INNER-CITY NEWS by INNER-CITY NEWS

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New Haven, Bridgeport

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Volume 21 No. 2181

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

When Unemployment Stresses You All The Way Out

Layoffs

Begin

5 Things Every Black Man Should Do Philly Mayor Defends Clinton On Crime Bill 1

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416 2

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Black Attorney/Author Reimagines Reconstruction in New Book,

“Deo Vindice: The Resurrection” New novel by Michael A. Jefferson reimagines the President Andrew Johnson era and Benjamin “Bluff” Wade, who would have become president if Johnson was impeached. Wade, was known for publicly saying that Blacks or ex-slaves should arm themselves for their own protection. Jefferson’s story asks and answers the question, “What would have happened if Benjamin Wade became President during reconstruction?” – do something like this on such a big scale,” said Anthony Kadri of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

New Haven, CT — It’s traditional in black literature to rewrite history, and author Michael A. Jefferson did just that when he penned his book of historical fiction entitled Deo Vindice: The Resurrection (Watch the book trailer on YouTube). “There are trailblazers and contemporary writers that have done this,” said New Haven native Catina Bacote, a creative writing professor at Warren Wilson College in Ashville, North Carolina. “What I respect about Michael A. Jefferson’s work is he’s using both history and the imagination in an effort to reimagine the past, (and) I believe the past impacts the present and what happens in the future,” said Bacote. “This type of work is respected and most people seem to respond well to it; it has a place and lots of value.”

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416

Deo Vindice: The Resurrection is about one man’s obsession to right the wrongs of a horrible racial injustice by empowering its victims to take matters into their own hands, according to www.deovindicethebook.com The book takes the reader back to the year 1868, when Benjamin “Bluff” Wade is president pro tempore of the United States Senate. After the impeachment and subsequent conviction of President Andrew Johnson, Wade assumes the presidency due to a never-before-used constitutional quirk. Jefferson said the idea of the book came from a response to a question asked while he was taking a civil rights course in law school. “The professor at the time posed the question ‘If you were president at the time of

Kadri, who has been in the fraternity since 2010, said Jefferson’s efforts are huge for undergraduate chapters. “It shows he really cares for the undergraduates and the youth in the fraternity,” he said. “Our hope is that other Omega men who have books would follow his lead or do something similar.”

Attorney and author Michael A. Jefferson, and his new book, “Deo Vindice: The Resurrection”

reconstruction what would you do differently?’” said Jefferson, 51, a New Haven criminal defense attorney. “We had to write about this, and one of the things I talked about was arming blacks or the ex-slaves to protect their interest, which I thought was incredibly important,” he said. Jefferson said the reason he treats Wade as a hero in the novel is because he empowers the ex-slaves to take matters into their own hands. “This is not about white soldiers coming to the rescue of black people; this is about an armed struggle led by black people against a ferocious enemy determined to maintain the status quo,” he said. According to the book, Wade is determined to implement his newly drafted Fifth Reconstruction Act. This Act authorizes widespread reform in the social, political and economic life of citizens in the former Confederacy. This sweeping act also approves the militarization of blacks living in those states, the website said. For too long, Jefferson said,

“Others have been writing our story, both fictional and nonfictional; I wanted to provide a black perspective.” The book also is an opportunity to challenge certain aspects of black culture, according to Jefferson. “It was important for me to challenge the existing norms in our community,” Jefferson adds. “I wanted to challenge the standards of beauty and homophobia in our community; these are the essential elements of the book.” Attorney Robert Pellegrino said Jefferson’s book is an incredible melding of American history and race. As historical fiction, it is a fascinating account of what America could have become had blacks come into power after the Civil War, said Pellegrino, 58, who recently published a book called I See Color, which documents his journey educating himself on the issue of race — from personal relationships and experiences. “Jefferson’s vast knowledge of both American history and race relations provides a provocative

story that both teaches and engages the reader — and one comes away with a greater knowledge of American history and a deeper understanding of the role of race in that history.” Other characters in the book are Lisa Stewart, an exceptionally brilliant and strikingly beautiful change agent, and Aurelius Foginet, an unassuming military and political genius. With Stewart at his side, the powerful and determined black duo, along with a black political organizer, Randall McArthur, and the elite troops of the feared southern guard attempt to establish a safe haven for blacks in the former Confederacy, according to the book. While Jefferson was inspired to rewrite history, he’ll use some of the book’s proceeds as a philanthropic effort to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the state’s NAACP Youth and College Division and undergraduate chapters of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. “Since I’ve been in the fraternity, I haven’t seen an officer or district representative

Jefferson is a life member of the fraternity, a charter member of Epsilon Iota Iota chapter and serves on the supreme council as a district representative. He’s also the founder of the Kiyama Movement, focusing on selfimprovement, particularly among black men. State Conference NAACP Youth and College Division adviser Karrol-Ann Brown said Jefferson has always been a philanthropist. “It’s very hard for us at times to raise funds as a state (organization); it’s great for someone like attorney Jefferson to make a financial commitment to our young people,” said Brown, a lawyer. “He’s been very supportive of our unit and has been a role model for our young people,” she added. Although the book serves as alternate history, Jefferson believes high school and college students can learn valuable lessons. “There are a lot of real characters mentioned in the story,” said Jefferson. “I footnoted those individuals, so the reader has an understanding of what’s real and what’s fiction.”

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

Supporters filed into the 2nd floor building at 300 Whalley Avenue to hear the

dates and she is ahead of her opponent, Bernie Sanders. Volunteers will be at the 300 Whalley Avenue office, daily for phone banking. If interested, supporters should stop by there, on the second floor, as several tasks needed to be done in order to secure a win in Connecticut on Primary Day, April 26th.

Governor and other elected officials speak of the importance of getting the vote out on Primary Day, April 26th. Hillary has the most experience than any of the other Presidential candi-

For additional information regarding Primary Day, contact the office of the Registrar of Voters, 200 Orange Street in New Haven, on the 2nd Floor, or give them a call at 203,946.8035.

Arlene Davis-Rudd, Staff writer ICN Governor Dan Malloy showed up for the Grand Opening of the Headquarters for Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Families that Parade Together, Stay Together! On March 30, 2016, the City of New Haven granted the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee (ECFFP) a permit to organize the oldest Black American Parade in the northeast, the Freddy Fixer Parade. On Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 2:30 p.m., the committee will continue in this legacy by orchestrating a free cultural event that exposes a multitude of heritage, culture and pride in our community to individuals of all walks of life throughout the Greater New Haven Region. In accordance, the following civic-minded nonpartisan group of volunteer parade committee members are composed of a diverse group of community supporters that have a vested interest in the sustained success of the parade as both life-long residents, employees and/or business owners in the City of New Haven. The Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade (ECFFP) Committee Meetings are held every Wednesday, 6 p.m., at the Stetson Branch Library (200 Dixwell Avenue) and are open to every member of the community interested in organizing and participating in the parade. Each Committee Chairperson welcomes any additional volunteer

Attached: Photo of Executive Committee (Photo Credit: George Mention): Left to Right, Shirley A. Lawrence; Howard Boyd; Nina Silva; Dexter A. Jones; Tashesha Ricketts; & Leonard Jahad. ECFF Parade Route: 1.4 miles STARTING POINT: The head of the parade steps off at 2:30 p.m. at Dixwell Avenue/Bassett Street. PARADE ROUTE: South on Dixwell Avenue to Bristol Street, Left onto Bristol Street, and Right onto Ashmun Street where units are dispersed. FAMILY FUN ZONE: Dedicated Place for Family Fun on Parade Day, 197 Dixwell Ave. (Revival Site of the Q-House) PARADE COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE BOARD President - Dexter A. Jones, Resident/Owner: Dexter’s Unisex Barber ShopVice President – Howard Boyd, Property Management-New HavenSecretary – Nina Silva, ResidentTreasurer – Tashesha Ricketts, Founder – Daughters of Divine Destiny Academy, Inc. Vice-Treasurer – Shirley A. Lawrence, New Haven Community Activist support available from the public. Moreover, Sponsorship Opportunities are obtainable by individuals and businesses. Take full advantage of Brand Exposure afforded by the 10,000 spectators on Dixwell Avenue in the City of New Haven on Sunday,

May 15, 2016 Parade Day through:

For additional information, please feel free to contact: Petisia M. Adger,

Sargent at Arms – Leonard Jahad, New Haven Family Alliance

Public Relations Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee (203) 687 - 0548 ecffparade@gmail.com

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*GOVERNOR MALLOY IN NEW HAVEN FOR HILLARY’S GRAND OPENING

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

John P. Thomas Jr.

Layoffs Begin by Christine Stuart The Malloy administration laid off 165 union and non-union employees Monday in the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Department of Children and Families notified 106 employees, mostly at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, that their service to the state was no longer needed. The decision, according to this from the Office of Policy and Management, saves $12.6 million and seeks to align staff with the reduced number of residents at the facility, which is slated to be closed before July 1, 2018.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416

The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services notified 59 employees that their employment was ending in order to save $15 million. That agency plans to close the Connecticut Mental Health Center’s West Haven Clinic Adult Team, a cafe and library at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, outreach services to the homeless, two transitional residential programs in Norwalk and Bridgeport, and it will reduce the hours the mobile crisis programs are offered at the Southeastern Mental Health Authority, Western Connecticut Mental Health Network, and Capitol Region Mental Health Center. The layoffs also will require a restructuring of administrative support at River Valley Services, clinical programs at Western Connecticut Mental Health Network, and inpatient treatment units at Capitol Region Mental Health Center. Last week, Correction Commissioner Scott Semple told his agency that he would need to layoff 147 employees in that agency, but those notifications

CHRISTINE STUART FILE PHOTO

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy

have not gone out yet. Most employees will continue to receive their pay for an additional six weeks as part of their contract, even though they won’t be allowed to return to their jobs. Administration officials said that if they don’t find another job within six weeks, they are eligible to file for unemployment benefits. “I think it’s disgraceful that our governor is playing political football with the lives of dedicated public service workers,” Linette Gaunichaux, a unit supervisor at CJTS and a member of AFSCME Local 2663 executive board, said. “The governor says the state’s budget situation is horrible, but his administration has given the workers we represent their six weeks’ notice to stay home with pay, and will force the remaining employees to work overtime. What would taxpayers say to this?” Last week, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said the number of layoffs was approaching 2,000, but he declined to give any numbers Monday. Malloy will release a new budget Tuesday afternoon that erases the more than $930 million deficit estimated by the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

It’s unclear if that budget will help to mitigate the number of layoffs, which he has said would top 4,000 if the Democrat-controlled Appropriations Committee budget was adopted. That budget fell about $360 million short of covering the budget deficit. Meanwhile, Malloy said there still appears to be no desire on the part of the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition to open the state employees’ health and pension benefit package that doesn’t expire until 2022. Following a brief meeting Monday with legislative leaders, Malloy said state employees didn’t cause the problem, but the state has a budget deficit it needs to resolve. “They’re not the fault of this. We have to realign our expenditures with our revenues,” Malloy said. In a statement, Malloy said “State government cannot provide all the services it has always delivered. We must align spending with revenue. We must ensure government provides its core services while living within its means.” Malloy said he informed legislative leaders about the layoffs

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Unions Criticize Malloy Administration Over Layoff Tactics her manager. In 10 of 12 locations there was a union steward present. Human resources staff were present in most cases and were made available on the phone to answer questions the individuals, across multiple agency offices may have had.”

by Christine Stuart New Haven Independent State employees were walked off the grounds of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School on Monday and on Tuesday about 40 clerical workers at the Department of Social Services were laid off in a conference call, according to union officials. “This is a terrible and inhumane way to handle layoffs,” Yolanda Rolando, president of AFSCME Local 196 representing clerical workers, said. “It’s also an indictment of the governor’s so-called new economic reality, which seems to be an excuse for punishing middle class state workers instead of asking our wealthiest citizens to sacrifice a little bit to protect public services.” The Malloy administration announced Tuesday that 71 employees in the Department of Economic and Community Development, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Department of Social Services were laid off.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416

That brings the total number of layoffs up to 236. The administration laid off 165 employees from the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on Monday. There are another 147 layoffs expected by the

CSEA President Stephen Anderson said Monday that when the DCF employees were walked off the job at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, they left the remaining personnel “short staffed and at greater risk in what at times can be a dangerous environment.”

CHRISTINE STUART FILE PHOTO

Public safety workers rally at the end of March against layoffs

Department of Correction, but no official notice beyond an announcement from the commissioner has been given to those employees. “This is a difficult process, one that we aim to ensure is done respectfully and legally,” Malloy’s budget office said in a statement. “As such, there will be additional reduction notices in the future. We will continue to notify the public as future notices go out.” There were 360 retirements and 288 vacancies before the layoff process started. Gov.

Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday that he expects to eliminate 2,500 positions, which means there are about 1,600 layoff notices that still need to be served. The 71 clerical worker layoffs will save the state about $5.2 million. The layoffs in the Department of Children and Families saves $12.6 million, and the 59 layoffs in the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services will save $15 million. Lori Pelletier, president of the AFL-CIO, stood outside

Malloy’s office Tuesday and criticized the manner in which the layoffs were being conducted. She said the governor should be “ashamed” that his administration used a conference call to lay off mostly minority women who belong to the Department of Social Services clerical staff union. Gian-Carl Casa, undersecretary for legislative affairs, disputed Pelletier’s characterization. “Every employee affected at DSS met face to face with his or

Asked why the state employees were told to go home before even starting their shift, Malloy said it was “because that’s how you do those things in this day and age.” He said state employees will continue to be paid for a certain amount of time, which means they have time to search for another job. “We want to be as supportive as we can of those individuals, who through no fault of their own, are no longer going to be working with the state,” Malloy said. State employees will be able to file for unemployment after they stop receiving a paycheck from the state.

Malloy’s Budget Proposal Eliminates or Reduces Education Funds for 139 Towns by Christine Stuart New Haven Independent Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s revised budget zeroes out funding for 28 school districts in Fairfield County and along the shoreline, and reduces funding for another 111 other towns throughout the state. The reductions total $44 million. This means school boards all over Connecticut are scrambling to fill holes in their local budgets ranging from 16-

04-12-Malloy-Revised-Budget about $85,000 up to $3.6 million. Fairfield took the largest hit, losing $3.59 million, followed by Greenwich ($3.14 million), and West Hartford ($3.12 million).Ridgefield, Darien, Westport, Wilton, Madison, Waterford, and New Canaan each lost between $2 million and $1.4 million. Funding was increased for 29 of the state’s lowest performing districts and stayed the same for

Norwalk. Local elected officials from several small towns impacted by the proposal were at the state Capitol Wednesday for a meeting with the Council of Small Towns. Roxbury First Selectwoman Barbara Henry said with the swipe of a pen she lost $158,000 in education funds. Washington First Selectman Mark Lyon said he lost $221,000, which is twotenths of a mill. While it may not sound like a lot, Lyon said blue-collar retired

individuals comprise half the population in the town and they have fixed incomes and are living off their pension and Social Security. “This is a big deal for them,” Lyon said. Lyme First Selectman Ralph Eno said the cut, if the legislature approves, is going to hurt. He said it won’t have an enormous impact on their mill rate, but it hurts. He said if the state isn’t going to fund education then it should

eliminate some of the unfunded mandates it places on towns. Lon Seidman, chairman of the Essex Board of Education, said the $365,000 his school district will lose is not insignificant. He said the state should be supporting school districts, like his, that are attempting to regionalize. “Quite frankly, I don’t feel as compelled to take their neverending list of mandates seriously Con’t on page 18

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Students May Grade Teachers By ALIYYA SWABY New Haven Independent

New Haven high school students may soon get the chance to give their teachers a grade, as school leaders revamp the system’s “school climate” survey for next year. Superintendent Garth Harries and district survey coordinator Carolyn Ross-Lee discussed the details of this potential change with members of the Citywide High School Student Cabinet this week. A committee has been working since last year to update the school climate survey, which allows parents, students, teachers and administrators to provide feedback on their experiences in their schools. Teachers and administrators have clashed over the survey format, with principals arguing teacher feedback publicly singled out their performance and teachers calling for a way for them to hold their administrators accountable. Teachers started opting out of completing the survey last year. The committee will try to resolve some of those issues, as well as incorporate what RossLee called “upward feedback” which for the first time will include feedback from students on teachers. The survey was t_survey/ »taken for the first time in spring 2010. Students grades 512 got the chance to take surveys on their schools, but not their teachers. “We talked last year about the desire for students to give feedback to teachers,” Harries said to the student cabinet Tuesday. “You all know which teachers are most devoted.”

Harries asked students how many had a formative teacher who was easy on them. No one raised his or her hand. How many had a formative teacher who academically challenged them? Many raised their hands. “I think you understand when you get a challenging grade, that’s a teacher that’s pushing you,” he said. Harries said administrators who get feedback from teachers also worry about bias. He said the survey questions should be considered “feedback” and not “evaluations” to help, not hurt, recipients. Students are “more fair than you would give them credit for,” Ross-Lee said. She handed students examples of survey question sets revolving around nine different factors that could affect teaching and learning. The factor with the most votes, at 26, was “classroom climate,” which asked questions around “perceptions of the overall social and learning climate of the classroom.” Students grades 3-12 would be expected to answer “How often does your teacher seem excited to be teaching your class?” on a five-point scale, from “almost never” to “almost always.” They also voted Tuesday to

give feedback on the effectiveness of teaching, classroom engagement and student-teacher relationships. Are there any other questions you would like to see on the survey? Ross-Lee asked. Teachers will also get a chance to determine what factors they would like to see feedback around, she said. New Haven Academy junior Ariana Arroyo asked if the survey can include “a couple of open-ended questions.” At New Haven Academy, students have the chance to give teachers “warm feedback” that is positive and “cool feedback” that is critical. Wilbur Cross High School sophomore Liam O’Donnell asked if students will be able to give teachers feedback for each of their eight classes. No, Ross-Lee said. “Eight surveys would be too much. We would randomize it across the school,” so that each teacher gets feedback from a random sample of students, she said. But Juluru raised her hand to disagree. “Everyone who takes that class should be able to give that feedback,” she said. She recommended they split up the survey process into two days. O’Donnell suggested holding students accountable for a mandatory three surveys, and allowing them to take surveys for any of the five other classes, if they want to. “You guys want to have the ability to give feedback on all your teachers?” Ross-Lee asked, surprised at the response. Many students raised their hands to say yes. Ross-Lee promised to take that into consideration. District officials are aiming to have school communities take the school climate survey next winter.

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Students will get the chance to give teachers feedback so they can understand what they are doing well and what they need to work on to improve the

learning experience, he said. “What if a student dislikes a teacher based on the fact that they got a bad test score?” Engineering & Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) sophomore Saimanasa Juluru asked. “How do you utilize bias?” She said it wouldn’t be fair for a teacher to potentially lose their jobs because of superficial reasons. ESUMS is a small school, where one bad rating could affect a teacher negatively, she said.

Students Take The Long Wharf Stage by DAVID SEPULVEDA New Haven Independent

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416

High school senior Jamia Jones found it “nerve-racking” to stand at the open mic to begin her spoken-word piece on the floor of the Long Wharf Theatre main stage at the second annual Moments and Minutes Festival. If Jamia was nervous, it didn’t show. Her piece was delivered with all the confidence and poise of a professional actor, or someone who has experienced and believes her own dynamic words. “With a powerful piece, you have to project emotions… I live to break stereotypes,” she said in a postshow interview. Jamia was one of 23 students participating in the showcase of original monologues, spoken word, poetry, and visual art, where issues of race, identity, and coming of age

Jamia Jones, Hamden High senior.

realities seemed to be foremost on the minds of students. Performers and exhibiting visual artists from all over the city and the state were invited

to participate in this year’s festival by Long Wharf Theatre’s education outreach program. “Moments and Minutes is a celebration of the youth of our community as performers and artists,” said Long Wharf Director of Education Beth Milles. During the year, Long Wharf

teaching artists visited classrooms to teach workshops on writing and performing spoken-word pieces and monologues. Eliza Orleans, a resident teaching artist at Long Wharf, said that a call went out to schools and students in January: “We want to know who you are. We want to know how you are discovering your identity in the world today. What is your legacy what are your dreams and ambitions?” Long Wharf Theatre’s managing director, Josh Borenstein, noted that “education programs serve between 5,000–6,000 students every year. Between 60 and 70 percent of students in the programs are from New Haven’s public schools. “A critical expression of Long Wharf ’s mission is our investment in education,” he said. In addition to spoken-word

performances, the audience was treated to a scene from This is Modern Art, a play by Idris Goodwin and Kevin Coval now playing at Collective Consciousness Theater (CCT) at Erector Square through April 17. A partner in this year’s Moments and Minutes Festival, CCT cofounder and director Dexter Singleton said he was “excited to see young people take the stage and own the stage and talk about their lives and realities.” Caleb Rutherford of Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School. Among the students addressing the realities of their lives was eighth-grader Caleb Rutherford of Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, who talked about the indignity of prejudice in his poignant piece, Bernstein’s Mass:

by ALIYYA SWABY New Haven Independent

Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said Hillary Clinton’s take on criminal justice has progressed in the last couple of decades, making her uniquely poised to be the next president. Nutter joined Mayor Toni Harp on Long Wharf to stump for the presidential candidate Friday morning, less than two weeks before Connecticut’s primary election April 26. Clinton was one of many politicians at the time to support then-President Bill Clinton’s 1994 federal crime bill which many now agree led to an expanded prison system that over-incarcerated minorities for low-level offenses. Young black voters have pressed the Clintons to defend their support of the bill and her use of the term “superpredator” in reference to young offenders coming to a head when Black Lives Matter protesters confronted Bill

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Philly Mayor Defends Clinton On Crime Bill

Clinton at an event last week. Nutter grew up in Philadelphia and was a member of City Council in 1994. “We need to take a step back and think about what was going on,” he said. He joined Clinton supporters in arguing the bill was a response to black communities’ calls for legislation to end the crack cocaine epidemic and

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FF BFFS: Nutter

and Mayor Toni Harp with New Haven firefighters Friday.

gang violence ravaging their neighborhoods. But he added that Clinton has since “acknowledged there were problems” with the bill. Nutter criticized the press for

focusing on Clinton’s support for her husband’s legislation when she wasn’t in office, while not asking U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to defend his support for the bill as a legislator.

At the same time, he said, “no one can dispute that crime went down during that time, neighborhoods became safer and lives were saved because of the decrease in gun violence during that time.”

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pink slips Wednesday.

by Christine Stuart

Chief Justice Chase Rogers told Judicial Branch employees that an initial round of layoff notices will be issued today.

After seeing what $922 million in spending cuts and 2,500 state employee layoffs looks like, labor unions and advocates are calling upon lawmakers to close the deficit with tax hikes.

“All layoffs will occur in a manner consistent with the ‘seniority’ definition in each of our four collective bargaining agreements and in accord with our existing practice and procedures,” Rogers wrote. “This means that no employee will be directed to leave his or her workplace upon receiving a layoff notice. The effective date of the Judicial Branch layoffs will be June 24, 2016.”

A coalition of state employee unions, including Council 4 AFSCME and AFT Connecticut, launched radio and web ads Wednesday urging lawmakers to support higher taxes, instead of layoffs and budget cuts. “Laying off public workers and slashing vital public services is a recipe for economic disaster,” Council 4 AFSCME Executive Director Sal Luciano said in one of the ads. “Now more than ever, it’s imperative that our elected leaders restore taxes on Connecticut’s wealthiest wage earners to protect the quality of life for all.” But even labor allies like Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, are quick to point out that increasing taxes on Connecticut’s wealthiest residents is having a diminishing return. He said the portion of the income tax tied to capital gains is the part of the tax that’s lagging. Lori Pelletier, president of the AFL-CIO, suggested Tuesday that lawmakers should look at the taxes they have decided over the years not to collect. Those tax credits or tax expenditures on goods and services the state has decided not to tax, for one reason or another, are detailed in a t by the Office of Fiscal Analysis. The report shows the total number of exemptions and credits adds up to $6.4 billion, which is about 35 percent of the $18 billion in general fund revenue the state plans to collect in 2017.

The 279 executive branch employees who received notices this week have been asked to leave the workplace immediately upon receiving the notice. CHRISTINE STUART FILE PHOTO

A rally in support of state labor earlier this month

more than $30 million, and the sales tax exemption on winter boat storage, which is about $2.5 million. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said he’s had his staff look at the report and there’s not a lot money there to close the budget gap. “It’s peanuts,” Fasano said Wednesday. He said there’s a policy reason behind every decision not to tax a good or a service, and businesses will get up and leave the state if these credits disappear. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said getting rid of any of those tax credit programs would be a tax increase and that’s unacceptable. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have refused to consider tax increases as part of the solution. Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, said advocates have been talking about looking at revenues, but the sentiment among lawmakers is that “we’ve gotta solve this without new taxes.”

Looney said in 2011 that they solved the budget crisis with a combination of spending cuts, tax increases, and labor concessions. In 2015, they solved it with some spending cuts and tax increases.

dedicated Connecticut workers and let them get back to the important work of caring for our state.” Meanwhile, 43 more employees at the Department of Social Services received their

The Judicial Branch is also developing plans to close courthouses and offices as it consolidates operations, but was unable to say Wednesday exactly which courthouses would be closed.

“This year we’re reduced to just cuts,” Looney said. Getting the unions to reopen the 2022 contract for health and pension benefits “is the only thing that can help deliver us from this excruciatingly painful process,” he added. But the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition has refused. Instead, many of its member unions have taken to the airwaves to protest the layoffs and spending cuts. “We reject the assessment that Connecticut’s new economic reality has our best days behind us but believe our best days can be ahead of us with bold, progressive leadership,” SEIU spokesperson Jennifer Schneider said. “We can be a state that stops losing jobs and instead creates good, homegrown jobs that help our communities. That starts with rescinding layoff notices to

A recent report from Connecticut Voices for Children suggested lawmakers look at eliminating the film production tax credits, which are worth

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Unions Push For Tax Hikes As Layoffs, Budget Cuts Continue

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Malloy’s Budget if the funding is yanked out from under us,” Seidman said. He said the district has to pay non-administrative staff to spend at least 40 hours a year on unfunded professional development requirements from the state. It’s worse at the administrative level, where he said he’s been unable to quantify how much time school administrators spend complying with state mandates. In this example, Seidman said, professional development has become a compliance activity versus improvement for the schools. Wolcott First Selectman Thomas Dunn said he wasn’t zeroed out like some of his colleagues but his town lost $521,000 in education funding under Malloy’s budget. “We’re going to have to layoff employees or not take care of some of our infrastructure to balance our budget,” Dunn said. Sen. L. Scott Frantz, RGreenwich, said he doesn’t know if ending state support of education in 28 communities is legal. “He’s asking for a lot of lawsuits,” Frantz said, adding that Malloy was basically poking these towns in the eyes with a hot poker. “It’s an abomination,” Frantz said. But a spokesman for Malloy said it’s a just “a new economic reality.”

by JL Carter Sr. HBCUDigest.com Last year, CIAA Basketball Tournament attendees were hit with a “CIAA Surcharge” for food and beverage at the Charlotte Ritz-Carlton, prompting a state investigation, national outcry from Black America and a refund to those who paid the 15 percent fee. CIAA officials made nice with the hotel and welcomed it back as one of its 28 hotel partners offering more than 4,000 hotel rooms for the Queen City’s annual $50 million party. Last month, LGBT community members throughout North Carolina were hit with a law which essentially legalizes discrimination, prompting international outcry, and dozens of corporations refusing business and threatening to back out of multimillion deals which would bring jobs and revenue to the state. The CIAA response? “The CIAA is committed to provide an inclusive culture for its 12 members institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes daily. No matter one’s race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or physical disability, we have a responsibility to educate and eliminate biases that exclude or marginalize any human being. Annually the CIAA is focused on educating its membership on important issues and topics that impact its membership and student athletes, to include but not limited to, graduation rates, student retention, concussion management, sportsmanship, Title IX and sexual harassment. This Spring the CIAA will partner with the NCAA to educate its membership regarding LGBQT and develop programming to implement in 2016-17 to educate its studentathletes.

As members of the NCAA, we see value in having open dialogue regarding national and local issues that impact our membership and studentathletes to support creating a safe environment and a culture that values respect, diversity and inclusion on our campuses and at our championships. We will remain sensitive to our diverse membership of public, private, and religious affiliated member institutions, and we will continue to work closely with the NCAA, CIAA Board or Directors and administrators, to address as a Conference. Additionally, we will continue to monitor the issues alongside with our CRVA partners. The CIAA does not anticipate moving its headquarters from Charlotte, NC; nor do we anticipate moving our basketball tournament or any other conference championships from the state of North Carolina in which 9 of our 12 member schools reside. Whatever the outcome, we will continue to do our part in being informed, and educating our membership while creating a respectful and inclusive culture for our membership, alumni, sponsors and fans.” In the next few months, several public HBCUs in the state could be in jeopardy of merger or closure, thanks to a new, ultra-political takeover of North Carolina’s higher education system by conservative politics and operatives. Three of the state’s five public HBCUs – Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University and Winston-Salem State University – are CIAA member schools. No one questions the difficulty the CIAA faces in managing unprecedented issues of cultural and financial stress surrounding its member schools and the communities they serve. It is not easy for any business to pack up and leave because

controversial bills pass, black folks are overcharged at a hotel lounge, or even because some schools are targeted by legislative ill intent.

and self-reliance to do more for us outside of North Carolina than any deal Charlotte could ever cut, or that legislators could offer in $500 in-state tuition.

But the narrative constructed by all of these headlines is now undeniable. North Carolina doesn’t like black folks or gay folks, and they do not care about what either group thinks about it, let alone those who selfidentify within both. Every CIAA member school stands today, in part, because of the willingness of faculty, staff, students and alumni who protested and demanded equality in Carolina college towns more than 50 years ago.

If words many anything, then CIAA leadership has to live up to its own “we have a responsibility to educate and eliminate biases that exclude or marginalize any human being.” And that doesn’t mean asking and hoping that the legislature can be convinced of changing its mind, but by taking our money, resources and brand elsewhere. You don’t eliminate bias by simply acknowledging it exists – you eliminate bias by destroying the ecosystem where it is birthed, grows and infects others.

The ghosts of those fights still haunt the room full of middleaged white men who run government and move money around the state to meet financial agendas and moral expectations, and that’s why the CIAA must sever the cords of convenience and commercial viability. The CIAA has to lead the groups and the people in North Carolina who are railing against the state’s Back to the Future brand of hate and separatism. While there are yet still 12 schools in the CIAA and three public members in North Carolina, all must come together to unanimously move the conference tournament out of the state, and to refuse any conference-wide event or commercial partnerships in North Carolina until the law is repealed, and until better terms for the basketball tournament can be negotiated. We don’t need history lessons to bolster today’s need for seismic advocacy for black and LGBT communities. We don’t need data, studies or different perspectives to know that North Carolina is relegating underrepresented people and institutions to second-class status. And we don’t have to look at the bank books to know that our children expect our faith

There is no way in hell that a historically black athletic conference should be outpaced by the NBA, NFL or any other brand on the subject of discrimination, of any kind. The CIAA should have been first to boycott the Ritz Carlton, first to denounce the anti-LGBT bill, and first on the bus out of town once the bill came down. Our institutions and our communities suffered for too long and continue to suffer, but not so the biggest collective brand representing all of these schools can mortgage racial and sexual freedom in exchange for proximity to Epicenter or tickets to Toyota Fan Fest. If this means that the CIAA tournament has to relocate to Richmond or Washington D.C., if it means that more corporate support may be needed to void a contract with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, then conference executives must do whatever that needs to be done. Staying in North Carolina puts the CIAA Tournament in jeopardy of losing key sponsors, and worse, the respect and pride of the schools and people the brand represents. 19

“With fewer resources at hand, the governor believes that education funding needs to be equitable,” Malloy spokesman Devon Puglia, said. “We need to provide support to schools and districts that need it most. Taking the same percentage of cuts in towns with wildly varying mill rates and tax bases just doesn’t make sense in our new economic reality.”

Amid Black Taxes and Anti-Gay Bills, at Some Point, the CIAA Has to Stand For Something

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Con ;t from page 8

Brogan Nudges City Toward 1 Percent by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent Building on last year’s successful pitch to budget-makers, the city’s chief librarian is trying to move the city ever closer to spending about 1 percent of its general fund money on libraries. Brogan is asking the Board of Alders to fund three new positions a library technical assistant, a “young minds” and family learning librarian, and a teen services librarian that she called crucial to keeping open all library branches in the city open an extra day a week.

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The library technical assistant would go to the Mitchell Branch, which is the only one left without such support. The young minds librarian would go to the Stetson Branch, which is the only one without a second librarian. The teen services librarian would work with all the library branches and the Ives Teen Center which opened last year. That person also would be the system’s liaison the city’s

PAUL BASS PHOTO Library

aide Princess Zuri McCann at the main branch this week.

YouthStat program. Brogan told alders during a hearing of the Finance Committee at City Hall Monday night that last year’s approval of four new full-time positions allowed the system to stabilize its staffing and services. It also moved the city closer to

assigning 1 percent of the city’s general fund to the library. The mayor’s proposed fiscal 2017 budget for the department would mean the city would spend .79 percent of the general fund budget on library services. “The goal this year is to open the four branch libraries one

additional week day,” Brogan said. She said with the additional three staff members, branch libraries would be open Monday through Thursday, remain closed on Friday and open on Saturday.

descriptions, which alders have been asking department heads to provide when they ask for funding for positions.

“Of course, our long term goal is to get branch and neighborhood libraries open with parity of hours with Ives downtown,” she said. In addition to three positions in the general fund, the library system is asking for two special fund positions that would support information technology and customer service. Brogan said those positions would only be funded through grants and any money that could be raised by the New Haven Free Public Library Foundation, but she would like to eventually see them in the general fund.

An “A game” wasn’t enough to keep Annex Alder Alphonse Paolillo Jr. from asking a question he has asked many a city department head at the numerous presentations that have been held on the budget so far: What is the priority?

Alders complimented Brogan Monday night for the level of detail she provided including the full cost of new positions including salaries and benefits. She also provided detailed job

“You brought your A game,” said Hill Alder Dave Reyes Jr.

“We know to you they’re all critical,” Paolillo said of the new general fund positions. “We’re not saying one is not important, but [on a scale] of very critical to maybe critical, what position could you maybe wait on until next year?” Brogan said without those three the branch libraries can’t open an extra day. “We were really wanting four to really do extra hours,” she said. “We’d have to address the hours.”

By Daunte Henderson, BlackDoctor.org Contributor Issues that have been plaguing people behind closed doors take center stage when our stars let us in to their personal battles. Singer Tweet opening up about depression and actress Lisa Nicole Carson writing about living with bipolar disorder are just two of the few stories about Black people and mental health that make it to our eyes. Millions of American’s suffer from mental illness, but in our community there’s a hush hush policy on the disease. While the signs can be overt as emotional outbursts or violent fits, others aren’t so easy to detect. It could be your co-worker who sweats excessively because they’re tense at staff meetings, or your best friend whose surprisingly quiet and reserved lately due to the loss of a recent relationship. We all walk in the midst of people in need for mental health attention everyday. Some of us are recognizing the need for this and taking action, While a lot of our people still have this thing about mental illness.

Latria Graham’s article for Marie Claire shows us the clear challenge of living in a world as a youth where mental illness isn’t embraced by Black culture. In the article, Graham writes: “My parents diminished the severity of my issues. My mom went so far as to call my disorder a “white girl’s problem”—she said it was basically a luxury issue. I am the daughter of a farmer and an entrepreneur, and their day-to-day problemsolving skills are meant to handle issues like food, water, shelter, and money, so mental health just wasn’t a tangible enough issue.” Students from low income backgrounds feel the impact of their communities even as they enter the assumed safe space of schools. School leaders are concerned about the traumatic experiences their students go through. Bejeray Morrison, a high school college counselor for a low income high school in Chicago, says that it’s almost impossible to expect students to not be affected by the places they reside. “Adulthood is often thrust upon our youth before it’s their time. Not only do they start working early, but they start grappling with deep emotional issues before their minds are fertile enough to embrace it,” Morrison explained. “There’s a constant reminder of pain as my students walk down the street. Friends and family dying has got to shake the minds of our kids. Why wouldn’t it ?” Morrison has been working in

the South Chicago community for years and she sees firsthand the impact that trauma has on college attendance. In her quest to get kids enrolled in college, she unpacks the layers of emotional baggage that comes with this issue of mental health support. “We need more mental health counselors that embrace our student’s story. They don’t know they’re hurting because society tells them they’re supposed to be tough. So they go off to college and aren’t learned to be self aware, reflective and seek out the appropriate support. Literally our kids won’t ask for help. My fight is for the kids who don’t get the chance to have a clear conscious.”

support the school in emergency cases and create curricula.” President Obama’s new Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force was created to address this vast need. The plan will fill a big mental health gap which is lack of insurance coverage, a problem that 29% of Black people say they have. He released a memorandum outlining this plan to erase America’s growing problem: “My Administration has made

Mental Health America Adult says that Blacks living below poverty are two to three times more likely to report serious psychological distress than those living above poverty. Because of this, public schools on all levels have started to identify the need for mental health support in the schools. Social-emotional learning is a popular component at many primary and secondary schools. First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, said the city is pooling its efforts to address the mental health needs of New York City Public School students. “We also plan to teach social– emotional learning to students in about 90,000 pre-K programs and early learning sites, and we will provide every New York City public school with a mental health consultant who can

“This thing” we speak about keeps many of our people from reaching the doctor and discussing our feelings. In a culture where we don’t speak about certain things, going to a shrink is counterculture in a way. However, mental illness in the Black community is undeniable. The numbers speak where mouths don’t express the need. According to Mental Health America adult Blacks run a 20% greater risk of reporting psychological distress. Experts say that a number of factors help account for this increased risk. Barriers include attitudinal differences that affect the openers to address the issue, cultural disregard for mental health issues and environmental differences contribute to the growing gap of knowledge about mental health in the Black community.

Please make sure your politicians are supporting opening more mental health facilities. At press time the biggest mental health treatment facilities are correctional institutions: Cook County Jail in Chicago and Rikers Island in New York City.

behavioral health a priority and taken a number of steps to improve the prevention, early intervention, and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. These actions are especially important in light of the prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic as well as the suicide and substance use-related fatalities that have reversed increases in longevity in certain populations. One important response has been the expansion and implementation of mental health and substance use disorder parity protections to ensure that coverage for these benefits is comparable to coverage for medical and surgical care. The Affordable Care Act builds on the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and Federal parity protections for more than 60 million Americans”

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Where Do We Expect Black Children To Learn About Mental Health?

When Unemployment Stresses You All The Way Out By Iesha Pompey, BlackDoctor.org Contributor

months until the pain was just unbearable.

Dealing with unemployment is like dealing with the loss of a loved one for some people. And similar to grief, it’s hard to remain hopeful when you’re constantly facing rejection and having to summon up the strength to ask your loved ones (or the government) for help.

“I called [my] orthopedic surgeon and said here’s what happened, this is how long I’ve gone. ‘I have no money. I have no insurance. But, I can’t handle this anymore. If I can get you an article written about your practice, will you please look at my knee. Can I please, please come into your office?,’ Kaarto recalled.

It’s difficult to comprehend hope when you’re down. It’s difficult to comprehend the reality of unemployment, period. It can take a lot out of you. But, if you do your best to remain hopeful and persistent, this humbling experience can become one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever go through.

The surgeon agreed to see her the same day free of charge. Kaarto held up her end of the bargain and had a story published in the Houston

These five tips can help you cope.

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Tap into your faith. If you’ve never been unemployed, chances are you have no idea where to look for resources. People often overlook the most obvious place when it comes to finding resources which is the church (or home to whatever faith you practice). Many faith-based organizations I didn’t have any place to go to… offer, or are affiliated with, During that time I was so housing and food assistance desperate to get out of the house. programs. Being laid off is such a lonely Mary Kaarto, the author of and isolating experience. It can Hope For The Laid Off be a breeding ground for Devotionals, says faith is what depression. If you have got her through when she had someplace to go every day [it $1.31 to her name and was helps],” said Kaarto. denied financial assistance. Give back. “The longer somebody is laid Now, this may sound crazy off, the self-esteem will start to because some people feel they plummet. Especially in this don’t have anything to give, even economy. I found praying really to themselves. But, time is a very helped me,” said Kaarto. valuable thing. Volunteering at a Get out of the house. local hospital, food pantry or After having a meltdown, park district can help you to while seeing her neighbors drive remember that you are needed off to work, Kaarto phoned her and take your mind off of your sister in tears. Soon after, she own situation. It can also become called her church and asked if an opportunity to network and she could volunteer as the get your foot back in the door. receptionist. After losing her mother to “It hit me really hard because medical negligence, Kaarto

began a free missionary to care for hospitalized patients of families who couldn’t afford to take time off from work.“Quit thinking about yourself and go help somebody,” Kaarto recommends. “There’s always somebody that is worse off than you.” Barter for services. Use your professional skills to your advantage. For example, if you have a background in IT or janitorial work, offer your service in exchange for whatever service you are seeking. You’d be surprised by the number of things businesses are willing to accept. It just may be something that they are in need of as well. While being laid off, Kaarto fell and broke her knee. With no health insurance, she continued to walk around on it for 10

Chronicle. She was also successful at bartering with her hairstylist in exchange for babysitting. Remember who you are. You lost your job. But, you didn’t lose you. You’re still the worthy, educated and skilled human being you were before you got the job. Don’t isolate yourself. Now is as good a time as any to rely on your friends and family to maintain a sense of normalcy. Find free or discounted activities to enjoy with your loved ones.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

Blacks Voices Missing from Discussion on Western Sahara the occupying forces. Morocco has occupied most of the Western Sahara, since it invaded the territory shortly after the Spanish withdrew in 1975. By Bill Fletcher, Jr. NNPA News Wire Columnist I was thrilled to hear that there would be a hearing on Capitol Hill regarding the human rights situation in the Western Sahara. The “Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission,” co-chaired by Congressman Joseph Pitts and Congressman James McGovern, along with Commission member Congressman John Conyers, hosted the discussion March 23rd. This was quite important in light of the pathetic media coverage of the on-going and illegal Moroccan occupation of the Western Sahara and the human rights abuses carried out by

There were two things quite noticeable about the hearing, despite its many strengths. There were four presenters, each of who gave compelling testimony emphasizing the illegality of the occupation and the abuse of the indigenous—Sahrawi—population by the Moroccans. Yet the presenters–Kerry Kennedy, the president of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights group, Francesco Bastagli, the former Special representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara of the United Nations, Eric Goldstein, the deputy director MENA Division of Human Rights Watch, and Erik Hagen, the chair of the Western Sahara

Resource Watch—were all White. Don’t get me wrong. The presentations were all compelling and warranted. Yet, I found myself wondering why there were no Africans or African Americans making the case in addition to these white specialists. The second noticeable feature of the meeting was that the meeting itself, with certain noticeable exceptions, e.g., Congressman John Conyers some representatives and supporters of the Sahrawi liberation movement (Polisario), were very White. Perhaps I should put it another way. There were very few African Americans present in the room. I kept looking for other members of the Congressional Black Caucus to stick their heads into the room as an expression of solidarity, but that did not hap-

pen. Perhaps they sent their staff? Perhaps there was something else transpiring? In either case, the lack of an African American presence was more than noticeable, at least to me. Throughout the history of people of African descent in North America, there has always been a constituency that has concerned itself with developments in Africa. Sometimes such individuals (and groups) have been inspired by religion, while at other times by politics and economics. In the more recent past TransAfrica emerged in the late 1970s as an institution launched through the work of the Congressional Black Caucus as a means of bringing national attention to matters facing Africa and the African Diaspora. Similar organizations, such as those that would in the early 2000s consti-

tute Africa Action, followed a similar path. Today, the weakness and/or non-existence of such organizations is evident in the void found in hearings such as the March 23rd examination of the situation in the Western Sahara. This is a void that needs to be filled and it needs to be filled by progressive Black organizations and individuals lest it is filled by those who—even in wearing a black skin—have nefarious objectives on the Continent. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. He is also a talk show host, writer and activist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com.

Struggle for Voting Rights Justice Goes On by Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition via George Curry Media On April 4, we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King even as we marked the 48th anniversary of his assassination. On April 5, voters went the polls in the Wisconsin primaries, but a new raft of voter suppression laws insured that the results were skewed. One of Dr. King’s great legacies – the Voting Rights Act – is now under assault across the country. In Wisconsin, voter suppression laws were passed by a conservative Republican legislature despite the fact that there was no evidence of voter fraud to justify them. The

legislature seemed intent on passing the most restrictive laws. They passed the whole passel of conservative model laws and invented a few more. The laws were challenged in court, but the Supreme Court refused to review a lower court decision leaving them in place. The voter suppression laws include requiring a photo ID for voting, a measure that may impact an estimated 300,000 voters, disproportionately older, younger, poor and people of color. They reduced early voting times from 30 days to 12 days and eliminated it on weekends and evenings, discriminating against workers who can’t get leave to go to the polls. They eliminated statewide certification of registrars, so registrars can only enroll voters the country where they are certified, making registration more difficult. They eliminated faxing and emailing of absentee ballots except to military and overseas voters, making

absentee voting more difficult. They eliminated straight ticket voting, except for military and overseas voters, ensuring that waiting times and lines will be longer when people go to vote. They made it harder to use student ID as proof of residence, even as they required proof of residence to vote. The thrust of these laws is clear: They are designed to make it harder to vote, particularly for working people who can’t take time off, for students, for the elderly who may not have the right ID, for the poor and people of color. No wonder Bernie Sanders denounced the suppression laws as “truly unAmerican.” Hillary Clinton’s legal counsel challenged them in court. Key constituents of both candidates will be impacted. The Wisconsin primary results were distorted – and that was the intent. In the general election, these laws will be most destructive to the Democratic voting base, not

the Republican base. And that is intentional also. This is a disgrace. Forty-eight years after Dr. King’s death, we witness how much of his agenda remains unfinished, how much is being reversed. He marched against inequality and poverty, but inequality is worse, and childhood poverty in the United States is the worst of any major country. He marched for equal protection under the laws, but our system of racial injustice continues to discriminate, particularly against young Black men. He marched for voting rights, and now across the country conservatives are systematically passing laws to making voting harder. He protested against the endless war in Vietnam that robbed the funds needed for the war on poverty at home. And now we seem stuck in endless wars without victory on the other side of the world, even as our own neighborhoods suffer from the lack of public

investment in everything from clean water systems to public schools. Dr. King will be remembered for helping to make America better. But he always taught us that justice can’t be inherited. Equal opportunity can’t be taken for granted. “Human progress,” he wrote, “is neither automatic nor inevitable. … Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle, the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” And as Wisconsin has shown, the struggle must continue simply to guarantee every American the right to vote. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You can keep up with his work at www.rainbowpush.org

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5 Things Every Black Man Should Do To Cut His Diabetes Risk weight loss has received national recognition from The Steve Harvey Show and Essence Magazine. She says things like cutting back on soda, drinking fresh juices, eliminating processed sugar and fried food all together worked. But the last component is, of course, exercise.

By Daunte Henderson, BlackDoctor.org Contributor The hip-hop community felt the immediate impact from the passing of A Tribe Called Quest member, Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor. The untimely death took one of hip hop’s greatest voices. The community has also been shaken recently by the passing of the famous hip-hop DJ, Big Kap, who died in February of 2016. He also suffered from diabetes like his Big Apple brethren, Phife. Diabetes has rocked the hip-hop world, but the vibrations hopefully have sent a message to the rest of our men across the nation.

Studies have shown that exercising combined with a healthy diet are great first steps toward lowering your risk of diabetes She recommends 150 minutes of physical activity per week to aid in losing 5-7% of your body fat. Her belief is that concentrating on your health and not the actual weight loss is a great strategy for overcoming diabetes and lowering your risk.

Black Men & Diabetes

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Black people suffer disproportionately from diabetes. In fact, we’re 1.7 times more likely to develop the disease in comparison to Whites according to the American Diabetes Association. Despite the gloomy information many leading experts say that Black men do have a few answers for the looming question, “How can Black men stop diabetes?” Certified Diabetes Educator, Dacia Bryant, believes that Black men have a say concerning the disease that’s taken the lives of greats like Sugar Ray Robinson and Curtis Mayfield to name a few. It starts with education, with openness and understanding from two parties. “It’s a two way street. Black men have to be ready to receive the information and we in the professional community have to

be competent of cultural beliefs, food insecurities and financial constraints,” said Bryant. Culturally, the stigma of “having a disease” and distrust of the medical community leave Black men at odds with their health. Black men have been used as guinea pigs for the purposes of medical advancement for centuries, dating back to the inhumane and cruel experimentation practices started in slavery. The bodies of Black people have long been used as specimen for larger causes. Ta-Nehisi Coates reminds his Black son of this in his critically acclaimed book, “Between the World and Me.” “In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body—it is heritage,” Coates wrote. The second step towards Black men decreasing their chances of

developing diabetes is early detection (pre-screening). Some brothers just won’t go to the doctor until it’s too late. Too late is what many experts are worrying about. Diabetes often shows subtle signs and then before you know it, it’s there attacking your body. In an interview with BlackDoctor.org, Bryant explained, “The American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) website has invaluable resources and tools for diabetes prevention and management. The risk test is a noninvasive tool to begin the conversation about diabetes. The test contains 7 questions and it evaluates the risk of developing diabetes. The ADA also lists community diabetes education programs, some specifically tailored for African American churches, meal planning

guidelines and guidance on increasing physical activity. “ President Obama has also joined the crusade for early detection which will benefit Black men all over America. The Obama administration has proposed expanding Medicare to include payment for certain “lifestyle change programs” for those with pre-diabetes. The change in the health care system from reactive to proactive is necessary to control the runaway health care costs. Senior Health Educator/ Lifestyle Coach, Natasha Coleman, says that brothers can decrease their chances of developing the disease by not only early detection, but also exercise and better food choices. Coleman speaks to the men from experience. Her 200 pound

“If we concentrate on our health, weight loss will be a result of that.” Small incremental changes in your life could make the difference according to the coach. Weight loss is something that Coleman and Bryant agree is the key to decreasing Black men’s risk of diabetes. They encourage Black men to lead more active lifestyles full of exercise which will aid in the weight loss and also watching their calorie intake on a daily basis. That means asking for grilled chicken and maybe not that crispy fried we love so much. Small changes make the difference. I challenge brother’s to get screened for diabetes at their next check-up.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

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Seeking WBE drywall suppliers and subcontractors for New Haven housing authority project. Please email info@tecconllc.com if interested.

LABORERS NEEDED Full time openings for Construction Laborers with benefits after 90 days. Minimum two years experience required. All interested parties please apply in person at: True Blue Environmental, 5 Northfield Rd, Wallingford, CT. An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Elm City Communities Invitation for Bids Matthew Ruoppolo Manor Electric Generator Replacement Elm City Communities also known as The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (HANH) is currently seeking Bids for Matthew Ruoppolo Manor Electric Generator Replacement. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https:// newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 @ 3:00 PM.

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

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BUSINESS HOURS - MONDAY FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - 50 FITCH NEW HAVEN CT, 06515 - Career/Education/Training • Bid• L egal and Public Notices • Health Care • Real Estate • Professional

Listing:* 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.

Millennium Construction Services, LLC INVITATION TO BID – Step in Showers THE GLEN APARTMENTS – Danbury CT Millennium Construction Services, LLC www.millennium-realty.com Phone: 860-529-1111 Fax: 860-529-5555 Email: bwhitaker@millennium-realty.com

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven Invitation for Bids Winslow- Celentano Hydronic Upgrades The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (HANH) is currently seeking Bids for Winslow- Celentano Hydronic Upgrades. Bids will be received until March 4, 2016 at 3:00 PM. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 on Wednesday February 17, 2016 @ 11:00 AM. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from HANH’s front desk at 360 Orange Street beginning on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 @ 3:00 PM. Request for electronic copies of the request should be emailed to bids@newhavenhousing.org.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

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Contractors are invited to bid on the Step in Showers for the project known as The Glen Apartments in Danbury CT. The Glen Apartments consists of 100 individual apartments of elderly affordable housing located on Memorial Drive and Rocky Glen Road in Danbury CT. The scope of work for this solicitation consists of the removal of existing bath tubs, installation of new mixing valve, step in shower surround, controls, fixtures, shower bar, curtain, and grab bars. The scope includes wall and floor finishes as required to provide a complete installation. The scope of work for this solicitation consists of the ongoing modernization of the existing facility and the following direct performing trades are incorporated into the scope of work and are encouraged to respond to this solicitation; Divisions 2, 9, 10, 15. Contractor shall be able to commence work on June 15th 2016 and continue until complete with completion no later than July 30, 2016. Owner is a Tax Exempt governmental organization. CT State Prevailing Wages – “Residential Rates” do apply and will be supplied to all bidders. A pre-bid walk through will occur on Tuesday May 3rd at 11:00 am and will commence at the community room located at 25 Memorial Drive, Danbury CT. A tour of the facility will be conducted. Parking is limited so please park on Memorial Drive. Please contact Steve Jayne at 203-536-4366 for further information on meeting location. Bids for this scope of work are due May 17th 2016 and can be submitted to: bwhitaker@millennium-realty.com A complete set of plans and specifications will be available for review at the Glen Apartments construction office located on site and are immediately available for review at www.millennium-realty.com. The scope for this bid invitation is titled “Step in Showers”. Millennium Construction Services, LLC and the owner reserve the rights; to accept any, all, or any part of any bids; to reject any, all or any part of any bids; to waive any non-material deficiencies in bid responses; and to award the bid that in its judgment will be in the best interests of the owner.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, SECTION 3 BUSINESSES AND WBE AND SBE/MINORITY BUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE

Listing: Senior Accountant. Immediate opening in a fast-paced petroleum environment for a degreed accountant w/ 2+ year’s public accounting experience. Duties include data transmission, tax prep, assistance w/monthly closing, account analysis/reconciliation, assistance managing network and system projects. Strong Excel and analytical skills a must. Great growth potential! Benefit package. Candidate must possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Petroleum industry and propane experience a plus. Send resume to: Human Resource Dept. P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

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BUSINESS HOURS - MONDAY FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - 50 FITCH NEW HAVEN CT, 06515 - Career/Education/Training • Bid• L egal and Public Notices • Health Care • Real Estate • Professional 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 CDLA with tanker & hazmat endorsements. Have or be willing to obtain TWIC card. 1yr. tractor-trailer exp. Call Jessica: 866983-0855 or apply online at www.Work4QC.com

Legal Notice THE ANSONIA HOUSING AUTHORITY DEMOLITION AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ABATEMENT OF SIX ANSONIA HOUSING AUTHORITY OWNED BUILDINGS RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS – PHASE II LOCATED ON OLSON DRIVE INVITATION TO BID

Sealed Bids for Demolition and Hazardous Materials Abatement of six Ansonia Housing Authority Owned Buildings, Riverside Apartments Phase II, located on Olson Drive will be received by the Ansonia Housing Authority located on 36 Main Street, Ansonia, CT 06401 until 2:00 P.M. on May 16, 2016 and at that time and place will be publicly opened and read aloud. No bids will be received after 2:00 P.M. on the day the bids are to be opened. Bid Documents may be obtained at the Ansonia Housing Authority, 36 Main Street, Ansonia, CT 06401 beginning April 18, 2016. Bids must be enclosed in an opaque sealed envelope and plainly marked with the name of the Project Title: Demolition and Environmental Abatement of Six Ansonia Housing Authority Owned Buildings, Riverside Apartments Phase II, located on Olson Drive and shall contain the name and address of the Bidder on the envelope.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416

Each Bid shall be submitted in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. The Bidder to whom a contract is offered, must furnish to the Ansonia Housing Authority, a 100 percent Performance Bond with a surety company acceptable to the Ansonia Housing Authority and in a form acceptable to the Housing Authority. In the Housing Authority’s sole discretion, it may also require a 100 percent Payment Bond and/or other additional security with a surety acceptable to the Ansonia Housing Authority and in a form acceptable to the Housing Authority. Complete instructions for filing Bids are included in the Instructions to Bidders. After review of the factors set forth in the Instructions to Bidders, the ANSONIA HOUSING AUTHORITY reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to make an award, or to decline to make an award. A pre-bid conference will be held at 10:00 A.M. at the Tinney Community Center, Olson Drive on May 2, 2016. Prospective bidders shall leave a name(s), address, and phone and fax number(s) when picking up the Bid Documents. Attendance at the prebid conference by a representative of each Bidder is highly recommended. Contact Robert Henderson, Ansonia Housing Authority at 203-736-8888 Ext. 314 for further information.

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - Aprl 24, 2016

INNER-CITY NEWS April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2416 32