Chamber Orchestra Puts Student Soloiasts In The Spotlight
Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Papernewhavenarts.org
Anthony Akambe leaned back in his chair, his hands glowing against the smooth, dark wood of his bassoon. He planted his feet firmly on the floor, rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath in. Around him, Antonio Vivaldi had started to take hold of the stage, one clean, bouncing note at a time. Akambe pressed his mouth to the reed and joined in, the notes measured and crisp as they traveled over the seats, and out into the building's empty hallways.
An eighth grader at Mauro-Sheridan Interdistrict Magnet School, Akambe is one of 13 New Haven Public Schools students joining the New Haven Chamber Orchestra Tuesday night, as the group holds its spring concert with a focus on intergenerational music-making and arts education beyond the classroom. Held at Fair Haven School, the concert will feature four soloists from three different New Haven Public Schools (NHPS), as well as Fair Haven students playing side-by-side with NHCO musicians.
The concert, which includes work by Joseph Haydn, Antonio Vivaldi, Gabriel Fauré, Edward Elgar, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Antonín Dvořák, takes place at 7 p.m.; a virtual option is available for those who cannot make it in person (more information is available here). It could not come at a more important time for arts education: many of the 13 students risk losing their music instructors if the proposed NHPS budget cuts go through in the next year.
"I'm so excited to play [with the orchestra]," said Akambe, who picked up the bassoon at the beginning of this school year, after years of playing the saxophone and the flute. "I feel honored.”
His presence, and that of his peers, represents a full-circle moment for the NHCO. Roughly a decade ago, the orchestra began building out its relationship with NHPS teachers and musicians, working closely with initiatives like Music Haven and Yale Music In Schools. By 2019, it was a flourishing collaboration, with student performers who sometimes came back as section members. Even during Covid, the orchestra continued to innovate, finding ways to celebrate young musicians even as they braved the online pivot and struggled with remote learning. In the years since, the NHCO has welcomed young soloists back onto the stage—but never this many in a single show, said NHCO Board President Jessica Sack. This concert is also the first since pre-pandemic times to feature the NHCO's side-by-side mentorship model, in which students and musicians sit next to each other, making their way through a piece together. This year, they include nine seventh and eighth graders from Fair Haven School, all students of band teacher Eliel Martinez.
“Mentorship is central to our work at
the orchestra because we’re intergenerational, and when we have young musicians perform with us, play with us, and sometimes join the orchestra, we learn from each other,” said Sack, a violinist with the group. “Playing in the orchestra for these young people complements many of the opportunities in New Haven … the orchestra is committed to ensuring music is a part of young musicians’ lives."
She added that it’s powerful to see young musicians return, which they often do, after their introduction to the NHCO as student soloists. Among the strings, for instance, she now knows that she’ll spot Cristofer Zunun and Dio Oakley, both former NHPS and Music Haven students who have since graduated from college, and returned to the group. Outside of the orchestra, the two also play in the Fair-
conducting a movement the next. As musicians settled into place, he directed them to what would become the end of the program, the finale of Dvořák's "Symphony for the New World."
In the violin section, student Rhayn Brown got comfortable, exchanging a quick, tight smile with Martinez from the stage. Nearby, eighth grader Kelly Mendez made sure she was in tune, settling in just feet from where Zheng would stand. Someone called out for the timpani, and the curtains parted, exposing a whole section of instruments that hadn’t been visible a moment before.
It was time; the orchestra came to attention. Zheng, back at the front of the stage, lifted a baton in his right hand and cued musicians in. Baaaaah-bum!
The strings rang out, dripping with suspense. Baaaaah-bum! Ba-da ba-da ba-da! Horns came rolling in, ringing the space into being. Beneath them, strings swirled into their response, straightening out and marching forward. Drums boomed from the percussion section.
Zheng, somehow watching it all unfold at once, brought the sonic blaze down a notch, teasing out Dvořák’s ability to shock the audience in one measure, and then tiptoe gingerly through the music just a few later.
In the back of the auditorium, soloist Mathais-Li Nuñez drifted in and found a seat, holding his cello case with one hand. Later in the evening, he tapped into the tenderness of Fauré’s “Elégie in C Minor, Op. 24,” letting the sheer feeling of the piece drift from the stage out into the front rows. The work, which Fauré composed in the 1880s, is indeed elegiac, with a kind of haunting melody that comes straight from the belly of the cello, and can fill a whole room.
Back on stage, student soloists were all in, shoulder to shoulder with their mentors as the sound swelled over the group. Flutes sang their gentle, swooping hello, and strings flew back in, enveloping everything in their sound. Woodwinds trilled, and horns reminded them that there was drama to be discovered yet.
mand and Marissa Iezzi watched with the wide-eyed wonderment of two expectant parents, so awed that at times it seemed as though they were not in Fair Haven, but maybe at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center.
Like Sack, they are proof of how music-making can be a team effort: Farhoumand is a graduate student at Yale and teaching artist through the Music in Schools program, and Iezzi is the band director at Mauro-Sheridan. While she teaches Akambe in school, Farhoumand keeps him going outside of it. At one point, he approached the stage, and expanded his arms to their full wingspan. He mimed breathing, shoulders rising and falling, then stepped back.
Back on stage, Akambe had almost finished his first run-through with the full orchestra, notes jumping over themselves with increasing speed. When he rounded the final bend, Zheng turned to him, smiling. The orchestra burst into applause; some musicians stomped their feet. Then Zheng jumped back to measure 133, where the piece had seemed just a tiny bit wobbly.
If Akambe wanted to slow it down or speed it up, he explained, that was up to him. “Just come in at whatever tempo you want, and we’ll follow,” he said. “We’re your back-up band!” Sack chimed in from a few rows behind him. Akambe nodded, ready to run it again. He later said that despite his initial nerves, he was excited to play with the group. At home and at school, music often helps him clear his head, relieve stress and concentrate on his academic work. So too with the orchestra, which he felt very much a part of as he took the stage. Since coming to Mauro-Sheridan last year, he added, he’s looked forward to band practice, opting for the bassoon when baritone sax wasn’t an option. He’s an amazing student, Iezzi said: he taught himself to play it over a single weekend. When he plays, "I feel like I can do anything," he said.
field-based Legacy String Quartet. “They want to be part of this musical community and they want music to be part of their lives,” Sack said of former soloists who return.
At a rehearsal last week, that was fully on display as students trickled into the auditorium, popping open their instrument cases as they took in the wide, bright stage. In the half-light of the first few rows, conductor Kevin Zheng buzzed among the seats, checking in on a virtual setup before making his way to the stage. Prior to his time as the group’s conductor, Zheng served as NHCO concertmaster and also studied alongside Maestro Heejung Park.
No wonder, then, that the stage—where the group has performed for years—is a place where he looks completely at ease, able to check in with musicians and teachers one moment, and half-dance through
Strings picked up the pace, and students swayed along. When Zheng ushered in the final, climactic notes of the work, it was only seconds until an inevitable, enthusiastic round of applause burst from the stage.
That sense of support, palpable in the claps, cheers, and gentle affirmations that wove in and out of each piece, remained brightly on the stage as Akambe stepped up and took a seat, missing only a spotlight as the piece began around him.
Written in the early eighteenth century, Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Bassoon and Strings in G major” has neither the drama of the Dvořák nor the sentimentality of the Fauré, opting instead for a sort of lively, vivid romp through music history that can be a sprint, but at rehearsal was more of a jog.
As the orchestra brought Akambe in, they slowed it down, keeping all the bob and verve for which the piece is known. In the audience, teachers Darius Farhou-
Minutes later, Akambe switched spaces with violinist Mikayla de Leon, a student at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School who is playing Mozart’s “Violin Concerto in G Major.” A participant in Music In Schools, the Connecticut AllState Orchestra, and Morse Summer Music Academy, de Leon started playing the violin in sixth grade, while making her way through Covid-era learning at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School (BRAMS). When her teacher, strings instructor Henry Lugo, made the jump to Co-Op, she headed there with him.
Before any of that was her reality—her life now is basically school and music, she said—she saw an orchestra play, and was totally captivated by the performance. She’s still thrilled that she gets to be part of it, so many years after a similar concert inspired her to do the work she does now.
“I’ve always loved music, but I’ve played it for so long it’s like, attached to me,” she said. “It was definitely one of my goals to do something like this.”
Anthony Akambe, a student soloist with the New Haven Chamber Orchestra. Lucy Gellman Photos.
May Day Rally: “Enough Is Enough”
by Maya McFadden
Wilbur Cross drumline bass drum players Aniya, Andrea, and Talia were exhausted and energized as they kept the beat while marching down Chapel Street with hundreds of fellow New Haveners to mark an international day of worker solidarity.
Students, immigration activists, educators, labor union members, and elected officials all stood side by side flooding New Haven’s Green to celebrate the community’s annual May Day rally. Advocates came with long agendas highlighting their discontent with local, state, and national issues like public education cuts, increased deportation efforts, and organized labor’s diminishing rights.
The mass message from all the advocates was: “Enough is enough.”
Dozens of booths decorated the Green Thursday around 5 p.m for New Haveners to sign petitions, write letters to the governor, or join different organizations’ fights.
Hundreds then marched through downtown’s streets chanting, “We are the many! They are the few!,” and, “When we fight, we win!”
Cross junior Aniya and sophomores Andrea and Talia thought about the current condition of their East Rock school building and used their frustrations to keep marching on Thursday.
Aniya kept New Haven Public Schools’ (NHPS) potential budget cuts at the forefront of her mind to keep her energy up during the march. She fears losing her drumline teacher and drama club, two things that she said “made me who I am today.”
Andrea described the march as exhilarating. “Even though I’m a bit in pain, it’s really nice to be a part of something so important,” she said.
She too said she worries about school cuts due to the district’s financial struggles. She also hopes to go to college and worries whether she will get the financial assistance to attend. “Seeing people target the arts hurts because that’s what I care about most,” she added.
She concluded that “it’s hard to stay happy in these times” while trying to be a teenager but also charged with advocating for her and her peers’ educational rights.
“Since we were little, older generations have put the pressure on us that, ‘You’re going to fix everything,’ ” she said.
Talia added that her drums did the speaking for her Thursday as she marched through New Haven with her peers and community. “I’m afraid of the teacher who made me who I am getting cut. It’s a very scary feeling,” she said.
The trio agreed that they marched
Thursday to demand a change particularly for their classrooms that are falling apart, lack of a working pool at Cross, and access to arts clubs.
“I felt really powerful. People walking out their shops made it feel like if we speak up they’ll listen,” Aniya said.
New Haven’s many activism efforts united into one May Day rally call of: “This is what democracy looks like.”
Attendees’ signs denounced President Donald Trump and top federal advisor Elon Musk, attacks on immigrants, cuts to public education, and anti-worker efforts. Attendees from the audience continuously called out, “Shame!,” as speakers discussed their concerns with the current federal government..
Metropolitan Business Academy sophomore Brandon Daley shared that while the “world is going crazy,” it feels good that New Haven’s community is not being torn apart and is rather united to be even stronger.
“When we come together like today we have a bigger voice and can accomplish something,” he added.
He said that he hopes to follow in his older brothers’ and mother’s footsteps one day by attending college.
He said his mother is a single mom of three who immigrated to New Haven from Jamaica. She was kicked out of her mother’s home at age 15 with her 17-year-old sister. From there, she sought out the necessary supports to graduate high school and college to become the nurse practitioner she currently is.
Daley said he fears federal education cuts will limit his ability to go to college, especially because he is looking to get financial aid.
Michael Furlow, who has worked as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) for more than 20 years, took the stage Thursday to share about the current struggles of healthcare workers.
As an LPN at a local nursing home, Furlow compared his colleagues’ strug-
gles now to when healthcare workers faced didn’t have access to enough personal protective equipment (PPE) at the start of the Covid pandemic. He recalled healthcare staff at nursing homes making safety gowns out of trash bags because of the lack of PPE to protect themselves and elderly residents.
“Fast forward to today, five years later, we are still in crisis,” he said. Rathe than trash bag gowns, he said, his CNA co-workers are having to buy soap for their entire nursing home because the facility has run out. He said he must buy his own safety gloves to work because his workplace only has one size of medium gloves, which don’t fit his hands. He continue that healthcare staff have had to cut and tape together two small adult diapers to make a larger diaper for residents because facilities are “cutting corners” and putting lives at risk.
“Did we not learn anything?” he asked. He and his colleagues are no longer carrying the burden of the lack of investment in keeping health care staff and seniors safe.
“Enough is enough,” he chanted Thursday.
He concluded that earlier on Thursday, a 10-day strike notice representing 5,700 caregiver union members was delivered to the governor’s office making him aware that those facilities intend to go on strike on May 19.
“We will not be pushed aside any longer,” he said. “We will no longer be brought to tears as they suffer in silence. They deserve real quality of care. They deserve dignity. They deserve respect. And so do we.”
New Haven Rising leader and local labor advocate Rev. Scott Marks also called on every elected leader to support the striking workers bill, House Bill 5760, which would “allow striking workers to receive unemployment benefits for the duration of a strike.”
NHFT's Jenny Graves, Rev. Marks (second from right), and Alder Brian Wingate (right) at Thursday's march.
Brandon Daley: We need community to accomplish something.
Cross drummers Aniya, Andrea, and Talia: Please don't cut arts or our teachers.
The New Haven independent
‘Love Must Be Louder Than Hate’: NAACP Raises Over $340K for Black Child Targeted in Racist Verbal Attack
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA Correspondent
Outrage has turned to action in Rochester after a white woman launched a racist verbal assault on a 5-year-old Black child at a public park—an incident that has sparked national condemnation, a surge of community support, and a flood of donations aimed at helping the young victim heal. The Rochester Branch of the NAACP said the incident, which occurred on April 30, was a deliberate and threatening act of racial hate—not a misunderstanding or isolated outburst. According to the organization, the child, who is also reportedly on the autism spectrum, was targeted with repeated racial slurs, including the n-word. The woman did not express remorse and doubled down when confronted by a bystander. “This was not simply offensive behavior—it was an intentional racist, threatening, hateful, and verbal attack against a child, and it must be treated as such,” the Rochester Branch of the NAACP said in a statement. “Public parks should be safe, inclusive spaces for children and families—not sites of hate and trauma.”
A widely circulated video of the incident drew sharp backlash, as did the woman’s subsequent move to launch a fundraising campaign for herself. She identified herself as Shiloh Hendrix and claimed she needed financial help to relocate in the aftermath. In less than 24 hours, her
campaign raised nearly $150,000. As of this week, it has surpassed $600,000, with many of her supporters openly defending her use of racial slurs and demonizing the child. In response, the Rochester Branch of the NAACP acted quickly, launching
a GoFundMe campaign to support the young victim and his family. That campaign has since raised $341,484 in just two days, thanks to an outpouring of support from across the country and around the world. The NAACP has since closed the
fundraiser at the family’s request. “From the beginning, this campaign was rooted in a powerful truth: no child should ever be dehumanized, and love must always be louder than hate,” the NAACP said. According to the organization, 100% of the
funds raised—minus standard platform fees—will be placed in a trust account solely managed by the child’s parents. “No member of the Rochester Branch of the NAACP has received—or will receive—funds from these donations,” the organization clarified.
The incident has drawn attention to a rising tide of hate and bigotry not only in Rochester but across the nation. Over the past year alone, the Rochester NAACP has documented a troubling number of racially motivated acts in the area, including racist slurs painted on a bridge near Century High School, a noose and effigy used to intimidate a Black family, and swastikas and racial epithets spray-painted on the home of a local representative. Islamophobic and antisemitic acts have also increased. “This is not an isolated incident,” the NAACP said. “It is part of a troubling and painful trend that continues to escalate across the country.”
Community members seeking to do more are encouraged to support the NAACP’s ongoing work through the Rochester Branch’s Fighting Fund for Freedom at https://rochesterbranchnaacp.betterworld. org/donate.
“This is about more than one incident. It’s about who we are as a community and what we choose to stand for,” the Rochester Branch of the NAACP said. “Help us match the funds raised in defense of hate with an equal force of love, justice, and action.”
Civil Rights Groups to White House: ‘We Won’t Back Down’
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Correspondent
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has launched “The Pact: A Civil Rights Coalition Unity Commitment,” a declaration of mutual support among dozens of major nonprofit organizations representing millions of people nationwide. The coalition said it’s responding directly to escalating threats and retaliatory actions by the White House and federal agencies targeting groups engaged in public service, advocacy, and civil rights work. The Leadership Conference said that for 75 years, it has helped secure every major federal civil rights law enacted in the United States. It warned that the same government systems used to advance justice are being weaponized to suppress it. “Today we face a campaign by the government to interrupt and intimidate the ability of those who represent the vulnerable, ensure people know their rights, have a voice to make demands of their government, organize unions and speak freely and have their rights protected,” the Pact states. “We will not be silent, divided, or stop serving the public or allow the people we serve to be harmed.”
The coalition cited specific government actions that it says are designed to dismantle public services, eliminate oversight, and undermine nonprofit organizations. These actions include the termination of grants without cause, politically motivated investigations into climate and civil rights groups, threats to tax-exempt status, and a chilling effect on pro bono legal support out of fear of retribution. “The administration has made
clear it will attack organizations that speak truth to power, defend the vulnerable, petition and sue the government, preserve and share knowledge, and fight for our freedoms,” the Pact continues. “They want us to fight alone, hoping we’ll stay silent as others are targeted. Not us.” The
Pact outlines a series of commitments among the signatories. If any organization is unjustly targeted, the others have pledged to stand with it. They will share knowledge and resources, refuse to censor their missions, and continue advocating for the communities they serve—re-
gardless of political pressure.
The coalition includes organizations representing people who are Black, Latino, White, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, immigrant, working-class, and of all faiths and backgrounds. Together, they reaffirm their support for basic rights and services, including access to healthcare, quality education, legal representation, clean air and water, the right to vote, and protection from discrimination. The Leadership Conference said the government’s current actions seek to isolate and silence advocates while concentrating wealth and power in the hands of a few. “We will not be divided,” the Pact declares. “We will not be intimidated into silence or abandoning our communities.” More than 70 civil rights, labor, faithbased, and public interest organizations signed the Pact. Among them are the ACLU, National Urban League, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, UnidosUS, National Organization for Women, People for the American Way, and the League of Women Voters. “We have the right to assemble—and we will continue to do just that, and we will encourage and support people and allied organizations to do the same, uniting across communities, sectors, issue areas, and identities,” the coalition said. “We will not be silenced. We will continue to do the work that puts people over power.”
Photo Caption: Protesters during a demonstration in the street (Photo By FG Trade)
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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, May 19, 2025
Time: 5 - 7 pm
Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting
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An appointment is necessary. Please call 855-547-4584
Spanish-speaking counselors available.
Evergreen Cemetery & Crematory
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• Cremation (Choose to be cremated at Evergreen.)
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Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut –
LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID
LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured general contractor bids for their property located at 501 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven.
Demolition and Replacement of exterior 2nd floor deck. Architect demo and construction drawing requests should be sent to moconnor@continuumct.org . Further information and detail of scope will be reviewed by the owner and architect on the scheduled site visit. GC price should include dumpster and permit feeds. The project is tax-exempt and funded by the City of New Haven. Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. Project will have Section 3 Compliance and Davis-Bacon/Prevailing Wage rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC workforce requirements. A bidding site meeting will be held at 501 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven on 4/3/2025 at 11am. Additional questions post site visit must be in writing, due by 5 pm on April 8th. All questions will be answered in writing by 5 pm on April 12. All bids are due by 4/16/2025 at 10 am. All bids, W9, work scope/project timeline, COI should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via emailmoconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 285 State Street, Unit 13 North Haven.
LEGAL NOTICE
The South Central Regional Council of Governments (“SCRCOG”) will be accepting sealed Qualifications for Temporary Planning & Zoning Services. SCRCOG is seeking planning and/or zoning firms to provide temporary and durational services to all fifteen municipalities in the region. Disciplines include, but are not limited to, municipal planning, zoning enforcement, land use regulation, environmental planning, GIS & mapping, and community engagement. Disadvantaged, minority, small, and women-owned business enterprises are encouraged to respond.
The complete request for qualification (“RFQ”) document can be obtained on the SCRCOG website, www.scrcog.org/
RFQs shall be submitted in the manner specified to the SCRCOG Regional Purchasing Consortium, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor West, North Haven, CT 06473, until 12:00 P.M. eastern standard time on Wednesday, May 28th, 2025
For questions concerning this RFQ, contact Brendon Dukett, Municipal Services Coordinator at bdukett@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
INVITATION TO BID:
SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY
Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 2:00 pm on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for the COMBINED HEAT & POWER COGENERATION EQUIP-
MENT REPLACEMENT at the Reverend Albert Callahan House, 32 Smith Street Seymour. The work includes the replacement of combined heat and power cogeneration equippment.
A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at the Reverend Albert Callahan House at 2:00 pm, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Bid Documents may be obtained by visiting www.seymourhousing.org Under the Contact Us tab select Bid Opportunities and find the RFP for Combined Heat & Power Co-Generation Equipment Replacement.
The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.
A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360
Site Civil Engineer- Church Street South Development
The Glendower Group is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for Site Civil Engineer. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, March 24, 2025, at 3:00PM.
WATER TREATMENT
The Town of Wallingford Water Division is seeking qualified candidates for Water Treatment Pumping Operator I to operate and maintain the Town’s potable (drinking) water treatment plant and pumping, storage tank, pressure regulating and groundwater well facilities. Must possess a H.S. diploma or equivalent with 1 year of experience involving the operation and maintenance of equipment used in water supply and treatment; or a technical high school diploma with demonstrated career and technical education related to electronics technology, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or water supply and treatment activities and operation; or completion of a program in water management. Applicants must possess State of Connecticut Department of Public Health Class I (WTP I) or higher Water Treatment Plant Operator certification, and completion of a program in water management or have the ability to obtain both within twelve (12) months from the date of hire. Must possess and maintain a State of Connecticut driver’s license. Wages: $29.61 - $35.75 hourly, plus 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 by the closing date of April 29, 2025, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE
METERING SUPERVISOR
The Town of Wallingford, CT is offering an excellent career opportunity for a strong leader to supervise and manage the meter department of the Town’s Electric Division. Applicants should possess 3 years of progressively responsible supervisory or management experience in a utility relating to metering, plus a bachelor's degree in engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s License. Annual Salary: $115,203 to $144,003. 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 May 5, 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
CLINICIAN
The Town of Wallingford is seeking a qualified professional to perform social work, counseling, case management, and crisis intervention services to youth and adult clients in the community. Requires a Master’s Degree in Counseling, Marital and Family Therapy, Social Work, or related field with training in crisis intervention and community services, and two (2) years’ experience in counseling or social work with youth and adult populations. Bilingual language skills (Spanish/English) are desirable. Must possess and maintain State of Connecticut licensure as a Clinical Social Worker, Marital and Family Therapist, or Professional Counselor, and a driver’s license. Wages: $32.08 to $38.98 hourly. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. The closing date will be April 23, 2025 or the date the 25th application is received, whichever occurs first. 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
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
ELM CITY COMMUNITIES
Invitation for Bids
Comprehensive Pest Control Services for Rodents and Insects
Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for Services of a firm to provide Pest Control Services for Rodents and Insects. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, March 31, 2025, at 3:00PM.
360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.
Request for Proposals Redesign of Chatham HVAC System
360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking a qualified engineering firm to provide a full redesign of the existing Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system servicing approximately 32 units within our facility. The objective is to enhance efficiency, meet current building codes, and optimize overall system performance. be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on
Monday, March 24, 2025, at 3:00PM.
South Central Regional Council of Governments
Draft Public Participation Guidelines
The public is invited to offer comments from March 3, 2025, until April 18, 2025, on the Draft Public Participation Guidelines for the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG). The Plan documents the actions taken by SCRCOG to facilitate public participation in transportation planning, in accordance with Title 23 CFR 450.316.
Copies of the Draft Public Participation Plan are available at www. scrcog.org. Hard copies are available upon request to James Rode at jrode@scrcog.org.
Public comments may be emailed to jrode@scrcog.org or mailed, postage prepaid, to James Rode, Principal Transportation Planner, South Central Regional Council of Governments, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor West, North Haven, CT 06473 with receipt in both cases by no later than April 18, 2025. Public comments may also be offered at a Hybrid Public Meeting on April 9, 2025, at 12 pm. Instructions for participating in the Public Meeting will be posted at www.scrcog.org no later than 10 days before the event.
Why We Say ‘I’m Fine’—Even When We Know We’re Not
by Dominique Lambright, BlackDoctor.org
“I’m fine.”
“I’m good.”
“I’ll be alright.”
We’ve all heard it—and many of us have said it—when we were absolutely not okay.
Whether it’s your uncle with untreated diabetes, your sister going through something she won’t talk about, or a friend who’s been “off” lately, those two little words—I’m fine—can be a mask for pain, fear, and deep emotional exhaustion.
In Black communities, this phrase is more than just a deflection. It’s a survival tool, rooted in generations of cultural trauma, distrust, and resilience.
Understanding why we say we’re fine—especially when we’re not—is the first step to helping each other get real about our health, our emotions, and healing.
Cultural Survival:
“We Didn’t Have Time to Be Sick”
Let’s take it back. Our people— Black folks in the U.S. and across the Diaspora—have had to hold it together through the unthinkable. Enslavement, segregation, police violence, medical abuse, generational poverty, and systemic racism didn’t leave room for fragility.
Saying “I’m fine” was armor. It meant, “I can’t afford to break down.”
It meant, “If I admit I’m not okay, what will happen to me?”
It meant, “Nobody’s going to help anyway.”
This survivalism has been passed down through generations. Even when we’re bleeding emotionally, physically, or spiritually, we’ve learned to stay strong, keep going, and not make a fuss.
The Strong Black Woman schema is one well-documented example of this legacy, often encouraging Black women to suppress their needs to care for others and preserve dignity.
Medical Mistrust Is Real
Our communities also have deep, justified mistrust of medical systems— and for good reason.
• The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, where Black men were experimented on without consent
• The use of Henrietta Lacks’ cells without her permission
• The high Black maternal mortality rate, where Black women are three times more likely to die during child-
birth than white women
• Black pain is often undervalued or dismissed in healthcare settings
So when your cousin skips their follow-up, or your brother avoids the ER even when his chest is tight, it’s not just about stubbornness. It’s about trauma and defense mechanisms.
They might be thinking:
•“They won’t listen to me anyway.”
•“I don’t want them running tests and scaring me.”
•“I don’t want to be experimented on.”
•“If I go in, I might not come out.”
This fear isn’t irrational. It’s historical. And it sits in our nervous systems.
Emotional Repression as a Learned Behavior
For many Black folks—especially men—vulnerability has been framed as weakness. Growing up, a lot of us heard things like:
• “Stop crying before I give you something to cry about.”
•“Man up.”
• “Don’t let them see you break.”
So we learn to tuck our feelings deep down. Over time, emotional repres-
sion becomes the default, and “I’m fine” becomes the script—even when someone is dealing with grief, depression, chronic illness, or mental health struggles.
Signs They’re Not Fine (Even When They Say They Are)
You know your people. You feel it in your gut when something’s off. Here are subtle signs that someone might be struggling beneath the surface:
• Withdrawing from family or group chats
• Cancelling plans or going silent for long periods
• Snapping over small things or seeming irritable all the time
• Big changes in sleep, eating, or energy
• Saying things like “I’m tired of all this,” or “I just want peace”
• Joking about death or disappearing—don’t brush this off
• Talking in circles when asked how they are
• Going too hard—hyper-productivity is sometimes a cover for avoidance Even if they’re functioning, don’t confuse coping with healing. Survival
Model vulnerability by talking about your own stress or health issues.
“I didn’t realize how much I was holding until I broke down last month. That’s why I ask.”
What NOT to Say
“You just need to pray about it.”
Spiritual support is real, but it’s not a substitute for therapy or care.
“You’re being dramatic.”
This shuts people down and deepens silence.
“Other people have it worse.”
Pain is not a competition.
“You’re too strong to let this get to you.”
Strength is not the absence of struggle.
“Just get over it.”
Healing is not linear. Grief, depression, and trauma take time.
Why “I’m Fine” Is Often About Protection
When someone says, “I’m fine,” what they might really mean is:
“I don’t know how to talk about this.”
“I’m afraid of falling apart.”
“I don’t want to be a burden.”
“I was taught not to ask for help.”
It’s not always about denial—it’s about survival programming. But we’re allowed to unlearn that. We’re allowed to redefine wellness as something we build together, not something we fake alone.
is not the same as being well.
How to Gently Open the Door
So, how do you reach someone who says “I’m fine” but clearly isn’t?
1. Choose the right moment
Catch them during a quiet time, not when they’re rushed or overwhelmed.
A phone call, a car ride, or a casual one-on-one can be better than a public or high-pressure convo.
2. Lead with empathy, not pressure
Say things like:
“You’ve been on my heart lately. Just checking in—how are you really?”
“I’ve noticed you’ve been quieter than usual. Everything okay?”
“You don’t have to talk if you’re not ready, but I’m here. No judgment.”
3. Ask twice
People often default to “I’m fine” the first time. Ask again gently.
“I hear you. But just in case ‘fine’ means something else today—I got time to listen.”
4. Share first
Encouraging the Shift: From “Fine”
to Healing
Little by little, we can help shift the script:
• Normalize therapy. Mention your own therapist or share culturally affirming mental health spaces.
• Bring healing into the culture. Share books, podcasts, or music that speak on real emotional health. Check on your “strong friends.” Not with judgment, but with love.
• Give people permission to feel. Say: “Whatever you’re feeling is valid.”
“I’m
the
Fine” Doesn’t Have to Be
End of the Conversation
When someone says, “I’m fine,” don’t stop listening. Listen with your heart. Listen with your spirit. Ask again. Hold space. Be patient. And remind them:
“You don’t have to carry it alone.”
“You don’t have to be fine to be loved.”
“You deserve support, even if you’re still figuring it out.”
Because behind every “I’m fine,” there’s a story. And sometimes, your presence is the first step toward someone finding the words—and the help— they truly need.
Sounding The Alarm
By April Ryan
Hands off Our History plans more protests like the Saturday Washington DC rally, where several organizations banded together to draw attention to attempts to remove artifacts from the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. “Black people built this country, and we will not allow anyone to erase us from the American story because Black History is American History,” says Melanie Campbell, president/ CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. Campbell told Black Press USA that Saturday “was the beginning of our resistance movement to fight to demand our Black history be respected.” In a March 31st article published by the North Carolina Black Alliance, the Smithsonian leader revisits history during an HBCU stop at Shaw University; Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch said, “I will probably get fired at some point,” Bunch said. “But I think the goal would be to, sort of, fight the fight as long as you can.” That fight is in the
planning stages with leaders like Marc Morial of the National Urban League, Shavon Arline Bradley National Council of Negro Women, and Professor Kimberle Crenshaw of the African American Policy Forum, who were also part of the weekend demonstration for Hands Off Our History.
Referring back to the March 31st published story, “The Smithsonian, with me at the leadership, is considered the best example of DEI leadership — you know, a woke leader,” Secretary Lonnie Bunch said. “So they’ll come after the Smithsonian. I get it. I think that the most important thing for me is to help the staff
continue to do the work they need to do because the challenge is, with all that’s going on, people get paralyzed.” A threat of budget cuts can also cripple the museum, according to Bunch. “The reality is nobody’s immune. We plan every day for significant budget cuts,” Bunch said. “I’ve done scenarios with budget cuts as much as 40%, which means you have to reimagine the Smithsonian.” This reporter asked the Smithsonian spokesperson, Linda St. Thomas, about the story from the North Carolina Black Alliance. She said, “I have nothing to add. The Secretary speaks for himself.”
Shavon Arline Bradley, the President of the National Council of Negro Women, is sounding the alarm with concerns over the house once owned by Mary McLeod Bethune that is now owned by the federal agency, the National Park Service. Bradley says, “We have to be concerned about the National Council of Negro Women's Council House because you need more activity to show more engagement.” The concern is that the federal government won't see the property as viable if there
Five Years after George Floyd, Racial Justice Hopes Fade
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press Correspondent
As the nation approaches the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, a new Pew Research Center study reveals a sobering assessment from Americans: the heightened focus on race and racial inequality following the 2020 protests has largely failed to improve the lives of Black people. In the immediate aftermath of Floyd’s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter and sentenced to over 20 years in prison, public attention surged. Millions joined protests across the country. Support for the Black Lives Matter movement peaked, with 67% of Americans backing the cause, and 52% believed at the time that the national reckoning would result in meaningful change for Black Americans. Today, only 27% say those changes materialized. Pew’s new survey, conducted February 10–17, 2025, among 5,097 adults, finds that 72% now say the increased focus on racial inequality has not improved life for Black people. Even among Democrats, optimism has waned significantly — just 34% believe the racial reckoning made a difference, down from 70% in 2020.
Support for Black Lives Matter, which surged in 2020, has dropped to 52%. Favorability has remained highest among Black adults (76%), Democrats (84%), and adults under 30 (61%), while only
45% of White adults and 22% of Republicans express support. “The justice system is not fair when it comes to Black people,” said a Black Republican in their mid-40s, one of many respondents offering open-ended reflections. “When convicted of crimes, Black people always get heavier sentences than their White counterparts, even when they have no prior convictions.” The study also finds that Americans have become more pessimistic about the future of racial equality. Among those who believe the country hasn’t gone far enough on equal rights, only 51% now say it’s likely that Black people will eventually achieve equality with White people, down from 60% in 2020. Just 32% of Black adults say they believe racial equality is attainable — a stark contrast with 61% of White adults who say the same. As companies once eager to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) now pull back — a trend accelerated by Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI efforts across the federal government and pressuring private employers to follow suit — public sentiment toward such initiatives has soured. Lawsuits and backlash have contributed to the rollback, even before Trump’s intervention.
Americans are split on whether companies should weigh in on political or social issues: 50% say it’s important, while 50% say it’s not. However, among those who remember corporate responses to the 2020 protests, 69% believe those
statements were made under pressure rather than out of genuine concern. Pew’s findings also show how partisan divides color perceptions of race in America. While 82% of Black Americans say the country has not gone far enough on racial equality, only 14% of Republicans agree. A majority of Republicans (66%) say too much attention is paid to racial issues, while 56% of Democrats say there’s too little. Video footage of police violence continues to shape opinion. Nearly nine in ten Americans have seen such videos, with 63% saying they help hold officers accountable. Yet 54% say
is not enough foot traffic and tourists there. “so I'm safe to say we should be concerned if we do not see more visitation to the council house,” added Arline Bradley.
The building is Mary McLeod Bethune's final home, where she met with thenFirst Lady Eleanor Rosevelt and other high-ranking officials to raise awareness and action on Black issues such as equity, the economy, community development, and education. When the building was sold to the National Park Service in 1994, the organization thought the federal government would preserve the historic building and “ensure protection and the upkeep.” NCNW Members have asked to repurchase the building. Arline-Bradley says she doesn’t know “if it is that simple.” Bradley says, “Protests, marches, and a financial plan are part of the efforts to save Black historic museums and history. Meanwhile, Melanie Campbell reiterates, “Black people built this country, and we will not allow anyone to erase us from the American story because Black History is America's History.”
the videos make it harder for police to do their jobs. Black adults (65%) and Democrats (68%) are most likely to view widespread sharing of the videos as a good thing.
As the 2020 movement fades in visibility, feelings of exhaustion have risen. Half of Americans, including 54% of Democrats and 48% of Republicans, say they feel extremely or very often exhausted when thinking about race in the U.S. Democrats are also more likely to feel angry and fearful, while Republicans are more likely to feel uninterested or satisfied. In measuring change, the verdict is grim. Most Americans (54%) say the relationship between Black people and police is no better than it was before Floyd’s killing. A third say it’s worse. Just 11% say it’s better. Looking ahead to Trump’s second term, 48% of Americans believe he will make racial matters worse, compared to 28% who believe he will improve things. Party affiliation predicts opinion: 82% of Democrats expect conditions to deteriorate, while 53% of Republicans think they’ll improve. The Pew Research Center’s comprehensive study reveals that what was once hailed as a racial awakening now feels, to many, like a missed opportunity. “[Black people] still are paid less than Whites when both are performing the same job,” said a Black Democrat in their early 70s. “Black people are still looked at as criminals when they haven’t committed any crimes.”
eat an anti-inflammatory diet. It must be said, however, that when beginning the healing journey, some patients may find benefit in working with an Integrative Medicine provider and explore more restrictive diets such as Paleo, Autoimmune Paleo Protocol (AIP), or other elimination diets that may be more helpful and tailored to the specific person and their gut health and nutrition needs.
BHM: Do you know of any resources or classes available for patients to learn stress-reduction techniques?
Dr. Sydne Ford-Norton: There is an 8-week group training program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that is helpful for people living with stress and chronic diseases. It has been validated by studies and shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress and improve sleep and chronic pain levels. Classes may be found in person and online and are put on by organizations throughout the USA.
So, there you have it! Taking steps to manage your lupus at home is not only possible, but it can be empowering as well. If our interview with Dr. Ford-Norton piqued your interest, we encourage you to delve deeper into this approach. Take a moment to explore the topics that resonate with you, discuss your thoughts with your healthcare providers, and most importantly, don’t give up on finding a health management strategy that aligns with your unique needs.
National Museum of African American History and Culture Building in Washington DC, USA. A popular visitors and tourists destination in the capital city
