Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 102

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ISSUE 102 VOLUME 18

July 09, 2020

SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES!

ICE Says International Students Must Take Classes in Person or Leave the Country Presidential Elections: Nov 3, 2020 ....30

BY KATY MURDZA

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s the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge across the United States, many universities have chosen to temporarily move to onlineonly classes to protect public health.

However, new guidance from the Trump administration will not allow international students to stay in the United States if their classes move online this fall.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) oversees the program and the data/tracking system schools use

T&T PM Dr Rowley Axes Antoine for Sh**hole Statement ....12

continued on page 19

Frederick Douglass: Historic US Black Activist's Statue Toppled

Call 855-768-8845

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statue of the 19th Century US black activist Frederick Douglass has been toppled in New York state.

It appears to have been vandalized on 5 July - the anniversary of a famous speech the former slave gave in 1852.

In it he said Independence Day celebrations were a sham in a nation that still enslaved its black citizens.

His statue, in the city of Rochester, could have been targeted in retaliation

Knowledge is Power when you use it!

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Ask the Lawyer: Jamaica PM Holness: ZOSO Declared for August Town ....2

Frederick Douglass

continued on page 10

Brian Figeroux, Esq., Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association

Barbados PM Mottley Calls for Radical Regional Integration ....6

Sex and Heart Disease ....28 CARICOM Mourns Cricket Icon, Sir Everton Weeks ....22

Remote Learning ....13

Ladies: Learn How to Stop Being So Jealous ....23

Four Reasons to Hire a Divorce Attorney ....15

CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP Caribbean Consulates Anguilla 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200 Antigua & Barbuda 305 East 47th Street, Suite 6A New York, N.Y. 10020 Tel: 212-541-4117 The Bahamas 231 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-421-6420 Barbados 820 Second Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-551-4325 Belize 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1911 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-593-0999 Dominica 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400H New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-0853 Dominican Republic 1500 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-599-8478 Grenada 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1101 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-599-0301 Guyana 308 West 38th Street New York, N.Y. 10018 Tel: 212-947-5119 Haiti 815 Second Avenue,6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-697-9767 Jamaica 767 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-935-9000 Martinique 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-838-6887 Montserrat 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200 Panama 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-840-2450 St. Kitts & Nevis 414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel: 212-535-5521 St. Lucia 800 Second Avenue, 9th Floor New York, N.Y. 10007 Tel: 212-697-9360 St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 800-786-2278 St. Vincent & The Grenadines 801 Second Avenue, 21st Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-687-4981 Trinidad & Tobago 125 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10038 Tel: 212-682-7272 For more Consulate information go to www.cawnyc.com/directory

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Jamaica’s PM Holness’ Statement on ZOSO for August Town

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INGSTON, Jamaica: As Prime Minister acting in accordance with the advice of the National Security Council, and having received the written agreement of the Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff, I have declared a Zone of Special Operations under the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) Act, 2017.

The Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) (August Town Zone) Order, 2020 has been gazetted.

The community of August Town has been assessed as a significant contributor to the level of crime in the St. Andrew Central Police Division and for some time now has been designated a hotspot within this Police Area. Based on the assessment, there is an urgent need for intervention.

The presence of major gangs in the community, as well as several other less organized gangs, has over the years, contributed to the level of crime.

Additionally, the criminal activities of these gangs are not only restricted to the geographical boundaries of the community but have negatively affected other areas.

The community in 2016 went a year without murder and it has been the beneficiary of several anti-violence social intervention efforts over decades.

Hon Andrew Holness

Home to a rich cultural history, and with its proximity to the University of the West Indies and the University Hospital of the West Indies; the community is being robbed of its potential.

A study undertaken in 2017, point to several developmental challenges affecting the area. Among those were: Proliferation of Guns in the Community, Unemployment, weak family and parental support and poor community development facilities.

This unfortunately is also the case in other communities. Much is required to comprehensively address social ills and to achieve tangible, lasting change.

The declaration of a Zone of Special Operations is deemed necessary and suitable at this time, to apply targeted measures to restore public order, and sustainable peace, in so doing ensure enduring transformation of the community.

Every community is different, and it will take time to achieve the intended aim. As we have seen in Mount Salem and Denham Town, targeted solutions

require lengthy consultation and the ability to provide creative solutions to meet expectations and desired impact.

Last week, I declared a Zone of Special Operations in Greenwich Town and requested that support be given to our Security Forces in their resolve to address the extraordinary levels of crime in that community.

The measure is not meant to stigmatize communities, but instead, is meant to help foster the process of engagement and confidence-building between the citizens and the security forces. It is not about addressing a current situation, it is about medium and long-term steps that will positively impact our children, grandchildren and the nation as a whole.

In accordance with the written recommendations of the Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defense Staff, I have designated Ms. Jacqueline Coombs, Senior Superintendent of Police of the JCF and Major Kevron Henry of the JDF to be jointly in charge of operations within the Zone.l

CCJ Rules, Guyana Court of Appeal Decision Thrown Out

P

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Caribbean Court of Justice, having found that it did indeed have jurisdiction to hear the appeal in the Guyana Election case, in a unanimous verdict, threw out the decision of the Guyana Appeal Court that inserted the word “valid” into the consideration of votes for the election of a president.

President of the Court Adrian Saunders said that the decision of the Court of Appeal was null and void and of no effect.

The decision invalidates the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision and similarly invalidates the report that was submitted by the Chief Elections Officer to the Commission which the court said was illicit and of no effect.

The CCJ’s decision is likely to result in the Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield preparing a new report for the GECOM Chair in keeping with her first request.

President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders in delivering the final decision of the Court said the Court of Appeal erred in its decision since there was no need for a refinement of the words con-

tained in the Constitution.

He said “Article 177 (2)B required no refinement. That article in plain and simple language has always said what it meant and meant what it said. There was no need for an interpretation of that Article or any other Article of the Constitution. Accordingly, there was nothing in Ms. David’s application to trigger the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction under Article 177 (4). The Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to make the orders that it made”.

Justice Saunders said by the unnecessary insertion of the word “valid” into the Article of the Constitution, the Court of Appeal invited the Chief Election Officer to engage unilaterally in an unlawful exercise that trespassed on the exclusive jurisdiction of the Guyana High Court.

He also said it was inconsistent with the Constitutional framework for the CEO or the Elections Commission to “disenfranchise tens of thousands of electors in a seemingly non-transparent and arbitrary manner.

The CCJ denied the granting consequential orders saying that by doing so it could possibly find itself in the same

position that the Court of Appeal found itself when it made the order that has now been declared invalid.

However, Justice Saunders said it is for the Guyana Elections Commission to ensure that the Chief Elections Officer submits a report in accordance with the directive given by the Chairman of the Elections Commission back in June.

The CCJ President reminded that it has been four months since the last elections and more than a year since the last sitting of the Guyana Parliament and no one could see that as a satisfactory state of affairs.

“We express the hope that there will quickly be a peaceable restoration of normalcy. Now the law must run its course”, he said.

During his summing up of the evidence presented during the earlier hearing, Justice Saunders made reference to the complaints of anomalies uncovered during the recount, pointing out that the High Court would have to address that issue in the form of an election petition after the final results would have been declared.l — Wiredja Newsdesk

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3

THOUGHTS

Why Silence Weighs Heavily on the Mental Health of Marginalized Communities

S

ilence is complicity. I am a Latina immigrant, and that identity colors my experience. It is through this lens that I see and experience the world.

I am blessed because I have had people and opportunities that have helped me understand the world differently, to move beyond my worldview and expand it.

For Black people, their worldview is fraught with lessons and experiences that highlight that their lives do not matter.

BUT they do.

I have come to know and deeply understand that the world and the people around me may not share in my worldview — they are often not even thinking about how our experiences differ or have similarities.

Maybe I, along with all people that do not align with your ideas of worth, are lumped in with whatever stereotypical beliefs held, or you simply do not care.

Should they? Are we not being asked that question right now, do you care?

The answer may not come easily. But I wonder if we are supposed to start there, in merely asking ourselves where we fall? Do we care or not? If so, what are you doing to help change your existence,

your world? If you do not care, why is that? What has your experience been that you do not value life regardless of color, gender, or anything different from you?

I know we are different, each one us.

But there is something that binds people of color and our communities, the simple fact that we are so often ignored until we become a threat. What do we threaten — your way of life, a clear path to getting what you want, a change in the way you see the world?

Why are we marginalized and NOT allowed an existence where we DO NOT have to defend our bodies, our presence, our experience, and our identity?

Communities of color have been taught oppression through violence and marginalization. As Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Natives, and so many more labels placed upon us, we were taught that we should keep quiet, accept things as they are, and with that, give up our voice and power.

That belief has been ingrained in many of us – that despite whatever we do, nothing will change.

But it must. Systemic racism is a weight that impacts our mental health every day. The subtle jabs, the words used to describe us, the overt depictions of our brothers and sisters as monsters tire us out. But a mental shift happens

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6 Publisher I.Q. INC. Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief

Pearl Phillip Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

We cannot set aside our emotions and our mental health.

Carrying the burden of ignorance and racism has far-reaching impacts in our communities of color and we cannot ignore that.

BY AMERICA PAREDES MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA

TEAM

Assistant Editor Marilyn Silverman Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Anvaar Sabirov Interns Sharif Tyler Casey Tong

every time when we choose to go out into the world. We choose to keep moving forward despite the ongoing sadness, depression, anxiety, and fear we feel.

We cannot set aside our emotions and our mental health. Carrying the burden of ignorance and racism has far-reaching impacts in our communities of color and we cannot ignore that.

Our mental health and well-being have to be protected, discussed, and addressed in the context of our cultural worldview and experiences. Do not take away our identity when we are urging to be heard.

I believe that change can happen, and because of that, I have thought about where my power lies. I have asked myself where I can create change that can be lasting, and I have concluded that change happens one person at a time.

Share your experience because there are people out there that are committed to listening and doing more.

Maybe you do not agree, and that is okay. Find your path.l

America Paredes is the Associate Vice President of Partnerships and Community Outreach at Mental Health America

Contributors Jennine Estes Erin Telesford Janet Howard Mary Campbell Tarsha Gibbons Travis Morales Email info@myiqinc.com Telephone 718-771-0988 Website www.cawnyc.com

Scan this code to schedule a FREE Initial Consultation

Ask the Lawyer on Facebook Figeroux & Associates

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

‘ShotSpotter’ Tested as Shootings and Fireworks Soar, While Civil Rights Questions Linger

BY GABRIEL SANDOVAL AND RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH, ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY REUVEN BLAU s summer begins, audio sensors placed around New York by ShotSpotter Inc. have a lot more to listen for — and account for.

Shootings doubled in June compared with the same period last year, NYPD statistics show.

Meanwhile, fireworks, which can sometimes trigger the gunshot-detection technology, have been exploding all over the city.

Recent news reports show ShotSpotter alerts sending NYPD officers into confrontations — including the fatal shooting by police last month of a gunman in a Crown Heights housing project and a melee in Harlem, where cops were pelted with debris.

The tech is about to come under more scrutiny, thanks to the new surveillancetechnology disclosure law known as the POST Act, which the City Council passed last month and Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign.

Meanwhile, ShotSpotter’s $28 million five-year contract with city is set to expire in December 2021 as the NYPD faces budget cuts and other police departments consider shedding the technology as a cost-cutting measure.

Jerome Greco, an attorney at Legal Aid’s Digital Forensics Unit, worries that ShotSpotter contributes to the over-policing of communities of color.

The alerts direct police into those areas, signaling to officers that “they have to find where this gunfire came from and evidence of it,” he said.

Without giving details, Greco said Legal Aid has represented people who were charged with something other than gunrelated offenses following what started as a ShotSpotter run.

Eric Piza, a Jay John College of Criminal Justice associate professor who is conducting a study on the impact of ShotSpotter in Chicago and Kansas City, said an alert itself doesn’t allow police to stop and frisk a person or go into their house.

“To my understanding, ShotSpotter does not on its own grant officers these rights,” said Piza, a former geographical information systems specialist with the Newark Police Department. “They need adequate reasonable [suspicion] to detain a suspect or enter a home.”

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Hits and Misses In many cases, ShotSpotter functions as the company intends, such as in a January incident in The Bronx when police got an alert for a man reportedly shooting a gun from the platform of a subway station, or in November, where the sensors picked up a fatal shooting at a Brooklyn NYCHA complex.

Mayor Bill de Blasio introduces a pilot program for the ShotSpotter program, on March 16, 2015. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

But sometimes alerts appear to create further tensions. On June 28, a ShotSpotter ping led to a violent altercation between officers and a crowd in Harlem. No one had been shot and no gun was recovered. A local resident told WCBS, “I’m afraid to go to the window.

That’s number one. Because some of these firecrackers do sound like gunshots.”

In March, police say they were responding to a ShotSpotter alert in Canarsie when they came across two young men allegedly smoking marijuana, according to the Daily News.

Several plainclothes cops swarmed one of the men, tackling, punching and kicking him as he and onlookers scream, a heavily retweeted video of the beating shows.

Greco charged that the ShotSpotter call “gives them [police] somewhat of a justification in their mind to harass people.”

The 20-year-old man from Canarsie was charged with “resisting arrest,” obstruction and possession of marijuana, which were dropped by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office in April. He has announced plans to sue for $50 million.

The Speed of Sound ShotSpotter works by continually listening through its array of sensors, and using software to detect which sounds could be a gunshot. The company says it even can pick up the sound of bullets shot through gun “silencers.”

When it detects a possible gunshot, the system records one second of audio before the noise and one second of audio afterward, and sends it to ShotSpotter headquarters, where it is disseminated to police.

Some police who rely on the technology to respond to potential crime scenes say the tool is useful. ShotSpotter was first introduced to the city in 2015 by thenNYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton — who served on ShotSpotter’s board of directors both before and after his tenure New York’s top cop.

One veteran law enforcement official said in the five years his Brooklyn

precinct has used ShotSpotter, alerts have come in for incidents that weren’t reported through 911. And officers can respond faster with ShotSpotter.

“So, 911 usually lags 45 seconds or two minutes before we get it,” he told THE CITY. “This is instantaneous.”

“In literally less than five seconds, there’s a car rolling to that location,” he said.

Piza said what happens after an alert brings an officer to a scene is one of many aspects of ShotSpotter that researchers have yet to thoroughly investigate.

“That’s one of the research questions we’re exploring in our project,” he said.

“Do officers spend more time looking for evidence? When we finish our research, we’ll actually be the first to speak to those questions.”

No Data The NYPD refuses to publicly disclose any metrics it may use to measure ShotSpotter’s success — or where the tech is deployed. Also left unexplained is how the system discerns the difference between gunfire and other bangs, including fireworks and car backfires.

When asked for any statistics on the effectiveness of the tool, NYPD spokesperson Al Baker said: “This technology makes a determination that something is a gunshot or is not a gunshot. It’s used for nothing else.”

He later added: “NYPD does all it can to ensure it receives only authentic gunshot activations” and “works tirelessly to assure [the] accuracy of [the] system.”

Some information is kept under wraps by design — and to keep the police themselves from abusing the technology, according to Ralph Clark, ShotSpotter’s CEO. For example, the company does not allow any police department to know the exact locations of its sensors.

“If you know where the sensors are — even though it’s never been an issue for us before — you [a police officer] might, you know, in a desperate moment, try to do something crazy,” he told THE CITY.

“We just want to eliminate all that possibility.”

Clark said he and his Northern California-based company aim to be transparent about “what the system is capable of, and what it’s not capable of” — and encourage police departments to be, as well.

He said he had not read New York City’s POST Act but wanted the public to know how law enforcement uses his equipment. The NYPD has opposed the bill, saying it will endanger undercover officers.

“We’re not doing facial recognition, we’re not doing video surveillance,” said Clark. “The things that we’re interested in, that we’re directly surveilling, are pops, booms and bangs.”

Facts and Fireworks In the past, however, ShotSpotter reportedly has issued memos to police departments, urging them to deny or heavily redact public records requests involving ShotSpotter information.

ShotSpotter’s contract with the NYPD stipulates it will be right no less than 90% of the time, but Clark contends the accuracy rate is higher.

“You would think that because of all the fireworks calls we’ve had, it’d be going off a lot,” the Brooklyn cop said. “We are getting a lot more falses, but not as many as you would think.”

But a sergeant who works on the Lower East Side told THE CITY that on June 24 an emergency call of shots fired turned out to more likely noise from a nearby construction site.

“I told the driver to take it easy because we don’t want to kill someone on the way there,” the veteran police sergeant, who requested anonymity, told THE CITY of the daytime call.

Targeting Black and Brown Communities While neither ShotSpotter nor the NYPD disclose where the receivers are located, many communities of color have high instances of gunfire — and, for that reacontinued on page 5

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5

CIVIL RIGHTS ShotSpotter/ continued from page 4 son, are where sensors are placed, Clark acknowledged.

He noted ShotSpotter operates across 70 square miles in the city, “prioritized around areas within those boroughs that had higher incidence of gunfire.”

“When people kind of push back with the notion that, you know, ShotSpotter is a tool of oppression. It’s in fact the exact opposite,” said Clark. “It’s a tool of service.”

A native of Oakland, Calif., Clark said he feels strongly about providing a service for “communities that are overpoliced and underserved at the same time.”

If police don’t respond, he said, “gun violence becomes normalized.”

Use by Prosecutors In some instances, audio snippets from ShotSpotter have ended up in court, including in a double-homicide trial in Brooklyn last year.

“It can help establish the number of shots, how rapid, or slow they were, if there was a pause in the shooting, etc.,” said Oren Yaniv, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn DA. “A lot of these are used for intent purposes. They can also corroborate witnesses.”

Ryan Lavis, a spokesperson for Staten Island DA, said his office hasn’t presented ShotSpotter audio in court, but uses the recordings for “investigative purposes” and in grand jury proceedings.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, outgoing Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and his hand-picked successor, then-Chief of Department James O’Neill, at NYPD Headquarters on Feb. 3, 2016. DNAinfo/Ben Fractenberg

“ShotSpotter is an important crimefighting tool in our mission to reduce gun violence on Staten Island,” Lavis said. “In fact, together with Borough President [Jimmy] Oddo, we successfully lobbied the mayor and [police] commissioner to expand coverage in our borough.”

A spokesperson for The Bronx DA’s office would only say that it had been used “in a couple of cases.”

The Manhattan and Queens district attorney offices said they don’t use ShotSpotter in court.

Greco of Legal Aid pointed to a highprofile case in upstate Rochester involving a man who was shot by police in

2016 and charged with shooting at them.

A Monroe County jury ultimately acquitted Silvon Simmons of those charges in 2017, where ShotSpotter evidence was dismissed by a judge.

Charles Burkwit, Simmons’ attorney in an ongoing civil lawsuit against ShotSpotter, called the detection system “completely unreliable.” He said the company had initially classified the sounds from Simmons’ incident as a helicopter.

Then, ShotSpotter reclassified the sounds at the request of the local police department, in order to match the officers’ version of the incident, he charged.

“We’re alleging that they fabricated evi-

dence in order to implicate Mr. Simmons as shooting a gun and to justify the criminal charges that were brought against him,” Burkwit said. “You know, he sat in jail for a year and a half waiting for his trial. His life was ruined over this.”

The civil case has been stalled in the discovery phase, Burkwit noted, because of the pandemic, but he hopes to move forward with depositions by the end of the summer.

Clark declined to comment on the Burkwit’s criticism, citing the ongoing lawsuit. l This story was published on July 05, 2020 by THE CITY.

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6

CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT

PM Mottley of Barbados Calls for Radical Regional Integration to Fast-track Economic Growth for the ‘New Caribbean’

O

ECS: “The Caribbean should not be invisible for many and disposable for some,” said Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of CARICOM, Hon. Mia Mottley, at a recent online event hosted by the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS Commission).

In her discourse, Prime Minister Mottley pointed out that: “The Region should not be abandoned, as was clearly demonstrated by the criteria established to determine access to the UN Global Fund for purchase of Invitro Diagnostics, where ten (10) Caribbean countries did not qualify on the basis of Maternal Mortality rates.”

She went on to say: “The Caribbean has the capacity to be stronger, but it needs to use a united voice, to shape and influence the challenges that confront the global community and its [own] future, by promoting and embracing national and regional symbiotic tripartite relationships, to strategically steer the areas of influence in the Region.”

Barbados PM Hon Mia Mottley

The webinar — Business Unusual: Recalibrating National and Business Strategies for Economic Growth and Investment Creation — welcomed over 4000 viewers from 50 countries across the world; and is the second of a fourpart series leading up to the Sustainable Development Movement Summit (SDM2020), being organized by the OECS Commission.

PM Mottley was joined by other panelists, including Director-General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules; Minister of

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules

Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives for the Commonwealth of Dominica, Hon. Denise Charles; Country Director for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Tahseen Sayed; Head of Jamaica Venture Capital Program, Audrey Richards; Director of Economic Affairs and Regional Integration at the OECS Commission, Jacqueline Emanuel Flood; and General Counsel and Company Secretary at Bitt Inc., Sade Jemmott.

Within the context of the ninth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9)—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure — the webinar speakers each pointed out the raw facts, strategies and innovative frameworks that are critical to the rejuvenation and growth of economies from a national, regional and global perspective.

In his closing statements, Director General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules, echoed the sentiments of his fellow panelists, stating: “The current [economic and COVID19] situation underscores the relevance of pursuing an integrated framework for Sustainable Development. The voice of the Caribbean Region must become elevated to take leadership on critical resilience and sustainable development issues.

“Furthermore, digital opportunities emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with imagination [can] set pathways for rapid and transformative actions to [fast-track growth within the region].”

Managing Director of the BestPerforming Stock Market in the World (The Jamaica Stock Exchange), Marlene Street Forrest and International Serial Entrepreneur, Chinedu Echeruo will deliver keynote addresses regarding investments, innovation and transformation, to help businesses and governments find new and profitable ways of working together to support the achievement of more sustainable and modern infrastructures across the region.

Head of the OECS Development Cooperation and Resource Mobilization Unit, Lisa Taylor Stone said the event—SDM2020—“is an investors mecca”.

She explained: “So far, we are on the cusp of signing a partnership with Internet Income Jamaica to provide 5,000 jobs in the Eastern Caribbean; 30 entrepreneurs from across the Caribbean have already been selected to participate in the SDM2020 Business Model Competition, aimed at promoting innovation and connecting the Region's entrepreneurs to leading global investors. We are also in the process of signing partnership deals with global entrepreneurs to strengthen the business development ecosystem for the Member States.”

SDM2020 is slated to be held on September 23 and 24 in Saint Lucia.

Caribbean governments, development partners, members of the private sector, academia, civil society and all other interest groups can register for the Summit online at oecssdm.coml

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Live in the basement?

Yes, the census is for you.

Your answers cannot be shared with your landlord, ICE, or any law enforcement agency.

You don’t need a paper form.

My2020census.gov 1-844-330-2020 VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE!LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC!

8

CENSUS 2020

The Census and Black Communities: An Ignoble History

T

hough today the census serves as the very basis for each community to be able to empower itself to be able to obtain the money, power, and respect that it is rightfully owed and entitled to by the U.S. Constitution, the census has been used by a racist system and power structure to oppress and disenfranchise.

In the earliest days of the nation, as an appeasement to southern states, the census counted each enslaved Black American as only “Three-Fifths” of a human being, a shameful and dehumanizing practice that continued until the abolishment of slavery. During the Reconstruction era, the census categorized and classified Americans based on the purported amount of “racial blood” possessed, which enabled government and private society to further bolster a racist hierarchy in which the “more” Black blood possessed, the lower one’s social, political, and economic status.

In the Jim Crow era, participation in the census was suppressed under threat of violence or death, on the basis of the idea that if Black Americans were to be fully represented in census figures, that they could, in theory, receive the empower-

Hon Shirley Chisholm

ment they were due, a non-starter for the segregationist and racist ideology enshrined in American society and government policy and procedure at the time, particularly in the South.

The census continued to be used as a tool of oppression through the World War II era when census data was used to arrest and intern hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans in prison camps.

Following the War, a national reckoning with the manipulation of the census for nefarious political means led to reimag-

ing of the census through Title XIII of the U.S. Code, which established the complete confidentiality of the all census data, and made the sharing of any such data by the Census Bureau with anyone including any other government agency, law enforcement, or private entity - a serious crime. Today, this crime is punishable by up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Since the passage of these provisions in the early 1950s, there is no evidence of them having been broken.

The relationship between the census and Black communities began to somewhat shift in the Civil Rights era, as exemplified by the decision by Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress, to choose to be a census-taker in New York City in the early days of her career in public service.

Her experience as an enumerator in 1970 shaped her visionary outlook as a congresswoman and as the first Black woman to run for president. In 1970, many Black and Brown residents in New York City refused to answer census takers as they were scared that answering census responses could render them as targets. Many enumerators quit that year,

but for Chisholm, as a daughter of immigrants from Barbados, she was able to relate to these sentiments and was able to gain the trust of individual New Yorkers who were fearful of the census.

Despite the implementation of Title XIII, because of the census’ problematic and oppressive history with Black Americans, there has been a lack of trust in the census’ ability to deliver on its promise among Black communities, and the census has, as a result, continued to significantly undercount Black populations across the country.

"When we talk about demanding racial equity and social justice, we know that there is no more important act that Black New Yorkers can make RIGHT NOW, than to respond to the 2020 Census," said Sheena Wright, President & CEO, United Way of New York City. "We are proud to be partnered with Julie Menin and the entire NYC Census team, and we recognize the import of activating Black New Yorkers specifically. The "On The Front Lines" campaign highlights their critical work for this City, and is a clarion Call to Action to ensure that communities of color receive the Money, Power and Respect that they deserve."l

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9

CENSUS 2020

“On the Front Lines:” NYC Census 2020 and Black Front-line Workers Fighting COVID-19 Launch Campaign to Count All

N

EW YORK: NYC Census 2020, in partnership with BRIC, has launched “On the Front Lines”, a multimedia video, social media, and print campaign that features six Black New Yorkers who are front-line workers that have kept the city fed, safe, moving, and protected from COVID-19, speaking to New Yorkers in their own words about the critical importance of the census in keeping our healthcare, housing, transportation, and education systems fully funded and operational, both now and into the future.

In speaking directly about the census being the basis on which New York City —and Black communities in particular —can obtain the money, power, and respect they are rightfully owed, the campaign seeks to underscore the importance of the census to the city’s future, in particular for a community that has been historically been significantly undercounted in the census.

“In order for the census to fulfill its true function as being the foundational exercise that allows for the functioning of our democracy and the equitable distribution

of money and power across all 50 states, it is imperative that all Black and Brown communities in New York City participate in it,” said J. Phillip Thomson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “If there is an undercount in the 2020 Census, there’s a real risk that New York State will lose representation in Congress and our fair share of $1.5 trillion in funding for education, housing, healthcare, and so much more. By participating, we will not allow racist or xenophobic attempts to manipulate the census against us to be successful.”

“The fight for civil rights and equity is not over. The census can be an instrument of justice, if — and only if — all New Yorkers are counted,” said NYC Census

Director Julie Menin and Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel, NYC Law Department. “The census is about money and power for Black communities, which have a long history of being undercounted in the census. The “On the Front Lines” campaign is the manifestation of our mission — to ensure that Black communities across New York City get the resources and the representation they are owed.”

“From COVID-19 to criminal justice, recent events have highlighted the countless injustices and inequities that Black New Yorkers face every day, and made clear how much work we still have to do as a City and a nation in the ongoing fight for civil rights,” said Acting HRA

Administrator Gary Jenkins. “Now, more than ever, it is vital that we listen to and hear the Black community, as we work to uplift and empower all of our most marginalized neighbors. The Census ensures that communities of color are represented in government and beyond and provided the resources they need and deserve to build a stronger and more equitable New York City.”

"Black New Yorkers have been undercounted in the Census for far too long," said Marco A. Carrión, Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit.

"Ensuring our Black neighbors are counted gives us the ability to fight for the resources our historically marginalized communities deserve.”l

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TAX MATTERS

10

Even Without a Permanent Address, You May Still Qualify for an Economic Impact Payment

I

f you're a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or qualifying resident alien, not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work eligible Social Security number, you'll likely receive an Economic Impact Payment.

You don't have to have income to claim a payment. If you're experiencing homelessness, you may still be eligible. The payment is not income and you will not owe tax on it. It won't affect your eligibility for federal government assistance or benefit programs.

If you don't normally file taxes, you need to sign up at IRS.gov/nonfilereip to receive a $1,200 payment. You may also get an additional $500 for each qualifying child.

You're not required to file a tax return for 2019 if your income is below $12,200, or $24,400 for married couples.

Don't use the non-filer tool if you: Can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return Filed or will file a 2018 or 2019 return

To sign up you'll need: nName, a mailing address and an email address nDate of birth and valid Social Security number nBank account information, if you have one nIdentity Protection PIN, if you've received one from the IRS nLicense or state ID, if you have one nName, SSN and relationship for each qualifying child nIf you receive any of these benefits,

you should automatically get your payment where you normally receive your benefits. nSocial Security retirement, disability or survivor benefits nSupplemental Security Income nVeterans Affairs Compensation and Pension benefits nRailroad Retirement benefits Visit IRS.gov/coronavirus for more information.l

Frederick Douglass/ continued from page 1

slavery, activists said.

The leader of the group that erected the statue, Carvi Eison, said a new statue of Douglass would take its place.

No-one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack on the statue.

In recent weeks, statues of Confederate leaders and the explorer Christopher Columbus have been torn down in the US, as pressure grows on authorities to remove monuments connected to slavery and colonialism.

The movement has been sparked by the death in police custody of African American George Floyd.

His death in Minneapolis in May has led to protests in the US and internationally against police brutality and racial inequality.

President Donald Trump last week ordered the creation of a "National Garden of American Heroes" to defend what he called "our great national story" against those who vandalized statues.

His executive order gave a new task force 60 days to present plans, including a location, for the garden.

Trump insisted the new statues must be lifelike, "not abstract or modernist".l

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11

DIASPORA CONCERNS

Low-wage Essential Workers Get Less Protection Against Coronavirus – and Less information About How It Spreads

BY JASMINE KERRISSEY & CLARE HAMMONDS THE CONVERSATION

L

ow-wage essential workers are more likely to face dangerous working conditions and food insecurity than high-wage workers, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our research provides some of the first data on the safety of essential workers during the pandemic.

Our findings suggest that COVID-19 is not the “great equalizer,” as Andrew Cuomo once called it. In fact, inequality is getting worse.

We found that across income levels, roughly two-thirds of essential workers were unable to practice social distancing.

Low-wage essential workers include grocery clerks, home health aides and delivery drivers, while high-wage workers include nurses, doctors and managers.

However, low-wage workers were two to three times more likely than highwage workers – workers earning over

Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock.com

US$40/hour – to lack other forms of protections, including access to masks, hand sanitizer, training on how to prevent COVID-19 transmission or regular handwashing opportunities.

Low wages, high rates of infection In our study, we surveyed over 1,600 essential workers in western Massachusetts, a hot spot for COVID19, who were at work between April 17 and April 24, 2020. We wanted to learn about the experiences at work and at home of those who stayed on the job.

At the close of April, Massachusetts

had the third-highest COVID-19 case count of all states.

We reached essential workers through targeted Facebook advertisements, a method that allows researchers to engage with emerging or hard-to-reach groups of people.

Although they do essential jobs, many essential workers are low-wage, earning under $20 an hour. While there are several ways to define low-wage, this is the definition we used in our study.

Infection risks and food insecurity Not surprisingly, low-wage workers

reported feeling less safe at work than high-wage workers. While 44% of highwage workers reported not feeling safe, this percentage increased by 10 points to 54% for low wage workers.

Low wages were also a key indicator of food security. One in three low-wage respondents reported that they were unable to provide for themselves or their family in mid-April.

One of our survey respondents wrote, “We are risking infecting our family by working, and they don’t give us anything extra in our paychecks to be able to buy more food. What we earn is for paying rent, electricity, insurance, and the rest is barely enough to buy food.”

Others wrote that unemployment checks would be higher than they are paid as essential workers.

Over the past few months, COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated inequities, including the safety of low-wage workers. From our perspective, safety is not just an issue for essential workers’ health. It fundamentally impacts our ability to reopen and stay open. l

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FOCUS: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

12

Rowley Axes Ancil Antoine, Called America "a Sh**hole Country"

BY CALVIN G. BROWN WIREDJA.COM

P

ORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: People’s National Movement MP Ancil Antoine has been dropped as the party’s D’Abadie O’Meara candidate in the upcoming August 10 elections, due to insensitive and objectionable statements he made about the United States during a political meeting on Saturday.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said he had withdrawn Antoine from PNM’s list of candidates, while confirmation also came in a brief statement from Antoine himself, who said: “I made a statement of indiscretion (sic) and for this, I issue an apology. I have offered to the Political Leader my withdrawal from the PNM Team for the 2020 Election.”

Antoine’s controversial remarks were made during an address at Saturday’s launch of a campaign office. In a video circulating on Facebook, Antoine is heard saying, “America is a sh**hole country. I’m sorry to say that, right?”

In video clips of his speech, Antoine said the country had been hit by low energy prices and the covid19 "hit" which saw everything closing down.

"But we are recovering from it due to the excellent leadership of Dr Keith Rowley and his Government. Yesterday I commended him after Parliament – when we had a soiree in his office – on his excellent work. And he said part of why it turned out so is because he is a volcanologist. Because he virtually is a scientist, he has respect for scientists. So, when the doctors and so forth said 'follow that' he did.

"It is a great contrast to (US) President (Donald) Trump who has gone against his scientists and his experts and now America is a s---hole country. Sorry to say that. And we will have to make sure that we don’t allow Americans to come into Trinidad. You know all them Trinidadians who run into America and they have to send back their barrel and so forth. Make sure that you tell them stay out of Trinidad for the rest of the year. All

T&T PM Hon Dr Keith Rowley

of your family and them,” Antoine said.

There was loud laughter heard from people he was addressing before he added, “And we have to make sure that we don’t allow Americans to come into Trinidad.

You know all those Americans, those Trinidadians, who run into America and need to send back all their barrels and so forth. Make sure you tell them to stay out of Trinidad for the rest of the year. All your family and them.”

It was the second time Antoine’s comments had attracted a negative spotlight and Rowley immediately acted to drop Antoine from his team—two weeks before the July 17 Nomination Day for the August 10 general election.

Rowley stated on his Facebook site, “The Prime Minister has withdrawn Brig General Ancil Antoine (Ret) from the list of candidates to be presented to PNM’s Central Executive for final approval.

“This candidate’s removal is as a direct consequence of insensitive and objectionable statements made by him at a campaign launch recently, such statements are not representative of the party’s or country’s position.’’

Antoine’s remarks came at a time when T&T is trying to move on from strained relations with the US. This following UNC statements about a fuel shipment sold by Paria Fuel Trading shipment to fuel tycoon Wilmer Ruperti which is alleged to have ended up in Venezuela and the visit of Venezuelan Vice-

President Delcy Rodriguez to meet Rowley in March—issues which the US had noted and which Government has explained, dismissing UNC interpretations. Subsequently, on World Refugee day recently, US Ambassador Joseph Mondello had praised T&T’s handling of Venezuelan refugees.

Antoine subsequently apologized for the comments, saying he did not mean it in the way it was said. Rather, he said, he really intended to praise the Rowley administration for its handling of the pandemic in comparison to how poorly the Donald Trump administration has handled their response.

Antoine, who was dismissed from the Public Utilities Ministry in 2016, wasn’t reappointed a minister but had gone on to focusing on the constituency.

Antoine won the seat in the 2015 elections after Congress of the People’s Anil Roberts had wrested it from the PNM’s Karen Nunez-Tesheira, who held it over 2007-2010.

Today's Guardian Editorial seems to have supported the Prime Minister in the manner in which he handled Antoine's comment. ".... Surely, in these times when T&T relations with the United States are already tottering on the brink in the wake of Venezuela Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez’s visit to T&T and the Paria Fuel Trading fuel deal with Wilmer Ruperti, Antoine should have known

MP Ancil Antoine

such a statement was ill-advised at best.

One hopes that this incident will not bring more US wrath upon T&T, given that we are already in their bad books.

Antoine’s case has also quickly brought home the reality of just how careful politicians, in particular, must be in the handling of matters on the political hustings.

It is to the Prime Minister Rowley’s credit that he took swift action. Dr Rowley himself may want to reflect on how he too handles matters concerning the US when the party intensifies its campaign and realize that while Trinidad and Tobago is a sovereign state, without the United States as an ally we would be in a far worse position than we are today.

Rowley must therefore publicly distance himself from any criticism of the US as espoused by Antoine and ensure no one in his party feels so emboldened again," the Guardian editorial commented.l

Article originally published on July 6, 2020. Updated July 7, 2020.

www.cawnyc.com

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13

EDUCATION

Remote Learning: Inequality and Poverty in New York’s City’s Public Schools the Google classroom, class tag, kami between students, and their family was the reality of a few. Amongst the educators, the use of video chatting platforms like facetime, blue jeans, google meet, and others, to deliver lessons, practiced by only a few teachers and proved to be a radically new approach to teaching for quite a number of them.

BY LINDA N. SPECIAL TO CAW

A

s the 2019/2020 school year draws to a close, and summer break is just around the corner.

Public schools in New York City will be joining their counterparts to end the school year by June. To many, describing the session as challenging would be an understatement, as educators', administrators, students, and other stakeholders struggled with overcoming a lethal combination of managing the outbreak of a virus (COVID-19) and concluding the curriculum for the school year. Within weeks, 1.1 million students and over 75,000 teachers under the care of the New York Department of Education (NYDOE) abruptly transitioned from physically attending school to remote learning.

This feat required an unimaginable amount of work consisting of logistics, financial, strategic, and psychological agility. All of these were to avoid the raging virus and its destruction. In response, the agency decided to switch to remote learning, to mitigate the grave consequences experienced by other countries that served as forerunners in managing

the pandemic. Tom Liam Lynch, Director of Education Policy at the Center for NYC Affairs at the New School, described this remote learning as a "triage." He said, " What is being experienced as remote learning is a triage', an emergency response." A description based on the premise that NYDOE was ill-prepared for this mode of learning but had to adopt the option in light of the prevailing circumstances. In an ideal situa-

tion, remote online learning involves a well-ordered process, It uploads resources, set up, and launches ahead of time, using the appropriate equipment, such as laptops, tablets, available and prepared to work. Before the 'Coronavirus-driven-remote-teaching' strategy, few schools in New York City had engaged in the intensive use of technology for tutoring, especially in the k-5 elementary grade levels. Thus, the use of

So, what has the experience of remote learning?

As an emergency measure, the switch to remote learning was the most effective for health and safety reasons. It has also proved useful, especially among some students; however, it gradually became a source of concern and counter-productive for others. In a webinar hosted by Alberto Minujin, Executive Director, Equity for Children, participants from ATD Fourth World group of activists shared experiences of how the remote learning method is impacting their wards. It is common knowledge that caregivers and guardians became ad-hoc teachers and tutors. The phrase 'reallystressed' became a common lingo among these groups going by responses across continued on page 14

PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN NYC! TAKE THESE STEPS:

6 ft

Stay home if sick

Wear a face covering

Only leave for essential medical care and testing or other essential errands.

You can be contagious without symptoms. Protect those around you by wearing a face covering.

Keep physical distance

Keep your hands clean

Stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

If you are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, you should still stay home as much as possible. Those at increased risk are adults age 50 or older (adults 65 and older are at the highest risk), and those who have other health conditions.

Get tested: There are COVID-19 testing sites in all five boroughs.

To find a site, visit nyc.gov/covidtest or call 311.

Bill de Blasio Mayor

For the latest information, visit nyc.gov/coronavirus.

Oxiris Barbot, MD Commissioner

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14

EDUCATION appears to have a plan. According to Adrienne Austin, they have been working towards eliminating the educational gap as best as possible. There is an ongoing plan to have summer schools happen remotely, with this idea serving about 177,000 children.

Remote Learning/ continued from page 13 social media platforms since the online home tutoring commenced. However, the combination of untrained and stressed ad-hoc teachers with special needs students is worrisome. Most advocates who spoke on behalf of mothers and grandmothers from the group shared their emotions, worries, and concerns.

According to them, students with special needs need a different approach, including face-to-face stimulation, delivered by professionally trained teachers. The latter has mastered the act of supporting them in acquiring educative skills. In the words of one participant, "You can't replace a teacher. Children need other children to learn", another participant said, "Parents are not educators, some parents are unprepared, and they are drowning." For the category of caregivers and guardians, one can infer that remote learning has been more of a setback than beneficial.

NYDOE's response and preparedness for summer schools While the Department of Education has been quite responsive, more is needed. In the discussion, Adrienne Austin, Acting Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communication, NYDOE mentioned the various actions the agency took in dealing with the situation by "supporting

families with over 300,000 digital electronic devices with internet and serving 500,000 weekly pick-up meals." Other actions taken include the provision of teaching guidelines, training teachers, allowing a jurisdiction driven execution of the remote learning curriculum.

Another strategy is to enable school leaders to take ownership and deliver the mandate using an approach that best suits their community. As the summer approaches, the agency has created summer schooling opportunities that will enable children to stay connected even in deprived neighborhoods.

Previous research shows that most students lose about two months of learning due to the summer holidays. The summer break of 2020 is one with a difference as it comes with the tag ' post-COVID-19 summer holidays'. Although this idea poses a unique challenge, NYDOE

How remote learning widens inequality and poverty Despite all these plans and actions, there is evidence that the impact of online learning varies. In one category, it works well with a group of students – those with established educational skills, from the middle to high socioeconomic background, and have access to additional support that complements their online learning. On the other hand, students from a poor and low socioeconomic background, homeless or live in a shelter, with language difficulty, performing behind grade level, among other challenges losses out. This category of students contends with this reality. In addition to dealing with remote learning with the technological challenges, the absence of a conducive environment for learning, inadequate supervision, on top of their existing circumstances, widens the already existing gap created by poverty.

The described scenario is the reality of New York City public schools, composed of students from various socioeconomic classes. With such demographics and circumstances, a one-size-fits-all approach

will result in a disaster, especially among students who are struggling and are performing at lower grade levels.

What needs to be in place to allow all children to thrive at school next year?

Arguably, poverty had been an existing trauma that most students live with every day. While remote learning might have worked for some students from the 1.1 million students in New York, the decision appeared rushed, and there are students who this method has been less effective. For students whose parents can afford the additional support, they need excelling in such circumstances. Most students do not have access to other programs, tutoring, technology, and home environment will be unable to shine as the fall resumption draws near for a new school session and reconsiders in the light of the varying circumstances across classes, grade levels, and needs.

The city's Department of Education must explore a new distance learning model that recognizes the quiet voices of unheard students and addresses their issues to ensure social justice. The longer the delay, the more the inequality will widen in the future. There must be a reconsideration of some students' needs separated from the need of the general population. Going forward, they must use a more strategically inclusive approach, involving various stakeholders as already planned.l

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15

FAMILY MATTERS

Four Reasons to Hire a Divorce Attorney When Separating from Your Spouse divorce, it can be extremely easy to get caught up in the idea that you must win every battle. However, this is quite unlikely. An experienced attorney will be able to take a more objective look at your case and determine which fights can be won and which ones should be settled.

This can help to prevent you from getting dragged into unnecessary legal battles that you have no hope of succeeding in.

BY MARY CAMPBELL

A

ccording to Wikipedia: Divorce, also known as dissolution of marriage, is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union.

Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the bonds of matrimony between a married couple under the rule of law of the particular country or state. Divorce laws vary considerably around the world, but in most countries, divorce requires the sanction of a court or other authority in a legal process, which may involve issues of distribution of property, child custody, alimony (spousal support), child visitation/access, parenting time, child support, and division of debt.

A divorce will certainly take an emotional toll on you. After all, separating from your partner is never easy.

However, if you do not have adequate legal representation, it can also take a financial toll on you.

A Messy Affair If the marriage was short, then you and your partner will likely find it relatively simple to separate. On the other hand, if

there are assets and children involved, you will need an experienced legal hand to guide and protect you along the way.

Four Reasons Why You Need a Divorce Lawyer There are four main practical reasons why you might need a divorce lawyer: 1. Legal Knowledge A divorce attorney's knowledge and familiarity with the law will allow them to present your case to a judge in the best way possible. The lawyer will know exactly which legal buttons to push and tilt the divorce petition in your favor —

especially if your spouse has hired legal help too.

2. Paperwork Divorce proceedings involve filing paperwork — lots and lots of it. A lawyer and their team can take care of that obligation for you without breaking a sweat.

Your legal team will be able to ensure that all your documentation is completed accurately and on time. After all, the last thing you want to do is miss a deadline and irritate the judge.

3. Objectivity When you are going through a tricky

4. Negotiation At its heart, every divorce is just a complicated negotiation. As such, your best chance of protecting yourself financially during a divorce is by hiring a skilled negotiator. Since your divorce attorney has likely handled hundreds or even thousands of similar cases throughout their career, they will be able to negotiate the best possible outcome on your behalf.

In Closing Going through a divorce is challenging on a number of different levels.

However, by hiring a skilled and experienced divorce attorney, you can at least ensure that your finances remain protected throughout the process.l

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ELDER CARE

16

Hundreds Died of COVID at NYC Nursing Homes With Spotless Infection Inspections

BY SUSAN JAFFE, THE CITY

M

ore than 600 residents have died from COVID-19 at 25 New York City nursing homes that received clean bills of health for controlling the spread of infections, state Department of Health inspection reports obtained by THE CITY show.

Those facilities include homes with some of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the nation — including the Sapphire Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Flushing, which reports 54 residents died of confirmed or presumed COVID. THE CITY obtained 35 out of the 79 reports the state Department of Health says it has conducted with a focus on infection control after coronavirus arrived in New York. The city has 173 nursing homes in total.

An April 2 inspection at Sapphire, which has 227 beds, found the Queens facility in compliance with infectioncontrol regulations.

Two weeks later, a second review — after families spoke out about the spread of illness between roommates and rooms — again determined “the facility was in substantial compliance,” with zero deficiencies.

At the Franklin Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, also in Flushing, 60 residents — nearly one in five — succumbed to the virus. Its May 4 inspection report found no problems.

Also passing its May 11 infection-control inspection was New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans, Queens.

Staff there previously told THE CITY that the state Health Department-run home failed to separate COVID-positive and uninfected residents, something that was a violation at other facilities.

Caregivers at the veterans’ home have identified 48 dead since the start of the outbreak. The officially reported coronavirus toll there is still 35.

The management of the homes did not respond to requests for comment.

“It’s very shocking that at the apex of this pandemic, our inspectors went in and reported that that there’s nothing out of the ordinary when it’s clear that the infection rate had spread,” said

The Sapphire Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Flushing, Queens, April 27, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Assemblymember Ron Kim (D-Queens), whose district includes Sapphire and the Franklin Center.

After family members of Sapphire residents had complained about conditions there, he contacted the governor’s office and called for a state inspection. Despite repeated requests, Kim said he never received the results.

“Anyone with loved ones stuck in nursing homes know first-hand that there is something wrong going on,” he said.

Needed Distance In all, the state Department of Health says it has conducted 79 such inspections in the five boroughs as the coronavirus rampaged through nursing homes — claiming 2,450 lives so far in New York City long-term care facilities, by the city health department’s count.

The inspections come after federal health officials in early March ordered state health departments to ensure that facilities followed infection-control rules.

Only 10 of the 35 reports reviewed by THE CITY found violations, including failure to wear masks, social distance or separate infected roommates from uninfected ones.

The results so far disappointed a leading nursing home watchdog.“Based on the reality of the pandemic and how it impacted the nursing homes sector, I thought that some of these reports would

have come back differently,” said Deirdre Garrett-Scott, director of the New York City area’s state long term care ombudsman program, a federally funded consumer advocacy group for nursing home residents.

In some cases outside New York City, inspections have been conducted entirely or partially by video chat. Using this technology increases the number of investigations that can be conducted concurrently, a state Department of Health official said. The department is also investigating more than 2,700 complaints against nursing homes across the state.

DOH would not respond to questions about how many nursing home inspectors the state employs. A job posting on the department’s website recruiting registered nurses describes what the work involves and says the department “has an ongoing need for persons qualified for appointment to these positions and will accept applications at any time.”

In special instructions to state inspectors, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires that at least some part of the inspections must be conducted on site, said Toby Edelman, senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

“How could they see what is really happening if they are depending on someone to pick what is seen?” she said. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”

Risky Conduct Caught Infection control violations that inspectors did find at New York City nursing homes included: • Staff members who didn’t change their personal protective equipment between patients • Employees gathered without keeping at least six feet apart, as well as residents insufficiently distanced from one other • Residents with COVID-19 who were not separated from those who didn’t have it • Residents and staff who were not wearing face masks to reduce their risk of infection Some facilities were additionally cited for failing to report to a federal database the COVID-related deaths of residents in the nursing home or who were transferred to hospitals and died there.

In a few cases, DOH gave nursing homes a deadline for providing a plan to correct and prevent the violations, letters reviewed by THE CITY indicate.

In addition to inspections, DOH says it has contacted every nursing home with suspected or positive COVID-19 cases, and holds conference calls with long term care provider association twice a week.l

This story was published on May 27, 2020 by THE CITY.

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17

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Seven Advantages of a Transfer-OnDeath Deed adding a beneficiary's name to a regular deed. When you bestow partial ownership before death, you could lose a home if the heir accumulates large debts. This may happen as a result of a lawsuit, hospital stay or job loss.

BY JANET HOWARD

A

transfer-on-death deed resembles a normal real estate deed in most ways, but it only takes effect when the current property owner passes away. It provides a convenient and economical way to give your home to an heir.

7. If your state allows transfer-on-death deeds, they're relatively simple to establish. You'll probably require the assistance of an attorney; it's crucial to follow state-specific rules. Nonetheless, it costs comparatively little to create and file this legal document.

1. Unlike wills, transfer-on-death deeds don't need to go through probate court.

This makes it possible for an heir to avoid thousands of dollars in legal expenses and receive the property several months earlier. Court proceedings can last over 12 months in some situations.

2. There's no need to inform an heir about this document or request the person's signature. You'll retain the ability to rescind your decision and identify a different recipient without writing a new will or creating a quitclaim deed.

3. A transfer-on-death deed doesn't undermine your ownership of the real estate while you remain alive. This document won't affect your eligibility for property tax relief programs, and you can

sell the house without your heir's approval.

4. You may identify a secondary recipient who will gain ownership of your property, if the primary beneficiary has already died when you pass away. This could occur if multiple family members are traveling together and a fatal accident takes place.

5. Your heir will instantly become the owner of the real estate when you die.

There's no need for an attorney, judge or city official to approve this change in ownership. Keep in mind that the recipient will need adequate funds to pay the mortgage and taxes.

6. The transfer-on-death deed doesn't involve as many risks as the practice of

Remember, when you’re doing your estate planning, you’ll probably want to take steps to keep your house—likely your most valuable asset—out of probate. A living trust works well, but you may not want to go to the trouble of creating one. Joint tenancy isn't always the best option, either. To sum it up, transferon-death deeds offer a flexible, low-risk solution that saves significant amounts of time and money. If you have questions or want to set up a transfer-on-death deed, consult with a well-qualified estate planning lawyer.l

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At this consultation, we will discuss issues that include: Nursing home costs- the myth of the 昀ve year look back The advantages of Wills, Living Trusts & Probate How to maintain your privacy and protect your estate if you become disabled (Hint: Not all Powers of Attorney are valid) Why putting property in children’s names may be a mistake Protect one’s spouse when the other needs nursing home care Preserve your estate for your kids if your surviving spouse gets married How Probate works and more importantly, how to avoid probate How you can qualify and use Medi-Cal to pay for nursing home expenses Provide for special needs (disabled) children and grandchildren How you may be able to minimize federal and state taxes

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IMMIGRATION

18

Congress Calls to Decrease ICE Detention as COVID-19 Continues to Spread

BY KATIE SHEPHERD

T

he House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security introduced their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (beginning October 1, 2020) this week.

The budget would have significant implications for U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities—current hotspots of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a reversal of previous budget requests, this budget proposes a major decrease in funds for detention and other immigration operations across the board.

If approved, the spending bill would: nCut the Department of Homeland Security’s deportation operations by 25%. nEliminate family detention by the end of the year. nImpose a 20-day limit on holding individuals in detention.

nIncrease funding to expand alternative to detention programs. nAvoid funding the hiring of more Border Patrol agents.

Notably, the spending bill calls for enough money to fund an average daily

population of 22,000 adults in ICE custody. This is a huge decrease from Fiscal Year 2019, which allowed for 40,520 beds. The agency grossly overspent, however, as there were over 55,000 people in ICE custody at one point in 2019.

These proposed cuts—while far from

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final—would be a significant departure from detention numbers in recent years.

But a commitment to reduce the number of people in ICE detention centers couldn’t be more critical or timely.

The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States has reached almost 135,000, placing United States as the world leader in terms of infections and coronavirus-related deaths. As many states consider resuming lockdowns to stem the further spread of the virus, the number of confirmed cases within ICE detention facilities continues to rise.

The agency alleges it has taken steps to reduce the overall population of people in ICE facilities. As of June 27, 2020, there were about 23,000 men and women in ICE custody. This is down from around 38,000 people on February 29.

Even so, it’s not enough.

Concerns around ICE detention during the pandemic have been consistent since COVID-19 took hold in the United States this spring: nThe longstanding lack of access to medical care within ICE facilities. nThe inability of detained people to socially distance within congregate settings. nInsufficient cleaning and hygiene supplies, and personal protective gear.

Hundreds of detained immigrants have been transferred by ICE between jails, prisons, and ICE detention centers. Many of them have been transferred across the country, sometimes crossing multiple state lines.

ICE stated that the transfers were sometimes done to further stem the spread of the virus. But in some cases, the transfers actually led to outbreaks in ICE facilities.

The agency is frequently unwilling to release people on parole, despite the availability of community-based alternatives to detention. In some cases, attorneys desperate to secure the release of clients with serious health conditions are being forced to file habeas petitions in federal court to force the government’s hand.

The immediate solution to the continued spread of COVID-19 within ICE detention facilities is clear – ICE should consider community-based alternatives to detention and immediately release individuals from custody, particularly those who have underlying health conditions.

In the long-term, Congress should work to reduce the overall number of people in immigration detention across and instead call on ICE to rely on viable and effective alternatives. If nothing else, the current pandemic has shown us that detaining high numbers of people in dangerous settings is unnecessary and costly.l

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IMMIGRATION

19

International Students/ continued from page 1 and the data/tracking system schools use to enroll international students. Over one million students participate in the program each year. This allows them to study at K-12 schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, conservatories, and language training programs.

By regulation, academic students (F-1) are limited to one online class or three credit hours per term as part of their full course load. Vocational students (M-1) cannot take any. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit in March, ICE issued temporary exemptions allowing international students to move to online-only classes during the spring and summer semesters. ICE originally stated that these exemptions would apply “for the duration of the emergency,” but now will not continue into the fall.

Students whose programs have moved fully online will no longer be allowed to remain in the United States. They either “must depart the country” or transfer to a school offering in-person instruction. If they do not leave the United States or transfer, ICE says that students “may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.”

The restrictions apply to both incoming and continuing international students. If an international student wishes to attend an American school that only offers online classes, the student won’t be

granted a visa.

Students already in the United States would have to transfer universities or leave the country even if their program switches to fully online partway through the semester. Exceptions exist for the very limited number of students who qualify for a reduced course load or medical leave.

Students whose programs switch to a “hybrid” model, with some in-person classes and some online classes, can remain in the United States. However, these students will need certification from their university that they are taking the minimum number of online courses possible. Students in vocational or English language training programs will not be allowed to take any online classes.

Many universities have already announced that they will be holding classes completely or partially online this fall. The majority plan to hold in-person

classes, but 9% plan to hold classes fully online, 24% are planning for a hybrid model, and 7% have not yet decided.

These decisions could change depending on the progression of COVID-19 over the summer. Yet ICE has imposed very short deadlines on universities to update operational plans and issue new eligibility certificates to international students.

The end of the exemptions will impose unreasonable hardship on students and universities. Students may not be able to participate in online courses from their home countries due to internet connectivity issues or time differences. Certain online resources are not available in some countries, such as G Suite in China.

Some students may not be able to return home due to financial hardship or ongoing COVID-19 travel bans. For some, returning would mean separation from a U.S. citizen spouse or child.

Academic institutions are already under financial pressure, with enrollment dropping due to the economic recession and loss of the in-person college experience.

Students who cannot study this semester might not return to their programs later, choosing to drop out. Some who try to return may be prevented from doing so

by COVID-19 travel restrictions. ICE’s guidelines force schools to choose between losing international students and risking public health. The decision also damages the United States’ reputation as a leader in international education.

Harvard University, which recently announced that its classes will be completely online in the fall, stated: “This guidance undermines the thoughtful approach taken on behalf of students by so many institutions, including Harvard, to plan for continuing academic programs while balancing the health and safety challenges of the global pandemic.”

Losing international students could also result in economic loss at a time when the U.S. economy is already in trouble. International students contribute over $40 billion to the economy and support over 400,000 jobs each year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required unprecedented flexibility in procedures at every level of our society. Immigration should be no different. Immigration agencies should make exceptions to requirements that cannot reasonably be followed during the pandemic. l

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Jamaican Born Poet and Musician Linton Kwesi Johnson Wins Major Literary Prize

nSPORTS

nHOROSCOPE

Kitchen Corner Summer Berry Salad with Salmon "The perfect dish for hot days—fresh blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries tossed with green leaf lettuce, salmon, and a drizzle of honey mustard dressing make for a simple and refreshing meal." — SunnyDaysNora

Linton Kwesi Johnson

BY STEPHANIE K JAMAICANS.COM

L

inton Kwesi Johnson, a Jamaicanborn pioneer dub poet, has won the PEN Pinter Prize for 2020.

The prize is named in honor of the Nobel Laureate playwright and human rights activist Harold Pinter and was established in 2009 by the English PEN charity to recognize artists who have an “unflinching, unswerving” view of the world.

In announcing the award, the judges said there were “few post-war figures as unwaveringly committed to political expression in their work” as Johnson, who frequently recites his poems over dub-reggae music with the reggae artist Dennis Bovell. Johnson also won the Golden PEN Award from English PEN in 2013.

Johnson, 67, is the first black poet to be published as part of the Penguin Modern Classic series with his collection “Mi Revalueshanary Fren.”

Claire Armitstead, associate editor for culture at The Guardian newspaper and a trustee for English PEN, said that once the nominations for the award were determined, it “took all of two seconds” for her and the other judges to select Johnson as the award winner. She described the “political ferocity” and “tireless scrutiny of his-

tory” of Johnson’s work and praised it as “truly Pinteresque.”

Upon learning of the award, Johnson noted that awards are “the nourishment of every artist’s ego” and that it is good to be acknowledged, especially with an award that honors Harold Pinter who was a “free thinker, anti-imperialist and human rights champion.” He thanked the English PEN judges for honoring him a second time.

Johnson was born in Chapeltown, Jamaica, in 1952, and moved to London in 1963. He became a member of the Black Panthers in his teen years. Race Today published his first collection of poetry “Voices of the Living and the Dead” in 1974. His first LP – “Dead Beat an’ Blood” – was released in 1978. The recording focused on police brutality and street life in Brixton using Jamaican patois read to a reggae beat. Johnson is often recognized as the creator of the dub poetry genre.

The Pinter Award will be presented to Johnson at a digital ceremony co-hosted by the British Library on October 12, 2020. The poet is slated to deliver an address and to announce his co-winner, the International Writer of Courage for 2020, at the event.l

Ingredients 8 cups washed and chopped green leaf lettuce 12 ounces cooked and chilled salmon, flaked into bite-sized chunks 1 cup fresh blackberries 1 cup fresh raspberries 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries 1/3 cup honey mustard dressing

Directions Combine lettuce, salmon, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.

Drizzle salad with dressing and toss gently to coat.

Prep: 10 minutes Ready in: 10 minutes

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SPORTS & BOOKS

22

CARICOM Mourns Loss of Cricket Icon

Reading for Summer

T

he Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed sadness with the passing of the great and legendary West Indian cricketer Sir Everton Weeks.

CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, in a Message of Condolence to Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, described Barbadian Sir Everton as a true icon and example of excellence who has been lost to the Region.

Here is the Secretary-General’s message: The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) notes with sadness the passing of the great and legendary West Indian cricketer, Sir Everton DeCourcy Weekes.

Sir Everton’s contribution to the game, the Region and his native Barbados spanned as player, coach, administrator, and commentator. His exploits, along with those of his late compatriots Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott, earned them the unforgettable acronym of the 3Ws. He was a key member of the famous West Indies Team that was the first to defeat England in a Test Series in England.

T Sir Everton Weeks

His record of five consecutive Test centuries remains unbroken.

Sir Everton will be well remembered, apart from his cricketing skills, for his grace, humility, and wit.

The Community extends its condolences to his relatives, and the Government and people of Barbados. A true icon and example of excellence has been lost to the Region.l

Are you looking to get into the health & wellness business?

avia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she's also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community.

Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.l —Goodreads.com

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About the Author A somewhat-recovering expat living in the American Northeast (with one foot still firmly planted in Quebec), Bethany C Morrow writes speculative fiction for both the adult and the young adult market. Her adult debut, MEM, was an ABA 2018 Indies Introduce pick, and a June Indie Next pick, and was featured/reviewed in: Locus Magazine, the LA Times, Buzzfeed, Book Riot, Bustle, and Tor.com, among others.

She was editor and contributor to TAKE THE MIC: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance, which released with AAL/Scholastic in October 2019.

Bethany's YA debut,, A SONG BELOW WATER is a contemporary fantasy, released in June 2020.

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

23

Ladies: Learn How to Stop Being So Jealous Meet with a Professional: Meet with a counselor to help you rewire how you think. Retrain your brain and learn how to calm the fears. Learn how to pick out what a “red flag” is vs. a “jealous response.” Red flags do exist, and you should pay attention to them, but you should also be aware of what a jealous feeling is and take back control.

BY JENNINE ESTES

Y

ou don't want to be "that" girlfriend who is extremely jealous and seen as crazy. With some education and self-evaluation, you can become more secure in yourself and your relationship, and learn how to stop being jealous. Let's tap into how we can control jealous feelings so that we can build trust and have happy healthy relationships moving forward: Analyze it: Pay close attention of where exactly your jealousy is coming from. It is from your own history of failed relationships? Does it come from fear? Once you can answer the questions and really figure out where the jealousy stems from, you will then be able to control it and figure out how to stop being jealous.

Better yet, learn where it came from.

Get Educated on Relationships: Learn how to communicate to avoid an argument that can keep distance in the relationship. Pick up a few books from the local book store (possibly the “Hold Me Tight” by Susan Johnson) and start your studying. The more education you get on relationships, the more awareness you will have. The quicker you two can

Calm your Nerves: Try working out, listening to music, or even reaching out to a friend. The quicker you can calm your nerves the more logical you can be about the situation. resolve conflict, the closer you will feel and the less jealousy you will experience.

Write it Down: Write down your thoughts to help you communicate how you feel. Sometimes people can get very passionate about how they feel that it can come off abrasive or attacking. By writing down how you want to communicate this will help you stay on track and focus on sharing how you feel with your partner in a more loving manner. Once you wrote out your concerns, bring

The Love List: When all you can see if negative, it’s because we are overlooking all the good things. Make a list of things your partner does to show you that they care about you. What do they do for you in a day and what ways have they shown you they love you.

Always Remember your Commitment: If your partner didn’t want to be with you, then they simply wouldn’t. Plain and simple. Remember the commitment you have both taken for each other and love each other.

Ask for Reassurance: It is easier for people to trust what they see verses what we don’t see. Your partner may be sharing a lot, but nothing tangible that you can see. Ask your partner for reassurance. They can’t give you clarity if you don’t go to them directly.l About Jennine Estes, MFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, CA. Estes is certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and writes relationship and self-growth advice for her column, Relationships in the Raw. She is the creator of #BeingLOVEDIs campaign.

MFC#47653

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July is BIPOC Mental Health Month Formally recognized in June 2008, Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month has

been observed each July and was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the United States.

Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.

People and language evolve, and Mental Health America (MHA) has chosen to remove the word “minority” from our toolkit and will be phasing it out on our materials. Instead, we are using a different designation – BIPOC – that we believe more fairly honors and distinguishes the experiences of Blacks, Indigenous People, and People of Color.

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26

CARIBBEAN STAR

Young Jamaican-American in NY Fighting for School Safety Featured in Vogue & Yahoo

BY DENISE LEE JAMAICANS.COM

T

he fight for safer schools in New York by Jamaican-American, Alliyah Logan, is definitely being noticed. She was featured in the June issue of “Teen Vogue” magazine and in a Yahoo! Life story.

“I was featured in this Teen Vogue article, which is long overdue. The article covered Black Youth advocating to remove policing from schools while investing in our education.” said Alliyah Logan on her Instagram page. “I’m asking you all to pay attention to the ways that Black experiences are ignored. It shouldn’t have taken the tragic death of George Floyd for you all to do better.

We’ve been ignoring Black experiences 400 yrs.”

Logan’s desire was simple – to feel safe at school. Her older brother, Matthew, and his classmates underwent daily metal detector scans before they could enter their Bronx school. She felt students were being exposed to a “prison industrial complex” environment, making them feel like criminals. To avoid that, she commuted 1.5 hours by train each day

Alliyah Logan

during her high school years to attend a SoHo neighborhood school in Manhattan where no metal detectors were in evidence.

Now a graduating senior at NYC iSchool, Logan is an operational manager for the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Teen Activist Project. She’s working to deconstruct what’s known as the school-

to-prison pipeline. She’s one of thousands of students involved in the protests over the killing of black Americans at the hands of police and the over-policing of black schools and neighborhoods.

As an elementary and middle school student, Logan noted that daily fights and other forms of violence, law enforcement officers, and metal detectors were a

way of life. Fellow classmates being shot was commonplace. That drastically changed when she transferred to the predominantly white SoHo school. She discovered that many of her new classmates had never experienced those events in the same way she had.

The extreme disparity in school environments was the motivation Logan needed to begin her crusade against the school-to-prison pipeline, in which an increased police presence and school disciplinary policies are combining to push students out of school. With little education and few prospects, the result is an abundance of individuals that end up in the criminal justice system.

Logan is using her knowledge and experiences to empower students and help them understand and recognize the school-to-prison pipeline. She’s also leading protests, organizing rallies, and speaking at town hall meetings throughout New York State to bring awareness to over-policing in schools.l

Source: Teen Vogue Magazine, Yahoo, Instagram

Available at Amazon.com

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27

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

How Safe Is it to Use A Public Bathroom?

BY LINDSAY KALTER WEBMD HEALTH NEWS

W

ith dirty door handles, heavily trafficked toilet bowls, and proximity to strangers, public restrooms can be a germophobe’s worst nightmare. But the COVID-19 pandemic adds a new layer of risk, and infectious disease doctors are urging people to be cautious ahead of the holiday weekend.

A recent study published in Physics of Fluids outlines the potential dangers of toilet plumes -- clouds of droplets that can rise 3 feet from a flushing toilet and be inhaled by an unsuspecting user. Aside from the obvious ick factor, simulations found that coronavirus remnants in a person’s stool can make their way onto other surfaces or linger in the air nearby.

But there are things people can do to avoid the dangers of restrooms.

“What’s the most hazardous part of using a public restroom? It’s the people in it,” says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “It’s not necessarily the inanimate environment.”

Wear a mask, of course. Scope out the bathroom ahead of time to see how con-

gested it is, Schaffner says, and wait to use it until it has cleared out a bit. If it is urgent, try to keep your distance from people -- for men, stay a couple of urinals away from the nearest person. Aim to use larger restrooms to avoid close contact with people and toilet sprays.

Though it may be tempting to use seat covers, it is not recommended -- they could be covered with their own germs, and it is smart to keep contact with objects to a minimum.

“If you want, you can carry wipes into the bathroom with you and wipe off the toilet seat before sitting down,” Schaffner says.

Toilets with lids can be closed before flushing to avoid the plume. If they don’t have lids, back away and exit the stall as quickly as possible. And when approaching the sink for hand-washing, Schaffner says, pay attention to the number of people already using the space. If you can, wait until the area is clear.

Although studies have shown that highpowered air dryers can blow harmful particles around, infectious disease experts say those machines and paper towels have similar risks. In fact, Schaffner says, the air dryers might be safer.

“I think air dryers help rather than hurt -- they move air around,” he says. “If

there happens to be a person next to you that's infected, the air dryer will disperse the air, and you're much less likely to get an infectious dose of the virus.”

According to Aaron E. Glatt, MD, chairman of medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau, the risk of contact with bodily fluids pales in comparison to the dangers of close gatherings. After all, there is always a chance of plume contamination with viruses and bacteria like E. coli.

“Bodily fluids are always a concern, regardless of COVID,” he says.

Glatt’s main advice? Be smart and use common sense. If you are going on a trip, try to avoid using a public restroom altogether and go before you leave the house.

The bigger concern, Glatt says, is the potential spike of COVID-19 cases after fireworks displays and barbeques bring large groups of people together.

“People aren't being careful. We're seeing it across the country right now,” he says. “This is a formula for disaster.”

As long as people are mindful of “the big three” -- masks, hand-washing, and distancing -- the country can avoid a post-holiday spike, Schaffner says.

“There is still plenty of room for people to enjoy themselves,” he says.l

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28

HEALTH

Is Sex Safe for Heart Disease Patients?

R

eadjusting to everyday life can be tough for heart disease patients.

You wonder about everything: Should I eat this food? Can I do that activity? Can my body deal with the stress?

Among the many questions is whether heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, will affect your sex life — or if it’s safe to have sex at all. According to a new scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association, it is probably safe to have sex if your cardiovascular disease has stabilized.

“Sexual activity is a major quality of life issue for men and women with cardiovascular disease and their partners,” said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., lead author of the statement and a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Cardiovascular events — such as heart attacks or chest pain caused by heart disease — rarely occur during sexual activity, because sexual activity is usually for a short time. “Some patients will postpone sexual activity when it is actually relatively safe for them to engage in it,” said Levine, who is also director of the Cardiac Care Unit at the Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center in Houston.

“On the other hand, there are some

patients for whom it may be reasonable to defer sexual activity until they’re assessed and stabilized.”

If you have unstable cardiovascular disease or if your symptoms are severe, you should be treated and stabilized before having sex, said Levine, who’s also a volunteer with the American Heart Association.

Don’t be shy about starting a conversa-

UNLOCK

tion with your doctor about heart disease and your sex life.

Here’s what you need to know if you’ve been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease: nAsk your doctor to evaluate you before resuming sexual activity. nIf you’ve had heart failure or a heart attack, cardiac rehabilitation and regular physical activity can reduce the risk of

complications related to sexual activity. nIf you’re a woman thinking about starting birth control or getting pregnant, be sure to talk to your doctor first. nIf you’re experiencing sexual dysfunction, check with your doctor to see if it could be related to cardiovascular disease or to anxiety, depression or other factors. nDon’t skip the medications that could improve cardiovascular symptoms because you’re concerned they could impact your sex drive or function. Your heart health should come first! nDrugs to treat erectile dysfunction are generally safe, although they shouldn’t be used if you’re receiving nitrate therapy for chest pains due to coronary artery disease. They also shouldn’t be administered 24-48 hours of using an erectile dysfunction drug (depending on the drug used). nIf you’re a post-menopausal woman with cardiovascular disease, it’s generally safe to use estrogen that’s topically or vaginally inserted for the treatment of painful intercourse.

Further research is needed on sexual activity in specific cardiovascular conditions, particularly in relation to women and older adults.l — American Heart Association

AFTER YOU HAVE A LUNG REMOVED, TAKE SHORT BREATHS.

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ELECTIONS 2020

30

Don’t Expect Biden’s VP Pick to Make or Break the 2020 Election

BY CHRISTOPHER DEVINE THE CONVERSATION

A

s presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gets set to pick his vice presidential candidate, here’s a reality check: Running mates have very little direct effect on voters. When people go to the polls, they are primarily expressing a preference for the presidential candidate, not the second person on the ticket.

In our new book, “Do Running Mates Matter?,” my collaborator Kyle Kopko and I analyze half a century of political science survey data to examine what effect a running mate has on the success of presidential candidates.

In general, voters are very unlikely to choose a presidential ticket simply because they like or dislike the secondin-command.

On rare occasions, voters can be swayed by running mates who are much more – or less – popular than their party’s main candidate. For instance, John Kerry’s vice presidential candidate in 2004, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, was relatively popular with voters early in the campaign. And, as our

research shows, Edwards’ popularity made voters more likely to vote for Kerry, at least in the short term.

Some political analysts believe a vice presidential selection could draw key voters from that person’s own demographic group or their home state. We found that rarely happens, either.

However, we found that voters view vice presidential choices as new information about the main candidate – and that information can shift voters’ views and change votes. The candidate’s choice gives voters insight into who the candi-

date really is, what he or she stands for and how the person might operate once in office.

Take the 2008 presidential election, for example, when Democrat Barack Obama ran against Republican John McCain with Joe Biden and Sarah Palin as their respective vice presidential nominees.

In our book, we demonstrate that voters who doubted Palin’s qualifications also were more likely to doubt McCain’s judgment and think he was too old to be president. As a result, they were less likely to vote for McCain.

Conversely, our analysis also showed that voters who believed Biden was well qualified for office were more likely to approve of Obama’s judgment – and less likely to think he was too young to be president. As a result, they were more likely to vote for Obama.

In 2020, Joe Biden is already well known as an experienced former vice president, so it’s unlikely his running mate will outshine him on her own. But with this choice, Biden has a valuable opportunity to define himself as a candidate – and a potential president – in his own right.

What does he really stand for? What are his political priorities? And does he have the good judgment to be president?

Biden’s selection will help voters to answer these questions – and to decide whether he deserves their support in November. l Christopher Devine is an Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Dayton. Editor’s note: This is an adapted version of an earlier article by Christopher Devine and Kyle Kopko originally published on May 7, 2020.

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