Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 104

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ISSUE 104 VOLUME 18

August 6, 2020

SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES! EMANCIPATE YOURSELF FROM MENTAL SLAVERY!

Enslaved People’s Health Was Ignored, Laying the Groundwork for Today’s Health Disparities

BY ERIC KYERE THE CONVERSATION

Voting By Mail: Safe from Fraud and Disease ....30

S

ome critics of Black Lives Matter say the movement itself is racist.

Their frequent counterargument: All lives matter. Lost in that view, however, is a historical perspective. Look back to the late 18th century, to the very beginnings of the U.S., and you will see Black lives in this country did not seem to matter at all. continued on page 26

Why Filling Out the Census is Crucial for Social Justice .... 8

Professor, the Rt. Owen Seymour Arthur Gone – Never Forgotten

Knowledge is Power when you use it!

Get a FREE Consultation!

Ask the Lawyer:

Call 855-768-8845

BY HON. O. ST E. MACKIE HOLDER

T&T’s Emancipation Monument Unveiled ....2

T

he staff of Team Barbados: Consular, BTMI and Invest Barbados, at the Barbados Consulate General of Barbados at New York and Barbadian Associations under the jurisdiction of the Consulate join fellow Barbadians and Caribbean citizens the world over in mourning the loss of Barbados’ fifth Prime Minister,

Leo Gilling on Emancipation & Jamaica’s Independence ....3 & 10

Rt. Owen Arthur

continued on page 7

Brian Figeroux, Esq., Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Guyana Swears in New President Irfaan Ali ....2

How to Practice Self-Love and Care....23

Attack on Immigrants: Trump’s Public Charge Rule ....11

Stylist Tarsha Gibbons on How to Look Good ....21

Inside: EQUITY SMART REALTY 4-page Special ....15-18

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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Unveiling of the Emancipation Monument Emancipation Day 2020

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rinidad & Tobago: Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Rowley unveiled a permanent monument which celebrates the triumph over enslavement on Saturday 1st August, 2020 during Emancipation Day celebrations in Port of Spain. The Emancipation Monument will be hung in front of the Treasury Building in Port of Spain where the annual Emancipation Day commemorative procession usually commences.

No procession was held today because of COVID-19 regulations.

The site of the Treasury Building is a noteworthy location in the historical account of slavery’s end as well as the declaration of the Emancipation Day holiday. On August 1st 1834, in front Governor’s House, where Treasury Building now stands, enslaved Africans, who had heard rumblings about their

impending freedom waited for the official proclamation with bated breath.

Instead, what they heard provoked feelings of anger and disappointment: freedom would not come for another six years. In his feature address, Dr Rowley

appealed to people of African ancestry to “first and foremost, at the personal level, live comfortable in their skin” and to “continue to respect themselves, respect others and not be disrespected by any.”

Dr Rowley also said that he was pleased to deliver on the commitment he made last year that the historic site of the Treasury Building would be marked by an appropriate emblem.

Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery in 1985. Dr Rowley was joined at the event by Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr the Hon Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Executive Chair of the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago, Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada.l —www.news.gov.tt

Carter Center Congratulates Guyana on the End of Election Standoff; Urges Electoral and Constitutional Reform

A

tlanta, GA: The Carter Center commends the Guyana Elections Commission and Chairperson Claudette Singh for finalizing the results of the 2020 election. It extends its congratulations to President Irfaan Ali as he assumes Guyana’s highest office and applauds former President David Granger’s statesmanship in recognizing GECOM’s declaration of results.

The Center now calls on all political parties to work together to facilitate a smooth transition from one government to another. The Guyanese people have shown great patience throughout this protracted process, and they deserve a government that represents all Guyanese and that works collaboratively to move the country forward.

The 2020 election was a true test of Guyana’s democracy, highlighting deep divides that persist in Guyanese society and the ways that the current political and electoral systems reinforce these divisions. It is critical that key leaders in Guyana now reach across the divide and work to ensure that fundamental electoral and constitutional reforms are completed as an urgent priority, well before the next election. Guyana’s political leaders spoke of these ideals during the campaign period, and the Center calls on them now to work together to realize them. An inclusive reform process – with civil society leaders playing a key role, and with strong support from the international community – will be essential.

President Ali

The Center urges the new government to move quickly to begin this process and stands ready to assist in these efforts and advance Guyana’s vast potential.l

COVID-19 Spread Initiates Nationwide Lockdown in The Bahamas

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ASSAU, Bahamas: The Bahamas is paying the price for opening up too soon with Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announcing a new two-week lockdown of the entire chain of islands in response to a major spike in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The national lockdown, which began at 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, will last for a minimum of two-weeks, and will be reassessed near the end of this period.

In a national address on Monday, the Prime Minister Minnis said Health Officials believe the spike had taken the country to the point where a total lock-

Prime Minister Minnis

down was required.

“Over the past two weeks, health officials have seen an increase in a number

of indicators that point to the need for a national lock-down.

The Prime Minister Minnis noted that ICU beds are at capacity and non-critical care beds are approaching capacity due to the continued surge in COVID-19 cases.

“There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases, an increase in hospitalizations, an increase in the demand for ICU beds, and sadly, an increase in the number of deaths. l —www.wiredja.com

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3

THOUGHTS

Reflections on Emancipation.

Are We There Yet?

BY LEO GILLING

O

n August 1, a day we celebrate Emancipation, a court case against Kensington Primary school brought the theme of "emancipation" into focus. A little girl was denied entry to school due to her dreadlock hairstyle. The case is an awful reminder of the persecution Rastafarians have experienced throughout our history and the remaining systematic prejudices that are a legacy of those oppressive times.

The case also brought back to my memory, a recent visit to (a popular tourist attraction) in Trelawny for a tour. I have never been a touristy kind of guy when I go home. But I was invited to this tour for an afternoon and decided to accept the offer. Heading into the countryside of Trelawny was heavenly.

These old trees are bent and shaped into fascinating formations. Wisps, leaves, and tree trunks were reminiscent of my weekly walks into the heart of St Mary as a boy. It took me a good thirty-five to forty minutes off the main to get to the great house on the property. I didn't know exactly where to meet my friends, so I first stopped at the great house, which is perched on top of a hill. I stood by the car for a few as I was in awe of being able to see miles of green land looking outward on to the property.

On arrival at the main reception area, I sorted out my admission and was driven further down the hill to find my friends.

All of what I had read in colonial history books came rushing into my mind's eye.

I walked into a building to which I was directed. As soon as I stepped inside, no one needed to tell me it was a sugar mill that seemed to have been through hundreds of years of wear and tear but was revived for the tourist trade. I don't believe in ghosts, so I know it was my mind as I smelled the sweat of every black man who worked in that mill. I felt every pain and heard every stroke of the whip that peeled the skin of my forefathers. It was as though the hurt of the slaves was calling out to me. The smell, noise, and pain overwhelmed me. It dawned on me what this tour is all about.

Saint Andrew, Jamaica - February 05 2019: Sculpture/Statue of the only female Jamaican National Hero, Nanny of the Maroons at the Emancipation Park in New Kingston, Saint Andrew, Jamaica Editorial credit: Debbie Ann Powell / Shutterstock.com

It's about the recreation of moments of slavery, the owners of this establishment have opened up to the tourist trade.

I noticed a few other things that disturbed me. The managers were white or had a fair complexion, while most of the staff had dark complexions. Also, how the staff served lunch to the guests, appeared similar to depictions of slave servants on the property before them. It was too much; I made a request to meet with the manager, after a short conversation, it was clear, I was envisioning a case of subtle, current-day slavery.

The tour of the Great House continued.

We could see the entire acreages of land.

Probably nine square miles with orange and coconut trees, all kinds of fruit trees from the great house. I looked down at the fields immediately in front of me, and it happened again. I was seeing slaves in chains working. As I stood looking over the massive stretch of land, I could feel the sickening sense of power the landlords must have felt as they watched the many black slaves walking, working, and being beaten.

My stomach continued to turn as I heard the pretty picture the tour guide painted of the original landowner, basically a slave owner. A part of what the tour guide told us initially was that the landowner was in the Queen's service

and was gifted the land because he was so dutiful to her. I immediately wondered, was he a castaway criminal from England, an indentured servant given this plot of land after time served? Or was he truly gifted this land by the Queen? I couldn't help myself, and I had to stop and ask him, "Do you believe what you are saying?" His response was, "That's what I'm told to say." I decided to google the name of the landowner but didn't find much about him other than what is written in Tour operators' informercials.

We then headed down the hill for a foot tour of the property. I wondered what else they could show that would make me feel worse or conjure up more ghosts of my forefathers. Indeed, the nightmare continued. Tombs of the family members of the white landowner lined the family burying ground. There were no tombstones of slaves. Then, a huge tree appeared in front of us with a long rope that looked like a noose, hanging from the branch of a huge tree. The rope was just hanging, with no explanation, description, or acknowledgment of the countless lives lost to nooses. This was too much to bear. I left the tour and the property, deeply saddened by a past revisited.

This tour of this tourist attraction was deeply disappointing. We should recount history, but we must do so to inform and empower our ancestors with the dignity and respect they deserve and not just for entertaining tourists.

It was refreshing to me when I went on other tours to some Cockpit communities and Trench Town. I saw how the history of these areas is captured in small monuments, pillars, memorials, and text. So, we don't have just relive the horrors of the past. Our heritage has achieved with the dignity it deserves. The work of Queen Nanny, Cudjoe, Bob Marley, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, and others helped build our legacy and are forever immortalized.

My tour experience on this property in Trelawny, the plight of Rastafarians, and the young student's case, now denied access to school due to natural dreadlocked hairstyles, are important

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

I love my country, and I know "we are not there yet." Still, our past is just that: its history. We don't have a magic eraser, but we do have a pen. We can review and rewrite oppressive ancestral laws; update archaic policies; tell the story of our history with the humanity of its victims remaining intact, and learn and share our past without recreating it. Finally, we must do everything in our power as principals, tour operators and managers, politicians, teachers, parents, and citizens to embody Emancipation and write a new future for the next generation. We can do it!l Leo Gilling is the Chairman of the Jamaican Diaspora Taskforce Action Network. Visit www.jdtan.org

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

America Needs to Take its Anti-Racist Prescription

BY ALLYN BROOKS-LASURE

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he national extravaganza of Juneteenth is over, and a chilling anxiety is settling in about what comes next. Protests continue across our nation, COVID-19 surges in new parts of America, while our politics seem as broken as ever. Despite this wave of bad news, there may be cause for hope.

According to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll, more than six in 10 Americans believe that America needs to “continue making changes” to ensure blacks and whites have equal rights. As hopeful as this seems, the road to racial equality in America is littered with false hope, empty promises, short-attention spans, and weak stomachs for change. This makes Black Americans skeptical that America will really take its medicine this time.

Every Black American I know, myself included, is wondering: When will the goodwill for Black Lives Matter convert to apathy or even hostility? We are skeptical because for generations we have had to exist within an America that, as Frederick Douglass once said, “is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.”

We could not have honest conversations about race, the confederacy, and white

supremacy because America refused to be honest about those very topics. Moreover, Black America’s deep-seated skepticism is rooted in an intimate familiarity with America’s patented racial inflection point cycle — which always ends with lost ground, lost confidence, and lost heart.

We know the diagnosis. The confederacy is racist. White supremacy surrounds us. Racism and racial bias infiltrate all aspects of our society. And when we know the problem, we are then required to take our medicine. And that involves support for a truth and reconciliation process that facilitates a conversation we have avoided for 400 years. Taking our medicine requires counting the cost of generational wealth stripped from some and diverted to others, due to racist laws, policies, and state-sanctioned practices. If your elected officials do not support such processes, find out why.

This time can be different, but we must change racist laws and policies — and everyone, the reader included, has a role to play in making that happen. For one, we must redesign the entire building and not just apply new paint to our dilapidated halls of justice. We must envision an architecture of justice that is supremely just. Taking our medicine means ushering in a new era of public safety where the odds of receiving fair treatment are not a

function of how many mobile devices are present. Candid camera should not be the source of police accountability. As the federal Justice in Policing Act awaits Senate action, mayors and district attorneys have a strong role to play in making local reforms become reality.

In addition, we must strengthen our K12 and higher education systems. ZIP codes should determine your mail, not your future. And acquiring higher education should not send an entire generation to debtor’s prison. We must strengthen our voter protection laws and crash through barriers to the ballot box that political leaders unabashedly tout as we speak. Taking our medicine also includes pushing for economic security, fair housing, an accurate census, sensible and humane immigration laws, confronting

the dispensers of hate, and so much more.

These are steps that local, state, and federal officials could take right now, and voters should hold them accountable for failing to do so.

This time can be different, but corporate America must do its fair share. Since “disruption” has become the term du jour in the business world, it is time for companies to take their medicine and disrupt their own houses. Flowery press statements about strength through diversity are hollow mockery if the boards and csuites of these corporations fail to represent the very diversity that they champion. Corporate leaders must do what they say. Unless what they say involves creating diversity positions that are mere toothless show ponies to trot out on

continued on page 5

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5

DIASPORA CONCERNS

Cracking Down on Fake COVID-19 Cures

BY JABARI COOK

I

f you or a loved one has COVID-19, you might feel hopeful about products that guarantee you the treatment or cure you’re looking for. But if those products don’t work as advertised, then you could end up paying lots of money for false promises. Today, the FTC announced a new case against two companies, — Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc., Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical, Inc. — and members of their leadership — Huu Tieu and Stephen Meis — for allegedly making promises like these.

Golden Sunrise advertised that the dietary supplements in its Emergency Dvirus treatment plan could cure COVID19. Even after the FTC sent Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical a warning letter in April 2020, it continued to claim that its products were “uniquely qualified to treat and modify the course of the virus epidemic,” including through billboards it posted in California.

Golden Sunrise also claimed that its products had been “reviewed and accepted” by the FDA. According to the FTC, all these claims are deceptive. The FTC’s complaint says that Golden Sunrise misled people by

claiming that its products could cure COVID-19. The FTC also says that none of the claims the company made about curing the Coronavirus — or any other serious conditions mentioned in their ads, such as cancer and Parkinson’s — are backed by science. On top of this, the FTC also says that the FDA never approved the companies’ products.

When it comes to the fight against the Coronavirus, knowing the facts will help.

Here are tips to follow and share with others: •Always talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional before you try any product claiming to treat or cure

COVID-19.

•Head to CDC.gov for clear and concise information on COVID-19. In addition, visit the FDA’s Resources page to find out about treatments in development.

•Learn more about scams related to COVID-19 by visiting ftc.gov/coronavirus and subscribing to Consumer Alerts from the FTC. •If you find a product that claims to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. l Jabari Cook is an Intern, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC

Anti-Racist Prescription/ continued from page 1 Martin Luther King birthday commemorations. Instead, corporate leaders should infuse these positions with authority and resources to hold business lines accountable. Beyond that, boards should tie executive compensation to DEI benchmarks.

Oh, and the homogeneous boards must change, too. These are steps that corporate leaders could take right now, and employees, shareholders, and consumers should hold them accountable.

Doctors warn patients that failure to take the full course of medicine could result in a resurging, contagious, and drug-resistant sickness. America has seen this before: Emmett Till, Rodney King, Medgar Evers, four little girls in a Birmingham church, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Tony McDade, and so many others. These previous racial inflection points resulted in America taking a partial course of its anti-racist prescription, only to see white supremacy roar back with a renewed ferocity and lethality. America has been sick for 400 years and cannot afford another partial recovery. It’s well-past time for this nation to take its medicine — no matter how jagged and bitter the pill may be to swallow.l

Allyn Brooks-LaSure is executive vice president for communications at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

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6

CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT

Climate Change Killing the Caribbean One Cut after the Other

BY RONALD SANDERS

A

mid the feverish work to cope with both the public health and economic effects of COVID-19 on their populations, Caribbean governments can be forgiven for dropping their guard against the existential dangers posed by Climate Change.

But their guard must be raised again.

The dangers are enlarging; they need continuous and comprehensive attention, as the present hurricane season reminds.

The difference between the COVID-19 pandemic and Climate Change, is that while the circumstances that the disease has engendered seem interminable, they will pass or be significantly improved in the medium term, but the effects of Climate Change are set to worsen for a very long time.

Reports indicate that the planet could see a greater temperature increase in the next 50 years than it did in the previous 6,000 years combined. Recent studies show that today, one percent of the world is a hot zone, in which life is barely possible. It is now projected that, by 2070, that figure will rise to 19 percent.

Fifty years from now might seem far away, requiring no immediate action.

However, the destruction of global warming and sea-level rise, scientifically linked to Climate Change, is accretive.

While in 2070 its impact will be grave, in each year, until then, it will affect almost every aspect of human life negatively and severely, in a gradual build-up. And, each year, crucial productive sectors of

Caribbean economies will be steadily eroded, including agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.

Consequently, farming communities will be driven off land that will either cease to be arable, or that are subjected to such rapid extremes of weather that crops are destroyed year after year. This pattern has already emerged in Central America, causing migration of farmers both within countries and across borders. The refugees, who have been desperately trying to enter the United States through its southern border, are living testimony to climate disruption.

On July 23, ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, published an article on Climate Migration, which chronicles the large number of people, particularly farmers, across the world who have become refugees. The publication cites a 2108 World Bank report that says, if nothing is done, by 2050 “there will be 143 million internal climate migrants across three regions of the world”. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the figure could reach as high as 17 million.

The Caribbean has already witnessed such refugees – Dominica, continuously since 1979; Antigua and Barbuda in 2017; and The Bahamas in 2019.

Fortunately, these refugees could be accommodated within national boundaries or in neighboring countries; the doors to other countries were locked.

This phenomenon flags up the big issue of our time. Rich countries are among the largest contributors to global warming and sea-level rise, causing migration and

refugees. Yet, many of them across the world – the United States in North America; Britain, France and Italy in Europe, and Australia in the Pacific – are paying lip service to providing funds to help affected countries, while closing their borders to migrants. As this trend continues, Caribbean migrants will have no place to go.

The effects of global warming over the last five decades have been devastating agricultural production. CARICOM countries, except for Belize and Guyana, are now net food importers. At least seven of the 14 countries import more than 80 percent of the food they consume, resulting in the region’s annual food import bill estimated in 2019 at US$5 billion.

This serious vulnerability has been alarmingly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the foreign exchange earnings of countries have diminished. Stark choices have had to be made about foreign purchases. Should the priority be medicines, food, or building materials?

This has caused governments to encourage more local food production.

However, these belated efforts in agriculture will be frustrated, if not overturned, by uncurbed climate change.

Extreme heat, droughts, floods, saltwater encroachment due to rising sea levels and storms have harmed agricultural productivity and caused food price hikes and income losses. These events have wiped out crops, bankrupted farmers and forced them out of business, in many cases permanently. According to the

Sir Sander

Food and Agriculture Organization, crop yield declines of 10-25 percent may be prevalent by 2050 because of climate change.

The effects on tourism would also be devastating. Suffice to say, that the challenges and dangers posed by global warming and sea-level rise are enlarging, requiring strenuous and sustained responses at the national, regional, and international levels.

Even now, there should be a joined-up effort by national government agencies to factor the effects of climate change into their economic planning. That planning should be advised by scientific research and data. National blueprints should also dovetail into a regional action plan. Integral to the plan should be coordinated international advocacy about the Caribbean plight.

In Washington, DC, CARICOM ambassadors have started an international outreach by soliciting the convening power of the Organization of American States (OAS) and its Secretary-General, Luis Almagro. The idea to which Almagro has given full support is to gather the leading financial and development institutions to consider actions to save the Caribbean from the catastrophic consequences of unrestrained climate change. There is good reason to give the Caribbean special attention; it accounts for less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and suffers hugely disproportional impacts.

Actions, like that taken by the OAS secretary-general, should be secured from other heads of multilateral institution such as the Commonwealth of which Caribbean countries are members.

Since 2010, more than 30 studies, aimed at quantifying the economic impacts of climate change on various vulnerable sectors of the Caribbean. have been conducted. Therefore, the nature and scope of the problem are well-known; it is time to stop the studies and to start the action.

In the words of the poet Dylan Thomas: “Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight; rage, rage against the dying of the light”. And do so from the rooftops of the world.l

Sir Ronald Sanders is the Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States

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7

CARIBBEAN STAR Owen Arthur/ continued from page 1 Owen Seymour Arthur.

On behalf of all, it is with great sadness that I extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Mrs. Julie Arthur; daughters Sabrina and Leah, sister Valmay, brother Richard and the whole Arthur family.

Mr. Arthur passed away, at 70, in the early minutes of Monday, July 27 morning at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.

He was the longest serving Prime Minister of Barbados, for 14 unbroken years from 1994 – 2008 and served the constituency of St. Peter, where he grew up, for more than three decades, from 1984 – 2018.

With his loss, there is a huge vacuum in the Barbados political, economic and education landscape, Caribbean integration, world agitation of small island states, and academic discourse.

Arthur was the dominant figure in Barbados, a Caribbean statesman and acclaimed academic whose career was distinguished by excellence.

He delivered massively and spectacularly for Barbados, engineering a threshold of economic growth that was never attained before or since he left office and matched this with widespread social development in his drive to make Barbados, as he always said, the first small developed country in the world.

His successes were many and will be fully chronicled in time. But among them

Prime Minister Mottley with Arthur

was reducing unemployment from some 27% to seven per cent, introducing a law preventing the cutting of civil servant salaries and creating space and developing a plethora of small and medium sized businesses through a combination of loan facilities and the Rural and Urban Development Corporations, which attacked poverty.

Visionary, inspirational and an exceptional leader, Arthur believed smallness was no hindrance to greatness and understood that a country like Barbados needed its own celebrations and symbols. He, therefore, introduced the Day of National Significance, National Heroes Day along with Barbados’ 11 heroes, the introduction of statues to our heroes and advanced the development of sports and culture, notably cricket and calypso.

An economist by training who rose from very humble circumstances, he remained a champion of the people, retained the common touch and generated great love and respect even among his opponents. Nowhere was this on greater

display than in the constituency he represented, which, like Barbados, he transformed.

Arthur, who spent many years in Jamaica as a student and top public servant, where he was revered, was also an exceptional regionalist. He stood firmly against any notion that regional countries could be bullied, making strong and pointed statements that the independence of all states is the same regardless of size.

He was the architect of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy and an unshakable supporter of the University of the West Indies, of which he was a graduate, facilitating the expansion of the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.

The Cave Hill campus was happy to claim this luminary - brilliant speaker, ferocious debater with remarkable knowledge in several spheres – and Arthur was first given an office at Cave Hill after demitting the Office of Prime Minister and, after 2018 when he gave up politics, was installed as Professor of Practice: Economics of Development.

It was by good fortune to have known Prime Minister Arthur for almost all my life – we grew up in the same district – and, even better, to have worked closely with him in numerous political campaigns and with him as Personal Aide, Senior Research Analyst and Consultant.

Being in the presence of Owen Arthur was like an everyday masterclass. There were so many lessons to learn, simply by observation, and the memories are many

and great.

Everyone knows of his economic brilliance, uncanny leadership skills and accomplishments as Prime Minister.

I also know of a meticulous preparer, prodigious reader, a man of self-discipline who hated to be late for any appointment and who always looked the part.

I know of a man with wide interests, many of which he was also very good at.

He always said he wished he could have been a West Indies cricketer, a sport he loved. He was a gardener, a cook and a “hard” dominoes and cards player.

I know of a devoted father, a man who loved children, who believed in giving young people a chance, a loyal friend, a man of humility and kindness, a man who sought solace in the wonders of nature exploring gullies and unbeaten paths.

Barbados and the Caribbean has lost a true patriot, a rare talent and a giant of man.

A nation, in fact nations, can attest to the benefits of this most transformative gift. His legacy will benefit generations to come.

Like so many, as we all grieve, I will cherish the time spent with him and the memories.

Professor, the Rt. Owen Seymour Arthur. Gone – Never Forgotten. l Mr. O. St. E. Mackie Holder is the Consul General, Consulate General of Barbados in New York.

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continued on page 11 The Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY. Visit www.311bankruptcy.com VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE!LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC!

8

CENSUS 2020

Want Racial Justice? Start With Filling Out Your Census Your census response helps essential workers identify at-risk communities and directs resources to these vulnerable populations.

The coronavirus won't be the last time certain communities are disproportionately impacted by a natural disaster.

Accurate census data will prepare first responders, nonprofit relief organizations, and government officials to respond to future crises.

BY SUZANNE McCORMICK

T

hose living in our nation's poor and minority communities have historically gone undercounted in the U.S. Census. For instance, nearly one million Black Americans went uncounted nationwide in the 2010 Census.

Fortunately, there's an easy step you can take that will go a long way towards ensuring everyone in our communities gets the representation and resources they deserve. By completing the 2020 census questionnaire — online, over the phone, or by mail — you can add your voice to the conversation and make yourself and your family heard.

Here are five ways your census response will help you and your fellow Americans: 1. It advances racial equity In recent months, millions have taken to the streets to call for racial equity and justice. These protests have helped amplify the voices of underserved communities. But real change will only take place when these demands become public policy. For that to happen, our government needs to see you. And that can only

happen if you stand up to be counted.

The racial inequities that undermine our nation can never be addressed unless you fill out the census and join the fight for social justice.

2. It directs funding to programthat save lives As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to ravage the country, it's critical that we direct our emergency resources to those

who need them the most. Black and Latinx Americans are disproportionately impacted by the virus and are twice as likely to die from COVID-19.

Wealth also factors into the survivability of COVID-19. Adults with an annual household income below $15,000 are nearly 15 percent more likely to contract a serious illness following infection compared to those with annual incomes over $50,000.

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3. It funds everything from public housing to school breakfasts This year's census will determine how trillions of dollars in federal spending are allocated over the next decade. In 2017 alone, over 300 federal programs relied on 2010 census data to allocate $1.5 trillion of funds. That money pays for everything from public housing to school breakfast programs, new roads to trash and recycling schedules.

Federal dollars won't reach the communities that need them most unless the government has a precise picture of your local population. You must paint that picture by letting them know you are there.

4. It ensures fair political representation Ever wonder why Ohio has 16 seats in the House of Representatives, while Georgia has only 14? The number of representatives a state gets increases with its population — and the census determines its population.

You pay taxes, right? Well, don't you want to be fairly represented?

The results of the 2020 census will shape the Congressional map for the next decade. If you want a Congress that represents your community and serves your interests, make sure the government accounts for you and your family.

5. It creates jobs Census data doesn't just help government officials. Businesses consult the census when making hiring and payroll decisions, or where to locate a new office, or when determining how best to serve their communities For instance, understanding the demographic of a particular neighborhood can help a local grocer determine which items to stock. This knowledge helps her business grow and creates jobs in your neighborhood, while delivering needed items to the marketplace.

At United Way, we fight for every person in every community to be seen and heard. But we can't do it alone. Join us and help stand up for your community by being counted. You have until October 31st to fill out the 2020 U.S. census.

Change doesn't happen without you.l

Suzanne McCormick is President of United Way.

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the

U.S.

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ISLAND FOCUS: JAMAICA

10

National Strength Through Adversity

BY LEO GILLING

A

t 11:55pm on August 5, 1962, darkness engulfed the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

There was a quiet. And later a roar of the capacity filled stadium at 12:01 am August 6, 1962; Indicating the end of the flight of the Union Jack and a new beginning, a newly independent nation, new colors representing a new Jamaica the Green, Gold, and Black. I was two at the time, and this is the story I've heard throughout my life describing the momentous occasion of Jamaica's Independence.

In the 58 years that have followed, Jamaica has shown our prowess with our track and field domination, holding the record for the highest per-capita medal rate of any nation with multiple medals.

We have some of the fastest, recordbreaking men and women in the world.

Our sports prowess is rivaled only by how we've captivated the world with our music, culture, and food. Anywhere in the world we go, everyone knows Jamaica. We now boast the highest performing stock market in the world and are consistently rated as one of the top destinations for business in the Caribbean. We even have the top ten best ice cream in the world. The accolades keep piling up.

With nine separate persons holding the prime minister's office since Independence, there is no doubt Jamaica has left its imprint on the world, including how we harness the Diaspora to contribute to nation-building. "Jamaica recognizes the navel string long." Despite the inherent challenges of the growing Diaspora movement, many countries are eager to follow in our footsteps and mirror our progress.

As an active member of the Jamaica Diaspora, I can definitively say that Jamaicans abroad have made huge strides in supporting, empowering, building capacity, collaborating, creating access, building bridges, engaging and enabling the development of our beloved country. From individual efforts to alumni associations to regional organizations, faith-based groups, and now task forces; The Diaspora movement is buzzing with activity. It is and dynamic and evolving.

Our 58th year of Independence, the year 2020, has been historic. The world is facing a global pandemic, the likes of which we've never seen. Entire Industries are closed for business; We are experiencing record job loss, and the challenges today and ahead are nothing short of extreme. Although we are all, in every country of the world facing this global crisis, the Diaspora's commitment to service again remains strong. With the rise of zoomification, we found new ways to stay connected and create closer ties between Jamaicans at home and abroad. Like most things in life, with every dark cloud, there is a silver lining.

Jamaicans truly embody this year's Independence theme resilient and strong.

For example, instead of traveling for the professional development of approximately 150 teachers, Diaspora Educators were able to deliver training on zoom to over 1000 teachers, principals, and mid-

dle managers through the Jamaica Diaspora Education Taskforce. We've also been able to participate virtually in Emancipendence events across the globe, including Jamaica.

The Diaspora voted for the first time this year in the Festival song competition! "Nuff excitement" as everyone campaigned for their favorite song.

As we move forward in 2020 and prepare for 2021, it is not fully understood, what the post-COVID-19 world and economy will be. The traditional bedrocks of Jamaica's economy: Tourism, Hospitality, and Travel are at risk. What opportunities do we have to create new cornerstones in this increasingly virtual marketplace? The Diaspora is a full-fledged option for economic recovery for Jamaica; How can Jamaica and the Diaspora partner to accelerate this transition to minimize the economic disruption.

Let's continue to be resilient; Let's continue to be strong; Let's work together to build a better Jamaica so that our: "Jamaica may, under God, increase in beauty, fellowship, and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race."l Leo Gilling is the Chairman of the Jamaican Diaspora Taskforce Action Network. Visit www.jdtan.org

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11

IMMIGRATION

Trump’s Public Charge Rule Is Blocked Again Over Impact of COVID-19

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK IMMIGRATIONIMPACT.COM

A

federal judge in New York has once again put the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule on hold, but only for the duration of the COVID-19 national emergency. This rule, which went into effect in February after the Supreme Court stepped in, has restricted the ability of low-income immigrants to obtain green cards. But it’s also sent fear through immigrant communities across the country, a fact that led to a new order blocking the rule for now.

Judge George Daniels of the Southern District of New York cited “ample evidence” from doctors and state and local officials that the public charge rule had “deterred immigrants from seeking testing and treatment for COVID-19.” He emphasized that “we no longer need to imagine the worst-case scenario [of the rule’s impact]; we are experiencing its dramatic effects in very real time.”

What Did the Public Charge Ruling Say? On July 29, Judge Daniels granted the State of New York’s request to temporarily halt the public charge rule nationwide. Noting that states and local government had seen direct evidence that the rule was discouraging people from seeking treatment and testing for COVID-19, Judge Daniels ruled that the situation had changed enough since his original order blocking the rule to justify a new injunction.

On the same day, Judge Daniels also granted a separate injunction blocking the Department of State’s version of the public charge rule and related changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual. He also blocked a related 2019 immigration ban from President Trump.

Following these decisions, both U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of State are blocked from applying the new public charge rule. Instead they must apply the public charge test as it existed prior to 2018.

The agency has said that it will abide by the terms of the decision and “will be providing additional guidance.”

How Did We Get Here?

Since the late 19th century, the United States has required immigrants to show that they are not “likely to become a public charge.” For generations, this was interpreted to mean that immigrants had to show that they were not likely to become “dependent” on the state to get a green card.

The Trump administration proposed to expand this definition in September 2018. The new public charge rule would bar green cards for anyone who officials deemed likely to use even smalls amount of supplemental benefits, such as

Medicare, Medicaid, or food stamps.

More than 210,000 people weighed in on the rule, with the vast majority opposing it.

The administration finalized and published the public charge rule in August 2019. This final version effectively created a wealth test for immigrants, making it far more difficult for low-income immigrants inside the United States to obtain green cards. The rule immediately faced multiple lawsuits and courts around the country struck it down days before it went into effect.

Despite the losses in the courts, President Trump’s focus remained on restricting immigration. In October 2019, he issued a separate proclamation on immigration and healthcare. The proclamation would have blocked anyone who wasn’t enrolled in a narrow range of health insurance plans or wasn’t wealthy enough to pay for “reasonably foreseeable” medical expenses from immigrating to the United States. That proclamation was quickly blocked in court, and remains so today.

In January 2019, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to step in and lift the injunctions against the public charge rule while the appeals process went forward. The Supreme Court granted the request, and on February 25, 2020, the rule went into effect. One day before, the State Department published its own public charge rules that applied to people outside of the United States.

In New York, challengers brought a separate lawsuit against the State Department public charge rule, as well as the healthcare ban.

In April, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, plaintiffs in New York asked the Supreme Court to lift its stay. The Supreme Court declined, but indicated that the lower court could issue a new injunction tailored to the pandemic.

Within days, the challengers went back in front of Judge Daniels and asked for exactly that.

What’s Next for Public Charge?

With public charge halted nationwide again—and for the first time halted

worldwide at consulates—the Trump administration will likely seek to overturn both injunctions.

The Department of Justice’s next step would be to ask the Second Circuit to issue a stay of Judge Daniels’ decisions.

If that is not granted, they will likely return to the Supreme Court a second time. Although the Supreme Court granted a stay last time, it may be possible that

the concrete harms highlighted by Judge Daniels will lead the Court to split differently this time.

If the Supreme Court grants another stay on the USCIS public charge rule, then USCIS will continue to apply the rule going forward, until the case makes its way to the Supreme Court or a new administration takes control that wants to roll back the rule.l

This is your city.

Do you know your zone?

Visit NYC.gov/knowyourzone or call 311 to find out what to do to prepare for hurricanes in NYC. #knowyourzone

KYZ2020_4.875x6.75_revised.indd 5 5/29/2020 5/29/2020 VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES,KYZ2020_4.875x6.75_revised.indd VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC!

3:03:05 PM

FAMILY MATTERS

12

3 Ways to Promote Social Skills in Homebound Kids

BY ELIZABETH ENGLANDER THE CONVERSATION

W

ith the severity of the COVID19 pandemic getting worse in most of the country, a growing number of school districts from San Francisco to Atlanta have determined that a return to daily in-person instruction isn’t yet safe or viable. They aim to to stick with remote learning as the school year gets underway.

Based on my research about the psychological effects of digital technology, I’ve seen that when children and teens spend a great deal of time isolated at home and gazing at screens their social skills and self-esteem can suffer and they may become lonelier. Fortunately, there are ways to lower those risks while young people spend way more time than usual at home.

1. Practice paying attention to other people One important social skill is the ability to pay attention to another person while you’re interacting with them. A longterm study of more than 300 teenagers found that those with the heaviest screen use were also the most likely to focus on

their own needs, instead of those of the other people they were interacting with.

Other research indicates that this selfcentered behavior tends to lead to more social problems with friends.

The good news is that regular, daily activities apart from technology can help kids focus in general and pay attention to other people. For example, when families do things together, such as cooking meals and gardening, or have a designated time when everyone reads at the same time, it can help children maintain the social skill of paying attention to others. A large study found that both adults and children engaged in these kinds of activities felt better about their relationships.

Kids find it easier to focus on their friends when they play together in person

– something that is harder to do while social distancing. And when children play outdoors, or even just spend time outdoors, they become more able to pay attention to their friends and, later on, focus on schoolwork. In addition, yoga and other relaxation exercises, such as breathing exercises, can help children practice focusing in general.

2. Foster the give-and-take of conversation Interactions at school help children learn to read facial expressions and body language, the give-and-take of conversations and how to change or initiate topics of conversation. Having these informal encounters regularly are one way that kids learn how to meet and greet people.

While there’s no perfect substitute online, there are steps parents and other guardians can take to help preserve a child’s social skills.

Some online activities can help kids practice perceiving others’ emotions by looking at their faces. One example is the “Eyes In the Mind Test,” in which people look at a picture of someone’s eyes and guesses the emotion that person is experiencing.

Family time can potentially make the biggest contribution to conversational and social skills. Plan to eat dinner together, without the distraction of any screens or phones because kids who eat dinner with their families tend to form stronger relationships with their peers, marked by less fighting and bullying.

Writing letters by hand, instead of relying on electronic devices for written communication are helpful too. Parents can encourage kids to find new friends in faraway places through “snail mail,” by taking advantage of a pen pal website.

Exchanging letters with a stranger builds conversational skills, since writing a letter to get to know someone involves posing questions such as asking about favorite activities and foods. continued on page 13

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CORONAVIRUS Promote Social Skills/continued from page 12 3. Maintain friendships Parents of home-bound kids may need to look for creative ways to keep school friendships going. Apps like Skype, Zoom and FaceTime can be useful but children – like adults – can grow tired of them.

Fortunately, there are alternatives.

Remind your kids about the difference between brief messages or posts and longer communications.

Through my research, I’ve found that children generally see the differences between brief but fun interactions versus feeling a deep connection to a good friend. Encourage kids to write longer, but less frequent, messages to their friends because it may help keep those relationships strong.

Despite having to socially distance, don’t forget that children of all ages can also connect with others outdoors, which is safer than being together indoors. Set up outdoor visits that keep children and teens and their friends six feet apart from each other and make sure everyone wears masks. Consider playing croquet or other games that can work with these circumstances or just having them run through sprinklers.

Even just a small group of friends hanging out while social distancing can preserve friendships.

Last but not least, encourage teachers to break classes into small groups while they’re learning online.

Kids can still learn how to study together, practice skills together, and talk and socialize while they learn outside the classroom. l Elizabeth Englander is a Professor of Psychology, and the Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC), Bridgewater State University

13

Going Shopping? Don’t Get Shortchanged

BY SACHIT GALI, INTERN, DIVISION OF CONSUMER & BUSINESS EDUCATION, FTC

R

emember when stores ran out of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and face masks? Well, now COVID-19 is cause for a new shortage: coins. Because of business shutdowns and social distancing, people have been spending cash at stores or restaurants at record low levels.

Adding to the shortage, the U.S. Mint has slowed down coin production for a few months to keep employees safe from COVID-19. Now, some businesses are running low on coins and not offering change.

Here are some tips to avoid losing money next time you go out shopping.

•If you plan on paying in cash when shopping, bring coins from home so you can pay in exact change, if you can.

•If you’re short on change and the store doesn’t have it, ask the cashier if they can offer you store credit or can donate the leftover to charity, which more stores are starting to offer. Or, pay using a credit or debit card — or by check, if accepted by the store.

•If a store doesn’t offer change, it should clearly state or display this policy. If you

A new study shows Coronavirus scammers are about to surpass a milestone of tricking Americans out of $100 million. In the month of July, New York residents filed 6,677 coronavirus related fraud complaints to the FTC. This is up 122% from the month of March when 2,859 complaints were filed. New York ranks No. 3 for the most complaints among states. find a store that’s intentionally misleading or deceptive about this policy, report it to your state attorney general.

To learn more about consumer protection issues related to COVID19, check out ftc.gov/coronavirus for the latest updates.l

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

Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza Announce Test and Trace Protocols for NYC Public Schools

N

EW YORK: Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza today announced health and safety protocols, including guidance for testing and tracing, for schools for the start of the 202021 school year. These protocols will apply to all school communities and will help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“We are doing everything in our power to keep kids healthy while ensuring they are getting the education they deserve.

These rigorous test and trace protocols will keep our students and staff safe as we start off this new school year,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“New Yorkers did the incredibly difficult work reducing the risk posed by COVID-19, and as a result we’re in a better position than any other city in the country to safely resume in-person education under the current conditions and with clear, consistent health protocols,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “The safety and health of our school communities is always our first priority – before, during, and after the

COVID-19 pandemic – and we will remain vigilant in monitoring health conditions this fall while driving toward academic excellence for every student.”

In preparation for the start of school, the DOE is purchasing large orders of hygiene supplies on behalf of schools.

These supplies include, but are not limited, to, facial coverings for students, teachers, and staff; disinfectant; hand sanitizer; and electrostatic sprayers.

School leadership and facilities staff in every school are reviewing school space and making necessary repairs and adjustments to ensure safe conditions for inperson student learning this fall.

All staff members will be asked to take a COVID-19 test in the days before the first day of school. School staff will have priority access for free testing at 34 cityrun testing locations, with tests provided with expedited results. This testing is also available for families citywide.

When school buildings reopen, all schools will be required to enact precautions to prevent, identify, and address the spread of COVID-19. Daily precautions

Conclusion of Investigation

During Investigation

Post Investigation

1 confirmed case

Close Classroom, transition to remote learning

Classroom remains closed for 14 days; students and staff in close contact with positive case self-quarantine for 14 days.

At least 2 cases linked together in school, same classroom

Close Classroom, transition to remote learning

Classroom remains closed for 14 days; students and staff in close contact with positive cases self-quarantine for 14 days

At least 2 cases linked together in school, different classrooms

Close school building, transition to remote learning

Classrooms of each case remain closed and quarantined, additional school members are quarantined based on where the exposure was in the school (e.g., the locker room)

At least 2 cases?linked together by circumstances outside of school (i.e., acquired infection by different setting and source)

Close school building, transition to remote learning

School opens post investigation, classrooms remain closed for 14 days

Close At least 2 cases?not linked but school building, exposure confirmed for each outside transition to of school setting remote learning

School opens post investigation, classrooms remain closed for 14 days

Link unable to be determined

Close school building, transition to remote learning

include: •An isolation room for students with symptoms with a dedicated staff member or health professional, •Physical distancing and required facial coverings, •Cleaning throughout the day and nightly disinfecting, and •Clear communication with families and school community.

If a student or teacher is feeling sick, they are required to stay home and, if their symptoms are consistent with COVID-19, are asked to get tested. If a student begins experiencing symptoms in school, they will be isolated and monitored by a dedicated staff member until they are picked up by their parents or guardians. Staff members who become symptomatic at school are asked to immediately leave the building.

Whether symptoms begin at home or in school, there will be a clear flow of information to facilitate fast action and prevent spread. A positive case can be reported to a school by a staff member, a parent, or a student. A positive confirmed case will trigger an investigation by the NYC Test + Trace Corps and DOHMH to determine close contacts within the school. Schools will communicate to all families and students within school any time a case is laboratory confirmed.

The DOE is working in tight coordination with DOHMH and the NYC Test + Trace Corps to identify, isolate, and prevent spread of COVID-19. In the event that there is a laboratory-confirmed case in a school, all students and teachers in that class are assumed close contacts and will be instructed to self-quarantine for

Close school for 14 days

14 days since their last exposure to that case. Additionally, DOHMH and NYC Test + Trace Corps will begin an investigation into the risk of exposure to the school community and work with the DOE to issue clear guidance and decisions for next steps based on the outcome.

For the potential investigative conclusions outlined above, all decisions to quarantine classrooms or close schools will depend on the facts of each investigation.

Whenever a student is isolating or quarantining at home, the expectation is that they continue engaging with learning remotely if they are feeling well enough.

If a school is closed, the school will communicate by 6 P.M. on the night before about the status of opening the next morning, based on the status of the investigation. A school building will not reopen without confirmation from public health experts that it is safe.

While developing this reopening plan to submit to New York State, the Department of Education consulted with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), NYC Health + Hospitals, the NYC Test + Trace Corps and labor officials.

These protocols center the health of our students and staff at the very core of this school year, while pursuing the resumption of in-person learning and educational services. The City will continue to closely monitor health conditions, and if community transmission begins to rise across the boroughs, a decision may be made to close all schools and switch to full-time remote learning.l

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No. 28

Everything You Need to Know About Real Estate Transfer Deeds

BY ANAND SRINIVASAN KAPLAN REAL ESTATE EDUCATION

T

he ownership of every piece of land in the United States is recorded and held at the County Recorder’s office. When ownership changes hands, this also needs to be reflected in the public records.

This process of transferring interest over a real estate asset is known as conveyance.

A transfer deed is a document that acts as the proof of conveyance. In other words, it’s the transfer of the ownership of a property. It has a property description that adheres to legal norms and identifies the current and subsequent owners. It also acknowledges the transfer between them in a language that legally specifies it as a deed.

It should be noted that a deed is dif-

help of a lawyer. In either case, if you are the real estate agent for the buyer, it’s a good idea for the buyer to include you in the process as a witness. The witness is an important role should there be a conflict over the transaction in the future. ferent from a title. It is the vehicle through which the transfer of ownership takes place and not a legal right to the property, partial or complete.

When Is a New Deed Required?

Aside from selling the property to a new buyer, a transfer deed might be required in a few other scenarios. For instance, trans-

fer deeds are required as proof of transfer if someone is planning to transfer property to a family member or to a business at no cost or if someone is planning to fund a living trust. Changes in the names of the title of the property may also require a transfer deed as documentation.

Transfer deeds are usually carried out between the buyer and the seller with the

Types of Deeds There are essentially three types of transfer deeds that are based on the particulars of the deed, such as what the grantor can convey and the warranties included in the deed.

A general warranty deed is one of continued on page 3

AG James and DA Gonzalez Partner to Expand Housing Protection Initiative

B

ROOKLYN: New York Attorney General Letitia James and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez recently announced that they will be expanding their joint homeowner protection initiative to include protections for renters in New York City. The “Protect Our Homes” initiative, launched in January 2020 to educate New Yorkers about deed theft and other housing scams, will now include support for New Yorkers threatened with illegal evictions and other issues plaguing renters. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession, more New Yorkers are struggling to remain in their homes, and as a result, there is an increased risk for illegal evictions, deed theft, and other housing scams.

In January 2020, Attorney General James launched the office’s “Protect Our Homes” initiative with the formation of an interagency taskforce to focus on deed theft and homeowner fraud issues. The taskforce includes District Attorneys from all five boroughs in New York City and the New York City Sheriff’s Office. The task-

Attorney General James

force will now expand its efforts to include issues targeting renters and evictions.

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are on the verge of an acute housing crisis in New York,” said Attorney General James. “Longtime homeowners in New York City were already grappling with deed theft fraud, and economically challenged renters will soon be facing evictions. I am committed to working with District Attorney Gonzalez and our other government and legal service partners to use a combination of education and enforcement to help our neighbors stay in their homes.”

“The impending housing crisis in Brooklyn will have devastating effects on our community,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez. “We must do everything in our power to protect homeowners and renters from unscrupulous actors. I look forward to continue working with Attorney General James to ensure every Brooklynite can be safe in their home.”

As housing courts begin to reopen and the eviction moratoriums lift, New Yorkers who lost their jobs and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic are at high risk for eviction. The taskforce will discuss emerging trends that are putting people at risk of displacement, review complaints, and take appropriate action as needed. The taskforce will also work to educate renters facing eviction about their rights, and, as appropriate, connect them with lawyers through New York City’s Right to Counsel law. n

Get Help Need assistance with deed transfers of deed theft? We will be happy to meet

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2

EQUITY SMART REALTY

What’s the Difference Between a Real Estate Agent and a Broker?

BY KAPLAN REAL ESTATE EDUCATION

W

hen thinking about your longterm career goals in real estate, it’s important to take some time to explore every option. Once you have a vision for your future in real estate, you can start planning how you will accomplish your goals.

A popular goal for many real estate agents is to become a real estate broker.

You may already be aware that once you

get your real estate license, you can’t work as an independent agent. You will need to join a brokerage in order to sell property. But what if your long-term goal is to work independently or to supervise other real estate agents? Maybe you would like to own a brokerage one day. In order to do that, you will need to become a real estate broker. In this article, we’ll take a look at what a real estate broker does and how to plan to become a real estate broker in the future.

How are Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Brokers Different?

A real estate agent is an individual who has fulfilled all of their state’s salesperson licensing requirements and has earned his or her real estate license. States have different requirements, but all require completing a certain amount of prelicensing education and passing an exam. After earning licensure, a real estate agent must be hired by a brokerage in order to perform real estate work. The brokerage provides the agent with the support, guidance, and sometimes the resources necessary to do their work. In return, the brokerage takes a split from the real estate agent’s sales commission.

Real estate brokers earn not only their agent license but their state’s broker license, as well. The additional licensure allows brokers more freedom and possibilities than real estate agents. Brokers

can work under a brokerage while supervising other agents (usually called a Broker Associate) or work independently while owning their own business (Broker Owner). While operating independently, they might decide to hire real estate agents to work under them in order to become more profitable. Ultimately, brokers have the opportunity to shape their own career path, with or without oversight from a brokerage.

This freedom is ideal for many prospective real estate agents. The career path of a real estate broker offers control, flexibility, and the potential to earn much more money.n Free Consultation Need assistance? We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance.

Schedule an appointment today. call us at 855-768-8845.

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3

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Statement on Decision to End Fair Housing Rule

Real Estate Transfer Deeds/ continued from page 1 the most common forms of transfer deeds.

It provides the greatest conveyance and protection to the buyer because it explicitly states that the property is free of liens and the seller holds no claims to its ownership. The buyer also reserves the right to sue the seller should this claim turn out to be false.

A special warranty deed guarantees less than the general warranty deed. In this type of transfer deed, there is no guarantee against title defects or encumbrances that may have been present when the seller received the property nor does it obligate the seller to do anything further once the title is transferred. Special warranty deeds are frequently used by temporary holders of real estate assets such as corporations, trusts, or other fiduciaries who do not use or occupy the land for their own benefit.

A quitclaim deed is a particular type of special warranty transfer deed that carries no warranties at all. It merely conveys the interest that the grantor had in the property, whatever that may be. Quitclaim deeds are used to transfer rights where there is ambiguity over what those rights are in the first place. This is mostly commonly used to clear up title problems or to transfer property within a family or between spouses (especially after a divorce).

Joint Tenancy and Tenancy in Common When more than one person is purchasing a property, it is important to determine

how these joint owners will take the title.

There are two common types of shared ownership—joint tenants and tenants in common. The type makes no difference in most of the rights and duties of the coowners, but it does affect how the asset would be treated upon the death of a coowner.

In the case of joint tenancy, when one of the co-owners dies, the share of the deceased passes automatically to the surviving joint tenants, regardless of the existence of the deceased owner’s will. In contrast to this, in the case of tenancy in common, the share in title of a dead co-owner is passed on to their heir or the people named in the deceased’s will.

Recording the Deed The last step in the conveyancing process is recording the deed, mortgage, or any other instrument in the county where the property is located. Even though it is commonly called the county recorder’s office, land registry office, registrar or register of

deeds, the name of the county office involved with recording real estate instruments varies from state to state.

This last step of recording the deed is extremely important because the owner’s interests are not fully protected unless and until the document is recorded. In addition to this, the sequence in which the deeds and other documents are recorded also determines the priority of various claims against the property.

Conclusion Transfer deeds form the legal backbone to a buyer’s or owner’s right to a property.

Poorly made transfer deeds or the absence of one could severely impact the right to property ownership. Even though these documents are generally short, as a real estate agent, it is important for you to understand their value and acknowledge their significance in the legal system.n Anand Srinivasan is the founder of Hubbion

Your Success in Real Estate Starts Today

When you succeed, the Chamber Coalition succeeds. That’s why we’ve partnered with Kaplan Real Estate Education. From prelicensing and exam prep to continuing education, you’ll be guided through every stage of your real estate career.

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a FREE consultation.

Education that fits your schedule Visit www.nacc.nyc/kaplan At check out enter the code Chamber5.

Questions? Call 800-636-9517.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez

C

hhaya unequivocally condemns the Trump administration's decision to end the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule pursuant to the Fair Housing Act of 1968. As a housing counseling agency with 20 years of experience serving immigrant communities, Chhaya has seen the important role fair housing protections play in addressing discrimination as well as the work that remains to be done. Our counselors sees dozens of cases of discrimination every year. Housing segregation continues to persist and needs to be addressed by all levels of government. The President’s racist and classist tweet exclaiming suburban residents will be unburdened by affordable housing development, promising rising home values, and reduced crime as a result, is a full-blown endorsement of segregation and underscores exactly why the AFFH rule is needed.

The landscape of housing segregation in America was intentionally designed by federal agencies, local authorities, and the real estate industry to promote wealth and financial opportunity for white Americans while relegating black Americans and other communities of color to disinvested urban and rural neighborhoods with stagnating or plummeting land values, predatory financial services, and economic destitution. The Fair Housing Act, along with other key civil rights legislation, began the process of undoing the history of redlining and discimination that has shaped our country’s segregated neighborhoods and vast racial wealth gap.

A passive interpretation and implementation of the law during the decades that followed its passage allowed discrimination in housing to continue throughout the country.

In 2015, the Obama Administration promulgated the AFFH rule, calling on municipalities who receive federal funds for housing to examine housing barriers that exist in their communities, report on housing segregation trends, and develop a plan to actively reduce segregation. We know that these efforts are still needed in today’s America. In 2019, Newsday released a detailed, investigative piece that revealed rampant housing discrimination across Long Island.

Chhaya supports Representative OcasioCortez and other house leaders who have introduced an amendment to the Fiscal 2021 House Transportation-HUD spending bill that would block the President’s attempt to dismantle the AFFH rule. n

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4

HOME OWNERSHIP

Lawmakers Aim to Stop COVID-19 Apartment Vacancies From Upending Rent Regulation

State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) speaks in support of a group of criminal justice reform bills during an October rally at City Hall. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

“It’s in their interest to create fear around rent regulation,” Weaver said.

It remains to be seen whether the legislation will make it to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk. But Epstein believes there will be plenty of support in Albany for the idea.

“We just strengthened the rent laws last year,” he said. “We’re not going to just let the vacancy rate result in losing all those protections.”n A bed sheet hung in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, is a sign of tough economic times during the pandemic. Hiram Alejandro Durán/THE CITY

BY RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH, THE CITY

T

here’s an outside chance rising apartment vacancies due to COVID-19 could trigger an end to rent regulation in New York City — but two local lawmakers are looking to pandemic-proof tenant rights.

Twin bills were introduced in the State Senate and Assembly on Tuesday that would seek to protect regulated apartments by taking the vacancy rate out of the equation until well after the city emerges from the wide-ranging coronavirus crisis.

Rent regulation is legally underpinned by a decades-old definition of a “housing emergency” in New York, meaning less than 5% of available apartments are vacant.

If the housing stock goes above that figure, the longstanding argument for rent regulation — which some landlords have argued violates the U.S. Constitution — could go away.

The new legislation, introduced by Manhattan Democrats Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, would put a pause on the official count of the city’s vacancy rate — completed by the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the U.S. Census Bureau — until two years after the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration is over.

“This would forestall any ending of the housing emergency and allow the market to stabilize,” Hoylman told THE CITY on Wednesday.

The official vacancy tally, known as the Housing and Vacancy Survey, found New York had a 3.63% vacancy rate as of 2017.

The next survey is set to be completed next year and released in 2022.

Playing the Long Game Epstein said the goal of the legislation is to avoid having the next count be affected by temporary changes caused by New Yorkers who decided “short-term, not to stay” in the city.

“We don’t want that to have any impact on the structure ... around affordable housing,” he said.

The legislation was introduced a day after THE CITY reported that rents are down and vacancies are up, inching toward the 5% benchmark.

In a statement, Kimberly Winston, a spokesperson for the landlord-run groups Rent Stabilization Association of NYC and the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), slammed the bills. Both groups have sued to dismantle recent rent reforms in New York.

“This shows our elected officials aren’t interested in what’s really happening in the housing market or in solving problems,” Winston said. “They want to continue the disastrous policies of the last 50 years by penalizing property owners and pandering to constituencies they’re afraid of — and that is a terrible way to govern.”

Cea Weaver, a leader with the Housing Justice For All coalition, which successfully lobbied for the rent reforms passed in Albany in 2019, said she supports efforts to make sure rent regulation is not killed by a “temporary and probably unusual increase” in the vacancy rate.

But she’s not convinced there’s much of a chance for the rate to push past 5% — and is not buying CHIP’s recent figures on vacancy rates, including a survey by the group that showed vacancy rates for rent stabilized units had risen to 4.66% as of July 1.

This story was originally published on July 29, 2020 by THE CITY.

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GENERATIONS

19

When It's Time to Leave Home

O

ne factor is that people 65 and above are considered to be among the highest-risk groups for severe illness from COVID-19. Thus, as the economy opens back up, baby boomers in particular are thinking twice about returning to office environments that could expose them to an increased risk of contracting the disease. And while in some cases retirement decisions will be voluntary, retirement may be essentially decided for some older workers due to jobs being eliminated as struggling companies restructure.

The decision about whether your parents should move is often tricky and emotional. Each family will have its own reasons for wanting (or not wanting) to take such a step.

One family may decide a move is right because the parents can no longer manage the home. For another family, the need for hands-on care in a long-term care facility motivates a change.

In the case of long-distance caregivers, the notion of moving can seem like a solution to the problem of not being close enough to help. For some caregivers, moving a sick or aging parent to their own home or community can be a viable alternative. Some families decide to have an adult child move back to the parent’s home to become the primary caregiver.

Keep in mind that leaving a home, community, and familiar medical care can be very disruptive and difficult for the older parent, especially if they are not enthusiastic about the change. You might first want to explore what services are available in your parents’ community to help them in their home—including home health care, housekeeping, personal care, and transportation services.

Older adults and their families have some options when it comes to deciding where to live, but these choices can be limited by factors such as illness, ability to perform activities of daily living (for example, eating, bathing, using the toilet, dressing, walking, and moving from bed to chair), financial resources, and personal preferences.

Making a decision that is best for your parent—and making that decision with your parent—can be difficult. Try to learn as much as you can about possible housing options.

Older adults, or those with serious illness, can choose to: •Stay in their own home or move to a smaller one •Move to an assisted-living facility •Move to a long-term care facility •Move in with a family member Some families find a conference call is a good way to talk together about the

pros and cons of each option. The goal of this call is to come up with a plan that works for everyone, especially your parent. If the decision involves a move for your mom or dad, you could, even from a distance, offer to arrange tours of some places for their consideration.

Experts advise families to think carefully before moving an aging adult into an adult child’s home. There are a lot of questions to consider, for example: •Is there space in your home?

•Is someone around to help the older person during the whole day?

•What are your parents able to do for

themselves?

•What personal care are you willing and able to provide—moving your parent from a chair to a bed or toilet, changing adult diapers, or using a feeding tube, for example?

•What kinds of home care services are available in your community?

•What kind of specialized medical care is available nearby?l

This content is provided by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Wills, Trusts & Nursing Home Asset Protection Learn how to Protect your Assets and Provide for your Loved ones

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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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nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

How to Look Good - All the Time!

nSPORTS

nHOROSCOPE

Kitchen Corner Evening Eating: Coconut Curry Shrimp Rice Bowl

C

onventional diet wisdom calls for avoiding carbs, having an early dinner and avoiding eating too close to bedtime.

Consider this Coconut Curry Shrimp Rice Bowl recipe, which combines a super carbohydrate – rice – with an ethnic flavor combination of coconut, shrimp and curry, which can satisfy nighttime hunger without restriction.

P

sst! Hello, I am Tarsha Gibbons, your lead stylist for everything fashion, color, and fun. Today let’s talk about using tailor services. I know some of you are like, what do I need that?

Can I propose to you that it will forever change how you buy clothes? All of us have things in our closet that are too big or just do not fit quite right, but we keep holding on to it. Just like you take your car to the mechanic to get fixed, you take your clothes to the tailor. We usually think this looks alright, and it is okay, I just need a belt, I need to get higher heels‌etc. No! That stops today.

All these things are fixable. I want you to take out those too big and do not quite fit-right clothes and decide you will give them a new life. Take them to the tailor đ&#x;˜Š. Get the waist taken in, hem the pants, take in the sides of that dress or blazer. You will be amazed when you put that article of clothing back on. It enhances your overall look; it makes your clothing look expensive, it gives your body shape, and you will get noticed. Have you ever seen people dressed and think to yourself, Wow! They look good. The secret is the tailor. Now that we have taken care of what is in your closet. Let us move on to when you go shopping.

The rule of thumb is always fit the biggest part of your body and tailor the rest. Do not let that little number or letter in the back of the clothing discourage you. Get the size that fits knowing that you can fix the rest. This is how the tailor

came to be my best friend on speed dial on my phone. I have a smaller waist and bigger hips, so; you already know the issues. Oh, why can’t I just find jeans that fit? Why is this dress so loose on top and tight on the bottom? Whatever your issue is, go into these stores with confidence because your objective is to look great. You now have a secret weapon.

Watch out‌Average has left the building. Amazing is coming to theatre near you. Friends go ROCK YOUR DAY!!

Until next time. l

Ingredients Coconut Rice: 2 cups jasmine rice 1 1/2 cups water 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk 1 teaspoon sea salt

Shrimp Curry: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1/2cup chicken broth 1/2cup minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon curry 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined To make coconut rice: In pot over high heat, combine jasmine rice, water, coconut milk and sea salt; bring to boil.

Stir and cover, reducing heat to low.

Cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

To make shrimp curry: In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.

Add onion and bell peppers; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in tomato sauce, broth, cilantro, curry, salt and pepper. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in shrimp. Cook 5-7 minutes until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat and serve over coconut rice.l (FamilyFeatures) Nutritional information per serving: 320 calories; 5 g fat; 44 g carbohydrates; 579 mg sodium: 4 g fiber; 26 g protein; 4 g sugar.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Servings: 8 Recipe courtesy of “Always Eat After 7 PM�

Follow me on Instagram: @tarshastyles Follow me on Facebook: TGImageandStyle Contact me: tgimageandstyle@gmail.com

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SPORTS & BOOKS

22

Jamaican Synchronized Swimming Team Featured in New Beyoncé’s Visual Album, Black Is King

BY STEPHANIE K, JAMAICANS.COM

I

sland Aquatics Synchro Club, Jamaica’s synchronized swimming team, has been featured in the new visual album from superstar Beyoncé.

The album is entitled “Black Is King,” and while few details are known, the expression of thanks to Beyoncé from Aquabatix USA, a professional synchronized swimming team, indicates that the swimmers were part of it. Aquabatix USA gave special thanks to the singer for including Jamaica’s synchro team in the video as well.

The Jamaican team, which is based in Kingston and coached by two-time gold medal winner Olga Novokshenova, was the subject of a feature article in the New York Times entitled, “Jamaica Has Never Had Olympic Synchronized Swimmers.

These Girls Want To Change That.” The challenges faced by the Island Aquatics Synchro club at the time were discussed in the article, which was published on January 29, 2018. According to the club, its greatest obstacle to achieving its Olympic dream was attracting and sus-

taining new members. The swimmers wanted to qualify for the Duets Category in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

In the Instagram caption posted by Aquabatix USA, the professionals acknowledged this challenge, writing that “Synchronized swimming (now known as artistic swimming), like most

of the aquatics worldwide is unfortunately still dominated by white people. For no other reason other than opportunity. If people of the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) community are not given the same opportunity and access to learn to swim, the less POC (people of color) there are having the opportunity to access grassroots competitive synchronized swimming and then the less POC we see at the Olympics and also in the entertainment and production side of what we do. Also, the less POC then qualify as swimming and aquatics instructors/coaches, and as choreographers in synchro. It is so important to have POC synchro stars as role models to inspire younger generations and for them to say, that will be me one day.”

The post went on to say that there is no excuse for a continuing lack of opportunity anymore and that everyone should have the same opportunities and access to learning to swim and have the chance to enjoy and excel in artistic swimming.

Aquabatix USA believes that the athletes of the Jamaican synchro team are “a force to be reckoned with” and are a source of pride for the black community proud with their achievements and resilience. Aquabatix USA noted that the Jamaican team is very competitive and is working very hard to give others the chance to participate in synchro and empowering them with the sport’s benefits. The team is making progress in the competitive rankings in the world and showcasing its skills and artistry on the international level.

Finally, Aquabatix USA posted, “Thank you, Queen Bey, for casting Team Jamaica synchro in Black is King to showcase these brilliant synchro swimmers and we hope many kids will see this and want a go!”l Photo Source: Island Aquatics Synchro Club Facebook

Reading for Summer

Black Woman Walking: A Different Experience of World Travel

A

sk Maureen Stone when she started 'walking' and she will tell you with mild irritation, "Ever since I stopped crawling." But she is lying, she never crawled! She was a very sickly child who did not walk until she was almost three and then went on to walk the world. This is a book about travel that is not a travel book. It is a book about walking and hiking, but it is not about leisure. These activities provide the context within which the author examines and comments on issues in today's world.

The approach is a provocative blend of the personal and the political, offering a different view of today's worldscape as seen through the eyes of a black woman sociologist, traveller and hiker. The result is a book which it will be difficult to put down. And which the reader will want to return to time and again. From Barbados to Bhutan, from Grenada to Guatemala, from Africa to Australia, China to Christchurch (Barbados and New Zealand) Maureen has been there, walking, observing, and listening. From the foothills of the Himalayas to the Old Man of Coniston she tells of encounters with men and women, and presents and discusses the issues and problems of today.

In letters to her 'sisters around the world' and through conversations with her brothers, her travels and experiences are recounted. From the personal to the political she moves, sometimes with humour, always with painful honesty. She writes with a dash of Caribbean humour, a good helping of European sociology, and a flavouring of Eastern philosophy. This book is for Everywoman and Everyman who, if they look close enough, will find something of themselves within these pages. 'Black Woman Walking' travels a road worth following. l —Google Books

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

23

How to Practice Self-Love and Care

BY SARAH O’LEARY

I

ncreased self-love leads to increased productivity, motivation, feelings of fulfillment, seeking positive social companions, and utilization of healthy coping mechanisms. Unsurprisingly, as you work on improving your self-love, it will also improve self-esteem.

Take care of your physical needs This means taking care of your hygiene (take a shower, brush your teeth, do your hair). When we are taking care of our hygiene, we are sending ourselves the message that we are worthy. There is truth in “look good, feel good.”

Additionally, when we have poor hygiene, we feel dirty, oily, and overall “gross.” This can trigger irritability and discomfort, which can lead to negative emotions, poor self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. We are less likely to interact with others when we have poor hygiene, and more likely to withdraw and isolate.

This can bring down your mood and selfesteem even more, making self-love more difficult.

Taking care of your physical needs also means exercise and eating a balanced diet (including enough water!). What we put into our bodies matters. This doesn’t mean never eat a cookie or drink a beer, have those treats in moderation and focus on obtaining the nutrients you

need. Instead of thinking about what you shouldn’t eat, focus on what you should – vegetables, protein, fruit, whole grains.

This small change in mindset shifts the focus from what you “can’t” have, and often feeling down when you give into that craving, and instead puts the focus on what you are doing for yourself Exercise releases endorphins Endorphins reduce our perception of pain as well as trigger positive feelings (this usually happens after 20-30 minutes). This means exercise helps combat sadness, anger, and anxiety while increasing feelings of happiness.

Exercise also aids in securing enough restful sleep, which is also key in taking care of your physical needs.

Social support & setting boundaries Surrounding yourself with compassionate and loving people will help with your own self-love. A supportive social network can make the world of a difference.

Spend time with those who leave you feeling good and good about yourself afterwards. You want to be around people who celebrate your successes and make an effort to be understanding. Being around these kinds of people helps you feel safe in being yourself. Positive friendships help us cope healthily with any obstacles that arise in our lives as well as face stress in general. Those with strong support networks even recover more quickly from health issues. Feeling safe in our relationships helps encourage us to take chances and grow. Surrounding yourself with people who have qualities you admire can also help bring you up

when you are having self-doubts. If this awesome person wants to be your friend, you must be pretty awesome too!

An important part of all relationships is setting boundaries. Often people think setting boundaries is selfish, when in fact it’s the opposite. Boundaries strengthen relationships. Having poor boundaries – always saying “yes,” not speaking up when we’re uncomfortable, overexerting ourselves to help others – leaves us feeling depleted, and it is easy to be upset with yourself in these circumstances or resentful of others. Learning to assert boundaries can also help in your professional life. Asserting boundaries in your professional life will help combat feeling drained after a workday. Feeling like you still have energy when you get home means you have the energy to do activities that feel fulfilling. Doing activities, you enjoy is a way to be kind to yourself and practice self-love.

Be kind to yourself Treat and speak to yourself like you would your best friend. Sometimes it can be really hard to love yourself and treat yourself with kindness. For some, it is helpful to instead think of what your best friend would say to you, or how you treat and speak to your best friend. Replace self-talk such as “That was dumb, you’re continued on page 24

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24

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS Self-Love and Care/ continued from page 23 an idiot!” with something like “That was a mistake, but it’s okay. You can learn from it.” If you wouldn’t say it to your best friend, don’t say it to yourself.

Take time to highlight your positive qualities. This is often hardest when we need it the most. So, write these down as you think of them or others state them.

Keep them somewhere you can see – writing on your mirror, a list next to your bed, change your lock-screen background. Something I’ve personally found successful is having a token to keep in my pocket or on my desk. For example, I have a stone a friend gave me that reminds me I am compassionate and kind. I either keep this stone in my pocket or have it on my desk for the day.

Every time I touch it or look at it on my desk, I stop to take a moment and remind myself of those traits.

Spend time reflecting on your successes, not your failures. It’s natural for us to dwell on the negative moments, but not the positive. It’s how our brains are wired. When a positive experience happens, sit with it for at least 10 seconds.

When someone compliments you, really take it in (again, 10 seconds). If you catch yourself thinking of something negative, make yourself switch to thinking of something positive. Even a seemingly small bright moment in the day – your child showing you a drawing, your dog being excited to see you, your partner giving you a kiss…

Treat yourself (item, food, etc.), make time for self-care, and have fun Treat yourself, you are worth it. Don’t let this get out of hand with overspending or overeating. Remember, this isn’t a coping mechanism after a difficult day, this is a treat with the intention to show yourself some love. When was the last time you purchased something that wasn’t totally necessary, but you wanted?

When’s the last time you got your favorite dessert from the local bakery?

Purchased something for your hobby?

Set aside time for you. When we take time for self-care we are giving the message to ourselves that we are worth it.

This is a bonus to the feeling of rejuvenation or replenishment that comes from our self-care activities.

As children, our focus was on having fun and joyous activities. As adults we often push aside spontaneous fun or joy, and instead focus on our chores, to-dos,

and productivity. While these are important, having fun and spending time with pleasure is a great way to be kind to yourself.

Forgive yourself We are driven to feel like we are doing something right, to feel like we are being successful in something. Doing “something” right can easily turn into feeling like we need to do everything right. This can lead us to being too harsh on ourselves, to self-criticism, and low selfesteem. Being patient with yourself, kind to yourself, and forgiving yourself will help combat against starting or being stuck in a negative cycle. When we forgive ourselves, we begin to let go of the negatives that will otherwise build up.

For example, you snapped at your partner before you started your workday. You feel guilty afterwards and the thought creeps in that you’re a bad partner. Then,

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at work, you missed an important email your boss is asking about. A thought creeps in that you are a bad employee or colleague. In an effort to make up for missing the email, you work late and miss your evening workout. By this time, the thoughts might turn into “I can’t do anything right” or “I’m a failure.” If you can stop and forgive yourself along the way, the negative thoughts won’t build up and feel consuming.

You can challenge the negative or unhelpful thoughts as they come. It’s okay that you snapped at your partner.

Apologize sincerely and move on; there’s no need to dwell on it. To help “move on,” think of a time you did something nice for your partner. See, you’re not a bad partner, you just had a moment. If you spend the next hour beating yourself up about a missed email you won’t be productive. Do what you need to make up for it and continue with your day. You may even find yourself having more energy after you forgive yourself.

Live by your values We find fulfillment as we live our lives with purpose; and that’s best when our actions are aligned with our values. The first step to living a life in line with your values is being able to identify them.

Once you have identified your top values, think about ways in which you already incorporate them into your life.

Next think of some new ways in which you can incorporate them. Make a conscious effort throughout your day to be incorporating these values – this will get easier and feel more natural over time.

When you are intentional with your actions aligning with your values, it leads to a sense of accomplishment and purpose.

Create a value sheet. Pick the ten values that are most important to you. From those ten values, pick the top five. Keep in mind that your values will change over time.

Self-love can be difficult at times.

However, it does get easier over time. It just takes practice and effort. Know you don’t have to do it alone. When are world is amiss, it can be easier to feel down and harder to bring ourselves back-up. Selflove, confidence, and self-esteem go hand in hand.l

Sarah O'Leary is captivated most by the importance of relationships and emotions and their impact on our everyday lives.

She belives both relationships and our emotions help shape who we are as a person. "Relationship" doesn't just mean partner, but rather connections of all kinds. This means everything from strangers, to friends, to partners, and most importantly, the relationship you have with yourself. Emotions are what underlies our thoughts and behaviors, they are the key to understanding ourselves. Sarah works under the supervision of Jennine Estes, MFT a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, CA. Estes is certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples. Article courtesy www.estestherapy.com

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25

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

Summer’s Hidden Health Concern

F

ace mask? Check. Hand sanitizer?

Check. Sunscreen? Hmm. If you're busy worrying about how to avoid the coronavirus, you may not have thought much about your skin health.

And you're not alone. Thirty-nine percent of Americans say they are so focused on handwashing and avoiding germs that they are not thinking about sunscreen application, according to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Neutrogena®.

This news is cause for concern, according to experts like Sherry Pagoto, PhD, a prevention researcher and clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral medicine. "While it's understandable to let healthy habits slip temporarily in times of change, those slip-ups can have lasting effects," she says. One example: Researchers studying Danish exercisers found that taking a gym break for just one week was associated with a steady decline in gym attendance that lasted more than two months.[ii] "If this were to hold true for sunscreen use, it could spell trouble," she says. "Declining rates of sunscreen use at a time of the year when the UV index is climbing by the day, combined with reductions in nonessential healthcare visits like skin exams and mole removals, could be the perfect storm for more skin cancers in the future."

But it doesn't have to be that way.

Protecting your skin from the sun has been shown to reduce your risk of developing early skin aging and skin cancer, according to The American Academy of Dermatology. One way to safeguard yourself is by minimizing your sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest. But it can be hard to avoid the sun, even if you only spend time outdoors in short periods; multiple 20minute walks or errands outside can quickly add up to an hour or more of sun exposure each day. That's why it's also important to wear protective clothing and use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30 and UVA and UVB broad-spectrum protection.

To make a habit of applying, Pagoto

suggests making small changes to your environment and routine that will reinforce the behavior. Place a bottle next to your hand soap, so you're reminded to reapply after you wash your hands. Or store your everyday essentials, like face masks, hand sanitizer and sunscreen, in a basket near the front door so you can't miss them.

And don't forget to read the directions for use on the label and reapply regularly.

"I advise my patients to reapply sunscreen every two hours or anytime immediately after swimming or sweating," says Board Certified dermatologist Dr. Bertha Baum. "Most people don't use enough to begin with, so reapplication helps ensure that you're getting full UVA and UVB protection from your sunscreen." If you find yourself out and

about sans sunscreen, you can't necessarily count on borrowing someone else's like you did in the past; people may be less likely to share because of concerns about spreading germs. A simple fix?

Store an easy-to-reapply sunscreen stick in your bag (Neutrogena Sheer Zinc® Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ is great when you're on the go).

"The pandemic has thrown off just about every aspect of life, and it may take a little extra effort to get our healthy habits back on track," says Pagoto. "But there's never been a time when taking care of our health has been more important."l(BPT) Dr. Bertha Baum and Dr. Sherry Pagoto are consultants for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health.

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26

HEALTH Enslaved People’s Health/ continued from page 4 Foremost among the unrelenting cruelties heaped upon enslaved people was the lack of health care for them. Infants and children fared especially poorly. After childbirth, mothers were forced to return to the fields as soon as possible, often having to leave their infants without care or food. The infant mortality rate was estimated at one time to be as high as 50%. Adult people who were enslaved who showed signs of exhaustion or depression were often beaten.

As a professor of social work, I study ways to stop racism, promote social justice, and help the Black community empower itself. A relationship exists between the health of enslaved Blacks and the making of America.

‘Racist medical theory’ White masters, often brutal and violent, dehumanized the enslaved people who worked for them and became wealthy from their work. Slaveholders justified their treatment by relying on the widely accepted view of Black inferiority and the physical differences between Blacks and whites. Racist medical theory, the racist notion that the blacks were inherently inferior and animal-like who needed maltreatment to be sound for work, was a critical element.

Enslaved people were poorly fed, overworked and overcrowded, which promot-

who tried risked smallpox and intestinal infections.

The slave deck of the ship 'Wildfire' captured transporting slaves 510 captives from Africa to the Caribbean, Wood engraving after daguerreotype made in Key West on April 30, 1860 with modern color.

ed germ transmission. So did their housing – bare, cold and windowless, or close to it. Because they were not paid, slaves could not maintain personal hygiene.

Clothes went unwashed, baths were infrequent, dental care was limited, and beds remained unclean. Body lice, ringworm and bedbugs were common.

This treatment began in slave dungeons, built by Europeans on the coastal shores of Africa, where enslaved Blacks awaited shipment to the New World. In Ghana, for example, perhaps 200 were cloistered in tiny spaces where they ate, slept, urinated and defecated.

Archaeological research has shown the dirt floors were soaked in vomit, urine, feces and menstrual blood. Conditions within the dungeon were so deadly that cleaning them was discouraged; those

UNLOCK

Sick slaves rarely saw doctors Diseases among the enslaved people in the colonies and later the states were common and at a disparate rate when compared to whites: typhus, measles, mumps, chicken pox, typhoid and more.

Only as a last resort did the slave owner bring in a doctor. Instead, the white master and his wife would provide the health care, though rarely were either one trained physicians. Older enslaved women also helped, and brought their knowledge of herbs, roots, plants and midwifery from Africa to the Americas.

As with everything else, Blacks had no say about their care. And if a doctor was involved, Black patients were not necessarily told anything about their condition.

The medical report went directly to the slave owner.

Black women played multiple roles. Of course, they were part of the labor force.

And they took care of the sick. But they were also the machinery for producing more black bodies. After the midAtlantic slave trade was banned, slave owners needed a new source of labor. A pregnant enslaved woman provided that possibility. The birth of a baby born into slavery meant profits that potentially lasted generations, a product requiring little investment.

Terrifying medical research Some of the Black women were used in medical experiments; much of the research, some conducted without anesthesia, focused on maternal health. As the white scientists inflicted tremendous pain on the pregnant women, the infants being carried sometimes died. Through the torture of these enslaved women, many white physicians and white medical institutions gained considerable fame and wealth.

Adverse health consequences for Blacks facilitated the establishment of some medical advances, such as the invention of the speculum for gynecological exams. One enslaved woman reportedly endured 30 gynecological surgeries without anesthesia. Medical interests and also economic and political interests were served.

More than 150 years later, the health disparities of Black and white Americans remain. To fix what is wrong today, an understanding of the inequities of the past is an imperative. Only then can we begin to dismantle the structural racism that is replete within the American system. Knowledge of the history is necessary to explore and identify the underlying mechanisms to understand how racism revives itself to continue to produce health disparities, and ways to interrupt it.l Eric Kyere is an Assistant professor, social work, IUPUI

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28

CONVERSATIONS

What is Verbal Abuse? A Survivor Shares Her Story

V

erbal abuse is one aspect of psychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse or expressive aggression. It is characterized by insults, name-calling, put-downs, criticizing, and other demeaning language designed to bully, intimidate, frighten, humiliate, degrade, and diminish the victim’s self worth and sense of safety.

Power and Control Those who use verbal abuse are engaging in purposeful, deliberate behaviors that cause harm to gain and maintain power and control. Abuse is a learned behavior, and it can be unlearned.

Domestic violence exists because of a variety of factors at the individual, relationship, community, and societal level.

It is enabled by a culture of privilege and oppression that affords power to some over others. This can result in a sense of entitlement or ownership where those who hold power use it to cause harm in the interest of maintaining it or amassing more.

Kaitlyn from Rochester, New York I remember his words so clearly. It began in only the first few days of knowing each other. The verbal abuse started with

him calling me disgusting, whore, slut, bitch, and a liar. My abuser was deaf, so the verbal abuse came in the form of both spoken English and American sign language. As the tone in his voice became more malicious and his volume rose, the signs would also change from casual and calm to forceful, threatening, angry, and directly in my face.

He would tell me how pathetic I was, how I couldn’t keep up with him, how “ugly” and “trashy” I looked in every single outfit, and how I was the worst girlfriend to ever walk the earth. Little did I know, this was only the beginning.

As it grew worse, the words became manipulative. He began to create graphic stories of things he thought I'd done with friends or other men. He'd force me to sit and listen to him scream the stories in my face. Sometimes I even had to repeat them out loud, and even then, he wouldn’t stop. I was often required to copy him in both English and ASL, saying, “I am a whore. I am a slut. I am disgusting when I am with my friends. I betray my boyfriend when I dress trashy.

I don’t deserve to eat. I don’t deserve to sleep. I don’t deserve to see my family.”

This became a weekly mantra, occurring each weekend, especially if I was invited

out with my friends.

The verbal assaults then became public.

He'd whisper names or threats in my ear when I was with friends, scream awful things to gain attention if I walked away, sign threats and cruel comments when no one was looking, and text me constantly to call me names and remind me that I was worthless. Toward the end, he started verbally embarrassing me in front of both deaf and hearing people.

Eventually, I went numb. I had consumed the verbal abuse for so long that I had thrown most of my true self away. I was only a shell of who I really was, and

I believed what he said to enough of a degree that I started putting on a mask. I was consumed by pain, depression, paranoia, guilt, and fear. All from simple words. To this day, certain words set off panic, grief, and visceral reactions in me.

Verbal abuse is real. It reaches our very core. When we are in the thick of it, verbal abuse can even affect what is and is not reality. Verbal abuse felt like a chain holding me down when all I could see out the window was a different, happy, courageous life that couldn’t be reached.l

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29

CONVERSATIONS

5 Reasons Company Leaders Resist Needed Change – Even During This Crisis

T

he thought of change can be scary, even more so during the type of crisis we’re experiencing now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there are business leaders who are already implementing change in response to the challenging economic and operational landscape, many others are not.

“Sometimes the writing is on the wall and organizations are triggered to change,” says Edwin Bosso, the ForbesBooks author of 6,000 Dreams: The Leader’s Guide To A Successful Business Transformation Journey. “In fact, members of the organization often are keenly aware that something needs to be done. However, despite that, management does not act, and the cost of inertia can be high.”

According to Bosso, there are five reasons why leaders resist change and, as a consequence, struggle to move their company forward: •They confuse important versus urgent.

Leaders sometimes confuse the terms important and urgent. “Important issues are those that do not necessarily have an explicit deadline, like urgent issues, but can effectively have some impact, large or small, on a business,” Bosso says.

can leave a leader feeling powerless.

“This is a set of obstacles that many leaders run into,” Bosso says. “The powerlessness can come from the lack of company means, organizational backing, human capital and resources to support the cost of a transformation. After a while, they run out of energy, or time, to make the case.”

“The confusion sets in when owners and managers spend too much time putting out fires rather than planning. For example, the company may know that it is important to upgrade its operations. But it doesn’t become urgent until later on when the company looks at the output of its competitors that have completed transformation projects and have become a lot more cost-competitive.”

•They lack courage/leadership abilities.

Successfully initiating and executing a change process involves numerous leadership skills. “It can be intimidating taking on such a challenge that, to some leaders, may seem like moving a mountain,” Bosso says. “Others are better prepared to take risks, confront reality, envi-

sion a better way, make plans, and then act on those plans to lead a change.”

•They misalign the incentives. The incentive to change or transform organizations can be misaligned with the incentives of people who are in charge of leading those transformations.

“Misalignment of personal incentives can cause us not to act, even when we know it’s the best thing for the company,” Bosso says. “When we are in line for a promotion and higher pay, we certainly don’t want to take on risks that can potentially work against us.”

•They lack support and/or resources. Not being afforded the requisite tools or the consensus for necessary transformation

•They lack a method. It’s not uncommon for leaders to know the difference between where their company is and where it could be, but they don’t know how to proceed. “In such situations, leaders often freeze up and put off the impending need to change, or they approach it through trial and error,” Bosso says. “Having a methodology is beneficial when taking on such an effort.

Some leaders take the time and effort to learn what needs to be done, while others bring in experienced people to provide a method for leading a smooth and successful transformation.”

According to Bosso, leaders must understand that there will never be a perfect time for change, but also that often the right change only happens if they force the issue.l

Available at Amazon.com

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30

ELECTIONS 2020

Research on Voting by Mail Says It’s Safe – from Fraud and Disease Chicago, IL/USA - April 10, 2020: A flyer encouraging voters to Vote By Mail in English and Spanish in order to be safe and avoid the health risk of COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic in American elections Editorial credit: Mary at T-Comms / Shutterstock.com

BY EDIE GOLDENBERG THE CONVERSATION

A

s millions of Americans prepare to vote in November – and in many cases, primaries and state and local elections through the summer as well – lots of people are talking about voting by mail. It is a way to protect the integrity of the country’s voting system and to limit potential exposure to the coronavirus, which continues to spread widely in the U.S. I am a political scientist and part of a National Academy of Public Administration working group offering recommendations to ensure voter participation as well as public confidence in the election process and the outcome during this coronavirus pandemic. To meet that goal, our work has found that state and local governments will need to make significant adjustments to their voting systems this year – changes that will likely require new federal funding.

Our recommendations – which include ways to reduce health risks from in-person voting as well as to expand access to, and ease the process of, mail-in voting – are based on a thorough review of the evidence.

Some critics – including President Donald Trump on several occasions – have cast doubt on the integrity of mailin voting, even though some of them have voted by mail in the past.

Conservative groups are suing to limit mail-in voting, and some federal judges seem reluctant to defend voters’ rights if it means intervening in state-level decisions. The president’s reelection campaign is suing to block mail-in voting at the same time it pushes his backers to be ready to vote by mail.

The evidence we reviewed finds that voting by mail is rarely subject to fraud, does not give an advantage to one political party over another and can in fact inspire public confidence in the voting process, if done properly.

Voter fraud is rare overall, and rarer by mail When fraud does occur, election administrators identify it and take action, correcting election returns and prosecuting those responsible. That’s what happened in North Carolina in 2018, when a Republican political activist paid others to collect incomplete absentee ballots so they could be filled out to vote for the Republican candidate. The activist was arrested, charged and convicted – and the entire election was invalidated and run again.

But overall election fraud is rare.

A database of election fraud reports maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation reports approximately 1,200 allegations of voter fraud – for which there were 1,100 criminal convictions – for voter fraud since 2000.

Of those, only 204 allegations, and 143 convictions, involved mail-in ballots.

That is a tiny fraction of the roughly 250 million mail-in ballots cast over those two decades. In addition, problems are extremely rare in states that rely primarily on vote by mail.

Of course, any voting system must be protected against fraud. Election officials are already doing that, including prosecuting fraud attempts.

No partisan advantage Allowing people to vote by mail does not give one party an advantage over the other – either in terms of party members who turn out to vote, or the outcome of the election.

That’s the finding from several recent studies, which confirm what earlier research had found.

As far back as 2001, Oregon’s vote-bymail system was found not to disproportionately mobilize or discourage voting

by Democrats or Republicans. In 2008, a study found little difference between Democratic and Republican voters in Los Angeles County, in terms of who voted by absentee ballot or whose ballots were disqualified.

A recent survey has found that people of all political stripes who are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic support letting everyone vote by mail.

The public can learn to trust mail-in voting There is one problem with mail-in voting, but it’s a problem with voting overall: A 2019 Gallup poll found that 59% of Americans lack confidence in the honesty of elections for a range of reasons, including concerns about interference from foreign powers or domestic political elites, security worries and general frustration.

Americans’ confidence is lower than that reported in almost every other democratic country.

With voting by mail, research has found people to be more concerned that their vote will not be counted correctly, as compared with voting in person. One 2008 study found that white absentee voters were less confident their ballots would be counted correctly than white in-person voters.

A 2008 telephone survey found that about half of respondents were concerned that mail-in voting might lead to increased fraud, though the report on survey results didn’t describe specific types of fraud the respondents feared.

Research from 2015 mostly confirmed those findings, revealing that people in states with more absentee voting tend to believe that various types of voter fraud are more common. That same study also found that absentee voters are less confident their vote will count than people who voted in person either before Election Day or on the day itself.

Some concerns about mailed-in ballots not being counted may be legitimate: A 2018 study in Florida found that mailedin ballots from younger voters and voters who needed assistance marking their ballots were rejected more often than others.

That indicates standards for rejecting mailed-in ballots may not be uniform, or that some voters’ signatures change over

time in ways election officials may not expect or accept.

However, research from California in 2011 found that frequent public communication from election officials can increase voters’ faith in voting by mail.

Mail-in voting is safe, reliable and trustworthy All this evidence leads to some clear conclusions: Voting by mail is – or, with training of election officials and the use of common standards, can be made – just as honest as in-person voting. Officials can help ensure public confidence by being transparent and communicating their plans and preparations.

People are more interested in voting by mail than ever before, because of the pandemic.

Epidemiology indicates that voting from home is safer than going to a crowded public building to vote.

November’s election will likely involve far more mail-in voting than in the past.

To retain voters’ confidence in its integrity, our review indicates that local election offices and the U.S. Postal Service will need to make substantial additional preparations to provide mail-in ballots and to handle the increased volume of mailed-in ballots.

And the public needs to understand that the results of the vote may not be clear for days after Election Day. It takes longer for election workers to open, verify signatures, and count mail ballots than it does to run voting machines, and some states – such as Michigan – do not permit mail ballots to be opened until Election Day. But when the tallies are announced, if large numbers of Americans have voted by mail, the public can feel confident that the process was fair and the results are accurate.l

Edie Goldenberg is a Professor of Public Policy; Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan

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