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With huge endorsement, Zohran Mamdani is dominating in mayoral polls
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is still sitting on top of the pack in the New York City mayoral race, and the recent endorsement from Governor Kathy Hochul just gave a big boost to his campaign.
There’s been a reluctance to endorse Mamdani — a young Muslim democratic socialist of color — among New York’s top Democrats, such as House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, because of fear of potential backlash.
Hochul’s backing could signal that things may be changing as the general election looms closer. In a New York Times op-ed published on September 14, Hochul said she has had thoughtful discussions with Mamdani and, despite disagreements, she believes he is a leader committed to safety, affordability, and addressing pressing issues, like antisemitism.
“Affordability has long been my top priority as governor, and it is the No. 1 concern I share with Mr. Mamdani,” wrote Hochul. “As governor, I’ve taken actions to realize this goal, including lowering middle-class income taxes and making school meals free for all students. But
there is more work ahead of us.”
One of her main concerns was combating President Donald Trump’s policies on multiple fronts, in an apparent dig at Mayor Adams’s cooperation with Trump’s administration to carry out his mass deportation agenda. “And in light of the ab-
horrent and destructive policies coming out of Washington every day, I needed to know the next mayor will not be someone who would surrender one inch to President Trump,” she wrote.
Mamdani, in a statement, said that he was grateful to the governor for her support in unifying the Democratic Party, as well as the work she has done in standing up to Trump.
“There’s so much work left to do, and our movement is only growing stronger,” said Mamdani.
According to a poll from Sienna College, Mamdani had a 22-point lead, ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, at the beginning of this September. The poll showed that he has made headway among Black voters (41%) and Latino voters (49%). His campaign is also seeing big numbers in terms of fundraising, hitting the $8 million spending cap with a median contribution of $25.
Another poll from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell’s Center for Public Opinion, surveyed that 44% of “likely” voters would cast their ballots for Mamdani, 25% would vote for Cuomo, 15% for Republican Curtis
Ralph Nader seeks Zohran Mamdani’s support for Wall Street stock trade tax
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff
Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader believes a bill in Albany will answer all the questions about how mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani can bankroll his ambitious agenda. The legislation would ostensibly collect an existing state tax on stock trades made on Wall Street to raise billions in state revenue each year.
In a September 9 letter obtained by the AmNews, Nader and several other proponents, including State Assembly sponsor Phil Steck, asked Mamdani to both endorse the legislation as a mayoral candidate and co-sponsor it as a currently elected assemblymember.
“Passage of this legislation will alleviate much hardship and suffering for millions of NYC residents for decades to come,” they wrote. “As you well know, the sales tax had been collected and kept from 1905 to 1981. Then, pursuant to a bizarre deal by former Governor Hugh Carey, the sales tax was rebated to the stockbrokers electronically. Your ambitious programs for New York City need the billions of dollars that ending the rebate could provide. The brokers won’t even miss it. Most of it comes from high frequency traders anyway.”
Each time a trader makes a transaction on the New York Stock Exchange, the state collects a few cents. According to Steck’s office, the tax amounts 0.1% of each stock sale, capped at $350, so a $100 share purchase would be taxed 10 cents. But the money is returned back entirely, thanks to the rebate established by Carey during a
$450 billion has gone uncollected since then. The tax largely affects high-frequency traders, who employ complex algorithms
1970s financial crisis in New York City. Earlier this year, former McKinsey chief economist (and former “Nader Raider”) Jim Henry estimated that around
Zohran Mamdani, March 2025. (Photo contributed by Mamdani’s campaign)
Organizers, including Assembly Member Phil Steck (center), call for reinstating stock transfer tax during march on Wall Street earlier this year. (Dylan Macquoid, New York State Assembly photo)
Advocates await Hochul’s signature on prison oversight reform bill package
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Reporter
A bill package strengthening prison oversight remains unsigned by Gov. Kathy Hochul after passing the state legislature right before the 2025 session ended this past June. While the rest of the year remains for her to sign the omnibus bill into law, proponents are restless. The bill would go into effect immediately after the ink dries.
The package has 10 parts, including proposals to install 24/7 cameras in prisons; notify family members in a timely fashion of people who die in custody; and bolster prison oversight organizations, including the State Commission of Correction (SCOC) and Correctional Association of New York (CANY). The SCOC is an oversight agency with powers to investigate and even close down problematic facilities.; CANY is a nonprofit watchdog contracted to monitor state prison conditions.
The deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, two Black men held in state prisons in the small upstate town of Marcy, sparked calls for prison reform after tens of prison staff were implicated and charged in the deadly beatings during late 2024 to early 2025. Around the same time, corrections officers conducted an illegal strike across the state.
Last month, advocates protested outside of Hochul’s Manhattan office and unveiled the End Prison Violence (EPV) coalition, a
campaign dedicated to getting the omnibus bill passed. The movement included former State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who recounted regularly encountering civil cases alleging “fractured skulls, shattered jaws, [and] broken bones” while representing the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) as New York’s chief attorney.
“I was a prosecutor, and our office sent people to prison, but we never sent anyone to prison with the thought that they would be beaten to death by corrections staff [who were] supposed to protect them,” he said during the August 12 rally. “I know that the murders of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi were not isolated instances. They were not a matter of a few bad apples among the corrections staff. There’s an epidemic of violence in New York state prisons.”
Another leading campaign organizer, Derrick Hamilton, co-founder of Families and Friends for the Wrongfully Convicted, told the Amsterdam News this week that EPV will hold rallies at Hochul’s offices in Rochester and Albany. He believes tackling safety concerns between the population and staff should be a one-sided issue — last year, 143 people incarcerated in New York state prisons died, while not a single correctional officer death was recorded.
“This shouldn’t be something hard to review,” said Hamilton, who spent more than two decades in prison for a wrongful conviction. “This is common sense leg-
islation. These are things that should have been in place a long time ago.”
Hochul’s office pointed to several reforms made by the governor after the deaths, including budget funding for fixed and bodyworn cameras and reorganizing the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations, which looks into the deaths of incarcerated individuals.
“Governor Hochul has made it clear that the safety of all New Yorkers — including the staff and incarcerated individuals in our prisons — is a top priority, and has implemented a number of new policies within DOCCS to begin the process of making significant systemic changes
Are we next? NYC quietly prepares defense against possible troop deployment by Trump admin
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
For months President Donald Trump has described, with dubious evidence, some of the nation’s major cities as unsafe — ones largely run by Democrats with Black mayors at the helm. As Trump continues to forcefully expand his federal military deployments, Black and Brown New Yorkers and legislators can’t help but wonder if their city is in the crosshairs.
They also wonder what position New York City Mayor Eric Adams is taking.
The thought of soldiers taking over city streets has occurred to Adams. So far, he has said he is opposed, but wouldn’t mind federal assistance in other areas.
“Collaboration with state and federal law enforcement has always been a key part of our public safety strategy,” said Adams
in a statement. “We do not need a deployment of the National Guard to our city. Instead, we hope to continue to work with the federal government to stop the flow of illegal guns to our city from other cities and states. We remain committed to keeping New Yorkers safe through smart, precisiondriven policing.”
In June, Trump federalized the National Guard in Los Angeles to squash immigration protests. By August, he moved to take control of Washington, D.C., ordering troops onto the residential streets around Capitol Hill, which was allowed because it is designated as a federal district.
Other cities Trump has either raided, tried to move on, or spoken about sending troops to are also all Black-led, including Chicago, Memphis, Baltimore, Oakland, New Orleans, and St. Louis.
Trump’s rhetoric about “manufactured
See NEXT on page 25
See HOCHUL on page 27
Gov. Kathy Hochul visits Marcy Correctional after Robert Brooks’ death. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends roll call at NYPD’s 78th Precinct in Prospect Park in Brooklyn on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office)
Florida’s oldest county has launched a new Black heritage tour
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
Florida’s northeast communities have created a new self-guided tour to showcase locations where Black residents have made a major impact. Their new St. Johns County Black Heritage Trail highlights 20 historic sites that people can visit to learn more about the role of Black history in Florida and beyond.
The trail’s development was a collaborative effort sponsored by the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Florida Division of Historical Resources. The programming includes a 64page guidebook, a website with interactive maps, and new signage at each of the historical sites.
The tour includes key locations in St. Augustine, a city founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1565 that became a center of the Spanish Empire in Florida. The Spanish held the city with the aid of Africans and Haitians. Fort Mosé, the nation’s first free African settlement, was founded there when Africans fled enslavement in nearby English and French colonies.
Other stops on the tour include Butler Beach, one of the few beaches in the area developed for African Americans, and the Lincolnville Historic District, a neighborhood founded by freedmen in 1866 that became a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement leading up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs, a Florida historian who helped design the tour, says that the trail helps demonstrate that Black history in the Americas was not exclusively grounded in slavery.
“Our past in America is often viewed only through the lens of slavery, but part of the story in St. Augustine is recognizing that we came here as free people,” Hobbs said. “We arrived alongside Spanish and other European settlers. There were leaders among that group who served as translators, guides, and intermediaries, helping to facilitate contact between Indigenous Americans and Europeans.”
She added that stories about the Spanish colonial presence in Florida often overlook the leadership role of Black people in the formation of St. Johns County. Examining this and looking at the establishment of places like Fort Mosé broadens our understanding of Black history beyond the confines of chattel slavery.
“There’s even a story about Jorge Biassou,” Hobbs added, “who was of Haitian descent. He participated in the Haitian Revolution and was somewhat of a mercenary, willing to work for whoever paid him the most. He ended up with the Spanish
and spent time in St. Augustine, where he actually led a defense of the city. This highlights a fascinating history of the African diaspora that more people should know about.”
Thomas Jackson, a founding member of the Fort Mosé Historical Society, told the AmNews that when he was young, older adults spoke about Fort Mosé, but with little proof of it, most young people didn’t really believe it had been a real place.
“On Easter Sunday, we’d go to church,” Jackson recalled: “After church, we would go to the parade downtown, and then we would also go to the Castillo de San Marcos, which is the Spanish fortress in downtown St. Augustine. When we would go to that fort, a lot of the old-timers would tell us, ‘You know, we had a fort too!’ And I used to kind of wonder, well, is that true or was it kind of a lot of wishful thinking, because who would give us a fort?”
When he attended Florida A&M University (FAMU), Jackson was in a class with Dr. James N. Eaton, who encouraged him to explore the history of his native city. That led Jackson to investigate and really appreciate the founding of Fort Mosé. When organizing began in the 1990s to support a formal interpretation of the fort’s original site, he joined the effort.
Jackson worked with other locals to create a civil society organization that, on June 26, 1996, traveled to the site of Fort Mosé and voted to support the creation of the Fort Mosé Historical Society. They started fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and taking on various initiatives so that they could develop and share the Fort Mosé story. Today, Fort Mosé has a 10,000-squarefoot museum and regularly holds music events and historic re-enactments.
“This project brings greater recognition to the people and places that helped build and define St. Johns County,” Brenda Swann, director of grants and operations at St. Johns Cultural Council said in a statement.
“We hope it inspires reflection, pride, and a deeper understanding of our shared history.”
Signage for boardwalk leading to Fort Mosé site. (St. Johns Cultural Council photos)
Local businessman Frank Butler established Butler Beach, a resort in northeast Florida for African Americans
George Nunez wants to change the narrative about the Bronx through tech
By JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews
George Nunez has made it his mission to give back to his Bronx community, one that has had its share of challenges. The way he sees it, there is untapped potential and he wants to be the one who helps open doors using technology to develop workforce opportunities.
As the founder of Bronx Tech Hub, a new initiative focused on creating job opportunities and making the borough a tech hub, the tech entrepreneur used Bronx Tech Week, a series of events that started September 9, to connect Bronx residents of all ages with opportunities in tech and ways to grow their businesses.
“It’s not just workforce development, it’s not just getting people a job,” said Nunez. “It’s a lifestyle. We’re also talking about creating generational wealth for them and their families.”
Nunez was raised in the South Bronx in NYCHA housing—with his mother, brother, and sister—an environment that did not encourage academic success or the pursuit of a positive future.
“It was tricky getting exposed to gang violence, drugs, seeing friends take a turn, and…a whole bunch of negativity, wheth-
er it was friends who were dying or getting incarcerated,” Nunez said.
He says that with exposure to gang violence early in life, and even being shot in the leg at 14, he realizes how fortunate he was to find tech as a career path.
Having attended The Eagle Academy for Young Men in The Bronx, where he was school president, and a member of the debate team and Moot Court, Nunez says he initially anticipated getting into law, but his tech journey began because of the guidance of mentors he gained in school who worked in finance on Wall Street.
It was also his older brother who encouraged him to get into finance and investment banking. Nunez would go to Binghamton University, where he says learning about business was a good foundation and where he realized that tech was his calling.
“It was the shining light for me when I saw that tech was going to be the future,” Nunez said. He began his career in investment banking on Wall Street before transitioning into consulting and product management for tech firms.
Nunez says he realized most of the activity was in Manhattan and Brooklyn and that outside of The Knowledge House, a tech training school, The Bronx had been a “tech desert.”
“There’s so much creativity there. There’s so much potential there. There’s so much opportunity. People from The Bronx just want and need a chance,” Nunez said, highlighting the borough as the birthplace of hip hop, a hub of rich cultures, and a collection of diverse demographics.
“But when you hear about The Bronx, it’s all negativity and that’s the narrative that I’m looking to change, because I’ve met so
many creative people who are doing great things,” he continued.
In 2023, he launched the first Bronx Tech Week, which led to his creation of the Bronx Tech Hub 501 (c) (3), with the mission of creating a tech ecosystem focused on workforce development, education, entrepreneurial access, and getting Bronx residents to build out their tech startups to create
George Nunez (Photo courtesy of Geroge Nunez)
Creative sibling team captures stories of Harlem in new multimedia exhibition
By MARIELLE ARGUEZA Special to the AmNews
Just outside the boundary of City College in Harlem, and appropriately in a pre-war building, cultural and architectural historian Michael Henry Adams (a freelancer for the AmNews) sinks into an armchair in the corner of his apartment, ready to tell his story. His choice of décor already says a lot.
The walls are painted a vibrant green, but are almost entirely obscured by paintings of every style, portraits of family and political figures, and literal pieces of New York history — like chunks of cornices that once adorned the façades of several now-demolished theaters and buildings. And just like the walls of his apartment, every side table, shelf, and mantel is covered in curios, candle holders, vases, books, and other antiques and tells a story.
Despite the limited square footage, Wil and Joyous Pierce navigate their way into the apartment and install a full photography and audio recording studio. They set up a white backdrop for portraits, bring in audio equipment and tripods, and are equipped with both film and digital cameras. The duo moves carefully, making the most of the space.
For the next several hours, Wil stands behind his camera, waiting to capture the right moments, occasionally setting off a flash. Meanwhile, Joyous slips on her headphones, places a notebook and pen in her lap, and starts recording.
“Michael, when did you move to Harlem?” Wil asks.
“Around the summer of 1985 …” Adams begins.
A love letter to Harlem
From mid-August through September, Joyous and Wil will record the memories and faces of long-established Harlem residents for their new project, “Uptown Voices/An Uptown Story.” The project is intended to be an immersive multimedia and oral history of Harlem, blending Wil’s professional photography work, Joyous’s expertise in art curation and cultural research, and their relatively new skills in audio recording.
Supported by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, the duo hopes to create an exhibit by the end of the year consisting of large-format portraits of Harlemites, accompanied by their stories, that patrons can access through QR codes.
The exhibition was inspired by the siblings’ time in Harlem and how the neighborhood became the setting for their strong See story on next page
Brother and sister Wil and Joyous Pierce are producing an oral history of Harlem called “Uptown Voices/”An Uptown Story. (Marielle Argueza photos)
Continued from page 6
creative and familial bond. That’s because Joyous and Wil were not born and raised in Harlem or in the same household. Their father, Bill Pierce, is an established concert photographer. He lived on 133rd Street.
Joyous grew up in Virginia and Long Island. “We knew of each other,” she said, “but we didn’t grow up together.”
Wil lived in Queens throughout his childhood, but made his way to Harlem through his father and their shared passion for photography. “He was literally the person who put a camera in my hand,” Wil said. Bill frequently photographed big names in the music industry while they performed in the music halls and concert venues that once dotted Harlem. According to Wil, his father was once Aretha Franklin’s personal photographer.
Bill often asked Wil to be his second shooter at concerts. It was a hands-on experience like no other. He remembers those moments with an air of disbelief. “I’m in high school and I’m backstage, you know? Helping photograph Aretha Franklin? With my dad! Like, what?!”
Wil eventually moved into his father’s Harlem apartment, right across from one of Joyous’s aunts. “He was living across the street the whole time. One day, he took the big-brother initiative to reach out. We actu-
ally met up in Harlem and reconnected in Harlem,” Joyous said.
Wil found community in his new neighborhood almost immediately, which surprised him because Queens had been home until then. “Even though I was the new kid on the block, everybody I spoke to, every shopkeeper and person, welcomed me and started giving me these history lessons of that block, that street, or that shop,” Wil said.
In what was to become a precursor to “Uptown Voices,” Wil began hanging out in the places his neighbors frequented, such as social clubs and corner stores. He brought his camera with him, taking portraits of his newfound community over the years.
Although the duo has never embarked on a project as ambitious as “Uptown Voices,” much less projects that blend both historical and audio elements, it’s familiar territory in a way. Their first participant in the project was their father, Bill — the reason the siblings are so rooted in Harlem and why Wil picked up a camera in the first place.
“It’s a way to say thank you,” Wil said. “I want to photograph these people … they have watched me grow up over the last 20 years through my different evolutions, and really, cheered me on and made me
See HARLEM on page 14
Photographer Wil Pierce sets up a backdrop for close-up photos of Adams. The sister-brother Pierce duo set up a makeshift studio where they brought in film and digital cameras, tripods, and audio equipment.
City Council, at odds with Mayor Adams, overrides him on two major issues
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
New York City Council is no stranger to butting heads with Mayor Eric Adams on numerous issues. This was the case last week when councilmembers voted to override his vetoes on several pieces of legislation related to street vending and food delivery worker protections.
The council has been struggling to address ongoing issues impacting Black and Brown immigrants, including the excessive misdemeanor criminal penalties for street vendors and a wage raise for app-based grocery delivery workers. This led to advocates and council members pushing to pass bills Introduction 47-B, Introduction 1133A, and Introduction 1135-A. Adams ended up vetoing all three, which the City Council has slammed as anti-immigrant.
“Mayor Adams’ vetoes were another example of him prioritizing Trump’s agenda above our city by disregarding the work of his own administration on these bills and harming working-class New Yorkers,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in a statement. “The Council’s override of the mayor’s senseless vetoes enact these laws that advance and protect the working people of our city.”
Street vending
In 2023, Adams moved the oversight for street vendors from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), with assistance from the NYPD.
Concern among advocates immediately arose that the shift would lead to more criminalization and discrimination since the city’s street vendors, licensed or not,
are primarily Black, African, or Caribbean immigrants, and Latino migrants. At a City Council hearing later that year, a diverse group of vendors testified to unfair ticketing, arrests, confusing rules and regulations, being waitlisted for years to get a license, and instances of discrimination while vending. According to the City Council, the NYPD issued more than 1,000 criminal vending tickets in 2023 — the majority of them to Black and Latino New Yorkers.
Councilmember Shekar Krishnan sponsored Introduction 47-B in 2024. The bill was based on recommendations from the Street Vendor Advisory Board, established by Local Law 18 (LL18) of 2021. This bill
would remove all misdemeanor criminal penalties for general vendors and mobile food vendors, but vendors who set up shop without a license could still be subject to a violation, a fine, or a civil penalty.
As a staunch advocate for immigrants, Krishnan celebrated overriding the mayor’s veto. “The City Council will protect immigrants from intimidation and fear, from the horrifying conditions of 26 Federal Plaza, and from Donald Trump’s antiimmigrant agenda,” he said in a statement. “We will ensure that safeguards are in place so that even if this mayor, who is beholden to the president, tries to undo them, we stand strong.”
Grocery delivery workers
In 2021, the City Council passed Local Law 115 (LL115), which gave minimum pay protections to restaurant delivery couriers — not to be confused with app-based grocery delivery workers — who were excluded from the city’s standard minimum hourly wage of $16.50.
Councilmember Sandy Nurse initiated Introduction 1135-A last year, which would require grocery delivery services to pay their workers a set minimum wage. Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez also sponsored Introduction 1133-A, a complementary piece of legislation that would require worker protections like access to bathrooms, distribution of fire safety materials, and insulated delivery bags.
When Adams vetoed and disapproved both bills, council members were shocked since they were essentially an extension of a package of DCWP bills passed in 2023 that had the mayor’s support.
“For a mayor who loves to brand himself as a champion of working-class New Yorkers, these vetoes weren’t just disappointing — they were a slap in the face,” said Gutiérrez in a statement. “These bills were designed to protect the very delivery workers his own administration once claimed they wanted to help. That City Hall is now wasting energy trying to block its own idea is as cynical as it gets. The Council will do what we always do — stand up for workers and override these vetoes, because New Yorkers deserve better than political backpedaling.”
Nurse added, in a statement, that groceries don’t magically appear and that “behind every delivery is a worker trying to earn a living and put food on the table” who deserves to earn a minimum wage.
FDNY Black Vulcan firefighters honor those they lost on 9/11 in special ceremony
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
Elected officials and family members who lost loved ones during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack joined the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)’s historic Black Vulcan Society at their annual memorial garden service in Brooklyn last week.
On that day, 343 New York City firefighters died, 12 of them were Black. They were listed as: Gerard Baptiste, Capt. Vernon Cherry, Tarel Coleman, Andre Fletcher, Keith Glascoe, Ronnie Henderson, William Henry, Karl Henri Joseph, Keithroy Maynard, Vernon Richard, Shawn Powell, and Leon Smith Jr.
“May their legacy of bravery inspire future generations of firefighters and citizens alike,” said FDNY Fire Chaplain Dr. Rev. V. Simpson Turner Jr. “As we remember the lives lost, let us recommit ourselves to living with the same courage, faith, and love that defined these twelve and the 343.”
At the First Quincy Community Garden
in Bedstuy, the Black Vulcans and family members read the names of each of the fallen firefighters while they placed roses on the garden’s monument in remembrance and solidarity. The rest of the ceremony was held under a tent in the blocked-off street in front of the garden.
“From the moment we take the oath to serve, ‘never forget,’ becomes who we are as firefighters. It is both a promise and a responsibility that we will always honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said FDNY President of the Vulcan Society Jonathan Logan.
“This is a very solemn occasion. I was down at the 9/11 [site] 24 years ago, and I almost didn’t make it to be with you here today. I’m grateful for this,” said FDNY Assistant Deputy Commissioner of External Partnerships James “Jim” Harding.
The event was attended by elected officials like New York State Attorney General Letitia James; Assemblymembers Latrice
Protection for delivery workers Press Conference at City Hall on September 12, 2025. (Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit photo)
Group photo of members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Black Vulcan Society, FDNY Assistant Deputy Commissioner of External Partnerships James “Jim” Harding (center), and State Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman (far right, blue dress) at the 9/11 memorial service in Brooklyn on September 11, 2025. (Ariama C. Long photo) See VULCAN on page 31
Divine Nine News
A good cause for putting students first
Whether you are a seasoned golfer, a curious newcomer, or someone who believes in supporting a good cause, this event could be for you.
The Raritan Valley (New Jersey) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, is hosting its 8th Annual Swing with The Links – Tycene Pirtle Edd Memorial Golf Outing on September 29. Located in Neshanic Station, NJ, the Neshanic Valley Golf Course is the venue where attendees will gather for camaraderie and, yes, competition. Anyone interested in learning golfing techniques, the Learning Academy is for you. However, if you’re not interested in golfing, the chapter invites you to attend the dinner that follows the competition.
College students and collegebound students from three counties in New Jersey (Middlesex, Somerset, and Union) will be the beneficiaries of the proceeds from this event. This year, the chapter will direct proceeds from the golf outing towards their “Finish-line Funding” initiative, which provides financial support for scholarship recipients as they approach graduation. These funds help cover unexpected expenses that can jeopardize a student’s ability to complete their degree.
The event, which is named after former Raritan Valley chapter president, the late Tycene Pirtle Edd. She and her husband, Leon Edd, came up with the vision for this golf tournament. One year ago, “we thought it was befitting to rename (the golf outing) in her honor. Our focus on the outing is to provide scholarships. So in the past, we’ve said it was to support our programs, but this year, we wanted to be more intentional about providing scholarships to what we call Finish Line Funding. And the finish line funding is critical for those of our scholarship recipients who are ap-
proaching graduation because, as we know, sometimes young people get to the end of their four years in college and they just need an extra $1,000 to get them across that line,” said Lamyra Clarke-White, chair of the golf outing and former chapter president.
Cara Walker, the current president of the Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Inc., said, “We look forward to another impactful and inspiring tournament and to celebrating with you on the course. Let’s continue to empower students, strengthen our communities, and enjoy a day of purpose and play. Together, we can help the next generation cross the finish line.”
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation established in 1946 by Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott in Philadelphia. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of color in 299 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.
In 1986, 23 women from Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties chartered the Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter as the 213th Chapter of the Links, Inc.
While the links is not one of the Divine Nine organizations, it fits into the space of this column because the chair and co-chair of the golf committee are also members of two Divine Nine organizations: Lamyra Clarke-White, chair of the golf outing, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Toi Eaton, co-chair of the golf outing is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. They welcome sponsors, players, and donors to contact the chapter for more information at RVCNJ. Golf@gmail.com.
Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson, Morehouse College alumnus and senior pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, presents Morehouse College President Dr. David A. Thomas with framed photo commemorating historic ties between Abyssinian and Morehouse, featuring images of church and Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. with former president Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. Thomas, who will retire on June 30, 2025, spoke at Abyssinian’s HBCU/Divine Nine worship service, reflecting on how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) inspire faith, education, and innovation for future generations. (The Abyssinian Baptist Church photos)
To share your Divine Nine News, please contact us at d9@amsterdamnews.com and at amsterdamnews.com/d9news
KAYLYN KENDALL DINES, MBA
Last year’s winners of the 7th Annual Swing with The Links – Tycene P. Edd Memorial Golf Outing. Photo courtesy of Leon Edd, an avid golfer and husband of the late Tycene P. Edd, former Chapter President of the Raritan Valley Chapter (NJ) of the Links.
On the right is Cara Walker, President of the Raritan Valley Chapter of the Links. President Walker is pictured with Tiffiny Butler, Vice President of the chapter.
Pictured here, during the 2024 golf outing, are members of the Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. (Photos courtesy of Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter of the Links.)
Union Matters
LIRR’s strike averted, for now; Trump admin to mediate
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff
The Trump administration has agreed to get involved in contract negotiations between five unions representing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) workers and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), temporarily averting a potential strike.
A planned work stoppage by approximately 3,700 LIRR employees, which was scheduled to have begun this week, has been halted. LIRR service will continue uninterrupted.
The calls for federal intervention came at the unions’ request. Under the Railway Labor Act, the union coalition has the right to ask the president to appoint a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to investigate disputes between rail carriers and unions, and recommend solutions.
Trump has established a PEB to help negotiate the contract dispute between the MTA and the coalition of five unions: the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Transportation Communications Union (TCU).
The newly formed board is mandated to issue a report on the negotiations to Trump within 30 days. This action prevents a walkout strike until at least May of next year.
Coalition members said they are asking for the PEB because they have not been receiving any support from Governor Kathy
Hochul. “For more than two years, our members have heard excuse after excuse for why they cannot get a fair contract,”
said Nick Peluso, national
vice president
Peluso continued, “Unfortunately, it appears the LIRR and the MTA have convinced Gov. Hochul that her hands are tied, so, instead of working with labor to reach a pro-
“We are confident we will secure an agreement that meets our members’ expectations, and we will not stop fighting until we do.” —Nick Peluso, national vice president of the Transportation Communications Union
of the TCU. “The clock has run out. Our members deserve raises that reflect their vital role in keeping the LIRR running and serving millions of riders. The time for excuses is over.”
ductive solution, Gov. Hochul has decided to play games. Games of political convenience and the worn-out ‘blame game’ of blaming the current administration. This is nonsense. She knows it, we know it, and the
riding public should know it, too.
“We are confident we will secure an agreement that meets our members’ expectations, and we will not stop fighting until we do.”
John J. McCarthy, MTA Chief of Policy and External Relations, issued a stern statement in response to the unions’ request for the Trump administration to intervene. He criticized the unions and claimed they weren’t serious about negotiating. He called the emergency board request a “cynical delay” that serves no one.
“If these unions wanted to put riders first, they would either settle or agree to binding arbitration,” McCarthy said. “And if they don’t want to strike, they should say so — and finally show up to the negotiating table.”
Union demands/MTA’s response
The push for mediation by the federal government came after a near-unanimous 99.9% strike authorization vote by BLET members on September 15.
The unions are seeking a 16% raise over a four-year period. Its members say they have not received a salary increase since April 16, 2022. Their ongoing contract dispute with the MTA has been in arbitration since February 2024.
Reports are that the MTA offered the unions a three-year contract with more than 3% fractional increases that totaled out at 9.5%. While other LIRR unions accepted that offer, these five unions rejected it. Instead, they want to match the agreements secured by rail workers elsewhere in the country.
Commuters board the Long Island Railroad’s “Cannonball” trains. (MTA photos)
Department of Transportation
Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner
New York City Department of Transportation
Roadway Repairs and Maintenance Division
The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), Roadway Repairs and Maintenance Division, cordially invites your company to submit bids for the following contract:
EPIN: 84124B0014
Pick-Up and Disposal Services for Recycled Asphalt Citywide
Specifications will be available for download free of charge starting September 19, 2025.
This solicitation (RFX) is released through PASSPort, New York City’s online procurement portal.
Responses must be submitted electronically via PASSPort.
To access the RFP/RFx:
1. Visit the PASSPort Public Portal. https://www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/passport/aboutpassport.page
2. Click on the rectangle captioned “Procurement Navigator.”
3. Enter the EPIN 84124B0014 in the Keyword Search field, then click Search.
Vendors must create an account within PASSPort to respond, if they do not already have one.
Pre-Bid Conference:
Format: Zoom
Date/Time: September 24, 2025, 11:00 AM
To attend: Email the Authorized Agency Contact no later than September 23, 2025 to request the Zoom link.
Questions:
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Submit by email with subject line: EPIN: 84124B0014 – Pick-Up and Disposal Services for Recycled Asphalt Citywide
Or submit questions through the PASSPort communication function.
Bid Submission:
All responses must be submitted via PASSPort.
Bid Due Date: October 15, 2025, no later than 11:00 AM.
Note: No in-person viewing of the bid opening will be permitted.
Bid Opening:
Format: Virtual, via Zoom Webinar
Date/Time: October 15, 2025, 11:30 AM
Details: The Zoom link will be available in PASSPort.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul, when there’s enough for us all
The Trump administration’s plan to redirect nearly $500 million in federal funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges, even if it is mainly a one-time payment, cuts funds from programs set aside for colleges with large numbers of Hispanic students.
This is nothing more than the old gambit of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and it will leave both parties disgruntled and unfulfilled. Like many of Trump’s maneuvers, it’s a divide-and-conquer tactic to create turmoil, another distraction up his devious sleeve.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon provided an explanation, stating that the money was being redirected “from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which support student success.”
What requires more context on this issue is how one minority group’s program is racially discriminatory and another is not. Depriving one and boosting another makes no sense at all when there’s enough to fund both.
We wholeheartedly agree with the elected officials who are upset by the cuts, noting that those programs “have long had bipartisan support and fueled social mobility for workingclass Americans.”
America is experiencing far too much division and diversion, and this action will only intensify the differences between the groups that have been embroiled in the reparations demands.
If money must be taken from other programs, we are sure the Defense Department and Homeland Security would not be severely affected. Of course, finding an alternative funding method would be inconsistent with the aim of fomenting discord and sharpening disagreement between Black and Brown citizens.
There is no need for us to fight over crumbs from the government when the Treasury Department has sufficient funds for us all. It’s merely a matter of being fair and democratic — something hitherto missing from the Trump administration.
In America, we must accept our horrendous past — rejecting it is erasure
By HERB BOYD
No landmark, historic reference to slavery — not even the image of the formerly enslaved Gordon (also known as “Whipped Peter”) whose scarred back has been symbolic of the mistreatment Black Americans endured during the many years of bondage — is safe from Trump’s whitewashing or erasure.
In accordance with the Trump administration, National Park Service officials are broadly interpreting Trump’s directive to “apply to information on racism, sexism, slavery, gay rights or persecution of indigenous people.” He can demand the removal of information about slavery at many national parks, describing them as “corrosive ideology,” but Gordon’s scars, not even the photos of him, cannot vanish once you have seen them.
This is just the latest iteration of Trump’s aim to make America in his own image. It is his own deranged interpretation of the nation’s history through his myopic view. Professor Jonathan Zimmerman of the University of Pennsylvania has posited that the action “represents an enormous increase in federal power and control over the thing we learn, [and] brought to you by a team that says education should be state and local,” he told the Washington Post I support Zimmerman’s position, and all should second it.
Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor
Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor
Siobhan "Sam"
Wilbert
Left to Trump’s devices, the great interpretations of slavery by W.E.B. Du Bois, John Hope Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Eric Foner, et al., should be thrown in the dustbin and never referred to. Such dismissals rob us of the best understanding of this dark moment in America’s history — an imperfection less to be ashamed of than to be thoroughly and truthfully examined.
Hiding Gordon’s scars, rewriting the books, and removing the testaments to the crimes will not heal the nation of its sins, felonies, and misdemeanors. As Dr. Martin Luther King taught us, the nation’s racial history, including the Civil War, is
“a process of working towards these ideals rather than a rejection of them.”
Trump’s lies and falsifications, his determination to make us accept his erroneous coding of the American past, are harmful and moves us even further from the accep-
tance that Dr. King suggested. If anything could be erased and never occurred, it would be the scarification on Gordon’s back, but it is indelibly there. We must all look at it and face our ugly past with the resolve not to repeat it but to transcend it.
A photo of “Gordon,” an enslaved man whose scars from being beaten have become infamous. (Matthew Brady/Public Domain photo)
Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief
Madison Gray: Executive & Investigative Editor
Damaso Reyes: Editor at Large
Who gets to delete, change, or leave out history? My uncertainty
By OTIS D. ALEXANDER
Since March 2025, people have been discussing the removal of certain items from the Smithsonian museums to align with the Trump Administration’s views on American culture and history.
This plan is meant to make the exhibits fit the president’s view of U.S. history, which could mean removing or changing things that do not match his view. Maybe some of these changes are about parts of history that make people feel embarrassed or sad. I do not know the real reason, but I am trying to find out.
Many people worry that the government might change, leave out, or erase parts of their history. This is not a new problem. Governments and other groups have often left out or hidden some histories for different reasons, like being ashamed of what happened, being afraid of criticism, or not wanting to know the truth about them to be known.
History is the study of things that happened in the past, especially those involving people and groups. It means gathering, looking at, and understanding information about people, places, cultures, and important events over time. It is both a record of what happened and a way to understand and explain those events. History helps us see how things change or stay the same, why some things happen, and what results they have, giving us helpful ideas about people and the world.
Both griots, whom I met while living and working in West Africa, and Western historians use stories that have been passed down for hundreds of years, along with written records, old objects, and other sources to learn how societies changed, how people
and groups worked together, and how things that happened in the past have shaped today and still affect the future.
I believe the most important aspect of history is determining who decides what gets remembered and shared. Historians study and write about the past, and their choices shape what we see as important, but it isn’t just historians — governments, schools, museums, and other institutions also decide which events or people get highlighted in things like lessons, holidays, and monuments. They can choose to focus on some stories and exclude others. When exclusion happens, grassroots groups, minority communities, and activists often step in to bring attention to histories that have been ignored. They work to ensure that these stories are included, even if historians or officials didn’t initially consider them important. What we remember about history can change when new ideas emerge, new facts are discovered, or society’s values shift. We need to be careful when people from outside a culture decide what is important in its history. This has happened before and could happen again. For example, outside researchers might focus on parts of a culture’s history that they believe are significant, sometimes noticing aspects that locals might overlook — but they can also miss important details that only people from that culture know.
This process is complicated and can even be risky. For example, allowing someone from a group with a history of unfairness to write about another group’s past can lead to a distorted version of events. The same problem happens when people from former colonial powers try to tell the history of African
Americans, people in the African Diaspora, or those still living in Africa. How we see history depends on who tells the story and what they believe. Someone from a former colonial power might try to be fair when looking at history, but it is hard to be completely neutral. People from former colonial powers might, even without knowing it, make their actions seem less harmful or more positive to protect their country’s image. This can lead to stories that only talk about the good things and leave out the harm, violence, or resistance from those who were colonized.
I have trouble trusting historical accounts from people in colonial powers because they might push their own views onto a culture’s past, sometimes changing or erasing local stories to fit what they want. They often do not fully understand the culture’s values or background, which can lead to mistakes or wrong ideas. When outsiders control the story, local voices and needs can be ignored, and people may lose control over their own history. It is a big problem for scholars and community groups when powerful people decide what gets shown in places like the Smithsonian Institution, and what gets removed or forgotten.
The worst part is that, when important historical items were taken away, no historians from the culture were involved. There was no attempt to be fair, which made it impossible to create a more balanced and inclusive history.
Otis D. Alexander, PhD, is an Academic Advisory Board member and academic historian with Blackpast.org and an alum of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Leadership for Academic Librarians program.
AI and the problems faced by people of color
By DR. CLARENCE WILLIAMS JR.
History has taught us many lessons, but perhaps the most valuable one is that those in power tell the version of history that they want remembered. It is this notion that brings me to the realization that there are many versions of truth in history, usually from the point of view of whatever interests it best serves.
Black history, particularly in this country, is nuanced and complex. We have struggles and we have reached great achievements. The problem is that those achievements came out of those struggles, and it is difficult for
history to tell the story while simultaneously discussing that struggle. It is like reading a book when a chapter is missing, but it doesn’t matter because we know how it ends. Those who would erase Black history would say, “What’s important is we are all here now.”
Denying one’s history is failing to acknowledge who we are as a people. In essence, it minimizes a group’s contributions while ignoring individuality and the uniqueness that makes us who we are.
There is hope, however: Artificial intelligence (AI) is here. It is supposed to take away bias and opinion, and give the facts without prejudice or com-
promise. But there is a problem. As an August 2024 article about AI from IBM. com said:
“Directly underneath AI, we have machine learning, which involves creating models by training an algorithm to make predictions or decisions based on data. It encompasses a broad range of techniques that enable computers to learn from and make inferences based on data without being explicitly programmed for specific tasks.”
An algorithm requires data input. We have to ask ourselves who is feeding the data to the computer. Recently, I asked AI to identify the biggest problems
See AI on page 27
Celebrating Civil Rights Icons
CHRISTINA GREER, PH.D.
I don’t know about you, but I find myself thinking about Charlie Rangel and David Dinkins quite a bit these days. I wonder how Representative Rangel would have whipped members of the Democratic caucus together in this political moment. Would he use his skills of diplomacy and deep knowledge of Congress to help curb the tide of some of the Draconian policies coming out of Washington? I wonder what advice he would give Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer in this moment as well. I am curious as to how Mayor Dinkins would have handled conversations pertaining to ICE in cities, considering he had to deal with Giuliani’s harassment throughout his tenure as mayor. Sigh, it seems as though we progress and regress constantly in this country. For me to stay sane and strategize and help lead others through this particular political nadir, I find myself reading about past civil rights leaders and the strategies they employed, the coalitions they built, and the obstacles they overcame. My colleague, political science Professor Marion Orr has just published a new book, “House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr.” (University of North Carolina Press, 2025), the first biography of Michigan’s first Black Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Along with Congressman Rangel, he helped found the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), a caucus that continues to serve as the moral compass of Congress. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washing-
ton, DC, and as we see the threats currently faced by the district from the hands of the executive branch, we realize his efforts were a necessary implementation of protection for millions of Black residents, past and present.
As Professor Orr details, Congressman Diggs was the consummate power broker with a political career spanning from 1951 to 1980. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs’ rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, Professor Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. The concept of strategic moderation is something some might say politicians like Hakeem Jeffries or Cory Booker practice, much to the frustration of some Black Democratic voters. In “House of Diggs”, Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell. At this incredibly trying and sometimes frightening moment in American politics, it is imperative that we learn from the triumphs (and mistakes) of the leaders who came before us. Learning more about the leadership style of Congressman Diggs makes me want to know more about all of the founders of the CBC and their efforts—and bravery.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.
the way I am now. They are like elders and uncles and aunties to me.”
Weaving history together
Back in Adams’s apartment, the historian recounts everything from the mannerisms of the late councilmember Bill Perkins (he was once his staffer) to the AIDS epidemic of the ’80s, to the lost clubs and late-night restaurant scene of Harlem. Wil and Joyous only occasionally interject to clarify details or ask a more pointed question.
The process for interviewing all participants will be similar, Joyous explained. They’ll hit “Record” and ask a few questions. “The questions are more like guidelines, but they can take it where they want to take it. It’s really about creating that space for them,” she said. “Sometimes, the narrator will go into an entirely different realm than we expected, so we really want to capture all dimensions of
that story.”
Wil said they prefer to shoot environmental portraits — in the participants’ own homes or businesses — but if participants prefer, they can be interviewed and photographed at Wil’s studio.
The Pierces hit the jackpot with Adams. The historian and preservationist is not only an activist and involved in local politics, but also a collector and sentimentalist. His home tells as much of his story as he does. His personal history with the neighborhood is deep, and he has devoted his life to improving affordability and preserving the historical character of Harlem. When asked what it would take for him to move out of Harlem, he paused. After a long silence, he simply said, “I don’t know.”
These are the subjects Wil and Joyous are seeking. There are a few application requirements to be interviewed and photographed by the siblings, but one of them is that participants must have lived in the neighborhood for 30-plus years.
“Cities change — they grow and evolve, and places disappear, but there are people who were here for all that. People who
haven’t just lived here, but have helped build Harlem,” Wil said. “I think our intention is to gather those stories before they’re gone.”
In West African culture, there is a long tradition of storytelling and oral history-keeping. Those who told the stories were called griots. Joyous likes to think that “Uptown Voices” will honor that tradition. “Wil calls himself a griot. I like to call myself a griot, as well,” she said. “I don’t like to think of history just sitting in one container. It’s really about keeping the practice of oral history alive.
“We’ve all grown up in different ways. Actually sitting down and creating a space and showing your vulnerability so that someone else can take the time to sit still and reflect on their lives — to not only share just wisdom, but to really think about it and reflect for themselves — is something we don’t often get to do as a collective or intergenerationally.”
As of publication of this article, applications to be included in “Uptown Voices” are still open, and the duo will continue screening and interviewing on a rolling basis. To apply, visit wilpierce.com.
Originally from Akron, Ohio, Adams keeps photos of himself and his family on the wall. He moved to New York to study architectural history and preservation in the summer of 1985.
Harlem
Continued from page 7
“Uptown Voices” is familiar because Wil has been a professional photographer in Harlem for decades, but the brother and sister duo also wanted to include an oral storytelling component, which required Joyous to learn how to record and edit audio. (Marielle Argueza photos)
Michael Henry Adams in his living room while being interviewed and photographed by brother and sister Wil and Joyus Pierce for their oral history project “Uptown Voices.” (Marielle Argueza photos)
Caribbean Update
Venezuela warns Guyana, Trinidad of consequences of hosting American troops
BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews
Guyana and Trinidad, two of the Caribbean Community’s most resource-rich and consequential countries, are part of an international alliance supporting alleged American efforts to eliminate drug trafficking from Venezuela through a current military blockade of the South American nation and threats against the administration of President Nicolas Maduro.
In the case of Guyana, officials argue that the country has every right to line up behind Washington due to decades of threats of military invasion by Venezuela to enforce a claim on the western Essequibo Region, comprising twothirds of its country’s landmass.. This is so because the US, through its Florida-based Southern Military Command, has persistently announced plans to come to the rescue of Guyana should Venezuela carry through with any military action against its eastern neighbor.
In the case of Trinidad, authorities say the twin island nation with Tobago is under increasing criminal siege from Venezuelan gangs operating in the country. Just last week, Prime Minister
Kamla Persad-Bissessar said authorities are preparing to deport at least 200 criminal convicts and suspects back to Venezuela, while Maduro’s cabinet has accused Trinidad of allowing armed mercenaries to enter the country from Trinidad, charges the administration has denied.
As the new week began, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López warned the Caricom nation not to allow the US to use its territory as a base to attack Venezuela, as American warships and fighter jets await orders from Washington on the next steps to allegedly eliminate international drug trafficking. Washington has already put out a $50 million bounty for the arrest of Maduro for international drug trafficking. Padrino Lopez said at the weekend that both Guyana and Trinidad “will receive a response” if they allow American troops.
The regime of President Nicolas Maduro has warned Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana that if they lend themselves to an attack against Venezuela, “they will receive a response. To the T&T government who has lent themselves for this game, I say, well, if they (US) attack us from their (TT)
territory, you will also receive an answer. An answer, and all will be legitimate defense,” he threatened. Persad Bissessar has already made it plain and clear that the republic will indeed host American troops if Venezuela attacks fellow regional bloc member Guyana militarily, and even complained that the US has not made any formal request for such assistance so far.
“It is necessary to warn that if an attack against Venezuela is launched from those territories, we will respond proportionally, in legitimate defense of our sover-
eignty. To those who sent a written statement from the United States, I am referring to the governments of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the government of Trinidad and Tobago, who have played along. I say to you, well, if they attack from your territory, you will also receive a response, and that is legitimate defense. You already know what our profile is regarding respect for the sovereignty of peoples. You already know what our profile is regarding respect for human rights. You know what our profile is re-
garding respect for international law. You know what our profile is regarding respect for the self-determination of peoples, and you know what our profile is regarding national independence,” he said.
As an indication of their growing closeness, Guyanese authorities, a week ago, permitted two American fighter jets to overfly and salute the inauguration ceremony of President Irfaan Ali following general elections at the beginning of September. Both countries have, in recent weeks, come out publicly to support American action against organized crime, including drug and weapons smuggling and human trafficking, among other ills. Regional leaders and foreign ministers are expected to discuss the increasing tensions in the South Caribbean when most head to New York to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly sessions later this month. The region has long lobbied for the area to be treated as a zone of peace. Venezuelan authorities at the weekend also complained that the US military had forcibly boarded a regular tuna fishing vessel in local waters, roughing up its crew without provocation.
Latinos For Trump and the Supreme Court’s green light for racial profiling
KORNER
Latino voters undoubtedly helped power Donald Trump back into the White House in 2024 — but now, many of those same voters may pay the highest price for his administration’s racist and xenophobic agenda — enabled by what I can only call the U.S.’s new banana court: The Supreme Court. As a Pew Research Center study showed, Trump captured 48% of the Latino vote in 2024 — a stunning leap from the 36% he earned in 2020. Among Latino men, Trump actually beat Kamala Harris 54 to 44% — a 33-point swing in just four years. Hispanic naturalized citizens also shifted dramatically, jumping from 39% for Trump in 2020 to 51% in 2024. Many Latino voters reported-
ly put the economy above all else, hoping Trump would deliver relief from high prices, jobs, and housing costs. Forty percent of Latinos said pocketbook issues were their top priority — nine points higher than the general electorate. Those numbers made them one of the key groups that turned out for Trump in November. Fast track to June of this year. One of Trump’s most ardent Latino supporters, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, declared as immigration raids escalated and the military was deployed to Los Angeles: “The nation is watching, and now is the perfect time to pursue a lasting solution — one we’ve prayed for and desired for nearly a quarter-century.” It’s hard to imagine Rodriguez was praying for what came next.
The September 8 Supreme Court Ruling
On September 8, the Supreme Court handed Trump a major victory. In a 6–3 decision, the Court
lifted a lower-court order that had blocked ICE agents from carrying out suspicionless raids in Los Angeles. This decision essentially greenlights racial profiling. Federal agents now have broader authority to conduct raids based on how someone looks, the language they speak, or whether they have an accent.
The majority offered no explanation. Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent was chilling: the ruling makes “all Latinos, U.S. citizens or not, who work low-wage jobs … fair game to be seized at any time, taken away from work, and held until they provide proof of their legal status to the agents’ satisfaction.”
Fear
Across Communities
Immigrant advocates are sounding the alarm. Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition said the ruling “normalizes unconstitutional policing practices” and will destabilize neighborhoods across the country.
Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen called the decision “un-American” and vowed to keep fighting Trump’s “out-of-control mass deportation efforts.” She warned that parents may fear taking their kids to school, workers may avoid their jobs, and people may even skip seeking medical care — all because of the risk of being detained.
The Political Irony
This is the bitter irony for Latino voters: their historic support for Trump helped him reclaim the presidency, but his administration is now empowered to target their neighborhoods, workplaces, and families.
Equis Research notes that about a third of Latinos who supported Trump are no longer committed to voting Republican in the midterms.
If raids and racial profiling ramp up, that number could grow — potentially undoing the gains the GOP made with Latino voters in 2024. But as my granny would say: “Too
late, too late shall be the cry.” And yes — “you were warned.”
The Bottom Line
Trump lied and promised economic revival for all, but many Latinos may now find themselves facing raids, deportations and jail instead of relief. The Supreme Court ruling should be a wakeup call: immigration enforcement built on racial profiling doesn’t just punish the undocumented. It punishes entire communities and ethnic groups. Sadly, for all of us, these are some of the very communities that helped put the Hitler of this century back in office — and now, we are all paying the price.
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.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gives a press conference in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jesus Vargas)
Arts & Entertainment
Defining American greatness: A’Lelia Bundles discusses ‘Joy Goddess, A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance’
By MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS Special to the AmNews
There was a full house at the Segal Theater of CUNY’s Graduate Center (Fifth Avenue at 34th Street) last Tuesday, for an illuminating discussion of A’Lelia Bundles’s latest book, “Joy Goddess, A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance” (written with L’Alelia Perry Bundles). The event, at the one-time Gilded Age B. Altman Department Store Building, featured biographer Eric K. Washington (@erickwashington), 2015–16 Leon Levy Biography Fellow and author of “Boss of the Grips,” and Bundles (@aleliabundles), author of “On Her Own Ground,” founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives, and former NBC/ABC News producer.
Their exchange showcased a shared enthusiasm for the history and lore of Harlem, the place identified for the past century as America’s Black Cultural Capital. An hour seemed to collapse into 15 minutes as both held an attentive audience transfixed. Daughter of millionaire beauty-care manufacturer Madam C.J. Walker, A’Lelia Walker was dubbed by poet Langston Hughes the “joy goddess of Harlem’s 1920s.” Glamorous but down-to-earth, Walker was the author’s great-grandmother and namesake. Captivating public notice due to her unique po-
sition as America’s first high-profile heiress of African descent, she emerged as a convener of Black artists and prominent white patrons of the arts, on festive occasions and especially at parties. These erstwhile mere social events were as legendary for their sophistication and uproarious fun as they were for their purposeful intent: to encourage and fund Black creative genius.
Speaking with Washington, Bundles ex-
plained how her mission was to reveal the forgotten complexity of her great-grandmother, someone she said sometimes previously, had been caricatured as a frivolous party girl.
“Although Madame Walker was born after emancipation, her story was often reduced to a tale of from slavery and rags, to millions. It was: ‘Madame Walker made the money and A’Lelia Walker spent it,’”
Bundles said. “Her legacy is far, far greater. By helping to identify, [and] entertaining, engaging, and assisting people who became her era’s social and intellectual luminaries, like Zora Neale Hurston (writer), Paul Robeson (baritone), Florence Mills (star Broadway singer), Justin Sandridge (concert pianist), or Richmond Barthe (sculptor), she helped define the Harlem Renaissance,” Bundles told Washington.
I asked why, after Vertner Tandy’s saved the Walker women so much money by remodeling two existing houses on 136th Street into their elegant new townhouse, she refrained from mentioning the early Black architect’s effort to do the same thing, by renovating “Bishops Court” in Flushing, Queens, as their country house. I was glad for Bundles’s answer: “I covered that earlier in my biography of Madame Walker. Here, I wanted to emphasize A’Lelia.”
The crucial response to the night’s most cogent question held even greater satisfaction. Washington asked, “What would the Walker women have to say today, about efforts to diminish Black contributions to America’s greatness?” Their very lives, Bundles suggested, starting from nothing, overcoming foul play and obstacles to obtain success, would be their response: “Their example is the very definition of accomplishing American greatness!”
Smiling A’Lelia Bundles and Eric K, Washington signing copies of her new book, “Joy Goddess, A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance.”
Historian David Levering Lewis, who wrote “When Harlem was in Vogue” about the Harlem Renaissance 40 years ago, greets Pamela Newkirk and Judith Byrd and was acknowledged by A’Lelia Bundles at program’s start.
Fern June Kahn holds up her new memoir, “Through Jamaican Lenses.”
Tammi Lawson, Schomburg Center curator of art and artifacts, and John Reddick, architect and independent scholar. (Michael Henry Adams photos)
Black Beauty to the rescue for fall/winter 2026
Solutions for a better world from Angela Davis and fashion designer Natalie Belle
By MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS Special to the AmNews
“Our purpose is to conjure, as a collective experience, the inherent sovereignty that exists within Black women and femmes. To us, there is no greater luxury than Freedom.” — Natalie Belle
If answered prayers can create unexpected problems, another equally important life lesson is that the unexpected is not always necessarily bad. Sometimes, something unanticipated can be wonderful.
That’s how things turned out a week ago Wednesday at Natalie Belle’s euphoniously named line, Natty Belle’s Spring-Summer fashion week 2026 presentation, “Black Femme Sovereignty Resurrected.”
Hoping to link her creativity with the energy of the ancestors, the young designer staged her showing in the open air on Summit Rock. That’s just South of Seneca Village, the historic 19th-century settlement of free people of color who were displaced by the creation of Central Park and went largely uncompensated.
Attired in an array of artfully draped apparel, made from light fabrics in soft colors denoting the start of warm weather, a dozen models gracefully posed in a semicircle. Belle calls these women “muses,” and tall, short, caked, or slender, they represented various ages. For over an hour, 60 or so spectators admired, photographed, and questioned each other.
Beautiful sisters in becoming, bespoke clothes is one thing, but I was also looking forward to the closing celebratory dinner, held in an apartment house facing the Hudson Downtown. Featuring a buffet of fried chicken, Louisiana-style catfish, collard greens, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, rice pilaf, and peach cobbler, it was catered by former high-fashion model Norma Jean Darden. Dinner was also to include a personal hero of mine in attendance; when I learned that Angela Davis, a still-fierce freedom fighter at 81, would only appear virtually via Zoom, at first, I was heartbroken.
Little could I imagine that the virtual presence of greatness can sometimes be as good as, and
maybe even better than, an inperson encounter. That’s because many people when face-to-face with a beloved celebrity forget how to behave. There’s so much competition to make a connection, some people are liable to talk over you or to interrupt. To obtain an autograph or a selfie, others might even resort to elbowing to inch closer. A Zoom visit is entirely different.
Saying how much she regretted not being at Belle’s show earlier, how much she loved the mudcloth coat by Belle that she wore, Davis was every bit the gracious and insightful diva one might expect. Her remarks were adroit reflections on her Southern roots and mixed-race ancestry. With great politeness, questions were asked of her in an absolutely orderly way.
“Ms. Davis!” I inquired, when my turn came, “Just as young men sagging their trousers do today, just by the way you wore your hair, you P-Oed many, so I wonder if you might comment on the value of self-expression, through what we wear or how,
becoming an act of rebellion, that defies conformity?”
“When I stopped straightening my hair in 1966, people acted as if I invented the Afro!” she recalled, eliciting laughter. Davis said to wear her hair that way then was inviting the police to stop her.
“From the very start, it was a … decision in solidarity with those who refused to embrace the existing political and aesthetic norms.”
Her choice, she continued, coincided with the bumper sticker she’d put on her 1958 Buick, proclaiming, “Black is Beautiful!”
“Unfortunately I finally had to remove it, to keep so many white people from trying to drive me off the freeway, to drive me off the road,” she said as we gasped.
“I think it’s important for young people to know that [the] assertion that Black is beautiful is … a challenge to all authority …”
Davis has a resonant way of speaking, elongating vowels for emphasis. Is it slightly reminiscent of Maya Angelou? Perhaps, but it is a mellifluous, rhythmical cadence that’s definitely hers alone.
Touching on the importance
of recalling our struggles, our history as people of African descent, she admonished us to examine the past’s joyousness and triumph, as well as exploitation and setbacks. Davis was also emphatic about a shared responsibility to the future — to make common cause against violence raging anywhere, be it in Gaza, the Sudan, or at home in the U.S. Here, as if checking herself, Davis said: “Sometimes, when we are urged to think about Black history, we confine that to the history of violence and injury that has been done to us. Much more important is the fact that Black people not only fought against that oppression, but … we managed to produce beauty in the process of engaging in that struggle!”
A procession of ancestrally inspired clothes in Central Park, an address of encouragement from a still strong and beautiful living legend, superb food in a stylish setting — this was an evening experience all about reminding
Continued
Rising designer Natalie Belle with friend and caterer, onetime super model Norma Jean Darden
Black brother with beautiful hair.
Trya Harleston, descended from historic family prominent in Charleston, Savannah, and Harlem. (Michael Henry Adams photos)
the world that Black is Beautiful no matter who asserts to the contrary. When I got the chance, over peach cobbler and cham-
pagne, you know what I asked young Natalie, only around since 2017, and like everyone else challenged by Covid: “She was wearing your coat, her involvement in your dinner elevated every-
thing — what is your connection to Angela Davis?”
Smiling, Belle answered: “Destiny!” She explained rather modestly, “We met at a dinner party. I wasn’t invited, but someone
Abdul Tubman, born in Liberia; great-grandson of William Tubman, nation’s 19th president; fourth great-nephew of freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, asked Angela Davis, “How we can move forward collectively, as Africans and African Americans?” Lamenting a menacing presence in the White House, she said, “We are not alone … There are people who struggled before us … there are people fighting for equality, liberation, and justice all over the planet … As damaging as conditions appear to be now, that is not our future … Nothing ever remains the same … even though they might be able to seize the White House, they cannot push back the waves of history … A progressive change is coming …” (Michael
outside who knew her asked me to alert Dr. Davis. She thanked me when she returned from her friend, complaining that it was growing cooler and she needed to get a coat. ‘I have a coat!’ I said, showing her on my phone.” I may have not said it first, but there is no saying more true: “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” — E. B. White, 1949
Natty Belle muse smiles.
Actress Biandra Forrest, first African American with albinism signed to major modeling agency.
Michael Dean wore “Boondocks” ensemble prototype about to be launched by Rodney Henry.
Spring ’25: '60s styles are back; AI designs are in
By RENEE MINUS WHITE Fashion & Beauty Editor
In his Matcha Martini Spring ’26 collection, shown September 13 at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Pavilion, Negris LeBrum designer Travis Hamilton collaborated with a group of up-and-coming young designers including Rose Zu, Erin Chin and Ethan Heat, who utilized AI in their designs.
Their futuristic fashions, which opened the show, embodied the spirit of youth. The remarkable designs were eye-openers! A khaki-color menswear jacket and pants set-up with a matching hat was extremely wearable. Accent pieces included aprons, bibs, knee pads, capes, hats, and various attachments that created an entire outfit every which way. What can’t AI do? At the end of their segment, these incredibly talented new designers walked with their models to huge applause.
During a short intermission, cocktails were served to audience members (who were all fashionably dressed for the occasion) while Hamilton introduced No Bully Here, his nonprofit organization that aims to support youngsters dealing with all forms of bullying.
For Spring '26, the Negris LeBrum collection focused on silhouettes of the 1960s and various shades of green. “The 1960s was a time of fighting for freedoms and new identities,” said the show’s moderator. Negris LeBrum’s designs were sexy yet modern, and quite wearable. Lengths varied from mostly short to long. Details included flounced skirts, ruffles, and bands of brocade. Stylish suits, wide-legged pants, flared yet fitted skirts, jumpsuits, and minidresses were sharply tailored, with most pieces easily transitioning from day to evening. The defining accessory of the opulent collection was the oversized day bag. The love story that started this luxury brand that Travis Hamilton founded in 2003 is all about the forbidden love between Negris, a light-skinned French Creole woman, and a dark-skinned Black man, which blossomed in Louisiana. As usual, Travis Hamilton’s Negris LeBrum collection is on the edge, and very inspirational.
Looks from the Negris LeBrum Spring ’25 collection. (Photos by Renee Minus White/A Time To Style)
Gunna, Cade Cunningham, and more grace TUNL’s NYFW closing gala
By MATTHEW ALLEN
Special to the AmNews
New York Fashion Week comes to a close Monday night with TUNL’s extravagant gala at Lavan Midtown. Detroit Pistons superstar point guard Cade Cunningham hosted the second annual event with rap star Gunna blessing the stage for the attendees.
Gunna was announced as the night’s “halftime” guest, presented by MBG360. The four-time Grammy nominee appeared onstage at 1 a.m. donning all Black, performing two of his hit records, “one of wun” and “fukumean,” pleasing the gala’s guests, who, politely, clamored for photos and videos.
TUNL, a multidisciplinary platform that fuses fashion, culture, and sports, co-founded by Ashley Champ, provided a slew of activations and experiences for the gala guests. This year’s theme was “Woven Knights,” honoring forward-thinking athletes, creators, and visionaries, fusing “resilience, intention, and style into a shared legacy.”
The event was a lovely mixture of athletes, musicians, influencers, TV stars, and everyday New Yorkers dressed to the absolute nines.
The gala was a star-studded occasion with singers like Ari Lennox and rapper Coi LeRay on hand. Along with Cunningham, other renowned athletes were in attendance, including NBA defensive stalwart Patrick Beverly, Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, and WNBA stars Rickea Jackson and Te’a Cooper. Television stars were also on hand at the Lavan Midtown. “Bel-Air” star Jabari Banks (Will Smith) and Emmy-nomi-
nated director Coodie Simmons (Netflix’s “Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy”) were in attendance, mingling among the people.
All night long, guests enjoyed the sounds of the century’s best hip-hop music from three talented DJs: TJ Banks, Rae Sada, and Goldie Harris. Together they spun tracks like Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” Future’s “Mask Off,” Doechii’s “NISSAN ALTIMA,” and DJ Khaled and Drake’s “I’m On
One.” Guests, dressed in Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, or perfectly thrifted items, went back and forth from dancing, drinking Remy Martin and Ginger Ale cocktails, and partaking in delicious hors d’oeuvres; flaky and filling empanadas filled with cheeseburger, shrimp, or spinach and artichokes.
One such highlight of the gala was the unveiling of TUNL’s collaboration with DoorDash for a
Varsity Jacket. McCain, a standout rookie for the 76ers last year, was on hand to model a sporty and sophisticated leather piece with charcoal leather and gold embroidery, designed by TUNL founding partner & Arte Haus creative director, Kendall Hurns. Guests partied and gathered around PINKFLAMINGOUSA x PRIX Workshop Exclusive Car Displays; two motorsport cars decorated by Chris Phan and Esther NG. Attendees also lined up in droves for The Lenny S Gold Standard Experience, a photo op on a gold couch. Further emphasizing the evening’s theme were artists from Woken Arts, painting canvas of Nickelodeon cartoon characters on stage while dancing and holding a pet snake.
TUNL’s gala ended NYFW on a high and hopeful note. The multimedia party built on its inaugural gala last year at Tribeca’s Spring Studios, which featured guests like Taraji P. Henson and DJ Mustard. With so many events, galas, panels, and runaways being dominated by the typical fashion houses, having a Black-founded organization that amalgamates athletics, artists, and creatives was a breath of fresh air.
Gunna with Cade Cunningham
Rap star Gunna performing for the attendees.
Ari Lennox (Darian DiCianno photos)
AmNews FOOD
Brownies meet vision at Benevolent Bakery
By MAGRIRA Special to the AmNews
In business, you need vision. In the case of Benevolent Bakery (@ bakedbybenevolent on IG) and its founder, Wesley Holloway, you also need taste.
Based in Oklahoma, Benevolent Bakery has turned cannabisinfused boxed brownie and cake mixes into a nationwide hit, powered by hemp-derived THC. No fuss, no mess, no cannabutter experiments gone wrong — just add water for brownies, or eggs, oil, and water for cake. For the holidays, there’s even a hot cocoa mix that only needs warm water or milk.
Their products can be found online and in dispensaries throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Montana, and New York, but this brand isn’t just about desserts with a twist and a geographic reach. It’s also about giving back: A portion of every sale supports local nonprofits, with current donations going to the Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.
Holloway is no stranger to building from scratch. In 2019, he entered the cannabis industry with a partner. Together, they launched a distribution startup, then expand-
ed into manufacturing, extraction, and fulfillment. Within three years, they were pulling in over $10 million annually. But by 2022, the Oklahoma market collapsed — and they lost everything. Instead of walking away, Holloway started again. Out of that collapse came Benevolent Bakery, a venture built from the ground up.
Holloway graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2013, where he played college football, and earned his MBA from Southern Nazarene University in 2016. Today, his business brings people together — around ovens, tables, and community causes. Here’s what he had to say about why he chose baking, why cannabis, and what Benevolent Bakery means.
AmNews: What drew you to baking, and why did it feel like the right fit for your journey?
Wesley Holloway (WH): My journey started with a background in science and business, but my passion has always been about
building things that bring people together. Baking was a natural choice because it’s universal and holds significant industry nostalgia — it connects families, cultures, and generations. Especially around the holidays,
the kitchen is where memories are made. Everyone remembers that first brownie out of the oven, that birthday cake, or sitting around the table with family. I wanted to honor that nostalgia, but also reimagine it for today. With Benevolent Bakery, we’ve taken something timeless — baking — and added a modern twist by pairing it with cannabis in a safe, consistent, and approachable way. It’s about creating joy, sparking conversation, and giving people a reason to gather.
AmNews: Why should people choose Benevolent Bakery mixes over other products on the market?
WH: The top reason people should use Benevolent Bakery products is that they make it simple to share moments that matter. Our mixes are foolproof — no mess, no guess, just yes. You don’t have to be a pro in the kitchen to whip up brownie mix or cake mix that tastes amazing and delivers a consistent experience every time.
But beyond the ease and flavor, each box serves a purpose. Benevolent is a Black-owned business built on the idea that we rise by lifting others. A portion of every sale goes back to local nonprofits, so when you bake with us during the holidays, you’re not just bringing dessert; you’re bringing impact. It’s dessert with meaning: delicious, reliable, and rooted in community.
AmNews: How can people get their hands on your products?
WH: Right now, you can order directly online at Shopbenevolentbakery.com, which makes it easy to stock up in time for the holidays or any other occasion. We’re also in retail stores [in] states including Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Montana, and New York, and we’ll hopefully be entering new markets in the near future.
In New York City, Benevolent Bakery products are available at Terp Bros in Astoria (36-10 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, NY 11105), the city’s first licensed dispensary, where customers can find their brownie and cake mixes both in-store and online. They’re also carried by Cannabis Realm of New York, including its White Plains location, which stocks the popular Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.
Benevolent Baker’s Confetti Cake Mix.
Wesley Holloway, founder of Benevolent Bakery. (Photos courtesy of Benevolent Bakery)
Benevolent Bakery Brownie Mix Box.
Benevolent Bakery Hot Cocoa Mix.
Harlem Fashion Week: We design clothes but make it culture
By NICOLE M. MOORE Special to the AmNews
Don’t let the “New York” in New York Fashion Week (NYFW) fool you. NYFW is a global affair. Taking place every September and October, people from all over the world descend on the Big Apple to take a huge fashion-filled bite. The main events take place at Spring Studios in Lower Manhattan with flocks of models, influencers, stylists, and media types also converging on SoHo, Tribeca, and, more recently, Harlem. With fashion groundbreakers and history makers like Dapper Dan, April Walker, and Lana Turner to call its own, Harlem is no newjack to the fashion world. Between the Harlem Renaissance and the birth of hip hop, Harlem has used style as a conduit of creativity, validation, and representation to make a name for itself.
I kicked off my Fashion Week experience at Chase Bank on 125 Street at the “Diversity on the Runway: Panel Discussion + Fashion Mixer” presented by the mother-daughter duo, Tandra Birkett and Yvonne Jewnell, the creators of Harlem Fashion Week (HFW). The centerpiece attraction of the evening was a fireside chat featuring Nina Parker, the Emmy-nominated host and journalist who jumpstarted her career spilling the tea on TMZ and is now the current host of Friday Night Vibes on TBS. After enduring years of slim pickings and struggling to find anything fly on the racks in her size for her myriad red carpet hosting responsibilities, Parker launched her own saucy, size-inclusive fashion line, The Nina Parker Collection, and became the first Black woman to have a plus-size clothing line with Macy’s.
Two nights before her presentation on HFW’s runway at the Harlem School of the Arts, she sat, wearing all black in an open glass room, just a few yards away from the beeping ATMs, with a small group of Black folk eager to hear about her experiences as a plus-sized woman who made a name for herself and looked good while doing so. When asked why she chose Harlem as the place for her NYFW debut, the California native said: “I see women who look like me right down the street when I’m in Harlem, so I’m always going to gravitate to that … And I’ve said in the past I’ve been anti Fashion Week, so Harlem accepting me has felt like a hug.” She continued, “Instead of worrying about always being on top, I focus on being prepared … I made the decision to not put the keys of success in anybody else’s hands, but my own.”
Next up, the MMM Fashion Show. MMM stands for “Malcom Meets Martin,” which is also the name of the community block organization that serves West 120th Street between Lenox Avenue (Malcolm X Boulevard) and Mt. Morris Park (which borders Marcus
This is the third year that the residents of this tranquil and tight-knit block have produced this massive experience centering community and culture right alongside clothes and couture. What makes this event so special is the level of accessibility—the presentation is free and outside, making it easy for anyone and everyone to attend, which is huge for fashion, still one of the most gatekept industries in the world. Secondly, many, if not most, of the people involved— from the models to the sound technicians to the makeup artists—were folks who live in the neighborhood.
Part block party, part fashion show, and part talent show, this year’s event featured 10 designers from the tri-state area, including some of Harlem’s finest, such as 5001 Flavors, Harlem American, and Thomas Heath, to name a few. MMM Fashion Show set out to delight all of our senses with food and drink (for VIP guests) and poetry and music during set breaks between presentations that featured spoken word artists, a rap performance by JSwiss, as well as a tap
dancing number performed by Jabowen Dixon that would’ve made Gregory Hines proud. I heard that Dapper Dan was in attendance and spotted Vy Higginsen (Mama Foundation for the Arts), Lana Turner (fashion icon), DarDra Coaxum (HRLM Champagne), and Sharene Wood (Harlem Haberdashery) in the front row alongside the runway, which spanned more than half the block or approximately 300 feet. Just below the trees, the production crew created a canopy with white chiffon fabric that looked like a bridal gown train of pillowy clouds floating in the moonlit night sky. It may have been a DIY affair, but it felt grand—even magical.
Tressi Colon, one of three founders of the MMM Fashion Show, shared, “When we first stepped out in 2023, this fashion show was simply a vision, an idea that one of our CoFounders, Dr. Cheryl Smith, had to bring art, style, and culture right onto our open street. Now, three years later, we continue this fashion show because it’s more than just fashion. It’s about unity, creativity, and celebrating Harlem ... Each year, we are reminded that when neighbors come together, we can create something extraordinary.”
In the middle of Cool Pig NYC’s presentation at the MMM fashion show, the power went out. The audience started clapping rhythmically and chanting “No music! No music!” creating their own beat and melody, allowing the models to still walk with a backing track. This is the beauty of fashion week programming that takes place in Harlem: The designs become vectors and the runways act as channels, all transmitting the incredible energy of a storied community that centers culture as resilience.
Garvey Park).
Anthony Lee and Yvette Russell of 120MMM Model from Douglas Says show
Sharene Wood, Co-Owner, 5001 Flavors and DarDra Coaxum, Co-Owner of Harlem Shake at the MMM Fashion Show (Nicole Moore photos)
Nina Parker at Harlem Fashion Week Mixer
Somi, James Carter, Afro! at JLCO
Right from the start, upon arriving in New York City, the singer, songwriter, playwright, and actress Somi made her mark as a nonconformist in the tradition of Miriam Makeba and Abbey Lincoln. She refers to her sound as “new African jazz.” The American singer, a descendant of Rwandan and Ugandan parents, has her music deeply rooted in the cultural community of Africa and Harlem. On her CD “Petite Afrique” [Little Africa] 2017, she was inspired by the hustle and bustle of the city and a section of Harlem appropriately named “Little Africa” where West African immigrants continue to make their mark on this historical community with their own rich culture.
From September 18 through the 20, Jazz at Lincoln Center will host “Somi Presents: The Mother Africa Salon,” a season-long residency that reflects her ongoing creative journey exploring the sonic legacies of African music and its longstanding connection to the jazz idiom. Known for her lyrical storytelling and vibrant live performances, Somi leads an enthralling evening of song and migration. Blending original compositions with reimagined classics and occasional special guests, these performances offer a meditation on continental, transatlantic, and diasporic belonging.
Somi Kakoma will be joined by a unique configuration featuring Pianist Toru Dodo, Drummer Otis Brown III (both longtime bandmembers), Violinist Mazz Swift, Cellist Dara Hankins, and Youba Cissokho, on kora (a 21-stringed instrument similar to a harp). This first salon sets the tone for a three-part musical conversation that continues from Mar. 6–8, 2026, and concludes Jun. 18–21, 2026.
Somi, the first African woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award in a Jazz category, made her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut in 2018, at the Appel Room for her illuminating performance “Miriam Makeba & Nina Simone: Singing Protest & Memory with Somi.” Her first original play, “Dreaming Zenzile,” was a musical based on the life of Miriam Makeba. During the 20212022 season, the play premiered at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, ArtsEmerson in Boston, and Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop. She also released a tribute album dedicated to Makeba, Zenzile: “The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba” (2022). For more information and tickets, visit jazz.org.
James Carter, one of the most adventurous multi-reed artists of his generation, takes to the landmarked Sista’s Place stage (456 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn) for one
night only on 20, with two sets at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Performing with his Quartet, he will be armed with an arsenal of his favorite instruments, including saxophones, flute, and clarinets.
The Detroit native encompasses all elements of jazz history, from Dixieland and straight-ahead to fusion and avant-gardism.
He is one of the few prominent players of his generation to do so, incorporating these different influences in his compositions, live performances, and album recordings.
Early on, when the tenor Saxophonist and Composer Carter was establishing his career on the national jazz scene, he, as he called it, “practiced” every Monday night at the then jazz mecca, St. Nick’s Pub. He quickly became the talk of Harlem, who in one night could jam on tenor, baritone, alto, soprano saxophones, and just for a change effortlessly switch to bass clarinet. What he did on those Monday nights was spectacular. With extreme proficiency on every instrument, it was pure genius.
He is an authority on vintage saxophones, and he owns an extensive collection of such instruments, including one formerly played by Don Byas. Tickets are $50 for this special opening show. Reservations are a must—call (718) 398-1766.
As the White House deliberately continues
its insanity of dividing Americans and dismantling diplomatic ties with our international allies, the expressive sound of jazz, as it has done for decades, delivers its rhythmic voice of compassion, peace, and change.
The vessel of creative truth breathes life into camaraderie as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2025–26 season begins with the world premiere of “Afro!,” Wynton Marsalis’ new composition shaped by a lifetime of reflection on the African continent. Marsalis leads the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with Ghanaian djembe virtuoso Weedie Braimah and acclaimed Vocalist Shenel Johns. Together, they celebrate jazz’s enduring roots in African music and its boundless spirit of creation.
“I don’t play percussion, I play djembe, I must be intentional. I am a torch for the instrument. It has a voice in jazz in different forms of straight-ahead vernacular,” said Weedie during our phone interview. “It is creating a dialogue between the diaspora that already existed from the resilience of our ancestors, it’s a vernacular that has been able to maintain itself. I can use it in a melodic voice and other new concepts that come alive with Wynton [Marsalis].”
The djembe master comes from a musical family: his father, Oscar Sulley Braimah, was a master drummer and compos-
er who led the Uhuru Big Band in Ghana, his mother, Ann Morris, also a drummer, played briefly with James Brown’s Band, and his uncle is the innovative drummer, Idris Muhammad. “This upcoming African tour is something I am doing for my family, it’s like a special homecoming, to actually perform in my country [Ghana] will be a full circle moment for me,” said Weedie.
JLCO’s special guest, Vocalist Shenel Johns, fuses gospel, jazz, and idioms of the diaspora, showcasing her dynamic range and emotional depth. As a graduate of the University of Hartford Hartt School, she was mentored by Jackie McLean’s legacies: Rene McLean, Jimmy Greene, and Steve Davis. In a brief conversation with Marsalis following an all-day rehearsal of “Afro,” Marsalis noted, “This tour is about spreading the music and sharing dialogue.” The horns, drums, Weedie’s djembe, and the versatile vocals of Johns will make for a very exciting evening, as demonstrated by the Saturday rehearsal I attended. Following the three-night debut of Marsalis’ “Afro!” in Rose Theater, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is off to Africa, where they will perform in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana. For more information on “Afro!” at the Rose Theater, visit jazz.org.
Jazz vocalist Somi (Image courtesy of the Apollo Theater)
emergencies” has long echoed conservatives who have denounced cities, especially those that are majority Black, as “lawless or crime-ridden and in need of outside intervention.”
Statistically speaking, major crimes have trended down for decades and there are fewer instances of gun violence this year citywide compared to last year, according to NYPD stats. The issue of shootings and other violent crimes is by no means eradicated, and even warranted New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to order members of the National Guard into the city’s subway system to help NYPD with patrols in March 2024. However, Hochul has denounced Trump sending troops to the city very vocally.
“New York City is the safest big city in America and home to the best police force in the world, and our results speak for themselves: Crime is plummeting across the five boroughs, with major violent crimes reaching record lows,” said Adams.
This year, Adams’s office rolled out NYPD Quality of Life Teams, or “Q-Teams,” an initiative to police issues like noise, parking,
“President Trump’s unprecedented deployment of the combination of military troops and federal agents, so federal forces, to our cities is unnecessary,” said Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Security Project, in a press briefing. “It’s inflammatory and it is a dangerous abuse of power.”
Shamsi said the escalating threats and use of troops to police everyday citizens are profoundly un-American, and are creating an atmosphere of fear and hostility. “There’s tremendously strong resistance from Americans about intrusion — military intrusion into civilian affairs — and that has a very deep root in our history,” said Shamsi.
This also comes days after a Supreme Court ruling allows the Department of Homeland Security to use racial profiling practices against Latinos and Spanishspeakers in LA and surrounding counties. The wanton use of “unlawful and violent measures,” stop-and-frisk methods, raids, and “snatchings” by federal troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in D.C. and Los Angele has had a “demonstrably devastating impact on immigrant communities,” said Chandra S. Bhatnagar, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California.
is trying to use Black people to stoke fear, and also feed these kinds of fascist impulses that this administration has. It’s sad that we should not be shocked. The playbook has already been drawn, but what’s concerning is that it’s going to beget more violence.”
Alaizah Koorji, senior counsel at the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), also spoke recently about their organization’s amicus brief in District of Columbia v. Trump, which emphasizes the harms of militarized policing for Black people in the U.S.
“History is clear. Militarized policing does not improve community safety and, in fact, can significantly harm Black people and other people of color, who already experience rampant police abuse. The deployment of National Guard troops is no different, and no amount of fabricated crime emergencies will change that,” said Koorji in a statement. “Allowing a military occupation to continue in our nation’s capital is counterproductive to public safety and contrary to the rule of law.”
New York City is a differently run municipality than D.C., in that legally, there’s no precedent to send troops unless they are invited in, but the mayor’s office said they do plan to take more legal action against a deployment if necessary.
cil’s committee on criminal justice. “These continued threats from the Trump administration to send military and federal agents are about making a political statement, not improving public safety. The Council is preparing with our partners to respond to any attempt to attack working-class communities.”
However, a tense mayoral campaign to replace Adams has stymied some people’s belief that the city is prepared should troops arrive at the gates.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said the fear mongering around police and crime issues in the city goes back to Adams’s first run for mayor in 2021. Reynoso has backed Adams’s opponent in the race, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
The mayor’s office said that they don’t want to be “alarmist,” but are taking every threat of deployment seriously and have “contingency plans.” They would prefer not to publicize these plans at this time, said
“New York city and state leaders have been clear that the forced deployment of National Guard and other federal law enforcement is unwelcome and unnecessary in our city,” said Councilmember Sandy Nurse, who chairs the City Coun-
“For me, it’s a larger conversation. We’ve had middle-of-the-road centrist Democrats [who] have made policing and fear the central component to their campaigns,” Reynoso said. “Eric Adams spent millions of dollars in his campaign originally to scare us, to show us, or to tell us, that this city is out of control on crime. He then spent the next three years telling people that it’s not as bad as they think it is, so he inserted fear into their hearts, and then he’s trying to pull back and change the message to say that New York City is safe. He already did his damage, and that work that he did during that campaign to sow fear of something that wasn’t necessarily happening is being used as fodder by Donald Trump.”
The office said they have considered how a military presence could affect the city’s Black and Brown communities that already
*Based upon the number of persons in household. **Subject to change.
OCCUPANCY STANDARDS: Three-Bedroom: Four – Six people. NOTE: A single parent with two children remains eligible for a three-bedroom apartment, regardless of gender. Four Bedroom: Five – Eight people. (FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION) transferable. financially responsible.
Applicant/Head of household must be at least 18 years old at the time of the lottery. Preference will be given to documented veterans selected in the lottery that are NY State residents only. Any applicant who 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 Mitchell Lama development. Failure to comply will result in the disqualification of both applicants.
The waiting list will be established through a limited lottery: There will be a applicants drawn from the Three and Four Bedroom waitlists
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
You must submit your application by regular mail using a postcard or envelope. Registered and certified mail will not be accepted. Clearly print your full name, current mailing address, date of birth, and the bedroom size lottery you are applying for. If you do not include your date of birth or fail to indicate the bedroom size, your application will not be entered into the lottery. Mail your completed postcard or envelope
56th African American Day Parade to highlight Black education
AmNews Staff Reports
Learning will be the focus as Harlem celebrates Black culture and unity during the 56th Annual African American Day Parade (AADP) on Sunday, Sept. 21, from 12:30 to 6 p.m. along Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in Harlem.
This year’s theme, “Education is Our #1 Priority,” will be reflected in floats, marching bands, community organizations, civil servants, performance groups, elected officials, fraternities and sororities, unions, celebrities, and national figures.
“With the passing of Congressman Charles Rangel; Hazel Dukes, president of the NAACP New York State Conference; Lloyd Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of Harlem Week; and Tamara Norman, vice chair emeritus of the African American Day Parade, we salute them for their unwavering support of education and commitment to our community. They will be truly missed,” said Yusuf Hasan, chair of the African American Day Parade, Inc. “One of the goals of the parade is to uplift the community’s spirits as we move forward.”
The AADP celebration spans two days, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 20, with the 3rd Annual Get Involved: Community, Literacy, Health, and Culture Celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Plaza. The event will feature live per-
formances, literacy activities, giveaways, prizes, a health panel, and on-site health services.
On Sunday, the parade will honor this year’s grand marshals, including leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs): Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University; Dr. Martin Lamelle Jr., president of Grambling State University; and Dr. Patrice Ramsey, president of Medgar Evers College.
Additional grand marshals in-
clude Sandra Bookman, anchor of “Eyewitness News” on ABC7/ WABC-TV; Dr. Bob Lee, WBLS 107.5 FM radio personality founder and CEO of the Make the Grade Foundation; and Joy Bivins, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Local school principals will also serve as marshals: Dr. Shawn F. Brown, Uniondale High School on Long Island; Francina YawCostello, Amber Charter School in Inwood; and Jean E. Jeanty, Pugsley Preparatory Academy Middle School in the Bronx.
For the second year in a row, WABC-TV will partner with the AADP to livestream the parade on ABC7NY.com.
“I am very excited to celebrate our educators this year, as well as acknowledge our supportive sponsors, including Northwell Health, Mount Sinai, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,” said Jasmine Robinson, AADP administrative coordinator and granddaughter of AADP founding member Abe Snyder. “The community’s constant support and energy are what not only keep the parade alive but keep me going as well.”
African American Day Parade. (Paradelife.com photo)
following the murder of Robert Brooks,” said a spokesperson for Hochul by email. “Our Administration continues to explore a number of options with our legislative partners to improve the system through renewed correction officer recruitment efforts and policy reforms, and the Governor will review this legislation.”
Advocates believe the omnibus remains necessary to keep corrections officers in check. “You pass a budget — [if] you don’t sign the bill to get it in operation, it doesn’t deter those people,” said Hamilton. “She knows who we [are] talking about. We [are] talking about correction officers who walked out [in] a wildcat strike … we’re dealing with lawless people, and the only
thing to deter them is [signing] this bill for them to know that there’s going to be accountability.”
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander penned a letter to Hochul on September 9, urging her to pass the legislation. He pointed to how the law focused on state prisons could also affect local jails like those on Rikers Island, where three people died recently. Section H in the bill package would expand the SCOC.
“Although Rikers is operated by the City, it is still a local correctional facility subject to the State Commission of Correction’s minimum standards,” wrote Lander.
“These reforms would allow the Commission to exercise stronger oversight — in certifying Rikers’ maximum capacity; determining the required post complement and compelling adequate staffing; conducting unannounced inspections and private interviews; obtaining records, including medical records, by subpoena; is-
October 15th at Fordham.
jobs for people in the borough, elevating the local economy.
Bronx Tech Hub has several new projects and events on the horizon, including a climate tech fellowship with the Bronx Economic Development Corporation for Bronx CUNY students beginning in October, where they are placed with tech startups. They also offer an AI fellowship to guide students to either matriculate back into school, pursue software engineering, or attend an AI bootcamp. The next major event they are hosting is the tech job fair on
The program serves all ages, from children learning about STEM to college students, working professionals looking for jobs, and seniors being given digital skills training. Some of the high schools they are working with include Eagle Academy, Bronx Academy for Software Engineering, Comp Sci High, and Horace Mann School, as well as colleges Lehman College, Hostos Community College, Fordham University, Bronx Community College, and Manhattan College, among others. They also connect with seniors through the YMCA.
Nunez says that the many stories of Bronxites he meets and works with who share how these opportunities changed
doctors, then its answers will assume that most doctors are men.”
suing corrective directives and applying to Supreme Court to compel compliance; and, as a last resort, closing a facility that remains unsafe, unsanitary, inadequate, or noncompliant.”
Currently, just three commissioners sit on the SCOC board. All of them are appointed by the governor’s office (pending State Senate confirmation) and two hail from a law enforcement background. Section H of the omnibus bill would add six more people, appointed by state lawmakers and CANY.
“It would also require a diversity of backgrounds, so it would ensure that one commissioner has a public health background, one commissioner has a behavioral health background, one commissioner has a prisoner of rights or public defense communication background,” said Yonah Zeitz, an advocacy director for the grassroots Katal Center.
their lives are what he is most proud of, including one gentleman he spoke to who was tired of his old job and came to Nunez to learn about tech, who is now in a data fellowship.
“That’s the most rewarding feeling, for somebody to come up and say, ‘Hey George, you changed my life, because of you, now I’m really living the role and the life I want to live,’” Nunez said.
Nunez, who works with three other board members in the organization, says they are
facing America today. Its response was: “As of mid-2025, the biggest problems facing the United States are dominated by persistent economic anxieties and political division, according to recent public opinion polls and government analyses.”
What is important here is not just the answer, but also where the answer came from. It stated economic anxieties (a broad term that could mean anything) and political division (which has been the case ever since we had a two-party system). It also says the information came from public opinion and polls. Whose opinions and who was polled?
Microsoft founder Bill Gates published an article on Gatesnotes.com in July 2023, saying that: “Another risk with artificial intelligence is that it reflects or even worsens existing biases against people of certain gender identities, races, ethnicities, and so on.” He further stated that: “Similarly, AI models inherit whatever prejudices are baked into the text they’re trained on. If one reads a lot about, say, physicians, and the text mostly mentions male
This is why it is important for people of color to be at the forefront of AI. It is a unique opportunity to tell our story and provide information about the story we want to tell, thus changing the narrative for future generations. We have to be the data entry people; we have to represent what will be defined as intelligence. We have to contribute to the algorithm, so answers to questions will reflect a broader view. Otherwise, we are just repeating the cycle of misinformation.
AI cannot correct the wrongs of bias and discrimination by itself. In the world of social media, it can continue it or even exacerbate it. If AI is our child and our child will grow up to be independent of us, they will still be a product of how we raised them and the values we instilled in them. I think it is time for us to read the entire book and fill in the missing pages. We need to teach AI to respond to our voice, thus “writing” the wrong of a system that is conveniently blind to our causes.
Dr. Clarence Williams Jr. is a retired assistant superintendent in the New York City public school system.
“One commissioner would have to be formerly incarcerated.… we feel like changing up the makeup of the commission is a necessary step to ensure that it is mandated.”
Not only would CANY receive two appointments for the SCOC commission under the omnibus bill, the nonprofit could also conduct site visits with shorter notice times, from 72 hours to 24 hours, giving prisons less time to cover up conditions. The bill also grants the watchdog quarterly access to datasets without filing a public records request, according to Sumeet Sharma, CANY’s director of policy and communications.
“We’ll have on hand data about who’s under custody, staffing levels, statistics related to disciplinary charges, statistics related to grievances, and a few other datasets that would just be sent to us automatically each quarter,” Sharma said.
now looking to secure a physical space and eventually scale to other boroughs, before going national, and then global. The Blackowned Sankofa Huas has been one of their main venues for events. Nunez says funding support and continued branding will be key going forward.
“All I can do is train. All I can do is provide opportunities, and all I can do is spread the word,” Nunez said.
The Bronx Tech Hub calendar of events can be found at bronxtechhub.org.
Health
Tufts professor shows how AMA undermined Black doctors
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff and CHRIS LEE
Special to the AmNews
Before the Civil War, and for many decades after, Black Americans who wanted to get a medical degree faced severe discrimination, and often had to travel abroad for their education. After the Civil War, multiple Black medical schools were founded between 1868 and 1904, dramatically increasing the number of Black medical graduates.
Educational institutions like the University Medical School, Meharry Medical College, Leonard Medical School, and numerous others were established across the United States, but the American Medical Association (AMA) made it hard for Black physicians to survive by excluding most of them from its membership and official directories.
By 1906, the AMA’s Physician Professional Data, for example, listed only 1.8% of all physicians in the United States as African American. This 1906 directory made sure to label those doctors it did find as “Col” — for “Colored” — to point them out, according to Benjamin Chrisinger, an assistant professor in Tufts University’s Department of Community Health.
“This practice was strongly opposed by Black medical leaders of the time,” Chrisinger wrote in explaining his research, “It contributed to the further exclusion of Black physicians from medical training, practice, and professional communities. Today, these archival records offer us a look into the earliest racial inequalities in post-Reconstruction healthcare, and [stand as] a testament to the achievements and perseverance of Black physicians who overcame immense barriers to serve their communities.”
Chrisinger, who has digitized and analyzed data and historical records from the AMA’s 1906 directory, recently spoke with the AmNews about his work. His research, “Deep Roots of Racial Inequalities in US Healthcare: The 1906 American Medical Directory,” provides a stark look at the history of medical discrimination and helps explain why the gap between Black doctors and the Black population remains so wide today. Starting in 1906, the AMA initiated the practice of labeling Black physicians in its directories — a practice that continued until 1938. “The National Medical Association opposed it from the start, so we know that this wasn’t something that Black doc-
tors were volunteering, or information that they thought that they needed to volunteer,” Chrisinger said. “The AMA was forcing this kind of distinction.”
The directory was one of the AMA’s many efforts to establish itself as the authority on quality medical doctors. Chrisinger added that historian Vanessa Northington Gamble, of George Washington University, found correspondence between AMA secretaries, archive staff, and medical school presidents inquiring about the race of graduates.
“Our guess was also that maybe state and local secretaries of chapters might voluntarily provide this information or be asked by AMA central to help identify the race of doctors, perhaps through biographical cards filled out by people and placed in journals,” he said.
“There’s no checkbox for it, so doctors weren’t asked to give that information directly, but somehow, the data was still being gathered.”
Using information from the directory, Chrisinger found that in 1906, there were 746 Black doctors in 16 states; 57% of all Black doctors at that time were educated at Howard or Meharry. He began his review of the AMA directories while researching health disparities and the structures that create them, after reading the AMA’s 2008 apology for its history of discriminatory practices against Black physicians. Chrisinger’s research looked at how the AMA labeled Black physicians between 1906 and 1938 while it was trying to “professionalize” and “standardize” medicine and assert more control over medical education.
“Some of the patterns that we found explain where Black doctors were or what the county-level characteristics were that might explain where Black doctors were setting up,” Chrisinger said.
Chrisinger’s research shows that Black doctors have historically served as more than just healthcare providers. They have been economic anchors in their communities, owning real estate, running local businesses, and offering informal loans to those excluded from traditional banking. Today’s continuing decline in the number of Black physicians, as both healers and wealthbuilders, creates a dual threat to community stability.
Chris Lee is founder of BlackEconomics.com.
Religion & Spirituality Joe Rivers, famous doo-wop singer, dies at 88
By RONALD E. SCOTT Special to the AmNews
Joe Rivers, one half of the dynamic R&B doo-wop duo
Johnnie & Joe, who had a big hit with “Over the Mountain Across the Sea,” died on Aug. 26 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, NY. He was 88.
The duo’s (Johnnie Mae Sanders and Joe Rivers) “Over the Mountain Across the Sea” climbed to #3 on the R&B chart and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012 Johnnie & Joe were inducted into the DooWop Hall of Fame of America.
“Over the Mountain Across the Sea” was released in 1957 and became an instant hit.
“A lot of people in the service loved the song,” said Rivers during an interview with this publication in 2024. “New York City disc jockeys like Alan Freed and Murray the K were playing the record constantly.”
Johnnie & Joe became instant celebrities in the Harlem community and performed at the Brooklyn Paramount and the Apollo Theatre. When it was time to go on their first tour, Joe, then 15 years old, had to get permission from his mother. They often appeared on Dick Clark’s [teen dance] Show but Joe recalled the golden rule “No dancing with white girls.”
Touring in the south during segregation proved to be very difficult and somewhat risky for the young duo. In some places, the band had to play behind a sheet so the audience couldn’t see that the Black group was being accompanied by an all-white band.
Rivers explained “Sometimes [pop singer] Paul Anka would go into restaurants to get food for us.” While touring they met B.B. King, Big Joe Turner, Fats Domino, Roy Hamilton, Pearl Bailey (before her fame), Harvey and the Moonglows, and Big Mae Bell.
After graduating from Harlem’s Cooper J.H.S., Joe was faced with a dilemma — his mom asked if he wanted to attend high school or continue touring. He decided to stay on the road. He said, “I made $100 touring cities and I sent $75 to my mom and kept $25. It was important for me to help my family.”
Joseph “Joe” Rivers was born on March 18, 1937, in Ridgeville, South Carolina, to Daniel Blige Rivers and Queenie Victoria Gourdine Rivers. He was the third oldest of nine siblings. In 1950, his parents moved the family to New York City. Their first residence was a one-room apartment on 126th Street and 7th Avenue before eventual -
ly moving to a larger place on 122nd Street.
His next-door neighbor, Rex Garvin, was a singer, songwriter, and pianist who was the force behind his soon-tobe legendary doo-wop career. Garvin worked with another neighbor, Zelma “Zell” Sanders, who owned her own record label J & R Records, she teamed Joe up with her daughter, Johnnie, and the duo was set.
“Rex had to teach me about diction because I had a strong southern accent. It took a year to get my diction right.” Rivers shared that Rex had written the duo’s Billboard chartbuster song in the bathroom.
Following their hit record, Johnnie & Joe continued together through the 1980s. They performed in oldies concerts throughout the United States, the Desert Storm Review, traveled to England to perform for Queen Elizabeth and recorded the album, Kingdom of Love , in 1982. Following Johnnie’s death in 1988, Rivers began singing with Barbara Toomer, a former member of The Toys (“A Lover’s Concerto”) and other female vocalists, who stepped in to carry on the Johnnie & Joe legacy.
Joe eventually went to acting school and auditioned for a role in the film “Blackboard Jungle” that starred Sidney Poitier. In 1973, he married Ida Mae Jenkins, his beloved wife of 36 years. Together while living in the Bronx, they raised three children, Vanessa, Johnny, and Melissa. Joe worked for many years with Bell Atlantic, Amtrak, and Carlyle Record Warehouses Corporation. Following his retirement, the couple purchased a home in 1999 in Newburgh, New York, where they resided until their transitions.
Long after his doo-wop career, Joe was still a respected singer at his church Christian Parish for Spiritual Renewal, where he was a dedicated member of over three decades driving down from Newburgh every Sunday. This is the same church that held his memorial
just last week, where he began attending years ago, located directly across the street from his family’s second apartment, in the 1950s.
“I love jazz but I am a ballad singer and I always sang offkey,” said Rivers. Perfectionists are never satisfied with their performance. Rivers’ beloved church members, and those throughout Harlem and the world old enough to remember will acknowledge he was a great singer — they never heard him
miss a note. It’s nice to be important but more important to be nice; he will be remembered for being an incredible human being, a great father, grandfather, and friend.
Joe is survived by his daughters Vanessa Rivers Smallwood and Melissa Rivers; his sonin-law Ronald Smallwood; his grandson Daniel Wallace; sister Lola Leaf; his companion Maria Golden; and a host of nieces, nephews, his goddaughter, and friends.
Joe Rivers (Deborah Fairfax photo)
Walker and Stefani Zinerman; Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“For the lives that we lost, understanding to be Black and to be a firefighter, to be Black and be in these spaces where you can’t be too happy or sad, can’t be too angry, even though you’re being treated and seen differently,” said Williams. “Their memories and legacies expand so far, and I can’t imagine what the families had to go through.”
“We stand with you today as you
honor this solemn day in remembrance. Not only for New Yorkers, but people around the world who love freedom. Because at the end of the day, we recognize that this day is about freedoms,” said Walker. “What we learned is that freedom is not free.”
Additionally, the Vulcan Society mourned the loss of retired firefighter Elbert Washington, who passed away on August 28, 2025. His funeral services were held at Greater St. Stephen United Church of God in Brooklyn on Monday, September 15.
Washington joined the FDNY in 1973. He served with distinction in some of the city’s busiest fire companies, including Engine
290, Squad Company One, and Rescue 2. He was the past president of the Vulcan Society and was one of the FDNY’s most decorated Black firefighters until his retirement in 1999.
Washington was honored with the Captain Denis W. Lane medal for rescuing an off-duty police officer from a fire, along with receiving countless citations for other heroic acts of courage, said the Vulcan Society.
“The Vulcan Society extends heartfelt condolences to the Washington family,” said Logan, in a statement. “Elbert Washington was, and will remain, a beacon — of honor, of progress, of hope. His footsteps guide us still.”
From left to right: FDNY Fire Chaplain Dr. Rev. V. Simpson Turner Jr., NYS Attorney General Letitia James; NYS Assemblymembers Latrice Walker and Stefani Zinerman, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and FDNY Assistant Deputy Commissioner Jim Harding.
FDNY’s Black Vulcan Society 9/11 memorial service in Brooklyn. (Ariama C. Long photos)
Members of the FDNY’s Black Vulcan Society.
Endea Owens performing with Cookout at Marcus Garvey Park for Community Cookout on August 17.
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NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK U. S. Bank National Association as trustee for CMALT REMIC 2007-A2 - REMIC PassThrough Certificates. Series 2007-A2, Plaintiff AGAINST Nkenge Scott a/k/a Scott Nkenge, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 8, 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 October 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 69 West 119th Street, New York, NY 10026. 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: 1718, Lot: 13. Approximate amount of judgment $2,169,163.01 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850053/2023. Christy M. Demelfi, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01096395-F00 85760
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 Qualification of BLACKSTONE ABF ASSOCIATES L.L.C. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/12/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/07/25. Princ. office of LLC: 345 Park Ave., 31st Fl., NY, NY 10154. 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 DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , NYCTL 1998-2 Trust and the Bank of New York Mellon as Collateral Agent and Custodian , Plaintiff, vs . Katherine Mosley , ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion dated October 18, 2023 and duly entered on November 28, 2023 and an Order Appointing Substitute Referee dated May 20, 2024 and duly entered on May 21, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on October 15, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 2011 and Lot 23. Said premises may also be known as 125 West 142 Street, New York, NY.
Approximate amount of judgment is $100,111.55 plus interest and costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index #154723/2022.
Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., Referee
The Law Office of Thomas P. Malone, PLLC, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 553, New York, New York 10165, Attorneys for Plaintiff
Notice of Qualification of SHARPE ADVISORS, LLC
Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/13/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Wyoming (WY) on 08/12/25. Princ. office of LLC: (WeWork c/o Nick Mela), 524 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10012. 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. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Herschler Bldg. East, Ste. 101, 122 W. 25th St., Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of ELITE CLINICAL NETWORK, LLC
Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/05/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Nevada (NV) on 12/30/20. Princ. office of LLC: 6970 Wineberry Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89119. 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. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 202 N. Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701-4201. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , CAPITAL ONE, N.A., Plaintiff, vs. KENNETH LAUB, ET AL., Defendant (s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 11, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at ROOM 130 OF THE NEW YORK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 60 CENTRE STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10007 on October 22, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 163 EAST 64TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10065 F/K/A 10021. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block: 1399 , Lot: 25. Approximate amount of judgment is $10,653,559.26 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 159315/2017. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee's attorney, or the Referee.
DORON A. LEIBY, Esq., Referee
Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
Rutha Berger Design LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 5/20/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 437 East 80th St Apt 28, New York, New York, 10075. Purpose: Any lawful act.
SB Tennent LLC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/09/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 PARK AVE S #594730, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
PEIGYSTYLES LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on March 21, 2024. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 1178 Broadway, #4079, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Guy Furrow, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY 08/06/2025. Office: New York County. SSNY desig. agent for service of process & shall mail to: 460 West 24th Street, 14A, New York, NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
57TH ST. VACATION OWN ERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ ADWOA BOATEMAA OKYERE, YASMIN AGYEPO MAA BOAMA, if living, and if they be dead, etc..., et al Defen dant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 3, 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 October 1, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhat tan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .009864% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership inter est in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declara tions. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37.
Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $28,286.03 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850055/2020.
SOFIA BALILE, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 38674 {* AMSTERDAM*}
Notice of Qualification of BLACKSTONE ABF ASSOCIATES L.P.
Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/12/25. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/07/25. Princ. office of LP: 345 Park Ave., 31st Fl., NY, NY 10154. NYS fictitious name: BLACKSTONE ABF ASSOCIATES GP, L.P. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstJOAN BAFALOUKAS, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 27, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on October 22, 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, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-incommon with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .009864% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $16,962.73 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850161/2023.
DORON LEIBY, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39125 {* AMSTERDAM*}
Notice of Formation of RBEC1 DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/28/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, Fl. 72, NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of RBF1 DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/28/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, Fl. 72, NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ TAHITA QUOIN DOYLE, et al
Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 25, 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 October 1, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on own ership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as re corded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $66,810.23 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 850255/2023.
PAUL SKLAR, ESQ., Referee
DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39246
{* AMSTERDAM*}
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 2019-RPL11 Trust, Plaintiff, vs. Unknown heirs at law of Hyunjeong Han, if they be living and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order duly entered on May 17, 2023 and a Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on May 29, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on October 1, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 70 Little West Street Unit 22G, New York, NY 10004 a/k/a 70 Battery Place, Unit 22G, New York, NY 10280. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block 16 and Lot 1878 together with an undivided 0.36855 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $665,379.10 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850044/2021. Cash will not be accepted. Thomas R. Kleinberger, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK. VALLEY NATIONAL BANK, successor by merger to Bank Leumi USA, Plaintiff, v. W29 534 HIGHLINE OWNERS LLC, et al., Defendants. Index No. 850126/2024
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale granted herein on July 24, 2025, I the undersigned, the Referee in said Judgment named, will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY of the County of NEW YORK, State of New York on October 15, 2025 at 2:15 pm of that day, the premises directed by said Judgment to be sold and therein described as follows:
Said premises being known as and by street address 534 WEST 29TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10001
Block 700 Lot 53
Said premises are sold subject to the terms and conditions of the filed Judgment and the Terms of Sale. Approximate amount of Judgment $19,193,780.55.
Dated: Garden City, New York September 2, 2025
MARK L. McKEW, ESQ., Referee
Adam E. Mikolay, P.C. Of Counsel to LANCE FALOW, ESQ.
Attorney for Plaintiff’s Assignee HIGHLINE HEIGHTS LLC
400 Garden City Plaza Suite 405 Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 222-2050
AUTEUR DE VERITE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/10/2025 . Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 136 W 129TH ST APT 3F, NEW YORK, NY, 10027. Purpose: Any lawful act.
THE DOCUMENTARY HELPLINE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/18/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 545 E 12TH ST , 2B,, NEW YORK, NY, 10009. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE OF FORMATION
UNDERCOVER MOH LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/16/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Nicole Lefkowitz, 25 Water St., Apt. 744, New York, NY 10004.
BGM SOLUTIONS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/04/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 PARK AVE S #485903, NEW YORK, NY, 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NEW YORK STATE
DRAFT 2026-2030 CONSOLIDATED PLAN & 2026 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ANNOUNCEMENT
To participate in certain federal community development and housing programs, the State of New York must prepare a five-year Consolidated Plan and an Annual Action Plan and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in its development. As part of this process, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the Consolidated Plan for 2026-2030 and the 2026 Annual Action Plan during an upcoming public comment period.
The Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan focuses principally on five federal programs: the New York State Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME); Housing Trust Fund (HTF); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA); and the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG).
The Consolidated Plan will be a five-year strategy for addressing the housing and non-housing community development needs of New York communities. The Consolidated Plan will set long-term goals for the development of viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
The Annual Action Plan will describe the State’s planned use of federal Fiscal Year 2026 CDBG, HOME, HOPWA and ESGP funds it administers to address the needs identified by its five- year Consolidated Plan and further the Consolidated Plan’s objectives and will also describe the State’s methods for distributing these funds.
The 30-day public comment period will begin on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, and extend through close of business Friday, October 31, 2025. Beginning on October 1 st the New York State’s draft Consolidated Plan for 2026-2030 and Annual Action Plan for 2026 may be viewed on and downloaded from the New York State Housing and Community Renewal (HCR) website at www.hcr.ny.gov Copies can also be requested by email (HCRConPln@hcr.ny.gov) or by calling 1-518-486-3452.
Additionally, HCR will be hosting the annual meeting of the National Affordable Housing Act Partnership Advisory Committee (NAHA PAC) via Webex on September 23, 2025, at 1 pm to discuss the draft Consolidated Plan and receive key updates from program staff. Information on how to participate in the virtual meeting may be found at https://hcr. ny.gov/pressroom or by requesting a direct link through HCRConPln@ hcr.ny.gov .
Any comments pertaining to the New York State Consolidated Plan should be emailed to HCRConPln@hcr.ny.gov or mailed to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Attn: Rachel Yerdon, 38-40 State Street, Albany NY, 12207. Comments must be received by close of business Friday, October 31, 2025.
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK
HSBC BANK USA, -against-
KAREN KENNEY A/K/A KAREN KENNY, ET AL.
NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York on July 14, 2022 , wherein HSBC BANK USA is the Plaintiff and KAREN KENNEY A/K/A KAREN KENNY , ET AL., are the Defendants. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the NEW YORK COUNTY CIVIL SUPREME COURTHOUSE, 60 CENTRE STREET, ROOM 130, NEW YORK, NY 10007, on October 15, 2025 at 2:15PM, the premises known as 144 WEST 123RD STREET , NEW YORK , NY 10027 ; tax map identification 1907-53 ; and description:
ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, COUNTY, CITY AND STATE OF N.Y. . . .
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 810040/2012 . Elaine Shay , Esq., as Referee . Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 , Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.
NEW YORK'S STUDIO SALON LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on April,21st 2025 Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 10835 53Ave 2F, NY, New York 11368. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Clean It Up Pest Control, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/11/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 620 Malcolm X Blvd, Apt 12M, New York, NY 10037. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NEW YORK - INDEX NO.: 850023/2025– SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS. Plaintiff designates NEW YORK COUNTY as the place of trial based upon the location of the premises herein described having tax map Block 792, Lot 1036, NEW YORK, NY, County of NEW YORK – CITIMORTGAGE, INC., PLAINTIFF, -against- ABBIE SMILEY AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JACQUELINE MONFORT STEPHANIE MONFORT AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JACQUELINE MONFORT, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally 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 JACQUELINE MONFORT, deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE 135 CONDOMINIUM, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, “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. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff's Attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.
summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this 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: Syosset, New York, August 4, 2025. Roach & Lin, P.C., attorney for Plaintiff, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, NY 11791. Tel: 516938-3100. To the above-named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. HON. FRANCIS A. KAHN III, a Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York, dated July 31, 2025 and filed with the NEW YORK County Clerk together with the supporting papers thereon. This is an action to foreclose a mortgage held by Plaintiff on the premises known as Block 792, Lot 1036, NEW YORK, NY, County of NEW YORK as described in the complaint on file and commonly known as 135 WEST 16TH STREET, UNIT NO. 554, NEW YORK, NY 10011.
MORETTI PROPERTY VENTURES LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/13/2025 Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: Katzner Law Group 1407 BROADWAY RM 4002 , NEW YORK, NY, 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Mosaic Strategy & Support LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 5/28/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 523 East 14th Street, 1B, New York, NY 10009. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Javier Jbara Music LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/28/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 449 W 153rd Street Apt 3, New York, NY 10031. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Something Colorful Productions LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/24/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 100 Morningside Dr. Apt 1J, New York, NY 10027 Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME
Pizza Accademia LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on August 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: 228 Park Ave S #117123, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Mind Share Therapy LCSW PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/14/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 363 West 30th Street Apt 2D, New York, NY 10001 Purpose: Any lawful act.
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 against you 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 your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.
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 SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ ALAN MILLER, JANE MILLER, LAUREN MILLER, et al Defen dant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 2, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auc tion in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on October 8, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and be ing in the Borough of Manhat tan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .009864% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership inter est in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declara tions. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37.
Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $15,079.73 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 850282/2023.
CHRISTY M. DEMELFI, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39110 {* AMSTERDAM*}
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
ONESTONE LENDING LLC, Plaintiff -against- ALTA OPERATIONS, LLC, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated November 17, 2023 and entered on November 27, 2023 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on October 22, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County and State of New York, known as The Tower Unit 10A in the building known as "One Riverside Park Condominium" together with an undivided 0.3653% interest in the common elements. Block: 1171 Lot: 2508. Said premises known as 50 RIVERSIDE BOULEVARD, UNIT 10A, NEW YORK, NY 10069. Approximate amount of lien $1,027,596.74 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850198/2020. JERRY MEROLA, ESQ., Referee. The Camporeale Law Group PLLC, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 585 Stewart Avenue, 770, Garden City, NY 11530 {* AMSTERDAM*}
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ SUSAN J. STONE, et al Defen dant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 2, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auc tion in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on October 8, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and be ing in the Borough of Manhat tan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .012865% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership inter est in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declara tions. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37.
Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $24,780.51 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 850249/2023.
CHRISTY M. DEMELFI, ESQ., Referee
DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590
DLG# 39118
{* AMSTERDAM*}
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK, 2 Cap Investments, LLC , Plaintiff, vs. Frog Investments, LLC, ET AL ., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on August 9, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on October 8, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 321 West 110th Street, No. 7A a/k/a 321 Cathedral Parkway, Unit No. 7A, New York, NY 10026. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1423 and Lot 1846. Approximate amount of judgment is $2,931,375.00 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale Index #850074/2022.
Allison M. Furman, Esq., Referee
Underweiser & Underweiser LLP, One Barker Avenue, Second Floor, White Plains, New York 10601, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE 130 WEST 30TH STREET CONDOMINIUM, SUING ON BEHALF OF THE UNIT OWNERS, Plaintiff -against- DAVID M. SIMON a/k/a DAVID SIMON; LISA D. GOODMAN a/k/a LISA GOODMAN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated December 3, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 116 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on October 1, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan and County of New York, City and State of New York, known as Residential Unit No. 16A in the building known as 130 West 30th Street Condominium located at 130 West 30th Street together with an undivided 2.241% interest in the Common Elements. Block: 805 Lot: 1043
Said premises known 130 West 30th Street, Unit 16A, New York, NY 10001.
situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan and County of New York, City and State of New York, known as Storage Unit No. 11 in the building known as 130 West 30th Street Condominium located at 130 West 30th Street together with an undivided 0.079% interest in the common elements. Block: 805 Lot: 1060
Said premises known as 130 WEST 30TH STREET, STORAGE UNIT NO. 11, NEW YORK, NY 10001
Approximate amount of lien $113,708.03 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850614/2023.
ROBERTA E. ASHKIN, ESQ., Referee
Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 444 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022
{* AMSTERDAM*}
Etico Managment LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 1/29/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 211 Thomspon Street APT 2E, New York, NY 10012. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Brittany Anne Consulting LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on June 12, 2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 152 E 84th St, Apt 5I, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful act.
Quite Puzzling LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/28/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 30 West St 24 C, New York, NY 10004 Purpose: Any lawful act.
AERO ENGINEERING PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/09/2025. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 1 New Mill Road, Smithtown, NY, 11787. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., Plain tiff ‑against‑ JULIE A. BRIT TAIN, MARK L. BRITTAIN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 7, 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 October 15, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 1.4182% in common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on own ership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as re corded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1303.
Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, UNIT HU2, NEW YORK, NY 10019
Approximate amount of lien $20,954.60 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 850094/2023.
PAUL R. SKLAR, ESQ., Refer ee
DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590
DLG# 39206 {* AMSTERDAM*}
SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. DAVID F. HURWITT as Administrator of the Estates of DAVID F. HURWITT and SUSAN HURWITT, Defts. - Index # 850288/2024. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 8, 2025, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 0.01972800000% and an interest of an undivided 0.00986400000% tenants in common interests in the timeshare known as 57TH STREET VACATION SUITES located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $16,637.91 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. Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.
NYC Sunergy Services LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/04/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 228 Park Ave S, New York, NY, 10003. Purpose: Any lawful act.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR CASCADE FUNDING MORTGAGE TRUST 2018-RM2, Plaintiff AGAINST DONALD ELFE, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered February 6, 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 October 22, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 245 West 123rd Street, New York, NY 10027. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, Block 1929, Lot 12. Approximate amount of judgment $1,344,814.70 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850007/2020. Doron Leiby, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 19-004389 86196
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff AGAINST DOUGLAS E. SEWER, INDIVIDUALLY AND SURVIVING JOINT TENANT OF JOSEPH K. SEWER, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 1, 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 October 22, 2025 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 81 West 119 Street, New York, NY 10026. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the City, County and State of New York, Block 1718 Lot 108. Approximate amount of judgment $1,333,945.21 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850001/2010. Christy M. Demelfi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 00-161915 87004
Notice of Formation of AMM APPAREL LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/18/25. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 315 W. 39th St., #700, 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.
Ya Habibi LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/12/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 24-15 Queens Plaza North 6B, New York, NY 11101. Purpose: Any lawful act.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK.
WOORI AMERICA BANK,
Plaintiff -against- DK BEAUTY INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated March 27, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, NY on October 8, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, known as Unit No. 2010 in the building known as the "20 West 33rd Street Condominium" together with an undivided 7.1629 percent interest in the common elements.
Block: 834 Lot: 1013 Said premises known as 18-28 WEST 33RD STREET, UNIT 2010, NEW YORK, NY
Approximate amount of lien $6,021,316.46 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 850042/2024.
SOFIA BALILE, ESQ., Referee Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 40 Calumet Ave, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034 {* AMSTERDAM*}
Notice of Qualification of MONTICELLOAM FUNDING SH-95, LLC
Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/28/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/26/25. 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: 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: Engaging in and exercising all powers permitted to a limited liability company formed under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.
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 Formation of a NY Limited Liability Company
GASS LLC, Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 06/03/2025. Office Location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 523 West 152 nd Street #42 New York, New York 10031 US. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYC laws.
CREET LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/30/25. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: Entity Protect Registered Agent 447 Broadway 2nd Fl , New York,NY 10013 Purpose: Any lawful act.
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 Names of Persons Appearing as Owners of Certain Unclaimed Property Held By Pacific Premier Bank. The following persons appear from our records to be entitled to abandoned property in the amount of fifty ($50) dollars or more.
Suffolk County FAY, JUNE, 17901 Von Karman Ave Suite 1200, Irvine CA 92614
A report of unclaimed property will be made to the Comptroller of the State of New York, pursuant to Article III of the Abandoned Property Law. A list of the names contained in such notice is on file and open to public inspection at the principal office of the bank, located at Pacific Premier Bank, 17901 Von Karman Ave Suite 1200, Irvine CA 92614 where such abandoned property is payable. Abandoned property will be paid on or before October 31, 2025 to persons establishing to its satisfaction their right to receive the same; and that in the succeeding month of November, and on or before the tenth day thereof, such unclaimed moneys or other property still remaining will be paid or delivered to the state comptroller and that it shall thereupon cease to be the liability of Pacific Premier Bank.
Palisade Acquisition III, LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/1/2025. Office: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 225 Crossways Park Dr, Woodbury, NY 11797. Purpose: any lawful act.
Royal Bleu LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on March 28,2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 2140, Lakeview Ridge Cir Apt 107, Apopka FL. Purpose: Any lawful act.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The New York City Department for the Aging is holding public hearings for the Annual Plan Summary of 2025-2026 for services under the Older Americans Act, the New York State Community Services for the Elderly and the Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Programs. Hearings are scheduled for each borough as follows:
10/ 9/ 25 (10am-12pm) - Queens
Sunnyside Older Adult Center
43-31 39th Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104
10/ 16/ 25 (10am-12pm) - Manhattan
Gaylord White Older Adult Center
2029 Second Avenue NY NY 10029
10/ 22/ 25 (10am-12pm) - Bronx
Bronxworks Morris Older Adult Center
80 East 181st St., Bronx, NY 10453
10/ 23/ 25 (10am-12pm) - Staten Island
JCC Bernikow Older Adult Center
1466 Manor Road, Staten Island, NY 10314
10/ 30/ 25 (10am-12pm) - Brooklyn
St. Charles Jubilee Older Adult Center
55 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
To register, email testimony @aging.nyc.gov or send mail to NYC Department for the Aging c/o Charise Lawrence, 2 Lafayette St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10007
Notice of Qualification of TS SIGNAGE LLC
Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/08/25. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/04/25. Princ. office of LLC: 1 Vanderbilt Ave., NY, NY 10017. 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 Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Stuyvesant Apartments 257 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/28/2025. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 1 W 85 th St, Suite 1F, New York, NY 10024 . Purpose: General.
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.
SUNNYBROOK LANE LLC. Filed with SSNY on 05/16/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail copy to: ℅ EResident Agent, Inc. 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Ste 1204, New York, NY 10020. Purpose: Any lawful.
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.
GWENDOLYN CODY, MD, PLLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/29/25. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the PLLC, 228 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003-1502. Purpose: For the practice of the profession of Medicine.
Z&L 66, LLC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on June 22, 2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail to: 235 W 56TH ST, APT 29G, New York, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful act.
PRIMEROS NORTH AMERICA LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/24/25. 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 David M. Glanstein, Esq., Glanstein LLP, 711 Third Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
FINANCIAL ANALYST
Financial Analyst. NYC. Develop firm global investment strategy & operations with focus on investment from China; build related infrastructure; deal sourcing; screen investment opportunities; due diligence; post investment portfolio management & analysis. Req’d: Bachelor’s degree business, finance or related field; knowledge of consumer behavior; venture capital; doing business in China; corporate valuation; operations management; algorithm design & analysis; database systems; statistics for applications. M–F,9–6. Salary: $87,838/yr. Send resume to Job #6, Alpha Square Group S, 10 E 40th St., 35th Fl., NY, NY 10016.
LAWYER
Lawyer. NYC. Review immigration, Corporate & Securities documents for China & US individual & company clients. Req’d: JD & NY Bar admission; knowledge of commercial transactions, sec compliance in US–China cross border securities offerings; real estate finance; client & personal services. M–F, 9–5:30. Salary: $93,662/yr. Send resume J#5 to The Jensen Law Group, 110 E 59th St., 23rd Fl., NY, NY 10022.
Mayoral polls
Continued from page 2
Sliwa, and 8% for Adams. About 7% of voters were undecided, and 2% would vote for independent Jim Walden, who dropped out of the running but is still on the ballot.
“If any more candidates drop out, we cannot be certain where those votes will go, especially with so many voters undecided,” said Political Science Associate Professor John Cluverius, the
Stock trade tax
Continued from page 2
and supercomputer programs to regularly move stocks en masse in milliseconds. For middle-class investors and pension holders, the tax should be largely nominal, say the bill’s proponents. Other securities, like derivatives or bonds, would be untouched.
Exactly how much money the legislation could raise remains a mystery, but Steck’s office now subscribes to an estimate made by Henry of $60 billion (yes, with a b) each year. This past spring, the AmNews reported a conservative estimate of at least $15 billion to $20 billion.
center’s director of survey research, in a statement. “Mamdani is way out in front. Most voters think he will win and people like voting for a winner.”
An analysis from the Associated Press (AP) noted that should Cuomo and Adams stay in the race, “Mamdami could have a clearer path to victory.”
As candidates, both Cuomo and Adams have major support from the same coalition of voters. They did well in previous races in areas of the city with more lower-income voters, Black and Jewish voters, and “conservative-friendly” or
The bill’s support recently grew with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes signing on as a co-sponsor. Currently, 10 state senators and 38 assemblymembers back the legislation.
State Senator James Sanders Jr., a Black veteran representing parts of Southeast Queens, sponsored his chamber’s version of the bill. Earlier this year, he spoke to the AmNews about how the stock transfer tax could recoup money lost from federal budget cuts by the Trump administration.
“There’s no question that any cuts would have a discriminatory impact on communities of color, working class communities, and immigrant communities,” said Sanders in April. “By taking this money and targeting it to a
Republican voters.
New Yorkers who voted for Mamdani in the June primary also turned out at higher rates in the neighborhoods he won, according to the AP. Approximately 34% cast ballots for him, compared to the 29% who voted citywide.
However, a huge opposition to Mamdani’s campaign is emerging among the city’s wealthiest landlords, many of whom have taken issue with his proposed rent freeze on 1 million rent-stabilized apartments.
A poll from Tulchin Research, paid
great degree on areas that those communities need the most, such as education, job readiness, [or] the quality of the neighborhood streets, you will ensure that they have a better standard of living.”
Nader, 91, believes Mamdani’s support should be a no-brainer and previously spoke to his campaign about the issue before falling out of contact. He similarly fashioned himself as a political outsider by relentlessly taking on corporate interests through his cadre of “Nader Raiders” and the thinktank Public Citizen.
As a result, the self-identified democratic socialist Mamdani faces a rare critique from the left — Nader commended the assemblymember’s unwavering stance on Palestine despite attacks by the establishment, but questioned whether he planned to take on Wall Street, or if he was “just a regular liberal who knows that the rents are too high.”
“With that background, I sent him a letter that said how could you not support your colleagues in Albany, many of whom have signed on to end this notorious rebate of at least $16 billion a year?” said Nader in a phone conversation. “You have all kinds of programs for New York City, and your critics are saying, how are you going to pay for them? One answer is [to] end the rebate. Pass the legislation in Albany, which earmarks billions of dollars for different sectors — mass transit, education, health, environment — right in the bill, so there’s no ambiguity, and it’s not going to go into the general fund for Gov. [Kathy] Hochul to spend.”
Mamdani’s campaign promises include free buses, no-cost childcare, and a new Department of Community Safety for civilian-led public safety solutions. He reportedly favors a direct wealth tax championed by progressive allies like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Regardless of how Mamdani raises the money, wealthy New Yorkers won’t part with their cash easily. The rich historically threatened to flee New York City over the stock transfer tax, just as they have if Mamdani wins in November. However, the 1% cannot simply escape the stock
for by the New York Apartment Association, asked about three potential consequences of a rent freeze: higher rents for market tenants, loss of tax revenue, and more vacant apartments. “The more renters learn about the impact of a Rent Guidelines Board rent freeze, the more it loses popularity. The truth is that freezing rents for 40% of renters will have clear consequences, including higher rents for the majority of renters in the city,” said New York Apartment Association CEO Kenny Burgos.
transfer tax by moving ZIP codes.
Anyone who trades on the New York Stock Exchange is subject to the tax, even foreign entities. Of course, rich New Yorkers, who fund the state substantially through income taxes, could potentially prop up another location, like the newer Texas Stock Exchange in Dallas, but they haven’t done so yet, despite numerous ultimatums dating back more than 120 years. In addition, several stock exchanges, like London and Hong Kong, already levy a stock transfer tax.
While the bill’s sponsors did not reach out to New York City mayoral candidates specifically for their support, Steck penned a separate letter to his state assembly colleagues, including Mamdani.
“Zohran Mamdani was able to successfully beat disgraced ex-governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams because he articulated a vision for New York City that makes life easier for the working class and does not cater to Wall Street,” said Steck by email. “While Mr. Mamdani was successful with his rhetoric, he must now show the voters of New York City he will embrace common sense policy solutions that will benefit the middle class. The best and easiest way he can do this is by endorsing my legislation to reinstate the Stock Transfer Tax.”
If elected mayor, Mamdani would leave his current office before the next legislative session begins. However, his sweeping influence could certainly pressure support in Albany and bring newfound awareness to the stock transfer tax, potentially outsizing the impact of any direct co-sponsorship as a state lawmaker. Despite the bill’s massive revenue potential, the public is largely unaware of the legislation. In fact, Adams seemed to believe the state already collects the tax. During an early August appearance on journalist Nayeema Raza’s podcast Smart Girl Dumb Questions, he maintained the city could not afford to push out billionaires because “the money we make just on stock transfer taxes and bonuses — that actually impacts our budget.” The Mamdani campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
USTA Foundation lays the groundwork for greater access to tennis
By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews
As the recent U.S. Open showed, the sport of tennis has become increasingly diverse over the past two decades, but there is still considerable room for growth in making the sport accessible. The USTA (United States Tennis Association) Foundation recently launched the Community Impact Hub initiative in 10 communities across the country. The goal is to grow the game in under-resourced communities and include educational opportunities along with tennis.
This initiative is projected to reach over 630,000 young people and families, implement new youth tennis programming in over 570 schools, refurbish at least 160 tennis courts, and recruit over 2,000 new coaches in participating communities by the end of 2027. Some programs will use red balls — a tennis ball used in beginner programs — which allows small courts to be set up in school gyms and oper-
ate year-round. New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is among the 10 community-based organizations that are part of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network.
“These are communities where tennis has traditionally been challenging to access,” said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich.
“We created the Community Impact Hub model to create an ecosystem that makes it easy to
play and then, as a result, reap all the benefits that we know tennis brings us on and off the court.”
The NJTL network was created in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder to impact young people. This initia-
tive allows existing programs like NYJTL to expand the work they’ve done for years.
“We want to make sure that when the families catch that tennis bug, there are places within their community to play tennis,” said Ehrlich. “That’s why we’re redoubling efforts to revitalize courts in these communities. We want to make sure that we have trained coaches who are trained not only to teach tennis but also to be mentors to these young people. In the process of that, we hope that provides more job opportunities.”
NYJTL runs tennis and academic programming across the five boroughs and has a home base in the Bronx, the Cary Leeds Center. “We’re going to be able to go into more schools, hire and train more coaches, improve the facilities, and the fourth piece is family engagement, intergenerational support,” said Udai Tambar, NYJTL president and CEO. “For us, what’s exciting about being in the hub is the sum is…it’s going to allow us to scale with quality.”
Wendy Hilliard, founder of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF), was honored last Saturday by the NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch. She was joined by members of her staff as well as three athletes—ZaQuae Carter, BJ Mensah, and Ty-La Morris—who are members of the USA Gymnastics Senior National Team and will be competing in Pamplona, Spain, this November.
“It was gratifying for me to have my staff with me and the kids; it was everybody together,” said Hilliard. “It was really fun that the kids performed. That’s what we do.” Hilliard was honored for her nearly three decades of commitment to empowering the lives of young people by providing lowcost and free gymnastics programming to youth in Harlem. To be honored by a renowned civil rights organization is deeply meaningful. “What the NAACP stands for is to make sure everyone has the opportunity, and that’s what the WHGF stands for,” she said. “It gives people opportunity and access to gymnastics and better health.”
Mensah, 20, will compete at the Senior World Championships, and Carter and Morris, both 18, will compete at the World Age Group Championships. There was not sufficient space at the NAACP event for them to show all their moves, but they did backflips. “They do a standing backflip altogether, and everybody gets what they do,” Hilliard said.
Morris competes in trampoline and tumbling. This fall, she is focused on training and will enroll at Rutgers University for the spring semester. She was impressed by the accomplishments of the people at the NAACP event and excited to learn more about the organization. “What it means to me is that even though people of color have
been brought down for many years, we’ve still been able to rise above [that] and [are] able to help our people to accomplish what they want to do,” said Morris, who will continue training and competing while in college.
Last week, an episode of “Celebrity Family Feud” aired in which Olympic Champion Gymnast Jordan
Chiles announced the WHGF as her charity. “It was amazing. She did that on her own; we didn’t ask her,” said Hilliard. “It really made us feel that we’re doing the work that we need to do and we’re recognized by one of the top athletes in the world and the NAACP. It was a very gratifying week to know the impact this work is having.”
Wendy Hilliard (center) at the NAACP luncheon last Saturday with WHGF staff and athletic participants. (Photo courtesy of WHGF)
Participants in New York Junior Tennis & Learning (USTA Foundation photo)
Giants look towards home opener after a crushing loss to the Cowboys
By JAIME C. HARRIS Special to the AmNews
So close, but so far.
That was the literal theme of the Giants’ 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In a game that was just 13-10 at halftime with the Giants holding the lead, the teams went score for score in the second half. The Giants posted 21 points and the Cowboys 20 in the fourth quarter.
It appeared that the Giants would finally defeat the Cowboys for the first time since January 3, 2021 (a 23-19 victory) after quarterback Russell Wilson connected with wide receiver Malik Nabers for a 48-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left in regulation to give them a 37-34 lead after the extra point.
But the Cowboys have one of the most potent weapons in the league — the right leg of kicker Brandon Aubrey. Dallas moved into Aubrey’s range, which is seemingly limitless, and he booted a 64-yarder as time expired to send the game into overtime. There, following a Cowboys interception by safety Donovan Wilson with 2:00 remaining in OT on an ill-advised pass by Russell
Wilson, who was under duress with Dallas defenders bearing down on him, Aubrey banged in a 46-yard game-winner. It was the Giants’ 16th loss in their last 17 games versus the Cowboys, who are 1-1, and sent New York 0-2 into their 2025 home opener this Sunday night (8:20 p.m.) at MetLife
Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs. The defending AFC champions are also 0-2.
“I love watching greatness. I love watching people be relentless. I love watching boxing,” said Wilson, who after a pedestrian performance in a 21-6 Week 1 loss to the Washington Com -
manders, going 17-37 for 168 yards, threw for 450 yards versus the Cowboys — the second most in a single game in his 14-year career. The dynamic Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers accounted for 167 of those yards on nine catches and two touchdowns.
“ …We’re in a 17-round fight.
We battled in the first round and second round. We’ve got more to do. So, I was just proud of how we needed to be able to answer the way we did. I’ve been a part of a lot of crazy games. I don’t know if I’ve ever been part of one that crazy, with that much grit.” Wilson’s counterpart, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, also answered the bell, going 38-52 for 361 yards and two TDs. Yet, the game was defined by penalties. The Giants had 14 for 160 yards, the most penalty yards in a game dating back to 1947. The Cowboys were flagged 12 times for 106 yards. Giants safety Jevon Holland attributed some of the Giants’ late-game errors to being physically taxed. “I think it really stems from just fatigue. Really, it was a long game,” he said. “So, I think it just really stems from fatigue and being in those moments when you’re that tired and your brain’s not functioning as it was when you’re fresh.”
The 0-2 Jets, however, can’t ascribe exhaustion as a reason for their 30-10 loss on Sunday to the Bills in Buffalo. They were down 20-3 at halftime and never threatened their 2-0 opponent. The Jets will be on the road Sunday to face the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 p.m.).
Howard gets the best of Morehouse again in the HBCU NY Classic
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
The long chronology of the shared history between Howard University and Morehouse College added another chapter on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Both educational institutions have produced some of the country’s most influential and consequential figures, including Howard graduates Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice, and former United States Vice President Kamala Harris, and Morehouse alumnus Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil and human rights giant.
The schools met on the football field this past weekend as the Howard Bison of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) defeated the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
38-10 in Saturday’s HBCU NY Classic in front of a crowd of 16,248.
The two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have clashed since 1923, with Howard holding a commanding 28-102 against the Morehouse men. Howard led 14-3 at halftime, but a Morehouse touchdown cut the lead to 14-10. The Bison would then score 24 unanswered points to close out the game. Howard quarterback Tyriq Starks, a graduate student, completed 16 of 27 passes for 241 yards, including two touchdowns, and ran for another touchdown, earning MVP honors for the game. Howard is 2-1 on the season, while Morehouse is 0-2.
“We played complementary football. The defense gave us short fields in which our offense was able to capitalize,” Howard head coach Larry Scott said. “We celebrate this win but will remain tactical in what
we do to steadily improve in a process-driven way each day.”
Howard will face another storied HBCU on Saturday, the Hampton University Pirates, in the Fifth Annual “Truth and Service Classic” at Audi Stadium in Washington, DC. Scott, who took over the head spot at Howard in 2020, and the Bison look to rebound from a record of 4-8 last season after earning a berth to the Celebration Bowl in 2023 with a 4-1 conference mark and 6-6 overall.
Morehouse, led by its secondyear head coach Terrence Mathis, who is very familiar with MetLife Stadium as a former linebacker for the New York Jets from 1990-1993, has not had a winning conference record since the 2021 season, when they finished 4-3 in the SIAC and 4-6 overall. The Maroon Tigers will host Kentucky State University on Saturday at B.T. Harvey Stadium in Atlanta.
After defeating Morehouse 38-10 in the HBCUNY Classic this past weekend, Howard, led by quarterback Tyriq Starks, will face Hampton this Saturday in Washington, D.C. (Howard University Athletics photo)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers outduels Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) for a touchdown on Sunday but the Cowboys prevailed 40-37 in overtime. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)
Stony Brook Volleyball heads into conference action
By LOIS ELFMAN
Special to the AmNews
Stony Brook University volleyball heads into the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) conference action battle-ready after playing a tough non-conference schedule that had the Seawolves traveling to tournaments in Texas and Rhode Island. Now in her ninth season with Stony Brook, Head Coach Kristin Belzung said the challenging matches have helped the team come together.
“We have a really young team this year, so at the beginning of the year we knew we were…looking for opportunities to grow and figure out who we are,” said Belzung. “We’ve learned lessons.”
Collegiate volleyball is a fall sport, so the team’s seven freshmen needed to learn quickly. Thankfully, the Seawolves opened at home on Long Island with three big wins at the Stony Brook invite. Then, it was off to the Doubletree Invitational in Dallas, where they faced formidable opponents. Belzung is proud that the team took a set off the nationally ranked SMU. Last weekend was the Bryant Invitational, and Stony Brook now stands 4–5.
“We played some really tough opponents, really high-level volleyball, and they challenged us in ways that were different,” Belzung said. “They exposed some things and they’re pushing us to learn some lessons early in the year that I think will be really valuable as the season moves on.”
Belzung explained that facing tough opponents early in the season lets the coaching staff and team know what areas need work.
“It allows us to feel like we can come
back and really get better at those things,” said Belzung. “Honestly, it also gives us some awareness that we can compete. If we can shore a couple of things up, then we’ve got the ability to compete with those teams. Taking the set off of SMU was a really good confidence builder. It shows that the margins are slimmer…than our girls would think.” Stony Brook is back at home this weekend, leading off CAA play with two matches versus Northeastern. Look out for the team’s lone senior, Outside Hitter Kali Moore from Brooklyn, an impact player throughout her collegiate career. As Stony Brook is a flagship institution in the State University of New York system, Belzung makes it clear that these student-athletes are also competitive academically.
“The type of personality that fits our program, it’s not always the most talented kid that is the most successful here,” she said. “It’s smart players and somebody who’s growth-oriented that wants to develop and continue to get better.”
New York City FC’s 3–1 win over the Chicago Fire on the road in the iconic football stadium Soldier Field, this past Saturday, ended with a moment that highlighted why the club invests so heavily in its academy. In the 93rd minute, striker Seymour Reid, only 17, finished a counterattack by meeting a pass from winger Agustin Ojeda and sliding his shot past Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady.
The goal sealed the result, adding insurance to NYCFC’s 2–1 lead and making Reid the youngest goal scorer in club history and the youngest scorer in Major League Soccer this season.
The victory placed New York seventh in the MLS standings with 14 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses for 47 points, enhancing their playoff prospects with five regular-season matches remaining. They faced the Columbus Crew last night at Yankee Stadium.
Student-athletes
Continued from page 40
son Raven Owen Jr., who formerly played for
Reid’s arrival on the first-team stage has come quickly. He signed his professional contract in May, becoming the club’s 17th homegrown player promoted to the MLS roster.
That status matters at NYCFC, where the pathway from local prospect to first-team contributor is treated as a competitive advantage. Scoring his first MLS goal before turning 18 further underscores how effectively the club’s academy continues to produce players capable of making an impact.
Upon signing, Reid described the opportunity in straightforward terms.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and I’m really excited to get started,” he said. “I’m looking forward to learning from the coaching staff and my teammates every day and continuing to develop my game.
I can’t wait to play at home in front of our fans and compete for trophies for years to come.” The debut strike matched the tone of those remarks: focused on the work, clear about the standard, and free of theatrics.
The goal arrived in stoppage time with NYCFC already leading
2–1. Rather than opting for safety by holding possession, the team pressed forward, and Reid recognized the opening. Unmarked as he entered the box, he adjusted his pace to meet Ojeda’s pass and showed patience before calmly slotting the ball past Brady. It was the type of composed finish that demands timing, awareness, and control, qualities not always expected from players in their first professional season.
Granting Reid minutes in a decisive phase reflects how highly the staff values his readiness within a competitive squad. Earning those minutes, then affecting the match, is often the difference between a promising prospect and an actual contributor. The confidence placed in him implies strong training habits and attention to detail, the quiet indicators that typically precede sustainable production.
For NYCFC and the wider New York soccer community, Reid’s milestone resonates beyond one match. His goal stands as proof that the club’s homegrown system
University and last year, earned a law degree from St John’s University, and daughter Skye Owen, currently a senior and starting point guard for the St. John’s Red Storm’s women’s squad, expressed that reclassification should not be generally viewed and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
can provide genuine pathways for local players to reach the professional stage. For a teenager raised in the New York area, stepping onto the field, scoring in MLS, and celebrating with teammates is the em-
bodiment of a dream realized. On a night when the scoreline tilted in NYCFC’s favor, Reid’s breakthrough offered a glimpse of what is possible for the next generation of talent growing up with the same ambition.
“I have had many players that have greatly benefited from reclassifying,” said Owen, a pharmaceutical executive and decades-long basketball coach and trainer. “The reality is, a lot of kids aren’t prepared academically or athletically for the rigors of playing high-level high school basketball and meeting the academic demands many of the top high schools and colleges require. They have to mature. An additional year can have great value. But it has to be collaborative buy-in between the kids, parents, coaches, and educators.”
The Stony Brook Seawolves women’s volleyball team. (Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics)
NYCFC’s 17-year-old striker Seymour Reid became the team’s youngest player to ever score a goal when he netted one versus the Chicago Fire on Saturday. (NYCFC/Tommie Battle photo)
Canisius
Sports
The concept of student-athletes reclassifying has both proponents and detractors
By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor
This article is Part 2 of an AmNews series on student-athletes reclassifying to enhance their academic and athletic opportunities.
Athletic opportunities, academic nurturing, scholarship prospects, and financial gain are some of the many reasons why student-athletes take the increasingly common reclassification route –– the process of repeating a grade or moving up a grade as early as elementary school.
For some, the benefits outweigh the potential pitfalls of delaying high school graduation only to fall short of achieving the desired outcomes. The AJ Dybantsa’s are rare. The 18-year-old basketball whiz kid from Brockton, Massachusetts, a 40-minute drive from Boston, is a freshman at Brigham Young University (BYU) and the potential No.1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft pick, reportedly already has NIL deals that total near $30 million
with BYU and noted brands Fanatics Collectibles, Nike, and Red Bull.
For Dybantsa, the impetus for his reclassifying twice was strictly basketball-driven.
“When I reclassed, I did eighth grade twice,” Dybantsa said to nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George last October on the latter’s eponymous episodic digital series, Podcast P with Paul George.
“My first eighth-grade year, that’s when I started to get the potential buzz –– AJ’s potential is this and that,” recounted the dynamic 6’9” forward. “But my dad was like, ‘Yo, you’re not doing nothing. Potential is just what you can be. You haven’t done nothing yet’ And I’m in there like, bro like, I’m having 20 points one game. And he’s like ‘and the next game you’re having three points. You’re inconsistent, get on your stuff.’”
In October 2023, Dybantsa announced he was reclassifying from the class of 2026 to his original class of 2025. He went on to play in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, Nike Hoop Summit, and in July, led the USA to the FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal in Germany, being named the tournament’s MVP.
AJ Dybantsa’s father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa, is the primary curator of AJ’s fledgling career. A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and former Boston University police officer, the elder Dybantsa was once a professional soccer player who spent his teenage years
in Grigny, France, a short drive from Paris. (AJ’s mother, Chelsea Dybantsa, is from Jamaica.)
While there are numerous proponents of reclassifying, there is also a large contingent of detractors.
“I just don’t believe in the concept of getting left back academically for the purpose of academic achievement, which at one time in the Black community was frowned upon,” opined Martin Braxton, a longtime fixture as a basketball player, coach, referee, and mentor on the New York City basketball landscape.
“Now we are embracing a negative for possible athletic one-upmanship - as we all know, there’s no shortcut to athletic success,” Braxton elaborated. “I think parents who reclass their kids are putting them at a disadvantage by not having them think they are student-athletes - students being first. Those coveted DI scholarships are harder now because of the globalization of sports.”
Raven Owen, who has produced two DI basketball players,
See STUDENT-ATHLETES on page 39
The health of Breanna Stewart looms over Liberty’s championship hopes
By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
The New York Liberty went into Game 2 of their best-ofthree WNBA opening round playoff series versus the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night, at the Barclays Center, with a 1-0 lead after a 76-69 road win on Sunday. Game 3, if necessary, will be played in Phoenix tomorrow night (8 p.m.) and televised on ESPN2.
The winner of this series will go on to face the winner of the Minnesota Lynx-Golden State Valkyries matchup. They met Tuesday night in San Francisco, with the Lynx up 1-0 after taking Game 1 72-53. The No. 1 seed Lynx had the WNBA’s best regular season record at 34-10, and the No. 8 seed Valkyries, with a regular season mark of 23-21 became the first expansion team in the league’s history to make the playoffs in their inaugural campaign.
The Liberty, last year’s league champions, are the No. 5 seed after finishing the regular season 27-17. The No. 4 seed Mercury were also 27-17 but held the head-to-head tiebreaker by going 3-1 against Liberty. The Liberty’s prospects of making a deep playoff run hinges on the health of All-Star forward Breanna Stewart. She underwent an MRI on Monday after leaving Sunday’s game with a left knee injury. Stewart missed 13 regular-season games with a right knee bone bruise.
On Tuesday, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said the MRI results were “relatively clean” and expanded that the team will “see how she feels tomorrow.
At the AmNews press, a decision had not been announced regarding Stewart’s status for last night’s game. The team went 5-8 in Stewart’s 13 absences, underscor-
ing her value. However, they have capable veterans with four other players who have extensive playoff and championship experience. All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu, last year’s finals MVP, forward Jonquel Jones, 2019 finals champion and finals MVP Emma Meessemman, her 2019 finals teammate with the Washington Mystics, Natasha Cloud, and key reserve Kennedy Burke all can provide the needed production in Stewart’s absence. But it is a big ask versus a talented Mercury squad.
On the other hand, if Stewart can play and is close to full strength, the team’s outlook could dramatically change.
BYU freshman basketball player AJ Dybantsa, pictured with Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki (left) in Germany in July at the FIBA U19 World Cup. (FIBA Basketball photo)
New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud scored a team-high 23 points in the team’s 76-69 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of their opening round playoff series. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
