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Immigrant advocates remain resolute in face of Trump victory
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
As organizers watched red drench the electoral map at the New York Immigration Coalition’s election night watch party, a nervousness filled the air. It was still early in the night, but another Trump presidency felt like a real possibility — one which would endanger the same populations they work with given his platform and previous term characterized by deportations and xenophobic rhetoric. And many attendees could do nothing but watch, barred from the electorate process as non-citizens.
“As a green card holder, it could be a little bit frustrating not to have that option to vote when you actually contribute so much [and] when you actually feel part of the community,” said Jorge Paz Reyes, a community organizer for Brooklyn’s Mixteca. “However, you have to stay in community, you have to be educated and be active in all these spaces so you can show your perspective and help those who actually have the choice to vote, to see your vision, to see how you contribute, so they can represent you with their vote.”
Still, gloom and doom remained largely
absent. For Sophie Kouyate, the membership & services manager for African Communities Together, connecting African migrants to services in Harlem continues no matter who ends up in the Oval Office.
“No matter the outcome tonight, they need to know that we are here to stay, and we’re not going anywhere,” said Kouyate. “And we’re going to move things and we’re going to continue to protect our community through all this.
The fight is long, but we’re going to continue.” Milena Mojica, an education coordinator for Mixteca, says she feels even American citizens feel shut out of the presidential election here in New York thanks to the electoral college. A Colombian immigrant, she fears how a second Trump term will impact people around her, even though she is on the pathway to American citizenship.
See IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES on page 33
The sleeping giant of newly naturalized voters awakens
By TANDY LAU
Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
New York might be the city of immigrants, but the growing population of new Americans in battleground states will have a direct impact on who wins the presidential election this year and beyond.
“When you look at the 2020 margin of victory, you see that Arizona was won by 10,457 votes, and in Arizona alone, since 2020, we have 62,000 newly naturalized voters — these are folks who decided to go for it and to become a citizen,” said Nicole Melaku, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans. “Of course, that electorate is going to have a decisive factor on the outcome of the Electoral College in Arizona. Nevada was won by 33,596 votes. There’s a new American naturalized population of 41,360 people.
“Without having to slice and dice the map, one can ascertain that these voting blocks of new people are within the margin of victory in some of these places.”
Nationally, one eligible voter in 10 is a naturalized citizen, according to the Pew Research Center. New York State boasts 2.7 million foreign-born eligible voters, roughly 19% of the population. There are around 2.5
million Black naturalized citizens nationally.
How can new Americans be encouraged to get more civically engaged? Melaku said that early engagement can help, pointing to advocacy organizations registering people to vote during their naturalization oath ceremonies.
Here in New York City, language materials play a key role, given the city’s diversity. Perry Grossman, director of the NYCLU’s Voting Rights Project, cited recent local efforts to expand language-access beyond the
national expectation, including the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York.
“We publish materials in a lot of different languages and do what we can to get it out there,” Grossman said. “There are translation services available, because we certainly have just a ton of language diversity here in New York City, but again, new Americans, by definition, are typically just getting introduced to the political infrastructure of our
See NATURALIZED VOTERS on page 33
Voters cast their ballots at Bronx County Supreme Court in New York on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Community Navigator Sophie Kouyate outside the African Communities Together offices in Harlem.
(Tandy Lau photo)
Trump defeats Harris in a historic presidential election
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
In a close election that set the nation on edge for months, former President Donald Trump, 78, has won a second term, beating out Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump wasted no time early Wednesday morning, declaring victory from West Palm Beach, Florida, even before the race was called by most news organizations and as votes were still being counted in several battleground states.
“This was the greatest political movement of all time, and now it’s going to reach a new level of importance because we’re going to help our country heal,” Trump said.
Harris and Trump were practically tied going into Election Day, according to opinion polling. As of Wednesday afternoon, Trump led by 50.9% of the votes to Harris’s 47.4%, according to the unofficial count.
Trump served one term as U.S. president from 2016 to 2020, during which he was impeached twice. He lost his initial re-election campaign to President Joe Biden.
Earlier this year, Trump was found guilty in a New York court of all 34 counts of falsifying business records, becoming the first U.S. president in history to become a felon. The trial centered around Trump snuffing out the illicit relationship he had with adult film star Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels, with hush money before the 2016 presidential election. He continued to deny the 2020 election results throughout his time campaigning against Biden and then Harris.
Trump’s last rally in New York City before the election, at Madison Square Garden, was marked by racist jokes and vulgar speeches. Attendees were MAGA supporters such as former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, former wrestler Hulk Hogan, and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). They took turns making racist and sexist comments about Blacks and Latinos –– including a notably offensive comment regarding Puerto Rico.
At the polls in New York City on Election Day, some voters said they feared another Trump win could change the trajectory of the country. He has promised to lean into a far-right agenda, known as Project 2025. This includes a rollback of climate regulations, expansion of oil and gas drilling, mass deportation of people who entered the country illegally, reduction in military support for Ukraine, tariffs on all imported goods, and a large tax cut, reported the New York Times
From our previous reporting: Recently, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts called the current phase of their operation a “bloodless second American Revolution” but alluded to the possibility of more violent insurrection to carry it out if there is resistance.
The conservative document includes recruitment tactics to identify far-right Re-
publican loyalists to replace civil servants in the federal government, a training program to prepare them to flout government procedures, and a “secret” 180-day playbook for future Republican presidents, said Seeberger.
New York reacts
New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam, who recently filed a lawsuit against Trump over false allegations during the presidential debate regarding the Exonerated Five, was at an election night watch party in Harlem at the Row restaurant on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. Salaam celebrated his chief of staff, newly elected Assemblymember Jordan Wright, on getting into office. Salaam said because of his experience of being imprisoned as an adolescent, his personal philosophy is to plan for the worst and prepare for the best.
“We’ve already seen the country led by Trump and I don’t think that by and large, there’s been trust there. I think that there’s been great challenges, especially when you’re talking about fairness, truth, and justice and equity,” said Salaam, a few hours after the polls had closed. He was cautiously optimistic about Harris’s chances. “But to be honest, I don’t even want to think about that. I’m ready to say ‘Madame President.’”
“I am the proud son of Costa Rican immigrants who left everything behind to move to America. My parents faced unimaginable
hardships so I could have a better life — and their determination and strength is a guiding light for me on this difficult day for our nation,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie. “This is a challenging and painful day for so many of us — but we cannot allow despair to turn into apathy, and we cannot let proponents of hatred and division dictate who we are. We must continue to protect and embrace all New Yorkers, from our newest arrivals to those who have been here for generations. We know Washington will offer more obstacles than aid — but we’ve persevered in the face of federal extremism and obstruction before.
On Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, Mayor Eric Adams held a press conference to discuss the impacts of the presidential election on the city. He said that he believed in a “peaceful transfer of power” and wished Trump the best in his presidency. “No matter who’s president or what party controls Congress, this city will always stand up for the rights of women, our immigrant brothers and sisters, our LGBTQ+ community, and millions of others,” said Adams.
Across the city, and seemingly the country, crowds of Black voters seemed equally cautious and optimistic early on, which gave way to anxiety and then dread as more electoral votes came in. Many in Harlem and Brooklyn were avidly paying attention to the news at watch parties that went eerily quiet, AmNews reporters observed.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of Harlem’s National Action Network (NAN), commented after Trump’s declared victory on Wednesday morning with a sense of foreboding: “We already know what Donald Trump’s agenda aims to do, which is why we must channel our momentum into fighting back against his destructive policies. He and J.D. Vance want to turn back the clock to deliver an America that will make the Jim Crow era pale in comparison. He aims to wash away the blood, [sweat], and tears of our ancestors. He will continue to pit Americans against one another, demonize Black and Brown communities, and turn immigrants into scapegoats for their own personal gain. NAN and our allies refuse to stand idly by as they seek to bring a dark cloud over America. Though we may be down, we are not defeated. We will continue to organize. We will continue to speak out. We will continue [to] resist any agenda that tries to take us backward.”
Sharpton added that Harris ran a strong campaign with barely three months until the election. He said he was “heartbroken by the end of her campaign.”
House still in play
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is still in play and Democrats lost control of the U.S. Senate, which means that Trump is likely to have a clear path to appointing See TRUMP on page 25
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and running mate Sen. JD Vance on stage at Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump again!
By HERB BOYD
Special to the AmNews
A decisive number of Americans — more than 71 million — apparently are not ready for a woman to lead the nation, and certainly not a Black one. Like Grover Cleveland in the 19th century, Trump appears to be set to become a re-elected former president, and his victory led to a tsunami of red that overwhelmed the blue wall. Although his margin of victory over Vice President Kamala Harris was narrow in the vital battleground states, an inch was as good as a mile in this highly contested race.
According to several exit poll reports, the economy was a deciding factor for most voters. Of course, we know that few are ready to list race as a factor in their determination, and at no point was there any disavowal of the humiliating attacks on Harris, right down to J.D. Vance calling her trash. Nor are they willing to concede that gender governed their choice; like the misinformation and lies that permeated this absolutely unconventional bid for the White House, it will take a few weeks to sort out the complexity of the outcome.
The overall count is still not official, but as we went to press, Trump had a commanding lead across the board with 276 Electoral College votes to Harris’s 223. Even more troubling, the Republicans appeared to have gained control
Daniel Penny trial over the death of Jordan Neely, opens
of the Senate and be on the verge of keeping the House. Red was the dominant color on the maps posted by various television stations.
In his victory speech, Trump stated, “This is a movement like nobody’s ever seen before, and, frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time … America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate … And I want to thank [Speaker of the House] Mike Johnson. I think he’s doing a terrific job.”
Van Jones, a Democratic strategist, was tearful on the air during his commentary, noting that “There are going to be people tomorrow who are going to be handing clothes at the dry cleaners to people who don’t have papers. There are going to be people who are going to be cleaning your teeth tomorrow who don’t have papers. And they are terrified tonight.”
Jones’s comments were in reference to Trump’s promise to deport immigrants, imprison his enemies, and become a dictator on day one. He promised a bloodbath if he lost and the fear factor might have been motivation for both his loyal base and Democrats troubled but another Jan. 6 uprising. What lies ahead for the nation is on the minds of many Americans as Trump returns to the Oval Office with vengeance.
By TANDY LAU
Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
Daniel Penny “literally went for the jugular,” remarked assistant district attorney Dafna Yoran in her opening statement as she described Jordan Neely’s last moments on May 1, 2023.
The Manhattan prosecutor exchanged arguments with Penny’s defense attorney Thomas Kenniff as trial over Neely’s death got underway this past Friday, Nov. 1.
They presented to the mostly white jury, dressed in a variety of layers to accommodate 70plus degree weather on a late fall day. Judge Maxwell Wiley asked them to block the outside noise — both literally and figuratively — given national media attention on the case and direct protests outside the courthouse.
Penny faces manslaughter and negligent homicide charges stemming from the 2023 incident on a northbound F train. Neely, an unhoused Black New Yorker who battled serious mental health conditions following his mother’s death, entered the subway car and pleaded for food and water as well as made threats against passengers.
He approached passengers aggressively throughout the outburst, but did not touch them, according to witnesses. Then, ex-marine Penny allegedly locked Neely in a chokehold, and Neely ultimately died following the encounter. The Office of the Medical Examiner (OCME) ruled the death a homicide.
Yoran avoided commenting on the fierce national debate on Penny’s extrajudicial intervention in her opening statement and instead focused on pointing out his recklessness (manslaughter convictions do not require proving intention). She even acknowledged the situation was likely scary for passengers.
To the prosecution, whether Penny was right or wrong to initially intervene remains irrelevant to the charges. Instead, they want the jury to consider how long he maintained pressure after subduing Neely and the steps he did not take to de-escalate the situation. Yoran says Neely was likely unconscious in the last 51 seconds of the chokehold, which went on for nearly six minutes after the subway doors opened. Simply put, she believes Penny went “way too far.”
She also alluded to his military background, particular-
ly his green belt — a third tier requiring extensive hours — in the Marine Corps Martial Arts program. Such training includes extensive chokehold instruction, particularly when to let go before seriously injuring the recipient, according to Yoran.
The prosecution refused to make direct assumptions for Penny’s alleged recklessness, but directed to attitudes against unhoused New Yorkers, particularly those experiencing mental health conditions. Yoran argued he never saw Neely’s humanity as he walked away from his unconscious body to retrieve his hat without checking on his condition. She questioned how much danger Neely posed, as Penny did not check for weapons after he “put him out” and deadly force as self-defense can only be used in New York State in life-and-death situations.
While defendant opening statements are optional, Kenniff passionately painted Penny as a good Samaritan who protected his fellow passengers from an unknown, imminent danger. He described the ex-marine stepping into action after seeing a mother protecting her child, illustrating a desperate fightor-flight ordeal underground
in a cramped space that left no time for de-escalation.
The defense has long maintained that New Yorkers would want someone like Penny as a fellow passenger in such a situation.
Additionally, Kenniff shared stories about the Long Islander’s upbringing to the jury, talking about how he left the military to pursue architecture studies. However, the defense also pushed back on the hero/villain narratives debated by the public, including prominent officials like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Kenniff also denied the OCME’s findings by pointing to Neely’s medical history and drug use as death factors rather than Penny’s prolonged chokehold. To be clear, police administered narcan when attempting to revive Neely without success.
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.
(DHS photo via Wikimedia)
Protestors gather before Daniel Penny, the white veteran accused of choking a distressed Black subway rider to death, arrives for opening statements at the court in New York, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)
Joe Conzo: The man who took hip hop’s baby pictures
By MAL’AKIY 17 ALLAH Special to the AmNews
While the fledgling hip hop culture was still in its infancy during the 1970s, few knew it would become the global phenomenon it eventually morphed into during the succeeding decades. One Bronx-native just happened to be in tune, and began visually documenting its artistic aspects simply for the love, unknowingly also capturing its history. While doing so, Joe Conzo, 61, has become recognized as one of the genre’s premier photographers.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” he tells the AmNews. “It happened organically. I love taking pictures of my neighborhood.”
His stepfather gave him his first camera at around 10 years old, which sparked his interest, as he flicked away at family functions. “Thankfully my parents supported my love for photography,” he says.
Coming of age during the 1970s at the South Bronx’s Jackson Houses and Michelangelo Apartments, he was right in the hub where it was bubbling, with “true skool” artists DJ AJ and Phase 2 residing there, as well as Mean Machine from nearby Patterson Projects.
While attending South Bronx High School in the late 70s, he formed alliances with DJ Toney Tone & Easy A.D. as they were establishing the almighty Cold Crush Brothers, and became an honorary member of the legendary MC crew, whom he still tours with til this day. He began capturing their local festivities and was meeting “all the bricklayers of hip hop culture.”
He’d attend various block parties, park and street jams, as well as events at school gymnasiums and playgrounds. Additionally, he began covering the Zulu Nation anniversaries. He was capturing the music, b-boys dancing, and graffiti in the streets before corporate America got involved.
“It wasn’t in the clubs yet,” he recalled. “It was still in the park and community centers.”
Slowly, artists began performing at venues such as Danceteria, Negril’s, the Roxy, the Garage, and Disco Fever. The first major events he covered were the Cold Crash Brothers at the T Connection in 1979, and their legendary 1981 battle versus the Fantastic Five at Harlem World.
He’s photographed “The Soul Sonic Force, Funky Four +1, Fearless Four, Kool Herc, all the founding fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters of Hip Hop culture.”
His first published photo appeared in the New York Post, of actor Paul Newman on the set of filming “Fort Apache The Bronx” in 1981. He began receiving requests to cover various events from his unique street per-
Black
New Yorker
spective. His flicks were featured in many European magazines, which were mesmerized with the sublevel culture.
He’s documented numerous concerts and events like LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells and SummerStage, as well as movies and video shoots, and his work has been featured in countless magazines and more than 100 books.
“I didn’t have anyone to look up to,” he said. “I’ve been all over the world. All just because I took pictures.”
Hip hop historian Bill Adler said, “Joe Conzo is the greatest hip hop photographer of all because he came from within the culture.”
Along with his lens-men brethren, Ernie Panicolli and Jamel Shabazz, they have helped bring street culture to the general public.
“We all travel and do exhibitions together. We’re a tight group of friends,” Conzo says. “Without our photographs there would be no history of the early days of the culture.”
As technology advanced and film became obsolete, he also went digital. “You gotta adapt with the times.” He released his book “Born in the Bronx: A Visual Record of the Early Days of Hip Hop” in 2005, and is still doing exhibitions.
“Hip hop is a culture, a way of living I love and subscribe to everyday,” he concludes.
“I’m grateful to what I contributed and people respect my work. If people loved the culture how I do, the world would be a better place.”
For more on Conzo’s work, follow @joeconzo on all social media platforms.
THE URBAN AGENDA
By David R. Jones, Esq
A Step Toward Fairness in Rental Housing
First, to address the elephant in the room: I wrote this column before the national election, and so I have no idea what the result might be. There is a decent chance that even when this column is published, we still will not know for certain who will be president come January. This is a terribly fraught time, with the fate multi-racial democracy in the balance. I encourage everyone reading this to continue standing up for the rights of yourselves and others, including the right to collectively determine this country’s leadership through free and fair elections.
But now to local news, where another issue of fairness is progressing in the right direction.
In a few days, New York City will finally join just about every other city in the nation and affirm a simple principle: tenants shouldn’t be charged exorbitant fees to brokers their prospective landlord hired. That’s the idea behind the FARE Act (Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses), a bill introduced by the City Council Member from my native BedfordStuyvesant and northern Crown Heights neighborhood, Chi Ossé, which is slated to pass on November 13th.
Here’s how the system has worked for years in New York City—and virtually nowhere else. A tenant finds a listing for a vacant apartment. They make an appointment to see the place. Perhaps there is a broker there who shows them the unit; perhaps there is not. If they apply for the apartment and are selected, there is a high probability they will owe a broker as much as 15 percent of the annual rent for the apartment. In Manhattan today, that would add an additional $7,740 to the median priced apartment on the market, on top of first month’s rent and a security deposit, for a ghastly total of $23,200. This is an amount few New Yorkers can afford, given that the median household earns less than $77,000 a year.
While there’s a lot we can, should and must do to bring down housing costs, one of the simplest things we can do right now is to relieve tenants of exorbitant brokers’ fees. Under the FARE Act, tenants will only be responsible for that fee if they hired the broker directly. If the broker is working for a building owner, as is most often the case, the fee will be paid by the landlord. It is a simple, clear principle we at the Community Service Society of New York have been advocating for years.
In 2019, when legislators in Albany were
contemplating a comprehensive reform of our state’s rent laws, we encouraged lawmakers to address New York City’s unfair broker fee system in the bill. When the historic Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act was passed, it eliminated brokers fees, along with other unreasonable tenant application fees, unless a tenant hired a broker directly. An Albany County judge, however, prevented the state from implementing a broker fee ban in 2021, and tenants have continued shouldering these fees since then. Councilmember Ossé’s FARE Act undoes this act of judicial malpractice at the local level.
Last spring, when the FARE Act came up for a public hearing, we presented data from our most recent Unheard Third survey of New Yorkers showing that renters rarely have enough money to cover stiff broker fees. When we asked how much money people have in savings, the most common answer for rent regulated, subsidized and public housing residents was between zero and ninety-nine dollars. A majority of our tenant respondents said that if they faced a $400 expense, they would have to take on debt, borrow from friends or family, or sell something in their possession.
As a result, lower-income renters cannot move out of their homes, even if they are suffering through substandard or hazardous conditions or facing landlord harassment. As I wrote in a June column on this issue, the last New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey shows that tenants who moved from one apartment to another between 2021 and 2023 tended to be white and have higher incomes than renters who remained in their homes. Fifty-six percent of tenants who moved made more than $100,000, even though tenants with such high incomes only make up 36 percent of the city’s renters. Half of the recent movers were white, while whites make up only 32 percent of tenants overall.
The city, state, and—God help us— federal governments must invest in more tools to produce affordable housing, from the construction of new social housing to the expansion of rental assistance to tenants in need. But as we’re doing that, we can also take simple, straightforward and sensible reforms to bring down the cost of living in the city -- including the cost of moving into a new, and hopefully better, home. We should be proud of the New York City Council for passing the FARE Act and taking one big burden off of tenants’ backs.
New York City voters had the opportunity to vote for six ballot proposals, some of which were hotly debated, that would change policies and procedures in the city’s Charter.
Ballot Proposal 1, a reproductive freedom measure, and Ballot Proposals 2 through 5 passed while Ballot Proposal 6 did not, according to unofficial election night results posted by the New York City Board of Elections (NYC BOE) on Nov. 5.
“It is unfortunate that Mayor Adams’ commission advanced anti-democratic proposals and inaccurately worded questions onto the ballot to mislead New Yorkers,” said Speaker Adams in a statement. “Tonight demonstrates the dire need for better safeguards to ensure city ballot proposals are accurately presented to voters. There is serious work needed to protect our local democracy from a mayor willing to disregard norms in the pursuit of power that removes checks and balances.”
The struggle between Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams began in May of this year when the Speaker introduced the advice-and-consent law. The law allowed for City Council approval over Mayor Adams’s city commissioner appointments, which were already under scrutiny prior to his recent federal indictment. Shortly after the law’s introduction, Mayor Adams countered by convening a Charter Revision Commission (CRC) to change the city’s constitution. After a short series of public hearings, he added proposals 2 through 6 to the back of ballots for public vote, in spite of massive backlash from the city’s progressives.
On Oct. 30, Speaker Adams pulled the same move and initiated a new CRC under Int. 1088 to try and tip the scales back in the council’s favor.
All in all, the Mayor seems pleased that the majority of his proposals passed.
“Working-class New Yorkers spoke, and the Charter Revision Commission listened. This is a great day for everyone who desires a safer city, cleaner streets, greater fiscal responsibility, transparency in the city’s capital planning process,” he said in a statement, “and, of course, access to abortion care.”
Here’s a breakdown of the ballot measures and voting totals from Election Day: Ballot Proposal 1: This propos-
al adds protections to New York State’s Bill of Rights. It prohibits discrimination for New Yorkers based on ethnicity, origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes.
Yes vote — 77.66%
No vote — 22.34%
Ballot Proposal 2: This proposal provides the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) with more authority to keep the city, streets, and parks clean. It also allows the regulation of how garbage is collected from New Yorkers.
Yes vote — 61.74%
No vote–38.26%
Ballot Proposal 3: This proposal allows the Mayor’s Office and the City Council to get their own cost estimates of proposed laws, and must provide cost estimates of proposed laws before voting on them. It requires City Council to notify the Mayor’s Office before any public hearings or voting on the laws. This proposal also extends the deadline for the Mayor to publish the city budget.
Yes vote–55.71%
No vote–44.29%
Ballot Proposal 4: This proposal will allow more notice for votes on issues regarding public safety legislation. The City Council must give 30 days notice before voting on public safety laws that impact the police department, corrections department, or the fire department. During this time, the Mayor and affected city agencies may also hold public hearings to hear additional public input.
Yes vote–57.07%
No vote — 42.93%
Ballot Proposal 5: In this proposal, the city must assess the cost of planned capital projects and publish the assessments planning reports.
Yes vote–57.77%
No vote — 42.23%
Ballot Proposal 6: This proposal would create a new role to support Minority and WomenOwned Business Enterprises (M/ WBEs) and merge two boards that manage records into one board.
Yes vote — 47.36%
No vote–52.64%
rights, and protections for all,” said State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins in a statement. “The State Senate Democratic Majority fought to bring this historic amendment to the ballot, giving voters the opportunity to enshrine fairness and equality in our constitution.”
At the city level, a coalition of advocates believe that Mayor Adams “used deception & cynicism to con New Yorkers” into passing most of his proposed ballot measures. They claim that the charter commission was “stacked” with the Mayor’s allies and that the proposals are “misleading.”
There is also immense concern as to how the proposals will impact criminal justice legislation and street vendors as well as Black, Brown, and immigrant communities. Darren Mack, co-director of Freedom Agenda, said that increasing transparency and accountability in the corrections department is essential to closing Rikers. Mack said Proposal 4 makes it harder to pass laws to stem police and correction officer’s abuses.
Deputy Director of the Street Vendor Project Carina KaufmanGutierrez added that Proposal 2 is “an unfair blow” to street vendors who have always worked hard to serve their communities and are a staple of New York’s iconic street food culture. “We’re already seeing the city dramatically ramp up its punitive enforcement, while doing nothing to solve underlying economic injustices,” said KaufmanGutierrez. “From property confiscation to violent harassment along Roosevelt Avenue, vendors are being attacked for lacking permits, at the same time that they are denied any chance to get a permit.”
The New York Working Families Party (NYWFP) and the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) both swore to fight for charter revision commission reforms.
“Mayor Adams succeeded in his stealth attempt to increase his power at the expense of New Yorkers,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman in a statement. “An important next step will be reforming the City Charter revision process to make sure this kind of deceptive mayoral power grab can’t happen again.”
“New Yorkers have once again reelected one of the largest Democratic majorities in State Senate history. Today, with the passage of Proposition 1, New Yorkers have made their voices heard in a powerful call for abortion access, equal
Most advocates at the state level are thrilled about Ballot Proposal 1 passing, considering that abortion care and reproductive health in other states have been under attack since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022. New York State leadership in particular vowed to enshrine LGBTQIA+ rights, abortion care, reproductive care, and gender identity protections into its state constitution because of the overturning.
We are encouraged by the proposed legislation to curtail these rushed charter commissions and prevent this from happening in the future,” said WFP Co-Directors Ana María Archila and Jasmine Gripper in a statement.
Photo of NYC Votes 2024 General Election Voter Guide, Ballot Measure 1
Photo of NYC Votes 2024 General Election Voter Guide, ballot sample
Yes, the election may actually be hurting your mental health
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
If mental health is wealth, then this election will require dipping into your savings. Brett Ford, associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, likens politics to a form of chronic stress and Nov. 5 marks yet another high-stakes presidential election with former President Donald Trump on the ballot.
“Chronic stress involves long lasting, pervasive conditions that typically evoke negative emotions and feelings of distress,” said Ford. “Definitionally, that sounds a lot like day-to-day politics to me for many people. And one of the useful things about viewing politics through the lens of chronic stress is that people have been researching chronic stress for a while. We can take some of the things that we’ve learned about chronic stress and bring it into the realm of political chronic stress.
“We’ve learned that politics regularly evokes negative emotions for people regardless of your political ideology or party. We know that the more intensely negative you feel about politics, just [on] a day-today basis [and] not even in the lead up to an election, the worse your mental health [and] the more physical health symptoms you feel.”
Ford’s recent research, published in an American Psychological Association Journal, observed voters across parties and noted how personal politics felt to them. She says there are consistent patterns showing election-related stress hitting younger and more liberal people harder. And the study found associations between politics and daily life ranging from financial livelihood to moral convictions.
While Ford’s findings could not confirm racial and gender identity as factoring into increased political stress, she says discussions about racial and gender discrimination can often feel political and can lead to chronic stress-like tension. And unlike other stress factors, politics is so broad and far reaching that it cannot be resolved alone even by the most ambitious individuals.
Robert Klitzman, professor of psychiatry and sociomedical sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, says there remain distinctions between political stress and chronic stress. After all, the tangible feeling can be quite valid.
“A lot of people are feeling stress in the past few days, weeks [and] months, because of the upcoming election,” said Klitzman. “And it’s different from chronic stress which is always going on, and part of it is because the stress here is, in some ways, an existential threat. It’s a threat to many of our lives, depending on [how] the election goes. It’s threats to our democracy, and it’s a feeling [of] not being able necessarily to control the outcome that’s leading a lot of people to
feel a great amount of angst and distress.”
In practice, fear and anxiety uniquely stem from this presidential election, according to observations by Dilice Robertson, a clinical associate professor at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. And the impacts certainly single out people of color.
“If we talk about social determinants of health, all of this combines into this storm of negative outcomes for people of color,” said Robertson. “There’s been this target on people of color, especially in New York [with] social media [and] ads being utilized. Conversations among lay people are being utilized to continue to perpetuate this misinformation, to sway people in direction of who to vote for.
“The problem is in this prioritization of people of color, they’re not identifying what the potential outcomes are going to be when the decision is made to vote for one candidate or the other.”
Yet Robertson believes the root causes for such anxieties did not start with Trump in 2016. Getting called an anti-Black slur when she arrived in America decades ago informed her on how endemic these issues really are.
Political stress can also compound existing mental health conditions, says Klitzman.
“If one is depressed to start, one may … focus even more on the negative potential outcomes,” he said. “Of course, we don’t
know what’s going to happen in the election. And my guess is, even after Election Day, there may be quite a bit of uncertainty for several days … similarly, anxiety can spiral.
“And so if you’re feeling anxious to begin with … this anxiety could feed into that anxiety about the election, that is about the future [of] the country, and about worries about ways that might affect one’s own life. And those anxieties can perpetuate each other. They can become mutually reinforcing in a negative way.”
So how can people chill out about politics without downplaying their importance? The experts all suggest cutting down on social media intake, and being picky on what does get through the filter.
Less politically-engaged people experience less election-related stress according to Ford. But she fears prioritizing mental health can seem at odds with the foundations of democracy, like civic participation and social action. Ford and Robertson both believe acceptance can reduce election-related stress without compromising political engagement.
“We use the term radical acceptance sometimes, where you can only be responsible for what you can do,” said Robertson. “If you are able to exercise that civic duty and vote, be comfortable in knowing that you contributed, and then whatever is outside of your locus of control being OK with the outcome, because you cannot change anything about that.
“Radical acceptance looks like [no matter the] result, that you have the responsibility of how you will manage yourself and the people who are closest to you in your household and your family. And so radical acceptance [means] you did what you could. You are responsible for that, and that is it.”
Yet Ford also believes reframing the gravity of elections to work toward a better future not only increases civic engagement, but also predicts better mental health outcomes. People “feel better” without dismissing veritable political concerns by fostering “socially-oriented positive emotions” like compassion and inspiration.
“Those are also really powerful motivators of action that don’t require us to make this situation feel less severe in our head,” said Ford. “It can be that, and it can also be an opportunity to come together, to take action, to build community, [and] to engage in compassionate, ethical ways toward each other.
“And to me, that is a really promising pathway forward. It doesn’t require us to take away our anxiety, which is really motivating.”
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.
Staff watch a presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, on screen at left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin photo)
Union Matters
Privatization and Project 2025: the covert attack on veterans, employees, unions, and the middle class
UNION PARTNER CONTENT
By GEDDES SCOTT
As a union representative and employee at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for more than 30 years, I have the honor of representing thousands of VA employees who provide care to tens of thousands of veterans in New York and New Jersey. As such, I know all too well how an anti-union, anti-worker climate negatively affects the care our nation’s veterans receive.
During the first Trump administration, my union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), faced several attacks from right-wing extremists in Congress, interest groups that hoped to profit from outsourcing veterans’ healthcare, and President Trump, who undermined our rights every chance he had. In contrast, under the Biden-Harris administration, resources have been poured into the VA and leadership has worked with our union to negotiate a fair contract for our members and there has been an open line of communication.
AFGE members are deeply committed to fulfilling the mission of the VA: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.” Unfortunately, for years, proponents of privatization, like Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute, have been trying to dismantle the VA so they can profit from the injuries borne by our veterans. And they have unfortunately made tremendous progress toward this goal. Enter the Trump-supported 2018 VA Mission
Act, which opened the floodgates for privatization by moving VA to a voucher system, cutting in-house hiring, creating a commission to close VA facilities, and effectively forcing veterans to rely on costly and unaccountable private health care.
Each budget season we see hundreds of billions of dollars allocated to the VA, but our facilities still need renovation, our technology is still outdated, our employees are still underpaid, and we still have more than 40,000 unfilled vacancies nationwide. To understand why, we must follow the money.
Since passage of the Mission Act, VA spending on private, for-profit care went from $14.8 billion in FY 2018 to $28.5 billion in FY 2023.
More than 40% of veterans now receive services outside the VA. Veterans tell us time and time again that their first choice is to receive their health care at the VA, which specializes in the unique needs of veterans. Recently, two independent, nationwide patient surveys found, once again, that VA health care outperformed non-VA health care providing better health outcomes at lower cost for many conditions and procedures.
If veterans want to receive care at the VA where data show veterans receive the best care, why is there such a push to privatize? Because billionaires, the Heritage Foundation, America First, Donald Trump, and other elected officials care more about money than veterans. Profit over people.
The VA has been understaffed for decades, crippling our workforce and contributing to the false narrative that VA employees cannot and do not do their jobs. AFGE members are proud and work hard to ensure that each veteran receives the
specialized care they deserve; however, we cannot do our jobs to the best of our ability if we don’t have the resources.
The VA New York Harbor Healthcare system including Manhattan, Brooklyn, and St. Albans hospitals has nearly 200 vacant positions. In Northport there are 42. East Orange has 64 vacancies and Buffalo has 98. This is not an isolated issue. This is a nationwide issue that must be addressed for our veterans.
Instead of fully staffing our facilities, Project 2025 would instead further outsource VA care to costly, for-profit providers, place unrealistic performance standards on VA doctors and replace compassionate human benefit claims processors with AI.
Our veterans deserve to receive care from
providers who specialize in veteran care and when they have questions about their benefits, they should be able to pick up the phone and talk to a human, not an AI chatbot.
While AFGE supports advances in technology, we do not support using it to eliminate jobs at the detriment of veteran care.
Privatization and outsourcing not only diminish services to our veterans and pit workers against each other, but are an attack on veterans ’jobs, as one out of three VA employees is also a veteran.
AFGE members at the VA are dedicated to doing our jobs. We live in every town, village, county, and borough in New York and New Jersey and contribute in all aspects to the benefit of our communities and our veterans.
Our union cannot allow the negative rhetoric and political narratives against our members to continue all so private health care providers can make a fortune off VA healthcare.
AFGE stands for fairness and equality, and our fight is far from over. Unions are the lifeblood of the middle-class and our communities are dependent on these jobs to provide for our families and boost the economy.
We are proud of the work we do, and although the VA and our union rights are under attack, we have not and will not turn our backs on America’s heroes. We ask our elected officials and VA leadership not to turn their backs on us.
Geddes Scott is the President of AFGE Local 1988 at the St. Albans VA Medical Center in Queens, NY, and president of the AFGE NY/ NJ VA Council 246 representing 4,000 VA employees in New York and New Jersey.
Ex-employee sues NYC Law Department over alleged bias
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
A former civil servant has launched a discrimination lawsuit against the New York City Law Department, the branch of the government that handles the city’s legal affairs.
Dwayne A Parham, Esq. alleges that while he was employed in the Law Department, he had to put up with racial slurs from supervisors, was effectively isolated, and was ultimately fired after he spoke out against his treatment.
In response to requests for comment about the Parham v. City of New York case, a spokesperson for the NYC Law Department, better known as the Office of the Corporation Counsel, declined to comment. He said they’re not commenting on
the case while it’s still being litigated. In contrast, Parham said he is eager to talk about what he went through. He’s now
opened a law firm in Montgomery, Alabama, where he works on immigration and criminal law cases, but the discrimination he went through was devastating; he said he wants to highlight the lasting financial and psychological trauma caused by the city’s discrimination against him.
“I missed out on a lot of health benefits because city workers have great health benefits, especially in the law department. ... It was extremely depressing, especially [because] I’m a father — I have girls that I’m taking care of. And it was so depressing trying to get a job, because a lot of times, some of the interviews I went on, I would see on the person’s desk they [had the listing of my work with the] City of New York. They call my references, or call the old job, and guess what? I’m not going to get a callback.
“It’s sad because there are a lot of people
who go through that in different city agencies. That’s why I said [that] I have to take a stand for people like that — so people don’t [have to feel] like, ‘This is all I have,’ especially as a civil servant. Obviously, I was fortunate enough to know that I can just open up my own law practice. It would be a struggle, but I can do that. A lot of people don’t have that luxury.”
Not to be tolerated
Parham’s difficulties in the Law Department started shortly after he joined in May 2018. He was initially hired as a temp before being brought on as a claims specialist in the special litigation unit. He wasn’t a practicing attorney, but had graduated from law school and had his
AFGE President Geddes Scott
New York City Law Department logo
Ryan Health hosts breast cancer screening fair
By JASON PONTEROTTO
Special to the AmNews
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Ryan Health Clinic (565 Manhattan Avenue) and American Cancer Society (ACS) hosted a breast cancer awareness fair at the clinic. Women were able to do walkins and get screened on the mammogram bus.
As with other health disparities, Black women are more at risk of dying from breast cancer than white women. According to a study by JAMA, Black women diagnosed with the disease between 2011 and 2020 were more than twice as likely to die before age 50 than white women. They are also less likely to be screened early enough to provide preventive measures which is why physicians encourage more Black women to get screening.
The visit from the mammogram bus, also known as the “mammo van,” for patients to do walk-ins and get screened is held semiregularly by the clinic, last taking place in June and July.
Through the Voices of Black Women pro-
gram from the ACS, the fair was aimed at delivering this resource directly to the community, according to Renee Lindo, director of operations at the Harlem Ryan Clinics.
“It makes it easier for them to come to
one place that they’re familiar with and come check in, see familiar faces, and be able to get their health care needs met in that way,” Lindo said.
Usually, the process is longer for a pa-
tient who wants to get screened because they would need to get a referral from their doctor and then visit other locations for the screening.
Jeannette Delavega, one of the Ryan patients who took part in the screening, appreciated the quickness and the “good flow” of the process, recalling it only took about 20 minutes.
Delavega also said the process made them feel more comfortable.
“Sometimes when you go into a hospital, you feel a little bit of pressure,” Delavega said. “It kind of made us feel a little bit welcoming and less stressful.”
Other community partners featured at the fair included the Department of Social Services and Faith in New York, who provided voter registration and volunteering material.
Lindo said the next mammo van for Ryan will be in December, but people can visit Harlem Ryan Health clinic website to find out more (ryanhealth.org/locations/ryanadair-community-health-center). Other resources for walk-in screenings include at Lenox Hill Radiology and Harlem Hospital.
WE VAX
Mammogram bus stationed outside Ryan Health Clinic at 565 Manhattan Avenue during Breast Cancer Awareness Fair, Oct. 23, 2024 (Photo by Jason Ponterotto)
Trump – He too shall pass!
The darkness and dread Vice President Kamala Harris feared now looms closer and closer to becoming a reality, as she concedes victory to her opponent. For a candidate who was suddenly thrown into one of most consequential presidential races in the nation’s history, Harris ran a remarkable campaign and her speeches should be compiled and made mandatory in school curricula.
Unlike Hillary Clinton, who had the gender factor to overcome in her failed attempt in 2016, Harris had the double whammy of race and gender, and her conduct and demeanor never wavered from being respectful and hopeful of bringing the nation closer to together, to uphold the standards of democracy and set aside the grievances of the past.
Alas, it was all in vain, and now the nation must find a way to endure what could be an exceedingly long nightmare of hate, division, and much more than incipient fascism. Trump has been nothing less than a fount of misinformation, lies and distortion, but we should never lose sight of the menace he promises because in his previous White House conquest, he gave us a dress rehearsal on how mean-spirited he can be.
Harris is still the vice president and with a plate full of issues to contend with, to say nothing of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the plight of Ukrainians. Both on domestic and global fronts, a second Trump administration will be a dangerous thing, something that Harris had stressed like an unceasing heartbeat.
We are still waiting for the final results, though the possibility of flipping the House grows dimmer by the minute, and ultimately we face the grim prospect of all three branches of government under Republican control, including the Supreme Court.
Kamala Harris: Your vision and voice, your unbreakable will was something we hoped would be more than just a passing fancy, that more than 66 million put forth to support your campaign. This election has been a true learning experience, a civics lesson some Americans will ignore and dismiss as nothing more than campaign fodder. We know, and as Harris knows, it is not easy to convince the undecided and uncommitted to join the crusade for decency, integrity, and the noble values entrusted by those who sacrificed their lives for democracy.
When Trump takes his position once again in the White House, the challenge we face as hardworking, God-fearing Americans, is how to maintain a sense of optimism, that no matter the evil foisted on us, we will not shrink from the promise we found in the Harris campaign. Her legacy is something we embrace and cherish, and that no matter the darkness on the horizon, that it, like Trump, shall pass.
Op-Ed: I’m retiring from teaching, but not before I learn how to use AI
By VALERIE GREEN-THOMAS
My teaching career has spanned seven grade levels, three decades, and two continents. I’ve taught through the passage of No Child Left Behind, the shift to the Common Core, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, I am ready for retirement.
But first, I have one more thing to check off my teaching bucket list. I want to master the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in my classroom.
I watched from my Bronx classroom as New York City Public Schools banned ChatGPT, the most popularly known form of AI, then rescinded the decision four months later, before finally launching its Artificial Intelligence Policy Lab in October 2023, just 10 months after prohibiting the technology.
Despite the chaos of what the district itself called a “knee-jerk” reaction, I think the chancellor and I are on the same page about AI: Regardless of our hesitance about its use in the classroom, the technology isn’t going anywhere. It’s time to dedicate capacity to harnessing its potential in a responsible and effective way, rather than to building barriers to its misuse.
Voices from the Classroom 2024, a nationally representative survey of 1,000 teachers, plus an additional oversample of 300 teachers of color, tells us that educators across the country feel similarly: 82% of teachers believe AI could help support their instruction and capacity and 14% of teachers — and 51% of teachers of color — would go as far as to say it has the potential to transform teaching and learning. But nearly half of teachers who say it could support their capacity simultaneously report concerns about its use, and almost two-thirds of all teachers say they need more training in how to leverage the technology in the classroom.
Elinor R.
Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief
Cyril
This tells us that most teachers live in a place no one seems to want to talk about: the middle. Teachers know AI has a place in the K–12 classroom, but they simultaneously harbor worries about it being abused. They want to see it implemented, but not in a haphazard way. A student’s likelihood of being taught by a teacher taking advantage of the technology should not be random.
I share these concerns. I worry that students who are not native speakers of English or students with significant reading challenges will become
dependent on the technology and never achieve deep comprehension of the English language. I worry that some teachers will rely too heavily on its ability to plan their lessons and, in the process, lose the unique spirit that makes them passionate educators. I worry it will be used to further sequester students from underserved backgrounds — either by denying them access or overusing it in their education. I worry it will be implemented without close attention paid to the tenets that make its use effective, and those that don’t. I worry that New York City Public Schools will spend millions on it and then move onto the next fad before fully implementing AI.
But here is the reality: These worries will manifest whether we ignore AI’s capabilities and allow it to be applied randomly and without training, or we harness its potential to transform the way teachers teach and students learn. These worries will not dissipate if we ignore AI, because students — and teachers — will reach for it either way.
If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. Let’s establish protocols for AI’s use based on the emerging evidence on what works. Let’s embed it into curricular materials and professional learning and teacher preparation programs. Let’s do this intentionally, in a way that eases teachers’ very valid con-
cerns. And let’s not just use already developed AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom: Let’s create new tools that address the multitude of challenges that educators have faced for decades. I’ve been to more than 20 training sessions about the use of AI — all of which, it’s worth noting, I opted to join, rather than being required. I joke with my colleagues that it’s because I’m nosy — I don’t want to be left behind, even in my final years of teaching. But really, I think I don’t want to leave to chance the possibility that my students will benefit from every tool at a teacher’s disposal. It shouldn’t be accidental that my eighth graders were assigned to my class in the final year before my retirement, and so missed out on the opportunity to benefit from the newest our ever-evolving world has to offer. I will not let that happen. Maybe June 2025 will mark my — I’m not afraid to say it — well-deserved retirement. I’m more sure, though, that it will mark my mastery of artificial intelligence as a tool to transform teaching and learning. My students deserve nothing less.
Valerie Green-Thomas is an instructional coach and peer collaborative teacher leader in the South Bronx, with more than 39 years of teaching experience.
Valerie Green-Thomas
Yes, Trump won. Here’s what happens next
By KEITH BOYKIN
Buckle up, folks. We’re in for a bumpy ride. Election Day is over, so I want to answer six big questions. What happened? How did it happen? Why did it happen? What could we have done differently? What does this mean for the future? And what do we do next? So, here we go.
Question 1: What happened?
Donald Trump won the presidential race. Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate. And we don’t know the outcome in the House yet.
Question 2: How did it happen?
The early exit polls show Trump’s three strongest groups were white men (59%), Hispanic men (54%), and white women (52%). In Georgia, it was even worse. One exit poll said that 69% of white women voted for Trump. Even after he took away their reproductive rights and was found liable for sexual assault, the majority of white women voters still chose patriarchy over their own liberation.
On the other hand, Kamala Harris’s three strongest groups were Black women, Black men, and Latino women. The final numbers will change when more data comes in, but the problem is that Harris’s base (Black women, Black men, and Latino men) are only 18% of the electorate. But Trump’s base (white men, white women, and Hispanic men) made up 77% of the electorate.
As for the Senate, Democrats held a narrow majority and faced a brutal map trying to win in red states like West Virginia, Texas, Ohio, and Montana. That’s part of the reason Harris tried to stay away from controversies that might hurt the Senate candidates.
Question 3: Why did it happen?
This is a tricky question to answer before all the data is collected, so let me just say this.
Some people are blaming inflation and the economy for Trump’s success. I don’t buy that because Black voters are more negatively affected by inflation and the economy than white voters, and we voted overwhelmingly for Kamala Harris. In fact, I don’t think it was about issues at all. If you look at policy alone, nearly all of Harris’s proposals got majority support, but only half of Trump’s did in a recent Washington Post survey. Missouri voters approved a measure to increase the minimum wage, which Harris supports, but still voted for Trump to be president. And the majority of Florida voters cast ballots to protect abortion and legalize marijuana, even though they didn’t reach the 60% threshold for a constitutional amendment.
Those are Democratic positions. Let’s be real. Trump doesn’t represent policy.
He represents cultural resentment against a changing America. That’s what people voted for.
Question 4: What could Harris have done differently?
There’s going to be a lot of debate about campaign strategy, but it’s too early to draw definitive conclusions. Republican David Urban complained that Harris should have run a more centrist campaign. I disagree. I think she bent over backward to accommodate centrists and Republicans. On the other hand, critics on the left argue that she should have run a more progressive campaign to motivate the base, and that’s complicated, too, because doing so would definitely have cost Democrats the Senate in those tough red states.
But the truth is, I don’t know if any of that matters.
As a Black woman, Harris had little more than 100 days to introduce herself to the public and mount a presidential campaign against a powerful white man who is a former president bankrolled by the richest man in the world, Elon Musk. In spite of those obstacles, she raised a billion dollars, drew huge crowds, and generated excitement in a race that was lifeless before she entered.
Trump did everything wrong in his campaign, and it didn’t matter to the majority of white voters. He got indicted four times, got convicted of 34 felonies, lost the debate to Kamala Harris decisively according to all the polls, couldn’t articulate any more than “concepts of a plan” for health care after 10 years, flip-flopped repeatedly on abortion, refused to answer a basic question about the minimum wage, simulated a lewd sex act on stage, refused to apologize for a speaker at his rally attacking Puerto Ricans and Latinos, joked about shooting the press, picked a running mate who called him “America’s Hitler,” and was outed by his own former chief of staff for saying “Hitler did some good things.”
Nothing mattered because it was never about issues. White America has been lecturing Black people about crime, morality, and patriotism for years, and then they vote for a convicted criminal, sex offender, and insurrectionist to be president.
No Black person or woman with Trump’s track record and two impeachments could ever be nominated, much less elected president. That’s why it’s not about policy. It’s about race and gender and the changing America. Donald Trump is the avatar of white supremacy. And the fact that a small but significant percentage of Black and Brown people were willing to excuse or embrace his racism, sexism, and xenophobia doesn’t disprove that. It just reflects how some of us have assimilated into
the same white supremacist beliefs.
Question 5: What does this mean for the future?
First, he will be able to appoint a new attorney general who will fire Special Counsel Jack Smith and dismiss the criminal charges against Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection and stealing government documents.
Second, with a Republican Senate, Trump will be able to appoint several new Supreme Court justices, who will be young enough to give Republicans control of the Supreme Court for the next 20-25 years. That means if you wanted reparations, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, DEI, environmental protections, or any progressive policy, that won’t happen in your lifetime, no matter who succeeds Trump in office because the courts will strike it down.
RELATED: Trump’s Vow to Be a Dictator Will Destroy Us All
Third, Trump will be able to appoint vaccine-denier RFK Jr. to head up women’s health and vaccines. He’ll cut taxes for billionaires, which is why rich people like Musk support him. And he may be able to begin his promised mass deportation of immigrants through executive authority, and impose tariffs on foreign goods that will cause inflation to spike.
He also promised to abolish the Department of Education, bring back stop-and-frisk policing, and give law enforcement immunity from prosecution, so be ready for that too.
Question 6: What do we do next?
Hakeem Jeffries will now become the leader of the opposition in Congress. And there is some good news in the results. Josh Stein defeated “Black Nazi” Mark Robinson in North Carolina. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks won Senate seats in Delaware and Maryland. Those two Black women in the U.S. Senate will give us new soldiers in the fight.
But what happens next is up to us. A lot of people are hurting right now, and many more will be hurt more in the years to come if Trump implements his policies. I recommend self-care. Do what you need to take care of yourself, and remember you are part of a broader community. We have to be there for each other in these trying times.
As I said in my final video before the election, this is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. And no matter what happens in the days to come, I am clear and certain that we are on the right side of history. Don’t give up. Live to fight another day.
Keith Boykin is a New York Times — bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator.
CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.
At the time of writing this column, we do not yet know the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. I have been fielding nervous calls and texts from friends for weeks now. Many are concerned about the future of this country, others are worried about our role internationally, and many have an overall sense of dread, thinking about how divisive this country has become. What has helped keep me calm these past few weeks has been to remind myself that all is in divine order. No matter the result of the outcome, we must recognize that there is a long road ahead. Millions upon millions of Americans worship the cult of the 45th president and are wholly incapable of recognizing the importance, necessity, and beauty of the diversity that exists in this country. Many (if not most) Americans are disillusioned with the state of political parties and do not feel they are representing the people’s myriad interests. No matter the ultimate outcome of the election, we have a nation divided and possibly a Congress divided as well, within and across parties.
Where do we go from here? No matter what, we must continue to stay invested in our political futures. Whether our preferred candidate wins or the candidate we opposed is victorious, we must continue to keep the pressure on our electeds so they know they must pay attention to our voices.
So many Democrats are concerned the party is moving too far to the center (and even the right) and is getting
more calcified as a moderate party and ignoring its progressive wing. And many Republicans feel their party has been hijacked by one man who caters to his radical right wing base and refuses to compromise with moderate members of their own party.
Politics does not stop with an election. We must remember to stay engaged with policy and politicians even when the campaign season has ended. For New Yorkers, once 2025 rolls around, we will also be gearing up for municipal elections and most importantly, a very crowded mayor’s race.
These next few weeks and months leading up to the inauguration on January 20 will be filled with lots of emotions. I am planning on getting together with a group of Black women in the upcoming weeks to fortify myself and be around the energy of these powerful women. If you are feeling lost, confused, unmoored, or anxious, I strongly suggest coming up with a plan for yourself. Is it spending quality time with friends? Is it turning away from the news for a spell? Is it coming up with a political plan for the local election cycle? Whatever it is, take the time to replenish yourself.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream,” co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC, and author of the forthcoming book “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams.”
Caribbean Update
Jamaica hires firm to rebrand image
BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews
The Caribbean island nation of Jamaica, widely regarded as one of the world’s most upstart countries compared to its size and relatively small population, will spend millions on a campaign to rebrand its image away from a tourism destination offering visitors a chance to enjoy sun, sand and the sea.
Worried that the image of a nation of just under 3 million is now beginning to be known for undesirable things, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the plan to hire an international firm to help with a rebranding exercise to promote the island more for its cultural and other gifts, including the ease of doing business.
“Jamaica is known for some other ‘Ss’ — other than sun, sea, and sand as well,” Holness told a tourism sector event in the past week.
“We want Jamaica to be known for
safety and security. We want Jamaica to be known for sustainability and seamlessness. We want Jamaica to be known for service and satisfaction, and we always want Jamaica to be sexy.”
He argued that the country has the raw materials to rebrand, but chose to engage an international firm to help ensure the recognition of a plethora of developments, cultural happenings, and the spectacular growth of the tourism sector.
“The government realizes that we have to be very clear about the message surrounding Jamaica, and so, we have hired an international consulting firm to help us with our nation branding, because we recognize that what is being said about Jamaica and what is known about Jamaica may be dated, and may not always be accurate,” Holness said. “I want to point this out to you today: that Jamaica is being very proactive and very strategic, and instrumental
in ensuring that the brand Jamaica remains a powerful and strong brand in the market, because after all, that is what brings the visitors here and that’s the foundation of our tourism product,” he declared. It is not clear if the PM, whose governing Labor Party (JLP) is trailing the main opposition party in the polls before general elections next year, is worried about the island’s association with marijuana cultivation and as one of the weedsmoking capitals of the word. “Jamaica has always been a global beacon of cultural influence and natural beauty, yet the breadth of our brand potential remains underutilized,” he said. “Through this initiative, we aim to develop a cohesive nation brand that reflects our strengths and achievements, and will allow us to unlock new opportunities for growth and development.”
The move to try to sell a new Jamaican brand to the world comes
as the island is set to play host to a record number of visitors this year, bringing in more than $5 billion in revenue. Sector Minister Ed Bartlett said that 2024 is likely to close out with about 4.5 million tourists. He said that number “would be the highest in our history,” as will be the revenue the country will earn from the lifeline sector.
“Since COVID, the recovery has been so strong, but not complete until this year, 2024, when the world will see 1.5 billion visitors traversing the world and (spending) US$4 trillion. In 2019, 1.4 billion people traveled across the Earth for touristic purposes, and spent US$3 trillion; and then COVID came and all of that was eviscerated, and we went to zero, zero, zero everywhere, almost. And Jamaica, because of you, the tourists and visitors, will make new records, too — small increments, but it is important over last year,” he said.
Staying on message, Holness noted that time has taken its toll on the Jamaican brand that most people know, and that it is time for a change because images and stereotypes about negative aspects he did not name have “started to mean things that could be detrimental to us ... We say we have this large creative industry, but we haven’t really managed to monetize it, and we need to be able to properly identify and define it. We are going through this process of rectifying, restructuring, redefining who we are as Jamaicans and what it means to be Jamaican. There are some things that have crept into the meaning of the brand that we really need to find a way to get out of the consciousness of people when they hear about Jamaica. Crime and violence is obviously one of them,” he said — the country averages about 1,300 murders per year.
Mass deportation will impact all Americans
FELICIA PERSAUD
IMMIGRATION KORNER
With inflation and economic stability at the forefront of concerns for most American voters, it’s ironic that Donald Trumpeto and his right-wing band of dummies see mass deportation as America’s fix-it-all plan but fail to realize it will ultimately affect their own wallets.
As the recent American Immigration Council’s report, “Mass Deportation: Devastating Costs to America, Its Budget, and Economy,” shows, mass deportations would not only diminish the American workforce for essential services we take for granted, but would also slash tax revenues, weaken key industries, and disrupt communities nationwide.
The report underscores that every taxpayer would feel the cost of mass deportation. The reason is simple: By reducing the tax base and removing a signifi-
cant percentage of the workforce, mass deportations would increase the country’s fiscal burden on all American citizens — blue-, red-, and purple-leaning. And yes, undocumented workers do pay taxes despite the lies and fake news.
Consider this: Undocumented immigrants are disproportionately of working age, with nearly 90% between ages 16 and 64, compared to just over 60% of U.S.-born citizens. This age group plays an essential role in sectors like construction, agriculture, and hospitality, which are already facing labor shortages nationally. Just ask any farmer, including in so-called red states, trying to hire for simple chores like milking cows daily or picking fruit and vegetables.
With an unemployment rate consistently under 4%, there are simply not enough U.S.-born workers to fill the gap that would be left by mass deportation, regardless of the lies that these immigrants are taking American jobs. It’s no wonder industries as varied as meatpacking, agriculture, construction, and hospitality rely
heavily on undocumented workers to keep their businesses afloat. If mass deportation were enforced, the report found that nearly 1.5 million workers in construction and more than 224,000 in agriculture would be lost, as well as hundreds of thousands in hospitality, manufacturing, and transportation. This would create severe labor shortages in areas crucial to America’s economy and to consumer access to affordable goods and services.
Undocumented immigrants are essential to the American workforce in specialized roles, making up over a third of roofers, plasterers, and drywall installers, as well as a quarter of agricultural laborers and housekeeping cleaners. If this workforce is taken away, labor shortages will force businesses to raise wages, which sounds positive at first, but ultimately means higher costs for all consumers, not just Democrats. The economic contributions of undocumented immigrants extend far beyond labor, AILA said. In 2022, they paid nearly $47 billion in federal taxes and more than
$29 billion in state and local taxes, helping fund essential services from education to infrastructure. They contributed another $22.6 billion to Social Security and $5.7 billion to Medicare — funds that help sustain these programs as the U.S. population ages. The loss of these contributions would strain the U.S. social safety net, leaving it in a more precarious position for future generations.
The report also highlights that approximately 1 million undocumented entrepreneurs generated $27 billion in business income in 2022. Many operate small neighborhood businesses that drive local economies and provide jobs for American citizens. Imagine the impact on communities if these businesses were forced to close — lost jobs, shuttered storefronts, and reduced spending power.
Perhaps the most startling takeaway is the potential effect on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mass deportation would reduce GDP by an estimated 4.2 to 6.8% — a hit comparable to the Great Recession of 2007–2009, the report found. For context, this
would mean a loss of up to $1.7 trillion annually. As the GDP contracts, the impact on consumers would be devastating, as businesses downsize, wages stall, and inflation rises, all of which would further erode Americans’ purchasing power.
In short, the pursuit of mass deportation could fundamentally reshape the American economy and weaken consumer stability while increasing inflation and costs. Rather than embracing solutions that target immigrants, the nation and its lawmakers would be wise to pursue policies that integrate, rather than expel, those who are already contributing to its prosperity.
It’s time to recognize that undocumented immigrants are more than a statistic — they are an essential part of the American economic engine, supporting industries and bolstering our social safety net. To ignore this is to jeopardize America and all Americans.
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.
International News
UK Conservatives pick first Black woman to head major British party
By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
LONDON — Outspoken, right-leaning lawmaker Kemi Badenoch was named leader of Britain’s opposition Conservatives on Saturday, as the party tries to rebound from a crushing election defeat that ended its 14 years in power.
The first Black woman to lead a major British political party, Badenoch (pronounced BADE-enock) has pledged to bring the right-of-center Tories “renewal” by pushing for a smaller state and rejecting identity politics.
Badenoch defeated rival candidate Robert Jenrick in an online and postal ballot of party members, securing 57% of the almost 100,000 votes cast to Jenrick’s 43%.
Badenoch, 44, replaced former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who led the Conservatives to their worst election result since 1832 in July.
The new leader’s challenge is to restore the party’s reputation after years of division, scandal, and economic tumult; hammer Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s policies on key issues, including the economy and immigration; and return the Conservatives to power at the next election, due by 2029.
“The task that stands before us is tough but simple,” Badenoch said in a victory speech to a roomful of Conservative lawmakers, staff, and journalists in London. She said the party’s job was to hold the Labour government to account, and to craft pledges and a plan for government.
Addressing the party’s election drubbing, she said, “We have to be honest — honest about the fact that we made mistakes, honest about the fact that we let standards slip.
“The time has come to tell the truth; to stand up for our principles; to plan for our future; to reset our politics and our thinking; and to give our party, and our country, the new start that they deserve.”
Badenoch was born in London to Nigerian parents and spent much of her childhood in the West African country. She served as a business secretary in Sunak’s government.
The former software engineer depicts herself as a disruptor, arguing for a lowtax, free-market economy and pledging to “rewire, reboot, and reprogram” the British state. Like her rival Jenrick, she has criticized multiculturalism and called for lower
immigration, although unlike him, she has not demanded that Britain leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
A self-proclaimed enemy of wokeness, Badenoch opposes identity politics, gender-neutral bathrooms, and government plans to reduce carbon emissions in the UK. During the leadership campaign, she drew criticism for saying that “not all cultures are equally valid,” and for suggesting that maternity pay was excessive.
Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said the Conservative Party was likely to “swing towards the right, both in terms of its economic policies and its social policies” under Badenoch.
He predicted Badenoch would pursue “what you might call the boats, boilers, and bathrooms strategy .... focusing very much on the trans issue, the immigration issue, and skepticism about prog -
ress towards net zero.”
While the Conservative Party is not representative of the country as a whole (its dwindling membership of 132,000 is largely made up of affluent, older white men), its upper echelons have become markedly more diverse.
Badenoch is the Tories’ fourth female leader, after Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May, and Liz Truss, all of whom became prime minister. She’s the second Conservative leader of color, after Sunak, and the first with African roots. The center-left Labour Party has a more diverse membership, but has only ever been led by white men.
In a leadership contest that lasted more than three months, Conservative lawmakers reduced the field from six candidates in a series of votes before putting the final two to the wider party membership.
Both finalists came from the right of the
party, and argued they could win voters back from Reform UK, the hard-right, antiimmigrant party led by populist politician Nigel Farage that has eaten away at Conservative support, but the party also lost many voters to the winning party, Labour, and to the centrist Liberal Democrats. Some Conservatives worry that tacking right will lead the party away from public opinion.
Starmer’s government has had a rocky first few months in office, beset by negative headlines, fiscal gloom, and a plummeting approval rating, but Bale said the historical record suggests the odds are against Badenoch leading the Conservatives back to power in 2029.
“It’s quite unusual for someone to take over when a party gets very badly beaten and manages to lead it to election victory,” he said. “However, Keir Starmer did exactly that after 2019. So records are there to be broken.”
Kemi Badenoch (Photo by Jacob Groet via Wikimedia)
Young voters are playing a vital role in election, despite misgivings
By ANDY HARRIS and JIANA SMITH Special to the AmNews
On Election Day, America’s youth have the opportunity to make their voices heard once again.
There has been much discussion about young voters, who the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University consider to be young people ages 18 to 34. Who will they vote for between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris? In some cases, it’s neither.
Young people are also less likely to vote, according to Our World in Data, which found that among registered voters, only 51% of citizens ages 18 to 24 and 60% of those ages 25 to 34 turned out to the polls in 2020.
Still, young Americans could play a major role in this year’s election, just as they did in the 2020 election, when Joe Biden dominated voters under 30.
“I know a lot of us that aren’t into politics, we kind of just shy away from it,” said James Watson, a 33-year-old Manhattan resident. “But these last couple of elections, I’ve been very vocal about what needs to happen and what needs to change in order for society to make a move forward instead of steps backward.”
Many expected voters appeared reinvigorated when Harris became the Democrat-
ic nominee. At 60, Harris is the younger candidate in the race against the 78-yearold Trump. This starkly contrasts feelings of discouragement at the sight of another Biden campaign. At 81, many young voters believed it was time for a younger candidate to become the face of the Democratic Party.
Watson said he was worried when Biden was still in the race due to how demanding the position is.
“I know the type of stress that it can take on a person’s body, on a person’s mental health,” said Watson. “And he was visually declining. We all knew it.”
Manhattan resident Murlin St. Jean, 29, said he was also unenthused by the Biden campaign, but is happy about Kamala Harris.
“When [Biden] was in the race, I don’t think I was gonna vote at all,” said St. Jean, who recently moved from Florida. “As soon as Harris got in, that’s when I planned to register.”
The problem for presidential hopeful Kamala Harris is the same as four years ago: only some are enthusiastic about her being the nominee. Three distinct things deter voters from fully supporting the Vice President’s campaign. The first is her connection to President Biden. Many feel that she, being one half of the Biden-Harris ticket, will be no different as a president than See YOUNG VOTERS on page 27
A table for Kamala Harris pins at Washington Square Park. Around 60% of “likely” voters between 18 and 34 plan on voting for Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential election, according to the Harvard Youth Poll. (Jiana Smith photo)
Arts & Entertainment Quincy Jones, peerless producer, composer, and connoisseur of sound, passes at 91
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
No publication, no matter how extensive the obit, can capture the essence of the life and legacy of Quincy Jones. To cite that he was an extraordinary trumpet master, producer of “Thriller,” composer of music for films and television, only begins his remarkable stay among us, which ended Nov. 3, Sunday night at his home in Bel-Air, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson. He was 91.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
His passing is not only a great loss to his family, but he leaves behind an impressive slice of Americana that will never be lost or replicated. His accomplishments are absolutely astonishing, milestones so incredible that in his autobiography “Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones,” he called on others for their contributions. Even so, he offered this personal blurb: “Music was the one thing I could control,” he wrote. “It was the one world that offered me freedom. When I played music, my nightmares ended. My family problems disappeared. I didn’t have to search for answers. The answers lay no further than in the bell of my trumpet and my scrawled penciled notes.
“Music made me full, strong, popular, self-reliant, and cool,” he continued. “The men who played it were proud, funny, worldly, and dap dressers. The New York cats and kittens who came through town were like kings and queens.”
Two of the towns these flashy musicians came through were Chicago, where he was born March 14, 1933, and Seattle where he spent his formative years and began his musical development. At the very beginning, and as soon as he had learned the intricacy of his instrument, his prodigious chops were evident, so much so that he played backup to the legendary Billie Holiday, and toured with Lionel Hampton, while still in his teens.
Lucy Jackson, one of the numerous friends and associates cited in his 13-page acknowledgments in his book, recalled that Jones got his “music from his mother,” she began. “She played piano too, but not jazz. Religious music was her style.” Sarah Jones, she declared, was quite a woman before she got sick. “My mother had gone away
and Bumps Blackwell, assuring him of solid introductions to bandleaders.
He was on the bus with Lionel Hampton’s band when Gladys Hampton, his wife, surveyed the bus and asked Lionel “What’s that boy doin’ back there?” “He’s in the band,” Hamp replied. She told her husband that Quincy was not a man but a boy. “You get back in school,” she told Quincy. “Get your education. When you’re finished, call us. Maybe we’ll find a place for you then.”
sick one day and she never came back,” Jones once said.
Quincy’s first public performance was not on the trumpet but as a singer in an a cappella group led by Joseph Powe, former director of the famous Black gospel choir called Wings Over Jordan. “Mr. Powe had books by Glenn Miller on arranging and Frank Skinner’s book on film scoring at his house,” he recalled. “I asked him if I could babysit just so I could study his scores and arrangements. He agreed and I couldn’t get enough. I was in heaven.”
From hanging around jook joints and perfecting his ability to shine shoes of pimps, he heard the music and learned about the nightlife and culture of the top musicians.
Renowned trumpeter Clark Terry remembered Quincy as a “rugrat,” a bothersome young boy begging for lessons. Terry said he had barely finished a gig and grabbed a few winks when Quincy would be waking him up. “We’d work a couple of hours and then he’d go to school,” Terry recounted. “He had a beautiful embouchure. I had to straighten out his upper embouchure a little for high notes and power because his lips used to bleed, but he had great potential.” Quincy was only 13 then.
A year later, Quincy met Ray Charles, who was just two years older. He spent enough time with Ray to refine his musical prowess, learn to cook chicken, and Ray even taught him Braille. He was well prepared in the walk of life and musical skills when he entered Coontz Junior High School. “By the time I graduated Coontz and entered James A. Garfield High School in Seattle in 1947, I had something I didn’t have before: confidence.” He also had references from Ray
Quincy was accepted to study at Seattle University but turned down the offer, feeling the curriculum was too dry. Instead, he accepted a scholarship from the Berklee College of Music. On his way to the famed musical academy, he traveled through Chicago and then on to New York City where one night he met Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, who took him on a trip to a dope house. After forking over his last 17 dollars to Bird, money he had earned writing an arrangement for pianist Oscar Peterson, Quincy waited in vain for Bird to come out of the house where he had gone to feed his habit.
A few years later, the academy behind him, Quincy was an official member of the Hampton band, which was sectioned off on the bus based on your favorite addiction. The mainliners, heroin users, occupied the back of the bus. During one stint in Detroit, Quincy met Malcolm X. Even then, Quincy said, Malcolm had “a certain sureness about him, and dare I say it, a sense of peace.” By 1953, despite his love for the Hampton band, he felt it was time to move on. He was 18.
Three years later, his star still in ascension, he signed with ABC-Paramount Records and a year later embarked for Paris to study with the esteemed Nadia Boulanger, and also become the musical director for the Les Disques Barclay label. While in Europe, he formed The Jones Boys, composed mainly of musicians who performed with Harold Arlen’s “Free and Easy Tour.”
“Nadia,” he wrote, “was one of the greatest teachers of twentieth-century composition. She was the first woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic …” She tutored such luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, and a number of African American musicians such as Donald Byrd. She told Quincy that “Your music can never be more or less than you are as a human being.” His group, The Jones Boys, got rave reviews but the money was scarce.
During his long tenure in Hollywood, Quincy met all the best, brightest, and richest of the town, including Frank Sinatra, whose generosity was memorable for
him, particularly flying boxing great Joe Louis to a heart specialist in Texas. By 1968, Quincy was well ensconced there with his wife, Ulla, and had worked on scoring the film “In Cold Blood,” “one of the best film scores I’ve ever done,” he wrote. Meanwhile, he collaborated with Sinatra on several TV shows and recordings, putting him in touch with other notables — Peggy Lee, Billy Eckstine, and more. He wrote of Sinatra that all you really needed to know of him was his handshake.
Quincy experienced a brain aneurysm in 1974 and a nervous breakdown in 1980, and later resumed his productive career. By this time, Quincy was the personification of success in the recording industry with hits in nearly every genre of music, be it bossa nova, blues, pop, or cinematic. But he rocked the universe in 1983 with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” “Michael was a different kind of entertainer,” he wrote. “Completely dedicated. He practiced his dancing for hours. Every kick, every gesture, every movement was carefully conceived and considered.”
He lamented that Michael “reacted to the externals of our success. It’s like a hurricane in a black hole. It sucks you in and stretches you and spits you out.” He also produced other Jackson bestsellers — “Off the Wall,” “Bad,” and obtained the rights to Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple,” which later became a Stephen Spielberg film. Then came the massive “We Are the World,” and Quincy’s magic was really necessary when you’ve corralled such a studio full of fully developed egos.
Listening to the commentators on MSNBC shower Quincy with praise, and seemingly without teleprompters, was gratifying, particularly the extensive salute by Willie Geist, who opined on Quincy’s genius in conducting music and managing a range of talent.
The list of awards and commendations at the back of Quincy’s autobiography is practically another book.
Geist gave shoutouts to Quincy’s children — Jolie, Rachel, Martina, Quincy Jones III, Kidada (who was dating Túpac Shakur before his death), Rashida, and Kenya. It was while working with Rashida that Quincy explained how different voicings would work as they rearranged parts of Aretha Franklin’s “Somewhere” from “West Side Story,” which she said was one of his favorite productions. “I watched him as he was writing and I thought to myself, ‘That’s him. That’s the essence of him. That’s his immortality.’”
Quincy Jones in his studio in August 1980 (Photo via the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections via Wikimedia.)
Documentary ‘Soundtrack To A Coup D’Etat’ director discusses his stunning film
By NADINE MATTHEWS Special to the AmNews
Opening at Film Forum on Nov. 1, director Johan Grimonprez’s documentary “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat” is a stunning achievement. Grimonprez weaves history, geopolitics, espionage, and music together to create the aurally and visually stunning, thought-provoking film chronicling the circumstances of the 1960 death of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the newly liberated Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a former Belgian colony. Grimonprez makes use of extensive video footage of global early Cold War political giants such as Malcolm X, Khrushchev, Nkrumah, Nassir, Nehru, and others, woven with music and footage of greats such as Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and Art Blakey to capture the hopes, intrigues, and eventual despair of a particular moment in geopolitical time. Speaking recently to the AmNews, the Belgian-born filmmaker said the project, which captured the Special Jury Award for Cinematic Innovation at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, took five years to come together and required a deep dive into the United Nations archives. He recalled instructing interns to “Look for all the speakers at the United Nations General Assembly from the 21st of September to mid October.” The United Nations 15th General Assem-
bly took place Sept. 20, 1960, to Oct. 17, 1960, when there were about 100 countries to the United Nations. Many of those countries were new to the U.N. and populated by people of color. They used the opportunity to continue to advance the notion of complete sovereignty over their nations’ resources, among other things.
As the title suggests, music is central to the film as a soundtrack and a symbol. “In the film, the music is very much a political agent, a historical agent,” Grimonprez said. “It’s not just that the music illustrates the film, but the music is a protagonist as a historical agent.”
One of the main stories is Louis Armstrong’s State Department-sponsored visit to the DRC in 1960. It points out Armstrong was conflicted, given the amount of racial discrimination in the U.S. However, the film focuses on another, more insidious reason he should have been reluctant, and the music, ubiquitous throughout the film, serves as an ominous reminder: Armstrong was sent as a distraction as the CIA and Belgium carried out its operation to kill Lumumba. “Soundtrack” contains footage of an interview with the head of those operations, Larry Devlin.
Pushing back against the myth that colonized nations were somehow passive, the film highlights the efforts made by former colonies, which in the wake of WWII were successively gaining independence, to carve out an autonomous existence and push back
against imperialism. “That’s actually, I think, the story of the United Nations 15th General Assembly, because 16 African countries were going to be admitted, including Congo, and that tips to scale,” Grimonprez said. “It sort of causes a political earthquake where the Afro Asian bloc gains the majority vote, and that was very threatening for both East and West.”
“Soundtrack” makes clear that at key moments, corporations leveraged their relationships with governments to move their agendas forward. “The film is trying to dig into that pivotal moment, at the beginning of the ’60s when Patrice Lumumba was the first democratically elected premier [in the Congo], and how the downfall was orchestrated by the mining industry,” said Grimonprez. Music intensely and insistently drives the film forward from chronicling initial hope to its devastating and inevitable conclusion.
Grimonprez also made a point of including footage of modern-day Congo, drawing a line from its historical significance on the world stage to today. “I didn’t want the film to be a nostalgic trap,” said Grimonprez, “because I think what was set in motion then is actually, in an exponential way, still going on today in the East Congo. I could not not talk about what’s going on today, because it’s the same template, but even worse.”
An iPhone commercial stands out against the rest of the footage in the film, Girmonprez said. “The iPhone commercial is literally a wake-up call. It’s somebody waking up from
the iPhone, and then we have the statistic afterward saying there’s $24 trillion worth of conflict minerals still in the ground.”
Another triumph of the film is its highlighting the position of women, as pawns, instruments of corporate greed, and s agents of their own liberation. There is an interview with Daphne Park, a British intelligence officer stationed in Congo, who explained how political division is strategically created in numerous nations.
“Soundtrack” also brings to the fore Andree Blouin, the glamorous yet tough-asnails advisor to Lumumba. Blouin, born in the Central African Republic, was a political writer, organizer, and speaker who was instrumental in a number of liberation movements in Africa and headed the women’s wing of the Congolese Independence Party.
The film also brings attention to how rape is used as a war tactic. “We have the private militia using rape as a tool of war to empty villages,” said Grimonprez. “If you [have] a map of East Congo and you see the sites of all the mining areas, and where there is a huge amount of mineral deposits, and then the statistics of raped women, there’s a oneto-one correlation.”
A woman singer provides the film’s coda: Abbey Lincoln’s piercing, defiant, extended wail on the floor of the United Nations Security Council that she, Max Roach, and a cadre of other artists crashed in protest in the wake of Lumumba’s murder.
Still from “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat” of Andree Blouin (center) and unidentified individuals (Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber)
Amanda Seales’s one-woman show presents comedic facts with ancestral entertainment
By BRENIKA BANKS Special to the AmNews
African ancestors are said to guide their descendants culturally and spiritually with invaluable wisdom, addressing issues and helping to guide the current generation.
“What Would the Ancestors Say??,” a onewoman show by the newly proclaimed “Artistic Intellectual” Amanda Seales, “former” actress and comedian, fulfills that role at Brooklyn’s Billie Holiday Theatre, the AUDELCO and Obie Award-winning theater dedicated to genuine representation of the African diasporic experience. Brooklyn’s two shows, organized by Smart Funny & Black Productions, took place on Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27.
“What Would the Ancestors Say??” provided truth-telling while invoking laughter from the crowd. Seales’s production included African and Black American history, activism, knowledge, music, and comedic monologues.
“In shedding the ‘actress’ and ‘comedian’ titles, I don’t remove them from my repertoire. However, I do commit to aligning them and my various artistic talents with the goal of education as a practice,” said Seales.
The show also incorporated acting, physical comedy, and sing-alongs with her audience. “The title ‘Artistic Intellectual’ is an amalgam of all of that expertise encapsulated with intention,” said Seales.
Seales has written and performed six of her shows, including “Musical People: How Black Music Moves the Black Experience.” She said her creativity is unlimited as a multi-hyphenate and how fortunate she is to have worked in many artistic mediums.
“The one-woman show has always been a comfortable medium for me,” said Seales.
“What ancestor am I for those who come after me? What world am I creating for my
soul to come back to?” she asked during the show. She emphasized the role of ancestors such as Frederick Douglass and a Revolutionary Afterlife hotline receptionist. Seales used different voices and accents for her various characters.
During her show, Seales said, “Black excellence won’t save us, because it would only mean a certain Black person mastered white supremacy.” She made it clear that Black excellence should exist beyond “the ongoing genocide” in the United States, where only 10.7 million Africans survived the Atlantic slave trade.
The show portrayed African ancestors’ existence as the purpose of Black excellence. Seales indicated that early Africans
in America were forced to navigate life in an unfamiliar land. She also emphasized how African ancestors had to define being a “Black American” on land they couldn’t own.
Seales used Instagram/Meta to promote her one-woman show, although she has reduced her time on those platforms. She described Instagram/Meta as “a limiting and hostile environment” after she didn’t reflect the consensus of the mainstream media about Palestine and the election.
“As an artivist [artist + activist], I thrive on being a free thinker and though IG [Instagram] and many of its followers suppress us, within the theatrical space, I feel limitless and at home,” she said.
Fortunately, Seales has a syndicated radio show, “The Amanda Seales Show,” and podcast, “Small Doses.” They provide financial support while funding her art, which connects her to supporters, also known as the “Seales Squad.” “The grassroots support of the #SealesSquad is a reflection of individuals who truly appreciate what I put out into the world,” she said.
Sadé Council, one member of the Seales Squad and an Amanda Seales Patreon subscriber, came to the Sunday Brooklyn show, eager to experience Seales’s art regardless of the form. She loved the one-woman show, as well as Seale’s previous “Smart, Funny, & Black” shows. Council was intrigued to see Seales’ evolution in her artistry and on-stage performance. “I was curious to see a 90-plus minute one-woman show and it was super-creative and super-interesting,” said Council. “I think she blended all her talents well, yet she kept elements from her previous works.”
Council enjoyed the sing-along part of the show with R&B classic SWV’s “Weak,” a song the majority of the crowd sang along with. She appreciates Seales educating and awakening her audience in an entertaining way. Council is also a fan of the Artistic Intellectual title, saying it embodies everything Seales does. “She has a pedigree behind what she talks about and she’s polarizing because she’s very vocal and passionate — she speaks facts,” said Council. “When you layer on the artistry, it allows folks to resonate with it in a relatable way.” Seales encouraged new and current supporters to “join the Seales Squad, at www. Patreon.com/AmandaSeales for a social media community built on creative content, cultural commentary, and compassionate community.”
For more information, visit https://www. amandaseales.com/.
“Artistic Intellectual” Amanda Seales’ meet-and-greet after her One-Woman Show, “What Would the Ancestors Say??” in Brooklyn, NY (Brenika Banks photos)
Amanda Seales merchandise in lobby of Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn
Brooklyn audience in Billie Holiday Theatre lobby post about “What Would the Ancestors Say??” show
“What Would the Ancestors Say??” attendee looking at statue of NOTORIOUS B.I.G. in Billie Holiday Theatre lobby
“Artistic Intellectual” Amanda Seales and AmNews Journalist Brenika Banks after “What Would the Ancestors Say??” show in Brooklyn
AmNews FOOD
Talking SCHOP! Claiming: Feeling Good Good
KYSHA HARRIS FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC
No, I am not trying to bait you with the title of this piece, especially after this week. As I write this before Tuesday’s election, all I know is I am over it. I even voted early to move through Election Day as if it were just another day. What I do know is that I want freedom (... freedom I can’t move … cut me loose!) from the campaigning, rhetoric, and dram-ala. I just want to feel good-ala.
To counteract this week of anxiety, I knew I needed to go to my happy place, which always includes food, friends, and new experiences. Any permutation of these elements makes me feel right as rain, so I dove into my recent archives of joy and pulled out a Sunday brunch (food) with Melba Wilson (friends) for a first visit to the Good Good (new experience) oatn the corner of Park Avenue and 119th Street.
Walking up to the space gives me all of my 1990’ downtown NYC dining vibes I still require in my life. I am talking about Indochine, Lucky Strike, the Odeon, Nick & Eddie (where I used to be a server), and more. From the gilded lettering and wooden louvered shades on the windows and French-Vietnamese floral accents to
the parlor-style bar, warm- toned leather banquets, and amber lighting, I was transformed into my irreverent 20-somethingyear-old self. The Good Good is the second location for the Masters sisters, Justine and Juliet. Their first Harlem location, the Edge, celebrates their 10th anniversary this year. Congratulations! For the Good Good, they teamed up with NYC restauranteur legend Lesly
Bernard of Tillmans, Clementine, Jones Yakitori, and more. This is why my 1990s hospitality sixth sense was piqued.
Melba and I were seated and immediately ordered a breakfast cocktail. For me, it had to be the Bloody Mary, but Melba got into the breakfast martini of gin, lemon juice, Cointreau, and apricot marmalade. Ma’am! Delicious. I will order that next time.
We started with the salted codfish fritters with jerk lime aioli. When I tell you you bet’ not go and not order these, I mean that with all my heart. Hot, crispy, moist inside, and seasoned like they ought to be. Share if you dare, but why would you? Justine, new lunch item: fritters & fries. We’ll discuss.
For our main courses, I have to get shrimp and grits every time I see it. Melba’s mouth demanded French toast with berries, rum-spiced whipped cream, and maple syrup. That rum-spiced whipped cream is a moment.
While I have only been to the Good Good for brunch, I can tell you the vibes are right, any and every time. Whether for their cocktails (includes zero-proof options) or their Earth-Surf-Turf titled menu, the Good Good will have you leaving feeling better than good. You will feel great.ala. Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a chef, food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant, and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for more than 22 years. Follow her on Instagram, (@SCHOPnyc) and Facebook (@SCHOPnyc).
Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations: email at AmNewsFOOD@ SCHOPnyc.com. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD.
The Good Good breakfast martini
The Good Good codfish fritters
The Good Good shrimp & grits
The Good Good, corner of 119th & Park Avenue (Kysha Harris photos)
EFG London Jazz Festival 2024 promises to be best yet
By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH Special to the AmNews
As the leaves turn and the crisp autumn air settles in, the city of London gears up for one of its most celebrated musical events: the 2024 EFG London Jazz Festival. Set to take place from Nov. 15 to Nov. 24, this year’s festival promises a lineup that spans a wide range of jazz styles, showcasing both legendary artists and innovative newcomers.
The London Jazz Festival has long been a platform for artistic expression, and 2024 is no exception. This year’s program includes performances from world-renowned jazz musicians, as well as exciting collaborations that push the boundaries of the genre. From classic bebop to contemporary fusion, the festival is set to feature an eclectic mix of local and international talent. Notable acts include Meshell Ndegeocello, Kenny Barron Trio, and Lon-
Two-day
don’s fresh talent, Amy Gadiaga. With venues scattered throughout the city, the festival offers jazz lovers an opportunity to explore
London’s cultural tapestry. Locations such as the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, and historic Ronnie Scott’s will host a variety
of performances, while intimate pop-up shows in hidden gems provide a chance to discover emerging artists in a more personal setting.
Beyond the performances, the festival also emphasizes education and community engagement. A series of workshops, masterclasses, and panel discussions will be held throughout the event, allowing aspiring musicians and jazz enthusiasts to learn from the masters. Topics range from the history of jazz to modern improvisation techniques, fostering a deeper appreciation of this art form.
Whether you’re a lifelong jazz aficionado or a curious newcomer, the London Jazz Festival 2024 promises an exhilarating journey through sound. It is set to reaffirm London’s status as a global hub for jazz. Mark your calendars and prepare for a week of unforgettable music, inspiration, and celebration of this timeless art form.
Tickets for the London Jazz Festival 2024 are now available, with a variety of pricing options. Many performances are designed to be family-friendly, encouraging audiences of all ages to engage with the music. The festival is also committed to making its events accessible to all, with venues equipped to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official London Jazz Festival website at www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk.
The London Jazz Festival is committed to celebrating diversity in the jazz community. This year, thighlights include the contributions of underrepresented voices in the genre, featuring female artists, musicians from diverse backgrounds, and ensembles that challenge traditional norms. The festival aims to create an inclusive environment where everyone can experience the transformative power of jazz.
comedy-charity event brings laughter + community impact to NYC
By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews
In a city that celebrates both basketball and comedy with unmatched enthusiasm, a unique two-day event is bridging these worlds for a meaningful cause. Starting Friday, Nov. 15, at the Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea, Manhattan, this collaboration unites comedians, athletes, and fans, with proceeds supporting the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc. (MPBP, Inc.), a nonprofit devoted to empowering communities and providing essential support to the families of professional athletes.
On Friday night, comedy enthusiasts can expect a show packed with laughs, hosted by Brooklyn’s own John Salley. Known for his prowess on the court as a fourtime NBA champion, Salley is equally at home on stage, bringing his comedic flair to audiences as master of ceremonies. The lineup is a blend of established talent and rising stars, including Def Comedy Jam’s Alonzo “Hamburger” Jones, Paul C. Morrissey (“Late Show with David Letterman”), Forrest Shaw, Christina Walksinshaw, and Canada’s Nitish Sakhuja. Each of these performers is set to deliver routines that will be recorded live for a Comedy
Records album release, with proceeds from the event directed entirely to MPBP, Inc.
Founded in 1996 by Charlotte Brandon and 22 other mothers, MPBP, Inc. has grown from a closeknit support group into a nationwide network that advocates for the families of professional basketball players. The organization has long worked to empower its members through volunteerism and charity, addressing challenges that these mothers encounter while helping their children navigate high-stakes sports careers. The support provided by MPBP, Inc. has been a lifeline for many, offering essential resources to families often thrust into the complexities of the sports industry.
Salley and his roster of comedic talent are hoping to draw attention to the organization’s mission, a goal that the second day of the event will highlight further. On Sunday, Nov. 17, the energy shifts from the comedy club to the basketball court at LaGuardia Community College. Here, comedians from the New York Comedy Festival and retired NBA and WNBA stars will meet for a charity basketball game. Head coach Linda Shanklin, MPBP, Inc. president and mother of NBA star Andre Iguodala, will lead the team of comedy stars and pro athletes in
an afternoon of fun, competition, and fundraising. Among the former pros taking to the court are Coach Daynia La-Force, mother of LA Clippers player Terance Mann; and NBA legends Albert King, Sam Worthen, “Smush” Parker, and WNBA veteran Michelle Reed. Adding to the event’s allure is a pre-game podcast, Courtside Moms, hosted by Daynia La-Force and Wendy
Sparks, mother of Khem Birch, followed by a halftime show featuring Midori & Friends, a nonprofit that champions music education for underserved youth in New York City. The event will also include a silent auction and trophy presentation, for an afternoon packed with entertainment and purpose.
MPBP’s efforts focus not only on family support but also on personal empowerment. At the heart
of its mission is the “Don’t Forget About You” program, which promotes holistic well-being for women by addressing mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and social health. This program aims to provide a solid foundation for women who are often tasked with caring for others by reinforcing the importance of self-care to maintain resilience and support their communities.
The weekend promises to be an inspiring blend of humor, sportsmanship, and community support, reminding attendees of the impact that can be achieved when different worlds come together for a meaningful cause.
Tickets for both events are available through Showclix. For more details about the organization, visit MPBP’s website. The schedule is:
Comedy Night: Friday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m., Gotham Comedy Club Charity Basketball Game: Sunday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m., LaGuardia Community College
Follow on social media: John Salley: @thejohnsalley (X) Comedy Records: @comedyrecords (IG), @ComedyRecords (X), Comedy Records (FB), @ComedyRecords (YouTube) MPBP, Inc.: @mpbp_inc (IG), MPBP, Inc. (FB), @MPBP16 (X)
London Jazz Festival 2023 (Photo courtesy of London Jazz Festival)
John Salley (Contributed photo)
‘Ragtime’ is relevant and riveting at New York City Center
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
You will feel like you are floating on the “Wheels of a Dream” as you sit in the New York City Center (W. 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) and experience a beautiful revival of “Ragtime,” which opened at the center’s gala night on Wednesday, Oct. 30 — and it was unbelievable! I was thrilled to hear this classic musical would be presented by New York City Center as it celebrates more than 80 years of bringing the best in the arts to the stage.
The production is marvelous. The story of the racism, injustice, and the indignities that Black and immigrant people have experienced in this country is very rel-
evant, especially today. The book by Terrence McNally, adapted from the E.L. Doctorow’s novel,is important and the music by Stephen Flaherty, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, will touch your heart and soul on many levels. These songs show the societal issues that are in this country’s past and present, and the story of Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Sarah will make you take pause. What is interesting about this musical is it shows that marginalized communities have always faced insurmountable obstacles, but will not only manage to persevere but to thrive. Walker is a man who loses everything, but still manages to let his voice, anger, and message be heard and he inspires the community
around him that supported his efforts toward justice.
The cast of this musical is large and so is their talent. Joshua Henry as Walker comes into the role with a powerful vocal instrument and a massive stature that takes the character to amazing heights. Henry shows every emotion that his character feels and he makes you feel it as well. Nichelle Lewis is stunning as Sarah — her performance is gentle, but also fierce when it needs to be. The cast give the production their absolute all and are phenomenal to experience.
Watching this production will make you laugh, get angry, smile, and feel pride in what people can accomplish despite the trials they face in life. This musical touches
on so many relevant issues besides the ones already named. It looks at the relationships between family members and how we grow when we realize we don’t have to accept a limiting relationship. We can stand up for what is right and decent.
The cast includes Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, Matthew Lamb, John Clay III, Ben Levi Ross, Rodd Cyrus, Stephanie Styles, Shaina Taub, Colin Donnell, and Tabitha Lawing. The large ensemble company is also splendid. Every moment of this show flows effortlessly.
Choreography is by Ellenore Scott, music direction by James Moore, and direction is by the incomparable Lear Debessonet. The presentation of this production is vibrant, featuring
scenic and projection design by David Rockwell, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Adam Honore, sound design by Kai Harada, and hair and wig design by Tom Watson. There are so many memorable songs in this production that I guarantee there will be moments you’ll feel chills as these thespians sing their hearts out. You only have until Nov. 10 to experience “Ragtime.” There will be a performance with ASL Interpretation on Nov. 7 (7:30 p.m.) and a post-show Community Night on Nov. 8 (7:30 p.m.), with guests from the Amsterdam News, Tenement Museum, and Urban League. For more information, visit www.nycitycenter.org.
(L-R) Nichelle Lewis and Joshua Henry in scene from “Ragtime” at New York City Center (Joan Marcus photo)
‘Sunset Blvd.’ is outrageously ingenious
By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews
“Sunset Blvd” has set a new standard on Broadway. Director James Lloyd has managed to perfectly fuse Broadway and cinematography — especially black-and-white film — together to make a priceless theater experience. Lloyd’s reimagining of “Sunset Blvd.” is outrageously ingenious, innovative,and startlingly funny. With the book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this “Sunset Blvd.” puts a close-up on Broadway brilliance.
This is a “Sunset Blvd.” for the ages and it accomplishes what lead character Norma Desmond believes in — giving the audience the story, not just through words, but through facial expressions and emotions. This “Sunset Blvd.” takes away the glamor and glitter of the storyline to focus on the world and songs, and the fact that a movie star’s life is one that can easily be shattered.
This version of the classic musical is not just about a forgotten actress of yesteryear trying to revive her career and receive love from “the people out there in the dark”; she also wants to feel attractive to a young writer. This storyline is often performed with a great degree of seriousness, but Lloyd presents it with delightful humor. There is so much love and respect for the art of cinematography, strengthened by camerapeople being on stage throughout the production, doing live close-ups that project castmembers’ highlighted faces, especially their eyes and facial gestures. You experience the joy, disappointment, frustration, and pain they are feeling.
Nicole Scherzinger portrays Norma with care, respect, humor, sensuality, and vulnerability. Her voice gives you chills — her instrument is stupendous and her dancing is flawless. Scherzinger took the audience by storm and cemented their love for her with every song; her voice is gorgeous and she completely put
her heart and soul into every number. You will scream, holler, and cheer for Scherzinger and beg for more.
David Thaxton devours the role of Max Von Mayerling, her chauffeur, caregiver, and so much more. His dedication to protecting her and never allowing her to surrender is very touching. Thaxton’s voice is superb, and his delivery of the role is versatile and filled with intense and often funny moments.
Tom Francis is charming as Joe Gillis, the young writer and Norma’s love interest. He plays the role with both flair and fun. The chemistry between him and Scherzinger is captivating — you can feel his disdain for her, but also his pity.
Grace Hodgett Young is moving as she makes her Broadway debut in the role of Betty Schaefer. I appreciated the non-traditional casting choice and she definitely holds her own. Hannah Yun Chamberlain is tremendous in the role of Young Norma. Her dancing is intoxicating to behold.
There is also a large, marvelous group of ensemble actors who make everything pop. Again, the creativity of Lloyd is admirable. This musical does things you don’t find in other Broadway musicals: It takes live theater and cinematography, and puts them in real time in a way that surprises, excites, and ignites the energy of the audience. This musical will have you looking at your Broadway experience in an entirely different light.
Choreography is by Fabian Aloise and music supervision and direction by Alan Williams. Video design and cinematography are the brainchild of Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom. The musical features scenic and costume design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Jack Knowles, sound design by Adam Fisher, and hair and makeup design by Cheryl Thomas. If you only see one musical this season, this should be it! For more info, visit www.sunsetblvdbroadway.com.
Tom Francis and Nicole Scherzinger in scene from ‘Sunset Blvd.,’ playing at St. James Theatre. (Marc Brenner photo)
AACM at Symphony Space, James Moody Fest, Teddy Royal
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), known for its musical explorations that push traditional realms into another listening orbit, brings its avant garde stylings to Manhattan’s Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th Street) in the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater on Nov. 8 (7:30 p.m.).
The AACM Concert Series 2024 (New York City chapter established in 1983) will present a celebrated group of music visionaries featuring vocalist/composer Iqua Colson with renowned string musicians, violinist Marlene Rice, guitarist Brandon Ross, NEA Jazz Master bassist Reggie Workman, and pianist Adegoke Steve Colson. The program also features Declan Sheehy-Moss.
Iqua Colson delivers an inventive vocal style that swings in spirited lyricism and improvisation. In the Downbeat AACM 50th Anniversary issue, vocalist/educator Colson is described as one of the ‘ACCM’s Powerful Women,’ along with pianist-composer-singer Amina Claudine Myers, and flutist Nicole Mitchell, among others.
Adegoke Colson fits into that small category of genius piano composers whose work effortlessly flows from trios to orchestras. He’s arranged, orchestrated, and conducted the music of Willie “The Lion” Smith for the national Lost Jazz Shrines project, collaborating with artist Willie Cole, as well as poet, author, and revolutionary Amiri Baraka. On his acclaimed album “The Untarnished Dream,” he leads a trio featuring jazz masters Andrew Cyrille and Reggie Workman, with musical partner and wife Iqua on several vocal tracks, released on the couple’s Silver Sphinx label.
Workman joins Colson as an independent jazz institution. Not being aware of Workman is like saying “Oh, I didn’t know birds had wings or a bass has strings.” Briefly, the bassist enjoyed a long-standing recording and touring stint with John Coltrane, Art Blakey, and the Jazz Messengers, Max Roach and Thelonious Monk, and a decade with Trio 3 featuring Oliver Lake and Andrew Cyrille. When not performing, he is a professor at the New School College of Performing Arts. As we reference Workman’s illustrious career,
one may wonder why such an icon isn’t busy on month-long residencies at clubs like the Blue Note, or at least a week at Dizzy’s or Village Vanguard, hmmm?
Brooklyn native, tenor saxophonist, and electronic wind instrument (EWI) player Declan Sheehy-Moss, with his latest ensemble Bounce, offers the perspective of a younger generation combining elements of modern jazz, pop, and funk; guitar pedals and other electronics are used alongside typical acoustic instruments to broaden the sonic orbit of so-called jazz. His exuberant musicians include pianist and prophet Rahul Carlberg, drummer Alex Yoo, guitarist Tim Watson, and bassist David Macchione.
The AACM continues at Symphony Space on Nov. 20 with two performances led by master percussionists and composers Reggie Nicholson and Thurman Barker. The latter will feature cellist Akua Dixon, vocalist Fay Victor, pianist Rob Schwimmer, and Barker.
It is a rare occurrence for AACM (co-founded in Chicago 1965) to present its annual concerts on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. It is a surprise and rare treat for music
voyagers. Their shows usually take place on the Lower East Side, which seems like the real incubator where avant gardism strives. However, it seems whenever the music comes uptown it blossoms, and clubs featuring such great musicians get an opportunity to share their artistic concepts with new audiences and, of course, fans, who like their music somewhat out of the traditional jazz ethos. For complete listings and ticket info, visit symphonyspace.org or call 212-864-5400.
For some, New Jersey is considered geographically undesirable and a hassle to get to. But since its 1997 inception, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark has become more desirable and will be even more enticing with the 13th Annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival running from Nov. 7-24. Presented at various locations throughout Newark, the 2024 festival comprises an eclectic range of jazz-infused performances with interpreters of the Great American Songbook John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell to Pulitzer Prize-winning percussionist Tyshawn Sorey.
weekly Thursday Afternoon Live from Harlem Series at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, with featured guest Teddy Royal. Who is he? I had no idea. The JFA promo noted he was Fats Domino’s guitarist for 30 years. What, he played with Fats Domino, aka “The Fatman”?! Damn, I gotta go, if he played with one of the most electrifying R&B, blues singers in America, he has to be at least exceptional.
Nov. 14 will be one of the festival’s most engrossing evenings and will corral funksters, rockers, R&B, and jazz folks in one space featuring the likes of Philly’s GRAMMY-winning soul vocalist Bilal; vocalist, songwriter, producer Nona Hendryx; bassist Christian McBride; tap dancer Savion Glover; guitarist Vernon Reid (Living Colour founder), and legendary funkmaster George Clinton, with Ray Chew as musical director. The musicians will celebrate the hits of p-funk, Prince, and James Brown. That big band thrill with a roaring brass section, cascading piano harmonies, hard-hittin’ drum licks will rise-up as NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor Christian McBride leads his big band with a fierce lineup of vocalists: Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire), Lisa Fischer (Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross) and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Dianne Reeves. The festival ends Nov. 24 selecting the winner of the annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Complete festival details can be found at NJPAC.org/jazz.
Most recently, the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) presented its
Royal did not disappoint and he was a total delight. The museum was packed to standing room only. Royal and his trio, organist Richard Budesa and drummer Zac Kreuz, were blazing. They offered fiery jazzy blues interpretations of standards like “When the Saints go Marching In,” Wes Montgomery’s “California Nights,” Miles Davis’s “So What,” Fats’s own “I’m Walkin,” and originals by Royal “Tomorrow I Shall Love You,” “Morning Groove,” and “Red Beans.” Royal, who currently lives in Atlantic City but spent 40 years in New Orleans, inherited that Crescent blues sound infused in his bold guitar licks reminiscence of his idol and influence Wes Montgomery. “I can feel his music whenever I play,” said Royal. “I’ve always wanted to play in New York as a leader. I’ve played here in the past mostly at the Apollo Theater, and the Beacon Theater with Fats but man, this is my first time playing here as a leader, I finally made it, this is a real honor.” He started his career as a teenager playing with the Four Pennies, who were from Tampa, Florida. The group’s leader John Myers had to get permission from Royal’s mom to join them on tour. They played throughout Canada, as well as the Sugar Shack in Boston. Over the years, Royal’s soul guitar was an asset to such artists as Patti LaBelle, the Staple Singers, Neville Brothers, blues harmonica singer James Cotton, Allen Toussaint, Koko Taylor, and Lou Rawls. He appeared on King Floyd’s hit single “Groove Me,” and toured with R&B, blues singer Dorothy Moore of “Misty Blue” fame, playing at Madison Square Garden on a few occasions. As a member of Domino’s band, he appeared on Clint Eastwood’s film soundtrack “Every Which Way but Loose” (1978). Royal has recorded four albums as a leader.
“I would love to play at Birdland, I’m well-seasoned and ready to play,” said Royal. The JFA performance can be seen on YouTube along with some of his other outstanding performances.
Teddy Royal (Ron Scott Associates photos, AmNews photo illustration)
More than 1 million New Yorkers cast early ballots
By RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH, JONATHAN CUSTODIO, and GWYNNE HOGAN THE CITY
A near record number of New Yorkers voted early this election cycle.
According to the city Board of Elections’ unofficial tally, 1,089,328 voters cast ballots in the early voting period, which ran from Oct. 26 through Nov. 3.
That’s just shy of the 1.1 million early voters that turned out in 2020, the first presidential election in which early voting was allowed in New York. Voters then endured long lines, chaos, and COVID-19-related complications at 88 early voting sites that were often unable to meet demand.
But in 2024, the city opened 155 early voting sites — and by almost all accounts, voting proceeded efficiently and without delay. On Sunday alone, 149,319 New Yorkers voted early, the highest single-day early voting total in NYC history, according to the Board.
All in all, the number of people who voted represented about 20% of registered voters in the city. Polls opened on Election Day at 6 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m. The Board of Elections, which predicted a busy day with some lines, offered an Election Day wait time map.
Michelle Quimi, 31, who works at a charter school in the Bronx, was among early voters when she cast her ballot last week at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Community Center, located at the NYCHA Sotomayor Houses in Soundview.
“I do work in the education system so sometimes the polls during Election Day are, like, really packed, and I don’t want to miss a chance,” she told THE CITY, just after casting her vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
At the top of the ballot, the presidential race has gotten major attention last week from Puerto Ricans in the Bronx, migrants living in the city’s shelters, and progressives send-
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more conservative federal judges, as well as the heads of federal departments.
One of the few bright spots was the first-ever election of two Black women to the Senate as Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester and Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks won their respective races. In New York, Democrats Josh Riley and State Sen. John Mannion won two important swing districts were won.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) were also victorious in their respective races. “Thank you to the people of the Bronx and Queens for re-electing me to another term in Congress,” AOC posted. “As a former waitress, I never thought serving in Congress would ever be a reality. It will always remain the honor of my life to serve our community.”
Trump’s language and behavior during
ing handwritten notes to swing states in such high numbers that they’ve bought out postcard stamps at post offices all across the city.
Juditch Pisano, a 67-year-old Puerto Rican living in Bensonhurst, said she heard the notorious “garbage island” joke told by a comedian at former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally — but that didn’t change her mind.
“Who else but Trump? He’s my man. I think he’s great,” she said. “He’s a strong man even though maybe they don’t like the way he talks. So what? What we need is the best for our country, for our kids, and our children that have seven grandkids.”
The races to watch in the five boroughs include several state-level contests in purple parts of the city that could see Republicans gain a bigger share of the heavily blue state legislature. But educating voters attuned to the top of the ticket about those State Senate and Assembly races has been tough for candidates.
Even in a super tight legislative race in Howard Beach — where the Democratic incumbent won by just 15 votes last time around — voters have hardly registered the competitiveness of the contest, or anything about the candidates.
Judge races are also on the ballot, with a handful of competitive races for judicial jobs that will affect how thousands of cases are adjudicated in local courts every year.
And New Yorkers have flipped their ballots to find a series of six questions: one to change the state constitution, and the rest to change the City Charter. Proposal 1, an amendment to strengthen antidiscrimination rights and enshrine the right to an abortion in the state, has faced major pushback from New York Republicans and rightleaning advocates who have fought it on the grounds that it would give new rights to trans people and immigrants.
the campaign sparked growing warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage, and suggested suspending the Constitution. Some who served in his first White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, either declined to endorse him or issued dire public warnings about his return to the presidency.
Black and Brown Americans and other marginalized citizens and immigrants face an uncertain future in a second Trump term, which, by all indications, will be more conservative and have fewer restraints than his first term.
“The outcome of this 2024 presidential election represents a stark divide,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson
Locally, ballot questions two through six deal with citylevel government reforms set forth by a commission convened by Mayor Eric Adams over the summer. City Hall says they’re common sense changes that will make city operations easier, but opponents in the City Council are campaigning hard against them, saying they amount to a rush-through power grab by the mayor.
Tanya Campbell, 52, told THE CITY after voting last week at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Community Center in Soundview, “I don’t want Trump in office, and I want to give a Black woman a shot.”
Campbell, who had her 10-year-old son Wendell in tow, added “I told my son too many people died for Black people to have this privilege or for people as a whole to have this privilege. And I’m taking him to see what he needs to do when [he] comes of that age. Vote.”
The top-of-the-ballot contest pushed Dave, a teacher from Bensonhurst who declined to share his last name, to cast an early vote for Trump — the first time he did so. For him, the influx of migrants galvanized him to vote Republican.
“I do see that they were trying to open a migrant shelter around here recently,” he said. “I was really against that. This issue falls to Democrats.”
in a statement. “It’s a sobering reminder of the work we need to do to bridge these divides and ensure that our voices are heard. As we move forward, we must remain vigilant and committed to advocating for our residents.
“Regardless of who serves as Commander-in-Chief, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to protect the rights of our families and ensure that our community’s needs are prioritized. In these times of uncertainty, it’s vital that we come together, regardless of political affiliation, to safeguard our residents’ rights and well-being. Our strength lies in our unity, and we must not allow divisiveness to distract us from the work at hand.”
A large number of New Yorkers took advantage of early and absentee voting. (Damaso Reyes/AmNews photo)
CLASSROOM IN THE
Howard Rollins, a compelling actor on television and film
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
Among the top theater stories is the current revival of the musical “Ragtime,” not on Broadway but at the New York City Center. Any mention of ragtime brings to mind Scott Joplin, whose mastery of the genre is well known, and Howard E. Rollins, Jr., the actor who portrayed one of the leading characters in the film version of E.L. Doctorow’s captivating novel.
Rollins, best known for his role as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the 1981 film, was born October 17, 1950 in Baltimore. He was the youngest of Howard Ellsworth Rollins and Ruth’s four children. His father worked in the steel industry and his mother was a housekeeper. Rollins attended Northern High School from which he graduated in 1968. He went almost immediately to Towson University where
he studied theater.
It was a brief stay at Towson before he left to take a role of Slick in the PBS soap opera “Our Street.” He moved to New York City in 1974 and appeared in several productions, including “We Interrupt This Program” (1975), “The Mighty Gents” (1978), and “G.R. Point” (1979). More notably he performed in television miniseries “King” and “Roots: The Next Generation.” Rollins made his film debut in “Ragtime” in 1981. His performance in the film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1982 (John Gielgud won the award for his role in “Arthur.”)
In 1983, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his role on “Another World.” Also, during this year he portrayed Medgar Evers in “For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story,” based on the book by his widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams.
The following year he was back in films in Norman Jewison’s “A Soldier’s Story.” His relationship with Jewison continued with his role as Virgil Tibbs on television series “In the Heat of the Night” that began in 1988.
During this phase of acting career, Rollins was troubled with alcohol and drug addiction. He was arrested four times for being under the influence and reckless driving. At the end of the sixth season of the series, he was dismissed.
He made several guest appearances on the show and for the 1991 Christmas CD of the show with music by Randall Franks; it featured Rollins telling a Christmas story to children related to fellow cast members. He regained sobriety and worked to reestablish his career, even performing in a film entitled “Drunks.” In 1996, his last television role in his lifetime, he appeared in a guest role on “Remem-
ber WENN.” His final acting role was in the 1996 television movie “Harambee!” Later, in the fall of 1996, he was diagnosed with AIDS, and six weeks later on December 6, he died at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City from lymphoma-related complications.
His funeral was held on December 13 in his hometown of Baltimore and he is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery. In 2006, a wax statue of him was unveiled at the Senator Theater in Baltimore and he was inducted into the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. He never married or had any children. Baseball great, Jimmy Rollins, is a distant relative.
Included among his awards are nominations for two Golden Globes and an Emmy, and a New York Film Critics Circle award. He was honored with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 1989.
ACTIVITIES
FIND OUT MORE
BET and Jet magazine are two sources with extensive coverage of his career, particularly his death.
DISCUSSION
There is no indication of how he contracted AIDS or how long he lived with it.
PLACE IN CONTEXT
Rollins was 46 when he died but he nonetheless accomplished quite a bit of screen successes.
THIS WEEK IN BLACK HISTORY
Nov. 5, 1836: Theo Wright makes history as first Black person to receive a Theology Degree in the U.S.
Nov. 6, 1880: George Coleman Poage, the first African Americans to win an Olympic medal was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He died in 1962
Nov. 8, 1952: Actress Alfre Woodard was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Howard Rollins in “A Solider’s Story”
The storefront of a small clothing business near New York University urges people to vote. Around 57% of young voters between 18 and 34 are “extremely likely” to vote in the 2024 Presidential election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. (Jiana Smith photo)
Young voters
Continued from page 16
Biden was. That has been one of the biggest attack points of the Trump campaign and it appears to have kept the two virtually even in the swing states.
The second is a result of the previous administration. Several voters are worried the new Harris-Walz administration may not live up to their campaign promises. Whether it was an issue of congressional approval or a lack of emphasis, some promises were only partially kept over the last four years.
The third is the war in Gaza. As the violence in the Gaza Strip ensues, many young voters have taken issue with the United States’ involvement in the war. Many hesitate to lend their support to Harris given the public stance she initially made in support of Israel’s right to defend itself. Some feel the urge to vote for third-party candidates. In this election, that nominee would be Jill Stein who is the Green Party’s nominee for president. Others feel the stakes in this election are too high to vote for a third party.
“I think it would be harder to beat Donald Trump if people vote third party because the Democrats need all the votes they can get — especially in swing states,” Sydney Cooper said.
However, the 22-year-old Howard University alumna said she does get why people might move away from the two predominant parties.
9 Tips to Practice Good Credit Hygiene
Good credit can help unlock the door to a brighter future.
That’s not just a metaphor – your credit score is one of the first pieces of information lenders review before approving you for a mortgage, business loan or other purchase requiring finance. A strong credit history could help position you as a more trustworthy borrower.
Think of building credit like practicing good hygiene. The more you maintain good financial habits and clean up past mistakes, the better your credit can be.
demonstrate good financial behavior. It also takes time to rebuild your credit score after delinquencies and late payments.
5. Avoid new debt
Because hard inquiries can also affect your credit score, try to avoid applying for multiple lines of credit in a short period of time. Hard inquiries will appear on your report for two years.
6. Know your debt-to-income ratio
Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward paying off debts. Keep DTI ratios low, as this shows you’re more likely to be able to afford monthly loan payments.
7. Keep low balances
“I do understand why people are voting third party considering the genocide going on,” said Cooper. “But I also think in order to end that, we have to get the lesser of two evil candidates [referencing Harris] in office.”
Many follow the notion that they are voting for the “lesser of two evils” in this election. In 2016, 100 million eligible voters, or only 43% of those eligible, did not cast a vote. That led to Donald Trump defeating Hillary Clinton and changing politics forever. It appeared many were less than enthusiastic about the former secretary of state. Many young voters were hoping for Senator Bernie Sanders to be the nominee that year and were turned off when he didn’t win the Democratic nomination. In 2024, people appear more energetic about the Harris campaign and voters appear more encouraged about the possibility of a Harris presidency. Harris has frequently called this election the “most consequential” election of our lifetime. That rallying cry is sending voters to the polls in the hope of a historic victory.
Watson said while he still feels anxious about the election, he is excited about the prospect of Harris winning.
“We’re in such a pivotal moment in history, simply because we have a female who is running for president —– and not only is she a female, she’s a Black female,” Watson said. “I’m ready, I’m very ready. Because I feel like our voices, especially at this time, need to be heard.”
Shakima Figuera-Collins, a JPMorgan Chase Community Manager in Brooklyn, offers these nine important tips to help establish and maintain good credit health.
1. Check your credit reports
Reviewing your credit report is the first step in finding information that may be affecting your score. You have a credit report with the three major bureaus. You can access your ExperianTM credit report for free with Chase Credit Journey®.
2. Monitor your credit score
This three-digit number can be key to your lender’s decision and helps determine the interest rate offer you’ll receive. With a higher credit score, you may be able to lower your interest rate. Keep in mind, credit score is just one of the many factors considered. The five main categories that determine your credit score are payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and types of credit used (10%).
3. Pay off delinquent accounts
Bring any delinquent accounts current, or work to pay them off when you are able. Delinquencies include past due payments, charge-offs, collections or judgments.
4. Make payments on time
Every on-time payment is important as it helps
Paying off your revolving loans every month is beneficial for your payment history while lowering the total amount owed. Try to keep your balances at or below 30% of your credit limit to help your credit score.
8. Keep accounts open
Closing accounts lowers your total amount of available credit and increases the percentage of credit in use, which can have a negative impact on your score and credit history. Borrowers who have credit available but don’t use it all or pay it off every month likely appear more credible to lenders.
9. Know how much you can afford to spend
Understanding your personal finances helps avoid getting into debt you can’t pay off, which could potentially harm your credit. Knowing and maintaining your personal budget reduces the chances of missing payments.
Keep your credit clean
Building good credit is a gradual process. While it takes time for derogatory marks to disappear from your credit report, there are steps you can take now to start improving your credit score.
As with any healthy routine, once you’ve gotten started, it can be easier to maintain. Over time, you’ll be on your way to establishing healthy credit hygiene and solid financial health.
For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any individual. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content.
Sponsored content by JPMorgan Chase
Americans send messages to the next president
By SHERYL ORING
Since mid August, I have been crisscrossing the country with my vintage typewriter, inviting people to share their messages for the next president through my performance project “I Wish to Say.” Dressed as a 1960s secretary, I aim to create an intimate space where citizens can voice their hopes, con-
cerns, and aspirations for the nation’s future. My collection presents a selection of messages typed during my 2024 fall tour, which has taken me from Pennsylvania to Florida, with stops in New York City, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and more. People of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs – students, retirees, business owners, teachers –have shared their thoughts with me. Using
carbon paper, I create two copies of each message – one sent to the White House, the other preserved in my growing archive of over 4,500 postcards.
My tour will continue through the presidential inauguration and the administration’s first 100 days, with upcoming performances at Scripps College near Los Angeles and Hunter College in New York. I
believe that the act of dictating to a stranger forces people to distill their thoughts. It also challenges people to articulate their deepest concerns with clarity and power.
To explore more messages from this ongoing project, visit my website at https://www. sheryloring.org/i-wish-to-say or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ sheryloring/
Ahniya Butler
Brielle Skinner
Ben Roberts
LaTiashe
Tristan
Sat, Nov 30 @ 8PM
A Thanksgiving feast of today’s funniest comics, with Nephew Tommy, Sheryl Underwood, Finesse Mitchell and Dominique. thanksgiving comedy fest
with MC Kurtis Blow Sun, Dec 8 @ 2 & 7PM NJPAC’s original holiday mash-up remixes Tchaikovsky’s ballet with supercharged hip hop dance (and some surprises)! the hip hop nutcracker
Sun, Dec 1 @ 3PM
Expand your universe with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s thought-provoking talk, Science as a Way of Knowing tyson
Sun, Dec 8 @ 7PM
Feel the warmth of the holidays with two-time GRAMMY®-nominated soul/R&B artist Eric Roberson.
Fri, Dec 6 @ 8PM
Smokey Robinson’s “Really Got a Hold on” NJPAC! The miraculous Motown star returns for a night of soulful hits. smokey robinson
featuring special guest Roman Collins Fri, Dec 20 @ 8PM sold out! Sat, Dec 21 @ 8PM Twelve-time GRAMMY®-winning gospel artist CeCe Winans lights up the holidays with joyful music. christmas with cece winans
Can this HBCU high school help Black student achievement in NYC?
By QUINTESSA WILLIAMS Word in Black
In a historic move for education, New York City will see the launch of its first-ever HBCU Early College Prep High School in September 2025. The school, set to open in southeast Queens, represents an innovative partnership between the NYC Department of Education and Delaware State University (DSU).
The program will allow students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree — at no cost. This initiative, led by Dr. Asya Johnson, chancellor’s master principal of NYC Public Schools, combines rigorous college preparatory education with the legacy and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The idea of creating a high school in New York with HBCU roots came to Johnson during an annual visit to DSU, her alma mater, with some New York high school students interested in touring the school.
“I knew some folks down there, and I (thought), well, I’m going to write this proposal (for the school), and instead of it just
being an early-college high school, it would also offer courses culturally relevant and interesting to its students,” Johnson told Word in Black. “I knew that New York City was really big on innovation, so I thought, let’s have an HBCU early college, where they not only get an associate’s degree but also get the HBCU experience.”
The school’s structure will allow students to earn dual college and high school credits starting in ninth grade. By the time they graduate, students will have enough credits for both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. The program anticipates about 100 students in its first year and plans to expand to between 460 and 500 thereafter.
The program will offer a hybrid model: In the first few years, students will take high school courses at the Queens campus, while DSU faculty will train the high school faculty in how to teach classes from the DSU curriculum. Students will have more flexibility in their junior and senior years, with some college courses available remotely.
The significance of HBCU early college prep in New York
DENTAL Insurance
The opening of this high school in New York City is particularly significant: The city has a vibrant Black diaspora, yet the state lacks an HBCU. Johnson said the school will be the first of its kind in a large public K–12 system and will address and help close the Black-white education gap.
“I had a great experience at Delaware State University, but I often thought about what I did not receive as a student in high school,” she said.
A former principal in the South Bronx and a member of New York City’s Diversity Advisory Group, Johnson said the HBCU Prep curriculum will not only include culturally responsive coursework but also help students meet state academic standards. It “aims to provide students with an academic experience grounded in Black history and culture while also preparing them for the rigors of higher education,” she said.
Nationwide, Black students face significant disparities in education, from lower graduation rates to under-representation in advanced coursework. This program has the potential to alter those disparities by offering accelerated learning opportunities and support systems that are often missing in traditional public school settings.
Studies show that students who take community-college courses while in high school are more likely to finish high school, positioning them for greater success in higher education. Johnson said this school will give them a head start.
“If we can get students to finish a bachelor’s degree by 20, we’re not only changing their lives but also helping their families by reducing financial burdens,” Johnson says.
National relevance and potential impact on education
To qualify for the degree, students must meet the New York State high school graduation requirements: complete 44 high school credits and pass five Regents exams. At the same time, they will complete dualenrollment courses from DSU, which faculty members will oversee to ensure students meet the academic standards for an associate’s degree.
Closing the Black student achievement gap
The HBCU Early College Prep High School is set to launch at a pivotal time.
The HBCU prep high school represents a milestone for New York City, and its significance also goes beyond city limits. As one of the first programs of its kind in a major city, and with a growing interest in culturally responsive education, it could serve as a model for other cities nationwide. Johnson said she has already received inquiries from states like California, Texas, and Ohio.
“In my ideal world, I’d love to replicate this,” she said. “We need to see more schools like this that offer students a culturally relevant, accelerated path to
education.”
(RDNE Stock project photo)
Religion & Spirituality
Fierce Love: Won’t you be my neighbor?
REV. DR. JACQUI LEWIS
FIERCE LOVE
This is a story from the book my people call Holy. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan.
“An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
“But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ ‘Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise’.”
Once I had a car accident which was devastating. The car did three 360 degree turns in a four lane highway, with traffic coming, then flipped from sunroof to tires three times. When it stopped I was alive. I was rushed to the hospital with the man I loved. They kept him, and released me, which meant I had no place to stay. This was in Ontario, Canada. I was alone, blood and glass in my big afro. Weeping in the lobby, a nice white Canadian lady approached me. Asked me what I needed and then gave it to me.
She took me to get dinner; she took me to a drugstore; she took me to a hotel, checked me in, paid the bill. The next morning she picked me up; she rented me a car; she took me back to the hospital to pick up said man.
She was so very loving to me; she saved me.
She was a Good Samaritan. Why? Because she was a Christian? I am not sure that she was. But she was my neighbor. She saw me weeping, bloody, frightened, and just loved the hell out of this Black, skinny, messy stranger. This is what Jesus said love looks like.
If we are saying we follow Jesus, we have to love the hell out of – I’m sorry love the heaven into each other.
All of us. Neighbors. Strangers. Strange neighbors.
We live in a national neigh -
borhood. We live in a global neighborhood. Now and on the other side of this election, what would love have us do?
I want to be a Good American. A good citizen.
I want to be your neighbor. Won’t you be mine? I took you and yours with me to the polls earlier this week. I’m taking you with me from now on. Outside in the streets. In my work, preaching, teaching and writing. There is too much hell on earth for my breaking heart. I’m going to try to love the heaven
into it. For you and me.
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is senior minister and public theologian at Middle Church in New York. Celebrated internationally for her dynamic preaching and commitment to building a just society with fierce love, Dr. Lewis champions racial, economic, and gender/sexuality justice. The author of several books, including “Fierce Love” and the “Just Love Story Bible,” her work has been featured on NBC, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, NPR and in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Ebony and Essence Magazines.
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Continued from page 2
city [and] of our country, and so it takes a lot of contact and a lot of work to make sure that they’re being successfully incorporated into the electorate.”
Still, there’s work to do. After all, more than 800 languages are spoken across the state.
“By providing election assistance in someone’s first language, you’re really making them feel welcome in the political process,”
said Grossman. “It’s not that ‘you’re a foreigner who’s privileged to participate,’ but rather that ‘you are someone who we anticipate and encourage and expect to participate in the political process’ — language systems [are] really important on that score.
“When it comes to [people in] places or communities with smaller diasporas [and] less widely spoken languages, they can feel a lot more challenging. There are simply not enough official channels to target all those groups, particularly given the real breadth of language diversity in New York City.”
Immigrant advocates
Continued from page 2
“Even though I think my case is really straightforward, I still am afraid that I’m gonna lose a lot of people that work alongside me [that] I work with daily because of this election. So it definitely changes everything.”
But the work does not start or end on election day.
“One of the first things that I’m taking as a preparation [in my work] as a community organizer, is [informing the community on] their rights,” said Reyes. “Knowing the rights and or how to deal with situations when we are questionable or background or question about immigration status, I think being informed is key. Thankfully, we live in New York City, which is a place where we still own and enjoy a lot of the rights as immigrants.
Yet we know that things might change with the federal administration.
“But staying optimistic is a way of being prepared too, meaning [building] community [and] showing up to rallies [and] mobilizations. Because at the end of the day, you have to show that we’re still there, and you have to show that regardless, we want to get through this. However, we want an outcome that at the end of the day will help our communities.”
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
Political participation and socioeconomic status are famously intertwined and new Americans are no exception.
“Naturalization over the last decade has become increasingly more expensive for a variety of reasons,” said Melaku. “USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service] is a self-funded agency that basically funds itself through the collection of fees, and that leaves the working poor out of a lot of the conversation — we have low-income communities for which [a] $785-plus legal consultation would be a considerable chunk of
a weekly budget or monthly budget.
“One of the things that we advocate for is to keep the cost of citizenship affordable and accessible to low-income communities. That’s one barrier people face: the cost.”
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
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SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VERUS SECURITIZATION TRUST 2021-5, Plaintiff, vs. LUGUANG YANG, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF LUGANG YANG REVOCABLE TRUST, ET AL., Defendant (s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 10, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on December 11, 2024, at 2:15 PM, premises known as 32 E 76TH STREET APT 804, NEW YORK, NY 10021. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the City of New York, County of New York and State of New York, Block: 1390, Lot: 1022. Together with an undivided 1.811(%) percent interest in the common elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $755,328.44 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850673/2023.
If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee's attorney, or the Referee.
ALLISON FURMAN, Esq., Referee
Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
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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 Formation of CARBONDALE MILL STREET PRESERVATION GP, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/21/24. 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 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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.
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 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.
Formation of DOUBLE LOBSTER LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/25/2024. Office loc.: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail process to Max Lifflander, 1700 Park Ave., Apt. 1011, Weehawken, NJ 07086. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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.
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.
Notice of Formation of 56 WILLOUGHBY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/02/23. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: United American Land LLC, 73 Spring St., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10012. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY. NYCTL 2021A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Pltf. vs., JILA SOROUDI, Defts. Index #157345/2022. Pursuant to for judgment of foreclosure and sale entered May 8, 2024 and order extending time to sell entered July 12, 2024, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 4, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. prem. k/a 150 West 51 st Street, Unit 15-5, New York, NY 10019 a/k/a Block 01003 Lot 1240. Judgments amount $52,273.92 Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. DORON LEIBY, Referee. THE DELLO-IACONO LAW GROUP, P.C., Attys. For Pltf., 312 Larkfield Road, Lower Level, East Northport, NY. File No. 22-000027 - #101659
NOTICE OF SALE
Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, Index No. 850088/2022
Six Gramercy LLC, Plaintiff, v. Westside Units 17 th Street LLC, et. al., Defendants.
TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered August 2, 2024, the undersigned referee will sell at public auction on December 11, 2024 at 2:15pm in Room 130 at the Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, NY, NY, the property located at 7 East 17 th Street, Unit 7S, New York, NY 10003 (Block 846, Lot 1312).
The approximate amount of Plaintiff’s lien is $1,519,549.37 plus interest and costs. The premises will be sold in one parcel and subject to provisions of the judgment and terms of sale.
Allison Furman, Esq., Referee Law Offices of Tae H. Whang, LLC, Attorneys for Plaintiff, 185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 201, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, Tel. (201) 461-0300, 415 White Oak Road, Palisades, NY 10964 (By Appointment Only).
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT. NEW YORK COUNTY. EVAN GLOBAL CORP., Pltf. vs. MAHMOUD THIAM AND FATIM SOW THIAM, Deft. Index #161203/2018. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered July 30, 2024, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 11, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. prem. k/a 170 East End Avenue, Unit 2C, New York, NY 10128 a/k/a Block 1584, Lot 1014. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,827,849.62 plus cost and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale.
CLARK WHITSETT, Referee. BALLARD SPAHR LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 1675 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10019. #101766
This is to announce that the next meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy I Charter School Board of Trustees will occur in person on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 4:30 PM. The meeting will be held at 245 West 129th Street, NY, NY.
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
This is to announce that the next meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School Board of Trustees will occur in person on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 4:30 PM. The meeting will be held at 245 West 129th Street, NY, NY.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
REFEREE'S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK
STORMFIELD CAPITAL FUNDING I, LLC, Plaintiff - againstJRT340ASSOCIATES, LLC, et al Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on August 4, 2022. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, New York 10007 on the 11th day of December, 2024 at 2:15 PM. 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, City and State of New York.
Premises known as 340 West 86th Street, Unit 5A, New York, NY 10024.
(Block: 1247, Lot: 1022)
Approximate amount of lien $1,548,403.75 plus interest and costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.
Index No. 850223/2019. Clark A. Whitsett, Esq., Referee.
McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170
Tel. 347/286-7409
Dated: July 15, 2024
During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale
smile from The Lower East Side LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the SSNY on 10/15/2024. Office: New York County. United States Corporation Agents, Inc. designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc. at 7014 13th Avenue Suite 202 Brooklyn NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice is hereby given that license serial number NA-0340247-140688 for an On-Premises license has been applied for by the undersigned to permit the sale of beer, wine and spirits at retail in a bar under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at Lash located at 196 N. 10 th Street, Brooklyn in Kings County for on-premises consumption. MurrayWalsh LLC, 196 N. 10 th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
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 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 of Qualification of DIFFERENTIAL VENTURES FUND III GP LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/11/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/04/24. Princ. office of LLC: 350 Park Ave., Fl. 27, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (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 DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful 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.
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
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.
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 Qualification of FEP BEVERAGE LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/15/24. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/14/24. Princ. office of LLC: 1330 6th Ave., Ste. 3600C, NY, NY 10019. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 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.
Recap: NYC hits the polls on Election Day
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Additional reporting by HELINA SELEMON Amsterdam News Staff
No matter the outcome of the presidential election, Election Day in New York City went off with very few hitches this year. Other than ballot scanners that had mechanical glitches in Queens, there were little to no wait times for most voters. Anecdotally, poll workers at various sites in Brooklyn told the Amsterdam News that they had the bulk of voters come in during the early voting period and more or less a “trickle” of people steadily coming in on Nov. 5.
Sen. Zellnor Myrie, chair of the state committee on elections, also credited this ease to the early voting process. Myrie, who spearheaded early voting legislation, said he voted with his mom on Halloween at SUNY Downstate Hospital’s early voting site.
Jason Blanks, who owns a small fashion label, voted early. “It was important to me — I have parents. They’re in their late 70s and 80s and their health is not right, so I’m just thinking about health care,” he said. Myrie dropped off donuts and coffee for workers at a polling site on McKeever Place and visited polling sites in Brooklyn and Queens on Election Day. He was running
uncontested to keep his State Senate seat. He also announced earlier this year that he’s running in the mayoral race in 2025.
“I am in the middle, the heart of my district — Crown Heights. One, to thank all of the poll workers for [upholding] our democracy today,” Myrie said. “If you’re voting, make sure you thank a poll worker. It is more important than ever that all of us participate in our democracy. We have, I think, a lot of rhetoric over what the future of our republic is going to be. If you want to have a say in that future, you must participate. That’s why, not only as the chair of the state senate elections committee, not only as a state senator, and not only as someone looking to lead this city, but as a New Yorker, it’s important for me to come and vote.”
“The fact that we have a woman running for president was good for me,” said one woman at the Brooklyn Museum’s poll site.
Despite the hope, many voters also spoke about a sense of anxiety and fear about the outcome of the national election.
In Georgia, there were bomb threats to polling places in Fulton County, reportedly of Russian origin. Although these threats were deemed “non-credible,” the investigation caused closures and disrupted voting access for many of the county’s Black voters. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and NAACP Georgia State Con-
ference released a letter in the afternoon during Election Day calling on local officials to extend polling hours in Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett County so voters could get to the polls in time.
“The right to vote is sacred, and no individual or foreign entity should be able to undermine the voices of Black Georgians through intimidation tactics,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP.
After the polls closed at 9 p.m., elected officials, advocates, and even the most casual voters tuned in to see the election results. Some watched at home while others attended watch parties around the city.
“This is a consequential election, which will change the course of this nation, and history,” Senator Cordell Cleare said. “It has been a long campaign season and tonight, we will witness the culmination of this pivotal moment in time, with a momentous outcome. Our community has a great in-
vestment in the results, and we want to watch them together.”
Henry Butler, a male district leader and three-time presidential delegate, held a watch party in Brooklyn after, like many across New York State, spending the last three months on phone-banking and doorknocking in swing states on Harris’s behalf. He said he was “nervous” about who would win, “because they always underestimate Trump; because people underestimate the racism, and — more importantly — the sexism in America,” Butler said on Election Night. “This is the second time we have a woman running. Women were more qualified than a bunch of men who ran for the first time for president. Hillary [Clinton], when she ran, was probably the most qualified candidate.”
Trump was declared the winner of the presidential election in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Polling place at P.S. 81 on Dekalb Avenue in Brooklyn. (Ariama C. Long photos)
After four straight losses, the 2-7 Giants can’t create a winning formula
By JAIME C. HARRIS
AmNews Sports Editor
The Giants haven’t figured out how to win on a consistent basis. Conversely, they have mastered losing. Not just this season —- they are 2-7 going into Sunday’s Week 10 matchup versus the similarly bad Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany (9:30 a.m. kickoff) — but over the last eight seasons. They have finished below .500 in all but one, in 2022, when they were 9-7-1 and won a wildcard game on the road versus the Minnesota Vikings. It was head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen’s first time leading the team. The success may have been fool’s gold, painting a false picture that they had a promising base on which to build. Quarterback Daniel Jones had his best year as a pro and was signed to a new four-year, $160 million deal in March 2023, ensuring at least two more years of trying to prove the team could win a Super Bowl with him. As it stands today, he won’t be the Giants starting QB next season, and Daboll and Schoen will essentially be back at square one in their search for the next hope at the position, in what will be their fourth season as the pilots of a plane that is currently nose diving. The Giants’ 27-22
loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday on their home turf at MetLife Stadium was their fourth straight.
So what is their plan moving forward?
“Just understanding your ‘why,’ why
you play this sport and who you do it for,” said defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on Sunday. “We’re grown out here. We got to be able to motivate ourselves and just play a simple game of football. That’s it.”
But not just for this season. They will prepare for each of their eight remaining games to win but no one in the organization is in a delusional state of believing the Giants are playing for little more than pride and future contracts. What about next season?
They will be competing in the NFC East division with two likely Super Bowl contenders — the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles — currently 7-2 and 6-2 respectively with young dynamic quarterbacks in Washington’s 23-yearold rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and Philadelphia’s 26-year-old Jalen Hurts, who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, losing 38-35 to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Daboll and Schoen must demonstrate over the next nine weeks that they can keep the team focused and competitive. Develop young talent such as cornerback Dru Phillips, safety Tyler Nubin and tight end Theo Johnson, all rookies, as important pieces to their construction project, and the Giants are inarguably an arduous project.
The 3-6 Jets, coming off of a 21-13 win over the Houston Texans on October 31, will meet the 5-4 Arizona Cardinals on the road on Sunday (4:25 p.m.).
The ever-changing landscape of women’s sports explored at espnW Summit
By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews
For three days, power players, administrators, and thought leaders in women’s sports gathered in Ojai, California, for the espnW: Women + Sports Summit. In the past year, it has become abundantly clear that appreciation for and support of women’s sports has taken a huge step forward, but the long road to this moment cannot be forgotten and there is still much more to accomplish.
Veteran broadcaster Hannah Storm moderated the World Class Athlete Panel, with boxer Claressa Shields, the only U.S. boxer to win two Olympic gold medals (2012 and 2016), and 2024 gold medalists Kahleah Copper (basketball) and Masai Russell (track). Each discussed their Olympic experiences, confidence, and seizing the moment.
“Don’t ever feel like you can’t do something because it hasn’t been done. You have to go out there, put your best foot forward and know that you have put in the hard work and that you deserve to win,” said Shields, whose life story has been made into the film “The Fire Inside,” opening in December.
Shields has had high profile opportunities since turning professional, but she also made it clear her winning purses are nowhere near what male boxers have made. “I’m one of the most known women fight-
ers, but…we still are fighting for equal pay, promotion, and opportunities,” she said.
The Women of ESPN: WNBA panel, moderated by LaChina Robinson and featuring Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck, and Holly Rowe, discussed the league’s exploding popularity. In terms of ESPN viewership, WNBA Finals were up 115% from 2023. It was the most viewed regular season across
ESPN platforms.
“Everybody talks about Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and their stardom and bringing it to where it is, [but] the infrastructure was growing,” said Peck. “I liken it to — since we’re in California and close to the ocean — like building for that big wave that’s coming, and they actually got to put surfboards on top and ride it in.”
Carter grew up watching the WNBA and played college basketball at University of Tennessee. When injuries ended her dream of playing professionally, her wave came as a commentator. “With [the WNBA] being all I’ve ever known and all I’ve ever wanted, that passion and love I have for this league gets to come through as an analyst,” she said.
Giants linebacker Micah McFadden tries to tackle Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in Sunday’s 27-22 loss, New York’s fourth straight defeat. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
World Class Athletes on the panel of the espnW Summit included boxing champion Claressa Shields, Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell, and WNBA star Kahleah Copper.
ESPN broadcasters Andraya Carter, LaChina Robinson, Holly Rowe, and Carolyn Peck shared their insight at the espnW Summit. (Chloe Jackman/ESPN Images)
Knicks try to fill hole inside with Robinson and Achiuwa
sidelined
By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor
Sometime later this season, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson will take the court together and provide the Knicks with a formidable front court tandem. For now, Towns will have to be the Knicks’ only true center and power forward to consistently receive significant minutes as Robinson and Precious Achiuwa recover from off-season injuries.
Robinson, who has started 196 of the 320 games he has played in his seven-year career, all with the Knicks, has not suited up since last May 6 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Indiana Pacers, due to a stress fracture in his left ankle. He underwent surgery on May 13 to repair the injury and isn’t expected to return until after the new calendar year.
It’s the same issue that kept him out for 50 games beginning last December, when the 26-year-old 2018 second round pick had surgery on the ankle and then re-injured it in Game 3 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.
In a livestream video two weeks ago, Robinson was adamant that he will be cautious in his timeline to rejoin the team. “You [saw] what happened when I rushed back to come back?” he said. “I was
back out … but we’re going to be good … Promise you, we’re going to be straight.”
Achiuwa strained his left hamstring in the preseason. Going into the Knicks’ road game versus the Atlanta Hawks last night (Wednesday), the last of four straight games away from home, he had missed their first six. Yet the team is hopeful he’ll be back in the rotation within the next week. The Knicks were 3-3 before facing the Hawks and will be back at Madison Square Garden tomorrow to host the Milwaukee Bucks.
The team felt the absence of Robinson and Achiuwa on Wednesday when the Houston Rockets’ rising 22-yearold center Alperen Sengun, who is on the cusp of being an All-Star, hung 25 points and 14 rebounds on them. Towns had another forceful performance, countering Sengun with 17 points and 19 rebounds in 32 minutes. With Jericho Sims yet to establish himself as a consistently viable contributor, though, Towns hasn’t received
the requisite help in the middle.
Forward OG Anunoby, one of the best and most versatile defenders in the league, has played the power forward and center positions for head coach Tom Thibodeau, but at 6'7", he’s frequently at a height disadvantage in those spots.
The Knicks will be on the road again to play the Indiana Pacers on Sunday and the 76ers on Tuesday before returning to MSG next Wednesday to take on the Chicago Bulls.
In the midst of a rebuild, Jordi Fernandez pushes the Nets to their limits
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
The Brooklyn Nets are in a rebuilding year and aren’t expected to compete for a playoff spot or be on par with the league’s contenders. But that’s not the mindset or approach of their first-year NBA head coach Jordi Fernandez, who evidently didn’t get the memo. Brooklyn responded from their worst loss thus far this season, falling 106-92 on Sunday to the Detroit Pistons, who came into the Barclays Center 1-5, to earn their best win to date the following night against the Memphis Grizzlies, defeating Ja Morant and company at home 106-104. Starting center Ben Simmons (health maintenance) and key reserve Noah Clowney (hip) were not in the lineup.
It has only been eight games or about 10% of the season, but thus far, first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez is pushing the right buttons for the 4-4 Nets, who were third overall in the Eastern Conference behind the 8-0 Cleveland Cavaliers and 7-1 Boston Celtics when Tuesday’s league schedule tipped-off. After saying the loss to Detroit was the Nets’ poorest game and the team lacked focused shortly before his players took the
court to face Memphis, Fernandez commended his squad hours later for being engaged and locked in against the Grizzlies.
“It was great to see and it builds trust and it gives the group joy,” he said. “We felt like we should have been better (against Detroit) and then you have another opportunity today, you’re refocused. They were really good with the game prep and executing everything. It wasn’t always pretty out there, but it was very competitive, It was a grind. Once again, I think the Brooklyn grid showed up and we ended up with a win. So very happy with this, with the group and what the group accomplished.”
Fernandez uses buzzwords and catchphrases to characterize and inspire the group collectively and individually, including referring to 6’ 3” guard Cam Thomas’s ability to proficiently score “a superpower.” Thomas is averaging 24.9 points per game over the first eight games. The Nets have established a style of play which is highlighted by them pressuring the ball on defense, playing fast but under control offensively, and taking high-quality shots with an emphasis on shooting volume threes.
Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, who led his team to the 2023 NBA champi-
onship, noted that Fernandez has long had the skills to be an NBA head coach.
“You just saw his enthusiasm for the game, his passion for the game, and how he worked his way up,” Malone said of Fernandez, an assistant coach with the Nuggets from 2016 to 2022. “How he became a G-League head coach for the Cavs. All of his work with the Spanish national team, the Nigerian national team, now the Canadian national team.”
Malone continued with his praise: “He has a really unique background and has coached at almost every different level. And obviously, when I had an opening on my staff in Denver, because of our relationship and confidence in him, he came in and did a great job for us and the Nuggets before heading to Sacramento.”
The Nets’ front office, led by team owner Joseph Tsai and general manager Sean Marks, hired Fernandez after he spent the previous three seasons as the Kings associate head coach.
Brooklyn embarks on a three-game road trip starting against the Boston Celtics tomorrow, the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, and the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday before returning home to host the Boston Celtics next Wednesday.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (No.8) battles Houston Rockets rookie guard Reed Sheppard for the ball on Monday night in 109-97 Knicks loss. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Nets first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez has the team off to a 4-4 start. (Bill Moore photo)
St. John’s Athletics enshrines its 2024 Hall of Fame class
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
On Oct. 26, St. John’s University celebrated the 25th induction class to its Athletics Hall of Fame. These former student-athletes achieved excellence in their sports while representing the Red Storm in intercollegiate competition and after graduation. This year’s class included Marsha Henry-Seagrave, a standout in track and field; Michael Dzurilla, baseball’s all-time batting average leader; Marcus Hatten, men’s basketball standout; Danaejah Grant, a leader in women’s basketball; Pat Fogarty, Big East men’s golf individual champion; and Shalrie Joseph, two-time All-Big East Men’s Soccer First Team.
“It was surreal and an ‘ah hah moment,’” said Henry-Seagrave. “I asked myself, ‘Why am I even here? How did I deserve this honor?’ Then I realized I have accomplished a lot. I was just in awe, blessed and honored to be in the presence of the other inductees. I felt it was almost a sisterhood/ brotherhood formed at that moment. … Listening to their stories was phenomenal. We all had praise for our moms.”
Henry-Seagrave walked over to the basketball arena with her college teammates and remembered when some of their practices were held in the hallway. She also recalled decisive team meetings with coach Jim Hurt, who spent 39 years with St. John’s
track and field team before retiring in 2021.
“I think we paved the way for a lot [of] these young ones now as far as the facility, the practice,” said Henry-Seagrave, a long jumper that achieved ECAC and Metropolitan Championships while at St. John’s and a sprinter. “We had to run on concrete. It was a good reminiscing about…the early morning practices.”
Henry-Seagrave has remained connected to track and field in the three decades since she graduated, saying she loves the camaraderie of sport as well as being a mentor. She is a high school counselor and has worked with USA Track & Field, serving as a manager at the 2015 Pan Am Games, the 2016 Olympics and the 2020/21 Olympics. Currently, she is on the women’s executive commit-
tee and serves as the standards chairperson. Being a student-athlete helped HenrySeagrave develop as a person. “It puts in perspective the meaning of hard work, discipline and working for what you want,” she said. “That type of discipline enhanced my professional career as well as my athletic journey. In order to get where you want to be, you have to earn every bit of it.”
LIU women’s bowling makes its imprint on the college’s athletic landscape
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
With one of the largest Division I athletic programs that spans campuses in Brooklyn and Long Island, some teams receive more attention than others. That said, the women of Long Island University’s (LIU) bowling team are working hard to achieve recognition this collegiate season.
“I love being part of a team,” said Megan-Amani Ransom, a junior business administration major in her third year on the bowling team. “I have a love for the sport. … People take bowling as just a game, but it’s a real sport. Our wrists, our knees, and my hips are hurting. This is an actual sport just as hard as any other sport because it’s technique and you have to work on your technique.”
Bowling is based at LIU’s Long Island campus, which suits Ransom, who is from Baldwin, New York. She first became acquainted with the university when she was invited to be part of its summer honors program while in high school. “I loved the two classes that I took and I loved the campus,” she said.
With an eye to the future, Ransom is trying to find an internship that she can
balance with bowling. She is also focused on “putting my all out on the lanes,” she said. “I’m ready to show people who I am and how I bowl.”
New Jersey native and sophomore Kumani Wiltshire began bowling her freshman year of high school because her technology teacher was also the bowling coach and encouraged her to join the team. Six years later, she’s happy she did it.
“I’m a really competitive person, but I like how being a student-athlete gives me an escape,” she said. “When I’m kind of getting frustrated or tired of school, I always have my team and my sport to fall back on in case I need a distraction. … At a tournament, we all have to showcase our skills.”
A film major, Wiltshire appreciates LIU’s strong film program and relative closeness to home. She hopes to get opportunities to work on television or film sets in the New York area to gain experience and build her resume. While she likes all films, her favorites tend to be slice of life stories. “If given a chance, I’d do a film about bowling,” she said.
LIU bowling is next in action on Saturday at Bowl for the Cure tournament in East Haven, CT.
(L-R) St. John’s director of athletics Ed Kull with Hall of Fame inductees Marcus Hatten, Marsha Henry-Seagrave, Patrick Fogarty, Shalrie Joseph, Danaejah Grant and Michael Dzurilla. (St. John’s Athletics photo)
Baldwin Long Island native Megan-Amani Ransom helps anchor LIU women’s bowling program. (Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics)
Sports
Making her NYC Marathon debut, Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui captures the women’s title
By JUANNE HARRIS
Special to the AmNews
In near perfect weather for a long distance race, with clear sunny skies and temperatures rising to the mid50s, Sheila Chepkirui held off defending champion and fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri in the final mile of Sunday’s TCS NYC Marathon to capture the professional women’s title. In another dramatic finish, the race came down to a battle of wills and kicks between Chepkirui and Obiri.
“Let me push the last mile, let me give it my best,” Chepkirui said.
“When we were around 600 meters to go, I said to myself, ‘I have to push harder.’ When I saw Hellen wasn’t coming, I knew I was going to win and was so happy.” Chepkirui managed to outkick Obiri to open up an insurmountable lead in the last 200 meters and win by 14 seconds in 2:24:35.
Predominantly a middle distance runner for most of her career, it was
the 33-year-old Chepkirui’s first time running the New York race and she began running marathons in 2022. It was also her first win at a World Marathon Major, which also includes the Boston, Chicago, London, Tokyo, Sydney and Berlin marathons.
While Obiri was the pre-race favorite, Chepkirui came into the race with the fastest personal best in the field at 2:17:29, which she ran at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. Obiri, who finished in 2:24:49, was looking to be the first repeat champion since Mary Keitany of Kenya won three in a row from 2014 to 2016.
Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya took third place in 2:25:21, giving the African nation the top three spots. The top American women’s finisher, Sara Vaughn, finished in sixth place after dropping out of the lead pack when the runners entered the Bronx at mile 20. Vaughn was a late addition to the NYC Marathon roster after COVID19 prevented her from running the Chicago Marathon three weeks ago.
Susannah Scaroni crushes women’s wheelchair race
Susannah Scaroni blew past the competition to win the Women’s Wheelchair Division race by the biggest margin in the 20-year history of the event. Scaroni won in 1:48.05, beating fellow American Tatyana McFadden who finished in 1:58:47 by more than 10 minutes. Manuela Schar of Switzerland rounded out the top three winners finishing in 1:59:20.
While the race has had five different winners in the last five years, Scaroni became a two-time winner, also taking the race in 2022. “Always so special to be here in New York City,” Scaroni said.
“I woke up feeling great today, never take it for granted. Coming up the last hill we had a tailwind today. So I had a little more energy than I normally do at that hill.”
With Daniel Romanchuk’s win in the Men’s Wheelchair race the USA swept the wheelchair division, a mar-
athon first, and Scaroni and Romanchuk became the first pair of U.S. athletes to
Winning the NYC Marathon, Abdi Nageeye turns disappointment into triumph
By DERREL JOHNSON
Special to the AmNews
Abdi Nageeye, who was born in Somalia and resettled as a refugee in the Netherlands at 6 years old, became the first athlete from his adopted country to capture a New York City Marathon men’s open division title on Sunday when he crossed the finish line in Central Park at the 2:07:39 mark.
Nageeye distanced himself from the field in the final stretch of the race, outlasting the 2022 marathon winner Evans Chebet by a mere six seconds. Albert Korir, the 2021 marathon champion, finished third. Conner Mantz, who was the top finisher from the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics Marathon last summer, was also the top American on Sunday, finishing in sixth at 2:09:00.
“I feel really happy with [the race] because I didn’t perform [well] in the Olympics, and that really was one of my biggest disappointments ever,” Nageeye said. The 35-year-old finished second at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but had to pull out of the Paris
Olympics marathon at the midpoint.
“So I went back to training, and I told myself, you will never get it back,” he said. “You can only do one thing: in less than two months you can do something great at the greatest marathon in the world, so focus on that.”
He did just that.
The morning after, celebrating his win at the Empire State Building in New York City, he told the AmNews that he was extremely pleased with the accomplishment.
“I will be happy to go today to my family,” he shared. “I really feel proud and I’m just looking around [on the 86th floor] and I’m like, it’s just amazing.”
As the first Dutch person to win the New York City Marathon, he said the entire country was proud, including Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands.
“Everyone is talking about it back home and everyone knows that this is my 23rd marathon and everyone knows where I come from and that I never gave up,” he shared “The Olympics were so sad for
me, I was so disappointed. But then to go back to training and in less than two months to come here again and show the world you can have setbacks, but you don’t have to give up.” American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair division, becoming the only American to earn three titles in the race and, along with Susannah Scaroni, became the first American duo to sweep the wheelchair division in marathon history.
“It’s great to be able to do that with my teammate Susannah,” he shared. “We trained together out in Champaign, Illinois, and it was so great to be able to do that with a teammate,” he said to the AmNews. Sunday’s marathon saw more than 50,000 runners from nearly 150 countries and all 50 states from the U.S. take part in the 26.2 mile run.
win the NYC Marathon wheelchair division races.
(L-R) Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands finished ahead of the field to win the men’s title at the 2024 TCS NYC Marathon while American Daniel Romanchuk took home his third NYC championship in the wheelchair division. (Bill Moore photos)
(L-R) Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui took the women’s title at Sunday’s TCS NYC Marathon while American Susannah Scaroni captured the women’s wheelchair gold. (Bill Moore photos)
