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Amplify The Arts Hits Its Stride

By Abiba Biao

Best friends Alicia Brown and Lanaya Pickett have two very different creative processes—and were excited to display them side-byside Saturday.

On the left side of a table, Pickett meticulously laid out her resin coasters, the insides decorated with flower petals and gold flakes. Brown, on the other hand, had brought an array of black and white drawings and coloring pages for people to fill out.

That was the scene at Hamden’s third annual Amplify the Arts Festival, a weekend-long exhibition held at the Eli Whitney Barn just over the New Haven-Hamden line. In its third year, Amplify the Arts has continued to grow, largely as a credit to organizer Karimah Mickens and artists she has continued to work with over multiple years.

This year, the festival featured artists Greg Aimé, Kulimushi Barongozi, Amira Brown, Shaunda Holloway, Edward Jefferson, Iyaba Mandingo, Shanna Melton, Linda Mickens, Jasmine Nikole, and Darnell “Saint” Phifer.

“I want each of the artists to have the opportunity to tell their own stories, so they get to place the art the way that they wanted,” said Karimah Mickens, who also works as Hamden’s Town Clerk. “They get to choose the art that they want. This gives me an opportunity to kind of show people of color, LGBTQ youth artists, [and] give them the opportunity to exhibit in a large way.”

In addition to featured artists, Mickens included the work of 57 students from New Haven, Hamden and Stamford. The pieces ranged from all different mediums from photography and digital design to traditional pen and pencil, oil pastels, paint, and colored pencils. Around the barn, artists talked to attendees—and to each other—about their work. Along one wall, Saint Phifer said that he was feeling nervous, but was also excited for the supportive nature of Amplify the Arts.

Behind him, a large canvas reimagined the Disney character Belle as a Black woman, her coffeecolored skin and thick, black hair emerging from a butter-colored silk yellow dress. Against a blue background, the artist had printed the words BLACK BELLE in crisp, block letters, with a gentle pink paint that matched the flower the princess was holding. In the canvas beside it, a trio of Black family members embraced each other.

“This year was, like, a little bit more nerve wracking, kind of like trying to figure it out for the second time,” he said. “Hopefully I can live up to my own hype. Hopefully people appreciate their work, and that's pretty much all it is. I want people to see growth, if they've been here before.”

He added that the work represents a new direction. In the past year, he’s turned his focus from faceless figures (read about that here) to body extremities like hands and eyes and drawing faces. In the future, he hopes to launch into different mediums like fashion and designing furniture, he said.

Outside the barn, Brown and Pickett greeted visitors for the first

time, eager to share their work. An avid traveler and the owner of The Art Child LLC, Brown hosts therapeutic art classes for adults, kids and teens, and sells personal creations like commissions, artwork, and coloring pages.

It’s all about giving kids the space to be creative, she said. She stands firm by the motto “process not product.”

Pickett is the owner of Nyx by Nay, selling resin goods and crafts. After getting into the art form during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic—and watching her best friend flourish with her work—she was inspired to start a business. For Pickett, her resin designs take two hours to complete and 24 hours to cure. A fashion designer by trade, she also still hopes to pursue a career in fashion alongside her small business.

Pickett described the event as “eye opening” and said it was “ inspiring to see other artists.”

Returning into the barn after going through the outdoor market, attendees IfeMichelle Gardin, Babz Rawls Ivy, and Markeshia Ricks all praised the festival. No one was leaving empty handed: they all held up their newly bought prints and posters by artist Jasmine Nikole. All three praised Mickens for growing Hamden’s blossoming art scene—and bringing in food, live music, a DJ and artists to make the weekend officially feel like a vibe. Smiling, Ricks proudly showed off her find, a print from Nikole that showed a Black woman, head tilted towards the sky, in large yellow sunglasses. Ricks said she was drawn to the “funky” nature of the piece.

“[She’s] just always doing beautiful work with beautiful Black women,” she said of Nikole’s work. “And just the way she does things, you will find something for everyone in there and so this piece spoke to me.”

“I wasn't able to attend last year, so I'm super excited to be here this year,” she added.

Alicia Brown and Lanaya Pickett. Abiba Biao Photos.

Darnell Saint Phifer.

The new haven independent

80th Birthday Marked In The Sky

by LAURA GLESBY

Elsie Chapman had thought about her 80th birthday celebration for so long that she could hardly believe it was here. Her toes met the edge of the plane. She heard her guide count down: three… two… one…

And just like that, she was flying.

I am free falling, she thought, as gravity pulled her down two and a half miles through the air. I am free falling in the sky!

Chapman knew that she wanted to learn how to skydive at an older-than-typical age ever since she read that former President George H. W. Bush had done it at age 85. (“Although I may not agree with his politics… I thought, ‘That looks cool!‘”)

She held onto the idea for many years and decided to actually go for it in honor of her 80th birthday this month.

“My niece thought I was nuts,” Chapman recalled. “I checked with my primary care physician she was excited.”

A longtime New Havener and historic preservation advocate, Chapman had recently moved out of her Wooster Square condo. “It was getting to be too many stairs,” she said. She found a “continuing care” retirement community in Wallingford a place where she could continue living independently, but where someday she could benefit from heightened support.

She finds her new neighbors to be welcoming. “I have people coming up to me saying, ‘Oh you’re so young!’ ” she said. “I’m turning 80!”

Chapman is a determined commemora-

tor of birthdays. For her 65th, 70th, and 75th birthdays, she’s spent the day in New York City and, each time, secured a spot in the live audience of the Today Show. She’s considering a similar trip at the end of the month but she knew that this birthday had to involve skydiving. “I don’t know how many more I have.”

She started planning by Googling “Tandem Skydiving,” a beginner-friendly option in which Chapman would be strapped to a certified instructor through-

out the dive. She decided to sign up with the Ellington-based company Connecticut Parachutists. While she turns 80 on Oct. 29, the date that worked out best happened to be a few weeks earlier on Oct. 4.

She prepared by wearing layers and gloves, knowing that the air is colder at higher altitudes. The company would also teach her how to position her body in a seated position while landing.

“I expected to be nervous,” said Chapman, who’s normally afraid of heights.

Her nerves peaked when she had to sign a small mountain of paperwork relieving the company of liability for an activity “that may result in injury or death.” “It’s like signing away your first-born,” she joked. But she figured, “If I go, the guy I’m tethered to is going to go as well. So I’m sure he’s going to be careful.” Chapman soon realized that she was the only customer who had signed up for the early-morning 8 a.m. time slot.

The pilot thought the weather was

slightly too overcast, so he delayed the flight for about an hour. Chapman introduced herself to the crew and asked them about their lives. “Everybody was just so nice,” she recalled.

Soon, it was time for take-off

“They tell you that you can back out literally at the last minute, until you exit the plane,” said Chapman. “I was nervous, but I was amazed at the degree to which I was calm. I was more excited.”

And suddenly, the countdown and the fall.

I’m doing this

! I’m doing this! I’m doing this! she thought.

Strapped to the certified guide, Chapman kept her eyes wide open (behind goggles) throughout the dive. She couldn’t see any city buildings nearby; just trees, farmland, a smattering of clouds, and the glowing horizon. “I’m afraid of heights, but up there, at that height it doesn’t matter,” she said. “You look around and it’s just it’s amazing. … You cannot adequately explain the experience.”

After a couple of minutes, her guide released a red parachute to slow their fall. “Life, there are no guarantees,” Chapman reflected. “Life is so short.” She had held onto her skydiving dream for so long that, by the time she was flying, she thought: “Golly, I’m finally in the moment.” With both hands, she waved to the world.

Alders Approve $2,000 Fines For Landlords

by LAURA GLESBY

Watch out, derelict landlords: housing code violations can now come with a $2,000-a-day price tag levied directly by the city.

The Board of Alders instituted that maximum fine for landlords renting out units that are deemed to be unsafe on Monday evening, escalating the consequences from a previous $250-per-violation fine.

At a full board meeting in the Aldermanic Chamber of City Hall, alders unanimously passed an ordinance amendment to the city’s housing code.

The amendment allows the city to fine landlords for code violations up to the maximum amount allowed by the state.

Effectively, according to LCI Director Liam Brennan, that increases potential housing code fines from a maximum of $250 per violation to up to $2,000 per

violation per day that the issue goes unfixed.

The amendment also institutes a new mechanism for landlords to contest civil citations: empowering volunteer “hearing officers” appointed by the city to adjudicate all housing code appeals. This creates a system for enforcing housing code parallel to the way the city currently addresses blight violations and holds accountable landlords registered with the city’s licensing program.

Both changes are part of a broader effort to overhaul the Livable City Initiative (LCI), the city agency tasked with enforcing the housing and blight codes. As the city contends with relatively old architecture and a very low vacancy rate (meaning limited choices, higher rents, and less market power overall for tenants), many renters have found themselves living in substandard conditions.

LCI has faced criticism for insufficiently holding landlords accountable for those conditions. The stakes can be high: five months after the city reached a $14.5 million settlement for a deadly fire in an illegal rooming house fire that LCI failed to shut down, another man died in an Elm Street house that never received a mandatory reinspection from the agency. LCI recently created five new housing inspector positions to increase the department’s capacity.

Meanwhile, as LCI’s recently-appointed director, Brennan has sought to speed up the department’s inspection and communication processes. He framed the hearing officer system created by Monday’s ordinance amendment as one step toward that goal.

Brennan has said that the department’s previous practice of working with the state’s attorney’s office to prosecute the

most egregious code violations in criminal housing court entailed too much bureaucracy and built-in delays.

“It impedes us from meeting the expectations of the public,” he said on Monday. A civil citation hearing system enabling the city to levy municipal fines, in with New Haven’s blight enforcement system will “just make us so much more efficient and effective,” Brennan said. “It will really give us more teeth.” Legislation Committee Chair and Wooster Square Alder Ellen Cupo advocated for the amendment during the alders’ meeting on Monday. “This amendment seeks to address the delays in the housing code violation process … without a court order,” she said.

It will ameliorate “unsafe and unsanitary conditions” that “LCI has not always been able to address,” said Health and Human Services Committee Chair and

Elsie Chapman in the air.

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO

LCI's Liam Brennan (center) with Fire Inspector Steve Martin at an inspection on Nash St.

Downtown/East Rock Alder Eli Sabin.

The new haven independent

The new haven independent

First Early Votes Cast In General Election

by JABEZ CHOI and THOMAS BREEN

Dozens of New Haveners lined up on the second floor of City Hall Monday morning to cast the city’s first early ballots in this year’s long-coming presidential election.

Early voting began at 10 a.m. in Meeting Room 2 at 165 Church St. at City Hall, and will go until 6 p.m. Eligible voters can cast their ballots early at City Hall from Monday through Nov. 3 in advance of the Nov. 5 general election day.

This will be the third election in New Haven in 2024 that will have an early voting option after its implementation statewide this year. It follows the presidential preference primaries in early April and a set of primaries for state representative and U.S. Senate in August.

Outside the room on Monday, a line of voters went down the hall and around the corner, nearly stretching to the Mayor’s Office. Voters were called into the room in groups of three to five to vote. Those who were not registered to vote could go to a separate section of the room where they could register with proof of residence and I.D.

Voting moderators helped voters at one of five stations, where they checked voters’ registration. Then, voters were given their ballots and escorted to a private booth to select their candidates. Finally, they scanned their ballots and placed them in a black box. Before they left, voters were given an “I VOTED” sticker.

Though the wait was largely quiet, some struck up conversations with those around them. Some read books while waiting in line one read recent Nobel Prize-winning Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. Others reviewed the candidates they planned on voting for on news outlets, including the Independent.

Kenneth Barnes, 68, got in line to vote early at around 12:15 p.m. Monday. “I feel good,” he said about casting his ballot a good two weeks before election day. It’s nice to have more opportunities to vote than just on one “set time” on the first Tuesday in November. He said he was happy to see a long line of fellow New Haveners coming to City Hall to vote Monday, too.

How’s he feeling about this year’s presidential election? “A lot of controversy,” he said. “I just want the world to be a better place.” He said he grew up in North Carolina, and is used to a certain civility in interpersonal actions. He finds that wholly missing from today’s intensely polarized national politics. “If we can’t get together in government, how we gonna get together as people?” he lamented.

And who does he plan on voting for?

“It’s no secret. I’m a Democrat. I’m going with Harris,” he said. “I think we need a change,” he added, and Harris to

him represents more of a change than former President Trump. “We’ve already seen what it was like” when he was in office, Barnes concluded. It’s time for someone different to be in charge.

Two voters, a man and a woman who did not want to be named, toward the front of the line, expressed their support for Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well. The woman wore a warm yellow shirt and the man had a baby stroller with him, his child sleeping inside. For the woman, her vote for Harris was largely to protect her “social security.” And the man spoke more broadly, saying that he wanted to have a return to “normal politics.” He noted the recent vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance as a reminder that political parties could disagree while being respectful.

“For me, can we go back to having more normal politics? Can we have functioning adults in office instead of crazy people? That would be nice,” the man said.

Standing just a few spots behind the two was a man wearing a classic red “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” hat. The man said he had been a Democrat his entire life until last year. At that point, he was frustrated with the inflation that we “didn’t have…under Trump.” He also did not agree with what he described as Biden’s weak border policy, saying that the country needs stronger border security.

“I want the borders closed,” the man said. “I want our country to control who comes here.”

The man said he is thankful for the early voting option, as he would be out of the country on Nov. 5. Two women leaving the voting site said that they were voting early “just to get it over with.” Another man said he’d rather vote early than have something happen to his vote on such a hectic time as election day, where more people would be voting.

Voting Moderator Dominic Tammaro compared early voting to absentee voting. According to Tammaro, early voting is more final than absentee voting. Absentee ballots are not opened until election day, allowing indecisive absentee voters to go in and change their votes before election day if needed. But for early voting, such amendments are not allowed.

“Early voting is technically like election day,” Tammaro said. “You vote, you’re done.”

Tammaro showed support for early day voting, noting the flexibility the extended two-week voting period offers to voters’ schedules.

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Dozens wait to cast their ballots, at around 10 a.m.

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO

Kenneth Barnes: "I just want the world to be a better place."

THOMAS BREEN PHOTOS

Sign guiding voters to voting site.

The new haven independent

Mzansi Magic where she played ‘Winnie.’

October 29, 2024

An Evening with Olympic Gold Medalist Alexis Holmes

John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts Southern Connecticut State University

Olympic track and field gold medalist

Alexis Holmes, a native of Hamden, Conn., returns home with her medal from the Paris 2024 Olympics and sits down for a public conversation at Southern.

Moderated by Gabrielle Lucivero, Sports Reporter at NBC Connecticut

City’s Largest Mural Enlivens County Street

Her international debut was in ‘The Underground Railroad’ an American fantasy historical drama series based on the novel ‘The Underground Railroad’ written by

‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for

sion series ‘The Underground Railroad.’ She won the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie’ for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in ‘The Underground Railroad.’ In her keynote speech at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully spoke of how she overcame the loss of her dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But her role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’

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

by PAUL BASS

The insect, a dragonfly, found the perch tucked onto the eastern side of the vacant city-owned historic Goffe Street Armory, as part of a new mural celebrated by artists and officials at an event Tuesday.

Local artists Daniel Pizarro and Mike DeAngelo (at left and center in above photo) worked with apprentice muralists (from second left) Kaelynne Hernandez, V. Ware, and Maddie LaRose and (not pictured) Luis Alfonso to create the climate-themed 255-by-50-foot mural, the city’s largest, according to Mayor Justin Elicker.

beginning with a depiction of sneakers on a telephone pole … … to a greener city vision. In keeping with that vision, muralists used cooling paint that reflects UV rays and infrared rays to help lower the temperature of the building, reducing the A/C bill. Meanwhile, a years-long community process has begun to figure out what to put inside the deteriorating building itself.

n $50 VIP Seating (includes post-show photo opportunity)

n $20 Regular Seating

n $10 Students

n $5 Children Under 14 SouthernCT.edu/Alexis-Holmes

Yale’s Sustainability Project funded the $80,000 project undertaken by the city’s Department of Arts, Culture, & Tourism along with Yale’s schools of the environment, art, and architecture. It aims “to highlight the climate crisis’ disproportionate impact on communities of color, and to inspire inclusive climate solutions” by

“We learned about the endangered species” during the project, said Ware, an artist who moved here from D.C. two years ago to work for Yale’s climate initiative. “Each mural apprentice picked an insect. I picked the dragonfly. The dragonfly up there [pictured at top of story] is mine. I really love dragonflies … watching them how they float on lily pads. I love their wings. They’re iridescent.”

A butterfly landed on the wall, as well, with plans to stick around.

PAUL BASS PHOTO

An endangered insect defied the trajectory of climate change and landed in a permanent new spot on a brick wall on County Street.

The new haven independent

DESK Rolls Out New Haven Cares Fest

by KAREN PONZIO

What happens when a Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen volunteer and New Haven arts and culture scene superfan decides to combine the two things near and dear to his heart? The New Haven Cares Festival of Arts and Music is born.

The brain child of Andrew ZumwaltHathaway, this newly created fundraising event will transform some of the city’s hottest night spots into places where donations can be collected for the annual DESK Thanksgiving For All program, offering both good will and a good time. The idea came to Zumwalt-Hathaway while sitting at one of the Unplugged series of shows he books at Three Sheets under the moniker Booger Z. Jones.

“I thought, ‘well, it would be nice to do a show that’s just for DESK,’” he said. “And then, being the overachiever I tend to be sometimes, I thought, ‘why not make it a whole festival?’”

He reached out to Luis Olmo-Rivera, DESK’s development director, and ran the idea by him.

“I got the thumbs up pretty quick,” he said with a smile.

DESK decided to hold the festival toward the end of October so it would lead right into its Thanksgiving for All program and serve as a way to gather non-perishable food items and monetary donations. The

events will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Ordinary and continue Thursday, Oct. 24 at Three Sheets; Friday, Oct. 25 at Firehouse 12; Saturday, Oct. 26 at Christopher Martin’s; and conclude Sunday, Oct. 27 at Cafe Nine, next door to the DESK drop-in and resource center that is currently being renovated.

DESK’s Thanksgiving for All program has been around for almost 30 years in

Questions about your bill?

conjunction with other organizations, according to executive director Steve Werlin. Their two closest partners are Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers and Yale Hospitality; then, about a dozen other partners are involved in various ways, with donations, running drives, and hosting spots to make meals. The goal of the program is to serve about 1,300 individuals on Thanksgiving Day through meal deliveries.

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

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

Date: Monday, September 16, 2024

Time: 5 - 7 pm

Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting Parking available (handicapped accessible)

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

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

Spanish-speaking counselors available.

DESK itself has been around almost 40 years, and for 25 years the organization had operated exclusively out of Center Church’s parish house on Temple Street. In late 2020 it purchased its State Street location to serve as its new drop in and resource center.

DESK began serving out of that space those years between 2021 and when renovations began in February 2024. During renovations, the organization has been operating out of The Church of St. Paul and St. James on the corner of Chapel and Olive Streets. Operations will be moved back into the State Street location when renovations finish in November.

The facility will have the same services as before and more. Though DESK’s focus is on those who are unhoused and primarily unsheltered, anyone can go there and access some basic needs, whether that’s food, clothing, or toiletries. DESK also has a goal of trying to get those in need connected to other resources so they can get housed, employed, and into substance abuse treatment programs and medical programs or get medical care.

“The idea is that it is both basic needs as well as next-level needs,” said Werlin.

Once the renovations are complete, DESK will have a café on the first floor and a full commercial kitchen on the second floor (they serve over 100,000 meals a year, per Werlin). They will also have a third floor

that includes a meeting room where they will work with United Way and the CT Mental Health Center for those in need of services, as well as an area that will serve as the headquarters for the Homeless Health Care Department of the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center.

“It’s an incredible resource,” said Zumwalt-Hathaway.

Both Werlin and Olmo-Rivera praised Zumwalt-Hathaway, who has been one of DESK’s longest serving drop-in center volunteers. He will be celebrating his three-year anniversary there this November.

“He’s here every week serving people food and making sure people are taken care of,” said Werlin.

Zumwalt-Hathaway, who lives in New Haven, volunteered for years in a variety of locations throughout the state, including running a food truck for the Bridgeport rescue mission pre-pandemic for two years and then delivering groceries for FISH (Food in Service of the Homebound) in New Haven. When they stopped doing their weekend scheduled deliveries — “and my weekends are the only time I have free to volunteer” — he looked up DESK as an alternative, since he was familiar with it

Con’t on page 18

Connect to the people, places and things that keep you thriving. If you’re an older adult or person with a disability, we have information about resources to help you live your best life.

KAREN PONZIO PHOTO Olmo-Rivera, Zumwalt-Hathaway, and Werlin.

The new haven independent

K 8 School Cellphone Ban To Start In January

by MAYA MCFADDEN

All New Haven public elementary and middle school students will have to stow their phones in magnetically sealed “Yondr” pouches starting in January per a new districtwide policy designed to minimize pocket-buzzing distractions by creating cellphone-free learning environments.

New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) Supt. Madeline Negrón, Mayor Justin Elicker, and other district leaders unveiled that plan at a Wednesday afternoon press conference at Barnard School on Derby Avenue. Wednesday’s presser followed Negrón’s announcement of the cellphonefree-schools plan at Tuesday night’s latest Board of Education meeting at John S. Martinez School in Fair Haven.

That new districtwide policy will require all NHPS K 8 schools to implement Yondr pouches by January 2025. New Haven public high schools could be required to use Yondr pouches as early as the start of the 2025 – 26 school year.

All K 8 students will be required to secure their cellphones in locked Yondr pouches upon arrival at school through the end of the school day. Otherwise, under the new policy, K 8 schools have leeway to craft school-specific Yondr-pouch policies that work best for their particular body of students and staff.

The cellphone-free policy comes amid recent state guidance recommending, but not requiring, that public school districts across Connecticut ban cellphone use in middle schools and limit cellphone use in high schools. Some New Haven middle schools, like Barnard, have already begun piloting the use of Yondr pouches.

Negrón said on Tuesday and Wednesday that national research has proven the benefits of removing students’ phones from their learning environments. She emphasized that less screen time helps students to be less distracted and therefore more engaged with class instruction, more open to social interactions, and less likely to fall victim to cyberbullying. The restriction of cellphone use in schools also limits social media drama from spilling to the learning environment.

Elicker announced that due to the school district’s financial struggles, he plans to submit a proposal to the Board of Alders that $375,000 in city funds be used to purchase enough Yondr pouches for all 19,000 NHPSstudents. He explained that the one-time investment would secure enough pouches for the district this school year and going forward for high school implementation efforts.

“The solution is simple: cellphonefree schools,” Elicker said. He noted that the district will likely have to work in a smaller annual maintenance cost for the pouches.

At Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, school board member Matt Wilcox

encouraged Negrón to include an educational piece into the district’s implementation plans to better educate students, parents, and other stakeholders on the benefits of the policy.

Negrón said that throughout the remainder of the school year, she plans to host focus groups including parents, students, and school staff to learn what the district’s high school policy should look like, while understanding high schoolers’ responsibilities like jobs and parenting.

At Wednesday’s presser, seven Barnard eighth graders showed reporters how the Yondr pouches work, as a result of the West River school being the first New Haven public school to pilot Yondr pouches last school year.

New Haven Federation of Teachers

President Leslie Blatteau shared Wednesday that every educator has two goals: building deep meaningful relationships with students and families, and designing and creating engaging learning experiences. She said cellphone usage in schools impedes both of those goals and creates barriers for school staff to meet a child’s full needs.

She encouraged the district to consider investing in more social emotional supports as the shift for some students may not be easy because of how dependent kids have become on their phones, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting online-only school.

“Teachers will welcome the relief” of constantly telling their students to get off their phones, she concluded.

Barnard Principal Stephanie Skiba said that the school allows students to take the Yondr pouches home with them each day to help them take ownership over their responsibilities. She also said students are made aware of where and who they can

find in the building to gain access to the devices’ magnet release tool in case of emergencies.

During some emergencies, like lockdowns, she said educators are taught that the pouches can be cut open with scissors. Skiba also reached out to parents informing them that if they need to reach their child or relay information to school staff, they must call the main office “old-school

students off their cellphones.

Croteau welcomed the districtwide policy, stating that it puts less burden on teachers and decreases the common occurrences of social media drama spilling into the school day.

He concluded that physical altercations at Barnard have decreased significantly last year and this year since the adoption of Yondr pouches. Last year the school had a total of three physical altercations between middle schoolers.

Eighth graders Owen Agba and Nathaly Ynoa Martinez said Wednesday they believe every school should have Yondr pouches, even down to elementary grades.

Nathaly added that when her school had no pouches “a lot was always going on.” Now that they do she said she’s seen “drastic” changes in her and her peers’ grades and attendance.

Eighth grader Yeabsira Mulualem, 12, started at Barnard this school year. She transferred from Ansonia Middle School, where students were also required to use Yondr pouches last school year. She said the difference now is at her previous school, students’ phones were unlocked during lunch breaks. While Barnard does not do that, she said, she’s fine with it because she decided long ago to not bring her cellphone to school with her.

“I appreciate this because it’s an opportunity to disconnect,” she said.

Yeabsira concluded that her discipline with her phone usage will one day help her to get a job on Wall Street.

Negrón said if the alders approve the mayor’s funding proposal, NHPS should be able to order the pouches and get them in time to roll out the policy by January.

At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Board of Education student representative and Wilbur Cross senior John Carlos Serana Musser told the superintendent that as she works toward establishing a phone policy for high schools, she must consider that many schools like Cross no longer have enough Chromebooks to provide 1:1 access for its students.

He continued that he has friends who therefore must write and read essays from their phones. “What are they supposed to do?” he asked.

While he’s lent his school-assigned Chromebook to friends over the years, it’s not always possible because of his own need to complete school assignments.

style.” She concluded that Yondr has provided the school with technical assistance and supports since the pouches’ implementation.

Seventh and eighth grade Barnard English language arts teacher Dan Croteau noted that in his eight years at Barnard, he’s spent six of those years constantly dealing with the struggle of trying to get

He concluded that the restriction on phones at the high school level will likely require an additional investment in Chromebooks to return to providing students with equal opportunity to accessing technology to submit and complete assignments.

Barnard eighth graders and ELA teacher Dan Croteau: Ready for year two of Yondr pouches.

THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO Barnard Principal Stephanie Skiba shows off a Yondr pouch, where the cellphone goes.

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Barnard English language arts teacher Dan Croteau: Student fights are down and no more pausing class lessons to take phones away.

The new haven independent

Smoke Shop Zoning Regs En Route

by ALLAN APPEL

The long-awaited ordinance-in-progress will treat smoke shops similarly to liquor stores with requirements like they not be located near schools and churches or too close to each other.

But there will also likely be a lot more detail.

For example the garish flashing lights in windows and brash dancing bongs designed to catch the interest of young people may also be seriously curtailed, if not forbidden.

Those general contours of a future city ordinance regulating smoke shops emerged Wednesday night at the regular meeting of the Whalley-Edgewood-Beaver Hills (WEB) community management team meeting.

There, Westville/Amity Alder and Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow, one of the crafters of the proposed law, offered a preview of the regulations to two dozen receptive neighbors convened at 333 Sherman Avenue, the headquarters of Neighborhood Housing Services.

The draft ordinance which he and Downtown Alder Eli Sabin and lead writer Fair Haven’s Frank Redente, Jr., are now finalizing should be ready by Friday, Furlow said.

The draft will be presented Monday as a communication to the Board of Alders, then assigned to a committee, likely the Legislation Committee. Because all amendments to the zoning code require a public hearing, that will be scheduled ASAP, Furlow added. Likely in the first half of November.

“I think we did things backwards,” Fur-

low said. “We voted for cannabis first, and we didn’t think of the stores who sell the paraphernalia.”

The proliferation of unregulated smoke shops is not only a New Haven problem; it’s statewide.

Furlow cited recent strong regulations passed in Stamford; also Milford’s regulation banning the establishment of any smoke shops in the future; and in Westport, he said, there’s now a complete ban.

“We’re not going to be that aggressive.

But you will be happy,” he added, with what’s in the near future.

“We’ll follow the same ideas as with li-

quor stores. Not near churches or schools and two or three thousand feet from each other.”

While making a point of saying the legislation’s aim is not to discourage economic development, Furlow added, it will have language to help discourage advertising of smoke shop products especially to minors.

“There are stores that are targeting children and that is a chief concern. That will not be allowed and we also want to quench smoke shops who sell cannabis.”

When the public hearing date is announced, Furlow urged people to come out

and to testify either for or against at the aldermanic chamber where he said he expects vigorous debate on the language.

In part that’s because he anticipates smoke shop owners to advocate against restrictions and also because Furlow said he has even spoken with some city officials who have told him there is no evidence of deleterious effects of smoke shops on the community.

“We don’t need more data,” he said.

“We are the data.”

One neighbor confirmed that during the robust Q and A following his presentation, reporting “smoke shops have become hang out spots.”

Furlow replied that’s because the smoke shop is a business category that simply does not exist in the current zoning code.

“That’s the hitch. Right now they can do whatever they want.”

The city was able to exercise some control over the smoke shop at 841 Whalley Ave. in Westville, he said, by citing a violation of convenience store use.

However, as of now, a smoke shop use there was permitted as of right, according to Deputy Director of Zoning Nate Hougrand.

Without specific smoke shop regulations, the city has been hamstrung and receiving lots of complaints from neighbors and thus the new ordinance in the making.

Furlow said that even gas stations now are selling smoking paraphernalia, and he personally feels the regulations should require formal licensing for any establishment that sells any smoking-related products.

“These are some ideas. We are open to others,” but he urged people to submit those ideas soon, preferably in an email

to him or to Sabin or Redente as the first draft of writing concludes by the end of this week.

Alder Ficklin Sorely Missed

Before the WEB meeting formally began, its chair, Rebecca Cramer, called for a moment of silence in memory of Tom Ficklin, long-time civic leader and journalist and most recently Beaver Hills alder, who died suddenly last Wednesday night at the age of 75.

“He was such a huge part of my life,” she recalled. “I would get ten emails a day from him! I miss him so much.”

She said the management team had sent flowers and a plant to Ficklin’s wife Julia, and other WEB attendees also shared their memories, appreciation, and condolences. Former mayoral candidate and retired police officer Shafiq Abdusabbur, who preceded Ficklin as the Ward 28 alder, remembered Ficklin as a fascinating man, “a humble guy who yet stood his ground.” Ficklin’s main legacy, he said, will be the mentorship he has provided to so many people in the community.

Per City Charter, a special election for Ward 28 alder must now take place within 45 days. Whoever wins that election will serve out the rest of Ficklin’s two-year term, which runs through the end of 2025. Would Abdussabur consider throwing his hat in the ring?

Now’s not the time to speculate on that, he replied.

“Now’s the time to memorialize Tom and to support his family.”

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO

Alders Richard Furlow and Evette Hamilton, with WEB Chair Rebecca Cramer.

Shafiq Abdussabur (second from left): Tom was “a humble guy who yet stood his ground.”

The new haven independent

Neighbors Dance On “Dr. Robinson Way”

by LAURA GLESBY

A seemingly ordinary street corner morphed into a dance floor, a concert hall, and a classroom, in honor of a beloved neighbor and teacher who has made history by remembering it.

Two marching bands and 50 community members gathered at the intersection of Dixwell Avenue and Argyle Street on Saturday morning to unveil a new corner sign declaring the intersection “Dr. Ann E. Garrett Robinson Way”.

In September, the Board of Alders formally named that corner after 90-year-old Dr. Robinson: a retired psychologist and professor as well as a lifelong community historian and Dixwell advocate who lives across the street. Robinson was the first Black woman to join the Trinity College faculty, one of the earliest Black women to be a researcher at Yale, and the first Black certified psychological examiner in the New Haven Public Schools system. She taught legions of students at Gateway Community College. She wrote musicals and plays. She brought attention to the city’s first known Black resident an enslaved woman named Lucretia, who, thanks to Robinson, has a corner of her own Downtown.

Robinson made a point of building roots in the historically Black Dixwell neighborhood that has often been dismissed or overlooked a neighborhood that now permanently bears her name.

“It makes me feel so good to be a New Havener,” she said of the corner naming on Saturday. “I am so glad to be part of the trail that leads from where we were, with the Quinnipiac, until now, right here on Dixwell Avenue.”

“We are part of a story,” she added. “That story can be better and better.” To flesh out the beginnings of that story, City Historian Michael Morand came to the celebration equipped with research on the history of the corner itself. He found out that the corner’s earliest residents included a shoemaker and a nurse fittingly, he said, because Robinson “makes us walk” and injects care into her community.

A series of speakers included Mayor Justin Elicker, former alder and soon-tobe state representative Steve Winter, and current alder Troy Streater, who presented Robinson with a citation from the Board of Alders.

Among the listeners was Vanette Lloyd, a former student of Robinson’s. Lloyd, who is now 77, credited Robinson with inspiring her to take on a leadership role in her career as an educator. “I always remember seeing such a small-statured lady with so much knowledge,” Lloyd said. “Not only did she teach us, she taught us to love learning.”

Soon, the Hillhouse and Amistad marching bands took turns producing a triumphant, intricately-coordinated beat. Their

music inspired the multi-generational crowd to fill the street with dancing including some moves from Dr. Robinson herself, a former baton twirler.

Then, Robinson’s former student and unofficial goddaughter Trina Greene belted a resolute, theatrical song that Robinson wrote as part of a musical when she was younger.

“It’s October… and I wait faithfully for news of my destiny,” Greene sang.

From a seat on her corner, Robinson hummed quietly along.

Dr. Robinson with her family.

LAURA GLESBY PHOTOS

Dr. Robinson, with Alder Streater: “We are part of a story. That story can be better and better.”

The new haven independent

Exonerated Five Sue Donald Trump for Defamation Over False Debate Remarks

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

The five men wrongfully convicted in the 1989 Central Park assault case, known as the “Exonerated Five,” have filed a defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump after he made false statements during a September 10, 2024, presidential debate. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Pennsylvania, claims that the 34-times convicted Trump falsely asserted they had “pleaded guilty” to the crime and falsely stated they “killed a person ultimately” during the assault, claims that have widely been debunked.

Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise, and Yusef Salaam—who spent years in prison before their 2002 exoneration—accuse Trump of defaming them, painting them in a false light, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress by continuing to spread falsehoods about their case. The lawsuit references Trump’s debate comments, which were broadcast to millions of viewers, as particularly harmful given the ongoing efforts by the men to rebuild their lives after their wrongful convictions.

While Trump has lashed out at the in-

ing for the death penalty in response to the arrests of the five teens. The lawsuit notes that, despite the exoneration of the five men based on DNA evidence and the confession of the actual perpetrator, Matias Reyes, Trump has continued to make inflammatory and false remarks about their guilt.

“Plaintiffs never pled guilty to any crime and were subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing. Further, the victims of the Central Park assaults were not killed,” the lawsuit states, pointing to the fact that the actual perpetrator’s confession and DNA evidence absolved the men of all charges. The lawsuit also notes that Trump’s remarks were made negligently, with knowledge of their falsity or reckless disregard for the truth.

to Trump’s reputation that his repeated lies have caused. “These statements have caused the plaintiffs serious reputational damage and severe emotional distress, especially given their wrongful convictions and efforts to move past this chapter of their lives,” the filing states.

In 2002, the men were exonerated after DNA evidence linked Reyes, a serial rapist, to the assault on a female jogger in Central Park. Their convictions were vacated, and the City of New York ultimately paid the men a $41 million settlement in 2014. Despite these facts, Trump has maintained his stance.

“Trump’s statements were false and defamatory in numerous respects,” the lawsuit asserts. “The exoneration of the plaintiffs is a matter of public record, yet Trump’s continued public statements attempt to rewrite history and cast doubt on their innocence.”

nocent men, the twice-impeached former president is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of 34 felony charges in New York. A civil jury also found Trump guilty of sexually assaulting a journalist, and a judge levied a verdict of nearly $500 million against the Republican presidential nominee for committing massive business fraud.

The court filing provides a detailed account of Trump’s decades-long association with the case, beginning in 1989 when he famously took out full-page ads in New York City newspapers call-

The men, now in their 50s, have since become advocates and public figures, working to address the injustice they suffered. Yusef Salaam, a New York City Council member, was present at the September 10 debate and later confronted Trump in person. When Salaam introduced himself, Trump reportedly waved him off, saying, “Ah, you’re on my side then,” to which Salaam replied, “No, no, no, I’m not on your side.”

The lawsuit asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages with a focus on the emotional harm and damage

The lawsuit also draws attention to Trump’s previous statements, including a 1989 ad in which he called for the death penalty and a 2013 tweet where Trump referred to the exoneration as a “onesided piece of garbage” and continued to imply their guilt. Despite overwhelming evidence proving their innocence, Trump’s remarks have perpetuated misinformation, resulting in ongoing harm to the plaintiffs, the filing states.

Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise, and Yusef Salaam—who spent years in prison before their 2002 exoneration—accuse Trump of defaming them, painting them in a false light, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress by continuing to spread falsehoods about their case.

Black Press Urges DSCC to Expand Black Media Reach in New Ad Campaign

The effort focuses on promoting voter participation in the 2024 Senate elections while urging individuals to create a voting plan using the online platform

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has launched a new advertising initiative to encourage Black voter turnout in seven key battleground states. The campaign “Our Vote. Our Power.” will appear in select Blackowned media outlets across Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The effort focuses on promoting voter participation in the 2024 Senate elections while urging individuals to create a voting plan using the online platform IWillVote.com, where everyone can access information to plan their involvement in the election.

“Black voters have the power to shape the outcome of the 2024 election and will play a critical role in defending Democrats’ Senate majority that is fighting for the values, priorities, and issues that matter most for Black Americans,” said Jessica Knight Henry, DSCC Deputy Executive Director. “This campaign will build

on Senate Democrats’ efforts to meet Black voters wherever they are and ensure that every voter has the information

they need to make their plan to vote and make their voice heard.”

The campaign’s ads will run in publica-

tions including the Florida Star, Baltimore Times, Michigan Chronicle, Call & Post, West Philly Journal, Houston Style Magazine, Dallas Weekly, and the Milwaukee Community Journal starting immediately.

“Technology and social media have given us the opportunity to see history almost repeat itself,” said Jessica Washington, CEO of The Dallas Weekly. “The Black Press has been pivotal in advocating the necessity of civic engagement from our community. This was the case for the first Black vote as it is for this 2024 election.”

Washington added that the Texas senate election between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Congressman Colin Allred will have a massive impact on education, immigration, and the state’s economy. “Dallas Weekly will do their part, as we have for 70 years, to inform our community on the power of their vote,” Washington affirmed.

However, National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chair Bobby Henry, publisher of the Westside Gazette in Fort Lauderdale, voiced concern over the limited scope of the DSCC’s outreach.

“I appreciate the effort to reach out to Black voters with your new advertising campaign, but the limited placement in just a handful of local Black newspapers is disappointing and inadequate,” Henry stated. “Black voters have consistently been at the forefront of shaping our nation’s political landscape, and yet, once again, we are seeing minimal investment in ensuring our communities are thoroughly engaged and informed.”

The NNPA is the trade association representing over 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies, comprising the 197-year-old Black Press of America. Henry called for a more significant investment. “Our communities deserve more than token outreach; they deserve a comprehensive, robust effort that spans the diversity and geographic reach of Black media outlets nationwide,” he demanded. “To effectively energize Black voters and convey the importance of their participation, there must be a more significant investment in the publications that have historically served as trusted voices and sources of information.”

Trump’s Black America Plan: Boost Police Immunity, Reduce Accountability Measures

“We’re going to give our police their power back, and we are going to give them immunity from prosecution,” Trump said while campaigning in Wisconsin. Courtesy of The Houston Defender

This post was originally published on Defender Network By

Aswad Walker

In May, former President Donald Trump told a Waukesha, Wisconsin crowd, “We’re going to give our police their power back, and we are going to give them immunity from prosecution.”

That same month, On May 3, 23-yearold Senior Airman Roger Fortson was shot and killed by an Okaloosa County (Florida) Sheriff seconds after opening his front door. No instructions were given. No warning. No waiting. Just one second and six shots were fired as Roger’s girlfriend listened through a Facetime call. Houston-based civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Fortson’s family, labeled the shooting an “execution” and a violation of Fortson’s civil rights.

More Police Violence

Weeks after Trump’s promise to “protect” police so they can “do their job,” Sonya Massey, a 36-year-ole Black mother, was shot and killed by police after she called 9-1-1 because she feared someone was trying to break into her Springfield, Illinois home.

More recently, a San Francisco surveillance video from July 29 showed police assaulting a Black woman, Christiana Ponder, accused of jaywalking.

“The moment he charged at me out of his car and just seeing that look of just anger, I immediately knew he didn’t have good intentions,” said Ponder, who was followed, detained, and then thrown against a wall. For jaywalking.

0Ponder suffered a concussion, sepa-

rated right shoulder, and torn ligaments in her knee from her encounter with police.

“They abuse and use their power and authority to brutalize and just torment and harass civilians,” said Ponder.

Trump’s Plan for Black America

Part of Trump’s plan for Black America apparently involves stricter policing of Blacks with police given even more freedom than traditionally granted from legal accountability.

“There’s a big difference between being a bad person and making an innocent mistake,” said Trump. “Sometimes you have less than a second to make a life and death decision, and sometimes very bad decisions are made. They’re not made from an evil standpoint, but they’re made from the

standpoint of ‘they’ve made a mistake.’”

But Black people know what U.S. crime statistics verify: those officer “mistakes” happen to Black people exponentially more often than whites. Nationally, unarmed Blacks are 320 times more likely to be killed by police than unarmed whites. To end this gross racial disparity a significant criminal justice reform bill, which has been stalled in legislative limbo for years, was reintroduced ahead of the fourth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by police. This proposed law, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, was reintroduced by longtime Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in May 2024, just months before her passing.

“Far too many lives have been lost or

forever changed due to unacceptable incidents of police brutality throughout our nation,” Jackson Lee stated during a press conference with family members of Blacks killed by law enforcement. “We cannot allow another American to be deprived of their humanity, dignity, and constitutional rights without taking action.”

Qualified Immunity

One of the main components of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is its call to end qualified immunity, a doctrine described by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as a “judge-created rule that protects government officials, including police officers when they are sued.”

Nationally and here in Texas, qualified

immunity has been used in many cases to protect officers who have been accused of misconduct, including excessive use of force and fatal shootings.

One of Trump’s most consistent messages during the run-up to Election 2024 is his commitment to fight against any legislation that seeks to end or weaken qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that bars victims from suing state and local government employees.

Qualified immunity protected the Louisville, KY police who shot and killed award-winning EMT and first responder Breonna Taylor in March 2020 from being sued by her family. But qualified immunity wasn’t needed for Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson to protect the officers who killed Taylor. Simpson blamed Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, for her death at the hands of police who burst into Taylor’s home serving a “no-knock” warrant on the wrong house during the wee hours of the morning. Walker, who legally owned a weapon, sought to protect himself and Taylor from unknown assailants who broke in and started firing. Those assailants happened to be Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and Sgt. Kyle Meany. Those who defend qualified immunity argue ending it would bankrupt officers hit by lawsuits. However, a study conducted by UCLA law professor Joanna Schwartz revealed that governments (i.e. taxpayers), not the cops themselves, paid 99.9% of the damages awarded to plaintiffs. Trump intends to protect qualified immunity and offer police “federal immunity” so they can continue to “do their job.” Courtesy wordinblack.com

The trial began this week and is expected to last six weeks, with the defense and prosecution planning to rely heavily on the four-minute video to make their case.

From Gifted Performer to Tragic Loss: Jordan Neely’s Death Brings Daniel Penny to Trial

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

A widely shared video showing a former Marine placing a man in a chokehold aboard a New York City subway train will be at the heart of the trial of Daniel Penny, who faces charges in the death of celebrated Michael Jackson performer Jordan Neely. The video, which has sparked nationwide debates on race and public safety, shows Penny restraining Neely in a chokehold until his death.

Penny, 26, is charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide and has pleaded not guilty. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted of the top charge. The trial began this week and is expected to last six weeks, with the defense and prosecution planning to rely heavily on the four-minute video to make their case. Penny’s attorneys argue that he did not apply enough force for the chokehold to be fatal, while prosecutors

contend that he used excessive and unjustified force against Neely, a 30-year-old Black man who had been struggling with homelessness and mental health issues.

According to the New York City chief medical examiner, Neely died from compression to his neck, and the death has been ruled a homicide. The incident has become another flashpoint in discussions about racial justice, the treatment of homeless individuals, and the safety of New York’s subway system. Following Neely’s death, police initially questioned Penny and then released him without filing any charges—a move that received harsh criticism from activists and elected officials.

Outside the Manhattan courthouse this week where the trial will take place, supporters of Neely continue to call for justice. In the wake of Neely’s death, those who knew him personally have shared his life story with many people. One of those voices is Moses Harper, a professional dancer who wrote a tribute to Neely for

The Marshall Project titled “My Friend Jordan Neely Was Homeless and in Mental Distress. But He Was Not Expendable.”

“I first met Jordan in 2009, after Michael Jackson died,” Harper wrote. “He was in

Times Square performing with a couple of his friends, and I was coming out of a dance studio where I’d been teaching the ‘Thriller’ dance moves. Jordan, who was 16 at the time, was surrounded by tourists, engaging with all different types of people. He picked me out of the crowd and said, ‘Come here, let’s do this! Don’t be scared.’”

Harper recalled how Neely was always full of life when performing but faced immense personal challenges. Neely’s mother was murdered when he was 14, a trauma that Harper said deeply affected him. “That kind of hurt is indescribable,” Harper wrote. “Performing as Michael Jackson was his escape.”

Despite his talent, Neely struggled with mental health and homelessness in the years leading up to his death. Harper reflected on how Neely often felt invisible and ashamed of his circumstances, even as he tried to maintain his dignity through his performances. “There is too much pressure put on Black men to hold a cer-

tain type of posture and profile,” Harper wrote. “For Jordan, I’d imagine he felt like, ‘The last time you saw me, I was dressed up like the greatest entertainer in the world. Look at me now.’”

Harper noted the broader systemic failures of individuals like Neely, who are often neglected by society. “The system failed Jordan,” he wrote. “He didn’t have a diploma, he was homeless, and he was dealing with mental health issues. On top of all of that, when he performed, he would get antagonized by people who hated Michael Jackson.”

As the trial moves forward, the video of the fatal incident will serve as a key piece of evidence in determining whether Penny’s actions were justified. But for those who knew Neely, the trial is about more than just a legal verdict—it is about the value of a life lost too soon.

“When I think of Jordan Neely, I think of a gifted, kind, young soul who was trying to find some joy and peace in this world,” Harper wrote. “He was priceless.”

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5 Ways Local Elections Can Drive Change in Black Communities by Issac Morgan,

BlackDoctor.org

Black voters will likely play a critical role in the upcoming 2024 presidential election between GOP nominee Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris. It’s no wonder both candidates have targeted people of color in their campaign messaging.

But aside from national politics, local elections are arguably just as important, if not more so, in Black communities across the country. They have a more immediate and tangible impact on communities, driving significant change at the local level.

Grassroots politics have long been a powerful tool, engaging ordinary people at the local level to create political change. This can involve rallies dedicated to important matters affecting Black communities and mobilizing Black voters to take action in local elections.

Have you ever seen people organize an event or set up a tent at local events to register people to vote? That’s an example of grassroots efforts to ensure Black voters can participate in elections. You don’t need to be a political expert to organize events and advocate for policies—social media can be a powerful vehicle to influence elections.

It’s also crucial to research local officials to understand their stances on various issues faced in communities of color. Some

critical issues facing Black Americans nationwide include voter suppression, health disparities, economic inequality and systemic racism.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice and Harvard Health, these challenges significantly impact the well-being and opportunities available to people of color.

Overall, grassroots politics and local elections are essential tools for driving change in Black communities. By engaging in the political process, Black residents can ensure their voices are heard and influence change.

Here are five ways local elections affect Black communities:

Empowering local leadership

Local elections provide an opportunity for Black communities to elect leaders who they feel understand their unique challenges and are committed to addressing them.

According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, grassroots action is crucial for systemic change, as it allows communities to develop strategies grounded in their local context.

“For change to occur, we should look to civic action happening on the ground. With regards to housing policy, for example, much of existing civil rights legislation was passed in response to organized local pressure,” Nonprofit Quarterly wrote. “In other words, change came to Washington, D.C., not from it.”

Addressing voter suppression

Voter suppression disproportionately affects Black communities, making it essential to elect officials who will fight for fair voting practices.

The Brennan Center for Justice underscored how strict voter ID laws and other voting restrictions have a significant negative impact on Black voters in particular. By participating in local elections, communities can support candidates who prioritize voting rights and work to eliminate these barriers.

Over the last two decades, states have imposed barriers such as strict voter ID laws, cutting voting times, restricting registration, and purging voter rolls, according to the center. These efforts have disproportionately affected racial minorities, poor people, and young and old voters Improving access to public services

Elected officials can lead to better public services, such as education, health care, and housing, which are vital for the wellbeing of Black communities.

Local leaders who prioritize these issues can allocate resources and implement policies that directly benefit their constituents. As noted by the American Bar Association, addressing systemic discrimination in public services is essential for achieving equity.

Tackling safety issues in Black communities

Electing local officials committed to community safety and justice reform can help reduce crime and improve relationships between law enforcement and Black communities. As we know, there is often mistrust from Black residents towards the police, as they feel law enforcement has abused its power and used aggressive tactics in Black neighborhoods.

According to Politico, gentrification and displacement have eroded Black political power in many cities, making it crucial to support candidates who will advocate for community-driven safety initiatives. Fostering economic development

Local elections can drive economic development by supporting policies that promote job creation, small business growth, and affordable housing.

The Brennan Center for Justice emphasized the importance of addressing economic disparities to create more equitable communities. By electing officials who prioritize economic development, Black neighborhoods can experience increased opportunities and improved quality of life.

Martin Luther King III Embraces Interfaith Effort to Rebuild Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church

By Adam Shapiro, CEO/President ASPR

Martin Luther King III, the son of revered civil rights icons Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, directly tied his parents’ dreams for America to the multi-faith initiative to rescue the historic Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church. King passionately spoke about the Potomac, Maryland church that formerly enslaved congregants built by hand. Yet it’s a modern challenge that caught his attention; flash flood waters in 2019 and additional weather damage, exasperated by the rerouting of a nearby road, threaten Scotland.

King said, “How does it align with ‘I Have a Dream?’ Talk about salvaging and rebuilding…this symbol, this religious institution that provides an opportunity for spiritual learning, is similar to what my dad and mom were doing when they were building the beloved community and Scotland is about building the community.” King made his remarks at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), which is only about a mile from the Lincoln Memorial where his father delivered his inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech over

61 years ago.

The event at the Smithsonian Museum celebrated the 100th anniversary of Scotland’s founding and its “2nd Century Project,” which is a rescue and rejuvenation initiative under the leadership of Reverend Dr. Evalina Huggins. Bishop Brian R. Thompson Sr. said, “It’s a won-

der of Montgomery Country because they wonder how we’re still here! It’s an oasis where people will be able to see a symbol of freedom…even though water tried to wipe it away, God is lifting it up higher and higher.”

The plans call for rebuilding the historic original structure; re-grading the

surrounding landscape to mitigate more flooding; and constructing a new stateof-the-art house of worship to meet future needs. Supporters, including Glenstone museum founder Mitch Rales, announced they’d raised nearly $9 million toward the $11 million goal. The NMAAHC event, moderated by WUSA9 news anchor Lesli Foster, served as a powerful reminder of Scotland’s importance, even for those who don’t worship there.

Longtime Bethesda resident Joyce Siegel was recognized for her work to revitalize the Scotland community, including the church, in the 1960s.

Frank Islam, a philanthropist and Muslim, said that he and his wife Debbie Driesman quickly embraced the effort.

“The 2nd Century Project has brought together the broader community in a common cause. It’s a remarkable effort, especially at a time when we need more opportunities to work together as Americans.” Rabbi David Saperstein, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, reflected that the wide-ranging support illustrated the Bible’s lesson to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In fact, Rabbi Evan Krame and members of his nearby Jewish congregation made the first donation.

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and others reflected on the longstanding ties between Jewish and Black communities to push back against antisemitic and anti-Black actions, from Selma, Alabama, in the 1960s to the more recent violent marches in Charlottesville, Virginia, and other locations. High school student Alice Carrie Marriott highlighted the importance of young people creating ties as she spoke about being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and her commitment to Dr. King’s dream in the 21st century.

Dr. Erika Gault, Director of the Center for the Study of African American Religious Life at NMAAHC, spoke about the diversity of religions in Black culture, including Blacks who are practicing Jews and Buddhists. She also explained the evolving definitions of religious involvement in today’s culture. In addition, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th District) presented the church with a congressional proclamation for its efforts to preserve and build on its important legacy. As the church’s choir sang “I Want to Know What Love Is,” attendees fully realized they were in the presence of true love during the very moving evening.

The panel discussed “Interfaith Collaboration, Then & Now.” (Left to right): Amy Spitalnick, CEO, Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Dr. Erika Gault, Director of the Center for the Study of African American Religious Life, National Museum of African American History and Culture; Rabbi David Saperstein, Ambassador, International Religious Freedom; Martin Luther King III, Chairman, Drum Major Institute; and Lesli Foster, Moderator, WUSA9 Anchor

Unlocking Hidden Opportunities: Why Government Jobs Are the Path to Career Growth and Stability

Ebony JJ Curry, Senior Reporter

When people think about career options, government jobs often fly under the radar. But the reality is, working for the government can be a goldmine of opportunities. From entry-level to senior management, government jobs span across various sectors, and they exist in almost every corner of the country. The opportunities are vast and more attainable than many might think.

Government jobs are not only known for their range of roles but also for offering competitive salaries and benefits packages. On top of that, government employers provide solid retirement plans and flexible work schedules, making them an appealing option for anyone looking for stability. It’s not just about the paycheck; it’s about building a career that grows with you and offers long-term security. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job search or unsure about your next move, working for the government could be the change you’ve been waiting for.

We rarely hear about government jobs when scrolling through popular job boards, but they’re everywhere. The U.S. government is the largest employer in the country, and it covers a range of fields—everything from public safety to education, policy-making to community outreach. The roles are essential to the functioning of society, yet they’re often overlooked in favor of more flashy private-sector positions.

Many people assume that government jobs are slow, bureaucratic, or not intellectually challenging. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Government roles require sharp analytical skills, top-notch communication abilities, and, most importantly, a strong sense of integrity. These positions involve working with communities, managing large-scale projects, and sometimes even shaping public policy. So, for those who want to make an impact while securing a stable and well-paying career, the government offers a unique path.

Let’s break down why government jobs might just be the best-kept secret in career advancement:

First, government employers provide

stability. While the private sector can be volatile—subject to economic shifts, market changes, and layoffs—government positions tend to be much more secure. This is especially true during times of economic uncertainty when many businesses are forced to cut back, but government services must continue operating.

Next, let’s talk about benefits. It’s not just the paycheck that makes government jobs attractive. Most of these roles come with excellent benefits packages, including health insurance, retirement savings plans, and paid time off. In many cases, these benefits surpass what’s typically offered in the private sector. The value of such perks shouldn’t be underestimated—these are the kinds of things that help you and your family in the long run, from medical bills to planning for retirement.

Government jobs can also be intellectually stimulating. While the perception might be that these roles are mundane or overly administrative, the truth is many government positions involve complex problem-solving, project management, and interaction with the public. Whether you’re working on community outreach or shaping new policies, government employees often have the chance to en-

gage with real issues and make a tangible difference. It’s not just a desk job—it’s meaningful work that impacts lives.

Beyond this, the government, being the largest employer, offers vast opportunities for career advancement. Government organizations are often large and structured with multiple layers of management. This means there are plenty of chances to move up within the organization, develop new skills, and take on leadership roles over time. Unlike smaller companies where upward mobility might be limited, government jobs often come with clear pathways for advancement, which is crucial for long-term career growth.

Another advantage of working in the government is job security. While businesses might face downturns or even go under entirely, government jobs are much more stable. Even in the rare event of layoffs, government employees typically enjoy more job protection than their private-sector counterparts. For someone seeking peace of mind and a stable income, this security can be a huge selling point.

For those who care about making a difference in their community, government jobs provide a unique opportunity to do just that. Public service is at the heart

of government work, and employees have the chance to directly contribute to the well-being of their fellow citizens. Whether you’re working at the federal, state, or local level, the work you do in government has the potential to create real, lasting change.

The accessibility of government jobs is another key factor. No matter where you live, there are government positions available in almost every field imaginable. From rural areas to big cities, government employers are hiring. This makes it easier for job seekers to find positions that align with their skills and interests without needing to relocate.

In an age where remote work is becoming more prevalent, government employers are also adapting. Many government positions now allow for flexible work schedules or even remote work options, making it easier for employees to balance their personal and professional lives.

Lastly, government jobs pay well. Contrary to popular belief, many government roles offer competitive salaries that often surpass similar positions in the private sector. This is especially true for jobs that require specialized skills or advanced degrees. When combined with the excellent benefits and job security, government jobs provide a strong financial foundation.

If you’ve never considered working for the government, now might be the time to change your perspective. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to switch careers, the government offers something for everyone. It’s not just about the paycheck, though the pay is good—it’s about building a career with purpose, stability, and opportunities for growth.

So, if you’re on the lookout for a new opportunity or feeling stuck in your current role, take a closer look at government jobs. There’s a world of opportunities out there that are often overlooked but could provide the career you’ve been searching for. You’ll find positions that challenge you, reward you, and give you the chance to make a difference—not just for yourself, but for your community too.

from doing Thanksgiving deliveries.

“What appealed to me was the same thing that appealed to me about the food truck work: just direct person-to-person handson work with people in need,” he said.

Another one of Zumwalt-Hathaway’s projects is managing the Goatville Community Garden. He brings all the produce from there to the DESK food pantry at the Church of St. Paul and St. James every Wednesday.

According to Werlin, the one on Wednesday before Thanksgiving is “our biggest super pantry of the year.”

Everyone gets all the Thanksgiving fixings and a turkey, according to Olmo-Rivera, “all the ingredients you need to have a full Thanksgiving, a full traditional meal with your family at home.”

With that in mind, at the festival next week DESK is asking for the following nonperishable donations: reuseable shopping bags, broth (turkey, chicken, or vegetable), boxed stuffing,w canned yams, corn, green beans, and cranberry sauce (this list is also available on the DESK website). Monetary donations will also be accepted at the events, which are all free to the public except the shows at Firehouse 12 and Cafe Nine.

Ordinary will be creating a special cocktail for its evening, with a portion of the proceeds going to DESK. There will be art for sale and raffles at the Three Sheets event, the proceeds of which will also be donated.

“I’ve always been very service oriented,” said Zumwalt-Hathaway. “You grow up as a preacher’s kid, you know, you’re just always doing service projects.”

“My hope is that it [the festival] being for DESK will bring in people who want to support DESK and introduce them to some of the local scene and vice versa, introducing those people who go out locally to what’s going on at DESK,” he added.

“We definitely want to emphasize local talent coming together for the community that they live and play in,” said OlmoRivera. “Support residents, your neighbors, people you bump into at the grocery store.” He also noted that some people come to DESK for help with “just two or three meals a month” or “to fill in a gap.”

“Food insecurity is affecting a lot more than your stereotypical demographics,” he said.

“We always say that when you’re looking to make sure that you can meet all of your expenses, food is the easiest assistance you can get because we don’t ask questions,” added Werlin. “Anybody can walk into a pantry. Anybody can walk into a soup kitchen program or a meal program and get food. It’s the one thing that you don’t need to fill out a ton of forms, or show ID, or make the case for your need. It’s something that is easily accessible. I think sometimes people forget that these are human beings. We want to bring some humanity to this issue.”

By Colin Allred

Voting is one of our most fundamental rights. It’s not just about having a say in the future of our country, it's about honoring the legacy of those who fought and sacrificed so that we could have a voice.

As a voting rights lawyer, I've seen the impacts of voter suppression firsthand, and how deeply un-American it is when folks cannot vote because of arbitrary barriers put in place to make it harder.

I became a voting rights attorney because I believe the right to vote is preservative of all other rights. That’s why we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. In Congress, I’ve been working to reinstate and modernize the Voting Rights Act to stop harmful voter suppression laws here in Texas and across the country. To give more Texans a chance to participate in our democracy, we must expand early voting, make Election Day a federal holiday, and take steps like same-day voter registration that make voting more accessible, not create barriers that are harmful to our democracy. I’ve introduced legislation that would ensure integrity in our elections and protect our election workers. I stand by the words of my hero, Congressman John Lewis who said “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.”

Despite these efforts, laws like S.B. 1 in Texas make it harder for Texans to vote by mail, limit the hours of early voting and have burdensome voter registration, and voter ID provisions. This isn't who we are as Texans. The Voting Rights Act, cham-

pioned by the civil rights movement, was signed into law by a great Texan, President Lyndon B. Johnson.

I think about other Texas icons like the late, great Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, who fought fearlessly for our democracy. She never shied away from challenging those who wanted to silence our communities and take away folks’ voices in our democracy. She said it best: "What the people want is very simple, they want an America as good as its promise.” To live up to that promise, we must do better.

Ted Cruz wants to take our democracy backward, as we all saw on January 6 when he tried to overturn a free and fair election and disregard the will of the American people. Ted Cruz supports restrictive laws based on fear tactics about widespread voter fraud. He doesn’t understand and doesn’t care that voting is a cornerstone of our democracy, and he is trying to strip away our hard-won rights. History has shown us that elections can be decided by just a handful of votes. Yet in Texas, only 42 percent of eligible voters turned out in 2022 and Texas sadly consistently ranks towards the bottom in the country in turnout numbers.

We have less than a month to turn out our family and friends and ensure every eligible Texan cast their ballot. It’s time to decide to vote, especially at a moment when folks like Ted Cruz want to threaten the principles our country was founded on.

I often say if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. Voting is our power and our voice. Let's use it.

SMALL AND MINORITY SUBCONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITY–

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Town

of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Columbus House, New Haven, CT SOLICITATION OF SBE/MBE SUBCONTRACTORS: Enterprise Builders, Inc. (EBI) seeks certified SBE/MBE Subcontractors and suppliers and local business enterprises to bid applicable sections of work for the following construction project: COLUMBUS HOUSE 592. Project consists of the demolition of an existing one-story building and the construction of a new three-story 29,155 sf building with 79 housing units. Subcontractor Bid Due Date and Time: 3:00 pm on Friday, October 25, 2024 via email to bids@enterbuilders.com. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting for Building Demolition Contractors will be held on-site at 592 Ella T Grasso Blvd in New Haven, CT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 10:00 am. Please confirm your attendance by emailing bids@enterbuilders.com by 5:00PM on Tuesday 10/08/2024. Starting on Friday 10/4/24, Electronic bid documents can be obtained at no charge by contacting the EBI Estimating Department at (860)466-5188 or via email at bids@enterbuilders.com. Project is Tax Exempt and Residential Prevailing Wage Rates are required. Section 3 Businesses are encouraged to apply. EBI is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Women’s Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply. This contract is subject to State Set-Aside and contract compliance requirements.

NOTICIA

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

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

AVAILABLE AT SPENCER VILLAGE I AND II IN MANCHESTER, CT www.demarcomc.com

Spencer Village LLC, though its Managing Agent, DeMarco Management Corporation are pleased to announce that applications are currently being accepted for the waiting list at Spencer Village I & II located at 151 Spencer Street in Manchester, CT.

Applications will be available beginning September 16, 2024 through September 30, 2024.

Eligibility for Admission: An applicant’s gross family income must be used to determine eligibility for admission. Per CGS Statute 8-115a, the admission limits for Spencer Village I & II shall be at or below 30% and not the exceed 50% of the AMI adjusted for family size. Only “elderly persons” are eligible. An “elderly person” means a person who is sixty-two years of age or older, or a person who has been certified by the Social Security Board as being totally disabled. [CGS sec. 8-113a]

Rent Determination: Residents must pay the greater amount of either the base rent or a percentage of their adjusted gross income. Current base rent is $500.00.

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Listing: Oil Burner Technician

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

Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Petroleum Company has an opening for a full time Oil Burner Technician. Candidate must possess a CT Burner License B-2 and valid driver’s license. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans**

PLUMBING MECHANICS NEEDED:

LBR Mechanical Corp is seeking plumbing mechanics. Must be experienced in all aspects of plumbing/heating, construction and roughing. 3+ years experience a must. Journeyman license a plus. Drivers license required.

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

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

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

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

Construction

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

All persons interested in Spencer Village I and II may request an application either in person (or through a designated individual or agency) at the local site office located at 151 Spencer Street in Manchester, CT during posted office hours.

Applications can also be requested via email at compliance@demarcomc.com or by calling 860-951-3045

Applications can also be requested utilizing the AT&T relay service by dialing 711 Applications will be accepted by mail or in person at the:

Spencer Village I & II 151 Spencer Street Manchester, CT 06040 EFAX # 860-760-6221

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Applications received before September 16th or after September 30th will not be accepted. Applicants are selected from the wait list in the order in which they were placed on the waiting list in order of random lottery Equal Housing Opportunities

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

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

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

MAINTENANCE PERSON F/T – The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol (BHA) is seeking seeking one (1) energetic individual who has experience maintaining residential properties. Skills include, but are not limited to, grounds maintenance, general upkeep of a residential building, painting, changing locks, and other general handyman maintenance repairs. Also landscaping and snow removal.

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

Pay: $19.02-$27.18 per hour. Benefits: Health, dental, vision and life insurance, Employee assistance program, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Tuition reimbursement

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT Monday through Friday; Overtime; Weekends as needed

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.

Education: High school or equivalent (Required) Experience: Maintenance 1 year (Required) License/Certification: Driver's License (Required)

Send resume and references by Sept. 18, 2024 to mrowe@bristolhousing.org.

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

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

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

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

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

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

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

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.

vendor Collaboration

https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 3:00 PM.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Police Accreditation Manager

FAIRFIELD HOUSING CORPORATION

NOTICE

The JUDD HOMESTEAD at RUSSO ESTATES FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Request for Proposals from Builders

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

NOTICIA

The Fairfield Housing Corporation (FHC) is seeking a Builder (General Contractor) to develop the property known as the Judd Homestead at Russo Estates located at 980 High Street, Fairfield, CT. The proposed affordable rental housing development project includes removal/demolition of two small sheds, a barn, and the back portion of the existing home, and then renovations/additions to the existing home and construction of 40 new residential units contained in the five new buildings. The Project includes the installation of all necessary site infrastructure to support the development in strict accordance of all land use approvals. The Project is anticipated to be funded in part by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) through the use of Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and the State of Connecticut, Department of Housing (DOH).

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

RFP submission responses shall be delivered to the Fairfield Housing Corporation’s offices located at 15 Pine Tree Lane Fairfield CT 06825 with one original and three (3) copies on or before Friday, November 8, 2024 at 3 PM. Faxes or electronic submissions will not be accepted.

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

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

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Planning Analyst in the Health and Human Services Policy and Planning Division.

The Town of Wallingford Police Department is seeking a skilled administrator to oversee and manage its accreditation process. Applicants should possess an Associate's degree in business administration, criminal justice, police administration, planning, public administration or related field plus 10 years of experience in police work with 1 year of experience in police accreditation work, or any equivalent combination of experience and training substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must have current or previous certification as a Police Officer from POST, current certification as a Police Accreditation Manager, and a CT driver’s license. Annual salary: $74,039 to $93,880 plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of October 30, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant III)

Interested firms will be provided the complete RFP Information & Instructions by requesting a package via email to the attention of Carol J. Martin, authorized representative of the FHC, at HYPERLINK "mailto:cmartin14@snet.net" cmartin14@snet.net or by requesting in person at the Fairfield Housing Corporation’s office.

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

Fairfield Housing Corporation and its affiliates are Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employers and conduct its business in accordance with all Federal, State and Local laws, regulations and guidelines. Small, Minority, Women Business Enterprises and Disabled are encouraged to participate in this process.

NEW HAVEN

Fairfield Housing Corporation

Carol J. Martin

Authorized Representative

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

Fairfield Housing Corporation

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 241008&R2=6297AR&R3=001

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

The Town of Wallingford is seeking qualified applicants to perform skilled duties associated with the operation and maintenance of its modern, upgraded Class IV wastewater treatment facility. Applicants should possess a H.S. diploma or equivalent, plus three (3) years of experience in the operation of a Class II or higher wastewater treatment facility, with one (1) year in a supervisory capacity of foreman level or higher. Must possess a State of Connecticut DEEP Class III Operator or higher, or a Class III Operator-in-Training or higher certification. Must possess and maintain a valid CT driver’s license. Wages: $32.24 to $36.79 hourly plus on-call pay when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of November 5, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

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

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

INVITATION TO BID

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

The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company (WT), the construction manager, is currently accepting bids for ConnCAT Place on Dixwell – Phase 1A for the following bid packages: 04A – Masonry, 05B – Misc. Metals, 06A – Millwork, 07A – Roofing, 07B – Exterior Façade, 08A – Storefront, 08B – Doors, Frames, Hardware, 08C – Operable Partitions, Coiling Door, 09A – Carpentry, 09B – Flooring, 09C – Tile, 09D – Painting, 09E – Acoustical Ceilings, 10A – Bathroom Partitions, Accessories, 10B – Signage, 11A – Kitchen Equipment, 12A – Window Treatments, 21A – Fire Suppression, 22A – Plumbing, 23A – Mechanical, HVAC, TAB, Controls, 26A – Electrical, Fire Alarm, Security, 27A – Communications, AV, 32A – Landscaping, 32B – Site Improvements for the new ~70,000 SF two-story ConnCAT headquarters which will contain teaching spaces, kitchen, offices, and daycare/early childhood facility. Interested firms may obtain a bid package and instructions to bid by emailing 020822@whiting-turner.com.

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.

Prevailing Wage | Tax-Exempt | CHRO and City of New Haven

Subcontracting Requirements will apply | Section 3 HUD

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.

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com

PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

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

360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking bids for Snow Removal Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for an Associate Research Analyst in the Data and Policy Analytics Division.

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

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of

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

Bids wills be accepted at The Lab at ConnCORP located at 496 Newhall Street, Hamden, CT 06517, no later than 10AM on 10/11/24. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. WT and the Owner reserve the right to amend this invitation to bid, reject bids, waive minor irregularities in the bid, and award the contract to the proposer that is deemed to be the best interest of the Owner, ConnCORP. WT is an EEO/AA; Disadvantaged, Small, Minority and Women Business Enterprises are encouraged to bid.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 241003&R2=6856AR&R3=001

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking the services of an Executive Search Firm to identify qualified candidates for senior level positions. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway beginning on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 3:00PM.

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

NOTICE

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

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

Finance Director

Salary Range -

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

Assistant Finance Director:

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300

Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

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

We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

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

Portland

Police Officer

The Town of East Haven is holding an open competitive examination to fill the position of Assistant Finance Director. The salary range for the position is $103,140-$118,094, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent benefits package and pension. Qualified candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting or finance, 3 years of experience in accounting or finance and municipal accounting or finance experience is preferred along with knowledge of MUNIS software. Interested candidates can view a complete job description and Notice of Testing online at https:// www.townofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/job-notices-andtests. Please submit resume with cover letter and references to the Civil Service Commission, 250 Main Street, East Haven or aliquori@easthaven-ct.gov by November 15, 2024. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Andrea M. Liquori

NOTICIA

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Chief Examiner Civil Service Commission 250 Main Street East Haven CT 06512 (203)468-3375

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES

DISPONIBLES

Union Company seeks:

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

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

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Construction

NEW HAVEN

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

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

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

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

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com

PLUMBING WORKERS NEEDED. Have you ever wanted to become a plumber or work in the plumbing field? LBR Mechanical Corp is seeking plumbing mechanics, journeymen and helpers for a construction project located in Bridgeport, CT. Experience in plumbing/heating, construction and roughing a plus. Will train the right candidates. Driver’s license and proof of citizenship required. Please call 914-276-1493 for an application to start your new career.

Listing: Maintenance

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

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

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

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Senior Sales Representative Wanted

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

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

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

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

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

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

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

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Salary (base pay) + Commission to be discussed

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

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 HCC encourages the participation

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

As DE&I Programs Face Rollback, Study Highlights Black Women Are Still Facing Barriers in Predominantly White Workplaces

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent

As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs face increasing dismantling across corporate America, the challenges Black women face in predominantly White workplaces are more critical than ever. Dr. Elizabeth Linos, Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard University, appeared on the Black Press’ Let It Be Known to discuss her groundbreaking study, “Intersectional Peer Effects at Work: The Effects of White Co-Workers on Black Women’s Careers.” The research explores how the racial composition of teams affects the career trajectories of Black women.

Dr. Linos’ findings are seen as especially relevant considering ongoing debates about the effectiveness and future of DE&I initiatives. Her study, which tracked 9,037 new hires in a professional services firm, revealed that Black women are disproportionately impacted by being placed on Whiter teams. Black women were 51% more likely to leave the firm within two years and faced a significant decrease in their chances of promotion when working with predominantly White colleagues.

“One of the main metrics used to define employee success is billable hours, and so, regardless of your race and gender, employees who report lower billable hours are also likely to receive lower performance scores,” Dr. Linos told Let It Be Known News. She added, “The ‘penalty’—how much your performance evaluation drops based on a reduction in billables—is larger for Black women than other groups.”

The research emphasizes that Black women assigned to whiter teams often logged fewer billable and more training hours, which directly correlated with lower performance evaluations. This created a cycle of disadvantages that reduced their chances for promotion.

“Ultimately, I interpret these findings as confirmation that while, as a society, we may be making progress in diversifying workplaces on some dimensions, Black women may still face additional hurdles for promotion at work,” Linos stated.

Dr. Linos’ findings are alarming, mainly as DE&I initiatives—designed to counter such disparities—are increasingly under scrutiny and at risk of being rolled back.

The study also uncovered that these challenges were not universal across all demographic groups. Hispanic, Asian, and

Black men did not experience the same adverse effects from working with White co-workers. In contrast, Black women were uniquely impacted by these team dynamics, highlighting the intersectional nature of the barriers they face.

Moreover, the study showed that when Black women worked alongside more Black co-workers, their turnover rates decreased, and their overall workplace experience improved. “This is in line with a common finding in the literature that having more similar peers (in this case, Black co-workers) can have a positive effect on retention,” Dr. Linos and her colleagues wrote.

As discussions about equity in the workplace continue, the study offers a sobering reminder of how “neutral” workplace practices—such as team assignments and performance metrics—can disproportionately harm Black women. “Seemingly neutral practices around staffing and promotion that rely on peers and networking can have a negative impact on equity at work,” Linos said.

“We need more research on how white employees can adjust their behavior to ensure they don’t contribute to existing racialized and gendered dynamics at work.”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Black Women Have a Higher Triple Negative Breast Cancer

BlackHeathMatters.com

Our risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer is higher in our community when we are under the age of 50. It accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancer diagnoses overall, according to researchers at The Mayo Clinic. Triple-negative breast cancer spreads more quickly than most other types and doesn’t respond well to hormones or targeted therapies.

But about 5-10% of breast cancers are thought to be genetic. Yet, there is not much discussion about genetic testing in our community. We have heard about the BRAC-1 and BRAC-2 gene mutations, but did you know that we all have those genes? BreastCancer. org says, “The function of the BRCA genes is to repair cell damage and keep breast, ovarian, and other cells growing normally. But when these genes contain mutations that are passed from generation to generation, the genes don’t function normally, and breast, ovarian, and other cancer risk increases.” These mutations account for 1 in 10 breast cancer diagnoses.

Robert Leone Ferre, MD, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic who is studying triple-negative breast cancer, says, “It’s a bit more common at younger ages and in African American women, Hispanic

women, and women of Indian descent. We also see this subtype more common-

ly in women who have a genetic mutation predisposing them to breast cancer — the BRCA1 mutation, in particular.”

Research by the American Cancer Society examined the need for genetic counseling to assess our risk for breast cancer and concluded that we need it as much as white women. There is limited data on those of us whose ancestors come from Africa.

The report says, “Genetic testing, counseling, and treatment refinement could benefit AA women. AA women have a higher incidence of breast cancer before age 50, a higher incidence of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer, a more frequent family history of ovarian cancer, and a 42% higher breast cancer death rate than White women.”

Since there was a knowledge gap, the researchers turned to the United Statesbased Cancer Risk Estimates Related to Susceptibility (CARRIERS) consortium. They reviewed data from 5,504 AA women with breast cancer and 4,993 AA women without breast cancer from 10 epidemiologic studies (including the American Cancer Society (ACS) Cancer Prevention Studies, CPS-II, and CPS-3). Because of the aggressive nature of triple-negative breast cancer and the lack

of therapeutic options, it is important to know which individuals face a higher risk and what factors may influence this risk, the researchers note.

The researchers looked in the data from AA women for pathogenic mutations in the 12 genes associated mostly with European ancestry. They found:

• Among the 23 genes tested in this study, pathogenic mutations were identified in 8% of AA women who had breast cancer and 2% who did not.

• Mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 were linked with high risks of developing breast cancer.

• The frequency of pathogenic mutations was especially high (10%) in AA women with ER-breast cancer (triplenegative breast cancer).

So why aren’t more of us undergoing genetic testing? Many used to believe that it didn’t apply to us because we are often diagnosed at a younger age. However, this study found that finding out whether a woman has "certain cancer predisposition genes is, in fact, highly predictive of the development of breast cancer in Black women.” But the reason we are not widely exploring these options is because our physicians don’t recommend them and our limited access to care.

Dr. Elizabeth Linos, Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard University, appeared on the Black Press’ Let It Be Known to discuss her groundbreaking study, “Intersectional Peer Effects at Work: The Effects of White Co-Workers on Black Women’s Careers.”

Where personal breakthroughs are powered by medical ones.

At Yale New Haven Health, we’re delivering pioneering research from Yale School of Medicine to improve people’s lives every single day. Like Dr. Roy Herbst, an international leader in innovative research, who leads clinical trials that have advanced the use of immunotherapy and gene-targeted therapies to personalize treatment for lung cancer. Together, we’re powering breakthroughs with the greatest of care.

Why Black Patients in Pain Are Overlooked

Racial bias in pain diagnosis and treatment is an all-too-common practice in healthcare. Now, doctors and patients can collaborate to secure a better experience for us.

by Wendy L. Wilson, BlackHealthMatters.com

In an Advil study about pain experiences, 74% of Black people said there is bias in how their pain is diagnosed and treated. Quána Madison has had more than her share of medical issues over the last decade. After learning in 2015 that she was at high risk for developing several aggressive forms of cancer, Madison underwent a hysterectomy, double mastectomies, and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries, all so she could live a healthy, long, normal life.

Three months later, she experienced several complications, including necrosis of her remaining breast tissue and vaginal cuff dehiscence. This rare but potentially life-threatening tear can happen after a hysterectomy. After barely surviving that experience in 2017, Madison was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, autoimmune disease, chronic pain syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a host of other maladies, including anxiety and depression.

An Awful Encounter At An Emergency Room

Her conditions forced her to drop out of her doctoral program, which resulted in the multi-disciplinary artist also losing her health insurance. Nonetheless, Madison sought help at a local emergency room when she started to feel excruciating pain in her legs, leaving her unable to walk. While in triage, a nurse attempted to take her blood to try to figure out what was going on.

“When she kept missing my vein, and I would have a response, she grabbed my arm even harder and told me, ‘That doesn’t hurt you.’

The situation escalated once Madison took out her phone to record the encounter, a practice she says she has done before because “I’ve learned that I’m not believed unless I have evidence.” Madison recounts the nurse becoming so outraged that she reached over her body to grab the phone away, and that’s when she was told, “You’re just trying to get pain drugs. You’re a drug seeker.” Soon after, the nurse called the police. If it wasn’t for her husband (who is white and was in the room with her), an officer (who happened to be a person of color), and a calmer E.R. doctor, Madison firmly believes that she would have been arrested that day.

Who Started the Black People Don’t Feel Pain Narrative?

Although it may seem like Madison’s story is the extreme, it’s not. There is a long history in the United States of pain inequity, where Black patients do

not receive adequate measures to properly and fairly assess and treat their pain symptoms. In the 19th century, a wealthy white plantation owner and respected physician, Dr. Thomas Hamilton, did his best to prove that Black bodies functioned differently than white bodies, namely that Black skin was, in fact, “thicker” and thus more impervious to pain. Hamilton’s experiments were inhuman and influential enough to lead to many other obnoxious fallacies based on racist ideologies.

In 1840, Dr. James Madison Sims performed obstetric and gynecological procedures on several enslaved girls and women in Alabama without anesthesia while his colleagues observed and took notes. These theories may have been constructed centuries ago, but they are still perpetuated today by practicing healthcare professionals of varying backgrounds.

Dr. Uché Blackstock is the founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity and the author of “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.”

In her book, she recounts her experience of receiving a false diagnosis during her first year of medical school. After her third visit to the E.R., she was treated for an emergency appendectomy and infection resulting from a rupture.

“I was told I didn’t seem to be in that much pain,” says Dr. Blackstock. “It’s an experience that Black patients and other patients of color often have when they

seek care for an issue that involves pain, and they feel like they are not listened to, and their concerns are minimized, or they’re simply just dismissed.”

The Believe My Pain Project

Dr. Blackstock has partnered with the Advil Pain Equity Project, a multi-year collaboration with Morehouse School of Medicine and BLKHTH, to review the impact of racial bias in pain management. Several Black patients shared their personal stories of having an underlying diagnosis that was either missed or delayed, resulting in both emotional and physical harm. The testimonials, while frustrating, also allow room for hope.

Conversations have already started with other medical schools to follow suit. Plus, Black patients are encouraged to learn new ways to better advocate for themselves with the tools they can access at believemypain.com.

In a recent study, Advil surveyed 2,000 Americans and found that 83% of Black people said they have had a negative experience seeking help managing pain. “The numbers were overwhelmingly reinforcing that the Black community was where we needed to lean in and help drive awareness and make a difference as it relates to Black pain and Black inequities,” said Stacy Harris, vice president of marketing U.S. Pain & Rx to OTC Switch at Haleon, the consumer health care company that produces Advil.

symptoms were finally addressed. Nonetheless, she doesn’t plan ever to return there. The next time she’s in crisis, she’d rather travel to a hospital further away. “They could have had more compassion for what I was going through,” says Parker. “Even though they can’t see it, I was showing that I was in pain. And yet, it didn’t matter.”

The Truth, Reconciliation, Healing & Transformation Research Project

In addition to the Advil Pain Equity Project, the American Medical Association (AMA), one of the oldest and most influential professional organizations for physicians and the science of medicine, has teamed up with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institutional Antiracism and Accountability (IARA) Project for the “Truth, Reconciliation, Healing, and Transformation” (TRHT) Archival Research Project. For the first time, the AMA will fully open its records from the last 177 years for historians to scrutinize the historical roots of racial disparities, hoping that doing so will lead to groundbreaking policies and changes in medicine.

“We need to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals about the issue, how to recognize it, and how to overcome it. That’s why it was critically important for us to partner with a medical school like Morehouse School of Medicine and BLKHLTH, who also helped develop tools to elevate patients’ engagement and awareness, all for better outcomes with healthcare professionals.”

In Pain Alone On a Gurney For Eight Hours

Chelsea Parker is optimistic that the Advil Pain Equity Project will make a difference in how she and other Black patients are treated in the future. Parker was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at three years old and has found ways to manage the rollercoaster of physical and emotional pain that comes with her condition. Now, the 31-year-old social worker knows what to expect when in crisis.

This was the case in August 2024 when her brother drove her to her local emergency room in Michigan. Instead of receiving care, she was ignored and left alone on a gurney in the hallway for nearly eight hours. “I would see a nurse or doctor now and again, but they didn’t give me water, an IV, or any fluids and eventually only offered me two milligrams of pain medication,” said Parker. Parker claims it wasn’t until her mother and mentor arrived that she felt like her

Research Associate Ángel Rodriguez. is leading part of the project under Professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad, founder and director of the IARA Project. “We’re very excited to take the next 24 months to do something no one has done before,” says Rodriguez. “It’s also important that our scholarship reflects the highest quality and rigor of our analysis to include real evidence to back up what we will ultimately share. We want to be able to make specific insights and recommendations.”

Rodriguez is confident that the TRHT Archival Research Project will help explain why some health inequities persist today.

Boldly stated, American medical personnel have failed Black patients in many ways. Healing has to come from both sides. The burden isn’t just on the patients to advocate for themselves; it’s also on the healthcare system to change how doctors do medicine.

The hardest part, however, may be for practitioners to finally acknowledge their own implicit bias and internalized negative beliefs about Black people. Look at how those beliefs impact the way they diagnose and treat patients. Maybe only then can we treat pain fairly for everyone, regardless of race.

Wendy L. Wilson is an award-winning journalist who has written for BET.com, theGrio.com, Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, and Essence Magazine.