New York Trend NYC: Oct. 15 - 21, 2015

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October 15, 2015 - October 21, 2015

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Since 1989

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE UNCOVERS VOTER SUPPRESSION

forms and include cutting back on early voting, voter ID laws, and making it harder for people to vote when they go to the wrong precinct. Collectively, such measures lead to significant burdens for eligible voters trying to exercise their most fundamental constitutional right.

In what appears to be a case of racially-motivated voter suppression, strict Voter ID state Alabama has just shuttered drivers’ license bureaus in eight of the 10 counties with the highest percentage of registered voters of color.

“Historically, those who lack a photo ID overwhelmingly tend to be people of color, poor, elderly or students,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said.

“In Alabama, about a quarter million people don’t have drivers licenses or acceptable form of identification. Now it will be impossible to obtain one of those forms of ID in 28 of the state’s 67 counties.”

A total of 31 bureaus were closed – including those in every county where 75% of the registered voters are people of color. Morial noted that a majority of AfricanAmericans in Alabama - 62% rely on public transportation – twice the percentage of white Alabamans who do.

Voting rights are under attack nationwide as states pass voter suppression laws. These laws lead to significant burdens for eligible voters trying to exercise their most fundamental constitutional right. Since 2008, states across the country have passed measures to make it harder for Americans—particularly black people, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities—to exercise their fundamental right

“The Supreme Court decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for this kind of egregious voter suppression, originated in Shelby County, Alabama.”

— -Marc H. Morial, National Urban League President and CEO to cast a ballot. These measures include cuts to early voting, voter ID laws, and purges of voter rolls.

The ACLU is engaged in advocacy and litigation across the country to get rid of these harmful voter suppression measures once and for all.

“The Supreme Court decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for this kind of egregious voter suppression, originated in Shelby

Since 2008, states across the country have passed measures to make it harder for Americans— particularly black people, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities—to exercise their fundamental right to cast a ballot. Over 30 states have considered laws that would require voters to present a government-issued photo ID in order to vote. Studies suggest that up to 11 percent of American citizens lack such an ID and would be required to navigate the administrative burdens to obtain one or forego the right to vote entirely.

County, Alabama,” Morial said.

Alabama was one of nine states previously covered by Section 5, requiring the Justice Department to approve any changes to voting law.

The Voting Rights Advancement Act, introduced in Congress in June, would restore federal approval to changes in voting laws in states that have had 15 or more voting rights violations in the last 25 years. Alabama is one of the 13 states that would be affected.

Voting rights are under attack nationwide as state legislatures pass voter suppression laws under the pretext of preventing voter fraud and safeguarding election integrity. These voter suppression laws take many

“The very idea of democracy is mocked by Alabama’s tactics,” Morial said, urging quick action on the bill. “Unless the right to vote is equally protected among all citizens, we cannot call ourselves a free society.”

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NATIONAL HOWARD U AND GEORGETOWN U AWARDED MILLIONS

A large clinical research program led by Georgetown and Howard universities, facilitating the participation of more than four million Washington-area residents in clinical trials, has received a $27 million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences awarded a five-year renewal of the prestigious Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) to Georgetown University and Howard University on Aug. 28th. The award allows those institutions, as well as the MedStar Health Research Institute and the Washington DC VA Medical Center to continue its broad support of clinical and translational research — improving health care by developing and testing targeted, next generation treatments for all human diseases.

The first CTSA grant for $38 million was awarded in 2010 to the two universities. This seeded the formation of the Georgetown-

62 other federally funded CTSA programs in the U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), said the Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational program has become an outstanding partnership whose work together is showing that scientific investment on a national level can directly impact patient care.

Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS).

“Our mission is not only to stimulate clinical research in the area, but also to encourage the participation of underserved populations and their communities in that research,” said Thomas Mellman, MD, Howard’s principal investigator for the CTSA. “The award is also intended to foster the development of the next generation of clinical researchers.”

In addition, the grant allows clinical researchers to continue their collaborations with scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to analyze large volumes of dynamic biomedical data with increasing levels of speed and efficiency.

“This collaboration represents one of the largest integrated clinical trials networks in the country,” says Joseph Verbalis, MD, Georgetown’s principal investigator for the grant.

“That matters because it directly impacts patient care.” There are

“In a very short period of time, this program has demonstrated the benefits of coordinated community outreach on increasing access to advanced clinical care. Over time, this will change the health of our citizens. Not only are the scientists and doctors at the forefront of medical discoveries, but now, so are our residents.”

“We will be even more productive during our next phase — we have laid down a solid foundation for GHUCCTS and we’ll now build on it,” Mellman said. “There have been many accomplishments during our first five years.”

WELLS FARGO FUNDS DIVERSE-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES

Wells Fargo, America’s leading small business lender*, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation has announced a $1.2 million investment spanning two years.

The majority of the funding will be used to establish training opportunities for diverse-owned small business leaders across the nation. The investment is part of Wells Fargo’s ongoing commitment to train leaders of diverse-segment chambers of commerce that includes more than $6 million in grants and sponsorships since 2003.

“The USHCC commends Wells Fargo for their continued investment in minority-owned small businesses, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to enriching diverse communities across America,” said USHCC President & CEO Javier Palomarez. “Wells Fargo’s support makes it possible for the USHCC Foundation to provide our Chamber Training Institute (CTI), among other programs and grants.

CTI is absolutely essential to our local chambers and makes a direct impact in the lives of entrepreneurs across the country. We look forward to growing our strong alliance with Wells Fargo.”

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“The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. supports the Chamber Training Institute by promoting it to our 115 chamber across the nation.

Specifically, USBC brought Cassius Butts, the Southeast Regional Administrator of the Small Business Administration to the Chamber Training Institute in Atlanta,” said USBC National President and CEO Ron Busby.

“This program has educated our membership on issues in the Hispanic, Asian, and Gay and Lesbian communities and provided a platform for multilateral collaboration.”

“The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. supports the Chamber Training Institute by promoting it to our 115 chamber across the nation.”

The $1.2 million total investment, announced at the USHCC 2015 National Convention, will fund micro-grants, a leadership training impact study and the expansion of the Chamber Training Institute (CTI), a program designed in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. The CTI program develops and empowers

diverse chamber leaders while providing unique educational opportunities on how to grow and build their chamber for the benefit of its small business community members. Additionally, the CTI is one part of Wells Fargo’s four-point plan, introduced earlier this year to help diverse-owned small businesses become credit-ready, access credit and achieve financial success.

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“The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with the USHCC in the Chamber Development Institute. This is not only a valuable learning program for our local affiliate chambers across the nation, it’s also another example of how we actively promote all diverse communities working together just as we pledged to do when we founded the National Business Inclusion Consortium.” said, NGLCC Co-founder and President Justin Nelson. www.newyorktrendnyc.com

IN THE NEWS

EXTREMIST TRYING TO DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD

DR. IVORY TOLDSON TO LEAD WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE ON HBCU’S Dr. Ivory Toldson has been named Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“Dr. Toldson is an undeniable leader in the community,” Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League said. “His appointment to represent HBCUs in The White House is one that we could not agree with more. HBCUs are pillars in the history of African Americans and education in America; they could not receive a stronger proponent not for their survival, but instead to see them thrive and succeed. We applaud President Obama for his decision to name Dr. Ivory A. Toldson as executive director of The White House Initiative on HBCUs.”

By Terry O’Neill, NOW President “Bullies throwing a lot of bull.” That’s how Planned Parenthood Vice President Dawn Laguens described the hours-long ordeal endured by her boss, Cecile Richards. And it’s entirely accurate. Shame on those bullies.

The extremists trying to defund Planned Parenthood are anything but “prolife.” Reproductive health care providers like Planned Parenthood save lives.

Unintended pregnancy is deadly — it is closely correlated with infant and maternal mortality, and is a significant risk factor for domestic violence homicide.

Women are not fooled by the fraudulent propaganda videos produced to attack Planned Parenthood. Nor are we fooled by false claims that funding can simply be re-directed to other providers.

Here is what’s true: NOW chapters around the country are mobilizing against the bullies and their enablers. We intend to defeat any candidate who is on record voting against Planned Parenthood. Because politicians who promote policies that block women from life-saving health care simply don’t belong in Congress.

DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS AGAINST PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Nassau County Democratic Legislator Kevan Abrahams and the Democratic Legislative Minority Caucus announced Tuesday that they are a ‘NO” vote on any budget that includes a property tax to Nassau residents.

“It’s clear that Nassau residents are feeling the pinch of high taxes and the thought that the Republican administration can’t come up with $12 million dollars’ worth of spending cuts in a $3 billion dollar budget so to avoid a County tax hike is simply ridiculous and frankly unacceptable,” voiced Democratic Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams.

“While we will speak to the many reasons we are against the County Executive’s presently proposed ‘High Tax – Pro NewYorkTrendnyc

Over the last few weeks the Democratic Legislative Minority caucus has been outspoken about their position on casinos coming to Nassau. “We believe there is NO community in Nassau that is appropriate for a casino and therefore will NOT support video lottery terminals better known as ‘VLT’’s to be placed either temporarily or permanently in any neighborhood in this County,” said Kevan Abrahams.

Casino Budget’ that attacks Nassau residents’ quality of life and their wallets’ over the coming days and weeks we want it to be clear: this high tax budget has to go and if

the County Executive can’t come up with $12 million dollars of spending cuts in his budget then we will be forced to propose some ourselves,” exclaimed Legislative Abrahams.

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“It’s time we come together against this insanity. Enough is enough! Let’s call this budget what it is: a ‘High Tax – Pro Casino Budget that attacks Nassau residents’ quality of life and their wallets’. There is only one way to fight it; show-up and be heard...,” concluded Legislator Abrahams. www.newyorktrendnyc.com

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GUEST COMMENTARY ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’... LETHAL FORCE AT THE BOSTON MASSACRE, KENT STATE, AND TODAY’

By Allen Woods

Two hundred and forty-five years ago, on Oct. 24, 1770, Captain Thomas Preston entered the Queen Street Courthouse in Boston to stand trial for murder.

Soldiers under his command had fired into the crowd surrounding them on March 5, killing five and wounding six more. Preston and eight enlisted men were arrested immediately with the blessings of the British Lt. Governor as he stared down a huge and threatening mob. The patriots quickly named it “The Bloody Massacre.” British officials referred to “the King St. incident.”

Crowds gathered outside the jail through the summer, chanting for the soldiers to be hung from the Liberty Tree, while British government officials and American leaders did some very fancy dancing to shape public perceptions in America and England. The British wanted to appear willing to

prosecute their own soldiers while securing their freedom in the end; the Sons of Liberty wanted to be seen as reasonable and fair while gaining vengeance when the soldiers were executed.

In a rare case during the years before the Revolution, the royal government walked away with the desired results and perceptions.

The trials only resulted in two convictions for manslaughter. Both privates escaped the death penalty, were branded on the ball of the thumb and returned to England.

Skillful lawyers ensured acquittals for the soldiers. The trials had been delayed for months so that much of the anger from the Massacre had dissipated, and the government prosecutors engaged in only half-hearted efforts. The British-appointed judges separated the trials of Capt. Preston and the others, making it almost certain he would be acquitted—there was no evidence he gave an order to fire. When the soldiers appeared in court, everyone knew Preston had already been found innocent. It was a legal technicality that was most important, however: it allowed the defense to disqualify an unlimited number of jurors. They chose twelve men, five who were declared Loyalists or would be within a few months. Just one dissenting vote would result in acquittal.

The patriot side overplayed its hand when it persuaded two of its best young lawyers to defend the soldiers. This would provide good publicity—”We may be rebellious, but we’re still good British citizens dedicated to the established legal system”—but the lawyers themselves, especially

future President John Adams, had an eye on their reputations as well. With the jury already stacked in the soldiers’ favor, Adams gave a rousing speech in summation, including the platitude that it was better under English law to set a guilty man free than to convict an innocent one.

The soldiers were acquitted as well, with only the two exceptions. The jury assumed they fired in selfdefense, although the hostile crowd

“...the fear of a threat justifies the use of lethal force, not the reality of the threat itself.” surrounding them was armed with only taunting words, sticks, stones, oyster shells and chunks of ice. By acquitting those who used lethal force when they subjectively feared for their lives—regardless of the reality of the threat—the Massacre verdict continued a precedent that has been strongly resurrected in recent years.

Two hundred years after the Massacre, in 1970, National Guard soldiers opened fire on a crowd of thousands that surrounded them on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio, killing four and wounding nine. Many of the circumstances were similar to those of the Boston Massacre: crowds had destroyed property in recent days; the troops were badly outnumbered by the crowd; the people and troops were on edge because of widespread conflicts over government policies (in

this case, the Vietnam War); the protesters were armed with rocks and other projectiles, but no guns (with the possible exception of Terry Norman, an FBI informant who brought a pistol; there is some new evidence that he fired in the air moments before the soldiers’ shots).

After several years and multiple court actions, the legal results were essentially the same: no soldiers were convicted of any wrongdoing. A government inquiry concluded that they had fired in a mistaken belief that they needed to defend themselves.

Since that time, there have been scores of incidents involving unarmed people shot because someone feared them, most with racial overtones; Bernhard Goetz on a New York subway in 1984; George Zimmerman shooting Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012; police officers killing unarmed suspects in a variety of locations across the country. By May 2015, 33 states had passed some sort of ‘Stand Your Ground’ law that allows citizens to use lethal force if they felt they need to protect themselves or their property. In an increasingly violent society, our laws are reaffirming the defense of the soldiers in the Boston Massacre: the fear of a threat justifies the use of lethal force, not the reality of the threat itself.

Allen Woods is the author of the historically-accurate novel The Sword and Scabbard: Thieves and Thugs and the Bloody Massacre in Boston, www. theswordandscabbard.com, that details events of the time, including those leading up to the Boston Massacre.

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Online Editorial Director Rachel Breton Hamlett

Assistant to Publisher, Administrative Zoie Williams

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International Correspondent Ann Brown

Social Media Zoie A. Williams Darwyn Lynch

Travel Editor Jim Weaver Contributing Editor Justin Williams Circulation Manager Robert L. Taylor Distribution/Advertising Darrel Murdaugh 4 NewYorkTrendnyc

Art Director Allison Burris

Writers Ezra Mechaber Deardra Shuler Jim Weaver Anastasia Williams Justin Williams Teresa Williams

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DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT

WBLS 107.5, CIRCLE OF SISTERS TO CELEBRATE EXTRAORDINARY FEMALE INNOVATORS Circle of Sisters, the largest expo in NYC uniting, motivating and celebrating women of color has joined the Café MochaTM radio show that airs Saturday mornings, 6 - 8am on WBLS 107.5 to bring it’s Salute Her Tour presented by Hyundai to New York. On October 15th the SALUTE HER: Superwomen Making a Difference Awards will recognize women who share a common commitment to make a positive contribution to strengthen their respective communities.

2015 SALUTE HER: Superwomen Making a Difference Award Honorees: • PowerHouse Award: Wendy Williams (Daytime talk show host, TV personality, bestselling author) • Gentle Treatment, Woman of Style Award: Malinda Williams (Actress)

Gentle TreatmentTM VIP PreReception and feature a special surprise tribute to the honorees.

Individual tickets can be purchased for $55.00 @ www.

SaluteHerNY.Eventbrite.com.

Proceeds from the event will support the New Jersey-based non-profit, Distributing Dignity to help raise funds to provide feminine supplies to homeless women in shelters across the Tri-State area.

• Champion for Children: Michaela Pereira (CNN anchor)

• Media Legend: Irene Gandy (Broadway publicist)

• Champion for Change: Charisse Lillie (President of Comcast Foundation)

Now in its fourth year, Salute Her: Superwomen Making A Difference Awards will be hosted by Loni Love, actress and host of the hit daytime talk show, THE REAL, and Café Mocha co-host, veteran broadcaster Angelique Perrin.

The evening will include

• Game Changer: Tamela Mann (Award-winning gospel singer/ actress) • Creating the Legacy: Linda Spradley Dunn (Founder/CEO of Odyssey Media)

Café Mocha’s mission to inspire others and create a network environment reflects the ‘spirit’ of the Circle of Sisters Expo to bring together women to empower one another with a full range of panels and breakout sessions on October 17th and 18th the Jacob Javits Center www.CircleofSisters.com.

DISTILLED NY PERFECT PLACE FOR CHICKEN WINGS Distilled NY is one of New York’s hottest public houses, led by Momofuku vet Chef Shane Lyons (along with partners like Drew Nieporent). Their landmark space is located in Tribeca and features 20 ft. ceilings, an open kitchen layout, a massive bar looking upon the Freedom Tower, and a wrap-around patio.

Event better than their space, Distilled has become NYC’s go-to restaurant for chicken wings, (everyone’s favorite game day snack), which were ranked in ’Top Eight Places to Get Wings in New York’ and are twice-fried with a quick freeze in between for maximum crispness and moistness, then slathered with a gochujang (sweet/spicy Korean) glaze and served with Point Reyes Blue Cheese dipping sauce.

Also known for their burgers, onion rings, and epically tasty cocktails, Distilled is the perfect place to fuel up before or for the game.

www.citytech.cuny.edu/openhouse

Sunday 10/25 • 11 am-2 pm NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

CITY TECH WHE RE CA N TE CHNOLOGY TA KE YO U ?

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300 Jay Street Downtown Brooklyn

718.260.5500 www.citytech.cuny.edu www.facebook.com/citytech

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ENTERTAINMENT SURPRISE…KEVIN HART

SET TO PERFORM LIVE @ THE PARAMOUNT!

The Paramount in downtown Huntington, Long Island is stoked to announce Kevin Hart: What Now? Tour on October 19th for two back-to-back performances at 7pm & 10pm. Kevin Hart has skyrocketed to the top of the entertainment industry as one of today’s most recognized and followed comedians.

In August, Kevin Hart was the first comedian ever to sell out over 53,000 seats at Lincoln Financial Field NFL stadium. His What Now? Tour is already the most successful comedy tour in history. The New York Times claims, “Kevin Hart is a comedian built for the big stage (and screen)” and The Paramount couldn’t agree more.

Kevin Hart began his career in footwear, but after an electrifying performance in a Philadelphia comedy club during amateur night

his life quickly changed. In 2015 alone, Kevin Hart has starred in major motion pictures such as “The Wedding Ringer” and “Get Hard,” opposite of heavy-weight comedian, Will Farrell. Hart is also a force in television, executive producing BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood” which premiered its third season last September.

Hart’s non-stop work ethic has paid off landing him new roles in 2016 from the highly anticipated “Ride Along 2” to the action-packed comedy “Central Intelligence,” opposite of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. With his passion for stand-up and entertainment, Hart continues to tour the country to sold-out audiences and in just 16 days he will be making Long Island laugh during a backto-back performance.

RENEE & THE DERELICTS PRESENT LIVE BLUES & SOUL

New York-based music favorites Renee & The Derelicts bring their blend of classic and original blues, rock and soul to the SIDEWALK Bar/ Restaurant (94 Avenue A) in Manhattan’s East Village on Friday, October 16, 2015. Featuring the vocals of the multitalented actress/ playwright Renee Flemings, the band - Sal Carolei (blues harp), Paul Bauman (guitar) bassist Trevor Brown & Grant Jarrett (drums) — will kick things off at 7:00pm. No cover, two item minimum. Located on the corner of Avenue A & 6th Street. SIDEWALK can be reached by taking the “F” train to Second Avenue. For more information, call 212-473-7373 or go to: www.sidewalkny.com/ To hear samples of Renee& The Derelicts - including tracks from their recent EP “Devil’s Kiss” - go to: www.reverbnation.com/ reneeandthederelictsredux NewYorkTrendnyc

THE CRAIGLEWIS BAND AMERICA’S GOT TALENT FINALIST

“TELL ME”

The new single, “TELL ME” from R&B Soul Duo and 2015 America’s Got Talent finalists, THE CRAIGLEWIS BAND is available for download.

The beautiful and forgiveness-asking ballad was produced by The Free Agentz and written by The CraigLewis Band.

“Sometimes we treat strangers better than the people who really love us or we only realize how much someone means to us when they’ve moved on to someone else,” says Jeffrey Lewis. “This song just reminds us that it’s time to grow up and start respecting our relationships,” adds Zuri.

“Tell Me” is available on iTunes now and will also be available on the forthcoming album, due in the spring of 2016.

The CraigLewis Band is made up of two best friends from Atlanta, Ga. The duo’s name is a combination of their last names (Zuri Craig and Jeffrey Lewis). The singers met while competing against each other in a talent competition. They still can’t decide who actually won the competition, but that doesn’t matter now because they have been singing together for 10 years. After performing together for years, they were contacted by Tyler Perry and had the opportunity to perform with him in his stage play, “Madea’s Big Happy Family.”

Their performance in the play landed them an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. On the show they performed the theme song from the TV show “The Brady Bunch”, the same song Tyler Perry first heard them singing on YouTube. To date, The CraigLewis Band has over 7 million hits on YouTube.

In 2015 the duo took their talents to the America’s Got Talent stage.

After performing for months on the show, they finished in the top 5.

Today, you can find The CraigLewis Band singing and touring all over the world. The group will be releasing their new album, still yet untitled during the spring of 2016.

AUDIO LINK — “TELL ME” by THE CRAIGLEWIS BAND - https:// soundcloud.com/the-craiglewisband/tell-me

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Photos: Classic – The Craig Lewis Band

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MULTI-MEDIA CAN PARENTS USE VIDEO GAMES AS LESSONS IN LIFE?

By Mark Cheverton

that “Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids.” From Brigham Young University, researchers studied 287 families and looked at how they play video games together. The BYU team found that girls from ages 11 to 16, who played video games with a parent, reported better behavior, more feelings of family closeness and less aggression than girls who played alone or with friends. In addition, there is a great TED talk that discusses game playing and the positive effectives – both for family closeness and health.

In the history of child development, the widespread participation in the use of video games is not only a relatively new phenomenon, but a widespread one, too.

Ninety-seven percent of children and adolescents in the United States play at least one hour per day, according to the American Psychological Association.

Naturally, many parents and educators worry that this game time is subtracting from healthy skills children should be developing, such as reading.

“As children grow into teenagers and then young adults, finding your favorite novel as a young person, for example, can have immeasurable benefits by answering questions like: Who am I? What do I value? How do I move forward in life?” says Mark Cheverton (markcheverton.com), a former public school teacher of 15 years, an engineer with GE and a father who was inspired to write novels for his son and other children to help teach life lessons.

“Of course, books – whether print or digital versions – are the best sources for in-depth knowledge about anything, from gardening to history to science and more. Establishing reading as a habit is necessary for the wellbeing of the world.”

Photo: San José Library/Flickr

Cheverton offers tips for parents who want to encourage healthy habits to their children, including reading and more.

• Find books that reflect video game themes. “Invasion of the Overworld: Book One in the Gameknight999 Series: An Unofficial Minecrafter’s Adventure,” a book by Cheverton, is an effective example. What better way to get a kid to read a book than to offer one that’s about the video games they are obsessed with? In this case, it’s about the popular game Minecraft.

• Parent participation can create additional teachable moments for issues like bullying. “I’ve come to love playing Minecraft with my son, who spent months building things on his server:

PROTECT YOUR BUBBLE SAVES YOUR SMARTPHONE Protect Your Bubble, a nationwide provider of protection plans that helps protect the things that matter most to people, today released results of a Traveling with Tech survey that shows that 87% of smartphone users do not use a more protective case or buy a protection plan for their smartphone prior to traveling for both business and leisure even though 50% of users worry about malfunctions with their devices while traveling.

The online survey was presented to more than 780 people across the U.S. during August 2015, and it showed that while traveling on leisure, 29% of people are concerned about water damage to their devices but still bring their tech with them for activities that could include water.

In fact, 58% of people brought devices during activities like jet skiing, deep sea fishing, and snorkeling.

Protect Your Bubble designed the survey to identify which devices consumers are using

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when they travel for both business and leisure, and how those devices are being damaged while traveling. According to the survey results, the top three technology items people take with them while traveling for business are smartphones, laptops and portable chargers. Similarly, the top three devices to bring on a leisure trip are smartphones, portable chargers and digital cameras. This slight difference in devices for the two types of travel highlights the need for people to capture memories while on vacation rather than have access to business resources.

“Technology helps us find our way, stay connected and capture memories while traveling, but using our devices on the go can lead to more opportunities for damage,” said Stacey Vogler, U.S. Managing Director for Protect Your Bubble. “Accidentally leaving your tablet on the airplane, getting water damage to your phone on a cruise or breaking your camera while on a hike are just a few of the hundreds of scenarios in which you could damage your devices.

Adding protection to your technology before traveling is just as important as making sure you have secured your travel reservations.”

castles, bridges, underwater cities, factories, everything and anything his imagination could conceive,” Cheverton says. “Video games can have its benefits, too, creating opportunities to communicate with your child on those teachable moments we may dread, like when my son was bullied, but other habits ought to balance a child’s life as well.”

• Computer gaming can have positive benefits with family relationships. It turns out that there has been plenty of research out there on the benefits of parents playing computer games with their kids – not by computer game makers, but by respected universities. Researchers from Arizona State University suggest

• Games like Minecraft may offer an interest in engineering, city planning, etc. Many children who take to games that entail building cities may naturally take an interest later in life in the details of building things in the real world.

Of course, children who love video games may want to know how the games themselves work or are of a high quality, which can lead to further interest in technology.

Whether it’s a future career in video games, computer programming, engineering or a very long list of high-paying jobs, gaming can lead to good things.

Mark Cheverton majored in physics and math as an undergraduate in college and went on to teach in public schools for 15 years. .

SESSIONS OFFERED TO DEVELOP MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMMING

National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) has launched the second season of Webinar Wednesdays, free training sessions designed to help producers overcome challenges in creating serial content for broadcast and the Web. The activities, part of the Harlem-based nonprofit’s program fund and incubator for TV, Web and multimedia projects, NBPC 360, are designed to inform producers of trends and skills they will need for multimedia projects. The webinars are one of many professional services the media arts organization is offering producers who are registered in the producer portal on their website www.blackpublicmedia.org.

NBPC, the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to media content about the Black experience, has

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been bringing stories about the global Black experience to public television since its founding in 1979. The group has gone on to be a leader in the digital space, producing Web series and training the next generation of Web producers of color.

The group recently awarded each of four producing teams between $50,000 and $100,000 in funds to complete pilots of new broadcast and Web series through its NBPC 360 program. NBPC 360 works to identify innovative storytellers and to help them produce quality serial, digital and multiplatform content for public media outlets, including the Web. Only 100 seats are available for each webinar; as participation is first-come, firstserved, producers are encouraged to sign up now at www.blackpublicmedia.org.

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THEATER/FASHION 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF “IN WHITE AMERICA”

A rare New York revival of “In White America,” the 1963 Drama Desk Award winning documentary play about the history of Blacks in America from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement will be presented by Woodie King Jr’s New Federal Theatre at the Castillo Theater, 543 West 42nd Street, from October 15 – November 15. This limited OffBroadway engagement will have opening night on October 29.

“In White America,” written by historian Martin Duberman, utilizes letters, speeches, journals, songs and personal accounts to create a 400 year old tapestry of race relations in America. Historic figures like Nat Turner, John Brown, W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson expound on race in America. This is the play’s first New York City performance in 50 years. The original OffBroadway production starred the late great actors Gloria Foster and Moses Gunn, who also appeared in many notable New Federal Theatre plays.

remains all-too-relevant,” explained Duberman. “Yes, there’s been progress, but as recent events have made all too clear, black lives still matter much less than white ones. It isn’t only police shootings and harassment, or prejudice in job applications and promotions, or jail sentences for minor infractions. It’s also the continuing high level of residential segregation that in turn continues to make our schools just about as segregated as they were in the past.”

“In White America” is performed from Thursday – Saturday at 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm.

Lower Row: Blair Baker, Bill Toles, playwright Martin Duberman, Ezra Barnes, Upper Row: Shane Taylor, Bill Tatum, Joanna Rhinehart, Art McFarland. Photo by Jonathan Slaff.

Charles Maryan, the director of this production, stage managed the original Off-Broadway show.

“In White America” has scenic design by Chris Cumberbatch, costume design by Gail CooperHecht, lighting design by Shirley Prendergast and musical arrangements by Bill Toles. The cast is Art McFarland, Blair Baker, Ezra Barnes, JoAnna

Rhinehart, Bill Tatum, Shane Taylor and Bill Toles. “‘In White America’ - which opened some 50 years ago--should be a relic, but unfortunately isn’t. I wrote the play to provide historical background for the civil rights struggle then in progress. Given the state of race relations in this country today, that history

(L) playwright Martin Duberman, actor Joanna Rhinehart. Photo by Jonathan Slaff.

ROCSI DIAZ IN ONE-OF-A-KIND DRESS AT THE 2015 EMMYS At the Emmys, Rocsi Diaz wore a one of a kind custom look from JS Collections. The peacock ensemble features an off the shoulder crop top with portrait neckline and illusion bands paired with a fitted hand dyed Mikado mermaid skirt.

“After Rocsi Diaz first wore JS Collections to the ESPY Awards, I knew I had to collaborate with her team to make a custom gown for her. I was thrilled to be working with her because she is such a great representation of the modern woman, and that’s what we worked to create— a gown that was timeless, but contemporary.

As a designer, I was so excited to work with someone who not only had an enormous presence in this country but internationally.

Rocsi really represents what the JS woman is — ever evolving, exotic, and effortlessly beautiful.”

– Henry Picado NewYorkTrendnyc

October 15, 2015 - October 21, 2015

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EDUCATION “UNEQUAL SCHOOLS, UNEQUAL WAGES REVEALS EDUCATION INEQUALITY IN NYC A new report by Families for Excellent Schools finds serious economic consequences of the Tale of Two School Systems for New Yorkers of color, as a lack of access to high-quality schools deprives Black and Hispanic students of as much as $4.4 billion in annual lost wages after a decade.

The report, which projects how many incoming black and Hispanic high school freshmen ultimately secure a 4-year college degree, finds that college completion rates for students of color are almost four times less (12%) as their white and Asian counterparts (40%), an outcome with devastating economic consequences for communities of color and the potential to imperil New York City’s economic future.

Last month, another white paper, The Tale of Two School Systems, analyzed education mobility to show the existence of two distinct school systems defined by race, as 478,000

demanding immediate access to high-quality schools--details the economic consequences of economic inequality in New York City.

With nearly 4 in 10 (38%) of the city’s high schools educating less than 5% of their students of color to be ready for college, black and Hispanic New Yorkers are robbed of an opportunity to fully participate in the city’s economy.

Courtesy of Families for Excellent Schools

Only 12% of black and Hispanic ninth graders at the city’s public high schools will earn a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, compared to 40% of white and Asian students.

BOUNCING BACK INVENTION PROMOTES LEARNING 87% of students said that Bouncy Bands helped them feel calmer during tests

students, mostly black and Hispanic, traveled through a separate and unequal group of 850 low-performing schools with virtually no chance of graduating on to higher-performing schools.

Wednesday’s report, “Unequal Schools, Unequal Wages,” which is released on the day of the Rally for School Equality in Cadman Plaza, where 15,000 parents, students, and educators will be

RECIPES AND STORIES FROM THE GATEWAY TO ARABIARECIPES AND STORIES FROM THE GATEWAY TO ARABIA BY BY FELICIA CAMPBELL techniques and ate with them at their tables.

Felicia Campbell presents the delicious diversity of the tiny Arabian Sultanate through 100 recipes, lush photography, and stories from the people behind the food in an immersive introduction to a fascinating, little-known corner of the world.

88% of teachers reported that kids using Bouncy Bands focused better in class

Ertl has spent several years refining and perfecting Bouncy Bands, an innovative classroom tool that aids “kinesthetic learning” for kids. Bouncy Bands are heavy duty rubber straps that attach to the legs of student desks that allow the kids to lightly bounce their feet and stretch their legs as a way to release their extra energy, anxiety, and boredom while working quietly in a classroom. The Bouncy Bands come with support pipes that keep the bands suspended at the perfect height for kids’ feet to rest and bounce.

In a national survey of 144 teachers and 686 students in 22 states: 10 NewYorkTrendnyc

76% of teachers reported that kids using Bouncy Bands tended to stay on task longer Bouncy Bands are also an excellent resource for those students who suffer from test anxiety. Nationwide, as many as 38% of students have moderate to high test anxiety, making it the most prevalent scholastic impairment for students. Bouncy Bands help those students reduce their stress and focus more on the learning tasks at hand which helps soothe the anxiety they feel.

Ertl is not new to making breakthroughs in active learning in education. In 2009, he created the nation’s first “Read and Ride” program for students to ride exercise bikes and read books at the same time. Hundreds of schools around the world have replicated his program in their schools.

Bouncy Bands sell for $12 for chairs and $13 for desks. They are available at: www.BouncyBands. com and on Amazon.com Teachers have used crowdfunding efforts to get Bouncy Bands into their classrooms so all students can benefit.

More than 400 teachers nationally have turned to DonorsChoose.org to get funded to equip their entire classes.

“The data lays bare the devastating costs of education inequality in this city: when half a million children— almost all of color—are trapped in failed schools, doors to the middle class are slammed shut and $4.4 billion in annual wages is lost,” said Jeremiah Kittredge, CEO of Families for Excellent Schools.

BOOK REVIEW | THE FOOD OF OMAN:

92% of students said that Bouncy Bands let them move so they can relax in class

Research shows that kids learn better when they aren’t forced to sit still, glued to a desk or chair for hours on end during a school day. But can they actually fidget, squirm and wiggle their way to better grades in a classroom? And can they do it in a way that’s not disruptive and promotes productivity? According to Scott Ertl, a Winston-Salem, North Carolina elementary school counselor, they can – especially with the help of his effective solution called “Bouncy Bands” that is quickly winning over teachers and students nationally.

“School inequality steals possibility from a generation of young people.,” said Zarida Teel, a parent. “It’s time for the Mayor to stop opposing charter schools, and give families access to the schools they want.”

Felicia Campbell invites readers to journey with her into home kitchens, beachside barbeques, royal weddings, and humble teashops. Discover with her the incredible diversity of flavors and cultures in the tiny Sultanate of Oman.

On September 11, 2001, Felicia Campbell felt, as with so many others, something change. The freshman at CU Denver felt spurred to “do something,” and eventually at the age of seventeen she joined the military, learned how to repair helicopters, and just after her 19th birthday, deployed to Iraq in the first deployment of American soldiers.

It was during the deployment to Iraq, Felicia fell in love with the Middle East, their people, history and their food. After her time in the military Felicia went on to earn her master’s degree in food studies, specializing in Arab foodways. But it wasn’t until she went to Oman in 2013 to write a special feature, when she found an unnamed longing that had been scratching at the inside of her chest since 2004.

Felicia has visited and lived in Oman numerous times, has become friends with locals, been invited into their homes, cooked and learned

October 15, 2015 - October 21, 2015

Omani cuisine is rooted in a Bedouin culture of hospitality—using whatever is on hand to feed a wandering stranger or a crowd of friends—and is infused with the rich bounty of interloping seafarers and overland Arabian caravan traders who, over the centuries, brought with them the flavors of East Africa, Persia, Asia, and beyond. In Oman, familiar ingredients mingle in exciting new ways. The recipes offer cooks a new world of flavors, techniques, and inspiration, while the lush photography and fascinating stories provide an introduction to the culture of a people whose adventurous palates and deep love of feeding and being fed gave rise to this unparalleled cuisine.

In the Arabian Gulf, just east of Saudi Arabia and across the sea from Iran, the kitchens of Oman are filled with the enticing, mysterious aroma of a spice bazaar: musky black limes, earthy cloves, warming cinnamon, cumin, and coriander all play against the comforting scent of simmering basmati rice. Beyond these kitchens, the rocky crags of Jabal Akhdar tower, palm trees sway along the coast of Salalah, sand dunes ripple across Sharqiyah, and the calls to prayer echo from minarets throughout urban Muscat.

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GLOBAL CRICKET LEGENDS TO PLAY ON AMERICAN SOIL

Global cricket superstars Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne headline a star-studded lineup of renowned players from around the world in the inaugural “Cricket All-Star Series” Saturday, November 7th at 1:00 p.m at Citi Field. (Gates open at 11:30 a.m.)

The New York event is part of a three-city tour marking the first time these icons have played in the United States. It also renews the famous rivalry between “Master Blaster” Tendulkar and “King of Spin” Warne.

Tickets went on sale to the general public on Thursday, October 8th at Mets.com/Cricket. The “Cricket All-Star Series” will include a special opening ceremony prior to the match as well as other functions and galas. For more information on Cricket All-Stars, visit: CricketAllStarsLeague.com

“We’ve signed all the top players you’d ever want to see,” said Shane Warne. “I’m excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the first time, and I also think that the T20 format will appeal to new audiences who have never seen or played cricket before. I’m really looking forward to the matches in November, and helping to grow the sport of cricket in America.”

Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar will return to the pitch for the three-match league. © BCCI

The format will be T20, a much shorter and boisterous form of cricket with the games taking around three hours instead of multiple days. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Australian spinner Shane Warne will each captain a hand-picked team.

“Sachin’s Blasters” and “Warne’s Warriors” will feature some of the best players to ever play cricket hailing from eight different countries including Ricky Ponting (Australia), Brian Lara (West Indies), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka),

GINUWINE AND 112 CONCERT TO BENEFIT JAMAICA YMCA

Resorts World Casino New York City will host Crooner Music Fest 2015, a Benefit Concert for the Jamaica YMCA, featuring top R&B artists Ginuwine and 112 with a special presentation by violinist Damien Escobar, on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 9:00 PM in the Central Park Event Space.

All proceeds from the concert, hosted by La Loca of 103.9 FM and comedian Ray Dejon, will go directly to the Jamaica YMCA’s Annual Campaign, which funds important programs such as day and sleep-away camp, teen NewYorkTrendnyc

leadership programs, adult literacy, swim lessons and senior programs.

“Resorts World applauds the continuous efforts of the Jamaica YMCA to offer invaluable services to the members of our community,” said Ryan Eller, President of Resorts World Casino New York City. “As we enter our fourth year in Queens, we are proud to support their work and look forward to a long partnership.”

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on rwnewyork.com.

Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) and Michael Vaughan (England), among others.

“Americans are so passionate about sports, and I think there’s a huge potential for cricket to take off,” said Sachin Tendulkar. “This is also the first time that international cricket will be played in these beautiful baseball stadiums in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles, which will be a lot of fun. We’re also planning some other events and festivities in each city so we can reach as many fans as possible.”

Two other matches will be played in the states on November 11th at Minute Maid Park in Houston with the final match in the series on November 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

“Cricket All-Stars” is being produced by NYC-based Leverage Agency, a fullservice sports and entertainment marketing company. Leverage will also handle the marketing and promotion for the event.

“It’s been a dream of mine to bring the best of cricket to America,” said Ben Sturner, CEO of Leverage Agency. “Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world and we couldn’t ask for better partners than Sachin and Shane on this new venture.”

HALF MOON BAY ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL

Autumn is a spectacularly special season on the fertile, scenic coast around Half Moon Bay where the entire Coastside area bursts into a brilliant sea of orange and buzzes with excitement and activity to celebrate its bountiful and beautiful fall harvest. The dazzling journey is its own reward … the tunnel through Devils Slide is a sight to behold plus the breathtaking views of seaside farm country dotted with vast, rolling fields of orange, scarecrows, barns, and pick-your-own pumpkin patches. It’s the perfect time of year and the perfect place to celebrate the beauty and bounty of the fall season and Half Moon Bay does it like nobody else. The world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is the season’s signature event, drawing hordes of visitors to the “World Pumpkin Capital” for an epic festival on historic Main Street. This year’s 45th annual festival will be held on October 17-18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

October 15, 2015 - October 21, 2015

To launch your day with a good carbo-load, the High School Varsity Basketball Team will fire up the griddle to host the traditional Pancake Breakfast complete with mouthwatering plain or pumpkin pancakes, gobs of butter and maple syrup, grilled sausage links, fresh orange juice, and plenty of coffee.

Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. in Mac Dutra Park, on Main Street at Kelly Avenue.

The festival runs October 17-18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main St. between Mill and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. Admission is free. Pets are not allowed. The festival is presented by the non-profit Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee. For information, call 650-726-9652, check out www. miramarevents.com and download the Pumpkin Festival mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

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For the 1 in 5 kids with learning and attention issues, every day can be a challenge. Explore Understood.org, a free online resource designed to help you help your child thrive in school and in life.

Brought to you by 15 nonprofit partners.

understood.org 12 NewYorkTrendnyc

October 15, 2015 - October 21, 2015

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