THE INNER-CITY NEWS

PURA Fines Frontier $2.5 Million For Lapses In Performance

by Julie Martin Banks

(Updated Thursday, 1 p.m.) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority issued a Notice of Violation as well as a civil penalty of $2.5 million on Wednesday against Frontier Communications, citing lapses in quality of service standards.

The three PURA commissioners voted unanimously to issue the notice and the fines at its Wednesday meeting.

PURA, through its notice, says Frontier also failed to timely file exception reports when its performance on one or more standards did not meet the minimum requirement for three consecutive months.

“Specifically, on 16 occasions from 2015 through 2023, following the Company’s failure to meet at least one quality of service standard for three consecutive months, Frontier entirely failed to file exception reports explaining missed standards,” according to the notice. “Thus, Frontier failed to file 16 required exception reports for 3-month periods in which Frontier failed to meet the minimum standards, and those reports were, cumulatively, 8,811 days overdue as of December 31, 2023.”

The state Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) submitted a petition in January saying Frontier Communications – from January 1, 2015 until June 30, 2023 –failed to meet mandatory minimum standards of services relating to out-of-service repair and maintenance appointments.

According to OCC’s petition, Frontier was noncompliant 30 out of 96 months, or 31% of the time, for the Maintenance Appointments Met standard. For the “Out of Service Repair Cleared Within 24 Hours” standard, OCC said, Frontier was noncompliant 44 out of 96 months, or 46% of the time. In the Capitol region, Frontier

fell below the maintenance standard 37 out of 96 months, or 39%, and failed to meet their OOS Repair standard 48 out of 96 months, or 50% of the time.

OCC said in the petition that their information was based on the data from Frontier’s own semi-annual Quality of Service reports.

“Quality of service standards are entrenched in Connecticut state law for critical public safety reasons. Connecticut residents rely on certificated telecommunications providers to connect them to emergency services, medical professionals, employers, and other essential contacts,” the petition reads. “These

standards exist, in other words, to protect the public’s health, safety, and vital daily needs. The Quality of Service Standards that PURA enforces accordingly require telecommunications providers to properly maintain their network, ensuring that when a resident picks up their phone to make an urgent call, they are met with a dial tone and are subsequently connected.”

Frontier responded to the decision Thursday with a statement:

“We are disappointed with the findings and the proposed penalty issued and will be requesting a hearing with PURA to respond to this decision. Over the last few

years, we have made significant improvements to our service quality and performance for the benefit of our customers. We’ve committed to investing more than $800 million to upgrade Connecticut’s digital infrastructure and have built a fiber network across the state that can serve the connectivity needs of the state for generations to come. We have delivered high-speed fiber internet to more than 1 million homes and businesses across Connecticut. We are committed to continued improvement as we connect people across Connecticut to the best broadband in the market.”

In a May 2024 response on behalf of

Frontier, Attorney Timothy P. Jensen writes that Frontier, since it acquired The Southern New England Telephone Company in 2014, consistently met its service quality obligations on all but two of the regulatory metrics implemented in 2000. One factor, according to Jensen’s response, is that some customers are still relying on the plain old telephone service (POTs), a voice-grade telephone service employing analog signal transmissions over physical copper wires. Jensen writes that the number of POTs access lines served by SNET has dropped by more than 74% in the last 10 years.

Jensen writes that Frontier’s performance on a metric measuring customer service trouble reports when customers are isolated from the network are “consistently excellent.”

“In other words, this metric shows whether the network is in overall good working condition – the less trouble reports, the more evidence that the network is strong,” according to the response. “Frontier has met that metric every month and every year since it acquired SNET. This is not surprising given that Frontier has been investing heavily in Connecticut since 2015 and it is continuing this work by spending millions of dollars to expand fiber broadband throughout the state.”

Jensen writes that while there have been issues meeting the two metrics identified in OCC’s petition, Frontier’s performance is trending up “and, even still, its performance on those metrics since 2015 average 91.45% (MAP) and 87.15% (OOS) against the 90% regulatory standard.”

According to PURA’s decision, Frontier is ordered to pay $2,356,950 to Operation Fuel, Inc. to provide financial assistance to customers experiencing difficulties.

Blumenthal: Unite Against Political Violence, Keep Supporting Biden

by ALLAN APPEL

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal declined to speculate how the attempted assassination of former President Trump might affect the ongoing campaigns or the roiling issue of whether President Joe Biden should remain the Democratic Party’s flag-bearer.

He did say, “We need to come together to condemn all political violence and to stop it.”

He made those brief remarks Monday morning during a stop at a happy occasion the celebration of the building of a new house at the pioneering “teachers’ village” of the Friends Center for Children in Fair Haven Heights.

That’s a verdant compound of houses on Howard Street, nearby the East Grand headquarters of the center where free hous-

ing as a salaried benefit for its teachers is making them more secure financially. It is also a financial creative template, a model, the senator added, for the state and nation to make the crucial early child care industry able to pay its teachers more equitably, and make the industry more sustainable.

Blumenthal said way too many incidents of violence, such as what unfolded over the weekend in Butler, Penn., are committed by lone gunmen, particularly by young, disenchanted males.

“We need to be more united against gun violence and violence in general,” he said.

Although a number of the state’s leading Democrats, including Jim Himes of Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District and Governor Lamont, have come out in favor of urging President Biden to step aside, that’s not where Blumenthal lands.

“Right now Joe Biden is the Democratic nominee, and he is very determined and committed and he’s got my support,” Blu-

menthal said.

Blumenthal also said he hoped the president would continue to be effective to dispel concerns.

“The other point is we need to determine the reasons for the security failure and how this shooter was able to climb up to that roof.”

In a larger sense the entire assassination attempt should be investigated, he added. During a separate press conference at Nica’s on Monday morning, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro provided a similar answer to a question about whether or not Biden should remain the Democratic nominee for president.

“I support President Biden,” DeLauro said. “He can take some time if he wants to reconsider what he wants to do, but I support the president.”

FILE PHOTO: PURA Chairwoman Marissa Gillett Credit: Christine Stuart / File photo / CTNewsJunkie

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (second from left) with teachers benefiting from free housing: Paris Pearce, Eric Gill, and Justin Cross.

The new haven independent

The new haven independent

Promised School-Cleaning Savings Vanish

by MAYA MCFADDEN

The Board of Education signed off on a $500,000 overtime bump for a Massachusetts-based custodial contractor — wiping out savings promised when the school system ditched a local firm two years ago in hopes of cutting costs.

The school board took that 6 – 1 vote Monday evening during its latest regular meeting in person at John S. Martinez School and online via Zoom.

The board approved a 9 percent bump in pay for the Massachusetts-based custodial contractor SJ Services for its part-time custodial work, already completed, for the 2023 – 24 school year in New Haven. Board member Andrea Downer cast the sole dissenting vote against the $500,000 retroactive increase.

A memo provided to the board about the cost increase stated that the additional half-million dollars covers the part-time custodial cost during the months of May and June. The 9 percent bump brought the total year’s cost for SJ Services from $5,478,259.25 to $5,978,259.25.

Since 2022, the custodial contract has been renewed with SJ Services for one year at a time.

Cost drivers cited in the memo include the rate of the contract and permit event hours increasing from $28.77 in 2022 – 2023 to $29.44 in 2023 – 2024. The relevant part of the memo states that

“permit events include custodial hours logged for weekend events (Adult Ed, Cross, Career, Hillhouse) and at Bowen Field, Cross Field, and FLAC. The combined estimated custodial services total for weekend permits and other locations (Bowen, Cross, FLAC) is $435,420.27.”

The school board voted in August 2022 in favor of ditching the local Blackowned firm Eco-Urban Pioneers for the

Massachusetts-based company SJ Services in large part because of its lower bid. For the 2023 – 24 school year, Eco-Urban submitted a bid for $5,989,577.43 whereas SJ Services’ bid was $5,478,259.29. However, with the now-approved end of year amendment, the cost for SJ Services is now just $11,000 less than what EcoUrban had proposed. At the time of the board’s 2022 vote in

favor of SJ Services over Eco-Urban, the local company’s owner, Shafiq Abdussabur, reminded the board that his company had a seven-year contracting partnership with the district, which allowed for the company to employ hundreds of underserved New Haven residents, including many formerly incarcerated people. Over its years servicing the district Eco-Urban hired more staff at the districts request and agreed to a half million contract reduction. Abdussabur also resigned from his then-position as Beaver Hills alder to (unsuccessfully) bid for a renewal to EcoUrban’s school district contract.

At recent school board meetings, Board of Education members raised concerns about the district’s lack of assigning inhouse custodial employees or local contractors to do the work hired out to SJ Services.

In addition to approving the cost bump for SJ Services Monday, the board approved a one-year renewal with SJ Services for to provide part-time custodial services from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 for a total of $5,556,973.52.

Board member Downer asked why the district did not re-bid for the custodial contract before the start of the new fiscal year, which began July 1.

“Has the work been physically verified?” Downer asked while arguing that school buildings this year and in the past have remained “filthy” even after they’re

said to be cleaned.

“So that means that they can continue what they’ve been doing, which is leaving our schools in a filthy condition, and ask for more money,” she concluded.

Board Secretary Edward Joyner agreed that verification of quality work should be discussed further by the district. He added that if part-time janitorial work wasn’t assigned to the vendor for weekend cleanings and instead to the district’s employees of the local 287 union, there could be a savings “because it certainly was less expensive for the snow removal,” he said.

New Haven Public Schools Supt. Madeline Negrón clarified that due to the district’s current contract with another vendor, ABM, all weekend overtime work at Hillhouse, Career, and Cross is to be overseen by ABM. “So union rules do not allow 287 to work there. That’s just currently the way that it’s crafted in the agreements,” she said.

“If we’re not exhausting our workforce, what are we saying to the people that we employ? You have $6 million here, and I know for sure if we use our people that we would see a significant savings. We never want to demoralize the people that actually have the passion that’s here,” Downer said.

Negrón said she agrees that the district must better maximize its resources in regard to the custodial contract. School

Con’t on page 12

The New Haven Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (NHE3) is a business-support network partnering with entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) to build an inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem for historically marginalized entrepreneurs in Greater New Haven.

With a focus on funding BIPOC-and Woman-owned businesses, NHE3 intentionally provides grants to help small businesses thrive.

Grant round dates:

2nd round opens on Dec 1st and closes on Jan 31st (review and awards: end of February)

3rd round opens on Mar 1st and closes April 30th (review and awards: end of May)

4th round opens on June 1st and closes July 31st (review and awards: end of August)

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Ed board member Andrea Downer: Schools still "filthy" with current contractor.

The new haven independent

Clinic-Pharmacy Hits The Road

by ARTHUR DELOT-VILAIN

A National Institute of Health (NIH)funded mobile pharmacy van is taking to the streets of New Haven to provide clinical testing, prescriptions, and medical treatment to underserved communities i.e. “healthcare for everyone.”

The van, unveiled at a press conference at 789 Howard Ave. Wednesday morning, is the result of years of research and planning directed by Dr. Sandra Springer, a Yale School of Medicine professor and Yale New Haven Hospital infectious diseases specialist.

When in New Haven, the van will be parked at Columbus House in the Hill, from 9:30 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon.

The van operates under Springer’s InMOTION (Integrated Mobile Opioid Treatment and Infectious disease cOordinated care in your Neighborhood) project. Half-clinic, half-pharmacy, the van aims to be a “one-stop shop” for people who, for whatever reason, can’t access so-called “brick-and-mortar” medicine.

The van, which is already active in Waterbury and Norwich, stocks its medicine from Yale New Haven Hospital’s pharmacy before leaving for the day, according to YNHH Oncology Pharmacy Executive Director Osama Abdelghany. There was the first hurdle: a mobile pharmacy wasn’t even legal in Connecticut until June 2023. The second, Abdelghany said, was making “something that [didn’t] even exist.”

“My job was getting the law passed,” said Abdelghany, who thanked legislative and government partners State Sen. James Maroney, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Brian Cafferelli, and Drug Control Division Director Rodrick Marriott in his speech at Wednesday’s press conference. After a push from YNHH, Gov. Ned Lamont signed Public Act No. 23 – 19 last summer, legalizing mobile pharmacies, and making Connecticut the first state in the country to do so.

That push for legalization came after Dr. Springer applied for and received an Avant-Garde Award for HIV and Substance Use Disorder Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a sub-agency of the NIH, in 2022. NIDA funded Springer’s proposal to “meet people where they are” through “pharmacies and clinics on wheels” for $750,000/year for five years. The van itself cost $470,000 to design and build. Springer’s proposal sprung from her previous research on medical treatments for opioid addiction, HIV, and Hepatitis C. For this project, though, she knew she wanted to tackle the problem of ac-

cess. NIH studies, according to Springer, usually focus on whether treatments like PReP work but, Springer said, “we know that a lot of the services are really effective. It’s a no-brainer.” The question to answer is, “How can we actually deliver?”

The goal of the van, Springer said, is to “bridge the gap” between medicine and the communities it aims to serve. Transportation, stigma (especially for people seeking treatment for opioid addiction), mistrust of medical infrastructure, and continuity of care are some of the barriers the InMOTION team seeks to overcome.

“For a population that’s unhoused,” Springer said, “it’s difficult to leave your belongings” to come to medical appointments. The van, according to Springer, can “assist with housing applications, employment applications, and insurance applications.”

Heather Goodwin is the pharmacist who works in the van. She said the most commonly prescribed medications are for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. “I love this work,” Goodwin said. “I love helping people understand their medications.”

The clinical side of the van is staffed by nurse practitioners Anne Stevens and Lauren Astorino, as well as a pair of community health workers. Stacey Cannon, one of those community health workers, acts as the spoke of the van’s hub-andspoke model, meeting with community leaders to bring awareness about the van project and doing testing and follow-ups “in the field.”

Cannon also helps with those non-medical services that the van can provide. As for how to break down stigma for people seeking treatment for addiction, Cannon said it’s about “creating a place where they are listened to.” According to Astorino and Stevens, the van clinicians see five or six patients on a given day, and up to eight on a busy day.

For now, the van is mobile, but largely remains in one place when it visits cities, at community partners. In Norwich, that partner is the daytime shelter St. Vincent de Paul Place. St. Vincent de Paul Place’s Executive Director, Jillian Corbin, said the van reaches “so many people who have just not sought healthcare. This solves it. This solves everything.”

There remains a question about what will happen when NIH funding runs out. Springer is investigating the mobile pharmacy model’s sustainability. “We need more people to invest in this,” she said, adding that the mobile pharmacy van is an intervention that can reduce ER admissions and overdoses, among other medical emergencies thus reducing healthcare costs overall.

ARTHUR-DELOT VILAIN PHOTO At Wednesday's mobile pharmacy presser.

Mobile pharmacist Heather Goodwin.

Nurse Practitioners Lauren Astorino and Anne Stevens

Stacey Cannon: working to "overcome lack of trust" as a communit y health worker.

The new haven independent

July 23, 2024

Growing up in the early 1990s, Thuso Mbedu never dreamt of being an entertainment figure. At a very young age, she wanted to be a dermatologist, but after taking a dramatic arts class in the 10th grade, she became interested in acting.

Her acting career has earned her fame and fortune locally and internationally, rising to become one of the most sought after actresses from South Africa. At 27, she was named in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List, and one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine. Born on July 8, 1991, at the Midlands Medical Center in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, to a Zulu mother and Xhosa and Sotho father, she never enjoyed the care of her parents who died when she was barely four years old. She was raised by her grandmother, a very strict school principal in school and at home. Her name reflected the multicultural tribes of her parents – Thuso is a Sotho name, Nokwanda is a Zulu name, and Mbedu is Xhosa.

Mbedu went to Pelham Primary School and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School and graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in 2013, where she studied Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management. Earlier in 2012, she took a summer course at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.

Her acting career began in 2014 when she played a minor role of ‘Nosisa’ in the popular South African Soap Opera ‘Isibaya’ from Mzansi Magic. In 2015, she played a guest role as ‘Kheti’ in the Second Season of the SABC 2 youth drama series ‘Snake Park.’

She got her first starring role in the teen drama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from Mzansi Magic where she played ‘Winnie.’ Her international debut was in ‘The Underground Railroad’ an American fantasy historical drama series based on the novel ‘The Underground Railroad’ written by Colson Whitehead.

In 2022, she starred in her first film ‘The Woman King’ an epic historical drama about Agosie, where an entire female warrior unit protected the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 17 – 19th century. She played ‘Nawi’, a zealous recruit in the military unit.

In 2017, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the ‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

‘Black Reel Awards’ (Outstanding Actress – TV Movie / Limited Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthropology Series or Television Movie), the ‘Gotham Awards’ (Outstanding Performance in New Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (TV Breakout Star), and the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ (Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie), all for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground Railroad.’

She won the ‘TV Breakout Star’ award from the Hollywood Critics Association TV and won the ‘Outstanding Performance in New Series’ award from the Gotham Awards.

In 2022, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘Independent Spirit Awards (Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series), for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 television series ‘The Underground Railroad.’ She won the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie’ for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in ‘The Underground Railroad.’ In her keynote speech at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully spoke of how she overcame the loss of her dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But her role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’ gradually renewed her hope in life.

In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film and Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress – TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Television Critics Association Award’ (Individual Achievement in Drama), the

“…my world was that blur, until Amanda Lane happened in 2016. The role that Amanda Lane gave me was the difference between life and death for me. Receiving that audition brief, I told myself that I would audition like it was my last audition. I gave it the last of everything that I had, that at the time I got the callback, I had nothing left. I secretly made the decision not to do the callback because I had nothing left to give. But fortunately, I received cause the role was mine. I had given up. I was in a very dark place at the time, and the character, the role, the opportunity, was a much needed light. And I told myself that I will act as if it was the last character that I will play. And through a great script and an amazing director, I earned two

tional Emmy Awards for that role…”

Thuso Mbedu. Photo -IOL

New Doc Puts Reentry In Focus

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The camera is rolling. Babatunde Akinjobi stands to the left of the stage, skin nearly glowing in a pool of light. Already, the men around him have begun to tell their stories, narratives weaving in and out of each other. There is Abdullah Shabazz, grieving a wife and daughter gone far too soon. There is Tabari “Ra” Hashim, who can still see the cramped dimensions of a prison cell when he closes his eyes. There is Akinjobi himself, an aspiring comic book artist placed behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit.

For each, the carceral system is the thing that breaks—breaks bodies, breaks spirits, breaks families apart. “The system works the way it is intended to work,” he says to the audience, and the words hang heavy in the air.

So unfolds As We Emerge: Monologues of the Formerly Incarcerated, a new full-length documentary from New Haven filmmaker Travis Carbonella and the anti-recidivism nonprofit EMERGE Connecticut. Months after an eponymous performance at Quinnipiac University, the film is making its way across Southern Connecticut, with the goal of challenging preconceptions and stereotypes around the people and families caught in the crosshairs of the carceral system.

Screenings will take place at 6:30 p.m. on July 11 at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, August 2 at NXTHVN in New Haven, and September 26 at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport. Tickets, which are free, and more information are available here. It marks Carbonella’s first full-length film, a longtime goal for the filmmaker.

“The hope was to change the narrative,” said Alden Ide Woodcock, who has been the executive director at EMERGE since 2020 and worked with the nonprofit since 2013. “I think that if you’re a numbers person, you know that the prison system doesn’t solve the problem. It is a punitive, emotional system, and we have to reimagine it.”

The road to the film, which Carbonella and Woodcock hope to submit to festivals, has been years in the making. In 2018, EMERGE Board Member Don Sawyer proposed the show as a dramatic project, in which EMERGE employees shared their first-hand accounts of the carceral system in a fully staged reading. At the time, he was Quinnipiac’s Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and an associate professor of sociology; he is now Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Fairfield University.

It became a collaboration between EMERGE and Quinnipiac students and staff, particularly QU’s Rose Bochansky, technical director of visual and performing arts, and QU Professor of Criminal Justice Steve McGuinn. After interviewing EMERGE crew members and attend-

ing a weekly support group called "Real Talk," Bochansky worked on a script that knitted together peoples' stories. The show was a success.

But there was no framework to preserve the work, Woodcock said (it lives on in a series of TikTok clips). So when EMERGE secured funding from the Lewis G. Schaeneman Jr. Foundation and city Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism last year, Woodcock started thinking about how to revive the performance.

In the film, Carbonella documents the process from start to finish, following EMERGE crew members as they sit down with Quinnipiac staff and students, reflect on the carceral system, and ultimately build a performance. This time around, five men—Babatunde Akinjobi, Jimmy Robinson, Abdullah Shabazz, Tabari “Ra” Hashim, and Vance Solman—signed on to

those living in its branches and making their way down the sidewalk. As it grows, it will become a carbon sink, absorbing the gas from the atmosphere as it remediates toxic soil and contaminated groundwater below.

Hashim, who in the show describes his love for play, literature, learning and school, is doing the same. New Haven is that much better because he is in it, and because he is on the outside. Since starting As We Emerge, he’s become a host of the Pilot Language Podcast and has his own landscaping business.

It’s also a perfect place to start. From the outdoor sequence, Carbonella takes his viewers into EMERGE, which operates out of a Grand Avenue building in New Haven’s Wooster Square neighborhood. Inside (and later, at Quinnipiac’s Theatre Arts Center in Hamden) he becomes a fly on the wall, letting viewers witness interviews in which each crew member talks about life before, during, and after incarceration.

Each brings his own story into the room, creating a tapestry that holds both the bitter and the sweet. Akinjobi describes an early love for art, then watches it get taken away from him for a crime he didn’t commit. Shabazz, hesitant at first, recalls the traumatic loss of his family members in a car accident for which the other drivers, all high on cocaine, were never charged. Robinson recalls the impossibility of life—and of parole—in Angola, a dungeon-like Louisiana State penitentiary in which he spent 40 years, seven months, and two hours of his life.

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the projects, as did Bochansky, McGuinn, and several of his students.

With his camera rolling, Carbonella is there to record all of it. In an opening montage, crew members are out on a job, planting trees with the Urban Resources Initiative (URI). In the foreground, Hashim talks the crew through the process of planting the tree. A heap of fresh, damp peat sits near his shoes “You’re shaving it down nicely and gently, because we done found a root flare,” he says, smiling as he points it out. "And now that we found a root flare, we're gonna even it out, expose a root flare more so we can expose it to the sun and the water."

It feels like a metaphor: in time, the tree will make the block a safer and more beautiful place to be, likely one of many new trees that neighbors request. In the summer, it will lend shelter and shade to

While the stories are extremely unique— that’s part of the work’s power—there are several narrative threads that weave through each, showing audiences how inhumane the carceral system can be. All five of the men, for instance, talk about missing out on fatherhood, including those first few, precious moments of skinto-skin contact after delivery. All of them miss birthdays, funerals, births and anniversaries. Many miss vital years with not only their children, but also their parents. When Shabazz says “When you do time, your whole family do the time,“ a listener can feel the words, heavy and full of force. So too when Akinjobi acknowledges, simply, “we need each other.” It’s bigger than the project—it’s a mantra to live by. When he breaks down on stage remembering how deeply his mother has been “my rock,” we the viewers break down with him.

In this sense, the film is a powerful argument for carceral reform and a gift to those who could not make it to a three-day run of the show last November. Currently, the prison industrial complex is all about turning people into objects— that’s what federal registration numbers, inmate IDs, color-coded pie charts and statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Justice do. Carbonella, Bochansky, McGuinn, Con’t on page 18

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Tabari "Ra" Hashim at a rehearsal for As We Emerge: Monologues of the Formerly Incarcerated in November 2023. Lucy Gellman File Photo.

Jimmy Robinson, who takes the audience through his journey to reentry.

Crooklyn Opens Spike Lee Retrospective At Best Video

by KAREN PONZIO

Hopscotch, stick ball, dominoes, and double-dutch: the 1994 film Crooklyn opens with all of this and more playing out on the stoops and sidewalks of the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, where people of all ages live, work, play, and play out their daily lives.

Under the direction of Spike Lee, the viewer soon comes to know and care deeply about one of the families living on this street, The Carmichaels, as well as their neighbors, friends, and extended family members at their best, their worst, and everything in between.

Tuesday night saw the film as the first in Best Video’s July screening series focusing on Lee and his storied career. Other films to be shown in the series include 1998’s He Got Game on July 16, 1989’s Do The Right Thing on July 23, and 2018’s BlacKkKlansman on July 30.

According to Best Video’s own Teo Hernanadez, Lee was a director the staff wanted to showcase for a while. The films were chosen by him, Rai Thayer, and Rob Harmon, though Tuesday’s film was actually chosen by member Marquon Albright via the store’s suggestion box (yes, Best Video reads those suggestions!). He was there Tuesday night to introduce the film as well.

“It’s a transformative movie for me,” said Albright before the show. Earlier in his life, he said, it had been a “family favorite.” After learning more about film as a media arts major in college, his admira-

He organized book giveaways, street cleanups, and basketball tournaments, ran for alder, and mentored countless youth along the way through his nonprofit Guns Down, Books Up.

Last Friday, Wallace died at the age of 58.

Wallace had been living at the time with one of his sons in North Haven. His mother and sisters said that he was in good health and that the cause of death is still being determined.

On Tuesday afternoon, family and friends celebrated Wallace’s life during a small gathering at his mom Margaret Brooks’ home in the Quinnipiac Meadows neighborhood.

State Rep. Robyn Porter and incarceration reform advocate Barbara Fair joined family members in remembering a man who was, in sister-in-law Nina Wallace’s phrase, a “beam of light” everywhere he went in the city.

He went everywhere, organizing basketball games, taking city kids on excursions, mentoring, tutoring, and providing bow ties to the kids in his groups to promote self-respect and responsibility. He worked with other groups of New Haveners as well, providing lawn cutting for elderly folks (usually at no fee) and much

tion for the film grew.

“That helped me to appreciate more about the movie. It helped me understand why I love the movie so much,” Albright said. Asking the crowd to imagine a Spike

Lee film “through the lens of a child,” he emphasized Lee’s focus on community in this film through the family and friends in it, and how the structure of the film is more of a “slice of life” than narrative.

looked-forward-to holiday meals at the Bella Vista senior complex. His long-time friend Darryl Pervis called him a “magnet in our community, a force for collaboration. And everything he did, he did on the basis of love.”

Having spent two years in jail (where he earned his G.E.D.), he realized, said his supportive family, that he had precisely that anchoring love that fellow inmates often did not. “He’d share the food, candies, books,” that we provided, recalled his mom.

That realization how he possessed this basic grounding and support system that others in the community were in need of is what launched a kind of one-man philanthropic, behind-the-scenes campaign to do good in town, giving often out of his own pocket, and with a sense of urgency and drive, and with little concern for getting any kind of credit.

“He took the pain in his life and turned it into power,” said Porter. “We learn through following role models, but Ray wasn’t in a role. He was the real thing,” she added.

“You know how people have a turnaround story in life? He was true,” said Nina Wallace about her late brother-inlaw. Reaching out to children, “was his

“There’s no real plot,” he said. “It’s people just living … like putting cameras in a house” and “watching family and friends at home.”

Family is at the heart of Crooklyn in more ways than one. It is a semiautobiographical account of Lee’s own family, based on a story by his sister Joie (who also appears in the film) with a screenplay written by Joie and brother Cinque. The film centers on the Carmichael family, which includes father Woody (played by Delroy Lindo), who dreams of playing his original music for money, and mother Carolyn (played by Alfre Woodard), a teacher who works overtime at home to keep her husband and five children Clinton, Wendell, Nate, Troy, and Joseph in line.

But the true star of the film is the only daughter, Troy, played with fire and delight by Zelda Harris. On the cusp of her 10th birthday, we see her navigate bullies and big brothers while coming of age during a time when women’s rights were considered even less than now. Through a series of vignettes, we see the family laughing and fighting their way through mealtimes, a conflict with a neighbor over his trash, the fight to keep the bills paid on time when “all daddy wants to do is play his music” and so much more, along the way not only seeing Troy struggle with her place in the world but also observing how others are trying to do the same. We experience a wide array of emotions with her: the fear of getting caught shoplifting, the embarrassment of not wanting to use food stamps, and the disappointment

mission. .… It mattered to him to help turn kids around.”

Newhallville/Prospect Hill Alder Troy Streater, who knew Wallace for 30 years and whose cousin was Wallace’s sister-inlaw, mourned the loss of “someone who was really devoted to helping the community.”

The family is scheduling what they

of watching a family friend getting taken away by the cops. But then there are the simple joys, like singing along with the Partridge Family on TV and watching cartoons while eating Trix cereal out of the box.

Lee gives the viewer enough ’70s throwbacks to make anyone who also grew up in that era smile (yes, this reporter would be one of those people), but never lets the proceeding become drenched in nostalgia. Rather, Lee uses his keen eye for detail as well as his empathy for the individual to really let the viewer feel they are experiencing these lives right along with those who are living them. And let’s not forget the music, which includes some of the greats of that era: the songs “ABC” and “Never Can Say Goodbye” by the Jackson Five and “O-o-h Child” by the Five Stairsteps at the most apropos moments in Troy and her family’s life.

Coming of age stories can be painful and beautiful, but the most memorable of them of which this could be considered one show that those growing pains can lead one to a different kind of beauty, and the ability to translate what has been learned into a new phase of one’s life. Lee, a master of getting the viewer involved with his characters and their situations in all of his films, offers us much to think about as to how we might translate those lessons into our own lives as well. Best Video’s July Spike Lee retrospective happens every Tuesday in July at 7 p.m. Admission is free for members and $10 for nonmembers.

of self-respect and love for their community

called a “balloon release” for April 18, 6 p.m., at Jocelyn Park. The funeral will be the following day at Mt. Zion Seventh Day Adventist Church, 335 Putnam Ave, Hamden, with viewing from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and service immediately afterward.

Raymond Wallace July 18, 1965 - April 7, 2024

The following writeup was submitted by Wallace’s family.

Raymond Clement Wallace Jr was born on July 18, 1965, in Camden, NJ to Margaret and the late Raymond C Wallace Sr. On April 7, 2024, Raymond peacefully transitioned at his home. Raymond was educated in the New Haven Public School system and later he achieved his CNA Certification, Raymond was a true humanitarian at heart. In 2004, Raymond and his mother founded Guns Down Books Up.

Annually he hosted a back-to-school drive supplying necessities and donating books for students to encourage their success in Education. Ray devoted his entire life to giving back to the community by also feeding the elderly, homeless, and the less fortunate. Over the years, Raymond received many awards and accolades for his services. He was previously employed by the program A.L.I.V.E which he serviced the New Haven Public School system. His interest was keeping himself healthy which included running, working out at the gym, cooking, comedy shows, family dinners, cookouts, and spending time with his family. He was a stand-up comedian and never failed to leave a smile behind.

A still from Spike Lee's Crooklyn.

The new haven independent

Raymond Wallace led by example, showing young New Haveners that they too could turn away from violence and towards a life

New Haven Remembers Aleta Staton, Arts Titan & Community Connector

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The curtain opens. On stage, Aleta Staton is a little girl again, her nose buried in a book. The sound of children playing outside wafts through the open window. The scene shifts. She is 21 and a radiant Olive Hamilton in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, standing in the spotlight. A beat, and she and her daughter Jade are waiting in the wings, ready to take on the world. When she steps out of the shadows, she is radiating light. She is forever radiating light.

That is how dozens of New Haveners are remembering Staton, a fierce and vibrant champion of the arts who died at Hartford Hospital last Thursday. A lifelong New Havener, cultural trailblazer and steadfast advocate for artists and their work, she left an indelible mark on the city’s stages, choirs, churches, and schools, lifting up generations of creatives in the process. She did that through many roles over the years: as chair of the city’s Cultural Affairs Commission and an arts facilitator in its public schools, as vice president of the New Haven Heritage Chorale, as director of learning and community organizing at Long Wharf Theatre and community engagement at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, as a professor at Quinnipiac and Yale Universities and and nationally touring actor and theater producer. She had just turned 66, and was beloved by a community that stretched from West Hills to Pittsburgh to North Carolina to Montana and back. She had been quietly, gracefully battling congestive heart and kidney failure for years.

A GoFundMe to help cover her funeral expenses is available on social media platform Facebook.

"She was my one and only and I was hers," said her daughter, Jade Staton, in a phone call on Thursday. “When people asked why she didn’t have more kids, she’d say it was because she got it right the first time. She was kind and loving and supportive and warm. I also knew her to be so, so, so encouraging. Of me, and of everyone around her. I’ve never felt so empty without her.”

"One of the reasons that this hits so hard is because of the great contribution that she made not to just life, but to the artistic soul," said Dr. Jonathan Quinn Berryman, who met her when he founded the Heritage Chorale of New Haven in 1998. "It hits deeply. Her life was meaningful in ways that I’m not even sure yet I can describe. Aleta was a phenomenal thought partner. She just had such an insight into what could be."

Staton's life, which touched hundreds if not thousands of artists, started in the city's West Hills neighborhood in June 1958, when she entered the world with a quiet, pensive curiosity that would define her for the next six and a half decades.

In those early years, she was best known among her siblings as a tiny intellectual, more likely to curl up with a book than to play outside with her siblings. Only a good game of badminton, remembered her older sister Laura McClam, could reliably get her out of the house.

“It was amazing” to grow up with her, McClam said in a phone call Thursday. At home, Staton and her four siblings were a mellifluous bunch, and the house was often filled with their joyful music-making. When Staton wasn’t reading—and sometimes even if she was—she was singing with her sister and brothers, songs that ranged from jazz and blues to the latest hits by Earth, Wind and Fire.

It launched a lifelong love affair with the written word, and with the fine and performing arts. In middle and high school, Staton joined the hundreds of young New Haveners who passed through the Bowen-Peters School of Dance, forging some of the friendships that would stay with her for the rest of her life. It was there that she became close with New Haven arts legends Chuckey Brown and the late Paul Hall, whose contemporary dance company she later managed in the 1990s (when Hall passed away, it was also Staton who arranged a fundraiser for his funeral at the Shubert Theatre).

Even then, fellow New Havener IfeMichelle Gardin could see the cultural spark that lived in Staton, who was both a friend and a cousin. The two, who knew each other from childhood and danced together as teens, would both go on to work at nearly every arts organization in the city, the only Black women to do so in 1990s and early 2000s New Haven.

“Aleta was the most supportive person for so many people,” Gardin said. “She never got angry. She got disappointed, but she didn’t get angry. She knew how to

meet people where they were.”

By the time Staton was a student at James Hillhouse High School, she was working at Bowen-Peters as an office assistant, building some of the administrative tools that would later serve her at countless arts organizations in the city. For at least two years of high school, McClam remembered, she also worked on the school newspaper, honing her writing skills as she learned to cover the city around her.

But when she headed to Wesleyan University in the 1970s, Staton didn’t initially plan to pursue the performing arts. McClam can’t remember what she intended to study, she said—but it wasn’t acting. Not at first.Then a friend—the late Paul Hammer, who was then one year ahead of her in school—began talking about Maxim Gorky’s The Lower Depths, in which he was performing. She saw how a play could become a person’s entire world. By her second semester, she had switched to a theater major.

“She was always so warm and so kind,” recalled Paméla Delerme, who was a year behind Staton at Wesleyan, and roomed with her for a summer during college. Even though the two were in different majors—Delerme is now a certified nurse midwife—they were both lifelong New Haveners, and managed to find each other on campus. “Every day, she saw the good around her. She always tried to leave you on an up note, as opposed to a down note.”

From the theater, Staton immersed herself in the arts across campus, making her mark in Wesleyan’s still-nascent Ebony Singers and the school’s West African drum and dance group, then helmed by Abraham Adzenyah. At the time, both groups were still relatively new, and Staton led the way, bringing a gospel sensibility to the Ebony Singers. Classmate Allison Brown, who later decorated her hospital room with photographs, remembered performing alongside her as she grew her cultural footprint.

Offstage, she also did what cultural workers do best, and often out of necessity—she mastered the art of the side hustle. Over multiple conversations, former classmates remembered her as a gifted barber and hairdresser, whose coiffures became recognized for their style and precision. Dr. Lisa Nelson-Robinson, who lived with Staton her junior year, credits her marriage and three children to those haircuts, she said in a phone call Wednesday.

As she tells it, Staton was in a staging of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, playing Olive Hamilton opposite the man who would become Nelson-Robinson’s husband. But at the time, “he had this big bushy beard,” and Nelson-Robinson wasn’t interested, she remembered with a laugh. That was, until Staton worked her magic with a pair of shears and clippers. “I was sitting at my desk studying for orCON’T ON PAGE 12

Semi Semi-Dikoko, David Sepulveda, and Aleta Staton at the Arts Awards. Judy Sirota Rosenthal File Photo with permission from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven. The photo of Aleta Staton in this story is from the photographer Leigh Busby, used with permission.

Leigh Busby Photo.

Staton during an elder honoring ceremony from the Official Juneteenth Coalition of Greater New Haven.

Racism and Codeswitching Are Aging Our Brains

by Keyaira Boone, BlackHealthMatters.com

Racism is not just dangerous for your mental and emotional health; it can age your brain. A new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found that “repeated exposure to racial discrimination has been associated with a greater incidence of brain health disorders.” It also determined that “racial discrimination contributes to accelerated biological aging via altered connectivity.” Study Findings

The study found that epigenetic aging can be impacted by exposure to racism. Epigenetic aging presents a precise picture of how one’s cells are aging instead of chronological age. There are considerable disparities in the rate at which Black people are diagnosed with certain brain health disorders, including Alzheimer’s Dementia. “Epidemiologic studies suggest that Black individuals have a 2-fold greater risk of Alzheimer’s dementia compared with White individuals; racial discrimination has been indicated as a contributing factor,” according to information obtained from a 2019 study by the Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association.

Theories on the impact of systemic racism on many aspects of healthcare are widely accepted.

Racism as a Public Health Crisis

In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared racism a legitimate public health crisis. The negative results of racism are sometimes referred

to as weathering. Previously, “Emerging neuroimaging research has shown that racial discrimination affects brain function and structure,” in a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It found that “racial discrimination may lead to a proportionately greater response and connectivity in brain networks involved with threat processing and emotion regulation” as a result of the sustained exposure to the trauma racism embeds into the bodies it seeks to diminish. Other studies have highlighted genetic predispositions passed down as a

result of this enduring trauma, including the “altered connectivity of the amygdala and anterior insula.” Those findings held even after the information was effectively adjusted for socioeconomic status. This dispels that all it takes is improvements in financial equity to overcome risk factors.

The results of these studies are not dependent on the racist encounters being connected to macro-aggressions or micro-aggressions specifically.

How Codeswitching Factors In

In a 2024 interview with NPR, Negar Fani, a clinical neuroscientist at Emory University evaluating individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and Nate Harnett, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, suggested the adaptability required to self-regulate emotions with coping methods like codeswitching could contribute to the potential degradation of brain health. Their hypothesis pondered whether constantly finding measured responses to a series of harmless hair touches or casual epithets can erode one’s brain health

over time.

The pair worked on a 2021 study researching their theories.

The Journal of Biological Psychiatry Published their study, which reported that “experiences of racial discrimination were associated with significantly lower fractional anisotropy in multiple white matter tracts, including the corpus callosum, cingulum, and superior longitudinal fasciculus.” The statistical variations in this study remained “even after accounting for variance associated with trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, and demographic- and scanner-related factors.”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to the brain,” Harnett told NPR. “Energy has to come from somewhere. And what we think ends up happening is, you know, an energy that’s reserved for other processes then gets taken away.”

While there has been a rise in the visibility of studies connecting systemic racism to health issues, there has not been an adequate amount of peer-reviewed studies.

“Despite numerous studies highlighting the associations between racial discrimination exposure and negative brain health outcomes, few empirical studies have examined racial discrimination–related neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie these outcomes,” according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Identifying how racism impacts the mind and body is essential to learning how to treat its effects in the future.

Where Are Black Male Doctors?

BlackHealthMatter.com

Shortage of minority physicians may affect patient care

Too few minorities in this country are pursuing careers in medicine, causing a serious lack of diversity among general practitioners and specialty doctors, according to a new report.

For the study, researchers found that in 2012:

• Blacks made up less than 4 percent of practicing physicians, 6 percent of trainees in graduate medical education and 7 percent of medical school graduates. The black population was 15 percent black in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Hispanics made up slightly more than 5 percent of practicing physicians, 7.5 percent of graduate medical education trainees and about 7 percent of medical school graduates. Hispanics are 17 percent of the U.S. population, according to 2013 census figures.

“My father graduated medical school in 1960, and at that time only 3 percent of doctors were black,” Wayne Riley, M.D., president of the American College of Physicians and a clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, told Health Day. “This study shows 3.8 percent of doctors are black. Over a 50-year period, we are still nowhere near African American and Latino physicians representing their percentage of the population.”

These statistics paint a dire picture for patient care, experts say. Many minority physicians return to their home communities to treat people who otherwise might not be able to find a culturally competent physician. Studies show patients relate better to doctors who look like them, and physicians from the same racial or ethnic background as their patients may be more sensitive to a patient’s issues.

The study did reveal that women have

made significant inroads into medicine, representing 48 percent of medical school graduates and 46 percent of trainees in graduate medical education. Women also are the majority in seven specialties, including family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology and pathology.

While this progress is good, the news is less promising for black males. “The number of black male doctors is dropping and has been for the past quarter of a century,” said Linda Rae Murray, M.D., of the University of Illinois School of Public Health, who wasn’t involved with the study. “We need programs to address this.”

The researchers suggested several solutions to the crisis, including exposing more young people to careers in medicine, providing more financial assistance and scholarships to allay the cost of medical school and promoting more diverse medical professionals to higher levels of responsibility within the profession.

CAREER CONQUER YOUR YOU CAN

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Have you thought about a new career path but aren’t sure where to start?

With Career ConneCT, you have a partner through application and training – plus the support and resources to take you even further!

Questions about your bill?

Yale New Haven Hospital is pleased to offer patients and their families financial counseling regarding their hospital bills or the availability of financial assistance, including free care funds.

By appointment, patients can speak one-on-one with a financial counselor during regular business hours. For your convenience, extended hours are available in-person at Yale New Haven Hospital once a month.

Date: Monday, August 19, 2024

Time: 5 - 7 pm

Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting

Parking available (handicapped accessible)

An appointment is necessary. Please call 855-547-4584.

In light of COVID-19, patients may call 855-547-4584 any time during regular weekday hours to speak with a counselor on the phone.

Spanish-speaking counselors available.

About Those ‘Black Jobs’:

Biden Administration Shows Better Record of Black Cabinet Leaders Than Trump

By Marco Cerino Philadelphia Tribune Staff Writer

As former president and presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump attempts to court Black voters who feel disillusioned by President Joe Biden’s administration, it should be noted that Trump’s idea of “Black jobs” does not include high-ranking positions in his administration.

An analysis of the two main presidential candidates on the 2024 ballot shows a stark contrast in the makeup of their administrations.

The appointment of Gen. Charles Q. Brown to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff made him the ninth Black person in a high-ranking position under Biden, including Cabinet secretaries and those in Cabinet-level roles like United Nations ambassador, director of national intelligence and trade adviser.

Despite having 62 different names in appointed or acting roles, Trump only included one Black person in his administration at that level — Dr. Ben Carson served as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.

“The characterization of Black jobs by Donald Trump, who only had one Black person in his Cabinet, is not only demeaning to the African American community but a concerning issue from the perspective of the NAACP,” said NAACP Philadelphia Branch President Cathy Hicks in a statement Friday. “It is important to recognize that African Americans hold positions in every job industry and contribute significantly to the American workforce. Stereotyping and generalizing job roles based on race is not only inaccurate but also perpetuates harmful biases towards the African American community. It is essential to promote equality and fair treatment in the workplace, ensuring that all individuals have equal opportunities to succeed and thrive in their chosen careers. Trump cannot say he is the best for the Black community and Black vote, if he can only see us in marginalized positions.”

Biden appointed the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last year when Brown assumed the role for a four-year term. The decision seems to reflect the prioritizing

of diversity in the Biden administration among Cabinet members and senior staff, one of his many significant departures from his predecessor.

Nyron Crawford, an assistant professor of political science at Temple University, believes the “Black jobs” comments were mainly a political maneuver, aimed to create a wedge issue around immigrants.

The lone Black appointee, he said, does serve as a reminder of Trump’s combative history with the Black community, including his demands that the Central Park Five be sentenced harshly, concerns over a Black contestant winning season one of “The Apprentice,” and other callous comments and stances.

“Donald Trump has no real regard for African Americans,” Crawford told The Tribune in an interview Monday about Trump’s record. “It doesn’t really serve a purpose. It’s not backed by any policy. Biden has done well on [appointing Blacks to high-level positions], compared to

predecessors.”

Historically, it has been a challenge to get Black faces and voices into Cabinet roles.

President Lyndon Johnson was the first to appoint a Black person to his Cabinet, naming Robert Weaver to lead HUD in 1966. Of the 25-total appointed in history, 18 have been under Democratic presidents, while seven have been selected by Republicans, including four under President George W. Bush.

The Clinton administration had the most African American Cabinet secretaries with seven overall, including four appointed when taking office in January 1993. The Obama administration had four Black Cabinet members at once, the most in history.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the highest-ranking Black Cabinet member ever.

Historical firsts for Blacks in highprofile government roles usually come during Democratic administrations. Biden broke through another

ganic chemistry, and I hear her say, ‘Lisa, look what I found,’” Nelson-Robinson recalled. “And she had shaved this man and given him a fade. That was Aleta. She was looking out for me, and she just … she intuitively knew what to do to get the ball rolling.”

After graduating with high honors, Staton balanced her own passion for theater with a deep belief in empowering those around her. In the 1980s, she went on tour with Ntozake Shange’s 1976 for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, a choreopoem that dovetailed with her own love for dance and theater. It was a love that she later brought to theater festivals across the country, bringing fellow New Haveners with her when she could.

When Staton returned to New Haven, she made its artists her official business. In the 1980s and 90s, she became a cultural force in the city, mounting theater productions and arts festivals as she took on writing, teaching and facilitation work with Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) and the New Haven Board of Education. In 1995, she, Gardin, and Bea Dozier-Taylor launched the first IFETAYO African American Family Day Festival, which took place at Bowen Field.

It was also during those years that her daughter Jade, who was without question the center of her universe, amade her debut. As a kid, “I was always backstage,” Jade remembered, watching as her mother brought dozens of stages to life as an actor and a director. From the time she was in diapers, “I grew up around a lot of adults and artists,” and she knew she had a home among them if she wanted it. Offstage, her mom was as much an in-

glass ceiling with his nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson, who joined the Supreme Court in September 2022 as the first Black female justice.

Trump added three white justices to the bench, who have voted to support conservative decisions like the weakening of affirmative action, the overturning of Roe v. Wade and, most recently, granting immunity for “official acts” of a president.

“The temperament and tone of a presidential administration is set by its people,” political commentator Jay McCalla said in an interview Monday. “Trump’s Cabinet members were largely sycophants. Trump has been conspicuously against Black folks. Trump’s coalition wanted a certified mouthpiece for their rightwing blather, so they chose Ben Carson.”

Multiple calls for comments were made to Philadelphia Republican leaders and have gone unreturned at time of print.

Con’t on page 03

Cleaning Savings Vanish

board Vice President Matt Wilcox said he’s been told the district’s plan is to put the custodial contract out to bid during the 2024 – 25 school year to make plans for the following school year.

Joyner said he voted in favor of the contract renewal because not approving it would cause further chaos. Downer was the only “no” vote. She stated, “I’m not in support of SJ Services. I’ve seen their work and I’m not happy. Our students do not deserve this as a teaching environment.”

The board also approved Monday in a 6 – 1 vote, with Downer voting no, to renew its contract with ABM, which provides facilities management and custodial and energy management services at the cost of $1,920,977 for one more year. Downer argued the ABM contract also should have gone out to bid earlier this year.

“Someone knew this contract was going to end. Why are we having this conversation now? Our guys are at the bottom,” she concluded.

A Tribune analysis of former President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, above, and President Joe Biden’s cabinet, below, shows a stark racial contrast in the makeup of their administrations. — OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT / WHITE HOUSE / ADAM SHULTZ

Congressional Black Caucus officially endorses Biden

By Ashleigh Fields

President Joe Biden has successfully chartered the support of high-ranking Congress members with an endorsement from the Congressional Black Caucus. The group met with the leader virtually on Monday eager to learn more about a campaign comeback plan after turmoil sparked by the June 27 presidential debate. Biden pleaded with members reportedly telling them, “’I need you. I want you to be fully engaged.” Later he added, “You’ve had my back and I’ve got yours.” Biden took questions from the lawmakers who represent 120 million Americans combined reaffirming his zeal for a second term. “I will continue to stand with the president and the people who elected him to be our nominee. “He is the best candidate to be in this race,” Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12) told the NNPA after the call describing his current term as “extraordinary.” The North Carolina representative’s support will be crucial to Biden as he continues to visit the battleground state. Many are looking to see if his performance in Raleigh after the debate and frequent visits to Wilmington will seal the deal for voters who formerly sided with Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

dominating good-paying American jobs for lower wages driving the economy into distress.

“The fact is that his [Biden’s] big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that he’s allowed to come in through the border. They’re taking Black jobs now,” Trump said during the debate. “They’re taking Black jobs and they’re taking Hispanic jobs.” Despite these claims, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus which boasts 38 members officially endorsed Biden on July 9. Chair Nanette Barragan (D-CA-44) and Deputy Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) subsequently released a statement to explain their reasoning. “President Biden and his Administration have worked closely with House Democrats to make historic investments to positively impact communities across the country, including Latinos, such as investments to combat climate change, lower healthcare costs, expand access to healthcare for our veterans, and create jobs with the infrastructure bill,” the two shared.

The call with CBC members also served as a chance for the president to firm up his support in states like Nevada where he won by a slight margin in the last cycle. Horsford says his constituents are looking for the nation’s next leader to make decisions that are cost-effective and financially fruitful. “The voters in Nevada care about a thriving and equitable economy, taking on big corporations to lower costs and protecting the hard-bought freedoms, rights, and opportunities we’ve Earned,” Horsford posted on X the day after the meeting. “They’re focused on moving forward and reject the divisive politics of those who would like to take us back.”

The Biden-Harris ticket has boasted about reform that could uplift minority communities including tax credits for first-time home buyers and plans to remove medical debt from credit scores.

Both proposals aim to ease the financial burden and stress that often prevents families from climbing the ladder of social/economic mobility. Throughout Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic freedom tour and publicized speeches from Biden the goal has always been to, “build

from the middle out and the bottom up.” However, Trump has raked in support from a wide array of people because of his strong stance on immigration policy, promising to facilitate the largest deportation in American history if elected president. He believes illegal immigrants are

Although Biden has received the affirmation of many over the past few days, Reps. Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Adam Smith (D-WA-9), and Joe Morelle (D-NY-25) have been publicly adamant about Biden dropping out of the race. Others like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) have remained moderate and encouraged others to hold out fate until after Biden’s performance at NATO this week. “I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that’s the way it is. Whatever he decides we go with,” Pelosi said on Morning Joe. “Let’s just hold off. Whatever you’re thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don’t have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week.”

Black Woman With Sickle Cell Disease Defies Odds, Turns 80 Years Old

By BlackNews.com

Meet Patricia McGill, an African American woman from Houston, Texas, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday despite living with sickle cell disease. She is one of the oldest people with this condition, which affects Black people disproportionately.

Diagnosed at the age of 13, McGill surpassed the average life expectancy for someone with sickle cell disease, which is around 52 years. Reflecting on her journey, McGill recalled it all started with frequent and severe illnesses that set her apart from her siblings.

Despite the obstacles, McGill pursued her dreams. In the 1970s, she enrolled at Hampton University, an HBCU in Virginia, to study education. With determination to overcome distance and health challeng-

es, she achieved her goal of becoming a teacher.

Her career spanned 37 years, where she dedicated herself to students with learning disabilities, a cause close to her heart due to her own challenges with orthographic dyslexia.

“I knew there were others like us who needed support and understanding,” McGill told NBC News. “I always made it a point to show them that they were not alone and that they could overcome their challenges.”

McGill, who also became a mother of 3, credits her longevity to her faith, family support, and proactive health practices, such as staying well-hydrated and maintaining a nutritious diet.

Beyond managing her own health, McGill is a vocal advocate for those with sickle cell disease, encouraging open-

Patricia McGill

ness and raising awareness about the condition. Her recent 80th birthday party doubled as a fundraiser for the Sickle Cell Association of Texas Marc Thomas Foundation, raising $16,000 to support affected children and families.

“The theme of my birthday party was ‘It’s Possible,'” McGill said. “I wanted to show others that it is possible to live a full and rich life despite having sickle cell disease.”

Looking ahead, McGill remains hopeful about advancements in sickle cell treatments, including recent FDA approvals for gene therapies. She believes in advocating for equitable access to these treatments, hopeful that they will improve the lives of future generations affected by this condition.

Drug Used to Treat Diabetes Now a Weight Loss Miracle but Difficult to Obtain in Black and Brown Communities

Small

pharmacies find difficulty in prescribing the drug due to Big Pharma restrictions

By Andre ‘M. Johnson, BlackPressUSA

According to a recent study published in Lucent, the number of people living with diabetes worldwide is on pace to more than double in the next three decades. This increase will bring the total of worldwide diabetic patients to a staggering 1.3 billion by 2025, making diabetes one of the top 10 leading causes of death and disability, in the world.

On December 5th of 2017, a littleknown drug hit the market to help millions of people suffering with diabetes. The drug was called Ozempic. Ozempic was created to lower blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin and has shown continual success in patients with lowering their A1-C. The introduction of medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy has changed the game for millions of people worldwide who have been struggling with diabetes. It was a once weekly auto injector that would allow patients to maintain their sugar levels and create a healthier way of life. One of its known side effects, however, was dramatic weight loss.

In early 2022, Ozempic rose to fame when celebrities who do not suffer from diabetes began publicizing the drugs’ ability to assist in fast acting weight loss. It quickly went from a lifesaving medication for diabetics to the celebrity go to for shedding unwanted pounds. In 2021, in the U.S. alone, prescriptions of the drug quadrupled landing the miracle drug on the worldwide shortage list creating rippling effects through many communities.

Valentine Paterson of Brooklyn, New York thought he had found a solution to his endless battle with obesity and diabetes when he was prescribed Ozempic. The effects were almost immediate and life altering. “I weighed more than 365 pounds and after being hospitalized for heart failure, my doctor recommended I

take Ozempic,” said Paterson, a 52-yearold Uber driver. “Within four months of taking the drug, I lost 65 pounds, and my doctor reduced my other medications from nine to four. It changed my life. But then I could not get my prescription filled. I looked for months; it was a nightmare. All the work and progress I was making was slipping away, all because I was unable to pay out of pocket.”

The reason Mr. Paterson could not get his prescription filled is because Mr. Paterson’s local pharmacy, like many others nationwide, was no longer able to obtain the blockbuster medication. The craze of Ozempic and Wegovy created a nationwide shortage of medication by those willing to pay the exorbitant out-of-pocket costs getting first cracks at the available supply. So, while pharmacies in lower income neighborhoods could not stock their shelves, pharmacies on Manhattan’s Upper Eastside had a twelve-month supply of the miracle drug readily available to those able to pay $1,400.00 per prescription. Given this void, the question was raised as to whether anyone or anything could help.

Enter the compounding pharmacy. According to the FDA, compounding pharmacies are authorized to produce exact drugs in times of a national shortage. But what exactly is a compounding pharmacy? A compounding pharmacy makes and sells prescription medicines based on the specific formula provided to it by the FDA. When a medicine makes its way to the national shortage list, compounding pharmacies are authorized to make generic versions of those medications to assist all those in need. When a medicine is not on the national shortage list, compounding pharmacies are only authorized to make alternate forms of the prescribed drug. Ozempic has been on both the worldwide and US shortage list since April of 2022. However, what hap-

pens when Big Pharma doesn’t want to let compounding pharmacies earn money they feel belongs to them even during a shortage?

“Lifeline Pharmacy” is a small compounding pharmacy run by Dr. Aisha Johnson in the heart of south Los Angeles. For years, this pharmacy has served as a beacon of hope, providing personalized care and essential medications to the predominantly Black and Latino residents. Among the most critical medications Dr. Johnson compounds is semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, Black adults are nearly twice as likely as white adults to develop type 2 diabetes. This racial disparity has been rising over the last 30 years creating a disproportionate need for these life altering medications in communities of color. Despite the FDA’s approval for compounding pharmacies to

legislative proposals influenced by pharmaceutical lobbyists threatened to impose restrictions that would make it nearly impossible for small pharmacies to continue compounding semaglutide. For communities of color, this means losing a critical source of affordable and accessible medication.

“Big Pharma should not have a hold on these drugs. There needs to be a leveling of the playing field. I think having access to these drugs all across the board is needed. If a patient needs it for diabetes, then it should be made available to them. Prioritizing weight loss over diabetic patients is an injustice to our health care system,” said Ricks.

produce semaglutide, Novo Nordisk has targeted these providers in order to protect their profits and eliminate the competition.

In the Ward 8 area of Washington, D.C., a heavily populated community of Black and Latino residents, the drug remains in high demand with little to no supply.

“There is definitely a monopoly on it by Big Pharma,” said Dr. Damon Ricks, Pharmacy Manager at SIP. “Small Compounding Pharmacies are definitely within their rights and scope to create these drugs when the FDA declares a shortage.”

The impact of Big Pharma’s campaign is being felt in communities from Brooklyn, NY to Los Angeles, CA. The misinformation spread by Novo Nordisk, stating that compounded versions of semaglutides are unsafe and potentially life threatening has created fear and uncertainty in those using compounded versions of the popular medication. Intensifying the problem,

But Big Pharma continues to push for stricter regulations, claiming the need for patient safety. However, insufficient evidence exists to back up any of the claims made by Big Pharma. Compounding pharmacies must comply with existing rigorous standards to make any medication. They follow these standards in order to serve lower economic depressed communities of color. The popularity of these drugs has made it difficult for average Americans to afford or find these medications. These are not just weight loss medications; they are tools for survival for many diabetic patients. Due to Big Pharma’s bullying campaign, many patients have been forced to accept lower doses of these drugs to maintain any benefits even though most experience little to no progress with the reduced dosage. Yet those that truly need these lifesaving medications continue to suffer.

For communities of color, the ability of local compounding pharmacies to provide semaglutide and other essential medications is about more than access to treatment. They serve as a testament to the power of community and the relentless pursuit of a more just and equitable healthcare system.

SMALL AND MINORITY SUBCONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITY –

NOTICE

Enfield Manor at Enfield Terrace, Enfield, CT SOLICITATION OF SBE/MBE CONTRACTORS: Enterprise Builders, Inc. is the General Contractor seeking certified SBE/MBE Subcontractors/Suppliers and Section 3 Businesses to bid applicable sections of work/equipment/supplies for the following construction project: Enfield Manor at Enfield Terrace. This project consists of the demo/abatement of 18 existing structures and the construction of 2 new apartment buildings totaling 99 units and 109,552 sf. Project is anticipated to start late Fall 2024 and be completed in 2 phases over 26 months. BID DUE DATE AND TIME: 7/25/24 @ 3:00PM. Electronic Plans and specifications can be obtained at no charge by contacting the Enterprise Builders Estimating Department at (860) 466-5188 or bids@enterbuilders.com. Residential Prevailing Wage Rates are required. Section 3 Businesses are encouraged to apply. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Women’s Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply. This contract is subject to State Set-Aside and contract compliance requirements.

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, 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 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

LEGAL NOTICE Request for Proposals (RFP) RFP# 2025-0904: AIDS CADAP

Notice of Public Hearing

Thursday, September

5, 2024

Housing Authority of the City of Danbury

Fiscal Year 2025 Annual PHA Plan And Five-Year Plan (2025-2029)

Two Mill Ridge Road

Danbury, Connecticut, 06811

NOTICIA

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking qualified applicants for the highly technical position of Distribution Engineer. Successful applicants will work in the design and development of overhead and underground power distribution lines. This highly reliable municipal-owned electric utility located 10 miles from New Haven, CT, serves 25,000 customers in a 50+ square mile distribution area with a peak demand of 130 MW with an excellent rate structure. Applicants should possess 2 years of responsible experience in utility engineering and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Annual Salary: $108,579 to $135,723 PLUS on-call stipend when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of August 9, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

NEW HAVEN

The Department of Public Health (DPH) Infectious Disease Section is requesting proposals for the Connecticut AIDS Drug Assistance Program (CADAP). A qualified Pharmacy Benefits Manager or other organization is needed to provide enrollment, pharmacy benefits, insurance premium payments, and rebate management for CADAP.

The Request for Proposal is available in electronic format on the State Contracting Portal at https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard, on the Department’s website at https://portal.ct.gov/ DPH/Request-For-Proposals/Request-forProposals, or from the Department’s Official Contact: Mitchell Namias, 860-509-7718, Mitchell.namias@ct.gov

Deadline for submission of proposals is Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 4:30 PM.

In accordance with the requirements of Federal Regulation 24 CFR Part 903, the Housing Authority of the City of Danbury will conduct a public hearing to receive public comments on its proposed FY 2025 Annual and its Five-year Agency Plans. The PHA Annual Plan and 5YR 2025-2029 Agency Plans describe the mission of the Agency and its’ long-range operating, capital, and redevelopment goals and objectives over the next five years. The PHA Plan provides details about the Agency's immediate operations, programs and services, and the strategy for addressing the needs identified in the 5-year plan for the upcoming year.

HACD will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 2:00pm - 4:00pm and invite public comment on the proposed Annual and Five-Year Plan. The Hearing will be held at the office of the Agency located at Two Mill Ridge Road, Danbury, Connecticut 06811. Written comments may also be submitted to HACD at the following address:

Housing Authority of the City of Danbury

Two Mill Ridge Road Danbury, Connecticut, 06811

The public may inspect copies of the plan and all information relevant to the public hearing at the address noted above between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Questions on the plan can be directed to the Housing Authority at the above address or by calling 203-744-2500 ext. 1110.

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Listing: Full Time Retail and Service Assistant

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

Petroleum/HVAC company has an immediate opening for a Full Time Retail and Service Assistant. Must have customer service experience, strong organizational skills, ability to multitask. A valid driver’s license is required in order to run company errands efficiently and safely. Computer knowledge is required. Petroleum or HVAC knowledge preferred. Send resume by email to: HRDept@eastriverenergy.com or send resume to: Human Resource Dept. P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

****An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans****

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

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Large CT Fence Company looking for an individual for our PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production position. Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and more. Must have a valid CT driver’s license & be 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-MF

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

INVITATION TO BID

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

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

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

The Town of Wallingford Sewer Division is seeking qualified applicants to supervise and perform high level tasks in the chemical, bacteriological and physical analyses of raw (untreated) and potable (treated) water and wastewater. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, or related field, plus 2 years’ experience in chemical laboratory analytical work. Experience with water and wastewater analysis, atomic absorption, graphite furnace, complex analytical equipment and standard laboratory QA/QC practices is preferred. Must possess and maintain Laboratory Director Certification for chemistry from the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health. Must also obtain and maintain Laboratory Director Certification for microbiology within two (2) years from appointment date. Salary: $77,589 to $98,418 annually, plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, and 13 paid holidays. To apply online by the closing date of July 12, 2024, please visit: www. wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. 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 informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company (WT), the construction manager, is currently accepting bids for ConnCAT Place on Dixwell –Phase 1A for the following bid package: 03A - Concrete, 05A - Structural Steel, 14AElevators, and 31A - Sitework/Utilities for the new ~70,000 SF two-story ConnCAT headquarters which will contain teaching spaces, kitchen, offices, and daycare/early childhood facility. Interested firms may obtain a bid package and instructions to bid by emailing 020822@whiting-turner.com.

Bids wills be accepted at The Lab at ConnCORP located at 496 Newhall Street, Hamden, CT 06517, Attn: Kaitlin Aviles – no later than 10AM on 8/2/24. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. WT and the Owner reserve the right to amend this invitation to bid, reject bids, waive minor irregularities in the bid, and award the contract to the proposer that is deemed to be the best interest of the Owner, ConnCORP. WT is an EEO/AA; Disadvantaged, Small, Minority and Women Business Enterprises are encouraged to bid.

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

NOTICE

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate.

Location: Bloomfield CT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

Finance Director

$101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range)

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Request for Proposals IT Consulting Services

Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY

We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, 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 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website –www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals for IT Consulting Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from ECC’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway

beginning on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 3:00PM.

NOTICIA

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Union Company seeks:

Police Officer full-time

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

THE GLENDOWER GROUP, INC.

Invitation for Bids

Site Contractor for Union Square

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 rate & excellent benefits

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Construction

NEW HAVEN

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

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

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

The Glendower Group, Inc. is currently seeking bids for Site Contractor for Union Square. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway

beginning on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 3:00PM.

Listing: Maintenance

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Senior Sales Representative Wanted

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Advertising and the cultivation of existing and new advertising clients is key to the growth and continued success of The Inner-City News. The paper is delivered weekly to businesses, schools, shopping outlets and wherever newspapers can be found. This is a remote sales position.

Work closely with the Publisher and editor to create a successful sales strategy. Must be a self-starter and highly motivated.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

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

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

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

Immediate opening for a full-time maintenance person for ground and building maintenance. Position requires flexible work schedule. Some heavy lifting required. Must have a valid driver’s license to run errands in company vehicle. Computer knowledge a plus. Send resume to HR Department, hrdept@eastriverenergy. com, 401 Soundview Road, Guilford, CT 06437.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Accountant

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

The Town of Wallingford seeks qualified applicants for Apprentice Accountant to perform accounting tasks and other related duties of a financial nature in the Board of Education. Applicants should have 2 years clerical and general office experience plus a H.S diploma or GED. $26.51 to $34.53 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, medical insurance, life insurance, paid holidays, paid sick and vacation time. To apply online by the closing date of August 2, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR

NOTICE

THE ELM CITY COMMUNITIES/HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE HCV ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN (ADMIN PLAN)

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Elm City Communities, the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (ECC/HANH) is proposing to amend sections of its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan (Admin Plan).

Town of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA

COMUNIDADES DE ELM CITY/AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) PROPUESTA DE ENMIENDA AL PLAN ADMINISTRATIVO DE AVC (PLAN ADMIN)

The thirty (30) day comment period begins on Monday, July 22, 2024, and ends on August 21, 2024.

Copies of the amendment to the HCV Administrative Plan will be made available on Monday, July 22, 2024 on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, 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 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

NOTICIA

You are invited to provide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, Admin Plan Revisions; Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, Director of Compliance and MTW Initiatives, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

VALENTINA

MACRI

VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

A public hearing where public comments will be accepted and recorded is schedule for Wednesday, August 21 204 at 4:00pm via

$87,727 to $136,071 Deputy Finance Director/Controller

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Elm City Communities, la Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Haven (ECC/ HANH) propone modificar secciones de su Plan Administrativo de Vales de Elección de Vivienda (HCV) (Plan Administrativo).

El período de comentarios de treinta (30) días comienza el lunes 22 de julio de 2024 y finaliza el 21 de agosto de 2024.

Las copias de la enmienda al Plan Administrativo de HCV estarán disponibles el lunes 22 de julio de 2024 en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o vía Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities o vía Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities

Le invitamos a proporcionar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, Revisiones del plan administrativo; A la atención de: Evelise Ribeiro, Directora de Cumplimiento e Iniciativas MTW, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/652870645?pw=c8b33165cae70d666ed 55856e790df42

Meeting ID: 652870645

Password: SCMag1JDHm

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510

One tap to join audio only from a smartphone:     +12679304000,,652870645#,,7262415346# United States (Philadelphia, PA) Or dial:

+12679304000 United States (Philadelphia, PA) Access Code / Meeting ID: 652870645 Dial-in password: 7262415346

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1506 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434.

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

Construction

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Una audiencia pública donde se aceptarán y grabarán comentarios públicos está programada para el miércoles 21 de agosto 204 a las 4:00 p.m. vía

RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/652870645?pw=c8b33165cae70d666ed 55856e790df42

ID reunión: 652870645

Contraseña: SCMag1JDHm

Un toque para unir audio solo desde un teléfono inteligente: +12679304000,,652870645#,,7262415346# Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA)

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

O marcar:

+12679304000 Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA) Clave de Acceso / ID de Reunión: 652870645

Contraseña de acceso telefónico: 7262415346

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Cualquier persona que requiera una Adaptación Razonable para participar en la audiencia puede llamar al Gerente de Adaptación Razonable (203) 498-8800, ext. 1506 o al Número TDD (203) 497-8434.

Listing: Mechanic

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

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

Immediate opening for a part-time mechanic; maintenance to be done on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. A valid driver’s license is required in order to run company errands efficiently and safely. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Listing: Mechanic

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Fence Installers:

Large CT Fence & Guardrail Contractor is looking for Fence Installation helpers. Must have at least 2 years of experience installing chain link, wood, PVC and ornamental iron fencing. Work available 10-12 months per year. All necessary equipment provided. Medical, holiday, 401K, vacation & other benefits included. Must be able to pass required physical and drug test. An OSHA 10 Certification is required. A valid CT driver's license is required and must get DOT Medical Card. We are an AA/EOE company. Send resumes/inquiries to: rhauer@atlasoutdoor.com.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

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

Immediate opening for a full-time mechanic; maintenance to be done on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. A valid driver’s license is required in order to run company errands efficiently and safely. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriveren11rgy.com

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

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

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

Galasso Materials LLC, a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please email resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026.

Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Endometrial & Uterine Cancer: Combating Black Women’s Rising Rates

by Fajr Eutsey, BlackHealthMatters.org

It’s an unsettling fact that uterine and endometrial cancers are often detected at advanced stages within our community. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has reported an alarming rise in uterine cancer fatalities across the United States, with the highest rates being prevalent in our community. In 2022, endometrial cancer was ranked as the fourth most common cancer for Black women in the country, and the incidence rates have continued to escalate by 1% to 2% annually. Although we don’t take a significant lead in the incidence of uterine cancer, we are nearly twice as likely to pass from endometrial cancer compared to our white counterparts, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

In our pursuit of more clarity, we turned to a trusted expert in the field, Dr. Eboni January, a board-certified obstetric gynecologist deeply committed to women’s health and education.

BHM: Why are Black women disproportionately affected by late diagnoses of uterine and endometrial cancer, and what can be done to address this issue?

Dr. January: Black women are disproportionately affected by late diagnoses of uterine and endometrial cancer due to disparities in healthcare access, socioeconomic status, and implicit biases in the medical system. Studies have shown that Black women are less likely to undergo regular gynecological exams and may experience delays in diagnostic testing and treatment initiation. To address this issue, we need to increase awareness and education about uterine cancer within Black communities, improve access to healthcare, and train healthcare providers in cultural competency to reduce these disparities.

Addressing these disparities requires systemic changes, such as expanding healthcare access, improving provider education on implicit biases, and fostering a more inclusive and culturally sensitive healthcare environment.

BHM: What are the most common symptoms of uterine and endometrial cancer that Black women should be aware of, and why might healthcare providers overlook these symptoms?

Dr. January: The most common symptoms of uterine and endometrial cancer include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, and unexplained weight loss. Healthcare providers can sometimes overlook these symptoms due to implicit biases and a tendency to attribute them to benign conditions, especially in Black women. Both patients and providers need to recognize the significance of these symptoms and advocate for thorough evaluations to help in early detection.

BHM: How can tools be improved to ensure better detection rates?

Dr. January: Currently, there is no specific screening tool for endometrial cancer, but tools like transvaginal ultrasound and endometrial biopsy are used for diagnosis when symptoms such as vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain are present. To improve detection rates, we need to develop more sensitive diagnostic methods, incorporate genetic and molecular markers, and ensure regular follow-ups and patient education occur. Research into tailored screening protocols that consider racial and genetic differences can also be beneficial.

BHM: How important is the patientdoctor communication in early detection of uterine/endometrial cancer, and what steps can be taken to improve this for Black women?

Dr. January: Effective patient-doctor communication is crucial for early uterine and endometrial cancer detection. As healthcare providers, we must ensure patients feel comfortable coming to us. We should understand that although patients

cancer. Addressing these risk factors through lifestyle interventions, preventive care, and targeted education is essential for reducing cancer risk.

2015 I developed a text weight loss coaching program in response to my patients. Working with the underserved community, I found uterine cancer in women under the age of 45 who had excess weight. Due to the lack of a screening tool like we have for cervical cancer, I decided to help prevent it through weight loss and preventive health measures. Awareness and management of obesity as a risk factor for uterine cancer can be improved through targeted community outreach programs, culturally sensitive health education, and accessible weight management resources. Healthcare providers should engage with community leaders and organizations to disseminate information and support lifestyle interventions that promote healthy eating and physical activity.

BHM: What are the main factors contributing to the higher mortality rates of uterine and endometrial cancer among Black women compared to other demographics?

Dr. January: Higher mortality rates among Black women are attributed to factors such as later stage at diagnosis, less access to high-quality care, and potential biological differences in tumor behavior. Socioeconomic disparities and implicit biases in treatment recommendations also play significant roles. Improving access to timely and highquality care, addressing socioeconomic barriers, and conducting research on tumor biology specific to Black women can help reduce these mortality rates.

BHM: Why is it important for Black women to participate in clinical trials and genetic research related to uterine cancer?

Reentry In Focus

Woodcock—they’re all interested instead in storytelling, the oldest expression of that which makes us human.

It’s a device that busts right through the myths—perceived safety, perceived justice—that keep prisons in place. At one point, Solman matter-of-factly says “You feel alone. You feel nothing,” and he has distilled everything that is wrong with a system based on punishment and anonymity, rather than problem-solving, actual rehabilitation and policy change. At another, Robinson faces his peers before a show, taking in the cast, these stories, the words he’s about to speak onstage.

“I don’t know no other place that I would like to be than right here,” he says. It feels like a miracle.

Carbonella also pushes the story beyond As We Emerge’s three-day performance. When he’s not following the process onstage, in rehearsal, or in interviews, he’s with EMERGE crew members in their homes, visits that give the film a wider lens on who these people are and their lives in greater New Haven. Robinson, for instance, introduces his 88-year-old mother, who he’s been able to care for since getting out of prison. Akinjobi, whose home is full of art, celebrates a birthday during the show. Shabazz talks to his son, with an As-salamu alaykum that feels like home. Solman, who recounts his 31 and a half years in prison, is diagnosed with emphysema and lung cancer and somehow takes the news like someone has delivered his breakfast order (he is now, thankfully, in remission).

are adults, we are the experts, and consideration of the social determinants of health is crucial. Improving this includes training healthcare providers in cultural competency, encouraging open and respectful dialogue, and ensuring patients feel heard and understood. Providing patient education materials that are culturally relevant and accessible can also enhance communication and early detection efforts.

BHM: Considering that obesity and diabetes are known risk factors for uterine cancer, how can awareness and management of this risk be better communicated and managed in our community?

Dr. January: Obesity and diabetes are significant risk factors for endometrial cancer, as they can lead to hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation, which may promote cancer development. Black women have higher rates of obesity and diabetes, contributing to an increased incidence of endometrial

Dr. January: Participation in clinical trials and genetic research is vital to ensure that findings apply to diverse populations. It helps in understanding how uterine cancer affects Black women specifically and can lead to the development of tailored treatments and interventions. Encouraging participation requires researchers like myself to build trust, address historical mistrust, and ensure that trials are accessible and inclusive.

The battle against uterine and endometrial cancer in our community is complex; we face unique challenges when it comes to diagnoses and the specific types of cancer we encounter. Let’s continue to raise awareness about what we need to decrease our mortality rates. Every step we take towards more awareness, prevention, and early detection holds the potential to save lives. For all those reasons, we must keep this conversation going and push it beyond our recognition into active engagement to ensure change is documented.

It gives the film a sense not only of propulsion, but of a future. The whole point of EMERGE—to reduce recidivism through job placement and supportive community—works here. Only three percent of crew members return to prison within two years, which is lower than the current statewide average (a 2012 study from the state's Office of Policy and Management put that number closer to 50 percent).

In addition to their work, the five men in As We Emerge have gone on to become mentors, faith leaders, and workshop facilitators within and beyond the organization. Shabazz, for instance, is a mentor at the Huneebee Project and teaches a human history class at the Hassan Islamic Center, where he also leads Jum’ah service. Solman is part of New Haven's workplace reentry program. Robinson is a shop steward at EMERGE, and facilitates weekly “Real Talk” groups at the organization. For both Woodcock and Carbonella, that’s the point: this film is meant to show the value of community, and of trust and mutual respect. Reflecting on the process—he can’t get through a viewing without crying—Carbonella said he doesn’t know if he would classify himself as an abolitionist, out of respect for people who are in that organizing work. “I do believe that anything is possible with community,” he said.

Dive into Team USA with Xfinity

Stream all of the Olympic and Paralympic Games action with a reliable connection, on all your devices, and wall-to-wall WiFi coverage.

Restrictions apply. Ends 7/24/24. Not available in all areas. New Xfinity Internet residential customers only. Offer requires enrollment in both paperless billing and automatic payments with stored bank account. Without enrollment, the monthly service charge automatically increases by $10 (or $5 if enrolling with credit or debit card information). The discount will appear on your bill within 45 days of enrolling in automatic payments and paperless billing. If either automatic payments or paperless billing are subsequently canceled, the $10 monthly discount will be removed automatically. Limited to Connect More 300 Mbps internet. All other installation, equipment, taxes & fees extra, and subject to change during and after promo. After 12 months, or if any service is canceled or downgraded, regular charges apply to internet service. Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. Internet: Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Call for restrictions and complete details, or visit xfinity.com. All devices must be returned when service ends. 36 USC 220506

S E P T E M B E R 2

L A B O R D A Y

New Haven kids run FREE in the Kids Fun Run courtesy of Town Fair Tire. USATF 20K National Championship

Post-race party on the Green features live music, great food, East Rock Brewing beer, and the ACES Kids Fun Zone!