New York Amsterdam News - Issue May 18-24, 2023

BILL PERKINS 1949–2023

Okay, Penny’s been arrested—but who were the other two who restrained Jordan Neely?

(See story on page 3)

Two NYC families searching for missing 11- and 13-year-old boys

(See story on page 3)

photos)

False narratives: How social media divides Asian and Black communities

(See story on page 6)

Former councilmember and state senator advocate for civil and human rights, joins the ancestors at 74

(See story on page 30)

©2023 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City

(Illustration by Megan Alodie)

Alfa Ousmane Barrie & Warren Garrett (Contributed

(Ariama C. Long photo)

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International News

AFRICAN MIGRANTS FINDING SANCTUARY IN MAINE

of Africa. With specific knowledge of Angolan and Congolese history, he’s been explaining to local Mainers the historical, political, and economic roots of the state’s refugee crisis.

It’s a crisis driven by European colonialism, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and—more recently—various regime change operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and elsewhere that fueled political discord and empowered brutal political leaders, he says.

“I will say, there are humane policies here,” said Kuanzambi. “Some of my American friends have called them lenient policies.”

Last year, with some 400 migrant families in hotels, it was reported that the Greater Portland Council of Governments would raise $1.5 million to build 200 transitional units for migrant families over the next two years.

(GIN) – An African migrant crisis in southern Maine?

Newly arrived asylum seekers have been overwhelming several Maine cities, straining municipal budgets to the breaking point. Surprisingly to some, many of the migrants are from Africa, according to Luc Kuanzambi, a Congolese refugee.

Kuanzambi is the founder of Xenos Communications Consulting and a former aide to foreign governments in the sub-Saharan region

“People are connected, because of the service that they’ve received here, because of their families. Some have family roots here, some have just people that they know [who] speak their language, and their culture,” added Mufalo Chitam, executive director of the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition.

More so than most states, Maine provides welfare benefits to asylum seekers who arrive in the state, including general assistance through municipal governments, state-run welfare programs,

housing benefits, and education. The legislature is also considering a proposal that would allow asylum seekers, refugees, and even illegal immigrants to receive free and low-cost healthcare. Maine is home to a community of Somali Bantus who are practicing sustainable farming at the 30-acre New Roots Cooperative, using traditional methods from Somalia.

Meanwhile, at the southern border, more than 3,000 citizens of Senegal, Angola, Congo, Ghana, and neighboring countries requested humanitarian visas in Mexico during the first six months of 2022, compared to 1,901 requests in all of 2021, said Andres Ramirez, director of Mexico’s Refugee Commission (COMAR).

Wilner Metelus, president of the Citizen Committee in Defense of Naturalized and AfroMexicans, said an international commission is necessary to oversee what is happening at the southern Mexican border, which he described as a “living hell” for African and Haitian migrants.

The Mexican immigration enforcement agency has detained 1,436 African migrants who were either coming with smugglers or trying to avoid detection, in addition to those lawfully seeking refuge. Of those, 348 were minors or family units and were routed to the Children’s and Families Development agency.

See INTERNATIONAL on page 31

Merengue & Afro Dominican heritage

Jesús Chucho Garcia poses with staff and visitors to the Museo Nacional del Merengue Dominicano, Johnny Ventura

Arts & Entertainment Page 17

» Dance Page 18

» Film/TV Page 21

» Jazz Page 24

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

Classified Page 32

Editorial/Opinion Pages 12,13

Education Page 28

Go with the Flo Page 8

Health Page 16

In the Classroom Page 25

Nightlife Page 9

Religion & Spirituality Page 30

Sports Page 40

Union Matters Page 10

By JESÚS CHUCHO GARCIA Special to the

AmNews

Translated by KAREN JUANITA

CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Merengue is one of the greatest expressions of our national heritage, says Leon Campuzano Agüero, national sub-director of folklore at the Museo Nacional del Merengue Dominicano, Johnny Ventura.

Congressional approval for the creation of the Merengue Museum came in August 2021. The museum is set to display the works of the initial creators and icons of Dominican merengue like Billo Frómeta and Johnny Ventura, and the art forms’ latest generation of stars like Wilfre-

do Vargas and Juan Luis Guerra. Located at Calle Vicente Celestino Duarte No. 9 in Santo Domingo, the museum will detail the birth, development, and evolution of merengue. Agüero explained that the first Africans to come to the Americas, by way of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, came by way of the Dominican Republic. “The African footprint is present in our music, dance, and spirituality––as with the famous Congos of the Holy Spirit musical group [a UNESCO-recognized musical brotherhood centered on African spirituality] and the Gagá [African and Catholic religious rituals],” he said. The colonization of what we know

today as the Americas and the Caribbean began in Quisqueya (the current Dominican Republic) in October 1492, with the arrival of Christopher Columbus and his three ships. They heralded the barbarism that in less than half a century ended the lives of more than 10 million of the original peoples––the Caribs, Arawaks, Chibchas, Mayas, Incas, Seminoles, and Cherokee, among many others, according to historian and religious leader Bartolome de las Casas’ report, “A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies.”

The name Quisqueya was eliminated, and the name Hispaniola was arbitrarily chosen for the island. The resident Taíno, Arawak, and

Carib populations were subjected to brutal and dehumanizing exploitation in local gold mines. European invaders kidnapped thousands of Africans and exploited them in the gold mines too. Africans were also enslaved to raise cattle and work on the sugarcane plantations.

Faced with this situation, the Indigenous Enriquillo rose up. According to Afro Dominican activist Dario Solano, the Arawak resistance fighter, Enriquillo––whose original name was Guarocuya––led a 14-year war of resistance against the Spanish from the southwestern region of what is today known as the province of Bahoruco. Guarocuya was

Okay, Penny’s been arrested—but who were the other two that restrained Jordan Neely?

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

Last week, criminal justice advocates took a moment to celebrate the arrest and arraignment of 24-year-old white Marine Daniel Penny, who was seen in a video strangling 30-year-old Jordan Neely, a homeless Black man, to death on an F train in Manhattan on May 1.

Neely’s death has prompted numerous protests, while others have painted Penny as a vigilante hero, reported the Associated Press. Penny’s lawyers are claiming self-defense against second-degree manslaughter charges. A GofundMe was created for Penny’s legal defense that netted more than $2 million in donations.

Only Penny has been identified from the video as an assailant so far.

Many indicated that the journey to #JusticeforJordan was far from over, and that they wouldn’t stop until the other two subway passengers seen restraining Neely while he was choked were charged as well.

“The system is doing exactly what it is designed to do and that is to demonize Black men, and until we acknowledge that, nothing will change,” said Councilmember Althea Stevens at a New York City Council Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC) press conference at City Hall.

“They stood there for 15 minutes while someone choked [Neely] out and then we had bystanders come and hold his hands down. This was a public lynching,” said Stevens.

Stevens said that it is “unacceptable” that other commuters were either complicit or actively helping Penny. She feels that

people have been programmed and “numb” to accept the death of Black men in public via social media and videos.

BLAC Co-Chair and Councilmember Kevin Riley added that he saw three people committing a crime against Neely in the video, so he believes they all should answer. “When we’re in a state of humanity, you realize someone’s going through a mental health crisis [and you’re] witnessing a murder,” said Riley. “If we’re going to build a community in New York City and have safe spaces, we have to provide safe spaces for people.”

Chivona Newsome, who runs the Black Lives Matter Greater New York and Black Opportunities organizations, held a “celebratory” gathering near Foley Square on Thursday evening after hearing that the Manhattan district attorney had de-

Harlem shake-up: KRJ drops out of the running

By ARIAMA C. LONG

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

Freshman Councilmember

Kristin Richardson Jordan has decided not to run for reelection, leaving her Harlem seat in District 9 up for grabs in a highly scrutinized City Council race.

Jordan was sworn into office on December 29, 2021, and is just short of a year and five months into her two-year term. She made the announcement via Instagram on Tuesday, May 16, about a month before the June primary.

She had raised $78,128 in public funds and $22,213 in private campaign funds.

“As always, whether in a seat or not in a seat,” Jordan posted, “I am here and look forward to continuing to fight alongside you for community care, economic justice, abolition, liberation, and radical societal change.”

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, but raised in Harlem, Jordan is a third-generation Harlemite and the daughter of two Harlem Hospital physicians, according to her bio. A self-described socialist, she is a staunch teacher and activ-

ist. Still, she apparently has had a hard time transitioning into the “political wheeling and dealing” in the City Council.

Early in her term, she opposed a major real estate development on West 145th Street and got into a public feud with developer Bruce Teitelbaum. The move garnered praise from some for her stance on housing, but outright hatred from others. She also received a maelstrom of criticism for her views toward police after a shooting took place back in January 2022.

As the election began to ramp

cided to file charges against Penny. Newsome called it a small victory, and said the fact remains that the other two men in the video haven’t been identified or charged yet.

The funeral for Neely will be held this Friday, May 19, at 9:00 AM at 1883 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. It will be conducted by Neely’s family pastor, Rev. Dr. Johnnie Melvin Green Jr., and Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy.

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

Equinox loses racism/sexism discrimination case

Luxury fitness gym company Equinox was found to have discriminated against and unlawfully fired fitness trainer Röbynn Europe in a trial that ended earlier this week. When Europe worked as a trainer at Equinox’s East 92nd Street location, she said she was subjected to a hostile work environment.

In a case argued and won by the self-styled feminist litigation firm Crumiller P.C., Europe alleged that Equinox knew about the racist and sexually inappropriate behavior at the gym. Europe had complained to the gym’s general manager and the company’s human resources when a male subordinate, Christopher Maltman, made inappropriate comments to her. Instead of disciplining Maltman, however, the company fired Europe herself for “lateness,” even though some seven other managers at the Equinox on East 92nd Street regularly clocked in late and were never disciplined.

A jury of five women and three men found that Equinox was at fault and had fired Europe based on both her race and gender. Röbynn Europe was awarded $11,250,000 in the verdict: $1,250,000 in compensatory damages and $10,000,000 in punitive damages.

up, Jordan turned down questions about her campaign. In the past, she had told Amsterdam News that was because she preferred to remain focused on the work on the ground. However, a pattern of missing meetings, not being social with established political clubs and other electeds, and even turning down a candidate debate with her competitors two weeks ago, grew into a harrowing narrative that the councilmember was actively shirking her duties. This

Two NYC families searching for missing 11- and 13-year-old boys

By NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor

An all-out community allpoints bulletin has been issued in the NYC for missing 11-yearold Bronx boy, Alfa Ousmane Barrie, and Harlemite Garrett Warren, 13.

According to the New York City Police Department, Alfa was reported missing on Sunday, May 14, 2023. Warren was reported missing on Monday, May 15, 2023.

Police said that Barrie and Warren were last seen at a playground in Harlem, on Friday,

May 12, 2023. They were both last seen between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Following reports that two children were seen in the Harlem River, police were searching the river on Saturday and Tuesday.

Kadiatou Diallo contacted the Amsterdam News just after dawn on Tuesday morning to speak about the child’s disappearance. “We stand in solidarity with the family of Alfa, and pray for his safe return to his family,” Diallo said. “I call on everyone— the school, the police, the city of New York—to investigate this diligently and help us find Alfa.”

Diallo, founder of the Amadou Diallo Foundation, became an activist after the acquittal of the four cops charged in her son Amadou’s 41-bullet shooting death.

“No children should be in harm’s way when they go to school,” Diallo said. “I pray for all parents who are going through the same ordeal. We ask for prayers and support from the entire community to help the family during this very difficult time.”

A published report stated that Fatima Diallo thinks that her brother is with a friend, Garrett

Warren. They both have not been seen since Friday, when 42nd precinct police said the Bronx boys were sighted on 145th Street and Malcolm X Blvd., in Harlem.

Alfa is described as 5’2’’, approximately 100 pounds, last seen wearing a navy sweater with a “Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School” logo, gray pants, and gray sneakers.

Warren is described as 6’0” in height, and approximately 215 lbs. He was last seen wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt with a white t-shirt

“The civil justice system prevailed today,” Europe’s attorney Susan Crumiller said in a statement after the verdict was announced. “Equinox thought it could get away with its appalling behavior and a jury of New Yorkers said otherwise. This is not just a victory for our client, but for all Black women who have suffered that noxious combination of racism and sexism that is too often tolerated in the workplace. We could not be prouder of Röbynn for her relentless determination to hold Equinox accountable for its vile misogyny.”

Axel Tosca and the Jazz Ain’t Dead band

Take part in an exciting evening of music and dance by Grammy-nominated pianist Axel Tosca––known for his genre-bending mix of Afro-Cuban Jazz, Timba, and Swing music––and the Jazz Ain’t Dead band on Thursday, May 18, 6:30–9:30 p.m. at the Lady of Lourdes School Gym (468 W. 143rd St., Harlem, NY 10031) (https://www.eventbrite. com/e/jazz-aint-dead-a-jazz-swing-concertand-dance-tickets-633908225567?s=03).

Jazz Ain’t Dead, a young urban music and dance collective, will play both classic and nu-school Jazz, re-igniting the best standards of classic jazz into the updated rhythms of funk, soul, acid jazz, Latin, and house, while bringing new energy to the 21st-century jazz scene with hot, fresh originals and clever new arrangements of today’s hot music re-imagined into a new, classically “jazz-inspired” sound.

Harlem One Stop presents Tosca and the Jazz Ain’t Dead band in partnership with the Lady of Lourdes School at an event made

Jeffries calling for unanimity from Democrats on the debt ceiling

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

As Democrats got to the mat with Republicans on the debt ceiling, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is insisting that his members unanimously get behind a vote to lift it. Only by maximizing the pressure on such legislation, Jeffries contends, will the measure get through before the June 1 date of default.

On Wednesday, the Democrats introduced a discharge petition, a procedural resolution, with the hope of forcing a vote on a debt limit hike no matter the Republicans’ objections.

“I am hopeful that a real pathway exists to find an acceptable, bipartisan resolution

that prevents a default,” Jeffries stated in a letter to caucus members. “However, given the impending June 1 deadline and urgency of the moment, it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached.”

It is still questionable where the caucus members stand on the petition, and Jeffries is calling on all 213 members to endorse it. Getting all aboard would include a number of moderate-budget hawks who have expressed opposition.

Another stumbling block, even with unanimity from the Democrats, is the need for at least five Republicans to join them on the petition. Time is running out and the Democrats hope that market forces will assist them in getting the vote before the dead-

line, though at the moment such an outcome looks unlikely.

Given the urgency of the situation, President Biden has postponed his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea, apparently caving into criticism about leaving at a time like this. Biden said he is hopeful that he and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy can broker a deal by the end of the week. Then the Speaker will have to convince that coterie of Republicans to put him in charge by on the historic 15 ballots.

After a discussion between Biden and congressional leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer said it was “a good and productive meeting. There were honest, real discussions about the differences that we have on a whole variety of issues, but it was respectful.”

Past the Breaking Point: Asylum seeker crisis in NYC

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

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

The contentious federal order Title 42 ended in the U.S., stemming the flow of asylum seekers at the southern border. That had little effect, it seems, on New York City’s handling of how to effectively house people still arriving in the city by the hundreds.

“It’s definitely affecting people who are fleeing violence and other things happening in their country. Right now our main focus is to help those people that are already here because they are being welcomed with hate and hurtful words,” said Nelcy Garcia, who co-chairs Proyecto Faro Community Fridge in Rockland County, New York.

Garcia is originally from the Dominican Republic. She immigrated to the city when she was 15 years old, and worked hard to become a social worker and get U.S. citizenship. She said she feels incredibly targeted since Rockland County Executive Ed Day issued a state of emergency order that banned asylum seekers from being housed in northern municipalities while spewing racist rhetoric.

“We don’t have to be so divided. We have to come together,” said Garcia.

While Title 42 dates back to the 1940s, the provision was first used just three years ago. Former Presiden Donald Trump employed the policy at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to occlude southern border entry and expel migrants under the pretense of public health. Such a process circumvents the typical legal right to request asylum.

But 42 isn’t exclusive to 45. President Joe Biden inherited and maintained the policy up until recently, even as a federal judge struck it down last winter. While the filled NFL stadiums, lack of mask mandates, and anachronistic vaccine passports indicated

the country’s unofficial “end” to COVID-19 public health measures for some time now, Title 42 only expired last week.

In a continued and hurried response, Mayor Eric Adams has renewed calls to the state and federal government for additional support. He opened the city’s ninth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan last week. The hotel, which has been closed for nearly three years, will hold about 175 rooms for children and families seeking asylum—not nearly enough for the amount of people arriving that need to be provided shelter by city law.

“New York City has now cared for more than 65,000 asylum seekers — already opening up over 140 emergency shelters and eight large-scale humanitarian relief centers in addition to this one to manage this national crisis,” Adams said in a statement. “Without federal or state assistance, we will be unable to continue treating new arrivals and those already here with the dignity and care that they deserve.”

The Mayor’s Office reached out to city partners for potential emergency shelter sites through an email memo last Tuesday, May 9. They began commandeering school gyms, dorms, and other suitable city-run spaces as emergency sites to house asylum seekers this past weekend. A few impacted council members and residents are upset that they were given little notice as to where people would be placed in their districts.

Councilmember Sandy Nurse (District 37) serves the Cypress Hills, Bushwick, Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and East New York neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Parents whose children attend youth programming at the NYPD Community Center on Pennsylvania Avenue in her district were panicked when they were first told that the center might be closed down to house asylum seekers.

Nurse said that the real issue was that going into the summer months, these programs were necessary to promote public

safety in the surrounding community. The city did a walkthrough of the space, which isn’t configured for housing, and decided not to place people there. But she believes that at least three other new school gyms in the district may be taken over soon.

“The one thing we do need to be aware of is that the admin is doing this across the city, so there is every possibility that one of our school gyms will be converted into temporary shelter,” said Nurse.

The same situation is playing out on the opposite side of Brooklyn for Councilmember Ari Kagan (R-District 47). He serves Bensonhurst, Coney Island, and Gravesend. Kagan confirmed the school gym at PS 188 was closed to temporarily house about 75 migrant men and women. He learned that the city was moving people into the gym from a resident that posted on Facebook. He said the gym is possibly going to be used as an “overflow” space as more people arrive.

“Sometimes I’m getting more information from my own constituents than from City Hall,” said Kagan.

Kagan, who is an immigrant himself, said that the situation is not sustainable and that the federal government should be providing more assistance.

A Manhattan police facility retrofitted to house migrants short-term drew criticism from both homeless advocates and NYPD union Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (PBA) after they learned it would accommodate families earlier this month. Issues ranged from proper accommodations to a reportedly functional shooting range on-site.

“Yet another societal problem has landed in New York City police officers’ laps, and the ‘solution’ is terrible for everyone involved,” said outgoing PBA president Pat Lynch. “It is a significant security risk to house civilians in an active, working police facility, which means a large contingent of police officers

Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. intros healthcare for rail employees bill

“Every American worker should have the right to paid sick leave,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Payne has introduced the Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act, a bill to provide seven days of paid sick leave to railroad workers. “I am disappointed that the railroad industry did not provide this benefit on their own, especially when you consider it provides this benefit to railroad management,” Payne said.

“These workers risked their health during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep food and medicine on store shelves. They deserve paid leave to care for their own health. When employees come to work sick, they threaten the health and safety of their coworkers. This bill would allow them to take care of their health without worrying about their income.”

Payne represents New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, which consists of portions of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties, and includes the cities of Newark and Orange. The subcommittee has influence over national infrastructure and all modes of transportation, including aviation and mass transit.

Transit to Trails Act reintroduced

There has been a second push to get the Transit to Trails Act passed. Reintroduced in the Senate and House by its sponsors, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and California Rep. Jimmy Gomez, the Transit to Trails Act is an effort to create a program that awards grants to groups that can provide transportation from critically underserved urban and rural communities to the countries’ green spaces.

“Due to unjust, racist policies such as redlining and economic segregation, communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in nature-deprived places,” said the nonprofit Wilderness Society. “Seventy-four percent of communities of color in the contiguous United States live in nature-deprived areas, compared with just 23 percent of white communities.”

“Getting out in nature is essential for our mental health and physical wellbeing, especially for our children. But many cities are built in a way that makes America’s national parks and public lands inaccessible for underserved communities,” Gomez said in a statement. “Everyone deserves access to green spaces, not just those who can afford to drive to them. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Senator Booker on this legislation that will remove barriers between our cities and our parks to ensure everyone, regardless of their ZIP code, can enjoy the beautiful outdoors.”

Architect Dwayne Dancy is building something big

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

There was no blueprint for a young Dwayne Dancy to become an architect. He couldn’t draw well. He wasn’t great at math. And he didn’t know anyone in the profession. Beyond Dancy’s own childhood limitations, Black architects made up roughly 1% of those licensed when he was a student.

But he boasted a brilliant creative eye as a youngster. It didn’t always apply to buildings—in the fourth grade, Dancy vividly recalls putting together his first day of school fit: a red turtleneck accompanied by acidwashed Bugle Boy jeans and a pair of red Champions. Such an eye netted him “best dressed” superlatives in both middle and high school.

When his mom jettisoned him to trade school—and away from his friends—Dancy came across architectural drafting. He took to it like water.

“I couldn’t draw very well, but I was very good at drafting and at design—putting things together,” said Dancy. “[My] teacher came up and said [I] should really consider doing this. I found out how much they could potentially make. It’s not like that when we get into it, but I found out how much you could potentially make and

I [went] for it.”

Roughly two decades into the field, Dancy is now his own boss, running Isoparm Design Group down in DUMBO. The firm works on both commercial and residential projects spanning multiple eastern states.

Dancy’s work in Brooklyn also includes teaching his craft as a City Tech adjunct. His own academic journey led to both an HBCU and Ivy League pedigree, snagging a bachelor’s from Howard and a master’s from Columbia. But he was largely taught a Eurocentric curriculum of architecture, even at a historically-Black college, with a heavy emphasis on Greek temples and columns—Doric, ionic, the whole shebang.

Dancy is well aware of the racial disparities in the field. But his identity informs his work—one current bluechip project involves designing a waterfront skyscraper in South Carolina’s Atlantic Beach, an historical Myrtle Beach enclave for the descendants of the West African Gullah-Geechee people. Another involves drafting up a Black masonic lodge in New Haven, just a throw’s distance from the hospital where Dancy was born.

“People want a different voice and they want creativity,” he said. “You don’t want to be the best Black architect, you want to be the best architect in general. You try to be extremely creative, turn things upside down, shake it [and] test the boundaries.

“There’s a fine line between something being complicated and complex. You want to walk that line and I’m just trying to tell them a lot of the experiences that I’ve had, and I think I’ve been doing a pretty bang up job for them so far.”

And teaching at City Tech allows Dancy to help others find such a voice. It’s not his first stint in the classroom—that would be his time as a teaching assistant at Columbia. But this opportunity is different.

“With the City Tech students, they’re [primarily] Black and brown faces,” he said. “I’m trying to teach them [about] the extra hurdles that we may have to go through or just judgment. It’s not a blame game, I just push that they put their best foot forward…I’m really trying to push all of the things that have happened to me, things that other people from other walks [of life] might not be able to relate to.

“A Black architect 100% goes through a different walk from what everyone else goes through.”

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

Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (Final EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

Federal Highway Administration

Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority

New York State Department of Transportation

New York City Department of Transportation

Central Business District Tolling Program

The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA, an affiliate of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) are issuing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) (pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1501.6 and §1506.6) for the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program (the Project). The purpose of the Project is to reduce traffic congestion in the CBD in a manner that will generate revenue for future transportation improvements, pursuant to acceptance of the Project into FHWA’s Value Pricing Pilot Program. In compliance with applicable regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality and FHWA pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), respectively, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, the Final EA was prepared to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of, and identify any mitigation measures for, the Project, in consideration of public and agency input, and responds to comments received from the public and agencies on the EA that was published in August 2022. FHWA intends to apply Title 23 United States Code (USC) § 139(l), Limitations on Claims, to any decision it may issue with respect to the proposed public transportation project.

As a project requiring FHWA approval, the Project is subject to the requirements of Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (now codified in 23 U.S.C. §138 and 49 U.S.C. §303), and the FHWA implementing regulations, 23 CFR Part 774. In accordance with the applicable regulations, and as documented in the Final EA, the FHWA makes a de minimis impact finding for the Section 4(f) use of Central Park and the High Line by the Project.

Availability of the Final EA and Draft FONSI

The official 30-day public availability period for the Final EA and draft FONSI for the Project will begin on May 12, 2023 and will end on June 12, 2023. The draft FONSI and Final EA will be available to the public online at mta.info/CBDTP, and in hardcopy at TBTA, NYSDOT, and NYCDOT offices and FHWA division offices in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In-person assistance with accessing the documents online will be available at specific libraries throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. For the list of locations where the documents are available, visit mta.info/CBDTP or contact the CBDTP Team at 646-252-7440.

False Narratives: How social media divides Asian and Black communities

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

There’s no “All Lives Matter” counterpart to the Stop Asian Hate movement, but right-wing talking heads like Tucker Carlson and Andrew Sullivan are part of a larger movement that is fomenting a blame-game against Black Americans for the uptick of racist harassment and violence against Asian Americans after the first confirmed COVID-19 infection in Wuhan, China about three years ago.

Dr. Janelle Wong, a co-director of the nonprofit AAPI Data and Asian American studies professor at the University of Maryland, says that a majority of known attackers are white despite the overrepresentation of Black perpetrators by the news.

“The most recent data I could find on the race of perpetrators in hate crimes showed that 75% of the perpetrators of violent antiAsian hate crimes were white,” said Wong. “And that was in sharp contrast to what was being reported in the mainstream media… One of the things that also occurred after I published those statistics—there were a lot of people who were spending a lot of time trying to ‘prove’ to me that the perpetrators were, in fact, Black and not white, when it came to violent anti-Asian hate crimes.”

When it comes to policy—namely, affirmative action—Asian Americans have been increasingly used as a wedge to stoke infighting among communities of color, according to the nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles. And there’s plenty of money behind it.

Citizens for Sanity and American First Legal two nonprofits aligned with former Trump administration advisor Stephen Miller—spent millions of dollars on ads and outreach mailers promoting narratives falsely accusing the “left” of ignoring anti-Asian violence and promoting Asian American-Pacific Islander (AAPI) exclusion through Critical Race Theory and diversity initiatives.

“Black on Asian” violence trope arrives in the Big Apple

With the COVID-19 pandemic came the scapegoating of not only Chinese-Americans, but almost the entire community after the first known case of the novel coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China, during winter of 2019. Then former President Donald Trump called the disease the “China Virus” and soon Asian Americans across the nation re -

ported experiencing racism, from passing comments or being coughed on to outright harassment and violence

There was a clear and dramatic increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans after the COVID-19 pandemic here in New York City. Just one anti-Asian hate crime was tallied by the NYPD in 2019. In 2020, there were 28 and in 2021, there were 133. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office reported that 44 of its 122 outstanding hate crime cases involve anti-Asian incidents as of Jan. 6 this year— by far the highest of any group.

When two Asian American women—Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee—were brutally and senselessly murdered last year by unhoused Black New Yorkers, a “Black on Asian” crime trope exploded in AAPI social media spaces thanks to seeds previously planted by the 2021 murder of 84-year-old Thai immigrant Vicha Ratanapakdee. And since then, it’s never really gone away.

A disinformation researcher from Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)—who

wishes to remain anonymous due to safety concerns—told the AmNews that viral videos and posts depicting harassment and violence against Asian Americans are frequently shared through pan-Asian social media channels like multi-platform website Asian Dawn and Reddit.com community r/AznIdentity.

She said these spaces often see themselves as serving the Asian American community, given the historic underrepresentation of AAPI issues in “mainstream” media.

“It often starts with just a broad description, and then they quickly isolate the salient factors to them that are the most important,” said the AAJC researcher. “We’ll often see headlines like, ‘Oh, another instance of Black on Asian crime,’ ‘Another Black attacker’—[those] sorts of very misleading and racist and stereotypical messaging and rhetoric.”

For example, a stabbing at a Utica high school last fall quickly proliferated through social media as a “Black on Asian” crime

despite the initial attempts by local news to keep the students’ identities anonymous because the perpetrator was a minor. A Twitter video of the incident went viral and soon, far-right personalities like Andy Ngo shared the post to their online audiences. Asian Dawn soon reported the story under the headline “Asian Student Hospitalized After Getting Stabbed by Black Student,” in addition to resharing the video to its 18,000 Twitter followers. Comments were often openly anti-Black, ranging from citing specious crime statistics to overt racism.

Another factor fueling the finger-pointing game is the often-impossible distinction between targeted anti-Asian violence and violence that happens to be against Americans of Asian descent, opening the door for “concern trolling.” A hate crime conviction usually serves as a veritable benchmark, but that burden of proof is significantly higher than for the average crime.

“The hate crime statute requires us to prove that the act was taken in substantial

(Illustration by Megan Alodie)

As

José Tavarez President, Bank of America New York City

Go with the Flo

Malcolm X birthday annual Black Power “Shut Em Down!” march & rally, May 19

By AMADI AJAMU Special to the AmNews

Talk show host Sherri Shepherd showed off her double-dutch skills on live television May 15 when she welcomed the international organization 40 + Double Dutch Club and jumped in to join the fun. The ladies made her their new member, presenting her with a Tshirt with her name and age on it. Taped live in New York City in front of a live studio audience, her show is produced and distributed by Debmar-Mercury…

Former First Daughter Sasha Obama graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) on May 12 with a degree in sociology. Sasha’s parents, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, and her sister Malia were on hand for the proud day. According to multiple reports, Sasha transferred to USC after her freshman year at the University of Michigan. Malia also lives in Los Angeles, where she works with Donald Glover and co-wrote “Swarm.” The sisters share an apartment and their mom says they are “best friends.”…

Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson, who currently stars on “The Game,” will co-host the LA Focus 25th First Ladies High Tea, which will honor Grammy Award-winner Yolanda Adams with the Legacy Award on May 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Other notable attendees scheduled to be at the event include LA Mayor Karen Bass, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Curren Price. Gospel legend Tramaine Hawkins will perform. Lisa Collins is the founder and publisher of L.A. Focus newspaper, a syndicated columnist, writer, and former Billboard magazine columnist…

ASCAP Experience, ASCAP’s signature event created to inspire, educate, and connect aspiring songwriters and composers everywhere, will be held in Los Angeles as a reimagined one-day live edition on June 21. The creator summit will feature popular sessions with a hitmaking lineup including chart-topping songwriters Sarah Hudson and Leon Thomas III, and more to be announced…

The 33rd annual Malcolm X Black Power “Shut Em Down!” Rally and March will take place on Friday, May 19, 2023. This yearly action commemorates and shows respect for the legacy of Malcolm X—El Hajj Malik El Shabazz—on the anniversary of his birth.

All businesses along the 125th Street main corridor in Harlem will shut down between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Demonstrators will assemble at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building at 12 p.m. in Harlem.

Malcolm taught us that Black people have a fundamental human right to self-determination. His lessons ring truer than ever in a Harlem whose population makeup he would not recognize. As with many Black communities around the country, Harlem is being ethnically cleansed.

“It is important that we gather on May 19 to show by our deeds that we have learned from and are guided by Malcolm’s teachings,” said December 12th Movement member Kamau Brown.

“This is an especially im-

portant lesson for our youth, who are always amazed and inspired by the closing of the stores’ gates, and seeing that we can exercise some control over our community. The same discipline and unity that makes the shutdown work is the same discipline and unity necessary for our community to fight for and obtain reparations on one hand— and ‘Stop the Killing,’ in our streets on the other.

“Our peoples’ unrelenting resistance has kept us alive and fighting back through the years. We will never give up. We have learned from our ancestors that our war is against poverty, economic terrorism, and police brutality. Our fight is for quality healthcare [and] housing, and against cultural genocide. A struggle for human rights and against capitalist greed. We are revitalized through action and purpose when we study our history, and fearlessly step forward and fight for our human rights,” Brown concluded.

For more information, contact the Malcolm X New Millennium Committee and the December 12th Movement at 718-398-1766 or www.D12M.com

(Nayaba Arinde photo)

(Nayaba Arinde photo)

(Bill Moore photos)

Mother’s Day extravaganza

School Chancellor David Banks talks abouts ‘NYC Reads Program’ at NAN rally

Rev. Al Sharpton welcomed NYC School Chancellor David Banks to the weekly National Action Network (NAN) rally to speak about the “NYC Reads Program” and the “science of reading,” a new program to teach reading

in public schools. Sharpton also spoke about the first anniversary of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, and the death of Jordan Neely in the city subway. Prayers were given for the victims’ families.

What happened, Ms. Anita Baker?

Rarely if ever has the word “disappointing” been associated with the name Anita Baker. Yet it does occur, as proven on Wednesday, May 10, as even the most ardent fans of the artist came away with that feeling upon exiting Newark’s Prudential Center.

News about the ongoings in the venue started to grow from a loud murmur inside the house to becoming a news item of national proportions. It began when fans who adhered to the 7:00 p.m. time that was on the ticket wandered about the lobby for roughly a half-hour before being able to go to their seats, where we sat for another roughly 80 minutes awaiting the supporting act, Babyface, for at least an hour after an announcement.

Observant watchers noticed the instruments slowly being removed until we got the official word. A brother named Jay, from the venue or Live Nation, the concert promoters, stepped out and said, “First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. We did have some technical difficulties tonight. However, Ms. Baker isn’t going anywhere, ya’ll. She’s coming out tonight. Unfortunately, because of these delays, Ms. Baker wanted to be sure that she gave ya’ll the best that she could give.”

Wait, here it comes: “Unfortunately, Babyface will no longer be performing. I deeply, deeply apologize.”

Babyface took to social media with a message for his supporters,saying, “I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at the Prudential Center. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”

He later in the week added more clarity with, “As advanced as technology is today, we are sometimes at its mercy. The video wall was unfortunately not working that day, and time wasn’t on our side. I am incredibly sorry to the fans and have nothing but love and respect for Anita. I am very much looking forward to continuing our tour together.”

Anita herself added to the timeline by adding her take. “The

TECH/Video Wall/Glitched,” she tweeted Thursday. “Caused a Delay. Live Nation/Producers took responsibility…I/We/Us went Onstage, anyway. Late…but Love PREVAILED.”

Admittedly once the band hit and she grabbed the mic, the mood changed for the better for the duration of her set, minus a few miscues with the soundman. As the thousands of patrons filed out, though, you can hear the rumbles of refund requests, because that ticket was a pretty penny and fans didn’t get their full value. The Twitterverse spotted an ally for the audience in another powerhouse vocalist as Stephanie Mills opined, “We have got to be better than this! I am saddened by the fact that you have to make this statement. One would think as older artists who are considered “Iconic” and/or “Legendary,” we would treat each other with respect and dignity. @Babyface We can tour together.”

The “day ones” of Baker had another bone of contention for the night: Those were the fans mentioned in the opening sentence who bought their seats pre-sale, before the whole tour package was revealed. They were sold on the prospect of celebrating Baker’s 40 years as a music icon in the industry since the release of her debut album, “The Songstress,” was released in 1983. These dates were to mark the first time she has been on a full tour since 1995 and the first time “The Songstress” would be performing her classic hits live since winning back the rights to her masters.

Maybe we misinterpreted what was going on and had way too high expectations. We went in thinking that while requesting a song from her days as a member of the group Chapter 8 would be a big ask, we did feel that for all the times we had to scream, “Caught Up in the Rapture” was a sophomore album. As great as it was, it fell a little short of what the debut album brought to the table; this was our night. That gem of an album was getting the live shine it so richly deserves! Nope, we got one joint! One joint!

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. C’est la vie. Over and out, y’all. Holla next week. ’Til then, enjoy the nightlife.

Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs celebrates Mother’s Day with the moms of East Harlem. There was food, music, and roses for the mothers of his As-

sembly District 68. Special awards were given to super-moms Aischa Johnson, Sen. Cordell Cleare, and Latasha Gibbs.

(Bill Moore photo)

(Bill Moore photo)

Union Matters

ChatGPT/AI is coming for the workplace

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Microsoft, in its latest “Work Trend Index” report, promises that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work is the technology that’s going to make all of our jobs easier.

The company says it has found that the constant inflow of data, emails, meetings, and notifications workers must deal with daily has placed us all in a “digital debt.” Since humans cannot physically and mentally keep up with such onslaughts of information, AI technology is at the ready to assist.

“Across the Microsoft 365 apps,” the report states, “the average employee spends 57% of their time communicating (in meetings, email, and chat) and 43% creating (in documents, spreadsheets, and presentations). The heaviest email users (top 25%) spend 8.8 hours a week on email, and the heaviest meeting users (top 25%) spend 7.5 hours a week in meetings.”

Microsoft proposes an “AI-employee alliance” which would provide workers more time to focus on important tasks and give them real opportunities to enhance their creativity.

The company says it believes the impact of AI will be evident by the year 2030. “When asked what changes they value most, people imagined producing high-quality work in half the time (33%), being able to understand the most valuable ways to spend their time (26%) and energy (25%), and never having to mentally absorb unnecessary or irrelevant information again (23%).”

Microsoft is, of course, the financial backer of the startup research firm Open AI, the company that created the artificial intelligent systems ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, and GPT-3. This past January, Microsoft announced it had provided OpenAI with a “multiyear, multibillion dollar investment to accelerate AI breakthroughs.”

But contrary to Microsoft’s rosy outlook on the promises of AI, many workers have been concerned about AI’s ability to imitate human-like intelligence. If the future means we will see AI-programmed robots who are capable of doing human jobs, workers are wondering where they will fit in.

During a May 16 hearing of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, OpenAI’s CEO Samuel Altman for the most part agreed that elements of AI will have to be regulated. Altman said, “regulatory intervention by governments will be critical to mitigate the risks of increasingly powerful models.”

The OpenAI CEO even suggested the U.S. government should create a new regulatory agency to monitor AI and its licensing and

testing requirements. He said, “If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong. We want to be vocal about that. We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening.”

“The basic question we face is whether or not this issue of AI is a quantitative change in technology or a qualitative change. The suggestions that I’ve heard from experts in the field suggest it’s qualitative,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) said during the hearing. “I’ve heard of the positive potential of AI, and it is enormous. You can go through lists of the deployment of technology that would say that an idea you sketch for a website on a napkin could create functioning code. Pharmaceutical companies could use the technology to identify new candidates to treat disease. The list goes on. And then, of course, the danger, and it’s profound as well.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advised that “Perhaps the biggest nightmare is the looming new industrial revolution, the displacement of millions of workers, the loss of huge numbers of jobs.”

Yet, just a month prior to the senate hearing, Jessica O. Matthews, founder and CEO of the software company, Uncharted, told attendees at an AfroTech Executive event in Seattle, Wa that AI is nothing to be afraid of.

“You should not be afraid of AI, you should be afraid of the people who are building it,” Matthews declared. “AI, artificial intelligence, .. it’s kind of like a child; it’s like a robot baby. ChatGPT is at best a sassy 7-year-old, and we all know that 7-yearold … [who] recently grew up with all the social media platforms and be out here talking to you like they grown. And you’re like, well damn girl, you grown. No, they’re just online.

“Do not ... have this 7-year-old do your taxes. It might go well sometimes––until it does not.”

Matthews said the problem with AI is that it needs to be demystified. It’s basically a code that has the ability to learn. It’s often explained as an algorithm, which can sound scary, but algorithms are basically processes, she clarified. “If you have a process for anything, that’s an algorithm … And all it actually comes down to is how are you teaching that [process] to an artificial intelligence? How are you teaching that to this robot baby so that it can start to do that for you?”

If the only people with access to teaching AI robot babies have intentional or unintentional biases, they are “framing the way that this child should observe and respond to the world,” Matthews said, and that is what we should fear.

Contrary to Microsoft’s rosy outlook on the promises of AI, many workers have been concerned about AI’s ability to imitate human-like intelligence. If the future means we will see AI-programmed robots who are capable of doing human jobs, workers are wondering where they will fit in.

Books and reading

Two years ago when Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed plans to cut library funding, there was a massive outcry. That scream is once again echoing across the city and we are still not sure where Mayor Eric Adams is on this issue: did he walk back his plan to cut more than $36 million from the budget?

Mr. Mayor, we need to discuss where we are on this matter because it is of grave importance in all 50 districts and their libraries, particularly as it pertains to staffing, hours of operation, and book acquisitions.

On the related matter of books and reading, we are equally interested in your plans to improve reading among our grade-school children where it was reported that half of the children in grades three to eight are not proficient in reading. And that Black, Latino, and low-income children are faring even worse.

It’s good to hear that Schools Chancellor David Banks is on the case with a plan to remedy a condition that handicaps children in their educational learning.

There is an obvious connection between libraries, books, and reading and to cut opportunities to acquire one while limiting the other is a blatant contradiction.

Keeping our libraries open and increasing the literary skills of our young people, Mayor Adams, should be uppermost on your agenda—and your budget.

The club no one wants to join

By KIMBERLY DAVIS

If you never have to see your child in a casket, consider yourself blessed. My life has been turned upside-down since my only child, Kimoni Davis, was killed by police brutality. I became a member of the club nobody wants to join. I call this the “Parents Grief Club” and although I’m not asking for your pity, I’m asking for your empathy.

I definitely was not the first in the club and sadly more members come daily. Unfortunately, the only pandemic people speak of is COVID-19, but if we are real with ourselves, the Black and brown communities have been dealing with a pandemic of gun violence in our communities for several decades.

It’s common for our society to hear and see bloodshed. We speak about the shootings committed by law enforcement and the lack

of justice families receive, but we do not speak about the violence within our community. I don’t talk about Black on Black crime because there’s no such thing: Crime is crime, and it does not have a race. Why are we not talking about how the guns are infiltrating our communities and landing in the hands of the misguided?

Growing up in the late ’70s, I remember a peaceful time when our neighborhoods were filled with families, businesses, parks, and plenty of things for children to do. Today, a great majority of those families are broken. Momand-Pop stores turned commercial, and the parks have become dangerous. In the city once filled with activities for children, public spaces in our community are now breeding grounds for crime. Our neighborhoods are now filled with senseless bloodshed.

Gun violence is savagely destroying our communities. People

are so quick to pick up a gun to solve a disagreement, not realizing that bullets don’t have any one person’s name on them. The bullets of those guns often hit the innocent. Sometimes the innocent can be a little boy riding his bike or a little girl watching TV in her home or an older women lying in her bed. Whatever the scenario, it becomes another bloody invitation to a club that no one wants to be in.

Mass shootings are almost becoming a way of life in America, and the world feels the pain—but when they are in Black and brown neighborhoods, they don’t seem to get the same kind of outcry as when they happen somewhere else. Black and brown children deserve to grow old, yet the sentiment in the ’hood is that many of our kids will not get to grow old.

Personally, I have had many family members killed by guns, and my answer is not to ban guns

because guns don’t kill people; it’s the person pulling the trigger. We need to stress that a quick impulse to pull a trigger may end up in a mistake that lasts a lifetime. Some people think when a person is killed by a gun, that’s the end of the story, but it’s not. That is the end of a life, but the deceased could have been a future doctor, lawyer, or construction worker—someone who would have made our world a better place. A future pillar of the community, but one that a bullet stopped in their tracks.

And now we have another parent, another family member, another friend, or co-worker who is forced to join a club that no one wants to be a member of. As a parent of a deceased child, I can tell you firsthand that our pain doesn’t go away. Our days are never the same. Holidays become holidaze. What used to be hopes for our children have become an endless series of “what if”s.

The shame of Mayor Eric Adams and justice for Jordan Neely

By ROGER HOUSE

It’s so easy to kill a Black man in New York City under Mayor Eric Adams. His scare tactics over the so-called “out of control” homeless Black men—usually suffering with mental illness—has given license to white and Hispanic “crusaders” to put them down with impunity.

Such is the evidence of recent episodes—and make no mistake, the standards of “control” in the public culture are different for Black men. It all creates a toxic dynamic of race, ethnicity, and class and brutality in the city.

The so-called crusaders who ganged up on a weakling, homeless Jordan Neely were imitating the worst antics of brutish police officers.

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Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus

This was not a heroic intervention despite what the contemptible Mayor Adams wants to pretend. This was little more than a vigilante reaction gone bad.

In fact, the only

difference between the white man using a deadly chokehold in this incident and the police officer who took out Eric Garner was the NYPD badge of protection in the Garner death. Unlike the police, the man in the Jordan Neely case has no right to qualified immunity.

New Yorkers must not repeat Florida’s judicial tragedy of lionizing George Zimmerman’s killing of Trayvon Martin.

What the city’s dynamic of race, ethnicity, crime, and poverty requires is nimble political leadership. What it has is a mayor who tends to stir the pot of demonization against the dispossessed. It began early in his term with scare tactics over street crime and the homeless, disproportionately composed of tragic Black men.

Then it shifted to the celebration of a Hispanic merchant who stabbed a young Black man to death in an altercation over a child and a bag of potato chips.

Now it is a white vigilante “crusader”— a former Marine—snuffing out a homeless man who was known for doing Michael Jackson impersonations, but who made people feel uncomfortable on the subway train; fair to say probably the very same people whom he made smile with his slick dance moves in an earlier period.

On a better day, riders could have moved to the other side of the train car or exited the car. The white man who felt a need to jump to the defense was in no personal danger and had no cause to protect others.

But in the urban culture of Mayor Adams, the city has embraced a public safety anxiety that is ugly and vicious and knee-jerk. As a former cop, and a self-professed “new face of the Democratic Party,” Adams has fueled a vision of his brothers as “street rats” that merit elimination.

Defenders of the killing note that Neely had been arrested 44 times on various charges of vagrancy. Understand, however, that arresting a Black man is commonplace in America and reflects as much on the police departments as on the incidents. In fact, several years ago, the United Nations condemned the use of excessive force by the NYPD as a human rights violation.

Today, the United Nations should investigate the culture of racial oppression perpetrated against the Black poor and dispossessed under the Adams administration. There is no excuse for this killing.

JUSTICE FOR JORDAN NEELY!

Roger House is an associate professor of American studies at Emerson College, Boston.

The perils and practicalities of California’s Reparations Task Force Proposal: A conservative perspective

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the New York Amsterdam News. We continue to publish a variety of viewpoints so that we may know the opinions of others that may differ from our own.

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

In the quest for recompense for historical injustices, the California Reparations Task Force has taken a bold and controversial step: recommending payments of up to $1.2 million to every qualifying Black resident. The nine-member panel aims to address the long-standing racial disparities and inequalities in the state, but as the nation witnesses this unfolding drama, it is essential to ask: Are we merely embarking on a well-intentioned but ultimately impractical endeavor?

While the moral case for reparations is clear, the practical implications of such a policy are far from straightforward. The task force’s recommendations attempt to break down payments by types of historical discrimination, such as redlining by banks and over-policing leading to mass incarceration. Assigning monetary values to different timeframes and experiences raises the question: Can we accurately quantify pain and suffering, particularly across multiple generations?

Moreover, the administrative challenge of determining eligibility and distributing funds threatens to add to the bureaucratic morass. With an already bloated and inefficient public sector, would the state of California be able to implement a reparations policy effectively and fairly? The risk of further resentment and frustration among the affected population is real, because the reparations debate exposes deep-seated divisions and complex historical relationships.

An emotionally charged public meeting in Oakland, California, showcased the vast range of opinions on the topic of reparations. Disagreements and interruptions were abundant, with some attendees demanding larger payments while others called for alternative solutions. This discord highlights the seemingly insurmountable task

of finding a universally acceptable resolution.

The reparations issue demands a level-headed approach that balances justice, fairness, and practicality.

For conservatives, the reparations debate raises concerns about the viability of compensating for historical injustices through financial means. The task force proposal, while rooted in empathy and a desire for justice, may be an example of progressive overreach. As we grapple with the moral imperatives of reparations, we must also consider the potential unintended consequences of such a policy.

It is crucial to remember that California, despite entering the Union as a free state in 1850, failed to guarantee freedom for a decade after emancipation. The state’s historical relationship with racial inequality is intricate and cannot be easily untangled. Addressing historical wrongs is undeniably important, but it must be done with an eye to the potential consequences of well-intentioned but ill-conceived policies.

The conservative viewpoint calls for prudent skepticism in the face of ambitious proposals such as the one put forth by the California Reparations Task Force. We must recognize the risks of opening a Pandora’s box of grievances that may never be fully addressed, instead sowing discord and dissatisfaction. Instead of getting mired in the quagmire of reparations, the focus should be on forward-looking policies that foster equal opportunity and justice for all.

As California legislators mull over the task force’s recommendations, they must weigh both the moral imperatives and the practical challenges of reparations. A more prudent approach would be to invest in education, infrastructure, and social programs that promote upward mobility and dismantle systemic barriers to success. This way, we can build a more just and equitable future without indulging in an unwieldy and contentious reparations scheme.

The California Reparations Task

Let’s support our elders

CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.

Force proposal, although without legal weight, has sparked a crucial conversation—but as the nation watches this unfolding debate, it is essential to approach the issue with prudence, skepticism, and a commitment to finding solutions that truly promote a more just and equitable future. In the end, the path to progress may not lie in reparations, but rather in a renewed dedication to the values of opportunity and fairness that have guided this nation since its founding.

An additional aspect worth considering is the potential ripple effect of the reparations debate across the country. California’s actions could set a precedent that encourages other states to grapple with their own histories and implement similar policies. While it is vital to address past injustices, we must also contemplate the possible consequences of a patchwork of reparations programs throughout the nation. These programs could create further complexities in terms of resource allocation, inter-state relationships, and a perceived sense of fairness.

As we look at the bigger picture, it is crucial to keep in mind that the challenges surrounding reparations extend beyond California’s borders. A comprehensive and sustainable solution may necessitate a national conversation that encompasses all states and regions. By examining the issue through a broader lens, we can identify approaches that foster unity, justice, and equity for all Americans, irrespective of their background or place of residence.

The California Reparations Task Force proposal has ignited a significant and timely debate. As we navigate the moral imperatives and practical challenges of reparations, we must keep the best interests of our nation and its people at the forefront of our considerations.

Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www.armstrongwilliams.co | www.howardstirkholdings.com

I recently found out that May is Older Americans Month. As I enter new age brackets and start to feel new aches and pains, I am keenly aware of the concept of getting older. Gray hairs seem to be sprouting on a daily basis and the new sounds I make as I get out of a chair or engage in physical activity are quite real. But although I acknowledge I may not be able to do all that I used to do in my teens and 20s, I truly understand that it is a blessing to grow older.

As I observe the older New Yorkers in my neighborhood, I think of the work of Brooklyn City Councilmember Crystal Hudson, who chairs the Committee on Aging, which has jurisdiction over issues relating to New York City’s senior residents, including the Department of the Aging. Listening to the Councilmember, I had no idea of the number of New York City’s elderly who are housing and food insecure.

The elderly population is also often targeted by those attempting to scam them out of resources, money, pensions, and even deeds to their homes. Protection is especially needed for our seniors when English is not their first language. It is imperative that we continue to plan for the aging community in our city by thinking of ways to secure not just housing, but accessible transportation, access to hospitals and libraries, and clear communication about how they can obtain various types of information needed.

The City Council also has a Subcommittee on Senior Centers and Food Insecurity that reviews and makes recommendations on New York City’s senior center facilities

and issues related to food insecurity among older adults. For people who have aged out of the workforce and may not have family members who can assist them financially in their twilight years, the role of city government can fill this necessary gap and assist elderly New Yorkers in living with dignity and access to government resources.

I did not realize that New York has a Department on Aging, which supports the city’s nearly 1.64 million older adults and handles everything from eliminating ageism to handling quality of life issues to supporting caregivers through service, advocacy, and education. As we swiftly approach 2040, when roughly 20% of New Yorkers will identify as older adults, we must codify programs in the Department of Aging that work “with hundreds of community-based organizations to provide services through older adult centers, naturally occurring retirement communities, case-management and home-care agencies, homedelivered meal programs, mental health and friendly visiting programs, and much more in each borough.” For more information for yourself or a loved one, you can reach out to Aging Connect by calling 212-AGINGNYC (212-244-6469). For additional information about City programs, call 311.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQNYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.

Caribbean Update

Court settles decades-old Bahamian citizenship row

BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews

The British Privy Council or its body of law lords is the final appeals court for the Bahamas and independent Caribbean countries that are either not republics or choose not to join the umbrella Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) based in Trinidad.

That is why, when the court ruled in early May that the Bahamas must grant citizenship to the offspring of a Bahamian male with a foreign woman, it set a process in motion to overhaul the country’s controversial but highly partisan citizenship laws.

Automatic citizenship to children of such unions were outlawed under the previous systems, but the recent court ruling now presents authorities with a set of new challenges to deal with, including a system to determine who are the biological parents of those who will

have to apply for citizenship under the new arrangements. Many of the estimated 1,500 people who will be affected by the ruling are from nearby Haiti, and most of them came as refugees in recent decades.

Labor Minister Keith Bell told reporters in the past week that the cabinet will most likely have to order DNA testing to confirm paternity to avoid fraud and cheating, which could delay the dawning of a new day following the ruling.

“The major concern for us is that where children who are born in the Bahamas and their births are not necessarily registered at the Princess Margaret Hospital, or there are issues and they have to present affidavit evidence—we have to mitigate against fraud and deception,” he said. “But obviously, it appears that we may need to consider seriously our DNA testing. There are also other issues that are likely to arise, including what to do in cases when fathers are deceased

or refuse to submit to DNA testing.”

The court had ruled that successive administrations have badly misinterpreted local laws pertaining to Bahamian citizenship. Some clauses had barred those from a union with a local father and foreign mother from being eligible to apply until age 18 and even then, many had complained about hassles from the immigration system.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the entire system will have to be overhauled to make it more fair and easier.

“We will discuss in [the] cabinet what measures are in place, one, to evaluate under Article 6 the biological father in the case of illegitimate children and, secondly, the way forward with the remaining elements of discriminatory treatment, primarily the discriminatory treatment when a Bahamian woman marries a foreign man and has that child outside of the country. There are a couple of others, including matters

like adopted children, that we’re looking at. Hopefully, we’ll have some clear direction from [the] cabinet shortly,” he said.

Authorities had appealed to the British court for a final ruling, especially after current Chief Justice Ian Winder had ruled in the lower court that any person born in the Bahamas shall become a citizen regardless of the marital status of either parent. That ruling had upended the widespread belief that a person born to a foreign woman was banned from automatic citizenship. Bell also said that many of those likely to apply do not have birth certificates, which will present a major challenge going forward as the government moves to comply with the judgment.

“The impact of the Privy Council decision is there is no need to apply to Immigration anymore [at age 18]. They can go straight to the passport office and get their documentation and so forth.”

Three must-know immigration news stories

PERSAUD IMMIGRATION KORNER

While the focus has been on the end of Title 42 and the “chaos” at the U.S. southern border, a much more important immigration story occurred in Florida last week. Here are three immigration stories you should know and be following.

1: Is Florida now ‘the Arizona’ of 2023?

With the stroke of his pen, Florida’s power-drunk governor, Ron Death Santis, signed a measure into law on May 10 that is comparable to Arizona’s SB 1070 of 2010.

The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act of Arizona, or the “Show Me Your Papers” law, was the broadest and strictest anti-illegal immigration law in the United States when passed in 2010. On May 10, Florida topped it with Senate Bill 1718. This new law now makes any Floridian “who knowingly and willfully transports an undocumented individual into the state” a human smuggler, which comes with serious criminal penalties, including allowing for prosecution under the Florida Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act.

The law also prohibits local governments in the state from issuing identification cards (ID) to undocumented

immigrants and invalidates driver’s licenses issued to those without legal status who have moved to Florida from other states. The law also requires hospitals to collect and submit data about the costs of providing healthcare to the undocumented and requires private employers with 25 or more employees to use the E-Verify system to confirm a new employee’s employment eligibility to work legally.

As many companies and tour operators did during the Arizona madness, they must now boycott Florida as a place to hold events, travel, or do business to save Floridians from the madman Republican voters have unleashed.

2: Two extremes at play over end of Title 42

There is no doubt that the situation playing out at the U.S. southern border is unsustainable. The end of Title 42 will bring new challenges, but in trying to solve the surge at the border without help from the Congress, the Biden administration has said border authorities will deny asylum to most migrants who arrive at an official port of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border without having first applied for asylum in a third country traversed along the way.

Migrants who do not schedule an appointment at a point of entry or use other available humanitarian programs will be deported to their home countries.

The policy is aimed at sending a strong message that there will be no entry at the

border and saving cities that are struggling under the burden of a huge influx of people seeking asylum.

Sadly, again we have two extremes at play on what needs to be a commonsense solution. Immigration advocates represented by the American Civil Liberties Union filed a legal challenge against the new asylum bars, claiming the administration changes violate U.S. and international laws on asylum.

Right-wing Republicans, for their part, slammed Biden for easing the Trumpian policy while those in Congress, except for two, passed the Secure the Border Act of 2023 that offers no solution to the crisis yet again. All it would do is mandate that Customs and Border Protection hire enough Border Patrol agents to maintain a staff of 22,000, develop a plan to upgrade existing technology to make sure agents are well-equipped, and require the Homeland Security secretary to resume construction of Trump’s border wall.

How will that solve anything? There can be no far-left or far-right fix for this issue. There has to be a common-sense tough approach. The administration is right: People should not have to show up at the U.S. border to apply for asylum. The madness has left cities burdened with an influx of people and a system in dire backlog, while many migrants who have been living here for years, paying taxes and awaiting work permits and green cards, are shoved to the back burner. This cannot be allowed

to continue. Let’s be guided by rationale.

3: Say a prayer

Say a prayer for the family of a Honduran migrant teen who are now planning his funeral. The minor, whose name has not been released, died on May 10 while housed at a Florida shelter and under the care of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to a congressional notice obtained by CNN. Ironically, it was the same day Governor Death Santis signed his fascist immigration bill into law.

The 17-year-old was initially placed at Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services in Safety Harbor, Florida, on May 5, but was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor Wednesday morning after being found unconscious. He was pronounced dead an hour later despite resuscitation attempts. An investigation by a medical examiner is underway.

Another unaccompanied migrant child, also from Honduras, died in U.S. government custody in March. The 4-year-old child was “medically fragile” and had been admitted to the Bronson Methodist Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit in Kalamazoo, Michigan, after suffering cardiac arrest.

A sad end to two young lives. May their souls rest in peace. The

Malcolm X: ‘Who taught you to hate yourself?’

By MAL’AKIY 17 ALLAH Special to the AmNews

“In the past, the greatest weapon the white man has had is his ability to divide and conquer” — Malcolm X

The legacy of human rights advocate Malcolm X, a.k.a. El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, will be commemorated internationally this Friday, his 98th bornday anniversary. In New York City, filmmaker Spike Lee will be the keynote speaker at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Center, and is commemorating the 30th anniversary of his “Malcolm X” movie. To RSVP livestream, go to: https://www.facebook. com/events/259441323123852/.

The 58th annual pilgrimage to Ferncliff Cemetery (Hartsdale, NY), where Malcolm’s and his wife Betty’s bodies are interred, leaves at 10 a.m. Friday morning. People start gathering at 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. at 9 a.m. The December 12th Movement’s annual “Shut’em Down” economic boycott of all businesses along 125th Street runs from 1-4 p.m.

Of Malcolm’s many contributions to the African diaspora, assisting the local lost and found Americanized-Africans in relearning their true heritage is one of the most significant ones. It helped in remedying the traumas caused by centuries of psychological, physical, and spiritual enslavement here in the wilderness of North America.

“Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin…to such extent you bleach, to get like the white man? Who taught you to hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet? Who taught you to hate your own kind? Who taught you to hate the race that you belong to, so much so that you don’t want to be around each other?” — Malcolm X, during his “Who taught you to hate yourself” presentation in Los Angeles, May 5, 1962.

Whether as a progressive Muslim minister delivering weekly sermons at the Nation of Islam’s Temple #7 (then at 102 W. 116th Street), or as a fiery street-corner orator at African Square (125th Street/7th Avenue intersection), or from in front of Lewis Michaux’s African National Memorial Bookstore (125th Street/7th Avenue), he courageously spoke truth to power, inspiring many of those who witnessed him.

“Malcolm X was strong medicine,” TV journalist Gil Noble once noted at a City College of New York (138th Street and Convent Avenue) Malcolm X conference. “Many people were scared to say what he said in public. They only said those things behind closed doors.”

Malcolm X was an advocate for Black empowerment, often urging those watching to “do for self” and encouraging them to manage the businesses, education, politics, and socializing in their own communities. He also recommended that local citizens form rifle clubs and organize groups to “police the police” to minimize police brutality.

He used his Garveyite upbringing, as well as Nation of Islam training, to share inspirational messages that motivated people to build their own Black families and communities. Due to his success, he helped heighten awareness about both groups.

“A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.” — Malcolm X

Many people were reconnected to their African roots through his efforts, thus their self-esteem was raised immensely.

In recent years, Malcolm X Day has been observed nationally more commonly, with Berkeley, California, doing so since 1997; Illinois since 2015; and in Missouri since 2019.

Malcolm’s “Who taught you to hate yourself?” can be seen at https://youtu.be/l8yNdrPvWjU.

MalcolmX (Public Doman photo)

Health

This Nurses Month, a seasoned veteran looks back

By BRIDGET MCQUILKEN, R.N.

As I ride the train to East Flatbush, the car is quiet, with the rush of business commuters and students long gone. In the silence, I have a moment to catch my thoughts, and I am struck by how many times I’ve made trips like this—by train, by foot, by car—to visit my patients.

I remember when I first started as a homecare nurse with Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) Health— how daunting but exciting it felt to visit each new patient. Coming from my past career as a teacher, I knew how to be there for others, but this was a whole new world— one where I was there to care for my patients physically and mentally…and all in their own homes. It felt like a lot to manage!

Now, in comparison, with more than a decade of experience as a nurse, I feel calm and ready for the day as I step off the train and walk to see my patient. This time, I am no longer a novice nurse but a Nurse Preceptor—a mentor for nurses entering the field of

home healthcare. I’m on my way to meet Nogee, one of the many nurses I have mentored. My role as a Nurse Preceptor is very much a combination of both education and nursing. As preceptors for VNS Health’s Nurse Residency Program, my RN Preceptor colleagues and I provide hands-on, in-field training to nurses who are new to home care. After all these years, I have now melded my past and current careers together, and I love that feeling.

This morning, Nogee is scheduled to perform a pneumothorax drainage—a procedure she’s studied in the classroom and performed with a patient once while shadowing me. Today, I let her take the lead, and she does a great job. It’s heartening to see this talented new nurse grow in confidence.

This being National Nurses Month, I am reminded of just how important the work we do is, and also how unique and special this career field is. I’m proud and privileged to help talented nurses learn and thrive in this highly rewarding profes -

sion. It truly brings me joy to help the nurses I mentor grow as caregivers and build the skills they need to succeed as home healthcare nurses.

With training and support, most of our nurses discover they have a true passion for delivering care in the home. As NurseJournal. org reported in 2022, home care nurses reported some of the highest rates of satisfaction compared to other specialties. Understandably, though, nurses entering the field today have their fair share of challenges, especially those who started at the height of the pandemic in 2020, when all of us had to adjust to a rapidly changing health landscape.

One of VNS Health’s newer home care nurses is Robert Yore, who, like me, was a teacher before he entered the healthcare field. Robert came to nursing because he was seeking a job where he could earn more, have greater flexibility, and pursue a career where he could help others. This brought him to the Nurse Residency Program at VNS Health.

Given his background as an educator, Robert had a great appreciation for the nurturing and support that his VNS Health Nurse Preceptor, Nancy Girlando, provided.

Robert, who now works in Nassau County, says the training and support he received from Nancy and others at VNS Health helped him carve a clear path to where he is today. “Nancy helped me build confidence in my skills and my ability to connect with patients in the home care setting,” Robert said.

“She’s always there if I need guidance. Having Nancy as a mentor has given me such a great foundation.”

Whether helping a patient learn how to take a new medication or teaching a family caregiver about symptoms to look out for, home care nurses not only care for patients and their loved ones, but educate them as well. Now that he’s a few years into home care nursing, Robert has been pleasantly surprised to see how much his teaching expertise comes into play with his patients. “Teaching comes easy for me, and having that past ex -

perience made me feel like I had a leg up,” he said.

While I work primarily as a mentor and teacher in the field of healthcare, I find self-growth and education never truly ends for me—or for any nurse. Even as a preceptor, there is still much I am learning. For example, my fellow preceptors and I have a group chat where we bounce ideas around; discuss new tools, resources, and approaches; and enhance our own skills and learning. No matter where you are in your career journey, having support and guidance from peers, including those with more experience than you have, makes a world of difference. We learn and grow every day.

I’m so grateful to have found a profession where the work I do has such a meaningful impact on others.

To learn more about home healthcare services or career opportunities at VNS Health, visit www.vnshealth.org.

Bridget McQuilken is a registered nurse (R.N.) at VNS Health.

VNS Health nurse Bridget McQuilken (Photos courtesy of VNS Health)

Arts & Entertainment

‘Life of Pi’ is delightful slice of Broadway magic

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

There is something absolutely magical about watching “Life of Pi” at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on W. 45th Street. This production, based on the novel by Yann Martel and adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, is a five-time Olivier Award-winning play and is absolutely breathtaking. The creativity of the puppetry for the Tiger (named Richard Parker), a zebra, giraffe, orangutan, goat, and hyena are brilliant to behold and mesmerizing to experience.

“Life of Pi” is a story of how we choose in our minds to recall a situation that most of us would have wanted to forget. It tells the engaging story of a boy from India named Pi, whose family ran a zoo. They had beautiful animals and he, his father, mother, and sister all took care of them. The family experienced a lot of political unrest in the country, which made it unsafe for them to stay and operate their zoo.

Pi’s father wanted the best for his family, so he booked them passage on a cargo ship to Canada, but the ship capsized. Pi was the only surviving member of the voyage. When the play opens, Pi is in a hospital room and being interviewed by a Japanese official to learn what happened to the ship and its inhabitants.

Pi, being a child, has a fantasy version of what happened that reflects a great deal of imagination and depicts him surviving on a small boat with various animals that survived after the ship sank. The descriptions he gives are made very real and graphic as we watch them play out on the stage; a different version of the story reveals something much more tragic.

What you come to realize about this young man is that he was able to keep his faith in God and believe that he could survive. He went through a horrible experience and proved that there is a greater power out there and a higher calling that enables us to survive, no matter what terrible things happen in our lives.

Despite what he has endured, not only surviving at sea for hundreds of days and being the only human left alive, but also realizing that what he lost on that voyage was everyone dear to him, Pi is still able to face the day and try to have a sense of humor, a love of life, and—most importantly—hope.

This is an inspiring story of the beauty of the

human spirit that helps us see the importance of having strong faith in your life.

The cast is led by Hiran Abeysekera, who is an Olivier-Award winner for this role, which he originated in the West End. He plays the role with such innocence, sincerity, and pure sense of hope that you have to be encouraged. He is joined by a cast of poignant actors that includes Brian Thomas Abraham, who plays Cook/Voice of Richard Parker; Rajesh Bose, who is wonderful as the Father, concerned for his children to see the danger that the world holds for them; Avery Glymph as Father Martin/Russian Sailor/

Admiral Jackson; Mahira Kakkar as the Nurse/ Amma/Orange Juice (Orangutan); Kirstin Louie as Lulu Chen; Salma Qarnain as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan; Sathya Sridharan as Mamaji/Pandit-Ji; Daisuke Tsuji as Mr. Okamoto/Captain; Sonya Venugopal as Rani. Company members include Nikki Calonge, Fred Davis, Rowan Ian Seamus Magee, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, Celia Mei Rubin, and Scarlet Wilderink. Andrew Wilson also plays Royal Bengal tiger “Richard Parker.” Mahnaz Damania, Jon Hoche, Usman Ali Mughal, Uma Paranjpe, and David Shih are also part of the company.

The production is stunningly brought together with the delicate, careful direction of Max Webster. This is a theatrical experience you will long remember.

Olivier Awards went to many members of the creative team. Set and costume design are the work of Tim Hatley; puppetry and movement direction by Finn Caldwell; puppet design by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell; video design by Andrzej Goulding; and lighting design by Tim Lutkin. Other members of the design team include sound designer Carolyn Downing, original music by Andrew T. Mackay, and wig design by David Brian Brown.

For tickets, visit www.LifeOfPiBway.com.

‘Pictures from Home’ —a poignant, relatable family story

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

Certain topics are hard to deal with, like considering our elderly parents and their mortality. We sometimes want our parents to live forever; the idea of them not being here is more than we can handle. So, what do you do to make their time here and your time with them the most memorable? You call them daily and do a check-in. You visit them physically as often as possible. You have serious discussions with them about their past, their youth, and the family experiences that you all shared.

Imagine taking things even further and taking photos and home movies of them, documenting their remembrances of those occasions— those candid, happy, or angry shots.

Something extraordinary like that is what photographer Larry Sultan recently brought to Broadway at Studio 54 with “Pictures from Home,” beautifully written by Sharr White based on Sultan’s photo memoir.

One of the first things that strikes you about this drama is that the actors consistently break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience, as if we all came by their home to watch home movies, look at photos, and listen in as they banter back and forth about them. We are there, intently listening and hearing the history

of a family.

Their son Larry is constantly flying to the San Fernando Valley to document his family’s lives and memories, and ask questions about the choices they made in life. Larry is trying to find his own path, to understand why he is the husband and father he is today. At times he seems inquisitive and other times accusatory as he grills his father Irving, a traveling salesman, who was barely home during Larry’s and his younger brother’s youth, but very much provided for the family. Irving revisits the prejudice he experienced when he came to this country and had to make a living to support his wife and

two sons.

Larry also asks questions of his mother Jean, who sells real estate, but was always the homebody.

The audience was simply riveted by the questions that Larry asked and the probing answers he received and so desperately needed. Irving does not have a lot of patience for Larry’s questions and finds himself often having to defend being away so much. But he will declare that he provided for his family, which he did. Jean, while she wants to help Larry with his project, knows that this is about more than Larry is letting on.

Sitting in the audience, you could easily see yourself in Larry’s place. How many times have we all wanted to record and organize a unique history of our family to show the mark that our parents left on this world, and on us? This comedy drama lets us experience this Jewish family’s journey.

In the end, this play is about the relationships between parents and their children, and the strong love and bond they possess—a love and bond that makes the idea of eventually losing

our parents difficult to come to terms with. What’s important, though, is that you realize appreciating your time with your family, sharing that love and those moments, are the things that will get you through the rest.

There are definitely emotional moments in this play, but the joy of having had experiences with those marvelous people who raised us is simply priceless. It is also a joy that can be passed on, and should be.

This cast was so stupendous, you found yourself just sitting in awe. Danny Burstein was magnificent as Larry. He gave this character so many levels: a man documenting his parents and family history, while trying to understand the choices his father made when they were growing up, and trying to not admit to his own insecurities and fears.

Nathan Lane was as spirited as ever as Irving. Lane always shows every intricate detail of his character. He makes you laugh and he makes you think.

Zoe Wanamaker brought a tenderness, understanding, and sauciness to the role of Jean. These three actors make it all look so easy. The question was asked, “How do you capture a lifetime?” These exceptional thespians answer that question: with tenderness, laughter, feistiness, and love. Their performances were enhanced by the stunning direction of Bartlett Sher.

Your Stars will return

Cast shot for “Life of Pi” (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman photos)

Danny Burstein, Zoe Wanamaker, and Nathan Lane (l–r) in scene from “Pictures from Home,” playing at Studio 54 (Julieta Cervantes photo)

BAM’s DanceAfrica Presents Golden Ghana’s Music and Dance

By ZITA ALLEN Special to the AmNews

Pearl Primus, a brilliant dancer and an thropologist, once said, “The dance is strong magic. The dance is a spirit. It turns the body to liquid steel. It makes it vibrate like a guitar. The body can fly without wings. It can sing without voice. The dance is strong magic. The dance is life.”

This Memorial Day weekend, BAM’s annual DanceAfrica Festival, the largest Af rican dance festival in the country, will offer proof of the truth of that description with a program titled “DanceAfrica 2023

Ghana: Adinkra, Ananse, and Abusua” at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, May 26–29.

Under the artistic direction of Abdel R. Salaam, the cultural celebration—launched several decades ago by the Founding Elder Baba Chuck Davis—features tradition al performances, including the “Memori al Tribute to the Ancestors and Elders” and one of Ghana’s best and most internation ally known dance companies, the National Theater of Ghana’s National Dance Compa ny (National Dance Company of Ghana).

The event celebrates the artistic vitali ty and revolutionary history of Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule, through

of the production will take the form of a lively club scene, complete with Ghanaian and Nigerian highlife performed by the 10-piece ensemble Arkestra Africa, featuring Afropop voAmma Whatt, under K. Osei

The program will also include such long-held traditional components as the moving “Memorial Tribute to the Ancestors and Elders.”

Since it was created

Continued on page 19

DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers perform Terrestrial Wombs during DanceAfrica 2022 (Nate Palmer photo)

DanceAfricaArtistic Director Abdel R. Salaam (Julieta Cervantes photo)

DanceAfrica Council of Elders begin traditional DanceAfrica Procession during DanceAfrica 2022 (Nate Palmer photo)

in 1977 under the guidance of Baba Chuck Davis, DanceAfrica has evolved into a highly anticipated and high-spirited Memorial Day weekend tradition that brings together the entire community. It is part of a

month-long celebration centered around dance performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and includes several workshops; the popular outdoor DanceAfrica Bazaar with more than 150 vendors selling crafts, food, and fashion; a visual art piece commissioned for DanceAfrica by Pan-African artist Cecilia Lamptey-Botchway; a film series curated by the New York African Film Festival at BAM Rose Cinemas; and a live-music dance party at BAMcafé.

Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam described this year’s DanceAfrica as “an intergenerational experience that attempts to lift the spirit and understanding of Ghana’s rich ‘golden’ culture through its intelligences of dance, music, symbolism, and Anansi’s Web of oneness that unites our an- cestral and contemporary families.”

As always, in addition to being intergenerational, this will be an exciting, entertaining, educational, and rewarding communal experience.

STUDENT TICKETS

Students in high school and above can purchase $25 tickets for select concerts.

PHIL FOR ALL: TICKET ACCESS PROGRAM

A limited number of $10 tickets are available to those who meet certain qualifications. Learn more about how to apply in the link or QR code below.

SAME-DAY RUSH TICKETS

All customers can purchase $22 rush tickets for select concerts in person at our Welcome Center on day of performances.

FREE LIVESTREAMS

Select performances are livestreamed on the 50-foot Hauser Digital Wall in David Geffen Hall’s Karen and Richard LeFrak Lobby for all to enjoy.

Artist Cecilia Lamptey-Botchway (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Continued from page 18-

National Dance Company of Ghana (Tony Turner photo)

Travel & Resort River cruises offer exploration, comfort

Travel for pure enjoyment is on the rise, so this may be your year to plan the ultimate dream vacation.

According to Sports and Leisure Research, 80% of people surveyed believe a vacation does wonders for mental health and travel is a top spending priority in the coming year. The survey indicated travelers want to immerse themselves in unique experiences, including new cultures, foods, and people.

For those who delight in exploring entire regions, one downfall can be the burden of packing and unpacking at each new destination. Taking your accommodations with you is a practical alternative for curious travelers.

River voyages, for example, allow travelers to unpack once and visit multiple destinations in one seamless journey, from major European cities to quaint towns and villages. These destination-focused journeys offer experienced travelers the opportunity to explore science,

history, and cuisine with culturally enriching itineraries on the world’s great waterways.

If an intimate, relaxed journey is your ideal getaway, you may want to consider the Viking Longships. These state-of-theart river ships are engineered with guests’ comfort and exploration in mind.

Sailing Europe’s storied rivers, the award-winning fleet of longships showcases innovative engineering, streamlined Scandinavian design, and understated elegance. River ships are also small enough—hosting 190 guests—to dock in the heart of popular destinations, making it easy to explore.

The voyages range from eight to 23, days with itineraries featuring Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhùne, Douro, Moselle, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne, and Gironde Rivers.

Known as travel experiences for the “Thinking Person,” each Viking journey includes a shore excursion in every port and an

onboard and onshore enrichment program that provides deep immersion in the destination through performances of music and art, cooking demonstrations, informative port talks, and guest lecturers. Enjoy shore excursions that provide historical tours and visits to unique haunts where you can experience some of the local culture, regional foods, and ev -

eryday life.

On a Viking Longship, you can expect to relax in spacious public areas, including wide-open sun decks with ever-changing views. The ships feature spacious staterooms in a variety of categories, including true two-room suites with full-size verandas.

Additional ship highlights include al fresco dining on an

indoor-outdoor terrace and onboard amenities such as a restaurant, bar, lounge, and library.

Inclusive fares that cover your port taxes and fees also mean you can enjoy beer, wine, and soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner; specialty coffees and teas; bottled water; ground transfers; and more.

(Family Features)

Along the Danube (Image by Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay)

Jennifer Lopez shines in Netflix’s “The Mother”

By MAGRIRA

Special to the AmNews

I actually liked the new movie playing on Netflix called “The Mother,” and to my surprise, it was written by one of my favorite screenwriters/TV creators: Misha Green.

I want to clarify that I avoid reading marketing and press materials before watching a movie or series. I prefer to form my own opinions based solely on the material. In this case, I can confidently say that I enjoyed “The Mother,” which was expertly directed by Niki Caro.

Starring Jennifer Lopez as a highly skilled assassin, the film is sure to satisfy fans of action-thrillers. What’s impressive is that it appeals to both men and women, which is no small feat.

It opens with a bang. Lopez’s character, known only as the Mother, is being put through the paces by a group of unfriendly FBI agents. Their job is to get her to spill the names of the two arms dealers she has worked and slept with. Love, money, and guns do not make for a smooth relationship. Agent Cruise (Omari Hardwick) asks her, with a level of respect that does not match that of his partner agent (Link Baker), who does not seem to think

Mother is attractive enough for his taste. To make the point, this agent reads her a tight monologue designed to dress her down, assuring her that “they” will keep her safe.

Mother knows better, and in less than a blink of an eye, all hell breaks out. During the mayhem, flying bullets, and death, we discover that Mother is pregnant. Fast-forward: Her newborn, Zoe, is placed with a family, and she relocates to Alaska under the protection of a fellow soldier, Jons (Paul Raci).

Mother is as smart as she is loving. This Alaska arrangement has kept her and her child safe for 12 years. But evil knows no time limit, and vengeance grows by the second, so when Cruise reaches out with news that Zoe (Lucy Paez) has been discovered by Mother’s former partners, Adrian Lovell (Joseph Fiennes) and Hector Alvarez (Gael García Bernal), I think you understand the urgency of the situation.

Lovell is a rather unhinged type who prefers to bloody his hands and kill others than work on solutions. Alvarez is equally cruel. The action shifts to Cuba. Imagine the type of creative resistance these men are about to face. Lovell understands Mother. He’s the one who trained her to become a highly effective sniper during her tour of duty in Afghanistan. He knows that, as well-trained

as she is, she knows how to unalive people. In this movie, Mother seems cool, calm, and perfectly balanced. And she is. But that shouldn’t fool you about the fury that’s swirling inside her. She gets her kid. You know this by the very nature of the film’s title. And it’s by watching the relationship between the Mother and Zoe develop that

we can see the layers of fierce protectiveness that this woman possesses. Lopez—I buy that she’s that fierce mother. And as the saying goes: A woman scorned… and so many more warnings about the true nature of women all apply in this entertaining film, with a screenplay written by one of my favorites: Misha Green.

Scenes from Netflix’s “The Mother” (Netflix photos)

Bring lunch to life with an herb-laden Green Goddess spread

Green Goddess Spread

Yields 4–6

Ingredients:

5 oz baby spinach, blanched

1 cup basil, blanched

2/3 oz tarragon leaves

8 oz mascarpone

2 tsp anchovy paste

3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

Put blanched spinach, blanched basil, and tarragon in a food processor. Pulse 10 times, then process for 30 seconds.

Add mascarpone and anchovy paste. Pulse 10 times, then process for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice, process for

30 seconds to 1 minute. Use immediately on sandwiches or enjoy as a dip!

By KELLY TORRES Special to the AmNews

It wasn’t too long ago that I found myself at a public library, writing out my to-do list for the day, when the thought arrived: “I know exactly what people should do with all of those herbs they’re growing: Goddess dressing!”

Isn’t it hilarious how at the most inopportune time, the solution finally arrives? According to my to-do list on this particular day, I had a whole lot of running around to do. This was one of those offshoot days where there were no mentions of recipe testing, tastings, or any kind of food writing on my action list. There were no grocery items on this list nor cookbooks to reference. It was a day filled with gritty paperwork and footwork to tend to. Going to the post office, among other fun, familiar places, was at the top of the list. However, I’ve learned to take heed when inspiration strikes because there is no telling when the thought might come back again, or if it comes back again. At the very

least, I shall write it down.

I have been on the receiving end of many herbal gifts in the past, happily taking in bushels of basil, rosemary, and the like. They, unfortunately, meet their demise every time as they slowly wilt or brown or become slimy beyond salvation. It hit me that I had a choice: I can inconvenience myself to no longer take these gifts for granted by using them, no matter what. What came to mind was a spreadable Green Goddess dressing.

I love Green Goddess dressings and dips because their herbal flavors always brighten up a snack. I strayed from the original recipe by using no mayonnaise, no sour cream, and no parsley. Instead, I used mascarpone, spinach, basil, and tarragon. To brighten and enliven, I decided to use anchovy paste and lemon juice.

When making a spread, you need something to spread it on, so naturally, a sandwich came to mind. Because I love protein, and because I wanted to make it mostly vegetarian (you know, the kind of vegetarian that is mostly

flexitarian because the anchovies aren’t visible), I thought hummus would be a wonderful element to include.

Now that I had mentally created a sandwich with hummus, and an herbaceous and brilliantly Green Goddess spread, the next logical step was to get out of my head and actually make the sandwich!

The creaminess of mascarpone cheese makes it a superb spread because it offers a more delicate alternative to mayonnaise. Thinly sliced green apple adds crunch and sweet tartness to this veggie-heavy sando, while layers of baby spinach pack and bulk it up without making it too messy.

When choosing bread, I’d opt for anything with grains and seeds. We’re really going organic and wholesome here, so liberally apply the Green Goddess spread to one slice of toasted seed bread. Top with green apples and baby spinach, then slather the hummus on the remaining slice of toasted seed bread and bring it together. Slice the sandwich diagonally and enjoy!

(Kelly Torres photos)

Natural ‘CROWN’s are more than just an act

By BRENIKA BANKS Special to the AmNews

The celebration of Black hair and excellence was at full strength at the movie premiere of “CROWN” on Friday, May 12, where the coming-of-age story debuted at the Betty Carter Auditorium in the Major Owens Community Center in Brooklyn. The 20-minute film, written and directed by Karisma Jay and Love “Nofisat” Nafi, follows an aspiring teen ballet dancer dealing with the challenges of taming her natural hair into “submission” during a very important audition.

“CROWN,” produced by film company Creative Susu, was inspired by the CROWN Act: “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” According to the official website, the CROWN Act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles. The act extends statutory protection to hair texture and styles such as braids, locs, and twists in the workplace and public schools.

Jay and Nafi had struggles of hair acceptance as young Black girls. “We all have our Black hair stories,” said Nafi. After meeting in college, Nafi and Jay made a pact to meet weekly and hold each other accountable as creators working toward their goals. Nafi said her creative compatibility with Jay made working on “CROWN” enjoyable.

“When it came time to really think of what project we could do, what we could give birth to together, the film was the perfect first thing to do,” said Jay. They wanted their first film to be relatable in the Black community. Their short film stars Nirine S. Brown (who recently starred in Donald Glover’s “Swarm”) and teen actress/dancer Kennedy Salley. With an all-Black cast and a soundtrack of original R&B/soul mixed with Afrobeats music by Agyakomah, “CROWN” celebrates both Black hair and Black dance. Jay became emotional when sharing a story about a dance teacher she had when she was 7 years old. Jay recalled the former teacher telling her not to perform in dance competitions without straight hair. “When it came to doing this kind of film and sharing our stories, [we asked], Why do we have to do these things?” Jay said. These “things” referred to forced straightened hair and to the time Nafi cut her locs to join the military. “Why do we have to do these things? Because someone said?” Jay inquired.

The 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study surveyed 2,990 United States women ages 25–64 between December 2022 and January 2023. The research, conducted by Dove and LinkedIn by Modulize, revealed that Black women with coily or textured hair are twice as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than Black women with straighter hair. The study also stated that

Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. The research also found that approximately 66% of Black women change their hair for a job interview; 41% changed their hair from curly to straight.

Black women feel pressures from society to straighten their hair to be successful in professional spaces, Nafi and Jay said. Nafi calls herself and Jay “change makers” who go against the grain and are revolutionary with their art. “I think people should feel free to do what they want with their hair, and it should not impact how you view them or judge them,” said Nafi. She directed her energy toward the young people who sat in the front row during the Q&A session after the film, many of them with their hair in its natural texture. “To see these young girls already embracing [and] wearing their natural hair from day one—it’s powerful!” she said.

Jay, Nafi, Brown, and others in the audience related to not seeing many Black children with their natural hair when they were kids. “You can do all the things; don’t let anyone tell you anything different,” Brown said, looking at the Black children in the front row.

“CROWN” offers an opportunity to redefine Black beauty and representation while showcasing the multidimensional creativity of the Black hair experience in the film world.

For more information, visit www.instagram.com/crownthefilm.

Cast and creators: Nirine S. Brown (in bronze), Kennedy Salley (in orange), Karisma Jay (in yellow), Love “Nofisat” Nafi in (pink) during Q&A (Brenika Banks photos)

Writers and directors Karisma Jay and Love “Nofisat” Nafi

Nirine S. Brown and Kennedy Salley, who play mother and daughter in “CROWN”

Singer Agyakomah performing at premiere

IROKO, BARRY HARRIS MEMORIAL

Bassist and composer Avishai Cohen is compulsive when it comes to keeping his music on an exploratory journey that reaches past the peripheral shores of jazz. His signature sound is a kaleidoscope of Middle Eastern, eastern European, and progressive Black music stylings. His compositions embrace multiple traditions, cultures, languages, and styles, from Hebrew and Ladino folk songs to jazz standards, to avant garde musings.

At his recent Blue Note jazz club engagement, Cohen introduced audiences to his latest Latin music project Banda Iroko, playing those hot, pulsating Latin rhythms and bringing back the percussive beats of Colgate Gardens and the Palladium.

“Iroko is a longtime dream I have had since knowing and playing with Abraham Rodriguez, Jr., a great, unique singer, conguero, and master of Afro Caribbean music in its full spectrum,” noted Cohen, adding that his dream has been “to do a Latin project with my favorite Latin musicians in New York. It starts with this concept… just me and Abe.” As stated in Bass magazine, “I have assembled this all-star band to now execute live this amazing project Iroko.”

Banda Iroko features “Abe” Rodriguez, Jr. on congas and vocals; drummer and percussionist Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez; saxophonist and chekeré player Yosvany Terry; trumpeter and flugelhorn player Diego Urcola; bongos and vocalist Jose Angel; and vocalist Virginia Alves.

Most of the material performed came from the bassist’s current duo album “Iroko” with native New Yorker and Latin jazz icon Rodriguez and vocalist Virginia Alves. This extended touring ensemble is an amplification of the duo, and the additional instruments bring out more vibrant colors and textures of Cohen and Rodriguez’s recording. This dynamic ensemble has also given them the opportunity to stretch out on some of the tunes, which was not possible in their duo configuration.

During the Blue Note performance, someone leaned over and said to me, “It’s so unfortunate with such great Latin music [that] we can’t dance.” The band was on fire and dancing was not an option, but we all felt that rhythm in our bones, in our toes. Everything is grounded in the propelling clavé rhythm that underlies virtually all Afro-Caribbe-

an music. The field of Latina vocalists has a few doors open and Alves, judging by her live performance, is a prime candidate for the spotlight.

“Iroko” is the 20th album for Israel-based Cohen, but just the third project for Rodriguez, a self-described Nuyorican, Santeria-adept, and doowop-bata rumba king, although he’s infused his secret spices for decades into the best Latin New York recordings. Coproduced by Cohen alongside Latin Grammy-winning producer Javier Limón, it’s as soulful as a street corner serenade in Spanish Harlem.

That Bronx/Harlem flair is definitely in the ingredients, but the roots of Yoruba orishas (spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion) are also present. Of the 14 energizing tracks, four are standard covers from various genres; the rendition of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World” has been reconstructed into a fierce mid-tempo tune with vocals in Spanish and English (Cohen often sings in Judeo-Spanish “Ladino,” which he learned from his mother) with dancing bass melodies and hypnotic conga beats that won’t quit. The theme from “Exodus” brings

out the duo’s vocal harmonizing, and the syncopation of bass and congas swing like a hip summer breeze. The “Exodus Theme” strikes a chord in these times of immigration flux.

And who would ever think Frankie Avalon’s 1959 hit “Venus” would appear on a Latin jazz album? But here it is. Rock & roll “Venus,” wearing a new colorful dress, dancing to fast-paced Latin rhythms and flying conga and bass melodies.

Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” is reincarnated in the spirit of Latin jazz bass and congas, tinged with a Nuyorican accent.

One of Rodriguez’s teachers was bassist Andy Gonzalez. Abe is a Babala wo priest validated in his mixture of the sacred and secular by his godfather, the bata great Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, who knew bass-

tors like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk in the forefront of the jazz tradition. He called them “the true originators of improvisation.”

The program included a host of great musicians and friends of Harris: his homegirl and good friend vocalist Sheila Jordan; the exceptional pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal performing the heartfelt ballad “Did I Ever Really Live”; a selection by pianist Rossano Sportiello and the Barry Harris Chorus and Orchestra, all in on “Wee Dot” and “Nascimento,” among other selections; blessing by the Rev. Dale R. Lind, jazz pastor emeritus, and the renowned jazz MC Sheila Anderson.

ist Gonzalez and his trumpet/conguero brother Jerry Gonzalez, from the drum circles he sat in with while growing up.

“Abe created a language for himself out of R&B, blues, doo-wop, jazz, and Motown—a world of his own that I wanted to play bass in,” said Cohen. “From beginning to end, just conga, bass, and vocals, and profoundly beautiful songs we could take apart and make our own. Now, when I listen to the groove of it, I want to dance. The essence is there.”

The album “Iroko” is dedicated to Andy and Jerry Gonzalez.

The memorial for the prolific pianist, composer, arranger, and educator Barry Harris was held last week (May 10), at St. Peter’s Church (known as the Jazz Church)on Manhattan’s eastside. To no surprise, his final farewell was filled to capacity, standing room only.

When Harris transitioned on December 8, 2021, it was the end of an era. He was the beacon of bebop. He was committed to keeping the language and spirit of bebop living in jazz communities around the world and beyond. It was his mission to keep innova-

Harris was the epitome of a genius jazz pianist, but just as dear to his heart was sharing his knowledge through teaching. While he was living in Detroit with his mother, musicians who stopped by to study with him included trumpeter Donald Byrd, trombonist Curtis Fuller, saxophonist Joe Henderson, and John Coltrane, who would visit during his Detroit performances. Two young musicians into the R&B sound who regularly stopped by were Motown studio artists bassist James Jameson and pianist Earl Van Dyke.

For more than 20 years, Harris held weekly music instructions on Manhattan’s westside. When COVID hit the world, he took to Zoom instructions and still managed to get 200 people or more to tune in. On quite a few occasions, I visited his workshops. At least 100 students and experienced musicians would attend these sessions, some of whom included Rodney Kendrick, Jimmy Lovelace, and Bill Saxton. What amazed me was Harris would have everyone set up in groups according to instruments, and the vocalist would convene. He would go around to each group, giving advice, answering questions, having them play or sing a tune, and then offering his comments.

Having the opportunity to observe Dr. Harris in action was a learning experience I will never forget, along with our many conversations. What we all learned from him will be used and passed on, and his many recordings will continue to keep us focused and swinging. Please visit the website barryharrisinstituteofjazz.org.

Barry Harris at the Jazz Cultural Theater in New York City on July 21, 1984 (Photo by Brian McMillen / brianmcmillen@hotmail.com / Brianmcmillen (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barry_Harris_Jazz_ Cultural_Theatre.jpg), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)

Barry Harris performing during his last concert (Ron Scott photo)

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson was mainly known as a classical composer, but he was equally proficient in other musical genres, including blues, jazz, pop, and American folk music. He was born in Manhattan on June 14, 1932. He was named after Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912), the renowned Black British composer and conductor. His mother, herself a piano teacher and an organist, was deeply involved in the theater, and perhaps hoped to endow him with the inspiration to attain similar heights.

Perkinson attended the High School of Music and Art in New York City and New York University before transferring to the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with Vittorio Giannini and Charles Mills, and received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Later, at Princeton University, he was under the wing of Earl Kim and expanded his knowledge of music theory and composition.

From 1959 to 1962, Perkinson was on the faculty of Brooklyn College and studied conducting during the summer over this four-year period. In 1963, he went abroad to the Netherlands and was tutored by Franco Ferrara and Dean Dixon, an Afri-

can American notable in classical music, to intensify his conducting skills. He also took lessons in the art of conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Two years later, he founded the Symphony of the New World in New York City. He would later become its director of music.

Jerome Robbins hired him to head his American Theater Lab, as well as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Among his compositions is one commissioned by Ailey’s group that Perkinson called “For Bird, With Love,” the “Bird” being jazz immortal Charlie Parker. He also wrote arrangements for Marvin Gaye and Harry Belafonte.

Perkinson had a brief tenure with drummer and composer Max Roach that was even more consequential, especially when he performed as a pianist with Roach’s quartet. One memorable date was in 1964 during one of Roach’s European tours. A session at a television station in Belgium featured Perkinson providing lush chords for Abbey Lincoln and exchanging percussive licks with Roach.

When he wasn’t hobnobbing in the jazz world, Perkinson was composing music for films such as “The McMasters” (1970); “Together for Days” (1972); “A Warm December” (1973), starring Sidney Poitier; “Thomasine & Bushrod” (1974); “The Education of Sonny Carson” (1974); “Amazing

als. This confection of sound often permeated the movie soundtracks he composed. He wrote several orchestra pieces, most notably “Worship: A Concert Overture” (2001). His résumé features an extensive list of choral works; to list them here would exhaust the space. He composed some of these works for strings; some for piano and viola, flute, and cello; and several for violin and clarinet. One that was of particular importance was “Generations: Sinfonietta No.2 for String Orchestra, II.” “Alla Sarabande,” a tribute to Susan Loris, executive vice president of institutional advancement with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, featured a sweeping wave of melodic strings issuing from the orchestra, all of them wearing masks as the pandemic crippled the nation.

ACTIVITIES

FIND OUT MORE

Discography and album notes contain additional information about Perkinson that can be supplemented by his obituaries in several publications, including the “African Heritage Symphonic Series, Vol. III.”

DISCUSSION

Not much has been published about Perkinson’s early years, at least that is discoverable. We know his mother was his teacher and inspiration.

PLACE IN CONTEXT

Grace” (1974); “Mean Johnny Barrows” (1976); and the documentary “Montgomery to Memphis” (1970). He also wrote incidental music for at least one episode of the U.S. television show “Room 222.”

Perkinson’s music has been described as a blend of baroque counterpoint and American Romanticism flavored with dashes of Black folk music, jazz, blues, and spiritu-

I wish there had been more of the interview that Perkinson did at Schomburg in 1993, where he began explaining some technical aspects of composition. When he died of cancer on March 9, 2004, in Chicago at 71, the New York Times published a commendable obituary. At that time, he was artistic director of the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College in Chicago.

An abundance of clips of his compositions can be found on YouTube.

Born just after the great migration and before the Depression, Perkinson came of age in post-World War II and made his mark from 1960–1990.

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson CLASSROOM IN THE THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY

May 16, 1929: Rep. John Conyers, Jr. born in Highland Park, MI. He died in 2019 at 93.

May 17, 1956: Former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

May 18, 1946: Baseball great Reggie Jackson born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania.

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Conducting the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble (Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College, Chicago / Fair Use)

part because of someone’s age, race, gender, and the other things enumerated in the statute,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told the AmNews in an interview. “If someone commits a million-dollar larceny from their employer and they do it because they want to take a trip to Cancun, we may mention that as part of its background, but why they took the money is not an element.”

Without evidence of overt racist language or gestures, Bragg said the D.A. Office’s Hate Crimes Unit is forced to work harder to prove an incident is anti-Asian, such as combing through the perpetrator’s social media and checking their MetroCard history to see if they previously went to the neighborhood where the investigated incident occurred—especially in enclaves with significant AAPI populations. And even when anti-Asian slurs are allegedly hurled, Bragg’s office isn’t always successful in pursuing hate crime charges due to the jury’s decision, like in the conviction of laundromat stabber Dwight Williams.

The Atlanta Spa Shootings incident on March 16, 2021, perpetrated by a young white man, is widely regarded as the watershed moment for the Stop Asian Hate movement. But the act of mass murder wasn’t considered racially motivated to the conservative media personalities Sullivan and Carlson due to the absence of hate speech, even though six of the eight people killed were Asian women.

‘A

new racial formation’

While social media is the most prominent vehicle for potentially problematic narratives, online interconnectivity is a modern triumph for the Asian diaspora. Inevitably, some groups take a turn toward jingoism, especially over historical challenges Asians face in the western world. To be clear, many of these online groups and pages don’t see themselves as anti-Black or even anti-progressive. These groups often even boast anti-racist language.

“It’s a new racial formation,” said Wong. “They don’t look like white supremacists. They don’t align with the Republican Party, necessarily. It’s a new kind of political and racial formation, where we see a kind of racial conservatism that centers the Asian American community and experience that is

trolls and derision from “white liberal” media like Slate, although the story’s author is Asian American and does not currently work at the publication.

WeChat’s role in the Chinese community

But as this “new racial formation” materializes in Asian American spaces, Chinese language social media platforms are also contending with similar themes— most notably on WeChat, the world’s largest standalone mobile app. Jinxia Niu, who manages the Chinese Digital Engagement Project for Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) says anti-Black narratives are frequently found in conversations about public safety, affirmative action, and reparations. She created Chinese language fact-checking boards and independent websites to challenge anti-Black disinformation.

“What they’re referring to is, maybe there [are] indeed, two or three cases on news reporting that Black Americans were involved in the attacks,” said Niu. “Some of the cases are in New York, some are in San Francisco. They were picking out these two or three attacks in the media and generaliz[ing] it or exaggerat[ing] it.”

Democratic in party I.D.

“This non-white group is racially conservative on some issues, but is super-progressive on the environment or healthcare—it’s just a different way to be anti-Black.”

Yet arguably, the most frequent targets by this “new racial formation” are Asian Americans themselves—and usually women. Wong boasts an entire folder of hate mail from those who consider her a “race traitor.” Often the issue stems from dating, which is attributed to a historic “desexualization” of Asian men. Sometimes, they lash out against Asian women dating white men. Other times, they extend support to Black women, who statistically face similar statistical disadvantages with online dating.

The /r/aznidentity identity crisis

Digital news outlet Slate reported that users from Asian-centric Reddit community r/aznidentity conducted a targeted harassment campaign against a Yale student in 2020 after she went viral for denouncing anti-Black racism by her community. The group seemed to clean up its act a year after the

story was published in 2021— currently, posts on crime and critiques of other communities of color are banned and assumed to be “meant by white trolls to divide and conquer.”

Reddit user u/Arcterex—one of the community’s moderators— told the Amsterdam News the decision stems directly from the bad actors and not pressure from the Slate piece, which they criticized as an attempt to “vilify” the subreddit.

“Historically, Asian Americans have been seen as passive—not the type to organize, fight back, to call out racism and be aggressive in holding racists accountable,” they wrote by email. “r/Aznidentity breaks that mold. Consequently, we attract white racists who troll our Asian community and this includes making posts posing as Asians insulting other racial communities. We used to have an open policy of allowing anyone to make posts on our subreddit; but due to racist trolling, all posts must now be approved by our moderators.”

When asked what happens when an earnest Asian American user echoes the same divi-

sive language as the white trolls, u/Arcterex argued that the group isn’t racist, especially to nonwhite groups. They added that “constructive criticism” addressing anti-Asian racism from nonwhite groups by verified users is permitted.

But not too long ago, such users argued in a Black-on-Asian crime post that the lives of many Black victims of police violence were worth less than Michelle Go’s, to the tune of 350-plus “upvotes,” Reddit’s version of likes. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Go’s father Justin was unsure if her killer had any racial motivation. White trolls or not, such posts seem drastically reduced, if not eliminated, on r/aznidentity today.

u/Arcterex sees the “new racial formation” as self-sufficiency, arguing that Asian Americans cannot depend on either the Democratic or Republican party to advocate for them—a candidate’s support is levied or withheld based on their support for AAPI issues, rather than political affiliation. They believe such a stance is what draws both harassment from right-wing

Many of these narratives stem from a misperceived “privilege” Black Americans supposedly receive through affirmative action, reparations, and media coverage as victims of violent attacks, added Niu. It’s even seen through the official Mandarin term for “Black Lives Matter”: hēi mìng guì, which more closely translates to “Black lives are expensive” or “Black lives are superior.”

Re-affirming affirmative action

Still, Niu stressed that most Chinese Americans do not participate in this online behavior. She believes it is almost always a vocal minority, which is best illustrated by the ongoing struggle over affirmative action. Today, Asian Americans are often at the forefront of these debates, with the researchers specifically pointing out lawsuits against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill designed by conservative tactician Edward Blum and his Students for Fair Admissions organization. The Supreme Court soon will hear his seventh and eighth attempts to essentially try to deem affirmative action as unconstitutional.

Yet Asian American voters overwhelmingly support affirmative

See AAPI continued on next page

Asian American Federation’s Anti-Asian Hate Rally in Foley Square on February 27, 2021 (Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office)

Mayor Eric Adams provides update on fatal attack of Asian woman in Times Square. NQR Subway Station at 40th Street, Manhattan, on January 15, 2022 (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

action, according to Wong. AAPI Data researchers began polling on the issue in 2012 and most recently found 69% of Asian American voters favor affirmative action programs “designed to help Black people, women, and other minorities get better access to higher education.”

To Blum, affirmative action is too abstract a concept to quantify support for—by email, he told the Amsterdam News that the term “means different things to different people.” He argued that, alternatively, race as a factor in admissions and employment “is not a fuzzy concept to measure.”

Blum pointed to countering data from a pair of Pew Research surveys finding a majority of all Americans, including those identifying as Black or Asian, generally oppose universities factoring race into their admissions processes. Unlike AAPI Data’s poll, the participants included nonvoters and were not directly asked about affirmative action. Instead, they were asked about a list of college admissions factors and whether those should be considered major, minor, or non-factor. Participants could also choose not to answer.

Bridging the divide

While Korean Americans are the most likely to support affirmative action, according to AAPI Data, the most prominent historical conflicts between Asian and Black Americans involve Korean Americans. The Los Angeles Koreatown was in rubble after the 1992 Rodney King protests and disproportionately damaged due to the killing of Black teenager Latasha Harlins by Korean shop owner Soon Ja Du in the previous year. Wong said the community’s overwhelming support for affirmative action today, designed to help Black people, is no coincidence.

“We see Korean Americans [are] very supportive, more so than other groups that are also supportive,” she said. “But it is striking, and it has to do [with] post1992, after the Rodney King beating and the interracial tensions that arose, there was a ton of work done by community organizers to try to create more solidarity between Black [and] Korean Americans.”

Today, the bridge-building continues— albeit largely offline. Wong mentioned work between CAA and the nonprofit Equal Justice Society (EJS), which campaigned together for the rejected Prop 16 that tried to bring affirmative action back to the “Golden State.” She specifically credited EJS’s founder and outgoing president Eva Paterson—a then-20-year-old Black college student who famously debated ex-U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew—as a key player in building solidarity between the groups.

Paterson’s successor, Lisa Holder, says a rising tide lifts all boats. “I will give reparations as an example of a movement that is established to redress the harm that has been done to African Americans over the last 400 years,” said Holder. “On the surface, [it] may seem very specific to Black

people. But when you look at reparations more broadly, the concept of reparations is a multicultural concept.

“It is a concept that has been leveraged by the Japanese American community with the support of the African American community, to address and right some of the wrongs that have been done to the Asian American community—specifically, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided for Japanese American reparations and which was heavily supported by African American legislators.”

Such lawmakers include then-California Representative Ron Dellums, who recalled how his childhood neighbor—and friend— was removed from their home.

“It wasn’t just Japanese Americans who felt the emotion, because they lived in the total context of community and I was one of the people who lived in [such a] community,” he said in his floor speech.

Holder added that such values of equity and inclusion are universal across racial lines, and must be the basis of any successful multiracial coalition. Just as most Asian Americans are outraged about the legacy of slavery, many Black Americans were repulsed by the World War II-era internment of Japanese Americans. From there, bridges can be built.

While many choose this advocacy work, others are chosen. Esther Lee an “accidental activist” after she was spit on and called “a carrier” while riding the New York City subway. That case is best known for leading to Mayor Eric Adams’s reassign ment of NYPD Hate Crimes Taskforce head Jessica Corey after the played Lee’s incident report (Corey is accusing Adams and Councilmember Julie Won of defamation).

Lee—who recorded the incident found herself thrust into speaking out against anti-Asian violence here in New York City. But she soon noticed her narra tives were hijacked by those who fixated on her attacker’s race in the video.

“I would say [around] 90% of the mes sages were [supportive], but you have that small sliver of people who feel safe in a platform like Twitter, Instagram, or Face book, because it’s anonymous, right?” said Lee. “You can come up with fake social media accounts, you don’t have to put out your name, and you can write anything you want, and who’s gonna come after you?

“That anonymity is what emboldened people to say certain things, and it really shows the true colors of some within our own community that start calling this [a] ‘Black on Asian hate crime.’”

She said she’s still processing what happened and what caused it. Lee maintained she’s typically not one to march or lead rallies. Yet she’s now not only an “accidental activist” against anti-Asian violence in New York City, but also finds herself doing the difficult work of dispelling anti-Blackness stemming from those imposing their own theories on the perpetrator’s motivations. Ultimately, Lee herself doesn’t even fully understand why the 63-year-old Bronx man

approached her on that fateful day. “There’s a lot to unpack here, and I’m still

persons

Completed applications must be sent by regular mail only to the address printed on the application and must be received by 6/30/2023. Applications received after the deadline will not be processed.

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Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for

Council members join anti-Asian violence protest at Foley Square (Gerardo Romo photo)

‘No cuts to CUNY,’ say electeds & advocates

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

Dozens of City University of New York (CUNY), the Professional Staff Congress (PSC-NY) faculty union, and elected officials crowded the steps at the Tweed Courthouse last week to protest against Mayor Eric Adams’ $60 million cuts to CUNY funding in the city budget.

The CUNY school system has about 225,000 students across 25 campuses, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds and reside in the city to pursue their careers. The overall budget for CUNY is $4.3 billion.

“This is very easy, very clear,” said Councilmember Pierina Sanchez at the rally. “When you talk about cutting programs, you are talking about a direct affront on communities of color. You’re talking about a direct affront on the fight against inequality.”

The recently released state budget allocates $103 million for CUNY, $1 million for campus mental health programs, and $135 million for school meals, but rejects tuition increases for state residents. However, education advocates and students are livid about the $60 million in cuts in the city’s budget

for fiscal years 2023 and 2024. They are demanding budget restorations and a $35 million increase to hire new full-time academic advisors.

PSC-NY President James Davis said in a statement that the state budget was a step in the right direction towards a New Deal for CUNY, a bill that aims to fully fund CUNY and make the universities tuition-free. He maintains that the city cuts will still leave student and adjunct faculty jobs at risk.

“These gains couldn’t have come at a better time, as CUNY management has proposed deep ‘savings target’ cuts to academic programs and student services because of state budget uncertainty, cuts from Mayor Eric Adams, and enrollment declines,” said Davis. “With these significant increases in state funding, Chancellor Matos Rodríguez must reverse the planned cuts and commit to protecting the jobs of PSC members, appropriate class sizes, and the quality of a CUNY education.”

The cuts are in keeping with the city’s Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG), which is supposed to save the city money. In an analysis of the proposed city budget released by Comptroller Brad Lander, there will be a total of $155 million consecutive cuts in

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fiscal year 2023, meaning 235 faculty and staff positions will be lost, and then there will be $41.3 million in permanent cuts annually for fiscal years 2024 to 2026. Over the last two rounds of PEGs, said Lander, CUNY has seen a reduction in over $155 million and 35,000 positions.

According to the analysis, CUNY faces “repeated patterns of disinvestment and serious challenges to its finances stemming from inconsistent state and city funding, unstable tuition revenues, the expiration of federal pandemic aid, and rising costs due to inflation.”

Bronx Open House

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“Investments in CUNY are investments in the future of New York City,” Lander said at the rally. “Let’s be very clear. When we say CUNY is the essential vehicle for upward mobility, here’s what we mean: 80% of CUNY undergraduates are students of color [and] 45% are first-generation college students. CUNY is creating the path to opportunity that makes NYC what it is.”

The analysis concluded that the budget “jeopardizes” CUNY’s ability to provide quality academic and student services and the expansion of programs like CUNY Reconnect, Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) and Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE). It suggested that the mayor and city council should invest further, rather than impose cuts.

“I want to see students of color in academia so we have to support emerging faculty members, these students, these disciplines,” said Councilmember Shahana Hanif, “and I am committed.”

City council is currently holding hearings on the city budget for fiscal year 2024 from May 8 to May 24 at City Hall. They will hear testimonies from city agencies and the public on the mayor’s proposed budget.

Members of the public can register to testify virtually via Zoom or phone. Written testimony may be submitted up to 72 hours after the hearing.

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

Local electeds joined CUNY students, faculty and staff to oppose Mayor Adams’ budget cuts on Thurs, May 11. (Ariama C. Long photos)

Continued from page 3

culminated on May 5, when an anonymous nonpartisan truck ad appeared parked on 145th Street with Jordan’s face framed like a missing poster. None of the candidates in the race or Teitelbaum claim responsibility for the truck.

Jordan beat a hasty retreat from the media onslaught soon after. She adamantly told Amsterdam News last week outside a rally for Jordan Neely, a Black homeless man choked to death on the subway, that she no longer trusted reporters and offered “no comment” about the City Council race or the truck. At that time, she also refused to confirm whether she was running for reelection.

Major candidates left in the race are Assemblymember Inez Dickens, Assemblymember Al Taylor, and activist Yusef Salaam.

In response to Jordan not seeking reelection, Dickens thanked Jordan for her service. Dickens was most recently endorsed by NAACP NY State Conference President Hazel Dukes and a slew of other electeds from Harlem.

“I applaud the political participation of all women of color,” Dickens posted. “I started my own political journey as a local organizer and worked my way up to [the] state legislature, and if there is one thing I have learned, it is this: We need more women of color in rooms where decisions about our lives are being made.”

Taylor has had strong backing from the Carpenters Union, and was endorsed early on Senator Cordell Cleare, former 32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg, and Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs.

Continued from page 3

underneath, black jeans, and blue/black Jordan sneakers.

“Although [victims of] ‘Missing while Black’ have not gotten strong mainstream media and the public attention as they deserve, particularly within the immigrant communities, the missing young Alfa Ousmane Barrie seems to have bucked the usual pattern,” said Sheikh Musa Drammeh of the African Union Day Foundation. He told the Amsterdam News,“Ever since the first announcement of his disappearance was made, the entire community, especially West Africans in New York, have been circulating it in all of their social media platforms and ethnic media outlets constantly.”

“We are seeking the public’s help in our search for two missing children,” said Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson, Commanding Officer of NYPD Manhattan North. “Both last seen between last Friday and early Saturday morning. The missing persons squad, detective, patrol officers in Manhattan and the Bronx, the harbor unit, members of the strategic response group and other personnel are searching for these boys and there are millions of eyes and ears in our city. We’re asking

“I give my deep regards to the councilmember for what must have been a difficult and somber decision,” said Taylor in a statement. “We run for office because we have a passion and conviction for making things better for our neighbors and communities. I respect her decision and I wish her only the best in the next chapter of her life.”

Salaam said that public service is “one of the highest callings” and similarly thanked Jordan for her service and commitment to the Harlem community. Salaam has been endorsed by activist and author Cornel West, District Leader Paula Diamond Román, and former Assembly Member Keith L.T. Wright, among others.

In a twist of fate, the former council member whom Jordan unseated to get into office, 74-year-old Bill Perkins, died the same morning that she announced she was dropping out of the race. Perkins had been battling an illness and dementia for a long time, but that is not yet confirmed to be his cause of death, said his family’s rep.

“My condolences to his family and loved ones,” said Jordan via text about Perkins’s passing.

Jordan did not add further comment about not running in the City Council race. Her staff confirmed that she is not resigning from office at this time. Her name will still technically be on the ballot on June 27.

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

all of them right now to help us find these children right now.”

At the Tuesday press conference Deputy Chief Brian Gill said, “We’re still in the process of pulling video from everywhere. Everyone we identify we’re going to try to track down and ask them for any help.”

Continued from page 4

will need to be posted there for both the safety of the migrants and the security of the building. It’s a waste of resources and a frankly inhumane arrangement. This decision need to be rethought.”

“We learned that the city had multiple families with children sheltering at the NYPD’s former police academy building in Manhattan, a facility only appropriate for single adult men,” said the Legal Aid Society and Coalition for the Homeless in a joint statement. “The city cannot shelter families with children in congregate settings. Private sleeping quarters are required for families’ safety, for mothers to privately nurse newborns, to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases, and to prevent sexual assault.”

Nationally, the Biden administration warned of “unlawful” pathways to the U.S., boasted about the arrest of more than 10,000 smugglers, and imposed stricter conditions following the expiration of Title 42.

“This administration has led the largest expansion of legal pathways for protection in decades, and this regulation will encourage migrants to seek access to those pathways instead of arriving unlawfully in the grip of smugglers at the southern border,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Ale-

jandro Mayorkas.

But such criteria includes bureaucratic measures like applying for asylum in stopover countries on the way to the United States. Failure to comply means blocked asylum applications, a minimum half-decade ban on reentry, and potential criminal charges.

In the chaos, Adams has also called to start bussing people upstate to other counties and considered rollbacks to the right-to-shelter order. Both ideas were met with immediate backlash from two groups: suburban Republicans and city elected officials.

“Denying rights and resources to people arriving in desperate need and fervent hope will not replace action needed from the President, who has failed to provide sufficient federal funding or a national response,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said in a statement, “or the Governor, who has failed to support the city, and therefore the state, by coordinating with other municipalities. Instead, this action will only harm our newest, aspiring, and long-term New Yorkers and shift, not solve, the crisis.”

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

INVITATION TO PREQUALIFY AND TO BID

Invitation to Prequalify and to Bid

Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, NY: Turner Construction Company, an EEO Employer, is currently soliciting bids for the Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium from subcontractors and vendors for the following bid packages: BP #041B - Plumbing

Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, NY : Turner Construction Company, an EEO Employer, is currently soliciting bids for the Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium from subcontractors and vendors for the following bid packages:

Only bids responsive to the entire scope of work will be considered and, to be successful, bidders must be prequalified by Turner. Certified M/WBE and Small Business (13 CFR part 121) companies are encouraged to submit.

BP

#041B - Plumbing

“We are extremely concerned about the whereabouts of Alfa Barrie, an 11-yearold student who attends Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School,” said Public Schools CEO Natasha Trivers in a statement. “We urge members of the public to come forward with any information about his location by calling CrimeStoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Police are currently following up on every lead. All members of Democracy Prep’s community are precious to us, and we stand by Alfa’s family during this difficult time.”

Only bids responsive to the entire scope of work will be cons idered and, to be successful, bidders must be prequalified by Turner. Certified M/WBE and Small Business (13 CFR part 121) companies are encouraged to submit.

Bronx-based community activist Abdoulaye Cisse told the Amsterdam News, “I hope Alfa returns home safe and sound. I’m sure this is a very difficult time for the parents and his family as they await the outcome. Hopefully all is well in the end, and he returns home safe.”

Cisse, founder of Bridging Africans & Black Americans Inc (BABA), added, “I urge the greater community to help out by sharing the flier online, or even better, printing the flier and posting it up in the neighborhood to help this family through this difficult time.”

In order to receive the bid packages, potential bidders either (1) must initiate the prequalification process by submitting a Subcontractor/Vendor Prequalification Statement to Turner, or (2) must be prequalified based on a prior submission to Turner. (Note: Prior prequalification submissions that remain current will be considered as previously submitted or may be updated at this time. ) All bidders must be prequalified by the bid deadline: July 6th, 2023 and initial submission of a prequalification statement not later than July 6th, 2023 is strongly encouraged. All bidders must have an acceptable EMR, and will be subject to government regulations such as 44 CFR and Federal Executive Order 11246. Successful bidders will be required to use LCP Tracker compliance verification software. Note that while this is a New York City prevailing wage project, union affiliation is not required for BP #041B

In order to receive the bid packages, potential bidders either (1) must initiate the prequalification process by submitting a Subcontractor/Vendor Prequalification Statement to Turner, or (2) must be prequalified based on a prior submission to Turner. (Note: Prior prequalification submissions that remain current will be considered as previously submitted or may be updated at this time.) All bidders must be prequalified by the bid deadline: July 6th, 2023 and initial submission of a prequalification statement not later than July 6th, 2023 is strongly encouraged. All bidders must have an acceptable EMR, and will be subject to government regulations such as 44 CFR and Federal Executive Order 11246. Successful bidders will be required to use LCP Tracker compliance verification software. Note that while this is a New York City prevailing wage project, union affiliation is not required for BP #041B A Webcast about the above Bid Package/s will be held on June 8th, 2023. Attendance is optional for all; the Webcast is designed to assist potential M/WBE subcontractors/vendors. Link: Please join this meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_

NTVjNmZlMTctODdjNy00YWRmLWJmMmYtZjI4NzNjMzcwNWVi%40thread.v2/0?context= %7b%22Tid%22%3a%2220e27700-b670-4553-a27c-d8e2583b3289%22%2c%22Oid%2 2%3a%22732a90ce-24b7-42eb-bf78-d638e2a629ac%22%7d

To obtain further information about contracting opportunities and/or the prequalification package and bid solicitation package/s, please contact Lyndsey Spangel, lspangel@tcco. com 646-842-1659.

The date for the virtual public opening at the Turner Construction Company office located at 66 Hudson Yards, New York, New York, is July 7th, 2023 10 AM

Link: Please join this opening meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_

A Webcast about the above Bid Package/s will be held on June 8th, 2023. Attendance is optional for all;

NThmN2MzNDctNGEzNC00MTA5LWE2NjYtZTI0ZWVjZGVmM2Nj%40thread.v2/0?context =%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2220e27700-b670-4553-a27c-d8e2583b3289%22%2c%22Oid% 22%3a%22732a90ce-24b7-42eb-bf78-d638e2a629ac%22%7d

Religion & Spirituality

Former Councilmember and State Senator Bill Perkins, advocate for civil and human rights, joins the ancestors at 74

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

There was still a lively strut in the cut of Bill Perkins when he passed me last summer near 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. He fiddled with his customary hat as we chatted about the pandemic and whether he would compete again in the annual NYC marathon, which he had done over the course of several years.

Unlike in the past, when he would command lengthy moments of political discourse, Bill was brief, as if another urgency was beckoning. He left with a handshake and promised to stay in touch. We learned this morning, Tuesday, May 16, that Bill Perkins has passed on to glory. He was 74 and died at home in his beloved Harlem.

“After a lifetime fighting for justice, equality, and to make our community heard, my husband, former City Councilman and State Senator died at his home in Harlem, the community he loved and fought for his entire life,” said his wife, Pamela Green Perkins. “May he rest in peace and power.” No cause was given for his death.

Whether as a member of the City Council, where he served Harlem’s District 9 from 1998 to 2005 and again from 2017 to 2021, or in the State Senate from 2007 to 2017, representing the 30th District in Harlem, Perkins was a relentless advocate for the marginalized, never wavering in his political and social commitment to his community. As many of his followers often said, “He spoke truth to power.”

The Nation magazine cited Perkins as one of the most effective progressive city leaders in the country, a tribute he acquired after his formidable stand for the Central Park Five and against Donald Trump’s call for the death penalty for the wrongly accused teens.

“A lifelong resident of Harlem,” his résumé noted, “Bill was raised by his mother together with his two brothers and a cousin. While she didn’t have much to give him financially, she fought to get him into good schools and instilled in him the importance of a good education.”

After graduating from the Collegiate School, he attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. In a 2007 issue of

the Brown alumni magazine, William Bunch profiled Perkins, recounting his experience with the Central Park 5. “All of the young people in the community were being stigmatized by the rape,” Bunch said. “He remembers worrying about the widespread effects the city’s fury might have—including, for example, the exclusion of law-abiding Schomburg teens from summer jobs.

“Meanwhile, some parents of the accused young men approached Perkins to insist that their sons were innocent of the rape,” Bunch continued. “Indeed, despite the videotaped confessions, parts of the young men’s stories didn’t seem to add up—a fact that received virtually no attention at the time. Although the semen sample police retrieved from the jogger’s sock didn’t match any of the suspects, prosecutors countered by saying blond hairs on one of the young men clearly were the jogger’s. ‘These kids are innocent until proven guilty,’ Perkins recalls thinking at the time. ‘What people started telling me was that the stories we were hearing were not accurate.’”

Eventually, after moments of nagging doubts, Perkins testified for the accused. For Perkins, Bunch wrote, “it was a nervewracking experience. For Perkins, who’d long held ambitions of winning a seat on the City Council, the case could have been political poison. He recalls being flustered on the stand. At one point, Colin Moore, a defense attorney for one of the youths, tried to establish Perkins’s intelligence and

judgment. ‘Didn’t you go to Brown University?’ he asked.”

Another example of the kind of concerned man Perkins was: He spearheaded the successful fight to protect children from the deadly menace of lead in their homes, an action that resulted in the enactment of the Childhood Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Act of 2004. This was just one of the battles he waged and won. Others included diminishing rat infestation, reformation of the MTA, opposing the entry of the U.S. in the war in Iraq, and being the first elected official to support Barack Obama for president. Affordable housing, good-paying jobs, quality healthcare, and an unflinching support of public education were among the hallmarks of his distinguished career.

His courage was truly tested as a colon cancer survivor and he promoted programs of early detection, particularly for childhood diseases, HIV/AIDS, asthma, and maternal mortality.

Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, who knew Perkins for many years, said, “It was shocking to hear of Bill’s death this morning. My heart goes out to his wife, Pam, and all of his loved ones. He was a fierce advocate for the village of Harlem, and although we did not always agree on everything, our goals have always been linked to the fight for the betterment of our neighborhoods. Harlem has lost a great warrior today—a giant. I’d like to thank him for his decades of contributions and tenacity.”

“Bill Perkins represents one of the great

traditions of Harlem, as one of its own sons… Through poverty at the beginning of an unprecedented period of opportunity, he matriculated at one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in America, Collegiate, and then on to the Ivy League—Brown University,” said Rev. Conrad B. Tillard, of the Black Clergy for Economic Empowerment. “Unlike Black people 10 years older, with his platinum educational credentials, he could literally have walked away from Harlem and into employment, residency, and social status among the 1 percent. Yet he wanted to stay at home and serve his people.”

Tillard concluded, “He did that, as an activist; from the Perry Brothers affair to his tenure on the Council, he did it with style and flair, and like all great Harlem leaders, he walked the streets! He will be missed.”

“Bill Perkins was a lion of Harlem, a real champion of the people,” said Assemblyman Al Taylor. “For more than three decades, Bill fought for our neighborhoods, built up our communities, and defended our people. Truly, no words suffice to honor the life and triumphs of Bill Perkins. I have had the honor and privilege of working alongside Bill for many years, as a community activist, a reverend, an elected, and a friend. I can only hope that I can carry on his mighty legacy of good work for our people. I pray for peace for his family and loved ones and upon this whole community that owes so much to him”

Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park youth who were exonerated, said that “Bill Perkins was a giant in this community who dedicated his life to Harlem, and I extend my deepest condolences to his wife Pam and his children. He fought for change, and his lead paint law has undoubtedly saved countless lives. But I will always be grateful for his support for [the] Central Park 5. In our darkest hours, when it seemed like the whole world was against us, Bill Perkins bravely stood behind and with us. His bravery and commitment to justice were unwavering, and he is a big reason why we were eventually exonerated. Rest in power, Bill Perkins.”

No funeral or memorial services had been arranged at presstime.

Bill Perkins (Bill Moore photo)

A video of Kuanzami’s presentation can be seen on YouTube at “From Africa to Maine: The History of the DRC and Angola.”

HOW DEMOCRATIC HOPES FOR A ‘SUDANESE SPRING’ FAILED TO TAKE HOLD

(GIN) — Since independence six decades earlier, through long stretches of military rule interrupted only by brief spells of democracy, Sudanese citizens began to dream of freedom. They had suffered enough.

But even amid the euphoria after the overthrow of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who had terrorized the country for 30 years, the seeds of today’s conflict already had been sown, theorize Washington Post reporter Katherine Houreld and Hafiz Haroun.

Fighting between two generals jockeying for power has killed at least 600 civilians— and probably far more—while sparking an exodus of tens of thousands of refugees, crippling aid operations that fed millions and threatening to set alight one of the world’s most unstable regions.

Three possible explanations have been discussed, according to the reporters:

• Today’s conflict can be traced back to Bashir, who fostered rival paramilitary units and armed groups to head off po

backing after Bashir was deposed, concentrated power in the hands of the men with guns; and

• Failure of the U.S. and other foreign powers to impose sanctions on the two generals when they jointly overthrew that government in 2021; instead, foreign governments tried to coax the rival generals toward democratic reforms.

There were obstacles to civilian rule from the beginning, insists Justin Lynch, co-author of the book “Sudan’s Unfinished Democracy.”

“If the international community did everything right, it’s still not clear that the revolution would have succeeded,” he said. “After the transitional constitution was signed, it was always clear the military were going to keep power.”

The military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) kept all the guns. Their business interests, including chunks of state-owned companies and private enterprises, gold mines, and petroleum operations, remained untouched.

In the end, efforts by the U.S., Britain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (backed by the African Union, among others) were unable to result in a power-sharing arrangement between the two generals. International powers, for their part, failed to provide support for citizen protestors, some of whom were wrongfully accused of capital crimes.

summed up the writers’ views: “Two war lords,

Merengue

Continued from page 2

eventually granted land by the Spanish, and he was not forced to pay taxes to the Spanish for the property.

Another famous rebellion was led by Sebastián Lemba Calembo, who was of Congolese origin. Lemba led a 15-year insurgency war against the Spanish, fighting in a style that is today recognized as guerrilla warfare. Lemba kept the Spanish at bay until he was captured in 1547.

Haitians are stateless in the Dominican Republic

In 1697, a peace treaty was signed among the European powers of Spain, France, and England, and from then on, the island was divided between France and Spain. It was not until the Haitian Revolution, which took place from 1791 to 1804 and was the first triumphant revolution of the African diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean, that the island was freed.

Under Haitian President Jean-Pierre Boyer (who served from 1818–1843), the eastern part of the Dominican Republic was occupied and annexed by Haiti between 1822 and 1844. This situation generated numerous historical conflicts over time, including the infamous

military forces as they questioned individual after individual to determine if they were Dominican nationals or Haitian immigrants. The tensions experienced by Haitian migrants in any part of the world are despicable and in violation of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, approved by the United Nations in 1990. Since the Parsley massacre, there have been almost permanent crises experienced by both countries, and each has also suffered several invasions from the United States throughout the 20th century. The migration of Haitians to the Dominican Republic has been a human flood. In 2013, explains Solano, the activist, the government launched Law 168/13, denying Dominican citizenship to people of Haitian descent born in the Dominican Republic between 1929 and 2010. This, in addition to the forced migration of thousands of Haitians fleeing their nations’ internal violence generated with the creation of the Tonton Macoutes by former President François “Papa Doc” Duvalier (1957–1971).

Faced with this tense border crisis, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader initiated the creation of a 391-kilometer-long wall in February 2022 to stop Haitian migration. The wall reflects, to a certain extent, the xenophobic character of the president.

Law 168-13 makes Haitians born in the Dominican Republic stateless. This situa-

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HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff -against- CHARLES LEO FONAROW, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated April 5, 2022 and entered on April 19, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse located on the portico at 60 Centre Street, New York on May 31st, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 3.1810% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442513 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302.

The Foreclosure Sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District’s COVID-19 Policies and Foreclosure Auction Rules.

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

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

Approximate amount of lien $38,120.82 plus interest & costs.

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

Index Number 850106/2020.

HAYLEY GREENBERG, ESQ., Referee

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff

242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

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

HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR WELLS FARGO ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION MORTGAGE ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-PA,

V.

PAULA RICE, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated November 9, 2022, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York, wherein HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR WELLS FARGO ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION MORTGAGE ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-PA is the Plaintiff and PAULA RICE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE, at the PORTICO OF THE CIVIL SUPREME COURTHOUSE, LOCATED AT 60 CENTRE STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10007, on June 7, 2023 at 2:15PM, premises known as 316 W 116TH ST, UNIT 3A, NEW YORK, NY 10029: Block 1848, Lot 1107: THE UNIT KNOWN AS RESIDENTIAL UNIT NO. 3A (THE "UNIT") IN THE BUILDING KNOWN AS 374 MANHATTAN CONDOMINIUM, 316 WEST 116TH STREET, IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, CITY, COUNTY AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850130/2018. Joseph F. Buono, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. DARRELL GLENN PORTER, Deft.- Index # 850194/2021. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 21, 2022, I will sell at public auction Outside on the Portico, NY County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 2:15 pm, an undivided 11,000/16,783,800 tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as HNY CLUB SUITES Phase 2 located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the County of NY, State of NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $73,674.97 plus costs and interest as of March 22, 2022. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell & Novitz, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK

ConnectOne Bank, Plaintiff against PAL Real Estate Holdings II, LLC, MTB AMG, Inc., PAL AMG, Inc. and Arthur H. Nelson, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in NY County on Dec. 5, 2022; Referee will sell at public auction to highest bidder on the Portico, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY10007, at 2:15 p.m. on May 31, 2023; premises:144 West 27th Street, Unit 6R, New York, NY 10001, described as: condo unit in building known as 144 West 27th Street Condominium and street address 144-152 West 27th Street, New York, NY; designated Unit 6R in Declaration of12/8/1992 by 276 Street Associates, Parcel ID: Block 802, Lot 1023. Approx. judgment $2,303,702.84, plus int. and costs. Subject to provisions of Judgment Index No. 850120/2022. Conducted under NY County Auction Part Rules; Georgia Papazis, Esq., Referee. Jonathan P. Vuotto, Esq., Attorney for Plaintiff, 1 Blue Hill Plaza, Ste. 1509, Pearl River, NY 10965 (212) 382-2208

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK

HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Pedro D. A. Alvarez Arenas, if living and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, purchase, inheritance lien, or otherwise or any right, title or interest in and to the premises…; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 28, 2022 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Portico of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre St, New York, NY 10007 on June 7, 2023 at 2:15PM, premises known as 15 William Street, New York, NY 10005. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block: 25 Lot: 1503. Approximate amount of judgment $792,245.73 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 810049/2012. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the First Judicial District. Mark McKew, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 4304792 Dated: February 7, 2023 75149

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK HILTON RESORTS CORPORATION, Plaintiff -against- JEREMIAH J. TYRRELL, TIMOTHY TYRRELL, JR., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated November 15, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse located on the portico at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on June 7th, 2023 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-incommon with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 1.4182% common interest percentage. This a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated September 22, 2014, October 6, 2014 as CFRN # 2014000330111 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1303.

The Foreclosure Sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District’s COVID-19 Policies and Foreclosure Auction Rules.

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

Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, UNIT HU2, NEW YORK, NY

Approximate amount of lien $35,267.20 plus interest & costs.

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

Index Number 850036/2022.

BRUCE N. LEDERMAN, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #1362544 for beer & wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer & wine at retail in a tavern under the ABC Law at 60 Grand Central Terminal, Sp. LC-05, NYC 10017 for on-premises consumption; Veselka GCT LLC

Notice of Formation of ALTO NEW YORK FLEET 6 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/23/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 141 Manufacturing St., Dallas, TX 75207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of ALTO NEW YORK FLEET 5 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/23/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 141 Manufacturing St., Dallas, TX 75207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of MIPH HOLDINGS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/22/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Yekaterina Poyarkova, 524 E. 72nd St., Apt. 37F, NY, NY 10021. 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: To hold real estate.

Notice of Qualification of PENNBRIDGES TRANSPORTCO LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/23/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/21/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste.4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of NONNAS PRODUCTIONS D&S, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/27/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/16/23. Princ. office of LLC: 9560 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, 401 Federal St., Ste. 3, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Film and television production.

Application for Authority of Men of Steel Enterprises, LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/22/2023. Formed in NJ 7/21/2004. Office Loc.: NY County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

The address SSNY shall mail copy of process to and the principal office address is 2500 State Rd., Unit A, Bensalem, PA 19020. Cert. of formation filed with the State Treas., 33 W. State St., 5th Fl., Trenton, NJ 08608. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of RECHARGE CAPITAL ADVISORS, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/24/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/22/22. Princ. office of LLC: 10 E. 53rd St., Ste. 140, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

All Season Fit LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/16/2023. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 228 Park Ave S #402852, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: To provide fitness and eating coaching or to engage in any lawful activity.

VASILIKI LIV RE LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/05/2023. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to: 50 West Street, No. 27B, New York, NY, 10006. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of NIMos, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/12/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/20/21. Princ. office of LLC: One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: US-based limited liability company offering a variety of integrated tools.

LEGAL NOTICE

KRISTIN RENEE LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 12/28/2022.

Firstbase Agent LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/9/22. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 447 Bdwy, 2nd Fl 187, NY, NY 10013. Purpose: any lawful act or activity

NOTICE OF FORMATION of SKYROCKET SYSTEMS GROUP LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/2/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 228 PARK AVE S, #805685, NY, NY 10003. R/A: US Corp Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave, #202, BK, NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful act.

NOTICE OF FORMATION of Cauthorn & Shapiro LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 2/11/2023. 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, 301 W 57th st Apt 21B, New York, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of JMBS23 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/01/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 520 Madison Ave., Ste. 3501, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543, regd. agent upon whom and at which process may be served. Purpose: Real estate investment.

Notice of Qualification of EMPASS MANAGEMENT, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/28/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/14/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Level Engineering, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/7/22. Office address: 575 Lexington Avenue 17th Fl, New York City and County, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 320 Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, CO 80537. Purpose: any lawful act.

RIVERSIDE PAINTERS LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/14/2023. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to: P.O. BOX 230474, NY, NY, 10023.

Purpose: Painting of interiors and any lawful act or activity.

Notice of Formation of MILLEL LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/02/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

LUDAS REALTY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 03/21/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail process to: 228 Park Ave S #676342, NY, NY 10003.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of ZM88 LLC. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/07/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/28/23. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Seward & Kissel, Attn: Hume R.Steyer, One Battery Park Plaza, NY, NY 10004. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., Federal & Duke of York Sts., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of TRAVEL THE ARTIST WAY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/05/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 200 Park Ave. S, Fl. 8, NY, NY 10003. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Josh Work at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Office Location: 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 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 228 PARK AVE S #624872, NEW YORK, NY, 10003, USA. R/A: UNITED STATES CORPORATION AGENTS, INC. 7014 13TH AVENUE, SUITE 202, BROOKLYN, NY 11228, USA. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of MONASHEE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/01/23. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/19/11. Princ. office of LLC: 520 Madison Ave., 19th Fl., NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: The Corporation Trust Co., Corp. Trust Center, 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste.4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Royale Administrative Touch LLC Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 01/19/23. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 12117 194th Street, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

KnowledgeGuru LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/28/2023. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy to: 250 W 94th St, Apt 9C, NY, NY 10025. Purpose: Any lawful act.

WEARBARE L.L.C. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/17/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to: 2816 SCHLEY AVENUE, APT 4D, BRONX, NY, 10465. Purpose: Any lawful act.

FUTURA EGG DONATION, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/03/23. Office: New York County. The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 177 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 101, Greenwich, CT 06831. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of SKHH HOLDINGS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/11/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 270 W. 17th St., #20A, NY, NY 10011. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: To purchase, own and sell real estate in New York.

T&S COLLECTIVE LIVING LLC

Art of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/07/2023. 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. SHANNON CHANG 404 E 66TH STREET, 4N, NEW YORK, NY, 10065. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

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Salesperson: Not Acct #: 23

HAROLD BARNES APT 1

118 WEST 121 ST NEW YORK NY 10027

Contact:

Phone: (212)864−1575

Fax#:

Email:

Agency:

COMMENTS: COPIED from AD

PUB ZONE EDT AN A 97

Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

Under this agreement event of a cancellation rate charged will

_____________________________________

Name (print or Large kitchenette w/refig. Good heat & hot water. Nr all transp. Job refs checked. Also, small rooms avail. 118 W 121st st. Call 917.583.4968

250 MANHT FURN ROOMS

Contact: Ad Descrpt: E. FLATBUSH, 3 BDRMS DUPL

195 HELP WANTED 195 HELP WANTED

Phone: (917)541−6394

Given by: *

Fax#: P.O. #:

Email: Created: sfolk 01/24/23 12:20

Agency: Last Changed: sfolk 01/24/23 12:28

COMMENTS:

COPIED from AD 3495

Under this agreement rates are subject to change with 30 days notice. In the event of a cancellation before schedule completion, I understand that the rate charged will be based upon the rate for the number of insertions used.

AUTHORIZATION

Under this agreement rates are subject to change with 30 days notice. In the event of a cancellation before schedule completion, I understand that the rate charged will be based upon the rate for the number of insertions used.

634 DONATIONS

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Continued from page 3

possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Black Doll Auction May 20 in Harlem

Rare and collectible Black dolls will be available at the Morrisania Doll Society’s Black Doll Auction in Harlem on May 20 at the Dwyer Cultural Center, 258 St. Nicholas Avenue. Doors will open at noon for the preview and the auction begins at 1 p.m.

The Morrisania Doll Society’s Black Doll Auction will feature over 40 Black dolls, most from private collectors. These include one-of-a-kind dolls from noted doll artists like Pamela Ekkens, known for her creative cloth dolls; doll artists Crafty Sisters’ unique cloth dolls; acclaimed doll artist Goldie Wilson’s cloth Christmas tree Black doll ornaments; Shirley Nigro-Hill’s folksy cloth dolls and Joyce L. Stroman’s art dolls. In addition, there will be a collection of limited-edition Black Barbie dolls. For more information, contact: 917-655-8531

Sun Ra Arrival Day Broadcast

Radio station WKCR at 89.9FM and online at http:// WKCR.org will conduct a special 24-hour Sun Ra Arrival Day Broadcast on May 22 to celebrate the 109th anniversary of the arrival of Sun Ra (1914–1993) from Monday, May 22, at 12 a.m. through Tuesday, May 23, at 12 a.m. The event will preempt all regularly scheduled programming.

Continued from page 4

Paterson’s Hinchliffe Stadium

Hinchliffe Stadium, one of five stillstanding Negro Leagues stadiums, is being updated and refurbished so it can be used again. In the 1930s and ’40s, the Paterson, N.J.-based stadium was the homefield ballpark for the New York Black Yankees, New York Cubans, and often the Newark Eagles baseball teams.

After a campaign of fundraising and $100 million in state tax credits, renovations began in April 2021 on what was once a deteriorating landmark.

Hinchliffe will be re-opened as the new home stadium for the New Jersey Jackals baseball team. The Paterson Public Schools will also be able to use the stadium for events and a museum commemorating the history of the Negro Leagues professional baseball league will be part of the new Hinchliffe Stadium.

The project, under the auspices of Baye Adofo-Wilson’s real estate development company, BAW Development, LLC, will also see to the opening of an affordable senior housing apartment complex dubbed the Hinchliffe Residences, a restaurant, and a 5,200-square-foot preschool.

––Compiled by Karen Juanita Carrillo

THE TOUGHEST MOST REWARDING JOB IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

––Compiled by Karen Juanita Carrillo

Haney faces toughest matchup of his career versus Lomachenko

By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews

Undisputed lightweight world champion Devin Haney (29–0, 15 KOs) will defend his title for the second time this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the toughest matchup of his career thus far: against Vasiliy Lomachenko (17–2, 11 KOs).

Haney won the undisputed championship in June 2022 by defeating George Kambosos, Jr. in Australia, which he did a second time in a rematch four months later. But Lomachenko will be much tougher than his previous opponent.

“I’ve been wanting this fight since 2019,” said Haney. “I’ve been begging for it and calling for it. The time has finally come. The tables have turned this time around. When he had the belts, he didn’t want to fight me. But it’s a fight where I truly believe I am the better fighter. I’m the better competitor. I will be victorious.”

The 24-year-old-Haney was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland until moving with his father Bill to Las Vegas when he was 14. “This is a legacy fight for me,” he maintained. “Lomachenko at one time was [the] No.1 pound-for-pound [boxer in the world].”

Several weeks ago, Haney discussed the state of his training.

“Camp has been great,” he emphasized. “I’m feeling good. I’m feeling strong. My weight is good. I’m happy and in good spirits. I’m ready to go.” Although Haney is confident he will be victorious, he was complimentary of Lomachenko.

“He has experience and ring generalship,” noted the 5’8” fighter, who is nicknamed The Dream. “I know he’s training for a dirty fight. He wants to get in and get as dirty as possible in the clinch. That’s what I’ve heard that he’s training

for. We’re just preparing for whatever he brings to the table.”

The 35-year-old Lomachenko, who was born in the former Soviet Union region that is now Ukraine, had a legendary amateur career. He won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the featherweight division and took gold in the lightweight division at the 2012 London Olympics. He also was the 2009 and 2011 World Championships gold medalist in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, respectively.

Going head-to-head, Haney’s work rate, jab, and height advantage, in addition to the 5’7” Lomachenko’s age, should earn the victory for Haney.

Newark, New Jersey, native Shakur Stevenson could be next for Haney. At 20–0, Stevenson, the unbeaten southpaw, is the former WBO featherweight and super featherweight champion. Both Haney and Stevenson are promoted by Top Rank. The Haney-Lomachenko clash will be broadcast on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT for $59.99.

Last weekend, Rolando “Rolly” Romero (15–1, 13 KOs) won the vacant WBA superlightweight championship in a controversial stoppage. Ismael Barroso, who was winning on all three scorecards, not only appeared to be unhurt and ably defending himself, but was still throwing punches. Romero defended the premature ending before admitting that it was too soon.

“I’ll be honest: He’s a warrior and he should have been allowed to continue,” Romero said. “The first punch was when I had him hurt to begin with.”

The 40-year-old Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs) disagreed. “I think it was an injustice to stop the fight,” said Barroso. “The referee just stopped the fight, and he didn’t say anything…I’m the one who’s hitting him. I don’t understand why they stopped the fight.”

Nuggets and Lakers set the stage for epic series

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

If Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night between the No.1 seed Denver Nuggets and No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers portends how the remainder of the series will unfold, it may be an epic best-of-seven clash between two teams featuring some of the basketball’s all-time greats—LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Nikola Jokic—bringing brilliant resumes to the battle.

Jokic was other-worldly in the Nuggets’ 132–126 Game 1 win at home. Jokic, also endearingly known as Joker, unleashed his boundless skills, as the 7-foot-tall center finished with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists. Davis’ numbers were also colossal. The 6-foot-10-inch forward had 40 points and 10 rebounds. James’ greatness is taken for granted as his 26-point, 12-rebound, nine assists night of work was standard for him.

There were other impactful contributions from players on both teams. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray scored 31 points, and Lakers guard Austin Reaves scored 23 and dealt eight assists. The Nuggets dominated much of the game and took a commanding 72–54 halftime lead, but the Lakers chipped away in the next 24 min-

utes and were trailing by just 129–126 with 45 seconds left when James missed a potential game-tying 27-foot jumper.

“Yeah, it took us a half to get into the game,” James said, “and that was pretty much the ballgame right there. They punched us in the mouth to start. I know the game is won in 48 minutes, but they set the tone in 24 minutes and we were playing catch-up for the next 24.”

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham put the ball in James’ hands and wore out the Nuggets defense with high pickand-rolls, targeting Murray and leaving Denver head coach Mike Malone’s disjointed group scrambling. Malone and his staff will have to determine how they will counter a formula the Lakers are certain to employ in Game 2 tonight in Denver.

“I’d rather clean things up after a win in the Western Conference finals than after a loss, so I will take it,” Malone said. “But [there is] much work to do.

Like Malone, Ham is approaching the long series pragmatically.

“Thank God it’s the best-of-seven and it’s not the NCAA Tournament,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “It’s the first to four. We’ll be OK, trust me.

The series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 Saturday night, and Game 4 on Monday.

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura scored 17 points in the Nuggets’ 132-126 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night. (Bill Moore photos)

Lightweight world champion Devin Haney (left) and former Division Three World Champion Vasiliy Lomachenko will meet this Saturday in Las Vegas. (Top Rank Boxing photo)

Michael Porter Jr.

Rui Hachimura

The WNBA tips-off 27th season

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Perhaps no WNBA season— other than the league’s debut in 1997—has been as eagerly anticipated as the current season. Over the past few months, women’s basketball has been in the news. There was unprecedented excitement around the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament, high viewership for the WNBA Draft, and actual news stories about WNBA training camps.

One story that received a lot of coverage last year was Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia. On May 13, Griner played her first Phoenix Mercury game since the 2021 WNBA Finals, scoring 10 points in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ultimately prevailed 90–71.

“It was good to be back in front of the fans,” said Griner postgame. “I guess there were a few

more cobwebs than I thought, but it was really good. I felt the love. The ones who sit courtside that I know really well, they all came up and talked to me. It was just a good moment. I’m grateful to be here, that’s for sure. I’m not going to take the day for granted.”

The WNBA also recently played its first-ever game in Canada. On Saturday, May 13, the Chicago Sky defeated the Minnesota Lynx 82–72 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto as images of the sold-out arena went viral on social media, and discussion of WNBA expansion heated up.

The new-look New York Liberty lost two preseason games. The first loss was against the equally new-look Connecticut Sun, now under the leadership of head coach Stephanie White. None of the Liberty’s new names—Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart or Courtney Vandersloot—played, which allowed coach Sandy Brondello

to get a look at last year’s top draft pick, Nyara Sabally, who missed the 2022 season due to injury, and fellow 2022 draft pick Sika Koné, who opted out last year. Koné was the Liberty’s top scorer with 10 points.

The Liberty also lost a preseason game 84–77 against the defending WNBA Champions, the Las Vegas Aces. Jones and Stewart made their Liberty debuts, but neither played more than 24 minutes, again enabling the coaching staff to see which players will fill out the roster. Among the contenders was Brooklyn native Epiphanny Prince, who previously played with the Liberty from 2015–18. Teams will make their final cuts today and the season begins tomorrow. The Liberty opens its season against the Washington Mystics tomorrow evening, and the team’s home court opener at Barclays Center is Sunday afternoon versus the Indiana Fever.

International student-athletes find their place at St. John’s

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

Heading into the Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the student-athletes from St. John’s University were fit and focused. For Claire Cushing, a senior distance runner from Canada, it has been a sweet change from her freshman year, when the pandemic forced her to quickly head home before borders closed. For freshmen Nora Haugen, a sprinter from Norway, and Jamora Alves, a thrower from Grenada, it’s been a great start to their collegiate careers.

“Being at the Big East Championships, there’s this mentality that everybody just wants to do their best, and we’re all there to push each other…and show ourselves who we can truly be at our top peak level,” said Cushing, who competed in the 1,500 meters and the 5K at the conference championship. “I love competing because I want to get better and better.”

Cushing, who also played competitive ice hockey grow -

ing up, knew she wanted to attend university in the U.S. and compete in Division I, finding the level of competition exhilarating. Haugen also focused on competing in the U.S., and when she connected with

Aliann Pompey, director of track and field and cross-country at St. John’s, she found her spot. Haugen is on Norway’s national team and hopes to continue competing internationally.

“I’m extremely happy with every-

thing that I’ve learned and the way I’ve developed. Not just my performances have developed and I’ve done personal bests, but I’ve also developed as a person and an athlete. The team and Coach Pompey have taught me so much,” said

Haugen, who hopes to compete at the Under 23 European Championships this summer.

Attending school away from home is not new to Alves, who attended high school in Jamaica, West Indies. She started throwing at the age of 8 but was largely self-taught—“just going and competing barefoot sometimes,” she said. “I met a coach from Grenada and went from there.”

Although she also played netball, throwing has always been her passion. Alves competes in the shot put and discus, winning both at the Big East Championships. Her coaches saw her potential, and the scholarship to attend school and train in Jamaica was life-changing. “It was a great opportunity,” Alves said. Being the leading performer from her high school led to U.S. athletic scholarship offers. “I work toward my goals,” she said.

St. John’s finished second in the Big East—the best finish since 1989. Sprinter Tatyana McKenzie was named most outstanding performer in women’s track.

Jamora Alves (St. John’s Athletics photo)

Jonquel Jones is finding her Big Apple groove (New York Liberty photo)

Stars are back for Yankees as Mets

stumble

By RASHID MCDONALD Special to the AmNews

Since returning to the Yankees lineup from a hip sprain on May 9, AL MVP Aaron Judge has been the spark for a struggling team. Slugging four home runs and hitting .320 with a 1.295 OPS, Judge has looked like his reigning American League MVP self over his previous seven games going into last night’s game versus the Toronto Blue Jays on the road.

During that span, the Yankees split four games against the Tampa Bay Rays and had gone 5–2 since the return of Judge as of Tuesday, including a 7–4 win over the Blue Jays on Monday night in Toronto to raise their record to 24–19. The Yankees fell to .500 (15–15) on May 1 by losing to the Cleveland Guardians 3–2, their fourth loss in a row.

The turnaround began with outfielder Harrison Bader making his season debut on May 2 after missing due to injuring his oblique during spring training. Bader has provided much-needed offensive help, going 14–42, hitting three home runs, and driving in 11 RBIs while batting .333 before being in the third spot and playing center field in the second game of the Yankees’ four-game series against the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Other Yankees have also caught fire at the plate, such as first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who was hitting .379 with 11 RBIs and three home runs in his previous seven games heading into Tuesday. Rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe had increased his average to .267 and had three homers and eight RBIs.

Going 6–2 from May 8 through May 15 and gaining 2.5 games in the AL East- leading Rays signals that the Yankees are gaining their footing. The Yankees will play a three-game series this weekend on the road against the Cincinnati Reds.

Meanwhile, the Mets have not been consistently productive at the plate or in their pitching rotation. They went 2–2 in Washington versus the Nationals in a four-game series that began last Friday and concluded on Monday. The Mets were 16th in Major League Baseball in batting at .241 when they hosted the Rays at Citi Field on Tuesday and were 18th in OPS (on base plus slugging) at .705. Their pitching was equally lagging as their ERA of 4.69 ranked 24th out of MLB’s 30 teams.

Top of the rotation starters Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander—future Hall of Famers—are still trying to gain their form as appointed aces while Kodai Senga, in

his first season in the MLB after coming over from Japan, was scheduled to start last night, taking a 4–2 record and 4.14 ERA into the game.

The Mets were 4–9 over their last 13 games before Tuesday’s game and already had been shut out seven times this season. They were shut out eight times all of last season. There should be some changes coming soon, specifically with how well infield prospects Mark Vientos and Ronnie Mauricio have been performing for the Mets TripleA affiliate Syracuse.

Mauricio was hitting .420 with eight RBIs and a 1.144 OPS and Vientos was hitting .261 with four homers, 12 RBIs, and a .917 OPS at the start of this week. While Mauricio and Vientos wait their turn, the Mets will host the Guardians in Queens for three games tomorrow through Sunday, then head to Chicago for three against the Cubs Tuesday through Thursday.

Aaron Singletary excels in his professional skating career

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Aaron Singletary first took to the ice to play hockey at age 5. He started figure skating around age 7 at the suggestion of his mother. “It was something I excelled at very quickly,” said Singletary, now 27, who gave up ice hockey within a year.

As he progressed in the sport, he sought out better coaching, often working with coach Craig Maurizi at the Ice House in Hackensack, N.J. He frequently competed in the Middle Atlantic Championships at SkyRink (Chelsea Piers). “I enjoyed competing a lot,” he said. As he got older and the pressure intensified, though, he began to feel the stress.

Around age 17, he’d grown tall and was approached to try pairs skating. He trained and

competed with a partner for several years and was eager to see how far he could go, but his second partnership dissolved when his partner’s mother had a car accident. “We weren’t the best pair skaters, but we were definitely getting better and over time, we would have turned into something,” Singletary said.

Spotted at a competition by someone from the Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY), an ensemble skating company, he was offered the chance to skate in some of ITNY’s shows. A year or so later, he joined the company. Shortly after he began performing with ITNY in 2019, other professional performing opportunities started coming his way, including a holiday show in California. That was followed by the opening of the American Dream mall in New Jersey. From May 5–8

of this year, Singletary skated in ITNY’s shows at SkyRink.

“The preparation was very nice,” said Singletary, who skated in the programs “Aquata” and “Ensemble for Peace.” The latter was dedicated to victims of the war in Ukraine and throughout the world.

“‘Ensemble’ was something I enjoyed doing because we’d done it before.

‘Aquata’ was a new style of skating, which was very fun to learn. Doing something new in that way, I found very exciting,” Singletary said.

When not performing, Singletary coaches, primarily at City Ice Pavilion in Queens and as a guest coach at other rinks in the area. He instills a sense of pride and performance in all his students. His performing career resumes in June, when he travels to Japan for three months of touring with “Disney on Ice.”

Mets starter Kodai Senga was scheduled to start last night versus Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field, taking a 4-2 record into the game (Wikipedia photo)

Aaron Singletary in performance with Ice Theatre of New York (Robyn Roth-Moise photo)

A critical off-season could have the Knicks ascending or regressing

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The postmortem on the Knicks began immediately after they were eliminated by the Miami Heat 4–2 last Friday at the Kaseya Center in South Florida in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals series, losing Game 6 by 96–92. They are in full evaluation mode and readying for key decisions that could have them ascending to title contender status or failing to build on a promising 2022-23 campaign.

Blame abounds for who was responsible for the the Knicks’ mildly surprising exit from the postseason at the hands of the No. 8 seed Heat, which lost their opening Play-in Tournament game 116–105 to the Atlanta Hawks and had to beat the Chicago Bulls 102–91 in a second Play-in game just to get into the playoffs.

Julius Randle has been the most vilified Knick by the team’s emotionally charged fans and a large segment of the media that have misguidedly appointed him a role normally ascribed to valid franchise

players, of which there are relatively few in the entire NBA. After averaging 25.1 points and 10 rebounds in 77 regular season games, Randle’s numbers shrunk to 16.6 and 8.3 in 10 postseason outings.

After being named All-NBA Third Team on May 10, his second All-NBA selection since signing with the Knicks as a free-agent in August of 2019, two days later, the 28-year-old Randle labored in shooting 3–14 and 1–7 on 3-point attempts for 15 points in an inadequate performance that has left a bitter impression on unforgiving Knick supporters. Many have similar feelings regarding RJ Barrett.

The 22-year-old forward’s season ending night was even more distressing than Randle’s. Raising his level of play after sub-par Games 1 and 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Knicks 4–1 opening round series victory, Barrett, who posted 19.3 points per game in 11 contests, was an abysmal 1–10 in Game 6 versus the Heat for 11 points.

“I played terrible,” Barrett said afterwards. “I’m very disappointed in how I played today. It’s a lot right

now. You fight for something, you want something so bad. Idon’t feel like I played my best, so it hurts, but it’s good to have experiences like these, you can learn from them. Theyare a very good team, very experienced, very poised, so we can learn from that.”

What everyone who follows the Knicks and the NBA learned is that Jalen Brunson is now unequivocally an elite player. He exhausted every unit of his capacity trying to will the Knicks to a Game 7, scoring 41 points in Game 6 and proving to be a force multiplier. Lacking an abundance of fast twitch fiber, Brunson’s craftiness with the ball, ballet-like footwork, intelligence quotient (IQ), and mental and physical toughness are as immense as any of his peers.

“It’s tough,” said Brunson of the defeat. “I think for me we did a lot of great things this season. We obviously wanted to keep playing and have the opportunity. It stings a little bit…if you don’t win you lose.”

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was reluctant to reach deep into his bench in the series, particularly to play the team’s

best 3-point shooter, Evan Founier, despite his squad registering a horrific 29.2% from behind the 3-point arc. Conversely, Thibodeau’s counterpart, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra masterfully maximized his reserves, going 10 strong to great effect. It has further shaped Thibodeau’s reputation as being stubborn and rotation rigid.

The off-season for the Knicks commenced in Miami last Friday evening. Team president Leon Rose and his staff of experienced voices, including general manager Scott Perry and executive vice president William Wesley, will have to creatively and boldly reconfigure the roster to address obvious needs, the most pressing significantly better perimeter shooting and athletic two-way wing player that is an adept defender and three-level scorer.

The Knicks were hopeful that the top-10 protected draft pick that was part of the January 2019 deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas

Mavericks would fortuitously drop below the 10th spot in Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery and by the terms of the trade become their possession. But when the league’s Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum revealed the pick came up at No. 10, the Knicks, for the moment, are left without a first round pick in this June’s draft. However, they have a treasure trove of first rounders, 10 in total, between next year’s draft and 2029 that can be used to improve their roster. A popular wish among Randle’s detractors is that he is moved for another All-Star - the Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been frequently referenced as a plausible option. The summer should be a compelling and active one for the Knicks.

The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, with Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler sitting out with a sprained ankle, led Knicks to a 111–105 win on Tuesday night in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series (Bill Moore photos)