New York Amsterdam News October 23 - 29, 2025 by AmsterdamNews

2025 BALLOT PROPOSALS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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NYPD reduces gang database but still overwhelmingly surveils Black and Brown people

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff

Last Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Office of the Inspector General-NYPD (OIG-NYPD), the city’s independent watchdog for police policy and practices, published findings from a follow-up investigation on how the city tracks alleged gang affiliation, which long faced heat for racial profiling.

The NYPD’s Criminal Group Database, best known as the gang database, is the policing tool facing sharp criticism for surveilling almost exclusively Black and Brown New Yorkers, sometimes through shoddy justifications of “self-admission” like social media photos and the use of emojis.

Back in December 2022, 16,141 people were logged as active gang members, despite a sizable reduction from when advocates publicly exposed the database issues in 2017; 98% of them were identified as Black or Hispanic males under age 42. Many were entered without a conviction or arrest record. Some were literal children.

In 2023, the OIG-NYPD recommended 17 reforms to improve the database’s Impact and Use Policy (IUP) after the city promised the report five years previously. Suggestions included bolstering deactivation efforts to remove non-gang members and notifying parents when a child was entered. The findings also shed light on the shadowy database for advocates who spent years calling for more transparency.

From last Wednesday’s follow-up report, the NYPD fully adopted 11 recommendations. The OIG-NYPD also made 13 new recommendations, mostly about how the department could implement the original recommendations more efficiently. Notably, the gang database’s size nearly halved in the past three years, falling to

8,563 as of this month — but the racial makeup remains largely the same: still overwhelmingly Black and Brown men between the ages of 18 and 34.

NYC Department of Investigation (DOI) Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber, who oversees the city’s inspector general offices, told

See GANG DATABASE on page 36

Man pardoned after storming Capitol is charged with threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man whose convictions for storming the U.S. Capitol were erased by President Donald Trump’s mass pardons has been arrested on a charge that he threatened to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Christopher P. Moynihan is accused of sending a text message on Friday noting that Jeffries, a New York Democrat, would be making a speech in New York City this week.

“I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” Moynihan wrote, according to a report by a state police investigator. Moynihan also wrote that Jeffries “must be eliminated” and texted, “I will kill him for the future,” the police report says.

Moynihan, of Clinton, New York, is charged with a felony count of making a terroristic threat. It was unclear if he had an attorney representing him in the case, and efforts to contact him and his parents by email and phone were unsuccessful. Moynihan, 34, was sentenced to 21

Advocates including Councilmember Tiffany Caban (right) call for abolishing the gang database outside Brooklyn Borough Hall in 2022. (Tandy Lau photo)

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke hold a “Medicaid Day of Action” press conference at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn. (Rep. Jeffries office photo)

Family of Allan Feliz sues to void NYPD Commissioner ruling not to fire officer

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News staff

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s final decision not to fire Lt. Jonathan Rivera for killing Allan Feliz in 2019 may not be so final.

On Oct. 15, Feliz’s family filed an Article 78 lawsuit, which allows individuals to challenge administrative decisions under New York State Law. The litigation follows Tisch’s unprecedented override of the NYPD’s own ruling to prevent the officer’s termination.

Earlier this year, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado — ostensibly the police department’s administrative judge — determined Rivera broke serious department policies when he fatally shot Feliz during a traffic stop after challenging his testimony’s veracity. He would be fired based on the police department’s rulebook.

However, such disciplinary decisions require the NYPD Commissioner’s rubber

Thousands participate in NYC No Kings Day 2.0

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

Millions of protesters took to the streets across the nation on October 18 for the second time this year to reject President Donal Trump and what demonstrators called an “authoritarian” administration. New York was no exception, with as many as 100,000 participating across the Five Boroughs, according to the NYPD. No arrests were made.

The protest was a direct response to Trump’s unprecedented moves in his second term in office to consolidate executive power by ignoring court orders and the Constitution, weaponizing federal troops, setting a mass deportation agenda, and making budget cuts to essential social services.

The central theme of the protests is to hammer home the message that the “president is not a king.”

“Trump isn’t just trying to rule like a king — he’s fusing corporate power with state power to entrench an oligarchy,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, in a statement. “But America doesn’t belong to billionaires or authoritarians. From the shop floor to city hall, working people are organizing to reclaim our democracy and build a government that serves all of us — not the ruling class.”

The initial No Kings Day protests took place June 14, the same day as the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade and Trump’s 79th birthday. It is unclear whether future marches are planned.

See FAMILY on page 25 Rally at One Police Plaza calls for the NYPD to fire Lt. Jonathan Rivera. (Tandy Lau photo)

USDA warns states about November SNAP benefits

By JENIFEER PORTER GORE Word in Black

When Congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund the government before Oct 1, officials used some budget trickery to guarantee that the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP, would continue through the end of the month.

But if Congress doesn’t pass a budget by Nov. 1, millions of people who put food on the table through SNAP — a disproportionate number of whom are Black — may have a lean Thanksgiving.

“Many people in America are a single missed paycheck away from needing support from their local food banks,” Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said when the shutdown started on Oct. 1. “A prolonged shutdown will deepen the strain, and more families will seek help at a time when food banks are already stretched due to sustained high need.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs SNAP, has advised agencies distributing funds at the state level that they

should halt the process that would allow recipients’ EBT cards to be reloaded at the beginning of November. Recipients use the debit cards when grocery shopping.

It’s possible the cards could be reloaded, whether or not the government gets back to full service, but any delay will be a zinger for families.

Who Receives SNAP?

Roughly 42 million people face hunger or food insecurity each month. Of those 25.7% of SNAP participants, roughly 10.2 million people, are Black. Participants receive an average of $187 a month. Studies show the program reduces a family’s chance of being food insecure by almost 30% and helps keep millions of children above the poverty line. SNAP also helps boost local economies and protects recipients’ health.

An overwhelming majority of SNAP participants are families with children, and more than a third are older adults or people with disabilities. Each state has its own process for residents to apply for SNAP benefits. Applicants can find their state’s human services office at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Who Pays for SNAP?

The federal government pays for SNAP benefits out of tax revenue, and states share the program’s operating costs. Several states, including North Carolina, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, have already announced that SNAP benefit payments will be on hold during November if the shutdown continues.

Emergency Funds for WIC

Earlier this month, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — also known as WIC, the program that helps more than 6 million low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children under age 5 buy nutritious food — was about to run out of money in several states. The Trump administration transferred $300 million to WIC to keep it afloat through the end of the month.

The Trump Administration Cut SNAP Benefits

If and when the federal government gets back to business, the Trump administration’s so-called One Big, Beautiful Bill Act will slash SNAP by unprecedented amounts. Some households will see a cut in their benefits — or lose their SNAP eligibility entirely — because the new law shortens the length of time some disabled individuals can receive benefits. Participants will also have to document that they are working or engaging in a “qualified activity” for at least 20 hours each week. On top of these historic attacks on SNAP, the USDA has approved pilot projects in 12 states to restrict the foods families can purchase with SNAP. The projects range from bans on items, like soda or candy, to sweeping policies like Iowa’s, which prohibits fruit strips, some fruit and nut items, and certain granola bars.

Feeding America also offers a food bank directory that individuals and families can access.

“While emergency funds were provided for the month of October, without additional action, families who participate in WIC could experience disruptions in early November,” said Ali Hard of the National WIC Association. “The longer the shutdown continues, the greater the risk to families with infants and young children who rely on WIC for nutritious foods and breastfeeding support.”

(USDA)

Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid:

Pushing for equal education access from One Brooklyn Charter School

By JASON PONTEROTTO

Special to the AmNews

Improving life for both herself and her family has always been a primary focus for Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid. It was a path that led from a rough upbringing in Brooklyn to teen motherhood, but eventually to education and a 20-plus-year career as an educator and being able to make a difference in the lives of her “work children” as well.

McDavid, 48, serves as the CEO of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools, a tuitionfree middle and high school founded in 2013, serving a majority of Black students with the aim of eliminating the achievement gap by preparing kids for college and providing tools to become leaders. Most of the students come from East New York and Brownsville.

This journey toward leadership was not easy, but the seeds were planted early in McDavid’s life. She likes to say she is from “old Brooklyn” in the 1980s as she witnessed heavy drug usage, shootouts, and found herself at risk of sexual harassment and assault, all while commuting to and from school with her younger siblings.

“I think that growing up in East New York at that time made me adopt the mindset that I would not live very long. I never expected to live past 19,” McDavid said. “You talk about the innocence of kids being stripped, we all knew what crack was. I don’t think my children know how to identify the drugs.”

However, McDavid says she always knew

Black

New Yorker

THE URBAN AGENDA

By David R. Jones, Esq

New Mayor Must Hold FDNY’s Feet to

the Fire

she was gifted academically and was able to excel as her parents held the bar high for their children and were determined to make sure she had a quality education. She was part of the Free Choice program, which allowed her to go to schools in better and whiter neighborhoods, such as Bensonhurst. She remembers most times being the only Black girl in her classes and seeing the clear disparities compared to her neighborhood and also with the public schools her father taught at in their area. From this foundation, she was able to learn life lessons to apply later on and now tries to convey the same to students in their journey.

“I want them to experience all the things that made me successful, but also teach them that they’re being raised in an environment that is going to force [students] to have a higher awareness and consciousness of [their] existence,” McDavid said.

“Tap into the fact that you’re a fighter. You know how to get home, tap into all of those lessons, because those lessons were just as important in my professional work as well,” she continued.

After the family relocated to Florida when she was a teenager, McDavid says she began getting into trouble at school and in her personal life, as the rigor was no longer there in comparison to life growing up in Brooklyn. She had her first child at age 16 and left high school. During this rough period, McDavid says having her daughter actually allowed her to have a clear purpose.

See BNY on page 27

The winner of next month’s New York City mayoral election must finish the job of desegregating the New York City Fire Department, ending its nearly 160-year history as a bastion of bigotry and racism in public employment.

The new mayor needs to stand up for what’s right, and take steps to end the belligerence and recalcitrance embraced by the department’s brass and the firefighters’ unions. For years, they have fought tooth and nail against civil rights reforms and racial equality in FDNY’s hiring of uniformed firefighters.

This is no small task. No group in society more than white firefighters symbolizes the institutional resistance to full workplace participation of people of color and women. FDNY figures show 72 percent of uniformed firefighters are white, 9 percent Black, 15 percent Latinx and 2 percent Asian. Those numbers have changed at a snail’s pace over the last two decades.

Solving the FDNY’s race problem is made even more urgent –– and, quite frankly, more difficult –– by President Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In a shattering setback for communities of color, Trump signed an executive order that outlawed DEI initiatives. He then transformed the acronym into invective that women, people with disabilities and people of color are inherently unqualified.

New York City’s incoming mayor must commit to driving a stake through the heart of the FDNY’s racism that assures the department remains predominantly white. To do so requires a commitment to root out the base causes of the racial blockade.

The FDNY commissioner must have the moral will, and a political mandate from the new administration, to attack the cancer within the department. For decades, people of color and women were made to feel unwelcome because it was assumed non-traditional groups lacked the physical and intellectual tools for success in the profession.

At its core, reform calls for the difficult reframing of the FDNY’s ideal of the musclebound, white male firefighter. This will take re-education of both the general public as well as FDNY leadership, mid-level managers and rank-and-file members.

Reorienting the department to create a welcoming environment inside the stationhouses and truly embrace policies that open the door to women and people of color is as vital as inspiring more diversity candidates to take the firefighter examination.

The FDNY race issue is deep seated. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized for his stop-and-frisk policy, but he fought efforts by the Vulcan Society, a fraternal organization

of Black firefighters, to end discriminatory employment tactics. Bloomberg, his predecessors – Edward Koch, David Dinkins, and Rudolph Giuliani – as well as successors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams never took steps to firmly address the history of broken promises, lawsuits, consent decrees and settlement payouts caused by the FDNY.

Laura Kavanagh, appointed by Adams as the New York City Fire Department’s first woman commissioner, understood senior management was the nexus of FDNY’s problems. She mounted the most aggressive interdepartmental campaigns to root out overt racism and sexism. She resigned last year under pressure for standing up to the FDNY senior staff.

Uniformed firefighters and the FDNY brass for generations were probably unaware, or know it and just don’t care, how their status-quo perceptions about the firefighting profession reinforce bias and create unequal opportunities for peers from underrepresented groups.

Kavanagh, who is now a member of the Community Service Society of New York’s Board of Trustees, stepped up training, recruiting, hiring and promotion of women and minorities. She made waves by integrating the command staff, a move that went far beyond simply increased recruiting. She named the first African American Emergency Medical Services chief, the first African American female executive officer and the first Latino chief of staff.

Building on Kavanagh’s strategy is more difficult in the era of Trump, who flipped civil rights on its head by exploiting alleged reverse discrimination against white people, particularly white men. His policies, criticized by civil rights advocates, coincide with a surge in Black unemployment to 7.5 percent, double the national average. Nationally, the president’s shenanigan has chilled lawful efforts by major corporations to advance equal employment opportunity.

In the long history of Black firefighters, starting with the hiring of William Nicholson in 1898, there has been progress. The Vulcan Society deserves credit for legal actions that slowly increased the number of Blacks in the FDNY.

The jury is still out, however, on the new recruiting program, “All Heroes Welcome,” created by a package of City Council legislation last year that focused on diverse recruitment, retention, workplace improvements, monitoring and public reporting.

The recent activity are baby steps toward the end game of curing the FDNY’s civil rights problem. A new mayor committed to stamping out resistance could give birth to a new era of equality and diversity in the fire service.

Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid channeled life lessons growing up in East New York, Brooklyn, to her 20-plus-year career in education to her current role as CEO of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools (Courtesy Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid)

Flip the ballot: Everything you need to know about NYC’s 2025 Ballot Proposals

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

New Yorkers have an opportunity to voice their opinions on six ballot proposals, some of which are hotly debated, that would change parts of the city and state’s constitution in 2025’s upcoming general election.

One of the ballot proposals focuses on a slightly less controversial statewide environmental issue. One is about digitizing a map for the city. In spite of massive backlash from the city’s progressive council members, the bulk of this year’s proposals are about housing production and land use, due to Mayor Eric Adams’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC), who has consistently branded himself as the “most pro-housing” mayor in city history. Since he abandoned his reelection campaign, the CRC’s ballot proposals would be among his last major contributions to the city’s framing.

Here’s what each ballot proposal says; some background information about each one; and a breakdown of the impact they might have, according to electeds and advocates.

The Adirondacks

The Adirondack region was actually central to the Black suffrage movement, according to the Adirondack Council: About 3,000 free Black men partnered with philanthropist Gerrit Smith in 1846 to buy 40 acres of land, securing the right to vote even with voter suppression laws embedded in the New York State constitution at that time. In more modern times, Brooklynite Dollie Lowther Robinson, a union labor organizer, fiercely defended the forest against developers by upholding the “Forever Wild” protections in 1967.

Ballot Proposal

1: This is an amendment to the state constitution’s Forever Wild clause to allow for development on upstate forest preserve land to expand the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex, a 1,039-acre ski park at the base of Mount Van Hoevenberg in Essex County. About 300 wooded and wild acres of the reserve have to be developed to make the expansion happen. The proposal also requires that 2,500 acres of new forest land be added to offset the lost land.

“This park belongs to all New Yorkers,” said Aaron Mair, a long-time environmentalist and the former president of the Sierra Club’s board of directors in Schenectady, N.Y.

Mair is primarily concerned with making sure the nature reserve and sports complex remain accessible for Black, Brown, and indigenous communities throughout the state. He supports approving the ballot because the complex is outdated and in need of repair. In addition to worries about

weakening environmental protections at the state level, some downstate elected officials believe that the construction on protected lands will hurt the land. Mair “respects and thanks” the officials who are vigilant about protecting the wilderness, but said there would be a “negligible” amount of runoff water and other impacts on the environment.

Housing

It’s well-documented that New York City has had a housing production issue and tremendous lack of affordable housing for decades. Predominantly Black, Brown, and immigrant communities have also largely been displaced or opted to move out of

state all together because of skyrocketing housing costs, property taxes, and rents. Whenever housing is built, it is not equally distributed across the city’s neighborhoods, even with land use changes and upzonings. Out of 59 Community Districts, 12 were considered “lower-density neighborhoods” in the last five years. These neighborhoods tended to have higher household incomes, were disproportionately white, and produced the lowest amount of affordable housing units, according to data from the New York University (NYU) Furman Center.

Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning reforms, which state that each community district should shoulder the burden of a citywide housing crisis, aims to address this problem.

Many elected officials, and even staunch housing advocates, do agree that more affordable housing should be built citywide. However, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, council members, and a coalition of unions have slammed Adam’s ballot proposals 2, 3, and 4 as “misleading” voters.

Ballot Proposal 2: This proposal changes the city’s processes to “fast-track certain affordable housing projects” and speed up applications in 12 community districts that produce the least amount of affordable housing. It would keep the community board review and local borough president (BP) part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The City Planning Commission (CPC) would have the final vote, not the local council member.

Ballot Proposal 3: This proposal aims to simplify the review process of “modest amounts” or “minor” infrastructure projects and climate resiliency projects through an Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP). For example, it sometimes takes years to go from a four-story to an eight-story building. This shortens the process to about 90 days.

This proposal would also have a community board review, but remove the council member’s vote for most projects and skip to the CPC for final decisions.

Ballot Proposal 4: This proposal establishes an Affordable Housing Appeals Board with the council speaker, local BP, and mayor. It would allow the three-member board to reverse the City Council’s decisions on affordable housing projects with a vote.

“We’re building affordable housing — we just need to get to building it,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a former council member in Williamsburg.

“It’s what we need the most in the city — a city that is now becoming so polarized with the people that are extremely poor, or people that are extremely rich with a smaller middle class.” He is a part of the Vote “Yes” campaign for these particular housing ballots.

Reynoso had been a fairly critical voice of the City of Yes plan, testifying in the public hearings that zoning changes alone could never solve the housing crisis. He said that cutting down on the “bureaucracy” will help smaller homeowners make changes and additions to their homes more easily. He added that the unmitigated “pressure” that council members receive in regard to housing project votes is more easily why elected officials prioritize their political futures over the community. It’s “unacceptable” See story on next page

2024 Olympic Jamaican bobsled team joined Jamaican youth from Brooklyn and Queens at Olympic Sports Complex. (Contributed by Aaron Mair)

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s Brooklyn Alumnae chapter reviewed ballot measures before mayoral debate on Thursday, Oct. 16. (Ariama C. Long photo)

that certain districts and council members haven’t been motivated to build housing since the 1960s, said Reynoso.

“The work of building equitable, thriving communities starts with partnership between residents and their elected leaders,” said Councilmember Kevin Riley, who chairs the council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises. “From affordable housing to good union jobs, every win comes from community input that reflects the values of our neighborhoods. The mayor’s ballot proposals 2, 3, and 4 threaten to silence that voice and put all authority in the administration, sidelining our communities. We must protect transparency, accountability, and the right of every neighborhood to shape its future, because lasting progress happens when communities are empowered and the government listens.”

Others firmly opposed to these three ballots railed against the idea of taking out the local councilmember in the process as “undemocratic.” They also don’t trust that developers would deliver on rents remaining “affordable” or low-income in the housing units built, or generate housing units fit for families. If voted down, the development process stays subject to the current ULURP process, the mayor’s veto, and final decision by the City Council.

“In this moment, with our democratic institutions under attack by the federal government, New York City should not yield to the temptation of undermining our own participatory and democratic processes [in] pursuing the illusion of meeting our housing crisis,” said Ron Shiffman, a tenured professor at Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture.

Ballot Proposal 5: This proposal would digitize paper maps and create a borough map office at the Department of City Planning (DCP) by January 1, 2028.

Even in 2025, the City Map that currently exists is an amalgamation of more than 8,000 individual paper maps maintained separately by each BP office. These paper maps “legally define” the city’s street lines and widths, street names, zonings, parks, and public places. The five boroughs became a city in 1898, but a unified City Map has technically never been adopted — regardless of the advent of something like … the internet.

According to the mayor’s CRC, the current outdated system adds to the lengthy review times and costs for developers looking to build housing projects. The City Map is needed to determine permits, density, and height of buildings in a neighborhood.

“We were looking to digitize them ourselves, [but] we understand that the city of

New York doesn’t want to have any delays and believe that they can do a better job than the borough president at pushing these things through,” said Reynoso.

Other BPs, like Staten Island BP Vito J. Fossella, are opposed to the ballot proposal, criticizing the DCP for already being notoriously “overburdened,” “backlogged,” and “inaccurate,” and therefore unlikely to handle the additional responsibility of the maps.

Ballot Proposal 6: This ballot proposal is a state constitutional amendment and a citywide referendum that moves the city’s primary and general election dates to even-numbered years to match up with federal presidential elections on the ballot.

Currently, New York City holds elections for its mayor, comptroller, public advocate, and City Council offices in odd years. Statistically, voter turnout for these local races has been far lower compared to presidential elections. Other cities that pushed

their local elections to even years, like Baltimore, saw a huge jump in voter turnout at the polls. Some election advocates reason that implementing even-year elections in New York City would have the same results, while others worry that the local races would be lost in national politics and voters would skip them on the ballot altogether.

“We know that New Yorkers do go to the polls in much, much higher numbers when the race for the White House is on the ballot,” said Grace Rauh, executive director of Citizens Union (CU). “We see three times as many New Yorkers turn out to vote in presidential elections than we do in mayoral ones, so moving local elections to the same time as presidential ones is not a crazy idea.”

In addition to higher voter turnout, evenyear elections can have a draw on who votes and save the city money. The most recent CU 2025 elections report found that even-year elections could make the city’s

voter base more diverse compared to oddyear elections that tend to draw an older, wealthier, and whiter pool of voters. Black, Hispanic, Asian, and generally younger voters tend to show up for presidential elections. The Independent Budget Office (IBO) also found that combining all the elections in even years would save roughly $42 million every two years.

“We believe democracy works best when everyone can participate,” said Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) Policy and Legal Advocacy Director Jennifer Parrish Taylor in a statement. “Moving New York City’s elections to even-numbered years has the potential to bring millions more voices into the process — especially Black, Brown, immigrant, and working-class New Yorkers who are often excluded by low-turnout, offcycle elections. This reform could make city elections more inclusive and representa tive, aligning voting access with our values of equity and participation.”

Person holds official election ballot. (Photo by Edmond Dantès via Pexels)

Welcome to the CRIB: NYC starts housing voucher program for pregnant shelter residents

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff

Mayor Eric Adams introduced the city’s new Creating Real Impact at Birth (CRIB) pilot to permanently house pregnant New Yorkers in the shelter system on Oct. 14. The program aims to place more than 300 parents with newborns into long-term apartments through already available voucher programs.

“Put simply, no child should ever be born in a shelter,” said Adams. “We must do everything we can to stop the cycle of poverty and housing instability before it ever begins by ensuring mothers and babies do not go to a shelter after leaving the hospital and that they have the resources they need to thrive.

“The ‘CRIB’ program is yet another ex-

ample of how our administration is cutting the bureaucracy that often prevents people from getting the government services they need while also making New York City more affordable for needy families.”

In the fiscal year 2024, more than 2,000 infants were born into the shelter system. The city points to medical research from Massachusetts, which determined babies living in unstable housing had higher rates of asthma and fever while generally visiting the emergency room more frequently.

CRIB will go through PATH, a Bronxbased intake center operated by the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS), where all families with children apply for temporary housing. Pregnant shelter clients receiving cash assistance or living at or under 200% below the federal poverty level can

qualify. For the next three months, the program will enroll participants through the typical screening process during intake which asks if the individual seeking temporary housing is expecting. Those unsure will receive a pregnancy test.

From there, CRIB will assign participants to programs like City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) or Pathway Home. CityFHEPS partially covers an eligible New Yorker’s rent through a housing voucher while Pathway Home subsidizes family members or friends of shelter residents to provide housing.

Joslyn Carter, Department of Homeless Services administrator, told the Amsterdam News that the pilot will show how much CRIB can reduce the time newborn parents spend in shelter. But she also thinks

the process will help many families and potentially develop an approach to divert some people from the shelter system entirely after intake.

“Children should not be in shelter, they should really be in permanent housing,” said Carter. “If we can move them quickly [after] coming [through the] front door and back to permanent housing, that, for me, is a win. And to decrease that number of nights that they stay in shelter. Being connected and supported in [the] community is another win that we’re looking for.” Additionally, the city also announced a “baby box” program. Newborn supplies including pajamas, carriers, and a NYCthemed diaper bag will be distributed at four Health + Hospital locations where more than 7,000 babies are delivered each year.

Mayor Eric Adams (center) and New York Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park (far right) announced the pilot housing program, “Creating Real Impact at Birth” (CRIB). (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office photo)

MJAF’s #DisruptingTheHateWeek 2025

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Organizers from the nonprofit Melquain Jatelle Anderson Foundation (MJAF) are calling on the community to participate in their “Disrupting the Hate Week” running Oct. 21-25.

#DisruptingTheHateWeek is MJAF’s annual social media campaign to promote positivity, artistic expression, and community healing. MJAF, which offers emotional and financial support to families affected by gun violence, says “Disrupting the Hate Week” encourages everyone to challenge hate through creativity, art, and love.

“After losing my only child, Melquain, I wanted to create something that helps our communities heal and stand united against gun and urban violence,” states Michelle Barnes-Anderson, founder of MJAF. Her son Melquain was shot and killed while waiting for a bus outside of the Farragut Houses in Downtown Brooklyn in 2017. He was, at the time, a student at John Jay College.

Though Melquain’s life was cut short, his mother and aunts — Rev. Xenia Barnes and Khadedra Miller — established MJAF to honor his memory and inspire community transformation. “Disrupting Hate Week is a time when people can engage in the arts — whether through fashion, poetry, music, or any form of expression — to choose love over hate and unity over division.”

Mel’s Law, enacted by the state of New York, requires SUNY, CUNY, and community colleges to establish procedures for students’ families to obtain posthumous degrees. The law was signed on October 25, 2023, marking the sixth anniversary of Melquain’s passing. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez has introduced a federal bill that is based on New York’s Mel’s Law. The bill also ensures that posthumous degrees are granted to college students who pass away before completing their coursework.

“With the signing of Mel’s Law in Melquain’s honor,” Barnes-Anderson said, “we are showing that every life taken too soon still matters. The powerful work Melquain was already doing to uplift and add value to his community continues through this legislation. This act gives siblings and children of the fallen — like his daughter, Melkenzye, who was born two months after his murder — a sense of hope and dignity, knowing their loved one’s academic journey and purpose will never be forgotten. It restores dignity to families and reminds us all that healing is possible when we come together.”

During the last week of October, MJAF tries to promote positive content through social media. It begins on his birthday, Oct. 21, which was established as “Melquain’s Day” by Mayor Eric Adams when he was Brooklyn’s Borough President. Oct. 25 marks both the anniversary of when Melquain was killed and the day Gov. Kathy Hochul signed “Mel’s Law” into New York State law. Assemblymember Phara Souf-

port introduced the bill.

Those who want to take part are encouraged to celebrate by sharing artwork and

creative expressions — fashion, tattooing, sketching, painting, music, poetry, photography, or Brooklyn-made creativity —

tagged with #DisruptingTheHateWeek, honoring Melquain’s spirit and commitment to community.

frant Forrest and State Senator Jabari Bris-

Photos of Melquain are set against pictures of the corner of Gold and York Street, now co-named Melquain Jatelle Anderson Drive, in Downtown Brooklyn’s Vinegar Hill neighborhood. (MJAF photo)

Union Matters

Federal judge blocks Trump administration’s shutdown firings after union action

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

A federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plan to fire more than 4,000 federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown.

Federal worker unions, which say the proposed job cuts are illegal and unwarranted, celebrated the decision. They stated the government shutdown was already affecting federal employees, and the threat of losing their jobs permanently was causing financial struggles for members.

On October 15, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston temporarily suspended the federal government’s enforcement of Reduction-in-Force (RIF) notices that had been sent to federal employees. The temporary restraining order came in response to an emergency petition filed by

the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and AFSCME.

The court later extended its order to include the 110,000 federal workers who are members of the National Federation of Federal Employees, as well as members of the National Association of Government Employees and the Service Employees International Union. Another filing on October 22 asked the court to add federal employees represented by the National Treasury Employees Union, American Federation of Teachers, and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers to the temporary restraining order.

While the federal government agreed to temporarily halt the RIFs for union members involved in the ongoing lawsuit, the Interior Department was the lone exception. The political website The

Hill reported that the agency said it would go ahead with planned cuts to 1,539 employees, but would hold off on cutting those who are unionized.

During the debate over the government shutdown, the Trump administration’s planned RIFs were a coordinated threat. Normally, when there is a shutdown, “excepted” federal employees continue working without pay until government funding is restored, while “non-excepted” employees are furloughed and receive back pay at a later date.

The RIFs threatened workers with permanent job loss without these usual protections.

Union leaders and their legal advocates immediately condemned the RIF threat.

“The administration’s move to fire thousands of federal employees who are already going without pay during the government shut-

down is not only cruel but unlawful,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.

“These are dedicated public servants who keep our nation running –– protecting public health, supporting education, ensuring fair housing, and driving economic growth. We are pleased with the court’s ruling halting these unlawful terminations and preventing the administration from further targeting hardworking civil servants during the shutdown.”

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, the legal representatives for AFGE and AFSCME, called the action ideologically driven: “The president’s targeting of federal workers — a move straight out of Project 2025’s playbook — is unlawful,” she said.

“Playing games with their livelihoods is cruel and unlawful, and a threat to everyone in our nation.”

Congressional Democratic Party

members also accused the Trump administration of using the shutdown as cover to reshape the federal workforce ideologically. In an October 21 letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, they wrote: “The chaotic nature of these RIFs, the threats to violate the law to abandon the Administration’s legal duty to provide furloughed employees with back pay after any government shutdown, and your own statements reveal the true goal of these efforts: to punish federal employees for their service to the nation and to destabilize federal agencies and the programs and laws they carry out — and to harm the American public.”

A hearing is scheduled for October 28 to determine whether Judge Illston’s temporary restraining order against firing federal workers should be extended to a longer injunction.

Sign outside National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., warns visitors that “Closed due to federal government shutdown.” (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana photo)

There is much work to be done to overcome the Trump juggernaut

Among the sources at our disposal for getting a bead on the issues troubling the average American, we reviewed those still getting their news from the radio.

Recently, several local outlets in New York City that featured call-ins heard from people who voicing concerns about the increased cost of living, transportation inadequacies, and a host of political problems, including term limits, the electoral college, and the possibility that Donald Trump will live up to his promise of imposing the Insurrection Act.

All the latter concerns can only be changed by Congress, which as we all know is controlled by Republicans and Trump, their ringleader. Several callers on one show raised questions about gerrymandering and redistricting, and how these will affect the upcoming midterm elections. Again, the ball is in the GOP’s court, and nothing is more critical on this matter than the current case, Louisiana v. Callais.

The case portends further evisceration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which to a great degree has already been weakened by the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder, in which the court invalidated Section 4 (b), which determined the jurisdictions that required federal approval, or that the formula was outdated and no longer reflecting current voting conditions.

What’s at stake now in Louisiana is very similar to Section 2 (which bans racial discrimination in voting) of the historic Act now in jeopardy; it also could provide a roadmap for the Republicans to acquire additional congressional seats.

So much of this case depends on how and when the court rules because some of the seats could be redistricted before next year’s midterm elections. Even more problematic, the court’s ruling could have wider implications, giving the Republicans a veto-proof majority in some state legislatures. It boils down to mapmakers in southern states no longer being required to abide by longstanding rules and to draw districts where Black voters would no longer have an opportunity to elect their preferred candidates.

Hence, Section 2, like Section 5, is erased. As long as Republicans and Trump hold the reins of government, particularly Congress, marginalized communities can only hope to get a critical mass in other states to offset the Trump juggernaut.

We have a lot of work to do.

Trump attacks on immigrants: Our plight is their plight

By SHAMIER SETTLE

“The story of the African-American is not only the quintessential American story but it’s really the story that continues to shape who we are today.” — Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

In the late 1930s, my great-grandparents were brave and made a choice to leave their families, their homes, and everything that they knew with the hope of a better future for their children. Their migration north was an act of fleeing constant terrorism and few opportunities for work. When they landed in New York City, they stayed with friends until they were able to settle into their own apartments. Living in New York City was not perfect — there is no outrunning the antiBlackness and racism that is foundational to this country. However, moving did offer a reprieve from the bleak futures offered in their hometowns in South Carolina and Virginia. New York City offered hope, so they moved.

I am a fourth-generation Harlemite because of the decision that my great-grandmother, and others in my family, made to search for a better life in a place far from home. My family, and millions of others like ours, suffered from state-sponsored segregation and we know what it means to be taxed but excluded from resources that we’ve paid into.

Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Asian Exclusion Act, when Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The new law abolished the race-based immigration quota system that only prioritized immigrants from Northern and Western Europe and excluded many other groups of people based solely on their race.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 instead prioritized refugees, people with special skills, and those with family members living in the United States. Most importantly, this law forbade discrimination in the issuance of immigrant visas on the basis of race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence — a clause that was included because of the struggle for civil rights. Today, “immigration enforcement” is the blunt tool that the Trump administration is leveraging to dismantle our civil rights and terrorize both Black and immigrant communities across the country. Under the guise of pursuing people who are said to be in the U.S. unlawfully, Trump has vastly expanded the scope of ICE — an organization whose officers wear masks to round up and disappear citizens and noncitizens alike. See the recent “raid” in Chicago, which might aptly be described as a “slave-catching campaign,” or the invasion of Washington, DC, where people who are unhoused seemed as much a target as immigrants.

must stand up for the human rights of everyone if we expect to continue to have those rights ourselves.”

The most recent immigrants, who have settled in Harlem from Central/South America, the Caribbean, and Africa over the past three years, may not be my blood — but they are people. Just like my greatgrandparents, they have dreams of a better life and better opportunities for their children. There has to be enough space here for all of us to pursue these goals.

In welcoming new arrivals to New York City, and to America, it is very important to have African Americans — Black people — in the mix. We know what it is like to push America to uphold her promises. It is because of the fights we led that America’s newest arrivals are able to enjoy these rights.

As an adult, I’ve met many migrants, although none who made a journey from within the United States. The migrants I’ve met in Harlem were from Mali and Ecuador — people who didn’t share my native tongue, but whose stories felt so familiar to me. I’ve never been to either of those places but I understand, I can empathize, with the horrors that someone has to be faced with to leave their home.

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief

Executive & Investigative Editor

Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor

"Sam"

This story has so many echoes with what African, Asian, and Central American immigrants are experiencing today. Moving from one place to another in search of a better life. Excluded from the privileges of citizenship but not excluded from the jobs that no one else wants. We know this story so well because the first iteration began with us in 1619. Since being trafficked to this country centuries ago, Black Americans have fought tirelessly against white supremacy to make this country a more perfect union. Despite race and prejudice being enshrined in the highest laws of the land, the Civil Rights Movement was a tidal wave ushering in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. Around the same time, this movement finally toppled the

After deporting some immigrants to El Salvadoran prison camps, President Trump expressed the desire to send “homegrown terrorists” to these camps as well. It’s not hard to see that this is code for Black people, Muslims, and anyone else Trump decides to target. The money that ICE is using to surveil and detain immigrants is also being used against the Black community. Instead of providing the funding to help our children learn, or to help our communities thrive, our government is prioritizing funding ICE to crush any sense of stability in our families and neighborhoods.

Solidarity between the Black community and immigrants is critical in this moment. As the actor and musician Vic Mensa wrote in his recent oped with the New York Times, “we

It is happening more frequently now — people move, but people fleeing is something different. It’s something my people did just a few generations ago, and because they moved, my grandmother was able to graduate from high school, some of her children were able to graduate from college, and I was able to go to college and graduate school. The building that my great-grandmother moved into when she first arrived in NYC is the same building that I live in with my family today — that’s four generations who were able to call Harlem home because of one decision that she made all those years ago.

Our shared story of migration connects us to the migrants who are arriving today, and our shared path forward is in solidarity.

Shamier Settle is the senior policy analyst at the Immigration Research Initiative and a member of Harlem Women Strong.

Madison Gray:

Damaso Reyes: Editor at Large

Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor

What voters should ask about New York’s child care promises

By EMILIE GAY

A parent I’ll call Cylesha told me this story. Even in the retelling, I could see she still wanted to fight. She had left her baby with a home childcare provider, the kind with a license and a sign. She had told her to be gentle. The baby had a skin condition. She left 12 diapers. Wipes. Lotion. Ointment. She dropped the baby off in a clean white diaper. When she returned to pick her child up eight hours later, the same diaper was still on. It was brown, and the baby was red. The rash had turned to blisters across her diaper area.

This happened in a family childcare program, not in one of New York City’s Family Child Care Networks. The seat was there, but the care wasn’t.

This is not one parent’s nightmare. It shows how a seat in child care means little if it’s not a good seat. As New York City debates expanding child care, we must demand more than numbers. We need real care from people who know how to take care of babies and have oversight to support them.

When politicians promise “a seat for every child,” it sounds like progress —

but many of those seats exist only on paper. I have served as executive director of a Family Child Care Network for five years. In that time, I have seen two babies die. Both could have been saved if support and supervision had been stronger, like the Bronx baby who died from fentanyl poisoning at a home daycare and the 1-year-old who drowned at a Bronx childcare center. Families deserve childcare seats that offer their children the kind of care they get at home.

Cylesha told me the caregiver who neglected her baby said she had not been paid by the city in months. That does not excuse the harm, but it shows what happens when caregivers are left holding everything alone. Low pay. No backup. No structure. No safety net. That caregiver’s words echo across the city. In under-resourced neighborhoods, childcare providers wait for reimbursements. They buy supplies out of pocket, with their own money. They fill out endless forms. They earn less than a living wage. They get few visits or checks. These are the people caring for our youngest children. They hold

the weight of the city in their hands, yet the city leaves them alone to fail. Some will say more seats are better than none. Some will say oversight slows progress. However, expansion without standards is a shell game. A child may be in care, but not cared for, and when harm comes, it’s too late.

Before we vote for the next mayor or council member, we must ask:

• How will you ensure every childcare seat is inspected regularly and meets safety standards?

• How will you guarantee full, timely payments so caregivers are not driven to neglect by empty accounts?

• What support will you give providers, such as training, supplies, mentoring, or small grants, so they can meet health and hygiene standards?

• How will you build community oversight that includes parents, advocates, and local leaders?

• What reports will you make public to show which seats are real and safe, not ghost en-

tries on a spreadsheet?

New York already has the structure — public agencies, licensing, Family Child Care Networks — but each new administration treats them as side work. We need a mayor who puts these systems at the center.

In Harlem, the Bronx, East Flatbush, and Washington Heights, parents live this truth. The promise of access means little when a child comes home sick or hurt. Equity is not in the slot. It lives in the touch that keeps a child safe and the peace a parent feels at pick-up.

When you hear a candidate say “a seat for every child,” ask how many will be safe. Ask who inspects. Who pays. Who answers when harm is done.

Because for every child in bad care or no care, there is a parent lying awake, wondering what to do tomorrow.

Cylesha said she had to keep working, so she found another place. That place was better, but she wished she didn’t have to go through it alone. A strong system could have been there for her.

Emilie Gay is executive director, program support, with the Family Child Care Network, NYC.

‘No Kings’ protests were a thunderous first chorus of resentment

By HERB BOYD

It was a spectacular turnout of Americans for “No Kings” demonstrations across the nation. According to early accounts, 2,500 cities in all 50 states put their feet on the ground and their voices in the air against the policies of the Trump administration.

Life lessons disguised as a memoir

CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.

Another one nearby, held by a man who appeared to be homeless, was a bit more expressive in its strong denunciation of Trump. Yes, it was a thunderous sound of resentment to the wave of anti-democratic policies sweeping the nation, and it was pleasing to learn that an estimated 7 million folks are concerned about the authoritarian conduct perpetrated by “the orange tyrant,” as one emblazoned poster declared. This could be a powerful beginning of outrage but to be effective far more boots on the ground are necessary. As one pundit noted, the following marches and decla-

By the time I got to Times Square, the protestors had begun resuming their ordinary Saturday activities but there were members of the rally still lingering, clusters sharing the moment. Some of their signs were still posted on various locations, one that clung to a lamp pole declaring, “Call your senator and Congress people every day.”

rations must reach at least double digits, which means that some 10 million are needed in the next round of protests. And they will have to find some resonance in the “red states,” and among those living west of the Mississippi and below the Mason-Dixon Line. It was difficult to discern what labor unions were in the street or to gauge the outrage of social and political organizations, but whatever their contributions, those numbers must be increased exponentially to really move the needle of resistance and bring about the change we witnessed during the civil rights movement. In short, a decisive step has been

made and now we must find a way to intensify our stand against the militarization of our cities, the illegal and unwarranted attacks on alleged narco-traffickers, and the general violation of citizens’ constitutional rights in every walk of life.

Many of the complaints I heard walking among the marchers were about the absence of human decency, about abnegation of due process, and the deadly assaults on immigrants unleashed by ICE officers. We have heard the first chorus of peaceful protest and now it’s time to turn up the volume and let the world know who the real “enemy of the people” in America is.

I get so excited every time a good friend publishes a new book. On October 28, comedian Roy Wood, Jr. releases his first book, “The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir” (Penguin Random House). I read … a lot, but I have never read a book where I laughed so hard I was brought to tears and then turned a page and read a story so thoughtfully told that I had to fight back tears. This book highlights the various men (and women) whom Wood has met throughout his life — growing up in Birmingham, traveling all over the country as a burgeoning stand-up comedian, as well as his relationship with his late father. Throughout the book, there are so many stories that are universal to the human experience. Wood’s hilarious prose jogged memories from my own childhood, even though I grew up as a young girl in the northeast. Wood also chronicles so many of his low-wage jobs and miscellaneous relatives and fellow comedians who have helped make him the man he is today. His honest writing made me think deeply about the nature of work, having a drive toward a sometimes-elusive goal, and trying to figure out how to power through in a complex world. I found myself thinking about some of his stories long after I finished the book and I also found myself chuckling about some of the vignettes long after. Wood frames this book as a guide and (what I would argue is) a love letter to his young son

as he provides a myriad of life lessons. As much as I laughed at the cast of characters in the book and the hijinks young Roy got into as a Black latchkey kid, this book is actually about work ethic, what it means to try to be a good and decent man in this world, and how to trust oneself even in moments of deep discouragement and despair. This book isn’t just about Roy Wood, Jr.; it highlights and lays bare the universal journey and questions so many people have. Many folks know Wood from his comedic work about the “Daily Show with Trevor Noah” or from his successful stint of hosting the 2023 White House Correspondents Dinner during the Biden era. Others may know Wood from his various stand-up specials, his current job hosting CNN’s “Have I Got News for You,” or his analysis on ESPN shows and the MLB network. In addition to stand-up comedian, podcaster, and host, Wood can now add author to his list of accomplishments. For New Yorkers, Wood will perform at the Gramercy Theater on October 28. To find out when Roy Wood, Jr. will be in your city, go to www.roywoodjr.com.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of book “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 is co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.

Caribbean Update

Caricom’s split on U.S. action in the region worsens

By BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews

Normally around this time of year, activities in the Caribbean community are in reduced mode. The U.N. General Assembly is long over, the midyear leaders’ summit has passed, and tourism economies are already shifting their focus to the busy winter season.

But this year is way different from any in recent decades with tensions rising in the 15-member grouping and as cracks in its unity and foreign policy coordination begin to emerge largely due to the U.S. military build-up in the Southern Caribbean, attacks on alleged drug-fetching vessels, and American pressure on Grenada to help fight Venezuela.

A week ago, Washington asked tiny Grenada, which the United States had invaded back in 1983, to allow it to set up a military radar base on the island to monitor Venezuela 100 miles to the south. The request sparked widespread condemnation on the island and muted protests from non-governmental organizations, all calling on the Dickon Mitchell adminis-

tration to reject the request outright and to stay out of big-country politics and ambitions.

The U.S. had also sent Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, the disgruntled and retiring Southern Commander, to Antigua for talks with Prime Minister Gaston Browne amid speculation that the U.S. has its eye on Antigua as a possible future host for some kind of military facility in that part of the Eastern Caribbean. However, PM Browne has made it clear so far that Antigua has no interest in facilitating any such request if any is made.

Meanwhile, CARICOM leaders issued a statement over this unusually busy weekend, urging dialogue to settle disputes but making it clear that Trinidad and Tobago had not signed on to the statement nor had adopted the position of the caucus which met virtually to discuss the rising tensions.

“Heads of government CARICOM met and discussed various issues on the regional agenda including the increased security build-up in the Caribbean and the potential impacts on member states,” the statement said. “Save in respect of Trinidad and Tobago who reserved

its position, heads reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean region as a zone of peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict. CARICOM remains willing to assist towards that objective.”

The administration there has repeatedly stood behind the Trump administration in its ambitions on Venezuela with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar calling on U.S. soldiers to “kill them all violently,” referring to alleged drug traffickers trying to move large shipments of cocaine north to her nation and also to the U.S. She says such activities over the years have led to a spike in violent crime with murders, averaging 600 annually, gangland violence, and increases in felony crimes including drive-by shootings. So, she and her cabinet have been openly supporting Washington, even offering the island a base if Venezuela attacks neighboring Guyana to enforce an over century-old border claim. On Sunday, her government issued a statement categorically standing behind the U.S. “The government of T&T wishes

to once more, categorically express its strong support for the ongoing military intervention of the U.S. in the region.” It suggested that current American operations are “ultimately aimed at allowing the region to be a true ‘zone of peace’ where all citizens can, in reality, live and work in a safe environment. Alternatively, all persons who may seek to engage in, or indirectly support, any illegal activities in the region, are warned that should they be so inclined, they do so at their own peril. The government reiterates its commitment to the people of the Caribbean for the creation of a safer, stronger, and more prosperous region.”

And while this was happening, citizens in Trinidad were spiked by a weekend advisory from the U.S. mission in Port of Spain asking the population to increase alertness “to be aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to local authorities.”

Local authorities have since increased security presence around the mission, hinting that there might have been threats to the facility even as police work to confirm the identities of two Trinidadians killed in one of the boat strikes last week.

Neighboring Guyana is the other member state that has lined up behind the U.S., largely because of persistent Venezuelan bullying of the country over border lines.

A refugee program for whites only?

Reuters recently reported that the Donald Trump administration is discussing capping U.S. refugee admissions at about 40,000 for the next fiscal year — with a majority of those spots reserved for … umm … white South Africans.

According to the report, “some 30,000 of the 40,000 spaces would be devoted to Afrikaners,” the primarily Dutch-descended minority in South Africa that Trump officials claims — without evidence — are victims of racial discrimination and violence at the hands of majority-Black South Africans. Let’s pause there.

The ancestors of these same Afrikaners arrived in South Africa in 1652, and by the 20th century, their nationalism gave rise to the National Party, the architects of apartheid — one of the most brutal, government-sanctioned systems of racial

oppression in modern history. Under their rule, millions of Black South Africans were stripped of land, dignity, education, and even citizenship.

After decades of domestic struggle and global sanctions, apartheid officially ended with South Africa’s first multiracial elections in 1994, when Nelson Mandela became president. The National Party — the same one that enforced apartheid — was eventually dissolved in 2005.

Today, there are about 2.7 to 3 million Afrikaners, roughly 4% to 5% of South Africa’s population. Yet, they continue to hold a disproportionate share of the country’s wealth. Studies show that white households — which include Afrikaners — still control the vast majority of South Africa’s wealth, while Black households own only 5 cents for every rand held by their white counterparts. The top 10% of South Africans own 85% of the nation’s wealth — and that top tier remains overwhelmingly white.

These are the so-called “victims” the Trump administration wants to

prioritize as refugees?

Reuters reported that the White House has even debated whether non-white South Africans could qualify for the refugee program.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, as published at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, clearly defines who qualifies as a refugee:

“Under United States law, a refugee is someone who:

• Is located outside of the United States;

• Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States;

• Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group;

• Is not firmly resettled in another country;

• Is admissible to the United States.

“A refugee does not include anyone who ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on

account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.”

However, the administration’s goal is unmistakable: to Make America whiter.

And let’s be clear: I didn’t say “white Again.” Because America was never white. It was Brown and Indigenous long before any European colonizers arrived. Yet, according to the administration, these descendants of apartheid’s architects are now the ones in need of rescue. The irony is as thick as it gets.

However, so far, only 93 Afrikaners have been admitted to the United States as refugees since May. The first group of 59 reportedly received the red-carpet treatment in May, followed by 34 more as of early August, according to a White House official.

Even that honeymoon is wearing thin, though. Some of the new arrivals have already complained about a lack of government benefits — apparently unaware that Trump gutted refugee support programs after taking office. One member of

that initial group even emailed the Department of Health and Human Services two weeks after arrival, pleading for help to get a Social Security number and work permit.

Oh, the irony.

Welcome to America, Afrikaners! You’re learning quickly that the promises of your political savior come with a twist: You’re not being “rescued” — you’re being used as pawns in a cynical game meant to reengineer America’s demographics.

Even for you, though, the welcome mat stops at the border. The same anti-immigrant system that cages children; slashes benefits; revokes greencards, TPS, and refugee status; and shatters families is now turning its cold face your way. You may be white, but you’re still immigrants — and in Donald Trump’s America, that’s crime enough.

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.

Most Honorable Kamla PersadBissessar SC MP, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. (Public domain photo)

Mamdani supporters, invigorated by new kind of campaign, turn out for interborough soccer tournament

By MARIELLE ARGUEZA

Special to the AmNews

If mayoral hopeful, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has demonstrated one unique strength in his campaign, it’s his willingness to think outside of the box to engage voters and supporters. Thousands of his supporters participated in a city-wide scavenger hunt held by his campaign earlier this August, though his team only anticipated 500 participants. In another campaigning effort and a nod to quintessential New Yorker identity, Mamdani’s campaign also introduced Zetro Cards (a pun on the soonto-be-defunct MetroCard) to boost voter turnout and canvassing efforts.

Most recently, on Oct. 19, the campaign has teamed with local co-ed soccer club Footy NYC to hold the first-ever inter-borough soccer tournament, named the Cost of Living Classic, in Brooklyn’s Maimonides Park. According to the Mamdani Campaign, over 1,500 people from all five boroughs attended the event, while amateur soccer players from across the city competed in a six-hour tournament to vie for division titles. All the while, campaign volunteers strolled through the stands registering last-minute voters. By the semi-finals, all five boroughs had at least one team represented in all divisions.

Mamdani will likely be the city’s next mayor by default, with Mayor Adams dropping his bid, and former New York Governor Cuomo and Curtis Silwa polling far behind the millennial candidate. Yet, attendees of

the Cost of Living Classic expressed an excitement for his campaign messaging: making New York City more affordable for everyone. He delivered this message continually throughout his campaign, not through standard meet-and-greets or media-only press conferences, but through social media and interactive pop-up events with only days’ notice, and with a distinct focus on New York Culture.

Voters across all demographics were won over, especially diverse Gen-Z and millennial voters.

“I was actually aware of Mamdani when he was running to be an assemblymember. I met him four years ago, just at a bar randomly,” said Joy Malonza, a Brooklyn resident and soccer fan. “To me Mamdani represents a lot of change and a progressive voice in a very unprogressive landscape and an anti-establishment perspective to politics. I have supported him and I will continue to support him.”

And with just a few weeks until Election Day, new supporters felt equally invigorated by his messaging, too, like Sani Larena. A Brooklyn resident and Cost of Living Classic attendee, she expressed that his candidacy was refreshing in a field of older and unrelatable politicians.

“I think I got tired of seeing the same form of politics. And I feel like him coming at the forefront with fresh ideas and also making New York affordable. That’s the main reason why, but he’s also young! I got tired of

Zohran Mamdani made a late appearance at the tournament to answer questions from the press and to meet with supporters who greeted him with selfie requests, chants, and raucous cheers. (Photos by Marielle Argueza)

Staten Island’s co-ed team is victorious over Queens. A player representing Staten Island addresses their win in a co-ed over Queens in the semi-finals.

By the semi-finals, all five boroughs were represented. Though players all wore different colored jerseys, all uniforms had the same slogan from Mamdani’s campaign: “For a city we can all afford.”

seeing older people running. When he came in, I said, ‘OK, this is different.’ I want to see where he’s gonna lead,” she said. His appeal makes sense in today’s political landscape. In a 2024 analysis of New York City voters, youth ambassadors and researchers for the New York City Campaign Finance Board found that younger voters closely align their politics with their personal identities and community values. They also found that the same demographic often felt alienated by politicians, which ran the gamut of factors, including age, perceived corruption, and

Sani Larena (in purple) and Joy Malonza are Mamdani supporters who also happen to be soccer fans. They attended the Cost of Living Classic not because they were unsure of his candidacy, but because they find his approach to politics “fresh,” and “fun.” (Photos by Marielle Argueza)

Arts & Entertainment

Book Review: ‘Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back’ spotlights Black contributions to cooking, culture

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Culinary historian Diane M. Spivey shows the impact of African American culture on U.S. culinary traditions with the publication of her book “Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back: The National and International Impact of African American Cuisine in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.”

Spivey’s book looks to correct the culinary narrative that overlooks Black contributions to cooking. It expands on her 2022 work, “At the Table of Power: Food and Cuisine in the African American Struggle for Freedom and Justice,” which she began writing in 2006. “At the Table of Power” explains how white-centric culinary history erases Black achievements and promotes a “culinary apartheid.” According to Spivey, this form of cultural theft takes credit for Black culinary accomplishments and attributes them to others.

The original manuscript for “At the Table of Power” was more than 1,000 pages, so Spivey divided it into two books. “Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back” is the second volume, examining how Black people achieved success in the U.S. food industry during slavery and when laws were designed to hold us back.

Stolen recipes

The American culinary master narrative still falls short in recognizing Black culinary artists, Spivey notes. She discusses figures like 19th-century restaurant owner Joseph Lee, whose patented “dough kneading” and “bread crumbing” machines transformed industrial breadmaking. Lee, a baker and inventor, operated elite hotels across Massachusetts where presidents and wealthy entrepreneurs often dined.

Spivey writes about African Americans whose recipes were stolen and credited to others, like Pastry Chef Sarah Victor at New York City’s renowned Algonquin Hotel. Victor was famous for her desserts, but her recipes were essentially stolen and published under the hotel’s name in the 1942 cookbook “Feeding the Lions: An Algonquin Cookbook.” Spivey notes, “It has a chapter on cakes and cookies, and another on desserts. Note that it has recipes for all the sweet things for which Ms. Victor was known: floating island, custard pie, the Algonquin’s Famous Apple Pie, Famous Algonquin Angel Cake, rice pudding, Algonquin Pumpkin Pie, etc. Notice how

the hotel’s name is placed on the recipes, while Sarah Victor’s name is nowhere to be found in this cookbook.”

talent, as well as for opening clubs that served African American-style meals — including pork and beans, flapjacks, oat -

Even beyond the United States, African American culinary skills were highly celebrated. The jazz drummer and bandleader Louis Mitchell gained fame in both Paris and the U.S. for his musical

meal and cream, and bacon — to diners.

Josephine Baker, the celebrated dancer, singer, and actress, also helped promote Black culinary arts internationally. “Josephine Baker gave Paris a new

venue where one could sport the latest in African-inspired fashions while savoring African American dishes,” Spivey writes. “She opened a restaurant, Chez Josephine, in 1926. It was an immediate success. Her manager, Giuseppe ‘Pepito’ Abatino, set outrageous prices, ‘the most expensive in Paris.’ A dozen oysters were said to cost 45 francs (in 1980s currency, $45). She hired a Black American woman named Freddie to do the cooking, although Ms. Josephine loved to cook herself and prepared a number of the specialties … [S]he included ‘back home’ specialties on her menu, which ‘mixed its Cordon Bleu cuisine with a taste of soul,’ serving chitlins, greens, rooster combs, and black-eyed peas with canard a l’orange and shrimp pâté. Ms. Josephine was said to have a personal preference for spaghetti and red pepper, ‘cannibal sandwiches’ (beef tartar), and plover eggs.”

Several African Americans became wealthy because of their culinary talents, but being a famous chef was not always highly valued by their families. Besides leaving some money to their families, the food-related talents they handed down were often not appreciated. “A lot of times, the children did not want to enter what has been considered domestic service, such as cooking and cuisine,” Spivey explained in an interview with the

See BOOK REVIEW on page 23

Culinary historian Diane M. Spivey. (Contributed photos)

Cover for the book “Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back: The National and International Impact of African American Cuisine in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.”

HBO Max’s ‘Task’ — All in the crime family

By MARK WINSTON GRIFFITH Special to the AmNews

Ever get to episode five of an eight-part streaming series only to discover that you’re on a fool’s errand? Welcome to the first installment of MWG’s BingeSeeker’s Guide, your very own canary in the television coal mine. My goal is to help you determine what series are worth binging and dedicating hours of your life to.

First up: “Task”

As the fall television season gets into full swing, it’s time to keep an eye out for Emmy Award bait. HBO Max’s limited series “Task,” the seventh and last episode of which aired this past Sunday, has some encouraging things going for it: a proven writer/creator (Brad Ingelsby, “Mare of Easttown” creator); an A-list movie star lead (Mark Ruffalo); and a grimy, true-crime vibe.

Set in the blue collar outskirts of Philadelphia, “Task”

is a family drama folded into a crime thriller. Tom Brandis (a reliably rumpled Ruffalo) is an FBI officer who, after suffering a devastating blow to his family life, is reluctantly placed back on active duty and put in charge of a task force of young law enforcement agents. Tom and his crew are assigned to investigate a string of trap house invasions in which Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey) and his associates are pillaging the drug enterprise of a motorcycle gang, the Dark Heart. What emerges is a haunting symmetry between Tom and Robbie — two single fathers whose personal and professional lives are marked by family trauma, intra-squad tensions, and snitches. And what the heck — let’s toss in a child abduction for good measure.

The first few episodes of “Task” are an original, gripping, and multi-layered character study of Tom, Robbie, and their tribes on both sides of the law. Tom, who was a Catholic priest before becoming an agent, suffers from a savior complex and is crippled with guilt by his inability to protect and adequately care for the ones he loves. In

particular, Tom has complicated and fractured relationships with each of his three children, but it’s his strained connection to his adolescent daughter Emily (Silvia Dionicio) that most poignantly represents all the ways he has emotionally abandoned all of them.

Robbie, a sanitation worker, is stalked by some of these same demons, but from the other side of the tracks. He deals the cards that life has dealt him — violence and crime — with stunningly misguided attempts to settle old scores and provide for his family. Despite committing acts that there’s no coming back from, Robbie displays an unlikely humanity that grants him complexity and makes him, in discreet moments, a sympathetic character.

Robbie’s relationship with his young adult niece, Maeve (Emilia Jones), is deeply troubled, mostly because Robbie has burdened her with safeguarding his two young children, keeping their shared household intact, and cleaning up his epic messes. Robbie and Maeve’s dynamic is the beating heart of the series, and Pelphrey’s and Jones’

performances are the most accomplished.

As the later episodes unfold, however, the writing grows increasingly uneven. “Task” is one of those prestige-level series in which strong performances mask its plot shagginess. For all its Pennsylvanian-specific authenticity, the action doesn’t always come across as fully plausible. By the end of the series, we’re left with a more conventional cops and robbers storyline with some predictable consequences. Even the child abduction subplot eventually loses its way.

At its best, “Task” interrogates thorny themes like loyalty to chosen family, and what it takes to be a true head-ofhousehold. It sensitively travels the faultlines of interracial adoption without referencing race; masculinity and patriarchy without calling out gender; and privilege without being explicit about any social hierarchy. While Tom and Robbie seldom rise adequately to the crises they face, their respective class upbringings pre-determine their divergent fates. The fault is both in our stars and ourselves.

Thuso Mbedu and Mark Ruffalo (left to right) in “Task.” (Peter Kramer/HBO photo)

Legacy theater critic Linda Armstrong honored at Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library

By JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews

While still a student at Hunter College, Linda Armstrong began her long career as a theater critic, walking into former Wilbert Tatum’s office at the Amsterdam News building in 1985 and getting an opportunity to write about what she wanted. For the last 40 years, she has established a name as one of the leading voices for Broadway, off-Broadway, and Black theater productions.

On October 27, Armstrong will be honored by the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza at 6 pm.

Armstrong has regularly written for the AmNews for 40 years, but is also the arts and entertainment editor for Harlem News and has written for several other publications, including TheatreWeek,

Headliner Magazine, Our Time Press, and Playbill Online.

From a young age, Armstrong was drawn to theater and remembers her parents taking her to see “Morning’s at Seven.” Throughout her career, Armstrong was intentional about spotlighting Black plays and talent

“When you go to the theater, it’s an escape, and it’s something that can really inspire you. It can educate you. It can entertain you,”

Armstrong said. “It leaves you with such an incredible feeling of being enriched and fulfilled in some type of way, you know, of being able to escape whatever your reality is and just … buying into what’s happening on that stage. There’s just something incredible about that. I just find theater, when it’s done well, can really be a gift from God.”

The event will feature a panel chosen by Armstrong discuss

ing her impactful work, including some of her dear friends in the industry such as Woodie King Jr., founder of New Federal Theatre, one of the oldest Black-owned theater companies in New York; president of AUDELCO Jackie Jeffries; playwrights David Lamb and Keenan Scott II; actors Rome Neal and Brian Strokes Mitchell; and New York Times theatre critic Brittani Samuel.

Armstrong says she burst into tears of joy when she received the email notifying her that she would be honored.

“It makes me feel acknowledged. It makes me feel like what I’m doing really does mean something,” Armstrong said. Other awards she has collected over the years include the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from AUDELCO. She is also a member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle organizations,

and has both participated in and created panels for BroadwayCon.

Both her daughters, Nikki and Jasmine, have a love for theater as well. Jasmine has continued in her mother’s path, reporting for the AmNews while being a student at Hunter College. She also majors in theater.

Armstrong continues to be inspired by quality theater. Most recently, she loved seeing Lear deBessonet’s “Ragtime” at Lincoln Center and Richard Allen’s “Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical.”

“Yes, I’ve been doing this for 40 years, and as I tell people, I’ll do it till I can’t move anymore. Because being a theater critic, supporting Black theater, supporting my people, I think, is one of my biggest purposes in life,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong has established herself as a sought-after and respected theater critic for 40 years in the Amsterdam News and other publications.

By BRENIKA BANKS Special to the AmNews

Modern media continues its growth as more podcasts and streaming programs resonate with the current generation. Oldschool radio listeners can still tune into “The Breakfast Club,” for example, on Power 105.1 in the NYC area. However, more than a radio is needed to tune into their senior news producer Loren LoRosa’s podcast, “The Latest with Loren LoRosa.”

LoRosa has made her mark on the radio show for the last two years with her keen insight and authentic delivery of reporting. A significant contributor to modern media and journalism as an entertainment news correspondent and producer, she was recently included on the EBONY Power 100 Media Mavens list, which represents the work of journalists across many platforms. LoRosa stays well prepared for and during her “Breakfast Club” segments and interviews. This same energy is transferred from Power 105.1’s well-known morning show to her podcast, “The Latest with Loren LoRosa.” Her show focuses on entertainment, culture, and empowerment.

The Delaware State University alum spoke to the AmNews about

For more info and for tickets, visit eventbrite.com.

Loren LoRosa: Leading the new wave of modern media

completely telling the story. “You drive yourself crazy trying to be one hundred percent on every single thing,” said LoRosa. She described the space she works in now on “The Breakfast Club” (TBC) as “night and day” compared to a TMZ newsroom. LoRosa said she can add elements of a story on TBC and her own podcast that she wouldn’t be able to in a traditional news space. She also credits herself for being “fly but factual.”

“As long as you get your core facts correct, with everything else being important, [including] being factual, being able to be myself, not being perfect — all of that is important,” said LoRosa. She believes people gravitate towards her because of her relatability. “I do it and I look like this,” she said. “I talk normal, but I am also very educated, very intellectual.”

the world getting to know me and also, too, getting my own show,” said LoRosa. She stated that during her first day at The Breakfast Club in July 2023, she wanted her own show. “The Latest with Loren LoRosa” evolved from a TBC segment to her own podcast. She hosts and produces it while running her own businesses and platform, along with also inspiring Brown girls on their grind (all the puns intended because of her brand’s name, “Brown Girl Grinding.”) She expressed her brand as “everything, everywhere, all the time” when it comes to stories about Brown women making business moves. “It [covers] what’s happening in the world, what’s happening in pop culture, where’s the motivation, where can I pray [or even] have a good time.”

the stigma that journalists must appear “perfect” with their words and delivery. She emphasized how striving to be factual and correct, not perfect, is more efficient.

“There’s a lot of things that you have to balance when you’re preparing stories and being efficient

— the first thing I think of is being fast,” said LoRosa. “Everything that we do timely, everything is not going to be perfect.”

She spoke on how counterproductive it is to spend more time worrying about name mispronunciations over accurately and

Intellectualism and credibility in the media field, once held to a higher standard years ago, has dipped in recent years. Certain media companies don’t hold their credibility standards as high as others. LoRosa is always accurate with her sources while reporting stories. She also shared what her evolution from TMZ to The Breakfast Club has been like and what that has been the best part during this chapter of her journey.

“I think the best part has been

LoRosa was the keynote speaker at her school Delaware State University last month. During the speech she shared: “I learned right here, at Delaware State University, conflict resolution and perception and branding.” She pointed out to the students that showing up every day is preparing them for life after university. “When you know what you want, it doesn’t matter what happens.”

For more information, visit https://linktr.ee/lorenlorosa.

Linda

(Photo courtesy of Linda Armstrong)

Loren LoRosa on her “The Latest with Loren LoRosa” podcast. (Patrick Neree photos)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Book of Saul: Saul Williams at the Sultan’s Room

By MARK WINSTON GRIFFITH Special to the AmNews

This past Sunday night, I bumped into Nick, an old writer friend, at The Sultan’s Room, a live event venue in the heart of Bushwick. We were there to see the poet/vocalist and actor Saul Williams, one of the handful of 1990s Slam-era spoken-word artists to experience any semblance of mainstream breakout fame. Nick remarked that he had not seen Williams perform in twenty years, and until I caught Williams’ notable turn as Pastor Jedidiah Moore in this year’s blockbuster “Sinners,” it had been a minute since Williams crossed my radar and screen as well.

Time, or maybe timelessness, was the subtext of the evening. Williams’ public poetic output has been sparse over the years, but you’d be off the mark if you referred to his current creative flourish – his recently released graphic novel, “Martyr Loser King,” his spoken word album, “Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at TreePeople,” and his current tour – as a “comeback.” Williams’ voice and politics have evolved, yet have nonetheless remained fiercely consistent since he was named the Nuyorican Poet Cafe’s Grand Slam Champion in 1996 at the tender age of 24. When you walked into the Sultan Room on Sunday with its multigenerational, multi-racial hipster audience and its ambient psychedelics, it wasn’t clear if it was 1968, 1998, or 2028.

As Williams advised early in his roughly 60-minute set, this wasn’t so much a “concert” as it was a “meeting” in which the proceedings and agenda were “improvised.” Indeed, rather than simply performing the tracks from his recent album, Williams held court. His more formally structured poems were punctuations to what at least felt like extemporaneous meditations, political sermons, and calls to action. His revolutionary subjects and “keywords,” as he called them, included climate exploitation, anti-capitalism, indigenous sovereignty, and anti-colonial resistance.

The most effective moment of the evening was Williams’ history lesson on the first multinational corporation, the Dutch East India Company, and its fifteenth-century colonization of the Lenapeoccupied territory, which we now

call Manhattan. Williams reminded the audience that Wall Street was named after the actual defensive wall that the Dutch used to keep out the Lenape, thus helping to advance genocide, racialized capitalism, and corporate extraction on these shores. Following this storytelling, Williams’ exhortation to hack colonial oppression invoked Assata Shakur’s famous quote, “And, if I know anything at all/It’s that a wall is just a wall/And nothing more at all/It can be broken down.” Amen.

Listening to any single artist’s spoken-word cadence for an extended period of time can risk monotony. In particular, if binged, William’s rapid and incessant phrasing can threaten to overwhelm and become word salad, with meaning rushing by indistinguishably. But William’s adjustments of oratorical tempo and style kept the evening son-

ically nimble and intellectually stimulating. The accompaniment of the two percussionists (Carlos Niño and Austin Williamson) and the keyboardist (Surya Botofasina) provided a lush and textured soundscape that communicated energy without devolving into simple mood music or musical wallpaper.

William’s radical posture as a thrower of lyrical Molotov cocktails will certainly keep him on the pop culture sidelines. And movies like “SlamNation” and “Slam,” which made Williams an artist of the moment, have long dropped out of the zeitgeist. But his clarion call to dismantle fascism and to serve as a “death doula” for the end of empire, has pointed resonance and relevance during this MAGA-haunted fever dream we find ourselves in. Maybe we have it all wrong: Williams never left us in the first place. Perhaps we are the ones returning to him.

Carlos Niño and Saul Williams (Todd Weaver photo)

Saul Williams performing at the Sultan’s Room. (Mark Winston Griffith photo)

AmNews FOOD

Late-harvest cucumbers? Smash them into a salad.

By KELLY TORRES Special to the AmNews

Looking for a fresh take on cucumber salad? Smash them. This technique is not a new creation, by any means. However, given how easy it is to make,

it ought to be more popular. When cucumbers are crushed, it creates a rustic, craggy surface that makes them suitable for picking up pockets of delicious soy ginger & garlic dressing. A generous sprinkle of furikake allows tiny

sesame seeds to hide in the little nooks and crannies, offering crunch in every bite. The dressing is easy to whip up on the fly. It’s simply made with minced ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar … maybe a touch of

water & sugar to balance out the flavors. Just be sure to have your garlic and ginger minced in advance. Fortunately, those frozen trays of ginger and garlic cubes, found in your local supermarket’s freezer section, work really well for a dress -

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Soy Ginger & Garlic Dressing

Yields 2 - 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 large American cucumbers (not English), smashed

2 cubes frozen minced ginger (or 2 tsp minced ginger)

2 cubes frozen minced garlic (or 2 tsp minced garlic)

2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari sauce)

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp light brown sugar (or to taste)

Water, optional, to taste Furikake, as garnish

Instructions:

Cut off the ends of the cucumbers. Slice each cucumber in half width-wise to get 4 pieces of cucumber.

Place the 4 pieces of cucumber in a zip-top bag and close loosely, allowing a small amount of air to escape through the opening.

Using a rolling pin or a mallet, smash the enclosed cucumbers into bite-sized rustic pieces. Place the smashed cucumber in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, add the cubes of frozen minced ginger and frozen minced garlic. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Mix thoroughly, crushing the minced ginger and minced garlic with the back of your spoon. Alternatively, allow the ginger and garlic to thaw for approximately 5 minutes. Taste the dressing, adding water to dilute flavor (only if necessary). Keep in mind that the cucumbers naturally release water, so adding additional water is not always needed.

Assembly:

Pour the soy ginger & garlic dressing over the smashed cucumbers. Thoroughly combine and let sit for 5 minutes before serving or refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, use a slotted spoon to grab cucumbers and transfer onto a plate, allowing any excess dressing to remain in the bowl. Sprinkle the smashed cucumber salad with furikake. Enjoy!

ing like this. Leave the cutting board for another day. Save cucumber kimchi for next season. If your cucumbers are blooming late in your urban garden, try serving this up as a side salad to every meal until you run out of your cuke supply.

Smashed cucumber salad with soy, ginger and garlic dressing. (Kelly Torres photo)

New York Comic Con 2025 was stupendous!

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

Every year my family and I look forward to going to New York Comic Con at the Jacob Javits Center and this year, from Oct. 9-12, it was certainly the place to be! Before even entering the building, you could feel the energy just walking through the streets as people engaged in cosplay of every program you could imagine — sci-fi, Disney, DC Comics, anime, manga, video games, you name it. Comic Con fans turned out as every character you could imagine — and more than a few I never would have dreamed of. There were abundant activities for every

heart’s desire: Stations for playing live, new video games; “Yu Gi Oh!” trading card game areas, where excited “Yu Gi Oh!” fans were trading cards, buying cards, and just having a marvelous time; a webtoon (an app for reading comic books) booth; and a Marvel booth showcasing Marvel heroes and villains. There was also something for everyone when it came to merchandise including hats, t-shirts, socks, stuffed animals, posters, paintings, artwork of all types, vintage t-shirts, Hello Kitty merchandise galore, including mugs for soup, salt and pepper shakers, and snow globes.

There were booths with merchandise from “One Piece,” “Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK),” jewelry that focused on everything from “Winnie

The Pooh” to “Star Wars,” and Funko Pops as far as the eye could see. Swarovski had gorgeous crystal figures of heroic characters like Superman — at only $35,000. At a booth adorably named Pawsonify, there were anime-themed dog harnesses, dog tags, and collars. Everything you could be interested in was there for the buying. And, of course, a multitude of comic books both new and vintage were on sale.

Cosplayers had everyone’s attention and appreciation as they walked around in Joker, Catwoman, Batman, Uncle Fester, Power Rangers, Chainsaw man, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Harry Potter costumes. The characters were everywhere and it was fantastic.

The Con was full of incredible interactive experiences as well. My daughter and I had a blast in interactive exhibits like the one for “Avatar.” We entered the Secret Tunnel for “Avatar” photo ops where voices welcome you into the tunnel as you prepare for your journey. The creativity of the vendors was incredibly on display as there was an Alex Ross comic photo gallery with incredible drawings of Superman, Batman, and DC Heroes.

For the fans of voice actors there were areas set up to meet people like Janet Varney from “The Legend of Korra.” The MAPPA booth had previews of the upcoming “Chainsaw

Scenes from New York Comic Con 2025 (Najee Wright photos)

Book Review

Continued from page 17

AmNews . “This work originated from the era of slavery, where cooking, catering, and restaurant work were often linked to enslaved people. Around the early 20th century, many avoided these roles because they found them demeaning, feeling they resembled house-n—-r stereotypes because of their association with domestic service. And then, with the rise of French cuisine, people started investing heavily in hotel dining — often hiring white chefs specialized in French culinary techniques — so opportunities in catering and restaurants decreased compared to the 1800s.”

A challenge to ‘cultural shackling’ Spivey strongly opposes placing any cultural restrictions on Black cuisine. She calls the idea of labeling African American cuisine only as “soul food” a form of “cultural and culinary shackling.”

When asked what steps she thought today’s food industry could take to begin to acknowledge the African American role

in creating U.S. tastes, Spivey’s answer is a clear directive: African Americans need to recognize and celebrate their own culinary excellence, rather than submitting to the judgment of the very people their ancestors taught how to cook.

“I have a very strong feel -

ing about this,” she said, “and that is that we can’t afford to depend on others to acknowledge us any longer. We have to do this ourselves. We have been in every kitchen since coming here, since being dragged here as slaves in the 1600s. I mean, every possible venue that exists:

steamboats, hotels, private homes, clubs, trains, everything. We were the cooks, and we were privately revered. Some white women even stole our recipes, made books, and put their names on them. That happened quite a lot in the 1800s. Yet, we became the image and

the symbol of cooking. “Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back” includes historical recipes and is written to be accessible to a broad audience, including high school and college students, Spivey said. She wants to ensure that the true history of American food is finally learned.

Recipe for “Harlem Nights in Montmartre Brown Sugar Ice Cream” printed with permission from Diane M. Spivey’s “Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back.” (Contributed photos)

Jazz Notes: Sista’s Place, LoJo Watts, Breathe

Danny Mixon holds the distinction as being one of the few famous jazz musicians born and raised in Harlem. He was a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, an innovative group often described as jazz bootcamp or the Art Blakey jazz academy. Mixon’s piano-accented groups were led by Grant Green, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Pharoah Sanders, and Joe Williams, and his sound was steeped in the big bands of Charles Mingus, and Lionel Hampton.

On October 25, Mixon appears with his Quintet at Sistas’ Place, Brooklyn’s jazz oasis (456 Nostrand Avenue). His longtime working band features bassist Bryce Sabastien, tenor saxophonist Gene Ghee, drummer Earl Grice, and his vocalist and collaborator Antoinette Montague.

His varied music associations and reputation speak for themselves, but for the record, he will be playing swing from the American Songbook “along with some straight-ahead, Leon Thomas, and a little of everything else,” Mixon said in a phone call with the AmNews. Two shows, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; for reservations, call 718-398-1766, and visit sistasplace.org for more info.

Not too long ago, Dizzy’s jazz club premiered the official performance of the collaborative trio LoJo Watts with alto saxophonist and composer Logan Richardson, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. They played beyond straight-ahead jazz borders as one should expect in a piano-less configuration similar to those inventive trios led by Sonny Rollins. Logan noted that LoJo Watts is bringing honor and recognition to the trio artform and its rich history.

Each artist, a visionary in their own right, filled the evening with absorbing twists and turns, explosive melodies from Watts, deep expressive tones from Sanders, and inventive riffs from Logan, blending it all into an unexpected transformation of sound. Like Logan’s group SHIFT, LoJo Watts is also answering the question with a prominent yes: New music can be found in jazz. The trio understands the concept of space. Overtones from

previous notes linger and ring out in their open space. “The trio opens up for overtones responding in a harmonic space,” explained Logan. Their music is improvisational, moving, and provoking. Logan and Sanders met at the New School. Logan said their music connection was spontaneous: “He was the first bassist I took on tour.” Watts, the elder of the collaborative force, is a multiGrammy award-winner with an illustrious career spanning over two decades as a resourceful bandleader, composer, and firstcall drummer.

Watts becoming a trio was partially serendipity. The original trio was LoJo Brown, referring to drummer Justin Brown, but due to other commitments, he wasn’t able to

remain. Logan had met Watts on many occasions on the road, which led to Watts joining the band. “The trio continuity is cool, but the name will always be an amalgamation of whatever,” said Logan.

For Dizzy’s, LoJo Watts seemed somewhat out of their jazz sphere, but their progressive expeditions into the deeper side of jazz are always welcome. Keep an ear open for more LoJo Watts.

As an avid swimmer, trombonist, and composer Craig Harris fully understands the specific breathing technique required for each. However, over the years, breathing, or rather the concept “breathe,” became a loud shout — a one-word impatient anthem for justice. After the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson,

Missouri, in 2014, followed by the killing of Eric Garner in New York and the murder of George Floyd in police custody, Harris was compelled to compose “Breathe,” a work for an ensemble of 20 brass and percussion musicians.

This past summer, Harris took on a most ambitious project: He assembled a 50-piece big band who performed “Breathe” at Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie, NY. The spectacular performance was free and open to the public (in association with Harris and Greer Smith of TransArt, Inc.). The park was filled with local community folks and NYC jazz hipsters. Some all-star band members included Jay Rodriguez, Dick Griffin, Bob Stewart, and Scott Robinson.

“‘Breathe’ is a concept of unifi-

cation. Assembling the 50 pieces was to bring the music community together — getting a united front,” said Harris.

The trombonist comes from a tradition of using art as a cultural catalyst to help promote social change. His musical journey is integrated into his community activism. “‘Breathe’ is a sonic statement in response to the long-term and current injustices inflicted upon African-American people. ‘Breathe’ is offered to support the community in staying resilient and persistent in fighting for justice,” said Harris. “In life as African Americans, we breathe through bigotry, bondage, brutality, and BS. Now, under this totalitarian government, we have to breathe in liberty and humanity.”

Danny Mixon. (Contributed photo)

stamp. For months, Tisch bided her time before tentatively overriding the ruling in July and finalizing the call in August.

Feliz’s brother Samy, says the family pursued an Article 78 after discussions with lawyers who supported their recent efforts. For months, civil rights legal organizations like the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and LatinoJustice PRLDEF openly backed rallies calling for Tisch to terminate Rivera.

“We thought that by doing this, it would be our best way to navigate for justice and ensure that we get the transparency and the accountability that we so hardly fought for [over] the last six years,” said Samy Feliz. “And just also understanding that our struggle in our fight is far from over. We want to continue to, [with] every avenue that we have at our disposal, ensure that we get what is right, and what we know is true: that this officer is a menace.”

Rivera faces potential discipline for another misconduct allegation investigated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the city’s independent police oversight agency handling individual complaints. He was promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant after killing Feliz.

Through his advocacy, Samy Feliz joined the Justice Committee, a member orga-

nization founded by two former Young Lords for family members of those killed by police violence. It also serves as a plaintiff in the case.

Criticism of the police commissioner’s ability to override a disciplinary ruling is nothing new. But retaining Rivera is likely the authority’s boldest application. Just one other officer faced similar disciplinary measures through a Maldonado ruling: Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner. Then-NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill swiftly approved his termination in 2019.

The NYPD pointed to the City Charter in response to the lawsuit. “The commissioner shall have cognizance and control of the government, administration, disposition, and discipline of the department, and of the police force of the department,” said a police spokesperson.

CCR Staff Attorney Samah Sisay says the lawsuit argues against the NYPD Commissioner’s total discretion laid out in the city charter if such a decision is “arbitrary or capricious” based on the agency’s own rules and regulations. She points to Tisch’s refusal to even lessen the disciplinary action and how the commissioner’s written justification relies heavily on an older State Attorney General report focused on criminal standards rather than the NYPD’s own administrative parameters.

“Generally, what the courts find, especially with an administrative proceeding, like a disciplinary proceeding…[is] what -

ever decisions come out of administrative processes have to be based on something,” said Sisay. “They can’t just be arbitrary. They can’t be some elected official or agency head just using their discretion in a way that’s not grounded in evidence or in the law.”

She adds that a successful verdict may create a primer for others impacted by police violence to continue fighting for accountability. “If we are successful in this litigation, what it will do is show the NYPD that there are consequences of decisions that are made that are not based in evidence and based in fact [and] an abuse of discretion,” added Sisay. “And families won’t just sit back and take this. They will find other avenues to challenge the decision. In the past, the NYPD has been used to people not challenging commissioner decisions because there’s a narrative that exists that is final, and there’s not much that you can do to challenge it.”

Last week also marked six years since Rivera killed Feliz, who at the time had recently become a father. “It was a somber moment in understanding that there are still

big shoes to fill,” said Samy Feliz. “That Allan was somebody who was very instrumental in our family dynamic and also ensured to bring happiness and joy in everything that he was a part of.”

TO YOUR INBOX?

Education

154,000 NYC students were homeless last school year — another record high

By MICHAEL ELSEN-ROONEY Chalkbeat New York

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat.

More than 150,000 New York City students experienced homelessness last year, yet another record high, according to new data obtained by the nonprofit Advocates for Children.

The staggering total, which includes students who lived in shelters along with those who doubled up with family or friends, is larger than the entire Dallas school system.

During the 2023–2024 school year, roughly 146,000 city students were homeless. Last year, roughly 65,000 students spent time in another shelter, while another 82,000 were doubled up, according to the data.

“Every year for the past decade, more than 100,000 students in our public schools have been homeless,” said Jennifer Pringle, director of Advocates for Children’s Learners in Temporary Housing Project. “This year alone, we’ve worked with families whose children already missed an entire month of school because of the lack of coordination between the shelter and school systems.”

The ongoing rise in the number of homeless students, now more than double what it was in 2010 even as the overall student population has shrunk, is a reflection of both the city’s acute housing shortage and the surge of migrant families who have filled homeless shelters in recent years. Since the influx of asylum seekers began in summer 2022, the city’s public schools have absorbed an estimated 50,000 new students in temporary housing.

After President Donald Trump began his second term in January, immigration slowed dramatically, and the rate of new families entering city shelters slowed to a trickle. The city’s shelter population has dwindled since its peak in winter 2023 as the city shuttered many of its emergency shelters.

Student homelessness is most acute in the Bronx, where 17% of students — almost 1 in 5 — went without permanent housing. In Staten Island, the figure was 6%.

Homeless students continued to fare worse on almost every educational metric than their peers in permanent housing. Two-thirds of students in shelters were marked chronically absent last year, compared to less than a third of students in permanent housing.

While the chronic absenteeism rate went down slightly citywide last school year, it

ticked up for students in shelters. Longstanding challenges, including insufficient transportation for kids placed in shelters far from their schools, continue to hamper attendance, advocates said. In addition, many immigrant families in the city’s largest shelters kept their kids with them out of fear in the wake of Trump’s inauguration.

Advocates praised some of the city’s efforts in recent years to support homeless students, including hiring dozens of Education Department staffers who work in shelters to

help families sort through educational challenges. However, advocates are pushing for larger structural changes, including revamping school bus contracts to improve service for students in shelters and amending the state’s school funding formula to direct extra money to districts with higher proportions of homeless students.

Advocates also encouraged the next mayor to push city agencies to work together on placing students in shelters in the same boroughs as their schools.

Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the mayoral race, has said the high rate of student homelessness is one of the biggest challenges for the education system. He’s pledged to expand a pilot program called Every Child and Family is Known that matches homeless students with adult mentors in their schools.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@ chalkbeat.org

(Pexels/Budgeron Bach)

Continued from page 5

“It grounded me. It gave me a sense of purpose and helped me come back to myself before, before that, I didn’t really do school for anything but my dad,” McDavid said. “I needed to set up for my daughter, and I needed to be a woman that she could look up to.”

Eventually, McDavid was able to obtain her Associate’s Degree and High School Diploma through a specialized program, and later enrolled at the University of Florida, where she received her bachelor’s and later her master’s Degree. It was from an introductory college course where she says she first discovered education as a career choice, but says subconsciously she always knew it was the right path, remembering all the responsibilities she had in caring for her several brothers and sisters growing up. After graduating in 2002, with her husband and three kids, they moved to Chicago, where she began teaching and, after three years, became an assistant principal. She received her Ph.D from DePaul University in 2009.

McDavid’s work in the charter school system began with the Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago. There, she saw how much better a vision for improving students’ lives could be manifested compared to traditional schools. “It just was like a young, energetic, determined movement to make a difference, prove the possible with the children,” she said.

She founded the Johnson College Prep high school in 2008, and later had her first CEO role in 2015 with Meridan Charter Schools. She began her consulting firm,

Garland Leads, in 2020.

After being tapped to lead Brooklyn Lab, she returned home to the East Coast around 2021 and was intentional about helping the kids in the situations in which she grew up.

“It’s full circle. It’s where I grew up, and I’m helping kids who come from where I come from; look like me, and I’m having the opportunity to do it in excellence,” she said.

For juniors and seniors, there have been increases in their college preparatory work with more college visits, seminars, working on letters of recommendation and essays, and they are provided with awareness of schools beyond SUNY and CUNY, including more HBCUs.

“I’m not going to sell Black and Brown kids anything but college,” McDavid said. She vehemently pushes back on those who claim a degree is not worth it for students in lower-income areas.

“Statistics are clear that Black and Brown children thrive better, even with some college versus none,” McDavid continued. “I know that these kids can go to college and be successful, and I wish people would stop telling them that they can’t.”

Her children, Chenelle, Aliah, Kiah, Johnnie, and Elijah, ranging in age from 11 to 30, keep her busy and are a main source of pride. Two of her daughters are now teachers themselves. McFadden is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, serves on the National Coalition for 100 Black Women Manhattan chapter, and spends time with her Black lab dog, Onyx. She plans on retiring at the school down the line, and wants to see all her kids, both real life and “work kids,” referring to students, come back and lead the school to keep the legacy going.

“When they come full circle, they will be doing what I’m doing, and they will care and shepherd the school in a different way.”

State Sen. Kevin Parker proposes bills to protect federal workers during government shutdowns

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Democratic State Sen. Kevin S. Parker has reintroduced two bills in Albany aimed at protecting federal employees in New York during government shutdowns.

The legislation — S.8534, an act to establish a furloughed or non-pay federal workers revolving loan program and fund, and S.8535, which reduces residential rates for electric and natural gas services to furloughed or unpaid federal workers — would establish state support for public servants when federal gridlock halts their

pay, ensuring they do not face financial hardship due to federal delays. Federal government shutdowns can have a significant impact on families throughout New York, Parker said. Thousands of federal workers — including TSA officers, air traffic controllers, and postal employees — find themselves unpaid and struggling to pay for rent, utilities, and other necessities.

Bill S.8534 would establish a Furloughed Federal Employee Revolving Loan Fund, which would offer zero-interest loans to federal employees who are either furloughed or required to work without pay.

The loans would be meant to help furloughed workers cover essential utility expenses, such as electricity and gas, and prevent them from losing these necessary household services. Oversight of the fund would be administered jointly by the New York State Comptroller and the Public Service Commission to promote transparency and accountability.

Bill S.8535 would provide more relief options and financial protections for affected federal workers and their families.

“When a federal employee is sent home without pay, they don’t stop being a New Yorker,” said Parker, whose district in-

cludes much of Brooklyn. “They don’t stop being somebody’s parent, somebody’s neighbor, somebody’s spouse. Their bills don’t pause, and their lights shouldn’t turn off. If Washington can’t act, New York must.”

If passed, Parker said his bills would provide peace of mind and financial stability for working families who serve the federal government and live in New York State.

“If we pass these bills today, we give thousands of families peace of mind tomorrow. We show every federal employee in this state that New York sees you, values you, and has your back,” he said.

State Sen. Kevin Parker introduces bills to protect federal employees who live in New York. (Contributed photo)

DMC talks 10 years of making comics, breaking down barriers, and art as escapism at NYCC 2025

By JOHNNY KNOLLWOOD Special to the AmNews

Rapper and comic creator Darryl McDaniels, known as DMC from seminal hip-hop outfit Run DMC celebrated over a decade of making comics with his company, Darryl Makes Comics, at New York Comic Con October 9-12. The influential artist signed books, promoted his new line of cookies, and participated in a panel discussion on the Black experience in fan-driven spaces titled, “Young, Gifted and Whack,” alongside Wayne Brady and a slew of other creatives. “Nobody knows my first love is comic books,” DMC told the New York Amsterdam News in an onsite interview early Sunday morning. “Before rock and roll … before hip-hop came to Queens and the Bronx, all I did was read, collect and draw comic books.”

Darryl, who debuted his first comic at New York Comic Con over ten years ago, has often been on hand for the weekend to meet fans, sign autographs and tell his story. “In my comic I represent everything,” he explained. “I deal with every issue, every struggle that anybody could ever go through. My hero fights martians, demons, monsters, gangsters, any-

thing.” DMC has used the medium to express his relationship to struggles that are personal to him: alcoholism, mental health, and adoption are themes presented throughout his work. “Through the galaxy, through the multiverse, whatever you can struggle against, my superhero fights against.”

DMC gravitated towards art and comics despite the lack of acceptance from his community and peers in the face of unrest during the Civil Rights Movement and the social climate of the time. “I understand oppression and racism, but as a kid my heroes was white ass Steve Rogers (Captain Ameri-

ca) and white fucking Peter Parker (SpiderMan),” he said.

He recalls getting pushback from his own community. “I got a lot of disrespect because of it. ‘You’re into that corny white people shit, why are you reading those books, you’re supposed to be militant,’” he recalled others saying to him, eventually turning to hip-hop, which “gave him the power,” and injecting his fandom into songs like “King of Rock.” “Now we crash through walls, cut through floors, bust through ceilings and knock down doors,” he rapped. DMC would break down walls again by collaborating with Aerosmith on a rendition of “Walk This Way,” which harmoniously fused rock and hip-hop to mainstream audiences in a pioneering way.

DMC is no stranger to the power that art and expression hold in the face of division. “Art and creativity succeed where politics and religion fail,” DMC said. “And politics and religion fails us forever.” You can stay up to date with all of DMC’s ventures including Darryl Makes Comics, Darryl Makes Cookies, Darryl Makes Coffee, and an upcoming musical collaboration with members of Skid Row, Mötley Crüe, and Guns N’ Roses at his website.

Peace of Mind

Delivered By

A record high 150,000 children enrolled in more affordable early childhood education programs

A seat offered to every child applying to 3-K on time (first time in NYC history)

Out-of-pocket costs for child care subsidies reduced from $55 to $5 per week

New York is dedicated to being the best place to raise a family. More students than ever before enrolled in early education programs, out-of pocket costs for child care at their lowest due to new subsidies, and, for the very first time, a 3-K seat offered to every family who applied on time, all thanks to the over 300,000 of your neighbors working to build a safer, more affordable city.

That’s New York City’s agencies delivering for you Every day. Everywhere.

DMC signing at his table in the Artist Alley at New York Comic Con 2025. (Photo by Johnny Knollwood)

Religion & Spirituality

Hope in Hot-Mess Times

The Truth Will Set Us Free

The holy work of seeing each other, however we express our genders

For all we know, God may be trans. What if the One who breathed the stars into being and shaped our souls lives beyond the boundaries of gender altogether? What if God is not trapped by he or she but moves freely, lovingly, powerfully, both and neither, all at once?

As a Christian leader, one who actually tries to follow Jesus, I keep coming back to the Bible. It is complicated and wild, full of poetry and paradox. But the heart of it is clear. Love God with all you have and love your neighbor as yourself. That is the gospel.

stock and pets, gone are the fruits of the earth and the fruit of the wine.

with each of my parents as they were dying long deaths. We don’t have to wait until death is near to curate loving truth. We can do that right now.

the loving truth-telling I had with my amazing mom, as she was dying. It’s re dacted from a story about a childhood wounding.

Dying

death is strong in the air. And as was true for many ancient peoples, these people believe the only answer to “why?” is that they have displeased God and that God has punished them. They believed that when good things happened, God was responsible, as a reward for their goodness. AND when trouble came, God was responsible, giving them what they deserved.

nal kind of time, to keep God’s promises. I think hope is also about hindsight. To be able to turn around and look over our shoulders — like a Sankofa — and see what God has been up to. See God ing with humans to ensure human rights.

One of the ideas I discuss in my book, “Fierce Love” is truth. Many of us have been taught that love means being nice. That being nice means being polite and not being offensive. That not being offensive means blurring the truth about injuries, frustrations, and the unkindness we endure. Love defined in this way means cloaking much of what we feel in lies. That is not true.

Right now, when I look at what is happening to my trans siblings across this country, I see everything but love.

14 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall ex ecute justice and righteousness in the land.16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Jeremiah 33.14-16 NRSVUE

Love means being honest; love carries the weight of candor to build intimacy and trust. In other words, love — true love — must handle the truth because the truth frees us to love.

Here we are in October 2025, and lawmakers are still targeting trans people with cruelty dressed up as legislation. Bills that make it harder for kids to get the care they need. Laws that erase people’s names, their pronouns, their stories. Rules that tell teachers to lie about who their students are. This is not about safety. This is about fear. This is about power, and it breaks God’s heart.

birthday (party), Mom had another crisis and was hospitalized; this time my dad signed a do not resuscitate order; they were both suffering from her suf fering. This meant she was in hospice, this meant her days were numbered. I traveled from New York to Chicago to spend time in her hospital room, read ing, watching her sleep, unless she was watching me.

Hope is learning how to see. To see a Holy Partner at work in the world, moving

thors, artists and activists; parents, poets and preachers to work with the power of Spirit to bring dead places back to life. To end wars and enmity. To cause justice to roll down like waters and righteousness

Civil rights theologian, mystic and

Before those words above, the picture Jeremiah paints in this 33rd chapter of his prophecy looks like the destruction and devastation I see in my social media feeds. It looks like Gaza. It looks like Congo or Sudan. It looks like Haiti or Ukraine. It looks like California after fires and it looks like the Carolinas after storms. Where there has been dancing and laughter, now there is weeping and mourning. Where there used to be children playing in the streets, now they are climbing over the rubble, trying to find food, or remnants of their loved ones. Gone are live-

This holiday season, I want to encourage truth-filled interactions. I don’t mean hurling violent words at each other, words stored up at times for generations. But I do mean being honest with each other as if these are our last moments , because we never know how much time is left in our lives. I mean being honest and vulnerable. Making amends. I had powerful experiences

Psalm 139 says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It does not say unless you are white, with blue eyes and blond hair. It does not say unless you are rich. It simply says that we are. All of us. Every single one of us, made in the image of God. If that is true, then every trans person is a reflection of God. Every nonbinary and gender expansive person is a living testi-

of our modern understanding. And to be honest, I don’t believe that. If it were true, so many people doing despicable things, and causing harm to communi ties and the planet, would not be flour ishing. They would be the ones searching for food on garbage heaps and they are not. If that theology were true, amazing humans doing incredibly loving things for their communities would not be struggling to make ends meet. Do you see what I mean? It is difficult to make a direct correlation between good people getting good things, and bad people get ting bad things.

ing you. Why aren’t you sleeping? I don’t want to miss seeing your face. You know my face. I want to memorize it, you’re beautiful. You are too, mommy. Do you know how much I love you? I do; do you know how much I love you? Yes, but I love you more.

a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? Does a good God allow good things to happen to bad people? I’ve got lots of thoughts on this topic that I’ll continue to share in this space, some of it shaped by a book by Rabbi Harold Kushner, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People.”

over and over again. This was what it was like, to be with her, to watch her watching me, to catch her face in the eerie blue glow of her room, to pull out the sofa bed and make it up again. To hear her cough, to use the tool to suck the phlegm out of her mouth. To fight with doctors and nurses about feeding her, hydrating her, keeping her comfortable.

mony to the creativity of the Creator. The differences between us are not mistakes. They are the way God shows off.

The Bible tells us that God exists as Creator, Spirit, and Christ. Creator language is sometimes described with masculine imagery, the Spirit with feminine language, and Jesus as a human man. That is not a hierarchy. It is a relationship. It is love in motion. It is God refusing to be limited to one form or one expression. If God holds all of that, then perhaps God is many-gendered. Perhaps God is trans.

So when we meet someone who does not fit inside the boxes our world created, what if instead of judging, we looked at them and saw the face of God?

For now, with Chaldean/Babylonian conquest, captivity and exile in the background, with desolation and the absence of human and animal life thriving, no matter how they got there, Jeremiah reminds these people of God’s covenant-keeping faithfulness. God will restore, God will repair, God will reclaim the people. God is a promisekeeper, Jeremiah is saying. And as sure as day follows night, humans should not doubt God’s intention, power and ability to not only repair what’s broken BUT to raise up people to partner with God to fix these broken things and make sure it stays fixed.

This is what it was like, to face the truth. Mom was dying, really, finally. Right before our eyes. She had been dying for a long time, but now? Now if you looked closely, you could see her leaving. There was something different about her eyes. They were receding, closing just a little bit at a time. They were knowing eyes, searching eyes, looking deeply into my soul, looking for something, saying something she was thinking but not saying. I’m hurting. I hurt you. I love you. I’m sorry I smoked. I don’t want to die. I’m afraid. I love you more, more than I can say.

Jeremiah writes to give hope to the people, even amid their sorrow.

Living

To those writing laws about bathrooms and bodies, I say this as plainly as I can. Stop it. Stop making people’s existence your business. Stop weaponizing your fear and calling it faith. Look instead at the human being in front of you and see the wonder that God made.

This is holy work. The work of seeing each other. The work of choosing love instead of cruelty. The work of telling the truth even when it costs something. The work of building communities that protect the vulnerable instead of punishing them.

If you are a person of faith, now is the

How do we hope in hot-mess times? I think it is about learning how to see. Learning how to see in the distance, in the future; to be far-sighted enough to see the moral arc of the universe bendtoward justice. To see and to imagine that God is faithful and has what C.S.

Mommy was dying, leaving us, leaving me. And while she was dying, she was giving me something to live with. She was birthing me some more, liberating me, pushing me that last little bit out of her. She willed herself to live until she gave it all to me. She knew I needed

time she said, “I love you more,” along with it were paragraphs about what she hoped for me. Here is the truth precious: Be you, Jac. You’re not too shiny, too strong. You didn’t deserve what happened to you and you didn’t cause it by being you. It was not your fault.

time to speak up. Silence helps the wrong side. Neutrality is not love. We are called to resist every system that denies God’s image in another person.

The God I know is not afraid of difference. The God I know made difference beautiful. The God I know walks beside my trans siblings, blessing their names, their bodies, their stories, and their becoming.

Look well to the growing edge! All around us worlds are dying, and new worlds are being born; all around us life is dying, and life is being born. The fruit ripens on the tree, the roots are silently at work in the darkness of the earth against a time when there shall be new leaves, fresh blossoms, green fruit. Such is the growing edge! It is the extra breath from the exhausted lung, the one more thing to try when all else has failed, the upward reach of life when weariness closes in upon all endeavor. This is the basis of hope in moments of despair, incentive to carry on when times are out of joint and men have lost their reason, the source of confidence when worlds crash and dreams whiten into ash. The birth of the child — life’s most dramatic answer to death — this is the growing edge incarnate. Look well to the growing edge!

So let us see one another with divine eyes. Let us remember that we belong to each other. Love is the real law. And every person you meet carries a piece of God’s reflection within them.

This is a rough friends. BUT see that growing edge incarnate? Hope is there.

Mommy and I had more than one of those moments over the eight years she was living and dying at the same time. We are all, loves, are living and dying at the same time. Is there a truth you need to hear or tell? A love-filled truth-telling — speaking the truth in love — might set you free and liberate your loved ones as well. It might be hard, but it might also be amazing!

And today, I honor a woman who lived this truth. Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. Mother. Warrior. Freedom fighter. She carried the torch through Stonewall and every storm after. She showed us what it means to keep loving, to keep fighting, to keep believing in our shared humanity.

For more thoughts on hope, listen to my podcast, Love.Period. https://cac. org/podcasts/hope-is-the-thing/

Rest in power, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. May we carry your fire forward.

Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is senior minister and public theologian at Middle Church in New York. She is the author of “Fierce Love” and “The Just Love Story Bible.” Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Ebony, and Essence.

Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is senior minister and public theologian at Middle Church in New York. Celebrated internationally for her dynamic preaching and commitment to building a just society with fierce love, Dr. Lewis champions racial, economic, and gender/sexuality justice. The author of several books, including “Fierce Love” and the “Just Love Story Bible,” her work has been featured on NBC, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, NPR and in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Ebony and Essence magazines.

(Pexels/Jeff Sof photo)

Man” movie and JJK Season.

The Con had too many panels to name and screenings connected to comics, TV shows, movies, toys, video games, anime, and manga. The panels always have such an incredible atmosphere, with families and people of like minds coming together with great joy and enthusiasm to experience shows that are special and enjoyable for them. The panels also looked at all parts of the comic industry.

One panel I was very excited to attend was Betty Boop: The 100-year evolution from Animation to Broadway and Beyond. The panel featured descendants of the Fleischer Studios family who created the original cartoon, the current cartoonist behind “Betty Boop,” members of the Broadway producing team, and Jasmine Amy Rogers — the recent Broadway star who brought Boop to life onstage. The audience viewed original drawings tracing the cartoon’s evolution over the decades, highlighting Betty Boop’s role as a pioneer-

ing symbol of female power and positivity — a character who demanded respect and dared to dream beyond what was considered possible for women 100 years ago.

Rogers shared that playing the role “was very, very scary because so many people loved her. You can put on the outfit and the hair, but her core values and the things that were part of her soul, that’s a whole other piece. Making sure I was doing her justice was scary. There have been people who loved her for their whole lives, whose children now love her, getting feedback from people saying I saw Betty on that stage — it meant everything to me. I did it in Chicago and brought it to Broadway and I just fell more deeply in love with her. I just wanted to make sure I was doing this woman justice.” The packed room burst into applause as everyone agreed Rogers was phenomenal in the role.

New York Comic Con 2025 had a haunted house theme, so of course people were walking around wearing Scream and other horror costumes. Comic Con is always a marvelous family outing. I can’t wait until 2026, when the Con, believe it or not, will be celebrating 20 years!

*Subject to change. **Based upon the number of persons in household.

OCCUPANCY STANDARDS: THREE BEDROOM: Four to Six people. NOTE: A single parent with two children remains eligible for a three-bedroom apartment, regardless of gender. FOUR BEDROOM: Five to Eight people.

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 100 applicants chosen for the Three & Four 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/

and

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Gilded City Creations LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 6/10/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 255 W 108 St. 10A, New York, NY 10025. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Due Processors LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 9/26/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 41 State St, Ste 112, Albany, NY 12207 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Canaan Farms Entertainment LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/27/2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: P.O. Box 322086, New York, NY 10032. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Bonds Pilates, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on October 10, 2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 370 E 79th Street Apt C909, New York, NY 10021. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Formation of NEW YORK DENTAL COLLABORATIVE, LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/22/2025. Office loc.: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail process to Arti Jagirdar, 17 W. 24th St., Floor 2, New York, NY 10010. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Simpler Eats LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/03/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 200 Rector Pl, 26H, New York, New York, 10280. Purpose: Any lawful act.

SOUL ARTISTIC TRENDS

ART COMPANY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/21/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 950 EVERGREEN AVE, 2L , BRONX, NY, 10473. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Meg Barber Basketball LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 18th Of June, 2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 115 Broadway Suite 1602, New York, New York 10006. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Valura LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/7/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 2825 Snyder Ave, Apt 4B, Brooklyn, NY 11226. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Barbary Collective LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/12/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 447 Broadway #3000, NY, NY 10013. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Woven Audiobooks Llc Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 9/29/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 712 W 176th St, New York NY 10033 Purpose: Any lawful act.

Brand Mystique LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/07/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 251 W81 St 7E, NY, NY 10024 Purpose: Any lawful act.

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. SCOTT MOORE, KATHRYN MARIE MOORE, NEW YORK SUPREME COURT, NY STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, NYC ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, NYC TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, Defts. - Index # 850370/2024. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 8, 2025, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the NY County Courthouse located 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 5,000/28,402,100 tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as Phase I of HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York. Approximate amount of judgment is $21,915.96 plus costs and interest as of June 27, 2025. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Ronald V. Zezima, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK.

NYCTL 1998‑2 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiffs ‑against‑ CLIFTON EDWARDS, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on July 15, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Court house, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on November 19, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. 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 1751 and Lot 66 on the New York County Tax Assess ment Map.

Said premises known as 14 EAST 127TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10035

Approximate amount of lien $28,613.51 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 151788/2024.

TOM KLEINBERGER, ESQ., Referee

Phillips Lytle LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs 100 S. Clinton Avenue, Suite 2900, Rochester, NY 14604 {* AMSTERDAM*}

Zeanie B. LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 4/1/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 261 West 136 Street, New York,NY 10030. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK U.S. BANK NA, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, NA, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO LASALLE BANK NA, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE WAMU MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007- HY7, Plaintiff AGAINST TERRE SIEPSER SIMPSON A/K/A TERRE S. SIMPSON A/K/A TERRE SIMPSON A/K/A TERRE SIEPSE-SIMPSON; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 4, 2025, 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 November 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 106 Central Park South, Unit 3B, New York, NY 10019. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County, and State of New York, Block: 1011 Lot: 4089. Approximate amount of judgment $1,863,650.44 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850164/2023. Allison Furman, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 SPSNC846 87302

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #NA-0340-25131645 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 398 E. 5 2nd St., New York, NY 10022 for on-premises consumption; Adriano1981 Corp.

DANIEL SOULAS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/14/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 11 CONCORD COURT, WARREN NJ, 07059. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Wing & Root Management Consulting LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/01/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 50 Park Terrace E Apt 4L, New York, NY 10034. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Ka Ming Gordon Ngai, MD PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/04/2025. Office location: Manhattan County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 333 W 56th St, 2B, New York, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of Levittown SL PropCo LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/17/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/04/25. Princ. office of LLC: 745 Fifth Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10151. 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: Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808-1674. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 3, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of LIMA TOWERS DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/13/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 6 Greene St., Ste. 500, NY, NY 10013. 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: To control the funds used to fund costs for acquisition and renovation of Lima Towers.

Notice of Qualification of MILES ON HUDSON, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/16/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/25/24. 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.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ALEXANDER ALLANA GROUP LLC.

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/09/2025.

Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served.

The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is:

1540 York Avenue, Apt 4L, New York, NY 10028. The principal business address of the LLC is:

1540 York Avenue, Apt 4L, New York, NY 10028. Dissolution date: None.

Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.

AXOS BANK, Plaintiff -against- HUDSON 805 LLC, et al Defendant(s). Index Number 850233/2022.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated November 26, 2024 and entered on February 3, 2025 (the “Judgment”), I, the undersigned Referee will sell at a public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, New York on November 12, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. (E.T.) premises situate, all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known as Unit No. 805-06 in the building known as the Printing House Condominium. Together with an undivided 0.0124% interest in the Common Elements. District: 0403 Section: 014.00 Block: 02.00 and Lot: 044.002.

Said premises known as 421 HUDSON STREET, UNIT 805/806, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10014.

Approximate amount of lien

$7,584,837.12 plus post-judgment interest & costs.

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

JEFFREY MILLER, ESQ., Referee

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP

Attn: Benjamin O. Gilbert bogilbert@sheppardmullin.com Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 (212) 896-0682

{* AMSTERDAM*}

LEGAL NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE, Supreme Court – New York County, BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE PARKVIEW CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff v. EDGAR HERNANDEZ, et al., Defendants, Index# 158090/2024. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale docketed on October 6, 2025, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in Room 130 of New York County Supreme Court, 60 Center Street, New York, New York 10007, on November 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM of that day, the premises known as 7 West 131 Street, Units A3 and AS3 , New York , New York 10037, Block 1729 Lots 1203 and 1206. Unit AS3 is a storage unit allocated to residential Unit A3. Unit A3 is approximately 1289 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The approximate amount of Judgment is $31,660.52, through and including April 2, 2025, plus interest, common charges, special assessments, advances, administrative costs, and expenses accrued from April 2, 2025. Premises will be sold subject to: (a) provisions of Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale docketed on October 6, 2025; and (b) the terms of sale. IF YOU ARE BIDDING AT THE AUCTION, YOU MUST BRING A CERTIFIED CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO THE REFEREE

RONALD ZEZIMA , ESQ . IN THE AMOUNT OF 10% OF YOUR BID. If you have any questions, contact Attorney for Plaintiff: ANNA GUILIANO, BORAH, GOLDSTEIN, ALTSCHULER, NAHINS & GOIDEL, P.C., 377 Broadway, New York, New York 10013, (212) 965-2628.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK.

SBT ADVANTAGE BANK, A DI VISION OF STERLING BANK AND TRUST, FSB, Plaintiff ‑against‑ YING MA, et al Defen dant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 18, 2025, I, the under signed Referee will sell at pub lic auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. prem ises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known as Unit No. 3C in the building known as "The Iris Condominium" together with an undivided 1.39842% interest in the common elements. Block: 1198 Lot: 1117

Said premises known as 76 WEST 85TH STREET, UNIT 3C, NEW YORK, NY 10024

Approximate amount of lien $418,807.83 plus interest & costs.

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

Index Number 850678/2023.

JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39519 {* AMSTERDAM*}

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK JPMORGAN CHASE BANK N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST ROOSEY KHAWLY, MARY THERESA KHAWLY, ET AL.,

Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered February 25, 2025, 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 November 12, 2025 at 2:15

PM, premises known as 15 West 53rd Street, Units 29A, 29F, and 30A, New York, NY 10019. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, Block: 1269, Lots: 1140, 1145, and 1146. Approximate amount of judgment $11,351,008.92 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850464/2023. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 CHNC1631 87303

Notice of Formation of Reese Peters Design LLC.

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/05/2025.

Office Location: New York, NY.

SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 184 Franklin St Apt 5 New York NY 10013.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Management: The LLC is managed by Members.

NOTICE OF FORMATION of VSM NY WAREHOUSE LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/26/2025. Office location: New York County.

CATEGORY: Ltd Liability Company, NY: New York AD Number:

NOTICE OF FORMATION of VSM NY WAREHOUSE LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/26/2025. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to DANIEL MCCARTHY, GENERAL COUNSEL, VILLAGE SUPER MARKET, INC., 733 MOUNTAIN AVENUE SPRINGFIELD, NJ, 07081, USA. Purpose: any lawful act.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK

SAGA HOUSE CONDOMINIUM BY ITS BOARD OF MANAGERS, Plaintiff -against- HANNA JESIONOWSKA PRACTICE

L.L.C , et. al., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 8, 2025 and entered on September 10, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on November 12, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY, or at such other location within the Courthouse as may be designated by the Clerk of the Court and/or the Office of Court Administration, the premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known as Medical Unit No. 1 in the condominium building known as "Saga House Condominium" together with an undivided 6.19% interest in the common elements as described in the Declaration of Saga House Condominium. Block 1409 and Lot 1001. Said premises known as 157 East 74 th Street, Medical Unit No. 1, New York, New York. Approximate amount of lien $251,391.84 plus attorney’s fees and costs as awarded in the judgment, along with interest and costs.

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

Index Number 156127/2024

JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee

Levin & Glasser, P.C., Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 551 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 1200, New York, NY 10176

{* AMSTERDAM*}

Crystal Venning Law PLLC (TX PLLC; formed 4/26/22). App. for Auth. filed 7/15/25 w/ SSNY to transact NY Cty. SSNY desig. svc. of proc. agent; mail: 125 Park Ave, 25th Fl, NY, NY 10017. TX off.: 440 Louisiana St, Ste 900, Houston, TX 77002. PLLC Cert. w/ TX SOS, P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711. Any lawful purpose.

Lucy's Hot Dogs LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 5/29/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 10228. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Pendenza LLC. App. for Authority filed with the SSNY on 9/26/2025. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: The LLC, 445 Park Ave., Ste. 967, NY, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful act.

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. TIMOTHY ANDREWS and NYC DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU, Defts. - Index # 850526/2023. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 3, 2025, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the NY County Courthouse located 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 2:15 pm, interests in two undivided 0.1505136467542480% and 0.0741276267592057% tenants in common interest in the timeshare known as Phase II of HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York. Approximate amount of judgment is $116,295.38 plus costs and interest as of June 24, 2025. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.

Notice of Formation of ROSEMOND PROPERTIES LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 195 Fenimore St., Brooklyn, NY 11225. 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. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of ThrillHouse LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/14/25. 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 Papilio Strategies LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 9/12/25. Office located in NY County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC at 7 Park Ave #116, NY NY 10016. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Metamechanics Architecture PLLC.

6/24/2025. New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. 236 West 27th St Suite 1303, New York, New York 10001. 236 West 27th St Suite 1303, New York, New York 10001. Architecture.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 850098/2025 COUNTY OF NEW YORK

U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST,

Plaintiff, vs.

WONWOO CHANG, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; HSBC BANK USA, N.A.; FIFTH PARTNERS LLC; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

"JOHN DOE #1" through "JOHN DOE #12," the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

Plaintiff designates NEW YORK as the place of trial situs of the real property

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises:

189 EAST 7TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10009

Block: 390, Lot: 61

To the above named Defendants

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff ’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $3,400,000.00 and interest, recorded on October 10, 2019 , in CRFN: 2019000330101 , of the Public Records of NEW YORK County, New York. , covering premises known as 189 EAST 7TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10009.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NEW YORK County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: October 10 th , 2025

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Matthew Rothstein, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675

Adam

w/ SSNY 8/26/25.

in NY Co. Process served to SSNY - desig. as agt. of PLLC & mailed to the PLLC, 424 E. 52nd St, #5C, NY, NY 10022. Any lawful purpose.

Courtney Lemon Curd LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/07/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 303 E 37th St 5F, New York, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Daniel

Goldstein LCSW PLLC filed

Off.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK U.S. Bank Trust, N.A., as Trustee for LSF9 Master Participation Trust, Plaintiff AGAINST Llewellyn C. Werner a/k/a Llewellyn Werner Individually and as the sole member of Hawkes AP, LLC; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 7, 2022, amended September 5, 2025, 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 10007 on November 12, 2025, at 2:15PM, premises known as 160 West 66th Street Unit 46-G a/k/a 160 West 66th Street, Apartment 46G, New York, NY 10023. The Condominium Unit (the Unit) known as Unit No. 46G the building (the Building) known as Three Lincoln Center Condominium and by the Street Number 160 West 66th Street, Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1137 Lot 1272. Approximate amount of judgment $2,290,728.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 810045/2010. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: September 23, 2025 For sale information, please visit www. Auction.com or call (800) 2802831 87352

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, not in its individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee of CSMC 2018SP3 Trust, Plaintiff AGAINST Sreeram Mallikarjun; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 23, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction in room 130 at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 5, 2025, at 2:15PM, premises known as 350 West 42nd Street Apartment 53C, New York, NY 10036. The Condominium Unit (the "Unit") in the premises known as Orion Condominium and by the street number 350 West 42nd Street, Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, Block 1032 Lot 1484. Approximate amount of judgment $1,206,958.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 850224/2021. Doron Leiby, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: September 23, 2025 87371

Notice of Formation of JC8687

LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/14/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to Martin D. Hauptman, Esq., c/o Mandelbaum Barrett PC, 3 Becker Farm Rd., Ste. 105, Roseland, NJ 07068. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee on behalf of HSI Asset Securitization Corporation Trust 2006-HE2, Plaintiff AGAINST STATE4RS LLC; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 18, 2024, 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 10007 on November 19, 2025, at 2:15PM, premises known as 262 Mott Street, Apt. 4RS, New York, NY 10012. The Condominium Unit No. 4RS in the building (hereinafter referred to as the "Building") known by the street number 262 Mott Street, Borough of Manhattan and State of New York, Block 508 Lot 1167. Approximate amount of judgment $521,552.09 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 850216/2022. Mark McKew, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 4304792 Dated: October 1, 2025 87487

Notice of Qualification of CASIMIR TECHNOLOGY, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/04/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/04/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Attn: Moritz Hilf, Vibrant Capital Partners, 350 Madison Ave., NY, NY 10017. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, Corp. Dept., Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of CVTB 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 02/06/25. Princ. office of LLC: 100 Causeway St., Ste. 1120, Boston, MA 02114. 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 122072543. 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., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of FIFTH AVENUE REAL ASSETS 7 LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/23/25. 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 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., John G. Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of GO LIC ADVISORY LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/09/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 05/07/25. 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.

Notice of Qualification of HMG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/14/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/12/25. 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 of DE, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of IRC AIRBEL VENTURES LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/24/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/20/23. Princ. office of LLC: 122 East 42nd St., NY, NY 10168. 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 LESLIE-LOHMAN HOLDINGS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/16/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, c/o Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP, Attn: Christopher Rizzo, Esq., 28 Liberty St. - 41st Fl., NY, NY 10005. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of VISUALIZING HERBALISM, LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/14/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: Attn: Lillian Luu, 222 Riverside Dr., 3F, NY, NY 10025. 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 VITRUVIAN MAN ENTERPRISES, LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/22/2025. Office location: NY county. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 177 Duane Street, #6 New York, NY 10013. Purpose: any lawful act.

PURPLE ARROW PRODUCTIONS LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/08/25. 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, 8333 Braesmain Drive, Apartment 1459, Houston, TX 77025. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company ("LLC"). Name: Rangel PACT JV, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State ofthe State ofNew York (SSNY) on August 29, 2025. N.Y. office location: New York County. The SSNY has been designated as agent ofthe LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to Rangel PACT JV, LLC, c/o Genesis Companies, 745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, New York, New York 10151.

Purpose/character ofLLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

Notice of Qualification of RBC MUNICIPAL CAPITAL, LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/17/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/02/24. 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, Div. of Corps. - John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of SKYTON BEAUTY LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/03/25. 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, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

101 E 9 DEVELOPER LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/16/25. 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 Peraino Malinowski LLP, 152 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Florihana Realty LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on August 23, 2025. Office location: Richmond County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 626 New Dorp Lane, Staten Island, NY 10306. Purpose: Lessor of real estate.

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

Cert. of LP filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/07/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LP: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. Latest date on which the LP may dissolve is 12/31/2125. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of STEAMBOAT PROP ACQUISITION PARTNERS LLC

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/09/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/06/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Michael Spizzuco, Esq., Brach Eichler L.L.C., 101 Eisenhower Pkwy., Roseland, NJ 07068. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 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 TANAKA NYC 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 10/10/25. Princ. office of LLC: 428 Greenwich St., NY, NY 10013. 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: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of DE, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of TCB JV MEMBER LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/13/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 1411 Broadway, 34th Fl., NY, NY 10018. 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 130 W 19th 8D LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State on 9/3/25. Office location: New York County. NY Sec. of State designated agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served, and shall mail process to 130 West 19th St, Apt 8D, New York, NY 10011. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of formation of Catalyst 48 LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/21/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Erica Leone, 280 Park Ave S NY,NY 10010. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of WASABI ROLLOVER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 05/06/24. 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 Qualification of Levittown SL OpCo LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/17/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/04/25. Princ. office of LLC: 745 Fifth Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10151. 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: Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808-1674. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 3, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of PATRIOT HYDRO FUNDING, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/22/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/27/22. Princ. office of LLC: 1700 Broadway, 35th Fl., NY, NY 10019. 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: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of AHRENS CREATIVE LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/22/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 333 W. 56th St., Penthouse A N, NY, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of ANNIE'S NEW YORK LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/12/25. 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 ASBURY PARK DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/07/25. 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 the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of ASPEN DOBBIN BORROWER LLC

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

Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/12/25. 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. 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 ASBURY PARK PRESERVATION GP, LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/07/25. 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 the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

HEXAGON INVESTORS LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/11/25. 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 Shivam Agarwal, 959 1st Avenue, Apartment 8P, New York, NY 10022, which also serves as the Registered Agent address. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of WUNGOO HOLDINGS LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/22/25. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 300 E 64th St., Apt. 27C, NY, NY 10065. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of FARNER NARNER, LLC

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.

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/29/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 200 Park Ave. South, 8th Fl., NY, NY 10003. 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 DD GANSEVOORT LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/29/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 7 Penn Plaza, Ste. 600, NY, NY 10001. 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.

Jeffries

Continued from page 2

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months in prison for joining a mob’s Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. In January, he was among hundreds of convicted Capitol rioters who received a pardon from Trump on the Republican president’s first day back in the White House.

Continued from page 4

forcement are being forced to spend their time keeping our communities safe from these violent individuals who should never have been pardoned,” Jeffries said in a statement.

Adams indictment

on Saturday. Moynihan was arraigned on Sunday in a local court in New York’s Dutchess County. He is due back in the Town of Clinton Court on Thursday.

senator’s desk, and joined other rioters in shouting and chanting at the Senate dais, prosecutors said.

Jeffries thanked investigators “for their swift and decisive action to apprehend a dangerous individual who made a credible death threat against me with every intention to carry it out.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about the case during a news conference on Tuesday and said he did not know any details of the threat against Jeffries.

“We denounce violence from anybody, anytime. Those people should be arrested and tried,” said Johnson, a Louisiana Republican.

Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said his office is reviewing the case “for legal and factual sufficiency.”

“Threats made against elected officials and members of the public will not be tolerated,” Parisi said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Moynihan did not leave the Senate Chamber until he was forced out by police,” they wrote.

In 2022, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper convicted Moynihan of a felony for obstructing the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Moynihan also pleaded guilty to five other riot-related counts.

“Unfortunately, our brave men and women in law en-

Notice of Qualification of NothingBetter Health Group, PLLC. Application for authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/5/2025. Office Location: NY County. PLLC formed in Virginia (VA) on 5/4/2025. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 10304 Eaton Pl., Ste 100, Fairfax, VA 22030. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Nooka Management LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/20/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 455 Main St, Apt 12A, New York, NY 10044. Purpose: Any lawful act.

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The New York State Police said it was notified of the threat by an FBI task force

On Jan. 6, Moynihan breached police barricades before entering the Capitol through the Rotunda Door. He entered the Senate chamber, rifled through a notebook on a

Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

Gang database

Continued from page 2

the Amsterdam News that there’s no way to know for sure whether the recommendations contributed to reducing the database’s size, but pointed to the NYPD reviewing existing entries for deactivation and deeper screening for adding people as potential contributing factors.

“The work that we did in this investigation led to this report [and] included a back-andforth with the department and helped [it] recognize that they were not conducting reviews in a timely way and [prompted] them to conduct the reviews in a timely way,” said Strauber. “It is plausible that having done those reviews in a timely fashion … that people were removed from the database as a result. It is also the case that there are more stringent criteria for admitting someone into the database, and that also could have resulted in the decreased numbers.”

Under the IUP, the NYPD now reviews database entries every two years for minors and every three years for adults. The department no longer considers sealed arrest records for determining whether someone belongs to a gang and requires a codified multilevel review process for adding, renewing, and removing someone from the database.

Strauber said the NYPD remains cooperative and collaborative with the OIG-NYPD toward working to reform the gang database, which isn’t always the case with DOI probes. A police department spokesperson pointed to such surveillance tools as key for record lows in shootings and shooting victims in 2025.

“The database is critical to investigating and solving crimes, but also to preventing potential future shootings and violence,” said the NYPD spokesperson in a statement. “The NYPD has also used it to take hundreds of guns off the streets and to get the most dangerous criminals out of our communities. Simply put: This tool helps the NYPD save lives. We appreciate DOI’s report, and as it notes, we have already made significant changes to strengthen and improve the database.”

Through city law, the NYPD must respond to the OIG-NYPD’s new recommendations within 90 days. While there’s no scheduled date for the next report on the database, Strauber said there’s certainly public interest. “We saw the value in this report because it was through that review that we and the department identified these delays in the process of reviewing people to determine if they should stay in the database,” she added. “It helped bring that issue to light … [and] prompt reviews that might not have taken place for many months otherwise.”

Advocates say abolition is the only way

Can the city truly reform the gang database, though? G.A.N.G.S. Coalition advocates like attorney Anthony Posada and NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) organizer Obi Afriyie say no. The campaign sprung from the mid-late 2010s when the NYPD initially denied the surveillance tool’s existence despite serious suspicions about it.

Who the NYPD does not surveil as a gang member can be just as telling... police officials admitted Italian American mobsters were not added to the database... Previous findings also suggest the NYPD does not enter members from notable white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Front, despite documented criminal activity in New York City.

The Bronx 120 raid, the biggest “gang takedown” in NYC history, belied the database’s role in monitoring Black and Brown youngsters from the same neighborhood.

“These reforms tell us that unfortunately, the NYPD continues to operate this database by targeting exclusively Black and Brown people,” said Posada. “Even though they claimed to have made these changes, it’s still specifically cataloging Black and Brown people as alleged gang members … What is needed is abolition.”

Who the NYPD does not surveil as a gang member can be just as telling. In a City Council hearing earlier this year, police officials admitted Italian American mobsters were not added to the database. They argued the tool was reserved for street gangs, but remained evasive when asked if members from a notable Chinese street gang were entered; fewer than 1% of people on the database identify as white or Asian. Previous findings also suggest the NYPD does not enter members from notable white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Front, despite documented criminal activity in New York City.

In addition, the police officials could not provide direct data tracking how the gang database actually reduced crime earlier this year. “There’s actually no effectiveness to that claim, and it also remains unfounded,” said Posada.

He pointed to Int. 798, a City Council bill sponsored by Councilmember Althea Stevens that would dismantle the surveillance tool and prevent the city from creating future iterations. There’s precedent: An oversight board shut down a Chicago Police Department gang database in 2023.

Afriyie was critical of reforming the gang database, particularly given the OIG-NYPD cannot directly enforce the office’s recommendations. He also opposed some of the adopted reforms, like notifying parents when the department enters a minor as a gang member.

“That’s not a good thing — think about what that could mean,” said Afriyie. “If you’re a parent and you get [an] email or letter from the NYPD saying your 13-, 14-,

15-year-old child is a member of a criminal group on that database, is that going to make you feel good? Think about how trust is destroyed in communities now.”

Strauber said the recommendation stems from how the issue is handled nationally. For example, the California penal code requires parental notification, along with an appeal process. “The police department here went with the recommendation that there be notification,” said Strauber. “They did not give any right to appeal.” Most people learn about their status on the gang database through public records requests, although the NYPD declined another recommendation to draft a formal policy to generally grant Freedom of Information Law requests.

To be clear, parental notifications remain a work in progress for the NYPD. The new report found the department updated the IUP to include the reform, which would inform parents and guardians within 60 days, but the nominating detective should make the notification, according to the OIG-NYPD, which the department agreed to. Currently, youth coordination officers — a position created in the resident precincts for minors on the gang database — largely reach out to the parents.

Lawsuit challenges gang database

This past April, three anonymous Black men entered on the gang database sued the city alleging racial discrimination. Two remained categorized as active gang members at the time of filing, while the third was deactivated. All three claim no gang affiliation and “have never been a member of any group whose purpose was to commit any crime.”

One plaintiff currently works as an EMT for the New York City Fire Department and was added to the database in 2015 after “two independent sources” identified him as a gang member. As a result, he was falsely accused of attempted murder and spent two years detained on Rikers Island before he was acquitted, according to the filing.

To avoid unwanted police interaction, he limits visiting family members who live in the public housing development where he grew up. The lawsuit alleges the database large-

ly targets New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) projects, where roughly 90% of residents are Black and Latino.

Kevin Jason, deputy director of strategic initiatives at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and an attorney for the plaintiffs, told the Amsterdam News that his clients are regularly stopped and questioned for minor infractions like jaywalking. “The concern is that people feel like they can’t be outside their homes, and they’re also worried that spending time with family [will be used] as further evidence of them being a member of a criminal group or gang,” said Jason. “As we’ve seen, the NYPD will designate a whole NYCHA property as a gang territory or a gang location.”

The complaint also challenges the notion of “self-admission,” where a teenager posting “Happy birthday gang” led to being entered in the gang database. Meanwhile, the term “gang” can be slang used ubiquitously by the public, as in examples in the filing ranging from Vice President Kamala Harris on the Call Her Daddy podcast to comedian Dana Carvey wishing everyone a great weekend on social media.

Told you so

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso told the Amsterdam News he felt vindicated as official investigations and public hearings shed more light on the gang database. He introduced the original legislation to abolish the database while serving on the City Council before passing the reins to the then-incoming freshman Councilmember Stevens when he took office in Borough Hall in 2022. However, he and the G.A.N.G.S. Coalition faced pushback for criticizing the NYPD practice, despite firsthand accounts about how the database harmed young Black and Brown men.

“The people that are most affected always have an outsized responsibility to prove what they already know,” said Reynoso. “If it was the NYPD asking to do something, they get the benefit of the doubt, always … when we talk about victims, or the folks on the ground that are seeing what’s happening, and they’re saying, ‘Hey, this gang database is filled with errors: It has faulty guidelines …, it’s incorrect [and] it’s sloppy policing,’ they push back against those folks.

“We always need the data to prove what we already know, just to get our foot in the door, versus the NYPD that’s given the benefit of the doubt, even though almost … every time, the community is right.”

Reynoso credited the G.A.N.G.S. Coalition for leading the continued efforts to abolish the database and believes the bill is in good hands under Stevens. Still, talking about the database rekindled his fire toward seeking justice for those racially profiled by the policing tool, even if he no longer plays a direct hand in making city laws.

“We’re not just talking for the sake of talking [and] we’re not just fighting for the sake of fighting,” said Reynoso. “What we’re actually doing here is trying to affect meaningful change and allow for justice to exist for a large number of mostly Black and Brown boys.”

U.S. figure skater Alexa Gasparotto wins her first international medal

By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews

Earlier this month, in just her second international competition, U.S. senior women’s figure skater Alexa Gasparotto earned the silver medal at the Tayside Trophy in Dundee, Scotland. Earlier this year in Poland, she became the eighth U.S. woman and first-ever Black woman to land a triple Axel jump in competition.

“As the last couple of months have been going on, I’ve become really confident in my practice and in competition,” said Gasparotto, 22. “For the first time, even though [Tayside] was a big event, it felt like another day of practice. That was a really nice feeling to go into the competition with a confident mindset.”

Even after a shaky short program, her sense of confidence propelled her to success in the free skate, which left her feeling proud. “I pulled everything together when I needed to on cue,” said Gasparotto. Making her recent success all the more impressive, is that she lost training time from May to August due to problems with her skating boots. She switched skates three times until she felt comfortable. Two events in the National Quali-

fying Series events got her back in the zone. “Having that under my belt…felt really good,” she said. She regularly posts videos on social media, landing the triple Axel, the most challenging triple jump to execute. Her goal was to get as comfortable as possible with the jump, and she is definitely feeling more at ease. When she was dealing with equipment problems, Gasparotto spent a lot of time listening to her music and discovering nuances that would allow her to perform. “That work off the ice helped when I was ready to get back on,” she said.

Gasparotto continues to train in Chicago and is now working with coaches Jeremy Allen, Tommy Steenberg, and Denise Myers. Having them push her in different ways has had a positive impact on her skating, saying they understand how to get the best out of her. As of now, her next competition is the Midwestern Sectional competition in November, but it is possible she could receive another international assignment before that.

“I feel like I’m really focusing on everything that I do because I want to do it and I’m happy doing it,” she said. “That changed my whole perspective. I think about the joy behind what I do every day.”

As the spotlight on women’s sports grows, athlete representation continues to expand

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

Mattel’s latest Venus Williams Barbie doll has been on the scene recently, reminding the world of not only her impact on tennis, but also on young girls who avidly watched her sister Serena and her conquer the tennis world. There are multiple Barbie dolls representing trailblazing athletes from around the world.

Social media influencers, The Daily W, even created their vision for an athlete collection of American Girl dolls that we can hope to see someday. It included soccer sensation Trinity Rodman with pink locs and a pink Labubu, and WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers carrying a basketball and her ever-present iPad. While there aren’t yet these dolls, there is a Team USA collection, which will likely have new pieces as we get closer to next year’s Olympic Winter Games.

As WNBA players strive to gain

more equitable pay, hopefully, the representation of female athletes in dolls can lead to future generations of girls and women who actually get respect and fair pay. While the current excitement around women’s sports is uplifting, we cannot lose sight

that it’s still decades behind boys’ and men’s sports. In recent days, a WNBA team owner commented that Napheesa Collier was wrong to make private conversations public. That’s long been a way of keeping women down — not let-

ting the public know what female athletes actually deal with.

When Cathy Engelbert became commissioner of the WNBA in 2019, a veteran journalist said to me that she was the last shot at the league’s survival. If she couldn’t accomplish a significant

upswing, the WNBA would likely fold. No doubt, much has been accomplished in these six years, but now is the time to address the needs of the people producing the product that makes the league so valuable.

Every few months, a story pops up online about Dena Head, the first-ever player drafted in the WNBA. Today, she works for Amazon. Head is one of many WNBA players who have moved on to careers far away from the sport. It is great that, in addition to many coaches, there are lawyers, entrepreneurs, administrators, and social workers, but only those who labored overseas every off-season have had any sort of cushion for adult life.

Little girls look at dolls that represent today’s shining athletes. These athletes who inspire generations, bring people into arenas, light up televisions, and excite sponsors deserve a paycheck that reflects their impact. That will make the WNBA sustainable.

Figure skater Alexa Gasparotto celebrates winning a silver medal at Tayside Trophy competition in Scotland.

(Photo courtesy of Alexa Gasparotto)

Mattel has created Barbies that celebrate women’s sports. (Image courtesy of Mattel)

Danny Garcia scored a fourth-round knockout in perhaps his last fight

By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews

Danny Garcia seems to have taken up residence at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

This past Saturday, fighting there for the 10th time in his professional career, the Philadelphia native knocked out Queens product Daniel Gonzalez (22-5-1, 7 KOs) in the fourth round to improve to 38-4 with 22 of his wins coming by knockout. Garcia, who is 8-2 at the Barclays Center, won his first fight at the venue in October 2012, a month after its grand opening.

He took control of the ring early versus Gonzalez and remained in command throughout the bout.

“I know that I hurt him in round one, but my timing was a little off,” said Garcia. “So I decided to work behind my jab, and I knew when he stopped his feet, I was gonna catch him. I was just taking it round by round. I didn’t underestimate him. He was in great shape. My dad told me to just stick to the game plan.”

Garcia, who suffered the first two losses of his career at Barclays Center against Keith Thur-

man in March 2017 and Shawn Porter in September 2018, did not give a firm answer when asked if this was his last time

competing in a boxing ring.

“At the end of the day, I’m healthy and I’ve got a beautiful family, I don’t know if I’m done

yet,” he said.

Shifting focus from boxing to MMA, on Saturday, Tom Aspinall will make his first defense of the

UFC heavyweight title vacated by Jon Jones against Frenchman Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Gane has only lost to Jones and PFL heavyweight champion and former UFC heavyweight title holder Francis Ngannou. Aspinall has won three in a row, including avenging his loss to Curtis Blaydes, who defeated him after a knee injury in July 2022.

The UFC will hold its annual Madison Square Garden card on Saturday, Nov. 15. The main event features Jack Della Maddalena making his first welterweight title defense against Islam Makhachev. In the co-main event, China’s Zhang Weili is moving up 10 pounds to 125 to challenge Valentina Shevchenko in a battle between two of the most accomplished women in UFC history, who could steal the show.

Looking ahead to the following weekend, on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, David Benavidez will defend his WBC light heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde, Devin Haney will take on WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr, and WBC junior bantamweight champion Jesse Rodriguez will battle the WBA’s bantamweight titleholder Fernando Martinez in a unification bout.

The Bronx Basketball Hall of Fame prepares to induct its fourth class

By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor

The names are legendary and will ring in eternity throughout the global basketball orbit. Dick McGuire, Richie Guerin, Nate “Tiny” Archibald, Rod Strickland. McGuire, Guerin, and Archibald are all members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Strickland is currently 14th on the National Basketball Association’s all-time assists list with 7,987.

They are bound by their Bronx roots and shared honor of being enshrined in the Bronx Basketball Hall of Fame.

On Thursday, November 6, the BBHOF will induct its fourth class at the Villa Barone Manor located in the Throggs Neck section of the borough. Sixteen notable hoops figures will

enter the Hall’s 2025 class including former St. John’s star

Walter Berry, longtime NBA player and coach Kevin Loughery, NYU great Bob Williams, renowned Bronx Gauchos coach Dave McColin, Rhonda Windham, the first general manager of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and Kia Vaughn, whose 14-year professional playing career began with the New York Liberty in 2009.

“The men and women who will be inducted and have been inducted have made a significant impact on basketball, not just in the Bronx, not just in New York City, but around the world,” Julius Allen, who sits on the board of the BBHOF, said to the AmNews

“Their legacies extend wide. From playing to coaching to mentoring, they have left their

mark on many people and in many places.”

Berry starred at Benjamin Franklin High School before leading St. John’s to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four in 1985. The following year, he received the John Wooden Award, as college basketball’s most outstanding player, as well as being named USBWA, Associated Press , and NABC college player of the year.

The 6-8 Berry was drafted 14th overall by the Portland Trailblazers in 1986 and played in the NBA until 1989 before a highly successful career overseas, where he was a twotime Greek League champion and 2022 Greek League Hall of Fame inductee.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at thebronxbasketballhof@gmail.com.

Philadelphia native Danny Garcia (left) lands a blow to Queens, New York’s Daniel Gonzalez on his way to his eighth victory in 10 appearances at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (Ed Diller/Swift Promotions)

Transplanted New Yorker Beatrice Domond elevates in the world of skateboarding

By TYRESE ALLYENE-DAVIS Special to the AmNews

“I actually found out I was going pro during my ACL injury,” Beatrice Domond said. “It was a strange moment because I couldn’t skate, but Jason Dill called me and said, ‘I’ve been thinking about you turning pro. It’s just a thought, but I’ve been thinking about it.’”

For Beatrice Domond, turning pro marked the peak of a long journey. Born and raised in Delray Beach, Florida, far from the traditional skateboarding scene, she made her dream possible through persistence and self-belief.

Domond’s earliest memory of skating goes back to age five, when she followed her older brother. She was drawn to the shape of the board and the feel of the grip tape. She begged her mom to buy her one, and since, never looked back. Even as a kid, she couldn’t get enough of skating, asking her carpenter uncle to build a ledge on the back patio of her house. From that moment, Domond moved forward quietly yet intentionally, carving her path in a space where few looked like her. Her story has been shaped by resilience and a belief that passion, when pursued fully, can break barriers.

Starting with a no-frills Walmart skateboard and later upgrading to a standard board, she began to realize there was more beyond her local scene. She dreamed of one day being filmed by legendary videographer William Strobeck.

Strobeck, known for “Photosynthesis,” TransWorld’s “The Cinematographer Project”, and Supreme’s “Cherry” video, had long inspired her. That project later featured Tyshawn Jones, Sage Elsesser, and Domond herself, helping launch a new generation of street skaters.

Determined to connect, she began emailing Strobeck, hoping for feedback. To her surprise, those messages sparked a genuine rapport. She sent him clips, which he encouraged and supported, planting the seeds of a creative relationship that would shape her career.

At 17, Beatrice moved from Florida to New York City, immersing herself in the heart of skate culture and dedicating herself completely to skating.

One of the biggest moments for any skater is having a signature shoe. For Beatrice, that came in 2023 with the Zahba Mid x Beatrice Domond Vans release. Vans gave her creative freedom over every detail, from color to construction. Around that time, she also joined Jason Dill’s FA (Fucking Awesome) brand, further ce -

menting her place in the scene. Guided by Anthony Van Engelen, she became part of his AVE line, a rare honor that reflected her authenticity. Released in July 2023, the Zahba Mid, in dark olive suede with reinforced toe caps, embodies her balance of simplicity and strength.

When asked what legacy she hopes to leave, Domond spoke candidly.

“I feel skating is in a dark place. We’re at the forefront of social media, always accessible, and it’s become saturated. You don’t see LeBron posting training videos every day, but skaters are hammered by social media. I want skating to return to its roots.”

For Beatrice, purpose goes beyond success.

“I want to help kids find their love for skating. One of the most rewarding things is helping young skaters learn ollies or kickflips and build their foundation. I want to be a mentor and help skating head in the right direction.”

Beatrice Domond’s story reminds us that authenticity still matters. From Delray Beach to New York City, from connecting with Strobeck to creating her own Vans shoe, her journey reflects patience, purpose, and heart. She continues to show that skateboarding thrives when grounded in creativity, love, and truth.

New book chronicles generations of impactful women in sports history

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

A collaboration between Pediment Publishing and The Indianapolis Star newspaper has led to the book “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports: They Changed the Games We Love,” a collection of articles that sportswriter David Woods has written. Front and center is Caitlin Clark, who became an undeniable presence in Indiana after being selected by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Others go back decades, like gymnast Jaycie Phelps, a member of the gold medal-winning women’s gymnastics team at the 1996 Olympics.

“I decided someone was eligible for this book if they were from Indiana or they went to an Indiana high school or college, or in the case of Tamika Catchings, had played for the Indiana Fever (2001–16),” said Woods, who was on staff with the Indy Star until 2022 and has contin-

ued to write as a freelancer. Incredibly, half of the stories he has written over the decades have been about women athletes, including covering the Fever for 16 years.

“I’ve covered Olympic sports since arriving in Indianapolis in 1994,” Woods said. “Many of the women’s stories have been so compelling.”

Woods is grateful that the publisher allowed him to make the book longer than originally envisioned, because there were so many good stories. There are a total of 31 women featured. The book is divided into chapters, with basketball and gymnastics leading the way.

Swimming and diving, and track and field, also have a huge presence. From the track world, there is Indy native Ashley Spencer, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the 400meter hurdles. Three-time Olympic gold medalist in fencing, Lee Kiefer, closes out the book.

“In 1972, I was just a punk kid when there was a track meet —

women’s teams from the United States and Canada — in Champaign, Illinois, which is where I grew up,” said Woods. “That’s the first time I got exposed to women’s Olympic sports, not realizing I would be writing about female Olympians for the next 50 years. If you’re going to cover Olympic sports, I went for the best story.”

Woods said Catchings continues to influence the community. She came to Indiana in 2001 when she was drafted by the Fever (did not play until 2002 due to injury)

— winning a WNBA Championship in 2012 — and made it home. In the years since her retirement from professional basketball, she’s run a foundation and opened businesses.

“It’s very indeterminate who the greatest women’s basketball player of all time is,” Woods said.

“I think Tamika belongs in that discussion, especially if you’re going to include both sides of the ball — offense and defense.”

The new book, “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports: They Changed the Games We Love,” chronicles multiple decades of achievements of female athletes.

Professional skateboarder Beatrice Domond is scaling the heights of the globally popular sport. (Tyrese Alleyne-Davis photo)

Sports

The Knicks begin the regular season with key players sidelined

By JAIME C. HARRIS

AmNews Sports Editor

The Knicks opened their 2025-26 regular season schedule at Madison Square Garden last night a few hours before this article went to press. But prior to print, the Knicks confirmed that starting center Mitch Robinson and guard/forward Josh Hart — one of the NBA’s best reserves — would not be available to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, the favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship, due to injuries.

Hart has been out with lumbar (back) spasms since taking a hard fall on October 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason game in Abu Dhabi. Robinson sat for what the Knicks call left ankle management. Robinson, who was a force for the Knicks last postseason, has had two major surgeries on his left ankle. The first, in December 2023, put him down for 50 games and

the second, in May 2024 during the playoffs, delayed his 2025 season debut until February 28.

In regard to Hart, head coach Mike Brown, who’s in his first season at the controls, said the Knicks are taking a cautious approach.

“We’re trying to figure out his back, which is a tricky situation,” said Brown. “We have to be careful, we don’t want to rush it.”

The Knicks, listed as the second betting favorite in the East to reach the NBA Finals, did have their All-

Star point guard Jalen Brunson available, as well as their two multifaceted starters, forward OG Anunoby and guard/forward Mikal Bridges. The Knicks’ other AllStar, power forward Karl-Anthony Towns, was listed as questionable

with a right quad strain.

The mandate for Brunson and Towns is clear: thrust the Knicks into the finals, where they haven’t been since 1999. On Monday, just two days before their season opener, Towns gave a puzzling response to a reporter’s question about his role in the Knicks’ offense.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” said Towns, shaking his head and chuckling mildly. “I don’t know. But we’re figuring it out.”

Last season was Towns’ first with the Knicks after he was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a package that included Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Playing for former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, Towns, who turns 30 next month, averaged 24.4 points on 52.6% shooting and 12.8 rebounds per game last season. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team and selected as an All-Star for the fifth time in his career.

Rick Pitino and Red Storm set bar at winning a national championship

By DERREL JOHNSON

Special to the AmNews

When New York City-born and Long Island-raised Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

coach Rick Pitino was hired in March 2023 to lead the St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball program, the expectation of their avid fan base was he would raise the program back to prominence.

Last season, in just his second at the helm, Pitino guided the 31-5 Red Storm to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019, the Big East Conference regular season title, and first conference tournament championship in 25 years.

St. John’s suffered a disappointing 75-66 second round loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament but reloaded and enters the 2025–2026 campaign ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason men’s basketball poll and picked to repeat as regular season champions in the Big East men’s coaches poll.

Returning for the Red Storm is senior forward Zuby Ejiofor, who is the Big East Preseason Player of the Year and one of the cap -

tains of the team.

“Zuby’s the leader of our team,” Pitino said at the conference’s annual media day at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Ejiofor led the team in rebounds (8.1), blocks (1.4), and scoring (14.7) last season.

Graduate student and Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. He played for the University of Kentucky as a freshman before spending three seasons with Providence, but appeared in only three games last season due to tearing the

anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee in January 2024. Hopkins was named First Team All Big East as a sophomore in 2023, when he averaged 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

“His body is in great shape; he lost a lot of weight, trimmed down; he is much quicker, explosive,” said Pitino. “Playing small forward, he can overpower (opponents). He is great on the break, good rebounder.”

Pitino has the challenge of molding a talented roster that includes Bronx native Ian Jackson, a sophomore guard who transferred from

the University of North Carolina and is a preseason All-Big East second team selection.

Senior forward Dillon Mitchell, who played two seasons at Texas before playing for Cincinnati last season, and sophomore guard Joson Sanon, who joined the Red Storm from Arizona State, should be key difference-makers — both were named to the preseason All-Big East third team.

“We have a very mature team,” Pitino said. “Dillon Mitchell’s an older player.

Bryce Hopkins is an older player. They know how to lead as well. Bryce is a good guy. He has no ego. The players appreciate that.”

It will be a family affair when St. John’s faces Big East foe Xavier twice this season — Richard Pitino, Rick Pitino’s son, was hired last March as Xavier’s head coach.

“Great to have him in the league. I’m his biggest fan, so it will be exciting to see,” the elder Pitino said.

The Red Storm will play the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in an early-season battle between two top 10 teams.

“We are going to find out more about our team on Saturday,” Pitino said. “It is always great to play in the Garden because it is the World’s Most Famous Arena. It is a big treat for our players.”

Big East men’s basketball coaches and commissioner Val Ackerman gather at the conference’s annual men’s media day on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. (Derrel Johnson photo)

Karl-Anthony Towns (left) and head coach Mike Brown must develop a cohesive offensive role for the power forward as the Knicks pursue championship aspirations. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Amsterdam News October 23 - 29, 2025

2025 BALLOT PROPOSALS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DIRECTORY

NYPD reduces gang database but still overwhelmingly surveils Black and Brown people

Man pardoned after storming Capitol is charged with threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries

Family of Allan Feliz sues to void NYPD Commissioner ruling not to fire officer

Thousands participate in NYC No Kings Day 2.0

USDA warns states about November SNAP benefits

Who Receives SNAP?

Who Pays for SNAP?

Emergency Funds for WIC

The Trump Administration Cut SNAP Benefits

Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid:

Pushing for equal education access from One Brooklyn Charter School

Black

New Yorker

THE URBAN AGENDA

New Mayor Must Hold FDNY’s Feet to

the Fire

Flip the ballot: Everything you need to know about NYC’s 2025 Ballot Proposals

Ballot Proposal

Welcome to the CRIB: NYC starts housing voucher program for pregnant shelter residents

MJAF’s #DisruptingTheHateWeek 2025

Union Matters

Federal judge blocks Trump administration’s shutdown firings after union action

There is much work to be done to overcome the Trump juggernaut

Trump attacks on immigrants: Our plight is their plight

What voters should ask about New York’s child care promises

‘No Kings’ protests were a thunderous first chorus of resentment

Life lessons disguised as a memoir

Caribbean Update

Caricom’s split on U.S. action in the region worsens

A refugee program for whites only?

Mamdani supporters, invigorated by new kind of campaign, turn out for interborough soccer tournament

Arts & Entertainment

Book Review: ‘Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back’ spotlights Black contributions to cooking, culture

Stolen recipes

HBO Max’s ‘Task’ — All in the crime family

First up: “Task”

Legacy theater critic Linda Armstrong honored at Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library

Loren LoRosa: Leading the new wave of modern media

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Book of Saul: Saul Williams at the Sultan’s Room

AmNews FOOD

Late-harvest cucumbers? Smash them into a salad.

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Soy Ginger & Garlic Dressing

New York Comic Con 2025 was stupendous!

Book Review

Jazz Notes: Sista’s Place, LoJo Watts, Breathe

Education

154,000 NYC students were homeless last school year — another record high

State Sen. Kevin Parker proposes bills to protect federal workers during government shutdowns

DMC talks 10 years of making comics, breaking down barriers, and art as escapism at NYCC 2025

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Hope in Hot-Mess Times

The Truth Will Set Us Free

The holy work of seeing each other, however we express our genders

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Lawsuit challenges gang database

Told you so

U.S. figure skater Alexa Gasparotto wins her first international medal

As the spotlight on women’s sports grows, athlete representation continues to expand

Danny Garcia scored a fourth-round knockout in perhaps his last fight

The Bronx Basketball Hall of Fame prepares to induct its fourth class

Transplanted New Yorker Beatrice Domond elevates in the world of skateboarding