INNER-CITY NEWS
27, 2016 - August 02, 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCHJuly 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Financial a Key Focus at 2016 NAACPBlack Convention From Rally toJustice Power: The Civic Obligation of Young, Leaders New Haven, Bridgeport
INNER-CITYNEWS
Volume 27 . No. 2273 Volume 21 No. 2194
Top 10 Scholarship Programs That Every Black Woman Should Know About
“DMC” Color Struck?
Meet Tia Norfleet NASCAR’s First Ever African American Female Driver
Malloy Malloy To To Dems: Dems:
Ignore “Tough On Crime” Ignore “Tough On Crime” Seeking Students St. Aedan Tries “STREAM”
Snow in July?
FOLLOW USHomecare ON Contract Approved 1
THE INNER-CITY NEWS
DC NEWS JUNKIE by Peter Urban
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
DeLauro Clashes With DeVos on Student Loans
CT. Junkie News
WASHINGTON — In a testy exchange Tuesday, Representative Rosa DeLauro sharply criticized Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over her decision to pre-empt states from any oversight of private companies that service federal college loans. “These companies have a record of predatory practices — of abuses. State-led investigations have resulted in hundreds of millions in settlements on behalf of students,” DeLauro told DeVos. “Despite your statements, all morning, about supporting state rights, what your office has done is issue a declaration to pre-empt state regulation on companies that collect student loans.” DeVos defended the decision, claiming that state oversight and regulation of a federal program was not necessary as federal oversight would suffice. She appeared Tuesday at a hearing on her department’s budget held by the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees education spending. DeLauro is the ranking Democrat on the panel. “Federal student loans is a federal
program that has appropriate federal oversight and that is our argument,” DeVos said. “You are pre-empting state rights here,” DeLauro said. “What we are doing is ensuring that students continue being protected through the federal program that Congress created,” DeVos responded. DeVos said the motivation was “to not layer another layer of bureaucracy” on the federal student loan program. In her opening remarks, DeLauro had noted that Connecticut was the first state in the nation to enact protections for individuals holding student loan debt, a reference to the Student Loan Bill of Rights enacted into law in 2015 that established an Office of Student Loan Ombudsman to regulate student loan servicers and educate students and their parents through the loan process.A 2013 study had shown Connecticut graduates hold the sixthhighest debt-load in the nation, with an average of $30,191 owed at graduation. DeLauro said Connecticut “stepped up” because of “predatory practices” within the student loan industry. She cited, as an example, that some disabled veterans found their
credit scores ruined as a result of requesting loan discharges because of their “total and permanent disability.” DeLauro also held up letters from the National Governors Association and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general who urged DeVos against pre-empting states from oversight and regulation of loan servicers. “This sounds to me like you are standing up for debt collectors over injured military veterans. I hope that you can reassure us that this is not the case,” DeLauro said. DeLauro also criticized DeVos over a broad swath of issues including President Donald Trump’s proposal to increase the number of armed security personnel and armed teachers in schools in response to the high school shooting last month in Parkland, Florida. DeLauro called it a dangerous policy — noting a recent incident in which a teacher accidentally discharged a weapon in school. Instead, she said every school should have a counselor but Trump’s budget would eliminate federal funds for school counselors. She also complained about steering federal dollars to private schools
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro got into a heated exchange Tuesday with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
SCREENGRAB Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
through vouchers, eliminating afterschool program funds, cutting early childhood education funding, and DeVos’ failure to date to visit an underperforming school. “I was disturbed by your appearance on 60 Minutes earlier this month
where you admitted you haven’t visited underperforming schools and said maybe you should visit them. Maybe? I’m perplexed by that answer because it sounds to me like you are turning your back on these schools,” DeLauro said.
Lawmakers Defend Hartford Debt Service Payments by Christine Stuart CT. Junkie News
HARTFORD, CT — Following criticism from local elected officials, legislative leaders tried to explain the state’s financial commitment to Hartford to help the city avoid bankruptcy. House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said he wanted to clarify the help that Hartford is receiving because some lawmakers have gotten the impression that it’s a 20-year guarantee of basically the same amount of state aid they receive now. He said that’s not what lawmakers approved when they passed a budget in October that gave tens of millions of dollars in additional aid to the city to help it avoid filing for bankruptcy. Hartford was placed under state oversight in January. That oversight entity the Municipal Accountability Review Board controls $48 million a year to assist financially distressed municipalities with their existing debt service. The city of West Haven is currently under the board’s oversight as well. The board is authorized to make the debt payments and ensure that Hartford restructures its debt. Those debt
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE
House Majority Leader Matt Ritter
payments are expected to be under $40 million per year. “After two years there is not a guaranteed appropriation for the city of Hartford on top of that debt service payment,” Ritter said. The new debt service agreement basically means that the state which has lately been providing about $270 mil-
lion in aid annually to Hartford — is guaranteeing that the city will receive a minimum of $35 million in aid for 20 years to help cover the debt service. The agreement is not a guarantee that the state will appropriate an additional $35 million over and above $270 million for 20 years. In order to get the debt assistance
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and avoid bankruptcy, the city had to “give up a significant amount of autonomy,” Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said. “In fact the loss of new bonding authority for projects they may want to decide to do on their own, which they can no longer do without state approval. There’s a significant price they knew they had to pay.” House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said the commitment to Hartford is only over the biennium budget and the money that is allocated. “We certainly take them at their word,” Klarides said. She said they all decided at the end of the day to help the city of Hartford one last time. The debt assistance contract, which hasn’t been signed yet, is a 20-year contract through 2037. The state is expected to guarantee payment of the debt for 20 years under the agreement, but is not guaranteeing the amount of state aid to the city at its current levels. “It’s fair to say the state of Connecticut was very clear: no one is stiffing bondholders,” Ritter said. “The mere
mention it alarmed many people over here because of the impact it would have on the state of Connecticut.” The debt service payments do not go to the city’s general fund but go directly to pay the debt. Despite Hartford’s debt projections that could exceed $50 million per year in the near term, the refinancing options could drop those debt service payments to approximately $35 million annually — well below the appropriated amount in the budget, according to the Office of Policy and Management. The city’s $5 million in annual debt service payments for the Hartford Yard Goats stadium is not part of the agreement — the state is not covering that. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp issued a joint statement to express their disappointment at the treatment Hartford is receiving. They said they are still “evaluating the state’s new, half-billion-dollar bailout of Hartford” but at first blush the plan seems to “shortchange New Con’t on page 03
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Hundreds Wait To Testify On Gun Accessories by Bhumika Choudhary and Parker Fiske CT. Junkie News
HARTFORD, CT — Supporters and opponents of two bills that would change what types of gun accessories or firearm parts are available in Connecticut made their case Friday during a Judiciary Committee public hearing. Hundreds signed up to testify Friday. More than 350 people had submitted testimony online and many more packed a hearing room, requiring the committee to find an overflow room to comply with the fire code. The hearing started at 10 a.m. and by 6:35 p.m. there were still 57 more people left to testify. The hearing comes one day before the March for Lives event, and is on the same day as a NRA fundraiser at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on 16 bills Friday, but many who attended the hearing were only interested in two. One that would ban bump stocks and one that would ban so-called ghost guns. Bump stocks and other rapid enhancement devices became a target of gun control advocates following the Las Vegas shooting where a gunman opened fire at an outdoor concert and killed 58 people and injured hundreds of others. “Ghost guns” are homemade guns or parts that can be made into a gun. Newtown Action Alliance Chairwoman Po Murray said in her written testimony that “Ghost guns are untraceable homemade guns that circumvent the strong gun laws passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.” Murray said she is joined by 2,100 Connecticut citizens who fully support the two bills to immediately ban dangerous accessories and untraceable homemade guns. The NRA argued in a newsletter that the ghost gun bill would end the centuries old practice of manufacturing firearms for personal use by imposing requirements that far exceed those in federal law. Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin, supported the NRA’s claim that the bill language is so broad that nearly any solid, raw materials such as a block of steel could also be considered a “firearm.” He pressed Groton Police Chief L.J. Fusaro about what percent of material an individual should be able to possess. Fusaro said that wasn’t for him to decide. Asked about the difference in lethality
BHUMIKA CHOUDHARY / CTNEWSJUNKIE
Judiciary Committee hearing
between a knife or a bat, Fusaro said “it’s much easier” to do harm to someone with “a firearm.” Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, who co-chairs the Judiciary Committee, asked Fusaro if someone who has no legal ability to possess a firearm and is able to obtain 80 percent of a firearm online and have it shipped to their house via FedEx would it compound the gun trafficking problem? “It could undoubtedly put more guns out on the street,” Fusaro said. As far as bump stocks are concerned, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Florida have passed a ban and Delaware and Maryland legislatures recently approved similar measures that are expected to be signed into law. William Curlew, a gun owner who was represented himself, testified that the Las Vegas shooter could have killed many more people if he had taken aim, instead of just firing into the crowd. He said he doesn’t know if the Las Vegas shooter used a bump stock, but he said it makes guns less accurate and is more of a novelty item.
However, that doesn’t mean the state should ban them. “I don’t want needs tests,” Curlew said. “That’s not how constitutional rights work.” Rep. Arthur O’Neill, R-Southbury, said “so far I haven’t heard a good reason about why they exist.” Curlew said he can’t think of any reason for someone to have one, but he doesn’t want to see them banned. Jonathan Hardy, a pistol permit specialist and executive at the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, called the measures to ban bump stock devices ridiculous. He called the measure another attempt to “stop a device rather than a behavior.” As for ghost gun legislation, it’s “Another piece of legislation that targets the people who already follow the law,” Hardy said. He also took issue with the way that gun control groups are using children to protest. “The problem is how much i see kids being used in repeating stuff that isn’t true,” Hardy added. Kate Martin who is from Moms De-
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mand Action a division of Everytown for Gun Safety waited nine hours to testify Friday. She said in the absence of action from Congress Connecticut needs to take action to ban bump stocks and ghost guns. “The laws that we enact as a state say something about its citizens,” Martin said. Martin, a mother of four, said she was testifying to protect her children and her community. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was out of state Friday, submitted a written statement in support of the two bills. “We cannot sit back while Congress continues to capitulate to the demands of the NRA over the demands of the American people,” Malloy added. “Let us do what Congress cannot and will not do – let us work together to close dangerous loopholes and ban bump stocks in the State of Connecticut.” The Judiciary Committee has until April 4 to send the bills to the House.
Con’t fronm page 02
Lawmakers Defend Hartford
Haven and Bridgeport — its two largest cities, with comparatively stable finances, while rewarding the past practices of other cities that put them on the edge of financial collapse.” The mayors added: “Connecticut requires comparable support for its two most populous urban centers and an economic development strategy for the Bridgeport/New Haven region.” Former Trumbull Mayor Tim Herbst, who is running for governor, said the money for Hartford “is the latest slap in the face to struggling Connecticut taxpayers for Gov. Malloy and his insider allies in Hartford to hand an irresponsibly managed city a $550 million bailout, while simultaneously proposing new damaging tax hikes and fees and further savage cuts to education for dozens of well-managed municipalities to close the state budget deficit.” Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, who is also running for governor, tweeted Friday morning: “On the same day as Hartford gets a $550 million bailout, Mayor Lauretti of Shelton submitted his 10th straight budget without a tax increase to Shelton residents.” Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin defended the state’s action. “I think the budget passed last fall reflected a bipartisan recognition that if you want to compete for jobs and growth, you have to have cities that work,” Bronin said. “The bottom line is that our Capital City is built on the tax base of a suburb, and after cutting tens of millions from the city budget and negotiating extraordinary labor savings, there were two and only two responsible ways to deal with that broken fiscal structure — bankruptcy, or a long-term partnership like this, that requires continued discipline and comes with serious accountability.”
Homecare Contract Approved THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
by Christine Stuart CT. Junkie News
HARTFORD, CT — Legislation that increases the pay to $16.25 an hour for unionized homecare workers passed the Senate 32-0 and the House 127-16. Republican lawmakers were largely opposed to the process used that allowed these 8,500 workers to join a union back in 2012, but a majority of Republicans were able to set those feelings about labor aside and vote in favor of the contract. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said no one approved of the process that allowed the workers to join a union, but that wasn’t what was up for debate Wednesday. “Look this was a difficult vote,” Klarides said. “We certainly want to help the people who do the difficult jobs of taking care of our loved ones.” She said they didn’t agree with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s executive orders allowing this group to unionize, “but now that we’re here we had to make a decision today on whether this group of people should have more available to them.” Most of her colleagues agreed. All 16 votes against the contract in the House were from Republicans. “I think that this contract is very difficult for many members on this side of the aisle,” Rep. Melissa Ziobron, R-East Haddam, said. “Not because of the pay. Not because of the work these hard working men and women provide, but it’s the process.” She said they skirted the process by separating this from the budget. “They should be in the same document every other appropriation is in,” Ziobron said. The funding for the wage increases and workers’ compensation is part of the Medicaid budget, which is a state and federally funded program. It will cost $7.1 million next year and $9.6 million in 2020 and that money is already accounted for in the Medicaid account. Ziobron said there’s another group of unionized employees who work for the private, nonprofit sector and take care of intellectually and disabled individuals. That group of 2,500 employees is threatening to strike in April without an increase in wages. The state largely funds those private, nonprofits and has not increased funds for those organizations in more than a decade, which means many of the workers are making less than $13 an
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CHRISTINE STUART CTNEWS JUNKIE
Rep. Michael D’Agostino takes a selfie with SEIU 1199 homecare workers
hour. “We are picking winners and losers,” Ziobron said. In the end, Ziobron voted in favor of the contract. Malloy, who spoke in support of the homecare worker contract Tuesday, declined to comment on whether the other group of unionized employees should receive an increase in pay. There was a fear that lawmakers might confuse the two groups because they are represented by the same union, SEIU 1199. “I came to talk about this one,” Malloy said. “We can talk about that later.” The contract for the homecare workers approved by both chambers Wednesday will raise their wages from $13.25 an hour to $16.25 an hour. The contract also includes workers compensation coverage, which will allow the homecare workers to work beyond the 25.75 hours per week they are capped at now. That’s because working be-
yond 26 hours would force the client to purchase workers’ compensation, an unaffordable option for an elderly or disabled person who needs care in their home. Many of the homecare workers work more than one job as a result and many still qualify for state assistance because they can’t cobble the money they need to support themselves and their families. “This contract means the world to me,” Lucia Nunez, an East Hartford homecare worker, said. “Because of this contract and the vital wage increases it provides I will be one step closer to being able to make ends meet.” Sen. Craig Miner, R-Litchfield, said he struggled with his vote as he walked through the doors Wednesday morning. “Today I’m inclined to support this agreement. I think it’s a step in the right direction. I think it sends a mes-
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sage that we do care about the population they serve,” Miner said. Even Sen. Len Suzio, R-Meriden, a staunch opponent of unionization voted in favor of the contract Wednesday. “I recognize that the workers involved here are performing incredibly valuable work and that they’re paid very low wages as they are right now and get little to no benefits,” Suzio said. As far as the union concerns, Rep. Michael D’Agostino, D-Hamden, said the only people who pay dues to this bargaining unit are the members who have agreed to join the bargaining unit. He said there’s no “forced” payment of union dues or agency fees. He said there are about one hundred or so workers who didn’t join the union and are still doing this work and getting paid through the state. D’Agostino, who defended the legislation in the House, was swarmed by SEIU 1199 homecare workers after the vote and thanked for his support.
Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner Smita Shrestha William Spivey Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee
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Contributors At-Large
Christine Stuart www.CTNewsJunkie.com Paul Bass New Haven Independent www.newhavenindependent.org
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Poor People’s Quest Eyes “Policy Violence” by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent
During a week when Christians will contemplate the death and resurrection of a savior, the Rev. William J. Barber II, the leader of a new national Poor People’s Campaign, stopped by Yale University’s Battell Chapel Tuesday night to point the way for how the United States of America might resurrect its moral compass. He said the country has lost that compass because of systemic racism, systemic poverty, and the “heresy and malpractice of the theology of Christian nationalism and the way in which it has hijacked the moral framework of the nation.” And he called on the crowd to focus not just on physical violence, but “policy violence.” “Yes, we should be terribly upset when an officer kills an unarmed person, we should be terribly outraged by a gun industry that protects assault rifles before children,” Barber said. “But in this context, gun violence is not the only source of violence that we live with. There is policy violence and
attention violence.” A pastor from North Carolina, Barber is the president of Repairers of the Breach, a not-for-profit, that along with Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice. He has taken up the unfinished work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s Poor People’s Campaign. Barber has become the face of a movement that is pushing forward on an agenda that says the moral concern of people of faith is not abortion, the suppression of LGBTQ people, prayer in school, gun rights and states rights. It says the true moral compass focuses on lifting people out of poverty, ending oppression and disenfranchisement, and putting a stop to the devastation of the environment and militarization for the sake of a war economy. Barber told the crowd gathered in Battell that the United States today is a place where people have fewer voting rights than they did 53 years ago when the Civil Rights Act was passed. In the last eight years—before President Donald Trump was elected— states have passed laws that suppress
the vote and gerrymandered districts to disenfranchise people of color and women. “We’ve not seen an attack on voting rights like this since Jim Crow,” he said. He said the United States is a place where when you add up all of the people who receive some sort of assistance from the government — many of them women and children, and many of those are white — nearly 45 percent of them are poor. Yet in the last presidential contest, there was no debate devoted specifically to the problem of poverty and how people die because they lack access to decent wages and healthcare. There was no debate that focused on voting rights, or on the war economy. Barber said that over 6,000 people die every year for every one million who do not have health insurance. “They died not because God called them home. But because their congressmen and their legislators, who by the way get free health insurance, won’t allow them what they have,” he said. “This is not your granddaddy’s
MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO
Barber at Yale: Gun violence matters. But so does policy violence.
America. This is right now.” Russians Didn’t Pass Voter Suppression His remedy? Don’t let those who have proven that their God is money and not Jesus Christ hijack the country’s morality or its democracy. Peo-
ple shouldn’t be distracted by tales of Russians and adult film stars, he said. Russians didn’t pass the laws that suppressed voter turnout in the last election; they didn’t gerrymander voting districts, and they won’t be the ones Con’t on page 10
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
Ollie Fired “Just Cause” Winning is the Only Thing That Matters by Kevin E. Walton, Sr. On March 10, 2018, the University of Connecticut fired Head Men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie after six (6) seasons. During his tenure Ollie led UCONN to a record of 127-79 with the crowning achievement being winning the NCAA championship in 2014. However, since winning the national championship, UCONN has compiled a 75-61 record while failing to make the NCAA tournament three (3) out of the last four (4) years, including the last two (2). When Ollie took over for Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun, he knew he had big shoes to fill. After all, Calhoun had transformed UCONN from a relatively obscure regional basketball team into a national championship program. Calhoun retired in September of 2012, finishing his Hall of Fame career with 873 victories including an NIT championship, seven (7) Big East tournament championships, four (4) Final Fours and three (3) NCAA national championships. Ollie was hand-picked by Calhoun to be his successor. Having played four years for Calhoun and serving as an assistant coach for two (2) years, Ollie
knew the Husky way and in some ways would be an extension of Calhoun. Ollie would serve as a role model for hard work and determination, a reputation he earned while a student-athlete at UCONN and fortified during his 13 year NBA career. In Calhoun’s eyes, Ollie was the right man for the job. Initially given a 1-year contract by then Athletic Director Ward Emmanuel, Ollie was for all intents and purposes hired as a long-term substitute who had 12 months to prove himself worthy of the permanent position. Although not the traditional route, it was a great opportunity for a man who had spent his whole life having to prove that he was good enough. After winning the national championship in his second-year as head coach, Ollie was rewarded with a well-deserved multiyear contract. Ollie’s dream job, however, came with some serious challenges. In his first year UCONN was facing a ban from the upcoming post season as a result of poor academic performance. To make matters worse after leaving the Big East and failing to gain acceptance into the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, UCONN found itself without a conference home. Eventually landing in the relatively unknown American Athletic Conference. The AAC has proven to be a competitive league with some good teams. However, not being in a Power 5 conference has impacted UCONNS’
ability to attract top tier talent to Storrs. Emmanuel left UCONN in January of 2016 paving the way for David Benedict who was named Athletic Director in March of 2016. Ollie was not Benedict’s guy and he was not winning which made him expendable. In the end, having won a national championship, moving UCONN off of academic probation and improving their graduation rate was not enough to save Ollie’s job. Coaches get fired all the time for not
winning. That is the nature of the business. College sports is a bottom line business where winning and money are the only things that matter. By not qualifying for NCAA tournament, UCONN missed out on their share of the millions of dollars that are doled out to the schools and conferences who are invited for the big dance. We still have not been given an explanation as to why UCONN choose to part ways with Ollie other than an ambiguous “just cause.” UCONN is
currently under investigation by the NCAA. While the NCAA or UCONN has never said what they are investigating, some reports have indicated that the investigation centers on impermissible summer practices and a minor recruiting infraction. Even if these allegations are substantiated they are hardly grounds for termination. Leaving many to believe that at worst UCONN was using the NCAA investigation as an excuse to avoid paying Ollie the remaining 10 million dollars of his contract and at best implementing a negotiating tactic designed to have Ollie take less money than is owed to him. Either way it is not a good look for UCONN. Before being hired as Athletic Director at UCONN, Benedict was the Chief Operating Officer for the Athletic Department at Auburn University leading one to believe that he has a good understanding of the inner-working of college athletics. Similarly, by terminating Ollie without due process, Mr. Benedict failed to display an understanding of the collective bargaining agreement and the inner working of a union. As a union member, Ollie is entitled to the full protection of the union which dictates that certain steps must be taken before management can discipline or terminate. By not affording Ollie due process, Benedict and UCONN now have a fight on their hands as Con’t on page 12
Seeking Students, St. Aedan Tries “STREAM” by ALLAN APPEL
Dessara Bryant came to a parents meeting at St. Aedan-St. Brendan School to learn how a new STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts & Math) teaching framework will affect her kids’ learning. She ended up with a more existential concern: whether the school she loves and admires will even survive. That arc of anxiety was experienced by many of the 50 or so parents who gathered along with kids in tow for an open house Tuesday in the gymasium of the venerable Catholic school on McKinley Avenue in Westville. The school’s new principal, Taryn Duncan, and officials from the education offices of the Archdiocese of Hartford were on hand to explain to current parents how the school is intending to introduce a National Catholic Educational Association approved STREAM curriculum into the school beginning in September.
STREAM — a variation of the secular “STEAM” concept with the “R” added for “religion” — emphasizes projects, student participation and science-style experimentation instead of traditional rightand-wrong answer learning. It will be incorporated into the school’s curriculum beginning in September. “All change is difficult,” said Sherri Criscuolo, a 20-year veteran teacher at the school, which like other parochial institutions has seen its enrollment decline. That became evident almost immediately after Valerie Mara, the chief academic officer of the archdiocese, pitched the new approach as a way to better prepare kids for the STEM jobs of the future. “Are we preparing our children for jobs or for college?” asked parent Suzan Ali, who was there with her daughter Khloe. “No, this is college prep. By no means does it lower expectations. It increases rigor,” Mara replied. She explained that the new STREAM academy approach is also being adopted by Catholic schools in Branford. It has
been functioning already for two years in Waterbury/ Parent and Yale psychiatry researcher Olivia Johnson queried, “Do we have data from where it’s already been implemented?”
“I don’t have the data from Waterbury,” responded Mara. “It’s only their second year. But the rigor that typifies us doesn’t change. What changes is the involvement of students [in their learning].” “I’m not questioning the very good experience there,” said Johnson, “but I want to know some data from Waterbury.” “The enrollment in Waterbury has increased exponentially because students want to come more; there’s been a reduction in absenteeism. There’s been not one parent complaint because of the levels of engagement. We can bring in the principal” to New Haven, she offered. Another parent called out that she’s like to hear from Waterbury parents. Mara replied she certainly could provide parent testimonials, but couldn’t guarantee bringing parents in.
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ALLAN APPEL PHOTO
Parent Suzan Ali and daughter Khloe receive the news.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
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3/19/18 3:36 PM
Harp:
We Want Kids On The Bus
by PAUL BASS
New Haven Independent
Bag the Escape? Put high school kids on the city bus? Not so simple, in the view of Mayor Toni Harp. Harp expressed skepticism about the two notions — cutting education costs by running fewer school buses and killing a planned new 30,000-square-foot teen drop-in center and homeless shelter called the Escape — during her latest appearance on WNHH FM’s “Mayor Monday” program. Those two notions arose among some school board members and Independent reader-commenters over the past week during discussions about the proposed $547 million city operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The Board of Education is scrambling to find millions of dollars of cuts. And the Harp administration is seeking an 11 percent tax increase. Officials originally said the Escape would open in 2016. Then it encountered unanticipated roof and electrical problems. City Youth Services Director Jason Bartlett testified at a budget hearing last Thursday that the Escape will indeed open this year — If the alders approve $50,000 in new bonding and release $200,000 in sequestered bonding money approved last year. Alders expressed frustration at the delays and questioned whether the building will ever open. Commenters to an article on the hearing suggested ditching the project because of its high cost and because the city’s building a new home for the Dixwell Community “Q” House blocks away. Harp rejected that idea on Monday’s program, saying that the two projects — the Escape and the Q
“Age Is Not a Condom”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS
House — will meet different needs. “The Escape is really for older teenagers. It’s a drop-in place. It’s also going to be a place for homeless and runaway youth,” she said. While the Q House will serve some older kids as well, it will focus on younger kids, she said. It will have a big gym and house the new Stetson Library Branch, a senior center, and a health clinic. It wouldn’t have room for the drop-in center or the social services organizations that will set up on site at the Escape to help troubled teens, Harp said. The school bus question arose at last week’s meeting of the Board of Education Finance Committee. Members pushed school officials to find ways to cut the $25 million in annual spending on transporting kids to school by bus. Member Darnell Goldson suggested having highschoolers ride CT Transit buses to school. Schools Chief Operating Officer Will Clark said he doubts that would save money because the same school buses transport kids from lower grades, as well. Mayor Harp Monday added a second objection: the school system’s efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism. “You really want kids to come to school. If you make it harder for kids to come to school, you may lose the attendance we’re working so hard to get,” she said. She called the bus question “very complicated. We have so many magnet schools. We are bringing kids from all over the region to come to school here in New Haven. We are required by state law to find a way for them to get to school.” An estimated 750 of the 4,883 high-schoolers signed up to ride school buses hail from the suburbs.
MARCH 28, 2018
-
APRIL 03, 2018
by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent
The number of babies born at YaleNew Haven Hospital with HIV has been effectively zero since 1996. But now a new group is battling the disease: people 50 and older. Nationally known HIV/AIDS advocate Michelle Lopez brought that message to the Betsy Ross Magnet Hall on Kimberly Avenue Thursday evening for the third Elsie Cofield Woman & Girls HIV/AIDS awards event. The event is put on each year by the Infectious Diseases Division of the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center. The awards event honors people in the Greater New Haven area who have continued to be strong advocates for those with HIV/AIDS even as treatments have gotten better and rates of transmission have been holding steady, particularly among AfricanAmerican women and girls. But Delores Greenlee, program director for the Infectious Diseases Division, said the goal is always zero. “We need to get to no infections,” she said. “Zero infections.” Cornell Scott Hill CEO Michael Taylor said that the center and its staff go out of their way to meet residents, and particularly those who are living with HIV/AIDS, where they are. And to reach those who are engaging in activities that might increase their risk of contracting the virus, such as men who have sex with men but don’t necessarily identify as homosexual, the centers are willing to go the extra mile. The awards event is named for Elsie Cofield, who founded the AIDS Interfaith Network in the basement of Immanuel Baptist Church in 1987. Cofield took on the HIV/AIDS work at a time when people were abandoning and shunning family and friends who contracted the disease, and stigma associated with having the disease was at an all-time high. She died two years ago at 92. On Thursday, the event recognized Dr. Christian Brockenberry, director of dental services for Cornell Scott Hill, who implemented HIV testing for those seeking dental services at the health centers; longtime social worker June Holmes; and the Rev. Alexander Garbera, a longtime advocate who has lived with HIV since 1986. Lopez is the director of HIV Programs at Brooklyn Multi-Specialty Group and a person living with HIV. She encouraged people, particularly women, to use their stories to help oth-
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MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO
National HIV/AIDS advocate Michelle Lopez speaks at Betsy Ross Hall.
Taylor.
Karina Danvers presents the Elsie Cofield award to June Holmes.
HOWARD K. HILL The late Elsie Cofield.
er women. She said she was happy to hear that like New York, New Haven has been able to staunch the transmission of HIV from mother to child. That wasn’t the case for her own daughter, who was born with the virus. “We celebrate this in New York,” she said. “It’s a celebration throughout the world, but I want more. I’m never happy to know that we’ve done the best because the best is still to come.” She reminded the audience that every day, there are people who live with the disease and there are people still contracting it. She said New York has seen a 5 percent increase in newly infected women in that state, according
to surveillance data. “People say, ‘Oh Michelle, it’s just 5 percent,’” she said. “I don’t want to hear of 1 percent. Why are women of color contracting this disease?” She said that people must remain vigilant and they must keep doing the work of educating women, particularly those over 50. She said of that five percent increase, 69 percent of those who tested newly positive were women of color all over the age of 50. “We’ve got to do something about aging and sexual health,” she said. “Age is not a condom.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Work Requirements For Medicaid Exposes Ideological Divide by Christine Stuart CT. Junkie News
HARTFORD, CT — There are 800,000 Medicaid recipients in Connecticut, but 72 percent of them would not be impacted by a Medicaid work waiver because they are children under 19, adults over 65, persons with disabilities, or employed. But several lawmakers spoke passionately Thursday both for and against a bill, which seemed to expose an uncomfortable ideological divide. Republicans believe people receiving Medicaid should be required to fulfill work obligations that will lift them out of poverty, while Democrats believe healthcare is a right for anyone who is eligible. “I have to tell you this legislation makes me sick,” Rep. Cathy Abercrombie, D-Meriden, said. She said a majority of Walmart, Stop & Shop, and Dunkin Donuts employees are on Medicaid because they can’t get enough hours to qualify for insurance or they simply don’t make enough money and “need a hand up to help them with their medical.” Abercrombie said taking away health insurance from this population isn’t going to stop them from getting sick. She said they will show up at the emergency room and “we all know as a state what we pay for people who are not insured.” She said Medicaid “isn’t a job promoter. It’s a health insurance policy.” Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, said Connecticut has created a health insurance that is so good “that in many
Thursday, April 12, 2018 3–6:30 p.m. Adanti Student Center Ballroom
SCSU-GradOpenHouse-5.472x5.1BW.indd 1
cases there may not be an incentive to get off it.” He said while many may already have a job there’s 28 percent who are not working and should be able to work. He said some are disabled, but not all of them. He pointed out there are already work requirements for other so-called welfare programs, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and TANF. “We’re talking about giving Medicaid recipients an opportunity to work, go to school, volunteer, to be productive,” Perrillo said. “Maybe we have different perspectives on how we achieve that goal, but that is the goal.” He said they want them to get a better job that will lift them out of poverty. Rep. Terry Adams, D-Stamford, said he was just listening to the debate over opening the bidding process for a casino in Bridgeport and learned that there are more than 9,000 people in New Haven and Bridgeport who are struggling to find a job. “There’s no jobs, yet you’re saying everybody ought to be able to work,” Adams said. Perillo said not everybody can get a job just because they want one. He said an individual has to be actively looking for employment or volunteering 20 hours per week or attending school. “I see no reason why that concept of seeking employment, which ideally gets us to a point where individuals are eventually employed,” Perillo said. “Eventually they’re going to get there.”
Adams wondered what Perillo would do if he lost his job, ran out of unemployment benefits, and was suddenly unable to provide for his family. He said Toys R Us is about to lay off 33,000 people and what happens if those people are unable to find jobs within the next six months? Perillo suggested if a person doesn’t have the skills then they can return to school to get the skills they need for a job. But without any money to pay the bills then how do you afford school and still pay the bills? “How do you maintain your household?” Adams said. “Tell me in reality how do I get there?” Perillo said it’s unfortunate this discussion is happening with just the Human Services Committee because it involves so much more than that and can’t be discussed in a “silo.” “That’s our collective failure,” Perillo said. “We have not cooperated and collaborated across agencies to enable that.” He said there is “no jobs plan that corresponds with an education plan that addresses the individuals on Medicaid.” He said they can’t keep talking about these things in silos. Rep. Brandon McGee, D-Hartford, said in his district more than half of the Medicaid recipients work and many of them are working more than one job. “Connecting work requirements to one’s health care coverage is absolutely absurd,” McGee said. “It is ridiculous.” He said it feels like Trump is “attack-
Jay Rowe presents
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE Rep.
Brandon McGee, D-Hartford
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Birks Gets Warm Welcome THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
by CHRISTOPHER PEAK New Haven Independent
On her second day in the job, Carol Birks received a “superintendent survival kit” with thank-you cards as a symbol for gratitude, rubber bands for flexibility, coloring pencils for creativity, an aromatherapy candle for serenity, and a bag of jewels for the precious heart of her work — the kids. Birks received those gifts, along with plenty of words of encouragement, at a Tuesday evening welcome reception at New Haven Museum packed with school administrators, city officials and community figures. After a contentious, year-long search process to pick Garth Harries’s replacement as New Haven’s schools superintendent, the all-out celebration this week sent a message that people are willing to put aside any hard feelings and give Birks a chance in the new job. Of course, it won’t be easy managing 22,500 kids across 50 schools, speakers reminded her, especially not with New Haven’s notoriously passionate citizenry. “All of us in this room appreciate the responsibilities you’ve assumed. New Haven has one of the largest public school districts of the state, a remarkably diverse and accomplished student body and an abundant supply of outspoken students, parents and teachers,” Mayor Toni Harp said. “Likewise, all of us in this room are confident in you and your abilities.”
Birks meets a line of New Haveners.
“Welcome to New Haven, Dr. Birks!” she added, to a round of applause. For about an hour, Birks shook hands with New Haveners. Reverends, principals, lawyers and contractors snaked in a line upstairs around a spread of cheeses and crudite. Downstairs, in the atrium, a string quartet plucked off notes. Below hanging chandeliers, the room echoed with chatter. Then a few educators started a round of clapping to signal for quiet. In a series of speeches and performances, Birks heard from top union officials, took in a dance performance to Andra Day’s “Rise Up” by Co-Op high schoolers, and reminisced over a slideshow. Cheryl Brown, the princi-
pal at Ross-Woodward and head of the administrators union, presented Birks with the gift bag. Speakers shared the achievements that had been made under Reggie Mayo, who’d served as interim superintendent for the last two years, and rooted on Birks to continue the progress. “Enrollment, attendance, graduation rates and college acceptance rates are all higher. Suspensions and expulsions are dramatically lower. There’s no question: This city is passionate about education,” Harp said. “We know you are a great match, you are passionate about education and have a remarkable pedigree. We know you’ll con-
tinue the progress already underway to benefit the students of New Haven, their families, our faculty and staff. We know you are the right fit.” Others predicted that there might be some run-ins with Birks, but they said they’d treat each other with respect, whatever the dispute. “Collaboration is not the absence of conflict. There are going to be times when we disagree, no question, but it’s how we manage that conflict,” said David Cicarella, the teachers union president. “We’re going to have times where we’ll have hard decisions to make on behalf of our students, but we have to have the integrity to put students first and our issues and concerns secondary to our students.” Cicarella added that he’d worked well with Mayo. Based on Birk’s “fresh energy, vision and reputation as a hard worker,” he said, believes he can do the same with her. “We’re thrilled that you’re here,” he said. Tyisha Walkers-Meyers, the president of the Board of Alders, said she’d met with Birks and been impressed with her “really good ideas.” “Anybody that knows me knows that I am not an easy person, but [Birks] passed the first test,” she said. “We have to put all our differences aside to make sure that we are the best, and seeing everyone here shows me that everyone has decided to do that. It won’t always be pretty, but it will be worth it for the kids.”
Meet Tia Norfleet - NASCAR’s First Ever African American Female Driver
Nationwide — The road success of being a professional race car driver is not easy. Much more if you’re considered a minority. But Shauntia Latrice Norfleet, better known as Tia Norfleet, is an African American and a woman. And she is the first Black woman to be licensed by NASCAR. “I think my story is still being written from when I started, to now, I think that what I stand for is so much bigger than me,” said Norfleet. “Coming into it, I thought I just wanted to race and then it turned into ‘I have to do this to open up doors for other people like me.’” Among the many roadblocks she encountered, one is the high expenses associated with racing. Even just the practices require having access
to premium NASCAR vehicles, mechanical crew, proper safety gear, and many others. ““From the business side, the biggest challenge is obtaining sponsorship,”” said Norfleet. “A lot of people don’t understand the dynamics of how racing actually works. They think you get a license, you get qualified and you’re going to be in every race because you’re qualified, but that’s not the case.” Norfleet is a history maker because she is the first African-American woman to be licensed by both NASCAR, National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, and ARCA, the Automobile Racing Club of America.
Shauntia Latrice Norfleet
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Con’t from page 05
Poor People’s Quest Eyes
trying to change how the census is counted, he said. “That ain’t really the pornography that I’m concerned about,” he said, alluding to the president’s alleged affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels. “It’s the pornographic sums of money that have been put into politics that I’m concerned with. It’s the illicit adulterous relationship between the Supreme Court and Big Business that produced the bastard child of Citizens United that concerns me.” He said the election of Trump isn’t the problem but “the symptom of a deeper moral and spiritual malady.” Holding up the Bible, Barber said the instruction for pushing back against the violence of apathy, the violence of oppression and the violence of ignoring poverty and the violence of immigration policy that unfairly targets black and brown immigrants can be found in the Book of Amos. In Chapter Five, the people are admonished to show their love for God by interrupting their everyday routine and organizing and taking to the streets to “make the nation cry over how bad things are.” But the organizing noted in Amos, on which the Poor People’s Campaign is modeled, is to tug on the heartstrings not of politicians, Barber said, but of God. The campaign is asking at least 1,000 people in each state and the District of Columbia to commit to 40 days of nonviolent, moral direct action. He said the hope was to get 20 states, but so far there are organizers in 39 states, including Connecticut. Barber said this is a moment in this generation when people have been called to take on injustice. “Could it be that God is waiting on us?” he asked. “America can be changed. Not just saved but made better.” Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove, author of Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom From Slaveholder Religion, urged attendees Monday to participate in the Poor People’s Campaign with the same type of fervor that one might offer those seeking salvation. Because in a way they were seeking salvation. Salvation from a country that is rolling back the many civil and human rights gains for which so many people fought. “The extremism in this country that is being done in the name of God is an offense not only to my faith but to every person created in God’s image,” Hartgrove said.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
Loíza: The Heart of Puerto Rico’s Black Culture
By Tatyana Hopkins, NNPA Newswire Special Correspondent/ The Washington Informer
Black residents of the island discuss what it means to be Black or Afro-Puerto Rican on the island. NNPA Newswire Special Correspondent Tatyana Hopkins coverage of hurricane efforts in Puerto Rico. Samuel Lind’s two-story wooden home functions as an art gallery and studio. When he’s at home, visitors can view his overwhelming collection of work, which ranges from colorful cartoonish posters for local festivals, to life-like paintings of Black women, to serious life-sized clay and bronze statues depicting African people and deities. Themes of nature and African heritage fill the walls of the studio—and so does the Puerto Rican flag. Several of the island’s flags hang visibly and proudly among Lind’s hundreds of paintings, because most of Lind’s work is inspired by his hometown, the small beachside community of Loíza, Puerto Rico. Loíza is Puerto Rico’s center for African-inspired traditions and it retains one of the largest Black populations on the island; more than 60 percent of its 30,000 residents identify as Black. “This town is very dynamic in its expressions of its Black roots,” Lind said. African heritage can be seen all around the town—the music, dance, art and food are all deeply rooted in African tradition. Known as the “Capital of Traditions,” Loíza is the birthplace of Black Puerto Rican music and is where the dance Plena was born. Bomba music and other African-Taino infused food and traditions are commonplace here. Loíza artisans produce the colorful coconut masks displayed at festivals and make the unique Bomba drums. “My work identifies with Black people, because that is my reality,” Lind said. Loíza is the home of the Saint James Festival, which is celebrated in July and depicts the battle Saint James over the Moors. The festival is known for the participation of vejigantes, caricatures of demon or bat-like figures, made of papier-mâché or coconut masks and vibrantly colored dresses, who represent the Moors. A soft-spoken man, Lind said his art is the instrument that best describes his identity and he purposely depicts African heritage to get display its influence on the island’s culture. A giant 16-foot bronze statue designed by Lind rests in the African section of the Botanical Garden in Caguas. It depicts the Yoruba deity Osain, the god of wild plants, healing and magic, and symbolizes African roots in the island’s culture and identity. But, he said, beyond being Black, the people of Loíza are also Puerto Rican.
Raul Ayala (left) and his sister run the nearly sixty-year old family-owned souvenir shop and Bomba dance troupe began by their father Castor Ayala in Loíza, Puerto Rico. (Tatyana Hopkins/NNPA) “The principle is we’re Black, and people here are very clear that they are African descendants,” Lind said. “In the United States, you see Black and White more clearly, but not here.” Many residents in the town express pride in their African origins, as well as their Puerto Rican roots. “Afro-Puerto Ricans have to look at themselves through the context of being Puerto Rican, because we are not straight up African,” said Maricruz Rivera Clemente, founder of the Pinones Integration Corp. Clemente founded the organization in 1999 to bring awareness to social issues affecting the island’s Black communities. “[Most] people understand that some aspects of our heritage are Black, but some people choose to deny it.” Rivera Clemente continued: “We are working to educate people about ‘our blackness,’ but not just that we are African, but also about,” our Puerto Rican heritage. Pinones Integration Corp. offers educational activities centered on community development and economic development, bike and kayak rentals, as well as Bomba and Plena dance classes. Pinones’ Bomba dance troupe, Black Majesty, has performed on stages around the world including New York, Cuba, Tanzania and Zanzibar. “We, the Puerto Ricans, are three different races—Spanish, [Taino] Indian and African,” said Raul Ayala, son of master artisan and founder of the Hermanos Ayala folkloric ballet, Castor Ayala. Raul Ayala runs the family’s famous yellow souvenir shops, known for its ve-
jigantes, the colorful coconut mask worn in festivals; His father opened the shop in 1959. “Only Puerto Rico has Bomba and the town of Loíza kept it alive,” said Ayala, adding that years of separation from the rest of the island allowed Loíza to maintain its unique culture. Ayala said that the more developed neighboring city of Carolina was like Loíza, until local investment and development changed the town. “Different types of people moved in and changed the composition of the town,” said Ayala. Loíza only recently became easily accessible to the rest of the island. Before a highway was built in 1970 to connect the historic tropical town to neighboring cities across the Río Grande de Loíza, it could only be accessed by ferry. This separation helped the town maintain its cultural roots, but also cut it off from development. Loíza gets its name from a Taino female chief, Yuiza, who chose the name “Luisa” after being baptized by the Spaniards. It began as a place to harbor escaped slaves from Puerto Rico and all over the Caribbean. But, despite its rich culture, Loíza is one of the most impoverished parts of Puerto Rico. Only 20 minutes east of the capital San Juan, Loíza is often overlooked as a tourist destination, even though resorts lie 5-10 minutes east of the river in Rio Grande. “That’s not a coincidence,” said Mara Clemente, a Loíza resident. “People in Loíza don’t put their address on job applications; they say they are from Caro-
12
lina or Rio Grande.” Clemente said that many people on the island do not address forms of institutional racism on the island. She said that, because of its large Black population and bureaucratic racism, Loíza has been left out of the island’s development compared to neighboring towns on the island. Nearly 50 percent of the residents in Loíza live under the poverty line and the town’s unemployment rate is almost triple the national average. “What makes Loíza any different from any other Black ghetto?” Clemente asked. “Africans all over the world must reach out to each other to change this.” Clemente said that she often feels alienated for her bold views on race. “I am not an Afro-Puerto Rican,” she said. “I am an African in Puerto Rico.” She hopes to create a Pan-African library in the town. Some residents report negative stereotypes about Loíza, often referred to as “that Black town,” because of its high crime rate, while others contend that race relations on the island are improving. “Racism is not bad here, but we are conscious of race; some people are racists, but some are not,” said Carmelo J. Carrasquill, 17, who identifies himself as Black. “Race is important, but we don’t care about that as much, because we are all Puerto Rican.” Tatyana Hopkins is a staff writer for the Washington Informer, who recently traveled to Puerto Rico to report on the hurricane recovery efforts for the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA. com. You can follow Tatyana Twitter @ tat_hopkins.
Con’t from page 05
Ollie Fired “Just Cause”
Ollie plans on fighting “ten toes in.” As reported by Don Amore of the Hartford Courant, Michael Bailey, executive director of UConn’s chapter of The American Association of University Professors, of which Ollie is a member, stated “at this point, we just consider Kevin suspended with pay, pending his right to a hearing.” Per union contract, Bailey has filed a formal request for a hearing on Ollie’s behalf which must happen by March 25. “At that time, he (Ollie) is going to be able to respond to any factual evidence that the director is using, that he thinks to be evidence that has led him to initiate disciplinary proceedings for termination.” UCONN and Ollie could have ended their relationship amicably by negotiating a buyout that would have allowed both parties to move on in a peaceful and respectful manner. The same way they did with former football coach Bob Diaco who was paid $3.4 million after his termination in 2016. Instead UCONN choose to use a frivolous, non-disclosed NCAA investigation as “just cause” to terminate Ollie in an effort to save 10 million dollars. A decision that has created a huge public relations mess for UCONN. Immediately after announcing Ollie’s termination, reports surfaced about possible replacements with the usual list of coaches turned analyst whose names always come up at this time of the year. On March 22, 2018 UCONN hired University of Rhode Island Head Coach Danny Hurley to replace Ollie. Hurley, who has vast experience at the Division I level, has developed a reputation as a good in-game coach and a good recruiter, which made him Benedict’s top choice to bring UCONN back to national prominence. Now that they got their man, UCONN must focus on restoring trust with their employees, fans and taxpayers. Kevin E. Walton, Sr. is a Human Resources Specialist / Minority Teacher Recruiting Coordinating for the Area Cooperative Educational Services in North Haven, CT. Mr. Walton is responsible for a portion of the agency’s recruitment and hiring activities, developing and maintaining relationships with staff and administrators, assisting employees with work related issues and investigating complaints of employee misconduct. Additional responsibilities include working closely with the unions on disciplinary hearings, workers’ compensation and facilitating on-going training to the staff in the areas of sexual harassment, protection and advocacy and child abuse and neglect. Mr. Walton can be reached at
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Top 10 Scholarship Programs That Every Black Woman Should Know About
Nationwide — Every year, thousands of scholarship programs around the world help students obtain muchneeded financial aid. Many of these programs, however, are specifically for women. And some of them are just for Black and other minority women. Here are the top scholarships that every Black woman should know about: #1 – Beyoncé Formation Scholars Program: open to young women who plan to attend one of four participating colleges and major in creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies. Four scholarships will be awarded. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2017/04/beyonceformation-scholars-program.html #2 – NBNA Scholarship Program For Black Nurses: offers 14 scholarships each year to students pursuing a career in nursing who are members of the National Black Nurses Association, Inc. The scholarships are based on merit and financial need. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline. org/2013/02/nbna-scholarship-program-for-black-nurses.html #3 – Women Techmakers Scholars Program (by Google): open to women who are studying computer science, computer engineering or a closely related technical field. Applicants must
be currently enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2017/06/ women-techmakers-scholars-program-by.html #4 – Jeanette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund For Low Income Women: awards scholarships every year to low-income women who are 35 years of age or older. Named after Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, the fund has awarded over $1.8 million in scholarships to over 700 women since 1978. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2012/05/ jeanette-rankin-womens-scholarshipfund.html #5 – Girls Inc. National Scholars Program: offers scholarships to female high school seniors graduating from affiliate high schools located throughout the U.S. and Canada. Candidates must be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States or Canada.. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2017/08/girls-inc-national-scholars.html #6 – National Hook-up of Black Women Scholarships: available to graduating high school seniors who plan to enroll in an accredited college or university in the fall after graduation. Two different scholarships are
available. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2017/02/nationalhook-up-of-black-women-scholarships.html #7 – AWG Minority Scholarship Program For Women: encourages young minority women to pursue courses of education and careers in the field of geosciences. The program, not only provides financial aid to assist with tuition and book, but also matches students with mentors who can offer guidance and support. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2012/04/ awg-minority-scholarship.html #8 – Rihanna’s Global Scholarship Program: applicants must be citizens or natives of the following countries: Brazil, Barbados, Cuba, Haiti, Grenada, Guyana, or Jamaica. They also must have already been accepted into an accredited four-year college or university for the entire upcoming academic year. To apply, visit www. scholarshipsonline.org/2016/05/rihanna-clara-lionel-foundation-globalscholarship-program.html #9 – NANBPWC Scholarships For African American Females: offers four different scholarships for outstanding females of African American descent. Each scholarship is merit based and T:9.25”of an essay. To requires completion
apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline. org/2017/02/nanbpwc-scholarshipsfor-african-american-females.html #10 – HBO Writing and Directing Fellowships For Minorities and Women: open to writers and directors 21 and older. Candidates must be able to work in the U.S. Candidates for writing fellowships may apply online by sending a resume, a writing sample, a
completed release form and a personal essay in 500 words or less explaining what has influenced their storytelling. To apply, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org/2016/02/hbo-writing-and-directing-fellowships.html To view hundreds of other 20182019 scholarships, visit www.scholarshipsonline.org
Give your money a raise
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
Inspired by the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords, Puerto Rican Activists Launch Centro De Apoyo Mutuo Inspired by the Black Panthers and The Young Lords, Centro De Apoyo Mutuo, a group of community activists in Caguas, Puerto Rico offer aid to residents in need. Centro De Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) means Center for Mutual Help.
By Tatyana Hopkins,
NNPA Newswire Special Correspondent
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico—The last thing you would expect to find in the central mountain range of Puerto Rico is the influence of the 1960s Black Panther Party. But there it was. The tenets of the revolutionary group, founded in 1966 in Oakland, Calif., by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, were mixed with stewed pork chops, rice, beans and healthcare on a 90-degree winter day, 20 miles south of San Juan in the city of Caguas. Volunteers with Centro De Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) prepared meals and provided services to residents in an abandoned building “rescued” by a group of local activists. Black Panther Principle No. 4: “We Want Decent Housing Fit for The Shelter of Human Beings.” Emilu Berrios moved through the kitchen and then out to the clinic area, all the while making clients comfortable and seeing to their needs. Berrios is co-founder of the Centro De Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) and she made it abundantly clear what drives her and the organizers. “We are influenced by the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords,” she said. The Young Lords was a lesser known Puerto Rican organization that launched in Chicago in 1968 that became a national civil and human rights movement in nearly 30 cities. Daniel Orsini, another co-founder, explained the connection. “The Young Lords saw the Black Panthers trying to get justice for Black people, and they knew they needed to do the same thing,” Orsini said. Black Panther Principle No. 9: “We Want Land, Bread, Housing, Education, Clothing, Justice and Peace.” Centro De Apoyo Mutuo (CAM), which translates in English to the “Center for Mutual Help,” is the brainchild of a group of Puerto Rican activists, who have modeled their efforts on the service portion of the Young Lords and the Black Panthers. While the groups were known for their radical tactics—the Black Panthers encouraged Black Americans to police their own neighborhoods carrying loaded firearms—they also introduced numerous service efforts to aid Black and Puerto Rican communities, like the free breakfast program that was eventually emulated in America’s schools. The Panthers started the breakfast program first and the Young
Lords followed their lead. Centro started by serving food to those left destitute following Hurricane Maria, which smashed into the island and left historic destruction in its wake. Homes, government buildings, hospitals and other facilities were destroyed. When the center started its work, running water was unavailable. The vast majority of the island was without power and some residents still are, six months later. Today, the center serves 150 meals—breakfast and lunch—every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
But the food is not free, Berrios said. “Here, we operate on solidarity, not charity,” she said. “That means in order to get something, you must give something.” Recipients of the center’s health, food and social services can pay for them in three ways: money, donations of food that the organization uses to make meals or by volunteering their time at clinics and by restoring the group’s building. The center is located near the town’s center in a former social security building that had been abandoned for 30 years. The group took over the building, shortly after the storm. “Our building is a ‘rescued’ building,” Berrios said. “I say ‘rescued.’ We don’t say ‘occupied.’” The facility’s purpose now, she said, is “the complete independence of the people from the government.” The organization is still repairing the long-vacant building. A group of Howard University students with the school’s Alternative Spring Break program were there to help. The students scraped peeling paint, cleared trash and helped prepare meals. On Tuesday, March 14 the students traveled 90 minutes from their campsite in Arecibo to Caguas, a city of 136,000 located in the largest valley in Puerto Rico. Caguas is known across the world as the home of the Criollos de Caguas baseball team, considered one of the greatest squads in all of Latin America, has won more than a dozen Puerto Rican national titles and five Caribbean World Series titles Rescue and recovery efforts in the Caguas were hindered by its size and location. “Federal and local government efforts were slow,” Orsini, 36, said. “Within eight days after Maria, we were serving the community.” Nichole Villegas, 26, whose home
Carmen Cruz (right), 48, talks to another acupuncture patient following her treatment at the Centro De Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) in Caguas, Puerto Rico. (Tatyana Hopkins/NNPA)
is two blocks away from the center, said she was without electricity and other power for about two months. Some days, she said, the center served the only meal she ate. “After Maria, they started serving food, and so, I started coming here to eat,” Villegas said. Since the hurricane, she said, she has eaten lunch at the center every day it is open, because she does not have enough food at home. Carmen Cruz, 48, comes to eat three times a week, as well. Cruz, who lives in the mountains, said she didn’t have
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electricity until March 5. Sometimes she walks to town, which takes an hour. Other times, she gets a 15-minute bus ride. She came initially for the food, she said. “I didn’t have lights,” Cruz said. Now, she and others come for something the Young Lords and the Black Panther Party also offered— acupuncture. The groups introduced what they called “liberation” acupuncture in 1970 when they founded the Lincoln Detox Center in the South Bronx in New York City after
occupying part of Lincoln Hospital. They provided acupuncture that focused on points on the ear to help drug users overcome their addictions. They also opened a school to teach the medical technique, which was developed in China, for treatment of a variety of other ailments. Centro, following the example set by the Panthers and the Lords, offers the same acupuncture care. “Acupuncture is not a part of our culture,” Orsini said. “It’s a new idea to us. When we get sick, we go to the hospital and get chemicals that we call ‘medicine.’” Villegas now comes every Tuesday to receive acupuncture to treat hip and back pain. The treatment is only offered on Tuesdays. “I don’t like pills and medications,” she said. “Before this, I used marijuana [for pain].” Since Villegas started acupuncture, she said, she’s in less pain and sleeping better. Cruz is also getting acupuncture at the center. “I started last week to treat depression and pain.” she said. “I already see a difference, and I am sleeping through the night. I will be here every Tuesday” The founders of the center hope it will become a community space for activists, protestors and organizers to mobilize their efforts and spark a new movement among Puerto Ricans that will hold their government accountable, as well as become less dependent on the federal government. Puerto Rico is a protectorate of the United States. Though its residents are citizens, they cannot vote, nor do they have representation in Congress. Some Puerto Ricans have called on independence from the U.S. “We don’t want to need anything from the [federal government], because they have failed to meet our needs,” Berrios said. Berrios and other Centro members argue that the island’s dependence on the federal government has made it unable to meet the needs of its citizens. Kevin Ortero Rivera, 19, who goes to the center, daily, agrees with the organization’s philosophy. He only received electrical power a month ago, and his family in Thomas de Castro, still does not have electricity, he said. Rivera added: “Whether we are a state or not, we need to come together and do something for ourselves.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
From Rally to Power: The Civic Obligation of Young, Black Leaders By Tiffany Dena Loftin, Director, NAACP Youth and College Division Tiffany Dena Loftin, the director of the NAACP Youth and College Division talks about the “March for Our Lives” rally and the need for the voices of Black youth in the movement. Who would have thought that in less than 15 days, I would have to coordinate and manage 1,000 young, Black student leaders from over 24 cities on 17 buses in the name of gun reform and safety? The reality is, sometimes the work chooses you. I started my new job one day before the mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. We’ve got over 650 active and registered NAACP chapters on high school and college campuses across the country. We are the only organization, period, that can reach that many Black, young, organized members. Since February 14, 2018, the day of the Parkland shooting, I have followed these students who have built a national discussion on the safety of young people at school in less than a month. A movement that inspires, convicts and recruits people from across the country and now the world, to an issue that Black folks have been talking about for over a decade. When gun violence happens in white communities, it’s always reported on as a mental issue or because they were racist. When gun violence happens in the Black community, it is because of poverty, underfunded schools, police brutality or gangs. This is necessary to understand because the solution we are fighting for can’t just be regulations against automatic military style weapons. It has to be a holistic solution to make all communities safe. The March for Our Lives is only a march for OUR lives if people meet at the intersection of mass school
shootings, community violence, poverty, the War on Drugs, police brutality and White supremacy. From Trayvon Martin to Stephon Clark, this is not the first time we’ve raised the issues of gun violence, but for many reasons, this moment is where we find ourselves with the most leverage of “people power.” When the opportunity presented itself for us to be involved and bring our members, I spoke with my boss and told him I would only sign up to help build for the “March for Our Lives,” if we got to do two things: First, I wanted to make sure that we weren’t just being used as representation at the march, but that we challenged the mainstream media, march organizers and organizational partners to think about the intersection of gun violence, when it comes to the Black community. Second, it was important that this moment not turn into just another rally, but real opportunity for us to educate and engage future members about the organization. Because a rally won’t end gun violence, I want my peers and young adults to make the clear connection from this issue to who should be held accountable for systemic and legislative change at the ballot box. That way, we know we showed up in numbers not just for a great rally, but for the start of a great revolution. It is my belief, that if all of the young folks from this march, the
women’s march, the immigration movement and Black Lives Matter joined together for a strategic effort, we could change this country literally overnight. We must use this as a moment to
help young Black folks see that if we want real gun reform, if we want better public schools, if we want community policing then we MUST show up to the ballot box. This demonstration, for the NAACP Youth
and College Division is not a free trip to a rally. It is the moment that we are using to build real power that will impact the political navigation of this country. Black students have the solutions and the answers. We’re going to stop asking to be included in national movements, and just take over. I am grateful to all of the staff, the partners and our donors who have helped make this vision possible. We can only use this moment to create bigger and better local victories for our people. Cheers to the strong and fearless students from every community who have ever stood up to violence in their communities. This march is a celebration of your leadership, and a call to action for those looking to change the world. Tiffany Dena Loftin is director of the NAACP Youth and College Division, which serves more than 700 youth councils, high school chapters and college chapters across the United States. You can follow Tiffany on Twitter at @TiffanyDLoftin.
Con’t from page
Seeking Students, St. Aedan Tries “STREAM”
That turn in the Q & A let the cat of high anxiety out of the bag. Teachers, as part of the preparation for the new curriculum, are going to require considerable new training. Parents expressed deep concern about whether the teachers they know and love will continue on. The principal said the hope is that all teachers will stay and receive the new professional training in STREAM, but it is of course up to them. The school has seen some recent teacher departures already. Duncan, formerly the principal at St. Francis-St. Rose of Lima School, has only been on the job a month. Bryant posed the question that had always been the elephant in the room: “When’s our school closing?” Much as she loves the school and appreciates the close relationship teachers have in St. Aedan-St. Brendan’s smaller classes, parent Mikyle Vaughn said she withdrew her kids last year and enrolled them in Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet because she felt that St. Aedan’s might be closing due to declining enrollment. Apart from inherent educational merits, clearly the new curriculum is designed to attract new families to the school and to raise flagging enrollment. If STREAMing doesn’t work, will the school close, or, as has been the case with other parochial schools (such as the former
16
standalone St. Brendan) merge with another struggling institution. Deputy Superintendant Maria Maynard assured parents that “there is no plan to close” St. Aedan-St. Brendan. “You have no debt,” she said to Bryant and the other parents. She added that with the new STREAM, despite new expenses for teacher training and new equipment, tuition will not rise. “This is the facility that can best handle this model.” She did acknowledge that enrollment is not what it should be. The K to 8 school currently has 92 students, along with a pre-K of 70 kids. Maynard said that with the introduction of STREAM, the hope is enrollment will gradually increase to about 120 kids in the K to 8. “There’s parent support here,” Maynard added, as she fielded more questions. “Yes, we’re looking for growth. We have ... 95 students [in K-8]. Do we wait to go from 95 students to 90? Your enthusiasm [for STREAM] is contagious.” When parents pressed Duncan and Maynard, the two said St. Aedan-St. Brendan is the strongest of New Haven’s three Catholic schools. The others are St. Bernadette in Morris Cove and St. Francis-St. Rose of Lima in Fair Havent. Duncan said the St. Aedan school builidng, while requiring more upgrades—is in the best shape for the tech demands of the future.
She announced she had already secured a grant to introduce robotics next year. Parents remained concerned. “You’re feeling all of our anxiety,” said Natisha Vidal. Another parent, a dad, added; “Thisisn’t negative. We’re all very happy. But there have been a lot of changes. We put our kids in your hands. This is all so new to us as parents.” Vidal said more parent communication, before this introductory meeting, would have been wiser. Rafala suggested at the next get-together an actual lesson might be presented: “Show how, for example, a fourth-grade lesson might be presented this year and what it might look like next.” “We can absolutely provide that,” said Mara. Principal Duncan said all the other points had been duly noted and said more parent events about the changeover are in the offing. “Change is difficult,” the veteran teacher Sherri Criscuolo reiterated. “But change has to happen in order to grow. We’re excited, and the kids pick up on it.” People also picked up on the chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies that were rapidly disappearing from tables in back of the gym, as the two-plus-hour meeting wound to a close.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
American Legacy Launches Crowdfunding Campaign On GoFundMe
American Legacy Looks to Raise $500K to Launch Network Dedicated to African American History, Culture and Education
Mount Vernon, NY — American Legacy Founder, Rodney J. Reynolds, announced the kickoff of the crowdfunding campaign to launch American Legacy Network (ALN), a vehicle to produce and distribute African American- centric content focused on history, culture and education. The brand looks to utilize GoFundMe to raise $500,000 to launch the network in 2019. “This past February, we saw hundreds of thousands of people flock to the movie theatre to watch the film Black Panther,” Reynolds said. “The support of the film from the black community was not only eye opening, but showed what could happen when our community becomes galvanized behind an idea. Shortly after the film’s release, my publicist called me and said ‘Rodney, imagine if everyone who went to see Black Panther would make a $10 donation to American Legacy Network, you’d have the capital needed to
launch in 2019!’ I thought for a second and responded by saying ‘you know you’re absolutely right’, hence the reason for this fundraising initiative.” The money raised will allow American Legacy to produce and acquire original content that will air on the network and on the network’s ondemand platform. In addition to the network, Reynolds’ and his team are developing a feature film based on the life of pioneer aviator Bessie Coleman—which already has a script developed and plan to begin shooting a trailer later this year. ALN and its On Demand Platform will include the following content along with other programming focused on travel, food, livestreamed cultural events and more: * Classic Black Films & Historical Documentaries * Conversations With Greatness host-
Rodney J. Reynolds, founder of American Legacy and his two son
ed by JP Reynolds * Black Treasure with Robin Myers! * American Legacy SPORTS presents * Your Black History News Updates * American Legacy LEGENDS
* Talking ‘Bout The Blues To support the launch of American Legacy Network and to find out more about the Bessie Coleman biopic,
visit their GoFundMe page at: www. gofundme.com/ALXLVOD. Viewers can visit www.vimeo.com/americanlegacynetwork to watch ALN’s current content. About American Legacy American Legacy Magazine was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Reynolds’ RJR Communications, Inc. and Forbes Magazine. Total readership of American Legacy was over 2 million when the print edition ceased publication in 2011. The mission of the American Legacy brand is to broaden and enhance the awareness of African-American history through the utilization of educational products, the internet, and broadcast media with the launch of the American Legacy Network in 2019. To watch American Legacy Network content, visit www. vimeo.com/americanlegacynetwork. Black History Made Every Day.
Fair Housing’s Unfinished 50-Year Journey By Charlene Crowell, Communications Director, Center for Responsible Lending
Charlene Crowell, the communications director for the Center for Responsible Lending, talks about the Fair Housing Act and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work to eradicate sub-standard housing. Although golden anniversaries are often considered milestone moments accompanied by festive celebrations, two such observances in April 2018 are bittersweet memories for much of Black America. One took the life of an unparalleled preacher, orator, author, activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The other marks the enactment of what many would argue is the strongest of the civil rights laws enacted during the 1960s: The Fair Housing Act. As observances begin across the country, now is an appropriate time to recall how fair housing was a key issue for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In fact, Chicago became his chosen battleground for fair housing, bringing a national spotlight to the multiple ills of segregated and substandard housing. In early 1966, Dr. King moved his family into one of the city’s ghetto apartments to dramatize how people were forced to live. On August 5, 1966 during a march through an all-White neighborhood, a riot exploded with racial taunts and hurled bricks. Remarking on the hostility encountered, Dr. King said, “I have seen many demonstrations in the South; but I have never seen anything so hos-
tile and so hateful as I’ve seen here today.” By the time Dr. King’s life was snuffed out by a sniper’s bullet in Memphis on April 4, 1968, the cause of fair housing was also on the minds of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The same day Dr. King was martyred, the U.S. Senate passed a fair housing bill and sent it to the House of Representatives for further consideration. On April 10, the House passed the measure. With a signing ceremony the following day, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s signature enacted a federal law that banned discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing. Legally, no longer could people be rejected due to their
race, religion, or ethnicity. In his remarks, President Johnson said in part, “With this bill, the voice of justice speaks again. It proclaims that fair housing for all—all human beings who live in this country—is now a part of the American way of life…We all know that the roots of injustice run deep.” Unfortunately, 50 years of legal roots supporting fair housing has failed to deliver full justice. For many Blacks and other people of color, fair housing today remains just as elusive as it was in 1968. A year-long analysis of 31 million records by the Center for Investigative Reporting found that: • The homeownership gap between Blacks and Whites is now wider than it
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was during the Jim Crow era. Another independent research report by the Economic Policy Institute found that the difference in Black homeownership between 1968 and 2018 is virtually the same – 41.1 percent (1968) compared to 41.2 percent (2018); • In 61 metro areas across the country, Blacks were 2.7 times more likely than Whites to be denied a conventional mortgage loan; • As the number of non-bank mortgage lenders rise, these businesses are not required to adhere to the Community Reinvestment Act that requires lending to low-income borrowers and in blighted areas. Each year, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) released an analysis of the annual Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the most comprehensive mortgage lending report, and the only one that includes data on lending by race and ethnicity. CRL’s most recent analysis found that in 2016, conventional mortgage lenders continue to serve White and wealthier borrowers. Despite broad support for large banks following the most recent housing crisis, Blacks, Latinos, and other borrowers of color are mostly accessing government-insured mortgage programs such as FHA or VA. Even upper income Blacks are overrepresented in FHA. In plain English, that means fewer banks are offer mortgage loans to average Americans and talks about the future of mortgage lending fail to provide for greater access. Once again,
the same communities that suffered the worst losses during the Great Recession remain at a financial disadvantage. Homeownership is still a solid, wealth building block. As home values appreciate, financial gains are achieved. But for those shut out of these opportunities, the chance to safely build family wealth is denied. Further, a recent report by CRL and the National Urban League analyzing a proposed draft of legislation from Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) to reform the nation’s housing finance system found it will harm access to affordable mortgage loans and the overall housing market. The proposal removes key affordability mechanism such as the broad duty to serve, including affordable housing goals. It also weakens fair lending enforcement under the Fair Housing Act by inserting business judgment protection for guarantors’ decisions on access – despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that such claims are permissible under the Fair Housing Act. Just as President Johnson stated 50 years ago, “We have come some of the way, not near all of it. There is much yet to do.” Fifty years later, our journey towards fair housing remains unfinished. Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Deputy Communications Director. She can be reached at charlene.crowell@responsiblelending. org.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
Stetson Library: The Next Chapter HELP STETSON LIBRARY MOVE INTO THE NEW Q HOUSE
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Imagine.
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Graduate Admissions Open House
Working together to build a stronger community – now and forever.
“But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved COMMUNITY. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends.”
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July 27, 2016 -- August THEINNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWSNEWS MARCH 28, 2018 APRIL02, 03, 2016 2018
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Branford CT based business looking for a fulltime IT person who is creative, dependable, needs minimal supervision to complete tasks and has the ability to interface with a wide variety of personalities. Applicant must have the ability to manage multiple local virtual servers, 40+ work stations and assorted peripherals. In addition, this person would need the necessary coding skills to help design and develop a web-based front end for several MSHOUSING SQL serverPREdatabase projects and assist current staff VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE with SEO and website maintenance. Applicant must be proficient with VMware, MS SQL, Visual Studio equal andof is Columbus willing to learn new software packages need. Competitive HOME INC,oron behalf House and the New HavenasHousing Authority, salary and benefits. Email resume to gforshee@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE
NOTICE
is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from /9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y ELECTRIC UTILITY ELECTRICIAN 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have Electric is seeking maintenance electrician with extensive substation beenutility received at thea highly officesskilled of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied uponexpererience to maintain andHOME repair transmission and distribution class switchgear, lightning quest by calling INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours.bus-work, Completed prearrestors, protective relays, insulators, switches power transformers, data circuits, controls and applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third other related components. Must be a high school/trade school graduate and have 4 years’ experiFloor, Haven, and CT operation 06510. of electric utility substations and/or utility grade protection ence in theNew maintenance
and control systems. Completion of a recognized four (4) year maintenance electrician apprenticeship program may substitute for the experience requirement. Two (2) years of college-level education or advanced training in related field may substitute for two (2) years of the experience requirement. Must possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the State of Connecticut and be able to obtain with 6 months of hire a PRE-SOLICITUDES valid Protective Switching and Tagging VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER DISPONIBLES Procedure certification from CONVEX or other approved agency. Wage rate: $35.43 to $39.08 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Closing date will be April 24, 2018. Apply: HuHOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está man Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. (203)
NOTICIA
aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios 294-2080 / Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo
ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 PROJECTLas ESTIMATOR/PROJECT MANAGER-RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las CT oficinas HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas correo a peticiónto Leading baseddehigh-end residential contractor seeking a projectpor estimator/manager assist our project executive with interpreting blueprints, obtaining vendordeberán pricing,remitirse developllamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes inga quotes, and de managing multiple projects. must have experience with general las oficinas HOME INC en 171 OrangeCandidate Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 . contractor drawings. Sales experience a major plus. Due to growth this is a new position in our organization with a tremendous opportunity for advancement. We are looking for someone versatile, wears multiple hats and with a strong desire to succeed in our industry. Email resume to mpicard@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE
The Housing Authority the City of Bridgeport NEW ofHAVEN Invitation for Bid (IFB) Phineas T. Barnum Apartments Ventilation Upgrades Solicitation Number: 104-PD-18-S
242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA All new apartments, newofappliances, new Park carpet, to I-91 & I-95 is reThe Housing Authority of the City Bridgeport d/b/a Cityclose Communities (PCC) highways, near bus stopVentilation & shopping centerA complete set of the questing sealed bids for P.T. Barnum Apartments Upgrades. plans and technical specifications will be available on March 19, 2018. To obtain a copy of Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held at 96 Bird Street, Bridgeport, CT 06605 on April 5, 2018 @ 10:00 a.m., submitCT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s ting a bid for the project attending conference is not in intellectual the best interest ofofthe Offeror. Certificate Program. This iswithout a 10 month program designed to assist in the formation Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, Additional questions should be emailed only toisbids@parkcitycommunities.org no 2016 later1:30than 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. April 13, 2018 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster www.parkcitycommunities.org. All bids must be received by mailed or hand delivered by St. New Haven, CT April 24, 2018 @ 2:00 PM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Director of Procurement, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. No bids will be accepted after the designated time.
SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Help Wanted: Immediate openingsofforthe 1) heavy highway Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority Townand of Seymour construction laborer. 2) CDL Driver, clean license only. Please contact PJF Construction
until 3:00 @ pm860-888-9998 on Tuesday,orAugust 2, 2016 at its office Smith Street, Corporation attielordan@sbcglobal.net. We areatan28equal opportunity employer M/F. Repairs and Replacement at the Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.
Town of Portland, CT (EOE)
A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Suburban residents; 25 employees; million budget; 75 miles of Street municipality Seymour, of CT9,400 at 10:00 am,supervises on Wednesday, July1.820, 2016. roads. Requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering or business/public administration plus seven years of progressively responsible administration experience, including three years of supervisory capacity. Must possess documents valid CT driver’s Salaryfrom range DOQ; non-union with fringe benefi ts. Subject Bidding arelicense. available the Seymour Housing Authority Of-to pre-employment drug/alcohol testing. Deadline: 3/2/2018. Submit resume with Town application & 3 fice,of28 Smithto:Street, CT 06483P.O.(203) 888-4579. letters reference Office ofSeymour, the First Selectwoman, Box 71, Portland, CT 06480-0071
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
Large shoreline CT based construction company Large shoreline CT based construction company seeking full-time Accounting/Administrative Assistant for busy office environment. The position includes both accounting and customer service/administrative duties i.e. data entry in ERP system (Sage 100), reviewing and processing AP transactions, processing billing for over-the-counter sales orders, maintenance of W-9s and insurance certificates for vendors/subcontractors and assisting with 1099/ W2 preparation. Also includes answering phones with positive attitude, scheduling customer appointments for salespersons, filing and other general duties. Minimum 5 years’ experience in an office environment, strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to multi-task, working knowledge of basic accounting, strong Microsoft office (excel/word) skills. Sage 100 knowledge a major plus. Salary: $17.00 to $18.00 per hour. Email resume to Swilloughby@atlasoutdoor.com. AA/EOE/M-F
Union Company seeks: Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rateor& excellent benefits BA/BS in Civil Engineering Construction Management. Contact: Dana Briere Phone: 2-5 yrs. experience. OSHA Certifi ed. Email: Proficient 860-243-2300 in reading contract plans and specifications. dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Women & Minority Applicants are Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; encouragedRED toTechnologies, apply LLC is an EOE. Email resumes to info@redtechllc.com. Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity EmployerRemediation Division Project Manager Environmental
Field Engineer
3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002;
Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com
RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.
Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc
Large CT. Fenace Company Large CT. Fence Company is looking for an individual for our stock yard. Warehouse shipping and receiving and Forklift experience a must. Must have a minimum of 3 years’ material handling experience. Must be able to read and write English, and read a tape measure. Duties will include: Loading and unloading trucks, pulling orders for installation and retail counter sales, keeping the yard clean and organized at all times and inventory control. Welding experience a plus. Individual will also make deliveries of fence panels and products, must be able to lift at least 70lbs. Required to pass a Physical and Drug test, have a valid CT. Driver’s License and be able to obtain a Drivers Medical Card. Send resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com AA/ EOE/MF
seeks: Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860243-2300 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming Inc Employer
seeks: Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training Asphalt on equipment we operate. Garrity Reclaiming Inc Location: Bloomfield CT seeks: Construction Equipment Mechanic NORTH BRANFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY Contact: experienced James Burke Phone: 860preferably in Reclaiming and c/o Merit Properties, Inc. 243-2300 Invitation Bid: Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory 1224 Mill Street Building A, Suiteto102 email: jim.burke@garrityasphalt.com training on equipment we operate. 2nd Notice East Berlin, CT 06023 Women & Minority Applicants are Location: Bloomfield CT Contact:encouraged James Burke Phone: 860to apply LISTA DE ESPERA ABIERTA 243-2300 Old Saybrook, CT Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity La Autoridad de Vivienda de North Branford anuncia que ahora están email: jim.burke@garrityasphalt.com Employer We offer excellent hourly rate & (4 Buildings, 17 Units) aceptando solicitudes para el complejo de ancianos / discapacitados HillWomen excellent & Minoritybenefits Applicants are Tax & Not Prevailing Wage Project side Terrace. Para califi car,Exempt debe tener al menos 62 años o 18Rate y estar encouraged to apply discapacitado. Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Los límites de ingresos publicados por HUD no pueden exceder los $ New(una Construction, Housing, Demolition, Site-work, Cast-We offer excellent hourly rate & 47,600 persona) y $Wood 54,400Framed, (dos personas). LosSelective hogares también Employer deben cumplir con el ingreso mínimo requerido de $ 17,316 paraVinyl pagar Siding, el in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, excellent benefits
SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE
alquiler base mínimo de la unidad. Las partes interesadas pueden recoger Flooring, Painting, Division Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, una solicitud en Hillside Terrace, 16710 Branford Road, North Branford, o pueden llamar al Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. 203-488-5664 para solicitar que se le envíe una solicitud por correo.
This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. Union Company seeks: Tractor Trailer
NORTH BRANFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY
Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction
WAITLIST OPEN
excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits clean driving record, capable of operating
Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Equipment. Must have a CDL License, c/o Merit Properties, Inc. clean driving record, capable of operating Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Union Company seeks: Tractor Trailer 1224 Mill Street Building A, Suite 102 heavy equipment; be willing to travel Project documents available via ftp link below: Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction East Berlin, CT 06023 throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Equipment. Must have a CDL License,
Contact: Dana be Briere Phone: The North Branford Housing Authority hereby announces that they are heavy equipment; willing to travel Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com now accepting applications for the State Elderly/Disabled Complex 860-243-2300 Email: throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Hillside Terrace. To qualify you must be at least 62 years old or 18 dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com hourly rate & excellent benefits Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483excellent and disabled. Women & Minority Applicants are Contact: Dana Briere Phone: AA/EEO EMPLOYER Income limits as published by HUD cannot exceed $47,600 (one perencouraged to apply son) and $54,400 (two people). Households must also meet the re860-243-2300 Email: Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity quired minimum income of $17,316 to afford the minimum Base Rent dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com for the unit. Interested parties may pick up an application at Hillside Employer Women & Minority Applicants are Terrace, 167 Branford Road, North Branford, or you may call 203-488encouraged to apply 5664 to request an application be mailed to you.
20
Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer
INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016- - August 02, 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 MARCH 03, 2018
PVC FENCE PRODUCTION
The Town of East Haven is currently accepting ap-
plications to participate in the following examinations: Large CT Fence Company looking for an individual for our PVC Fence Pro- Secretary II, Grade Level 10-$18.36/hour. Candidate must possess a High duction Shop. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Must be School Diploma or equivalent and a minimum of 2 years secretarial experifamiliar with carpentry hand & power tools and be able to read a CAD draw- ence. Prior experience in a school system or related work with children ing and tape measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, preferred. will train the right person. This is an in-shop production position. Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and more. Some pickup & delivery Custodian-$20. 47/hour. Candidates shall meet the following minimum reof materials may also be required. Must have aHouse valid CT driver’s license and Housing quirements: Graduation from High School or 1 year employment in building HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus and the New Haven Authority, be able to obtain a Drivers Medical Card. Must be able to pass a physical and care and cleaning operations required. is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this develdrug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com. AA/EOE opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apApplications to participate in the examination are available online at www. ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y townofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/job-notices-andtests or the Civilhave Service Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT and must 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) returnedupon no later Large CTreceived Fence Company carpenterINC. for our Wood Fence Probeen at thelooking officesforofa HOME Applications will bebemailied re-than March 21, 2018. Candidates bilingual in Spanish duction Shop. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Must be are encouraged to apply.
NOTICE
VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
CARPENTER
quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed pre-
familiar with carpentry hand & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawmustThis beisreturned HOME INC’s offices 171 Orange Street, Third The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse ingapplications and tape measure. an in-shoptoproduction position. Dutiesatinclude Floor,fence Newpanels, Haven, CT gates 06510. building posts, and more. Some pickup & delivery of individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged materials may also be required. Must have a valid CT driver’s license and be to apply. able to obtain a Drivers Medical Card. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com. AA/EOE
NOTICIA
Hot Mix Asphalt Plant Technician & Paving Inspector
There are multiple openings in Galasso Materials Quality Control Department. NETTCP certification is preferred, with at least one year of experience. Full time positions available. Your schedule must be flexible as sometimes night shifts Galasso Materials is seeking a motivated, organized, detail-oriented candidate to join its are required. Mustestá be able to lift and carry 50lb buckets. NO PHONE CALLS HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, truck dispatch office. Responsibilities include order entry and truck ticketing in a fast PLEASE. Reply to Hiring Manager, PO Box 1776, East Granby, CT 06026. EOE/ paced materials pre-solicitudes manufacturing and para contracting company. You will havededaily interacaceptando estudios y apartamentos un dormitorio en este desarrollo M/F/D/V.
VALENTINA MACRI Dispatcher VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES
tion with employees and customers as numerous truckloads of material cross our scales ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos daily. We are willing to train the right individual that has a great attitude. NO PHONE máximos. LasReply pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles a.m.-5 comenzando Martes 25 CALLS PLEASE. to Hiring Manager, PO Box 1776, East09 Granby, CTp.m. 06026. EOE/M/F/D/V.
Equipment Operators and Laborers
julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente Galasso Materials100) is seeking applicants for the 2018 paving season. Experience in paving operations is required. Must possess current OSHA 10 card, have a valid en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición driver’s license, and own transportation. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Reply to ELECTRICIAN/APPRENTICE llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas–horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse Hiring Manager, PO Box 1776, East Granby, CT 06026. EOE/M/F/D/V. a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .
Telecommunications company looking for low voltage cable installer familiar with all aspects of indoor & outdoor cable installation, aerial bucket work, pole work, messenger, lashing, manhole & underground installation. Company is also looking for apprentices to train. Good salary with benefits. Fax resume to 860-282-0424 or mail to Fibre Optic Plus, LLC 585 Nutmeg Road North, South Windsor, CT 06074 Attn: Don Ballsieper
KMK Insulation Inc.
1907 Hartford Turnpike North Haven, CT 06473
DELIVERY PERSON NEEDED Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week, Must Have Own Vehicle If Interested call
(203) 435-1387
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Invitation for Bid (IFB) Boiler Preventive Maintenance and Repairs Solicitation Number: 103-AM-18-S
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is currently seeking bids from qualified and licensed contractors to respond to this Invitation to Bids for Boiler Preventive Maintenance and Repairs at several locations. Solicitation package will be available on March 19, 2018. To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A pre-bid conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on April 3, 2018, @ 10:00 a.m. Although attendance is not mandatory, submitting a bid for the project without attending conference is not in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later than April 13, 2018 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s InvitationWebsite: to Bid: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Seal bids will be received until April 24, 2018 @ 10:00 AM, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. 2nd Notice
Mechanical Insulator position. Insulation company offering good pay and benefits.
NEW HAVEN
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
Please mail resume to above address.. MAIL ONLY This company is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer.
242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, BA, 3BR, 1 levelThe , 1BA Class A CDL1.5 Driver SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE GUILFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY is currently All newwith apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 accepting applications for COUPLES ONLY for its one bedroom Old Saybrook, The CT Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport 3 years min. exp. HAZMAT Endorsed.
highways, near bus stop & shopping centerapartments at Guilford Court and Boston Terrace in Guilford, CT. (Tractor/Triaxle/Roll-off) (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Applicants must be age 62 and over or on 100% social security Some overnights may be required. FAX resumes to RED Technologies, at Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate 860.342-1042; Email: HR@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering or federal disability and over the age of 18. Applications may be Street, Portland, CT 06480. RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE. obtained by calling the application line at 203-453-6262, ext. 107.
ProjectRequest for Proposals (RFP) State Marshal Services Solicitation 102-LG-18-S An information packet willNew also Construction, be provided with the application. Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Number: Cast-
CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Applications will be accepted until end of business day on July 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,31, August 20, 2016 1:30-police, and landlord checks are procured by the 2018. Credit, 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. authority. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64Smoke Brewsterfree housing. Large CT based fence retailer looking for a residential esti- EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HOUSING St. New Haven, CT
RESIDENTIAL SALES/ESTIMATOR-FENCE
in-place Concrete, Asphalt Siding, TheShingles, HousingVinyl Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential currently soliciting proposals Casework, from State Marshals to provide service of process for HACB. Solicitation package will be available on March 19, 2018. To obtain a copy of the solicitaMechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. tion you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference soliciThis contract is subject to state set-asidetation and contract compliance requirements. number and title on the subject line. A pre-proposal conference will be held at 150
mator. We are looking for someone to take a leading role in the opening of a new location. The position will be based on NEW HAVEN EARLY CHILHDOOD COUNCIL Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on April 4, 2018 @ 10:00 a.m. Although attendance the CT shoreline and will include both field visits and retail REQUEST FOR QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROPOSALS is not August mandatory, submitting a bid for the project without attending conference is not in the Bid Extended, Due Date: 5, 2016 sales. Compensation will include salary in line with experibest interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcience as well as commissions based on sales volume. PreviAugust 15, 2016 no later than April 13, 2018 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions The New Haven Early Childhood Council isAnticipated seeking toStart:tycommunities.org Sealed bids areand/or invitedhome by the Housing Authority of the Town of quality Seymour ous construction improvement service related fund enhancement (QE) projects for the period available Project documents ftp link below:Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Proposals shall be mailed will bevia posted on PCC’s until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, 2, 2016 toat mpicard@ its office at 28July Smith Street, product experience preferred.August Email resume 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 for the following services: or hand delivered by April 20, 2018 @ 3:00 PM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Director of Prohttp://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the curement, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Late proposals will not be accepted.
SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY
• on-site education consultation to prek programs
Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. • mental health resources for children families in prek programs; Fax orand Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com
TRANSFER STATION LABORER
• professional development trainings related to CT Early Standards, HCC encourages theLearning participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses trauma informed care and topics required
A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, at 10:00 am, onLift Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Off load trailers, CT reload for trans/disp. 50 lbs., operate by School Readiness and NAEYC.
Construction Truck and Equipment Head Mechanic
Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 Large CT based Fence and Guard Rail contractor looking for experienced, self-motivated, responsible AA/EEO EMPLOYER
industrial powered trucks and forklift. Asbestos Worker Handler An info session will be held Monday, May 12th from 2-3pm at 54 Meadow Training a +. Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 173 Pickering Street, conference Ofroom 3B. To receive the RFP and for established rates for each BiddingSt.,documents are06480; available from the Seymour Housing Authority Portland, CT Fax 860-342-1022; or service type, contact the School Readiness office fice, 28 SmithEmail Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. to lkelly@redtransfer.com Denised@nhps.net 203-946-7875. RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.
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
21
Head Mechanic. Responsibilities will include maintaining and repairing all company equipment and vehicles, updating asset lists and assuring all rolling stock is in compliance with state and federal regulations. Must have extensive diesel engine, electrical wiring and hydraulic systems experience. Top wages paid, company truck and benefits. AA/EOE Please send resume to Mpicard@atlasoutdoor.com
THE INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
-
APRIL 03, 2018
Hilton Joins in Honoring Hollywood’s Luminary Black Achievers at 2018 ABFF Honors Hilton joins in honoring Black Hollywood’s luminary achievers at the 2018 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton, stepped up once again in celebrating Black excellence, serving as an official sponsor of the American Black Film’s Festival’s ABFF Honors gala dinner, held Sunday evening, February 25 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Now in its third consecutive year of presentation, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors annually celebrates individuals of African descent who have made significant, distinguished contributions to American culture through their work in the industry, while saluting the preceding year’s best motion pictures and television shows. For 2018, the show fittingly honored legendary actor Billy “Dee” Williams with its Hollywood Legacy Award, and actor Omari Hardwick with the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award, while feting comic-actress Tiffany Haddish with the Rising Star Award. Noted screenwriter, producer and director Ava Duvernay was a recipient
Stephanie Atiase, the Senior Director for Strategy for Hilton; Andrea Richardson, the Director of Multicultural and Diversity Engagement for Hilton; Dana Tignor, the wife of Mike Hollman; and Mike Hollman, the Vice President of Finance for Hilton, pause for a photograph during the 2018 American Black Film Festival’s 2018 ABFF Honors held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 25. (Maya A. Darasaw/MAD Works Photography)
of the Industry Visionary Award. The ABFF Honors is an integral component of the Hilton’s 2018 multicul-
tural marketing campaign, Celebrating Your Stories, which recognizes and celebrates the legacies, stories and ac-
complishments of African American individuals and organizations. “When we take stock of the richness of the diversity of our country, we at Hilton recognize that cultural mosaic, its beauty and its perspectives. We respect it, we embrace it and honor its uniqueness year ‘round,” said Andrea Richardson, Director of Multicultural and Diversity Engagement, Hilton. “Hilton is proud to say that whether it’s with our support of this event, or extending to our valued guests worldwide, this is who and what we are, and what we want to represent.” ABOUT HILTON Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 5,200 properties with more than 856,000 rooms, in 105 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest,
every time. The company’s portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an awardwinning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, and free standard WiFi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
Historic Madam Walker Theatre Center in Indianapolis to get $15.3 Million Restoration By Erick Johnson, Chicago Crusader/NNPA Member
The Historic Madam Walker Theatre Center will get a much needed makeover, thanks to a $15 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. The site will be renamed Madam Walker Legacy Center. It was once the headquarters of one of America’s first Black woman millionaires. Today, the Madam Walker Theatre Center, a cherished relic from a bygone era of Indianapolis Black culture, is getting a major makeover. The 90-year-old downtown landmark that housed her empire is still located at the corner of Indiana Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Street. It’s a charming venue stuck in time. The theatre’s décor is Egyptian and West African. Heads of sphinxes flanked both sides of the stage and there are two carved chimpanzees that sit high above it. Small elephant heads adorn the theater’s ceiling and battle shields serve as light covers. But despite its rich past, the theatre has struggled in the present; the theatre future is uncertain, as well. It lacks airconditioning and other modern amenities. In January, the landmark suffered severe damage when water pipes burst, flooding parts of the historic structure. “It’s been a huge challenge, with the cold temperatures,” Joyce Rogers, chairwoman of the theatre’s board in a story in the Indianapolis Business Journal. “You had water up to your ankles, and we had staff here until 2 to 3 o’clock in the morning taking water out in buckets.”
But in January, the Lilly Endowment Inc., a private foundation, announced that it would award the center a grant for more than $15 million, which will fund a complete renovation to cement its future for generations. The project will include exterior improvements, a new mechanical system, and upgrades to the theater’s sound system. The project is expected to be complete in July 2019. The announcement coincided with an announcement from Indiana University, which pledged to partner with the facility to provide transitional operational support and develop new programming “to ensure the Walker’s sustainability and economic viability.” Theater officials hope the three-way partnership will guarantee a brighter future for the venue, which has offered minimal programming in recent years. For 40 years, the Lilly Endowment has supported the theatre as a significant piece of history in the city. “The theatre is one of the city’s truly authentic places,” Judith Cebula, the endowment’s communications director told the Journal. “It anchors a neighborhood with a very rich history.” The Madam Walker Theatre Center is a triangular, four-story, 48,000-square-foot building, that houses a ballroom and several offices. The building was designed by the Indianapolis architectural firm of Rubush & Hunter, whose contributions to the city include the Columbia Club and the Hilbert Circle Theatre. The building was once the national headquarters for the Madam C.J. Walker
Manufacturing Co. It was named after the trailblazing Black businesswoman who built a hair grooming products empire in the early 1900s. Born Sarah Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana in 1867, she became an orphan when her father died in 1875. She moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi with a sister where she worked as a maid when she was just 10. Breedlove became Madam C.J. Walker after she married Charles Joseph Walker, her third husband; Walker was a newspaper advertising salesman she had known in Missouri. The two first formed the idea of the company in Denver, and then relocated to Pittsburgh before settling in Indianapolis in April 1910. On Indiana Avenue, she opened a hair salon in the home of Dr. Joseph H. Ward, the first Black doctor to head a Veteran Affairs Hospital in Indianapolis. That summer, Walker’s operation officially became a company and, in five months, Walker had 950 sales agents and thousands of clients coming through the salon. Walker would go on to operate 200 beauty schools throughout the country. Eight years after Walker’s death, the building, that still stands today, was completed in 1927 to help keep Walker’s empire going. According to Ebony magazine, the building housed the theatre, hair grooming products operation, a beauty shop and business offices. Today, it’s the last surviving iconic building on Indiana Avenue. In 1980, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In December 1927, Walker’s daughter, A’Lelia Walker, finished the project in the
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year the first talking feature film, “The Jazz Singer,” debuted. In its heyday, the theater showed movies and hosted vaudeville acts. Jazz greats such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie, played there and turned Indiana Avenue into a flourishing hub of Black culture. When segregation laws gradually began to weaken in the late 1950s, middle-class Blacks traveled elsewhere for entertainment, leaving the once-bustling avenue for better opportunities in the northwestern part of the city. In 1965, the theatre closed. It was reopened in 1988, but it hasn’t been updated since. “The building is really porous,” said Vop Osili, president of the Indianapolis CityCounty Council and a theater director. “You heat the building, and the people
outside are warm.” There are plans to install a new sound and audiovisual system and a new heating and cooling system. If more money is available, officials plan to install new carpeting, flooring and seats. “We want it to be like it was in 1927,” Rogers, the theater board’s chairwoman told the Journal. After the makeover, the theater will be renamed the “Madam Walker Legacy Center.” Theater officials said that “Madam” will be spelled in the theater’s name without the traditional “e” because that’s how it appears in historical documents. The Chicago Crusader is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS MARCH 28, 2018 - MARCH 03, 2018
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RP inner city news full page.qxp_Layout 1 3/19/18 2:49 PM THE Page 1 INNER-CITY NEWS
MARCH 28, 2018
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APRIL 03, 2018
THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE LaKisha Jones: To Whitney, With Love
American idol finalist pays tribute to Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner and Whitney Houston!
April 7
Fabulously Funny Females of Comedy
ft. Cory Kahaney, Karen Bergreen & Erin Jackson
April 20
Upright Citizens Brigade
Improv comedy from the troupe that launched Amy Poehler & more! Ft. SNL’s Sasheer Zamata
May 4
Ruben Studdard
Broadway Sings Stevie Wonder
Broadway’s hottest talents sing Stevie Wonder’s hits! Ft. Kennedy Caughell (Beautiful), Corey Mach Kinky Boots), Austin Owen (Jersey Boys) & more!
May 14
Rhiannon Giddens
The Freedom Highway Tour
Co-founder of the Grammy-award winning bluegrass band, Carolina Chocolate Drops!
An Evening of Luther Vandross, Always & Forever
June 20
203.438.5795 • RIDGEFIELDPLAYHOUSE.ORG 24
May 3