just me or does it feel like this year has quickly flown by. So, this begs the question, what are we going to accom plish in December as we close out the year? What do you want to do, to try or call in? Or are there things you want to quit, to release or to move beyond?

Many people are still recuperating from the Thanksgiving holidays. Whether it’s decom pressing from time with family or trying to ne gotiate all of the eating, celebrations, holiday obligations and spend ing commitments, the end of the year can feel overwhelming. I know I am still trying to catch up on work I missed during the election season. I am also trying very hard not to feel anxious about the po litical climate that lies ahead, locally, nation ally and internationally.

December can be a great time to reflect on the months past and set goals for the months ahead. Have you thought about all you’ve accomplished in 2022, whether large or small? Did you save money or allow your self to splurge and spend money? Did you read any good books or begin to listen to new music? Did you start a job or decide to leave a job? Hopefully you will use the month of De cember to reflect on all you’ve done for the year.

December can also be a time to set goals for the upcoming year. As 2022 comes to a close, you can use the month of December to begin set

ting intentions. What is your vision for yourself for the upcoming year? Are there minor things you can do to really add more value to your life?

I am far from perfect at this, but I have gotten a little better at taking time to step away from my work and stealing away for a few minutes to go birding. I have also gotten better at not feel ing guilty taking breaks to just enjoy nature.

So, what are your plans for December? As the weather gets colder and it gets darker ear lier and earlier, what do you plan to do to keep your spirits up and your sanity intact? As the holiday season draws closer, be sure to take care of yourself and look out for family and friends who may be struggling with all of the trappings and trig gers that come with the holiday season: family, food, alcohol, cold weather, darkness and more.

Ok, so let’s get to it! We’ve got 31 days to add or subtract to our lifestyle. Talk to your friends and family about whatever it is you plan on working on (or releasing) so they can help hold you ac countable or join you by setting their own in tentions.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate profes sor at Fordham Univer sity, the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigra tion, and the Pursuit of the American Dream,” and the co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.

Caribbean Update

Barbados after wealthy European slavery-linked families

By BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews

There were two impor tant developments this week in the fight by Carib bean Community govern ments to make European nations pay for their role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the first relating to plans by the Netherlands to formally apologize this month for its part and the second linked to success ful efforts by Barbados to engage a wealthy British family to take responsibil ity for its slave past. If suc cessful, this would be the first time a family has been individually targeted for its direct role in the genocide.

Since the September state visit to Suriname by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the Netherlands has been giving strong indications that it wants to atone for its slavery past, at least by first formally apologizing for its role in Dutch Caribbean and continental territories. The Dutch had been Suri name’s former colonizer.

This is even as sever al Dutch institutions, com mercial banks and mayors of several cities have al ready done so, putting pres sure on Rutte’s cabinet and parliament to apologize and to commence talks on vari ous forms of compensation.

Reports both in Surina me and from The Hague say that the apology could come as soon as Dec. 19 but even as expectations are rising in Suriname, the local National Reparations Com mission wants the Nether

al damage has been caused in hundreds of years of slav ery and genocide,” the local Star online news quoted Commission Chief Armand Zunder as saying.

The commission has also stated that the two sides

In Barbados, meanwhile, the administration of Prime Minister Mia Mottley is re ported to be negotiating with a wealthy British busi ness and conservative law maker to make him the first person/family with former

tation system in Barbados and other territories. The Cabinet is preparing to dis cuss the issue in the coming days. In the 15-nation bloc of countries, Barbados has led the charge for repara tions.

Draxes, there are others whose ancestors had prof ited from slavery. This in cludes the British royals.

“It is now a matter that is before the government of Barbados. It is being dealt with at the highest level. Drax is fabulously wealthy today. The Drax family is the central family in the whole story of enslavement in Bar bados. They are the archi tects of slavery-based sugar production. They have a deep historical responsibil ity. The process has only just begun and we trust that we will be able to negotiate. If that doesn’t work, there are other methods, including litigation. Other families are involved, though not as prominently as the Draxes. This reparations journey has begun. The matter is now for the cabinet of Bar bados. It is in motion. It is being dealt with,” the paper quoted him as saying.

lands to indicate in writing what it is apologizing for.

“In order to offer the apol ogies to the satisfaction of the descendants of the na tives and the Africans, it would first have to be made very clear in writing why the Dutch government wishes to apologize. This is the key question. It must be ex plained in detail what has been done wrong and what the material and immateri

must agree on a compensa tion program that is fitting and respectful. Indications from the Hague in the past month had pointed to plans by the Dutch to initially create a special fund of 200 million Euros to be set aside to build awareness and im prove the delivery of educa tion, while an additional 27 million is expected to be bud geted for a slavery museum and memorial in Suriname.

slave trading links to pay reparations.

The UK Guardian reports that Richard Drax has al ready traveled to the East ern Caribbean island of just more than 300,000 for pri vate talks with Mottley and other officials on the issue.

Said to be outrageously rich from their ancestors’ links to slavery, his family is known to have been among the pioneers of the plan

Already local activists are saying that if cordial nego tiations for some kind of settlement fail, legal action would be taken against the Drax family as there are tons of records linking his family directly to some of the more brutal aspects of slavery.

David Comissiong, Bar bados’ roving ambassador to the bloc and deputy head of the commission, point ed out that apart from the

Caricom nations have already formally writ ten Europe asking for a summit on the issue, while at the same time en gaging a British law firm that had won compensa tion for British genocide against Kenyan tribesmen during the colonial era to represent them. The law yers say the region has a very strong case to present when the time comes.

The case of a Jamaican immigrant versus the U.S. government

FELICIA PERSAUD

IMMIGRATION KORNER

A Jamaican immigrant fighting deportation is suing the U.S. attorney general in the Supreme Court over the constitutionality of the term “crime involving moral tur pitude.”

The case dates back to a 2018 deportation order for

Everton Daye, who served time in prison following a 2013 conviction on two substantive counts of trans porting one ounce or more of cocaine and five pounds of marijuana into Virginia with the intent to sell or dis tribute the substance, in vi olation of Virginia law.

Daye had previously mi grated to the U.S. on a vis itor’s visa from Jamaica in 2008 and became a lawful permanent resident after marrying a U.S. citizen in

2009.

U.S. immigration officials brought removal proceed ings against Daye under the federal law that lists a “crime of moral turpitude” as grounds for deportation. The agency ordered Daye be sent back to Jamaica. Em phasizing its longstanding position that “evil intent is inherent in the illegal distri bution of drugs,” the agency determined that Daye’s marijuana convictions were for crimes involving moral

turpitude.

The U.S. Court of Ap peals for the 11th Circuit upheld Daye’s deportation order and concluded that it lacked any authority to overturn the agency’s deci sion as long as the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Jordan v. De George re mains on the books.

That case involved an im migrant of Italy and one question: whether conspir acy to defraud the United States of taxes on distilled

spirits is a “crime involving moral turpitude” within the meaning of the Immigration Act of 1917.

Daye and his attorneys have now taken the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The question is which illegal acts, such as marijuana possession, are crimes involving moral tur pitude. Individual judges decide which crimes in volve moral turpitude.

Whether the court should overturn Jordan v. De

George and hold that the phrase “crime involving moral turpitude” is uncon stitutionally vague as it is used in U.S. immigration law is left to be seen.

On Nov. 15, the court granted a motion to extend the time to file a response; the time is extended to Dec. 16, 2022.

The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com –The Black Immigrant Daily News.

“In order to offer the apologies to the satisfaction of the descendants of the natives and the Africans, it would first have to be made very clear in writing why the Dutch government wishes to apologize,” the National Reparations Commission said. “This is the key question. It must be ex-plained in detail what has been done wrong and what the material and immaterial damage has been caused in hundreds of years of slavery and genocide.”

Talking real Black Panther revolutionary politics with Charles Barron

By MAL’AKIY 17 ALLAH Special to the AmNews

In commemoration of last month’s 56th anniversary of the Black Panther Party for Self-De fense, original member and elected activist, Charles Barron, shared information about its cur rent continuing influence. Along with Khalid Raheem, the Nation al Black Radical Political Conven tion’s lead organizer, they reflected on the recent three-day summit.

About 100 Black progressive politicians from 17 states con verged at the New Afrikan In dependence Party’s offices in Braddock, Pa. during the June 10-12 weekend “to bring to gether Black radicals that want to get into the electoral arena,” Barron noted, who along with his wife, Inez, joined via Zoom.

The national action com mittee primarily consisted of Nnandi Lumumba-Ujima Peo ple’s Progress Party (Baltimore), Viola Plummer-December 12th

Movement (Brooklyn), Zaki Ba ruti-Universal African People Organization, Brian Francis co-New Afrikan People’s In dependence Party, Mickey Dean-National Black United Front, Ashaki Dentao-Nation al Black Liberation Movement United Initiative, The African People’s Socialist Party, Omali Yeshitela and a few others.

They came to “develop a na tional Black radical agenda, a continuation of the work start ed in 1972 in Gary, Ind. by Black radicals 50 years earlier,” where about 1,000 Black elected offi cials from various aspects of so ciety “got together to start an independent, national Black political party coming out as a Black united agenda.”

Barron contends that the event was co-opted by “Black neo-lib erals who benefitted from it.”

By 1982 there were approxi mately 7,000 Black politicians nationwide. Currently there’s approximately 17-18 thousand,

“but they’re not progressive enough,” Raheem noted. “We need more of our radical revolu tionaries committed to building the Black communities for inde pendence participation. Black liberals don’t speak to the real needs of the Black communi ty and don’t represent its future aspirations for real freedom. Our goal is to determine a radi cal Black agenda that speaks to the issues much in the same way as some revolutionary forces spoke to those issues in ’72.”

Issues included reparations, self-determination, economic opportunities, freeing political P.O.W.s and combating Europe an imperialism throughout the African diaspora.

Topics discussed includ ed combating COINTELPRO, media propaganda and vot ing—“the names change, but the game remains the same.

“We’re tired of the run-ofthe-mill Black politician who’s in bed with the status quo and

won’t go against the grain,” Barron explained. “We’re about uplifting the Black communi ty and planting seeds for future politicians. Most of us support the Democrats who don’t hold

our best interests. We’re not in their pockets, and aren’t afraid to fight for Black people. We’re hoping to bring a viable alter native to the Democratic party. This is really the beginning.”

Former Assemblywoman Inez Barron and City Councilman Charles Barron (Lem Peterkin photo)

Health COVID-19, the holidays and RSV

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

Dr. Cameron Webb, JD, MD is a senior policy advisor for COVID19 Equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team. He spoke with the Amsterdam News for a Q&A about the current state of COVID-19, protecting yourself and family during the holidays, and RSV. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

AmNews: Where are we now with respect to COVID-19?

Well you know we’re at a really interesting and impor tant moment in the pandem ic response. If you look around the country, cases, hospitaliza tions, deaths are down signif icantly from where they were previously, almost to the point where people are lulled into a sense that this is over and I think what they may be for getting is how we got here. We got here because we made at home tests widely available so people could know whether or not they had COVID-19 and they could prevent themselves from spreading it to other folks is how we got here because people were able to wear masks and we had the community levels and they knew when the threat was higher in their community and they needed to mask up.

We got here because of vac cines and because we had such a really successful vaccination campaign for the primary series of vaccinations. Now, what’s happened over the last year is that, over time, we know that im munity wanes. The same is true with other vaccines. It’s just that over time your body has less of a robust response and so that’s why boosters are so important.

over 32 million folks have gotten those vaccines already and so it’s good news you know it’s cer tainly making progress but… we want to continue to push that number upwards particu larly with the holidays coming but people gathering with each other whether it’s for Thanks giving or…in December for the winter holidays …it’s a really important time for everybody to be as protected as possible…we know we’ve got what we need to have success, the question is if everybody’s going to stay tuned in enough to make sure they take advantage of those tools.

If you have any symptoms whatsoever, even if you have one test that came back neg ative, if you’ve got symptoms, take that higher level of pre caution to keep your loved ones safe. So that’s…cold or flu kind of symptoms. It’s not worth it to…expose other people be cause we do know that for some folks, their first and sometimes their second test may be nega tive very early on in the course of an illness with COVID but it becomes positive later, so again if you just wake up on [the holi day] morning, have some symp toms, don’t show up. Tell your Auntie to make you a plate.

The next thing is, even beyond that, testing is a really important part so make sure that you’ve got tests with you and available. I’ve been en couraging folks, telling them if you’re going to a big family gathering of some sort, en courage everybody to just do a COVID test that morning before they show up for the meal, and the reason is that gives you that peace of mind that even those asymptomatic infections, we may be able to keep track of… peace of mind that everybody who showed up for dinner was at least negative this morning right and that’s good news.

same thing right it’s making sure you’ve got the appropri ate protection for the place where you’re headed that is an important part of the con siderations for people.

AmNews: What is RSV and why is it so dangerous to chil dren and other vulnerable populations?

RSV is Respiratory Syncy tial Virus. It’s something that we see every season, so every cold and flu season. It’s one of those upper respiratory in fections that’s pretty com monplace. I think what we’re seeing this year both with RSV and our early indications with influenza is that these past couple years the benefit of masking is that fewer people have these infections.

We’re just in time for this fall winter season. We’ve got these new updated vaccines. We’ve got again the tools we need to keep hospitalizations [down]…

You can go to COVID.GOV , put in the county where you’re going and say okay, I’m going to need to bring a mask just like you put in the county where you'’re going and check the weather and you [say] I’m going to need to bring an umbrella,

In addition to fewer people having COVID-19 than oth erwise would have, there’s less masking this year and so you’re seeing these virus es come back. In fact they’re running into folks who haven’t seen this in a couple years and so they’re running into folks who don’t have any built up immunity from it and that’s why we’re seeing higher levels. It’s important for a few rea sons. It can cause people to get pretty sick, but also it can fill up hospitals. We’re seeing that in our pediatric hospitals full of kids with RSV it really affects the youngest in the popula tion and the oldest in the pop ulation. From our standpoint… not going out if you’re sick, making sure you’re being cour teous and thoughtful of others with any symptoms you may have, hand washing, I’m going to say that again, hand wash ing is something we haven’t talked about that enough in the last year or so because we de veloped these other tools and people stopped focusing on the the 20 seconds of washing your hands—well you know that reg ular hand washing is so impor tant for limiting the spread of these other viral upper respira tory infections, there’s a lot that we can do to keep people safe.

For additional resources around COVID-19 please visit www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/index.page or call 311. New Yorkers can find locations of where to pick up free rapid tests by calling 311 or by visiting: www.nychealthandhospitals. org/covid-19-testing-sites/ and can schedule an at-home test by calling (929) 298-9400 between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. seven days a week.

COVID-19 testing and vaccination resources can also be accessed on the AmNews’COVID-19 page: www.amsterdamnews.com/covid/

AmNews: What should people do to protect themselves and their loved ones over the holidays?

Dr. Cameron Webb, JD, MD (Photo credit: CDC.gov)

Francesca Royster on her new book, ‘Black Country Music’

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews

Francesca Royster, a professor of English and Critical Ethnic Studies at University of California, Berkeley and author of the new book, “Black Coun try Music,” has written an important examination on the erasure of Black voices and music expression in the world of American country music. Royster embeds her own experiences along with a well researched lineage of understanding of the importance and relevance of Black artists who have contributed and explored the sounds of country music. She spoke with the Amsterdam News last month about the book and her unique expe rience completing this new and en gaging work.

AmNews: “Black Country Music.” You talk a little bit about why you decided to write about this genre through a Black lens. Tell [us] the or igins of your story and how you were inspired to write this book.

Francesca Royster: Part of the origin story is my own. Growing up my parents moved south [from north of Chicago] after a couple gen erations. My dad moved to Nashville to teach at Fisk. He was also a session musician, did some recordings with Jimmy Buffet and Diane Davidson. I had been interviewing [my dad] for another project and he started talk ing about those years. I was 3, 4 or 5 years old when he was doing [the sessions]. It made me realize coun try music has been a part of my life.

I felt like I didn’t know how to listen in a way that was appreciative. I felt like there was a lot of distraction or discomfort, talking to other Black people about country music. I really wanted to pursue that, understand it and also think about it in terms of my own experience being in Nash ville. That set me on the course, re searching, interviewing friends, getting a sense of different everyday people sharing the same mixture of interest but also [the] discomfort [of] talking about it. I thought, there’s a story here.

As I started really writing about it— and I became aware of these differ ent artists—I think the industry itself is also shifting. The question based on the Black Lives Matter move

ment just asks for greater historical accountability [concerning] country music and more visibility for Black country artists. Both movements were also happening as I was writing and immersing myself in the history of those things.

I’ve always been interested in topics where I feel there’s some rule about identity, about authenticity, that I feel is holding me back from something. I’m always looking out for those things. I just have a hunch that these are histories that we don’t really know. Or that aren’t talked about in the mainstream, that connect coun try music, blues, R&B. There’s been a purposeful erasure of those connec tions and I want to pursue that more.

AmNews: In your book you talk about when your parents divorced and your mother moved you back to Chicago, you as a child still dreamed about Tennessee. Were you aware [of] those racial lines as a child? When in your life did you realize that coun try music had these barriers, these ra cialized issues?

Royster: Being in Nashville as a kid we would have visits to the Grand Ole Opry. I would just feel like there was sort of an amusement around Black kids in that space. And then, at the same time, kind of a defensiveness among other people. I knew that country’s place in Nashville is coded as being white people’s territory.

AmNews: Your dad’s been playing music with a lot of artists, and here you are ready to dive in. You walk into this white space. Tell me about your experience finding these Black

country artists and the journey [it was] finding it yourself.

Royster: Some of the features I write about are of major figures: Tina Turner, Darius Rucker, Beyonce. With Tina Turner I’m a big fan. I remember reading about her interest in country music and her identity as a country girl herself. And so, I had in my mind, “Oh, this is a story that I want to get back to.” And then I found a copy of “Tina Turns the Country On” (1974). And once I started listening to it, I really was drawn into the narrative. She’s covering these different coun try artists—Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton and others—doing her own Tina-style. And you can really hear she’s making the most of what coun try music is. Which is talking about suffering, bringing that into the story, giving elements of emotion in the storytelling. She does it using back ground singers in a way that credits them like collaborators.

I really heard her doing this work on [“Tina Turns”] that, if it were really looked at head-on, would really change some of the assump tions about what country music is. And what soul and R&B’s relation ship to country is. She is very skilled, very natural, drawing from her own roots in that album. And she’s making it her own. It’s not like she’s borrow ing a style; she’s occupying a style and changing it, demanding that we think about Black artists in a different way, in terms of their status in country, not on the sideline.

AmNews: Now that you’ve finished the book would you recommend or speak highly of country music if a

Black person came to you and said I would like to immerse myself in the sound. After all you’ve learned, do you feel safe to recommend that a Black person learn more about coun try music and get involved?

Royster: Yeah. I think that some of the dangers are still there. Especial ly in terms of the ways that historical amnesia is still in operation in coun try music. I feel some of my own fear navigating the spaces is more psychological. And there are other circumstances in my life where I navigate them as a Black woman in white-only spaces. I think writ ing the book has made me realize that some of the fear and discom fort is really about the history of vi olence. And about being told, “You don’t belong here.”

I think that a person who might not have that baggage might not feel they’re treading on ground they don’t belong on. I also feel like this is a moment where different people, like [Black Opry founder] Holly G. are trying to make new spaces for Black artists. Or the work of Marcus Dowl ing as a journalist for the Tennesse an, who’s writing in “other” spaces as a Black man, sometimes through a lens of race, sometimes not. Or Rissi Palmer’s “Color Me Country.” The work these artists and orga nizers are doing is helping create a space where if someone were inter ested, they would have people to col laborate with that maybe wasn’t there 10 years ago.

AmNews: Tell me a little bit about your conclusion in the book, titled “The Black Country Music Afro-Futurisms.”

Royster: Some of that interest in the future, in Afro-futurism, is shaped by my work on the banjo with Sule Greg Wilson, one of the founding members of the Carolina Choco late Drops. I took some time to learn the banjo, think about the depths of its history and to meet people, hear about the work [they’re] doing through the Banjo Reclamation Proj ect to address the ways that music is used hand-in-hand with racism. Sule is also involved in it. He’s been in the workshops to help kids learn how to make banjos, Black and brown kids. Over the pandemic I really got in

volved in learning the banjo and its history and really thinking about this really subversive issue that’s connect ed to the songs itself. As well as to the musicians, not [just] in the past but also right now. Engaging in the past with banjo is what people are doing right now; that’s partly how I got into this Afro-futurist idea.

And then talking to Lylo [Gold], who is an amazing artist out of London right now, originally from New York. Meeting her and sharing her music right now…to me she’s very much keeping with Afro-futur ist writers like Octavia Butler or Alexis Pauline Gumbs or Adrienne Marie Brown, people who are really trying to use the imagination and creativi ty to open up the futures for different kinds of bodies, but also really doing important historical work at the same time. And now Jake Brown’s work...his use of bluegrass and country to think about the future of the Earth; to think about Black resistance, keeping with that stream of thought.

AmNews: In all that you’ve gone through in your deconstruction, are you optimistic about the future of country music?

Royster: I feel like I’ve found a com munity of people working to create new sounds. I think that feeling of displacement that I felt as a kid…I know now that there’s something more interesting there than even the Grand Ole Opry. I learned that coun try is part of urban history. Being a Northern person from Chicago I can claim country as part of my own roots. I’m optimistic in that I feel like some of the underground and work on the edge is going to change what’s happening in the industry, generally. Resistance from the edges and mar gins can push the conversation with each generation.

In the book, I also focus on my daughter. My implicit reason for in cluding her in the book is I want her to feel like she can be part of any mu sical tradition, and that nothing is closed to her. That doesn’t mean eras ing the history of tensions and vio lence, but if she wants to create or be a fan of the music that she can find people to be with and play togeth er. That’s my vision and I think that’s happening right now; I feel positive about that.

(Photo courtesy of F. Royster)

‘You Resemble Me’ marks debut of a filmmaker to watch

By MARGRIRA Special to the AmNews

There is something very spe cial about journalist-turnedfilmmaker Dina Amer’s feature directing debut—“You Resemble Me”—that makes you stop and pause, understanding that an ex citing voice has just entered the cinematic universe.

The film centers on the chal lenging and complicated life of Hasna Ait Boulahcen, who was incorrectly identified as Europe’s first female suicide bomber—she wasn’t. The year is 2015 and the location is the November Paris at tacks. But how Hasna got herself in such a pickle as to be misla beled is what sets this story apart through hybrid storytelling—we are sucked into Hasna’s world, meeting her at the age of 9 when she is taking care of her 7-year-old sister, Mariam, without adult su pervision or a positive structure.

They are carving their place in a world that has essentially ig nored them, dressed in matching pink, floral dresses that Hasna has stolen. Together they explore their environment, unafraid of falling when they run. These two love each other and would fight, even at this early age, for each other. At a glance, this childhood seems

happy and stress-free, but nothing is farther from the truth.

As the streets of suburban Paris become their home, inside their modest apartment, their mother sleeps—another French-Moroc can immigrant dealing with the harsh realities of the city. The girls are neglected and abused, suffer ing at the hands of their mother and hitting the cement walls of racism in the streets.

The images of the girls look ing for food, begging for money and struggling to stay warm by the lights of the Eiffel Tower high light the sorrowful story in a way

you can’t look away from. This is a perfect example of neorealistic, verité style, with emotion laced over every image, in every frame.

In short order, Child Protective Services splits the sisters up and tosses them into separate foster homes, a moment that marks Hasna’s evolution.

The family she’s placed with is pleasant enough but they force her to eat pork during a Christ mas dinner, disregarding her Muslim beliefs. She fights for her identity, addressing the mirror, stating: “I know who I am” which sounds more like a question than

a declaration.

Director Amer pushes time forward, with Hasna (Mouna Soualem) in her mid-20s still a child of the system. She struggles to work as a cashier. She struggles to sell trucks. She struggles to act as a street prostitute. Hasna strug gles and falls deeper into a depres sion that seems to fit her like an old, comforting coat.

When she’s standing in the shadow of the “whore,” trying to be her tricks’ fantasy, she’s played by actress Sabrina Ouazani, but it’s all Hasna. Her faces change from one to another within the

same scene and even within the same breath.

We get the point. Hasna is splin tered, fragmented and falling into the cracks.

She reconnects with her longlost cousin (Alexandre Gonin), now involved with an ISIS orga nization, and he takes her into his world, where Hasna finally feels a sense of community, something she’s craved deeply. It’s this re lationship that gives the film the brewing tension as we wonder in what direction Hasna will go.

Here’s what we know. Hasna was not responsible for the bombing that authorities originally told the world she did. We watch her des perately trying to leave the apart ment and becoming trapped when the explosion rips through the building.

Then the film zig-zags into a set of interviews with Hasna’s mother, brother and grown-up Mariam, and the naked truth is more jarring.

Director Dina Amer, who is a Muslim Egyptian woman living in the West, has herself struggled to reconcile pieces of her identity. All in all, “You Resemble Me” is one of the best indie films that I’ve seen in years and I understand why Spike Lee serves as one of the ex ecutive producers.

‘Bones and All’—a bizarre and ravenous love story

By MARGRIRA Special to the AmNews

“Bones and All” is a love story, set in the 1980s and centered around modern cannibals.

The film is based on Camille DeAngelis’ novel by the same name. The screenplay adaptation is by David Kajganich and the di rector is Luca Guadagnino.

Where does one begin? Maren (Taylor Russell) is abandoned by her father at the age of 18, leaving behind a tape that is a record of her earliest episodes as a cannibal, along with her birth certificate. It’s assumed that her father knows that she craves human flesh, and to stop possible forays into the brutality of the lifestyle, he removes him self from her life.

Maren is drifting in the world, alone, when she realizes that her hunger to eat human flesh can’t be controlled. To her horror, she dis covers that she’s not alone, and her

kind are called “eaters” (as they refer to themselves) and can find their others through their scent. The eaters have a hard and fast rule not to eat each other, but there are renegades who find the idea of de vouring each other enticing.

At the start of her self-discov ery as a cannibal, she meets Sully (Mark Rylance), a bizarre eater who shows her the ropes. He makes it feel natural-as-rain to eat others, having curated his bigger-than-life personali

ty, living his “best life” without regret. In fact, he keeps an or ganic memento of those that he hunted and devoured.

Imagine the awakening that begins to shape Maren, who steps into a perpetual state of self-dis

covery: first an innocent victim to genetics, she’s filled to the top with aching guilt. Then she falls in love—complete with the but terflies and all—with Lee (Timo thée Chalamet). His mop of hair dyed orange, he’s an eater who kills without an ounce of remorse. When they finally connect, part ners in crime, they disagree on how to go about satisfying their cannibalistic needs.

This movie is complicated. It’s hard to look away and the chem istry between all of the key char acters crackles. Sound is a major part of the cinematic experience and the sound of human flesh being rapturously devoured, early in the movie, sets the tone.

Kajganich’s adaptation of DeAn gelis’ novel beautifully infuses the bloody and gruesome part that marks the journey of all of the eaters. As told through the lens of cinematographer Arseni Khach aturan, it almost makes the canni bal life a romantic journey. Almost.

“Bones and All” (Courtney photo)

“You Resemble Me” (Courtesy photo)

Kym Whitley brings her hilarious life to the podcast world with ‘Kym’

By MARGRIRA Special to the AmNews

Kym Whitley is a funny, funny woman and although her name might not connect you to her image, I wager that her voice—gravelly, deep and sultry—will help you focus.

Whitley caught her big break starring in Shelly Garrett’s play “Beauty Shop” (1989), a play that quickly caught the buzz and toured across the U.S., and before Whitley knew it, she was appearing in television shows including “Animal Practice,” “The Boondocks,” “Young & Hungry,” “The Parkers” and “Black Dyna mite,” to name a few.

A woman with a unique brand of humor, Whitley honed that skill and crafted it into a standup career that kept her busy, juggling life on the live comedy stages around the country and appearing in film and television where she earned a Comedy Award nomination for out standing supporting actress for her role in the 2003 comedy “Deliver Us from Eva.”

Her reputation continued to grow, which opened the door to her own reality docuseries, “Raising Whitley,” which debuted on the Oprah Winfrey Network (2013) drawing 1.2 million viewers, making it the fifth most widely viewed premiere in the history of the network.

Fast forward to 2022, and Whitley is now tossing her proverbial hat into the podcast world with her new series, “Kym,” a hilarious new Audible scripted original comedy pro duced and created by Lena Waithe and Whitley that features Sherri Shepherd, David A. Arnold, Jess Hilarious, Jenifer Lewis, Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo and more, with original music composed by multiple Grammy Awardwinning artist Wyclef Jean.

The podcast follows the fictionalized story of Kym Wilson, a single, middle-aged standup comic and actress trying to keep her Hol lywood star rising while simultaneously raising a young boy left on her doorstep. As Kym balances showbiz demands with her son’s growing needs—and while her child’s biological mom keeps popping in and out of their lives—a hard-to-shake romance creeps back into her heart. Can Kym’s grit, talent, and cool keep everything—and everyone— in check?

“Kym” started in late October, so you still have the opportunity to catch the comedy wave.

We caught up with actress/comedian/pro ducer Whitley, and here’s what she had to share about stepping into the podcast world.

AmNews: No shade, but you’ve made me laugh for a long, long, long time.

Kym Whitley: Thank you so much.

AmNews: And congrats on having your pod cast “Kym” produced by the one, the only Lena Waithe—drum rolls, please. How long have you known Lena?

Whitley: (laughing) It’s so funny in this busi ness. One day, we are sitting on my couch, chill ing, talking about our dreams, and the next day, she’s producing a show for me.

AmNews: That. Is. So. Hollywood.

Whitley: I’m talking about the fact that dreams really do come true.

AmNews: Facts!

Whitley: I’m talking about the value of being persistent.

AmNews: Yasss, speak on it, Ms. Kym.

Whitley: I’m talking about the fact that if you stick around long enough, things will move in your favor.

AmNews: Especially if you have Lena Waithe in your corner. Where most people have blood running through their veins, Taurean has loyal ty running through ours.

Whitley: You know, all the stuff that she’s [Lena] done, she has remained to be the same person. And it’s just been fantastic that, you know, we talked about this many years ago. Often, Hollywood is “talk,” but Lena keeps her word, she’s gonna see it through. “Kym” is giving people something different.

AmNews: It made me laugh, plus with pod casts my imagination fills in the blanks—my imagination is rather awesome!

Whitley: (laughing) I agree. I agree. Podcasts do open your mind and push you into another layer of your brain. And it just feels refreshing.

AmNews: You know what’s really refreshing?

Whitley: What?

AmNews: You, Kym Whitley, and your new podcast “Kym.”

Check it out at: audible.com/Kym.

HARRISON DAVID RIVERS

Whitley stars in “Kym,” a hilarious new Audible scripted original comedy produced and created by Lena Waithe (Contributed photo)

Photos by Joan Marcus. Top: Phoenix Noelle and Jhardon DiShon Milton. Bottom: Jhardon DiShon Milton and Anthony Lee Medina.

HOROSCOPES BY KNOWYOURNUMB3RS

By GODDESS KYA

December 1, 2022 — December 7, 2022

Rebirth of A New Nation: December is the last calendar month of the year numerically speaking representing ending, separating, changing your perceptions to cultivate yourself and manifest your dreams. Declare and be aware of the toxic energy that may come your way. Dust it off your shoulders, air it off and return to sender. A month of fulfillment. Develop yourself physically, emotionally, financially, mentally and spiritually to rise to the occasion at a prescribed time. December has a full moon in Gemini on the 8th at 16 degrees conjunct Mars, ushering in modifications and movement that will shift you in your personal and business affairs. A new moon in Capricorn at 1 degree on Dec. 23. Gemini and Capricorn are at a 150-angle degree (quincunx). What’s your objective in December to apply your strengths for understanding self and others to integrate to bring things back into focus, solving matters of the heart and being productive. This is a therapeutic kind of energy when matters are resolved. “The mind has the ability to trick the body into believing it is happy and that all is well—the heart, however, feels it. And as the saying goes, “The heart wants what the heart wants. Anything else just wouldn’t do.” Charles R. Mackriel

This December, capitalize on your investment, utilize your time wisely, and leave no room for distractions or mischievous people. Test your own faith and willpower to stay the course as old and new make an appearance. Continue to climb the mountaintop like the goat you are. It’s okay when it gets shaky, tight, pressure applied turns pivotal at a right or left angle for balance. Remember you have a date with faith/destiny so get there by any means necessary. Dec. 4-5, stay sure footed as you are the captain/Goddess or God of your soul mission.

Remain solid as a rock, follow your own command and agenda. People will try to throw their ideas and plans on you to make you join them. Only do what’s in your best interest. No underhand job, rather declare it on paper as evidence to show proof. Running er rands here and there this week to get you outside. Relax and gather all your resources to continue building your vision. Commitment is your insurance. Dec. 6, new directions with a new attitude.

No need for the middleman when you can get it done yourself. Decem ber rolled up your sleeves, polish it with oil or butter and get to work. The final piece of the plan is needed before presented to the masses or high er-ups. This is your baby, your project that you had played a role in for a great turn out. Make it happen and your wish will be granted. Days lead ing up to Dec. 9, remember faith without work is dead.

Life is a dream. Take your dream you envision, and brainstorm then come up with a plan. It’s time to finalize your best toward the end of the month to checkmate. So bust a move to advance yourself. Leave behind what doesn’t serve your soul for your spiritual growth. All that hocus-pocus is gibberish. Do what your soul and heart is calling out for you to do. It will not mislead you. Dec. 1-3, take the initiative and utilize your resources in a positive light.

Although this year has favored you to advance you on your mission, now in 2023 hone in on your craft. Gather your old and new concepts and bring them to the forefront now to expand the mission to see the vision more clearly. Something you put on the back burner is now ready to be used for its development. This cycle week the turntables are on like a new elixir to spice it up. Dec. 4-5, the temperature out side is right, the nature sound is serendipitous to start moving like the sound of the triumph putting out a bird call or a warning.

What goes around comes around as Mars in Gemini is ushering in change whether you like it or not. It’s time to make a decision to push the envelope further than it’s ever been accompanied with faith, and your belief. Give it your best shot then follow up with a plan, meaning make the calls and enlist the contacts, check the voicemail, etc. Make time to get it done as December is a busy bee week. Rest well. Dec. 6, dig deeper to see the vision and create it in the physi cal world.

Some things come slow then fast. It’s up to you to catch on and pay at tention to the details and patterns, behaviors you engage in. What story is playing out for you to see what position or role you play. When you want something different, you do things differently to receive a different result. Be real with yourself as this year’s end. Ask yourself what chang es do you want to see in you. Get to the root of the issues and address it. You will feel better. Days leading to Dec. 9, nurture yourself as a mother does her child.

Love takes anyone to higher levels when you believe and learn how to love yourself. This December, position yourself in a new light. You know the one that keeps constantly popping up in your mind with fresh ideas. Take the lead as the leader you are. The lion isn’t the king of the jungle due to its size or color. It’s about what it stands for and solely believes in regarding what it takes to secure the jungle. Its own protection and inheritance for balance. Dec. 1-3, new concepts require new strategies to make the vision a reality.

Get ready due to you having been planning in preparation to deliver this new entrée. This December, market and advertise your service, prod ucts and offers. Mainly it’s information that can assist others to elevate themselves in higher learning of self. Engage with your creativity cycles to attend speaking engagements, assist or coach someone, reflecting the light back to lead by example. Dec. 4-5, contemplate the alpha and the omega as new opportunities usher in to choose from.

Finish any unfinished business as it was in February and last year in De cember. It’s time to wrap up like wrapping up Christmas gifts. What gifts are you bringing to the collective to expand your skills, talents, exper tise, wisdom, or it is a new discovery? Whatever it is, it’s backed by facts and figures from way back then. Relationships are tested, be it personal or business; also allow bygones to be bygones. Dec. 6, advancements are here and there’s no going back. Free yourself.

An end of something ushering in a new beginning as you move into a new phase of your life. It’s time to live by your own law in December. Do you know exactly where you are going and what to do? So many experi ences have taught you invaluable lessons. The question is, what are you going to do with that lesson learned. Practice what you preach is a true statement and it will find ways to catch up to you if you are not doing what you preach. Before Dec. 9, what’s the dream? It’s time to live it out.

Shine all month long in December to spread the fire to stimulate the mind and hearts of people. Listen closely to what your heart is telling you to do and say. Do not second guess or you missed out on an opportunity. Speak your truth. Far/short distance travel is indi cated and also pay attention to your surroundings as there are mes sages and signs for you to see. Dec. 1-3, elevate your mind and open your heart chakra as you feel the burning desire inside. Follow your hunch to do something sumptuous for your community or for yourself. You will see the rewards towards month’s end.

Vinateria

Thierry Mugler: Couturissime debuts at the Brooklyn Museum

By RENEE MINUS WHITE Fashion & Beauty Editor

The Brooklyn Museum’s newest exhibit features French design er Thierry Mugler’s work in Thier ry Mugler: Couturissime. Mugler’s looks are exotic, modern, sexy and sophisticated. From haute couture designs to stage costumes and photography, film and unpub lished archives, Thierry Mugler: Couturissime is sensational and outstanding in production and display. You can view this amaz ing exhibit from now until May 7, 2023.

The exhibit offers several differ ent themes that range from the rodeo, dramatic fashions, stage costumes that often translat ed into eveningwear and defined style characterizations. Some of his looks were reflections of cos tumes seen in some of today’s movies, such as “Black Panther.” You’ll immediately recognize the Mugler styles that the movie’s producers may have researched for the film’s costumes. Mugler was always ahead of his time and theatrical with his fashion collec tions, especially for his runway shows in Paris.

The exhibit consists of sleek, high-fashioned styles that are shaped to a T (wide shoulders and tapered on the bottom). In the 1970s, Thierry Mugler de fined trends by creating his acclaimed “Glamazon” (a combi nation of glamor and amazon), a chic, modern woman whose style evolved from and beyond the flower-power, hippie fashions of the 1960s. Throughout the exhib it, the most breathtaking designs are the angels adorned in abso lutely gorgeous gowns. Colors are vibrant! His attention to de tails, including draping, tapered skirts, bold shoulders, thigh-high splits on skirts and dresses, feath ers, two-toned colors, headpieces and bold jewelry, is amazing. Most shocking are the cutouts, like the heart-shaped cutout showing the mannequins’ derrières in the gar ment.

While designing his fashion col lections, creating themes, casting, lighting and sound came naturally to him. His eclectic mixes ranged from African chants to Egyp tian songs, pop music, minimal ist pieces by American composer Terry Riley and the German group Kraftwerk, to classical pieces by Beethoven, Verdi and Wagner. He also enjoyed the sounds of water, metal and laughter.

At one of Thierry Mugler’s Paris fashion shows (shown on video at the exhibit), he featured American singer/composer James Brown in a full performance, singing his hits and dancing around Mugler’s models as they strutted up and down the runway in the design er’s collection. It was quite a show! The clothes were extraordinary. However, sharing the runway with Mugler’s models didn’t stop James Brown from doing his thing. Famous Black models such as Naomi Campbell were usually a part of Mugler’s shows.

In his downtime, Mugler would often take naps on park benches. As he looked up to the sky, the big gest and the brightest stars would always catch his eyes. “I felt that it was following me, guiding me, that it was my guardian angel,” he once commented. One such star gave him his inspiration for his Angel Perfume bottle.

The exhibit highlights the life long-collaboration between Mugler and photographer Helmet Newton, who started working with Mugler in the late 1970s. There are many of Newton’s photos and sig nificant fashion sketches that are part of the 100-piece show. Music fits the theme of each room.

“I’m so excited to bring Couturis sime to Brooklyn,” said Casey Cad wallader, director of Mugler. “The exhibition is a vibrant journey through Manfred Thierry Mugler’s vision and legacy. A true creative, running in his own lane, he was true to himself, because it was the only way he knew how to be.”

Reserve timed tickets for Thierry Mugler: Couturissime by visiting: my.brooklynmuseum.org.

Mugler started his working career as a professional ballet dancer. His interest in costume design was apparent at a young age. Construction and enhance ment of a garment was just his way of staging clothes for everyday life.

Designs by Thierry Mugler featured in the Brooklyn Museum exhibit (Renee Minus White/A Time To Style photos)

Naomi Campbell in a photo from the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum

AmNews Food

How to create the perfect charcuterie board for your holiday party

Are you host ing a holiday party and look ing for a simple way to impress your guests?

The Texas Roadhouse Butch er Shop is sharing steps for building an eye-catching and mouth-watering char cuterie board that will add color, flavor and variety to your holiday table.

1. Grab a platter or surface to display your charcuterie. Anything will work, even a simple cutting board. Just be sure to choose a size that you can fill completely.

2. Use dishes or ramekins of mis matched sizes, shapes and colors to hold dressings, toppings and sauces. This will keep your board clean and add fun visual details to the display.

3. Include two to four cheeses of contrasting flavors and textures to please all palates, and to comple ment other elements of the board. The varieties you select should represent these basic categories: hard cheese, (such as Chardonnay Bellavitano) soft cheese, (such as brie) and blue cheese (such as French Roquefort).

them a nat

choice for a hearty holiday spread. Whether you are firing up the grill or preparing on a cook top, allow any cooked meats to rest well before adding them to your board.

5.

No charcuterie board is complete without some crunch. Add two to three options like pita crackers, crusty breads or toasted baguettes that will stand up to the weight of your meats and cheeses.

6. Now, add some brightness and sweet ness to your board. Fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries and green grapes, and preserves such as peach pepper jam, will add contrast to rich, salty meats and cheeses. Don’t forget seasonal sweets and treats like soft peppermints, peanut brittle, chocolate dipped pretzels and candied nuts.

4.

While a traditional charcuterie board typically sticks with cured meats, the holiday season is the perfect occasion for adding depth and richness to your feast with grilled meats, such as filet, sliced into strips. Those from Texas Roadhouse Butcher Shop are lean, fla vorful, and melt in your mouth, making

7. You’ll want your charcuterie board to look as if it’s overflow ing. So, as you’re building it out, start with the largest elements like the cheeses and meats first, followed by smaller items like crackers, fresh produce and sweets. Fill in any holes with sprigs of aromatic rose mary for trimming, along with additional portions of the smaller items. The various elements of the board should pair well to gether, so it’s okay if they touch.

To wow your guests and their tastebuds, take your charcuterie board to the next level with seasonal treats, grilled meats and a cornucopia of sweet and savory flavors.

Theatre Leadership Project helps Black folks get a seat at the table

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

As we’ve all known for too many years to count, Black folks are seen on Broadway stages but don’t have many places behind-the-scenes as producers, general managers, com pany managers and stage manag ers. Well, there is a nonprofit that is trying to rectify that situation. Begun in 2020, The Theatre Lead ership Project (TTLP) launched a fellowship program in Fall 2021 to ensure that Blacks had a place in commercial theater leadership. TTLP sought to make sure Black people being in these positions became a reality and not a pipe dream through a three-year fel lowship program. TTLP’s found ing members are A-list producers of previous, current and coming Broadway shows including Barba ra Broccoli (“Once,” “The Band’s Visit”), Lia Vollack (“MJ the Mu sical,” “Almost Famous”), Alecia Parker (“Waitress,” “Chicago”), Patrick Daly (“The Mountaintop,” “August: Osage County”) and Travis LeMont Ballenger (“MJ the Musi cal,” “Almost Famous”). Leah Harris, formerly of Dallas Theater Center and Milwaukee Rep, is the program manager. “The work of building a more welcoming, inclusive and fair industry doesn’t happen alone. We

are in need of community to sustain the change we seek to make, so we are fortunate to be doing this work hand in hand with partners who are dedicated to long term change,” said Harris. “We are proud of the work our fellows are accomplishing and are eager to continue following and supporting their success.”

Realizing that it takes a village to make things happen, TTLP is part nered with Black Theatre Coalition (BTC)—a group founded in 2019 by T. Oliver Reed and Warren Adams to address the disparity between the number of Blacks on stage, and the number employed behind the scenes. TTLP is also partnering with Columbia University’s Prince Fellowship. TTLP has an impres sive advisory board straight out of the industry that includes Whoopi Goldberg, John Gore, Kamilah Forbes, Whitney White, Aaliytha Ste vens, Brian Moreland, Robert Fried, Stefan Schick and Oliver Sultan. The Fellowship, which is open to can didates across the U.S. looking for careers in commercial theater man agement and production, has nine people who have had the opportu nity to get the training, mentorship and in some cases job offers.

Isabella Schiavon has been hired as a producing assistant at Orin Wolf Production, through a connec tion made by TTLP. BTC GM Fellow

Devon Miller, after the first year of the fellowship, has been offered and accepted a full time role as associ ate GM at Foresight Theatrical. In its first three-year cycle TTLP has been the link with its fellows to jobs at 101 Productions, Bespoke Theatri cals, Foresight Theatrical, RCI The atricals, ShowTown Theatricals, and Thompson Turner Productions. For General and Company Man agement Fellowships in collab oration with TTLP, BTC—which already had a year-long fellowship program to bring Black artists and managers together in all areas of the theater—created six two-year General and Company Manage ment Fellowships with six leading Broadway general management offices. After the first two years in the Black Theatre Coalition pro gram, TTLP will work to assist fel lows with job placement.

BTC co-founder and Artistic Direc tor T. Oliver Reid said, “We realized that there was a necessary element that no one has talked about: longterm, sustained, paid apprentice ships and fellowships. Through Black Theatre Coalition’s Manage ment Fellowships, in partnership with TTLP, we can make certain that when these general and compa ny management fellows are given opportunities, they are ready for it. Being in these rooms and building

relationships, alongside the knowl edge gained during the fellowship will help us move the needle towards equity in the American theater.”

Each year, the Prince Fellowship provides one early career produc er with the network, financial re sources and mentorship necessary for a career as a creative produc er. Begun in 2021 for three succes sive years, TTLP will partner with the program to fund an addition al fellow. TTLP Creative Producing Fellows will each spend the second year of their fellowship working in a production office. In the third year, TTLP will use its financial resourc es and networks to help the fellows find job placement opportunities.

It is so important that people put their money where their mouth is so to speak and make positive, long overdue things happen and TTLP/ BTC/Columbia University’s Prince Fellowship are doing just that. The organizations recently had a cel ebration of the project at Brook lyn Chop House on W 47th Street in Times Square. The event was at tended by the crème de la crème of the industry including TTLP Found ers Barbara Broccoli, Alecia Parker, Patrick Daly and Travis Balleng er; TTLP Program Manager Leah Harris; Hollywood luminaries Erika Alexander and Lee Daniels; “1776” actor Liz Mikel; fashion model

Sophie Sumner; TTLP Advisory Council Aaliytha Stevens and Oliv ier Sultan; representatives of TTLP funders No Guarantees—Darren Johnston, and The Shubert Orga nization—Dessie Moynihan and Robert E. Wankel; TTLP partners Warren Adams (Black Theatre Co alition) and Orin Wolf (The Prince Fellowship); TTLP Creative Produc ing Fellows Cynthia L. Dorsey and Lawyrn LaCroix; BTC Fellows sup ported by TTLP Brandon Brooks, Carrli Cooper, Jordan Flemming, Taylor Courtney and Devon Miller; General Managers from RCI Theat rical—Beverly Edwards and David Richards, and Thompson Turner Productions—Drew Kowalkows ki; Nilan Johnson and Bevin Ross— Drama League; and Rob Nanus and Cody Renard Richard—Broadway Advocacy Coalition; Matt Polk— Polk & Company; Gennean Scott— The Broadway League; Charlotte St. Martin—The Broadway League; Rhoda Glickman—Empire State Development; and Dayron Miles— American Repertory Theater. TTLP has raised more than a million dol lars in support of the fellows.

If TTLP sounds good to you, the next round of applicants will be for the next TTLP/Prince Fellow in the spring of 2023. Check https://www.theatrelead ershipproject.org for updates.

(L-R) TTLP BTC Fellows Devon Miller, Brandon Brooks, Jordan Flemming, Carrli C. Cooper and Taylor Courtney with Warren Adams (third right) (Courtesy photos)

Director Lee Daniels

TTLP Founder Travis LeMont Ballenger

SAX COLOSSUS, PANTHERS, WEFREESTRINGS

That deep bold hypnotic tone is immediately recognized as the NEA Jazz Master tenor saxophon ist Sonny Rollins. After recording more than 60 albums as a leader, in his seven-decade career, he is easily considered one of the most significant jazz musicians in his tory. Some of his many composi tions such as “St. Thomas,” Doxy,” “Oleo” and “Pent-Up House” have become jazz standards. In 1958, he appeared in Art Kane’s “A Great Day in Harlem” photo graph of 57 jazz musicians, who gathered in front of 17 E. 126th St. (between Fifth and Madison Avenue). He and Benny Golson are the only two surviving musi cians from the photograph. The Harlem native attended Stitt J.H.S and graduated from Ben jamin Franklin H.S. Today, a 15story apartment building named “The Rollins” stands on the Grand Street site where he lived.

Since 1983 there have been nine books written on Roll ins; one of the last was “Sonny Rollins: Meditating on a Riff” (Kamama Books, 2018) writ ten by former New York Daily News staffer, jazzman and ac tivist Hugh Wyatt, who recent ly transitioned in 2021.

Most recently the author/ music writer Aidan Levy offered his contribution to Rollins’ life

with his book “SAXOPHONE CO LOSSUS: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins” (Hachette Books, 2022). On Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., Levy will discuss his full-length biog raphy of the great saxophonist at Revolution Book Store, 437 Mal colm X Blvd. at 132nd Street. He will discuss some of the impor tant sections noted in the book, such as how Rollins used jazz to advance the Civil Rights Move ment and promote environmen tal consciousness and Rollins’ relationships with mentor The lonious Monk, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie.

On Dec. 11 Revolution Books will host author Jeffrey Scales as he discusses his book “In a Time of Panthers: Early Photo graphs.” The book features early photographs of the Black Pan thers working in the community with elders, teaching children at their initiated school programs, participating in the communi ty patrol program and many of their invaluable instituted pro grams for the community.

Melanie Dyer is an intoxi cating musician who creatively combines her years of classical ex perience with improvised exhila rating journeys. Her latest album, “Love in the Form of Sacred Out rage,” gives us a mix of classical and avant-garde music with her longtime group WeFreeStrings, featuring violinists Charles Burn ham and Gwen Lester, cellist Al

exander Waterman, bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Michael Wimberly. The album is a col ored fabric of spirituality-weaved rhythms of committed activism for now, in a country where voting rights are being rescinded and books are being banned. Three of the four tracks were composed by Dyer, with “Pretty Flowers” writ ten by noted saxophonist/flautist Andrew Lamb. The opening track “Baraka Suite” (for Amiri Baraka) is in four movements for a listen ing time of 25:47 minutes.

“Some time ago I was inspired after reading Amiri’s antholo gy and wrote some music which turned into a suite as a tribute which we performed with danc ers and narrative for a program presented by Arts for Art,” ex plained Dyer. The title cut “Love in the Form of Sacred Outrage” (for Fannie Lou Hamer) was in spired after Dyer heard a WBAIFM broadcast on the life and work of the Mississippi-born voting and women’s rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer. She was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and the co-founder and vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party which she represented at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. What inspired and outraged Dyer most during this radio broad cast was Hamer’s brutal encoun ter in Winona, Miss. where she and her colleagues (that includ ed teenagers) were arrested and beaten by police. Hamer needed more than a month to recuper ate from the beatings and never

fully recovered. “It was with in credible courage and love that Hamer and activists decided to advocate for justice and life at all cost,” said Dyer. “It is all about outrage against crimes against humanity.” The fourth and final cut is “Propagating the Same Type of Madness, that uh” (for Fred Hampton). Hampton was not only the national Black Pan ther Party chair, he founded the antiracist, anticlassist Rainbow Coalition, a political organiza tion that was inclusive of Blacks, poor whites and Hispanics. He believed in equality for all. “I took that love he had for human ity and tried to interpret the lyr icism of his voice; he was about solidarity,” said Dyer.

The music is hard hittin’. WeFreeStrings take on many shades from freedom fight ing, downright anger, emotion of tears, intense movement— listen to those bows busy inter acting strings holler let’s get it right, don’t forget “Love in the Form of Sacred Outrage” grabs the soul and ignites move ment and thought. “In classical music you are following a script and interpreting what is on the page,” says Dyer. “In avantgarde there is an open dialogue and everyone uses their voice individually. It provides you with a subject that allows you to engage in your own voice.”

Dyer says her connection with bassist/violinist Henry Grimes brought her into avantgarde. Since that time, she

has collaborated and record ed with the astonishing trio Women with an Axe to Grind (flautist Nicole Mitchell, bassist Joëlle Léandre), the exception al Heroes are Gang Leaders (led by saxophonist James Brandon Lewis), bassist, poet William Parker and New Muse 4tet. In 2002 Dyer was a regular at the then international celebrity hotspot St. Nick’s Pub where she enjoyed a seven-year stint with piano great Donald Smith Quintet with vocalist Tulivu Donna Cumberbatch, trom bonist Frank Lacy, bassist Andy McCloud, drummer Mark John son and saxophonist Salim Washington. She continued to work with Washington as part of the 12-member Harlem Arts Ensemble (Ujam, Cadence and CIMP Records.)

She trained with William Lincer (principal violist, New York Philharmonic), Lee Ye ingst (principal violist, Col orado Symphony Orchestra), John Jake Kella (NY Metropol itan Opera) and Naomi Fellows (Colorado Symphony Orches tra); and studied viola perfor mance at the LaMont School of Music/University of Denver.

WeFreeStrings is a string/ rhythm collective rooted in soul ful improvisation which Dyer originally founded in 2011 and this iteration in 2017. “Love in the Form of Sacred Outrage” was recorded on ESP Disc, the same label the phenomenal saxophon ist Albert Ayler called home.

Melanie Dyer (Peter Gannushkin photo) Left to right: Alex Waterman, Melanie Dyer, Gwen Laster, Ken Filiano, Michael Wimberly, Charles Burnham (center) (Selfie by Alex Waterman)

Coming Next Week

CLASSROOM IN THE

Thomas Morris Chester, an intrepid, fearless Black reporter

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

The life and legacy of Thomas Morris Chester is yet another exam ple of Black scribes chronicling our history, risking their lives to make sure our story is told, and told with brilliance and insight. During the Civil War when for many years not seeing a Black in uniform on the battlefield, to say of any with a pen or pencil documenting the con flict, Chester was there, braving the flying bullets and probably a barrage of racist insults. In a word, he was a fearless reporter whose daring feats have flown under history’s radar.

Chester was born on May 11, 1834, in Harrisburg, Pa. His pedigree of bravery may have been passed down to him through his coura geous mother, Jane, who at 19 es caped from bondage and later as a fugitive slave married George Ches ter, who made a living selling oys ters. And with the couple having 12 children, he had to sell a lot of oys ters, most of which were earmarked for sales at their restaurant.

They got a steady flow of cus tomers and diners who knew that a meal there would be whole some and scrumptious, plus they were sure to find a retinue of kin dred spirits looking forward to the latest abolitionist news and to read The Liberator , published by William Lloyd Garrison. With en terprising and successful parents, Chester had the means to attend the best educational institutions, including the Allegheny Institute, not too far from Pittsburgh. The Institute and Chester were per fectly matched, and the learning atmosphere there enhanced his desire to acquire all the knowl edge and information possible.

Some of the inspiration obtained at Allegheny was instrumental in his quest to get a law degree, which he received in England at the age of 36. But educational pursuits had to be set aside when the Civil War erupt ed. His educational achievements did not help him over the social and political barriers erected to halt even the most ambitious of strivers. One troubling obstacle for Black Amer icans was the Fugitive Slave Law

passed in 1850, though it only in directly hampered Chester since he was a free man. Even so, he was a Black man and to be in the wrong place at the wrong time made you a target of predatory bounty hunters.

An intrepid traveler, Chester wit nessed a number of incidents in which unsuspecting Blacks were snatched from the streets and shipped to the South where slave holders were eager to own you, lock, stock and barrel.

It wasn’t unusual to see fami lies in flight when news circulat ed that slave catchers were on the prowl. Many of them packed their belongings and sought refuge in Canada. Soon the war was perva sive but Chester didn’t immediately have to worry since the nation in sisted this was a “white man’s war.”

In 1853, at the age of 19, Chester set sail for Africa and soon upon arriv al in Monrovia, he enrolled in high school, but this venture only lasted a year before he was wandering again.

For the next 10 years he roamed far and wide upon returning to the states, including a stay in Vermont where he earned a high school di ploma, but then it was off to Libe ria again. The back and forth from the states to Liberia only gained sig nificance after he started his news paper and ran unsuccessfully for political office. By the time he set tled back in the states, the Civil War was raging. Chester was not at all excited about Lincoln’s presiden cy; his promises rang hollow about emancipating slaves. Chester began to think again about Liberia and the American colonization movement, which to him was the only solu tion to the abject conditions Black Americans had to endure.

He set aside his plan to join the movement after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation bill in 1863. But this was only a partial degree of freedom to Chester’s way of thinking and he wrote a warning to Black Americans. “You will hear,” he predicted, “in more frightful phrases than ever, that the Negroes are coming north to take the bread out of the white man’s mouth… and that black men will be satisfied with nothing else but white wives…We have neither preached nor practiced

amalgamation,” Chester reminded his audience. Ironically, he point ed out, “Those very persons who preach so loudly against amalga mation have been practicing it from their earliest recollections”—here he was referring to numerous children of mixed race across the South.

The next step by the president was conscription acts that allowed Black soldiers to join the Union forces in separate units, and almost exclu sively without officer or leadership capacity. To renew his journal ist urges, he took an offer from the Philadelphia Press to cover the war. Never mind that he did this without any regard for the danger he faced.

The surrender of the rebels in Richmond was a high point for Chester’s journalistic career, partic ularly in the chamber of the Confed eracy behind the commander’s desk where he completed his dispatches. When he was seen at the Speaker’s desk, he was confronted by a Con federate soldier who demanded he relinquish the chair. When the sol

dier approached with the purpose of unseating Chester, that prompt ed Chester to deliver a blow that sent the soldier sprawling across the floor. The soldier, totally defeat ed, quietly sulked from the room and Chester resumed his deadline.

At the war’s conclusion, Ches ter was not satisfied with the way things were going for Black Ameri cans, especially with Lincoln dead and his successor an outright racist. He embarked for Liberia once more, this time for two years as a diplomatic representative of Liberia. But this, too, was shortlived and he returned to the states.

Among a host of civic and military duties, he served as a leader in the Louisiana State Militia, and in the late 1870s and 1880s, he held minor positions in the government. He ended his productive life at the helm of a railroad construction company.

He died on Sept. 30, 1892, at only 58.

In his hometown, he is remem bered most notably by a school that bears his name.

ACTIVITIES FIND OUT MORE

While I didn’t have access to it, R.J.M Black ett’s resource is helpful, according to accounts.

DISCUSSION

More should be said about his role in orga nizing Black troops to fight during the Civil War.

PLACE IN CONTEXT

The apex of his career as a journalist was during the Civil War, particularly his coverage of the battle for Rich mond.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY

Nov. 28, 1929: Motown mogul Berry Gordy Jr. was born in Detroit.

Nov. 29, 1919: Dance ex traordinaire Pearl Primus was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. She died in 1994.

Dec. 1, 1955: Rosa Park was arrested for defying a Jim Crow law in Mont gomery, Ala. She died in 2005.

Thomas Morris Chester

innocent and we shall remember that and they don’t need to be punished [by those standards] even if they’re found guilty and [put in] prison.”

2022 is a particularly deadly year for the city jails, with 18 detainee deaths while in or immediately after Department of Cor rections custody. A majority occurred di rectly on Rikers Island.

Earlier this month, Adams said the city needed to expedite detentions at Rikers so New Yorkers like Pastoressa’s

Stabbing

son wouldn’t need to sit in jail for years awaiting trial.

Along with his visit to Rikers, Adams also attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, served food at the National Action Networks’ Day of Giving and offered re marks for a celebration at Boys and Girls High School in Bed-Stuy.

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

Casey Canada, one of the children’s greataunt, said she had become obsessed with demons. “She thought the kids were devils. She said she was afraid of them,” said Canada in an interview.

“The safety and well-being of New York City’s children is our top priority. We are in vestigating this case with the NYPD,” said a New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) spokesperson.

Current state law prohibits ACS from giving further details. Adams said he didn’t know of another job as difficult as ACS and commends the team.

Adams said that going forward the city would give outreach workers, city-oper ated hospitals, NYPD and first responders the legal authority to hospitalize those with severe mental illness who are a danger to themselves and homeless individuals. He spoke about breaking the cycle of constant ly medicating and releasing people without proper long-term treatment.

“My administration is determined to do more to assist people with mental illness, especially those with untreated psychot ic disorders who pose a risk of harm to

Public safety

staffing emergency. Press conferences and mayoral proclamations will not stop cops from quitting in droves.

“If our city doesn’t immediately fix our low pay and brutal work schedule, there may not be a hero police officer available to help the next time a New Yorker is in dis tress in the subway.”

While overall gun violence was down this past holiday week, homicides were up by one, including two shooting deaths in the Bronx on Thanksgiving Day. Additionally, anoth er fatal gunshot victim was found unrespon sive just minutes before the holiday’s start in Queens. Also on Thanksgiving Day in the Bronx, a 14-year-old girl was struck by a stray bullet. She is reportedly in stable condition. Over the weekend, a 22-year-old Bronx

themselves, even if they are not an immi nent threat to the public. It is not accept able for us to see someone who clearly needs help and walk past,” said Adams. “It cannot continue.”

The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defend er Services, The Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services and the Neigh borhood Defender Service of Harlem said in a joint statement that they appreci ate Adams calling attention to the mental health crisis and speaking about commu nity-based treatment.

“He is correct that homeless New York ers with mental health conditions have the right to health care, housing, treat ment, respect, dignity and the hope that their futures will be safe and illnesses

mother was arrested and charged for murder after her two toddlers were found dead with multiple stab wounds.

Before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Adams and Police Commission er Keechant Sewell announced the NYPD found no credible threats to the annual march to Herald Square. But NYPD Chief of Counterterrorism Martine Materasso announced department resources were deployed over the week’s festivities due to recent events like the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs and online threats re cently made against the Jewish community.

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

treated,” they said. “Rather than jailing people with underlying mental illnesses and similar disorders, and then abandon ing them to a chaotic and unsupported transition process when they are released into the community, mental health and drug treatment courts, along with the ac companying robust community services they provide, lead to greater public health and public safety.”

Meanwhile, many groups took issue with Adams’ agenda and handling of the men tally ill and homeless individuals.

The Brooklyn Movement Center Exec utive Director Anthonine Pierre said that “involuntary removals” is just a way for the NYPD to move unhoused and mentally ill people out of sight and out of mind. “While the rhetoric is compassionate, the plan itself is heartless. Similarly to the mayor’s previous safety plans, it lacks the substance to make good on its promises,” said Pierre.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for Ameri ca corps member and writes about politics in New York City 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

Metro briefs

Continued from page 3

Carol’s Daughter announces Giving Tuesday donation to the Mama Glow Foundation

In celebration of Giving Tuesday, Carol’s Daughter has committed a $10,000 gift of love contributing to doula services for families in need as part of its Black Ma ternal Health initiative, Love Delivered.

The donations going to the Mama Glow Foundation will support their ongoing programs and mission to advance repro ductive justice and birth equity.

As part of the Giving Tuesday campaign, individuals and families seeking birth or postpartum doula support this holi day season can apply for doula services through the Mama Glow Foundation.

Women can access The Birthing While Black Prep-Guide, a new digital resource curated by the Mama Glow Foundation for Black birthing people and families navigating their care op tions during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Go to mamglowfoundation. org for more information.

Mayor Eric Adams delivers remarks and presents a proclamation to two NYPD officers who saved a man who collapsed onto the subway tracks. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams visits Rikers Island to meet with staff and detainees. Thursday, Nov. 24, (Thanksgiving) 2022. (Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office)

Dimone Fleming (Facebook photo)

Education

William R. Howard Scholarship honors the birthday and

legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm

In celebration of the birthday of Congresswoman Shirley Ch isholm, the Shirley Chisholm Cul tural Institute (SCCI) launched the first round of the William R. Howard Scholarship on Nov. 30, 2022. The scholarship in the amount of $500 each will be awarded to two young adults be tween the ages of 18 to 24 in the areas of art, culture and/or aca demics.

About William R. Howard SCCI states that William (Bill) R. Howard has been quite effec tive in forging change. He start ed in banking in the early ’60s extending almost two decades of service such as supervising oper ations of 17 branches controlling $2.4 billion at the Metropolitan Savings Bank. Extending to years of service as first deputy com missioner for the Department of Finance of the City of New York serving as trustee to the Police Pension Fund, Fire Pension Fund and NYC Conventional Mortgage Accounts, to serving as assistant VP to Equitable Investment, Real Estate and Tax division. In addi tion, Howard supervised inter bank relationships at the Bank of Credit and Commerce Interna tional in 72 countries. During the tenure of President William Clin ton, Howard served as deputy U.S. trustee under Robb Evans.

Howard’s pristine work in the fi nancial sector, says SCCI, is mir

rored in his community service initiatives, as well. He volun teered his time to assist Coretta Scott King in fundraising for the development of the King Center while supporting artists along the way. Howard served as a trust ee for the City University of New York, Brooklyn Navy Yard Indus trial Park, Jewish Hospital (now Interfaith Medical Center), chair of the Downtown Development Authority in Atlanta, member of the Georgia Agricultural Authori ty, member of the Congressional Staff Club of the United States, Southern Governor Conferenc es, on the host committee of the Democratic Conventions (1978, 1980, 1984 and 1988; vice chair in 1976 and 1980) and member of the Georgia Agricultural Author

ity. Howard held the position of staff member to the late Congress woman Shirley Chisholm from 1965-1976, both in Washington and the New York office. Continu ing, he served as her advisor and proponent of her legacy through out her life. He also kept her legacy alive by providing scholar ships and served as the first vice president of the Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute for Children, Inc. He also served as president of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, the largest carnival in North America, until his death, and his passion for fa cilitating steelpan art and craft is shared today.

“Bill was a mentor to so many in political, professional, and cul tural spaces. His determination

and energy were driving forces for initiatives that continue to in spire. On behalf of the Shirley Ch isholm Cultural Institute Board and Advisors, we are honored to facilitate this scholarship in trib ute to his legacy,” said Barbara Bullard, president.

The Shirley Chisholm Cultur al Institute states that their mis sion, founded by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in 1977 and her colleagues, is to provide opportu nities and cultural experiences for all ages to utilize economic, edu cational, health and recreation al resources in our communities. The newly created SCCI Board, restoring an institution that had gone to sleep due to the aging and passing of previous mem bers, consists of thought leaders,

entrepreneurs and creatives from an array of fields who understand the relevance of her legacy. SCCI’s goal is to preserve Congresswom an Chisholm’s legacy through the initiatives cultivated in 1977 with 21st-century activism and in novation. State-of-the-art pro gramming is being developed in diverse media platforms.

Open call to submit a video in troducing yourself and an essay (1,500 word max) articulating “Why do you need the fund? How will the fund help you to reach your goals?” SCCI Board and thought leaders will select two fi nalists for a cash award of $500 each.

IMPORTANT DATES

- Date submission opens: Nov. 30, 2022 (Shirley Chisholm’s Birth day)

- Date submission closes: Feb. 28, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

ELIGIBILITY

- Students must be of African Diaspora, Indigenous, Latinx De scent

- CUNY students only (2- or 4-year colleges)

- Must be between 18 to 24 years of age

- Applicant must demonstrate substantial work in the areas of art, culture and/or academics

- The application process is online: shirleychisholminstitute. org | click “programming”

For more information: info@ shirleychisholminstitute.org

About William R. Howard Scholarship

Shirley Chisholm (Public Domain photo)

William R. Howard

in 1961 and more than 600 attempts to assassinate former Cuban President Fidel. Most famously, overtly and un lawfully, according to a majority of the countries in the world, the U.S. has, in the hope of isolating Cuba and starv ing the Cuban people into rebellion, maintained an economic embargo of Cuba.

The Cuban embargo was first im posed in 1960 during the Eisenhow er administration and is the longest such economic, financial and com mercial embargo in history. In an in famous April 1960 memorandum written by Lester Mallory, Eisenhow er’s deputy assistant secretary of state for Inter-American Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, in explaining the reasons for the embargo, stated in per tinent part: “The majority of Cubans support Castro … The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and hard ship…every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba…a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspic uous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and sup plies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of the gov ernment.”

In short, the Cuban embargo essen tially constitutes a unilateral econom ic war on Cuba. Indeed, it has been estimated that the cumulative dam ages to the Cuban economy caused by the embargo during the last six de cades total more than $148 billion; money that could have been spent on Cuba’s free health care and education systems and other vital programs and services. The U.S. embargo, among other things, imposes multi-milliondollar fines against banks and corpo rations anywhere in the world that do business with Cuba.

Increasingly, U.S. efforts in recent years to overthrow the Cuban govern ment have also been carried out by U.S.-funded NGOS such as the Nation al Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Directorio Democratico Cubana (DDC) that support anti-Cuban gov ernment groups. As the cofounder of the NED once remarked, “A lot of the work we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA.” The DDC op erates Radio Republica, which claims to be “the voice of Cuban resistance.”

Since the beginning of the 21st cen tury (on the books), more than $250 million in funding, primarily funneled through the U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International De velopment, has been given to these groups.

The Cuban embargo and the re strictions can only be ended by the passage of a federal bill, or bills by Congress and then signed into law by the president. During his administra tion, Barack Obama took executive action toward normalization of rela tions between the two countries. On Dec. 17, 2014, Obama and then Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the beginning of the process of nor malizing relations between Cuba and the United States . The normaliza tion agreement was secretly negoti ated in preceding months, facilitated by Pope Francis and largely hosted by the Canadian government. Meetings were held in both Canada and Vat ican City The agreement called for lifting some U.S. travel restrictions, fewer restrictions on remittances , U.S. banks’ access to the Cuban financial system , and reopening the U.S. em bassy in Havana and the Cuban em bassy in Washington , which had been closed since 1961.

In his 2015 State of the Union Ad dress to Congress , Obama called on lawmakers to lift the embargo against Cuba , a message he reiterated in 2016 . Pursuant to the agreement reached between the U.S. and Cuba announced in December 2014, Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of international ter rorism was rescinded and the restric tions on travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and banking and financial services were eased. In March 2016, Obama, accompanied by his family and a delegation of between 800 and 1,200, including businesspeo ple and congressional leaders who had helped in establishing the 2014 nor malization deal, made a three-day trip Cuba, becoming the first U.S. presi dent to visit the island since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

Nearly all of the advances toward normalization of relationships be tween the U.S. and Cuba during the Obama administration were reversed by his successor, Donald Trump. Less than six months into his presiden cy, on June 16, 2017, Trump issued a presidential memorandum reversing some aspects of the Obama adminis tration’s actions regarding U.S. rela tions with Cuba, characterizing them as “terrible and misguided,” and intro duced new sanctions. Significantly, on May 2, 2019, the Trump administration failed to waive Title III of the HelmsBurton Act for the first time since its enactment in 1996. That provision of the Helms-Burton Act purports to create a cause of action in U.S. dis trict courts for any U.S. national who owned property in Cuba at the time of the Cuban Revolution against any person who uses such property. Prop erty that former owners abandoned in their flight to the U.S. and elsewhere and was then lawfully nationalized

in conformity with international and Cuban laws. Helms-Burton empowers the president to suspend Title III in six-month periods. Except for Trump, every president since its enactment has been mindful of the internation al tensions its activation would cause and has suspended its operation twice each year.

In addition, during the height of the COVID pandemic, despite calls by the World Health Organization, U.N. Sec retary General and Council of Church es, among others, to end or at least temporarily suspend the embargo, the Trump administration refused to do so. Ultimately, during the Trump ad ministration, more than 240 unilat eral coercive measures were applied against Cuba.

While campaigning for the presiden cy, Biden promised to return the U.S. policies to those of the Obama admin istration. Contrary to his campaign promise, Biden has not only left most of the measures adopted under Trump in place but imposed new ones. In May 2022, the Biden administration did make some relatively minor changes in Cuban policy, including expanding flights to Cuba beyond Havana, which Trump had limited them to, and re suming the family reunification pro gram. More recently, however, the Biden administration restricted Cuba’s ability to purchase roofing materials after Hurricane Ian destroyed more than 50,000 homes in western Cuba. Some have speculated that Biden has not kept his promise to return to the policies of the Obama administration in the hope of gaining voters in Flori da for the Democratic Party and him self in 2024.

Despite the covert and overt U.S. efforts to overthrow the Cuban gov ernment, it has survived and is over whelmingly supported by a majority of countries in the world. The Cuban embargo has been condemned as a vi olation of the U.N. Charter and inter national law because of its violations of the principles of sovereign equal ity, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, respect for self-determination and independence. Every year since 1992, except for 2020, the United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution declaring the U.S. embargo a violation of the Char ter of the United Nations and interna tional law. (There was no vote in 2020 because of the pandemic.) During the most recent vote in 2022, 185 coun tries voted in favor of the resolution calling for an end to the embargo. Two countries, Ukraine and Colombia, ab stained. The United States and Israel, which have routinely voted against the resolution since 1992, except in 2016 when the then-Obama administration abstained, once again voted against the resolution.

Opposition to the embargo is not just international but domestic as well, since reportedly a majority of U.S. citizens oppose it. National ly, 65 resolutions like Barron’s have been passed calling for an end to the Cuban embargo throughout the United States. This includes 24 city councils, among them the city coun cils of Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New Haven, Oakland, Pitts burgh and San Francisco. The state legislative bodies that have passed resolutions calling for an end to the embargo include the Alabama Senate, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. In addition, 16 labor unions, labor councils and workers’ organizations, including the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY, have also passed resolutions calling for an end to the embargo.

Ending the Cuban embargo will benefit not only the people of Cuba but the people of the U.S. as well. In particular, it would allow the people of the U.S., U.S. hospitals and med ical workers to benefit from the widely recognized expertise of Cuba’s bio-tech industry research and its development of medications and treatments such as, for example, its vaccine for lung cancer. Lung cancer is reportedly the leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths for both men and women.

In conclusion, as previously men tioned, Resolution 0285 has been cosponsored by 18 of the Council’s 53 members. To pass, Resolution 0285 needs the votes of 10 more mem bers of the council. The 17 coun cil members who have joined Barron in sponsoring Resolution 0285 are Cabán, Brewer, Restler, Hanif, Bottch er, Nurse, Krishnan, Avilés, Stevens, Hudson, Rivera, Williams, Gutiérrez, Richardson Jordan, Riley, Marte and Ossé. If your council member has not co-sponsored Resolution 0285, please call or write to them and urge them to do so. You can find the names and contact information for the members of the City Council on its website.

“Black as well as other New Yorkers have been friends with Cuba for de cades,” said Anne Mitchell, a member of the National Conference of Black Lawyers and of the CubiSi Legisla tive Committee, which is spearhead ing the campaign for the passage of Resolution 0285. “We have traveled there many times to meet its people, learn about the history of the rela tionship of African Americans and Cubans, and enjoy its art and culture. The City Council needs to pass Reso lution 0285, considering the opposi tion of the people of NYC as well as the United States generally to the em bargo. We will continue to struggle to end the economic, financial and com mercial blockade.”

Religion & Spirituality

‘Fame’

By MARK KENNEDY Associated Press

and ‘Flashdance’

NEW YORK (AP)—Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title cut from the 1980 hit movie “Fame” and then belted out the era-defin ing hit “Flashdance…What a Feel ing” from 1983’s “Flashdance,” has died. She was 63.

Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced the news on social media, writing that the cause of

death was “currently unknown.” Moose also confirmed the death to an Associated Press reporter on Saturday. Cara died at her home in Florida. The exact day of her death was not disclosed.

“Irene’s family has requested pri vacy as they process their grief,” Moose wrote. “She was a beauti fully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”

During her career, Cara had three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Breakdance,”

singer-actor Irene Cara dies at 63

“Fame” and “Flashdance…What A Feeling,” which spent six weeks at No. 1. She was behind some of the most joyful, high-energy pop an thems of the early ’80s, including “Out Here on My Own” and “Why Me?”

Tributes poured in on Saturday on social media, including from Deborah Cox, who called Cara an inspiration, and Holly Robin son Peete, who recalled seeing Cara perform: “The insane com bination of talent and beauty was overwhelming to me. This hurts my heart so much.”

She first came to prominence among the young actors play ing performing arts high school ers in Alan Parker’s “Fame,” with co-stars Debbie Allen, Paul Mc Crane and Anne Meara. Cara played Coco Hernandez, a striving dancer who endures all manner of deprivations, including a creepy nude photo shoot.

“How bright our spirits go shooting out into space depends on how much we contributed to the earthly brilliance of this world. And I mean to be a major contrib utor!” she says in the movie.

Cara sang on the soaring title song with the chorus— “Remember my name/I’m gonna live forever/I’m gonna learn how to fly/I feel it coming together/ People will see me and cry”— which would go on to be nomi nated for an Academy Award for best original song. She also sang on “Out Here on My Own,” “Hot Lunch Jam” and “I Sing the Body Electric.”

Allen took to Twitter Saturday to mourn, posting pictures of them together and calling Cara “a gifted and beautiful genius. Her talent and her music will live forever! Forever remember her name!”

Lenny Kravitz addressed Cara in a tweet: “You inspired me more than you could ever know. Your

songwriting and vocals created pure energy that will never cease. You also defined an era that is so close to my heart.” Stephanie Mills, who co-starred with Cara in “Maggie Flynn” on Broadway in 1968, wrote: “Such an amazing talent and sweet person.”

Three years after her triumph with “Fame,” she and the song writing team of “Flashdance”— music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Cara—were accepting the Oscar for best orig inal song for “Flashdance…What a Feeling.”

The movie stars Jennifer Beals as a steel-town girl who dances in a bar at night and hopes to attend a prestigious dance conservatory. It included the hit song “Maniac,” featuring Beals’ character leaping, spinning and stomping her feet, and the slow-burning theme song.

“There aren’t enough words to

express my love and my grati tude,” Cara told the Oscar crowd in her thanks. “And last but not least, a very special gentleman who I guess started it all for me many years ago. To Alan Parker, wherever you may be tonight, I thank him.”

The New York-born Cara began her career on Broadway, with small parts in short-lived shows, although a musical called “The Me Nobody Knows” ran for more than 300 performances. She toured in the musical “Jesus Christ Super star” as Mary Magdalene in the mid-1990s and a tour of the musi cal “Flashdance” from 2012-2014 with her songs.

She also created the all-female band Irene Cara Presents Hot Car amel and put out a double album with the single “How Can I Make You Luv Me.” Her movie credits in clude “Sparkle” and “D.C. Cab.”

the afflicted, the least, the lost and the left behind.”

Considering some of the tension be tween progressive Democrats and more centrist members, Jeffries also vowed to bring more cohesion to the caucus. Jeffries courted support from all Democratic con gress members with individual letters he sent on Nov. 18 explaining why he believed he should be the next Democratic leader. In the letter, he wrote that he would “em power” each member of the caucus de spite ideologies, increase security around members to protect against political vio lence, and focus on reclaiming the majori ty in the House.

He pointedly spoke about how “sad” the violence against political members and their family is and that it should not be tol erated. Especially after the shocking assault and attempted kidnapping of Pelosi’s hus band at her home in San Francisco.

Jeffries grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended Midwood public high school. He became a lawyer, working as an administrator, clerk, associate and assistant general counsel. Eventually, he ran for office. He was a New York State Assembly member in District 57 from 2007 to 2013 and has represented the 8th Congressional District as a congress member since 2013.

“It’s my goal to make sure that I am who I am,” said Jeffries, “a child of two working class parents from a predominantly African American neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, coming of age during some rough times as it relates to the crack, cocaine era but also being surrounded by an incredibly loving community.”

Shanquella

due to dehydration. They didn’t take her. In the police report it says she died of car diac arrest, which contradicts the autopsy report. The group left Mexico after Robin son was found dead.

Robinson’s family in Charlotte, N.C., firmly didn’t believe stories they were told by her “friends” about how she died. They were told different versions by the group, including that she died of alcohol poison ing. WSOC reported that the death certif icate from Mexican authorities “lists her cause of death as severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation.”

On a GoFundMe page started to cover the family’s legal fees, Robinson’s sister Quilla Long confirms as much. “Her as sociates claimed she died of alcohol poi soning, but the death certificate from the Mexican government contradicts this statement as it reveals a broken neck and cracked spine and a time of death which is

He had unwavering support from co horts such as House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.

“I’m proud to give my resounding en dorsement to Hakeem Jeffries for Demo cratic Leader. Whether as the co-chair of the House Democratic Policy and Commu nications Committee or the chair of our House Democratic Caucus, he has demon strated his indispensable leadership time and time again,” said Hoyer in a statement.

Hoyer said that Jeffries played an impor tant role in enacting legislation, including the American Rescue Plan, the Biparti san Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Sci ence Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act twice. Hoyer also boasted of Jeffries’ poise as one of the managers of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial.

Additionally, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn threw her support behind Jeffries as Pelosi’s suc cessor. “Brooklyn’s own Rep. Hakeem Jef fries has dedicated his entire career to uplifting Brooklynites, and his remark able rise from humble roots to chair of the House Democratic Caucus is a testament to his skilled leadership, legislative abilities and keen understanding of the needs of his constituents,” said Bichotte Hermelyn in a statement.

House Democrats gathered on Nov. 30 to begin organizing for the historic 118th Congress and cement Jeffries as speaker. Now that he’s been elected, Jeffries will po tentially face off with House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. He had little to say of their working relationship other than the fact that he “served with him in the United States House of Representatives.”

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps

15 minutes after she sustained these inju ries,” posted Long.

Long said that the U.S. State Department was uncooperative about the case and claimed there was no evidence despite the video being available online.

The GoFundMe page started to gain real traction when Brooklyn Net Kyrie Irving donated $65,000 to the cause. Robinson’s story also garnered outrage from the Black community on social media, keeping her case alive.

A month later, Mexican authorities are finally investigating Robinson’s death as a femicide and the Federal Bureau of Inves tigation has opened a case as well.

“The FBI Charlotte Field Office has opened an investigation into the death of Charlotte resident, Shanquella Robinson in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on or about October 29, 2022. Due to the ongoing in vestigation, we have no further comment,” posted WSOC via twitter.

Local Mexican prosecutor Antonio López Rodríguez said an arrest warrant had been issued for the suspect seen beating Robin

member and writes about politics in New York City for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing

son in the video, reported the AP. They approached federal prose cutors and diplomats to try to get the woman extradited to face charges in Mexico on Nov. 25. The suspect was not named by Mexican or U.S. authorities. Attempts to find or contact the group that was in Cabo with Robinson have failed so far.

An outpouring of support and love for the family as well as cries for swift justice for Robinson’s murder continue.

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

stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://bit.ly/amnews1

Shanquella Robinson (GoFundMe photo)

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NOTICE OF SALE

In pursuance and by virtue of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly granted and entered in an action entitled NYCTL 1998-2 Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon as Collateral Agent and Custodian for the NYCTL 1998-2 Trust v. NYC Property Owners Inc., et al., bearing Index No 155371/2019 on or about February 22, 2022, by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, I, the Referee, duly appointed in this action for such purpose, will expose for sale and sell at public auction to the highest bidder on December 14, 2022 at 2:15 p.m., on the portico of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, New York 10007, the liened premises designated as Block 1643, Lot 129, in the City of New York, County of New York and Borough of Manhattan, State of New York and known as East 115th Street, New York, New York, directed in and by said judgment to be sold The sale will be conducted pursuant to the Courts Auction Rules and any COVID Restrictions

The approximate amount of the judgment is $2,099.77 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

Dated: November 15, 2022 New York, New York

Thomas Richard Kleinberger, Esq. Referee 411 5th Avenue New York, New York 100 16-2203 (917) 326-5523

David P. Stich, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff 521 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor New York, New York 10175 (646) 554-4421

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK: COUNTY OF NEW YORK 307-309 Sixth Av enue LLC., Pltf v. 307 Assets LLC, et al., Defts. Index No 850138/2020, pursu ant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 1, 2022 and entered on June 6, 2022, I will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, at the portico of the Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, New York, on December 14, 2022 at 2:15 p.m., prem k/a 307/307-A Sixth Avenue, New York, NY (Block: 589; Lot 40) and 309 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY (Block: 589; Lot: 39) (the “Properties”). Approx amt of judgment is $13,686,392, plus costs, attorneys' fees and interest Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale Bruce Lederman, Esq., Referee. JACOBOWITZ NEWMAN TVERSKY, LLP, Attys. for Plaintiff, 377 Pearsall Ave., Ste C, Cedarhurst, NY

17R LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/14/22.

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, 1129 Northern Boulevard, Suite 400, Manhas set, NY 11030. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Qualification of 428 & 432 WEST 19TH STREET LLC Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/20/22. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/06/19. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Anbau Enterprises, 11 E. 26th St., NY, NY 10010. DE addr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert of Form filed with Secy. of State, DE Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

57 PARK OPS LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/13/22. 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 Gary Spindler, 250 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

GRAPEVINE TECHNOLO

GIES LLC Articles of Orga nization filed with Sec. of State of NY(SOS) on 10/17/2022. Office Location: New York County SOS is designated as agent of LLC for service of process. SOS shall mail copy of process to 1107 Broadway, 8H, New York, NY 10010. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity

KIMBERLY ANN YEE, LLC

Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 09/21/22. Office location: NY County. SSNY designat ed as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: 87 Baxter Street, Apt. 6, NY, NY 10013. Purpose: any lawful activity

SUPREME COUR T OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK

HSBC BANK USA, V.

KA REN KENNEY A/K/A KAREN KENN Y, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Forec losure dated July 5, 2022, and entered in the Of fice of the Clerk of the County of New York, wherein HSBC BA NK USA is the Plaintiff and KA REN KENNEY A/K/A KA REN KENNY, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE, at the PORTICO OF THE CIVIL SU PREME COURTHOUSE, LOCATED AT 60 CENTRE STR EET, NEW YORK , NY 10007, on January 4, 2023 at 2:15PM, premises known as 144 WEST 123 RD STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10 027: Block 1907, Lot 53:

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PA RCEL OF LAND SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHA TTAN, COUNTY, CITY AND STATE OF N.Y.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 810040/2 012. Elaine Shay, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaint iff. All forecl osure sales will be conducted in accord ance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wear ing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO C HANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES

Notice of Qualification of AEL FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC

Appl for Auth filed with Se cy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/19/22. Office location: NY County LLC formed in North Carolina (NC) on 06/22/22. Princ. office of LLC: 1155 Ave. of the Americas, 35th Fl., NY, NY 10036. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. NC addr of LLC: 2101 Rexford Rd., Ste. 310, Charlotte, NC 28211. Cert of Form. filed with Secy of State, 2 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601-2903 Purpose: The business purpose is to act as a registered broker-dealer, and conduct certain approved securities transactions

Heavens Love Puzzle LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 08/15/2022 Office Location: NY County. SSNY des ignated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 1425 Amsterdam Ave, 5B, NY, NY 10027. Purpose: Re lationship podcast & coaching in any lawful activity www.heavenslovepuzzle.com

Notice of Formation of MARCUM PHILIPPINES LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/19/22. Office location: NY County Princ. office of LLC: 730 Third Ave., NY, NY 10017. 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: Gener al corporate use.

Notice of Qualification of MARITIME MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/20/22. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 02/23/16. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

JAHAN TRAVEL DESIGNS

Mark Andrew Ahart (also known as Mark Ahart Al Bey) new name is Noble Mark An drew Ahart Bey; Asah saleem Ahart (also known as Asah Saleem Ahart Al Bey) new name is Noble Asah Saleem Ahart Bey; Jamelah Johari Arnold (also as Jame lah Johari Arnold Ahart, also known as Jamelah Johari Ahart Al Bey) new name is Noble Jamelah Johari Arnold Ahart Bey; Dwight Cory Lewis new name is Noble Dwight Cory Lewis El The family of Ahart Bey address is C/O 36 Marcia Lane, New City New York 10956. The family of Lewis El address is C/O 722 East 181 Street Apartment 1, Bronx, New York 10457

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #13541 39 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by the under signed to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a restaurant under the ABC Law at 1590 Lexington Ave., NYC 10029 for on-premises consumption; Mongkol Eatery LLC

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #13541 26 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by the under signed to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a bar under the ABC Law at 4736 Broadway, New York, NY 10040 for on-premises consumption; Fito Restaurant Inc.

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #13542 67 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by the under signed to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a restaurant under the ABC Law at 641 Hudson St., NYC, 10014 for on-premises consumption; Bangkok Supper Club LLC

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #13543 47 for beer & wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer & wine at reta il in a Cafe under the ABC Law at 264 Lenox Ave., NYC 10027 for on-premises consumption; Pastitalia Inc.

Melq73 Seventy Five LLC, Arts of Org filed with SSNY on 11/11/22. Off Loc: New York County, SSNY designat ed as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 52 Mulberry St, New York NY 10013. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act.

LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 09/13/22. Office lo cation: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Of fice address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon her is C/O Mari anna Leivada, 45-02 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11105.

Principal business address: 19 W 69th St, NY, NY 10023.

Purpose: any lawful activity

Notice of formation of ALOE VERA SUPREME LLC Arti cles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/5/2022. NY office location: New York County SSNY has been des ignated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served, The post of fice address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him is Lawrence Long, 229 E 85th Street #564 NYC NY 10028. Purpose: any lawful.activity

Notice of Formation of Solar Merger Sub, LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/04/22. Office location: NY County SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against LLC & shall mail a copy to: 10900 Red Circle Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343 Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of formation of Anny77 LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 10/26/2022 Office Location: New York County SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail a copy to: 225 W. 86th St., Hall 1, Ste. 717, New York, NY 10024. Purpose: To en gage in any lawful activity

Notice of Formation of ANN+ Sofia Beauty Artists LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/25/18. Office lo cation: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against LLC & shall mail a copy to: 315 5th Avenue, #1004, New York, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity

Notice of Formation of HAYE WIRING & HOME SPECIALTY, LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/18/22. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against LLC & shall mail a copy to: 539 East 95th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11212. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Formation of HARMONY MART LLC Arts of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/10/22. Office location: NY County SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against LLC & shall mail a copy to: 177 East 101st Street, Apt 1D, New York, NY 10039. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity

Notice of formation of Only Love Strangers LLC. Arts of Org. filed with the Secy. of NY (SSNY) on 08/19/22. NY office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is C/O the LLC: 122 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Formation of RO BARDS FAMILY IN VESTORS LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/07/22. Office location: NY County SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served SSNY shall mail process to Thomas F. Robards, 173 Riverside Dr., Apt. 8D, NY, NY 10024 Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of SIFI NETWORKS NEW YORK CITY LLC Appl for Auth. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/22. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/20/22. Princ. office of LLC: 103 Foulk Rd., Ste. 500, Wilmington, DE 19803. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert of Form filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Development and operation of fiber optic network

LLC Arts of Org. filed with SSNY on 09/19/22. Office lo cation: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served against it & shall mail to: Nitanya Nedd, 108 Edge combe Ave., NY, NY 10030

Notice of Formation of STYLE SHUTTER, LLC Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/27/22. Office location: NY County SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Hanna Rose Hunt, 60 W. 20th St., Apt. 3E, NY, NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of THALASSIC MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. Appl for Auth filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/20/22. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/14/19. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

Notice of Qualification of UMAMI ADVISORS, LLC Ap pl for Auth. filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/26/22. Office location: NY County LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/21/22. Princ. office of LLC: 3013 Libby Ter., Richmond, VA 23223. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Al bany, 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., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity

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ny was placed on a U.S. Defense Depart ment blacklist. This pattern rings true in New York City—a majority of the NYPD’s fleet is composed of DJI drones. Only three are from other companies—two are Ghost 60 models from American manufacturer UAV Solutions. The department also reg istered a solo Skydio drone, which boasts “frightening capabilities” including ther mal body heat cameras, 3D mapping and autonomous flights, according to the NYCLU report.

Then there’s concerns of government drone footage’s potential use in facial recognition systems—Schwarz says the technology can be racially biased and produces higher error rates for Black and brown people. Additionally, he mentions the deployment of NYPD drones outside of Black activist Derrick Ingram’s apartment.

The report also mentions a proposed state legislature bill (S675/A3311) penned by Assembly Member Ron Kim and State Sen. Jessica Ramos banning drone sur veillance during protests and mandat ing warrants in police protests before use. Co-sponsors include the 71th District’s Al Taylor.

“The legislation [would] essential ly set those guardrails and make sure that we’re future proofing those guard rails and making sure that down the road we’re not [faced] with some civil rights and civil liberties dangers,” said Schwarz. “Because those robots and drones are al lowing for more and more payloads for other devices to be included for better

spying capabilities.

“People won’t necessarily know that they’re being surveilled, because they can operate from such far distances, operate with great lenses, sophisticated machine learning in AI capabilities for video analyt ics. And it has two sides, where on the one hand, it can happen in complete secre cy. And it can also chill free speech when people are actually aware of the drones flying over their heads and people will not feel safe to actually protest and make their voices heard.”

The NYPD called the bill an unreason able overregulation on law enforcement drones, citing the existing warrant re quirements for drone usage mandated by the 4th Amendment.

“This bill would expand the requirement to obtain a search warrant when a drone is used for all law enforcement purposes, not just investigations,” said a police spokes person over email. “This would include hostage situations, evidence collection in public locations, and search and rescue operations. Waiting for a search warrant would negatively impact our ability to re spond to serious incidents.”

The department adds police drones have only been used a recorded 20 times this year in the first three quarters outside of training and testing.

Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please con sider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://bit.ly/ amnews1

claim of repentance could potentially help Gendron in a penalty phase of a death penalty trial.

The plea comes at a time when many Americans have become nearly desensi tized to mass shootings. In recent weeks, there have been deadly attacks at a Walmart in Virginia, a gay club in Colora do and the University of Virginia.

Just days after Gendron’s rampage in Buffalo, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

Gendron wore body armor and used a legally purchased AR-15 style rifle in his attack on the Tops Friendly Market in Buf falo. Those killed ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included an armed security guard who died trying to protect customers, a church deacon and the mother of a former Buffalo fire commissioner. Gendron sur rendered when police confronted him as he emerged from the store.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who was in the courtroom for Gendron’s guilty plea, told reporters afterwards, “It was impor tant to hear why these precious lives were snatched from us for no other reason than the color of their skin.”

The mayor, a Democrat, called for a ban on assault weapons, as did Police Com missioner Joseph Gramaglia.

White supremacy was Gendron’s motive. He said in documents posted online just before the attack that he’d picked the store, about a three hour drive from his home in Conklin, New York, be cause it was in a predominantly Black

neighborhood. He said he was motivat ed by a belief in a massive conspiracy to dilute the power of white people by “re placing” them in the U.S. with people of color.

“Swift justice” is how Erie County Dis trict Attorney John Flynn described Mon day’s result, noting that it’s the first time anyone in the state of New York has been convicted of the hate-motivated terror ism charge.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who repre sents several of the victims’ families, said they remain baffled that the gunman sur vived. They want harsh punishment, he said: “We want him to be treated as the heinous, cold blooded vicious murderer that he was for killing all these innocent Black people. It is emotional and we are angry.”

Relatives of the victims have since called on Congress to address white su premacy and gun violence through legis lation.

Zeneta Everhart, the mother of Zaire Goodman, who survived being shot in the neck, and Mark Talley, the son of Geral dine Talley, who was killed, said they were offended by Gendron’s tone and cleanedup appearance in court.

“He’s a thug,” Talley said.

“We show them in a way that doesn’t make them threatening, and it’s disgust ing,” Everhart said. “This country has a problem. This country is inherently vio lent. It is racist. And his voice showed that to me.”

“Am I happy he’s going to jail for life?” Tally said. “What would make me happy is if America acknowledged its history of racism.”

summit is a gathering of the most prominent names in the financial world, and gives busi ness VIPs a place to talk about investment deals and financial plans. “If Jassy comes to New York he should come to bargain a con tract with Amazon workers, not bluster or practice union-busting,” Smalls said before the event began. “It’s time that Amazon and the company’s CEO respect the rights of workers and join ALU in improving working conditions, rather than acting as an uncar ing, B.S.-spouting, corporate law-breaker.”

And during so-called “Black Friday,” which follows the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, the company saw its workers worldwide take part in a Make Amazon Pay campaign. Ac tions coordinated by UNI Global Union and Progressive International brought together groups such as Data for Black Lives, Ethical Consumer, IndustriALL, and Tax Justice Net work Africa (TJNA), to join with more than 80 trade unions, civil society organizations, environmentalists and tax watchdogs in a daylong protest against how Amazon is con ducting its business.

The coalition was created to push Amazon,

as a global e-commerce giant, to pay its workers fairly—particularly so that workers see pay increases that are in line with the in creasing wealth of the corporation—and re spect its labor unions by allowing workers to organize. They want the company to pay its fair share of taxes so that it actually helps to financially contribute to society, and make a sincere commitment to environmental sus tainability by, for example, committing to zero emissions by 2030.

Organizers said they had strikes at “18 warehouses in France and Germany, worker walkouts in the U.S. and protests in over 35 countries around the world.”

“We all know that the price of everything is going up, as is the temperature of our planet. Instead of paying its workers fairly, its taxes in full, and for its damage to our environment, Amazon is squeezing every last drop it can from workers, communities and the planet,” commented Daniel Kopp, the Progressive In ternational’s Make Amazon Pay coordinator, regarding their campaign:

“As workers around the world struggle with the cost-of-living scandal, Amazon, despite its enormous profits, is forcing real-term pay cuts on its workers. It shirks its taxes, and its CO2 emissions are soaring—up 18% in 2021—even though Amazon only counts the

emissions of 1% of its products sold.

“In the face of the cost-of-living scandal, global debt crisis and climate emergency, we are coming together to Make Amazon Pay.”

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel re sponded to the Make Amazon Pay campaign and labor actions in a statement sent to the AmNews: “A coalition of organizations are continuing to encourage protests at Amazon. These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we are not perfect in any area, if you objectively look at what Amazon is doing

on these important matters you’ll see that we do take our role and our impact very seri ously. We are inventing and investing signifi cantly in all these areas, playing a significant role in addressing climate change with the Climate Pledge commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040, continuing to offer compet itive wages and great benefits, and inventing new ways to keep our employees safe and healthy in our operations network, to name just a few. Anyone can see for themselves by taking a tour at one of our sites.”

Protesters took part in the Make Amazon Pay campaign in New York City on Nov. 25 (Photo courtesy Make Amazon Pay campaign)

Legendary hoops star brings computer knowledge to Brooklyn

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Earlier this year, Niesha Butler’s place in New York City basket ball history was celebrated in the documentary film “NYC Point Gods.” After a distinguished basketball career followed by work in television broadcast ing, Butler moved into technol ogy. She is now working to make a lasting impact on the com munity with the opening earlier this year of S.T.E.A.M. Champs, a sports-themed coding, robot

ics and art gym for kids where they learn, create and play.

A graduate of Georgia Tech, Butler said as a woman, she knew she needed a life plan beyond professional basketball. “Nine out of 10 women CEOs in this country have played some sort of sport growing up,” said Butler, who describes herself as a tech entrepreneur.

S.T.E.A.M. Champs, located in Brooklyn, provides access to science, technology, engineer ing, arts and math. It is the first Black woman-owned coding

and robotics education center in the country. “I run it like a gym because I think athlet ics has a lot as far as who you are as a person—confidence, teamwork, stability, multi-task ing—a lot of things kids need, especially young girls,” said Butler, the founder and CEO. “I use sports as life skills.”

Butler thought she was being filmed for “NYC Point Gods” to speak about some of the male point guards from New York, but in their interviews several men spoke about her. She did, after all,

break the New York City record of Kenny Anderson for most points scored in a high school career. “I was grateful they added women into the documentary, but also that I had the respect of my peers and people that I’ve always… looked up to,” said Butler.

Now, she wants boys and girls to tap into the tech world to inspire them to pursue higher education. Butler is disturbed by the number of girls who lose interest in sci ence and math as they become teenagers. “Girls who play sports have a makeup that allows them

The Nets rise in the standings on the shoulders of Durant

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

The Brooklyn Nets have grinded through adversity and risen in the Eastern Conference standings elevat ed by the future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant. When the Nets played the Washington Wizards last night at the Barclays Center, they were 11-11 and 5-2 in their previous seven games. One month ago, on the morning of Nov. 1, the Nets were 2-5 and fired Steve Nash as their head coach, replacing him with assistant Jacque Vaughn. They lost that night 108-99 at home to the Chicago Bulls to fall to 2-6. They bat tled injuries, an eight-game teamimposed suspension of guard Kyrie Irving, and forward Ben Simmons re acclimating himself to NBA action after missing 15 months due to physi cal and mental health issues.

Until Monday’s 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic in Brooklyn, the Nets hadn’t reached .500 since being 1-1 on Oct. 21. They are in a five-game home stand next playing the Toronto Raptors tomorrow, the Boston Celtics Sunday, the Charlotte Hornets next Wednesday and the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 9.

Relating the importance of this period, Irving said it’s an opportunity for his team to improve their chemistry. “You get a little bit rhythm,” he explained.

“We’re still figuring out lineups, but I think once we do that, we’ll be in better shape,” said Irving.

Kevin Durant has already figured things out. He’s scored 25-plus points in every game this season except one. After dropping 31 points versus the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday after noon, Durant scored a season-high of 45 in 39 minutes the next night against Orlando. He shot 19-24 including 3-5 on

threes. Durant hit 19 in the third quarter shooting 8-9. “Super efficient” is how Irving, who contributed 20 against the Magic, de scribed Durant. “When he’s got it going like that, we don’t want to force him the ball, but we definitely want to let him work.”

“The minutes he’s played, what he did last night to lead us into a win is huge,” added Vaughn. “I think it shows the preparation that he puts into his body, what he feels about the game.”

Durant viewed it as busi ness as usual. “…I feel like I’m always on,” he said. “Even if I’m not making shots that night, I feel like my jump shot is always sharp.”

to try something and not really care if they fail,” she said.

A lot of the activities at S.T.E.A.M. Champs are sportsthemed and musical, trying to get some of the kids who want to be rappers involved in coding. She wants inner city kids to de velop foundational skills, so she hopes to expand to more urban areas. They won’t necessarily be scientists, but computers play into many careers.

“I don’t want our kids to be afraid or lack confidence,” Butler said. “They need to be exposed to it.”

Point guard to tech star Niesha Butler (Photo courtesy of Niesha Butler)

Niesha Butler

Nets forward Kevin Durant was averaging 30 points per game, sixth in the NBA, when the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Washington Wizards last night (Wednesday) at the Barclays Center (Bill Moore photo)

Knicks look to capitalize on a heavy home schedule

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The Knicks hosted the Milwau kee Bucks and their irrepressible forward Giannis Antetokounmpo last night (Wednesday) at Madi son Square Garden, where they have yet to establish a conclu sive home court advantage. Four of the Knicks’ next five games are at the Garden and when they play the Sacramento Kings at MSG on Dec. 11, they will have played seven of nine games at home dating back to Nov. 25. However, the stretch will be challenging as three potent clubs, the Dallas Mavericks (Saturday), Cleveland Cavaliers (Sunday) and Atlanta Hawks (Wednesday), lie ahead. The Knicks came into the Bucks game 4-5 at the Garden and 10-11 overall. They were 10th in the Eastern Conference, still endeavoring to be more than a squad lingering around .500, which comparatively would not be good enough to be a Play-In Tournament team based on last

year’s final standings. The Char lotte Hornets were 10th a season ago at 43-39, earning the East’s lowest Play-In seed.

After losing back-to-back close games at the Garden versus the Portland Trail Blazers (132-129 in overtime) and Memphis Griz zlies (127-123) last Friday and Sunday respectively, the Knicks had a favorable and welcomed matchup with the lowly Detroit Pistons on the road on Tues day night. They opportunisti cally took advantage of a team with the worst record in the NBA (5-18) as of yesterday’s schedule, pounding the Pistons 140-110.

Julius Randle gifted his team 36 points on his 28th birthday to power the Knicks to a 3-0 record against the Pistons this season. Tuesday’s victory made it 11 wins in a row for the Knicks over the Pistons. They will play each other once more on Jan. 15 at Detroit.

Randle set the tone in the first quarter by draining four threepointers and registering 17 points. By halftime the Knicks

had a 70-56 lead and were up by 31 (108-77) at the end of third quarter. The blowout en abled Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to limit his starters minutes—Randle’s 31 were the most—notably point guard Jalen Brunson, who played just 18 scoring 16 points on 6-8 from the field. As a collective the Knicks shot a sizzling 56.3% including 15-35 on three-point pointers.

“He was super aggressive, great rhythm, moved really well without the ball, his teammates searched him out, lot of move ment. It was good, very good,” said Thibodeau via the MSG Net work of Randle’s showing. He added that the team as a whole played soundly on the offensive end in posting a season high in points and assists (31).

“Just, you know, again, unself ishness, making plays, moving without the ball, screening off the ball, just doing a lot of good things together, helping each other find good shots and I think that is big for us.”

Brunson ably handles the pressure of leading the Knicks

By JERALD L. HOOVER Special to the AmNews

By NBA Draft definition, Jalen Brunson, selected in the second round (33rd over all) in 2018 by the Dallas Mavericks, shouldn’t be the Knicks’ best player. That des ignation should belong to RJ Barrett, who was taken No. 3 by the Knicks in the follow ing draft. However, based on the results, the jury is out on Barrett’s ceiling and being a cornerstone player for the franchise.

Conversely, Brunson has shouldered the pressure of coming to New York and adeptly filling the Knicks’ point guard position, which has been the weakest spot for the franchise for well over a decade. Players such as Shane Larkin, Langston Galloway, Brandon Jennings, Elfrid Payton and Frank Nti likia were unable to cement themselves as long-term lead guards.

Now Brunson, who signed a four-year, $104 million freeagent deal this past summer,

has played at an All-Star level. When the Knicks faced the De troit Pistons on the road on Tuesday night, the 26-year-old Brunson was averaging 21.8 points, 6.7 assists and 3.8 re bounds in 20 games. The Knicks were 9-11 prior to meeting the Pistons and were back at Mad ison Square Garden last night (Wednesday) to host the Mil waukee Bucks.

Brunson, the son of former Knick point-guard Rick Brunson, a current assistant with the team under head coach Tom Thibodeau, has had flash es of brilliance. At the start of the Knicks’ schedule this week, the two-time NCAA champi on and 2018 national college player of the year for Villanova, was averaging career-bests in points, assists, minutes (33.1) and free-throw percentage (89.9), while efficiently shoot ing 49% from the field. He was tied for fifth with Bernard King and Stephon Marbury for the most 25-plus point games by a Knick in their first 20, includ ing 30 or more points in his previous three games prior to playing the Pistons.

Brunson’s competitive nature was evident in the Knicks’ losses at the Garden to the Port land Trail Blazers (132-129) last Friday—an overtime defeat— and the Memphis Grizzlies (127-123) on Sunday. Brunson missed potential game-win ning shots in the final seconds versus both teams as he kept the Knicks close in those games with remarkable shot making, a skill he has displayed all season.

“Two shots that I’ve made a lot of in my career. And I just rushed ‘em. Plain and simple, just rushed it,” said Brunson of his misses against Portland and Memphis “My teammates and coaches have a lot of trust in me…and that hurts when I can’t pull through for them. That hurts.”

“Take your shot. That’s his bread and butter, he got where he wanted to be,” said Thibodeau after the loss to the Grizzlies, who were led by the incredible Ja Morant’s 27 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

It’s still a small sample size, but all signs are positive that the Knicks have finally resolved their point guard issues.

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has performed at an All-Star level early in the season averaging 21.8 points and 6.7 assists prior to the Knicks playing the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night on the road (Bill Moore photo)

Forward Julius Randle led the Knicks with 36 points on Tuesday in a 140-110 road win over the Detroit Pistons before facing the Milwaukee Bucks at home last night (Wednesday) (Bill Moore photo)

NYC women’s hoop teams rev up for conference play

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Women’s college basketball is under way and the Division I teams in New York City are all working hard. Thanksgiving weekend provided the opportunity to take on new opponents and hone their skills for conference action.

In the Bronx, Manhattan College is 2–4. The Jaspers traveled to Phoenix, Arizona last weekend for the GCU Thanksgiving Classic. On Friday, they defeated Linden wood 69–53, and on Saturday they were edged by North Dakota 59–65. Next up for Manhattan is the Battle of the Bronx

when it takes on Fordham this Saturday.

The Bronx’s other team, Fordham Uni versity, is under a new head coach. After four years as an assistant coach, Candice Green became interim head coach in July. Expectations are high for the Rams. In the last 11 seasons, Fordham had eight post season appearances, including two trips to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basket ball Tournament. The team is 4–3 after the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.

In Brooklyn, Long Island University re turned from a trip to California 2–5. The team’s top scorer is Emaia O’Brien, who is averaging 13 points per game. The Sharks take on Hofstra University on Saturday.

Also, in Brooklyn, the St. Francis Col lege Terriers recently marked their final game at their home for the past 51 years, 180 Remsen Street. Starting with this academic year, the college moved to a new location. The women’s basket ball team is currently 1–6. Alyssa Fisher is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 17.2 points per game.

Wagner College on Staten Island did not travel for Thanksgiving weekend. The Seahawks faced off with Hofstra, winning 76–68. Wagner’s top offensive presence is Kem Nwabudu, who is aver aging 10.6 points per game. Wagner takes on Saint Peter’s tonight on home court.

St. John’s University in Queens is unde feated 6–0. Guard Kadaja Bailey is av eraging 15.2 points per game. The Red Storm’s Big East conference action starts on Friday at Butler.

Columbia University in Manhattan packed the early part of the season with non-conference road games, including sweet revenge over Seton Hall Universi ty, which knocked the Lions out of last spring’s WNIT. Following its two wins at the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament, Columbia is 5–2. The team’s top scorer is junior guard Abbey Hsu, who is aver aging 15.5 points per game. Columbia takes on Marist tonight on home court.

St. John’s track and field prepares for indoor season

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

St. John’s University kicks off indoor track and field season on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Youree Spence Garcia Invitational, which will be held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island. It will be a busy few days for director of track and field/cross country Aliann Pompey, a four-time Olympian who currently serves as presi dent of the Panam Sports Ath letes’ Commission. Just prior to the opening meet, she will attend the Panam Sports Ath letes’ forum.

“Overall, I think our season is going to be great,” said Pompey. “We had initially 22 new people come in. Typically, on a big year we bring in eight or nine. Then we’ll have tryouts and maybe we’ll add one to three more people. It’s been incredibly busy. It was a huge adjustment

period for obvious reasons. We have a lot more international kids [nine countries plus the U.S.]. With this class we have probably the highest caliber of class coming in.”

Some of the sprinters already have highly competitive times and there’s a middle distance runner from Turkey who can vie for top placements. Among the top returners are sprinters Brooklyn Chestnut and Tatya na McKenzie.

“We’re starting off pretty well, and we’re hoping that not only translates to a really good indoor season, but that it also helps with our recruiting be cause we want to continue to bring in these high caliber ath letes,” Pompey said. “We want to not just compete in the Big East, but we’re deliberately, purposefully pulling out all the stops to try to win the Big East Conference meet and take more people to NCAA Region

als and NCAA Finals.”

There are also some new faces on the track and field staff. Vol unteer assistant coach Michael Robinson works with the sprint ers. Volunteer assistant coach Kawan Lovelace, an Olympian in the triple jump, works with the jumpers. Bob Sorenson will be the pole vault coach.

“More this year than any other year, we’ve had to rely on our captains to be that bridge be tween not just us and them, but the transition,” said Pompey. “I can’t sing the praises of the cap tains [Chestnut, Meghan Ladd, Samantha Morillo-Martinez and Hannah Huleatt] enough. I feel like they did a lot of the good work that needed to be done with getting everybody integrat ed into a routine.

“We all feel really good about the season,” she adds. “The key thing is making sure everybody stays healthy and positive, and we’re good to go.”

Brooklyn Chestnut

Forward Kem Nwabudu is leading Wagner in scoring (Wagner Athletics photo)

Alyssa Fisher of St. Francis plays in one of the Terriers’ final games at Remsen Street (St. Francis Athletics photos)

Tatyana McKenzie (St. John’s Athletics photos)

Sports

Mike White leads the Jets to a morale-boosting win

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

Jets head coach Robert Saleh had to bench Zach Wilson after his terrible per formance versus the New England Patri ots two Sundays ago. The second-year quarterback was just 9-22 for 77 yards passing in a crushing 10-3 loss in which the Jets gave up an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown to rookie Marcus Jones with five seconds remaining.

Afterwards, Wilson took no accountabili ty in his postgame press conference that re portedly angered many of his teammates. Saleh’s move to backup Mike White turned out to be just what the Jets needed. Facing the Chicago Bears at home at MetLife Sta dium on Sunday, White energized both the offense in heavy rain, throwing for 315 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-10 win.

White’s teammates slapped him on his helmet, shoulder pads and gave him cele bratory dap all afternoon. His production and the victory boosted the Jets’ spirits and gave the team hope, even if White’s big day came against a beat-up Bears secondary,

that the offense could give them enough points to support a Super Bowl caliber de fense in the weeks ahead.

The Jets are 7-4 and behind the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, both 8-3, in the AFC East division. They are the No. 7 seed overall in the AFC, which would make them a wildcard team if the season ended today. But it doesn’t and the Jets still have six more games to play in a tough remain ing schedule starting with the 9-2 Minne sota Vikings on the road this Sunday.

White took the Jets down the field on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the game against the Bears, throwing an eight-yard TD pass to rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The Jets were up 17-10 at half time then outscored the Bears 14-0 in the third quarter. The defense shut out the 3-9 Bears in the second half, who were playing without their electric secondyear quarterback Justin Fields, who sep arated his shoulder on Nov. 20 in a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

“I thought today was a complete team win,” said White. “The defense dominated and flew around the field and made plays.

We ran well when we needed to. The guys were running hard. I felt like it’s a complete team win.”

Saleh was expectedly satisfied with how White guided the offense.

“He did a great job,” Saleh said. “We just wanted him to play within himself and play efficiently, especially in the [bad weather]. He made it look easy. I thought he did a really good job with that.”

White, 27, was first drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round after playing college ball at South Florida and Western Kentucky. He has been on the Jets roster since 2019, includ ing being on the practice squad. White made his first career start against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8 last season filling in for an injured Wilson, passing for 405 yards with three touch downs and two interceptions. He was named the AFC Offen sive Player of the Week.

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

After not playing since Thanks giving day, a 28-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants will encounter another challenging National Football Conference East Division opponent on Sunday when the 7-5 Washing ton Commanders come into MetLife Stadium. After starting the season an abysmal 1-4, the Commanders have won six of their last seven games and bring a three-game winning streak to New Jersey. Conversely, the Giants began 6-1 but have dropped three of their last four games.

Four of the Giants’ last six games are versus division foes—two with the Commanders and two against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants have finished their home-andhome series with the Cowboys, losing 23-16 in Week 3 at MetLife Stadium. The 10-1 Eagles have the best record in the NFL and are the league’s only team with just a single defeat. The 8-3 Cowboys are in second place in the division while

the Giants and Commanders are third and fourth respectively.

The Giants are currently the No. 6 seed in the NFC and the Commanders No. 7. Seven teams from each conference—the Ameri can Football Conference is the other— make the postseason, which will include the four division winners and three wild card entries. So each of the Giants’ remain ing games will have playoff implications either altering seedings or bids.

“I think December, when you play mean ingful games in December, I think that’s why we all do this,” said Giants head coach Brian Daboll to the media on Tuesday. “You go all the way back to OTAs [organized team ac tivities] and to preseason and the beginning part of the season; now you’re in December.

“And I’ve been on teams that have played meaningful games in December, and I’ve been part of teams that haven’t,” Daboll ex panded. “It’s not a lot of fun when you’re not playing meaningful games. So, let’s come to work with a great attitude, a positive mind set. Keep getting better. And you focus on the week’s opponent—that’s how you have to do it. But they’re important games now.”

The Giants, like so many other teams in the league at this juncture of the season,

are trying to navigate and manage a pleth ora of injuries. Safety Xavier McKinney, who was the defensive signal caller for coordinator Wink Martindale’s unit, suf fered an injured hand in an ATV accident in Mexico during the Giants bye-week (Week 9) in early November and has not played since Oct. 30, a 27-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But this week McKin ney told ESPN week he expects to return sometime this season.

Because McKinney was placed on the non-football injury list on Nov. 7, he cannot be designated to return until after this Sunday’s game. The Giants are optimistic tight-end Daniel Bellinger will be back in the lineup against the Commanders. He’s been sidelined with an injured eye-sock et that occurred on Oct. 23 in the Giants’ 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Giants safety Xavier McKinney, who injured his hand in an ATV accident in Mexico during the Giants byeweek, hopes to return before the end of the regular season (Bill Moore photo)

Jets quarterback Mike White, starting in place of the benched Zach Wilson, passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday in a 31-10 win over the Chicago Bears (Bill Moore photo)