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City Councilmember Chi Ossé apparently drops congressional campaign in online post

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

Brooklyn Councilmember Chi Ossé’s congressional run against House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries encountered quite a few obstacles before it even got off the ground. Now, it seems to be at an end.

As of Tuesday, Nov. 25, Ossé’s press secretary said he’s ended his campaign, as indicated on his social media.

“Per Chi’s X (formerly Twitter), he has explicitly stated will not run against Jeffries without DSA’s support,” and after the DSA Chapters’ vote against him, he has said on X: “NYC DSA FOREVER IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.”

Ossé filed paperwork earlier this month to run against Jeffries next year in the 2026 primary, capitalizing on a general dissatisfaction that many younger voters have had with high-ranking Democrats as of late. Some have referred to it as the “Mamdani effect” — in reference to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win.

DeNora Getachew, a Bronx native and CEO of youth-centered nonprofit DoSomething, has been seeing a measurable uptick in young people, especially young people of color, expressing interest in running for public office or getting more engaged in politics.

“Young people have long been telling us that they want to see new voices in power, true lived experiences, and modern approaches to campaigning and politics. Now, Millennials and Gen Z’ers are ready to take a seat at the table where policy decisions are made about their own lives,” said Getachew in a statement.

“The through-line between youth activism, authentic political campaigning and younger generations running for office is becoming unmistakable, and 2026 may be the first national cycle where we see what a younger, more diverse candidate pool looks like at scale.”

However, Ossé’s success in politics precedes the Mamdani effect.

Ossé was a former nightclub promoter, Black Lives Matter activist, and the son of the late Reggie Ossé (aka Combat Jack, a former entertainment lawyer well-known in hip hop circles) and entrepreneur Akim Vann Ossé. He was seen as an outsider to politics, at a time when the “Brooklyn Democratic machine” was more about ‘waiting your turn’ than fostering up-andcoming political talent.

He made history in 2021 as one of the first LGBTQ Black members elected to city council. But at just 23 years old, it was his age that left him viewed as an upstart. He became the youngest person ever to be elected to the council.

Up until now, Ossé’s youth, vibrancy, and ability to connect with voters via social media haven’t been a huge hindrance to him navi-

gating the city council and putting forth legislation. However, he has also been known for conflicts with other elected officials online.

In June 2025, he called fellow Councilmember Darlene Mealy “the worst member of the City Council,” “outside of a few lunatic members of the Republican Caucus.” A few months ago, he doubled down with harsh criticism against neighboring Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman as well. “Stefani Zinerman is going to lose her reelection bid because she deserves to. In addition to poorly serving her district, her politics are far out of line with her constituents. (That + I’m gonna make sure she loses),” Ossé posted on X.

“He has big ambition, but the ambition takes him away from the district,” said Barry Cooper, founder of the B.R.O. Experience and a youth organizer in Bedford-Stuyvesant. He hasn’t seen a lot of community support for Ossé’s run either.

“When you think of him, you think of the whole city. He’s more of a political voice than a political leader.”

So Ossé’s attempt at taking on Jeffries isn’t exactly off-brand, but it has distanced him from some of his strongest allies.

Ossé’s party, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), voted not to support his campaign. And even fellow socialist and friend, Mamdani, said that it wasn’t the

right time for Ossé to run.

In a recent interview on Nov. 24, Jeffries said that both he and U.S Senator Chuck Schumer have spent the last several months pushing back against the Trump administration, not directly addressing Ossé’s challenge.

Jeffries said that he didn’t arrange with Mamdani, whom he endorsed for Mayor, to block the DSA from supporting Ossé. “We actually didn’t talk about the politics related to primaries in any great detail. We spent a lot of time talking about, and continue to do so, talking about his continued emphasis on affordability and public safety,” said Jeffries.

James Christopher, a New York–based communications strategist, said in a statement that Osse is a pivotal part of the wave of generational challenges to the Democratic establishment, but his exit from the race leaves a bit to be desired.

“Chi Ossé’s answer on if he remains in the race is vague — especially for voters who aren’t social media savvy,” surmised Christopher. “If you are taking on Hakeem Jeffries, the face of the Democratic Party in Congress, not offering a clear concession speaks volumes on leaving the doors open. However, ambiguity can also threaten to undercut the generational contrast Chi represents.”

Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises Hearing - October 23, 2025. (Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit)

Working on raising wages: National and local lawmakers push for higher pay

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

The movement for higher, more livable wages extends far beyond Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promise to raise New York City’s minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030. Amidst the ongoing affordability crisis, the push for increased wages has been ongoing at both the state and national levels.

According to a survey from the Lake Research Partners, commissioned by One Fair Wage (OFW) and the Living Wage for All Coalition, voters in swing congressional districts show strong support for raising the minimum wage over a period of several years for all workers, including tipped workers, to $25 an hour. This includes Democrats (74%), women (60%), voters under age 40 (59%), and people of color (64%), particularly Latinos (72%).

The National Living Wage for All Coalition includes more than 100 labor, community, and civil rights organizations dedicated to advancing living wage legislation. They are supporting bills in nine states to raise wages for workers and implementing a federal minimum wage of $25 an hour.

Currently, a congressional bill moving through the legislature called Raise the Wage Act of 2025, introduced by U.S Senator Bernie Sanders, would mandate a federal minimum wage of $17.

New York State is already close to that.

Governor Kathy Hochul raised the state minimum to $16.50 per hour this January in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island counties. It’s $15.50-per-hour for the rest of the state.

“We’re in an affordability crisis, it’s undeniable. It has to be the top issue for legislators at every level,” said One Fair Wage President Saru Jayaraman. “And I think one of the things that’s been frustrating for us is that a lot of the conversation about affordability has been focused on reducing costs rather than raising wages. And that in part is because some legislators are afraid to talk about raising wages because of the opposition from the restaurant industry.”

“The overall goal for advocates at the city and state level is to get to $30 an hour for all workers, including tipped and disabled workers, by 2030. The increases would happen incrementally over the course of the next five years so that big businesses

can acclimate. The timeline may be longer for smaller businesses with less than 50 to 100 employees,” said Jayaraman.

The general opposition to raising the city and state wages comes from small businesses that rely on labor and have a handful of employees. They argue that higher wages lead to raised prices, raising the cost of living for others. They also claim the domino effect will lead to fewer customers, layoffs, and lower tips for workers.

This week, OFW launched the New York Legislator Worker Caucus. Members of the caucus, like former Assemblymember Michael Blake and Councilmember Sandy Nurse, signed the Workers Caucus Pledge.

The caucus is a statewide political effort of the Make America Affordable Now PAC.

“Both city and state legislators who are committed to and signed a pledge that they are going to stand up for workers fighting for a livable wage over corporate trade lobbies or corporate interests, like the National Restaurant Association and its New York State affiliates,” said Jayaraman.

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham said, “Raising the living wage is not just an economic adjustment; it is a moral com-

mitment to the dignity of workers across New York. For Black and Brown communities who make up a significant share of our state’s essential workforce and who have historically been underpaid despite driving our economy — raising the wage floor is a direct investment in stability, mobility, and generational opportunity. As a proud member of the Workers Caucus Pledge, I believe any serious conversation about the future of New York’s economy must include a living wage that keeps pace with the real cost of living. When we uplift working-class families, we strengthen our neighborhoods, support local businesses, and build a more equitable and resilient New York for all.”

Another Lake Research Partners survey indicated that NYC voters were very supportive of $30 an hour, especially Black voters (85%) and Latino voters (75%).

Jayaraman said that under local sovereignty, Mamdani could deliver on his campaign promise of a $30 wage for workers. “Mamdani could join us in calling for the state to pass a law allowing cities to raise the wage for everybody and then have the power to do that at the local level also,” said Jayaraman.

One Fair Wage advocates convene leaders from across New York for the New York Legislator Worker Caucus in Manhattan on Monday, December 1, 2025. (Contributed by OFW)

Governor’s race candidate LG Antonio Delgado joined the New York Legislator Worker Caucus in Manhattan on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

Could California’s newly passed Proposition 50 have a nationwide impact on Black people?

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

Political watchers nationwide excitedly awaited the passage of California’s groundbreaking Proposition 50 (Election Rigging Response Act), a ballot proposal meant to combat gerrymandering efforts in Texas. Now other states are taking notes on how to do the same. But the question remains whether or not referendums that harm Black voting rights in red states can be reversed in blue states.

Earlier this year, Texas Democrats broke quorum and called out their colleagues over racially gerrymandered maps. Despite their efforts to hold out, the Texas Legislature passed the maps at the expense of Black Texans and other voters of color. But California Governor Gavin Newsom fasttracked his own plans to redraw five of his state’s congressional maps, offsetting Texas’s maps.

According to the Associated Press (AP), 64.4% (or 7,437,665) Californians voted ‘Yes’ and 35.6% (or 4,108,344) voted ‘No.’ A large portion of the vote share came from cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa. The map will be in place for the next three election cycles.

“This isn’t politics as usual; it’s an emergency for our democracy,” said California State Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson in a statement. “Trump’s scheme to rig the next election poses a serious threat to democracy, and especially to Blacks; Proposition 50 provides an important mechanism to ensure voters have a say in how district boundaries are drawn in California.”

Jackson emphasized that Proposition 50 will empower California voters rather than unelected commissions. He joined the Legislative Black Caucus, the United Domestic Workers (UDW), the California Teachers Association (CTA), and Newsom in supporting Prop 50.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries explained the domino effect Prop 50 will have on other states.

“Prop 50 is going to be successful, and that will wipe out whatever it is that Texas Republicans and Donald Trump thought they were doing in the Lone Star State. And then, of course, from there we go state by state by state,” said Jeffries in an interview with MSNBC on Oct. 23.

“We’ll do that in Ohio. We can do the same thing in Missouri. We’re collecting signatures right now in Missouri to invalidate that gerrymandered map where they tried to wipe away the district in Kansas

City represented wonderfully by Reverend Congressman Emanuel Cleaver…. Then, of course, they’ve got North Carolina. This, that, or the other state, a handful that they’ll try to go in. And I think Demo-

cratic governors have also been clear in Illinois, in Maryland in particular, saying we will respond forcefully and appropriately. And that’s the Democratic position all across the country.”

Descendants obtain works of enslaved potter in landmark restitution deal

By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Inside the wide mouth of a stoneware jar, Daisy Whitner’s fingertips found a slight rise in the clay — a mark she hoped was a trace left behind by her ancestor, an enslaved potter who shaped the vessel nearly 175 years ago in South Carolina.

Standing in the gallery of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston last week, Whitner said she felt a quiet connection to her ancestor, David Drake, in that moment.

“I was telling the kids, ‘Inside this jar, I’m sure I’m feeling his tears, sweat drops off his face, his arms,’” said 86-year-old Whitner, a Washington, D.C. resident and a retired account manager for The Washington Post.

The jar is one of two returned to Drake’s family as part of a historic agreement this month between Drake’s descendants and the MFA Boston, one of the institutions that holds pieces of his work.

The vessels are among hundreds of surviving works by “Dave the Potter,” an enslaved man who labored in the alkaline-glazed stoneware potteries of Edgefield, South Carolina, in the decades before and during the Civil War. Dave signed many of his jars — and inscribed some with rhyming couplets — an extraordinary and unparalleled assertion of identity and authorship during a time when literacy for

enslaved people was criminalized.

The agreement represents what experts say is the first major case of art restitution involving works created by an enslaved person in the U.S. — a process traditionally associated with families seeking the return of art looted by the Nazis in World War II.

It’s also rare. Because enslaved people were denied legal personhood and documentation, tracing the ownership or lineage of their works is often impossible.

Children’s book author Yaba Baker, Dave’s 54-year-old fourth-generation grandson, called the return “a spiritual restoration.”

Baker, whose first two children’s books explore Black history, said the family felt a dual sense of pride and grief. Many Black families, he noted, struggle to trace their ancestry past a few generations; recovering Dave’s work gave them back a piece of themselves.

After the museum returned the pots to the family, they sold one back so people can continue to learn from Dave’s legacy. The other is on lease to the museum, at least temporarily. The MFA Boston said it wouldn’t disclose how much it paid.

“We don’t want to hide them away in our house. We want other people to be inspired by it,” Baker said. “We want people to know that this person, Dave the Potter, who was told he was nothing but a tool to be used, realized he had humanity. He deserved his own name on

his pots. He deserved to

He deserved to know who he was.”

the date — July 12, 1834 — on a clay jar that would be sold by his owner and used to store pork and beef rations for enslaved people like him across the region.

He also inscribed the jar, which would likely end up on a cotton plantation in South Carolina, with the couplet:

“Put every bit all between / Surely this jar will hold 14” to mark the jar’s 14-gallon capacity.

The vessel was the first of hundreds, if not thousands, of stoneware jugs and jars made by Dave alongside other enslaved potters over 50 years before and during the Civil War.

Much of Dave’s poetry followed Christian themes. As he aged, he wrote more and explored themes related to his enslavement.

One of his most resonant poems was etched into a jar he produced in 1857, around the time scholars believe Dave and his family were separated after being sold to different slave owners.

“I wonder where is all my relation / friendship to all – and every nation”

Multiple Drake descendants said they felt especially moved by Dave’s question about his relations — and that their restitution felt like Dave’s question was finally answered.

Claiming authorship

It’s unclear what became of the jars after Dave died. The MFA purchased them in 1997

See POTTER on page 29

write poetry.

David Drake Laboring in the pottery yards in the South Carolina heat, Dave etched his name next to

Person holding a map. (Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels.com)

Pauline Baker and her son, Yaba Baker, pose with one of the pots created by their enslaved ancestor, David Drake, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

Deborah Levine says it takes ‘all of us’ to fight against health disparities

BY JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews

When Deborah Levine was in graduate school at New York University, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and encouraged by a counselor to go into an industry like hair and makeup as opposed to public health, believing the rigor would be too intense for her.

But her passion was helping people, particularly in the mental health space. So with the support of her parents, Levine continued on that path and began working with emotionally disturbed and acting-out latency-age children who were impacted by the early days of HIV, which began her work dealing with the illness.

She now serves as the Community Engagement Director for the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (SPH), where she’s been since 2020. Within that role, she is the director for the Harlem Health Initiative, addressing the unique priorities and health disparities facing the community with a focus on HIV and access to care.

A Queens native, Levine, 62, worked with Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement for 11 years as the Vice President of Health and Wellness. Along with her love of the community, she says working in Harlem allowed her to become the best health advocate and community engagement officer she could be, learning from watching figures like Dr. Hazel Dukes, Frederick Boyd Williams, and Bishop Preston Washington.

“Listening to how they strategically thought about how to create safe spaces

Black New Yorker

THE URBAN AGENDA

By David R. Jones, Esq

NYC Schools Should Be High on Mamdani’s Priority List

Five years after the start of the pandemic, one of the most profound changes in the New York City schools is that students aren’t showing up.

One in three public school kids last year was chronically absent, missing at least 10 percent of school days, according to New York City Department of Education data. That’s considerably higher than pre-pandemic levels, especially in schools with low math and reading scores and high rates of homelessness.

Alarmingly, just over 40 percent of Black and Latinx children citywide last year were chronically absent, according to NYCDOE figures. Academics are nearly united in the opinion that the problem is bigger than a simple hangover from COVID, the once-in-a-generation crisis that interrupted the educations of young people and crippled their family finances.

New York’s absenteeism crisis deserves a prominent spot in the education agenda of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has an opportunity to use his charisma, energetic youth and political capital to rally the city behind school reform and expanding opportunities for our young people.

absenteeism could become worse due to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. ICE has announced an upcoming enforcement operation in New York City. Parents in other targeted cities kept their children home from school out of fear of them being detained. NYC schools officials have sought to reassure families that schools are safe, and federal law enforcement officers are not allowed in buildings without a judicial warrant.

We can only hope that Mamdani – whose oval office meeting with President Donald Trump was surprisingly friendly– can take New York City out of the immigration bullseye. Meanwhile, Trump hurt every school by gutting the Department of Education and effectively dismantling the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the agency’s statistical branch.

and economic development and access to health care in the community, I was very fortunate to be able to sit at their feet,” Levine said. “These were people who were creating playbooks when we didn’t have playbooks.”

Trained as a clinical psychiatric social worker, Levine has worked in the public health space for over 30 years, primarily in Harlem, working with community members, faith leaders, and health officials. She holds degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Columbia University, NYU, and Hunter College.

She continued her work in HIV and AIDS through leadership roles at nonprofit organizations like the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education. She was also a founding member of the National Black Women’s HIV AIDS Network.

While working with the Gertz Foundation in 2017, Levine experienced two mergers within five years, resulting in her being laid off. After working in consulting for a short while, she was offered the position at CUNY, and she was happy to find herself back in Harlem once again.

CUNY SPH was established as an independent school in 2016, with the Harlem Initiative being created in 2019. Levine says the community outreach work has evolved based on the needs of Harlem, from navigating COVID, educating and mobilizing around vaccines, creating a Cannabis Equity Board, and also making sure the students are community-centered in their

Absenteeism needs his attention because the cost of falling behind for children of color is lethal. Nationwide, schools are less likely to offer Black and Latinx students eighth-grade algebra, limiting odds they will get into advanced high school courses, pursue STEM majors in college and earn more money as adults, according to research from NWEA, a national testing group.

Mamdani’s campaign on affordability draws a direct line to improving the lives of NYC children. The mayor-elect, who attended Bronx High School of Science, certainly knows New York families are struggling to provide for their children. Our city’s livability depends on good schools, boosting the ranks of collegebound students and providing experiences needed to land employment, on-the-job training or trade school after high school.

It seems education is suffering from something deeper and more ineradicable than an attendance problem. Is screen time to blame? Too much time on the phone and laptops, and not enough time reading books? We all have anecdotal observations about what kids today don’t know. How to sign their names; they never learned cursive. How to spell; they work on software that autocorrects. How to navigate a library and crack open a book. That last one is quickly becoming moot. Laptops, smart phones and tablets are becoming the primary delivery systems for information. I’m in the camp that believes students retain more when they read and work on paper.

In the coming weeks, NYC’s chronic student

Last winter, NCES released the results of its semiannual reading and math tests of fourthand eighth-graders, assessments that are considered the most authoritative measure of the state of learning in American elementary and middle schools. The results, which may be NCES’s last, were troubling. In nearly every category, the scores had plunged to levels unseen for decades — or ever. On reading tests, 40 percent of fourth graders and one-third of eighth graders performed below “basic,” the lowest threshold. A separate assessment of 12th-graders conducted this past spring — the first since schools were shuttered by the COVID pandemic — yielded similarly crushing results.

Mayor-elect Mamdani has decisions to make. He has not stated his intention to retain or replace Melissa Aviles-Ramos, the current chancellor. He has also not detailed his preferences for control of the schools. He may seek to retain power through appointment of the schools’ chancellor or shift authority to elected school boards or other entities. Mayor Bloomberg used mayoral control to generate private-sector support for the public schools and promote innovation. Mayor-elect Mamdani may opt to do the same, while also delegating more authority to local community boards.

He may also face taking steps to fill the void caused by the demise of DOE and NCES, such as authoring studies or partnering with nonprofits, foundations and universities to create programs focused on the needs of kids in the five boroughs.

Hope is not lost, even in the face of Trump’s assault on education, his masked immigration agents and the school system’s troubling absenteeism crisis. Mamdani has options. The mayor-elect and his supporters can take dramatic steps to turn things around for our kids.

New York City has done it before. We can do it again.

Deborah Levine serves as community outreach director at CUNY SPH and the Harlem Health Initiative. (Courtesy Deborah Levine)

Why Brooklyn wants to save this century-old mansion

Activists want to save a historic mansion in Bedford-Stuyvesant that once belonged to a trailblazing Black woman doctor – but can they?

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

The stately Neo-Italian Renaissance mansion that quietly sits in the middle of Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue is an unassuming structure that has been among the earthy layouts of brick and brownstone façades in the area since it was built around 1914.

Originally known as the home of brewer Otto Seidenberger, it became more widely known as the residence of Dr. Josephine English, a pioneering gynecologist who became the first Black woman to open a private practice in New York.

But now community members worry that the historic edifice, which is part of the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District, is on the verge of being sold and a dilemma has surfaced over its future and the impact a sale will have on the neighborhood around it.

“I’ve just seen many different things there,” Rick Richardson, who has had a connection to 375 Stuyvesant — a place he calls “The People’s Mansion” — for more than 20 years, said. He mentioned that he’s done odd jobs in the building to help maintain it and has participated in community events and

parties there over the years.

“In keeping with Dr. English’s wishes,” Richardson said, “the space is needed for the community. So many things are being torn down, and our children won’t know about this. … We are just the caretakers for the next generation of places like the People’s Mansion at 375 Stuyvesant.”

“Dr. English was entrusted with helping bring life into this world, like with Malcolm X’s daughters,” Richardson remembered, noting the historical figures connected to her legacy.

“Her contemporaries were, you know, James Baldwin and Paul Robeson, people who were change-makers. She acquired property at a time when women in general couldn’t even open a bank account, which speaks volumes about her strength and character. I mean, this is not just another building.”

When Dr. English died in 2011, she left the house to her three sons but reportedly specified that part of the property be used as a community center for the neighborhood. Over the years, the building has become an important cultural and community center for local organizers, with many events taking place there. But now many are afraid it could fall into developers’ hands.

See MANSION on page 30

An extraordinary interior that should be landmarked itself

By MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS Special to the AmNews

Because Brooklyn used to be a far less expensive place to live — for those among us who are Manhattan snobs — it comes as a shock that houses “way over there” can now cost as much as examples in gentrified parts of Harlem. Some housing in sections that have become almost exclusively white, like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights, costs far more. Undoubtedly, being less expensive is the most important reason why, ever since World War ll, enclaves like Fort Greene and BedfordStuyvesant have superseded Harlem as the most desirable place for Black New Yorkers to live. An additional reason is that less densely populated parts of Brooklyn are, correspondingly, much calmer. “It’s easier to see the sky and to hear birds sing,” says lifelong resident actor Alvyn Sierra. Moreover, if no longer more affordable, Brooklyn’s historic houses and apartments are “often just as well built and equally elegant, compared to the Victorian and Edwardian residential architecture that makes Harlem so attractive,” says realtor Morgan Munsey.

Far more, certainly today, Black people are living in Brooklyn than Harlem, but Munsey cautions, “For all the same reasons that Harlem is rapidly changing, so is Brooklyn. Our heritage, Black history, cultural tradi-

tions, landmarks, and even our communities of color are fast becoming just as threatened as Harlem’s are.”

An architectural gem

A case in point? Standing at the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant, on a block with just three unique freestanding houses, is one completed in 1915. As imperiled a landmark as they come, it began fortuitously enough as a representative brewery baron’s mansion. Designed in the Neo-Italian Renaissance style by local architects Kirby, Petit & Green, the house at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue was erected by Bavaria-born Otto Seidenberg for his family of four. Also in residence, the Seidenbergs were well attended by five servants.

Appearing to be constructed from carved limestone and brick, typifying the “Progressive Era,” which stressed modernist technology, it was in fact made from reinforced concrete, partly faced with bricks laid in an English cross-bond.

Again indicative of its time is the restraint of an eclectic, historicist decor. “The interiors are wholly overlain with an ‘arts and crafts’ sensibility,” says Munsey. This vibe means that the monumental Y-shaped staircase was formed from massive timbers, subtly paneled but unembellished. Indeed, from top to bottom, the commodious two-story entrance is lined in dark wood. It becomes a perfect

foil for the room’s intricately festooned stained glass window. A luminous focal point, this opening lights the stage-like landing from which the stair divides into two flights.

Another outstanding internal element is the dining room’s spectacular chimneypiece. It’s completely fashioned from Moravian tiles devised by artist Henry Chapman Mercer. Featuring a diverse group of tile shapes and patterns, most still offered by the venerable Doylestown, Pennsylvania, manufacturers, it has to be one of the handsomest examples of mantles of this type to survive in the entire city.

Owner-occupants of note

Following Otto Seidenberg’s death in 1931, his house was sold in 1943. It was transformed in the process by its next two owners, who were Black, into something by far more exceptional than it was previously. For someone, then, to be Black and rich was almost oxymoronic, and the second owner

Without doubt, the J. & L. Lobemeyer Maria Theresa cutglass chandelier, imported from Vienna, dominates the Tudor Revival living room. (Michael Henry Adams photos) See 375 on page 27

375 Stuyvesant Avenue in Brooklyn, once home to pioneering OB-GYN Dr. Josephine English, is a Neo-Renaissance style house and one of only three on its block (Michael Henry Adams photos)

Potential SNAP benefit loss causing longer lines at pantries

By EMMA DELAHANTY Special to the AmNews

Brooklynites have been lining up hours before food pantries open, as panic over Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cuts could affect thousands of New Yorkers, the BK Reader reported.

About 1.8 million New York City residents rely on SNAP, but a spending bill that passed this year will cause over 200,000 New

Yorkers to lose their benefits, CBS News reported.

“People who are already stretched thin are now terrified they will not be able to feed their children,” Chief Executive Officer of nonprofit JCCA, Ann Marie Scalia, told BK Reader.

With the growing lines to get into food pantries, the hardest hit neighborhoods in Brooklyn are Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant, East New York, Flatbush, and Brownsville.

“We’re hearing parents skipping meals to feed their kids,” CEO and Executive Director of West Side Campaign Against Hunger and Co-founder and Executive Director of the Roundtable, Greg Hunger, told CBS News. Families fear that they might have their SNAP aid taken away or reduced in half due to the Big Beautiful Bill signed by President Donald Trump. Funding will be reduced $186 billion over a 10year period, which is a 20% cut.

Harvard Kennedy School reported that this is the largest funding cut SNAP has ever received.

The Campaign Against Hunger in Bedford Stuyvesant serves between 500 to 600 families every day, with a surge in demand that they’ve never seen before.

“Every day is nonstop, serving people who are working seniors, veterans, and families who have never needed this support before. We are trying to meet every need, but there is only so much we can

do,” Dr. Melony Samuels, chief executive officer at the campaign, told the BK Reader.

With lines wrapping around the block, the campaign needed to hire part-time workers and keep staff past closing to continue to feed the community.

“We cannot replace SNAP,” she said. “Emergency feeding programs have done a tremendous job holding down the fort, but SNAP is the first line of food defense. Families cannot wait.”

FBI surveillance files on MLK to remain sealed, judge rules

By EMMA DELAHANTY Special to the AmNews

A federal judge has denied the early unsealing of decades-old FBI surveillance files involving Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Bernard S. Lee, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), according to a joint statement from SCLC, in partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

In January, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14176, which would declassi-

fy records related to King’s assassination, but the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied the government’s attempt to declassify these documents before their scheduled release in 2027.

The King family objected to the release, saying in a July statement that their father had been relentlessly pursued by the FBI under then-director, J. Edgar Hoover. They argued that the surveillance files were intended to discredit King and that releasing them before the family could

review them undermined their right to privacy.

“While we support transparency and historical accountability, we object to any attacks on our father’s legacy or attempts to weaponize it to spread falsehoods,” the family said in the statement. “We strongly condemn any attempts to misuse these documents in ways intended to undermine our father’s legacy and the significant achievements of the movement. Those who promote the fruit of the FBI’s surveillance will unknowingly align themselves

with an ongoing campaign to degrade our father and the Civil Rights Movement.”

The decision came after the White House, citing public interest, moved to make the files public. But Judge Richard Leon ruled that the original 50-year seal, which was agreed to in the 1970s, should continue, noting that public curiosity does not supersede the King family’s privacy interests, nor does it veto the legal protection owed to people who were targeted by the government.

To prevent exploitation of their

father’s legacy, the King family joined the effort to prevent the documents from being released.

“We see this outcome as a victory for the rule of law,” DeMark Liggins Sr., president and CEO of SCLC, said in a statement. “In a time when boundaries are being tested, we are encouraged that this case stands as a win for our judicial system. We stood up for the truth and for historicity, insisting that innuendo, rumor, or politics not be placed in front of justice — not only for SCLC, but for Dr. King’s family as well.”

Union Matters

NYC reaches $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks over worker rights violations

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration announced a major settlement in a case against Starbucks, which alleged that the company flagrantly violated the city’s Fair Workweek Law. Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) investigators found that the coffee chain had committed more than half a million violations against its employees since 2021.

DCWP launched its investigation into Starbucks’ employment practices in 2022 after receiving dozens of complaints. Investigators say they found systemic violations at over 300 Starbucks locations across the city. In a press release, the city stated that “DCWP’s investigation found that most Starbucks employees in New York City never received regular schedules, making it difficult for workers to plan other commitments, such as child care, education, or second jobs. They also say Starbucks routinely and unlawfully reduced employees’ hours by more than 15 percent, making it difficult for employees to know how much money they would make week to week or whether they would earn enough to get by. Further, Starbucks denied workers the opportunity to pick up additional shifts, keeping them involuntarily in part-time work while continuing to hire new workers.”

Under New York City’s Fair Workweek Law, enacted in 2021 to protect fast food workers, employers must give employees their schedules at least 14 days in advance; they are not allowed to have oncall shifts or rely on last-minute cancellations; and are required to pay their employees more if they are subjecting them to schedule changes. Workers must have the opportunity to pick up any new work shifts before they are offered to newly hired staff, and employers can’t cut their workers’ hours or fire them without just cause. Retaliation against workers who exercise these rights is strictly banned.

The settlement requires Starbucks to pay $35.5 million in restitution to more than 15,000 workers. Hourly employees who

worked between July 4, 2021, and July 7, 2024, will receive $50 for each week they worked, which means that someone employed continuously for 78 weeks will receive $3,900.

Workers who feel they were affected by a violation after July 7, 2024, could also qualify for compensation under the settlement. To apply, they can file a complaint online at www.nyc.gov/site/dca/ workers/worker-rights.page or call 311.

Starbucks will also pay $3.4 million in civil penalties and costs, and it is mandated to comply with the Fair Workweek Law going forward. DCWP says it will monitor the coffee chain’s future employment practices, especially regarding employee layoffs and

store closures.

A Starbucks spokesperson commented on the settlement with New York City, saying that even though the company finds the Fair Workweek Law very complex, it remains focused on creating one of the best jobs in retail.

“Since these claims,” the spokesperson said, “we’ve invested $500 million in improving the partner experience as part of our Back to Starbucks strategy. These investments not only ensure compliance – they make the experience better for partners in our coffeehouses. Today, more partners are getting schedules that fit their lives, making it easier to match availability and preferences while staying aligned with local laws like Fair Workweek.”

“It does not matter how big your business is or how much money your company makes, if you violate our workers’ rights, you will pay the price,” said Adams. “This landmark settlement puts tens of millions of dollars back into the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers and reinforces the right to a reliable schedule, full hours, and basic dignity.”

DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga added, “All workers deserve to be treated with dignity. We are proud to stand up for our neighbors when a multibilliondollar company like Starbucks chooses to systematically violate their employees’ rights.”

Lynne Fox, international president of the Workers United labor union, called the settlement “a

major victory for thousands of Starbucks baristas,” saying the funds will help workers make ends meet this winter and that the fight for a fair contract continues. This case is similar to a legal action New York City took against Chipotle Mexican Grill, which in 2022 was ordered to pay $20 million in restitution and $1 million in penalties for violating the same law. That settlement covered more than 13,000 workers at New York City locations from 2017 to 2022. The settlement agreement also specified that any hourly New York City Chipotle worker who worked between Nov. 26, 2017, and April 30, 2022, was eligible to receive $50 for each week worked. Chipotle was required to pay $1 million in civil penalties to the city.

Starbucks Coffee store (Bill Moore photo)

Tavarez President, Bank of America New York City

Garofalo President, Bank of America New Jersey

Alberto

José

With the attacks on boats in the Caribbean, the buck stops with Trump

Back in early September, consistent with an initiative to destroy boats they conclude are trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean, a U.S. military missile hit a boat and then launched a second strike on the survivors. This second strike has brought charges of a war crime by Democrats and Republicans, including lawmakers on two congressional committees that oversee actions by the Pentagon. Are we to infer from this that the first strike was legal?

These attacks, which since this incident have killed more than 80 people, have all been carried out against individuals who were unable to exercise their rights to due process. What is most heartening about the uproar is that Republicans have now joined in, where in the past they were either silent or defended the attacks. We hail the comments voiced by Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, a Republican and a former chair of the Intelligence committee, who declared on “Face the Nation,” that if the second strike occurred, “that would be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act.”

Early reports from The Washington Post suggested that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given the verbal order to kill everyone aboard the boat. Subsequent reports indicated that the order came from another military commander. President Trump told reporters on Sunday that he stands by Hegseth but said he would not have wanted the second strike and then believed the secretary had denied the attack. This all cries out for an intensive investigation from the various congressional committees, though we doubt if it will do anything to halt the unwarranted killing of people who have not been arrested, interrogated, or read their legal rights.

Now, all the going back and forth begins as to who ordered the lethal strike, which, in our estimation, is essentially Trump’s, since he holds the reins on nearly every government body and decision. Even so, it’s good to see that the incident has created bipartisan concern, though that will not ameliorate or justify the killing of presumably innocent people.

Mamdani should focus on improving education in disadvantaged communities

By ABEL MCDANIELS

One of the few education issues that got some attention during the long mayoral race has little practical relevance to most public-school students and families: how fewer than 3,000 kindergarten students can join a gifted and talented program.

Now, Mayor-elect Mamdani will have significant influence over the nation’s largest school system, on which almost 900,000 students and their families rely. The Mayor-elect effectively made the race about affordability and enabling all New Yorkers to live a dignified life. This vision can permeate his education agenda as well.

The city considers more than half of its students economically disadvantaged. More than 100,000 children do not have permanent housing. Many of these children — and many Black and Latino children — attend segregated schools where many of their peers’ families face similar challenges.

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief

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Gray: Executive & Investigative Editor

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Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and

The school system and city government do a great job providing supplemental resources — social workers and even washing machines — to these students and their schools. But there are no serious targeted strategies to improve academic outcomes in the highest need communities. This is short-sighted for two reasons: There is a wealth of evidence that experiencing poverty, living in a high-poverty neighborhood, and attending a school where most students are poor affects a child’s development and academic performance. Children who finish high school and some sort of post-secondary credential can earn higher incomes than those who do not, and are less likely to be poor as adults. Mayor-elect Mamdani’s administration should follow the evidence and embrace targeted strategies to improve academic outcomes, particularly for New York’s children experiencing the greatest challenges.

The two school chancellors, Mayor Eric Adams appointed, made great strides by giving teachers at all schools better materials to teach reading and math. While this work was well-executed, it also illustrates the limitations of universal strategies in addressing inequities.

Test scores for all racial, ethnic,

and gender groups increased, but the gaps between the different groups’ scores have not narrowed. This is likely not only due to the out-of-school circumstances some students face, but also the fact that city schools remain doubly segregated by race and class. Most students from poor families and neighborhoods attend schools with other poor students. More than half of Black and Latino students attend schools with poverty rates higher than 75 percent, but just 20 percent of white students do. The 154,000 students without permanent housing are not equally distributed throughout the system: upwards of one in five students are homeless in the South Bronx, East Harlem, Bushwick, and Brownsville school districts but fewer than 10% are in Manhattan, Staten Island, southern Brooklyn, and eastern Queens. Schools that enroll lots of students who experience poverty face additional challenges. Teachers tend to have less experience. Children from low-income families enter school less ready than those from more affluent families in terms of cognitive and noncognitive skills, and schools do not have enough time with them to seriously narrow these gaps. Children in low-income families are more likely to have adverse childhood experiences. NYCPS has not broken down the latest state test scores by schools’ concentrations of disadvantaged students, but older analyses found both of these metrics are correlated with students’ achievement. Nonacademic programs like Bridge the Gap Social Workers and Community Schools can help alleviate the stressors students’ families face and create a welcoming environment but helping kids perform better academically and graduate requires improving teaching in their schools and engaging them in productive activities beyond the traditional school day. Existing programs provide a framework for improving students’ educational experiences. For example, the Departments of Education and Youth and Community Development already fund nonprofit organizations to provide after-school and summer programming. Under a Mamdani administration, these agencies can redesign contracts and oversight to strength -

en quality and efficiency in providers’ work and their collaboration with school leaders.

The Mamdani administration could also learn from the placebased cradle-to-career field and use agencies and the school district to do a better job coordinating nonacademic resources. Support services and programs ideally work together to create a supportive developmental context for young people. When support programs are arranged haphazardly, the impacts of more limited and point-in-time interventions gradually fade out when the resource is removed. Programs like 3-K, afterschool and summer programs, and Community Schools are generally absent in schools in low-income neighborhoods. City agencies could work with nonprofit organizations funded to work deeply with schools or district superintendents’ teams to better track whether specific students have sufficient support over time.

Between the government and the nonprofit sector, someone should make sure students in temporary housing are enrolled in quality 3-K programs and productive afterschool and summer learning opportunities through elementary school, for example. Again, neighborhood and school segregation make coordination across areas and over time a little less daunting because it would be feasible to just pick schools in specific districts or neighborhoods and more intentionally coordinate a continuum of services for all or a targeted proportion of students there.

Affordability may be the most significant issue facing students and their families right now. In the long run and especially for children from working-class and low-income families, education can inform the ability to exercise opportunity and agency. In the past, New York City has led the nation in making bold efforts to give working-class children a better education. Incoming city and educational leadership should continue this legacy.

Abel McDaniels works as an independent consultant in the community schools and place-based cradle-tocareer fields. He served in the BidenHarris administration at the U.S. Department of Education.

It’s not just what you eat: How inequality is driving up colon cancer rates

BY TANIA FABO

Zohran Mamdani’s overwhelming victory in the New York City mayoral race has become a symbol of hope in a city and country plagued by inequality. Such inequality takes many forms, not least of which are disparities in health outcomes that affect the most marginalized. Colon cancer, a disease rising at an alarming rate in young Americans, is a prime example. Black New Yorkers are 30% more likely to die from it than white New Yorkers. While the Blackwhite incidence gap has been closing, with the rise in young white Americans outpacing Black Americans, young Black people are still at a 6% higher risk for earlyonset colon cancer and 60% more likely to be diagnosed at the deadliest anatomical site. Lifestyle plays an important role in the disparities, as the ability to eat well and move enough is not distributed equally.

As a researcher studying how genetic risk for colon

cancer is modified by dietary fat and fiber, I am intimately familiar with how eating healthily shapes the likelihood of getting this devastating disease. But as a physician trainee devoted to understanding social and structural determinants of health, I find a crucial reality is often missing: who has access to healthy choices and why?

Thirteen percent of Americans live in “food deserts,” low-income areas with limited availability of grocery stores selling affordable and healthy foods, making it harder to make choices that reduce risk for diseases like colon cancer. In New York City, approximately 3 million people live in such neighborhoods, with Black and Brown communities of the Bronx, central and eastern Brooklyn, far eastern Queens, and Harlem particularly burdened. But reducing the problem to just a dearth of grocery stores ignores the structural forces shaping access

and choice. The term “food desert” has in fact been increasingly criticized for blaming the community for its lack rather than the larger drivers of that lack. Historical practices like redlining were responsible for decades of racialized residential segregation and the systemic disinvestment of key resources, like grocery stores, from Black and minority neighborhoods in New York City and beyond. Such policies have had lasting impacts: Not only are fast food and ultraprocessed foods more readily accessible in food deserts (New York City bodegas, while critical to improving food access, are typically dominated by unhealthy foods like chips and soda), but companies like McDonald’s specifically target Black and Latino youth in advertising, and colon cancer rates among Latinos born in the U.S. vastly outpace those of their foreign-born counterparts.

The goal is clear: get mi-

norities hooked on highly processed, nutrient-deficient foods from an early age and create customers for life. Thus, while we know the diets that reduce colon cancer risk — high in fiber and fresh produce; low in fat, ultra-processed foods, and red meat — the adoption of this knowledge directly clashes with racist and capitalist systems that impede access to the ideal diet. Problems of access are poised to get worse as the Trump administration enacts policies designed to devastate low-income Americans, including cuts to SNAP, which almost 2 million New York City residents rely on to help purchase food. Rather than addressing the increased costs of healthy eating — in New York, healthy food costs 3.2 times more than unhealthy food — the administration is removing junk food from SNAP while also eliminating the SNAP-Ed nutritional ed-

See CANCER RATES on page 34

Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha lays out the stark realities of Gaza

By HERB BOYD

This past summer, the celebrated Palestinian poet and essayist Mosab Abu Toha was unable to attend a book signing at Revolution Books, where he told me had appeared before.

But on Monday evening at Columbia University, in a ninety-minute event replete with a video presentation of war-torn Gaza, an interview, and his animated account of his experiences in his homeland, Toha was brilliant. The event was sponsored by the Center for Palestine Studies, and uniform security was stationed at every stop, given the number of threats on Toha’s life.

Those threats had grisly precedents in Gaza before he left the country, his wife and three children remaining behind (they eventual-

ly reunited). He recounted how he was abducted by what he called Israeli “terrorist forces…I was tortured for three days. I was sexually abused by the soldiers, just like so many others.” The imagery he related about the death and destruction that surrounded him was like “sitting in the middle of a beast.”

Along with reading excerpts from his latest book, “Forest of Noise,” published in 2024, and also his 2022 poetry collection, “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear,” he dramatically put the poems and reflections in brutal context, his voice rising and falling to capture how horrendous some of the situations were for him and other Palestinians. Some of the most gripping passages are his memories of watching family members “erased.”

“My wife lost her great

uncle in October 2024, along with his wife…and then three daughters, one daughter was married, she was killed with her husband, and they had two children. So, these are entire families… we’re talking about. Entire families were gone.”

For several minutes, he discussed a litany of family trees that were decimated, and then in startling repetition, he said, “This is more than genocide.” His poem, “No Art,” dedicated to the American poet, Elizabeth Bishop, begins “You know everything will come to an end…Even your shadow will abandon you when there is no light.” Most of all, he lamented losing a photo of his grandfather “under the rubble of my house.”

During the interview, he was asked how it felt to be addressing Americans whose government had

How we let go of the old to make room for the new

CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.

I have no idea where the year went, but here we are in the last month of 2025. What a year it has been. The Trump 2.0 presidency has proven to be more cruel and chaotic than the first time around. New York City has chosen a mayor-elect who will hopefully usher in a new era of compassion and competence. Winter is officially here and it is getting darker and colder each day. And it is time to start planning and setting goals for the new year.

been complicit in the destruction and killing of his people; he was asked to elaborate on his earlier remarks that the conflict in Gaza was more than genocide, which, despite a socalled peace agreement, continues to eliminate Palestinian lives. I have neither the time nor the space here to properly deal with his cogent responses. Let us hope that it was recorded, which it should have been.

Toha’s memories and especially seeing the video brought back the time when Eddie Harris and I were in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, to make our documentary “Trek to the Holy Land” in 2009, a trip made possible by Rev. Al Sharpton. Back then, Jabaliya was not the ruin it is today, but we knew then how ominous things were, and Toha has given us the terrible update.

I, for one, always look forward to a new year. It is a time to reset and reflect on all of the amazing people, places, and things in my orbit, but to also set some real intentions for moving forward. I always enjoy the lists of things to do to help people get more organized and prepare for the future.

A list came across my feed and the primary call to action involved letting certain things go. I am trying more and more to live a life free of extraneous items (and people) who will clutter my path and prevent me from seeing the road ahead more clearly.

Some suggestions on the list involve getting rid of clothes you haven’t worn in a year. I always encourage people to give clothes to churches or Goodwill so others can have coats for the winter, and so the items collecting dust in the backs of our closets can be put to good use. They also recommend letting go of broken gadgets. We all have that drawer full of cords, cables,

and old electronics that will never be resurrected. This one is particularly hard for me as an academic, but they suggest parting with books you will never reread. It is difficult, but important. We read to know we aren’t alone, and if we can give the gift of reading to someone else, that is a gift that keeps on giving. They also recommend donating shoes that hurt your feet, disposing of old and worn out sheets and towels, and recycling old and outdated magazines. Disposing of these items will likely take thirty minutes and give our homes more space and clear energy. Finally, they suggest donating or throwing away old toys that kids have outgrown. I know I like a clutter free home, and that may not be for everyone, but I do like to think of my items as useful to someone else. So, in the spirit of preparing for the new year and new beginnings, let’s get rid of things that no longer serve us. Seasons change and as a dear friend always reminds me, “We need to travel light so we can travel far.” Let’s get to clearing out.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.

Caribbean Update

Authorities admit that the U.S. has installed military radar in Trinidad and Tobago; Grenada yet to decide on U.S. request

BY BERT WILKINSON, Special to the AmNews

Initially, the U.S. had asked Grenada’s permission to establish military radar at its main airport, but with no decision as yet from the eastern Caribbean island nation, Trinidad and Tobago appears to have stepped in as a replacement with a new facility in Tobago.

In the past week, local authorities offered a plethora of explanations as to why noisy U.S. military planes were landing and taking off from Tobago in the wee hours of the morning. Explanations had ranged from joint training exercises to assistance with road construction and later on, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar admitted that the Americans were setting up a radar system at the ANR Robinson International Airport, much to the disquiet of residents, the local House of Assembly, and folks in the tourist industry

who blamed the military activities for a reduction in tourist arrivals, fearing they could get caught in the middle of military conflict and cancelled commercial flights.

For many in the federative republic, just seven miles from Venezuela, critics say they are bewildered by the fact that the country is allowing itself to become involved in a sensitive geopolitics drama that could rebound negatively after the current generation of politicians in the U.S. and Venezuela leave office.

For example, Tobago’s Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says cabinet officials have left local politicians in the dark about the U.S. military presence and its ambitions, noting that, “I only learnt of it from online postings and WhatsApp groups. I wasn’t aware of it. I am currently investigating to see what transpired, why they were in space. I know they were in TT airspace for a while given

the collaboration between the central government and the U.S. government, but I’m trying to get some more details. Thus far, I know they did refuel in Tobago, but I’m trying to get some details on why and what transpired,” he told reporters.

Running out of credible explanations as to what was exactly happening, PM Persad-Bissessar on the weekend admitted that a radar system is in place and says that her administration was the one that had requested it despite the country having its own 360-degree surveillance capabilities. She told the Express newspaper that citizens in the country are now safer with the radar system and said the national radar system is not functioning effectively.

“The U.S. owns thousands of satellites, they own the GPS system, they have almost 20% of their navy in the Caribbean with the most sophisticated military

communications technology in existence. They don’t need to put a radar in our country to use for any military purpose. They could monitor the entire Caribbean from the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier. Sensible people understand these facts,” she said. “Tobago’s air and sea territory are the most secure they have ever been and the people of Tobago are the safest they have ever been. I am ultimately responsible for their safety and security and will ensure they never have a bloody year like 2024,” she said.”

In other nations in the Caribbean, authorities in Antigua, for example, have said they would not permit any such facilities on the island, but officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands say that such a system has been installed in St. Croix in recent weeks. Some members of Congress have said that the U.S. is paying renewed attention to its hemispheric backyard

to reduce the growing influence of China and to reassert America’s might in the region.

So far, PM Persad-Bissessar has said that Washington has not yet asked permission to use the country as a base to attack Venezuela or any other nation, but several joint exercises with U.S. soldiers have been held in the republic and military planes have been seen in local airports conducting exercises, causing discomfort with the ramped up and unusual military activities in the tranquil tourist island.

Local authorities have openly thrown their support behind the Trump administration’s attacks on vessels allegedly ferrying drugs to various islands for shipment to the U.S. with the prime minister urging the Americans to “kill them all violently” and crediting the U.S. military presence with a reduction of narco, human trafficking, and violent crimes in the country.

Who exactly are these “Third World” countries Trump says he’s banning now?

IMMIGRATION KORNER

Let’s talk about this new phrase Donald Trump has resurrected from the graveyard of outdated Cold War language: “Third World countries.”

A term the world has long abandoned for being racist, colonial, and ignorant is now back in circulation — courtesy of the President of the United States — as he pushes a promise to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries.” But who is he talking about? Spoiler: It’s not Europe.

Trump rolled out this latest scare tactic after the tragic shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan immigrant, Rahmanullah Lakanwal — a man who, ironically, had once worked with the CIA, guarded U.S. forces at Kabul airport, and risked his life as part of the U.S.funded Kandahar Strike Force. But nuance has never been the strong suit of an administration determined to paint every immigrant of

color as a terrorist-in-waiting.

Within hours, Trump declared a full stop on immigration from “Third World countries,” while his appointees scrambled to produce policy to support his rhetoric. USCIS quickly issued guidance authorizing officers to use “country-specific negative factors” when vetting immigrants from 19 so-called high-risk nations — all of them, by the way, non-white, non-European countries. They are: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Not a single white-majority country made the list. Imagine that.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow claimed that former President Joe Biden spent “four years dismantling basic vetting,” — which is false on its face — and declared that Trump’s approach will now prioritize American lives.

Yet, here’s what’s missing from Trump’s angry declarations:

The suspect was already vetted — repeatedly — by the CIA and U.S. intelligence before being granted entry.

The U.S. recruited him.

The U.S. trained him.

The U.S. relied on him.

The U.S. brought him here.

But instead of questioning America’s own intelligence failures or the mental health toll of war, Trump is blaming 19 countries and millions of Brown and Black people who had nothing to do with this shooting.

And while he was at it, he also announced plans to:

• End birthright citizenship,

• End all federal benefits for noncitizens,

• Re-examine thousands of existing green cards issued to immigrants from those 19 countries,

• And suspend all Afghan immigration entirely.

The U.N. had to remind Trump — again — that the United States is party to the Refugee Convention and cannot just deport people into danger. But Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric doesn’t stop at Afghans.

Haitian immigrants are the next target. This week, the administration moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for

over 500,000 Haitians, effective Feb. 3, 2026.

These are people who have lived in the U.S. for over a decade, built families, raised American children, paid billions in taxes, and kept entire industries running.

As Aline Gue, executive director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, put it: “We are the backbone of entire industries … Our lives are here. Ending TPS threatens entire families and communities.”

She is right. Haiti is not safe. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not with kidnappings, mass rape, political terror, and gang rule. Sending Haitians back now is not policy — it is cruelty. But cruelty is the point.

Whether Trump is threatening Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans, Iranians, or Somalis, the message is the same: Brown and Black immigrants are the enemy. White ones are not.

That’s why white South Africans get prioritized refugee slots, but Haitians lose TPS. Afghan allies are suddenly “security threats,” but Europeans are “partners.”

Trump’s immigration agenda has never been about safety. It is about reshaping America’s demographics. And using tragedies — even before

facts are known — to justify mass deportations and mass fear.

Meanwhile, the truth is simple, as Jeremy McKinney of the American Immigration Lawyers Association noted: “Radicalization and mental illness don’t know nationality.” But bigotry does. And it’s now being written into federal policy — country by country.

Because when Trump says “Third World,” what he really means is: non-white.

And when he says, “pause immigration,” what he really means is: punish immigrants of color. When he says, “put Americans first,” what he really means is: return to a country that never actually existed.

As always, the people paying the highest price are the immigrants who have done everything right — and now live in fear that everything they’ve built can be taken away with the stroke of a pen.

Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.

International News

White House says admiral ordered follow-up strike on alleged drug boat in Caribbean, insists attack was lawful

By AAMER MADHANI and REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Monday that a Navy admiral acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered a second, follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea in a September U.S. military operation that has come under bipartisan scrutiny.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered the justification for the Sept. 2 strike as lawmakers announced there will be congressional review of the U.S. military strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. The lawmakers cited a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for a second strike that killed survivors on the boat.

Navy Vice Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who Leavitt said ordered the second strike, is expected to provide a classified briefing Thursday to lawmakers overseeing the military.

Leavitt in her comments to reporters did not dispute the Washington Post report that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came after President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike” when asked about the incident.

“Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” said Leavitt. “Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.”

Late Monday, Hegseth posted: “Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since.”

A month after the strike, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Concern over the Trump administration’s military strikes against the alleged drug-smuggling boats has been building in Congress, but details of this followon strike stunned many lawmakers from both parties and generated stark questions about the legality of the attacks and the overall strategy in the region, and particularly toward Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The lawmakers said they did not know

whether last week’s Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical. Still, they said the reported attack on survivors of an initial missile strike posed serious concerns and merited further scrutiny.

The White House weighed in after Trump on Sunday vigorously defended Hegseth.

“Pete said he did not order the death of those two men,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.”

Leavitt said Hegseth has spoken with members of Congress who may have expressed some concerns about the reports over the weekend.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke over the weekend with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Senate and House Armed Services committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the experienced commanders at every echelon,” Caine’s office said in a statement.

The statement added that the call focused on “addressing the intent and legality of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere.”

Congress wants answers

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Monday broadly defended the operations, echoing the Trump administration’s position, stating that they’re necessary to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States.

Thune said the committees in Congress will look into what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or deductions until you have all the facts,” he said of the Sept. 2 strike. “We’ll see where they lead.”

After the Post’s report, Hegseth said Friday on X that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”

“Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict — and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,” Hegseth wrote.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth release the video of the strike and testify under oath about what happened.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, pledged that his panel’s investigation would be “done by the numbers.”

“We’ll find out the ground truth,” he said, adding that the ramifications of the report were “serious charges.”

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, who also called for the administration to release the video of the strike,

said its inquiry would start “with briefings about what actually happened” from the officials involved.

“If they’ve done nothing wrong, then that video should exonerate them completely. Why don’t they release it?” he asked.

In the House, Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chair of its Armed Services Committee, said he was “satisfied” following a conversation with Hegseth on the attack, but that he also wanted to hear from Bradley.

“We’ll all have clarity on Thursday afternoon,” Rogers said.

Venezuela’s president reacts Trump met later Monday with his national security team to discuss the ongoing operations and potential next steps against Venezuela.

The U.S. administration says the strikes are aimed at drug cartels, some of which it claims are controlled by Maduro. Trump is also weighing whether to carry out strikes on the Venezuelan mainland.

Trump confirmed Sunday that he had recently spoken by phone with Maduro but declined to detail the conversation.

Speaking to supporters in Caracas on Monday, Maduro said U.S. pressure has “tested” the country, but Venezuelans are ready “to defend it and lead it to the path of peace.”

“We have lived through 22 weeks of aggression that can only be described as psychological terrorism,” Maduro said.

The September strike was one in a series carried out by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the buildup of a fleet of warships near Venezuela, including the largest U.S. aircraft carrier. More than 80 people have been killed in the strikes.

Venezuela’s National Assembly has announced the launch of an investigation into the lethal strikes. Sunday’s announcement by the Assembly’s president, Jorge Rodríguez, was the first time that a Maduro government official explicitly acknowledged that Venezuelans have been killed in the months-long U.S. military operation.

Rodríguez, Maduro’s chief negotiator, said a group of lawmakers will come together to investigate “the serious events that led to the murder of Venezuelans in the waters of the Caribbean Sea.”

Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela. Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

An image of a boat in the Caribbean suspected of drug running moments before it was struck by U.S. military operatives. (Screenshot X/Defense Sec. Pete Hegset)

Jacob Lawrence, Subway (detail), 1938 © 2025 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Arts & Entertainment

Ailey sails into City Center season with Alicia Graf Mack at helm

By ZITA ALLEN Special to the AmNews

This holiday season when the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre sails into City Center for its annual celebration of dance that lifts the spirits, stirs the soul and reminds us that life is beautiful, there is a new artistic director at the helm, Alicia Graf Mack. The fourth artistic director in the history of the internationally acclaimed company, Mack will take the reins once held by Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, and Robert Battle and who, in true Ailey spirit, has cocurated this season with Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing.

Together the two have created a season that will warm the heart with a mix of Ailey classics, including, of course his masterpieces “Cry, and Revelations,” Ronald K. Brown’s heartwarming and soul-stirring “Grace,” and Alonzo King’s thrilling “Following the Current Upstream.” In addition there are five world premieres, among them Fredrick Earl Mosley’s “Embrace,” which explores the connection and fragility of human relationships set to music by Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheeran, and many others. Maija García’s “Jazz Island” brings an Afro-Caribbean folktale to life, inspired by a story by Geoffrey Holder. Matthew Neenan’s “Difference Between” showcases his signature abandon and playfulness. Jamar Roberts’ ”Song of the Anchorite” reimagines Alvin Ailey’s 1961 ballet “Hermit Songs” for contemporary times. “The Holy Blues” taps into the blues and gospel to connect the sacred and secular, choreographed by Urban Bush Women’s Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, in collaboration with Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro.

This season also features the company premiere of Medhi Walerski’s ”Blink of an Eye,” an explosive display of precision originally choreographed for Nederlands Dans Theater; and a new production of Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison’s moving duet, “A Case of You,” performed to Diana Krall’s sultry rendition of Joni Mitchell’s classic song.

Instagram has given thousands a taste of what’s in store this season at City Center with tantalizing snippets of AAADT dancers undulating, lunging, swirling and leaping during rehearsing. In addition, folks have been reminded of the mission behind the majesty by brief takes of interviews with Mack recall-

ing how Ailey identified the company’s mission as “holding up a mirror to our society to show people how beautiful they are.”

The Amsterdam News caught up with 45-year-old Mack as she juggled rehearsals, interviews, and dance classes to discuss her mission, the upcoming season, and life in the spotlight. A critically acclaimed dancer with AAADT and Dance Theatre of Harlem, even managing to obtain both a Bachelor’s from Columbia University and a Master’s degree from Washington University, before making history as the first African American to head the famed Juilliard School’s Dance Division and then taking on the glorious task of leading this iconic institution.

Mack took the helm of AAADT just six months before the 2025 City Center season, when many of the wheels had already been set in motion. The transition was seamless both because the 67-year old organization is a well-oiled machine and because Mack and the interim director Rushing share a warm bond as former Ailey company members. “I have loved working with Matthew since the time when we were both dancers in the company. He was my rehearsal director,” Mack said. “But, more than that, I trust his voice, his vision, his knowledge, so it was a very seamless melding of ideas.” Even in her role at Juilliard, when curating seasons, Mack always bounced ideas off the artistic team. “So here, too, we will continue to bounce off of each other and move forward in that way. I’m lucky to have an artistic partner in Matthew,” she added. Being inclusive is not only second nature to Mack but it is an integral part of the spirit of the company Alvin Ailey founded and viewed not as a vanity project featuring only his own choreographic voice but one that offered a platform and a stage for other voices. This was especially important at a time when being able to sustain a dance company was an ordeal, especially for struggling young diverse choreographers. That tradition continues with the inclusion of a wide variety of voices sharing their stories. For instance, Rushing reached out to Mosley whose work consists of movement propelled by the contemporary sounds of voices like Stevie Wonder. Mack also commissioned Roberts’ “Song of the Anchorite,” inspired by an early solo Alvin Ailey created and performed.

AAADT’s Caroline Dartey, Leonardo Brito and Jessica Pinkett in Maija Garcia’s “Jazz Island.” (Paul Kolnik photos)

Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack. (Andrew Eccles photo)

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Corrin Rachelle Mitchell and Yannick Lebrun in Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations. ”

Jimmy Cliff, reggae ambassador, dies at 81

By MARK WINSTON GRIFFITH Special to the AmNews

“Well, they tell me of a pie up in the sky

Waiting for me when I die

But between the day you’re born and when you die

They never seem to hear even your cry

So as sure as the sun will shine, I’m going to get what’s mine.”

—Jimmy Cliff, “The Harder they Come”

Back in the aughts when I deejayed a Caribbean Night for a Brooklyn restaurant, I would play Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” whenever I wanted to get folks across generations on the dance floor. The track is high energy enough so that millennial ragamuffins could groove to it, and nostalgic enough that my mother and her middle-class Jamaican peers would deliriously shimmy their hips to it, Cliff’s effusive tenor commanded us to a high-stepping celebration of resilience in the Babylon system.

Cliff, who died on Nov. 24 at the age of 81 from pneumonia, according to his wife, Latifa Chambers, represented an era when Jamaican music went from the parochial urgencies of ska and rocksteady to the international ambitions of reggae. Cliff was known as a world cultural ambassador for reggae and a cross-genre songwriting and singing talent.

For all his reggae cred, however, Cliff never aspired to be a true roots reggae artist, nor did he ever achieve the icon status of Bob Marley, against whom he was often measured. Born a Christian, he dabbled in Rastafarianism and Islam, but eventually positioned himself as a philosophically ecumenical man of the world and a universalist. One of pop music’s most stirring compositions, Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross,” for instance, vibed more with gospel soul than reggae. He collaborated with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Kool and the Gang, Paul Simon, and Elvis Costello, and his compo-

sitions often checked dance, R&B, or rock boxes. His seven Grammy nominations and two wins, his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as his being awarded the Order of Merit, Jamaica’s highest honor in the arts and sciences, are a sampling of his crowning achievements and a testament to his broad appeal.

Cliff wasn’t just a gifted singer/ songwriter, but a magnetic performer as well. (Catch his breathtaking rendition of “Many Rivers to Cross” on “Saturday Night Live”). The renowned Jamaican music promoter, Ronnie Burke, who, as a part of Synergy Pro-

ductions, co-founded the Reggae Sunsplash music festival, recounted to me that Cliff was the headlining artist in Sunsplash’s first concert series in 1978. Sunsplash went on to feature every big name in Caribbean music, including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Third World, but Burke insisted that Cliff was “masterful” and gave the single greatest performance in the 18-year history of the festival. James Chambers was born on July 30, 1944 in the Somerton District of St. James, located on the northwestern coast of Jamaica. From an early age, Chambers adopted the stage name “Jimmy

Cliff” and began writing and performing music. While still a teenager, he teamed up with the famed Leslie Kong, who produced Cliff’s first hit, “Hurricane Hattie,” a catchy ska number. Cliff’s other early hits included “King of Kings,” “Dearest Beverley” and “Miss Jamaica,” and by the mid-1960s, Cliff was featured alongside other ska, reggae, and calypso pioneers such as Toots and the Maytals, as well as Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. Cliff’s talents were soon recognized by Island Records. They added him to their roster along with the Maytals and Bob Marley’s Wailers, which prompted Cliff to move to England.

Cliff enjoyed a successful career at Island where he put out noteworthy singles such as “Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” and “Vietnam,” but his life would never be the same after Island tapped him as the lead in Jamaica’s first widely distributed feature film, 1972’s “The Harder They Come.” Although strikingly lowbudget, “The Harder They Come” became a cult classic that helped popularize reggae internationally. Cliff’s character in the film is Ivan Martin, a young man who arrives in Kingston from the countryside and eventually turns to crime to combat the exploitations of city life. He burns with the same kind of unstoppable passion to make it in the music business that Cliff later became known for. It also made Cliff a breakout star, less for

Jimmy Cliff on tour in Australia in 2018. (Driss Belaydi photo)

his acting performance and more for the singles from the soundtrack — the haunting “Many Rivers to Cross,” the inspirational “You Can Get It if You Really Want,” the meditative “Sitting In Limbo,” and the infectious title track, “The Harder They Come.” Collectively, those songs arguably remain his greatest body of work.

Although Cliff wasn’t able to sustain this level of artistry for the remainder of his career, his star barely dimmed. Cliff never abandoned reggae, but throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, his music became decidedly more pop and led to hits like “Reggae Night,” participation on the anti-apartheid protest song, “Sun City,” and a popular cover of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” that was featured in the 1993 comedy film “Cool Runnings.” The Grammys did not create the reggae category until 1985, so Cliff didn’t receive formal recognition from the American music market until more than 20 years into his career. His second and final Grammy was awarded in 2012 when he was nearing 70 years of age.

His international profile came at a cost. The legendary musician, producer, and Reggae Sunsplash emcee, Tommy Cowan, first dis-

covered Jimmy Cliff’s music when they were both teenagers, and worked with him throughout his career. He told me that as early as the 1960s, when Cliff moved to England, he was perceived as being somewhat removed from Jamaica and was never fully embraced as a son of the soil like other reggae artists who were more grounded in a Jamaican identity and narrative.

Nonetheless, Cliff’s impact endures both inside Jamaica and

across the world. “While Marley’s music was about his purpose and explaining what Rasta was,” observed Cowan, “Jimmy’s music was more about the journey he went through … Success for him was about getting across the hurdles of life. Jimmy wanted you to have a feeling: ‘I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.’ And yeah, man, you’re in a better mood in life because ‘you can get it if you really want it.’ His music brought hope, inspiration, and aspiration.”

MORE TOP PRIZES FOR THE TOP OF YOU� GIFT LIST

Jamaican musician, singer and actor Jimmy Cliff performs during the Timbre Rock and Roots concert on Friday March 22, 2013 in Singapore.

(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)

AmNews FOOD

Kokomo in Williamsburg: Caribbean flavor, Black ownership, and a Brooklyn love story

By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews

Kokomo is a great reason to make the trip to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The vibe is ten out of ten, the food is spectacular, and the service is ten out of ten — full stop. If you’ve spent most of your life in Brooklyn and you’re hovering around 40, you remember when this stretch of Williamsburg was untouched by gentrification. Sigh with me. I had to do a double blink. This was not — I repeat, not — the Williamsburg I remember. And yet I fell head over heels in love, love, with Kokomo, a brand-new reason to come back to this corner of the city.

Where do I begin? This is an African American — and Jamaican-owned restaurant, truly a family affair. It is owned by Ria and Kevol (Kev) Graham, a husbandand-wife restaurateur team and co-founders of Kokomo, the nucleus of their growing Kokomo Hospitality Group. The Grahams live in Brooklyn, are parents of two, and describe their business as an extension of their family and Caribbean heritage, designed to “transport” guests to the Caribbean through food, cocktails, music, and visual design. Kokomo opened in July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and quickly became both a destination and a community gathering space. That alone tells you how the neighborhood showed up for them. Just before Thanksgiving, my colleague Davi Estrada and I had the chance to taste a few curated dishes and get a small peek into how Kokomo was born during a chat with the charismatic Kev Graham. His story is fascinating and so very New York, and that conversation deserves its own time. For now, what you need to know is that this is a true family business: Kev, his father-in-law, and assorted relatives literally built the restaurant. They come from a

construction background with several city contracts under their belt, so you know the quality is superior.

Then there’s the food, which is where Kokomo really starts talking. The cuisine is Caribbean-inspired, and that word “inspired” matters because it’s the inspired part that makes this menu a ten out of ten. Kokomo is a sensory trip. The menu comes at you from every direction, and if you love food, you’re about to get lost. They open with Scotch Bonnet Lobster Bisque, with boiled dumplings and cho cho floating in a rich, peppery broth, or ackee & saltfish shumai, escovitch-style with mango chutney and Scotch bonnet sauce for the right amount of heat. Curry crab gyoza, ceviche negro — fluke with pineapple Scotch bonnet sauce, pepino, and pickled pearl onion — and vadouvan curry tempura shrimp all headline the small plates, pushing every familiar ingredient into new territory.

There are Rasta Balls — lentil meatballs in red Thai curry, ringed with roasted pearl onion and black sesame sauce — for the vegans at the table, and sautéed callaloo with fried plantain chips and coconut breadcrumbs for anyone who’s ever missed home and tried to find it on a plate. Flatbreads get their own spotlight: Koko Pasta, Yardie Shrimp, Wah Gwan, Oxtail — each loaded with flavor. The oxtail flatbread stands out, rich with slow-braised oxtail, tomato confit, fried onions, and an Italian cheese blend. If you want something piled with shrimp or jerk chicken or kept vegan with roasted mushroom and truffle, they have that too.

The menu centers on rich, island-inspired entrées like Braised Oxtail with cassareep pumpkin purée and oxtail gravy; Scotch Bonnet Lobster Bisque served with boiled dumplings and cho cho; Sofrito Roast Chicken topped with cranberry–

sorrel sauce and coco bread stuffing; and Curry Lamb Shank with breadfruit mash and curry sauce. There’s coconut curry lentil stew with roti and butter beans, and snapper fried or roasted — escovitch-style or with ginger tamarind chutney. Openfire jerk chicken is glazed with spiced rum cashew. If noodles are your thing, there’s XO udon with calamari and shrimp in spicy XO sauce, and Biang Biang Rasta Noodles that you can top with roasted chicken, grilled shrimp, or braised oxtail.

The entrées are backed by sides that are hard to turn down: Haitian Diri Djon Djon (black mushroom rice), creamy and lightly smoked breadfruit mash, savory coco bread stuffing, four-cheese baked mac & cheese, thyme-and-butter braised cabbage, and roasted brussels sprouts with caramelized red onions and herb vinaigrette. Classic fried sweet plantains drizzled with Scotch bonnet mango sauce and pickled peppers, herbed fries, and black truffle parmesan fries make it almost impossible to “eat light” here. For brunch, Pumpkin Pancakes with guava butter, warm syrup, and eggnog whipped cream, and Guinness cornbread french toast with Baileys cream and crispy fried chicken are the dishes you’ll think about the next day.

Their menu is all about connection — honoring the roots of Caribbean food and the way it brings people together. The Grahams have said they blend their island roots in everything they do, along with French and Asian techniques, to create dishes that feel both familiar and new, perfect for sharing with loved ones. The taste of Africa is there. The taste of the Caribbean is there. There are touches from Asia and Europe. Rather than sticking to a single island’s cuisine, Kokomo layers influences and lets them talk to each other on the plate.

It’s deeply inspiring that Kokomo Hospital-

ity Group was born from the experience of opening Kokomo during the pandemic, using the lessons from that time to guide future projects and emphasizing experience-driven dining, generational wealth, and representation for African American–Caribbean owners in New York’s hospitality world. Kokomo is a standout among Brooklyn’s African American-owned restaurants, with profiles in outlets like Business Insider, Forbes, Essence, Time Out New York, and more. The Grahams emphasize inclusive hiring and women-led management, and they see Kokomo as a way to uplift their neighborhood while centering Caribbean culture in a historically white part of Williamsburg. You can feel that intention in the room.

Recognized in Time Out New York’s 50 Best Restaurants, Kokomo has established itself as a true culinary destination, pushing Caribbean cuisine forward with its inventive menu and immersive atmosphere. The space is versatile enough for private dinners, corporate lunches, cocktail receptions, and family celebrations — and it still feels personal, like stepping into a family’s living room with better lighting and louder joy. To make a reservation, you can book through OpenTable or head straight to their website at kokomonyc.com, and follow @KokomoNYC on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for those behindthe-scenes moments that will make you hungry all over again.

Hours of Operation

Monday: 4 -10:30 p.m.

Thursday: 4 -11 p.m.

Friday -Saturday: Brunch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Dinner: 5-11 p.m.

Saturday: Late night programming: begins at 11 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (All-day Brunch & Dinner)

Curry Crab Gyoza

Coconut Curry Lentil Stew Rasta (Katrine Moite photos)

December 2025 Dance Calendar

By CHARMAINE PATRICIA WARREN Special to the AmNews

Make time during this holiday season for dance! At the Joyce Theater, performer and choreographer Ephrat Asherie and her company Ephrat Asherie Dance, with pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill, come together again, Dec. 3-7 for their newest creation “Shadow Cities.” “A contemplative and multifaceted reflection on the beauty, vastness, and joy of the in-between, “Shadow Cities,” with a cast of six dancers and four musicians, explores the myriad ways they feel split between cities, memories, and generations, encountering their most enlivened selves in unexpected moments,” notes the release. With live music by Arturo O’Farrill and Friends, “Shadow Cities” becomes a conversation between O’Farrill’s compositional voice and Asherie’s idiosyncratic movement language. For more information visit ephratasheriedance.com and joyce.org.

ALSO THIS MONTH:

Dec. 3- Jan. 4: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New York City Center for its annual multi-week engagement under newly appointed artistic director Alicia Graf Mack. This year’s program will include world premieres by Maija García (“Jazz Island”), Fredrick Earl Mosley (“Embrace”), Matthew

Neenan (“Difference Between”), Jamar Roberts (“Song of the Anchorite”), and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Samantha Figgins, and Chalvar Monteiro (“Holy Blues”), along with company premiere, “Blink of an Eye”, by Medhi Walerski, a new production of Judith Jamison’s “A Case of You,” and a repertory works, including Ronald K. Brown’s “Grace” and Alvin Ailey’s timeless “Revelations.” For more information visit ailey.org.

Dec. 3-7: Leslie Cuyjet’s “For All Your Life,” a multi-layered solo performance, interrogates the value of life and death through a screening, a sales pitch, and a deep look into the life insurance industry’s historical ties to slavery, revealing how systems of power have long monetized human lives — particularly Black lives. This is a debut performance for Cuyjet.

Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer celebrates new solo record

By JOHNNY KNOLLWOOD Special to the AmNews

Darryl Jenifer, bassist of seminal punk outfit Bad Brains, celebrated the release of his latest solo EP on Nov. 21 with a performance at The Bowery Electric. Jenifer was joined by Palm Beach, his new band, and openers Honeychild & the Biz (of The 1865) in the heart of the Bowery in Manhattan, steps away from the Bad Brains mural and close to the former site of CBGB’s, where punk rock gestated in the 1970s.

Jenifer kicked off the festivities with an appearance at Dark Matter Coffee’s Adios Amigos location on the same street ahead of the show. Jenifer collaborated with the shop on a Bad Brains signature blend of coffee that features original artwork by Jenifer on the cans and bags. The shop space, decked out with rock and roll memorabilia, also featured artwork by Jenifer plastered throughout. Jenifer took the time to meet fans, sign autographs, and blow out the candles on a commemorative cake, sipping his new signature brew alongside fans and shop staff ahead of The Bowery Electric performances.

Hours later, the energy was high as attendees shuffled into the music venue.

Honeychild & the Biz, members of NYC punk group, The 1865, hit the stage around 8 p.m. The duo was well received, performing selections by The 1865 and beyond before Jenifer took the stage at about 9 p.m. Jenifer and his group pummeled through a fast, blistering set of punk fusion, taking the stage for only about 20 minutes. (One fan on Facebook referred to the set as “comically short.”) Fans were treated to new, instrumental originals before the trio were joined by vocalist Honeychild for a rendition of the Bad Brains classic “Sacred Love.” Attendees appeared moved, diving into the performance, but were left wanting more. “We don’t have any more songs,” Jenifer told the audience, as the houselights came up and a “2-for 1” after-show drink special advertisement appeared on screens around the room, signifying the end of the show, and leaving fans with space to process Jenifer’s triumphant return to the neighborhood where he and the Bad Brains cut their teeth and birthed a new form of punk rock that would change the world’s musical landscape forever.

More music from Jenifer is on the horizon; stay up to date with his work at his Instagram: @darryl.jenifer.

For more information visit bam.org.

Dec. 4-6: At TRISK, featured will be new works by early-career movement artists Ariana Speight in “PSA,” and Cristina MoyaPalacios in “All Immerican Dream Girl!” For more information visit triskelionarts.org.

Dec. 5-6: For CPR’s Fall Movement program, where artists present new, fully-produced works, featured will be Justin Allen, Kaye Hurley, Nadia Khayrallah, Ibuki Kuramochi, Marie Lloyd Paspe, and Sylvain Souklaye. For more information visit cprnyc.org.

Dec. 9-14: LaTasha Barnes joins Caleb Teicher and collaborators Evita Arce, Nathan Bugh, and Eyal Vilner in “A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday” at The Joyce. For more in-

formation visit joyce.org.

Dec. 11 -13: Dominica Greene and Malcolm-x Betts share an evening of new dance works at Danspace Project. Greene’s new work “endlessend” considers all the variable outcomes in a game of life endings, while Betts’ “fly baby fly” is for his older cousin Michael, who died of AIDS. For more information visit danspaceproject.org.

Dec. 12: Princess Lockerooo’s “The NutWAACKer” is a Works & Process presentation at the Guggenheim that reimagines the holiday classic with the energy of New York City’s underground dance culture. For more information visit worksandprocess.org.

Dec. 12: For the celebration of the life and music of jazz legend Duke Ellington, the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, in association with the American Tap Dance Foundation, brings together a lineup of dancers, musicians, and vocalists at Symphony Space. For more information visit symphonyspace.org.

Dec. 14: The “Sundays on Broadway” series curated by Cathy Weis at WeisAcres closes the season with new and in-process works by Katrina Reid, Vicky Shick, and Demetris Charalambous & Quique. For more information visit cathyweis.org

Ephrat Asherie Dance (Maria Baravanova photo)

Now on view: A round-up of local gallery offerings

By MALCOLM JOHNSON Special to the AmNews

As temperatures drop, New York City’s artistic energy only rises. This December, the city offers a cornucopia of visual experiences, unfolding narratives, and new artists to discover.

“Confessions of Fire,” “No Pigs,” and “Gentle Tug on Thigh” are just a glimpse of what’s on view, but each brings an undeniable spark that art lovers shouldn’t miss.

Isaiah Davis’ “Confessions of Fire” on display through December 20

Forged in steel, Isaiah Davis’ “Confessions of Fire” reaches temperatures high enough not only to melt and mold heavy metal, but to reshape long-held tropes of Black masculinity. The Bronx native found the title and inspiration for this collection in rapper Cam’ron’s debut album. Cam’ron’s music compelled the masses, heads nodding in the shared rhythm of hip hop, but the album’s cover struck Davis just as deeply.

“The image printed itself onto my psyche,” Davis explained. “A man, Black like me, in heavy leather, with heavier equipment, at work in a rugged steel-mill environment.”

Davis charts his own coming-of-age in parallel with Cam’ron’s growth and selfdiscovery as a leader of ’90s hip hop. As he navigates aging and understanding, the steel matures as well. This inspiration becomes a constellation for his solo exhibition, each steel work a star to be marveled

at. A blacksmith in practice, he scorches imperfections, refines ruggedness, and unlocks the potential of heavy metal: his own alchemy of expression.

“This is a lifelong practice,” said Davis. “It’s heavy. It’s dangerous. But if you really want it, you do it.”

Though no literal human forms appear in the work, Davis still forges his own humanity by creating objects that recall bondage.

Observing the pieces, I’m reminded of artifacts left behind after a village has been plundered, evidence of beasts that once ruled but are unfit to survive in the present. Walking through the exhibit feels like moving through a museum; we witness the artist’s process of revolution, and what is left behind in its wake.

“I made these works to exist in the past, present, and future,” said Davis. “It’s always in dialogue. How it communicates with you now will shape how it speaks to you when you return to it.”

“Confessions of Fire” by Isaiah Davis will be on display at Kings Leap Fine Arts until December 20. For more information, visit kingsleapfinearts.com.

Omai Douglin’s “No Pigs” on display through December 13

Fans of “Animal Farm” rejoice. Omari Douglin’s “No Pigs” takes a life-or-death subject, one rooted in the deepest fears of Black America and displays it on a canvas in a style so whimsical it becomes almost fairytaleesque. The paintings in “No Pigs” recall political cartoons with their anti-authoritarian imagery, but in Douglin’s own words, “the

making of the paintings can serve as some kind of poetic justice.” “No Pigs” trades cops and glocks for pigs and paint.

Douglin’s inspiration for the series began after a trip to L.A., where he came across graffiti of a pig that burned itself into his imagination. What followed were experiments with bare pig outlines and small navy-blue cartoonish police hats. He cast tubes of paint as violent weapons. And with titles like “Pig Juice,” “France’s Bacon,” and “Baby Back Yorkshire,” each work offers a multilayered experience that extends far beyond visual enjoyment.

Douglin approaches composition with a distinctive eye, guiding viewers into an experience that unfolds in multiple directions. Entering the gallery forces your gaze not only side-to-side but also upward and downward, from floor to ceiling. Your vantage point shifts with the changing re-

flection of light on each image. The hues bend and shift as you scan each inch. As you move your body and eyes around the work, you begin to understand the depth of Douglin’s compositional journey.

“No Pigs” by Omari Douglin will be on display at Ramiken Gallery until December 13. For more info, visit ramikencrucible.com.

Jonathan Lyndon Chase’s “Gentle Tug on Thigh” on display until December 20

“Gentle Tug on Thigh” gives the viewer a riveting experience from the moment you cross the threshold. Jonathan Lyndon Chase explores the intersectionality of pleasure and the perverse. The artist’s style isn’t just raw, it’s rare. Chase toys with the fragility of the human body and with Black masculinity more broadly, using drawings and soft sculptures to reveal its vulnerabilities. In one image, men play basketball; in the next, the sexual energy between two subjects intertwines. It’s an indictment of desire and a rejection of the boundaries often imposed on it.

To view this work is to observe the exterior of masculinity as you think you know it. Familiar descriptors like “urban” and “rough” are tested and pushed. Chase challenges our assumptions on dress codes, hairstyles, AND facial expressions, even through the transformation of the gallery’s typically stark white walls, trading them for walls that resemble darkness. Chase breathes life into visions of alternative love and peace.

“Gentle Tug on Thigh” will be on display at Company Gallery until December 20. For more information, visit companygallery.us.

Isaiah Davids, “Remy” in the foreground, “1999” in the background (2025)

Jonathan Lyndon Chase, “Sleeping beauty” (2025) Jonathan Lyndon Chase, “Seeing gray” (2025) Omari Douglin, “Green Swine” (2025)

Africa Center’s ‘Visions of Sudan’ photo exhibit highlights resilience

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

The photography exhibition “Resistance in Memory: Visions of Sudan,” now showing at the Africa Center in East Harlem, features the work of 12 Sudanese photojournalists who have been documenting how Sudanese are surviving their nation’s ongoing civil war.

Since the country’s 2018-2019 revolution, ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have displaced nearly 13 million people, forced millions to flee into exile, and left many facing famine.

With the conflict continuing, Edith Arance, who curated “Resistance in Memory” in collaboration with Africa Center’s Evelyn Owen, explained that “these images honor the voices of Sudan’s youth, who documented their experiences during the eruption of war — leaving a powerful record of loss, grief, and hope.” The photographers, six of whom still live in the country, have created images that highlight the people still living in Sudan and trying to survive there. The exhibition also includes texts by New York-based Sudanese American poet Dalia Elhassan, who says she felt called on to help showcase the hope and pride in Sudanese heritage to New York audiences.

Suha Barakat’s “The Revolution, 2019” captures the excitement the Sudanese people felt during the 2019 change of government. A young woman is the focus of a street scene where crowds gather to welcome the soldiers who fought for the revolution. She seems so excited that she has to calm herself.

Al Mujtaba Ahmed shows how the devastation caused by subsequent raids and battles has led to fires that leave little for people to hold onto. In his piece, “The

Crown Among the Fire, 2024,” a man sits on the only remaining chair that provides him comfort, while behind him, his home has been torched. Meanwhile, Abdelsalam Abd Allah’s “The Road Traveled” (Kreinik, West Darfur, October 2024) highlights the bare feet of women who have had to walk miles with their children in tow, just to find water.

In Ammar Yassir’s “Coexistence, I Will Never Find Home” series, 2025, viewers see the haunting perspective of a Sudanese person who has fled violence and is trying

See AFRICA CENTER on page 31

Partnerships at the Davis Center that Put Harlem First

By Jenny Schulte Sponsored content by JPMorgan Chase

History will be made in Harlem this fall as New Yorkers lace up their skates and return to Central Park’s north end. The new Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center opens to the public on November 15, marking not just the debut of a stateof-the-art skating destination, but a reimagined model that puts Harlem and its community first.

Replacing the former Lasker Rink, the Gottesman Rink represents something far more ambitious. Operated by the nonprofit Central Park Conservancy with philanthropic support from partners including JPMorgan Chase, it’s built on a model that redefines what a public space can be: open, equitable, and deeply connected to the neighborhood it serves.

That vision guided every decision—from pricing and programming to the partners invited to help bring it to life. The Conservancy sought out organizations that share its mission to make the Park a true commons: a space where everyone can connect with nature, with neighbors, and with themselves.

With generous support from JPMorgan Chase, the Davis Center’s programming is designed to be inclusive and accessible. The goal is to make this space genuinely useful to local families year-round. Through this model, the Conservancy offers partner organizations free and discounted ice time—ensuring that local groups remain at the heart of the experience.

One of these organizations is Ice Hockey in Harlem (IHIH), a nonprofit offering local children high-quality hockey and enrichment programming at no cost. After operating at the Lasker Rink since 1987, IHIH will return to Central Park at the new Gottesman Rink this winter.

“Returning to the rink at the Davis Center is truly a full-circle moment for us,” said Malik Garvin, Executive Director at IHIH. “We and the Conservancy share a commitment to making this facility a place of learning, joy, and belonging. Their dedication to the Harlem community and to ensuring inclusive access aligns directly with our mission and makes this collaboration especially meaningful.”

Also returning this winter are the Central Park North Stars, an ice hockey team for athletes with developmental disabilities.

For Robert Epner, Founder and Director of the

North Stars, the Park is central to the team’s identity. “It’s such a treat to bring this experience to people with special needs in the world’s greatest park,” he said. “Being in nature is important for anyone, but for our players especially, it’s great they get outside and do this.”

And for these players, this season symbolizes more than a return—it’s the start of a new chapter filled with promise.

“Everybody at the Conservancy has been awesome to us,” said Bill Tobias, the team’s Head Coach and Manager. “They’ve given us access to the facility, helped with scheduling, and offered extra time for special events. It’s nice to know that we’re going back to something greater than before.”

But the impact goes beyond one facility. Partnerships like the one between the Conservancy and JPMorgan Chase show how public organizations can work hand in hand with community partners to create spaces that foster local ownership, pride, and opportunity—priorities JPMorgan Chase brings to its many community projects across New York City.

One such example is the ROOTED Wellness Series at the Davis Center this fall, which featured financial wellness workshops hosted by JPMorgan Chase on topics ranging from budgeting and saving to building credit and the path to homeownership. These events showcased both JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to Harlem’s success and the Davis Center’s role as a gathering place to empower its neighbors.

“Everything that Harlem stands for is what JPMorgan Chase stands for,” said Nichol King, New York City Market Director for Community Banking at JPMorgan Chase. “Love, happiness, financial wellness, investing in the neighborhood, and being proximate to the needs of your community.”

When shared values—like accessibility and community wellness—guide collaboration, the result is a public space that truly belongs to everyone.

Take it from Epner: “I’m just proud and grateful that we can be part of this. It’s such a beautiful facility—you don’t think cities can do this anymore. And not only did they do it, but we feel like this is ours too. It’s a nice feeling.”

Al Mujtaba Ahmed, “The Crown Among the Fire, 2024” (Photos courtesy of Africa Center)

“Premature Caretaking” by Marwan Mohamed

Christian McBride, Melanie Dyer

Bassist, composer, and ninetime Grammy Award winner

Christian McBride will begin an exuberant two-week residency at Gotham’s historical Village Vanguard on Dec. 2-7, with two sets at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

McBride opens in straight-ahead jazz mode, leading a trio featuring fellow Philadelphian guitarist and composer Kurt Rosenwinkel, a visionary bandleader in his own right, and the youngest member, drummer and composer Savannah Harris. As a bandleader, Harris led her own trio in 2023, and rounded out the inventive trio of Angelika Niescier and Tomeka Reid. She was awarded the Harlem Stage Emerging Artist Award in 2019.

His musical diversity stems from his ability to play within the core of jazz; he plays inside from the roots, infusing his own creativity as he swings out. His deeptoned bass glows in any genre –– having appeared on more than 400 recordings as an active contributor (sideman). During his journey, he has performed with a cross-section of musicians such as Sting, Queen Latifah, James Brown, Carly Simon, The Roots, Roy Haynes, and Herbie Hancock.

McBride’s hometown of Philadelphia was influential in developing his colorful music collage from the Heath brothers, Billie Holiday, Benny Golson, Johnathan Blake, Sr., the Sound of Philadelphia’s Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Billy Paul, and WDAS popular radio DJ Joe “Butterball” Tamburro, who played all the soul, R&B sounds of the day.

On Dec. 9 — 14, the bassist continues his Village Vanguard excursion in another configuration, pushing the music in yet another direction with Christian McBride Inside Straight. Two shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

McBride explores deeper elements of jazz with his established all-star lineup of alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Peter Martin, and drummer Carl Allen. Inside Straight reflects one of the many colors of McBride’s wide musical lens. For reservations, visit villagevanguard.com.

The viola’s caged existence in European classical music has evolved since the 18th century. During those most cultured bourgeois times, when the influential composer Wolfgang Mozart’s early pieces used the viola in more creative ways when he wrote his six string quintets. While it is still somewhat un-

usual to see a viola on the jazz front, the classically-trained violist and composer Melanie Dyer has become that deliberate viola voice. Her artistic freedom is expressed in creative improvisation across multiple art disciplines as a means of exploring her cultural heritage, reflecting and responding to lived experience in the 21st century.

She has recorded critically acclaimed albums with her ensemble WeFreeStrings, an improvising string/rhythm collective. Her vibrant viola has graced stages with such music innovators as Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra, Tomeka Reid, William Parker, Matana Roberts, and James Brandon Lewis.

On Dec. 5-6, at Mabou Mines Theater (150 First Avenue) Dyer will present her most emotionally riveting project to date “Incalculable Likelihood,” a creative improvised oratorio inspired by and featuring tape of the composer’s grandmother singing snippets of sacred songs (17 hymns she wrote and sang a cappella) as a member of the Church of God and Saints of Christ community, a now 120-yearold African American settlement in Virginia. “Incalculable Likelihood is a sonic reckoning of existence, what we experience as blacks in the U.S.,” said Dyer. “It reflects Black being, memory, existential resistance, and transcendence.”

Dyer began the challenge of composing “Incalculable Likelihood,” her first oratorio in 2022, with support from various grants that enabled her to premiere the piece at the 2024 Vision Festival. After attending the premiere, director Sandye Wilson came on to further develop the piece’s narrative and expand the libretto and stage direction.

“Writing the libretto was stepping into something new,” said Wilson. “It was out of my comfort zone, but that’s where we are in this world now.” Wilson and Dyer reunited as collaborators for the first time since meeting in the 1980s as members of the poetry performance group Gap-Tooth Girlfriends: The Third Act. For both of them, this piece is a return to lyrical art after decades of other creative pursuits — Dyer as an improvising violist and Wilson as a filmmaker, actor, director, and musician.

“It was an organic process; the music was telling me what it wanted to be. Sandye came in and brought it together –– creating ideas and narratives, researching music and imagery, and adding the libretto,” stated Dyer. “This oratorical form is sacred storytelling, the historical and spiritual aspects of the black existence with some significance.”

“Incalculable Likelihood” is cocreated and co-produced by Dyer and Wilson. The production features 13 musicians [some are members of Dyer’s core ensemble] and poets. “I am excited to be at this experimental theater space [Mabua Mines] as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. This is another step in music and theater. The likelihood of us being here at this time at this moment.” For tickets, visit mabuamines.org.

Melanie Dyer (Mariana Meraz photo)

Sandye Wilson (Dave Dja photo)

blind boys christmas with

featuring Angie Winans & Debbie Winans

Fri, Dec 19 @ 8PM; Sat, Dec 20 @ 8PM

Twelve-time GRAMMY®-winning gospel artist CeCe Winans lights up the holidays with joyful music. cece winans

Sat, Jan 24 @ 7 & 9:45PM

With a winning combination of class and sass, Sommore reigns as the undisputed “Queen of Comedy.” sommore

Christmas Show  Sun, Dec 21 @ 3PM

The GRAMMY®-winning gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama perform Christmas classics in this uplifting holiday show. of alabama

Sun, Feb 8 @ 7PM

Feel the incredible rhythms of DRUMLine Live, a synchronized stage show based on the HBCU marching band tradition. drumline live

Fri, Jan 16 @ 8PM

When GRAMMY® winner Avery*Sunshine sings, everybody glows. You’ll fall in love with her radiant voice and R&B/neo-soul originals.

new edition with

Fri, Feb 13 @ 8PM | Prudential Center

The New Edition Way Tour brings together three of music’s most enduring and influential acts. Experience these legends up close on a dynamic 360° stage.

STEM education racial disparities need a closer look, city councilmember says Education

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

City Councilmember Farah Louis is advocating for more equitable access for Black and Brown students, particularly girls, to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education across New York City’s public high school system, and has put forth new legislation to accomplish that goal.

The city started a major investment in STEM Matters NYC programs, and overall modernization of technology in schools, more than a decade ago under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But students of color and marginalized communities were already at a distinct systemic disadvantage when it came to building STEM literacy over the years. Studies showed that there was also a lack of culturally engaging curricular materials and diverse tech teachers.

Louis’ bill, Int 691, requires the Department of Education to study persistent racial and gender disparities in enrollment and retention for high school STEM education programs. It was signed into law by Mayor Eric

“By requiring the DOE to gather direct student feedback and report annually on enrollment, participation, and instructor diversity, we are delivering transparency, accountability, and a clear path toward a stronger and more equitable educational system,” said Louis, who chairs the Committee on Women and Gender Equity. “Every student deserves a fair chance to pursue high-quality STEM learning that leads to competitive careers and economic security.”

“We hear every day how bias and exclusion can limit young people’s sense of belonging — especially in STEM. This bill matters because it starts by listening to students themselves. When we understand why girls and students of color are being pushed out or overlooked, we can actually fix it,” said Emily May, Right To Be President and co-Founder. “Clear, annual data will help schools create safer, more welcoming STEM spaces where every student feels they belong. We’re proud to support a bill that puts student voices at the center of change.”

Adams on Nov. 25.

Councilmember Farah N. Louis (PODIUM) at City Council Pre-Stated Press Conference - November 25, 2025. (Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit photos)

New York City Councilmember Farah N. Louis at a council hearing on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.

of 375 was one of Harlem’s leading citizens. In a May 1955 profile in Our World magazine, the Port of Spain, Trinidad, native was characterized in the title as “Mr. Big.” “Financier, dentist, father, Dr. Charles (Nathaniel) Ford looms as one of Harlem’s wealthiest men.”

First reading it thirty years ago, I understood immediately, from an illustration showing Dr. Ford, his wife Ellen Ford, and their 14-year-old son, Charles, Jr. (one of five adopted siblings), that here was someone of extraordinary importance. How shocking then that today a Google search produces such modest results.

In the picture, there were the Fords, seated in their living room, a space, which, for the home of an African American at the time, was of unparalleled magnificence. It boasted an ornate Elizabethan-style molded plasterwork ceiling. There was an array of European porcelain ornaments on display. Most impressive of all was an imposing J. & L. Lobemeyer Maria Theresa cut-glass chandelier.

No other Black person in 1955 owned such a house. Very few had made such a long progression to gain such tremendous success. Having worked as a young man as a telephone mechanic helping to build the Panama Canal, Ford came to the U.S. in 1919. He worked as a servant and an elevator operator seeking to attend Howard University. To qualify for Howard, he was first required to do remedial work at Dunbar High School. After Ford graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, he soon learned that their credentials were not accepted in New York. Enrolling in the New York University School of Dentistry, by 1926, the first Black graduate of the NYU Medical program began practicing at 310 Lenox Avenue. He only retired 30 years later.

Real estate partnerships played a big part in Ford’s “side operations.” A co-owner of the Rockland Palace catering hall, after starting out as the apartment building’s elevator operator, Dr. Ford eventually became an owner of the Deerfield at 676 Riverside Drive, too. By the end of the 1930s, he owned the entire block of row houses on St. Nicholas Avenue, between 148th and 149th Streets (1896, Frederick Dinkelberg architect). He lived in the corner house at 400 West 149th Street and leased its twin, 403 West 148th Street, to Black beauty tycoon Rose Morgan. In 1945, the future, second Mrs. Joe Louis opened her first Rose Meta Black beauty spa here, the Rose Meta House of Beauty.

Most importantly, Dr. Ford was a founder of New York City’s first — and for two decades, only — Black-owned insurance company (chartered in 1945). The United Mutual Life Insurance Co. was the nation’s 11th largest, led by people of color. Starting in 1935 as a fraternal mutual aid association, it was headquartered in a building remodeled by Black architect John Lewis Wilson, which was built in 1908 as the Park

of Moravian tiles along with

& Tilford luxury grocery store (B. Hustan Simonson architect, today the Red Rooster Restaurant). In 1992, acquired by Metropol itan Life, United Mutual Life ceased opera tions, to vanish without a trace

Dr. Ford was 91 at his death in 1981.

Moving to Massapequa a decade earlier, according to his New York Times obituary, he was survived by three sons, Dr. Carlton Ford, Dr. Carlos Ford, William Ford Jr., and a daughter, Eloise Ford.

Dr. Ford had sold his remarkable BedfordStuyvesant dwelling to community legend Dr. Josephine English, a groundbreaking gynecologist. As entrepreneurial as Ford and also a graduate of Meharry Medical College, Dr. English delivered the daugh ters of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X. She also shrewdly amassed a substantial portfolio of Brooklyn real estate, including the Paul Robeson Theater.

Leased by her heirs to different not-forprofit community initiatives, 375 Stuyves ant Avenue became, variously, a haven for senior citizens, a crucible for the arts, and a school teaching entrepreneurship and youth development.

Subject to a tax lien, it has an order obtained by a majority of its owners for immediate sale, along with Dr. English’s other holdings.

An uncertain, potentially devastating future looms. Yet more community com mercial exploitation could easily compro mise this structure so identified with the Black experience. Though a part of the Bed ford-Stuyvesant Historic District, at this point, its extraordinary and irreplaceable interiors are not protected by landmark designation. This makes gaining city land mark status for the one-of-a-kind interiors surviving here imperative.

What can you do?

Please, before it’s too late, contact any his toric preservation advocate interested in African American heritage you can think of, including State Senator Cordell Cleare at: 212-222-7315 and 518-455-2441, the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission at: 212-669-7817, and his honor Mayor Eric Adams and Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani by calling 311 or writing them at City Hall, New York, NY 10007.

Composed

figurative corbels, the dining room chimneypiece is a tour de force. (Michael Henry Adams photo)

Health

Black Medicaid patients face deadly delays in opioid treatment

By JENNIFER PORTER GORE Word in Black

A new study finds Black patients face the steepest barriers to life-saving OUD medications as Medicaid cuts and federal program delays threaten to reverse recent progress on overdose deaths.

Over the last two decades or so, as America grappled with a deadly opioid epidemic, the Black community dealt with a full-blown crisis. From 2010 to 2019, according to data, Black people moved from being the least likely to die from opioid overdose to being more likely to die than white opioid users.

Now, a new, first-of-its-kind study published Monday offers clues about why.

Researchers found that Medicaid enrollees recently diagnosed with opioid use disorder, or OUD, are likely to wait up to six months before accessing treatment — and that Black patients face bureaucratic hurdles blocking them from potentially life-saving, anti-addiction drugs like methadone or naloxone.

The study results show that the widely accepted addiction protocol that would get OUD patients into treatment as soon

as possible isn’t being followed for Medicaid enrollees. This means they are less likely to receive the highly effective drugs that reduce opioid cravings.

But it also reveals how healthcare disparities may play a role in overdose deaths in the Black community — particularly since a disproportionate number of Black people rely on Medicaid for healthcare.

Peter Treitler, a Boston University professor specializing in substance use disorder and a co-author of the study, says the research underscores “the critical need for policies to ensure everyone can access treatment — regardless of where they live, their ability to pay, or other personal characteristics.”

But with drastic, mandated Medicaid cuts on the horizon, those policies may not arrive for the foreseeable future.

The study, conducted jointly by Boston University and Rutgers University, analyzed data of almost 1.2 million Medicaid enrollees who had been recently diagnosed with opioid use disorder. These include addictions to heroin, prescription pain relievers, and fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug. The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 64 and came from 44 U.S. states; many

also suffered from chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, and addiction to drugs other than opioids.

Black patients far less likely to have access to methadone or other treatments

Previous research shows medication treatment — including methadone and buprenorphine, which reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms — is highly effective in reducing the risk of opioid overdose. Another medication, naltrexone, blocks the effects of opioids.

The new study is among the first to analyze access to and effectiveness of all three medications in people newly diagnosed with OUD in the national Medicaid population.

Results showed what the authors describe as a ‘modest’ improvement — 27% to 34% — in the number of participants who received treatment within six months of diagnosis.

However, 69% of patients surveyed did not receive medication within that time frame. Black participants were a third less likely than white OUD patients to get a methadone prescription or other treatment.

Of the 31% of patients who received medication to treat their addiction, a small number experienced an overdose within 180 days. Overdose was much less likely, however, among those on methadone and buprenorphine than for those using naltrexone.

Timely access to medication is vital, Treitler and others said. Closing the access gap is crucial for individuals who have public or low-cost healthcare and need treatment for a dependency on heroin, painkillers, and other opioids.

To reduce barriers to access, the researchers are calling for reforms such as increasing the availability of ‘take-home’ doses of methadone, which drug users can self-administer without supervision.

“Interventions should increase the use of medications for opioid use disorder and provide supports that reduce treatment dropout,” the study says.

Budget cuts could trigger an overdosedeath resurgence

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued earlier this year showed the first significant national drop in overdose deaths since 2019: a nearly 27% reduction in opioid fatalities in 2024. But the death rates for Black Americans were still significantly higher than those of whites, and Black men are among the highest-risk groups nationwide.

In 2010, opioid overdoses among Black Americans started rising relative to the overall population. From 2019 to 2020, the rate exploded by 44%; it was the first time more Black Americans died from opioid

overdoses than white Americans.

The crisis is particularly acute among Black youth ages 15 to 24. Overdose deaths in that age range soared by an eye-popping 86% in 2020.

The researchers from Boston University and Rutgers University say the current barriers to access issues are particularly concerning. Their findings show that using medication to prevent overdoses can be highly effective.

Their results in particular indicate that methadone reduces overdose risk by 86% — the most significant reduction by a prescription — when compared to receiving no medication at all.

At the same time, the research also warns that pending cuts to Medicaid, the leading source of insurance coverage for addiction treatment in the U.S., will make matters worse. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which President Donald Trump signed into law in July, drastically shrinks the program’s budget.

That same month, the Trump administration delayed funding for the CDC’s critical Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program. The CDC proposed slashing the program’s budget by $140 million, roughly half of prior funding levels.

Addiction researchers warned the cuts “will cause approximately 156,000 people to lose access to treatment for opioid use disorder” and lead to roughly 1,000 additional overdose deaths each year.

At this point, there is no evidence that the delayed funds have been released.

The study’s authors urge policymakers to continue supporting Medicaid so overdose deaths can continue to decline. The OBBBA includes deep cuts to Medicaid and other drug-treatment programs. In 2021, over 1 million adults — roughly 2 in 10 Medicaid enrollees — were being treated for opioid use disorder.

“Increasing access to methadone may be crucial, given its large protective effect against overdose and the substantial policy and service delivery barriers to access.”

(Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)

areas of focus.

Levine says she is both “nervous and cautious” with regard to what legislative cuts will do in the long term to services like NYC Health and Hospitals and their impact as a network hospital or Federally Qualified Health Centers like Ryan Health in Manhattan.

“When you think about public health and what public health means, it is really looking at all the social and racial inequities, everything from environmental issues to maternal child health, to food insecurities, to immigration, to housing, to the data collection, to access to care. That’s what public health is,” Levine said. She says, cuts to agencies like the National Institute of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control all impact public health.

Levine says moving forward in addressing Harlem’s health inequities, as well as meeting the unique challenges of this administration, will require community leaders from all sectors, including local medical leaders, elected officials, attorneys, to interpret the laws and be able to develop

the best strategy, and community stakeholders such as block associations and community boards.

“It’s all of us,” Levine said. “When we think that the table is full, look around and say, who’s not here being represented?”

Last week, Donald Trump announced the government would not acknowledge World AIDS Day. Healthcare leaders across the country pushed back and commemorated the day of remembrance anyway.

“We’re not going anywhere. This administration can try to cancel World AIDS Day, but they can’t cancel our sort of love, our community, or commitment,” Levine said. She affirmed CUNY SPH would continue to amplify the occasion, which honors those who have been lost to the illness and those who continue to fight for solutions. “They can cancel it in D.C., if they want to, but that’s not going to stop me and others from just shouting a little louder.”

“(World AIDS Day) belongs to the people,” Levine continued, “and we have a responsibility to keep lifting our storytellers up and telling our story and demanding the resources and the respect that our communities require and need.”

from an art dealer. MFA Boston’s Art of the Americas Chair Ethan Lasser said he thinks they survived mostly from pure “benign neglect” in South Carolina because they were large and difficult to transport or break.

The MFA has two Drake pots, a “Poem Jar” and a “Signed Jar,” both from 1857.

The jar the Drake descendants sold back to the museum is similar to the 1857 pot on which Dave asks about his relations because he uses first-person language that suggests ownership — something that makes it especially powerful, Lasser said.

“Think of this as an enslaved person, speaking in the first person claiming authorship,” Lasser said.

In the poem, Dave writes: “I made this Jar = cash – / though its called = lucre Trash.”

On more than one pot, Dave writes “and Mark” next to his own name, suggesting he worked on the piece with another enslaved laborer. Oral histories indicate that Dave was disabled after losing a leg, although it’s unclear how, and may have needed help with his ce-

ramic work later in life.

His last surviving jar, made as the Civil War raged on in 1862, reads: “I made this Jar, all of cross / If you don’t repent, you will be lost.”

Researchers believe Drake died sometime in the 1870s after gaining his freedom in the Civil War. He is accounted for in the 1870 census, but not in the 1880 census.

For the Drake descendants, encountering Dave’s work has been both moving and difficult — a collision of pride in his artistry and grief for the conditions in which he lived.

Yaba Baker, who has a 17-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son, said the experience gave his family something they had never had before: a traceable link.

“I was able to turn to my son and say, ‘This is your lineage.’ Dave the Potter was not only a great artist — he resisted oppressive laws, even though he could have been killed for it,” he said. “That’s what you come from. Before, we didn’t have that link.”

Yaba Baker said he often thinks about the anguish Dave may have felt if, as some historians speculate, the poems on his jars were attempts to signal to family members sold away from him — a common trauma of slavery.

“I can’t imagine not knowing where my own kids are,” Baker

said. “Completing that circle is very moving for me.”

For his mother, Pauline Baker, discovering Dave’s story filled a void many Black families know intimately.

“If you’re not African American, you don’t understand the missing links in your history,” she said. “When you do find a connection, it becomes very personal.” She studies his life — the heat, the labor, the loss of a limb — and wonders how he managed such precision and focus. “He did not allow them to enslave his mind,” said Baker, 78, a retired speech pathologist who worked for three decades in Washington, D.C. public schools.

Since the MFA agreement was announced, the family has heard from museums and private collectors who hold Dave’s work and want to discuss what ethical restitution might look like for them as well.

Daisy Whitner said she felt her ancestor’s presence each time she slid her hand inside the jar.

“It broke my heart,” she said. “The outside is beautiful, but when you think about what he went through — sunup to sundown, in that South Carolina heat, on one leg — this poor man in bondage had no say in working so hard for nothing.”

After initially fearing that the building might be sold through a court order, BedfordStuyvesant residents and activists attending a meeting at the site on Nov. 22, learned that members of Dr. English’s family no longer want to continue the fight to own it.

Two of Dr. English’s three heirs have submitted a petition to the Kings County courts asking to sell the estate, citing mismanagement by the third heir. The petition to sell the property was filed based on claims by two of her sons, who alleged that the third son was negligent in failing to pay overdue property taxes that had accumulated over the years.

Because of unpaid taxes, the property was seized and sold at auction, according to NYC Finance Department records. Dr. English’s heirs challenged the sale in court but lost. At this point, activists fear that anyone interested in buying the property and gaining control of it could do so.

“So now we’re trying to mobilize,” Shanna Sabio, the co-founding director of the community design and development organization GrowHouse NYC, told the AmNews. GrowHouse NYC have been the leading advocate in a push to purchase the property. They already launched a GoFundMe campaign for funds to cover legal fees, stabilize and preserve the building, and ensure the continuation of existing programming.

the

— a 9-bedroom, 4-bathroom, 10,000-square-foot mansion — between $2 million and $4 million. GrowHouse NYC wants to acquire the property, along with two others once owned by Dr. English in the Fort Greene neighborhood, and hold and manage them all through the BLAC Land Trust to prevent them from being sold on the market.

“So, it’s not just about getting 7000 signatures — which is great,” Sabio said, “but about converting that support into actual dollars and accountability from elected officials who might have some funds in their budgets to put toward a purchase. That’s basically where we are. We’re against the clock, and we’re also in contact with the family’s attorneys to see what a down payment might look like.”

Activists are trying to secure the funds to buy the building by seeking support from city and state officials, philanthropic foundations, and community donors. Local politicians have offered assistance to keep the property in community hands.

“Saving the historic English Mansion at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue is a priority for me because it preserves Dr. English’s legacy, and reflects the cultural, architectural, and civic heritage of Bedford-Stuyvesant,” said State Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, who represents the district. “My office is actively working with state agencies, community partners, and advocates to identify the pathways and funding mechanisms that can support community acquisition and long-term stewardship of this beloved property.”

“The most powerful way for us to protect 375 Stuyvesant Avenue is by staying engaged and unified,” Zinerman continued. “When residents lift their voices, work alongside preservation partners, and help tell the story of this home’s significance, we strengthen every pathway toward commu-

nity ownership. Together, we can ensure this landmark remains a source of pride and purpose for future generations.”

City Council Member Chi Ossé’s office added that they are also reviewing the ongoing situation.

“We are in consistent communication with the family of Dr. English, community stakeholders, and intend to meet with the Attorney General’s office to seek further support,” Ossé said. “While we are still determining the best course of action, if the community identifies a viable path to purchase the property, our office will fully support that effort.”

Sabio told the AmNews that GrowHouse had also received promises of support from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office. A representative at James’ office told this paper that, “At this point, our office is only monitoring this situation at this location.”

Still, support from political representatives won’t be available until the next fiscal year, and activists want to have funds accessible immediately to prevent the buildings’ sale on the open market where it could fall into the hands of developers, and to start investing in repairs and restoration.

People interested in supporting the ongoing GoFundMe campaign or willing to volunteer their accounting, fundraising, or social media skills to help acquire and restore 375 Stuyvesant are encouraged to contact GrowHouse NYC via their website at https://www.growhousenyc.org/ or email shanna@growhousenyc.org.

Estimates value

house

Featuring opalescent festoons, the stained glass landing window was made by Heinigke & Bowen. (Michael Henry Adams photos)

Ailey Alvin

Continued from page 17

Explaining the inspiration for the work, Mack said, “When I knew that I was taking this role it was around the time of the Whitney Museum exhibit ‘Edges Of Ailey.’ Jamar and I were talking about the exhibit and dreaming about what we could make together and we started talking about these iconic images of Mr. Ailey in ‘Hermit Songs.’” Mack describes a memorable image of Alvin Ailey in a stunning backbend wearing harem pants with ropes wrapped around his chest, which she and Roberts were both transfixed by and which became the inspiration for his work set to a beautiful jazz score titled “Song of the Anchorite.”

Then there is the work Mack says she and Rushing settled on together — the inimitable late Ailey Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison’s “A Case of You.” “I realize ‘A Case of You’ has been like a marker throughout my Ailey career. The first rehearsals that I had with Ailey, Ms. Jamison had created it as a gift to Joan Weill on dancers Clifton Brown and Hope Boykin. When I joined in 2005, she embarked on

a new work called ‘Reminiscin’ ’ and positioned that duet, ‘A Case of You,’ inside of the larger work. I learned that piece during my first month of being at Ailey. Later, when I came back I was in the room with Ms. Jamison and she was reshaping it as a duet with Hope Boykin and Clifton Brown as the first cast and Jamar and myself as the second cast. So I performed this duet many, many times, during my time under her leadership and then, as you know, I left Ailey for almost three years total, but I graduated with my master’s degree and I was teaching at Webster University in St. Louis as a full-time professor and the Ailey company called to say ‘Ms. Jamison requests that you come back and perform ‘A Case of You’ with Jamar for her last City Center season before she retires.’ So of course I came back and I performed and instantaneously I was like ‘I don’t think I’m done dancing...’ Robert Battle was there, in the wings, literally, watching the rehearsals and seeing the performance and he came to me and said, ‘Alicia, I know you’re not done dancing. I can see it and it would be amazing if you came back under my direction.’ So it was ‘A Case of You’

that brought me back to Ailey, that brought me back to dancing, so I feel that it’s fitting to open our season with ‘A Case of You.’”

As the AILEY’s 2025 season at City Center begins, Mack shared her enthusiasm for what she says is “a company of artists capable of everything from classical to hip hop to work that draws on West African dance while also showing exceptional acting skills — dancers who are able to express this artform and its stories at the highest levels.” She also is quick to remind folks that AILEY is “the totality of it all” — an organization that includes the first company, Ailey II, and an incredible extension program “which fulfills the idea that dance is for everyone.” And, of course, there is also The Ailey School, including the Ailey/Fordham BFA program, she says. “We’re all under one umbrella and it’s wonderful.”

It is now December and time for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s City Center season. Mack is excited to note that “there’s going to be a lot of energy unleashed on that stage.” So, audiences need to buckle up and prepare to enjoy a beautiful ride with the AILEY. For more info, visit ailey.org.

Africa Center

Continued from page 23

to live elsewhere, yet still feels out of place.

In Marwan Mohamed’s “Premature Caretaking,” viewers confront how young children are forced to look after their siblings when parents die or leave them alone for long stretches.

In “Absent Presence, 2022,” photographer Altayeb Morhal describes snapping a picture of a young girl he met at a folk festival. “She had a distinct presence; her eyes constantly sought to re-

flect on those of the audience,” he notes in the caption. “Amani and her friends are street heroes, expelled to the margins of the common narrative, yet everpresent in every corner of Khartoum, and also in Omdurman and Bahri. My ears were drawn to their conversations and antics as they rummaged through trash in restaurants.”

The “Resistance in Memory: Visions of Sudan” exhibition is on view through March 22, 2026. For further information or to arrange visits, please contact The Africa Center at 1280 Fifth Ave in Manhattan; phone: (212) 444-9795.

YOU CAN’T REWIND A CRASH. Slow down.

“Absent Presence, 2022,” by Altayeb Morhal (Photo courtesy of Africa Center)

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Notice of Formation of LUNA THE CAT LLC

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M/WBE bids sought for 1060 Pacific Street Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 10. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

Notice of Formation of JOSEPHINE TOWERS PRESERVATION GP, LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/27/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of JOSEPHINE TOWERS PRESERVATION, L.P.

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Notice of Qualification of MOTEK FLATIRON LLC

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Notice of Qualification of MT 35HY HOTEL LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/25/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/17/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of 5E44 ST PH PURCHASER LLC

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Notice of Qualification of PEARL CARE 12, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/12/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/03/25. Princ. office of LLC: 220 5th Ave., 17th Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of WEQUONNOC VILLAGE PRESERVATION, L.P.

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Notice of Qualification of HANAOLIVIA LLC

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Notice of Formation of WASABI SUSHI BENTO 400 MADISON LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/19/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of ARRAS LIHTC OWNER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/27/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/24/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

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This is to announce that the next open meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy I Charter School Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 4:30 pm. The meeting will take place at 245 West 129th St, NY, NY.

Notice of Qualification of 419 MM MEMBER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/30/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/21/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to United American Land, LLC, 73 Spring St., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10012. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of BREC PARENT GP, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/23/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/25/25. Princ. office of LLC: 345 Park Ave., NY, NY 10154. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

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NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Plaintiff ‑against‑ CAROL M. KAGANOV INDI VIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE KAGANOV FAMILY REVOCABLE TRUST OF OCT 16, 2002 AS AMENDED AND RESTATED DEC 18, 2007, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 17, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. prem ises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.00986400000% common interest percentage.

This is a foreclosure on own ership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as re corded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $13,878.65 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 850077/2024.

CLARK WHITSETT, ESQ., Ref eree

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

DLG# 39637 {* AMSTERDAM*}

Notice of Qualification of 408 BWAY REALTY MEMBER, LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/30/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/21/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to United American Land, LLC, 73 Spring St., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10012. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of formation of Bluestone Mani LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/21/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to UNITED STATES CORPORATION AGENTS, INC. : 7014 13th Avenue Suite 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH. ST VACATION OWNERS ASSOICATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ CHARLES STANLEY LEE, DEBORAH SHIRLEY LEE, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 17, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. prem ises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .015171% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership inter est in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declara tions. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37.

Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Approximate amount of lien $21,690.45 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850270/2023.

ALLISON M. FURMAN, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

DLG# 39168 {* AMSTERDAM*}

Notice of Qualification of 22ND STREET 9DE LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/29/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/28/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19608. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of DE, Corps. Divs., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of HEED HEALTH LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/13/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/20/20. Princ. office of LLC: 52 Wooster St., Ste. 2, NY, NY 10013. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. DE addr. of LLC: Resident Agents Inc., 8 The Green, Ste. R, Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, P.O. Box 898, Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

American Insight Operations LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 9/10/2025. Office

location: 45 Rockefeller Plaza Floor 20 New York New York 10111 County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to:

American Insight Operations 45 Rockefeller Plaza Floor 20, New York New York 10111 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Brooklyn Point 47 LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/2/2025. Office: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The Ke Song Revocable Trust, 369 Lexington Ave, #3114, NY, NY 10017. Purpose: any lawful act.

Notice of formation of Octavio Valdes Advisory LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/22/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Octavio Valdes: octaviovald@gmail. com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of Inclusynth Consulting Group LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/24/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Christopher Schmidt: cschmidt@ inclusynth.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

PLAY WORLD USA LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/03/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 34 West 33rd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SOLLEVARE MONARCH LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/05/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 445 Park Avenue, Floor 7, New York, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of Stahl Solutions LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/10/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Harry Stahl: 88 Lexington Avenue, Apt 804. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

M/WBE bids sought for 760 East 239th Street Bronx NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 9. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Loan Funder LLC, Series 31312 , Plaintiff, vs . 236 West One Enterprises Inc. , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on September 17, 2024 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on December 17, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 236 West 136th Street, New York, NY 10030. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 1941 and Lot 49. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,541,954.90 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850683/2023. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK 21ST MORTGAGE CORPORATION AS MASTER SERVICER FOR CHRISTIANA TRUST, A DIVISION OF WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB AS TRUSTEE FOR KNOXVILLE 2012 TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST JIN HUA LIN, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 19, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse in Room 130, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on December 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 44-46 Market Street, Unit 10A, New York, NY 10002. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 274, Lot 1216. Approximate amount of judgment $831,930.17 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850085/2018. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 19-002279 87701

NEUTRALSMATTER LLC

Limited Liability Company

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/01/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 301 WEST 110TH STREET, Ste 6U, New York, NY 10026 Purpose: Any lawful act.

NH PROPERTY SERVICES

LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/16/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 28 W 38TH STREET, SUITE 8W, NEW YORK, NY, 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act.

M/WBE bids sought for 244 Ashford Street Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 9 Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., Plaintiff -against- MARINERS GATE, LLC, et al. Defendants. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated October 10, 2025 and entered on October 27, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 252 at the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York on December 17, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., the premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, known and designated as Block 699 and Lot 5 on the New York County Tax Assessment Map. A more complete description of premises is attached to the Judgment. Said premises known as 547553 WEST 27TH STREET, New York, NY, 10001.

Approximate amount of lien $40,906,865.06 plus interest & attorney’s fees as provided in the Judgment.

Premises will be sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and the Terms of Sale to be read at the auction. Index Number: 850355/2024. CLARK WHITSETT, ESQ., Referee MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP Counsel for Plaintiff 250 W. 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

THE Y3 COLLECTIVE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/01/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 188 LUDLOW STREET, APT. 20J, NEW YORK, NY, 10002, USA. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Lumina Next LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/1/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S #286218 , New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.

O'Rielly & Roche LLP Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/27/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 1330 Ave. Of The Americas, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10019 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Hunting Ridge Capital LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 6/23/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 144 E 24th Street. APT 1A, New York, NY 10010. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that a license, number NA-0340-25108546 for Iiquor, Wine, Beer & Cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell Iiquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 300 Audubon Ave, Store 3, New York, NY 10033, New York County for on premises consumption. El Tablon Latino , El Tablon Latino

NOTICE OF SALE

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF WELLS FARGO COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE TRUST 2016-C34, COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2016C34, BY AND THROUGH ITS SPECIAL SERVICER, LNR PARTNERS, LLC, Plaintiff v. 153 ELIZABETH STREET, LLC, 153 ELIZABETH HOTEL LLC, 30 KENMARE MASTER, LLC, EDMOND LI, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE CITY OF NEW YORK, and PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Defendants, Index No. 850275/2021. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision and Order on Motion dated August 8, 2024, which was duly entered in the above-entitled action and filed in the Office of the New York County Clerk on August 12, 2024 and December 26, 2024, as amended by the Decision & Order on Motion dated September 24, 2024, which was duly entered in the above-entitled action and filed in the Office of the New York County Clerk on September 26, 2024 (the “Judgment”), I the undersigned Referee in said Judgment named, will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at Room 130 of the Courthouse, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, New York, the premises directed by said Judgment to be sold. The premises will be offered for sale, as one parcel, on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. The premises therein described are located at 153 Elizabeth Street, New York, New York 10023, also known as Block 479, Lot 29 on the Tax Map for the County of New York, together with the buildings, improvements, fixtures, machinery, equipment, personalty and other rights or interests of any kind or nature located thereon, and more particularly described in the Judgment.

The premises will be sold subject to the provisions of the filed Judgment, Index No. 850275/2021, and the Terms of Sale , all of which are available from plaintiff’s counsel upon request.

The approximate amount of the Judgment, for the property referred to therein, is $35,312,720.52, plus interest and costs, as provided in the Judgment. The successful bidder will be required to deposit 10% of the bid by certified or official bank check, unendorsed, made payable to the Referee.

Scott H. Siller , Esq., Referee ( 516) 644-6769

Herrick, Feinstein LLP, Attorneys for Plaintiff, Two Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016, (212) 592-1461, Attention: Scott T. Tross, Esq.

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that a license, number NA-0370-25106260 for Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a Bar/Tavern under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 11 East 36th St, New York, NY 10016, New York County for on premises consumption. Gingerwood Bar LLC, The Ginger Man

Notice of formation of 3DR Entertainment LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/19/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to James Kuhn: 125 Park Avenue, New York NY, 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

ABINGTON VILLAGE LLC. App. for Auth. filed with the SSNY on 10/24/25. Originally filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on 10/22/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C., 377 Broadway. New York, NY 10013. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of Endo Exo Studio LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/24/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc.: 7014 13th avenue, suite 202, brooklyn, ny, 11218. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of MELISSA STANGER LCSW, PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/23/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 5 East 16th St., 6th Fl., NY, NY 10003. Purpose: Licensed clinical social work.

Notice of formation of Five Iron Golf Shaker Heights LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/14/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Jared Solomon: 883 Avenue of the Americas, FL 3, NYC, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of Wellbeeings LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/18/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc.: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

M/WBE bids sought for 1718 Crotona Park East Bronx, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 11. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

M/WBE bids sought for 18-25 Cornaga Avenue Queens, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 11. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

M/WBE bids sought for 2433 Atlantic Ave construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 11. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details

Cancer rates

Continued from page 13

Notice of formation of Dolce Cultural LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/30/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Daniel Cooperman: 214 W 82nd Street 5B, New York, NY 10024. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of DAVIDSON GI, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/07/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 24 W. 40th St., 16th Fl., NY, NY 10018. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Peter Davidson, c/o Aligned Climate Capital at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of formation of Flight 13 LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/16/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Dominic Palombo: 171 E 77th Street 5F New York, NY 10075. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of GOLDEN LUCY HOLDINGS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/18/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Ani Gabrellian, 450 E. 83rd St., Apt. 20B, NY, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of JDJ LEGACY GROUP, LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/07/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Julie Kessler LLP, 60 E. 42nd St., 46th Fl., NY, NY 10165. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of 1313 SIGN COMPANY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/16/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 450 Seventh Ave., 45th Fl., NY, NY 11418. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

This is to announce that the next open meeting of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 4:30 pm. The meeting will take place at 245 West 129th St, NY, NY.

M/WBE bids sought for 28 Havens place Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 10. Contact bidding@taxaceny. com for details

1 • February 20, 2025 - February 26, 2025

101 LEGAL NOTICES

Notice of formation of PIERRE AMOUR LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/20/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to PIERRE AMOUR LLC: 200 W 20th street, #212, New York NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #NA-0340-25103028 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a restaurant under the ABC Law at 994 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10025 for on-premises consumption; Limone LLC

NOTICE is hereby given that a license, number NA-0370-24135212 for liquor, wine, beer & cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell liquor, wine, beer & cider at retail in a bar/tavern under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 4371 3rd Ave; Bronx, NY 10457 in Bronx County for on premises consumption. Zion Restaurant and Lounge Corp d/b/a Zion Restaurant and Lounge

Notice of formation of Luxe Contracting Group LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/21/25. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Luxe Contracting Group LLC: 25 Joseph St Manalapan NJ, 07726. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of PATRICIA LANE LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/07/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of 4 CHEQUIT AVENUE LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/17/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 14 Sutton Pl. South, Apt. 7B, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of LITTLE EGG PRODUCTIONS LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/23/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 321 President St., Apt. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11231. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Rose Gendelman at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Stillwater Mental Health Counseling, PLLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NYSS on 09/19/2025.

Office:New York County.

NYSS designated for service of process;mail to 642 West 172nd Street #54 New York, NY 10032.

Purpose:Mental Health Counseling.

Notice of Formation of EASTVIEW 400 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/18/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Ani Gabrellian, 450 E. 83rd St., Apt. 20B, NY, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

101 LEGAL NOTICES

J AND J WARRIOR LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/27/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 872 Madison Avenue, #2A, New York, NY 10021. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

M/WBE bids sought for 481 Dekalb Ave Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on December 10. Contact bidding@taxaceny. com for details

Notice of Qualification of AP CREDIT SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS (AIV) II, L.P. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/08/25. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/26/24. Princ. office of LP: Attn: General Counsel, 9 W. 57th St., 43rd Fl., NY, NY 10019. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the Partnership at the princ. office of the LP. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with The Secy. of State of the State of DE, Dept. of State, Div. of Corps., John Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

101 LEGAL NOTICES

195 HELP WANTED 195 HELP WANTED

ucation program that teaches low-income Americans how to make healthy and cost-effective choices. Meanwhile, tariffs and immigration raids have made healthy eating even more expensive, as wholesale vegetable costs skyrocketed in July by nearly 40%, the largest one-month increase in almost a century.

Occupational Therapist Priority Care Staffing. Full time. Bronx. 75,712/year (36.4/ hour) Evaluate patients’ conditions; Develop and implement treatment plans; Demonstrate exercises to help relieve patients’ pain; Evaluate results and progress of occupational therapy on patients; Educate caregivers and family members of clients on patient care. usotjobs@prioritycarestaffing. com.

Adams indictment

Continued from page 4

Adding to the problem, Medicaid cuts passed in the Republicans’ recent bill will make cancer screening and care less accessible to millions. NYC outreach initiatives like the Citywide Colorectal Cancer Control Coalition have helped bring colon cancer screening for Black New Yorkers to the highest rates of any race at 76%, compared to nationally where Black people still lag behind. Such gains were driven in part by expansions in Medicaid coverage that are now set to be reversed, putting health insurance and critical preventative care at risk for over 11 million Americans, disproportionately people of color. And exercise, another key factor in reducing cancer risk, will become all the more difficult in the face of Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to cities, including his threats to send troops to New York City in response to Mamdani’s win. Such actions not only fail to address public safety issues but also create unsafe environments for Black and Brown communities that have historically strained relationships with law enforcement.

Community leaders, medical professionals, and legislators must work together to address the widening gaps affecting our most marginalized. On the most basic level, they must educate residents on making healthier yet realistic choices — opt for leaner cuts of meat; try baking and grilling instead of frying; consider broccoli (frozen is often cheaper and still nutritious) and beans as fiber-rich sides; try home exercises using household items. This education can happen in schools, community centers, churches, and clinics. In Houston, for example, the local cancer

center partnered with community sites to offer colon cancer workshops, including healthy cooking demonstrations and workout classes. Perhaps most important, however, is improving systems to make healthier individual choices possible. Mamdani’s plan for city-run grocery stores selling food at wholesale prices to increase affordability is an important step. In the wake of SNAP cuts, food banks and mutual aid initiatives will be crucial stopgaps. New Yorkers can donate to and volunteer with organizations like Food Bank for NYC and Hunger Free NYC, which are helping curb food insecurity among low-income residents. They can also organize fundraisers among colleagues, friends, and family to support these efforts. The NYC Directory of Resources + Aid provides a helpful map of food distribution centers across the city and allows New Yorkers to add resources and sign up for canvassing to share food distribution information. With bodegas outnumbering supermarkets 13 to 1, initiatives like Shop Healthy NYC! have been critical for increasing healthy food access and reducing the advertisement of unhealthy food at these local establishments. Community members can partner with the initiative to “adopt a shop” and improve food options. People’s lifestyles, and their consequent risks for diseases like colon cancer, are shaped by systemic factors that have made access to the “right” choices more difficult for many. Centering access, especially as this administration further strips Americans of the bare minimum, is critical for defending the health of our communities that need it most.

Tania Fabo, MSc, is an MD-PhD candidate in genetics at Stanford University, a Rhodes scholar, a Knight-Hennessy scholar whose PhD research focuses on the interaction between genetics and diet in colorectal cancer risk, as well as a Paul and Daisy Soros fellow, and a Public Voices fellow of The OpEd Project.

James Solomon wins Jersey City runoff election, beating scandal-plagued ex-governor Jim McGreevey

GOUVERNEUR GARDENS

*Subject to change. **Based upon the number of persons in household. OCCUPANCY STANDARDS: ONE BEDROOM: One to three people. THREE BEDROOM: Four to Six people. NOTE: A single parent with two children remains eligible for a three-bedroom apartment, regardless of gender. IMPORTANT NOTICE: (FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION)

• Applications are not transferable.

• Current Shareholders cannot apply.

• Applicants must be financially responsible.

• Applicants must be a New York State resident.

• Applicant must be at least 18 Years old at the time of the lottery.

• Preference will be given to documented veterans selected in the lottery.

• Any applicant that does not have the proper family composition will automatically be disqualified.

• Applicants can only be on one waiting list at a development. If applicants have the right family composition, they can apply to more than one lottery. However, if they are selected for more than one lottery, they will have to choose which waiting list they prefer.

• ONE REQUEST ONLY PER APPLICANT. Any applicant placing a duplicate request will not be entered into the lottery. An applicant can only submit a paper entry or an on-line entry. If applicants enter on-line and also mail in a letter or postcard, they have submitted a duplicate request and will not be eligible for the lottery.

• An applicant whose name is selected in a lottery cannot be included in the family composition of any other applicant who is selected in the same lottery for that particular housing company development. Failure to comply will result in the disqualification of both applicants.

Additional Information: A non-refundable $75 application fee applies to applicants selected in the lottery. A waiting list will be established, with 300 applicants chosen for the One-bedroom and 200 applicants selected for the Three-Bedroom units.

HOW TO APPLY: ONLINE You can now apply to a lottery online through Housing Connect. Applying is fast, easy and you will be able to check the status of your entry to see if you have been selected. To apply on line go to: https://housingconnect.nyc.gov/PublicWeb/

BY MAIL You must submit your application by regular mail using a postcard or envelope. Registered and certified mail will not be accepted. Clearly print your full name, current mailing address, date of birth, and the

size lottery you are applying for. If you do not include your date of birth or fail to indicate the

size, your application will not be entered into the lottery. Mail your completed postcard or envelope to the following address:

By EMMA DELAHANTY Special to the AmNews

City Councilmember James Solomon won the Dec. 2 Jersey City runoff mayoral election, defeating former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey more than two decades after he resigned from the position in a scandal, according to The New York Times.

The original election took place Nov. 4, but neither candidate received more than 50% of the votes, triggering a runoff. On Tuesday night, however, Solomon bested McGreevey with 68% of the votes.

“Tonight is a win for Jersey City against the corrupt political machine,” said Solomon in his victory speech. “The victory is about more than policies and programs; it’s about people.”

The Democratic candidate, Solomon, 41, ran on the assurance of giving residents a pause on the increase of commercial growth over the past 20 years, with a promise to “stand up against big developers,” the Times reported.

“This is just the beginning, and together, we will create a Jersey City as good as its people,” he said.

Solomon has been on the city council in Jersey City since 2017 and in the initial election, he was one of seven candidates competing for votes. His platform of affordability echoes those of many politicians around the country, who wish to address the rising costs of living in America.

“Now the mission is clear, and the work

begins tonight,” Solomon said in his victory speech. “And the work we have to do is making Jersey City affordable. So I say tonight, an affordable Jersey City starts now.”

The former governor, who resigned in 2004 over a sex scandal, had backing from other Democrats, spent two years campaigning for the election and raised over $5 million.

After his defeat, McGreevey said, “I want to say, from my heart, I congratulate Councilman — now Mayor-elect — James Solomon.”

The Dec. 2 election saw low voter turnout, with only 34,072 out of the 170,000 registered Jersey City voters submitting their ballots. A census report found that 17% of Jersey City residents live in poverty and around 40% are foreign-born.

New Jersey Working Families State Director Antoinette Miles said in a statement, “Election Day is not the finish line, it’s the starting line. The NJ Working Families Party is ready to get to work with James Solomon to deliver on the promises of a more affordable Jersey City. The Working Families wave in Hudson County is just beginning.”

Many in the community trust Solomon to be the change in Jersey City.

Dennis Trainor, CWA District 1 Vice President, said, “James Solomon’s vision is for a Jersey City that works for everyone. His integrity, his grassroots campaign, and his proven record of fighting for working people stand in stark contrast to the establishment politics of his opponent.”

Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon speaks to his supporters after winning the mayoral election during a watch party, Tuesday, Dec. 2. (Yuki Iwamura/AP photo)

Emory University-bound Lena Rodriguez looks ahead to new challenges

By TYRESE ALLEYNE-DAVIS Special to the AmNews

November 14, 2025 was a big day for Long Island native and senior combo guard Lena “Lockdown Lena” Rodriguez, who announced her much-anticipated collegiate basketball commitment after receiving a plethora of offers from schools including Dartmouth University, American University, Loyola University, and New York University, just to name a few. Rodriguez ultimately chose Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to spend the next four years expanding her game, and pursuing academic paths.

For Rodriguez, the game of basketball was not a sport that she immediately envisioned herself playing. “I was more invested in gymnastics growing up. I was definitely a late bloomer when I developed my love for the game,” she recalls.

Rodriguez would spend her sixth-grade through tenth-grade years at Long Island Lutheran High School, a very respected program in the PSAA basketball division. After some consideration and the realization that she needed an environment that would allow her to feel more comfortable while growing as a player,

Rodriguez decided to reclassify and transfer to Blair Academy in New Jersey, whose alumni include former NBA players Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva, current Houston Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey, and Golden State Valkyries WNBA player Temi Fagbenle.

From the moment she stepped on her new campus, Rodriguez’s game elevated. Refining her natural defensive skill set with basketball trainer Steven Johnston from Nodat Training, her playing time began to increase. She collected key steals, applied perfect-

After a successful debut season, Unrivaled coaches prepare for the new campaign

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

At Unrivaled, the dynamic 3x3 league that kicks off its second season on Jan. 5, there are several developments gaining attention. One, the league has expanded from six teams in its inaugural season to eight teams. Two, the league, which is based in Miami, will take a road trip, playing two games in Philadelphia on January 30. Third, Paige Bueckers was the number one pick, chosen by the Breeze. Fourth, there will be a developmental pool with six young players.

Fifth, which is of particular note, five of the league’s head coaches are Black women. Nola Henry and Teresa Weatherspoon return for a second season. Joining them are Rena Wakama, Roneeka Hodges, and Noelle Quinn.

“Representation matters. …

I’m looking forward to being able to stand next to my sisters,” said Wakama. “What we want everyone to know is yes, we’re five Black women, but we’re five Black women who are qualified to do a job that we love,” said Weatherspoon.

“It’s not by accident,” said Quinn, who spent five seasons as head coach of the Seattle Storm. “I believe it’s intentional. Unrivaled is leading the way in showing that Black women are capable, and giving us an opportunity is important. Representation is possible when leadership chooses to make it possible. Blessed to be a part of the league standing on intentionality behind diversity and hiring women of color.”

Quinn watched games during Unrivaled’s inaugural season and has been studying film in preparation, but knows there will be a learning curve in understanding how she wants to approach

teaching her young team. In addition to Bueckers, are Cameron Brink, Dominique Malonga, Kate Martin, Rickea Jackson, and Aari McDonald. “The advantage, I think, of right off the top is the pace,” said Quinn.

Weatherspoon, who will again coach Vinyl, described Unrivaled action as fun, exciting, and energetic. Rae Burrell, Dearica Hamby, and Rhyne Howard return to Vinyl, joined by Brittney Griner, Erica Wheeler, and Courtney Williams (the Stud Budz will be opponents as Natisha Hiedeman is playing for Hive).

“Last season was an incredible run,” said Weatherspoon. “We got a real good feel of what the league was like and then understood what it took for us to get into the finals, the style of play that was necessary. When you take a look at our [2026] team, I feel like we have everything we need.”

UCLA star Kiki Rice and Kiyomi McMiller of Penn State.

With the buzz around her name growing steadily after winning the Nike Elite Youth basketball AAU championship and previously being a part of the Long Island Lutheran High School championship team as a sophomore, Rodriguez and her Blair teammates have gone ahead to capture the girls’ championship of the MidAtlantic Prep League every year since her arrival.

Rodriguez is proud of her success on the court, but she realizes that this journey and the next chapter serve a bigger purpose.

“Although I am forever grateful for the game of basketball. My goal is not to go to the WNBA. I’m interested in becoming a doctor in the orthopedics field, to help athletes find solutions after injuries.”

ly timed defensive pressure, and displayed quick footwork, not allowing players to blow past her. Rodriguez’s defensive prowess earned her the moniker “Lockdown Lena.” She later solidified her reputation after going up against players such as current

As she approaches the end of her senior year, Rodriguez is laser-focused on the changing pace of college-level games. She looks to continue to sharpen her defensive skills while learning to grow into a vocal leader on the court, which will only add more value to the type of player she has built herself into. Rodriguez is focused and ready to embrace all of the challenges and triumphs that her college career has in store for her.

High School basketball standout Lena Rodriguez will be attending Emory University next year. (Lena Rodriguez photo)

Teresa Weatherspoon (right), a New York Liberty icon and Unrivaled basketball league coach, pictured with player Dearica Hamby last season. (Unrivaled photo)

The Nets’ young group makes encouraging strides in a season of growing pains

By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews

A little over six weeks into the NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets have seen wins come few and far between. A 116–103 home victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday at Barclays Center improved their record to 4–16 before they played the Bulls in Chicago last night (Wednesday).

While the Nets are entering each game with the purpose of emerging with a W, the development of the young players is also a priority. In last Friday’s 115-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center, 6’8” guard Egor Dëmin, the Nets’ top selection (No. 8 overall) among the five 2025 first-round picks they have on their roster, posted a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds.

The following night in Milwaukee, 6’11” forward Danny Wolf, who was taken No. 27, led the team with 22 points, including five threepointers.

“It’s always good to get an opportunity,” Wolf said after playing a career-high 30 minutes. “They say be ready, and I try my best to do that.

And [it] felt great to get out there, and have an opportunity, and try to do what I could to help the team win. Obviously, we fell short, and

that’s what matters.”

The Nets are hoping to make good on some of their first-round bets, which, along with Dëmin and

Wolf, include point guard Nolan Traoré (No. 19), guard Drake Powell (No. 22), and guard Ben Saraf (No. 26). The Nets acquired Powell in a

draft-day trade after he was picked by the Atlanta Hawks. Based on statistical data, it’s a low probability that all of them will be with the Nets beyond their rookie contracts. But if two or three can grow into mainstays of Brooklyn’s rotation over the next two or three years, or become valuable trade assets that will yield necessary pieces that help them achieve their goal of becoming a playoff contender — and the highest aim of competing for a league title — then the 2025 Draft will be looked at as a foundational night for the franchise. They already have some other young building blocks such as 21-year-old forward Noah Clowney. Now in his third NBA season, the 6’10” forward scored a career-best 31 points last week against the New York Knicks in a 113-100 loss at Barclays Center. Clowney has displayed the potential to someday be a focal point of a winning squad but his shooting percentage and rebounding (40.8% and 3.5 reb this season, respectively) before facing the Bulls must drastically improve. Brooklyn will host the Utah Jazz tonight and the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Jackson State and Prairie View A&M make final preps for the SWAC championship

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

When Deion Sanders departed Jackson State University in December 2022 to become the head coach for the University of Colorado, he left an indelible legacy after reviving the HBCU’s program. Prior to Sanders’ arrival in Jackson, Mississippi, in September 2020 to head the football operations, JSU had not won a Black college national championship since 1996 and had last claimed a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship in 2007.

After going 4-3 in the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020-21, Sanders led the Tigers to records of 11-2 and 12-1 in the two campaigns that followed, winning the SWAC title in both and playing in the Cricket Celebration Bowl (the HBCU national championship game) — falling to the South Carolina State Bulldogs in 2021 and the North Carolina Central Eagles in 2022.

But Sanders’ successor, and former offensive coordinator, Thomas “T.C.” Taylor, who Sanders strongly lobbied Jackson State’s key decisionmakers to re-

place him, achieved what the Pro Football Hall of Famer and College Football Hall of Famer did not: a win in the Celebration Bowl. Taylor, who played quarterback and wide receiver for JSU from 1998 to 2001 and took over the Tigers in 2023, guided the team to a 28–7 win over South Carolina

State in 2024. He now heads into Saturday’s matchup against Prairie View A&M at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium — JSU’s home field — seeking back-toback SWAC championships and a return to the Celebration Bowl. The game kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Whichever team comes out on top will face MEAC champion South Carolina State on December 13 at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium in the 10th edition of the Celebration Bowl.

Jackson State, 9-2 overall, won the SWAC East title with a 7-1 conference mark. Alabama State

(10-2) was also 7-1 in conference play but JSU’s head-to-head 38-34 home victory on October 11 over the Hornets gave them the tiebreaker. Prairie View (9-3), with head coach Tremaine Jackson at the helm, took the West title at 7-1 in conference. Coach Jackson, in his first season with the Panthers, won Gulf South Conference titles in 2023 and in 2024 in three years at NCAA Division II Valdosta State. “A lot of good players that’ll be on that other sideline. A lot of good coaches, so we gotta bring our A-game,” said Taylor on Monday of JSU’s upcoming battle with Prairie View. “Any time you talk about the last two teams standing in the conference you know it’s the making of a good football game this weekend.”

On Tuesday, Jackson was named the SWAC Coach of the Year and Panthers running back Chase Bingmon the conference’s Freshman of the Year. Jackson State defensive lineman Quincy Ivory earned Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors after transferring from the University of Florida. Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body was named Offensive Player of the Year.

Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney slams in two of his 18 points against the Charlotte Hornets at the Barclays Center on Monday night in his team’s 116-103 victory. (Bill Moore photo)

Jackson State head coach, T.C. Taylor, on the sideline during the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl. (Associated Press/Cecil Copeland photo)

Harlem native and trailblazing fencing coach Dr. Nikki Franke honored by the NCAA

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

Dr. Nikki Franke, the long-time coach of Temple University’s women’s fencing team, was recently announced as the recipient of the NCAA’s 2026 Pat Summitt Award. Named for the late University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach, the award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated devotion to the development of college athletes and made a positive impact on their lives.

“I always admired [Pat Summitt’s] ability to get the most out of her athletes and to be someone that they knew really cared about them but still held them accountable,” said Franke, who retired as Temple’s fencing coach in 2022. “Receiving this award is a wonderful recognition for not just me but for what we developed at Temple.”

Raised in Harlem, Franke started fencing when a physical education teacher at her high school started a

fencing club. She attended Brooklyn College, where she honed her skills as a competitive foil fencer, reaching the elite level of the sport and competing at the 1976 Olympics.

Knowing she wanted to pursue graduate school, her mother and her college coach convinced her to leave New York City and attend

Temple University in Philadelphia, where she accepted a graduate assistant position with the fencing program and studied for her master’s degree in public health. Seeing that men’s fencing was a varsity sport but women’s fencing was a club sport, she became instrumental in securing varsity status for

women’s fencing.

Franke went on to earn a doctorate and became a professor in Temple’s Department of Public Health, where she served until 2019, while continuing as the head foil coach of Temple’s nationally recognized fencing team. She became the first woman of color to coach a fencing

team to an NCAA title. Developing her student-athletes, who earned 35 All-America honors, was a priority.

“Setting standards, setting expectations, and focusing on the importance of good communication — not just between me and my athletes, but the athletes amongst each other, so they knew that they were there to support and help each other,” said Franke, who also spent years involved with the NCAA’s fencing committee working to have a positive impact on collegiate fencing. She embodied the message that education is as important as athletics.

“I was actually the first academic advisor for women’s athletics,” said Franke, one of the founders of the Black Women in Sport Foundation.

“I stayed at Temple because it gave me an opportunity to do the two things that I really love, which were coaching and teaching. … It’s so important that we give young people opportunities because you never know what will develop.”

Dr. Jonathan Howe collaborates with Black Student-Athlete Summit to promote innovation

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Dr. Jonathan E. Howe, an assistant professor in Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Dr. Leonard Moore, a University of Texas at Austin professor and founder of the Black StudentAthlete Summit, have launched a new certificate program, Sport Leadership and Innovation. The program is particularly relevant in the rapidly changing world of college athletics.

Howe anticipates those taking part in this initial cohort will be administrators, although the program is also open to coaches and student-athletes near graduation and desirous of entering athletic administration. The program will be held on an online platform, with two modules, six lessons in each. There will also be video content created by Howe and Moore.

“There will be a series of professional development and leadership assignments,” said Howe, author of “Playing the Game, SelfPresentation, and Black Male College Athletes: A Critical Understanding of the Holistic Experience.” “We designed these assignments … for participants to really be introspective. Encouraging them to write out goals for how they’re going to be a better leader. Thinking about specific examples that they’ve gone through in their

“This certificate program is designed for professionals in college athletics administration,” said Howe. “This program is one of the first of its kind to provide a platform for learning, for critical insight that will push them to be better managers, and be better leaders. We all know that the landscape of college athletics is changing by the minute, so we want to provide a platform to critically challenge how they lead and think about innovation and creativity within their specific sport organization.”

athletic department … and how after learning this content, they can potentially go about those situations in a different manner.”

Officially launching this week, the program is designed so that participants can complete it at their own pace. The goal for this initial group of 25 is to complete the program by the time of the 2026 Black Student-Athlete Summit, which will take place May 20-23 at the University of Oregon, so the certificates can be presented then. Howe noted that the forum is a place for discussing a range of issues in college sports, and this certificate program promotes thought leaders.

“We will have a series of online check-ins when we’ll host live sessions for all of the cohort to be able to use that as a community building space, but participants can log on to the platform whenever they have time to complete the work,” said Howe. “We want to build something that’s sustainable.”

Continued from page 40

this juncture in the NBA season, standings are fluid. A single win or loss can possibly elevate or drop some teams two spots. For example, when the league’s

schedule tipped off last night, the Knicks were just one game behind the second place Toronto Raptors, which were 15-7, half a game behind No. 3 Miami Heat (14-7), half a game ahead of the No.5 seed Orlando Magic (13-8), and one full game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta

Hawks, Nos. 6 and 7 respectively, which were both 13-9.

While the novelty and luster of the Emirates NBA Cup has faded, the tournament has still retained more than moderate fan interest and financial implications. In its third year, the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, the past

two winners, did not make it out of group play to this year’s quarterfinals. But the Knicks did, ending the four-game slate 3-1, the best record in the four-team Group C.

They will play the Raptors (4-0 in cup play) next Tuesday in Toronto. The Miami Heat will meet the Magic in Orlando next Tuesday in the other

East contest. Out West, the Phoenix Suns will be in Oklahoma City to challenge the Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will be in Los Angeles to clash with the Lakers.

Before the Cup, the Knicks will play the Utah Jazz at MSG tomorrow and the Magic at the Garden on Sunday (12 p.m.).

Dr. Jonathan Howe has co-developed a certificate program relevant to today’s collegiate landscape. (Dr. Jonathan Howe photo)

Dr. Nikki Franke with Temple’s foil team at the 2021 NCAA Championships. (Temple Athletics photo)

Harlem teenager Kahlil Gordon to compete in national boxing tournament

By DERREL JOHNSON

Special to the AmNews

From the outside, Democracy Prep Charter High School senior Kahlil Gordon looks like the average teen. He wakes up five days a week to go to school. On weekends, he works a part-time job at his deceased great-grandmother’s famous Harlem soul food eatery, Sylvia’s Restaurant. But what Gordon does after school during the week sets him apart and makes him an extraordinary teen.

Gordon is an amateur boxer, and five days a week after school, you can catch him training, sparring, learning, and observing at Mendez boxing gym in the heart of Harlem. The promising pugilist who lists current and former boxing legends Floyd Mayweather, Gervonta Davis, Terence Crawford, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson as his favorites was recognized earlier this year for winning a national boxing championship in California at 176 lbs when he was 16.

He followed that up by winning the Ringside King of the Jungle national championships in the same weight class in August and will compete in the 2025 USA Boxing National Championships in Lubbock, Texas, from December 6–13.

But boxing is not just about what you learn in the ring, and the young student of the sport shared with the AmNews what it teaches him that he can use outside of the ring.

“Boxing really taught me a lot of discipline,” Khalil said. “Nobody really wants to work out after school or work, but having that mindset to do it no matter what, it is going to help you in your everyday life because nobody wants to go to school, nobody wants to go to work, but when you have that discipline, it really allows you to make that effort and still persevere.”

Iron sharpens iron, and Gordon, who was born in Boynton Beach, Florida, and moved to Harlem at age three, often hones his boxing skills against men in their early and mid-20s. He did so earlier this

week, sparring against them to prepare for the tournament. Gordon is always under the

watchful eye of his father, Richard Gordon-Woods, who is not only in his corner in the boxing

ring but also for his life decisions, creating a close bond.

“I realized that in a world with so many distractions, you have to find something that you and your child both enjoy, just like any relationship in life with people,” Gordon-Woods said. “With my son and me, it’s boxing. I feel like his shadow at times, although he is the one in the ring. We go over every day how his workouts went, and he once told me on our way to the gym that it’s our father-son time, so I make sure to never miss a day with him in the gym.” Gordon emphasized that with so much training, he is eager for tournament competition.

“I’m looking forward to it because it’s been almost two months since I fought,” he said. “I was looking at some videos last night, and it kind of made me miss fighting, that energy, that adrenaline boost, so I’m definitely looking forward to that and showing off my skills in Texas.”

Knicks still searching for home-road balance ahead of NBA Cup quarterfinals

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

Home-road balance. It’s what every team strives for in pursuit of a playoff spot and title. The Knicks are still searching for it. While they have been nearly impenetrable at home, carrying a 10-1 record at Madison Square Garden before hosting the Charlotte Hornets last night, they dropped to 3-6 away from their own building after losing to Boston Celtics 123-117 on Tuesday.

Jalen Brunson, who has been one of the NBA’s most deadly scorers again this season, went into last night’s game averaging 27.7 points, 13th in the league. However, he shot just 6-21 for 15 points in the loss against the Celtics. Mikal Bridges led the Knicks in that game with a season-high 35 points.

igated a new head coach, a new system, and a substantial number of missed games by core rotation players due to injuries, maintaining solid footing in the Eastern Conference standings a month and a half into the season. Forward OG Anunoby (strained left hamstring sustained on Nov. 14) and guard Landry Shamet (right shoulder sprain suffered on Nov. 22) remain out. Shamet will not be reevaluated until late this month but the Knicks are targeting Anunoby’s potential return on Sunday against the Orlando

The team was 13-7 before meeting the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden last night and fourth overall in the East. At

“I thought he got the normal looks that he normally takes. So he’s got to keep shooting them, he’s got to keep getting to his spots,” said Knicks head coach Mike Brown regarding Brunson after the loss. “I thought he took good 3s, too. They just didn’t go in. And that happens sometimes.”

A few of the Knicks home-road splits are telling. Before facing the Hornets the Knicks were averaging 123.3 points per game at

the Garden and 116.6 away. Their three-point field goal percentage was 39.6 at MSG versus 34.6 away. And while there was little variance in their throw attempts, 23.5 at home and 22.6 on the road, the percentage gap, 84.2% at the Garden and 74.4% is glaring.

Ditto on the defensive side. On their own court the Knicks were allowing 110.5 prior to their game last night, but in enemy territory the number jumps to 117.1. Nevertheless, the Knicks have nav-

See KNICKS on page 39

(R) Harlem boxer Khalil Gordon, right, under the watchful eye of father and trainer (L) Richard Gordon-Woods, is a rising national amateur. (Derrel Johnson photo)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drives to the basket on the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes on Sunday in the Knicks’ 116-94 win at Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)