25 minute read
In the Classroom Out & About ..........................Pages 8,9
Mercedes Gilbert, an actress, novelist and poet
By HERB BOYD
Special to the AmNews
Oscar Micheaux was a wise filmmaker and evidence of that is readily apparent in 1924-’25 when he cast Paul Robeson in the leading role in “Body and Soul.” This was Robeson’s film debut and the character he portrays is an extreme departure from what the actor would become in real life. With such a commanding, charismatic leading man, the women in the film, credited or not, are given little mention in summaries and reviews. One that deserves more than a nod was Mercedes Gilbert, and as the mother of a daughter she is determined to wed with a local preacher, she pairs equally with Robeson on the film’s basic plot.
But all this occurs in the early ’20s when Gilbert is in her mid-30s, and had firmly established her place on stage and screen, particularly from her portrayal as Zipporah, the wife of Moses, in the original touring production of “Green Pastures” in 1930.
Gilbert was born July 26, 1894, in Jacksonville, Florida and attended Edward Waters College where she began training to be a nurse before leaving for New York City to try her luck in the world of entertainment, first as a songwriter and then as an actress. When she was recruited by Micheaux many of the skills she had acquired on the stage were no longer necessary, especially in silent films where her voice was useless, and she may have been less enthusiastic about the dialect in the captions. Nonetheless, her matronly appearance and her willful demeanor matched Robeson’s dual role in “Body and Soul,” giving his magnetic personality an even larger platform of popularity.
Here’s the basic synopsis of the film, which several film critics dismissed as being terrible uneven with an awkward plot: Robeson, a prisoner in Georgia, is being transported to the North to be extradited to England when he manages to escape and then changes his identity to the Right Reverend Isaiah T. Jenkins. Since this is a silent film we miss Robeson’s oratorical majesty as he begins to hoodwink followers in small southern towns. Gilbert portrays Martha Jane as among those captivated by his speeches. The reverend is soon joined in Tatesville by another convict, Yellow-Curly Hinds, who he had met in jail. Their scheme is to liberate the church’s contributions by selling them whiskey at inflated prices.
Martha Jane is a frugal member of the church who has been saving her hardearned money for her daughter’s dowry and to help her and her husband buy a nice home for the couple: Rev. Jenkins and Isabelle. Her daughter is not smitten by the reverend and her heart belongs to Sylvester. Before long she catches wind of her mother’s plans. One day Martha leaves Isabelle alone with Rev. Jenkins, primarily for him to save her soul, according to her mother’s wishes. After the pastor steals Martha’s money, he convinces Isabelle to take the blame for the thievery and flee to Atlanta. Later, Isabelle confesses to the theft in a note to her mother and departs for Atlanta only to find her there living in dire poverty. Isabelle movingly reveals how the incident occurred and how the pastor molested her and forced her to tell him where the money was hidden.
Gilbert, in a scene where her consummate acting is delivered, forgives Isabelle who in a subsequent scene dies. Back in Tatesville,
Martha attends a church where the half-drunk pastor is preaching about “Dry Bones in the Valley.” After she publicly accuses the pastor of causing her daughter’s death, the congregation turns on him. Later that evening, the pastor, being Mercedes Gilbert pursued by bloodhounds, arrives at Martha’s door, explaining that it was her pampering that ruined him. Meanwhile, two of Martha’s friends arrive to help her but she shoos them away and hides the pastor in the closet. A forgiven pastor then takes flight and seeks a hiding place in a nearby woods. One of his pursuers who corners him is assaulted and killed. At this point the film takes an abrupt change and Martha awakens from slumber to discover all of the events were part of a dream. Now she learns that Sylvester, Isabelle’s true love, has made a remarkable discovery and earned a considerable amount of money. The reality of this good fortune compels Martha to secure her savings from a bible and give it to them. A few scenes later the happy couple return to Martha’s home to find the place transformed and nicely appointed, and thus your happy ending. This began Gilbert’s fairly impressive film career, including “Moon Over Harlem” in 1939 and there were a number of radio programs, most notably a tribute to Black women “Heroines in Bronze,” in 1943. She was also the author of “Aunt Sara’s Wooden God,” a novel in 1938. After a brief illness in March, 1952, she died in Queens General Hospital. She was 57 and was survived by her husband Arthur J. Stevenson and a brother Earl Gough, who was also an actor.
ACTIVITIES
FIND OUT MORE
Completing a full profile on Gilbert is a very challenging assignment, but bits and pieces from film authority Donald Bogle and several obituaries were indispensable.
DISCUSSION
Very little was available about her early years or during extensive gaps of her acting career.
PLACE IN CONTEXT
Her life spanned a half century from the end of the 19th to the mid-20th.
THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY
Feb. 27, 1988: Figure skater Debi Thomas became the first African American to win a medal (bronze) at the winter Olympic Games.
Feb. 28, 1784: Renowned poet Phillis Wheatley passed away. She was only 31, but she is the first African American woman to be published.
Feb. 28, 1943: Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway, starring Anne Brown and Todd Duncan.
for office, Biden had promised to fill any vacancy on the court with a Black woman, and now a senate confirmation could make that a reality.
And should the vote in the senate be a 50-50 split, then Vice President Kamala Harris would have the deciding vote and that moment would be all the more momentous. Given this scenario, it will be Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
In her acceptance of the nomination last Friday at the White House, Jackson cited family, faith and several professional mentors upon whose shoulders she has ascended, including the esteemed Constance Baker Motley (1921-2005), a former U.S. District Court Judge and the first Black woman to argue before the Supreme Court. “Today,” she began, “I proudly stand on Judge Motley’s shoulders sharing not only her birthday but also her steadfast and courageous commitment to equal justice under the law.
“If I am fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States,” she continued, “I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and sacred principles upon which this nation was founded will inspire future generations of Americans.”
When Biden was asked why he chose Jackson over the other candidates, he said, “Number one, I committed, two years ago, that if I got elected president, I would name, if I had the opportunity, I would name the first African American woman to the Supreme Court because I think the court should look like the country…the point is that I want to bring the country together.”
The president’s promise didn’t sit well with Republicans, and his nominee, in the words of Sen. Lindsay Graham, “means the radical left has won President Biden over yet again.”
Rep. Jim Clyburn took exception to Graham’s comments, noting that “I do not see Judge Brown Jackson as being radical at all,” he told reporters. “And evidently, [Graham] was among the three that voted for confirmation to be on the DC circuit. And so I think that she’s deserving of a strong bipartisan vote and I hope she gets it.”
There was no indication of disappointment in Clyburn’s remarks since his choice Judge J. Michelle Childs didn’t get the nod. “I commend President Biden for taking a sledgehammer to it. I congratulate Judge Jackson and offer my full support during the confirmation process and beyond.”
During an interview on “Face the Nation,” Clyburn further clarified his position on the nomination. “This is beyond politics,” he began. “This is about the country, our pursuit of a more perfect union, and this demonstrates another step in that pursuit, and I would hope that all of my Republican friends would look upon it that way.”
Jackson’s confirmation would not change the 6-to-3 ideological difference on the bench. But she would join the other two members of color—Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She would also be among other Ivy League alumni as a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Eight of the court’s current members have gone to either Harvard or Yale law schools.
Later this week Jackson will probably begin making her rounds and meeting with the various senators, although she will not need Republican backing to seal the nomination. She has already been confirmed on several occasions and this may even be a less daunting quest for approval.
In a tweet, the Rev. Al Sharpton said that Jackson, who once served as a clerk for Justice Breyer, whom she may replace, was “exceptionally well qualified…she possesses the experience, character, integrity, and dedication to the Constitution and the rule of law to serve on the nation’s highest court.”
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Vol. 111 No. 24 | June 11, 2020 - June 17, 2020 Vol. 111 No. 24 | June 11, 2020 - June 17, 2020 THE NEW BLACK VIEW ©2020 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City
(Cyril Josh Barker photo) Ramsey Orta, who recorded Eric Garner’s police murder, released from prison By AUTODIDACT 17 Special to the AmNews After serving a majority of his four-year sentence, Ramsey Orta was released early from prison on May 28, amid the COVID-19 crisis. He had been serving time since 2016 on alleged drugs and weapons charges, and was sched-uled to be paroled July 11, remaining under court supervision until Jan. 2022. So far, 898 inmates have been released early due to corona-virus concerns. He had previously video-recorded the July 17, 2014 NYPD choke-hold killing of Eric Garner on Staten Island, which went viral. While incarcerated, Orta, 28, said he believes he was targeted
by the NYPD when he was out on the streets because he had recorded the assault committed against Garner, and even while inside prison by correction officers, for the same reason. In 2015 he filed a lawsuit claiming that prison officials laced his food with rat poison. It has caused him excess stress. “It just put me in a messedup predicament,” he told the media, adding that he has been consistently harassed by police ever since.Orta’s video shows Garner being dragged to the ground while a Caucasian cop choked him from behind, as he repeatedly gasped “I can’t breathe!”
Inez and Charles Barron: scrap the CCRB and form a new, elected oversight board By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff A political couple tag teams on police reform.On a sunny, early June afternoon, New York City Council Member Inez Barron, New York State Assembly Member Charles
Barron and several other attendees stood outside of One Police Plaza to announce the introduction of a new bill. A bill that would create an agency that would have more power than the Civilian Complaint Review Board. An agency that would have a bigger effect on policing in the city. State Senate votes in favor of repealing 50-a By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff The New York State Senate and Assembly have repealed Civil Rights Law 50-a, getting one step closer to making it easier to access police disciplinary records. The state law, on the books since the 1970s, is Inez and Charles both introduced legislation that would abolish the CCRB and institute an elected Civilian Review Board, an independent prosecutor and a separate investigative body. The elected board would consist of 21 often used to shield police mis-conduct and police disciplin-ary processes from public view. The Senate voted 40-22 and the Assembly voted 101-43 for the repeal of the law. Law 50-a has garnered recent interest after the police killing of Black, un-armed George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white
See CCRB on page 27
police officer who put his knee on Floyd’s neck. The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, had a reported 16 complaints against him prior to Floyd’s death. During the 2014 police killing case of Eric Garner, 50-a played a major role in shielding the misconduct record of the officer Serious Criminal Justice Reform Efforts Must Include Records Expungement Urban Agenda by David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York - See page 5 See 50-A on page 29 See ORTA on page 29
The movement gets louder, the defense is greater By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff Responsibility and accountability. Some agencies in New York City have had to work with less, but still uphold their end of the financial bargain. A lack of funds leads to a lack of resources. A lack of resources led to a lack of services to the people. And, sometimes, lack of services to the people led to encounters with law enforcement who take a significant sum of taxpayer money. According to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and police reform activists, those days are over. On Sunday, June 7, de Blasio pledged for the first time to cut funding from the New York City
DEFUND THE POLICE! THE NEW BLACK VIEW ©2020 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City (Cyril Josh Barker photo) Ramsey Orta, who recorded Eric Garner’s police murder, released from prison By AUTODIDACT 17 Special to the AmNews Police Department. He said the city would shift the funding from the NYPD to youth and social services, many of whom are disproportionately targeted by police.“The City will find significant savings to the NYPD budget,” said the mayor. “This funding will go towards youth development and social services for communities of color. The amount will be finalized with the City Council during the budget process.” The move to shift funds away from the police department comes on the heels of massive protests against police brutality after the death of George Floyd in Minneapo-lis. Floyd’s death sparked a nationwide movement against See MOVEMENT on page 6 After serving a majority of his four-year sentence, Ramsey Orta was released early from prison on May 28, amid the COVID-19 crisis. He had been serving time since 2016 on alleged drugs and weapons charges, and was scheduled to be paroled July 11, remaining under court supervision until Jan. 2022. So far, 898 inmates have been released early due to coronavirus concerns. He had previously video-recorded the July 17, 2014 NYPD choke-hold killing of Eric Garner on Staten Island, which went viral. While incarcerated, Orta, 28, said he believes he was targeted by the NYPD when he was out on the streets because he had recorded the assault committed against Garner, and even while inside prison by correction officers, for the same reason. In 2015 he filed a lawsuit claiming that prison officials laced his food with rat poison. It has caused him excess stress. “It just put me in a messedup predicament,” he told the media, adding that he has been consistently harassed by police ever since. Orta’s video shows Garner being dragged to the ground while a Caucasian cop choked him from behind, as he repeatedly gasped “I can’t breathe!”
Inez and Charles Barron: scrap the CCRB and form a new, elected oversight board By STEPHON JOHNSON
Amsterdam News Staff A political couple tag teams on police reform. On a sunny, early June afternoon, New York City Council Member Inez Barron, New York State Assembly Member Charles Barron and several other attendees stood outside of One Police Plaza to announce the introduction of a new bill. A bill that would create an agency that would have more power than the Civilian Complaint Review Board. An agency that would have a bigger effect on policing in the city. Inez and Charles both introduced legislation that would abolish the CCRB and institute an elected Civilian Review Board, an independent prosecutor and a separate investigative body. The elected board would consist of 21
State Senate votes in favor of repealing 50-a By CYRIL JOSH BARKER
Amsterdam News Staff The New York State Senate and Assembly have repealed Civil Rights Law 50-a, getting one step closer to making it easier to access police disciplinary records. The state law, on the books since the 1970s, is often used to shield police misconduct and police disciplinary processes from public view. The Senate voted 40-22 and the Assembly voted 101-43 for the repeal of the law. Law 50-a has garnered recent interest after the police killing of Black, unarmed George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white
See CCRB on page 27
police officer who put his knee on Floyd’s neck. The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, had a reported 16 complaints against him prior to Floyd’s death. See ORTA on page 29 During the 2014 police killing case of Eric Garner, 50-a played a major role in shielding the misconduct record of the officer
See 50-A on page 29
Serious Criminal Justice Reform Efforts Must Include Records Expungement Urban Agenda by David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York - See page 5
The movement gets louder, the defense is greater
By STEPHON JOHNSON
Amsterdam News Staff Responsibility and accountability. Some agencies in New York City have had to work with less, but still uphold their end of the financial bargain. A lack of funds leads to a lack of resources. A lack of resources led to a lack of services to the people. And, sometimes, lack of services to the people led to encounters with law enforcement who take a significant sum of taxpayer money. According to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and police reform activists, those days are over. On Sunday, June 7, de Blasio pledged for the first time to cut funding from the New York City
DEFUND THE POLICE! THE NEW BLACK VIEW Vol. 111 No. 27 | July 2, 2020 - July 8, 2020 ©2020 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City NYPD TANTRUM Police Department. He said the city would shift the funding from the NYPD to youth and social services, many of whom are disproportionately targeted by police. “The City will find significant savings to the NYPD budget,” said the mayor. “This funding will go towards youth development and social services for communities of color. The amount will be finalized with the City Council during the budget process.” The move to shift funds away from the police department comes on the heels of massive protests against police brutality after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death sparked a nationwide movement against See MOVEMENT on page 6 (Lem Peterkin photo)
NY takes steps to keep COVID out By CYRIL JOSH BARKER
Amsterdam News Staff As COVID-19 cases make a sharp rise in states south of the MasonDixie line, New York is taking several measures to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen here. After being the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic for months, New York is now one of the states with the least number of cases. Reports indicate that earlier this week, of the over 52,000 COVID-19 tests conducted, only 1% came back positive.
Borough President Eric Adams calls out perceived police slowdown on 911 calls By NAYABA ARINDE
Amsterdam News Editor
“Cure violence is the solution,” A.T. Mitchell, CEO and founder of Man Up! Inc. told the Amsterdam News. “They can replace guns with jobs in these streets, and that would cut down the violence immediately.” As New York City moves through Phase 2 of recovering from COVID19, the city is preparing for Phase 3, which is set to begin on July 6. The next phase includes the opening of personal care services and restaurants operating with some indoor dining. However, state and city officials are scaling back on letting people eat inside of restaurants. Viral videos have popped up on social media of large crowds in some parts of the city gathering outside of bars and restaurants with many
See COVID-19 on page 6
With over 500 shootings in one month in New York City––a pandemic, protests and unbearable heat notwithstanding––it is a lot for victims, residents, activists and elected to process.
With the disturbing all-night, every night letting off of fireworks already having set the city on edge, there is confusion about whether it was a gunshot or a Roman candle.
With six shootings in Brooklyn in one hour, one hitting an 11-year-old boy in his leg, Brooklyn Borough Pres. Eric Adams, Lay the Guns Down Foundation, and other anti-violence advocates held a press conference with anti-violence advocates on Wednesday, July 1, outside of Brooklyn Borough Hall on the recently unveiled mural on “Black Lives Matter Boulevard,” to demand a “comprehensive crisis response by the New York
City Police Department and City Hall as Brooklyn has experienced a major uptick in shootings in recent weeks.” Acknowledging the passage of the city budget––which adhered to the post-police murdered George Floyd demand to “defund the police,” and cut the NYPD budget by one billion dollars––retired cop, BP Adams alongside advocates urged “the NYPD to sustain its commitPolice, others look for excuses as shootings rise ment to responsible policing and look into how rapidly they are responding to
By STEPHON JOHNSON See ERIC on page 6
Amsterdam News Staff
In a 24-hour span on June 28, 2019, there were five shooting incidents with seven victims. On the same day this year, during the same time period, there were eight shooting incidents with 11 victims.
At this time on June 28, 2019, there were 355 shooting incidents with 406 victims. As of June 28, 2020, there were 511 shooting incidents with 616 victims. This past Saturday, 47-year-old Charles Hernandez ––armed with an AR-15––allegedly shot and killed 23-year-old Chioteke Thompson and 39-year-old Stephanie Perkins in broad daylight in Brooklyn.
But there’s more. Last week produced a 127% increase in shootings (when compared to the same time period last year). There were 125 reported shootings in the last three weeks of June, which is double compared to the same time period last year. Seventy-four people were wounded in 55 separate shooting incidents in all of New York City just on Saturday. One of those shootings left a 7-year-old girl with injuries.So what can this be attributed to? According to New York Police Department Police Chief Terence Monahan, it’s several things. Many of these things involve policies directed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. A police spokesperson directed the AmNews to an interview Monahan
See POLICE on page 25
THE NEW BLACK VIEWVol. 111 No. 27 | July 2, 2020 - July 8, 2020 ©2020 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York CityNYPD TANTRUM (Lem Peterkin photo) NY takes steps to keep COVID out By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff As COVID-19 cases make a sharp rise in states south of the MasonDixie line, New York is taking several measures to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen here. After being the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic for months, New York is now one of the states with the least number of cases. Reports indicate that earlier this week, of the over 52,000 COVID-19 tests conduct-ed, only 1% came back positive.
Borough President Eric Adams calls out perceived police slowdown on 911 calls By NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor “Cure violence is the solution,” A.T. Mitchell, CEO and founder of Man Up! Inc. told the Amsterdam News. “They can replace guns with jobs in these streets, and that would cut down the violence immediately.” As New York City moves through Phase 2 of recovering from COVID19, the city is preparing for Phase 3, which is set to begin on July 6. The next phase includes the opening of personal care services and restaurants operating with some indoor dining. However, state and city officials are scaling back on letting people eat inside of restaurants. Viral videos have popped up on social media of large crowds in some parts of the city gathering outside of bars and restaurants with many See COVID-19 on page 6
With over 500 shootings in one month in New York City––a pandemic, protests and unbearable heat notwith-standing––it is a lot for victims, resi-dents, activists and elected to process. With the disturbing all-night, every night letting off of fireworks already having set the city on edge, there is confusion about whether it was a gunshot
or a Roman candle. With six shootings in Brooklyn in one hour, one hitting an 11-year-old boy in his leg, Brooklyn Borough Pres. Eric Adams, Lay the Guns Down Foun-dation, and other anti-violence advocates held a press conference with anti-violence advocates on Wednes-day, July 1, outside of Brooklyn Borough Hall on the recently unveiled mural on “Black Lives Matter Bou-levard,” to demand a “comprehensive crisis response by the New York
Police, others look for excuses as shootings rise By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff In a 24-hour span on June 28, 2019, there were five shooting incidents with seven victims. On the same day this year, during the same time period, there were eight shooting incidents with 11 victims. At this time on June 28, 2019, there were 355 shooting incidents with 406 victims. As of June 28, 2020, there were 511 shooting incidents with 616 victims. This past Saturday, 47-year-old Charles Hernandez ––armed with an AR-15––allegedly shot and killed 23-year-old Chioteke Thompson and 39-year-old Stephanie Perkins in broad daylight in Brooklyn. But there’s more. City Police Department and City Hall as Brooklyn has experienced a major uptick in shootings in recent weeks.” Acknowledging the passage of the city budget––which adhered to the post-police murdered George Floyd demand to “defund the police,” and cut the NYPD budget by one billion dollars––retired cop, BP Adams alongside advocates urged “the NYPD to sustain its commitment to responsible policing and look into how rapidly they are responding to See ERIC on page 6
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Vol. 111 No. 26 | June 25, 2020 - July 1, 2020 THE NEW BLACK VIEW ©2020 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City
Primary election sees big wins for progressives, problems at the polls By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers participated in Tuesday’s prima-ry election whether by early voting, ab-sentee ballot or voting in person. Several Black candidates won key races as the nation also faces a reckoning when it comes to race relations. Tuesday’s primary election occurred in the aftermath of the Minneapolis police killing of Black, unarmed George Floyd and on the day of the funeral of Atlanta victim of police vi-olence Rayshard Brooks. However, Tuesday’s election came with headaches at polls, which appears to be becoming routine. The AmNews received reports of polling locations opening late, broken machines, ill-tempered poll workers and even candidates’ names missing on ballots. A reported 30,000 voters who requested absentee Last week produced a 127% increase in shootings (when compared to the same time period last year). There were 125 reported shootings in the last three weeks of June, which is double com-pared to the same time period last year. Seventy-four people were wounded in 55 separate shooting incidents in all of New York City just on Saturday. One of those shootings left a 7-year-old girl with injuries.So what can this be attributed to? According to New York Police Department Police Chief Terence Monahan, it’s several things. Many of these things involve policies directed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. A police spokesperson directed the AmNews to an interview Monahan See POLICE on page 25
NYC:WE'RE BACK (Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group) ballots did not receive them in the mail. One disturbing error was that many voters could not vote in Tuesday’s pri-mary election for the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. Ballots for the race were not given to voters at several polling places. While Sen. Joe Biden is currently the presumed Democratic Party nominee after all of the other candidates dropped out, a federal judge had allowed the names of the 11 other former candidates to be on the ballot. A lawsuit was filed by former candidate Andrew Yang and Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters. One example of the error came from the Bronx where voters at P.S. 85 Great Expectations polling site were not given the two sheets to vote for the Democratic presidential candidate. One voter asked a poll worker about the ballot and the worker re-plied that Biden was the nominee. What if we spent $1 billion a year on economic justice instead of police injustice? Urban Agenda by David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York - See page 5 AmNews awarded technology grant from Knight Foundation By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff The New York Amsterdam News was one of 24 newsrooms recently awarded a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for technology and website enhancements. On Monday, the Foundation an-nounced the first 24 recipients of support from its $2 million, three-year See PRIMARY on page 6 technology initiative to strengthen dig-ital publishing solutions in newsrooms. After a competitive application process, the first cohort of 24 newsrooms was selected to receive $20,000 in grants for publishing tools that will improve distribution, community engagement and revenue opportunities, such as digi-tal subscriptions and membership. The first group includes a mix of See GRANT on page 23
NYC enters Phase 2 By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff Gates are rolled up, outdoor tables are set and “closed” signs are flipped as New York City enters Phase 2 of the COVID-19 recovery, which permits restaurants to serve customers outdoors, the opening of beauty and barbershops and in-store retail. Phase 2, which began on Monday, also opens playgrounds, offices, real estate services, car sales and rentals, and churches to hold service with 25% capacity. While New Yorkers are enjoying the reopenings, they are also adjusting to new regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including mandatory face masks and social distancing.
