Celebrate Juneteenth, Press on for Freedom

Supports Workers’ World Today

Recently, I was in Albany fighting and seeking support of A1261/S1947, legislation that will create a clear definition of public work and level the playing field for New York’s contractors. District Council 9 Painters and Allied Trades Union (DC9), the union for painters, prides itself on being a strong advocate for workers’ rights and safety. We are excited about this new publication, Workers’ World Today, which covers the issues of relevance and concern for all workers. We are encouraged that all workers: blue and white collar will have a voice and platform. Congratulations on your inaugural issue. We wish much success to the leaders and team of Workers’ World Today and pledge our support.p Davon Lomax

Political Director, DC9

Celebrate Juneteenth, Press on for Freedom

BY MICHAEL BLAKE

Juneteenth is not the day that the enslaved women and men of this nation were freed…it was the day that the last of the enslaved people found out in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1st, 1863. But, large populations of enslaved Black people, brought to remote communities in Texas and other places by planters and other slaveholders, were not informed, as it was up to the Union Soldiers to share this news. First believed to be celebrated in Galveston Texas, June 19th, 1866, our day of recognized freedom became the first organized celebration of “Jubilee Day.” Jubilee Day, or Juneteenth is the day we celebrate Freedom. We will not let anyone hold back our freedom. We will not let anyone treat us with less than the dignity that is deserved. We will not go back, only forward in this journey for equity. Today's Juneteenth takes on even more special meaning as it follows the first Federal Holiday recognizing the day and a few days before a critical election in New York City with Black candidates seeking to make history and her story. We have more work to do to bring Equity and Justice to scale. My passion is uplifting people, especially Black people. There is much greatness and potential in the Black Community that is yet to be discovered. Organizations like Until Freedom are investing in those most directly impacted by cyclical poverty, inequality, and state violence. The Black Wall Street is addressing the need for financial literacy to grow generational wealth. The Black Bank Fund supports existing Black-Owned banking in communities to ensure that Black families have access to capital and credit, so often needed to purchase a home or grow a small business. Yes, we celebrate the day. But, until we have transformational changes from Jobs to Justice, Education to Economic Development, we are not free from the systemic barriers that must be broken. Yet, we are a resilient people. History has shown that Black people turn pain into promise, over and over and over again. Today, I ask that you join me in celebrating our excellence, our leadership, our hope, and our promise. OUR FREEDOM.

Until we are all truly free, let's press on. p

TEAM

Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc

Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip

Contributing Writers Marilyn Silverman Charles Tabasso Victoria Falk Erin Telesford Jennine Estes, MFT Travis Morales Mary Campbell Janet Howard Linda N. Chris Tobias

Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Telephone 1-866-435-3286

Email info@workersworldtoday.com

Visit us at www.workersworldtoday.com

Juneteenth: Honoring Black Joy and Resilience

BY RICHARD TRUMKA

On June 19, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States. To the Black community: We hope tomorrow is a day full of Black joy as you celebrate your power and resilience. To the rest of us: Over the past year, white supremacy and domestic terrorism caused the murder of Black lives. It also caused the Jan. 6 white supremacy. So is chronic unemployment and disproportionate job losses for Black workers during the pandemic. Those are our issues. That’s what the labor movement fights against. We fight so working people can live our lives, speak with our own voices and enjoy the fruits of our labor. So we’ll push for legislation that empowers Black workers like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. We’ll protect Black voting rights by sup-

Richard Trumka. Editorial credit: Al Teich / Shutterstock.com

insurrection, which was a great threat to our democracy. We cannot ignore the hate in this country. We cannot ignore it in our workplaces, either. Persistent wage disparities are a tool of porting the For the People Act (S. 1). We’ll say the names of those who were taken from us by racist violence and fight for police reform. The historic signing by President Biden making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a recognition of Black power and a reflection of America’s ongoing journey to tell our nation’s story. But we have more work to do.p

Richard Trumka is the President of AFL-CIO

President Biden Signs Juneteenth National Holiday

Into Law/continued from page 1 bondage. As those who were formerly enslaved were recognized for the first time as citizens, Black Americans came to commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations across the country, building new lives and a new tradition that we honor today. In its celebration of freedom, Juneteenth is a day that should be recognized by all Americans. And that is why I am proud to have consecrated Juneteenth as our newest national holiday. Juneteenth is a day of profound weight and power. A day in which we remember the moral stain and terrible toll of slavery on our country –what I’ve long called America’s original sin. A long legacy of systemic racism, inequality, and inhumanity. But it is a day that also reminds us of our incredible capacity to heal, hope, and emerge from our darkest moments with purpose and resolve. As I said on the 100th Anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, great nations don’t ignore the most painful chapters of their past. Great nations confront them. We come to terms with them. On Juneteenth, we recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. And, we celebrate the centuries of struggle, courage, and hope that have brought us to this time of progress and possibility. That work has been led throughout our history by abolitionists and educators, civil rights advocates and lawyers, courageous activists and trade unionists, public officials, and everyday Americans who have helped make real the ideals of our founding documents for all. There is still more work to do. As we emerge from the long, dark winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, racial equity remains at the heart of our efforts to vaccinate the Nation and beat the virus. We must recognize that Black Americans, among other people of color, have shouldered a disproportionate burden of loss — while also carrying us through disproportionately as essential workers and health care providers on the front lines of the crisis. Psalm 30 proclaims that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and discrimination, and the promise of a brighter morning to come. My Administration is committed to building an economy — and a Nation — that brings everyone along, and finally delivers our Nation’s founding promise to Black Americans. Together, we will lay the roots of real and lasting justice, so that we can become the extraordinary country that was promised to all Americans. Juneteenth not only commemorates the past. It calls us to action today. "Today’s historic signing by President Biden making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a recognition of Black power and a reflection of America’s ongoing journey to tell our nation’s story," said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and AFL-CIO Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Director Clayola Brown in a statement. "As we honor the sacred Juneteenth holiday that celebrates Black resilience and joy, America’s labor movement will continue to use our voice to lift up and learn from the Black experience. We must be a voice for all who live and work in the United States and to say out loud the names of those who were taken from us by racist violence." "Though explicit slavery has been abolished for more than 150 years, the exploitation of Black labor continues to this day through a systemically racist economy designed to promote wage disparity in the workplace and the chronic unemployment, underemployment and economic exploitation of Black people. America’s labor movement must remain at the tip of the spear to uproot systemic racism in all forms if we seek to fully uphold our nation’s promise of dignity for Black people." The law went into effect immediately, making today the first federal Juneteenth holiday in American history. p

Editorial credit: Esc Leo / Shutterstock.com

It Is Time for A Woman to Lead NYC

Rep Clarke. Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Maya Wiley. Photo: Maya for Mayor Campaign

"I thought it would be extraordinary for our city to embrace a Black woman, not just any Black woman, it's Maya Wiley," Clarke said.

BY EDITORIAL TEAM

In the whole history of mayoral elections in New York City, there has never been a female elected as Mayor. Democratic candidate, Maya Wiley, hopes to change that this 2021 mayoral election. Wiley wants people to see beyond the fact that she is a female candidate and see her as the most qualified candidate for the position.

Concerns of News Yorkers

During this pandemic, New Yorkers have been concerned about multiple issues affecting the city, including the COVID19 recovery, lack of jobs, the state of small businesses, access to affordable housing, and more. Most New Yorkers are looking for a candidate with strong leadership skills to select as the next Mayor of New York City-based on recent voter polls. Although never elected to a political office in the past, Maya Wiley hopes that her extensive career experiences demonstrate her leadership ability. Ms. Wiley is an experienced attorney and civil rights activist. She has worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense Fund (NAACP) and cofounded a non-profit organization, among other things. While Maya Wiley was working as an Adviser for current New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, he appointed her to a leadership role within the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board. According to reports, Wiley is known in each of her various positions as someone who got results.

Ready to Be the Next Mayor of NYC

Ms. Wiley is confident she can function well as the next Mayor of New York City and get New Yorkers’ results. The donations and endorsements Maya Wiley has collected indicate there are many others who also believe that she is the best candidate to assume the position. Wiley has received major endorsements from Make the Road Action, a prominent pro-immigrant group, Labor Union 1199SEIU, the largest union, and various women’s groups. She also has the endorsement of the Working Families Party, U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clarke, and Nydia Velasquez, tenants’ groups, the Jewish Vote, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, New York City Council Members Stephen Levin and Helen Rosenthal, entertainers, activists, and more. “Maya’s the one who’s going to lead us forward through this pandemic and engineer the greatest comeback in New York City history,” said Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. According to Gloria Steinem, “I believe a vote for Maya is a vote for a unified, just and enjoyable future.” Maya Wiley says she is running for Mayor “…to build a recovery that lifts up all of our communities.” During an exclusive interview with our publication, Maya Wiley discussed her run for New York City Mayor. Ms. Wiley shared her views on the immigrant community, poverty, education, and other issues pertinent to aiding the recovery of New York following the challenges that were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wiley discussed her previous career experiences and what she plans to accomplish as the next Mayor of New York City.

The Immigrant Community

“For me, the issues that our immigrant brothers and sisters face are central to the things that we must fix so this is a city we can all live in with dignity. That means that our people: the Caribbean Diaspora, who are our residents, our people, whether they have documentation or not, are contributing to this city, are our essential workers, are paying taxes, and deserve the full recognition of the city government for what they add to communities. For me, that includes making sure immigrants can vote in municipal elections exactly as that used to happen in our school board elections. I support that because we need to have a vote to have a voice, and anyone who is building communities in this city and being part of our solution has to have a voice.”

Right to Vote for Green Card Holders

“I founded The Center for Social Inclusion, where we focused on dismantling structural racism. Having the right to vote is central to having a voice that builds power and shapes government. We must make sure all Green Card holders have a right to vote, and we make sure we are doing the proper education so that people know how to vote, where to vote, and have many options to vote.” “Government can be more transformative and invest in our people differently. What it takes is focus, vision, partnership, and will.

This Is the Moment

This is a historic opportunity in this crisis to do things differently, so this city actually works for all our people and communities of color, our immigrant communities. This amazing Diaspora actually gets the focus, investment, attention, and respect that it deserves.” Wiley acknowledged the struggles of the taxi drivers, some of whom are of Caribbean descent, and said she would, “…create a program to help taxi drivers get out of debt.” “Taxi drivers took a huge hit during this pandemic and were taken advantage of by Medallion with their loans. Many taxi drivers are in huge debt. This plan will aid the taxi drivers. Many of the health care workers, who are of Caribbean descent, struggle to meet the cost of childcare and eldercare so they can go to work. Wiley said her administration “…will create community care centers…” to meet their needs. There will be “$5,000 a year for our neediest families to support their families. You won’t have to have documentation to be eligible for these grants. That will be very important to our immigrant residents, who do not have papers and who struggle to care for their families.”

Making a Difference

During her time working in City Hall as Advisor to Mayor Bill De Blasio, Maya Wiley led the fight to increase funding for women and minority businesses through the city’s MWBE program. She found money in the budget and brought together four different agencies to ensure that every family in the Queensbridge neighborhood of Queens, New York, had free broadband. During this COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen the importance of providing broadband for all households. Maya Wiley said her administration would “…create 100,000 new jobs… and more affordable housing.” “I’ve always worked on the ways that racism perpetuates poverty in our community and how to solve them.”

Rep AOC. Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

Ocasio-Cortez called Wiley her "No. 1" choice for mayor ."We have an option of a candidate who can center people, racial justice, economic justice, that didn't just come up to run for mayor but has experience and has a lifetime of dedication to this . And that candidate is Maya Wiley."

criminatory enrollment policies and increase access to funding to improve the quality of schools in Black and Brown neighborhoods. She discussed three main issues her administration will focus on to improve the education system in New York City: hiring 2,500 new teachers to decrease classroom size; providing trauma-informed care to address the total health and well-being of each student; and eliminating the outside issues affecting classroom learning and creating community schools. “What that means is a model that says we must be in partnership with our community-based organizations… that’s also going to help us ensure that we have wrap-around services for families. This model strengthens the educational attainment of our children.”

What makes Maya Wiley the best choice for the next Mayor of New York City?

Wiley says she plans to make New York City “…a more equitable city and a better place to live.” She told our publication, “I’m the only candidate in this race who actually knows what it feels like, both to grow up in a Black neighborhood, to be a mother of children in this city, and to have worked to be a changemaker as a civil rights lawyer. But also know what it is like inside City Hall, to know what it is like to make that change and push for that change through government. I am not running for Mayor because I needed a career change. I’m running for Mayor because it’s part of my mission. It is this time, at this moment, having a Black woman, who is a mother, who is a civil rights lawyer, but also knows how government works, is, I think, what we need in this city, and that’s what makes me different from all of the other candidates.”p

We Endorse Antonio Reynoso for Borough President of Brooklyn

Brooklyn, NY : Martin Luther King Jr said: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Antonio Reynoso has proven to be a man willing to stand and fight for those without a voice, less fortunate, overlooked, and downtrodden. He has shown that he is ready to take the right stand even when it is unpopular and uncomfortable. He is a champion for the minority and immigrant communities. Reynoso demonstrated his measure as a leader, advocate, and champion for those in need when he left New York to go to the island of Santo Domingo, which Haiti and the Dominican Republic share to show support and solidarity with Haitians who were being mistreated and denied citizenship.

Caribbean American Weekly, The Immigrant’s Journal, and Workers’ World Today are proud to endorse Antonio Reynoso as the next Borough President of Brooklyn.

Born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic, Antonio Reynoso, who considers himself a Caribbean man, commenced his political career over a decade ago, backed with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He knows how to engage with community members through his earlier experiences as a Community Organizer for NYC ACORN, before joining Councilmember Diana Reyna as Chief of Staff in 2009. He considers himself progressive and promotes his candidacy based on his personal experiences as an offspring of immigrants. His parents are immigrants who leveraged on policies in the society to raise him. His desire to serve as the next Brooklyn Borough President is a way of paying forward. Reynoso says, “This is an opportunity to give back to a community that has given him a lot. Here in Brooklyn, we succeed by never giving up and never giving in. Right now, we need to be tough and pull together in the aftermath of COVID to finally address our affordable housing shortage, dismantle systemic racism, save our small businesses, fix our schools, and stop overdevelopment and gentrification. Brooklyn makes us all who we

Antonio Reynoso speaks at a rally commemorating the life and legacy of George Floyd.Photo: Reynoso are, and together, we’ll make Brooklyn stronger and fairer for everyone.” Reynoso is passionate and committed to continuing to make a difference in the lives of all Brooklynites. He understands our concerns – whether it’s providing Temporary Protective Status (TPS) assistance for immigrants, quality health care, in particular mental and maternal health care, an equitable education system for our kids, job creation, and meaningful support for small business owners and budding entrepreneurs. Reynoso is dedicated and ready to work hard from day one and every single day as Brooklyn’s next Borough President. We are proud to endorse him and ask that you vote for him as your candidate of choice during this elec-

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Brooklyn: Why I Should Be Your Next Borough President

BY ANTONIO REYNOSO

I'm running for Brooklyn Borough President because our borough faces tough challenges, and I believe that together we can overcome them and build our borough back better than before. We need a leader who is willing to champion bold, progressive solutions to the pressing challenges that face working families and residents across Brooklyn. During my time on the City Council, I have fought to secure affordable housing, passed legislation to improve relations between the NYPD and civilians, and spearheaded efforts to improve civic engagement. Brooklyn gave me everything I have, and now I'm running to build a Brooklyn for all of us. I am the son of parents who emigrated from the Dominican Republic with next to nothing. Growing up, we relied on government assistance to survive. Food stamps, Section 8, Medicaid — my siblings and I would have never succeeded without it. Now, I’m a Councilmember and candidate for Borough President, running to root out the deeply rooted inequities in Brooklyn. I want to make sure that my success story is the rule, not the exception, that no matter what zip code our kids are born in, they have the resources to thrive and succeed. My career in public service began over a decade ago. After getting my bachelor’s degree, I became a community organizer for NYC ACORN, and then joined the office of Council Member Diana Reyna as her Chief of Staff. In 2013, I ran for City Council myself, to serve the community that has given me so much. Over the seven years that I have served on the City Council, I have sought to advance bold, progressive legislation Citywide, while improving quality of life in my district. As Chair of the Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee, I passed a sweeping overhaul of the corrupt and inefficient private sanitation industry. The Commercial Waste Zones bill that I sponsored drastically improved the industry’s working conditions and environmental practices, and cut down on miles of dangerous and polluting truck traffic. I was a lead sponsor of Stand for Tenant Safety, a legislative package of bills to protect tenants from harassment. In addition to my strong legislative track record, I have been focused on supporting the creation and preservation of deeply affordable housing across my district and the institutions that support residents, like our childcare centers. I also passed the Right to Know Act to improve police-community relations through deescalation, furthering public safety. As Brooklyn Borough President, I’ll take my activist spirit to Borough Hall to pull our communities together to rebuild in the aftermath of COVID. On the Council, my bill to bring outdoor dining to New York City saved 100,000 restaurant jobs and provided a critical lifeline to outer borough and minority-owned small businesses. As Borough President, I’ll bring the same kind of creativity to Borough Hall to ensure a just recovery for all. The inequities in Brooklyn extend beyond the pandemic though. That’s why I’m committed to protecting our local businesses; empowering communities, not big developers, to lead in land use decisions; building affordable housing in every neighborhood; continu-

“Here in Brooklyn, we succeed by never giving up and never giving in. Right now, we need to be tough and pull together in the aftermath of COVID to finally address our affordable housing shortage, dismantle systemic racism, save our small businesses, fix our schools, and stop overdevelopment and gentrification. Brooklyn makes us all who we are; and together, we’ll make Brooklyn stronger and fairer for everyone.”

ing my work to create healthier communities and ending environmental racism; and bringing crime down by getting guns off our streets, reducing poverty and growing our economy for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected. Our campaign is powered by everyday Brooklynites, and I’m proud to say that we’re not accepting donations from real estate developers or powerful special interests. We’ve also built a broad and diverse coalition, with support from: the NY Working Families Party; Congress Member Nydia Velázquez; Public Advocate Jumaane Williams; Make the Road Action; Council of School Supervisors and Administrators; United Auto Workers Region 9A; State Senators Jessica Ramos, Julia Salazar, and John Liu; Assemblymembers Marcela Mitaynes and Maritza Davila; New York Communities for Change, and many more community leaders and progressive organizations. I invite you to join us in our people-powered movement to create a Brooklyn for all of us. p

Read more about my campaign at

reynosoforbrooklyn.com

Early Voting Starts on June 12, 2021. The Primary is June 22, 2021. Make Antonio Reynoso Your #1 Choice for Brooklyn Borough President.