INNER-CITY NEWS

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INNER-CITY 27, 2016 August 02,20, 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS - NEWS NoveberJuly 14, 2018 - -November 2018

Financial Justice a Key 2016 NAACP Connecticut Continues ToFocus Lag Inat Election ResultsConvention Reporting New Haven, Bridgeport

INNER-CITYNEWS

Volume 27 . No. 2306 Volume 21 No. 2194

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Storytellers Tackle Self-Image, Death by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent

A widow found that the process of watching a loved one die can have moments of beauty. And an amateur bodybuilder’s quest for an idealized outward manifestation of masculinity led him down a destructive path of disordered eating and exercising. Two New Haveners took an audience through those journeys at the last gathering of the New Haven Storyteller series. The storytellers of the hour were Jolyn Walker, a longtime staffer for The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and amateur bodybuilder Alexander Bogle. One story was told from the wisdom of making love last for 22 years, especially in the final months of a spouse’s life. The other was told from the perspective of youth being made wiser by trial and error. Both invited friends and strangers to have an intimate look into a neighbor, co-worker, church member, or stranger’s life. For Kevin and Karen Walton, who started the series a year ago on the premise of using storytelling as a community building tool, the stories told this past Monday night are the continued manifestation of the vision they created as part of the Community Leadership Program. And the number of people who continue to volunteer their stories and come to hear stories told once a month a confirmation of that vision. Jolyn was married to Judge Herbert Walker, who was not a judge but a retired firefighter. She explained to the crowd that people often assumed he was the former. “We would get mail all the time addressed to the Honorable Judge and Mrs. Walker,” she said with a laugh. As Jolyn sat in a high chair in the front of a crowd at The Orchid Cafe at ConnCAT in Science Park, she talked about “something inevitable.” In June of last year, on his 90th birthday, Judge Herbert Walker died. But not before his living far longer than the two weeks that his doctor had predicted. And not before the couple had made the nearly last year that he lived count. Though Jolyn Walker works here in New Haven, she and her husband made their home in Milford. He had been a Connecticut resident since the late 1950s. The Walkers were members of First Baptist of Milford where Judge served as a deacon for 55 years. “He cherished civic life and deeply believed in civil rights and human rights,” she said. “But most important Judge was a man full of faith.” After three years of dating, he proposed to her on a beautiful October evening the autumn foliage ablaze much like it is right now. Judge proposed on her front porch. He didn’t get down on one knee and he didn’t have a ring. But she still remembers the three things he said to her. He told her that he’d been watching her and he didn’t think he could live without her before finally asking, “Will you marry me?” Walker recalled being composed in her re-

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO Jolyn Walker recounts her husband’s death and last moments of joy.

Attendees listen attentively at November’s storytelling.

Alexander Bogle tells the story of how a desire to be “big and strong” became too much.

sponse but she said inside the proposal had set off fireworks. She also recalled telling him, “If you’re really serious then we need to go shopping for a ring.” Fast forward 22 years later to October 2017. Judge is in his late 89. He can’t get upstairs to bed. His condition lands him in the hospital and though he’s looking remarkably like himself, the Walkers get

stunning news. He and Jolyn are told that he has just two weeks left to live. They’re told they should get his affairs in order. “She was like, ‘You must call family,’’ Jolyn said. “I really took it to heart. Judge: What did he say? ‘They don’t know how strong I am.’” Judge was right. He lived for seven more months. Their son tricked out the family

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room and made it a man cave where he could see outside. He and Jolyn developed a routine that allowed them to spend as much time as they could together while simultaneously preparing for his funeral service. The Walkers had always gone to others for Thanksgiving. But everyone came to their house. And on his last trip to the hospital, which he had to make because he had started refusing food. He was ultimately transferred to a hospice where he stayed for 11 days. There were gardenias just like at their wedding and anniversaries from the garden Jolyn had planted in those last seven months. “They were so fragrant because they were just so new,” she said. “We smiled at each other because we knew at that time he was on a journey. I would go to work, go home and then go there. The nurses placed one of the gardenias in his hand. And it was just so precious and I knew.” She reminded Judge that his 90th birthday was coming in just a few days. “He took a deep breath like, ‘OK, I’ll stick around for that,” she said. So on the evening of his 90th birthday, the nurses and family members sang happy birthday. Everyone had cupcakes. Judge had a cupcake balloon. Jolyn recalled that his breath was stronger than it had been. She got home that evening around 8:30 p.m. and went to her computer to work on his funeral program. “About two hours later, I got the call that Judge had passed,” Jolyn said. She reminded the crowd, as she sat before them, still wearing her wedding ring, to remember the gardenias and roses in their life and hold them close. “Thing about the people in your lives,” she said. “If you get the opportunity to treasure it with all your heart and your soul.” Alexander Bogle has known that he wanted to be what he once thought was the ultimate definition of a man since he was 3 years old. He wanted to be just like the muscled man he saw on the cover of a bodybuilding magazine. He wanted to be big and strong, by any means necessary. And for the first time on Monday, he told the story publically of how his obsession with transforming his body into a chiseled physique led him on a destructive cycle of binging, purging, and restricting food, working out and injecting steroids that began as early as middle school and lasted until about three years ago. “I played sports soccer, basketball, football, and one really crazy year of wrestling,” he recalled. But he said his interest in those things wained his sophomore year in high school when puberty hit. “I remember looking in the mirror and crying,” he said. Bogle said he cried because he didn’t look like the man that he wanted to be. He didn’t look like the man from the bodybuilding magazine. “I was kind of potbellied,” he said. “My breasts drooped. I didn’t dare call them pecs because they didn’t deserve to be

called pectorals. I was very hard on myself.” That crying jag led him to purchase his first diet pill, Zantrex 3. He bought it with his allowance and started taking it the summer of his junior year. “It was the first day of summer,” he recalled. “I ran around my neighborhood amped up on diet pill, had a yogurt, did 50 sit-ups went back to sleep hoping I would wake up a god. He didn’t wake up a god be he did start to see some results which only fueled his desire to see if he could get better results if further controlled what he put in his body. Every time I ate something I wasn’t supposed to, I would throw it up,” Bogle said. “And then I would have an Ensure, or a protein shake, or cottage cheese and tuna fish. “Yeah, it was pretty bad,” he added. “I don’t recommend eating that ever.” But these secret habits and his dedication to building a physique that his peers admired garnered him affection, he said. He noted that affection was different from attention, which wasn’t hard to get as one of the only black people in the New Jersey neighborhood he grew up in. “I felt like I was the star of my own show,” he said. But he realized, thanks to WebMD, that he was probably damaging his body. So he stopped purging, instead adopting a very restrictive diet and continuing to hit the gym. But in the face of all that praise and adoration, a bus driver noticed and cautioned him to be careful. The driver had lost a grandson to an obsession with bodybuilding. “All I could think was about how much he got me messed up,” he said. “See that wasn’t me. I had it under control.” But he didn’t have it under control. He never did. And he didn’t realize it until three years ago, at 26, when he won his first amateur bodybuilding competition. Though he had won, he’d gotten there by restricting food, putting workouts above everything, and by abusing steroids to the point that his testosterone levels were dangerously high and he was hospitalized. He still works out pretty religiously but he’s kinder to himself and is building a better relationship with himself “I am currently on a journey to finding who I am without that goal of being someone else,” he said. “I’m rediscovering who I am, and what I want to be and how I want to move through the world.” But Bogle does worry. Not about himself. He’s worried about the kids today who are growing up in the age of digital and social media like Instagram, where images of perfect selfies of altered bodies abound. If a magazine cover once influenced him so greatly, how much more is that true of a device that provides a barrage of images every second? “It is something that we must be cognizant of in this new digital age,” he said.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

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

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Hundreds Rally For Mueller THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven Independent

Hundreds of protesters rallied on the New Haven Green against the president’s dismissal of the country’s attorney general, calling the move a bold-faced attack on an independent government investigation and on the integrity of American democracy. On Thursday at 5 p.m., around 300 protesters gathered at the corner of Elm Street and Church Street to sing, chant, boo, and jeer in response to President Donald Trump’s recent firing of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointment of Sessions’s chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, as the country’s new acting top law official. “You are here because our democracy is under attack,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal told the crowd. “It is a ‘break the glass’ moment, and you are at the tip of the spear to make sure that we preserve the rule of law in the greatest country in the history of the world.” The rally was organized by a slew of primarily suburban liberal advocacy groups that have popped up since Trump’s election in 2016, including Connecticut Shoreline Indivisible, Common Cause Connecticut, Orange Indivisible, and Action Together Connecticut. Carol Rizzolo (pictured), an organizer with Connecticut Shoreline Indivisible, said that the New Haven rally was one of 10 happening throughout the state at exactly 5 p.m.. It was one of 900 similar protests scheduled to occur throughout the nation at that time, supported by the national liberal organizing group MoveOn. “This is our ‘Nobody is Above the Law’ rally in response to the removal of Rosenstein and the threat to the Mueller investigation,” Rizzolo said, referencing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who up until Wednesday had been overseeing Independent Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into any potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Now that Sessions, who was a supporter of some of Trump’s most conservative policies on immigration and criminal justice, is out, Whitaker has replaced Rosenstein as the arbiter of how the independent counsel’s office will be funded and what it will be allowed to investigate. Sessions had angered Trump from recusing himself from that investigation. “This is all about protecting the exploring of what did Russia do in our elections,” Rizzolo continued, “and getting the meddling out of them. Obviously our president has chosen not to protect Bob Mueller, and the Congress hasn’t stepped up to do it either.” In between 1960s-era protest song singalongs led by Cyd Slotoroff, a handful of Shoreline organizers, local lawyers, politicians and political representatives, and then protest attendees themselves took the microphone to share their concerns about Trump’s perceived attacks on democratic institutions. “This investigation must conclude when it is complete,” said Jimmy Tickey, reading

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO a statement from U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, for whom he works as campaign manager. “Not when it is expedient for the president. No one is above the law.” He reminded attendees that DeLauro, who is expected to assume the chairmanship of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the federal legislature’s Appropriations Committee now that Democrats control the House of Representatives, is the co-sponsor of two bills that would limit Trump’s ability to fire Mueller: the Special

Counsel Independence Protection Act and the Special Counsel Transparency Act. “We don’t want to do anything that can jeopardize the Russia investigation,” said Common Cause Connecticut Executive Director Cheri Quickmire. “This is a critical, critical thing going on in our democracy right now. If we let that go and if we let Matthew Whitaker [serve as acting attorney general], he will absolutely do everything he can to make sure that this goes down.” Local attorney Alex Taubes said that the country’s political system rests on checks

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and balances. He said Trump’s appointment of Whitaker violates an important check that the independent counsel’s office has played and will play in its investigation of the president’s conduct while running for office. “All across this state,” he said, “people are coming out because what President Trump did by firing the attorney general, by installing a crony, by installing someone who has not been confirmed by the Senate, by installing someone who is going to do his bidding, we are going to resist. We are going to say, ‘No one is above the law.’ We are going to say, ‘Donald Trump, you cannot violate our Constitution.’” Blumenthal closed out the rally’s formal lineup of speakers, though the rally would continue further into the evening as various members of the crowd took the microphone and shared their own concerns and calls for protest. “It is a sign of what is coming,” Blumenthal said about Trump’s firing of Sessions and appointment of Whitaker. He said that the Trump administration learned something from the infamous Saturday Night Massacre, when on Oct. 20, 1973, then-President Richard Nixon dismissed his attorney general and fired his assistant attorney general for their refusals to fire the independent counsel investigating his involvement in the Watergate scandal. What the administration has learned, Blumenthal said, is that one should attack Mueller’s independence over time, as opposed to all on one night. “They’re doing it in slow motion to quell the fears,” he said. But rest assured, he said: Whitaker has the blueprints and the intention to undermine the Mueller investigation, if given the chance. Blumenthal said that he will introduce legislation that would stop any cut-off of funds to the independent counsel’s office, and that would require a publicly disclosed report if the special counsel is in any way limited in authority or fired. He demanded Whitaker’s recusal from overseeing the special counsel investigation, his dismissal from the role of acting attorney general, and an investigation by the House into President Trump’s actions on the campaign trail two years ago.

John P. Thomas Publisher / CEO

Babz Rawls Ivy

Editor-in-Chief Liaison, Corporate Affairs Babz@penfieldcomm.com

Advertising/Sales Team Trenda Lucky 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 New Haven Independent www.newhavenindependent.org

Memberships

National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association 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.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Connecticut Continues To Lag In Election Results Reporting by Christine Stuart CT. News Junkie

HARTFORD, CT Early Wednesday morning, both the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial campaigns sent their supporters home without knowing the outcome of the election because several towns, including New Haven, had still not reported their results. What happened? Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said she thinks people’s expectations about how quickly information is reported has changed. She said that in some places local election officials had to hand-count ballots and they were still counting at 6 a.m. Wednesday. She said voter turnout was also much higher than expected. According to the unofficial results, 66.94 percent of voters statewide turned out to vote on Tuesday. There were problems for the third year in a row with Election Day Registration in New Haven. Four-hour waits, not enough election staff, and problems with voting machines breaking down were some of the issues facing voters in the Elm City. “I think that they were very unprepared for election day registration. I don’t think there is any excuse for that. It has happened before,” Merrill, who was re-elected Tuesday as Secretary of the State, told the New Haven Independent. She noted that local officials deputized Yale law students later in the day to help process new registrations in the state’s system. That

CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKE FILE PHOTO

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill

can be done, and can be planned for in advance, she said. “Granted, it was a larger than expected turnout. But we did advise them: Expect a larger turnout,” Merrill said. What can the Secretary of the State do about it? “Nothing,” Merrill said in an interview in

THEODORA (TEDDI) GLOVER APRIL 27, 1928 - NOVEMBER 3, 2018

Theodora L. Glover (Teddi), 90, of New Haven, passed away Saturday, November 3, 2018. She was born in Newark, NJ on April 27, 1928, the youngest of eleven children to the late Ira and Rose Bartow James. She retired from the City of New Haven Human Services Department. Theodora leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of 70 years, Arthur A. Glover Jr.; son, Jerome Glover; daughters, Jacqueline Glover and Janita (Troy) Frost; Grandchildren, Jason (Kay) and David Miller, Lanita Glover, Devon Frasier, Troy C., Terrez, Tylaan and Troi Frost; seven great-grand children, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Her beloved first-born son, Arthur A. Glover III, her littlest angels, granddaughter Tanasia J. Frost, great-grandson Terrell Stevenson and ten siblings preceded her in death. After the sudden and tragic death of her first child, Arthur, Teddi felt it was her mission in life to help parents and other children who needed a home away from home. She took care of children in her home for two years and realized there was a great need for daycare for working parents. In 1961 she moved her home daycare into St. Andrews Episcopal Church’s Parish Hall, which started with twenty-four children expanding to sixty children. The Newhallville Child Development Center was then founded becoming the first daycare center for children in New Haven. Teddi along with others advocated for more daycare centers to open in other communities and there are now daycare programs

her office Wednesday morning. Her office has no legal authority over locally elected Registrars of Voters. “You have to remember these are locally administered elections,” she said. “We advise localities on how to perform. Occasionally we would bring a complaint on behalf of a voter and those complaints are lodged with

the Elections Enforcement Commission.” If people feel they were disenfranchised Tuesday, they need to contact the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The hotline they ran on Election Day received more calls than it typically does on a given election day. Merrill said elections are administered locally, but they are also paid for locally, “and that’s the problem.” Communities like New Haven have been struggling to balance their budgets and spending more than the previous year on an election is not easy. However, “I would argue it’s not appropriate — if it’s the third time they’ve not staffed it and disenfranchised people then that’s a problem,” Merrill said. But failing to devote enough resources to voting comes with its own set of consequences. “New Haven’s repeated failure to staff its polling places with enough workers to ensure people’s rights to vote is practically inviting a lawsuit,” ACLU of Connecticut legal director Dan Barrett said on Tuesday. “The long lines and discouraged voters we saw today were a completely avoidable situation.” The ACLU of Connecticut wants to hear from voters who were not able to cast their ballot in New Haven on Tuesday. Voters who went to New Haven intending to vote and were unable to do so can contact

the ACLU of Connecticut using this form: action.aclu.org/legal-intake/ct-legal-intake But New Haven wasn’t the only town that had problems Tuesday. Merrill said they started getting phone calls after 10 a.m. about machines breaking down and jamming due the rain and moisture being brought into the polling places. She said local election officials all have back up machines, but those were breaking down as well when moisture was involved. Merrill said she heard anecdotally that similar problems happened in 2006, the first year they used the new voting tabulators. Election officials dried out the ballots with fans and set them aside until they dried, and then fed them through the machine later in the evening. Merrill said voting continues no matter what. She wasn’t sure yet how many towns experienced problems with dampness and machine breakdowns because that’s not something Registrars have to report. She said she assumes if they did have those kinds of problems, they must have figured them out because they all, except for New Haven, reported their numbers before midnight. The unofficial results from Merrill’s office show statewide voter turnout was 66.94 percent and Governor-elect Ned Lamont beat Republican Bob Stefanowski by 38,672 votes.

A Corner For Tyrick by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent

across the city. She credited Dr. Reginald Mayo former superintendent of New Haven Schools with allowing her daycare center to move into the Martin Luther King School, becoming the first infant toddler program to be housed in a public school building. Teddi earned an associate degree in Early Childhood Education, Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a four-year certificate in Theological Education for Ministry. She was actively involved in her community and participated in political, religious, and social activities to help meet the needs of the Newhallville Community. She started her political involvement in 1949 with Mayoral Campaign for Richard Lee. She later became one of the founders of the Black Women’s Caucus of New Haven and was Alderwoman for Newhallville District during the 1980’s. She served as a member of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women - New Haven Chapter, Union of Black Episcopalians, African American Women’s Agenda, Sojourner Network Democratic Women, and Greater New Haven Inner City Daycare Council – founding member.

Though his life was cut short, Tyrick B. Keyes will always be remembered at the corner of Bassett and Newhall streets. Alders gave unanimous final approval to designating that corner in the Newhallville section of the city as “Tyrick B. Keyes Corner” in honor of the 14-year-old who was shot last summer and died four days later at the hospital. Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn joined forces with Tyrick’s mother Demethra Telford in an effort to collect signatures in support of memorializing the teen who aspired to be a dancer and to, as Telford said in a letter she wrote, “take his mom out of the hood.” The neighborhood collected more than enough signatures to move the designation forward and the Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy Committee supported it, moving the order favorably out of committee. Telford couldn’t make it to Thursday’s meeting where alders passed the order that will put Tyrick’s name at the corner near where he was shot that fateful day. Clyburn, who has taken Telford under her wing since the shooting, stood in for Tyrick’s mom, reading the letter to her colleagues. “Tyrick B. Keyes, a resident of New Haven was a vibrant, fourteen-year-old youth who lived his life to help people in his community,” Telford wrote. “He never believed

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.

Tyrick B. Keyes.

in violence. He focused on what he loved and that was helping people and dancing. “Tyrick’s legacy and memory will always be alive in our hearts and our minds,” she went on. “Tyrick was not a bad kid. He was never arrested and was a wonderful soul. He loved to help the elderly, he loved to garden, play football and dance. “I feel that naming a corner after Tyrick will be a good thing for the community,” Telford added. “A corner in his honor will help people to keep pushing and fighting

Tyrick’s mother Demethra Telford at his funeral last July.

CHRISTOPHER PEAK PHOTO

against violence in our community. When a person asks who this corner is named after and they hear the story of this awesome youth they will be inspired to help the community.” Clyburn choked up while reading the letter. She said after the meeting that she still regularly checks in on Telford who now lives on Diamond Street. “I continue to walk with her through this and reading this just takes me back to that day when he was shot,” Clyburn said.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Board Saves Teacher From Termination by CHRISTOPHER PEAK New Haven Independent

A high-school teacher threw a pencil-sized stick of wood across a classroom, hitting a talkative student’s hand. A fireable offense? Superintendent Carol Birks thought so. The Board of Education disagreed. Four school board members bucked a recommendation to fire Richard Coburn, a tenured teacher, at a closed-door, hour-long disciplinary hearing on Thursday evening at the district’s Meadow Street headquarters. Instead, in a brief, unanimous vote in public session, they voted to suspend Coburn without pay for three days. They also ordered him to attend a classroom-management training and to pen a written apology to the student. Coburn has taught career and technical education at Hillhouse High School since November 2015. He got in trouble for tossing a piece of wood at a student in his shop class last spring, and for the last six months he’d been on paid administrative leave. The teachers union helped him argue his case. On Thursday, Coburn didn’t make any defense in public. After the vote, Coburn he briefly thanked the union and his lawyer, Eric Chester, for representing him “so skillfully,” then walked out. The details of the incident are described in an impartial hearing officer’s report, which was released to the Independent through the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. Based on written statements, legal briefs and testimony at five hearings, the 15-page report provide a moment-by-moment recap of what happened in Coburn’s class and the hearing officer’s recommended sanction. On May 1, a student was gabbing with a peer in Coburn’s class instead of watching a video, distracting other students around him. Coburn said something, but the student

didn’t hear. To get his attention, Coburn threw a piece of wood about three inches long and as wide as a pencil at the student from about 15 feet away. It hit the student’s left hand; it didn’t injure him. “Don’t throw shit at me again,” the student said. Coburn walked over to him, and the student repeated what he said: “Don’t throw shit at me.” The student says Coburn then told him to get out of the classroom and not to come back. Coburn says the student just stormed out. Either way, the student ended up in the main office, where John Tarka, an assistant principal, assistant principal asked him to write a statement about what had happened. Later in the day, Coburn went to see Eric Barbarito, another assistant principal, to talk about an unrelated matter. He admitted that he had thrown a wooden object at the student, but he said it was not malicious. Coburn told Barbarito that he had a relationship with the student, and that it had been a “playful” way to get his attention. He said the student hadn’t been acting menacing. Barbarito contacted the state Department of Children and Families. The agency initially decided the student had been physically abused, before reversing its decision. By the time it got to the human resources department, Coburn told Valerie Hudson Brown, a labor relations officer, that he had “flicked” the wood at the student, “rather than approach him and risk a physical confrontation.” He went on, “In retrospect the intervention deployed to refocus this student was unsuccessful.” Hillhouse administrators said they had been concerned about Coburn’s teaching style for a while. Tarka had previously told Coburn to speak “in a positive and calm tone.” He told him to cut out sarcasm and to give students time to think of their answers.

CHRISTOPHER PEAK PHOTO

er’s fate.

BOE’s Darnell Goldson, Ed Joyner, Nico Rivera weigh teach-

The concerns dated back to a similar physical confrontation a year earlier. In 2017, Coburn had grabbed the backpack of a female student who walked into his shop even though she wasn’t assigned to his class. Worried about the hazardous tools and machinery, he corralled her toward the door by pulling on a strap, leaving bruises on her wrists and shoulder. Coburn was suspended without pay for one day for an “unnecessary and assertive physical interaction with a student.” A few weeks after the incident, on May 24, Birks initiated termination proceedings, arguing that Coburn had committed “moral misconduct,” “insubordination against reasonable rules of the Board,” and “other due and sufficient cause.” Coburn argued that the punishment was too severe, comparing it to “industrial capital punishment.” He said he had taken ownership of his actions and learned from it. During the investigation, the student described Coburn as “a good teacher,” saying

he “helps the student[s] whenever they need help.” The student said he thought Coburn cares about him, adding that he “wouldn’t mind seeing him back at Hillhouse.” The independent fact-finder agreed with two of the charges. Laurie Cain, the lawyer who served as neutral fact-finder, said she didn’t think there had been any “moral misconduct.” But she did conclude that Coburn had violated school policy by overreacting in “us[ing] physical force to get a student to stop talking” and by acting unprofessionally in “initiating physical contact,” instead of deescalating. Cain also felt that Birks had good reason to fire Coburn coming so soon after the 2017 incident. “[T]wice during the course of a year [he] engaged in physical interactions with students in futile efforts to resolve routine behavioral issues,” she wrote. “Students have the right not to be subjected to physical

confrontations at school and the Superintendent need not tolerate it.” School board members, however, thought that the wood-throwing hadn’t risen to the level of being a fireable offense. “We didn’t think that the punishment fit the crime,” said Darnell Goldson, the board’s president. “It’s a simple as that.” Board member Ed Joyner said he thought that Coburn had surely acted inappropriately, but he empathized with the pressures Coburn was under. He said his vote was motivated by “compassion,” especially after many at Hillhouse had already forgiven Coburn and asked for his return. “We’re probably all better than the worst thing we’ve done,” Joyner said. “What I’m hoping is that Mr. Coburn will see this as an opportunity to work harder at building relationships with students.” The teachers union’s president, Dave Cicarella, praised the board’s decision, saying it took “courage” to stick up for Coburn. “Many boards, in Connecticut and throughout the nation, they just walk in lockstep and agree. For this board to reject the arbitrator’s recommendation and go with a suspension, that shows courage,” he said. “I think it’s in line with our school reform: it’s an effort on the part of the board to not be punitive and be supportive instead.” Cicarella added that, throughout the district, the job of teaching is getting tougher, as the trauma from poverty and violence spills into city classrooms every morning. “Teaching in general has always been challenging, but it is becoming more and more difficult. The kids come in with a lot more needs, and the teacher is forced to manage those, whether academic or social-emotional. They’re bringing stuff from home that impacts how they act and how they learn,” he said. “We could always use more support, and it’s become more acute now.”

PD Takes On No-Shave November by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent

If you see a police officer looking a bit scruffier about the face, don’t be alarmed. It’s just No-Shave November. New Haven’s male police officers are being encouraged to let it all hang out ... err, or rather grow out ... at least when it comes to their facial hair to create awareness about cancer and to raise money to support cancer prevention, research and education. Assistant Chief Otoniel Reyes Jr. said that many in the police department have been touched by cancer in some way because they’ve had loved ones develop it. Some officers are cancer survivors too. This year for the month of November the department decided to suspend its strict grooming rules that require all officers to be clean-shaven so they can get hairy for a good cause. Of course, it’s competitive so there will be rewards at the end of the month

for the officer who raises the most money but also for the best beard, best facial hair and the worst beard. “The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free,” Reyes wrote in an email to officers. He encouraged officers to donate the money they’d normally spend on shaving and grooming. The majority of officers who could grow hair were sporting it at line-up Wednesday afternoon, where Reyes, who also was sporting a salt and pepper beard, reminded them about the challenge. Reyes confessed that he’s so used to being cleanly shaven that rocking a beard feels pretty out of place to him. But it’s for a good cause and it’s a morale booster, particularly for the younger officers. And once the challenge is over, officers must be back to the status quo by Dec. 1.

Though the heavy lifting of the challenge is for the men who have to grow the hair, female officers who donate a minimum of $10 to the cause get to judge when it comes time to award prizes. Reyes said there is also a role for the community to play. If you see one of your favorite officers in your neighborhood sporting facial hair ask him about No Shave November and then donate under his name. Check out the NHPD No-Shave November Rules below: • Final shave must be November 1st for entry into competition • $25 minimum buy-in to be eligible for prizes. • $10 minimum buy-in for female officers, detectives, and supervisors for voting panel • Additional donations welcomed. • Minimum Fee must be paid on November 1st, additional donations taken throughout the month.

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MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO Assistant Chief Otoniel Reyes Jr. reminds officers about the no-shave challenge at line up Wednesday.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Toni Walker To Co-Chair Lamont Transition Team by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven Independent

Democratic Gov.-elect Ned Lamont has tapped a 17-year-veteran of New Haven’s state legislative delegation to help lead his incoming administration’s transition into power. At a Thursday afternoon press conference held on the steps of the State Capitol in Hartford, Lamont and Democratic Lieutenant Gov.-elect Susan Bysiewicz announced that Democratic New Haven State Rep. Toni Walker will serve as one of the co-chairs of the Lamont administration’s transition team. Lamont defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski in Tuesday’s general election by over 37,000 votes, almost 25,000 of which came from the Elm City. (New Haven’s final, official vote count is still not known, thanks to myriad problems with the city’s Election Day tallies.) The transition team that Walker will help co-chair will spend the next 62 days helping Lamont, a Greenwich businessman with little elected political experience, identify candidates for the state government’s many departments, boards, commissions, and agencies. Lamont’s inauguration as Connecticut’s next governor will take place on Jan. 9. The other co-chairs of the transition

team are outgoing state Attorney General George Jepsen, Eastern Connecticut State University Professor Elsa Núñez, and Year Up President Garrett Moran. The transition team’s president is Ryan Drajewicz, a Bridgewater Associates management associate who used to work for former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd. David Salinas, co-founder of New Haven’s DISTRICT tech hub, was named to serve on Lamont’s business advisory council. David Scheer of the New Havenbased pharmaceutical company Achillion was also named to the business advisory council. Toni Walker, an assistant principal in charge of grant writing and budgeting for New Haven Adult Education, has represented New Haven’s 93rd General Assembly District seat in the state General Assembly since 2001. Her district includes sections of Beaver Hills, West Rock, Dwight, and the Hill. A 17-year-veteran of the city’s Hartford delegation, Walker currently serves as the House chair of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, which oversees all state financial appropriations and operating budgets. For years, Walker’s co-chair on the committee was then State Sen. and current Mayor Toni Harp. Walker also serves on the state legislature’s Judiciary Committee, and is the for-

mer House chair of the Human Services Committee. She has long worked on issues of juvenile criminal justice reform, helping pass legislation in 2007 that allowed 16 and 17-year-olds to be treated as juveniles in Connecticut courts. “I’ve had a lot of experience in some of the avenues that I hope will be utilized in this appointment,” Walker said about the knowledge of state government that she will bring to the transition team. “I’ve always been able to sit down and talk with Ned. Every time I’ve worked with him, it’s always been in a collaborative manner. That’s something that Connecticut needs desperately going forward.” Now that Connecticut Democrats have a supermajority in both the state House and the state Senate, Walker said, she hopes the legislature will not face the same type of partisan gridlock that it faced last session when state Republicans and Democrats each held 18 seats a piece in the state Senate. That gridlock, she said, put the Medicare Savings Program and the Renters Rebate program for seniors in jeopardy during the crafting of a final state budget, and also led to the shuttering of the state Legislative Commission on Aging. “The Medicare Savings Plan and the Renters’ Rebate and the Commission on AgT:9.25” ing,” she said, “those were all Democratic

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

Toni Walker at the state Capitol.

initiatives.” She said Connecticut residents should look out for more government action in support of the state’s elderly, youth, and most vulnerable populations now that Democrats are firmly in control of the state legislature. Walker, a trained social worker who was born in Oklahoma and spent her earliest years in North Carolina, is the daughter

of the late reverend and New Haven civil rights leader Edwin “Doc” Edmonds. She and her family fled from North Carolina to New Haven when she was just 5 years old after the Ku Klux Klan burned a cross on her family’s lawn in response to her father organizing voter registration with the NAACP.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Blumenthal Calls On Amtrak To Add More Rail Cars

LET’S MAKE CONNECTICUT THE BEST IT CAN BE, TOGETHER.

by Christine Stuart CT. News Junkie

T:5.1”

NEW HAVEN, CT — U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal had some harsh words for Amtrak Friday. He said it’s failing to provide the additional capacity to allow passengers to ride from Hartford to New Haven. He said the two cars Amtrak is providing on its trains up and down the line that runs between Springfield and New Haven is “insufficient” to meet the needs of riders. His comments were in response to reports about some passengers getting kicked off the trains when they reach capacity. Connecticut Public Radio reported that some passengers with CTrail tickets or U-Passes, which give students at participating colleges unlimited travel on buses and trains, were getting kicked off Amtrak when those trains reached capacity. The Amtrak trains and CTrail trains run up and down the line and tickets and U-Passes are supposed to be good for use on any of the trains. Passengers are not supposed to get kicked off the train, but WNPR found passengers who were asked to get off the 4:32 p.m. train out of Union Station in Hartford and get on the next train, which was also crowded or late. “People are literally being kicked off that train,” Blumenthal said. He said it’s an “inadequate and intolerable” performance by Amtrak. He said it’s a management problem and insufficient investment. A spokesman for Amtrak said they are working to ease the overcrowding on the line. “While we never desire to restrict customer utilization of our trains, for the safety of our passengers and employees, crew mem-

AARP in Connecticut is in your community helping you live, work, and play. Our volunteers can talk to you about fraud prevention, caregiving, making your community more livable and more. Call us at 860-548-3163 or visit aarp.org/CT for more information.

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EMILY WOODWARD TRACY CTrail train in Windsor before the

bers may ask passengers to wait for the next available train, instead of creating an unsafe condition, such as standing in the vestibule,” a spokesman said. “Amtrak and Connecticut DOT are working together to source additional equipment to help ease overcrowding and Amtrak has temporarily added some capacity on one of the New Haven-Springfield trains where we have experienced overcrowding. The safety of our customers must continue to be our highest priority.” The Connecticut Department of Transportation announced Friday that more trains on the new CTrail Hartford Line will start running on Monday, Nov. 12. The refined schedule, made possible by the completion of the second track to Springfield, will help provide more service between Hartford and Springfield, as well as connecting service to the New Haven

line. The second track allows trains operating north of Hartford to pass each other quickly and efficiently, providing additional rail capacity and increasing reliability. Two sets of track now run the length of the Hartford Line corridor from New Haven to Windsor, except for a small portion of single track near Hartford’s Union Station which will be completed as part of the I-84 Hartford Project. “The new Hartford Line schedule includes an additional trip extended to Springfield every day. We will now offer 24 daily weekday trips between Hartford and Springfield,” Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said. “Less than six months after the launch of the Hartford Line, we have increased service on the line and are closer to reaching the 2030 vision of rail passenger service in New England.”

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by MOLLY MONTGOMERY New Haven Independent

Father, we hear the terms ‘One Nation Indivisible,’ and sadly acknowledge how torn and divided we as a nation are becoming. We sense the widening divide between red and blue, between black and white, between haves and have-nots ... ... One small flickering shining candle/ that is all it takes to penetrate the dark ... ... Together, everyone together, we will become a great spectacle of light, illuminating our communities, illuminating our city. ... ... When the people of God gather together, the angels surround the gathering with their wings, and from the heavens, the mercy descends down. ... ... There’s only one God, whether you call him Allah, Mohammed, or Jehovah, it’s all the same God. And we believe in all the religions, in all divine messengers, so that for us, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, is all part of our faith. ... ... Gather all people beneath the shadow of thy body, and cause them to unite in harmony, so that they may become as the rays of one sun, as the waves of one ocean, and as the fruit of one tree ... Such was the communal prayer heard on

8

MOLLY MONTGOMERY PHOTO Crowd gathered Sunday for a communal prayer event on the Green.

Pastor Todd Foster.

the New Haven Green Sunday afternoon, a prayer for healing amid harsh and divisive times, offered up by representatives of

Rabbi Mendy Hecht.

different faiths (their photos appear above by their words) at an event organized by City Hall.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

You can’t predict unexpected medical bills. But you can have a plan.

An injury or illness can have a serious impact on your finances. So make sure you compare the plan options available through Access Health CT. You just may find cost savings, lower monthly payments, and an insurance plan that minimizes your medical expenses – and maximizes your health. We’ll help you find the plan that’s right for you: online, in person, or over the phone. Compare plans at AccessHealthCT.com. Financial help is still available. Open Enrollment ends December 15.

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10/17/18 4:36 PM


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

#Election2018 – Kemp Urges Abrams to Quit; Abrams Refuses to Back Down By Itoro N. Umontuen New Haven Independent

Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp said it’s “long overdue” for Democrat Stacey Abrams to concede. Kemp, formerly Georgia’s Secretary of State, crowned himself the winner of the contentious governor’s race and stepped down from the office at 12pm Thursday afternoon. “Stacey Abrams and her radical backers have moved from desperation to delusion,” said Ryan Mahoney, Kemp’s communications director, in a statement. “On Saturday, military, overseas, and provisional ballots were reported throughout Georgia. The counts are in line with publicly available tracking reports. This is not breaking news and does not change the math. Stacey Abrams lost and her concession is long overdue.” Sunday, the Abrams campaign filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging absentee ballots were not counted. Furthermore, the purpose of the lawsuit is to make election officials accept rejected provisional ballots that have incomplete or missing information if they can verify voter information through additional means. The Kemp campaign said there are 21,190 provisional ballots still outstanding and if all of those ballots were for Abrams, it

would not be enough to trigger a run-off election. Coincidentally, that number is inline with estimates given by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. Meanwhile, the Abrams campaign believes there are a total of 33,507 ballots that were not counted (26,846 provisional ballots, 1,303 early votes, 2,674 vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots and 2,684 military and overseas ballots). Almost a week after Election Day, we find ourselves in the not unfamiliar place of having to fight for the representation and rights of Georgia voters who were not seen or heard in this election — an election overseen by Georgia governor candidate and recent Secretary of State Brian Kemp,” said Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo. “So here’s what we know: Georgia voters were confronted at the voting booth by widespread irregularities, which were reported by multiple media outlets. Insufficient machine, long lines, confused poll workers, conflicting and arbitrary guidance that varied widely by county — none of it designed to make voting easy or simple for millions of eligible Georgia voters.” Kemp faced numerous charges of attempted voter suppression during the campaign and demands from Democrats that he step aside as Georgia’s chief elections

official, which he dismissed. Also on Monday, Democratic Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Brian Schatz of Hawaii released a joint letter asking the Justice Department’s civil rights division to investigate claims of voter suppression in the race. “The Department of Justice still has the authority and the obligation to enforce the

Voting Rights Act and protect the right to vote,” the senators said in a statement. “In the case of Georgia’s election, the DOJ should ensure that all votes are counted and that voters have a meaningful opportunity to ensure their absentee and provisional ballots are counted; and conduct a thorough investigation into the potential voting rights abuses that have been reported be-

fore, during, and after the election.” In October, the Associated Press concluded 53,000 voter registrations were on hold due to Georgia’s exact-match law and the aforementioned letter focuses on the controversial law. No media outlet has been able to call this election as of 7:00PM Monday evening.This article originally appeared in the Atlanta Voice.

ers reflect on that miserable time, and the waste of that war. Others tell me that nothing has changed, that ignorance and bigotry are still rampant. They despise the chicken hawks in the nation’s capital. Veterans of various wars tell me of their personal struggles, then and now. A man pushing a manual lawnmower in front of a house in East Rock, part of a landscape crew, tells me of his experience in Desert Storm. A woman in Edgewood Park, a former Marine, offers details of her tour in Kirkuk as her fiancé rests his head on a picnic table, apparently the victim of a drug hangover. A man walking with crutches in New York City and wearing a similar hat

salutes and I return the sign of respect. A woman in Amity wine store talks of her brother, who died from the effects of Agent Orange; her eyes well up as she says she doesn’t know exactly where he was stationed, only that he was “out there.” A man in a city crosswalk is not as demonstrative but when he sees my cap he smiles wryly, as if we are old conspirators. A young woman on a bike thanks me as she passes by and I am startled, as young people usually don’t respond to the hat. The clerk at a Tyco store on Elm Street gives me an 80-cent discount on a five-dollar copying bill, and when I thank him, he thanks me. A tobacco store owner in Lucca, Italy,

The Talking Hata by LARY BLOOM

New Haven Independent

A half century ago, I wore a uniform of a different hue. The jungle fatigues and cap were manufactured in only one color, olive drab, which the military still refers to, drably, as Color 107. Unofficially, it was the shade of derision during and after America’s most divisive foreign war. These days, the uniform remnant I wear on the streets of New Haven hasn’t a touch of old 107. On this cap of many colors, the yellow wording pops. Various versions of red, white, black, yellow and green recreate medals awarded to those of us who demonstrated the ability to breathe while in country, which is to say everyone who waded ashore, as I did in 1966, or landed in big silver birds at the airports of DaNang, Cam Ranh Bay or Saigon, including those 58,209 Americans killed and the more than 2,500 gone missing before their Vietnam tours were at an end. The overall effect of the new uniform, then, is one that shouts. No pussyfooting here. No, “Excuse me, but please forgive my participation in that tragic mess.” For the modest cost of about $20, it announces “Vietnam Veteran” not once but four times, even on its backside should fellow pedestrians, lagging behind, miss the point. “Thank you,” strangers say. To which I respond, “Thank you,” because “You’re welcome” somehow seems inapt. Some of these people tell me stories. Oth-

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

The First Black-Owned Day Trading Company of Its Kind is Teaching Courses on How to Profit From the Stock Market! Nationwide — Latoya and Ernest created “The Profit Room” based on their individual success as investors and traders. They are well known for their transparency in showing profits and losses from their Live Day Trading Rooms. They both have a unique ability to teach and mentor in a simple way where anyone can learn. Ernest and Latoya trade stocks, options, Forex and futures and they have designed mentorship programs to teach others how to create income and generational wealth. Their goal is to help others to at least make an additional $100$200 a day trading live with them, and they already have four full time minority traders trading and moderating daily in the futures and Forex room. The start of the journey Latoya, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, along with some like minded friends, started an investment club in 2006. The investment club, called Black Lotus, focused on long-term investments. However, Latoya watched the movement of the club’s portfolio daily, and she realized that a lot of money could be made through short-term movements. Latoya decided to open her own brokerage account to take advantage of the volatile markets. Much to her sur-

prise, she was amazed at making thousands of dollars within the same day. She comments, “In the beginning it was just fun to me, but the more I traded the more I was hooked. I never thought that I could trade for a living until I did a simple Google search, and I saw others doing the same… No one black, but I wanted to change the face of that!” Latoya worked for a well known investment bank as a senior business analyst. “Although I made a hefty salary,” she continues, “I had no interest in the status quo. I wanted to follow my passion, and I wanted my time. Working 9-5 was not my vision of success.” In 2012, Latoya left corporate to pursue her passion in trading and investing in the stock market. She formed a Facebook and an Instagram account dedicated to showing others how to trade the markets. Over the years, she has mentored new beginners as well as advanced traders helping them find consistency. Along her journey, she met Ernest the only black trader who actually had a similar trading style. They both traded for 2 hours in the morning and took the rest of the day to “enjoy their lives.” Ernest has always had a passion for financial independence and understanding how money works. He started his journey into trading back in 2008, being mentored

by a Hedge fund trader. This allowed him to see first hand how Wall Street operates, and through his international trading and investment travels to also see how the global markets operate. These experiences allowed him to customize a trading/investing program that all can benefit from. Merging individualism into a business “We wanted to come together for the culture, show our people that there is another way to earn money. Where I come from, NO one teaches you this – not in high school or in college,” says Latoya. Ernest and Latoya decided to build the business based on the same transparency that had created their social media following. Once their video content started going viral, it attracted 100’s of clients both locally and internationally wanting to learn how to invest and trade in the markets. “There are so many new claimed traders who preach trading and investing, but they do not trade for a living,” says Ernest. The Profit Room, however, trades live daily. One of The Profit Room’s greatest asset is the willingness from Latoya and Ernest to trade live with their clients to show them how they can make money through seeing. They have created successful students,

some in which they have hired to motivate and inspire by assisting and training new beginners, a true result of what is possible. They have also helped retirees build and grow their Roth IRAs, and have created youth programs to teach inner city youth about the importance of financial literacy. Forming The Profit Room also allowed them to expand in other areas to help people achieve wealth, by having Black real-

estate experts, tax experts and credit builders a part of their team.

To learn more and/or to get started, visit their web site at: https://www.theprofitroom.com/wealthbuilding Also follow them on social media: Instagram – @theprofitroom Twitter – @theprofitroom Facebook – @theprofitroom YouTube – www.youtube.com/channel/UCL7c6CUuqYHfhhxmpbI5EFw Or call (844) 339-9939 to learn more about this exciting Black-owned wealth building trading company.

Sean “Diddy” Combs: “You Have To Believe In Your Dream” Christian Carter, BDO Assignment Reporter

Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy…whatever you want to call him, you have to call him successful. Love him or hate him, Diddy is an incredible example of how a persistent, obsession-like approach to business growth can create amazing results. At age 49, he often offers advice and motivation to the masses. And, he provides a seemingly never-ending source of inspiration to his social media followers, many of which are today’s generation of entrepreneurs. For Combs it all started when he was young. At age five, Sean Combs’ father was murdered and he was raised in Mt. Vernon, New York by his mother. Fast forward

past high school, Combs attended Howard University. While attending classes, he produced dance parties and operated an airport shuttle service. He pursued an internship with Uptown Records that led to a position as talent director. Combs rapidly rose to vice president and enjoyed great success producing a number of Uptown’s key artists, ultimately leaving the company in the early 90s. In 1993, Combs founded Bad Boy Entertainment, his own production company. No doubt as the result of connections he made while working at Uptown Records, he worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and pop music. A short four years later, after $100 million in sales, he inked a multi-million dollar deal with Arista Records to manage the label. Later, he recorded several albums, launched his own

COMMENTARY: By Morgan A. Owens, NNPA Newswire Contributor I was in my early twenties, he was a guy I was casually dating. He wanted

tined to take effect for the brand.

clothing line and launched a reality TV series titled: I Want to Work for Diddy and created an entire cable TV music network,

REVOLT. In an incredible and lucrative move, Diddy entered into a partnership with Diageo to create and manage all marketing processes for Diddy’s brainchild, Ciroc Vodka. The deal dictated that Diddy and Sean Combs Enterprises make all brand related decisions and share future profits and growth with Diageo. This unique collaboration for a USA based spirits company, is set to last several years and will be worth an estimated $100 Million for Diddy. In the early part of last year, Diddy ignited another partnership with Diageo in order to kick-start a joint venture to purchase DeLeon, a luxury Tequila brand. DeLeon is currently selling for $1000 per in Los Angeles bars. It is currently selling around 10,000 cases per year in only 18 states so Diddy’s famous ability for business growth is des-

but felt obliged to let it continue. I didn’t want it to. I thought maybe I brought it on for being attractive. If I told anyone they would just say, “He’s just being a man.” I accepted it. I was in middle school, he was my crush. A friend and myself decided to three-way call him and ask if he ‘liked’ me. He told my friend he thought I was cute, but I would be more attractive if I wasn’t “fat.” She asked me if I was okay,

I said I was. I wasn’t okay, I said nothing about it for decades. Why did I accept these things? In my mind now, I am angered that I did not have the courage, self-respect, or selflove to let my voice be heard. We are in crucial times where even as a young black millennial woman, our voices are often stifled or unheard simply because others think we shouldn’t have a voice, so why try?

At an early age, my crush made me aware of my body. If my body didn’t look how it was, I would be more desirable. When really my body type shouldn’t define my worth. I was worried the man I was dating wouldn’t want to date me anymore and I would be alone. What’s so wrong with standing on your own two feet until you find someone who values and respects you as

Now, Combs has even opened a school, Capital Prep in New York, to help the next generation be successful as well. “My mother taught me the importance of education at an early age,” says Combs. “I was able to gain tools, secrets and knowledge about what it takes to be a leader, what it takes to win and what it takes to make your dreams come true!! That’s what we’re doing with #CapitalPrepHarlem!! We’re empowering our inner city youth with the knowledge they need to be great.” “I was able to be successful because of education,” he said. Con’t on page 17

Let Your Voice Be Heard

me to engage in activity that I wasn’t comfortable with. I pulled away and he grabbed me by the wrist. I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not when he mentioned he could, “break my wrist if he wanted to.” I did nothing. I was in my early twenties, he was my superior. He made sexually suggestive comments to me on the job. I laughed it off because I thought maybe he was just flirting with me. I did not flirt back

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Con’t on page 17


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Demos Relaunches Emerging Voices Fellowship With Scholar, Journalist Caleb Gayle New York, NY — Demos, a progressive public policy organization, announced today that it has selected scholar and journalist Caleb J. Gayle as its Emerging Voices Fellow for 2018-2019. Mr. Gayle will write commentaries and investigative articles on efforts to restrict the voting rights of people of color in states across the country. Mr. Gayle will deliver fresh evidence and perspectives on the disenfranchising and intimidation of voters, while raising awareness of the deplorable tactics that marginalize the votes of African Americans, Latinos and other people of color. Mr. Gayle’s articles and essays have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, New Republic, The Guardian, Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, The Three Penny Review, The Hill, The Daily Beast, and others. “Restrictive voting tactics and laws are an incursion of the basic tenets of a democracy,” said Mr. Gayle, noting that his grandparents, who came to the United States from Jamaica, always looked forward to voting. “It’s been an ingrained component of what I conceive of as a well- functioning

Caleb J. Gayle

democracy, and any incursion on voting, for any person, means that our democracy is getting weaker. That’s troubling. And, it should be troubling to everyone.” As Demos furthers its mission to introduce, mainstream and move bold progressive ideas from trailblazing concepts to everyday reality for Americans, the retaining of Mr. Gayle is another step in the reengagement of its Fellows Program. In July, Demos named Heather C. McGhee, the past President of Demos, as its Senior Distinguished Fellow. Ms. McGhee, one of the nation’s preeminent thought leaders on a range of issues from politics to social justice and racial equity, will use the platform to inform public discourse and continue providing brilliant commentary on progressive causes. “Our Fellows Program is providing platforms that allow the best and brightest advocates to deliver powerful, progressive and racial healing messaging and content, which will help counter the divisive themes permeating throughout our society,” said Tori O’Neal-McElrath, Vice President of External Affairs for Demos.

Further, Ms. O’Neal-McElrath said that the Emerging Voices Fellowship will provide Mr. Gayle a platform to research, investigate and publish on issues related to voting rights. His work will be published in a variety of mainstream, ethnic and progressive publications, and Mr. Gayle will also utilize social media, online and the airwaves to raise awareness of the poor and people of color whose voting rights are being threatened. A 2011 graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Gayle earned a Master of Science in Latin American Studies at the University of Oxford, St. Antony’s College in 2012, and a Master in Business Administration and Public Policy from Harvard University in 2017. Mr. Gayle, 28, is currently studying at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and is also a fellow for The Guardian newspaper. His recent articles in The Guardian covered several key issues: explored whether Blacks in Alabama would turn out for the midterm elections as they did to help elect Sen. Doug Jones; disclosed that Blacks sued for inclusion in the Creek Nation af-

ter a 1866 treaty was broken in 1979 when Blacks were booted from the Nation; disclosed that prison inmates are challenging the companies that are making profits off their work, while they are paid pennies; documented how African Americans are being hurt by the attacks on labor unions; and detailed how many blacks are being left behind despite an economy that has an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent. Mr. Gayle said that he hopes his focus on voting rights will help more Americans recognize that the right to vote is being threatened in some locations. “Voting restrictions probably don’t register for many people who don’t live in environments where there is this constant threat that you may not have your vote counted in the same way or that to some extent you might not be able to vote,” Mr. Gayle said. “And, from a journalistic perspective, there is a responsibility to hold institutions and public officials accountable. It is a responsibility that I think might be one of the most fundamental aspects of being a journalist.”

OPINION: Never Forget Why Martin Luther King, Jr. Was in Memphis By Julianne Malveaux, NNPA Newswire Columnist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t plan to get involved in the Memphis garbage worker’s strike. He hadn’t planned to be there on the fateful day when he was shot on April 4, 1968. King was pressured to go the first time and found the garbage worker’s strike compelling. He promised to return, and felt it important to keep his word, despite a packed schedule. Memphis was so very important, because the 1,300 Black men who worked in the city’s sanitation department were treated despicably. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On February 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker,

COMMENTARY:

30, were crushed in the compactor. The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen’s compensation, and had no life insurance. The city of Memphis paid $500 plus one month’s pay for their funeral expenses. Robert Walker’s wife, Earline, was pregnant at the time of his death. Memphis garbage workers were notoriously ill-treated. They were poorly paid, at $1.60 (the minimum wage) to $1.90 per hour. They were not paid overtime, even though they were often required to work more than 8 hours a day. Their pay was so low that many held second jobs, or received public assistance. They were not paid to work when there was inclement weather, like rain or snow. And their supervisors, mostly White, were much better paid, no matter what the weather. After the deaths of Echol Cole and Robert Walker, garbage workers demanded better wages, better working conditions, and union recognition. The city council agreed, but the racist, indifferent mayor, Henry Loeb, vetoed the city council’s action. The men went on strike on February 11, 1968, and

stayed out 64 days, until April 12. Have we forgotten the poignant pictures of grown men carrying hand-lettered signs that said “I Am A Man,” and the irony of these hard-working men having to declare that which should have been perfectly obvious? Memphis Black garbage workers were not treated as men, but as disposable beings considered only useful for dealing with other people’s rubbish. They weren’t the only ones. Many Black people, even after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, received unequal pay, and thoroughly unacceptable terms and conditions of work. The city of Memphis was violating national labor laws, but, because the people they were abusing were Black, nobody cared, and nobody noticed until the garbage workers went on strike. The Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the union that the Memphis garbage workers were affiliated with. They have developed a campaign called “I AM 2018,” that is focused on organizing and on a series of events to commemorate the strike, to honor the memories of Cole and Walker, and to

focus on the dignity of work. The “I AM 2018” campaign is needed now, more than ever, as worker dignity is continues to be assailed. The U.S. Department of Labor seems to be on a campaign to rescind Obama-era rules that improve life for workers. For example, an Obama rule would require employers to pay four hours of wages to workers who are “on call” whether they are used or not. Why? Because, if the workers are on call, they are tethered to the telephone and need to be paid for their time. Since “45,” was elected, though, many companies have lined up to ask the Department of Labor to rescind the proposed rule. They say that the rule is too costly for corporations and businesses and that it will cost the nation jobs. New York State Senator Chris Jacobs says the proposed rule will be a “devastating blow” to business. In this aggressively and myopically pro-business climate, who wants to bet that the proposed rule will be rescinded? Just as King stood with Memphis garbage workers, he would now stand with the “I AM 2018” campaign, and with the

“on call” workers who can’t get respect or compensation for their availability. We are still not finished with the work Dr. King started, not finished with the struggle for economic justice. We have not attained equality or developed an economic agenda for shared prosperity, for workplace dignity and for human rights. We must remember Echol Cole and Robert Walker, who were killed because Memphis just didn’t care enough to have working equipment for their garbage workers. We must remember the audacity that Black men had to strike and a time when they might lose their jobs for simply talking back; And we must reclaim audacity and resist the current administration’s attempts to dehumanize all of us. The struggle for justice clearly must continue. Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist and founder of Economic Education. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available to order at Amazon.com and at www.juliannemalveaux.com. Follow Dr. Malveaux on Twitter @drjlastword.

When Trump was afraid of the weather…and other insults to veterans

By Bill Fletcher, Jr. November 11, 2018 was not an insignificant date. It was not just another Veteran’s Day. One hundred years prior “The Great

War”—as World War I was referenced— was ended with a cease-fire or armistice. Thus, November 11th was known originally as “Armistice Day.” A war that should never have happened but took place because the great powers at the time were fighting largely over colonies, ended up costing the lives of millions. The USA, which only entered the war in 1917, nevertheless suffered major losses, including well after the war as victims of poison gas suffered and slowly died. A great-uncle of

mine was one such victim of World War I. Over the November 11th weekend leaders from around the world converged on France to commemorate the end of World War I. Donald Trump was to be one of the leaders and he had the special duty of visiting the mass graves for US soldiers buried at the Aisne-Marne cemetery adjacent to Belleau Wood not far from Paris. Belleau Wood was the site of a major battle between US Marines (long with their British and French allies) and the Germans in

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which there were more than 9700 casualties. In US Marine history, Belleau Wood holds iconic status. President Trump chose not to visit the cemetery due to the weather. Instead he Tweeted a congratulations on the birthday of the US Marine Corp. I am not a militarist and generally find myself in opposition to US foreign policy. But there is something that I find absolutely obscene about Trump’s attitude towards US soldiers and veterans. US soldiers

should not have been engaged in World War I but the fact of the matter is that they were deployed and suffered horribly. They, along with soldiers on both sides of the endless “no-man lands” separating trench systems occupied by opposing fighters, experienced a living hell. There were no hotels to which to retreat; no television or warm meals; no warm baths. There was the ever-present threat of poison gas and the zing of bullets flying by or into one’s head.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

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“If I reach back far enough I can touch my own family slavery in a very personal way.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes DALLAS – Inside a provocative exhibit about Thomas Jefferson and slavery, Bishop T.D. Jakes was reminded of his own enslaved ancestors. Jakes, who has visited Africa many times, proudly talked about his Nigerian roots. He said Dr. Henry Louis Gates, a professor of African and African American research at Harvard University, arranged a DNA test which confirmed that Jakes’ ancestors were from Nigeria. “Going back there recently, I went into an area that was predominantly Ibo and it was kind of emotional to me,” Jakes said. “Because they made presentations to me – my house is decorated with a lot of African art – and they were telling me this is what your language sounds like.” Jakes said he has a vivid recollection of his great-grandmother who was once enslaved. He was just 10 years old but said he remembers listening to his great-grandmother talk about slavery and his family’s history “And I think of how so many people look at Africa and they talk about poverty but when I looked at it I thought they are so rich in ways that we are poor.” Jakes said. “They know who they are, they know whose they are, they know where they came from, they proudly understand their languages, and in that way we are very poor and so there needs to be a greater exchange between us as people because for me it was like regaining a part of myself that was lost.” Jakes is the honorary co-chair of a new traveling exhibit, “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty,” which will run from Sept. 22 to Dec. 31 at Dallas’ African American Museum. The exhibit, RP inner city news 5.471 x 5.1. oct rev.qxp_Layout which premiered at Smithsonian’s National1

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Museum of American History, breaks new ground by focusing in more detail on the life of Sally Hemings who was enslaved with an estimated 400 other men, women and children on Jefferson’s 5000-acre Monticello plantation. The exhibit showcases more than 300 artifacts. Some of the artifacts that appear in the exhibit include, nails made at the nailery, which was run by the enslaved families an became an extremely profitable industry for Jefferson; a tombstone of Priscilla Hemmings that was hand-carved by her husband, Michael Hemmings; (NOTE: spelling with two m’s is correct; and china and pottery purchased by the enslaved families at the market. · Some of Jefferson’s items on display include a finely carved chess set, his eyeglasses and bookstand. Also, a medicine bottle from Paris that may have been brought back by Sally Hemings during her time in France; a portion of a black pot 10/12/18 1:35 PM Page 1 (Jefferson encouraged his slaves to marry

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and gave them a black pot as a wedding gift) and an arm chair used in the house that is believed to have been made by John Hemings, (correct spelling) a gifted furniture maker. Meanwhile, Jakes reflected on the artifacts, which conjured images of enslaved Africans aboard slave ships heading from West Africa to the Americas. “All of the people who got on the boat were not the same people but they had to unify in order to survive under stress.” Jakes said. “It’s an amazing story when you think about it. They didn’t even speak any other’s language so well that was a certain amount of distrust under the planks of the ship there was a huge enemy above and so in that sandwich dimension of history we survive nonetheless.” “We learn how to communicate with each other,” Jakes said. “We learned how to become a people. We struggle with what to call ourselves – ‘darkies’ and ‘coloreds’ and ‘niggers’ and negroes’ and all of these names that were thrust upon us is a reflection of trying to identify who am I,” Jakes added. Dallas is the first city to host the exhibit that will feature additional objects that have never left Monticello. Other stops for the exhibit include Detroit, Richmond and the West Coast in 2019. Jakes said slavery was also about survival, people who were forced into a violent life and stripped of everything, including their names. He added that slavery and contemporary issues of race are forever intertwined, and he stressed the significance of the Dallas exhibition. After Jakes completed a tour of the exhibit, he sat inside one of the museum’s upstairs galleries, glanced at a panel about enslaved African people, and spoke philosophically about slavery’s 300-year impact on the world. “I think that no matter what the color of the people are anytime we allow one group of people to have that much power, abuse perpetuates itself,” Jakes said, “whether you are talking about some of the atrocities that have happened in the history of the Jews or whether you’re talking about the apartheid in South Africa, or whether you’re talking about slavery and Jim Crow in America.”


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Open Letter from Michelle Obama–Exclusively for The Chicago Defender By Michelle Obama

In the summer of 1975, Dr. Joseph A. Lavizzo, Jr., the principal at Bryn Mawr Elementary School in South Shore at the time, wrote a letter to this newspaper. In it, he defended his school from a vitriolic opinion piece that had been published a week earlier, which referred to Bryn Mawr as a “run-down slum” governed by a “ghetto mentality.” Dr. Lavizzo fought back forcefully, calling the charges “an outrageous lie, which seems designed to incite only feelings of failure and flight.” At the time, I was going into seventh grade. Bryn Mawr was my school, and Dr. Lavizzo was my principal. I didn’t know that the letter had been published, but by then I’d already begun to recognize what was happening in my neighborhood. In kindergarten, my classroom had been wonderfully diverse, full of children of varying ethnic and economic backgrounds—Black and White, Hispanic and Asian, most of us middle-class, though some families landed on either side of that description. In the span of just a few years, though, most of the better-off families left our neighborhood for the suburbs, and by fifth grade, almost every student in my class was Black. As “White flight” took off, prospects in South Shore fell. Observers began throwing around words like “ghetto” to describe our neighborhood. My mother would tell me years later that all the while, predatory real estate agents were never far, whispering to home owners that they should sell before it was too late. The future was coming, they’d say, and it didn’t look good.

Dr. Lavizzo certainly saw all of that, too. In his letter, it’s clear he understood that he was up against something much larger than an unfair opinion piece—he was up against the idea of failure itself. As I write in my memoir, Becoming, failure is a feeling long before it is an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear. That’s what Dr. Lavizzo and so many others in our community fought back against. It’s why teachers stayed up late grading papers and summer-camp organizers dedicated themselves to kids all across South Shore. And it’s why my parents invested themselves so deeply into my older brother Craig and me. My mother became one of the most active members of the PTA at Bryn Mawr, raising money for new equipment, throwing teacher-appreciation dinners, and lobbying for classes and strategies that would better serve the neighborhood’s children. All of those people shaped me, every single one of them. Today, when someone compliments my mother on the successes of her children (my brother is an executive in professional basketball), she just chuckles and replies that neither of us was anything special. When we were growing up, she’ll say, the South Side was full of thousands of little Michelles and Craigs—good kids who worked hard and knew the difference between right and wrong. The rest of the world just didn’t get to see that very often. And that’s why I’m writing to all of you— because all of that is still true of the South Side today. It’s true of all of Chicago’s neighborhoods. I just want to make sure

you all see it, too. I know that many of you are up against more than my family ever had to deal with. I know that every day can feel like a struggle and it can be harder for families to get ahead. I know that gangs rule too many streets, that guns and drugs have infested too many neighborhoods, and that too many people who’ve never lived here or even visited find it too easy to just write off parts of this city. But what I also know is that at its heart, the South Side is still the same place that shaped me. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. As First Lady, I saw it in the students at Harper High School in West Englewood, where, in the year before I visited, 29 students and recent graduates had been shot, 8 of them fatally. The kids I spoke to were shouldering far more than I’d ever experienced growing up—far more than any kid should ever have to carry. Those kids had every reason to give up. But what they showed me wasn’t despondency, it was resilience. It was hope. Those students were just as smart and hardworking as my daughters or any other teenager in America, and beyond that, they had a hard-won grit that their peers couldn’t compete with. I’ve seen that same resilience in mothers like Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, who raised a daughter named Hadiya, a beautiful young girl who could have been me four decades earlier. Cleopatra had done everything right, signing up her daughter for volleyball, cheerleading, and a dance ministry at church. Hadiya was a bright light, but as you all know, she was taken from us far too Con’t on page 18

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INNER-CITY July14, 27,2018 2016 - August THE INNER-CITY NEWS - NEWS November November 2018 02, 20, 2016

ATTENTION GENERAL CONTRACTORS NOTICE ***INVITATION TO BID***

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM UPGRADES AT VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE KENNEDY, RIBICOFF & GRAHAM APARTMENTS 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 ap1. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY of the CITY OF NEW BRITAIN (Housing Authority) will ply. sealed Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Ju;y receive bids, in TRIPLICATE, for the above referenced construction project at Monday its development, 25, as 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have known Kennedy, Ribicoff & Graham APARTMENTS, New Britain, CT. been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon re2. The work generally consists of removal and replacement of existing fire alarm system. quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed prebemarked returned toAlarm HOME INC’sUpgrades offices at at Kennedy, 171 Orange Street, Third 3. applications All bids shall bemust clearly “Fire System Ribicoff and Graham Apartments”, delivered the 06510. Authority Offices by mail or courier, and time and date stamped upon Floor, New Haven,toCT

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receipt. Bids will be received until December 6th, 2018 at 2:00 P.M. at the office of the Housing Authority, 16 Armistice Street, New Britain, CT 06053, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.

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4. There will be a pre-bid walk thru on November 8th, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. at Kennedy Apartments VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES 300 East Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Interested bidders should attend this meeting to understand and clarify the scope of work and intent of bid documents. Any bidder, who is not in attendance at this meeting, will be held responsible for the understanding and extent of the scope of work and the HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está contract.

aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo

5. ubicado Bid formsen andlacontract documents on file as ofHaven. November 1st, 2018limitaciones at 1:00 P.M atdetheingresos Housing calle 109 Frank are Street, New Se aplican Authority Office. of these documents may be obtained by depositing a $50.00 check (CHECK máximos. LasCopies pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 ONLY, NO CASH) made payable to The Housing Authority of the City of New Britain for each set julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) of documents so obtained. Such deposit will be non-refundable.

en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición

6. llamando Each bidder is required with theirdurante bid, a bid guarantee of not less thandeberán 5% of the amount a HOME INCtoalsubmit 203-562-4663 esas horas.Pre-solicitudes remitirse of the bidoficinas in the form of a certifi ed check or Orange bank draft, U.S. tercer Government BondsHaven at par value, an irrevoa las de HOME INC en 171 Street, piso, New , CT 06510 . cable letter of credit or a bid bond secured by a surety company. 7. The successful bidder will be required to furnish a performance and payment bond for 100% of the contract price; or a 100% cash escrow; or a 25% irrevocable letter of credit. The surety must be a guarantee or surety company acceptable to the Housing Authority and licensed to provide sureties in the State of Connecticut. Individual sureties will not be considered.

NEW HAVEN

8. The Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informality in the bidding. No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of 90 days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the Housing Authority.

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

9. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to monitor the nbhact.org website for any notices and Addendum(s) that may be issued pertinent to the information being viewed.

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center The Housing Authority of the City of New Britain is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action EmPet under 40lb allowed. Interestedwith parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 ployer and conducts its business in accordance all Federal, State and Local laws, regulations and

guidelines. Small, Minority, Women Business Enterprises and Disabled are encouraged to participate in this process. HOUSING of the CITY OF NEW BRITAIN CT. Unified Deacon’s AssociationAUTHORITY is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10John monthT. program designed to assistDirector in the intellectual formation of Candidates Hamilton, Executive in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

Field Engineer

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for an Information Technology Analyst 1 position, a Municipal Assessment Professional position and a Research Analyst position.

BA/BS in Civil Engineering or Construction Management. 2-5 yrs. experience. OSHA Certified. Proficient in reading contract plans and specifications. Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; Email resumes to info@redtechllc.com. RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Project Manager Environmental Remediation Division

For information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions, please visit https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT and click on:

3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC,

Information Technology Analyst 1 (40 Hour) Recruitment #180815-7603FD-001

RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Municipal Assessment Professional Recruitment #180817-5864AR-001 Research Analyst Recruitment #180822-6855AR-001 The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Administrative Assistant

10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002;

Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com

Must have DOT Construction Exp. Involves traveling to Job Site for record keeping. Reliable transportation a must. NO PHONE CALLS EMAIL RESUME TO michelle@occllc.com EOE/AA Females and Minorities are encouraged to apply

Project Manager

InvitationDivision to Bid: Environmental Remediation nd 2 Notice

3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CTOld 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; or Saybrook, CT Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED(4Technologies, LLC is an EOE. Buildings, 17 Units)

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Common Ground High School

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 Contact: Dan Peterson Phone: 860- 243-2300 email: dpeterson@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc

seeks: Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Union Company seeks:

is looking for a Part Time After-School Recreations Programmer. New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition,Tractor Site-work,Trailer Cast- Driver for Heavy & Highway ConFor job details and how to apply, please visit http://commonstruction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, groundct.org/2018/08/common-ground-seeks-a-part-time-afterclean driving record, capable of operating heavy Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, school-recreations-programmer/

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. Listing: Transportation - Immediate Openingcompliance requirements. This contract is subject toAssistant state set-aside and contract

We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

High Volume petroleum oil company is seeking a full time TransContact Dana at 860-243-2300. Bidtime Extended, Due6:00AM. Date: August 5, 2016 portation Assistant. Work begins at Previous peEmail: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com troleum oil, retail or commercial dispatching experience a plus. Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply MUST possess excellent attention to detail,available ability tovia manage Project documents ftp linkmulbelow: Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer tiple projects, excel proficiency and good computer skills required. http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Send resume to: Human Resource Dept., PO Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437. ********An rmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer********** Fax or EmailAffi 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 Large CT Fence & Guardrail Contractor is looking Scale House Operator, Data Entry, Print,EMPLOYER Copy & Scan DocuAA/EEO for experienced, responsible commercial and resiments. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., & Manifests. dential fence erectors and installers on a subcontracDOT & OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes to RED Techtor basis. Earn from $750 to $2,000 per day. Email nologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com resume to pking@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

FENCE ERECTING SUBCONTRACTORS

16


THE- August INNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 02, 2016 NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018 Con’t from page 12

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

NOTICE Request for Proposals

Master Lease Agreement Services VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities currently seeking Proposals forHousing Master Lease Agreement HOME INC,ison behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Authority, Services. completeforcopy of one-bedroom the requirement be obtained from is accepting A pre-applications studio and apartments atmay this develElm Collaboration Portal opmentCity’s located atVendor 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum incomehttps://newhavenhousing. limitations apcobblestonesystems.com/gateway Monday, ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TObeginning 5PM beginningonMonday Ju;y October 15, 2018 at 3:00PM. 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 preELMto HOME CITY applications must be returned INC’sCOMMUNITIES offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. Invitation for Bid Pest Control and Preventative Maintenance Services

NOTICIA

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities currently Bids for Pest Control VALENTINAisMACRI VIVIENDASseeking DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLESand Preventative Maintenance Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from ElmdeCity’s Vendor HOME INC, en nombre la Columbus House y deCollaboration la New Haven HousingPortal Authority,https://newhavenestá housing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, Ocaceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo tober 15, 2018 at 3:00PM. 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 esasfor horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse Request Proposals a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

Dispatcher Galasso Materials is seeking a motivated, organized, detail-oriented candidate to join its truck dispatch office. Responsibilities include order entry and truck ticketing in a fast paced materials manufacturing and contracting company. You will have daily interaction with employees and customers as numerous truckloads of material cross our scales daily. We are willing to train the right individual that has a great attitude. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Reply to Hiring Manager, PO Box 1776, East Granby, CT 06026. EOE/M/F/D/V.

DELIVERY PERSON Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week, Must Have your Own Vehicle

If Interested call

(203) 435-1387

The Glendower Group, Inc

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Market Research and Brand Positioning

is seeking to fill the position of Director of Gift Planning. Please refer to our website for details: http://www.cfgnh.org/ About/ContactUs/EmploymentOpportunities.aspx. EOE. Electronic submissions only. No phone calls

The Glendower Group, Inc an affiliate of Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking proposals for Market Research and Brand Positioning. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, October 15, 2018 at 3:00PM

NEW HAVEN

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

Listing: Retail Assistant Invitation to Bid: has an immediate full time opening. Previous Petroleum Company nd experience2 Notice helpful in answering multiple telephone lines and in dealing with customers. Personable customer service skills a must. Previous petroleum experience a plus. Applicant to also perform Old Saybrook,tasks CT such as typing proposals, scheduling appointadministrative Buildings, 17 Units) parts and materials. Please send resume to: ments (4and ordering dential, TaxH.R. Exempt Manager, & Not PrevailingConfi Wage Rate Project P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

The AllManchester Authority new apartments,Housing new appliances, new carpet,will close toopen I-91 & the I-95 waiting list for the Federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. highways, near bus stop & shopping center Applications will be available at 8:00 AM Monday November 5th, Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 2018- Friday November 5th, 2018 at 4:00PM in person and on the ********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer********** MHA website at http://manchesterha.org and may be returned to 24CT. Unified Bluefi eldAssociation Drive Manchester, byConstruction, mail Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastDeacon’s is pleased to offer a Deacon’s CT 06040 in person orNew Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates 8:00AM Monday November 26th, 2018 - 4:00PM Friday Novem- in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. ber 30th,Chairman, 2018. Important Information: This is not first come first Flooring, Painting, DivisionInsulation 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, good pay and benefits. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster company offering serve, The MHA will place all applications into a lottery process Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. St. New Haven, CT that and select 400 applications to be placed on the waiting list. mail resume torequirements. above address.. MAIL ONLY contract set-aside and contract compliance Once the lottery is performed the 400 chosen applicantsThis will re-is subject to state Please This company is an Affirmative Action/ ceive a letter informing them that they have been placed on the Equal Opportunity Employer. HCV waiting list. Due to the anticipated volume of applications,

Mechanical Insulator position

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Project documents available via ftp link below: The Manchester Housing Authority does not discriminate based upon race, until 3:00 pm on color, Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, disability, familial status, sex or national origin http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage FT Assistant Building Official Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the $38.03 hourly Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

the MHA will not contact applicants who are not chosen. Sealed bids are invited. by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour

Town of Bloomfield

For details and how to apply, go to www.bloomfieldct.org. HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Pre-employment drug testing. Public Notice Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith AA/EOE The Manchester Housing Authority will open the waiting list for AA/EEO EMPLOYER Street Seymour,Low CT at 10:00 am, onPublic Wednesday, July 20, 2016. the Federal Income Housing (LIPH) program (Elderly/ Disabled) 2 BR units at 8:00 AM November 1, 2018. Applications are available the MHA website http://manches- Laborer: The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applications for Bidding documentsinareperson availableand fromon the Seymour Housing AuthorityatOfthe position of Laborer in its Public Works Department. Qualified candidates must terha.org and may be returned to 24 Bluefi eld Drive Manchester, possess a High School Diploma or GED, some experience in heavy manual labor fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. CT 06040 in person or by mail. and CDL. Current base pay for this position is $40.782/year. The application is available at http://www.townofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/ .

The HousingThe Authority reservesHousing the right Authority to accept ordoes rejectnot anydiscriminate or all bids, to based Manchester uponofrace, color, to disability, familialfunding, status, and sex to orwaive national reduce the scope the project reflect available any origin informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Town of Bloomfield Housing Authority. Full Time Assistant Assessor

$39.96 hourly

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE For details and how to apply go to www.bloomfieldct.org

POLICE OFFICER

The Wallingford Police Department is seeking qualified applicants for Police Officer. $1137.20 weekly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. The physical performance, written and oral board exams will be adminis-

job-notices-and-tests or The Office of the Mayor, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT. The Town of East Haven is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, Females, Veterans and Handicapped are encouraged to apply.

Class A driver F/T Experienced Email-Hherbert@gwfabrication.com 17

Believe

Located in Harlem, New York, Capital Prep has enrolled 160 sixth and seventh graders, this school year. The charter school currently has plans to expand to high school grades in the future. Now, Sean “Diddy” Combs holds hiphop’s 2013 top spot for the industry’s wealthiest player and his net worth is estimated by Forbes at $580 million. “But how did he go from intern to CEO?” is one of the most asked questions the mogul receives. He describes three key steps below: Passion – Do What You Love Clearly, Sean “Diddy” Combs is a talented individual and music lover. He built his fortune on a love of music and an eye for fashion, which he likely acquired from his mother through her work as a model in the fashion industry. Both… … are what the industry calls “core competencies” for being successful. Do what you love and what you’re good at. Combined with skill, your passion will take you to highest of the pay scale. Work & Spend Your Money As A CEO CEOs are always watching the bottom line. If they don’t, the bottom will let go from under them. So Combs suggests taking on the CEO mindset early. “You have to be honest with yourself. You have to tell yourself the truth. You have to tell yourself the truth about what it’s going to take for you to be successful. It doesn’t come easy, you’re going to have to go out there and get it,” says Combs. Network, Network, Network! Sean used his contacts from Uptown Records to launch Bad Boy Entertainment. Building a network seems to be an important component to success. There’s an age old saying that goes, “Iron Sharpens Iron”. You can’t be sharp if you’re around dull people. The same is true for finances. An eagle never learned how to soar while hanging around pigeons. Identify those people who you want to emulate and start meeting and networking with those around Con’t from page 13

When Trump

And there was the sound of the whistle being blown signaling for the troops to leap out of the trenches and march forward into the machine gun fire unleashed by those in the opposing trenches. With this bit of history in mind, Trump could not find it in himself to get a little wet and honor the lives of men who would never return home? Instead his actions ring of contempt for those who were not rich enough or powerful enough to avoid the conflict. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and www.billfletcherjr.com. Read his new novel The Man Who Fell From the Sky from Hardball Press.

Con’t from page 12

Let Your Voice Be Heard

COMMENTARY:

a partner. I was worried I might lose my job if I rocked the boat and complained about my superior making me uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be viewed as, “that girl” who complained. She shouldn’t wear all that makeup to work or her dress shouldn’t have been that short. Just because of how I looked or what I wore made it acceptable for me to feel uncomfortable in a working environment? I should just accept the fact that I had it coming to me? No. But this is the common thought trending in America today. “Why would someone just now report this or speak out?” Most likely because they didn’t want to feel judged, ridiculed and told they had it coming to them. We are often our own worst barriers. Is it due to societal conceptions or our own thoughts? Either way we need to learn it’s not a ‘right’ or ‘privileged’ to speak up, it’s a given. We see our counterparts, even our men, speak up and tell their truths only to be applauded and praised. When we as women do it, we are being ‘emotional’ or ‘overreacting’ or even lying. I spent over a decade being in relationships that took a toll on my self-esteem. Toxic relationships that suppressed my growth not only as a woman, but in my career and business. I often cancelled my own self-care plans in order to please who ever I was dating, such as working out or spending time with my friends and family. I was willing to compromise my feelings and priorities for another person. When you do that it allows others to walk over you. I use the word, “allow” because ultimately you are giving them permission to. I had to learn it was perfectly okay to say no, and if someone didn’t respect that no – then that was their problem and not mine. Even now I contemplated about sharing parts of my story. In the back of my mind I told myself, “Who would listen to me?” “Who would believe me?” Then I remembered my why: Why I decided to tell my story, so that others would have the courage and self-love to tell theirs. You never know who you may save by telling your truth. Is it scary? Yes. Is it necessary? Definitely. I spent most of my life hiding my voice, afraid of being seen. I urge you all, to stand up and be heard. Even if it seems that no one is listening, they are. Never be afraid to speak your truth, no matter how painful or embarrassing. Your truth could be someone else’s truth who is too apprehensive to speak out. It could be what they need to speak out too. To further connect with me, follow me on Instagram @miss_morgan86 or www.morganaowens.com


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

Michelle Obama Reveals Miscarriage: by Christian Carter, BDO Assignment Reporter Former First Lady Michelle Obama is known for being classy, poised, feminine yet strong, beautiful and really an allaround picture of womanhood without giving up details of herself. Mrs. Obama has revealed a very intimate and painful struggle: She had a miscarriage and went on to use in vitro fertilization, or IVF, to conceive their two daughters 20 years ago. In an in-depth interview for Michelle Obama’s new memoir, Becoming, the Associated Press reported that the Obamas turned to IVF after a miscarriage left them feeling alone, “failed,” and “broken.” “We were trying to get pregnant and it wasn’t going well,” the former first lady writes. “We had one pregnancy test come back positive, which caused us both to forget every worry and swoon with joy, but a couple of weeks later I had a miscarriage, which left me physically uncomfortable and cratered any optimism we felt.” By the time she hit her mid-30s, the former lawyer told ABC’s Good Morning America, she had a growing awareness that “the biological clock is real” and “egg production is limited.”

“I felt lost and alone and I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were, because we don’t talk about them,” Obama, 54, said. “We sit in our pain, thinking that somehow we’re broken.” So she sought out IVF treatments from a fertility doctor and began giving herself hormone shots, the AP reported. While her “sweet, attentive husband” worked at the state legislature, she was left “largely on my own to manipulate my reproductive system into peak efficiency.” Eventually, Obama became pregnant, first with Malia, who is now 20, and then Sasha, now 17. But Mrs. Obama is the first Black woman to battle infertility issues. Infertility affects at least 12 percent of all women up to the age of 44, and studies suggest Black women are more than twice as likely to experience infertility as white women. Yet only about 8 percent of Black women between the ages of 25 and 44 seek medical help to get pregnant, compared to 15 percent of white women. The numbers don’t lie. Black mothers giving birth in the U.S., in this day and age, die at three to four times the rate of white mothers. According to the most recent CDC data,

“I Felt Lost And Alone”

white women in America experience just under 13 deaths per every 100,000 live births; for black women, it’s more like 44 deaths per 100,000. And the United States is an outlier among other wealthy countries in that our maternal mortality rates continue to trend upward at the same time that every other developed nation in the world has managed to lower theirs. Maternal death has become a full-blown public health crisis in the Black community. But surviving childbirth is not a sufficient measure of whether a woman’s labor and delivery experience is successful, and there is evidence to suggest black moms are… … suffering more trauma in the course of delivering their babies than white women — in ways both big and small. Black women are twice as likely to suffer from severe complications during pregnancy and childbirth and, though obviously much harder to quantify, personal stories from black mothers who felt disrespected and brushed off during labor abound. Some doctors have even said that Black women are 234% more likely to be ignored pain. With Mrs. Obama being so open about this subject can only help bring light to the subject.

African Diaspora Film Festival Takes on “Who is Black in America?” By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

The 26th annual installment of the African Diaspora International Film Festival promises to tackle the topic: “Who is Black in America?” The popular festival, which showcases black filmmakers, actors, directors and producers all over the world, runs from Friday, Nov. 23 to Sunday, Dec. 9, at venues that include Teachers College at Columbia University, the Cinema Village, MIST Harlem, the Dwyer Cultural Center, and the Riverside Theater. “There’s a lot new this year,” said Reinaldo Barroso-Spech, an educator in foreign languages and Black literature who created the festival with his wife, Diarah N’Daw-Spech, a financial consultant and university budget manager. An opening night panel discussion and reception will focus on “Who is Black in America.” Panelists, who include director Marisol Gomez and poet Yvette Modestin, plan to dissect whether the film “Black Panther” has contributed to a better understanding of the Black experience and they’ll also explore what steps are needed to improve understanding, acceptance and acknowledgment of the diversity of the Black experiences in America. The festival will also host screenings like Gomez’s “Angelica,” which deals with racism in Puerto Rico. The film depicts Angelica, who has spent her whole life escaping from her mixed racial identity, but a family crisis forces her to return to Puerto Rico and rethink her life.

“Angelica” is one of the many films scheduled for screening at the ADIFF

Festival-goers will also have an opportunity to watch “Scattered Africa: Faces and Voices of the African Diaspora,” “Sons of Benkos,” and “Cimarronaje en Panama,” documentaries that examine the contributions of Africans and their descendants to the wealth and power of the Americas and portrays elements of African culture that characterize everyday life throughout North America today. “Scattered Africa” is based on director and anthropologist Sheila Walker’s experiences of discovering the origins of her own African American culture in Africa and her relationships with other Afro-descendant cultures in the Americas, including her individuals who were her teachers and cultural guides. Directed by Silva Lucas, the “Sons of Benkos” counts as an entertaining documentary that explores the African culture of Colom-

bia through music while “Cimarronaje en Panama” director Toshi Sakai expolores a time where two centuries before George Washington or Simon Bolivar dreamed of liberation from European tyranny, enslaved Africans in Panama fought for and gained their independence. Finding refuge in the vast forests, they reclaimed their lives and formed free African communities throughout the isthmus. Additionally, “Black Mexicans/La Negrada,” counts as the first Mexican feature film about the Afro-Mexican community and was filmed entirely with individuals from different towns around the Costa Chica in Oaxaca. A women of color filmmaker competition will also take place and feature the panel discussion and the screening of, “No Shade,” which explores the hardships of the modern dating world through the dysmorphic presence of colorism as well as the fetishization

18

of black women in a way that organizers say is tactful and honest. Jade is both effervescent and relatable as a 28-year old single woman of dark complexion who just “can’t seem to get it right,” let alone liberate herself from her unrequited love for the repressive and colorist Danny. The world through her eyes is both a quirky and tumultuous obstacle course of courtship catastrophes and heart-gripping silences. Despite Jade’s line up of Tinder flops and her challenges in the friend-zone, she is easy to engage with and adorable, according to the film’s notes. Jade’s charisma, quirk, beauty, vulnerability and perseverance throughout the film make her a thoughtful heroine with a twist of comedic spunk in the end. “From its inception, the festival has always showcased great films that explore the black British experience,” Barroso-Spech said.

Con’t from page 15

Open Letter

soon in yet another senseless shooting. In the years since her death, however, Cleopatra has transformed her grief into advocacy for gun-violence prevention. She’s fighting not just for her own child but for everyone’s. That is exactly the spirit that surrounded me as a child. It’s what compelled Dr. Lavizzo to pen that letter to the editor. It’s what drove my mother to attend all those PTA meetings. It’s what motivated the teachers who taught me and the neighbors who looked out for me. None of them could have known that a kid from South Shore would grow up to become First Lady of the United States—but they fought like it anyway. Today, Bryn Mawr has been repurposed as Bouchet Math and Science Academy. Many of the South Shore stores and gas stations I knew as a child are gone or they’ve changed owners. But all the love that was poured into me? That’s still there. I know it is. And that’s why I can’t wait to see the good that comes out of the neighborhoods all across Chicago in the years ahead. I can’t wait to see what’s next for all the young people growing up today, walking the same sidewalks and sitting in the same classrooms as I once did. There’s no telling who they might become. Michelle Obama is the former First Lady of the United States. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr Elementary, Whitney Young High School, Princeton University, and Harvard Law School. Her memoir, Becoming, publishes November 13.


THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Noveber 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

NEW HAVEN’S GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY RADIO STATION! www.newhavenindependent.org

JOE UGLY IN THE MORNING Weekdays 6-9 a.m.

THE TOM FICKLIN SHOW Mondays 10 a.m.

MAYOR MONDAY!

MERCY QUAYE

Mondays 11 a.m.

Mondays 1 p.m.

“THE SHOW”

“DJ REL”

MICHELLE TURNER Tuesdays 9 a.m.

“WERK IT OUT”

ELVERT EDEN Tuesdays at 2 p.m.

MORNINGS WITH MUBARAKAH

“JAZZ HAVEN”

Wednesdays 9 a.m.

Wednesdays 2 p.m.

STANLEY WELCH

“TALK-SIP”

LOVEBABZ LOVETALK

Thursdays 1 p.m.

Mondays-Fridays 9 a.m.

ALISA BOWENSMERCADO

FRIDAY PUNDITS Fridays 11 a.m.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 14, 2018 - November 20, 2018

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