INNER-CITY NEWS

Ribbon Cut For Q House Health Hub

by LAURA GLESBY

Gayle Hall, a self-described “lifetime member of the Q House,” celebrated a newfound chance to see her doctor at the newly-revived community center in the neighborhood she calls home.

Hall joined politicians from every level of government and 100 healthcare workers and community members at a ribbon cutting for Cornell Scott Hill Health Center’s new location in the Dixwell Q House.

Three weeks ago, the community health center expanded its Dixwell clinic to a gleaming new part of the Q House. While child and family guidance services are still based out of 226 Dixwell Ave., most of the organization’s Dixwell offices have moved across the street to share a roof with the Stetson Library, LEAP, and the Dixwell/Newhallville Senior Center at 197 Dixwell Ave.

The health center is the most recent organization to bring life into the historic community center, which had closed down at the start of the century for 18 years before a persistent campaign from local residents and politicians rebuilt and revived it by 2021.

“We’re home, and we’re here to stay,” said Cornell Scott Hill Health CEO Michael Taylor.

Hall, who described her age as “80 and a little over we’ll leave it at that,” recalled her childhood at the former iteration of the Q House. The community center “taught me how to stand up and be proud,” she said.

At Cornell Scott Hill’s Dixwell clinic, Hall described a similar sense of ease. “Carolyn at the front desk always made me feel so comfortable,” Hall said. “I have always felt comfortable, I have always felt wanted, I have always felt taken care of” at Cornell Scott Hill.

The medical organization is Connecticut’s first federally-qualified community health center, and now serves over 50,000 patients per year. It is celebrating its 55th year of providing healthcare to New Haven residents, with an emphasis on serving low-income patients of color regardless of insurance access or ability to pay.

At the ribbon cutting, speakers emphasized that the health center provides medical care that meets hospital-grade standards and links a variety of medical specialties together. The Q House location will include not only adult medical care, but dental, behavioral health, and for the first time in Dixwell pediatric services.

Emelie Agrinsoni and Kenia Nuila staffed the pediatric waiting room as a stream of people toured the new medical offices. The Q House location has

allowed the health center to provide children’s medical care in Dixwell for the first time.

Nuila said she’s been glad to see “a lot of walk-ins” at the new location.

Meanwhile, dental assistant Hasina Henderson said the new space hasn’t changed the substance of her work. “We still do what we did across the street,” she said. The main benefit, she said, is access and convenience. “If you are wheelchair-bound or have no transportation,” most medical needs that such a patient might have can be treated in the same building, alongside a wide range of social services.

The political leaders at Monday’s event spoke at length about Cornell Scott Hill’s track record and future.

“Everybody wants a facility like this,” said Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison, who championed the community center’s revival in her ward. She later cited a statistic from LEAP that 800 people utilize the Q House every week; she said she hopes that number will triple with the health center’s new presence.

“It is the best health care,” said former Mayor Toni Harp, who shepherded much of the city’s efforts to rebuild the Q House. Harp praised the array of medical specialties that the organization provides: “you can’t separate the mouth from the leg from the stomach,” she said so health care should account for everything from dentistry to mental health services.

Others touched on the significance of the reopening to broader issues of health and economic disparities affecting primarily Black and Brown communities like Dixwell.

State Rep. Robyn Porter spoke of an enduring lack of access to high-quality and affirming healthcare in Black communities. “In New Haven, Black women are seven times more likely to die in childbirth,” she said. Black infants are “four to five times more likely to die” than white babies.

In addition to praising Cornell Scott Hill, Porter touted the passage of a bill that would fund birthing centers across the state. “We need one in New Haven,” she said.

Her colleague, State Rep. Toni Walker, reflected on the transformation of that block of Dixwell Avenue.

“For a while, we got very worried that Dixwell Avenue was going down,” said State Rep. Toni Walker. That’s no longer a fear, she said, in part thanks to the Q House.

Walker turned to address Dixwell residents: “This is your heart,” she said. “Nobody will take it away, nobody will gentrify it. Dixwell Avenue is rising again.”

Toni Harp, former mayor, praises "integrated" health care model.

Outside, A Sister's Journey tables for breast cancer awareness and healthcare access. (Pictured: Dawn White-Bracey, Eileen Esdaile, Wanda Taylor, and Jacque Randolph.)

LAURA GLESBY PHOTOS

Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison cheers on Q House healthcare. At the newly opened Cornell Scott Hill Health Center at 197 Dixwell.

The ribbon is snipped.

New Haven Independent

A Year After the Fall of Roe v. Wade, Democrats Keep the Focus on Abortion

by Hugh McQuaid

One year on, the dismantling of national abortion rights continued to be a rallying cry for Connecticut Democrats, who on Thursday marked the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

Democrats including legislators, constitutional officers and the state party chair gathered in a Hartford parking lot for a morning press conference beneath a mural, which prominently featured the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The occasion was the approaching anniversary of the high court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which on June 24, 2022, overturned nearly 50 years of abortion protections and cleared the way for new restrictions in states across the country.

Thursday’s event served both to highlight efforts by Connecticut policymakers to preserve reproductive rights and urge voters to support Democrats willing to support access to abortion care.

“I want everyone to know that all of us are committed to fighting for women’s reproductive freedom and we will fight at the ballot box, we will fight in the legislature, we will fight in the United States Congress and we will fight in the state and federal courts to protect women’s reproductive rights,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said.

Connecticut policymakers have redoubled efforts to preserve abortion access.

In the weeks before the Dobbs decision was handed down, the state legislature approved a new law designed to shield patients and doctors from legal action for performing abortions.

Since then, new laws have sought to extend additional protections to abortion providers and broaden access to contraceptives.

Meanwhile, Attorney General William Tong has joined his counterparts in likeminded states to intervene against legal efforts to revoke regulator approval of a widely used abortion pill. Earlier this week, he appointed two special counsels to work on reproductive rights cases.

“There’s nothing to celebrate today,” Tong said on Thursday. “It’s been a year since basic, fundamental civil rights — human rights — were taken away from women, patients, doctors, nurses across this country.”

During the past year, state Democrats and abortion rights advocates have also held several press conferences, hosted sympathetic federal officials, and attended rallies.

In January, they gathered in the state Capitol to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the now-defunct Roe decision.

In an interview Thursday, Ben Proto, chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, said that abortion policy decisions prop-

erly belonged with individual states and Connecticut had chosen to enshrine access to the procedure in state law. Democratic focus on the issue was a distraction, he said.

“Democrats are again attempting to divert people’s attention from the real problems,” Proto said. “A woman in the state of Connecticut doesn’t have an issue with access to abortion but she may be shot in down-

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town Hartford or New Haven and suffer consequences from that.”

Proto argued state policymakers’ time might be better spent on laws to ensure broader access to health care for women.

“How is it that we still have limited access for women of color and women of less financial means to health care be it reproductive health care or otherwise?” he said.

“Democrats have failed in that regard.”

Advocates on the other side of the abortion issue have also mobilized in the past year. In March, thousands of residents opposed to abortion marched to the state Capitol as part of a nationwide event called the March for Life.

On Thursday, polling aggregation and analysis site FiveThirtyEight reported that recent surveys suggest that as the Dobbs anniversary approaches, Americans are generally more supportive of abortion rights than they had been since 2000.

Meanwhile, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released last month found more Americans, around 42%, reported that the Democratic Party better represents their positions on abortion issues than the Republican Party, which polled at around 26%.

State Democrats sought Thursday to ensure that voters take their positions on abortion with them to the polls in the coming years. Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, a West Hartford Democrat who co-chairs the legislature’s Reproductive Rights Caucus, enumerated some of the actions Connecticut lawmakers have taken in response to the Dobbs decision.

“We will only be able to continue to do that if we continue to elect Democrats — prochoice Democrats — who recognize the point we’re at in our country’s history,” she said. “This fight is never going to be over.”

The event includes a lively networking reception with delicious food, drinks, and live music!

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Connecticut Democrats hold a press conference on June 22, 2023 to mark the one year anniversary of the Dobbs decision Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie

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Abdussabur Puts Shine On HQ Opening

by PAUL BASS

Before he grabbed a mic Sunday, Shafiq Abdussabur grabbed a spray bottle. He used it to clean the window to the front door of the 347 Whalley Ave. storefront before a crowd showed up to help him inaugurate it as his mayoral campaign headquarters.

“I could probably get somebody to do it. I want to show that that I can do it too,”

Abdussabur remarked between wiped and spritzes. “Who’s better in cleaning up the city than me?”

Abdussabur, a community anti-violence organizer, school-cleaning contractor and retired city police sergeant, is one of four candidates seeking the Democratic mayoral nomination this year. The others are two-term incumbent Justin Elicker, attorney/activist Liam Brennan, and former McKinsey consultant Tom Goldenberg.

(Two unaffiliated candidates, Macey Tor-

res and Wendy Hamilton, have also filed paperwork to have their names appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.)

Abdussabur called the storefront indicative of his campaign message.

It sits next to a vacant lot where a blighted empty former bar (Newt’s Cafe) stood for years until Abdussabur worked with neighbors to convince the city to tear it down.

It’s two doors down from Paramount Liquors, which closed after Abdussabur and neighbors brought quality-of-life concerns to the State Liquor Commission.

“The block is going to be better. It’s gotten better already,” Abdussabur said.

“This race is about cleaning up this neighborhood. We came out here today and picked up every cigarette butt, needle,” he said. “Since the leadership can’t clean up the streets … We can clean them up together.”

Tracey’s Parting Message: “Show That You Care”

by PAUL BASS

Show you care. Even when you need to be firm.

Iline Tracey, who retires next week as New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) superintendent, carried that message through 39 years of rising the district’s ranks, when she taught students and then when she supervised teachers. She leaves with a conviction in that message intact. “You have to show them that you care and the work they do is important,” Tracey said during a retrospective interview Thursday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.

Tracey first learned that message at 7 years old when she watched Mrs. Ruddoch teach her class in the farming Jamaican village of Sweetland. Mrs. Ruddoch was “loving, kind and patient” and “made sure that we learned.” Tracey decided she too would become teacher.

That happened earlier than expected: at 16 years old she found herself teaching kindergartners through ninth graders. She arrived there because she had skipped several grades in a system that moved students along once they showed on tests that they had mastered subjects.

While we more commonly hear concerns about unprepared students advancing grades through “social promotion,” Tracey sees a problem with students stuck below their ability level, bored without challenges.

“I’m a firm believer the we should not hold students back. If they can handle it, they should move forward,” she said. She and her husband Donovan Tracey moved to the U.S. for higher education. They ended up staying in New Haven,

where he had family. After earning her early education degree at Southern Connecticut State University, Tracey started out teaching day care, then third grade at the old Dwight School on Edgewood Avenue.

Her biggest challenge: Tackling misbehavior that would never be countenanced back in Jamaica, where “teachers were revered.”

One student mocked her Caribbean accent and “Jamaican coconut head,” she recalled. She took him aside after school, then met with his parents, who authorized her to take a firm (but also loving) approach. He stopped acting out in class. As an adult he has risen through the fire department ranks and they have remained in touch.

Tracey got to know other students’ families and became one of those revered teachers herself.

She was tapped in 2005 to serve as principal of the then-newly merged KingRobinson K-8 school in Newhallville. She engaged teachers in a symbolic burial in which they left their written-out school problems in a coffin. They rallied the students: “We’re going to show them that we’re not failures.” Three years of steady test-score improvements brought the school off the state’s failed-school list. Then Tracey introduced the “international baccalaureate” concept to the school; by the time she left, families from 18 school distracts as far as Waterbury and Naugatuck clamored to get their kids into the school.

Tracey encountered an unexpected once-in-a-lifetime challenge when she was named to the district’s top job in 2020: navigating 20,000 students through the Covid-19 pandemic.

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“We had to pivot and do things we didn’t know we could do,” she said: Hybrid teaching, for instance. They obtained grants to give separate computers for home and school and for new science and math and after-school programs. She became the “pandemic superintendent.” As the pandemic ebbed, problems remained: especially the rise in students’ mental health challenges and the resultant disorder in the school buildings.

In some ways teaching has changed since she began her career, with new chal-

lenges and different approaches coming in and out of vogue. And in some ways the teacher’s role hasn’t changed. Most important, Tracey said, is for teachers to exude “passion and compassion and show you have interest in people.”

Tracey, who is 68, isn’t done working in education. She said she plans to focus more of her time now on building up an online school of divinity she runs with her husband, who like her is an ordained Seventh Day Adventist minister.

The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly by Penfield Communications, Inc. from offices located at 50 Fitch Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06515. 203-387-0354 phone; 203-3872684 fax. Subscriptions:$260 per year (does not include sales tax for the in State subscriptions). Send name, address, zip code with payment. Postmaster, send address changes to 50 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT 06515. Display ad deadline Friday prior to insertion date at 5:00pm Advertisers are responsible for checking ads for error in publication. Penfield Communications, Inc d.b.a., “The Inner-City Newspaper” , shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad or for typographical errors or errors in publication, except to the extent of the cost of the space in which actual error appeared in the first insertion. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The entire contents of The Inner-City Newspaper are copyright 2012, Penfield Communications, Inc. and no portion may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

CHRIS RANDALL PHOTO

Later that afternoon supporters gathered outside the headquarters, the Elite Drill Squad stepped into action

PAUL BASS PHOTO Schools Supt. Iline Tracey at WNHH FM.

New Haven Independent

Senior Planters Find Their Roots

by ASHER JOSEPH

“Everyone, be quiet! I want to know which one I got.”

A hush fell over the roughly 30 seniors gathered on the second floor of the Q House community center as the gardeners-in-training attempted to find the flower that corresponded to the leafy sprouts in front of them.

That was the scene on Thursday afternoon at ConnCORP’s inaugural collaborative event with the senior center at 197 Dixwell Ave.: an hour-long native flower potting tutorial led by Connecticut Placemaking Engagement Network (CPEN) founder and CEO Doreen Abubakar.

The event was intended to teach the neighborhood’s seniors about the importance of native Connecticut flowers, as well as give them the opportunity to garden with friends.

“Native plants are so important to the environment, because without them, so many birds and insects — especially butterflies — would lack shelter and food,” she said.

A previous iteration of the Q House had served as a cornerstone of the Dixwell/Newhallville community from 1924 to 2003; a newly constructed Q House opened in November 2021. The new senior center, one of several social services

based out of the Dixwell Avenue building, hosts a variety of weekly events, from talent shows to bingo nights.

Once ConnCorp’s Community Liaison

Daniel Hunt and VP of Culture and Community Relations Elaine Roper had handed out blue latex gloves to everyone in attendance on Thursday, the seniors began to wave their hands in eager anticipation. Abubakar walked the group through the steps, instructing them to pack the base of the pot with soil before separating the roots of their sprouts. Once the plant had been placed in the pot, the seniors could begin watering.

Hunt and Roper quickly began shuttling styrofoam cups of water from an orange Home Depot water cooler to each table, while Abubakar helped the group perfect their watering technique. “You want to make sure you don’t pour the water too quickly, otherwise the soil won’t be able to absorb it all in time.”

“Is it special water?” one senior asked. “It’s Connecticut water, of course!” Abubakar chuckled.

The seniors were fascinated by this magical feat of nature, ooh-ing and ah-ing in unison as they tried their own hand at watering their plants. Many participants were still confronted by leakage, but their quick thinking helped them come up with an innovative solution: put the pot inside

the glove to prevent excess water from dripping on the tables.

One participant simply sped over to the sink, saying, “Watch out! Plant emergency coming through!”

As he surveyed the crowd’s pure enthusiasm for the planting, Hunt reflected on why he joined ConnCorp in the first

place. “It’s all about forming a community. I want to be a light for others, and to inspire our city’s youth to give back.” Hunt and Roper were instrumental to the coordination of the event, which was a product of a collaboration between ConnCorp and the Q House that was launched into development last April.

Hunt said he hopes that this event is the first of a longstanding partnership. Once everyone’s plants were well-watered, Abubakar reviewed how to care for the souvenirs. She explained that native plants relied on the region’s seasons for maintenance, and therefore did not require additional watering or pruning after two months of indoor care.

Furthermore, the flowers’ nectar attracts butterflies, a fact that was received by the seniors with more awestruck excitement. “They’re called pollinator plants,” Abubakar elaborated. “Collinator plants?” asked one participant.

Hooked by this new information, the seniors were quick to answer. “No, it’s a pollinator plant!”

The event inspired veteran senior center attendee Jeanette Reynos, a volunteer within the city’s school system, to find a way to implement what she had learned about the flowers into local schools. “I was thinking that we could donate these plants to one of the schools to start a butterfly garden for the kids. Not only is it important for the environment, but also for the kids to see,” she said with a smile. Reynos has been attending local senior events for the past thirteen years, makRead more by going to THE INNERCITY NEWS .COM

OPPORTUNITY + EQUITY

The B lack F utures F und

Uplifting and empowering Greater New Haven’s Black Community Commemorating

One hundred Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits were supported in 2023 by The Black Futures Fund during The Great Give.

As we commemorate Juneteenth, we also thank our Black Futures Fund supporters without whom we could not continue to advance racial equity in our community.

cfgnh.org/blackfuturesfund

African American William Lanson (d. 1851), a leader of New Haven’s Black community.

Sculpture: Dana King;

Photo: Judy Sirota Rosenthal

Senior planting attendee Brenda Harris displays her handiwork.

New Haven Independent

Caribbean Fest Brings Sweet Sound & Celebration To The Green

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The beat was already soaring over the stage when Mical Teja leapt forward, his shoes bright white in the light, and lifted one arm as if to say hello. It was a silent, immediate sign: hundreds of people roared at the sight, jumping up from their seats. At the front, Michelle Cave and Allison Deroche jumped forward, waving the red and black flag of Trinidad & Tobago. The party had officially begun. For some in the audience, it had been going all day.

Teja’s performance marked the culmination of the ninth annual New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival, held on the upper New Haven Green and Temple Street for the second year in a row. A collaboration among the Jamaican American Connection (JAC), International Festival of Arts & Ideas and an annual planning committee, the afternoon-long festival included music, dance, storytelling, drumming, and food from over a dozen island nations. As if on cue, stormclouds parted just hours before it began, and stayed away all day.

“Listen, we were going to be here rain or shine,” said Karaine Smith-Holness, who founded the festival in 2014, and is a proud Jamaican American small business owner in New Haven. “We were thinking of it as by the river, the waterfall. But this—” she motioned to the sun soaking the still-damp ground after a morning of heavy rain—“feels amazing. To see the kids smiling and laughing especially.”

“We’re just here to celebrate us,” added Shermaine Cooke-Edmonds, who hails from Dominica and has worked with Smith-Holness since hearing her on the radio in 2014, and knowing she wanted to get involved. “We [she and SmithHolness] kind of have one brain when it comes to this.”

It felt momentous this year, Smith-Holness added. While the Caribbean Heritage Festival has partnered with Arts & Ideas since 2021 (read more about that here and here), this year marked the first time in over five years that a Caribbean artist graced the Green’s main stage, and in 20 that the Festival brought the soca party downtown. Teja, who hails from Trididad and Tobago, is the first soca artist since Machel Montano in 2004.

This year, signs of the festival’s growth sprouted in every direction, from new performers onstage to a tent brightly announcing Puerto Ricans United (PRU) with traditional vejigante masks, handcarved drums and Miss Puerto Rico winners who blended tiaras and traditional bomba skirts.

Introducing the festival, emcee Andrew Clarke stressed the importance of Saturday’s event, which both celebrated and brought together island traditions from across multiple and overlapping diasporas.

“Trinidad, land of the steel drum!” he

said as he squinted through the sunlight, looking over tents that filled the Green with vibrant color. At each mention, different parts of the crowd cheered, making their island known. “Dominica! Jamaica!

Saint Lucia! We have Puerto Rico … and Grenada!” He paused at Haiti, letting loose a celebratory “Sak pase?!” when a yell of delight went up from one end of the Green.

Everywhere, it seemed, there was a story waiting to be told, sometimes many at one time. As performer and environmental educator Gammy Moses took the stage with tales of his native Dominica, attendee Stacy Samuel put the finishing touches on a tent representing Trinidad and Tobago near the stage.

From the tent, several red, black and white flags flapped in the wind, as if they were proudly announcing the island’s 61 years of independence. Around each side, volunteers Michelle Cave, Samuel and Allison Deroche had added posters, factstudded brochures, and bright, feathered headdresses and beaded fringe traditionally worn at Carnival.

A butter-colored poster of Prime Minister Eric Eustace Williams, whose formation of the People’s National Movement (PNM) led to the island’s independence, fluttered in a humid breeze on one side. Every so often, if an attendee got close enough, it seemed like he might say hello and start a conversation. Beneath him, squares of chocolate and garnet-hued tamarind balls quickly disappeared from the wicker baskets where they had been arranged.

“We want people to know who we are!” said Cave, who left Trinidad for New York with her family when she was a teenager, and moved to Connecticut in

2004. “We have a lot of information this year, because a lot of people don’t know about our island.”

“You know, you can take me out of Trinidad, but you can’t take Trinidad out of me,” she added with a smile.

Back onstage, Moses cycled through several of his songs, highlighting the importance of protecting Connecticut’s waterways from environmental pollution. Between pieces, he said that his own experiences growing up in Dominica influenced the work he does now to care for the environment. As a kid, for instance, he watched his grandmother toss mango peels into the yard when she was finished with the fruit. It was composting before there was a formal word for it.

“The rhythms I play have been passed down from the ancestors, from one generation to another,” he said. As he played, his wide, outstretched palms spun the songs into story. He later kept that momentum going as he ducked beneath a tent with several pint-sized musicians, and taught a drum class in the day’s rising heat.

Nearby, Miss Puerto Rico of Greater New Haven winners Alianys Ayala, Alanna Herbert, Yulianet Nevarez and Miriam Magalis Cruz floated through the grass, stopping at several tents to learn about and chat with their Caribbean neighbors. At one, dedicated to the culture of Grenada, they learned from Godfrey and Paula Ferguson that the island nation will be celebrating half a century of independence next year.

Paula, who came to the U.S. in 1978, later added that former Prime Minister Tillman Thomas is her older brother. She’s been with the Caribbean Heritage Festival since its early stages.

At another, Jamaican American storyteller Dr. Janice Hart—or as she is sometimes better known, Ms. Matty Lou—transported them hundreds of miles across the water as she lifted a rounded, banana-leaf katta onto her head, and balanced a large basket atop it, beaming all the while.

Herbert, a rising junior at Common Ground High School who identifies as both Black and Latina, said she was especially excited to be in a space where she could fully embrace her Afro-Caribbean roots.

As a kid, Herbert said, her Blackness made her feel “separated” from the lighter-skinned Puerto Rican members of her family, especially those with straight black hair and long, narrow faces. It took her meeting other Black Puerto Ricans, and Black people from across the AfroCaribbean diaspora, to realize that she wasn’t strange or separate, but beautiful, she said.

“I realized that we can have afros,” she said. “We can have full lips … People should be informed of our culture.” As a student in accelerated high school programs at Yale, she added, “you don’t see a lot of people like me.” She’s now happy

Soca musician Mical Teja

Alianys Ayala, Alanna Herbert, Paula Ferguson, Godfrey Ferguson, Yulianet Nevarez and Miriam Magalis Cruz.

Dr. Janice Hart—or as she is sometimes better known, Ms. Matty Lou.

For Long Wharf Theatre "I Am: Muslim/American" Sparks A Conversation

Nevaeh Lugo, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

A woman is hard at work wiping the coffee table in her living room clean. A door opens audibly, but the scene stays focused on the woman until she looks up. Instantly, her expression changes: fear and worry replace her calm and focused gaze. The camera angle switches to reveal her son, sporting facial injuries and a stoic stare.

It isn’t until his mother approaches him that his composure breaks, and his lip begins to tremble. Tears spring to his eyes.

This is just one scene from I Am: Muslim/American, this year’s iteration of the New Haven Play Project from Long Wharf Theatre and an incredibly able cast and crew. On a recent Sunday, a screening and talkback came to the Whitney Humanities Center in downtown New Haven.

Written by Aaliya Miller and directed by Halima Flynn, the film showcases the stories of Muslim Americans living all around Connecticut. Working together, the playwright and director started with interviews, and reimagined them into a screenplay.

Taken apart and together, the stories shed light on the diverse Muslim experiences in the state, in the hopes of sparking meaningful conversation between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. It marks an evolution of the New Haven Play Project, which began in 2018 with a collaboration between Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) and Long Wharf. Prior to that time, Long Wharf ran a collaboration with Tower One/Tower East called the Elder Play Project for years.

“I think, at a high level, we know the misinformation that comes out about Muslim Americans in our media,” Miller said. “So we wanted to challenge that narrative, but we also wanted to go a little bit deeper and look at how people are living their lives.”

I Am: Muslim/American, which was supported entirely by a Building Bridges Grant from the Doris Duke Foundation, started as a film accompanied by a stage play. Due to pandemic-era restrictions under which the crew was working, the creative team decided to merge the project into a film for simplicity.

Just as it had lived many lives before and during the pandemic (read more about that here, here and here), this version of the play project aimed to center community and storytelling, despite the lack of a physical stage and audience. The interviewing process began in 2021, as Miller and Flynn toured Connecticut to collect the stories of Muslim Americans in the state.

According to Miller, some of the biggest challenges included scheduling the

interviews, and “really having to meet people where they’re at.” She said that crew members also struggled with “asking people to give up themselves to tell what are some very personal, not easy stories to tell.”

The filmmaking process came with many different challenges, but most members of the crew agreed that the biggest obstacle was working around deadlines, as the entirety of the film was recorded in the span of two long weekends, which lasted Thursday night through Sunday.

Andre Griffith, the film’s editor and director of photography (DP), emphasized how challenging it was to work against the clock. He explained that the limited time affected him at both positions.

“As a DP, the biggest obstacle was really time.” Griffith said. “I like to be thorough and get a variety of shots, and in the time frame that we had, I could not get all the shots that I wanted to get, which then translates over to editing, where there are some shots that I would have placed differently, but I didn’t have the shots to do it.”

Flynn had a different take on the experience, noting that the limited time resulted in more resourcefulness from the cast.

“Even though we were challenged with time, a lot of the challenges, I think,

helped us find solutions we would not have looked for otherwise,” Flynn said. During the making of the film—an interfaith process, crew members noted— creative team members said they strove to be open-minded and respectful of each other's voices and opinions. This especially delighted Bushra Mahdi, the film’s costume designer, who recalled a time she made a correction to the film and was heard rather than rebuked.

Mahdi, whose son Maher Mahmood also assisted with the film, is herself a refugee from Iraq; she came to New Haven with her family in 2014. For her, working on the piece was personal.

Mahdi said that when she saw the filming of the prayer scene that starts the film, she noticed something was wrong with the way the actor was praying. She was a bit nervous at first, but spoke to Flynn and showed her the proper way to pray. Flynn was happy for the criticism and made the appropriate adjustments to the scene, she said.

As the film rolled Sunday, I am Muslim. I am American split itself into three parts, all of them fitting into a broader whole. The first told the story of a teacher, John, who reunites with a past student of his named Jay during a taxi ride. John remembers how he helped Jay turn his life around after he was arrested as the result of a drug and gun bust at his house.

Jay, in turn, reveals to John that he converted to Islam and is working on a teaching career of his own. John congratulates him and offers advice for his conversion and his future.

The second shows a group of Muslim women visiting a restaurant and exchanging stories about their experiences in their religion. They exchange moments that made them feel welcomed and appreciated, including a fitness trainer being understanding to his student as she fasted, and a Muslim comedian breaking the ice at her show to an interfaith audience. They also experience microaggressions at the restaurant, such as being asked “Where are you really from?”

The third part shows a man, Rafi, and his friend playing basketball with two non-Muslim men. A fight breaks out between Rafi and one of the men after he begins to hurl Islamophobic insults at Rafi. After going home and speaking with his mother, Rafi is then shown performing slam poetry, coining the term “I am Muslim. I am American.” in a call to fight against Islamophobia and erase misinformation in society.

After the screening of the film, the crew sat down together and opened the room up for questions and comments. This allowed for a discussion between cast, crew, and viewers about what stuck with them from the film.

Sidra Syed, the actress who played a character named Kadisha, enjoyed her time working with the cast and crew and said it was emotional to see scenes that she could relate to represented in the media.

“Part three, it was so emotional because a lot of Muslims, we know people, or we’ve experienced the racism and being called a terrorist, and seeing that and seeing the presentation of that, being able to relate to that was emotional and it was a great message that was spread.” Syed said.

Miller said that the purpose behind the title I Am: Muslim/American stemmed from a shared sentiment between all the people she and Flynn interviewed. It doubles as a representation of the Muslim American community and an outcry for equal treatment in today’s society.

“With Muslims, people see them as Muslim first, then they have to explain that they are American.” Miller said. “When you are a minority in this country, you never get to be just American. You have to be something first.”

For more details, including the full film credits and each crew member’s personal story, visit Long Wharf Theater’s Website here. This article comes from the 2023 Cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. Nevaeh Lugo is a recent graduate of West Haven High School.

Cast, crew and members of Long Wharf Theatre staff. Nevaeh Lugo Photos.

Youth March Rings In Juneteenth With Dancing

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The drums boomed over Dixwell Avenue, ringing the morning into being. In a sea of red, members of the Village Drill Team & Drum Corps stepped off, the wide road stretching for blocks behind them. Cars honked, some drivers waving their arms in support. At the front of the line, Attorney Cheryl Sharpe began dancing, unable to stay still.

Three generations of marchers warded off rain Saturday morning—at least temporarily—as members of the Official Juneteenth Coalition of Greater New Haven (JCGNH) and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) joined forces for a youth march from Stetson Branch Library down to the New Haven Green. As they marched in time with bass drums and sharp footfalls, many took it as a chance to celebrate Black liberation, still a work in progress under the yoke of white supremacy and capitalism.

The day doubled as a moment to honor the legacy of Dr. Ronald Myers, a father of the modern Juneteenth movement who passed away in 2018. This year, Myers' wife and two children traveled from Louisiana to New Haven to accept proclamations from both the city and the Connecticut General Assembly in recognition of his work.

"You may not know it now, but you are a part of a beautiful history," said founding JCGNH member Hanan Hameen-Diop, looking over marchers that ranged from five and six years old to their 60s when they reached the Green. Because the JCGNH is part of the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation (NJOF), "the whole country knows what we are doing today."

Juneteenth recognizes the emancipation of enslaved Black people in Galveston, Tex. on June 19, 1865, a full two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2021, President Joe Biden designated it as a national holiday for the first time. Earlier this month, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont followed suit for the state, in the same week that a Juneteenth flag went up on the New Haven Green.

This year is especially momentous for the coalition: it marks 10 years of observances in New Haven, and an evolving partnership with the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. In a decade, coalition partners have involved Kidz Kook, Ice The Beef, Artsucation Academy Network, S.P.O.R.T Academy, and the city’s Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism among others. This year, CHRO joined with members of its Kids Court Academy (KCA), an intro to law and social justice for students in middle and high school, for the first time. The academy is helmed by Sharpe, deputy director at the agency.

From the moment Stetson opened its heavy double doors Saturday morning, a sense of reverence filled the space, bouncing from shelves of Black children's literature to a first floor creation station, where students could make posters and handmade paper flags. At one table, mom Angelina Wilson and her daughter Laila Hugley worked on a poster that read Equality and Freedom with a blue, white, and red Juneteenth flag like an ampersand in the middle. At the top right, the red, green and black of the Pan-African flag peeked out at fellow attendees.

Laila, who is a rising fifth grader at Worthington Hooker School and member of KCA, said that she was excited to be marching. For her, Juneteenth means "equality and freedom for all," she said—

no matter a person’s race, religion, or socioeconomic status. As she chatted with her mom, she got to work outlining 50 stars for all 50 states.

Beside her, Wilson said that she was glad to be celebrating with her daughter, who had learned about the holiday at a much younger age than Wilson and her peers once had.

"It's a time of celebration and freedom, but it also reminds us to remember those who still may be captive," she said. She advocated for taking Juneteenth as a moment of reflection, in which people remember to fight for those still living in physical and economic slavery and bondage, including in the United States.

Across from them, filmmaker Lydia Douglas and her cousin Lauren Thomas

lage Drill Team & Drum Corps began lining up behind Director Tayvon Berryman, in lines of red t-shirts, matching red bows, red-striped socks and shiny black marching drums. As Berryman ducked inside to look for any stragglers, Chief Executive Officer Tywanda Coggins and Assistant Director Shirley Banks counted members, making sure no one would be left behind.

It was, Coggins joked, a little bit of déjà vu: the team had been on Dixwell Avenue two weeks prior, for the Freddy Fixer Parade. The route was already familiar territory.

Banks, who for years led the Soul-o-ettes Drill Team, added that youth enrichment comes naturally to her, on Juneteenth and on all days. In the 1990s, Banks lost her daughters Regina and Rachelle to gun violence "for being in the wrong place at the wrong time," she told the New Haven Independent in 2007. Decades later, she's helping keep kids busy with activities like the drill team.

Next to her, Coggins said that she has a broader vision of a "village house" for team members and New Haven youth, particularly those who are struggling with homelessness.

Across from them, Ezekiel and Laila lined up with fellow KCA members Jeremy Works and Sreenidi Bala. Together, the four gripped the corners of a blue-andwhite CHRO banner, carefully crossing Dixwell Avenue as they found a place at the front of the line.

Bala, a 15-year-old student at Farmington High School who made the trek for the march, called the morning "a renewed hope for the future." Jeremy, who is Ezekiel's twin, said that he sees it as a reminder that no one should ever be enslaved—and that it is wrong to view anyone as “less than” because they might look different.

put the finishing touches on a poster emblazoned with the words "Juneteenth Let's Celebrate," "My Ancestors," "Liberation! Freedom! Remembrance!" Beside them, Thomas' two-year-old son Lorenzo slipped from their table into nine-year-old Ezekiel Works' nearby arms, reaching for a green marker.

"Baby!" he exclaimed to no one in particular, making Ezekiel giggle as the two worked on a popsicle-stick Juneteenth flag. As the time to march grew closer, Lorenzo hopped down and ran around the first floor, giggling as his little feet slapped the carpet. Around him in every direction, books dedicated to the Black diaspora waited eagerly for young hands and eyes.

Outside the library, members of the Vil-

Then they were off, drums soaring over the avenue as Berryman lifted his arms, bent his knees, and cued in over a dozen pint-sized dancers behind him. At the corner of Dixwell Avenue and Francis Hunter Drive, they moved in place, the drums nearly purring beneath them. Behind them, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas pumped her arms in time with the sound, waving a sign that urged passersby to vote.

When she took the stage close to an hour later, she brought that same verve to her call for action, from voter literacy to recognizing the layers of Connecticut’s history. "The truth is, we all have to be involved all of the time," she said of how fragile voting rights remain in this country.

Hours before other festivals had bloomed into action for the day, it seemed that this was the soundtrack, or at least a soundtrack, to Juneteenth. On one side of the street, cars passed, some drivers honk-

The Village Drill Team & Drum Corps, helmed by Tayvon Berryman. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Connecticut’s Insurance Exchange Increases Its Assessment, Which Will Raise Rates Further

by Mike Savino

Access Health CT is raising its charge next year for policies sold on the state’s health insurance exchange, the first increase in eight years.

The exchange’s Board of Directors approved the 0.2-percentage point increase Thursday over objections from business and lawmakers, siding with staff who said they’d cut expenses as much as they could.

The unanimously approved increased assessment will impact premiums starting in 2024. Access Health said it will generate roughly $1.8 million in revenue for the new budget.

“I believe we are at the point where this is the right action for the exchange,” board Chairman Charles H. Kippel said. The board’s vote increases Access Health’s assessment to a rate of 1.85%, which Access Health staff said would cost $1.44 per month for each consumer who purchases insurance through the exchange.

Access Health CEO James Michel said the increase is needed even though the $54.1-million budget includes a cut of $734,326 for the upcoming fiscal year.

“We continue to work everyday to find — to make ourselves, sort of, more efficient, to minimize cost on the industry,” Michel said.

His comments came after several lawmakers and business groups urged the board to reject the increase.

During a discussion that lasted more than an hour, Rep. Kerry Wood, D-Rocky Hill, who co-chairs the legislature’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said the increased assessments will hurt the “already extremely sensitive” market for small businesses who rely on the exchange to provide health insurance coverage to their employers.

“I just think that raising the assessments is counterintuitive to the goals we’re trying to do with strengthening the exchange,” she said.

Wood estimated the assessment, based on Access Health’s expectations, would mean a $70 annual increase in health in-

surance premiums for a family of four.

She highlighted efforts by the legislature to lower the cost of policies on the exchange, including lowering the premium tax.

Wood provided a letter, signed by several members of her committee, against the increase, and members Rep. Steven R. Meskers, D-Greenwich, and Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, a ranking member, also voiced their opposition during the meeting.

The Connecticut Business and Industry Association and National Federation of Independent Businesses also registered their opposition.

“Connecticut small employers struggle every year to keep up with rising healthcare costs,” CBIA Assistant Council Wyatt Bosworth said, describing the fully insured market in Connecticut being “on life support.”

But Michel and Access Health’s board said they’ve done what they can to avoid raising costs, noting the assessment has been flat for eight years.

Those efforts included using $1.9 million from Access Health’s budget reserve to fund operating costs as part of the budget that ends June 30. The exchange also used $2.7 million from the reserve to fund efforts to notify people about changes in

Medicaid benefits and help them find coverage.

Access Health Finance Committee

Chairman Claudio Gaultieri said the board delayed an increase last year so it could review its options, including seeking grants and holding workshops to look at expenses.

“For me, the question now is: what comes after those alternatives?” Gaultieri asked.

He noted the shrinking exchange market has meant less revenue for Access Health at a time when the agency is dealing with increased costs.

Access Health’s biggest cost drivers next

year are personnel and equipment. Salaries are going up by a combined $492,902, or 5.9%, over the current budget, although its offset by spending $389,557.

The agency is also spending an additional $564,282, or 14% on equipment. Gaultieri said the equipment is needed to comply with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and IRS mandates. To balance the increases, Access Health is putting off nearly $1.9 million in technology upgrades, resulting in an overall budget cut of $734,326.

Even with the increase, Access Health staff and members said the assessment of 1.85% is the lowest in the country. Washington and Maryland, both at 2%, are tied for second, while Indiana and the federally facilitated exchange are the only other ones with an assessment under 3%.

The increase comes as insurance carriers are seeking another round of sizable increases in premiums for policies in the marketplace next year.

Anthem Health Plans is seeking an average increase of 9.8%, Connecticare Benefits an average of 12.7% and Connecticut Insurance Company an average of 17.5%.

The Insurance Department is taking comments online through July 9. The agency is expected to hold a public hearing sometime in August before deciding on the request.

Access Health board members anticipated the assessment will be used as a reason, and said insurance carriers have the ability to find savings elsewhere. One suggestion was tougher negotiations with healthcare networks.

“Can you get your prices down with Hartford Healthcare by 0.2% to offset this?” state Healthcare Advocate Ted Doolittle asked. “I think you can.”

Board members also said they want to see the state push to bring down healthcare costs.

Office of Healthcare Strategies Executive Director Diedre Gifford noted her agency is holding its first hearing Wednesday to examine the rise in healthcare costs.

“The drivers of healthcare costs really need to be the focus,” she said.

Morehouse College taps the University of Tennessee’s Derrick Brooms to lead its Black men’s research institute as executive director

By Black PR Wire

Morehouse College has appointed Dr. Derrick Brooms as the new executive director of its Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI) beginning August 1. An award-winning scholar, activist, educator, speaker, and writer, Brooms brings over two decades of higher education experience, where his education research primarily centers on Black men and boys’ pathways to and through college, their engagement on campus and identity development, as well as their lived experiences and representations in the media.

Brooms joins Morehouse from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where he is a professor of Africana studies and sociology and the associate department head of Africana studies. Through research, teaching, service, and community/collaborative work, Brooms is committed to educational equity, inclusion, and racial justice.

“As the only higher education institution with a mission to prepare Black men for careers of leadership and service, Morehouse College is uniquely positioned to generate new scholarship centered on Black men and their communities through the BMRI, as well

as to contribute to conversations and inform policy related to social justice,” said Brooms. “It is with great honor that I accept this role as we endeavor to explore and explain the multifaceted dimensions of Black male identity, challenges, and triumphs.

Dr. Kendrick Brown, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Morehouse College said, “Dr. Brooms’ unwavering commitment to the advancement of Black men aligns perfectly with Morehouse’s mission. His leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our efforts to address the unique challenges faced by Black men

and cultivate a more inclusive and equitable society.”

Funded through a four-year grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the BMRI is a crucial, pioneering initiative designed for the research, education, and engagement of Black men and their allies on the economic, social, cultural, and personal outcomes of issues affecting Black men in the U.S. and internationally, while equipping these communities with the knowledge and tools to navigate and challenge a society constructed in ways that may marginalize Black men’s contributions and humanity.

James Michel, CEO of Access Health, at a press conference on Dec. 13, 2021 Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie

Dr. Derrick Brooms, executive director of the Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI) (Courtesy Photo)

Tenant’s Rent Slashed To $1 After Mold Complaint

by THOMAS BREEN

Fair Rent commissioners dropped a Fillmore Street tenant’s rent down to $1 per month in a bid to pressure her landlord to speed up repairs to a dangerously unhealthy property with water-damaged ceilings and walls and allegedly beset with mold.

That was the outcome of Tuesday night’s latest regular monthly Fair Rent Commission meeting, which was held online via Zoom. The Fair Rent Commission is a state-empowered local body charged with cracking down on rents deemed “harsh and unconscionable,” and on hearing rent-related tenant complaints about landlord retaliation and unsafe living conditions.

The three commissioners present for Tuesday’s meeting voted unanimously to reduce the rent for the first-floor apartment at 234 Fillmore St. from $1,200 to $1 per month.

They did so after hearing from tenants Emily Pike and Jerhiel Vidro and their lawyer, Yale New Haven MedicalLegal Partnership Project Director Sarah Mervine, about long-standing problems with the property. Pike said those problems — documented by Livable City Initiative (LCI) inspectors — have resulted in a slew of upper respiratory infections for and her two young kids.

“It’s just very concerning and dangerous,” Pike told the commissioners about the conditions in her apartment affecting her health. “It’s kind of like a ticking time bomb in the background, and it’s harming us in the meantime. We really need something to be done.”

“I just think it’s disgusting,” Fair Rent Commission Chair Lizz McCrea said about the condition of the property as described by Pike and a LCI inspection report. “I think it’s unsafe. It’s unhealthy.”

“Just to get the attention of the landlord,”

Commissioner Garry Monk said, “I make a motion we reduce the rent to $1 until we get some satisfaction, until we meet again … I don’t know.”

Fellow Commissioner Wendy Gamba helped Monk fashion that motion into one that all three commissioners present on Tuesday wound up voting in support of. That final commission-approved decision reduced the Fillmore Street apartment’s rent to “$1 until all repairs are complete and verified with licensed contractors, invoiced, evidenced,” per Gamba’s motion.

The three-family Fair Haven rental property at the center of Tuesday’s Fair Rent Commission order is owned by Panorama Del LLC, a holding company controlled by the real estate investor-property management-property ownership company Ocean Management.

Ocean did not send a representative to

participate in Tuesday night’s Fair Rent Commission meeting, which was not well received by the commissioners. “You all know how I feel about landlords who don’t show up,” Gamba offered at the start of the deliberations on this case. (The head of Ocean Management did not respond to a request for comment by the publication time of this article.)

Because Pike, Vidro, and Mervine all did show up to speak up for the tenant’s side, they got to present their case to the commissioners and to issue their ask for a rent reduction and for help getting the landlord to make needed repairs.

Mervine said Pike has lived in the 234 Fillmore St. apartment since November 2021, paying her monthly $1,200 rent on

time throughout her tenancy.

Fair Rent Commission Executive Director Wildaliz Bermúdez said that LCI inspected her apartment on Nov. 28, 2022 and found “unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions.”

Those LCI-discovered problems included a damp and damaged ceiling, holes in the floor, chipping and flaking paint, and trash piled around the outside of the property. There is “evidence of liquid seepage and damage to walls and ceiling of several rooms,” added Bermúdez, reading from an inspection report put together by a Fair Rent Commission field inspector this spring. “Tenants report there is evidence of advanced mold behind bathroom walls; the walls are fragile and when gently compressed break through and expose dark/ black substance.”

LCI subsequently applied for a warrant for the prosecution of Ocean Management head Shmuel Aizenberg in New Haven’s criminal housing court because of delayed fixes to these city inspector-found problems. Aizenberg is slated to appear in court on those and other criminal housing matters this upcoming Tuesday.

Pike filed a complaint with the Fair Rent Commission on March 21 about unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions at the property and about the landlord’s attempt Read more by going to THE INNERCITY NEWS .COM

THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO

Fair Rent Commission Director Wildaliz Bermúdez (right): "Tenants report there is evidence of advanced mold behind bathroom walls" at 234 Fillmore.

Retracing their steps: descendants of 6888th Battalion return to Europe to honor their foremothers

By Courtesy of The Afro Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours (SAHT)

is thrilled to announce that a group of descendants of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, popularly known as the “Six Triple Eight,” have embarked on a remarkable tour to honor the legacy of their courageous ancestors.

Retracing their steps from Glasgow to Birmingham, from London to Normandy, and from Rouen to Paris. The highlight of the tour will be a remembrance ceremony for the three members of the 6888th buried at the Normandy American Cemetery

About the 6888TH

The all-female unit of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War II was designated black, although there were also Latina women in the unit. Their primary mission was to clear a massive backlog of mail and packages that had accumulated for American troops in Europe. They sorted, redirected, and delivered mail to over seven million Americans and troops stationed in the European Theater of Operations.

The unit was led by Major Charity Adams (Earley), becoming the first African-American woman to command an overseas battalion in the U.S. Army.

The 6888th was stationed in Birmingham, England, Rouen, France, and later in Paris. France. They faced numerous challenges, including cultural differences, gender discrimination, and working with outdated equipment. Despite these obstacles, they achieved remarkable results and earned a reputation for their efficiency and dedication.

The 6888th played a vital role in boosting morale among the troops by ensuring that they received letters and packages from their loved ones back home. Their work helped maintain a vital connection between soldiers and their families and improved morale on the front lines abroad and in the U.S. On March 14, 2022, President Biden signed the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021, awarding the 6888th the nation’s highest civilian honor.

About the tour

Led by SAHT’s expert historian, Col. (Ret.) Edna Cummings, the tour is taking the descendants on a captivating journey through significant sites.

Historian Kevin Hymel will join the group in London to add general WWII context for the group. Hymel, a longtime historian with SAHT, connected with Cummings when he was research-

ing an article about the 6888th WWII History magazine. That article caught the eye of Tyler Perry who is turning it into a Netflix film.

Talia Ambrose, grand-niece of founder Stephen Ambrose and third generation of this family owned business, is accompanying the tour as a tour manager. Itinerary

Glasgow – June 20 and 21

Taking the SS Île de France from the USA, the 6888th landed in Glasgow after a voyage dodging German U-boats. They then proceeded to their first station in Birmingham, England.

Birmingham, England – June 21 – 24

King Edwards School (Birmingham,

England):

This site holds significance as it commemorates where the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the “Six Triple Eight,” was stationed during their time in Birmingham. The presence of a Blue Plaque honors the unit’s important role in mail sorting operations during World War II.

Victoria Square (Birmingham, England):

This square is notable as it was the location where the 6888th marched during their time in Birmingham. Historical footage captures their participation

in parades, highlighting their contribution to the war effort.

During their visit, the descendants of the women of the 6888th will participate in various events and activities to honor the Windrush generation, including a wreath-laying ceremony at the Windrush Memorial in Birmingham, and a series of talks and presentations at local schools and community centers.

William Shakespeare’s birthplace,

ham and London, England):

Bletchley Park is historically significant as it was the central site for British code-breaking efforts during World War II. For the 6888th descendants, visiting Bletchley Park allows them to learn about the vital role of approximately 8,000 women who operated the computers used for Nazi code-breaking, including the Colossus and Bombe machines.

Grosvenor Square (London, England):

This square holds significance as it was where the 6888th Commander Major Charity Adams reported in January 1945. It serves as a reminder of the unit’s presence and contributions in London during the war. Churchill’s War Rooms (London, England): general WWII stop.

Normandy – June 25 – 28

Normandy holds immense significance for Americans. The group will visit American D-Day sites: Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Point du Hoc, and St. Mere Eglise, to name a few.

The highlight of the tour will be at the Normandy American Cemetery. Of the 9,386 military dead buried there, only four are women, and three of those four were members of the 6888th. On June 27, the group will honoring those three 6888th members in a solemn and poignant moment that pays tribute to their service and sacrifice.

Rouen – day trip on June 28

The marketplace in Rouen witnessed a parade ceremony in May 1945 in honor of Joan d’Arc, and the 6888th participated in this historic event. Additionally, visiting the remains of the Caserne Tallandier barracks, where the 6888th was stationed, allows the descendants to connect with the physical space that housed their ancestors during their time in Rouen.

Paris – June 28 and 29

Stratford-upon-Avon, England (day trip out of Birmingham):

The 6888th took a photo with a statue of William Shakespeare at his birthplace. This site holds significance as it represents a memorable moment for the unit during their time in England.

London – June 24 – 25

Bletchley Park (Stop between Birming-

The officers and enlisted women were quartered in different locations in Paris, namely the Hôtel États-Unis and the Hôtel Bohy-Lafayette, respectively. This was their last station before the unit returned to the USA.

Descendants of the women of the 6888th are retracing their footsteps of their ancestors this week in remembrance of the Black Women Army Corps Unit that raised WWII Troop morale. (U.S. Army Women's Museum via AP, File)

The Black Press is Our Vanguard

helped the country to move to a voting system where confidence could be restored in the voting process.

By Michael A. Grant, J.D.

I write this brief essay with two goals in mind: First, I want to extend a warm welcome to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to its annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee. And, secondly, to try to share with your readers the powerful impact that the Black Press continues to have on our struggle for total equality in America.

From Frederick Douglas’ The North Star to Ida B. Wells’ The Memphis Free Press and all subsequent members of the Black press, the plight of African – Americans was chronicled and a beacon of hope was provided through the journalistic efforts and trials of the country’s heroic Black Press. I cannot begin to capture the countless ways that the Black Press acted as the vanguard and the persistent battering ram against forces of oppression in this country. What I would like to do is to act as an eyewitness to the enormous contribution that NNPA member papers made during the last thirty years where I had a bird’s eye view of their reporting.

It was around 1992, while serving as branch president of the NAACP here in Nashville, that I had cause to contact NNPA’s office in Washington, D.C. We, at the branch, were reaping the benefits of an initiative to restore the voting rights of felons who had served their time and were interested in enfranchisement. I contacted the local Elections Commission Office and requested that it move its operations one Saturday to the branch office. The campaign was a huge success so we decided to broadcast our efforts nationally in hopes that others would follow suit.

After reaching out to Hazel Trice Edney and Rosetta Miller-Perry, the word was disseminated around the country. The rest is history.

My next encounter with the NNPA centered on a marketing strategy for Athan Gibbs’ TruVote Voting System. Arguably, Athan Gibbs’ ingenious invention of the TruVote validation and verification voting system saved American democracy. I know this is a bold assertion but after experiencing the debacle that was the 2000 Presidential election, I witnessed (as vice-president of marketing for TruVote), first-hand, how Athan Gibbs’ accounting skills

Although he was not given credit for revolutionizing voting in America, I shudder to think of how the country could have survived the attempted coup in 2020 if our voting systems were as flawed as Athan Gibbs found them to be during of the 2000 Presidential Election. I also noticed, years after Gibbs’ untimely death, that I voted on a system that looked remarkedly like Gibbs’ invention, which was widely covered by NNPA member papers.

Lastly, and again, I had to tap into the journalistic excellence of Hazel Trice Edney to help raise the consciousness of Black Americans about the need for building intergenerational wealth. Three national organizations, with the help of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, kicked off a movement called Black Wealth 2020 in 2015. The founding organizations were the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and the National Bankers Association. The presidents of these groups were Ron Busby Sr., Jim Winston and Michael Grant, respectively. The coalition expanded to several other organizations.

Black Wealth 2020 set three ambitious goals: To significantly increase the number of Black-owned businesses and their gross receipts; to increase home ownership by two million; and to increase deposits in and loans with Black banks. At its Winter meeting, the goals of Black Wealth 2020 were ratified by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators a year after the coalition was formed. NNPA newspapers thoroughly covered the movement and led millions of Black Americans to a realization of their buying strength and the power generated by a unity of purpose.

This partial recounting of the great work of the NNPA is not meant to be exhaustive. It is, however, a reminder that the medium is the message and no other media will tell our story with the same passion and desire for Black progress that NNPA members have demonstrated.

Thank you, NNPA, and welcome to the home of Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College and Fisk University. I hope you enjoy Southern hospitality at its very best!

Michael A. Grant, J.D. is president of United Security Financial, Inc., a full-fledge, Black-owned mortgage company. He is also former president of the National Bankers Association.

CLERK III

Town of Bloomfield

Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership,Inc. (LEAP)

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The Wallingford Public Schools are looking for candidates to performs a wide variety of clerical duties requiring excellent computer and interpersonal skills. This position requires 1 year of office work experience and a H.S. diploma. Wages: $19.61 to $26.32 hourly (effective July 1, 2023) plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford 45 South Main Street, Room 301, Wallingford, CT 06492. Applications will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: (203) 294-2080 Fax: (203) 294-2084. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received or June 28, 2023 whichever occurs first. EOE

Salary Range: $87,727 to $136,071

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SERVICES

Deputy Finance Director/Controller

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE. For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

Listing: Estimator/Job Coordinator

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.

Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc. (LEAP) is seeking a qualified individual or firm to provide professional architectural and/or engineering services for the rehabilitation of its building at 31 Jefferson Street in New Haven, CT. The project is being funded through the Community Project Funding Grant under the federal 2023 Economic Development Initiative.

A detailed overview of the RFQ may be obtained at the LEAP Office at 31 Jefferson Street or through an email request to Allie Salazar Gonzalez at leapgrants@leapforkids. org.

NOTICIA

HVAC department has an opening for a full time Estimator/Job Coordinator. Candidate must possess a HVAC Trade License. Construction or engineering degree preferred. Five years of experience in the HVAC industry. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

Town of Bloomfield Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range)

Sealed qualifications (3 copies) must be received in the office of the Executive Director of LEAP, 31 Jefferson Street, New Haven, CT 06511 on or before July 20th, 2023 AT 11:00 A.M. at which time they will be opened. There will be two options for site visits prior to the submission of qualifications. They are listed in the full RFQ.

All questions regarding this proposal should be directed in writing to Allie Salazar Gonzalez via email at leapgrants@leapforkids.org. No questions will be answered within 5 days of the opening of the RFP.

RESIDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR

Fairfield Housing Authority

Minimum Salary: $52,500 annual

Application DEADLINE is July 7, 2023

General Description of Work:

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

Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website –www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Minority and women owned individuals or firms are encouraged to submit proposals.

Police Officer full-time

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

Metropolitan District Commission 2023R-17 Backwater Valve Program

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

The Resident Services Coordinator is a key Fairfield Housing Authority (FHA) staff position that insures residents’ services are the Authority’s first priority. The Resident Services Coordinator (RSC) is responsible for initial and ongoing engagement of residents and all administrative duties to assist the FHA in its operations. The RSC works closely with our supportive service provider and our property management team to insure residents’ needs are addressed, and support residents to fulfill their responsibilities under the lease. A full job description and employment application is available at https://www.fairfieldhc.org/ or by calling 203-366-6578. Applications must be postmarked on or before July 7, 2023 to be considered and the FHA reserves the right to begin interviewing candidates prior to the application deadline. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of: (1) a background check, (2) a physical examination, including drug screening, and (3) a 90-day probationary period.

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

QSR

STEEL CORPORATION

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

APPLY NOW!

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

The Metropolitan District (MDC) is seeking the services of SBE certified, MBE or WBE plumbing firms, CCTV and/or sewer lateral inspection firms for on-call professional plumbing services in support of the District’s Backwater Valve Program. Mandatory Pre-Bid Meetings will be held on July 5, 2023 at 5:00 PM EDT, and July 11, 2023 at 5:00 PM EDT at 125 Maxim Road, Hartford, CT 06114 in the Training room. Prospective Respondents must attend only one of these Pre-Bid. Bid information will be available on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 8:00:00 AM Eastern Time. Requests for clarification are due Friday, July 14, 2023 4:00:00 PM Eastern Time. Bids are due Wednesday, July 19, 2023 2:00:00 PM Eastern Time. Visit this bid on our website at https://mdc.procureware.com/home to review this opportunity.

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

3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S.

1:30-

(203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

Applications & job descriptions are available at the Fairfield Housing Authority’s office located at 15 Pine Tree Lane, Fairfield Monday-Friday, 11 A.M. to 3 P.M, or downloaded from the website listed above. To be considered for this position, the applicant must complete the job application and attached a Resume which should be mailed to the address above. Fax, email or hand delivered applications will not be accepted. Minority and Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The Fairfield Housing Authority is EOE, M/F/D 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.

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Electric Utility

Distribution Engineer –

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.

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking a highly technical individual to work in the design and development of overhead and underground power distribution lines. The utility serves 24,700 customers in a 50+ square mile distribution area with a peak demand of 130 MW. The position requires a B.S. degree in electrical engineering plus 2 years of responsible experience in utility engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting on a year-for year basis. Salary: $84,586- $108,221 annually plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Applications 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 July 11, 2023 Phone #: (203) 294-2080, Fax #: (203) 294-2084. EOE.

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

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

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Fiscal/ Administrative Officer. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230605&R2=1308AR&R3=001

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for an Agency Labor Relations Specialist Trainee (Leadership Associate (Confidential) position, a Labor Relations Specialist position, and an Oracle Business Intelligence Analytics Manager (Information Technology Manager 1) position.

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:

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1=230608&R2= 5989VR&R3=001

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

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1=230608&R2= 5256MP&R3=001

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1=230601&R2= 1561MP&R3=002

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

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

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction

NOW ACCEPTING PRE-APPLICATIONS

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

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay

Phone: 860- 243-2300

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.

Affordable Housing-CANAL PARK, Westport, CT

Preliminary Applications will be accepted beginning on 06/20/2023 AND ENDS with a postmark date of 07/14/2023. Pre-Applications received after the end date as postmarked will be automatically rejected. Pre-Applications are to be mailed only to Owner’s offices located at 5 Canal Street, Westport, CT 06880.

Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

: 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

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.

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

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

Owner: Canal Park LLC

Funded by:

State of Connecticut Dept. of Housing, and U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development through its Section 8 housing program

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks

NOTICIA

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

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.

Applicants will need to meet the income requirements based on family size for 50% of Area Median Income, or less. Eligible applicant households must have a head, co-head, or spouse age 62 or older, or a disability determination from the Social Security Admin. to qualify. Preliminary Applications will be received during the period noted above and placement on the wait list will be made through the random selection method, once the period has ended. The maximum number of pre-applications to be placed on the wait list is one hundred (100). Pre-applications will not be accepted by hand-delivery, facsimile, email or any other electronic transmission.

Income Limits: One Person - $60,000 Two Persons $68,550

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

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

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

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

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

AA/EOE-MF

Full Time Administrative assistant position for a steel & misc metals fabrication shop who will oversee the daily operations of clerical duties such as answering phones, accounts payable purchase orders/invoicing and certified payroll. Email resumes to jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

State of Connecticut

Office of Policy and Management

Pre-Applications will be provided to any & all interested persons. Individuals or families may pick up a hard copy of the pre-application at the Owner’s offices located at 5 Canal Street, Westport, CT or online at https://www.westportha.org/ You may request a pre- application be mailed to you by contacting us at 203-227-4672.

For Additional Information Contact Westport Housing Authority: Phone: (203)227-4672

TRS/TDD: (800) 842-9710

Listing: Commercial Driver

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Immediate opening for a Class A full time driver for petroleum/like products deliveries for nights and weekends. Previous experience required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

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

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Fiscal/ Administrative Officer position Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230419&R2=1308AR&R3=001

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Listing: Lead Installer

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.

HVAC department has an opening for an experienced, full time, lead installer for all mechanical systems (Hydronic, Duct-less, RTU’s). Candidate must possess a minimum D2 license, EPA Certificate, and a minimum of 5 years experience. Benefits, 401k, Paid Time Off, Company Vehicle. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or emailHRDept@eastriverenergy.com

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

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Listing: Mechanic

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

Immediate opening for a full time mechanic; maintenance to be done on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

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

********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

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

REQUEST FOR BIDS

NOTICE

Sale of Surplus Rolling Stock New Haven, Connecticut New Haven Parking Authority Project #23-053

QSR STEEL CORPORATION APPLY NOW!

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

NOW ACCEPTING PRE-APPLICATIONS FOR HALES COURT

Affordable Rental Housing - TWO, THREE & FOUR-BEDROOM UNITS, 2-78 Hales Court, Westport CT 06880

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Bids due July 7, 2023 at 3:00 P.M.

Bid Documents will be available beginning June 26, 2023 at no cost by downloading from the New Haven Parking Authority/Park New Haven website at https://parknewhaven.com/request-for-bids/ or visit the Temple Street Garage Office at One Temple Street, New Haven, CT to obtain a copy.

New Haven Parking Authority is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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.

Preliminary Applications will be accepted beginning on 06/20/2023 AND ENDS with a postmark date of 07/14/2023. Pre-applications received after the end date as postmarked will be automatically rejected. Pre-applications are to be mailed only to Owner ’s offices located at 5 Canal Street, Westport, CT 06880.

Owner: Hales Court Housing, LLC

Managing Agent: Millennium Real Estate Services, LLC

ARMED SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER

NOTICIA

VALENTINA

MACRI

VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

The Town of Wallingford is seeking qualified applicants for Armed School Security Officer. The position pays $55,000 annually plus benefits and will follow the Wallingford Public Schools calendar. To view the position requirements and to register/apply, please go to: https://www.policeapp.com/Wallingford-CT-Police-Department/312/ by the registration/application deadline of Monday, July 10, 2023. Registration for PoliceApp requires a fee of $35.00 that must be paid online to PoliceApp.com. EOE

Classified Apt for Rent

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

Cheshire: Accepting Prelim Appl BY MAIL ONLY for wait list 62 yrs or older or disabled at Cheshire Hillside Village. Waiting List Open Wed, July 26, 2023 – Sat, July 29, 2023 ONLY. Subsidized. EHO. CHFA Financed. Completed Prelim Appl MUST BE POSTMARKED July 26th – July 29th, 2023 ONLY. Wait List Closed July 30, 2023. Contact Gibson Assoc. Inc. 175 E. Mitchell Av Cheshire Ph: 203-272-3781 TDD 800-545-1833x165

NEW HAVEN

Listing: Installers

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

HVAC department has openings for experienced, full time, installers for mechanical systems (Hydronic, Duct-less, RTU’s). Trade license and 3-5 years of experience preferred. Benefits, 401k, Paid Time Off, Company Vehicle. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

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

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

Transportation Planner – GIS/Data Manager

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is seeking to fill the Transportation Planner – GIS/Data Manager position. Visit www.scrcog.org for the full position description, qualifications, and application requirements. Applications are to be submitted by noon on Monday, July 31, 2023, or until the position is filled. Questions may be emailed to jobs@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

C.J. Fucci, Inc., a Heavy/Highway general contractor,

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.

seeks an experienced Project Manager based out of our New Haven, CT offices. Qualified candidates will have at least 10 years’ experience working as a project manager on heavy highway/bridge, concrete, demolition, and civil and site projects valued at $1M to $20M. A four-year engineering or construction management degree or equivalent experience, extensive knowledge of construction, effective management techniques and superior interpersonal and communication skills are required. Bridge, and CT DOT experience is preferred. Night/weekend work may be required. Applicants must submit project history with resume. AA/EOE M/F/Disability/Vet. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourage qualified woman and minorities to apply. Please submit your resume and project history to lreopell@cjfucci.com

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

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

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

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230417&R2=6342MP&R3=001

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

WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

Applicants will need to meet the income requirements based on family size for 60% of Area Median Income, or less. Preliminary Applications will be received during the period noted above and placement on the wait list will be made through the random selection method, once the period has ended. The maximum number of pre-applications to be placed on the wait list is one hundred (100). Pre-applications will not be accepted by hand-delivery, facsimile, email or any other electronic transmission.

Four Person family 60% AMI Max limit $71,520/year: 2 Bedroom unit Maximum current rent- $1,200/month

Six Person family 60% AMI Max limit $82,980/year: 3 Bedroom unit Maximum current rent- $1,350/month

Eight Person family 60% AMI Max limit $94,440/year: 4 Bedroom unit Maximum current rent- $1,450/month

Pre-Applications will be provided to any & all interested persons. Individuals or families may pick up a hard copy of the pre-application at the Owner’s offices located at 5 Canal Street, Westport, CT or online at https://www.westportha.org. You may request a pre- application be mailed to you by contacting us at 203-227-4672

For Additional Information Contact Westport Housing Authority: Phone: (203) 227-4672

TRS/TDD: (800) 842-9710

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Truck Driver with clean CDL license

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Full time experienced welder for Structural/Miscellaneous metals- email resume to jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

RESIDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR

PJF Construction Corporation AA/EOE

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT Assistant

Please send resume to attielordan@gmail.com

Fairfield Housing Authority

Minimum Salary: $52,500 annual

Application DEADLINE is July 7, 2023

General Description of Work:

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

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

The Resident Services Coordinator is a key Fairfield Housing Authority (FHA) staff position that insures residents’ services are the Authority’s first priority. The Resident Services Coordinator (RSC) is responsible for initial and ongoing engagement of residents and all administrative duties to assist the FHA in its operations. The RSC works closely with our supportive service provider and our property management team to insure residents’ needs are addressed, and support residents to fulfill their responsibilities under the lease. A full job description and employment application is available at https://www.fairfieldhc. org/ or by calling 203-366-6578. Applications must be postmarked on or before July 7, 2023 to be considered and the FHA reserves the right to begin interviewing candidates prior to the application deadline.

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

EOE

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of: (1) a background check, (2) a physical examination, including drug screening, and (3) a 90-day probationary period. Applications & job descriptions are available at the Fairfield Housing Authority’s office located at 15 Pine Tree Lane, Fairfield Monday-Friday, 11 A.M. to 3 P.M, or downloaded from the website listed above. To be considered for this position, the applicant must complete the job application and attached a Resume which should be mailed to the address above. Fax, email or hand delivered applications will not be accepted. Minority and Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The Fairfield Housing Authority is EOE, M/F/D employer.

Meet Victor Wembanyama, the number 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com

19-year-old Frenchman, Victor Wembanyama (Metropolitans 92), is the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft according to the NBA. The young basketball player was officially chosen by the San Antonio Spurs as the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

According to The Black Wall Street Times, Wembanyama is regarded as one of the game’s greatest prospects since LeBron James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick of the NBA draft in 2003.

The French athlete was overcome with emotion as he approached NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, on stage to shake hands – as Silver made the selections at the 2023 draft held in Brooklyn.

The 19-year-old told ESPN that he had been working toward this goal for his entire life. “Hearing that sentence from Adam Silver, I’ve dreamed of it so much

that I had to cry, man,” he said.

Wembanyama participated in 44 games for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in France last season, averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 2.5 assists, according to the BBC.

Gregg Popovich, coach of the Spurs, said, “We’re thrilled that we were able to bring Victor on board.” He also noted that the French athlete is a clearly gifted and very responsible young man.

He however added that, just like every draft pick, “whether it’s the first pick or the 27th pick or the 38th pick”, there is a responsibility to each and every one of the players to try to create an environment where they can achieve the best success possible for them.

Wembanyama later received praise from French President, Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter for being “the first Frenchman to be the first pick in the NBA draft.”

NBA superstar, LeBron James, referred to the 19-year-old as an alien after being

Medical Pioneer Henrietta Lacks Nominated for Congressional Gold Medal in Recognition

of

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

Revolutionary Contributions to Modern Medicine

Leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus, alongside the family of medical pioneer Henrietta Lacks, gathered in the nation’s capital to announce their unanimous support for the pioneer to receive the esteemed Congressional Gold Medal posthumously.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, a prominent advocate for social justice, expressed his endorsement of this significant recognition.

“Today, I joined leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus and the family of medical pioneer Henrietta Lacks to announce our unanimous support for her to receive the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously,” Crump stated. “She is beyond worthy of this distinguished honor.”

Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) pledged to reintroduce legislation to honor Lacks with the nation’s highest civilian award in acknowledgment of what he called her indelible contributions to modern medicine.

Lacks, a Black woman from Baltimore, unknowingly propelled medical science forward when her cancer cells were used to advance breakthroughs in the polio vaccine and treatments for cancer, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease.

Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, unaware of the profound impact her cells would have on future medical advancements.

During her treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the medical staff utilized Lacks’ cancer cells without her knowledge or

consent, to advance medical therapies.

The groundbreaking HeLa cell line was created from those cells, marking the birth of the first immortal line of human cells.

The push to honor Lacks comes as her family wages a legal battle against a biotech company that they accuse of selling her tissue without their consent.

In a lawsuit against Thermo Fisher Scientific, the family alleges that the company used Lacks’ living cell samples that were collected in 1951 during a medical procedure.

They allege Thermo Fisher Scientific collected the samples without permission and that the company continues to unjustly profit from Lacks without compensating her estate.

Christopher Seeger, one of the Lack family attorneys, vowed his team wouldn’t rest until the family has been properly compensated.

He also said Lacks’ family wants to safeguard the rights of all patients.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) acknowl-

edged Lacks for her invaluable contributions to medical research, which he said have benefited millions of people worldwide.

“The debt of gratitude we owe Henrietta Lacks can never be fully repaid for her invaluable contributions to medical research that have benefited millions of people across the world,” Van Hollen stated in a news release.

“But we can work to ensure that Americans know her story and the critical impact her life-saving cells have had on global health, our quality of life, and patient rights.”

The Congressional Gold Medal is a prestigious honor bestowed upon individuals whose achievements have profoundly influenced the nation.

By unanimously supporting Lacks’ nomination, the Congressional Black Caucus, and its allies said they aim to celebrate her groundbreaking contributions to medical science and ensure that her legacy endures.

impressed by the prodigy’s talent while watching him play in an exhibition game; concluding that Wembanyama is a “generational talent.”

After being selected by the San Antonio Spurs, Wembanyama stated, “My goal is to try and learn as much as possible because I want to win that ring.”

The 19-year-old joins a young group in San Antonio that already consists of Malaki Branham, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, and Tre Jones. The center, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches tall, made history by winning the title of the LNB Pro A Most Valuable Player as the league’s youngest recipient last year.

He has also received other honors, including Best Blocker, Best Young Player, Best Defender, and Best Scorer in the league. Additionally, Victor Wembanyama was chosen for the All-Pro A First Team.

Stamp Honoring Late Rep. John Lewis

Unveiled in Official Ceremony at Capitol Hill

The unveiling occurred during a special event held at Capitol Hill.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

House leaders joined forces with the U.S. Postal Service to reveal a commemorative stamp paying tribute to the late Rep. John Lewis on Wednesday. The unveiling occurred during a special event held at Capitol Hill.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Linda Earley Chastang, Lewis’ former chief of staff, were the prominent figures present.

According to a press release from the Postal Service, the stamp showcases a photograph of Lewis captured by Marco Grob for Time magazine in 2013.

The design also incorporates a 1963 image taken by Steve Schapiro outside a nonviolent protest workshop, featured in the selvage or margin of the stamp pane. Officials called the combination of photographs a poignant reminder of Lewis’ tireless commitment to civil rights and his instrumental role in the nonviolent protest movement.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, addressing the gathering, announced that the official dedication ceremony for the John Lewis Forever stamp is scheduled for July 21 at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

DeJoy shared plans to rename Atlanta’s main post office in honor of the late congressman, acknowledging Lewis’ immeasurable contributions to the nation.

“Our nation certainly benefited from his fearlessness and his unfailing willingness to get into good trouble,” DeJoy stated.

McCarthy emphasized the significance of Lewis’ actions during the introduction of President Barack Obama at the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama, back in 2015.

McCarthy, a Republican from California, acknowledged the power of Lewis’ words and how they transcended party lines. “I may be in a different party; I may have different views, but I’m an American,” McCarthy asserted.

“I got goosebumps and tears thinking how far we had come and thinking that John Lewis led the march on that bridge and led the introduction that day.”

Jeffries, the Democratic Representative from New York, expressed his belief that the stamp would forever symbolize Lewis’ significant contributions and serve as a tribute to his unwavering dedication as the conscience of Congress.

He called Lewis one of the country’s greatest sons and deemed it fitting for such an influential figure to be recognized with a Forever stamp.

Lewis, a Democrat representing Georgia, served in the House of Representatives from 1987 until his passing on July 17, 2020, at 80, after battling stage 4 pancre-

By unanimously supporting Lacks’ nomination, the Congressional Black Caucus, and its allies said they aim to celebrate her groundbreakiAng contributions to medical science and ensure that her legacy endures.

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