Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 170

Will the North American Leadership Summit Result in Substantive Immigration Policy Change?

BY SUNITA SOHRABJI

changes in immigration policy — including the immediate revocation of the Trump-era Title 42 policy — were promised by candidate Joe Biden on the campaign trail. Two years later, however, the policy has not been revoked. President Biden last week announced

BY CHERYL HARASYMCHUK THE CONVERSATION

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 555 5th Ave 3rd Floor New York, NY 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

New Year Statement by the Incoming Chairman of CARICOM, Hon Philip Davis, KC, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas

AHappy New Year to you all! We usher in a most auspicious year for both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and The Bahamas, as we both celebrate our 50th Anniversaries.

For our Community, this milestone comes at a time when regional co-operation has never been more urgent and necessary. The shock of and response to the Covid-19 pandemic was a stark illustration of the limitations of working alone. Working alone, none of us will be able to overcome the existential threat posed by climate change. Working alone, none of us will be able to fully seize the opportunities of the new world order, where old certainties are fast disappearing, and new technologies favour the agile and the clever.

We all share common histories— trials, traumas, and triumphs. As regional neighbours, we have, through the years, encountered many of the same hurdles, beat down the same walls, and conquered the same challenges. And indeed, we owe it to ourselves and each other to recognize that we are and always have been in this together.

We are at a tipping point, where it is imperative that we build on and strengthen the foundations of the past 50 years. There is already much on the agenda.

Our Community is making great strides towards ensuring food and nutrition security. And we are on track to reduce our food import bill by 25 percent by 2025.

With the help of international partners, we also want to make further progress on our plans to increase the use of renewable

energy. This is not only an alternative to expensive fossil fuel-based energy, but a critical means of reducing carbon in the fight against climate change.

We will also continue to work closely and vigorously with other Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS) to continue our advocacy on the many issues relating to climate change, which impact us all. In particular, we will aggressively push for the ‘Loss and Damage Fund’ agreed at COP27 in Egypt, to be made fully operational.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has assured us of his continuing support for our advocacy to pursue debt relief, reform of International Financial Institutions, and to establish a MultiDimensional Vulnerability Index for fairer criterion for access to concessional development funding.

At home, we are determined to help Haiti resolve its challenges. The belea-

guered people of Haiti desperately need respite from the political, economic and security crises which have engulfed the country. We will continue to support all stakeholders to craft a Haitian led solution. For CARICOM, the resolution of the immediate crisis will be a first step towards the crafting of a long-term sustainable development plan for Haiti.

My thanks to the President of Suriname, His Excellency Chandrikapersad Santokhi, for his superb stewardship of the Community over the past six months. With the help and support of my colleague Heads of Government, I look forward to building on his legacy.

This New Year holds much promise for our Caribbean Community. Over the next 50 years, we will continue to seek to strengthen our partnership, so that the lives of all of our peoples are made better.

A Prosperous and Productive 2023 to you all!l

BBP Antonio Reynoso Delivers 2023 State of the Borough After History-making First Year in Office

BROOKLYN, NY: Brooklyn

Borough President Antonio Reynoso tonight delivered Brooklyn’s first State of the Borough address in nearly ten years at New York City College of Technology. The Borough President was joined by Brooklyn’s own Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who also gave remarks, Mayor Eric Adams, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, his fellow Borough Presidents, and many other city, state, and federal elected officials. The event honored Reynoso’s ‘year of firsts’ that included history-making maternal health investments and the launch of

Brooklyn’s ‘Planning for Public Health’ comprehensive planning effort, as well as the return and revamping of Brooklyn cultural traditions like the Wingate concert. Borough President Reynoso also previewed four new initiatives his Administration will be pursuing in 2023: funding for nonprofits to purchase permanent space; a solarization project for low-income tenants; a small business incubator for Black entrepreneurs in Brownsville; and a community board reform effort.

“In 2022, Borough Hall made history and set a new standard for big, bold action on behalf of the people of Brooklyn. In my second year, I’m not

going to stop until we outdo our first,” said BBP Reynoso. “I’m not here to do a thousand things halfway, I’m here to do the five or six or seven things that will make a real difference in people’s lives. Brooklyn needs major changes, and I’m going to do right by my people. This role isn’t just ceremonial, we’re going to prove what we can do and show Brooklyn the difference a Borough President can make.”

Reynoso is the first Latino Brooklyn Borough President and the first Dominican Borough President citywide. He is also the youngest Borough President ever elected to a full term.l

Read more at www.cawnyc.com

CARICOM Chairman Hon Philip Davis, KC

Photo credit: CARICOM

A Child or Youth Died Once Every 4.4 Seconds in 2021 – UN

NEW YORK/GENEVA/WASH -

INGTON D.C.: An estimated 5 million children died before their fifth birthday and another 2.1 million children and youth aged between 5–24 years lost their lives in 2021, according to the latest estimates released by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). In a separate report also released today, the group found that 1.9 million babies were stillborn during the same period. Tragically, many of these deaths could have been prevented with equitable access and high-quality maternal, newborn, adolescent and child health care.

“Every day, far too many parents are facing the trauma of losing their children, sometimes even before their first breath,” said Vidhya Ganesh, UNICEF Director of the Division of Data Analytics, Planning and Monitoring. “Such widespread, preventable tragedy should never be accepted as inevitable. Progress is possible with stronger political will and targeted investment in equitable access to primary health care for every woman and child.”

The reports show some positive outcomes with a lower risk of death across all ages globally since 2000. The global under-five mortality rate fell by 50 per cent since the start of the century, while mortality rates in older children and youth dropped by 36 per cent, and the stillbirth rate decreased by 35 per cent. This can be attributed to more investments in strengthening primary health systems to benefit women, children and young people.

However, gains have reduced significantly since 2010, and 54 countriesthree of them from Latin America and the Caribbean- will fall short of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals target for under-five mortality. If swift action is not taken to improve health services, warn the agencies, almost 59 million children and youth will die before 2030, and nearly 16 million babies will be lost to stillbirth.

“It is grossly unjust that a child’s chances of survival can be shaped just by their place of birth, and that there are such vast inequities in their access to lifesaving health services,” said Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the World Health Organization (WHO). “Children everywhere need strong primary health care

systems that meet their needs and those of their families, so that – no matter where they are born – they have the best start and hope for the future.”

Children continue to face wildly differentiating chances of survival based on where they are born, with sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia shouldering the heaviest burden, the reports show.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, mortality in children under the age of five fell by 50% between 2000 and 2020 and mortality rates in older children and youth dropped by 18%.

However, there remains significant disparities in mortality rates among and within countries of the Americas: in some countries, including Cuba and Uruguay, the mortality rate for underfives is 5 and 6 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively, in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the rate increases to 34 and 60 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively.

Many of these deaths are due to congenital malformations and complications of being born early. As they grow older, violence, road injuries, suicide, are some of the primary causes of death. Most deaths are preventable. Expanding primary health care, strengthening health systems and aligning strategies and funding across sectors and stakeholders, are key to reducing child, adolescents and youth mortality in the Region.

Access to and availability of quality health care continues to be a matter of life or death for children globally. Most child deaths occur in the first five years, of which half are within the very first month of life. For these youngest babies, premature birth and complications during labour are the leading causes of

death. Similarly, more than 40 per cent of stillbirths occur during labor – most of which are preventable when women have access to quality care throughout pregnancy and birth. For children that survive past their first 28 days, infectious diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria pose the biggest threat.

While COVID-19 has not directly increased childhood mortality – with children facing a lower likelihood of dying from the disease than adults – the pandemic may have increased future risks to their survival. In particular, the reports highlight concerns around disruptions to vaccination campaigns, nutrition services, and access to primary health care, which could jeopardize their health and well-being for many years to come. In addition, the pandemic has fueled the largest continued backslide in vaccinations in three decades, putting the most vulnerable newborns and children at greater risk of dying from preventable diseases.

The reports also note gaps in data, which could critically undermine the impact of policies and programs designed to improve childhood survival and well-being.l

About UN IGME

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation or UN IGME was formed in 2004 to share data on child mortality, improve methods for child mortality estimation, report on progress towards child survival goals and enhance country capacity to produce timely and properly assessed estimates of child mortality.

Download the report at www.cawnyc.com

TEAM

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

Publisher I.Q. INC.

Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip

Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Graphic & Website Designers

Praim Samsoondar Kenrick Williams

Feature Writers Linda Nwoke Victoria Falk

Contributors

Jennine Estes Tarsha Gibbons Janet Howard Mary Campbell JR Holguin Chris Tobias Email info@myiqinc.com Telephone 718-771-0988 Website www.cawnyc.com

Editorial credit: Paschal Okwara Shutterstock.com

What to Do if Workers' Compensation Benefits Stop Unexpectedly

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

Workers’ compensation is insurance that provides cash benefits and/or medical care for workers who are injured or become ill as a direct result of their job.

Employers pay for this insurance and shall not require the employee to contribute to the cost of compensation. Weekly cash benefits and medical care are paid by the employer’s insurance carrier, as directed by the Workers’ Compensation Board. The Workers’ Compensation Board is a state agency that processes the claims. If Board intervention is necessary, it will determine whether that insurer will reimburse for cash benefits and/or medical care, and the amounts payable.

In a workers’ compensation case, no one party is determined to be at fault. The amount that a claimant receives is not decreased by the claimant's carelessness, nor increased by an employer’s fault. However, a worker loses the right to workers’ compensation if the injury results solely from their intoxication from drugs or alcohol, or from the intent to injure themself or someone else.

There are many circumstances when individuals or companies may stop providing certain services. For example,

neglecting to pay monthly utility bills could result in the cessation of electricity and other services. Similarly, insurance companies may be able to cease payment of workers' comp benefits under certain circumstances. However, you may be able to get the insurance company to continue providing benefits in several ways. Oftentimes, if your benefits stop too soon, it's best to speak with a workers' compensation attorney to help you determine your options. With the help of an attorney, you may be able to file issues with your state's workers' compensation commission to reinstate your benefits.

Workers' Compensation Benefits Aren't Permanent

It's important to keep in mind that workers' compensation benefits are intended

to be temporary, with a few exceptions. The main goal of workers' comp benefits is to provide you with the financial support you need to recover and return to work following a workplace accident and subsequent injuries. Benefits could cover a variety of expenses, including medical bills and lost wages resulting from time taken off from work to heal. Ultimately, workers' comp benefits are intended to help you recover enough to get back to work within a reasonable amount of time following an accident.

In some cases, health care providers may determine that a worker won't recover beyond a certain point and is eligible for permanency benefits. Permanent loss of bodily function and an inability to return to work could also warrant permanent disability benefits.

Why an Insurance Company Might Stop Paying Workers' Comp Benefits

Some of the reasons why an insurance company could cut off benefits include:

•A healthcare provider determines that a worker has reached a level of maximum medical improvement, which means that the worker won't recover any further and won't benefit from any additional treatment.

•The doctor designated by the insurance company determines that a recipient suf-

fers from a pre-existing medical condition that doesn't warrant compensation benefits.

•The employer's insurance company determines that the worker didn't suffer an injury as a result of a work-related accident.

•A healthcare provider provides a written report that indicates a worker is capable of returning to work.

Regardless of the circumstances, you may be able to file issues with your state's workers' compensation commission to appeal the decision to cut off benefits. From there, the commission will schedule a specific hearing date to discuss your case.

Consult with a Workers' Compensation Attorney

If you are cut off from workers' compensation benefits and believe that you still qualify to receive them, you should speak with an experienced workers' comp attorney who can provide some additional advice on these matters. A reliable attorney will help determine if you have a case and may be able to help you seek reinstatement of benefits from an insurance company. For a consultation on workers’ compensation, visit www.askthelawyer.us or call 855-768-8845. l

Report Finds 1,000+ Buildings with Chronic Lack of Heat Over Past 5 Years; City Failed to Enforce Action in 25% of Those Buildings

NEW YORK, NY: In a new report, “Turn Up the Heat,” issued on the one-year anniversary of the tragic Twin Parks fire in the Bronx, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander finds significant shortcomings in the City’s efforts to address heat complaints from tenants, especially in the chronically coldest buildings. While the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) interventions (e.g. issuing violations, litigation, emergency repairs, and the new heat sensor program) are effective in addressing heat complaints, HPD too often fails to apply them.

The report identified 1,077 buildings where tenants made more than five heat complaints every winter from 2017 through 2021. Although these were just 1.5% of buildings that originated complaints, they made up nearly a third of all heat complaints over those five years. However, of these 1,077 buildings with

the most persistent heat issues, more than one quarter (274 buildings) saw no enforcement action of any kind from HPD.

Overall, tenants living in 70,766 privately-owned residential buildings made a total of 814,542 heat complaints between 2017 and 2021. During this fiveyear period, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) issued just 21,610 violations to landlords who failed to maintain the minimum-required temperature. In 80% of these buildings, a significant number of complaints did not recur the following year, suggesting that problems were addressed.

Heat complaints and violations were predominantly concentrated in communities of color. The five community districts with the highest volume of 311 complaints related to a lack of heat are 93% people of color on average. The five districts with the most violations issued

average 89% people of color.

“The City must turn up the heat on landlords who leave their tenants in the cold,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “The good news here is that our enforcement tools work: when HPD issues violations, sues landlords, does emergency repairs, or installs heat sensors – problems get fixed. But far too often, none of those actions take place even in buildings that are cold year, after-year, after-year. More strate-

gic, data-informed enforcement and escalating penalties against landlords who repeatedly fail to provide heat are necessary to ensure safe and warm apartments for all New York City tenants.”

The Comptroller’s report arrives on the one-year anniversary of the fire at the tragic Twin Parks development in the Bronx that took the lives of 17 New Yorkers and injured dozens more. Between 2017 and 2021, portable heaters caused over 100 fires in New York City residential buildings like the one that sparked the Twin Parks fire. Living without heat for an extended period can lead to a serious decline in tenants’ mental and physical health, and residents will often turn to unsafe methods, such as portable heaters, to keep themselves and their families warm.

The report found that when deployed, the City’s enforcement strategies for addressing heat complaints are generally effective. Issuing violations to a building correlated to a 47% average drop in the number of heat complaints in the following heat season, and litigation correlated to a 45% average drop in the number of heat complaints in the following year. However, during this five-year period, HPD issued violations for failure to provide an adequate supply of heat for just 3% of heat complaints.

The Comptroller’s report includes a set of recommendations, including an expansion of HPD’s Heat Sensor Program to cover all buildings with persistent heat complaints. Established by City Council legislation in 2020, the Heat Sensor Program resulted in the largest decline in heat-related complaints in the years after heat sensors were installed. However, the program only currently covers 50 buildings, and enforcement of compliance with the program has been limited.

Additional recommendations of the report include:

•Using data & technology to inform and prioritize inspections with a focus on buildings with persistent heat complaints;

•Allowing tenants in buildings with a history of persistent heat complains to schedule inspections so that inspectors arrive and can gain access when heat issues are present;

•Conducting comprehensive site inspections jointly with HPD and DOB and identifying landlords’ willingness to address persistent building systems problems;

•Expanding proactive code enforcement and targeted escalation;

• Expanding multilingual outreach to tenants;

•Passing good cause eviction protections so tenants can exercise their rights.l

Comptroller Lander

Photo courtesy NYC Comptroller’s Office

‘There’s Only So Far I Can Take Them’ –Why Teachers Give Up On Struggling Students Who Don’t Do Their Homework

BY JESSICA CALARCO & ILANA HORN THE CONVERSATION

Whenever “Gina,” a fifth grader at a suburban public school on the East Coast, did her math homework, she never had to worry about whether she could get help from her mom.

“I help her a lot with homework,” Gina’s mother, a married, mid-level manager for a health care company, explained to us during an interview for a study we did about how teachers view students who complete their homework versus those who do not.

“I try to maybe re-explain things, like, things she might not understand,” Gina’s mom continued. “Like, if she’s struggling, I try to teach her a different way. I understand that Gina is a very visual child but also needs to hear things, too. I know that when I’m reading it, and I’m writing it, and I’m saying it to her, she comprehends it better.”

One of us is a sociologist who looks at how schools favor middle-class families.

The other is a math education professor who examines how math teachers perceive their students based on their work.

We were curious about how teachers reward students who complete their homework and penalize and criticize those who don’t – and whether there was any link between those things and family income.

By analyzing student report cards and interviewing teachers, students and parents, we found that teachers gave good grades for homework effort and other rewards to students from middle-class

families like Gina, who happen to have college-educated parents who take an active role in helping their children complete their homework.

But when it comes to students such as “Jesse,” who attends the same school as Gina and is the child of a poor, single mother of two, we found that teachers had a more bleak outlook.

The names “Jesse” and “Gina” are pseudonyms to protect the children’s identities. Jesse can’t count on his mom to help with his homework because she struggled in school herself.

“I had many difficulties in school,” Jesse’s mom told us for the same study. “I had behavior issues, attention-deficit. And so after seventh grade, they sent me to an alternative high school, which I thought was the worst thing in the world. We literally did, like, first and second grade work. So my education was horrible.”

Jesse’s mother admitted she still can’t figure out division to this day.

“[My son will] ask me a question, and I’ll go look at it and it’s like algebra, in fifth grade. And I’m like: ‘What’s this?’” Jesse’s mom said. “So it’s really hard. Sometimes you just feel stupid. Because he’s in fifth grade. And I’m like, I should be able to help my son with his homework in fifth grade.”

Unlike Gina’s parents, who are married and own their own home in a middleclass neighborhood, Jesse’s mom isn’t married and rents a place in a mobile home community. She had Jesse when she was a teenager and was raising Jesse and his brother mostly on her own,

Failure to complete homework leaves students in the lurch.

though with some help from her parents. Her son is eligible for free lunch.

An issue of equity

As a matter of fairness, we think teachers should take these kinds of economic and social disparities into account in how they teach and grade students. But what we found in the schools we observed is that they usually don’t, and instead they seemed to accept inequality as destiny. Consider, for instance, what a fourth grade teacher – one of 22 teachers we interviewed and observed during the study – told us about students and homework.

“I feel like there’s a pocket here – a lower income pocket,” one teacher said. “And that trickles down to less support at home, homework not being done, stuff not being returned and signed. It should be almost 50-50 between home and school. If they don’t have the support at home, there’s only so far I can take them. If they’re not going to go home and do their homework, there’s just not much I can do.”

While educators recognize the different levels of resources that students have at home, they continue to assign homework that is too difficult for students to complete independently, and reward students who complete the homework anyway.

Consider, for example, how one seventh grade teacher described his approach to homework: “I post the answers to the homework for every course online. The kids do the homework, and they’re supposed to check it and figure out if they need extra help. The kids who do that, there is an amazing correlation between that and positive grades. The kids who don’t do that are bombing.

"I need to drill that to parents that they need to check homework with their student, get it checked to see if it’s right or wrong and then ask me questions. I don’t want to use class time to go over homework.”

The problem is that the benefits of homework are not uniformly distributed. Rather, research shows that students from high-income families make bigger

achievement gains through homework than students from low-income families. This relationship has been found in both U.S. and Dutch schools, and it suggests that homework may contribute to disparities in students’ performance in school.

Tougher struggles

On top of uneven academic benefits, research also reveals that making sense of the math homework assigned in U.S schools is often more difficult for parents who have limited educational attainment, parents who feel anxious over mathematical content. It is also difficult for parents who learned math using different approaches than those currently taught in the U.S..

Meanwhile, students from more-privileged families are disproportionately more likely to have a parent or a tutor

available after school to help with homework, as well as parents who encourage them to seek help from their teachers if they have questions. And they are also more likely to have parents who feel entitled to intervene at school on their behalf.

False ideas about merit

In the schools we observed, teachers interpreted homework inequalities through what social scientists call the myth of meritocracy. The myth suggests that all students in the U.S. have the same opportunities to succeed in school and that any differences in students’ outcomes are the result of different levels of effort. Teachers in our study said things that are in line with this belief.

For instance, one third grade teacher told us: “We’re dealing with some really struggling kids. There are parents that I’ve never even met. They don’t come to conferences. There’s been no communication whatsoever. … I’ll write notes home or emails; they never respond. There are kids who never do their homework, and clearly the parents are OK with that.

"When you don’t have that support from home, what can you do? They can’t study by themselves. So if they don’t have parents that are going to help them out with that, then that’s tough on them, and it shows.”l

Struggling Students/ continued from page 8

Middle-class students often enjoy many advantages that other students don’t when it comes to getting help at home with their homework

Join the Bes t Online Paralegal Program N ow!

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

The rise in popularity of online education programs means that it is easier than ever to find the right one for you. Deciding on the best paralegal online program requires research and time. By weeding out the level mills and sub-standard institutions, you can earn a quality certificate at an affordable price.

When researching online paralegal programs, you will want to consider several factors: cost and institution reputation are the most important. With this in mind, one program rises above the rest.

The Chamber Coalition, which comprises the New American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), the African American International Chamber of Commerce (AAICC), and the Hispanic American International Chamber of Commerce (HAICC), offers the best online Paralegal Studies program. The competitive tuition rate, coupled with the impeccable reputation of the Coalition, makes this an obvious choice for anyone serious about their education. This is a program of the highest standard.

Additional certificates include LexisNexis and CLIO. We also use CALI which is what is used in law schools.

Requirements

To be admitted to the Chamber's Paralegal Certificate program, you must be at least eighteen years old, have strong computer skills, and have a high school diploma. If these qualifications fit you, you can continue the admission process. Applications are accepted online anytime during the year. A mandatory orientation describes your upcoming classes, guidelines, and expectations.

The tuition for this respected program is very competitive with other online paralegal degrees. It costs less than $1000 for the entire program. The average student can finish the degree in anywhere from six to twelve months. Books

are extra and will run around a few hundred dollars for everything. If you want the best paralegal online program at the best price, the Chamber Coalition Paralegal Certificate Program is the answer. The program is excellent for aspiring and current paralegals, individuals who plan to attend law school, community advocates, persons who want to understand the law and their rights, and prospective political candidates.

Is Being a Paralegal Worth It? Yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10% job growth between now and 2029. The median salary nationwide in 2019 was $51,740, and the average mean wage was $61,810. It truly is a prestigious and significant profession. Simply put, paralegals help people. They help their employers be more efficient in their jobs, increase a firm's revenue and productivity, and help the clients.

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally and offers a unique opportunity to help others; options vary, depending on the paralegal's practice area. l

Ready to take the leap, the next step? Visit www.freeparalegal.org

5 Major Red Flags to Watch for When You're Touring an Open House

An open house is one of the best opportunities a potential homeowner will have to take stock of a home and determine if it will work for them. However, it can also be a good opportunity to discover some glaring red flags that might make it a less worthwhile investment. If you're currently perusing the open houses in your neighborhood, here's some things you should make sure to watch out for.

A Selling Hot-Spot

It's well and good if you love the home you visit, but 'location, location, location' is a popular phrase for a reason. If you've noticed a lot of homes for sale in the area, this could be a sign of a rising crime rate or other neighborhood issues that are less than pleasing.

An Odd Smell

Baked goods or room spray are quite common when it comes to an open house, but it's possible that they're masking a less-than pleasant odor. Since this can point to a hard home fix-up, it's worth checking out the closets or the basement where a strange smell can indicate

mildew or mold.

A Bad Paint Job

Paint that's peeling may mean that a few fresh coats are long overdue, but it can also indicate moisture issues in the home that have gone untreated. As this kind of repair can cost a pretty penny, it's worth determining if there are sealing issues with windows or doors.

A Few Obvious Fix-Ups

A sticky door or a damaged wall may not seem so bad on their own, but if you notice a few things that need to be fixed around the home, it can be a sign that there's more afoot. If a homeowner has

ship, it will likely show in small details like this.

Incomplete Construction

It may seem like a good sign to see a house that's undergoing a renovation, but it can actually be a risk to invest in a home that's not complete. Instead of leaving this to chance, you may want to check with the construction contractor to determine the scope of the work and when it will be finished.

An open house may be a good time to decide if you're interested in a home, but it can also be the perfect opportunity to search for deficiencies that may end up costing you. If you're currently on the market for a new home, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

Selling your first home can be a daunting experience, but with the right frame of mind and professional representation, it will go smoothly. To learn more about the home selling process or to list your home for sale, contact us today. Our real estate team is happy to assist. Call Equity Smart Realty Inc at 888-670-6791. We would be happy to share our guidance.l

North American Leadership Summit/continued from page 1 migrants attempting to cross the USMexico border without requisite immigration documents. The announcement came ahead of his visit to the US-Mexico border and his meeting with Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Jan. 10 afternoon in Mexico City.

The three leaders discussed a wide range of topics, including immigration, climate change, economic policy that would encourage migrants to remain in Mexico, and the trafficking of the opioid drug fentanyl, among other issues. As expected, immigration dominated the discussion.

“This is the moment for us to determine to do away with this abandonment, this disdain and this forgetfulness for Latin America and the Caribbean,” López Obrador said Jan. 9, ahead of the meeting.

As Biden and Trudeau met with Lopez Obrador, Ethnic Media Services sat down with Ariel Ruiz Soto, policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute to discuss the summit. Soto works with the U.S. Immigration Policy Program and the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative.

His research examines the interaction

of migration policies in the region that stretches from Panama to Canada, as well as their intended and unintended consequences for foreign- and native-born populations. Here are highlights from the interview.

EMS: What were your top priorities for this summit?

ARS: There’s a few things that we’ve been following that have been really key leading up to this event. One of them is understanding what’s the Mexican strategy on migration enforcement going forward. What could happen from this if for example, Title 42 is continued, and Mexico decides to continue accepting expedited removals from the US to Mexico. Under what terms and for how long should we expect?

The second component is specifically looking at Mexican reforms on not only visas or on US visas and pathways not just from Mexico to the US, but also from Central America to Mexico. Mexico had committed to providing increased access and legal pathways to Central Americans in that country.

On the Canadian front, we want to know the new commitments by the Canadian government to accept refugee resettlement from Central and Latin America. Canada has actually committed to increasing refugee resettlement by between two and 10%. But those really tend to be small numbers and obviously for all of Latin America, a very significant geographically large region, it may come down to hundreds or small thousands by country.

Investing in Mexico

Finally, what about investment in the region? When the Biden administration came into power, there was a big call to try to rejuvenate efforts in investment in the region to address the root causes of migration.

But it seems like that priority has gone to the back burner and now more issues about control and enforcement have taken the forefront in that discussion. But ideally Mexico, Canada and the US had already suggested plans to invest and provide resources for the most devastated communities.

Now those are the big aspects of what we would expect to come out of this. What we have seen from the White House readout and press on this is more general commitments to continue discussions but also to continue advancing principles, including some that have been already identified under the Los Angeles Declaration.

EMS: What concrete developments lie ahead?

ARS: One of them is the announcement of creating a virtual platform about the legal pathways that there are to migrate into the United States and Mexico and Canada. This announcement of a virtual platform between the three countries to look at the legal pathways…is not going continued on page 13

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Jan. 10 to discuss the U.S.-Mexico-Canada relationship. (White House photo)

North American Leadership Summit/continued from page 12 to be the solution to the flows at the border, but it will create some order, specifically for some groups that would otherwise venture to risk their migration journey through a smuggler.

Then there’s another development: creating a new center in southern Mexico to talk about access to legal pathways and partnerships with Mexican private sector support. It’s essentially trying to connect migrants, or would-be migrants to economic options for them to consider staying either on the Central American side of Guatemala or in Mexico before attempting to continue northward.

This is not a new strategy, but it’s a good one. Private sector should be more involved.

EMS: Does Mexico have the resources to absorb the massive numbers of migrants it now has to house and shelter?

ARS: Clearly Mexico doesn’t have the resources available to integrate the migrants that it receives from the United States. It doesn’t have the shelter capacity in Mexico. Most of the shelters are run by civil society organizations and mostly through humanitarian programs or church affiliations.

But many migrants who are going to be

expelled to Mexico are probably not going to stay in Mexico for a long term, specifically if they are Cubans because they have family connections, networks, and reasonably sized financial access to diaspora in Miami and other places in the United States.

They’re most likely to try to enter multiple times. Title 42 expulsions mean that there are no consequences in processing for migrants, and therefore they can try four, five, six or seven times, just as Mexicans do today.

Venezuelans

Venezuelans, on the other hand, have very little knowledge of the US. They have some family ties but not many. And after going through a significant journey, many of them just are frustrated and tired by the process and want to return home. So, the question that you ask has two parts of it. One of is does Mexico have

the resources? No. But I don’t think migrants that are being expelled to Mexico to begin with would want to stay there anyway.

Ken Salazar, the US. Ambassador to Mexico, has said there will be about $23 million provided to shelter organizations on the Mexican side of the border. That’s a good development, though I would have questions about how that will be disbursed and what requirements will be mandated of organizations receiving the disbursements.

EMS: President Biden announced Jan. 5 the continuation of Title 42, with harsher penalties for migrants attempting to enter the US without papers. The proposal also allows 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti to enter the country each month as part of a humanitarian parole program. How would you characterize the policy changes?

ARS: Let’s be frank about this. Even 30,000 people per month is not enough to contain the flows or to receive the flows that are arriving at the Mexico border when we’re seeing upwards of 70,000 per month.

But the US. Immigration system doesn’t really have any other tools to provide control enforcement at the border right now that would apply to these hemispheric flows. It doesn’t have enough ability to return migrants to the other countries, even directly under regular removal.

And parole — while it is an important tool — is not sufficient in the long term.

Parole does not necessarily mean that people, after the two years that they are given to come into the country, will actually have a meaningful way to stay. That has not been the case with Ukrainians. It has not been the case with the Afghan migrants, and it may not be the case for Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians.

Title 42 is Not Sustainable

In the announcement last week, President Biden was trying to figure out how to ignite a more cohesive response with Mexico and Canada so that short term measures actually give and buy some time for the longer outputs. But I don’t

Grenada's 49th Independence Anniversary Celebrations in NYC: a Major Stop on The Road to 50

Brooklyn, New York: Grenadians and friends of Grenada in New York City are in for an amazingly prideful series of events that are planned to celebrate the nation’s 49th anniversary of independence,” says Nick Cox, the new Chairman of the Grenada Independence Anniversary Committee of New York (GIACONY).

Along with the annually held series of events, this year’s celebrations would feature the visiting presence of Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export, Hon. Joseph Andall; Minister of Mobilization, Implementation and Transformation, Hon. Andy Williams and Opposition Member of Parliament, Delma Thomas.

All of the scheduled events in New York City, as elsewhere, would be held under the theme — “The journey to 50. Reflecting on the past. Planning the future” — which was chosen by the umbrella National Celebrations Committee in Grenada.

Acting under the patronage of Grenada’s Consular Office in New York City, the general public has been extended a warm invitation to celebrate the 49th Anniversary of the tri-island state's inde-

pendence, by attending all of the activities that are scheduled to take place from January 27th to February 4th, 2023.

The 2023 Independence Anniversary Calendar of Events will include the following:

•A Cultural Evening — Friday, January 27th, 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Refuge Church Hall in Brooklyn.

•The Independence Youth Fest — Saturday, January 28th, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Our Lady of Refuge Church Hall in Brooklyn.

•The Independence Ecumenical Service — Sunday, January 29th, 4 p.m. at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church Hall in Brooklyn.

•The 49th Anniversary of Independence Gala, Dinner, Awards, Dance & Raffle — Saturday, February 4th, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Antun’s in Queens.

A Gala With a Whole Lot to Offer

The culminating Gala event which will be held at Antun’s Catering Hall, 96-03 Springfield Gardens in Queens, New York, would include brief affirming remarks by the visiting Government officials from Grenada, as well as the bestowal of awards.

Four outstanding Grenadians in the diaspora, have been chosen from among several nominees, based on their accomplishments in relation to a set criteria, to receive awards in the following categories:

•Excellence in Community Service Award

•Cultural Heritage Award

•Entrepreneurial Spirit Award

•Distinguished Children/Youth Leadership Award.

Additionally, there will be door prizes, including a high tech therapeutic mattress; live entertainment by In-Sync Band, by violinist and singer Donnell Best and by saxophonist Jarel Bartholomew. Along with the live performances, DJs Little Bee, Joe Bailey, One Drop and Naughty Vybz would also be adding value with their playlists.

Further, there will be an attractive raffle of a Cartier Watch and cash prizes ($1000 and $500) to be won – at only $5 per ticket.

GIACONY would also be producing a Souvenir Journal for the 2023 Independence Anniversary Gala. Proceeds from the Gala would be used to cover the cost of staging the planned activities in NYC and to make a donation to the Nephrology Unit (being upgraded to offer full dialysis services) at the General Hospital in Grenada.

For more information, call 212-5990301, 718-666-1110 and 347-528-3038, or email giaconypr@gmail.com.l

think anybody believes that Title 42 expansion is sustainable, not just because of the courts, but also because the flows are continuing to change. We are seeing increasing numbers of Colombians, Peruvians, Ecuadorians: it would be unrealistic to believe that expanding parole to Peruvians, Colombians and Ecuadorians would essentially be the solution to everything we are seeing at the border.

EMS: What does humane immigration policy look like? And given the very divided House and Senate, can we expect to see that in 2023?

ARS: Humanitarian approach to migration by the Congress would entail improving access to asylum first and foremost, and second, providing more resources for the organizations and communities that are most impacted by the arrivals of migrants to the US-Mexico border, but also in the interior. I think we’re far from that reality.

Unfortunately, the Republican-led House, and the Democrat-led Senate are likely going to be in a stalemate when thinking about what to do in terms of providing humanitarian access. We’ve seen this before. It’s not new.

Republicans usually refuse to talk about anything on immigration until the border is secure. And there’s not really a definition of what secure border means, unfortunately. And then the Democrats many times rely only on regularization and providing benefits to migrants rather than also considering options to improve control at the US-Mexico border. So that tension and stalemate will continue.

Increase Resources at the Border Now, that doesn’t mean that there may not be smaller pieces of regulation that could actually work together. Democrats and Republicans agree that there has to be better technology to screen and process migrants when they come to USMexico border. They both agree on increasing the number of Customs and Border Patrol officials as well as US immigration agents, and immigration judges. And both agree that the capacity for shelter and detention capacity as well as resources and technology is severely underfunded at the US-Mexico border. Those are things that I think they can agree on, but they tend to be secondary to each of the party’s top priorities and therefore lead to stalemate.l

North American Leadership Summit/continued from

Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. (MPI photo)

Hon. Andy Williams — Member of the Parliament of Grenada & Minister of Mobilization, Implementation and Transformation

Hon. Delma Thomas — Member of Parliament and former Minister for Social Development, Housing and Community Empowerment

New Year, New Me - or Why We Should Ditch the Diet and Get a Hobby Instead

BY MARY CAMPBELL

Imumble to myself, 'New year, new me,' while spooning my second helping of plain brown rice protein powder into my skimmed milk and wonder which milled-nut supplements should be added to the mix. My yoga trousers bought one size too small ('I'll fit in them soon') are digging into my belly, and my head is beginning to produce a dull but persistent ache as I listen to my 6-month-old hammering away at his entertaining (but loud) light-up Christmas toy abomination.

New year's resolutions so says our friend Google have been around for about 4,000 years. And they've been dumped and ignored for just as long.

While the ancient Babylonians made more practical promises of returning borrowed goats and paying any outstanding debts, our approach to resolutions has stayed largely the same.

Every year we do it again: Make promises to ourselves to be fitter, better, savvier with money, more at peace with ourselves. Then, on day three of wandering into the gym with our personalized beach towel and 4L oil drum of vitamin water, we begin to question our life choices. Because really, we hate this, and the people who actually like working out do not look like they've jumped straight out of an '80s fitness video ('but leg warmers look cute, and it IS still freezing!')

So in 2023, why not make our goals a little more approachable. Hone your rou-

tine so it suits you rather than fulfilling someone else's expectations constantly. Get healthier by making small changes, such as walking your kids to nursery in the morning when it's nice outside instead of taking the car. Talk more to those you love and really listen instead of checking your phone (we all do it). Take on some small projects you actually enjoy, rather than always doing the things you're supposed to like (does anyone else remember the 2020 influx of banana bread? Does anyone actually like banana bread?)

Here are a few more nice resolutions to consider:

•Read some books you really want to read (aim for one a month, but only if you enjoy it!)

•Sleep a little more (unless you have kids, then continue not sleeping but try to have a little less coffee. Replace it with green tea; it's better for you.)

•Get a nice new pillow, high-quality bed sheets, or new towels. Try anything 'ordinary' that could do with a little makeover and make you feel more relaxed in your home.

•Buy a plant and actually keep it alive. •Learn to cook at least one decent dish and commit to making your own food at least once a week.

•Stay in touch with friends you like and cut out anyone whom you're only keeping up with for the sake of it.

J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

And surely, if the creator of hobbits, elves, and beautiful, beautiful Legolas didn't try to force-feed himself a real-life lembas bread in order to get 'fit', why should we?l

With full-size chocolate bars leftover from Halloween, I wanted to use some up and decided to try to make hot chocolate out of one. The result was fabulous! By Duckball, AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 (1.55 ounce) bar milk chocolate, chopped ⅔ cup milk, or more to taste 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Directions Step 1

Place chocolate pieces in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add milk and whisk constantly until chocolate is melted and well blended, about 5 minutes. Whisk in cinnamon. Remove from heat; add more milk if desired. Serve in a mug.l

Nutrition Facts

Calories 319; Fats 16g; Carbs 35g Protein 9g

The Future of COVID, As the Story Unfolds

BY LINDA NWOKE

Many people wonder if the COVID pandemic is over, and with news of the new variant, how bad things can get. Experts addressed some of these issues during a meeting organized by Ethnic Media Services.

COVID remains a lingering problem three years after it was declared a pandemic. Experts say COVID remains the third leading cause of death since 2020, and only the misinformed will consider it is over. While there appears to be a decline in the number of other respiratory illness cases, such as RSV and Influenzas, the incidence of COVID keeps rising, driven by the evolving new variants.

The new virus variant remains infectious with multiple problems as the vaccination rate dwindles. The current Bivalent vaccine can only provide some form of protection against the new variant. In addition, the Federal Advisory Committee on vaccines has also remained silent on how to manage the new development. According to Dr. Ben Newman, who serves as the Chief Virologist of the Global Health Research

Complex Texas A&M, "The WHO committee that chooses vaccine strains and makes recommendations have not released anything in the past seven months, and they had not made any announcement on the new variant in the past two months when it was a very different situation."

Based on the need for more individual and administrative responsiveness, some experts believe there has been some laidback attitude toward managing the virus. The result is the rapid spread of the virus within a short time across six countries.

At the moment, medical institutions are managing the rise. Yet, there is concern

that the situation might worsen if not addressed. There is a concern that the vaccines must be updated to handle the changing scenario; unfortunately, it appears delayed.

"So, while we may have achieved herd immunity against the early strains from 2020, we're still vaccinating against those strains that appear to be declining," says Dr. Newman. Yet, the problem can be solved collectively by people getting an updated booster, while placing a travel restriction to prevent perceived transmission of the virus across continents won't solve the problem. They believe that the virus spreads rapidly without travel.

Despite the prolonged existence of the virus, experts appear undecided on whether it can be described as an endemic problem because they believe the active engagement of stakeholders can manage it. "Endemic implies a certain hopelessness, an unsolvable problem, no matter how hard we try. But this is the third-ranking cause of death in the US, but it is the most preventable, and I accept that others may differ," explained Dr. Newman.

The Importance of Continuing Receiving Vaccines and Treatment

Dr. Oliver Brooks, the Los Angeles Chief Medical Officer at Health Care, emphasizes the importance of testing for the virus as the new variants defy the existing vaccines and attack immunity.

"It is crucial that you get tested because when you get tested, you go into isolation. That still has not changed," says Dr. Brooke. He also reiterated the importance of getting their second booster despite its efficacy against the new variant. "However, the vaccine is effective and safe, and there is no reason not to get vaccinated. You still get vaccinated if the vaccine has a 10% response rate. There's a 90% response rate in terms of the immune response against the vaccine, against the virus," he explained.

The expert warned against the dangers of complacency and hesitation towards getting a vaccine. "People have become complacent. They are not taking COVID19 seriously. COVID dropped the life expectancy in the US in 2020 by one year, and it's the first time in 20 years that the life expectancy dropped," he warned.

Regarding treatment, Dr. Brooks explained that Paxlovid remains the pri-

mary drug for treating severe disease and works against many sub-variants. He explained that the goal of the vaccines was to prevent patients from going to the ER, getting hospitalized, or dying. Generally, to prevent people from getting to the stage of hospitalization. "As for those 65 and older, or those with an underlying condition like diabetes, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, solid organ transplant, obesity, they are the people that need to get Paxlovid," says Dr. Brooke.

Unfortunately, a study by Kaiser Health News showed that Black African Americans had a lower rate of receiving essential treatments like COVID intervention which emphasizes the direct effect of institutional racism on outcomes in health care.

Jill Rosenthal, another panelist, supported the position by explaining that there is also a disproportionate impact of COVID on vulnerable groups. "There's data that shows rates of self-reported long COVID are more common among people who are female, transgender, Hispanic, and those without a high school degree," she explained.

There is the belief that there might be no cure for long-term COVID. Experts, therefore, recommend that people should try to avoid getting COVID and, if contracted, seek an evaluation and treatment.

"The first thing is being vaccinated. Then, wear a mask and wash your hands. After that, take zinc, vitamin D, and Vitamin C, known as an antiviral," says Dr. Brooke. The media is encouraged to promote vaccine confidence and convenience and address the effect of vaccine complacency.

Commercialization of COVID Response and Possible Effect

Given the unpredictability of COVID, there is a growing concern over the possible impact on the cost of COVID when the public health emergency response ends alongside free COVID testing and treatment. Jill Rosenthal of the Center for American Progress explained that there had been no additional funding since March 2021, after the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021. The lack of funds has resulted in the absence of future tests, treatments, and vaccines, the inability to continue tracking the disease, and an uncertain future. She revealed that the funding to cover testing, provider fees for vaccinations, and treatment through the uninsured program ended in March.

"And this means that some community members don't receive testing in places where the clinics can't sustain the cost to administer the tests," says Ms. Rosenthal. Additionally, there is a possibility of commercialization of the COVID response, where consumers will pay for the costs of tests and treatments, threatening access for low-income and uninsured people because of the

How to Prevent Vision Loss from Glaucoma

Glaucoma affects over 3 million people in the United States and is often called the silent thief of sight because it robs people of vision slowly and without early symptoms. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, a time to highlight how regular eye exams can lead to early diagnosis and help prevent vision loss.

“It’s important to know that while glaucoma cannot be prevented or cured, it is treatable,” says Dr. Laura Sperazza, Director of Vision Rehabilitation Services at Lighthouse Guild. “Glaucoma does not have to lead to blindness. Early intervention can protect vision.”

Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. As glaucoma progresses, it can lead to permanent vision loss. Most forms of glaucoma progress without any symptoms; therefore, it is crucial to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam that can detect the disease in its early stages. While there is no cure yet for glaucoma, there are treatments that can slow or prevent vision loss.

Treatments for glaucoma include prescription eye drops, oral medicines, laser treatment, and surgery.

As people get older, they often experience difficulties with their vision and may dismiss them as just an aspect of aging. However, it’s important not to ignore problems with hazy or blurred vision, driving at night, colored halos around lights, peripheral vision, eye pain or redness, and difficulty walking due to the inability to see curbs and steps. Only an eye care professional can determine if these symptoms are related to glaucoma or other eye conditions and begin treatments to protect vision. Anyone who experiences sudden vision changes or significant eye pain should see their doctor or go to an emergency room immediately. l

Future of COVID-19/ continued from page 16

Affordable Care Act's preventive services coverage standards.

She explained that the COVID vaccine might remain accessible to individuals with public and private insurance even after the public health emergency has expired. However, uninsured people "can be charged part or the full amount of the vaccine, which will be $100 to $130 per dose."

They envisage an access barrier as the shift to commercialization unfolds, ending continuous coverage protection for people on Medicaid.

“And I think that this really raises access and equity concerns. We had mostly closed the gap in vaccine disparities. Still, the data from November shows that the rate of white people who have received the Bivalent booster was twice that of eligible Black and Hispanic people and nearly twice as high for Other Pacific Islander people and Native Hawaiian," she explained.

Given the developments, she encouraged individuals to get vaccinated to protect themselves. According to her, "People vaccinated with the falling booster had more than 18 times lower risk of dying from COVID than unvaccinated people. And they also had a three times lower risk of infection," she explained.

Therefore, despite the challenges posed by the new variants, it is critically important that people get vaccinated for protection. Many of these discoveries require additional research funding, which will also lead to the development of new vaccines and continue to track the disease to know the prevalence rates.

"We need to continue to support research into long COVID, and we need to continue to support global vaccination efforts. "In addition to all the other medical recommendations for managing COVID, she suggested improving one's ventilation and air filtration. And so, this is important for all respiratory illnesses. And federal money is coming to states and communities for use. For instance, in schools, we can keep our schools open and ensure we can keep people safe or at least make it less likely that diseases spread the way they do," says Ms. Rosenthal.l

Happy Wife, Happy Life?/ continued from page 1

Some challenges are beyond people’s control, including financial, familial and health stressors — however, there are things people can control to make their relationships stronger.

For instance, people can avoid escalating conflict, criticizing a partner or acting too jealous. They can also do positive things in the relationship in the form of gratitude, laughter, sharing good news and experiencing new things together.

Given that there are many needs to be juggled within and outside relationships, people have to decide what to focus on. In other words, to manage their lives, it is good for people to assess how things are going in various domains of their life by asking questions like: “Is my relationship satisfying? Could I be doing more to make it more satisfying?”

Women as barometers

There is a view among laypeople and relationship researchers that women are the “barometers” of relationships — that is, women’s judgments about their relationships are more predictive than men’s of future relationship satisfaction.

There are several origins of this view including an evolutionary perspective that women have adapted a special ability that make them better able to sense when things are off or going well in rela-

tionships.

Another explanation relates to gender roles and the idea that women serve the primary role in tending to relationships.

The barometer hypothesis is captured by the popular saying “Happy wife, happy life,” but does the research support it?

Testing the truth

As a professor of social psychology at Carleton University and researcher who studies happiness in relationships, I was part of an international team of researchers led by University of Alberta professor of family science and couples researcher Matthew Johnson that analyzed more than 50,000 relationship-satisfaction reports to examine the validity of the old adage “happy wife, happy life.”

More specifically, in one study, a team of us recruited over 900 mixed-gender

couples from the community and tracked their relationship satisfaction on a daily basis over three weeks. In another study, over 3,000 mixed-gender couples were assessed annually across five years.

More broadly, we found that changes in relationship satisfaction today were linked to how satisfied people felt down the road. In other words, if a person feels higher-than-usual relationship satisfaction, the feeling seems to carry over into the next day and year.

We also found that men’s and women’s relationship satisfaction ratings were equally strong predictors of their own, and their partner’s, relationship satisfaction reported the next day and the next year. That is, women’s judgements were not uniquely predictive of the future state of the relationship; women’s and men’s current ratings of relationship satisfaction had similar predictive effects.

Satisfying relationships

People’s relationship satisfaction levels change over time. It is important for couples to reflect and be aware of how things are going in their relationship and take stock and act on it.

For instance, if things are going well in the relationship, people should double down on that so they can reap more rewards into the future. So if a couple just had a fun date night, rather than take a break, the couple should be looking for more opportunities to bond together.

On the other hand, if a relationship is not going well, for instance, arguments are frequently escalating or the spark has fizzled, it is time to make some changes to alter the course of the relationship satisfaction path.

‘Happy spouse, happy house’

Our results imply that maintaining a relationship is a shared responsibility. This underscores the idea that partners influence one another and jointly shape romantic relationship satisfaction.

Taken together, a more fitting way to describe the role of gender and relationship satisfaction predictions is “happy spouse, happy house.”l

Cheryl Harasymchuk is a Professor, Psychology, Carleton University.

It is important to regularly assess how a relationship is going.

What Prince Harry’s Memoir Spare Tells US about ‘Complicated Grief’ and the Long-term Impact of Losing a Mother So Young

BY SARAH WAYLAND THE CONVERSATION

Prince Harry’s reflection on his mother Princess Diana, who died unexpectedly when he was just 12 years old, appears in his memoir Spare, released officially this week.

In fact, the bestseller is marketed as a story about the “eternal power of love over grief”.

The book’s revelations, retold in highprofile TV interviews and featuring in his Netflix series, are the subject of much media coverage. These revelations chart the prince’s experience of mourning the traumatic death of his mother in public, media intrusion, and its long-term impacts.

On face value, Prince Harry may share typical symptoms of people suffering “complicated grief”. But not everyone agrees with how he “shows” his grief so publicly.

The myth of ‘time healing all wounds’ It’s been more than 25 years since the traumatic death of Prince Harry’s mother after a car crash in Paris. And with his family’s immense privilege, it’s easy to assume the need to explore the layers of grief that shape his experiences has passed its use-by date.

But the idea of “time healing all wounds” is a myth. Pain is ongoing. And by silencing someone’s pain, this can

worsen it. The public, health professionals, the media and family can all silence someone’s grief by minimising discussions about the impact of losing a loved one.

Twenty years working with grieving people and researching grief reminds me of the countless people in my counselling rooms reflecting on the stinging words someone says to them: “it’s time to move on”.

Counsellors urge people to make meaning of the life lost with those still living. This can involve sharing memories with family members about the person lost, remembering happy times, imagining their inclusion in life currently, and always creating space for conversations about their absence.

If people struggle to make meaning of the new life they are forced to live due to their loss, this can lead to long-term reactions known as complex or complicated grief.

What is complicated grief?

Complicated grief is a severe, persistent and pervasive longing for the deceased. If the death is sudden and unexpected, the prolonged impact will be greater.

People who experience this intensity of grief struggle to engage in everyday life. This profound distress can affect their

Prince Harry has been candid about his struggles with mental health since his mother’s death and his fractured relationship with his wider family. He’s openly admitted to drug use to help him cope with his loss. We see these types of effects on people suffering with complicated grief, as well as the associated trauma when the loss is sudden.

He was so young Grief isn’t just about what who was lost, but when the loss occurred. Prince Harry was just 12 years old when his mother passed away.

Psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson tells us this period of development between childhood and adolescence oscillates between a child seeking a sense of identity versus confusion about where they “fit” in the world.

It’s a time when young people explore values, beliefs and ideas about who they might become as adults. But this stage of development is impacted with the loss of a parent to guide them through this period.

When a significant loss happens at his life stage, this can destabilise the child for significant periods – well into adulthood – especially when the death is relat-

ed to an external cause, such as an accident.

Prince Harry has shared this destabilising effect and the strain between himself and his surviving parent. Not all siblings experience grief the same way. There may be conflict with the wider family.

Long-term studies in the United States show children who have lost a parent do eventually grow to be resilient and forthright individuals. Yet traumatic memories of both the event and the impact of that loss remain just under the surface.

Prince Harry’s accounts of his experiences are reminders of what can happen for children who have experienced trauma.

His perspectives about the ways his wife was treated in the media and by his family, may have activated reminders of this past trauma.

So what helps?

Grief will have long-term impacts on people’s wellbeing throughout their lives, especially if they were only a child when the loss occurred.

When we look back on what helps children to manage their childhood grief, personal agency is key. They want to choose how they grieve, and their voice needs to be a priority.

This may mean choosing not to attend performative activities, such as funerals. This may mean openly sharing their experiences in a way that suits them – at school, work or with families. This may mean getting angry.

An evidence-based national grief program for children in Australia, Seasons for Growth, emphasises the importance of agency. This includes choosing how to accept the reality of their loss, and finding ways of voicing the emotional impact of that loss. This won’t always be through calm, reflective sharing. It may be through frustrated, angry voices, that suddenly emerge later in life.

Even with all the access to therapy, or even family members to speak to, grief will eventually show up in our thoughts, behaviours and actions. There is no discreet way to do it. Grief is both hope and sorrow.

Sarah Wayland is an Associate Professor, University of New England

Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation to Host First Annual Awards Ceremony Virtually on January 19

The First Annual Lowell F. Hawthorne Awards Ceremony

will be presented live as a virtual streaming event on Thursday January 19 beginning at 7pm EST.

Hosted by The Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation Inc. of New York under its theme Thinking Positively and Moving Forward, the event will serve as the major annual fundraiser for the foundation, which was created in 2018 as a charitable organization to provide endowments to educational institutions affiliated with the late Lowell Hawthorne.

The purpose of the endowments is to facilitate the provision of academic assistance to exemplary minority students studying business development or entrepreneurship in both the USA and Jamaica.

The foundation was created in honor of the late Lowell F. Hawthorne, Cofounder and President/CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant, the world’s largest Caribbean franchisor and manufacturer of Jamaican style patties for nearly thirty years. During this time, the Golden Krust brand also became renowned for its popular Caribbean

the brand captured the attention of major media players resulting in features on Fox 5 News, ABC-TV, New York 1, CNN as well as in publications such as Forbes Magazine, The New York Times, New York Daily News, Emerge, Black Enterprise Magazine and many more.

However, according to Hawthorne’s widow Lorna Hawthorne, who also serves as President of the foundation, her husband's true passion was the promotion and improvement of educational opportunities for children and young adults.

“Despite all the numerous accolades that he received in his lifetime, Lowell’s primary goal and focus was always on investments in education,” she says. “He always said that a mind is a terrible thing to waste and that a positive community is everyone’s business. And so while he is no longer here to actively improve the world through the empowerment of our youth through education, he provided a terrific platform for the vision to live on for decades. So the objective of the Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation is to focus on student development through partnering with excellent educational institutions.”

inaugural awards ceremony which will also serve as the official launch of the foundation as “The genesis of what will ultimately be a life-changing foundation for thousands of students… A powerful organization that we can all be proud of, in the name of a beloved legend. We are therefore very excited and extremely hopeful that as many people as possible will join us online for this truly inspiring occasion.”

Four special honorees will be recognized during the ceremony for their unique and invaluable contributions to

society in their respective fields. They are Wayne Frederick, President of Howard University, The Honorable Una Clarke, former New York City Council Member, Cheryl McKissack Daniel, President of McKissack and McKissack Construction and Sandra Bryan, Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant Franchisee.

Musical entertainment will be provided by saxophonist Jean Mathieu as well as the Denzel Washington School of the Arts.

Master of Ceremonies for the virtual event will be Bob DeSouza.l

Lorna Hawthorne.

Photo courtesy of Coche Productions

Lowell F. Hawthorne

Photo courtesy of the Hawthorne family.