Out & About

Harlem community organizer Edward Gibbs is now the New York State Assemblyman for East Harlem’s 68th district. He was sworn in by Mayor Eric Adams during a ceremony on Feb. 10 at the James Weldon Johnson Community Center. The event was moderated by Felipe Luciano, with a prayer by Robert Rice. Attendees included former Cong. Charles Rangel, State Sen. Cordell Cleare, Sen. Charles Schumer, Borough President Mark LeVine, friends, family and the community. man, community organizer, lecturer

(Bill Moore photos)

Edward Gibbs (at podium) with Felipe Luciano

Delaware State University partners with Bedford Academy

On Feb. 10, 2022, Adofo A. Muhammad Ed.D, principal of Bedford Academy High School hosted as his school entered into an historic partnership with Delaware State University to offer dual credit programs and an associate’s degree program starting in the summer of 2022 for incoming 9th grade scholars.

(Pamela Tate photos)

Antonio Boyle - Senior Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Kareem McLemore - Assistant Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Adofo A. Muhammad, Al Dorsett - Executive Director of Financial Aid, Shelvia Draper - Director of Customer Experience, Travis Sudler - Director of Enrollment Academic Services and Compliance Outside Advice Consulting LLC - Tomorrow’s Gifted Scholars Program, Dr. Cluny Lavache, Assistant Principal and co-facilitator of the partnership, Darryl Tyree - CEO, and Tim Umstead - Director of Financial Aid

Super gridiron halftime show, oh, and the game too

In my perfect world scenario, Sunday, Feb. 16 would’ve been the second Superbowl Championship for superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.; in my dream-like sequence, the New York Giants realized that the explosive offensive potential of the tandem of Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley, buoyed by Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard needed an additional spark and the NY Giants were the one franchise brave enough to not just sign, but play, the still dangerous multi-faceted quarterback Colin Kaepernick. After the team gained their chemistry, they became a juggernaut and once again bested the New England Patriots in the Superbowl.

That’s some fantasy football for you. It would also have been poetic justice. Since making that iconic one-handed catch on national television vs. the Dallas Cowboys, the overall play of Beckham had been overlooked. During his 5-year stint with the NY Giants, Odell was on a trajectory to be a Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, the malaise that the team currently finds itself in began during his last few years in Giant colors and whether true or not he was viewed as the contributing factor, resulting in being jettisoned to the Cleveland Browns. On the cusp of the biggest game of his career Beckham had pleasant recollections of his tenure in NY. During the final media availability ahead of Super Bowl LVI, Beckham relayed to Giants.com, “Those are some of the greatest years of my life. To a place that gave me a home from the start and if there’s anything that I could look back on and wish different, it would be that I would be having this same opportunity with them, or not having the losing seasons and just being part of a winning culture and organization. Because I wanted that for New York just as bad as anybody. This, to me, feels like it’s for everybody in my career, just being exactly where I’m at now with the opportunity to win a Super Bowl. Just want to take full advantage of it.”

That mission was accomplished this past Sunday as Beckham before suffering a non-contact knee injury was well on his way to becoming the MVP of the biggest game of the year. Instead he’d settle for being a key contributor to the victory of the Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams.

The Monday morning following the game, to the casual fan, the highlight of the night was from a dream team that had nothing to do with the gridiron. Commandeered by Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, the assemblage of Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem put forth one of the greatest halftime performances this era has witnessed. When the performers were announced in September, Dre hinted at such. “The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dre said in a statement, adding for added measure the performance would be an “unforgettable cultural moment.”

Soon after Los Angeles sports giants took to social media to speak:

Mookie Betts: “BEEEEESSSSSTTTTT Halftime show ever.”

LeBron James: “OMG!!!!!!!!! WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!! THE GREATEST HALFTIME SHOW IVE EVER SEEN!!!”

Magic Johnson: One of the best EVER!!!