INNER-CITY NEWS

INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

The Wakanda OneJustice Village Project: AfricanFocus Union Ambassador Promotes Diaspora Homecomings Financial a Key at 2016 NAACP Convention New Haven, Bridgeport

INNER-CITYNEWS

Volume 27 . No. 2312 Volume 21 No. 2194

Ida Ruth Wells

Hero

Inauguration Day Malloy To Dems:

Malloy To Dems:

“DMC” All Sworn In

Lamont, Bysiewicz, House & Senate

Ignore Ignore“Tough “ToughOn OnCrime” Crime”

Color Struck?

SnowClergy in July?

Call

New Haven Register Names Justice Lubbie Harper Jr. Its

FOLLOW US ON

.Stamford Superior Court Judge Erika Tindill, left,; Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson, second from right; and Probate Judge Clifton Graves Jr. congratulate Harper.

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On Lamont To Focus On Health Care

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Cop Review Panel Passes, With Teeth

by MARKESHIA RICKS New Haven Independent

A 22-year quest for justice culminated Monday night as Emma Jones watched New Haven’s Board of Alders vote to create an all-civilian review board (CRB) with power to investigate officers accused of misconduct.

The Board of Alders voted unanimously during its first meeting of the year to create the new version of the CRB. That vote came after weeks of public pressure and behind the scenes negotiating among alders and activists. After Monday night’s votes were cast, Jones who became the most visible proponent of such a board after an East Haven cop chased her son Malik into Fair Haven in 1997 and shot him to death was given a standing ovation by alders and activists who took the efforts that she started across the goal line.

The 15-member CRB is charged under the new ordinance “to monitor, review, and conduct independent investigations of civilian complaints of police misconduct by police officers.” It will have access to the same files available to the police department’s internal affairs division. It will hire independent investigators to conduct the probes, and make recommendations to the chief based on the findings.

Jones said she was relieved and resolved: Relief because the fight to establish a new CRB has come to an end. Resolve because it was the best that could be done at this time. Activists and alders agreed that the proposal isn’t perfect, and they agreed to improve it based on how it rolls out.

“Coming from a selfish standpoint, I would have said that the best civilian review board in the whole world is the one that I put together and I put together a number of them on several different occasions,” Jones said.

“But in the real world I look around at so many people around the table and so many people across the state and this community, and I’m forced to look at what is it that all of these people together can do and end up being in the best interest of this community and that’s what matters to me.”

Jones said it was not in the best interest of the community for people to continue to bicker on forever. Some had called on the alders to delay a vote yet again on the plan, which has been mired for years in debates over its details.

“I don’t want that,” she said. “And I don’t think any of the victims of police abuse would want that. They would prefer, I believe, to have a somewhat reasonable foundation that we can work from and move toward greatness and more stability I think.”

“So I’m hopeful about the opportunity to continue to come to the table with the leadership and structuring how the CRB is to function, the staffing of it and all of those important things,” she added. “It is really critical.”

The words “subpoena power” are not expressly written in the ordinance alders passed Monday night. (You can read the text of the final ordinance in full further down in the story.) But lawmakers ac-

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO Jones, whose son was shot dead by an East Haven cop, receives a standing ovation at City Hall after passage of CRB law.

Board President Walker-Myers goes in for the handshake … knowledged that the new CRB, unlike a previous one, will indeed have that power.

That had been a sticking point contributing to the delay of passage of a new version, which was mandated by a 2013 referendum. Until last week, leading alders were hesitant to acknowledge that the new CRB has the power.

The CRB is granted its investigatory powers under the City Charter and the Special Act of 1899, Section 131. For good measure, a member of the Board of Alders also will serve as one of the 15 members of the CRB. Beverly Hills Amity Alder Richard Furlow, who also serves as majority leader, was quick to point out that it was not the board’s intention to define whether the Special Act of 1899, Section 131 gives the CRB subpoena power.

“That should be left to the courts,” Furlow said of any potential challenges to the board’s ability to subpoena cops accused of misconduct.

The new board also will have its own staff and a budget, $50,000 to start. Westville Alder Adam Marchand said alders are pre-

pared to provide more money for the CRB should it be needed. But he also noted that they will have to find that money in the upcoming 2019-2020 budget, which will be a challenge.

Jones said more money definitely will be needed. “I can tell you now that $50,000 is nowhere near enough in the long run,” she said.

Getting To Yes Some activists had initially hoped to once again delay Monday’s vote particularly given they were not be allowed to see the amended draft ordinance alders were expected to vote on until just before the start of the meeting.

In a rally on the steps of City Hall ahead of Monday night’s vote, activist Kerry Ellington noted that there were still concerns that needed to be “ironed out” though she pointed out that the board’s recent public acknowledgment of the CRB’s ability to have subpoena power was “a huge win for the community.” (Activists had four major areas of concern heading into Monday’s vote—a more explicit acknowledgment of subpoena power for the CRB, staff for the

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Jones with Delacy Davis of Black Cops Against Police Brutality and Furlow.

Jones receiving thanks from Alders Steve Winter and Abby Roth, who supported subpoena power early on … tion peacefully. Love and peace are more new board, the use of community managepowerful than force. It showed tonight too. ment teams to find nominees to serve on “Thank goodness for the period on this the board, and the removal of language in part—the closure,” she added. the preamble that affirmed police use of The board’s 15 members will include repforce. resentatives from each of the 12 policing Ellington, in the end, concurred with districts, nominated by the mayor and apJones that the ordinance is a good founproved by the Board of Alders; two at-large dation to build upon and activists looked members selected by the alders; a member forward to the next step of working with of the Board of Alders. No members of law alders to shape the future board. enforcement will be allowed on the board.

“We’re really happy that the alders listened Earlier Monday, Mayor Toni Harp said to the community and our call to acknowlshe is prepared to sign any version of the edge its right to subpoena,” Ellington said.

CRB law that the Board of Alders ends up Board of Alders President Tyisha Walkerpassing.

Myers said the real work starts now.

She said her main concern had been “get“What we want is to have the police policting people to serve.” “Something as small ing our people in a way that we won’t need as that” — an inability to muster a quorum a body to look at the transparency because — can end up jeopardizing the mission, it will be clear,” she said.

Harp said.

Closure Seven members of the board will constiJones said she hopes Monday’s unanitute a quorum. mous vote will set the tone for how the Harp praised the alders’ leadership for community moves forward. taking time to include the police union and “I’m hoping this would set the tone for activists critical of the police in fashioning us all coming back together in harmony the bill. “They worked really hard on it,” and some peace and some love,” she said. she said.

“I’ve been trained to come at every situa-

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

ICE Deports Local Father and Restaurant Owner One Day After Christmas

Plainville, CT - Late on Wednesday, Dec 26th, the Iriarte Family got the news they were fearing - Isaias Iriarte - their father, husband, and center of their family was now in Mexico.

Isaias was deported with little notice. The family last spoke to him early morning on Dec 26th while he was at a detention facility in New Hampshire. Later that afternoon, the daughter called ICE and was told her father was being transported. Family advocates and legal representation tried searching for isaias on the ICE detainee locator but could not. The next time the family heard about Isaias was from Isaias himself - he called his family upon landing in Mexico.

Jalinne Iriarte, Isaias’ daughter, CCSU student, “My heart is broken. It feels like it’s all a bad dream but I know its not. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see im again and hold him. So many precious moments that we haven’t experienced yet with my father were stolen from us. I am not sure what our future will be like without him. Without my father working to support our family, I am not sure if I will continue attending college or if I have to stop to help my mother at the restaurant. The cruel immigration system has ripped our father from us during the holidays and put on our futures on hold” Bitsy Iriarte, Isaias’ daughter, Plainville High School Senior, “Having my father taken out of my life is the worst feeling i have ever felt. He will not see my walk down the stage on my graduation this spring. He will not be here for my 18th birthday. He won’t be here to support me and my family anymore. I really thought deep down in my heart that he would have come back to us, but he didn’t. We want to thank everyone who tried to help. Who showed up

and used their voice. Who spread the word about our story. Who signed the petition.

Even though we weren’t able to get him back, its encouraging to know we have a community that has our back.”

The community is now collecting donations to help support the family during this time at: https://www.gofundme.com/help-the-iriarte-family-after-fathers-deportation Jose Diaz, New Britain, undocumented CCSU Graduate and United Action of CT Organizer, “We have once again seen that this administration’s and ICE’s cruelty knows no bounds. Within under 3 weeks, during the Holiday season, Isaias was taken away in handcuffs in front of his wife, thrown behind bars, and sent back to a country he hasn’t been to in over 16 years - without ever seeing a judge, without ever having someone hear his case. ICE ripped a hard-working man from his family, his community, and his business. As a result of ICE’s cruelty, 2 daughters are left without a father, a wife has been left without her husband, and the future of the family and the family’s restaurant is uncertain” Carolina Bortolleto, undocumented, Danbury, CT Immigrants Rights Alliance representative, “ICE continues to use rogue tactics to dehumanize and terrorize our communities. But we will not be moved, this is our home and we are #HereToStay.

We will keep fighting until our whole communities are able to live in safety and dignity. This violence upon our communities will continue until the systems that are abusing, detaining, deporting, terrorizing, and murdering our community are dismantled. This is why we call on our federal delegation to vote down any and all funding for the deportation agencies of ICE.”

Isaias Iriarte, father of two, who was arrested by ICE agents while running errands Dec 7th was deported without notice and without seeing a judge

Questions about your bill?

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By appointment, patients can speak one-on-one with a financial counselor during regular business hours. For your convenience, extended hours are available once a month.

Date: Tuesday, January 22 Time: 5 - 7 pm Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting Parking available (handicapped accessible) An appointment is necessary. Please call 203-688-2046.

Spanish-speaking counselors available.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Hamden Weighs Where To Grow, & How

by PAUL BASS

New Haven Independent

Bus routes that connect people to school or to town hall. Hiking trails created near affordable housing in the southern part of town. Stores, “calmer” streets, close-to campus housing in a new “university district” in the north. Plus new sewers.

Two Hamden elected officials floated those ideas as the town dives into a once-in-adecade look into how to adapt to changing times.

The two officials, Legislative Council members Justin Farmer and Lauren Garrett, offered those and other ideas during a 2019 preview discussion on WNHH FM’s “Dateline” program.

Farmer and Garrett have just finished their first year on the council, Farmer from the Highwood neighborhood near the southern border with New Haven, Garrett from West Woods near the town’s northern border with Cheshire. They offered a fresh perspective on longtime town challenges just as Hamden is beginning a comprehensive rethinking of its Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The town has contracted with the firm of Planimetrics to help guide the community through the process, which will reexamine Hamden’s economic, physical, and social development goals.

The once-a-decade POCD update occurs as Hamden continues gaining population and as its population continues to diversify.

The town had 60,960 residents in 2010, according to the U.S. Census. The population is expected to grow to between 61,274 and 62,545 in 2020 depending on whether you believe projections prepared by Planimetrics or by the Connecticut State Data Center. Those projections rise to 64,927 (Planimetrics) or 70,408 (State Data Center) by 2040. The town’s nonwihite population, which stood at about 32 percent back

SAM GURWITT PHOTOS

Council members Justin Farmer, Lauren Garrett. in 2010, has also been growing.

“Hamden is going through a major transition,” Farmer observed. “It will probably be a city more than a town, [with] predominantly people of color.”

The big challenge is making everybody happy” while tackling challenges like the need for more affordable housing and updated infrastructure amid tight fiscal times, said Garrett.

For instance: The town needs more affordable housing. Where should it go?

On the one hand, it’s already concentrated in the southern, and more heavily AfricanAmerican and lower-income, part of town, Farmer noted. On the other hand, it’s important to build it nearest to transit lines.

The northern end of town also needs more housing for Quinnipiac University students, Garrett noted. Off-campus students have sometimes caused problems for

neighbors with loud parties; Garrett said in her case, the Quinnipiac students living two doors from her “have been very nice.

They’re good kids.” In any case, it makes sense to have more student apartments located nearer to the campus, for the convenience of the students, she suggested, envisioning the development of a “Quinnipiac zone” on which the town and university would partner.

Farmer noted that some QU students live as far away as Putnam Avenue, where 10 students living in housing meant for five occupants can cause parking and traffic problems.

Garrett also argued for working with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to put in more traffic lights and generally slow traffic down on state-owned Whitney Avenue. Both she and Farmer agreed with a listener to the show, Helen Ward,

who posted a Facebook question about the possibilities of working with the incoming administration of Gov. Ned Lamont on improving the state road.

“We’ve got to get the DOT on board,” Garrett said.

Speaking of the DOT, its bus routes need updating in town, Farmer noted, echoing a long-held complaint in New Haven about schedules and maps that no longer conform to where most people live and work (and when they need to travel). He said it takes him an hour and half to travel five miles from his home to Town Hall because of the screwy routes. He and Garrett also noted that parents have no public transit options to reach the Wintergreen School building, where public school classes will be moving under a system-wide redistricting plan.

A big issue facing the northern part of town is the absence of sewers. That makes it hard to attract new businesses and expand the tax base, for instance. Garrett recommended exploring tax-increment financing (TIFs) as one possible way to finance installing them. Powder Farm’s Promise In southern Hamden, the town should also look at alternative sources of money to pay for millions of dollars of improvements to Powder Farm, Farmer argued. He said that’d be a way to preserve needed open space and enhance new housing being built nearby. He envisioned new hiking trails and a canoe launch in the park. “We don’t have the money” to finance the improvements through the town, but he argued that Hamden can make the case to state or other funders to support “a regional gem.”

Powder Farm is 102 acres (!) of forest, lakes, and wetlands off Putnam Avenue a quarter-mile east of Dixwell Avenue. The Olin Corporation once tested munitions

Bysiewicz Taps New Haveners For Lt. Gov’s Office

by STAFF

The state’s incoming lieutenant governor, Susan Bysiewicz, has drawn heavily from the New Haven area to staff her new office.

New Haven delivered the largest batch of votes in November for the victorious ticket of Ned Lamont and Bysiewicz for governor and lieutenant governor.

So far Lamont has tapped no New Haven talent for appointments to his gubernatorial team.

Bysiewicz this week announced her own new team this week; Adam Joseph will lead it as chief of staff.

Joseph, who lives in Morris Cove, once worked for Bysiewicz when she was secretary of the state, before moving to posts in then-New Haven Mayor John DeStefano’s administration. Since 2011 he has served as director of communications for State Senate leader Martin Looney of New Haven.

Bysiewicz tapped Cherie Phoenix-Sharpe to serve as her chief legal advisor. PhoenixSharpe currently works as an assistant corporation counsel for the city of New Haven.

Another New Havener, Juliemar Ortiz, will serve as Bysiewicz’s press secretary.

Ortiz worked as a New Haven Register reporter before taking a post as a spokesperson for State Senate Democrats.

Jimmy Tickey, the campaign manager for New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro since 2010, will move over to Bysiewicz’s office as “senior adviser for economic and community development,” an area on which Bysiewicz plans to focus as lieutenant governor. Another former DeLauro staffer, Samuel Carmody, will take a job as Bysiewicz’s legislative and government relations aide.

“I am proud to announce a team that brings both diverse perspectives as well as strong experience in local, state and federal government,” Bysiewicz stated in a release.

Bysiewicz discussed her lieutenant governor plans in a recent interview, above, on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.

Top row: Samuel Carmody, Adam Joseph, Jimmy Tickey. Bottom row: Cherie PhoenixSharpe, Susan Bysiewicz, Juliemar Ortiz.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Broad Support For Lamont’s Pick To Lead DCF

by Christine Stuart Ct. News Junkie

HARTFORD, CT — It’s rare that a group of advocates and frontline workers would gather to support the nomination of a Department of Children and Families Commissioner, but that’s what happened Monday.

Colleagues and advocates whose work intersects with the Department of Children and Families came to support Vannessa Dorantes at a press conference where Gov.elect Ned Lamont nominated her to the position.

After a national search, Lamont said “some of the best and the brightest are already on the frontlines already doing the work.”

Dorantes, 49, said she was offering the search committee information she thought would help inform their decision about who best to choose to lead the department. She didn’t necessarily go into this looking to apply for the job.

Connecticut’s children “need us rowing in the same direction regardless of our different roles,” Dorantes said. “Professional relationships are not always easy, they’re not always agreeable, but they’re built upon mutual respect. We have common goals and child well-being is one of them.”

She said as head of the agency she believes children thrive in nurturing and supportive families and to that end the department will continue to focus on “community-based, culturally responsive, trauma informed services.” She said she’s also committed to improved data collection services so “we all evolve to meet children where they are.”

She said Connecticut’s children want stakeholders to work together. She said collaboration will pay dividends for children and families.

Dorantes, who was hired 27 years ago as a social worker in the department, said it was the a year after the Juan F. federal court order went into effect. The same consent de-

CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE PHOTO

Vannessa Dorantes was nominated to DCF Commissioner cree the department is still under to this day.

The Juan F. complaint filed in 1989 and settled in 1991 alleged that the department failed to provide adequate child protective services, failed to make reasonable efforts to keep families together and failed to provide minimally adequate staffing and appropriate care for children.

“I’m not going to commit to an end date because no one has been able to successfully get there,” Dorantes said. “But we’ve gone from 22 outcome measures down to the last five and the last five are practice related and that’s where my skill set is.”

She said they will get there by making sure the agency maintains strong ties to the community and community organizations.

Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, a critic of the department’s previous leadership, said she’s thrilled with Dorantes.

“She’s representative of the staff because she rose up from the ranks,” Walker said.

She said she also has credibility within the

community because when she’s presented with a concern or a problem she tackles it head on. She said a parent was struggling to get their child, who was under DCF care at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, services and no one in the administration would address the issue, except for Dorantes.

“Vannessa took the case. She met with the young man and his parent and the child is now thriving in a system that’s community and family based,” Walker said.

Dorantes currently serves as a Regional Administrator in the Department of Children and Families, where she is responsible for the leadership and development of 475 professional and support staff members in a 43-town area in northwest Connecticut.

As commissioner she will oversee about 3,200 employees and she will be paid the same as former Commissioner Joette Katz, whose salary was around $172,200 a year.

New Haven Symphony Orchestra Marks 125th Anniversary Season with Gala Celebration Friday, January 25 Non-Profit will Honor Guiding Partners from Yale University: Robert Blocker & Linda Koch Lorimer NEW HAVEN – The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) will mark its 125th Anniversary Season at a Fundraising Gala on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 7:00pm at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven, Connecticut.

The event will celebrate the NHSO’s contributions to the community: artistic excellence, education, innovation, and a storied history – the NHSO is the fourth oldest orchestra in the United States. There will be live music by NHSO musicians and local music students, a cocktail reception, gourmet buffet dinner, interactive music activity stations – including a virtual reality experience and instrument petting zoo– and a live and silent auction.

The NHSO will mark its long-held partnership with the Yale School of Music by recognizing two honorees who have had a significant impact on both the NHSO and the greater New Haven community: Robert Blocker, the Henry and Lucy Moses Dean of Music at Yale University and Linda Koch Lorimer, Yale’s former Vice Presi-

dent for Global and Strategic Initiatives.

To learn more about the honorees, visit NewHavenSymphony.org/Gala.

Brian Gedicks, Gala Committee Co-Chair and Associate General Counsel for the Knights of Columbus says, “This year’s 125th Anniversary gala is a very special occasion to celebrate the enduring impact the NHSO makes in the lives of all those who live in Greater New Haven and to recognize the orchestra’s long standing relationship with Yale. We are hoping to make this year’s gala the most successful ever!”

Christine Jean-Louis, Gala Committee CoChair and Assistant Attorney General of the Office of the Attorney General, State of Connecticut, says, “The NHSO is celebrating 125 years of musical impact and growth within the New Haven community, and not many musical organizations, let alone an orchestra, can have such a celebration. It is a pleasure to reach this milestone and honor two individuals who are exemplary of the history and support the NHSO has received

since its inception, and who inspire many others to contribute to the NHSO’s future here in New Haven.”

To purchase tickets to the NHSO’s 125th Anniversary Gala, visit NewHavenSymphony.org/Gala, email Development@NewHavenSymphony.org, or call (203) 8650831 ext. 18.

About the New Haven Symphony Orchestra Now celebrating its 125th anniversary season, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra continues to fulfill its mission of increasing the impact and value of orchestral music for its audiences through high quality, affordable performances and educational programming. The NHSO presents more than 40 concerts annually throughout the region and reaches more than 18,000 students through its award-winning educational and community programming. For more information, visit NewHavenSymphony. org.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

“2018 Person of the Year!”

New Haven Register Names Justice Lubbie Harper Jr. Its

By Dwight Bachman

On Jan. 3, an overflow, diverse crowd—racial, ethnic and gender—of more than 200 friends, family, judges, attorneys, legal mentees and supporters of Former Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Lubbie Harper Jr. converged on Brazis’s Italian Restaurant at Long Wharf in New Haven, to celebrate the New Haven Register newspaper selecting Justice Harper its “2018 Person of the Year.” I thought I was in Heaven on Earth. Love was flowing in the air, and everywhere. A fun time was had by all.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp; Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson, Associate Supreme Court Justice Raheem Mullins, Assistant Attorney General Christine JeanLouis and legendary, former WVIT-TV crime reporter Lew Brown and his son, Judicial Marshal Sergeant Jason Goff Brown, were just a few of the guests on hand for the celebration. Former WFSB-TV reporter and later, NBC Correspondent Odetta Rogers, who had admired Justice Harper’s service to community for years, drove all the way to New Haven from her home in Greenwich to salute Harper.

For the reception, Wilbur L. Cross High School Principal Edith Johnson— where Harper graduated—had a graphic designer produce the incredibly large and beautiful banner, a task completed within 24 hours of Harper’s request to Johnson. Johnson told Harper she would do anything for him. More than five years ago, in 2013, Wilbur Cross High School dedicated and named its Library Media Center in Justice Harper’s honor. In 2005, Justice Harper was inducted into the Inaugural Class of the Wilbur L. Cross High School Hall of Fame.

Along with many other professional, business and civic organizations, Eastern Connecticut State University also named Justice Harper Community Recipient of its Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award in 2013.

What we saw at this celebration demonstrated an incredible display of what America should be when a person of good will who is committed to public service, and who understands and appreciates the wonderment of diversity.

Harper’s impact on the community locally, regionally, nationally and internationally reflects the best values in our society and defies the current national leadership style and behavior of offensive division and polarization. The world needs more people like Lubbie Harper Jr.

2. New Haven Mayor Toni Harp and her Executive Assistant Andrea Scott congratulate Justice Harper.

Assistant Attorney General Christine Jean-Louis, congratulates her mentor, Justice Harper.

Wilbur L. Cross High School Principal Edith Johnson congratulates Justice Harper.

Left to right, former WVIT-TV crime reporter Lew Brown; his son, Judicial Marshal Sergeant Jason Goff Brown, a Justice Harper mentee; Retired New Haven Police Caption Charles Grady; and Anthony Dawson president of the New Have Police Board of Commissions.

Former WFSB-TV reporter and later, NBC Correspondent Odetta Rogers, drove to New Haven from her home in Greenwich to salute Harper

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.Stamford Superior Court Judge Erika Tindill, left,; Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson, second from right; and Probate Judge Clifton Graves Jr. congratulate Harper.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Lamont Picks A New London Lawmaker To Serve His Administration

by Christine Stuart

by STAFF

New Haven Independent

Ct. News Junkie

HARTFORD, CT — Governor-elect Ned Lamont plucked his first lawmaker to join his administration.

In a Wednesday press release, Lamont said Rep. Chris Soto of New London, will become his Legislative Affairs Director.

Soto, who was helping Lamont with the transition, will not take the oath of office in January. A special election will be held for his seat likely at some point in February.

Aside from serving one term in the House, Soto founded and served as executive Director of Higher Edge, a college completion organization that helps put low-income and first-generation college-bound students on the path to a college degree. He also helped manage Eva Bermudez Zimmerman’s Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

In his new role, Soto will have to try and whip up support among lawmakers for Lamont’s policies.

Lamont also announced that his campaign manager, Marc Bradley, will become his external and constituent affairs director and that Maribel La Luz will be his director of communications. La Luz previously worked as communications director for the

Help Build Community (House)

CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE FILE PHOTO

Rep. Chris Soto

Connecticut State Colleges and Universities and before that for the city of Hartford.

Bradley first moved to Connecticut in 2006 where he served as a senior advisor for Lamont during his U.S. Senate campaign.

You could become a cornerstone of the revived Dixwell Community “Q” House.

Or at least your name can go on one of the bricks lining the walkway to the main entrance as long-awaited construction finally begins this year on a spanking new version of the beloved Q. Organizers are building an endowment for the new community center, which will also include a bigger home for the Stetson Library and space for the neighborhood’s Cornell Scott Hill Health Center branch.

The endowment will make sure that the new center now only gets built, but keeps running year after year with ongoing programming.

If you contribute at least $100 to the endowment fund, through the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, your name goes on a fiveinch-by-eight-inch brick.

Rendering of the new Q.

SIGN YOUR CHILD UP FOR SUCCESS! There are still openings in preschool programs for children ages 3-5 years.

Free & Low-Cost Programs located throughout the city.

What to bring to enroll: Proof of residency Proof of income Child’s birth certificate Child’s health/immunization record

COLLEGESTREETMUSICHALL.COM 7

Call School Readiness Office for more info 475-220-1470

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Corner To Be Named For Public-Housing Hero

by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven Independent

The street corner outside of the Prescott Bush senior apartment complex will be renamed in honor of a late neighborhood stalwart who promoted community gardening at public housing complexes.

On Thursday night at City Hall, the City Services and Environmental Policy (CSEP) Committee voted unanimously in support of renaming the northwest corner of County Street and Henry Street “Ida Ruth Wells Corner.” The matter now goes to the full board for an expected routine final vote.

A dozen elderly African-American Prescott Bush Apartments residents attended the CSEP Committee hearing to advocate for the city’s recognition of a woman who lived in city public housing complexes for over 30 years and who was a trailblazer in supporting community gardens at Housing Authority of New Haven developments.

“She taught a lot of people a lot of stuff,” said Prescott Bush Tenant Resident Council (TRC) President Percy Penn. “A lot of people, she took them as her mother, her grandmother. I was one of them.

“We hope that y’all grant it because we need it,” he continued in advocating for corner renaming. “We need for her name to be out there so she won’t never be forgotten.”

Wells was born in 1921 in Newark, N.J. and

died in 2016 in New Haven, according to a proposed order that Newhallville /Prospect Hill/Dixwell Alder Steve Winter submitted to the Board of Alders in support of the corner renaming.

Wells served as the vice chair of the board of the housing authority from 1991 to 2001. She served for many years as the president of Prescott Bush’s TRC. “She was strong, persistent, kind, and collaborative leader,” Winter wrote, “the kind of community member who gives our City its great social capital. She was both an advocate for and a builder of community.”

Penn, Winter, and New Haven Land Trust Executive Director Justin Elicker told the alders Thursday night that Wells also distinguished herself as a pioneer in bringing community gardens to public housing complexes.

Elicker, who oversees over 50 community gardens as the head of the city Land Trust, said that Wells was an “exemplary garden coordinator” at the Prescott Bush community garden, making sure that community members could productively engage with growing their own fruits and vegetables on a plot just outside of their homes.

Elicker played an audio recording of Wells that was made by the Land Trust in 2011 in which Wells talks about the self-affirming and community-building role that she sees

community gardening playing, especially at public housing complexes.

“My most favorite garden memory was those first tomatoes I took off my old garden patch out there,” Wells said in the recording. “My son, who had been so ill for a long time, if you could have seen the expression on his face when I handed him those tomatoes, it did me more good than somebody handing me a handful of money.”

“If anybody deserves a name on a street,” said Prescott Bush resident Evelyn Belton, “Ms. Ida Wells does. Not only for her family, but for all of us.

“Hallelujah!” she shouted after giving her testimony in support of the corner renaming.

Westville Alder Adam Marchand voted along with the three other alders on the committee in support of the proposed renaming. He said that the renaming serves as a “double tribute,” both to New Haven’s Ida Ruth Wells and to the namesake crusading early 20th-century, anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells.

“I just find her to be an amazing historical figure who does not get enough attention today,” he said. “I think it’s a neat historical artifact that there’s a double historical recognition going on here.”

NEW HAVEN LAND TRUST PHOTO

Ida Ruth Wells with then-Land Trust Director Chris Randall in 2011.

The Wakanda One Village Project: African Union Ambassador Promotes Diaspora Homecomings

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

As she entered her office in Northwest Washington, D.C., African Union (AU) Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, struck observers as an image of grace. With the colors of her beloved Africa draped around her neck, her purple dress perfectly exuded royalty — though likely not intended.

The Ambassador’s words are unchoreographed, seasoned with salt and a charm that clearly communicates that she should never be thought of as someone whose opinions are easily swayed.

Far from it.

Dr. Chihombori-Quao knows that the world has long mistreated and neglected Africans – particularly the African woman. “We are the original people and we have every reason to stand up in the tallest mountains to proclaim who we are,” the ambassador says unapologetically.

“We are beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, highly adaptable and totally indestructible people – the Africans,” she said. “Any other race that would have gone through what we’ve been subjected to would have been extinct and that’s the truth,” she said, never having to raise her voice because the conviction in which she speaks is loud and unmistakably clear.

“Also, as black women, we are the only ones who could reproduce ourselves,” the Ambassador said in a room that contained

NNPA President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., and H.E. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao (Photo: Photo Courtesy of H.E. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao) a few men and just one other woman. cian Dr. Nii Saban Quao, Dr. Arikana needs of the African continent.

The men in the room, which included this Chihombori-Quao grew up in a small vilSince accepting the AU Ambassador poreporter, could only agree. lage in Chivhu, Zimbabwe. sition, Her Excellency has earned praise “We could mate with anyone and produce She completed her undergraduate eduas a leader whose brought renewed ena black child,” she said. cation at Fisk University in Nashville, ergy and new ideas to the AU Mission.

“Normally, that’s what you see with Tenn., and later matriculated at Meharry A Fellow of the American Academy of dominant species. It’s a fact they may not Medical College where she earned deFamily Physicians, H.E. Dr. Chihombolike to hear, but ours is the dominate gene. grees in general chemistry, a master’s ri-Quao also received an achievement That’s why I say when I speak people may degree in organic chemistry and a Doctor award from the late civil rights champion get offended, but I come from a place of of Medicine.

Nelson Mandela. truth and fact.”

After practicing medicine for 25 years, “How do you transition from being a The place that Dr. Chihombori-Quao she’s actively been involved in numerous medical doctor to a diplomat? It took me “comes from” has many in the diaspora AU programs and projects and served about six months to finally process it and excited about the future – a future that as chair of the African Union-Diaspora eventually say, well maybe this is somecould finally see Africa return to its forHealth Initiative, where she helped mothing I can do,” she said. mer glory. bilize health professionals in the diaspora “It’s a man’s world and I didn’t know if Married to the highly-respected physito assist in addressing the health care

8

I could deal with that, but after much back and forth, I had a conversation with the chair of the African Union and she told me that she felt a medical doctor would make a good diplomat.”

The former Chairperson of the African Union Commission for the continent, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, is also a medical doctor.

H.E. Dr. Chihombori-Quao continued: “It might surprise you that quite often patients come to you and need help, but they may not be truthful. They may say they have a headache, but the real problem is an abusive husband. A belly ache might be… mental.

“You try to reach out and find out what’s going on at home and in their life. I can honestly say I find myself in many situations where being an experienced doctor comes through in this job.”

Still, among the defining circumstances that led to Her Excellency accepting the Ambassador’s position is her love of Africa and her desire to turn things around on the continent. “It became increasingly apparent how we feel as Africans doesn’t matter. We are disrespected and we really needed a voice,” she said.

“That’s what this mission is all about – being a voice for all Africans on the continent. Once I realized that, I decided I would stay on the job. I needed to be here.”

Con’t on page 18

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Clergy Call On Lamont To Focus On Health Care

by Christine Stuart

New Haven Independent

HARTFORD, CT — When Dan Malloy was elected governor in 2010 the faith community had hoped he would implement a public insurance option, but the fiscal realities made it impossible.

The Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care, a newly relaunched statewide clergy coalition cf Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, and other faiths, is hoping Gov. Ned Lamont might be able to overcome those fiscal hurdles and point Connecticut toward a more universal health care system.

The fellowship represents around 15,000 persons of faith and wants to see Lamont turn his health care platform into reality.

“We believe Governor-elect Lamont and his administration should make health care a priority,” Pastor Rodney Wade of Long Hill Bible Church said. “We are here today to call on the Governor-elect to not just talk about his platform on health care, but to begin the process of implementation.”

Wade, who is also president of the Concerned Black Clergy Council of Waterbury, said universal health care is “in fact a right” of all citizens.

During the campaign, Lamont said Connecticut deserves a leader “who supports national progress toward universal health care and who is focused on delivering tangible results from day one.”

On the campaign trail, Lamont wanted to broaden the risk pool in the individual marketplace and implement a reinsurance pro-

CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE

Pastor Rodney Wade of Long Hill Bible Church and the Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell, rector of Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church in Hartford gram, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and continue Medicaid expansion.

The legislature is likely to continue the debate this year over the size and scope of Connecticut’s Medicaid program. The legislature reduced the income limit for non-pregnant adults twice in the last three

years, though it reversed the second cut in 2018.

The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell, rector of Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church in Hartford, said “it is our collective hope that our prayers today will remind Governor-elect Lamont to remember his campaign com-

mitment to ensuring that the health care system in the State of Connecticut is equitable, affordable and quality for all.”

She said they want Lamont and the legislature to “explore all options” that “make sense, are equitable, and affordable.”

Wade and Russell were part of a larger group of clergy standing outside the state Armory Wednesday hoping to make their case to Lamont and legislators.

Earlier this week, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said he planned to spend up to $100 million per year to expand health coverage to people without health insurance.

Lamont’s campaign proposals were not as bold mostly because he faces multi-billion dollar deficits and the uncertainty regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act. Connecticut is better poised than most states to handle the impact of the Affordable Care Act being struck down by a court or repealed by Congress. The main concern has been about those with pre-existing medical conditions, who are guaranteed coverage under the ACA. Connecticut’s health insurance law — Chapter 7, Section 38a-476, Pre-existing condition coverage — already states that “no individual health insurance plan or insurance arrangement shall impose a preexisting conditions provision on any individual.”

However, any short-term insurance plan of less than six months can impose a preexisting conditions provision, but it can’t eliminate the mandate on essential benefits, according to an Aug. 9, 2018, memo from former Insurance Commissioner

Katharine Wade.

The Connecticut law protecting pre-existing conditions was on the books before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010.

But Connecticut’s laws only impact about 35 percent of fully insured plans in the state. The other 65 percent are regulated by the federal government under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

In Connecticut, there are 2.21 million privately insured residents. Of those, about 1.85 million get their insurance from large group plans, 131,000 have individual plans, and 235,000 people are covered under small group plans. The Insurance Department doesn’t regulate the plans of 1.85 million people in the large group market, where the terms of employee benefits are set by employers. An employer hypothetically could opt not to cover pre-existing conditions if the repeal of the ACA is upheld.

So of those 2.21 million privately insured residents, the 366,000 with individual plans or who are covered under small group plans are protected from losing coverage for pre-existing conditions if the repeal of the ACA is upheld. And for those who get their insurance through their employer in large group plans, it would be up to their employer whether they want to continue offering coverage for pre-existing conditions, or even any insurance plans at all. Without the ACA, employers aren’t required to offer any health care benefits.

Inauguration Day: Lamont, Bysiewicz, House & Senate All Sworn In

by CTNewsJunkie Ct. News Junkie

HARTFORD, CT — Ned Lamont was sworn in as the 89th governor of the state on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. by former Chief Justice Chase Rogers, a close family friend. Earlier, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz was sworn in during a ceremony in the state Senate where she will preside.

In taking the oath during the ceremony at the State Armory, Lamont talked about recently seeing Hamilton, the musical.

“I talked to the kids about the meaning of the song ‘My Shot,’ where Alexander Hamilton sings about himself as a scrappy immigrant kid with great opportunities, just like his new nation,” Lamont said. “That’s what I love about America; every generation we get a chance to reinvent ourselves, and every election gives us a fresh start.

This is our chance to reinvent Connecticut — to think big, act boldly.”

He said that just like on Election Day, when thousands of voters waited for hours in the pouring rain, “They believed that their vote would make a difference, and they were not going to throw away their shot — and neither are we.”

Members of the House and Senate were also sworn in together on the floor of the House chamber.

AP PHOTO / JESSICA HILL, POOL

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont takes the oath of office administered by former Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, inside the William A. O’Neill Armory in Hartford.

10

TIM MARTIN / CTNEWSJUNKIE Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz takes the Oath of Office, being sworn in by her husband, David Donaldson, left, in the Senate Chamber of the state Capital on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, in Hartford.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE NO BETTER OFF THAN 50 YEARS AGO DATA SHOWS

By Cece Leonard, The San Antonio Observer

December 26, 2018 — As 2018 comes to an end, we close out a 50 year period that began with the tumultuous 1968. This was the year Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated; the year the Fair Housing Act passed; the year the Kerner Commision report revealed the cause of riots; and the same year John Carlos and Tommie Smith gave the Black Power salute at the Olympics.

50 year serves as a great opportunity to look back and see how far race in America has come and according to Race and Social Policy Research Center Director, Wornie Reed, “the bottom line is that we have not come very far, if at all, since 1968.”

Reed notes “Unfortunately, the data show that with all of this progress on the electoral front there was little if any relative improvement in the lives of African Americans. In fact, with the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, made 2018 one of the the worst years for voter suppression of African Americans and other minorities since 1968.”

Quoting Reed Poverty: “This year marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s Poor People’s Campaign when MLK put his life on the line to start a very aggressive push to force the country to address the issue of poverty. He said, “I choose to identify with the underprivileged. I choose to identify with the poor. I choose to give my life for the hungry. I choose to give my life for those who have been left out…This is the way I’m going.” We called the rate of poverty an outrage then. It is worse now. The numbers and proportions of people in poverty in the United States have increased since 1968.”

Housing: “In 2008 the National Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, co-chaired by former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretaries, Democrat Henry Cisneros and Republican Jack Kemp, investigated the state of fair housing. To assess progress since the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Commission held hearings for six months in five major cities. They concluded that ongoing discriminatory practices in the nation’s housing and lending markets continued to produce residential segregation.”

“Despite this bipartisan assessment, the current Administration is scaling back fair housing enforcement and moving to make it more difficult to find patterns of discriminatory or predatory lending. They have passed legislation to exempt banks from their obligation to collect and provide data routinely collected on their lending processes.”

“The Great Recession of 2007-8 was far worse for African Americans. Black homeowners had a higher percentage of their wealth tied up in home equity, and they were much more likely to be victims of predatory lending during the housing boom. Blacks and Latinos were more than twice as likely as comparable whites to re-

ceive high-cost loans. African-Americans have lost over half of their wealth since the beginning of the recession through falling homeownership rates and loss of jobs.”

“African American families are continuing to fall behind whites in building wealth — how much a family has in savings, investments, real estate, and cash, less any debts. White family wealth was seven times greater than black family wealth in 2016. Despite some fluctuations over the past five decades, this disparity is as high or higher than was in 1963.”

“Further, there has been no reduction in labor market discrimination. At the Race and Social Policy Research Center at Virginia Tech, we analyzed the income of all black and white full-time workers in the United States between 1967 and 2005.

Controlling for education, we found that for every dollar a white worker earned in 1967 a black worker earned 65 cents. In 2005 a black work earned 66 cents for every dollar that a white person earned, not a real increase.”

Sports: “During the last 50 years African Americans have become even more prominent in sports, with four current stars arguably considered the best of all time in their respective sports: Simone Biles in gymnastics, Serena Williams in Tennis, Tiger Woods in golf, and Lebron James in Basketball.

Nevertheless, just like in 1968 black athletes are protesting racial discrimination.

Two years ago Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest the disproportionate use of police force against African American males and related issues, That protest was joined by other African American athletes, in football and other sports. And some of it continues.”

Kerner Commission Report: “One month before Martin Luther King was assassinated, the Kerner Commission released its report. This Presidential commission investigated the riots and disorders of the mid-1960s and reported what MLK called a “physician’s warning of approaching death, with a prescription for life.” The

12

Commission offered the most forthright analysis and discussion of the racial situation in America that has ever been done by a high-level commission or committee.”

“The Kerner Commission stated that “White racism is essentially responsible for the explosive mixture which has been accumulating in our cities since the end of World War II.” And they continued, “What white Americans have never fully understood but what the Negro can never forget—is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.”

“The Kerner Commission concluded that the United States had three options for dealing with the situation. One was to do nothing, which was not acceptable. A second option was to work on improving black ghettoes, which was useful but not desirable. The third was to integrate cities, suburbs, and transportation to workplaces (factories and plants). Many Americans thought we would choose the third option

and be on our way to a better America.

However, one month later Martin Luther King was assassinated, blacks rioted all over America, and the narrative changed— from correcting what white society had wrought to blaming it all on the problematic culture of black folks. To this day we have not overcome the political and policy effects of that narrative.”

About Reed Reed is the Director of the Race and Social Policy Research Center at Virginia Tech. He is an expert on race, ethnic health disparities, social policy, criminal justice and his research focus is on criminal justice, discrimination, healthcare, and labor.

Reed’s expertise has been featured in Huffpost, CTV (Toronto, Canada), WBFO (Buffalo, NY NPR Affiliate), WFAE (Charlotte, NC NPR affiliate), WCVE(Richmond, VA PBS member station) and WVTF (Virginia NPR affiliate).

This article originally appeared in The San Antonio Observer.

“Defense wins championships” THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

by Anthony Scott, ICN Sports

The NFL Wild Card round is now over, with some teams moving in and others going home. “Defense wins championships” may be the oldest football cliché ever, but we saw why this weekend. The teams who played more physical won for the most part. Another cliché is “it’s better to be lucky than good”. Just ask the Eagles.

Colts over Texans 21-7: Ever since the Colts won two straight after their 1-5 start, I have been calling them my dark horse team. They came to play Saturday evening, while Houston was sleepwalking at home. Indy jumped out to a 14-0 start in the first few minutes and they never looked back. Marlon Mack had a huge game, finishing with 148 rushing yards.

TY Hilton had another big game, something he is accustomed to against Houston throughout his career. Deshaun Watson and the Texans looked out of rhythm all game.

Indy constantly had a linebacker dropping back to double cover DeAndre Hopkins, leaving openings in the middle of the field.

Outside of hitting Keke Coutee on the occasional drag route, he couldn’t make big plays. He overthrew Ryan Griffin on a sure TD, and he missed an opportunity to score after leading a long drive into his red zone.

Let’s be real, the Texans have a long history of crumbling in the playoffs. Indy looked more prepared, and they won because of it.

Cowboys over Seahawks 24-22: This was quite an interesting matchup, considering the strategic similarities the two teams share. Both teams have mobile quarterbacks, stout running games, and attacking defenses. The game came down to which offense would get hot first after both defenses dominated in the first half, which ended up being the Cowboys. Pete Carroll has used supreme scheming to develop an elite running game this year despite an awful o-line, including using an extra tackle in George Fant. This worked for several weeks, but Dallas’ defense may have been a step up in competition. Dak Prescott is no superstar, but he did just enough to win as usual. His ability to run late was critical in closing out the game, and he played big in the big moments. Dallas was better equipped to play smash mouth football. Ezekiel Elliott is the best running back in the league, while Chris Carson is only above average. Dallas’ o-line, albeit banged up, is light years ahead of Seattle’s.

Although Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett are very good receivers, Amari Cooper has big play burst that neither of them have.

This included a big reception in the fourth quarter which led to Dallas taking the lead.

The Seahawks stalled out on offense, and losing Sebastian Janikowski certainly hindered their ability to kick. His backup was rugby style punter Michael Dickson, who has little experience kicking a ball traditionally. Seattle opted against attempting a 57 yard field at the end of the half for this

reason. The Cowboys go as Zeke goes, and Saturday was no different. He only had 26 yards in the first quarter, but he got going after that. He had a 44-yard run before halftime which set Dallas up for their lone first half touchdown. He finished with 137 yards on 26 carries. His big performance in the second half is a big reason why Dallas was able to take control.

Chargers over Ravens 23-17: This game was not as close as the score may indicate, as the Chargers completely dominated the Ravens Sunday. Baltimore has been winning games with their defense, but the Chargers o-line won the battle up front and neutralized the Ravens pass rush.

Philip Rivers went 22-32 for 160 yards.

He didn’t have any TDs or picks, and he was sacked once. The Ravens looked lost on offense all game, highlighted by Lamar Jackson fumbling the ball twice on his first two drives. I knew he was in trouble after the first one. His youthful inexperience showed, and Baltimore did not have an emergency option in case he struggled.

Many have suggested he should have been pulled for veteran Super Bowl champ Joe Flacco. I think that would have been disastrous, considering Flacco has not played since week nine and the offensive scheme is totally foreign to him. Playing RG3 may have been a better option, but he was not dressed. Jackson actually played well late, scoring 14 of the team’s 17 points in the fourth quarter. But he only had three completions and three first downs previously.

The Chargers defense looked like the best

unit on the field Saturday, constantly putting pressure on Jackson. They limited his ability to escape the pocket, and sacked him a whopping seven times. DT Justin Jones, who was replacing Brandon Mebane, did a great job of setting the tone. Melvin Ingram III was awesome at stuffing the run as well.

These factors took away all of Jackson’s weapons, and he didn’t look comfortable until it was far too late. Chargers d-lineman Damion Square claimed the team knew exactly what to expect from Baltimore. That certainly appears to be the case. The Chargers came out with seven defensive backs, deciding to match Jackson’s speed. This is an atypical look against Baltimore, possibly explaining why Jackson looked so confused. This is the first time Jackson faced a team more than once in his career. He took over halfway through the season, after Baltimore played each divisional opponent the first time. Jackson looked far better when they recently beat LA in week. The Chargers clearly made the proper adjustment, a credit to DC Gus Bradley. Bradley was DC for Seattle during the height of their success, and his defenses looked good during his stint as the Jaguars’ head coach. Outside of a late run, the Chargers totally shut Baltimore down. Also, do replay reviews have to take so long? Ugh. Waiting for the game to end was like watching paint dry.

Eagles over Bears 16-15: Uh-oh, could this be the start of another magical Nick Foles run? This game was an even matchup throughout, but it ended with ex-Eagle Cody Parkey missing a kick

13

that hit the upright and the crossbar. To add insult to injury, he made the same kick just before Doug Pederson calling the icing timeout. Parkey has struggled all year, including a week 10 game against Detroit where he hit the upright four times. Like the rest of the games this weekend, this was a defensive struggle as well. Everyone expected a stingy performance by Chicago’s top notch defense, but the Eagles d stepped up and matched their intensity. Mitchell Trubisky played better than I anticipated, and he made a few spectacular throws. But much like the Chargers did to Lamar Jackson, Philly kept Trubisky in the pocket. Despite Trubisky’s performance, the lack of skill position threats were evident. Coach Nagy has been innovative all year in terms of exotic playcalling, using well timed sweep plays, and utilizing speedster Tarik Cohen. Nagy ran a more conventional offense Sunday, and the run game got shut down. This made Trubisky have to win it with his arm, which is more than he is used to. Chicago moved the ball well for the most part, but they came up small on third down and in the red zone. They left a bunch of points on the table, which is why the game came down to a field goal. The x-factor for Philly in this game was Golden Tate, who has only been ordinary since being acquired mid-season. He made a catch while taking a huge hit in the second quarter, and he made the go ahead TD catch on fourth down after running a perfect route.

Moving forward, the Eagles are dangerous as long as Foles does not turn the ball over.

Could lightning really strike twice?

Con’t from page

Hamden Weighs Where

there as part of its rifle operations operations during WWII, so in plain terms it’s kind of a toxic waste dump complete with bunkers that once stored gunpowder, but one that has been unused for long enough that it’s apparently safe enough to hike around back there. It’s closed to the public, but the Hamden Land Conservation Trust has every once in a while been given permission to lead hikes there.

Garrett’s and Farmer’s ideas echo those the town has begun hearing in “listening sessions” on the POCD update, according to Town Planner Dan Kops.

Kops said Wednesday that the town is paying $75,000 to Planimetrics for help with the POCD process. (A Boston-based marketing and financial anlysis firm called Camoin Associates is assisting Planimetrics.) The town has allocated another $10,000 for phone surveys of residents.

One such survey checked in with 100 households; an upcoming one will hit 300 households. The state mandates that all cities and towns update their POCDs each decade, and that the updates conform with state and regional versions. The state can withhold discretionary grants to towns that fail to complete the updates. Hamden’s must be submitted to the state Office of Policy and Management by Sept. 22; Hamden’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to sift through the first round of citizen suggestions at its Jan. 22 meeting.

The Upside

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

FILM REVIEW:

By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic

On paper, a story about a low-income black health-care aid who’s befriended by a rich white male quadriplegicsounds suspect. Patronizing films like Driving Miss Daisy come to mind, and potential filmgoers upon hearing the plotline may feel anxious, angry and nauseous all at the same time.

On-screen, The Upside, an American remake of the 2011 Cesar-winning French blockbuster called Les Untouchables, which launched the career Omar Sy Jurassic World, X-Men: Days of Future Past, is iffy but still quite touching. Three-dimensional compelling performances by Bryan Cranston (that’s to be expected) and Kevin Hart (a welcome surprise) are its saving grace.

Kevin Hart fans may think that this role of an underling is beneath their favorite comedy actor. Instead they should view it as an opportunity to see him show more than his class-clown approach to performing.

Thrown into the deep-sea depths of a dramedy, Mr. Hart proves he can swim just fine.

Dell (Hart), a young man with a criminal past is behind on his child support payments; pity his wife (Aja Naomi King, The Birth of a Nation and son (Jahi Di’Allo Winston, The New Edition Story. He needs a job and money in a bad way. Dell haphazardly gets a position as a caregiver for a wheelchair-bound millionaire, author Phillip (Cranston), a grief-stricken widower.

Queue the violins! How rich is he? Only boxer Floyd Mayweather has more highend cars in his garage.

Dell’s budding relationship with Mr. Moneybags is heavily scrutinized by a snoopy secretary, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman). Yet, the two men learn a lot from each other (apparently opera music is not so bad,and Aretha’s Franklin’s voice can light up a room) and a friendship forms.

Screenwriter Jon Hartmere takes the reallife experience of Tunisian-born French businessman Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, who became a diabetic quadriplegic in 1993 after a paragliding accident and Americanizes it. The social and racial dynamics in the U.S. are different that those in France (more progressive), so the entire premise feels passé—boarding on offensive—even with a modern New York setting. That said, the nuts and bolts of the screenplay are short on sentimentality and long on the viable bromance.

Director Neil Burger (Divergent) knows when to pepper scenes with comic moments and when to season lightly with pathos. Nothing on-screen is awful, but not much stands out: musical score, Rob Simonsen; cinematography, Stuart Dryburgh; editing Naomi Geraghty; and production design Mark Friedberg.

Performances by Cranston and particularly Hart save this film from the trash heap. The former eats drama for breakfast.

Crusty, scruffy roles in Trumbo and TV’s

Meet entrepreneur behind vegan nail polish actress Issa Rae adores

By Cassidy Sparks

Veganism is about more than the food on your plate. It’s a lifestyle.

Chicago native Rachel James understands that and has created a line of vegan-friendly, cruelty-free nail lacquer called Pear Nova for those who care about the ingredients in the polish they wear.

After graduating from the International Academy of Design & Technology in 2012, James pursued entrepreneurship full time. The Chicago native combined her passion for beauty and fashion to create the highquality creme nail polish brand. Her polishes come in a variety of hues and have exciting names like “Dianna Boss” and “Michelle Our Mama.”

James is all about beauty and wellness, priding her Pear Nova brand on its “five-free commitment” to offer nail lacquers free from formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, toluene, and dibutyl Phthalate DBP. Today, Pear Nova has garnered the attention of many, including “Insecure” star Issa Rae. We caught up with the entrepreneur to discuss the inspiration behind her brand and being a minority business owner.

What was the driving force behind creating Pear Nova?

My driving force behind creating Pear Nova is my love for fashion and beauty. It was also my entrepreneurial passions and the hope that I could create something that my children’s children can benefit from.

What is the inspiration behind your collections?

Breaking Bad chart the Oscar-nominated actor’s rise into the upper echelon of serious actors. His interpretation of the lost-inangst Phillip is just another well-conceived portrayal.

Hart, a standup comic who churns out comic movie roles as if he’s in a factory that has to meet a deadline, is a different story. Working his way through the Ride Along franchise, Think Like a Man and The Wedding Ringer didn’t prep him for weighty roles. Yet somehow, he manages to dig deep enough to delve into both sides of Dell: the hustler, the caring friend. Scam artist traits are in Hart’s wheelhouse. The more sensitive moments with Phillip require nuances in emotion that he manages

to summon quite nicely. It makes you wonder where his career could go if he took more artistic chances. Is Othello in his future? Not likely. But judging from what’s on view, he’s only scraped the surface of his full potential.

If prospective moviegoers can’t get past the film’s premise, so be it. If they can, they’ll watch a shallow film become a touch deeper because Cranston and Hart create an authentic chemistry.

The syrupy sweet Les Untouchables won France’s highest film honor, a César Award, and so did Omar Sy. It’s unlikely thatThe Upside will achieve such accolades. But the performances by Cranston and especially Hart certainly rate praise.

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The inspiration for my collections changes with each season. Fashion will always be at the core, but I am heavily influenced by world travel, art, music and creative women.

What is the process like creating vegan and cruelty-free nail lacquers?

Luckily with the vegan and cruelty-free trend, it isn’t too difficult.

Manufacturers are understanding of what consumers need. It was a more difficult process creating the custom colors that Pear Nova is known for.

Pear Nova founder Rachel James (Photo credit: Charles Andre Thomas)

What has been your biggest challenge as a Black female entrepreneur?

My biggest challenge is finding resources. Being an entrepreneur as a Black woman might be the “thing” right now, but we still aren’t getting the support we deserve or need.

Actress Issa Rae flaunts your nail lacquer regularly. What was it like to watch her on a platform like the “Today” show showcasing your brand?

It’s always surreal when women that I’m a fan of wear Pear Nova.

I faithfully watch “Insecure,” and I read Issa’s book, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She’s a goal and my homegirl in my head, so it’s like, “OMG, she has on Pear Nova!”

But also, “Duh, that’s bae. Why wouldn’t she have on Pear Nova?”

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?

Do your research, dream bigger than big, and be your biggest supporter. No one knows you’re the best as much as you do.

This article originally appeared in rollingout.com.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Golden Globes Recap Green Book Emerges as Early Favorite in Oscar

by Kam Williams

Green Book emerged as the early favorite in the Oscar sweepstakes at the Golden Globes Sunday night after prevailing in three categories: Best Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. Common sense would tell you that the searing civil rights era saga was more of a drama than a musical or comedy, but go figure.

Curiously, Bohemian Rhapsody was dubbed Best Drama although that biopic about the rock group Queen's frontman, Freddie Mercury, was a musical laced with comical moments. Another headscratcher was how Green Book's Mahershala Ali won for Best Supporting Actor despite playing a lead role.

Bohemian Rhapsody and Roma garnered two trophies each, while A Star Is Born had a disappointing evening, only netting a win for Best Song, after landing five nominations. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga were overlooked in favor of Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Glenn Close (The Wife). The other acting awards went to Olivia Colman for The Favourite, Christian

Bale for Vice, and Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk.

The show was co-hosted by Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh, who studiously avoided offending any fellow celebs in attendance during their boring opening dialogue or over the rest of the evening. They didn't even make any political jokes, although Christian Bale got a big laugh when he

thanked Satan for showing him how to play Dick Cheney.

Most of the other acceptance speeches were delivered in earnest, touching on themes ranging from female empowerment (Regina King and Glenn Close), to brotherhood (Peter Farrelly and Alfonso Cuaron), to LBGTQ rights (Rami Malek and Ben Whishaw).

Christian Bale Morphs into Dick Cheney in Seriocomic Biopic Film Review by Kam Williams

Christian Bale Morphs into Dick Cheney in Seriocomic Biopic Who is the real Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) and how did he become the most powerful vice president in U.S. history?

Those are the fundamental questions explored by Vice, an alternately hilarious and sobering biopic written and directed by Adam McKay. McKay won an Oscar in 2016 for his brilliant adaptation of The Big Short, the Michael Lewis best seller chronicling the complicated series of events leading to the stock market collapse of 2007. Nevertheless, he probably remains better known for having previously directed a string of sophomoric comedies starring Will Ferrell including Anchorman 1 and 2, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers and The Other Guys.

Despite Vice’s relatively-sophisticated subject matter, McKay’s comedic roots are showing here. And while all the jokes might prevent the audience from taking the events depicted as gospel truth, the humorous asides serve as a very welcome relief from an otherwise scary tale of blind ambition. They also have the effect of injecting a little personality into a guy who was basically a boring bureaucrat.

The picture’s point of departure is Cheney’s wayward youth marked by multiple arrests for driving under the influence and flunking out of Yale University. Back home in Wyoming, he finally gets his act together with the help of his childhood sweetheart-turned-wife, Lynne (Amy Ad-

Vice

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ams). She reads him the riot act, making it clear she’s unwilling to be married to an underachieving loser like her late father.

Soon, Cheney picks politics as a career path, starting out as an assistant to Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell) in the Nixon Administration. He held a number of other positions before becoming President Ford’s White House Chief of Staff.

He subsequently represented Wyoming in Congress for a decade before being appointed Secretary of Defense by President Bush 41. In 1995, he entered the private sector to serve as CEO of Halliburton.

He returned to government when George W. Bush wanted him as a running mate, but only on the condition that as veep he’d be in charge of foreign policy, intelligence briefings and numerous executive departments. Bush 43 agrees, thus completing the unlikely evolution of an uncharismatic political hack into a sinister Machiavellian figure with the reins of world power at his

disposal.

Credit the chameleon-like Christian Bale for thoroughly disappearing into his role as Cheney. More importantly, Bale plays him with just the right combination of venom and vulnerability to humanize a complicated character quite convincingly.

FYI, Vice is the third film co-starring Bale and Amy Adams. They both received Academy Award nominations for The Fighter in 2011, as well as for American Hustle in 2014, and will undoubtedly do so again for this equally-impressive collaboration. And you can bank on this seriocomic satire garnering a Best Picture nomination, too.

Excellent (4 stars) Rated R for profanity and violent images Running time: 132 minutes Production Companies: Plan B Entertainment / Gary Sanchez Productions / Annapurna Pictures Studio: Annapurna Pictures

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

African American Chefs Break the Glass Ceiling in the Culinary World

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

The culinary business world is as cut throat as any other. It’s also known as an industry that hasn’t always allowed for much diversity in management and ownership at its higher echelon.

However, it appears that African Americans are finally breaking barriers, starring in many kitchens around the nation and serving up fine delicacies and treats that have those of all races and backgrounds coming back for secondhelpings.

“Memphis is a foodie town with a minoritymajority makeup… thoughtful discussions about equity in the food industry are at the forefront here and folks care about presentation, which is at the heart of the issue,” said Cynthia Daniels, the founder of Memphis Black Restaurant Week. “I’ve also seen the difficulty that black-owned restaurants experience with not having big marketing budgets to advertise for new business,” Daniels said.

That’s why she founded Memphis Black Restaurant Week and have advised other cities to do the same.

“It’s a celebration that advocates for black chefs, brings more awareness around their food and beverage traditions, generates new income, and moves the needle in terms of inclusivity in the culinary world,” Daniels said.

That inclusion and enthusiasm appears to have caught on.

“I am truly optimistic for the future with the culinary industry because while there are still a lot of areas in which to grow, we are slowly chipping away the stereotype of what African American chefs have to offer,” said awardwinning executive chef and QVC Food Stylist Kristol Bryant.

“We are diversified in our skills, talents and cuisines. African American chefs are no longer just soul-food or southern cuisine chefs, we

are so much more,” Bryant said.

“Through education and exploration, we can finally break into areas that we never knew were there. Being seen on television is great for us but being a legitimate authority in culinary in the corporate, private and entertainment sectors is the next step.”

An article in the culinary-centric publication, FSR Magazine, noted that when its reporters wrote about the rise of African American chefs in the U.S. three years ago, several themes prevailed, including that a wide range of talented African American chefs had emerged, like Executive Chef Edouardo Jordan in Seattle, Marcus Samuelsson in New York, and Mashama Bailey in Savannah, Ga. Often, African American chefs are stuck in the kitchen as sous chefs or line chefs and routinely failing to be given an opportunity to become head chefs, according to FSR. And, African American chefs, on the whole, have encountered tougher obstacles raising funds to open their own establishments.

However, the industry now has several African American chefs serving as role models and paving the way for more minority chefs to make their mark in the U.S. Examples include Chef Dieuveil Malonga, a 26-year old Forbes 30 under 30 Congolese Chef and a finalist for the Basque Culinary World Prize. Malonga works closely with luxury and fashion brands such as Rick Owens to bring awareness about the African continent through exclusive culinary experiences around the world.

With private clients like ASAP Rocky, Mos Def and others, Malonga has been featured by The New York Times, Vogue, BBC. He’s also spoken at The United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Chef Ronnie Rainwater of Delmonico Steakhouses also serves as another example of African Americans breaking the proverbial glass ceiling in the culinary world.

“He grew up in the kitchen, shadowing his Southern grandmother at the stove; anxious to

taste anything he could get his hands on,” said Sade Mills of One 7 Communications.

Rainwater attended Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and obtained a Culinary Arts Degree in 1999. One of his early jobs in the industry was an internship in the kitchen at The Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, where he helped prepare dinners and private events for guests.

In June 1999, Ronnie was offered a position as a cook at Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian and moved to Las Vegas.

In 2007, he was promoted to executive sous chef at the restaurant.

In January 2011, after working with Emeril for

over 11 years at his restaurants in Las Vegas and on the East coast, he was tapped to become the next chef de cuisine of Delmonico Steakhouse.

“Today, he leads the kitchen at Delmonico and oversees all facets of its culinary operations, from sourcing products, to managing the restaurant’s in-house dry-aging program for prime U.S.D.A. beef, to crafting ambitious nightly tasting menus for guests at his kitchen table,” Mills said.

“His love of simple fresh ingredients has helped him cultivate close relationships with local farmers who supply the restaurant with their best products including beets, heirloom tomatoes, squash blossoms and seasonal herbs,” she said, noting that a local orchard provides him with fresh apples and cider,

along with the apple wood used to brine and smoke the restaurant’s house cured bacon.

The rise of the African American chef also was seen at the 2018 James Beard Awards, where four African American and Caribbean American chefs were honored at the ceremony.

“There is a black hand in many pots and today, talented chefs are using their culinary skill-set as platforms to create, motivate and inspire,” said Charla Draper, a former food editor at Ebony and Southern Living magazines, who now serves as a consultant providing marketing services for food and foodrelated business.

“Chefs are using their talents traditionally and non-traditionally to mentor and open doors for others,” she said.

A More Diverse Congress, a More Perfect Union?

By Julianne Malveaux The 116th Congress, sworn in on January 3, is the most diverse our nation has ever seen. There are more women – 102 – than ever before. More members of the Congressional Black Caucus – 55 – than ever before. Indeed, a former Congressional Black Caucus intern, Lauren Underwood (D-IL) is part of the incoming first-year class. At 32, she is the youngest Black woman to serve.

This Congress includes the first Native American woman, two Muslim women, openly gay representatives, and others.

Much of this diversity was displayed at the ceremonial swearing-in of the Congressional Black Caucus, an inspirational event that preceded the official swearing-in on

Capitol Hill. There, as I listened to speeches by the top Congressional Democrats – incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), incoming Majority leader Steny Hoyer (MD), and incoming Whip James Clyburn (SC), I was awash in hope and optimism. These leaders, along with outgoing Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (LA) and incoming Chair Karen Bass (CA) spoke of challenge, struggle, and optimism and focused on possibilities.

As I listened to them I could not help but think of the poet Langston Hughes, and his poem Let America Be America Again. Written in 1935, the poem was first published in Esquire Magazine in 1936.

Though Hughes did not consider it one of his favorites, it captures the duality of our nation, the marked difference between our nation’s soaring establishing rhetoric and the stark reality that many experience. In the words of Malcolm X, it is the difference between the American dream and the American nightmare. Here is what Langston Hughes writes in his poem: “Let America be America again. Let it be

the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe.”

(There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”)

No freedom in this homeland of the free, but this Congress offers freedom possibilities. It offers the possibility of fixing the Voting Rights Act, even as the Supreme Court has attempted to erode voting rights, even as at least two elections were stolen in 2018, those of Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Andrew Gillum in Florida.

This Congress offers freedom possibilities in resisting the insanity of a “wall” that the

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Great Negotiator (and purported author of The Art of the Deal) swore that Mexico was paying for. Not. This Congress offers freedom possibilities in its efforts to preserve the Affordable Health Care Act and to move us to Medicare for all. This colorful Congress (the pictures tell it all) offers a sharp contrast to the dismal (as in grey and navy suits) set of Republicans, overwhelmingly white and male, and overwhelmingly staid.

It’s not about MAGA (Make America Great Again), it’s about MAF, or Make America Fair. This is what Congressman James Clyburn shared when he spoke at the ceremonial swearing-in. He opened with the words of French historian Alexis Tocqueville, who observed when visiting this country: “the greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”

Clyburn went on to list the many ways our nation has attempted to self-correct, from the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation to the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring “separate

but equal” to be “inherently unequal.” Clyburn talked about the Great Society legislation, another of our nation’s attempts at self-repair, and he concluded by saying that, “America does not need to be made great again, she is already great. Our challenge is to make that greatness apply fairly and equitably to all of our citizens.”

Can this diverse new Congress make our nation fair for many who have never experienced our nation in the way it is supposed to be? In the words of Langston Hughes, “It never was America to me.” We’ve come a long way since he wrote his 1935 poem, but we still have so much to do. After these last two dystopian years under the leadership of President Genital Grabber (let’s just call him GG), this new Congress offers us many possibilities. May they manifest!

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available via www.amazon.com for booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Nurses Moving From The Bedside To The Boardroom

by Priscilla Q. Williams, RN, BlackDoctor.org

Nurses were ranked the most trusted profession, according to the Gallup Poll for the last 16 years. Over the years there are more opportunities for nurses to use their skills and expertise outside of the hospital setting and in the marketplace. There are more and more nurses starting businesses, working in corporate positions, and leading the way in the healthcare industry.

Nurses are moving from the bedside to the boardroom and making a global impact. I have been a nurse for about 12 years now I have been blessed to work at the bedside and to sit in the boardroom for some of the top companies in the world. I recently had an opportunity to interview three amazing nurses who decided to use their nursing expertise and knowledge to impact people around the world.

Eva M. Francis, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC Eva is an author, healthcare and leadership consultant, career and business mentor for nurses and nurse leaders, and a certified business coach. Eva is a full-time nurse entrepreneur and she helps other nurses start businesses.

BDO: Why Did you choose Nursing as a profession?

EF: Ever since I was a little girl six years old, the people in my local community in rural Jamaica for some unknown reason called me “NURSE.” I remember visiting older individuals in that local community and helped them with their dishes, laundry and everything else that needed my assistance.

Ever since I can remember, I knew that I wanted a career that is challenging, interesting and one that can impact people’s lives. I am a people person and I knew that dealing with patients and families, helping them through difficult times is extremely satisfying for me and I would not have it any other way.

BDO: How do you use your nursing profession to impact the world?

EF: I am glad I can empower, impact and equip nurses, nurse leaders, and nursing students to elevate, advance and evolve so that they can continue to change and save lives whether directly or indirectly at any stage in their career.

As the founder and executive director of “The National Nurse Empowerment

and Leadership,” I have the amazing opportunity to connect with nurses from all over the globe.

We designed the annual Nurse Empowerment Conference where nurses can come together to learn from each other as well as using the stage as a platform to share their stories and their messages. This nontraditional conference style has given nurses an outlet to be Innovative & Collaborative. Our Role as nurses has become significantly diversified in recent years. It has broadened and expanded significantly at the bedside as well as to various leadership roles and entrepreneurship.

Nurse Empowerment continues to inspire a new generation of Nurses Leaders who are brilliantly making a shift to be more creative. I am amazed at all the endless opportunities and the changes in this field of nursing and we are excited to take the lead.

BDO: What advice would you give a nurse who is ready to make a shift in their career?

EF: Do not be afraid to step outside of your Comfort Zone. Try new things, because the opportunities are limitless. Know that no matter what aspect of nursing you practice or what’s your specialty, you are making a difference in the lives of others as well as in the community. So, allow yourself to be versatile and embrace all that healthcare has to offer.

Timika Bracken, BSN RN, MBA Timika is a hospice and palliative care and global nurse leader in her industry.

Timika has traveled the world teaching and educating people about HIV/ Aids for the CDC (Center for Disease Control. Timika also has experience working as the Director of Nursing and other nurse executive positions.

BDO: Why did you choose nursing as a profession?

TB: I chose nursing as a profession because I enjoy helping others. I cared for my great-grandmother, a diabetic and amputee, in my early career and I really enjoyed it. I remember we had to change our eating habits to accommodate optimal blood sugars. I also loved the stability and trust associated with nursing. Nurses have the option to be in hospitals, offices, leadership and a host of other positions. Patients trust nurses and I wanted to be a part of that dynamic.

BDO: How do you use your nursing profession to impact the world?

TB: I use my nursing profession to be a listening ear to patients and families. I educate people, so they have adequate information to make decisions about their care. I use my profession to encourage people to make healthy lifestyle changes. I use my profession to comfort people when a loved one dies. I make people’s lives better one person at a time.

BDO: What advice would you a nurse who’s ready to make a shift in their career?

TB: I would remind nurses that they have the tools needed to make a shift in their career. Nurses have phenomenal assessment skills. Use those skills to assess what you need to make your dream life a reality. Ask yourself, what do I need to win at getting what I desire? What does it take to be successful? These are questions that nurses should ask themselves.

The second piece of advice I would give is to write down all the skills that you have that you could teach or share

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with someone else. Are you good at listening? Are you awesome at starting those IV’s that no one else can start?

Are you the most passionate person in the conversation? I promise you, there is something very special about you that you can share with someone else and it can help you make the shift in your career.

Finally, be gracious and full of gratitude. These characteristics will open many doors.

Brittany Wilson, BSN, RN Brittany is a millennial nurse leader who currently works as the assistant nurse manager at one of the top hospitals in Jacksonville, Florida. Brittany is under the age of 30 years old and she is a prime example of millennial in leadership and making a global impact.

BDO: Why did you choose nursing as a profession?

BW: As ironic as it may sound. I didn’t choose nursing, nursing chose me. I decided I wanted to pursue nursing when I was 16 or 17 years old in high school. I researched jobs that would be in high demand by the time I graduated from college. Nursing was amongst the top 5 of just about every list and that stood out to me. When I read further, I discovered the qualities of a nurse, job skills, requirements, and most importantly the benefits of being a nurse. I knew immediately that this was what I wanted to spend my life doing.

BDO: How do you use your nursing profession to impact the world?

BW: Nursing is not just a job. It is a lifestyle. Even when a nurse is off duty, you are never truly off duty. Not only

do our patients in hospitals depend on us, but our families and society trust us as well. As a leader in health care, I use my influence to empower.

I educate people to live healthy lives and inspire both current and future nurses to use their voices to initiate change where it is needed. I plan to give back by starting a brand that will provide support and services to inspire millennial nurses to discover the leader within in order to maximize their true potential.

BDO: What advice would you give a nurse who’s ready to make a shift in their career?

BW: I’m a firm believer if you love what you do, then you will never work a day in your life. It’s important for nurses to think beyond the chart and really understand what their true purpose is in health care. I like to refer to this as “finding your niche”. Before you can shift your career to have a global impact you have to figure this out first.

Each individual nurse has something special to contribute to the profession whether you are a novice or an expert.

Last but not least, surround yourself with like-minded professionals. Nurses can do this by joining professional organizations, attending conferences, or networking with other successful nurses.

As you can see from these three amazing nurses the possibilities are endless.

You can work at the bedside, sit in the boardroom, teach in the classroom, work in the government, or travel the globe. Whatever you decide to do, just be true to what you desire.

Priscilla Q. Williams, RN: Author, Speaker, Certified Life Coach, Global Nurse Educator www.priscillaqwilliams.com

Equity v. Equality THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

by Naomi Shelton, Director of K-12 Advocacy at UNCF (United Negro College Fund)

Equity has been a huge buzzword in the field of education this year. Education advocates and politicians alike have called for an increase in educational equity, but what does the term really mean? Equity is not Equality. Equity creates equality by prioritizing resources to students who need them the most.

For example, think of a typical track meet.

There are five runners – each in their own lane. Each runner must run one lap around the track. The first runner to complete the lap, wins the race. Now let’s use this analogy to inform our understanding of equity.

Equality would mean that every runner would start the race at the exact same spot in their lane. However, the track is ovalshaped. If each runner began at the same spot, each runner’s distance to the finish line would be different. The runner in the innermost lane would run a shorter distance than the runner in the outermost lane.

Sure, they would both start in the same spot (EQUAL), but the runners in the innermost lanes would have an advantage – in distance – than their counterparts in the outermost lanes.

This is precisely why track meets do not operate this way. Since the track is ovalshaped, each runner begins the race in their own lane, at different, equal distance, spots along the track; ensuring that each runner, runs the exact same distance needed to complete the race.

Now, think of our current public education system in this same context. Students – regardless of race, geography, household makeup – start on the same marker on the track. Some students, like the runner in the outermost lane, have to run harder and faster to get to the finish line. The barrier here is distance. In the real world, barriers include low-income, resource deprived

neighborhoods, disabilities that require additional expertise, culturally negligent curriculum, outdated technology, inexperienced teachers or access to critical supportive services.

Meanwhile, the runner in the innermost lane has it a lot easier. They don’t have to run as fast or as hard to get to the finish line because of their initial position in the race.

The barriers here are fewer in number. In terms of education, these innermost runners attend schools in affluent neighborhoods with a surplus of resources. These students have the advantage of local taxbased funding formulas, parent lead fundraising efforts and/or private funding, and state-of-the-art technology.

What we need is education reform that promotes fairness. Fairness equals equity.

As Debby Irving in her book Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race states, “Equality means giving all students the exact same thing to meet the same expectations. Equity means holding people of differing needs to a single expectation and giving them what they need to achieve it.” In other words, the playing fields need to be leveled. It’s critical that our public educational system undertakes reform – changes so that each student is given what they need to succeed.

Our education system should support students by allocating the most resources to students who are most in need, just as track athletes arrange themselves for fairer competition. The national education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) targets dollars to the highest poverty schools and districts.

Under No Child Left Behind, schools could lose funding if they failed to meet statewide standards. But under ESSA, states cannot reduce funding by more than ten percent from year to year despite school performance. ESSA also attempts to ensure that low-income students are not disproportionally taught by ineffective, in-

experienced, and/or out-of-field teachers.

ESSA requires that state and district report cards include the percentage of inexperienced teachers, principals, and other school leaders as well as teachers with emergency credentials, and teachers teaching subjects out of their range of expertise. ESSA also seeks to relieve some teacher angst surrounding evaluation systems by ending the requirement for state teacher evaluation systems to focus significantly on student test scores.

ESSA gives power back to the states to control education policy. Now, members of the community must hold their school leaders and elected officials accountable to implement system-wide and school-specific measures that ensure equity in our schools.

Furthermore, UNCF’s 2017 community resource, Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education, offers step-by-step analysis of African American

Education and highlights organizations that have effectively engaged in education efforts at a local level to support efforts in improving the quality of education for all students.

Naomi Shelton has experience in education related community engagement both at the national and local levels and public administration. Currently, she is the Director of K-12 Advocacy at UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. There, she focuses on national education initiatives and community engagement efforts to ensure more AfricanAmerican students are college and career ready. Naomi is currently a member of the DC Public Charter School Board, appointed by Washington, D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser. Her passion is educational equity.

Follow Naomi on Twitter at @NaomiSheltonDC

Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency for Murder Conviction as Teen

case,” Gov. Bill Haslam said in a statement.

“Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16.

Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life. Transformation should be accompanied by hope.”

Brown’s case became a cause célèbre for several high-profile advocates, including comedian Amy Schumer, reality star Kim Kardashian West and actress Ashley Judd.

By WI Web Staff

Cyntoia Brown, a 30-year-old woman serving a life sentence for killing a man who solicited her for sex when she was 16, has been granted clemency and will be released from prison this year to parole supervision, the Tennessee governor’s office announced Monday.

Brown, who said she was forced into prostitution at a young age, was convicted of the 2004 murder of Johnny Mitchell Allen, 43, whom she said she killed in selfdefense. She will be released Aug. 7 after serving 15 years in prison.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

“This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex

18

Con’t from page 12

African Union Ambassador

Surprisingly, the Ambassador said she’s received virtually no push back. “It’s easy for us as our point of view as Africans is that we are in the right. We are coming from the point of righteousness. There’s no other way to slice it; it is what it is,” she said.

H.E. Dr. Chihombori-Quao is among those leading the push to undo what occurred at the Berlin Conference 134 years ago when the various European powers salaciously explored, divided, conquered and exploited the entire African continent.

Known as “The Scramble for Africa,” thirteen European countries and the United States met in Berlin and made rules that divided Africa in 53 separate nations.

“They were haphazardly going into Africa to grab whatever they could … [they said] let’s organize so we could effectively loot them,” H.E. Dr. ChihomboriQuao said. “That strategy is still in place, unabated with nobody challenging it. It’s just accepted,” she said.

Her Excellency said Africans must stop accepting crumbs off the table and get a seat at the top of the table itself.

Although it’s estimated that $50 billion leaves Africa each year because of corruption, Dr. Chihombori-Quao notes that France still extracts a colonial tax of $500 billion annually from francophone African countries.

“If we talk corruption, we need to talk about it from A to Z. Let’s talk about all of this,” she said. “The former colonizers are still very active in Africa. You can look at Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany… they are still very present in Africa, yet we don’t talk about it.”

However, if this Ambassador has her way – and there’s little doubt that she can succeed – things will change.

A major part of that change is a new “Wakanda” project launched by Her Excellency that’s expected to raise $5 billion in development funding over the next year or so. “The Wakanda One Village Project,” will be funded by Africans throughout the diaspora who will be its sole owners.

It will consist of five African Centers of Excellence in each of the five regions of the continent, which will serve as nerve centers for development delivering stateof-the-art healthcare facilities, hotels, industrial homes, shopping centers and other amenities.

“We are going to build the Africa that we want so those [throughout the diaspora] who say I cannot go home because home is not what I am used to will make it what they want,” Dr. Chihombori-Quao said.

This is the first installment of a news series and the global initiative of NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. to expand the international reach and impact of the Black Press of America.

PART II in this series will cover the Wakanda One Village Project.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Minorities Poised to Take Advantage of Oil and Gas Boom

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

For African-Americans and Latinos, the path to upward mobility in the oil and gas industry remains filled with both hurdles and hope.

A 2017 U.S. Labor Department analysis revealed that African-American workers held just 9 percent of the jobs in oil and gas extraction and, despite the boom in the industry over the past decade, Black Americans never comprised more than one-tenth of the nation’s oil and gas workforce.

The report also noted similar statistics for Latinos.

On Tuesday, Mike Sommers, the president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, told reporters he and others in the industry are working hard to change that.

“One of the things we know is this workforce is only going to grow. Because of the American Energy Revolution, we expect as much as 2 million new jobs will be needed by 2030 in the industry,” Sommers said.

That means a lot more participation by minorities and women, he said.

Already, the industry is focused on its workforce of the future, creating more career opportunities for women, minorities and Millennials because it values diverse perspectives and contributions as key to driving continued innovation in the energy space,” Sommers said.

“We’re excited and we have a long history of working in the [black] community,” he said.

We are very excited to lead the effort going forward. The last two years we’ve sponsored an effort called the Energy Research Collaborative to make sure that we have women and minorities represented in those energy companies,” Sommers continued.

A prior API analysis also revealed a most positive outlook for African Americans and

Latinos in the Oil and Natural Gas Industry.

With the right policies, 166,000 of the new oil and natural gas jobs created by 2020 could be expected to be held by African American and Latino workers, according to the analysis.

That would represent 31 percent of the projected 525,000 new job opportunities.

Also, by 2030, the analysis noted that the number could jump to more than 285,000 (35 percent of the projected 811,000 new job opportunities).

Also, more than 50 percent of all jobs created would be high-paying skilled and semi-skilled blue-collar jobs with a significant range of opportunities at the scientific/managerial level – like petroleum engineers – most of which require a college degree.

And, over half of the job growth, 417,000 jobs, is expected in the Gulf region while the East region is expected to contribute nearly 140,000 job opportunities and the Rockies region nearly 116,000 job opportunities.

The West, Alaska, and Central regions will combine to contribute approximately 138,000 job opportunities, according to forecasts.

Tuesday’s media conference call came as API released its latest State of American Energy report where Sommers opined that America can achieve the dual goal of growing the oil and gas industry while still cutting back emissions and operating more efficiently.

The report suggested that America has the energy to innovate, create wealth, develop solutions and achieve goals at home and abroad.

Americans are stronger, more secure and freer to choose their path because their country has abundant natural gas and oil, according to the report.

“As the world’s leading producer and refiner of natural gas and oil, the United States can look ahead to meet challenges from a position of energy strength, supported by

a modern, innovative natural gas and oil industry,” Sommers said.

America’s Generation Energy creates jobs, lifts entire communities, revitalizes manufacturing, strengthens U.S. security and develops the technology of the future, according to information in the 124-page report.

The current generation also leads the charge in solving complex challenges which is why the United States leads the world in both producing natural gas and oil, and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Sommers said.

The report pointed out that today, growth and decreased emissions have occurred together.

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions have plunged to their lowest level in a generation, while CO2 emissions around the globe have risen 50 percent since 1990.

The industry has invested billions in improving the environmental performance of

its products, facilities and operations, the report authors said.

From clean natural gas for power generation, to cleaner fuels and vehicle technology for transportation, and countless other innovations, America’s Generation Energy is on the cutting edge of environmental progress, the authors wrote in the report.

Further, the same innovations helping to drive down emissions are generating record energy production which means jobs and economic growth, API officials said.

Energy infrastructure investment alone can support a projected 1 million-plus jobs per year – a major opportunity for bipartisan achievement in the next Congress.

“It means security for the United States and our allies. U.S. energy imports are on track to reach their lowest level in decades, and our exports provide a stable source of energy for our friends around the globe,” Sommers said.

“It means a competitive advantage for

American manufacturers and budget relief for American families, who are less vulnerable to price shocks caused by overseas instability,” he said.

And, it also means that the door remains wide open for African Americans and Latinos.

“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) are working with the American Petroleum Institute to increase the participation of our families and communities in the vast economic development, as well as high-wage jobs, opportunities in the U.S. gas and oil industry,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. “The 2019 State of Energy Address today

by API CEO Mike Sommers was a significant step forward to which the NNPA and the NAHP will definitely respond,” Chavis said.

Meet the 32-Year Old Who Just Became the Youngest Black Woman Elected to Congress

Chicago, IL — Lauren Underwood, a 32-year old African-American registered nurse, has made history as the youngest Black woman to be elected to Congress. In her new role in Congress, she hopes to use her skills and experiences to fight for people who don’t have access to affordable health care.

On Thursday, 116th Congress was sworn into office and it made history as the most diverse group having 127 women. One of those is Lauren Underwood, who also made history as the youngest Black woman in the Congress.

She won as the representative of Illinois’ 14th Congressional District.

Underwood earned a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan and graduated as Magna cum Laude. She then took her Masters

program at Johns Hopkins University, where she also worked as a research nurse.

Underwood joined the politics in 2010 as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she worked to implement the Affordable Care Act. She was appointed by the Obama administration in 2014 to assist with public health emergencies and disasters, such as the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Underwood herself had a pre-existing heart condition she was diagnosed with at the age of 8. The care she received from the doctors and nurses is what actually inspired her to work in healthcare as well. It also gives her an upper hand in understanding appropriate laws and policies for Illinois families.

“I have a two-year opportunity to make a

real difference and represent the people of the 14th, and they have placed their faith in me,” Underwood said at a recent Congressional Black Caucus event.

“They’ve given us a chance. I have to prove myself, and we will, beginning on day one, where I’m leading an effort to reform this government.”

She has since been excited to be a part of “a moment of history” in the U.S. Congress that she had always hoped for.

“Diversity of thought, geographic diversity, age, race, gender, life experience are all great things that we each bring to this Congress of the United States, and I’m really proud to be part of a caucus where I’m not ‘the only,’” she told the Chicago Tribune.

19

THEINNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWSNEWS - January January02, 15,2016 2019 July09, 27,2019 2016 -- August

Dispatcher

EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST - (P/T)

NOTICE

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport

Galasso Materials is seeking a motivated, organized, detail-oriented candiAssist individuals receiving services in identifying and making date to join its truck dispatch office. Responsibilities include order entry and truck ticketing in a fast paced materials manufacturing and contracting choices about their social, vocation and personal goals. Duties incompany. You will have daily interaction with employees and customers clude case management, job development/placement/retention seras numerous truckloads of material cross our scales daily. We are willing vices and job support as needed. Requires use of personal vehicle. to train the right individual that has a great attitude. NO PHONE CALLS B.A. in a related field; plus 2 yrs’ related experience or equivalent PLEASE. Authority, Reply to Hiring Manager, PO Box 1776, East Granby, CT 06026.

HOME INC, on behalf and of Columbus and the New Haven Housing combination of education experience.House Pay rate $16.61/hr.

EOE/M/F/D/V. is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this devel-

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Apply to: GWSNE, 432 Washington Ave., North Haven, CT 06473/ located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations apFaxopment (203) 495-6108/hr@goodwillsne.org EOE/AA - M/F/D/V

DELIVERY PERSON

ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon reis seeking Resident Services in New Haven, CT. Part quest bya calling HOME INC Coordinator at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed pre-Time Delivery Needed Partapplications time- 16 hrs/wk. have experience w/ senior and Orange Street, Third must Must be returned to HOMEworking INC’s offices at 171 One/Two Day a Week, disabled Services background preferred. Please Floor,community.

New Haven,Social CT 06510.

Property Management Company

call (860) 951-9411 x238 for inquiries.

NOTICIA Scale House Operator ,

Must Have your Own Vehicle

Data Entry, Print, Copy & Scan Documents. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., & Manifests. DOT & OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER DISPONIBLES to RED Technologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email toPRE-SOLICITUDES HR@redtechllc. com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

If Interested call

(203) 435-1387

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo Thede Community ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones ingresos Foundation for Greater New Haven is accepting applications for its Section 8 Elderly/Disabled housmáximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 is seeking to fill the position of Director of Gift Planning. ingjulio, until2016 January 2019.

Annual income limit ispre-solicitudes $20,350 (one(aproximadamente hasta31, cuando se han recibido suficientes 100) Please refer to our website for details: http://www.cfgnh.org/ person) & $23,250 (two people).

Interested parties may pick up en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición About/ContactUs/EmploymentOpportunities.aspx. EOE. an llamando application at theINC Coventry Housing Authority, Main St., a HOME al 203-562-4663 durante esas1630 horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse Electronic submissions only. No phone calls Coventry, CT, or have one mailed.

Completed applications must a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

Invitation for Bid (IFB) Trumbull Gardens Roof Drainage Solicitation Number: 118-PD-19-S The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is requesting sealed bids for Trumbull Gardens Roof Drainage. A complete set of the plans and technical specifications will be available on January 7, 2019. To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605 on January 16, 2019 @ 10:00 a.m., submitting a bid for the project without attending conference is not in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities. org no later than January 31, 2019 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. All bids must be received by mailed or hand delivered by February 11, 2019 @ 10:00 AM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Director of Procurement, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. No bids will be accepted after the designated time.

Accounting Coordinator

Coventry Housing Authority

be postmarked or hand delivered no later than January 31, 2019.

For more information call 860-742-5518.

Listing: Retail Assistant

Town of Portland, CT (EOE) 35 hrs weekly Deadline: 01/31/2019

Responsible municipal accounting position that requires maintaining a complete set of all financial ledgers for all funds. Work requires good knowledge, skill and ability in municipal accounting. Qualifications: Associate’s degree in accounting + 2 yrs progressively responsible bookkeeping or accounting record keeping experience involving the use of a computer (MS Word, Excel), or an equivalent combination education and qualifying experience. Send application & resume to: First Selectwoman’s Office, P.O. Box 71, Portland, CT 06480-0071

Petroleum Company has an immediate full time opening. Previous experience helpful in answering multiple telephone lines and in dealing with customers. Personable customer service skills a must.

Substitute Custodian: The Town of East Haven is currently seeking qualified applicants Previous petroleum experience a plus. Applicant to also perform Invitationtotoparticipate Bid: in the Civil Service Examination for the position of Substitute Custodian. administrative tasks such as typing proposals, scheduling appoint-nd Coventry Housing Authority is accepting applications for Qualified candidates shall meet the following minimum requirements: Some knowledge 242-258 Fairmont Ave Notice 2 ments and ordering parts and materials.

Please send resume to: its State Elderly/Disabled housing until January 31, 2019. Annual of materials, methods, and equipment used in building custodial work, ability to follow Manager, Confidential, P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

Townhouse, BA,(two 3BR, 1 level , 1BA income limit2BR is $50,350 (one person) &1.5 $57,550 people).

In- H.R. written and oral instruction; ability to maintain cooperative relationships with those con ********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer********** terestedAll parties pick up annew application at the Coventry Housing new may apartments, appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 tactedCT in work; ability to plan work schedules and work independently; sufficient physical Old Saybrook, Authority, 1630 Mainhighways, St., Coventry, CT,bus or have mailed. Comstrength and stamina to perform the duties required of the class. Graduation from High near stopone & shopping center (4 Buildings, 17 Units) pleted applications must be post marked or hand delivered no later Executive Director Position School or 1 year employment in building care and cleaning operations required. CandiPet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 than January 31, 2019.

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing RateinProject datesWage bilingual Spanish are encouraged to apply. Hourly rate of pay is $20.47. This is a

TOWN OF EAST HAVEN

NEW HAVEN

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

For more information call 860-742-5518.

Common Ground High School, Urban Farm & Environmental part time position, weekly hours range from 15-25, 2-3 days per week. Deadline: January Education Center is looking its next Executive Director:Housing, A 25,Selective 2019. Applications to participate in the examination are available online at www.

NewforConstruction, Wood Framed, Demolition, Site-work, Casttownofeasthavenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/job-notices-and-tests or the Civil in-place Concrete, AsphaltService Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT. The Town of East Haven is committed Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential to building a workforce of Casework, diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and description and how to apply, please visit http://commongroundct.

Veterans encouraged to apply.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing andareFire Protection. org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Common-Ground-ExecutiveThis contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Director-job-posting

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s dynamic, proven organizational leader who shares our roots-deep Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday,commitment August 20, 2016to 1:30environmental and food justice, active, authentic 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. learning, and inclusive, equitable community. For a detailed job (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster

Notice of Public Hearing

St. New Haven, CT

The Bristol Housing Authority is developing its 2019-2023 Agency Plan in compliance with the HUD Quality Housing and Work ReBid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 sponsibility Act of 1998. A Public Hearing will be held on February Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 15,Sealed 2019 atbids 3:00are p.m.invited at Gaylord Towers Community Hall located by the Housing Authority of the Town of SeymourFT Assistant Building Official Project documents available via ftp link below: at until 55 Gaylord CT. August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, $38.03 hourly 3:00 Street, pm onBristol, Tuesday, http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

For details and how to apply, go to www.bloomfieldct.org.

Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Information is available for review and inspection at Bristol HousPre-employment drug testing.

Smithfield Assisted Living 26 Smith ing Authority, Gardens 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CTFacility, during hours M/W/FStreet Seymour.

AA/EOE Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com 8:30a-4:30p, Tues. 8:30a-1:00p, Thurs. 1:00-4:30p.

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applicaAA/EEO EMPLOYER Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Town of Bloomfield

The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT

Laborer:

tions for the position of Laborer in its Public Works Department. Qualified is seeking BIDS FOR (1) F250 pickup truck or equivalent, (1) candidates must possess a High School Diploma or GED, some experience in heavy manual labor and CDL. Current base pay for this position Transit Cargo Van or equivalent and (2)from Transit VansHousing or is $40.782/year.

Bidding documents are available theConnect Seymour Authority OfThe application is available at http://www.townofeastEquivalent.

Bidding documents can be viewed and printed at www. fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. havenct.org/civil-service-commission/pages/job-notices-and-tests or The norwalkha.org under the Business section, RFP/RFQ. Norwalk Office of the Mayor, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT. The Town of East Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Adam Bo- Haven is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, Females, Veterans and Handicapped The Executive Housing Authority or all bids,are to encouraged to apply. vilsky, Director reserves the right to accept or reject any

reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.

20

INNER-CITY July 2016 -- August THE INNER-CITY NEWS NEWS - January 0927, , 2019 January 15,2016 2019 02,

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport

Water Quality Inspector

Invitation for Bid (IFB) Asphalt Paving and Repairs Agency-Wide Solicitation Number: 117-CM-18-S

Performs responsible specialized work in protecting the quality of the water supply and distribution system for the Town of Wallingford, CT. Requires an Associate’s degree in environmental science or sanitary engineering, plus 3 years of experience in a water utility. Successful candidates must have a valid Connecticut driver’s license and be in possession or be eligible for a Class I Water Treatment Plant or Distribution System Operator Certification and Certification as a General Backflow Preventers, Tester and CrossConnection Survey Inspector issued by the State of Connecticut.

The Town offers a competitive pay rate of $25.30-$30.72 per hour (contract currently under negotiation) plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Applications or resumes will be accepted until February 5, 2019 (or the date of receipt of the 50th application) at the following address: Human Resources Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492, (203) 294-2080. Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is requesting sealed forofAsphalt Paving and and Repairs A complete set of HOME INC, onbids behalf Columbus House the Agency-wide.

New Haven Housing Authority, the plans and technical specifications will be available on December 26, 2018. To obtain is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this devela copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations applease reference solicitation number and title on the subject line. A pre-bid conference ply. will be available from CT 9AM06605 TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y will bePre-applications held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, on January 16, 2019 @ 10:00 25, submitting 2016 and aending sufficient pre-applications (approximately a.m., bid forwhen the project without attending conference is not 100) in thehave best been of received at theAdditional offices of questions HOME INC. Applications willonly be to mailied upon reinterest the Offeror. should be emailed bids@parkcityquest by callingnoHOME INC January at 203-562-4663 during hours. Completed precommunities.org later than 24, 2019 @ 3:00those p.m. Answers to all the quesapplications muston bePCC’s returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third tions will be posted Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org.All bids must be Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. received by mailed or hand delivered by January 31, 2018 @ 10:00 AM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Director of Procurement, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. No bids will be accepted after the designated time.

NOTICIA

Common Ground

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES is HOME looking forenan Assistant Manager of Facilities Grounds to assistestá the INC, nombre de la Columbus House y de la New and Haven Housing Authority, Site Manager with the care, upkeep and maintenance of Common aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en esteGround’s desarrollo site and facilities ensure effectively all of deCommon ubicado en la calle in 109order FranktoStreet, Newthey Haven.

Se aplican meet limitaciones ingresos máximos.programmatic Las pre-solicitudes estaránClick disponibles 09 a.m.-5 comenzando Martes 25 Ground’s needs. here for a full p.m. job descrtipion and how 2016http://commongroundct.org/2018/07/common-ground-is-seekinghasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) to julio, apply: en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición an-assistant-manager-of-facilities-and-grounds/ llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

Scale House Operator,

Data Entry, Print, Copy & Scan Documents. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., & Manifests. DOT & OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

NEWCORPORATION HAVEN QSR STEEL

242-258 Fairmont Ave APPLY NOW! 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA All new apartments, appliances, new&carpet, Steelnew Fabricators, Erectors Weldersclose to I-91 & I-95 Top pay for top performers.

Health ts, 401K,center Vacation Pay. highways, near bus stopBenefi & shopping Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT is seeking BIDS FOR MAINTENANCE UNIFORMS. Bidding documents can be viewed and printed at www. norwalkha.org under the Business section, RFP/RFQ Norwalk Housing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director.

Administrative Assistant

Field Engineer

BA/BS in Civil Engineering or Construction Management.

2-5 yrs. experience. OSHA Certified.

Proficient in reading contract plans and specifications.

Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; Email resumes to info@redtechllc.com. RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Project Manager Environmental Remediation Division 3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002;

Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com

RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Must have DOT Construction Exp. Involves traveling to Job Site for record keeping.

Reliable transportation a must. NO PHONE CALLS EMAIL RESUME TO michelle@occllc.com EOE/AA Females and Minorities are encouraged to apply

Project Manager

InvitationDivision to Bid: Environmental Remediation nd 2 Notice

3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CTOld 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; or Saybrook, CT Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED(4Technologies, LLC is an EOE. Buildings, 17 Units)

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Common Ground High School

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc

seeks: Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact: Dan Peterson Phone: 860- 243-2300 email: dpeterson@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc

seeks: Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Union Company seeks:

is looking for a Part Time After-School Recreations Programmer.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition,Tractor Site-work,Trailer Cast- Driver for Heavy & Highway ConFor job details and how to apply, please visit http://commonstruction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, groundct.org/2018/08/common-ground-seeks-a-part-time-afterclean driving record, capable of operating heavy Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, school-recreations-programmer/

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. Listing: Transportation - Immediate Openingcompliance requirements.

This contract is subject toAssistant state set-aside and contract

We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

High Volume petroleum oil company is seeking a full time TransContact Dana at 860-243-2300.

Bidtime Extended, Due6:00AM. Date: August 5, 2016 portation Assistant. Work begins at Previous peEmail: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com troleum oil, retail or commercial dispatching experience a plus.

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply MUST possess excellent attention to detail,available ability tovia manage Project documents ftp linkmulbelow: Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer tiple projects, excel proficiency and good computer skills required. http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Send resume to: Human Resource Dept., PO Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437. ********An Affi rmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer********** Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 Large CT Fence & Guardrail Contractor is looking Scale House Operator, Data Entry, Print,EMPLOYER Copy & Scan DocuAA/EEO for experienced, responsible commercial and resiments. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., & Manifests. dential fence erectors and installers on a subcontracDOT & OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes to RED Techtor basis. Earn from $750 to $2,000 per day. Email nologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com resume to pking@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

FENCE ERECTING SUBCONTRACTORS

21

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

Executive Producer Dream Hampton Talks “Surviving R. Kelly”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

For Dream Hampton, who served as executive producer of the much-talked about “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary, the explosive revelations in the film were just the tip of the iceberg.

Hampton said there were many things she couldn’t talk about and will never discuss because it’s “so dark and sad and traumatic.”

That’s saying quite a bit as the three-part Lifetime Television series not only has social media and the general public aghast but has celebrities like John Legend and Chance the Rapper expressing remorse for ever working with Kelly.

“Maybe he could’ve gotten help when he was 30, or you know, 29 when the Aaliyah stuff broke,” Hampton said in an extensive

interview on The Karen Hunter Show on Sirius XM Radio.

Aaliyah was largely left out of the documentary, but Hampton said she didn’t want to devote an entire episode on the late songstress.

“For me, she’s actually his type,” Hampton told Hunter. “You know, what he targets are very regular, and you know, your audience understands this, like brown-skin black girls. You know, like he, we can talk about publicly, oh, that he targets black girls who aren’t famous. No, he has a very specific type, you know.”

Surviving R. Kelly — which aired on Lifetime from Thursday, Jan. 3 to Saturday, Jan. 5 — featured wide-ranging interviews with Kelly’s family members, former friends and colleagues, but most notably, women who claim that for decades, the hit-making

singer and producer used his power and influence to sexually and physically abuse women and young girls.

PEOPLE Magazine editors said they reached out to Kelly’s representatives who offered a “no comment” about the series.

In 2002, Kelly, a Chicago native, was indicted after a video surfaced allegedly showing a man engaged in sex acts with a woman who some witnesses testified was 14 at the time of the recording. Both Kelly and the woman denied that the video was of them, and Kelly was never charged with assault. In 2008, Kelly was found not guilty on 21 counts of child pornography.

Several published reports said Kelly intends to counteract the documentary with lawsuits and the creation of a Facebook page to “expose the lies.” However, Hampton said there was plenty of truth attached

to the story and much more remains untold.

“When I went into this project, I was clear that he was a predator and that he targeted young and vulnerable girls. I don’t think I knew he was an abuser, and I don’t mean to sound naive, but I just didn’t think physical abuse was a part of his repertoire,” Hampton said.

“I certainly didn’t know I would have to listen to a woman after woman talking about being denied food and movement.

I mean, we about to get into a couple of episodes where you’re going to hear testimony of girls talking about having, you know, they couldn’t leave the room unless he told them to and all of them didn’t have bathrooms in the room. So, they used slop buckets. His runners would put slop buckets in the room. So, I don’t think I was prepared for his sadism.”

result of the periodic droughts on the Cape Verde islands. But they came as Portuguese colonial subjects speaking Portuguese and having a very different history than those originally brought to the USA as slaves.

This created an unusual tension between the two populations of African descent.

Should the Cape Verdeans consider themselves “Portuguese”, “Black” or something else?

The struggle for the independence of Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde islands (which were considered one territory by the Portuguese colonialists) emerged in the 1950s and ultimately turned to armed struggle when the Portuguese repressed the demands for justice. One of the great lead-

ers of this struggle was none other than the iconic Amilcar Cabral who was, himself, Cape Verdean. The struggle for national liberation for Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde coincided with the energized Black Freedom Movement in the USA. Both of these movements had a profound impact on the thinking of Cape Verdean Americans leading to increasing “Black consciousness” and support for national liberation.

I decided to look at this important population because they are frequently ignored in discussions about Black America. Either they are treated as just another group of African Americans albeit with “strange names” or they are not treated as being African American at all or they are unknown.

Cape Verdeans, however, are part of what has made Black America, Black America.

African Americans have evolved as a population beginning with those originally brought over as slaves and indentured servants to the influx of Cape Verdean voluntary migrants, to the migrations of Caribbean peoples to the USA and, particularly after 1965, migrants from other parts of Africa and Latin America to the USA. Black America is continuously evolving through the introduction of these new blood lines.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com. He recently published the murder mystery The Man Who Fell From the Sky.

COMMENTARY: What about Cape Verdeans?

By Bill Fletcher, Jr., NNPA Newswire Contributor

In a previous column I discussed why I chose to write the novel, The Man Who Fell From the Sky. Central to the novel is the Cape Verdean in the USA. But here’s the interesting thing. When I have mentioned

Cape Verdeans to many knowledgeable people, they have no idea whom I am discussing. In other words, far too many of us have never heard of Cape Verdeans.

Nearly 400 miles off the coast of Senegal is found the Cape Verdean archipelago.

Settled by the Portuguese in the 1600s, they became a transit point for African slaves stolen from the Continent on their way to the New World. The Portuguese settled the islands with prisoners, adventurers, slavers and slaves.

In the 19th century Cape Verdeans became the first post-1492 African population to come to the USA voluntarily. They came initially as whalers and fishermen, though later families migrated, often as a

OP-ED: Because of the CBC, the Farm Bill Includes Millions for HBCUs, Black Farmers, and Rural Communities of Color

By Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus In 1986, on her award-winning “Control” album, singer-songwriter Janet Jackson asked: “What have you done for me lately?” This is a question the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is asked a lot. Well, here’s our latest answer to that question: Since its founding in 1971, the CBC has used the legislative process to right historic wrongs and to give a voice to the voiceless, and that’s exactly what we did in the $867 billion Farm Bill that passed Congress, which includes millions for HBCUs, black farmers, and rural communities of color.

As a result of the CBC’s efforts, 19 historically black land-grant universities will now get millions of dollars that states have been denying them for years. According to federal law, states are required to match

federal funding dollar-for-dollar for landgrant universities, but many HBCUs have not been getting what they are owed. In fact, a 2013 report by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities found that from 2010-12, 61% of the historically black land-grant universities did not receive 100% of the one-to-one matching funds from their respective states. Now states are required to report to Congress how much funding they’re providing to both historically black land-grants and their predominantly white peers. This is something the CBC has been fighting for for over two decades.

In addition to this new reporting requirement, at least three of these institutions will get a research center, called a “Center of Excellence”, that will allow them to lead the nation in research on food insecurity issues that affect African Americans in both rural and urban communities. It’s no secret that a lot of low-income, black communities are food deserts – meaning that there’s no place for the people who live in these communities to get fresh fruits and vegetables. The hope is that the research coming out of these Centers of Excellence will help address this issue and others.

Finally, the 19 historically black landgrant universities will get at least $2 million in additional federal funding for scholarships that they can use to attract new students. This funding will come from the $80 million scholarship program ($40 million in mandatory funding and $40 million in discretionary funding) that the CBC fought to get included in the Farm Bill.

When I first came to Congress, the CBC had just helped thousands of black farmers win a billion-dollar settlement against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for discriminating against them for federal farm loans. It took work to get that settlement and it took more work to make sure that settlement was paid out. But the CBC’s fight for black farmers continues.

As a result of the CBC’s efforts, black farmers will now be able to get the training and resources they need to better run their farms through USDA’s Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program (FOTO), a program that is a combination of the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers, the latter

22

of which provides grants to organizations that work with farmers of color and farmers who are veterans. The combined FOTO program will get $50 million in federal funding, a $20 million increase from previous years.

As a result of the CBC efforts, black farmers will also be able to more easily pass their farms on to their families. Some estimates show that 60% of land owned by African-Americans in the United States is heirs’ property, which is property that is passed down without a will or transfer of title. Before now, owners of heirs’ property were unable to get the credentials that are required to access USDA programs that could help them resolve heirs’ property issues. The CBC fought to address this contradiction in the Farm Bill.

Finally, because of issues that black farmers experience both within and outside of USDA, the CBC fought to include a provision in the Farm Bill that protects the Department’s Civil Rights Division from reorganization and political interference.

Specifically, the provision prevents the Division from implementing actions, policies, or decision documents until a civil rights analysis is conducted by the Depart-

ment on how well the Division processes and resolves civil rights complaints. This analysis is necessary to protect the civil rights of USDA employees, contractors, and beneficiaries (e.g. black farmers).

My last day as CBC chair is Wednesday, January 2. Members of the CBC can’t be chair for more than one Congress so I’ll be passing the torch on to Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) who I’m confident will take the CBC to higher heights. For me, chairing the CBC has been an opportunity of a lifetime. But the thing I’m most proud of is this: Despite a White House and Congress that was hostile to bettering the lives of African Americans, the CBC was still able to get a lot done, and the policies and programs included in the Farm Bill is just one of many examples. Happy holidays to you and your family.

Congressman Cedric L. Richmond represents the 2nd District of Louisiana, which includes parts of New Orleans and Baton Rouge. He is also the chair of the 48-member, bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), which was established in 1971. Follow him on Twitter at @ RepRichmond. Follow the CBC on Twitter at @OfficialCBC.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

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23

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 09, 2019 - January 15, 2019

N E W

H AV E N

P U B L I C

S C H O O L S

SCHOOL CHOICE EXPOS You are invited to discover all that New Haven Public Schools can offer families and students. Please join us at a School Expo.

Sat. Feb. 9 | 11AM-2PM

Wed. Feb. 13 | 6-8PM

Wilbur Cross High Sch.

Floyd Little Athletic Ctr.

181 Mitchell Dr., New Haven

480 Sherman Pkwy., New Haven

1- 2pm Kindergarten Info Session

6 - 7pm High School Info Session

SCHOOL CHOICE 2019 Apply online at Choice.NHPS.net from February 11 to March 17

New Haven Public Schools Office of Choice & Enrollment 54 Meadow Street | New Haven, CT 06519 | 475-220-1430

Choice.NHPS.net 24