INNER-CITY NEWS by INNER-CITY NEWS

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Local 34 Marches As Contracts Talks Hit Key Stretch Financial Justice a Key Focus at 2016 NAACP Convention New Haven, Bridgeport

INNER-CITYNEWS Volume 21 No. 2194 2208

November is National Adoption Month

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Snow in July?

MythsFOLLOW About US Adoption & Foster Care ON 1

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

AND THE

AC E S B U S I N E S S A DV I S O RY C O U N C I L

ARTS FUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD CULTURAL VITALITY GRANT

17th Annual Employer Recognition Dinner

Thanks to all of our business partners for their great teamwork and support of our vocational programs!

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CITY OF NEW HAVEN, TONI. N. HARP, MAYOR

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 Pre-Show Reception at 6 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. â&#x20AC;¢ Show at 8 p.m. JCC of Greater New Haven

FREE for Cultural Arts patrons and subscribers JCC Members $18 General Public $25 Reception $15 Reception is free to Cultural Arts subscribers and includes cocktails, fried chicken, latkes, and more. 3

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

New Varick Pastor Steps Into Big Shoes by ALLAN APPEL

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

At 14 years old, Kelcy Steele was running a ministry. Two decades later, he has stepped into his largest pulpit yet. Steele is the new pastor of Varick Memorial AME Zion Church on Dixwell Avenue, one of the city’s most historic and influential African-American churches. The congregation is ten times the size of the one he most recently led, on the West Coast. The soft-spoken South Carolinaborn pastor spoke during a meetand-mingle gathering of church members on Friday night two months after taking the pulpit from his predecessor Rev. Eldren Morrison. During his nine years at Varick’s pulpit, the charismatic, and politically savvy Morrison led the church back from severe financial difficulties to establish the Varick Center for Empowerment (VCE), help found the Booker T. Washington Academy charter school, and through mesmerizing sermonizing and inspiration build the congregation up to 2,000 active members who throng the historic 350-seat Dixwell sanctuary every Sunday for three consecutive services. During Friday’s meet-and-greet, the affable new pastor, whose previous post was with a 200-member AME church on Adams Boulevard in South Central Los Angeles, said his only difficulty adjusting to Varick has been the colder weather in New England. “It’s been a smooth adjustment, as if my predecessor hadn’t left,” he said.

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO

Pastor Steele and his wife Natasha at meet-and-greet.

Steele, at age 34, is also young, like Morrison although he has been pastoring for 15 years, with Varick being his fifth congregation. He said his intention is to follow the policies, initiatives, and direction of Morrison, whom he knows well. “We were friends in South Carolina,” he said. “We were in each other’s weddings.” Like Morrison, Steele is, by all accounts of the parishioners at Friday’s gathering, also a dynamic and mellifluous preacher. Or, as longtime congregant Jeanette Reynolds put it, “He’s a preacher machine anointed by God.” Before coming to Varick Steele was also a national revival preacher and served as the director of World Methodist Evangelism

I asked Steele how he would describe his style of preaching, and whether it differed at all from his predecessor. He characterized Morrison’s style as more “educational,” whereas his approach might be called a “prophetic” style. By that he said he meant “speaking truth to power, staying on the cutting edge of social issues, and applying scripture to helping those who are soul-seeking in a complex times such as these.” For example, he said that last Sunday he dealt with the presidential election. He said that his message was that while it is important who’s in the White House, that “doesn’t diminish that God is still God, Jesus is still King of Kings

FOOTBALL 4

and Lord of Lords.” Steele said that as a people, “We’ve seen worse [than Trump] ,and the God who kept us in the past will carry us into the future.” Part of the confidence that Rev. Steele expresses comes from Varick’s continuing commitment to grow its economic independence and that of its parishioners. Through the VCE, the church owns several properties on nearby Sperry Street. Steele said he will continue to work on that initiative to create more affordable housing in the area as well “as improving the Dixwell Corridor.” That includes a strategic plan, now under review, that would also revitalize nearby Dixwell Plaza, Steele added.

In the same manner, Steele said he is advancing his predecessor’s work by sitting on the board of the Booker T. Washington charter school and advocating for increased funding for charter schools. I asked him if it was a challenge adjusting from being a pastor to 200 in Los Angeles to pastoring 2,000 in New Haven. Steele, who is getting ready to write a thesis on pastoral care at the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, where he is finishing his theological training, said that the increase in the congregation’s size does not alter his approach. “I promised myself that no matter how massive the crowd, no matter how many boards I serve on, pastoral care is the top of my list.” He defined that as the “loving embrace [and] the compassionate heart for the parishioners I serve.” Steele grew up in the tiny Newport, S.C., a “village,” as he described it, of 20 folks, “all kin.” He was tapped from early on as “the different one,” as the kid who would grow up to become a preacher. From age 14 he was running youth and other ministries and then, after college, serving as a pastor; Varick will be his fifth congregation. Trump May Be In The White House, But God . . . For this Sunday, the second sabbath after the presidential election, Steele prepared a sermon entitled “A Safe Place.” The text was Psalm 91, which offers ultimate comfort and refuge from what Steele described as “the externals” that move us in our daily lives. Con’t on page 8

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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

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Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner Smita Shrestha William Spivey Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee

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Deltas’ Message: Don’t Move; Organize by THOMAS BREEN NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

One week after a nationwide wave of populist, conservative discontent helped Donald J. Trump win the presidency and Republicans retain majorities in both houses of the U.S. Congress, community leaders called for frustrated New Haveners to work together to protect abortion rights, protect immigrants, and prepare voters for the next election. Dori Dumas, president of the Greater New Haven NAACP, called for more volunteers to help out with her branch’s yearround voter registration and civic education drives. Mary Elizabeth Smith, program director at Junta for Progressive Action, encouraged all New Haveners to participate in Junta’s regular Know Your Rights clinics. Susan Yolen, vice president at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, asked for more friendly faces to volunteer at their Whitney Avenue office on Saturdays to help welcome patients otherwise greeted by a weekly encampment of abortion protesters. These calls to action, along with many other words of encouragement, soul-searching, concern, and resolve, were offered Tuesday night at a post-election conversation organized by the New Haven Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and held at the Bethel AME Church on Goffe Street. Well over 100 people filled the church’s pews to participate in a conversation that focused on how best to respond to the surprising results of last week’s state and national elections, and how best to plan for a Donald J Trump presidency that has members this country’s religious, racial, and gender minorities worried. Audience at Bethel AME Church. The two hour conversation was moderated by Inner City News Editor, WNHH radio host and Delta sister Babz Rawls-Ivy. She coaxed expert understanding and strategies for survival from a panel of academic, political, and

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO

Brown-Dean.

activist guest speakers, including Quinnipiac associate professor Khalilah Brown-Dean, State Sen. Gary Winfield, and Mayor Toni Harp. Kai M. Perry, the social action chair for the New Haven alumnae chapter of the Deltas, set the tone for the event early in the evening as she led the audience through an exercise in group meditation, imploring those in attendance to breathe in deeply for hope and then exhale their fears and concerns. “Breathe in for racial justice,” she said, her eyes shut and her hands over her diaphragm. “Exhale. Breathe in for affordable quality health care for women, girls, all of us. Exhale. Breathe in for the hopes you have for our community, and for a commitment to collective action. Exhale.” As the evening progressed, each speaker sought to undergird that balance of hope and fear, breath and exhale, with a pointed look forward to the community organizing. The first speaker of the evening was political scientist and public media analyst Brown-Dean, who explained some of the legal history, demographic trends and political mobilization that led to

President-elect Trump’s upset victory last Tuesday. Brown-Dean paced through slide after slide of maps and statistics that covered the Shelby v. Holder Supreme Court decision to Trump’s barbershop getout-the-vote initiatives. Trump’s victory was not the result of a much-bandied idea that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s candidacy suffered from a fatal “enthusiasm gap,” she explained. Rather, the election turned out the way it did because of the success of a decades-long push from conservative lawyers and judges to weaken the 1965 Voting Rights Act, as well as a sustained appeal from Republican lawmakers towards evangelical Christians and working-class voters skeptical of government insiders and longing for political change. “We have to get away from the idea that says that just because you look like me, you must think like me and vote like me too,” she said, pointing towards exit polls that showed that 16 percent of African American men with college degrees and 11 percent of African American men without college degrees voted for Trump. State Sen. Winfield took the stage next, bringing the conver-

sation from the national to the state level. “We were caught flatfooted,” he said, referring to Republican gains in Connecticut’s State Senate and General Assembly. (The makeup of the Senate is now evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.) “We went from having basically a super majority a few years ago to a divided State Senate today. We knew that a wave was coming our way, but we didn’t sit down and figure out what the message of the Connecticut Democratic Party was. Our state party was largely silent while the Republicans talked incessantly about businesses leaving Connecticut. And that was a big problem.” One of the solutions, he suggested, is not just for the Democratic Party to better iron out its message, but also for reliably Democratic New Haven voters to dedicate their time and effort and money, when possible, to more embattled districts around the state. “If you want to see the whole state adopt some of the policies that the people who are elected here push for,” he said, “we need the numbers. Because right now, it’s very difficult to get anything done.” Mayor Harp spoke about New Haven as a sanctuary city for its immigrant population, and how it will remain committed to protecting the rights of all of its residents regardless of the prevailing disposition of the national or state government. She warned of continued cuts to municipal funding from the state, and how a divided and recalcitrant government in Hartford will make it all the more difficult for New Haven to deliver on its commitment to social services. She ended on a call to community-organizing arms: a message that everyone in the room was eager to hear as they sought to rally themselves from the surprise and fear resulting from last week’s election. “Don’t move to Canada, stay here in fight,” she ended. “I believe we have to fight.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Local 34 Marches As Contracts Talks Hit Key Stretch by MICHELLE LIU NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

With a clock ticking down on negotiations on a new contract, hundreds of unionized Yale clerical and technical workers marched to the university president’s doorstep Wednesday evening. The march followed a closed-door mass membership meeting in Battell Chapel of UNITE HERE Local 34, which represents clerical and technical workers at the university. The meeting focused on main union goals in these negotiations, which have included preserving jobs (rather than having them redefined as non-union positions); and preserving benefits. The union is opposing a Yale proposal for a two-tier system in which new employees get lower health care and pension benefits. Fifteen members of Local 33, the newly formed UNITE HERE local for graduate student teachers looking to unionize, also updated the meeting on its hearings before the National Labor Relations Board. They expressed confidence that they’d receive a ruling approving petitions to form nine bar-

MICHELLE LIU PHOTO

gaining units; the crowd cheered them on. After the meeting, Local 34 organized the march, complete glow sticks and bucket drums, to Woodbridge Hall, the university president’s office. “We are not erasing 32 years of union history,” Local 34 President Laurie Kennington said to the crowd. “We’re not going to concede our most important benefits.” Yale began negotiations with its unions, UNITE HERE Locals 34 and 35, in March. Union leaders aim to secure a new contract for

their members before the current one expires in January maybe even by winter break, Local 34 Secretary/Treasurer Ken Suzuki said. In recent weeks, negotiations have upped in frequency and intensity, he added, in an effort to reach an agreement. (In 2009 and 2012, Yale and its unions wrapped up deals months before deadline.) New Haven has much at stake: Yale has a history of strikes that affect not just thousands of workers but local businesses and dominate other political decision-making in town. Suzuki said that the bulk of the negotiation time from March to September was spent on securing 1,000 jobs at stake in the university’s medical school. UNITE HERE has previously claimed that the university is moving unionized jobs at the med school to Yale New Haven Hospital, which is non-unionized. “It’s important to us that new hires get to achieve the same wages and benefits that we fought for, and we’re holding firm to that principle,” Kennington said.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Jeff Grant Appointed New Interim Executive Director at Family ReEntry

The Board of Directors of Family ReEntry has appointed Jeff Grant, JD, M Div, as interim Executive Director of Family ReEntry of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Grant served on Family ReEntry’s board of directors since 2009 — his new appointment marks the first time in the United States that a person formerly incarcerated for a white-collar crime has served as the head of a major re-entry agency. “It’s a tremendous step, and a bold decision on the Board’s part,” Grant said. “This is a transformative period for Family ReEntry. I owe them my fresh start, so of course I said yes when they offered me the position.” “From an advocacy, program and fundraising perspective, it resonates with people to have a formerly incarcerated person at

Jeff Grant,

our helm,” stated Jeffrey Earls, Director of Development for Family ReEntry, “with a background in business, law, prison ministry,

recovery and prisoner reentry, Jeff brings a wealth of experience to Family ReEntry.” “We live and work in an area that has the largest disparity of wealth in the country,” said Grant, referring to the economic divide between affluent suburbs such as Greenwich and inner city communities such as Bridgeport. Family ReEntry receives tremendous support from individuals and families who have been very open and receptive to our mission,” Grant said. “We have a message that resonates around the state and the country — to lower recidivism and disrupt the intergenerational cycle of incarceration.” There is a new sense of energy and purpose at Family ReEntry. The staff and directors are committed

to advancing the agency, its core values, and above all its mission. Family ReEntry provides essential support and programs to individuals and families who have been involved in or impacted by the criminal justice system. FRE works to reverse the impact of domestic violence, crime, incarceration, drug abuse and mental illness. FRE also offers Youth Mentoring programs that focus on assistance to youth that are impacted by the devastating effect of an incarcerated parent or sibling. Ronda Muir, Board Chair, said, “Family ReEntry was fortunate to have a long-serving board member with roots in the Agency’s Fresh Start program who could step into the Executive Director role. Jeff’s own experience and commitment to our mission makes him an ideal

choice to quickly and effectively move the agency forward. He has the full support of the board as we build on Steve Lanza’s tenure to support those impacted by the criminal justice system.” Mr. Grant replaces Stephen Lanza, who served as Executive Director since 1999. Mr. Lanza will continue his relationship with Family ReEntry as a senior advisor and consultant. “Steve Lanza has been the heart and soul of Family ReEntry, and has served our agency, community and mission for the past fifteen years with dignity, grace, compassion, empathy and human kindness,” says Mr. Grant. More information, visit www. FamilyReEntry.org or call Jeffrey Earls, Family ReEntry Director of Development at (203) 576-6924.

that it is a choice of some people as to how they make their money. We cannot have prostitution be something that disrupts our community. It is a major complaint in many residential areas. We do not want children and many people in the community feel they are prisoners in their own community because prostitution is going on.” At the rally, organizers condemned TV news outlets for publicizing mugshots of the women arrested last month. “Bring that message back to your editors,” IV Staklo said to cheers. “Don’t ever put them up again.” They also called to hold the police department accountable for promises like contacting the state attorney’s office to drop charges on the women arrested. As of Friday morning, that hadn’t happened yet, organizer Brett Davidson of the CT Bail Fund (pictured) told a crowd of about 20. Five of the women arrested have court dates on Monday. Next time, organizers plan to mobilize faster: Some of the women have already accepted plea bargains, Davidson said. He acknowledged that the police department has expressed openness to meeting the activists’ demands.

Organizers will hold a meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the New Haven People’s Center to put together pamphlets of resources to distribute to “people on the streets and people New Haven is failing.” Like others at the rally, Jonathan Chacón, a student at the Yale School of Art, argued that the culture of shame around sex work by police and by the general public alike needs to be changed. “New Haven is supposed to be a community policing city,” said Nora Niedzielski-Eichner, a student at Yale Law School. “Shaming people for working is not a way to improve anyone’s lives.” Criminal justice reform activist Beatrice Codianni said she and Davidson had spoken to some of the women, who were both surprised and touched that people cared. Briam Timico, who said she has worked as a sex worker in the past, declared that sex work is real work that deserves to be decriminalized. She pointed to Kolkata, India, where sex workers have unionized as a form of protection. “Whose streets?” Timico called out. “Our streets!” the crowd replied. “Whose city?” “Our city!”

Cops Suspend Prostitute Stings by MICHELLE LIU

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

In response to public criticism, New Haven is putting prostitution stings on hold while it develops a “Project Longevity”-style program for sex workers. Police Chief Anthony Campbell told the Independent about the new effort Friday following a demonstration outside City Hall by a new organization of advocates for sex workers. The organization sprung up after this New Haven Independent report about the latest undercover sweep of women selling sex in Fair Haven and West River. Campbell said the police are working with the city’s human services office and other groups to develop the new plan. Similar to a program in Seattle, it would operate like the city’s “Project Longevity” program for accused violent gang members: Cops would call people in to warn them of potential arrests, but offer them help to get out of the life first, such as referrals for housing or mental health or substance abuse programs. “Community policing is about relationships,” said Campbell, who met with the activists earlier this week. “In the best interest of

MICHELLE LIU PHOTO

Protesters outside City Hall Friday.

dealing with community policing and prostitution which has been reported by many residents of the city we would like to partner with church organizations and social organizations and develop a program that is similar to the Project Longevity program: identify people who are engaged in prostitution and offer them services before

they make arrests. “We understand that prostitution in many incidents is that many sex workers choose to engage in because they have other issues and they have no other way out. We also understand that many individuals are forced into the sex trade. We are not about to re-victimize them.” “But we also understand

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Sexual Violence — And Hope — On Stage At Co-Op High by ALLAN APPEL NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

A girl has been sexually mutilated by a soldier’s bayonet and has a malodorous fistula. She can’t work as a prostitute and must sing for her survival. Think a play with such a subject does not belong in a high school production? Think again. This weekend Ruined, Lynn Nottage’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about gender violence and sexual trafficking during the Congolese civil war of the late 1990s, goes up as the all-school fall production at Co-Op Arts and Humanities High School. The new arts director at Co-Op, Timothy Jones — himself a 2008 graduate of the school — wanted to challenge his kids with more social-justice oriented plays and with subjects the 75-percent female population of the arts school can connect to. Ruined fills that bill and then some, and the students and their parents have more than gone along, although it’s the first allschool play with a warning on the poster: for mature audiences. The remaining shows are Friday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with a portion of the modest entry fees at the school’s black box theater $5 for students and $7 for adults being contributed to Love146 and IRIS, two local organizations that deal respectively with sexual trafficking and helping immigrants in New Haven. Tyra Deboise, who plays the “ruined” Sophie, said that she had been aware that at other times and other places, “men treated women like meat, not as if they were people and precious.” Her involvement with the play taught her that those conditions still existed. Her under-study Tierra Williams-Ranciato who, like Deboise, is a choir student, as the role of Sophie calls for singing four songs in the production said she’d been aware that such things happened also. But being in the play was a kind of wake up call, a “shock” that she hoped might similarly wake up audiences who come to see the production. The kids are not the only ones who were challenged.

Some of the cast before the first performance.

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO

Senior Rashae Reeves as Mama Nadi.

McAfee said it’s the most difficult show he’s helmed with the kids. He has a daughter of his own, and reading of the trafficking and brutal gender violence made him “walk away from the research,” he said, to catch his breath at how violent it was during the civil war in the Ituri rain forest of Northeast Congo, where Nottage went to interview survivors for the play’s material. “It’s more than sex, it’s genital mutilation. You have to teach the kids to be in character. How do you talk

to kids about fistulas and gang rape?” he said. The answer was, first, to send out a three-page letter to parents. Jones and McAfee then convened a meeting of parents so that everyone was on board.Then, representatives from Love146 talked to the students, as did a local judge who presides in sexual trafficking cases. “With this show I didn’t want them [the student actors and crew, numbering in total 40 students], to think these people are far away in the Congo. We deal

with all these [issues] in school. It hits a lot close to home,” McAfee said, as he readied the students for the first show before an audience. Right before that happened, the students showed they were really prepared in some of their comments to panel members from IRIS, Love146, Collective Consciousness Theater, and Long Wharf Theater, who had come by to compliment them about the courage and relevance of their work. Rashae Reeves, who plays the central role of Mama Nadi, the bordello keeper, said she was initially scared to play such a complex role, but she has nailed it in her understanding that Mama, as she put it, is “very maternal, but also a pure businesswoman.” Josh Mamis from Love146 echoed that understanding that in the world of trafficking, even close to home, the players are not all evil; it’s not all black and white. “You can’t look at these people simply,” he said. Another point the panelists wanted to make was made even better by creative writing junior Lauryn Darden, who plays Selima, the prostitute whom Mama Nadi details to clean up Sophie after she is sold to the house in the beginning scenes of the play. “There are moments in the play of great subtlety. You’ve got to catch

them. It’s sad but it’s not always sad. They find a way,” she said. The boys who play the soldiers and miners patronizing the girls have perhaps the toughest transformations. As sophomore Shalont Dixon put it: “The men are animals. It’s hard for us [to be in their character],” he said. But Tymothee Harrell, the junior who plays Commander Osembenga, caught an insight that he credited the director with helping him realize: “The hardest thing getting the role is understanding the mental imbalance in one relationship to another. Mr. Mac showed us when the men do this to women, they are dead inside already. It was done to them,” he said. As W.H. Auden put it in his famous poem, “September 1, 1939,” “Those to whom evil is done do evil in return.” This tough, bracing, and ultimately hopeful production is very much worth a trip this weekend. Ruined plays Friday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Black Box Theater at CoOp High School, 177 College St. Tickets are $5 for students at $7 for adults. They can be purchased at the door. Reservations are also being accepted by contacting Kjerstin.Pugh@new-haven.k12. ct.us. Con’t from page 4

Big Shoes

“The election results brought about discomfort and stress. I feel President Elect Trump is an embodiment of a lot of negative, dogmatic, and radical voices that have been present but not manifest in the flesh,” he said. “All through history God has always been in control of leadership. He allowed Israel to be ruled by a wicked king, by judges, Pharaoh to oppress Israel only to display his power at the end. God has always allowed corruption but always prevailed. “So it’s my job to comfort people. No matter what is happening God is still in control. We have always made it through and we always will.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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CANNOT BE USED ON DOORBUSTERS OR DEALS OF THE DAY Excludes ALL: cosmetics/fragrances, Deals of the Day, Doorbusters/web busters, watches, electrics/electronics, Everyday Values (EDV), furniture/mattresses, Last Act, Macy’s Backstage, rugs, specials, Super Buys, Breville, Coach, Dyson, Fitbit, Frye, Hanky Panky, Jack Spade, Kate Spade, KitchenAid Pro Line, Le Creuset, Levi’s, Locker Room by Lids, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors Studio. Michele watches, Natori, Sam Edelman, Samsung watches, Shun, Stuart Weitzman, The North Face, Theory, Tumi, Vitamix, Wacoal, Wolford, Wüsthof, Tory Burch, UGG, littleBits, 3Doodler, Movado Bold, M by Macy’s Marketplace, athletic clothing, shoes & accessories, designer jewelry/ watches/accessories, designer sportswear, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, previous purchases, select licensed depts., services, special orders, special purchases, tech watches/jewelry/accessories; PLUS, ONLINE ONLY: baby gear, kids’ shoes, Allen Edmonds, Brahmin, Birkenstock, Hurley, Johnston & Murphy, Merrell, RVCA, Tommy Bahama, toys. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $25 or $50 or more, exclusive of tax and delivery fees.

THANKSGIVING SALE PRICES IN EFFECT 11/20-12/1/2016. MERCHANDISE WILL BE ON SALE AT THESE & OTHER SALE PRICES THROUGH 1/2/2017, EXCEPT AS NOTED. N6100014K.indd 1

11/15/16 3:31 PM

Stetson Feels Rudolph THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

by PAUL BASS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Dixwell’s Stetson Branch Library is Lonnay Joyner’s home away from home and, on Wednesday, it was her place to imagine herself as a reindeer. A reindeer named Rudolph, specifically. Joyner and a dozen other kids who spend most afternoons after school at the library got a return visit there from Grammy-nominated producer and recording artist Chris “Big Dog” Davis. Davis had some unfinished business to attend to after visiting Stetson a week earlier to release a copy of his new CD of “hip-hopera” takes on Christmas songs, Christmas in Connecticut with Chris “Big Dog” Davis. At that first visit, the kids joined in on a rap version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Afterwards, Davis heard from folks about how good the song sounded and was asked why it’s not on the CD. He returned this week to recruit Stetson kids for a recording session to produce a single of the song.

Big Dog brings home the lesson

First, on Friday, he told them the story about Rudolph about spoke about how he, like Rudolph, was bullied as a kid. “When I was growing up, everybody made fun of Big Dog. I wasn’t this big. I was a skinny little guy,” he said. He spoke of how in the story, the other reindeer tell Rudolph, “Get out of here. Your nose is too big.” But then Christmas Eve

gets so foggy, Santa can’t see well enough to start delivering presents with the other reindeer. “Who do they go get?” Davis asked the kids. “Rudolph!” Lonnay and her friends, decked out with antlers, called out. “Why?” “Because his nose is so bright.” “So it don’t really matter,” Davis concluded, “if you have a big head, or big feet. It will all work out. We all are Rudolph.

Whatever people talk about you, it’s OK.” Lonnay, who’s 13, raised her hand and spoke about how a girl bullied her at school a while back. She spoke to her mom, to the principal, went about her way without cowering, and it all eventually worked out. She considers Stetson a safe, and fun, place to do her homework every afternoon, explore on

the computers, play with the other kids. On Wednesday, the kids reprised their version of Rudolph with Davis, rapper Mike G, and singer “Timmy.” Then Head Librarian Diane Brown brought them outside for 10 minutes, to unwind and have some more fun before returning inside a day before Davis planned to return to bring them to a West Haven studio to cut the track.

Cops Start Shopping For Body Cams by ERICA PANDEY

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

New Haven is ready to outfit all its police officers with a second pair of “human eyes.” After a pilot program, the police department has decided to outfit all 452 of its sworn officers with those extra “eyes” body cameras a step other Connecticut departments, including Branford and Hamden, have already taken. The department plans to send out a request for proposals within the week asking potential vendors to present camera models as well as costs of data storage, Lt. Racheal Cain reported at a City Hall hearing Monday night of the Board of Alders Public Safety Committee. She said the department needs to make the purchase by June 30, 2017, to qualify for full state reimbursement of cameras and related

equipment and one year of storage. If the department misses this deadline, the state will reimburse only 50 percent of the equipment cost. Interim Police Chief Anthony Campbell said the city’s police union has informally agreed to body cameras, but the details of implementation are still in flux. The only reason the union is hesitant is uncertainty of how a potential change in department leadership might affect body camera policy, he said. Campbell said he is in favor of purchasing cameras that are only as good as the “human eye,” an approach another chief might disagree with. If an officer is judged based on camera footage, the camera should be able to see only what that officer saw at the time of the incident, he said. Otherwise the officer would be judged on factors beyond his or her control. With about $500,000 in grant

money accumulated over the past two years, the police department has the money to pay for the cameras, which would cost about $300,000 in total, Campbell said. The real cost burden will be storing the footage. Cain estimated the cameras would generate between 80 and 90 terabytes of data yearly. That’s equivalent to nearly 2,000 standard smart phones worth of data.The department has two options for data storage: a cloud system hosted by a company that might cost around $200,000 annually with a multi-year deal; or an on-premises system that would present up-front hardware costs but low yearly fees. Either method would require the department to hire civilian personnel to manage data and oversee freedom of information requests, Cain said. An onpremise system could require four to six additional employees, while the

Cloud option might only need one or two people, she added. Fair Haven Alder Ernie Santiago asked whether officers might hesitate to do their jobs with the added pressure of the body cameras. Cain said that cameras have become almost “second nature” for officers at other departments around the state. Still, she said, the New Haven department will have a grace period of around 90 days during which they will allow officers to adjust to the rules of turning cameras on and off at the right times. Campbell said he isn’t interested in “bells and whistles.” But while he prefers straightforward equipment, he will look out for some features in company proposals. Certain companies produce cameras that will automatically turn on when officers are dispatched or when their overhead lights are activated. Other models

have functions that allow officers to review and tag their footage from the field, without making any alterations. These, among other qualities, are important to consider, Campbell said. Police officials will appear once again before the Public Safety Committee to seek approval for the state’s reimbursement grant after purchasing the cameras. Campbell said he hopes this will be done by February 2017. Police union President Craig Miller, who was not present at the hearing, said Wednesday that officers recognize that body cams are coming. He said the union’s main concern is that the details worked out with the city stay in place if Mayor Toni Harp chooses someone other than Campbell to become the next permanent chief. Campbell is serving on an interim basis pending the results of a search.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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“USED” Is The New, “NEW!” THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

By Tanisha Bundy, Wardrobe Consultant, Celebrity Stylist, ICN Fashion Correspondent

As you all know, I love fashion and by any means necessary, I am going to find that perfect outfit for whatever the occasion. But realistically, my outfits will ALWAYS match my budget. You must know that it doesn’t take breaking the bank to look absolutely stunning. Nope not at all! All it takes is a few dollars and a keen eye. You just have to know where to go and get the most of your money. My all time favorite “Best Kept Secret” are the thrift stores and consignment shops. YES, I SAID THAT! Second hand is the best. Here’s why… How many times does one wear an outfit?, once maybe twice, so the quality of the clothing remains in good condition. Also, quite a few clothing stores will donate brand new pieces due to inventory or minor mishaps in the details of the clothes. So lucking up and fiddling your fingers across those treasures are awesome (besides, your wardrobe budget just

it to the nearest second hand store and allow it to be put back on display for others to have at a fraction of the original cost. You may not find everything you are looking for, but you will find some great pieces that will compliment and add value to your wardrobe. Be sure to have any pieces found washed really good and/or professionally cleaned. Also, you want to find/ purchase accessories that would revive its look and WAH… LAAA!!! For those who may feel some type of humiliation or embarrassment about being seen in a thrift store, you would be surprised at the patrons you see when you enter the doors. There is nothing wrong with shopping at a second hand store; in fact it shows how conscious, smart and honest you are when it comes to your finances and wardrobe.

Photo: National Thrift Shop Day contributed to and for a greater cause). I strongly believed that thrift stores and consignments shops were evolved out of

closet audits… and this is why they are so important. The saying “Someone Else’s Trash is Someone Else’s Treasure,” is true.

You may no longer see the beauty and/or potential in something you once loved, so why not allow someone else to enjoy it? Send

Tanisha Bundy, Wardrobe Consultant FB/tanishabundy

Okyeame Kwame To Be Honored By Mayor Of Cincinnati In USA John Cranley, Mayor of the city of Cincinnati in Ohio USA will present Okyeame Kwame, the versatile Ghanaian artist, and philanthropist, with a proclamation and Key to the City on Monday, November 21, 2016. The ceremony is organized by the Black Nurses Association of Cincinnati in partnership with the Ghanaian community in Cincinnati. Mayor Cranley will symbolically hand Okyeame Kwame a ceremonial scroll and a key to the city to enable the artist unlimited welcome. This honor allows the artist to organize events, run cultural exchange programs among other things in a capacity as an International Cultural Ambassador. Okyeame Kwame to create

Hepatitis awareness The artist will as part of his visit perform at a benefit concert to raise awareness and resources to aid the OK Foundation in its global effort to stem Hepatitis. His free Hepatitis B Campaign is intended to be extended to hit the

West African region in 2017 after making remarkably successful strides in Ghana in the past 7 years. As founder of the Non-Profit and Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to the eradication of the dreaded Hepatitis B virus from

Ghana, Okyeame Kwame has over the years organized mobile clinics that have to date screened over 7,000 people. Some 1,500 people in Ghana have also been vaccinated through this effort. This role played in his extra capacity as national Ambassador for Health in Ghana has established him as one of the musicians with an outstanding philanthropic resume. Cincinnati excited about Okyeame Kwame’s honor “The Black Nurses Association of Cincinnati is proud to bring a salute to Ghana, a celebration of music and culture to the Renew Community Church for the first time”, a press statement read. Mr. Kojo Ampah Sahara in a telephone conversation with with the event Coordinator, cited Councilman Charles Winburn of

Cincinnati and the Head Pastor of Renew Community Church as well as the entire Leadership of the Black Nurses Association of Greater Cincinnati and Zola Stewart of the Centre for Economic Transparency, for their wonderful support towards this all important event that puts a Shine on Ghana as a whole. Known in private life as Kwame Nsiah Apau, Okyeame Kwame also nicknamed the Rap Doctor, rose to fame in 1997 as a member of the “Akyeame” hiplife duo in Ghana. He has since then gone on to diversify into various sections of the arts, entertainment, and philanthropy. Find out more about him at okyeamekwame.me Source: Patrick Fynn and Oral Ofori

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Free educational programs for New Haven residents •Free science, technology and engineering programs •Full college scholarships for hundreds of New Haven students •Tuition assistance for lower-income New Haven families nhy300.org

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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Offer ends 11/29/16, and is limited to new residential customers. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Requires subscription with Digital Starter TV and Performance Internet services. Early termination fee applies if all XFINITY services are cancelled during the agreement term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including Broadcast TV Fee (up to $5.00/mo.), Regional Sports Network Fee (up to $3.00/mo.) and other applicable charges extra and subject to change during and after the promo. After promo, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular rates apply. Comcast’s service charge for upgrading from Performance to Blast! service is $13.00 more/mo. (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Internet: XFINITY WiFi hotspots included with Performance Internet or above only. Available in select areas. Requires WiFi-enabled device. Money-back guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved. © ABC. All rights reserved. NPA193531-0001 DIV16-4-203-AA-Holiday-A2spread

10/18/16 6:06 PM

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Myths About Adoption & Foster Care

November is National Adoption Month By Together We Rise

Myth: It takes too long to adopt a child.

When children grow up without a safe, loving home, they are more susceptible to long-term consequences. Although many children in foster care may face some of these consequences, there are still a lot of myths about foster care and adoption that just are not true. Here are some of the myths and facts about foster care and adoption.

It usually takes about a year from the time you first contact an agency to the time when a child is placed with you. This estimate can vary depending on the agency youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working with and the State where you live. Myth: You can only adopt a child who is the same race and ethnicity as you.

Myth: Most children in foster care have dozens of placements.

Federal law prohibits the delay or denial of an adoptive placement based on the race or ethnicity of a child in U.S. foster care and the prospective parent or parents who are seeking to adopt them.

The truth is that the average number of placements per foster child is around three. There are many reasons that children get placed in different foster homes. Some of the reasons may include:

Myth: Only married couples can adopt children from foster care.

Location of the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biological parents The foster parents cannot take care of the child any longer

training and respite care. Myth: I am not allowed to adopt the children I foster.

Reuniting the child with his or her siblings

While slightly more than half of the children who enter foster care return to their birth families, there are still thousands of children who cannot return home. Of the 51,000 children in foster care adopted last year, 54% were adopted by their foster parents.

Myth: Most children in foster care are teenagers. Although there are teenagers in foster care only 38% of foster children are teenagers. 62% of children in foster care are under the age of 10. Myth: Foster parents will not have any control over which children they foster. This is also untrue. Although you will not be able to specifically choose the child you foster you are able to choose the age and gender that you prefer. You are also able to call the social worker at any time if you feel that you are not able to provide for the child you get

placed with. One of the biggest reasons a foster child would move to a different home is because the foster parent is no longer able or willing to take care of the foster child. Myth: I cannot foster if I have a fulltime job. You do not have to be a stay at home parent in order to foster a child. If the child does require daycare you may be

responsible for covering that expense. Myth: As a foster parent I will receive little or no support from the state. Foster parents receive a reimbursement to cover the cost of food, clothing, medical, dental and counseling services. The state agencies will also provide supportive services such as

Myth: It costs too much to adopt. You do not need to own your own home, be wealthy, or have children already in order to adopt. Most adoptions from U.S. foster care are free and any minimal costs associated with them are often reimbursable.

In most instances, a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marital status, age, income, or sexual orientation do not automatically disqualify them from the eligibility to adopt. Myth: You have to be perfect to adopt a child from foster care. You do not have to be perfect to adopt a foster care child. There are thousands of children in foster care who would be happy to be a part of your family. To a foster care child, waiting to be adopted can feel like waiting for a miracle. You have the possibility to be that miracle. Myth: A birth parent or another relative can take an adopted child back. Adoptions of children from the U.S. foster care are legally binding agreements that do not occur until the rights of all parents have been legally terminated by a court of law. It is very rare than an adoption is challenged in

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

These PTSD Signs Are Commonly Overlooked In Children By HealthDay News

Parents often fail to recognize post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) in young children, a new British study says. “When people talk about PTSD they often think about soldiers returning from war zones. But children who experience traumatic events such as car accidents, assaults and natural disasters are also at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder,” said lead researcher Richard Meiser-Stedman, from Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia. “Symptoms can include traumatic memories and nightmares, avoiding reminders of the trauma, and feeling like the world is very unsafe,” he explained in a university news release. Researchers followed more than 100 children aged 2 to 10 who had been in a road collision involving a car crash, or being hit while walking, or getting knocked off their

bicycle. All had been taken to the hospital with injuries such as bruising, fractures or loss of consciousness They were assessed for PTSD two to four weeks after the incident, and again at six months and then three years later.

The researchers found that those who showed signs of stress soon after the incident didn’t necessarily go on to suffer PTSD after three years, And, while some developed PTSD that persisted for years, this occurred only in a minority of cases. Most “bounce back” naturally

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in time, the study authors said. Injury severity was associated with PTSD incidence up to six months after an incident, but not three years after. However, the researchers added, most parents of children who still had PTSD after three years didn’t recognize their child’s symptoms. This finding suggests that relying on parent reports of PTSD in their children may not be adequate for identifying chronic PTSD in young children, the researchers said. The researchers also found that children were more likely to suffer PTSD if their parents also suffered PTSD in the short- or long-term. But even these parents may not recognize their child’s PTSD. “This study reveals some really interesting links between how children and their parents respond to a trauma,” Meiser-Stedman said. Children may experience PTSD for years without their parents being aware of it. The researchers

also found a strong link between parents having PTSD and their children having it as well, even years after the traumatic event. “This could be because parental stress early on is worsened by their children’s symptoms, or because the child’s responses are shaped by their parents’ initial reactions — or a bit of both, leading to an amplification of symptoms for both parties,” he said. “Interestingly, even in these cases, the parents were still unlikely to acknowledge their children’s suffering,” Meiser-Stedman added. “This study strengthens the case for considering parental mental health, and providing support for both children and their parents in the aftermath of a trauma to reduce the long-term effects for both,” he concluded. The study was published Nov. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Inventory Consultant RFQ No. RQ16001 CONTACT PERSON

Ms. Devin Marra, Director of Procurement Telephone: 203-744-2500 x141 E-Mail: dmarra@hacdct.org Contact Ms. Devin Marra, via phone or email. Housing Authority of the City of Danbury 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: RFQ No. RQ16001 Inventory Consultant October 31, 2016 – 10:00 am (EST)

HOW TO OBTAIN THE RFQ DOCUMENTS: SUBMITTAL RETURN

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

The Glendower Group, Inc Request for Proposals

CO-DEVELOPER FOR ROCKVIEW PHASE II The Glendower Group, Inc an affiliate of Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking Proposals for CO-Developer for Rockview Phase II A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Friday, October 7, 2016 at 3:00 PM. NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Landscaping/Glen Apartments IFB No. B16003

CONTACT PERSON HOW TO OBTAIN THE IFB DOCUMENTS:

BID SUBMITTAL RETURN PRE-BID WALK THROUGH BID SUBMITTAL DEADLINE/BID OPENING

Ms. Devin Marra, Director of Procurement Telephone: 203-744-2500 x141 E-Mail: dmarra@hacdct.org Contact Ms. Devin Marra, via phone or email. Housing Authority of the City of Danbury 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: IFB No. B16003 Landscaping Glen Apartments 25 Memorial Drive, Danbury, CT 06811 November 3, 2016 by 2:00pm EST November 09, 2016 at 10:00am EST

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Snow Removal/Glen Apartments IFB No. B16004

CONTACT PERSON HOW TO OBTAIN THE IFB DOCUMENTS:

BID SUBMITTAL RETURN PRE-BID WALK THROUGH BID SUBMITTAL DEADLINE/BID OPENING

Ms. Devin Marra, Director of Procurement Telephone: 203-744-2500 x141 E-Mail: dmarra@hacdct.org Contact Ms. Devin Marra, via phone or email. Housing Authority of the City of Danbury 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: IFB No. B16004 Snow Removal Glen Apartments 25 Memorial Drive, Danbury, CT 06811 November 3, 2016 by 2:00pm EST November 09, 2016 at 10:15am EST

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

The GUILFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY is currently accepting applications for COUPLES ONLY for its one bedroom apartments at Guilford Court and Boston Terrace in Guilford CT. Applicants must be age 62 and over or on 100% social security or federal disability and over the age of 18. Applications may be obtained by calling the application line at 203-453-6262, ext.107. An information packet will also be provided with the application. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2017. Credit, police and landlord checks are procured by the authority. Smoke free housing. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HOUSING

The Glendower Group, Inc

Request for Proposals Master Planner for the Redevelopment of Westville Manor and Surrounding Area The Glendower Group, Inc an affiliate of Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Master Planner for the Redevelopment of Westville Manor and Surrounding Area. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Thursday, November 17, 2016 @ 9:00 AM.

ELECTRICIANS

JOB FAIR CONSTRUCTION POSITIONS PROJECT: FARNAM COURTS SPONSORED BY: HAYNES CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW HAVEN COMMISSION ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PLACE: FARNAM COMMUNITY ROOM/ADMIN. BLDG 177 FRANKLIN STREET NEW HAVEN, CT DATE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2016 TIME: 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - Portland Proﬁcient in Microsoft Ofﬁce. Knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., & Manifests a +. RED Technologies, LLC, 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480; Fax 860.342.1042; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Class A Driver

Class A CDL Driver with 3 years min. exp. HAZMAT Endorsed. (Tractor/Triaxle/Roll-off) Some overnights may be required. FAX resumes to RED Technologies, at 860.342-1042; Email: HR@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480. RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.

Semac Electric is seeking Electricians (CT Licensed Journeymen & Foremen, E1 and E2) to join our team for medium & large commercial construction projects thru out the State of CT: Hartford, Fairfield & New Haven Counties. We have excellent wages and benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications available at our main office at 45 Peter Court, New Britain, CT or send resume to P.O. Box 638, New Britain, CT 06050 or via fax to 860-229-0406 or email: careers@semacelectric.com

Dispatcher - Portland Candidate must have 2-5 years relevant experience in hazardous waste transportation. Must have completed 40 HAZWOPER Certification, Asbestos Awareness Certification a plus. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480; Fax 860.342.1042; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Project Manager Environmental Remediation Division 3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomﬁeld, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an

EOE.

Elm City Communities Request for Proposals

Lenders or Investors for Selected RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration) Projects Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Lenders or Investors for Selected RAD Projects. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, October 31, 2016 @ 9:00 AM.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Elm City Communities

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

Grants Administration

Program Planning Administrator-Seeking a highly qualified professional to administer, manages, and oversees the Town’s Grants and Economic Development Programs. Serves as a representative on various intergovernmental and interagency organizations. The minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university in government or public administration plus three years (3) of progressively responsible public administration and at least two years (2) of grant writing experience or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. $77,695-$99,410 plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Closing date will be December 15, 2016. EOE.

ELECTRICIANS

Public Notice

The Manchester Housing Authority will close the waiting list for the Federal Low Income Public Housing (LIPH) program (Elderly/Disabled, 0/1 BR units) at 4:00 PM October 31, 2016. Applications are available in person and on the MHA website at http://manchesterha.org and will be accepted until 4:00 PM October 31, 2016. There is no scheduled date to re-open the waiting list. When the MHA is prepared to re-open the waiting list a public notice will be issued in order to give proper notice to interested parties. The Manchester Housing Authority does not discriminate based upon race, color, disability, familial status, sex or national origin. Maintainer II Must have 2 yrs. exp. as laborer in field of construction work involving the operation and care of mechanical equipment or 2 yrs. in a skilled trade and 1 yr. exp. in construction operations or and equiv combination of experience and training. A valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B and a clean driving record. Pay rate: $21.33 to $25.00 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or August 17, 2016, whichever occurs first. Candidates without a valid CDL should not apply. A copy of your license will be required when applying. EOE

Town of Bloomfield Town Assessor - Reposted $77,881 - $120,209

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

Request for Proposals

Mechanical Insulator Insulation Company offering good pay and beneﬁts. Please forward resume to P.O. Box 475, North Haven, CT 06473 This company is an Afﬁrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

STATE OF CONNECTICUT OFFICE OF THE TREASURER SECURITIES ANALYST DEBT MANAGEMENT DIVISION Applications are being accepted for the above full-time SECURITIES ANALYST position. Job speciﬁc information and application instructions can be found at http://www.state.ct.us/ott/employmentopportunities.htm

Application Deadline is November 25, 2016 The Ofﬁce of the Treasurer is an afﬁrmative action/equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages the application of women, minorities, and disabled persons.

ELECTRICIANS

Special Projects Manager Immediate opening in a fast-paced petroleum environment For a degreed manager with a BA Degree required, MBA Preferred with 5+ years of oil industry experience. Proﬁcient in oil, logistics software and solutions, IT Knowledge needed with assistance managing network and System projects. Strong Excel and analytical skills a must. Candidate must possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Petroleum and energy industry knowledge experience a plus. Send resume to: Human Resource Dept., P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437. **An Afﬁrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

Welder: Large CT fence & guardrail contractor looking for a shop welder. Duties include welding & fabricating chain link gates, steel gates and aluminum; some welding on road and equipment repair work. Must be able to weld steel and aluminum. All necessary equipment provided. Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to get a DOT medical card. Required to pass a physical and drug test. Medical, vacation & other benefits included.

Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

A Community of Journalists and Politicians Deliver an Emotional Goodbye to Gwen Iﬁll

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

A low key, but solid strain of references to current affairs was heard in the eulogies for much loved and respected journalist Gwen Ifill at her funeral on November 19. The name of the next president of the United States was never spoken, but the subtext of her death six days before the end of an unstable political season was a repeated refrain. Several eulogists noted that her passing was the end of a career featuring clarity and objective reason, qualities that journalism is desperately in need of at this moment. Ifill was a former reporter for “The New York Times” and “The Washington Post” before joining NBC News and then PBS in 1999 as host of “Washington Week” and the “NewsHour.” Ifill’s co-anchor on the PBS “NewsHour,” Judy Woodruff, said her on-air partner was needed “more than ever” in light of current events. Her cousin NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill, mentioned the importance of the immigrant experience. Gwen Ifill was the daughter of immigrants from Barbados. After Sherrilyn Ifill spoke the words, “she was the daughter of immigrants” the crowd in the packed church

delivered a standing ovation. Before those words former Attorney General Eric Holder told the crowd full of journalists of the importance to live in the principles Gwen Ifill demonstrated in her journalistic career. Warning against losing principles and avoiding asking tough questions and instead choosing to sell out those principles for “access maintenance.” Ifill died at age of 61 on November 14 at a hospice in Washington, D.C. after battling endometrial cancer for a year. The faces and themes of her funeral were a tribute to a well-connected, busy life full of shared experiences with close friends.

Ifill’s jarring death was another substantial loss in the African American journalistic community just 86 days after the sudden death of former NNPA Editor in Chief George Curry on August 20. Many of Ifill’s friends and co-workers were seen crying during and after the sometimes sober but often jovial service and the historic Metropolitan A.M.E church a few blocks from the White House. The funeral was the second part of a series of tribute events for Gwen Ifill. The veteran journalist was a member of Metropolitan A.M.E. since 1989. Leaders of the historic church honored her by announcing the dedication of a pew in the seventh row of the church.

Ifill was eulogized by her friends including Woodruff, Holder and former New York Times senior editor Richard Berke and “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson. She was also eulogized by the first African American woman to be hired as a reporter at “The Washington Post,” Dorothy Gilliam. First Lady Michelle Obama, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Assistant to the President Broderick Johnson also attended. Also in attendance during the memorial on November 18 and at her funeral the next day, were

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

2016 Annual Meeting The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Tuesday, November 29, 2016 5 p.m., College Street Music Hall

Music by St. Luke’s Steel Band Refreshments by Geronimo

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interim DNC Chair Donna Brazile, journalist Charlayne HunterGault, Vernon Jordan, New York Times columnist David Brooks, Federal Housing Finance Association Director and former Congressman Mel Watt, Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), NBC News’ Chuck Todd, Ifill’s close friend Michelle Norris and Michele Martin, former CNN anchor Bernard Shaw, former ABC News producers Lynne Adrine, Rocci Fisch and Karen DeWitt, FCC Board member Mignon Clyburn, Omorosa Manigault, journalist Roland Martin, former NPR executive Madhulika Sikka, journalist Richard Prince, Children’s Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman and PBS correspondent Jeffrey Brown. The funeral ceremony ended with a “ceremony of the sistahood.” The ceremony was a silent prayer circle of seven of Ifill’s female friends who held hands around an urn containing Ifill’s ashes. At the end of the ceremony, the participants cried and hugged marking the end of the almost three-hour service. Lauren Victoria Burke is a political analyst who speaks on politics and African American leadership. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on Twitter at @LVBurke.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Darrell Jones:

Friday, November 18, 8pm Saturday, November 19 2pm & 8pm

Hoo-Ha

World Music Hall 40 Wyllys Avenue Middletown

The New England debut of choreographer Darrell Jones’ Hoo-Ha in a salon format merges voguing and postmodern dance to express the release of the oppressed feminine in the male body.

New England Debut

Join us beginning 30 minutes prior to the performance to learn more about Mr. Jones’ work. Please note the venue features non-Western seating (visit website to see photos of space).

PERFORMING ARTS SERIES

Tickets on sale now! $28 general public; $26 senior citizens,

Wesleyan faculty/staff/alumni, non-Wesleyan students; $6 Wesleyan students

860-685-3355 www.wesleyan.edu/cfa CENTER FOR THE ARTS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

Cicely Tyson To Receive The Presidential Medal Of Freedom

by T. R. Causay, BlackDoctor.org

It seems as though in his last year in office, President Obama is showing no signs of slowing down. He’s vowed to leave it all on the field and work right up until the very end. So far, he’s done that and more. In the last two month in office, one of his final acts include honoring exceptional Americans with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is America’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. This year, the group of honorees comes from several segments of life, including sports and entertainment, science, philanthropy, technology and art. Among the 21 Americans being honored this year, four are African American: Diana Ross, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and the incomparable Cicely Tyson. The White House press release

Cicely Tyson explained why Ms. Tyson was chosen: Cicely Tyson has performed on the stage, on television, and on the silver screen. She has won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. In 2013, she returned to the stage and was awarded the Tony Award for best leading actress. Tyson received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015. Despite all of her achievements,

Tyson’s career path wasn’t a smooth one. At times, she had trouble simply finding work. She flatly refused to do “blaxploitation” films, or to take parts solely for the paycheck, and was selective about the roles she chose. As she explained in a 1983 interview, “Unless a piece really said something, I had no interest in it. I have got to know that I have served

some purpose here.” More recently, Tyson appeared in The Help (2011) and in several Tyler Perry movies. And after a 30-year absence from Broadway, Tyson returned with a role in Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful. The actress traveled to Texas in an effort to better understand her part in the acclaimed production— dedication that paid off when her performance won Tyson the 2013 Tony Award for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play. Tyson is also fearless. When it comes to who she is a Black woman, she is unapologetic and giving. Here she tells… … the story of cutting her hair when cutting it wasn’t in…at all. “I was asked to do a show with the emerging African nations. At that time, I was wearing me hair straightened. I wasn’t comfortable in the woman’s skin wearing that style of hair because I knew that they didn’t wear their hair straightened in Africa. So, I went through rehearsals with the straightened hair but the night before the show, which was being done live, I went to a barbershop in Harlem called

The Shalamar where Duke Ellington used to cut his hair.” “I told the barber to cut my hair as close to my scalp as possible, then shampoo it so it could go back to its natural state. He then sat down. When he regained himself, he came back to me and said, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’ I said, ‘Yes.’” “The next morning I go to the studio with my hair wrapped in a scarf. I go to makeup and costume. Then when the director said, ‘Places.’ I took the scarf off…You could hear a hair hit the floor. So finally he walked up to me and said, ‘Cicely, you cut your hair…” I sheepishly held my down and shook my head.” “Then he said, ‘You know, I wanted to ask you to do that but I didn’t have the nerve. [smiles]” Tyson is also hands on. She cofounded the Dance Theater of Harlem after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, and when a school board in East Orange, New Jersey, wanted to name a performing arts schools after her, she only agreed to accept the honor if she could participate in school activities.

Nelson Mandela’s Granddaughter Fights Breast Cancer…Again! By T. R. Causay, BlackDpctor.org

Beautiful author and activist and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, Zoleka Mandela, previously battled breast cancer (after being diagnosed at the age of 32), thought she had beaten it five years ago. However, the 36-year-old found out something that no cancer patient ever wants to hear: the cancer had returned and she was diagnosed for a second time. Since then Zoleka has bravely used social media to chronicle her fight, and to offer support to other cancer patients and survivors by showing what life is really like with breast cancer. On Instagram she has posted of her hair falling out, her chemotherapy sessions her medication, and a celebration of life with family and friends. But there’s a bigger reason why

Granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, Zoleka Mandela,

she’s documenting it. “My journey with breast cancer and my now recurrence after 3yrs of remission is to highlight the importance of early detection

and how it keeps saving my life, explains Mandela.” “Last Neupogen injection that i have to administer myself at home to help boost my white

blood cell count (it’s at 0,32 and needs to be at least 1),” says Mandela. “My Oncologist has increased the dosage to an extra 2 injections due to the reason that my count is much lower, this means that body is unable to fight off infection. I wake up in the mornings feeling it’s side effects – soreness in my head, chest, lower back and my entire body at the worst. Still in pain… …this morning and exhausted but functional, time to get everyone ready for their day! 4 more nights until Chemo no. 8 of 12, I’m almost there … Thanking you all for your prayers and well wishes, I’m feeling stronger already. I love you.” Chemotherapy drugs are powerful enough to kill rapidly growing cancer cells, but they also can harm perfectly healthy cells, causing side effects throughout the body. Chemotherapy can

interfere with the body’s ability to produce healthy blood platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Through her journey, Mandela also gets real about the daily struggle the disease brings— including early menopause. “I’m 36 years old and menopausing for the third time, some medication in chemotherapy causes damage to the ovaries which results in menopause,” she wrote. “It’s strange, you’ll lose the hair on your head but gain hair on your face and never mind the hot flushes, mood swings, low sex drive, insomnia, vaginal dryness, sleeping problems, losing control of the bladder, depression, urinary tract infections, skin changes which are all symptoms of menopause.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

How to Start a Successful Business as an Ex-Offender by Tarsha Weary Special to the AFRO You’re excited, you’ve done your time and are trying to get your life on track by applying for a life changing job. You checked the mailbox and received a letter from an employer stating, “Thank you for applying but at this time, we are going in a different direction. We wish you the best in your future endeavors!” Tarsha Weary, president and CEO of SW Design School. Tarsha Weary, president and CEO of SW Design School.

What happened? Some employers can do a criminal background check further than the state requirement of 5 years; and that’s why you didn’t get the job. How can you live the American Dream if all you are ever allowed to earn is minimum wage? You are not allowed to go back to college unless you have the funds to pay cash because the law does not allow ex-offenders to take student loans, right? You have a GED but what career choices do you have with that? You owe restitution and need to keep a job in order to remain on parole or probation. It’s almost as if you are still in prison but able to walk around freely, or is that your limited thinking because you don’t know what resources are available to you?

Yes, all of the above statements have some truth to them, but where are you hearing them from? Are you still hanging around the same people with the same mind frame that got you incarcerated for the first, second or third time? How can an ex-offender start a successful business with all of these barriers? Here’s how: You have to retool yourself. In every state; as a resident of any county; you are entitled to a minimum of $3000-5000 to retool yourself. It’s not a loan, it’s a grant. You visit your local Career One Stop and ask about their WIOA training dollars. WIOA stands for Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act. Click the following link for details regarding the WIOA act. http://www.nawb.

Revolutionary Black-Owned Craft Beer Company Wins $200K Funding Competition

org/documents/Publications/ WIOA_Overview-090314.pdf If you are low-income, no income, ex-offender or non-ex-offender the state wants to help you. The available funds vary. Career One Stop helps to provide you with resources you need to earn a livable wage. However, make sure that you use those WIOA dollars wisely. You are only entitled to one lifetime grant. Once you use it, you can not apply again. You want to select something that stays within the WIOA grant budget because taking a loan is not something you want to do when you currently don’t have any extra money to give away. People with blemished backgrounds can’t enter every career, they have to select

wisely. What are some good career choices that will accept ex-offenders? There are a lot of options that are very lucrative. Here are a few choices to consider:

Web and Graphic Design Heating and Cooling Landscaping and Lawn Care Cleaning Business Web and graphic design are the easiest to learn and is potentially the most lucrative business to start. Don’t sleep on these resources, and I wish you the best. Tarsha Weary is the president and CEO of SW Design School and the founder of interns4hire.com, both based in Glen Burnie, Md.

Generation Google Scholarship For Minorities, Women and Disabled Students

Being Black and a female did not stop Ayla Bystrom-Williams from beating out 13,000 competitors to win this year’s Miller Lite Tap the Future competition in Chicago. Her company, Honeymoon Brewery, co-founded with her business partner/ boyfriend, James Hill, won the competition’s $200,000 award They are planning to use the funds to lease a building, purchase equipment, and expand their brewery in Sante Fe, New Mexico where they are based. How she did it? It took Ayla seven years to perfect her brand, combining kombucha tea with beer to produce a tasty,

healthy brand. Healthy, because it uses less sugar than other beers. As she explains, “My passion for hops, health and happiness... led me to a career in craft beer.” She is passionately looking forward to the official company launch in 2017. What makes their beers so different? Not all beers are the same! Honeymoon Brewery uses fresh, select, local ingredients such as mountain spring water, roots and herbs, local Amalia and Neo Mexicanus hop varieties, as well as native wild bacteria and yeasts. Their goal is to create a palate of unique, complex, and refined

brews that can not be duplicated. Their product line include: Kombucha Wine, Kombucha Beer, Kvass, New Mexican Sour Ale with local fruit profiles, New Mexican Herbed Bitters with Chapparral and Sage, and Roasted Dandelion Root American Stout. Ayla says her beers are “revolutionary.” She also says, “Winning the Miller Lite Tap the Future competition is a tremendous honor.” For more details about Honeymoon Brewery, visit www. honeymoonbrewery.com For more details bout the Miller Lite Tap the Future competition, visit www.mltapthefuture.com

Generation Google Scholarship helps minority students who plan to attend college and study computer science and technology. Eligible students must be African American, Hispanic, American Indian, female, or one who has a disability. The scholarship program provides financial assistance for underrepresented groups to attend college. Students awarded a scholarship begin by attending Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer prior to their entering college. The all-expense paid program gives students a head start on computer science by learning all about what technology can do to improve our lives. Applicants must be high school seniors planning to attend fulltime a U.S. or Canadian college or university with the intention

of earning a degree in computer science or computer engineering. Current undergraduate and graduate students may also apply. The scholarship is for underrepresented students only. The scholarship may be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment for college. Google is offering the scholarship to enable more underrepresented students have an equal opportunity to pursue a career in computer science and technology. The scholarship goal is to encourage more students to take a leadership role in technology as a career goal. The deadline for this scholarship is usually in DECEMBER of each year, and the award amount is usually $5,000 - $10,000. For more details, visit www. google.com/edu/students/thegeneration-google-scholarship/

THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS November 23, 2016 - November 29, 2016

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