THE INNER-CITY NEWS

Volume 32. No. 1637

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026 PENFIELD COMMUNITIONS INC

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Back-To-School Fair Draws Thousands by Laura Glesby

The New Haven independent

Backpacks in every color. Books for all ages. Notepads in multiple sizes. Immigrant rights pamphlets. Overdose-reversing Narcan. Sign-ups for security deposit assistance. Those were among the many supplies and resources made available on Friday afternoon at New Haven Public Schools’ (NHPS) annual back-to-school fair at Bowen Field. Roughly 4,000 peopled attended the event, which was designed to equip children and families both inside and outside the classroom. Rising fourth-grader Brandon James attended the fair with his aunt, Brittiny Johnson, and his cousin, 10-month-old Willow Clark. The trio visited a booth run by New Haven Reads, where they could pick out books to take home from the organization’s Book Bank. Brandon selected a book about a boy with big dreams: Nigel and the Moon, by author Antwan Eady and illustrator Gracey Zhang. He said he’d heard the book was a good one. Brandon’s wish for fourth grade is “that my class is good.” Last year, he said, the kids in his class acted out, and they didn’t get to do fun things as a result. His other hope is that “my teacher’s not too strict.” Student behavior was also on the mind of the fair’s lead organizer, School Community Care Coordinator Darrell Brown. He pointed out that often, a student’s ability to self-regulate, pay attention, and even show up at school is connected to experiences in other areas of that student’s life — from housing insecurity to financial strains to fear of immigration enforcement. When a student keeps getting in trouble or stops showing up to school, he said, “We are always interested in why.” The fair was designed to offer support with some of the “outstanding needs” that the school district most commonly sees from students and their families. While kids eagerly accepted squishy toys and pencil cases, the adults in their lives learned about a variety of resources from city agencies, nonprofits, small businesses, and grassroots advocates. The Livable City Initiative and the city’s Housing Administration and Development department worked side-byside to hand out branded notebooks, stickers, magnets, and more — while informing adults about the housing rights and resources available to them. Housing Administration and Development Director Arlevia Samuel joined her team members in advertising assistance with down payments, energy efficiency home improvements, and utility bills. She said that families have been most

Michel'le Sanders' kids offered advice to kids in the grade below: "Pay attention in class," "Don't skip class," and "Even if the work is hard, don't give up." Little Ezekiel simply said, "I love school." Credit: Laura Glesby photos

excited about the department’s security deposit assistance program. The Livable City Initiative, meanwhile, spread the word about the department’s housing code enforcement arm — including a new portal through which tenants can submit housing quality complaints and track the status of their cases. A number of people signed up to learn more about the department on a clipboard. The outreach is important, said housing inspector Shavonne Niag, because “some tenants, they don’t know their rights.” Unsafe or substandard housing conditions can impact kids’ ability to focus at school. “If I don’t have a proper stove to cook on,” Nicole DeGioia offered as an example, “how am I going to feed my kids?” Even the agency’s anti-blight efforts, combating everything from dilapidated home exteriors to illegal dumping on the sidewalk, may indirectly impact kids’ learning. “If you see that people are investing in your neighborhood, it’s easier to invest in yourself,” said Neighborhood Specialist Taylor Munroe. Nearby, the Health Department set up a booth primarily focused on signing up kids for vaccination appointments. The staff members also offered resources for a variety of other physical and mental health needs. They included flyers about 988, the national suicide and crisis lifeline. They offered information about the city’s lead paint abatement program. And they offered Narcan kits, which can be used to reverse opioid overdoses — not only because some families may be personally impacted by addiction, but

Melissa Rodriguez and Julynette Quiley from Junta for Progressive Action.

United Way Parent Ambassador Chantell Thompson: “Give some of that load to the community. We can carry it.”

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because it’s a “civic duty” to carry Narcan, said Health Director Maritza Bond. Junta for Progressive Action staffers Melissa Rodriguez and Julynette Quiles advertised youth empowerment programs for children and teens: Big Turtle Village and Junta RISES. They also spread the word about Junta’s bilingual resources, from legal support to a diaper bank to assistance with applying for disability and SNAP benefits. This past school year, during a rise in ICE activity locally and across the country, “there was a lot of anxiety,” said Brown. “Schools are safe havens,” he said, urging families to continue sending kids to school with the knowledge that NHPS is working to protect them. New Haven Immigrants Coalition also had a table, spreading the word about their emergency hotline (854-NOMIGRA) and sharing Know-YourRights pamphlets in both English and Spanish. “We see it,” echoed Julynette Quiles, a community health worker at Junta for Progressive Action. She said that families often come to Junta to prepare for the worst-case scenarios. Adults come to make legal arrangements, for example, for “how they can leave someone in charge of their kids” if ICE detains them. Junta is offering Know-Your-Rights trainings to kids and teens as well. “Kids get impacted,” said Quiles. “They need to know.” In some cases, the people offering support to NHPS parents were NHPS parents themselves. At United Way’s table, Parent Ambassador Chantell Thompson encouraged parents to enroll their young children in early education programs — and generally offered support with navigating all sorts of tough situations. In her four months so far as a parent ambassador, Thompson said, she’s connected numerous families to food pantries, helped someone navigate the 211 system while exiting a domestic violence situation, found a solution to a child support dispute, assisted foster parents in getting new clothes for the kids in their care, and more. Thompson said that her own family is currently experiencing multiple changes. “I want my children to know that among those transitions, there’s spaces in New Haven where there is so much consistency and reliability,” she said. From her perspective, Friday’s fair was an example of that spirit of community support — one of the things she loves most about New Haven, she said. She also offered a message to fellow parents going through a hard time. “The load is heavy when you carry it alone,” she said. “Give some of that load to the community. We can carry it.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

"Camryn's Candles" Spring From A Mother's Grief By Lucy Gellman

Arts Council of greater New Haven

On what would have been her daughter Camryn's 22nd birthday, Elizabeth Robinson walked out to the corner of Sherman Avenue and Harding Place, just as she does every day, and let herself soak in the morning. The birds were singing. Heat, already sticky, had started to rise. Above her, in green and white letters, a street sign for “Camryn’s Corner” glinted in the sunlight. “Happy birthday,” she said. She could feel Camryn in the sun on her face, in the breeze picking up, the way a conifer danced gently across the street. “We about to be outside,” celebrating the life of a fiery dancer and fierce friend always had a joke in her back pocket. Robinson is the mother of Camryn “Mooka” Gayle, a bright-eyed dancer and senior at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School who died in a car accident in November 2021, at the same Newhallville corner that now bears her name. On Tuesday night, friends and family gathered for a balloon release at the spot, taking time to remember Gayle on the day she was born. Throughout, the words “Forever Mooka" became a frequent refrain, and a reminder of the imprint one life can have on a surrounding community. Before the end of the evening, the corner had also become a space to honor Gayle's legacy, with a new, vibrantly bright candle venture that her mother is growing out of her home, in hopes that people will remember and celebrate her daughter for years to come. “My emotions are all over the place,” Robinson said. That afternoon, she’d gotten a call from Gayle’s close friend Shyan Dawson, who had been in the car with her at the time of the accident. Both of them had taken time to fall apart, and then gather themselves again. “The grief—it’s a lot. This is not only for me, it’s also for her siblings.” In years past, friends and family have held larger block parties and balloon releases on the street, pushing for safety measures like speed bumps along the way. But this year, Robinson wanted a smaller celebration, she said. Last summer, after a drawn-out process and emotional final hearing with the City of New Haven's Board of Alders, she held a corner unveiling at the end of June. That was it, she said at the time: she was done planning events there. But this summer, something told her to hold another remembrance of Gayle, who never passed up a chance to celebrate properly. Robinson, who lives nearby on West Ivy Street, survived two heart attacks and a wrist injury earlier this year (“God is so good,” she said of her survival). Alongside her daughter, she's mourning the five-year loss of Gayle's father, who died of cancer in August 2021. She comes by the corner every day to

talk to her daughter, even in the quiet of winter. It’s in those months, when a pine tree across the street starts swaying with the weight of snow and wind, “I’m like, she’s here.” In those moments that Robinson feels her daughter’s spirit, she’s also acutely aware of her physical absence. Gayle passed away when she was just 17, on the cusp of adulthood. In the five years since her death, Robinson has watched Gayle’s childhood friends go to college, start new relationships, and welcome their first children into the world. That part is joyful, she said—there are several babies now named in Gayle’s honor in her orbit—but it’s also heavy. Tuesday, community members gathered to make sure that neither she nor members of Gayle’s family have to hold any of that weight alone. On a treelined, shaded section of Sherman Avenue just beyond the corner, attendees stopped at a memorial altar lined with photos of Gayle at different stages of her young life, from praise dancing at Thomas Chapel Church to posing for the camera in between extracurriculars in high school. Above a row of flickering candles, a rainbow-colored pinwheel stood still in the warm afternoon air, surrounded by yellow fabric roses and a small stuffed animal. Down the block, a bouquet of yellow-and-white balloons, tied to a chair, bobbed gently on their long, taut strings. What felt like dozens of spotted lanternflies flew by, their red bodies adding pops of color to the sidewalk. In the other direction, middle schoolers Journee Hunter and Emerie Drame watched over Gayle’s diploma and graduation sash printed with the word DANCE, awarded posthumously to her mother at Co-Op’s graduation ceremonies in 2022. The two, who are in the sixth and seventh grade at Highville Charter School, are both Gayle’s godsisters. So when Robinson arranged an evening to remember her presence, it wasn’t even a question that they would be there. “I want to, like, live up to her,” said Journee, who wants to be a dermatologist when she grows up. Because she and Emerie were still very young when Gayle passed, Journee doesn’t remember much, but knows about Gayle through the stories her family shares. “Like not be her, but I want to make sure I’m like her.” Vivian Robinson, Gayle’s grandmother and one of the matriarchs who raised her, waited in the passenger seat of a cool car nearby, taking a moment to gather herself before stepping out onto the sidewalk. Every time she drives by the sign, she said, she’s hit by a new wave of grief. “I miss her. I just miss her,” she said. She can still remember the bright-eyed little girl who had a reliable sweet tooth and spent days at her home, “cutting up”

Sharnay Robinson and her daughter, Mia, with Elizabeth Robinson. Before the city officially added a street sign memorializing Camryn "Mooka" Gayle, Robinson had one made that she could pull out at block parties and birthday celebrations.

Journee Hunter and Emerie Drame.

Vivian Robinson and Shamar Gayle.

A memorial altar that Elizabeth Robinson set up.

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with a joke that was always ready to go. “She used to come down to my house and we would just have a good time,” Vivian Robinson said. While she visits the corner often, she added, she also makes it a point to go to Evergreen Cemetery, where her granddaughter rests beside her late husband, Foster Robinson. “That was my baby.” As 6 p.m. neared, friends and family members began to pull up. Sharnay Robinson, who is Elizabeth Robinson’s niece, emerged from her car with her young daughter, Mia. Sharnay, who now works in healthcare at Yale-New Haven Hospital, is about a decade older than Gayle, meaning that she watched her grow up. While Mia was just a baby when Gayle passed, she’s learned about her through her mom, her aunt, and her cousins. “I just feel like she should be here,” Sharnay said. “It’s just a sad situation. Grieving—it doesn’t get better.” While Sharnay lives in Hamden, “I ride by here a lot,” she said. It doesn’t ever get easier. “I just think about her. It feels good to just be out here, to celebrate her.” “This is her birthday, and I’m gonna celebrate it like it’s mine,” added Emanni Washington, who became close with Gayle when both of them were students at King-Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School. “That’s my girl. She was always a listening ear, always the friend to calm me down.” That renewed sense of calm, even in Gayle’s aching absence, is part of the hope behind “Camryn’s Candles,” Robinson added as she looked over a table covered with hand-poured candles in shades of pink, cream, yellow and gold and dusted in gold glitter. They’re a form of therapy, she explained. When her daughter died five years ago, Robinson wasn’t sure if or how she could go on. Then her son, Shamar Gayle, tried to pull her from the thick fog of grief. “He said, ‘Mom, you gotta get out of this depression,’” she remembered. “He knows I love candles and he ordered me a candle kit.” The rest was history. From candles that came from a kit, Robinson began experimenting with hand-poured candles, using dyes, ingredients, and designs that reminded her of her daughter. The champagne-inspired candles, for instance, are a nod to the fact that Gayle would have been 21 last year, and probably would have found a way to celebrate in style. The glitter, the bright hues, and the shades of butter and sunshine yellow, are for the vibrant presence that is now missing from their daily lives. “I love it,” Robinson said when asked if the practice is therapeutic for her. “It’s my peace.”

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

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Good-Government Stalwart Vanessa Burns Dies At 73 by Paul Bass

The New Haven independent

Vanessa Burns knew government could work for people. If people in government worked hard enough. She proved that in her hometown of New Haven, then across the country. Burns died Monday at the age of 73 while in Puerto Rico visiting friends Ellen Kershaw and George Pate, with whom she once worked in New Haven’s Office of Legislative Services (OLS). Burns grew up in New Haven, graduated from Hillhouse High School, earned a BA in political science in government from American University and a masters in public administration and urban government from University of New Haven. Then she got to work putting her knowledge to use on the ground back home. She served as an alderwoman (as the position was then called) in Dwight’s Ward 2. She was outspoken, passionate, connected to her neighbors, blunt and insightful. Not to mention great fun to talk with. One across-the-street neighbor she inspired was Toni Harp, who would later run for (and win) the same ward seat, before becoming a state senator and then the city’s mayor. “Vanessa was the person who inspired me to run for public office,” Harp recalled Friday. “She planted it in me. She said that it’s important for people to be involved. When you serve, you can make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Burns subsequently worked as a legislative and fiscal analyst for the Board of Alders’ Office of Legislative Services. She enjoyed working on campaigns, too.

Vanessa Burns, who learned in New Haven how to make government work. Posted inHometown Heroes

After Burns helped elect John C. Daniels as New Haven’s first Black mayor, Daniels in turn tapped Burns as the first Black woman to run the traditionally male and white public works department. Her mission was to overhaul it — tackle outdated work rules, improve trash pickup and storm clean-up, in a department populated by older guys with a tough reputation. They learned soon enough that they were not going to be able to steamroll a woman with her own tough-but-fair reputation. “When he first appointed me, a lot of people said, ‘She’s not capable. They’re

going to eat her alive.’ He had confidence in me,” Burns recalled of Daniels years later. “John gave an opportunity to people like myself to prove that we could do the job.” “Vanessa gave the perception — you looked at her, you thought she was hard. But Vanessa was really a soft person, a good-hearted person,” recalled her friend Sally Brown, New Haven’s former citytown clerk. “She was a phenomenal public works director. You can’t get anybody to say anything different about her. Even when she was in D.C., in Kentucky, she was the same way she was here: She really cared that people got service, that peo-

ple’s trash was picked up.” Burns’ success led to offers: Evanston, Illinois, hired her to modernize its public works department. Then an old friend, Anthony Williams, hired her to run Washington, D.C.’s department. (Williams had succeeded Burns as Ward 2 alder before moving up the career ladder to become D.C.’s reform mayor.) She also obtained a public health degree, served on the staff of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Public Health Committee, and had a stint as executive director of the state African-American Affairs Commission. Burns landed last in Louisville, Kentucky, where she ran the public works department until her retirement. (Click here to read about a visit she made to New Haven in 2015 to offer tips on how to upgrade public works.) Burns spent her retirement years traveling widely, including an annual visit to Kershaw’s and Pate’s home in Puerto Rico. She battled health problems, which she insisted battling on her own terms. She declined certain doctor-recommended procedures with a determination to live her final years fully. To the end she was a person who pursued her passions. “She loved traveling. She didn’t get enough of that. She loved people. She loved seafood. She loved tennis. She loved basketball,” said her younger brother Dwayne Huggins. “Even in her passing, she set an example for me, not just for endurance, but for forgiveness and generosity. She’s touched more lives than I even knew.” Arrangements are being made to return Burns’ body to New Haven. Memorial arrangements will be forthcoming.

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City Collects $500K In Back Taxes, Interest, Fees After Clock Shop Sale by Dereen Shirnekhi

The New Haven independent

The city has received more than $500,000 owed in back taxes, interest, and fees by the former owners of the long-vacant Hamilton Street clock factory. That money came through on July 31 after the Housing Authority of New Haven (HANH) finally bought the 133 Hamilton St. property from Taom Heritage New Haven LLC for $4 million. HANH first announced its plans to purchase the historic complex in 2023, as the property was in the midst of a city tax foreclosure. Taom Heritage, which was then controlled by Scott Reed of the Oregon-based Reed Community Partners, had failed to follow through on its plan to redevelop the former clock factory into 130 apartments. Taom Heritage owed $531,553.35 in back taxes, interest, and fees dating back to 2019. The LLC paid that money to the city on July 31, according to tax records. The first half of the latest tax bill for 133 Hamilton, totaling $19,771.60, was also paid by the housing authority on July 31, meaning that the building is officially up

The vacant former clock factory at 133 Hamilton St., now under new ownership. Credit: Thomas Breen file photo

to date on its taxes and fees. The city has also released and discharged code-violation notices related to the property, a lien for unpaid fines, and pending litigation against the property,

according to city land records. City spokesperson Lenny Speiller told the Independent that the taxes were paid out of the $4 million sale price rather than in addition, “as part of the distribution of

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the purchase funds, as the first encumbrance to be satisfied.” The housing authority plans to transform the former clock factory into an approximately 130-unit residential community, where all units will serve low-income or moderate-income households. The project is expected to cost around $70 million, financed through a combination of tax-exempt private-activity bonds, 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, federal and state Historic Tax Credits, and other public-private funding sources. The deal between HANH and Taom Heritage had been held up by Taom’s failure to complete environmental remediation at the site; the building was beset by squatters and fires and anti-blight and safety notices from the city. Then, in September 2025, Bill Kraus and a group of clock shop creditors stripped Reed of decision-making authority at Taom Heritage via an involuntary-bankruptcy lawsuit. Kraus ultimately took control of the holding company that owned the Hamilton Street property — until its sale to the housing authority this summer.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Colombian Expat Organizes Earthquake-Relief Effort by Brandon Cortes

The New Haven independent

Erick Amaya was on a Zoom call with a support group in Colombia on Monday when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit his home country, killing more than 100 people and damaging hundreds of buildings. “There were about 20 of us in the meeting, and we were shocked when one member’s son told us that the seismic alert had gone off,” said Amaya, who owns the design shop Academy D-Signs at 836 Foxon Road in East Haven. Amaya said he panicked and immediately tried to reach his family, who live in Buenaventura, Colombia. His father and mother were home when the earthquake hit, and the two of them, along with other elderly neighbors, positioned themselves in the doorway of his parents’ house and held onto each other, hoping for the best. In an interview on Thursday, Amaya said he wanted to turn that fear into action. Since Monday, Amaya, along with other Colombian and Hispanic business owners from across Connecticut, have been collecting donations to help those affected by the earthquake. He said they’re also striving to help communities and cities that Amaya said have been abandoned by the Colombian government. “I don’t want all these donations to go to one concentrated place,” he said. “I want all of this to go to Indigenous areas and to Black communities, since my father lives close to them.” His father, Jorge Amaya, is the one distributing donations of clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene items in Chocó from his truck. This isn’t the first time Amaya has organized this kind of large-scale donation effort. When the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24,

Amaya and Ricardo Ortiz sort through donations at Academy D-Signs ahead of Saturday’s shipment to Colombia. Amaya donated shoes and large amounts While Amaya’s business is located in East of clothing to those in need. However, Haven, Amaya himself lives in New Hamuch of the clothing went undonated, so ven. he decided to send it instead to those most He also said that he didn’t really think in need in Colombia. there was a big Colombian community Sites like Parchados Sports Bar in in Connecticut — until Monday’s earthBridgeport, the Condor Express shipping quake hit. He said this tragedy has incompany in Hamden, and other locations spired Colombians from across Connectiin West Haven have also been collecting cut to come together to gather donations donations. and send aid to the country. All of these donations are being shipped Ricardo Ortiz, who works for Amaya, by various transportation and multiser- said he felt a lot of fear when he heard the vice companies, including Zai Cargo and news of the earthquake. Cima, bound for Queens, New York, this “Even though I’m originally from BogoSaturday at 7 a.m. In addition to canned ta, some relatives told me the earthquake goods, Amaya said hot meals — like was felt quite strongly,” Ortiz said. “These chicken rice — are being organized for donations are the best thing we can do to rescue workers and displaced families. help those who need it.” Amaya and other organizers spent a total Academy D-Signs will continue accepting of $700 at Costco on donations alone. donations of clothing, shoes, and personal Amaya said that he grew up in Cali, hygiene items, as well as blankets, batterColombia, and that he came to the U.S. ies, sanitary pads, and flashlights, Monday in 2018. He opened his business in 2020. through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

The Rooted Collective Digs Deep In Year Three Lucy Gellman

Arts Council of greater New Haven

A Black woman, her hair done up into an elegant coiffure, raises her gloved hands to her face, her head tilted to the left ever so slightly. At first, everything seems soft: she wears an ice blue dress, the fabric draped softly over her shoulders. Her skin glows beneath the light. Even the background, a green-and-black patchwork, is cozy, like something a person could sink back into. But something is off: the words Censored For float over her head in blocky gold letters. Where her eyes should be, a thick black band bears the word Safety, written in gold, cursive-like text that heightens the dissonance of it all. The piece, Sydney Williams’ Censored For Safety, is one of a handful of works now on view at Third Space New Haven, where a celebration of the third cohort of The Rooted Collective is on view through September 13. The vibrant, community-focused brainchild of artist Alana Ladson, the collective brings together women, femme and nonbinary artists of color over six weeks of intentional artmaking. During this time, they receive funding for showing up and making work—an acknowledgement that art is intellectual labor. The show features artists Williams (who also runs Third Space with her partner, Mike Brown), Ery Ayala, Zymarie Taylor, Quiana Stanley, and Dyme Ellis. Together, they hail from New Haven, Hamden, and Naugatuck. “It’s nice to have this space,” said Ladson, an artist and educator who launched the collective in 2023 with a $10,000 “Artists Corps” grant from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and National Endowment for the Arts. “It feels calming and freeing … it’s a place where I can kind of loosen my grip on things. I’m so used to just powering through and it’s a reminder that I don’t always have to.” Since its birth in 2023, the collective has continued to evolve, and found new sources of funding to stay afloat. After Rooted’s first year, which included five artists and three separate exhibitions across New Haven, a second cohort took shape in 2024, with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. That group, which also comprised five artists, held its culminating show at the Dixwell Community “Q” House. Then in December of last year, after several transitions in her own life, Ladson launched applications for a third cohort. Since launching The Rooted Collective in 2023, she too has grown as an artist and professional: Ladson made the leap from Music Haven to Solar Youth to the Huneebee Project to the Girl Scouts of America, where she currently works as a program coordinator for arts activities. In all of her roles, the same mentorship that she brings to Rooted’s work has been central. She’s also become one of the artists featured in the HeART of Healing, an initiative of the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center that works with New Haven and

Connecticut-based artists to enliven the walls, offices and patient rooms of its healthcare facilities in the city. Other artists include Faustin Adeniran, Eric March, Jasmine Nikole, Ricardo Gutiérrez and Chris Ferguson among several others. Even in that time of personal change, Ladson knew that the collective was at the heart of who she was and is as an artist. So this year, she was thrilled to receive a $2,000 Neighborhood Cultural Vitality Grant from the City of New Haven, which allowed her to continue paying artists as sources of funding dried up and became smaller and more competitive. That compensation is a fundamental part of the program, she said: artists deserve to be paid for their labor, including and especially when they’re taking time to create work that is made first and foremost for themselves. “Artists should get paid!” she said in an interview at an opening reception at Third Space Saturday night. “Our work is very important. Artists are visionaries because they’re documenting what’s happening in this time.”

For her, she added, that’s even more critical for Black artists and artists of color more broadly, who are often expected to create, exhibit, and exist in historically white spaces without the support they need. To be in a room each week with five other member-makers may have been healing for them, she acknowldged—but it helped her take a breath, too. At an opening reception Saturday evening, that sense of community was contagious. Taylor, who grew up in New Haven and has been creating art for as long as she can remember, glided over to a multi-media triptych, and began to describe each of the figures she had carefully created within its frame. Across the piece, done on white posterboard, Taylor had added leaves, feathers, dried flowers, lengths of fabric, and a flower crown. On the right, a figure leaned forward, his brows knitted in concentration as his eyes focused on the words printed inside a levitating book. Large, wire-rimmed glasses surrounded his eyes, slipping down just enough to rest on the bridge of his nose. On the spine of the book floating before him, Taylor had printed the word Expression in thick white letters. Everything about him was immaculate: the starched, collared shirt, dark fitted blazer, a narrow tie fitted into his vest and Basquiat-like crown hovering above his head. Beneath it, Taylor drew his locs pulled back into a high, cropped ponytail, accentuating shell-shaped earrings below. “You’re not supposed to know that he’s a witch,” she said matter-of-factly, with a wry little smile. Beside him, a more vampiric-looking figure cocked his head to the side, one spindly finger raised to his lips as he smiled, and a row of gemstone-like upper teeth appeared. Around his head, Taylor had fixed layers of black fabric, adding texture to the scene. A hip-

she was inspired by the work her older sister was creating. “I haven’t stopped,” she said. The Rooted Collective gave her a space to be in community with other artists. “I feel very much so included now,” she said to fellow artists during a short speaking portion of the night. “I didn’t really have a space [to create] and you created one.”

Artist Zymarie Taylor.

Alana Ladson: Creating the space for artists to simply exist and make, beyond the demands of consumerism.

Sydney Williams, who spoke about moving beyond imposter syndrome and having the space to finish a project during the collective's time together.

Ery Ayala: Rooted as a powerful affinity space.

pie, in a loose yellow blouse with a flower crown, completed the triptych. If she had to choose, Taylor said, she would most quickly identify with the hip-

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pie, but “I’ve definitely been each one.” When she was young, growing up in New Haven’s Quinnipiac Meadows neighborhood, Taylor started making art because

That was true for several of the artists in the show, some of whom are the “onlies”—the only Black people, and also the only out nonbinary people—in their workplaces. Ayala, who teaches art in Waterbury, lauded Ladson’s work in creating an intentional, caring community of practice for artists to feel seen, heard, and appreciated—and to have space to simply talk issues through with each other. While they’ve taught art since 2006, the collective marked the first real affinity space they’d experienced. “Without this space, I wouldn’t have been able to meet other nonbinary folks of color,” they said. Walking over to their pieces, Ayala described a soft spot that they have for fan art, especially for items like Pokémon that were popular in the early 2000s. In the two images, daintily framed pieces they chose to exhibit at Third Space, a clover dragon turned toward the viewer, its furry blue neck winding up and around. A violet tuft of hair, shaped like trifolium from which the dragon draws its name, erupted from the crown of its head. Beneath it, grass sprawled out in every direction, like a mellow carpet of green. “And these—” Ayala pointed to the three small figures below, all frozen mid-movement. In the center of the page, a globe spun on its axis, surrounded by a triangle shaded in color and dotted with stars. “Earth, sea and sky.” Even from the page, it seemed like the figures might spring right out of the piece and join the evening of gaming at Third Space. Taking in the work by other artists in the cohort, Quiana Stanley slowly made their way back to two canvases they had created, the beginning of a series that they hope to continue beyond the collective’s time together. In one piece, eye-catching in its use of black and green, Stanley had illustrated an original poem that started with the lines “I got a cracked up smile / From an uppercut of emotions,” the white letters visible even from halfway across the room. Amid lines that continued down the page—“As I try to make sense of it all … Do not ask me how I am feeling … ‘Cause I got a propane tank for a heart”—Stanley had rendered three almost-matching sort of smiles, teeth pearly white beneath three pairs of Elphaba-green gums. “It kind of expressed a feeling that I couldn’t put words to in a normal way,” Stanley said. “I think a younger version of me was going through a lot but didn’t know how to express it or push through.” The collective, they added, appeared like

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

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Black Wall Street Booms THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

by Janday Wilson

Black Wall Street Festival New Haven Green Aug. 15, 2026 Vendors for the fifth annual Black Wall Street Festival came from as far as California. The event, created by New Haven-born Grammy Award-winning producers Rashad “Snacks” Johnson and Aaron “Y.A.” Rogers of global entertainment and music production company The Breed Ent., has grown exponentially year after year. Over 400 Black-owned businesses of all varieties (from window tinting to beauty and skincare) filled the New Haven Green on Saturday; about 100 vendors came from outside of Connecticut. Last year there were 350 vendors. The immense volume of vendors and shoppers and surrounding activities did not feel as overwhelming as I expected. Rather, the experience was invigorating. Gleeful shrieks came from kids hopping around bright bouncy houses. Crowds milled around mouthwatering food trucks lined up on Temple Street, which ranged from BBQ to vegan soul food. Radio stations Hot 93.7 and 94.3 FM set tables out with representatives, as did New Haven institutions like Ely Center of Contemporary Art and Shubert Theatre. New Haven-based social services agencies like New Horizons and New Haven Hiring Initiative were out in spades, showcasing their offerings for the community. DJs and performers on the Main Stage provided ambient entertainment that you could hear from any corner of the Green. You could also settle down with a blanket or chair to enjoy the shows up close and personal. Some attendees got really comfortable and brought whole tents and coolers to shelter under the sun. I loved seeing the various displays of Black pride. It most often showed up in the T-shirts that attendees confidently wore: Juneteenth, Rosa Parks, “Love U Black,” “I Stand with Black Women,” and “Hire Black: were some of the messages on shirts. There were also Black-centric wares on sale, including African waist beads, a unique company selling sneakers for Black Greek organizations, products for textured natural hair, and several African clothing vendors. On that note, I literally stopped in my tracks when I came across Apaade. Bernice Andah-Lovely, who just opened a boutique in New Jersey, came from the Garden State to sell her dramatic hats and bespoke clothing with bold West African prints. If I could have stolen

the stunning multicolored pants she was wearing right off of her, I would have. “I was here last year, and they were so supportive. So, it made me come back this year, just to appreciate them. They just pour so much love, and it’s very important to be here for each other,” said Andah-Lovely. Speaking of love, some of the vendors poured it all into their booths. It was cool to see how differently they were decorated. One vendor had a set up covered in graffiti, a proper home for their streetwear. Some had more plain tables, letting their exotic wares do the attracting. I was navigating my way through the crowd when a delicately decorated pink booth caught my eye. There seemed to be a lot of action happening there, so I moseyed on over to investigate. Bfly Styles, owned by hairstylist Nia Clemons, is a salon in New Haven (soon to be based in Hamden) that specializes in textured hair. Clemons was there selling luxury hair extensions that were even tempting for a natural haired girl like me, and promoting her latest venture, Capture, a line of satin-lined baseball caps that protect textured hair. The hats feature designs representing HBCUs and Yale. This was Clemons’ first time selling at Black Wall Street after attending for years as a consumer.

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

“The idea is bloom and be fly,” Clemons said of her flower-filled booth. “Bfly is short for butterfly. I love butterflies. My mom loves butterflies. She passed in 2020, so my business is just building on her legacy. She was also a hairstylist.” Representing for Connecticut towns outside of New Haven was Kindred Thoughts, a bookstore out of Bridgeport. This was also owners Karin Smith and Derek Tompkins’ first time participating in New Haven’s Black Wall Street Festival, though they have taken part in Bridgeport’s Black Wall Street for years. Their table showcased a delectable display – can you tell I’m obsessed with books? – of books by authors of color, including the riveting debut novel Appetite by New Haven’s own P. Paramita. Tompkins said, “I think [Black Wall Street] is a chance for us to celebrate our community. Everybody likes to tell what we ain’t. This is what we are. The opportunity [for Kindred] to come here was to broaden who we are [and] also to connect to the greater community.” “Do y’all like jazz?” the host yelled from the Main Stage. A jazz head, I rushed over to watch bassist Ace Livingston do his thing. The Connecticut based musician has worked with a

Derek Tompkins and Karin Smith of Kindred Thoughts. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo

Bernice Andah-Lovely of Apaade Credit: Janday Wilson Photo

8

plethora of big artists like Jennifer Lopez and Pink. Livingston, along with a drummer, pianist and dazzling saxophonist, played jazz versions of contemporary Black classics like Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go” and Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.” It was the perfect set to soothe the spirit on a breezy summer afternoon. In between musical performances, Connecticut notables graced the stage. “Black is human. Black is excellent,” intoned Kolton Harris of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development as he went up to speak. I got chills. “Black Wall Street is one of the cultural staples of our state, and we’re shining the light across the country and the world to say that entrepreneurs matter, the arts matter, [and] culture matters,” said Harris. “We want to encourage everybody to continue to invest in one another, encourage one another, [and] keep uplifting local creators.” A few organizations present on Saturday were prime examples of “investing in one another.” I stopped by New Haven based nonprofit Winnings Ways’ booth to hear what they were all about. Creative Arts Director Wilford Charles shared the organization’s mission of providing therapeutic art programming – including painting, poetry, and DJ classes – for people in recovery and reentry programs to uplift and boost mental health. They also provide a financial literacy course and job readiness assistance. This was Winning Ways’ third appearance at Black Wall Street Festival; the event has been really good for them, according to Charles. It has enabled them to meet other likeminded people and organizations to collaborate to bring resources to those in need. “Our mantra is ‘Together, we win.’” When festival founders Rashad Johnson and Aaron Rogers got on stage to thank everyone present, they used the opportunity to spotlight the seven members of their inaugural Community Ambassador Initiative, six of whom joined them on stage to receive certificates. The program honors entrepreneurs who consistently give back to the New Haven community. By the end of the festival, I felt so grateful for community and the abundance of art, culture and entrepreneurship all around me. The event served as a reminder that community is sustained by the people who keep choosing to pour into it. I felt especially thankful for the talented people who commit every day to making something beautiful right here in New Haven.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Mosque Hosts Block Party On Gilbert Avenue by Brandon Cortes

The New Haven independent

Three days after he took his shahada — the Islamic declaration of faith — Marco Avedaño showed up to a block party outside of the Masjid al-Islam at 624 George St. on Sunday and described a path to Islam that began with doubt. He showed up as part of a broader effort by the mosque to build a closer relationship between its faith community and West River neighbors. Avedaño said he spent years studying religion as a hobby, visiting churches and mosques since high school while identifying as agnostic. “I believed in a higher authority, but wasn’t sure which one, if it truly existed,” he said. That search eventually led him to the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center, roughly 10 minutes from his home, where he said he began asking questions, including one that had shaped his early impressions of the faith. “My idea of Islam was so wrong because of what I grew up [believing] and what the propaganda was about,” Avedaño said, describing how conversations at the center corrected assumptions he said were shaped by anti-Muslim sentiment that intensified in the U.S. after 9/11. He said his family, whom he described as traditional and largely Christian and Catholic, held firmly to their own beliefs, but he said he’d never felt a personal connection to Christianity, citing difficulty

Umi Salam and Morad Hassan serving food outside of the mosque. Credit: Brandon Cortes photo

reconciling concepts like the Trinity. “I ask Christians, and they don’t really have an agreed-upon answer on who Jesus is,” he said. Avedaño said the moment he settled into his decision to convert felt physical, not just intellectual. Asked how he plans to stay grounded in his new faith, he said community will matter most. “Surround yourself with people that you know are Muslim, or whatever religion you want to follow,” he said. “Your faith will grow stronger.”

Avedaño described his conversion during a community event this weekend on Gilbert Avenue, right near the mosque’s George Street building, where members said they were working to rebuild ties with neighbors after what organizers described as nearly a decade of drift. Abdul Lateef-Edge, the mosque’s president, said the event was designed to reintroduce the mosque to a neighborhood that once knew it well.

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“We want to engage with the community, just like our neighbors,” Lateef-Edge said, describing an afternoon that included food, a bouncy house for children, and conversations with longtime residents. “We want them to be more comfortable with us — not just us as a religious base, but us as people.” Lateef-Edge said the mosque’s relationship with its immediate neighbors dates back decades, to a period when Gilbert Avenue was, in his words, “really drug-infested.” Under a previous administration,

he said, the mosque organized a block watch effort aimed at protecting residents who weren’t involved in the drug activity that had taken hold on the street, working alongside the New Haven Police Department, the mayor’s office, and local alders. Members also organized regular neighborhood cleanups, he said, which helped build trust between the mosque and the surrounding community. Over time, Lateef-Edge said, that connection faded as older members of the block watch aged out of the work and long-time neighbors moved away, replaced by newer residents who had no memory of the earlier relationship. “We kind of lost that connection,” he said, estimating the mosque had gone through what he called an “8- to 10-year hiatus” in that kind of direct community engagement — even as the mosque continued distributing food to the neighborhood throughout that period. “That’s not completely gone,” he said. “But we dropped the tradition, unfortunately, and our goal today is to make a start on reestablishing that.” Lateef-Edge said this weekend’s gathering was part of a broader, ongoing effort. Beyond the annual event, he said the mosque regularly gives food to those in need, work he said has continued steadily regardless of how connected the mosque felt to its immediate neighbors at any given time. Lateef-Edge has been practicing Islam for a little over a decade now and describes his own conversion as one that

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Everything To Know About The Shooting At HBCU Virginia State University By Courtesy of HBCUNEWS.com

Police said one of the injured people was a 20-year-old VSU student who was treated at the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. That student has since been released from the hospital. The four others who were injured are not VSU students. A 21-year-old man who was among the injured was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but has now been upgraded to critical condition, police said. The rest of the injured include a 23-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for the shooting at Virginia State University that left five people injured on Saturday, prompting a brief lockdown at the historically Black university. The suspect has been arrested

The Chesterfield County Police Department arrested Camron Harris after finding him in a closet in a residence hall on the school’s campus in Ettrick, Virginia. Harris, who is not a Virginia State University student, was found about 12 hours after the shooting took place, ABC News reported. Police said Harris is being held without bond as he faces eight felony warrants. The warrants include four for malicious wounding and four for use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

What is Virginia State University saying about the shooting?

VSU said there will be an increased police presence as students and staff return to campus. “Students should monitor their VSU email for additional safety measures currently in effect and information about available support resources,” the university said, per ABC News. Although the lockdown has been lifted, the school is urging the community “to remain mindful of the ongoing law enforcement activity and avoid the immediate area where investigators are processing the scene.”

What happened during the shooting?

Shots were fired outside VSU’s university residence halls around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, causing the campus to go on lockdown for a brief period. Who was hurt?

Black Woman Found Hanging From Tree Identified As Tasia Fortune By Black Information Network

According to WLBT, Hinds County Coroner Jeremiah Howard said Fortune’s body was transferred to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, which will determine her cause and manner of death. Howard also said Fortune’s family has been notified. 16 WAPT reported investigators believe Fortune’s body may have been in the tree for three to four days before it was discovered Monday evening (August 3). The station also reported the Jackson Fire Department used a ladder truck to remove her body from the tree. In an interview with the news station, Stokes questioned how Fortune’s body ended up high enough in the tree that firefighters needed a ladder truck to remove

A 29-year-old Black woman whose body was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home in Jackson, Mississippi, has been identified as Tasia Fortune as authorities continue investigating how she died. The case has rapidly drawn attention from community leaders, including Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who is calling for a federal investigation. Stokes told 16 WAPT News Jackson he sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office this week requesting assistance with the case. “Everywhere you go, people are talking about that hanging,” Stokes said.

it.

Fortune’s sister, LaToni Fortune, told Mississippi Today the family is searching for answers following her death. She said Tasia frequently traveled between Mississippi and Kentucky to spend time with relatives. Jackson police spokesperson Tommie Brown declined to release an incident report, telling Mississippi Today the case remains an active investigation and authorities could not provide additional information. The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app.

Nolan Wells’ Friend Blames His Mom For Fueling Online Backlash By Black Information Network

Hudson said he believes the situation would not have attracted as much attention if Wonsley had not publicly identified the friends. He also criticized the media coverage surrounding the case, saying it has been blown out of proportion. “Going out, we’re always paranoid that someone’s gonna see us, try to beat us up,” he said. “We’re just trying to stay lowkey.” Warren chimed in. “The threats have been insane,” he said, noting that his stepmom, dad, mom, brothers and sisters have received threats. “It’s unbelievable

this has been taken to the level it’s at.” Pitalo, Seymour and Hudson have denied involvement in Wells’ death. Their attorneys have said the friends have faced harassment, threats and false accusations, and are preparing potential defamation lawsuits against people they believe have spread misinformation. In a story published Monday (August 10), BIN reported that the friends said they did not deserve the scrutiny they have faced and had launched a legal defense fund to help cover their expenses. All three men were with Wells during the July 4 gathering on Horn Island, where he disappeared. Wells’ body was found

in the water two days later near where he was last seen. His cause and manner of death have not been determined. Pitalo also told Tatum that the friends regret going to Horn Island and believe Wells might still be alive if they had not gone. He described Wells as a “brother” and said the group continues to mourn his death. Wonsley has not publicly responded to Pitalo’s comments. The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Oprah addresses criticism she receives for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz’s pro-Trump politics

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by Francis Akhalbey, Face2FaceAfrica.com Billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey recently addressed her past relationships with Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. Mehmet Oz, as well as the criticism she receives because of the pair’s pro-Trump politics. Oprah, 72, helped propel the media careers of Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz after she gave them a platform on her eponymous talk show. The pair later publicly expressed their support for President Donald Trump. Oprah opened up about how she currently feels about giving Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz a platform during an interview with Emmy magazine. “People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views. Dr. Phil, he was so practical, so down to earth, so real. And he would ride in the car with me every morning on the way to trial, where I’m literally sitting on

trial for six weeks. [In 1998, Winfrey was sued by Texas cattlemen who accused her of defaming the beef industry.] I felt that he was so instrumental in helping me. I thought, ‘Oh, you could help a lot of people. You should come on my show,’” she said. “Gayle introduced me to Dr. Oz. He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements. I thought he had the language for explaining medical things in a way that was helpful to me. I thought it would be helpful to many other people. And that is how they ended up on the show.” Oprah also made it known that she currently has nothing to do with the pair. She further explained why she gave them their respective breaks. “Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me, and I don’t have one thing to do with

them,” she stated. “At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me.” It is well known that Oprah is a Democratic-leaning voter, and she previously endorsed the presidential candidacies of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. She also helped Stacey Abrams during her campaign in Georgia. McGraw and Oz, on the other hand, publicly endorsed Trump. McGraw was also with Trump border czar Tom Homan and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers when they launched an operation in Chicago. In May 2025, Trump appointed McGraw to his Religious Liberty Commission. Trump also appointed Oz as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Nigerian singer Tems makes history curating soundtrack for ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com Nigerian singer Tems (real name Temilade Openiyi) was made the executive music producer and curator for the official soundtrack of Paramount Pictures’ upcoming fantasy film, Children of Blood and Bone, a groundbreaking role confirmed by director Gina Prince-Bythewood. This announcement was made during an exclusive trailer launch event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where Prince-Bythewood engaged in a conversation with her former assistant, Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Lena Waithe, Brittle Paper reported. They discussed the key role that music played in shaping the film’s creative process. When asked how Tems’ involvement came about, Prince-Bythewood explained that she creates playlists as part of her writing process, and two songs in particular remained on repeat throughout: “Try Me” by Tems and “Alone” by Burna Boy. “They have to be on the soundtrack,” she remembered thinking, before pushing on. “I want Tems to curate our soundtrack. I want her to EP.” She went on to highlight the significance of the appointment, saying, “She’s actually the first woman to executive produce a soundtrack at this level, which is wow.” Prince-Bythewood spoke highly about the finished product, describing it as “an epic soundtrack, no skips whatsoever.” Beyond curation, Tems is contributing three original songs to the project, as confirmed by her manager Muyiwa Awoniyi on X. Burna Boy, whose song “Alone” helped shape the film’s sonic direction early on, joins the production as executive music

Photo Credit Instagram: @temsbaby

consultant, and the wider soundtrack lineup includes Fireboy DML, BNXN (Benson), and Ayra Starr, who also makes her Hollywood acting debut in the film. Tems previously discussed how her journey through the music industry has reshaped her identity, relationships, and outlook on life. The 31-year-old artist candidly spoke in a recent interview with Doose of Society about how fame and artistry forced her to break free from old habits and embrace a more open, emotionally expressive self. Before her rise to fame, Tems described herself as “hyper-independent,” often keeping others at arm’s length. “Being an artist has changed my life. There are a lot of people who know me. It made me grow, I had to shed a lot of habits that were holding me back—one of those things was my hyper-independency and the thing I do where I push people away,” Tems said in the interview, as reported by

The Nation and Blueprint. Tems’ journey started in 2018 when she made the audacious choice to quit her work and devote herself entirely to music. “Mr. Rebel,” her debut single, signaled the beginning of a career that would soon cross national boundaries. However, her appearance on Wizkid’s worldwide hit song “Essence” in 2020 marked a significant turning point in her career. Tems quickly went on to collaborate with celebrities like Drake, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and J. Cole, in addition to winning two Grammy Awards and breaking a record by becoming the first Nigerian artist to surpass 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Despite all the recognition and streaming achievements, Tems still believes that the biggest changes have been internal. She said, “I have now learned to embrace love, just be open, and be free to give love and be vulnerable without feeling odd.”

HBCU conference eliminates divisions, adds women’s flag football Courtesy of HBCUNEWS.com

The SIAC Council of Presidents has approved the elimination of divisions across all conference sports, expanding a model already used in football. At the same time, the Division II HBCU conference is moving into one of the country’s fastest-growing women’s sports. The Council authorized the conference office to add women’s flag football as a varsity sport beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. Together, the decisions represent a significant shift in how the SIAC approaches both its existing championships and future athletic opportunities. SIAC moving away from divisions The elimination of divisions brings the rest of the SIAC in line with football, which moved away from divisional competition in 2022. Instead of championships and postseason qualification being influenced by divisional alignment, teams will compete within a conference-wide structure. The SIAC said the move is designed to enhance postseason opportunities while increasing competition and interest surrounding its championships. That could be particularly significant in seasons when several of the conference’s strongest programs would have previously competed in the same division. Rather than geography or divisional placement helping determine the championship picture, the

new structure gives the SIAC more flexibility to identify its strongest postseason contenders across the entire conference. The second move expands the SIAC’s women’s sports offerings. Women’s flag football has been authorized as a varsity conference sport beginning in 2026-27, opening another participation opportunity for female student-athletes at SIAC institutions. The announcement also puts the SIAC into an emerging area of college athletics as flag football continues to gain momentum nationally. The conference did not detail in the release which member institutions will initially sponsor teams or provide a championship format and schedule. Those details will become important as the SIAC moves toward launching the sport. What is clear is that the conference sees women’s flag football as part of its larger growth strategy. The move simultaneously expands opportuni-

ties for women and gives SIAC schools an opportunity to establish programs in a sport that is still developing its footprint at the collegiate level. A changing SIAC Both decisions were approved during the same 2026 Summer Board Meeting in Atlanta in which the Council of Presidents unanimously extended Commissioner Anthony Holloman’s contract through 2029. But the elimination of divisions and introduction of women’s flag football could have a more immediate impact on the everyday athletic experience within the conference. One changes how existing SIAC programs compete for championships. The other creates an entirely new path for student-athletes. And beginning in 2026-27, both will become part of the evolving landscape of one of the nation’s oldest HBCU athletic conferences.

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Con’t from page

The Rooted Collective Digs Deep In Year Three

a creative oasis at exactly the right time. Earlier this year, they were going through “a very chaotic time in my life,” including a transitional housing situation. But they knew that if they could make it to the next Rooted Collective meeting, they would be okay. “My head was spinning and these people held me down.” They added that they now know never to underestimate the power of community members, many of whom sent the information about the collective Stanley’s way. They shouted out curator Juanita Sunday for being especially supportive, and making sure they had a seat at the table. For Williams, who spent Saturday buzzing around the space and popping outside to check on her Blake Street neighbors, Rooted’s work was equally transformative. In Censored for Safety, one of her largest pieces yet, Williams was able to both contend with the idea of censorship and privacy, and push back against the impostor syndrome that sometimes gets in the way of her creative work. “I wanted to do something big and bold and I was afraid I wasn’t going to have time to finish,” she said. Instead, it was the beginning of a series of miniatures that she plans to begin working on imminently. Inspired by the Czech painter Alphonse Mucha, whose Art Nouveau posters remain part of visual culture hundreds of years after his death, Williams channeled an era of both glitz and celebrity that seemed bygone, and completely of this moment in which she (and by extension we, her viewers) are living. In the piece, a Black woman leans forward into her hands—each encased in long, delicate tan gloves, their surface luminous—her eyes concealed with the word Safety written in gold script. Her skin is radiant; a jewel-encrusted pin rests neatly in the hair styled artfully on top of her head. Against the cool blue of her dress, a green-and-black background looks almost like wallpaper, making the piece feel like an off-kilter snapshot from a jazz lounge. “For those who are performers or creators, there’s almost like a dual-edged message,” she said in a phone call after the opening reception. Sometimes, she sees performers censor themselves for their own personal safety, because images are so widely and quickly circulated, consumed and repurposed in an age of social media. But she also sees censorship “done under the guise of safety,” when really it has more to do with narrative and creative control that the performer doesn’t always have a say over. The work gave her an opportunity to hold that balance, and translate it to canvas. “This gave me an opportunity to really sit down and be an artist,” she said. “This is a huge a-ha moment for me and it’s really inspiring. I have a ton of ideas that I want to get out.” For Ladson, that invitation to experiment is also part of the point. In her own work as an artist, she doesn’t always have the space to simply make art that isn’t intend-

ed for a consumer need, or an upcoming festival or pop-up vending event. That’s what makes the collective so special. An artist can simply be rooted in place, getting that exposure to good soil that helps them grow as they do their thing. “Y’all have really uplifted me, encouraged me,” she said, addressing the group during a short series of remarks. Through a “rough time” in her own life, she knew that members of the cohort had her back—and she had theirs, too. “I love the art” that comes out of the group’s six weeks together, she added, nodding to a video installation from Ellis that is both completely unique, and meshes with all of the other work in the show. “What I love about it is it’s all so different, but somehow it still all fits together.” The Rooted Collective's third cohort exhibition is on view at Third Space New Haven, 410 Blake St #5, throughSeptember 13. Con’t from page

Mosque Hosts Block Party On Gilbert Avenue

didn’t require him to abandon his Christian upbringing. “Islam allowed me — it just gave me a better, a broader, a more profound understanding of who Jesus was,” he said, describing his introduction to the faith as a continuation of, rather than a break from, his earlier beliefs. “I can still love Jesus. I can still pray, and I can still keep my belief that Jesus is coming back.” The mosque’s roots go back further still. Wakil Rashid, a longtime member, said the congregation traces to Abdul Rasheed, one of its co-founders, who began organizing prayer in his basement decades ago, at a time when some in the broader Muslim community discouraged establishing a presence in the neighborhood at all. Rashid said Rasheed pushed back against that reluctance. “Why are we always running away?” Rashid recalled being told by those who wanted to build elsewhere instead. “They needed just as much as everybody else needed.” Rashid described tight-knit relationships that formed among congregants during that era, who he said looked out for one another’s material needs without being asked. “We knew what individuals needed without them even having to ask,” he said, recalling members organizing group trips to other towns for basketball and horseback riding, and prayer gatherings so large the mosque would sometimes close down the surrounding street. Rashid — who moved to New Haven from Chicago in 1997 after a stretch in Hartford, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Atlanta — said he ultimately settled permanently in the city after the Sept. 11 attacks reshaped his plans to relocate. He described the mosque’s demographics shifting over the years to include growing numbers of Afghan refugees and other new immigrant communities. “The population began to change as far as ethnicity,” he said, describing it as a natural evolution rather than a loss.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

UNCF Releases Latest Report on HBCUs STILL Punching Above Their Weight By Courtesy of HBCUNEWS.com

UNCF today announces a major report, HBCUs Still Punching Above Their Weight, reaffirming that historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) continue to outperform expectations as engines of opportunity, enrolling and graduating students at rates that far exceed their share of higher education, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The report was released at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2026 convention and career fair in Atlanta, GA. Commissioned by UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI), the report provides a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of the nation’s 101 HBCUs and their measurable, transformative contributions to the workforce, economy and future success of the United States. UNCF’s previous analysis in 2019, HBCUs Punching Above Their Weight: A State-Level Analysis of Historically Black College and University Enrollment and Graduation, demonstrated that HBCUs consistently deliver outcomes far beyond what their institutional size and resources would predict. The latest edition reaffirms that reality with even greater clarity. According to the report, while representing only a modest three percent of all higher education institutions in the U.S. and operating under historical inequities in funding and resources for improvements in infrastructure, HBCUs continually excel in delivering quality education

in STEM. In 2022, HBCUs accounted for 16 percent of STEM degrees conferring to Black graduates and 20 percent of Black women who earned STEM degrees came from HBCUs. HBCUs awarded 10 percent of Ph.D.’s in STEM overall. The 2022-2023 academic year was selected for this report, as it represented the most recent complete data set available from the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). “HBCUs are not just participating in the future of American innovation, they are leading it,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF and Lodriguez Murray, vice president, public policy and government affairs, UNCF in a joint fore-

word statement in the report. “By expanding the opportunities for learning, creating, discovering and rising, HBCUs are redefining what is possible for our country. Their legacy is powerful, but their future impact will be even greater.” In a 2020 report by the U.S. National Science Foundation, HBCUs represent seven of the top eight institutions that graduate the highest number of Black undergraduate students who go on to earn doctorates in engineering and science. According to UNCF’s latest report, while HBCUs make up nine percent of the four-year bachelor-degree granting institutions, they enrolled 23 percent

City of New Haven Energize the Elm City: Access low-or no-cost weatherization plus additional energy-saving improvements.

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

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

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of all Black undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a college or university for the Fall 2022 semester and awarded 28 percent of STEM bachelor’s degrees earned by Black students. With targeted policy action, HBCU’s impact would be even greater. In the report, UNCF recommends fully funding the Strengthening HBCU Program (Title III, Part B of the Higher Education Act); investing in HBCU infrastructure through the HBCU IGNITE legislation; and doubling the Pell Grant to no less than $13,000, ensuring the grants will once again cover a substantial share of college costs. “As historically under-resourced institutions that often serve students and families who have also been historically

under-resourced, HBCU’s continue to outperform expectations and offer a return on investment that has been grossly underestimated,” said Dr. Walter Kimbrough, executive vice president of research, UNCF. “UNCF calls for additional support for HBCUs as they continue to build out their capacity for STEM education. State, federal and philanthropic leaders must acknowledge that to meet the growing demand for highly skilled STEM professionals in this country. HBCUs are critical to our collective success. This report provides the data across a number of dimensions needed to say emphatically that HBCUs are still punching above their weight,” Kimbrough said. About UNCF UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students’ access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF awards more than 13,000 scholarships to more than 10,000 students totaling more than $64 million. The scholarships support students attending more than 600 US-based colleges and universities including 36 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in strengthening the pipeline of leaders and professionals who advance our society.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

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

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

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

360 Management Invitation for Bids

Fairmont Fire Unit Turnover

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

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

August 10, 2026, at 3:00PM.

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

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

THEINNERCITYNEWS.COM 15

LaRosa Earth Group LLC, a Site/Excavation Company, is currently looking to add the following full-time positions to our Team:

Heavy Equipment Operators Skilled Laborers Please submit resumes to HR@LAROSABG.COM or stop by our main office to fill out an application: 163 Research Parkway Meriden, CT. Salary will be commensurate with experience and best fit for the positions. Health plan; 401K; company-paid holidays in addition to paid time off. LaRosa Groups is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer who values diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.

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

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): Metropolitan Transportation Plan Update and Local Bridge Inspection Study. Responses are due by June 2, 2026 (12 noon local time). Selected firms will be interviewed on June 9, 2026. 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.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

360 Management Group

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

Request for Proposals (RFP) Co Developer

Invitation for Bids

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

Security Camera Maintenance/Installation/Upgrades

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

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

July 27, 2026, at 3:00PM.

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

The Town of East Haven

Elm City Communities

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

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

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

For Immediate Hiring: Operations Specialist

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

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

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

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

Send resume to: HR Manager, P.O. Box 388, Guilford, CT. 06437. Email: HRDEPT@eastriverenergy.com *An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans*

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

Galasso Materials LLC,

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

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

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

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

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Listing: Full-Time Class A Driver

VIDEO TECHNICIAN I (PART-TIME)

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

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Video Technician I (Part-Time). Wages: $20.00 to $22.00 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the July 6th, 2026 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

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

Listing: Licensed HVAC Technician

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

HVAC Tradesman

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for an HVAC Tradesman. Wages: $31.22 to $40.23 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the closing date June 8, 2026, 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 Healthcare Benchmark Initiative Policy Development Coordinator in the Health and Human Services Policy and Planning Division. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 260807&R2=1581MP&R3=001 The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Invitation to Bid:

PARCEL B PHASE 2 90 Old Firehouse Road Naugatuck, CT 06770 (One Mixed-Use Building, 60 Units)

Project Description: New Construction of a Transit Oriented Development.

Project is Taxable. No Wage Rate project.

Project documents include but not limited to: concrete, gypcrete, masonry, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, insulation, roofing, siding, doors & hardware, windows, storefront, smoke curtains, gypsum board, flooring, tile, painting, signage, specialties, appliances, casework, window blinds, electric traction elevators, trash chute, fire suppression, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, site-work, sanitary facilities, tele data, fire alarm and (final cleaning as an MWBE trade). If you are interested in bidding and have not received this invitation to bid from us please email: Taylor Els Tels@haynesct.com your business name, contact information and trade, we will add you to Precon Suite and send you the ITB.

POLICE OFFICER ENTRY LEVEL

Bid Due Date: August 25, 2026 @ 3pm

City of Bristol

This contract is subject to state set aside and contract compliance requirements.

Email Bids to: Taylor Els tels@haynesct.com 203-888-8139 Email RFI’s to Eric Facchini by 8/13/26 @ 3 pm

efacchini@haynesct.com Haynes Construction has been awarded this project.

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

$78,813/yr. Required testing, general info, and apply online: www.bristolct.gov DEADLINE: 12-07-25 EOE

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

Water Treatment Pumping Operator I

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Water Treatment Pumping Operator I. Wages: $30.35 to $36.64 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the April 20, 2026 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

Anti-violence volunteer who got arrested after turning gun in reaches plea deal by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com

lowering gun violence in the city. Smith claimed that in March 2023, he went to the 5th District station of the Chicago Police Department to turn in a gun he had taken off the streets.

In 2023, Nakia Smith, a Chicago CRED volunteer, attempted to remove a weapon from circulation by turning it over to local police. Smith saw his actions as a way to help his community, but as a convicted felon, he is not allowed to possess a gun legally. He was subsequently charged with firearm-related offenses.

“I know I did the right thing,” Smith told ABC Eyewitness News. “God led me in there,” he added.

pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon without a concealed carry license. As part of the deal with prosecutors, Smith admitted guilt to a single count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to ABC Eyewitness News. A judge handed down a one-year prison term, though Smith was granted credit for the seven months he had already spent behind bars. His arrest came after the Chicago anti-violence volunteer said he was trying to remove a gun from the streets when he brought it to a South Side police station in 2023, expecting to surrender it without questions. Instead, he was arrested and faced gun

charges that could have resulted in decades in prison if convicted. After being released from prison, Smith, 51, said he has dedicated the last 13 years

to reducing gun violence on Chicago’s Far South Side. Smith, a father and convicted felon, works as a volunteer for Chicago CRED, a nonprofit dedicated to

Despite his criminal history, Smith stated at the time that he thought he could turn in the gun without being questioned. “My intention was to take my jacket off and hand it to them,” he said. Prosecutors claim that Smith didn’t initially inform police that he was there to turn in a gun. However, Smith claimed that when he first requested to speak with a watch commander, an officer asked him why. “I’m like, ‘Why do I have to go through to tell you, can I speak to a white shirt?’ And once she said that, I said, ‘I want to turn a gun in.’ Then she said, ‘Give me your ID … Freeze!'” Smith said. Smith’s defense lawyer argued that officers had no probable cause to believe Smith had committed or was about to commit a crime before searching him and discovering the firearm in his jacket

pocket. However, police claim that because Smith was a convicted felon, he was breaking the law by carrying a firearm. He was taken into custody and accused of multiple gun-related crimes. He could spend up to 30 years behind bars if found guilty. Smith was arrested and later released after posting a bond. Smith supporters have criticized the prosecution, arguing that it may discourage others from turning in firearms. According to Arne Duncan, co-founder of Chicago CRED and former U.S. education secretary, “the heroic thing was to get a gun off the streets, take it off a hothead, take it to the police station, and for that, he served 7 months in jail.” The case, according to Duncan, raises questions about initiatives to persuade people to take guns out of their communities. “We want guns coming off the streets. People know this story. How could I, in good faith, tell anyone else to go turn in a gun if you have a chance of getting locked up and having your life ruined?” Duncan said.

Democrats officially set their 2028 primary calendar, with South Carolina going first By Natasha Korecki Courtesy of HBCUNEWS.com

AUSTIN, Texas — Democrats teed up South Carolina to lead a six-state gantlet of early presidential contests, sealing a 2028 road map that pushes Black and Latino voters and labor to the front of the line for choosing the party’s next national leader. After discussions Saturday in Texas, the Democratic National Committee formally anointed South Carolina, with its large African American primary electorate, as the first-in-the-nation state. It will be followed by Nevada, with high numbers of Latinos and powerful labor interests. Next up are New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and then Virginia. As it did in 2024, when then-President Joe Biden initially sought re-election, the party committee apparatus put aside its decadeslong tradition of kicking off the fight for presidential nominations in Iowa and New Hampshire. The DNC’s early timetable is dispensing entirely with Iowa following its disastrous 2020 caucuses, when issues tallying the votes led to delays and confusion. Party leaders in New Hampshire, traditionally the first-inthe-nation primary state, and Iowa, long the site of first-in-the-nation caucuses, opposed the move. The new calendar would launch the early series of contests in six states from late January through the end of February, after which other states could hold their primaries, too. South Carolina’s primary is to be held on Jan. 22, 2028, Nevada’s on Feb. 1, New Hampshire’s on Feb. 8, New Mexico’s on Feb. 15, Michigan’s on

racially diverse Democratic electorate. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart on Saturday opposed the new 2028 calendar, saying that Iowa losing its historic status means no Midwestern state will go in the first four states. Hart said Republicans will launch their presidential primaries in Iowa in 2028 regardless of what Democrats do and will have a leg up getting ready for general elections, with national implications for the balance of Congress, including three congressional seats and the chance to flip Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Senate seat in 2028. “They will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to promote their candidates, and they will bring tons of national media attention,” Hart said.

Feb. 22 and Virginia’s on Feb. 29. “Our 2028 nominee, whoever they are, will have to earn the support across the full breadth of America. Every region, every demographic, every generation,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in his opening remarks to committee members on Saturday. “No shortcuts. No coronation. You want to lead this party? Go earn it. Go and earn it.” Martin’s words come as the party is still reckoning with the elevation in 2024 of then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who quickly replaced Biden as the party’s

nominee after he stepped aside. Biden, already contending with public doubts over his age and mental fragility, withdrew after he failed to complete sentences and stared off in silence during a televised June debate with Donald Trump. Support from party leaders and donors cratered, as did his position in public polling, forcing Biden to step aside with just 107 days left in the presidential race. He backed Harris and Democratic leaders followed his lead, forgoing any internal contest for the spot. After Harris’ loss, many leaders have lamented the decision not to allow various Democratic contend-

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ers to run for the nomination. It was Biden as president who first handpicked South Carolina as the party’s leading primary state. The state had salvaged Biden’s candidacy in 2020, when he was on the brink following his poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Some of the other leading candidates opposing Biden that year were unable to continue once they reached South Carolina and failed to win among Black voters. The party then discussed the merits of allowing two predominantly white states — Iowa and New Hampshire — to play such a critical leading role for an ethnically and

Longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley issued a statement just after the verification of the new calendar, calling it “disappointing.” New Hampshire has long had a state law on the books dictating that it must hold its presidential primary before other states. The DNC has said it is not bound by an individual state’s law. “Time and again, New Hampshire has proven we are uniquely suited to battle-test candidates. Our small, purple state gives candidates a level playing field with the opportunity to meet voters face-to-face, answer tough questions, and earn support one conversation at a time,” Buckley said. “We will continue making the case to ensure that Granite Staters have a meaningful voice in choosing the next Democratic nominee for president.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - August 19, 2026 - August 25, 2026

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