Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 108

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ISSUE 108 VOLUME 19

Oct 1, 2020

SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES! VOTE ON NOV 3 LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Federal Court Halts Massive USCIS Fee Increases for Immigration Applications Vote in the Nov 3 Elections Like Your Life Depends On It ....22

BY KRISTIN MACLEOD-BALL

A

federal court halted a new rule that would have increased fees for immigration applications on September 29. The court explained that the rule, announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in August, is likely unlawful. Before the continued on page 10

Editorial credit: chrisdorney / Shutterstock.com

Victory! Federal Judge Extends Census Deadline to Oct 31 .... 5

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy on Immigration

BY ESHANI PANDYA AND CAROLINE WALTERS

R Ginsburg Official Portrait

uth Bader Ginsburg, a fierce champion of progressive rights and the second woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, died on Sept. 18, 2020. Long recognized as a staunch advocate for women’s rights, Justice Ginsburg leaves behind a legacy on immigration that shows her vision for justice did not end with her work on gender equality. continued on page 5

Jamaica: Holness Looks to Agriculture in Second Term....2

Knowledge is Power when you use it!

Get a FREE Consultation!

Ask the Lawyer:

Call 855-768-8845 Meaningful Engagement for Social Change ....21

Brian Figeroux, Esq., Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Internal Strife Making Guyana a Continuing Regional Problem ....6

Divorce Him or Refuel Your Marriage....17

Big Drum Nation Pays Tribute to Black Stalin ....16

There’s No Such Thing As a Bad Kid ....12

4 Common Causes of Personal Debt & How to Prevent Them ....7

CARIBBEAN NEWS 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

2

Government Targets Enhanced Economic Growth Through Agriculture in 2nd Term

K

INGSTON, Jamaica (September 30, 2020): Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the objective of his Administration in its second term is to enhance economic growth through agriculture.

Speaking this morning during the launch of the Rural Economic Development Initiative Phase 2 (REDI II), Prime Minister Holness, said during his first term the country achieved significant growth in several areas. He says now the Government is aiming to improve its prospects.

“This term now, we have to shift our focus to the micro-economics of growth dealing with how the markets actually operate signaling on incentives and get people to go into the areas that are productive and that will bring the necessary economic returns. So, the REDI II program is very important in that regard but another element of the Government’s thrust which we have put together this time is rural development,” said Prime

PM Holness

Minister Holness.

Holness further stated: “In our last term we spent a lot of time trying to change the mindset of the public sector towards a growth posture meaning let us improve the ease of doing business for the private sector but there are many complexities like social complexities. I believe that there is now an improved posture of the public sector towards enabling and assisting and facilitating the private sector to be able to have the factors of production work seamlessly together.”

In that regard, Holness said the launch of the REDI II program, is “a catalyst for tremendous growth” in the economy

through linkages between agriculture and tourism targeting women, the youth and persons with disabilities.

According to Holness, the Government’s objective is to unlock the economic potential of agriculture through rural development.

“In this term we must start to see real growth , we are seeing the sprouts - little shoots but now they have to grow and bear fruit and Minister Floyd Green has been given a task to really drive agriculture, modernize agriculture, to bring entrepreneurism to agriculture and to make agriculture a strong growth driver for Jamaica,” said the Prime Minister.

REDI II is a Government led initiative being executed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) in partnership with the World Bank.

The program is financed through a US$40 million special loan through the World Bank.

—www.wiredja.com

OECS Announces Winners of Business Model Competition

J

ody White, Trevaun Solomon, and Alex Straun excel at OECSRepublic Bank regional pitch competition Three entrepreneurs have emerged as the winners of the inaugural OECSRepublic Bank Business Model Competition – a strategic initiative of the OECS Sustainable Development Movement designed to strengthen entrepreneurship in the Caribbean through

capacity building, access to investors and leveraging opportunities.

The much-anticipated final of the Business Model Competition was a Pitch Battle with Star of ABC's Shark Tank & CEO of the Shark Group, Daymond John, featuring the top eight (8) entrepreneurs.

Jody White of Slimdown360, Trinidad and Tobago, claimed the top spot taking home the first place prize of US$20,000;

Trevaun Solomon of Project Jaguar: The Home of The Teacherpreneur, Antigua and Barbuda, took home the second place prize of US$10,000; and Alex Straun of Genesis Payment Solutions, St. Kitts and Nevis took home the third place prize of US$5,000.

From 30 Caribbean entrepreneurs, 19 advanced to the semifinals and then 8 were selected to participate in the final pitch competition with Daymond John.l

CXC to Review 2020 Results

BY CALVIN V. BROWN, WIREDJA.COM

B

RIDGETOWN, Barbados: Following a wave of protests from students and parents across region, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has softened its stance announcing that a team will be employed to review its 2020 results.

CXC Chairman Professor Sir Hilary Beckles in a statement yesterday, admitted that the move was necessary considering the numerous concerns raised regarding the results in this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

Sir Hilary said an Independent Review Team would be installed in short order, noting that “it was anticipated that given these specific challenges a period of review and possible revisions would fol-

Sir Hilary Beckles

low, consistent with the regulations of the Council. It has been agreed, therefore, that an Independent Review Team will shortly begin this work and present a report for discussion with relevant stakeholders.,” he said.

He said even though he was satisfied with the manner in which CXC had conducted the 2020 exams in the face of the

COVID-19 pandemic, the issues highlighted could not be ignored.

“Management at CXC has been impressive in the delivery of the July 2020 regional examinations within the context of the COVID-19 logistics nightmare, and crippling global doubt about revised examinations systems and procedures. I commend the team at CXC for their effort to serve the best they can – the people of our region.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies admitted that CXC could not turn a blind eye to the disquiet of students.

“Concerns raised in the public domain with respect to the efficacy of procedures and systems used by the CXC in its computation and declaration of student performance data are of great importance to the organization,” he noted.l Read full story at www.cawnyc.com

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3

THOUGHTS

How Involvement With the Criminal Justice System Deepens Inequality

BY JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ

A

merica is approaching a breaking point. For more than four decades, economic inequality has risen inexorably, stunting productivity, weakening our democracy, and leaving tens of millions struggling to get by in the world’s most prosperous country.

The crises that have rocked the United States since the spring — the coronavirus pandemic, the resulting mass unemployment, and a nationwide uprising for racial justice — have made the inequities plaguing American society more glaring than ever.

This year’s intertwined emergencies have also driven home a reality that some would rather ignore: that the growing gap between rich and poor is a result not just of the market’s invisible hand but of a set of deeply misguided policy choices. Among them, this groundbreaking report reveals, is our entrenched system of mass incarceration. Mass incarceration reflects and exacerbates so many dimensions of this country’s divides — in income and health, in voice and power, in access to justice, and most importantly, over race.

The number of people incarcerated in America today is more than four times larger than it was in 1980, when wages began to stagnate and the social safety net began to be rolled back. We’ve long known that people involved in the criminal justice system — a group that’s disproportionately poor and Black — face economic barriers in the form of hiring discrimination and lost job opportunities, among other factors. This report demonstrates that more people than previously believed have been caught up in the system, and it quantifies the enormous financial loss they sustain as a result; those who spend time in prison miss out on more than half the future income they might otherwise have earned.

Ascertaining through careful statistical analyses just how costly the mass incarceration system has been to the people ensnared by it is a major achievement.

These findings reframe our understanding of the issue: As a perpetual drag on the earning potential of tens of millions of Americans, these costs are not only borne by individuals, their families, and their communities. They are also systemwide drivers of inequality and are so large as to have macroeconomic consequences.

That insight is vital today. The unprecedented economic contraction triggered by the pandemic, and the federal government’s botched response, appears to be falling hardest on those who were already struggling, just like in past slumps. When employers cut back, employees with criminal records are all too often the first to be furloughed and the last to be rehired. And while major corporations get billions of dollars in relief, millions of the jobless are being largely left in the cold.

These costs come on top of other enormous costs imposed on society by our mass incarceration system. Some states have spent as much on prisons as on universities. The pandemic will make public funds even scarcer. More money spent on incarcerating more people will weaken our future, while the same money spent on expanding our universities will lead to a stronger 21st century economy.

Mass incarceration has been a key instrument in voter suppression, because people with criminal records are deprived of the right to vote in some states, and in many states former prisoners are responsible for re-registering once they are released. This undermines democracy: since poor and Black people suffer from mass incarceration disproportionately, they will be underrepresented in our electorate.

Meanwhile, a nationwide reckoning over deep-rooted racial injustice is forcing our country to come to terms with the ways in which these injustices have been perpetuated in the century and a half since the end of slavery. For the past four decades, mass incarceration — with the deprivation of political voice and economic opportunity that is so often associ-

ated with it — has been at the center. It renders economic mobility for so many Black Americans nearly impossible.

And yet this moment also brings a historic opportunity. By laying bare the grotesque inequities that undergird our society, the upheavals of 2020 have given us the needed room to profoundly change our course. An ambitious, democratically driven movement to create a fundamentally fairer and more resilient economy, based on a renewed and strengthened social contract, is at last gaining traction. But true progress will not occur until economic mobility is possible for our most marginalized and most vulnerable citizens. The urgent policies advocated here are a step toward ending that injustice and building a more prosperous and equal society. This report shows what needs to be done to stop mass incarceration. Equally important, it shows how to deal with its legacy: the large number of American citizens with criminal records. It was wrong that they lost so many of their formative years, often for minor infractions. It is doubly wrong that they suffer for the rest of their lives from the stigma associated with imprisonment. For them, and for our entire society, we need to minimize the consequences of that stigma.

There is much that has to be done if our society is to fully come to terms with our long history of racial injustice. Stopping mass incarceration is an easy place to begin. This report makes a compelling case for the enormous economic benefits to be derived from doing so.l This is the foreward from the report: Conviction, Imprisonment, and Lost Earnings: How Involvement with the Criminal Justice System Deepens Inequality. This report is from the Brennan Center for Justice. Read the report at www..brennancenter.org Joseph E. Stiglitz is a University Professor at Columbia University

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

National Voter Registration Day 2020: The Time is Now

BY FRANK NOLAN, CIVILRIGHTS.ORG

M

y colleague Aklima Khondoker recently penned an eloquent tribute to the late Congressman John Lewis, underscoring the importance of fighting for his life’s work of achieving an equitable and free American democracy.

I never got to meet Congressman Lewis like Aklima did, but I was blessed to be on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama earlier this year for the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, where Lewis appeared to make one final passionate appeal to the better angels of our nature — the voice in our heads that may be tired and even disillusioned, but refuses to give up. While Lewis’s vision must be fulfilled through tireless collective advocacy — both by the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and adequate funding for our elections in a COVID-19 relief package — it is also incumbent upon all of us to assume our responsibilities as Americans.

“We must go out and vote like we never, ever voted before,” Congressman Lewis said that day in Selma.

Congressman Lewis was more prescient than even he could have known.

Mere weeks after I was in Selma, COVID-19 began to devastate our communities, resulting in the deaths, as of this week, of more than 200,000 of our friends and neighbors. Sadly, those dying are disproportionately the same people whose right to vote has still not been unquestionably affirmed. This is unacceptable, and on National Voter Registration Day this year, we must recognize the stakes with absolute clarity as we organize to fight back.

A year ago this month, our sister organization published “Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote,” a comprehensive report detailing how 1,688 polling places were closed between 2012 and 2018 in states formerly covered by Section 5 of the Voting

Rights Act. The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the dissent in the decision that gutted the VRA, saying that “throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.” These polling place closures wreaked havoc on low-income communities and communities of color. As COVID-19 has disproportionately killed and impoverished people in these communities, so too has it disproportionately inhibited and altogether halted already grueling efforts to ensure they are able to register to vote.

Adding fuel to the fire, President Trump is hellbent on sabotaging any chance that they may vote safely and early through

the mail, and has tried to politicize the census count in an attempt to further diminish power in vulnerable communities. This is what white supremacy in action looks like.

Our democracy is under attack like never before, and while the journey ahead will be long and arduous, we must rise to the occasion now. Every single existential issue — like the climate crisis, police brutality and mass incarceration, the right to health care, the cancellation of student debt, and more — will be impossible to address unless we ensure that all Americans can vote this fall, no matter what they look like or where they live.

On National Voter Registration Day, join us at The Leadership Conference as we bring together a coalition of organizations working at the national and grassroots level to protect the democratic values and civil rights that John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for. Visit andstillivote.org for more resources and ways to get involved. Future generations depend on it. l Frank Nolan is the campaigns and programs associate at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

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5

CIVIL RIGHTS Ruth Bader Ginsburg/ continued from page 1 Her voice on the Supreme Court consistently and relentlessly defended the rights of those denied legal protections.

She is known for her work on gender discrimination, equal pay, and reproductive justice issues. But equally important are the positions she took in several landmark immigration cases.

Justice Ginsburg’s positions on immigration had a lasting impact. She: •Helped overturn the Trump administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.

•Blocked an Arizona law that made undocumented status a state crime and required state police officers to check the immigration status of any person in their custody before releasing them. The law also allowed state officers to detain anyone they suspected of undocumented status.

•Upheld the constitutional right of noncitizens to challenge their detention in government custody.

•Defended placing limitations on prolonged immigration detention by: *Joining the majority to prohibit the indefinite detention of immigrants subject to deportation who could not be sent back to their country of origin. *Dissenting to a majority opinion that allowed certain immigrants to be held in lengthy, mandatory detention. *Dissenting to a majority opinion that

Victory! Federal Judge Extends 2020 Census Deadline to October 31 Editorial credit: Ben Von Klemperer / Shutterstock.com

found immigrants in prolonged detention had no right to regular bond hearings.

Ginsburg’s work on immigration highlights her commitment to the American value of fundamental fairness. And she never gave in, even when her opinions were not in the majority. Justice Ginsburg instead reminds us about “the dissenter’s hope: that they are writing not for today, but for tomorrow.”

Her perspective will be greatly missed on the Supreme Court bench and in our society. But our country will feel her legacy for decades to come. She will continue to inspire people to fight for justice and—by following her lead— may make some of her dissents the law of tomorrow.

May her memory always be a blessing and a reminder of benevolence.l Eshani Pandya and Caroline Walters are staff of the American Immigration Council.

This is your city.

Do you know your zone?

N

ew York, NY: Late Thursday evening, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to abandon last-minute changes to the 2020 Census schedule and extend the time for counting for an additional month. The preliminary injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in the Northern District of California, requires the Census Bureau to keep trying to tally the country's residents through October 31.

Additionally, Judge Koh barred officials from delivering completed data to the White House on December 31 rather than the original April 2021 delivery date. The ruling came after evidence revealed that top Census Bureau officials believed ending the head count early would seriously endanger its accuracy.

In response to the ruling, Meeta Anand, Census 2020 Senior Fellow for the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement: “Once again, the courts have blocked Trump’s campaign to politicize the 2020 Census and exclude our immigrant communities. Judge Koh’s ruling bought us

Editorial credit: CiEll / Shutterstock.com

36 more days to complete the 2020 Census. While we celebrate this decision, we know that this deadline could change again and New Yorkers cannot afford to squander this opportunity! At stake is our political power and billions of federal dollars for schools, hospitals, public transportation and more for the next decade. If we hope to rebuild New York amid a global pandemic and economic recession, we must ensure every New Yorker is counted as soon as possible.”l

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6

FOCUS: GUYANA

Internal Strife Making Guyana a Continuing Regional Problem

BY SIR RONALD SANDERS

O

nce again, Guyana is causing regional and international worry following two sets of killings of young men (two of African origin and two of Indian origin) that have sparked the flames of communal violence and threaten to engulf the country.

The facts of these killings are yet unknown and unestablished. As this commentary is being written, the Police are still in the process of investigating the crimes. What should be a period of national support to find the perpetrators and deliver justice, has been misused to promote violence and civil disturbance.

Justice for the four persons who have been killed is necessary, but justice is not about assuming facts, acting lawlessly and exploiting emotional sentiment to further the ambitions of a few politicians.

Following the first killings of the African-Guyanese teenagers, Isaiah and Joel Henry, supporters of the opposition, APNU-AFC, blocked main highways and confronted Police. Hooligans took advantage of the protests to commit atrocities which included beatings. The following day, two Indo-Guyanese were killed – one of them a 17-year old,

President Irfaan Ali

Hareshi Singh, and the other Prettipaul Hargobon who was beaten to death by a crowd. In the latter case, this was due to quarrels with neighbors who were of Indian descent, but scant information at the time helped to enflame suspicion and fear.

Commendably, Volda Lawrence, the Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the main party in the opposition APNU, made a public statement, saying: “I am calling on every single member of the People’s National Congress Reform, irrespective of your status, I am saying that we cannot continue. This carnage must stop.”

Similar strong statements from the Opposition leader in Parliament, Mr

Joseph Harmon, and former President David Granger, would be the responsible thing for them to do.

Guyanese, who lived through Guyana’s destructive and haunting racial violence between 1962 and 1964, worry that a similar disaster is being promoted, which could not be controlled or stopped without foreign military intervention. In the 1962-64 period, Guyana was a British Colony and British troops intervened.

Nonetheless, the considerable loss of life and property wounded the country and scarred the society.

Addressing the present situation, Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, assured the Guyanese people that his government “will work to bring justice to every single person who has been affected in these circumstances”. He announced that he would be approaching the British Government and the Caribbean Regional Security System for help in investigating the killings. He should include a forensic investigator in his request. An external qualified investigator would help to give confidence to the thoroughness of investigations.

President Ali also said that he is “exploring the commissioning of an International Commission of Inquiry to look at every aspect of this situation”.

However, he should also consider how, as a nation, Guyana will, internally, address the racial issue that has been exploited for so long. International Commissions might be helpful, but as in South Africa and Northern Ireland, it is in Guyana that solutions to communal strife must be found.

In this, he should follow the lead of a remarkable Guyanese – Mr. Gladstone Henry, the father of one of the murdered boys. Mr. Henry has publicly declared, “I am not supporting immoral protesting.

As a family we want justice (but) we as a nation cannot be fighting each other”.

Therefore, consideration might be given to the creation of a “One Guyana Commission”, to explore practical steps that can be taken to cement Guyana’s one society. The work of the Commission should be countrywide, listening to the free contention of all voices, concerning ways in which every Guyanese can honor the strands of their ancestral heritage while celebrating their uniquely blended Guyanese civilization, with equal opportunities for all.

An observation made by Joshua Hyles

in his book, ‘Guiana and the Shadows of Empire’ is compelling: “Country studies of Guyana point out that the country’s disparate ethnic groups have come to resemble one another culturally and physically more than those of their (racial) countries of origin”. In other words, what Hyles is saying is that a person of Indian or African origin living in Guyana often exhibits more cultural and physical similarities to a person of Indian or African origin in Guyana than another Indian or African abroad.

This is a truism for any Guyanese of Indian or African origin who has travelled to India or Africa. Those, who have visited the lands of their ancestors, recognize that their visceral homeland is Guyana. The challenges of language of tribe, of cast, of culture set aside Guyanese, except Amerindians, from the distant lands of their ancestors.

Guyanese – of all races – have resided together for almost two centuries. In doing so, a Guyanese civilization has been woven from strands that originated in other lands – in India, Africa, Europe, China and in Guyana itself. What has been created is a unique blend that is Guyanese.

Together, the two main groups in Guyana – people whose ancestors came from Africa and India – are a formidable force. The British colonizers and plantation owners knew that very well, which is why they employed the strategy of divide and rule; a strategy continued by self-serving local politicians. In the words of Lord Varys in the television series, Game of Thrones: "He would see this country burn if he could be King of the ashes."

Guyanese should free themselves from the ‘race’ trap if they are to avoid despoiling their country and robbing themselves of the very-high quality of life that their recent oil and gas production offers.

In the past, violence in Guyana has led to refugees, migration, and instability in the region. Neither the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nor the nations of the Americas would sit-by and watch Guyana descend into civil strife and violence now. Such a development would have consequences for them, and they will undoubtedly act if circumstances demand it.

For the time being neighboring states will keep a watchful eye, hoping that good sense will prevail among all the politicians in Guyana to calm emotions and maintain stability.

Guyana must become part of the solution to the region’s challenges, not continually be part of its problems. l Sir Ronald Sanders is the Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and at Massey College, University of Toronto.

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7

MONEY MATTERS

4 Common Causes of Personal Debt & How to Prevent Them

BY JANET HOWARD, 311BANKRUPTCY.COM

D

rowning in a mountain of debt can be one of the most stressful things in a person's life. Whether it be credit card debt, student loans or bills from medical emergencies, owing more money than you have available each month can make repayment especially difficult. Tracing back the main causes of your debt can be essential to avoiding these same financial missteps in the future. Here are a few of the most common causes of personal financial debt.

Job Loss Being laid off or fired from your job can have a serious impact on your ability to meet your monthly financial obligations.

In fact, it's probably the most common cause of debt for many people. Other reasons for sudden job loss may include sudden health issues that affect your ability to work or domestic obligations that now require you to stay home while caring for a relative.

When your main source of income abruptly comes to a halt, you can quickly find yourself struggling to keep your

head above water. You can't always prevent a job loss, however, establishing a savings account in which you allocate a certain percentage of your monthly income can be a great safeguard when or if you're no longer able to work. It's also helpful to always try to minimize your monthly living expenses and to live beneath your means.

Frivolous Spending Your lifestyle plays a huge part in helping you to avoid debt. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying the luxuries of life, it can become a problem if you find that you are spending more than you are bringing in or if you are not saving any money on the side. Things such as gambling, buying more than one luxury vehicle, and choosing a living situation that you can barely afford monthly can all be a recipe for financial disaster. It's best to create a monthly budget for your lifestyle based on your monthly living expenses, saving goals, and net income.

You'd be surprised how quickly small items can add up and put you over your budget.

Medical Bills Medical expenses can't always be avoid-

ed or predicted, especially in emergency situations. Sudden illness, serious health conditions, or unforeseen injuries can quickly eat away at personal savings accounts. However, having an adequate health insurance policy along with an emergency fund (that can cover 5-6 months of living expenses) can help you in the event of a health emergency.

Marriage Dissolution Ending a marriage is not only emotionally draining, but oftentimes it can be financially draining as well. Paying for legal representation, and being responsible for alimony, spousal, or child support

payments can completely change your monthly spending availability, especially if you made more money than your spouse during the course of your marriage. Couples who are looking to divorce can greatly reduce the financial burden of their divorce by coming to terms for the divorce amicably (if possible) and quickly, thus reducing their legal costs.

Digging your way out of debt can be way more challenging than avoiding it altogether. However, by creating a practical plan to pay off your debts and then sticking with it, you can find yourself on the road to a better financial situation.l

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8

EDUCATION

Principals’ Union Calls for de Blasio and Carranza to Give Up Control of Schools Amid New Reopening Chaos

BY CHRISTINA VEIGA, CHALKBEAT AND REEMA AMIN, CHALKBEAT

I

n a stunning statement, leaders of the union representing New York City principals called Sunday for Mayor Bill de Blasio to cede control of the nation’s largest school district for the remainder of the pandemic, following a chaotic summer of planning to reopen.

The union’s executive board cast a unanimous vote of no confidence in the mayor and schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, and is asking both leaders to seek intervention from the state education department.

Mark Cannizzaro, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, said the move was prompted by a series of missteps and a lack of transparency on policy changes from city officials.

Union leaders also leveled sharp accusations against city leaders — including that principals were pressured to underreport how many additional teachers they needed as the city faces a massive staffing crunch.

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranzaspeaks at City Hall about the importance of mayoral control of the schools, March 7, 2019. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

There were no indications Sunday that school buildings would not reopen as planned Tuesday for K-5 and K-8 schools — though on Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio did not completely rule out the possibility of a delay, while also saying he felt “very good” about planning efforts.

‘Immense’ Frustration Cannizzaro told reporters that principals and teachers still plan to report to buildings, and he’s not confident the state education department will step in.

“The frustration and the difficulty is immense,” Cannizzaro told reporters.

“We are still 100% supportive of trying

to open our schools in the best possible way we can.”

The state education department is aware of the union’s pleas and is “monitoring NYC’s reopening,” a spokesperson said, who declined to say more.

The public rebuke came two days after city officials and the teachers union hashed out yet another agreement over how schools could staff classes. The lastminute deal potentially sends principals back to the drawing board to recreate schedules, even as the school year is already underway.

The agreement allows teachers with family members at risk for complications from the coronavirus to work from home if their schools need to fill more positions instructing remote students.

It also attempts to solve a severe staffing issue compounded by a previous agreement with the teachers union as New York City has begun reopening school buildings under a hybrid model — a mix of in-person and virtual classes.

Students in pre-K and those with complex disabilities have already returned to classrooms. Meanwhile, about half of all city students opted to learn from home full time.

‘Grossly Irresponsible’ The union called the staffing agreements negotiated with teachers “grossly irresponsible” and contends that its leaders were not informed of the latest deal, with many principals learning of the agreement late Friday from their teachers.

That agreement appeared to be the last straw for the administrators union.

Sunday’s vote of no confidence was based on a summer of decisions that city leaders took as they planned to reopen buildings for students part time, a step that no other large school district has attempted.

The United Federation of Teachers released a statement on Sunday pointing out that their union has also sounded the alarm about the need for more help in the classroom, but defended its agreement with the city as “designed to staff the schools in a safe manner.”

City leaders have still failed to fill all the positions needed, the principals union contended in a resolution about the vote.

As of Friday, 200 elementary school principals still needed more than 1,200

teachers for when their buildings open this week, according to the union. The city has promised to deploy 4,500 additional teachers into school buildings ahead of reopening this week, but the union now estimates that 12,000 more staff members are needed.

“I’m not confident right now that everyone has the teachers they need,” Cannizzaro said.

But Cannizzaro also tried to walk a fine line between blasting city leaders and trying to win the confidence of families.

He said no principal would reopen their school’s doors if it wasn’t safe to return; rather, principals have received “too much conflicting guidance.”

“Parents should be confident that any child that arrives at a building will be given the utmost care,” he said.

City Hall Slammed The resolution also laid out several accusations against the education department and City Hall.

The union contends that district superintendents had pressured principals to say they have enough staff after they’d requested more; that many custodians still did not have the supplies and equipment they needed to clean and sanitize buildings; and, that the city’s “Situation Room,” tasked with quickly confirming coronavirus cases in schools and tracking close contacts, has “inordinate wait times, erroneous guidance, and contradictory directives.”

The education department and City Hall declined to comment on any of the assertions.

“For the past six months, we’ve worked with our labor partners to navigate completely uncharted waters and accomplish our shared goal of serving students this fall,” wrote Miranda Barbot, a spokesperson for the education department, in a statement.

“We’ll continue this work to guarantee a safe, healthy and successful opening for all. This week, more kids will be safely sitting in New York City classrooms than in any other major American city — a testament to city leadership and our educators’ commitment to their students, and the importance of in-person education.”

Tweeting Down Rumors As the city continues to reopen its buildings, a state takeover seems unlikely, and it’s unclear that the oversight would be helpful. The state education department has failed for years to bring the city into compliance on violations in special education and instruction for students learning English as a new language.

The principals’ union is not seen as particularly vocal or politically antagonizing, making Sunday’s statement even continued on page 13

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IN THE COMMUNITY

10

Immigrant Corona Residents Lean on Relief Organizations — and Each Other

BY JOSEFA VELASQUEZ, THE CITY

N

early six months after COVID19’s spread caused a statewide shutdown, life in New York City is showing signs of slowly reverting back to pre-pandemic normalcy for some.

Retail stores are open again, diners can eat at restaurants, albeit outside, toilet paper is back on the shelves and baseball is on TV. But in Corona, Queens, recovery from the pandemic poses a unique set of challenges to the largely immigrant, workingclass neighborhood, which was the early epicenter of the virus’ outbreak in New York.

Even as new coronavirus infections and related deaths have reached new lows in the five boroughs, the effects of the pandemic are still in full view in Corona, whose zip code has had the highest number of COVID-19 cases of any in the city, with 5,121 reported as of Tuesday, according to city health data.

A large swath of the roughly 112,000 people who live in Corona — 64% — are

foreign-born, according to census data, and an estimated several thousand are undocumented.

That shuts them out of most public assistance — including food stamps, unemployment insurance, rental and cash assistance and the federal government’s stimulus checks — because of their immigration status. Many have been left to rely on a combination of private organizations and their communities for help — from finding food to work.

Valentín, who has lived in Corona for the last 17 years, is among them.

The 40-year-old had been working for a Midtown catering company for nine years when the number of COVID-19 cases began mounting in mid-March and employees were sent home.

“We thought it was going to be quick,” he told THE CITY in Spanish. “But weeks became months and then nothing.

The little we had saved was quickly gone.”

‘Crashing Against a Wall’ The owner of the catering company con-

tracted COVID-19 and died, Valentín said. Not only did that mean roughly 100 employees were out of a job, but 100 families would be affected, he added.

Valentín, who did not want THE CITY to use his full name because of his immigration status, and his wife also got sick — leaving their two children, ages 10 and 13, worried about their parents.

Meanwhile, bills mounted.

Valentín typically earned around $1,600 a week at the catering company, enough to pay $2,600 monthly rent and household expenses.

“We had some savings and we kept telling ourselves we were going to be OK. But then a month passed, two months, three months and we kept saying, ‘What are we going to do?’ I went looking for work but there wasn’t any,” he said.

He hasn’t been able to pay the rent in recent months.

A June report from the Center for Urban Future found that half of New York’s working-class immigrants lost their jobs due to the pandemic. As of July, Queens had a 20.5% unemployment rate, slightly above New York City’s as a whole at 20%.

Valentín applied for a relief program offered by the de Blasio administration, which teamed with Open Society Foundations to provide a total of $20 million to 20,000 immigrant New Yorkers ineligible for other forms of government assistance, but wasn’t selected.

“We feel frustrated in our government.

I know we’re immigrants, but we still try to do things right,” he said. “I’ve been paying taxes for more than 10 years. At the start of this I thought maybe I qualify for government aid or something.

“But unfortunately, it was like crashing against a wall. There’s nothing for us.”

Valentín turned to food pantries and distribution centers for help.

“It felt uncomfortable to go to a food pantry because we had never asked for help before and weren’t used to it. But sometimes situations force us to do things that we never thought we’d do,” he said.

“It’s been a huge help,” he added.

Valentín was able to get a temporary job for a few weeks through the World Central Kitchen, a national nonprofit organization started by famed chef José Andrés that provides food in areas where natural disasters hit.

Valentín finally found more stable work and began a new job in food preparation on Sept. 2.l

This story was published on September 8, 2020 by THE CITY. This is an excerpt.

Read the full story at www.cawnyc.com

Federal Court Halts USCIS Massive Fee Increases/ continued from page 1 court issued its ruling, USCIS planned to implement the rule in early October.

The rule would have created a new fee to apply for asylum. Only three other countries–Iran, Fiji, and Australia– charge fees for this type of humanitarian protection.

In addition to a first-ever fee for asylum, the rule would have increased fees to apply for immigration benefits, including for long-term U.S. residents to become citizens and for benefits associated with seeking green cards. The rule also would have banned many who cannot afford to pay those fees from requesting fee waivers.

The decision in Immigrant Legal Resources Center v. Wolf granted a motion for a preliminary injunction, which prevents the government from going forward with the new rule while the court makes a final decision on the case.

The court halted the rule because it is likely unlawful for two reasons: 1. The court found that the top-level the Department of Homeland Security officials who created the rule likely were not properly appointed to their roles.

Therefore, they did not have the authority to enact the rule.

2. Additionally, the court found that USCIS likely did not follow required procedures in creating the rule. For example, the agency did not explain or consider data concerning its budget and entirely ignored the impact of the rule on low-income populations.

The case was filed by a group of nonprofit organizations represented by the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP. This decision is another instance of federal courts stepping in to stop the Trump administration’s unlawful attack on lowincome immigrants by pricing them out of seeking protection and lawful status in the United States.l Kristin Macleod-Ball is a Staff Attorney at the American Immigration Council, where she works to protect the due process rights of individuals facing removal through affirmative litigation, amicus briefs, and practice advisories for immigration attorneys.

IMMIGRATION

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11

IMMIGRATION

ICE Violates the Fourth Amendment When It Detains People Without Probable Cause, Court Rules

BY KATE GOETTEL

A

federal appeals court recently ruled that the Fourth Amendment requires a neutral decisionmaker to review the detention of anyone held based on an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer. The decision came after ICE attempted to detain an American citizen without probable cause and flagged him as eligible for deportation from the United States.

In Gonzalez v. ICE, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed ICE’s process for issuing immigration detainers. ICE issues an immigration detainer when it wants state or local law enforcement officers to hold a person after their release date so ICE can arrest and detain them.

Detainers are often issued based on information contained in ICE or other government agency databases. These databases are notorious for their frequent errors.

ICE must have probable cause that a

person can be deported before it may detain them. Based on this fact, the judge ruled there must also be a neutral evaluation of probable cause. Such review must occur “promptly,” which is usually defined as 48 hours.

Judge Milan Smith wrote, “[T]he broad congressional power over immigration cannot diminish the Fourth Amendment rights of citizens who may be mistaken for [non-citizens].”

The case was brought by Gerardo Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen who was in Los Angeles police criminal custody when ICE issued a detainer against him. The agency had pulled faulty information from an ICE database that said he wasn’t a citizen.

Gonzalez filed suit on behalf of himself

and others wrongfully detained due ICE and other immigration agencies’ errorridden databases.

ICE’s use of detainers ballooned in 2008 when it introduced the Secure Communities program.

Under this program, state and local law enforcement agencies send fingerprints to ICE. The agency then runs those fingerprints through error-ridden databases.

Without further investigation, ICE issues detainers, resulting in the detention of scores of U.S. citizens and individuals who are not deportable.

Importantly, immigration detainers contain none of the protections that are found in the criminal context. They are not signed by a neutral decisionmaker.

And the detained individual is not

brought before a judge to evaluate whether the detention is legal.

Despite this seismic ruling, the court found in the government’s favor on two issues.

It rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that ICE violates the Fourth Amendment when it issues detainers in states where officers are not authorized to make civil immigration arrests based on immigration detainers. The Ninth Circuit also sent the case back to the lower court to review its factual findings that certain government databases were so inherently unreliable that they could not support a finding of probable cause.

Detainers have played a critical yet unlawful and unconstitutional part of the detention and removal pipeline. This development—and the lower court’s further examination of ICE databases and information-sharing—are long-overdue checks on ICE’s growing and unbridled enforcement power. l Kate Goettel is the Legal Director, Litigation at the American Immigration Council.

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FAMILY MATTERS

12

There’s No Such Thing As A Bad Kid wanted to participate in what the rest of the class was doing?). But I pushed a bit more—she had misplaced the book we were reading and was scared to tell me. I said, “Oh! No big deal. Let’s go grab a copy from the library for now, and we can look for yours later.” I got a big smile and one of the most productive reading sessions we’d had together.

BY EMILY SKEHILL

B

ack to school is often an overwhelming time as students and families transition to new routines. With the uncertainty of COVID-19 and how it will impact the upcoming school year, this fall may be especially difficult on kids. Children rely on the structure set for them by adults to help them self-regulate their actions and emotions. With typical school routines looking anything but familiar, we can’t overlook the fact that they will have a big impact on student behavior.

Many children have occasional temper tantrums or outbursts—they’re a normal part of child development and can often be handled in the moment. But some kids repeatedly lash out or defy instructions and known classroom expectations. It’s not uncommon for these kids to be labeled as troublemakers, kids with behavior problems, or just “bad kids”.

Before coming to MHA, I worked with elementary and middle school students and always connected with the more defiant kids. Someone once commented that I worked magic with them, but it wasn’t magic—just understanding. While a child’s actions may very well be intentionally disruptive, there’s probably an underlying reason as to why they’re act-

ing out, like anxiety, trauma, or frustration. Once you understand the behavior, you can usually find a way to get the student on your side.

Misbehavior is often a sign of an unmet need.

All behavior is a form of communication.

Just as being quiet and looking at the front of the room signals a student is engaged, disruptive behavior signals that something isn’t working. A young kid might not be able to explain to you what they need—they may be embarrassed, unable to put it into words, or may not even know themselves. They might even

be prompting you to ask what’s going on.

It’s hard for kids to initiate seeking help, so if something is happening in their personal life (like they’re being bullied or they don’t feel safe at home), they may only tell you if you ask. As a teacher (or parent acting as a teacher), it’s your responsibility to get to the bottom of what’s going on and help them to succeed.

I once went to pull a fifth grader out of class for some reading help, and she refused to get up from her seat. She wouldn’t look at me, and besides a few snide comments, she wouldn’t say much either. I almost dropped it (maybe she

Behavior is functional.

Kids don’t usually repeat behavior if they aren’t getting something out of it.

Often, it’s attention. Maybe they don’t get it at home, or they don’t feel seen in the classroom. Outbursts can also be a way that children release energy, especially if they’re feeling confined or trapped in their current setting. Think about what a student is getting from their misbehavior and try to give them that same result before they act up.

I worked with a second grader who would have full blown meltdowns multiple times a day. Every time, he’d be sent to the principal’s office and come back a few minutes later much calmer. We started giving him tasks throughout the day— things like returning a book the class had borrowed or bringing a note to the office.

Once he had those regular breaks from continued on page 13

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FAMILY MATTERS

13

No Such Thing As A Bad Kid/ continued from page 12

Give Up Control of Schools/ continued from page 8

sitting in the classroom, the outbursts subsided.

more striking. It is also notable because the chancellor’s role in the reopening saga has flown under the radar as City Hall has largely been in control.

De Blasio is ultimately responsible for the education department and has been the main target for harsh criticism after suddenly delaying school reopenings — twice — and ignoring the public warnings of educators over several months that they were facing a severe staffing shortage.

There has been an exodus of top officials at City Hall in recent months, with some voicing frustration over the mayor’s management of the pandemic and defense of the police department during protests against racism.

Recently, the departures have extended to Tweed, the education department’s downtown headquarters, with a handful of senior staffers in charge of reopening plans leaving in quick succession.

But discontent has obviously been brewing over Carranza’s leadership. On Friday, rumors that the chancellor would soon resign spread so widely that a spokesperson for the education department took the unusual step of publicly dispelling them in a tweet. l

Behavior may be patterned.

If you feel like you’ve done everything with a student but are still struggling with their behavior, look for patterns.

Maybe it’s related to a day of the week (John is angry on Mondays after spending the weekend with his mom who he doesn’t get along with), a subject (Sarah always ask to go to the bathroom when it’s time for writing), people (Jamie shuts down whenever a male teacher enters the room), or a number of other variables.

When I was in first grade and the fire alarm would go off, I would immediately start crying. It didn’t matter if I knew it was a planned drill; the second I heard that noise, tears would form. I wasn’t trying to get cause problems or get special attention—I was scared of getting lost in the rush or being left behind. My teacher gave me a permanent job: “fire drill line leader”. While everyone else scrambled into line, I would go straight to the door and stand next to her. Problem solved.

But I don’t want to give in if they just want attention!

Why not? They’re telling you exactly what they need! If a student wants attention and knows they can get it by interjecting silly comments, then that’s how

they’re going to go about it. Of course, you don’t want to reinforce inappropriate behavior, but giving them attention doesn’t have to mean acknowledging their disruptions. Maybe you ignore their midlesson remark, but later in the day ask them to read their creative story to the class as an example or praise them for helping out a friend. Kids don’t crave specifically negative attention; if they’re seeking it out, giving them positive attention instead can still meet their needs while encouraging better behavior.

After physiological needs like air, food, and water, the most crucial human need

is safety and security. This includes things like predictability, control, and emotional security. By building a strong relationship with your students and gaining their trust, you can help meet those needs for them and in turn, have a happier and more productive classroom. Don’t forget that you and your students—even the toughest ones—are on the same team.l

Emily Skehill is the Program Manager of Public Education and Awareness at Mental Health America

This story was published on September 10, 2020 by THE CITY.

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Kitchen Corner Louis Vuitton Signs First Harvest Pumpkin Soup Skateboarder, Jamaican Lucien Clarke

BY DELANO GEORGE BELL JAMAICANS.COM

Lucien Clarke

L

ucien Clarke has become the first skateboarder to be signed by the world-famous fashion designer, Louis Vuitton. He’s partnered with Virgil Abloh, the house’s menswear creative designer, to design the company’s first skateboarding sneaker that combines skateboarding street culture with luxury wear.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Clarke grew up in New York City and moved to London when he was 12. When Clarke first began skateboarding at the age of 14, he was the only one of his friends to be involved. He first met Abloh in Los Angeles, CA when Abloh was DJing and

discovered that he also skateboarded.

At 31-years-old, the professional skateboarder rides for Palace Skateboards, while pursuing his own interests of video direction and photography, cataloging the lives of the Palace Wayward Boys Choir (PWBC) on Instagram during their worldwide travels. Clarke was a member of the PWBC and quickly established himself as a standout of the brand, earning himself a seven-minute part in the “Palasonic” video.

His journey from skateboard to modeling wasn’t a planned progression, but rather a confluence of the highly diverse cosmopolitan environments in which he lived where art, fashion, music and skateboarding were all part of life.

Practice, drive and determination honed his skills and he eventually earned sponsorship from a local skate shop, along with British brands of Science and Unabomber. Clarke also skated for Supreme.

Clarke has walked the catwalk for Louis Vuitton and modeled for Gucci and Ralph Lauren. When Clarke attended Paris Fashion Week in 2019, he was voted best dressed. It’s taken a few decades, but skateboarding and its influence on pop culture, art and fashion is finally coming together to make its mark on the world of high fashion and Jamaican Lucien Clarke is right where he wants to be – in the middle of it all.l Photo and Information Source: Louis Vuitton, Lucien Clarke IG – dark-

A very easy and great tasting soup.

—Kathy, Allrecipes.com Ingredients 2 small sugar pumpkin 3 cups chicken stock ¾ cup heavy whipping cream ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground sage 1 ½ teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons sour cream Directions Step 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Cut pumpkins in half and scoop out seeds. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pumpkins, flesh side down on the cookie sheet and roast until soft to the touch, about 45 minutes. Remove pumpkins from oven and let cool. Once pumpkins are cool scrape flesh from skins into a

food processor. Discard skins.

Step 2 Add chicken stock to the pumpkin and puree. Pour soup into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Stir in cream, nutmeg, sage and salt. Mix well and remove from heat. Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 245 calories; protein 3.7g 7% DV; carbohydrates 16.8g 5% DV; fat 19.8g 31% DV; cholesterol 67.5mg 23% DV; sodium 898.9mg 36% DV.l Cook:1 hr Additional: 1 hr 20 mins Total: 2 hrs 30 mins Servings:4 Yield:4 servings

Lookout for our special section in the next issue!

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16

CARIBBEAN STAR

Black Stalin: Unplugged…

A Birthday Tribute

BY WINTROP R. HOLDER

F

ew of our contemporary artistes and thinkers capture, reflect and challenge the sensibilities of our time like Black Stalin. While his calypsos have penetrated our spheres of existence, his spoken words, which are equally inventive and biting, have not been as celebrated. In paying tribute to this Caribbean icon on his 74th birthday, we offer a snapshot of his unfiltered and uncensored thoughts.

“My soul frets in the shadow of [the colonizer’s] language.” James Joyce In Black Stalin: Kaisonian, Louis Regis sketches a portrait of the young Leroy Calliste immersed in listening/conversation with a coterie of African-conscious, indigenous scholars/elders, who were Garveyites and Butlerites. So, from early the young man, who later emerged as the Black Man, would also fret about the ravages of Empire. Bothered by our “acquired speech” he posits: “Ah mean we get licks to learn English.

So, we speech is resistance language.

How we talking and what the brother in Guadeloupe or Martinique talking, when you look at it is the same thing: Two

Photos: Big Drum Nation

Africans don’t want to talk the colonizers’ language so he end up talking patois and we end up talking something that’s sounding like English…. ‘Ah, eh-eh, Whey yuh say dey?’ That language is the key to kaiso. We have to hope that the world could see our experiences through our language. The moment it cyar happen that way, we in problems, because

Available at Amazon.com

we wouldn’t be ourselves…. The whole world had to learn what IRE means….

Kaiso is the anthem that things run on.

That’s we riddim, we everything!”

Indeed, Stalin’s spoken words anticipated fellow Caribbean poet and cultural theorist Kamau Braithwaite’s “nation language”.

Upending the educational thought

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Big Drum Nation pays tribute to the life and times Black Stalin– who turned 79 (Sept 24)–one of the region’s most beloved ‘Caribbean Man’ by revisiting selections of reflections from our vault.

We ‘Play (more than) One’ for Dr. Leroy Calliste and wish him the best of health as he continues the good fight! police, Stalin asserts: “I see my role in kaiso as educator more than the entertainer… I maintain that Kaiso must always be used to say something meaningful… and [challenge] the powerfluff antics of the downpressors and vampires.”

About one of his ageless classics, the Black Man explains: “In my composition, I always get a vehicle to carry the subject….When we look at Bun Dem, the subject is people who have committed crimes against Africa and Africans at home and abroad…. In the song all are stripped of their titles, so I didn’t say Queen Victoria or Queen Mary… she became that woman mary. This was done to express outrage against all perpetrators of injustice against Africans… The history books paint a different picture… my role as educator is to correct distortions.”

And, in speaking about the timeless character of his work, the Black Man explains: “I look for a topic that’s …for both now and down the road. [W]hatever I write, the man out there is always part of it… This is why in my writing the ‘we’ and ‘them’ in my language is important. When I am singing the audience feels is them singing it, because I’m able in my writing to get my brothers and sisters involved in the topic…. Unlike many artists who sing to the audience, I sing with the audience…. Like ‘Black Man Feeling to Party’ wasn’t Stalin singing to anybody in the audience. The entire audience was involved…. After that song, people meet me and tell me that is years they never went out with they wife, but since that song they went out.”

No doubt, Black Stalin is one of our most inventive thinkers and one who reinterprets and contests our past and the cant of our ‘irresponsible elite’ in order for us to refashioning our futures. Little wonder, then, that in honoring him in 2008, The Emancipation Committee (T&T) saluted him thus: “[T]o define oneself as ‘The Black Man’ is a statement of ontological significance, a declaration not of art, or politics, but of being.”

Today, as The Black Man recuperates in his San Fernando home, we hear echoes of his, “We can make it….” as he’s surrounded by an institution which he cherishes and has celebrated in song– Family. NUFF Respect Black Man!l Winthrop R. Holder, a New York City educator, has written extensively on Caribbean cultural pedagogy and on the philosophy of Black Stalin. He is the author of Classroom Calypso: Giving Voice to the Voiceless (Peter Lang International Academic Publishers, 2007).

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

17

Divorce Him or Refuel Your Marriage show your appreciation, whenever possible. He’ll be touched by your affectionate warmth and more willing to listen to your concerns. Pick a good time, when things are going better than sometimes between you, to explain your negative feelings about the marriage. Put your points gently and tactfully, and listen with an open mind to his responses. Focus on strengthening your relationship, rather than abandoning it; seek solutions rather than trying to score points. This strategy may take time and effort, but sooner or later you’ll feel the warmth of that rekindled flame.

BY JANET HOWARD, 311.DIVORCE.COM

I

f you’re planning to divorce your husband, you may have good grounds, such as infidelity or violence. But if you’re simply bored with your husband, think twice, especially if he is reluctant to be parted from you and – even more importantly – if you have children with him. Try rebooting your marriage before giving up on it. You may need to re-evaluate it from a fresh perspective, too. These tips and pointers will get you started.

Compare your man with others Next time you and your husband are socializing, look around at the other men in the gathering, to see how they compare with yours. One may be less attractive, another less bright, and a third too selfcentered for your liking. If you divorce your man, you will probably want a replacement, and that may prove harder to find than you think. Consider what your friends say about their husbands: they probably have different marital problems that you’re thankful not to suffer. You may be luckier than you realize, so take fresh pride in your husband and your marriage.

Look at the good in your husband You may have become so aware of your husband’s failings that you’ve forgotten

his qualities. Take a fresh look at him and what he has to offer, taking circumstances into account. Is he kind and wellintended? If so, you have much to be thankful for. Can he be fun, calming or encouraging, or spiritually supportive in any way? If so, you may miss those qualities if you leave him. Does he contribute well, financially, or domestically? Again, if the answer is “yes”, you’re fortunate indeed. Has your marriage simply lost the spark of shared joy? If so, there are ways to get it back.

Rekindle the spark A long-term relationship can become stale with time, and the stresses and strains of life can impact on it, too, but with a few shrewd tactics, you can set it

sparkling again. Tell your husband you want more time with him in the day, and more outings and holidays together. If you have children, see if the grandparents will look after them for a week so you can spend some quality time together.

Switch off the TV now and again, and also your phones and computers, and sit down together with some relaxing music or take a quiet stroll together. You’ll soon start sharing thoughts, memories, and jokes that bring you closer. Take on a new hobby or sport together to replenish your shared experiences. The more you can share, the stronger your relationship will grow.

Confess to your feelings Rather than criticizing your husband,

Take his criticisms on board If your dissatisfaction is mutual, take your husband’s complaints seriously, considering them from his viewpoint as well as your own. By making an effort to adapt, you will encourage him to do the same, and your duel commitment will mark a big step forward. With your mutual respect restored, you’ll find the lines of communication opening up, too, enabling you to resolve issues as they arise. As trust builds, love will follow.

There are all sorts of good reasons to save your marriage, so start working on it now. Remember your honeymoon? You may find yourselves revisiting it soon, with a fresh perspective.l

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HEALTH

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Your Child’s Vaccines: What You Need to Know About Catching Up During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BY IRENE MATHIEU, MD THE CONVERSATION

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his spring, after stay-at-home orders were announced and schools shut down across the nation, many families stopped going to their pediatrician. As a result, kids have fallen behind on important childhood vaccinations.

Vaccination rates declined starkly after mid-March, with up to 60% reductions in some areas of the country. Nationwide, vaccination rates dropped by 22% among Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program recipients under 2.

Now that kids are coming back to pediatricians like me, many parents have questions about catching up.

Why is it a problem that my child is behind on vaccines?

Vaccines protect your child from serious communicable diseases including brain infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections and, in the case of the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines, even some

types of cancer. The vaccine schedule we use was created to maximize your child’s protection throughout life.

In addition to protecting your child, vaccines protect others by decreasing the circulation of dangerous germs in our communities – we call this “herd immunity.”

Herd immunity is especially important to protect people who can’t get certain vaccines for medical reasons. When enough people are vaccinated, a disease can disappear altogether. For example, close to 95% of people need to be vacci-

nated against measles to stop transmission of that virus. When the number of people who are adequately vaccinated drops too low, the whole community is at risk of an outbreak.

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing across the country, the last thing we need is an outbreak of another deadly disease.

How do I figure out what my child needs to catch up?

This depends on your child’s age and which vaccines they’ve already received.

The best way to figure out what your child needs is to call your pediatrician’s office and ask. There is a clear “catch-up schedule” that we use to figure out which vaccines a child needs and when they can be given.

Many parents worry that getting too many shots at once could be dangerous.

However, the amount of material contained in each vaccine is very, very small compared with all the different germs and substances our kids breathe in, eat and drink every day, not to mention what they’re exposed to when they scrape a knee or elbow.

There really is no such thing as too many shots at once under current guidelines, although some shots can’t be given together on the same day.

What if my child is not feeling well when the pediatrician wants to give the vaccines?

For most kids, it is perfectly safe to get vaccines when they have a mild illness – including a fever. Also, vaccines are no continued on page 19

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HEALTH

19

Your Child’s Vaccines/ continued from page 18 less effective if given when your child is sick.

It’s understandable that getting a lot of shots at once when your child isn’t feeling well can be upsetting for the child.

You can talk to your pediatrician about which shots are most critical and ask that your child get those first and the rest on another day. At the same time, we still want people to stay home as much as possible to keep people safe from COVID, so try to get all of your child’s care done in as few visits as possible.

Does my child really need the flu shot?

The effectiveness of the flu shot varies each year. It is not 100% effective, but we still recommend it because this vaccine lowers your child’s risk of dying of the flu if he or she were to get sick.

Unfortunately, 188 children died of the flu last year in the U.S. Many of these children were perfectly healthy before they got sick. Most of those who died had not received the flu shot.

Other parents worry that the flu shot itself will make their child sick.

The injected influenza vaccine is made from dead flu virus, so it is not possible to get the flu from the vaccine. However, the shot may cause a low-grade fever, fatigue or muscle soreness and swelling where the shot was given. These are signs that the body’s immune system is responding to the vaccine, which is exactly what we want! It’s the body’s

Reading for Fall

When No One Is Watching: A Thriller way of training itself to recognize the flu virus, so when children come into contact with the virus later, their bodies know how to fight it.

Should my child get the COVID-19 vaccine when one is available?

It is too soon to make recommendations about who should get a COVID-19 vaccine. It is highly unlikely that a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 will be widely available before 2021.

Because COVID is still circulating in our communities, it’s that much more important that we all work to ensure children are as protected as possible from other deadly diseases.l Irène Mathieu is a Pediatrician and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia. She has also completed projects related to access to essential medications in rural Guatemala and early childhood development in the Dominican Republic.

A

n instant NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLER! Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks.

Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the

suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?l About the Author Alyssa Cole is an a w a rd - w i n n i n g author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance.

—amazon.com

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GENERATIONS

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Legal and Financial Planning for People with Alzheimer's A Do Not Resuscitate Order instructs healthcare professionals not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a person's heart stops or if she or she stops breathing. A DNR order is signed by a doctor and put in a person's medical chart.

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any people are unprepared to deal with the legal and financial consequences of a serious illness such as Alzheimer's disease. Legal and medical experts encourage people recently diagnosed with a serious illness—particularly one that is expected to cause declining mental and physical health—to examine and update their financial and healthcare arrangements as soon as possible. Basic legal and financial documents, such as a will, a living trust, and advance directives, are available to ensure that the person's late-stage or end-of-life healthcare and financial decisions are carried out.

A complication of diseases such as Alzheimer's is that the person may lack or gradually lose the ability to think clearly. This change affects his or her ability to make decisions and participate in legal and financial planning.

People with early-stage Alzheimer's disease can often understand many aspects and consequences of legal decision making. However, legal and medical experts say that many forms of planning can help the person and his or her family even if the person is diagnosed with later-stage Alzheimer's.

There are good reasons to retain a lawyer when preparing advance planning documents. For example, a lawyer can

help interpret different State laws and suggest ways to ensure that the person's and family's wishes are carried out. It's important to understand that laws vary by State, and changes in a person's situation—for instance, a divorce, relocation, or death in the family—can influence how documents are prepared and maintained.

Legal, Financial, and Healthcare Planning Documents Families beginning the legal planning process should discuss a number of strategies and legal documents.

Depending on the family situation and the applicable State laws, a lawyer may introduce some or all of the following terms and documents to assist in this process: •Documents that communicate the healthcare wishes of someone who can no longer make healthcare decisions •Documents that communicate the finan-

cial management and estate plan wishes of someone who can no longer make financial decisions Advance Healthcare Directives for People with Alzheimer's Advance directives for health care are documents that communicate the healthcare wishes of a person with Alzheimer's disease. These decisions are then carried out after the person no longer can make decisions. In most cases, these documents must be prepared while the person is legally able to execute them.

A living will records a person's wishes for medical treatment near the end of life or if the person is permanently unconscious and cannot make decisions about emergency treatment.

A durable power of attorney for health care designates a person, sometimes called an agent or proxy, to make healthcare decisions when the person with Alzheimer's disease no longer can do so.

Advance Directives for Financial and Estate Management Advance directives for financial and estate management must be created while the person with Alzheimer's still can make these decisions (sometimes referred to as "having legal capacity" to make decisions). These directives may include the following: A will indicates how a person's assets and estate will be distributed upon death.

It also can specify: •Arrangements for care of minors •Gifts •Trusts to manage the estate •Funeral and/or burial arrangements •Medical and legal experts say that the newly diagnosed person with Alzheimer's and his or her family should move quickly to make or update a will and secure the estate.l —National Institute on Aging

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

Get Answers to Start Your Estate Plan

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

Get your FREE CONSULTATION 855-768-8845

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21

CONVERSATIONS

Meeting This Moment for Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2020

BY BRECKAN ERDMAN WINTERS

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etween the pandemic of racial injustice and anti-Blackness, COVID-19 and the longstanding disparities it has highlighted, and the increased visibility of domestic violence and isolation of survivors due to physical distancing measures, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the widespread injustice that we are experiencing in the world right now. However, this moment is also one of great possibility. Now is the time to boldly pivot our work to dismantle white supremacy, to center the needs and experiences of Black survivors, and as Laura Chow Reeve writes, to engage in “conversations around what actually keeps us safe, what actually allows survivors and communities to heal and thrive, and what will actually end violence.” What do Black survivors of domestic violence need for emotional and physical safety and well-being?

As we approach Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2020, the Domestic Violence Awareness Project invites you to commit to doing #1Thing to help create safe and thriving communities for all.

Here are some ways you can take action:

“This moment in time is a call for transformation – a critical opportunity to revisit the roots of our movement to end gender-based violence in ways that can purposefully restore humanity for all.”

– Meeting this Moment: Meaningful Engagement for Social Change during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Beyond •Join us as we come together for the National Call for Unity to kick off #DVAM2020 on Thursday, October 1st at 3pm EST. •Check out the Domestic Violence Awareness Project’s #1Thing Action Guide and new supplemental guidance on planning virtual awareness events to find ideas for engaging your community around DVAM. •Attend NRCDV’s upcoming webinar, Re-Centering: Indiana’s Movement to Ground Domestic Violence Programs in

Survivor-Defined Success on Thursday, October 8th at 3pm EST as we explore ways to truly ground our work in the needs and experiences of survivors.

•There are many opportunities for nonprofits to legally engage in elections activities – DVAM is the perfect time to take action to ensure that survivors’ voices are heard this election season.

•There is no survivor justice without racial justice. This DVAM, follow and donate to Black trans-led organizations.

•Check out national awareness cam-

paigns from some of our partners! Be sure to participate in the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center’s 2020 #NativeDVAM campaign and NNEDV’s Week of Action October 1824th.

•Snap a selfie while wearing purple in honor of Purple Thursday on October 22nd and share it on social media along with your #1Thing.

•Access online prevention education and activism resources from the PreventIPV Tools Inventory.

•Take care of yourself. Check out #Care4Advocates and our Self-Care & Healing During COVID-19 webinar series for strategies to sustain advocates as they work toward social transformation.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This moment is a critical opportunity for us to work together to build beloved communities. How will you take action for #DVAM2020? l Breckan Erdman Winters is an NRCDV Program Specialist

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22

ELECTIONS 2020

Vote in the Nov 3, 2020 Elections As If Your Life Depends On It... Because It Does.

BY VICTORIA FALK SPECIAL TO CAW

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espite a strong desire for circumstances to change, there are still conditions that keep would-be voters away from the polls. Some people feel that they are just one person and do not think it makes a difference whether they vote. Some people expect wrongdoing and election tampering and do not feel their vote counts.

Those ideas circulated throughout communities of color through social media and other conversations support defeatist thinking that will discourage you from voting.

Be stronger; be smarter; be wiser.

Exercise your right to vote. It has been said, "There is power in numbers."

Therefore, know that your one vote really does make a big difference.

Furthermore, when you do nothing to solve a problem, you are indeed, by your apathy, helping to extend it.

America does not need another four years of Donald Trump's version of "great." In 2016, when Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, he promised to "Make America Great Again." Since then, in between their scandals and arrests, members of the Trump Administration have been

Editorial credit: KingTa / Shutterstock.com

hell-bent on picking on the poor and terrorizing immigrants with raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

We watched tearful families on the news, who were affected by deportation.

We learned of the children and adults who died while detained by ICE agents.

During these last four years, we have seen an increase in gun violence, with mass shootings claiming lives in several states across the U.S. Much of the violence has been racially motivated, as the Trump Administration has done a lot to

perpetuate racism in America.

According to recent GOP strategist reports, "Trump's Republican Party is defined by racism and those who tolerate it." During televised news briefings, when asked about his stance on gun control and his ideas on fixing these problems, President Trump blamed the violence on immigrants.

President Trump further endangered Americans' health and safety, and those around the globe who tune into world news, when he suggested, during televised news briefings, that injecting disin-

fectants into your veins could help treat Coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, health professionals around the country, and the makers of popular disinfectants weighed in to alert the public of the dangers of ingesting bleach after Trump's televised news briefing, in April of 2020.

"Injecting bleach or highly concentrated rubbing alcohol causes massive organ damage and the blood cells in the body to basically burst, "warned health officials.

A few months later, this September 2020, we learned from the newest tell-all book about Trump, Rage,

by Bob Woodward, that "Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus."

President Trump has demonstrated time and time again during these last four years, that he is not concerned with all Americans. Trump's ignorance and poor judgment continue to put lives in danger. Can America stand another four years of this "greatness" Donald Trump envisions? Commit to voting in the upcoming 2020 elections. Stand up for yourself, your family, and the community by voting. Your vote equals the value that you place on your life and those of your loved ones.l

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BECOME A US CITIZEN. BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS!

This Citizenship Program does not apply to anyone who has ever been arrested since getting their Green Card.

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The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

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