Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 162

Haiti in a

Catastrophe -

BY MALU CURSINO, BBC NEWS

Achronic

gang, economic and political crisis has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti, the country's UN envoy has said. Weeks of violence and attacks on food aid warehouses have rocked the nation's food security, Helen La Lime told an emergency UN Security Council meet ing.

In protest of the dire situation, busi nesses have closed, and transport servic es are not running. Thousands are calling for Prime Minister Ariel Henry's resigna

continued on page

BY WALTER EWING

The

number of refugees and asy lum seekers fleeing violence or persecution in their home coun tries in search of safety abroad has grown dramatically over the past decade. Until recently, the United States was a global leader in admitting refugees and granting asylum to people whose lives are in danger. But since

CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT

Caribbean Consulates

Anguilla

845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022

Tel: 212-745-0200

Antigua & Barbuda

305 East 47th Street, Suite 6A New York, N.Y. 10020

Tel: 212-541-4117

The Bahamas

231 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-421-6420

Barbados

820 Second Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-551-4325

Belize

675 Third Avenue, Suite 1911 New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-593-0999

Dominica

685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-0853

Dominican Republic 1500 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036

Tel: 212-599-8478

Grenada 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1101 New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-599-0301

Guyana

308 West 38th Street New York, N.Y. 10018

Tel: 212-947-5119

Haiti 815 Second Avenue,6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-697-9767

Jamaica 767 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-935-9000

Martinique

444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022

Tel: 212-838-6887

Montserrat

845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022

Tel: 212-745-0200

Panama

1212 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036

Tel: 212-840-2450

St. Kitts & Nevis

414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021

Tel: 212-535-5521

St. Lucia 630 Third Avenue, 7th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-697-9360

St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 800-786-2278

St. Vincent & The Grenadines

801 Second Avenue, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

Tel: 212-687-4981

Trinidad & Tobago

125 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10038

Tel: 212-682-7272

For more Consulate information go to www.cawnyc.com/directory

COVID-19: Increasing Vaccination Coverage in Haiti Through Community Outreach

Community engagement and social mobilization are at the heart of a new push to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Haiti, with the support of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

Despite efforts to make the COVID-19 vaccine available and free to all, more than a year after the first doses arrived, Haiti still registers one of the lowest vac cination coverage rates in the world.

By September 2022, 17 countries and territories in the Americas had reached the goal of vaccinating at least 70 percent of their inhabitants. Today, only 1.9 per cent of the Haitian population had received the first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Successive political and social unrest, widespread security threats, logistical challenges, an earthquake and reported high levels of hesitancy around the vac cine prevented the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) from achieving its immunization goals.

In this new chapter of the national vac cination campaign, the National Coordination Unit of the Ministry’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) launched in June this year an initia tive to intensify vaccination operations against COVID-19. Efforts started in two of the country’s 10 departments (Nord, Nord-Est) and continue in another four (Grand'Anse, Nippes, Sud and Centre). Risk communication and community engagement are key strategies to over come information and perception barri ers, and increase vaccine uptake across Haiti.

This effort, which includes informa tion-sharing activities to increase peo ple’s knowledge around vaccines and community engagement dialogues to improve confidence in vaccination, is orchestrated by the national Departmental Health Directorate with the technical support of communication specialists from PAHO/WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

"The success of this new phase of the

Humanitarian Catastrophe/ continued from page 1

Civil unrest across the island escalated after he announced an end to government fuel subsidies on September 11, which caused petrol and diesel prices to sky rocket.

Since then, protests and looting have intensified, with the capital, Port-auPrince, at the heart of it.

Ms La Lime told the UN Security Council on Monday that an estimated 2,000 tons of food aid, valued at close to $5m (£4.6m), were lost following repeat ed attacks on local warehouses of the UN Food Program.

"That would have collectively support

COVID-19 immunization campaign is based on outreach work made possible by the Agents de Santé Communautaires Polyvalents (Community Health Workers) who go door-to-door to sensi tize and mobilize the population to get vaccinated," explains Kadebe Blam, a PAHO/WHO consultant working as part of the STOP program, a 24-year-old ini tiative fostered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, WHO and UNICEF to train international public health con sultants to support the national EPI of selected countries.

In each department, advocacy meetings have been organized to inform religious leaders, representatives of administrative and political bodies and media associa tions on the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine, and garner their support during vaccination efforts so people know that vaccines are safe and effective.

Messages promoting COVID-19 vacci nation and interactive radio programs were broadcast across multiple radio sta tions. Also, sound trucks and town criers use megaphones to announce the arrival of vaccination teams and spread mes sages about the benefits of vaccines. Communiqués were disseminated in places of worship and at community meetings organized by each health insti tution.

"The role of the town criers as integral members of the vaccination teams and

ed up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable Haitians over the next month", she said. World Food Program's (WFP) executive director Valerie Guarnieri, who was also at the meeting, said: "The situation in Haiti has sadly reached new levels of desperation".

“Inflation has risen to its highest level in a decade, and 40% of the country is relying on food assistance to survive, she said.

And Ms Guarnieri added that she expects food security to deteriorate fur ther this year, with 1.3 million people in a state of emergency due to the crisis.

Criminal gangs are at the center of Haiti's problems, and chronic gang vio lence has left hundreds dead and thou

the commitment of religious leaders has been essential in mobilizing the popula tion," Blam adds.

"To get people to accept the COVID-19 vaccines, we went door to door to raise awareness. Some people were worried about the side effects, but I was able to convince them that the vaccine is safe, and they agreed to be vaccinated. With our sensitizations, many people got vac cinated", said Taxemanie Alcime, a Community Health Worker from the health center of Tilory, a border commu nity in the north of Haiti.

Provisional vaccination data collected in the six departments show that the number of people who received at least one dose of vaccine has risen from 188,584 to 358,95 since the start of this new phase of the vaccination campaign, in June 2022.

The campaign should be extended in the coming months to the Nord-Ouest, Artibonite and Sud-Est departments.

PAHO continues to support Haiti to facilitate the storage and handling of COVID-19 vaccines by strengthening the country’s cold chain capacity. With the financial support of the United States, PAHO is procuring a walk-in cold room with temperature monitoring devices to keep vaccines within the recommended temperatures at the Program for Essential Medicines and Supply (PROMESS), that is the main source of essential medicines and medical supplies in Haiti.l

sands displaced.

Rates of gang violence, which had already shot up since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse by mercenaries a year ago, have reached shocking new levels since a battle erupted on 8 July between two criminal alliances, known as G9 and G-Pèp.

But Haiti's Foreign Minister Jean Victor Geneus told the UN Security Council that apart from some "isolated cases", vio lence in his country was "generally under control" and calm had returned to parts of the island.

At the meeting, Mr Geneus called on the international community to provide Haiti with "robust support" to ensure the police can fight against armed gangs.l

A Message from Mayor Eric Adams

Last week, the United Nations gath ered in our city for the annual General Assembly, the first inperson Assembly in two years. I was hon ored to meet with leaders from all over globe to discuss the many issues we’re facing, from migration to economic recovery to climate change. These are issues that have no borders, and I want New Yorkers to know that our city and many others around the world are work ing together to make a difference.

It was also Climate Week in New York City, a time to highlight everything our city is doing to reduce emissions and build a greener, more resilient city. As we witnessed the devastation Hurricane Fiona brought to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and other places in the Caribbean, we are reminded that no place on earth is safe from stronger storms and heavier rainfall. We consider Puerto Rico to be our sixth New York City borough, and our Dominican population is the largest out side of Santo Domingo. What happens in these places affects us all.

This past weekend, I traveled to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to join our team of New York City emergency responders who are on the ground there.

I saw firsthand the destruction Fiona caused. Hundreds of thousands still don’t have power or water. And so many have lost everything they own. Our team is working with FEMA and local respon ders to get the power back on and to make sure people have access to safe water and shelter. New York City is here to help with the recovery, and we will work to make the islands whole again.

We’re also improving services for peo ple right here in New York City – includ ing expanding wireless internet in our NYCHA developments. Internet isn't a luxury, it's a necessity just like electricity and gas. And for far too long, NYCHA residents have been disconnected while the rest of the city has been connected. We saw the effect of that missing internet service during COVID – we saw young people who were not able to participate in remote learning, and elders who could not take advantage of telemedicine visits. That’s why last week’s rollout of the Big Apple Connect program was such a big moment. This is the largest municipal sponsored broadband program for public housing residents. We're making free

high-speed internet and basic cable TV available to 300,000 New Yorkers in more than 200 public housing develop ments by the end of 2023. Currently available in eight pilot sites across the five boroughs, Big Apple Connect is being expanded to more than 100 NYCHA developments. We're delivering broadband across the five boroughs and getting more New Yorkers online than ever before.

One of the other highlights of my week was rolling up my sleeve and getting the new bivalent COVID booster. This new booster is an important tool in our fight against COVID, providing better protec tion against new variants and lowering the chance of serious illness.

As we celebrate this breakthrough, we are also giving businesses additional flexibility by lifting the private-sector vaccine mandate as of November 1st. We strongly recommend that businesses con tinue to mandate vaccines for their employees. The city is leading by exam ple – our vaccinated workforce has allowed New Yorkers to receive essential services, no matter the circumstances.

Vaccines have protected our frontline workers and keep our city safe.

You can join me by getting your free booster shot at your local doctor’s office, pharmacy, or community health clinic. The pandemic is not over, but with more ways to protect ourselves and our fami lies than ever before, we can have a happy and healthy winter if enough of us get boosted. And while you’re at it – get your seasonal flu shot! You’ve got two arms. Use them!

As we come to the end of September, there are many wonderful seasons cele bration here in our city, beginning with

the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. New York City is the city of immigrants, a place built on generations of newcom ers who brought their families, their cul tures and their dreams to start over.

We have all been reminded of our immigrant roots as we see the unprece dented number of new arrivals enter our city seeking asylum and a better life for themselves and their families. Over 11,000 people have been bussed in from the southern border, after making the journey from Central and South America, and as New Yorkers, we will not turn them away.

This is not an homelessness crisis, but a new humanitarian crisis that will take a different kind of approach. That’s why last week, I announced the opening of our new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. They will help newly arriving individuals and fam ilies access the shelter, food, and support they need to make a successful start in our city.

This is a major task, even for New York City, and we are seeking additional resources from federal, state, city law makers to ensure our immigrant brothers and sisters are taken care of. I was able to personally convey the urgency of the sit uation to White House. They are working with us to make sure we can keep our doors open and our communities strong. I ask every New Yorker to join with me in making our newest arrivals feel wel come and helping them find their path to the American dream of freedom and safe ty.l

Read more about the Adams’ Administration at www.cawnyc.com

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My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6

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Pearl Phillip Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

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Mayor Eric Adams. Editorial credit: lev radin

Comptroller Lander: More Than 1300 Workers Are Entitled to Nearly $3 Million in Prevailing Wages

New York, NY: New York City

Comptroller Brad Lander announced that more than 1300 workers are entitled to payments totaling nearly $3 million from prevailing wage settlements with several companies that worked on City-funded projects. The Comptroller’s Office Bureau of Labor Law sets and enforces prevailing wage and benefit rates on New York City pub lic works projects and attempts to find workers who are owed wages from these settlements.

Prevailing wage laws require employ ers to pay workers a wage and benefit rate set annually by the New York City Comptroller when those employees work on City public works projects in con struction, such as renovating public schools, or building service contracts, which includes security guard and custo dial work. When companies do not pay prevailing wage, the Comptroller enforces the law to ensure workers receive what they are due.

“Hardworking New Yorkers who were stiffed by their employers deserve every penny that they are owed. But many workers who were cheated on city con

tracts may not know that our office fought to win back their wages and is ready to write them a check. Every week is Labor Rights Week at the Comptroller’s office, but this week you can help us by spreading the word. The workers who build our schools, care for our offices, and protect our buildings deserve to be paid prevailing wages, and we will continue to fight to ensure they are,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

Under recent and past settlements, 1,300 workers are owed a total of $2.8 Million. The unpaid wages owed to workers who have not claimed their set tlements range from a few hundred dol lars to more than $86,000. One worker from Queens is owed $86,391, while another in Brooklyn is owed $64,537, and another from the Bronx is owed $51,358.

For a complete list of the workers enti tled to unclaimed prevailing wages, please click here. To search by name, please click here.

Workers who were employed on Cityfunded worksites like public schools, subway stations, City streets and parks, and believe that our office has collected

unpaid prevailing wages from their employers should call the Comptroller’s hotline at (212) 669-4443, send inquiries via email to laborlaw@comptroller.nyc.gov, or check the Comptroller’s unclaimed wages mobile-friendly website.

The Comptroller’s Bureau of Labor Law has been conducting “Know Your Rights” workshops throughout the City in partnership with community organiza

tions. “Know Your Rights” materials are available on the Comptroller’s website in English and many other languages. In the last decade, the office has assessed more than $35 million in prevailing wage vio lations and paid over $22 million to employees who were cheated out of their wages. It has also debarred over 60 con tractors who took advantage of workers.l

Prime Minister Hon. Mia Mottley Shares

Bridgetown Agenda

BY JULIE CARRINGTON BARBADOS GIS

Faced with the financial fallout from the cost of living, debt and climate crises, Government has unveiled its Bridgetown Agenda as a guide for urgent and decisive transforma tion of the international financial system.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley alluded to this charter and its benefits to the country’s development as she deliv ered the inaugural lecture in the Kofi Annan Lecture Series in New York, United States of America recently.

She told the gathering that her Government had started “the exercise” of engaging civil society, academics, and some countries in the world and based on the shared experiences, a small list of pri ority areas was compiled that “are strate gic and focused and that have, in our view, the rarity of being both achievable and meaningful”.

Explaining the rationale for the docu ment, the Prime Minister said: “We call it the Bridgetown Agenda because we asked people to come and join us there and to reflect on these things, so that we

can see how we can make the world a better place. Not because Barbados has that power. We don’t, we are 166 square miles: But it is because we have that con science and we feel the need to speak, even if others will call it a cry of con science, and even if others will ask – who are they?”

She continued: “We are simply ordi nary people trying to make the world a better place and trying to appeal to those

who actually have the power, so to do. Today, we remind them, and we remind ourselves that it is unprecedented because we have a trifecta of connected crises. The cost of living crisis, stem ming…partly from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the pandemic together, coming as they did, overlapping; and a developing country debt crisis, following the pandemic and climate related disas ters….

“May I remind you that tourism and travel dependent economies, such as mine, came out of the first year of the pandemic with double digit economic declines because the tourists simply could not come because of the shut down.”

Ms. Mottley referred to the intense storms and hurricanes impacting coun tries around the world as the “the heart attacks of the climate crisis”. She also described droughts and Sargassum Seaweed as the “chronic NCDs of the climate crisis”, calling both “fatal”.

The Prime Minister noted that the situ ation was compounded by tightening monetary policies in developed countries and the strengthening of the US dollar.

Adding that one in five countries today was experiencing fiscal and financial stress, she said if unaddressed, there would be deepening hardship, debt defaults, widening inequality, political upheaval and a delayed shift to a lowcarbon world.

“We must act now, not next year or a year after. We cannot be good at rescu ing banks, but not good at saving coun tries,” stressed Barbados’ Prime Minister.l

5 Things That First-time Home Buyers Wish They Knew Before They Signed

Without

a doubt, it can be both overwhelming and exciting to find your dream home and be able to put the money down for it.

However, there are a lot of things to know before signing on the dotted line so you can avoid buyer's remorse. Instead of going it alone, here are a few tips to keep in mind before you decide to commit to your new home.

A Good Agent Is Important

Many homeowners want to find the right place on their own, but having an agent along to assist you in the process can go a long way towards finding your ideal home at the right price. Instead of risking it, choose an agent that comes highly rec ommended and has an abundance of experience in the business.

Is The Price Right?

It's easy to be taken in by a beautiful home, but before putting money down you'll want to calculate your debt-toincome (DTI) ratio to make sure it's with in reach. You may feel like you can make it work but paying a too-high mortgage will become a drain over time and may

ruin the happiness of your home invest ment.

What's The Potential?

When it comes to first-time buying, many potential homeowners go into it with unrealistic expectations. However, demanding too much of your investment can mean you miss the gems that have a lot of hidden potential. Instead of saying 'no' right away, consider what you can improve for little cost.

Researching The Neighborhood

The focus for many homeowners is the

house, but 'location, location, location' is a cliché for a reason. Instead of focusing only on your home, ensure you'll be liv ing in a neighborhood where you can feel safe and will have access to all the ameni ties you need.

Investing In An Inspector

A home inspection may feel like a for mality, but it's important to have the right inspector so they will notice maintenance items that can hugely impact your finances. While little items that need to be fixed-up are not a big deal, issues with the foundation or the roof can cause major grievances if they're not detected.

Guidance

There are a lot of things to keep in mind when it comes to buying a home, but by doing your research and being aware of your financial outlook, you'll be well on your way to a good investment. If you're currently on the market for a home, please contact one of our real estate pro fessionals for more information. We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance. Schedule an appointment today. Call us at 888-670-6791.l

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a consultation.

What Will Your Child Be Eating? DOE Launches Inaugural Chefs Council

NEW

YORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks today announced the launch of New York City’s first-ever Chefs Council in partnership with Wellness in the Schools (WITS). The Council is chaired by Rachael Ray and includes celebrated chefs, culinary industry professionals, and food activists.

“Teaching students at a young age to eat healthy, nutritious meals is critical to setting up them up for success,” said Mayor Adams. “The new Chefs Council will develop delicious, nutritious, cultur ally relevant meals for schools with direct input from students and parents. Through this partnership with WITS and our tremendous staff of school food workers, we will take school meals to the next level.”

“Healthy and nourishing meals are essential in ensuring our students can succeed both inside and outside the class room. This initiative will help to expand our menus while making sure they follow our strict health standards and are reflec tive of the cultures and communities we serve,” said DOE Chancellor Banks.

“I’m grateful to the Chefs Council for the work they will do as part of this initiative and to our food service workers, who work day in and day out to ensure our students are well fed and cared for.”

“As the parent of two elementary school children, I know firsthand that providing healthier food choices is only half the battle,” said Kate MacKenzie, executive director, Mayor's Office of Food Policy. “Convincing them to try something new is the real challenge, and I look forward to student feedback on the new recipes this incredible group of chefs will be cooking up! Thank you to Mayor Adams for leading by example, to Chancellor Banks and all of the dedicat

ed school food service workers who are doing the hard work to make sure our students are nourished for success.”

“Wellness in the Schools is grateful to Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks for prioritizing school meals,” said Nancy Easton, co-founder and executive direc tor, Wellness in the Schools. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Office of Food and Nutrition Services’ Cook Ambassadors and local chefs to bring scratched-cooked, plant-based, and cul turally relevant food to nearly one mil lion New York City school children. Expanding our model in the largest school district in the country is a signifi cant step forward in advancing our mis

sion to eliminate obesity related illnesses that begin in childhood.”

The Chefs Council will develop scratch-cooked, plant-based, and cultur ally relevant recipes and provide handson training for the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) chefs. They will create over 100 recipes that will be tested in schools across all five boroughs during the 2022-2023 school year in partnership with the new OFNS Cook Ambassadors. After feed back from students and parents, the recipes will be introduced as a monthly seasonal menu and the chefs will then train school cooks on implementing the new recipes onsite in all public school locations.

In partnership with local education departments, WITS programs have served more than 86,000 children in nearly 200 schools nationwide during the 2021-2022 school year. In New York City, programs are currently implement ed in 38 schools across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens. The launch of the Chefs Council will expand the programming presence to all DOE schools for the 2023-2024 school year. l

The Immigrant's Journal Celebrates 25 Years: Countdown Begins with FREE Immigration Boot Camp

Over the years, immigrants have been demonized, especially dur ing President Trump's adminis tration. Recently, the Texas State Governor, Gregory Abbott, exhibited deplorable behavior by sending many immigrants to New York and other states on buses. Other Republican governors have since joined him. The ongoing inhu mane treatment of immigrants has made them desperate for legalization while striving to survive and feed their fami lies. These have exposed them to fraudu lent schemes run by criminals who steal from them. In some cases, they are caught and sentenced to prison. District Attorney Alvin Bragg says it is one of the issues his office will be "invested in doing more of in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office."

Immigrants who seek to adjust their immigration status can be at risk of being scammed by companies or individuals who provide unauthorized and fraudulent immigration services. Unscrupulous individuals prey on immigrants knowing they are vulnerable and fear complaining

to authorities. The immigrant community is a fragile one. Brian Figeroux of the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates who has been practicing immigration law for almost 25 years and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA shared the following: "When people come to the office with immigration issues, it's a painful situa tion. If they have been taken advantage of and defrauded, they've been here for many years, undocumented, and exploit ed by their employers or fellow people from their own community. So, yes, pain is a common thing."

The Immigrant's Journal, founded in 1998, is about to celebrate 25 years of serving the immigrant community. The Journal proudly offers a FREE 5-week Immigration Boot Camp: An Introduction to US Immigration Law to start the celebrations. Over the five weeks, the topics are as follows:

Week 1, Sept 29: A History of US Immigration from 1869 to 2022. Why Congress Cannot Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Lobbying Techniques

Week 2, Oct 6: Paths to Legalization for Entries in the US With or Without Inspection

Week 3, Oct 13: Consequences of Criminal Activities and Defenses for Deportation

Week 4, Oct 20: Immigration Fraud: Consequences and Solutions

Week 5, Oct 27: Malpractice or Fraud: Lawyers, Notaries and Form Fillers

There will be special presentations from The Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates (AsktheLawyer.us), representatives from the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorneys' Offices, and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. The Boot Camp starts on Thursday, September 29 to October 27, on consecutive Thursdays at 6pm. Sessions are via Zoom. Interested persons can register at immi grationseminar.eventbrite.com l

Thursday,

via Zoom

2017—the first year of the Trump administration—refugee admissions and applications for asylum have plummeted in the United States.

Turning away refugees and asylum seekers not only endangers the lives of tens of thousands of people around the world and diminishes the commitment of the United States to international human rights, but also—as a recent study points out—harms the U.S. economy.

The Difference Between Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Refugees are migrants outside of the United States who have fled to another country, been designated by the United Nations as needing protection, and are awaiting resettlement in a third country. If the U.S. government admits them, they become “resettled” refugees.

Asylum seekers are migrants who are physically present in the United States and intend to request protection from the U.S. government but have not received a response yet. If the U.S. government grants their request, they become “asylees.”

There are two types of asylum seekers. Those who request asylum and are not in deportation proceedings are “affirma tive” asylum applicants who apply for asylum from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Those who are in

deportation proceedings and ask for asy lum to avoid deportation are “defensive” asylum applicants. The latter category includes most migrants who come to the border and seek asylum.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers are Beneficial to the U.S. Economy

A recent study published by IZA –Institute of Labor Economics focuses on the fact that refugees and asylum seek ers—like all migrants—are economic actors. They are workers, consumers, taxpayers, and often investors. Their economic activities expand the U.S. economy and generate fiscal revenues at all levels of government that more than offset the costs of the public services they use.

The study emphasizes that the fiscal impact of refugees and asylum seekers goes beyond the taxes they pay directly. It also includes the additional tax rev enue generated by their presence in the

economy. For instance, the availability of refugee workers may increase the pro ductivity of a business or allow the owner of the business to invest more, both of which increase state revenue from business taxes.

Refugee Admissions and Asylum Applications Have Fallen Dramatically

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, the annual cap on the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the United States was 85,000. The number who were actually resettled was 84,994. By FY 2020, the Trump administration had lowered the cap to 18,000 and the number resettled had dropped to 11,814. Although the Biden administration has raised the annual cap significantly since then, refugee admis sions have yet to catch up. The cap in FY 2022 was 125,000, but the number admitted as of July 31 was only 17,690.

According to the study, the annual

number of refugee arrivals in the United States fell by 86% between FY 2016 and FY 2020. As a result, there were about 295,000 fewer refugees in the United States than there would have been if refugee admissions had remained at their 2016 level.

In addition to restricting refugee admis sions, the Trump administration also implemented policies and programs which prevented asylum seekers from entering the United States. For instance, the Migrant Protection Protocols (also known as Remain in Mexico) forced asy lum seekers arriving at the southern bor der to go back to Mexico to wait for their U.S. immigration court dates. And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, immigra tion courts around the country closed for nearly a year. As a result, applications for asylum fell dramatically. There were 31,588 affirmative applications for asy lum in the fourth quarter of FY 2017, but only 18,270 in the fourth quarter of FY 2021.

The study found that the monthly number of affirmative applications for asylum dropped 68% between March 2017 and September 2019.

The Economic Costs of Keeping Refugees and Asylum Seekers Out of the United States

Declining refugee admissions and asy lum applications have had a significant impact on the U.S. economy.

on page 12

Refugee Admissions and Access to Asylum/continued from page 1

Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, a man from Haiti crosses the border between Mexico and the United States with his daughter in his arms to request asylum Editorial credit: David Peinado Romero / Shutterstock.com

Immigrant Advocates Urge Mayor Adams to Reconsider Relief Centers

Refugee Admissions and Access to Asylum/continued from page 11

New

York, NY: New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced his Administration will open “Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers” to receive asylum seekers arriving from Texas. The centers will be operated by the NYC Department of Emergency Management (NYCEM) and NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H), with one confirmed location in Orchard Beach in the Bronx, one location to be determined, and potentially more centers opened in the coming weeks.

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition said: “Yesterday, [Sept 23] Mayor Eric Adams announced his plans to open multiple relief centers in New York City, a plan reportedly designed to relieve pressure from our shelter system. While we rec ognize there is urgency in meeting the very real needs of asylum seeking fami lies while our shelter system remains over-burdened, we believe that any effort to open a temporary relief camp at Orchard Beach is ridiculous and likely to cause more harm than good, especially as the fall turns into winter. This center

raises serious concerns relating to access to transportation, care, and other sup ports that people need to get back on their feet, and to fully integrate into our city. Moreover, we fear that what was meant to be a temporary solution will become an inadequate permanent one, which will lead to long-term negative impacts on the individuals housed there, as well as becoming a stain on New York City’s reputation as a welcoming city.

Until the Adams administration provides an updated and concrete written plan that allows for input from organizations like ours, public health, and housing experts – to ensure the health and safety of all residents – we cannot endorse this effort.

The shelter crisis requires a real solution that meets the urgency of the moment with a long term solution that provides New Yorkers with permanent housing, not a temporary half-measure. Every New Yorker deserves better. We urge the Mayor and his Administration to recon sider this plan, and create a real solution to keep everyone safe and secure, now and into the future.”l

New York City, NY USA August 26, 2022. NY Immigration Coalition held a press con ference at City Hall demanding the city do more to help asylum seekers arriving in NYC. Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock.com

The study estimates that from 2017 to 2020, reduced refugee resettlement resulted in a loss to the U.S. economy of $9.1 billion each year ($30,962 per refugee per year). Federal, state, and local governments lost $2 billion each year in revenue ($6,844 per refugee per year).

Put differently, for each 10% reduction in refugee admissions, the U.S. economy loses $1.4 billion and federal, state, and local governments lose $310 million in revenue.

The study also estimates that for every 10% reduction in the number of both affirmative and defensive asylum seek ers, the U.S. economy loses $8.9 billion and federal, state, and local governments lose $1.5 billion in revenue over the course of five years.

The United States Should Welcome Refugees and Asylum Seekers

The United States should reclaim its his torical tradition of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. At a time when more and more people worldwide are fleeing conflicts in their home countries, it is inhumane to arbitrarily impose extreme restrictions on refugee admissions and access to asylum. Moreover, reducing the number of refugees and asylum seekers allowed to enter the United States need lessly undermines the U.S. economy.l

The Message to All Africans: “Get In Business or Become Extinct”

BY SHAQUILLE BAIRD

Recently,

prominent Nigerian film maker and chairman of Blaze Channel USA, Tony Abulu, host ed the first Annual Africa Expo, USA, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square Hotel. The agenda was clear: Africans must begin to monetize their talents and ideas and, in doing so, come together as a business community.

“For far too long, Africans, especially the African youth, has been languishing, and it’s not getting any better.”

Making no distinction between native Africans, African Americans, and Caribbean Africans, Tony Abulu drama tized the economic struggles faced by many Africans worldwide and highlight ed the dire need for practical solutions.

“It’s not enough to get a degree and get a job. We should be coming together as a community and creating jobs. We should create businesses, monetize our talents, and then feed the proceeds into our com munities. If we do not do it ourselves, then who will?”

The two-day event, which began on Saturday, September 17, 2022, and con tinued on Sunday, September 18, 2022, featured panel discussions, expo markets, trade and investment networking, and a president concert. Among the distin guished guests were Wall Street Financial Advisor Dr. Jana B. Woodhouse, President of the Harlem Tourism Board, Mr. Tony Rogers, CEO and Founder of the nationally distributed cable TV Network Soul City, Mr. Matt McCoy, and Nigerian actress Mrs. Omotola Jalade Ekeinde.

Furthering the discussion of business ownership, Dr. Jana B. Woodhouse jok ingly opened with the “lie” that many are told as children.

“We got to stop lying to our kids. We lie to them very well. We tell them to go to school. You’re going to get a good educa tion. You’re going to get a good job. And then, after 30 years, you’re going to retire, and you’ll receive half of what you’re making. And you’re going to live off of that. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

Despite the humorous opening, Dr. Woodhouse highlighted the importance of advancing education and professional experiences in entrepreneurship and imparting them to African communities.

Emphasis was also placed on gaining knowledge about money, business and taxation law, business plans, marketing, and partnering strategies to achieve eco nomic prosperity.

According to the Census Bureau 2020 Annual Business Survey, “134,567 Black or African American owned businesses in the US. This figure represents 2.4% of companies in America. For the same year, 2020, a report by Statista illustrated that 19.5% of black people living in America were below the poverty line.

The Census Bureau 2020 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement suggested that

Blacks represented roughly 23.8% of the poverty population.

To improve these statistics, which appear consistent with Africans world wide, individuals like Tony Abulu are creating platforms to educate, train and provide investment and networking opportunities to individuals and business owners alike. Initiatives are also coming from the local government. Last week, NYC Mayor, Mr. Eric Adams, and Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, Mr. David Banks, announced a career guidance and mentorship program for public school students to achieve long-term economic

security, especially for black and brown students’ community members.

With a great deal of knowledge and opportunities to impart to the various African communities within America, the Africa Expo USA will be featured in sig nificant Diaspora areas such as Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and California. The discussions, debates, and festive scenes of the Expo are both enjoyable and thought-provoking, but the real treasure of attending this event lies in the empow erment one can achieve. Africans, togeth er as a community, must begin emphasiz ing entrepreneurship and ownership to flourish economically.l

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Photo: IQ INC/Shaquille Baird

What Ser vices Can a Paralegal Provide?

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

The legal profession includes many individuals who are not actually lawyers. This, however, doesn't mean that they cannot do any legal work. There are plenty of services that can be provided by a paralegal, and these serv ices can make all the difference in your case.

Paralegals can perform substantive legal work that has been delegated to them by a lawyer. They often have a mix of work experience, education, and pro fessional training that qualifies them for this job. Below are some of the services that you can request from a paralegal.

Preparation of Documents

Have you ever wondered how a lawyer is able to show up to different court cases on the same day and still have all the documents they need? This is usually because they have a team of paralegals to whom they delegate this work. Individuals in this profession are very good at preparing legal documents. From briefs and contracts to agreements, para legals have the knowledge and experi ence to get these documents ready in a short amount of time.

Providing Legal Information

Paralegals can't offer legal advice to someone. However, they can provide legal information to a general audience.

There are many individuals around the country who are unaware of their legal rights in various situations. Employees, tenants, and other parties might be forced to endure certain conditions simply because they are unaware that the law is on their side.

A paralegal can be brought in to provide some legal information to such an audi ence so they are more aware of where the law stands when it comes to certain issues or how they can go about getting

legal aid if they need it.

Explaining Procedural Issues of Law

Many people who have never been to court before will be surprised at how cer tain things are handled. You could spend a day getting ready to argue your case only for proceedings to be postponed. One reason for this is court procedures. There are many procedures that courts are required to follow and paralegals can explain these to you.

Representing Parties in Administrative Law Hearings

An administrative agency can allow a

paralegal to represent you at an adminis trative hearing. However, if the case is appealed to a court, you'll have to find a lawyer to represent you.

Rising Prestige

As paralegals perform more complex and challenging work, paralegal prestige is rising. Paralegals are no longer simply lawyer's assistants; they assume corpo rate management roles, leadership roles in law firms, and entrepreneurial roles in independent paralegal businesses. Over the years, paralegals have transcended the image of glorified legal secretaries to become respected legal team members.

Ready to Take the Leap?

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally and offers a unique opportunity to help others; options vary, depending on the parale gal's practice area. Paralegals in the pub lic interest sector help poor and disad vantaged segments of the population with legal issues ranging from protection from domestic abuse to assistance preparing wills.

Ready to take the leap, the next step? Call us at 718-722-9217 or visit www.freeparalegal.org to complete your registration which includes payment.l

International Icon Rihanna Takes Center Stage for Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show

On September 25, Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation announce international icon, entrepreneur and philanthropist Rihanna will take center stage at State Farm Stadium for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl LVII, on Sunday, February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.

The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show telecast will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serv ing as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton serving as director. Roc Nation is also serving as the strategic entertain ment advisors of the live performance.

"Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in busi ness and entertainment," said Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter.

"We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage," said Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music.

"Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look for ward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show perform ance."

"Rihanna is an incredible recording artist who is a favorite for many millions of Apple Music customers around the world," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats. "We're excited to partner with Rihanna, Roc Nation and the NFL to bring music and sports fans a momentous show — what an incredible artist for the inaugural Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show."

Earlier this year, the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show which featured a lineup of trailblazing musicians including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar made history, garnering five Creative Arts Emmy nominations. The critically acclaimed performance won three Creative Arts Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Special (Live), a first ever for the show.l

Kitchen Corner

Savory Caribbean-Inspired Sweet Potato Cakes

Thisrecipe is inspired by fried buttercup squash pat ties that I had at the best Caribbean restaurant in town! Enjoy the complex and satisfying mix of garlic and chili pepper, with just a tinge of sweetness. These are great for appetizers, a light lunch with salad, or even for brunch! The sweet potatoes can be replaced with a winter squash, such as but tercup. Serve them warm, plain, or topped with maple syrup or a fruit chutney.

—Shannon, AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped

3 green onions with tops, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon allspice salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup canola oil

Directions

Step 1: Place the sweet potatoes in a pan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with fork, about 10 minutes. Drain, place the potatoes in a mixing bowl, and mash.

Step 2: Meanwhile, heat 1 table spoon canola oil in a skillet over

medium-high heat. Stir in the jalapeno pepper, green onions, and garlic. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir the vegetables, brown sugar, and allspice into the mashed sweet potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Form the sweet potato mixture into 12 slightly flattened cakes about 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter using your hands or large spoons. Place on a plate.

Step 4: Heat 1/4 cup canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sweet potato cakes in the skillet, four at a time, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side, 6 to 8 minutes. Add more oil if needed.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 289 calories; total fat 18g; saturated fat 2g; sodium 81mg; total car bohydrate 32g; dietary fiber 5g; total sug ars 7g; protein 3g; vitamin c 8mg; calci um 58mg; iron 1mg; potassium 530mg.l

Caribbean mega superstar and international icon, Rihanna

Editorial credit: landmarkmedia / Shutterstock.com

Why St. Kitts is the Place to Truly Unwind

BY CAMILLE LAMB GUZMAN TRAVEL ZOO

Travelers

are regaining the luxury of choice now that destinations around the globe are dropping restrictions, making it more challenging to decide how to spend those precious vacation days.

While it remains true that getaways often seem to fly by, the twin island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis is one place where time seems to pass on a different continuum. When one is surrounded by deliciously unspoiled open spaces, jut ting volcanic peaks, emerald-green val leys, aquamarine ocean waters and jawdropping natural beaches, departing from the breakneck pace of everyday life hap pens automatically.

This time-bending phenomenon — alongside St. Kitts’ collection of pamper ing resorts and hotels, colorful and deli cious restaurants and outdoor adventures — make the island an easy choice for a romantic getaway, a honeymoon or a much-needed escape from the hectic work world. And it's surprisingly easy to get there, too. Direct flight options include American Airlines' daily service from Miami, plus seasonal Saturday flights from Charlotte and New York.

Here are 5 ways to enjoy the leisurely life in St. Kitts.

Soak in the island culture

Taking it easy and taking in the sights go hand in hand on St. Kitts and Nevis, and that's partly because the island nation is the smallest in the Americas — so the next amazing thing to see is never more than a few miles' drive, cab or ferry ride away. Less travel time means more time to wander amid in the unique historical, cultural and arts attractions that make this place so remarkable.

Savor Kittitian flavors

As decadent as the views are in this trop ical island archipelago, there's a feast for more than the eyes here. St. Kitts cuisine fuses together a number of influences, including Caribbean, Creole, West Indian and Asian flavors. The result is fresh, flavorful and colorful plates worth savoring over a long lunch or dinner.

This is doubly true when they're enjoyed at restaurants with a view of the lush hills, bay or ocean — and happily, there are quite a few such eateries to choose from.

Set the scene for romance

Yes, you've dined and you've wined (or "rummed," as the case may be), but the romance on St. Kitts doesn't end there.

Setting the mood on this laid-back, para disiacal island is generally done for you courtesy of majestic Mother Nature, but you can amplify her efforts simply by putting yourself (and your significant other) in the right place at the right time.

A sunset cruise via a local charter com pany is one example of this. It's hard to imagine a more romantic experience than setting adrift with your beloved on the gem-colored Caribbean Sea against a backdrop of green mountains and a fiery sunset sky. And you don't have to be a millionaire to get in on the splendor. There are options for all budgets — from group catamaran tours to private yacht charters — and rum-infused libations are nearly always part of the package.

Commune with nature

Once you're on the island, you don't have to go out of your way to benefit from St. Kitts' impossibly lush and vibrant envi rons. But if you do go the extra mile, so to speak, the gorgeousness you'll witness will pay dividends.

If you're an avid hiker, you won't want to miss the trek to the Mount Liamuiga Crater Rim at the center of the island's northern half. You'll ascend 3,792 feet via a path through dense rain forest to the rim, where you'll savor views of endless blue water, the small neighboring islands of Sint Eustaciaus and Saba and the immense crater itself. The hike is some what strenuous (it includes some rock climbing), and no matter your fitness level, it's best to bring an expert guide for safety.

Make time for new experiences

You'd be perfectly within your right to spend your whole getaway stretched out on the sands of Atlantic-facing Half Moon Bay beach (also an ideal choice for body surfing, thanks to its brisk waves); bathing and snorkeling in the calm waters of reef-protected Dieppe Bay beach; curled up in a secluded cor ner of quiet Sandy Bank Bay beach; or otherwise hanging loose on any number of gorgeous beaches that circle this treas ure trove of natural beauty.

At the same time, the novel experiences offered here truly are worth peeling yourself off the sand for — and if you're traveling as a couple, all the more so, since research shows trying new things together keeps the spark alive.

How about cantering across the sand on horseback, watching the waves lap at the shore as your animal escort moves in a soothing, rhythmic lope? Or kicking things up a notch with an ATV ride across sugar cane tractor paths, inland hills and through the rain forest? And if underwater adventures are on your wish list, dive centers offer scuba diving cer tificate courses that can have you explor ing tropical underwater ecosystems in a matter of days.

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Then again, if the allure of the surf proves too strong to schedule anything, take heart that you can — and you likely will — come back again and again to experience more of all St. Kitts has to offer.

This is an abbreviated version. Read the full article at www.cawnyc.com

Dramatic orange sunrise over a luxury upscale hotel resort in Christopher Harbor, Saint Kitts. Editorial credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Don’t Blame Women for Low Libido. Sexual Sparks Fly When Par tners Do Their Share of Chores – Including Calling the Plumber

NOTICE OF DIVORCE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF KINGS, INDEX NO. 51230/2019 – Date Purchased: March 12, 2019 – SUMMONS WITH NOTICE – Plaintiff designates Kings County as the place of trial – Basis of Venue: Plaintiff’s Residence –PETRACH LYNDONA ANDERSON against WIN STON GEORGE POWELL – ACTION FOR DIVORCE - To the above named Defendant, YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to serve a notice of appearance on Plaintiff’s attorneys within thirty (30) days after the serv ice of this summons is complete and in the case of your failure to appear, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the notice set forth below. Dated: March 11, 2019, Brooklyn, New York. Law Offices of FIGEROUX & ASSOCIATES, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, New York 11242.

BY SIMONE BUZWELL & EVA JOHANSEN THE CONVERSATION

When

a comic about “mental load” went viral in 2017, it sparked conversations about the invisible workload women carry. Even when women are in paid employ ment, they remember their mother-inlaw’s birthday, know what’s in the pantry and organise the plumber. This mental load often goes unnoticed.

Women also continue to do more housework and childcare than their male partners.

This burden has been exacerbated over the recent pandemic (homeschooling anyone?), leaving women feeling exhausted, anxious and resentful.

As sexuality researchers, we wondered, with all this extra work, do women have any energy left for sex?

We decided to explore how mental load affects intimate relationships. We focused on female sexual desire, as “low desire” affects more than 50% of women and is difficult to treat.

Our study, published in the Journal of Sex Research, shows women in equal relationships (in terms of housework and the mental load) are more satisfied with their relationships and, in turn, feel more sexual desire than those in unequal rela tionships.

How do we define low desire?

Low desire is tricky to explore. More than simply the motivation to have sex, women describe sexual desire as a stateof-being and a need for closeness.

Adding to this complexity is the fluctu ating nature of female desire that changes in response to life experiences and the quality of relationships.

Relationships are especially important

to female desire: relationship dissatisfac tion is a top risk factor for low desire in women, even more than the physiologi cal impacts of age and menopause. Clearly, relationship factors are critical to understanding female sexual desire.

As a way of addressing the complexity of female desire, a recent theory pro posed two different types of desire: dyadic desire is the sexual desire one feels for another, whereas solo desire is about individual feelings.

Not surprisingly, dyadic desire is inter twined with the dynamics of the relation ship, while solo desire is more amor phous and involves feeling good about yourself as a sexual being (feeling sexy), without needing validation from another.

Assessing the link

Our research acknowledged the nuances of women’s desire and its strong connec tion to relationship quality by exploring how fairness in relationships might affect desire.

The research involved asking 299 women aged 18 to 39 questions about desire and relationships.

These questions included assessments of housework, mental load – such as who organised social activities and made financial arrangements – and who had more leisure time.

We compared three groups:

•relationships where women perceived the work as equally shared equal (the “equal work” group)

•when the woman felt she did more work (the “women’s work” group)

•when women thought that their partner contributed more (the “partner’s work” group).

•We then explored how these differences

NOTICE: The nature of this action is to dissolve the mar riage between the parties on the grounds of: irretrievable breakdown of the relationship for at least six months pur suant to DRL §170(7). The relief sought is a judgment of absolute divorce in favor of the plaintiff dissolving the marriage between the parties in this action.

NOTICE OF ENTRY OF AUTOMATIC ORDERS. Pursuant to DRL §236(b)(2), the parties are bound by certain automatic orders which shall remain in full force and effect during the pendency of the action. For further details you should contact the Clerk of the Matrimonial Part, Supreme Court, 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201 Tel.: (347) 296-1714.

NOTICE CONCERNING CONTINUATION OF HEALTHCARE COVERAGE (DRL §255). Please be advised that once the judgment of divorce is signed in this action, both parties must be aware that he or she will no longer be covered by the other party’s health insur ance plan and that each party shall be responsible for his or her own health insurance coverage, and may be enti tled to purchase health insurance on his or her own through a COBRA option, if available.

NOTICE OF GUIDELINE MAINTENANCE. Pursuant to DRL §236(B)(5-a), there is an obligation to award the guideline amount of maintenance (spousal support) on income up to $175,000 to be paid by the higher income spouse to the lower income spouse after the divorce is final according to a formula, unless the parties agree oth erwise or waive this right.

RELATIONSHIPS

in relationship equity impacted female sexual desire.

What we found

The findings were stark. Women who rated their relationships as equal also reported greater relationship satisfaction and higher dyadic desire (intertwined with the dynamics of the relationship) than other women in the study.

Unfortunately (and perhaps, tellingly), the partner’s work group was too small to draw any substantial conclusions.

However, for the women’s work group it was clear their dyadic desire was diminished. This group was also less sat isfied in their relationships overall.

We found something interesting when turning our attention to women’s solo desire. While it seems logical that rela tionship inequities might affect all aspects of women’s sexuality, our results showed that fairness did not significantly impact solo desire.

This suggests women’s low desire isn’t an internal sexual problem to be treated with mindfulness apps and jade eggs, but rather one that needs effort from both partners.

Other relationship factors are involved. We found children increased the work load for women, leading to lower rela tionship equity and consequently, lower

sexual desire.

Relationship length also played a role. Research shows long-term relationships are associated with decreasing desire for women, and this is often attributed to the tedium of over-familiarity (think of the bored, sexless wives in 90s sitcoms).

However our research indicates rela tionship boredom is not the reason, with the increasing inequity over the course of a relationship often the cause of women’s disinterest in sex.

The longer some relationships contin ue, the more unfair they become, lower ing women’s desire. This may be because women take on managing their partner’s

relationships, as well as their own (“It’s time we had your best friend over for dinner”).

And while domestic housework may start as equally shared, over time, women tend to do more household tasks.

What about same-sex couples?

Same-sex couples have more equitable relationships.

However, we found the same link between equity and desire for women in same-sex relationships, although it was much stronger for heteronormative cou ples.

A sense of fairness within a relationship

is fundamental to all women’s satisfac tion and sexual desire.

What happens next?

Our findings suggest one response to low desire in women could be to address the amount of work women have to take on in relationships.

The link between relationship satisfac tion and female sexual desire has been firmly established in previous research but our findings explain how this dynam ic works: women’s sense of fairness within a relationship forecasts their con tentment, which has repercussions on their desire for their partner.

To translate our results into clinical practice, we could run trials to confirm if lowering women’s mental load results in greater sexual desire.

We could have a “housework and men tal load ban” for a sample of women reporting low sexual desire and record if there are changes in their reported levels of desire.

Or perhaps women’s sexual partners could do the dishes tonight and see what happens.l

Simone Buzwell is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology. Eva Johansen us a PhD can didate, Swinburne University of Technology

Don’t Blame Women for Low Libido/continued from

COVID-19 Can Cause Lasting Lung Damage – 3 Ways Long COVID Patients’ Respiration Can Suffer

BY JEFFREY M. STUREK & ALEXANDRA KADL, THE CONVERSATION

Persons

say: “I just can’t do what I used to anymore.” As pulmonolo gists and critical care doctors treat ing patients with lung disease, we have heard many of our patients recovering from COVID-19 tell us this even months after their initial diagnosis. Though they may have survived the most life-threaten ing phase of their illness, they have yet to return to their pre-COVID-19 baseline, struggling with activities ranging from strenuous exercise to doing laundry.

These lingering effects, called long COVID, have affected as many as 1 in 5 American adults diagnosed with COVID19. Long COVID includes a wide range of symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, cough and shortness of breath. These symptoms can result from damage to or malfunctioning of multiple organ sys tems, and understanding the causes of long COVID is a special research focus of the Biden-Harris administration.

Not all breathing problems are related to the lungs, but in many cases the lungs are affected. Looking at the lungs’ basic func tions and how they can be affected by dis ease may help clarify what is on the hori zon for some patients after a COVID-19 infection.

Normal lung function

The main function of the lungs is to bring oxygen-rich air into the body and expel carbon dioxide. When air flows into the lungs, it is brought into close proximity

with the blood, where oxygen diffuses into the body and carbon dioxide diffuses out.

This process, as simple as it sounds, requires an extraordinary coordination of air flow, or ventilation, and blood flow, or perfusion. There are over 20 divisions in your airway, starting at the main wind pipe, or the trachea, all the way out to the little balloons at the end of the airway, called alveoli, that are in close contact with your blood vessels.

By the time a molecule of oxygen gets down to the end of the airway, there are about 300 million of these little alveoli it could end up in, with a total surface area of over 1,000 square feet (100 square meters) where gas exchange occurs.

Matching ventilation and perfusion rates is critical for basic lung function, and damage anywhere along the airway can lead to difficulty breathing in a number of ways.

Obstruction – decreased airflow

One form of lung disease is obstruction of airflow in and out of the body.

Two common causes of impairments like these are chronic obstructive pul monary disease and asthma. In these dis eases, the airways become narrowed because of either damage from smoking, as is common in COPD, or allergic inflammation, as is common in asthma. In either case, patients experience difficulty blowing air out of their lungs.

Researchers have observed ongoing air

COVID-19 Can Cause Lasting Lung Damage/

from page

flow obstruction in some patients who have recovered from COVID-19. This condition is typically treated with inhalers that deliver medications that open up the airways. Such treatments may also be helpful while recovering from COVID-19.

Restriction – reduced lung volume Another form of lung disease is referred to as restriction, or difficulty expanding the lungs. Restriction decreases the vol ume of the lungs and, subsequently, the amount of air they can take in. Restriction often results from the forma tion of scar tissue, also called fibrosis, in the lungs due to injury.

Fibrosis thickens the walls of the alve oli, which makes gas exchange with the blood more difficult. This type of scar ring can occur in chronic lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or as a result of severe lung damage in a condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS.

ARDS can be caused by injuries origi nating in the lungs, like pneumonia, or severe disease in other organs, like pan creatitis. Around 25% of patients who recover from ARDS go on to develop restrictive lung disease.

Researchers have also found that patients who have recovered from COVID-19, especially those who had

severe disease, can later develop restric tive lung disease. COVID-19 patients who require a ventilator may also have recovery rates similar to those who require a ventilator for other conditions. Long-term recovery of lung function in these patients is still unknown. Drugs treating fibrotic lung disease after COVID-19 are currently undergoing clinical trials.

Impaired perfusion – decreased blood flow

Finally, even when air flow and lung vol ume are unaffected, the lungs cannot complete their function if blood flow to the alveoli, where gas exchange occurs, is impaired.

COVID-19 is associated with an

increased risk for blood clots. If blood clots travel to the lungs, they can cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism that restricts blood flow to the lungs.

In the long term, blood clots can also cause chronic problems with blood flow to the lungs, a condition called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hyperten sion, or CTEPH. Only 0.5% to 3% of patients who develop a pulmonary embolism for reasons other than COVID19 go on to develop this chronic problem. However, there is evidence that severe COVID-19 infections can damage the blood vessels of the lung directly and impair blood flow during recovery.

What’s next?

Lungs can work less optimally in these

three general ways, and COVID-19 can lead to all of them. Researchers and cli nicians are still figuring out ways to best treat the long-term lung damage seen in long COVID.

For clinicians, closely following up with patients who have recovered from COVID-19, particularly those with per sistent symptoms, can lead to quicker diagnoses of long COVID. Severe cases of COVID-19 are associated with higher rates of long COVID. Other risk factors for development of long COVID include preexisting Type 2 diabetes, presence of virus particles in the blood after the ini tial infection and certain types of abnor mal immune function.

For researchers, long COVID is an opportunity to study the underlying mechanisms of how different types of lung-related conditions that result from COVID-19 infection develop. Uncovering these mechanisms would allow researchers to develop targeted treatments to speed recovery and get more patients feeling and breathing like their pre-pandemic selves once again. In the meantime, everyone can stay up to date on recommended vaccinations and use preventive measures such as good hand hygiene and masking when appropriate.l

Jeffrey M. Sturek is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia. Alexandra Kadl is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Virginia

Contact:

Stacy Young Board Certified Holistic Health Coach Tel: 917-459-8431

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Updating Your Will

Wills are designed to be ironclad documents that set forth how you want assets dispersed to loved ones. They take the guesswork — or, in some sad cases, the arguments — out of a critical moment in this very emo tional process. But they’re not ironclad at all. In fact, there are several instances in which you should go back and update this document so that it doesn’t end up creat ing the very end-of-life problems you’re trying to avoid.

Marital Status

If you get married after executing a will, you’ll need to add your new spouse as a beneficiary. Most states allow a spouse to receive their portion of an estate, even if a will is not in place. But securing that benefit can be a lengthy and difficult process. Obviously, your will might also be changed if you get a divorce, since your spouse would typically no longer be a beneficiary. Spouses are also generally named as guardians for minor children and estate executors in wills, so those designations may also need to be updated when a marriage ends.

Tax Laws

Work directly with a professional estate planner when crafting this document, since they will have the most up-to-date

information on your will’s tax implica tions. But be aware that these laws change, and sometimes your final docu ment has to be updated in order to remain in the appropriate legal standing. A legal representative should make periodic reviews of your will, with an eye toward updating things like estate-tax issues.

Financial Situation

If you endure an economic downturn, it may be necessary to pay out less to your beneficiaries to make sure that the estate’s other obligations are still met in your absence. On the other hand, if you expe rience a notable financial uptick, you may want to increase the benefit for those you leave behind — or maybe even add a new beneficiary.

Adding a ‘P.S.’

If you’re only adding a small change after

the will has been competed, you may choose to make what’s called a codicil — basically a legal “P.S.” to your will. An extra page is written, signed and wit nessed, just as your original will was, then attached. After death, both docu ments are to be read and followed. More important chances should involve an entirely new will.

Ask for Advice

A will is your ironclad way to disperse your assets to loved ones as you wish. Don’t be afraid to ask your legal expert for advice on other moments that may benefit your last will and testament. Remember, this document is incredibly important to keep accurate as it articulates your vision and solidifies your legacy.

Visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule a consultation or call 855-768-8845.l

As NYC School Board Meetings Return In Person, Will Parent Participation Dwindle?

BY AMY ZIMMER, CHALKBEAT

For many New York City parents, the move during the pandemic to virtual school board meetings meant they could attend without having to scramble for child care or figure out transportation.

Now, participating in these meetings could once again become difficult, and that could have important consequences in terms of whose voices get heard when the city makes policy decisions.

After extending New York’s COVID state of emergency several times, Gov. Kathy Hochul allowed it to expire earlier this month, putting an end to virtual pub lic meetings governed by the Open Meetings Law. The city, however, extended its local state of emergency through Oct. 22, giving boards some more time to figure out next steps.

Meetings covered under the state’s Open Meetings Law can go hybrid, but it could get complicated.

A board can pass a resolution or change their bylaws allowing for individual members to attend virtually due to ill ness, disability, caregiving responsibili ties, or any other “significant or unex pected factor or event.” But quorum of board members must still be present in person.

Several public bodies governed by the state’s Open Meetings Law have passed resolutions to hold hybrid meetings, though many have not, and some parent advocates worry that will prevent many families from being able to show up.

With unvaccinated parents still barred from schools, in-person-only meetings might mean they can no longer partici pate. Hybrid meetings, on the other hand, can require tech equipment and expertise that some of these volunteer bodies might not have. And for many school board members — most of whom are caretakers — who will get to dial in and who will have to show up?

“You could be cooking dinner for your kid and participating in a meeting at the same time,” said Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, a member of the city’s Panel for Educational Policy, or PEP, of online meetings.

Open Meetings

The rule applies to the PEP, a largely mayoral appointed board that only approves (or rejects) contracts, and also provides one of the few spaces for fami lies and advocates to publicly express their views on issues from school clo sures to disciplinary changes. The panel, which is required to livestream their meetings, has yet to vote on whether to allow hybrid member participation or whether they will take public comment via teleconference.(PEP meetings have lasted well past midnight both virtually and in person.)

The Open Meetings Law also affects charter school boards, school leadership teams (each schools’ joint educator-par ent committee that makes instructional and other decisions), and the 36 parentled Community Education Councils, which are largely advisory but also have the power to shape school zone bound aries.

These education councils, known as CECs, add “a layer of democracy,” and “to the extent that members use their platform, it’s an extra set of eyes that rep resent the views of parents,” one former member told Chalkbeat. They have also become the forum for heated debates over changing admissions policies in attempts to integrate one of the country’s most segregated school systems, with a recent election push from both sides of the aisle to get their preferred candidates on the councils.

So far, nine of the 36 parent councils have sent resolutions to the education department to approve hybrid meetings, according to school officials.

The open meetings rule does not apply to parent-teacher association meetings. Those bodies can choose to have in-per son, virtual or hybrid meetings, accord ing to regulations the PEP passed in November. (And while many board meetings are returning to in person, par ent-teacher conferences at schools will be remote this year.)

Many online CEC meetings have not only been helpful for parents, SalasRamirez said, but educators also found it easier to attend meetings, allowing more collaboration between parents and teach ers, said Salas-Ramirez, a former presi dent of the education council in East Harlem’s District 4. Since their meetings moved online, anywhere from 60 to 250 people attended, she estimated.

“In person, I kid you not, it’s five peo ple,” she said. “Before, half of the par ents didn’t even know what a CEC does. They didn’t know what a PEP does.”

‘A big undertaking’

The Citywide Council on Special Education, the advisory group represent ing families who have children with dis abilities, voted to hold hybrid meetings in the hope that it will allow their com munity continued access to its meetings, said member Paullette Healy.

“Our families experience a multitude of challenges of having children with dis abilities and/or being disabled them selves,” she said. “Because we are city wide, we have an added challenge of traveling to all five boroughs ... That has always posed an immense challenge with acquiring enough members to make quo rum, and we did not reach many of our community by doing it in this fashion.”

The council plans to hold its first hybrid meeting of the year on Sept. 29 at the education department’s Lower Manhattan headquarters, but Healy is concerned the group may run into some technical difficulties.

They had issues trying to broadcast from the 19th-century building before and without “proper technology,” the issues may continue. Healy worries that other parent councils might run into sim ilar challenges given the lack of support from the education department in terms of providing the technology or equip ment needed for hybrid meetings, she said.

“Many of us use our own personal equipment or are forced to use our minuscule budget to purchase,” Healy said. “We have discussed this with the DOE on many occasions to no avail.”

Many of schools still lack reliable WiFi, and CECs — typically their administra tive assistants — have to bring a slew of equipment, including laptops, micro phones, hotspots, and headphones, to the school hosting the meeting and back to their district office.

“It’s a big undertaking,” Healy said.

Education department officials said they typically provide technical assis

tance to CECs for their town halls with the chancellor and are exploring future tech assistance based on need and resources.

In Bedford Stuyvesant’s District 16, Community Education Council President NeQuan McLean would like for his members to offer hybrid meetings — he even pushed Albany for the option — but for now, they don’t feel like they have the capacity to do so.

“This situation has caught us in a tight predicament,” McLean said.

His CEC is among several that lack an administrative assistant — “because the salaries are so low,” he said — which means all of the work to set up meetings and create various documents in the required timeframe fall on him and other parent volunteers.

Loss of flexibility

Holding in-person meetings is easier than offering hybrid ones, McLean said. You can simply hand out documents without also making a slideshow. You don’t have to monitor online comments, or choose which of the six members out of 11 have to show up in person. Also when meetings are online, they tend to run longer, which could be a problem for the in-person members who might need to travel home late at night.

Yet, McLean worries that being only inperson will hinder participation, and he’s still hoping to go hybrid at some point. His CEC, too, saw upwards of 100 peo ple at remote meetings compared to about 25 for past in-person meetings.

But the cost to do it well is beyond their meager budget.

“The proper way to do it: you need a camera that shows the dais, you have microphones for people to speak into and then feed that in,” McLean said. “We need at least $25,000 to buy the proper equipment.”

For charter schools, which hold regular board meetings, the New York Charter Schools Association has spread the word to make sure schools were aware of the new requirements and ready to imple ment them, its executive director Yomika Bennett said.

The emergency pandemic meeting rules allowing more flexibility resulted in much greater engagement and partici pation for the public, Bennett echoed.

“We are disappointed by the loss of that flexibility in the law and the layers of new rules boards have to navigate,” she wrote in an email. “That said, we are grateful that the law preserves a video conferencing option. We will see what the ultimate impact of changes is and will seek any amendments to the law if need ed.”

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Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. This story was published on Sept 27, 2022 by THE CITY.

Parents at a January 2020 Community Education Council meeting for District 28 in Queens. These parent-led volunteer councils now have to meet in person though they could opt for hybrid meetings. Christina Veiga/Chalkbeat