THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 1 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016 1 NEWS Volume 21 No. 2194 New Haven, Bridgeport INNER-CITY INNER-CITY Financial Justice a Key Focus at 2016 NAACP Convention Malloy To Dems: Ignore “Tough On Crime” Snow in July?Snow in July? Volume 29 . No. 24551 The Long-Awaited Grand Opening of the Jackie Robinson MuseumTrailblazerReadyForNextMissionDiversifying American Media Ownership Must Become a National Priority Newhallville Celebrates Its Champs, On The Court & In The Community Mrs. Rachel Robinson opened The Jackie Robinson Museum
by LAURA GLESBY Faith leaders, politicians, and investors shoveled a pile of ceremonial dirt, break ing ground on a soon-to-rise apartment complex that will be sustainable not only for the earth, but for low-income families. The ceremonial groundbreaking took place Tuesday afternoon at the intersec tion of Dixwell Avenue and Orchard and Munson streets and Dixwell Avenue. For five years, Beulah Land Develop ment Corporation a nonprofit affiliated with Dixwell’s Beulah Heights First Pen tecostal Church has planned to build af fordable housing atop the long-vacant lot there at 340 Dixwell Ave. The forthcoming building will be “a home for people who call New Haven home, but who frankly don’t live in homes that respect them,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. Dixwell Management Team Chair Crys tal Gooding praised Beulah for involv ing neighborhood residents at every step of the design process. “It seems like this is actually going to be for the people,” Gooding said. “We actually feel like we were involved in the project.”
cates have broken into two camps. One side, dubbed “Build build build,” argues that the best way to make housing more affordable is to let market-rate develop ers build as many homes as they want in order to ease the pressure on rents else where. According to that argument, plac ing affordable-housing requirements on market-rate builders ends up preventing them from being able to afford to build at all, thereby actually making it harder to lowerOtherrents.advocates argue that that supplyand-demand theory doesn’t always work in practice, in part because new high-rent apartments can create a market for more high-rent apartments; and that govern ment should subsidize the building of lower-rent homes because the market won’t create that housing. In the case of the Audubon, Spinnaker bought the land from a private owner and pursued only market-rate housing, with no subsidies and no conditions attached. That’s why the project has gone up rela tively quickly. If Spinnaker were to buy the land now, it would have to include 15 percent “afford able” units under a new city inclusionary zoning law passed with the goal of making housing more affordable in New Haven. Spinnaker CEO Fowler was asked Wednesday if he could have built this project under those conditions if he would have been able to make the budget work and obtain financing. He said the question is complicated. “So long as it’s 10 percent” affordable hous ing and no more, he said. “We only make 10 15 percent profit” on these projects, and there’s only so much cost-shifting available to cover losses from subsi dizedEvenunits.then, it depends how deeply dis counted rents must be on those units, heAldersaid. Sabin interjected that the city was careful to construct its inclusionary zon ing ordinance with tax abatements and permission for increased density in order to help developers afford to pursue new projects. Sabin supports both increasing housing supply and having government subsidize affordable units that the market will not create. He also strongly backed the inclusionary zoning ordinance. Mayor Elicker added that another goal
PAUL BASS PHOTOS Builder Fowler cuts ribbon on already-leased Phase 2 of The Audubon. by PAUL BASS A day after breaking ground in a Dix well parking lot on new apartments for low-income renters, officials gathered on an Audubon Street lot Wednesday after noon to break ground on 66 luxury apart ments while cutting the ribbon on 135 fast-filling-up new ones. In the officials’ telling, those two events are linked: part of a continued construc tion boom that’s growing a livable city while helping more people to afford to liveWednesday’shere.
groundbreaking took place at The Audubon New Haven, a 470-apart ment-and-retail mini-city rising in phases on a former 3.3 acre superblock parking lot bounded by Orange, Audubon, State and Grove Tuesday’sstreets.event marked the completion of Phase 2 of the project: a ribbon-cutting for the second wave of completed apart ments. Monthly rents for the apartments start at 1,850 for studios and $3,800 for three-bedrooms. The 135 units were leased within 100 days, according to de veloper Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, signaling that a recession tighter economic times may not have slowed New Haven’s market-rate apartment boom. “New Haven’s hopping!” Mayor Justin Elicker declared before joining Spinnaker CEO Clay Fowler and other officials in cutting the ribbon. Then the group decamped to Audubon Street to break ground on phase 3 of the project, 66 more apartments on the block between State and Orange. City Economic Development Admin istrator Michael Piscitelli noted that the same group had assembled on Tuesday afternoon to break ground on nonprofit builder Beulah Land Development Cor poration’s 69-unit apartment complex to arise on the former Joe Grate’s lot at the Dixwell-Orchard-Munson intersection. Those will almost all be affordable, not luxury, apartments “This is building on old parking lots, not tearing stuff down, [but] creating new value,” Piscitelli said. Elicker argued that both projects help make housing more affordable for New Haveners: Beulah Heights, with lower rents; and Audubon, by meeting the unmet market-rate housing demand and in the process lowering pressure on rents at other existing buildings by increasing supply.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 2 A Day Later, Ground Broken For Upscale Apts.
Beulah Breaks Ground On Affordable Apts.
Downtown/SoHu/Wooster Square Alder Eli Sabin echoed that argument. He noted that the latest statistics show that rents rose 20 percent in New Haven over the past year, in a market short of about 3,200 desired market-rate rental units and about 8,000 desired affordable units. “This project helps meet that demand with supply,” said Sabin. Wednesday’s event occurred against the backdrop over a national debate over how best to ensure that not only the wealthy can afford to live in communities like New Haven facing shortages of afford ableNationwide,house. affordable-housing advo
Developers and officials break Beulah ground. 340 Dixwell will comprise 69 rental units, 55 of which will be affordable for families making 60 percent of the Area Median Income or below. (For a family of four, 60 percent of the county’s AMI would be $61,740 per year.) The first floor of the building will contain retail space. The apartments will include one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. Twenty of those apartments will be reserved for for merly homeless families. Five years after the idea was initially pitched to neighbors, Beulah and devel opment partners HELP USA and Spiritos Properties have secured approximately $28 million to fund the project. The proj ect is expected to reach completion in 15Themonths.building will be the first majority-af fordable housing complex to be made with a mass timber structure system, utilizing wood from a renewable forest. The timber material stores carbon dioxide rather than emitting greenhouse gases. The building will also be energy efficient based on Pas sive House standards. HELP USA’s Dave Cleghorn compared the building design to that of luxury hous ing, stating that the building will provide “dignified homes for people that are from thisTheneighborhood.”projectat340 Dixwell Ave. comes as a number of developments with mostly market-rate housing have progressed in the Dixwell and Science Park neighbor hoods. The majority-Black Dixwell/Ne whallville area is disproportionately lowincome.Beulah has been building affordable rent al and owner-occupied housing since the 1997 shooting of 7 month-old baby Dani elle Taft devastated the church’s neighbor hood on Orchard Street, at a time when the drug trade thrived in rumor houses on the block owned by absentee landlords. Bishop Theodore Brooks, a former leader of Beulah, called on the mayor and state officials present to help fill Dixwell with affordable housing. He pointed to an empty lot across Dixwell Avenue. “I see land over there,” he said, then, pointing to Con’t on page 05
The Jimi Hendrix of the ‘ukulele! “Yo Soy Boricua!”: Puerto Rico Festival Keeps Hearts Beating On The Green Christian la voz de Oro performing Bachata music. by OLIVIA CHARIS New Haven became an island on Saturday, but no man was left standing alone. The call of “Yo soy boricua!” – I am Puerto Rican! — and the sounds of bachata, reggaeton, and merengue vibrated from the Green as hundreds gathered for New Haven’s annual Puerto Rican festival hosted by Puerto Ricans United (PRU). The vibrancy of the day reflected that of the culture it honored, and of the people. This year, the festival’s theme was “the Puerto Rican woman.” The goal was to honor “her strength, resilience, passion, and love for family and community. We’re going to showcase the diversity of our women,” said PRU board President JosephTheRodriguez.eventbrought the spellbinding “Isla Del Encanto” to the Elm City with twelve food trucks, eight musical artists, and two dozen businesses and nonprofits. This year was the first time PRU hosted a job fair in conjunction with the festival, allowing members of the community to network and gain valuable employment information throughout the day. Carmen M. Burgos, who works with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Progressive Latino Fund, shared her perspective on the theme for this year’s Pointingfestival.tothefestival’s poster behind the center stage, Burgos noted three distinct women within the design. The middle represents the “‘Taíno’ or Indian woman from the island”, the far left “the Europeans” who came and colonized Puerto Rico, and the far right the African slaves. The artwork was done by David Sepulveda and Amie Ziner. Burgos said that the festival celebrates the significance of the three distinct groups in the context of Puerto Rican culture. Burgos recently started her own fund for members of the community in honor of her father and mother. After she passes, Burgos said, she wants the fund to specifically aid with issues surrounding “homelessness and education throughout the “I’llcity.”always keep giving,” she said, adamant in her goal of reaching at least $10,000.Awoman who certainly made her presence known at the festival was Gail Starfire, also known as the Queen of the SockStarfiHop.re had the eyes of many in the crowd, which shouted her on as she moved vivaciously to the rhythm of the music. Her dance partner had a time keeping up with her. “I’m here to represent my generation,” Starfire said, and to remind people that “it doesn’t matter what language you speak”: music and dance bring us together. Starfire’s vivacity echoed the spirit of Saturday’s seven-hour event. The breeze made it easy to dance under the August sun, and as the hours went on more and more people settled in on the island. Halfway through the festival, musicians took a break from the stage and over a dozen women from the audience were invited to be highlighted. One participant, Samantha Cardona, said she is proud to be a Puerto Rican woman. Born and raised in New Haven, Cardona works as a medical assistant and is a business owner here in the city. She has launched a business called JNJ Style &AsAccessories.otherwomen took the stage, shouting the Puerto Rican towns their families originate from and their occupations, ranging from police officers to education workers, Cardona declared: “I love it. Women run the“Thisworld!”is my music! This is ‘la reggaeton!’” exclaimed long time New Havener and financial advisor Elizabeth Anton. Born in the Bronx, Anton grew up in Puerto Rico before coming to New Haven to attend school. Joel Cruz, artist and founder of Hikotea Arts, showcased some of his original works at his booth on Saturday. Cruz said his pieces focus on “the brown people of Puerto Rico,” highlighting Indigenous and African ethnic groups on the island through his paintings and dinosaur petroglyph carved accessories. As the music continued to play out and crowd continued to roll in, every age, every ethnic background, and every heart beat to the rhythm of The Enchanted Island.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 3 Celebrating Black Philanthropy: Connecticut’s Community Giving Join us online August 24 at 12 noon OPPORTUNITY + EQUITY This Black Philanthropy Month, join us for a virtual conversation with philanthropists from across our state who have identified a need and are “giving gifts of time, talent, and treasure to make life better for others.” Register: cfgnh.org/BPM2022 Carl Hardrick Paula Irvin JoAnn Price Daniel Trust Babz Rawls-Ivy Presented in partnership: 2022 Black Philanthropy Month.indd 2 8/2/22 3:26 PM Non-profit 501 (C) (3) THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE 203.438.5795 · RIDGEFIELDPLAYHOUSE.ORG AUG 13 | BBQ & FAMILY FEST @ 4PM & CONCERT @ 5:30PM LADYSMITH BLACK AUGUSTMAMBAZO17 The vocals and inspiration to Paul Simon’s classic Graceland album! THE WAR & TREATY AUGUST 23 Grammy & ACM Award duo with soul-filled harmonies of blues, classic R&B, and deep rooted rock. REZA EDGE OF ILLUSION SEPTEMBER 23 An electrifying magic show for the entire family! SCAN HERE FOR THE SEASONCOMPLETELINE-UP! OCTOBERCALEXICO22 Combining the gentle harmonies of Americana music with percussive Latin influences. BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA WITH SPECIAL GUEST: CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE NOVEMBER 10 Gospel legends return!
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Penfield Communications Inc Cop Gets $500 Fine, No Prison Time
THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Defense attorney Silverstein and ex-Lt. Tennant in court Wednesday. by THOMAS BREEN A state judge ordered ex-New Haven Police Lt. Rahgue Tennant to pay a $500 fine — and gave him no time in prison or on probation — after he was found guilty of recklessly causing physical harm to his then-wife by throwing a Lysol can at her Thehead.judge also barred Tennant from making contact with his ex-wife. And he made clear that this misdemeanor criminal conviction prohibits him from owning guns or ammunition. State Superior Court Judge Jon Alander handed down that sentence Wednesday morning at the end of a half-hour hearing held in Courtroom 5A at the state courthouse at 235 Church St. The sentence marked the culmination of nearly four years of court hearings and a weeklong criminal trial earlier this summer for Tennant, a now-retired former police lieutenant who was arrested in 2018 for allegedly assaulting his wife, holding his family hostage, and threatening to shoot up his East Shore home. On July 25, a jury found Tennant guilty of one misdemeanor count of seconddegree breach of peace for recklessly causing physical harm to his then-wife by throwing a Lysol can at her heard during an argument at home on Aug. 30, 2018. That jury also acquitted Tennant of two felony charges, one count of second-degree assault and one count of risk of injury to a child, stemming from that same 2018 incident. On Wednesday, Alander granted Tennant an unconditional discharge for his misdemeanor conviction, which carried a maximum potential prison sentence of six months.Thatmeans that Tennant won’t serve any time behind bars or any time under court-ordered supervision for this offense. The jury found that Tennant’s conduct was “reckless, not intentional,” Alander said when explaining his sentence. “Obviously, Mr. Tennant has no criminal history.” And over the past nearly four years since his arrest, he has complied with all of the terms of his court-ordered supervisedBecauserelease.federal law considers this conviction a domestic violence offense, the judge continued, “the defendant is now prohibited from possessing any firearm or Theammunition.”judgealso imposed a $500 fine on Tennant, which defense attorney Rick Silverstein said his client would be able to pay that morning. At the recommendation of state prosecutor Jason Germain and with the consent of Tennant and his attorney, Alander maintained a criminal protective order that Tennant’s ex-wife has had against him for the past nearly four years. That means that Tennant is prohibited from making any contact with her going forward. The judge did amend that protective order to allow Tennant to visit his three children, if the state’s family court permits such visitation rights. Before the judge delivered Tennant’s sentence, Germain reviewed the allegations of a years-long pattern of physical and emotional violence that the ex-cop allegedly perpetrated against his thenwife, all to underscore the “severity of the case.” (During his time at the witness stand during the trial, Tennant denied all of the state’s and his ex-wife’s allegations of abuse, and — in regards to the incident that led to his arrest – he said that he did not throw, but “lobbed” the can at his then-wife’s head amidst an argument.)
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 4 John P. Thomas Publisher / CEO Babz Rawls Liaison,Editor-in-ChiefIvyCorporateAffairs Babz@penfieldcomm.com Advertising/Sales Team Keith Jackson Delores Alleyne John Thomas, III Editorial Team Staff Writers Christian Lewis/Current Affairs Anthony Scott/Sports Arlene Davis-Rudd/Politics Contributing Writers David Asbery / Tanisha Asbery Jerry Craft / Cartoons / Barbara Fair Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner / Smita Shrestha William Spivey / Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee Contributors At-Large Christine Stuart www.CTNewsJunkie.com Paul Bass www.newhavenindependent.org Memberships National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly by Penfield Communications, Inc. from offices located at 50 Fitch Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06515. 203-387-0354 phone; 203-3872684 fax. Subscriptions:$260 per year (does not include sales tax for the in State subscriptions). Send name, address, zip code with payment. Postmaster, send address changes to 50 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT 06515. Display ad deadline Friday prior to insertion date at 5:00pm Advertisers are responsible for checking ads for error in publication. Penfield Communications, Inc d.b.a., “The Inner-City Newspaper” , shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad or for typographical errors or errors in publication, except to the extent of the cost of the space in which actual error appeared in the first insertion. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The entire contents of The Inner-City Newspaper are copyright 2012, Penfield Communications, Inc. and no portion may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
Silverstein also asked the judge to change a part of the protective order that prohibits Tennant from owning any firearms. He said that he and Tennant plan to seek a pardon from the state for this misdemeanor conviction. If that pardon comes through, he said, Tennant would be able to own guns again — and therefore would be able to return to a job in law enforcement if he so chose. That door would be closed to his client, Silverstein said, if the standing protective order maintained a prohibition on him owning guns and ammo. Keeping him from owning guns going forward “would essentially end any career in law enforcement,” Silverstein said. The judge ultimately left that provision in the protective order, though he said that Silverstein might be misreading it. That part of the order simply warns Tennant that there are penalties for owning guns when one is legally prohibited from doing so. The judge said that the misdemeanor conviction is what bars Tennant from owning guns and, because that is a federal rule, the matter is outside of the state judge’s control. Con’t
Germain asked the court to maintain the ex-wife’s current criminal protective order against Tennant. But, under Alander’s questioning, Germain said that the state was not asking for any prison time for the retired former top“Thecop. state is not going to be seeking incarceration,” he said. “He’s been monitored. He’s been on GPS. There hasn’t been one problem with him in four years.”
State family violence victim advocate Andrea O’Connor then read a three-page letter that Tennant’s ex-wife had written in advance of Wednesday’s sentencing hearing. The ex-wife, who testified at length during the jury trial in July, did not come in person to the courthouse on Wednesday. She instead listened in to the proceedings via a cellphone set up by the state prosecutors and the victim advocate. In her letter, Tennant’s ex-wife pleaded for the judge to maintain the criminal protective order against her ex-husband because of the fear that she still has that he will hurt her and their three children. “I endured years of physical and emotional abuse,” the letter read. She said that family members and friends have seen her black eyes over the years. They’ve heard her pleas for help. They’ve heard her prayers for him to come home safely from his job as a cop change over the years into prayers that he wouldn’t come home and hurt“Heher.instilled fear with his beatings and chokings,” she wrote. “His escalation of violence and his repeated threats on myself” have caused PTSD for her and her kids. “This violence has been a cost to me physically, emotionally, and financially.” She still does not sleep well and has frequent headaches because of the alleged abuse she “Rahgueendured.Tennant has taken away my sense of safety and security. … I fear my children will become motherless” because of his alleged sustained violence against her. She said that she has lost close contact with friends and family over the years because of the alleged domestic violence of her relationship with Tennant, and because of her eventually coming forward to the police to tell her side of what happened. She said her ex-husband’s inability to take personal responsibility for what allegedly happened shows his “lack of accountability and Duringintegrity.”histime before the judge, Silverstein rebuffed the ex-wife’s and Germain’s statements as all allegations, not facts. The facts of the case, he said, as determined by the jury, were that Tennant recklessly caused harm to his then-wife. The jury did not find that he intentionally or recklessly assaulted her, and they did not give credit to her testimony that there was a years-long pattern of physical and emotional abuse in their relationship. “The jury did not find her credible,” Silverstein said about the ex-wife. He noted that Tennant has complied with all of the terms of his supervised release over the past four years, and that he continues to go to therapy. Silverstein asked the judge for an unconditional discharge, even as he consented to the maintenance of the ex-wife’s standing criminal protective order against his“Heclient.has no intention of ever seeing his former wife again,” Silverstein said. However, “he does want to see his children,” and he asked the judge to modify the order to make it clear that Tennant will be able to see his three kids.
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Ground Broken Con’t from page 02
Board secretary Ed Joyner agreed that the district must push for more state fund ing to attract and retain teachers. “The so lution is beyond our capacity as a district,” heESUMSsaid. teacher Toni Criscuolo added that teachers aren’t leaving the district only in hopes of more money. “The most important thing is the treatment of teach ers,” she said. She said the district must spend more time respecting teachers’ time, respond ing to their concerns, supporting them in the classroom, and recognizing their hard work. “The praise is like money to me,” sheDiggssaid.said that in her new role she plans to “ensure all teachers feel New Haven is a place where they can stay and grow.”
George and his team work to find refu gees housing, connect them to healthcare, enroll children in school, help teenagers and parents find jobs, teach families Eng lish, and assist them in acculturating to their new neighborhoods.
NORA GRACE-FLOOD PHOTO 19-year-olds Zahra and Malalay with Sen. Blumenthal and IRIS Director Chris George.
Superintendent Iline Tracey said she selected Redd-Hannans with the goal of hiring from within the district’s cur rentTraceyranks.added that Velazquez had many plans for the district and in the few years of work has led work on equity and on the literacy curriculum. In addition, the board voted unanimously to approve the appointment of a new coor dinator of recruitment & retention for the district’s Human Resources department. The role previously covered only recruit ment.
That’s where the Afghan Adjustment Act is meant to help out. The legislation would allow Afghans who were admitted to the states on temporary humanitarian sta tus which is typically granted because of foreign emergencies and only lasts for one to two years a unique pathway through which to apply for a permanent status.Susan Schnitzer, executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI), said that “for anyone who has any knowledge of immigration legal services, trying to get asylum for 80,000 people can take decades.” And, she pointed out, “we are talking about folks who have come without appropriate documentation because they have literally had to get up and flee their homelands.”
Top School Posts Filled
The school district has chosen New Ha ven native Keisha Redd Hannans, who has been with the district for 14 years, as the replacement for departing assistant super intendent Ivelise Velazquez. Hannans, currently the assistant super intendent for instructional leadership, will transfer to Velazquez’s role of assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruc tion, and assessment after the school year starts, officials announced at Monday’s regular Board of Education meeting. The departure of Velazquez came unex pectedly in the last week as conversations continue about the nationwide teacher shortage ’s impact on school districts like New Haven, which struggled last year to keep its classrooms operating. The district worked to combat the shortages through amped up retention and recruitment ef forts, even as neighboring districts preyed on the district’s non-competitive teacher salaries by poaching veteran and poten tialVelazquez,educators. who has worked with the district for four years, will begin work as deputy superintendent of New Britain’s public schools in two months. Because Redd-Hannans is already ap pointed to an administrative role, the Board of Education did not need to vote to approve her transfer. The executive team as a group will handle her previous responsibilities until a successor is found for that position.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 5
The appointee, Sarah Diggs, will start at a salary of $139,723. Board member Darnell Goldson sug gested ideas for both recruitment and re tention, like forming a district partnership with the housing authority or managers of other city developments to provide free or low-cost housing to educators, starting a board task force with community mem bers, and offering more bonuses and certi fication program assistance. Diggs thanked the board for the ap pointment and highlighted some solu tions offered during the meeting’s public comment portion. “It’s so evident that this is not a one-size-fits all approach,” DiggsDuringsaid. public comment, New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau said the district must tackle its shortages by addressing educators’ work ing conditions and requesting that the state and Yale University aid the district with funding to make salaries competitive.
Student representative Dave Cruz Busta mante declared the shortages a crisis and requested the topic be put on the meeting agenda to be discussed more often and for the board to make a plan. He added that one step towards getting and keep ing educators in New Haven requires an investment in social-emotional learning to address student and staff behavioral con cerns.
By creating a separate and streamlined process by which individuals who were granted humanitarian parole, Schnitzer said, “we can unclog an already over whelmed immigration system.”
“We are a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of it,” Blumenthal said. Looking at the five Afghan women stand ing beside him, he said his proposed act would “enable them to go to work, to raise families, to take their kids to school they are becoming Americans.”
Afghan Refugees Seek Pathway To Permanent Status
Five years after her father was murdered by the Taliban, and just three months af ter the extremist group burned down her family’s house, 19-year-old Malalay stood with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal in front of a cluster of TV cameras and plead ed for the passage of new legislation that could help her and her relatives establish a permanent home in the United States. Malalay gathered with four other refu gee Afghan women as well as a host of immigration workers Wednesday morn ing outside of New Haven’s Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) to join Blumenthal in building support and awareness for the Afghan Adjustment Act. Blumenthal introduced the biparti san legislation with colleagues including Amy Klobuchar, Lindsey Graham, Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, and Lisa Murkowski. Since the Taliban regained control of Af ghanistan in August 2021, IRIS Executive Director Chris George estimated, his orga nization, alongside roughly 200 other ref ugee relocation services across the United States, have helped to settle about 80,000 Afghans in new homes.
Currently, Afghans in the states on hu manitarian parole can gain permanent le gal status only through the asylum process or the Special Immigrant Visa process. Blumenthal’s act doesn’t just create an independent pathway to specifically sup port Afghans in getting a green card, but expands the Special Immigrant Visa by broadening eligibility to include groups that worked alongside American forces, including the Afghan N is important too in developing the city: integration. It’s important to have people from different walks of life live together, he said, in order to address challenges like racism and unequal opportunities. He pointed to this New York Times article re porting how children in low-income fami lies find more success in life if they grow up in economically integrated settings. Underscoring the tension between those two arguments is the fate of Spinna ker’s two other planned projects nearby that have proceeded more slowly than theOneAudubon.istheproposal for a mixed-use de velopment on the site of the former New Haven Coliseum site bounded by Orange, George and State streets and MLK Bou levard. That one includes public subsidies and affordable housing along with re quested public improvements. Fowler reported Wednesday construc tion is now ready to begin on that project’s $75 million three-part first phase. He pre dicted ground will be broken on the first 200 apartments within 60 days, with two more sub-phases not long after. The fate of a planned boutique hotel at the old Webster Bank project at 80 Elm St. is more complicated. The hotel market changed since the onset of the pandemic. So the company has not been able to line up needed financing. Fowler said Spin naker now plans to build apartments there instead. It does not need any zoning relief to do that. It expects to present a site plan for that job to the city “in the near future,” Fowler said.
“There’s a remaining piece of their settle ment that has not been resolved, and that is their legal status,” George said.
by NORA GRACE-FLOOD
KeishaLINKEDINRedd-Hannans. by MAYA MCFADDEN
MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTOS The "Young Kings" take home the tournament championship.
The Newhallville Neighborhood Cor poration joined forces with its communi ty partners the Newhallville Management Team, Ward 20 Alder Devin AvshalomSmith, Newhallville/Hamden Strong, Mt. Calvary Deliverance Tabernacle, Ne whallville Community Matters, and oth ers to host the family bash Sunday.
Jones, a member of the M Pire Auto Club, used a crew member’s cotton candy machine to spin together dozens of free sweet treats for kids and an oc casional parent. “It feels good to give back to my com munity and do my part,” he said. “With all the negative things going on every where, something like this really counts and is something to hold onto.”
Newhallville Celebrates Its Champs, On The Court & In The Community
Newhallville residents like Lawrence Jones volunteered their time Sunday to provide food amd snacks, and run a bouncehouse and water slide.
The partners hosted an all-day celebra tion of basketball tournaments, a cham pionship game, free food, and a back to school giveaway for families to get prepared for the upcoming school year. The organizers also hosted an awards ceremony to present city citations and recognition plaques to long-term neigh borhoodAvshalom-Smithleaders.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 6
The Newhallville Neighborhood Cor poration announced that it will next work on pushing the city to upgrade and reno vate the park. “We want to look like Mill Rock,” Gates said. “We deserve that.” The organizers added that they will soon start a petition to rename the park after tournament founder Dave Dur ham to recognize his contributions to theNewhallvilleneighborhood.native Daziah Stanley joined the Sunday celebration with her four kids to support her community. Stanley and her kids sported a children’s clothing line her family established called “Young Kings.” “There are a lot of people that bring good to the community, and when they do I like to support them,” she said.
by MAYA MCFADDEN Newhallville celebrated its past, pres ent, and future at a closing event at an annual summer community reunion and basketball tournament hosted at Lincoln Bassett Park.
and members of the Newhallville Neighborhood Corpora tion presented five awards to community leaders who have positively impacted the neighborhood for years. The awardees included DeeDee HandyMorris, Barbara Walker, Pete Cox, the late Ardelle Tucker, and Douglas Edge. The honorees were given city citations from Avshalom-Smith, who described them as “folks who deserve to be honored and given their flowers while they’re still here with us.”
“This award ain’t about me. It’s about y’all, the community,” Cox said. “The community is everything to me. I came home 25 years ago, so many people counted me out.” After overcoming periods of home lessness and incarceration, Cox is now a counselor and entrepreneur. The com munity celebrated his community ser vice Cox,Sunday.whogrew up in Newhallville, gave thanks to the neighborhood for support ing“Shoutouthim. to Newhallville, I grew up out here. When nobody didn’t want me, they brought me back,” he said. “I ain’t nobody without y’all.”
CONTRIBUTED Kim Harris celebrates new backpacks with students. Sister and cousin of Randy Cox; Latoya Boomer and Sunny Cox.
Newhallville Neighborhood Corpora tion CEO Gary Gates has been hosting the summer reunion and tournament for the past 20 years. The Sunday champion ship game concluded this year’s tradi tion of highlighting the talents of youth and“Soneighbors.often the narrative around Ne whallville centers around violence, but for something like this we saw what the community truly looks like,” Avsh alom-Smith said. “We are a lot of fun, full of love, comradery, and long-last ing Thebonds.”summer tradition is one of many counters to the negative narratives pre sented of the neighborhood, AvshalomSmith said. “We are underserved, but we still come together to make sure our families and kids have what they need,” he added. “Our community members are actively planting seeds of hope to elevate the neighborhood as a whole.” Community organizations tabled at the Sunday event while DJ Bink B played music throughout the day. At one table Sunday, the family of Randy Cox looked for support from the community in regards to a recent incident in which he was paralyzed while in po lice custody. Cox’s sister LaToya Boomer sold shirts picturing her brother’s face to “raise awareness of such a unfortunate and crazy situation.” She provided neighbors with the up dates that Cox has since been moved from the hospital to a rehab center. She said he no longer is limited in speaking since his breathing tube was removed from his mouth. However, he remains paralyzed from the neck down. On Aug. 28 Newhallville United will join with neighborhood partners to host its third annual back-to-school festival with dozens of organizations tabling along the Farmington Canal. Gates presented the winning team of Sunday’s championship game with a golden basketball trophy after the “Young Kings” took the win against team “Get Right.” The Sunday started with two playoff games to determine who would compete in the championship match. Then for the second year, the New Ha ven Police Department (NHPD) faced off on the court against the New Haven Fire Department (NHFD). For the second year in a row the NHFD took the win. The event was funded with the help of community donations of volunteer time and“Thismoney.works,” Gates said. “We’re able to keep the kids alive in the process and looking forward to next year for them to playTheagain.”championship game involved the teams “Get Right” and the “Young Kings.” The two went the tournament season undefeated until the final few weeks of the six-week tournament. At halftime, the score was 35 32, with team Get Right leading. Then the Young Kings took the lead with 50 46 and led for the remainder of the game. The final score was 72 58. Young Kings team member Davon Warner, 22, said he has played in the Ne whallville tournaments since his teens. After his team took a loss to team Get Right two weeks ago, he said, he and his teammates returned to the court Sunday to “finish it up.” Warner, a New Haven native, is a stu dent athlete at Albertus Magnus College. He said the summer tournament has be come a staple for city youth. He attributed his team’s win Sunday to its “advanced chemistry” developed from playing together for years. Warner and his team celebrated their win Sunday by splashing bottles of cold water on each other’s heads on the court.
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As one of the first Black female fire fighters, Bogan was tested at times by colleagues: The boundaries for joking, forAndinstance.inher early years the department was wracked by ethnic and racial divi sion: A group of mostly white firefighters passed over for promotions filed a lawsuit that made it all the way to the U.S. Su preme Court and led to a 2009 decision that ended one form of affirmative action nationwide.“Itwastough,” Bogan recalled. “People were so divided. It was tense. “I chose to keep my views and opinions to myself. The workplace is not the place to argue and fight. Once the bell hits and you have to go out, it doesn’t matter what your differences are. You are sent on call. You have an objective: How are we going to mitigate this as safely as possible?” During her career, Bogan worked throughout the city. She was first assigned to Engine 17 on East Grand Avenue, then Engine 15 on Fountain Street, then Engine 11 and Truck 2 in the Hill, then Engine 5 on Woodward Avenue, and finally, un til her retirement last month, Engine 16 in Morris Cove. She loved it all, she said. “This job gave me so much experience. I’ve made so many great friendships. … If you have mutual respect with your coworkers, you know you’re all there for a common goal,” you learn to get along and work together. The department changed, too, along the way. The department hired and pro moted more women and Black and La tino firefighters. The culture evolved, too: Two months ago, firefighters of all back grounds wore specially made T shirts on the job to mark Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the anniversary of the date when word of freedom for enslaved African Americans reached Texas. The second best part of the job, Bogan said, was delivering babies. She delivered seven on duty. After one such incident on Edgar Street, she was listed as the at tending physician on the baby’s birth cer tificate. In one sense, Bogan had become a doctor after all. The best part of the job for Bogan: Com munity service events. Especially ca reer“Ifairs.never had anybody like me back in the ‘90s telling me I can do this job. For little kids everywhere, it doesn’t matter what color you are. If I could positively influence them so they looked at me and grasped what I wish I had grasped at 18 ‘if she got it, I can do this job!’ … If I can influence one child to go after what I went after years ago, then my job is done.” “You have to give back,” Bogan said. She won’t do that anymore while wearing a firefighter’s uniform. But you can bank on her continuing the mission.
MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO Next-gen ambassador: Newly retired firefighter Erika Bogan at 2019 community event telling 7-year-old Shy Bond about the profession. by PAUL BASS Smoke was everywhere: Erika Bogan couldn’t see. But she could feel the stairs below her. And she discovered yes, she could do this job. Bogan made that discovery when she helped put out her first fire as a New Ha venMorefirefighter.thantwo decades later, Bogan has retired as a trailblazer in a department that has since undergone visible change. Bogan reflected on those changes, on that first fire, and on her career, in an in terview on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.
“I’m on my knees. I’m dragging my hose. All of a sudden my knees dropped. Holding onto the hose was the only thing that kept me from falling into the base ment.”Then she noticed: “I’m OK there are stairs!” She could feel them. So “I scooted down the stairs on my butt.” She and the crew extinguished the fire. “When I got through that,” she recalled thinking, “‘I can do this. I can really, re ally do this.’”
Trailblazer Ready For Next Mission
The New Haven native recalled how as a Hillhouse student, she wanted to en ter a helping profession. Maybe become a doctor, she thought at the time. The idea of becoming a firefighter never crossed her mind; she never saw any Black wom en doing that job. She found her way to a job as a 911 dispatcher, helping to guide callers and firefighters through emergencies over the phone. She started work in August 1995. “You should take the firefighter test,” her colleagues suggested. After a couple of years she did, and became one of the de partment’s first Black women in uniform. She tackled her first fire on Kenny Drive near Ross Woodward School in the Quin nipiac Meadows neighborhood. The fire was in the basement. Bogan was “on the pipe,” meaning she would enter the basement first with the hose to control the flow of water. “It’s daylight out. But the smoke is so thick. You literally cannot see your hand,” she recalled.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 8
Silverstein then railed against state laws around domestic violence as an example of how “we overreact” in Connecticut. He said there are now more “victim advocates” and “peace programs” than state’s attorneys at the courthouse, and that “hard cases make bad law.” He said that current state domestic violence laws “go way far and above what is warranted by the problem.”“Iknow it doesn’t make me very popular,” he said about his stance on domestic violenceFinally,law.Silverstein asked the judge to transfer ownership of Tennant’s four guns — an AR-15 rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and two handguns — to Silverstein. That way the defense attorney could either hold onto the guns for Tennant, or sell them and give Tennant whatever money he earns. “I am a licensed permittee,” Silverstein said. “I do have an assault weapon myself. … I have a lot of firearms.”
First Generation It began on August 13, 1892. Civil War veteran John H. Murphy Sr. merged his church publication with two others, which was only made possible by a loan from his wife Martha Howard Murphy, co-founder of the Colored Young Women’s Christian Association. In his 30-year reign as publisher, Murphy made the AFRO, through which he challenged Jim Crow laws, the most widely circulated Black newspaper on the Atlantic Coast. Upon his death, his 10 children took over the paper, which had a weekly circulation of 14,000. His children had grown up training in different areas of the newspaper industry, and four of his sons became the second generation of management.
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the women were working on initiatives that formed the basis for Afro Charities. The Clean Block campaign — launched by Carl J. Murphy’s sister Frances L. Murphy I in the 1930’s— is still in existence. Its mission then and now is to improve the appearance of the city’s neighborhoods and help reduce crime, and the program now includes green initiatives. The AFRO Honor Roll, which started in the 40’s, and the 50’s-era Mrs. Santa program also came under Afro Charities’ purview when the organization was officially established in 1963. Today, Afro Charities’ main focus is on preserving the AFRO’s extensive archives, but it continues to provide administrative support for AFRO Clean Block and Mrs. Santa. Third Generation As the AFRO expanded, not everyone stayed domestic. Several reporters were stationed in Europe during World War II, along with other parts of the Eastern hemisphere. This included Elizabeth Murphy Phillips Moss, Carl Murphy’s daughter, who was the first Black female war correspondent. Elizabeth went on to serve in a number of editorial leadership positions as part of the third generation of management that took over upon her father’s death in 1967. During her tenure, Elizabeth eventually became vice president and publisher until she retired in 1976. Her cohort included John H. Murphy III, who, after working at the Philadelphia AFRO, became president in 1961 and was also chairman of the board. After working as a mechanical superintendent and holding a number of production positions, John J. Oliver Sr. was elected president in 1976. Frances L. Murphy II (Carl Murphy’s daughter) was chairman of the board from 1970-1974 and was publisher of the Washington AFRO through the 90’s. And Mae Murphy Dyson was D. Arnett’s sidekick, a corporate secretary, and worked in a board leadership position until she retired.Frances (also known as Frankie) strongly believed in the whole family contributing to the paper’s success, which included enlisting her grandchildren to sell newspapers on street corners. Her family also remembers her as always being able to see the positives in every situation. John H. Murphy III was described as a “down-toearth” boss and a people person. He spent his life recording history not only through the AFRO but also his photography. Under the third generation, the AFRO expanded its initiatives on a national scale. In the 50’s, the newspaper collaborated with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on many civil rights cases and ultimately joined a suit that led to the Supreme Court’s 1954 By Maya Pottiger, Special to the AFRO Con’t
on page 11
Instead of transferring the guns to Silverstein, Alander decided to give Tennant 60 days to find a licensed arms dealer willing to purchase these four guns from him. If he doesn’t sell the guns in that time, then the guns will be destroyed. Alander also disagreed with Silverstein’s critique of domestic violence law. “I do not find that the state has overreacted to the problem of domestic violence,” the judge said. “Domestic violence is a serious, serious issue in the community.”
Second Generation In 1922, Carl J. Murphy took over as editor; John H. Murphy Jr. was head of circulation and production; D. Arnett Murphy led advertising and national distribution; and George B. Murphy was on the board. Under the brothers’ leadership, the paper gained national traction with 13 editions circulating across the East Coast and through the South. With the brand now a trusted and established voice, it began to effect social change on a national scale, including through advocacy in the editorial pages on a variety of issues. The paper — in its social, community, church, and sports sections — shared reliable information about what was happening in Black communities, which was often omitted by mainstreamMeanwhile,outlets.
The AFRO at 130: six generations of Black excellence
Some families have recipes they pass down, others have jewelry or furniture. In the Murphy family, the AFRO American Newspaper has been passed down through generations for 130 years. Currently at the helm is Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, the great-great-granddaughter of the paper’s founder, John Henry Murphy Sr. She’s joined by Savannah Wood, part of the fifth generation of Murphys, who, as the director of Afro Charities, is unlocking pieces of family history. And Kevin Peck, Draper’s son, serves as the vice president of technology. His daughters Morgan and Taylor have also helped out with the family business. Throughout its history, the AFRO has been a vital voice in the community. Its pages tell the most important stories across the region, from shining a light on inequities in classrooms to explaining issues at all levels of politics to highlighting the local arts. But it’s taken a lot of work to get here.
No Prison Time Con’t from page 04
By Tanya Dennis Last week, the Oakland City Coun cil approved $250,000 to assist the East Bay Association of Black Psychologists (EBABP) and Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) open two emergency mental health centers, one at True Vine Ministries and BOSS in East Oakland. Oakland Frontline Healers, a collabora tive of Black-led non-profits and medical doctors that joined together in April of 2020, to combat COVID-19 in the Afri can American community by providing free PPE, testing, vaccines and support services.LastOctober the collaborative, after as sessing their successful frontline status in serving the African American community determined they must address other criti cal issues. They decided to address Black mentalReachinghealth.out to the East Bay Association of Black Psychologists, Oakland Frontline Healers discovered that providing mental health services specifically to Black folks would be more detailed then simply secur ing a space and providing services. Dr. Wade Nobles, a co-founder of the Black Psychologists Association, revealed that the European model had done a disser vice to the African American community. In October 2021, the American Psycholo gists Association offered a public apology to the African American community with a commitment to “shed racist and colonial roots to embody the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to become an ac tively antiracist discipline.” With that knowledge, both EBABP and OFH committed to creating an Africancentered mental wellness model. “The COVID-19 pandemic has glaringly illuminated the disparities in America that compromises Black health daily,” Nobles said. “Unfortunately, incarceration or worse is presented as the only recourse as resources addressing Black trauma is extremely limited and for many nonexistent.Theeconomic, physical, and spiritual damage, coupled with the pandemic cri sis, must be met with healing and love, he continued. “Black people must save ourselves, for no one is coming to our res cue. Therefore, we are working towards constructing an African American Healing Hub that embraces African-centric mental wellness modalities utilizing a holistic ap proach.”Vice-Mayor Rebecca Kaplan agreed af ter attending the group’s town halls and submitted a proposal to award $250,000 to the project for culturally congruent train ing for behavioral specialists and frontline providers.
“The City Council’s vote of confidence and support is amazing! Their vote aligns with the African-centric tenet that it takes an entire community to ensure the well ness of the village,” said OFH facilitator Tanya Dennis. The Association of Black Psychologists and Oakland Frontline Healers are cur rently working with Alameda County on the healing hubs and a healing center that has been in planning since 2015.
Dr. Lawford Goddard, an EBABP rep resentative says, “We are committed to wellness, and treating the whole person and the whole community. Our project with the County, once complete, will also serve as a representative of our culture.” They envision a space for meetings, conferences and banquets, a place where self-care like yoga, Reiki, urban garden ing, massage, dance, drumming, healing circles and fun activities that promote wellness are “Unfortunately,offered.our project with the County is three years or more in the future and we cannot wait,” Goddard said. “We must help our people now, by working with Oakland Frontline Healers and their emergency healing hubs enabling us to provide services within months.”
The County has committed $19 million toward the purchase of a site to establish a larger complex that will embody Afri can American wellness as envisioned by EBASP.The post Oakland City Council Ap proves Funding for African American Healing Hubs first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.
Oakland City Council Approves Funding for African American Healing Hubs
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 10 OP-ED:
Diversifying American Media Ownership Must Become a National Priority
By Jim Winston and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. Thus far, 2022 has been a year of mul tiple socioeconomic and political chal lenges for all Americans across the nation. Yet for African Americans and other com munities of color, this year represents both challenges and opportunities from a busi ness ownership perspective. In particular, for Black-owned media businesses there is a growing sense of resilience even in the face of continued profound racial dispari ties and societal inequities. The communications and media industry in America especially should be one of the leading industries that adopts the “good business” sense to embrace the values and benefits of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). This is not about charity or benevo lence. Diversity is objectively good for business.TheNational Newspaper Publishers As sociation (NNPA) and the National As sociation of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) are working together to encour age the media and advertising industries to become more proactive and committed to diversity from the C-suites to the decisionmaking managers. But more needs to be done to increase and to enhance the own ership of media businesses by African Americans and other minorities. Economic equity in media requires equal access to investment capital, technical ad vances in communications infrastructure, and inclusion in other industry innova tions. As increased changes in the racial demographics of the nation continue to accelerate in the United States, American media must be more representative of the growing diversity of the nation. It is noteworthy, therefore, that one of the recently announced major media mergers has Standard General, a minority-owned firm, pending regulatory reviews and approvals by the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Com mission, acquiring TEGNA, a company owning 64 television stations around the country. Soo Kim, a successful Asian American business leader, who serves as Standard General’s founding and manag ing partner, emphasized “We’re open to exploring new partnership models to get diverse viewpoints and perspectives on the air and to make sure people have the resources to do it.” We agree with this sentiment as multi racial ownership of American media busi nesses will continue to be viewed as a strategic forecast for the future economic wellbeing of the nation. We intend to raise our voices in support of the positive eco nomic and social-equity consequences of diversifying American media. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has pointed out, “Ac cess to the media by the broadest sector of society is crucial to ensuring that diverse viewpoints are presented to the American people, but racial and gender disparities in media ownership dating back to the be ginning of the civil rights era continue to persist.” Again, overcoming these dispari ties should be a national media industry priority.“Ata time when more people, particu larly Black people, are distrustful of the media, diversity in media ownership,” the Leadership Conference argues, “has become more important than ever for the functioning of our democracy. Diversity in ownership is part of that solution.” We agree with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ position on this issue.Lastly, as our nation prepares for the up coming Midterm Elections in November, there are many who are predicating low overall voter turnout. Millions of dol lars will be spent on Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) campaigns. Those who desire to increase GOTV among African- Ameri cans and other communities of color will have to engage Black owned media as the “Trusted Voice” of Black America in order to increase voter turnout.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President and CEO of the National News paper Publishers Association (NNPA) headquartered in Washington, DC.
Vice-Mayor Rebecca Kaplan spearheaded the City Council to approve $250,000 of City funds towards the training of “culturally congruent” behavioral specialists and frontline workers to support mental wellness in the African American community.
Jim Winston is President and CEO of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) headquartered in Washington, DC.
10 different decision outlawing segregated public schools. It also launched a monthly maga zine in the 60’s, called “Dawn,” which was printed for 20 years and inserted into more than 2 million Black papers across the country. Fourth Generation Like the third generation, many in the fourth generation started working in the family business when they were in junior high school. However, unlike the third generation, most of them pursued other careers.In1986, John J. Oliver Jr. (Jake) and Frances Murphy Draper (Toni) returned to the AFRO and were elected publisher and president respectively. Cousin Ar thur W. Murphy joined them and began cataloging the company’s extensive ar chives. Arthur died in 2008 at the age of 57. Oliver is credited with initiating the company’s transition from print to digital. Draper left the family business in 1999 to pursue her call to full time ministry. Her first cousin, Benjamin Murphy Phillips IV, once an AFRO photographer (like his fa ther, Frank Phillips and his uncle I. Henry Phillips) rejoined the company as director of global markets (2007-2014) and was elected president (2014-2016, 2018- pres ent).In 2018, Draper replaced Oliver as pub lisher, a role she still holds today. In addi tion to Draper, Oliver and Phillips, several other fourth and fifth generation members currently serve on the company’s board of directors, including Rachael Murphy Humphrey, the Rev. Dr. Marie Murphy Braxton, Blair Carl Smith, Laura W. Mur phy, Dr. James E. Wood, Jr, Kevin Peck, Lori Murphy Lee and Lynn Michalopou los.Just as the generations before them, this group makes sure the AFRO is still a pio neer in the industry. The AFRO was one of the first papers to launch a website among the Black press, which also led to other technological advancements, like TK. These days, Draper is feeling “extremely proud” of Team AFRO and its diversity. They were recently honored with awards from the MDDC Delaware Press Associa tion and the John B. Russwurm trophy for excellence in journalism from the National Newspaper Publishers Fund. Draper was also voted Publisher of the Year in 2022 by members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Along with con tent growth and an expanding digital foot print, Draper is proud of the collaborative opportunities, specifically through Local Media Association and Word In Black.
The AFRO Con’t from page 09
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2022: 130 Years of AFRO With the fifth (including AFRO Charities director, Savannah Wood) and sixth gen erations already hard at work, the AFRO will only continue to grow and adapt to the ever-changing industry in ways that best suit the needs of its loyal readers and followers.
autoimmune disorder that can also be known as Devic disease, Devic syndrome, optic neuromyelitis, or opticomyelitis. In this disorder, the im mune system attacks a water channel pro tein called aquaporin 4, which is essential to the production of healthy cells in the central nervous system. As a result of this attack, astrocytes and neurons die and the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord is damaged or broken down. This sequence of events is why NMOSD is characterized by inflammation in the spinal cord and optic nerves. In many cases, this inflammation quickly results in permanent damage, and people can end up blind or paralyzed. There was a point when doctors thought NMOSD was sim ply a form of multiple sclerosis (MS) but this was proven not to be the case. The Important Findings Of The Recent Study While the disease has been on research ers’ radar for about a century, it wasn’t until recently that they explored how NMOSD might be related to a patient’s ethnicity.During this study, it was found that Black people were 2-3 times more likely to be diagnosed with the illness than other ethnicities. Interestingly, the disease was also more likely to progress quickly, get diagnosed at an earlier age, and have more adverse effects such as permanent dis abilities.When studying how the current treat ment options affected African Americans, researchers also found that ethnicity made a difference. Those who were given drugs that affect B-cells, saw better results while others who were given different drugs ac tually experienced a higher rate of infec tions. Additionally, the disorder was found to affect women more often than men. Why It Affects More African Americans As with several other diseases that disproportionately affect Black people, researchers estimate that genetics play a major role in the higher risk of develop ing NMOSD. Researchers also found that your location could have an impact as well.During the study, 3 in 100,000 persons in Japan were diagnosed with the disease but 11 in 100,000 in the French-speaking Caribbean island of Martinique. The high est numbers, however, were found in Ni geria. When they checked with one of the nation’s largest hospitals, they found that 430 of 100,000 persons were diagnosed with NMOSD. Since this is relatively new information, however, researchers are interested in doing more location-based studies as well as further clinical trials with African Americans. In the early stages of NMOSD, it can be difficult to differentiate between the dis order and MS. However, doctors recom mend making note of how your symp toms change or progress over time so you can let your doctor know. For the most part, the symptoms of NMOSD get worse more quickly than MS. You may also experience more rapid ly cycling periods of remission and flares. Some of the symptoms you may have include blurry vision or blindness in one or both eyes, weakness or paralysis in the legs or arms, painful spasms, numb ness throughout the body, chronic nausea, vomiting, uncontrolled hiccups, bladder or bowel problems, and trouble sleeping. The diagnosis of NMOSD typically in cludes a thorough neurologic medical ex amination, blood tests, spinal tap, and an MRI. It’s these tests that can make it clear that you have NMOSD and not MS. For example, people with MS will have evidence of damage to certain areas of the brain during an MRI. Those with NMOSD, on the other hand, won’t show any damage. Once you’re diagnosed, your doctor will need to establish a medical regimen. While the disease can’t be cured, it can be managed effectively. NMOSD might be rare but a recent study highlights that African Americans are still at a higher risk than other ethnicities. If you’re concerned about any of the symp toms listed here, then talk to your doctor quickly. When NMOSD is left unad dressed, it can progress rapidly and cause permanent damage.
By BlackNews.com
About the Director Luchina Fisher is an award-winning writer, director, and producer whose work is at the intersection of race, gender, and identity. She can discuss why this film is important to her, how she found Ann and Madeline, and the importance of breaking down the stereotype that “Blacks can’t swim.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 12 82 and 77-Year Old Black Female Swimmers Make History After Competing in National Senior Games
About Widen The Screen Widen The Screen is an expansive con tent creation, talent development, and partnership platform that celebrates cre ativity and enables Black creators to share the full richness of the Black experience. “Only when we Widen The Screen to Widen Our Views can we all broaden the spectrum of images we see, the voices we hear, the stories we tell, and the people we understand.” Learn more at https://us.pg. com/widen-the-screen About Queen Collective In 2018, P&G, Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment, and Tribeca Studios launched the Queen Collective, a men toring and talent development program designed to give women filmmakers of color a platform to share important stories from their unique perspectives. Now in its fourth year, the Queen Collective is en abling a record number of female directors and other creatives to produce their origi nal documentaries and scripted pieces to share their perspectives through film.
Ann Smith (age 82) and Madeline Mur phy Rabb (age 77) are two African Ameri can swimmers who competed in the 2022 National Senior Games and were the only Black women to compete in their age group.Adocumentary short called Team Dream from award-winning filmmaker Luchina Fisher follows their story and will debut at Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival in August (and then on BET in the fall) thanks to Procter & Gamble’s initiative Widen the Screen and Queen Collective.Despitebeing omitted from the history books, Africans and African Americans have a long history of swimming. Team Dream sheds light on the lack of access to pools for Blacks during segregation that resulted in fewer Blacks learning how to swim.
This Rare Disease Affects Black People More But You’ve Never Heard Of It by Karen Heslop, BlackDoctor.org Though neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) was identified over a century ago, a lot of people still haven’t heard of it. Black people, in particular, need to be wary as it’s been found to af fect them more than other ethnicities. That’s only one of a few recent discov eries, though, and researchers still have quite a bit of work to do. Here’s what they know so far. What Is NMOSDNMOSD?isarare
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 13 August Is Black Philanthropy Month!
About the BPM Art Poster Series
In 2017, BPM began what has become an annual feature, the BPM Art Poster. Shared digitally and available for download throughout August, the poster serves as a visual representation of the annual theme and aims to inspire and advance the ideals of our movement, ultimately shaping 21st-century philanthropy.
Among BPM’s 10 Global Black Funding Principles is “supporting Black innovation and creativity”. It is important to shift funding to a strength-based model, recognizing and building upon Black innovation, creation, and culture. Black creativity is not only a form of cultural expression but it also builds shared vision, resilience, and novel solutions to community and global challenges.
The Black Philanthropy Month poster serves as a visual representation of the annual theme and aims to inspire giving, advance the ideals of our movement and ultimately shape 21st-century philanthropy. The BPM 2022 poster is illustrated by Kah’Milah Ledgester. She’s an artist and college student studying graphic design at Florida A&M University. Kah’Milah won Target’s 2021 HBCU Design Challenge, which allowed her to showcase her talented designs in Target stores nationwide. She submitted her winning artwork to both Target and JC Penny’s HBCU Design Challenge and she had her digital artwork featured at both retail stores.When she graduates, she plans to create her own business. While striving to make a name for herself in the industry of design, Kah’Milah’s goal is to build a strong media presence through social media to gain connec tions and be seen at the forefront of innovation.
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark and Vice President of the MLB Players Alliance C.C. Sabathia gave their opinions on what needs to be done to get more African Americans back on the playing field, and as managers and owners. Clark said, “There is a long answer and a lot of moving pieces to that… As it relates to ownership, as it relates to management, those are decisions that ownership and management are going to have to make… We are hopeful that at some point in time the light will indeed come on and the folks that are making decisions on that side of the equation will appreciate the value of a more diverse ownership group and a more diverse management group…” Sabathia said, “That is a big issue…That is [The Players Alliance’s] big mission, to get kids back playing. When I was playing, I thought the kids were not playing baseball, but that is not true. Kids are playing baseball at a high clip, especially in our community. We just got to give them moreSabathiaopportunities.”shinedalight on Major League Baseball’s development programs like the Hank Aaron Invitational and Elite Development Invitational. Sabathia mentioned some of the players drafted this year that came up through those programs. He said, “It is just about making [the programs] bigger and expanding and doing a better job of identifying those kids that want to play baseball.”
By Menra Mapfumo
On July 27 in New York, NY, after years of anticipation and fundraising, the Founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the wife of Jackie Robinson, Mrs. Rachel Robinson opened The Jackie RobinsonTheMuseum.museum will educate visitors by showcasing the life, legacy, and accomplishments of Jackie and Rachel Robinson, and not just their role in transforming America’s pastime, but their social justice activism. The Jackie Robinson Museum is the only Civil Rights museum in New York City. At 100 years old, Mrs. Robinson herself was there to cut the ribbon herself in front of a crowd of several hundred which included her two remaining children, Sharon and David Robinson, and many of her grandchildren.JackieRobinson Foundation CEO Della Britton described what she wants young people to get out of the museum: “We want them to become knowledgeable about Jackie Robinson and Rachel Robinson and their legacy. We want them to be inspired by that. We want them to learn from the challenges Jackie had, from strategies he had for how to create change. Primarily, interested in equal opportunity, interested in economic empowerment. He spent his entire life working to close the achievement gap to get a level playing field. So, we want them to learn the story and then we want them to be inspired to continue the work, and to create a society that is more just.”
The Long-Awaited Grand Opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum
Former Attorney General Eric Holder shared how Jackie Robinson inspired him as he grew up: “Jackie Robinson was a hero of mine…Jackie Robinson was the key to my interest in the Brooklyn Dodgers. The first team to integrate. You could not be a young Black man in New York without rooting for the Dodgers. To see this museum, it is the culmination of recognition that I think he deserved. I think this is not only a testament to the past, it is also a call to people to be engaged in the future in the way that Jackie and Rachel want.”New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed how he felt about the impact Jackie Robinson had on his life: “Just the belief that because something seems impossible, it is possible. We cannot always find the safest pathway. He just inspired me… I was the first Black Borough President and I am the second Black mayor. Going through the challenges of breaking down those barriers, I just think so many of us can look at his story… Other people think it is not possible or doable, but he did it. It is also about partnership. You cannot get away from his love affair with his wonderful wife and even as he transitioned, she continued. That is why this museum is open. That is why the [Jackie Robinson Foundation] is doing well.”
Director Spike Lee, and renowned journalist, biographer and the author of the text on the very walls of the Jackie Robinson Museum, Howard Bryant opined on what most impressed them about the museum and what the opening meant to them. CLee said, “…This is something that the queen Rachel Robinson wanted for her husband and herself. This is a place where this should be one of the top museums. Not just in New York City. Not just in Washington D.C., but the United States of America. You cannot underestimate the significance, the importance, of Jackie Robinson…April 14, 1947, is a delineation…the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and it is one of the greatest days in the history of this country. That is what it Bryantmeans.”said,“It means more than I can say… The thing that means most to me is that Rachel is here to see it. To be able to see a vision come through. She’s wanted this for more than 20 years and to be able to see it with your own two eyes, it brings you to tears. It is really special. To me, what I am really impressed about is the dedication of seeing a project through because this was hard to get done. We always say things like ‘Do not talk about it, be about it.’ The number of people who were committed to make this happen, it tells you how important this is and it tells you how when you are really committed to something worthwhile see it through. You fight for it. You make sure that everybody else around you builds you up. This is a testament to… Jackie’s commitment, Rachel’s commitment, to the commitment of everybody who wanted to see this happen and now it is here.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 14
New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman articulated what the opening of the museum meant to him: “The Yankees were there for the beginning and we have stepped up. [Former Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner] had a great relationship with Rachel Robinson… It means everything. First of all, I did not grow up a Yankee fan. I grew up a Dodger fan so I know the history of Jackie Robinson, the impact he had not only on the game of baseball, but on the world, especially here in America. He was a game changer. We celebrate his life, his impact, and obviously a lot more work to be done. He is a pillar of hope and strength for so many. To remind us of where we were, but also where we need to keep going. It is a pleasure to be here for the opening. It is my trade deadline, but when it is Jackie Robinson you stop everything and come.”
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
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 NEW HAVEN 242-258 Fairmont Ave
below:
Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com
ADMIN) Elm City Communities,
DE
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 &
Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer Union Company seeks: Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact Dana at 860-243-2300 Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.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
Autoridad
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.
PVC FENCE PRODUCTION 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
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.
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This
Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 15 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016
de
Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 available via ftp link http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage
excellent benefits
Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks: 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
NOTICE VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce 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) 6211720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.
Admin). El
Una audiencia pública donde se aceptarán y registrarán los comentarios públicos está programada para el lunes 29 de agosto de 2022 a las 4:00 p. m. a través de https://v.ringcentral.com/join/975943490?pw=2e34ff6769797e68e96a95bb953d0d81RingCentral: Identificación de la reunión: 975943490 Contraseña: yozWY5m3ib O teléfono: +12679304000 Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA) Código de acceso / ID de reunión: 975943490 Contraseña de marcación: 9699956342 Cualquier persona que requiera una Adaptación Razonable para participar en la audiencia puede llamar al Gerente de Adaptación Razonable (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 o al Número TDD (203) 497-8434.
Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions for this position are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=220512&R2=6855AR&R3=001
ENMIENDA PROPUESTA AL PLAN ADMINISTRATIVO
de
Administrativo
NOTICIA VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES
The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Research Analyst
Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com
Specialties, Appliances,
New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Residential Casework, contract
Project documents
Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com
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 Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project
propone
DRIVER CDL CLASS A Full Time – All Shifts Top Pay-Full Benefits EOE Please apply in person: 1425 Honeyspot Rd. Ext. Stratford, CT 06615 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ELM CITY COMMUNITIES/HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH) PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE HCV ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN (ADMIN PLAN) 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). The thirty (30) days comment period begins on Monday, August 1, 2022, and ends on August 30, 2022. Copies of the amendment to the HCV Administrative Plan will be made available on Monday, August 1, 2022 on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ YouElmCityCommunitiesareinvitedtoprovide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, Admin Plan Revisions; Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: Aeribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.publichearingwherepubliccomments will be accepted and recorded is scheduled for Monday, August 29, 2022 at 4:00pm via RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/9759 43490?pw=2e34ff6769797e68e96a95bb953d0d81 Meeting ID: 975943490 / Password: yozWY5m3ib Or Phone: +12679304000 United States (Philadelphia, PA) Access Code / Meeting ID: 975943490 Dial-in password: 9699956342 Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434. AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA LAS COMUNIDADES DE
Las copias de la enmienda al Plan Administrativo de HCV estarán disponibles el lunes 1 de agosto de 2022 en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o a través de Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities o a través de Facebook www.facebook.com/ SeElmCityCommunitiesleinvitaaproporcionar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, Revisiones del plan de administración; Atención: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.
Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce LA CIUDAD ELM/AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) DE AVC (PLAN la de Vivienda la Ciudad de New Haven (ECC/ HANH) modificar secciones su Plan de Vales de Elección de Vivienda (HCV) (Plan período de comentarios de treinta (30) días comienza el lunes 1 de agosto de 2022 y finaliza el 30 de agosto de 2022.
is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.
Se le invita a dirigir comentarios por escrito a: ECC/HANH, Revisiones al Plan de Accion de FSS; Atención: LaToya Mills o Melody Ramos, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: lmccrea@elmcitycommunities.org or mramos@elmci Unatycommunities.org.audienciapública donde se aceptarán y registrarán los comentarios públicos está pro gramada para el martes 30 de Augusto de 2022 a las 4:00 p.m. a través de la aplicacion de RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/136944979?pw=2fcfea64113c9b72f337968 8df9cb2a8 Identificación de la reunión: 136944979 Contraseña: eadfoQq0u9 O teléfono: 136944979Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA) Código de acceso / No. de reunión: 136944979 Contraseña de marcación: 3233677089 Cualquier individuo que requiera una Acomodacion Razonable para participar en la puede llamar al Gerente de Acomodacion Razonable al (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 o al Número TDD (203) 497-8434.
Listing: Commercial Driver Full Time Class B driver for a fast paced petroleum company for days and weekends. Previous experience required. Competitive wage, 401(k) and benefits. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy. com ********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer********** NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Audit Services RFP No. SCOPE:P22004 The Housing Authority of the City of Danbury hereby issues this Request for Proposal to secure a contract to perform Audit Services PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN: Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: RFP No. P22004, Audit Services SUBMITTAL DEADLINE September 8th, 2022 at 10:00am (EST) RFP DOCUMENTATION: Go to: www.hacdct.org “Bidding Opportunities” [Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond] Assistant Director of Human $79,596SalaryResourcesRangeto$122,857 Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org Assistant Director of Building & Land Use Salary Range $79,596 to $122,857 Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org Town of Bloomfield Assistant Building Official $39.80 hourly Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org Town of Bloomfield
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
A
https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gate way
La comunidad de Elm City, Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Haven (ECC/ HANH) propone modificar el Plan de Accion del programa de Autosuficiencia Familiar (FSS). Este plan rige todas las actividades del Programa de Autosuficiencia Famliar. El período de comentarios comienza el 1 de Augusto de 2022 y finaliza el 30 de Augusto de 2022. Las copias de la enmienda al Plan de Accion de Autosuficiencia Familiar estarán disponibles el Lunes 1 de Augusto de 2022 en la pagina web de la agencia www.elmci tycommunities.org o a través de Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities o a través de Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities
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 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 Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week, DELIVERY PERSON (203) NEEDED435-1387MustHaveyourOwnVehicleIfInterestedcall QSR STEEL CORPORATION APPLY NOW! Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The Housing Authority of
NOTICE VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
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 informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the to Bid: 2nd Notice VILLAGE Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project 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, the City of Bridgeport Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) July subject line. A pre-bid conference will be held at 655 Palisade Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06610 on July 27, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m. Atten dance is mandatory, submitting a bid for the project without attending conference will be REJECTED. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycom munities.org no later than August 3, 2022 at 3:00 PM Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Seal bids will be received until August 10, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m. at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.
360
SAYEBROOKE
NOTICIA VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES
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.
11, 2022. To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the
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 NEW HAVEN 242-258 Fairmont Ave 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
COMMUNITIES/HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY (FSS) ACTION PLAN Elm City Communities, the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (ECC/HANH) is proposing to amend the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Action Plan. This plan governs all activities for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. The comment period begins on August 1, 2022, and ends on August 30, 2022. Copies of the amendment to the FSS Action Plan will be made available on Monday, August 1, 2022 on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Twitter, www. twitter.com/ECCommunities or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities You are invited to provide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, FSS Action Plan Revisions; Attn: LaToya Mills or Melody Ramos, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: lmccrea@elmcitycommunities.org or mramos@elmcitycommuities. Aorg.public hearing where public comments will be accepted and recorded is scheduled for Tuesday, August 30, 2022, at 4:00pm via RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/13 Password:Meeting6944979?pw=2fcfea64113c9b72f3379688df9cb2a8ID:136944979eadfoQq0u9Onetaptojoinaudioonlyfrom a smartphone: +12679304000,,136944979#,,3233677089# United States (Philadelphia, PA) Or dial: +12679304000 United States (Philadelphia, PA) Access Code / Meeting ID: 136944979 Dial-in password: 3233677089 Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434. AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA LAS COMUNIDADES DE LA AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE LA CIUDAD DE NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH) PROPUESTA
New
Invitation
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 16 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016
Invitation for Bid (IFB) Fireside Apts. New Laundry Room Solicitation Number: 216-MD-22-S The
is requesting sealed bids for Renovation for UFAS Compliance Laundry Room at Fireside Apartments. Solicitation package will be available on
Town of Bloomfield MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO. Invitation for Bids Mill River Trash Removal 360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking bids for Mill River Trash Removal. complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Portal beginning on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 3:00PM. HEARING CITY DE ENMIENDA AL PLAN DE ACCION DEL PROGRAMA DE AUTOSUFICIENCIA FAMILIAR (FSS)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC
audiencia
FOR THE ELM
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.
Collaboration
Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project 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.
FY 2022 Low-Income (80%) Limit The Manchester Housing Authority does not discriminate based upon race, color, disability, familial status, sex or national origin. 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 62,600 71,500 80,450 89,400
Information regarding qualifications and job duties are available along with the application online at pages/job-notices-and-testshttps://www.townofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/orfromtheCivilServiceOffice,250MainStreet,East Haven and must be returned by August 30, 2022. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals.
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.
Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.
Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.
Robert T. Wolfe Generator Replacement
Assists Town of Wallingford, Wallingford, CT 06492, be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone (203) 294-2080. Fax: (203) 294-2084. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or August 29, 2022 whichever occurs first. EOE The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applications to participate in the examinations for the following positions: Secretary II, Grade Level 10-$21.36/hour. Account Clerk, Grade Level 10-$42,452/year General Clerk, Grade Level 10-$42,452/year
ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Invitation for Bids
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 Town of Bloomfield
The Manchester Housing Authority will open the State of Connecticut Congregate Housing waiting list for Westhill Gardens Congregate. The property consists of 37 1-BR units designated for frail seniors age 62 or older. Up to 150 applicants chosen by lottery will be added onto the waiting list. Applications are available at the MHA office and website at http://manchesterha.org and will be accepted online, by mail, or by drop box at 24 Bluefield Drive Manchester, CT 06040. Applications will be accepted August 15, 2022 8AM – September 16, 2022 at 4PM.
ELECTRICIAN Municipal electric utility is seeking a highly skilled maintenance electrician with extensive substation experience to maintain and repair transmission and distribution class switchgear, bus-work, lightning arrestors, protective relays, insulators, switches power transformers, data circuits, controls and other related components. Must be a high school/trade school graduate and have 4 years’ experience in the maintenance and operation of electric utility substations and/or utility grade protection and control systems. Completion of a recognized four (4) year maintenance electrician apprenticeship program may substitute for the experience requirement. Two (2) years of college-level education or advanced training in related field may substitute for two (2) years of the experience requirement. Must possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the State of Connecticut and be able to obtain with 6 months of hire a valid Protective Switching and Tagging Procedure certification from CONVEX or other approved agency. Wage rate: $37.78 to $41.67 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Applications will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of September 14, 2022. Phone: (203) 294-2080 / Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
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
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. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce
Property Appraiser
NOTICE VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
NOTICIA VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES
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
the Town Assessor in all phases of the property appraisal function; Applicants must have an A.S. degree in economics, business, finance, real estate or related field plus 3 years of real estate or appraisal experience or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must have a valid driver’s license. Salary: $33.97 - $42.66 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources,
Portland Director of Public Works full-time Go to www.portlandct.org for details Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc. seeks experienced ESTIMATOR to handle multiple large projects in the field of Electrical Construction. Full-time position. 5+ years experience in the following types of projects is preferred: Health care, Data centers, Educational, Industrial, Commercial, DOT, & Railroad. Electrical license E-2 or above preferred. Excellent compensation and benefits package. Send resume to Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc. 74 Scott Swamp Rd. Farmington, CT 06032 or via email at humanresources@duccielectrical.com. An affirmative action equal opportunity employer. EOE/M/F/D/V.
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 NEW HAVEN 242-258 Fairmont Ave 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
Forms will
FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC
DEPUTY TAX COLLECTOR-The Town of East Haven seeks a qualified candidate to fill this is a highly responsible position involving the collection and recording of municipal taxes. Qualified candidates should possess an Associate's Degree in business administration or related field plus two (2) years of responsible accounting and bookkeeping work or an equivalent combination of education and experience. One
year of working in a tax office is preferred. Must have valid class 3 Connecticut Driver's License. The salary for this position is $59,556/year, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent benefit package. Applications are available online at opportunityhandicappedHavenna@townofeasthavenct.org.Humansendtownofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/job-notices-and-tests.https://www.Pleaseapplication,coverletterandresumeto:TownofEastHaven,MichelleBenivegna,ResourceDepartment,250MainStreet,EastHaven,CT06512orMBeniveg-DeadlinetoapplyisAugust23,2022.TheTownofEastiscommittedtobuildingaworkforceofdiverseindividuals.Minorities,females,andveteransareencouragedtoapply.TheTownofEastHavenisanequalemployer. Director of Information Technology & Innovation/Chief Technology Officer $87,727 to $136,071 (expected starting pay maximum is ForPre-employmentmid-range)drugtesting.moredetails,visitourwebsite – www.bloomfieldct.org Deadline: Applications will be accepted until sufficient applications are received SENIORASSISTANTADMINITRATIVE Full-time position Go to www.portlandct.org for details Town of Bloomfield Director of Building and Land Use $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is Pre-employmentmid-range)drugtesting.Formoredetails,visitour website – www.bloomfieldct.org Deadline: Applications will be accepted until sufficient applications are received
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 17 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016
Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for Robert T. Wolfe Generator Replacement. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway beginning on Monday, August 1, 2022 at 3:00PM. 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.
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
45 South Main St.,
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.
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce
The Wallingford Fire Department is seeking qualified applicants for Firefighter/Paramedic. $1,122.64 weekly plus an excellent fringe benefits package. The written exam and oral exam process will be administered by the Town of Wallingford. To apply, candidates must register through the firefighterapp.com , once on the site go to firefighter jobs and locate the link for Wallingford. The registration/application deadline is September 2, 2022. The registration requires a fee of $35.00 (online with firefighterapps.com). EOE
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 18
The Origin Story of Black Education
Jarvis R. Givens. is an assistant professor of education and African & African American studies at Harvard University. Harvard University Press/Blog
Douglass wrote in the margins of the Web ster Spelling Book, populating these inbetween spaces with words he appropriat ed and mimicked, turning them toward his own semantic and political ends. Wood son’s nearby home state of Virginia passed laws prohibiting education for enslaved and free blacks as early as 1819. This legal precedent was reinforced through subsequent acts passed in Virginia lead ing up to Emancipation. In April 1831, for instance, an act was passed declaring “that all meetings of free negroes or mulattoes, at any schoolhouse, church, meetinghouse or other place for teaching them read ing or writing, either in the day or night, under whatever pretext, shall be deemed and considered as an unlawful assembly.”
erate slaves were not so unusual as to be unknown to other blacks. These literate slaves were recognized as leaders with a practical skill set that benefitted their com munity.How did the 10 percent of blacks who learned to read and write in the South be fore Emancipation gain the gift of litera cy? As Woodson recounted time and again in his writings: “Negroes themselves… stole away to secret places at night to study.” The historical record documents black Americans climbing into holes in the ground under the cover of night, at tending schools run by free blacks, “play ing school” with white children, “stealin’ a meetin’” in the woods, and trading food for lessons, among other covert means. In her remarkable narrative of black educa tion in the antebellum South and early in Emancipation, Heather Williams reveals that black people were self-taught and their own biggest advocates for education, in slavery and in freedom. Frederick Douglass, raised in Maryland between the 1820s and 1830s, represents the best-known example of learning in se cret. Left alone to look after the master’s house, he employed his own version of fu gitive pedagogy. He spent his time “writ ing in the spaces left in Master Thomas’s copy book, copying what he had written.”
The law then authorized whippings “at the discretion of any justice of the peace, not exceeding twenty lashes.” Such legisla tion, and the sentiments of antiliteracy ideology, became nearly universal in the South. When the Civil War began, black Americans challenged the prohibition of their mental elevation. Their efforts to learn expanded in formal and public ways; they initiated “native schools” in the Contraband Camps, which prefigured the Freedmen’s Bureau schools, and then the first public school system in the US South. With the end of the Civil War came “ju bilee,” as the formerly enslaved described the biblical time of freedom. No longer in bondage, black people across the South performed their first acts of freedom by occupying the classroom. Booker T. Washington recalled a “whole race trying to go to school,” and he noted: “Few were too young, and none were too old, to make the attempt to learn. As fast as any kind of teachers could be secured, not only were day-schools filled, but night schools as well.” The rush to the schoolhouse tran scended any single location. Washington’s narrative described blacks’ quest for edu cation throughout all the Southern states. Once legally permitted to become edu cated in the postbellum South, black Americans continued to experience vio lence and other forms of opposition to their efforts. Yet they continued to resist in the best ways they knew how. Even as black education developed institu tionally through the endeavors of blacks themselves and also in conjunction with white northern church denominations and philanthropists, black Americans nonetheless pursued critical parts of their educational lives in secret. As a class of political actors, black students and teach ers emerged as persuasive advocates in fundraising for their respective institu tions. And like black preachers, teachers (or, more expansively, Negroes “who had some learning”) were important leaders in black communities, not just because of their professional status but also as stokers and caretakers of the freedom dreams that helped initiate their escape from bondage. Black Americans shared an “equal rights” vision that remained unfulfilled. This vi sion fueled the emergence of black equal rights leagues and other organizational entities representative of black life during Reconstruction and the decades to follow. Black teachers’ associations reflected this collective drive on the part of a segment of leaders who signified the living history presented in Carter G. Woodson’s first classrooms.Blackpeople’s fugitive pedagogy lent itself to an origin story of black freedom. It was a central part of the general strike initiated by the absconded slaves who re fused the political economic arrangement of slavery when they fled the plantations during the war. As a framework for learn ing, it contested ideas of black inferiority, while rejecting the superexploitation and ownership of black people as fungible laborers. The black schools and teach ers after the war, by their very existence, symbolized the refutation of a knowledge realm that debased them, educational in stitutions that excluded them, and curri cula that portrayed them as always already subjugated and “narratively condemned.” Fugitive pedagogy framed black educa tional life from the time of slavery through Jim Crow as a narrative plot that tran scended the limited world in which black folks found themselves. It became more than a teaching method—more than utili tarian skills to be learned. Instead teach ing and learning themselves continued to be “a means of escape,” as Woodson wrote. Education would guide blacks in pursuit of a new world and a new way of being; it was a total critique of the current order. Black Americans passed this narra tive on as a panacea for social ills, and it heavily informed both politics and values after Emancipation. Carried over from slavery, fugitive pedagogy reflected the general story of black people’s shared past and present. In the postbellum era, black Americans continued to live their educa tional lives through the frame of this ori gin story. It continued to structure the rela tionship between education and the black political struggle more broadly. Woodson himself contributed to this long memory of education’s role in black America’s quest for freedom and justice.
To celebrate Black History Month, we’ve chosen excerpts from our books that re flect varied aspects of the Black experi ence. Fittingly, our first excerpt comes from a book about historian and educator Carter Woodson, the founder of Black History Month. The Los Angeles Review of Books praised Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching by Jarvis R. Givens, saying it “would make Woodson, the ever-rigorous teacher,Beforeproud.”Emancipation, the enslaved had to gain their education by “snatching learning in forbidden fields,” as Woodson characterized it. The black abolitionist and teacher Francis Ellen Watkins Harper explained that some tried “to steal a little from the book. And put words together, and learn by hook or crook.” Acquiring knowledge was a criminal act. As Freder ick Douglass’s master put it, a slave who learned to read and write against the will of his master was tantamount to “running away with himself.” Stealing one’s self in this way meant that the literate slave was a fugitive slave: to secretly acquire lit eracy—for religious, practical, and intel lectual ends (or, perhaps, especially as lei surely activity)—was akin to black flight from the sites of their enslavement. Antiliteracy laws targeting black people were older than the United States itself. The first law of this kind was a slave code enacted in 1740 in reaction to the Stono Slave Rebellion of 1739 in South Carolina. This code, which was meant to improve surveillance of the enslaved, listed writing among other illegal activities. Black peo ple’s disallowance from the realm of edu cational opportunity anteceded the birth of the nation. This prohibition was absorbed into the dominant ideology of the nation, even as American common schools were established after American independence for the purpose of training a responsible citizenry; thus, conceptions of citizenship emerged as a metonym for whiteness. The antiblack sentiments that justified slavery justified excluding black Americans from citizenship and from schools—this an tagonism was not an anomaly but was, in fact, a structural feature. Antiliteracy laws and the intellectual sur veillance that accompanied them left great marks on the politics of black education. They enforced the idea that blacks were outside the social contract of American society—inconceivable as fully human, citizen, or student. Many enslaved and free blacks subverted these legal mandates by acquiring literacy through fugitive tac tics—leaving a mark of equal or greater consequence.While the overwhelming majority of blacks were illiterate under slavery, approximately 10 percent learned to read and/or write; suggesting that lit Jarvis R. Givens. is an assistant professor of education and African & African American studies at Harvard University. Harvard University Press/Blog
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 19
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 17, 2022 - August 23, 2022 20 1-800-xfinity xfinity.com Visit a store today When it comes to the best in-home WiFi, Xfinity really does it big—with Gig. You’ll get supersonic WiFi with speeds faster than a Gig to power a houseful of connected devices, even when everyone’s online. So everyone in your home can Internet their heart out. We’re talking gaming, streaming, video-chatting, all at once! Unbeatable Internet. Made to do anything so you can do anything. With everything you’re doing at home, you need supersonic WiFi that can keep up. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Gig speed WiFi shareable across devices. Gig-speed WiFi requires Gigabit Internet and compatible xFi Gateway. Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. Many factors affect speed, including equipment performance, interference, congestion, and speeds of visited websites. WiFi speeds affected by additional factors, including distance from Gateway, home configuration, personal device capabilities, and others. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. All devices must be returned when service ends. Call for restrictions and complete details. NPA241252-0014 NED-AA-Unbeatable-V10 Don’t around.GigthanThere’sstress.moreenoughtogo 143542_NPA241252-0014 Unbeatable ad 9.25x10.5 V10.indd 1 6/27/22 3:22 PM
