Urban Life News Issue 4: St. Valentine's Edition by Currentsee Magazine

uices for Life is more than a brand. We consider ourselves family to everyone who walks through our doors and to everyone who lives a juicing lifestyle. This includes all healthy lifestyles that will help our children, parents, siblings and all family members within our community. Although we sell fruits, vegetable, wheat grass, sea moss and Love Is Love protein powder, don’t forget that we are still a bar. We consider ourselves “Cheers” for the healthy folk. Instead of a shot of Whisky you can get a shot of wheat grass. If you need a healthy and cool social hangout spot that has a diverse group of people then come visit Juices For Life. Our mission as a brotherhood brand and family is to get as many people healthy and/or health minded as possible. Most people in poorer communities do not have health insurance and do not have regular doctor visits. Being more health conscious can limit unnecessary ailments caused by foods high in sodium, fat, etc. which will help the next generations to come.

Come check us out at one of our Juices For Life locations. If you cannot make it then try to supply yourself with the necessary tools so you can get busy at home. Let family and friends see you juicing, eating healthy and just feeling great overall and watch it spread. Love is love. Juices For Life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

Remembering Marcus Garvey

Publisher’s Word

Taxation of Ganja

Book Review: Think And Grow Rich

LIfe of The Party: Interview with Peter Shue

Visiting Expectations

Chef Bully: Chef to the Stars

The Grand Jury

Shout Outs: A Voice From Within

Rap Battle: Ma$e vs Cam

Taking Your Kids From Good to Great

Cityscapes Gentlemen’s Club

WE SALUTE YOU “BOY GEORGE” RIVERA “Boy George” was a multi-millionaire by the age of 21. A brilliant and powerfully ambitious entrepreneur who saw an opportunity and seized it. It’s alleged he made over $15 million in his two year run. He is currently serving life in prison.

WRITE TO GEORGE: George Rivera 16231-054 USP Beaumont U.S Penitentiary P.O. Box 26030 3

Beaumont, Texas 77720

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REMEMBERING MARCUS GARVEY 1887 - 1940 Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. was born in 1884 and was a proponent of Black nationalism in Jamaica and the United States. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. He also founded the Black Star Line, a shipping and passenger line which promoted the return of the African diaspora to their ancestral lands. Although many American Black leaders condemned his methods and his support for racial segregation, Garvey attracted a large following. Garvey’s philosophies would inspire many others, ranging from the Nation of Islam to the Rastafari movement, who proclaim Garvey as a prophet. Schools, colleges, highways, and buildings in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States have been named in his honor. The UNIA red, black, and green flag has been adopted as the Black Liberation Flag. Since 1980, Garvey’s bust has been housed in the Organization of American States’ Hall of Heroes in Washington, D.C. In 2011 the Obama Administration declined to posthumously pardon Garvey for a bogus mail fraud charge, for which he served several years in prison from 1923 to 1927.

“Our union must know no clime, boundary, or nationality… to let us hold together under all climes and in every country…” - Marcus Garvey

PUBLISHER’S WORD. I am grateful to those whom participated and assisted in making this month’s issue a reality. Thank you to all that made artistic and creative contributions. To the women of this struggle, I especially thank you for sharing the complications, uncertainties, fears and victories with our readers. Your testimonials are a great benefit to those that are currently supporting a prisoner. Whether as a wife, girlfriend, sister, other family member or friend- It takes a wise person to learn from their experiences, but it takes a wiser person to learn from the experiences of others. It is vital that we create a platform for the people that have lived through the system to share their personal stories. Urban Life News Magazine is all about creating a platform of expression, information, and explanation of all that is involved in the system as it relates to incarceration. Providing awareness to those men and women in all phases of incarceration; but more so explaining the system to the family of the prisoner. Enabling the prisoner to focus on the immediate and continuous hazards of living in prison in a certain way. Our ultimate goal is preparing the prisoner to reenter back into society. We are arming the supporting team and the prisoner with knowledge and insight in a way that has not been easily assessable. In addition, Urban Life News Magazine includes the benefit of entertainment with the latest news in hip-hop culture in its many aspects. To my brothers and sisters whom may be sitting in a cell, cube or dorm locked up - I would like to suggest, although the position you are in may not be a place where you wish to be- I boldly say, after having done an 11 year stretch up-north and 3 ½ a federal prison, the universe doesn’t make mistakes. We can only, at any moment in our lives be, where at that MOMENT our choices have landed us to be. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. However, this same principle works in our favor. All life began in a cell. Spiritually, life in a cell gives us an opportunity to become something new and improved. It also gives us the chance to correct in ourselves the things that needs correcting. All we have to do is apply ourselves. We must accept the valuable lessons out of the toughest of situations and conditions. In time, the gates will open and things will begin to work in our favor. Circumstances do not make or break any man; they reveal the man to himself. Unfortunate situations cannot persist or continue to hurt us if we learn from therm. How can

Demar “Jahliek” Tyson, Publisher

a situation that we have outgrown be large enough to confine us? How could we overlook important information in the preliminary stages of our case, if we read instead of playing cards or going to recreation? The justice system is unbalanced and biased, we are often overcharged and receive poor representation in the courts. However, if we chased freedom and personal transformation with the same attention we chased the things that landed us in a prison, all things would be achievable. In order to survive any aspect of the streets we must cultivate a strong work ethic. The habit of working through opposition and challenges that could knock one off their square. That begins right where you are.

Preparation creates expectancy. Expectancy creates a pathway to our goals.

I remain your publisher,

DemarJahliekTyson

Photo by Anthony B. Geathers Urban Life News salutes you for your outstanding work in the community. 7

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TAXATION OF

GANJA

At this point we all know of at least one state or jurisdiction that allows for at minimum the use of marijuana for medicinal or recreational use. As of January 8, 2018, the following states have legalized marijuana for recreational use: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Even though these states and several other states (when you bring medicinal marijuana into the equation) have relaxed or completely decriminalized the possession of marijuana, the federal government still treats cannabis as a scheduled narcotic. A scheduled narcotic is a drug or other substance that has a high potential for abuse. Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule I narcotic. In recent years, the United States Congress passed a law, which must be renewed annually, that prohibits the United States Justice Department from interfering with state medical cannabis laws. As of January 4, 2018, the United States Attorney General, Jeff Sessions did not renew this law and therefore, federal prosecutors can pursue marijuana cases in states where marijuana is legal. This is currently an ongoing issue in Congress right now so I will be keeping a close eye out on future legislation or changes within the current legislation. I can tell you this, Congress is not taking this lightly and several states, including Colorado and California are ready to fight as this industry has provided for or has the potential to provide for a surplus of the kind some of these states have never seen. Even before a state decides to legalize marijuana, the taxation of marijuana begins to form. Let’s start with the federal taxation of cannabis. The Internal Revenue Code (Code) governs federal taxation in this country. Generally speaking, gross income is what we are taxed on less any deductions or specific items that are not considered gross income. Gross income according to the Internal Revenue Code “means all income from whatever source derived…” then the Code allows for exceptions to this general rule. So reading it literally, all income from whatever source derived includes both legal and illegal activity. So while our federal government treats the cannabis industry as an illegal activity, certain portions of the Code are applied regardless of the industry in question and that is when the complications begin. All businesses are required to pay federal taxes on their gross income under the Code, even if the income arises out of an illegal activity. The return of capital is not subject to tax. Return of capital occurs when an investor receives a portion of his original investment and these payments are not considered income. So in this context, a business’s gross receipts (or sales) must be reduced by the cost of goods sold (COGS) in order to determine gross income before income tax can be assessed. For a business producing cannabis, COGS is calculated by taking inventories at the beginning of the tax year, adding current year production costs, and finally subtracting year-end inventories. For resellers, COGS is calculated by subtracting year-end inventories from current year purchases. In all other illegal businesses, the taxpayer may deduct all ordinary and necessary business expenses, as long as the expenditures themselves are not illegal under the Code. Still, under Code Section 280E, this section specifically precludes individuals or business trafficking in certain Schedule I and II drugs (recall, marijuana is a Schedule I drug) from claiming those deductions. Under Code Section 280E, taxpayers are prohibited from claiming deductions or credits in the trade or business of illegal trafficking of drugs listed in the Controlled Substances Act. Under this section of the Code businesses are also unable to deduct ordinary and necessary expenses that are not illegal 11

such as salaries, rent, utilities, etc. Recall as discussed above that this section of the Code does allow businesses to recover their investment in cannabis and also allows the reduction of gross receipts by cost of goods sold. After a business satisfies their federal taxation requirement, the state requirements need to be fulfilled as well. Taxation by the states varies from one state to the next, but we will discuss some of the more popular ways the states derive revenue from the cannabis industry. First, sales and use tax which generally speaking is a percentage of the amount of the sale. In some states, medical marijuana is exempt from sales and use tax, in other states it is taxed. Second, some states subject recreational marijuana to an excise tax, cultivation tax, privilege tax, and/or a special sales tax. In addition, cities and counties within the state may also impose a specific taxes on retail marijuana. Finally, states impose fees for sales tax licenses, producer’s licenses, processor’s licenses and seller’s permits. The same way there is a tax return required to be filed with the federal government, states also impose some taxation reporting requirements, such as retail sales tax returns, retail marijuana sales tax returns, and state personal and corporate tax returns. Any non-compliance on your part would result in heavy penalties and fines, as well as the potential for loss of license or permits. If you make a decision to join this industry in any capacity, just ensure that you obtain professional advice from organizations and personnel who specialize in this industry. The cannabis industry is growing and firms are finding new opportunities to serve this industry as more states slowly legalize marijuana. Cannabis dispensaries and recreational stores are currently about a $3 billion a year industry. This industry is known to have the highest percentage of companies with seven figures of revenue in Year 1. If you are thinking about diving into this industry that’s great I would love to welcome you, but this industry is constantly changing and evolving so you must always stay on top of all legislation including state regulations and federal regulations. That is where having an attorney or advisor to consult on state and federal changes comes in. My recommendation for anyone who decides to enter this industry is to remain compliant. Compliance includes paying and remitting all taxes on all levels, including city, county, state, and federal. Being compliant allows you to continue to make money and that is the whole point. If you don’t remember anything from this article, remember this one thing: All income from all sources derived, generally speaking is gross income regardless of the legality of the business. Jeneria Rhodes Contributing Writer J. T. Maxwell, CIA, EA, CFE, CPA, Esq. is the CEO of BayShore Tax & Consulting Group. The firm specializes in full accounting, business consulting, tax preparation and planning, tax resolution, and our newest division, cannabis accounting, where we specialize in providing accounting, tax, and advisory solutions to cannabis businesses.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE

FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINES How the Sentencing Guidelines Work

The sentencing guidelines take into account both the seriousness of the offense and the offender’s criminal history. Offense Seriousness The sentencing guidelines provide 43 levels of offense seriousness - the more serious the crime, the higher the offense level. Base Offense Level Each type of crime is assigned a base offense level, which is the starting point for determining the seriousness of a particular offense. More serious types of crime have higher base offense levels {for example, a trespass has a base offense level of 4, while kidnapping has a base offense level of 32). Specific Offense Characteristics In addition to base offense levels, each offense type typically carries with it a number of specific offense characteristics. These are factors that vary from offense to offense, but that can increase or decrease the base offense level and, ultimately, the sentence an offender receives. Some examples: • One of the specific base offense characteristics for fraud (which has a base offense level of 7 if the statutory maximum is 20 years or more) increases the offense level based on the amount of loss involved in the offense. If a fraud involved a $6,000 loss, there is to be a 2-level increase to the base offense level, bringing the level up to 9. If a fraud involved a$50,000 loss, there is to be a 6-level increase, bringing the total to 13. •One of the specific offense characteristics for robbery {which has a base offense level of 20) involves the use of a firearm. If a firearm was brandished during the robbery, there is to be a 5-level increase, bringing the level to 25; if a firearm was discharged during the robbery, there is to be a 7-level increase, bringing the level to 27. Adjustments Adjustments are factors that can apply to any offense. Like specific offense characteristics, they increase or decrease the offense level. Categories of adjustments include: victim-related adjustments, the offender’s role in the offense, and obstruction of justice. Examples of adjustments are as follows: • If the offender was a minimal participant in the offense, the offense level is decreased by 4 levels. 13

• If the offender knew that the victim was unusually vulnerable due to age or physical or mental condition, the offense level is increased by 2 levels. • If the offender obstructed justice, the offense level is increased by 2 levels. Multiple Count Adjustments When there are multiple counts of conviction, the sentencing guidelines provide instructions on how to achieve a “combined offense level.” These rules provide incremental punishment for significant additional criminal conduct. The most serious offense is used as a starting point. The other counts determine whether and how much to increase the offense level. Acceptance of Responsibility Adjustments The final step in determining an offender’s offense level involves the offender’s acceptance of responsibility. The judge may decrease the offense level by two levels if, in the judge’s opinion, the offender accepted responsibility for his offense. In deciding whether to grant this reduction, judges can consider such factors as:

parting, the judge must state in writing the reason for the departure. In January 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court decided United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005). The Booker decision addressed the question left unresolved by the Court’s decision in Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 {2004): whether the Sixth Amendment right to jury trial applies to the federal sentencing guidelines. In its substantive Booker opinion, the Court held that the Sixth Amendment applies to the sentencing guidelines. In its remedial Booker opinion, the Court severed and excised two statutory provisions, 18 U .S.C. § 3553 (b) (1), which made the federal guidelines mandatory, and 18 U.S.C. § 3742(e), an appeals provision. Under the approach set forth by the Court, “district courts, while not bound to apply the Guidelines, must consult those Guidelines and take them into account when sentencing,” subject to review by the courts of appeal for “unreasonableness.” The subsequent Supreme Court decision in Rita v. United States, 551 U.S. 338 {2007), held that courts of appeal may apply a presumption of reasonableness when reviewing a sentence imposed within the guideline sentencing range.

• whether the offender truthfully admitted his or her role in the crime, • whether the offender made restitution before there was a guilty verdict, and • whether the offender pled guilty. Offenders who qualify for the 2-level reduction and whose offense levels are greater than 15, may, upon motion of the government, be granted an additional 1-level reduction if, in a timely manner, they declare their intention to plead guilty. Criminal History The guidelines assign each offender to one of six criminal history categories based upon the extent of an offender’s past misconduct. Criminal History Category I is the least serious category and includes many first-time offenders. Criminal History Category VI is the most serious category and includes offenders with serious criminal records. Determining the Guideline Range

For additional information about the United States Sentencing Commission, contact:

The final offense level is determined by taking the base offense level and then adding or subtracting from it any specific offense characteristics and adjustments that apply. The point at which the final offense level and the criminal history category intersect on the Commission’s sentencing table determines the defendant’s sentencing guideline range. Sentences Outside of the Guideline Range

Office of Legislative and Public Affairs United States Sentencing Commission One Columbus Circle, NE, Suite 2-500 Washington, DC 20002-8002 (202) 502-4500 • FAX: (202) 502-4699 E-mail: pubaffairs@ussc.govIIwww.ussc.gov

After the guideline range is determined, if an atypical aggravating or mitigating circumstance exists, the court may “depart” from the guideline range. That is, the judge may sentence the offender above or below the range. When de-

Disclaimer: The characterizations of the sentencing guidelines in this overview are presented in simplified form and are not to be used for guideline interpretation, application, or authority.

FEDERAL SENTENCING TABLE

IF YOU ARE FACING A FEDERAL CHARGE, CONSULT WITH A FEDERAL SENTENCING LAWYER 15

BOOK REVIEW

THINK &

GROW RICH

BY NAPOLEON HILL

I am very often asked to recommend books. The average person does not read. When one of these people asks for a recommendation, I know they are after something. I know that whatever they are after, they are getting ahead of themselves. Rather than recommend a book having to do with the thing they are after, I always recommend a step back. Before the subject, before the plan of action, before anything at all is to be done, comes first, mindset. Attitude, and a realistic perspective on the course of events to follow in your pursuits are more important than the actions themselves.

I have studied Think and Grow harder than any other book, read it and listened to it over and over. In only a few short years I have gone from living in a small car with another big man to now what I feel is the top of the world and rising. I attribute most of this success to the change in mindset and the definite road map provided by Napoleon Hill. I had read over a thousand books before Think and Grow. I learned much history and science. I studied engineering, and architecture. I read the holy books of many religions. I read the classics and the moderns. I studied my own crafts and worked towards mastery of them. And I ended up homeless.

This is why my first recommendation is always the same, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill.

Being good is not enough. Being good at what you do is not enough. What happens in your mind determines your reality. In the absence of this understanding it is very difficult to win in this world.

Think and Grow is written as a manual. It is hard to misinterpret. It covers in great detail the steps to success and the diseases of attitude that prevent it.

There are many self-help, personal development, learn-to-win books. Almost all of them stem from Think and Grow.

How to be successful is a more important subject than how to do something, because you must learn how to be successful at what you are doing, or else join the legions of talented poor.

I have heard it said that there are only two books with enough wisdom in them to study throughout a lifetime.

What can be more important than success, when the alternative is failure? Failure is horrible. Failure is poverty, it is prison, it is dis-ease. I want abundance, freedom, and ease, for myself and my people. I tend to assume that someone looking to the wisdom of the ages is ultimately looking for these things as well. 17

You can guess the first. The second is Think and Grow Rich. Ryan Aleckszander @therealNotUs @RyanAleckszander Contributing Writer

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LIFE OF THE PARTY

PETER SHUE AN INTERVIEW WITH LEGENDARY HUSTLER

Peter Shue was a well known NYC party promoter who rose to the top of the drug game and fell when taken down by Federal Agents. He had the power to transport his dreams into reality. A pioneer of his time, he became the Great Gatsby of New York City party life. Everyone attended Peter’s parties from the average Joe, to Wendy Williams, Madonna, Diddy, Mike Tyson, Mary J., Keith Sweat, Heavy D., Richard Pryor, Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Charles Oakley, Eddie Murphy just to name a few. Peter Shue treated everyone like VIP’S. Urban Life News Got the exclusive interview Q. Peace. Peace. This is your boy Tyson from Urban Life News Magazine. We have the great Peter Shue. We just want to introduce you to him. And we want to – we appreciate Mr. Shue for having us in his home. This is a privilege and a honor. We are going to talk to him and allow you guys an opportunity to get inside his mind and see his experiences. See the game, see the world, see the conditions -- excuse me -- the conditions of these institutions through his mind, and through his experiences. So Mr. Shue, thank you for having us, man, it’s a honor. A. Thank you for having me, and wanting to interview me, I appreciate it, you coming out here to interview me. And, um, you know, we are going to make this a hell of an interview. Feel free to ask me any question. Q. Absolutely. Absolutely. I got a list of a few things I just want to touch on that’ll give some insight to those,

specifically, the young men and women who are in institutions at an alarming rate. We notice the statistics is that about 85 percent of our community populate almost 100 percent of the prison system. And so, for the sake of clarity, for those who may think they know you, who really don’t ormay not, or may have heard some things, seen some other interviews of you on YouTube or Instagram, heard some stories about you and in the prison, what’s your name, and what borough are you originally from? A. I am Peter Shue, I’m the original. And, um, my thing is this, I am from the Bronx, but I don’t claim the Bronx, I claim New York. I am from New York. If they ask me what borough I’m from, I tell them, but I am from New York. That is one of the problems now with New York brothers, you know. They don’t -- they always try to, you know, confine themselves. I’m from Brooklyn, I’m from Bronx, I am from Staten Island, I’m from Manhattan. Nah. You’re from New York. That’s -- that’s -- that’s what happens when they go away. When they get locked up they start talking about that borough stuff. You make New York look like clowns when you do that, that’s why people got to stop that. You’re from New York, that is the strongest town in the U.S. So you know, we have to represent it in a better way. And since I’ve come home, I see a lot of things are crazy out here, you know, with the young people growing up. Q.

Absolutely.

But I claim New York, I never claim nothing else.

Q. It’s funny -- it’s funny you mentioned institutions, because I did some federal time inside of a federal institution. Specifically, there’s a lot of segregation -- the Brooklyn car, the Bronx car, the Queens car, Long Island car. So in comparison to other states, it seems that they are little bit more unified in that regard. A. Well, when it comes to that, right, I pay that no mind, you know. Brothers who do that are ridiculous, that just shows you how naive brothers can be, from that learning and not knowing. Yes, I would I say other states do represent better than us, they say where they are from and they don’t say the borough. They say I’m from D.C., I’m from Philly, I’m from, um, Detroit. I know people from everywhere, so we are the only ones who do that dumb shit -- I don’t mean to curse -- you know, but it bothers me of how naive we can be. Just like, you know, the West Coast started with the gang stuff, they brought the gang stuff to the East Coast, it didn’t do nothing for us. The young dudes going in and out of jail, not it is what it is. Everybody got to learn on their own and be leaders, be their own leader. I don’t build followers, I build leaders. Everybody has the right to make their own decision, but, wow, the decisions the brothers make out here is crazy. Q. Just so the people who are watching and later on reading and understanding who you are, what we are talking about, and then we can move on to some other things, how much time did you do and what was your charge? A. Well, my charges were conspiracy to purchase cocaine and redistribute. So you know -- and I had a gun case, too, possession of a gun. So I got a 296-month sentence, which is 24 years and 8 months, if I am not mistaken. I ended up doing 21 years, so that’s what happened to me. You know, like, it’s a lot of time to do. A lot of people are not here to talk about the time they did. Either they die in jail, or they become so sick they can’t get on line, you know. I have a strong foundation, credible brothers who stood up, I love them to death. And I give a shoutout to all of them, the ones that came home, you know, like, two of Lynch Mob, Ice and them from the Boy George case. So many brothers that came home came, Gotti and them from Brooklyn, you know, I may forget some people, you know it’s so many poem, I love all of them. And, you know, the ones in jail that are never coming home, that I wish could come home and deserve movies after them. Instead of the rats get all of it. You know, like, Guy Fisher, Underwood, Peter, Prince, Scooter, Tutt, Lu Hobbs, Kendu, all these brothers, we hung together, we had good times. It’s sad for me to know that it might be a chance -- I might not be able to hang out with them anymore in the future. But, you know, I speak to a couple of the brothers that’s in there and we correspond and kick it all of the time. Iam trying to get things right so I can take care of all of them. Q. That’s honorable, not just for the sake for the interview because in my mind this is not just an interview, this 21

is, um, this is me having the honor of having a conversation with someone who came before me, you know, what I’m saying. I came up in institutions, I did three bids. Just like the names you mentioned, I heard your name as well. So in New York State, these guys you mentioned were essential people in your community at those times, and sometimes we tend to forget. I believe the whole world is emulating these men, whether directly or indirectly, and we don’t give true homage and respect. A. Anybody that wants to keep it real, know that’s the rap game, the entertainment game, that all came from us. So you have to salute a lot of brothers from back in the day, I know people salute Peter Shue, they love me, and I love them too, don’t get it twisted, they are my brothers and sisters. But we have people that came before me. So you have Guy Fisher, Underwood, you’ve got Mike Mellon (phonetic) and them, my man Rowmart (phonetic) and Ice, you’ve got so many good brothers, so many. You have a whole bunch of brothers, Peter Santos, good dudes we can do movies on. Chazz -- a shout-out to Chazz -- that’s my brother. He’s got a movie deal going, and it’s going to be an excellent movie, because it’s unique, it’s what they were doing. He had a bank case, so it’s going to be real -- real --I think it’s going to be a real super movie, to tell you the truth, I’m rooting for him. And then we have brothers like Guy Fisher who had something to do with the Apollo. We have Underwood, he had something to do with New Edition, Slade, so they deserve their due. And, you know, what disgusts me and I get so bent out of shape is because they do all these movies and stuff over the snitches, and they don’t do it on the real dudes. If you look at all of the movies that came out, and I am getting tired of going back and forth with the snitches, all right. They did what they did and I don’t respect them, and I don’t want to be around them. But my thing is this, they are still grown men, they don’t deserve what the brothers I just named deserve, the Lynch Mob, they deserve movies. They don’t get to do a movie on me. If you don’t like me, that’s fine, do a movie on them. A lot of people talk about, you know, I got more money than everybody out there, that’s not true. The whole thing is, you wouldn’t know if it was true. We don’t know who get the most money. I don’t go over to Terry’s house and knock on his door to see how much he’s made. So you can’t really elaborate on things like that. Q. No question. But what I want to see a change in is: Let my people go. When it comes to the drug cases, let them come house. Giving you 30 years to 40 years to life, you know, that doesn’t make sense for a drug dealer, when child molesters and pedophiles get less time. Rapist, they get less time. Let my people go. All drug dealers, nonviolent, the ones with violence that has something to do with the hustle game, let them prove themselves in jail, and get rehabilitated, but let them come home too. We know there are bodies on the cases -- on some of these people’s cases, but you have to look at it from a level of reality. The level of reality is either you kill me or I kill you, and so when it comes down to that, then I got to take you out. They had to take dudes out during the drug wars and the drug game, those shouldn’t be, like, a cold-blooded murder. Nah, they had to survive. So, yes, you

have to punish them, cause the law says, “Thou shalt not kill.” You have to punish them, but you don’t have to keep them in jail for the rest of their lives. The nonviolent ones that just have drug cases, man, you supposed to let them come home right away. Because who did more damage, an individual that molested your son or your daughter, or raped a lady or a man that sold drugs? Who did more damage? You aren’t forcing that person to buy the drugs, that person is coming to you to buy the drugs. It would be different if you forced them to shoot the dope, that crack, that speed, whatever they do. But in reality, they’re going to get it somewhere else. The only reason the government don’t sanction it is because they can’t make money on it. Once they can make money out of it, things will go legal, that is why weed is going legal, because they can make money out of it. Now, with that being said, why these brothers in jail for selling drugs trying to be a businessman, trying to make money for themselves? They didn’t kill nobody, you know, what I’m saying, they didn’t force the person to use the drugs. Meanwhile, a pedophile, he is going to play with kids. That’s his intention in his mind, you know. My mind isn’t going to that. When I sold drugs I didn’t go to one particular person, yes, I’ve got to give all of my drugs to him and make him use these drugs; or use them, or else. Nah. They come to you, I’ve got $50, what can I get? So there’s no reason to a lock a man up for the rest of his life, see what I’m saying? That’s what they are doing. They are making movies of these snitches, snitches that told on everybody, got everybody life, they are getting applause, movies, handshakes, money when they come home, parties, it’s disgusting. Nobody gave me nothing when I came home.’ Q.

I’m sorry, but they give block parties and celebrations.

A. I had to almost die for people to come and put money on the table to pay for my treatments, that’s when I first came home. A shout-out to McKensie, Lil’ Rob, and Bam, those dudes. Bam is my man, McKenzie. Me and McKenzie grew up together, he looks like me, so we had, you know, a bond. They fulfilled -- they showed me so much love, I cried, because they fulfilled their bond as a man. I was their brother and they said, nah. McKenzie said, no, we can’t let you die. You are an OG, we got to do something to get you right. Everybody put their money together, and that is how I found these people to cure my aliments, so... Q. I know one guy who did four years for 3 grams of crack. 3 grams of crack, not to justify it, but 3 grams of crack can fit in the palm of your hand. That’s three years, or it’s a program. There needs to be something put in place to get these guys right on track. If a young kid is selling crack that means we are overlooking some needs, again, we are not justifying it, he is either hungry, or some needs are not being met, so he is left to his own devices. He is trying to find a way, so we can intervene on that. These kids have no clue what is going on out here. What happens is they look to fit in. That’s like if you’re wearing -- we were just talking about Timbs, you’re wearing a certain type of Timbs all of your life, that is what you are looking for. See, what I am saying? You have to broaden your horizons and search for your identify. A lot of dudes, you can relate, the BET, MTV, want to watch girls all day, I’m going to

be Jay-Z. How many people can be Jay-Z? I’m going to be Michael Jordan. Q.

There is only one Jordan.

A. You have to get things that fit into you – you have to get something that fits for you. If you want to be a computer analyst, be the best computer analyst out there. If you want to make movies, be the best one to make movies. I’ve changed my life and started liking movies scripts and books, because I knew I couldn’t come home and be a drug dealer. I had to change my game. The crime is at an all-time high, so there is no way I am going to put myself in situation to never come home for a drug case. Whereas, it shouldn’t be like that. Q. How does one serve 20-plus years’ in an institution and maintain their sanity and come home with their faculties in order? Because a lot of people come home, and I am sure you’ve seen it on your own, they think they have it all together but their thoughts are not consistent with reality. So how do you preserve yourself? How do you maintain? A. Well, first of all, it isn’t easy, so don’t think, you know, it’s a walk in the park. But, you know, the same way you maintain out here when you are struggling with the 9 to 5, God has to bless you, people don’t realize. People think, oh, I was at the line, I made those foul shots. No. God let you make those foul shots. So my thing is this, you have to be strong to deal with some things like that ‘cause, you know, 20-something years killed me, it crushed me, I ain’t going to lie, and it crushed a lot of my friends. My sanity is still there. I lost a few things, you know, when it comes to me, inside of me or whatever, my health, all of that, you know, but my thing is this, I never lost my vision. Q.

Okay.

A. You can never lose your vision. Your vision has to be out there, one day I’m going to be a free man. I will get money again. I am not going to get it, not the same way, but I will get money. I will be successful, I will get my belt back. I felt when they took me to jail, it’s like somebody stripped me from my champion belt. I felt I was the champ, so I had to come back and try to be the champ again. We are all champs. All of my brothers in there, that 10 percent that didn’t tell, and home now. Or in jail, they are all champions to me, absolutely all of them. But I felt personally I wanted my title back, so I was hungry, I came out grinding and stuff. My cousin, he was telling me: Yo, you’ve got to slow down, because I was grinding so hard, that is how I got sick again. I wasn’t well enough, probably at that time, maybe 60 percent, and I was grinding, grinding and it drove me back to the hospital. It’s not easy dealing with the streets, trying to fit in with people, fitting in with people, paying your bills. Everybody gets stagnant, it’s the same thing, and have nothing in their pockets to show for it, so it’s frustrating. 22

I keep telling people, all of this is a part of you having to be strong and be patient and wait for God to – Q. I’m just going to cut you off before I lose my thought. You said frustration, before that, you said, believe in a vision. So for the brothers, ‘cause they are going to read these words when they are sitting in their cells. When they come into the jail, they are going to be looking to read this interview, you said you never lost your vision -A.

No.

Q. -- you never stopped believing that you would get your belt back. A.

I always wanted to go out on top.

Q. And -- I’m sorry -- frustration, they are going to get frustrated when they home. They are going to have to deal with setbacks, I don’t care how dope of a hustler you were, or how crafty you were in getting the dollar. A. Well, you got to get a job, that’s the first thing. If you don’t have a job, you hit. If you don’t have a foundation of people taking care of you, you might be Jay-Z’s man, so you’re straight. I got Jay-Z, he got me. I didn’t have that. 23

You need a support system.

A. You need a support system. When I came home, even though I knew everybody because I did favors, but nobody wanted to do a favor for me. Q.

Even you -- even you had to deal with that.

A. I get it. A lot of people think because of who you are exempt you from certain things. Celebrity-wise, all these dudes and females, they don’t even call me to say hi. One dude that was a celebrity, that was with me from back in the day, that is a shout-out to Charles Oakley. Q.

Okay.

A. When I was in jail he made sure I was all right. He gave me money when I came home from jail, he gave me money when my mother passed. So you know, the whole thing is, that’s a true friend. Me and Oakley didn’t grow up together, we hung out from ‘80-something, when he was a Knicks, and on. We had good times, but so -- but Mike Tyson, we all got drunk and hung out together, so did other players. But Oakley showed me that when you are with him, you are with him for free. It ain’t no – how

you say it -- obligation to the friendship, and that is just how I deal with people. Q. No expectations. A. Just being real. It just so happens that he is sincere as well. He did right by me. Q. Were there any moments of regret? You know, like, did you ever feel, like, oh, man, like, this wasn’t worth it? And, um, that’s a tricky question. By asking you that question, I am not asking you to now acknowledge anything other than that hasn’t been acknowledged, you know what I am saying, but your lifestyle, your experiences. A. Nothing is worth your freedom, I don’t care how much money. We had a ball, we traveled, we took jets, private planes, dudes -- we been was doing it. We went to Vegas, and Miami the next day. Soul Train Awards, we did all of that, but all of that fun I had, those 21 years that were taken away from me, nah, it doesn’t even out. So I don’t care how much money you make, your freedom is most important. Q. Yes. Contrary to what people might think about prison, prison is unpredictable and violent, right, there are no guarantees? A. You know, people -- when it comes to being incarcerated the only ones that don’t survive is the weak and the grimy, you know. But if you a good dude, straight standup, and stand on your principles, you don’t got nothing to worry about.

Q. We’re going to wrap it up in a minute. There are just a few things I want to touch on before we go, I don’t want to keep harboring on the prison thing, but it’s important that we utilize this moment and opportunity to reach back. How important is paperwork to you? A. It’s important in jail. In jail it is important to show your credibility, but they tamper with all of that paperwork in jail. It’s hard to find out who did it, who told, who didn’t, you know. Certain people that I know, that I grew up with, or I know of, that’s very important to me, I know they told them that. Even if like -- in Baltimore, not Baltimore, per se, but I have friends in Baltimore, and one of them will be so close to me, I know if he ain’t messing with somebody, something is wrong. I don’t have to go through all of that stuff. As far as New York, basically I know the real, I know the fake. There are a lot of dudes in jail saying they ain’t hot, but they’re hot. I mean, if it means nothing to you, if it ain’t that serious, so why don’t you come out and tell people you told? Why they don’t you do that? They keep talking about, you know, hiding the fact they snitched on somebody. Okay. If it’s not that -- or try to shoot it down, if it’s not detrimental, why don’t you come out and say you told. Be a man and say, I told on this guy. I told on that guy, you know, see what the people judge you on. That is what they need to do, but they are not going to do that, a lot them are faking.

Transcribed by Regina Dones

WATCH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE • LIKE & SUBSCRIBE!

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VISITING EXPECTATIONS

FROM THE WOMEN WHO LIVE(D) IT. “It takes a wise person to learn from their experiences But it takes a wiser person to learn from the experiences of others” Testimonial I By Nancy Faraj In 2010, my husband was sentenced to serve 3 years in a federal prison for food stamp fraud. I was heartbroken, however I never showed the guards that- even though- any chance they got, they tried to break me and put lies in my ear. On my first visit, one of the male guards that was checking me in asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this. I responded- “I’m 100% positive!”. He laughed and said I’m just being used for visits and money on his books, I responded and said- ok that’s fine, can I go into the visit I’m being used for? You should never argue or lose your cool with the guards- that is what they want. They want to break you. During my second visit, the same dumb ass guard was checking me in and he laughed in my face and said u again? I am like of course! U will be seeing every visiting day! The guard responded and said, “No not true, he has another visit last week”. I said ok, that is fine can I go into the visit I am being used for? He said of course u can but you are not the only girl on his visitation list, I am trying to help u out so u do not waste your time. I said that is so nice of you, but am I free to walk in now and I walked in my visit. This guard was so lucky I love my man, lord knows I would dropped kicked him. They will say just about anything to mess with u and make you not trust your man so u can leave him and your man can be in there alone stressing. The guards love to see them stressing but as a prison wife, we cannot let that happen. Never trust or believe anything they say, walk in with your head up always have a big smile. Always have a change of clothes for you and the kids, they can get dirty at times and make u change life. As a prison wife, all around is hard if u have to deal with hatin ass guards it is hard, but u stay strong they cannot keep them forever. In 2013 my brothers got convinced of CCI running a marijuana drug ring and conspiracy 1 brother the youngest got 24 years the oldest brother got charged with conspiracy he got 5 years and me I’m back to dealing with them asshole guards. Being a prison wife and visiting your husband, u are treated a different way then visiting a family member. You are treated like ur that family member behind bars- they think ur trying to bring stuff in that’s not supposed to be in there, they look at u funny and their attitude is on 200 and u can’t do nothing about it but say no sir yes sir thank u sir or ur visit will be canceled. They mess 29

Nancy Faraj & Husband with you even harder cuz it will mess with your loved one behind bars. My brothers were shipped to different states, I have visited different prisons and all the guards are the same. If you having a bad day and you still going to visiting keep in mind you’re about to face a jerk and you need to keep ur cool. Testimonial II By Jessica Woody My name is Jessica Woody. I have been visiting my husband for the last year in five different facilities in the New York area. These tips are from my personal experiences visiting upstate. I hope they can better assist anyone who is looking for information when visiting. 1. Bring (unexpired) photo I.D 2. If bringing a child you will need their birth certificate 3. Have on hand the person you are visiting DIN # 4. Make sure you call the jail first to find out visiting schedule for your loved one 5. Bring small bills for vending machines $1, 5, 10 as well as coins 6. Dress loose, try not to wear tight shirts especially if you have a big chest. Always wear pants or jeans with pockets. Nothing see through! 7. Always bring back up clothes. Extra pants/jeans shirts sweaters

8. Bus rides get there a little early so you can have a decent seat for the ride

15. For sneakers bring all the receipt for the sneakers make sure the box doesn’t have a different price on it 16. (Every jail is different) for clothing, no logos allowed on the shirts, socks, underwear, and pants

9. Bring a blanket and pillow, in the winter especially

17. Make sure your food items are plastic sealed

10. If wearing a dress has to be to the knee or longer

18. For certain foods and soaps can’t contain any alcohol in it. Make sure to read ingredients.

11. When you first walk in visiting house you have to fill out a visitor slip, package slip and an envelope if you are leaving money. Usually $50 is the max you can leave them

Testimonial III By Kiyanna Donohue-Sancho

12. You get one kiss/hug in the beginning of the visit and one at the end. Nothing in between unless you sneak at your own risk

1. Transportation: Not every van service goes to your facility. Be on time, if they will be doing door to door. Be at the meet area on time, if being picked up from there. They WILL leave you if you are not on time. The driver will give you fare and time information when you make reservations. He will also tell you when to leave from the visit to ensure you are picked up after your visit.

13. Bring toothbrush/paste if you’re traveling on the bus just so your breathe can smell fresh

2. Visiting hours are usually 8:30-2:30. Certain facilities go by odd/even din # on holidays & weekends. Be sure to ask before you make a trip upstate.

14. You’re allowed to bring a clear/ see through baggie or clutch to hold your $ and coins for the vending machines

3. Bring your ID, child birth certificate or notarized letter from parent if child is under 18.

Jessica Woody

4.They take a photo of you and you must go through a metal detector every time you visit an inmate. If you wear under-

wire bras, you may be asked to take it off to go through the 14. Follow @freeourlovedones on Instagram. This is an informametal detector. tive page for NY prison wives. She posts van services, pen pal info, package vendors & follower questions. 5. Bring quarters for lockers to put purse or cellphone in. 6. Bring singles! I always bring at least $40-$50 dollars. Most facilities allow you to bring it in a pouch (3x5) and one credit/ debit card. 7.No see through, lace or tight clothing. Some facilities don’t allow leggings unless you have a long shirt or cardigan to cover your bottom. If you are unsure bring extra outfit. 8.No slides or flip flops. Only shoes that have a strap in the back. 9. Don’t become too friendly with the c/o’s they are NOT your friend. 10. Visiting floor: you can hug & kiss before & after. Holding hands is ok. You can’t cross visit with another table. No straddling your mate or fondling. Up to 4 visitors on visit depending on facility. You will purchase food then. When it’s warmer outside you are able to visit outside. Most facilities have a kids play area/room. 11. Packages: You can drop off up to $50 (check/Money/Money order) in money envelope before visit. soon all facilities will only accept food packages from vendors. Until then, you may drop off packages 20/35 lbs. depending on the facility. Cosmetics do not count as part of the package. Sneakers: no pockets/bubbles on shoes. Deodorant: no alcohol in it. Clothing: he will tell you what colors he can have.

Kiyanna Donohue-Sancho & T. Sancho

12. FRP (trailer visit): Depending on the facility, you will have to be at the site either 9:00am or 11:30am. Visiting is over the 3rd day at 8:30am. They will be changing this process soon too, to 3 bag minimum. No glass, margarine/butter must be sticks. Ice cream: must have the plastic wrap around container. No frosting. No aluminum foil, or plastic utensils. You can bring paper plates, cups, 3 aluminum pans. You can also bring towel, washcloth or blanket from home but is not necessary due to the fact everything is provided for you in the trailer. If you take medication, must be surrendered to c/o when you arrive so he can document it. Bring a few quart ziplock bags In case you have to remove an item from its container. C/o will search your personal items and food bags before you are allowed to bring in trailer.

Testimonial IV By Miss Urban Life News

13. Festivals: Here’s where it gets a little fun... You can wear almost anything just not too revealing. This is a family event. You are able to talk with other couples and families. No Money is needed on these days because All food drinks and snacks are prepaid by the inmate. Make sure you have your id. Same process as regular visiting but more laid back. There’s music, games or sports for families to play. There are adult activities that happen on these days also, so don’t be surprised! This is your forewarning. I don’t bring my child to festivals because I don’t feel it’s appropriate unless you are far away from this activity. Small children ok but preteens and young adults no. This day is meant for enjoyment and being closer to your mate. Take advantage of it!

4. If bringing children, then the original birth certificate of the child(ren)

Below are the key items that a loved one must know or have in order to visit an inmate: 1. Get a visiting schedule. All facilities have a set schedule that goes by type of days, last names and/or alternating schedules. 2. Find out if must fill out a form to be pre-authorized visitors. Many state and federal prisons require this. They may do a background check so please keep this in mind. 3. Valid ID- Must not be expired and must be from a government institution.

5. Please double check with the facility you are visiting the max amount of people that can go on a visit at a time including children. Unfortunately, there are limitations. 6. Find out the type and color of clothing that is allowed in a facility. You will not be allowed to wear the same colors of the inmates. Also tights, leggings, see through and/or proactive clothing is not allowed. You will be turned away. 7. No metal wires in bras, some facilities do not allow jewelry, no metal clips, buttons on jeans may set metal detec-

tors off and you will be turned away. Please keep this in mind. 8. Always keep a change of clothing in case you are not allowed in with what you wearing. 9. Most facilities have lockers, some cost and some do not. Always keep change handy. 10. Since you are more than likely traveling to see an inmate it is best to leave all valuables at home as the prison is not responsible for any items lost, stolen or misplaced. 11. Purchase a plastic, transparent purse for visits. Most times the machines are broken and only accept coins so please keep that in mind. 12. Mind your business. You are there to see your loved one. Do not get caught up in prison drama because after you leave, your loved one is still there and will have to deal with the possible consequences of the drama. News travel FAST! 13. No paraphernalia. There may be dogs who will check prior to a visit. Keep this in mind for days prior to a visit. 14. No contraband. Once you are caught, you will be charged and no longer be able to visit. 15. Please check your status, if you have a warrant, parole violation or pending charges prior to visiting an inmate or you will be joining them. 16. You may meet people and find solace with those who are going through the same struggles, be mindful of who you befriend. 17. No sexual favors during visits. Hugging and kissing are usually okay in moderation, however once you caught doing anything further, and your visits will be taken away for extended periods or revoked completely. Your inmate may also be punished or sent to the box. 18. Have patience. This process is long and you are an extension of an inmate and unfortunately it reflects during the visiting process. 19. Expect the unexpected. Rules change every day, it can be a different shift, a new CO or different people get away with certain things. The only thing you can do is understand you are at the expense of the prison system and your goal is to see your loved one. 20. No bobby pins in hair, hair clips or body piercing. You will be asked to remove them. Mr. & Mrs. Urban Life News

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A father first but also a friend, a brother and a man who loves making food that will bring family and friends closer together.

When I started cooking at a certain restaurant, and saw that strangers loved my cooking.

Where are you from? Roosevelt, New York. How long have you been cooking? 15 Years and going. What was the first meal you prepared for DJ Self? Honey BBQ wings. What’s his favorite dish prepared by you?

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GRAND JURY

A CRITICAL STAGE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM At one time, grand juries functioned as a buffer between the people and the state. Today, they function as a weapon of the prosecution.

he grand jury is an independent body of citizens who decide whether an accused must stand trial for a felony. Its origins can be traced to a decree by England’s King Henry II in 1166. It was later guaranteed by King John in Magna Carta of 1215. Four centuries later, it was brought to the American colonies and the first regular grand jury was convened in Massachusetts Bay in 1635. No other nation has grand juries except Liberia, and only half the states in this country still have them. New York is one of them. The grand jury is mandated by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, § 6 of the New York State Constitution. Both provide that, “No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime, unless on ... indictment of a grand jury.” The U.S. Supreme Court said the grand jury “belongs to no branch of the institutional government, serving as a kind of buffer or referee between the government and the people.” Courts convene grand juries, but do not oversee them. A judge is not present. Instead, the prosecutor runs the proceedings.

The grand jury has two functions. As a sword, the grand jury functions as an investigative arm of prosecutors to gather evidence against a suspect by issuing subpoenas for witnesses and documents. As a shield, grand jurors decide if the government has sufficient evidence for an indictment. A trial jury is called a petit jury because it has 12 members for criminal cases, and as few as 6 for civil cases. Judges and lawyers determine who sits on a petit jury. In contrast, a grand jury has 16 to 23 members selected randomly from the public. Trials are open and anyone can attend, but grand jury proceedings are conducted entirely in secret. With limited exceptions, only the prosecutor, stenographer, and witnesses can be in the presence of grand jurors. The prosecutor selects which witnesses testify and the questions put to them. The prosecutor drafts the indictment and instructs the grand jurors on the law. The prosecutor is not obliged to inform a targeted suspect that a grand jury has been impaneled to indict him. The prosecutor can present constitutionally tainted evidence to grand jurors. The prosecutor is not obliged to inform grand jurors a witness is cooperating with the government in exchange for a deal. A prosecutor is not required to present evidence showing the suspect may be innocent. The prosecutor is not even required to tell grand jurors the targeted suspect wants them to hear specific evidence the suspect insists will exoner-

“Any prosecutor worth his salt can indict a ham sandwich.” - Sol Watchler

Sol Wachtler, New York’s former Chief Judge, told the Daily News “any prosecutor worth his salt can indict a ham sandwich.” In the public mind, an indictment carries a presumption of guilt. ate him. As the U.S. Supreme Court said, “The grand jury can hear any rumor, tip, hearsay, or innuendo it wishes, in secret, with no opportunity for cross-examination.” Rules of evidence and procedure differ somewhat in state and federal cases. A suspect has no right to appear before a federal grand jury. In a New York state case, if a defendant has been arrested and arraigned, then he has a right to appear and testify, but this is rarely advisable because his testimony can be used against him at trial. A defendant has no right to know the grand jury’s reasons for its decision to indict, nor the identity of witnesses against him unless such witnesses testify at trial. Targeted suspects are rarely subpoenaed before federal grand juries because they can invoke their right against self-incrimination and refuse to testify. Targeted suspects are never subpoenaed to appear before New York state grand juries because all witnesses have automatic immunity. For that reason, witnesses cannot invoke their right against self-incrimination. A witness may have a lawyer present – waiting outside the grand jury room in federal proceedings, inside the room in New York state proceedings – but that lawyer may not object to a prosecutor’s questions or speak to the grand jurors. Grand juries retain some independent power to question witnesses, and subpoena witnesses and documents not sought by the prosecutor. Most importantly, a grand jury can refuse to indict suspects targeted by the government. In practice, however, this rarely happens. If the grand jury finds probable cause the government has a case, it votes a “true bill” signed by the grand jury foreman. Only a simple majority is required, i.e., 12 votes out of 23. Double jeopardy does not bar another federal grand jury from indicting a suspect after a prior grand jury refused to do so. In a New York state case, the district attorney need courts approval to get a second bite at the apple before a different grand jury, but such approval is relatively easy to obtain.

Francois Annabi, Esq Criminal Defense Attorney Contributing Writer Life experiences, both in childhood and adulthood, shaped Francois Annabi’s destiny to become a criminal defense attorney. He was only an infant when his parents were convicted of selling narcotics. His father was sent to federal prison for sixteen years, and his mother, dragged down by the father, served two years. Many years later, Francois would once again have his life impacted by the criminal justice system. His sister, a popular elected official, was wrongfully convicted of bribery and sent to federal prison for six years. His sister’s wrongful conviction, in addition to his parents’ convictions, were key factors in Francois Annabi’s decision to become a criminal defense attorney. He interned for a renowned defense lawyer and volunteered for a non-profit organization that educates the public about wrongful convictions. He went on to start his own law practice in White Plains, New York. To quote Annabi, “Overall, the system works, but when it fails, it fails hard and lives get torn apart.” He can be contacted at:

Law Offices of Francois Annabi, Esq. 245 Main Street – Suite 340 White Plains, New York 10601 (914) 359-2400 francoisannabi@annabilaw.com 36

SHOUTOUTS F R O M A VOICE

WITHIN

To: Fu Strib

To: Desmick

Husband! I just want you to know that you’re loved tremendously. In the midst of all the chaos you still manage to stay grounded and focused. No matter what comes our way, know that your favorite girl is in this thing with you for the long haul. I love you.

Shout out to my fiance Desmick. My best friend my other half, no matter what is going on I will always be by your side. Since 9th grade I’ve cherished our friendship.

Hadiyya Strib

Your Honeybun, Justine

To: Tuffy aka Fresh

To: Alexander

Yo fresh whats good big bro im writing this with love from me and our big bro to let u know to hold your head high and your never forgotton wether wrong or right we know that you will stand up and face the consequences for any wrongs like the stand up dude you are hold it down as usual they still gotta hate it exit 21 gun salute HK the world you know we keep it ...Roosevelt first

#freethebro shout out to Alexander. I know things aren’t the best right now but keep your head up and think how one day we can be a family again with all of our children. We all miss you greatly and can’t wait on the day you return home to us. Words will never describe the love I have for you your my best friend my love my everything.

Your brothers URBZ AND GK

Love your wife, Grace Sanchez.

To: Ayman Marji

To: Sin

A special shout out to my cousin in Green Haven Correctional Facility, AYMAN MARJI, better known as “A” The realest, humblest and most genuine dude I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and looking up to! I’m proud to call you family. We all admire you, love you and miss you terribly! We will never stop fighting for your release. We can’t wait for the day you come home. Sooner than later INSHALLAH! Stay strong. Stay up. Stay blessed. Stay an inspiration to everyone on the outside (and on the inside). WE LOVE YOU.

Your Cousin, Francois Annabi & Family 37

My bro Sin cant wait to see you walk out that jail. bro you too smart to be sitting in there. We may not see eye to eye on everything but you know you my bro for life. 169 til the casket drop loyalty is everything.... Worldwide LA

SHOUTOUTS F R O M A VOICE

WITHIN

To: My Husband

To: Shaad

To my husband life has opened our eyes to many things , it has made our connections stronger, it has put us through hell and back 6 years in and if you had to ask if I would ride this bid with you again, my answer will always remain yes, You have Become my inspiration, mentally and spiritually your growth over the years and as your wife I am very proud of the man you have become despite your location, you are forever loved

I’m shoutin out my future baby daddy all the way from da ‘A’ ! Can’t wait until you come home to me and we get to building this empire. Stay positive, focus on the plan at hand and keep pushing to be greater than you already are my baby.

Tiara Stevenson

To: My King Please Believe Me When I Say That You Are Nothing Short Of Amazing! I Am So Grateful That The Forces Of The Universe Pushed Us Together. Life With You Has Been Blissful Ever Since! I Can’t Wait To Take On The World With You Side By Side. Remember Through It All, Its *Positive Vibes Only!!* I Love You!! *You My Fuck’n Baby* !!! On Everything !!! *MuahzZz* !!!

Much Love! Mo Money

To: Rico The count down is almost over my handsome husband. I cannot wait to see your smile, hug you, kiss you, and make you laugh. I love you much more than you know, cannot wait to be your arms forever. Missing and thinking of you always xoxo Your Wife, Cami

Sincerely, Ya LadyBugg

To: Shatiek

To: Q

I wanna give to my hubby Shatiek “Shagottithadon” Daniels. Located at green haven correctional facility. Baby I love you and doing this bid with you had its ups and down but even if they turned the clock back and asked if I would ride with you again id still say yes. 4 years going at five when they locked you in they took my heart soul and spirit and body along with it. Free or not .youll always be the ones other men will never become . Ill await your release we made it this far whats a couple of more.

My better half and my soulmate, please know that my days and nights begin and end with you. The constant support and love you give me everyday is irreplaceable. No matter what we may go through I got you forever! Us Never Them. I Love You, Ashlee

Delia 38

SHOUTOUTS F R O M A VOICE

WITHIN

To: My Husband

To: Sbrim

I would like to give my husband, a huge shoutout. Since u came in my life u showed me alot and made me so happy. Even though we not side by side right now, I’m by ur side for life, know that! So what that being said stay with ur head high and lets skip through this little set back,and get back to our future, love u Daddy

You’re my best friend, my rib, my pudding. I love u more with each passing day. I never thought I’ll be a prison wife but hey anything for the love of my life ... remember it’s always Us never Dem We ride 2gether we Die 2gether #freeSbrim I love you pudding

Mrs.Jenkins Skitterboobrown

Lashawn

To: Rider

To: Big Jimbo

To the love of my life my rider, I wanted to shout you out for the world to know how much I love you. Thank you for being the best thing that has ever happened to me, thank you for never allowing this situation get the best of us and always making me happy regardless the circumstances were in right now. I appreciate everything you do and how strong you are. I love you so much baby. Keep being strong! We Ride Together We Die Together!

You been locked 22 1/2 years and you have been able to still keep a level head. One of the chosen few that took the time like a man and never took anybody down. You will be home real soon souljah. Big Ace

Your wife, Gi

To: Soldiers Behind The Wall First off I wanna say thank you to Urban Life Magazine for allowing me to do this it’s definitely appreciate it. I wanna shoutout all my people’s who’s incarcerated it’s too many to name here’s a few names tho BZ, Stay I, Gutta , Curt , Rum , Despo , B-Hood, Blizz , Face , Melly-G , Bo-Mayo, J-Miz, Fly Ty , Kay-Slay , K.K , Ferd , Beanie, Poppy , Ducky Boy , Pookie , Biggade, Man-Man , Ron-G Joey , Yodie some of thaem are in the states & a few of them are in the feds Oh yeah I can’t forget shoutout to my unc Born Magnetic who just came home all so R.I.P to my Dad K-sun. signing out Wolfgang 39

To: T. Sancho I would write you a love letter but there isn’t enough paper to write down how much I love you! You saw something in me that you loved and I saw millions of things in you that I could never live without! I love you always, in all ways. Kiyanna Donohue-Sancho

SHOUTOUTS F R O M A VOICE

WITHIN

To: Big Ma$h

To: The One I Love The Most

This is my older brother Big Ma$h. He has accomplished obtaining his Diploma and several certifications. Currently launching a Urban Apparel Clothing Line; Ransom Money Gear (Ransommoneygear.com), his work ethic and determination is unfathomable. This will lead the charge to his freedom. #FreeMash

To the one I love the most. The one who holds home down . An awesome father and my best friend . I hate that this incarceration has separated us but you’ll be home soon. 5L Joey Da Jeweler

Don James

Tierre

To: Buck

To: Ny

You’re Always on my mind day and night that smile on your face when we visit shines bright. Your day will come soon just hold on tight your a good man and great dad even without you here. Incarceration wont break up our family no matters the years. Love you Buck

This shoutout is for u boo. I love and miss you more everyday. I can’t wait till you touch so we can do what we do best. This road hasn’t been easy but I’m here with and for you always. It’s just us handsome the best is yet to come ;)

Your Wife

Shay

To: Mr. Limp

To: Chyna Don

It’s not a day that goes by that I don’t look at your picture and cry asking God why he took my best friend my favorite guy. As I come to respect Gods plan ...and stop asking why, our bond grows stronger as I had L.D. your hand in this dark place they put you in saying and treating you like a monster but I know who you really are which is loving father a loving husband a loyal person who can always be a true friend even when they don’t deserve it. You still look for goodness within. Even when they don’t deserve a purpose but now the lights are out and no one is here my best friend, my better half I will be your rib and hold you down from the darkness and through your fears.

Shout out to my husband, my best friend, my other half, my soul mate, my everything. Just want to remind you of my love for you and let the world know that I love you. You are the best husband, father and provider and despite your current situation you still finds ways to make sure your family is straight, and we appreciate you for that...We love you Chyna Don Your wife, Nea

Teresa 40

SHOUTOUTS To W.T. Oree

To: King Tut

Thank you for being about that life...that life about getting that bag and flipping it! When you created a band of thieves, we were with you. When you published The Prisoner Lampoon, the first and only prison humor magazine, we saluted you for creating a platform for the other prison comedy writers. From a jail cell, you reached beyond the walls Now go our brother and show the world what fire forges.

I want to give a great SHOUT to my brother king tut WALTER tut Johnson one of the realest brother I known. Doing 11 years with my brother, I learn a lot of wisdom from him and want my brother to know that I will always keep his name alive. Love and loyalty from your brother

Tyson ULN

B.O PURPLE HEART

To: J.R.

To: My Husband

We holding it down for you out here keep you head up, better days will come soon! You know its a celebration when you come out!! But for now stay strong and weather the storm. This race isn’t to the swift but to he who endures. Many shall come but the chosen are few. These are the ones who choose themselves. Ten toes down always and forever. A man is not measured by what he say but rather the tough storms he weathers and the adversity he gets Love is love.

Often we get punished for things we have done at a point in time when we weren’t thinking but rather Angry! So I’m going to take the time to inspire and let the world feel this pain... May Allah forgive all my Sins! And may the youth learn from my pain!

A VOICE

FROM WITHIN

Azminah

@qdaboss @yourlilbro

To: My #1 Lady Shout out to my #1 lady, mommy I love you and thank you for everything. I am so sorry for not understanding the pain I caused you when I was out there. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make that right for us. ChiChi my twin even though you did me wrong your’re still my sister and I love you. Hopefully one day God can remove the hurt and in my heart and we can talk. but the damage was done and I doubt it. Pook my brother, blood couldnt make us any closer homie, I love you and thank you for holding me down. Flatline thank you for keeping it real and not forgetting me. Baby boy Leo aka lil pito, Na Na and Nyla, I love the 3 of you with all my heart. Not a day goes by that I dont think of you guys. Daddy loves you guys no matter what people say I love you.

Pito 41

LEARN HOW TO SEND YOUR OWN

SHOUT OUTS ON THE NEXT PAGE

HOW TO SEND

SHOUTOUTS F R O M A VOICE

WITHIN

Shout Outs Terms of Usage & Disclaimer: All ads will be printed as you write them and pictures will be posted as you take them. Do not send pictures with nudity or gang signs. Protect yourself. The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual or business and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Urban Life News. By using and viewing the Shout Out section you automatically agree to our terms of usage and disclaimer. We reserve the right to change or omit any ad.

STEP 1:

Select an image. No nudes or gang signs.

STEP 2:

On a separate piece of paper, Write a personalized message to the person in the picture, or something about yourself. Must be type-written.

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STEP 3:

Mail both to Urban Life News along with an institutional check or money order. No stamps

Fill Out and Include The Form Below:

Make checks and money orders payable to:

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Urban Life News Magazine 2270 Grand Ave Suite 6. Baldwin NY 11510

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Urban Life News Magazine 2270 Grand Ave Suite 6. Baldwin NY 11510

Rapper Ursa Major Performs

TALKING EARWAXX Who are you? My name is Bency Pierre, pseudonym is Ursa Major, and besides being an artist and label owner, I’m a curator for the Earwaxx Sessions. What are The Earwaxx Sessions? If you check the website, it’ll say “Long Island’s premiere creative expo,” but it is pretty much the home base for most of the Long Island hip-hop scene. Is it a showcase, is it a label, or what? Earwaxx has weekly showcases EVERY Tuesday in partnership with Amityville Music Hall. We’re all independent artists, so it’s really a great platform for raw artists to perfect their craft, veterans to test out new songs on a faithful and honest market, and for touring artists to grow a fan base.

Rapper Nikmoody Performs

with

URSA MAJOR

Who are some of the biggest acts who have touched the Earwaxx stage? We’ve had Dave East come Jacquae, and Fred the Godson. What has been Earwaxx Sessions?

your

best

through

multiple

experience

with

times, The

I got to be a headliner, and I booked a few of my friends as opening acts. There’s nothing like filling up the room with people who believe in you and want you to succeed. Plus, it helped me book my indie tour, and meet some dope musicians like Nikmoody and producers like Theme Music, Bassfourfive, and Matt Lawrence, AKA Choppa Beats.

Ursa Major is on Itunes, Apple Music, Tidal, Spotify, and Amazon

The EarWaxx Sessions

is a platform for independent artists to express themselves. Our goal is to create a world wide family of up & coming indie brands who are looking to engage in networking & cross promotion. For further information on the movement, email TheEarWaxxSessions@gmail.com

Every Tuesday, Amityville Music Hall 198 Broadway, Amityville, New York

theearwaxxsessions.com 46

RAP BATTLE • MA$E VS. CAM

PART 1: MA$E - THE ORACLE Imagine 20 years with a bitter bitch and the same drama Dame told you do this shit and you don’t see Dame karma K9 on your ass, nigga no distraction Pussy nigga wearin’ pink I guess he think he matchin’ I’ma paint the picture, let the niggas make the caption Fuck bars I’m tell nigga what really happened You hear this tone, you know the mac is in my seat You see exactly what I see you know my rap is not for free You sent them pussy niggas to the hill to trap me in the V You singing nigga, ain’t gonna be no back up bitch with me I chew that nigga til’ my teeth hurt don’t even hit the weed first Bitches used to say I’m blessed and I didn’t even sneeze first Much dirt as I got on you, don’t even need no research My hand filthy, heart guilty, niggas like me need church Tax know you as the nigga that snitched on the Roc D.C. crips only know you the nigga they shot OG niggas don’t have no history with you on the block And everybody seen the footage I got Every since 10 you was a thirsty nigga I ain’t gone talk about the time you fucked your sister In 2002 you lost 50 pounds, ulcers in your liver And now you tryna sell niggas liquor, nigga You always play the sucker part Where was all that Rico shit when you left Jim in Rucker Park? Matter fact I’m on a true life change But let’s get back to that smack and that Tru Life chain Damn bro, Damn the whole fuckin’ land know After that 50 shit you moved to Orlando You had the nigga Jim on the radio, where did Cam go? We all understand though, you not really built for this shit You not ready to kill for this shit But no regrets, You gotta lift up a TEC to get Murder respect Nigga are U-N, you dipped on the set I’m the fuckin cough in the slime flu You gone out rhyme who? I’m your prime times 2 I never paid for my mistakes cause that’s not what crime do Bitches fuck me but that’s what dimes do Somebody wanna jump in tell ‘em come share I’m starting to feel like we don’t really compare I’m pretty nigga, wrist litty, sun wear Diplomat only mean that you ain’t from here You had a run here but y’all niggas is done here All these pretty women and y’all niggas bringin’ guns here 47

You way past the gun line Every time you talk of me you sound like one time I fuck the King of rap bitch when I was unsign And made the nigga Diddy sign me off of one line Don’t blame for the past and I won’t blame you for the crash Sent my nigga Huddy on a dummy mission and he crashed Gilet I know you need money I get it I know your digital sales I know about your digits I know Sony Red didn’t wanna your shit distribute I know it’s crickets so fuck it use my name so they can click it I made you, I raised you, why would I play you? When you dealing with this power, nigga Flex can’t save you Me amorin, drive the foreign, kick the door in Lady treat me like him important I don’t even think of scoring I just run the floor and D could alleyoop it to me like in Boston On some Kyrie shit, y’all just talking Heard that often. Had to rap again, y’all was boring ‘em Now you can tell Dave East, A$AP Mob, whatever you want The whole hood know I’m the origin You robbed Juelz on some Diddy shit And when Jim start ballin’ you get back on sissy shit You even had the nerve to call up Sham And use his basketball skill to steal the name Jelly Fam Damn, Cam, I thought more of you But when I think about it, that’s really all you do You really not that fly, You really not that guy You really not that wise, I’m really not surprised All pride aside you try to pay Lodi mom’s to side with your lies Now I’m like fuck it Drago “if he dies he dies” Ain’t no unity, Ain’t no Children of the Corn Ain’t no you and me, Any nigga ever got Diplomat Immunity Was niggas who ratted or ones who snitched on their community And thats word to my nigga Big L To my nigga fucking Trell and to that nigga Bigavel To nigga Loon on all my niggas in the cell Hope you hold ya head, I hope y’all niggas doing well This Ma$e nigga, I invented the curve I’m the name on the ribbon on the bird I’m done rapping with you You’ll always be my bitch You got my fucking name tatted on you

RAP BATTLE • MA$E VS. CAM

Illustration by Tattman Ceez

PART 2: CAM’RON - DINNER TIME I need somebody to talk to me tonight (Yes I will) You remember how well you use to sing it? (Yes, sir) Y’all know I can’t sing that song Young man looked at him and said “Why you can’t sing it?” (Why?) You know what he told him? “Since you saw me last, something happened to me” Time to get the facts across Ohh, somebody pissed the pastor off I’m all for the jokes, bundle up, get your coat But I only go for the throat, I’m a chimney, I want the smoke You done opened up a door, I’m petty, ready for war I ain’t got a sister, only sister I fucked was yours I know the bars off The Program touched you How you mad at me, though, you let Mr. Royce touch you (facts) Do what you must do Me, I’m getting my just due But who you talking tough to? Blinky just snuffed you Puff fucked you, we’ve seen in those binoculars Passed you to 50, he was finger popping ya Then he took it back like a fly bitch that was popular You’re 42 still saying “Ain’t no stopping ya” You know my deals—liquor, movie, and flashy kicks How you talking deals? Your last deal was ‘96 Your flight book it, talking about I’m crooked Man, I don’t steal; if I took something I took it Pastor Mason, no fabrication, we’re winnin’ See all these people you spinning, I’ll take it to the beginning When Corey Wright japped you, Baby Maine yapped you Roc open-hand slapped you, you still gave him dap, too That’s when I asked you, “Murda, what’s the verdict?” You said, “Nah, chill, Cam, I feel like I deserved it” What kind of shit is that? Nigga, you a queer My crib in Orlando, I had that for years The Program gave you the biz You know exactly what this is I got homes where you hide, I hustle where you live Max B from my building, nigga, who you getting wavy off of? Fugazi baby, going off that water not Avianne Listening to Suga J, look, he gon’ play you wrong Carmelo took Lala, Meek Mill took his baby mom And let the church talk, hallelujah

No, it ain’t a game, I still roll with the stainless And you know my slogan, nigga, I’ll make you famous I’ll use my brain so I will leave you brainless So where you wanna meet at, nigga? (YOU NAME IT!)

So you gon’ tell me when you was staying with Puff, and I came over there and used the bathroom, it wasn’t a dildo on the sink? I asked you, “What the fuck is going on, man?” FACTS! Remember when you dissed trap? You said it was the devil’s work Look at this nigga, yo—see how the devil work? Wolves on your ass though, I told them all to pardon ya Why you talking Harlem? You from Jacksonville, Florida I used to give you all my clothes, don’t forget you was bummy I fed you when you was hungry, crash test, dummy But the shit he said next, I swear it ain’t funny Said “Cam, become a deacon, them deacons be getting money” That’s blasphemous, word to Jesus and Lazarus You got bad karma, stay away, he hazardous Collection plate money in his pocket, he a kleptoAnd to get a dollar dollar you were suckin’ Creflo 2 albums, 20 years, come on, this is dead, bro Only time they mention this nigga when it’s retro Money gone, jewelry fake, you could hear an echo I’m what you could have been, you was too petro I took your broad, they all know you a fraud And the only show you got, the Lady of Soul Awards He might be nominated, I’m your little mama favorite Any hood I go to, I’m accommodated What you mean I’m selling liquor now? You a jizzerk Forgot 10 years ago I gagged out on Sizzurp Oh Boy cologne, I was giving niggas that wizzork I ain’t even spend that Killa Season money, man, you hit dirt

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? SEND YOUR VOTE TO

Urban Life News Magazine

2270 Grand Ave. Suite 6, Baldwin NY 11510

THE LIFE OF SAINT VALENTINE ly against Christians, and, in order to flush them out of hiding, they required all citizens to worship the Emperor and offer incense before his image knowing that faithful Christians would surely refuse and reveal their identity. Christians rightly believed that while they could accept the civil authority of the Roman Emperor, even if he were pagan, they could not worship him as a god. Bishops and Priests were particularly suspect of treasonous acts because it was well known that they not only refused to offer incense themselves, but they taught the faithful to follow their example and to also refuse to concede in this matter. Because of his Holy Zeal and his open confession of faith, St. Valentine was arrested and threatened with death by beheading if he did not repent of his treason against the state. St. Valentine refused to repent and he was thrown into prison to await his end. The jailer at the prison was deeply impressed by St. Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warm love and his kindness toward other prisoners and toward his captors who unjustly held him prisoner. The jailer began to befriend St. Valentine and he could see that St. Valentine was learned in all things. Not only did St. Valentine have a vast knowledge of history, literature, philosophy and science but also, St. Valentine had great ability in teaching and encouraging others.

aint Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who was beheaded for his Apostolic zeal in 269 when Gallienus was emperor of Rome. Saint Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holy relics were buried on the estate of Sabinilla. In the fourth century a church basilica was erected over his relics. During the fourteenth century this church fell into ruin. After the death of Christ, the early Christians were mistrusted by the Roman Civil authorities throughout the vast Roman Empire and lived under the constant threat of persecution. Roman civil authority required its citizens to pay homage to their Emperor as though he were a god. In order to insure the loyalty of all citizens during times of religious and civil unrest the Roman Emperor and provincial governors instigated periods of persecution particular-

Unbeknown to St. Valentine, the jailer had a beautiful young daughter who had a great thirst for learning in spite of the fact that she had been blind since birth. Whenever the jailerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sdaughter heard people speaking about things of interest she would go to sit at their side and listen intently in the hope of learning something new about the world she could not see but, nevertheless, believed that it must be very beautiful. When the jailer came to know and trust St. Valentine he told him about his daughter and how she ached with yearning to know as much as possible about the world and its history. After telling St. Valentine all about his daughter the jailer asked the Holy Saint if he would teach his daughter as much as possible while he was in prison under his guard. St. Valentine agreed and the jailer began bringing his daughter to the Saint each day so that she could spend time with him in his jail cell and learn about the wonderful world. The girl was extremely enthusiastic and remembered in great detail all that St. Valentine taught her. St. Valentine, being a man of God, taught very matter-of-factly about how God had created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. He taught her about Adam and Eve and the Paradise God created for them and how they fell from paradise through their disobedience and their pride. He taught her how God never abandoned Adam and Eve

even after the Fall and worked always for their salvation and the salvation of all men. He taught her about Noah and the flood, about Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, about Joseph and the migration of the tribes of Israel into Egypt. He taught her about how they became slaves and how God raised up Moses and Aaron to lead them and all of their generations out of bondage to Pharaoh and his demons into a land filled with milk and honey and the promise of eternal salvation. St. Valentine taught her about the prophets and how they foretold the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. Seeing that she was prepared to receive the Gospel of Christ, St. Valentine revealed to her the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God through His miraculous conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary, His birth and the revelation of the Holy Trinity at His baptism. St. Valentine taught her about Christ’s life, His teachings and His miracles. And finally, he told her about His Holy Passion, His arrest, His imprisonment, His false trial, His scourging, His crucifixion, His death and His burial. When his catechumen thought that all hope for mankind had been lost, St. Valentine taught her about Christ’s most Glorious Resurrection from the dead and the Divine life in eternity that became possible to all who believed in Him and were baptized by water and the Holy Spirit in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. St. Valentine taught his catechumen well and she saw Christ in the union of her heart and mind by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, more vividly than if He were there before her in the flesh. With all of her heart, her mind, her soul and her strength she confessed Jesus Christ to be her Savior and insisted that she be baptized immediately. The catechumen’s father had been witnessing the remarkable transformation of his daughter into a child of God and all the while in the evening he learned from her all that she learned each day. When she converted, he converted and when his daughter asked him to take her to be baptized he was baptized with her and together they entered into the joy of salvation. Within a few days of their baptism, the time for St. Valentine’s execution was set. As he considered the final moments of his life and the scourging, torture and death he faced, he prayed for the strength to remain true and faithful to the end. In those remaining days St. Valentine also composed a letter filled with the Divine Love of God for his spiritual child exhorting his newly illumined to become the bride of Christ and to unite herself to Him in perfect Love by fulfilling His Word and Commandments with all of her being in every aspect of her life. St. Valentine then signed his letter, With all of my love in Christ, Your Valentine” That next day St. Valentine was beaten, tortured and then beheaded. With the strength of God working in him he remained faithful to the end so that we could remember his life and be enlightened by his example. 50

THE MYTH OF

CUPID & PSYCHE

nce upon a time, through that Destiny that overrules the gods, Love himself once gave up his immortal heart to a mortal maiden. And this is how it came to pass. There was a certain king who had three beautiful daughters. The two elder married princes of great renown; but Psyche, the youngest, was so radiantly fair that no suitor seemed worthy of her. People thronged to see her pass through the city, and sang hymns in her praise, while strangers took her for the very goddess of beauty herself. This angered Venus, and she resolved to cast down her earthly rival. One day, therefore, she called hither to her son Love (Cupid, some name him), and bade him sharpen his weapons. He is an archer more to be dreaded than Apollo, for Apollo’s arrows take life, but Love’s bring joy or sorrow for a whole life long. “Come, Love,” said Venus. “There is a mortal maid who robs me of my honours in yonder city. Avenge your mother. Wound this precious Psyche, and let her fall in love with some churlish creature, mean in the eyes of all men.” Cupid made ready his weapons, and flew down to earth invisibly. At that moment Psyche was asleep in her chamber; but he touched her heart with his golden arrow of love, and she opened her eyes so suddenly that he started (forgetting that he was invisible), and wounded himself with his own shaft. Heedless of his hurt, and moved deeply by the loveliness of the maiden, he repented himself of the mischief he had wrought, and hastened to pour over her locks the healing joy that he ever kept by him, undoing all his work. Back to her dream the princess went, unshadowed by any thought of love. But Cupid, not so light of heart, returned to the heavenly mount saying not a word of what had passed. Venus waited long; then, seeing that Psyche’s heart had somehow escaped love, she sent a spell upon the maiden. From that time, lovely as she was, not a suitor came to woo; and her parents, who desired to see her a queen at least, made a journey to the Oracle, and asked counsel. Said the voice: “The princess Psyche shall never wed a mortal. She shall be given to one who waits for her on yonder mountain; he overcomes gods and men.” At this terrible sentence the poor parents were half distraught, and the people gave themselves up to grief at the fate in store for their beloved princess. Psyche alone bowed to her destiny. “We have angered Venus unwittingly,” she said, “and all for the sake of me, heedless maiden that I am! Give me up, therefore, dear father and mother. If I atone, it may be that the city will prosper once more.” So she besought them, until, after many unavailing pleadings, the parents consented; and with a great company of people they led Psyche up the mountain—as an offering to the monster of whom the Oracle had spoken—and left her there alone.

Full of courage, yet in a secret agony of grief she watched her kindred and her people wind down the mountain-path, too sad to look back, until they were lost to sight. Then, indeed, she wept, but a sudden breeze drew near, dried her tears, and caressed her hair, seeming to murmur comfort. In truth, it was Zephyr, the kindly West Wind, come to befriend her; and as she took heart, feeling some benignant presence, he lifted her in his arms, and carried her on wings as even as a seagull’s over the crest of the fateful mountain and into a valley below. There he left her, resting on a bank of hospitable grass, and there the princess fell asleep. When she awoke, it was near sunset. She looked about her for some sign of the monster’s approach; she wondered, then, if her grievous, trial had been but a dream. Near by she saw a sheltering forest, whose young trees, seemed to beckon as one maid beckons to another; and eager for the protection of the dryads, she went thither. The call of running waters drew her farther and farther, till she came out upon an open place, where there was a wide pool. A fountain fluttered gladly in the midst of it, and beyond there stretched a white palace wonderful to see. Coaxed by the bright promise of the place, she drew near, and, seeing no one, entered softly. It was all kinglier than her father’s home, and as she stood in wonder and awe, soft airs stirred about her. Little by little the silence grew murmurous like the woods, and one voice, sweeter than the rest, took words. “All that you see is yours, gentle high princess,” it said. “Fear nothing; only command us, for we are here to serve you.” Full of amazement an delight, Psyche followed the voice from hall to hall, and through the lordly rooms, beautiful with everything that could delight a young princess. No pleasant thing was lacking. There was even a pool, brightly tiled and fed with running waters where she bathed her weary limbs; and after she had put on the new and beautiful raiment that lay ready for her, she sat down to break her fast, waited upon and sung to by the unseen spirits. Surely he whom the Oracle had called her husband was no monster, but some beneficent power, invisible like all the rest. When daylight waned he came, and his voice, the beautiful voice of a god, inspired her to trust her strange destiny and 54

to look and long for his return. Often she begged him to stay with her through the day, that she might see his face; but this he would not grant. “Never doubt me, dearest Psyche,” said he. “Perhaps you would fear if you saw me, and love is all I ask. There is a necessity that keeps me hidden now. Only believe.” So for many days Psyche was content; but when she grew used to happiness, she thought once more of her parents mourning her as lost, and of her sisters who shared the lot of mortals while she lived as a goddess. One night she told her husband of these regrets, and begged that her sisters at least might come to see her. He sighed, but did not refuse. “Zephyr shall bring them hither,” said he. And on the following morning, swift as a bird, the West Wind came over the crest of the high mountain and down into the enchanted valley, bearing her two sisters.

hid a lamp and a dagger in her chamber. Towards midnight, when her husband was fast asleep, up she rose, hardly daring to breathe; and coming softly to his side, she uncovered the lamp to see some horror. But there the youngest of the gods lay sleeping,—most beautiful, most irresistible of all immortals. His hair shone golden as the sun, his face was radiant as dear Springtime, and from his shoulders sprang two rainbow wings. Poor Psyche was overcome with self-reproach. As she leaned towards him, filled with worship, her trembling hands held the lamp ill, and some burning oil fell upon Love’s shoulder and awakened him. He opened his eyes, to see at once his bride and the dark suspicion in her heart. “O doubting Psyche,” he exclaimed with sudden grief,—and then he flew away, out of the window.

They greeted Psyche with joy and amazement, hardly knowing how they had come hither. But when this fairest of the sisters led them through her palace and showed them all the treasures that were hers, envy grew in their hearts and choked their old love. Even while they sat at feast with her, they grew more and more bitter; and hoping to find some little flaw in her good fortune, they asked a thousand questions.

Wild with sorrow, Psyche tried to follow, but she fell to the ground instead. When she recovered her senses, she stared about her. She was alone, and the place was beautiful no longer. Garden and palace had vanished with Love.

“Where is your husband?” said they. “And why is he not here with you?”

two envious sisters lived with the princes whom they had married. She stayed with them only long enough to tell the story of her unbelief and its penalty. Then she set out again to search for Love.

“Ah,” stammered Psyche. “All the day long—he is gone, hunting upon the mountains.” “But what does he look like?” they asked; and Psyche could find no answer. When they learned that she had never seen him, they laughed her faith to scorn. “Poor Psyche,” they said. “You are walking in a dream. Wake, before it is too late. Have you forgotten what the Oracle decreed,—that you were destined for a dreadful creature, the fear of gods and men? And are you deceived by this show of kindliness? We have come to warn you. The people told us, as we came over the mountain, that your husband is a dragon, who feeds you well for the present, that he may feast the better some day soon. What is it that you trust? Good words! But only take a dagger some night, and when the monster is asleep go, light a lamp, and look at him. You can put him to death easily, and all his riches will be yours—and ours.” Psyche heard this wicked plan with horror. Nevertheless, after her sisters were gone, she brooded over what they had said, not seeing their evil intent; and she came to find some wisdom in their words. Little by little, suspicion ate, like a moth, into her lovely mind; and at nightfall, in shame and fear, she 55

Over mountains and valleys Psyche journeyed alone until she came to the city where her

As she wandered one day, travel-worn but not hopeless, she saw a lofty palace on a hill near by, and she turned her steps thither. The place seemed deserted. Within the hall she saw no human being,—only heaps of grain, loose ears of corn half torn from the husk, wheat, and barley, alike scattered in confusion on the floor. Without delay, she set to work binding the sheaves together and gathering the scattered ears of corn in seemly wise, as a princess would wish to see them. While she was in the midst of her task, a voice startled her, and she looked up to behold Demeter herself, the goddess of the harvest, smiling upon her with good will. “Dear Psyche,” said Demeter, “you are worthy of happiness, and you may find it yet. But since you have displeased Venus, go to her and ask her favour. Perhaps your patience will win her pardon.” These motherly words gave Psyche heart, and she reverently took leave of the goddess and set out for the temple of Venus. Most humbly she offered up her prayer, but Venus could not look at her earthly beauty without anger. “Vain girl,” said she, “perhaps you have come to make amends for the wound you dealt your husband; you shall do so. Such

clever people can always find work!”

could not pass from mouth to mouth, with the rest of the story.)

Then she led Psyche into a great chamber heaped high with mingled grain, beans, and lintels (the food of her doves), and bade her separate them all and have them ready in seemly fashion by night. Heracles would have been helpless before such a vexatious task; and poor Psyche, left alone in this desert of grain, had not courage to begin. But even as she sat there, a moving thread of black crawled across the floor from a crevice in the wall; and bending nearer, she saw that a great army of ants in columns had come to her aid. The zealous little creatures worked in swarms, with such industry over the work they like best, that, when Venus came at night, she found the task completed.

“And be sure,” added the voice, “when Proserpina has returned the box, not to open it, however much you may long to do so.”

“Deceitful girl,” she cried, shaking the roses out of her hair with impatience, “this is my son’s work, not yours. But he will soon forget you. Eat this black bread if you are hungry and refresh your dull mind with sleep. Tomorrow you will need more wit.” Psyche wondered what new misfortune could be in store for her. But when morning came, Venus led her to the brink of a river, and, pointing to the wood across the water, said, “Go now to yonder grove where the sheep with the golden fleece are wont to browse. Bring me a golden lock from every one of them, or you must go your ways and never come back again.” This seemed not difficult, and Psyche obediently bade the goddess farewell, and stepped into the water, ready to wade across. But as Venus disappeared, the reeds sang louder and the nymphs of the river, looking up sweetly, blew bubbles to the surface and murmured: “Nay, nay, have a care, Psyche. This flock has not the gentle ways of sheep. While the sun burns aloft, they are themselves as fierce as flame; but when the shadows are long, they go to rest and sleep, under the trees; and you may cross the river without fear and pick the golden fleece off the briers in the pasture.” Thanking the water-creatures, Psyche sat down to rest near them, and when the time came, she crossed in safety and followed their counsel. By twilight she returned to Venus with her arms full of shining fleece. “No mortal wit did this,” said Venus angrily. “But if you care to prove your readiness, go now, with this little box, down to Proserpina and ask her to enclose in it some of her beauty, for I have grown pale in caring for my wounded son.” “It needed not the last taunt to sadden Psyche. She knew that it was not for mortals to go into Hades and return alive; and feeling that Love had forsaken her, she was minded to accept her doom as soon as might be. But even as she hastened towards the descent, another friendly voice detained her. “Stay, Psyche, I know your grief. Only give ear and you shall learn a safe way through all these trials.” And the voice went on to tell her how one might avoid all the dangers of Hades and come out unscathed. (But such a secret

Psyche gave heed, and by this device, whatever it was, she found her way into Hades safely, and made her errand known to Proserpina, and was soon in the upper world again, wearied but hopeful. “Surely Love has not forgotten me,” she said. “But humbled as I am and worn with toil, how shall I ever please him? Venus can never need all the beauty in this casket; and since I use it for Love’s sake, it must be right to take some.” So saying, she opened the box, headless as Pandora! The spells and potions of Hades are not for mortal maids, and no sooner had she inhaled the strange aroma than she fell down like one dead, quite overcome. But it happened that Love himself was recovered from his wound, and he had secretly fled from his chamber to seek out and rescue Psyche. He found her lying by the wayside; he gathered into the casket what remained of the philter, and awoke his beloved. “Take comfort,” he said, smiling. “Return to our mother and do her bidding till I come again.” Away he flew; and while Psyche went cheerily homeward, he hastened up to Olympus, where all the gods sat feasting, and begged them to intercede for him with his angry mother. They heard his story and their hearts were touched. Zeus himself coaxed Venus with kind words till at last she relented, and remembered that anger hurt her beauty, and smiled once more. All the younger gods were for welcoming Psyche at once, and Hermes was sent to bring her hither. The maiden came, a shy newcomer among these bright creatures. She took the cup that Hebe held out to her, drank the divine ambrosia, and became immortal. Light came to her face like moon rise, two radiant wings sprang from her shoulders; and even as a butterfly bursts from its dull cocoon, so the human Psyche blossomed into immortality. Love took her by the hand, and they were never parted any more.

From: Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew by Josephine P. Peabody

HER NAME WAS HEATHER You probably never heard of Heather Heyer. But for a few days last summer, her name and her hometown—Charlottesville, Virginia—made national headlines. The spark was the controversy over two local parks named Lee and Jackson, and one statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. By mid-summer, the statue of Lee was covered in black plastic and the parks had been renamed, Emancipation and Justice, respectively. In August, word went out on social media that there would be a torchlight protest on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The protesters carried tiki torches and wore white polo shirts and khaki pants—they looked more like Hitler youth than white supremacists. Kept in formation by an organizer with a bullhorn, they shouted “Blood and soil!” and “Jews will not replace us.” There was shoving, someone used pepper spray, and a torch flew through the air at the statue of Thomas Jefferson, the university’s founder. It was just a warm-up for the next day’s Unite the Right rally. Saturday’s rally was much larger—this time, there were KKK members and a self-styled militia complete with camo and semi-automatic weapons. White nationalists arrived carrying shields and wooden clubs. Black-clad Antifa counter-protesters filtered through the crowd, pushing and throwing punches. People shouted racial insults and outrageous taunts like “Dylann Roof was a hero,” referring to the white supremacist shooter who killed nine African Americans in a Charleston, South Carolina, church in 2015. One idealist offered water and free hugs. Supposedly, everyone would remain peaceful and non-violent. Presumably, the state and local police 57

would keep a lid on things. But nothing went according to plan. Shortly after noon, police broke up the protest concerned that it was about to turn into an uncontrollable street brawl. Around 1:14 pm came reports of a vehicular incident nearby on the city’s Downtown Mall, a pedestrian district of shops and restaurants. James Alex Fields Jr. had left the rally and, still angry, got behind the wheel of his gray Dodge Challenger. He headed for the Mall and drove up a side street where he struck a dense knot of pedestrians. People were knocked to the curb and one man rolled across the trunk of the car as it careened into the crowd. Nineteen people were injured and one killed: Heather Heyer, age 32. Heather Heyer worked as a paralegal for a Charlottesville law firm. Her specialty was bankruptcy but she spoke out against any form of discrimination or injustice. She was single, made extra money as a bartender, and had a Chihuahua named Violet. She attended the rally because she was incensed that white nationalists had come to her town. She was walking at the protest with some friends when the 20-year-old Fields drove into them. Her best friend saw it all. It was terrifying, simply unbelievable. For weeks after the protest, the intersection where Heather was killed was closed off and became a street shrine. Flowers, stuffed animals, candles, and cards covered the pavement. At the center, someone had placed a snapshot of Heather, with bright hazel eyes and freckles, and a hand-lettered sign that read “No Place for Hate!”

I had avoided the Downtown Mall that weekend in August and for several weeks afterward. It seemed frivolous to go out to dinner near the spot where someone had died. But then I received a phone call from W.O., an inmate at Attica Correctional Facility. I have been working with W. for about a year as an editorial consultant and we have become friends as well as colleagues. W. called me to ask if I was OK and how things were in Charlottesville. He added that he and his co-workers in the Attica Law Library wanted to send a sympathy card. “Would you be willing take it to the place where Heather Heyer was killed?” he asked. Then he said, very quietly, “I want to say something that you may not like.” I assured him I would let him speak. He said “Let’s think about the parents of the guy driving that car. He was some mother’s baby.” True. He was also some mother’s son when he decided that it wasn’t enough to march alongside fellow white supremacists and that he needed to make a grander statement behind the wheel of his car. But it made me stop and think. Heather’s life was taken from her and, though it’s hardly the same thing, Fields will have his best years—possibly his entire life—taken from him just for allowing a senseless hate to become a call to action. He will also encounter another loss, an inevitable outcome of being in prison: the loss of his humanity. A couple of weeks later, W.’s card arrived. In fact, there were two cards. One had Psalm 23 on it and the other was a simple sympathy card. Each was signed by W. and all the prisoners who work in the Attica Law Library. So now, I’d have to go to the Downtown Mall. By this time, the street shrine had dwindled to a few dead flowers and some candles. I put the cards in a plastic bag to protect them from the elements. Well, the truth is I could hardly get them in the bag because I was crying.

Like so many people, I am at a loss about how to respond to the events of last August—events which, sadly, are repeated almost every day somewhere. Heather Heyer’s mother responded by starting a foundation to provide scholarships to high school students who want to study social justice issues. That’s an admirable legacy for her daughter. A few weeks after the August protest, I also received a poem from another Attica prisoner, M.M., a friend of W.’s. In “Glimmer,” the prisoner-poet writes “For deep within her human-core, / her strength was steeped in love.” None of the men from Attica knew Heather and they’d probably never heard of Charlottesville. But they do know what it’s like to feel fear, to be made to feel insignificant and something less than human—and they remember how to love in spite of all of this. --L.D. Alspaugh Managing Editor of The Hedgehog Review Contributing Writer Photos: © L.D. Alspaugh © Justin Ide/Reuters

TAKING YOUR KIDS FROM GOOD TO GREAT: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S DREAMS Raising a child is one of the greatest joys in life, and also one of the most challenging and difficult. As a parent you do all the things you were told to do keep the child fed and get them off to school every day for their education. Raising a child is not cheap but the worst place to skim from the top is with their education. There are some very affordable and necessary things parents can do to make sure your child is thriving inside and outside of the classroom. No judgement here, but do you really know what is going on in your child’s classroom? Have your checked their homework? Do you make sure to attend at least one parent teacher conference, or send an email, or note in with your child to school requesting specific information and feedback about your child? Relying on someone else (like the public education system) to do this job that you were made to do could be the one thing hindering your child from meeting their true greatness. Statistically the numbers speak for themselves. Black and brown children lag behind in many of the factors 59

that are studied. Suspension rates, retention rates are highest among our students. Math and reading levels are also very concerning. We have to do better to ensure that our children are able to represent the dreams and hopes that you have for your child and what your child may have for themselves. As an educator, I must tell you the first step is to establish open lines of communication with your child’s school as much as possible. Do not ignore this step. Make an effort to connect with your local school so that you can hear about your child’s strengths and areas where improvement can be made. The earlier you have this knowledge the sooner you can take action as needed. If those options are not doable. Start by talking to your child. Ask them to teach you one new concept they learned in school today. Make sure to have them explain as much as possible in detail by asking questions that do not allow for one word answers. For example, a follow up question to what was your favorite lesson in school today? Could be why they thought it was a good lesson and how they might be able to use their new skills in the future. This helps children make connections between the classroom and the real world, and you.

Show that you value education by taking an active role. The fact of the matter still remains that often authentic learning experiences happen often outside of the classroom. These lessons are often just as important if not more so than what happens in the classroom. Does your child see you reading at home? Is reading challenging for you? How about your math skills? In order, to make changes that can help your child be great. Think about being great yourself. Take the opportunity to learn and grow with your child. It doesn’t matter what your socioeconomic status is or where you live; you can create opportunities for your child to learn and be grow. Making our children greater than our present should remain in focus in what you do. Look, money is tight everywhere we all understand that. But it is not all about sending your child to $5000 or $10,000 dollar camps. Many opportunities await you right in or fairly close to your neighborhood. Let’s talk about a couple of free opportunities. 1st up the public library. Start with the one in your neighborhood and see what they offer. Many libraries offer additional learning opportunities for young people of all ages afterschool and in the summer time. If you cannot find something in your local library. If you travel to one of the main library hubs in your area you will absolutely find something. It may be as easy as using google or asking Siri to help you find out. Take a trip to the library and at the very least you could pick up a new book that you can read together and discuss. Try to make reading a regular part of your family life. Establish rules for the time that your child spends on video games and social media with the time they spend reading and researching. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has set some guidelines from a report they created in 2016: Among the AAP recommendations:

•Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms. •Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline Following some or all of these guidelines will help your child develop better social skills and healthy life style skills. Another inexpensive opportunity is simply to take a trip to the nearest park and explore wild life that may live inside of it. Look at the birds and see if you can classify them. Look in a pond or up in the trees and see what else you may find interesting. There may be something new that you can discover together which may help you both discover something new which will deepen your relationship with each other and enjoy a respect to learning together. The main idea is you need to spend time with your child and take part in their learning. The ideas presented might seem overly simple, but the aim is to foster a curious mind. When a child can explore and discover on their own how things work, or how something is made. That leads to them seeking out those opportunities more and more and that leads to growth. Knowing that you as the adult in their life supports that desire in them is powerful. There is no telling where their ideas will lead them. Or what impact that simple trip to the library or walk in the park will have on their lives, the community, or the world. Jazz Tyson Educator • Contributing Writer

•For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing. •For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them. •For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health. 60

RESTORATIONS, CUSTOMIZATIONS, DEEP SOLE CLEANING, RE-GLUES & MORE. What’s your name and where you’re from? Dominick Brasiello & Andre Morris. Who are you? We are two people with the same vision! Where is your business located? 55 Forest avenue, Glen Cove, NY 11542 What made you get into the sneaker restoration business? The thing that got us into restoring was the fact, that cleaning shoes is like haircuts - people are always going to need things done to the sneakers they love! So why not be those guys that fixes them?! Tell us a little about some of the services you provide and specialties? We provide all different types of shoe services from Jordan’s to dress shoes to heels! We like to call ourselves the modern day shoe cobblers. Does your store carry hard to find sneakers? We carry a wide range and variety of sneakers. We have shoes you haven’t seen in years, to shoes that are hot on the market now! Any advice for a youngster coming into the business? Advice to the youth, just keep working hard and good things will come. Believe me (Dominick) we both started in our rooms,to having a full store! Anything’s possible with hard work. Lastly, we have to ask for a trade secret. Can you share with our readers a “Trick of the trade”? Trick of the trade: When cleaning shoes - Wax on wax off method just with a brush and some secret soap!

55 Forest Ave. Glen Cove, NY 11542 61

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Urban Life News Issue 4: St. Valentine's Edition

Articles inside

Rap Battle: Ma$e vs Cam

Taking Your Kids From Good to Great

The Grand Jury

Shout Outs: A Voice From Within

Chef Bully: Chef to the Stars

Taxation of Ganja

Visiting Expectations

Remembering Marcus Garvey

Publisher’s Word