Anti-Trump Protest Calls For “No Kings”
by Alina Rose Chen
New Haven’s “No Kings” rally joined roughly 2,000 similar actions across the country and saw critics speak out against a crackdown on free speech, the deportation of migrants, and a widespread infringement of civil rights.
The rally which took place from 1 to 3 p.m. saw organizers focus their speeches on the intersectional nature of the protest movement. “If it can happen in one state or one country, it can happen in any state or in any country,” said Rae Inmon of TransHaven, referencing recent ICE raids across Connecticut.
Inmon urged attendees to see these actions as part of a broader strategy to divide and disempower marginalized communities. “One thing this country has done to disrupt movement for decades has been to fragment our communities, keep us in more solidarity units, and make us dependent on the state for care and services we used to get reciprocally at local levels. We need to resist this as much as possible.”
This sentiment was echoed by other speakers, who drew direct connections between economic injustice, policing, and the systemic targeting of both the working class and the undocumented migrants who make up a significant portion of the country’s labor force in key industries. “The only people destroying our communities right now are the billionaires themselves and the cops that serve them,” healthcare worker and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation Alejandro S. said. “From Los Angeles to Connecticut, we see the same story: the state criminalizes the poor, the undocumented, the working class. But when ICE storms into our neighborhoods, what do we see? Not criminals, but our neighbors, workers who built this country, people who feed this country.”
Saturday’s protest was part of a larger No Kings movement across the country, coinciding with a military parade marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army in the nation’s capital. The date is also Flag Day and President Trump’s 79th birthday. Organized nationally by the 50501 Movement representing 50 states, 50 protests, and one movement New Haven’s demonstration was spearheaded by a number of groups, including New Haven Immigrants Coalition, Trans Haven, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
The protest also took place just hours after the nation was rocked by a brazen act of political violence in suburban Minnesota, where a man allegedly impersonating a police officer assassinated a top state Democratic lawmaker and her husband, and injured another state Democratic lawmaker and his wife. Public safety officials in Minnesota urged people not to attend “No Kings” rallies in that state out of a concern that the gunman may have planned to target those protests.
According to a social media post by New Haven’s police department at 3:14 p.m. Saturday, around 3,000 people at-
tended the city’s “No Kings” protest, and no arrests were made.
Conversations between attendees across the Green in New Haven Saturday focused on a wide variety of issues, ranging from immigration to policing, queer and gender solidarity, labor reforms, and international support for Palestine.
One protester, dressed like a Handmaid from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, cited the Trump administration’s military response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles as her motivation for attending Saturday’s No Kings protest, as well as her interest in policies surrounding women’s issues, education and healthcare.
“I have three children, and I have to make sure that they are safe and that they are kept safe, in addition to all the other babies in this country,” she said.
“We love our families everybody out here is here because they love America and they love what it stands for.”
Organizer and New Haven Immigrant Coalition member Ivan stated that the discussions sparked by the gathering were the most important part of the entire demonstration “It brings me a lot of hope.”
Following speeches, demonstrators took to the streets, marching from the corner of Chapel and Temple down to York Street before looping back to the Green via Elm. Protesters completely filled the roadways, carrying signs with slogans such as “No Kings Since 1776” and “Hands Off!” while chanting “One People, One Fight” and “This is what democracy looks like!” as they moved throughout the city. For Henry Guasp, a teacher at a public high school in Norwalk, the protest was about standing in solidarity, not only with his fellow protesters but also with his students.
“There were a lot of people and a lot of diverse opinions, but I think we’re all kind of one in resisting this mess of a government we have right now,” Guasp said. “The primary thing that I see is the fact that a lot of my students are very uncomfortable with the way things are going now. For me, as a teacher, I really want the best for them I had to make my voice heard as well, to show with actions or words that I support them.”
Among the many allies and supporters who attended Saturday’s protest, some brought with them personal histories that linked past movements to modern resistance. Attendee Orla Marein, a German immigrant to New Haven and former teacher, sparked conversation with her sign referencing the White Rose, an intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany. Some of their leaders were later sentenced to death by guillotine; for Marein, their story inspires her to continue to speak out and resist authoritarianism. “I always say, don’t fear we don’t have guillotines,” Marein said wryly. “We only have Guantanamo.”
... as part of a nationwide day of "No Kings" rallies.
... as part of a nationwide day of "No Kings" rallies.
... as part of a nationwide day of "No Kings" rallies.
The New Haven independent
Alders Advance Plan For School Bus Cameras, Fines
Erick Jusino has been a bus driver with First Student for roughly three years. Every single work day, he told alders at a committee hearing about a new cameraand-fine proposal, he has worried that a car speeding around his bus will hit a child in his care.
“It is nerve wracking,” Jusino said. “It happens all over the place, all over the city. And nobody thinks about it, that you’re putting a child’s life in danger.” He offered that testimony at a Board of Alders Legislation Committee hearing about the Elicker administration’s bid to install cameras on school buses and automatically fine those who illegally drive past them when they’re parked by sending out $250 tickets.
The committee alders unanimously endorsed the proposal, sending it to the full Board of Alders for further review and a potential final vote.
Jusino isn’t the only one worried about the harm presented to kids by reckless drivers behind school buses. He and his colleagues experience that fear daily, when drivers ignore the stop sign and flashing lights on the school bus and put the lives of school children in jeopardy. The drivers are instructed to, if possible, write down the license plate, make and model of the car, but dealing with that on top of everything else can get overwhelm-
ing for the drivers.
“I’ve experienced kids getting hit because someone ran the stop sign,” said Shevette Rogers, assistant location manager with First Student who has 20 years of service under her belt. “I’ve had to console drivers because they witnessed their student almost getting hit.”
Jusino and Rogers brought that testimony and those experiences to the Board of Alders Chamber on the second floor of the New Haven City Hall Tuesday night, hoping to get the Elicker administration’s proposed “School Bus Violation Detection Monitoring, And Enforcement System” approved.
The proposal is detailed in an ordinance amendment from Mayor Justin Elicker that aims to install cameras on each city school bus that would take pictures of cars that illegally drive around parked school buses.
On Tuesday, the Legislation Committee of the Board of Alders recommended approval of the ordinance amendment, which was presented by Deputy Chief of Staff Haley Vincent Simpson, Assistant Corporation Counsel Micheal Bowler, Assistant Corporation Counsel Elias Alexiades and Deputy Director of Transportation, Traffic and Parking Eric Hoffman.
The committee alders met the presenters
with a variety of questions about the details of these proposed cameras and fines. The proposed cameras would be mounted to the stop sign on the school buses and will only activate once the flashing lights start when the bus stops to on- or offload children. The cameras are also meant to serve as a deterrent to bad-driving behavior.
The picture of the violator’s vehicle will
be sent to a hearing officer an unpaid position that cannot be held by city employees and would require proper training provided by a city-hired vendor to be reviewed for a fine of $250. The car owner would then have 30 days to appeal the ticket.
The money collected from the fines would go towards long-term public safety efforts, including paying for the system
itself. It is unclear yet what the total cost of this project will be as there is currently no vendor selected.
The pictures of the violators and their vehicles will only be held for 90 days and can only be used for that specific violation.
Board of Alders Majority Leader and Westville/Amity Alder Richard Furlow raised the concern that police officers might stop monitoring this violation as closely due to the new cameras. The presenters couldn’t provide a detailed answer yet as the New Haven Police Department has not been brought to the conversation as of this time. The hope is for the department to closely monitor the distributed tickets.
When caught by a police officer, the current fine stands at $475, but the officer has to directly witness the illegal act in order to issue the ticket.
Hoffman noted that Bridgeport has done a similar school bus-camera pilot program and during their research that city found around 10,000 violations in six months.
Simpson admitted that the original timeline of having these cameras up and running before the 2025 – 26 school year was slightly ambitious, but the hope is to still have them functional in October.
Park Here, Go Anywhere.
Thomas Breen file photo At First Student's Middletown Ave. lot.
Bus Tour Highlights Housing Contrasts
by Sonia Ahmed
A bus full of affordable housing advocates drove by a new luxury apartment complex on Munson Street as Antoinette Humes, mic in hand, told her fellow riders about her path into and out of homelessness.
That was one such housing-focused contrast among many that came to the fore Friday night during a bus tour led by the Room for All Coalition.
The two-hour tour saw 26 people including members of Mothers & Others for Justice, New Haven legal aid, and the Board of Alders stop by new housing developments in Newhallville and the Hill, all while talking about what it would be like if the city had more affordable places to live.
Even as the group drove by new highend apartments like those at 201 Munson St., now called Axis 201, Humes spoke up about her struggle in recent years to find a safe, healthy, affordable place to live.
“There was feces on the floor,” Humes, a member of Mothers and Others for Justice, said about one recent apartment of hers. She said that she lost all her belongings due to flooding, twice, with no reimbursement from her landlord. Eventually, she ended up being housed with her son at the Hill’s Hillside Family Shelter by Christian Community Action.
Axis 201, meanwhile, is a nearly 400unit development owned by New York investors. The developers had originally promised the Newhallville Community Management Team that 10 percent of the apartments would be rented out at below-market rates. They wound up breaking that promise.
Tour members on Friday said that the median household income for Black and Latino families in New Haven is $38,000 and $39,000, respectively, which means that affordable rent at that income would be $975 per month. The average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment at this new complex, they said, is closer to $2,000 per month.
The bus tour also included stops at current apartment complex like Winchester Lofts and under-construction ones like Winchester Green. The group then headed down to the empty plot of land where once stood the 301-apartment Church Street South complex.
Neva Caldwell reflected fondly on the community that dwelled there before the property fell into dangerous disrepair and was subsequently demolished.
“This was the best community I ever lived in,” she said. “When it was first built, we had beautiful water fountains, boats, a laundromat, a daycare, a meat market, everything that we needed.” The privately-owned, government-rent-subsidized apartment complex was demolished in 2018 after years of neglected maintenance destroyed roofs and walls and poisoned kids with asthma.
Community members on the bus on Friday collectively imagined what could be built on that Church Street South plot,
after reminiscing on what it once was.
Lillie Chambers pointed out that the land is now owned by New Haven’s public housing authority, which plans to build an as-yet-unspecified number of new apartments. She said the authority is currently looking for more investors before making that new project a reality. The building across the street from Union Station will be “mixed use,” she said, meaning that the complex could have retail stores, a coffee shop, and even a grocery store, in addition to upper-level apartments, which
will be rented out at affordable and market rates.
The bus then made a stop at the Beulah Land Development Corporation’s under-construction new 69-unit apartment complex at Dixwell Avenue, Munson Street, and Orchard Street. Eighty percent of the rental units at that new complex will be affordable, with 20 units reserved for residents who were formerly homeless.
Humes, meanwhile, spoke of how, during her stay at the Hill homeless
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shelter, she was able to save up enough money working multiple jobs to move to a permanent residence. She has been a member of Mothers & Others For Justice ever since.
“Bring a friend. We need to build power, we need to build strength.” Merryl Eaton, the advocacy and education director of Christian Community Action, said during Friday’s tour. “We need to come together. If we don’t, New Haven is just going to be the new Brooklyn.”
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Sonia Ahmed photo Antoinette Humes shares her experience of homelessness and housing in New Haven.
The bus tour ended with housing advocates gathered by a poster highlighting what it would mean to "dream differently" about housing in New Haven.
The New Haven independent
Babyface, Meet Time A Tell
by Lisa Reisman
The 22-year-old designer of the Time A Tell clothing brand has teamed up with “the rap world’s favorite rapper” for a new commercial that brings New Haven style to Detroit hip hop.
The commercial shows Time A Tell’s Josh McCown with Detroit rapper Babyface Ray in a Lamborghini, with Babyface Ray griping about a lack of gear. McCown pops the trunk and releases a flurry of Time A Tell x Babyface Ray T shirts and hoodies.
The two then retire to a club to enjoy the spoils of their success.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the commercial had nearly 12,000 likes on Instagram. McCown is a soft-spoken New Haven native and recent Freddy Fixer Business Award honoree. On this reporter’s recent visit to his high-ceilinged, mellow-lit 1700 Dixwell Ave. headquarters in Hamden, McCown was clad in a newly released baby-blue Time A Tell x Babyface Ray Graffiti set.
He said he first met Babyface Ray last October in New York. “I gave him some merch and he said it was fly, and then we talked about doing a collab,” he said. A few months later, McCown followed up. “Come on out [to Detroit],” Babyface Ray told him. “Let’s do this.”
“We went over, two days, and we got it all done,” McCown said, referring to his photographer and a few of his assistants. “It was motivation being around him.”
Miles Anderson, a hip hop aficionado and Time A Tell enthusiast who’s studying business administration at Southern, marveled at the partnership. “Josh is creating the blueprint on how a clothing brand can join forces with a hip hop star and then just blow up.”
His approach, according to Anderson, is about hustle and grind. “He shows up at hip-hop concerts, and he gets backstage” as he did at Oakdale Theatre with Moroccan-born rapper French Montana and at Palladium Times Square with rapper Sleepy Hallow.
“I say I’m a young entrepreneur, and this is my brand, then they’ll put it on, they’ll wear it,” said McCown, whether a signature green- and pink-saturated varsity jacket or a T shirt or a hoodie jampacked with vibrant slogans and logos.
To hear McCown, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, tell it, it begins and ends with the high standard he sets for himself. “You gotta put your heart into everything, your clothes, your designs,” he said. “When I make my clothes, I wanna say ‘Yeah, I want that,’ like I’m on the outside looking in. I gotta have that to push my brand.”
That goes to the shop’s name, a reference to the 18-hour days logged by McCown running the shop, coming up with new designs, and promoting his gear, to
realize the fruits of his labor.
In February, he returned to Spring Glen elementary school to encourage students to stay focused on school and keep on the right path because “you can do anything you set your mind to.” In late March, he was among the participants at Career Day at L.W. Beecher School. And High School for the Community held a Time
A Tell Day where students sported McCown’s streetwear in April.
“Kids see me and see what they can be,” he said, adding he was inspired by Gorilla Lemonade’s Kristen Threatt and Brian Burkett-Thompson. “That’s dope.”
Anderson agreed. “He’s inspiring urban kids to get into fashion design,” he said. “A lot of these kids dream about making it big in sports. He’s showing them another way.”
Courtesy of Josh McCown McCown during Career Day at L.W. Beecher School.
Lisa Reisman photo McCown in new Time A Tell X Baby Face Ray set.
Courtesy of Josh McCown Time A Tell's Josh McCown with Moroccan-born American rapper French Montana at Oakdale Theatre.
The New Haven independent
Hundreds Protest ICE Arrests
by Mona Mahadevan, Alina Rose Chen, Paul Bass and Laura Glesby
The 13-year-old daughter who watched ski-masked ICE agents arrest and take away her mother stood before hundreds of protesters in downtown New Haven to offer a tear-filled appeal to consider the toll of deportations on families like hers.
“The pain you’re putting families through I wish you would consider what you’re doing to our family,” the daughter, Monse, urged federal agents in a speech at the rally, which took place in the plaza outside the federal office building on Court Street.
The New Haven protest coincided with similar actions in cities around the country against the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
From the start of the 4 p.m. rally, speakers cited the arrest of Monse’s mother, a factory worker named Nancy, in front of Monse and her 8 year-old brother after four unmarked ICE vehicles boxed in their car outside their Frank Street home.
Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, called the arrest an “abduction” and “kidnapping.”
“Our message to ICE is clear: Leave our city,” Matos said.
“They will start with immigrants. They will not end with immigrants. .. They will eventually come for all of us. …When immigrants are under attack, what do we do?” Matos called out to the crowd “Stand up! Fight back!” the crowd responded
Matos, who lives in Fair Haven, has experience organizing resistance to federal raids: as a deputy mayor in 2007, she crafted the city’s first wave of immigrant-welcoming policies that led to federal immigration raids, to which she then organized the local response.
“I need my mother back home,” Monse told the crowd.
“She’s a very special person in my life. She’s the mother who gave me life to this world, who helps me through thick and thin. She’s always working so hard to get what me and my brother want,” she said. “I would understand if they were doing something very illegal, but in this case my mom is one of the victims.”
Teachers union President Leslie Blatteau stepped in to finish Monse’s remarks when Monse was overcome with emotion.
John Lugo of Unidad Latina en Accion (ULA), one of the protest’s organizers, also cited immigration raids this week at a Southington workplace, reflective of a White House directive to ICE agents to more aggressively round up immigrants. Lugo depicted raids like the one in Southington as racial profiling.
Shelly Altman of Jewish Voice for Peace in NHV, led a call-and-response chant, starting with statements like,
“Come for healthcare …” “Come for
the unhoused …” “Come for one of us …” In each case the crowd responded:
“Face us all.”
The protest was convened by groups including Unidad Latina en Accion, New Haven Immigrants, CT Students for a Dream, CT Democratic Socialists of America, New Haven Federation of Teachers, Act Up CT, Party for Socialism and Liberation, First and Summerfield United Methodist Church, CT Shoreline Indivisible, the Greater New Haven Peace Council, Moral Monday, CT Climate Crisis Mobilization, CT Civil Liberties Defense Committee, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
State Official Eyeing Future Run For Governor?
by Donald Eng and Brian ScottSmith
THOMPSON, CT – State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, visiting the town of Thompson in the northeast part of the state this week, dropped a hint he would be open to running for governor if Ned Lamont decides not to run again.
The comment came about during a Q&A session at the event when he was asked what was next for him.
“I have no interest to go to Washington. I think that Washington is the antithesis of what I believe in politics, which is that I think Democrats and Republicans can still work together to solve problems,” he said.
He added that his home life and his two boys were something that he loved to come to every night to.
“I love state government. I love the job that I have. The governor, I think is leaning towards running again for another term, and I think he’s doing a really good job,” Scanlon said.
He continued that if Lamont decided not to run that governor “is a job that I’m interested in and probably the only job that I’m interested in beside the one that I have.”
But before making any decision, he said he would need to talk to his wife and figure out the potential impact on his children. Governor, also, has certain restrictions that his current role does not, he said.
“If my wife says, hey, we’re out of milk. I could get in my car and drive to the grocery store. I don’t know how I’d feel about having state troopers around me all the time and not being able to have that freedom,” he said. “So, it’s a give and take in anything you do, but there’s no greater office in the state that you can have an impact on people.” In response to questions on other topics, Scanlon said the state was out of its historic fiscal crisis, but was facing a new crisis of ‘affordability’ when it comes to housing, healthcare and childcare.
“We’re all struggling with the same things as a state. And I think and hope that in the next few years we can be really big and bold when it comes to tackling these things,” he said. “I have lived in this state my whole life. I have two young boys who are three and six, and I want them to inherit a better state than the one that I did.”
The crowd marched in the road down Orange and Chapel Streets, ending in front of the city’s Army Recruiting station at 55 Church Street. After hearing from a few more speakers, including three veterans, they disbanded around 5:30 p.m.
Among the crowd were several students at Maloney High School in Meriden, whose classmate Kevin Rosero Moreno is currently in an ICE facility in Texas. Last week, ICE took Moreno into custody days before his high school graduation.
“Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and deserves safety,” said 18-yearold Ella Rossi, a classmate of Moreno’s who said she’d been assigned to sit beside him at graduation.
FILE PHOTO: Comptroller Sean Scanlon speaks about his office’s report on the state of firefighting in Connecticut at a press conference May 6, 2025 at the Capitol in Hartford.
Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
Alina Rose Chen Photo The daughter of a woman arrested by ICE addresses Wednesday's rally, with teachers union President Leslie Blatteau and national immigrant rights organizer Kica Matos.
Officials Seek Ways To Get Help For Men At Fatherhood Roundtable
by Donald Eng
HARTFORD, CT — State Comptrolle
Sean Scanlon opened Thursday’s roundtable discussion on fatherhood by addressing an obvious question.
“Why the heck is the comptroller doing a roundtable on fatherhood?” he said in his opening comment. “The most basic answer is because I’m a dad, and I care about fatherhood.”
The discussion in the Legislative Office Building, set three days before Fathers Day, featured about two dozen men and a few women discussing the roles fathers play in the lives of children, the challenges they face, and the shared experiences they had either with their fathers or as fathers of children.
Scanlon said he had not had the best relationship with his father, who divorced from his mother when he was 6 and died when Scanlon was college aged.
“When I was younger, I had a lot of anger toward him,” he said. “And right
before he passed away, we ended up getting to the best place we had ever been in in my life, which was an amazing gift for me, but left me wishing that he was still around.”
When Scanlon had children of his own, he said, the experience left him fearful of his own abilities as a father. But then a friend set him straight, saying, “Let me spoil this for you right now. There’s no such thing as a perfect dad.”
One problem, the group agreed, is that although services exist to help men who are struggling with resources, those who need them most are unaware they exist. And it may be a stereotype, but they also are reluctant to reach out for the help they need.
Anthony Judkins, program manager at the Office of Child Support Services, said one key would be for fathers to call for help when they find themselves in difficult situations. The discussion had previously noted that many men lack close friends that they feel comfortable speaking with.
“We can always call 211, and they have a huge data library of all programs around the state,” he said. “We’ve been doing this
work for a very long time, and we’re making a lot of progress. But it just can’t be … state agencies saying, ‘Hey this is what we do.’ We need you in the community saying ‘I got help.’ Go and check them out. They
can help you.”
Sometimes it falls to the state contact person to initiate the process of getting fathers the help they need, said Diana DiTunno, senior educational program admin-
istrator for the state Department of Social Services. She said the 211 information system had changed its questions to better serve parents in need.
Formerly the contact specialist would ask how many people were in the household. “But when you’re a dad, and your kids don’t live with you full time, I’m going to say I live alone,” she said. “But if you ask … ‘Are you a parent?’ Then we’re getting to different answers, different resources. Now I can say, ‘Are there things I can help you with?’ in the parenting world.”
East Hartford School Supt. Thomas Anderson said he had held a kindergarten forum earlier in the week that had been well attended by males.
“My thing is, who’s absent from the meetings,” he said. “And lots of times it is a male, something, but it’s always a male.” The key, Anderson said, is making that first connection and creating the feeling of obligation in the minds of men attending a school function.
“They want to do right by their child,” he said. “And they will, but you’ve got to get them in there.”
Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon and Department of Social Services Fatherhood Initiative Program Manager Anthony Judkins at Thursday’s round table discussion on fatherhood at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
Wexler-Grant Says Goodbye
by Maya McFadden
Wexler-Grant School sent off its final eighth-grade class of 24 students Tuesday morning as the Dixwell school community plans to leave its Foote Street building and merge with Newhallville’s Lincoln-Bassett School next academic year.
The eighth-grade promotions ceremony was celebrated by families, students, and staff at the 55 Foote St. community school, which New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) leadership announced earlier this year will merge with Lincoln-Bassett amid the district’s ongoing struggles with a multi-million-dollar budget deficit.
As of August 2024, Wexler-Grant had 217 students ranging in grade levels from kindergarten to eighth grade, and Lincoln-Bassett had 256 students ranging in grade levels from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade. The new, merged PreK 8 school will be based out of Lincoln-Bassett’s current building on Bassett Street in Newhallville, will have around 470 students, and will remain a neighborhood school.
The district also plans to convert the current Wexler-Grant building on Foote Street into a new alternative middle school focused on“project-based learning.”
Wexler-Grant staff described Tuesday as the last promotion ceremony for the school as the community currently knows and loves it. The school has for decades had a “strong foundation rooted in community,” said school counselor Colette Urbano.
“The people have made Wexler-Grant Wexler-Grant,” she told the crowd.
As staff presented students with end-ofyear recognition awards before receiving their promotion certificates, they reminded the class of 2025 to carry Wexler’s legacy and life lessons with them to high school and beyond.
Tuesday’s keynote speaker was Sara Wexler, the granddaughter of Isadore L. Wexler, who the school is named after. She spoke about her grandfather’s influence and the bittersweet feeling of the community school’s end.
Wexler Principal David Diah asked Sara Wexler to speak at Tuesday’s celebration to honor her grandfather and remind the audience of the school’s community-rooted history.
Wexler was 13 years old when her grandfather passed away in 1984. She said that she learned about his legacy mostly from old news articles that her family had stored away in several boxes in her basement over the years.
She described him as “a man who was ahead of his time” and who invested in community schools as a coach and civic leader. He began his education career in 1926, then became the principal of Winchester School in 1946. He pioneered a
work-study program to introduce New Haven students to local businesses, real-life work experiences, and community.
Sara Wexler encouraged the graduates to support each other because “sometimes there’s no other place to find that than within your own community.”
The celebration had performances from Wexler-Grant’s drum line, led by inhouse suspension staffer Douglas Bethea, and choir, led by music teacher Jaminda Blackmon.
Tuesday’s salutatorian and valedictorian were new to Wexler-Grant’s community but found their place immediately thanks to the welcoming nature of the staff and students.
Salutatorian Marina Chavez transferred to Wexler-Grant in January from Stamford and said “if not for Wexler, I wouldn’t have gained my courage to overcome challenges.”
She thanked the staff and students for believing in her. She thanked her friends for inviting her in. She thanked the school’s educators for pushing her to step outside of her comfort zone. And she thanked the school community for always encouraging her.
“I am a more confident person because of the kindness and encouragement that I received here,” she concluded. “Wexler modeled what it means to lead with my heart.”
Valedictorian Orquidia Buret arrived at Wexler-Grant at the start of the school year from New York and learned from the school community how to adapt. Of the many lessons she’s learned over the past few months, she said the most important have been learning that less is more; you don’t have to be good at everything, you just have to try your best; and that failure is simply the opportunity to begin again. She said she feels saddened for Wexler-Grant’s youngest students who will soon be displaced from the Dixwell community school as it merges with Lincoln-Bassett. She said, however, that if she can find a new home in less than a year, then so can they.
Also during Tuesday’s ceremony, students received literacy growth awards. Seven students received awards for their growth in math, and four were awarded for demonstrating consistent engagement.
During concluding remarks on Tuesday, Diah pointed to the graduates and told the audience, “They’ll rise up.” He thanked the families and staff for years of supporting Wexler. “Your love has been the foundation of our success,” he said.
Each graduate has grown not only in knowledge, he said, but also in confidence and courage to embody the school’s lion mascot.
Wexler-Grant staff described Diah as a “beacon of stability” from the school’s turnaround years to its new transition.
Wailny Garcia Castillo said that, while she’s nervous for what’s next, she is so
proud of her son, Dylan, who has been at Wexler-Grant since second grade. Wailny said she previously struggled to manage her son’s behavior but received a village of support from Wexler-Grant’s staff to help him to develop.
Dylan added that he’s learned from Wexler-Grant staff how to open up to his mother more and has become better at sharing with her how he feels.
Wexler-Grant school counselor Colette Urbano described cycling through the stages of grief during the final weeks of the school year.
She said it’s been hard saying goodbye to students she’s built relationships with for months and years. She also is unsure of her own placement for next school year.
While offering parting advice to her students, like the importance of remaining connected to your community and pushing through growing pains, she also took her own advice as the current school year comes to an end.
Urbano has been at Wexler-Grant since 2018 and has worked for NHPS since 2012. She has learned over the years the importance of community schools and of Wexler’s decades of supporting highneeds students. “All of our time here mattered. And these kids inspired me every day and taught me resilience,” she said. While she looks forward to what’s next for her and for Wexler-Grant’s students, she said it’s taken years for Wexler-Grant staff to build trust with their students and will be hard to start over. She said she hopes the community takes pieces of Wexler-Grant’s values and lessons with them.
“There will be growing pains, but I really hope Wexler’s heart finds its place at Bassett,” she said.
In recent weeks, Wexler-Grant and Lincoln-Bassett staff have been working to acclimate the school communities with one another. Students have taken field trips to Bassett to meet staff, have a question-and-answer panel with the principal, and partake in ice-breaker actives with their peers.
Fifth grader De’aire said she is going to miss Wexler-Grant after Tuesday’s ceremony. She said she will not be attending Bassett next year.
However, at her next school, she said she plans to use the many coping skills she learned from Urbano. She also will miss Urbano’s support helping her control her temper when she’s upset, and she’ll miss when they would enjoy lunch together. This year, Urbano took the time to laminate a “break pass” for De’aire for when she struggled to handle her behavior in class. She would use her pass to visit Urbano to practice coping skills like counting to ten, taking deep breaths, and using “I” statements to tell others how she feels.
“I’m going to miss Wexler,” De’aire concluded. “I wish I could stay.”
Grad Dylan Garcia Castillo with mom Wailny: "Most of the teachers are really good and that's what makes the school the school."
Keynote speaker Sara Wexler, granddaughter of school's namesake Isadore Wexler: He was "a man who was ahead of his time."
Principal Diah hands off promotion certificates.
The New Haven independent
Top Students, Best Friends, Graduate Co-op Together
by Alexandra Martinakova
Cassandra Clermont and Eva Berthelot-Hill led their graduating class on Monday not only as the two top-performing students, but also as best friends.
“I’m really happy and really satisfied,” Berthelor-Hill said about her and Clermont being the salutatorian and valedictorian, respectively, of Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School, which saw 116 students walk the Shubert Theatre’s stage on Monday. “I think I’m extra excited for this because we are best friends.”
“One and two together, it’s nice to have someone next to me on the stage,” Clermont added. “The energy was great.”
Both girls graduated from Co-op’s Creative Writing department and, as displayed on their grad caps, have an exciting future in front of them as Clermont is set to head to Cornell University and Berthelot-Hill to the University of Connecticut.
It is no surprise that at an arts high school like Co-op, the graduating students went all out in decorating their caps. Many highlighted their future universities, while some featured age-old classics like, “That’s all, folks,” or “About that time.”
Others featured something more personal like Isabella Galik’s cap, which included a collage of her favorite photos from the last four years of high school. She included the words, “Don’t be a stranger.”
“Just so people stay in contact, stay in touch,” Galik said and in that same spirit shouted after a passing classmate who said that they’ll never see each other again: “That’s not true, we’ll hang out!”
Co-op focuses on five different art majors: Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater and Visual Arts.
Clermont and Berthelot-Hill stood on the stage in Shubert Theatre at 247 College St. just down the road from the building they spent the last four years in and addressed their fellow graduates and guests, who filled out the theater hall in a sea of flowers, face-cutouts and balloons.
“Here’s the thing,” Berthelot-Hill said
as the salutatorian. “Once you step out into the future, whether that’s college, workforce or the military, you will start a new chapter. One where it doesn’t matter if you’re No. 2 or No. 102. What will matter is your drive. If you go out and find something to do that you’ll love and that you’ll be good at, you’ll be living a better life than a lot of people.”
Their speeches followed the welcome of Principal Paul Camarco and came before many other speakers, including the
commencement speaker, former Division I athlete and the founder of MooreMotivation Podcast, Kendrick Moore. “This is a pivotal milestone,” Moore emphasized to the new graduates. “When it’s time to show up, it’s time to show up. Success don’t care about how you feel. Your discipline needs to be taken to another level. If you think you’ve made sacrifices in high school, everything becomes exponentially harder. One false move after you get that diploma can ruin
everything. The difference between good and great is how you handle your responsibilities.”
And so after many motivational words were spoken, it was time for the graduating class to walk across the stage and into the next chapter of their lives.
Cheers erupted as students walked up one by one, many embracing their now-former teachers or, in the case of one student, setting off a confetti cannon and giving the auditorium a scare.
But as graduations often go, it was a bittersweet moment, not just for the proud parents of the graduates but also for the teachers who have spent the last four years watching the now-young adults grow and mature.
Harriett Alfred, who presented the Choral department graduates and plans to retire after 38 years of teaching in New Haven due to the sunsetting of teachers union contract healthcare benefits for veteran educators like herself, sang her students out with Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” as part of her last words to them.
She retired alongside her colleague Patrick Smith, and the two of them represented the Band department as “two extraordinary members of our staff and individuals who have shaped the very soul of our school through artistry, mentorship and decades of service,” according to Camarco.
And so the 2025 graduates walked out of the Shubert Theatre, now with diplomas in their hands and bright futures ahead. Because like almost every speaker Monday said, this is just the beginning.
Troup R.O.C.K. Stars Say Goodbye
by Alexandra Martinakova
The morning before she walked the auditorium stage to get her middle school certificate, Troup School eighth-grader Mackenzie Forbes found herself crying in the school bathroom. She was about to leave the place where she had spent most days since kindergarten.
Still, Forbes had a huge smile on her face as she braced for a bittersweet moment with her head held high.
“I feel really good, I feel really happy,” she said.
Forbes and her 33 classmates were Augusta Lewis Troup Middle School’s Class of 2025 graduates, and they officially entered the next chapter of their educational careers Tuesday morning.
Usually, Troup graduates get to claim their middle school certificates outside the school, but the rainy morning forced the school officials to move the ceremony into the Edgewood Avenue school’s auditorium.
With a strong sound system setting the tone, the auditorium slowly filled with
families and friends of the graduating students. Facilities had to get more chairs.
“You experienced a year of transformation, not only at this school but also in this country,” said Principal Eugene J. Foreman, Jr. “Your teachers have equipped you with the tools and resources required to be successful in high school and beyond. You do not need to rush into adulthood trust me, it is not as fun as you think it is. You all made me want to come to work; you will definitely be missed.”
The K 8 school embraces the core principles of “R.O.C.K.” respect, ownership, citizenship and knowledge. Posters displaying the acronym adorned the walls of the school.
Adding to their graduation certificates, 15 students also left with various special awards, including the two recipients of the Principal’s Award Sincer’e Stanley Miller and Sincere Whitley, for “always sitting in my office after every class,” as Foreman joked. Their similar names prompted Sincer’e and Sincere’s classmates to yell, “The twins!”
“When we first got here, many of us
were unsure of who we wanted to be,” said Nashuana Tuwana Thompson, the class valedictorian. “We’ve stumbled and struggled. As we leave this place, there will be more challenges than we can imagine. But we are not walking into that world unprepared.”
Foreman noted in his speech that this graduating class was extra special for the school, as it was the first class that enjoyed out-of-state school trips to Massachusetts and New York City.
However, their time was not without hiccups. “The first time the bus actually broke down,” Forbes recalled. “I didn’t go on the next trip when they rescheduled it, because why would I trust the bus again? We had to wait for like an hour for the people to come and fix the bus in the sun.”
But for every bad experience, the students had a good one to make up for it before leaving the place they spent so many years.
“It’s a good feeling, I feel amazing,” said Yabsira Yemiamrew Jorgi, the class salutatorian. “My experience here was amaz-
The New Haven independent
The New Haven independent
Alexandra Martinakova Photo Class Salutatorian Yabsira Yemiamrew Jorgi and his family moments after his graduation from Troup Middle School.
Alexandra Martinakova Photos No bad blood between Valedictorian Cassandra Clermont and Salutatorian Eva Berthelot-Hill, who also happen to be best friends.
Dance department grad Alondra Rodriguez Maysonet poses with her family, who brought custom magazine covers with her photo.
Visual Arts graduate Isabella Galik poses with her nostalgic grad cap.
Household Debt Reaches $18.2 Trillion as Student Loan Delinquencies Trigger Credit Score Plunge
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press National Correspondent
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit reveals a sharp rise in total household debt, reaching $18.20 trillion in the first quarter of 2025. While some categories of debt, such as credit card and auto loans, experienced modest declines, student loan balances jumped by $16 billion to $1.63 trillion, with a notable surge in delinquencies following the end of federal student loan payment protections. According to the report, nearly six million student loan borrowers—representing about 14 percent—were 90 or more days delinquent or in default between January and March 2025. In total, 13.7 percent of borrowers were at least 90 days past due, while 23.7 percent were behind but not yet seriously delinquent. The figures are a dramatic increase from the previous delinquency rate, which had remained below 1 percent due to the years-long pause in federal student loan payments.
The payment freeze, initially introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, lasted 43 months. Although payments resumed in October 2023, the U.S. Department of Education granted a 12-month “on-ramp” period during which missed payments were not reported to credit bureaus. That grace period ended in late 2024, prompting a flood of newly reported delinquencies in early 2025. The consequences have been swift and severe for millions of borrowers. According to the New York Fed, more than 2.2 million individuals newly marked as delinquent have seen their credit scores fall by over 100 points, while over 1 million have experienced drops of at least 150 points. These drops in credit scores threaten bor-
rowers’ access to affordable financing options across the board.
“Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your financial life,” Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate, told Newsweek. The New York Fed found the average drop for newly delinquent student loan borrowers was 177 points for those who had scores above 720. Borrowers with credit scores between 620 and 719 saw an average decline of 140 points, while those below 620 dropped by an average of 74 points. For many, the impact of these declines will reverberate for years. “There is very little in life that is more expensive than having bad credit,” said Matt Schulz,
chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree. “It can literally cost you tens of thousands of dollars or more over the course of your life.”
Newsweek noted that more than 2.4 million newly delinquent borrowers previously had credit scores above 620, making them eligible for traditional credit cards, auto loans, and mortgage financing. Falling below that threshold could now disqualify them from such products or saddle them with higher interest rates. The implications are especially dire for prospective homebuyers. The minimum credit score for a conventional mortgage is 620, and borrowers at that level currently face a 30-year fixed mortgage rate
of 7.89 percent, according to Experian. In contrast, borrowers with a credit score of 780 pay 7.07 percent. For a $300,000 loan, that difference could amount to $60,000 more in interest over the life of the loan.
“Home prices and interest rates are already sky-high. Having less-than-perfect credit means that you may get stuck with an interest rate that’s even higher than the average,” Schulz said. “And, of course, a low enough credit score may mean that you don’t even get the mortgage at all.”
Student loan delinquency also disproportionately affects older borrowers. The New York Fed reported that the average age of a delinquent borrower has risen
from 38.6 to 40.4 years old. Delinquency rates are lowest among borrowers under age 30, indicating that older millennials—many of whom already face economic headwinds—are struggling most with resumed payments.
Non-housing debt fell overall by $38 billion, or 0.8 percent, in the first quarter. Credit card balances decreased by $29 billion to $1.18 trillion, and auto loan balances dropped by $13 billion to $1.64 trillion—only the second quarter-over-quarter decline since 2011. Other consumer loans, including retail cards, fell by $12 billion. Despite those declines, total household debt continued to rise due to increases in housing-related balances. Mortgage balances grew by $199 billion, reaching $12.80 trillion, while balances on home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) rose by $6 billion to $402 billion. HELOC balances have now increased for 12 straight quarters and are $85 billion above the low recorded in early 2022. Aggregate delinquency rates also rose, with 4.3 percent of all outstanding debt in some stage of delinquency. While delinquency transitions remained stable for auto loans, credit cards, and other debts, student loans were the clear driver of the recent surge in overall delinquency. Experts advise borrowers who have damaged their credit scores to take gradual, responsible steps to rebuild. “It’s about doing the right things over and over, and unfortunately, a single major mistake can undo years of consistent work,” Schulz said. Rossman added that staying current on student loan payments and all other obligations is key. “Consider getting on a parent or spouse’s credit card as an authorized user or applying for secured credit cards and credit-builder loans,” he said. “Those are safe tools to help start the rebuild.”
12 Bricks Added To Homicide Memorial
by Adam Walker
Twelve new bricks were laid into the winding path of the New Haven Botanical Garden of Healing on Saturday morning each one engraved with a name, each one a life lost to gun violence.
Six were placed in honor of people shot and killed in the city over the past six months; six in honor of a group of New Haveners who were massacred in a single mass shooting in 1966.
Family members leaned on canes, one another, and even city officials as they gently placed the bricks in the earth. Some wept. Some stood in silence. All remembered.
“Today, you are here because you will place a brick into this walkway. Your loved one will be remembered forever,” said Marlene Miller-Pratt, co-founder of the garden and mother of Gary Kyshon Miller, who was shot and killed in 1998. “It’s not gonna be two weeks and they’re forgotten. They will be remembered for-
ever here, in this Botanical Garden.”
Saturday’s ceremony marked the fourth annual memorial at the site, located off Valley Street beside the West River. Dozens of relatives, neighbors, and city leaders gathered to honor victims and reaffirm a pledge: They will not be forgotten.
Six of the twelve bricks added this year bore the names of victims from a single tragedy that shook the city nearly six decades ago. On Aug. 25, 1966, a 27-yearold man entered a home on Northeast Drive with a carbine rifle and fatally shot six people inside. The victims Mary McClease, Francine McClease, Michael Sykes, Carolyn Sykes, Neal White, and Richard Leathers ranged in age from a 5 year-old child to adults in their 50s.
A relative speaking on behalf of the family said, “I cannot remember what happened I was 1 year old but on that tragic day, August 25, 1966, we lost so many.”
The other six bricks newly added to the memorial path on Saturday were for
people shot dead in New Haven over the past half year. Those bricks remembered Raviteja Koyyada, Cedric Goodwin, Aaron Robinson, Clifford Capehart, Keron Troutman, and Heriberto Cotto.
Mayor Justin Elicker stood alongside grieving families as they read names
aloud one by one, over several hours, through intermittent rain. Some names belonged to newborns. Others to grandparents. A few had no known relatives present to speak for them.
Also in attendance were city officials including State Sen. Gary Winfield, Supt.
whom took turns reading names and offering words of support.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal described the garden as “a monument to both mourning and mobilization.” He added, “I’m taking a picture of [this garden] to our nation’s Capital. Enough is enough. We must stop adding names.”
One of the final speakers at Saturday’s event was Laquvia Jones, a mother who has lost both her sons to gun violence and has since founded a community outreach group called “More Than Just a Name, More Than Just a Number.”
“Seven hundred and eight names that we say today,” Jones said. “There’s not 708 people out here.” She pointed to the gap between the scale of loss and the size of the crowd, urging the community to show up before tragedy strikes their own doorstep.
Madeline Negrón, Police Chief Karl Jacobson, Fire Chief John Alston, and Fair Haven Alder Frank Redente Jr., many of
Laquvia Jones delivers closing remarks at ceremony.
Class Prez Realizes Last Hillhouse Goal
by Maya McFadden
Hillhouse senior class president Tatiana Gaither had one goal left to accomplish before becoming an official high school graduate, a goal she’s been chasing since her freshman year.
To speak at her own graduation.
Gaither was one of 216 Hillhouse graduates to cross the stage at Bowen Field and receive their diplomas Monday. Confetti, banners, and dozens of flags were on display at Hillhouse’s 166th commencement. Hillhouse is the second largest high school in the city. As the 200plus students walked the stage, they did so to remind New Haven that, “Hillhouse Academics do not quit.”
Speakers at Monday’s ceremony included Board of Education member Andrea Downer, Mayor Justin Elicker, 2007 Hillhouse alum and keynote speaker Terrell Wilkes, and Gaither.
During her time at the mic, Gaither reminded her peers during brief remarks Monday that they are the “best class in New Haven.”
Speakers’ parting advice to the students included to head into life working hard, helping others, and to always be calm, cool, and collected.
Gaither took the stage Monday as senior class president to speak about the bittersweet journey of her high school career.
Despite ups and downs like at times struggling with mental health and lacking confidence Gaither said Hillhouse’s school community helped her keep working through the hard times.
“A lot of Hillhouse was finding my confidence and finding my people,” she said.
While receiving her diploma Monday, Gaither wore a dozen academic and athletic metals from her track career at Hillhouse. She next plans to head to Central Connecticut State University with a full athletic scholarship for track.
She recalled struggles like joining the track team her freshman year and not feeling confident enough to push herself. “I just showed up every day, even when I thought I wasn’t the best,” she said. Showing up and challenging herself is one of the many lessons she learned at Hillhouse.
Elicker reminded the graduates and their families Monday that “we are a city that welcomes everyone into our community, and you are a reflection of that.”
Valedictorian Alana Williams said that, thanks to the many different programs at Hillhouse, she found her passion to one day become a health care provider. She also recently graduated from the school’s certified nursing assistant certification program and is leaving high school with 20 college credits to begin pursuing her nursing degree. She thanked her family, friends, and Hillhouse staffers for their “unwavering support and motivation.”
The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Terrell Wilkes, told the graduates that they will soon be the next CEOs, barbers, and school administrators if they keep on the hard-working pathways they are each currently on.
He reminded the graduates that they have surpassed Connecticut’s average of 53 percent of Black male students graduating from high school.
Principal Antoine Billy concluded that Hillhouse has prepared its graduates to never quit. “Hillhouse is great. I don’t care what anybody says.”
Career Seniors Bring Swahili, Ñandutí, Perseverance To Graduation
by Alina Rose Chen
“‘Elimu ni ufunguo wa maisha’: This is a Swahili phrase my dad always told me, meaning ‘Education is the key to life,’” Career senior Bahati Mulungula said in her valedictorian address Monday as she joined 133 of her peers in graduating from the Hill high school. “Education is how we make space for ourselves, and how we claim our power and it’s how we change the stories that others write for us.”
Mulungula emphasized the power of education and community in her remarks, touching upon a key theme throughout the rest of the speeches and the energy at Career High School’s graduation ceremony, which was held at Bowen Field.
The sun came out just in time for the graduates to receive their diplomas, flip over their tassels, and celebrate with their families.
Principal Shawn True lauded the Class of 2025 for their perseverance through an unusual four years, especially as these
graduates entered high school during the Covid-19 pandemic and dealt with its ramifications throughout their time at Career. “This is really the highlight of my year, every year,” he told the Independent.
“It’s really a collection of all of our team at the school teachers, staff, administrations, our school community everyone collaborating together over the course of the four years for these young people.”
While New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) grapples with a budget deficit making staff layoffs “unavoidable, according to the mayor and the superintendent Hill Regional Career High School has been so far unscathed. According to True, there will be downsizing one teacher has left to teach at another public school but no layoffs have happened.
Jasmine Quaye, who served this year as student council treasurer, became the fourth generation in her family to graduate from Career on Monday. Holding several bouquets of flowers and a teddy bear in her arms, she posed for photos with her family and friends as they celebrated the
end of her high school career.
“Walking across the stage felt like a fever dream,” Quaye said. “I loved being on student council, going to the meetings it felt really important, and really good to be part of something.” She specifically referenced the extensive fundraising efforts they took on: “Obviously, New Haven isn’t the best funded, so we really had to pull our weight we fundraised a lot and it was so fun.”
In addition to her diploma, Jasmine also received distinctions for being a graduate of Career’s EMT program. She plans on using the skills she learned in high school at Southern Connecticut State University, where she will be studying nursing.
“I’m so happy to be here [at graduation], and my family is proud of me,” Safi said. For him, the teachers at Career were a vital part of his experience: “They really helped me a lot.”
His father, Saifurahman Safi, expressed that this was a moment of great joy for their family. “It’s a happy moment for us
Valedictorian Alana Williams.
Hillhouse grad Tatiana Gaither: Future CCSU student-athlete.
Grad Paula Tecpa Toxtle said she was able to find a community in New Haven thanks to her mom's immigration from Mexico. She leaves high school with 2 CPR certifications and completed CNA, EMT, and sex trafficking prevention programs.
At Hillhouse's 166th commencement.
Alina Rose Chen Photo President of the senior class and Valedictorian Bahati Mulungula poses for a photo with student council Treasurer Jasmine Quaye.
The New Haven independent Con’t on page 12
She urged parents, especially in Black communities, to take action through mentorship, speaking up, and refusing to accept cold cases as closed.
“When are we as a community gonna understand that it’s not OK to keep putting on a T shirt?” Jones said. At the end of the ceremony, Miller-Pratt announced the garden’s next expansion: a pedestrian bridge that will connect the memorial site to the surrounding trails of West Rock Park. She shared that the project was made possible by a generous $150,000 donation from longtime community member Tom Ciancia.
Miller-Pratt introduced Ciancia not just as a donor, but as someone who regularly helps maintain the space blowing leaves, picking up trash, and supporting the garden year-round.
Ciancia also addressed the crowd. “I never thought I could do something like this,” he said. “But it’s my honor. I can’t imagine what you all have gone through, and I wanted to do something.”
According to a poster board on display at the ceremony, the project timeline includes a survey and environmental report in spring 2025, followed by permit preparation in summer and application submission in late summer. The fall and winter of 2025 will be devoted to permit review, with bidding and contract execution scheduled for summer 2026. If all goes as planned, the bridge will be ordered in late summer 2026 and installed by the end of that year.
The ceremony concluded with calls for continued remembrance and community action. Organizers reminded attendees that the garden remains open year-round as a place to reflect, honor loved ones, and find healing.
They also reaffirmed that the annual brick-laying ceremony will continue each June, offering families a space to speak their loved ones’ names and ensure their stories are not forgotten.
in our life, because he’s my oldest son, so it’s the first time seeing [a child] at graduation it’s a proud moment,” he said. “I wish him the best of luck for his future that’s what everyone is thinking about for our kids.”
Nearby, his mother Priscilla and older sister Maria were smiling with pride. For their family, Monday’s graduation comes at an emotional time, following Father’s Day celebrations the day before.
“His freshman year, we lost our dad that came along with a lot of other things, including Covid, during that time period,” Maria said. “[For Caleb], it was a mental battle, but also just a physical battle of finding yourself in high school and advocating for what he needed at the time.”
Salutatorian Cesar Zecena Perez, who also lost his father during his time at Career, encouraged his fellow graduates during his address to focus on their strength in themselves and their community as they press forward into their adult lives.
“Let’s become people who lift others, the way we’ve been lifted, and let’s be-
Fair Haven Health Expands, In Color
by Thomas Breen
A collage hangs on the third floor of Fair Haven Community Health Care’s new headquarters on Grand Avenue. Through black and white photos of founder Katrina Clark, of a list of the first board members, of a 1971 handwritten message declaring, “Clinic Patients: The Clinic Belongs To You!” the collage tells the story of the community health center’s first five and a half decades of serving Fair Haven.
Then, by the time the collage rounds the corner, it bursts into color, and points towards the health center’s future in a brand new 35,600 squarefoot medical-office building that, after less than two years of construction, is just about complete.
Fair Haven Community Health Care CEO Suzanne Lagarde showed off that collage and so many other artworks and exam rooms and community spaces Monday morning during a walk-through of the new building in advance of its official grand opening on Wednesday.
Construction began on this new building which includes a total of 26 exam rooms and plenty of other community spaces spread across a basement and three above-ground floors in October 2023.
Lagarde said she expects the first patients will be seen at the new building by June 23.
In July, Fair Haven Health plans to move over many of its patients and clinicians to the new building so that five months of renovations can take place at the center’s current headquarters, right next door at 374 Grand. Then, by January, both buildings old and new should be open and in full use, ushering in a new “campus” of Fair Haven Community Health Care buildings on Grand near James Street.
“Color. Light. Welcoming. Quality care,” Lagarde said as she talked about what the community-informed design of the new building is meant to communicate to the staff, patients, and fellow Fair Haveners and New Haveners as they experience this space.
Fair Haven Community Health Care saw 37,000 unique patients across 160,000 different visits in 2024, Lagarde said. The federally qualified health center currently employs around 330 people, and provides adult care, family medicine, podiatry, behavioral health care. Lagarde said she expects the number of patients and
staff alike to grow as this new headquarters comes online.
The building is suffused with light and art by Dominican muralist Silvia López Chavez, by Fair Haven watercolor painter Val Richardson and so much color, from brightly hued floor tiles to “potato chip” shaped sculptures hanging in the first-floor waiting area.
“I think it’s gorgeous,” Lagarde said with pride about the building. “That was intentional.” This center’s patients and the Fair Haven neighborhood deserve a building as beautiful as this one.
But of all the rooms, of all the art, perhaps the part of the building Lagarde looks most affectionately upon is that third-floor collage, which hangs just down the hall from a “food farmacy,” a conference room, a kitchen, a diabetes prevention program, a terrace, a new-employee training room, and other spaces designed for community use.
With the help of a trove of primary source documents, the collage tells the story of Fair Haven Community Health Care dating back to its founding in 1971.
It includes photos of the center’s founder and longtime director, Katrina Clark. It includes a list of the first board of directors (Nina Adams, Rebecca Bell, Carol Berries, Avilino Perez, etc.)
It shows doctors taking the pulse of patients and opening school-based clinics and teaching pregnant mothers what to expect.
It shows community members and elected officials (Martin Looney, John DeStefano, among others) gathering to celebrate milestone after milestone. It shows a playbill for a Long Wharf Theatre production of a play called, “July 7, 1994,” inspired by Fair Haven Health and written by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies. It includes a tribute to the late Fair Haven Health Dr. Christopher Phillips, who died of Covid, followed by photo after photo of the health center’s response to the pandemic. And it shows, in color, the “topping off” ceremony of the new building, and the center’s continued growth with the help of this new-construction project.
“This is one of my favorite pictures,” Lagarde said, pausing before one of the earliest documents a photo of a handwritten sign announcing Fair Haven Health’s community orientation. That sign begins with the message: “Clinics Patients, The Clinic Belongs To You!” and goes on to state, “We are a clinic by and for the people of Fair Haven.”
Fair Haven Health's new HQ, at the corner of Grand and James.
... Lagarde, with New Haven Sign Company's Cameron Garfield, in the ground-floor reception area ...
Thomas Breen photos Lagarde, with the third-floor collage: "I wanted to create something people would be proud of. I think we succeeded."
The New Haven independent
JUNE
‘This Is What America Looks Like’ — ‘No Kings’ Rally Draws 10,000 To State Capitol
by Karla Ciaglo and Kalleen Rose Ozanic
A crowd estimated by Capitol police at more than 10,000 gathered peacefully on the Capitol’s south lawn Saturday as part of the national No Kings demonstrations, a movement opposing what organizers describe as the rise of authoritarianism, political violence in the United States, and the recent deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to California.
Demonstrators filled the Capitol lawn with hand-painted signs and chants of “No Kings,” “This is What Democracy Looks Like” and “When we fight, we win.”
Connecticut’s rally was one of more than 2,000 demonstrations held across all 50 states and 17 countries organized in part by the 50501 Movement and the organization Indivisible. Hartford’s rally was one of about 30 in cities and towns in Connecticut. The events were scheduled to coincide with President Donald Trump’s military parade in celebration of his 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
“I pledged allegiance to a republic … where supreme power is held by the people. For all. Not the one percent. For us. For we,” said Manchester Poet Laureate Nadia Sims.
Sims was the opening speaker at the event, which also included remarks from various lawmakers, activists and community leaders.
U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, spoke on the country’s founding principles while denouncing recent Supreme Court decisions.
“Just last Friday, the Supreme Court overturned two lower court rulings and allowed DOGE to access Social Security data,” he said. “They have no statutory authority. These socalled ‘volunteers’ have no business looking at anyone’s personal records.”
U. S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal urged the crowd to remain vigilant in defending democracy.
“And here’s a message to Donald Trump,” he said. “This is what America looks like. Right here in Connecticut. This is what democracy looks like.”
With Gov. Ned Lamont in Paris accompanying a delegation on a business recruitment mission, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz led the crowd in a moment of silence for Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were shot and killed Saturday morning in what officials have called a
politically motivated attack. Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also critically wounded in a similar incident.
“This was an unspeakable tragedy, and a warning,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in a statement. “The better angels of our nation must and will prevail through this perilous anger and chaos.”
Stephanie Keegan, a Gold Star mother, shared the story of her son, Sgt. Daniel Robert Keegan, who served in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 7th Special Forces Group. After returning from Afghanistan, he waited more than a year for a disability rating and 16 months for care at a VA facility located just 2.5 miles from his home.
“We buried our boy on Mother’s Day in 2016,” she said. “He died just days before he was finally scheduled to receive care. And now, Trump wants soldiers to march for his birthday while gutting the VA. We don’t want a parade. We want care.”
Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, who was born in Guyana, underscored the human toll of the administration’s immigration crackdown, citing a recent case in Meriden.
The rally also spotlighted concerns about the erosion of public institutions, history, and the arts. Playwright Jacques Lamarre, a former staffer at the Mark Twain House and Museum, warned that what appear to be budget cuts may also serve ideological purposes.
“They’re dismantling the National Endowment for the Arts, slashing li-
braries, rewriting history,” Lamarre said. “One of the first acts of this administration was to take over the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. But we are the firewall. We are the story. And we will be heard.”
While the Capitol rally was going on, thousands of protesters attended dozens of smaller events across the state, including rallies in Bridgeport, New Haven, Norwalk, Westport, Stamford and Waterbury. The demonstrations reportedly remained calm, with the lone reported disruption in Waterbury, where a man with a megaphone briefly interrupted remarks by state Rep. Geraldo Reyes, D-Waterbury.
In Stamford, hundreds of protesters took to the streets downtown in a steady drizzle, joining together in cries of “no kings, no way,” and “hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go!”
The crowd stretched over several city blocks.
Mark Thorsheim, of New Canaan, wore a t-shirt that read: “Do Justice, Love Mercy.” He said coming to protest the administration was especially important given that the president scheduled a military parade in the nation’s capital on his own birthday — which happens to be Flag Day.
“It’s important to be with likeminded people, countering this president and this administration,” Thorsheim said at the corner of Hoyt and Bedford Streets Saturday. “Enough is enough. I think we’re going to see all across the country that people are fed up.”
Thorsheim especially took issue with the costs associated with Trump’s Washington, D.C. parade given his administration’s widespread cuts to federal funding for programs that assist veterans, students and the arts. The Associated Press reports the parade’s price tag at $45 million.
Farther west on Hoyt Street, Allie Taylor, 23, highlighted the nationwide protests bringing communities together to “dig in to their empathy.”
“I feel really, really strongly about women’s reproductive rights,” Taylor said. “I like to volunteer a lot with Planned Parenthood.”
Capitol police reported no arrests, injuries or significant incidents from the rally. Sergeant Michael Bermudez commended organizers and attendees in a statement, saying the event “reflected the highest standards of civic engagement” and stating that the “professionalism and cooperation displayed by all involved contributed to a successful and meaningful day of peaceful expression.”
A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 gathered June 14 at the State Capitol for the No Kings rally.
Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie
No Kings protesters on Hoyt Street in downtown Stamford on June 14, 2025
Credit: Kalleen Rose Ozanic / CTNewsJunkie
An estimated 10,000 protesters gathered at the State Capitol in Hartford for the No Kings rally on June 14, 2025. Credit: Jamil Ragland
Q House Expo Focuses On Men’s Health
by Lisa Reisman
After a blood pressure cuff tightened and loosened around his arm at a packed Q House gymnasium, Orlando got a reality check.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can put you at risk for stroke, heart attack, and other problems, Yale New Haven Health nurse Cheryl Hoey told him, upon pronouncing his blood pressure a little high. Nearly half of adults who have hypertension don’t realize it.
“Let’s talk about what you can do,” she said, before counseling him on diet and exercise and recommending that he make an appointment with his primary care doctor.
It was part of a larger message at the Men’s Health Awareness Expo, which took place last Saturday and which began with a one-mile community walk led by Dwight Alder Frank Douglass and Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison, as well as members of the Delta Iota Sigma chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
“We have to do better to keep our men healthy,” said event organizer Carlah Esdaile-Bragg, Cornell Scott-Hill Health’s director of community relations, amid the lively chatter. “Typically, our men come to the health center only if they really have to, or their wife or their mother drags them in, and we just wanted to do something to bring together our community, not just in health, but all these organizations, in a way that they could hear it.”
At a table a few feet away, Anthony Dawson was sharing information about preventive screenings for early cancer detection and treatment. Before the pandemic, Dawson said, Project Brotherhood at Saint Raphael’s offered a free annual screening for prostate cancer, which is treatable and even curable with early detection.
“The idea was to get people in the pattern of getting regular check-ups,” he said. “A lot of African American men in the city, they need to know about getting themselves checked and to do it twice a year. We’re trying to get that going again.”
Two tables down, Dr. Doretha Jackson was representing the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress, which collaborates with the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic to provide legal assistance and advocacy for veterans, particularly those facing discrimination in VA benefits.
“So many of our veterans don’t realize that when you get out of the
military, you’re entitled to benefits,” said Jackson, an Army veteran. “Their spouses too.” She said a lot of her work involves helping veterans get DD214 forms, which provides proof of military service to verify eligibility for benefits.
Medical benefits are crucial, she said, not just for Vietnam veterans dealing with the effects of Agent Orange and for those struggling with PTSD, but with any significant health issues. “They like to deny you and deny you, and that’s where I come in.”
Next to her, Will Remillard, a post-graduate researcher at the Yale School of Medicine’s Stroke Center, was handing out free blood pressure cuffs. With studies showing Black Americans with a higher prevalence of stroke and high death rate from stroke than any other racial group, “we’re trying to get people to be proactive and not reactive,” he said, adding that high blood pressure is the single highest risk factor for stroke.
Stetson Library branch manager Diane X. Brown said Stetson was partnering with Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, as well as New Haven Elderly Services and LEAP.
“We know that men typically stay away from doctor’s appointments, and that’s a problem because high blood pressure, like high cholesterol and diabetes and cancer, is a silent killer,” said Brown. “This is an effort to encourage brothers to go get a screening, go to a doctor, get checked out. That’s why we are all here today.”
Morrison lauded Douglass for spearheading the effort. She pledged to make the event an annual one. “Men’s health awareness is too important.”
Josh Wyrtzen, Hill Health’s marketing and communication manager, struck a similar chord. “We’re working together to motivate men to care for themselves,” he said, as the WYBC deejay announced that a community fitness session in the second floor dance studio was beginning in five minutes. “It’s the psychological barriers that men have, that ‘I don’t have a problem because I don’t feel any symptoms.’ This is about making sure they are being proactive about [their] health.”
Esdaile-Bragg, the lead organizer, who was standing alongside him, nodded. “We’re bringing together our community in a way that our men can hear it, in a way that they feel seen, in a way that shows that we love them, that we care about them, and they need to be healthy for us,” she said.
On the community health walk with, among others, members of the Board of Alders, members of the Delta Iota Sigma chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, and Yale medical providers.
Lisa Reisman photo Anthony Dawson promoting early cancer detection.
Doretha Jackson and Robert Smith of the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress.
Refrigerator magnet from the Yale Stroke Center.
Men's health expo organizers: Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison (right), with Q House director Yakeita Robinson, fitness coach Elvert Eden, and Neil Richardson. Missing is Dwight Alder Frank Douglass and Cornell Scott Hill's Carlah Esdaile-Bragg.
Malcolm Welfare photo On the community health walk with, among others, members of the Board of Alders, members of the Delta Iota Sigma chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, and Yale medical providers.
Murphy, Blumenthal Decry ‘Cruel’ Job Corps Closures
by Kyle Galvin
Connecticut Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy joined Job Corps students and staff outside the Hartford Job Corps center recently, demanding the reopening of Connecticut’s two facilities. The two Democrats called their closure by the Trump Administration “cruel” and “illegal.”
“When I go around the state of Connecticut, you know what I hear most often? We can’t find people to fill the jobs that are open. We can’t find people with the right skills,” Blumenthal said. “These folks have skills. They deserve a fair chance, and this administration is denying them a fair chance.”
Job Corps, a Department of Labor program, has provided free vocational training and education to 2 million youth aged 16 to 24 nationwide since its founding in 1964, according to the Department of Labor website. The US Department of Labor announced May 29 it was beginning a “phased pause” in operations at Job Corps Centers nationwide to be completed by June 30, according to a press release. However, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday that stops the 121 centers nationwide from closing.
The closure of Connecticut’s two facilities in Hartford and New Haven would leaveabout 350 youth without employment or supportive services, including housing, according to Blumenthal’s office.
Job Corps New Haven Center Director Jvenel Lavros said about 140 students were asked to move out last week. About seven students who are without housing remain, he said. Hartford Center Director Kevin McKee said about 160 students will have to leave by June 17. Blumenthal said “there’s no telling what happens” to students at the Hartford center after that day.
“Think about it for a moment, if some-
Murphy
to
body told you your whole life depends on a court hearing in a few days,” Blumenthal said. “And right now, you’ve got housing and you’ve got food and you’ve got a place to go, but in just a few days, the court may say it’s all over.”
Monet Campbell said she joined the Job Corps’ New Haven Center after hearing about it while at a homeless shelter. Eleven months later, she has her Certified Nurse Aide license and phlebotomy certification, and is attending Central Connecticut State University for nursing.
“[If it weren’t] for Job Corps, I wouldn’t have even decided to go to college,” Campbell said. “They really pushed me to become a better person.”
Campbell said she was at work when she learned the center was shutting down.
“I started crying. I was devastated,” she said. “And it was a hard time, you know, for someone to not have anywhere to go. It scared me. Where’s my next meal going
to come from? The streets are scary. It’s not safe.”
The Department of Labor cited the program’s $140 million operating deficit in the 2024 fiscal year, which is projected to reach $215 million in 2025, in deciding to halt operations, in addition to acts of violence and breaches of safety or security at Job Corps Centers.
However, Murphy questioned the decision to close a federal program where youth are given career paths and the ability to advocate for themselves.
“Why shut these doors? Why throw these kids all out on the street? Why shutter a program that’s changing lives?” Murphy said. “There’s no justification for it.”
Blumenthal said the government should be expanding the Corps, not shutting it down.
“I’m really so embarrassed and ashamed that this country can’t do better for you,” he told the youths.
New Haven Free Public Library Honors Former Library Director James Welbourne
NEW HAVEN, CT – The New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) will host a ceremony and memorial brick dedication at 10 am on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at the Wilson Branch Library, located at 303 Washington Avenue, in honor of the late James Welbourne, former City Librarian and NHFPL Director.
Welbourne served as City Librarian and Director from 2000 to 2010, a decade marked by visionary leadership and a deep commitment to equity, access, and literacy for all New Haveners. Under his guidance, NHFPL expanded its reach and impact. Welbourne’s mentorship launched the careers of many New Haven librarians, including many now in library leadership positions throughout the state.
The pinnacle of Welbourne’s tenure at NHFPL was the vision of a branch library in the Hill neighborhood, a six-year
project that culminated in the opening of the Courtland Wilson Branch Library in 2006, bringing a public library back to the Hill for the first time in two decades.
City Reads Into Summer
by Sonia Ahmed
Children and families can have fun this summer with programs like free Friday movie nights, library reading programs, and summer camps.
Officials previewed this summer’s programs at a press conference Thursday at Lighthouse Point Park.
The Wilson Branch Library continues to serve as a vibrant hub for the Hill neighborhood and beyond, honoring his memory with exceptional service and unwavering commitment to the public.
Welbourne’s leadership earned national recognition: he appeared on the cover of Library Journal in April 2003, spotlighted for his efforts to bring library resources directly to those who needed them most. His tenure was characterized by a belief that libraries are more than buildings—they are centers of opportunity, empowerment, and lifelong learning.
The event is open to the public and will feature remarks from Mrs. Penny Welbourne, family friend Aaron Johnson, city and library officials, colleagues, and community members, followed by the unveiling of a memorial brick installed in Welbourne’s honor.
“There’s no reason for kids to be sitting on the couch this summer,” Mayor Justin Elicker said. Elicker said that the goal of the fun summer events is to avoid the dreaded “summer slide,” citing free tutoring as a resource to help students keep their mind active during the summer. (Click here for the guide to summer programs.)
United Way Vice-President Shelly Hicks said that the New Haven Tutoring Initiative is available for students K 8 and is offered for both math and literacy. More information about the free tutoring program can be found on United Way’s website.
“Level Up At Your Library” is the theme for the summer reading challenge for both adults and children where reading 20 minutes a day can earn prizes like a one-month membership to Elm City Games, a one-month membership to MakeHaven, or a guided private tour to Lost in New Haven. These prizes can
be won by participating in the library’s Readopoly, where children or adults can land on spots to win raffle tickets to be entered in the drawing of these big prizes. Everyone also has the chance to win a free book.
Library Public Services Administrator Rory Martorana presented Mayor Elicker with a summer reading shirt, as she said it had become “tradition”.
The city’s Youth @ Work Program will kick off July 1, with over 800 children and young adults having employment opportunities this summer.
Every Friday night this summer New Haven Youth & Rec will be hosting free movie nights in various locations, with films like “Moana” and “Inside Out 2” playing. More information about locations for these movies can be found in this 50-page summer guide from the mayor’s office and the city’s youth and rec department.
The New Haven Police Activity League is hosting a summer camp that “filled up in less than a day” with 115 kids, said Sgt. Ronald Ferrante.
“It was supposed to be a surprise, but we’re taking them to Great Wolf Lodge, the brand new indoor waterpark,” he said. “We’re still doing slime, tie dye, everything you could think of.”
Sen. Chris
speaks
Job Corps clients and workers on June 6, 2025. Credit: Kyle Galvin / CTNewsJunkie
The New Haven independent
Why Millennials and Gen Z Can’t Afford the Basics— And What to Do About It
by April McQueen, BlackDoctor.org
Does being an adult require giving up on one’s dreams? For Millennials and Gen Z, this seems to be the case. The dream job, the dream house, or a reliable car, when you have student loans for a degree without post-graduation opportunities, credit card debt you can’t pay off, and a maximum hour limit, a part-time job (one or more) with no healthcare, no retirement, and no job security. Can Millennials and Gen Z afford to live?
With all the things from real-life technology that only existed in sci-fi films, to the ability to ride-share anywhere, and where door-to-door delivered food, be it restaurant fare or groceries, are available, why is the problem having the basics? Every day life is just not (as) affordable even after one’s expectations are significantly lowered.
Is a college education relevant anymore when this common academic thread is the majority of minority people’s story? Minorities, accustomed to having to be twice as good, are in danger of doors closing twice as fast in terms of higher education admissions, which were helping them make real inroads toward leveling the playing field. Now, leveling up is becoming less possible without leaving some of our people shut out and left behind. Do Millennials and Gen Z need to wake up from the American dream and face the hard truths of this new reality? Chart a new course? Or play it less than safe and hope it will work out somehow? Here are some possible solutions.
1. Accept reality, pivot, and plan as best you can
Accept the reality. Student loan debt, high housing costs, wages not keeping pace with the ever-increasing cost of living, and the economy all contribute to a lack of affordability of the basics. With so many financial challenges, the old pattern of college-career-home and auto purchases no longer applies. Plans to prosper, as a result, need to come from outside-the-box thinking since what used to work is no longer working for Millennials and Gen Z, especially. Throw in a desire for worklife balance and the stress of this continuously disappointing new reality, and it’s clear what Millennials and Gen Z are up against. To accept reality, pivot, and plan, Millennials and Gen Z must take what was a financial challenge and transform it from a life full of limits and its mental health impacts to including affordability as a crucial element of a redefined plan for success.
The once-certain paths to success are no guarantee. What is needed is to find a way to distinguish yourself from all of the similarly situated others. But how do you figure out how to write your own ticket
of uniquely branded skills? Is it possible to overcome the challenges of seemingly unchanging circumstances that no longer lead to opportunity? Is accepting less with the hope of at least getting one’s foot in the door to do the grunt work and pay dues more luck than preparation? This requires a creative plan because even individuals with a golden ticket from selective, top schools and collegiate backgrounds, which typically lead to stable career paths, are struggling. Combine this with layoffs, and the competition becomes very keen for jobs that provide the basics, not the best.
2. What are the basics?
What are the basics? Food, shelter, and reliable transportation are good starting points when you are accepting less to have just enough. Food may not be fast food (unless you work there) or restaurant delivery. It might not be healthy or in line with your social, economic, or political beliefs, which you adhered to while studying and striving to find yourself on someone else’s dime. Then you could afford to choose to eat only expensive organic, locally sourced produce from farmers’ markets, happy animals, or boutique grocery stores. You may have to switch from designer dinners to big box processed food hauls, and brown bag bargains for your work lunches. What constitutes basic food is debatable. Your financial situation influences how well you eat. The issue of shelter is also constrained by finances. Finding affordable housing may require you to swallow your pride and accept what you can afford, especially if you’re on a zero salary or, in a more favorable but less desirable situation, if you’re underemployed or underpaid. The freedom you enjoyed of being on your own may boomerang you back to living under a more budget-friendly roof, either with your parents or a roommate. If moving back in with your parents is an option, it may be less than ideal, but both you and they have changed and now have new expectations. You might expect them to compromise. They may expect you to contribute to rent, utilities, and food—their basics. Initially uncomfortable, it will be a powerful motivating force to find a way through what many see as a step backward. Moving out from your parents and in with a roommate may be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, however. The shared space may be unaffordable on your own. Think carefully about this situation, as it could lead to stress and make it challenging to find a suitable roommate. If your current roommate fails to pay their share of the rent or decides to move out suddenly—perhaps to live with a partner or relocate to a different city or state—you may face difficulties. Additionally, they might be hard to live with. Work out the legal details, re-
sponsibilities or expectations before you live together. Shelter is basic, but what it looks like to different people is not. Transportation, rain or shine, helps with increased access to better opportunities and more freedom, but if it is unreliable, it becomes costly to repair and hard to afford to replace. Depending on your location, occupation, or job site, public transportation might be a cost-effective option. Additionally, carpooling can serve as a more affordable and environmentally friendly solution. You can minimize the cost of time and the stress of travel by living near a bus line, subway, or within walking or bicycling distance to work if you do not have an automobile.
3. The importance of certified skills and applied knowledge
If you have a liberal arts education or a degree in a field that isn’t directly applied, you’ll soon realize that the job market highly values certified skills and professional certifications, often as much as it values prior experience. However, there isn’t always a straightforward way to gain that experience. A major in any field without a master’s or Ph.D. places you behind those who have proven job skills. While you chose a major that reflected your passion, others without post-secondary degrees gained valuable hands-on experience. Your university peers, who are your competition, focused on academic disciplines that lead to secure careers with measurable outcomes. When it comes to finding a job that pays a livable wage and provides benefits like healthcare, holidays, and retirement, those with certifications and relevant skills have a significant advantage.
4. The one job minimum
If being affordable means being able to cover basic living expenses by earning a decent wage, then it becomes clear that, depending on your job, a lower salary may not be sufficient. For many, having just one job could be the starting point, especially if it doesn’t provide genuine opportunities for advancement within the company.
To meet long-term financial needs, you may find it necessary to take on an evening job, whether in your field or not, and consider a weekend side hustle. While having a single job can offer a balanced work-life schedule with ample free time, it often comes with limited income. Conversely, adding a part-time position or finding extra hours on weekends can increase your earnings, but it may also reduce your free time. Ultimately, the decision is yours. In the face of financial challenges, many Mil-
Baobab: Learning and Teaching by Making Family History Books at New Haven Museum
New Haven, Conn. (June 18, 2025) –Have you ever researched your family history but didn’t know how to preserve all you found? Are you curious about how your family history connects to the larger history of the United States, but unsure how to begin your exploration? Join the New Haven Museum for a lunchtime webinar, “Baobab: Learning and Teaching by Making Family History Books,” on July 16, 2025, at 12:30 pm. Former NHM intern and 2025 Yale University graduate KaLa Keaton will offer a look at the research and creative process needed to make a “family history book” Register here.
In 2024, the Afro American Cultural Center and Generational African American Students Association held a genealogy series on the Yale campus. The events renewed Keaton’s interest in genealogy and led her to create “Baobab” as her Education Studies Scholars Intensive Certificate senior research capstone project. Keaton notes that a family history book is a great way to preserve the memory of the elders in one’s family and keep their stories for future generations. Her webinar will offer a starting place to begin a family history book journey. “In a time when educational institutions are under increasing scrutiny, public schools and museums alike, we can find solace in being able to research our direct ancestors to learn about historical subjects that are
important to us,” Keaton says.
“Baobab: Tree of Our Lives,” is Keaton’s own family history book tracing her maternal and paternal family histories. Inspired by her own curiosity around her family’s history and how to preserve their stories, “Baobab” is a loving combination of genealogy, archiving, oral history, scholarship, art, and creative design that preserves Keaton’s research findings into the form of a book/magazine. “I realized the wealth of knowledge my family members have cannot be taken for granted,” Keaton says. “ I wanted to act on this project while my elders were still able to tell their stories and share information that I did not know. “
Keaton is a 2025 graduate of Yale University with a degree in African American studies and intensive certificate in education studies. A North Carolina native, she found her passion for history, preservation, and educational equity during a high school partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative investigating the only recorded lynching in her home county. While a student at Yale, she learned from New Haven educators by participating in teacher partnerships, working in High School in the Community, and interning for the New Haven Museum. Before returning to school to pursue her doctorate, she will work in the college access and admissions field.
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.
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OP-ED: Joy as Resistance: Reclaiming Juneteenth in a Time of Backlash
By: Cicley Gay Board Chairwoman of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Juneteenth, America’s newest federal holiday, was meant to symbolize a national reckoning with history and a celebration of freedom when President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan legislation into law in 2021. Yet, just a few years later, we find Juneteenth events canceled in cities across Indiana, Illinois, and Oregon, as backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives intensifies. This is not just an administrative shift, it’s a cultural one. As some seek to erase or diminish Black joy, we must remember that indulging in joy itself has always been an act of resistance.
But Juneteenth also reminds us that freedom in America has never been granted equally. It was delayed for enslaved Black people even after it was declared. Today, for many immigrants, especially Black and brown families, freedom is once again being delayed and denied at borders, in detention centers, and through discriminatory policies. The struggle for liberation is ongoing, and it is interconnected.
Juneteenth itself commemorates the moment when freedom finally reached the enslaved in Galveston, Texas, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. That delay was not just a historical footnote; it was a wound that echoes across generations. Today, asylum seekers and migrants, many of them
Black and brown, live in limbo, waiting for freedom. The delay may look different, but the harm is the same.
At Black Lives Matter, we believe that in the face of attempts to silence and suppress, investing in joy is a radical, necessary form of protest. This Juneteenth, we invite all to join us in celebrating and investing in Black and brown joy as a cornerstone of true liberation, while also standing in solidarity with all who are still waiting for freedom to be realized.
The attacks on DEI and the cancellation of Juneteenth events are not isolated incidents; they are part of a larger movement to strip Black communities, and other marginalized groups, of resources and visibility. In this climate, our resistance must evolve. Our response cannot be limited to protest alone. It must also include reclaiming the right to thrive, to play, and to experience joy.
From the earliest Juneteenth celebrations to today’s block parties and art festivals, play and happiness have been tools for survival and defiance. For Black and brown communities, joy has always been revolutionary. BLM was founded in 2013 in response to unspeakable tragedies, ones where ruthless oppression, abuse of power, and brutalities flooded our social media timelines following the murder of innocent young men like Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Yet even in mourning, our communities found ways to laugh, dance, and dream together. The movement’s global resonance is rooted in this duality, the courage to confront injus-
tice, and the audacity to celebrate life. Juneteenth also invites us to ask, who in America is still fighting for our freedom?
Black and brown immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers face family separation, lack of running water, lack of due process, unsanitary conditions, and more. Undeniably, the same forces that once delayed emancipation, white supremacy,
and profit-driven policy, now shape immigration enforcement and send troops when we have the audacity to rise up in cities like Los Angeles.
True freedom is not just the absence of harm; it is the presence of opportunity, creativity, and fulfillment. BLM is evolving to meet the needs of our most vulnerable, investing in programs that provide
access to art, wellness, and community spaces. We will continue to advocate for divestment from police, prisons, and punishment paradigms while also pushing for investment into justice, joy, and culture. More recently, we’ve invested in youth sports programs in local communities and abroad, from Brooklyn, New York to Ghana, to ensure we are building from the inside out and advocating for the most vulnerable. We are guided by the wisdom of our ancestors, who, even in the darkest times, found ways to nurture hope and rebuild. This Juneteenth, let us do more than remember the past. Let us build the future. Migration is a declaration of hope. Just as Black Americans fled the South during the Great Migration seeking dignity, safety, and opportunity, today’s immigrants are doing the same. We call on local leaders, philanthropists, and allies to invest in Black communities and to stand in solidarity with all who are still fighting for freedom. The right to give, to gather, and to celebrate, are as vital as any policy change.
Let this Juneteenth serve as a vision for what America can become. In the face of those who would turn back the clock, we choose to move forward, fueled by the power of joy as resistance. This year, and every year, let us honor Juneteenth with bold action and the unwavering belief that freedom includes the right for everyone to play, to dream, and to live fully. Will you join us in shaping the future on our own terms, until all are free?
Trump’s Use of Military Force In L.A. Cast Shadow Over 25th BET Awards Ceremony
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press National Correspondent
The BET Awards celebrated 25 years of Black culture, music, and activism on Monday night with a show that blended celebrity moments, sharp humor and pointed political commentary. From the stage of the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, artists used their platforms to speak directly to the moment. Doechii, accepting her first BET Award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, seized the spotlight early with a powerful speech addressing the immigration raids and protest crackdowns taking place just blocks away. “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order,” she said. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?”
Her remarks came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s order to send an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to ongoing immigration protests. The Pentagon confirmed that the deployment brought the number of Guard members under federal orders to more than 4,100. Approximately
who warned that state officials obstructing federal enforcement could face arrest. “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” Trump said. California Governor Gavin Newsom responded, “Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”
Back inside the theater, Doechii continued: “People are being swept up and torn from their families. I feel like it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people. … We all deserve to live in hope and not fear. I hope we stand together.” Her words earned a standing ovation, setting the tone for a night filled with heartfelt tributes and unflinching truths. The evening also honored Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin with the Ultimate Icon Award, recognizing their achievements in entertainment and their ongoing impact on their communities.
“I don’t know why I went through what I went through. But I know my second chance — I won’t turn it down,” he said. His daughters and sister looked on from the crowd, visibly moved. Mariah Carey, receiving her first BET Award, thanked Busta Rhymes for his introduction and reflected on personal growth. “It took me a while, but I finally realized that life is far too short to live for anyone else’s approval, which is something I always did,” she said. “I decided to own who I am.”
700 Marines were also sent to the city earlier in the day. California quickly moved to challenge the deployment. State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a law-
suit against Trump, saying the president had “trampled” California’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, Trump endorsed threats made by border official Tom Homan,
Foxx, the first to accept the honor, became emotional during his speech. Reflecting on a near-fatal health scare in 2023, he told the crowd, “When I saw the memoriam, I was like, ‘Man, that could’ve been me.’” In a previous interview with the Associated Press, he shared that “the thing was almost a wrap. Every prayer counted.” Presented the award by Stevie Wonder, Foxx’s voice broke with gratitude as he addressed the audience.
Snoop Dogg took the stage next, introduced by Dr. Dre. Accompanied by his wife Shante Taylor, the rapper paid respect to his fellow honorees before thanking those who supported him through his journey. “Hip-hop gave me a voice. It gave me a purpose. It gave me a way out and a way into homes, hearts, cultures, and countries I’d never thought I would even touch,” he said. “Being an icon isn’t about fame. It’s about legacy. It’s about what you build, what you leave behind, and who you lift up along the way.” Kirk Franklin, accepting the same honor, acknowledged his imperfections with humility and humor. “I can’t even sing,” he joked. “Which makes this award so amazing, because what I do really don’t make sense. If you’re listening to this, that’s when you know it’s God.”
President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010 (Wikimedia Commons / Photo by U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs)
You have been invited to bid:
23-220 Pacific House – Stillwater Avenue, Stamford, CT
Viking Contact: ALL Bids to Viking Construction – estimating@vikingconstruction.net
Project Description:
This Pacific House Project is subject to Prevailing Wage Rates, and is Sales Tax Exempt for Labor only. This project consists of only ONE new building, 4-story woodframed construction with 85 units and common spaces on 4 acres. (Buildings 14 & 15 are NOT constructed; they are a future phase.) This project is PASSIVE HOUSE which has higher performance standards than Energy Star.
DRAWINGS AND SPECS are available on 2 sites per below: SharePoint Link: https://vikingonstruction.sharepoint.com/sites/vik-biddocs/ VIK%20Bid%20Docs/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2Fvik%2Dbiddocs%2FVIK%20Bid%20Docs%2F23%2D220%20Pacific%20House&p=true&ga=1
Project includes 25% SBE and 6.25% MBE participation goals. DAS certified S/M/W/DisBE’s, Veteran, Section 3 Businesses as well as local subcontractors and vendors are encouraged to participate on this project.
Trades include but are not limited to: Div1, Cleaning; Div 2, Sitework, Paving, Utilities, Landscaping incl. Irrigation, Fence, Furnishings, Playground Surfacing, Segmental Retaining Walls, Site Concrete for walks and ramps; Div 3, Cast-In-Place Concrete, Gypsum Underlayment; Div 4, Thin Masonry Veneer Panel system, Unit masonry; Div 5, Structural Steel, Metal Fabrications incl. Railings, Stairs; Div 6, Rough Carpentry, Wood Trusses, Finish carpentry; Div 7, Vapor & Air Barriers, Weather Barriers, Insulation systems, Structural Thermal Break Material, Fiber Cement Siding, EPDM Roofing, Asphalt Shingle Roofing, Prefabricated Roof Specialties; Div 8, Hollow Metal Doors & Frames, Pre-hung Doors, Patio Doors, Hardware, Aluminum Entrances, Storefront Systems, uPVC Tilt Turn & Fixed Windows (Passive House); Div 9; Drywall, ACT, Flooring incl. Ceramic Tile, Resilient, Carpet, Paint, Intumescent Painting; Div 10, Metal Wall Louvers, Plastic Signs, Mailboxes, Toilet & Bath Accessories, Closet Specialties; Div 11, Waste Recycling Systems (including Trash Chute), Residential Appliances; Div 12, Residential Kitchen & Bath Casework incl. Countertops, Entrance Mats & Grates, Blinds; Div 14, Elevators; Div 15, Fire Protection, HVAC, Plumbing; Div 16, Electrical incl.: Generator & Transfer Switch, Fire Alarm, Telephone & Television Wiring, Telephone Access Entry System, Security System, Commissioning.
Project Notes:
Bid documents are also available on SharePoint, no password required. PLEASE SEND REQUEST FOR SHAREPOINT LINK ALONG WITH ANY QUESTIONS TO: estimating@vikingconstruction.net
Viking Construction, Inc. especially encourages the participation of all Disadvantages, Section 3, Minority, Women, Disabled and Veterans Business Enterprises. AA/EOE.
The Glendower Group Request for Bids
The Glendower Group on behalf of the Owner and General Partner St. Lukes Development Corporation (SLDC) is seeking bids for Abatement and Demolition Services in connection with the St. Lukes Redevelopment. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 3:00PM.
P2 PLUMBING WORKERS NEEDED
LBR Mechanical Corp is seeking P2 plumbing mechanics, jour¬neymen and helpers for a construction project located in Bridgeport, CT. Experience in plumbing/heating, construction and roughing a plus. Will train the right candidates. Driver’s license and proof of cit¬izenship required.
Please call 914-276-1493 for an application to start your new career.
ELECTRICAL / ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN
Performs skilled work in the repair, maintenance and calibration of all electrical and electronic equipment pertaining to the wastewater treatment plant in the Town of Wallingford. Applicants should possess a H.S., technical or trade school diploma, plus 2 years of experience in the repair and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment; or an equivalent combination of experience and training substituting on a yearfor-year basis. Must possess a valid Connecticut Driver's License. Hourly rate: $32.24 to $36.79. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of April 22, 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
Custodian
Maintenance workers needed for the Wallingford Public Schools to work the 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. shift. Hourly rate: $19.78 to $25.14. Requires some experience in building maintenance work. The closing date will be July 2, 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
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.
Please bill 241 Quinnipiac Avenue, LLC, c/o White & Katzman, 111 Roberts Street, Suite G1, East Hartford, CT 06108.
Bridgeport Housing Authority dba Park City Communities is accepting bids for Phase I of Stair Renovations at the P.T. Barnum Apartments. Full bid documents can be found on our website: www.parkcitycommunities.org or requested via email to: procurement@parkcitycommunities.org .
SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY STATE MODERATE RENTAL PROGRAM
MR 19, 19A, 066, and 008 PUBLIC NOTICE
OPENING OF THE 2 AND 3 BEDROOM WAITING LISTS
Effective July 1, 2025 the Seymour Housing Authority will open the 2 and 3 bedroom State Moderate Rental Waiting List for a period of 90 Days and it will be closed again on September 30, 2025 in accordance with its Tenant Selection and Continued Occupancy Policy. Apparently eligible applicants for these lists will be placed on the waiting list as a result of a random lottery of the pool of apparently eligible applicant from the open period. The lottery drawing will be held on Thursday November 6, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. in the Main Lobby of The Seymour Housing Authority, located at 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT 06483. There are existing apparently eligible families on our 2 and 3 bedroom list at the present time, and the pool of applicants from the July, August and September 2023 open application period would be placed at the bottom of the current waiting list.
Family must first meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for this program. Maximum Income and Base rents averaging $530 or 30% of income, whichever is higher, applies for this program. Applicants must demonstrate an ability to pay the base rent to pay utilities for the unit including oil heating, electricity, and water. Applicants for the 2 bedroom list must demonstrate an ability to occupy all 2 bedrooms based on their household composition. Applicant for the 3 bedroom list must demonstrate and ability to occupy all 3 bedrooms based on their household composition. Please be advised that these programs are not subsidized voucher programs, such as Section 8. This program is for Low to Moderate Income State Public Housing. For more information on Qualifications, please visit our website at www. Seymourhousing.org or contact us at 203-888-4579.
Applicants can be picked up from the Seymour Housing Authority at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 or requested at 203-888-4579.
Applicants may also apply online at www.seymourhousing.org. At the top of the homepage, go to the “Waiting List” drop-down menu. Then, under Brothers Court, Chamberlin Road, and Seymour Avenue, click on “Online Application.”
Please follow the instructions provided to complete your submission.
P2 PLUMBING WORKERS NEEDED
Warehouse/Yard Manager:
Large CT Fence Company is looking for an individual to manage our warehouse/yard. Prior warehouse shipping/receiving and forklift experience a must. Duties will include loading and unloading of trucks, pulling and staging orders for installation and retail counter sales and maintaining general yard organization. Basic computer skills required, ability to fill out daily paperwork accurately, assist with inventory control and supervise other yard staff. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test, have a valid CT driver’s license and be able to obtain a DOT Medical Card. Competitive wages and benefits provided. Send resume to: gforshee@atlasoutdoor.com
Emergency Medical Technician
The Town of Wallingford Fire Department is seeking qualified applicants for EMT. Applicants must possess a H.S. diploma or GED, and be a Connecticut or National Registry Certified EMT with CPR Certification. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s license. Wage rate: $832.81 weekly plus an annual EMT bonus of $2,100. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and a deferred compensation plan. 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 by the closing date of June 19, 2025 or immediately once the 25th application has been submitted. This posting will close immediately once the 25th application has been submitted and received by the Human Resources Department. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
WATER MAINTAINER II
The Town of Wallingford Water Division is seeking qualified applicants to perform a variety of semi-skilled tasks in the operation, maintenance, repair and construction of the Town’s potable water transmission and distribution system. Applicants should possess 3 years of experience as a Maintainer in the Water Division or in construction involving the installation and maintenance of pipelines and related equipment, or 2 years training in plumbing plus 1 year of employment as a Maintainer in the Water System or an equivalent combination of experience and training. Wage rate on 7/1/2025: $28.65 to $34.43 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, and 13 paid holidays. To apply online by the closing date of June 24, 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 OF DANBURY Modernization Management & Planning Services RFP No. P25002
Please register here to obtain Bid Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=49968
Israel and Iran! Will there be U.S. involvement?
By April Ryan
President Trump has not conferred with Congress on his plans regarding possible next moves in the Israel-Iran conflict. Meanwhile, Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine has introduced a bill narrowing President Trump's war powers as the Middle East strikes escalate. Yesterday, the 47th president cut short his trip to Canada for the G-7 Summit, blaming the Middle East warring for his abbreviated appearance. The president also convened his national security team to meet in the Situation Room at the White House and told those who lived in Tehran to evacuate immediately. There are videos on social media showing the long car lines leaving the city as strikes between Israel and Iran
continue.
Black Press USA reached a White House senior staffer who said they could not discuss this national security issue. However, this morning, the White House issued this release stating:
President Trump Has Always Been Clear: Iran Cannot Have a Nuclear Weapon
President Donald J. Trump has never wavered in his stance that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon — a pledge he has made repeatedly, both in office and on the campaign trail. Within the email statement to the press, the White House cites a long list of stories to support his statement.
Since taking office, President Trump has clearly stated no fewer than 15 times that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon:
• “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple — you don’t have to go to too deep into it. They just can’t have a nuclear weapon.” (6/17/25)
• “I want to see no nuclear weapon in Iran, and we’re well on our way to making sure that happens.” (6/16/25)
• “You can’t have peace if Iran has a nuclear weapon.” (6/14/25)
• “They can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not going to allow that.” (6/11/25)
Black Press USA will continue to update you on the situation.
Crypto, Golf, and Now Phones: Trump Cashes in on the White House
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press National Correspondent
Donald Trump, already under scrutiny for leveraging the presidency to boost his fortune, has launched a new venture — Trump Mobile — while continuing to rake in profits from a vast web of business interests tied to his time in office. Trump Mobile, introduced on the 10th anniversary of his 2015 campaign announcement, promises “top-tier connectivity” through the “T1 Plan” at $47.45 per month. The service includes unlimited data, device protection, telehealth, roadside assistance, and free international calling, particularly for military families. Marketed as a populist solution for “hard-working
Americans,” the mobile service expands Trump’s brand into the wireless market under a licensing deal bearing his name. But this latest launch is just a sliver of Trump’s ongoing effort to monetize the presidency.
According to a June 2025 financial disclosure, Trump reported more than $600 million in income from ventures, including cryptocurrency, golf resorts, and licensing deals. He made at least $217 million from Florida golf clubs alone, including $110 million from Trump National Doral. A meme coin called $TRUMP earned an estimated $320 million in fees, and Trump holds billions of governance tokens through his crypto venture World Liberty Financial. While he claims his
businesses are in a trust managed by his children, Trump continues to benefit from licensing fees, including $16 million from a Dubai project, $10 million from India, and $5 million from Vietnam. He also made money from Trump Watches, NFTs, Bibles, and other branded merchandise. A separate analysis by Forbes reveals that Trump’s wealth more than doubled from $2.3 billion to $5.1 billion in just one year — thanks to post-election crypto mania, a surge in Truth Social stock, and product sales. His digital token project alone reportedly funneled at least $110 million after taxes into his fortune. This builds on earlier reports showing that Trump earned up to $160 million from foreign governments while serving as president.
His dealings spanned Saudi Arabia, Turkey, China, India, and other countries, with golf courses and hotels serving as conduits for foreign interests seeking access and favor. Despite promises to halt international deals, Trump and his sons continued to expand and promote global projects during and after his presidency. Meanwhile, Trump’s taxpayer-funded birthday and military parade reportedly cost $143 million, and his repeated golf trips have already cost taxpayers an estimated $30 million. While Trump’s team insists all disclosures have been filed and ethics briefings completed, critics argue that the lines between Trump’s profit and presidential power have not only blurred — they’ve disappeared.
For the First Time in its 116 Year History, the NAACP Won’t invite the Sitting President to Their Annual Convention
By Lauren Burke
Citing Trump's “attacking our democracy,” the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will not invite President Donald Trump to its national convention this year. The decision marks the first time that America’s oldest civil rights organization will exclude a sitting president at its convention. In a statement on the evening of June 16, the reasons were made clear. “Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights. He believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution. This playbook is radical and un-American. The president has signed unconstitutional executive orders to oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections; he has illegally turned the military on our communities, and he continually undermines every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to personally benefit from the U.S. government,” the statement from the NAACP read in part.
The NAACP’s statement referred to President Trump’s recent decision to
send the National Guard to Los Angeles after protests against ICE detentions and abductions sent fear through parts of the Los Angeles community. The White House responded to the NAACP’s June 16 statement. “The NAACP isn’t advancing anything but hate and division, while the President is focused on uniting our country, improving our economy, securing our borders, and establishing peace across the globe. This is the same vision for America that a record number of Black Americans supported in the resounding reelection of President Trump," stated White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a written statement. Since he took office in January 2025 for his second term in The White House there has been a clear anti-Black policy focus pushed by the Trump Administration. Trump and members of his cabinet have constantly attacked diversity and inclusion since taking office.
The Trump Administration has also fired without cause several Black officials in top roles such as General CQ Brown, who was Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dr. Carla Hayden, who served
as the Librarian of Congress. It was reported in early April that books on racism civil rights and the Black experience have been removed from the library at the U.S. Military Academy in Annapolis. The reason was the stated policy by the Trump Administration against “diversity” and “inclusion.”
"For 116 years, the NAACP has invited the sitting president of the United States to address the NAACP National Convention — regardless of their political party. There is a rich history of both Republicans and Democrats attending our convention — from Harry Truman to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and beyond. We're nonpartisan and always welcome those who believe in democracy and the Constitution,” the organization led by Derrick Johnson, also stated. Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush addressed racism during their speeches to the NAACP. The organization’s annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of Black leadership in the U.S. each year.
Donald Trump
In Unprecedented Move, Member of Congress Charged with “Forcibly Impeding” ICE Officials in Latest Escalation by Trump Administration
By Lauren Burke
New Jersey Congresswoman LaMonica McIver was indicted on the evening of June 10 on federal charges. Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced the rare indictment of a member of Congress involving DHS officials on the Elon Musk-owned platform X. The charges against Rep. McIver are related to a confrontation between ICE officials and elected officials at Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 9. The confrontation led to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for “trespassing.”
Though the charges were later dropped many said that it was another example of intentional intimidation by the Trump Administration. Habba wrote that individuals can express themselves but must, “must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve.” The moment is another example of the Trump Administration’s building aggressiveness toward Democratic members of Congress and other elected officials. Threats of censure and arrest are increasing. Yesterday, President Trump threatened to arrest another Democrat, California Governor Gavin Newsom. “I would do it if I were
Tom [Homan],” answered President Trump on June 9 after being asked if he would arrest Gov. Newsom.
Though Habba is alleging that Rep. McIver “assaulted and interfered with immigration officers outside a New Jersey detention center” the video demonstrates a different set of facts on the scene as ICE agents prevented members of Congress, who are constitutionally permitted to entering suck facilities, from proceeding into the facility. “The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,”
McIver said in a June 10 statement. On May 19, Habba’s office announced they were dropping previously filed charges against Mayor Ras Baraka for “trespassing.” “Rep. McIver was doing her job and conducting oversight as a duly elected member of Congress. Trump is using baseless legal tactics to smear & silence this honorable Black Congresswoman— but it won't work. This won’t intimidate us, and we stand with Rep. McIver,” wrote Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) after news of the indictment of her CBC colleague.
“This is a travesty. DOJ is filing charges that never would have been brought by
prior Departments of either party. From Rep. McIver here to Judge Dugan in WI to David Huerta in LA -- injustice. The congresswoman is vigorously contesting this, and I think she will be successful,” wrote attorney Norm Eisen on June 10, who is also a co-founder of The Contrarian. The federal charges against Rep. McIver are an unprecedented arrest of a member of Congress. There is no known previous public case that has involved a DHS-led arrest of a current member of Congress. Rep. McIver, 38, represents Newark and entered Congress in September 2024 after winning the seat of the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.
Black Press Redefines Equity Goals, Introduces MAO to Replace DEI
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press National Correspondent
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), is calling for a major shift in how Black America and its allies frame the ongoing pursuit of equality. In a new push led by the Black Press, Chavis announced that “Merit, Advancement, and Opportunity” – or M.A.O. – will replace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as the movement’s guiding language. “The Black Press is proudly moving forward with new wording and nomenclature that more accurately describes our goals and adjectives with respect to corporate America and governmental agencies,” Chavis said. “Merit, Advancement, and Opportunity are taking the place of DE&I as a matter of self-determination by Black America. We cannot permit people who do not have our interest to define our reality.”
Chavis said the DEI framework, once embraced as a path to equity, has been manipulated and weaponized by farright forces to “undermine the progress of communities of color in America.” In both public statements and a recent oped, Chavis outlined the logic behind replacing DEI with MAO. “Words matter,” he wrote, recalling the backlash to affirmative action and critical race theory— terms that, like DEI, have been twisted
into targets by conservative politicians and media. “In America today, it is time to move forward.” Rooted in history and collective family wisdom, the term MAO emerged from an intergenerational dis-
cussion within the Chavis family in Oxford, North Carolina—home to the family for over 200 years. Recalling the evolution of the freedom movement, Chavis asserted that Black Americans have always
“worked hard to attain excellence and respect,” and that merit has been an integral part of their identity.
“MAO is a transcended and elevated way of describing the current goal of our
struggle for freedom, justice, and equality,” Chavis explained. “The Black Press has always had a history and legacy of redefinition and re-articulation of the interest of Black America and of the interest of all those who cry out for freedom and justice.” The components of MAO are straightforward. Merit, Chavis said, is about recognizing and rewarding ability and achievement. Advancement ties progress to measurable contributions, and opportunity ensures that everyone has access to the resources necessary to succeed—without bias tied to race, gender, or identity.
“MAO promotes a fair, objective, and efficient system where individuals succeed based on their merits,” he wrote in the op-ed. “MAO is aspirational without limitations to take advantage of opportunities to advance individual careers and greater societal good for all.” As some corporate executives backpedal on DEI, Chavis said none have proposed viable alternatives that both honor merit and ensure access. MAO, he argued, bridges that gap and offers a new framework for decision-makers in Congress, statehouses, and boardrooms. “We look forward to continuing the national dialogue and refinement of the conceptual framework of Merit, Advancement, and Opportunity,” Chavis said. “It is an urgent time to move our democracy forward and to reclaim the oneness of humanity.”
In Unprecedented Move, Member of Congress Charged with “Forcibly Impeding” ICE Officials in Latest Escalation by Trump Administration
By Lauren Burke
New Jersey Congresswoman LaMonica McIver was indicted on the evening of June 10 on federal charges. Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced the rare indictment of a member of Congress involving DHS officials on the Elon Musk-owned platform X. The charges against Rep. McIver are related to a confrontation between ICE officials and elected officials at Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 9. The confrontation led to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for “trespassing.” Though the charges
were later dropped many said that it was another example of intentional intimidation by the Trump Administration. Habba wrote that individuals can express themselves but must, “must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve.” The moment is another example of the Trump Administration’s building aggressiveness toward Democratic members of Congress and other elected officials. Threats of censure and arrest are increasing. Yesterday, President Trump threatened to arrest another Democrat, California Governor Gavin Newsom. “I would do it if I were Tom [Homan],” answered President Trump
on June 9 after being asked if he would arrest Gov. Newsom.
Though Habba is alleging that Rep. McIver “assaulted and interfered with immigration officers outside a New Jersey detention center” the video demonstrates a different set of facts on the scene as ICE agents prevented members of Congress, who are constitutionally permitted to entering suck facilities, from proceeding into the facility. “The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,” McIver said in a June 10 statement. On
May 19, Habba’s office announced they were dropping previously filed charges against Mayor Ras Baraka for “trespassing.” “Rep. McIver was doing her job and conducting oversight as a duly elected member of Congress. Trump is using baseless legal tactics to smear & silence this honorable Black Congresswoman—but it won't work. This won’t intimidate us, and we stand with Rep. McIver,” wrote Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) after news of the indictment of her CBC colleague.
“This is a travesty. DOJ is filing charges that never would have been brought by prior Departments of ei-
ther party. From Rep. McIver here to Judge Dugan in WI to David Huerta in LA -- injustice. The congresswoman is vigorously contesting this, and I think she will be successful,” wrote attorney Norm Eisen on June 10, who is also a co-founder of The Contrarian. The federal charges against Rep. McIver are an unprecedented arrest of a member of Congress. There is no known previous public case that has involved a DHS-led arrest of a current member of Congress. Rep. McIver, 38, represents Newark and entered Congress in September 2024 after winning the seat of the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.
A diverse group of professionals smiling and shaking hands in a modern office environment The image conveys teamwork, collaboration, and positive business relationships.
