(See story on page 6)
City of Yes? Contentious public hearings held
(See story on page 2)
Working Families Party pushes for votes to stay alive on NY ballot line
(See story on page 4)
Survey: Growing Financial Insecurity Along Race and Gender Lines
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By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
The New York Division of Human Rights (DHR) could not account for 82 of the 120 unrecorded housing discrimination complaints audited by the Office of the State Comptroller. Some surfaced in a filing cabinet aptly labeled the “Twilight Zone.” Even after careful digging, 42 remained missing.
Such findings reflect the DHR’s rampant mishandling of housing discrimination complaints between April 2019 and February 2014, delineated in the Comptroller’s report published last Thursday, Oct. 17.
“New Yorkers who face housing discrimination are told they can report it to the state Division of Human Rights and that it will be investigated, but the agency often failed to do its job,” State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement. “It lost cases due to carelessness and failed to properly or quickly investigate others. Tenants whose complaints were mishandled may have been left to face continued discrimination or forced to move.”
Human Rights Law protects renters and home buyers statewide from landlords, brokers, and real estate agents from precluding housing or accommodations due to their race, gender, sexuality, disability, or other protected status. The DHR prosecutes such violations. In fact, the agency needs to initiate such investigations within 30 days and con-
clude them within 100 days.
Historically, racist practices like redlining systemically barred Black Americans from buying and renting in certain neighborhoods throughout the country, including here in New York. But even on an individual level, race and other identity factors impact one’s
See HOUSING DISCRIMINATION on page 25
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Most can agree that New York City has a stark housing crisis, but people are fundamentally split on how to solve it. Mayor Eric Adams’s City of Yes for Housing Opportunity (CHO) proposal is a massive, citywide overhaul of all zoning districts in an effort to produce more housing.
Every three years the city’s 2023 Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS), which has been conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau since 1965, collects housing data to determine if the city needs rent control and rent stabilization. The survey reported that rents and housing costs have skyrocketed for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers of all kinds. If someone needed an apartment for under $1,100, the vacancy rate is 0.39 %, and for less than $2,400, it’s below 1%, said the survey. Additionally, most households making less than $50,000 without rental assistance are 86% rent burdened.
The New York City council held a two-day hearing this week on Oct. 21 and 22 with electeds and the public to thoroughly review the CHO proposal ahead of their final vote, which is supposed to be before the end of the year. Many passionately testified about their fears and concerns about the zoning changes, and doubled-down on the city’s real need for more affordability.
In her opening remarks at the hearings, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said that working- and middle-class families throughout the city are already on the brink of being “squeezed out” because of high rents and a lack of homeownership opportunities. She added that homelessness has soared to record
levels in recent years, with an estimated 350,000 people without homes, and eviction rates as well as housing insecurity has also increased.
“All of these factors are contributing to New York’s housing crisis, and they will only worsen unless we advance holistic housing solutions,” said Speaker Adams, recognizing the importance of updating the city’s zoning. “At the same time, this Council knows that zoning reform alone cannot fully address the wideranging housing needs of New Yorkers. Zoning reform is one important component, but New Yorkers also need deeper affordability, expanded pathways to affordable homeownership, strengthened tenant protections, the removal of barriers to housing vouchers, investments in their neighborhoods, and more.”
While the hearings were happening just upstairs in City Hall, Adams at his Tuesday presser commented that: “We know people are fearful, particularly in low-rise areas, of
seeing a complete transformation of their communities. We got that.”
Breaking down the zoning and housing proposal
The city’s planning commission voted to approve the CHO proposal in September 2024. Department of City Planning (DCP) Commissioner and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick, joined by Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr., detailed the proposal in a lengthy presentation on the first day of the hearings.
“By building a little more in every neighborhood that means we can have an impact in the aggregate on our housing shortage without dramatic changes on any one neighborhood,” said Garodnick.
The proposal would allow for the creation
See CITY OF YES on page 36
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
The Biden-Harris administration has announced additional student loan cancellations, offering debt relief to over 60,000 nonprofit and government employees burdened by college debt while serving in often low-paying public service roles.
Initially, these workers were told they could pursue socially rewarding careers and get their federal student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. PSLF was created in 2007 and designed to benefit teachers, nurses, first responders, and other public servants, provided they completed 10 years of consistent monthly payments on their debt.
But PSLF had numerous administrative problems, which led to many applicants being rejected for reasons like being on incorrect repayment plans or having not received credit for previous payments they made to loan servicers.
“That was the promise of Public Service Loan Forgiveness: spend ten years serving the greater good and you could be debt free,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. “It was a simple idea. But a decade later, when many borrowers began applying for the forgiveness they earned –– that promise was broken. Public servants saw their applications fall victim to fine print technicalities,
All along the way, Republicans have fought the Biden administration’s attempts to update the PSLF. Republican-led states and groups filed lawsuits to try to stop changes to the program by arguing that the Department of Education had no legal authority to do so.
Vice President Kamala Harris said: “Higher education should be a pathway to economic opportunity – not a lifetime of debt. That is why I have fought to make education more affordable and reduce the burden of student debt throughout my career.
red tape, accounting errors, and a wall of indifference from the last administration.
“These Americans acted in good faith. They paid their student loans while working in the public interest. But instead of fixing PSLF, my predecessor was more focused on handouts for predatory for-profit colleges. When I got to the Department of Education in 2021, just 7,000 public servants had ever qualified. By then, people had lost faith... They called PSLF a cruel joke, a broken promise, a nightmare. This is how folks described the program to me
when I became secretary.”
The Department of Education says it has now taken over the administration of PSLF and can ensure that borrowers get credit for past payments.
“From day one of my administration,” President Joe Biden said, “I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I will never stop working to make higher education affordable –– no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us.”
“When President Biden and I took office, only 7,000 people had ever been approved for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Today, I am proud to say that a record one million teachers, nurses, first responders, social workers, and other public service workers have received student debt cancellation. As I travel our nation, I meet many of these public servants who say they now have more money in their pocket to put towards buying a home, renting an apartment, getting a car, starting a family, and saving up for the future.”
Public sector unions like the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will be reaching out to their members to help them understand the new changes to PSLF and to encourage them to apply for debt relief.
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
New York State has extensive laws and rules designed to protect voting rights and make it easier for Black and Brown residents to cast their ballots. However, things can sometimes go awry, so it’s important to know what to do and whom to call for assistance on Election Day. Let’s get into it!
Voting in New York 101
During early voting and on Election Day this fall, polling places are run by a beehive of poll workers, coordinators, inspectors, technicians, clerks, and interpreters — all staffed by district leaders and county committee members who work hand-in-hand with the state and city Board of Elections (BOE) — all of whom should be able to help voters in a pinch.
“People not knowing what’s on their ballot is a big one, and people not turning over their ballot for the ballot measures on the other side,” said Brooklyn Democratic Party Deputy Administrator Sabrina Gates about what can go wrong on Election Day. Logistically, the biggest things to remember about voting are to get registered or check that your status is active and check for your proper polling place, said Anthony Beckford, a district leader for the 43rd Assembly District. Many people forget that early voting was only signed into law in 2019 and is still a fairly new option. An early voting polling site
is different from a regular, tried-and-true, familiar polling place, he said. This can also be the case when polling places are moved because of redistricting.
It’s important to know that a person can register and vote in New York who is 18 years of age or older (pre-registration starts at 16), a state resident for at least a month before the election, a U.S.-born or naturalized citizen, not currently in prison for a felony conviction or in jail awaiting trial, and not on parole or probation or under supervised release.
Other things to remember include:
• You need to say your name and address when you get to your polling place. Poll workers should be able to verify who you are from that.
• Voters don’t need to show identification or state ID to vote, unless you are a first-time voter who did not provide ID when registering.
• Some NYC voters have already received their voter ID cards (Fast Pass Tag) and QR code in the mail with general instructions and voting information. This is helpful, but absolutely not necessary to vote.
• Voters can check deadlines, election dates, registration status, election district (ED), assembly district (AD), early voting site, and polling site information at amsterdamnews.com/ election2024/ or vote.nyc/.
• If you are not on the active voter
registration list, then you are entitled by state law to a paper ballot and an affidavit envelope. An affidavit is also required if someone has a disability or has trouble reading, makes a mistake on filling out their ballot, or is at the polling site just before or at 9 p.m. when the polls close. These envelopes are not opened or counted at the poll site.
Run-of-the-mill issues that voters can also encounter are ballot machines that break
down, which means emergency ballots will be provided, or long lines that can discourage voters, added Beckford. The BOE recently created a wait time map that allows voters to view wait times at a specific polling site. It can be accessed at vote.nyc/ page/wait-time-map.
In some instances, a voter can be “challenged” by poll workers at the site if their signatures don’t match what’s on file, someone has already voted using the person’s name, or it is believed that a person has moved from
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
In a presidential race too close to call as Vice President Kamala Harris and her opponent, former President Donald Trump, speed toward the finish line just two weeks away, both candidates are practicing their closing arguments with a focus on key battleground states. On Monday, Harris was in Royal Oak, Michigan, a nearby suburb of Detroit, on the campaign trail with Liz Cheney, a former Representative from Wyoming. She is among the notable Republicans who have promised to vote for Harris.
According to Washington Post polling, Harris leads Trump in percentage points in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia, and is tied with him in Nevada. Trump has the upper hand, for the moment, in North Carolina. Seated on stage of Royal Oak Music Theater, with a bevy of supporters behind them and under banners that read “Country Over Party” and “A New Way Forward,” Harris and Cheney fielded questions from journalist, former first lady of California, and a Kennedy family member Maria Shriver.
“Maria, Let me just add one thing … because it bears repeating,” Harris began. “I have seen a lot of Republicans go to Liz Cheney and thank her. They may not be doing it publicly. They may not be doing it publicly because I think she has shown to your point extraordinary courage, especially in this environment, post-January … and she is not alone.”
Cheney said it wasn’t about courage. “It wasn’t scary at all, in terms of making this decision because when I look at the nature of the threat Donald Trump poses and, look, Donald Trump is doing everything that he
can to try to get people to forget about what he did, what he did on January 6, and when you think about that level of instability, the level of erratic decisionmaking, misogyny, that is not something that you can entrust with the power of the Oval Office.”
She added that Harris possesses the kind of character and integrity that is the role model she would have for the women of the nation.
Near the end of the 40minute session, Harris closed with words that will probably be repeated again and again as the race becomes tighter. “If you look at where the Republican Party is today,” she said, “there’s been a dangerous embrace of isolationism. A dangerous embrace of tyrants … We need our allies. When Donald Trump says he is going to withdraw from NATO and invites Vladimir Putin to invade NATO and then suggests it is Zelenskyy’s fault Ukraine was invaded … Not only is it not Republican, it’s dangerous.”
Thanks to C-SPAN, the nation had a chance to hear Harris and Cheney in discussion with the residents of Royal Oak. And according to her schedule, she will make other stops in Michigan hoping to hold on to her very tenuous lead in this important battleground state. Activist-filmmaker Michael Moore is doing all he can to bolster her campaign during an appearance on MSNBC with Joy Reid. The Flint native made it clear how significant the Arab vote will be given the large population they have in the state. “Kamala has made up some ground with the Arab community since she entered the race, and replaced Biden for the party,” he said. “But there are still many who are not satisfied with the U.S. aid to Israel and the destruction of Gaza.”
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
(WFP) is urging voters to choose the Harris-Walz ticket on their ballot line in the Nov. 5 election.
Created in New York in 1998, the WFP has advocated for progressive politics for several years now. “[We’re] a political party that gives voters the option on the ballot line to vote their values,” said NY WFP Co-Director Jasmine Gripper. “So, yes, we run and win elections, but beyond that, we also fight for policy changes that really improve the lives of working families.
“From fighting for minimum wage increases, to fighting for investments in quality childcare, we are the political party that is rooted and grounded in centering families and centering workers, expanding rights and protections, and making sure that our government works for all of us and not just the 1%.”
The predominance of the two-party system in the U.S. means only a few other political parties can substantially impact the operations of government. New York state currently recognizes only four political parties: the Democratic, Republican, Conservative Party, and Working Families Party.
New York’s WFP has a history of back-
year, the party is supporting Demo cratic Socialist Claire Valdez’s campaign to represent Western Queens in the New York State Assembly. A union organizer, Valdez advocates for green, union-based job opportunities, a $25 minimum wage, and the idea that everyone has a right to “a safe and affordable place to call home.”
#VoteWFP campaign
Recent rule changes have increased the requirements political parties must meet to maintain their ballot status in the state. The WFP used to only need 50,000 votes every four years in gubernatorial races, but now it needs 130,000 votes or 2% of the total vote every two years, whichever is higher to keep its name on the ballot. “Because the presidential year has a higher turnout, we are striving to get 250,000 people to vote for Harris and Walz on the Working Families ballot line this year,” Gripper told the AmNews. Harris and Walz will appear on both the Democratic Party and WFP lines, so a vote for their ticket can be cast and counted equally under either
party. For this election, the WFP is aligning with the Democratic Party. But voting for the Harris-Walz ticket under the WFP ballot line means endorsing the policy platforms this political party promotes. The WFP has endorsed Harris-Walz, but that doesn’t mean they support every part of their candidacy. “This is about strategy. This is about the conditions we want to organize in,” Gripper said. “We know that it is more beneficial for working families for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to be in the presidency than for Trump. And we are making a strategic decision to say this is important in this moment.
“When she gets into office, we will hold her accountable, we will make sure she continues to fight for families. I’ve heard her make commitments around childcare and we’re really excited about that. That’s an important fight for New Yorkers. Whether you’re low income or middle class, the rising costs of childcare is now more expensive than CUNY and SUNY tuition.”
Gripper says the WFP is out campaigning during these final weeks before the Nov. 5 election. They have phone banks going every Wednesday and Sunday and are out doing doorknocking across the state. “When I talk to voters, I explain to them that fusion. That, like, Donald Trump is running on two lines in New York, the Republican and Conservative. And Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are running on two lines, the Democratic and Working Families. And I say, at Working Families, we fight for workers, we fight for families, we fight for jobs here, and we fight for higher wages. And people are like, yeah, that’s me: I’m a working family, that’s important to me –– I’m glad someone’s fighting for us. And they’re like, I’ll be happy to vote on the Working Families ballot line.
“The more people who vote Working Families, the more people who get behind and support the party, the more power we have and the greater leverage we have to hold elected officials accountable at every level of government.”
By MAL’AKIY 17 ALLAH Special to the AmNews
Having a full understanding that children are our future, and the role which a formidable education plays in their development, one Harlemite has devoted the past five years in assisting area youths build up their personal home libraries with conscious literature. Since 2019, Miosha RandolphJohnson’s nonprofit, Read It and Leave It, has been planting plenty of cerebral seeds among local school children which surely will come to harvest in the current, as well as future generations.
“We’re creating a better relationship around literacy and reading for these children, so they don’t only read at school,” she said. “A lot of kids are way behind in their reading levels. We don’t want them to think that reading is a daunting task. Books are actually fun. They open them up to a new world.”
Randolph-Johnson was inspired by her mother. “[She] raised me to be conscious, be proud of being Black, and love my people. I knew I wanted to do something for my community,” she said. As a youth, she recalled attending Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad’s Sept. 5 1998 Million Youth March on Harlem’s Malcolm X Boulevard.
By David R. Jones, Esq
For more than 22 years the organization I lead, the Community Service Society of New York (CSS), has surveyed the city’s lowincome residents on a series of topics, from their financial challenges to their views on policies and programs that would help them get ahead economically.
The insights gleaned from the survey are integrated into our advocacy agenda and used to elevate the voices of low-income New Yorkers to ensure that their concerns are heard by politicians, community leaders and the media.
Findings from The Unheard Third -- the longest running regular public opinion poll of low-income households in the nation -- were the driving force behind citywide campaigns in the last decade to address transit affordability and workplace inequities. For example, the four-year campaign to get the city to establish and fund a half-price bus and subway fares program, known as Fair Fares, originated with data from The Unheard Third. It revealed that “one out of four” lowincome New York City residents often could not afford the public transit fare. Today, more than 350,000 low-income New Yorkers with incomes at or below 120 percent of the Federal Poverty Level are enrolled in the program.
Unheard Third Survey Reveals Pervasive Financial Insecurity Among New Yorkers,” offers a sobering look at the daily struggles for nearly half of the city’s residents, many of whom are struggling to find their financial foothold and living paycheck to paycheck. What is particularly striking is how much financial precarity has permeated into the lives of New Yorkers in the middle of the income distribution.
According to the report, one-in-five women disproportionately experienced financial insecurity in 2023 with Black and Latina women especially impacted, a quarter of whom reporting they had no rainy- day savings. In all, 26 percent of low-income New Yorkers (those living in or near poverty) reported having no rainy-day savings. Overall, the proportion of survey respondents, both low-income and moderate-income, with zero savings increased in 2023.
She continued in those footsteps into becoming an activist herself. As an Occupy Wall Street alumna, she also frequented Free Mumia rallies with Queen Mother Blakely, and other progressive events.
When her son, Nykeek, outgrew some of his books, she gave them to her young niece, and then devised a plan to keep the knowledge circulating. She also did thorough research on the societal effects of education.
“This is how I’m doing my activism nowadays,” she said. “The objective of Read It and Leave It is to build home libraries for children from low-income families. There’s a link between how many books you have at home and how well [children] do in school. We’re providing books for kids, making reading fun.”
Reading is fundamental; while children of all ages are welcomed, Randolph-Johnson primarily focuses on elementary school-aged ones. By teaching them while they’re young, she’s helping them develop lifelong study habits. She also mentioned it helps many avoid the school-to-prison pipeline, “making school fun and cool for children.”
She ensures that the literature entices youths by creating fun ways for them to
read. For instance, she got some students to read instructions without making them feel like it’s a chore, because they were learning how to make slime. She also provides books on various topics, as well as accommodates children’s requests — all the while getting them up to proper reading levels.
“I’ve seen a dynamic shift. They’re reading and writing, and don’t even realize it,” she proudly confides, adding that many students experience improving grades.
“I want them to have a better life trajectory, and change their attitudes towards school and education. I give them books that include characters they relate to. It’s more than just reading a book. It’s about the whole experience. It instills confidence in them.”
She warns about the consequences of the lack of education, which leads to crime, drug use, teen pregnancy, and poverty.
“These are children, it needs to be balanced, not just about the Black plight. We have way more to life than just activism,”
Randolph-Johnson said. “It’s a book-giving program. I became a literary coach. Making literacy and reading fun. We call it Read It and Leave It because we leave the books with the children so they can take them home. [And] when they are finished reading their books, they can give it to a friend. I would hope that the model would self-replicate.”
For more information, visit https://riali.org/
In 2013, six years before Fair Fares went into effect, The Unheard Third powered advocacy efforts that brought together a coalition of elected officials, advocates and economic justice activists, culminating in the City Council passing the “Earned Sick Time Act”. The measure requires employers in the city to provide their employees with at least a modest amount of paid sick time for illness and to care for a sick family member. An estimated one million low wage workers benefited from the law. Note: Mayor de Blasio expanded the law in 2014.
A new CSS report released this month and based on the latest survey findings, shows that financial security has worsened for many New Yorkers across income, gender and race since 2021. This is despite the fact that some New York households built a small financial cushion thanks to pandemic-era supports and wage growth.
But the expiration of pandemic-era assistance along with historic inflation during an uneven economic recovery has contributed to eroding people’s sense of economic security. A recent Federal Reserve report on the Economic Wellbeing of U.S. Households bears that out. It found that the proportion of Americans who felt they were “doing okay financially” fell six percentage points – to 72 percent – after peaking at 78 percent in 2021.
The CSS report, “Teetering on the Edge: The
To put it all in perspective, what the findings tell us is that despite some improvement in the economy, the rising cost of living in New York City driven primarily by the astronomical costs of housing and childcare, is leaving millions of New Yorkers in a state of almost constant financial stress. At the same time, those who lack the savings to meet a relatively modest $400 emergency expense have few places to turn to besides expensive loans and borrowing from family and friends, who themselves may be financially insecure.
Among big cities, New York City has always ranked high in terms of inequality. However, the fact that a quarter of our fellow New Yorkers have absolutely no rainy-day savings to fall back on underscores the seriousness of the problem.
The report offers several recommendations that city and state policymakers could act on to help New Yorkers cope with the rising cost of living and the financial stress it imposes on them and their families. These include increasing cash benefits to those on public assistance to reflect increased cost of living, improving and expanding access to the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), fully funding and expanding the CityFHEPS housing voucher program, and expanding access to affordable banking and financial services.
The report also calls for an end to gender- and race-based discrimination in wage-setting by strengthening pay transparency laws, as women appear to be bearing the brunt of financial duress.
Here’s the bottom line: For too long we have underestimated the minimum level of resources and supports low-income and moderate-income households need to live in expensive cities like New York. Clearly, we have the tools to tackle these issues. Let’s use them.
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Busloads of New York Democrats representing a wide swath of organizations have carried on with their weekly trips to canvass for the Harris-Walz campaign in the swing state of Pennsylvania. This past Saturday, Brooklyn Dems and 1199 SEIU members ventured to Stroudsburg.
“We’re getting on a bus to Pennsylvania to bring out support for Kamala Harris,” said Anthony Beckford, district leader for the 43rd Assembly. “This right here is an opportunity for us to be engaged — for the community to be engaged. I brought my 12-year-old daughter out here, so that way, she can experience this moment in history as well. It’s something we’ve been looking forward to.”
Dozens gathered in front of St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn in the early morning of Oct. 19. They filed into two luxury coach buses with their matching navy T-shirts, provided by the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Participants, from high schoolers all the way to retirees, tucked in for the long journey into what has been dubbed for years as “Trump country” or areas that are heavily Republican.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, are marginally ahead of former President Donald Trump and J.D. Vance in terms of polling: At presstime, she led 46% to 43%, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll. For context, the poll surveyed 4,129 adults online: one-third registered Democrats, one-third Republican, and the remainder independent voters.
Polling should be taken with a grain of salt, but it does serve to highlight how close this presidential election is. Every vote in swing states, like Pennsylvania, matters for the popular vote but also toward the Electoral College vote — or the state system for voting in presidential elections that’s based on their number of Congress members. To be president, a candidate needs 270 electoral college votes. Trump won in PA by less than 1% in 2016, but lost by almost the same percentage in 2020, reported NBC News.
That’s why, with about two weeks until Election Day, dedicated Harris supporters in New York City are spending their weekends traveling more than 70 miles away to knock on doors and possibly sway even a handful of people to vote for their candidate.
“I decided to do this because I’m normally civically engaged, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity to contribute to one of the greatest candidates I could ever imagine,” said Leo Terry, a senior manager for a real estate firm. Like many others on the bus, it was Terry’s first time canvassing for a political group.
Sweet Sundays Cafe, a local Haitianowned eatery, provided the bus group
with breakfast, drinks, and snacks. After a late start, the group headed off to the mountainous area of Stroudsburg, a small town in the Poconos about two hours away from New York City. They met up with 1199 SEIU canvassers at the Days Inn drop-off point.
Stroudsburg was the absolute picturepostcard of a warm Autumn day, with crisp foliage on the mountainside and fluttering leaves, from green to brightred, falling off the high trees. The terrain did end up being a major hurdle throughout the day, though, with transportation for canvassers sparse.
To make sure that Dems weren’t wandering for miles through the woods, the ground campaign used the MiniVAN app, which allowed canvassers to find registered voters’ addresses on public lists using their phones and target certain neighborhoods in Stroudsburg with undecided or independent registered voters. The canvassers split into small groups, and received maps, lists, scripts, and questionnaires for their door-knocking walks in the community.
Brooklyn retirees Barbara Savage and Carol Singleton, lifelong friends in their 70s, were dropped off in the neighborhood of Tannersville. The small area is primarily known for its waterpark and ski resorts. They eyed elaborate Halloween decorations and Trump signs in people’s yards wearily and pressed on, determined.
“We do this all the time. Every election season,” said Savage, who has doorknocked for Democrats before. “I did the Obama [campaign] and I think there was more energy and enthusiasm, but we did also come to Pennsylvania to Trump territory, smack in the middle. But it was great, we had a wonderful time. Very productive, and people were friendly.” Many people did not answer their doors for Savage and Singleton or politely refused to engage. But surprisingly, one Tannersville resident, 69, with Trump signs in her yard, was eager to discuss Harris’ stances on issues like Medicare, marriage, abortion, pension, and Social Security.
1
4 Minimum income listed may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies Asset limits also apply. How Do You Apply?
change.
Apply online or through mail. To apply online, please go to https://housingconnect.nyc.gov/PublicWeb/ To request an application by mail, send a self-addressed envelope to: 2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159 Only send one application per development. Do not submit duplicate applications. Do not apply online and also send in a paper application. Applicants who submit more than one application may be disqualified. When is the Deadline?
Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than December 30, 2024. Late applications will not be considered. What Happens After You Submit an Application? After the deadline, applications are selected for review through a lottery process. If yours is selected and you appear to qualify, you will be invited to submit documents to continue the process of determining your eligibility. Applicants are usually contacted from 2 to 10 months after the application deadline. You will be asked to submit documents that verify your household size, identity of members of your household, and your household income.
Español Presente una solicitud en línea en nyc.gov/housingconnect. Para recibir una traducción de español de este anuncio y la solicitud impresa, envíe un sobre con la dirección a: 2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159 En el reverso del sobre, escriba en inglés la palabra “SPANISH.” Las solicitudes se deben enviar en línea o con sello postal antes de 30 de diciembre de 2024
简体中文 访问 nyc.gov/housingconnect 在线申请。如要获取本广告及书面申请表的简体中文版，请将您的回邮信封寄送至：2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159 信封背面请用英语注明“CHINESE”。必须在以下日期之前在线提交申请或邮 寄书面申请 2024 年 12 月 30 日
Русский Чтобы подать заявление через интернет, зайдите на сайт: nyc.gov/housingconnect. Для получения данного объявления и заявления на русском
nyc.gov/housingconnect
온라인으로 신청하십시오 이 광고문과 신청서에 대한 한국어 번역본을 받아보시려면 반송용 봉투를2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159 으로 보내주십시오 봉투 뒷면에 “KOREAN” 이라고 영어로 적어주십시오 2024년 12월 30일 까지 온라인 신청서를 제출하거나 소인이 찍힌 신청서를 보내야 합니다
Kreyòl Ayisyien Aplike sou entènèt sou sitwèb nyc.gov/housingconnect. Pou resevwa yon tradiksyon anons sa a nan lang Kreyòl Ayisyen ak aplikasyon an sou papye, voye anvlòp ki gen adrès pou retounen li nan: 2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159. Nan dèyè anvlòp la, ekri mo “HATIAN CREOLE” an Anglè. Ou dwe remèt aplikasyon yo sou entènèt oswa ou dwe tenbre yo anvan dat 30 desanm 2024
Polskie Aby złożyć wniosek online, przejdź na stronę nyc.gov/housingconnect. Aby uzyskać polskie tłumaczenie tego powiadomienia oraz wniosek w wersji wydrukowanej, wyślij kopertę z własnym adresem: 2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159. Wpisz słowo „POLISH” w j. angielskim na odwrocie koperty. Wnioski muszą posiadać stempel pocztowy lub zostać przesłane online nie później niż 30 grudnia 2024 r
Français Pour déposer votre demande en ligne, rendez-vous sur le site nyc.gov/housingconnect. Pour recevoir une traduction en français de cet avis ainsi qu’un dossier de demande papier, envoyez une enveloppe libellée à votre nom et votre adresse à l’adresse suivante : 2-20 MALT DRIVE APARTMENTS, P.O.BOX 1543, NEW YORK, NY 10159. Inscrivez le mot « FRENCH » au dos de l’enveloppe. Les demandes doivent être envoyées par la poste ou soumises en ligne au plus tard le 30 décembre 2024, le cachet de la poste faisant foi.
By JIANA SMITH
Community members were treated to a tour of the Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot in Harlem on Oct. 18 to see the future of sustainable design.
The bus depot is one of the first public transit facilities to incorporate sustainable design practices and the first to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The tour, which came as part of the nonprofit organization Open House New York’s annual weekend initiative, displayed the depot’s sustainable features, including the solar heating wall, green roof, and rainwater collection tank.
Open House New York was founded in 2001 to allow New Yorkers to experience the architecture of sites usually barred to the public. This year, around 200 sites across the city, including the Highbridge Water Tower and the Mount Morris Fire Tower, were available for viewing.
The bus depot was chosen as an Open House New York site to educate the public about sustainability.
“In addition to being a good example for the industry to follow, we try to give good examples of environmentally sensitive, sustainable practices,” said tour leader Thomas Abdallah, the deputy vice president and chief engineer for the New York City Transit Authority.
The bus depot is one of 28 in the city. According to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, it can hold more than 150 diesel hybrid buses. The city first started testing hybrid buses in the late 1990s before introducing a larger fleet in 2004.
The depot’s solar heating wall is primarily used in the winter. Warm air travels through holes in the wall and into the building, warming the space and saving two to three percent in energy, according to Abdallah.
PM 2.5 is flushed into the engineered soil of the green roof when it rains, removing it from the air.
“Anytime you can reduce the amount of particles that are in the atmosphere, it’s a health benefit to the community,” said Abdallah.
Sedums were planted on the green roof due to their hardiness. They thrive in mountainous regions with little soil and water.
“What is the roof if not a kind of an artificial hill?” said Yekaterina Aglitsky, environmental management system director at New York City Transit.
The roof is also used to collect rain, which is recycled to wash the buses in the depot. The rainwater is stored in a 50,000-gallon tank, reducing the amount of water used by the facility and that ends up in the city’s sewer system. The buses are washed using nontoxic, environmentally safe soap.
Martha Lineberger, 39, came from Brooklyn to take part in the tour. She has been participating in Open House New York for about eight years.
“It’s a great way to see the city and how it functions,” Lineberger said. “I feel like I appreciate things more when I understand how much work and thought and whatever has gone into it.”
The warm air is taken outside the building in the summer through what Abdallah calls a summer bypass. As warm air is sucked into the building, it rises, insulating the roof and leading to savings in terms of cooling.
The design was inspired by the Renewable Energy Lab’s solar heating wall in Colorado, said Abdallah.
“I wanted to do something special from a renewable energy point of view,” he said.
The building also features a 65,000-square-foot vegetation roof. Also known as a green roof, this style of roof-
ing also insulates the building and absorbs water, carbon dioxide and other air pollutants like particulate matter.
Particulate matter, or PM 2.5, is a pollutant imperceptible to the naked eye that can cause health issues like asthma and heart disease when inhaled.
Central Harlem, where the bus depot is located, has the third-highest asthma emergency department visits in the city, according to the NYC Environment and Health Data portal. (It ties with Highbridge and Morrisania just across the Harlem River.)
The Jamaica Bus Depot, currently under construction in Queens, will follow the Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot’s sustainable design model.
The city aims for its bus fleet to be zero-emissions by 2040. This plan requires electric buses, 60 of which have already been introduced in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The switch will be painless for the Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot: it is already a good fit for electric buses, which require overhead charging, thanks to its high ceilings.
“When we move forward with the electric buses, this building will be one of the first that gets them,” Abdallah said.
By JIANA SMITH Special to the AmNews
Randall, Harlem, 20 “Prices are really high. It’s really [messing] with people.”
Paritosh, Morningside Heights, 26
“I think it’s really hard in general for people. I think it’s one thing what you read about in the news where people say job numbers are going through the roof, inflation is down compared to where it was throughout the bulk of COVID, but
then there’s the feeling of dread, of anxiety that people experience. And a lot of it is about just affording even basic necessities, like groceries or rent increases, or not being sure where exactly you’re gonna maybe even get health insurance from because health insurance costs have gone up so much.”
Jay, Harlem, 38
“It could be better in a whole lot of ways living-wise. If you keep pushing the rent up, you’re going to keep pushing people out —
and that’s how homeless people are created. And then, once you’re living above your means, you’re pretty much toast. That’s how they want the economy to pretty much be: You got to be rich in order to make it.”
Randolph, Harlem, 52
“Everybody wants to point the finger at somebody. That’s the economy. It’s not about money; it’s about who’s going to pay for it. All the bills that people have, the healthcare. You’re going to pay for it, because if you pay taxes, you’re paying for this sh--. And that’s sad, because you ain’t getting nothing back out of it.”
62
“At the end of the day, it’s going to do what it does, and there’s nobody that you can really trust because you don’t know what’s on their mind and what’s on their agenda. But as far as the economy is doing, I’m fine. I’m blessed because I got God, so I really don’t worry about the economy. It just does what it does. As long as I eat every day, I got a roof over my head, I feel blessed.”
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
A new report examines how the United States’ legacy of anti-Black racism affects Afro Latinx in the workplace and reveals that anti-Black racism continues to affect the lives of varied people of African descent.
“The Labor Market Experiences of Working-Age Afro Latinxs,” published by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI), found that Afro Latino men experience higher rates of unemployment than non-Black Latino men. Although occasionally hired more than African American men, they are not employed as often as other Latino men. Similarly to African American men, Afro Latino men endure below-average labor force participation rates.
Afro Latina women can face the same range of high unemployment rates as other Black women, and their jobs are often vulnerable to economic downturns. In general, Afro Latinx workers face the same racial and ethnic discrimination as other Black people in the U.S., which means they face the same prospect of having to work harder than others to succeed financially in the U.S. labor market.
“You see the way that anti-Blackness impacts the entire African diaspora,” University of New Mexico sociology professor Dr. Nancy López, who co-authored the UCLA report with a team of researchers, told the AmNews in reference to the report. “It’s almost like we’re mirroring each other,” she said.
The report examines data covering the 12 years from 2010 to 2022. It includes information about the employment of 25- to 54-year-old Afro Latinx after the Great Recession (2007 to 2009) and both during and after COVID-19.
“Afro Latinxs are more likely to reside in the Northeast, more likely to be born in the U.S., less likely to be married, and younger,” authors of the report note. “Regardless of gender, Afro Latinxs are less likely to be immigrants when compared to non-Black Latinos. About 46% of Afro Latino men were born outside the U.S., compared to about 55% of non-Black Latino men. Similarly, just 42% of Afro Latinas were immigrants compared to 52% of non-Black Latinas.”
Afro Latinxs also tend to have higher educational levels than non-Black Latinos, yet they still don’t receive the same number of job offers, according to the report.
“The pandemic … significantly affected Black women and Latinas’ labor force participation,” the UCLA report states: “From 2019 to 2020, Black women and non-Black Latinas experienced the greatest oneyear decreases in labor force participation rates of the groups of women we examined
(about 2 percentage points each). For Black women and non-Black Latinas, this was accompanied by 2.6% and 2% reduction in the number of workers, respectively. Labor force participation for prime-age Afro Latinas — who experienced the highest unemployment levels among women in 2020 — also decreased 0.7 percentage points from 2019 to 2020. Together, these findings suggest that downturns affect Black, non-Black Latina, and Afro Latina workers similarly.”
Afro Latino men had higher job rates than African American men, but the numbers were lower in comparison to non-Black Latinos. “While no group experienced unemployment parity with white men, Black and Afro Latino workers were much more likely to be jobless in comparison,” the study found. “On average, Black men were 2.2 times more likely to be unemployed when compared to white men from 2010 to 2022, while Afro Latino men were 1.6 times more likely to be unemployed than white men.”
The UCLA report findings show that Afro Latinx and African American employees experience similar levels of job discrimination. It underscores the need to examine the intersectional challenges that different Black groups face in the U.S., López said.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed the Census Bureau to no longer allow Latinos to specify their racial background. That could mean that data about the lives of white Latinx and Black Latinx won’t be seen.
“We definitely need to make visible the anti-Blackness we’re experiencing,” said López. “Whether we’re African American, Afro Latina, et cetera, because there are white Panamanians — we know this, right? There are white Dominican women, right? There are people … from all over the globe
— [you] could be from wherever [but] that does not have anything to do with how you’re racialized.”
López has written extensively about how Latinos understand themselves is one thing, but how they are perceived by others — their “street race,” or the race a stranger might think they are –– often affects how they are treated.
“The most important thing is to remember that we have an ethical obligation, and that we should be clear about [the data] we’re collecting, because if we don’t know what we’re collecting, any question is going to be fine,” López said. “That’s a quote that I include in a lot of my PowerPoints from one of my colleagues, Howard Hogan, who just retired from the Census Bureau after 40
years or so. He’s not Latino, he’s not African American, he’s not a person of color: He’s a white man who’s worked [on] the census and has done the analysis to show that poverty rates for Black Latinos versus nonBlack Latinos are totally different.”
López added that “you can do the right thing and collect this data in a way that’s meaningful and can illuminate inequities, or you can pretend that all Latinos are the same race and contribute to the reproduction of racial inequality. I hope that we would choose to do the ethical thing, to do no harm, and that we’ll have flexible solidarity in the Latino community that recognizes that if we are pretending that all of our folks are a Brown monolith, then we’re erasing a whole experience in history.”
Trump’s excessive wrongness back in 1989, like the many women he has abused, has spun the block on him again, this time in a lawsuit filed by five Black men — now recognized as the Exonerated Five. They claim that Trump defamed them during his debate last month when he falsely said the men pled guilty after being tried in connection with an alleged assault and rape of Trisha Meili, a white woman jogger in Central Park.
Getting the facts right has never been Trump’s forte, and during the debate he said the five had admitted “they pled guilty,” Trump said. “They said, they pled guilty. And I said, well, they pled guilty, they badly hurt the person, and ultimately killed the person. And they pled guilty — then they pled ‘we’re not guilty.’”
A complaint filed on behalf of the five said Trump’s statements are demonstrably false, adding: “[The] Plaintiffs never pled guilty to any crime and were subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing. Further the victims of the Central Park assaults were not killed.” The complaint further said that the men, now in their 50s, have “suffered injuries as a result of Defendant Trump’s false and defamatory statements.”
Trump gained the national attention he sought in the ads he took out in major daily newspapers calling for the death penalty for Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise, and Yusef Salaam, with these five innocent men all having served long prison sentences. Eventually a serial rapist, Matias Reyes, who actually assaulted Meili, confessed that he was the sole actor. DNA evidence confirmed this.
Media coverage of the incident resonated across the globe and the five were eventually released from prison and subsequently sued the City of New York for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. The City settled the suit in 2014 for $41 million. We have no idea if Trump will have to fork over some cash for his rash insinuations and accusations, and we cheer that another pin has been stuck in his highly inflated ego and perhaps even his purse.
By SAMY FELIZ
Over the last five years, my family has fought to make sure that Lt. Jonathan Rivera, the NYPD officer who killed my brother, Allan Feliz, is fired from the department. In 2019, the NYPD unjustly stopped Allan in his car. After officers beat and tased him, Rivera climbed into the passenger seat and shot my brother in the chest at close range. Officers then yanked my brother from the car, exposing his genitals in the process. Instead of covering Allan, they cuffed him and left him to bleed out in the street.
I’ve had to recount these facts again and again, hoping that those in power would listen and fire Rivera. Instead, my family and I have had to fight through years of delays and obstruction by the NYPD and the administration.
A disciplinary hearing for Rivera is finally scheduled to begin on Nov. 12. This is a glimmer of hope, but for the last three years, I have watched the mayor and his cronies in the NYPD protect their own interests rather than New Yorkers’ by shielding abusive officers like Rivera. Now, each day, my family reads new stories about the corruption scandals the mayor and NYPD are embroiled in, and we worry what it all means for Allan’s case.
My family has no faith that Adams, nor the new police commissioner, will do the right thing and fire Rivera for the murder of my brother — unless New Yorkers force them to prioritize it. Adams has never prioritized police accountability and, right now, his biggest concern is saving himself. The interim NYPD commissioner is dealing with his own federal investigation and a police department with a long history of protecting its own.
I want New Yorkers to understand that the corruption of the mayor and the NYPD does not only involve bribery and soliciting illegal donations — it includes protecting the department and its officers, no matter the harm they do. The city’s independent NYPD oversight board substantiated fireable charges against the officers who killed Kawaski Trawick, just like it did in Allan’s case, but the mayor and his NYPD let those officers walk.
Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief
Damaso
Kristin
Cyril
Siobhan
Wilbert
NYPD misconduct complaints are at an 11-year high, yet recent reporting from ProPublica shows
Editor’s Note
that, under Adams, the NYPD has been burying hundreds of substantiated misconduct cases, sometimes refusing to even look at the facts of a case before dismissing it.
The mayor’s praise of the police after officers shot four people for a $2.90 fare evasion on the subway makes it perfectly clear: His priority is to protect himself and the NYPD, not New Yorkers. We need the truth about this corruption to come out, just as much as we need the truth about the actions for which Adams was indicted.
The discipline case against Rivera should be open and shut. Not only are the facts about my brother’s murder egregious, but Rivera has a significant misconduct history of at least 41 allegations. The only fair decision for the mayor and commissioner to make is to fire Rivera without access to his pension or a good-guy letter
that would let him carry a gun. Anything else will only be a continuation of this administration’s corrupt pattern of letting officers who commit violence and misconduct walk without facing any consequences for their actions.
October 17 marked five years since the NYPD killed my brother, and we still miss him every single day. Allan’s life mattered. He should be here with us, raising his fouryear-old son. Instead, his child is growing up without a father and my family and I are still fighting for some semblance of justice while our city’s government appears to be coming apart at the seams. All my family wants is for Rivera to be fired so he is no longer a danger to New Yorkers and we can begin to heal from this life-altering trauma.
By VALERIE MOORE
Malik Singleton embodies success. Reflecting on his journey, the 25 year old describes how being placed in foster care was a traumatic experience, that he worried about his future and how his life would turn out. “I didn’t know how to express myself,” he says. “I was angry and I wasn’t confident at all.”
That all turned around for him when he arrived at the Children’s Village’s Dobbs Ferry campus and engaged with its Working Alongside Youth (WAY) program, where he found open hearts and helping hands. The program’s influence guided him toward better life choices and career readiness.
“WAY always had my back,” said Singleton. “It means a lot to have people who care.”
For any young person, the journey into adulthood is a challenging odyssey, fraught with uncertainty and rife with opportunities for growth, but for those emerging from foster care and rejoining their communities, this journey can be particularly daunting. It’s a critical juncture where additional support can make all the difference.
More than 19,000 young people in the U.S. left foster care in 2021 without permanent family homes. Many face the stark reality of losing access to crucial
services as they age out, increasing the likelihood of setbacks. Recognizing this gap, the Children’s Village pioneered WAY (known then as Work Appreciation for Youth) in 1984, offering vital support to youth navigating the path to independent living.
WAY operates as a comprehensive support system, offering a wide array of services, from education and housing assistance to financial literacy, workforce development, and emotional connectivity to empower participants. Coaches provide personalized guidance, serving as mentors and advocates even as participants reach their mid-20s.
More than 80% of the young people served by the Children’s Village are in the transition-age bracket, with more than 95% coming from marginalized backgrounds. These young people often grapple with mental health issues, trauma, and educational barriers, making specialized support imperative.
The program’s impact is undeniable: 96% of participants either graduate or remain enrolled in school with passing grades, 80% secure employment, and 91% attain stable housing. Equally remarkable is the fact that 97% of participants steer clear of the criminal justice system — a testament to the program’s efficacy in breaking cycles of adversity.
In my role as WAY’s program direc-
CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.
tor, I strive to ensure that all youth and young adults in our care know they’re not alone. Our goal is to provide unwavering support, equipping them not just to survive but to thrive in their transition back into society.
WAY symbolizes the resilience of these young individuals, demonstrating that with steadfast support, they can rewrite the narratives of their lives. It’s not merely about changing paths; it’s about reshaping destinies and paving the way for success.
Singleton now has steady employment as a security guard in the Bronx, and animatedly speaks of the difference WAY has made in his life, which is why he is paying it forward. He returns to the campus regularly as a credible messenger to talk with others in foster care. Through his story, they, too, envision a brighter future.
As we celebrate the 4oth anniversary of WAY this year, let us also recognize the countless others whose lives have been forever changed by the unwavering dedication of organizations like the Children’s Village. Through collective effort and empathy, we can truly make a difference in the lives of those most in need.
Valerie Moore is the program director of Working Alongside Youth (WAY) at the Children’s Village.
A few months ago, I wrote about the beloved Knicks and the sense of hope they seem to give the entire city. I don’t know if it’s the historic franchise, the perpetual underdog status, the majesty of Madison Square Garden, or the sheer level of talent that has suited up in a Knicks jersey over the last several decades, but there is something truly special about this team. I am getting excited about the feeling of hope these days. I began going to Knicks games and live sporting events as we emerged from the grips of COVID19 and I needed to experience the feeling of collective joy. There was something so nice about going to an arena, cheering alongside several other thousands of fans, and collectively experiencing emotions together. It was something that made the isolation of the lockdown begin to slowly fade away. Even though I am so looking forward to experiencing this Knicks season, I am not sold on the Knicks trades as of yet. I was quite looking forward to the “gang of four” Villanova Knicks led by Captain Jalen Brunson. I was never a fan of Julius Randle and felt his injuries and his inability to play a full season altered the flow of the team assembled in his absence; I know he is an incredibly talented player, but I was never sold on the hype. However, now that Randle and Donte DiVincenzo are in Minnesota and Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) has arrived, I am be-
ginning to lament this trade. I am not yet convinced KAT will fit with the team or have the mental fortitude to process the tough love from Knicks fans (that’s as diplomatically as I can put it). Time will tell about his fit, ability to stay healthy, and overall benefits of this big man being added to the team.
The heart and dedication to New York City is palpable from this team. In a time when local politics seem to be a bit in disarray and uncertain, it is nice to begin a new season filled with the promise of what could be. The Knicks did so well last season and even made it to the playoffs, despite injuries … so many injuries.
No matter what happens, I do know I am looking forward to the collective joy from average New Yorkers passing one another on the street in their various Knicks paraphernalia and yelling, “Go, Knicks!” to random strangers passing by. Whether you are a diehard fan or just someone who loves New York, it is a fantastic time to be a Knicks fan. Fingers crossed they can bring home a long-awaited championship.
As Emily Dickinson famously wrote, “hope is the thing with feathers.” This season, I also want hope to be blue and orange — Knicks orange — as well.
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 FAQ-NYC.
By BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews
The British government has said that the issue of reparations to the Caribbean for slavery will certainly not be entertained at this week’s Commonwealth leaders’ summit in the Pacific Island nation of Samoa. But Caribbean leaders say their numbers are large enough to force a formal discussion about the transAtlantic slave trade that has helped to enrich the United Kingdom.
In public statements from London this week, the office of Prime Minister Keir Starmer made it clear that “reparations are not on the agenda” while reiterating that Britain does not usually pay reparations.
The stance of the British has set it on a clear collision course with the 12 independent Caribbean nations that will attend the fiveday summit that commenced on Oct. 21 — they have been signal-
ing in recent months that the time has come to force Britain to own up to the atrocities of slavery.
Dickon Mitchell, Grenada’s prime minister and current chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) group, told the AmNews this week that the Caribbean Commonwealth is a 56nation grouping composed of different groups from Africa, the Pacific, and Asia. No one country should be able to single-handedly dictate the agenda. Caribbean countries will also have a say, he said, noting that there is no better forum to discuss an issue like reparations.
“Reparations and reparatory justice are an issue we are [championing], and will champion, whether the British choose to acknowledge it or not,” he said, noting that for the record, unless the Commonwealth is a one-nation institute — and it is not — the agenda is not a matter for the British only.
“We are seeking partnership in dealing with these atrocities and the consequences of the atrocities from those nations who committed those acts,” Mitchell said.
“For the record, unless the Commonwealth is a one-nation institute, and it is not, the agenda is not a matter for the British only. We are dealing with and seeking acknowledgment of the horrors of the Atlantic slave trade; the enslavement of Blacks and persons of African descent in the Caribbean; the plantation and colonization economy that dehumanized, marginalized, and impoverished Blacks and persons of African descent.”
Through Trinidadian Prime Minister Keith Rowley, the region had earlier signaled its intention to confront Britain recently at a slavery emancipation ceremony in Port of Spain, the capital. He had said that “Caribbean leaders will very forcefully speak to the Commonwealth
as one voice. There is one particular country with a new king and a labor government with an outstanding mandate. We look forward to their reaction in October,” he said.
Through the umbrella reparations Commission (CRC), several governments have already sent payment demand letters to Britain and other European nations like Spain, France, and the Netherlands. They have even hired a British firm to prosecute their case. The advice is that the case is very strong and should be pursued. The response has been lukewarm, says the Guyanabased regional secretariat.
Bajan Prime Minister Mia Mottley is the designated lead speaker on reparations, since Barbados has long been allocated responsibility for the issue in the regional government set-up of responsibilities. Rowley leads discussions on crime and security.
Other senior Caricom officials, speaking anonymously, are adamant that the final communiqué will have at least three paragraphs on reparations, but British officials are fighting in pre-summit negotiations to keep out words like genocide and atrocities from any final document. “We are also drafting a declaration on reparatory justice, but again, we are encountering opposition from the Brits about the language in it,” said one official.
On a visit to Barbados in late 2021, as it switched from an independent nation to a republic, then-Prince Charles (now king), had complained about “the appalling atrocity of slavery,” noting the “darkest days of our past.” “I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many, as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact,” he had said at a previous Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.
In a nation shaped by the ongoing fight for racial equality, it is perplexing to see any person of color — particularly immigrants and African Americans — express support for someone who has repeatedly made racist, xenophobic remarks and engaged in discriminatory actions. Yet, recent polls and a New York Times article revealed just that: Black and Latino voters, including some women, are planning to cast their votes for Donald Trump, the former president and now a convicted felon. According to recent polls, 15% of Black men and 12% of Black women said they would support Trump in the 2024 election.
Two women featured in the Times article admitted they were offended by some of Trump’s rhetoric but still believed in his ability to lead. This raises a crucial ques-
tion: Can you truly value yourself while supporting someone whose words and actions degrade your identity and community? Are frustrations with the Democrats and current presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, so deep that some are willing to align with a man whose divisive rhetoric echoes the fascism of Mussolini and Hitler?
One voter, a 52-year-old Black woman from California named Cristal Bailey, told the Times she supports Trump despite his offensive comments about people of color, believing he cares about “real people and their problems.”
Shirley Trevino, a 49-year-old Latina from Texas, was previously offended by Trump’s behavior but now believes he is “the best candidate.”
It’s astonishing that voters like Bailey and Trevino could overlook years of racially charged rhetoric aimed at vilifying their own communities. From Trump’s history of racial discrimination in the
rental of apartments in the 1970s to his infamous full-page ad calling for the death penalty for the falsely accused Central Park Five, Trump’s racism dates back decades. His “birther” conspiracy against former President Barack Obama, launched in 2008, and his 2016 campaign’s inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants being “rapists” only extended his harmful legacy.
As president, Trump continued this trajectory: He implemented a Muslim immigration ban; reportedly referred to Black-majority nations as “s---hole” countries; separated predominantly Latino families at the border; and refused to fully condemn white supremacists after the deadly Charlottesville rally, famously calling those marching for Confederate statues “very fine people.” He has routinely touted his defense of suburban America after rolling back Obamaera segregation tracking rules.
Trump’s rhetoric has never been a series of isolated incidents but a
central aspect of his political strategy, designed to divide and conquer. From claiming that Haitian immigrants are eating pets, to labeling immigrants “the most violent people on Earth” and “animals” who are “invading” America, Trump’s racist and xenophobic comments have continuously fueled fear and hatred.
How can any immigrant or person of color support Trump?
His policies have consistently harmed the very groups now considering voting for him. Supporting Trump is a direct contradiction to the struggles of immigrants and people of color in this country for the simple right to even exist here.
It’s a painful reality that requires cognitive dissonance — forcing people to overlook the fact that Trump’s presidency and current campaign have emboldened white nationalism and systemic racism.
The uncomfortable truth is that Trump’s campaign thrives on stoking racial and ethnic division. That is all he has. Even
prominent Republicans like Paul Ryan have condemned Trump’s remarks as “textbook racism.” For immigrants and people of color, voting for Trump is not just a political choice: it’s an endorsement of a man who has repeatedly devalued their existence.
What’s at stake here is not just political gain, but the very integrity of the communities that Trump has attacked. The question remains: Can you truly love yourself and your community while supporting someone who has built his rise to power on hatred and division? As you head to the polls, that’s the only question you need to ask.
To quote Trump himself, you might need your head examined if you choose to vote for him.
Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news about Black immigrant communities from the Caribbean and Latin America.
By JESÚS CHUCHO GARCIA
Special to the AmNews
Translated by KAREN
JUANITA CARRILLO
Amsterdam News Staff
A few years ago, I was invited by the literature professor, Dr. Maurice Belrosse, to give a lecture at the University of the Antilles in Fort de France, the capital of the island of Martinique.
The conference I attended focused on two Afro Martinican leaders: Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) and Aimé Césaire (1913-2008). Both Fanon and Césaire were considered extraordinary militants against colonialism. Fanon, who was more radical than Césaire, chose armed struggle and fought against French colonialism in Algeria where he served with
the National Liberation Front as a psychiatrist and at the same time as an editor of a newspaper called El Moudjahid .
In his 1961 book, “The Wretched of the Earth,” Fanon wrote about the true purpose of colonialism: “Colonialism is not a thinking machine, nor a body endowed with reasoning faculties. It is violence in its natural state…”
When Césaire wrote about colonialism in his extraordinary text, “Discourse on colonialism,” he said, “I am talking about millions of men torn from their gods, their land, their habits, their life ––from life, from the dance, from wisdom.”
But despite Césaire and Fanon, and so many other fighters against colonialism, the island of Martinique still maintains a neo-colonial French status. It was first
known as an Overseas Department and now as an Island Region.
Large protests broke out in Martinique recently in response to the rise in inflation and costs for services, most of which have to be brought from France to the island which demonstrates Martinique’s continuing colonial dependence. A curfew was imposed on the island, more than 30 people were arrested, many detained, and cars were set on fire. France has increased taxes on Martinicans, even as islanders are in the streets protesting... the spirit of Fanon is in the streets.
Jean N’Sonde, a Congolese activist based in both Guadeloupe and Martinique, tells us:
“Martinique and Guadeloupe have, under the French law of 1946 (La loi de départementalisation), the same rights and duties as the French in Europe. But the recent protests tell another reality.”
Nsonde says that Fanon’s ideas are well known but not very much in evidence these days because the concept of an independent Martinique is no longer strong. Some believe that independence would come at a very high cost, others want to continue to fight for ultimate freedom. Those who do not want full independence do not want to lose their basic living standards, which are higher than those of other Caribbean countries. Instead, they aspire to a more gradual autonomy.
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted Oct. 22 to landmark the Jacob Day House, the three-story Greenwich Village building at 50 West 13th Street that was once owned by abolitionist Jacob Day.
The building, commonly known as the Jacob Day House, has been in disrepair for years. The historic conservation group Village Preservation began lobbying to save 50 West 13th Street in 2020, following the death of Edith O’Hara who had held a minority stake as a co-owner of the building. The nonprofit worked with the independent historian Eric K. Washington to document the sites’ ties to Black history. But the LPC had reportedly remained reluctant to landmark the building –– if based solely on its architectural assets. With the structure rapidly deteriorating, Village Preservation insisted that landmark designation would be the only way to prevent the building’s destruction.
Jacob Day lived in the building from 1858 to 1884. A successful private food caterer, Day was one of New York City’s wealthiest 19th-century African Americans. Day was a member of the Abyssinian Baptist Church (at the time, located on Waverly Place) and served as its treasurer, and also supported the local Freedman’s Bank, located in a
section of Greenwich Village then known as Little Africa. Once he purchased the West 13th Street property, Day’s family lived upstairs while he and his sons ran his catering business from the downstairs level. “By the time of his passing in 1884,” Village Preservation notes state, Day “had properties in Brooklyn on Prospect Place, Jamaica, Queens; Fishkill, New York; and at 50 West 13th Street.”
Day, a Black community activist and abolitionist before the Civil War, not only built his wealth through real estate, but also fought against post-war efforts to repatriate Blacks back to Africa and advocated for eliminating property ownership requirements for voting. Census records and city directories show Day rented out his apartments at 50 West 13th Street to like-minded progressive African Amer-
icans. Before marrying Henry Highland Garnet in 1875, the educator and suffragist Sarah Smith Tompkins rented a unit in Day’s house from 1866 to 1874. This was as she served as the city’s first Black female public school principal: she taught and led the (Former) “Colored” School No. 4 at 128 West 17th Street, which was designated a landmark by LPC just last year. “We are thrilled that after a four-year effort, this endangered and fragile historic site, so rich in Black history, women’s suffrage history, and theater history, is finally landmarked,” Andrew Berman, Village Preservation’s executive director said in a statement: “Watching conditions at the building deteriorate for years, and the owner purposely strip historic 19th-century architectural features while the city refused to act, has been painful. We’re hopeful that landmark designation will stem the tide of deterioration at the building, and 50 West 13th Street will ultimately be restored to the condition it deserves. The house’s designation provides long-overdue recognition to Jacob Day’s inspiring work in the 19th century to abolish slavery and achieve equality for Black New Yorkers, Sarah Smith Garnet’s work in the 19th century to fight racism and advance women’s suffrage, and to 13th Street Repertory owner Edith O’Hara’s work in the 20th century to provide a platform for creative expression that eschewed the mainstream and transformed theater.”
By NADINE MATTHEWS Special to the AmNews
It can be said that the artists who leave a lasting legacy are those who continually challenge themselves and aren’t resistant to reinvention. If so, the lasting journey of musician, rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor André Benjamin, aka André 3000, may be one such example. The multifaceted musician will perform at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)’s Howard Gilman Opera House on Oct. 25 and 26, accompanied by Carlos Niño, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau, and Deantoni Parks. Meshell Ndegeocello, another musical maverick, will join André 3000 on Oct. 26 as guest opener.
The Oct. 26 performance was added due to overwhelming demand, which is impressive on its own, but even more so when you consider André 3000 started his career more than 30 years ago. In 2003, his popularity exploded as part of the rap duo OutKast with the double album “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” — but these upcoming performances are for his most recent album, “New Blue Sun,” where he departs from the music for which he became most popular. His audience trusts that wherever he takes them, they want to be there, too. About the audiences who have so far turned out for his tour, he told the AmNews, “It’s been interesting and exciting. Some people have been moved to tears. Some people fight. Things happen,” he laughed.
André 3000 is unapologetic about his evolution as an artist and his choice to do music his way and on his timeline. “I don’t look at myself as a product. Yes, the finished work is a product. But it’s not a formula that I have or a thing that I’m trying to stick to. I think a lot of times, in music careers, it’s about exploring an entertainment career, about keeping a fan base and delivering some familiarity because you’re trying to uphold a thing. But that hasn’t been my concern at all.”
Audiences, and the music industry itself, have sometimes been criticized for resistance to certain musicians straddling or
crossing into different genres, but André 3000 sees things differently. “I’m never tripping if someone doesn’t like a thing. You can’t force a relationship. And at the end of the day, it’s kind of what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to have a relationship with somebody with the music, and if they’re not into it, it’s not for them.”
The first instrumental record to land on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, “New Blue Sun” is André 3000’s debut solo album and his first new work in 17 years. It is a minimalist combo of flute-heavy spiritual jazz and what used to be called “world music,” an instrumental musical experience. The flautist is none other than André 3000 himself, who plays what Rolling Stone has described as “a
myriad” of flutes on the album. The artist apparently began learning in the last 10 years. “I heard someone else playing it. I liked the sound of it. Then I look up, like six, seven years later, and I’ve got like 30, 40 flutes, and I’ve just been playing. It happened very naturally,” he explained.
“New Blue Sun” feels like something a Coltrane fan would want to dive into. In fact, the artist acknowledges being partly inspired by the jazz legend. “I think anyone playing any instrumental music would have to nod to Coltrane in some type of way, because he’s offered so much to music. I’m not on a level of scholarship as Coltrane. I don’t know if we’re playing the same notes, because I don’t know notes. I don’t describe
it in that way, but he’s definitely an influence and Alice [Coltrane] as well, so that’s all in our music.” Though he explains he has never stopped “experimenting” or making music, it took him 17 years to release new music. André 3000 describes the decision as almost wanting to present it as a gift to audiences in response to the current social environment. His original title for it, before deciding it was “too negative,” was “Everything Has Gotten Too Loud.” He explained, “This happened to be the one that was valuable to me. It made sense. I felt that where we are, like the pace of things, the volume of things is pretty turned up. The pace of the world is moving fast. I just felt that this would be a nice breather.”
He added that the pivot he took making “New Blue Sun,” though lauded by many, may not be for all of his fans, especially those who came to love him as a rapper. However, the fulfillment he received from making it overshadows any apprehensions. “I’m happy to go on the path that I’ve been on with music. To have a life that I can be excited about. To explore things that excite me in an art form. That’s kind of the best gift that you can have.” And perhaps the best gift music lovers can have is our own (maybe grudging) respect for André 3000’s staunch commitment to being an artist above trying to please the masses. Tickets for both performances start at $35 and are on sale now at BAM.org.
By MAGRIRA
Special to the AmNews
Jarana Beat is a full vibe, blending Afro Mexican rhythms with contemporary sounds. The band is set to electrify Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium on Oct. 31 as part of the center’s Día de Muertos celebration, along with a community ofrenda created by Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, a Harlem-based nonprofit that champions the essence of Mexican traditions, including Día de Muertos.
Time Out New York described Jarana Beat as a “Mexico-via-Brooklyn combo,” and their sound reflects this fusion of influences. Expect a captivating performance featuring traditional instruments like the jarana, leona, ayoyote shells, and even donkey jawbones, all accompanied by percussive footwork from dancers in traditional costumes.
Led by composer and producer Sinuhé Padilla-Isunza, Jarana Beat draws deeply from Mexico’s Afro-Amerindian musical heritage, \ incorporating elements of son jarocho, son guerrerense, and son huasteco, alongside salsa, cumbia, samba, and rumba. Their performances celebrate Mexico’s intricate cultural tapestry, blending Indigenous, African, and Spanish influences.
The band’s distinctive sound is the result of more than a decade of fieldwork and re-
search. Their latest album, “Vibración por Simpatía” (“Vibrations by Sympathy”), explores the interconnectedness of Indigenous, African, and Spanish roots in Mexican culture. These distant cultural cousins come together beautifully, now recreated in New York City, as part of an ongoing narrative of cultural exchange and survival.
This celebration is deeply personal for me
as I step into producing my first short documentary, “Mexicans in Harlem: Día de los Muertos,” directed by Cristy Trabadass. The film follows the talented Mexican artists of Mano a Mano and captures the authentic ofrendas they are creating throughout the city, including the one at Lincoln Center. This project is also an exploration of my own Afro Mexican heritage and the ties that connect Africa to Mexico.
One revelation came when I encountered the Danza de los Diablos (Dance of the Devils), an Afro Mexican tradition from Oaxaca. Originally dedicated to the African god Ruja, this ritual saw enslaved Africans praying for freedom from Spanish rule. Over time, it evolved into a ceremony during Catholic holidays that incorporated Indigenous elements. The dancing devils represent the eternal struggle between good and evil — a symbol of resilience and survival.
I invite you to join this Día de Muertos celebration of life, death, and the cultural legacies that connect us all. The community ofrenda, created by Mano a Mano, will be on display from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in the David Rubenstein Atrium.
You’re welcome to participate by bringing copies of photographs, letters, or notes to honor your departed loved ones — whether they be family members, friends, or even pets. (Only copies will be accepted because these items will not be returned. Do not bring food, candles, or incense.)
This is an opportunity to be part of a timehonored tradition that bridges the living and the dead, offering a space to celebrate those who have passed while embracing the Afro Mexican roots that continue to shape our collective cultural identity. For more info, visit www.lincolncenter.org.
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
Kristoffer Diaz is the book author for the Broadway hit “Hell’s Kitchen,” which tells a story loosely based on Alicia Keys’s life and incorporates some of her biggest hits. This proud Puerto Rican writer, an NYU graduate of both the Gallatin School of Individualized Study and the Tisch School of the Arts, worked f on “Hell’s Kitchen” with Keys for more than 10 years. He studied playwriting and writing for film and TV. He is currently a professor at NYU, teaching playwriting, musical theater writing, and contemporary Broadway musicals. It was a pleasure and privilege to speak with this accomplished Latino for Hispanic Heritage Month.
AmNews: How did you come to write the book for “Hell’s Kitchen?”
Kristoffer Diaz: I ask myself that sometimes—it’s such a gift. Alicia Keys had an idea for a musical that was based in some ways on her life, and she started asking around for people who might be good collaborators. She asked folks at William Morris Endeavor, and they recommended me as someone she might hit it off with. I had never written a musical. I’m older than her, but I feel like her music has been in my life forever. I’ve always been a fan. I’m someone who shares the same kind of cultural background as she did, and we hit it off from there.
AmNews: The story is referred to as being loosely based on Alicia Keys’s life. Why did you decide to construct it in the fashion in which you did?
KD: She came in with a specific idea: She wanted to talk about experiences she had when she was a young woman, and she didn’t want it to be the kind of biopic musical that tries to tell the whole story of an artist’s life, of an artist’s career. She’s still young and she’s got a long way to go. She wanted to think about experiences she had and things that helped her to decide how she was going to pursue this, and the things that helped her to grow into the artist she was, so we decided it was going to be something that took place in her youth, something that was going to be set where she grew up, which was in Manhattan Plaza in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. She wanted to write about growing up surrounded by artists and folks who shared the similar hopes and dreams that she did, and we hit it off right away. It was easy to follow that vision and put in some of the greatest songs ever written.
AmNews: How much input did Ms. Keys have, and did she work along with you as you developed the story?
KD: It was her idea and then we worked on it together. We worked on it for several years, figuring out what we wanted to do. We then brought in the director Michael Greif. He helped us connect with the Public The-
atre. The Public Theatre helped us bring in the choreographer Camille A. Brown, so the team sort of came together over the years. It was 12 years before we started at the Public, 13 before we appeared on Broadway. It was a long, slow process because musicals take a long time; also, Alicia had two kids during that period, my wife had two kids, and Alicia probably did five world tours. There were a lot of moving pieces.
AmNews: This book has some fun moments, some sexy moments, some teenage moments, and some rip-your-heart-out touching moments. Where did you go in your mind to create those scenes?
KD: The first step was following the music. She’s written songs that do all those things— even a song like “You Don’t Know My Name,” which is not a funny song, but it holds space to be funny. It holds space to tap into childhood feelings on love or that first moment when you see the boy that you are interested in, and he’s not going to give you the time of day. He doesn’t even know you’re alive. Then you get a song like “Girl on Fire,” “Empire State of Mind”—they’re going to create certain moods or feelings, and you want to recreate them in the story you’re telling. I spent a lot of time talking to Alicia and learning things about her life. She likes to say, ‘It’s not factually true, but it’s emotionally true.’ We tried to get into what it was like when she first fell in love, what it was like
when she was arguing with her mom in the kitchen in Hell’s Kitchen, or when she reunited with her father, so it was like the retelling of those events, but it was trying to recapture the emotion and then presenting them in a way that could be universal to anybody, even if you didn’t have that experience on your own.
AmNews: What did you want the audience to see about the relationship between Ali and Jersey?
KD: I like to write about moms and daughters, and their fun relationships. They are complicated because (of) the levels of passion you can get to—nobody fights like a mother and daughter. The teenage girl and her mom are always going to fight, and they fight with intensity. Nobody fights like a mother to make a better life for their kids, and the kids just see it as suffocation. Kids feel like they are overreacting, and they want to spread their wings. We want to explore that feeling. But also the feeling in the end—and hopefully, this is not too big a spoiler for the show— (is) that no matter what goes on in your life and how heated that reaction may be with your mother, hopefully your mom is going to be there for you. All the things that make you fight are the things that pull you closer together. It’s one of my favorite parts in the show when the mom and daughter get to have that
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
Daniel Koa Beaty (DKB) is a gifted playwright, performer, and Obie Award-winning delight. He has moved audiences over the decades with his productions, such as “Emergency,” “Through the Night, “The Tallest Tree in the Forest,” and “Mr. Joy.” He recently performed his newest one-man show, “Love Warrior,” as part of an event at the Sanctuary in Harlem to honor the New Heritage Theater Group as it turns 60 years old. (Yes, that’s right, New Heritage Theater Group has been around for six incredible decades.)
Beaty sat down to speak with the AmNews about his new work, his reverence for New Heritage Theater Group, and more. It was such a pleasure speaking with Beaty — someone I have appreciated since seeing his first work, “Emergency!”
AmNews: What’s going on with you these days, Daniel?
DKB: Jackie Jeffries is going to give me the Outstanding Achievement Award at the AUDELCOs — that’s coming up in November. I just got the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from Joe Biden. We’re doing “Love Warrior” again at the Billie Holiday on November 15.
AmNews: What is “Love Warrior” about?
DKB: “Love Warrior” is basically the story of my life told through my creative works. I talk about various moments in my personal journey to become a love warrior. That was really about opportunities, challenges that presented themselves in my life that could create pain and sadness; that I was able to use art, spirituality, and community to heal through and transform.
AmNews: Did you do excerpts from your different one-man shows?
DKB: Yes, and some of my ensemble plays along with stories from my personal life. I tell stories that range from my father’s challenges with heroin and incarceration, and how that led to “Knock, Knock,” and the work I’ve done about the prison system. I talk about my older brother, 11 years older, and his challenges with crack cocaine after the Marines, and his being in and out of prison and the physical abuse that resorted from that. How I lost both of these men within six months of each other during COVID.
Then how the reality is that my mother taught me that these men were just too brilliant for this world as Black men with so much talent and capacity, operating against systems that did not create adequate space for their brilliance and the unfortunate choices that they made in response to that.
I talk about childhood sexual abuse that happened repeatedly in my life over two and a half years, and about journeys in
prayer and meditation where I was able to go back to my younger self and let him know that not only could I protect him now, but he was protected by angels and ancestors.
One of the biggest stories I talk about is what I discovered during COVID while visiting a plantation: that my great-greatgrandmother was a queen. She was captured in 1816 in West Africa. I was able to reconnect with the paramount king of the Ga tribe, which would have been the region my great-great-grandmother would have come from, and they installed me as a king in Ghana.
I take the audience through one of the experiences that is so profound: There is a door of no return and they had a ceremony for me late at night, where I was able to go to the other side of the door and run back out to reverse the curse of slavery … It was really amazing. That all really informed my view of who I am and who we all are. It’s one thing to think of what slavery has done for us as a people, but to know that you come from a royal line ... I believe in my heart that we are all royal. It elevated my sense of who I am in the world.
AmNews: What does it mean to you, being discovered by Ruby Dee and then introduced to the theater community with her blessing and that of Ossie Davis?
DKB: To this day, I look at Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis as my angels. I have a very particular connection to Ms. Dee because she would literally travel over the country just to introduce me to the people to produce my work and say, “Tell the people Ruby Dee will be in the house” to get the people to come out. We had so many conversations where she poured things into me. When I got some racist reviews when I performed at the Public, she told me, “We’ve always had to dance with a gun pointed at our feet, but still we danced.” She gave me no
space for self-pity. She said, “This is work — we have to do this work. It’s important, lives are at stake.” She also said humor is the cloud to carry a message.
I definitely believe in the power of affirmations. My brain tries to tell — even after all these years — a story that is rooted in trauma. One thing I do is I name the people who love me and who have loved me in the past. I was speaking Ms. Dee’s name today. She’s a regular part of my affirmations. I had a lot of the elders taking me under their wings – Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, and Sidney Poitier. He came to see me do my Paul Robeson piece at the Taper in LA, then he spent a lot of time with me after that. We did a walkthrough of the “America I Am” exhibit when it was in Los Angeles. At the end of the tour, to connect the story with the Motherland, there was a door of no return from one of the slave dungeons.
After Mr. Poitier saw “Robeson,” he said it was one of the most thrilling evenings he had in the theater. I said, “Can I quote you?” [and] he said yes. Then we went through the door of no return at the museum and he said, “This is wood; this is living, breathing energy; and through this wood, I’m taking the best of me and I’m passing it on to you.”
Harry Belfonte was another elder who poured into me. I’m able to think [that] if they believed in me, I take deep affirmation and grounding in these artists who were activists at the highest level.
AmNews: In this day and age, it is very difficult for Black theaters to survive, but the New Heritage Theatre Group has stood the test of time — 60 years! To what do you attribute that?
DKB: A lot of love, a lot of creativity, and a commitment to activism, which is the purpose. The 60th celebration kickoff on October 17 at City College is being called “A Celebration of Love, Creativity, and Activism.” In a concrete way, it’s Voza Rivers,
who was not a theater practitioner by training, but who met Roger Furman and was determined when Roger died to keep his vision going. Over the years, he’s donated his time, his own money, to keep the company going. The other side is that it is really a community-based organization — the people who come out to the shows are largely folks who live in the community and have been coming to these shows for decades. There’s a sense of loyalty.
AmNews: Daniel, who were your role models?
DKB: Dr. King was the biggest one of all. Right now, my role models are my father and brother, who passed within six months of each other [after] battling addiction and incarceration. I look at them as my role models, my heroes. I look at them because I feel like I have the chance to live at a level of freedom and wellness that the circumstances of their lives did not allow them to live, but in retrospect, I can see the effort; I can see them trying again and again. I can see and understand the pain of this world that would make someone go to addiction. I could see the ambition to care for one’s family that would make someone go to crime. I can see it, not justify, but understand.
Through that lens, I’m watching everything you all did that took your life from you and everything you had to face, and I’m really doing my best to do something different — not out of judgment for them, but out of deep pain and respect for the difficulties they faced.
AmNews: Why are theater companies like the New Heritage Theater Group important for telling our stories?
DKB: Theater takes us back to the roots of the griot — a moment for us to gather together in the now and create. Theater is not just created by the theatermaker; it’s also created by the audience. There’s something deeply spiritual that happens in the presence of theater that brings you powerfully into the now. I believe that what happens is that we encounter the divine. It’s the power of the now led by the attention and gift of the artist that I believe connects us to the best part of who we are.
AmNews: What advice would you give to youth who want a life in the theater?
DKB: Purpose is the bridge past ego. I don’t just mean feeling confident in oneself, but also the moment of insecurity. No one wants to hear what I have to say, but if we ground ourselves in purpose (“What can I give? How can I serve, so our gifts can be of benefit to someone else?”), it gives us a power position that bridges us through the inevitable challenges of this business. I would add to get very specific about how you make people feel. As Maya Angelou said, “People will never forget how you made them feel.”
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
Administrators at the Brooklyn Navy Yard took advantage of this past weekend’s comfortable weather when they sponsored the official launch of their Market @77 Food Hall. Greeters were marshaled in front of 141 Flushing Avenue to welcome people to the Navy Yard’s Open House NY weekend celebration.
The Navy Yard had been waiting for the opportunity to showcase the culinary talents of its food vendors. After an initial soft opening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Market@77 Food Hall is now officially open for local families, community members, and area visitors to enjoy, relax, and soak up the festive atmosphere.
Market@77 Food Hall vendors so far include traditional Neapolitan pizza purveyors Pizza Yard; the Lower East Side’s Jewish comfort food restaurant Russ & Daughters; Bed-Stuy/Clinton Hill’s makers of modern American food, Rustik Tavern; and the Dominican/Colombian food presenters Sabor Restaurant and Bakery.
The food hall’s mix of ethnic cuisines reflects the traditions of old New York. Market @77 promotions note that “Market visitors [can get] everything from freshly baked bagels with lox to piping hot pizza and delicious tacos. The food hall’s foundation pays homage to the original Wallabout Market ––a bustling meat, produce, and fish market active from the 1890s into WWII that was located next to the Navy Yard.”
Cristiana Franco, owner of Sabor Restaurant and Bakery, has been at the Navy Yard for about five years now. “First of all, I’m so proud that we were such a small business and were able to stay at the Navy Yard,” she
said. Franco operates her original Sabor Restaurant and Bakery in College Point, Queens, with her husband Luis, who is the house chef.
They initially started at the Navy Yard with a pushcart featuring samples of their food. Now they have an established store in the food hall and recently opened a booth at JFK Airport, both of which are open Mondays through Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Franco confessed she was initially nervous about the reception her food would get at the Navy Yard. “I was so scared because I used to say, ‘Oh my God, all these people — they’re not going to like my food. They’ll want vegan; they are trendy people — that’s what they’re looking for.’ I was really scared. But when you have something you love and you believe in it …
that’s how we sell our food. We just ask you to try it and if you don’t like it, that’s fine, but we’re going to give it to you with all the love that we have to give you. I want people when they eat our food to think, ‘Oh, that’s how my mother used to cook.’ It makes you feel good when they say things like that.”
Frantz Metellus, owner of Rustik Tavern, expressed enthusiasm for the recent launching of his American comfort food restaurant at the Navy Yard. Rustik’s sizable footprint at the base of Market@77 features spacious family-style dining tables and large picture windows overlooking the Navy Yard operations area.
Market@77 is Rustik’s second location: Their original restaurant is in Bedford Stuyvesant. Metellus first submitted a bid to open at Market@77 back in 2017. Putting together architectural plans, getting engi-
neers and permits, and building out the kitchen and dining area all took up time –– and then the pandemic hit and slowed down the entire process.
Market@77’s Rustik finally opened earlier this year, but to little fanfare. Metellus said he wanted to do a quiet opening and see what the reception would be like. “We just literally opened our doors because we wanted to see who would see us, but we have a large following from our other location, and they are also slowly making their way here to see this space,” he said.
This past Saturday, the restaurant’s customers were treated to a live deejay and could also watch –– and even compete with –– members of the Clinton Hill Backgammon Club, who met at Rustik to take part in competitive games.
Market@77’s varied restaurants want to re-entice local residents and the many people who come to visit the Navy Yard’s resident artists and small businesses.
“We cater to the working people that work in the Navy Yard and the people passing through: those are our clients,” said Franco.
“The pandemic has made this whole area a work-from-home sort of thing,” Metellus observed. “Prior to the pandemic, there were a lot more people [working in the Navy Yard buildings]. I think that’s slowly coming back, but it’s not to the levels it was pre-2019. If the pandemic hadn’t happened, this place would have probably 10- to 20,000 people working out of it. I think it’s a gradual move up again.”
The Market @77 food hall is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Hours vary per vendor. For more information, visit brooklynnavyyard.org/marketat77/.
By SUNIL SADARANGANI AND MAGRIRA Special to AmNews
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures recently held its fourth annual gala, raising over $11 million to support the museum’s exhibitions, education initiatives, and public programming, including screenings, K-12 programs, and access initiatives for the general public and the Los Angeles community. The gala was generously presented in partnership with Rolex, the museum’s founding supporter and official watch partner. Rolex has been with the museum since its inception, recognizing excellence in cinema as the foundation of its long partnership with the Academy.
Co-chaired by Dr. Eric Esrailian, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria, and Tyler Perry, the gala celebrated three Hollywood icons for their contributions to film. Icon Award recipient Rita Moreno was presented her award by Steven Spielberg. Paul Mescal was presented with
the Vantage Award by Saoirse Ronan, and Quentin Tarantino, who received the Luminary Award from John Travolta, were also honored. Tarantino further surprised guests by donating his first handwritten draft of “Pulp Fiction” to the museum. The evening closed with a powerful performance from Cynthia Erivo, introduced by Ariana Grande, as she sang “I’m Here” from “The Color Purple,” “Home” from “The Wiz,” “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Purple Rain” by Prince.
The event was attended by some of the most prominent figures in Hollywood, with guests including Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, Andra Day, Jurnee Smollett, RZA, Zoe Saldaña, Ariana DeBose, Selena Gomez, Danielle Deadwyler, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Taraji P. Henson, Sterling K. Brown, Quinta Brunson, Brian Tyree Henry, Winston Duke, André Holland, Joshua Jackson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Ebony Obsidian, Rashida Jones, Mindy Kaling, Kerry Washington, John David Washington, Danny
Ramirez, Édgar Ramírez, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union, Alfonso Cuarón, Eiza González, Lena Waithe, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, John Legend & Chrissy Teigen, Bird Runningwater, Awkwafina, H.E.R., Ayo Edebiri, Eugenio López, Henry R. Muñoz III, Kumail Nanjiani & Emily Gordon, Sandra Oh, RegéJean Page, and Megan Park.
The event’s design was conceived by Keith Baptista, with musical direction by Rickey Minor, and talent relations managed by Special Projects. Wine was provided by Clarendelle & Domaine Clarence Dillon, with specialty cocktails from Tequila Don Julio. The evening’s cuisine was curated by guest chef Curtis Stone and Wolfgang Puck Catering.
Now in its fourth year, the Academy Museum Gala continues to serve as a vital fundraiser supporting the museum’s mission to celebrate and preserve the history of moviemaking, while fostering a deeper understanding of cinema as a global art form and cultural force.
Los Angeles, California - Oct. 19: (LR) Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo attend the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 4th Annual Gala in Partnership with Rolex at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures photos)
Los Angeles, California - Oct. 19: (L-R) Zoe Saldana and Danielle Deadwyler attend the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 4th Annual Gala in Partnership with Rolex at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Oct. 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
If there is one event that I look forward to every year at the Jacob Javits Center, it’s the New York Comic Con (NYCC)! This past weekend, crowds filled the enormous space to enjoy everything related to comics: comic books and video game characters; sci-fi, horror, comedy, anime, cartoons, TV shows, movies, and more. Any type of character cosplay you could imagine was on display with people decked out from head to toe — B man, Joker, Superman, Catwoman, Wolverine, Deadpool, Glinda, SpongeBob, Spider-Man, Power Rangers, Mario Brothers, Scream, Barney, a Tree Monster, Sailor Moon, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and it went on and on. There were too many creative cosplays to name, and all were amazing to experience!
NYCC welcomes and embraces the entire family, from infants in cosplay in their strollers, to the grandmothers also getting into the cosplay fun. Truly, at New York Comic Con, the family that cosplays together stays together. NYCC brings together a very diverse community
of people from every racial, ethnic, and cultural background, and affirms that we all do have something in common that we can share with each other. In addition to the cosplays, the feeling of friendliness and excitement was contagious. All types of merchandise was available for purchase, including themed pins, earrings, bracelets, t-shirts, jackets, posters, sketches, drawings, paintings from different anime, cartoons, TV shows, video games, movies and more. There were Gundam Base robots, My Little Pony, Star Wars, and It Killer Clown collectibles as well as Funko Pops for everything from Marvel characters to Sailor Moon, and Naruto — whatever you were looking for they had it.
Areas with gigantic video games and screens were set up where people could have a chance to play, along with interactive stations where families could build things, pass around trading cards, and buy comics. And of course, every show, video game and movie offered Mystery Boxes. You had “Sailor Moon,” “Fantasy Adventure,” “Pokemon,” See COMIC CON continued on next page
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“Dark Nights Metal,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” and “Dragon Ball Z,” along with a great deal more.
The ComicCon had something for everyone, including panels that gave the people a chance to see and hear from the people behind the anime, cartoons, sci-fi tv shows, movies and horror films they love so much. The crowd at the “Star Trek: Lower Decks” panel went wild and had a great time. Many were dressed as their favorite characters. There were panels for those in the industry and for those interested in being in the industry. NYCC hit the mark as it covered every facet of the fandom for the Comic Universe. There were moments for classic fans, like the “Godzilla vs. NYCC: 70 Years of the King of the Monsters” panel, and there were panels for more contemporary horror films like “A Quiet Place.” Of course there were cosplay contests and meetups that created a lot of excitement. There is nothing more invigorating than going through the doors
of the Javits Center for New York Comic Con and just taking in that crazy energy, diversity, love, and commonality. This is a place where everyone is welcome and, whatever your passion and desire, you will find it filled in these crazy, active halls, meeting rooms, and open space. It’s not just about sci-fi, cartoons, horror, or adventure. You have classic shows taking part and being honored; I was thrilled to go to 2373 on the third floor, where I had the opportunity to interview the cast of “Good Times,” now celebrating 50 years. I had the pleasure of speaking with Bernadette Stanislaus (Thelma Evans), Ralph Carter (Michael Evans) and J.J. Walker (J.J. Evans) and I asked them what it meant to be at New York Comic Con with the show celebrating 50 years. Bernadette shared, “Amazing. So many people are giving us congratulations and [sharing] how much they loved us and what we meant to history. And we’ve been now for 50 years and we’re still getting fans that are younger because their parents introduced them to ‘Good Times.’
I still have my two brothers here and myself. We lost Dad, but we’re going to stick together 50 years and beyond.” Ralph Carter said, “On behalf of the 50 years I’m very grateful that we have a generational group of people in the fanbase that do watch our show. We pay homage to Esther Rolle, John Amos, Ja’Net DuBois, Johnny Brown, Ken Powers, and the one and only Helen Martin, who played Weeping Wanda.” JJ Walker agreed with his castmates. Personally, I was thrilled to finally meet Bernadette — I heard most of my childhood that I had a famous cousin and finally I got to say hello! New York Comic Con 2024 was just fantastic as always. I had a great time with my younger daughter Jasmine and her friends, who actually came in cosplay on Sunday. Going with a “Powerpuff Girls” theme, Jasmine was Bubbles; Fay was Ms. Bellum; and Najee was a member of the “Rowdyruff Boys.” What a blast we had, as did every attendee. See you next year!
For more info, visit www.newyorkcomiccon.com.
The Ravi Coltrane Quintet storms into the Village Vanguard (178 7th Avenue South) now through October 27. He will be joined by his regular, able group of stars that include trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr.
Coltrane has become a seasoned veteran. I recall first seeing him at the old Iridium when it was across the street from Lincoln Center. That night the dynamic drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts was cooking with the young saxophonist during that period he was playing straight-ahead jazz. But as he’s matured, his focus has become more exploratory, which is good for the music and its listeners. Coltrane has mixed it up with the likes of rapper Rakim. That was a crazy night to see, Coltrane on the Sony Hall stage with Rakim flowing with his crew; ironically the great Kenny Garrett was in the audience that night. Coltrane has also collaborated in varied configurations with such innovative musicians as harpist Brandee Younger. The music will be fresh, inventive and
captivating — after all his name is Coltrane! Two shows each night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. For more information and reservations visit villagevanguard.com.
On Oct. 24-27 Dizzy’s jazz club (10 Columbus Circle) welcomes the Big Band Sound of Rufus Reid, accomplished bassist and Grammy-nominated composer. Reid’s performance will highlight intricate compositions that honor the tradition of swinging jazz while incorpo-
rating elements of classical music. Reid has usually performed with small ensembles (Dexter Gordon, Lee Konitz, and Eddie Harris); here we will witness his mesmerizing big band sound reminiscent of those swinging days with Duke and Count Basie in Harlem. Reid will be joined by an accomplished cast of musicians, too many to name, but the band will be conducted by Dennis Mackrel. Two shows each night at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. For reservations visit jazz.org.
Ralph McDaniels hosted Video Music Box, which featured music from rap and hip-hop eras. (Photo from CaptJayRuffins, https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RalphMcDaniels_5566.jpg)
On Oct. 26, Sistas’ Place (456 Nostrand Ave), Brooklyn’s oasis with the immense sound, will present saxophonist Mike Monford & Innovative Energy, an in-depth explosive band that will knock your socks off. The band features those musicians who at some point were considered rising stars. Though accomplished, they are still evolving to greater heights: trumpeter Josh Evans, bassist Barry Stephenson, the firstcall drummer Joe Dyson, pianist Sharp Radway (Randy Weston’s
protégé) and the Cuban vocalist, songwriter and activist Melvis Santa. When you hear these names, make it a point to see them leading their own bands! Two shows at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Call (718) 3981766 or visit sistasplace.org.
NEA Jazz Master Lou Donaldson goes under the aliases of “Sweet Lou,” “Poppa Lou,” and “Sweet Poppa Lou.” It doesn’t matter which name you prefer, just know he pioneered the soul strut in jazz and his blues is so sweet, they call him “Sweet Lou.” He was the Rodney Dangerfield of jazz, full of jokes and known for wearing his signature hip suits and ties.
On Oct. 30, join the celebration as Donaldson celebrates his 98th birthday as part of the Ertegun Hall of Fame series, at Dizzy’s jazz club. Donaldson’s illustrious journey traveled through the bebop era to hard bop to the now. All the while, Donaldson possessed a distinctive bluesy soul sound that could not be duplicated, and let’s not forget his hilarious song “Whiskey Drinking Woman.”
The all-star cast performing will include former band members and proteges, not to mention the many surprise musicians, who will show up for Lou. The music director will be vocalist/pianist Champian Fulton, alto saxophonist Nick Hempton, organist Kyle Koehler, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Fukushi Tainaka.
By MAL’AKIY 17 ALLAH Special to the AmNews
A hip-hop pioneer recently commemorated 40 years of broadcasting music videos on New York City’s airwaves. Numerous urban artists attended and performed at the event at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, while thanking VJ Ralph “Uncle Ralph” McDaniels for providing the much-needed visibility for their careers on his Video Music Box program.
“It’s the show that started it all and made it possible for me to get on at Yo MTV Raps,” said Ed Lover during a private sideline session. “God bless you, Ralph. Love you.”
The long-running show began at the Brooklyn home of Daniels in 1984, as an idea for bringing the fledgling hip-hop genre to the city. At the anniversary celebration, house rocker Busy B performed some of his true skool era tracks, like “Rock the House” and “Suicide.”
Nice & Smooth thanked Daniels before performing their synchronized rhyming/singing style with “Hip-Hop Junkees,” “Dwyck,” “Do You Wanna Get Funky?”
Harlemite G Dep performed several of his verses before concluding his set with his standout track, “Special Delivery,” and an ode to the late Black Rob, his Bad Boy Records labelmate and good friend from East Harlem. When Rob’s banger “Whoa!” was blasted through the speakers, the entire audience chimed in.
By the time Special Ed of Flatbush, Brooklyn, got on stage, the clouds were blocking out the sun, and as he was reciting rhymes, it began raining very heavily, forcing audience members to flee the open-area arena. To the dismay of most, the concert’s headliners, the duo M.O.P., who were scheduled to go next, did not get a chance to take the stage and perform due to the heavy downpour. RIP, Foxx.
Donaldson has retired and lives in Florida hanging at the pool, telling jokes and sharing stories — from the book of a legendary alto saxophonist. All the best! Happy Happy birthday Poppa Lou, catch you at the party or on Zoom. Celebration at 7 p.m. For tickets visit jazz.org.
The 2024 vote is serious. There is entirely too much at stake — a matter of democracy or fascism. Let’s be clear: Fascism is forcible suppression of opposition upheld by a dictator, and we know who has that dream. Not voting is not an option!
On Oct. 26, from 4-6 p.m., come out to Jazz Jam for Kamala at Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church (16-20 Mt. Morris Park West at 122nd Street). Some of the performers for this most important event will be saxophonist Bill Saxton, trombonist Craig Harris and pianist Bertha Hope, to name a few. This event is sponsored by NY State Senator Cordell Cleare and Committee.
ability to secure housing.
“The overwhelming majority of eviction cases in New York City that legal service organizations handle, the clients of people of color,” said housing rights advocate Leah Goodridge. “When I litigated, I had less than 10 white clients over the course of 12 years, and I worked in nearly all the five boroughs.”
Deputy Comptroller for State Government Accountability Tina Kim told the AmNews that the audit found an absence of training and appropriate oversight for handling housing discrimination complaints.
“Not having written policies and procedures, having a confusing intake process, not doing basic controls,” Kim said. “Multiple spreadsheets where you’re putting complaints in and then you have a case management system [without] reconciling between the two to make sure that all your complaints get into your system, having staff who freely admitted to us that nobody had ever trained them on their job [and] having somebody pretty senior in the agency reviewing complaints and taking some of them home — all of this indicates it’s a lack of training of the staff.”
Many complaints found in the “Twilight Zone” cabinet were eschewed as “defective applications.” Yet auditors found complaints in the drawer that they did not deem
erroneous. The DHR staff later reviewed them and agreed. Defective complaints specifically stem from incomplete forms, but are now only returned to the complainant when “they lack essential information to continue processing the case.”
Kim also underscored DHR’s improper prioritization of complaints prompted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) over state-law cases as the federal agency reimburses such investigations. HUD-related complaints were resolved roughly 165 days earlier on average compared to those without federal status.
Downstate residents, particularly those in New York City, filed the most housing complaints to DHR within the audit period: 415 came from Manhattan, 254 came from Brooklyn, and 234 came from the Bronx.
Before this year, New Yorkers needed to file housing discrimination complaints within a year of the alleged incident, but the statute of limitation was extended to three years this past February.
Harlem resident Coanne Wilshire says HUD referred her to DHR in 2018 after she alleged disability discrimination against her landlord over access to handicap parking. Two DHR cases later, her problem remains unresolved.
“My mobility [and] disability has gotten
worse because I’ve had to spend more time on my feet fighting for this,” she said. “After this happened, COVID suddenly hit so just the conveniences of my life…of something as simple as [picking up my groceries] to the fact that then I was dealing with my elderly father having a fall at 93 and convalescing in Long Island, and having to deal with my mother, who was 91 — I was mentally trying to function and move forward with creativity in the new status that I was, which was someone with a permanent mobility disability.”
Despite the audit’s harsh criticism, the DHR — now staffed largely with new personnel including a new acting commissioner — seems to be taking the findings in stride, says Kim. That is not always the case among state agencies after such reports, she adds.
“The issues identified by the audit were unacceptable, and DHR did not wait for the release of today’s report to take decisive action in order to address and rectify these issues,” said a DHR spokesperson in a statement. “Governor Hochul immediately appointed Denise Miranda to serve as Acting Commissioner and directed her to implement wideranging and transformative changes, not just within the Housing Investigations Unit but across the entire agency. Since her appointment, Acting Commissioner Miranda has made significant leadership changes and created critical new staff positions within the agency.
“DHR has also launched a new Internal Audit Unit and is working to implement crucial operational efficiencies and to modernize the Division’s technology infrastructure in order to expand and improve access to agency services.”
Miranda, who Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed this past March, reported reforms in progress aligned with recommendations made by the comptroller in the audit. More than two dozen support staff, comprised primarily of investigators, were onboarded to tackle such issues as housing discrimination. All complaints are now compiled on one log to prevent the reported disorganization. And a new assistant director of housing will provide oversight to ensure investigations are above board.
“[In] 180 days, they’re going to actually tell us what you know they’ve done,” said Kim. “And then a year from now, we’re going to go back and see what the status of those recommendations [are]. But all of that hopefully will rebuild public trust that there is an accountability mechanism and that people will make a good faith effort to improve things.”
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who 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
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
A recent viewing of the film noir classic “Too Late for Tears,” starring Elizabeth Scott, brought to mind — with some confusion — the song “Time Out for Tears,” by Bill Kenny and the Ink Spots. The film (1949) and the song (1950) arrived almost simultaneously and with a similar appeal to the American public. Kenny’s splendid voice and expressive delivery were a mainstay of popular music of the era, even though he rarely got the praise he deserved.
William Francis Kenny, Jr. was born on June 12, 1914, at Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa. His father was a victim of the 1919 influenza. During that same year, his mother moved Bill and his twin brother, Herb, to Washington, D.C., and later to Baltimore. To earn a living, she worked as a dressmaker and made drapes for department stores.
Kenny was in the third grade at St. Peter’s Parochial School when he first sang in public, already demonstrating his four-octave tenor voice and thrilling the audience with a version of “The Japanese Sandman.”
In an interview with an African American publication, Kenny recounted his formative years as a singer. “‘I’ve been singing since I was 7 and never had a voice lesson in my life,” he said. “I was sitting in class one day, and I began singing. My teacher wanted to know who was singing and at first, I was afraid to answer, but finally, I confessed. I was singing a full soprano then and unless you knew, you would have thought a girl was singing. Anyhow, the teacher kept me after school, but instead of punishing me, he arranged for me to sing in the auditorium.”
His appearances on stage continued at Booker T. Washington High School and by this time, his musical path was established. After graduation from high school, he attended an art school in the nation’s capital, and on occasion, entered amateur contests in theaters throughout the metro area.
During a vacation stint in Atlantic City, he participated in 22 amateur nightclub contests, winning all but one of them. The city was also the beginning of his professional career, with bookings at the RitzCarlton Gardens.
Phil Berle, brother of comedian
hits, peaking with “If I Didn’t Care.” His mellow renditions were often accompanied by Charlie Fuqua’s guitar intros, and Orville “Hoppy” Jones’s “talking bass.”
Some of the tunes were hit parade features, most memorably “My Prayer,” “Memories of You,” and “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” all of which topped the charts in 1939. Subsequently, the Ink Spots signed a long-term contract with Decca Records. In photos of the group, Kenny is easily recognized as the tallest, standing 6 feet and 3 inches.
Throughout the 1940s, Bill was the lead singer on most of the group’s 45 recordings. He also had cameo roles in several films, including “Pardon My Sarong” with Abbott and Costello. His duets with Ella Fitzgerald increased their popularity, especially their version of “I’m Beginning to See the Light.”
In 1948, the group performed on the first-ever Ed Sullivan television show.
As so often happens with groups, the Ink Spots began to splatter in the early 1950s, after their last studio recordings. Soon, there were several groups known as the Ink Spots with different personnel and Bill Kenny and Charlie Fuqua as leaders.
By 1951, Kenny was a solo act, which lasted until his death in 1978.
Kenny wrote or co-wrote many of the songs by the group, including “I Can’t Stand Losing You,” written while he was still in high school.
Kenny was married three times, and was severely burned in 1969 in a gas tank explosion. He suffered third-degree burns and respiratory problems from inhaling the fumes, which may have later led to his death.
Listings and information about Bill Kenny can be found almost endlessly in the history of American music, particularly in the category of singing groups, no matter the style.
DISCUSSION
The controversy surrounding the splits and new versions of the Ink Spots is much too extensive to note here, but many books may have at least a footnote or two about the issue.
No history of singing groups in the realm of doo-wop and early R&B is complete without noting the influence of Bill Kenny and the Ink Spots during their glory years in the late ’30s and into the early ’50s.
Milton Berle, heard Kenny one evening and immediately offered him a contract. This relationship was short-lived, but as one door closed, another opened after Kenny won a contest at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. The first-place victory also earned him a position (I almost said spot) with the renowned Ink Spots.
The popularity of the Ink Spots was matchless, and they inspired a host of singing doo-wop groups such as the Orioles, Flamingos, Ravens, Clovers, and Billy Ward and the Dominoes. Nearly every major urban center with a Black neighborhood had its share of aspiring
young men doing their best imitation of Kenny and the Ink Spots. Bill Kenny rivaled Billy Eckstine in the impact they had on admiring vocalists. His brother explained some of Kennys influences — most notably Morton Downey, whom he listened to religiously on the radio. The effect Downey had on him was similar to one he had on a crop of successive singers — Toney Williams, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and Clyde McPhatter.
Kenny’s voice on such signature songs as “I Wish You Everything” in 1938 — his first recorded solo in a studio — launched a string of
Kenny died on March 23, 1978, in New Westminster, B.C., Canada, at 63. His funeral service was held at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. “Although there were tears from some in the congregation and from the nine eulogists, Mrs. Audrey Kenny asked that the service be kept cheerful,” according to one account of the proceedings. “About 200 people — family, friends, and a few fans — were in attendance,” which kind of brings things to a complete circle of tears.
In 1989, Kenny was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is widely considered as the “godfather” of R&B tenor vocalists.
Oct. 20, 1971: Rapper Snoop Dogg (Cordozar Clavin Broadus, Jr.) was born in Long Beach, Calif.
Oct. 21, 1917: Jazz great Dizzy (John Birks) Gillespie was born in Cheraw, S.C. He died in 1993.
Oct. 23, 1956: Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves was born in Denver, Colo.
Continued from page 18
reconciliation and true love at the end.
AmNews: What do you want them to experience with Ali’s relationship with Miss Liza Jane?
KD: It’s a magical relationship that only grew in our production. They think we all— especially if we are artists—have those creative tendencies. Our lives are changed by someone who takes an interest in us—they won’t let us slack, they won’t let us fall short of what we are destined for. I grew up in the post-civil rights era, that striver mentality: ‘You’re going get out there, you’re going to live up to your excellence.’
I didn’t know Kecia Lewis well and then she came in and when I saw her performance, I said, “I wrote this character for you.” Kecia is kind to everyone in the cast; she mentors everyone. She just embodied the role. It’s true of so many of the characters, whether it is Maleah Joi Moon, Brandon Victor Dixon, Chris Lee, or Jackie Leon, who sings “Girl on Fire.” She is my dad’s favorite in the show. I didn’t know most of the actors ahead of time, but once they came in, it was magical.
AmNews: As a Hispanic man, what does it mean to you to have written this book and see your work performed on a Broadway stage? KD: It’s a huge gift and responsibility and a blessing. The line in the show that Kecia
says is, “You are here because the voices of your ancestors requested you,” and that line gets a big response and I take it seriously. I don’t think that we’re doing what we do just for ourselves.
There were a lot of people who made a lot of sacrifices to give me the ability to write musicals for a living. It’s a crazy thing that I get to do as a job and it’s fun…
When I think about being Latino and being a member of that community, I think of my parents, my grandparents. I grew up in Yonkers, my parents grew up in Brooklyn and Manhattan. I have family in every borough. My grandparents came from Puerto Rico when they were young. My nationality is Nuyorican. New York City is its own country. I think that’s how I got the job. Alicia was talking about this early on—people of New York City have all types of backgrounds, if you’re not from here, you don’t understand. We tried to put in the culture with the times, the slang, but also the mentality we needed to get across.
AmNews: What advice would you give to other Hispanic youth who would like a life in theater?
KD: The same advice I would give to anybody: It’s very hard, it’s not a lot of money in the early stages. You have to know what you are getting yourself into, but the most important thing is knowing what it is that you can do that someone else can’t.
AmNews: Who were your role models?
KD: I thought theater was Shakespeare or people sitting on a couch. Then I found people doing art for people who looked like me. My mom was a theater fan; she took me to see a lot of things. My mom took me when I was in high school to see a Broadway show called “Spic-O-Rama,” with John Leguizamo. John is now a friend, but he was the person who opened the door to me. He put characters on that stage who looked like and sounded like my family. The characters were going through the emotions that I was going through—of not feeling authentic enough, too Latino for some rooms and not Latino enough for other rooms. I feel responsible to John and I have to do right by him.
When we were at the Public, when we first did the show, there was a big poster of Raoul Julia, a Puerto Rican actor—he used to do a lot of work at the Public Theatre. I would walk by the poster of him and I got into the habit, before I would see the show, [of putting] my hand on it and I would just commune with him for a second. Sometimes I would say things in my head. I would say, “I hope we’re doing you justice. You opened the door and we’re coming through it.”
I don’t think that everybody has to take that responsibility when you’re doing the work. The best way to honor those folks who came before you is to be authentic to who you are and bring the story with your unique voice into the conversation.
I came up in the ’90s and there were a lot of solo performances—Danny Hock was a performer and founder of the Hip-Hop [Theater]
Festival. In “Def Poetry Jam on Broadway,” there were folks who looked like me and different from me as well. Luckily, I got to be friends with them. I told them they created the expectation in me that I could be up there. I didn’t feel like I was breaking through the door; I was following in their footsteps. Then there’s Rita Morena and Chita Rivera.
Puerto Ricans have an incredible history in the Broadway Theater and in musicals. It was a great lineage for me to be a part of. I hope we can open the doors for the next generation of folks.
AmNews: Who encouraged you in your family?
KD: Both of my parents encouraged me— my whole extended family—but my mom was the one who took me to theater as a kid; theater for young audiences. Once I got into high school, I did theater in high school musicals. I found a community there. My dad was always supportive. When I was looking at colleges, I was doing a lot of theater, but I was going to go to business school to make money. My dad talked me out of going to business school. He said, “That’s not your interest.” He identified I had a passion and he wanted me to follow that passion. He felt my grandfather moved here from Puerto Rico to find a better life for him, his kids, and his grandchildren. My dad recognized I had a chance to live up to that, so he pushed me in a big way to support me to follow my dreams. When your parents have your back like that, how are you not going to take it seriously?
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By JANA ZAHLAN Special to the AmNews
In the early days of the COVID19 pandemic, the phrase “herd immunity” spread rapidly and highlighted America’s hope for a quick end to the emerging event.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), herd immunity is “the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection.”
While many people have been either infected, vaccinated, or both, this does not provide the same protection from COVID-19 that it might from other infectious diseases. Experts recommend taking additional steps, rather than depending on herd immunity, to stay safe from the harmful effects of COVID-19.
Dr. Luca Giurgia, a physician scientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), discussed the concept of herd immunity with the AmNews: “With COVID, there’s a few assumptions that need to hold true for this herd immunity concept to work out .... I don’t really like applying the herd immunity concept to COVID ... because I think, particularly in the general population, [it] comes with certain expectations that will disappointingly not be met.”
While herd immunity has successfully protected populations from other infectious diseases, such as measles and smallpox, all efforts to stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus — the virus behind COVID19 — from spreading have fallen short. According to Giurgia, immune responses against this virus, whether achieved through vaccination or a previous infection, subside with time. Additionally, the ability of the virus to mutate allows it to evade these immune responses and continue to spread in the population.
Despite the efforts of public health officials to relay this infor-
mation to the public, myths and misconceptions about COVID-19 herd immunity continue to influence opinions and decisions about protective measures, such as social distancing, masking, and vaccinations. To better understand the reason behind these misconceptions, the AmNews spoke with Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, an epidemic computational epidemiologist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
Asked about belief in herd immunity as a reason to abandon COVID-19 protective measures, Ancel Myers said there is a “misunderstanding of what herd immunity is … The technical meaning of herd immunity means … a large fraction [of the population] have gotten it. [That there is] a lot of immunity in the population, so
it’s going to stop spreading [until] we’re done with it, and clearly, we are not in that universe at all.”
Ancel Myers said there may be a need for a new term that captures the change in perceived COVID-19 risk over the course of the pandemic and reduces confusion about the concept of herd immunity.
“We do have more immunity in the population because people have gotten infected, because people have gotten vaccinated now multiple times … and that has, indeed, made the virus less severe … but it’s not stopping it from spreading, so we don’t have herd immunity,” Ancel Myers said. “… the threat is different than it was early on, and that is in part because of immunity.”
Echoing this notion, Giurgia
emphasized the benefits of keeping up with yearly vaccine boosters. Research has demonstrated the role of vaccines in reducing the number of hospitalizations, deaths, and Intensive Care Unit admissions after COVID-19 infection in vulnerable patient populations. COVID-19 vaccines also have been shown to protect infected individuals from long-term health problems, generally referred to as Long Covid. Immunity does not have to be perfect to be beneficial. “Even though we might not get to the point of eradicating COVID altogether … the more immunity we have in the population … the slower the virus is going to spread and the less likely any one of us is to get infected or end up in the hospital,” Ancel Myers said. “Even
if we can’t achieve … this aspirational target of reaching herd immunity, there is still a huge amount of public health benefit to increasing immunity in the population through vaccination.”
For additional resources about COVID-19, visit www1.nyc.gov/ site/coronavirus/index.page or call 311. COVID-19 testing, masks, and vaccination resources can also be accessed on the AmNews COVID-19 page: www. amsterdamnews.com/covid/. To get free COVID-19 tests, visit the City of New York’s webpage and the NY Health and Hospitals webpage. For those who may be suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19, a list of post-COVID clinics in NYC can be found at nyc. gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/ covid/covid-19-care-clinics.pdf.
By SHARON JOSEPH
I don’t know what I thought a cancer patient looked like, but I didn’t think it looked like me, so when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was shocked. I had supported others, but now I was faced with my own health issue. I was determined not to see myself as a victim. I would see myself as someone who had caught the disease at an early stage, largely because I was proactive about my health. Due to having dense breasts and a family history of breast cancer, I started my mammograms and ultrasounds early, and that vigilance saved my life. However, my story is shaped by more than just early detection — it’s shaped by the silence that came before.
Beyond the medical decisions, I also took control of the emotional and spiritual aspects of my journey. I hosted a farewell party for my breasts with family and friends, and I held a Zoom prayer meeting with loved ones. These moments gave me the strength to face my diagnosis on my own terms, and not let it define me.
Breast cancer is not just a personal battle — it’s a public health issue, especially for Black
My mother had breast cancer, but she never told me. I vividly remember driving her to get her procedure (which I would later learn was a lumpectomy), yet the words “breast cancer” were never spoken. I thought about all the women at church whom we prayed for who were having “a procedure.” Now I wonder how many were quietly battling breast cancer. My mother’s silence allowed the cancer to spread further than it needed to. She didn’t get the information that could have made a difference, and she didn’t talk about it with her family. When it was my turn, I knew I couldn’t be silent. I chose to speak to doctors at two hospitals, consulting breast oncologists and plastic surgeons. I wanted all the facts before making my decision. After doing my research and speaking with women who had chosen various forms of surgery, I decided to have a mastectomy. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was my way of taking control and reducing the chance of further spread.
women. We are disproportionately affected by the disease, and many of us don’t get the information or support we need. Black women are also more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form that doesn’t respond to hormonal therapies and has a higher mortality rate. This makes genetic testing and early detection even more critical.
Understanding your genetic predisposition can be lifesaving. If you have a family history, getting tested for mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 is essential, because these can increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancers. Knowledge is power, and genetic testing is one of the most important tools we have in the fight against breast cancer.
My doctor, Dr. Lisa Newman, a pioneering surgical oncologist and researcher, has focused much of her work on understanding the disparities in breast cancer outcomes, especially for Black women. Her research has shown that women of African ancestry, including African American women, have a higher likelihood of developing aggres-
sive forms of breast cancer like triple-negative. Her work underscores the importance of tailored treatment, increased awareness, and genetic counseling for women at higher risk.
For those of us with dense breast tissue, mammograms alone might not be enough. Dense breasts can mask cancer on a traditional mammogram, which is why additional screenings like ultrasounds and MRIs are often recommended. Women with dense breasts have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, so early and frequent screenings are critical. The problem is many women don’t know this — either because they aren’t informed by their doctors or because they don’t ask.
We need to ask questions, and we need to advocate for ourselves. Don’t be afraid to push for additional testing if you have dense breasts or a family history. And don’t be afraid to talk about your diagnosis. Silence only feeds fear and ignorance.
I want women — especially Black women — to understand that we cannot afford to stay silent about breast cancer. Our
health depends on our ability to gather information, to speak out, and to support one another. Talk to your doctors, ask the tough questions, and don’t be afraid to seek second opinions. Speak with women who have walked this path before you and do your own research.
In my case, taking control of the situation meant talking openly with my family and friends, gathering information, and making a decision that was right for me. But every woman’s journey is unique, and that’s why having access to research, support, and resources is so important. We must be our own advocates and push for the best care possible.
Breast cancer doesn’t have to define us, but we do need to face it. By speaking out, staying informed, and finding the right support, we can take control of our health and our futures. Let’s break the silence, and empower ourselves and each other to fight this disease.
Sharon Joseph is a Harlem native, CEO of the Boys and Girls of Harlem, and former founder of Harlem Lanes.
By NADRA NITTLE Education reporter, The 19th*
*This story was originally published by The 19th.
The number of books banned in public schools over the past year skyrocketed to more than 10,000, with two states — Iowa and Florida — responsible for most of the bans, according to preliminary findings released by PEN America, a nonprofit advocating for the protection of free expression.
The report comes during Banned Books Week, which first began in 1982 to raise awareness about the importance of free and openly accessible information.
The rise in banned books during the 20232024 school year — nearly tripling from the 3,362 bans that PEN recorded the previous year — can be attributed partly to the singling out of books about romance, women’s sexual experiences, and rape or sexual abuse, according to PEN America. Books with LGBTQ+ or racial themes or characters from marginalized groups also continue to be targeted.
PEN America’s report does not reflect the banning of unique titles, so if a dozen school districts all banned the same book, it would count as 12 bans, a PEN representative said.
A number of books, many of which are works by women of color, showed up on PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans for the first time over the past year. They include Julia Alvarez’s 1991 novel, “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents,” about four immigrant sisters from the Dominican Republic — a popular pick for readers during Latinx Heritage Month; Amy Tan’s novel about the Chinese-American daughter of
an immigrant mother, “The Kitchen God’s Wife” (1991); Terry McMillan’s romance novel “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” (1996); and Ellen Oh’s novel inspired by her mother’s experiences during the Korean War, “Finding Junie Kim” (2021).
Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile” (1937), Betty Smith’s “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1943), Olive Ann Burns’s “Cold Sassy Tree”(1984), Barbara Kingsolver’s “Prodigal Summer” (2000), and Julie Murphy’s “Puddin’” (2018) also debuted on the index. The 1953 novel “Go Tell It on the Mountain” by James Baldwin, a champion of civil and gay rights, appeared on the index for the first time, as did books related to slavery, such as Alex Haley’s “Roots: The Saga of An American Family” (1976) and W.E.B. DuBois’s “Black Reconstruction in America, 1860–1880” (1935), along with Philip K. Dick’s 1968 dystopian novel “Blade Runner
DEMOCRACY PREP NEW YORK SCHOOL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Pursuant to Section 104 Public Notice of the Open Meetings Law, this notice is to inform the public that the board of trustees of Democracy Prep New York School will hold a board meeting on: October 29th, 2024 at 8:00 am., local time. 1767 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10035 4th Floor.
Some board members may choose to participate remotely via video conferencing, but as of this notice it is not clear what their location will be. Please contact Cecil Frazier at cecil.frazier@democracyprep.org for such information once it is finalized.
(Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep).”
More than a dozen new state and local policies contributed to the escalation of book bans over the past year. They include Iowa’s SF 496, which took effect last year and has been interpreted to mean that books with sexual or gender themes should be barred. According to PEN America, the law prompted thousands of book bans during the 2023–2024 school year, compared with just 14 bans in the state during the previous school year.
Florida’s HB 1069, which also took effect last year, mandates that books challenged for “sexual conduct” must be removed as they undergo review. PEN America said the statutory process the law created for book banning and “the state guidance building on it” has led to a spike in statewide book bans. In Florida and Iowa combined, roughly 8,000 book bans were recorded.
In Wisconsin, the Elkhorn Area School District banned more than 300 books for months on end, PEN America found. The books were removed after a single parent challenged them, but after the district reviewed the titles, they were eventually returned to the shelves, albeit with restrictions such as parental permission to check out certain titles. The organization expects newly enacted laws such as Utah’s HB 29, South Carolina’s Regulation 43-170, and Tennessee’s HB 843 to cause more book bans this school year.
The Utah law requires all schools in the state to ban a book once three school districts have found it objectionable. South Carolina’s regulation bans books with sexual subject matter and gives the state
Board of Education the ability to censor works statewide. The Tennessee law requires schools to remove books accused of including gratuitous violence or sexual content.
To mark Banned Books Week, the American Library Association (ALA) also released preliminary data related to censorship, focusing on book bans in public, school, and academic libraries between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom said it identified 414 attempts to censor works and documented challenges to 1,128 unique book titles.
The number of attempts to censor books actually fell this year compared with last year’s 695 cases, the ALA found. The organization attributes this to widespread efforts to stop censorship. Librarians, students, and concerned community members have organized against book banning in recent years, and book banning disputes have gone to court. This includes a federal court’s preliminary injunction on Arkansas’s Act 372, which would open librarians and bookstore owners in the state to criminal prosecution if they failed to remove “unsuitable” works from their shelves.
Censorship is an issue that has drawn attention from the 2024 presidential candidates. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign platform accuses President Joe Biden’s administration of “using the public school system to push their perverse sexual, racial, and political material on our youth.”
In July, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, criticized book bans while speaking to the American Federation of Teachers union in Texas.
“While you teach students about our nation’s past, these extremists attack the freedom to learn and acknowledge our nation’s true and full history,” she said. “We want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books. Can you imagine?”
The theme of this year’s Banned Books Week theme is “Freed Between the Lines,” to draw attention to how liberating reading can be. The week wraps up on Saturday with Let Freedom Read Day to urge communities to fight censorship. Film director Ava DuVernay is the 2024 honorary chair of the day, while activist Julia Garnett, who fought book bans in Tennessee, is the youth honorary chair.
The 19th has a relationship with Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase through the Bookshop links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
By COLLEEN LONG and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
JONESBORO, Ga. — Kamala Harris on Sunday summoned Black churchgoers to turn out at the polls and got a big assist from music legend Stevie Wonder, who rallied congregants with a rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.”
Harris visited two Atlanta area churches as part of a nationwide push known as “souls to the polls.” It’s a mobilization effort led by the National Advisory Board of Black Faith Leaders, which is sending representatives across battleground states to encourage early voting.
After services, buses took congregants straight to early polling places.
At both churches, Harris delivered a message about kindness and lifting people up rather than insulting them, trying to set up an implicit contrast with Republican Donald Trump’s brash style. With just 16 days left until Election Day, Harris is running out of time to get across her message to a public still getting to know her after a truncated campaign.
“There is so much at stake right now,” she said at the Divine Faith Ministries International in Jonesboro. “Our strength is not based on who we beat down, as some would try to suggest. Our strength is based on who we lift up. And that spirit is very much at stake in these next 16 days.”
Wonder led the crowd in singing his version of “Happy Birthday” to the vice president, who turned 60 on Sunday. When he was done, she appeared to choke up, saying, “I love you so much.”
Wonder grinned and said “don’t cry” before telling the crowd how important it was for people to get out and vote.
“We’re going to make the difference between yesterday and tomorrow,” he said.
Harris later said that she “had to check off a whole big one” on her bucket list because of Wonder singing her a birthday song, which prompted the singer to spring up and lead the congregation in a quick verse of “Higher Ground.”
“Georgia’s gonna be the state that turns it for the vice president.”
“Souls to the Polls” as an idea traces back to the Civil Rights Movement. The Rev. George Lee, a Black entrepreneur from Mississippi, was killed by white supremacists in 1955 after he helped nearly 100 Black residents register to vote in the town of Belzoni. The cemetery where Lee is buried has served as a polling place.
Black church congregations across the country have undertaken get-out-the-vote campaigns for years. In part to counteract voter suppression tactics that date back to the Jim Crow era, early voting in the Black community is stressed from pulpits nearly as much as it is by candidates.
In Georgia, early voting began on Tuesday, and more than 310,000 people voted on that day, more than doubling the first-
day total in 2020. A record 5 million people voted in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Earlier Sunday, the Democratic presidential nominee attended New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, where the congregation also sang “Happy Birthday.”
New Birth Pastor Jamal Bryant called the vice president “an American hero, the voice of the future” and “our fearless leader.” He also used his sermon to welcome the idea of America electing its first woman president, saying, “It takes a real man to support a real woman.”
“When Black women roll up their sleeves, then society has got to change,” Bryant said. Harris referenced scripture as she promoted the importance of loving one’s neighbor, and then drew a contrast to the current political environment.
“In this moment, across our nation, what we do see are some who try to deepen division among us, spread hate, sow fear and cause chaos,” Harris told the congregation. “The true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up.”
One congregant who got a hug from Harris was 98-year-old Opal Lee, an activist who pushed to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday.
is a Baptist. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish. She has said she’s inspired by the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and influenced by the religious traditions of her mother’s native India as well as the Black Church. Harris sang in the choir as a child at Twenty-Third Avenue Church of God in Oakland.
Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, attended church in Saginaw, Michigan, and his wife, Gwen, headed to a service in Las Vegas.
Also Sunday, Harris sat for an interview with the Rev. Al Sharpton and was asked about the idea that she might see her support slipping among Black men — some of whom might be reluctant to vote for a woman for president. Former President Barack Obama suggested that might be an issue during a recent campaign stop for Harris in Pittsburgh.
Harris said she had garnered support from many key Black male leaders, adding, “there’s this narrative about what kind of support we are receiving from Black men that is just not panning out in reality.”
On Monday, she will campaign with former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., in the suburbs of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
the address on file. For the five boroughs in New York City, voters should contact their county BOE with any issues at 1-866-VoteNYC (866-868-3692).
Protecting voter rights
In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA), building on the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, in an effort to further protect against anti-voter tactics, such as voter suppression and intimidation. The bill included expanding language access for non-native English speakers, fighting discriminatory voting rules in state courts, and launching a preclearance program to prove that changes to voting laws wouldn’t affect historically disenfranchised voters of color.
“This will be the first presidential election in which voters in New York will benefit from the NYVRA’s robust protections against voter suppression, intimidation, obstruction, and deception, in spite of the Supreme Court’s erosion of anti-discrimination protections at the federal level,” said Michael Pernick, political participation counsel for the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), in a statement. “We encourage Black voters and other voters of color in New York to be vigilant, know their rights, and use these tools to protect themselves as they head to
the polls in this critical election.”
The LDF said that voters of color in the state, especially those whose first language is not English, still face discrimination and barriers at the polls. They can experience issues with local government and BOE officials gerrymandering district lines, making polling locations inaccessible, and inadequately staffing language assistance and translators.
“One of the main issues is making sure we have an adequate amount of translators,” said Beckford. “If you look at the BOE, it mainly has Spanish and Chinese [translators], but you have districts that have a large population of Creole speakers, Yiddish, Urdu speakers in the Muslim community. They need services as well.”
In 2024, New York State Attorney General Letitia James defended the state’s Early Mail Voter Act, which allowed all authorized registered voters to apply to vote by mail for any election, and beat back conspiracy theorists who intimidated Black voters with “menacing” robocalls. Anti-voter tactics against voters of color can also look like polling place closures in Black neighborhoods on Election Day or longer lines in Black communities, said James. Her office said that any voter intimidation or suppression should be reported immediately to the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s (OAG) Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-390-2992, or submitted online using the digital Election Complaint Form.
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In the digital age, it can be hard to differentiate between what’s fact or fiction before a voter can even vote, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence- (AI-) created voting materials and deep fakes. James suggests voters should keep an eye out for AI election misinformation this year:
• Don’t rely on chatbots to answer questions about elections or voting.
• If you encounter social media content that you think is a deep fake, report it on the platform where you see it.
• Be skeptical of images, audio, and video circulating online about the elections, candidates, or their campaigns. If you see emotionally charged, sensational, and surprising content, be especially cautious. Remember that it might be fake and don’t share it.
• Deepfakes and content that is AIgenerated can leave clues showing they are fake, but the technology is getting better all the time. Even tools for detecting AI are not always accurate.
• James’s office urged voters who see anything misleading or inaccurate about elections, particularly misinformation concerning the time, place, and manner of voting, to contact her office by filling out the online complaint form: Select Other and enter “Election Misin-
formation” for the complaint topic with a copy of the content.
How to report a possible civil rights violation
The U.S Attorney’s office can help with serious issues like voter complaints, threats against voting staff, and election fraud through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), but they urge voters to contact state and local police in the case of imminent violence or intimidation via 911 before reaching out to federal authorities, because they don’t have primary jurisdiction over polling places.
The Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s office covers Manhattan and the Bronx, along with Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties. The Northern District of New York covers 32 counties upstate and central New York; and the Eastern District of New York represents Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and all of Long Island.
Federal election laws pertain to intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also includes civil rights protections from discrimination on the basis of race, color, or language.
To report civil rights violations, go to civilrights.justice.gov/report or call 800-2533931. For more general information about the DOJ Civil Rights Division, go to www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Beginning January 27, 2024 our 15-unit building 4301 8th Ave in Brooklyn will be re-opening the waitlist for to the elderly (head of household or spouse is 62 or older) or those with a mobility impairment or developmental disabilities. Income restrictions apply and are based on Section 8 guidelines.
Beginning October 21, 2024, our 50-unit residence located at 238-11 Hillside Avenue in Bellerose will accept applications for its waiting list. This opportunity is available for elderly individuals, heads of household, or spouses aged 62 and older.
Eligibility and qualifications for the affordable housing units will adhere to Section 8 regulations.
Qualifications and eligibility for the affordable apartments, which include units for the mobility impaired, will be based on Section 8 guidelines. Interested persons may obtain an application:
Interested persons may obtain an application:
Interested persons may obtain an application:
BY MAIL
POP Management – Msgr Mullaney
POP Management – Bellerose Senior House
191 Joralemon St 8th Floor, Brooklyn NY, 11201
191 Joralemon St 8th Floor, Brooklyn NY, 11201
*Writtenapplicationrequestsmustbe receivedby2/7/24
*Written application requests must be received by 11/4/2024
https://www.ccbq.org/service/ senior-housing info.popm@ccbq.org OR
https://www.ccbq.org/service/ senior-housing Or by emailing info.popm@ccbq.org
Completed applications must be sent by regular mail to the PO Box listed on the application and be postmarked by 2/13/2024. If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or any other type of reasonable accommodation, please contact Sheena Williams at (718) 722-6155.
Completed applications must be sent by regular mail to the PO Box listed on the application and be postmarked by 11/7/2024. If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or any other type of reasonable accommodation, please contact Yhasara Humphrey at (718) 722-6081.
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SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF 435 EAST 117TH STREET CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff -against- CHRISTINE HEALEY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 29, 2023 and entered on July 3, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse located in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on November 6, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, State and County of New York, known and designated as Section 6 Block 1711 and Lot 1203. Said premises known as 435 EAST 117TH STREET, UNIT NO. 3, NEW YORK, NY Approximate amount of lien $57,680.99 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 152950/2022. GEORGIA PAPAZIS, ESQ., Referee
Mitofsky Shapiro Neville & Hazen, LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 152 MADISON AVENUE, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10016
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY. NYCTL 19982 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Pltf. vs. SONIGIO LLC, BOARD OF MANAGERS OF 310 WEST 52 ND STREET CONDOMINIUM, Defts. Index #158610/2022. Pursuant to for judgment of foreclosure and sale entered October 6, 2023 and order to forfeit deposit and reset sale entered June 21, 2024, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on November 13, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. prem. k/a 310 West 52 nd Street, Storage Unit 155, New York, NY 10019 a/k/a Block 1042 Lot 1470. Judgments amount: $2,827.20 and $2,494.69. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale.
JEFFREY R. MILLER, Referee. THE DELLO-IACONO LAW GROUP, P.C., Attys. For Pltf., 312 Larkfield Road, Lower Level, East Northport, NY. File No. 22-000139 - #101648
Notice of Formation of 60 E 8TH STREET LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/10/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Melissa E. Sydney, Esq., Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C., 101 Huntington Ave., Ste. 500, Boston, MA 02199. 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.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY
BD NOTES LLC, Plaintiff -against- GAROFALO REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS, LLC, et al., Defendants.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 3, 2024 and filed July 26, 2024 bearing Index No. 850162/2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on November 6, 2024 at 2:15 pm at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, Room 130, New York, NY 10013; All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County and State of New York, Block 1247; Lot 49, the premises known as 330 West 86th Street, New York, NY 10024. Premises sold subject to the provisions of filed Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Terms of Sale. Approximate Judgment amount $5,542,012.52 plus interest and costs. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with the New York County Supreme Court Auction Plan in effect at this time. Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee. Harry Zubli, Esq., attorney for plaintiff, 1010 Northern Blvd., Suite 306, Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 487-5777.
DRAFT 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ANNOUNCEMENT
To participate in certain federal community development and housing programs, the State of New York an annual Action Plan and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in its development. As part of this process, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the Annual Action Plan for 2025 during an upcoming public comment period.
The Annual Action Plan focuses principally on five federal programs: the New York State Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME); Housing Trust Fund (HTF); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESGP).
The Annual Action Plan will describe the State’s planned use of federal Fiscal Year 2025 CDBG, HOME, HTF, HOPWA and ESGP funds it administers to address the needs identified by its five- year Consolidated Plan and further the Consolidated Plan’s objectives and will also describe the State’s methods for distributing these funds.
The 30-day public comment period will begin on Monday, November 4, 2024, and extend through close of business Thursday, December 5, 2024. Beginning on November 4, 2024, New York State’s draft Annual Action Plan for 2025 may be viewed on and downloaded from the New York State Housing and Community Renewal (HCR) website at hcr.ny.gov/pressroom. In addition, copies can be requested by email (HCRConPln@hcr.ny.gov) or by calling 1-518486-3452.
Comments should be emailed to HCRConPln@hcr.ny.gov or mailed to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Attn: Rachel Yerdon, 38-40 State Street, Albany NY, 12207. Comments must be received by close of business December 5, 2024.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Laelia, LLC , Plaintiff, vs . Matthew Glazier , ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 12, 2024 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 20, 2024 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 90 East End Avenue, Unit 10B, New York, NY 10028. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1580 and Lot 1025 together with an undivided 2.11807 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $3,335,374.80 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850135/2019.
Jerry Merola, Esq., Referee Vallely Law PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
Tristate Bedbug Dogs LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/16/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 500 8th , New York, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of AUGUSTANA HOMES ACQUISITION, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/17/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. 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. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of WEITZMAN LITIGATION ADVISORY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/19/24. 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. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of BARI RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT
LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/18/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Mr. Anton Mayer, 240 Bowery, NY, NY 10012. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF HAFLETCHER CONSULTING
LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/19/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: 7014 13TH AVENUE SUITE 202 BROOKLYN NY 11228. The principal business address of the LLC is: 228 Park Ave S #423622 New York NY 10003. Purpose: any lawful act or activity
DUKE OUT EAST REALTY
LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/26/24. 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, 201 East 86th Street, Apartment 13F, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
214 WEST 11TH ST REALTY
LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/23/19. 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, 214 West 11th Street, New York, NY 10014. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Apparo NYC Cleaning Co LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/30/24. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #689045, New York, NY 10003 R/A: US Corp Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave, #202, BK, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful act.
West Seneca Holding, LLC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/06/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: C/O West Seneca Holding, LLC,, 445 Park Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Twin Bull Properties LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 7/10/24. Office location: Fulton County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: Twin Bull Properties LLC, 693 Lakeview Road, Broadalbin NY 12025 Purpose: Any lawful act.
Multiverse Of Stuff LLC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/14/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 357 EDGECOMBE AVENUE APT 5D , NEW YORK, NY 10031. Purpose: Any lawful act.
BISOU BISOU RADIO LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 7/30/2024. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #263339, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
This Is Neatly LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/22/2024 . Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 275 W 96th St, 10025. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Stay Strong LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/02/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 400 West 43 Street 35R, NY, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful act.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. NYCTL 2021-A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiffs -against- CHINESE AMERICAN TRADING CO., INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on June 6, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on November 13, 2024 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, known and designated as Block 1314 Lot 1315 on the New York County Tax Assessment Map. Said premises known as 235 EAST 40TH STREET, #36B, NEW YORK, NY 10016
Approximate amount of lien $98,785.30 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 159713/2022.
CHRISTY M. DEMELFI, ESQ., Referee
Phillips Lytle LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs
28 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Rochester, NY 14614
CONCORE CABINETRY LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/21/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 570 GRAND ST, APT H901, NEW YORK, NY 10002. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Reunion Event LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/7/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 75 West End Ave C15H, NY, NY 10023 Purpose: Any lawful act.
VRH 430 E 13 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/14/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: C/O Parag Sawhney, 41 Madision Ave, New York, NY 10010. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Mason Victor LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/03/24. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #108704, New York, N.Y. 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Meteor Property Management
LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/4/24. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 200 E 94th St Apt 2217, NY, NY 10128. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Mental Millennials LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/27/2024. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 4178 Grace Ave, Bronx, NY, 10466 Purpose: Any lawful act.
Sekai Collective LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/15/2023. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail copy to: 340 W 42nd St, Fl 2, New York, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful act.
AMALIER LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/04/2024. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to:
224 W 35TH ST STE 500, NEW YORK, NY, 10001. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE OF FORMATION of Cannabis NYC Fund, LLC (the “LLC”) filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (“SSNY”) on 08/08/2024. Office location: New York County. The principal business address of the LLC is: One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006. SSNY has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail service of process to c/o New York City Economic Development Corporation, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006, Attention: General Counsel. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
Notice of Qualification of 945 MADISON AVENUE, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/10/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/04/24. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of State of DE, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 888 BROADWAY MEZZ OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/23/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/16/24. Princ. office of LLC: One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Ste. 1050, San Francisco, CA 94105. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 28TH STREET RETAIL LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/02/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/01/24. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of DE, John G. Townsend Bldg., Federal and Duke of York St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that a license, number NA-0267-23110669 for Beer, Wine And Cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell Beer, Wine And Cider at retail in a Tavern under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 620 E. 6th Street, S-1, New York, , New York County for on premises consumption. Little Fish Reserve LLC, D/B/A Rosella Bar Miller
Notice of Qualification of LAZARD FO WIND LP Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/23/24. Princ. office of LP: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NY, NY 10112. NYS fictitious name: LAZARD FO WIND L.P. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of LAZARD FO WIND GP LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/20/24. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NY, NY 10112. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Jeffrey W. Bullock, DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of SoHo Retail Portfolio 72-76 Greene Street LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/26/24. Princ. office of LLC: 233 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 4700, Chicago, IL 60606. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of SoHo Retail Portfolio 415 West Broadway LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/03/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/26/24. Princ. office of LLC: 233 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 4700, Chicago, IL 60606. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 888 BROADWAY OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/23/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/16/24. Princ. office of LLC: One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Ste. 1050, San Francisco, CA 94105. 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 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
JUDY TING MANDEL LCSW, PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/23/24. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 201 WEST 17TH STREET, 9C, NEW YORK, NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of FOX SHORE PRESERVATION, L.P. Cert. of LP filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/12/24. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LP: 6 Greene St., Ste. 500, NY, NY 10013. Latest date on which the LP may dissolve is 12/31/2123. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
1227 Holdings LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 9/19/2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 156A East 83rd Street,, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful act.
of up to 108,850 new homes over the next 15 years by changing the city’s zoning, which regulates the density and use of what can be built in a particular area. It splits the city’s 59 community districts into R1 through R10 zones: lowerdensity or “missing middle” housing is within R1 to R5 zones and medium and high density neighborhoods are within R6 to R10 zones. Much of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and parts of the Bronx are considered low density. Manhattan, and chunks of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and a sliver of Staten Island, are considered high density.
Other key takeaways from CHO:
• Legalize town center zoning, which is housing above businesses on commercial streets, about two to four stories in low density areas
• Legalize small and shared apartments with dorm-style common facilities. This type of shared housing was banned in the 1950s and apartment buildings full of studio apartments were banned in the 1960s. CHO proposes that more studios and one-bedrooms would be great for recent college graduates, older households that are downsizing, or those without families that prefer to live alone as opposed to with several roommates
• Legalize transit oriented development, which allows for three to five story apartment buildings in low density neighborhoods on large lots on wide streets or corners within a half-mile of public transit.
• Legalize small accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for one- to two- family homeowners, like backyard cottages, converted garages, attics, or basement apartments. Basement ADUs would not be allowed in areas at risk of coastal flooding.
• Create more “modest, contextual” development, meaning shorter buildings that were legal before 1961
• Create the Universal Affordability Preference (UAP), a bonus allowing roughly 20% more housing in developments as long it is “permanently affordable.” It would be permanently affordable to households earning 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
• Allow development on large lots known as campuses including faithbased organizations.
• Update Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) options to have a standalone Option 3 with 40% AMI for affordable housing projects. Was last updated in 2016.
• Clear hurdles for 100% affordable “homeownership” programs like MIH.
• Promote more building design from pre-1961 with more windows and better ventilation, meant for “familysized units.”
• Eliminate parking mandates for new residential construction, while still allowing for off-street parking as needed.
• Replace the Sliver Law, which restricts the height of narrow buildings, with height-limited contextual law especially in Manhattan.
• Make it easier for conversion of offices and other non-residential buildings into housing.
• Streamlining zoning rules around yards and heights and technical rules for small, multi-level “non-conforming” homes that are out of compliance.
• Create new zoning to build housing in high density areas now that the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) cap, instituted in the 1960s, was repealed. This would be R11 - 12 with MIH included.
Garodnick agreed that zoning alone won’t solve the housing crisis, and needs subsidies and tax incentives to include “affordable housing.”
Fixing racial disparities in past zoning
During former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s time in office in the early 2000s, and just before his term in the 1990s, New York City had a huge downzoning and rezoning.
Politico reported that one of the main goals of these zoning changes was to maintain “neighborhood character” by limiting new construction in places like Staten Island or Brooklyn. The NYU Furman Center’s State of New York City’s Housing & Neighborhoods 2010 Report found that areas that were upzoned tended to be “less white and less wealthy with fewer homeowners” while areas that were downzoned were “more white and had both higher incomes and higher rates of homeownership.” In short, wealthy neighborhoods were preserved while Black and Brown neighborhoods were developed — an ongoing trend noted Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in his testimony.
“By functionally building walls around entire parts of the city we increased segregation and we increased displacement in some areas and gentrification in others,” said Garodnick. He said these issues were an intentional policy choice about 20 years ago that must be overturned.
Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse repre-
sents Canarsie, Flatlands, and parts of south Brooklyn. She said in the hearing that Black and Brown communities like hers are “enraged” over decades of rampant gentrification, high disclosure rates, and displacement of low-income homeowners and renters as a result of these policies. She feels like people without access and means will absolutely lose their homes to market rate and luxury housing development.
Concerns over infrastructure and parking
Councilmembers and the public primarily had concerns about how more housing would impact a neighborhood’s infrastructure, such as the electrical grid, fire houses, schools, hospitals, sewer and water systems, air quality, green spaces, flood and climate resiliency plans, and racial diversity in historically Black and Brown neighborhoods. Garodnick acknowledged that schools, open spaces, and transportation will likely experience “incremental” impacts, which the council pushed back on.
“When it rains. People just cross their fingers and pray. I have people talk to me during Sandy, during any little storm,” said Narcisse, whose constituents are concerned that more housing will burden the already inadequate storm infrastructure and mean more flooding.
A wholly divisive component of the proposal was the push to eliminate parking mandates. Councilmembers representing more residential neighborhoods, in boroughs like Queens or Staten Island with transit deserts, were explicitly worried about the parking situation for constituents who drive.
“Southeast Queens is unique. Our infrastructure is often stretched, especially in the face of climate change with frequent flooding and high water tables. Additionally, we rely heavily on cars due to insufficient public transportation options. Parking remains a significant issue for our residents,” said Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers, who represents Southeast Queens.
Brooks-Powers advocated for more homeownership opportunities and infrastructure investments to support low to high density neighborhoods. “I think we have to be nuanced in this space,” she said.
At one of the rallies held outside City Hall during the hearings, several unions and housing advocates as well as electeds and developers pledged their support for the proposal.
“Due to the long ULURP process, financing challenges, and these racist zoning laws, the shelter industrial complex, that I speak of often, thrives making millions while housing development is held back. So the choice is yours. Housing or shelters,” said homeless advocate Shams DaBaron at the rally. “Some argue that the City of Yes is a giveaway to real estate developers. But let’s be real, the developer is a part of the process either way, whether they build housing or shelters. The question becomes,
what do you prefer to be built in your backyard?
A permanent home or a shelter that looks like a jail with 200 cots.”
Rachel Fee, executive director of the New York Housing Conference (NYHC), along with nearly 150 organizations, is a huge supporter of zoning reforms. She said that while infrastructure investments are important, that’s not what this proposal was about. “This is changing our zoning for the next decade. We have to take this action today. I think that we heard some concerns around flooding and climate change,” said Fee. “We know that this is an issue as well but we can do both of these things. We can invest in infrastructure and change our zoning.”
Councilmember Pierina Sanchez said it would be problematic to say the least to pass the proposal without considering all the impacts, but is hopeful that it will pass. “I’m here standing with this coalition and organizing my colleagues and talking to everyone that I can talk to because I hope that we can get to a yes, as a city council,” said Sanchez.
What does the opposition say?
Adams is adamantly pushing for more housing to be built “equitably” throughout the city, in every neighborhood. But outside of unions and some housing advocates, there’s little support for the full scope of the proposal or him — especially since his indictment has raised red flags around his connections to real estate. Former Brooklyn Senator Jesse Hamilton, who is the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)’s deputy commissioner for real estate services, had his phones seized by the FBI after a trip to Japan with the Mayor’s Chief Advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin.
Co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater NY Chivona Newsome and her brother, Hawk Newsome, called for the Mayor’s resignation and slammed the housing proposal at a separate rally against the City of Yes also held at City Hall.
“They don’t care anything about us as we’ve seen community gardens get ripped away and given to developers. Developers own Eric Adams,” said Newsome, speaking to her thoughts regarding the intentions behind the proposal. “New York needs a new way. The first, needs Eric Adams to resign, and the second, the city needs to heal. We can no longer live on the streets of Gotham where everything is a scam. Today, we say no more. We say this is a City of Mess.”
“Hopefully the council will take the public seriously and try to address these and other concerns raised by members of the public who are not lobbyists and not representatives of businesses and organizations with direct financial and political stakes in the outcome of the council’s deliberation,” said Cheryl Pahaham, who co-chairs Inwood Legal Action. She’s in favor of legislation like the state’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), universal rent control, and free legal counsel for tenants.
Queens Councilmember Robert Holden also pushed back hard over infrastructure concerns. He worked extensively to downzone the city during the Bloomberg administration, he said in the hearings.
JAIME C. HARRIS
AmNews Sports Editor
The Knicks began their 2024-25 regular season on Tuesday night with a clear understanding of what will be required to reach the NBA Finals: getting through the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
The longtime Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference rivals met up in Boston on the night the Celtics received their championship rings and raised the franchise’s NBA record 18th league title banner to the TD Garden rafters. It was conclusively a Celtics all-night celebration as they thoroughly outplayed the Knicks in winning 132-109.
While such a lopsided loss for the Knicks was unexpected, a defeat in the first game with new major additions to their starting lineup in center Karl-Anthony Towns and forward Mikal Bridges, it is understandable. The Knicks will have much better days over the next six months and 81 regular season games remaining, but Tuesday they had a firsthand look at the standard they’ll have to match and exceed to reach their ultimate goal.
The Knicks will have another test tomorrow night as the Indiana Pacers, the team that eliminated them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, visit Madison Square Garden. But the Celtics, if they can remain healthy, are the benchmark for the rest of the league. They tied an NBA single-
game record with 29 three-pointers made on 61 attempts despite missing 13 in a row at one point in the fourth quarter. Their absurdly high three-point attempts are in line with the new age of the NBA in which most teams aim to put up at least 50 per game.
All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, along with spark plug “Deuce” McBride, led the Knicks with 22 points apiece. Towns had 12 points and seven rebounds and Bridges had 16. But it was a porous defense that was the obvious problem as Boston was able to get what they wanted in scoring 74 first-half points to the Knicks’ 55.
“Defensively, obviously, we’ve got to be a lot better than we were,” said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau via the AP news service. “They put a lot of pressure on you. ... Sometimes the initial shot we were able to get to, then the (rebound) went long over our heads.”
“They tied an NBA record in 3s,” New York guard Josh Hart said. “You have like three to four games a year where the team shoots the ball at an absurd clip, and sometimes there’s not much you can do about it.
“…The NBA needs to drug test all of them,” Hart joked. “I’ve never ever seen nothing like that before.”
Following the Pacers, the Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers at MSG on Monday, followed by a four-game road trip beginning with the Miami Heat next Wednesday.
132-109 loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
The Brooklyn Nets 2024 season began in Atlanta last night (Wednesday) against the Hawks under new head coach Jordi Fernandez with the team admittedly back in a rebuilding stage. They finished 11th in the Eastern Conference last season at 32-50, missing the postseason. It is a safe bet they won’t make the playoffs again or even likely contend for a play-in berth this season given a roster devoid of AllStar caliber players and the organization’s vision to reshape the team with young talent and draft capital.
Guard Cam Thomas, drafted by the Nets out of LSU in 2021 in the first round with the 27th overall pick, is their signature player. The 6’3”, 23-year-old led the team in scoring last season averaging 22.5 points per game.
On the heels of averaging 16.6 points in 25 games during the 2022-2023 season for the Nets after being traded to the team from the Phoenix Suns in the February 2023 Kevin Durant deal, forward Cam Johnson missed 24 games last
Brooklyn
season and averaged 13.4 points. Johnson has given the organization hope that he is healthy and his explosiveness on the offensive end of the floor has returned, leading the team in scoring in two of the four preseason games, including scoring 32 points in 32 minutes in the final preseason game against the Toronto Raptors.
The most accomplished player on the roster is 6-foot-8-inch point forward Ben Simmons, a three-time NBA AllStar who played only 15 games a season ago. Simmons did appear in three of the four preseason games for the team and the best-case scenario would be for the former star to remain relatively healthy and, build value on the trade market as he is on an expiring contract and will be unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Brooklyn plays in Orlando against the Magic tomorrow and will host the Milwaukee Bucks in the home opener on Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They will host the Denver Nuggets next Tuesday and meet up with the Memphis Grizzlies on the road next Wednesday.
By RUDY ROBINSON Special to the AmNews
Fifteen years! For Yankees fans, it feels like an eternity. But after last appearing in the World Series in 2009, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2, the Yankees are back. They will begin their quest for the franchise’s 28th championship tomorrow (8:08 p.m. FOX) in Los Angeles facing the Dodgers in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series. The Yankees current 27 titles are the most among all franchises in the four major American sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL).
The Yankees arrived at this point by defeating the Kansas City Royals 3-1 in the divisional round, then taking down the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in the American League Championship Series. The Dodgers bested the San Diego Padres 3-2 before ending the Mets’ season in the National League Championship Series 4-2.
The Yankees and Dodgers have a storied history in the World Series. They have met 11 times with the Yankees winning eight of them. Many great Yankees, including Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson, and Dodgers icons Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Duke Snider participated in the battles. The Dodgers won their first World Series in 1955 versus the Yankees and in 1956 New York’s Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history in Game 5 versus the
Yankees right fielder Juan Soto basks in hitting a 10th inning go-ahead three-run home run in New York’s 5-2 ALCS clinching victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 on Saturday. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
then Brooklyn Dodgers, which left Ebbets Field and began playing in L.A. in 1958. Reggie Jackson’s memorable three home run game in 1977 against the Dodgers in Game 6, all coming on the first pitch of his at-bats, closed out the series win for the Yanks. Four years later, in 1981, the Dodgers rode Fernandomania, named after the remarkable season-long performance of
lefty Hall of Famer Fernando Valenzuela, to a 4-2 victory over New York. The Dodgers sadly announced that Valenzuela passed away on Tuesday.
This World Series features a matchup of the two best teams in the NL and AL respectively during the regular season. The Dodgers were 98-64 and the Yankees 94-68. It also will boast the likely AL and NL most
valuable players in two generational talents — the Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani. The last three AL MVP awards have gone to both Judge (2022) and Ohtani (2021 and 2023), the latter who was with the Los Angeles Angels. It will also be the seventh time in series history that the home run champ of each league will square off. Judge led the AL and all of baseball with 58 while Ohtani topped the NL with 54. Ohtani also led the NL in stolen bases with 59 and became the first player to ever reach the 50-50 plateau in MLB.
Besides Ohtani, Mookie Betts is also there for the Dodgers. A former AL MVP, he’s hitting .295 with four home runs and 12 runs batted this postseason. The Yankees will need a return to form by Judge, who has just a .161 playoff average. It’s also going to be important for the Yankee bullpen to remain solid as it showed a couple of cracks during the Cleveland series.
The Dodgers have a dangerous lineup as they have averaged over six runs per game in the playoffs and their pitching staff tied a postseason record, throwing 33 consecutive scoreless innings in the divisional and NLCS rounds combined. They also have the home-field advantage as Game 2 will be in L.A. on Saturday as well. Games 3 (Monday) and 4 (Tuesday) will be in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees have their work cut out for them. They’ll now face a team that expects to be champions as much as they do.
By JAIME C. HARRIS
AmNews Sports Editor
The Giants and the Jets each still have 10 games remaining on their 17-game schedule, well over half the season to play. But with each loss, they are losing a grip on their hopes to compete for a postseason spot.
The Giants 28-3 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday dropped them to 2-5, last in the NFC East. The Jets, after firing their former head coach Robert Saleh on October 8, haven’t shown it was the solution to their myriad issues. They are 0-2 since Saleh’s dismissal and 2-5 after being beaten by the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday, wobbling in third place in the AFC East. The Giants will face the 5-2 Steelers on the road on Monday night and the Jets will be at the 1-6 New England Patriots on Sunday.
The Giants loss had a personal element as their former Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley returned to the Meadowlands for the first time since signing a three-year, $37.5 million free-agent deal with the Eagles last March. The Giants chose not to match those numbers and Barkley demonstrated why it may have been an imprudent decision.
He punished the Giants for 176 yards rushing and one touchdown and single handedly outgained them by 100 yards as New York
had just 76 total on the ground. Barkley’s former Giants teammate, two-time All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, encapsulated the team’s general emotions about the 27-year-old, Bronx born star who was drafted No. 2 overall by the franchise in 2018.
“Like I said during the week, I know what kind of player he was to this organization
and who he was to me,” said Lawrence. “So I have nothing but respect for him. I can’t control how other people feel about him, but I know who he is.”
Barkley is currently third in the NFL in rushing yards with 658. Conversely, without 2022 All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas, who last week had season-ending surgery
to repair a Lisfranc injury in his foot, the Giants offensive line was overwhelmed by the Eagles, giving up eight sacks of quarterback Daniel Jones.
The Jets’ trade last week with the Las Vegas Raiders for three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t immediately pay dividends for their struggling offense. Adams was targeted nine times by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but caught only three passes for 30 yards. Adams had 622 receptions, 7,590 yards and 69 touchdowns with Rodgers as former Green Bay Packers teammates.
Rodgers said the Jets need an attitude adjustment and metaphysical transformation to help cure their ills.
On his weekly appearance Tuesday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers noted the Jets are “playing with too much anger and not enough enjoyment.” He added that “power of belief is a snowball that can start in an avalanche, and I think that’s what we need.”
Rodgers, who has performed below average thus far, rightly looked within with this self-critique. “It starts with me. I’ve got to bring the right energy every single day, and especially on game day.”
His words are meaningless, however, if they don’t manifest into victories.
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
Before this past Saturday, Francis Ngannou had not competed in an MMA contest since January 2022 when he defeated Ciryl Gane in his first defense of the UFC heavyweight championship. Since that time, much has happened in his life inside and outside of the sport.
The Cameroonian left the UFC after his contract expired and he was unable to negotiate a new deal, ultimately signing with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in May of last year. He earned a hefty amount of money in two highly profitable boxing matches, first against former undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and then against Anthony Joshua. He lost both, but Ngannou suffered his biggest loss nearly six months ago, when his 15-month-old son, Kobe, died due to a brain malformation.
Going into his match Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, against 6-foot, 8-inch Brazilian Renan Ferreira, there were questions about whether the 6-foot, 4-inch Ngannou still had the skills and focused mental state to dominate against top competition after 33 months off from MMA action. However, Ngannou left no questions unanswered as he defeated Ferreira by knockout in under 4 minutes of the first round to become the first-ever PFL Super Fights heavyweight champion.
After the win, Ngannou was asked about the death of his son. He took a deep breath and said, “They have been telling me that I’m tough to the point that I get to believe that I’m tough and then I recently just found out that I wasn’t tough. Life can let you take advantage and think you are running away, and then it hits you really bad from the front and then it’s something that I never imagined.”
Ngannou said the mourning period will be a lifetime.
“I think it’s one of those things that you kind of ask yourself, ‘Is this going to ever be over?’ And you think it might never be over. You just may as well learn how to live with it. It’s a new life and a new way of living that I have to learn.”
The match that the entire MMA world wants to see is Ngannou against UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who will make his first title defense at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on November 16 against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic (204-0). Like Ngannou, neither Jones nor Miocic have competed in quite some time: Jones won the championship in March 2023, while Miocic has not fought since March 2021, when he lost the title to Ngannou. However, with both Ngannou and Jones signing new contracts last year with the PFL and UFC respectively, a battle between them may not take place for several years.
By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews
Following its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament this past spring, expectations are high for Columbia University women’s basketball. The team will look a bit different this year as dynamic scorer Abbey Hsu has graduated. After becoming Columbia’s first WNBA Draft pick—chosen by the Connecticut Sun—Hsu is currently playing professionally in Belgium.
“Every day is an opportunity for us to all get better,” said Columbia head coach Megan Griffith. “I’m excited to see what this group is going to do. I really believe that we’re going to have an exciting brand of Columbia women’s basketball that’s going to be different than last year.”
Building this year’s non-conference schedule was challenging, said Griffith. Now that Columbia has built a solid reputation and defeated ranked teams, it is harder to find challenging opponents as well as pace the team to build toward Ivy League conference action that begins in January.
“We are trying to prove ourselves in November, which is one of the hardest tasks in college basketball,” she said. “That’s the first month of
your season, when your team is new. We don’t have summer access. … We really, with a lot of attention, tried to spread that out across November and December as much as possible, but also be as ready as possible for the Ivy League season. That’s ultimately what is the most important thing to our program.”
Senior captains Cecelia Collins and Kitty Henderson said it’s exciting to develop a new team identity. “Obviously, it’s really important that we find our identity,” said Collins. “The most successful teams find their identity as soon as possible and then they pound into that every single day.”
For Princeton University, it’s about continuing more than a decade of success. Since 2010, Princeton has played in the NCAA Tournament 11 times. This team also looks different than last year with the graduation of Kaitlyn Chen, three-time Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, who will play for the renowned UConn Huskies this season as a graduate student.
“We feel like we have a good balance of some experienced players with some young players,” said Princeton head coach Carla Berube. “They’re coming together as a team slowly but surely. … Younger players are stepping up into new roles on the court.”
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
With icons of the franchise such as Teresa Weatherspoon in the arena, celebrities and noted athletes sitting courtside, and excited fans jumping and cheering, the New York Liberty finally put the disappointments of coming up short in their five previous tries in the WNBA Finals behind them. They won their first title since the league’s inception in 1997 with a 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx Sunday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
For Liberty alums, it felt like a collective win. “I was overwhelmed with emotions,” said Trena TriceHill, who played for the Liberty, one of the WNBA’s original franchises, in their inaugural season. “It was an exhale to have the Liberty win a championship after 28 years. … It was so refreshing, so remarkable to experience and to celebrate,” she gushed to the AmNews. Although Trice-Hill wasn’t able to be attend the game in person, she watched the defining win on television and when she saw former Liberty point guard Weatherspoon — the heart and soul of the team for its first eight seasons — wearing her old No. 11 jersey, she felt her spirit
was indeed inside the building.
About 20 former Liberty players have a “legends chat,” and were in communication throughout the game. Even Sue Wicks (Liberty 1997–2002), was texting with the group while courtside. Crystal Robinson, who played for the Liberty from 1999–2005, including during three trips to the WNBA Finals, was watching from home in Oklahoma and says she was so excited after the win that she couldn’t sleep.
“This win meant real tears,” said Robinson. “I love it for the organization and the city. So many times we’ve been on the verge of that feeling and it’s actually great to get to feel that feeling, the enthusiasm and happiness that I feel for those players and pride. … The former Liberty players feel completely connected to this organization.”
After the win, Clara Wu Tsai, who owns the Liberty with husband Joe Tsai, said when you invest in women it pays off. From 2018 to 2021, the team struggled. Under the Tsais’ ownership and with the move to Brooklyn, the team was revitalized. The transformation picked up speed when Sandy Brondello became head coach in 2022. The team again showed the sense of unity it had in its early years.
“They played well together,” said
Robinson. “That’s just the New York way. When we played, we played as a unit. It’s very hard in this league to win if you don’t play together, and they did a great job of that.”
Coquese Washington, the head women’s basketball coach at Rutgers University, played two seasons with the Liberty (1998–99) and was also moved by Sunday’s win. “The Liberty will always have a soft spot in my heart because I was there as a rookie,” said Washington, who went on to play with the Houston Comets and Indiana Fever. “Played for a championship. Some of the players on the team are still my really good friends. There’s that camaraderie and sisterhood.”
This championship team showed the Liberty heart of the early years. Washington appreciated seeing the enthusiastic fan base just like she remembered.
“Spoon played with such a high degree of passion and intensity,” said Washington, who attended game two of the Finals in person.
“You had the fight that was embodied by players like Sue Wicks, Crystal Robinson and Vickie Johnson. You embraced and embodied that New York state of mind. The toughness was always there. When you watch this championship New York Liberty team, you saw it.”
Yvette Hamilton, the Liberty’s chaplain since 2004, described the championship game as epic.
“The emotions were indescribable,” said Hamilton. “Times were hard [over the years]. My thing was to uplift spiritually and give them a hope that in those times, they have to persevere and understand that being the best is always an uphill climb. There are always going to be obstacles.”
This wasn’t the first WNBA title for Breanna Stewart. She won two with the Seattle Storm, but chose to come to New York in 2023 to help her home state win its first championship. Robinson, who was an assistant coach with the Storm for its 2018 WNBA title, described Stewart as a superstar on the court, but not a superstar personality.
Last year saw the Liberty reach their first WNBA Finals in 21 years. After losing to the Las Vegas Aces, Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot agreed to return to finish the assignment. Joined by Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, they dominated throughout 2024 regular season play and continued that momentum into the playoffs.
“I’ve been manifesting this moment for a while and there’s no feeling like it,” said Stewart. “Credit to Minnesota because they gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we’ve gone, but to be able to bring a championship to New York, the first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling and I can’t wait to celebrate with the city.”
Both Stewart and Ionescu struggled offensively in game five with Ionescu shooting 1–19. After halftime, Brondello went for a taller lineup and reserve post player Nyara Sabally stepped up in the biggest moment of her professional career, scoring 13 points — matching Stewart and Leonie Fiebich — and pulling down seven rebounds. Only finals MVP Jones scored more points for the Liberty.
“It was ugly, but we found a way to win,” said Brondello. “I’m really proud of our team, how resilient we were, how we stuck together, how we continued to trust each other.”
