Religion & Spirituality

Elease Cooke, 102––a life well lived

By JULIAN K. BRAXTON Special to the AmNews

“CAREFUL THIS IS GOD’S PROPERTY” were the words framed by the bedside of Mrs. Elease Cooke. For 102 years she held this title. The seventh of 17 children, Elease was born to the late Richmond and Lottie Halley Carter on Feb. 15, 1919, in Camden, South Carolina. For over a century, God took care of Elease and surrounded her with love and bountiful blessings every step of the way. On Wednesday evening, Oct. 6, 2021, God saw fit to call His servant on home from labor to reward.

Elease was reared in a Christian home filled with the love of God, love of family and love of people. Following in the footsteps of many of her older siblings, Elease moved to New York City in the 1940s. She married Julian Cooke in 1941, and from this union three children were born: Inez, Barbara, and Patricia.

In 1956, Mrs. Cooke joined Greater Central Baptist Church in Harlem. For over 65 years, she was a devoted servant leader to the congregation of Greater Central. She was a member of the Female Ushers Ministry for over 60 years. Her beautiful smile, soulful spirit, palpable warmth, and energetic presence blessed all whom she greeted each Sunday. She was also a devoted member of the United Ushers Benevolent League of New York State and Vicinity.

Mrs. Cooke loved her family, and her house was always the go-to gathering place for family and friends during holiday celebrations. She was an exceptional cook, and the love that she baked into every dish filled every soul.

For the last six years, she lived at the Isabella Center in Washington Heights, a place where she continued her ministry for loving God’s people. Her strong faith, unfailing optimism and “Jesus Joy” were an inspiration for so many of the staff and residents.

In 2019, Mrs. Cooke was featured in the Amsterdam News on the occasion of the 100th birthday. When asked what the secret to her long life is, Mrs. Cooke responded, “It’s simple, family, faith, hope and love, and kindness, yes, always being kind to others is the only way to live.”

The service of praise and thanksgiving for the life of Mrs. Cooke was held on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Greater Central Baptist Church in Harlem. Pastor Frank Hawkins preached a soul-stirring eulogy, “A Faithful Servant Receives Faithful Reward.” Rev. Frederick Crawford, pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church, Bronx, New York presided over the service, and grandson Julian Kenneth Braxton of Boston, Massachusetts shared a special tribute. In addition, Guest Minister of Music Elder Terence Kitchings and Minster Kenneth Gainey gave special musical tributes at the beautiful homegoing celebration. The interment took place at Mt. Kisco Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. Isaiah Owens Funeral Service of New York was in charge of the arrangements.

She leaves to cherish her memory three devoted daughters, three sisters, one brother, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Rev. Jesse Jackson celebrates 80th birthday in NYC at NAN

Elease Cooke

On Friday, civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) hosted a birthday celebration and book signing in honor of civil rights leader and social justice icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the NAN headquarters in Harlem.

A mentor to Sharpton, Jackson named the National Action Network’s Harlem headquarters “The House of Justice” in 1991. A prominent civil rights leader for over 60 years, Jackson mounted a nationwide campaign for president in 1984, and again in 1988. He turned 80 on Oct. 8.

Elected officials stood with Sharpton and NAN as they saluted the work Jackson has done to advance civil rights. Sharpton signed copies of his book, “Rise Up: Confronting A Country at the Crossroads,” newly released on paperback. Jackson signed copies of his book, “Keeping Hope Alive.”

(Bill Moore photos)

not about the NBA, not about any organization. This is about my life and what I am choosing to do.”

He was listed as “ineligible to play” in the injury report and didn’t play in the Nets season-opener against the Milwaukee Bucks Tuesday. Two weeks ago, the Nets announced Irving wouldn’t be permitted to play or practice with the team until complying with NYC’s vaccine mandate.

“Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose,” a Nets’ statement read. “Currently, the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability.”

Mike Bass, a league spokesman, said last week that “any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses.”

This situation is causing friction with the NBA’s player’s union which has refused instituting a league-wide vaccine mandate, although 96% have already done so.

“Without a doubt, losing a player of Kyrie’s caliber hurts,” said Nets’ general manager, Sean Marks. “I’m not going to deny that, but at the end of the day, our focus, our coaches’ and organization’s focus needs to be on those players that are going to be involved here and participating fully.”

At the rally on Sunday afternoon the crowd bumrushed the forecourt of the Barclays Center, and tried to enter the building. Hawk Newsome of Black Lives Matter New York encouraged the vociferous crowd to “Stand with Kyrie.”

Barclays Center workers rushed to close the doors, as basketball fans stood bewildered on line, as rally coorganizer activist Rev. Kevin McCall said, “We are here to stand in solidarity with Kyrie Irving.”

Hawk Newsome told the Amsterdam News, “I am saying no to the vaccine mandate, you are not going to force me to take a vaccine.”

As NYPD top brass and rank and file stood on the fringes of the burgeoning crowd and swarmed Flatbush Avenue, Newsome charged, “If you look across the country it is Black people who are not taking the vaccine.” While arguably the white percentile of unvaccinated is also considerable, the BLM organizer continued that the unvaccinated Black folk will be subjected to restrictions if they want to get on “public transport, and eat out, or go to parent-teacher night, they won’t have jobs to support themselves…so we need to pay attention to that.”

The next day, Monday morning, an estimated 1,000-plus crowd including municipal workers, police, EMS, and firefighters walked the Brooklyn Bridge protesting the enforced mandate due to kick in on Friday, October 29. Some said they did not trust the vaccine or the government. Others said that they just wanted the choice between testing or the vaccine.

All the media coverage, the millions of dollars worth of commercials, political discussions has not swayed thousands of city workers and medical staff, despite the threat of losing their jobs.

“Your vaccine you won’t force… My body, My choice,” was the refrain chanted by many on Sunday. “We the people, will not comply.” Others proclaimed that they were, “Not anti-vaccine, anti-mandate.”

At Sunday’s protest former Bronx City Councilmember Andy King told the Amsterdam News, “I’m here because a man called Kyrie Irving is not afraid to stand on principle…and say ‘My right is my right’… someone wants to take on their spiritual belief.”

Nation of Islam’s Brother Henry Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque Brooklyn No. 7C spoke about other therapies developed in the world that have not been acknowledged. “They are trying to use money, and the threat of money, to make us take something that is not right for our bodies. Kyrie Irving is one brother that is standing up listening to the voice of god within himself, and because he can attract millions, they want to make him an example.”

Stating that she is a fired anti-mandate teacher Mitzie Holstein carried a sign saying, “I did not take the jab, so they took my job.”

“I’m here in support of the community, in support of the people, of those who have lost jobs…our rights, in support of choices that we choose for ourselves,” said activists Shanduke McPhatter, founder of GMACC (Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes). “I am also someone who has not taken the vaccine because of all the things I believe it could do to my body.” The Brooklyn Borough president independent candidate also added to those have got the vaccine, “Take the shot, that’s your choice and I support that.

“There are teams coming to play the Nets that don’t have the same mandate that Kyrie and the Nets do. Kyrie should be able to play. His contract did not say he had to take a vaccine in order to play.”

While not speaking on Sunday, Irving explained prior, “I’m a human being first. Obviously, living in this public sphere, it’s just a lot of questions about what’s going on in the world of Kyrie. I think I just would love to keep that private, handle it the right way with my team and go forward together with the plan. You think I really want to lose money? You think I really want to give up on my dream to go after a championship? You think I really just want to give up my job? You think I really want to sit at home?”

THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE

From the streets to City Hall, Jumaane is fighting for New Yorkers and delivering real results.

the key issues on the table.

According to a PIX 11/Emerson poll released Monday, crime is the top issue for New York City voters followed by homelessness, jobs, COVID-19, health care, the environment and schools.

“In Central Harlem, Southeast Queens, Black, Central Brooklyn, North Shore, Staten Island and South Bronx where you have concentrations of working class Black folks who have what I would argue are really kitchen table, kind of bread-and-butter issues,” said Anthony Thomas, executive director of the nonpartisan voter engagement organization Show up, Turn Out. “They want public safety, they want good housing, and they want economic health and/or job creation and they certainly want education right in their communities.”

Mayor

The race for mayor is down to the wire between Brooklyn Borough President and Democratic candidate Eric Adams and Guardian Angels founder Republican Curtis Sliwa; both participated in their second debate on Tuesday. The PIX 11/Emerson poll found Adams leading Sliwa 61% to 25% among likely voters. Fourteen percent say they are undecided.

In their final days on the campaign trail, Adams and Sliwa are making media appearances and reaching out to voters to make their cases before next Tuesday’s Election Day.

“I want those 10 million dreams that are ready to wake up to know, just as my dreams are becoming a reality, I want yours to become a reality,” Adams said to voters during Tuesday’s mayoral debate. “This is the greatest city and the greatest country on the globe and I know what we can do. The way goes New York goes America and the way goes America goes the globe.”

Sliwa said in one interview that even though the polls point to a victory for Adams, he’s still moving forward, determined for a victory of his own.

“I’ve run across so many Democrats who say, ‘Curtis, why are you knocking yourself out? Isn’t Eric Adams already the mayor? Because he’s announced himself as mayor, everyone assumes he’s gonna be mayor,” Sliwa said.

Despite Adams and Sliwa being the two top contenders for mayor, seven other candidates are also running: Raja M. Flores of the Humanity United Party, Quanda S. Francis of the Empowerment Party, Fernando Mateo of the Save Our City Party, William Pepitone of the Conservative Party, Stacey H. Prussman of the Libertarian Party, Catherine Rojas of the Socialism and Liberation Party, and Skiboky S. Stora of the Out Lawbreaker Party. State Attorney General Letitia James in a 2019 special election. Williams announced weeks ago he’s exploring a run for governor.

“As your public advocate, I’m ready to continue holding our leadership accountable in this moment of transition for New York City,” Williams said in an email to supporters. “Our City needs housing justice, criminal justice reform, and equity in educational opportunity.”

Williams faces three other opponents including Libertarian Devin Balkind and Devi E. Nampiaparampil, who is running on the Republican and Save Our City Party lines. Williams is also facing Brooklyn community leader Anthony Herbert, who is running on the Conservative and Independent Party lines. He’s received numerous endorsements from law enforcement unions.

“The public advocate should be that person that’s the cheerleader bringing everybody together, being able to go into any community and sit down with any and everybody,” Herbert said during a debate earlier this month. “I would approach it from that standpoint.”

Comptroller

Four candidates are running to replace Scott Stringer for comptroller. The frontrunner is City Councilmember and Democratic candidate Brad Lander. He received major endorsements from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Elizabeth Warren. This month, Lander said he wants to set up a money tracker to track the billions of dollars in federal aid the city received for the COVID19 pandemic.

“The money that has been spent has been a random wish-list as opposed to a strategic approach,” Lander said in an interview.

Other candidates in the race for comptroller include Conservative Paul A. Rodriguez and John Tabacco running on the Independent and Libertarina party lines.

Borough President

Brooklyn—While Adams is running to be New York City’s next mayor, four candidates are running to replace him as Brooklyn Borough president. Democrat Antonio Reynoso beat out several candidates in the primary election. His campaign has focused on equity, COVID-19 recovery, affordable housing, and environmental and racial justice.

“The single most pressing issue facing Brooklyn is building back from the COVID pandemic,” Reynoso said. “Here in Brooklyn, we’ve always been defined by our diversity, the strength of our communities, and our resiliency in the face of hardship. But to put us on a stronger path forward, we need bold, unapologetically progressive leadership fighting for truly affordable housing, support for our small businesses, economic justice, and action to address long standing inequities, from our schools to our hospitals to our criminal justice system.”

Other candidates in the race for Brooklyn Borough president include Shanduke McPhatter of the Voice for Change Party, Menachem M. Raitport running on the Conservative and Republican Party lines, and Anthony L. Jones of the Rent is 2 Damn High Party.

Bronx—City Councilmember and Democratic candidate Vanessa L. Gibson is on her way to making history as the first Black person and the first woman to serve as Bronx Borough president. Along with COVID-19 recovery and affordable housing, Gibson says employment is one of the top issues in her campaign.

“I’m excited,” she said during a televised interview last week. “I’m ready for the next assignment and at the end of the day I want people to give me a chance. For those who didn’t support me, watch me work and give me a chance to show you what I’m all about and take this borough to the next level.”

Gibson faces Republican Janelle M. King and Conservative Samuel Ravelo.

Queens—Democrat and current Queens Borough President Donovan Richards wants to stay in his position after only being in office for a little less than a year. He won the seat last November during a special election when former Queens Borough President Malinda Katz was elected district attorney for Queens County. Issues Richards is passionate about include affordable housing and fixing public transit.

Richards faces Thomas J. Zmich, who is running on the Conservative, Republican and Save Our City Party lines.

District Attorney

Manhattan—Democratic candidate Alvin Bragg is the front runner in the district attorney race in Manhattan to replace Cy Vance, who is not seeking reelection. Bragg, who is former New York State chief deputy attorney general and former federal prosecutor, beat out eight candidates in the primaries. If elected, Bragg will be the first African American to serve as Manhattan DA. He faces Republican Thomas Kenniff.

Bragg is representing Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, in the judicial inquiry into the death of her son in an effort to hold the NYPD accountable.

“I can’t think of a case that’s been more emotionally significant to me as a lawyer,” Bragg said in a published interview this week. “The fact that we sit here, seven years after Mr. Garner was killed and don’t know basic facts, that’s an embarrassment.”

City Council

District 7 (Central Harlem)—Democratic candidate Kristen Jordan beat longtime politician Bill Perkins in the primaries. Issues she’s centering on in her campaign are police accountability, affordable housing and distribution of wealth. She faces Republican Alpheaus Marcus. Concourse Village, Highbridge, Morris Heights, Mount Eden, Morrisania)— With Vanessa Gibson on the path to victory for Bronx Borough president, Democrat Althea Steves hopes to fill the City Council seat Gibson is vacating. She’s been building her campaign on the issues of housing, youth development and justice reform. Stevens faces Republican candidate Kajara R. Boyd.

District 35 (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant)—Term limits are forcing City Councilmember Laurie Cumbo to vacate her seat making way for Democratic candidate Crystal Hudson. She’s received major endorsements from the United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU and DC37. Hudson faces Regina Kinsey of the Common Sense Part.

District 36 (Bedford Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights)—Democratic candidate Chi A. Osse is running unopposed to replace Councilmember Robert Cornegy. Osse wants to defund the NYPD and improve housing, health care and education in the district.

District 40 (Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Park, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens)—Democrat Rita C. Joseph and Republican, Conservative Constantin Jean-Pierre are on the ballot to replace Councilmember Mathieu Eugene. Joseph is a public school teacher who wants to improve education, increase affordable housing and achieve social and racial justice.

District 49 (North Shore, Staten Island)—Councilmember Debi Rose made history in 2010 when she was elected the first African American to higher office from Staten Island. Democrats want to keep her legacy going with Black female candidate Kamillah Hanks. She faces Jason Price, a Black man, of the Ordinary People Party, and Republican Patricia Rondinelli.

Special Election

NYS Senate (District 30, Manhattan)—With Brian Benjamin’s selection to serve as New York State lieutenant governor, three candidates are vying to fill the 30th District state senate seat in Harlem he vacated. Democrat Cordell Cleare, Independent candidate Shana Harmongoff and Republican Oz Sultan are all on the ballot. Cleare, who previously served as chief of staff for former State Sen. Bill Perkins, was named the Democratic nominee for the race by members of the Manhattan Democratic Party.

“This is a beloved and special district that contains my home community,” Cleare said in an interview with the AmNews. “We have to get on the road to economic recovery. In parts of the district there was already an imbalance and now it’s been exacerbated by the pandemic. Someone has to go in there and fight but we can only do this together.”

dealers that are really having guns coming to the northern state. And then we must also have an intervention plan of dealing with the violence with precision policing and targeting those dangerous gangs, getting them out of gangs, but also going after those who refuse to get out of gangs and are wreaking havoc and violence in our city.”

Amsterdam News readers asked us to get a direct response from the candidate as to whether or not he would bring back the controversial Street Crimes Unit or a facsimile thereof.

“There is a plainclothes anti-gun unit. Policing is supposed to be predictive, and it should be unpredictable, and that is the combination of proper policing. If bad guys believe they only have to look out for blue and white cars, that is a disadvantage to public safety.

“We are not going to have a plainclothes unit that was aggressive, cowboy style. We’re going to have better trained officers with conflict resolution skills, and they’re going to wear their video cameras so we can video every interaction that happens between the public and police to make sure they are complying with the right rules.”

Comments from the community seem to present something of a generational split.

Some members of the older generation have said that they are quite comfortable and even excited about the Adams’ enforcement background. Some of the young people are a little more cautious about what that means for them given the oft-times dire history between the NYPD and the Black community.

Adams said, “Well, their feelings are due to the historical[ly] negative relationships with police and communities, but what I would encourage them to do is read my background, and not go based on soundbites or based on the political rhetoric. This is an opportunity to read and ask the question ‘What type of mayor will Eric be?’ Look at that after been arrested and beat by police officers [as a teen], I didn’t say ‘Woe is me,’ I joined the movement. I marched during the Clifford Glover shooting; a 10-yearold child. I marched when Randolph Evans was shot; when Arthur Miller was shot––and we’re talking about during the 1970s. So, the long history I have fighting on behalf of Black and Brown people and the injustices from law enforcement and continued as a police officer in the 1980s and 1990s.

“My testimony in federal court to end stop-and-frisk; my passing of bills in the State Senate to end the database––so when you look at my real contributions to police reform, only those who don’t know my history, or didn’t take the time to read it, is going to have a level of reluctancy on how I’m going to be on this reform issue. This is my life’s work.

“It’s like going to someone that has spent their lives in a particular field, and think that they’re not going to continue their work. I’m not going to change as a 61-year-old when I’ve spent 40 years of my life doing this.”

With the current virtual judicial

See ADAMS on page 36

Black Solidarity Day

Continued from page 4

The Politics of Liberation” had this to say about Black power,

“The adoption of the concept of Black power is one of the most legitimate and healthy developments in American politics and race relations in our time… It is a call for Black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for Black people to begin to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations and to support those organizations. It is a call to reject the racist institutions and values of this society… Black power therefore calls for Black people to consolidate behind their own so that they can bargain from a position of strength.”

They further state this about Black power.

“It does not mean merely putting Black faces into office. Black visibility is not Black Power. Most of the Black politicians around the country today are not examples of Black Power. The power must be that of a community, and emanate from there… The Black politicians must stop being representatives of ‘downtown’ machines, whatever the cost might be in terms of lost patronage and holiday handouts.”

My, my, my how things remain the same! It is also time for us to truly honor “Black Solidarity Day” and its founder Dr. Carlos Russell on Monday November 1st, 2020 by staying home from work or school, supporting Black businesses and attending a “Black Solidarity Day” event!

Monday, November 1, 2021, is Black Solidarity Day. No Work, No School, No Shopping is the rallying call as always since Dr. Carlos Russell spearheaded the first Day of Absence in 1969. The December 12th Movement calls for a General Strike this year on Black Solidarity Day, joining the workers’ strikes all around the country demanding living wages and work with dignity.

For more information call Sista’s Place 718-398-1766.