Hundreds Rally: “Protect Our Kids. Protect Our Schools”
by Maya McFadden
High School in the Community (HSC) junior Japhet dreams of becoming the first college graduate in his family but also worries that dream won’t be possible if federal education cuts are made by the Trump administration.
Holding signs reading “People over profit” and “fund our schools,” Japhet marched alongside hundreds of fellow New Haveners to fight for the future of public education.
That was the scene Tuesday afternoon as nearly 300 New Haven school staffers, students, and community members marched through downtown from Gateway Community College to the Green to call on state and federal leaders to “protect our kids” through equitable and fair public education funding.
HSC juniors Japhet and Jonaily Colón, who serves on the Board of Education, said that the Tuesday rally’s energy and clear support for them as New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) students made them feel lucky and motivated to continue advocating for fully funded schools. While listening to Tuesday’s speakers, Colón said she couldn’t help but think about how we got to this point. “We’re all not on the same page because there are people who voted for this. We need to elect people that care,” she said.
Japhet said Tuesday’s rally reminded him of why this fight is necessary. He has goals to study fashion design at the University of Connecticut, and won’t be able to afford college if federal aid disappears. “I really want to go to college. I hope they wake up,” he said.
Tuesday’s march down Church Street brought together a coalition of community parters to pass along “a clear message to our leaders in Washington, D.C. that we will stand up and fight back to protect our kids and protect our schools,” New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau declared.
It took place a day after the U.S. Senate confirmed Connecticut businesswoman Linda McMahon as the nation’s next education secretary, and as public school districts across the country brace for more budget cuts from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Musk has led efforts to cut around $1 billion from the Education Department so far, and House Republicans last year sought to reduce the agency’s budget by $11
billion. The department has justified canceling contracts in part by dismissing them as “wasteful and ideologically driven spending not in the interest of students and taxpayers.”
Ambar Santiago-Rojas, a youth member of the Semilla Collective and the New Haven Immigrants coalition, led the group through a moment of silence for 11-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza from Texas, who committed suicide after bullies threatened to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on her parents.
Santiago-Rojas, who is a senior at Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS), told Tuesday’s crowd that she refuses to stay silent while her community is under attack. “The proposed federal education cuts would devastate students like me,” she said. “These cuts aren’t just numbers, they mean losing teachers, losing support, and losing opportunities that could change lives.”
Santiago-Rojas said that the fight is not just about school funding but also “about who gets the chance to suc-
and federal leaders Tuesday was a reminder that education is a right and not a privilege, and “Do not cut kids for tax cuts or you are going to face me and my community.”
Blatteau noted that if there are budget cuts by the Trump administration, the direct impact to New Haven’s public school system would be a loss of $21 million.
“Are we going to let it happen?” she asked. “No!” the crowd chanted back.
She called on the community to call their local state representatives to overturn Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent line item veto of the legislature’s approval of a $40 million increase to special education funding statewide.
American Federation of Teachers
President Randi Weingarten closed out Tuesday’s rally with a civics teacher’s hat on, reminding New Haveners that “the funding that they’re trying to gut right now is for kids who are poor.”
As speakers took the microphone, students from the crowd called out, “Our dreams matter!” and “We will win!”
If given the chance to talk directly to Musk or Secretary of Education McMahon, Weingarten said, she would ask: “Really, you’re going to take this money from our students for a tax cut that you don’t need?”
She added that there were over 2,000 actions like Tuesday’s around the country sending the same message for elected officials to stand with communities like New Haven’s that are defending public education against “harmful policies and dangerous cuts.”
According to the event’s press release, Tuesday’s advocates specifically called on state and local elected officials to:
• “Fully fund public education to ensure schools have equitable resources for all students;
ceed and who gets left behind.”
She noted New Haven families rely on schools for not just education but daily meals, support, and safety. She recalled being 7 years old attending rallies with her family and community during Trump’s first presidency. Her parents told her at the time, “Cry now, but we will stand up and fight later.” That instilled in her a passion to always fight for her community. “We are here to say we will not let them take away our futures,” she said.
Her concluding message to state
• Stop privatization attempts that siphon resources away from public schools and weaken communities;
• Adjust the fiscal roadblocks and create new equitable revenue streams through progressive taxation;
• Protect vulnerable communities by expanding of HUSKY for Immigrants and strengthening the TRUST Act;
• Improve access to public higher education by expanding the PACT program to state universities; &
• Uplift working families by establishing a Child Tax Credit and Just Cause Housing protections.”
Maya McFadden Photo HSC juniors Japhet and Jonaily making a case for their future education.
ESUMS senior Ambar Santiago-Rojas.
Scott Marks at the mic.
Teachers Become Students Of Student Mental Health
by Maya McFadden
Rather than watch students present midyear projects, 20 New Haven educators and school staffers stood at the front of the “class” to present their own research to their peers about what to look out for when it comes to student wellbeing and mental health.
They did so on Monday as part of New Haven Public Schools’ (NHPS) fourth mental health and first aid training session for school district staff.
A group of 20 teachers, counselors, and administrators attended that session in Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School’s library on Kimberly Avenue in the Hill. The school district partnered with the local behavioral health nonprofit BHcare to host the voluntary training.
NHPS Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator Monica Abbott said the district offers the training several times a year for student-facing staff to get up-to-date guidance for wellbeing practices for students. “The intention [is to] ensure staff understand the health challenges and conditions our students may face,” she said.
Staffers from Brennan Rogers, Worthington Hooker, Cross, Career, Betsy Ross, Hill Central, Celentano, BOMUS, Jepson, FAME, Davis, Co-op, Clemente, and the district’s drop-out prevention team joined the Monday training.
Educators learned about a variety of mental health conditions that students could be struggling with including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance abuse. As non-experts in the realm of mental health, participants aimed to recognize some common signs of these conditions and to develop strategies that could help them to connect students and families to resources.
Before, during, and after the Covid pandemic, Abbott said there have been steady increases in K 12 students’ needs for mental-health supports. In 2020, the district began having the conversation about how to better equip staff with strategies for students needs with the goal of helping kids feel a deeper sense of belonging in school buildings on a daily basis.
“School is a place where you can come to get the help you need,” she said.
Abbott recalled taking the course two years ago and immediately using strategies learned a week later both at work and home. She recalled a list of questions the training taught her to go through with an individual when trying to determine if that person dealing with a mental health crisis should be left alone or not for their own safety. She used this strategy in the past when dealing with overwhelmed staff and with her own teenager. She learned to give her children space when necessary during intense moments.
Monday’s training ran from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an afternoon lunch break. The
program already has a waitlist for its next fall session offering, Abbott said. She concluded that the training builds capacity for staff to learn facts about mental-health challenges rather than relying on assumptions and stigmas placed on certain disorders. She said the training will continue to be a priority investment the district makes for staff and students. At around 11 a.m., staff worked in small groups after being assigned a mental health disorder or challenge to research and present on.
The teams defined the disorders as they read about them in their workbooks, noted down what crisis responses are typically associated with each disorder, looked up new facts, and listed a support or resource that can help.
While groups presented their findings, the training’s co-facilitator from BHcare, Lorrie McFarland, pointed out connections between the different disorders, like how depression worsens with substance abuse.
One group notes that recent studies found that 2 percent of preschool-aged youth have been found to be depressed.
BRAMS math teacher Kimberley Steele pointed out common crisis responses when it comes to depression can look like students not engaging in class discussions or fighting with their peers.
Another group focused on learning about anxiety. They noted on a poster paper that crisis responses may look like panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.
Edgewood School Assistant Principal Angela Brunson wrote on her group’s
agreed that it is a difficult conversation to have when families have their own stigmas around mental health. McFarland suggested conversations be focused on addressing that “it’s not about a thing, or something they don’t have. It’s about their mental and thoughts.”
Tortora said that Monday’s training will be helpful for her work and personal life. Her goal is to help support her kindergartners’ families by being able to steer them to get help when needed.
She said despite being in elementary school, her students can experience the loss of family members or friends. Because they’re so young, they might not yet know how to verbalize their feelings or the reasons for their behaviors.
She saw firsthand her entire class of students in the past deal with the trauma of losing a classmate to a fatal disease. She added that after the Covid-19 pandemic, she hoped to equip herself with as many strategies as possible to support students in moments of distress.
“I want to promote self-regulation while they’re young,” she concluded. “It’s my job more times than not to help them navigate their big feelings.”
She suggested that everyone in the school district be required to complete Monday’s training.
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poster that those with anxiety may “overestimate the threat from situations they fear” or underestimate their ability to handle situations.
Another group looking into substance abuse noted down that 60 percent of 12 to 13 year olds have tried alcohol.
McFarland followed up to explain that in recent years, alcohol remains a common substance on which youth are educated. There’s less education, however, about vaping and cannabis usage.
“Is vaping still the biggest issue for you guys in school?” she asked Monday’s group. Several of the staffers nodded yes. “There is so much self-medication going on with adolescence. And this is usually a part of things like this,” she said. “A lot of people do so because they can’t afford professional help or if you’re a child, you don’t want to say things to their parents because they don’t want them to have to get another job to afford it.”
Worthington Hooker kindergarten teacher Laura Tortora noted that stereotypes also play a role for why disorders can sometimes go overlooked. She used depression as an example, sharing that many times depression is labeled as “just being sad or a moody teen.” McFarland agreed, noting that if signs of depression continue for longer than two weeks, it typically is not “just a phase.”
One staffer asked the group Monday how she should tackle conversations with parents when their students are struggling in school but the parents’ only response is, “But they have nothing to be depressed about.” Several in the group
Co-op social worker Dana Marston took Monday’s training for the second time. She did so to refresh her knowledge because “oftentimes students are just seen as being defiant, but that could just be a sign that there are serious troubles.”
Marston said another issue is that when some parents hear disorder terminology, they see it as a “life sentence.” The training, Marston said, gives staff the skills to understand and see students as whole humans who may also struggle with trauma and mental health impacts.
“If their mental health is not in check, nothing’s in check,” she concluded.
Brennan Rogers Principal Kimberly Daniley said she has noticed that each year schools must support more youth who have experienced trauma. Monday’s training only helped heighten that awareness.
“I want to have as much info as possible to meet their needs and help them thrive,” she said.
She described a “pandemic effect” that is, the trauma felt by many young people after the socialization limitations during Covid. She hopes to work toward helping to “rebalance” students after such a mass traumatic event.
She concluded that she is hopeful more workshops will be offered to help provide staff with tools to address present-day challenges.
“I believe in equipping general education teachers with tools to meet the needs of all,” Daniley said. “I believe it should have never just resided with special education.”
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Maya McFadden photos At NHPS' mental health and first aid training session.
Last fall, my sister-in-law and BFF recommended a book that her book club was reading titled, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. She thought that I would enjoy it because of my relationship with Rose, the lady that basically raised me and was so important to our family.
It was the first book I downloaded to my Kindle app on my new iPad. As I began to read the story about early 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi and the struggles of black maids working for white families, pangs of familiarity began to churn in my gut. It wasn’t so much the dreadfulness of Civil Rights’ indignities of the day — I am all too familiar with the effects of those days — as it was the stories of the women who were charged with white parents’ most precious possession (their children), but were not allowed to use the restroom inside the lily white homes of these Southern hypocrites.
I was captivated by the historical context and of course, by the personal story of Skeeter Phelan, who sets out to write a book about stories of “the help” — both good and bad. Yes, there were some good stories about relationships between the races, even though very few see the light of day. I read it in two days and was touched in a way I hadn’t been since I read The Horse Whisperer many years ago.
Perhaps the story resonated so deeply with me because of Rose. Throughout my childhood and early adulthood, Rose was a constant except for the year or so that she and my mother had a falling out…but more on that later.
My parents were married in May, 1952 and my father moved into my grandparents’ home with my mother so they could save up to build a house of their own. They had my sister nine months after they were married and starting building their house “in the country” about six miles from “town”. My father owned a plant nursery with his father right around the corner from their new homestead. Once the house was finished, they prepared to move their small family into the home that they would occupy for the next 40 years.
My parents were not rich folks, but it had been decided that my mother would need “help” as she only had the use of her right arm, her left arm paralyzed from polio when she was two. Additionally, they had just found out that their daughter was deaf. My father employed alot of field hands at the nursery and was particularly close to his foreman, nicknamed Shawee (which, incidentally, means racoon in french). Shawee’s wife, Rose, also worked at the nursery. They had a growing family and some of the older kids helped out at the nursery in the summer. My father arranged a meeting between my mother and Rose to see
The Help
if she would be a good fit to “help” my mother in the house. They immediately hit it off and Rose became a fixture in our house and synonymous with our family for the rest of her life.
A short while later, my brother was born and became Rose’s child. He called her “Mamma Rose” and followed her everywhere. He spent most of his days with Rose as my mother was taking my sister to speech therapy and classes each day, trying to prepare her for school. Rose’s kids often spent time with our family and were fantastic playmates.
Rose had nick names for everyone, particularly her kids. Pictured above is Gros Bay Bay (meaning Big Baby in French). There was also Tougi, Tee-an, Sis, and Teeny. The twins would come later…but, more of that later. She also was instrumental in assigning my brother’s moniker as she called him a “chip” off the old block. Since he was a Jr., the name stuck — Chip, or Chippo as she preferred.
Nine years after my brother….surprise, surprise, my mother was pregnant. My sister was off at school in Baton Rouge and came home most weekends, but the house had basically been my brother’s domain with Rose attending to his every
need. Rose indicated that this new baby would be a girl and decided upon Suzy-Q as an appropriate name. Rose’s youngest son, Teeny, was a toddler, but she hadn’t had a little girl to spoil in a long time. So, when I was born in the fall of ’64, Rose was in her glory. Many nights, she and one of her daughters would spend the night and baby sit, dressing me up like a little doll and of course, spoiling me rotten.
We loved that lady. I mean truly loved her. Then, when I was about five, Rose was gone. I don’t remember anyone saying why or what happened, I only knew that she was gone and another lady was there to “help”. She was nice enough, but she was no Rose. I missed Rose so much, but I didn’t know where she was. Then, almost magically, she returned when I was starting 2nd grade. It was like she never left. I was soooo happy to have her back. It appears that I had acted out pretty severely at the new lady and looking back, I’m sure I saw her as an impostor and wanted the real deal.
I would find out, years later, that Rose and my mother had a falling out around Rose taking up with a new man after she and Shawee divorced. Not that it was her
had disrespected one of them. My mother trusted Rose with her most intimate secrets and as a true confidant. Rose knew and understood all our family dynamics and she was often the sounding board for problems, cheerleader for accomplishments and overall, just an objective observer of our lives.
I learned so much from her. Friendship, loyalty, humbleness, integrity, compassion, faith and love, not to mention how to cook the perfect round steak. Probably the most touching part of the story of The Help was the maid, Aibileen, trying to instill confidence into Mae Mobley, the toddler in her care and whose mother was a bit “detached”. Each morning when Aibi arrived and took the little girl from her crib or when she read her story books, she had Mae Mobley repeat: “You is kind, you is smart, you is important.” Rose did the same kinds of things, making us feel good about ourselves and setting her expectations high for us, even though she was always right there and helping to pick up the pieces when we stumbled. Rose died the week of Thanksgiving, 1993 on the same day and hour that my brother’s daughter was born. It was such a bittersweet day in our family, but we knew that this new baby was likely kissed and blessed with Rose’s spirit. A few days later, I delivered the eulogy at her funeral…it was such an honor. Her headstone reads: “In Loving Memory from ALL her children” and lists her name as “Mama Rose”, a tribute from all of her children.
business, but my mother was concerned for Rose and her children so she applied some kind of tough love and basically told her not to come back if she was going to continue living with the man. So Rose quit or Mamma fired her. After a few months, Rose’s older daughter, Sis, let Mamma know that Rose was pregnant, with twins. My mother was NOT happy and I’m sure she let it be known. She was pissed at Rose because she knew how hard her life was already and now she was supporting a man and two babies and dragging young Teeny through it all.
To my mother’s credit, she finally came to her senses and asked Rose to come back. I don’t know if she felt sorry for Rose and wanted to help or if she really just missed her best friend, but I was happy as pigs in shit that Rose was BACK!!
My mother and Rose had an unusual relationship for black and white women in the South in the ’60s. But, then again, southwest Louisiana was a little different in terms of tolerance. Not that there wasn’t racism, but there were more accounts of close relationships between black and white families. My parents demanded our respect for Rose. If we talked back, we were punished just as if we
I tell this story because there’s so much talk about racism, bigotry and inequality, but little about love and mutual respect between the races. When little children find a caring, loving and trusted friend who instills self-confidence, the color of their skin or the differences in their cultures fade away. There is only love…and loyalty…and remembrance. So, when I read the book and found out that the movie was being made, I made a promise to watch the movie, alone with Rose. Since I couldn’t have her next to me, live and in person, I brought along this picture of her from my grandmother’s 90th birthday party and of course, her spirit. I laughed and I cried at familiar and compelling parts, knowing that Rose was laughing and crying right along with me. So, needless to say, I highly recommend going to see The Help. And, when you do, consider the relationships of those women with those children and what an integral part they were in forming these children and giving them such a strong foundation — some who grew up to be priests, teachers, businessmen, doctors, authors and others who are simply “good” people, in part, from the values and teachings of the “help”.
LEAP Year Raises $500K
by Melissa Liriano
LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, Inc.) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its annual LEAP Year Event on Feb. 27, 2025. The event, held at the Dixwell Community Q House, was a resounding success and raised over $500,000 to support LEAP’s free programs for underserved children and teens in New Haven.
The evening began with a lively reception, where guests enjoyed complimentary food and drinks provided by The Wine Thief, Black Hog Brewery, and Culinary Concerts, along with live music by The CHILL Project, featuring Dudley Flake of the Monk Family. Guests were served by student volunteers from the Hopkins School Maroon Key Club, adding to the community spirit of the event. LEAP Executive Director Henry Fernandez welcomed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of local support in providing opportunities for New Haven’s young people, now more than ever.
Guests heard inspiring speeches from LEAP counselors and alumni, including Counselor Development Fellow Jaquan Brooks and Clinical Coordinator Chantalle Martin, who spoke about the impact LEAP had on their lives as former participants in the program. “Having LEAP as a safe space … to be mentored, to become better versions of ourselves, and even to be paid, helped to create an even tighter sense of community for us. LEAP was developing us as leaders of our community,” Chantalle said at the reception. Jaquan’s journey through LEAP’s children’s and leaders-in-training programs, and Chantalle’s experience as a leader-in-training, junior counselor, and senior counselor, showcased the power of LEAP’s mentorship model and its dedication to fostering leadership and growth. A reception attendee, Lindsey Wong, mentioned, “It’s amazing to see the positive impact [LEAP] has had on members of the New Haven community.”
Attendees listen to Chantalle Martin’s speech at the Dixwell Community Q House.
LEAP Board Co-Chairs Ann Baker Pepe and Ed Cleary were honored with the LEAP Community Leadership Award for their combined 60 years of service to the LEAP community.
Following the reception, guests attended intimate dinner conversations of their choosing at various locations throughout Greater New Haven, where they engaged with renowned leaders and experts on a wide range of topics. These guest speakers and conversations included a private tour of the Yale Art Gallery with Director Stephanie Wiles; The New York Times columnist Philip Galanes on navigating social dilemmas in today’s America; Dr. Reverend William J. Barber II on fighting economic and social inequality; Emmy award-win-
ning filmmaker Ann Johnson Prum, who showcased her films and broadened her guests’ perspectives on nature; New Haven R&B artist Manny James, who shared his musical talents; Yale President Maurie McInnis on leadership in higher education; and renowned celebrity chef Jacques Pépin, who spoke about his personal experience as a chef and his culinary journey to mastering his craft.
One attendee described “…the sense of community that arises in these dinners centering on the significance of LEAP itself, the significant topics in each [dinner], the warmth of the hosts, the deliciously prepared food, and the chance to meet new people,” as her favorite parts of the event.
The $500,000+ raised at LEAP Year Event will have a profound impact on LEAP’s free programs, which serve over 1,600 youth annually. These programs provide a wide range of opportunities and resources, including phonics and literacy development, homework help and academic support, field trips, enrichment activities ranging from chess to African dance, mental health support, college and career counseling, and the distribution of thousands of books to help children
Medicaid On The Chopping Block
Connecticut Leaders Rally Against Federal Cuts Amid Tax Breaks For The Wealthy by Karla
Ciaglo
HARTFORD, CT – Connecticut leaders and healthcare advocates gathered at Charter Oak Health Center to denounce proposed Medicaid cuts they say will devastate the state’s most vulnerable residents.
The federal plan to slash up to $880 billion from Medicaid over the next decade coincides with efforts to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, a move critics argue would benefit the wealthy while forcing deep reductions in healthcare funding.
“We’re here to talk about Medicaid, Husky Health,” said Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Social Services. “Fifty percent of our patients are covered by Medicaid.”
She warned that while the details remain unclear, “one thing” is certain: “real consequences for our families, our seniors, and people with disabilities.”
The proposed reductions could cut federal matching funds as low as 25% or even eliminate them entirely.
“That means less care for patients and more costs for the state,” she said.
Connecticut receives $6.6 billion in federal Medicaid funding annually, and replacing those funds, state officials warned, would be impossible.
“That’s $6.6 billion that we do not have lying around here and can’t get to meet the needs of these people,” Comptroller Sean Scanlon said.
Gov. Ned Lamont explained that Connecticut could lose $180 million per year under the proposed plan.
which was two trillion dollars, 70% of which went to the nation’s wealthiest one percent.”
US Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, pointed to the Congressional Budget Office’s findings as evidence of what’s coming.
“There is no way that you can hit a one-trillion-dollar savings … without gutting Medicaid,” Courtney said. He also criticized Republican leaders for misleading their members about the impact of the legislation.
in the LEAP program build their home libraries.
LEAP is committed to adapting its programs and training its counselors to meet the evolving needs of the children and families it serves. The success of LEAP Year Event would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors, including Noble Wealth Advisors of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, The George Ellis Company, The Scillia Family, Roz & Jerry Meyer, and many more. Their contributions towards LEAP’s $7.3 million annual budget, along with the support of guests of honor, hosts, and everyone who purchased tickets, will help LEAP continue to provide invaluable programs and opportunities for New Haven’s youth.
LEAP is incredibly grateful for the community’s support and looks forward to continuing its mission of empowering New Haven youth for many years to come. In the words of one of its longtime supporters, “LEAP always does a wonderful job with this community-wide event. It’s a highlight of New Haven’s philanthropic and social justice landscape.”
“Are they going to block Medicaid, which means any inflation increase that’s paid for by us?” he asked. “Are they going to cut away the subsidies from Covered Connecticut? That would mean those folks … instead of having, maybe, $50 a month, it would be $2,000 a month. Are they going to cut back on expanded Medicaid and all the support that gives for people who otherwise won’t be able to get by? We don’t know. And that unpredictability is hell on people.”
Long-term care facilities would also be affected.
Matt Barrett, president of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, noted that 73% of nursing home residents in the state rely on Medicaid.
“Fifteen nursing homes have already closed since 2021,” Barrett said, adding that occupancy is at 87% and rising.
“Any cuts to Medicaid would be a grim reality for our seniors in Connecticut.”
As Congress considers making $2 trillion in tax cuts permanent, Connecticut’s federal delegation criticized Republican leadership for targeting Medicaid. US Rep. John B. Larson, D-1st District, said, “Donald Trump and Elon Musk will not miss a moment’s sleep.” He argued the cuts were not about fiscal responsibility but about securing “the tax cut of 2017,
“One of the ways they were able to convince their members that it was okay to vote for this was by saying, ‘Medicaid’s not even in the bill.'”
He explained that while Medicaid may not be explicitly named, the numbers reveal that its funding is at stake.
“Technically, that may be true, but the fact of the matter is that the numbers don’t lie,” Courtney said.
Larson stressed the need for Republicans to reconsider.
“In the House, we need three. Three Republicans who will stand up for the people they represent,” Larson said.
Connecticut officials say they are working to analyze funding alternatives but acknowledge that the state cannot cover the shortfall on its own.
“We cannot possibly replace what we have been getting from the federal government,” Scanlon said.
Meanwhile, Lamont urged residents to act.
“If you care about your children’s healthcare, your parents’ nursing home care, your neighbor who has a disability, then now is the time to call your representatives,” he said. “We stopped them from repealing the Affordable Care Act before. We can do this again.”
Gov. Ned Lamont, right, discusses the Trump budget and the possibility of big cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years during a news conference at Charter Oak Health Center in Hartford on Thursday, March 6, 2025. At left is Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie
contributed photos Stephanie James, Claudia Reynolds, LEAP Board Co-Chair Ann Baker Pepe, Paula Jackson, LEAP Director of Children’s Program Chance Jackson, and Ferris Nelson.
Attendees listen to Chantalle Martin’s speech at the Dixwell Community Q House.
Top Row (L To R): Malik James, Edoardo Benzoni, John Evans Reese, Grayson Richmond, Brandon E. Burton, Darius Sakui, Whitney Andrews; Bottom Row (L To R): Chinna Palmer, Elizabeth Stahlmann, Samuel Douglas, Nomè SiDone, and Annelise Lawson.
Photo By Thomas Mundell, 2025. Design by Paul Evan Jeffrey | Passage Design
The 2025 Economic Blackout Tour: Key Dates, Impact, and How to Join the Movement
By BlackDoctor.org
In 2025, an economic blackout can be a significant tool for driving social and economic change. These organized efforts are designed to send a powerful message to corporations and institutions about the economic strength of the Black community. By strategically withdrawing financial support, these blackouts highlight the impact and influence of collective action.
What is an Economic Blackout?
An economic blackout is a coordinated effort where a community collectively refrains from spending money at specific businesses or sectors for a determined period. The aim is to leverage economic influence to demand corporate accountability, fairness, and investment in Black communities.
Why Economic Blackouts Matter
The Black community in America wields over $1.6 trillion in annual buying power. Redirecting or withholding this spending can drive significant change, pushing companies to reconsider their business practices and social responsibilities. Economic blackouts are a form of protest and advocacy, demonstrating that economic justice is integral to social justice.
Upcoming Economic Blackout Dates
The 2025 Economic Blackout Tour
outlines strategic periods for boycotts targeting corporations that have been critiqued for their business practices. Here are the key dates and targets:
• March 7-14: Amazon Boycott – Addressing concerns over labor practices and corporate accountability.
• March 21-28: Nestle Boycott – Highlighting ethical concerns related to sourcing and environmental impact.
• April 7-14: Walmart Boycott – Advocating for fair labor practices and community investment.
• April 18: Economic Blackout 2 – A reaffirmation of economic solidarity and collective strength.
• April 21-28: General Mills Boycott –Calling attention to product sourcing and community representation.
• May 6-12: Amazon Boycott 2 – Con-
tinuing the push for better corporate responsibility.
• May 20-26: Walmart Boycott 2 – Renewing efforts to advocate for change within the retail giant.
• June 3-9: Target Boycott – Challenging corporate inclusivity and equitable business practices.
• June 24-30: McDonald’s Boycott –Addressing health equity and community
responsibility.
• July 4: Independence Day Boycott –Highlighting the importance of true independence and equitable freedom. How to Participate
1. Stay Informed: Follow credible sources to understand the goals and impacts of each boycott.
2. Spread the Word: Share information within your community, online platforms, and social groups.
3. Redirect Spending: Support Blackowned businesses and local enterprises during blackout periods.
4. Engage Politically: Advocate for policies and leaders that promote economic equity and justice.
The Bigger Picture Economic blackouts are not just about withholding spending but about fostering accountability, promoting equity, and encouraging longterm community investment. They serve as a catalyst for broader conversations about corporate responsibility, consumer power, and systemic change.
Conclusion The 2025 Economic Blackout Tour is a call to action for those committed to justice and equity. By participating in these strategic boycotts, individuals can help shape a future where economic power drives meaningful change for Black communities nationwide.
Together, we can turn moments of protest into movements for progress.
How Head Start Helped Her Reach the ‘Summit’ of Success
By Malkia Payton-Jackson, National Head Start Association
Cicely Simpson is the founder and CEO of Summit Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., a long way from her beginnings in the small town of Woodbury, Tennessee. She credits her Head Start for her successful journey from small-town roots to attending law school and working in congressional offices, all leading to the launch of her own company. Cicely’s educational journey began at the Cannon County Head Start program, which set her up to excel in kindergarten and high school. Cicely went on to pursue higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lipscomb University in Nashville. From there, with her heart set on practicing law, Cicely left Tennessee for Pepperdine University School of Law in California. Cicely achieved her goal, starting her career as a criminal prosecutor in Los Ange-
les, but deciding California was not for her, Cicely returned to Nashville and continued her legal career there. Next came a professional turn that Cicely herself would not have predicted.
A Growing Career
“When one door closes, one door opens,” Cicely said, explaining the shift in her career and the start of her journey in Washington. Soon after returning to Nashville, a couple of friends convinced Cicely to join them in working for Rep. Lincoln Davis’s first Congressional campaign. When he won the election, Rep. Davis invited Cicely to join him in Washington as his Legislative Director. Cicely accepted, and over the next six years, she worked with Rep. Davis and Rep. Jim Cooper on furthering their public policy goals in the U.S. Congress. Then came the next professional turn. Cicely left the Hill and began her lobbying career by opening a Washington, D.C., government relations office for Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins. This role led her to the National Restaurant Association, where she served as the executive vice president of public affairs at the trade association for several
years. Now, as the president and CEO of her own company, Cicely is applying her years of experience and expertise in public affairs to support a wide range of clients with their advocacy, risk management, and communication needs.
Big Believers in Head Start, Then and Now
“I’m blessed to have come from a family who are big believers in Head Start, both then and now,” she said. “My brother attended Head Start, I went to Head Start, my nephew went to Head Start, my cousins went to Head Start, and we all went to Head Start in the same community.” Cicely’s firm belief that Head Start was imperative to her own educational and professional journeys, as well as those of her family members, makes her a dedicated Head Start advocate. “When I was in Congressman Davis’s office, as well as Congressman Cooper’s office, we signed on to every letter, every bill, we supported every opportunity to support Head Start financially from the Capitol Hill perspective,” Cicely explained, “We knew, and we know—I won’t say past tense because currently, we know— how important it is.”
Photo Caption: An African American elementary school girl smiles at the camera as she sits at her desk.
Sights Set On Washington, Hillhouse Band Asks Community For Help
Lucy Gellman |
Joshua Smith can already hear the James Hillhouse High School Marching Band tearing it up on Constitution Avenue. In his vision, the drums hammer out a steady, danceable beat, their sound traveling up from the pavement. The trumpets glint in the sunlight, weaving brass into the mix. When he cues them in, the woodwinds have it on lock.
Of course they do: this is Hillhouse High School. He just needs some help from the community—to the tune of $45,000—to get them there.
Smith is the director of the James Hillhouse High School Marching Band, which he's worked to rebuild several times over since the fall of 2021. This spring, he is trying to raise $45,000 to send the band to Washington, D.C., where they've been selected to represent Connecticut in the National Memorial Day Parade. The parade takes place annually on Memorial Day, which this year falls on May 26.
Those funds would cover a full four days and three nights, with an educational tour to several national museums and monuments folded in. Donate to a GoFundMe here.
The parade, which travels 10 blocks of Washington, D.C.'s Constitution Avenue, is an initiative of the American Veterans Center. Every Memorial Day weekend, it honors soldiers who have died in U.S. military conflicts abroad. For Smith, himself a Hillhouse alum who had the chance to travel during high school, it's an opportunity too exciting to pass up.
"I said to myself, 'This could be a great opportunity for our school and our program,' and we're just gonna do whatever we have to do to present us," he said Thursday, as band members prepared to play "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" for the fifth time that afternoon. "I had my moment [at Hillhouse]. So I want them to have a chance to tell their own story."
The offer first came last month, when Smith got a call from the Arizona-based travel agency Music Celebrations International (MCI). Each year, MCI helps contact and choose marching bands from across the country that will represent their respective states in the parade.
While he had "no idea" how they discovered Hillhouse, it felt like an easy and immediate yes. The band, which has for the past years marched in both the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade and the New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade, has been working to build itself back from the Covid-19 pandemic for years. Students sounded ready to him. And then there was the chance to show people what the best of Connecticut could look like.
"Not only are we representing the school, the city, and the state through the performing arts—we're representing academics as well," Smith said. "I have honors students. I have 4.0 students. I'm hoping that it will help recruit band members too."
For Smith, who at 36 still has a baby
face and infectious laugh, there's also a sense of paying it forward. When he was in high school at Hillhouse, the marching band traveled much more than it does now (at the time, the school also had a drill team that performed alongside them). When he was a freshman at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), he joined the Hillhouse band to play at Walt Disney World as an alum.
Two decades later, that love for the band has come full-circle: he’s both a beloved mentor and a rigorous educator, with students who get excited to walk through the door of his classroom after school.
“I feel it’s special because Smith took the band from nothing to this,” said sophomore Sebastian Gonzalez, who is part of the drumline. While he started playing the drums at Barnard Environmental Science & Technology School (B.E.S.T), Smith has helped him grow as a student in the past two years. “It feels very exciting but nerve wracking at the same time.”
Currently, the band has around 20 members, who range from longtime musicians to underclassmen who just started playing last year. The $45,000 will cover travel, transportation, lodging, food, and costs associated with the parade. Smith plans to have at least five pieces of music ready to go for the mile-long route, as well as works and cadences that specifically show off the drumline.
At band practice Thursday, several students said they are excited by the opportunity and hope to see it come to fruition.
Between feedback (“y’all got it?” Smith asked of “Let’s Dance” at one point, and the room burst into a resounding “yes!”), many of them described an experience in marching band that has been transformative for them.
Sophomore Luis Baez, who plays the trumpet, burst into a smile when asked what a chance to play in D.C. would mean for him. For years, music—first the flute, and now horn—has helped him navigate academics and relieve stress. At Hillhouse, he said, that's largely credit to Smith's dedication as a teacher.
"It's a really big opportunity and I'm so happy to be going!" he said before scurrying back to his seat. "If we don't go, it's gonna crush my dreams. I want everyone to know the Hillhouse Band."
"When I play, all my stress goes away because I'm doing something that I love,” he added just a moment later.
As she struck up an arrangement of David Bowie's "Let's Dance," junior Brenda Zecua perked up in the front row, her flute suddenly light and nimble between her fingers. Born and raised in New Haven, Zecua doesn't get many chances to travel beyond New Haven, she said. Visiting the nation's capital would be huge. "I feel excited," she said, adding that she’s only been playing the flute for a year, and soaking up information like a sponge. "I really enjoy seeing the smiles on everyone's faces when they hear the music."
Band director Joshua Smith: "I want them to have a chance to tell their own story."
Zariah Dumas and the woodwinds.
Zariah Dumas and the woodwinds.
Luis Baez.
Senior Brandon Fullerton, who joined his freshman year.
Arts Council of greater New Haven
The Hillhouse Band has accepted the invitation to represent the state of Connecticut in the official 2025 Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. The trip features a tour of the memorials (MLK, Vietnam, WWII, etc.) and more, which would take place over the Memorial Day weekend. This trip will not only be for performing arts, but this trip will be educational for our students.
We are looking for sponsors and donors to help us reach our financial goal to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, food, the tour, and uniforms & equipment (including repairs), which totals about $45,000. We have hosted a few fundraisers since the start of the school year, but it is not enough to cover the cost of trip. We are calling out to the community for support.
Black Lives Matter Plaza To Be Removed In DC Amid GOP Pressure
Black Information Network
The Black Lives Matter plaza erected in Washington D.C. following George Floyd’s murder is set to be removed. On Tuesday (March 4), D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced that the plaza, just one block from the White House, will be repainted and renamed, per NBC4 Washington.
The move comes amid threats to interfere with the city’s management from Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump. Bowser made the announcement just a day after GOP Rep. Andrew Clyde introduced the legislation forcing the city to repaint and rename the Black Lives Matter plaza or be at risk of losing millions of dollars in transportation funding.
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional
interference,” Bowser said in a statement on Tuesday. “The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern.”
The two-block stretch of 16th Street NW north of the White House was designated as the Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2020 as protests erupted across the nation over police brutality.
Legislation introduced by Clyde requires the city to remove the Black Lives Matter lettering from the street, rename the intersection to Liberty Plaza, and remove any mention of Black Lives Matter from the city’s websites and official documents. Bowser said Tuesday that the plaza would be repainted as part of a citywide mural project in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday next year.
In a statement, Clyde said he was “pleased” with Bowser’s move to remove the plaza but noted that he would keep pushing his legislation until it’s “officially gone for good.”
Court Blocks Trump Administration’s Attempt to Freeze Federal Funding for States
A federal court has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze essential federal funding to states, marking the second legal setback for the administration in as many days. The ruling comes after Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a multistate lawsuit challenging the funding freeze, arguing it would have devastating consequences for state programs and research institutions.
“States and research institutions rely on federal funding to provide services our residents depend on,” Raoul said. “These two preliminary injunctions will prevent the Trump administration’s ludicrous and unlawful policies from being enacted.”
Raoul emphasized how the freeze could have crippled programs in Illinois, including efforts to protect children from online predators and medical research initiatives at state universities. His office runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which depends on federal grants to investigate child exploitation crimes and train law enforcement.
The court’s preliminary injunction came after Raoul and a coalition of at-
torneys general sued to stop the administration from blocking a wide range of federal agency grants, loans, and financial assistance programs. The judge found that the states were likely to succeed in their claim that the funding freeze was unlawful, citing the critical role federal money plays in programs ranging from childcare to emergency response and workforce development.
Raoul and other attorneys general first took legal action on January 28, securing an initial temporary restraining order (TRO) on January 31. They later sought a preliminary injunction to ensure federal funds remained available. In a ruling issued today, the court not only granted the injunction but also ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prove by March 14 that it was complying with the order to unfreeze funds. Without access to FEMA grants, states could struggle to respond to disasters, including terrorist attacks, wildfires, mass shootings, and cybersecurity threats.
Yesterday, a separate court ruling blocked another Trump administration policy that sought to cut billions of dollars
in funding to universities and research institutions. The Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had planned to reduce funding for medical and public health research, prompting a lawsuit from Raoul’s coalition. The court ruled in favor of the states, preventing the cuts while the case continues.
The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the U.S., supporting advances in cancer treatment, Alzheimer’s research, and early detection of diseases. Illinois institutions have benefited significantly from these funds, with recent grants helping the University of Illinois develop new treatments for drug-resistant bacteria and childhood cancer, among other breakthroughs.
Joining Raoul in the lawsuits are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Questions about your bill?
Yale New Haven Hospital is pleased to offer patients and their families financial counseling regarding their hospital bills or the availability of financial assistance, including free care funds. By appointment, patients can speak one-on-one with a financial counselor during regular business hours. For your convenience, extended hours are available in-person at Yale New Haven Hospital once a month.
Date: Monday, March 17, 2025
Time: 5 - 7 pm
Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting
Parking available (handicapped accessible)
An appointment is necessary. Please call 855-547-4584
Spanish-speaking counselors available.
• Cremation (Choose to be cremated at Evergreen.)
• Columbarium in the Most Beautiful Cremation Garden
• Reserve your Niche in a secure location pre-need.
• Reserve a Niche for family and friends or purchase at-need to safely place your Loved One in the Columbarium.
• Burial Lots (infant, single, two-grave, or four-grave)
• Monuments & Markers (black, gray, or pink granite)
• Flower placement (single or multiple placement)
• All orders can be placed at the Evergreen office or the website.
Federal Firing Leaves Gaping Holes
By April Ryan
The federal government has many loose ends to tie after firing massive numbers of government employees and contractors, particularly in one department that once dealt with diversity. To protect fired employees from retaliation, an anonymous contractor terminated on Valentine's Day, February 14, has expressed concerns that they still have government devices and equipment and active government emails.
The devices include laptops, monitors, computers, printers and more. The fired contractual workers have access to their government email as well as keycards that give admission for parking, building, computers, and government website access. The program manager over the department's contract in charge of the fired contractual employees called the Program Management Officer of the federal agency that handles these matters to return the devices. It was said the call “was not two minutes” and the PMO said she could not talk to the project manager anymore as she was threatened with jail if they talked again. The PMO official stated, another agency “OAS will contact
you.”
About a month later, the employees are now being told the government is in the process of returning the equipment. Fired government employees who still have active government emails received messages on those government emails and their emails. The fired workers who received no severance will be directed on when and where to return their government devices. Those who live too far away will be directed how to mail the items back to the government. In the meantime, there is a very real concern that someone who could be disgruntled could decide to do something harmful on a government website if they still have active keycards. On a related note, before the employees were told they were fired they were mandated to scrub websites of any words of diversity and equity even if it was not related to culture, race, or gender. This group of contractual employees were also told to tell on other employees who were not following the mandate of Elon Musk and DOGE. Without identifying the department, location, and workers, this group of fired contractors worked on a specific federally funded program that dealt with race and gender.
Request for Proposals Elevator Consultant
360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking proposals from a qualified Elevator Consultant. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing. cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 3:00PM.
South
Central Regional Council of Governments
Draft Public Participation Guidelines
The public is invited to offer comments from March 3, 2025, until April 18, 2025, on the Draft Public Participation Guidelines for the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG). The Plan documents the actions taken by SCRCOG to facilitate public participation in transportation planning, in accordance with Title 23 CFR 450.316.
Copies of the Draft Public Participation Plan are available at www. scrcog.org. Hard copies are available upon request to James Rode at jrode@scrcog.org.
Public comments may be emailed to jrode@scrcog.org or mailed, postage prepaid, to James Rode, Principal Transportation Planner, South Central Regional Council of Governments, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor West, North Haven, CT 06473 with receipt in both cases by no later than April 18, 2025. Public comments may also be offered at a Hybrid Public Meeting on April 9, 2025, at 12 pm. Instructions for participating in the Public Meeting will be posted at www. scrcog.org no later than 10 days before the event.
360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.
Invitation for Bids Fire Panel System Repair & Service
360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking a qualified contractor to provide Fire Panel System Repair & Service. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, March 3, 2025, at 3:00PM.
360 Management GROUP
Request for BID Marshal Services
The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Fiscal/Administrative Officer in the Intergovernmental Policy and Planning Division.
Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 250213&R2=1308AR&R3=002
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Labor Relations Associate Trainee (Leadership Associate (Confidential)) in the Office of Labor Relations.
Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 250211&R2=5989VR&R3=001
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
REQUEST FOR BIDS
Architectural Repairs and Improvements at Union Station Building New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven Parking Authority Project #23-020
Bids due March 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM EDT
Bid Documents including Special Notice to Bidders for Community Subcontracting Opportunities, Project Manual, Drawings and Bid Forms will be available beginning Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at no cost to you by downloading from the BuildingConnected FTP system website. Please contact Maryann Bigda of Turner Construction Company, which is the New Haven Parking Authority’s professional construction program manager, at (203) 712-6070 for BuildingConnected FTP system access information.
The New Haven Parking Authority will receive sealed bids for Architectural Repairs and Improvements at Union Station Building, NHPA Project #23-020, until 3:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. All Bids shall be submitted through the BuildingConnected FTP system. Bids may be submitted at any time leading up to the specified due date and time and will remain sealed within the BuildingConnected FTP system until the specified due date and time. The New Haven Parking Authority will be conducting a virtual public bid opening using the Zoom Link provided in the Bid Documents. At this Zoom bid opening, all bids will be publicly opened and the name of the Bidder and its total Bid Price will be read aloud. Bids received after the time set for the opening will be rejected.
The work for this project includes, but is not limited to: main & anterior lobby refinishing, upper floor common area interior repairs, stairwell repairs & improvements (including miscellaneous metals), floor & tile repairs, cleaning of limestone & marble walls, cleaning of main waiting room lights, replacement of brass door assemblies, miscellaneous tenant space repairs, exterior repairs (including masonry & waterproofing repairs), terracotta cornice cleaning and repairs, hazardous building materials abatement, miscellaneous coordination, together with all incidental work thereto and in accordance with the Bid Documents. This project is funded through the State Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and, as such, is subject to certain requirements of the State Capital Funding Agreement.
Bidders will be responsible for the requirements of ALL documents made available and will not be relieved of responsibilities for requirements indicated in any bid documents not downloaded or viewed.
Bidders must submit with their Bid on forms provided a list of their Intended Subcontractors, together with CHRO contract compliance requirements, including:
a. the utilization of DAS-certified Small Business Enterprises (“SBE”) for a requirement of at least 30% of the Bidder’s entire contract value;
b. the utilization of DAS-certified Minority owned Business Enterprises (“MBE”), Women owned Business Enterprises (“WBE”) and/or Disabled owned Business Enterprises (“DisBE”) for a requirement of at least 25% of the Bidder’s entire contract value. Please note that the MBE, WBE, and/or DisBE are part of the SBE; and
c. Independent of the SBE/MBE/WBE/DisBE requirements herein, a minimum of 10% of the Bidder’s entire contract value must include businesses having a place of business within the City of New Haven limits.
A satisfactory bid bond executed by the bidder and acceptable surety in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the total bid shall be submitted with each bid.
Lowest Responsible and Qualified Bidder: As used in this section, “lowest responsible and qualified bidder” means the bidder whose bid is the lowest of those bidders possessing the skill, ability and integrity necessary to faithfully perform the work. As a prerequisite, all Bidders with a contract value in excess of $1,000,000 must be pre-qualified by DAS. Additionally, all subcontractors with a subcontract value in excess of $1,000,000 must be pre-qualified by DAS.
The New Haven Parking Authority is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Minority/Women/Disabled Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply.
DEPUTY
FIRE CHIEF
The Town of Wallingford is seeking qualified applicants for Deputy Fire Chief to perform highly responsible fire service administrative work. The position requires a high school diploma or the equivalent, plus 10 years of progressively responsible career fire department experience including at least 4 years as an officer in a career fire department, or any combination of experience and training which provides a demonstrated potential for performing the duties of the class. Applicants must also possess Connecticut or National Registry certification as an (EMT) or higher, a valid State of Connecticut class D driver's license, and certifications as a Fire Officer I and Fire Instructor I or higher from the Connecticut Fire Academy. Salary: $105,509 to $134,115 annually. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of March 28, 2025, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
MONROE HOUSING AUTHORITY/FAIRWAY ACRES
IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ELDERLY HOUSING! APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM MARCH 1st, 2025 – MAY 31st, 2025. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED OR POSTMARKED AFTER MAY 31st, 2025, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Eligible applicants must be 62+ OR 18+ if disabled. Rent calculation is based on 30% of your income. Tenants cannot pay lower than the base rent: $420/efficiency, $430/one -bedroom and ADA. Applications can be picked up at the office Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9-2 pm at: 358 Wheeler Road, Monroe, CT 06468, or by email at: housing@monroect.gov. Those that need assistance with obtaining the application and/or applying can call 203-261-7685. Assistance in another language will be made available to those that need it. Eligible applications will be chosen by lottery system and subject to background checking. The Monroe Housing Authority does not determine eligibility based on age, ancestry, color, sex, race, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, lawful source of income, familial status, learning disability, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,
ELM CITY COMMUNITIES
Request for Proposals Energy Consultant Services
The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms Energy Consultant Firms. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, March 10, 2025, at 3:00PM.
PLUMBING WORKERS NEEDED.
Have you ever wanted to become a plumber or work in the plumbing field? LBR Mechanical Corp is seeking plumbing mechanics, journeymen and helpers for a construction project located in Bridgeport, CT. Experience in plumbing/heating, construction and roughing a plus. Will train the right candidates. Driver’s license and proof of citizenship required. Please call 914-276-1493 for an application to start your new career.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR
THE ELM CITYCOMMUNITIES, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH)
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE LIPH ADMISSION AND COMTINUED OCCUPANCY PLAN (ACOP) AND HCV ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN (ADMIN PLAN)
Elm City Communities, the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (ECC/HANH) is proposing to amend sections of its Low-Income Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan (Admin Plan).
Copies of the amendment to the ACOP and the Administrative Plan will be made available on Monday, March 9, 2025, on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities or Instagram @elmcitycommunities_hanh.
You are invited to provide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, ACOP & Admin Plan Revisions; Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.
A public hearing where public comments will be accepted and recorded is scheduled for Monday April 7, 2025, at 3:00pm
Via RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/553075769?pw=df5d7fa05943d7cfd1779b59f8d54312
Meeting ID: 553075769
Password: hwj2gFCY9q
Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434.
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA ELM CITYCOMMUNITIES
AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) ENMIENDA PROPUESTA AL PLAN DE ADMISIÓN Y OCUPACIÓN CONTINUA (ACOP) DE LIPH Y AL PLAN ADMINISTRATIVO DE HCV (PLAN ADMINISTRATIVO)
Elm City Communities, la Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Haven (ECC/HANH) propone enmendar secciones de su Política de Admisión y Ocupación Continua de Vivienda Pública para Bajos Ingresos (ACOP) y el Plan Administrativo de Vales de Elección de Vivienda (HCV) (Plan Administrativo).
Se pondrán a disposición copias de la enmienda al ACOP y al Plan Administrativo el lunes 9 de marzo de 2025 en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o a través de Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities o Instagram @elmcitycommunities_hanh.
Se le invita a proporcionar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, ACOP y Admin Plan Revisions; A la atención de: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.
Se ha programado una audiencia pública en la que se aceptarán y registrarán los comentarios públicos para el lunes 7 de abril de 2025 a las 3:00 p.m. metro.
A través de RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/553075769?pw=df5d7fa05943d7cfd1779b59f8d54312 ID de la reunión: 553075769 Contraseña: hwj2gFCY9q
Cualquier persona que requiera una adaptación razonable para participar en la audiencia puede llamar al Gerente de Adaptaciones Razonables (203) 4988800, ext. 1507 o al número TDD (203) 497-8434.
Fighting to Keep Blackness
By April Ryan
As this nation observes the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, the words of President Trump reverberate. “This country will be WOKE no longer”, an emboldened Trump offered during his speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Since then, Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell posted on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter this morning that “Elon Musk and his DOGE bros have ordered GSA to sell off the site of the historic Freedom Riders Museum in Montgomery.” Her post of little words went on to say, “This is outrageous and we will not let it stand! I am demanding an immediate reversal. Our civil rights history is not for sale!” DOGE trying to sell Freedom Rider Museum
Also, in the news today, the Associated Press is reporting they have a file of names and descriptions of more than 26,000 military images flagged for removal because of connections to women, minorities, culture, or DEI. In more attempts to downplay Blackness, a word that is interchanged with woke, Trump supporters have introduced another bill to take down the bright yellow letters of Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., in exchange for the name Liberty Plaza. D.C. Mayor Morial Bowser is allowing the name change to keep millions
of federal dollars flowing there. Black Lives Matter Plaza was named in 2020 after a tense exchange between President Trump and George Floyd protesters in front of the White House. There are more reports about cuts to equity initiatives that impact HBCU students. Programs that recruited top HBCU students into the military and the pipeline for Department of Defense contracts have been canceled. Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing back against this second-term Trump administration's anti-DEI and Anti-woke message. In the wake of the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, several Congressional Black Caucus leaders are reintroducing the Voting Rights Act. South Carolina Democratic Congressman James Clyburn and Alabama Congresswoman Terry Sewell are sponsoring H.R. 14, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Six decades ago, Lewis was hit with a billy club by police as he marched for the right to vote for African Americans. The right for Black people to vote became law with the 1965 Voting Rights Act that has since been gutted, leaving the nation to vote without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. Reflecting on the late Congressman Lewis, March 1, 2020, a few months before his death, Lewis said, “We need more than ever in these times many more someones to make good trouble- to make their own dent in the wall of injustice.”
Rep. Al Green is Censured by The U.S. House After Protesting Trump on Medicaid
By Lauren Burke
In one of the quickest punishments of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the modern era, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) was censured by a 224198 vote today in the House. His censure featured no hearing at the House Ethics Committee and his punishment was put on the floor for a vote by the Republican controlled House less than 72 hours after the infraction in question. Of the last three censures of members of the U.S. House, two have been members of the Congressional Black Caucus under GOP control. In 2023, Rep. Jamal Bowman was censured.
On the night of March 4, as President Trump delivered a Joint Address to Congress, Rep. Green interrupted him twice. Rep. Green shouted, “You don’t have a mandate to cut Medicare, and you need to raise the cap on social security,” to President Trump. In another rare event, Rep. Green was escorted off the House floor by security shortly after yelling at the President by order of GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson. Over the last four years, members of Congress have yelled at President Biden during the State of the Union. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor-Greene was joined by Republi-
can Rep. Lauren Bobert (R-CO) in 2022 in yelling at President Biden. In 2023, Rep. Greene, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) yelled at Biden, interrupting his speech. In 2024, wearing a red MAGA hat, a violation of
the rules of the U.S. House, Greene interrupted Biden again. She was never censured for her behavior. Rep. Green voted “present” on his censure and was joined by freshman Democrat Congressman Shomari Figures of Alabama who also
voted “present”.
All other members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted against censuring Green. Republicans hold a four-seat advantage in the U.S. House after the death of Texas Democrat and former Houston
Mayor Sylvester Turner yesterday. Ten Democrats voted along with Republicans to censure Rep. Green, including Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who is in the leadership as the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. “I respect them but, I would do it again,” and “it is a matter of conscience,” Rep. Green told Black Press USA’s April Ryan in an exclusive interview on March 5. After the vote, a group of Democrats sang “We Shall Overcome” in the well at the front of the House chamber. Several Republican members attempted to shout down the singing. House Speaker Mike Johnson gaveled the House out of session and into a recess. During the brief recess members moved back to their seats and out of the well of the House. Shortly after the vote to censor Rep. Green, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee quickly filed legislation to punish members who participated in the singing of “We Shall Overcome.” Earlier this year, Rep. Ogles filed legislation to allow President Donald Trump to serve a third term, which is currently unconstitutional. As the debate started, the stock market dove down over one-point hours from close. The jobs report will be made public tomorrow.
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