INNER-CITY NEWS

INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Financial Justice a Key Focus at 2016 NAACP Convention President Biden Taps Meharry Medical College President for COVID Task Force New Haven, Bridgeport

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Applauded for Reopening Enrollment at Healthcare.gov Through

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Malloy To Malloy To Dems: Dems: May 15th

Ignore Ignore“Tough “ToughOn OnCrime” Crime”

Snow in July?

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Qubiliah Shabazz, Ilyasah Shabazz, Gamilah Shabazz and Attorney Ben Crump unveil what they say is new evidence in the decades-old slaying at New York’s Audubon Ballroom.

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Bethel Breaks The Vaccine Stigma Louis Bosley, Rodney Diggs and outreach worker Naomi Campbell at Wednesday’s clinic.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Buses May Start Running ‘Til 1 AM

by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven I ndependent

New Haven buses could soon keep traveling until the early hours of the morning, in what the city’s transportation chief called “the broadest expansion of public transit” in years.

That potential bus schedule expansion is included in Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed state budget for the biennium 2022-2023.

Following up on one of the top operational recommendations included in the statefunded, decade-in-the-making Move New Haven transit study, the governor’s proposed budget includes $1,169,634 in each of the two coming fiscal years to extend Great New Haven area bus service to 1 a.m.

CTtransit New Haven Division Administrator of Planning & Scheduling Barry Diggs, Jr. said that, if the legislature approves that new bus schedule funding, 19 local bus routes that currently stop running at around 6:30 p.m. each day would stay in operation until 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday. They would stop running in the early evening on Sundays.

While New Haven’s four most popular bus routes—on Grand Avenue, Dixwell Avenue, Congress Avenue, and Whalley Avenue—already run as late as 1:45 a.m. on a daily basis, Diggs said, nearly all of the remaining lines in the Greater New Haven bus transit network stop rolling five hours before then.

That means city bus riders looking to get to and from North Haven, Wallingford, Ansonia, Seymour, East Haven, and various other surrounding suburban areas that have become sites of regional job growth have to scramble to find another ride if they don’t work a 9-to-5 shift.

“Our public transit system was built on old workplace models, with specific shifts and locations and jobs” in mind, state Department of Transportation (DOT) Deputy Commissioner—and Mill River neighborhood resident—Garrett Eucalitto told the Independent in a recent interview about the proposed bus schedule extensions. “Job locations have shifted. Hours of operation have shifted. And our public service has not adjusted.”

The most popular and most successful transit systems nationwide, he said, are ones that provide frequent and reliable service that doesn’t end earlier than when public transit users need to ride.

“The concept of expanding hours of service on high-frequency bus routes is a best practice that a lot of individuals have long wanted to see implemented,” Eucalitto said. “The most important thing this does is it provides more economic freedom and economic opportunities” for people who don’t have a car and need to get to a job for a second or third shift.

City Transportation, Traffic & Parking Doug Hausladen agreed. Not since the launch of the Hartford Line commuter rail nearly three years ago has the state

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO James Dailey, waiting for the bus at Temple and Elm: “Great” for late workers.

planned as large and consequential an expansion of public transportation as this.

“This really is an expansion of what freedom means for so many CTtransit customers,” he said. “When your bus line ends at 6 p.m., that means you life must also shorten” to fit that schedule.

While commuter rail has seen a significant and prolonged hit to its ridership during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Hausladen said, bus ridership has bounced back quicker—likely because of the necessity of public bus travel for commuters who don’t have a car and cannot tele-commute to work.

“I think it’s all part and parcel of what the bus system means to our economy and what it means especially to our recovery starting next [fiscal] year.”

Eucalitto and Diggs said that state DOT must first hold a federally-mandated “service equity” public hearing on the proposed service adjustments before they can go into effect. The proposed bus schedule extension funding must also be approved by the state legislature, which is currently holding public hearings about the entirety of Lamont’s proposed budget, before the bus schedules can be changed.

Eucalitto said that the state hopes to have the money approved and in place, the service equity hearings completed, and the actual bus schedules extended and in effect as early as Summer 2021.

If all goes as planned, Diggs said, every

bus route in the Great New Haven system will run until 1 a.m., except for the New Haven Connector Downtown Loop, a weekday bus service that connects the city’s train stations to several Yale and downtown office buildings. He said that bus service will continue to start in the New Haven region as early as 4:30 a.m.

“I think this is a long time coming,” Diggs added. “We have this jobs sprawl,” including the new Amazon warehouse in North Haven. “This give people more access to more employment. We have to change with the times. It’s our turn as well.”

Diggs said that Great New Haven bus ridership has risen from below 50 percent of pre-pandemic rates last summer to around 65 percent of pre-pandemic rates today.

In terms of average daily ridership, that means a drop from 23,423 passengers in February 2020 to 14,861 daily passengers in February 2021 so far.

Extended Service A “Good Idea” For Job Seekers City bus riders, bundled in winter jackets and face masks during an overcast late morning Monday, welcomed the proposed bus schedule extension as they waited for their buses to arrive at various stops on the Green downtown.

“That’d be great,” said 78-year-old West River resident James Dailey (pictured at the top of this article). “A lot of people

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would leave their cars at home. For people working late, they wouldn’t have to carpool.”

Currently unemployed, Dailey was waiting for the 212 bus Monday to take him over to East Street for a Covid-19 test at Fair Haven Community Health Care’s clinic.

“I’m seeking to get a job right now, but first I need a corona test,” he said.

Dailey said he’s currently working with a job placement organization on Whalley Avenue. They’ve found a potential new job for him in Shelton, he said, though he doesn’t know the details of what that work might be—or what it’s hours might be. He said he recently worked as a custodian, buffing floors at the Knights of Columbus museum at 1 State St. Newhallville resident Kassia Ford said she too thinks that an extension to current city bus service would be an economic and transit boon.

“I don’t take the bus that late,” she said, “but people have gotten laid off” during the pandemic, and a 1 a.m. schedule might help people keep their jobs or find new ones.

On Monday, she was on her way to the West Haven Veteran Affairs hospital, where she said she volunteers.

A Hill resident who gave his first name as David (and asked not to be photographed for this article) also described the bus schedule extension as a “good idea.”

He said he currently works at a warehouse in Fair Haven. His shifts start as early as 2 or 3 in the morning, and run until 11 a.m.

On Monday midday, he had just gotten off of one such shift and was making his way back home.

He said he has to get rides with friends and family when commuting to work in the early hours of the morning. He then takes two buses to get home.

Another Hill resident named Lee Smith, who was also waiting on Temple Street Monday and also asked not to be photographed, said she’s less concerned with a later bus schedule than she is about public transit public safety during the pandemic.

“There’s too many knuckleheads who don’t keep their masks on,” she said. $34.9M Proposed Cut To New Haven Line In addition to the proposed nearly $1.2 million more each year for extended New Haven bus service, the governor’s proposed budget also includes more than $34.9 million removed in each of the coming two years for Merto-North’s New Haven Line rail operations.

Eucalitto said that this proposed state funding reduction would represent a “continuation of service levels that we’re currently operating.”

That is, Metro-North’s New Haven Line has seen service levels drop to around 62 percent of pre-pandemic levels over the past year. The governor’s proposed budget would keep Merto-North trains traveling at the same frequencies as they are today.

“We are annualizing the current cost of the New Haven Line. It’s not necessarily a cut to service beyond what is” in place today.

Metro-North spokesperson Aaron Donovan agreed with that assessment.

He said that, with fewer trains running, Metro-Norths costs have dropped—thereby requiring less money from both the state DOT and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which share the costs of operating the New Haven Line.

“As with all significant service adjustment proposals, CTDOT will be preparing for a Service Equity hearing to get public feedback and input on the proposed service adjustments,” state transportation spokesperson Kevin Nursick told the Independent by email. As with all DOT informational meetings since the onset of the pandemic, we will have multiple methods for the public to engage, including access for individuals without computer access. Specifics will be available in the coming weeks.

“I would add that no one can say for certain what Washington will do to support transit and transportation, but we are hopeful that with the support of the Biden administration and the Congressional leadership the transit industry will be able to stave off further service reductions.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

At Quinnipiac University on Feb. 26

Part 4 of our 4-part series in celebration of Black History Month

Philosophy professor to present ‘Reason, Reaction and

Black Rebellion’ at the 36th annual Alfred P. Stiernotte Lecture

Vanessa Wills, assistant professor of philosophy at George Washington University, will present the 36th annual Alfred P. Stiernotte Lecture, “Reason, Reaction and Black Rebellion,” at noon on Friday, Feb. 26, at Quinnipiac University.

This virtual event is free and open to the public.

Join the program quinnipiac.zoom.us

Wills will discuss the contributions that radical Black thought has made to a critical and objective understanding of the world and the defense of a genuine democracy. She’ll also talk about the lessons drawn from Black liberation struggles in the United States and how the Black radical tradition can help deconstruct and fight far-right authoritarianism.

“As people in the United States grow newly aware of the threat posed to democracy by far-right extremism, we see a temptation to close ranks around a ‘patriotic’ American identity,” Wills said. “However, that nationalism has historically been defined in terms that excluded Blacks, laying groundwork for the most virulent forms of racism and reaction.

We cannot counter the far right’s tall tales with an equally mythological liberal fantasy.”

Wills said radical Black politics in the United States have always had to fight on two fronts — bearing the brunt of illiberal, fascistic terror, and simultaneously articulating ruthless criticisms of liberal politics that fall short as antifascist theory and practice.

A political philosopher, ethicist, educator and activist working in Washington, D.C., Wills was recently the DAAD Visiting Chair in Ethics and Practice at the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität’s Munich Center for Ethics. Her areas of specialization are moral, social and political philosophy; 19th-century German philosophy (especially Karl Marx) and the philosophy of race. She is on the editorial board of “Spectre Journal,” a biannual journal of Marxist theory, strategy and analysis.

Wills received her PhD in philosophy from the Uni-

BOSCOV’S HONORS

VOICES IN THE ARTS

IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH August Wilson Dorothy Dandridge

Vanessa Wills, assistant professor of philosophy at George Washington University. Contributed photo.

Ella Fitzgerald

versity of Pittsburgh in 2011, where she wrote her dissertation on “Marx and Morality.” She conducted part of her dissertation research at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin as a Fulbright Scholar during the 2010-11 academic year. She received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Princeton University in 2002.

The Stiernotte lecture series is named in honor of the late Alfred P. Stiernotte, who initiated the teaching of philosophy at Quinnipiac more than 50 years ago. The series has been funded largely from an endowment provided by his estate.

For more information about the program, call 203582-8652.

Octavia E. Butler

John Lee Hooker

Vaccination Rules Change

Schoolteachers and everyone 55 and older will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations under a revamping of rules announced Monday by Gov. Ned Lamont.

To schedule an appointment with the city, call (203)

Denzel Washington

Mary Wilson

Jean-Michel Basquiat

639-2245 or call 1-877-918-2224. To schedule an appointment with Yale New Haven Health, register for information on scheduling a vaccination through the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center.

Whether it be Mary Wilson trailblazing Motown and the 1960s pop music charts as a founding member of The Supremes, John Lee Hooker setting the standard for great blues guitarists, Ella Fitzgerald reigning as The Queen of Jazz, Octavia E. Butler breaking barriers in the world of science fiction, August Wilson telling the African American story on the stage, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s enigmatic artwork, Dorothy Dandridge and Denzel Washington lighting up the silver screen, or the countless other African American artists who have entertained and touched us, Boscov’s thanks them for their contributions to the arts, their influences on popular culture and their positive impacts on our country.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Cell Tower Decision Leaves Out Neighbors

by ALLAN APPEL

New Haven I ndependent

When Verizon sought to modify its Newhallville cell tower, it gave a head’s up to out-of-town landlords who own nearby properties. It didn’t notify tenants who actually live there.

That fact emerged during a passionate debate at the latest Zoom-assisted monthly meeting of the City Plan Commission, helmed by Chair Ed Mattison and City Plan staffer Stacey Davis. It raised broader questions about how neighbors get notified about pending public decisions that affect them.

At issue, during a public hearing, was approval of a special permit for Verizon to make minor modifications to its cell tower antennas and other equipment atop an industrial building at 89 Shelton Ave. in Newhallville, where the equipment has been since 2006.

At the end of an hour’s discussion, which took place this past Wednesday evening, the vote for approval was four to one in favor.

If the proposed changes were minor, the temper of the discussion was anything but.

The proposed work includes “replacement of nine antennas and six remote radio heads” in a modification that would not alter the look of the current facility or, testified Verizon’s lawyer Ken Baldwin, increase any of the hum that emanates from the transformer-like equipment beneath the antennas inside the top floor of the building.

However, is that hum “healthy?”

And could altering the equipment to carry 5G have health consequences?

Those questions were raised by a public commenter in the session, Chris Ozyck.

And Ozyck, a longtime environmental justice advocate, lives on the east side of town, not in Newhallville That raised an auxiliary but equally important issue for commissioners, especially the group’s vice chair, Leslie Radcliffe, who ultimately was the single no-vote in the decision.

She noted that neighbors turned out to question and ultimately defeat T-Mobile applications, in 2013, in Fairmont Park in Fair Haven Heights. And, later in 2019, for a telecommunications array in the steeple of the Pilgrim Church on Grand Avenue by the eastern access to the Grand Avenue Bridge.

But nobody from the streets of Newhallville appeared at Wednesday night’s meeting to ask serious questions about the 89 Shelton Ave. application.

Baldwin made clear that Verizon notified, as city ordinances require, all abutters within 200 feet of the towers. The facility complies with all safety concerns, which are the purview, not of the city, but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), he added “The FCC will shut us down if any of these facilities don’t comply with the

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New City Plan Chair Leslie Radcliffe: Notify tenants, not just LLCs. out this new technology to make it availtion and flag that concern.”

A contrary view was expressed by local able to the citizens of New Haven.”

“I would by no means want to impose attorney Ben Trachten, who was on the retroactively, and I thank you for your Zoom meeting for another matter.

“I am a Verizon customer and would like answer,” Radcliffe replied.

The aldermanic representative to the to speak in support of the applicant. They have satisfied all requirements for abut- commission, Adam Marchand. echoed ters and none of the issues that the other Radcliffe’s concerns: “The city knocks speakers brought up pertain. As a Verizon on doors, uses phone banks to notify customer and as a citizen, this will help residents of the availability of vaccines. us as the technology changes in our com- There are many more ways than sending certified letters to an LLC in New York munity,” Trachten said.

Before the final vote was taken, City that might not even be the right address!

Plan Director Aicha Woods and Chair We should look to a way to update that the Mattison brought the discussion back to commission might have a role in that and I’d be glad to talk to my colleagues on the the macro view.

Referencing his own work on behalf of Board of Alders.”

In the end Radcliffe was the only comthe city on this issue when he was deputy corporation counsel, Mattison said, “The missioner who concluded that notificaCongress of the United States said that tion, and its lapses, were a sufficient basis they wanted to have a national policy for a no vote.

“I will stand by that insufficient notificawith regard to safety and health issues, and they said localities could not deny ap- tion. Had the residents been informed, I plications on the basis of local concerns think it’s very possible there would have for health and safety. Only the FCC and been a lot of turnout similar to Fair Haven Congress have the power to change rules. Heights. That matter had a wholly differI’m not defending that decision, but that’s ent outcome. Given the opportunity in Newhallville they would have turned out; legally the case.”

“We are looking at how we can review they do care about their neighborhood. our ordinances,” added Woods, “but we I’m passionate about that. I am also very are limited by the FCC rules and spe- disturbed that not only do we have the opcifically regarding health effects we’re portunity to do better in the future, we can do better today. For those reasons I cannot bound by them now.”

Before the final vote, Radcliffe returned and will not support this,” she said.

Before the three-hour meeting conto Baldwin with one final appeal. She asked if Verizon could “put a pin in it cluded, commissioners engaged in their and a pause to share information now and annual requirement to vote officers. Ed perhaps provide an environmental impact Mattison said serving as chair for nearly a statement” that might be reviewed before dozen years was satisfying but also sufficient. The commissioners voted Radcliffe the modification.

“There is some urgency as relates to this and Mattison to swap positions, with Matapplication,” Baldwin replied. “We’re tison serving now as vice chair and Radhappy to work with the commission and cliffe taking the helm.

These votes were unanimous. The other staff to develop new standards and requirements going forward but would ask commissioners participating included Eryou not to impose it on us retroactively. nest Pagan, Elias Estabrook, and alternate As Ben Trachten said, we are eager to roll Kevin DiAdamo.

safety standards,” Baldwin said To that, Ozyck argued technology is progressing faster than the medical science.

There is a 500-foot notification for cell towers in other communities he has researched, Ozyck added. He urged City Plan commissioners to seek to change the rules to allow more distance, better notification, and fees “to help fund the oversight and analysis of these facilities.”

Radcliffe pressed further especially on the notification issue, because the ordinance requires letters be sent to abutters who are property owners, not renters.

“You can have a whole city block with no owners only renters, and none of those people would have received notification. You may not get a response from a property owner,” because often that is an out-of-town limited liability corporation (LLC) that “might not have concerns,” while the people who live there do.

Radcliffe pressed Baldwin if he had reached out to any of the local management teams or other grassroots groups to share the plans. He said he had not, in part because the ordinance doesn’t require it.

He confirmed the only outreach was the mailing to property owners.

“We’re happy to comply with whatever requirements are set forth in the regulations, and you raise fair points,” Baldwin said to Radcliffe.

“Was there any outreach to the alder in the Newhallville area?” she pressed on.

“We did not reach out to Alder [Steven] Winter,” said Baldwin. “This is a minor modification to a facility that’s been there for 14 years.”

Two public commenters were present, including Alder Winter.

“I did hear from a couple of folks who were concerned about this cell tower upgrade and the health implications in particular,” he testified.

Winter called Ozyck’s concerns “spot on.

I wanted therefore to second that sugges-

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Community Celebrates Life Of Brandon Jenkins

by COURTNEY LUCIANA New Haven I ndependent

Joan Brissett went to church Wednesday not to pray, but to get a Covid-19 vaccine shot.

She found peace.

Brissett, 65, was one of 80 congregants and neighbors to show up for their shot at a pop-up clinic held at Bethel AME Church on Goffe Street — one of numerous such clinics the city Health Department has staged to address concerns in the Black community about the vaccine.

A longtime Bethel member, Brissett said she had been worried about the side effects that may ensue from the shot.

Wednesday’s event put her at ease.

“I was afraid about what I heard on TV about some of the things that happened to African Americans throughout the pandemic. That was on my mind a lot,” Brissett said. “It was a weight off my shoulders that I could get vaccinated at my church and could have some peace around getting it.”

A majority of Bethel’s 300 active members are Black.

Bethel’s pastor, the Rev. Steven Cousin, said that the vaccine has opened a window that may lead to the church reopening this spring for in-person services.

“The things that we love to do as a Black church — we love to hug, we love to shake hands, and really have that physi-

cal contact,” Cousin said. “Now with Covid-19, we might not be doing any of that when interacting. That’s going to be one of the biggest changes.”

Since the pandemic began, the city Health Department and community leaders have sought to address reluctance in communities of color, first about testing and precautions, and now about vaccine.

Rev. Cousin said it’s important to raise the awareness of racial inequities in health care.

“When anything is new, you’re going to have a critical eye to it,” Cousin said.

“But also, we can’t ignore the racism that is in our health care field as well, where there are those who have not received the best health care due to their ethnic group.

Once again, it’s about the access.”

Beaver Hills Alder Jill Marks said Bethel AME Church serves as a staple of the community.

“This church is established in the ward,” Marks said. “They’re playing a big part of helping out to improve our neighborhood here. In this particular community, where there’s a lot of Black and brown people that are definitely underserved, the church is helping to provide accessibility and allowing the people who want to get vaccinated to have the opportunity.”

The New Haven Health Department has vaccinated 6,200 people. Residents are demanding more Covid-19 vaccination

Brenda Cuffy.

sites to pop-up throughout the city in order to gain faster, easier accessibility.

The Health Department plans to continue to provide pop-up vaccinations throughout the city on Wednesdays.

Mayor Justin Elicker said there are still a number of limitations. “One is the number of vaccines that we have available,” Elicker said. “And two is the capacity for people to be able to vaccinate.”

“I Want To Be Around” Rodney Diggs, 70, a colorectal cancer survivor of 10 years, said that he always knew was going to participate in getting his Covid-19 vaccination. He has seen too many people he loves die from the virus.

“When you know people that have died from it, you know that it’s real,” Diggs said. “I’m happy to be here. I want to stay longer, because I have a lot of people in my life that I want to be around.”

Louis Bosley, 68, a retired New Haven firefighter of 31 years, said he thinks people are skeptical about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a lack of research.

“I would have gotten the vaccine even if my church didn’t offer the COVID-19 vaccine today,” Bosley said. “There needs to be more pop-ups because a lot of the time people don’t have the transportation, they need more education about the vaccine, and for people to get the message out to them.”

“I have to say honestly, we as folks of color, don’t really talk about health a lot,” observed Health Department outreach worker Naomi Campbell. “Sometimes we, as people of color, don’t always feel comfortable. Sometimes we want to sit back and watch to see what happens and what the outcome is before we react.”

The next round of vaccinations at Bethel AME Church will be given on March 17.

Photo Credit: Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen

OPPORTUNITY + EQUITY

Stay connected to what’s happening in our region to address the impact of COVID-19 and to advance racial equity.

at home

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A conversation between artist Joy Gregory and Maryam Ohadi-Hamadani, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Center

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Housing Authority Expansion Debated

by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven I ndependent

A New Haven-backed state bill seeking to let public housing authorities develop properties in neighboring towns provoked a flood of suburban pushback, all rallying around the local control cry of: Don’t build on me.

That cry came during an hours-long debate around affordable housing, racial segregation, and municipal zoning independence Thursday morning and afternoon at an online public hearing hosted by the state legislature’s Housing Committee.

Over 115 people signed up to testify at the virtual public hearing, which was video-livestreamed on YouTube and CT-N. The committee’s agenda covered 19 different proposed housing-related bills touching everything from resources for the homeless to rent control to protections for tenants with criminal records.

Two potential pieces of legislation won the lion’s share of attention during the hearing’s first six-plus hours.

Those were Proposed House Bill 6430: An Act Concerning Housing Authority Jurisdiction and Proposed House Bill 804: An Act Concerning Inclusion In Certain Communities.

The former was introduced by the Housing Committee and mirrors an identical piece of legislation backed by all nine of New Haven’s state legislators and representatives this general session. The bill would allow public housing authorities—like New Haven’s Elm City Communities—the ability to build within a 15 mile radius of the municipality where they were created. Current state law limits housing authority jurisdiction to their town or city of origin.

The latter proposed bill was introduced

by South Windsor State Sen. Saud Anwar and so far exists only as a high-level list of affordable housing-related concepts.

The bill lists its goals as “to address several issues surrounding affordable housing, multiunit residential buildings, sewerage systems, housing authority jurisdiction, training for certain municipal officials involved in planning and zoning decisions and compliance with municipal zoning regulations.”

Many of those proposals have been championed by a statewide coalition called Desegregate CT. They’ve also been supported by New Haven zoning reformers as of late, most notably in an ongoing effort convince the Town of Woodbridge to change its “exclusionary zoning” laws to make it easier for the development of multi-family housing in a leafy suburb currently dominated by single-family homes. That would make certain multifamily developers permissible as of right, as opposed to only after a project-specific public hearing.

“My support of H.B. 6430 stems from my outrage and concern about the lack of

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Local housing authority President DuBois-Walton: State should treat housing authorities like any other developer. affordable housing in our state, the con- the housing assistance they need.” tinued segregation of our communities,” He said that there are currently 30,000 city housing authority president Karen people on the New Haven housing auDuBois-Walton wrote in testimony sub- thority wait list, and that roughly a third mitted in advance to the committee. of those people live outside of New Ha“Further, my support stems from my ven. “Think about that,” he said. “Nearly knowledge that allowing PHAs to devel- 10,000 people are in your towns and cities op as any other developer can is a reason- and can’t find housing there.” Allowing able and sensible step forward that can be housing authorities to expand where they taken this session.” can operate could directly address some DuBois-Walton made that same argu- of that shortfall outside of urban centers. ment at around 6 p.m. Thursday when she Their support for the bill was a minority got a chance to testify at the hours-long opinion among those who turned out to virtual hearing. This bill is simply asking testify remotely on Thursday. the state to treat housing authorities “with More emblematic of the more than two the same free market rules that any other dozen testimonies offered on these prodeveloper would face when pursuing a posed bills by the late afternoon was that development deal,” she said.) of Kimberly Fiorello, a Republican state Mayor Justin Elicker agreed during representative from Greenwich. his testimony towards the beginning of “Home rule is nothing more than people Thursday’s virtual hearing. not wanting to be bossed around, and that “It will not take away any local control or feeling is nonpartisan and it’s a basic hugive cities power over surrounding sub- man feeling,” she said. She said any bill urbs,” he said. Rather H.B. 6430 would that changes the current local control over create more desperately needed afford- zoning-related approvals would “fundaable housing across Connecticut, “reduce mentally change something that is a part our state’s deep segregation and concen- of the fabric of what makes Connecticut, trated poverty, and allow more residents Connecticut.” who do not live in cities easier access to Or that of New Canaan architect Cris-

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tina Aguirre-Ross, who described both proposed bills as presenting a “one-fits all approach” and that doesn’t “allow for diversity and growth at a pace that is prudent and fiscally responsible.”

Or that of Shelton Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Virginia Harger.

“Connecticut communities do not stand to benefit from the elimination of local control with the state dictating which kind of housing is needed and where it is needed,” she said. Let “common-sense, market-driven solutions” determine that.

Or, in a more bluntly articulated response, that of Canton Republican Town Committee Chair Arnold Goldman. “This has nothing to do with race,” he said about the housing authority and zoning restructuring bills. “But everything to do with an assertion of ideological power beyond an elected jurisdiction.”

Or, in an even more panic-inducing call to arms, that of former Republican gubernatorial candidate and former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst, who is an Orange-based attorney and one of the chief opponents to the Woodbridge rezoning effort.

“If this legislation is passed,” he said about H.B. 6430 and H.B. 804, “if the governor signs this into law, I believe you are going to see a bipartisan uprising in this state the likes of which you have never seen.”

Throughout the hearing, committee cochairs State Rep. Brandon McGee and State Sen. Rick Lopes (pictured) sought to keep the proposed reforms and alarmed response in a broader social and historical context in Connecticut.

“These bills are not to destroy the characters of these towns,” Lopes said. “They are to investigate and look at why, in a state such as ours, one of the wealthiest states in the country, that we are guaranteed a very high standard of living, a very high standard of economic potential and economic opportunity, a very high standard of healthcare if we live in about 140 of the towns and cities across the state.

But if people live in the 10 poor communities in this state, they are not guaranteed.”

“We are not trying to force anything on smaller communities,” he reiterated. “It’s opening up the discussion about why we have such an unbalanced state and how we can make this state better.”

After a particularly heated debate around whether or not zoning laws should be allowed to explicitly protect a town’s “character,” McGee reminded those watching and listening and testifying of how that word has been used historically to enforce racial segregation.

“It’s important to understand that this conversation is also about equity, race, and the long history of inequities in the housing system throughout the State of Connecticut,” he said. “We always have to be mindful of that during this particular

conversation about affordable housing.”

In response to concerns by Westport State Sen. Tony Hwang that some of the affordable housing and zoning reformrelated proposals on the table Thursday represented too much action taken too quickly by state government, New Haven State Sen. Gary Winfield stressed that waiting and waiting has its costs too.

“The people who have the ability to wait oftentimes will think we can do this, figure it out over time. Meanwhile, the people who don’t have the ability to wait are suffering.”

In her written testimony in support of the housing authority jurisdiction bill as well as during her remote testimony delivered Thursday hearing, DuBois-Walton zeroed in on how the bill “seeks to level the playing field with other developers and does not seek to further advantage housing authority developers.”

Current state law limits housing authorities—which leverage federal funding to subsidize rent for low-income tenants at housing authority-owned properties and in the private rental market—to work only within the bounds of the town or city where they were created.

H.B. 6430 would expand that jurisdiction to include a 15-mile radius surrounding the municipality of origin. It would also limit housing development authorities to only “high” or “very high” opportunity areas within that expanded jurisdiction.

And it specifically does not allow housing authorities to exercise eminent domain when looking to acquire properties within that expanded jurisdiction.

“Housing authorities have become prolific and qualified developers of affordable housing,” she wrote. “We have had to be creative in our approaches and as a result we are the primary developers of mixed income housing and yet we are restricted from operating within the private market as any other developer by these archaic jurisdictional lines.”

DuBois-Walton argued that public housing authorities should be treated like any other developer looking to acquire a property, develop a plan to create housing, and then pursue necessary local approvals.

“While other developers may struggle to figure out how to make the development project affordable, housing authorities who have the federal subsidy needed to do so are told “not in my backyard” while families in need go unhoused or continue to pay far more than they can afford often for substandard housing.”

She wrote that an estimated 40 percent of Connecticut families are rent-burdened, and only one out of every four families that are eligible to receive housing subsidies are currently receiving them.

“This [housing] shortage is impacting every community—urban, suburban and rural. We must take bold action.”

During her Thursday evening testimony Con’t on page 14

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

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Bethel Breaks The Vaccine Stigma THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

by COURTNEY LUCIANA New Haven I ndependent

Joan Brissett went to church Wednesday not to pray, but to get a Covid-19 vaccine shot.

She found peace.

Brissett, 65, was one of 80 congregants and neighbors to show up for their shot at a popup clinic held at Bethel AME Church on Goffe Street — one of numerous such clinics the city Health Department has staged to address concerns in the Black community about the vaccine.

A longtime Bethel member, Brissett said she had been worried about the side effects that may ensue from the shot. Wednesday’s event put her at ease.

“I was afraid about what I heard on TV about some of the things that happened to African Americans throughout the pandemic. That was on my mind a lot,” Brissett said. “It was a weight off my shoulders that I could get vaccinated at my church and could have some peace around getting it.”

A majority of Bethel’s 300 active members are Black.

Bethel’s pastor, the Rev. Steven Cousin, said that the vaccine has opened a window that may lead to the church reopening this spring for in-person services.

“The things that we love to do as a Black church — we love to hug, we love to shake hands, and really have that physical contact,” Cousin said. “Now with Covid-19, we might not be doing any of that when interacting. That’s going to be one of the biggest

changes.”

Since the pandemic began, the city Health Department and community leaders have sought to address reluctance in communities of color, first about testing and precautions, and now about vaccine.

Rev. Cousin said it’s important to raise the awareness of racial inequities in health care.

“When anything is new, you’re going to have a critical eye to it,” Cousin said. “But also, we can’t ignore the racism that is in our health care field as well, where there are those who have not received the best health care due to their ethnic group. Once again, it’s about the access.”

Beaver Hills Alder Jill Marks said Bethel AME Church serves as a staple of the community.

“This church is established in the ward,” Marks said. “They’re playing a big part of helping out to improve our neighborhood here. In this particular community, where there’s a lot of Black and brown people that are definitely underserved, the church is helping to provide accessibility and allowing the people who want to get vaccinated to have the opportunity.”

The New Haven Health Department has vaccinated 6,200 people. Residents are demanding more Covid-19 vaccination sites to pop-up throughout the city in order to gain faster, easier accessibility.

The Health Department plans to continue to provide pop-up vaccinations throughout the city on Wednesdays.

Mayor Justin Elicker said there are still a

number of limitations. “One is the number of vaccines that we have available,” Elicker said. “And two is the capacity for people to be able to vaccinate.”

“I Want To Be Around” Rodney Diggs, 70, a colorectal cancer survivor of 10 years, said that he always knew was going to participate in getting his Covid-19 vaccination. He has seen too many people he loves die from the virus.

“When you know people that have died from it, you know that it’s real,” Diggs said.

“I’m happy to be here. I want to stay longer, because I have a lot of people in my life that I want to be around.”

Louis Bosley, 68, a retired New Haven firefighter of 31 years, said he thinks people are skeptical about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a lack of research.

“I would have gotten the vaccine even if my church didn’t offer the COVID-19 vaccine today,” Bosley said. “There needs to be more pop-ups because a lot of the time people don’t have the transportation, they need more education about the vaccine, and for people to get the message out to them.”

“I have to say honestly, we as folks of color, don’t really talk about health a lot,” observed Health Department outreach worker Naomi Campbell. “Sometimes we, as people of color, don’t always feel comfortable.

Sometimes we want to sit back and watch to see what happens and what the outcome is before we react.”

The next round of vaccinations at Bethel AME Church will be given on March 17.

COURTNEY LUCIANA PHOTO Joan Brissett, among 80 vaccinated at Bethel Church’s pop-up clinic.

“And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us

BUT WHAT STANDS US” BEFORE US – Amanda Gorman

Throughout Black History Month and beyond, we celebrate Black Joy. Its beauty. Its brilliance. Its variety. Its tenacity. Its resilience.

Its ability to thrive despite everything.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

President Biden Applauded for Reopening Enrollment at Healthcare.gov through May 15th

population in the United States didn’t have health insurance, up from a historical low of 19.3 percent in 2016. In 2019, the national average was 9.5 percent and Asian Americans had the lowest rate at 7.4 percent. White Americans also had a below average rate at 9.8 percent, whereas 13.6 percent of Black Africans had no health insurance.

“During the last administration, due to actions to undermine enrollment, the number of people without health insurance increased for the first time since the ACA went into effect,” Howell noted further.

“Now we have a chance to provide health insurance for more people. We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking decisive action to make health insurance coverage more accessible by reopening enrollment for three months. Doing so surely will save lives and help protect people against financial insecurity.”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

After four years of the previous administration’s efforts to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Joe Biden has moved swiftly to repair damage done to President Obama’s signature legislation.

The Biden administration has reopened enrollment at Healthcare.gov through May 15 – though the timeline varies depending on the state – to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to obtain coverage.

The move is especially important as the nation continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 480,000 American lives.

Marcela Howell, president and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, applauded the new enrollment window and encouraged all without health insurance — especially in communities of color — to act now to enroll.

“We know that before the passage of the ACA, people of color accounted for 54 percent of the uninsured in the United States, even though they only make up 35 percent of the population. Black women and other women of color — who already face systemic barriers to accessing health care — were disproportionately impacted,” Howell determined.

According to the Kaiser Family Foun-

dation, about 9 million uninsured Americans could get free or subsidized health insurance through the special enrollment period.

Further, for those earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line – about $51,500 for one person and $106,000 for a family of four, government subsidies are available.

About 90 percent of those who sign up

through Healthcare.gov receive subsidies, recent data revealed.

Popularly known as Obamacare, former President Barack Obama signed the ACA into law in 2010. The law expanded Medicaid and significantly lowered the cost of insurance for many Americans, particularly low-income residents.

According to statista.com, the full effects of Obamacare weren’t seen until

2013, when government-run insurance marketplaces such as HealthCare.gov were opened. The number of Americans without health insurance fell significantly between 2010 and 2015, but began to rise after 2016 when Donald Trump took office and spent four years attempting to outlaw and dismantle the ACA. Reportedly, during the first half of 2019, over 27 percent of the Hispanic

She continued: “We strongly urge those who are uninsured — especially women and people of color — to act now to enroll. Visit http:// www.healthcare.gov to enroll. Given that states with their own insurance exchanges may have different enrollment periods, it is important for people without insurance to act immediately so they don’t miss the opportunity to get coverage.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Qubiliah Shabazz, Ilyasah Shabazz, Gamilah Shabazz and Attorney Ben Crump unveil what they say is new evidence in the decades-old slaying at New York’s Audubon Ballroom.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Almost 56 years to the Feb. 21, 1965, assassination of Malcolm X, the slain leader’s daughters and a noted civil rights attorney are shining a light on those whom they believe are responsible for the heartless murder.

The group gathered on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the old Audubon Ballroom – since renamed The Shabazz Center – with lawyers Ray Hamlin and Paul Napoli and Reggie Wood, whose relative, NYPD Officer Ray Wood, allegedly confessed in a deathbed declaration letter.

The gathering occurred in the same venue as the assassination and just one day before the heinous crime’s anniversary.

The new allegations focus on Officer Wood and a conspiracy against organized civil rights groups that he said had been perpetrated by the New York City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Reggie Wood alleges that authorities conspired to assassinate Malcolm X in Harlem.

“Ray Wood, an undercover police officer at the time, confessed in a deathbed declaration letter that the NYPD and the FBI conspired to undermine the legitimacy of the civil rights movement and its leaders,” Crump stated.

“Without any training, Wood’s job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations and encourage leaders and members to commit felonious acts,” Crump noted in a news release before the gathering.

“He was also tasked with ensuring that Malcolm X’s security detail was arrested days prior to the assassination, guaranteeing Malcolm X didn’t have door security while at the Audubon Ballroom, where he was killed on Feb. 21, 1965.”

Wood’s purported death bed letter was delivered to three of Malcolm’s daughters – Qubiliah, Ilyasah, and Gamilah.

Reggie Wood, the administrator of Ray Wood’s estate, read the letter to Malcolm’s daughters.

Ray Wood served as an undercover New York City police officer with the Bureau

of Special Services and Investigation (BOSSI).

Reportedly, he earned a reputation for infiltrating the Bronx Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) chapter under the name Ray Woodall in 1964.

According to a report in The Guardian, Wood posed as a 27-year-old graduate of Manhattan College studying law at Fordham University.

“He was soon named CORE’s housing chairman and oversaw a voter registration project,” The Guardian reported.

“Wood earned his activist bonafides by getting arrested with two others at city hall while attempting a citizen’s arrest of Mayor Wagner for allowing racial discrimination on a public construction project,” the U.K.-based newspaper published.

By 1965, Wood had been reassigned to infiltrate a group calling itself the Black Liberation Movement (BLM) and received credit for defusing a plot to bomb the Statue of Liberty.

Three men were convicted of Malcolm

HOWARD K. HILL F UNERAL

SERVICES

X’s 1965 murder.

Talmadge Hayer, who later changed his name to Mujahid Abdul Halim, was the only one to admit guilt in the assassination.

Norman Butler, who later changed his name to Muhammad Abdul Aziz, and Thomas Johnson, later named Khalil Islam, maintained their innocence.

Aziz won parole in 1985; Islam was released in 1987, and Halim was released in 2010.

Islam died in 2009.

A Netflix documentary, “Who Killed Malcolm X?,” was released last year and featured interviews conducted by AbdurRahman Muhammad, an activist and investigator who said he dedicated his life to solving Malcolm’s murder.

Following the documentary’s release, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced it would review the case and reopen it if they found new evidence.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., could not immediately be reached for comment.

G R E ATE R N E W H AV E N

C O V I D -1 9 COMMUNITY FUND A COM MUNIT Y-WIDE E FFORT

ya l e i n st i t u t e o f s a c r e d m u s i c joins the

i n n e r city news

Make a gif t at cfgnh.org /covid19 fund

in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans to the cultural and spiritual life of New Haven and the world.

See the top 5 needs identified by CT Nonprofits.

The Greater New Haven COVID -19 Community Fund was established on March 20, 2020 by a par tnership between The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and United Way of Greater New Haven.

e v e n t l i st i n g s at ism.yale.edu

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Black Troops Were Welcome in Britain, but Jim Crow Wasn’t: The Race Riot of One Night in June 1943

by Alan Rice Black American GIs stationed in Britain during the war were given a warm welcome by their hosts but treated harshly by their white US Army comrades.

Bullet holes found in the wood surrounds of the NatWest Bank in Bamber Bridge, in Lancashire in the north of England, in the late 1980s led to the rediscovery of an event that saw some of the few shots fired in anger in England during World War II, which had been largely forgotten. These were not shots fired by invading troops, but by American GIs against their own military police.

Intrigued by his discovery, Clinton Smith, the black British maintenance worker who discovered the holes in the woodwork, asked locals how they could have got there. He was told that they were the remnants of the Battle of Bamber Bridge, when black American troops stationed in the town faced off against white US Army military police on the night of June 24-25, 1943.

More a mutiny than a battle, it led to the death of Private William Crossland in nearby Mounsey Road, and four other injuries to black American soldiers in a fivehour confrontation which spread from the thatched Olde Hob Inn at one end of the town to the Adams Hall army camp, where from early 1943 the US Eighth Army Quartermaster Truck Company, a black company apart from a few white officers, had been based. The event was officially downplayed, in order not to undermine morale on the home front, but the events of that night led to the conviction of 27 black American soldiers.

The ‘Battle’ The whole incident is typical of the clashes on and around bases in Britain between black and white American troops – 44 between November 1943 and February 1944 alone – where the intrinsic racism in a segregated army led to confrontations. This was especially the case in a foreign setting where the black soldiers saw around them a very different reality from that they faced at home – a nonsegregated society where they were welcomed as fellow fighters against fascism, rather than tolerated hod-carriers for the war effort as they were generally treated by the US Army.

That evening in 1943, black troops and white locals were stretching out “drinking-up time” in a pub at the end of the evening. Words were exchanged, and military police arrived and tried to arrest Private Eugene Nunn for not wearing the proper uniform. But they faced new solidarities: a white British soldier challenged the military police: “Why do you want to arrest them? They’re not doing anything or bothering anybody.”

The incident escalated into a fist fight and the military police were beaten back.

When they returned with reinforcements to meet the group, now returning to camp, a battle developed in the street. Shots were fired, and Crossland died with a bullet in his back.

When rumours spread at the camp that black GIs had been shot, scores of men formed a crowd, some carrying rifles.

The arrival at around midnight of more military police with a machine gunequipped vehicle convinced many of the black soldiers that the police intended to

GIs in Bristol. Credit: brizzlebornandbred, CC BY-NC-SA. Black GIs would drink in mixed company in British pubs, to the horror of the white US Army authorities. Credit: brizzlebornandbred.

kill them – and they drew rifles from the stores. Some barricaded themselves into the base, others tore off back into town, leading to running shooting battles in the streets.

Many of the black American troop standing up to the military police that febrile night were no doubt influenced by news filtering through of race riots in Detroit on June 20, where defenceless black men were attacked by racist police, responsible for the deaths of 17 of the 25 AfricanAmericans killed.

Race Relations at Home and Abroad In his essays George Orwell alluded to the oft-quoted assertion that American GIs were “oversexed, overpaid and over here”. But he qualified this with the observation that: “the general consensus of opinion is that the only American soldiers with decent manners are Negroes.”

The black American servicemen were welcomed into the leisure time of their British hosts in ways that spread solidarity. A former black GI, Cleother Hathcock,

remembers: At that time the Jitterbug was in and the blacks would get a buggin’ and the English just loved that. We would go into a dance hall and just take over the place because everybody wanted to learn how to do that American dance, the Jitterbug. They went wild over that.

The town did not share the US Army’s segregationist attitudes. According to the author Anthony Burgess, who spent time in Bamber Bridge during the war, when US military authorities demanded that Con’t on page 16

Sgt. Major Christian Fleetwood, Medal of Honor Recipient and Unsung Civil War Hero

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Educated and ambitious are terms most historians use to describe Christian Abraham Fleetwood, born free and Black in Baltimore in 1840.

History, however, has cemented this relatively unknown Civil War hero as valiant.

After graduating as class valedictorian from Pennsylvania’s Ashmun Institute – later renamed as Lincoln University – Fleetwood started The Lyceum Observer, the first Black-owned newspaper south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

According to the United States Department of Defense archives, Fleetwood joined the Union Army just seven months after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

He was assigned to the 4th U.S. Colored

Infantry and quickly rose to the rank of sergeant major. “About a year later, he would earn the Medal of Honor,” Defense Department archives noted.

On Sept. 29, 1864, Fleetwood’s infantry fought near Chaffins Farm, a large open bluff between Richmond, Virginia, and the James River.

Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered troops to attack northward from the river to capture the city.

“During the battle, Union soldiers overwhelmed defenders inside Fort Harrison and captured the strategic area of New Market Heights, where Fleetwood’s brigade was sent to fight,” Defense Department historians wrote.

fight, two flag bearers from Fleetwood’s unit were shot. While one soldier picked up the regimental colors, Fleetwood picked up the U.S. flag. According to the Medal of Honor citation, Fleetwood’ bore them [the flag, or ‘colors’] nobly through the fight.’”

He was 23 and the highest-ranking Black man to commit actions that would earn him the Medal of Honor.

Born in Baltimore to Charles and Ann Maria Fleetwood, both of whom were free African Americans, Fleetwood was first educated in the home of his father’s employer, sugar merchant John C. Brune.

According to the Library of Congress, Fleetwood was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1866 and settled in Washington, D.C., where he was employed by the federal and district governments and was active in musical organizations and as a battalion commander with the D.C. National Guard.

They continued: “At first, they were repelled, but they were eventually able to take the hill with the help of reinforcements. During the

12

“Christian Fleetwood became an icon for a lot of African-Americans and for a lot of white folks in the United States because he achieved so much,” Glenn T. Johnston, Ph.D., chair of Steven University’s humanities and public history department, told WBAL-TV in a 2019 interview.

As did other African American soldiers, Fleetwood achieved a lot, yet they remain relatively unknown, Johnston stated.

“I believe we have decades, if not over a century of historians who chose not to pay much attention to that.”

Sgt. Major Christian Fleetwood, Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War for having “Saved the regimental colors after eleven of the twelve color guards had been shot down around it.”

Sgt. Major was the top rank allowed to a colored soldier at that time. (Photo: Unidentified photographer - Library of Congress exhibit/via Wikimedia commons)

LBJ was right, but wrong When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he said of the Democratic Party, “We have lost the South for a generation.” However, President Johnson’s estimate of the damage done to his party in the eyes of white America was too optimistic.

No Democratic candidate for president of the United States has won a majority of the white vote in the North or the South since 1964.

And here we are today. The Republican Party pledges allegiance to a charlatan and trickster, whose lies numbered in the tens of thousands during his presidency, rather than abide by the U.S. Constitution for fear of offending its political base of white supremacists.

Within the 74 million American voters who knowingly cast their ballots for a lying con artist, there is an underground volcano of white resentment superheated by the failure of many white Americans to actualize and achieve the American dream – a failure they blame on people of color. The lack of employment, inaccessible health care and an overall decline in the quality of life for working-class white people has been foremost among their grievances.

WHITE RAGE THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic laid waste to the social safety nets throughout this country, the Trump administration’s mishandling of the needs of the poor and working class had rubbed many white Americans raw.

And the only thing that sustained them was the red meat of racial hatred that Donald Trump fed them daily.

They ignored that the wall was not being built along the Mexican border, let alone that Mexico was not paying for it.

They were too focused on applauding the caging of little brown children who were being torn from their families after crossing our southern border.

They ignored the absurdity of Trump’s baseless claims that North Korea would limit its nuclear arms program. They were too busy high-fiving each other over the fact that Trump had pulled us out of the Iran nuclear deal, heightening the possibility of an armed conflict.

They ignored the fact that America’s

by Oscar Blayton

withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement had the potential to threaten life on earth. They were too busy pounding their chests over the Trump administration’s allowing an environ-

mentally dangerous oil pipeline to be built over Indian lands.

A howling, rampaging mob of white supremacists descended upon the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 to thwart the democratic process of certifying a duly elected president because people of color had voted in great numbers. This insurrectionist mob was assembled and controlled by Donald Trump. And when the U.S. House of Representatives impeached Trump for this insurrection, 43 Republican senators refused to convict him for fear of the white rage that it would stoke. Now these same senators have the gall to call for “unity” among the American people.

The U.S. Constitution defines treason against the United States as “levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.” Anyone who says that the mob that stormed the capitol was not an enemy of the United States is lying.

Anyone who says that Donald Trump did not assemble and direct that mob is lying also. The mob was comprised of treasonous villains, assembled and led by a treasonous villain, all enemies of the United States.

The 43 senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump for what he did on Jan. 6 gave aid and comfort to enemies of the United States and are guilty of treason.

This call for unity sounds hollow. It is as offensive as the praise given to slaveholder Patrick Henry, who declared “Give me liberty or give me death” when the soil of America was already soaked with the blood of the people of the First Nations, and the backs of Patrick Henry’s own enslaved property were striped from the lash.

For centuries, politicians have feigned a love of unity. But many of the Northern dead left on the battlefields of Gettysburg and Shiloh bled for union, not unity. The states of our federation had to hold together if the nation was to fulfill its “God-ordained destiny,” and slavery stood in the way of that destiny.

It was not for the love of Black folk that the North marched against the South. It was the hatred of the economic advantage that slavery provided the Southern Con’t on page 20

Community Connections The Quinnipiac School of Business People’s United Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Center for Women & Business are offering an array of communitybuilding, virtual events this spring from an ongoing speaker series that showcases industry leaders to mindfulness connections that support health and wellness.

To see the complete schedule and register, visit: qu.edu/innovation and qu.edu/womenbusiness

InnerCity_Ad_2021_Slug3.indd 1

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2/19/21 2:02 PM

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

OP-ED: How Can We Narrow the Black Homeownership Gap?

By Chuck Bishop, Head of Diverse Segments for Wells Fargo Home Lending Despite ongoing challenges due to the pandemic, Black Americans joined the many homebuyers looking for a space to call their own during the past year. But even against that backdrop, the homeownership gap for the Black community remains significant, and concerns remain about the overall effect the pandemicslowed economy and historic challenges will have on long-term homeownership goals.

During Black History Month, and throughout the year, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges the Black community faces when it comes to homeownership and racial equity, and also acknowledge the important work that remains. That’s especially true considering how far behind the homeownership rate for the Black community lags compared to other communities in America, and how important owning a home is to achieving the American Dream and building long-term wealth.

The homeownership rate for Black families is nearly 30 percentage points lower than that for white families, according to a recent analysis by the National Association of Realtors. A recent Urban Institute report warns that if no policy measures are taken to address the significant homeownership gap, homeownership rates will continue to fall further behind, likely

pushing more members of the Black community into renting as they age.

The Black community also continues to face significant barriers to homebuying. Saving for a down payment, building credit and finding affordable homes are challenges for many Americans, but can be even more so for potential homebuyers in the Black community.

According to a 2020 report from the Urban Institute, Black households have the lowest median FICO score among all racial and ethnic groups and the greatest share of households with no credit score at all. Serving these households requires lenders and other stakeholders to work toward new solutions. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Project REACh, which we are a part of as both a founding participant and as the lead of its affordable homeownership work group, is one spot where the industry is joining

hands with policy makers to address issues.

At Wells Fargo, we are committed to taking steps to increase homeownership within the Black community. In 2017, we announced a commitment to help increase African American homeownership that includes $60 billion in purchase lending to create at least 250,000 homeowners over the next 10 years; a focus on increasing the diversity of our sales team including African American Home Mortgage Consultants; and dedicating $15 million toward initiatives that promote homebuyer education and counseling. While we have made progress, creating more than 72,000 homeowners to date, much work remains.

As a lender, we look to support homeownership in a number of ways, from offering a broad array of products to providing high quality education to consum-

ers. We offer educational tools about the home lending process, building credit and other important financial topics, including an interactive experience at myfirsthome. wf.com.

We also try to strategize on ways to share information through community organizations and outreach. Our home mortgage consultants also are ready to guide potential homebuyers through the process, even if they aren’t ready to purchase right away. We encourage potential homebuyers to find out where they stand financially, and then come up with a plan, including seeking HUD-approved homebuyer education, and counseling from a nonprofit housing provider. Too many potential buyers wrongly assume that their credit isn’t good enough or that they don’t have enough funds saved for a down payment.

We also encourage potential buyers not to get overwhelmed by the concept of a down payment. Wells Fargo offers low down payment options that can help potential buyers get past that savings hurdle.

Buyers can achieve their homeownership goals with as little as 3% down, giving them flexibility to decide how much of their savings to devote to a down payment, and how much to keep for a rainy day. In addition, a number of organizations have down payment assistance programs available that may also help.

There is no single solution that will solve the challenges facing Black homeowners, but there are many steps that we can take to narrow the homeownership gap. We continue to evaluate the ways we can help customers and our communities become stronger and help more members of the Black community achieve the dream of homeownership.

BHERC Call for Entries for the 28th Annual “Sistas Are Doin’ it for Themselves” Short Film Fest

The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center announces a “Call for Entries” for the 28th Annual “Sistas Are Doin’ It For Themselves” Short Film Festival” Saturday, March 27, through Sunday, April 11, 2021. Once again, BHERC invites filmmakers who are telling their stories through various genres to submit their works for consideration in what has traditionally been a blending of contemporary and traditional films. The entire festival takes place online on the http://www.BHERC.TV due to COVID – 19.

The SUBMISSION DEADLINE is the 1st of March 2021, 11:59 PM PDT. Please submit your films online at http://www. filmfreeway. All films should meet the following criteria: They must have been completed by a Black female director. Others may be on the project. The duration of the films should not exceed 45 minutes in length.

The films can be shot in any format, celluloid (S8, 16MM, 35MM …) or digital.

There is no age limit. About Sistas Are Doin’ It For Themselves “SISTAS…” began twenty-eight plus years ago as a call to the entertainment in-

dustry to acknowledge that there is grand talent amongst African American women filmmakers. What began as a simple screening and discussion became one of the most recognized inspirational and emulated events of the Black filmmaking community. This is the only program that has consistently promoted and supported the work of African American women in film for more than two decades. It is a clear-cut concept: a screening of short films written and/or directed by some of the nation’s top filmmakers with a dialog following.

“Now more than ever the Black female perspective is needed in filmmaking, and we cannot deny their power. Moreover, the community needs to know and support our

‘Sister Sheroes’ as they tell our stories. This is an opportunity, and a platform to do just that,” states founder Sandra Evers-Manly.

Normally a live event, “Sistas” streams online for the second year due to the pandemic. However, participants last year were able to capture the essence of the live event noting, that they had not been able to travel to Los Angeles in the past. Having the festival online, allowed them the opportunity to participate as well as to meet the filmmakers. “I had a phenomenal experience participating in the BHERC Sistas Are Doin’ It For Themselves Film Festival.

My film ‘Blackbird’ is a proof of concept for a feature script I wrote that is seeking funding. As a filmmaker, I felt very sup-

14

ported and I am grateful for an opportunity to share my film with the world and reach a global audience,” stated Nicole Thompson Director “Blackbird.”

The BHERC “Sistas Are Doin’ It For Themselves” Short Film Festival continues to bring to an international audience, outstanding shorts created by Black Female Directors online at BHERC.TV. Past “Sista filmmakers and participants” have included Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Love & Basketball,” “Shots Fired”), Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”), Yvette Freeman (“ER”), Dianne Houston (first Black Female to be nominated for an Academy Award / Short Film category) and the Oscar-nominated Dee Rees (“Mudbound”) just to name a very few. Many of these filmmakers have received high honors and recognition for their achievements and breakthroughs in filmmaking. During the festival panels, guests have a rare chance to participate in an open dialogue and hear the awe-inspiring stories of how these Sistas did it for themselves.

This article originally appeared in NNPA member publication, The Los Angeles Sentinel.

Con’t from page 06

Housing Authority

to the committee, she stressed that “it requires bold action to undo the very intentional work done over years through land use and zoning to create exclusionary communities.”

State Department of Housing Commissioner, and long-time New Haven affordable housing nonprofit leader, Seila Mosquera-Bruno threw her support behind the proposed jurisdiction expansion in pre-submitted written testimony.

“For too long, affordable housing developed by housing authorities has been isolated inside the arbitrary town boundaries in which those housing authorities were established,” she wrote. “This committee has the opportunity to make a commonsense change to partially level the playing field between housing authorities and private developers by allowing housing authorities to build housing in a reasonable area outside their home jurisdictions.”

Open Communities Alliance Outreach Director Taniqua Huguley said Thursday that the housing authority jurisdiction bill was actually “fairly unremarkable.”

It does not seek to provide any shortcuts or special perks for housing authorities looking to develop new affordable housing. Rather, it simply lets them build outside of an artificially constrained area.

“That people should be able to choose where they live and not have the choice limited by the government is as American as apple pie,” she said.

East Haven State Rep. Joe Zullo said that the assertion that allowing housing authorities to build outside of their current jurisdiction’s wouldn’t strip municipalities of local zoning control was “disingenuous.”

That’s because the state’s current affordable housing law—also known as 8-30g—allows developers to bypass certain otherwise locally mandated requirements around, for example, on-site parking, if less than 10 percent of the municipality’s overall housing stock is not already “affordable.”

This bill will “supplant” local zoning board oversight to the effect that developers looking to build affordable housing will be able to do so so long as their projects don’t present a “substantial harm” to the community.

That’s true, OCA Executive Director Erin Boggs said. But that has little to do with this new housing authority jurisdiction bill. That is instead due to the three decades-old 8-30g law.

“Housing authorities would be in the same position that a regular affordable housing developer would be in.” She said she thinks of this new proposed law as offering “another opportunity for towns to have excellent developers with long track records of developing really good affordable housing developments” help them meet the state’s 8-30g guidelines.

“8-30g is already in place,” she reiterated. “Any developer can take advantage of that.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

OP-ED: Race and Data Discrimination in America Black Troops Con’t from page 12

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

Today there is a welcomed breath of fresh political air in Washington, DC even amidst the unprecedented spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic throughout the United States. According to the BidenHarris Administration the issues of racial justice and equity are now top priorities in a “whole of government” commitment to all Americans, and in particular to African Americans and other people of color communities.

Most recently the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) had a special on-the-record briefing from the White House Office of Public Engagement directed by The Honorable Cedric Richmond who is also Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden.

As we heard Richmond strongly reaffirm the Administration’s urgent push to have the U.S. Congress to enact the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that promises to respond to the nation’s pandemic and economic crisis respecting the principles of equity, I thought reflectively about all the various racial disparities, discriminations, and inequities that daily have a negative impact on Black America.

Yet, in 2021 we live in the age of data where the aggregation, control, and ownership of data continues to have enormous social and economic consequences for those who are poor and marginalized. One

preexisting condition that has not gotten enough public attention and debate is the issue of the intersection of race, data discrimination, and inequity in America.

Data discrimination is a covert form of racism that is having a devastating overt impact on the quality of life of African Americans and others who continue to face systemic inequity.

It is relevant to note that the largest credit reporting agency in the U.S. is Equifax.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Equi-

New Haven High School Seniors going on to college or technical school, you are invited to apply for a scholarship.

To see if you qualify and to apply, go to www.newhavenscholarshipfund.org On the Scholarship Information tab, click on “How to Apply” Did you know that…

• the New Haven Scholarship Fund is the oldest in New Haven • it was started over 60 yrs ago by a Hillhouse H.S. math teacher

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15, 2021

fax actually has become more profitable at the expense of millions of Americans who are struggling to survive to make ends meet. As a consequence, we must begin to raise questions about the apparent linkage of the expanding credit reporting industry to the growing financial inequities especially in African American communities.

As credit reporting booms while most Americans are experiencing financial hardship, Equifax’s “Work Number” workforce division is turning in record profits by raising costs on consumers. The Work Number is a user-paid verification of employment database that was acquired and now owned by Equifax. This database allows credentialed verifiers to receive instantaneous electronic confirmation of an individual’s employment data and income for verification purposes.

Today Equifax’s Work Number is charging $49.95 for the cost of an Income and Employment Report that is nearly three times what the cost of the report was six years ago at ($18).

The U.S. credit reporting industry generated over $12 billion in revenue last year, according to research from IBISWorld, and the market size is expected to grow another 3.7% next year. The three largest agencies—Equifax ($EFX), Experian ($EXPGY) and TransUnion ($TRU) — accounted for more than 50% of the total revenue.

The industry’s growth is driven by a unique business model, which provides a dual revenue stream from consumer data.

Businesses pay credit bureaus to collect employee information and manage verification requests, like those generated when an individual seeks to obtain a loan from a bank.

Agencies then charge requesting parties for the personal information, generally on a per-request basis, which is frequently passed onto the consumer.

16

Equifax, despite its 2017 data breach that impacted 147 million people, continues to be the largest player in the space. The company claims to have records on over 222 million U.S. consumers and receives weekly payroll data on a third of the U.S. population.

Equifax’s Work Number has benefited from the spike in unemployment caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. With millions of Americans out of work, demand for verification services has surged as creditors seek to determine employment status of loan holders and potential loan candidates.

We all know that African Americans have the largest increase in unemployment before — and even more after the beginning of — the pandemic. African Americanowned businesses have had the greatest financial losses amidst COVID-19. The more unemployment in Black America, the more Equifax’s Work Number data is purchased by a wide range of financial status verifiers. But who is monitoring or challenging the accuracy of the Equifax Work Number data especially when it is about African Americans?

According to Equifax’s quarterly financial reports, The Work Number generated nearly $377 million in revenue during the third quarter of last year, a 57% increase year-over-year and the second consecutive quarter of more than 50% growth.

Between 2012 and 2020, The Work Numbers’ verification services revenue jumped nearly 400%.

Largely driving The Work Number’s growth is its dominance in the mortgage lending market, which accounted for 31% of the division’s revenue mix throughout last year.

The Work Number controls over 380 million current and historic consumer data records, including 100 million added between 2019 and 2020. That scale provides immense leverage over the mortgage lending industry.

“We have real scale in the business, which provides a competitive advantage,” Equifax CEO Mark Begor said on the company’s earnings call last October.

“We’re now having a billion companies deliver data to us on a period basis. That makes this data set very, very valuable and tough to replicate. And if you’re one company, then you’re likely not going to give the data to two companies. You’re going to give it to the company that’s been in it for long time.”

I ask Mark Begor a simple but serious question: “What verifiable safeguards are in place at Equifax Inc. that prevent racial and data discrimination with respect to African Americans and other people of color?”

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and Executive Producer/Host of The Chavis Chronicles, PBS TV Network.

the town’s pubs impose a colour bar, the landlords responded with signs that read: “Black Troops Only”. The extent to which this rankled the white American troops is shown by the comments of a lieutenant: One thing I noticed here and which I don’t like is the fact that the English don’t draw any color line. The English must be pretty ignorant. I can’t see how a white girl could associate with a negro.

This sort of attitude exemplifies the particular resentment over the way black troops openly fraternised with white British women – and many of the confrontations during this period were sparked by the ease of interracial relationships in a British rather than American context.

The military authorities tried to push back against this by imposing Jim Crow segregation in Britain, so that when the black American world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis visited on a propaganda tour in 1944 he encountered blatant discrimination from the troops he was visiting, as he had at home.

The events in Bamber Bridge encapsulated these Jim Crow practices – and the wider paradox of the open-armed welcome from the local residents coupled with resentment of that welcome by white American troops. The pub was a place of sanctuary for black troops where they mingled with, mainly friendly, locals, and where the segregation many had to endure in the American South was thankfully absent.

Local resident Gillian Vesey recalled how, as a young barmaid at the Olde Hob Inn, she stood up for African American soldiers against attempts by white Americans to impose discriminatory practices in the pub, insisting that the American white soldiers wait their turn rather than expecting to be served before their black colleagues.

Keeping a segregated army in the context of fighting for democracy became untenable, and in 1948 the then US president Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 which eventually led to an integrated army. While the convictions of the troops involved at Bamber Bridge were largely commuted or overturned, soldiers returned to Jim Crow segregation in the US, with the reality that some veterans were lynched in their uniforms.

But the new freedoms they experienced in Europe meant they were not prepared to put up with discrimination, racism and racial violence again. As veteran Wilford Strange said in the documentary film Choc’late Soldiers from the USA: I think the impact these soldiers had by volunteering was the initiation of the Civil Rights movement, ’cos these soldiers were never going back to be discriminated against again. None of us were.

Alan Rice is Professor in English and American Studies at the University of Central Lancashire.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Coronasomnia: The Sleep Disorder No-one Saw Coming ways that you can change what you’re doing to make a good night’s rest more likely.

Activities That Will Make Coronasomnia Worse

by Karen Heslop, BlackDoctor.org

The coronavirus pandemic has had some far-reaching health consequences on a global scale. Even if you haven’t caught the virus, chances are high that you’re still being affected by it. One significant effect that has doctors concerned is the emergence of a sleep disorder that they’ve coined coronasomnia.

Fortunately, this new issue can be resolved with a few sleep tips you already know.

What Causes Coronasomnia?

Insomnia is not a new sleep disorder.

Many persons suffer from it for varying reasons. These reasons include stress, depression, and anxiety. With this pandemic, even persons who have never dealt with these mental health issues are facing them now.

The end result is an endless loop of being unable to sleep because your mind is occupied with everything that’s happening or could happen.

To make things worse, without the recommended 7 – 9 hours of sleep, you’ll become more prone to episodes of depression and anxiety. You’ll also find it harder to cope with stressful situations.

The Consequences of Sleeping Poorly Apart from making mental health disor-

ders worse, sleeping poorly has a significant effect on your overall health. These effects include: Depression Impulsive behavior Paranoia Anxiety Mood swings Aggravated mental health disorders A compromised immune system An increased risk of diabetes

An increased risk of heart disease Aggravating chronic respiratory illnesses Chronic fatigue Poor eating habits An increased risk of stroke or heart attack The health risks of not sleeping well can look intimidating but it’s best not to focus your energy on all the things that could go wrong. Doing that will only make the coronasomnia worse. Instead, look for all the

When working on your sleep, what you don’t do is just as important as what you do. For example, it might be tempting to have an alcoholic drink to calm your nerves before bed. Unfortunately, doing that only makes the problem worse. Alcohol has some sedating properties so it can help you fall asleep but it won’t help you stay that way.

Studies show that as your body digests the alcohol during the night, it will disrupt your sleep. When you wake up, it might take you longer to get back to sleep. Additionally, you won’t be sleeping as well as you think.

The effects of alcohol can prevent you from getting the deep sleep that you need to feel well-rested when you wake up.

Keeping your exposure to the news is also a good idea. There’s nothing wrong with being informed but taking in every single detail about the pandemic can add to your existing stress. Make a plan to check the news at set times then focus on other aspects of your life.

Doctors also recommend staying away from the news just before bed. You don’t want bad news to be the last thing you feed your brain.

How to Get Your Sleep Back According to medical professionals, the best way to deal with coronasomnia is to get back to your bedtime routine. Depending on what’s going on in your life, it might not be easy but your health is worth the effort. Start by establishing a reasonable time to go to bed and sticking to it. Before going to bed, avoid electronic devices, caffeine, and heavy meals.

It will be helpful to have a plan for winding down and relaxing. Some persons relax with a bath while others prefer a cup of tea, listening to music, or reading a book. To get a good night’s sleep, keep the lights low in your bedroom and make sure it’s cool.

Exercising at least three hours before bedtime can also help your body get ready for sleep. Meditation, in particular, has been shown to be great for helping persons handle stress and anxiety. It’s normal to wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep. When this happens, get up and find a repetitive task to do in low light until you start feeling sleepy again.

Corononasomnia may be a new problem but the recommendations for dealing with it aren’t. If you’ve been struggling with sleeping well during this pandemic, it’s important to do what you can to get the amount of sleep that you need.

GET THE

FACTS ON THE

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Information is the best protection against COVID-19. ct.gov/covidvaccine

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17

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

President Biden Taps Meharry Medical College President for COVID Task Force

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Meharry Medical College President and CEO Dr. James Hildreth has been named

by President Joe Biden as a member of his COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.

Dr. Hildreth, the renowned immunologist and academic administrator and Meharry’s 12th president, sat on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration board that approved the first U.S. coronavirus vaccines.

“I am honored to be chosen by President Biden as a member of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. We are facing one of the largest challenges in the history of our nation,” Dr. Hildreth wrote in a statement.

“COVID-19 has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, and if adequate steps are not taken, this number will continue to grow. As we have seen, COVID-19 does not discriminate, it does not respect borders, and it does not behave according to our timelines,” Dr. Hildreth added.

The United States has reported more than 27.2 million cases of the virus, and the death toll is nearing 470,000.

Immediately following his Jan. 21 swear-

ing-in, President Biden issued a national strategy for the COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness.

“For the past year, we could not turn to the federal government for a national plan to answer prayers with action – until today,” President Biden stated.

He then issued a 200-page report outlining a national strategy to beat the pandemic.

The President called it a comprehensive plan that starts with restoring public trust and mounting an aggressive, safe, and effective vaccination campaign.

“It continues with the steps we know that stop the spread like expanded masking, testing, and social distancing. It’s a plan where the federal government works with states, cities, Tribal communities, and private industry to increase supply and administer testing and the vaccines that will help reopen schools and businesses safely,” President Biden remarked.

“Equity will also be central to our strategy so that the communities and people being disproportionately infected and killed by the pandemic receive the care they need and deserve.”

The President further noted that defeating the pandemic would take Congress

Meharry Medical College President and CEO Dr. James Hildreth.

providing the necessary funding, and families and neighbors continuing to look out for one another.

He said the country would need health care providers, businesses, civic, religious and civil rights organizations, and unions all rallying together in common

18

purpose and with urgency, purpose, and resolve.

“We will need to reassert America’s leadership in the world in the fight against this and future public health threats,” President Biden asserted.

Dr. Hildreth noted that the virus has

had the largest impact on communities of color, among Black and brown Americans with underlying health conditions.

“Without our immediate attention and a national, organized effort to fight this virus, we will be dealing with its impact for years to come,” Dr. Hildreth remarked.

“As the President of a historically Black medical school that was founded to eradicate health disparities between majority and minority communities, this work is a focus for me and my institution. I am committed to working with our national leadership to develop cohesive plans that will address these silent killers – illnesses like COVID-19 that impact our most vulnerable populations at alarming rates,” Dr. Hildreth stated further.

“We must address the pandemic together. I am confident that President Biden’s heightened focus on the pandemic will accelerate testing, treatment and vaccinations nationwide – proven strategies that will work to mitigate the virus and protect our people.

“I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues on the Task Force to restore health, wellbeing and stability to all of America.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Dr. Ebony Hilton Leads Call for ‘Secretary of Equity

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

An honest and comprehensive reckoning with America’s racial history and enacting solutions to address it is perhaps the transcendent issue of our time, argues Janet Murguia, the president of UnidosUS, a D.C.-based advocacy organization.

“The path forward may be difficult, complicated, and contested, but it is essential to pursue,” Murguia remarked in a news release where she and other advocates form the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative.

The collaborative is the foremost diverse coalition of national, racial justice, and civil rights organizations representing and serving more than 53 million people in the U.S. The group calls on President Joe Biden to create an office within the White House to coordinate efforts to reduce racial inequality in all its forms.

Shortly after his Jan. 20 swearing-in, President Biden issued an executive order to advance equity and support for underserved communities.

The President had pledged to do his part in the fight against systemic racism in America, and his executive order charges all federal agencies with reviewing equity in their programs and actions.

President Biden has demanded that the Office of Management and Budget analyze whether federal dollars are equitably distributed in communities of color.

The coalition argues that the new ad-

ministration also should establish a White House Office on Racial Equity and Inclusion.

The office would coordinate the full range of federal agency efforts to advance racial equity, centered on the administration’s promise to confront systemic racism and heal the “soul of our nation.”

Murguia declared that creating such office is “a crucial first step toward ensuring that our country lives up to its core shared value of equal opportunity for all Americans.”

The coalition is not alone in pushing the Biden administration to create an office responsible for racial equity.

Dr. Ebony Hilton, the medical director and co-founder of GoodStock Consulting, LLC, and an anesthesiologist and critical care physician at the University of Virginia, has started a change.org petition for the Biden administration to create and appoint a “Secretary of Equity.”

Comparable to a Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer of an organization, the Secretary of Equity would serve as a catalyst to initiate equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) assessments and policies while leveraging best practices and resources across various federal agencies, Dr. Hilton wrote in a letter on behalf of GoodStock Consulting.

“The vision of the position is to use objective information and analytics to create and support a culture of inclusion and belonging where individuals from all diversity dimensions, racial and ethnic identities, ages, nationalities, social

independent nonprofit KFF, which focuses on national health issues, as of January 19, 2021, over 12 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across the country.

To date, race and ethnicity vaccination patterns appear to be at odds with who the virus has affected the most, KFF reported.

Based on vaccinations with known race/ ethnicity, the share of vaccinations among Black people is smaller than their share of cases in all 16 reporting states and smaller than their share of deaths in 15 states.

For example, in Mississippi, Black people account for 15 percent of vaccinations, compared to 38 percent of cases and 42 percent of deaths, and, in Delaware, 8 percent of vaccinations have been received by Black people, while they make up nearly a quarter of cases (24 percent) and deaths (23 percent).

In Pennsylvania, just 3 percent of those vaccinated are Black.

and economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religious, political and ideological perspectives, and physical and mental abilities, are able to thrive and be actively engaged,” her letter continued.

The importance of the position is underscored by Covid-19 statistics, which show that African Americans are disproportionately affected by the virus. Data also show that access to the vaccine is eluding the Black community.

According to statistics compiled by the

19

“As vaccine distribution continues, ensuring racial equity will be important for mitigating the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on people of color, preventing widening health disparities, and achieving broad population immunity,” KFF officials wrote.

Dr. Hilton noted further that the Secretary of Equity would provide strategic and programmatic leadership for diversity and inclusion initiatives that advance diversity as a critical component of federal and local policies.

“This position will lead a team of Equity Officers that sit within these targeted federal agencies to assess the existing and potential disparities specific to that agency and its respective industries – greater than racial disparities and within all diversity dimensions,” Dr. Hilton noted.

“As mentioned, this position would work across various agencies with specific interest and collaborative partnerships with the agencies that directly impact the social determinants of health like the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Treasury, the Small Business Administration and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.”

Regarding establishing a White House Office on Racial Equity and Inclusion, the National Urban League President Marc Morial also noted his support.

“Even before 2020 exposed our pandemic of a deadly triple disease and economic hardship and racial unrest, America was a nation that still had only begun to grapple with the legacy of white supremacy,” Morial stated.

“Establishing a White House Office on Racial Equity and Inclusion is our best hope of nurturing that awakening and achieving our true potential.”

Watch Dr. Ebony Hilton’s interview with the Black Press at Facebook.com/BlackPressUSA, Twitter: @BlackPressUSA, and YouTube.com/BlackPressUSATV.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

African American Stars Discuss “The Culture & Journey of the Black Baseball Player”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners and Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers earned American League and National League Rookie of the Year Awards, respectively, in 2020, marking the first time in 36 years two African Americans won the award in the same season.

Doc Gooden of the New York Mets and the Mariners Alvin Davis were the last African American duo to accomplish that feat in 1984.

“It’s super special, man, especially with the tone of the country and the tone of the world right now…this has been going on for a while, so we’re always fighting to make our mark…give something for the community to look up to,” stated Lewis, a stud outfielder who beat out White Sox outfielder Luis Robert and Astros righthander Cristian Javier for the award in the American League.

“So, if I have the opportunity to expand my platform in that way, or just do something that people can look at and get on there and speak well. I just take a lot of pride in that. I know Devin does as well.”

Lewis, teammate Justin Dunn, New York Mets first baseman Dominic Smith and former manager and MLB Baseball Development Consultant Jerry Manuel participated in a discussion through “The Culture & Journey of the Black Baseball

COMMENTARY:

Player” powered by @MLBDevelops.

The special panel, moderated by Seattle Mariners play-by-play announcer Dave Sims, featured conversations about the group’s challenges and triumphs as Black men in both baseball and America.

When asked what needs to happen to attract more Black players to the sport, Lewis tells Sims that Baseball needs to embrace African American culture.

“Play, have fun with it, talk smack to each other,” he remarks.

“If we can embrace that a little bit in a way that just makes it more of a safe place again to where we can just enjoy one another. I think when a kid watches, the kid will see that ‘okay, they’re not disrespecting the game, they’re playing the game hard, they’re playing the game the right way, but they’re having a lot of fun with it, and they’re really being who they are.”

Smith, who earned MVP votes in 2020 and led his teammates in Black Lives Matter protests, said tough conversations on Blacks in baseball must continue.

“Keep pushing that conversation forward with our peers, with the Front Office,” Smith determined.

“I know we (the New York Mets) just got a new owner, and they already reached out and already commended me on my stance and how I feel. They let me know I have their full support, and they want to

bring more diverse opportunities for the community of New York.”

During the interview, Smith tells Sims that his mother taught him to respect people in the same manner, Smith would like.

“I treat people with the utmost respect because that’s what I want them to do to

me,” the slugging Mets first basement declared.

“So, to just see people to be treated as wrong or with disrespect just because of our skin color or where we come from or the type of fashion we like or the type of music we listen to … me personally, I just wasn’t raised like that.”

Dunn, whom the Mets dealt to the Mariners in a 2018 deal, was asked about reactions and conversations following the civil unrest in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis.

“We were fortunate enough to have a clubhouse, top to bottom, that understood. We’re a pretty tight family, and pretty close,” Dunn noted.

“Kyle and I were fortunate enough, along with all the other young African American players to have some older, veteran presence in [teammates] Dee Gordon and Taijuan Walker, who were able to speak up and have those conversations not only with our teammates, but with upper management and ownership. I know myself, and I’m sure Kyle is extremely grateful for everything the Mariners did and how open they were for having our back and giving us the ability to speak and getting our message be heard.”

Manuel added how grateful he is that today’s young African American players can speak out.

He called his rookie season in the big leagues in 1972.

What A Difference A Day Makes

By Julianne Malveaux, NNPA Newswire Contributor It took only one day, one inauguration, for the shift between pessimism and optimism. Just one day to anticipate new opportunities, new possibilities. The skies opened up on the day that President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris of the inauguration, and the sun of truth and light shone in.

I had a mixtape running through my brain. The Fifth Dimension, Let The Sun Shine In; Nina Simone, Here Comes the Sun; Nina Simone, Young Gifted and Black; McFadden and Whitehead, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now. You could not have wiped the grin off my face if you had a Brillo pad. The inauguration met my expectations. Biden spoke hope and reconciliation. Harris spoke history and healing. The highlight of the inauguration for me, though, was young Amanda Gorman, the Poet Laureate, at 22, the youngest poet laureate ever.

There have been many times in the last

few years when I wished that Dr. Maya Angelou was alive. Sometimes it’s personal – I’d like her advice, her words, her soothing. Sometimes it’s political – I’d like to know what she thinks. But on Inauguration Day, I wanted her to see a brilliant young lady stand on her shoulders, to watch Amanda Gorman recite her poem The Hill We Climb. It is a complex, hopeful, alliterative, and aspirational poem that declared that our country “is not broken but unfinished.” What shone through her appearance was not only her bold words but also her shining presence.

Nina Simone. To Be Young Gifted and Black.

While the substance of inauguration was most important, those of us who are fashionistas had plenty of eye candy. Jill Biden’s light blue outfit. Kamala’s purple (a combination of blue and red), Michelle Obama’s bold maroon with a striking belt, and the monochromatic look that many of the women rocked. The presence of women, especially Black women, was also notable. Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar was part of the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) and opened the ceremony. Firefighter Andrea Hall spoke and signed the Pledge of Allegiance. Black girl magic was in the house. My mixtape is running through my head.

The symbolism was stunning, but it was

far more critical that President Biden hit the ground running, and he did. He signed 17 executive orders, reversing some of the most onerous declarations of his predecessor. He dissolved the 1776 Commission, an odious truth-erasing propaganda body charged with developing “patriotic education.” Replete with lies, peppered with quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln, neither of whom would have cosigned the report, the previous administration had the utter audacity to release this madness on Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday holiday. One of the final slaps in the face from the deranged “leader.”

Hours before Biden offered his stirring and hopeful speech, the previous president, who defied precedent and declined to attend his successor’s inauguration, the former president slunk out of Washington, designing his departure with a 21gun salute and an exit on Air Force One. It was a pitiful party, sparsely attended and suffused with gloomy moods. The former president’s deputy press secretary, Hogan Gidley, described the departing ceremony as “a funeral” and said, “In many ways, the country died.” No, Hogan, the country was reborn with hope and joy, and a commitment to turn the hope and enjoyment of the inauguration into a reality What a difference a day makes. We have

20

gone from a history-denying administration into a history-affirming one. We have moved from an administration that attacked workers and the environment to an administration that fights for them. To be sure, the Biden-Harris administration is walking a legislatively narrow tightrope, with a narrow margin in the House of Representatives and just a one-vote margin in the Senate. Suppose Biden can work the bipartisan magic he promised to attempt. In that case, there will be more vaccines into arms and more relief for those whose economic status has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

These early days of the Biden-Harris administration are hopeful, inspirational days. They must also be workdays.

There is much that must be done, many obstacles to clear. The previous administration did lots to cement their gains with last-minute executive orders and appointments. Many of these obstacles can be removed. The Biden-Harris team has, so far, been productive and resilient. They must continue that relentlessness moving forward. What a difference a day makes!

Oh, happy day.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author. She is available for lectures and workshops. You may reach her at juliannemalveaux.com.

“We had to stay on the different sides of the tracks. It was three Black players,” Manuel exclaimed. “We couldn’t stay where everybody else stayed. But you know what? We welcomed it.”

After his playing career ended, Manuel spent nine seasons managing the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets.

He offered some regret for not doing more to help other Black potential managers get a shot.

“Sometimes I fault myself for not while managing, bringing someone else alongside me to take my spot. Rather than be comfortable, being the only … I think that’s a dangerous place to be as a Black man,” Manuel relayed.

“Trying to say, well, I’m the only announcer, I’m the only this, I’m the only that. That means I have fallen into the apparatus trap. I haven’t become myself, and I haven’t brought my people with me.”

Con’t from page 13

WHITE RAGE

states. The ill treatment of the U.S. Colored Troops by the federal government bears witness to this.

As it was a century and a half ago, so it is today: There is no love of Black folk among the many whites who harbor a rage born of a dissatisfaction with their quality of life and direct it at people of color.

While that underground volcano of white rage boils beneath our feet, Republicans loyal to Donald Trump want us to pretend Trump never happened, just like some Southerners pretend the Civil War was not fought over slavery.

They are attempting to preach the gospel of peace and unity. But peace and unity cannot come at the price of the existence of people of color.

When LBJ signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the face of white rage, he did not do it for peace and unity. He did it because the world had come to condemn the United States for preaching peace and unity while African Americans were suffering horrifically violent injustices. America was shamed into signing the civil rights laws of the 1960s.

Today, many whites still rage on and continue to fight to deny our humanity.

And it is incumbent upon us to identify those people, be they low-wage earners or members of the U.S. Senate. Then we must lay the blame for the harmful results of their wrongful actions at their feet. Whether they acted on their hateful and unjust rage, or were just complicit in inciting that rage, we must shame them in the eyes of the world.

Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

THE INNER-CITY - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021 INNER-CITYNEWS NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

The Wallingford Electric Division is seeking a skilled individual to handle all inquiries, applications and complaints from the public related to utility billing, service, accounts receivable, customer billing and delinquent accounts. The position requires a high school diploma /GED or business school, plus two (2) years employment involving VALENTINA RENTALcustody HOUSING APPLICATIONS customer contact MACRI and the receipt, and PREaccounting for sums ofAVAILABLE money OR an equivalent combination of the above experience and training. Wages: $23.36 - $28.36 HOME INC, behalf of Columbus and Applications the New Haven Authority, hourly, plus an on excellent fringe benefitHouse package. mayHousing be obtained at the is accepting for studio andWallingford, one-bedroom this develDepartment of pre-applications Human Resources, Town of 45apartments South MainatStreet, Wallopment 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum limitations apingford, CTlocated 06492.atForms will be mailed upon request from theincome Department of Human ply. Pre-applications will be available 9AM TOof5PM beginning Monday Resources or may be downloaded from thefrom Department Human Resources Web Ju;y Page.

25,closing 2016 date and will ending when pre-applications (approximately have The be the datesufficient the 40th application or resume is received 100) or February 24,been 2021received whichever first.of EOE at occurs the offices HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon re-

NOTICE

quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New CT 06510.

Maintainer I -Haven, The Town of Wallingford’s Water Division is seeking an individual to

WATER DIVISION

perform a variety of unskilled & semi-skilled tasks in the maintenance, installation, and repair of water lines and related equipment. The position requires High School diploma / GED or the equivalent in experience and training. Wages $22.38 - $27.11 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Applications may be obtained at the Department VALENTINA MACRITown VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES of Human Resources, of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street,DISPONIBLES Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources en nombrefrom de lathe Columbus Houseofy Human de la New Haven Housing Authority, or HOME may beINC, downloaded Department Resources Web Page.

The está clospara estudios y apartamentos de un este desarrollo ingaceptando date willpre-solicitudes be the date the 40th application or resume is dormitorio received orenMarch 2, 2021, ubicado en la calle Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos whichever occurs first.109 EOE

NOTICIA

máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición

llamando a HOME INC al for 203-562-4663 esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberánPrevious remitirse Full time Class A driver petroleumdurante deliveries for nights and weekends. aexperience las oficinasrequired. de HOMECompetitive INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 wage, 401(k) and benefits. Send resume to: HR.

DELIVERY PERSON

NEEDED

Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week,

Must Have your Own Vehicle If Interested call

(203) 387-0354

Town of Bloomfield Finance Director Full Time - Benefited $96,755 to $149,345 Pre-employment drug testing.

For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org

Listing: Commercial Driver

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437.

********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

PJF Construction Corp is seeking to fill following positions.

HAVEN Laborer Heavy and NEW Highway Construction experience.

Equipment Operator 242-258 Heavy andFairmont Highway Construction experience.

Ave CDL Driver 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA Prevailing Rate. PJF Construction Corporation is an equal opportunity employer M/F

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95

Please forwardhighways, inquiriesnear and/or to attielordan@gmail.com bus resumes stop & shopping center

Office Manager Bookkeeper

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 CT. Unified Deacon’s is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Boundaries LLC isAssociation a full-service land surveying firm located in Griswold, CT We are Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates currently seeking and accepting resumes for an Office Manager/Bookkeeper. Resumes in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30will accepted fromDeacon 2/15/21 12/31/2021.

Interested parties can contact us at 3:30be Contact: Chairman, Joe through J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 or Host, Generalyour Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster 860-376-2006 submit resume to jfaulise@boundariesllc.net St. New Haven, CT

Boundaries LLC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Land Surveyor Civil Engineer

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour

Boundaries is aTuesday, full-service land surveying located CTStreet, We are until 3:00 LLC pm on August 2, 2016firm at its officein atGriswold, 28 Smith currently accepting resumes for the following positions:

Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Survey Field Technicians Survey Office Technicians

A pre-bid conference will Licensed be held atLand the Surveyors Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Civil Engineers Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Resumes will be accepted from 2/15/21 through 12/31/2021. Interested parties can

contact us at 860-376-2006 or submit yourthe resume to jfaulise@boundariesllc.net Bidding documents are available from Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

Boundaries LLC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

APPLY NOW!

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven is currently accepting applications for its Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) waitlist The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) provides rental assistance to help lowincome persons afford decent and safe rental housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds the program and Elm City Communities (ECC) administers it in the city of New Haven. Once an applicant is pulled from the waitlist HCVP will issued a rental voucher and the applicant is then free to locate a dwelling unit suitable to the family’s needs and desires in the private rental market.

REQUIREMENTS: Earnings must be between 0-50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) at the time the applicant is drawn from the waitlist. Please see the table below for specific income and household requirements. Placement on the waitlist will be based on the date and time the application is received with accommodations made for applications received by mail or hand delivery to give fair access. Applications will be date and time stamped as they are received.

The waiting list will be updated as needed to ensure that all applicants and applicant information is current and timely. To update your online application please follow the instructions below: # of people in household Maximum

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

$35,950

$41,050

$46,200

$51,300

$55,450

$59,550

$63,650

Applications can be submitted or updated: Invitation to •Bid:Online at https://ecc.myhousing.com/

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

2nd Notice

FIREFIGHTER If you require a reasonable accommodation and would like to receive an SAYEBROOKE•VILLAGE City of Bristol Old Saybrook, CTapplication by mail, please call 475-355-7289 or

send a written request to Attention: Waitlist Coordinator, Elm City (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Communities, PO Box 1912, New Haven, CT 06509 $53,964/yr.

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project Requires valid CPAT Cert Applications received via mail will be based on a lottery process. issued on or afterWood JuneFramed, 1, 2020, New Construction, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castwritten & oralin-place tests. Concrete, RegistraAsphalt Shingles, Vinyla Siding, If you need reasonable accommodation to complete the application call 203tion 498-8800 ext.

1507 Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, informationMechanical, & apply online: Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. www.bristolct.gov Applications are available now. The waitlist will remain open.

This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

DEADLINE: May 2021 Due Date: August 5, 2016 Bid1,Extended, Waste Water EOE Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Assistant Superintendent – Sewer. Assist in the technical and supervisory Project documents available via ftp link below: oversight of the water pollution control plant. Must have a bachelor’s degree in enhttp://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage vironmental science, chemical engineering or other engineering with courses related

DELIVERY PERSON

NEEDED

to the waste treatment field, plus 4 years responsible experience in water pollution control ordawnlang@haynesconstruction.com and equivalent combination of experience and training substituting on a Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran,year S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified for year basis.

MustBusinesses possess or be able to obtain within the probationary period, Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Seymour, 06483 a StateAve, of CT ClassCTIV Water Treatment Plant Operator’s License. Must have a valid driver’s license. Salary: $76,021 - $97,266 annually plus an excellent fringe benefit AA/EEO EMPLOYER Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week, package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Must Have your Own Vehicle If Interested call Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or March 23, 2021, whichever occurs first. EOE

(203) 387-0354 21

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Construction

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410. training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Drug Free Workforce VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE Contact: Tom Dunay

NOTICE

Invitation to Bid

Phone: 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of860Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this develEmail: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com opment& located at 108 Frank Street, Haven. Maximum limitationsevent ap- for any interested subcontracts regarding Women Minority Applicants are New encouraged to apply incomeOutreach ply.Affi Pre-applications willEqual be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday early releaseJu;y packages is 2/26/2021 at 6 pm. Please register rmative Action/ Opportunity Employer 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have meeting at ccpconsultingfirm.com. for Teams been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours.Shawmut Completed pre- & Construction, the Construction Manager, is Design Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Incoffices seeks: applications must be returned to HOME INC’s at 171 Orange Street, Third proposals from subcontractors for work to be currently seeking Reclaimer Operators Floor, New Haven,and CTMilling 06510.Operators with current licensing performed as part of the Southern Connecticut State University and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the North(SCSU) Business School Instructional Facility. The initial Early east & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Release bidding (six bid packages) is out for bid 2/22/21. This project is the out-of-ground construction of the new 64,628 sf, Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 four-story SCSU Business School Instruction Facility. There VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES Email: rick.touare SBE set-aside bid packages for Demolition and Concrete in signant@garrityasphalt.com Early Release portion.

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply aceptando pre-solicitudes estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo For further bid details visit: https://shawmut.sharefile.com/dAffirmative Action/ para Equal Opportunity Employer ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos s594d1cdc9ad54d72b3399d9fe4eb5375 máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzandoShawmut Martes is25an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en lasTrailer oficinasDriver de HOME INC. & Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas Tractor for Heavy Highway Construction Equip- por correo a petición llamando HOME INCLicense, al 203-562-4663 duranterecord, esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse ment.

Must ahave a CDL clean driving capable of a las oficinas de equipment; HOME INCbe enwilling 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, operating heavy to travel throughout theNew Haven , CT 06510 .

Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

NOTICIA

Union Company seeks:

El Programa de Vales de Elección de Vivienda (HCVP) proporciona asistencia para ayudar a las personas de bajos ingresos a pagar una vivienda de alquiler decente y segura. El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) financia el programa y Elm City Communities (ECC) lo administra en la ciudad de New Haven. Una vez que un solicitante es retirado de la lista de espera, HCVP emitirá un vale de alquiler y el solicitante será libre de ubicar una unidad de vivienda adecuada a las necesidades y deseos de la familia en el mercado de alquiler privado.

REQUERIMIENTOS: Las ganancias del hogar deben ser de entre el 0 y el 50% del ingreso medio del área (AMI) al momento en el que el nombre del solicitante sea seleccionado en la lista de espera. Consulte la tabla a continuación para conocer los requisitos específicos de ingresos y composición familiar. La posición en la lista de espera se basará en la fecha y la hora en que se reciba la solicitud para brindar acceso justo se harán adaptaciones para las solicitudes recibidas por correo o entregada en mano. Las solicitudes recibidas por correo o entregada en mano serán marcadas con la fecha y la hora que se reciban.

La lista de espera se actualizará según sea necesario para garantizar que todos los solicitantes y la información del solicitante esté actualizada y sea oportuna. Para actualizar su solicitud en línea, siga las instrucciones a continuación:

Town of Bloomfield

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

NEW HAVEN

# de person as en el hogar

Custodian

$23.40/hourly (benefited)

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.gov

APARTMENTS FOR RENT

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 241 highways, Quinnipiac Avenue, New center Haven near bus stop & shopping Spacious 2 bedroom townhouses with hardwood floors. 1.5 baths. Select with basePetwasher/dryer under 40lb allowed.

Interested contact Maria 860-985-8258 ments and hookups.

On-siteparties laundry facility.

Off@street parking. Close

proximity to restaurants, shopping centers and on bus line. No pets. Security deposit varies. $1,425-$1,450 includes heat, hot water and cooking gas. Section 8 welcome.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Call Christine 860-985-8258.

Certificate Program.

This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Request for Proposal (RFP) UPCS Inspections and Repairs Solicitation Number: 164-AM-21-S

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY The Housing of by the the CityHousing of Bridgeport d/b/aofPark City Communities Sealed bidsAuthority are invited Authority the Town of Seymour (PCC) currently qualifi Pre-REAC untilis3:00 pm onseeking Tuesday,proposal August from 2, 2016 at ed its contractors office at 28for Smith Street, inspections Solicitation be available on February 24, Seymour,and CT repairs.

06483 for Concrete package Sidewalkwill Repairs and Replacement at the 2021 to obtainGardens a copy Assisted of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@ Smithfield Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A Pre-proposal conference call will be conducted on March 11, 2021 A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith @ 10:00 a.m. via conference call. Although attendance is not mandatory, submitStreet Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, Wednesday,conference July 20, 2016. ting a proposal without attending theon pre-proposal call may not be in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to Bidding documents are available fromthan the March Seymour bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later 17,Housing 2021 @ Authority 3:00 p.m. OfAnswers the questions will be posted on PCC’s www.parkcitycomfice,to28allSmith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203)Website: 888-4579. munities.org. Proposals shall be e-mailed, mailed, or hand delivered by March 24,The 2021 @ 3:00Authority p.m., to reserves Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Director of Procurement, Housing the right to accept or reject any or all bids,150 to Highland Bridgeport, CT 06604. or bids@parkcitycommunities.org. reduce Ave, the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive Late any proposals will not be accepted.

informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.

Maxim o

1

$35, 950

2

$41, 050

3

4

$46, 200

$51, 300

5

$55, 450

6

$59, 550

7

$63, 650

Aplicaciones se pueden someter o actualizadas:

•

En línea a https://ecc.myhousing.com/

• Si requiere una acomodacion razonable y quiere recibir una aplicación FIREFIGHTER 2nd Noticepor correo por favor llamar al 475-355-7289 o envié una petición por City of Bristol con atención: Waitlist Coordinator, Elm City Communities, PO BOX SAYEBROOKE escrito VILLAGE

Invitation to Bid:

242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

St. New Haven, CT

La Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Haven está actualmente aceptando aplicaciones para la lista de espera del programa de vales de elección de Vivienda (Sección 8)

1912, New Haven CT 06509

Old Saybrook, CT Units) $53,964/yr. (4 Buildings, 17Las aplicaciones recibidas por correo serán basada en un sistema de lotería.

TaxCPAT ExemptCert & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project Requires valid issued on or after June 1, 2020, Si usted necesita acomodación razonable para completar su aplicación llame al 203-498-8800 ext. 1507 New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castwritten & oral tests.

Registration in-place information & applyConcrete, online: Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Las aplicaciones están Casework, actualmente disponible. La lista de espera permanecerá Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential www.bristolct.gov abierta.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

ThisDEADLINE: contract is subject state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

May 1,to2021

State of Connecticut

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Office of Policy and Management Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Seeking qualified condidates Project to fill numerous vacanciesavailable via ftp link below: documents to include, Benefits & Pension Coordinator and more. For The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage information and detailed application instructions, visit

CITY OF MILFORD

Leadership Associate (target class Agency Labor Relations Specialist) and an Information Technology Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary, OPM position.

www.ci.milford.ct.us

Click on Email SERVICES, JOBS&and Fax or Questions BidsJOB to: TITLE. Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

QSR

Further information regarding HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businessesthe duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 STEEL CORPORATION https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1= AA/EEO EMPLOYER

APPLY NOW!

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

22

210217&R2=5989VR&R3=001 and

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1= 210217&R2=5571MP&R3=001 The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

23

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 24, 2021 - March 02, 2021

Here’s to the brave, the brilliant, and the selfless.

Even with the promise of the new vaccine, COVID-19 continues to affect us all deeply each and every day. That’s why our talented and tireless doctors, nurses and staff are doing everything in their power to research, diagnose and treat this virus in the cities and towns we all hold dear.

Because our community deserves world-class care, right here.

Learn more about COVID-19 and the vaccine at ynhhs.org/covid19

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