THE INNER-CITY NEWS

Volume 32. No. 1638

The

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026 PENFIELD COMMUNITIONS INC

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New Haven Steelers Dominate Soul Bowl

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Sandra’s Cooks Up New Plans For The Hill by Brandon Cortes

so-called powers that be,” he said. “If we have something that we feel very strong about, we could be able to plow through it.”

The New Haven independent

The Pittman family and friends cooked for the Hill Saturday to celebrate a quarter century in business, with separate plans cooking for new ventures in the quarter century ahead. The cookout was sponsored by Sandra’s Next Generation to celebrate the popular neighborhood soul food restaurant’s 25th year in business. Restaurant owners Sandra and Miguel Pittman have hosted the cookout annually for those 25 years. “This is our way of giving back to the community,” Pittman said. This year’s cookout doubled as an opportunity for Pittman to share news about the restaurant’s next chapter. The Pittmans had previously explored redeveloping the block around 209 Davenport Ave. into a housing complex with 89 residential units — 80 percent affordable, 20 percent market-rate — plus ground-floor commercial space intended for the restaurant. The city did not support the project; a sticking point was about parking requirements.

Pittman said his own ties to the Hill go back to his father, a real estate developer who owned 28 properties in the neighborhood beginning in the 1960s. “I used to go around and collect rent with my father,” Pittman said. “This is our home.” The business has remained family-owned since the beginning. Pittman’s son works as a New Haven police officer and his daughter as a city firefighter, while both continue to contribute to the restaurant in their off hours. Another daughter, Shandrea Pittman, handles human resources, event planning, and marketing for the business. Grandchildren pitch in with small tasks, like wrapping cornbread or filling hot sauce and tartar sauce containers, Pittman said. Shandrea Pittman said Saturday’s spread reflected the diversity of the neighborhood, featuring Italian, Caribbean, and West African dishes alongside the usual soul food staples.

Rather than abandon the housing project, the family adjusted its plans. The Pittmans purchased a new property roughly three blocks away, at 790 Congress Ave. — the former site of Ring One boxing gym. Pittman said the gym’s recently deceased owner Brian Clark helped finalize the necessary paperwork for the sale shortly before he died. The new location, Pittman said, is already zoned for restaurant use, dating back to 1967, meaning the family won’t need special approval from the city to proceed. Pittman said the new restaurant, expected to seat around 110 people, should be ready to open early next year. Restaurant employees would live in apartments above the restaurant, allowed under current zoning. He hopes to complete that project by February. Meanwhile, Pittman said he is not giving up on building new housing in the current restaurant spot at 209 Davenport. He said he’s preparing plans to submit to the city for a five-story building with 110 apartments, without a restaurant. Sandra’s Next Generation traces its roots back to 1989, when Sandra began selling home-cooked dinners to supplement the family’s income while Miguel worked as a car salesman. The business grew quickly, picking up catering accounts with companies including Pratt & Whitney and Bayer Pharmaceuticals before the couple opened a storefront restaurant one block from their current location. The family has since acquired 15 properties throughout the city, Pittman said, giving the business financial independence. “It allows us the latitude to be independent and not be influenced by

The jubilant scene at the trophy ceremony at Bowen Field. Credit: Lisa Reisman photo

“So all my life I grew up in this neighborhood,” she said. “We’ve been doing it for a long time.” Rodney Williams, who helped serve food Saturday, said he’s known the Pittman family for more than 30 years. Pastor Chip Anderson of Christ Presbyterian Church in the Hill, who has known Miguel Pittman personally for about six years, said he came out Saturday to support a friend and fellow neighborhood fixture. “Anything that brings the neighborhood together, I appreciate,” Anderson said. He said he respects that the Pittmans have chosen to remain rooted in the Hill even as their business has grown. “A lot of people that do well in the community end up moving away,” he said. “He stayed.”

Janice Parker serves plant-based meatballs, sausages, and a spinach salad topped with roasted vegetables at the cookout.

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Several attendees said they came out simply because they knew someone connected to the restaurant. Bridget Dlamini said she came out at her mother’s suggestion, as her family was invited through her brother Keith Green, who works for Sandra Pittman. “It’s amazing,” Dlamini said of the event. “We get to see friends and stuff… besides [the rain], it’s awesome. Super grateful.” Carlos Salas, who lives around the corner and was attending for the first time, said he came at his wife’s suggestion. “Not bad at all,” he said. “Doing it for the community, no?” The original 2024 plan for 209 Davenport.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

At ConnCAT, Students Tap Into The Past To Shape Their Present By Lucy Gellman

Arts Council of greater New Haven

Amari Watts looked out over a Morse Street auditorium, her eyes resting on a trio of educators fanned out across the front row. Something in her gaze was fiery and fierce, even before a word had left her mouth. She lifted the microphone, and began to tell a story. “Southern trees bear strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,” she sang, her voice soulful, splintering just a little at the edges. It dipped and lingered painfully on the words. “Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze / Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.” Around the room, where 62 kids had been chatting just moments before, it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. At the keyboard, music teacher William Fluker looked up, careful not to miss a moment. All of them seemed to understand that it was Watts in front of them, but the spirit of Billie Holiday lived on through her. That confidence, which Watts has built over several summers of arts learning with the Connecticut Center for Arts & Technology (ConnCAT) was front and center last week, as she joined over five dozen classmates on the stage to celebrate and center the role of Black music, dance, art and culture in young people’s lives. Titled “The Year of Legacy,” the program took on a full century of Black history through the arts, tracing its journey from 1926 to 2026. In final performances Thursday and Friday at ConnCAT’s new Dixwell Avenue home and the LAB at ConnCORP, all of them had a chance to show off what they’ve learned, from multi-media visual art to music, theater, poetry and dance The two nights build on a tradition of celebrating students that has long been part of ConnCAT’s mission, both during the school year and well beyond it. “What makes this work worth it is watching the kids finding it [the passion] within themselves,” said Youth Program Manager Rachel “Rocky” Graziano (pictured above), who ran point on the program for the first time this year, at a dress rehearsal Thursday. “If they weren’t locked in,” the whole concept of the showcase would fall apart. But in the past six weeks, every student has found at least one art form that they’re genuinely excited about. “You guys have proven in six weeks that you are the most talented young people I have met in the city so far,” she later told students. Even as rehearsal rolled on, the words remained in the air, giving students the boost that they needed. Just as in years past, it has taken a village to pull it off, including several alumni who were once bright-eyed students in the program themselves. On the cusp of the summer months, staff members found themselves thinking through the theme, which in recent years has ranged from a centennial celebration of hip hop to funk to the Harlem Renaissance. Ultimately, they decided on “A Century of Legacy,” which could pull from movements as wide-ranging as swing, Kansas City jazz, R&B, bebop, soul, neo-soul,

rock, disco, hip hop and pop. In keeping with the theme, they also divided students into four ConnCAT-specific “houses” named after the organization’s founders—the House of Strickland, House of McCraven, House of Clemons, and House of Highsmith. “It’s been amazing,” Graziano said, crediting fellow teachers William Fluker, Nikki Claxton, Jasmine Powell, and Brendan Linehan for guiding students along the way. By the time they welcomed 62 students into the program in July—kids range from 9 to 17 years old, meaning that they have a range of different social and developmental needs—they were able to hit the ground running. Educator Steve Driffin, a poet and playwright who is now the director of programs for ConnCAT, also assisted along the way. For years, he built and stewarded the program. At a dress rehearsal Thursday, that enthusiasm was on full display, flowing from the stage to a crowded duo of costume racks and donated outfits at the front of the room. A few summer students buzzed around the auditorium with cameras and recording devices (phones, candy colored in their cases, sat in a cabinet with cubby holes at the front of the room) as others slipped into costume in the bathrooms and arranged themselves in the wings, going over places one last time. Graziano checked the time; it was just a few minutes past noon, and the group was mostly still on schedule. “We’re just waiting a few minutes for Mr. Fluker and then we’ll get started,” she told students before turning back to a costume rack, and fiddling with a rainbow-patterned outfit. In one hand, she held a folded set list with 53 numbers, from Little Anthony’s “Tears on My Pillow” to Teena Marie’s “Square Biz” to dance routines set to MJ and Kendrick. In one corner of the gym, 13-year-old Bruce Dean Fairfax prepared for his performance as a young Michael Jackson, circa “I Want You Back.” As he took a deep breath and got into character, the year was somewhere between 1969 and 2006, and Fairfax, a rising eighth grader at Engineering Science University Magnet School (ESUMS), was feeling good. “It’s fun!” he said of the program, which has helped him build confidence both on and off stage. As a kid, Fairfax grew up listening and singing along to “old music,” which he thinks of as artists from Ella Fitzgerald, Smokey Robinson, and the Isley Brothers to Earth, Wind & Fire to Ice Cube and Eminem. “I like the opportunity it gives you to sing and dance onstage.” Before this summer, he added, he wouldn’t have felt as comfortable stepping onto the stage, despite loving dance and singing in church as a kid. While “I’m normally a people person,” he’s become a little more shy and tentative around performance over the past few years. But when he arrived at ConnCAT this summer, teachers helped pull him out of his shell. “I want people to know that this is spe-

cial because it made me more open to people and not cooped up,” he said. Across the room, first-time camper Teagan Dear also got into the zone, shaking off jitters before her performance as Whitney Houston. A rising eighth grader at Hamden Middle School, Dear entered the program “kind of nervous,” especially when it came to thinking about live performance. “I was like, really shy, because I’ve never sang [for an audience] before.” But during the first week of the program, she was performing with an ensemble, and Fluker heard something in her voice that made him pause, and pull her to the side. He suggested she try out Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.” Dear was initially hesitant, but “when I heard it [the song],” the lyrics spoke to her. She went home and practiced, and then practiced some more. Thursday’s rehearsal found her steadying her nerves in a rose pink evening gown, with sleeves that flared out and draped past her shoulders and back. “Now, I’m not as nervous as I was,” she said, running through a list of numbers that also included interludes from the Jackson Five. “I think it gave me the confidence to take chorus next year.”

Teacher William Fluker, who has been a steady and beloved presence at ConnCAT for years.

First-time camper Teagan Dear.

From the wide doorway, Driffin drifted into the room, taking a seat in the front row as he watched students orbit each other like excited atoms. For years, he’s helped build up the program; this summer has been the first that Graziano has run the show largely on her own. Thursday, he watched the action with a gentle, knowing smile, one hand often resting on his chin. Only when it was time for a pep talk did he step in. “If you have a gift, use it!” he said to students. “You are great. You are beautiful. Your faces are beautiful. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise!” When students entered the program six weeks ago, he remembered, he watched some of them shrink away from performance, or say that they were too shy. So it’s been a joy to see them step forward and take that time in the spotlight.

Student Amari Watts. Lucy Gellman Photos.

“Don’t be too shy!” he said. “Your gift can take you to a place you never imagined … you don’t ever know who is looking for you.” And it was true. As they took the stage, 100 years of music—plus tap dance interludes, lyrical movement, hip hop and contemporary dance—all bloomed to life, one song at a time. As young people snapped and spun to Cab Calloway’s iconic “My Gal” and dipped into Langston Hughes’ “Dreams,” it was easy to sit back and imagine the decades falling away, until these performers entered the stage as if the wings were in fact the bustling streets of Harlem. Lifting a mic to his mouth as he sang “It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Con’t on www.theinnercitynews

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 23, 2019 - January 29, 2019

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Police To Charge Man In Stabbing Murder On Green by Paul Bass

The New Haven independent

Chevanne Spencer left her job at the Elm Street library worried about her life. Her older brother Michael got into an argument there a year later and then died across the street. She talked about that Wednesday at a press conference at police headquarters two weeks after a man stabbed Michael Spencer to death on the New Haven Green after an argument that began across the street inside the New Haven Free Public Library. Police called the press conference to announce they’ve obtained a warrant to charge a 49-year-old man with murder and carrying a dangerous weapon. Chevanne Spencer thanked police, especially lead Detective Freddy Salmeron, at the press conference for having solved the murder. She spoke about the pain of losing her brother to a “senseless and horrific” murder that began at the library where she used to work until she felt it became too dangerous. She and police said Michael, a 37-yearold city native and Hillhouse High graduate who returned to town last November after living in Atlanta, Ga., was inside the library working on job applications when he asked the 49-year-old man to turn down music he was playing. The man allegedly threw a chair at Michael, which a security guard caught. An argument ensued. A security guard asked the men to leave the library, which they did. The 49-year-old man went across the street, waited for Michael, then allegedly stabbed him repeatedly in the torso and other parts of his body, leaving Michael to stumble across Temple Street to collapse at the Elm Street corner bus stop. Chevanne Spencer spoke at the press conference about how she worked at the Elm Street main library branch for over two years as an assistant at the circulation desk. She spoke about daily violent or otherwise upsetting incidents that made her and the staff feel unsafe. She spoke of keeping mace in her pocket. One day a threatening man followed her on her way to work into the building, where fortunately a co-worker had shown up and kept her safe. “I saw co-workers assaulted. I experienced harassment myself. I left in part because I did not feel safe there … for reasons such as this,” the incident that later claimed her brother’s life. She said she left the job in May 2025. Video footage from a CT Transit bus captured the assault, according to Police Chief David Zannelli. Surveillance video from the library and Yale cameras produced high-resolution images that police used to appeal for public help in finding the attacker. The department then received calls identifying the attacker, whom officers subsequently caught on Aug. 18 while he was riding his bike by the Whalley Stop & Shop, according to Detective Salmeron. Police held the man that day on an unrelated warrant for a failure to appear in

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Contributing Writers The late Michael Spencer, pictured on a screen at 1 Union Ave. behind (from left) his mother, Diana Crosby; his sister, Chevanne Spencer; and Pastor John Lewis. Credit: Paul Bass Photo

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Lead case Detective Freddy Salmeron with Chief David Zannelli at Wednesday’s press conference.

court on an unrelated weapons charge. He has been incarcerated since then; bond on the new charges has been set at $1.5 million. He has not entered a plea yet on the new charges. (Police hadn’t yet served the warrant mid-day Wednesday.) The man has been found guilty in four other cases since 2017 on burglary, larceny, and drug charges, according to the state judicial database. After speaking about her brother Michael, Chevanne Spencer made a public appeal to improve safety at the library. She spoke about the increased roles the library has assumed over the years as a

warming and cooling center and safe spot for unhoused people to spend time. In a conversation after her formal remarks, she spoke of how the staff had asked for police presence in the building but were told the city felt that would intimidate patrons. She said security guards lack the authority to physically prevent people from doing harm. “The library is out of control,” she said. “When public buildings are asked to take on these expanded roles, the city also has to take on responsibility” to staff it with police and have clear policies protecting workers and other members of the public,

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Spencer argued. Reached for comment after the press conference, Mayor Justin Elicker said the city has “received feedback from library staff that recently there have been more incidents, primarily involving disputes” between visitors. The city lacks the capacity to station a police officer full time there, but it does have officers “regularly walk through the library as a supplement to the security guards.” “We want to make sure the library is welcome to everyone who is respectful to one another and ensure the library is safe for everyone.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Prize-winning writers come to New Haven this fall

The Windham-Campbell Prizes Festival will return this fall from Tuesday, September 15 to Friday September 18, 2026, on Yale University’s campus. Free and open to all, the festival brings the very best writers from all over the world to New Haven to celebrate their literary achievements. The recipients of this year’s Windham-Campbell Prizes, a prize for extraordinary writers at any stage of their literary career across fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry in the English language, will be giving a program of talks, performances, and screenings at

the festival, sharing insights into their expertise, interests, and creativity. The festival officially opens with Tuesday evening’s Food Truck Welcome featuring delicious food, music from DJ Edgewood, a great crowd, and the chance to pick up a festival program. This year’s program highlights include acclaimed playwrights Christina Anderson and S. Shakthidharan performing staged readings of their drama works with students from David Geffen School of Drama, multitalented writer of nonfiction Kei Miller explor-

ing the radical space of Carnival, and Christina Anderson sharing her experiences staging an adaption of famed Harlem Renaissance figure Zola Neale Hurston’s writing. Michael Kelleher, Director of the Windham-Campbell Prizes said: “We are very excited to be welcoming and hosting such talented writers, for what is set to be a fascinating and inspiring festival celebrating writing at its best.” The full program and further details of events can be found on windhamcampbell.org.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Ward 9 Committee Endorses Democratic Socialist For Alder by Laura Glesby

The New Haven independent

Two biology teachers arrived at East Rock Market Sunday to advocate for climate-resilient urban design and stormwater taxation on Sunday afternoon. They were not instructing a class of students, but vying for the Democratic Party endorsement for the next alder of Ward 9. After hearing from two of the four candidates running in Ward 9’s special election, the Democratic Ward Committee voted to endorse Co-Op science teacher Maria-Threese Serana. The meeting took place with just over three weeks to go before a special election for the alder seat takes place on Sept. 15. Four candidates in all are running to fill former Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith’s seat, after Smith announced that she would be moving out of the ward, which is made up of the Goatville section of East Rock and the northwestern corner of Fair Haven. The winner of the special election will finish out the rest of Smith’s two-year term, which concludes at the end of December 2027. Of those four candidates, only two could make it to Sunday’s ward committee meeting: Serana and biology professor Conor Gilligan. According to Ward 9 co-chair Claudia Herrera, Gavin Arnold was out of town and Blaise Berglund was unable to attend due to work obligations. Addressing the committee, Gilligan and Serana outlined their respective priorities as alder candidates. Serana, a 21-year resident of New Hav-

Democratic Ward Committee member Anne Watkins asks about the candidates’ approach to representing both Fair Haven and East Rock. Serana committed to working with Fair Haven Alders and continuing Smith’s efforts to turn highway underpasses into parks. Gilligan praised Smith’s attention to both halves of the ward and said that bringing in revenue to the city would help address Fair Haveners’ priorities.

en and a five-year resident of Ward 9, described a grassroots organizing approach to the role of alder. A Democratic Socialist, Serana said she hopes to empower residents to “gather,” “build strength,” and advocate as a collective. She proposed working with residents to create smaller leadership positions within the ward, such as “the chair for this street or this block,” or “a working committee on your specific concern.” Serana, who has spent a decade as a

paraeducator, substitute, and now teacher in New Haven Public Schools, said that one of her top priorities as alder would be advocating for “truly world-class public schools.” The school system needs faster building repairs and more effective teacher retention efforts, she said. “The measure of a community,” she said, “is the success of its children.” Serana also spoke about affordable housing, discussing her own worries as a tenant about rising rent in East Rock.

She said she would pay attention to vacant properties in the ward and advocate for community ownership of those properties. Her third campaign priority is “climate resilience.” She proposed increasing the number of pollinator gardens and trees, creating more compost opportunities for residents, and building “more and safer bike lanes across the city.” Gilligan, meanwhile, summed up his campaign vision in a common theme:

revenue generation for the city that does not involve a traditional property tax increase. His key proposal: creating a Stormwater Authority that could bill property owners for the city’s management of rain-related floods. Property owners should have to pay a fee proportional to the amount of “impervious surface” on their land, Gilligan said, which includes surfaces like asphalt and concrete that don’t allow water to pass through. “This would fold in nonprofits as well.” Gilligan specifically named Yale University, which under state law is exempt from paying property taxes on academic buildings. “Establishing the stormwater authority will help pull in non-taxpayers” to help fund city services, he said. “People in the past have accused this of being a ‘tax on rain,’ but I think that a proportional bill is fair and just,” he said. New Haven alders have debated the stormwater authority idea before, in 2010 and 2011. He concluding his remarks with a limerick: “A fee on the pavement we’ve laid means runoff at last gets repaid. A proportional bill, not a hike in the mill,will free us from reliance on aid.“ At the end of the meeting, two ward committee members voted to endorse Gilligan, while seven voted for Serana. Due to the quick special election timeline, no party endorsement will appear on the ballot.

With DSA Backing, Serana Hits The Doors by Laura Glesby

The New Haven independent

Maria-Threese Serana’s vision for a working-class “movement” emerges from small details of her Avon Street block — from a pollinator garden with both climate and community benefits to a firescarred house ripe for eminent domain. She said she hopes to bring that movement to the rest of the ward, and to City Hall, as the next alder of East Rock and Fair Haven’s Ward 9. Serana is running for the alder seat with the backing of the Connecticut chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers (NHFT), and the Democratic Party Ward Committee. She is a biology teacher at Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School as well as the parent of a recent New Haven Public Schools student. Her son, John Carlos Serana Musser, was a recent student representative on the Board of Education. Blaise Berglund, Conor Gilligan, and Gavin Arnold are also vying to fill the seat left behind by Caroline Tanbee Smith, who recently moved out of the ward. The four candidates will compete in a special

NHFT Prez Leslie Blatteau endorses Serana, “my union sister” who is equipped to improve schools, at a campaign kickoff Tuesday.

election taking place on Sept. 15. If elected, Serana would be the second democratic socialist to serve on the Board of Alders, following former Ward 9 Alder Charles Decker.

Over 25 people from across the city, including teachers union President Leslie Blatteau and many wearing DSA T-shirts, gathered outside P&M Market on Tuesday afternoon.

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There, Serana held a campaign kickoff rally before heading to door-knock in the neighborhood. At the rally, George Moore, the chair of New Haven’s DSA branch, asked the

crowd: “Who builds our housing?” He prompted the group to call out: “The working class!” Moore continued the call and response: “Who makes our phones?… Who makes our clothes? … Who teaches our kids?” “The working class!” the attendees responded. “And yet money and power,” said Moore, is in the hands of “yacht-owning, gold-toilet-sitting, Epstein-Island-visiting oligarchs.” After the rally dispersed, Serana took a stack of voter registration forms and campaign literature, and she set off to start knocking on doors. The “Democratic” in Democratic Socialism The sky was beginning to darken as Serana turned the corner to Avon Street. She decided to start on her own block, between Orange and Foster. Joined by DSA members Erik Kuranko and Quin DeLaRosa, Serana knocked on several doors, tucking campaign flyers under doormats when no one was home. She stopped several people on the street, most of whom said that while they lived

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

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Black Wall Street Booms THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

by Janday Wilson

were decorated. One vendor had a set up covered in graffiti, a proper home for their streetwear. Some had more plain tables, letting their exotic wares do the attracting. I was navigating my way through the crowd when a delicately decorated pink booth caught my eye. There seemed to be a lot of action happening there, so I moseyed on over to investigate. Bfly Styles, owned by hairstylist Nia Clemons, is a salon in New Haven (soon to be based in Hamden) that specializes in textured hair. Clemons was there selling luxury hair extensions that were even tempting for a natural haired girl like me, and promoting her latest venture, Capture, a line of satin-lined baseball caps that protect textured hair. The hats feature designs representing HBCUs and Yale. This was Clemons’ first time selling at Black Wall Street after attending for years as a consumer.

Black Wall Street Festival New Haven Green Aug. 15, 2026 Vendors for the fifth annual Black Wall Street Festival came from as far as California. The event, created by New Haven-born Grammy Award-winning producers Rashad “Snacks” Johnson and Aaron “Y.A.” Rogers of global entertainment and music production company The Breed Ent., has grown exponentially year after year. Over 400 Black-owned businesses of all varieties (from window tinting to beauty and skincare) filled the New Haven Green on Saturday; about 100 vendors came from outside of Connecticut. Last year there were 350 vendors. The immense volume of vendors and shoppers and surrounding activities did not feel as overwhelming as I expected. Rather, the experience was invigorating. Gleeful shrieks came from kids hopping around bright bouncy houses. Crowds milled around mouthwatering food trucks lined up on Temple Street, which ranged from BBQ to vegan soul food. Radio stations Hot 93.7 and 94.3 FM set tables out with representatives, as did New Haven institutions like Ely Center of Contemporary Art and Shubert Theatre. New Haven-based social services agencies like New Horizons and New Haven Hiring Initiative were out in spades, showcasing their offerings for the community. DJs and performers on the Main Stage

Volunteer Vickie Daniel at the Black Wall Street Festival merch table Credit: Janday Wilson Photo

provided ambient entertainment that you could hear from any corner of the Green. You could also settle down with a blanket or chair to enjoy the shows up close and personal. Some attendees got really comfortable and brought whole tents and coolers to shelter under the sun. I loved seeing the various displays of Black pride. It most often showed up in the T-shirts that attendees confidently wore: Juneteenth, Rosa Parks, “Love U Black,” “I Stand with Black Wom-

en,” and “Hire Black: were some of the messages on shirts. There were also Black-centric wares on sale, including African waist beads, a unique company selling sneakers for Black Greek organizations, products for textured natural hair, and several African clothing vendors. On that note, I literally stopped in my tracks when I came across Apaade. Bernice Andah-Lovely, who just opened a boutique in New Jersey, came from the Garden State to sell her dramatic hats

and bespoke clothing with bold West African prints. If I could have stolen the stunning multicolored pants she was wearing right off of her, I would have. “I was here last year, and they were so supportive. So, it made me come back this year, just to appreciate them. They just pour so much love, and it’s very important to be here for each other,” said Andah-Lovely. Speaking of love, some of the vendors poured it all into their booths. It was cool to see how differently they

“The idea is bloom and be fly,” Clemons said of her flower-filled booth. “Bfly is short for butterfly. I love butterflies. My mom loves butterflies. She passed in 2020, so my business is just building on her legacy. She was also a hairstylist.” Representing for Connecticut towns outside of New Haven was Kindred Thoughts, a bookstore out of Bridgeport. This was also owners Karin Smith and Derek Tompkins’ first time participating in New Haven’s Black Wall Street Festival, though they have taken part in Bridgeport’s Black Wall Street for years. Their table showcased a delectable display – can you tell I’m obsessed with books? – of books by authors of color, including the riveting debut novel Appetite by New Haven’s own P. Paramita. Tompkins said, “I think [Black Wall Street] is a chance for us to celebrate our community. Everybody likes to tell what we ain’t. This is what we are. The opportunity [for Kindred] to come here was to broaden who we are [and] also to connect to the greater community.” “Do y’all like jazz?” the host yelled from the Main Stage. A jazz head, I rushed over to watch bassist Ace Livingston do his thing. The Connecticut based musician has worked with a plethora of big artists like Jennifer Lopez and Pink. Livingston, along with a drummer, pianist and dazzling saxophonist, played jazz versions of contemporary Black classics like Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go” and Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.” It was the perfect set to soothe the spirit on a breezy summer afternoon. In between musical performances, Con’t on www.theinnercitynews

8

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

New Haven Steelers Dominate Soul Bowl by Lisa Reisman

The New Haven independent

Toward the end of the third quarter at the Soul Bowl between the New Haven Steelers and the New Britain Jr. Canes on at Bowen Field, a banner materialized on the Steelers sideline. Raised aloft by offensive line coach Jaylin Davis and defensive standout Jomar Rodriguez among a sideline of players clad in yellow-and-black jerseys and pads, it read DONUT SQUAD. By then, the score was 28-0. That was one donut. There was another. Defensive coordinator Martin Colon’s stout defense had stopped the Jr. Canes from advancing even one yard. His defense had also scored. This was, it seemed, precisely the start for a team with national championship aspirations — and a defensive coordinator in Colon who had expressly guaranteed that his defense would yield a maximum of 20 points all season. The Melvin “Biggie” Wells Preseason Soul Bowl — named in honor of the beloved local figure and dedicated community youth football advocate — is an annual youth football kickoff event hosted by the New Haven Steelers youth organization. Saturday’s tournament featured a full slate of back-to-back games across age-based divisions. The highly anticipated 13U tilt was the last. The New Haven Steelers play in the Pop Warner Football League, which has as its mission to encourage youth participation in sports; to “instill values of teamwork, dedication, and a superior work ethic”; and to ensure scholastic aptitude among its members. Approximately 60 percent to

Coach Jaylin Davis, with Jomar Rodriguez.

70 percent of all NFL players began their organized football careers in a Pop Warner program, according to estimates from the NFL Players Association. Last season, the 13U team dominated the New England region, reaching nationals but falling in the first round. With many of them having played together for years, this year, their last hurrah before they branch off for different high schools, the goal is plain: win it all. The final score, 34-6, Steelers, was not official. Given the preseason nature of the contest, the organization publishes no

statistics. “It’s an opportunity to answer a lot of questions,” said head coach Garrett Barros before the game, pronouncing himself in a state between anxious and excited. Saturday’s performance, it seemed, provided a resounding yes to most questions. The opening sequence, with the Canes on offense, featured a two-yard loss, a resounding sack, and then a safety, which awards two points to the defense for stopping the offense in its own end zone. Coaches and players on the sideline erupted. Then came DeMelle Turner’s

offense. Their first sequence resulted in a touchdown. So did their second. And third. “That’s what I’m talking about,” defensive line coach Nate Morrison shouted amid the cool late-August breeze. “Let’s go, boys.” Through three quarters, the domination continued, with the defense standing tall, forming an indestructible wall across the line of scrimmage, and the offense, sparked by running backs Jaden Pickette and Cameron Davis Jr., and wide receiv-

ers Christopher Wiley and Romeo Ojeda, seemingly scoring at will. The water boys and girls rushed each player’s bottles to them. Team moms Delores Roberts and Shatea Threadgill distributed fruit cups, kept the chaos in order. The crowd was all in. The donut flag fluttered in the wind. Meanwhile, New Britain’s team appeared demoralized. Shoulders slumped, some looked up at the azure blue sky, others off into the middle distance. With five minutes to play, there was a running play, resulting in the Canes’ first positive yardage of the day. That seemed to embolden them. After a loss and a gain of seven yards, which had cornerback Noah Concepcion shoving the opposing player out of bounds, came two quick passes. Then, the unthinkable. The referee’s arms went up. Touchdown. The crowd went silent. On the other side of the field was jubilation. “That’s alright,” shouted Turner, the offensive coordinator. “Let’s go, let’s get it back.” One play later, quarterback William “E.J.” McClary was feinting left, then right, then, finding an opening, breaking for the end zone. Order was restored. The final score: 34-6. “That was a mistake,” Colon said, holding the trophy with his son Davian, who goes by Brodie. “That means we have work to do so it doesn’t happen again.” Defensive coach Jason “Oso” Burnett agreed. “It wasn’t the perfection we wanted.” “Yeah, but it’s still a win,” Brodie answered, a grin spreading across his face, as he took off at a run to join his teammates.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

How Terri Wison turned pain into purpose in Black independent media by JASON PONTEROTTO

Terri Wisdom wears several hats, including media businesswoman, journalist, educator, and activist. As the founder of Harlem Network News, a digital news platform available on social media, she can regularly be seen at community events in Harlem. Wisdom, 74, grew up in South Jamaica, Queens, and came of age during the civil rights era and Black identity movements of the 1960s and ’70s, and says the historic period of her youth greatly shaped her trajectory. “Everybody went from having straightened hair to Afros and fists raised in the air. That’s where I come from,” Wisdom said. She attended Lincoln University, where she became friends with the legendary Gil Scott-Heron, who became a great inspiration for her, but transferred to Fordham University, where she graduated to pursue film and TV. However, she said she regrets the choice, noting the racism she experienced and that she even graduated a year early to get away. “If I had it to do again, I would have stayed at Lincoln,” Wisdom said. “I really hated it at Fordham. … It’s a very racist institution, particularly at that time.” In the early 1970s, Wisdom was involved in production with the Children’s Television Workshop, working on shows like “Sesame Street” and “The Electric Company.” Later on, she held several roles at numerous local news stations, including ABC, CBS, CNN, and PIX 11. She said she witnessed firsthand that there were very few Black faces behind the

Terri Wisdom, in front of her Harlem Network News vendor booth at Summer in the City during Harlem Week 2026. (Jason Ponterotto)

scenes in production, which meant stories related to Black communities would not get priority. She also said she experienced racism in the newsroom. “I experienced a lot of abuses,” Wisdom recalled, including instances where co-workers lied about her. “They’re not covering our kinds of stories,” Wisdom said of the major news stations, which she said was the case then and is just as bad today. “The only way they come in [for coverage] is maybe if

somebody is murdered or something like that.” With the encouragement of her husband, Wisdom created HNN in the spring of 2020 during the beginning of COVID, because she recognized a need to get medical information to Harlem’s Black community. Early on, she had Black healthcare providers, local political figures, and even funeral directors on her live shows to discuss how serious COVID was and correct misinformation.

A life-altering tragedy In 2021, after her son Ali Sam Waymon Wisdom was shot and killed in an unsolved case on the Shinnecock Reservation on Long Island, Wisdom was connected to Harlem activist Jackie Rowe-Adams and her organization, Harlem Mothers and Fathers Save. The group works with parents who have lost children to gun violence. She would have Adams as a guest on her show and afterward joined the organization, in which

she remains active. Wisdom was intent on turning pain into purpose by using her media skills. “I don’t think people get past that trauma, but you have to do something, so something that I’m doing is in media, making sure more Black people and everybody [are] educated and informed on what’s going on,” Wisdom said. “I use media to fight the disparities that we are experiencing. I think I realized that this is not just me; this is many other mothers in our community.” Wisdom has previously taught throughout the city and continues to hold workshops with students in District 5, which is mostly Black and Brown. She notes there are clear disparities she sees regularly. “To know what our schools look like, and to know that $42,000 a year is being spent on each child — are we seeing that money in our schools?” Wisdom asked, noting that one of the 20 schools where she has recently worked in the district didn’t even have computers for students. “What’s Going On!” airs live on WBAI on Tuesdays from 7:00 a.m. and HNN shows are on YouTube. She is getting ready to build it out with a show on Manhattan public access, a podcast, and a new Substack. Despite the grind, Wisdom remains motivated by the mission of serving her people.

“It can be very daunting, stressful, and depressing because you’re trying to do this work, but you have to just say to yourself that this is what it has always been,” Wisdom said. “Just like the great figures in our history, you have to pierce the veil and not get distracted or discouraged, and keep going.”

Human Braiding Hair May Be a Health Hazard Too by Corynne L. Corbitt, BlackHealthMatters.com

ments. Many wanted to know whether they could believe the claims of those touting safer alternatives. In addition, James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing at CR, had a personal interest since his adult daughters are long-time braid wearers.

If you think switching to human hair for your protective styles is safer for your hair and health, think again. Consumer Reports followed up on the test they did on synthetic braiding hair last year with 30 additional brands, including human hair and plant-based products. Their new findings: human braiding hair was the worst offender. Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit member organization that seeks truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. According to their investigation of human, plant-based, and synthetic brands tested, “One hundred percent of the products also contained VOCs, including acetone, a respiratory irritant, and low levels of carcinogens (toxins that may be linked to cancer).” Why They Tested Braiding Hair Initially, they actually listened to Black women. In fact, they held listening sessions with Black-led organizations and

their members to understand which products they have concerns about. The safety of braiding hair was among our top

concerns. But after the first investigation came out, Consumer Reports reviewed scores of social media posts and com-

What CR Tested For The scientist conducting the testing had a thorough understanding not only of the places we might get our hair braided, but also of the habits associated with the process. Yes, they tested for heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium. But they also test for microbiological contaminants because they realize that, at salons, braiders may touch their faces and wipe their mouths. Then there is the fact that many salon braiders and DIYers may put the braids in their mouths. And our children may put our braids in their mouths as well. Experts, however, agree that that is just one way contaminants can be absorbed in our systems. The Silent Spring Institute published a study in the Journal of the American

Chemical Society and also found ingredients that could be harmful to our health. Cost is Not a Deciding Factor Paying a higher price tag for the braiding hair does not guarantee safety. In the human hair category, YG Water Wave had the most lead. Mane Concept, Janet Collection, and Indique also contained significant levels of lead and cadmium. When it came to synthetic hair, Gyal Braids, and Slayy Hair had the highest levels of VOCs detected in their samples. Even Rebundle, a popular plant-based hair extension alternative made from banana leaves, contained lead. Dosso Beauty was the only brand that didn’t contain detectable amounts of VOCs. These Results Show the Need for More Regulations If you think about it, we are not always clear where the human hair we use is sourced beyond the country of origin. Ingredients that the donor has used, such as Con’t on page 12

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

NABJ’s ‘Thumbs-down’ award sparks backlash from ESPN sportscaster Stephen A. Smith by Ariama C. Long

This year’s National Association of Black Journalists 2026 Salute to Excellence Awards Gala was overshadowed after the organization presented its “Thumbs-down” Award to five recipients, most notably ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. Many in the online space weren’t sure the NABJ made the right choices, as Smith publicly swore revenge. “This year I believe it is especially important to understand this award in a larger context, at a moment when journalism is facing growing political, economic, and institutional pressure,” said NABJ President Errin Haines at the awards ceremony on August 15. The Thumbs-down Award, in particular, is a portion of the event that “calls attention to an individual or organization for especially insensitive, racist, or stereotypical reporting, commentary, photography, or cartoons about the Black community or for engaging in practices at odds with the goals” of NABJ. “Now look, I know the thumbs-down award can make people uncomfortable –– good,” said Haines. “Accountability is not supposed to be comfortable.” The night’s recipients were Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who was scrutinized for limiting press freedom and dismantling DEI initiatives; CBS Television Network, which eliminated its race and culture unit disproportionately impacting journalists of color; President & CEO of WISH-TV DuJuan McCoy has allegations against

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith Credit: Matt Patterson/AP him about maltreatment of Black journalthe award. We don’t take it lightly when we ists; The Washington Post, which also laid decide to bestow these awards upon people. off Black journalists as well as eliminated And it’s not about whether we personally race and culture beats; and Smith, a veterlike or dislike somebody.” an commentator who has been slammed Smith had a visceral reaction to being givfor his disparaging remarks of prominent en the Thumbs-down award. Soon after the Black women officials and fellow journalconvention wrapped, he ran to his platform, ists. social media, and outlets, like Fox News, to “The thumbs down award is not a new clap back at NABJ. He claims that he has award,” said Haines in an interview with had nothing but a “difference of opinion” Capital B. “I know a lot of people are findwith several women. He vowed to be even ing it now because of the headlines that we more adamant and bullheaded in the future. made with our announcement, but this is an “I think it’s utterly ridiculous; I was raised award that we’ve given for years — trying by five black women,” said Smith on Sean to hold institutions and public figures acHannity’s show. “I find it highly offensive countable whenever their actions are harmthat they would label me in this way, give ful to Black journalists. That is the intent of me a thumbs down award specifically for

disparaging black women. I want everybody out there to know, there’s no such thing. That did not happen. That is a flatout lie. That never happened.” Haines, who was elected NABJ president in 2025, noted that Smith was involved in public spats with independent journalist Joy-Ann Reid, US Rep Jasmine Crockett, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former First Lady Michelle Obama. “Stephen A. Smith is somebody that speaks publicly and has an opinion that is valuable as a prominent voice in this country, but what does it mean when that voice and that platform are being used in a way that diminishes the public voice and presence of Black women in our society?” asked Haines. “I thought it was appropriate to call this out, but also to extend an invitation to think about how we move differently going forward. I hope that he and I can have that conversation.” Part of the pushback online is that NABJ has not only worked with and benefitted from Smith’s Straight Shooter podcast in the past but also platformed equally controversial people, such as President Donald Trump at the NABJ convention in Chicago when he was a Republican candidate for office in 2024. Despite the controversy, during the NABJ gala, AmNews investigative reporter Shannon Chaffers picked up an award for her latest contribution to the “Beyond the Barrel of the Gun” series focusing on people impacted by gun violence: The Housing Barrier: Gun violence survivors struggle to find accessible housing.

New CDC Director Takes the Helm Amid Upheaval by Jennifer Porter Gore

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency mandated to protect Americans’ health from preventable threats. She’s the first Black woman to head the agency, and fills a critical public health position that has been vacant for a year. Confirmed on a party-line vote, Schwartz becomes the 22nd leader of the agency and the second Black American. Dr. David Satcher was the agency’s first Black director from 1993 to 1998. He later became the nation’s 16th U.S. Surgeon General. The CDC was reputedly the gold standard in public health care and was known for helping to end the polio epidemic and all but eradicating measles from the U.S. and a significant part of the world. But under the Trump administration, the agency has lost more than a quarter of its workforce during rounds of mass firings, primarily aimed at new and temporary workers. Five of the agency’s top-level staffers — including a Black health equity specialist—were dismissed after appearing on a right-wing “DEI Watchlist.” RELATED: Right-Wing ‘DEI Watchlist’ Targets More Federal Employees Schwartz is the third nominee for CDC

so that everyone can live their healthiest lives.” She holds both a law degree and a medical degree, but Schwartz has spent most of her career in a military uniform. As a Coast Guard officer, she oversaw the organization’s system of 41 clinics and 150 sick bays. She also served as deputy U.S. surgeon general.

Dr. Erica Schwartz, the first Black woman to lead the agency, assumes the role as it confronts low morale, as well as outbreaks of measles, cyclosporiasis, and lurking Ebola.

director in the past 18 months. Since then, there have been a series of HHS officials as acting CDC directors. When she was nominated, public health experts were pleased by her credentials and her strong support for vaccines as a public-health tool. In a statement, Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, chief executive officer of the American Public Health Association, said Schwartz “possesses the medical back-

ground and public health knowledge” to lead the CDC after a tumultuous two years. The agency “desperately needs stability, experienced leadership and a steadfast commitment to science” and Schwartz fits the bill, he said. The APHA, Benjamin added, will work with Schwartz “to rebuild trust in public health leaders” and “improve the public’s health by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries

12

Concerns About Independence While her qualifications weren’t in question, Schwartz’s nomination hit a speed bump last month when Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and chair of the Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and other lawmakers questioned whether she could stand up to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a noted vaccine skeptic and the man who would be Schwartz’s boss. Schwartz’s responses didn’t imbue confidence. Though Benjamin’s statement gives Schwartz the benefit of the doubt, several public health advocates weren’t as heartened by her confirmation and the National Public Health Coalition opposed it. Shaughnessy Naughton, president of the nonprofit 314 Action, has called Schwartz “a loyal foot soldier” for Trump and Kennedy — a worrisome assessment as “dangerous outbreaks spread across the counCon’t on page 18

Con’t from page 10

Be a Health Hazard Too

lead, which is sometimes present in hair dye or cosmetics, may also be present in the hair. Two states are hoping to push for more transparency. In California, the government could amend the Prop 65 List to include ingredients used in hair extensions. “The list contains a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals that are listed for cancer or reproductive harm, or both. These chemicals include additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, food, drugs, dyes, or solvents.” On the East Coast, legislators are pushing for the passage of “The Beauty Justice Act, ” which would ban some of the most toxic chemicals from personal care and beauty products sold in New York State.” How to Handle Protective Styles Now Braids, twists, and cornrows are a yearround go-to for many of us. When the first investigation came out, most people did not change their habits. This may also be the case with this recent investigation. If you insist on continuing to use braiding hair, give some thought to how you use them. Consider the brands you choose, how long you keep the braiding hair in, and how often you take breaks between uses. Con’t from page 06

Serana Hits The Doors

in the neighborhood, they were registered to vote in a different city. One person snapped a photo of Serana’s flyer so she could share it with her roommates. In between doors, Serana reflected that although she studied political science and participated in political campaigns when she was younger, she never expected to become a political candidate herself. She recalled growing up in a political system in the Philippines where elections were compromised in part due to rampant vote-buying. Political campaigns would offer money in exchange for proof that voters cast ballots for the campaign’s candidate. “You would give your vote to the highest bidder,” said Serana. She never ran for office because “I didn’t have the money — and I didn’t think I could stomach it.” She sees an echo of that overt vote-buying in the American campaign finance system. Elections here are still “run by money,” she said, even without a direct financial incentive to vote a certain way. She lamented that some people hear about democratic socialism and think of “communist dictators.” In her view, socialism is fundamentally about democracy. Democracy, she argued, is easily compromised when a small group of people has an outsized amount of economic power over everyone else. To Serana, socialism means investing in “universal healthcare, libraries, public schools.” It means taking on the “billionaires who are exploiting our brain power, our muscle power.” Then she paused, laughing. “Sorry! I went into teacher mode.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

ICE Already Shocks America – Gloves Can’t Hide Their Fingerprints! By Contributing Writer The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement that it would spend $20 million to equip ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with electric shock gloves is indeed shocking. Equipping ICE with electric shock gloves is tantamount to equipping a wolf with a knife and fork to enter the hen house. The only thing missing is a white napkin to wipe his mouth after completing his meal. The wolf has proven that he will bite, tear, rip, and kill his prey with a ferocious efficiency. ICE has shown no accountability for any of its lethal actions. They are already well equipped and armed to the teeth. These masked wearing, plain clothes, unmarked car driving agents of terror are currently armed with the following: • Nine-millimeter semi-automatic handguns, specialized Sauer P320 and the GlockP19, long guns, rifles and shotguns, M4 carbines/assault rifles, Remington 870 shotguns (for high-risk operations) • Specialized tactical firearms including machine guns such as the SIG MPX • Conducted energy devices (tasers) • Chemical munitions, pepper spray (OC spray), teargas canisters • Body armor designed to stop handguns and rifle caliber rounds • Gas masks, and riot gear If ICE cannot function with this arsenal of autocracy, shame on them. Our tax dollars are going to equip a special masked militia accountable to no one other than

Stephen Miller and President Donald Trump. They have proven that they cannot be trusted. They will lie and deceive as revealed in various fatal incidents. Too often we hear the line, “They resisted arrest and they tried to mow me down with their car.” Both eyewitness and citizen cameras have disproven their lies. They have not implemented the use of bodycams for their agents. This past July, they committed $30.9 million to procure equipment from Axiom. Only after a determined public outcry over the fatal murders of Ruben Ray Martinez in Texas, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, and Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero in Maine did they relent. In combining ICE with Customs and Borders Protection, at least 41 total shootings by immigration officials have been recorded since January 2025, resulting in 11 deaths. Between 10-20 individuals die annually in ICE custody. The American Immigrations Council has noted that over 50 people died in ICE custody over a recent multi-month period, including medical emergencies in facilities like Delaney Hall in New Jersey. The Pulitzer Prize-winning organization Futuro Media has reported hundreds of immigrants being sexually abused in detention centers controlled by ICE. They report over 308 sexual assault and abuse complains, filed nationwide between 2015 and 2021. A new set of gloves is not needed for

By Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, NAACP – Detroit Chapter President

ICE. It is a new standard of accountability for its illegal and unconstitutional actions. Even the scripture gives a clear analysis of America’s current dilemma, “Every good tree brings forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit,” Matthew 7:17. The tree of ICE is corrupt. All that can come from this tree is evil and more bad fruit. There must be a fair, congressionally approved, and monitored DHS. Its policies must be respectful of due process and the rule of law based on

the following: • Truth and transparency • Enhanced training for all agents • Domestic abusers, violent law breakers, former fired or reassigned abusive police officers must be ineligible • Cultural and sensitivity training must be included • Independent investigations of incidents involving lethal and non-lethal force must be included in the process. Rubber bullets, electric shock, over extended re-

straints, and pepper spray can both injure and, in some cases, result in death. America does need a system of injustice modeled after non-democratic and authoritarian regimes. Electric gloves are reminiscent to the African American community of the ropes and chains used to control Blacks in America. Currently, those chains are being used as ankle bracelets to contain and control Haitians. This proposed policy is consistent with what seems to be the sterilization and purification of America. The Trump Administration has indicated that certain immigrants are poisoning the blood of the nation. Yet over 6,500 white South Africans from a nation rooted in Apartheid have been admitted and welcomed into the U.S. Detaining 2,000 people per day, subject to deportation, is no more than human exploitation. People of goodwill must stand against this policy. Corporations and businesses must indicate to the Administration this is not good business. It has resulted in a decline in employment, fear of consumers shopping at small businesses, and a major reduction in tourism. Congress should investigate and block this proposal. Courts must not allow this to go forward. Faith community must preach and teach against this evil corrupting the very soul of our nation. If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Shocking the life out of refugees seeking asylum in America today will lead to the same electric shock to peacefully protesting American citizens tomorrow.

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SCHEDULE NOW! Call (475) 255-2143 or go to ne-smartenergy.com/newhaven Interesado en la eficiencia de energia? llama numero (475) 255-2143

Call 855-768-2552 to schedule your free quote today!

Energize Connecticut programs are funded by a charge on customer energy bills. Some restrictions apply and offers are subject to change or cancellation.

14

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Listing: HVAC Apprentice Level 1 Opening for a full time HVAC Apprentice Level 1. Candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, oil, propane and natural gas. Must be detail oriented and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or emailHRDept@eastriverenergy.com **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Veterans**

Listing: Part-Time Class A Driver Opening for a Class A Part-Time driver for petroleum/asphalt/like products deliveries for nights and weekends. Previous experience required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com ***An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Disabled & Veterans***

Exp. Layout person. Send resume jillherbert@gwfabrica=on.com

360 Management Invitation for Bids

Fairmont Fire Unit Turnover

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRAFT ANNUAL INTENDED USE PLAN FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2027 The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is holding a remote Public Hearing via Microsoft Teams video conferencing on August 18, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., to receive testimony from the public on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Draft Annual Intended Use Plan (IUP), which includes the draft Project Priority Lists (PPLs), for State Fiscal Year 2027. This draft IUP includes the fifth year of additional funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The hearing will be held in conformance with the provisions of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 (Public Law 104‐182), and pursuant to Sections 22a‐478(h) and 22a‐482 of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 22a‐482‐1(c) (4) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Copies of the Draft Annual IUP, which includes the draft PPLs, may be obtained online at the DPH’s webpage at www.ct.gov/ dwsrf. To listen to or participate virtually in the Public Hearing please visit DPH’s webpage at www.ct.gov/dwsrf. The access information for the hearing will be posted in the near future. Please continue to visit our webpage for information regarding the DWSRF Program. Upon request, a physical location and electronic equipment necessary to attend the meeting will be provided to anyone submitting such request in writing at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Persons wishing to provide comments to the DWSRF section on the Draft Annual IUP are invited to do so in writing no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 10, 2026 to DPH.CTDWSRF@ct.gov. Please note in the Subject line “DWSRF Public Hearing”. DPH is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

360 Management is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to Fairmont Fire Unit Turnover Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing. cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

August 10, 2026, at 3:00PM.

INVITATION TO BID: LaRosa Building Group, as Construction Manager, is

seeking trade bids for demolition and new construction of Leroy Downs Apartments located at 79 S. Main St. in Norwalk, CT. The project consists of structure remediation/demolition followed by the new construction of 68 apartments and common areas. This project is subject to prevailing wages, is tax exempt, and is subject to CHRO Set Aside requirements (all firms must solicit trades and materials accordingly). A prebid will be held on site, Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 10am. Bid documents can be obtained by contacting Vince Parete via email. Bids are due to Vince Parete no later than 3PM Thursday, August 27, 2026 via email vparete@golarosa.com. LaRosa Building Group is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Small, Minority, Women, Disabled, and Section 3 Businesses are strongly encouraged to participate.

THEINNERCITYNEWS.COM 15

UNION CONTRACTOR SEEKS: Construction Equipment Mechanic (preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment) We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Job is in Bloomfield, CT. Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860-243-2300 Ext. 122 Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators (must have current licensing and a clean driving record; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY) Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860-243-2300 Ext. 133 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment (must have a class A CDL license with Tank Endorsement and a clean driving record; be capable of operating heavy equipment and willing to travel throughout the Northeast and NY) Contact: Brian McKee Phone: 860-558-6189 Email: bmckee@garrityasphalt.com

• We offer Excellent hourly rates and benefits. • Women and Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply. • Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

360 Management Group

The Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities

Request for Proposals (RFP) Co Developer

Invitation for Bids

Co-Developer for the implementation of the Union Square Phase I Transformation Plan

Security Camera Maintenance/Installation/Upgrades

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities acting through its instrumentality, The Glendower Group, Inc. in partnership with the City of New Haven (the "City") as Co-Applicant and Neighborhood Implementation Entity, is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP). for selection of a qualified and experienced Co-Developer for the imple-mentation of the Union Square Phase I Transformation Plan (The “Project”). A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from New Haven Housing Authority Vendor Collabora-tion Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

360 Management Group is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to perform Security Camera Maintenance/Installation/upgrades . A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway beginning on

July 27, 2026, at 3:00PM.

Monday, August 10, 2026, at 3:00PM.

The Town of East Haven

Elm City Communities

is currently accepting applications to participate in the examination for the position of Secretary II, Grade Level 10-$25.40/hour, 37.5 hours per week, 12-month position. Qualified candidates must possess a High School Diploma or equivalent with a business course background and a minimum of 3 years secretarial experience. Prior experience in a school system or related work with children preferred. The application is available online at https://www.easthaven-ct.gov/jobs.aspx or from the Civil Service Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven and must be returned by August 17, 2026. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Invitation for Bids Trash Collection Services Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to perform Trash Col-lection services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Ven-dor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway be-ginning on

August 10, 2026, at 3:00PM. The Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities

For Immediate Hiring: Operations Specialist

Invitation for Bid General Contractor (GC) for Henry St University Row

This is a full-time position in a fast-paced environment. The candidate must be highly organized, analytical and detail-oriented. This opportunity offers exposure to all areas of the business and plays a critical role in driving operational excellence and supporting company growth. A college degree is required. Benefits include: Competitive Hourly Wage, Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans, Vacation & Sick Time, Paid Holidays, Retirement Plan 401(k), Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance Options.

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities acting through its instrumentality, The Glendower Group, Inc. Is soliciting Invitation for Bids (“IFB”) for qualified General Contracts (GC) for the Henry Street University Row Project. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from New Haven Housing Authority Vendor Collaboration Por-tal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway beginning on

Monday, July 27, 2026, at 3:00PM.

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*

The Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities Request for Qualifications Architectural Engineering Services for Westville Manor Development

Galasso Materials LLC,

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities acting through its instrumentality, The Glendower Group, Inc. Is soliciting request for qualifications (“RFQ”) for selection of a qualified and experienced A & E Firm to serve as the Project Architect for the Westville Manor Development. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from New Haven Housing Authority Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please mail resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026. Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion,

Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 3:00PM.

sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

Listing: Full-Time Class A Driver

VIDEO TECHNICIAN I (PART-TIME)

Opening for a Class A Full-Time driver for petroleum/asphalt/like products deliveries for nights and weekends. Previous experience required. Send re-sume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Video Technician I (Part-Time). Wages: $20.00 to $22.00 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the July 6th, 2026 closing date 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

***An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Disabled & Veter-ans***

Listing: Licensed HVAC Technician This is a full-time Licensed HVAC Technician position. The candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, A/C, oil, propane, and natural gas. The candidate must also hold a valid “S”, “E”, “B”, “D”, or “G” license. We are looking for some-one who is detail-oriented and is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or emailHRDept@eastriverenergy.com **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans** The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Healthcare Benchmark Initiative Policy Development Coordinator in the Health and Human Services Policy and Planning Division.

ST. LUKE’S REDEVELOPMENT SUBCONTRACTOR TRADE FAIR DATE: 9/10/2026 TIME: 3:30 -6:30 pm

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 260807&R2=1581MP&R3=001 The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

LOCATION: St. Luke’s Church Hall, 111 Whalley Ave, New Haven (Parking available behind Church, access via Sperry St. Additional parking 117-125 Whalley Ave)

PROJECT SCOPE:

Demolition of existing 1-story building

New Construction of One 5-Story Mixed Use Bldg | 49 Units Project Scopes include, but not limited to: Structural demolition, site-work, asbestos roofing removal, lead abatement, concrete, gypsum cement underlayment, masonry, structural steel, misc. metals, wood trusses, rough & finish carpentry labor and material, EPDM, waterproofing, insulation, composite material wall panels, firestopping, doors, frames and hardware, vinyl windows, glazing, storefronts, gypsum board, acoustical ceilings; flooring, painting, signage, toilet & bath accessories, postal specialties, residential appliances, window blinds, casework and countertops, bicycle racks, entrance floor mats and frames, elevators, facility chutes, fire suppression, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, paving, landscaping, fencing, final cleaning and sanitary facilities This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements, as well as, LCP Tracker, HUD Section 3 Reporting, City of New Haven Hiring Requirements (CEO/SBA), CHFA Reporting and Section 3 Self Certification and 12 ½ % & 12 ¼ % City of New Haven Ordinances. State law requires a minimum of twenty-five (25%) percent of the state-funded portion of the contract be awarded to subcontractors holding current certification from the Connecticut Depart of Administrative Services (“DAS”) under the provisions of CONN. GEN. STAT § 4a-60g (25% of the work with DAS certified Small and Minority owned businesses and 25% of that work with DAS certified Minority, Women and/or Disabled owned businesses) The contractor must demonstrate good faith effort to meet the 25% set aside goals. HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

POLICE OFFICER ENTRY LEVEL City of Bristol $78,813/yr. Required testing, general info, and apply online: www.bristolct.gov DEADLINE: 12-07-25 EOE

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The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applications to participate in the examination for the position of Secretary II, Grade Level 10$25.40/hour, 37.5 hours per week, 12-month position. Qualified candidates must possess a High School Diploma or equivalent with a business course background and a minimum of 3 years secretarial experience. Prior experience in a school system or related work with children preferred. The application is available online at https://www.easthaven-ct. gov/jobs.aspx or from the Civil Service Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven and must be returned by August 17, 2026. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Water Treatment Pumping Operator I

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Water Treatment Pumping Operator I. Wages: $30.35 to $36.64 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the April 20, 2026 closing date 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

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

They don’t call Ben Crump “Black America’s attorney general” for nothing.

9 landmark cases that prove attorney Ben Crump is one of our generation’s most important figures By Malcolm Trapp, Courtesy of REVOLT.TV

Key Takeaways • Ben Crump has become a leading civil rights attorney through his representation in high-profile legal battles. • He has advocated for justice in cases involving George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, and others, contributing to national discussions about reform. • Crump’s legal efforts have highlighted patterns of systemic injustice, impacting accountability measures across the country. One lawyer stands at the crossroads of a national awakening. Trayvon Martin and George Floyd were separated by years, geography, and circumstance, but attorney Ben Crump became a through line between two cases that would come to define America’s modern reckoning with race, policing, and justice. One involved a 17-year-old shot and killed while walking through a Florida neighborhood. The other involved a 46-year-old father whose final moments — pinned beneath a Minneapolis police officer’s knee — were captured on video. Both ultimately proved to be catalysts for movements that changed the course of American politics and protest. More to the point, can you even remember how we talked about racial justice before “Black Lives Matter” became part of our cultural lexicon? Time and again, Crump has stood beside grieving families and forced the country to reckon with the names behind the headlines. In the years since Martin’s death, he has represented the families of Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tyre Nichols, and several others. With that in mind, REVOLT decided to take a detailed look back at nine landmark cases that cemented Crump as one of the most important figures of our generation. 1. Botham Jean In 2018, former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger — then a five-year veteran of the department — fatally shot Botham Jean, who lived one floor above her. On Sept. 6, after returning home from a long shift and mistakenly entering what she believed was her own apartment, Guyger assumed the 26-year-old was a burglar and shot him in the chest. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with Jean’s family later receiving a $98.6 million verdict in the civil case over his death. “Botham was doing nothing more than sitting in his own home, eating ice cream, when Amber Guyger — an off-duty officer — wrongly entered his apartment and fatally shot him. This case laid bare critical issues of racial bias and police accountability that cannot be ignored,” the family and their legal team said in a statement at the time. 2. George Floyd George Floyd’s death reverberated around the world, to say the very least. Not long after the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and

er make it back home after a deadly confrontation with the neighborhood watch volunteer, who claimed Martin assaulted him. Although Zimmerman was ultimately acquitted, Crump and the teenager’s family settled for an undisclosed amount with the homeowners' association of the Florida subdivision after reportedly rejecting an earlier $1 million offer, the attorney’s website notes. "You kill a dog, you go to jail. You kill a little black boy, nothing happens," Crump said around that time.

Paras Griffin / Stringer via Getty Images

Breonna Taylor — both of whose families also enlisted Crump — video footage captured Derek Chauvin kneeling on the 46-year-old’s neck for roughly nine minutes while he was handcuffed, lying face down, and repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe." In the end, they helped secure “the largest pre-trial civil rights wrongful death settlement in U.S. history” at $27 million. Chauvin was also sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights, a term that was ordered to run concurrently with the 22½-year state sentence he received after being found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter, in addition to third-degree murder. 3. Zaniyah Hinson In the early 2000s, Zaniyah Hinson was reportedly left inside a church-operated daycare center’s "scorching hot" van for more than two hours, only to be found (tragically, far too late) when her mother, Tekella Harris, arrived to pick up her three children. Crump noted that the daycare's certificate to operate had expired a month prior, but the Christian schools organization allowed it to continue operating. Per his website, the Daytona Beach, Florida, case ended in a $2.4 million settlement. 4. Tyre Sampson Crump called Tyre Sampson’s death the “worst tragedy captured on video” outside of George Floyd’s, and we couldn’t agree more. On March 24, 2022, the 14-year-old tragically died after falling 70 feet from the Orlando Free Fall ride at ICON Park during what was supposed

to be a fun spring break trip. An Orange County jury ordered the ride's Australian manufacturer, Funtime, to pay each of Sampson’s parents $155 million — $310 million total — in 2024. It’s also worth mentioning that no one appeared in court on the company's behalf, which resulted in the trial lasting just one day. 5. Breonna Taylor We have every right to still be angry over Breonna Taylor’s “outrageous and offensive” death in March 2020. Shortly after midnight, three police officers executing a no-knock search warrant entered the apartment where the 26-year-old emergency room technician was in bed with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III. Taylor was tragically struck during an exchange of gunfire between Walker and the officers, though only one was later found guilty of violating her civil rights and sentenced to prison. Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, enlisted Crump two months after her passing. Six months later, the family was awarded $12 million, with then-Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer also agreeing to a series of police reform measures. We will never stop saying her name. 6. Ahmaud Arbery Unfortunately, as a Black man in America, you can get killed for doing just about anything — including going for a jog. In 2020, three white men (Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan) chased Ahmaud Arbery through a Southeast Georgia neighborhood before fatally

18

shooting the 25-year-old. All three men were convicted, with both McMichaels sentenced to life in prison and Bryan receiving a 35-year sentence. Crump, who represented Arbery’s family, said his murder was “reminiscent of the motivations for lynchings, which claimed more than 3,400 black lives from 1882 to 1968." As for the verdict itself, he added, “This is a significant step on the road to justice, and while nothing will bring back Ahmaud’s life, it is important that a Grand jury recognized his life had value and was wrongly and ruthlessly ended.” 7. Nolan Wells While, at the time of publishing, there were still plenty of unanswered questions surrounding Nolan Wells’ death, his case is simply too important to leave out. Days after the 18-year-old was found dead following a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island in 2026, his parents enlisted Crump to help uncover what happened and fight for justice. “We’re on a ferocious search for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,” the attorney said at Wells’ funeral service, where Rev. Al Sharpton also pledged a $50,000 reward for any new information surrounding the teenager’s death. 8. Trayvon Martin Trayvon Martin was just 17 years old when he was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in 2012. He had walked into a 7-Eleven in Sanford, Florida, for a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea, only to nev-

9. Michael Brown Looking back on Michael Brown’s death a decade later, Crump stated, “Michael’s death was a catalyst for a racial reckoning in our society, particularly relating to law enforcement and their treatment of people of color.” Brown was only 18 when Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed him on Aug. 9, 2014, days after his high school graduation. The U.S. Justice Department reportedly stated that they couldn't disprove Wilson's belief that his safety was compromised and that the "physical and forensic evidence" was inconsistent with claims that the teen put his hands up. The officer ultimately walked away without any charges after a grand jury decided not to indict him. Although no amount could ever make up for the loss of a child, Brown’s family settled its lawsuit against the City of Ferguson for $1.5 million in 2017.

Con’t from page 15

Helm Amid Upheaval

try, threatening our schools, our farmers, and our children.” The nation needs “public health leaders who are willing to stand up to Trump, RFK Jr. and their co-conspirators, and put science back in charge,” Naughton said in a statement. “Dr. Schwartz should have been a step in the right direction” but failed to differentiate herself from “the Trump agenda.” “If she couldn’t answer basic questions honestly and directly before Congress, it’s difficult to imagine how she can serve effectively,” Naughton said. “Americans deserve a leader who will defend public health and follow the science, even when it’s politically inconvenient.” As the nation confronts six foodborne illness outbreaks, including two outbreaks of cyclosporiasis food contamination that have sickened thousands and killed two Americans, the position of Food and Drug Administration commissioner is still vacant. The previous commissioner, Marty Makary, resigned from the role in mid-May after serving for just 13 months. Kyle Diamantas, who had been the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food, is currently serving as Acting Commissioner. No formal nomination for FDA Commissioner has been sent to the Senate.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

A T I E K A M Combo Tickets as low as $33! A full-day access to Amusement Park, Waterpark and Quassy Beach!

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 26, 2026 - September 01, 2026

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