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At Daedream, Young Actors Find "The Key" To Self-Expression

Lucy Gellman, Editor. The Arts Council newhavenarts.org

In the gymnasium of Mauro-Sheridan Interdistrict Magnet School, Bobby Daren was coming back into fashion. Somewhere bey-ond the sea! Somewh-eeeere waiting for me, Daren sang from a speaker, and 22-year-old Jevaughn Henry swayed from side to side, keeping time for a dozen young dancers. My lover stands on golden sands! Daren crooned. Henry leaned to the side and pointed to his left.

“One, two, three, four!” he called out. “One, two, three, four!” In the second row, five-year-old Lily Warnquist clasped her hands, extended her arms, and began to zigzag through the space. Henry’s eyes crinkled playfully at the edges as he kept the other dancers going. “Beautiful!”

Welcome to the Daedream Theater Arts Company, now in its 36th year in the New Haven Public Schools. Founded in 1988 by educator Kim Francis (read more about that here), the group has morphed from a scrappy after-school program to a tight-knit arts family, with students and mentors who often stay on for decades. This month, its 75 students are preparing for The Key, an original ensemble musical at Hill Regional Career High School. Devised and produced by Francis, a former teacher at Mauro-Sheridan and Lincoln Bassett Community School, The Key runs May 31 and June 1 at Career, and features actors from 5 to 25 years old. This year, the group has continued to grow its footprint, welcoming new students from Elm City Montessori School, Wintergreen Magnet School, and L. W. Beecher Museum Magnet School of Arts and Sciences as well as Common Ground and Mauro-Sheridan.

“The big ‘why’ for me is to treat other people with the respect and love that you would expect for yourself, and to help everyone you possibly can through whatever means,” Francis said in a phone call last Friday, labeling costumes as she spoke. “For me, this [Daedream] is the means to give kids something they might not otherwise have—to give them a sense of belonging and to affect change.”

Nowhere is that clearer, perhaps, than the annual musical. Each year, Francis starts with a loose concept for a show, and tightens it into a narrative with music, choreography and costumes. Then, program mentors and interns—all of whom are Daedream alumni—knit together a playlist and run the choreography with students, folding it into Daedream’s weekly program of improv classes, musical theater, singing lessons and afterschool homework help.

As Francis began to write this year, she envisioned a convening of people “who are all different from each other,” whose physical features vary from wide, pointy ears (yes, there is a number with Baby

Yoda costumes) to slippery fins to different kinds of feet. As they compete, they realize that they’ve had the answer all along—and it sounds a lot like finding the right harmony.

“They realize if they work together, they can win,” she said. Like other performances, The Key features selections from decades of music history, from Claude Debussy and Bobby Daren to Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and Chris Brown. “The kids are really talented this year—it’s going to be a really strong performance.”

On a recent Tuesday, rehearsal was in full swing, music drifting from classrooms and corners of the gym as mentors split students by age. In one corner, the “junior pearls”—that’s the youngest students, starting at just five years old— watched Henry’s every move, running the moves to Daren’s “Beyond The Sea.”

A 22-year-old employee at Amazon by day, Henry is one of Daedream’s “lifers:” he started attending in the third grade, after stumbling into a rehearsal en route to another after-school program. Back then, his mom was working long hours at the VA Hospital in West Haven, and he needed something to do. At Daedream, he learned about musical theater and arts education.

As Henry got older, he stayed with the company. By the time he was a student at Metropolitan Business Academy, he was a mentor. Over a decade after that first day, he’s the company’s self-taught dance director.

“Every kid who comes through the program reminds me of myself,” he said. “It [Daedream] brings out their differences and makes them more comfortable to be themselves. We’re all family here.”

As Henry walked students through the

song for the second time, Lily broke away from the group, gliding across the floor. She stomped once, gingerly, as if she was shaking mud from her sneakers, then wove through the gym as her peers keps dancing. Watching her, Program Director Gillian D’Costa beamed: Lily represents the newest generation of Daedream members. Her parents were once Francis’ students.

“It’s like, a bunch of families blending to form one giant program,” she said, adding that she is grateful to have grown up with

and Yazim Alicea, who have a penchant for acting. Many of them, over a series of interviews, described the organization as a sort of second home.

As she listened for the first strains of Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River,” Christina Forbes echoed that feeling, excited to help her peers. A freshman at Common Ground High School, Forbes joined Daedream seven years ago, when she was in the third grade at Mauro-Sheridan.

At the time, she didn’t know that she would return year after year. Now, it's a sanctuary. As she danced Tuesday, she raised one arm to the ceiling and straightened the other toward the ground, bending her back into a shallow C as the lyrics washed over the room.

“It’s just like my family now,” she said. “We can talk to each other about anything. We’re always there for each other. When I was their age—” she motioned to younger students trying to keep time—“I was trying to learn too.”

Now, she has a cadre of students looking up to her. Darryle Boyd, a fourth grader at Mauro-Sheridan, is one of them: he praised Forbes and fellow mentors for stewarding a program he’s excited to come to after school. As he ran choreography at a recent rehearsal, he radiated that enthusiasm, breaking into a big, goofy grin as he pulled his thumbs into his chest, and then pointed back out towards Henry.

“It’s just fun!” he said after a runthrough of “Ears,” an ensemble number with participants from kindergarten to college. After two years in Daedream, he wants to be an actor (and an MLB player on the Boston Red Sox, but that’s for another time).

Back on the gym’s sprawling floor, the “Pearls”—that’s students in second through fourth grade—fell into formation as they prepared for an ensemble number. As they waited for the opening keyboard, bass and vocals of “Listen,” they fell to a hush, conversations stopping mid-sentence. At the front of the group, Israel D’Costa gripped the mic.

Henry, and still be working with him. “I genuinely love the kids so much—and all my friends are here.”

That feeling of family is true among students, many of whom are siblings.

D’Costa’s younger brother Israel, for instance, is a member of the ensemble and a soloist on “Listen,” from the 2006 movie Dreamgirls. Her sister Xena is an intern in costume design. Henry’s sister Jeniya, a sophomore at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, is also a mentor in the program. So are brothers Zachery

Listen, he began, and it seemed that every ear in the house was indeed on him. To the song within my heart/A melody I start but can’t complete. Jeniya Henry emerged next to him, ready to take the group to church. Somewhere among the rows, eighth grader Ava Smith let the words move her. After six years in Daedream, she’s now a mentor in training, with “triple threat” musical theater skills. “The dancing and acting—it’s kind of natural for me,” she said later in the afternoon. “I like acting because I get to be a different character. It’s like I get to take a break from being myself. It’s fun. With dance, I like interacting with the young kids. I can teach them things that no one taught me when I was their age.”

More information on Daedream, which offers programming Monday through Friday at Mauro-Sheridan, is available here.

Christina Forbes (in the Sailor Moon sweatshirt): “It’s just like my family now,” she said. “We can talk to each other about anything."

Zachery Alicia.

Fans Fly at New Haven Night Market

Kapp Singer, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

With a decisive snap of the wrist, Shirley Chock opened her hand fan. A confident thwap echoed through the air. Liz Celotto looked on carefully and tried to mimic her movements. The two went back and forth—teacher and student— grasping their fans, outstretching their arms, and then flicking them at just the right angle until Celotto could unfurl hers with speed.

At a pop-up sponsored by the pan-Asian collective aapiNHV, Chock taught people from around the city the basics of the tai chi fan. The pop-up was one of over 100 stations at Friday’s New Haven Night Market, which drew thousands to the Ninth Square for food, art, music, games, and more. The bazaar is hosted twice a year by the Town Green Special Services District.

“I want people to see tai chi as not something that seniors just do. It has a rich tradition as a martial art,” said Chock, the owner of the Milford-based tai chi studio Aiping Tai Chi whose fan demonstration videos have garnered her over 100,000 followers on Instagram and 1.1 million likes on TikTok.

“The sound of the fan, the look of the fan—it’s just pretty cool,” she added.

Next door, Charlie, age 6, was drawing a cupcake on a paper plate. She grasped a red marker, putting the finishing touches on the confection which sat next to a pizza and a strawberry. After illustrating the meal, she pinned it up on a board next to dozens of others. The activity, also part of aapiNHV’s pop-up, was created by Ming Thompson, an architect and member of A Rising Tide, a collective working to promote Asian and Pacific Islander designers.

“Night markets are all over major Asian cities,” said Christine Kim, the founder of aapiNHV. “It’s great that this culture is starting here in New Haven”

Tung Huang, an instructor at Creative Arts Workshop, demonstrated how screen printing works. “When the ink gets everywhere, it gets everywhere,” he said as he covered the screen and pulled the squeegee across, transferring the ink to the plate.

“It’s completely mesmerizing,” said Creative Arts Workshop Director Trina Learned as she looked on. Over the course of the night, Huang printed dozens of pages and hung them up, which, once dry, participants could pick up and take

home.

The Timmy Maia Experience performed on the northwest corner of Orange St and Crown St, playing a range of soul, R&B, and Motown hits that got the crowd dancing.

Peace, Love, Books, a mobile bookstore run by Jennifer and Rich Cecarelli of North Haven, offered novels and nonfiction for attendees. The store is a converted 1968 Volkswagen Transporter, which Jennifer, a teacher, and Rich, a farmer, built as a “pandemic passion project.”

“It always seems to make people happy when they see it, which makes us happy,” said TK. “And it’s nice to see kids get excited.”

They donate all of their proceeds, many of which will be supporting Possible Futures’ Little Free Library project.

Jennifer Gargiulio, manager at the New Haven Free Public Library’s Ives Squared center, made complementary buttons for library lovers.

Jean Coriolan chose a “Black authors are lit!” button. She said she specifically picked it for her sister, Cindy Cadet, who writes children’s books.

Brendan, Harper, and Liz Keen, came to the night market from Westville to enjoy ice cream on a warm spring night.

Lamont Signs Fallen Officer Fund Into Law

by Hudson Kamphausen

MERIDEN, CT – Gov. Ned Lamont signed the Fallen Officers Fund into law on Wednesday, codifying a fund that will provide a lump sum of $100,000 and health insurance to the families of police officers who are killed in the line of duty in Connecticut.

On a rainy day in front of the Connecticut Police Memorial at the state police academy, the governor was joined by legislators, state officials, and members of law enforcement from throughout the state while he signed into law Public Act 24-27, which strengthens the provisions of the Fallen Officer Fund.

Through the fund, non-taxable benefits of up to $100,000 will be provided to the families or beneficiaries of police officers who are killed while on duty, and those family members will be able to stay on that officer’s health insurance for another five years after.

The fund will also be available to the families of officers who die from injuries they sustain while on the job.

Lamont said that the law is another way the state is showing its appreciation for police officers and their sacrifice.

“Our local and state police officers put their lives on the line every day while pro-

tecting our communities, and they should know that this fund is there to provide their families with some support should the unthinkable happen,” he said. “We need to always remember that the families of police officers are consistently making many sacrifices over the course of their loved one’s commitment to protecting and serving our communities.”

The now-codified law was previously funded during both years of the biennium budget, which ends with fiscal year 2025. The fund is controlled by the Office of State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, and has already given benefits to the family of a Hartford Police detective who was killed last year.

Scanlon said that he was familiar with what police officers face on daily basis, and that he was grateful to be able to contribute to the passage of the law to solidify the fund.

“As the son and brother of police officers, I know the risks our officers take every day to keep our communities safe,” he said.

Ronnell Higgins, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection – and a former police chief and son of a police officer – said that the fund will help sustain families in their time of need.

“Families of those men and women live each day in fear of the worst: that their loved one isn’t coming home,” he said. “The Fallen Officer Fund makes sure that the state of Connecticut wraps its arms around a family in need, after that officer has made the ultimate sacrifice.”

High-ranking law enforcement officers in the state gave their support and thanks for the new law.

Avon Police Chief Paul Melanson said that the new law is more than just codifying policy.

“This act is not just a legislature measure, but a lifeline for families grappling with loss,” he said.

The event fell on “Peace Officers Day” during “Police Week,” and several of those present took the opportunity to mention and honor some of the officers in Connecticut who had lost their lives in recent years.

The name of Det. Robert Garten, who was killed in a car crash while responding to a call, will be added to the police memorial.

Reps. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, and Pat Boyd, D-Pomfret, attended the event and stated their support for the new law and law enforcement in the state.

Charlie, 6, draws a cupcake.

Flanked from L to R by Comptroller Sean Scanlon, Rep. Pat Boyd, DESPP Commissioner Ronnell Higgins, and (not shown) Rep. Vincent Candelora, Gov. Ned Lamont signs a new law codifying the Fallen Officers Fund on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at the Connecticut Police Memorial in Meriden, Connecticut. Credit: Hudson Kamphausen / CTNewsJunkie

The new haven independent

Happy Birthday Head Start!

By National Head Start Association

Head Start is an important cornerstone of the social and educational investment the United States has undertaken for children, families, and communities. It is the national commitment to provide children, ages 0-5 years old, with the foundation they need to thrive and set them up for a lifetime of learning and growth in school and the wider world. “Project Head Start” was launched in 1965 as a comprehensive child development program. Over the last six decades, it has served more than 39 million children and families. On May 18, Head Start turned 59 years old. Happy Birthday, Head Start!

The Head Start community across the country will be celebrating Head Start’s birthday! NHSA appreciates your dedication to ensuring every child can succeed—and we hope that you will join us on social media in celebrating the history and continuing importance of Head Start. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson asked Sargent Shriver to convene an interdisciplinary panel of experts to design a program to help communities meet the needs of preschool children – in and beyond the classroom. The committee’s “Cooke Report,” named after its chair Dr. Robert Cooke, became the blueprint for Project Head Start.

Designed to help break the cycle of poverty, Project Head Start provided preschool

children from low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their educational, health, and nutritional needs as well as offer support and resources to their parents. Over the years, numerous studies have shown that Head Start students and graduates have improved life circumstances, including better health and a greater likelihood of graduating high school and earning a college degree or post-secondary certificate or license.

Head Start is rooted in the unwavering philosophy that where you come from shouldn’t stand in the way of where you’re going. The program now serves more than 800,000 children from incomeeligible families each year in urban and rural areas in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories, as well as American Indian and Alaska Native and migrant and seasonal communities.

Every Head Start classroom takes the same rigorous approach to learning, and our dedication extends far beyond the classroom as we focus on the development of the whole child. Parents and caregivers are treated as partners in their child’s education; Head Start provides support related to their child’s health, nutrition, and developmental needs. Head Start families have varying levels of experience navigating the educational system – we meet them where they are, treat them with respect, and support them to become a part of the community.

This approach has long demonstrated success – kindergarten teachers notice that Head Start graduates are more likely to demonstrate the skills needed for success in elementary school, such as raising their hands and waiting their turn patiently.

The Office of Head Start is part of the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

The National Head Start Association’s mission is to coalesce, inspire, and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education. We hold the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, can succeed in life. We are the voice for more than 1 million children, 275,000 staff, and 1,600 grant recipients in the U.S.

GOP Backs Massey For Caongress

by PAUL BASS

Michael Massey will get his chance to take on U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro in November, now that he has won the Republican Party’s endorsement against an opponent who is not planning a primary. GOP delegates voted 95 55 to endorse Massey for the 3rd U.S. Congressional seat at a convention held at Milford City Hall Monday night. The district includes New Haven and its suburbs.

Democrats at a separate convention last week endorsed DeLauro’s reelection campaign. She has held the seat since 1991, rising to the top Democratic position on the House Appropriations Committee and championing the child tax credit.

Massey defeated Stratford businessman Rafael Irizarry. Irizarry told the Independent Tuesday he will support Massey rather than wage a primary campaign.

“If I run a primary, probably I win the seat, no doubt about it. But I don’t want to divide the party. I’m here to help the party and bring the Latinos to the Republican party to make sure we take Rosa out

of there,” Irizarry said.

“I want to get straight to work,” Massey, a 44-year-old New Haven native who coowns the Black Corner Store on Edgewood Avenue, said Tuesday. He said he plans to hold his first big campaign event in New Haven. “I need as many traditional Republicans to come out and meet the people. Growing up, I never met a Republican. We have to change that. We have to show them that Republicans support our neighborhoods. We have to be there.”

In a recent interview on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven,” Massey said he had a political awakening in prison when he watched a speech by then-President Donald Trump and started reading up on him. He’s running as an “urban Republican” seeking to advance alternatives to traditional Democratic approaches to city policy, including allowing private companies to pay inmates $5 an hour to do work within prisons and wiping out restrictions on how food stamp recipients can use cash from EBT (electronic benefits transfer) cards.

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The new haven independent

100s Turn Out For “Freedom Fund” Dinner

by LISA REISMAN

“I grew up in hell a block away from heaven.”

Those are the words of the rapper 50 Cent. And that “lyrical poetic audacity,” in the words of Dr. Frederick Haynes III, senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, summed up the message of the 107th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner of the Greater New Haven Branch of the NAACP.

“There is no such thing as thriving for some and surviving for others,” Haynes, the keynote speaker, told a spirited audience of 325 at the Omni Hotel. “If we don’t thrive together, we’re going to be torn apart.”

The dinner took place on Thursday night at the 155 Temple St. hotel.

Greater New Haven NAACP President

Dori J. Dumas highlighted the night’s five honorees as “not just doing their jobs, but going over and above.”

Sondi E. Jackson, a speech language pathologist for New Haven Public Schools for 31 years who in April was unanimously appointed the city’s new supervisor for speech and hearing, received the Community Service Award. “She is someone who goes into her own pockets to make sure her students never go without,” Dumas said.

Dumas praised Business Award honoree Gorilla Lemonade, the brainchild of entrepreneurs Kristen Threatt and Brian Bur-

kett Thompson, for using proceeds from lemonade sales for initiatives to brighten holidays, raise up those in need, and serve as positive role models for youth. “They aren’t just businessman,” she said. “They uplift, they inspire. We see you and we respect you and we thank you.”

Cornell Scott Hill Health Center CEO Michael R. Taylor accepted the Health

Award on behalf of the community health center’s 750 staff members for their “steadfast commitment to the well-being of this community and to providing quality health care with compassion,” to the more than 55,000 people they serve.

Dumas dubbed President’s Award winner Deborah Dyett Desir, M.D. “a powerhouse” for her distinction as the first

Black woman appointed president of the American College of Rheumatology. Desir “has gone above and beyond to ensure she was there to take care of the community during Covid and in her commitment to nurturing Black and minority doctors,” Dumas said.

Education Award recipient Dwayne Smith, Ph.D. credited his mother for

his success in improving the graduation rate for underrepresented students as interim president at Southern Connecticut State University.

“I believe in the transformative power of higher education to change the trajectory of a family for generations because of her,” he said. “She was the daughter of sharecroppers and did not have an education, but she was a brilliant woman who ensured her seven children had access to education.”

Haynes, the keynote speaker, recounted a late afternoon in 1986 when he got to his bank just at closing. He ran to the door. There was an employee inside. “She saw me, and she flipped the sign that was open to closed, and to reinforce the fact that I could not get in, she flipped the lock,” he said. “I could see there were other people inside of the structure, they were transacting business. The same sign that said closed to me said open to them.” He kept knocking at the door. “While I was knocking, it got the attention of a customer who happened to be my mentor,” he said. He told his mentor they wouldn’t let him in. “He turns to the same sister and tells her, ‘go let him in, y’all come on in.’”

“I got in the structure that was closed to me because someone on the inside heard me knocking and had the door opened,” he said. “A lot of us are on the inside of the structure and you’re not on the inside just for yourself, but to open up the door to all of us.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III.

Gorilla Lemonade's Brian Burkett-Thompson and Kristen Threatt watching video introduction before receiving 2024 Business Award.

The new haven independent

African American Studies Class Finishes First Year

by MAYA MCFADDEN

After learning about everything from Africa’s Mali Empire to Black rebellion during Reconstruction to the history of slave codes and slave ships and convict leasing and with coursework still to come on the Black Panther Party and the Black Arts Movement Career High School senior Eliana Brito Castillo praised her school’s inaugural Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies class as opening her eyes to “a huge part of history that isn’t taught.”

“Now,” she said, “I feel I have a more complete view of how America came to be.”

Castillo offered that assessment on Thursday as she joined a classroom full of students in the pilot AP African American Studies course at Hill Regional Career High School at 140 Legion Ave. to debrief about what they learned this year, and what could make the class even better.

The new class, taught by history teacher A’Lexus Williams, is the College Board’s most recent addition to its Advanced Placement courses offered nationwide.

In a second-floor classroom Thursday students reflected on their experiences only days after taking their AP exam.

This year, Williams spearheaded bringing the pilot AP course to Career for the first time.

The students spent Thursday’s class period reflecting on the year of learning, how engaging the course content and pace of instruction was, and its personal impact on each of them.

Williams began the lesson by guiding the students through an intentional breathing exercise to decompress after the year’s four units of coursework. “In through your nose and release,” Williams told her class of ten students.

The students then followed suit with the class’s typical structure of answering an “opener” question. Thursday’s task was to write three or four sentences describing their experience with the AP exam’s difficulty, content, and test format, and how prepared they felt.

The students shared their thoughts by writing on index cards. The class avoided discussing specific AP exam questions as that is a College Board policy for schools.

The students agreed that they felt prepared for the test thanks to Williams’s efforts to help them practice answering opened-ended questions thoroughly.

Senior Ty’Jae Fain praised Williams and the class for helping the students hone such skills as critical thinking and learning event timelines. About the AP exam itself, Fain shared that the “hardest part about it was how long we had to be in front of our computer, it’s too much for me.” This year is the first time an AP test was offered digitally for a course.

Fain said while the computer offered some convenience she would have preferred the test had been given through

a traditional paper format. She said the screen time made her drowsy throughout the test.

Senior Eliana Brito Castillo agreed, saying the Chrome Books hurt her eyes, though she was able to get her answers down faster by typing.

Senior Imani Bryan said she preferred the computer’s convenience during the test compared to other AP tests on paper she’s taken.

Senior Adnan Ahmad Rizal said he preferred the digital test because it doesn’t require answers to be bubbled in and it only gave one question at a time as opposed to a paper test, which can look overwhelming at times.

Next the class transitioned into their course reflections, which they had been tasked with thinking through in advance of Thursday’s meetup.

Williams encouraged the students to be honest during the class discussion to help her to teach the new class even more effectively in the years to come.

Bryan singled out for praise the lessons on life in Africa before enslavement in the Americas. She said she knew nothing about ancient African tribes before taking the course. “They usually just tell us that Africans were taken here and that’s it. But learning about how they rebelled before, during, and after adds that background that we never really got. We actually got the meat of the story. They resisted and fought and didn’t just get taken. I finally got the real beginning of what we were before we were taken.”

While reflecting, the students also offered tips to Williams like their struggles with understanding the context of reading packets and analyzing them on their own at home.

Williams took notes while also letting

the students know that the course is meant to reflect college practices like reading lengthy and complex text before a professor’s lecture. “I wanna set you up for what you’re about to experience,” she said.

them a tip: to connect with their college librarians to help get guided support with databases and finding resources for projects.

When asked about the real-life impacts of the AP course, senior Imani Bryan said the class helped her to challenge a “procrastination spirit” she developed while experiencing remote learning during the pandemic as a freshman. That’s because the class was challenging, engaging, and relevant, she said. “This class helped me to break those bad habits,” she said.

Senior Jasmin Demps added that the AP course “actually felt like school again.”

Others agreed, saying that while the class’s workload was complex, they enjoyed the challenge of learning histories that aren’t typically taught.

Robinson concluded that the “whole school system went a little wonky when Covid hit, but this class honed it back to what it used to feel like. I had to put in effort to learn,” she said.

Brito Castillo agreed with Robinson and Demps. She added that the course gave her a newfound sense of pride. “I haven’t done this in a while, but there were days when I went home and told my mom about what I learned because I wanted to remember what I learned so bad,” she said.

For the remainder of the course this year, the class will dive deeper into the course’s fourth unit. Williams plans to focus the rest of the year on learning about Black pride and diasporic solidarity, the Black Power movement, the Black Panther Party, and the Black Arts movement. Williams added that the new course helped her to refine her lesson planning, curriculum development, and creativity skills in her classroom. She continued her work outside of the classroom finding relevant resources for the class.

“My own learning, as a life long learner, it pushes me to really study the field more than I really have ever gotten an opportunity to,” she said. “This course has allowed me to pursue reading and other sources in my personal life as a result of having to be prepared to teach something.”

Her goal for the new course is to improve students’ understanding of history through exposure and the centering of resilience and empowerment. “I hope if nothing else students are able to take away a more complete picture of not only U.S history but African American studies as a whole.”

When asked about the first year challenges that came with teaching the pilot course, Williams said they ranged from having fewer teaching models as a result of the still-developing course to pacing the course because of the school’s block schedule.

Another student suggested the class have field trips to historical sites in the future.

As students also reflected on their monthlong independent research projects completed during the year, Williams offered

“I am flying the plane as I am building it,” she said.

AP African American Studies students with Williams.

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Imani Bryan and Alexis Aguirre unpacking first AP African American Studies class.

The new haven independent

Student Photographers Put New Eyes On New Haven

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

High schooler Treazure Alexander looks to the side, her arms pulled back behind her head. Gold hoops dangle from her ears, low enough that they brush a goldenrodhued sweatshirt. On the shelf behind her, pez-colored bags of potato chips and popcorn glow in the bright, artificial light. She is completely statuesque, frozen in time. In another universe, this might be a gallery in the Louvre or Victoria & Albert, reserved for Greco-Roman sculptures. But this is The Marketa on Temple Street, more Jamel Shabazz than a stuffy hall of marble and stone.

It’s one of dozens of images in “New Haven, Revisited: The City Through The Eyes of Youth,” running May 16 through July 31 at the Ives Main Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library. Curated by Kevin Yang and Fany Kuzmova, both students in the Yale School of Architecture, the exhibition features photography from students at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School and High School in the Community. Every image is taken on a disposable camera, meant to capture a specific moment and perspective in the city’s history. And it does: in dozens of photographs, students tell a story about New Haven’s present and also its recent past, suffused with an early2000s nostalgia that viewers may not have even known existed.

“The main driver here is that there’s so much to learn from New Haven,” said Yang, a third year at the Yale School of Architecture. “It’s insane to me that people [students] stay inside and read their books all day. We do so much with the built environment and then none of these ideas make their way out [of the classroom.]”

The idea for the show began over a year ago, in a class Yang took with Professor Elihu Rubin. After moving to New Haven for grad school, he was struck—and frustrated—by the stark divide between Yale and the vibrant, historic city around it. Rubin was a bridge; he got the class outside and into the city.

As he explored, Yang learned about New Haven’s long history, including Mayor Dick Lee’s mid-century vision for “Urban Renewal” that razed stores, destroyed homes and chopped up neighborhoods. He became interested not only in “spaces that were lost,” the scars of which are often still visible today, but also how New Haveners were putting them back together.

While his peers stayed in the classroom, he was often eager to get out and explore the city that was (and is) temporarily his home. He met Doreen Abubakar, who helped build the West River Water Festival and Newhallville Learning Corridor. He talked to neighbors and neighborhood boosters, from members of the Armory Community Garden to former Mayor John DeStefano to Mike and Sheila Shanklin of the Greater Dwight Development Corporation. He also connected with educators, ultimately presenting his work to a group of New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) li-

brarians.

At some point, Co-Op librarian Mark Osenko connected him to Chris Randall, who has been teaching photography at CoOp since 2021. Meanwhile, Yang was able to secure a grant from Kodak for disposable cameras, which he distributed to students at a series of workshops last fall into this winter and spring.

“New Haven is the most interesting city I’ve lived in,” Kuzmova added excitedly as students assembled open photo books, the images taped neatly between accordion folds. As rows of photos emerged—there are five per display, and a few dozen displays in the show—they painted a portrait of a city striving gently forward, from late Dixwell Avenue buses to shots of a downtown that has transformed drastically in the last decade.

Across their displays, students have presented a sweeping portrait of New Haven, from its greenspaces and playgrounds to sidewalks dotted with early spring foliage. In some of the images, the tops of buildings soar upwards, their brick roofs and steeples stark against the low-hanging sky. In others, spring appears in full bloom, as a lens clicks and catches a cluster of daisies or violets that have made their way through the thawing ground.

Tuesday morning, a dozen of Randall’s students filled the library’s lower level, arranging photos as they tore into bagels and cream cheese that Yang had set aside. At one table, senior Destiny White pulled up a series of quotations, reading them aloud. Beside her, classmate Jeremy Thames sifted through images, uncapped a white gel pen, and began to transcribe the words in neat, bubbly handwriting.

In one image, a white car pulled up across from College Street Music Hall, the sunshine so bright it seemed cinematic.

In another, the creamy white exterior of a church peeked out from the end of an alleyway, suggesting a clear day ahead.

“Love is patient, love is kind,” White read, and Thames contemplated whether a photo of Francisco Del Carpio-Beltran’s 2020 mural on Orange Street was the right place for it. She scrolled through a few quotes silently, and Thames focused on a wide angle shot of the New Haven Green, the buildings around it suddenly small. A lone, forlorn bench looked out over a sprawl of grass, the trees still bare in the winter sunlight.

“Anybody got a picture of the early early morning?” asked senior Deandre Watt. White picked one up, the image covered in a kind of grainy haze, and passed it over to him. As she worked, she said it reminded her of a polaroid camera she received for Christmas two years ago.

“I just like taking pictures,” she said as she fitted a construction paper frame around a row of photos. “It makes me feel, like, excited.”

At the end of the table, Watt studied the photos he had selected, pulling them close to his face as he finalized the order. For him, the project was an exercise in remembering the city that raised him: he revisited some of his favorite childhood haunts, particularly the playground, trails, fountain and duck pond in Edgewood Park.

“You don’t see kids playing outside anymore. That’s the most unfortunate thing to me,” he said. Growing up close to the Ellsworth Avenue fire station, he spent hundreds of hours in Edgewood Park, running amongst the trees as they reawaken each spring. “As a kid, I really loved being outside.”

With the camera as his guide, “I remembered all the friends that I used to spend time with,” he continued. “This gives people a chance to see places that would not normally see themselves in and a chance to celebrate the community. It’s great.” It was the same motivation that led him

Top: Ari Thorpe.

Hillhouse Principal Plans To Stay

by MAYA MCFADDEN

Not quite three months into his new top job, Hillhouse High School Principal Antoine Billy has taken up a bet with some of his staff that he will be returning to Hillhouse at the end of summer break, and that he won’t make the school find its sixth principal in less than three years.

If Billy wins that bet which, he promised this reporter, he’s 100 percent sure he will he plans to celebrate with a glazed Krispy Kreme donut in August. And a successful school year to follow.

Billy talked through that playful bet, his personal and professional background, and his goals for the school that he’s led since Feb. 20, during a recent interview with the Independent.

He has stepped into Hillhouse’s top role after a revolving door of permanent and interim principals in recent years: In March 2022, Glen Worthy stepped down as Hillhouse principal after six years in the job. Retired former Wilbur Cross Principal Peggy Moore filled in as interim until Mark Sweeting took over in July 2022. Moore then returned to serve another stint as interim Hillhouse principal in August 2023 after Sweeting resigned. The Board of Education hired Billy as the school’s latest permanent principal in January of this year.

Since he was 12 years old, Billy knew he wanted to become a principal of a school like the one he attended growing up in Harlem, to support the dreams of at-risk youth that he once resembled.

For the past three months, he’s been living out that dream as the principal of Hillhouse High School, one of the city school district’s two comprehensive high schools, which he reported has an estimated 1,146 enrolled students this year.

Billy previously worked as a math teacher at Wexler Grant School from 2010 to 2013 and then at Wilbur Cross High School from 2013 to 2017.

From 2017 to early 2024, he worked as an associate principal of New Britain High School, which he said has more than double the student population of Hillhouse. He said he knew he wanted to come back to New Haven at some point, and had long hoped to work at Hillhouse, where he spent one summer working as a math teacher during his time in the district.

Billy told this reporter that Hillhouse reminds him of his own high school while growing up in Harlem. He described it as a school with vibrant student personalities and talent that in recent years hasn’t provided its students with the opportunities they deserve.

When asked about the major challenges Hillhouse currently faces, Billy described everything from negative community

perceptions of the second-largest school in the city to getting students engaged with their education to various personal obstacles and struggles in students’ and their families’ home lives.

A goal of his is to establish deeper relationships between the school and students’ families so that he and his team at Hillhouse can help connect them with necessary resources when non-academic barriers stand in the way of students succeeding in school.

Long term, he hopes to provide even more support out of Hillhouse’s school building itself including more academic tutoring, access to drivers education classes, daycare for young parents, and help for students navigating the juvenile justice system. He also wants to offer mentorship programming to pair students with a consistent support team

to offer wrap around services and help them from falling through the cracks.

“I want to remove every barrier that’s in the way of a kid’s success,” he said.

As these major barriers are addressed, Billy said, attendance, engagement, community investment, and assessment scores will improve. “They need the chance to just focus on academics,” he said. “Remove barriers and provide access and the rest will come.”

Billy seeks to inform his leadership decisions by collecting feedback and data, a favorite method for him as a math teacher. During his first days at Hillhouse, he said, district leaders suggested that Hillhouse shorten its homeroom periods at the start of the school day. Before agreeing, Billy asked hundreds of students on his first week on the job what they preferred during lunch waves. Out

Billy added that he recognizes that these goals will require him to continue building trust with the students and staff. “There’s trauma for everyone due to that instability,” he said in reference to just how many principals the school has had of late. “But I tell them all everyday, ‘I’ll be here in August.’ ”

Upon his arrival Billy aimed to acknowledge the distrust felt by both students and staff caused by the departure of past leaders. To gain his community’s trust, he plans to be consistent, accountable, firm, and warm, he said.

Hillhouse’s years of inconsistent leadership has led for students and staff to work in survival mode, Billy said. He’s ready to change that. “The talent and resources are in the building. It’s about the management of that talent and resources. That’s a challenge that I’m up for,” he said.

As a leader Billy has also been focused on learning before making large changes to the school. So far he’s learned that Hillhouse is a place that has a strong sense of pride for students and staff. “I want to build up that legacy of pride and remind people it’s a badge of honor,” he said.

From its athletes and musicians to educators and academics, Billy said his mission is to remind all that “Hillhouse is a powerhouse.”

And with that comes the task of reminding students of “what shoulders they stand on” so they can respect their school, Billy said.

One way Billy has worked to provide that reminder to students that their school cares for them is by kickstarting school days with music as students enter the building every morning.

of the 600 students he asked, he reported, 597 said they would not want to shorten the homeroom period, and so Billy advocated to not make the suggested changes. “There’s power in student voice,” he said.

Billy also hopes to raise the school’s expectations of its own students through future policies. In regards to class attendance, Billy said he no longer wants to allow for students to miss class and be able request a make-up packet of work from their teacher. Instead, he wants parents and the school to hold students to a higher standard of understanding “you don’t get paid if don’t show up to work,” he said.

He tells his students wisdom he’s learned from first-hand experience, like “getting here late gives you bad habits for life” and “dress yourself accordingly.”

Rain or shine, Billy welcomes his students to school in the morning to encourage students and to show parents dropping their students off that getting them to a school that cares about them pays off.

Like his favorite poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, Billy reminds students, staff, and parents that “our circumstances shouldn’t hold us back from our dreams” because they didn’t hold him back.

Billy has known he wanted to be an educator since second grade. He recalled his second grade teacher Ms. Young inspiring him as “she always took care of me” despite his frequent misbehavior in the classroom.

As the oldest of three boys raised by a single mother, Billy said, similar to his students at Hillhouse, he dealt with food insecurity and a lack of resources. However, he recalled, after a day of misbehaving in his second grade class with

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Hillhouse's Antoine Billy: Will be back in August.

The new haven independent

Scholars, education leaders discuss 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the Inner-City, courtesy of The Afro.com

The event, sponsored by the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust (TMCT), featured a panel discussion that included some of the greatest minds in the Greater Washington Area. The gathering took place at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage – now an historic landmark and the first YMCA in the country designated for African Americans.

White House Correspondent for the American Urban Radio Network, Ebony McMorris, moderated a panel discussion that challenged the audience, while also forcing them to consider the possibility that our nation’s highest court might one day–as it has recently done with other highly controversial cases like Roe v. Wade– decide that Brown v. Board has run its course and should be overruled.

Panelists included a TMCT board member Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq. , who currently serves the American Psychiatric Association Foundation as executive director and The Bar Association of D.C. as the 135th president; Kim Keenan, Esq., former NAACP general counsel and past president of the National Bar Association; and Dr. Jean Accius, president and CEO of Creating Healthier Communities. Also joining the panel was Barbara Arnwine, Esq., president and founder, Transformative Justice Coalition and co-host for the informative weekly Radio One talk show, “Igniting Change.”

Keeping the legacy of Thurgood Marshall alive

During opening remarks, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, TMCT board chair and National Newspaper Publishers Association president, shared his thoughts about his formative years of public education, particularly after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Brown v. Board on May 17, 1954.

“Seventy years ago, I was a student in the North Carolina Colored School System and despite Brown v. Board, I went through school in a system that remained segregated because the cities and counties in North Carolina fought against the court’s ruling. Malcolm X had it right when he said, ‘As long as you are South of the Canadian border, you are South.’ “If we want to keep Thurgood Marshall’s legacy alive, we must get the vote out because the powers that be want to not only turn back the clock but also deny us our rights,” said Chavis. “Banning books has served as the latest example but religion is also being used today as well. As for Donald Trump, he serves as an existential threat to Thurgood Marshall.”

Arnwine, whose office is located in the center, noted that the man for whom the building is now named both “changed the world and set things in motion.”

Panelists gather at the Thurgood Mar-

Despite the inclement weather, an enthusiastic group numbering several dozen gathered in Northwest Washington, D.C. on May 9, for two purposes: to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education and to celebrate the life and legacy of the social justice icon, the Honorable Thurgood

shall Center for Service and Heritage in Northwest D.C. for a discussion on the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall and the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education included: Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq. (left); Dr. Jean Accius; Thomasina Yearwood; Ebony McMorris; Kim Keenan, Esq.; Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis. (AFRO Photo/ D. Kevin McNeir)

“Brown v. Board was one of the few cases in which the court talked about [the impact of] White supremacy. I have no doubt that given the way the case has been inaccurately portrayed, today’s court would not have come up with the same decision,” said Arnwine. “For more than a century, the court has been dominated by conservative rule. However, if America wants to continue to claim to be the home of a just and inclusive, multi-racial society, then we [and the court] must be ready to open, not close avenues to opportunity for all its citizens.”

Andrews delivered a primer about the five cases that were involved in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, emphasizing that for those living in the District, Bolling v. Sharpe–not Brown v. Board– had the greatest impact on African Americans.

“You’re now sitting in the building that was once the 12th Street YMCA – it was for Blacks and it has been here since 1854,” Andrews said. “One hundred years later, in 1953, if you were living in America and you were Black, then you were living under the American apartheid system. People would like to call it something else – perhaps in efforts to sugarcoat things –

but that’s what it was.”

“What I continue to grapple with as a D.C. lawyer– one who has lived here for 30 years– is the fact that of the five cases, only Bolling v. Sharpe had an impact on opportunities for African Americans,” he said, adding that Board of Education was a group of five legal appeals that challenged the ‘separate but equal’ basis for racial segregation in public schools in Kansas, Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina and the District of Columbia.

“Because D.C. is not a state, the 14th Amendment doesn’t apply,” explained Andrews. “So, in reality, the court could have ruled against the case and simply said let Congress figure it out. We know how that always ends for those living in the District, especially today when we have little less than a do-nothing Congress on the Hill.”

Yes, race still matters in America Keenan, agreeing with Chavis, said “unlike Whites, Blacks don’t have the luxury as voters to say, ‘I don’t like any of the candidates’ or ‘I’m just going to stay home and not vote this time.’”

“We cannot forget the fact that everything Blacks have gotten in America in our struggle for equal rights, has been achieved because of the vote,” she said. “The Supreme Court may have a majority now that’s clearly stuck in the past but look – if we go back far enough, and roll the clock back in turn, Thurgood Marshall would not have been allowed to marry his wife (Cecilia Suyat Marshall).”

“One thing I learned during my years with the NAACP is there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends – just permanent issues,” Keenan added.

Accius changed the tenor of the discussion when he inserted his thoughts about how American policies represent values. “Policy is so systematically embedded in the American psyche that it tells us who is deserving and who is not,” he said. “The most precious thing we have next to education is health because health–good health– gives us more time, and time is something that cannot be replicated. Time is also expensive.”

“Consider, why is it possible that Blacks living less than five miles away from a community of Whites can have a life expectancy that is 15 years less than that of their White counterparts? Accius asked. For illustrative purposes, he compared the 93-year life expectancy for White men living in the Georgetown area of the nation’s capital, compared to the life expectancy of Black men living in Anacostia, at just 64 years. Accius further described the indicators that target Black communities and lead to the differing rates as “insidious, but intentional.”

Anacostia parents were the impetus for Bolling v. Sharpe

The roots of the Bolling v. Sharpe case

Marshall.

Lawyers George E.C. Hayes (left), Thurgood Marshall and James M. Nabrit, Jr., celebrate outside the U.S. Supreme Court on May 17, 1954 in Washington, D.C. after the court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education, agreeing that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. (AP Photo)

Scholars, leaders

can be traced to D.C.’s Anacostia community. After the D.C. Board of Education denied a petition by a group of parents to racially integrate John Phillip Sousa Junior High School, the following year, in 1950, the parents sought admission to the all-White school for 11 African American children.

In Bolling v. Sharpe, the Court, mirroring Brown v. Board of Education, ruled unanimously that school segregation by race in the District was as unconstitutional as school segregation in the states. However, the Court rendered a separate opinion on Bolling v. Sharpe, based on the Fifth Amendment because the 14th Amendment was not applicable to the District of Columbia, as it was not a state.

Chief Justice Earl Warren, who authored the decision, said the Court found that racial discrimination in D.C.’s public schools denied Blacks due process of law as protected by the Fifth Amendment. Today, “Anacostia looks a lot different now than it did in the 1950s,” Andrews said. “It was mostly White back then and most of the schools were severely overcrowded. Black parents weren’t asking for public schools to end the policy of segregation. All those few Black parents living in Anacostia wanted was the opportunity for their children to be able to attend a good school.”

Biden-Harris Administration Propels Historically Black Colleges and Universities with Record $16 Billion Investment

First reported by HBCU Buzz, the unprecedented

undertaken. The total exceeds $16 billion, inclusive of over $11.4 billion

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a historic milestone in federal funding and investments for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), surpassing a monumental $16 billion mark from fiscal year 2021 through current data available for FY 2024.

First reported by HBCU Buzz, the unprecedented financial commitment represents a substantial increase from the previously reported over $7 billion, encompassing significant additional actions already undertaken. The total exceeds $16 billion, inclusive of over $11.4 billion allocated between FY2021 and FY2023 through Federal grants, contracting awards, and debt relief tailored specifically for HBCUs.

“President Biden and I have delivered an unprecedented $16 billion to our Nation’s HBCUs. We know that when we invest in the success of our HBCUs, we are investing in the strength of our nation—today and for generations to come,” Vice President Kamala Harris told HBCU Buzz.

President Biden echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the administration’s unwavering commitment to sustaining robust investment efforts in HBCUs throughout the remainder of FY 2024.

Officials said the administration’s dedication to HBCUs underscores their vital role in fostering upward economic mobility in

the United States. “For generations, these anchors of our communities have played a pivotal role in building and contributing to America’s leadership at home and abroad,” Vice President Harris remarked, noting her personal experience as a graduate of historically Black Howard University in Northwest, D.C.

President Biden and Vice President Harris said they’ve long recognized the profound impact of HBCUs, and the administration has prioritized furnishing these

institutions with the resources necessary to deliver high-quality postsecondary education. With a legacy spanning over 180 years, HBCUs have been instrumental in advancing intergenerational economic mobility for Black families and communities.

According to HBCU Buzz, despite comprising only 3% of colleges and universities nationwide, HBCUs play an outsized role in supporting the economic advancement of African Americans.

In addition to over $11 billion provided to HBCUs, the Biden-Harris Administration has provided over $4 billion to support the success of HBCU-enrolled students through:

• $2.8 billion in need-based grants and other Federal programs, including Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, to assist HBCU students in affording a postsecondary education; and

• Nearly $1.3 billion to support Veterans attending HBCUs through the GI bill and other college, graduate school, and training programs delivered through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Further, the Department of Defense U.S. Air Force established the first-ever HBCUled University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). The focus of efforts will be on advancing the deployment of autonomous technologies for Air Force missions, with Howard University serving as the project leader and seven other HBCUs providing $90 million in funding over five years. Par-

ticipating schools include Jackson State University, Tuskegee University, Hampton University, Bowie State University, Norfolk State University, Delaware State University, Florida Memorial University, and Tougaloo College.

Also, the Department of Commerce established the first-ever Connecting-Minority-Communities program delivering funding for 43 HBCUs to purchase broadband internet, purchase equipment, and hire IT personnel to tackle the digital divide impacting HBCUs. Several HBCUs also recently launched an HBCU CHIPS Network in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology to increase the coordination of the resources at the colleges and universities and jointly contribute to the workforce development needs of the semiconductor industry.

Administration officials noted that Chips are critical in powering consumer electronics, automobiles, data centers, critical infrastructure, and virtually all military systems. “HBCUs produce 40% of all Black engineers in America, 50% of all Black lawyers, 70% of all Black doctors and dentists, and 80% of all Black judges,” President Biden asserted last fall. “And HBCUs are engineers of economic mobility, helping to increase the Black middle class. When the middle class does well, everybody does well. The poor have a road up, and the wealthy still do well, although they’ve got to start paying their taxes. That’s why it’s critical we invest in these universities.”

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With a focus on funding BIPOC-and Woman-owned businesses, NHE3 intentionally provides grants to help small businesses thrive.

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Biden Administration Unveils New Initiatives to Combat School Segregation on Brown v. Board Anniversary

The landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling declared racially segregated schools unconstitutional, but recent data reveals persistent inequities in U.S. education.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia

On the 70th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, President Joe Biden emphasized his administration’s commitment to educational equity by announcing new funding and resources aimed at enhancing school diversity and tackling racial segregation. The landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling declared racially segregated schools unconstitutional, but recent data reveals persistent inequities in U.S. education.

“Every student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them to be the next generation of leaders,” President Biden stated. To further this goal, the Biden-Harris Administration introduced several initiatives, including a $20 million investment through the Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). This funding will support magnet programs in states such as Arkansas, Colorado, and Florida, designed to attract students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the administration’s 2025 budget proposal seeks $139 million for MSAP and $10 million for the Fostering Diverse Schools program. Moreover, a new Technical Assistance Center on Fiscal Equity will assist states and districts in developing fair resource allocation strategies. The initiative aims to

address the stark resource disparities that exist between racially and economically segregated schools.

Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to Biden and former mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, acknowledged the on-

going challenges. “There’s an acknowledgment every day with our president that we’re not where we ought to be, but we’re certainly not where we used to be. Still a lot of work to be done,” Benjamin declared.

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The research underscores the strong correlation between school segregation and racial achievement gaps. The desegregation following Brown significantly boosted graduation rates for Black and Latino students. However, recent decades have seen a reversal, with segregation between white and Black students increasing by 64% since 1988, and economic segregation rising by 50% since 1991. According to the Department of Education’s State of School Diversity Report, racially isolated schools often lack the critical resources necessary for student success.

To combat these trends, the Department of Education announced the release of new data on access to math and science courses, highlighting ongoing racial disparities. The administration said it also plans to launch an interagency effort to preserve African American history, ensuring that students and the public have access to essential historical and cultural resources.

Officials noted that the American Rescue Plan has directed $130 billion to the nation’s schools, with a focus on underserved institutions. This includes nearly $2 billion in additional Title I funding, and a five-fold increase in funding for Full-Service Community Schools, which provide essential services to students and families in need.

Recognizing the importance of teacher diversity, the administration has priori-

tized efforts to increase the number of educators of color. Competitive grant programs have awarded $450 million to support teacher recruitment and retention, with a particular focus on diversity. Additionally, the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Grant program has provided over $23 million to HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs for teacher preparation.

The president met with family members of the plaintiffs from the Brown v. Board case. Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of lead plaintiff Oliver Brown, expressed the ongoing struggle for educational equity. “We’re still fighting the battle over whose children do we invest in. Any time we can talk about failing underfunded public schools, there is a problem,” Henderson said. NAACP President Derrick Johnson, also in attendance, affirmed, “We must continue to fight on all fronts.”

As the nation reflects on seven decades since Brown v. Board of Education, the White House said that the Biden Administration’s initiatives signal a renewed effort to fulfill the promise of equitable education for all. Schools “remain divided along racial, ethnic, and economic lines,” according to a 2022 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. “With around 18.5 million children attending schools where 75 percent or more of students were of a single race or ethnicity.”

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Marilyn Mosby, the Black electoral infrastructure and prison as a weapon against Black people

By Courtesy of the Afro.com Dayvon Love

There is often public criticism of Black elected officials that generally reflects a sentiment that they lack courage. As an advocate for my people, I have engaged in some of the most scathing critiques of Black elected officials, and this has been extremely important in the effectiveness of the work of my organization, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS).

In Baltimore, we do not have community controlled, independent Black electoral infrastructure that can produce candidates for public office. This means that Black people who are looking to run for office have to rely on institutions outside of our community in order to be viable candidates for public office. The truth is, by the time we arrive at the ballot box, the choice regarding who represents us has largely been made for us. We are largely picking between candidates for public office that have been vetted by the corporate sector and the political establishment.

In the grand scheme of things, many of the Black people who are in elected office do not work for us, they are henchmen of interest outside of our commu-

nity. I don’t expect Black elected officials to do anything unless we organize ourselves effectively to make them do it. We have to make it hurt for them to go against the interests of our community.

The development of this electoral infrastructure is a long term endeavor that LBS hopes to build on behalf of Black people in Baltimore.

There are a handful of Black elected of-

ficials that have used their time in office to challenge powerful interests on behalf of our community. And while it is important to criticize Black elected officials when they are engaged in activity that is

harmful to our community, we have to acknowledge when they do things that challenge powerful institutions on our behalf. More importantly, we should acknowledge the mechanisms that are used to punish those who do take these kinds of positions. The federal prosecution and conviction of Marilyn Mosby is an act of the law enforcement establishment punishing her for taking stances against their racist policy positions on criminal justice issues.

Outside of being the Black woman that prosecuted the officers that killed Freddie Gray in 2015, Mosby was a target of conservative prosecutors and the Fraternal Order of Police. I know first hand that her stances on issues that I have worked on contributed to her being a target of the law enforcement establishment. Her support of police accountability legislation, expungement of criminal convictions that stemmed the testimony of corrupt police officers, decriminalization of cannabis and support of community based approaches to violence prevention as an alternative to police centric approaches to public safety are issues that we have worked on together. These policies were efforts to fight back against the system

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash

Special to The Inner-City News, courtesy of The Afro.com By Ericka

Alston Buck

In a tragic incident on May 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and several high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, perished in a helicopter crash in the foggy, mountainous region of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. The crash has sent shockwaves throughout Iran and the international community, intensifying the already complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.

Iranians around the world are mourning the death of their president, Ebrahim Raisi, dead at 63 in helicopter crash. (Photo courtesy of the official Website of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran)

The incident

State media reports that the helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage went down in a remote area, prompting a strenuous rescue operation that ultimately confirmed the worst. Among those on board were the governor of East Azerbaijan and several bodyguards. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with initial reports suggesting challenging weather conditions as a potential factor. Ebrahim Raisi: A controversial figure Ebrahim Raisi, 63, had a significant and contentious impact on Iran’s domestic

and foreign policies. Seen as a protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Raisi’s presidency was marked by hardline stances and aggressive regional maneuvers. His tenure included escalations in uranium enrichment, bringing Iran closer to developing nuclear weapons capability, and extensive support for militia groups across the Middle East.

Raisi’s foreign policy was assertive and often confrontational. Just last month, under his leadership, Iran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Raisi’s administration also supplied bomb-carrying drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict, further straining relations with Western nations.

Domestically, Raisi’s rule faced significant challenges. Iran has been gripped by widespread protests, particularly over economic hardships and women’s rights. The 2022 death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody sparked a nationwide movement demanding greater freedoms and governmental accountability, leading to a brutal crackdown by authorities.

Reactions from around the world

The international response to Raisi’s death has been mixed. Russia, Iraq, and Qatar have issued formal statements of concern, highlighting Raisi’s role in shaping current Middle Eastern dynamics. Russian President Vladimir Putin

expressed condolences, emphasizing the strategic partnership between Tehran and Moscow, particularly in military collaborations.

In contrast, some Western nations have reacted with cautious optimism, viewing Raisi’s departure as a potential opening

for diplomatic negotiations on nuclear and regional security issues. However, the immediate impact on Iran’s policies remains uncertain, with First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber stepping in as interim leader until new elections are held.

Looking ahead

Supreme Leader Khamenei has called for national unity and prayers, urging the government to continue its work unabated. Under Iran’s constitution, a presidential election must be held within 50 days to elect Raisi’s successor. The potential candidates and their stances will likely shape the future course of Iran’s domestic and international policies.

Raisi’s death has also reignited discussions about the succession of the Supreme Leader, with speculations around Mojtaba Khamenei, the leader’s son, potentially taking on a more prominent role. This possibility raises concerns about the further entrenchment of a dynastic element within the Iranian theocracy, reminiscent of the monarchy overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The sudden loss of President Ebrahim Raisi marks a significant moment in Iran’s contemporary history. As the nation mourns, the international community watches closely, anticipating how this tragedy will reshape the geopolitical and internal dynamics of a country at the crossroads of numerous critical issues. The upcoming months will be crucial in determining whether Iran will see a continuation of Raisi’s hard-line policies or a shift towards a different political direction.

President Ebrahim Raisi

Plans To Stay

his teacher Ms. Young, she didn’t give up on him and stayed after school with him after he missed the bus and waited for his mother to pick him up.

While waiting with him, his teacher brought him to “the nice store” known as Blimpie, which his family couldn’t afford, to get a sandwich after school. “From there I knew I wanted to be a teacher and treat my students with that same respect,” he said.

Due to the lack of resources at his high school, Billy had to teach himself how to use a TI84 calculator and a computer because his school didn’t have either and had low expectations for the students.

"Take This School To The Top"

Not only does Billy plan to work on student needs but also staff needs. He plans to keep his staff up to date with frequent real time data reports on school goals. He recognizes that the more his staff feel supported, the more support will trickle down to the students, he said. Billy described his past three months on the job as a listening and learning tour. He’s balancing gathering input from students and staff with making gradual changes to show the action behind his words.

He spent his first month learning that one reason students were late to their first period was because the school’s bell system would ring at 7:30 a.m. but not again until 8 a.m. when students are expected to rotate to their first period.

Correction: a previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Billy implemented a new daily bell for students homeroom class rather than a 7:40 a.m bell to inform students when were late to their 1st period class.

So, while he would see students arrive to school on time at 7:15 or 7:30 a.m., they would roam the halls and not report directly to their classrooms until the next bell rang a half hour later. So Billy has since added another bell between 7:30 and 8 a.m. to remind students to report to their homerooms.

Additionally during the first months on the job, staff and students informed him of the school’s lack of working bathrooms. Billy sprung into action by collecting data on the impacts of only having access to one of the school’s total 12 bathrooms. The data on bathroom usage showed it was a major cause of flooded hallways throughout the day and students missing class. Once he shared the data with the district, Billy said repairs came within two weeks.

Billy concluded that Hillhouse’s dreams will no longer be deferred under his watch. He invited the community to help him in his mission to restore the school’s legacy and support its students. “We’re going to take this school to the top,” he said.

New Haven Public Schools

Programs for 3 and 4 Year Olds in New Haven

Free 6-hour early childhood programs for low-income New Haven families in the following New Haven Public Schools:

Dr Mayo Early Childhood School

Fair Haven School

Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration

Hill Central School

John Martinez Sea & Sky STEM School

Lincoln Bassett Community School

Truman School

Additional community locations also participate in the program.

Sliding scale, fee-based 6-hour early childhood programs for New Haven families in the following New Haven Public Schools:

Augusta Lewis Troup School

Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration

East Rock Community School

Hill Central School

Nathan Hale School

Additional community locations also participate in the program

any questions

Applications

How to apply

The Office of Early Childhood will be accepting applications electronically beginning May 20th Parents of 3 and 4 year old's are encouraged to apply online.

What you will submit with your Application

1) Proof of Age

Child’s Birth Certificate, Passport OR Legal Custody/Guardianship Papers

2) Proof of Address

• Current utility bill (Gas, Electric, Phone, Cable) in your name

• Letter from leaseholder or homeowner along with a document listed above with their name on it

3) Proof of Income

• 2 months of Current & Consecutive pay stubs OR W-2 or 1040 Tax Return

• Budget Statement from the CT Department of Social Services or Social Security Office or Child Enforcement Bureau

•Notarized Statement indicating Parent is unemployed

• Additional forms may be requested

4) Proof of a Physical (within one year-to-date)

• CT Department of Education Early Childhood Health Assessment Record

• Anemia and lead level test results

•TB assessment

• Immunizations records

• Seasonal flu vaccination

• Health insurance card

5) Proof of a Dental Exam (within 6months-to-date)

African American Civil War Memorial

African American Civil War Memorial sits in front of the wall with the names of the 209,000 Black Union soldiers and their White officers. The Guinness Book of World Records has declared the Memorial as having the “most names on a war memorial.”

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - One of the nation’s most significant war memorials sits at the top of the U Street Corridor Metro exit in Washington, DC, oddly planted in front of a few houses and an office building. You could almost miss it among the daily raucous in the neighborhood.

Earlier this year, on the first day of Black History Month, the Guinness Book of World Records declared the African American Civil War Memorial as having the “most names on a war memorial”. Located in Northwest D.C. at 1925 Vermont Ave., the memorial lists the names of more than 209,000 Black Union soldiers and their White officers.

It’s a recognition that tells a much deeper story.

“For more than 25 years we’ve worked hard to tell the story of these important soldiers,” said Dr. Frank Smith, founding director of the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation. “Their stories have been forgotten by this country and this international designation helps the world understand its importance.”

Smith says it was not until his teenage years that he learned of the contributions of African Americans during the Civil War. Since then, he has made it his life’s mission to bring awareness about the Black soldiers who fought for a country that did not even consider them humans, let alone Americans.

“They didn’t teach us this in school when I was growing up. We didn’t learn Black people, who weren’t even free, were putting their lives on the line for this country. Many of them were fighting for the opportunity just to fight for this country,” said Smith.

At the start of the Civil War, abolitionist Frederick Douglass tried to persuade President Abraham Lincoln that enlisting Black soldiers in the Union would help the North win the war and would be an important step toward equality in the nation.

Douglass argued, “Once let the Black man get upon his person the brass letters, U.S.; let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship.”

Lincoln, however, was not convinced. He feared that granting African Americans their freedom, specifically former or escaped slaves, would drive the border states to join the Confederacy. It took signs of the Union possibly losing the war for Lincoln to change his stance and allow

African Americans to enlist.

The passage of the Second Confiscation and Militia Act in 1862 was the first step toward enlisting African American soldiers in the Union Army. The law did not explicitly invite African Americans to join the war, but rather, it granted Lincoln permission to employ African Americans in the army as he deemed fit.

Still, African Americans saw this as their opportunity to join the battlefield in hopes of gaining their freedom, often forming their own infantry units. The Civil War’s official call for Black soldiers

was not issued until 1863. Thousands of African Americans answered the call, many of whom escaped enslavement from the Confederate states to join the fight.

“People don’t know [Lincoln] didn’t even want us fighting in the war,” said journalist and Black historian Peter Bailey. “That’s the story they didn’t want us to know. They kept that story hidden from us for hundreds of years.”

Bailey explained how Black soldiers were fighting a war on multiple fronts. They were not only fighting to end slav-

of White supremacy that weaponizes the criminal justice system to undermine the humanity of Black people. Prosecuting her for taking money out of her own account, amongst other charges that have no potential to harm anyone, is a political punishment for taking positions that challenge the racist policies of the law enforcement establishment.

In Maryland there has been an aggressive push against policies that seek to reduce the harm that the criminal justice system has done to Black people. People like Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates and Howard County State’s Attorney and current chair of the Maryland State’s Attorney Association, Rich Gibson, have been leaders in the attempt to roll back the progress that has been made on criminal justice reform. Just to put in perspective the nature of the policy proposals that these folks are advancing, they support the repeal of the Child Interrogation Protection Act (CIPA).

ery but were persistently confronted with racism by White Union soldiers who believed Black soldiers weren’t as brave or skilled. They were also at risk of being enslaved or executed on the spot if they were captured during battle.

By the end of the war, about 180,000 Black soldiers–10 percent of the Union Army–fought in the war. About 90,000 of those soldiers were former enslaved people from the Confederate states.

Smith and Bailey agree that the untold grueling; yet courageous experiences of Black Union soldiers is why the Guinness recognition is so important and impactful.

“It shows clearly that this country did not give us freedom the way it’s always been portrayed that it was,” said Bailey.

“We [gained] our freedom because Black soldiers played a major role in defeating the Confederacy. That had been ignored for centuries and even today, it doesn’t get as much attention as it should.”

As of today, there has been no official acknowledgment of the designation by any federal government agency. Smith, however, says he’s not too concerned about the lack of acknowledgment. While the memorial serves as a poignant symbol of African Americans’ contributions to this country, it is still intended to be a tourist attraction. Smith hopes the recognition will attract more visitors to the location.

“People travel all over the world visiting destinations referenced by the Guinness Book of World Records,” Smith says.

“My hope is that we’ll attract more international visitors who will learn that African Americans were not just bystanders in the fight for freedom. We put our lives on the line for it.”

This law, passed in 2022, essentially requires that children have access to legal counsel and that a parent is notified when police conduct a custodial interrogation of that child. This is to protect youth from being coerced into making false incriminating statements against themselves. This should be a policy that is a no brainer especially given the high profile stories we have about children that have spent significant time in prison as a result of this issue (i.e. the Exonerated 5 in New York). The three Maryland DA’s that I mentioned earlier are all on the record in support of repealing this law. Marilyn Mosby’s time as Baltimore State’s Attorney provided a crucial counter to the policy agenda being advanced by the law enforcement establishment in Maryland.

Regardless of whether you voted for Marilyn Mosby, or have legitimate criticisms of her tenure in office, one thing that we should all agree with is that the use of federal prosecution and prison time for political purposes is dangerous to those who aspire to engage the political arena on behalf of Black people. This sends a signal to Black elected officials that if they challenge powerful interests that they should expect to go to jail. There are allies of Marilyn Mosby that are urging president Joe Biden to pardon her conviction so that she doesn’t serve any time in jail. I support this call for her conviction to be pardoned.

The fact that this level of advocacy is needed to get the Democratic party to address this political attack against someone who stood up to the law enforcement establishment should be a lesson on how much that needs to be done to change the exploitative relationship that Black people have to the Democratic party.

Dr. Frank Smith, founding director, African American Civil War Memorial

Put New Eyes

to curate several of his peers’ photographs, rather than his own, he said. As a row of photos emerged, he focused on shots filled with daylight and shadow, interested in how the two played off of each other. At the center of the images, a streetlight cast long, spindly shadows against the ground, the honeyed light radiating out.

Of over 100 images, they also voted on a class favorite—the top of Center Church on the Green jutting into the sky, a t-shaped crucifix spindly against the clouds. In the picture, junior Mariana Garcia has captured the structure’s roof and bell tower from far below, standing on the sidewalk outside the sanctuary. Around it, the sky is painterly, with soft, low-hanging white clouds and green patches of tree cover. The leaves, thick and fresh, signal that it is spring.

“I pass it [the church] every day,” and the camera gave her a chance to take a closer look, Garcia said. While she lives in the city’s East Shore neighborhood, she walks by the New Haven Green at least five days a week, on her way to and from Co-Op. It’s where the 206 bus picks up, ferrying her from the center of New Haven back to the water that has defined so much of its history.

In Garcia’s hand, five photographs fell into a narrative, jumping from outdoor to indoor spaces. At the top, a print showed St. Michael’s Church from the street, its dome against a gray sheet of sky. Directly beside it, Garcia pictured her younger sister in a parking garage, looking up at a light fixture as darkness fell around her. The result is theatrical, as if her sister is not in a damp and dark parking structure, but about to step onto the stage for a great Chekhovian drama.

Beneath it, a viewer can sense her interest in under-loved spaces, from a graffitisprayed wall just outside of downtown to the inside of the Burger King on Whalley Avenue, where long lights hang over the tables and fluorescents shine above. Garcia has a sharp eye—she finds a reflection in a puddle, or a dramatic angle with a light— and it feels like a reclamation, recognizing places that invite gathering and socializing without any sort of pretext.

“It lets me capture moments,” she said. One table over, Daniel Carter, Jr. used his photos to tell a story of spring, with pops of green, purple and yellow that showed New Haven bursting into bloom. At the top, the deep yellow fabric of Alexander's sweatshirt seemed to start a conversation with a tangle of butter-toned daisies below. In the middle, a classmate reached her arms around a tree trunk, face pressed to the rough brown bark.

“When I take pictures, I pay attention to color and shape,” Carter said, adding that he still finds a childlike wonder in nature and spring, as the world reawakens around him like clockwork. “This is a day in the life, through my eyes.”

“I think this project shows the beautiful side of New Haven,” chimed in Ari Thorpe, a junior at the school.

Escuelas Públicas de New Haven uelas Ha

ESTAREMOS

Programas para niños de 3 y 4 Años de edad en New Haven

Programas para la infancia temprana GRATUITOS de 6 horas para familias de bajos ingresos de New Haven en las siguientes escuelas públicas de New Haven:

Dr. Mayo Early Childhood School

Fair Haven School

Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration

Hill Central School

John Martinez Sea & Sky STEM School

Lincoln Bassett Community School

Truman School

Con lugares comunitarios adicionales que tambien participan en el programa

Programas de educación temprana de 6 horas con tarifa variable y de escala móvil para familias de New Haven en las siguientes escuelas públicas de New Haven:

Augusta Lewis Troup School

Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration

East Rock Community School

Hill Central School

Nathan Hale School

Con lugares comunitarios adicionales que tambien participan en el programa

dudas o preguntas

Para mas informacion contactar:

P a m e l a N g

Coordinadora de inscripción de Infancia Temprana Tel: 475-220-1440

pamela.ng@new-haven.k12.ct.us

La oficina de Registracion de Infancia Temprana esta ubicada

Oficina de Elección e Inscripción Escolar 54 Meadow St 1st Fl New Haven, CT 06519

ACEPTANDO APLICACIONES PARA EL CICLO ESCOLAR 2024-2025 !!!!!

Como aplicar: La Oficina de Infancia temprana aceptará solicitudes electrónicamente a partir del 20 de mayo Se anima a los padres de niños de 3 y 4 años a presentar su solicitud en línea.

Qué incluir en su inscripción:

1) Prueba de edad

• Certificado de nacimiento / Pasaporte del niño/a O

• Documentos legales de custodia / tutela

2) Prueba de dirección •Factura de servicio actual (gas, electricidad, teléfono) a su nombre •Formulario de declaración jurada de residencia

3) Demostración de ingresos

•2 meses de talonarios de pago actuales y consecutivos O W-2 o Formulario de impuestos 1040

• Declaración de presupuesto del Departamento de Servicios Sociales de CT, o de la Oficina del Seguro Social, o de la Oficina de Cumplimiento de Menores (Child Enforcement Bureau)

• Declaración ante notario indicando que el padre o la madre es desempleado/a

4) Físico (dentro del último año)

• Registro de evaluación de la salud del Departamento CT de educación de primera infancia

• Resultados de exámenes de anemia y plomo

• Evaluación TB

• Registros de inmunizaciones

• Vacunación de la gripe de estación

•Tarjeta de seguro de salud

5) Examen dental

• Registro de examen dental (dentro de los últimos 6 meses)

Jury awards $185K to teen who accused deputy of threatening him while filming mom’s arrest

by Francis Akhalbey, Face2FaceAfrica.com

ANew Orleans federal jury awarded $185,000 to a teenager who accused a sheriff’s deputy of threatening him while he filmed his mother’s forceful arrest in 2020. Per The Associated Press, Deputy Ryan Moring and his colleagues had gone to De’Shaun Johnson’s family home in St. Tammany Parish when the incident occurred.

Johnson was 14 at the time, and his mother Teliah Perkins’ arrest stemmed from allegations that she did not wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. The deputies went to their family home to question Perkins about the said allegations, but her attorneys said the charge that was later brought against her wasn’t

De’Shaun Johnson was awarded $185,000 after he accused a deputy of threatening him -- Images via Law & Crime

prosecuted as it did not hold any water.

The encounter was captured on video and it showed Perkins being tackled to the ground. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Reid Collins & Tsai law firm ultimately filed the lawsuit against the deputies. The lawsuit was also filed under the ACLU’s Justice Lab project, an initiative aimed at tackling police abuse allegations.

Several of the allegations brought against the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office in the lawsuit were, however, dismissed by a federal appeals court. This largely narrowed the allegations of the deputies’ use of force. A green light was, however, given for litigation over claims that a deputy interfered when Johnson was filming his mother’s arrest with his

phone, The Associated Press reported. The ACLU claimed that when the teen started filming the arrest, a deputy stood in front of him and threatened the then 14-year-old with a Taser.

The jury on May 1 awarded Johnson the $185,000 after it determined that the deputy’s behavior caused “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

“We are thrilled to see justice served for De’Shaun,” Nora Ahmed, the ACLU of Louisiana’s legal director, said in response to the verdict.

“What happened to Ms. Perkins and her son was inexcusable, and as we face imminent threats to our rights to observe police in Louisiana, it is heartening that a jury of this officer’s peers chose to hold him accountable for his misconduct.”

Black Woman From NYC, Previously Incarcerated, Passes Bar Exam on First Try.

By BlackNews.com

Afrika Owes, an African American woman from New York City who was previously incarcerated, has turned her life around and even recently passed the New York Bar Exam on her first try. Her emotional reaction to her success was captured in a now-viral TikTok video that has garnered nearly 3 million views.

In the video, Owes, surrounded by her brother and best friend, anxiously checks her exam results online. When she reads the news, Owes can’t contain her excitement, shouting, “I passed! I passed!” before breaking down in tears of joy.

Owes, now 30 years old, shared her story proudly, highlighting her journey as a formerly incarcerated single mother achieving this milestone. Owes expressed gratitude to her family, saying, “Thank you

to my angels, my momma, my grandma.

Thank you for my son, my brother, my family and my tribe.”

Her journey to becoming a lawyer was deeply rooted in childhood aspirations, inspired by her late mother Karen Owes’ community advocacy in Harlem.

However, her path wasn’t straightforward. At the age of 17, she got involved in a gang and was arrested and charged with conspiracy and weapons possession. Despite that, she remained determined to pursue her dreams.

After serving a short time and completing college under probation, Owes strived to turn her life around with the unwavering support of her loved ones in Harlem. Her success is particularly notable given the low pass rates among Black bar exam takers compared to their white counterparts.

“I strayed from my path, but they made sure that I got right back on track. They didn’t judge me, and they never let me go,” Owes said, according to ABC News. “I want my story to be a testament to that, for communities as well, that everybody makes mistakes.”

Owes, currently a third-year student at Fordham University School of Law, plans to graduate soon and hopes to specialize in tax law. Owes hopes her journey inspires others to pursue their dreams, showing that obstacles can be overcome.

“It can feel very isolating on this journey and I wanted people to know they are not alone and that I’m here,” Owes said.

“And if I’m that one catalyst that shows you that you do belong, then I hope that that continues to push you on your journey.”

Stevie Wonder‘s 74th birthday crowned with Ghanaian citizenship

By Stephen Nartey, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Legendary singer Stevie Wonder had one of his wishes fulfilled when he celebrated his 74th birthday as he was granted citizenship in Ghana. During his visit to the country on Monday, he received the Certificate of Citizenship by Registration from Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House in Accra.

Wonder’s acquisition of Ghanaian citizenship comes on the back of his longstanding desire to relocate to the country. Traditionally, Ghanaian nationality is granted to individuals born to Ghanaian parents or permanent residents who have lived there

for a specified period.

Wonder first hinted at his intention to move to Ghana in 1994, citing what he considered favorable conditions. He reiterated his sentiments to relocate once again in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where he voiced out his desire to leave the U.S. due to racial tensions.

With his Ghanaian citizenship, Wonder is now fulfilling his aspirations of living abroad. In a clip showing the legendary singer, he is warmly welcomed by drum players.

He joined the celebration and participated in the playing of the drums. He expressed commitment to work with musical talent and improve cultural exchange through music programs.

Wonder’s decision to obtain citizenship in Ghana reflects a growing trend among celebrities seeking citizenship abroad.

Numerous other stars have pursued similar paths for diverse reasons. Actress Tiffany Haddish gained citizenship in Eritrea, her father’s birthplace, in 2019. Tina Turner became a Swiss citizen in 2013 after residing in Switzerland for two decades, relinquishing her U.S. citizenship.

Rapper Ludacris and actor Samuel L. Jackson both became citizens of Gabon; Ludacris in 2020, motivated by his wife’s Gabonese heritage, and Jackson through genealogical ties to the country’s Benga tribe.

Stevie Wonder received the Certificate of Citizenship by Registration from Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House in Accra. Photo: Ghana Ministry of The Interior

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

NOTICE

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

Construction

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay

Phone: 860- 243-2300

Email: tom.dunay@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

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 6211720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

The Town of Wallingford is seeking a highly innovative individual to coordinate and implement communications strategies that promote community engagement in Town government. Applicants should possess 1 year of experience in communications, mass media, civic engagement, social media, marketing or related field, plus a bachelor’s degree in communications, political science, public or business administration, or related field, or any equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience. Wage rate: $27.00$33.00 hourly. This is a part-time position up to 19.5 hours per week. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of May 15, 2024, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

NOTICIA

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Union Company seeks:

Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

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 ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición 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

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Large CT Fence Company looking for an individual for our PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production position. Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and more. Must have a valid CT driver’s license & be able to obtain a Drivers Medical Card. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com. AA/EOE-MF

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Invitation for Bids

On-Call Electrical Services

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids from qualified firms for On-Call Electrical services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 3:00 PM.

FIRE CHIEF

TOWN OF EAST HAVEN PURCHASING AGENT

NEW HAVEN

The Town of East Haven seeks a qualified candidate to serve in the position of Purchasing Agent. This is a highly responsible position involving purchasing and directing the purchasing functions of the municipality. Qualified candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field preferably including or supplemented with special course work in purchasing/municipal bid processes and materials management plus five (5) years’ of progressively responsible purchasing work or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience. Must have valid class 3 Connecticut Driver’s License. The salary for this position is $62,841/year, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent benefit package. Please send cover letter and resume with references to: Town of East Haven, Ed Sabatino, Assistant Director of Administration and Management, 250 Main Street, East Haven, CT 06512 or jobs@easthaven-ct.gov. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a work force of diverse individuals. Minorities, females, handicapped and veterans are encouraged to apply. The Town of East Haven is an equal opportunity employer.

242-258 Fairmont Ave

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

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 ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

Andrea M. Liquori / Chief Examiner Civil Service Commission 250 Main Street East Haven  CT 06512 (203)468-3375

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Senior Sales Representative

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.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Penfield Communications, Inc. Publishers of The Inner-City News Weekly Print Publication is seeking a Senior Sales Representative The Inner-City News is a legacy, Black owned print publication, celebrating 30+ years as Greater New Haven’s urban news and information outlet.

The Inner-City News is a weekly print publication with a readership spanning across Greater New Haven. From Hamden, New Haven, West Haven, Stratford, Milford, Bridgeport. This free weekly print publication is committed to sharing news and information important to the Black community.

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 Town of Wallingford is seeking a highly innovative manager to lead its Fire Department. Applicants should possess 10 years of progressively responsible fire services experience, plus a bachelor’s degree in fire services management, public administration or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis, including 5 years as a Captain or higher. Salary: $124,968 to $159,899 annually. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of May 24, 2024, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 2942084. EOE

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

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 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

Advertising and the cultivation of existing and new advertising clients is key to the growth and continued success of The Inner-City News. The paper is delivered weekly to businesses, schools, shopping outlets and wherever newspapers can be found. This is a remote sales position.

Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Full time experienced welder for Structural/Miscellaneous

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 informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

Galasso Materials LLC, a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please email resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026.

Custodian

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Maintenance workers needed for the Wallingford Public Schools to work the 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. shift. Hourly rate: $19.78 to $25.14 hourly. Requires some experience in building maintenance work. The closing date for applications is May 22, 2024 or the date we receive the fiftieth (50) application whichever occurs first. Apply: Human Resources Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Human Resources Department or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and email to wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov Phone #: (203) 294-2080 Fax # 203-294-2084. EOE.

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

NOTICIA

VALENTINA

MACRI

VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for Legal Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

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 ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición 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

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 3:00PM.

Request for Proposals

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), North Haven, Connecticut is seeking proposals from qualified and experienced Environmental Consultants to develop a comprehensive regional climate action plan, which builds upon the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) completed and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 1, 2024. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms are strongly encouraged to respond as a prime contractor or to play a significant role within a consultant team.

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

Responses are due by June 13, 2024 (12:00 p.m. local time). The full RFP document and any potential updates can be viewed at SCRCOG’s website: www.scrcog.org. If you would like to request a copy of the RFP, please contact Stephanie Camp, Director of Regional Planning via email: smcamp@scrcog.org.

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 ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

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.

Proposal Documents will be available beginning May 1, 2024 at no cost by downloading from the New Haven Union Station Partnership website at https://

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

NHPA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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

Town of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

$87,727 to $136,071 Deputy Finance Director/Controller

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

Town of Bloomfield Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599

(expected starting pay maximum is mid-range)

Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly

Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website –www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Police Officer

full-time

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Invitation to Bid Our Project:

OAK WOODS APARTMENTS

9 Scott Road PLYMOUTH, CT

New Construction of 8 Buildings, 47 Units, 66,150sf No Wage Rate Project. Project is Tax Exempt.

Project Documents include but not limited to: site-work, landscaping, concrete, gypcrete, rough carpentry labor & material, finish carpentry, insulation, roofing, siding, gutters and downspouts, doors & hardware labor & material, overhead doors, windows, gypsum board assemblies, flooring, painting, signage, toilet & bath accessories, closet shelving,

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

APPLY NOW!

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Request for Proposals

Legal Services- Non-Payment, Nuisance and Lease Violation

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for Legal Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway beginning on

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 3:00PM.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Labor Relations Specialist in the Office of Labor Relations.

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 240508&R2=5256MP&R3=001

Request for Qualifications

IQC Architectural and Engineering Services

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 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for A & E Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway beginning on

Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 3:00PM.

The Town of Wallingford, CT is accepting applications for the following positions:

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Attendant I (Trainee). This is a trainee position leading to a career in performing skilled work in the operation and maintenance of the Town’s wastewater treatment facility. The position requires a H.S., trade school, vocational school, or H.S. equivalency diploma. Must possess a valid Connecticut Driver's License. Hourly rate: $22.97 to $25.22. The closing date for applications is the date the 50th applilcation or resume is received or April 30, 2024, whichever occurs first.

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

MAINTAINER II PUBLIC WORKS

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

Electrical Technician. Performs skilled work in the repair, maintenance and calibration of all electrical and electronic equipment pertaining to the wastewater treatment plant in the Town of Wallingford. Applicants should possess a H.S. or trade school diploma and 2 years of related college education or specialized maintenance training and 4 years of experience in the repair and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment; or a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field plus 1 year of experience. Must possess a valid Connecticut Driver's License. Hourly rate: $32.24 to $36.79. The closing date for applications is the date the 50th applilcation or resume is received or May 7, 2024, whichever occurs first.

NOTICIA

The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing dates specified above. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

VALENTINA

MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

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 ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición 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

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Invitation for Bids HANH Key and Lock Services

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Key and Lock Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

NEW HAVEN

Monday, May 20, 2024, at 3:00PM.

242-258 Fairmont Ave

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

LEGAL NOTICE

Request for Proposals (RFP) RFP# 2025-0904: AIDS CADAP

The Department of Public Health (DPH) Infectious Disease Section is requesting proposals for the Connecticut AIDS Drug Assistance Program (CADAP). A qualified Pharmacy Benefits Manager or other organization is needed to provide enrollment, pharmacy benefits, insurance premium payments, and rebate management for CADAP.

The Request for Proposal is available in electronic format on the State Contracting Portal at https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard, on the Department’s website at https://portal.ct.gov/ DPH/Request-For-Proposals/Request-forProposals, or from the Department’s Official Contact: Mitchell Namias, 860-509-7718, Mitchell.namias@ct.gov

Deadline for submission of proposals is Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 4:30 PM.

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

The Town of Wallingford Department of Public Works has openings for Maintainer II. Applicants should possess 2 years’ experience as a laborer in construction work involving the operation and care of trucks and other mechanical equipment, or 2 years training in one of the skilled trades and 1 year of experience in construction operations, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. A valid (CDL) Class B or higher is required. $24.87 - $29.16 hourly plus retirement plan, paid sick and vacation time, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, family medical & dental insurance, and promotional opportunities. A complete job announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of June 3, 2024, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Financial Manager/Office Manager

Galasso Materials is seeking a Financial Manager/Office Manager to replace a retiring team member. The candidate needs leadership skills & experience in accounting & tax compliance. CPA, manufacturing and/or construction experience preferred.

Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Listing: Retail Representative

Petroleum Company has an immediate part time opening. Excellent customer service skills a must. Requirements include: assist in answering service questions, scheduling service calls as well as assisting in collections and account set ups. Applicant to also perform administrative/clerical tasks as assigned. Please send resume to: H.R. Manager, Confidential, P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437. or HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

***An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Disabled & Veterans***

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

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 informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

House Oversight Committee meeting erupts in personal attacks and partisan disputes

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia

A nighttime session of the House Oversight Committee, which was intended to discuss a resolution recommending Attorney General Merrick Garland be held in contempt of Congress, descended into chaos amid personal attacks and partisan bickering.

The rare evening session took a contentious turn when MAGA Republican and rabid Donald Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia responded to a question from Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) with a personal remark.

“I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading,” Greene commented.

Democrats immediately reacted negatively to the remark, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) leading the charge.

She demanded that the unhinged Greene retract her comments and offer Crockett an apology.

“That is absolutely unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez declared amid the crosstalk.

“How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?”

Greene, undeterred, taunted Ocasio-Cortez, asking, “Are your feelings hurt?”

And the Bronx-born Ocasio-Cortez responded sharply, “Oh, girl? Baby girl, don’t even play.”

Just minutes later, Greene – of all members – attacked Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence, challenging her to a debate and asserting, “You don’t have enough intelligence.”

This prompted audible groans from other members.

During the acrimonious exchange, political pundits and others couldn’t help but to note the difference between Crockett and Greene, whom many on social media allege is a staunch racist. The Texas Democrat has routinely demonstrated her passion for justice and the protection of rights and has platformed criminal justice reform. Meanwhile, Greene remains a poster child for what’s plaguing government servants. In March of 2022, numerous Georgia voters filed legal challenges to her reelection campaign, alleging that

she was disqualified from public office because she helped to facilitate the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

“The way she represents herself … seems unhinged to Republicans, but Greene is twice as destructive,” USA Today opinion columnist Nicole Russell wrote. “Greene has a history of incendiary behavior, banned from Twitter and stripped of committee assignments in 2021, she even adopted QAnon conspiracy theories and used violent rhetoric against political foes.”

Despite agreeing to strike her comments toward Crockett, Greene refused to apolo-

gize for her remarks.

“You will never get an apology out of me,” she declared.

Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) ruled that Greene’s insult did not violate House rules, which led to further disputes. When Democratic ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) attempted to appeal this ruling, Republicans moved to table his appeal.

Following the vote, Crockett sought clarification on the committee’s standards regarding personal attacks. “If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blond, bad-built, butch

body that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?” she asked, causing another uproar.

The controversy moved Comer to admit, “I have two hearing aids. I’m very deaf. I’m not understanding — everybody’s yelling. I’m doing the best I can.”

Comer later agreed to strike Greene’s insult of Ocasio-Cortez from the record, and Democrats pushed to enforce rules that would prevent Greene from speaking for the remainder of the hearing. However, Republicans voted to allow her to continue speaking. After a short recess, Comer reminded members to adhere to the House’s standard of decorum.

Greene was ultimately recognized to speak for over four minutes, reiterating her refusal to apologize. “I will not apologize for my words, and I will not change them,” she said.

Nearly an hour after the disruptions began, the committee returned to the original agenda of debating whether Garland should be held in contempt of Congress for not providing audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur regarding classified documents.

The session had been moved from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate members who attended former President Donald Trump’s trial in New York. Despite the turmoil, the committee voted 24-20 along party lines to recommend holding Garland in contempt. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office has yet to announce when the resolution will be presented to the full House.

The story behind Mary J. Blige’s golden boot that sold out in a day

by Abu Mubarik, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Mary J. Blige has taken the footwear market by storm following the release of her highly anticipated boot. Blige revealed in May 2023 that she was developing her boot collection and she finally released it in May this year.

Just one day after hitting the market, her boot collab with Giuseppe Zanotti sold out. She first donned the metallic copper-colored thigh-high boots at the third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit and disclosed that the boots would be available for purchase on May 12.

“Giuseppe Zanotti and Mary J. Blige have transformed their longtime friendship into an exclusive, limited-edition collaboration,” Giuseppe Zanotti shared on its Instagram page. “‘The Mary Boot,’ a stunning over-the-knee boot codesigned by the two talents.”

VIBE reported that the boot’s $1,295 price sparked controversy among potential buyers. The platform cited buyers

who had wished the singer partnered with a more affordable brand like Steve Madden, while others were okay with her partnership with Giuseppe.

“Not sure why folks thought Mary should collaborate with a cheaper brand but no one blinks an eye when her peers are doing drops with Gucci and Balmain. Mary’s footwear has always been luxury or designer. It’s okay if you can’t afford to buy this. You have supported in other ways. Also, it is not a right to have boots. Please cut the madness,” wrote one fan in Blige’s defense on Instagram.

In a tweet, media personality Rae Hooliday addressed the cost of Blige’s footwear, saying her fans have the money to buy it.

“This price point is on brand for Mary. Like, come awnnn she’s Mary J. Blige. Her core audience got the coins. Them boots ain’t for Power fans. Those are for the Aunties who purchase her tix yearly and know every track on What’s the 411?,” she tweeted.

This is not the first time the singer

has unveiled a brand. In 2020, she ventured into the wine industry, following the likes of Jay-Z, Angelina Jolie, Francis Ford Coppola, Brad Pitt, and Lady Gaga.

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul teamed up with major Italian wine producer Fantinel Winery to bring a new line of wines that were just perfect for the summer. Sun Goddess Wines features her favorites: Italian Pinot Grigio Ramato (a rosé) and Italian Sauvignon Blanc. In 2004, she established her own record label, Matriarch Records. She has her own perfume brand called “My Life.” The singer has also endorsed brands like American Express, AT&T, MAC, Apple, Burger King, Chevrolet, Reebok, Air Jordan, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Gap, and Target.

According to Cheatsheet, Blige has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and won nine Grammy Awards to date. Her successful career has led her to accumulate a net worth of $20 million, according to reports.

A recent House Oversight Committee descended into chaos when MAGA Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia, right, made an offensive personal comment toward Black Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). (Official U.S. House photos)

The rare evening session took a contentious turn when MAGA Republican and rabid Donald Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia responded to a question from Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) with a personal remark.

May 28, 2024

DUEL REALITY

Growing up in the early 1990s, Thuso Mbedu never dreamt of being an entertainment figure. At a very young age, she want-

the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground Rail-

drama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from

her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 televi-

‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the ‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film and Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress – TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Television Critics Association Award’ (Individual Achievement in Drama), the

between life and death for me. Receiving that audition brief, I told myself that I would audition like it was my last audition. I gave it the last of everything that I had, that at the time I got the callback, I had nothing left. I secretly made the decision ing left to give. But fortunately, I received cause the role was mine. I had given up. I was in a very dark place at the time, and the character, the role, the opportunity, was a much needed light. And I told myself that I will act as if it was the last character that I will play. And through a great script and an amazing director, I earned two International Emmy Awards for that role…”

Africans by New African Magazine.

of her parents – Thuso is a Sotho name,

Studio of Acting in New York City.

– TV Movie / Limited Series), the ‘Holly-