THE INNER-CITY NEWS

New Initiative Gifts Birthday Cakes To Kids In Shelters

by Lisa Reisman

Justin turned five last Sunday. His mother Alysha wished him a happy birthday when he got up and gave him a hug. That was that.

Until that evening, when he encountered a group of people in the kitchen of Life Haven, a 40-bed Ferry Street facility which provides temporary shelter to homeless pregnant women and female heads of household with young children. He saw a thickly frosted cake on the table, a wrapped gift, and a card. He looked up at his mother. “It’s for your birthday,” Alysha told him.

“For me?” he asked, his face breaking into a sunny grin.

The occasion was the first installment of the C.A.K.E.S. initiative. Short for Collaborate with Adults and Kids to Ensure Success, it’s the brainchild of Yevgeniya Rivers, a math professor at the University of New Haven and, as it happens, the former teacher of Marcus Harvin, founder and president of Newhallville Fresh Starts.

“I’ve been following the important work he’s doing,” she said, of the nonprofit’s mission to feed anyone in need based on its belief that the first step toward realizing one’s aspirations is nutritional suste-

nance. “I wanted to be a part of it.” Her daughter Naomi, she said, came up with the idea of surprising kids with freshly baked birthday cakes in the shelters where Fresh Starts does their meal deliveries.

“My birthday is a day I always feel appreciated and loved,” said Naomi, a student at Amity Middle School in Orange. “I want everyone to feel like that.” Sunday evening marked the pilot run

of C.A.K.E.S. There were a few minor glitches. There were candles but no matches. It took a while to find a cake knife.

None of that seemed to matter to Justin.

He regarded the cake with awe, then cautiously stuck his finger into the rich frosting with a mischievous smile as the group sang “Happy Birthday.” When Harvin gifted him five $1 bills, he could barely contain his glee.

“This means a lot,” his mother Alysha said. “We don’t really have the money to celebrate his birthday.”

Danielle Gordon, a Life Haven intern who’s pursuing a master’s in social work, watched the proceedings. “Birthdays can be hard times for people who can’t afford to treat their kids with a party and cake and gifts,” she said. “This is a really nice gesture for everyone.”

The plan is for families to register their kids for a birthday cake; on the bulletin board in the front hall is a sign-up sheet and a QR code. Naomi said some of her classmates have expressed interest in pitching in. There was talk of gradually expanding the initiative to other shelters and learning more about each child so they could customize their cakes.

“I see this as a supplemental source of dignity,” said Harvin, as the group neatened up after the party. “It’s another way for us to show people that we see them and we’re looking out for them. This was a good start.”

Backers Celebrate CT’s New Housing Law In Ceremony At Norwalk Apartment Development

by Donald Eng

NORWALK, CT — Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi has seen many changes in his town in the past few decades. One visible change, he said, is something the town needs to undo.

Speaking at a signing ceremony for Public Act 25-1, a housing bill that expands fair rent commissions, requires towns to enact affordable housing plans, and streamlines multifamily housing conversions from commercial properties among other things, Marconi highlighted the advantages of having a mix of housing types in communities.

“Having grown up there (in Ridgefield), and having seen the changes, we lost our social, we lost our economic and we lost our racial diversity over the last 50 years. It’s gone,” he said. “The cost of housing exceeded my wildest dreams. The demand continues to be there. But we need to get our diversity back.”

In losing its diverse population, Marconi said, Ridgefield students have lost a key segment of their education.

“It’s not just academic education that we need for our children. We need the social, we need the diversity that gives them that rounded learning that allows them to go out into the world knowing how to be successful,” he said. “And

that’s what we’re working toward with this bill.”

The ceremony took place at the new Oak Grove apartment complex in Norwalk. The development currently houses about 70 families with household incomes between 30% and 80% of area median income.

“If you increase the supply of housing, people have more choices,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. “That helps bring down prices. It helps to give people a safe place to live, and that should be the goal of the state of Connecticut.”

Gov. Ned Lamont, who vetoed an earlier version of the bill six months ago, said the revised bill was also good for Connecticut’s economy and its notorious traffic congestion along its Fairfield County highways where Norwalk lies.

“It’s really attractive. It’s folks that work in town able to live in the town they are. Teachers don’t have to drive 50 miles and congest the highways, they’re right there. They have a place they can call home,” he said.

Teachers and other young professionals are the key to the future, Lamont said. Many of those single recent college graduates want a studio or a small apartment rather than a single family house in the suburbs, he said.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do but we’re really getting going,” he said.

“We’ve built a lot of housing in the last five years, and I think this bill is really important.”

The new law, which passed in a special

session last month as House Bill 8002, made numerous changes in regards to housing and planning and zoning, according to the bill analysis. It includes dozens of sections with things like a first-time homebuyer savings program,

a requirement for a town to either opt into a regional Council of Governments (COG) plan or develop their own plan to increase affordable housing and submit it to a COG every five years, a requirement for the housing department to create a plan to provide portable laundry and shower facilities for people experiencing homelessness, creation of fair rent commissions for communities larger than 15,000 residents and making it easier for owners of commercial buildings to convert their buildings for residential use.

Republicans had criticized the bill, which Minority Leader Stephen Harding of Brookfield had called “the biggest step toward statewide zoning that has ever occurred.”

He called the bill “completely antithetical to any level of local control.”

North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda, who is also the head of the Council of Small Towns, on Monday pushed back on those criticisms. “I can tell each and every one of you here, we’re not going to lose local control. I can guarantee you that. And if anybody has any questions you can call me at North Haven Town Hall about that,” he said. “In collaborating with the state, we’re going to see a great perpetuation of good growth that’s going to help people across Connecticut.

The New Haven independent

At Justin’s 5th birthday party, with Alysha, Naomi Rivers, Marcus Harvin, Adam Rawlings, and Yevgeniya Rivers.

Gov. Ned Lamont turns to speak to Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas at an event at the Oak Grove apartment complex in Norwalk on Dec. 8, 2025.

Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie

CTNewsJunkie

Former YNHH Janitor Returns, As Med Student

by Lisa Reisman

Among the volunteers handing out bags of stuffing and yams at a recent Thanksgiving Giveback on Sylvan Avenue was a woman in a matching maroon sweatshirt and headband. She was wearing a Yale School of Medicine ID card.

Eight years ago, Shay Taylor had a different Yale ID card, one that read “Environ Svc Assoc.” At that time, Taylor worked as a janitor. She’s now in her fourth year at the Howard University College of Medicine.

Taylor had taken the Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) janitor job fresh out of Wilbur Cross, where she graduated in the top 10 percent of her class.

“My mom ran a really strict household,” Taylor, 32, said. “School came first. She never went to college, so that was the dream.” She planned to use her earnings to pay for college and otherwise support herself. She would work as a YNHH janitor for the next 10 years.

Not long into her college career, her mother started having health issues that had her in and out of the emergency room. There had been a house fire a few years earlier. The smoke had damaged her lungs. The symptoms were getting worse and worse.

She recalled when she first brought her mother to the ER. Her mother was gasping for breath, her oxygen levels were low, but, she said, the doctors didn’t seem to take those symptoms seriously. “They asked if she had a mental illness, and this happened each time I brought her in,” she said.

Taylor grew distraught. Then, one day, an idea came to her. At the time, she was routinely assigned to clean the office of Yale New Haven’s then-CEO Marna Borgstrom. “I doubt she knew my name, but I knew she would say hi to me every-

day, so I emailed her about what was going on with my mom,” she recalled.

Borgstrom replied the next day. “She apologized this was happening and promised to meet with the team and figure out what’s going on,” Taylor recalled, shaking her head with wonder.

Within a week of the email came the diagnosis: vocal cord dysfunction, a condition that can occur years after the initial trigger. “She had inhaled all this smoke and that damaged the muscles of her vocal cords, and they were closing up when she tried to breathe so it felt like she was breathing through a straw,” she said.

Months of rehabilitation, including respiratory retraining therapy and speech therapy, followed. “Everyone was relieved,” she said. “There were answers, and my mom wasn’t crazy.”

Taylor was changed as well. In the midst of her research, she grew aware that her mother’s plight was far from uncommon.

“I read all these studies about how doctors don’t hear Black women or see their pain,” she said.“I wanted to be in a position to help people like my mom.”

By then, Taylor was in her junior year at Southern Connecticut State University. She was a general studies major. “I knew I wanted to do something with my life, and I knew I could do it, I just didn’t know what it was,” she recalled. She switched to biology. She had two years to satisfy the pre-med requirements. Even then, she said, “I had an advisor telling me ‘hey, this is crazy, maybe you should think about something else.’”

That only made her more determined, it seems. “Once I decided to be a doctor, I knew I had to get it done,” she said. “I was ready to put the work in.” As hard as she worked, she gradually realized two years might not be enough to prepare her for medical school. She enrolled in a graduate program in biomedical sciences

at Quinnipiac University.

In her second year, she applied to medical schools. Each one turned her down. She didn’t give up. During the second round, she happened to see a post on Instagram about the mentorship squad, a program for Black and Latino women on their path to becoming physicians. She filled out the application. Then came a call. It was Dr. Gena Foster, an assistant professor in medical oncology and hematology at the Yale School of Medicine.

“She showed me there was a way to tell my story that would help me shine through,” Taylor said. Foster noted that nowhere in her application was there mention that she had worked as a janitor. “I was honestly embarrassed about that, and she said ‘no, it’s a huge part of your story.’” Regarding the travails of getting a diagnosis for her mother, Foster told her to focus on the advocacy skills she developed and, as she put it, “how it taught me how important it was to be there for my patients the way I was for my mom.”

That spring, an acceptance letter came from Howard University College of Medicine. She is now applying for a residency in anesthesiology.

All the while, she’s been sharing her story on Tiktok. When she announced her assignment to Yale for a sub-internship for the month of November, the representatives from the Jennifer Hudson Show reached out to her. On the show, Dr. Foster made an appearance. “She has built me up so much,” Taylor said of Foster. “Every time I have doubts, she tells me ‘you are meant to be here.’”

Her hope is to match at Yale School of Medicine. She’ll find out in March. “This place has given me opportunity in so many ways,” she said, pointing at her ID card at Wednesday’s Thanksgiving Giveback. “Just like Dr. Foster did for me, I want to pay that forward.”

CT Legislators, United Ways Partner In Anti-Food Insecurity Efforts

by Staff Report

HARTFORD, CT — At a time when many people are planning large purchases for holiday gift giving, some Connecticut families are struggling with paying their utility bills, putting food on the table and finding gifts for their children, according to Ashley Gaudiano, chief operation officer of United Way of West Coastal Connecticut.

“When we’re talking about holiday gifts, they need socks and shoes and underwear and coats and they need food,” Gaudiano said. “At a time when I think many of us are thinking about the big things and how wonderful this season of giving and gratitude can be, we are seeing so many people who need the very basics and who need help with that.”

Gaudiano and a group of United Way and retail officials and state legislators gathered Tuesday morning at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford to announce a

partnership to fight food insecurity. Food insecurity, like other financial hardships, tend to be exacerbated during the cold weather months when utility bills tend to

increase, said Eric Harrison, chair of the Connecticut United Ways Chief Professional Officer’s Council.

The partnership is fundraising to pur-

chase and distribute grocery store gift cards, he said.

“Together we’ve raised more than $50,000 for this fund, and we’d like to continue to raise more,” Harrison said.

“The more funding we receive for this fund, the more we can distribute statewide.”

The gift cards range from $25 to $100 and will be distributed through the United Way and various partners.

“The goal is that they will be in hands before December 31,” Harrison said.

Food insecurity goes beyond missed meals and reduced food quality due to cost, said state Rep. Jaime Foster, D-Ellington.

“It’s the constant stress about worrying whether you’ll have enough,” Foster said. “We know that is especially true with parents, who they will often sacrifice what they’re eating so their children get enough, and then still feel like their children are eating an inferior quality of

food.”

And given the permanent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a result of H.R. 1, and the recent uncertainty whether SNAP payments would go out at all, the stress the families feel is “incredibly consequential,” Foster said.

While SNAP brought in tens of millions of dollars to state families each month, state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, D-Fairfield, acknowledged that the $50,000 the group has raised so far was a drop in the bucket compared to the need.

“People have been so generous, and I hope in this season of giving we can continue to amplify that spirit of giving for your neighbors.”

For information on receiving cards go to unitedway.org and follow the link for emergency grocery assistance. To donate toward grocery store gift cards visit unitedwayinc.org or text grocery25 to 41444.

Taylor engaged in clinical training at Howard College of Medicine. Credit: Contributed photo

Eric Harrison, President and CEO of the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, speaks to reporters during a news briefing on a new initiative focused on helping disconnected youth reconnect with education and employment on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2025. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie

The New Haven independent

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Palestine and the Morals of Black Leadership

In December of 2023, the Palestinian minister and theologian Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac delivered a nativity sermon entitled “Christ in the Rubble: A Liturgy of Lament” atBethlehem’s Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church. To the left of t he pulpit was a crèche with a baby swaddled in a keffiyeh, lying amidst fragments of stone and concrete. “More than twenty thousand killed,” he said. “Thousands are still under the rubble. Close to nine thousand children were killed in the most brutal way. Day after day, 1.9million displaced. Hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed.” Turning his attention to global leadership, he said, “We are tormented by the silence of the world. Leaders of the so-called ‘free’ lined up one after the other to give the green light for this genocide against a captive population. They gave the cover.”

Toward the end of the nineteen seventies, a group of Black civil rights leaders decided that they would no longer provide cover for Israel’s occupation and the U.S.’s support for it. They would provide the moral witness that Rev. Isaac would call for decades later. Toward the end of the decade, Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) would assume this charge. Led by Jack O’Dell—the African American civil rights activist, former staff member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and PUSH’s chief of staff—PUSH would work to evolve “a U.S. foreign policy commensurate with what O’Dell called the ‘new period in world behavior’ inaugurated by the end of colonialism,” as the historian Nikhil Pal Singh put it. In other words, O’Dell strived to do for mainstream Black leadership what Malcolm X, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Black Panther Party had 2 done earlier for more radical audiences—situate Black freedom struggles alongside anti-colonial movements in the Middle East.

Regarding the history of Palestinian oc-

cupation, O’Dell said: “Those of us who were present at the birth of Israel, and who went to the rallies supporting it, knew nothing of the Palestinians… When we found that, wait a minute, there’s folks here called Palestinians, who are people of color and Arab, some of us felt that we needed to be better acquainted…” To learn more about Palestinians and their struggles, O’Dell, Jackson and other civil rights activists participated in a series of delegations to Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Israel. While visiting a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut and noticing the open sewage, Jackson turned to O’Dell and said, “Jack, you know, I know this place. I’ve been here. This is South Carolina, where I grew up.”

In 1980, a little-known book—Afro-Americans Stand Up for Middle East Peace—came out of O’Dell’s growing interest in Palestine and his evolving relationships with Arab and Arab American leaders. O’Dell coedited it with the Arab American human rights leader and scholar James Zogby. The two assembled some of the leading civil rights and religious leaders and organizations of the day to contribute.

The anthology includes an excerpt of a

report that then Representative Walter Fauntroy of the District of Columbia presented to Congress after his participation in a fact-finding mission to Lebanon in September of 1979. The report was delivered just weeks after the civil rights leader and politician Andrew Young resigned as President Jimmy Carter’s Ambassador to the United Nations for meeting with a representative from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In doing so, Young violated an agreement that Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon had brokered with Israel, stipulating that no U.S. representative would have talks with that organization. Fauntroy began his report by invoking what he and many Black civil rights leaders understood as an ethical mandate to challenge the U.S.’s “no-talk policy.” He said, “We resolved to exert moral leadership with the strong support of a unified Black leadership in opposing what we consider to be an ill-conceived policy of our government with regard to the Middle East.”

Likewise, the editors of Freedomways Magazine—at the time the leading journal of Black political thought and culture—connected the “no-talk policy” to the suppression of Palestinian history

and realities. They wrote, “For nearly two decades the Palestinians were reduced to non-persons, completely ignored in the scheme of things called Middle East politics… Ignoring the Palestinian people and the many injustices imposed upon them became a prerequisite for continuing to give tens of billions of dollars of sophisticated weaponry and financial aid to the state of Israel in the name of ‘defense.’”

In its chapter, The Black Theology Project—a network of Black ministers, theologians, churchgoers, and activists— touched on the ties between the U.S., Israel and South Africa’s apartheid government: “As Black Christians in the U.S.A., we are opposed to the United States providing aid to South Africa and Israel as long as these two regimes violate human rights, international laws, and those basic ethical principles enunciated in the Holy scriptures of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic Faiths.” Focusing on the military aspects of that aid, the Project went on to say, “We strongly condemn Israeli/South African military and economic cooperation and alliances, and we condemn Israel’s supply of weapons to racist regimes in Southern Africa.”

Afro-Americans Stand Up for Middle East Peace is a small but powerful book that critiques U.S. foreign policy as a vehicle for militarization. Since October 7 th , the U.S. has spent $22 billion dollars in military aid to Israel. President Trump’s tariffs and his Big, Beautiful Bill—on the other hand—will cut household income for everyone except the wealthiest. This is just one indication of the moral direction of our current national leadership.

The efforts of the book’s contributors raise another crucial question though. What is the state of Black leadership in relation to Palestine at this moment? This is not an academic matter. We are standing before a crossroads, and we should indeed learn from the contributors’ example before we find that our values—like the babe—are struggling somewhere in the rubble.

Blumenthal Seeks Answers From Postal Service After More Than 900 CT Holiday Gifts For Troops Returned Or Missing

by Staff Report

United States Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, is seeking clarification from the U.S. Postal Service on how holiday packages should be labeled and shipped to servicemembers overseas this holiday season.

In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, Blumenthal cited Boxes to Boots Connecticut which had 844 of their 1,139 holiday care packages for troops overseas inexplicably returned. Additionally, more than 100 packages are simply missing. USPS has yet to locate the missing packages or provide an explanation to the organization for why the packages were returned, Blumenthal said.

“It has been a time-honored tradition for families and advocates to send holiday packages to our nation’s military

personnel deployed overseas,” Blumenthal said Monday. “The men and women who serve our country in uniform are often away from family and friends during the holidays, and these packages have meaning and impact far beyond their contents.”

Blumenthal said the Postal Service must do right by the servicemembers by providing a clear process for sending holiday packages.

In addition to calling on USPS to publicly disseminate clear guidance and contact information for military families and organizations who are encountering similar obstacles, Blumenthal has asked for a USPS representative to directly contact Kristen Gauvin at Boxes to Boots Connecticut to resolve their issues and ensure the organization can deliver their care packages before the holidays.

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US Sen. Richard Blumenthal speaks to reporters about toy safety on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie

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At Co-Op, The School's Quietest Art Gets Loud & Lyrical

ByLucy Gellman

Cayla Stanton conjured a lush springtime in New Haven, letting Persephone be her guide. Mikayla Holley looked back to the story of Icarus, and rethought everything she knew about flying too close to the sun. A’myah Murphy realized that she could tether the Medusa story to her own life, with tight lyricism that conjured the woman with a crown full of snakes. Sumia Faizi took a beat, then soared from Achilles to Hector to Heracles while never leaving College Street.

All of them are creative writers at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, where students and teachers are working together to reimagine performance for the quietest art in the building. Many have also looked to mythology to make sense of the world around them, where a shifting tech landscape can make human connection feel precious and precarious all at once. Last week, that was front and center in “Creative Writing’s Divine Dialogue,” an hour-long showcase at the school’s 177 College St. home.

“We’re trying to make a name for ourselves in creative writing,” said Stanton, who organized the event with Holley and teachers Catherine Yates, Benjamin Nelkin, Trenity Webber and Janie “Ms. A” Alexander. “It’s been really hard to build audiences back up since Covid. We’ve been doing a lot to redeem our art.”

“People love to love writers, but they don’t always celebrate them,” Yates said. A showcase like this, meant to fête and amplify student voices at a time when they are often muted or ignored, flips that script.

Part of that is building performances around a theme and inviting peers from other arts disciplines in, which doesn’t often happen at the school. This year, Holley and Stanton—who also lead Co-Op’s chapter of the National Honors Society— asked their peers to submit ideas that the two could build a showcase around.

Neither was especially surprised that mythology won out, Stanton said: these students are part of a generation that grew up with Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books, a series that made centuries-old tales feel new and thrilling for young readers.

It also builds on a moving history of readings for the department, which for years presented a showcase based on the student publication Metamorphosis (the next issue drops in the spring). A year or so ago, creative writing students proposed folding in other arts disciplines, working closely with the theater department for lighting and sound. They added costumes for skits like “The Golden Apple Show” that transformed College Street into the Garden of Hesperides for just a few minutes. For classmates who felt shy presenting work, theater students like Jayla Bosley and Haelynne Diaz also stepped up to read.

“Our art is the only art, other than visual arts, where we’re really performing our own work,” Holley said. So to change up the format and all some razzle-dazzle felt

right on time.

As students took the stage, all of those new elements worked, creating whole worlds (and teachings) around short fiction, poetry, monologue and dialogue. As Faizi, just a freshman, leaned into the mic, she conjured a universe of interiority within her ribcage, collapsing the imagery of a room in a home onto the language of a human body. If a listener closed their eyes, they could see it, moving up and down with the tempo of uneven, tentative breath.

My ribs aren’t warriors / They break easily

The keys of my ribs are lost / My heart is free for everyone to steal

The keys are lost / The keys / Are lost Panic makes its way through / Easily creeping in to choke my heart

Onstage, Faizi read with a calm, even cadence, the weight of her words measured as they pushed past the mic, and into the audience. In the world of the poem, war was raging inside her body, Her heart was choking, deprived of the sustenance it so needed. She struggled to contend with this war-ready visitor at the doorway to her heart, trying to be let in. And then, she noticed that someone else was there, in the room with her. Her tone shifted. The anguish dissolved from her voice. She looked out at the audience for just a moment, then back down to something closer to the mic. In the auditorium, a listener could have heard a pin drop.

Wait! Why am I telling you all of this? You came in, didn’t you?

That was true again in Reann Toussaint and Jaiden Rogers’ “Myth-ly Cults,” as the two built a whole, fictionalized world inside the small space and time of a rest stop somewhere in Southern California. In the story, partners Clementine and Max are on a road trip, when they swing through the town where Clementine grew up. As the two students jumped between narrative and dialogue, conjuring an encounter with an old flame, they had mem-

bers of the audience on the edge of their seats.

“You told him I was your friend?!” the character Max seethed, and it felt like the two could have been right there on the stage. “We’ve been dating for what, like six years now?!”

“Listen, I’ve been avoiding talking about my family because they just aren’t great to talk about,” Clementine replied, and it was instantly relatable.

After the performance, Yates noted that the two are an example of how young writers, given the space to do so, can flourish and also help create community: they’ve been reading installments from the same story for three years now, creating a plot that their readers (or during the reading, listeners) are genuinely invested in at this point.

And indeed throughout, students cheered each other on with a pep and enthusiasm that put the Harvard-Yale game to shame.

When Julian Gasca walked on for his poem “I Just Want To Sleep,” theater teacher Sumiah Gay burst into preemptive applause, with a laughter-laced shout of “Me too!” Students, taking her lead, followed until the room was filled with clapping.

roles as organizers to read, pulling the audience in with their ability to spin myth and metaphor into mid-afternoon magic. Holley, who hopes to attend Howard University in the fall, explored the myth of Icarus and Daedalus, asking herself what it meant to take a risk in her poem “The Fall.”

In the myth, Icarus’ giddy risk-taking is reckless, and marks the premature end of his life, as he flies too close to the sun, and the wax wings that have carried him to freedom melt in the heat. Back in New Haven, Holley thought about risk-taking in terms of her college applications, in which she was elbow-deep as she and Stanton planned the showcase.

“I sat there and I tried to think of my favorite myths,” and Icarus came to her again and again. So did her dream school.

“Do I want to take this risk?” Unlike Icarus, whose decision to take a chance spells out his premature death, she knew that the worst outcome could be not getting in (as far as this reporter is concerned, she’s already a future Bison).

When junior A’niyah Smith reimagined the dybbuk—an evil and predatory spirit that has its roots in old-world Jewish folklore—in “Speak for Me,” students gave low murmurs of agreement to turns of phrase like “they pierce my tongue with needles of uncertainty” and “stalking my blood like an ocean of sharks.”

By the time Diaz and Bosley had come on as high school students, sitting backto-back for Stanton’s “Point Of View,” the cheers were wear-splitting and wondrous all at once. The skit, which places two monologues beside each other to show the harm of negative self-talk, became a cautionary tale in an audience full of students who may pick apart their appearance or behavior on a daily basis.

As senior Samuel Franco closed it out with “Yama-Uba’s Fury,” looking not to Greek mythology but to Japanese folk tales, an exuberant shout of “I know him!” went up from the front row, where Max Hoffman sat with a group of choir students. Franco, interested in shifting narratives, told the story not from the third person, but the first, putting himself in the shoes of an old, rapaciously hungry Japanese forest witch.

The emcees, too, emerged from their

Stanton, meanwhile, thought about Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, to whom she was introduced last year when Hadestown came to the Shubert Theatre. The play made her fall in love with mythology all over again. As it stayed with her—she’s a fan of the show—it also made her think about grief and loss in her own life, including with the passing of her mother, Michelle Stanton, and grandfather, Anthony Andreoli, last year. In her work, suspended somewhere between prose, poetry, and critical essay, Stanton retold the story of Persephone and Hades, a star-flecked purple backdrop glittering behind her. Reading with a sense of total calm, she focused not on their grudging and complicated love, but on Demeter’s thick, palpable grief, so heavy that Zeus sent a messenger to the underworld.

She moved through Persephone’s emergence back above ground, surprising the audience as she pivoted to herself. “Her innocence once lived in me, too,” she said, and suddenly the work took on whole new dimensions. “Frolicking through high school, foolishly believing the fate I feared was distant, in the future.”

She remembered the pain of losing her mother, and then her grandfather, in a single season. Stanton didn’t have the luck of the Greek gods: there was no negotiator she could send to the underworld to bring her mother back. And yet, having the myth in her back pocket somehow sustained her, she said. It still does, because she knows that the loss baked into it is as old as time itself. Or in her words, “I face an eternal winter,” but “I’m not angry or bitter, just grateful.”

“I wanted to connect my piece to something in my personal life,” she said in an interview after the performance. When she envisioned Demeter, “I was thinking about my journey. I wanted to talk about why we share these myths, these stories. They teach us. My grief taught me to appreciate what I have in the moment.”

The latest installment of "Myth-ly Cults," from writers Reann Toussaint and Jaiden Rogers. Both are juniors at the school.

Haelynne Diaz and Jayla Bosley, theater students who brought "Point Of View" to life. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Arts Council of greater New Haven

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Drums Take Center Stage At Symphony Stunner

Lucy Gellman

At first, the two drums were the only voices in the room, ringing out through the cavernous space with a round, warm sound. On the stage, still half-cloaked in shadow, Michael Mills and Brian Jawara Gray conjured an intimate drum circle, as if it was just them and the taut, singing skins beneath their palms. If someone leaned in close enough, they could almost hear Mills’ gravelly intonation of the words heart-beat, heart-beat.

A tentative, then steadied, clapping came from the percussion section, as though a voice had joined in. The conversation had begun.

Continents, rhythms and centuries collided at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) last Sunday, as the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) presented "Feel The Beat," a percussion-centered program with George Gershwin, Derrick Skye, Silvestre Revueltas and the Blue Steel Drumline. Held at the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, the concert became a powerful call to both listen to history and to think of it as a living and embodied practice, passed down by the hands that shape and carry it.

While Skye's extraordinary "Between Suns" may have been the centerpiece of this action—thanks in no small part to New Haven treasures Michael Mills and Brian Jawara Gray—musicians worldbuilt throughout, from Gershwin's 1928 "An American In Paris" (arranged by Pacho Flores, who performed with the symphony in May) to Revueltas' 1939 "La Noche de los Mayas," in which bombastic drums undergird a sweeping and cinematic ode to Mayan culture.

"It's been an amazing challenge for us, because this is not music that we play every day, but you've made it so wonderfully joyful," So said to Skye before launching into the piece, and it seemed that he was speaking at once about a single composition and the whole concert.

And from the first few notes of "An American in Paris," the swirl of rhythm had a kind of distinct pull, taking the audience back to a city Gershwin immersed himself in a century ago. Bells chimed and strings sprang to life, and suddenly the symphony was not in a college auditorium at all, but in the center of Paris, watching old-school Citroëns and side car taxicabs fly by on their way past the Tuileries gardens and Place de la Concorde. Woodwinds trilled a hello, and buses trundled down a road that had appeared from nowhere. In the first chair of the violins, concertmaster David Southern leaned in, and appeared to dance as he played, the music alive in his neck and shoulders. Horns honked their hello from the percussion section, and it was as though taxicabs had made their way into the auditorium, where they were suddenly welcome with open arms.

For those familiar with the eponymous 1951 film, it was easy to close one's eyes and see the opening credits, set in the City of Light just years after the end of the

Second World War. Strings hurried past in perfect sync, and water gushed over the Fontaines de la Concorde. Violins dipped and hummed, and the camera jumped to the Tuileries, the Opéra Garnier and Pont Alexandre III. There, in the hustle and bustle of the Left Bank, was Gene Kelley, ready to bring the music to life.

“I think he [Gershwin] is just the icon for how American music is a wonderful melting pot of influences from all over the world,” So had said just minutes before, and it was. No sooner had strings and percussion conjured a bustling cityscape than the clarinet swooped in, its voice warm and duck-like all at once. The melody slowed to a march, horns keeping it moving, and musicians seemed to savor the moment even as they worked to catch up. So, moved by the sound, lifted his arms and appeared to do a relevé in perfect first position, followed by what can only be described as a loose interpretation of the Horton Technique. Marimba sang its hello, and his body jerked forward at the waist, as if pulled toward the instrument with a magnetic force.

When strains of jazz entered the fray, he appeared to defy gravity entirely, bouncing on the waves of sound that spilled out into the audience. By a final note from the tuba, it felt as though the symphony were watching the sun rise from the Pont Neuf, and the whole pink-soaked city was their oyster.

“Gershwin is one of our national treasures,” So said, and the audience seemed to agree with applause that traveled up and down the aisles, and into the cracks and crevices in the auditorium. In the back of the auditorium, Eric Triffin stood to let the music move him, and a few young kids took note, swaying along in their seats. The wonder was contagious.

It stayed with the audience for the entirety of the program, from the final, jazz-infused notes of “An American In Paris” to a performance from Blue Steel that became a bridge between the first and second halves of the performance. In Revueltas’ “Noche de los Mayas,” it flowed from a swaggering, dramatic fanfare to propulsive percussion that nearly got the audience on its feet. In an interlude from the drumline, it hammered through the floor, consistent even as a drummer summoned help with his bass drum, and reinforcements swooped in.

But nowhere was it stronger than in Skye's "Between Suns," which debuted with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) earlier this year, after close to three years of collaboration with the organization. In 2022, Skye began to work on the piece after the KSO performed James DeMars’ “Sabar: Concerto for African Drums” with the group Indigenous Vibes and the drummer Obayana Ajanaku. The work, which DeMars published in 2001, combines the Sabar drumming tradition of Senegal with more traditional classical work for orchestra.

At the time, “it was an intense and really rewarding experience,” remembered KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian in

an interview with Knoxville radio station WUOT earlier this year. Working with Ajanaku, he began dreaming about a composition that could showcase the group’s skills, spotlight West African drumming, and bring in classically trained musicians for whom polyrhythms were a stretch. Skye was the composer who brought that dream to life.

“I’m always in search of a musical vo-

drummers play, making it a deep dialogue (and for the NHSO, a worthy stretch) between traditions, instrumentalists, and histories of music and migration. These range from Ghanaian Fontomfrom drumming to the sonic traditions of Morocco’s Amazigh people. As they come together, they show the deep richness and diversity of a part of the world that is often spoken of or taught in terms of colonial contact, forced migration and resource extraction.

“One of the things that’s really fun about this type of music and this type of work is when you’re around it for a long time, you can hear the melody of rhythm,” Skye said. “The melodies are there, and the longer that you’re around the rhythms, the melodies reveal themselves to you.” Sunday, that was audible from the first movement, “Solar Periapsis,” to the last, an exuberant layering of sound titled “Orbital Convergence." As the piece began, Jawara offered a rolling, sing-song drum that punctured the darkness, and Mills responded without any need for words at all. Behind them, musicians sat at the ready, listening before they joined the conversation.

For any listener who has been to Jawara’s Monday classes at the AfAm House or New Haven’s healing drum circles—at Bregamos Community Theater, on the New Haven Green, at citywide block parties and arts festivals across the city—it was the heartbeat that he and Mills often open with, both an offering and a benediction. Before long, clapping from the percussion section had joined in, a little uncertain but still eager. The horns cried out, as if talking back to the drums. Then it was the woodwinds, jumping in on top of each other.

By the second movement, Jawara had traded his djembe for a hand drum, the sound almost gurgling, brook-like as it bounced through the room. Mills, seated to his left, answered with a steady, rhythmic flurry. If a listener closed their eyes, they could see the sky changing from pink to blue to almost-black, stars twinkling against its velvet backdrop. Instruments, feeling the movement, seemed to rise slowly around the drums, as if they were breathing.

cabulary, a voice, a music where anybody, from anywhere, much like our country, can hear the music, but then hear phrases that are personal to them, no matter where they come from,” Skye said Sunday, looking out onto the audience. “So it’s a bit of a holy grail that I’m after.” What sets “Between Suns” apart, he added, is that members of the orchestra echo several of the polyrhythms that

The symphony paused for a moment between movements, and applause filled the auditorium, bucking buttoned-up tradition. As Mills and Jawara pushed into the next movement, a few voices popped up from the rows, talking back to the musicians with exclamations of “Oh!” and “Yes” brimming with gratitude. Clapping entered the fray once more, louder and more persistent. From the right side of the stage, the cellos and double bass players turned their instruments into unlikely vehicles for percussion, reimagining the way they could touch the taut strings and hard, cool wood underneath.

That’s part of the point, of course: Mills and Jawara are powerful educators and masters of their craft, passing on a tradition that now-ancestors like Baba David Coleman carried for years. And yet, they’ve been largely boxed out of orga-

The New Haven independent

Michael Mills (in yellow) with Derrick Skye, with Brian Jawara Gray and Perry So in the background.

Sisters' Journey December Survivor of the Month - Carolyn Rogers Jackson

My name is Carolyn Rogers Jackson. August 23, 2022 was the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer and the day I started looking at life differently. I was 62 years old.

July 2022, I had my annual mammogram. After two weeks of waiting for results, they called me back for more screening – another mammogram and an ultrasound. Now, I’m thinking, WHY?

I had gone faithfully every year since my 40th birthday. I was told then that I had “dense breasts.” So, in addition to the mammogram, I would need an ultrasound as an additional layer of screening. Okay, no problem. I went through this process for the next 21 years. In January of 2022, my OBGYN told me that I no longer had dense breasts, so going forward, I wouldn’t need the ultrasound. Turns out, this was not true at all.

So, In July, when I got the call, I returned for my second screening – a mammogram and ultrasound. I was called back to the mammography room for more

pictures to get a better look. I went to the ladies’ room while waiting for the tech to return with the “all clear” message. However, when heading back to the room, I noticed the technician, radiologist and a nurse waiting outside the door. The walk down the hallway felt a mile long. I said, “This doesn’t look good!” I heard one of them say, “I’m sorry Mrs. Jackson, but you have cancer!”

All I remember saying was, “What gives you the right to say that?” The room went black. The nurse took my hand and said, “I got you.” She was very calming and quickly scheduled all the appointments I would need. This was on a Tuesday. By Thursday I was at Smilow having a biopsy which confirmed the radiologist’s report – Stage 1, HER2 negative, ER positive breast cancer!

The following week I met with the surgeon Dr. Zanesky, and oncologist Dr. Pusztai. The plan was to do a left breast lumpectomy. He suggested I go home and discuss things with my family, I

said “Why? Let’s do this and get it done. There’s no reason for this to be in my body any longer.” They scheduled the biopsy before I left that day.

Two weeks later I underwent a lumpectomy and had two lymph nodes removed. Both were negative for cancer. Then came 16 rounds of radiation. Scary, but I handled it well. I decided to continue working through my treatments and recovery. However, by the evening, I was wiped out. My goal was to have everything completed by my birthday (December 29) and I did just that.

To God, Be The Glory! I’m currently on Anastrazole and had my first hot flash, which was an unexpected surprise. I’ll get bone density scans every two years to make sure they don’t become fragile. In early 2024, I was diagnosed with a mild case of lymphedema in my left forearm, so I’ve started therapy and will possibly wear a compression sleeve.

I’m one of the fortunate ones. I am blessed with a great support system. My

mother Helena was there when I returned home after surgery. My sister Adrienne called every day to check on me. My aunt Violetta stocked my freezer with homemade soups. My children, Dramel & Courtney, my niece Jocelyn and my grandchildren handled my diagnosis in their own way. Thank you to Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Streets, my family and my church family for the many prayers; and to Eileen Williams-Esdaile and Stephanie Burke-Smith, you already know! With God leading the way, I got this!

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Tee Shirts are available in our Shop! New Haven Virtual Support Group Meeting: Every 3rd Tuesday of the month 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Bridgeport Virtual Support Group Meeting: Every 3rd Thursday of the Month 6:30pm – 7:30pm Contact Us: sistersjourney@sbcglobal.net Or Call: 203-288-3556

We’re on the web @ Sistersjourney.org.

Grammy Winner Brings Down The House On Audubon

by Jisu Sheen

The band warmed up the room within seconds, a runaway train with saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smith smiling at the controls. They were masters of buildup, repeating phrases over and over without the hint of a flinch.

I was watching Hendrickson-Smith, who has won six Grammys and toured with likes of The Roots and Amy Winehouse, and his jazz/funk/soul band at the latest installment of Neighborhood Music School‘s “Live at NMS” series. Guitar, organ, saxophone, and drums came together for funky dissonance and smooth resolutions in front of a packed room.

David Hawkins drummed himself into a trance, gazing above the crowd and into the distance as his hands created cathedrals of sound, only to tear down those walls in waves of ear-splitting expert demolition. He used the drumsticks at all kinds of angles, dampening and modifying the vibrations. At times, he used his bare hands to strike the drums like a conga. He ended his solo with a quick head tilt, and that was that.

Where Hawkins kept his cool, the crowd lost it. They went wild, screaming and whistling.

“One more time for David Hawkins,” Hendrickson-Smith lied. It would not be just “one more” round of applause for the drummer. The crowd wouldn’t have it. Neither would Hendrickson-Smith, who went on to lead the crowd in a third cheer. Then Hendrickson-Smith gathered the raucous mood into a somber moment, telling the crowd he needed to speak to something serious. He waited until the room quieted down, using the silence to set the stage for his announcement. A hush fell over the festivities. Hendrick-

son-Smith opened his mouth:

“That was David Hawkins on the drums!” The audience broke into laughter and gave a fourth round of applause for the virtuoso on drums.

Hendrickson-Smith’s saxophone danced across every note, leading with a light touch. Eric Finland added a ‘60s synthy sound with the organ, keeping his feet on the pedals and hands flying across the keys.

Al Street on guitar teased the crowd, hitting an impossible lick and then hitting it a few more times, just for fun. It was a super funky show, reminding the crowd that jazz can and will take you to extremes.

Inside an amp-like black box behind

Finland, I could see something spinning behind a grille. Was it a fan? Maybe it was a computer fan, I thought, saving the machine from overheating. The guess didn’t feel quite right, but it was all I could work with for the time being.

The four-part outfit was a slight reconfiguration of the house band at a venue Hendrickson-Smith once ran with his wife in Brewster, N.Y., which closed due to what Hendrickson-Smith described as an unfortunate situation with a corrupt individual—a tale as old as the music business. The venue was called Uncle Cheef, and the band was called Grease Patrol. Minus one saxophonist and with a drummer swapped, Friday night’s band was Grease Patrol with a slick twist.

Finland pushed power chords on the keys. The organ sound was nostalgic and pretty, emitting a warm, textured fuzz evoking CRT televisions, cassette tapes, and corduroy; there is something so comforting about a good grain. I would come to learn later the sound’s vibrating edges were an effect of the spinning “fan” in the mysterious black box.

“We want you to leave here better than you showed up,” Hendrickson-Smith told the crowd. He encouraged us to let our hair down. “If you have any, go ahead,” the fashionably bald saxophonist continued.

When he wasn’t playing, Hendrickson-Smith got out of the way, literally. He would walk off to the side, grinning and sharing glances with Hawkins as he let the rest of his band shine.

Hawkins, meanwhile, barely rested for a second, keeping the motor of the music moving across every hill and valley the other band members drove him to. When his drum set started running away from the rug, Hendrickson-Smith knew exactly when to rest a foot on the metal stand and when to take it off.

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Hawkins started drumming when he was 2, “on the pots and pans.” As he grew up, he started playing in church, exploring gospel, rock, and hip-hop. In high school he discovered jazz.

It was a matter of fate, it seemed: Omaha was a pivotal stop on the transcontinental Union Pacific Rail Road line, bringing jazz greats like Duke Ellington through the midwest to infuse the Nebraska city with swing and blues over the years. Like the city itself, Hawkins wouldn’t be left untouched by jazz’s irresistible melodies.

A mentor who had spent time in New York in the ’90s helped Hawkins along

his path, sharing what Hawkins called an “interconnectedness” and sense of perspective. “He opened my eyes to the bigger world out there,” the drummer said.

Hawkins moved to New York in his mid-twenties and played Uncle Cheef’s opening night a year later; now 29, he’s steadily making his dreams come true. “Hope you’re having as much fun as we are,” Hendrickson-Smith said in between songs. “It feels almost illegal up here.”

After the set, Finland told me about the organ he was playing, which was first sold as a “take-home pipe organ” for a primarily Black church audience (and would later be taken up by rock bands like the Grateful Dead). To reach a sweet spot of godliness and practicality, the makers added a speaker: the box I had been eyeing since the beginning of the set.

Inside, an actual horn spins at a speed the player can control, creating a Doppler effect “like a train leaving the station,” Finland described. And with Street, Hawkins, and Hendrickson-Smith chugging along by his side, it was full steam ahead.

“A lot of that’s just connection,” Street said of the wordless communication constantly bouncing back and forth between the band members. The music featured heavy improvisation, and while the musicians expressed shock at each other’s daring, they were never caught off-guard.

“We’re not only professional compatriots, but we’re, like, actual friends,” Hendrickson-Smith said. The real-life chemistry “adds a layer of trust.”

That (chemical?) bond will come in handy soon. Hendrickson-Smith is now preparing to announce the triumphant re-opening of Uncle Cheef, just one more stop on the house musicians’ wild musical ride.

Carolyn Rogers Jackson.

Ian Hendrickson-Smith and Friends Al Street on guitar, Eric Finland on organ, David Hawkins on drums Neighborhood Music School New Haven

Guitarist Al Street (left) and Hendrickson-Smith leading on sax (right).

The New Haven independent

Teachers Make Closing Push For Affordable Health Care

by Maya McFadden

Differences between current insurance plan for educators and proposed state plan NHFT is requesting, in a writeup provided by the teachers union.

Over 100 New Haven public school teachers and supporters showed up to Monday’s Board of Education meeting to back the teachers union’s push for the district to lower educators’ healthcare costs — by moving teachers onto a state health insurance plan.

Advocates for the requested change, which is part of negotiations around a new teachers union contract, argued that the move is essential to prevent local teachers from having to pick between paying their bills and visiting a doctor.

Mayor Justin Elicker, who is also a voting member on the Board of Education, responded that moving teachers onto the state health insurance plan would be too expensive and would create an “imbalance,” because educators are currently on the same health plan as every other city employee.

After weeks of negotiations, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) and the New Haven Federation of Teachers (NHFT) have a mediation scheduled for Tuesday to come up with a new tentative bargaining agreement that would go into effect on July 1, 2026.

The union and school district have until Dec. 17 to come up with a tentative agreement before an arbitrator will step in and make a decision.

“Take

Seriously Our Request To Look At Our Health Care. It Is Not Good”

Over a dozen educators spoke up at Monday’s meeting at King/Robinson School to inform the Board of Education and school-district leaders of teachers’ concerns with the current health insurance plan offered to educators through the city. They also spoke up with concerns about current teacher wages that they said don’t keep up with inflation.

Wilbur Cross science teacher Charles O’Donnell said, “I am frustrated because adjusting for inflation my income has dropped by about $2,000 since I started teaching in 2019.”

He said that he is in his mid-30s and is raising young children. He wants to continue teaching in New Haven but worries that while the district consistently asks teachers to “do more with less,” it is not working toward a new contract that will reflect a “serious commitment” to fairness and that will ensure educators can afford to stay.

“I love Wilbur Cross but I do not know if I can remain here,” he concluded. “Take seriously our request to look at our health care. It is not good. Please take seriously that we are running out of the ability to afford to work here if we are in the stages of life that I find myself in. I cannot survive another ten years to get to top step. It is not tenable.”

Veteran Co-op teacher Theresa Purdie

testified Monday that New Haven educator salaries are not competitive and the city’s health insurance option is not affordable. “Teachers in New Haven earn thousands less than colleagues in nearby towns while also paying more for basic medical care,” she said.

Purdie and other educators emphasized that the district’s “painful” inequities in wages and health insurance are driving educators away. “Across the district teachers are skipping doctors visits. They’re delaying tests and avoiding specialists because they simply cannot afford it,” Purdie said.

She said she’s talked with educators who have had to forego critical medical procedures because they could not afford the out-of-pocket cost. “As a result some of these coworkers come to work in pain and are also ill,” she added.

Meanwhile, others resort to paying with credit cards, meaning they must pick between financial hardship or risking their health. This is the quiet reality of the schools, Purdie said.

“When educators cannot afford to stay healthy, everyone loses,” she said. “Meanwhile the city has received large rebates from insurance carriers for years. These rebates never lowered our cost. While the city saves, teachers pay the price. Higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. That’s not equity, that’s an imbalance and it’s an injustice.”

Educators emphasized time and again Monday that health insurance should not be a barrier for staff. They said that, by switching to the state plan, teachers would have no deductibles, predictable and manageable co-pays, and real access to care. Many including Purdie argued that choosing the state health plan is choosing recruitment and retention.

Erin Michaud, a Co-op educator who has taught for 25 years, testified that when she started teaching full time in 2000, her salary was slightly over $26,000. At the time medical benefits were only for employees and spousal benefits weren’t an option. It took Michaud 23 years to reach the district’s max pay step as a result of dealing with step and salary freezes, and at one point being pushed backwards on the pay scale.

This year, Michaud said, she takes home less than last year despite being on the max pay step because of the current high deductible health plan.

“My salary went up slightly this year but my pay went down, not because I’m working less, I’m working harder than ever, but because medical insurance costs went up,” she explained.

Last week Michaud learned that the copay for a prescription of hers increased from $75 every three months to now $680 — for the same prescription under the same insurance plan.

She said that educators are not asking for special treatment. Instead, they’re looking for fairness. “No teacher should have to choose between paying their bills and seeing a doctor,” she concluded.

Second year Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS)

special education teacher Laura Cunningham also pushed for the district to increase teacher salaries, particularly for first-year educators. Since she has a master’s degree, he starting salary at NHPS was $54,000. She said that this means she takes home under $3,000 a month in takehome pay. She said that she pays roughly $1,500 out of pocket over the first few months of the year for medical care.

She said that she’s now in medical debt with the current health plan because “even with HSA deposits from the city, it feels like I don’t have any health insurance coverage until I meet my deductible.”

This makes her less likely to seek medical care. As a 35-year-old, she fears she can’t afford to ever start a family while working for NHPS.

She concluded that she recently received a recruitment email from Hartford Public Schools offering $62,000 to educators

In response to Monday’s testimony’s about health insurance, prescription rebates, and other contract-related requests made during public comment, Mayor Justin Elicker responded that he deeply values educators. He said the city and school district have been “killing our ourselves” trying to get more funding for the schools. Switching to the state health plan would make an “imbalance,” he said, because educators are currently on the same health plan as every other city employee. He said when the city consultants did the math, they found it is too expensive to transition to the state health insurance plan for teachers. Teachers union President Leslie Blatteau reported Monday that the city currently pays $40.8 million for its four-tiered health plan, while the cost of the state plan would be $41.1 million.

Currently, 52 school districts in Connecticut offer the state health plan to their employees including Derby, Branford, Bridgeport, New London and West Haven. In addition, the New Haven Housing Authority employees participate in the state plan.

In response to educators’ claims that the city is financially benefitting “off of our backs,” as one teacher put it, with its collecting of prescription rebates, Elicker said: “Simply put, the city does not have enough money to fund what the teachers union is demanding regarding health care. The teachers union is asking for a special plan that is different than the healthcare plan that every other city employee is currently on. The teachers union proposal would cost millions more, which the city just cannot afford. We continue to be open to practical and affordable changes to health care options available to teachers, but we also must be realistic about what we can pay for.”

with a bachelor’s and $70,000 for those with a master’s. While she’s declined Hartford’s offer for now, she concluded, “it will be harder each year for me to say no to those recruitment emails”

Several other educators spoke up about concerns they hope the new contract will address like caseload caps for special education teachers and school counselors, support for veteran educators that mentor new staff, requests for more academic freedom, and smaller class size caps. These changes educators said would help to address the “mental cost” of being an educator in New Haven.

Elicker:

“City Does Not Have Enough Money” To Fund Teachers Union’s Healthcare Demand

He continued, “At the same time, it’s important to note that we will never be able to provide our teachers with the contract they deserve or our students with the education they deserve so long as we continue to be chronically underfunded by the state… No one can tell me that it still costs $11,525 to educate a child – which is the baseline foundation aid amount that the state continues to operate from when it comes to education funding — an amount that hasn’t changed since 2013.” Elicker added that the city’s prescription rebates have been included, publicized and reported in the city’s monthly financial reports for decades.

“The prescription rebates are reinvested to help pay for our employees’ health care, providing direct savings to employees that lower the cost of their health care,” he said. “If the rebates were not reinvested into their health care, our teachers would be paying more for their plans and premiums.”

In FY24-25, the city received $9,410,295 in prescription rebates. In FY23-24, it received $6,262,604. These numbers include the cumulative prescription rebates from all municipal unions and are “all invested in paying for employee healthcare.”

Elm City Montissori teacher Alejandra Corona Ortega (second from left) with friends: Ask for Board to tell educators and community how to support its state legislative efforts for increasing schools funding.

Teachers, allies turn out for Monday's school board meeting. Credit: Maya McFadden Photos

The New Haven independent

Dem-Socialist Lawmakers “Meet The Moment”

by Paul Bass

Make sure government has the money it’s spending. Make roads safer. Make it easier to build new housing of all types. Reocgnize those positions? They’re called … democratic socialism.

Two democratic socialists who have just won releection to local office offered those examples as top issues when asked how their political views influence their work.

The two legislators — Hamden Legislative Council member Abdul Osmanu and New Britain Alderperson Nate Simpson — offered those takes in a conversation Tuesday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.”

Osmanu won a third two-year term on Nov. 4, Simpson a second. Osmanu is one of two Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members on Hamden’s council; he and Simpson are among four DSA members who won local office in Connecticut, and among at least 16 who did so nationwide. DSA, which started coming to prominence with Bernie Sanders’ 2016 Democratic presidential primary campaign, is having a moment because of member Zohran Mamdani’s victory in November’s New York City

mayoral election.

Like Mamdani, Simpson and Osmanu (who did work on Mamdani’s campaign) see intense focus on local issues as fitting into the braoder democratic socialist agenda, including in ways that some outsiders might not always associate with the philosophy. Such as fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Osmanu, who is 24 and works as a government relations staffer for the Connecticut Education Association, said he and colleagues have spent a lot of time focused on that in Hamden, which has structural fiscal deficits and decades of deferred debt to wrestle with.

He said he has pushed for more openness about how Hamden is spending its money, including awaiting results on audits of whether previously budgeted spending freezes actually took place. He has opposed budget gimmicks like using red-light and speeding-camera revenue for general operating budget expenses, which he said is not allowed under state law. He said he’s seeking to use the revenue instead for a special “participatory budgeting” fund through which neighbors can decide along with town engineers which approaches to take to traffic

calming.

Osmanu echoed Mamdani’s emphasis on delivering results to voters. “That doesn’t come with a capitalist label or a socialist label, or a Republican or a Democratic label,” he said.

In New Britain, Simpson, a 26-year-old who has worked in hospital food safety, said he has also seen fiscal responsibility as fitting into his political vision. He has resisted other legislators’ push to build a new high school, for instance, until he can be convinced that the city can truly pay for it, he said.

Like DSA itself, both legislators have focused on tenant rights and affordable housing in their campaigns and legislative tenures.

After organizing efforts failed to produce a statewide just-cause eviction law, Osmanu said he is now looking to work with colleagues to pass a version just for Hamden. He’d like to work with colleagues in other towns to spread the efforts from the grassroots up. “This is how we meet the moment,” he said.

Osmanu is also looking to replicate New Haven’s creation of a landlord registry, with hopes to use revenues to support a housing trust fund to preserve and

support creation of affordable housing. Hamden also needs to relax some zoning rules to allow for mixed-use development in order to build its tax base, Osmanu argued. That would include denser neighborhoods. He said he’s navigating a position between NIMBY opponents of new development and YIMBY “build build build” proponents of letting developers create all the housing they can anywhere. He argued that rules do need to be loosened, but thoughtfully, because the public does have legitimate concerns that should guide building.

Despite the urban nature of parts of southern Hamden, the town has only about 1,500 people living per square mile, Osmanu said. “When you look at that in terms of municipalities that have over 40,000 people, I think the only municipality that is in the ballpark of having that dismal level of person-per-square mileage is Greenwich.”

Like Bernie Sanders when he negotiated a waterfront development as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, like Mamdani embracing housing-zoning reform initiatives on the 2025 NYC ballot, Osmanu said he recognizes the value of including upscale development in the mix if done thoughtfully as part of a broader strategy

to promote all kinds of housing. He cited the Champlain Valley Housing Trust as a model for that kind of strategy. He also called for exploring housing coops. “I am a socialist existing within the constraints of a capitalist system. So how, in our unique situation, do we allow ourselves to be able to develop and gain the revenue that we need to actually keep our town fiscally afloat and solvent, while also taking care of and using whatever funds and proceeds that we can to be able to build more affordable housing?”

In New Britain, Simpson who chairs the council’s planning, zoning and housing committee, is scouring state housing laws. He argued that they give municipalities more powers than people realize to promote “fair housing” laws that go beyond anti-discrimination rental laws. He’s looking to craft a proposal to enable the city to hold onto foreclosed properties and sign rent-to-own agreements with low-income tenants. In addition to guaranteeing families affordable housing, the deals would provide rental income for the city’s coffers for years, then tax revenues when the tenants become homeowners, he argued. Simpson, too, called for more zoning flexibility without abandoning attention to public oversight.

HEAD START PROGRAM

ENROLLMENT

Deborah Levine says it takes ‘all

of us’ to fight against health disparities

by JASON PONTEROTTO

When Deborah Levine was in graduate school at New York University, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and encouraged by a counselor to go into an industry like hair and makeup as opposed to public health, believing the rigor would be too intense for her. But her passion was helping people, particularly in the mental health space. So with the support of her parents, Levine continued on that path and began working with emotionally disturbed and acting-out latency-age children who were impacted by the early days of HIV, which began her work dealing with the illness.

Available spots for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 at Dr. Reginald Mayo, John S. Martinez and other neighborhood schools, for the 2025-2026 school year To apply visit 54 Meadow Street New Haven or online at nhps.net.

She now serves as the Community Engagement Director for the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (SPH), where she’s been since 2020. Within that role, she is the director for the Harlem Health Initiative, addressing the unique priorities and health disparities facing the community with a focus on HIV and access to care.

A Queens native, Levine, 62, worked with Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement for 11 years as the Vice President of Health and Wellness. Along with her love of the community, she says working in Harlem allowed her to become the best health advocate and community engagement officer she could be, learning from watching figures like Dr. Hazel Dukes, Frederick Boyd Williams, and Bishop Preston Washington.

“Listening to how they strategically thought about how to create safe spaces and economic development and access to health care in the community, I was very fortunate to be able to sit at their feet,” Levine said. “These were people who were creating playbooks when we didn’t have playbooks.”

Trained as a clinical psychiatric social worker, Levine has worked in the public health space for over 30 years, primarily in Harlem, working with community members, faith leaders, and health officials. She holds degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Columbia University, NYU, and Hunter College. She continued her work in HIV and AIDS through leadership roles at nonprofit organizations like the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education. She was also a founding member of the National Black Women’s HIV AIDS Network.

While working with the Gertz Foundation in 2017, Levine experienced two mergers within five years, resulting in her being laid off. After working in consulting for a short while, she was offered the position at CUNY, and she was happy to find herself back in Harlem once again.

CUNY SPH was established as an independent school in 2016, with the Harlem Initiative being created in 2019. Levine says the community outreach work has evolved based on the needs of Harlem, from navigating COVID, educating and mobilizing around vaccines, creating a Cannabis Equity Board, and also making

sure the students are community-centered in their areas of focus.

Levine says she is both “nervous and cautious” with regard to what legislative cuts will do in the long term to services like NYC Health and Hospitals and their impact as a network hospital or Federally Qualified Health Centers like Ryan Health in Manhattan.

“When you think about public health and what public health means, it is really looking at all the social and racial inequities, everything from environmental issues to maternal child health, to food insecurities, to immigration, to housing, to the data collection, to access to care. That’s what public health is,” Levine said. She says, cuts to agencies like the National Institute of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control all impact public health. Levine says moving forward in addressing Harlem’s health inequities, as well as meeting the unique challenges of this administration, will require community leaders from all sectors, including local medical leaders, elected officials, attorneys, to interpret the laws and be able to develop the best strategy, and community stakeholders such as block associations and community boards. “It’s all of us,” Levine said. “When we think that the table is full, look around and say, who’s not here being represented?”

Last week, Donald Trump announced the government would not acknowledge World AIDS Day. Healthcare leaders across the country pushed back and commemorated the day of remembrance anyway.

“We’re not going anywhere. This administration can try to cancel World AIDS Day, but they can’t cancel our sort of love, our community, or commitment,” Levine said. She affirmed CUNY SPH would continue to amplify the occasion, which honors those who have been lost to the illness and those who continue to fight for solutions. “They can cancel it in D.C., if they want to, but that’s not going to stop me and others from just shouting a little louder.”

“(World AIDS Day) belongs to the people,” Levine continued, “and we have a responsibility to keep lifting our storytellers up and telling our story and demanding the resources and the respect that our communities require and need.”

Mechanic III

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Mechanic III. Wages: $35.42 to $43.00 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the December 28, 2025 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Looking for a full-time welder in our shop-Skills include but not limited to MIG/TIG welding, plasma ARC-Structural steel and miscellaneous metals. Please send your resume to: Jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

Listing: Laborers/Helpers

Immediate opening for full-time Laborers/Helpers for a fast-paced, growing HVAC/Petroleum company. Position requires flexible work schedule, days and weekends. Some heavy lifting required. Must have a valid driver’s license to run errands. Computer knowledge a plus. Send resume to HR Department, hrdept@eastriverenergy.com, 401 Soundview Road, Guilford, CT 06437.

****An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans****

Request for Qualifications

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) seeks the services of one or more consultants for the following transportation planning studies during the 2026 and 2027 Fiscal Years (July 1, 2025- June 30, 2027): Congestion Management Study, Scenario Planning Study, and Ridge Road Safety Study. Responses are due by January 7, 2026 (12 noon local time). The full RFQ document can be viewed at the Council’s website: www.scrcog.org or can be made available upon request. Contact James Rode at 203-466-8623 with any questions.

Building Maintenance Technician

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Building Maintenance Technician. Wages: $31.21 to $37.09 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the December 28, 2025 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Galasso Materials LLC,

a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please mail resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026.

Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

360 Management Group

Invitation for Bids Agency Wide

Plumbing Services

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

Monday, November 24, 2025, at 3:00PM.

CITY COMMUNITIES

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Communication Media Consultant Firms. A complete copy of the requirements may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Monday, December 15, 2025 at 3:00PM

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Invitation for Bids

398-400 Concord Street Drainage System Improvements

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids from qualified firms for drainage system improvements at 398-400 Concord Street. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Vendor Collaboration Portal. https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway/ beginning Monday, November 24, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Monday, November 24, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Looking for a full-time welder in our shop-Skills include but not limited to MIG/TIG welding, plasma ARC-Structural steel and miscellaneous metals. Please send your resume to: Jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

Maintainer I

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Maintainer I. Wages: $25.15 to $30.26 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the December 15, 2025 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Assistant Building Official

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Assistant Building Official. Wages: $79,529.00 to $100,878.00 annually. For additional information and to apply online by the December 15, 2025 closing date, please visit: www. wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 2942080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

The Glendower Group

The Glendower Group is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for Architectural & Engineering Services for the Redevelopment of George Crawford Manor. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 3:00PM.

Listing: Technician Apprentice

Opening for a full time HVAC/Oil/Heating Technician Apprentice. Candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, oil, propane and natural gas. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Veterans**

METERING SUPERVISOR

The Town of Wallingford, CT is accepting applications for Metering Supervisor. Wages: $115,203 to $144,003 annually. For additional information and to apply online be the November 4, 2025 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

COLLECTIONS MAINTAINER III

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Collections Maintainer III. Wages: $34.62 to $39.22 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the December 30, 2025 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct. gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Criminal Justice Grants and Contracts Specialist (Grants and

Custodian

Maintenance workers needed for the Wallingford Public Schools to work the 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. shift. Hourly rate: $20.27 to $26.41. Requires some experience in building maintenance work. The closing date will be October 20, 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

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NORWALK, CT IS REQUESTING PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTING (IPA) FIRMS OR INDIVIDUALS TO PROVIDE AUDIT SERVICES FOR ITS PORFOLIO OF ASSISTED HOUSING AND RELATED PROGRAMS. TO OBTAIN A COMPLETE COPY OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS,

CONTACT GUILLERMO BENDANA, PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST AT GBENDA@NORWALKHA.ORG PROPOSALS ARE DUE AT 2:00 P.M. ON 11/19/2025.

NORWALK HOUSING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ADAM BOVILSKY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

360 Management Group

for Bids Agency Wide Snow Removal Services 360 Management Group is currently seeking bids from

Looking for a full-time welder in our shop-Skills include but not limited to MIG/TIG welding, plasma ARC-Structural steel and miscellaneous metals. Please send your resume to: Jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

NOTICE

AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA

NOTICE

NOTICE

LA AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH)

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

INFORME ANUAL DE TRABAJO (MTW) DEL AÑO FISCAL 2024

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

La Sección II y la Sección VII del Acuerdo de Trabajo de la Autoridad {el "Acuerdo") exige que antes de que la Agencia pueda presentar su Plan y Informe Anual de Tra bajo Aprobado al Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los EE. UU. (el "HUD"), debe realizar una audiencia pública, considerar los comentarios del público sobre las enmiendas propuestas, obtener la aprobación de la Junta de Comisionados y presentar las enmiendas al HUD.

Garrity

Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

El período de comentarios de treinta (30) días comienza el viernes 1 de noviembre de 2024 y finaliza el sábado 30 de noviembre de 2024. Se pondrán a disposición copias del Informe Moving to Work (MTW) del año fiscal 2024 en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o a través de Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities o a través de Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities.

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

NOTICIA

NOTICIA

Se le invita a enviar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, Moving to Work FY2024 Annual Report, Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org. De conformidad con las Secciones II y VII mencionadas, se ha programado una audi encia pública en la que se aceptarán y registrarán los comentarios públicos para el lunes 25 de noviembre de 2024 a las 3:00 p. m. a través de RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral. com/join/185686287?pw=d7db4e4f735df6289ed5adfb24f3f113

NOTICIA

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

VALENTINA

MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Union Company seeks:

ID de la reunión: 185686287

Contraseña: yaw6Zk28PK

O marque:

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

+12679304000 Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA)

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

Código de acceso/ID de la reunión: 185686287

Contraseña de acceso telefónico: 9296952875

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

Números internacionales disponibles: https://v.ringcentral.com/teleconference

NEW HAVEN

Construction

Cualquier persona que requiera una adaptación razonable para participar en la audien cia puede llamar al Gerente de adaptaciones razonables (203) 498-8800, ext. 1506 o al número TDD (203) 497-8434.mber (203) 497-8434.

NEW HAVEN

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

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

242-258 Fairmont Ave

242-258 Fairmont Ave

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

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

Listing: Mechanic

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

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

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

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

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

Immediate opening for a full-time mechanic; maintenance to be done on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. A valid driver’s license is required in order to run company errands efficiently and safely. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

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

Listing: Commercial Driver

***An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans***

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut –

Senior Sales Representative Wanted

241 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven which are two bedrooms and rent from $1,950-$2,000 and include heat, hot water and cooking gas, private entrance, off street parking and onsite laundry. I have a couple with washer/dryer which are $2,000. Please bill 241 Quinnipiac Avenue, LLC, 111 Roberts Street, Suite G1, East Hartford, CT 06108.

Also, I have a 3 bedroom unit at 254 Fairmont Avenue, New Haven. They rent for $2,050 and the tenant pays all the utilities. Off street parking and private entrance. Section 8 welcomed.

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

Full Time Class B driver for a fast-paced petroleum company for days and week ends. Previous experience required. Competitive wage, 401(k) and benefits. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@ eastriverenergy.com

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

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

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Also, I have a 2 bedroom at 248 Fairmont Avenue, New Haven. They rent for $1,950.00 and the tenant pays all the utilities. Off street parking and private entrance. Section 8 welcomed.

Advertising and the cultivation of existing and new advertising clients is key to the growth and continued success of The Inner-City News. The paper is delivered weekly to businesses, schools, shopping outlets and wherever newspapers can be found. This is a remote sales position.

Work closely with the Publisher and editor to create a successf

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

360 Management Group

Invitation for Bids

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Agency

Please bill the Fairmont Avenue to 258 Fairmont Avenue, LLC at the same billing address as 241 Quinnipiac Avenue. I will be the contact person for them to call at 860-231-8080, ext. 161.

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Listing: Technician Apprentice

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

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

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER Salary (base pay) + Commission to be discussed Potential local travel. Senior Sales Representative Qualifications and Skills: Communicates well and has strong written and verbal communication skills. Knows effective ways to market products and services and learns about new offerings quickly.

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

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LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractor bids for their property located at 979 Quin nipiac Avenue, New Haven. Complete first floor kitchen renovation. Scope to include new kitchen layout. Owner to supply new cabinets. Scope to also include new flooring of area. Job also includes complete first floor bathroom renovation. This includes a complete gut (down to studs) of the bathroom. Environmental testing will be conducted by the owner. Scope includes supplying and installing new step in shower stall, vanity, toilet, tile flooring and wall finishes, tile 4ft wainscot is desired, lighting, grab bars by toilet and showers, exhaust fan with motion sensor, and baseboard heating. The scope of work to include floor drain for the bathroom. Scope to include replacement of existing windows, entry doors. Owner to select tile style, colors, and style of faucets and light fixtures. Further detailed information will be given on the scheduled site visit. GC price should include dumpster and permit feeds. Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 979 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven on 11/22/2024 at 1pm. All bids are due by 12/6/2024 at 10 am. All bids, W9, work scope timeline and copy of license and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

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.

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

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

The 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

POLICE OFFICER POLICE

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Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372

Opening for a full time HVAC/Oil/Heating Technician

Apprentice. Candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, oil, propane and natural gas. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

September 23, 2024, at

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress

Meet the student breaking HBCU ground as a triple-threat scholar and Rhodes Scholarship recipient

by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com

This top honor gives him a fully paid scholarship to study for advanced degrees at the University of Oxford, one of the world’s most famous universities.

N’guessan, one of Atlanta’s brightest young minds, is quickly becoming a star in the global academic world, according to 11 Alive.

The full funding covers all university costs, living expenses, and travel to Oxford for his entire study period, allowing him to focus completely on research at one of the world’s most respected institutions.

N’guessan is a true academic “triple threat,” successfully managing a tough triple-major in economics, mathematics, and computer science. The Rhodes Scholarship, created by Cecil Rhodes, is awarded to students who show academic excellence, strong moral character, dedication to duty, and leadership ability.

Aniaba’s exceptional journey began in Côte d’Ivoire. Before attending Morehouse College, he developed his leadership abilities at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa. At Morehouse, he has made a name for himself as a successful scholar, researcher, and active community builder.

During his time at Morehouse, Aniaba was a dedicated leader, serving two terms as president of the International Students Organization. In this role, he fostered a cross-cultural sense of community and provided support to his peers. Morehouse also noted that the brilliant student was an Oprah Winfrey Scholar.

Beyond his campus involvement, Aniaba has engaged in significant research, including developing AI-driven models for economic development studies at Stanford University and working on computational models at Emory University.

Aniaba’s influence goes beyond academics. He is the co-founder of Viridis AI, an AI and cognitive science-based life

management platform that has garnered support from institutions like the Mastercard Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and Blackstone.

Through volunteerism and mentorship, Aniaba has advocated for financial equity and student achievement. He encapsulates this dedication to excellence and service in his “45-Degree Leadership” philosophy.

“This experience is a pure testament of God’s faithfulness in my life,” Aniaba told Morehouse College. “I’ve learned that our achievements are never for us alone but to serve God and serve humanity. Morehouse prepared me for this moment, not only by sharpening my intellect, but by grounding me in purpose, service, and the belief that leadership must uplift others.”

Met with applause, banners, and signs, the returning student was greeted at the airport by classmates, faculty, cheerleaders, and friends, all celebrating his success. His recent homecoming affirmed

that N’guessan’s journey across continents—fueled by dedication, faith, and support—has transformed remarkable potential into historic achievement.

Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, president of Morehouse College, said, “In my first few months as president, I’ve had several opportunities to interact with Aniaba and get to know him as a young man and ambitious student. As impressive as his background and academic achievements are, his humble leadership and willingness to serve resonate just as powerfully. His selection as a Rhodes Scholar is another profound testament to his tireless dedication and intellectual caliber. We are immensely proud of him and how exceptionally he represents the mission and ethos of Morehouse College.”

Aniaba N’guessan is the sixth Morehouse student to win the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. This success confirms his brilliance and strengthens Morehouse College’s history of developing great leaders.

Trump’s Police Buildout Raises National Alarm

By Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA Correspondent

Across the country, Americans are watching Washington not as the symbolic capital of a democracy but as a stage where power is being rearranged in real time. The resignation of D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith, the deployment of National Guard units and federal troops into the city, and the quiet but relentless expansion of the U.S. Park Police form a single portrait. It is the portrait of a federal government reshaping the meaning of public order by placing its own hand at the center of it.

The Park Police was once a specialized agency assigned to guard monuments and national treasures. The Trump administration has now set them on a different path. Internal records show a push to double the force in Washington, accompanied by a declaration that the agency should become “the premier law enforcement agency in DC, capable of keeping DC safe regardless of inaction by MPD or inaction by the DC City Council.”

“The administration is on a deliberate hiring spree to exploit the U.S. Park Police’s jurisdiction and turn it into a tool of the President for him and his ideological extremists to impose their will on the streets of D.C.,” Sen. Jeff Merkley of Or-

egon, along with Sens. Chris Van Hollen, Dick Durbin, and Ron Wyden, wrote in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

The senators laid out the details the administration did not volunteer. They noted that the Park Police are being hired

through a rushed virtual process with $70,000 bonuses. “There is no psychological testing or physical fitness testing,” the senators wrote. “In fact, applicants are allowed to submit a ‘self-attestation’ in place of an in-person physical fitness test.”

The ACLU, long before the troops reentered the District and before the chief stepped down, warned that a second Trump administration would seek to expand federal policing, encourage aggres-

sive tactics, and roll back oversight. Their analysis described a future in which the federal government would move into cities under the pretense of restoring order while operating from a different motive entirely. It warned of a political project that could deepen racial disparities and use federal law enforcement to exert ideological force.

Interior officials counter the criticism without apology. “It is disgraceful, though not surprising, that the next evolution of the Defund the Police movement is coming from sitting Democrat Senators who are seeking to cut our U.S. Park Police force and risk rising crime in D.C.,” a department spokesperson said.

The senators argue that none of these explanations address the core reality. They wrote, “There is no evidence of an uptick in crime on park service land or increased threats to national monuments. This haste in both a hiring spree and waiving of critical testing and standards are clear signs that the administration is hijacking this federal police force for its own authoritarian purposes.”

administration Chris Van Hollen D.C.

Democrat Dick Durbin Doug Burgum

Exploit Interior Secretary letter maryland

Oregon Park Police Ron Wyden Sen. Jeff Merkley tool Trump

niaba Jean-Baptiste N’guessan, a brilliant final-year student at Morehouse College, has achieved global recognition by being named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar for West Africa.

Steelers Seek Funds To Get To Pop Warner Super Bowl

by Lisa Reisman

The rain came in torrents. It kept coming. None of the 26 12U New Haven Steelers of the Pop Warner Youth Football League practicing on Bowen Field appeared fazed. Nor did their coaches.

These were the undefeated regional champs for the second year in a row, after all. These are New Haven’s representatives for the national championship tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina next week. These 12- and 13-year-olds know the tenacity it takes to succeed.

Now they face a daunting challenge: to find the funds they need to get to nationals. The Community Development Block Grant from which they annually receive $20,000 in U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds was cut in half this year. For each player, the cost for transportation, hotel, and food, during the nine-day trip is $1,200. And as Daryel Barros, Pop Warner Youth Football League president, put it, “every bit helps.”

Not that they’re unfamiliar with adversity. Since August, “we’ve played in 95-degree heat, downpours like today, and windy days, but we’re out here,” said “team mom” Shatea Threadgill, as the players, clad in yellow-and-black jersey and pads, did tackle drills, danced between cones, and went through offensive formations in the driving rain last Tuesday night.

That wasn’t the only obstacle. “The home games are at Winslow Field in Rockview Housing,” said Barros, referring to the Rock View Circle public housing complex. “The rest of the teams don’t want to come unless we promise them they’ll be safe, so we had to cover the cost of security and police.”

The team just kept winning.

“No matter the challenge, there’s no quit in them,” said Barros. “These kids are talented, they’re determined, they’ve got a great work ethic, and they understand that playing football is a privilege. You gotta earn it. To play football you have to go to school and you have to do well in school.”

Barros has been involved with the Pop Warner League for 32 years. “I’ve seen a lot of positives,” he said. Last year, three players who had come up as New Haven Steelers were in the NFL draft, including Tyler Booker, Teron Mallory, and Prince James Boyd. More than that, he said, “a lot of my kids went on to good schools, and they’re now productive men in society. We’ve got firemen, police officers, teachers.”

He pointed out LJ Howard, the team’s star receiver and linebacker.

INSCRIPCIÓN AL PROGRAMA HEAD START

Hay cupos disponibles para Pre-K3 y Pre-K4 en las escuelas Dr Reginald Mayo, John S Martinez y otras escuelas del vecindario, para el año escolar 2025-2026. Para aplicar, visite 54 Meadow Street, New Haven o en línea nhps net

Los niños deben tener 3 años para septiembre 1,2025.

LJ jogged over. “I love everything about football,” he said, rain dripping off his helmet. “It’s one way to release my anger and not get in trouble for it plus it teaches you teamwork and really disciplines you and it’s good exercise,” he said. “Also helps me focus at school because if I don’t do well, I’m not playing.”

“That’s right,” said Threadgill, the team mom, whose son Jay plays wide receiver and linebacker. “Life lessons.”

Of the 25 kids on the team, she said, “25 out of 25 are scholar students, and eighteen of them have been playing together since they were six, so it’s kind of a brotherhood, they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, they’re good influences on each other.”

For her, it’s simple. “We need more people to rally behind our youth, to recognize them doing good so they keep wanting to do good and not wait until it’s too late, when they get in trouble or worse,” she said.

“This is an experience that can shape them for their lives, and more than anything, a way for us as a community to say to these kids, ‘we see you, you matter.’”

“Let’s go. Let’s go,” a coach was shouting, the pounding rain muffling his words. “Buckle down. Buckle down. You got this. We got this. We got this.”

To help the 12U New Haven Steelers get to nationals, visit the team’s gofundme page.

Plan de estudios de aprendizaje basado en el juego

Programa diario de 6 horas

Solo para residentes de New Haven

The "phenomenal" LJ Howard, New Haven Steelers wide receiver and linebacker, at Tuesday night practice at Bowen Field. Credit: Lisa Reisman photo

The New Haven independent

“I’m coming for you” – Jasmine Crockett enters Texas Senate race with a direct message for Trump

by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Jasmine Crockett chose the final possible moment to jump into Texas’ U.S. Senate race and she did it with a warning aimed squarely at the White House. Launching her campaign on Monday, the Democratic congresswoman made clear she intends to run an aggressive, national-facing campaign, declaring to President Donald Trump, “I’m coming for you.”

Crockett’s entry instantly elevated what Democrats already see as a difficult but consequential contest. Republicans control the seat, held by Sen. John Cornyn since 2002, and Texas remains a Republican stronghold. Still, party strategists view the race as part of their broader long-shot effort to chip away at the GOP’s Senate majority in next year’s midterms. Known for her confrontational style and viral moments on Capitol Hill, Crockett enters the race as one of the party’s most visible messengers. She filed on the last day of Texas’ qualifying period, setting up a high-profile challenge in a state President Trump carried last year. Cornyn, meanwhile, faces a bruising Republican primary against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.

Speaking to supporters in Dallas, Crockett leaned into her reputation as a political target. “As a candidate who is constantly attacked and seen as a threat, it’s because I am,” she said. “I’m the only one who has gone toe to toe with Donald Trump, and there’s a reason he’s always got my name in his mouth.”

Democrats need to net four Senate seats nationwide to regain control, a tall order given that many of the contests are in states Trump won comfortably. Texas has been a particular source of Democratic ambition for decades, though statewide victories have remained elusive. Cornyn’s primary fight could complicate the landscape, especially with Paxton, a favorite of Trump’s base, drawing intense grassroots support despite years of legal and personal controversies.

Crockett’s announcement followed closely behind another major shift in the field. Former Rep. Colin Allred stepped aside from the Senate race earlier Monday, ending his Democratic bid and pivoting toward a House comeback campaign, AP reported. That cleared some space for

Crockett but left a contested primary that includes Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.

Talarico, a former public school teacher, has built a fast-growing national profile through social media videos attacking Republican priorities such as private school vouchers and efforts to require the Ten Commandments in classrooms. He enters the March 3 primary with significant momentum. Campaign finance filings show Talarico raised nearly $6.3 million in just three weeks after organizing his campaign committee in September and had nearly $5 million cash on hand. Crockett, meanwhile, brought in about $2.7 million for her House campaign from July through September and closed that period with $4.6 million available.

“It’s going to be a sprint from now until the primary, but in Texas you have to think about the voter base overall in November, too,” said Democratic consultant Kamau Marshall, who previously worked

for Allred. “Who can do the work on the ground? After the primary, who can win in the general?”

For Democrats, Crockett represents a test case. Her blunt style and eagerness to confront Republicans head-on could energize primary voters but also risk alienating swing voters in a general election. The party has not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994.

Republicans wasted little time using Crockett’s political persona against her. Paxton dismissed her as “Crazy Crockett,” while Cornyn welcomed the matchup.

“I think that would be a lot of fun,” Cornyn said at the U.S. Capitol. “She just says such inflammatory and crazy things.”

Talarico struck a more measured tone in response to Crockett’s entry. He welcomed her into the race but pointed to his campaign’s infrastructure and grassroots support.

“Our movement is rooted in unity over division,” he said in a statement, adding that his campaign has 10,000 volunteers.

Democrats privately acknowledge their clearest general election opening may come if Paxton emerges as the Republican nominee, given the baggage that has followed him through much of his career. Even so, his popularity with Trump loyalists makes him a formidable contender. Hunt, a two-term congressman from the Houston area, also defied GOP leadership expectations by joining the Republican primary.

Crockett urged her supporters to ignore critics who argue she cannot win statewide because she is Black, a woman or a Democrat in Texas. Ahead of her 43-minute speech, her campaign played a video montage of Trump criticizing her, including comments mocking her as a symbol of the Democratic Party’s future. Trump has called her a “low IQ person,” a label Crockett previously responded to by say-

ing she would take an IQ test against him. Throughout the event, she addressed Trump directly.

“You better get to work because I’m coming for you,” Crockett said. “I’m not going away. I’m not giving up.”

A civil rights attorney and former public defender, Crockett was once the youngest Black Democratic county chair in Texas. She served in the Texas House before winning her first term in Congress in 2000 and has since built a national following through sharp exchanges and high-profile clashes.

She has sparred publicly with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, moments that have helped fuel her rise on cable news and social media. She also drew backlash after referring to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “Gov. Hot Wheels,” later explaining she was criticizing his policy of transporting immigrants to Democratic-led cities using “planes, trains and automobiles.”

Democrats’ strongest statewide showing in recent decades came in 2018, when Beto O’Rourke narrowly lost to Sen. Ted Cruz during Trump’s first midterm. Party leaders believe a similar environment could emerge next year.

Allred, a former NFL player and civil rights attorney, was one of the party’s top recruits in that cycle. He later lost to Cruz by 8.5 points in last year’s Senate race and is now running for the House in a Dallas-Fort Worth district reshaped by Republicans to favor their party.

Explaining his decision to exit the Senate race, Allred warned that an internal Democratic fight could weaken the party’s focus. Such a contest, he said, “would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers.”

Marshall said Crockett’s high visibility gives her a clear edge in the primary, though turning national attention into a statewide win will be far more complex. A successful Democratic nominee, he noted, would need to mobilize Black voters in major cities, reclaim diverse suburbs and exurbs, and remain competitive in rural regions, particularly among Latino voters in the Rio Grande Valley.

“It’s about building complicated coalitions in a big state,” Marshall said.

Jasmine Crockett - Original photo credit: Repjasmine (Instagram)

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