24 • November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Local groups are fighting hunger, strengthening community ated an intake form. This was [so that we were] not only thinking about homelessness, because if a person’s homeless they’re dealing with other issues as well. The intake form consisted of assessing how do they get back and forth to school? Do they have enough clothing to feel comfortable in the classroom? Are they eating balanced meals every day? Are they having to do technology on their phone? I looked at a holistic approach––not just at the homelessness––and it turned out that not only were these students homeless, they were also hungry on campus.”
Some community organizations have taken it upon themselves to try to tackle this crippling problem, by creating food programs that provide nourishment and allow people to push themselves further in life.
Members of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (NABPP) have been working for the last four years with a South Jersey farmer and a local company to bring free food to residents in Newark, New Jersey. (NABPP photos)
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Food discussions always take place with the onset of the holiday season. Many questions come up: what to eat, how many to serve, who’s doing the cooking, and how will the food be prepared? The holiday season is also one of the primary times when the larger society remembers those who will not be celebrating with food—those who live day by day with food insecurity. When people lack access to good quality, affordable and nutritious food, it takes a toll on their physical and mental health. Food insecurity means a person may not know if they will have another meal, much less what that meal will consist of. “By November 2022, food insufficiency grew to 10.8% of New Yorkers and rates for households with children increased to 13.4%,” New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said in a report published this past March. “Over the last two years, Black and Hispanic or Latino adult New Yorkers
were more likely to report food insufficiency than both white adult New Yorkers and adult New Yorkers overall.” Some community organizations have taken it upon themselves to try to tackle this crippling problem, by creating food programs that provide nourishment and allow people to push themselves further in life. Dr. Waleek Boone, director of the Transition Academy at Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College (MEC), says that at one point it was not unusual to find MEC students who were homeless. These were students from lowincome households who had lost their food assistance and medical benefits after graduating high school. They were registered for college but couldn’t afford to pay for MetroCards, so they were hopping the turnstiles or asking bus drivers for a free ride. They were homeless, or sometimes just had
fresh produce at the local farmers market, as well as developing relationships with local supermarkets so they could give students vouchers to go to Foodtown where they could find some of the things not available in the MEC pantry. Transition Academy also conducts workshops and helps students find jobs. What started as MEC’s effort to support students experiencing homelessness and food insecurity has become a point of entry where students can find all kinds of resources. “It was difficult in the beginning because when
difficulty trying to maintain themselves in a home. And then, when at home, they had no food. Often the whole situation would become so discouraging that some students simply stopped attending school altogether. Transition Academy started as an idea, a method to try to help students live securely while studying. Initially, Transition Academy had no resources, just an office, says Dr. Boone: “The first order of business was I cre-
MEC’s Transition Academy created its own Cougar Country Food Pantry which offers kale, collard greens, bok choy, chicken, salmon, halal meats, fresh beans, 100% juice, and more. But they found that the food pantry didn’t fully satisfy the needs of MEC students and their families. Organizers turned to offering vouchers to the school cafeteria and vouchers for reduced price/
students are faced with those hardships, they generally hide in the shadows to avoid this embarrassment. They don’t want anyone to know their business. So, the best selling point was: ‘Anything you share will be confidential with us.’ That’s how we began to build up Transition Academy and have students come out from behind the shadows to seek the resources.”
See FIGHTING HUNGER continued on next page
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023 • 25
Medgar Evers College’s Transition Academy looks to end hunger among students. (Transition Academy photos) Continued from previous page
Countering food desert communities Meanwhile, across the Hudson River, members of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (NABPP) have been working for the last four years with a South Jersey farmer and a local company to bring free food to residents in Newark, New Jersey. Their program brings in produce like garlic, peppers, onions, and other “stuff that our community don’t get—or, if it’s in our community, it’s sold at an exponential price,” said Zulu Sharod, chair of NABPP. “Last Wednesday, we gave out over 100 whole chickens, free of charge,” Sharod told the AmNews. “You didn’t have to show us an ID. You didn’t have to write your name down on a piece of paper. You didn’t have to give us your name. They came and they took those chickens. And I’m hoping like hell that we get some turkeys or chick-
ens this Wednesday because the price for a turkey right now is damn near $50 and if we can get that to a family where they can feed their kids over the coming holiday, then that’s a job well done.” The NABPP’s efforts are to counter food scarcity in New Jersey’s highest populated city, Newark, where Blacks make up over 46% of the population. In 2022, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) designated Newark a food desert community (FDC)— a city with infrequent “geographic access to healthy food options.” And Newark is not that unusual. The nonprofit news organization Sentient Media points out that, “in the U.S., food deserts are a result of efforts to segregate U.S. cities into predominantly Black and predominantly white neighborhoods through federal urban planning and housing policies… “The USDA estimated that in 2019 some-
where between 11% and 27% of the population lived in areas where there is a significant concentration of poverty and physical distance from a supermarket. Other research suggests that approximately 20% of Black households reside in food deserts.” When the NABPP decided to initiate its free food program in the tradition of the 1960s Black Panther Party organization, it purchased the building at 309 S. Orange Ave., which had sat empty for years. Now renamed the Hassan Shakur Community Center, NABPP uses the building for their food program, to conduct workshops, for political education classes, and will soon offer karate classes for kids. “Not only the Black community, but the brown community and the poor white community––all of us are suffering in hell because our community is controlled by monopoly capital. It’s controlled by people that don’t really give a damn if we eat or not,”
Sharod said. “That’s why we have to develop these gardens where we cultivate our own food. That’s why we have to come to our neighbors and say you don’t have to spend $10 on a bag of apples. You could come right to the community center and get it free of charge and use the $10 towards your medicine or towards a kids’ uniform. “Food is an important aspect of our survival. It’s not an aspect of our struggle, it is survival. If you don’t eat, you die.”
Both NABPP and Transition Academy are open to community support and donations. To contact them, send an email to Transition Academy at transitionacademy@mec.cuny.edu or to the New Afrikan Black Panther Party at zulus6003@gmail.com.
26 • November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
How Giving Tuesday can fuel Amsterdam News’ racial equity journalism By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member As the young people say, it’s giving. Giving Tuesday that is, which goes down next week on Nov. 28. Here at the Amsterdam News, the occasion marks an opportunity to continue and expand on racial equity journalism dating all the way back to 1913. “Our readers’ generous support will continue to fund our Beyond the Barrel of the Gun reporting project which is helping our community understand the root causes of, impact on, and solutions to gun violence in Black and Brown communities,” said investigative editor Damaso Reyes. “We will also continue our work highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on our communities as well as what we can do to stay safe. “We can’t do this vital work without the support of our readers and our community. From making donations to providing tips, the investigative work we do can only happen when we are deeply engaged with those that we serve.” Over the past year, projects including Reyes’ “Hard Labor” series and gun violence reporter Shannon Chaffers’ “Driven By Fear” story dove deeper into issues affecting Black and brown
New Yorkers. For a weekly newspaper, these stories are rarely possible to complete without patience and resources. The newspaper also took a major step in modernizing its website and shifting to a “digital-first” approach. Such a move allows the paper to provide daily news stories on Black issues nationwide online and helps reach audiences who traditionally get their news from the internet. Digital editor Josh Barker says Giving Tuesday donations will go a long way towards updated software, and overall enhance the newspaper’s digital presence. For the uninitiated, Giving Tuesday started in 2012 on the premise of a “global generosity movement” five days after each Thanksgiving. Last year, roughly $3.1 billion was donated in the United States alone. This Giving Tuesday comes at a time when local news continues to decline. Between 2004 and 2022, more than 2,000 non-daily local newspapers closed down. 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.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023 • 27
Black Newspapers Host Student Journalism Seminar! New York Amsterdam News (1962-); Mar 22, 1975; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: New York Amsterdam News pg. B5
DEEPEST THANKS TO ALL OUR SUBSCRIBERS, READERS, ADVERTISERS, DONORS AND SUPPORTERS! Our 113 years of racial justice journalism and programs continue! None of it would be possible without your deeply appreciated support. Despite incredible challenges, we have accomplished so much over the past year—you make sure our work continues!
YOUR SUPPORT FUELS OUR SUCCESS! AMSTERDAMNEWS.COM/GIVETO/
Montage exerpted from Amsterdam News photo archives from 1909-present
28 • November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Thanksgiving dinner will likely be just another meal for migrants at Brooklyn shelter A long line forms outside the shelter for the “Hunger Truck,” which ends up moving to another block due to congestion. (Tandy Lau photos)
Muslims Giving Back cook up food for migrants.
Migrants wait in line for the “Hunger Truck.”
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member Muslims Giving Back director Yamina Kezadri hopes future Thanksgivings will offer more reasons to be thankful for to migrants. Outside the 47 Hall Street shelter in Clinton Hill, she accounts the roadblocks they’re facing as she awaits the organization’s “Hunger Truck” to arrive. “Our work has mainly focused on how I can make sure how you can have a safe shelter [or] how I can make sure you have a warm meal,” said Kezadri. “Thanksgiving is an extra, we do change up the menu to be extra giving in a sense… but it’s pretty hard because they’re going through a lot right now with the changes in shelter regulations and them having to be here for just 30 days and it’s just like ‘okay, what should I really be thankful for?’” Through the Hunger Truck, faith-based nonprofit Muslims
Giving Back (MGB) feeds migrants free halal meals regardless of occasion, like this past Tuesday Nov. 14. The process is a long one, with Kezadri arriving hours before. She’s frequently approached by the shelter residents who recognize her and enlist her help with connecting to resources. The Algerian New Yorker speaks Arabic, Spanish and French and employs her full linguistic toolkit throughout the night given the diverse shelter population. A line quickly forms when the Hunger Truck arrives, a big red mobile with “FREE HOT & FRESH MEALS” blazing over the food window. Volunteers distribute meals in an orderly fashion. Line-cutters are ejected to the back. By the time the last plate is handed out, most migrants are done eating. One shelter resident holds a trash bag and others help him clean up. Given how deeply embedded Thanksgiving is to the United States,
migrants are likely getting their first exposure to the holiday. Kezadri says there’s too much to deal with to explain to them the holiday, repeatedly mentioning the 30-day stay limits as priority concern. For MGB, a food handout on Thanksgiving evening is an opportunity for the migrants to participate in a tiny way, even if the goal is the same as this past Tuesday: get a hot meal. “Being that in any festive holiday, whether they celebrate or not, we don’t want to keep them out of it,” said Kezadri. “When they ultimately try to experience it, they’ll have some memory of [it]...so they perhaps may appreciate it down the line.” On the holiday menu will be a quarter chicken, rice, salad, veggies, and bread; the meal is halal. Kezadri says there’s currently a blindspot for Muslim migrants with dietary restrictions and language services. Many are from North and West Africa, like Barry, a migrant from Guinea whose
last name is withheld to protect his identity. “I need to study [for] school in addition to looking for a job so that I can help my family in my country,” he wrote in French through Google Translate. “Everything is not going well, except for [the] demonstrations only.”
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.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023 • 29
Beware the Tripledemic! Tips for staying healthy this Thanksgiving By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member The long, forlorn days of COVID lockdowns are hopefully well behind us, but pesky viruses are very much still around. Here’s a few great tips to stay healthy this Thanksgiving during in-person family gatherings. This fall and winter season has been a haze of freakish weather patterns that seemingly force you to don a tank top in the sun and a goose down in the shade. Not only are these fluctuations super annoying, but this time of year can leave New Yorkers vulnerable to viruses like COVID-19, influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV ). These illnesses can potentially spread around the dinner table if people aren’t mindful. It’s important to remember to wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer when needed, wipe down surfaces that family members and friends will frequently touch like countertops and doorknobs, ventilate stuffy areas by cracking windows, sanitize dishes, wash linens that guests use, have tissues or masks on hand, and politely ask people that are already sick to stay home, said Health.com. “This is the first fall virus season when vaccines for COVID-19, RSV and flu are available—which are the conditions that typically keep our emergency rooms busy in the fall and winter,” said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan in a statement. “This year we have all of the tools we need to get through this viral season healthy and well.” According to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) data from October 15-21, there was a “26% increase” in flu occurrences, including influenza A and B, from the previous week. And at least a 53% increase of RSV. In addition, as of Monday, Nov. 13, the DOH’s COVID tracker reported an average of 270 daily cases, 20 daily hospitalizations, and two total deaths in the last seven days. Vasan said the updated COVID-19 vaccines are designed to protect against currently circulating variants and provide a boost to people’s immune systems. The health department said that updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines will be accessible at pharmacies and clinics with most insurance. It’s especially recommended for those 65 or older, pregnant people, and people with underlying health conditions and disabilities. You can find vaccine locations on the nyc.gov/vaccinefinder.
Photo of woman with locs washing her hands. (RDNE Stock project via Pexels)
“This is the first fall virus season when vaccines for COVID19, RSV and flu are available—which are the conditions that typically keep our emergency rooms busy in the fall and winter” —New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
Happy Thanksgiving G R AT I T U D E F O R T H E
NEW BEGINNINGS IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD Wishing our community a warm and happy holiday It's a time of gratitude and a time to celebrate the spirit of unity and compassion that makes a community special. Happy Thanksgiving to an amazing Brooklyn community!
Ya n k e e s
theconeynyc.com
30 • November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
A&M HBCU Band to play at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Alabama A&M University (AAMU) Marching Maroon & White band member. (Photo contributed by A&M)
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a spectacular holiday show that highlights high school and college bands from across the nation. This year, one of the country’s top Historically Black College/University (HBCU) bands—from Alabama—will be taking center stage on Thursday, November 23. The Macy’s parade began in 1924, originally intended just to “boost holiday sales,” but quickly became a timehonored and grand tradition for many
Band Director Carlton Wright has led the AAMU marching band for the last 10 years and is an AAMU alum from Montgomery. He was watching the parade with his family when he was struck with the inspiration to fill out the Macy’s band application for a chance to perform in the parade. families to watch. The Alabama A&M University’s (AAMU) Marching Maroon & White band won a prized parade slot this year, along with 10 other schools. “For nearly 100 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has selected the finest marching bands and performance groups representing every musical genre and marching style to perform in this beloved holiday celebration,” said Wesley Whatley, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade creative producer. “When it comes to entertaining audiences, no marching, step, or dance style delivers like HBCU bands and step groups. Their creative energy and showmanship bring an unmatched energy to the parade. This year, we are thrilled that Alabama A&M University will step into the spotlight and showcase their talent on a national stage for millions of viewers across the country this Thanksgiving.” The marching band of Morgan State University (MSU) in Maryland was the first HBCU band to perform in the parade’s history, in 2019. This will be a first for AAMU. AAMU is in Huntsville, Alabama. The school specializes in food science, engineering, education, and business degrees, said AAMU Assistant Vice President Aaron
J. Thompson. Plenty of students are drawn to the school because of its outstanding band. The band is made up of about 250 band members, some of whom have music and academic scholarships. He said many of the students are traveling to the Big Apple for the first time and fully plan on taking advantage of exploring the city and networking events. The band’s Dancing Divas will also be performing with the Radio City Rockettes, said Thompson. “We know how big this parade is and how sought after this opportunity is for marching bands. It’s a great opportunity to represent the university, the state, and HBCUs as a whole. Exciting times all around,” said Thompson. Band Director Carlton Wright has led the AAMU marching band for the last 10 years and is an AAMU alum from Montgomery. He was watching the parade with his family when he was struck with the inspiration to fill out the Macy’s band application for a chance to perform in the parade. After a few months, he got the call that their band was chosen, he said. They started fundraising to make sure everyone could go and that every student contributed to the trip. “The students are beyond excited,” said Wright. Although he couldn’t reveal the band’s song selection ahead of the show, he told Amsterdam News that they have a diverse set planned that will amaze all listeners, young and old. The route for the parade is 2.5 miles long, kicking off at West 77th Street and Central Park West at 8:30 a.m and winding down to Macy’s at Herald Square. Early risers are encouraged to arrive by 6 a.m. on the west side of Central Park West from West 75th to West 61st Streets. There is no public viewing on Central Park West between West 59th and West 60th Streets, Central Park South, 6th and 7th Avenues, or at Herald Square, according to Macy’s. In addition to the bands, the 2023 parade will feature 25 balloons, 6 “balloonicles,” 31 floats, 29 clown crews, seven performance groups, and 18 famous singers, including Bell Biv DeVoe, Brandy, Cher, En Vogue, Jon Batiste, and the a cappella group Pentatonix. Macy’s said that next year’s parade will feature the 369th Experience, a Harlem Hellfighters reenactment band made up of HBCU and Puerto Rican students. Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member who writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
November 16, 2023 - November 22, 2023 • 31
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN giving back for Thanksgiving Previous Thanksgiving community meals at the National Action Network (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network (NAN), is hosting several community events at the House of Justice ahead of Thanksgiving. First, NAN distributed turkeys to members of the community at the House of Justice on Thursday. The turkeys will ensure Harlem residents are able to enjoy a full, traditional Thanksgiving meal. On Thanksgiving Day, Sharpton and NAN will celebrate the holiday by hosting a meal distribution at the House of Justice, a yearly tradition benefiting hundreds of underserved New Yorkers, which is open to all people. Several officials will be on hand at the Thanksgiving meal including NAACP New York State Conference President Hazel Dukes, State Senator Cordell Cleare, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, and Deputy Manhattan Borough President Keisha Sutton-James. Last year’s event marked the first time since the start of the pandemic in which NAN welcomed a sit-down dinner to the House of Justice. This year’s event will convene elected officials, community advocates, and civil rights leaders to help distribute meals. (Cyril Josh Barker photo)
(Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
(Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office)