INNER-CITY NEWS

THE

New Haven, Bridgeport

NEWS

Volume 21 No. 2172

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Oldest African-American Baptist Church in the Nation

Superbowl 50: Anita Baker: I’m Calling Calling it…Carolina it…Carolina wins wins 27-24.

27-24.

I’m Black Man! Activist Group Turns Focus To Hospital Stop-Smoking 1

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INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

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Activist Group Turns Focus To Hospital New Haven Independent

Fresh off negotiating a deal that commits Yale University to hiring 1,000 New Haveners over the next three years, the citizen activist group New Haven Rising has its sights set on wrangling a similar commitment from the city’s next biggest employer, Yale-New Haven Hospital.

“The university has taken steps in the right direction, with its commitment to hire 1,000 New Haveners from neighborhoods of need in the city, Marks, a cofounder of New Haven Rising, said. “So now we turn our attention to the hospital.”

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Marks said the group wants the hospital to develop a plan similar to Yale’s for hiring more New Haven residents.

“We’re calling on the hospital to really step up to the plate and make a real contribution to this community,” he said. “We’d like them to release their hiring data and retention rates. They’ll said that they hire a lot of people from New Haven, but we want to know how long do those people stay hired and where are you hiring them from.”

New Haven Rising, a citizens group launched by organizers affiliated with Yale’s unions, last month planned a mass march on Yale to press its job demands, with over 100 supporters planning to get arrested in civil-disobedience outside university-owned storefronts in the Broadway shopping district. Yale headed off that holiday season inconvenience

Publisher / CEO Babz Rawls Ivy Managing Editor Liaison, Corporate Affairs

by MARKESHIA RICKS

A report being released this week by New Haven Rising, called “Yale-New Haven Hospital Solve The Job Crisis,” states that in 2014 nearly half of all residents in the Hill fell below the poverty line, and only 4 percent owned their homes. The Rev. Scott Marks said part of the solution to changing those numbers lies with Yale-New Hospital, which is the second largest employer in the city, and is within walking distance of where most people in the Hill live.

John P. Thomas Jr.

Doreen Strong Advertising Director Sales Team Trenda Lucky Delores Alleyne John Thomas III Hilda Calvachi

Editorial Team Staff Writers Ratasha Smith / Current Affairs Anthony Scott / Sports Arlene Davis-Rudd / Politics Contributing Writers David Asbery Tanisha Asbery Jessica Carl Jerry Craft/Cartoons Barbara Fair Mubarakah Ibrahim Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner Smita Shrestha Kam Williams MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

New Haven Rising organizer Marks with the new report.

at the last moment by agreeing to the local-hiring plan; organizers then shifted the demonstration to the hospital, near which police arrested 134 protesters.

The hospital has 12,152 employees, including 4,118 medical staff, according to the report.

The report calls on the hospital to “release hiring data and retention rates by census tract and job category” for those workers while “commit[ting] to a percentage increase in full-time permanent hiring from neighborhoods of need that mirrors the increase” to which Yale has committed.

The report also calls on the hospital to make more deliberate use of New Haven Works, the training and referral agency started by Yale and its unions and political leaders in 2013 for the city’s under- and unemployed.

The report further calls on the hospital to incentivize New Haveners to stay on the job and in the community through homebuyer assistance and college-scholarship programs for their kids, similar to Yale’s homebuyer and “Sons and Daughter” initiatives.

The report highlights stories of individual New Haveners looking

for jobs or better-paying jobs, like Gloria Vegan of the Annex. “Last year I was laid off from my job as a Medicare Billing Specialist in Wallingford,” the report quotes Vega as saying. “I wanted a similar job at Yale but couldn’t get in the door because I wasn’t trained in EPIC. Then I did a New Haven Works paid internship at Yale with on-the-job training in EPIC. After that I applied for a full-time job, and I got it! now I work here in New haven in a better paying job with better benefits.”

“I’m very hopeful that there is going to be a coming together at the table,” Marks said. “I’ve called on the hospital for an opportunity to meet and to get together in the past, and we have been denied that opportunity.” change.

Vincent Petrini (pictured), YaleNew Haven’s senior vice president for public affairs, said the hospital has a shared goal with the city of not only creating job opportunities specifically for New Haven residents, but sustaining those jobs. He pointed out, as the New Haven Rising report does, that the hospital employs about 3,000 New Haveners in what Petrini says are “well paying jobs with what we believe are excellent benefits.” The hospital hired about

600 of those employees last year alone.

“That’s our record, and we’re proud of that,” he said.

Petrini said the hospital is in fact already doing much of what activists are calling on them to do.

Petrini serves on the New Haven Works board. The hospital also has a partnership with ConnCAT, which provides a training program for phlebotomists and medical coders; the program helps connect them to jobs at Yale-New Haven.

That partnership is expanding to include food service too.

Since 2006, the hospital has offered a homebuyers incentive program, called Home Ownership Made Easy (HOME), which provides up to $10,000 in forgivable loans. The program offers special incentives for residents who buy homes in the Hill, which provides up to $200 a month for the first year, to offset expenses such as the mortgage, utilities and repairs. There have been 134 employee closings since the program started, Petrini said.

He pushed backed against the notion that the hospital is flush with money.

“It’s not the case,” he said.

“Hospitals are actually under the

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Content Contributors At-Large Christine Stuart www.CTNewsJunkie.com Paul Bass New Haven Independent www.newhavenindependent.org Dr. Fred McKinney Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council www.cmsdc.org Memberships National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly by Penfield Communications, Inc. from offices located at 50 Fitch Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06515.

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Subscriptions:$260 per year (does not include sales tax for the in State subscriptions). Send name, address, zip code with payment. Postmaster, send address changes to 50 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT 06515. Display ad deadline Friday prior to insertion date at 5:00pm Advertisers are responsible for checking ads for error in publication. Penfield Communications, Inc d.b.a., “The Inner-City Newspaper” , shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad or for typographical errors or errors in publication, except to the extent of the cost of the space in which actual error appeared in the first insertion. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The entire contents of The Inner-City Newspaper are copyright 2012, Penfield Communications, Inc. and no portion may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

by STAFF New Haven received longawaited news Friday: the state money’s coming through to build a new Dixwell Community “Q” House.

The news came from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. He announced he has put a request for $14.5 million in bonding to be approved on the agenda for next Friday’s state Bonding Commission meeting. (Approval is usually a formality after that point in the process.) The money would go toward building a new version of the Q House the beloved settlement house that opened in 1924 and closed in 2003, becoming a symbol for New Haven’s lack of youth

opportunities.

With state help, the city and community members have been planning the complex, which will include new homes for the nearby Stetson public library branch and Dixwell’s Cornell Scott Hill Health Center outpost.

Until Friday, some neighbors had grown restless about whether the promised state construction money would ever arrive.

“The state law authorizing funds for a new Q House was enacted in 2011; I’m proud to have voted for that law that year and I’m grateful to Governor Malloy for signing it into law at that time,” Mayor Toni Harp stated in a release issued by her

office. “Today, I’m delighted to report imminent allocation of these funds to help provide young people in New Haven and local groups with the long sought-after community center we’ve been working toward.”

New Haven State Sens. Martin Looney and Gary Winfield also issued a release hailing the news.

“Building a new Dixwell Q House will bring great strength to this neighborhood,” Looney was quoted as saying. “This community center will soon again be a hub of education, health, and recreation activities for current New Haven families, as it was for previous generations.”

“This funding for the Q House

will bring new life to Dixwell and Newhallville,” the release quoted Winfield as saying.

“Community centers are incredibly important to helping our kids succeed and stay on track. The new Q will allow children and adults to enjoy a branch of the New Haven Free Public Library and a neighborhood cultural center.

This investment into the Q will help to further build our community by creating a space for neighbors to come together.”

“The Board of Alders expresses gratitude to the governor, the bond commission, the Q House building committee and our state delegation led by the State Senate President Martin

Looney for their persistent commitment to finding funding for a new Dixwell Community House,” Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker and Majority Leader alphonse Paolillo said in a joint statement.

“The success in this effort allows for the renaissance of this pillar of the Dixwell neighborhood and historic institution in our City.

We look forward to continue to partner in the rebuilding of the structure and the restoration of the much needed programming for our seniors, jobs for our residents and opportunities for our youth that the Q House will bring and that are priorities of our Board.”

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Guv: Q House Money On The Way

Young Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Haven Academy’s community.

The Senate Page Program is a rewarding opportunity for our nation’s future leaders to learn firsthand about public policy and develop the skills they’ll need to improve our communities through service. I’m confident that Rance will excel in this environment and I look forward to seeing him in Washington.”

by MARKESHIA RICKS Rance with Judge Robin Wilson and Alder Richard Furlow.

New Haven Academy junior Rance Smith is headed to Washington, D.C. to be a U.S. Senate page.

Rance (pictured at center in the above photo) is the first student from New Haven Public Schools to be selected to participate in a program that requires the student be sponsored by a member of the U.S. Senate.

Rance with his mother Nicole Rawlings, his grandmother and Superintendent Harries.

In addition to the activities that Murphy listed, Rance also is the president of New Haven Academy’s student government and a member of the Citywide High School Student Cabinet.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy sponsored Rance to represent New Haven and the rest of the state.

“He has been recognized as a National Society of High School

scholar and is an all-around outstanding member of New

“When we learned about the opportunity for students to apply for the Senate Page Program, our team instantly thought of Rance,” NHA Principal Greg Baldwin said in a statement.

“Rance embodies our mission of civic engagement and social action. He is a leader in the school community, in student

Amity/Beverly Hills Alder Richard Furlow introduced an official citation from the Board of Alders earlier this week recognizing Rance’s acceptance into the program. Rance is a resident of the ward Furlow represents.

“You have arrived at this achievement as a result of years of hard work exemplified by your stellar academic record and your election as class president,” the citation reads. “We are confident that you will serve with integrity, dignity and distinction.”

New Haven Public Schools Superintendent Garth Harries said in a statement that Rance is the kind of leader the school system seeks to develop. “The district wishes him much success during his journey.”

Rance heads to Washington Friday.

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“Rance is a stellar Connecticut student who demonstrates incredible leadership among his peers and in his community,” Murphy said in a statement.

“This list is impressive: he is class president, a peer mediator, and is an active member of New Haven Academy’s Model UN, debate team, math team and intramural basketball team.

government and every day by example; and he is an outstanding student who has challenged himself each year to excel.”

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Ed Board Elects Veep, Plays Telephone a process,” Harp said. “You weren’t here ...That’s why this may seem new to you.”

by ALIYYA SWABY New Haven Independent

Alicia Caraballo, who voted twice against the mayor becoming Board of Education president, became the board’s vicepresident and thus the mayor’s presidential second in command.

The Board of Ed elected Caraballo to the post at its regular meeting Monday night.

The vote had been postponed from the previous meeting, when a LINK 4-4 deadlock revealed the political fractures beneath the once-unanimous board.

The vote fit with the tone of the rest of the board meeting Monday night at L.W. Beecher School. It featured little action but persistent squabbling over procedural details and chain of information including a Marx Brothers-like dance over who could speak out loud, and who had to whisper remarks to other people who could repeat the remarks out loud.

ALIYYA SWABY PHOTO

Garcia-Blocker whispers an answer to Harries after being prevented from speaking out loud. At left, Dawson.

of two new elected members Edward Joyner and Darnell Goldson who sat for their second meetings Monday. Goldson voted Mayor Harp back into board presidency at the last meeting, saying she had not yet had enough time to prove her effectiveness in the role. At Monday’s meeting, the two repeatedly clashed over board procedure, especially on how and when information should be transmitted to members from the district.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Daisy Gonzalez was absent from the meeting, leaving the board at seven members which made the possibility of a tie vote over the vice-president position less likely this time, unless some members abstained.

Harp said the previous board had visited programs and organizations carrying out programs targeting students who were not thriving educationally.

“Citizen Schools rose to the top,” she said. The partnership will not be formalized without a board vote.

When Mayor Toni Harp was first voted president of the board in the fall, she said then-Vice President Che Dawson, an ally, would take over for any meetings she missed due to mayoral responsibilities. “r_voted_president/»I’m going to try to fit it in. But that’s why you have a vice president,” she said in September.

Caraballo and Goldson at Monday night’s meeting.

But when it came time to reelect Dawson to the position two weeks ago, with a new make-up of the board evenly split between critics and supporters of the current schools management, Dawson and Caraballo tied. This Monday night, Dawson dropped out of

the running. “The group wanted to support Alicia. I didn’t think it was worth further division on the board,” he told the Independent after the meeting.

“I’m happy to support her.”

Garth Harries’s performance or of Harp’s decision to serve as board president, calling it a “conflict of interest.” The vote for vice-president was unanimous this time.

Now the mayor ’s VP is Caraballo, who has been supportive of some of the mayor’s educational policies but not of Superintendent of Schools

Expanded Day Learning Goldson and Harp.

The division on the board also stems in part from the addition

Goldson said signing the letof intent would keep the board from seeking other options. The letter proposes the board contribute $567,000 per year to the program.

Joyner said Citizen Schools had not been subject to the same kind of federal program evaluation as other, more established organizations. “I struggle with the criteria the board used to select this one,” he said.

“You haven’t been left out, but you’re coming in the middle of

Celentano Principal Keisha Hannans approached the board during public comment to ask for more information on the district’s proposed change in its school funding model — which could drastically redistribute funding allocated to each of the 47 schools. She said she had requested to receive information on the changes in the budget process as soon as possible. But she was told she will not get it until a week before her individual meeting with district officials. Those meetings with principals started Monday and end in mid-February, she said.

Hannans requested that the superintendent use a meeting with the principals this week to inform the principals about those changes. “Major systemic changes require several conversations with the stakeholders,” she said.

Goldson made a motion to require Superintendent Harries to get information on the changes in the funding model to the board and principals within a week.

Superintendent Harries said he had met with the administrators union last week and was surprised after that meeting “that this was raised here.” He said it is important that the principals understand the funding model.

The school funding committee did not reach a consensus on how to improve equity in how the schools were funded, except to agree that inequity exists, he said.

The current planned timeline is to discuss the budget in the Finance and Operations Committee March 7, and then have two full-board discussions March 14 and 28.

Board member Michael Nast asked whether all principals feel the same way, or if Hannans was representing just herself.

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Goldson asked whether Hannans could answer that question.

Harp denied the request to have Hannans respond. Instead, she said, because the board was in the middle of discussing Goldson’s motion, Hannans had to whisper the answer to Goldson, who could say it on the record.

Hannans was representing many in the administrators union, she whispered to Goldson, who then relayed the remark the board and the public.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Con’t on page 6

Dawson asked whether Goldson’s information request would be feasible for the district to carry out. That was a question for Lola Garcia-Blocker, the district’s chief of staff.

Could she answer the question directly? Harries asked.

No, Mayor Harp said. GarciaBlocker crossed the auditorium to whisper the answer in Harries’ ear.

“It’s a shame that this is the way we’re doing business,” Harries said to Harp.

“That is not what you were asked to comment on,” Harp responded.

After consulting with GarciaBlocker, Harries said he could switch gears and talk with principals about the school funding changes at the meeting Thursday.

“We won’t get to the level of funding at every school,” he said.

Goldson noted he had requested information on school funding last week.

“Apparently they only answer questions that are easy,” he said.

“A week is more than enough time to get that information to me as a board member.” The Board of Alders starts its budget process in March; the Board of Ed should begin earlier, he said.

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Nast voted against Goldson’s motion. All other board members voted yes.

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Labor Deputy Goes To DMV, Former Hamden Mayor To Labor Dept

by Christine Stuart

Jackson, if he’s approved by the General Assembly, will succeed Sharon Palmer, who announced her retirement last year.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy shuffled the deck Monday and asked Deputy Labor Commissioner Dennis Murphy to help manage the Department of Motor Vehicles until he can make a permanent selection.

Malloy said historically he has tried to nominate a person from labor and one from management as commissioner and deputy commissioner. Malloy also announced that Kurt Westby, former political director for 32BJ and a long-time AFL-CIO board member, would be his deputy Labor Commissioner.

Andres Ayala Jr. resigned last week as head of the DMV. The resignation came after a difficult year transitioning the agency to a $25 million new computer system.

At a Capitol press conference, Malloy described Murphy as his “troubleshooter,” who has served the governor in a number of capacities.

CHRISTINE STUART PHOTO

Former Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson

“I look forward to sitting with the hardworking women and men of this great state to better understand how we can go even further to provide them assistance every day, how we can achieve excellence as a state agency, and how we can provide value for all of our stakeholders,” Jackson said.

“More than at any time in our history, we need to make sure that our workforce is well suite and fully prepared for the dynamic changes occurring every day in our economic landscape.”

CHRISTINE STUART PHOTO

Dennis Murphy will take over the DMV temporarily

Malloy said Jackson, who also chaired the governor’s Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, “has shown an ability and a sensibility on working to effect meaningful

“I’ve asked Dennis to take over for a period of time until we can find a permanent head,” Malloy said. “No one is excluded from applying for that position. We will identify some candidates ourselves.”

Murphy joined the Malloy administration in 2011. He served as a neutral labor arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, and was also Malloy’s director of Human Resources in Stamford when Malloy was mayor of that city.

Murphy starts his role at the DMV on Feb. 12. Until then his

job will be to help transition former Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson into the new role of Labor Commissioner.

Jackson, who didn’t seek re-

election last year and instead took a job with the Malloy administration, will be Malloy’s third Labor Commissioner and the first who is not a union president.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

NEW HAVEN ACADEMY STUDENT, RANCE SMITH, HEADS TO WASHINGTON D.C. TO SERVE AS U.S. SENATE PAGE New Haven, CT—Today, Superintendent Garth Harries will honor Rance Smith, a junior at New Haven Academy, who is headed to Washington D.C. to represent New Haven as a U.S. Senate Page. “Rance is a great example of the kind of leader we develop in the New Haven Public Schools. The district wishes him much success during his journey,” said Superintendent Harries.

For more than 180 years, high school students of at least 16 years of age have served as pages to the United States Congress.

Senate pages are appointed and sponsored by Senators for one academic semester of the school year and are selected for their outstanding academic performance.

United States Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) sponsored Smith to represent Connecticut and New Haven Public Schools.

“Rance is a stellar Connecticut student who demonstrates incredible leadership among his peers and in his community,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

“This list is impressive-he is class president, a peer mediator, and is an active member of New Haven Academy’s Model UN, debate team, math team, and intramural basketball team. He has been recognized as a National Society of High School Scholar and is an all-around outstanding member of New Haven Academy’s community. The Senate Page Program is a rewarding opportunity for our nation’s future leaders to learn

firsthand about public policy and develop the skills they’ll need to improve our communities through service. I’m confident that Rance will excel in this environment, and I look forward to seeing him in Washington.”

Smith is a leader at New Haven Academy (NHA) and always seeks opportunities to grow, further develop his leadership capacity and make a positive impact within our community and the world around him. He is the President of the Student Government and is a member of the Citywide High School Student Cabinet. Smith has gained the trust and admiration of his peers and has been called upon by the school administration to address the student body about issues concerning school culture and

climate. In addition, he is one of the top members of NHA’s recruitment team engaging students and families in what it means to be part of New Haven Academy.

“When we learned about the opportunity for students to apply for the senate page program, our team instantly thought of Rance.

Rance embodies our mission of civic engagement and social action; he is a leader in the school community, in student government and every day, by example; and he is an outstanding student who has challenged himself each year to excel,” said NHA Principal Greg Baldwin.

Smith will begin his journey to D.C. on Friday, January 29, 2016.

BLACK HISTORY Black Man! A man - a purpose and direction Will offer a hand, but will knock you out with words of intellect or by any means necessary if you step in the wrong direction and cause disruption of HIS peace Black Man! Black history of you shows you’re a bad man, the smartest man, although wars have been fired on you from ugly minds, you’re present and accounted for as Black In the image of God you Black man Attempting to live by God’s command Luke 6:37 «Do not judge and you will not be judged Quran 49:11 “O you who believe, let not a people ridicule [another] people; Be whatever the tone of my skin your berry is dark and sweet in your soul Sweet to those who love Can be darkness to those who bring hate Black Man! Forgiver, but not a forget-er’ Rich as in coal is black and a diamond shines from the coal it was Black Man! You’re the coolest dude Your style, the trend that comes to those later Damn Black man you are so pretty – so handsome, and simply Black Every woman on this earth wants to create another one of you Black man you come after the sun sets and you come before the dawn You are the eclipse we all marvel Be Black Think Black Sing Black Fight back Black Have fun Black Love Black Offer no apology for being Black Stay Black Now walk that walk as no other can because you’re BLACK! Know your history - be your history © Alvin L.A. Horn, aka A.L.A.H. multi-award award winning novelist & spoken word artist www.alvinhorn.com https://soundcloud.com/alvinhorn

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

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INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016 10

Every year as February approaches, it seems everyone crawls out of the woodworks with an opinion whether or not we should or shouldn’t celebrate this as Black History Month.

I listen with great annoyance to those who would whine and carry on about how they are Black 365 days a year and an extra day in Leap year, or they think that having a month set aside does more harm for race relations than good. And my favorite, “why we gotta have the shortest month?” From celebrities to the brothers and sisters around the way, February is always the topic of discussion and rigorous debate.

Let me see if I can add my voice to the discourse… 1) No one said you have to ONLY cel-

ebrate Black History during February, you are free and welcome to celebrate in the other 11 months of the year, as a matter of fact I applaud you and will support your effort. 2) If you are Black or a person of any African descent and you are tied to American history, your Blackness or whatever you self identify as will not change one way or the other by celebrating, or abstaining. However it is a rich opportunity to pull out all the stops and take your HOTEP to the next level. 3) If for no other reason this might be the best time to share with Non-Black people the richness and diverseness of Black history and culture… Hit ’em with some “Little Known Black History Facts”, share your epicurean fare and tell folks how

your mama learned to cook from Big mama who learned to cook from the Big Big mama!

And since we are feeling some kind of way about the Oscar snubs… Which are consistent with the history of the Oscars, that maybe we host our own film festivals during Black History month. I’m up for that, I’d like nothing better than to have some folks over and screen “Daughters Of The Dust” by Julie Dash or Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” or Malcolm D. Lee’s “The Best Man” or one of my favorites “Sounder” starring Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield or “Ain’t Nothing But A Man” with Ivan Dixon and the sublime Abbey Lincoln and let’s not forget “Do The Right Thing”, “Malcom X”, “School Daze” by Spike Lee. My

point is there are rich movies that celebrate, entertain and invite us to think about us in all our various shades and hues of beauty.

Let’s remember that and remind ourselves that our history indeed transcends February. And that maybe February becomes the jumpstart in renewed interest in the telling our stories through every medium available to us!

See, we can define our year anyway we like. And,we can embrace and redefine February as Black History Month showing folks how we do, what we do, when we do it!

So rather than spending our fleeting and precious time in vigorous debate about Black History month existence, how about we Live Black everyday and do some EXTRA in February? You

know what I’m talking about.

Let me know what you come up with, invite me to your celebrations and film festivals, and parties. I’ll show up. Hit me up at mediababz@gmail.com , twitter/ InnerCityNewsCT and Facebook/InnerCityCT

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

#BlackHIstory365 #ILiveBlackEveryday

Babz Rawls Ivy #BlackHistory365 #ILiveBlackEveryday Editor-in-Chief The Inner-City News

A New Haven Black History Moment

May Day 1970, When 15,000 Showed Up On The New Haven Green Arlene Davis-Rudd, Staff writer ICN

Black Panther Party members, supporters, progressives and curious on-lookers. “They brought

with them , other radical groups from across the nation. Violence and bloodshed were predicted

and widely talked about. The entire City of New Haven closed down that weekend of May 1st,1970 in lieu of the frightening predictions. But in the end, there was no real violence to speak of and sighs of relief were being heard throughout the crowd and elsewhere.

“The over 15,000 protestors showed up on the New Haven Green protesting the trial of Black Panther Party Chairman, Bobby Seale. Seale had been transported to New Haven from Chicago,

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It was called May Day, in 1970, when 15,000 protestors showed up on the New Haven Green. It was rumored that the protestors had been meeting in masse with members of the Black Panther Party, before the New Haven Green spectacular event.

“In 1970 there was a series of criminal prosecutions in New Haven against various members of the Black Panther Party. The charges ranged from criminal conspiracy to felony murder. All indictments stemmed from the murder of 19 year old Alex Rackley in the early hours of May 21, 1969. The trials became a rallying point for the American Left, and marked the decline in public support, even among the black community, for the Black Panther Party.”

Revolution filled the air that powerful and provocative moment in history when 15,000 people converged on the New Haven Green. They included

along with seven others, to stand trial. All were being held, without bail, and charged with murdering fellow Black Panther Party member Alex Rackley, an alleged police informant, 12 months earlier. Rackley’s mutilated and tortured body had been discovered in a swamp in Middlefield.”

“Many of the protestors who showed up were also fueled by rage over the seemingly endless Vietnam War. Emotions escalated when former President, Richard Nixon, announced the night before that U.S. troops had just invaded Cambodia.”

As the events leading up to May Day unfolded, lack of trust brought tension to a fever pitch.

It was written that the FBI, members of the Black Panthers, local police, liberals, conservatives, black Radicals, white radicals, professors, students, administrators, community leaders, politicians and many others, battled to maintain the status quo, to start a revolution, to im-

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Murphy Vows To Fight To Keep The Heat On Smith predicted a 10 to 15 increase in client requests for help this year — the benefits are getting smaller and smaller.

by ALLAN APPEL Jasmine Sullivan, a 30-yearold single mom, lives in public housing in the Hill. She works part-time or seasonal jobs; she doesn’t have enough adequate free day care for her three young kids. So in the winter she struggles pay a $1,300 to $1,400 seasonal heating bill.

She’s experienced threats of shut-off by the utilities and several actual shut-offs over the past five years.

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO

Sullivan tells her story Monday.

“It’s not hyperbole to say this is a matter of life and death,” Murphy said.

When that happens she said, “It’s a horrible feeling as a mom not to be able to turn on the electricity.”

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Sullivan’s struggle, which she related with barely held-back tears, was precisely the kind of tale from the front lines of poor people trying to stay warm that U.S. Senator Chris Murphy was looking to collect Monday morning when he conducted a story-and-fact-finding tour at the Community Action Agency of New Haven on Whalley Avenue near Ellsworth.

He was there to call attention to the flat funding this year of the $3.3 billion Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the primary pot of federal money through which states like Connecticut receive funding to help clients like Sullivan through the winter.

Both Murphy and Smith pointed out that working people are increasingly coming in for assistance. Even if they may be back in jobs replacing the ones they lost at the time of the Great Recession, the new jobs’ wages generally pay less. So keeping up with the basic bills becomes more of a challenge.

“Income is flat or declining and savings are disappearing in this state. They can’t pay their bills without this assistance,” he said; just because the price of a gallon of oil is low, the price of having gallon of heating oil delivered is not.

Murphy with Smith.

Murphy highlighted a oldscant-afford-energy. The report found that 313,300 Connecticut households can’t afford the heat they need to keep warm during these coldest months of winter.

Sullivan’s story was one of about 100,000, Murphy said, for that is the number of people who

make use of LIHEAP in the state.

CAA alone helps about 13,000 people in the Greater New Haven area avoid emergency shut-offs and partial support for bills through the November to May heating season.

While more people are being served —CAA CEO Amos

He said he is going back to Washington to make his case for more funding to warm-state senators of both parties, he said.

The snow in the Capitol and other areas where cold is not the norm makes the time right to gather ammunition like the story of Jasmine Sullivan.

Murphy was at pains to point out that even the most generous benefits, based on income, assets and on a sliding scale, at best will cover about a third of a client’s

heating bill.

In Sullivan’s case, for example, she qualifies for close to the maximum benefit during the heating period. That amounts to about $535, well less than half the cost She is responsible for the balance, as well as any accumulated balance from the previous season, on a payment plan usually worked out by the gas or electricity company.

Forgiveness is minimal; anxiety about interruption of service remains.

“If this program isn’t here, there’s nowhere to go,” Sullivan said during a conversation with the senator and reporters.

“The technical recovery hasn’t caught up to the reality of people’s lives,” Murphy said.

CAA’s Smith said the LIHEAP program works with renters as well as homeowners, with about 15 percent of the clients being homeowners.

Murphy was also gathering information about the agency’s weatherization program, for which a modest increase was granted in the federal budget.

That program, like LIHEAP, also has income and asset requirements and provides benefits on a sliding scale, to between 100 and 200 clients, staffers said.

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May Day 1970 prove the system or to destroy it.

In a NY Times article, published in June of 1970, Professor Robert Brustein, former Dean of the Yale University School of Drama, and the Yale Repertory Theater’s Artistic Director, wrote, “When all the tumult began at Yale, over the NH Trial of the Black Panthers, I was deep in rehearsals for a production of ‘Don Juan.’ Brustein added, “The conjunction of events seemed to me significant at the time, and nothing that followed was to alter my sense of tortured symbolic contrasts. Social and political issues were helping to mobilize the campus toward a commitment that declared all other activity, ‘irrelevant,’ and here we were, proceeding with the provocative business of trying to formulate works of theatrical art from another century and civilization, no less.”

Remembering here, Just a week before, some Black Panther speakers had urged Yale students to demonstrate their revolutionary commitment by getting guns and occupying Beinecke Library where Yale University stored their rare books. During that time, it was also written that a Yale rally, held before May Day, at which Panther leader David Hilliard denounced Yale students, a white youth had been beaten badly, as he tried to rush to the platform. Later on, he was allowed to address the huge crowd, but spoke incoherently. Finally, he had to be turned away.

Nearly two weeks prior to the memorable event, April 21st, Yale’s Moratorium Committee called a mass meeting in Yale’s Ingals Ice Skating rink: the purpose being to shut down the entire university in sympathy with National Party Chair, Bobby Seale, and other members of the Black Panther Party, who were on trial for the murder of Alex Rackley. Bobby Seale and eight others on trial, were all acquitted 11-1 by a jury in court in New Haven.

By Aria Ellise BlackDoctor.org “I’ve never kind of been one to hang in the light too long. It burns my eyes. I need some shade,” says Grammy Awardwinning singer Anita Baker. Unlike other artists who fade into the background after disappointing sales or lack of fan interest, the veteran multiplatinum artist known for late ’80s and early ’90s hits such as “Sweet Love,” “Been So Long,” and “No One in the World”, dimmed the lights on her own career right when it seemed to shine brightest.

Her 1994 Grammy-winning album, “Rhythm of Love,” sold almost two million copies and included hits such as “I Apologize,” and in 1995 she wrapped up a successful tour.

“After ‘Rhythm of Love,’ I went home to recharge, and life just started happening,” says Baker.

During her time off, her days were very different than before.

“I’m used to getting up at 7, getting breakfast, getting the kids off to school, and doing the mommy thing and the wife thing and the daughter thing,” says

Baker. “This is pretty self-absorbed and I’ve gotta kinda turn that faucet back on because that’s been turned off for quite a while.”

With two infant sons and a husband, Baker was more than happy to let go of the limelight to focus on being a wife and mother.

“My kids started growing up.

I tried to leave and go cut the record, and I was like, ‘Dang, I can’t leave … I can’t leave these babies,’” she says. “I didn’t want to be in a situation where other people were raising my sons. We just settled into a very normal, suburban lifestyle, with two kids, a cat and a bird and a mommy and a daddy.”

But in time, she would also have to attend to two ailing parents first her father, who would die of bone cancer, and her mother, who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. Taking care of them not singing became her top priority.

“I put my family over my career for the last 10 years, and I didn’t intend to, but it just happened that way, and as it started to happen, it was like, this feels right,” she says.

“It’s impossible to write and produce a record when your parents are dying. I really tried, I really really… … tried, but it just wouldn’t come,” she said. “So I got dropped from the label. And again, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

It wasn’t until Baker’s mother

died in 2002 that she decided to pick up the microphone again.

She wasn’t looking to record an album — she just wanted to perform, to prevent grief from absorbing her.

One of the biggest lessons of her time off has been discovering different sides of herself and learning that they are just as enriching, or perhaps more so, than singing.

“For years I thought that (singing) was all I could do, and it’s like ‘God, if I’m not singing, I’m worthless. I attached my selfworth to that,’ ” she says. “But I’ve come to find in the time that I spent way from the business I am valid outside of the business.

I’m a good mother, I’m a good wife, I’m a good daughter … I’m a whole person.”

“Sometimes I wish I could change, but I don’t know how. I only know how to do me. All I’m ever interested in with my music is expressing what’s in my heart. I’ve never been interested in being a muse for a producer to express his creativity. I think the industry pressures artists to conform to whatever is happening at the time, and I’ve been a nonconformist my whole life.”

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Anita Baker: “Sometimes I Wish I Could Change”

Alvin J. Boutte Sr: Founder of One of America’s Largest Black-Owned Banks

pickup and a payment collection business. He later graduated with a degree in Pharmacy in

1951, and later went on to open and operate a drugstore. The drugstore quickly grew into a

chain of stores across the black neighborhoods of the city.

In 1964, Boutte joined fellow black business leaders to collaborate on several endeavors. Together with George Johnson and John Johnson, owners of Johnson Products Company and Ebony Magazine, respectively, the three men established Independence Bank. By 1988, Independence Bank was one of the leading banks in the United States.

However, the bank was ultimately sold to white-owned Shore Bank.

Through his lifetime, Boutte served on the Board of Directors of several organizations, such as

the Chicago Metropolitan Insurance Company, Johnson Products, and Midway Airlines.

He also served as president of the Small Business Administration, and was a member of the Chicago Board of Education. The Chicago Urban League and the Chicago Economic Development Corporation named Boutte its Man of the Year during the 1970s.

Alvin Boutte died on April 1, 2012 at the age of 82.

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Past chairman, co-founder, and CEO Alvin J. Boutte Sr. was in charge of one of America’s largest black-owned banks.

Boutte was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana on October 10, 1929. He was the youngest of 10 children. His father worked as a gardener and his mother was a seamstress.

Boutte grew up a child of the Great Depression. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend Xavier University in New Orleans on a basketball scholarship. He married Barbara Gonzaque.

While attending Xavier, he created numerous businesses that served the needs of the students, such as a laundry

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Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl the shame and embarrassment of our displacement.” But it was soul music, Ollison notes, which provides solace for him during his difficult transition at school. The music of Stevie Wonder (“the man-child smile behind every note stretched like taffy”), Chaka Khan (“I could exhale and surrender to a woman who tamed lions in her backyard and kept a full moon somewhere in her purse”), and of course Michael Jackson (“why couldn’t Michael Jackson hurry up and take me away from this shit?”) all greatly influences Ollison’s outlook on life.

By Rashod Ollison

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

In Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues, & Coming of Age Through Vinyl, Rashod Ollison, awardwinning pop music critic and culture journalist, describes how soul music sustained him during his formative years growing up in central Arkansas in the 1980s and 1990s. He paints a vivid picture of a childhood in the housing projects of Hot Springs, where the neighbors on Omega Street are identified by their music (either the soulful blues of Denise LaSalle, the lively funk of Shalamar, or the romantic duets of Alexander O’Neal and Cherrell). Raised in an environment dominated by hardened single mothers and their children, Ollison experiences a world of “cold love, a no-bullshit love, a love redolent of vinegar without the slightest hint of sweetness,” and the only thing that helps him endure is music. “Music remained my cocoon,” he writes, “the place where I found the most coherence and delicious engagement.”

In high school, while other boys of color around him listen to the hyper-masculine hip-hop music of Dr. Dre, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, and Snoop Dogg, “a music bristling with stories of justified gun violence, glorified tales of divide and conquer in the streets,” Ollison cannot relate, writing, “to fully engage hip-hop, I felt I needed to be a member of an exclusive club, and I’d never belong… I felt neither welcomed nor authenticated.” In its place, he clings to the more melodic, tender, and vulnerable music of Al Green, Marvin Gaye, and James Brown.

Nicknamed “Dusty” by his family, Ollison details the lives of his often-absent father, Raymond, who introduces him to 45 records of Bobby Womack, Johnnie Taylor, and the Staple Sisters; his tough-as-nails mother, Dianne, who “knelt at the altar of Aretha Franklin;” and his indomitable grandmother, Mama Teacake, a “molasses-brown, wide-hipped woman who commanded everything around her, especially the kitchen.” The family, he writes, relied on “blues-suffused soul and traditional gospel,” which “sparked good vibes and sustained us through bad times.”

As a child, Ollison is constantly reminded that he is different from other boys. He is told that he has “got too much sugar in his tank” by his older sister, that he “always talks with his hands” by his mother, and that he has “funny ways” by his grandmother.

Ollison only finds relief from criticism with his father, a Vietnam veteran and later heroin addict, who encourages his affinity for music and treats him like one of his “ragtag” drinking buddies.

But when his parents divorce, Ollison must depend on the women in his life for support, especially his stern and overworked mother. “I was not protected…not by a man. All of my life, the women—and the project divas over on Omega Street—were the

soldiers and protectors,” he writes, “their love fierce, abiding, mean sometimes, but steadfast always.”

With his mother often working two jobs, the family is constantly on the move. “I was adrift on the music,” he writes. “I didn’t feel

While he excels in school and finds inspiration from the writings of Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou, Ollison struggles with his burgeoning sexuality and finds himself torn between two personas. “Here [at school], I would be Rashod, the boy who’d fit in. Dusty was the faggot nobody liked. He could never show up here,” he writes. Constantly reprimanded by his mother for effeminate mannerisms, he attempts to suppress his desire for men, yet constantly fails: “the boldness of their skin in the sun—sleek and shining—unsettled me.” Dressing himself in African garb as a teenager, Ollison hopes “the dashikis and clumsy Afrocentric rhetoric would disguise the desire, distract me from it, or maybe erase it altogether.” Yet he can no longer hide his attractions when he meets Andre, the only other black boy in his class, who becomes the

author’s first real friend and crush.

As his poetry writing in high school gains recognition, Ollison finds newfound support from members of his church, Emmanuel Baptist, where he is encouraged to read his work aloud to the congregation. Traveling with his mother to a writing competition in Miami, Ollison experiences the world outside Arkansas and even has a chance encounter with his hero, Maya Angelou.

But the memory of his distant father lingers, “haunting my dreams and floating in corners” he writes. Finally seeing his father again at a relative’s funeral, Ollison realizes the man he once idolized is no more, “the eyes that looked through me when I was six years old as he told me to never let anyone turn me into a slave were drained of wonder and vitality.” That episode prepares Ollison for his father’s untimely death shortly after. “I had nothing left for Raymond Ollison. My anger at him felt comfortable and right,” he writes, “but what would I do with it? There would have to be some way to convert the anger, to turn it into fuel for something progressive, as I had done with the deep loneliness I’d felt most of my life, a loneliness that seeded itself in me when Daddy left.”

Leaving his father’s funeral, Ollison feels more confident in himself and his future, knowing that whatever is ahead of him, he will always have one thing he can depend on: the music.

About the Author: Rashod Ollison is an awardwinning pop music critic and culture journalist. He has been a staff critic and feature writer for The Dallas Morning News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Journal News in Westchester, NY, The Baltimore Sun, and The Virginian-Pilot. He also wrote a music column for Jet magazine. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ollison lives in Virginia Beach.

Claude Albert Barnett: Founded the Associated Negro Press

Activist Group Turns Focus To Hospital

Journalist, entrepreneur, and social justice advocate Claude Albert Barnett founded the Associated Negro Press. Barnett attended Tuskegee University, and two years after enrolling, he received a diploma and was granted the college’s highest award. After graduating from college with a degree in engineering, Barnett returned to Chicago and worked as a postal worker. As an avid reader, he constantly read magazines and newspapers; he was fascinated by the various advertisements in the papers.

In 1913, he starting marketing photographs of notable African American visionaries to advertise in black newspapers.

By 1917, he had transformed his vision into a thriving mail-order business.

Barnett decided to resign from his post office position and started traveling to promote his photographs and beauty products to black customers. He soon realized that not only did these African American magazines need advertisements, they also needed reporters. In 1919, Barnett created the Associated Negro Press (ANP), which ultimately became first international news agency for black newspapers. By 1935, the ANP was serving over 200 newspapers and magazines across the United States.

During World War II, several black journalists pressured the U. S. government to accredit black

gun because of cuts to Medicare.

We are the largest taxpayers in state of Connecticut. We are going to pay $180 million in taxes. It is economically challenging times for hospitals, but we still remain focused on filling jobs that meet demands of our patients. Some of the jobs are more technical in nature such as physicians and nurse, but others are more general.”

“Ultimately, we all share in the goal of making sure that more opportunity exists for New Haven residents and we remain committed to that goal,” Petrini said. “We’re proud of our track record and continue to stay focused on moving forward.”

The Overall “Jobs Crisis” New Haven’s unemployment rate has fallen from a high of 10 percent to 7.6 percent over the past five years. But, Marks said, when you start to break the city’s unemployment rates down by race, a different picture emerges.

“There is a jobs crisis in New Haven, and it is ruining the quality of life for thousands of families, particularly black and Latino residents,” he said.

Kenneth Reveiz (pictured at left in the photo), an activist with New Haven Rising, pointed out that Yale-New Haven Hospital in 2014 reported generating $2.4 billion in revenue, $161 million of which was profit. Reveiz said he couldn’t find full-time, living-wage work in New Haven after his graduation from Yale. He got by working multiple odd jobs, and lived in a $400 a month apartment with no refrigerator, no stove, and intermittent heat. Reveiz said during those times, he realized he had a better quality of life living with his mother, who raised him and his kid brother on a housekeeper’s salary, than he did in New Haven just after graduating.

“I think Yale New Haven can do a lot more to solve the jobs crisis and in fact the need to,” he said.

“I work with a lot of talented people [in the recovery program] pretty much every day, and they ask me about job opportunities for when they leave program, and I wonder what will be available to them,” she said. “I live in Fair Haven. I know friends in neighborhood who are struggling.

With my two to three jobs, I’m doing all right. I can pay my bills, even save a little money, but it’s hard when my friends are struggling with homelessness, not having enough to eat. I work with a lot of talented people every day that are struggling. I know that Yale-New Haven Hospital is developing and expanding in the city and as they do that they should be careful because as they do that they’re overlooking a lot of brilliant and talented people right here in our neighborhoods.”

Rodney Heard, also a New Haven native, said he’s lived in the city all his life and worked his first job, at McDonald’s, when he was just 15 years old. When he became a father straight out of high school, he learned quickly how tough it is to provide for a child on minimum wage. “It was a shocker for me to realize how much things actually cost,” he said. Heard made too much to qualify for food stamps, but didn’t make enough to bring home food.

“I can’t say how much I made last year between the odd jobs I do, but I can tell you that the CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital made $3.5 million last year,” he said. “That’s enough food to feed my kids for a lifetime, and most likely their kids. I think Yale New Haven Hospital can do a lot more to help the jobs crisis in New Haven.”

journalists as official war correspondents. During this time, Barnett wrote about the adverse effects of segregation in the armed forces. He also focused on the deplorable living conditions of black tenant farmers, and served as a consultant to the Secretary of Agriculture in an effort to improve their conditions. After WWII ended, more than 100 African newspapers were also included as part of the ANP

roster various African countries moved toward independence.

By the late 1940s, Barnett became one of the most influential Black visionaries in the world. In 1949, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities Degree from Tuskegee Institute. Claude Albert Barnett died at his home on August 2, 1967 at the age of 78.

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Reveiz story isn’t uncommon for young, educated people in the

city. Abby Feldman (pictured at right in the above photo), a New Haven native, who graduated from Clark University with a degree in international development, said she returned to New Haven to be close to family.

What she didn’t come back to was a job in her field. She makes ends meet by working multiple jobs including at restaurants, the occasional catering gig and assisting people who are in recovery through art.

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Democracy in Black Hurt Young, Minority Students

By Freddie Allen NNPA News Wire Senior Correspondent

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Minority and low-income students are less likely to have consistent access to effective teachers between preschool and the third grade than students from high-income households, according to a new report by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a Washington, D.Cbased think tank.

Rachel Herzfeldt-Kamprath, a researcher at CAP and a coauthor of the report said that research on brain development shows that kids are learning a lot during that time period and gaining foundational skills that they build on throughout the rest of their academic careers.

“So, having continuity across that time period is really important so that the skills are building on each other,” said Herzfeldt-Kamprath.

The report found that more than 60 percent of children in prekindergarten that come from households earning more than $100,000 have access to highly educated teachers (a bachelor’s

degree or higher), while about half (52 percent) of the students in prekindergarten that come from households earning less than $20,000 have access those teachers.

“As children progress through elementary school, they are slightly more likely to have a highly educated teacher,” the report said. “This is particularly true for children from higher income families: 60 percent of the highest income secondgraders have a teacher with a

master’s degree compared to only 46 percent of kindergarteners in the same income group.”

However only about half of second-graders from households earning less than $50,000 have access to highly educated teachers.

This finding is particularly troubling, because studies show that African American children are more likely to be enrolled in prekindergarten or child care center that receives food

subsidies and are more likely to attend schools in poor neighborhoods than their White peers. According to the report, 70 percent of Black children are enrolled in such programs compared to 28 percent of White children.

Black children are also more likely to have teachers whose household income is below $50,000 when compared to their White and Asian peers, according to the report.

“In the early childhood field, studies have found both direct and indirect links between teachers’ pay and the quality of education provided, with comparatively bettercompensated educators creating a higher-quality classroom environment,” the report said.

The report highlighted a number of priorities including increasing access to high-quality prekindergarten programs, raising teacher pay, promoting collaborative professional development and in-service training, and enhancing schoollevel support.

“These supports should include both infrastructure

supports—such as up-to-date textbooks, technology, and developmentally appropriate classroom materials—as well as environmental supports, including teacher-planning time during the school day; adequate teacher and school-administrator compensation; and a school community that empowers teachers to be effective,” the report said. “Additionally, teachers need supportive school leaders; access to community social services to address the broader needs of children and families; and alternative approaches to classroom and school discipline.

Herzfeldt-Kamprath said that parents need to focus on seeking early learning opportunities and high quality childcare centers that offer developmentally appropriate practices as part of their curriculum.

“The main takeaway is that we know that learning starts very early for kids and building those foundational skills is hugely important and parents can play as big a role as teachers can,” said Herzfeldt-Kamprath.

First African Baptist Church: Oldest African-American Baptist Church in the Nation First African Baptist Church located in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, is recognized as the oldest AfricanAmerican Baptist church in the nation. Although the official gathering place was not established until 1788, the original congregation had been meeting since 1773 by former slave George Leile, who was ordained in 1775.

Leile baptized two other local enslaved men, David George, and Andrew Bryan, to assist him with forming a con-

gregation named the Silver Bluff Baptist church in Aiken County. Slaves were converted over the next few years. After the Revolutionary War began, Leile and George escaped to freedom in Canada, but Bryan stayed with the congregation.

Originally named the First Colored Baptist Church, the First African Baptist Church was recognized officially by the Rev. Abraham Marshall on January 20, 1788. Andrew Bryan was appointed preacher and sixty-seven people joined

the church. By 1794, the congregation was able to erect its first structure, which was named First African Baptist Church.

The church served as the largest meeting place in Savannah for blacks and whites during the era of segregation. The original church steeple of the church extended 100 feet, but was destroyed during a hurricane in 1892. The church ceiling is the design of the “Nine Patch Quilt,” which is a reminder that the church was once a safe

house for fugitive slaves. Beneath the lower auditorium floor is another sub-floor, evidence that the church was used as an Underground Railroad station. The holes in the floor are in the shape of an African prayer symbol, known as a “Congolese Cosmogram.” The church today still contains many of the historical elements.

Posted by Jae Jones BlackThen.com

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Tell “Em I Said It: The Academy Awards’ Chess Game

By Samuel T. Ross-Lee

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

The Academy Awards, better known as The Oscars, is not something that I normally think about. However, it has been hard not to hear and see what is going on with it this year, since that which has not occurred has received as much, if not more, media coverage as that which has. With the nominations revealed, we are well aware that no African-Americans have been nominated in any major categories, and probably not in any minor ones either, but who really pays attention to the Best Editing or Custom Design awards, anyhow? The point is, for the past two years, Black stars, on and off the screen, have been overlooked in the Oscar picks.

Now, there are a number of reasons to ignore the Academy’s picks any given year. Its makeup, reportedly 6000 members, 94% of them White, lacks diversity, and its mission, as far as I am concerned, lacks relevance.

Do we really need trinkets such

as these to determine our worth as a talented and gifted people?

Besides that, the culture of ranking art, though very much an American fascination, is but folly when you stop to think about it.

What is the value in trying to convince the public that one movie is better than another, especially when the determining body is so unrepresentative of the public being convinced? What do we gain as a society to have that biased piece of information dressed up in glitz and glamour, rolled out on red carpets, and shoved down our throats in this annual ritual? Does it really serve a purpose?

Well, actually it does. It does not serve the purpose that it purports to serve. But, there is something important about the Oscar nominations and winners, not to mention the importance of the group that gets to make these decisions.

You see, there is not much true racism in America, not in the way we often think about what racism is. The actually belief that there is one race that is inherently superior to another is held by few people in positions of substantial power and broad influence. Racism is a belief held mainly by fungible fools who

troll the internet spouting their antiquated “philosophy” while cowering behind aliases, an indication that their views have fallen out of favor to the point that they must hide their hands after they hurl that racist rock.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The reality and impact of racism is not diminished by the fact that its fundamental belief is not seriously held by people in power, for the trolls are many, their ire is quickly raised, and their emotions can easily be inflamed by the mere suggestions that people of other races are equal to them in any way. Note the Black professor fired from Wheaton College recently for saying that Muslims and (White) Christians worship the same God. Racism is real in America.

But, what African-Americans are usually reacting to on the race issue is not racism, but racial prejudice and racial bias instead.

The fact is, prejudices and biases do not have to be based on the perpetrator’s belief that s/he is superior to the victim. A simple motivation to have an advantage will do. Instances of people with substantial privilege and power believing in their inherent racial superiority are rare. But rare as they are, the willingness of the

powerful to manipulate racist ideology in others is not very rare at all. In fact, racist manipulation is how those in power remain in power.

So, how does this racial manipulation work on Americans who may not sit in seats of sustained power, like the Academy Awards Committee, but who sit on juries, who stand in voting booths, who teach in classrooms, and who make daily decisions based on their biases? It works through the subtle and not so subtle actions of a powerful status quo bent on keeping it alive as it serves their purpose of maintaining power.

Racist ideology in America is more about power in all of its variegated forms than anything else, anyhow. If those in power can maintain the notion that one race is superior to others, then they can also create and maintain a protective buffer between themselves and the rest of us, while we waste time and energy fighting big fights over little things, e.g. protesting white college students singing bigoted fraternity songs, while black bodies in the form of football players are being exploited by the university those frat boys attend and where

the real power lies.

The paucity of nominations of African-Americans in the the film industry is just one way the rich and powerful stay rich and powerful by manipulating an ideology that do not truly embrace.

Among those who do embrace it, however, the thinking is facile but effective: If Blacks are consistently absent among “the best”, then they must be as inferior as we think they are, and we are as superior as we wish to believe ourselves to be.

It might actually be easier to excuse people who truly believe in racism than those who do not, but who are willing to use its acceptance by the gullible to maintain power and acquire wealth for themselves, all the while aiding in the erasure of the beauty and talent of entire races of people, who, are merely pawns in their game.

Victor Hugo puts it rather succinctly when he writes: “If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness.”

The Academy Awards Committee has surely turned off the light and created some darkness.

Flint’s water crisis and GOP’s class war

BY JESSE JACKSON Why did Flint suffer a water catastrophe that now requires that children be treated as if they had been poisoned?

It wasn’t because the people were negligent. From the moment Flint began taking its water from the polluted Flint River, residents warned about water that came out of the faucet brown, tasted foul and

smelled worse. They began packing public meetings with jugs filled with water that looked like brown stain.

It wasn’t because the democracy failed, because in Flint democracy had been suspended. The city, devastated by the closing of its auto plants and industrial base, has been in constant fiscal crisis.

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, one of the crop of proud conservative governors promising to cut taxes for the rich and get government out of the way, appointed an emergency manager to run the city.

Elected officials had no say.

It wasn’t because the city manager and the state

environmental agency and the governor weren’t warned.

Warnings were issued from the beginning. General Motors even suspended using the water because it was too corrosive for the auto parts it was making. Nevertheless, city and state officials assured the worried residents of Flint that it was still safe to drink.

The result is that Flint’s children — particularly those in the older, poorer, disproportionately black neighborhoods — have been exposed to elevated levels of lead.

Lead poisoning isn’t like contracting a cold or getting the flu.

Lead is an immediate and unrelenting threat to health. It

causes miscarriages and births of low-weight babies. Children exposed to lead can have disabilities that afflict them for their entire lives. Lead stays in your bones. Yet even after a federal EPA official warned that the tests were being skewed to underreport levels of lead, even after heroes like LeeAnne Walters reported that her children’s hair was falling out and that they were developing rashes and constantly sick, even after the heroic pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, an IraqiAmerican, reported elevated levels of lead in children’s blood, their concerns were dismissed, their alarms scorned, they were attacked

for sowing hysteria and the poor residents of Flint were told the water was safe to drink.

Why were the people and the obvious signs and the experts ignored?

They would not have been ignored if these were wealthy suburban neighborhoods and the water suddenly turned brown.

They would not have been ignored if the children of an all-white community were at risk.

State officials dismissed the complaints as exaggerated. The brown water was just rust. Officials thought people ought to be grateful for what they had. The laws, they wrote, ensure the water is “safe to

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

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Black Films Matter supports Movie

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Binges on Oscar Night The Advocacy group Black Films Matter is supporting private parties all over the world in holding home movie-watching marathons on February 28, the night of the Academy Awards telecast, according to co-founder Durrell Cory. “If they don’t want us, we’ll hold our own ceremony in fact thousands of ceremonies in folks’ houses everywhere” said Cory.

The move is in reaction to the fact that for the second year in a row no African Americans were nominated in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories.

At first the group planned to hold screenings of less wellknown black films in theaters in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles on Oscar night. But then organizers decided that the best way to get the message out to the largest number of moviegoers would be to advocate for people holding their own movie nights at home.

A list of suggested blackthemed films, as well as those directed or produced by Hispanics and women, another two groups under-represented in the film Academy, is on the group’s website, blackfilmsmatter.net. Almost all of the films are available on streaming services or on DVD. “We don’t want to deliver a negative message”, says Deneika Johnson, another cofounder. “Our purpose is not to denigrate what anyone else has done, but to showcase the incredible accomplishments of People of Color and females in the film world.”

The group encourages suggestions from the public of lesser-known films that are not mentioned on its website.

Recommendations can be sent to Communications Director Roswell Tomkins.

ering this teams’ relatively quick turnaround. Carolina has one of the best pass blocking lines in football, which makes the job easier for Cam. Considering how big and strong Cam is, he will not be as rattled as Brady. His intelligence will be tested however, because this defense is better than anyone he has played, even Seattle. With that said, Denver has not faced any quarterback with running ability until now.

by Anthony Scott, ICN Sports Super Bowl 50 is around the corner, and it will feature the Denver Broncos against the Carolina Panthers. This is the third straight year the two top overall seeds will face in the Super Bowl. The two defenses look like the best in the league, so the offenses on both sides will have to play smart.

Peyton Manning has an opportunity to win a Super Bowl in potentially his last game ever, but the youthful Cam Newton is looking to build his own legacy.

The NFC Championship game was a huge blowout, which was only mildly surprising. Arizona QB Carson Palmer was terrible from the start. He ended up throwing four interceptions to a secondary led by Josh Norman and Kurt Coleman. MLB Luke Kuechly gets picks as well. Peyton Manning has the intelligence to figure out a solution, but not the arm strength. He will likely turn the ball over at least once.

The AFC Championship game was a bit of a defensive struggle overall. The Patriots’ D played very well in the first half, but they allowed two touchdowns to TE Owen Daniels on blown cover-

ages. Manning did not have a great game statistically, but he took advantage of the few opportunities he was afforded. Denver did a great job of throwing off Tom Brady’s timing. This was due to a stellar pass rush, as well as aggressive play from the defensive backs. MLB Von Miller, who terrorized Brady, was not healthy for the Broncos’ last Super Bowl run.

The defense is healthy this time, so they will certainly get pressure.

Miller coupled with DeMarcus Ware are almost impossible to

block. What makes this defense so impressive is their ability to get a three or four man rush. This allows them to drop more guys into coverage, and subsequently force bad passes. Brady was sacked four times, and was hit over twenty times. For whatever reason, the Patriots rarely used their running backs to pass block. Carolina will surely employ better pass protection, as well as run more efficiently.

Carolina has looked dominant,

particularly in first halves. Cam Newton has been gradually developing since being drafted #1 overall in 2011, but this year has been extra special. He has been extremely efficient, while also being able to make big plays. His nerves always appear calm, the polar opposite of how he used to be a couple of years ago. His maturity and looseness has clearly permeated the team, and Cam will likely be the MVP of the league. Ron Rivera is proving to be one of the best coaches in the league, consid-

Carolina has let some teams get back in games, but that did not happen against Arizona. This makes Carolina hard to pick against. With that said, Peyton Manning will not play as poorly as Carson Palmer did. Denver needs to control the ball and not allow Carolina’s offense to get into a rhythm. This will be a relatively low scoring game. The difference will be whether Peyton Manning makes his typical mistake in the big moment. If he makes any mistakes early, the game could emulate the debacle Peyton had against Seattle in his last Super Bowl.

Carolina is less likely to make that critical error because they will find a way to run the ball. Carolina wins 27-24.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Superbowl 50 : I’m Calling it…Carolina wins 27-24.

Democracy in Black How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul

by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. Book Review by Kam Williams

sin. Unfortunately, inequality between black and white has somehow persisted way past emancipation, despite pronouncements by political pundits that the election of the first black President had issued in a promising, post-racial era.

That is the contention of Princeton Professor Eddie Glaude who argues that the fundamental notion that „all men are created equal“ was perverted ab initio by the fact that some were always valued less than others in the U.S. because of the color of their skin.

In his new book, Democracy in Black, he indicts a malingering white supremacy that he sees as standing between blacks and the proverbial American Dream.

Instead of improving race relations, the author believes that

Barack Obama’s ascension to the presidency has only served to embolden bigots. As proof, he points to „the increase in explicit racism“ reflected in „the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, and so many others.“ Glaude also talks about the widening wealth gap between blacks and whites which has left the African-American community devastated. Home foreclosures, poverty and an astronomical unemployment rate are just a few of the host of woes visited upon the ‚hood.

In allocating blame, the author places a fair share of it on the shoulders of the President, whom he refers to as a confidence man. „In 2008 and again in 2012, Obama sold black

America the snake oil of hope and change,“ he laments. Glaude is just as disappointed with those liberal black politicians who „refused to criticize the President“ out of fear of appearing disloyal.

The upshot, he concludes, is that black America is far worse off now than before November of 2008, and that the solution resides in a grassroots uprising independent of „the confidence men and their false hopes.“ That being said, in spite of the dire data, Glaude maintains an abiding faith that we are going to transform this nation via a revolution of value.

In sum, a highly-motivated Ivory Tower academic’s sobering clarion call to action and affirmation of the aspirations of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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“America’s promise has always rung hollow in the the ears of African-Americans, but today the situation has grown even more dire.

From the murders of black youth by the police to the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act to the disaster visited upon poor and middle-class black families by the Great Recession, it is clear that black America faces an emergency...

Democracy in Black is Eddie S.

Glaude, Jr.’s impassioned response.Part manifesto, part history, part memoir, it argues that we live in a country founded on a ‚value gap‘ with white lives valued more than others...

Whether discussing why all Americans have racial habits that reinforce inequality, why black politics based on the civil rights era have reached a dead end, or why only remaking democracy from the ground up can bring real change, Glaude crystallizes the untenable position of black America and offers thoughts on a better way forward” Because the Founding Fathers saw fit to weave slavery right into the very fabric of the nation via the Constitution, many a historian has seen fit to refer to that evil institution as America’s original

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Administrative Assistant reception, phones, filing, and corporate staff support. +/- 30 hours weekly. RED Technologies, Bloomfield, CT Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to Info@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE. City of Norwich Finance Department COLLECTOR OF TAXES AND REVENUES Salary: $74,617 - $80,586 Visit www.norwichct.org/hr to apply and for more information regarding qualifications, and application deadline. AA/EEO. “Telecommunications company looking for low voltage cable installer familiar with all aspects of indoor & outdoor cable installation, aerial bucket work, pole work, messenger & lashing; manhole & underground installation. Good salary and benefits.

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RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

Laboratory Technician Responsible for the sampling and laboratory analysis of domestic and industrial water and wastewater. Requires an A.S. degree in biology, chemistry or related field and 2 years experience in laboratory analysis. Experience and training may be substituted on a year for year basis. Must have a valid State of CT driver’s license. $25.91 to $31.15 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, (203) 294-2080, Fax #: (203) 294-2084 The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or January 27, 2016, whichever occurs first.

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The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Request for Proposal (RFP) for Security Guard Services Solicitation Number: 059-SEC-16-S The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is currently requesting proposals from qualified security firms to provide security guard services at various public housing complexes throughout the city of Bridgeport. Solicitation package will be available on January 25, 2016. To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A pre-proposal conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on February 9, 2016, @ 10:00 a.m. Although attendance is not mandatory, bid the project without attending conference is not in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later than February 19, 2016 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Proposals shall be mailed or hand delivered by February 26, 2016 @ 3:00 PM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Contract Specialist, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Late proposals will not be accepted.

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Invitation for Bid (IFB) C.F. Greene Apartments Interior Finishes Solicitation Number: 057-PD-16-S The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is requesting sealed bids for interior finishes at C.F. Greene Apartments. Solicitation package will be available on January 11, 2016.

To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A pre-bid conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on January 26, 2016, @ 10:00 a.m. Although attendance is not mandatory, submitting a bid for the project without attending conference is not in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later than February 4, 2016 @ 2:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Seal bids will be received until February 12, 2016 @ 2:00 PM, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven

Drivers: Company Drivers. $5000 transition bonus. Paid out in the first 4 months - Call us for details! New Home Time policy: 5 days out - 2 days off; 10 days out - 4 days off; 15 days out- 6 days off.

We offer: average $1200-$1400 weekly. $1500 quarterly bonus. $5000 referral bonus. Dedicated lanes. Longevity bonus.

Dedicated driver advocate team. Health, dental, vision benefits available. Paid layovers & orientation. Requirements: must have CDL-A with tanker & hazmat endorsements. Have or be willing to obtain TWIC card. 1yr. tractor-trailer exp. Call Jessica: 866-983-0855 or apply online at www.Work4QC.com

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is seeking to fill the position of Development Associate.

Please refer to our website for details: http://www.cfgnh.org/About/ContactUs/ EmploymentOpportunities.aspx EOE electronic su

Invitation for Bids

76 Day Street Townhouse Renovation The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (HANH) is currently seeking Bids for 76 Day Street Townhouse Renovation. Bids will be received until Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at 3:00 PM. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 on Wednesday February 10, 2016 @ 11:00 AM. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from HANH’s front desk at 360 Orange Street beginning on Monday, February 1, 2016 @ 3:00 PM. Request for electronic copies of the request should be emailed to bids@newhavenhousing.org.

Lady seeking a job as an Elderly caregiver Many years experience, call Jenn 347-866-4866

ELECTRIC UTILITY ELECTRICIAN Electric utility is seeking a highly skilled maintenance electrician with extensive substation experience to maintain and repair transmission and distribution class switchgear, buswork, lightning arrestors, protective relays, insulators, switches power transformers, data circuits, controls and other related components. Must be a high school/trade school graduate and have 4 years’ experience in the maintenance and operation of electric utility substations and/or utility grade protection and control systems. Completion of a recognized four (4) year maintenance electrician apprenticeship program may substitute for the experience requirement. Two (2) years of college-level education or advanced training in related field may substitute for two (2) years of the experience requirement. Must possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the State of Connecticut and be able to obtain with 6 months of hire a valid Protective Switching and Tagging Procedure certification from CONVEX or other approved agency. Wage rate: $34.05 to $36.10 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Closing date will be that date the 100th application form/resume is received, or February 19, 2016 whichever occurs first. Apply: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. (203) 294-2080 / Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Security 30 hrs. per week/10 months per year Security Guard- Seeking qualified individuals to perform a variety of duties associated with monitoring access to the building or assigned station, implementing security protocols as provided by district and building level administrative staff. Requires graduation from high school, plus a minimum of one year experience working with the public. One year security experience preferred. Individual considered for the positions will be required to be fingerprinted and undergo background checks. Hourly Rate: $13.82 - $14.03 plus benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084.

Closing date will be February 3, 2016, or the date the 50th application is received, whichever occurs first. EOE.

Welder-Exp. Welder for structural steel Misc shop. Send resume:gwf@snet.net

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Listing:I Maintenance Assistant Immediate opening for a part time maintenance assistant for grounds and building maintenance.

Position requires flexible work schedule. Some heavy lifting required. Computer knowledge a plus. Send resume to HR Manager, 401 Soundview Road, Guilford, CT 06437. **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

Elementary Café Manager 10 months per year – 20 hours per week The Town of Wallingford Board of Education Food Service Department is seeking a skilled individual to coordinate and manage the activities of the other foodservice employees within the facility. Applicants must have a high school degree or equivalent. Ability to read, write, and speak English. Individuals must have experience in food service with school food service experience preferred. Supervisory experience also preferred. Special Requirement: Must possess sanitation certification from an approved Dept. of Education source. Hourly Rate of $15.77 per hour plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084. Closing date will be January 27, 2016 or the date the 50th application is received, whichever occurs first. EOE.

Welder-Exp. Welder for structural steel Misc shop. Send resume:gwf@snet.net Town of Bloomfield Part Time- Non-benefited After School Activity Specialist $10 to $12 hourly After School Program Director $16 - $20 hourly After School Assistant Program Director $13 - $15 hourly For details and how to apply, go to /www.bloomfieldct.org/” www.bloomfieldct.org.

Pre-employment drug testing.

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

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Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks: Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate.

Location: Bloomfield CT

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

Contact: James Burke Phone: 860-243-2300

Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

Listing: HVAC Technician Immediate opening for a full time, CT licensed HVAC Technician for a fast paced shoreline Petroleum Company. Applicant must have experience in oil, propane, natural gas and A/C. Send resume to: Attn: HR Manager, Confidential, PO Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437. **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

INVITATION TO BID: SQUIRE VILLAGE 72 Spencer Street, Manchester, CT New Construction of a 7000 SF Community Center and Renovations of 31 two story multifamily apartment buildings.

PRE BID MEETING: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Time: 3 to 4:00 Location: Squire Village Community Room located at 48 Spencer Street, Manchester 06040 PREBID NOT MANDATORY. IF ATTENDING PLEASE EMAIL: dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=squirevillage Bids Due: Wednesday, February 3, 2016 @ 5:00 pm Fax or Email Questions& Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483

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INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016 30

INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016

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INNER-CITY NEWS February 01, 2016 - February 07, 2016 32