Challenger Community News September 2, 2021

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September 2, 2021 | FREE | thechallengernews.com | Community News

BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY!

7XVE

THE GENIUS on the Rise!

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Residents Outraged Over City’s “Insulting” Speed Bump Survey Page 3

What Every Teen Needs to Succeed This School Year and Beyond!

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Remember Attica!

50 Years and the Struggle Continues Page 11

Rochester’s Urban Euphoria Hosts Business Celebration Weekend!

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A FOURTH CANDIDATE ENTERS MAYORAL DEBATE

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INSIDE ROCHESTER

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

This Weekend!

Urban Euphoria Celebrates One Year Anniversary

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rban Euphoria LLC celebrates one year in business serving the Rochester community as a premier event venue. To commemorate this accomplishment, a celebration weekend will be held September 3-5 at Urban Euphoria, 35 South Washington St, Rochester. It begins Friday, with a Fish Fry/Happy Hour at 6p.m., followed by an All-Star comedy show on Saturday at 7p.m., and culminates with the All-Access All-Day-Party on Sunday starting at 5pm! Free tickets are available by calling (585)542-9922.

Located in the prestigious Jonathan Child House, a mansion built by the first Mayor of Rochester in 1837, the venue l/r Jnicolle Glover Charletta Broome has become a hub of positive social interaction and celebration for families and businesses throughout the city of Rochester. Opening at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and creatively pivoting throughout, Urban Euphoria has hosted over 100 events in its first 365 days.

“We’ve been chosen by so many clients in our community to be a part of their unique, oncein- a-lifetime events. We see this as an opportunity to say “Thank you, Rochester,” says Jnicolle Glover, co-owner and CEO of the venue.

Charletta Broome, co-owner and CFO explains, “Growing up in Rochester, our whole lives, loving our community, and then becoming who some may consider to be pillars of hope in our city, feels good.”

Urban Euphoria brought a well-adorned practicality and purpose back to a historic space in its first year. Political fundraisers, weddings, memorial celebrations, music video shoots, live band concerts, reunions, a weekly karaoke night and Friday Happy Hour & Fish Fry are just a fraction of the events that this young company boasts on its resume. Some of their most publicly recognized clients include The Urban League of Rochester, The YWCA, Rochester Woman Online Magazine and The Innocence Project. For more information, contact Urban Euphoria LLC at

585)542-9922 or uerochester@gmail.com. Also visit Urbaneuphoriallc.com.

Applications for Daniel Prude’s Family’s Lawyer Slams New York Mayor’s Neighborhood Attorney General Letitia James’ in Handling of Leadership Training Case Following the Cuomo Investigation Program Deadline New York Attorney General James failed to get an indictApplications are now being accepted for the next cohort of the Mayor’s Neighborhood Leadership Training (MNLT) program. The program is designed to help residents learn how to advocate for themselves and their neighborhoods.

Applications can be found at https://www.cityofrochester.gov/NSC/or at any of the four Neighborhood Service Center locations. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 3 and applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance by Friday, Sept.

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ment in the death of Prude at the hands of police last March and some are questioning her priorities.

The praise for New York Attorney General Letitia James is short lived as the family and attorney for Daniel Prude question if her office put as much effort in handling the case of Prude as it did in the investigation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Prude was a Black, unarmed mentally distressed father of five who was killed last March by police in Rochester, According to NBC News, Elliot Shields, the Prude family’s attorney, felt the investigation showed James’ office was capable of doing more last year to get justice for Prude and his family. Shields’ critique has caused some to revisit the case and see the flaws in the case brought to the grand jury. Letitia James and her office have not yet responded to the criticism.

Miriam Rivera Farmers Insurance

1038 Lyell Ave • Rochester, NY 14606 (585) 360-0094 (Office) (585)360-8658 (Cell) (888) 546-5157 (Fax) mrivera1@farmersagent.com

*Saturdays Public Market 6 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday *Thursdays International Market 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. and Sundays

GOOD NEWS!

Pictured top l/r Greater Works Choir, far right Tweet and bottom left BoyzII Men during last weekends performance.

Saturday’s Fest Was A Soulful End To A Beautiful Summer!

Text and Images By David Jones

This Saturday’s Summer Soul Fest turned out to be an entertaining event starring Boyz II Men. Also, on the lineup was Rochester’s very own, Tweet; along with EU and The Greater Works Choir. One of the highlights of the evening was the Hip Hop Alumni tribute that featured Kwame, Monie Love, Dayna Dane and Special Ed. Then the stars of the show, Boyz II Men, closed the night out singing a number of their hits including, Motown Philly, I’ll Make Love To You and It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of what was originally The Rochester Music Festival, Mayor Lovely Warren gave honor to former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

AREA BRIEFS Community Well Represented on Prestigious “Power 200 Women” List The community was well represented on the prestigious Buffalo Business First "Power 200 Women" list in Western New York for 2021.

Majority Leader Hon. Crystal Peoples-Stokes and SUNY Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner were among the top 10. Also named: Brandye Merriweather, President, Buffalo Urban Development Corp.; April Baskin, Chairman Erie County Legislature; Brenda McDuffie, Chair ECIDA; Kwanzaa Humphrey, Senior VP Key Bank N.A.; Donna Brown, Associate Administrator ECMC; Felisha Legette-Jack, Head Coach Women’s Basketball UB; Sheila Brown, CEO WUFO Radio; Angela Blue, NYS AFL-CIO; Eku Mends-Aidoo, Evergreen Health; Toni Vazquez, Chief Systems Officer GBUACO; Alnisa Banks, Editor/Publisher/ Owner Challenger Community News; Carmen Snell Highmark Western and Northeastern NY; Jennifer Parker, CEO Jackson Parker Communications; Donna Jones, ECMC; Jamie Smith Chief Academic Officer Sr. VP Education Roswell Park Cancer Center; Rene Petties-Jones, President National Federation for Just Communities of WNY; India Walton, Mayoral Candidate City of Buffalo; Rahwa Ghirmatzion, Executive Director PUSH Buffalo; Shatorah Donovan, Chief Diversity Officer, City of Buffalo; and Catherine Roberts, CEO Resource Council of WNY. Congratulations!

Celebration of Life for Arlee “Joop” Daniels Sr., Founder of Stop The Violence Coalition Arlee, Jr. "Joop" Daniels, Founder of the Stop the Violence Coalition of Buffalo gained his crown August 20, 2021.

Friends may call at Thomas T. Edwards Funeral Home, Inc., 995 Genesee St. Friday, September 3 from 4 9 p.m.

The family will receive friends Saturday, September 4, from 11 a.m. - 12 Noon at True Bethel Baptist Church, 907 East Ferry St where a Celebration of Life will immediately follow. Rev. Darius G. Pridgen officiating. Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Arlee was the loving husband of Marlene (nee Harris); father of Kenneth and Dominic Arlee Daniels, Sr.; grandfather of Kenneth, Jr., Kenaiya, Amaya, Andre, Dominic, Jr., Kaylana and Makenzie; great-grandfather of Kenneth, III and Kylar; brother of Elroy, Boris, Finley, Dwight (Stephanie) Daniels, Glenda (Joseph) Lapi of Depew, New York and Joseph (Debbie) Showell of Ft. Worth, Texas. Also left to cherish his memory, a host of other relatives and dear friends.

Please share memories and condolences online at www. thomastedwardsfuneralhome.com

Residents Outraged Over City’s “Insulting” Speed Hump Survey Curbing Speeding: A SLOW, Grueling Unrewarding Process Several Buffalo East Side block clubs are incensed after receiving a City of Buffalo speed hump survey.

WGRZ-TV reporter Jeff Preval reached out to University District Councilmember Rasheed N.C. Wyatt for an interview after his office received numerous calls from residents. The insulting survey and Mayor Byron Brown’s dismal response to speeding in residential areas over the past few years were the focus of the complaints.

Here’s why.

Under the leadership of Councilmember Wyatt, several block clubs launched a speeding campaign five years ago; attending public hearings, meeting with public officials and the Buf-

...

By Renata Toney

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Members of the Arden-Newburgh Block Club along with Councilmember Wyatt, hold press conference. Street Legacy Photo Darvin Adams

falo Police Department to develop solutions. Speeding has resulted in scores of hit and run accidents, injuries, fatalities, and cars careening into homes and businesses.

In 2017, the last mayoral election year, Mayor Byron

Brown launched a new joint traffic-safety initiative in response to these complaints and held a press conference announcing the first speed hump recipients, the ArdenNewburgh Block Club was Continued Page 7

A Fourth Candidate Enters Buffalo Mayoral Debate

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t first there were three.

Now a fourth candidate, Attorney Benjamin Carlisle, has been added to the upcoming mayoral debate. And according to our sources, there may be a fifth candidate emerging before the event.

The four candidates for Buffalo mayor will face off in what likely will be the only debate of the campaign when they meet from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Eva M. Doyle Auditorium of the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave. The debate features candidates who had publicly announced as of the date the event was scheduled, and will include Democratic Primary winner India Walton, incumbent Mayor Byron W. Brown , Attorney Benjamin Carlisle and Jaz Miles, who unsuccessfully challenged Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples Stokes last year. Carlisle is the most recent person to announce his MAYORAL DEBATE From left: Miles, Brown, Walton, Carlisle. candidacy in the November 2 race for mayor. He will also be a write in candidate.

The debate, sponsored by WUFO Radio and the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists, will be broadcast live by WUFO on 96.5 FM and 1080 AM. It also will be streamed on the station’s web site and on the BABJ Facebook page. Some news outlets also may broadcast it live or stream it on their social media platforms.

Al Vaughters of WIVB-TV will moderate. Questions will be posed by Claudine Ewing of WGRZ-TV, Lee Pettigrew of WUFO and Deidre Williams of The Buffalo News. Written questions submitted by audience members or solicited online at #BuffaloDebate2021 will be posed by Taylor Epps of WKBW-TV. Admission is free, but due to Covid-19 restrictions, auditorium capacity will be restricted and only those with tickets will be admitted. Each candidate will be allotted up to three tickets. Space is also being set aside for media and organizers who are working the event. All other tickets are being made available on a first-come, first-served basis through Eventbrite.

A limited number of tickets will be available at https://bit.ly/buffalomayordebate beginning at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 3. Masks will be required at all times.

The First All-Black Labor Union In 1894, president Grover Cleveland officially designated Labor Day a holiday in the US to honor the labor movement. That year, thousands of workers at the Pullman Company went on strike in response to their wages being cut while rent in the “company town” of Pullman on Chicago’s South Side remained the same.

The Pullman Company’s porters formed the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first all-Black labor union in the US, in 1925 to address low wages, long hours, and mistreatment from passengers. By 1935, the BSCP was the first African American union organization to be granted membership into the American Federation of Labor.

-The MovementIn August 1925, A. Philip Randolph was elected president the newly formed Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first all-Black labor union in the US. The union initially faced opposition not only from the Pullman Company, but also porters who were fearful of termination and members of the African American community who viewed George Pullman as an ally and credited him with providing lucrative employment opporContinued Page 7

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

Wear Your Mask on the Inside Too! “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else” Les Brown

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functioning, healthy body is the most precious gift we have, and we must value and honor this gift. One day, the heart will stop beating and the lungs will cease expanding. It is our duty to ensure that this day doesn't come any sooner than it should.

We should reciprocate and match the efforts of our body by nourishing it with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. We should strive to eat and drink good foods as gratitude, love and respect for the body that does everything in its power to keep us going. J. California Cooper has said, “The only thing, no matter how long you live; that is ever truly yours is your body”.

Everyone has their views on the mask mandates, social distancing requirements and the vaccine. Regardless of what decision you make, you are not absolved from the responsibility to take care of your body. There is no entity outside of yourself that can keep you healthy and whole. The body was designed to self-heal and self-regulate if given the right conditions. The mask you wear on the inside is just as important, if not more important than the mask you wear on your face. What is a mask on the inside? Your immune system. There are several things you must do to ensure your immune system is functioning at its peak, ready to deal with any foreign pathogen your body comes into contact with: •Intermittent Fasting (17/7 method) •Adequate sleep- 7.5-9 hours every night •2 hours of sun, four times a week •Drink half your body weight (in ounces) of water daily •Plant-based diet •Exercise at least 3-4 times a week Being healthy, happy, and whole is your birthright. You are completely responsible for your health. An overreliance on any system outside of a commitment to healthy lifestyle habits will leave you at the mercy of others. You are never alone though. If you are ready to accept personal responsibility for your body, radically improve your health, and activate your mask on the inside, join me on September 13, 2021, for the premier Intermittent Fasting Program in America, The Fast Life 28 Day Challenge. Visit TFL28. com to sign up today.

Please Protect the Children!

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eloved Community, please help us protect our children under 12 who will be returning to school, next week, unprotected by the Covid 19 Vaccine. All teachers, support staff and the parents and relatives of these children should get vaccinated.

I am so afraid for my 11 and 8 year old grandsons. All they have is the mask, to protect them from the virus. They cannot get vaccinated yet but you can. Too many people, who should have gotten the vaccine, are dying. Please don't wait until you have caught the virus to start talking about getting vaccinated. That will be too late.

Free masks and hand sanitizer are still available @ Grant's Variety Shoppe, 1055 East Ferry St, 4-8 PM. This writer can provide you with PPE's; however, you will have to get that vaccine, yourself.

Betty Jean Grant is President and Founder of We Are Women Warriors

eat to live

HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE!

The City of Buffalo Mayors Summer Youth Program in partnerships between Cold Spring Bible Chapel Pastor Kenny Simmons and Cornell Cooperative Extension Erie County 4-H toured different food systems in Buffalo. One of their stops was Mandella Market , 272 E. Ferry corner of Jefferson Avenue. Mandella Market has been a participating member in the Healthy Corner Store Initiative since 2016 and is one of 12 stores in the City of Buffalo providing fresh fruit and vegetables and other healthier choices. As part of the tour the group received fresh produce, fun giveaways and nutrition education information to help them make healthier choices. The Healthy Corner Store Initiative is a collaborative effort that include public, private, and non-profit partners and funded by Highmark BlueCross BlueShield WNY Blue Fund. The Cornell Cooperative Erie of County is the lead agency of the initiative. -Submitted by Sheila A. Bass Healthy Corner Store Initiative Coordinator

Come One! Come All!

The First Fruits Food Pantry Is Open!

STREET LEGACY PHOTOS BT DARVIN ADAMS

Share Your Ideas About Food Access and Receive a $25 Gift Card!

A team of community leaders, residents, and researchers are still working together to strengthen food access in East Buffalo. And we need your views for the success of this ongoing project!

Please share your ideas with us if you are a resident 18 years or older, the primary shopper of food in your household, and living in one of the following neighborhoods: Masten Park, FruitBelt, Pratt-Willert, Broadway Fillmore, MLK Park, Delavan Grider, or Kensington-Bailey of East Buffalo.

If you are a resident in one of these neighborhoods, you are welcome to share your ideas by way of a survey that will inform ways to better support Black and Brown farmers and gardeners to increase access to food. Your feedback will help generate a broader understanding about the health, social connections, and networks of residents in several neighborhoods in East Buffalo.

Responding to the survey will require about 1-hour of your time. You will be compensated with a $25.00 gift card. A team from the University at Buffalo Food Systems Planning and HealthyCommunity Lab (UB Food Lab) and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will support community members in answering the survey; you may also see team members in your neighborhood distributing informational flyers or you may also receive an informational postcard about this survey happening in your neighborhood. If you have

any questions, please email foodsystems@ap.buffalo.edu call (716) 829-3782 or see our ad this page.

Offering Healthy Food Options Free To The Community

NEW TIME! Tuesdays 4-6 PM & Saturdays From 10 A.M. To 12 NOON Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church, 641 Masten @ Northland No Forms To Fill Out, No Proof Of Income Or Residency Etc. Just The Blessing Of Good Food!

While You’re There Check Out The Lincoln Memorial. Clothes Closet!

“Fighting Food Insecurity & Meeting the Needs of The People.”

Rev. George Nicholas, Pastor, Lincoln Memorial UMC Rita Hubbard Robinson, Coordinator, First Fruits Food Pantry

Share Your Views About Food Access!

Get a $25 Gift Card!

Register at https://bit.ly/3cfGLOf

Si usted no habla inglés, llame a (716) 829-3782

(716) 829-3782 ‫اِس منرب پر رابطہ کرے‬

، ‫اگر آپ انگریزی نہیں بولتے‬

For more information contact Carol Ramos at (716) 829-3782

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

Victorian Luncheon and Tea Celebrates 10th Year Anniversary

On Saturday September 11, Catherine Fisher Collins presents her 10th annual Victorian Luncheon & Tea at Statler City 107, Delaware Avenue.

This year’s program guest speaker is award winning author, tv host, foundation president management specialist and outstanding investigative reporter Dianne Andrews who produces and hosts the largest viewed issue-based show in the state of Louisiana.

In true Victorian fashion guests attend in their loveliest hats for delightful experience of fellowship. The program also includes a welcoming of guests, invocation, performance of both musical and vocal selection and award presentation and benediction.

Doors open 1pm Luncheon is scheduled to begin at 2pm .

This is a ticket only event. For more information call 716 3902292.

The Victorian Tea hostesses include Alexis Onyszkiewicz,

Belinda Grant, Betty Torres, Cassandra Dobson, Dr. Catherine Collins, Crystal Barton, Cynthia Bass, Fatima Morrell, Fay Austin, Felicia Walker Davis, Felicia Hanesworth, Gwen Curry, Helen Gaiter, Jacqueline Rushton, Keira Grant, Laura Harris, Laura Zaepfel, Alethea Montgomery, Mario Grace, Marnetta Malcom, Melissa Archer, Morgan Woodson, Shirley Lowe, Stephanie W. Cowart, Susan Grelick and Tomasina Cook.

Supporters of the event include the African American Cultural Center, Community Health Center, Best Self, Erie County Medical Center, Uniland Development Corporation, Mayor Byron Brown, Senator Timothy Kennedy, Assemblywoman Crystal People Stokes , Lake Shore Savings, M &T Bank, Legislator Howard Johnson, Legislator April Baskin, and Gary Grelick.

Guest Speaker Dianne Andrews

Victorian Lunheon & Tea 2021

ReNew your business WITH THE BUSINESS RECOVERY TASK FORCE

Meet the

Team

Learn how they can help you

thewomensbusinesscenter.com

Here to help you

Running a business is difficult enough without a pandemic. But, when you add that to the mix of challenges, it can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, the Women’s Business Center at Canisius College offers free programs to all WNY women-owned businesses through their “ReConnect. ReStart. ReGrow.” initiative. Visit our website to find out how the WBC can help you.

Canisius College | 2001 Main Street | Buffalo NY 14208 | 716.888.8280

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FAITH & FAMILY

FAITH IN HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE The Faith in Healthcare Conference will take place Saturday, Sept. 11, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at Zion Dominion Church on 895 North Forest Rd. in Amherst, NY hosted by Bishop Roderick L. Hennings.

The theme of this yearly conference is, “Feet in the wilderness and eyes on the promised land.”

This is in reference to weary-but-hopeful ex-slaves, encouraged to remember where they came from and to envision the kind of people God was calling them to become. At the conference, we will be remembering 9/11 and the challenges/tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll also look ahead to how a Holistic view of healing, health and fitness can prompt a fresh imagination that empowers fulfillment in life. Speakers include doctors, dentists, nurses & health care graduate students.

For details or to register, go to: https://cmda.org/events/cmda-of-wny-faith-in-healthcare-conference-feet-in-the-wilderness-eyes-on-the-promised-land/ Cost: $40 ($30 for guests who come with you and $10 for students). This includes breakfast & lunch.

Sponsor: Christian Medical and Dental Assoc. of WNY. This conference is open to everyone regardless of faith background. We are especially encouraging High School & College Students interested in a health career, to meet graduate students who can share how to be successful.

Questions contact Debra Minotti, RN at 716-517-7457 or debra.minotti@cmda.org

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

“Curlie” Jackson Scholarship Awards Announced Calvary CME Church, supported by the Jackson family, is proud to announce the 2021 “Curlie” Jackson Scholarship Award recipients. Awards of $1,000 went to Francis M. Sania, Philip Marcello and Michea Mushaira. All three individuals will be attending the University of Buffalo.

Stipend awards of $500 were awarded to our returning students, Mykiel Lee, Chenier Mazikou, Isaiah Wilson, Jeffrey McMillian and Davon Hedy.

Congratulations to all the awardees! To date more than $43,000 have been awarded to deserving students in Western New York!

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

SPEED HUMP SURVEY continued from page 3 one of them. Its residents complain of speeders driving 60 MPH. The humps were removed from for the winter season and never returned. Without notice, the City of Buffalo’s Public Works Department assigned the humps to other streets with complaints with no formal explanation.

Two years ago, Mayor Brown launched the Slow Streets Program—51 neighborhood zones citywide

responded to a tedious application process. Requirements included collaborations with blocks clubs, letters of support, designing a printed map neighborhood zones and collecting 24 signatures. Some block clubs went the extra mile and attached police reports of accidents. Over the past two years residents reached out to the City of Buffalo Public Works Department for an update on the program. No

Birthday Drive-By The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters continued from page 3 Celebration

The 15th Shepherd’s & Birthday Drive-By Celebration will take place Sunday, September 12 at 4 p.m. at True Bethel Baptist Church, 907 East Ferry Street in the True Bethel Parking Lot. Line up is at 3:30 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE! Sheila Nickson Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, September 25 at 10am at St. Philips Episcopal Church. Ms. Nickson, an academic and civic leader active in promoting diversity at SUNY Buffalo State and throughout the state university system, died May 15 in Erie County Medical Center. She was 84.

tunities for formerly enslaved men and women.

Following the Civil War, George Pullman sought to hire formerly enslaved men as sleeping car porters. The Pullman Company’s decision to hire Black men to serve as porters created an opportunity for economic advancement for newly emancipated African Americans and is often credited with contributing to the creation of the Black middle class. Despite these benefits, Sleeping Car Porters were often mistreated, both by their customers and the company.

In 1935, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters became the first African American union organization to be granted membership into the America Federation of Labor.

The Pullman Company agreed to negotiations with the BSCP and in April 1937, after twelve years of resistance, a contractual agreement was finally reached which included an increase in wages and a cap of 240 hours per month.

Source: Chicago History Museum Blog Posted under

by Brittany Hutchinson

Home Going Service

responses.

Earlier this year the City of Buffalo announced dedicating $500,000 of revenue from the School Speed Zone Safety Program to launch a “Safe Streets Initiative” to improve pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist safety.

East Side block clubs were stunned and puzzled once again. What’s the difference between a ‘Safe Streets Initiative’ and the ‘Slow Streets Project’?

Everything designated ‘slow’ by the City of Buffalo has consistently failed not meeting the safety needs of residents at high risk. The response and performance of the City of Buffalo Public Works Department has been dreary and of no support to block clubs and residents that love and want to Improve where they live. This ongoing sluggish story continues to recycle and speed back to the future that has led to nowhere, particularly not the East Side.

Renata Toney is a Challenger News contributing writer

Michele Lynette “Mikki” Bryant 9/23/1959 - 8/19/2-21 Michele Lynette "Mikki" Bryant entered into rest suddenly on Thursday, August 19, 2021 after a short illness.

Mikki was born in Buffalo, New York on Wednesday, September 23, 1959 to the late Phyllis Chapman and Theodore “Billy” Bryant.

Mikki was a former New York State Department of Corrections Officer.

Homegoing service is planned at FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH, 402 Clinton Street, Buffalo, NY 14204 on Friday, September 3, 2021. Viewing to begin at 11:00 a.m. with service to immediately follow At the request of the Family, Face Masks are Mandatory, Lombardo Funeral Home Amherst Chapel is the office handling arrangements for our beloved.

Relatives and friends may extend online condolences at www.lombardofuneralhome.com

A Tribute to Eloise Green McPherson Submitted by Priscilla Hill

Her world was a city that smelled Of Evening in Paris perfume, sweet potato pies scotch, and smoke, in Willert Park Courts Where neighbors sat on stoops in summers Laughing, gossiping, cracking jokes Pretending like they had enough.

Mama’s world was card playing, numbers, 641, 452, 10 cents straight, nickel in the box House parties, Johnny Walker Red and fried Dixie Peach Mama had Lena Horne’s beauty, Dorothy Dandridge’s energy Teaching us how to become a woman.

Mama loved the Lord, life, grandbabies, and old folks Celebrating everything or just because it was a good day Our Sundays were like Thanksgivings Still, she sent us to church to thank Jesus and put 5 cents in the pot Christmas mornings were homemade biscuits, with Alaga syrup, as we decorated the real Christmas tree, anticipating the gifts to come and dinner That she shared with neighbors and friends Although we struggled in the early years We never felt we poor or disadvantaged Because Mama sat in a stool curling hair At $2.50 a head, that took care of the two children she loved This is where we learned to be fearless in our journey of life Creating a road where there didn’t seem to be a path The Lord loved our Mama, our PooPoo, sending her an angel Mr. Claude McPherson, to care for her the rest of her life So, Mama, PooPoo, we honor you for your struggles, courage, Wisdom and love, creating who we have become.

Love, Priscilla, Regina, Charisse, grandchildren, and great ones

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Entertainment

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

7XVE THE GENIUS

RISING RAP ARTIST TALKS CAREER TOUR AND SURPRISE EP

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uffalo-bred rapper, 7xve the Genius has been on an ascension.

A freshly signed talent for the Griselda affiliated label, Drumwork Music Group, the heralded emcee recently dropped a surprise EP and is preparing to tour across the country next month.

Read our Q&A below to learn more. The extended version can be read on thechallengernews.com .

Schondra: You're the first woman on Drumwork...

How does it feel rapping almost for your whole life, producing, helping other artists to [now] finally make it to the next level and be signed to a sigSchondra Aytch nificant record label/group from Buffalo?

7xvethegenius: It feels amazing, honestly. It feels great. I’ve known Benny and Conway since I was probably like 12... My thought process and everything behind what I’m doing is a little bit different now, but it feels amazing as a whole.

Schondra: So [when] did you get signed to Drumwork?

7xvethegenius: I actually got signed to Drumwork this year.

Schondra: I ask that because you just posted that you're dropping a project...

It’s TWBD so what does that mean?

7xvethegenius: It’s called Thy Will Be Done...and it’s an EP to pretty much get people ready for the [Death of Deuce] album.But the feel of my EP is not the same as the feel of the album. Because I’ve settled into my new reality now and...I love my album. I actually think it's one of the best projects I’ve heard before in general, and I listen to music - but with this EP I want it to kind of settle into where I am...I am more so trying new things on this EP…

Schondra: I see a feature with Jae Skeese which obviously is always highly anticipated. You and Jae Skeese have shown out on Conway’s projects...How does it feel to have songs featuring Jae Skeese, who’s your contemporary ...and then also C o n w a y. . . a n d for those songs in particular to always get acknowledged [when they drop]? That has to be exciting.

7xvethegenius: It’s always an exciting feeling...but as far as making the songs I’m always in the studio… [knowing] that these two men are writing something that I probably don’t even have in my mind. You know what I’m saying? And I can’t imagine what it is...We just write. Everybody’s just writing, or going over their [stuff] mentally, or recording how they record spontaneously. It’s a crazy experience and then the song is done...

It’s just always like I know I have to think of the craziest thing I can think of because I don’t know what they're thinking of and these men are brilliant...It’s always nice when the response matches the creative process.

Schondra: Wow. So going back down to THY WILL BE DONE...

7xvethegenius: With this project...I just really went for the sound and feel of it.

Schondra: I think it’s cool that you led with sound, because that makes anticipation even higher...and you got some great artists that people respect on here too.

Hopefully, that marriage gets people excited and I’m sure a lot of people [will] enjoy it...And then Death Of Deuce- is there any hint when that will drop or is that still under wraps?

7xvethegenius: Yes. It’s still

SUN RA ARKESTRA Sept. 2 at Asbury Hall

Point9 Mile Collaborative (a partnership between the Historic Colored Musicians Club and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center) is proud to present the Sun Ra Arkestra led by the great alto saxophonist Marshall Allen on Thursday, September 2nd at 8:00pm in Buffalo’s magnificent Asbury Hall 341 Delaware Ave.. For tickets go to hallwalls.org .

General admission is $35, students/seniors $30 students/ seniors and $25 for Hallwalls & CMC members. *Hallwalls staff will check proof of vaccination at the door, with masks optional for vaccinated individuals and mandatory for those unable to show proof of vaccination. Asbury Hall is large, spacious, air conditioned and well-ventilated.

7XVE THE GENIUS

under wraps, but I do know that it’s gonna drop after the [Love Will Get You Killed Tour] which is happening next month. So we know it’s not next month.

Schondra: Speaking of the tour, when does that start?

7xvethegenius: The Love Will Get You Killed Tour actually starts on the 28th in Miami and then we're doing back to back dates starting in Atlanta...in September.

Schondra: Is this your first tour...because you went on tour with Benny?

7xvethegenius: This is my first tour as far as having a set...on tour with Benny, I was opening up. So it was probably like 5 minutes... and make the impact that you can… I’m gonna have exclusive merch on this tour...

THY WILL BE DONE actually will only be available on tour to purchase, so you’ll be able to stream it on my website...It won't be on DSPs. On tour you can get it only.

Schondra: So it's exclusive.

It’s really for the people that come out to see you -That supports you…

7xvethegenius: It’s really for my 7xved Ones. Really, literally. It’s really for me to tap in with them...Check out everything that I have going on, on my website which is 7xveislove.com.

ART MATTERS

Opening: Heather Hart: AFROTECTURE (RE) COLLECTION

Opening reception September 16 5 – 7:30 PM UB CFA GALLERY 201 Center for the Arts .Hart presents a sculptural installation that quotes the architecture of the Lorraine Motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated to revisit this critical moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Info at ubartgalleries.buffalo.edu 716 654-6912

Squeaky Wheel’s Family-Friendly Animation Fest

September 3rd, 7pm. The Fest will be an outdoor drive-in and sit-down screening in the parking lot of Albright-Knox 621 Northland Ave showcasing artist-made animations. To attend in person go to albrightknox.org To attend virtually register online at Eventbrite. com/Squeaky Wheel’s 18 animation fest. Free event.

Free Admission to Arts Events Available for Low Income Residents Applications are now open to renew or sign up for the 2021-2022 Arts Access program by ASI. For more information visit arts-access.org or contact Cameryn Handel, Arts Access Coordinator, at 716833- 3004, ext. 514, or artsaccess@asiwny.org.

Read full details for this on thechallengernews.com .

Support The Arts!

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

UpstateAllstarzTV.com is Heating Up the End of the Summer With The "Backyard Barbecue" TV Show

Beats & Bites at The Broderick

LIVE MUSIC AND MORE AT BRODERICK PARK EVERY THURSDAY The Friends of Broderick Park presents Beats & Bites at The Broderick every Thursday from 5-8 p.m. 1170 Niagara St. (Foot of Ferry). Stop by and enjoy your favorite DJ’s, live music, vendors, performances in the historic Broderick Park. This Thursday enjoy the sounds of Buffalo's own Top Knotch! See you there!

U Celebration of Life for Lorna C. Hill Has Been Cancelled

T

o our beloved community, It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we announce Lorna C. Hill’s Celebration of Life scheduled for Tuesday September 7, 2021, will be cancelled. It has become clear that with the exponential growth in COVID cases for our county in the last month and the designation of now being a high risk infection zone, a large indoor event was no longer a safe option. This was a near impossible decision to make, having waited over a year for even the possibility of gathering together to celebrate the force of life that we all came to know and love in Lorna. It was a priority from the beginning of this planning process that we maintain a safe space for this beloved community to gather. Coupled with the additional challenges of putting on an event worthy of Lorna’s beautiful memory in the midst of a global pandemic and having exhausted all of our options, the family has made the ultimate decision to cancel the event indefinitely. We will continue to support one another and we ask you all to do the same as we think through what can be done in the future to pay our respects and honor the legacy and memory of Lorna C. Hill.

We recognize that this last year has been incredibly difficult and heart wrenching for all of us and for a multitude of reasons. Despite the inability to be in space with one another we hope you will still take the time to honor Lorna’s memory by showing love for one another. Now more than ever we need our community to hold each other with grace and love. The time we have ahead is never promised nor is it ever easy. Let us be the living legacies of all that Lorna poured into us.

Until we meet again and with deep gratitude, The Ujima Family, Curtis, Amilcar, Rahwa, and Solace.

pstateAllstarzTV.com is heating up the end of the Summer with The UpstateAllstarzTV.com "Backyard Barbecue" TV Show.

"Backyarad Barbeque" is a TV series on our network that will be showcasing Buffalo's movers and shakers, entrepreneurs and top business owners. There will be food, drinks and live performances. Think MTV Unplugged & MTV Spring Break all in one.

We will be broadcasting live to the world on UpstateAllstarzTV.com Fri. Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. from a private location. There will be a segment on the show called "Who's In Yard?" where we will interview live on air the business owners in attendance; giving them an opportunity to promote their brand or business in between acts. This will help local businesses. Our goal is to help local entrepreneurs.

Tickets are $25 and available at King City 2662 Bailey Ave., Legacy Apparel 2649 Bailey Ave. , Trendz Apparel 1048 Broadway . Or you can watch it live on UpstateAllstarzTV. com We get over 1.1 million worldwide viewers per week.

Don't miss the "Backyard Barbecue TV Show" next Friday September 10th featuring Che'Noir Unplugged: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqlUHvcwLws Che'Noir will be performing with a Live Band "The Allstarz Band " which consists of former members of Rick James Stone City Band.

Jeff Turner is CEO/President of UpstateAllstarzTV.com & UpstateAllstarzRadio.com.

Blanc Photographie

The Community’s Portrait & Event Photographer.

716.319.8979 • Facebook: Blanc Photographie • Instagram: @blanc_photographie

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

Back To School Rally Provides Teens With a Blueprint for Success this School Year and Beyond

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here was plenty of wisdom, guidance and motivation for teens and parents alike at last Thursday’s “Back to School Rally” inside the Northland WorkForce Training Center.

The free event, with giveaways, music, and food featured four dynamic speakers - Dr. Marck Abraham, Duncan Kirkwood, Detra Trueheart and Sam Radford - who left the teens with invaluable tools for a successful school year and beyond.

Upbeat and optimistic, their give and take presentations were brief but powerful; using their own personal experiences, wisdom of their elders, and professional skills to make their points.

-Tools for Being Successful“One of the most important things you’re going to ever have to do as a person,... is be very clear about where your life is going …. national Parent Advocate and community activist Sam Radford instructed .

He then shared and discussed with the teens, life lessons his grandmother taught him.

“My grandmother told me three things,” he began: “The first … was If two people are exactly alike, one of them is not necessary... So you’ve got to find a way to be who you are unconditionally, unapologetically… " “The second thing she said to me was Sam, if you hang around 9 broke people, you 're about to be the 10th. Which means you become like the people you hang out with…”

“The third lesson she … taught me is that the most important communication skill you could have is to learn how to listen.

“Let me say to you in closing, that there is nothing more important than being present in your own life… and having a clear goal, learning how to listen not just hear; learning how to be around people who are going to make a difference in your life…Those kinds of lessons .…will get you all the things you want in life.

"The most important thing she told them to remember, was that there is nothing more important than getting to know your Creator."

-“I’m Not Done!”Detra Trueheart, a pretty, spunky young 49-year-old speaker, teacher, author and strategist, danced her way to the podium and declared,“I’m

ing to face failure…you’re going to have setbacks….just remember to keep going don’t quit because setbacks will help you if you don’t give up on yourself."

He then offered teens what he called their College Success Pledge…”your life success pledge,” which they said together: 1.I will always place my mission first

Pictured above some of the young people who attended last Thursday's Back to School Rally.

here to speak life, to make some deposits in you, because at the end of the day how you show up (at school) shows what you’re ready for…so if you show up dull, dry…like you’re not ready, that’s how they’re going to treat you.”

The alternatiave she said is to show up like you’re ready to learn.

"Your attitude instead, should be like “I’m good… as long as there’s breath in my lungs I ain’t done!”

She also urged teens not to “dumb down” when they show up for class this year, and not to be afraid of what others may think if you strive for excellence.

Then there was the message for the parents and adults.

When the childrenn go back to school she said, parents should be the first to wake them up each morning with words of love and encouragement.

At the end of her presentation she had the audience repeat 30 Affirmations she wrote, which she also called a Success Pledge. These words, she said, should be voiced on a regular basis “because you need to rewire your brain and rewire your language , rewire your emotions and how you see yourself when you look at yourself in the mirror” Detra’s Success Pledge: I AM Affirmations I AM Who God says I am I AM Enough I AM Loved I AM Healed I AM Phenomenal I AM Powerful I AM God’s Child I AM Dope I AM A Force to be reckoned with I AM Bold I AM Wise

I AM Creative I AM Kind I AM Chosen I AM Beautiful I AM Worthy I AM Unique I AM Forgiven I AM Alive I AM Healthy I AM Compassionate I AM Courageous I AM Fun I AM Amazing I AM Wealthy I AM Grateful I AM Consistent I AM Focused I AM Disciplined I AM Not Alone I AM Affirmed -Resilince: Success PledgeDunchan Kirkwood, Global Resilience Advocate and author, shared his personal journey including the lessons he learned from rejection. Going to college in Alabama he said, was “the best thing that could have happened to me.”

I was there “I had to grow up” and it was the first time he said someone his age told him“average isn’t good enough, mediocrity ain’t going to cut it here.” So he got busy, got his grades up, but as a graduating senior suffered massive rejection when hunting for a job.’

“I applied to 40 jobs in my field and got 40 rejections.”

So after graduating he joined the military “They paid for my masters degree and I ended up becoming a Master Resilience Trainer in the Military and because of that experience, now my full time job is traveling the country motivating people on Resilience "If any one of those 40 organizations had said yes to me I wouldn't be here today… because they rejected me - it launched me!..So you’re go-

2.I will never accept defeat 3.I will never quit -Steps to Take to Be Successful in School Dr. Marck Abraham, a former High School principal, is more than familiar with the issues facing education and minority children today.

“We’re excited…we put this program together for you…” he said in his opening statement. “All of these folks in here right now want to see you be successful but please don’t be confused there are people who don’t want to see you successful…

But we believe in you!"

Getting an education is critical he emphasized, especially for minority males who more often than not end up in prison or dead without one.

He then offered the following steps he said that will guarantee being successful in school.

1.You can’t be successful in school if you don’t show up and be on time.

2.You’ve got to know your grades at all times…don’t wait for anybody to tell you.

Ask your teacher as often as you feel its necessary.

3.Set goals for yourself… short term and long term then tell your teachers and administrators. Its …about how hard you work…Show up, set goals, do your homework everyday .

4.When you’re in class ask questions. ” 5.Sit in front of the class if you can… and see what the teacher got to say.

6. Stay after class and ask the teacher questions. What you’re doing is building a relationship with your teacher “I just gave the whole game for success!” Dr. Abraham concluded.“This year I believe you’re going to have one of the most successful school years of your life! "

Together We Can Build A Safe, Healthy Buffalo

B

lack Buffalonians are in the midst of a terrible year for shootings and homicides. Like many of my neighbors, I am still reeling from the violence earlier this summer, when 21 of our neighbors were shot, including a 3-year-old, in 15 incidents of gun violence over the July 4th weekend. Incident upon incident breaks our hearts, the anger and grief comIndia pounding.

Walton Neighborhood violence is just one source of pervasive fear we endure. Our housing, healthcare and job insecurity is rampant, our blood is poisoned with lead, and a still-raging pandemic threatens our lives and livelihoods. Black life is often scary in our beautiful city.

The current administration’s approach to public safety has been an abject failure. Year after year, the Mayor employs one strategy, to the exclusion of all others: heavier surveillance, more aggressive prosecutions, and harsher punishments. And year after year, we never get any safer. For one thing, police can prove as dangerous as those they are sent to arrest.

From my experience as a survivor of violence, Registered Nurse, and Executive Director of a democratically-run housing development corporation, I understand what taking a holistic approach to public safety would look like. My program is evidence-based, data-driven, and founded on proven practices.

Non-carceral community resources are at the heart of this program. Our city already has promising models like Buffalo SNUG and BRAVE to point to, and the University of Buffalo’s pioneering work on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to draw from. There are viable solutions for us to implement, if we’re ready to get serious about public safety.

Safe neighborhoods. An array of models exist to address the root causes of gun violence before harm occurs, rather than simply punishing it after the fact. From Cure Violence and Advance Peace, and my favorite, the pathbreaking Life Camp model, systems for mobilizing money, mentors, conflict mediation, trauma-informed therapeutic practices prove much more successful than policing at reducing gun violence.

Additionally, I will establish a non-violent mental health first responder corps, which deploys therapists and social workers for calls involving mental health crises, such as suicide attempts, substance misuse and serious mental illness.

Such people are proven to accept care at higher rates, and be transported to hospitals at lower rates, than when police are involved.

Safe Schools. Having been a Buffalo public school nurse in, I know that school safety requires reducing class sizes, and investing in guidance counselors, therapists, and school nurses, rather than funneling our children into the school-toprison pipeline with school police.

Safe Housing. No community can be truly safe unless all of its inhabitants have livable, permanent housing. As an accomplished executive with the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust, I know how to lead a community through a process to democratically direct its own development. We must aggressively expand our support for community land trusts.

Additionally, our city’s homeless outreach must consist of mental health professionals, community organizers, and other experts trained to help connect our unhoused neighbors to housing and services, rather than deploying police.

Safe Hospitals. Nurses like me endure some of the highest rates of workplace violence. Hospitals are high-stress, lifeor-death environments. To make them safe, we must work with organized labor and state legislators to ensure safe staffing in hospitals and nursing homes, and we must invest in medical social workers to help patients and their families Continued Page 11

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

VOICES

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Remembering Attica and the Buffalo Connection "CAMPAIGN NOTES"

Brown vs. the Board of Election On Friday, the Erie County Board of Elections’ two commissioners tossed out Mayor Byron Brown’s independent nominating petition, by which the mayor hoped to get his name on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Brown has been pursuing a write-in campaign since losing the primary in June to India Walton. Right now, Walton’s is the only name that will appear on the ballot. The petition sought to create a “Buffalo Party” line, with Brown as its candidate.

The petition’s “fatal flaw,” to use the legal term of art: The deadline for independent nominating petitions was May 25.

Brown filed his petition on Aug. 17 — almost three months late.

The board’s two commissioners, Republican Ralph Mohr and Democrat Jeremy Zellner, heard arguments Friday from attorneys representing both campaigns.

Buffalo attorney Sean Cooney, on behalf of the Walton campaign, made a pretty simple case: The law is clear and the election calendar as set by the state Legislature is immutable, therefore the petition was dead upon arrival. He noted the commissioners, back in the spring, ruled Walton off the Working Families Party line — even though she was the party’s endorsed candidate — because her campaign missed a filing deadline by a day. The same strict enforcement of deadlines must be applied to Brown, Cooney argued.

Appearing on behalf of the mayor was Manhattan attorney Jerry Goldfeder, an election law specialist. Goldfeder argued the elections commissioners had no power to rule on the validity of Brown’s petition. That’s “the court’s job,” he said.

Further, Goldfeder argued, the state legislature’s decision to change the deadline for filing independent nominating petitions was unconstitutional. That question, too, should be determined in court, Goldfeder maintained, not by the elections commissioners.

Nonetheless, on Saturday, Goldfeder filed a lawsuit on behalf of Brown versus the county Board of Elections, advancing the same arguments he made at Friday’s hearing.

Meanwhile, the Walton campaign has been vetting the petition’s 257 pages, which contain more than 3,000 signatures. In the event a judge agrees with Goldfeder about the filing deadlines, Walton’s lawyers will try to demonstrate more than threequarters of those signatures are invalid under the law.

The vetting requires checking for duplicate signatures, verifying voter registrations and addresses, and analyzing handwriting.

It also includes cross-referencing the thousands of signatures on Brown’s “Buffalo Party” petition with all previously filed petitions for the mayor’s race. Under state law, a voter can only sign one nominating petition per office, per election cycle.

So, if you signed for Brown the Democrat last spring, you can’t sign for Brown the “Buffalo Party” candidate in August.

Case in point: South District Council Member Chris Scanlon.

Scanlon — who has been helping to organize Brown’s writein effort in South Buffalo — signed Brown’s “Buffalo Party” nominating petition on Aug. 12 on a page circulated and witnessed by his wife.

However, Scanlon also signed the Brown’s Democratic Party nominating petition on March 13.

The earlier signature counts, under state law. The second signature is invalid.

Geoff Kelly Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube Investigative Post is a non-profit investigative reporting center serving Buffalo and Western New York. To send tips to "Campaign Notes" email gkelly@investigativepost.org To read more go to https://www.investigativepost.org/

50 Years Later the Struggle Continues. Commemoration Set for September 9 at 5 p.m. in MLK Park

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n the morning of September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 inmates— predominantly Black and Puerto Rican—took over the state prison at Attica, New York.

In order to prove the merit of their demands the leadership of the Attica revolt invited independent observers to come to the prison and witness their grievances and the good faith of their desire to negotiate a peaceful settlement. These eventually included New York Times columnist Tom Wicker, Attorney William Kunstler, and then Assemblyman Arthur Eve of Buffalo who from time to time raised concerns about the degrading and inhuman treatment of Attica prisoners.

Eve was not the only Buffalo connection to the Attica Rebellion.

Herbert X Blyden was an inmate at Attica in 1971. The Times described him as a “prison-educated civil rights activist who gave eloquent voice to 1300 beleaguered inmates as their chief negotiator…” Brother Herb was the chief architect of the Attica Manifesto. He is the father of Malik “Lion” Blyden, president of the local UNIA-ACL Division #433. Lion’s mother, the late Arthur O.Eve Elaine Blyden, was a retired youth worker and the former Chief-of-Staff for NYS Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve. She also served as editor of The Challenger, which was co-founded by Mr. Eve. Tragically, four days after the rebellion began, 29 prisoners lay dead, cut down in a hail of bullets fired by New York State Police, sheriffs and corrections officers. Governor Nelson Rockefeller gave the order.

President Richard Nixon cheered them on. In the aftermath, the surviving prisoners were subjected to hideous torture and later charged with a total of 1,300 crimes. Among these were kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment based on taking prison guards hostage, ten of whom were gunned down by Rockefeller’s stormtroopers when they retook the prison. Rockefeller never visited Attica to deal with the prisoners’ grievances.

And today many of the changes that were promised were never made or have been rolled back.

After the rebellion and massacre a resolution calling for the impeachment of Governor Rockefeller for “lawless acts of officialdom” in the state's handling of the Attica Correctional Facility uprising was introduced in the Assembly by Assemblyman Eve. He charged that the Governor's culpability included his refusal to go to Attica and talk with observers, the tactics and firepower employed in the assault and “widespread lies” from state officials about hostage executions and mutilations that never occurred. In addition, he charged that there was a “plot” by the Governor to encourage inmates to attack observers so the state would have a reason to go into the prison with force.

-Cover UpFor many years, Democratic and Republican administrations

in Albany, along with the courts, covered up much of the truth of what took place at Attica, assisted by the same press that peddled the lie that the prisoners shot the guards. A significant part of that shroud has been peeled back by Heather Ann Thompson in her book, Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy.

For millions around the world, Attica became a potent symbol of rebellion against brutal repression— and a stark emblem of racist state murder. To this day it continues to inspire struggles against the racist degradation of Black people inside and outside of prison walls. Attica was an explosion waiting to happen. The 2,200 men warehoused in a facility built for 1,600 were routinely beaten by guards, locked in cells 16 hours a day, rationed one sheet of toilet paper daily, one bar of soap a month and one shower per week—even in the heat of summer.

Among the main grievances was censorship of reading materials—no newspapers, very few books, and nothing at all to read in Spanish. Hours after the revolt began, L.D. Barkley, a 21-year-old Black Panther Party member imprisoned for violating parole by driving without a license, read out the prisoners’ powerful declaration: “We are men! We are not beasts and we do not intend to be beaten or driven as such.”

The prisoners called for the minimum wage for prison work (they were paid slave wages of between 20 cents and one dollar per day), accompanied by an end to censorship and restrictions on political activity, religious freedom, rehabilitation, education and decent medical care.

The main demand was amnesty for participating in the rebellion, along with “speedy and safe transportation out of confinement, to a Non-Imperialist country.” Most likely in mind was Cuba or Algeria. Because his negligence resulted in 39 deaths, Rockefeller is potentially just as guilty of crimes at Attica as those guards who pulled the triggers for him.

The New York State Special Commission on Attica, the McKay Commission, called this event “the bloodiest one-day encounter between Americans.

Fifty years after the Attica Uprising of 1971, prisoners across the United States are still facing the same cruel, dehumanizing conditions. There will be a gathering next Thursday, November 9, at 5 p.m. at the Monument in MLK Park to commemorate the revolutionaries who put their lives on the line to fight the Prison Industrial Complex, and to raise our voices about the ongoing struggle in every prison and ICE detention center. ATTICA Is All Of Us!

BUILDING A SAFE AND HEALTHY BUFFAO Continued from page 10 navigate an all-too-complicated healthcare system.

Safe Streets. Infrastructure improvements like protected bike and bus lanes, widened and accessible sidewalks, and speed bumps are a much more effective way of reducing crashes than routine police traffic stops. We should also relocate collision investigation responsibilities from BPD to the Department of Transportation, to streamline the process of turning strategic recommendations into life-saving infrastructure improvements.

Safety from gender violence and sexual assault. As a survivor of intimate partner violence, I know that true safety comes from community-based supports like trauma-

informed mental and physical healthcare, housing services, and childcare. Instead of incarcerating those who do harm, which all but forces them to deny wrongdoing and avoid accountability, we must invest in restorative justice programs that offer pathways to amends, growth, and healing.

If our city is finally to treat Black Lives as though they truly matter, we had better get serious about public safety, and adopt this agenda.

It’s time for a change. Together, we can build a safe, healthy Buffalo.

India Walton is the Democratic Nominee for Mayor.

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

Women Against Violence Everywhere, W.A.V.E and 716 Rollers Seeking Your Help to Obtain 100 Pairs of Skates 4 Kids!

W.A.V.E. has a goal to donate 100 pairs of skates to youth who may otherwise not be able to obtain them and for those in their Mentoring On Wheels program who will be skating at Buffalo's largest outdoor rink @canalside.

Donations can be made through October 3.

You can also help by making monetary donations via their cashapp at $WAVEBuffalo a 501C3 nonprofit Organization or make checks payable to WAVE BUFFALO Inc. New starter skates can be purchased for as little as $35-$50 for youth ages 5-13 and for youth 14 and up $50- $89.

If you'd like to donate a pair of gently used skates, you can drop off at : *Buffalo WAVE Cutters, E .Delavan Ave *Power 96.5, 143 Broadway (downtown) *Rainbow Rink 101 Oliver N. Tonawanda or call 716-848-0415 or email WAVEBUFFALO1@GMAIL.COM Roller skating provides physical activity that can help improve mood, (especially after this Quarantine), improve self esteem, and social activity.

Change a young person's life today, donate a pair of roller skates by October !

Marilyn Young

U.S. Army 1986-1991 Disbursing Clerk- Medical Marilyn served in the first Gulf War in Iraq.

Veteran Young serves her fellow veterans and community as an advocate. She has established programs for female veterans and battered women. Marylin also has programing aimed at mentoring young ladies. We Salute Marilyn Young for our Veterans Profile!

STREET LEGACY PHOTO BY DARVIN ADAMS

LEGAL NOTICE RFP REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS LEGAL SERVICES September 3, 2021 PUBLIC NOTICE The Buffalo & Erie County Workforce Investment Board, Inc. is accepting proposals for a highly qualified attorney/law firm to provide legal services to its organization. A signed and electronically submitted proposal with the subject clause RFQ for Legal Services must be received at info@ becwib.org no later than 2:00 P.M on Friday, September 24, 2021 in order to be considered. Those interested in submitting a proposal may download the RFQ at www.workforcebuffalo.org.

LEGAL NOTICE RFP COUNTY OF ERIE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSAL For Erie County Department of Public Works SUNY Erie City Campus 2021 Ellicott Street Building Clay Tile Roof Reconstruction ECDPW Project No. 2019-955-02 The County of Erie is seeking qualification statements and proposals from interested firms to provide A/E design and construction services for the clay tile roof reconstruction of the SUNY Erie City Campus Ellicott Street Building. Qualification statements and proposals for the above project will be received by the County’s Commissioner of Public Works in Suite 1400 of the Rath County Office Building, 95 Franklin Street, Buffalo, New York 14202 until 2:00 PM local time on Friday, October 1, 2021.

RFQ/RFP submission instructions may be found at: www.erie.gov/dpw/

LEGAL NOTICE Bid

TALK PRO P L U S Hosted by

The Radman

(George Radney) &

The Mighty O’Ba (Patrick Freeman)

105.5 FM “The Beat” Rochester Every Saturday 7AM – 8AM “Taking you to the locker room and beyond!”

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK - COUNTY OF ERIE DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE SECURITIES INC., QUEST TRUST 2003-X2, ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2003-X2, V. MARK LEWIS A/K/A MARK E. LEWIS; ET. AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated October 20, 2020, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Erie, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE SECURITIES INC., QUEST TRUST 2003-X2, ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2003-X2 is the Plaintiff and MARK LEWIS A/K/A MARK E. LEWIS; ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the "CLOSING ROOM" of the Erie County Clerk's Office located on the first floor of 92 FRANKLIN STREET, CITY OF BUFFALO, STATE OF NEW YORK 14202, on September 27, 2021 at 10:30AM, premises known as 4423 UNION RD, CHEEKTOWAGA, NY 14225: Section 91.12, Block 2, Lot 14: ALL THAT TRACT OF LAND, SITUATE IN THE TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA, COUNTY OF ERIE AND STATE OF NEW YORK, Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 816735/2018. Leroi C. Johnson, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff.

All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. August 26, September 2, 16, 23

LEGAL NOTICE RFP REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Town of Amherst Contract Compliance & Administration Department RFP #202106-A HOME Investment Partnership Program Sealed proposals for the above mentioned project in the Town of Amherst, NY will be received by the Contract Compliance & Administration Office in the Municipal Building, Williamsville, NY 14221 on or before 3:00 PM local time on September 16, 2021.

Specifications may be obtained via e-mail to khalton@amherst.ny.us or examined at the Contract Compliance & Administration Office of the Town of Amherst at Town Hall between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM through the due date, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.

By Order of the Town Board Town of Amherst, New York Lynda L. Juul Director of Finance

FIND JOBS ON THECHALLENGERNEWS. COM/JOBS

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

EMPLOYMENT VAN DRIVER Hearts and Hands: Faith-in-Action is looking for a per diem van driver to work 7-14 hours per week. Email resume to info@heartsandhandsfia.org or call 716-406-8311 x 108.

Hearts and hands is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

LEGAL NOTICE S NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING USER AND UTILIZATION CHARGES

ERIE COUNTY SEWER DISTRICT NOS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8 Erie County Sewer District Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 will hold a Public Hearing on their proposed user charge rates on September 22, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. local time in the Conference Room of the Department of Environment and Planning, 95 Franklin Street – Room 1004, Buffalo, NY 14202. At that time, the following information will be considered: Charges for ratepayers in Erie County Sewer District (ECSD) Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 are based on a combination of unit/usage, parcel, assessed valuation, and footage charges. In addition, a system of user charges for high strength or high-volume wastewaters has been in place since 1981 in order to meet Federal mandates for user charges and more accurately apportion the cost of sewerage service to the ratepayers. In 2022, the following rates will apply:

JOBS

Buffalo Employment and Training Center / BETC • 716-856-5627

www.workforcebuffalo.org The BETC is here to help with your job searching needs.

We Are Hiring Project Play WNY Program Manager – Grants and Philanthropy Project Play WNY Program Coordinator Administrative Assistant to the Chief Community Impact Officer Administrative Assistant to the Senior Director, Racial Equity Initiatives Part-Time Graphic Designer The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is a 501(C)(3) holding more than 900 different charitable funds, established by individuals, families, nonprofit organizations and businesses to benefit WNY.

Learn more at cfgb.org/about/careers

Seeking full time TEACHER positions.

CAO has an URGENT NEED for the following positions: • Teacher II – A child development Associate (CDA) in infant development.

This credential requires a GED/High School diploma prerequisite.

(1) Based on Carbonaceous BOD Data (2) Based on total phosphate (3) Based on Water Usage, see below (4) Properties located within a County Sewer District which in 2022 have septage disposed of by a wastehauler at a County Sewer District facility may apply to the District Office (call (716) 858-6990 for information) for a partial rebate of the wastehauler charges paid, up to one half of the actual District sewer taxes paid.

(5) Disposal in ECSD No. 3 is only at the Southtowns Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Non-residential users discharging below the base levels of normal strength sewage (i.e., BOD5 = 250 mg/l, suspended solids = 250 mg/l, phosphorous = 5 mg/l), will only be subject to a user charge for flow.

All users in ECSD Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 will be subject to a flat usage charge as shown in the table above (4th row). Non-residential users in ECSD Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 exceeding 91,250 gallons per year will be subject to an additional flow charge for that amount greater than 91,250 gallons. The rate for this additional flow is shown in the 5th row of the table above. For Erie County Sewer District Nos. 6 & 8 all users are charged based on flow. (Water use is used in lieu of sewage flow unless the property owner(s) can substantiate actual sewage volume).

Property owners will have thirty (30) days from the date of publication of the notice of adoption to appeal this schedule of rates and charges to the Erie County Legislature. Appeals should be sent to the Erie County Legislature, 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, Attention: Clerk of the Legislature.

The aforesaid schedule of charges will be collected annually with the regular County Sewer (Special) District charges.

User charges are due and payable on the same date and time as the general County taxes. Late payment penalties will be assessed in the same manner as the penalties for late payment of the general County taxes.

EFFECTIVE DATE - January 1, 2022 Joseph Fiegl, P.E., BCEE Erie County Sewer Agency Dated: 8/20/21 Date published: 9/1/21

• Teacher III – Bachelors or Associates degree in Early Childhood Education with 2-3 years’ experience teaching preschool age children.

• Teacher IV – Masters or Bachelors in Elementary Education or Child Development with an early childhood concentration with at least 2 years of teaching exp.; one year working with pre-school age children 2-5 year olds or 0-3 (EHS).

Please go to our website to apply www.caowny.org

14

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

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If you are interested in getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the Erie County Department of Health has the following pop-up vaccination event coming up: •Saturday, September 4,Central Terminal 495 Paderewski Dr., 10 am to 12:30 pm. This vaccination popup is a part of the Second Annual Backpack Giveaway event hosted by Legislator Howard Johnson and Buffalo Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski.

You can also get a vaccine at home by calling (716)858-2929 or visit-ing http://erie.gov/vax, which is also where you can register for any of the pop-up events.

Hate Crimes in the U.S. Have Reached New High, FBI Reports African Americans are the most targeted racial group by a wide margin, according to the FBI’s new annual hate crime statistics.

On Monday, the FBI released its annual hate crime statistics report, which found that the number of reported hate crimes has reached the highest it’s been in 12 years.

The Justice Department and FBI are required by the 1990 Hate Crime Statistics Act to publish an annual report on hate crime statistics across the country. According to CNN, more than 10,000 people reported that they were victims of hate crimes in 2020, a number that has been steadily rising over the last decade.

From CNN: Attacks targeting Black people rose to 2,755 from 1,930, and the number targeting Asians jumped to 274 from 161, the data showed.

The data released on Monday showed that bias against African Americans overwhelmingly comprised the largest category of reported hate crime offenses pertaining to race, with a total of 56% of those crimes motivated by anti-Black or African American bias. Asians have been targeted during the Covid-19 pandemic amid online and political rhetoric stigmatizing them, though this category of hate crime is often underreported.

The category of hate crime incidents where a victim was targeted because of their race, ethnicity or ancestry had the highest increase between 2019 and 2020, with 4,939 incidents in 2020 compared to 3,954 the previous year.

The FBI reports that more than half of the known offenders were White, CNN reports.

According to CNBC, the FBI reports that Black or African American people in the U.S. are currently the most targeted racial group with a nearly 40 percent spike in reported incidents.

From CNBC: After anti-Black incidents, the most common hate crimes were those against white people, with 773 reported incidents, and Jewish people, with 676 incidents.

Incidents involving victims who were gay men were the fourth most commonly reported type of hate crime.

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15

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

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Pictured leflt to right, Bro. Khalil Muhammad, Renato Graham and Brother Charles Burgin, pose in MLK Park while recording and filming a community event a few months ago.

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •September 2, 2021

Co-Hosts include Betty Jean Grant, Joy Hackett, Sharon West, Felicia Stanley, IATSE Women’s Committee, Doris Siddiq and Alnisa Banks . Although donations are not required to attend your contribution will help benefit India Walton. For information or questions call 716 246-1492 or email finance@ indiawalton.com Donations can also be made to: Friends of India Walton P.O. Box 1189 Buffalo, NY 14213 Learn more about the candidate at indiawalton.com .

Saturday, September 25, 2021 ROSWELL PARK COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo NY 14263

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FREE Prostate Cancer Early Detection Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. only

Register Today: RoswellPark.org/CruisinForACure 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355)

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For more details and to pre-register for our FREE prostate cancer early detection clinic, visit RoswellPark.org/CruisinForACure or call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355). Proceeds to benefit Men Allied for the Need to Understand Prostate Cancer (MANUP) for prostate cancer research.

50284 (6/21)

Men at highest risk, including African Americans and those with a family history of prostate cancer, are encouraged to attend