A Bright Day On Bright Street
by Allan Appel
Renee Crudup and Joseph Davis moved into their bright Bright Street apartment in Fair Haven across from the historic Fair Haven Union Cemetery a few months ago, and soon after celebrated a birthday in the new backyard.
It was so agreeable they decided to get to know their neighbors by planning a party for the whole block and they chose July 4 as the date to host the shindig.
Late afternoon on Friday, as the barbecues were warming up and smoke was rising from the squealing kids’ firecrackers, Crudup and Davis and their Fair Haven neighbors marked not only Independence Day, but a red-letter local moment as well.
For they were also staging the very first block party in recent memory on this block. Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller, who recently announced she will run for one more term to represent Ward 14, helped Crudup and Davis arrange for the street closing, and was also on hand to congratulate them and to meet the folks. Bright Street is an unusual narrow arrow of a thoroughfare that runs uninterrupted straight from Grand Avenue to Pine Street as if without a breath. All the houses are facing the venerable monuments of the cemetery and the graves of their now quiet neighbors sea captains, oystermen and women, among early 19th century predecessors in the area.
Having the dead for half your neighbors is not for everyone, but it’s been working out just fine for Crudup and Davis.
The couple said they had just lost the house they’d been renting for years on Blatchley Avenue and had been told by the landlord to move within 30 days.
They didn’t get angry well, not too much and instead moved into the Bright Street apartment to help themselves in effect by helping and getting to know others.
You could make the case, as Davis did, that this is the best way to celebrate the Fourth of July. That is, that taking the initiative and fully funding on their own nickel food and fun in a family spirit in order to meet each other on the block is precisely in line with the collective spirit of different communities coming together as one, which is at the heart of the 1776 Declaration.
Community is a word that everyone uses. Davis, who hails from South Carolina (her mom came all the way up for the block party!), drilled deeper and said that you don’t get there that is, to community until you get “to know who the neighbors are as individuals.”
Among the folks they met were Gladys Idrovo, who was busy barbecuing pollo asada, carne asada, yucca asada, tripe asada, everything asada on her porch at the Grand Avenue end of Bright Street.
With the translation help of their Fair Haven School middle-schooler Marilyne and Alder Miller (who polished her Spanish initially at age 15 when she was an exchange student in Ecuador), this reporter learned that Idrovos came to New Haven nine years ago from eastern or Amazonian Ecuador.
Continuing to bring people together and cultivating new leaders like the folks on Bright Street is what Miller says she hopes to continue do in one more twoyear stint as alder.
That’s along with advancing the continuing revitalization of Grand Avenue and the completion of important infrastructure projects she’s nurtured over her previous two terms. These include improvements to Fair Haven’s beautiful waterfront at Quinnipiac River Park and cutting a blue ribbon, as soon as the end of next year, on the completion of the Strong School conversion to affordable and LGBTQ-friendly apartments. But Friday was a day for food and fireworks and asking local folks if either the spicy adobo or the occasional booms of the fireworks might wake up the eternally sleeping neighbors.
The universal answer was no.
Long-time resident Michelle Sutton, who worked for a decade as a medical assistant at Clifford Beers, motioned to the cemetery and said, “We’re more afraid of the living than the dead. The graveyard is the least of the problems. Those committing the crimes are not there.”
The two Idrovo sons had recently both proudly graduated from Wilbur Cross High School, and both the sons and mom are connecting, with Miller’s assistance, with the Manufacturing and Technical Community Hub (MATCH) on Mill Street – the paid internship training program that teaches operations of drilling and other machinery along with what officials call manufacturing “pathways” into good-paying local industries.
Advocates Say Federal Budget Cuts Could Reverse Progress On Opioid-Related Deaths
by Donald Eng
HARTFORD, CT — While overdose-related deaths in Connecticut are on the decline — the number dropped last year to 982, a 26% reduction from 2023 and the third straight annual decrease — that progress is under threat, according to many who work to prevent such deaths.
Under the Republican tax-and-spend bill that passed the US Senate on Tuesday, the proposed cuts to Medicaid would mean that thousands of people could lose the recovery and prevention services they rely on.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the decreasing number of fatalities was a positive sign but stressed that there is no reason to celebrate.
“For three years in a row, overdose fatalities have diminished. That’s good news,” he said. “But that progress is very, very fragile.”
Blumenthal said the gains over the past few years could disappear overnight, as the funding cuts from the federal government would result in an estimated 17 million people losing their health coverage.
Blumenthal was joined by Mark Jenkins, founder and CEO of the Connecticut Harm Reduction Alliance; Kimberly Nelson, chief program officer of the Wheeler Clinic; and Maria Coutant Skinner, president and CEO of the McCall Behavioral Health Network, at a briefing to denounce the proposed Medicaid reductions that are now being debated in the US House of Representatives.
Nelson echoed Blumenthal’s comments, noting that about 70% of the clients at the Wheeler Clinics are funded by Medicaid. The community-based nonprofit has locations in Bristol, Hartford, New Britain, Plainville, and Waterbury.
“This is just devastating and will be
devastating for the communities that we all serve,” she said. “Without this funding, and without this support, we will be unable to grant people the immediate access to care, which is critical when we’re trying to save a life.”
Skinner said the progress over the past few years has come because of a very simple evaluation.
“Before any of that could happen, there was a critical decision that was made,” she said. “And that was that there was inherent worth in every life that we are privileged to touch.”
She called the belief of the inherent worth of every life a public health pillar. “And when we make that decision, now it’s an investment in every life,” she said. “We touch those lives, and then they go on to become really wonderful, contributing members of our community. Again, it’s an investment.”
Allan Appel Photo Bright Street block party organizers Renee Crudup and Joseph Davis.
Kimberly Nelson speaks about reducing opioid overdose deaths as Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Mark Jenkins look on July 2, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng
The New Haven independent
Now Hiring: “Chief Of School Operations”
by Maya McFadden
(Updated) The city’s public school district is looking to hire a new “chief of school operations,” even as New Haven Public Schools has cut 76 vacant teacher and central office positions and closed a school to help mitigate a budget deficit.
The new position would be responsible for supervising the principals of Adult Education and Elm City Montessori School, as well as the NHPS athletic director, the physical education department, and student transfers.
The role, which was posted July 2 for internal applicants only, does not list a salary. It’s described as a “critical senior leadership position.”
Update: On Wednesday, NHPS spokesperson Justin Harmon described the new position as “a slight recast of an existing, funded and vacant position, which was called chief operating officer. The emphasis of the job is supporting schools’ operations, to help them maximize their own focus on instruction. We often post such positions internally first because we like to encourage members of our community who may have relevant experience and the needed leadership skills to step up. If we don’t find the right candidate internally, we post externally. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.”
The last employee to hold the job of chief operating officer was Thomas Lamb, who was put on paid leave in May 2024 and wound up resigning last October.) Former
top city official Mike Carter filled in as an operations and facilities consultant from last July through this March. Harmon also told the Independent
Wednesday that the district is currently looking to hire a new in-house director of facilities to oversee all NHPS facilities work. In the interim, the district has its contractor ABM filling in to “serve as a proxy for the district,” with the help of ABM Executive Director of Facilities Astor Pagan.
The new job posting comes as the school board recently voted to approve a $220.7 million budget for the fiscal year that started July 1. As part of that budget, the district will close Brennan-Rogers School due to declining enrollment, eliminate a total of 76 teacher and central office positions, and reduce funding for athletics travel in order to avoid a previously pitched plan to lay off up to 129 student-facing school staffers.
The mayor also recently proposed sending an additional $3 million to the district to help close a deficit and avoid teacher layoffs.
The school district’s new budget specifically plans for $820,000 in cuts to central office positions, by cutting seven vacant positions and two filled positions. One of those filled positions was a central office-assigned library media specialist. Harmon did not respond to the Independent’s requests to know what the second active central office position being cut is.
The oversight and leadership responsibilities for the newly posted job are similar to the responsibilities of the district’s four assistant superintendents.
At recent school board meetings, school staff and community members have called on the district to prioritize cuts at central office before cutting student-facing staff.
Reached for comment Tuesday, West Rock/West Hills Alder Honda Smith said the district’s decision to hire a new central office administrator is a “disrespect to tax payers, the teachers they moved out of Brennan-Rogers, and to the students and families they didn’t give notice to.”
She described it as a smack in the face after the school board voted “wrongly” to close Brennan-Rogers. She questioned where the district will get the funding for the new position.
“What are you teaching the children? ‘I’m going to get what I want to get on the backs of the urban community,’ ” she concluded.
“We are certainly interested in learning more about this position and how this will fit into the existing executive management team,” New Haven Federation of Teachers Vice President Jenny Graves told the Independent Tuesday. “With the addition of this position and the new position of director of facilities, it’s alarming that new management positions are being created while classrooms and schools are being closed. If this is restructuring of the existing executive team, the community would benefit from that clarification.”
Maya McFadden file photo West Rock/West Hills Alder Honda Smith: This is a "disrespect to tax payers, the teachers they moved out of Brennan-Rogers, and to the students and families they didn't give notice to."
The New Haven independent
Founding Words Fire Annual Read Into American History
by Allan Appel
One way to grapple with urgent political matters is to read or re-read the Declaration of Independence and other significant historical documents from the past, of the evolving story of America as it labors to perfect its imperfect union.
That’s why Sarah Greenblatt, the president of the Historic Wooster Square Association, and Justin Farmer, a former Hamden legislator, joined 150 others Monday afternoon on the second floor of the Beinecke Rare Book Library at Yale.
They were on hand for the eighth annual reading of the Declaration of Independence, Frederick Douglass’s “What, To The American Slave, Is Your 4th of July?,” and other documents, as organized by City Historian and Beinecke Director of Engagement Michael Morand.
The goal of Monday’s annual reading, as Morand put it, is so that New Haveners might “avoid being part of what Gore Vidal called the ‘United States of Amnesia.’”
In a tone of somber authority Yale historian David Blight read the Declaration, a bill of complaints and “repeated chain of abuses” justifying divorce from Great Britain and her king.
When he arrived at the enumeration of “obstructing the administration of justice,” “depriving us, in many cases, of trial by jury,” “cutting off trade with all parts of the world,” “introducing absolute rule,” and “exciting domestic insurrection among us,” there was an audible note of rising recognition, along with indignation, in both Blight’s voice and also the held silence of the audience.
As Greenblatt said, in America today it’s a time of “wariness, fear, and anxiety about due process and our independence.”
And Farmer upped the ante in his jeremiad description of the present moment: “A time when we’re in the midst of empire and fascism, and if we’re ever going forward we all need to grapple with it.”
Blight was followed by educator Charles Warner, Jr., who read gripping excerpts let the slave’s scarred skin be turned into parchment for the writing on it of a constitution! from The Life of William Grimes, dating from 1825, the first printed narrative of a runaway slave. He was followed by East Rock/Fair Haven Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith, who read the “Declaration of Sentiments,” an ironic and bracing feminist riff on the language of the Declaration (“We hold these truths to be self evident that all men and women are created equal”), which opened the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848.
The lion’s share of the reading event focused on abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s 1852 July 4th oration that includes such hypocrisy-shattering indictments as, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to
which he is the constant victim,” and “Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.”
In addition to Farmer, the other readers who evoked Douglass’s eloquent cri de coeur were ConnCORP CEO Erik Clemons, journalist and WNHH Radio host Babz Rawls Ivy, and former Probate Court Judge Clifton Graves, Jr.
Before he took the microphone, Blight shared with the Independent a recollection of how President Donald Trump, on the eve of starting his first term in 2017, while touring the newly opened African American History Museum in Washington, said he’d heard Douglass was out there doing good work and finally getting recognized for it.
Some of Blight’s students, in session with their teaching assistant at the time, saw the remark on a TV that was switched on in the classroom. They, as a group, Blight recalled, simply gasped.
The next day Blight, equally stunned at such presidential ignorance, recalled that he began that day’s lecture with a silent visual: A photograph (as was the obituary style of the era) of Douglass lying in his open coffin
Blight paused, while the photo spoke.
“Just to let you know he’s not alive,” the professor said to his students.
Both Blight and Ivy said of their personal experience of this July 4 that they felt little impulse to celebrate, light a firecracker, go to a barbecue, or engage in any hoopla.
“Not when our democracy is dissolving and our institutions aren’t functioning,” Blight said.
Instead, on Monday afternoon, they and others read and listened to the documentary voices from our past that speak to how democracy is not the forever given, as many of us felt it to be when we were little kids innocently reciting the pledge of allegiance in the school yard.
In fact it’s often a tale of woe and of horrible mistakes, which democracy is prone to, such as the Civil War-inciting Fugitive Slave Act, a judicial failure that led to human trafficking nightmares and tragic consequences Douglass describes with heartbreaking example.
The poignancy and power of these documents is in how they time-travel you back to when a king could obstruct the administration of local American justice, or to the family saying their final goodbyes on the slave block to the profound struggles of previous generations as a potent reminder that there are no givens, and now it’s our turn to set things right. Or not.
Fortunately Douglass himself rose from the grave through his cascading rhythmic and graphic oratory to offer at least a fillip of optimism. For as the stemwinder, read with passion and purpose by Ivy, concluded, he said, “I don’t despair this country … the doom of slavery is certain.”
John P. Thomas Publisher / CEO
Babz Rawls Ivy Editor-in-Chief Liaison, Corporate Affairs Babz@penfieldcomm.com
Advertising/Sales Team
Keith Jackson Delores Alleyne John Thomas, III
Editorial Team
Staff Writers
Christian Lewis/Current Affairs
Anthony Scott/Sports Arlene Davis-Rudd/Politics
Contributing Writers
David Asbery / Tanisha Asbery
Jerry Craft / Cartoons / Barbara Fair
Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur
Michelle Turner / Smita Shrestha William Spivey / Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee
Contributors At-Large
Christine Stuart www.CTNewsJunkie.com
Paul Bass www.newhavenindependent.org
Memberships
National Association of Black Journalist
National Newspapers Publishers Association
Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce
Greater New Haven Business & Professional Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.
The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly by Penfield Communications, Inc. from offices located at 50 Fitch Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06515. 203-3870354 phone; 203-387-2684 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. 10
Penfield Communications Inc
Allan Appel photo Babz Rawls-Ivy and David Blight at Monday's reading.
Beinecke organizer Michael Morand and attendee Ann Langdon-Days.
Allan Appel Photo At the Beinecke.
The New Haven independent
Job Corps Fights To Stay Open
by Adam Walker
The New Haven Job Corps Center is still up and running, with 149 students currently enrolled and continuing their hands-on training in trades such as construction, carpentry, culinary arts, and plumbing.
But the future of the program and its ability to enroll new students remains in limbo amid federal funding cuts, administrative delays, and an unresolved legal battle with the U.S. Department of Labor.
That was one of the main takeaways from a press conference led by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal Monday afternoon at the New Haven Job Corps Center site at 455 Wintergreen Ave.
Blumenthal sharply criticized the federal Department of Labor for creating what he called a “self-inflicted wound” to a program that has served Connecticut youth for decades.
At the heart of the standoff is the Department of Labor’s suspension of background checks, which are required before students can begin training. That move has effectively frozen new student enrollment nationwide, blocking more than 15,000 youth from accessing Job Corps centers including over 70 cleared applicants in New Haven alone.
Six students who had been housed on campus now face immediate housing needs due to the halt. The program runs full-time year-round. Supporters praised the program Friday as a critical pipeline to employment, education, and stability for youth ages 16 to 24.
In May, the federal government under the Trump administration announced its intent to shut down the centers, cutting off educational, vocational, and wraparound services for thousands of young people across the country. The decision followed a Department of Labor report citing low graduation rates, rising costs, and safety concerns part of a broader push by the administration to scale back federal anti-poverty programs and reduce social safety net spending.
In response, a federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in June to temporarily block the closures. On June 25, the court sided with program advocates, halting the shutdown. Despite the order, the Department of Labor has continued to delay background checks undermining the injunction’s immediate impact and keeping new students in limbo.
Now, the legal case is entering a new phase. This Friday, July 11, is the federal government’s deadline to submit comments to the court on how the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on universal injunctions might affect this case an extension from the original June 30 deadline. It remains unclear how the ruling will impact the future of Job Corps operations, or whether the current injunction will hold.
“The bottom line on Job Corps: It is a success,” Blumenthal said at Monday’s press conference. “It provides not only training, but also residential and support services to young people.”
He said that 115 students graduated from New Haven’s center this year, with another
“Ending the Job Corps would be cruel and stupid,” he added. “Cruel to the young men and women who have committed their lives to try and better themselves in America, and stupid because we need them in the workplace”
Blumenthal warned that the delays inflate the per-student cost by driving down enrollment numbers, creating the false appearance that the program is inefficient and triggering a return of federal funds to Washington.
He pledged to keep the pressure on the Department of Labor, rally support in the Senate, and back legal action if necessary.
“We’re going to be cajoling, buttonholing, and persuading in the Senate,” he said.
“There are now 400,000 manufacturing jobs open in the United States and we need people with exactly these skills to provide that kind of labor.”
Nahjayiah Munoz, a carpentry student and foreperson at New Haven Job Corps, spoke on Monday about how funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Labor have disrupted the program and the lives of students like herself. She spoke from the workshop where she helps lead peers in hands-on projects like building wooden chairs and garages.
Munoz and her team are currently constructing chairs for campus use part of the daily projects that give students practical experience and keep the center running.
Recent cuts have had serious consequences. Munoz recalled classmates being forced to leave the program one from the Virgin Islands, another from Rhode Island and many students scrambling for job placements without having completed certifications.
“It was very, very stressful at that time,” she told the Independent.
Munoz, a New Haven native, continues to train on-site while mentoring others, but worries about the program’s future if resources keep shrinking.
Troy Sanders, a plumbing student from the Valley, echoed that sentiment. He credited Job Corps with opening doors far beyond what he imagined.
Sanders, who earned certifications through the program, emphasized that the Department of Labor’s funding cuts are especially harmful to students just entering trades like plumbing fields already facing shortages due to an aging workforce. He explained that Job Corps students learn not only plumbing but also broader maintenance and carpentry skills, preparing them for high-demand jobs.
Sanders emphasized to the Independent the real-world value of the program’s training: “A lot of people are retiring. I want to do something that is gonna make me good money … even if one thing doesn’t work out, I know that skill is helping out my life.”
Juvenel Levros, the site director of the New Haven Job Corps center, said the pause on background checks has created a bottleneck that could jeopardize the program’s future. “The background checks have been on hold,” he told the Independent. “On top of the fact that when it comes to contracts, there are penalties we serve, so when we’re not at full population, we have to give money back.”
Levros estimated that more than 70 prospective students in New Haven remain in limbo due to the enrollment freeze. Although a federal court injunction has al-
189 trained in Hartford.
Site director Juvenel Levros: Operating below full capacity creates "misleading" impression that per-student costs are sky high.
The New Haven independent
"This Is Our New Home:" Camryn's Corner At Last Unveiled
Lucy Gellman
Maybe it was Jadakiss and Jazmine Sullivan’s “Smoking Gun,” with the lyrics You're the only one I love that hit like a prayer over Harding Street. Or the smoke, thick and fragrant as it billowed up from the grill and rolled toward the sidewalk. Or the balloons, woven into pillars of white and yellow that dotted the street with bursts of color. Maybe it was the photos of Camryn “Mooka” Gayle herself, her smile so full of life it seemed impossible that she was gone.
Shayan Dawson had always known that the tears would come. But when they did, a deep well of grief pouring over her, she still stepped to the side and took a moment for herself.
Gayle, who died in a car accident at Sherman Parkway and Harding Place in November 2021, may not have lived to see the corner bearing her name. But as it was unveiled last Saturday, it seemed she was everywhere: in friends’ rhinestone-studded necklaces and forearm tattoos, in R&B sung and danced at full volume, in the children who are learning to talk about their Aunt Mooka, who lives on in their stories.
“I’m overwhelmed,” said her mother, Elizabeth Robinson, who has pushed for years to rename the corner. “I’ve had my moments throughout the day, but at the end of the day, I’m very happy. I see her in each and every person that’s out here. Each and every one.”
It follows years of advocacy from family, friends, peers and teachers—and is a testament to the full, vibrant life Gayle lived. In 2023, Robinson submitted a petition to rename the corner at Sherman Parkway and Harding Place in her daughter’s honor, signed by dozens of people who loved her. Already, friends and family gathered there each year, to mourn and remember a life gone too soon. There are often yellow toys and flowers at the spot, glowing with the same golden hue that Gayle adored and often wore.
It was for Robinson a starting point: she also wants to see traffic calming measures at the site, which for years has felt more like a stretch of highway than a city road through a densely populated neighborhood (according to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository, there have been 10 recorded traffic accidents at that intersection). But the proposal lingered in municipal limbo: it took alders over a year to pass the proposal. When they finally got it over the finish line earlier this year, Robinson felt like Mooka was there in the room with her.
Saturday, that vivid presence was again palpable, as a block party became a celebration of life, friend and family reunion, and quiet, reverent nod to the village of Black women that raised Gayle into the sharp, funny, explosively creative young dancer and cheerleader she was. During her too-short life, Gayle danced from nearly the time she could walk, first at church, and then in the studio and on the
basketball court.
That grace was matched only by a quick and expansive sense of humor, which seeped into everything she did. On the sidewalk, cousin Tawanna Rambert remembered her as a sweet and goofy kid, with a love for a good prank from the time she was very young. As Gayle grew, Rambert marvelled at how energetic, outgoing, and silly she became.
“That was my baby,” said Gayle’s grandmother, Vivian Robinson, with whom Gayle lived for a while. She closed her eyes for just a moment, remembering how determined and self-possessed Gayle could be. “She was just a sweet little girl. That was my heart.”
“It means that she’s still here,” Rambert added, gesturing to a sign still wrapped in brown paper, a string dangling down before its big reveal. Despite the day’s rolling, heavy heat, dozens had already gathered in the street around her, laughing as they exchanged stories that inevitably included a nod to Mooka’s legacy.
“She was a joy,” added cousin LaToyia Gallimore, remembering the wide-eyed, completely bald baby girl who she loved to fuss over. When Gayle’s hair did start growing two years in—by then, the family knew and loved her completely as their “Mooka”—it had a mind completely of its own, just like the girl to whom it belonged. “She always was her own self. Even when she was a baby.”
As she grew up, Gayle proved easy to love, Gallimore added: she was a girly girl, a fierce and spirited praise dancer, an adoring little sister and a teenager with aspirations in both performance and small business. At home, she treasured her siblings, running to her older sister Anastasia Evelyn for everything from hair and makeup to life advice. Sometimes, Eve-
lyn remembered, it felt like it was the two of them against the world. Meanwhile, Gayle was also coming into her own as an artist. As a student at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, she was a fiery and headstrong dancer, not afraid to talk back if there was something that didn’t sit right with her. Lindsey Bauer, was her teacher when she died, found herself overcome with emotion as she looked around, and saw her former students growing up without one of their own.
“It’s hard. Harder than I thought,” Bauer said. “Mooka taught me about being unapologetic and being yourself. That’s a lesson I love to learn through students over and over again.”
Gayle loved those close to her with that same warmth and fervor, and they loved her back. Standing on the Harding Place sidewalk, friends Ny’Asia Davis and
takes a lot of strength, a lot of time, and a lot of energy.”
Nearby, Sacred Heart University student Kuulika Collins called Gayle a kind of “little sister.” After meeting at James Hillhouse High School, where Collins played basketball and Gayle was a cheerleader, the two became fast friends. Some days, they carpooled home from school together, and ended up laughing the entire car ride home.
“She is honestly the most caring person, so easy to love,” Collins said. “Within two minutes, she knew how to make someone feel like family.”
“This is a new home for us,” Collins added, gesturing to the sign. “Rainy days, snow days, this is where we’ll come. We made a promise to her to make her name stay alive, and we did it.”
And they did. To the sound of “Smoking Gun,” Gayle’s friends gathered around the corner, holding up their iPhones as the lyrics wrapped the crowd in a booming, vocal embrace and friends tugged at the string to bring it down. When at last the paper fell, fluttering onto the sidewalk, the street filled with cheers. Dawson walked toward a small yellow altar to Gayle, and took a moment to herself before rejoining the group.
Before she finished Saturday, Robinson reminded attendees that “it’s still not over:” she doesn’t want any New Havener to suffer the same fate at that corner ever again. Now that the street sign is up, she plans to end the annual events that friends and family have held on the street, usually before Gayle’s August 11 birthday. But before she has total closure around her daughter’s death, she wants to see stop signs, speed bumps, and increased lighting at the intersection.
Shyan Dawson recognized how hardfought and bittersweet the afternoon felt, particularly after years of advocacy and roadblocks from the city. It wasn’t that they weren’t grateful for the day, Davis said—it was that it didn’t feel right without Gayle there.
“She should be here,” Davis said. She reflected on the milestones she thought they’d have together: high school graduation, nursing school, the birth of Davis’ tiny, perfect daughter, Kenyce, last July. When Kenyce graduated from the NICU last year, it felt like Gayle should have been there to celebrate. “She’s gonna grow up knowing who Mooka was,” Davis said.
“We shouldn’t be doing this without her,” she added. “People wanted this, but they don’t always feel the pain we feel.” “It feels like a new chapter,” added Dawson, who survived the accident, and has spent the past four years fighting for Gayle’s memory alongside Robinson. “It
“Then it’ll be over,” she said. Meanwhile, Gayle’s friends are finding new ways to honor her. This month, they plan to hold a basketball tournament at Mill Rock Park, for which hundreds of people turned up last year. In August, several also plan to go to Miami for what would have been Gayle’s 21st birthday. Others are living fuller lives because they know that’s what she would have told them to do.
Jordyn Thomas, whose grief upended her grades and put school on pause in 2021, is one of them. Earlier this month, she walked across the Shubert Theatre’s stage as a member of Co-Op’s Class of 2025. Well before that, she got a tattoo with Gayle’s nickname written in neat, swooping text across her forearm. Every time she considered giving up on high school, she said, “I heard her voice in the back of my head.” She knew that Gayle would have given her hell for not finishing. Saturday, she savored the scene, from conversations among Gayle’s friends to the unveiling itself.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “Today feels like closure.”
Some of the friends, including Ny'Asia Davis and Shayan Dawson (at the right), who helped push for Camryn's Corner.
Elizabeth Robinson (center) with Gayle's siblings, Shamar Gayle and Anastasia Evelyn.
The New Haven independent
Close Encounters Of The DIY Kind
by Jisu Sheen
Just a couple months ago, a group of four artist friends sat in a house breathing the first signs of life into a first-draft scifi comedy screenplay. On Monday night, a dozen cast and crew members gathered for a table read at East Haven Public Television.
Those friends were Deven Ladson, along with filmmaker Josh Stasko, Josh’s photographer wife Bridget Stasko, and Ladson’s cousin Marc Harris II. They were getting together at the Staskos’ house, and their concept of a fun, chill time was to voice all the roles in Josh’s script and give him feedback on his draft.
“Think, like: Adventure Time,” Ladson told me, referencing the cartoon show about a dog and his kid getting into and out of trouble in an eccentric, chaotic wonderland. Just a bunch of friends hanging out and turning fringe ideas into reality.
On Monday, at the community media center which broadcasts three public, government, and educational channels and provides equipment and rental space to podcasters, live-streamers, and singer-songwriters Ladson found himself mid-pause for a character’s next line. Harris was now one of the film’s producers, along with Kris Wingo.
For the past few years, Josh and his growing community of filmmaking friends have been making the local filmmaker scene more approachable one project at a time, with intentionally low-pressure events like Hang Out and Film Day and Hang Out and Film Festival. This short film is Josh’s biggest project yet.
That doesn’t mean a change in energy.
“It doesn’t have to be a really cutthroat and mean place,” Josh said about his hopes for a new style of making movies.
“Filmmaking can be really fun and can be really empowering.” He said he believes it is possible to create a film and be good to each other at the same time; his group is set on proving it.
Ladson waited patiently for someone to fill in a noise so he could continue with the scene.
“Oh, I’ll be the larva,” Josh said, supplying extraterrestrial baby babbles. Ladson played Krant, a soft, nervous alien who just became a father to a cute, gross hatchling he loves with all his heart (or whatever sentimental circulatory system his species has). Krant deals with the simultaneous strains of new parenthood and his fractured trust with his own dad, Galvor.
Together, Krant, Galvor, and a ragtag crew of unlikely friends experience the battle between everyday anxieties and the power of love. Josh’s script takes the audience through a VHS home movie, claymation, a dive bar, a roller skating conspiracy theorist podcaster, watergun-armed government agents played by Mariah Sage and Seamus Herriman, a
ballad about Pluto, and hazmat suits.
Luckily enough, one of the cast members, Ernst (“just like Ernest except the ‘e’ flew out the nest,” he said), had a hazmat suit already. It was one small example of the general production plan for the movie: People happened to have things, or they asked around.
The cast and crew varied in experience levels, with many working on their own projects. Marissa Conklin makes comedic skits, Ladson writes sketch comedy and does improv, and Woubalem Tezeta and Jair Pinedo are both writers as well as actors.
Melisa Alvarado, on special effects, is a face painter. “I do whatever I can to make it either as gross or as real as possible,” she said. Eamon Linehan, on sound, does AV production for the city.
Kim Espinal came because she heard about the film project on Instagram. She was welcomed just like everyone else. Stephen Bisaccia walked in straight from a game with his softball league, the Mailboxes. He is working on a documentary right now following New Haven sandlot baseball teams Elm City Char and the Bat and Ball Society. For the night, he would just be “Guy in Hazmat Suit,” a role with no lines or so he thought.
As the cast settled in to begin, Josh called out, “Stephen, I do have a line for you.”
“Oh, fun,” Bisaccia said. “Hope I don’t forget it.”
Bridget floated around the back of the table, snapping behind-the-scenes photos.
Jay Miles, board chair of East Haven Public Television, played three-line character Miles the Scientist. He was proud to welcome the team to his station. The DIY, down-to-earth atmosphere of the space lent itself naturally to Josh’s style of filmmaking.
Aliens Krant and Galvor, voiced Monday night by Ladson and Harris, were funny, relatable, and most of all charming. For the film’s actual production, Galvor will be played by an actor named Robbie who wasn’t able to make it to the table read.
Harris’ rendition, though, was more than just a producer’s duty to fill in the gaps; it was a return to the early days.
“You were the original Galvor,” Ladson reminded Harris, who took a moment to understand. Back when the script was in its larval stage and the four original actors had to split all the roles amongst themselves, Harris lent his voice to the first iteration of Galvor.
Between then and now, a lot has changed. Somehow, though, I felt like I could picture perfectly what Ladson was describing when he talked about that first informal read-through of Josh’s draft. I didn’t need to imagine too hard because I saw what was in front of me: friends looking to have fun and make art together.
Josh, Linehan (getting into position), Marissa Conklin, Ernst (seated), Sage, Ladson, Pinedo, Herriman, Espinal, Miles, and Bisaccia. Melisa Alvarado waves from the computer screen.
Jisu Sheen photo Writer and director Josh Stasko (from behind), Jair Pinedo, Deven Ladson, Mariah Sage, and producer Marc Harris II (from behind).
The New Haven independent
From Oz To Edgewood, The Power Of Middle School Theater
Lucy Gellman |
Growing up in New Haven, Antwain
“AJ” Johnson didn’t believe in magic— until a middle-school play project pulled him fully out of his shell. Six years later, he’s passing that on to students at the school he once called home, as he prepares to step into the next artistic chapter of his life.
Johnson, who is headed to Morehouse College in the fall, is a graduate of Barnard Environmental Science and Technology School and the Dwight/Edgewood Project (D/EP), which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Earlier this summer, he returned to Barnard to direct The Wizard of Oz, working alongside Independent Support Services (ISS) Coordinator Chaz “Mr. C” Carmon and Music Director Sloan Williams to bring the play to life.
Less than two miles away, the D/EP welcomed its newest crop of student playwrights to the stage, world-building with plays that reached far beyond New Haven. Together, they showed the transformative effect that theater can have, from the Yellow Brick Road to Meowkyo.
“When I joined theater for the first time, putting on a show, it brought me so much happiness,” Johnson said in an interview at Barnard, as kindergarten students belted their ABCs during a balloon-studded graduation ceremony. “I love working with kids and thinking about where they find that inner inspiration. It’s fun and inspiring to have kids come out oftheir shells.”
For Johnson, that started in 2019, when he was selected for D/EP with several other Barnard students. Founded in 1995, the Dwight/Edgewood Project pairs young playwrights from Barnard School with mentors, actors, and professional crew members from the Yale drama school. Since its inception, it has grown into a multi-week, fully produced endeavor, in which Yale drama students bring fantastical, harrowing, hyper-real and explosively imaginative stories to the stage. For a decade, it was helmed by the late Emalie Mayo, a beloved storyteller and community booster who helped bring it back as theater-makers navigated a new normal in 2022.
“In keeping this program alive, we also keep alive her legacy and her life’s work,” said Francisco Morandi Zerpa, a graduate student in acting at Yale, at a recent D/ EP rehearsal. Zerpa later encouraged students to “practice any art,” quoting the words of Kurt Vonnegut.
The year Johnson came aboard, he was a wide-eyed seventh grader, curious about the stage after a childhood spent in the city’s Edgewood neighborhood. He was, by his own admission, a relatively shy kid, quiet and a little goofy, with a focus on his studies at Barnard.
As he started to write, though, a switch flipped. He felt more self-confident. He learned how to tell a story, building a world around a singing gorilla (played by designer David Mitsch) whose stage
fright almost gets the best of him. While the work was partly inspired by the movie Sing, he also made the play entirely his own.
For a young Johnson, it unlocked something that he kept nurturing, first in productions with Ice The Beef and Elm Shakespeare Company, and then as a student at Notre Dame High School. As he juggled his love for the arts with his interest in basketball, some of his peers joked that he was a cooler version of Troy Bolton, the singing sportsman at the center of High School Musical.
He took it in stride: this year, he took home a Halo Award for his performance of Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid. He plans to continue acting at Morehouse in the fall.
“Experiencing the arts is one way to channel emotion,” he said. “To find and embrace the real you.”
So when Carmon asked him to return to Barnard to assistant direct The Wizard of Oz, it was an easy yes. Earlier this year, Johnson joined Carmon as one of the founding members of the Coalition for Peace and Empowerment, an anti-violence group that grew out of Ice The Beef. The play, for which Carmon also enlisted the help of teachers and families at the school, doubled as their first event.
For weeks, he worked alongside students in whom he could see his younger self, drilling roles, getting into character, and transforming a balmy school cafeteria into some fantastical version of Oz. As he did, he thought back to training that he received in D/EP, from drama students and faculty mentors that cheered him on as he wrote. He wouldn’t be in acting without it, he said.
Principal Stephanie Skiba, a former dancer who has held on to the power of the arts in her work, praised Johnson for
that constant sense of support, which she also saw from Sloan and Carmon. As students participated in the production, she could see how it kept many of them accountable, from showing up for rehearsals to figuring out when to finish their homework.
“I think it really gives students confidence,” she said. “It brings everyone together.”
Follow The Yellow Brick Road
As Barnard students basked in the glow of a successful show on a recent Monday, many praised mentors like Johnson for helping boost their confidence. Savion Bridges, an eighth grader who played the Scarecrow, said he learned from both Johnson and from his fellow cast mates how to be more understanding, thoughtful, and courageous.
Those are lessons he plans to take with him when he starts at West Haven High School in the fall. It’s also been transformative for his understanding of The Wizard of Oz itself, which he saw at home, curled up alongside his mom and grandmother, when he was just six or seven years old.
“It feels like it’s not just me playing the character, it’s me putting a little bit of myself into the show,” he said. “With every single character you learn a lot of things. Like [from the Scarecrow], knowledge isn’t everything, but it’s better to have it.” Lily Sargent, a fourth grader who played Dorothy, also picked up some of those lessons. Initially, she wanted to be in the tech crew, far from the spotlight. But Johnson, alongside Carmon, pushed her to try out the leading role and see how it fit.
When she finally took the stage, she thought of both Judy Garland, who originated the role, and her grandfather, who passed away after a brain bleed last year. During rehearsals, she learned “not to be scared or nervous in front of a giant crowd,” she said. “And being adaptable.”
That also resonated for Alayna Marie Rivera, an eighth grader who played the Wicked Witch of the West. Rivera, who is headed to Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School next year, was nervous before she got on stage. She didn’t know how she felt about playing a character who was evil. Then she thought about why the Wicked Witch was mad.
“If you think about the play, her sister just died,” Rivera said. “She has every right to be mad. This role, it really taught me a new way to control myself. I get anxious sometimes, but when I’m acting, it’s really fun. It just brings out the fun in me.”
Williams, who is in his third year directing the music program at the school, said that was part of the goal. When Carmon enlisted his help earlier this year, he was excited to see what the show might turn into. As Barnard’s music director, he’s no stranger to the impact that arts programming can have on students, from improv-
Jazmin Esmad Hernandez: Maybe try a little kindness.
The Wizard of Oz cast, under Johnson's careful eye.
The cast of The Wizard of Oz at Barnard.
Arts Council of greater New Haven
All Aboard, As Threads By Tea Transforms The Runway
By Prince Davenport |
It was just past 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, and the cavernous hall of Union Station had transformed into an otherworldly runway. Spotlights bounced off its brass fixtures and bathed the models in a warm, golden glow. Threads of music drifted through the air, equal parts haunting and electric. For a moment, the station belonged entirely to art.
Models, musicians, curators and fashionistas took Union Station—and then the Metro North Railroad and the Milford Arts Council (MAC)—by storm Sunday afternoon, as designer Tea Montgomery presented Pathos, a runway show, performance, and exhibition that traveled from New Haven to Milford in the span of several hours.
A collaboration with Dead By 5 a.m.’s Brenton Shumaker, Donald Carter of Donald Carter Designs, curator Juanita Sunday, and spoken word artist Frank Brady, the show blurred the lines between fashion, public art, and performance, transforming familiar spaces into stages for bold expression. In so doing, it confronted viewers with themes of resilience, vulnerability, and reclamation.
Pathos, which marks the second installment of a three-part series (read about the first here), is based around emotion and internal reflection, the show’s five feelings aligned with five distinct color palettes and designs. There is pride, pulsing in reds; envy, in different shades of green (“envy is very different from jealousy,” Montgomery said); impostor syndrome, represented in gradients of blue; patience, done in earth tones; and acceptance, a “culmination of all colors” shown mostly in blacks.
In planning the show—a process that spanned six or seven months—Montgomery invited Carter and Shumaker to join him in exploring how those emotions show up in their work and their lives. The results played out on the runway, and later in music from New Haven-based artist Ionne that pulsed through both Union Station and the MAC.
“It’s an introspective view into the traits and characteristics of who we are, how we present to the world and where our power lies,” Montgomery said in a phone call Thursday morning. “It’s speaking to the full side of those emotions, how we process those emotions, how others provoke those emotions, how dealing with them makes us the best version of ourselves.”
Sunday, that came to life in vivid color and texture, with a flair fashion matched only by spirited poetry, vivid visual art, and music from producer and writer Ionne (a.k.a. Maurice Harris). Just after 2 p.m., models strode beneath the soaring arched ceilings of Union Station, poised and wide-eyed as soulful saxophone from performer Kenneth Jefferson echoed through the space.
The station shimmered with shifting light as sunbeams poured through the high windows, casting long, dappled shadows across the marble floor. Colorful fabrics rippled with each step the models took, their silhouettes framed against the grand
arches and intricate ironwork that soared overhead.
One of the most striking looks came from Dead By 5 a.m. As models made the station their own, one showed off a deconstructed trench coat in ash gray, layered over a gauzy black tunic and frayed wideleg pants. Chains draped across the chest caught the light with every step, adding a sense of tension and strength.
Donald Carter Designs, meanwhile, delivered a luminous moment with a structured cream blazer, its sharp shoulders softened by cascades of hand-dyed silk trailing like wings. The piece was paired with tailored trousers that shimmered with a subtle gold thread, catching glimmers of station light.
As the train rumbled along the tracks, the models turned the narrow aisles into catwalks, brushing past bewildered but enchanted passengers. The rhythmic clatter of the train became part of the soundtrack, syncing with the beat of the show’s music that pulsed softly from portable speakers. As Brady presented his poetry, his words became a kind of performance art, transporting his listeners as the train lurched forward on its way to Milford.
“This poem is a dedication to how we dedicated to—” Brady started, walking up and down the aisles. “A Black woman is a gift that keeps on givin’ for a livin every day. A Black woman been a superhero, the way she holds it down—”
In the train car, attendees sat at rapt attention; some pulled their phones out to record, despite cameras that trailed Brady and Jefferson everywhere they went. Sometimes, the train swallowed up a portion of the sound, Brady’s voice traveling differently depending on where a person was sitting.
At the MAC, the night culminated in an explosion of creativity: walls adorned with vibrant art, live music filling the space, and dancers weaving through the crowd. Guests swayed to the rhythm of Ionne’s eponymous Pathos EP—a release crafted specifically for the event—as the final looks made their debut beneath the gallery’s warm lights.
All the while, plates from Brittney’s Famous Alabama Kitchen made their rounds, their spicy, smoky aroma adding another sensory layer to the night’s celebration.
“It was such a highly ambitious idea and project to take on. I'm feeling elated and accomplished and excited to see what I’m gonna do next,” Montgomery said in a phone call afterwards. “I’m curating experiences … and in order to accomplish that, it takes a team. In order to make the biggest impact and in order to grow and skill, I can't do this on my own.”
Artist Raheem Nelson, who also serves as marketing and communications specialist at the MAC, said he was thrilled to have the organization be a collaborator on the project.
“PATHOS is about unity,” he said. “Threads by Tea brought the community together in every way, weaving connection into every part of the experience.”
Prince Davenport Photos.
Feds Snatch Mom Of 2 Outside Courthouse
by Laura Glesby
Federal immigration officials seized a 24-year-old Fair Haven woman down the street from the Elm Street courthouse on Monday morning.
“This is very painful for me. Like being dead,” her husband said through tears on Tuesday night.
A law enforcement official familiar with the arrest confirmed Tuesday that federal officers had taken the woman an Ecuadorian immigrant and mother of two named Gladys Samanta TentesPitiur into custody on Monday morning.
She had been scheduled for a court hearing for her ongoing criminal case stemming from a May arrest on one felony count of risk of injury to a child. She has yet to enter a plea, and had been released on a $10,000 bond.
According to her husband, who wished to remain anonymous, Tentes-Pitiur had been arrested by city police after leaving their five-year-old child alone in their Fair Haven house while she brought their sixyear-old child to school about five blocks away. According to the husband, the fiveyear-old was sleeping inside the house when she left but he woke up and began to play with a bicycle outside. He said that police came and arrested the woman when she came back from bringing her older child to school.
The husband said that he works as a day laborer, seeking out work at a nearby Home Depot. He said his wife stayed at home with the kids.
When asked about the husband’s recounting of the arrest, Police Chief Karl Jacobson wrote in a text message, “I believe it was more than that. I know she was arrested for risk of injury more than once, but I don’t have any official records related to it.”
There was no warrant associated with the case, as police arrested Tentes-Pitiur immediately, and the New Haven Police Department did not provide a police re-
port in time for this article. "She Is Not OK"
According to the husband, TentesPitiur’s most recent court date had to be rescheduled after she needed emergency surgery removing her gall bladder.
The new court date had been rescheduled for Monday at 10 a.m. The husband recalled driving his wife to the Elm Street courthouse. He said he dropped her off nearby, then drove no more than two traffic lights away while looking for parking.
Within those few minutes, three federal agents cornered Tentes-Pitiur down the block from the Elm Street courthouse, outside the New Haven Free Public Library’s Ives Branch.
At least one of the officers wore a uniform associated with ATF the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, an agency that has been collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In the next several hours, an anonymous witness posted on Reddit a photograph of the federal agents appearing to arrest the woman. The image circulated among immigrant rights activists.
“We need to start organizing the people,” said John Jairo Lugo, an activist with Unidad Latina en Acción. “They are kidnapping people.” He said he hopes to spread the word about a local hotline (475) 323 9413 that witnesses can call to inform neighbors about ICE activity in the city.
As the photograph garnered attention online, the husband received a call from
his wife. “She is not OK. She was crying,” he said in Spanish during an interview with the Independent Tuesday. He believes she was first brought to Hartford. The next day, he heard from her again. She called him from an unfamiliar number with a Massachusetts area code, which led to a dull beeping sound when he tried to call her back. He recalled her saying that she didn’t know where she was; she said that agents had driven her five hours away and that they were three hours away from where she would ultimately be held in custody.
He said he doesn’t know if she has the medication she needs for her recovery from gall bladder surgery.
He said he explained the situation to their two kids. The oldest one is particu-
Environmentalists Celebrate New Laws At Bill-Signing Ceremony:
by Donald Eng
HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut may be a little bit greener after Gov. Ned Lamont signed a pair of environmental bills into law Tuesday morning.
Public Act 25-125 supports increased energy efficiency and the creation of green jobs. Public Act 25-33 boosts state and local planning for floods, creates flood disclosure requirements and limits certain rodent poisons and pesticides.
“For Connecticut, we’ve got to continue to lead, to take the lead and show people by example what we’re doing,” said Gov. Ned Lamont.
Lamont said the two bills were important, but Connecticut was in a position to “play defense.”
“You think fighting pollution is ex-
pensive, you ought to see the cost of not dealing with climate change or climate chaos,” he said. “Billions of dollars just in the last five or six storms in the last three or four years.”
He cited last year’s flooding in the Naugatuck Valley.
“The Little River became a raging river, and the big tree trunks get swept down and they take our a bridge,” he said. “So now we’ve got to rebuild that bridge. We’ve got to build that bridge higher. We’ve got to raise the roadways, doing everything we can to prevent a little bit from the nature of this chaos to be a little less impactful next time. But we’re paying for that every day.”
Former three-term state Rep. Christine
Palm, known as an environmental advocate during her time in office who had backed previous versions of the bills, said all public policy was incremental. She went on to describe herself as impatient.
“When it comes to climate change, I think time is a luxury we don’t have,” she said. “And I think climate complacency is nothing short of foolhardy.”
Palm said, when it comes to the environment and climate change, “we have to act urgently and with ferocity.”
She said the fight on climate action was not really about climate, but rather about young people. She said young people today are “struggling mightily to understand why we who are in positions of
larly heartbroken, but he tries to reassure them that she’ll be all right. The kids have been playing with their cousins, he said, to keep them distracted.
This isn’t the first time federal immigration officials have arrested a New Haven mom in recent weeks.
The couple had known each other for about a decade, according to TentesPitiur’s husband. They met in their home country of Ecuador. He said he has been in New Haven for about two years, while his wife has been here for over a year.
He said they left Ecuador, with the goal of seeking asylum, due to persecution partly related to the fact that their family is part of the Shuar Indigenous people. The husband said they fled after being threatened and fearing for their safety.
“I don’t want her to be deported,” he said. “We are people who are discriminated against.”
It took the husband four months to walk across five countries through Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico until finally reaching the United States.
His wife followed him with their two kids in tow. On their way through Mexico, the husband said, the trio was kidnapped by a criminal group seeking to extort the family for money, an increasingly common occurrence targeting migrants traveling through Mexico.
The kidnappers held Tentes-Pitiur and her kids in a vacant house, the husband said. “They tortured me psychologically,” he said, crying as he recalled how the kidnappers sought a ransom he wasn’t able to pay. Eventually, he said, his wife was able to escape with their kids through a hole in the house. She pedaled away with them on a single bike, he said, and continued the journey to New Haven.
“I want to be together with her here,” he said.
Norma Rodríguez Reyes and Everangelys Viruet contributed to this report.
‘Time Is A Luxury We Don’t Have’
power are desecrating the world they will inherit from us.”
State Rep. John-Michael Parker, D-Madison, co chair of the Environment Committee, said he had come into the 2025 legislative session thinking about how to prove that the state cared about climate and the environment.
“There’s been so many wins we’ve had over the last couple of years, but making sure we got these bills across this year really, I think, underscored that,” he said.
“That speaks loudly to the diverse, multigenerational coalition of supporters that we have.”
Katie Dykes, commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, celebrated the occasion while also acknowledging there remained headwinds at the federal level
when it comes to climate legislation.
She cited the Republican taxing and spending plan known as the Big, Beautiful Bill, which she said “would dramatically curtail access to tax credits, and would even impose potentially, taxes, for the first time, on solar and wind projects.”
She said there was a belief that climate action was not compatible with affordability for regular Americans. Dykes, though, took the opposite tack, saying affordability was not possible without climate action. She listed hundreds of millions of dollars in damage caused by various storms from 2012’s Hurricane Sandy to last year’s August flash floods.
“That’s why we’re doing this work,” she said.
Contributed
A photo of the Tentes-Pitiur, provided by her husband.
Laura Glesby Photo "I want to be together with her here," TentesPitiur's husband said.
The New Haven independent
Hartford Foundation Partners With City and State to Employ 800 Youths This Summer
by Jamil Ragland
HARTFORD, CT — Local youths will be going to work this summer to build important life skills, thanks to a partnership between Hartford, the state and local organizations.
Leaders from Capital Workforce Partners, the Connecticut Department of Labor, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the City of Hartford announced $1.4 million in investments in programs to employ 800 Hartford youth this summer. Of that total, $1 million will come from the city and the balance from the Hartford Foundation.
That money is on top of $7 million that the state has budgeted for summer youth workforce development to be dispersed across the state.
The announcement came at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP), a nonprofit organization in Hartford that works with at-risk youth that is one of the participating providers for the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program (SYELP), a six week program for students age 14-18. The program provides career training, mental health support, and credit retrieval help for students who have fallen behind in school.
“At any given point in time, there are over 20,000 jobs available [in Connecticut] to
individuals within the state, yet we’re challenged with ensuring that those employers have the talent that they need to meet those demands and at the same time give them the talent to expand their businesses with additional individuals,” said Alex Johnson, president and CEO of Capital Workforce Partners. “The Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program is a key program that provides young people with the opportunity to learn careers, learn work readiness skills, and understand the relationship between education and work. And it enables us to put them on a career path so that they can meet the demands that we have for them within our economy.”
Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said more than 3,000 young people in Hartford applied to SYELP, and that shows that the youth of the city are eager for opportunities to work and gain career training.
“The greatest stars of this show are the young people,” he said. “You guys are showing up. You guys are working each day to get better, to get smarter, to learn new skills and we appreciate that.”
The summer jobs are not just a job for now, but a pipeline to the careers of tomorrow, Arulampalam said.
As the state continues to grapple with the issue of disconnected youth highlighted in the 119K Commission’s Young People’s
Report, Eddie Cajigas, manager of community advocacy for the Department of Labor, called the youth employment program a win-win.
“It helps young people gain work experience, build networks, and earn a paycheck, and helps create a stronger workforce pipeline for employers,” he said. “While we hear about the impact of disconnecting youth, Capital Workforce partners, Our Piece of the Pie, and other organizations today are on the front line to help reconnect those young people to community, jobs, and their future.”
A number of the youth who will be participating in the youth employment program were present at the announcement. DJ Thomas, a youth leader with OPP who is a student at Manchester Community College, will be working at a youth site this summer. There he will work with younger children to help build their capacity as future leaders.
“People come here because of the help that they give you and the support you get,” he said. “You get help in so many different areas that you would never think that they can help you with, and I feel like that’s something that needs to be heard more, and more opportunities need to be given to more kids.”
Connecticut Expands Vision For Equity And Opportunity Across State Agencies
by Mia Palazzo
HARTFORD, CT — Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer Mariana Monteiro detailed a broader, more ambitious approach to equity and opportunity in Connecticut during a meeting of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls last week, one that goes beyond traditional hiring goals to reimagining how state agencies serve communities.
Created in 2024, the position of Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer was established to oversee and coordinate “opportunity plans” developed by each state agency.
These plans are meant to build on – but not duplicate – the work already being done under the state’s affirmative action and anti-discrimination laws, which are managed by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO).
“We’re very excited about this position, because the very best diverse talent is important to Governor Lamont and me,” Bysiewicz said. “Half of our commissioners are women, a third are people of color, and we continue to make that a very strong priority for our state.”
Monteiro explained that while agencies already follow CHRO requirements to hire from diverse backgrounds, opportunity plans are designed to take a more holistic approach. Rather than focusing solely on who is hired, the plans ask how state services are being delivered, who is being reached, and whether internal staff are being developed for future leadership roles.
“This is not either-or; it’s a com-
plementary function,” Monteiro said. “Representation is addressed through affirmative action, but opportunity plans are about reaching people where they are and creating long-term systems of support.”
Monteiro outlined several agency-led initiatives now underway:
• Succession planning: Some agencies are identifying and developing current staff to prepare them for leadership roles in the future
• Youth outreach: Departments like Environmental Protection are creating early pipelines by partnering with high schools to expose students to state careers
• Incarcerated education: The Department of Correction is working with other agencies to address educational gaps among incarcerated individuals, 57 percent of whom lack a GED or high school diploma According to Monteiro, the goal is to ensure that these individuals are better prepared for employment after release, particularly in high-demand industries like manufacturing, where employers are struggling to fill open jobs. A new pilot program will launch in two correctional facilities with full internet access, providing educational assessments and remedial instruction in subjects like reading and math.
Bysiewicz noted that addressing the workforce shortage in the state – where there are more than 90,000 open jobs
– requires looking to underutilized populations, including returning citizens (formerly incarcerated individuals) and immigrants. She noted that one in 10 Connecticut residents was born in another country.
“There is a huge opportunity here,” Bysiewicz said. “We’re competing with the private sector for talent. We need to make sure we are including everyone, including those coming out of incarceration, in our workforce strategies.”
Lindy Lee Gold, senior development specialist for the State of Connecticut, emphasized that for most manufacturing jobs, a GED is the minimum requirement. However, even some high school graduates may need extra support due to past
learning challenges or years spent outside of the education system.
“There’s also a lot of remedial work that could be done during the period of incarceration and prior to their exit,” Gold said. The meeting also included updates from subcommittees working on health, safety, and early childhood. The Office of Health Strategy shared highlights from the Health and Safety Subcommittee, which has recently focused on maternal and infant health programs.
One such initiative is a partnership
between the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) and the York Correctional Institution, where women receive doula support and lactation education and make community connections during and after pregnancy.
The subcommittee is also monitoring the Family Bridge Program, a pilot program providing home visits by nurses to new mothers and infants. The program was originally launched in Bridgeport and has expanded to eastern Connecticut. The Office of Health Strategy is leading the program evaluation and exploring options for long-term sustainability and statewide expansion.
Bysiewicz also discussed the Council’s Leadership Subcommittee, which recently hosted a panel on women working in transportation, specifically in fields where women are underrepresented, such as aviation, project management, and engineering. The subcommittee has previously featured panels on women in law enforcement, firefighting, and the building trades as well as Indigenous female leaders. Bysiewicz encouraged members to suggest more underrepresented industries for future discussions.
Bysiewicz also acknowledged the upcoming departure of Paul Lavoie, Connecticut’s chief manufacturing officer, who will leave his post on July 24 to become the first Vice President of Innovation and Applied Technologies at the University of New Haven. Bysiewicz praised his work supporting women in manufacturing, a STEM field with strong job growth and high pay.
DJ Thomas, a youth leader with Our Piece of the Pie, describes the impact that the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program will have for him. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz speaks during the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls full council meeting at the Legislative Office Building on July 1, 2025. DCF Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly is shown at left. Credit: Mia Palazzo / CTNewsJunkie
Questions about your bill?
Yale New Haven Hospital is pleased to offer patients and their families financial counseling regarding their hospital bills or the availability of financial assistance, including free care funds. By appointment, patients can speak one-on-one with a financial counselor during regular business hours. For your convenience, extended hours are available in-person at Yale New Haven Hospital once a month.
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 5 - 7 pm
Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting
Parking available (handicapped accessible)
An appointment is necessary. Please call 855-547-4584
Spanish-speaking counselors available.
HYPERLOCAL
• Cremation (Choose to be cremated at Evergreen.)
• Columbarium in the Most Beautiful Cremation Garden
• Reserve your Niche in a secure location pre-need.
• Reserve a Niche for family and friends or purchase at-need to safely place your Loved One in the Columbarium.
• Burial Lots (infant, single, two-grave, or four-grave)
• Monuments & Markers (black, gray, or pink granite)
• Flower placement (single or multiple placement)
• All orders can be placed at the Evergreen office or the website.
South Sudan confirms custody of 8 men deported by U.S. following Supreme Court ruling
by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku, Face2FaceAfrica.com
The government of South Sudan has acknowledged the arrival of eight men deported from the United States, confirming they are now in state custody and undergoing official procedures.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel told reporters on Tuesday that the group landed at Juba International Airport on Saturday after being removed by U.S. authorities through “standard deportation procedures undertaken.”
“They are under the care of the relevant authorities who are screening them and ensuring their safety and well-being,” Ayuel stated, though she did not disclose their exact location or the conditions of their detention, according to AP’s report.
The deportation followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that authorized the transfer of several foreign nationals, including individuals from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam and South Sudan, who had been convicted of violent crimes in the United States. Prior to their transfer, the
Trump Floats Deporting U.S. Citizens — Again
President Donald Trump has again floated the idea of deporting U.S. citizens who commit crimes.
On Tuesday (July 1), Trump was touring a migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades when he again claimed that there are many U.S. citizens who immigrated to this country and are committing serious crimes.
The president suggested that his “next job” might be to deport these people.
“They’re not new to our country. They’re old to our country. Many of them were born in our country.
I think we ought to get them the hell out of here, too, if you want to know the truth,” he said, per ABC News. “So maybe that will be the next job.”
Trump’s comments come after Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate sent out a memo encouraging U.S. attorneys to pursue the denaturalization process to “advance the Administration’s policy objectives.”
Shumate suggested that attorneys open cases against individuals who have engaged in torture, war crimes, human trafficking, and human rights violations.
Many legal experts have said that Trump’s proposal to deport U.S. citizens who commit crimes is unconstitutional, citing the Eighth Amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.
The president initially floated the idea earlier this year, saying he would like to send “horrible criminals” to El Salvador.
men were held for weeks at a U.S. military base in Djibouti.
While U.S. officials have framed the deportations as a matter of legal protocol, the development has triggered alarm in South Sudan, where civic leaders have raised questions about the implications for national safety and capacity.
“South Sudan is not a dumping ground for criminals,” warned Edmund Yakani, a well-known civil society advocate, voicing a growing concern among the public about the burden these deportations could place on an already fragile system.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has faced persistent challenges in delivering essential services to its population. Years of civil war have left the nation deeply dependent on foreign aid, which has recently declined, particularly following major reductions in U.S. assistance.
Economic conditions have further deteriorated amid falling oil revenues, worsened by conflict in neighboring Sudan that has disrupted crude exports through Port Sudan.
lowed current students to continue training, the ongoing inability to admit new students is driving up the per-student cost. He explained that when the program operates below full capacity, it creates the “misleading” impression that each student costs significantly more in some cases appearing as high as $200,000 even though the actual cost of delivering the program has not changed.
Levros said that most enrollees come from the Greater New Haven area, though the center also serves youth from further out in Connecticut such as Hartford and Bridgeport and as far as New York and Massachusetts. Without new students, he warned, the program’s long-term sustainability is at serious risk.
Robert Velez Jr., the center’s recreation supervisor, offered a broader reflection on the program’s value not just for students, but for staff as well.
“It was such a joyous experience when we recruit young people from outside to save them,” he said, referencing the dangers many students face in their neighborhoods before entering Job Corps. “It not only affects young folks it affects us adults as well. Because there is a higher purpose in this.”
Velez described Job Corps as a vital lifeline, helping youth avoid cycles of dropout, teen pregnancy, and incarceration.
“There’s a reason why Job Corps has been around so long because of the success rates, the stories, and inspiration behind the young folks who made it.”
“We have some horrible criminals, American grown, born,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, noting that he’s “all for” sending them to prisons in El Salvador. “I don’t know what the law says on that.”
On Tuesday, Trump again acknowledged that he didn’t know if it was legal to deport U.S. citizens convicted of crimes.
“We’ll have to find that out legally. I’m just saying if we had the legal right to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat,” Trump said. “I don’t know if we do or not, we’re looking at that right now.”
As students, staff, and elected officials await a ruling on the program’s fate, pressure is mounting on the Department of Labor to comply with the court order and restart background checks.
With over 15,000 students nationwide caught in limbo, the outcome of the case and the court’s interpretation of the SCOTUS ruling on universal injunctions could determine whether programs like New Haven Job Corps continue to operate at full strength.
Men deported by U.S. to South Sudan - Photo credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security via CBS News
Con’t from page 04
Job Corps Fights To Stay Open
Waste Treatment
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant III): Operates and maintains equipment and processes in a municipal sewage treatment plant. Requires an H.S. diploma or GED. A State of CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Class III Operators License or higher certification; or a Class III Operator-in-training or higher certification plus three (3) yrs. of experience in the operation of a class II or higher wastewater treatment facility, with one (1) yr. in a supervisory capacity of foreman level or higher. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license. Wages: $ 32.24 to $ 36.79 hourly. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. The closing date will be July 22, 2025. To apply online, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/ departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
360 Management Group
Invitation for Bids
360 Management Group is currently seeking bids from qualified and licensed contractors to replace 20 wall hung on-demand water heaters at Twinbrook Development. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, July 14, 2025, at 3:00PM.
Listing: Dispatcher
Extremely fast paced petroleum company is looking for a full time (which includes on call and weekend coverage) detail oriented experiencedDispatcher. A strong logistics background and a minimum of one year previous experience is required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P.O. Box 388, Guilford, CT. 06437. Email: HRDEPT@eastriverenergy. com
*An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans*
360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.
Request for Quotes
Wilmot Lighting-122 Wilmot Road, New Haven, CT
360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking quotes from qualified, lice sensed electrical contractors to perform the replacement of the exterior lighting fixtures at the property located at 122 Wilmot Road. performance. be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, June 30, 2025, at 3:00PM.
Elm City Communities dba The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (ECC/HANH) is seeking quotes from qualified contractors to perform HVAC Services for LIPH (Low Income Public Housing) Units. A complete copy of the requirements may be obtained from ECC/HANH’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 3:00PM.
Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for Services of a authorized reseller to provide Microsoft Licenses. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https:// newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 3:00PM.
Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc. seeks a friendly, organized, and professional Front Desk receptionist. Must be reliable, have strong communication skills, and able to multitask. Ability to answer multi-line phones system. This is a full-time position. Send resume to Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc. 74 Scott Swamp Rd. Farmington, CT 06032 or via email athumanresources@duccielectrical.com. An affirmative action equal opportunity employer.
ANIMAL CONTROL
CONSTRUCTION JOB FAIR - NHAH II
HARTFORD RESIDENTS, APPRENTICES AND SECTION 3 RESIDENTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND
HIRING
CONTRACTORS AVAILABLE FOR ON-THE-SPOT INTERVIEWS! DATE: THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025, from 1 PM – 4 PM
LOCATION: 127 Martin Street, Hartford, CT
For more information, please contact Jennifer Lacombe PH: 203-888-8119 EMAIL: jlacombe@haynesct.com
The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford
241 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven
Spacious 2 bedroom townhouse with hardwood floors. Private entrance. Appliances. 1.5 baths with basement and washer/dryer hookups. On-site laundry facility. Off street parking. Close proximity to restaurants, shopping centers and bus line. No pets. Security deposit varies. $1,850$1,950 including heat, hot water and cooking gas. Section 8 welcomed. Call Christine 860-231-8080, Ext. 161.
The Town of Wallingford is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant to the Animal Control Officer to perform highly responsible work in the enforcement of local and State ordinances, regulations and statutes pertaining to municipal animal control activities. The position requires a H.S. diploma or equivalency plus 2 years of experience as an animal care worker in a kennel, animal control facility, veterinary hospital or boarding facility or State of Connecticut certification as an Animal Control Officer and 6 months of experience as an animal care worker. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator’s License and must be able to be “on site” within a 30-minute period when responding to all calls from the Wallingford Police Department. $23.56 to $27.94 hourly plus an excellent benefits package. The closing date will be July 14, 2025. To apply online, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
Assistant Superintendent of Wastewater Pumping Stations and Collections System
The Town of Wallingford Sewer Division is seeking a skilled manager to provide responsible technical, administrative and supervisory work involving the operation and maintenance of wastewater pumping stations and the sanitary sewer collections system. Applicants should possess a B.S. degree in civil engineering, environmental engineering or environmental science, mechanical engineering or other engineering plus 4 years of experience in wastewater collection and in the repair and maintenance of mechanical and motorized equipment (pump stations), or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B at the time of appointment. Must possess and maintain, or be able to obtain in the probation period, CDL tanker and air brake endorsements. Must possess and maintain, or be able to obtain in the probation period, a NEWEA certification as a Collection System Operator Grade II or higher. Salary: $87, 357 to $110, 894 annually plus on-call pay when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, generous paid sick and vacation time, medical/dental insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and a deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of July 29, 2025, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY
Management & Planning Services RFP No. P25003
Please register here to obtain Bid Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/ requests.html?company_id=49968
SCOPE: The Housing Authority of the City of Danbury and its affiliates hereby issue this Request for Proposal from qualified Proposers to provide Modernization Management and Planning Services and act as the agency Modernization Specialist.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN:
Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: RFP No. P25003 Modernization Management
SUBMITTAL
July 17, 2025 at 10:30am (EST) CONTACT
FOR RFP DOCUMENT: Ms. Lisa Gilchrist, Purchasing Agent: 203-744-2500 x1421
E-Mail: lgilchrist@hacdct.org
[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]
Sauce Gardner wore the only FDA-cleared device that protects athletes’ brains during 2024 NFL season, now he’s a partner
by Mildre Europa Taylor, Face2FaceAfrica
NFL star Sauce Gardner has officially partnered with Q30 Innovations, which is behind Q-Collar, the first and only FDAcleared sports equipment proven to help protect the brain from repetitive head impacts.
Gardner wore the Q-Collar throughout the 2024 NFL season, and now he is an official partner, demonstrating his commitment to performance and player safety, a press release by Q30 Innovations stated.
The New York Jets All-Pro cornerback first learned about the Q-Collar in 2024 while looking at ways to enhance his protection on the field. He bought one for himself, and having enjoyed its benefits, he decided to join the Q-Collar team as an official partner.
“We all know football is a physical sport with action and contact on every play,”
Disney Dreamers Academy Now Accepting Applications for Popular Mentorship Program at Walt Disney World
Application process for 2026 event has begun for teens from across the United States; Mentorship program with all-expense-paid experience aimed at fostering the dreams of high school students from varying backgrounds and communities nationwide
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – (July 1, 2025) – Today, teens from across the country can apply, or be nominated, for the 2026 class of Disney Dreamers Academy. The signature mentorship program at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida annually selects 100 high school students for a transformative experience. Students can apply or be nominated at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com.
The 2026 event will be the 19th year of the Disney mentoring program, which has become a tangible example of Walt Disney World’s commitment to supporting diverse communities. The program aims to inspire teens from varying backgrounds by encouraging the next generation to think big
and to use what they learn in their relentless pursuit of their dreams.
Over the years, the program has inspired more than 1,700 students from across the country. Graduates have gone on to become doctors, engineers, performing artists, entrepreneurs and more, and some have transitioned into mentors to the Disney Dreamers who followed them.
The 100 students are selected from thousands of applicants who share their personal stories and future aspirations through essay submissions.
These students, along with a parent or guardian, are invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World for an inspiring, multi-day experience that provides them with valuable life
said Gardner in the release. “I’m always looking for ways to stay safe, comfortable and confident while I play, and the Q-Collar checked every box. It’s lightweight, durable and I love the way it looks. But more importantly, it gives me peace of mind knowing I’m taking the extra step to better protect my brain while still playing at the highest level.”
The Q-Collar, according to the release, is worn around the neck and applies light pressure to help limit brain movement during head impacts. “It offers an added layer of protection that’s backed by over 25 peer-reviewed scientific studies,” the release stated. After using it and experiencing its benefits, Gardner was inspired to raise awareness of the product among athletes to help promote their safety and brain health.
“Sauce has been incredibly hands-on since day one – not only in wearing the Q-Collar but truly understanding how
it works and why it matters,” said Tom Hoey, CEO and Co-Founder of Q30 Innovations. “He’s passionate about sharing his experience and educating others, which makes him the ideal partner. Sauce isn’t just a world-class athlete; he’s a thoughtful advocate for player safety and brain health.”
Q30 Innovations has worked with leading medical and academic institutions since 2012 to help develop the Q-Collar. In February 2021, the product received FDA authorization and was officially launched in the United States in September 2021. The Q-Collar is now worn by professionals and youth athletes in lacrosse, football, soccer, winter sports, and members of the armed forces, as stated by the release.
After wearing the only FDA-cleared device that protects athletes’ brains during the 2024 NFL season, Sauce Gardner joins brand
19-Year-Old Brooklyn Teen Makes History as Youngest Black Female Chess Champion
By BlackNews.com
Meet Jessica Hyatt, the highest-rated African American female chess player ever and the youngest African-American woman to earn the National Master title.
tools such as leadership skills, effective communication techniques and networking strategies.
Students participate in interactive workshops in a variety of disciplines aligned with their dreams. These workshops introduce the Disney Dreamers to diverse career paths within business, entertainment and sciences, including career opportunities within The Walt Disney Company. For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com. Regular updates about Disney Dreamers Academy are also available at Facebook. com/DisneyDreamersAcademy and Instagram.com/disneydreamersacademy.
At just 19, she’s already rewriting chess history and inspiring a new generation of young Black girls.
Jessica’s journey began in Brooklyn, New York City, where she was introduced to chess through Chess in the Schools, a nonprofit that teaches the game to students in underserved communities. Her rating keeps rising, and her chess skills have earned her over $40,000 in college scholarships, according to Duchess International Magazine.
As a teenager, she was already beating older, more experienced opponents.
In 2019, ome the New York State Scholastic Championship title. By 2023, she became the KCF All-Girls Nationals Champion and a five-time member of the USA National Youth Team. That same year, at the World Youth Chess Championship, she held a draw against top-seed-
ed Liya Kurmangaliyeva despite being rated 1818.
Jessica has also made headlines by defeating grandmasters. In 2021, she beat Grandmaster Michael Rohde, and followed up in 2022 by taking down chess prodigy Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra, joining a very small group of African-American women to ever beat a grandmaster.
In 2024, she was ranked the No. 1 18-year-old girl in the U.S. In June, she showcased her talent at a simultaneous exhibition hosted by the Detroit Institute of Arts and won every game. Two months later, she became the youngest African American woman to earn the National Master title, just one month after Shama Yisrael became the first.
But Jessica’s mission extends beyond personal wins. She wants to mentor girls of color and open doors in a game where Black women are still underrepresented. She aims to prove what’s possible when talent meets opportunity.
NFL Star Sauce Gardner Partners with Q-Collar.
Photo: Q30 Innovations
