Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 113

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Your work is essential!

Protect yourself & others from flu and COVID-19 this fall and winter:

MASK UP

LATHER UP

SLEEVE UP

Wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth.

And keep your distance (at least 6 feet) from others when you can.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever.

Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season.

A flu vaccine can protect you, your loved ones, and your co-workers from flu.

You can also protect those around you by staying home if you are sick.

CS319348D

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ISSUE 113 VOLUME 19

December 17, 2020

SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES!

The Coronavirus Vaccine: A Doctor Answers 5 Questions

BY JASON R. MCKNIGHT THE CONVERSATION

W

For a special podcast, go to www.askthelawyer.us

ith the Food and Drug Administration issuing emergency use authorization for a vaccine to limit the spread of coronavirus, you might have questions about what this means for you. Here, Dr. Jason McKnight, a primary care physician at Texas A&M University, answers five questions about the rollout and distribution underway.

I hear that I might still have to wear a continued on page 23

Five Tips for Women to Reach the Top ....26

Historic Moment for Jamaican Nurse

BY MARY CAMPBELL

T

he light at the end of the tunnel is near. The COVID19 vaccine is here. Sandra Lindsay, a critical-care nurse for more than 20 years, created history by becoming the first person in the United States to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Cuomo broadcasted Lindsay's shot's video feed into a live news Lindsay getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Photo: Scott Heins for the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

continued on page 3

Knowledge is Power when you use it!

Get a FREE Consultation!

Ask the Lawyer:

Call 855-768-8845 Assemblymember Solages Lauds Protect the Courts Act ....15

Brian Figeroux, Esq., Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Google Celebrates St Lucia’s Sir Arthur Lewis ....6

Parental Factors that Contribute to Child Abuse & Neglect ....12

Kyrie Irving Ready for the Journey with Kevin Durant ....28

Is Your Relationship Sick? Time for a Health Check ....19

Nearly 70% Americans Will Not Travel for Christmas ....5

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CARIBBEAN SPECIAL NEWS REPORT 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

Venezuela Crisis: Fleeing Migrants Found Drowned

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he bodies of 14 migrants have been found over the past two days off the Venezuelan coast.

They are thought to have been part of a group of more than 20 Venezuelans who boarded a boat on December 6, to flee economic hardship in their homeland.

The boat left Güiria in north-eastern Sucre state and their intended destination is believed to have been Trinidad and Tobago. Local media reported that at least two children were among the dead.

Eleven bodies were found by a Venezuelan Coast Guard patrol on Saturday in the sea seven nautical miles (13km) off Güiria and three more bodies were reported on a beach nearby.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 5.4 million people have left Venezuela in the past five years to escape a spiraling economic and political crisis that has led to shortages of food and medicines, fuel,

and widespread power cuts.

According to the IOM, the exodus of Venezuelans is the largest in the recent history of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Tens of thousands have fled to Trinidad and Tobago, many making the crossing by sea in often overloaded, rickety boats.

At least two boats disappeared last year on their way to Trinidad and Tobago with

a third believed to have capsized en route to Curaçao.

The authorities in Trinidad and Tobago said its coastguard had not intercepted any boats in recent days, dismissing rumors that the migrants had been turned back by officials from the Caribbean nation. l —BBC World News

26 Haitian Nationals Released After a Grueling Month in Detention

BY CALVIN G. BROWN, WIREDJA.COM

G

eorgetown, Guyana: After public pressure from the Opposition and Civil Society, the 26 Haitian nationals who police took from a hotel on November 7 and placed in detention at the Hugo Chavez Center in Berbice, were rounded up last evening and indecently dumped in front of the city hotel where some of them were staying before being held.

News Source Guyana reported that "just after 8:30pm on Wednesday, the 26 Haitian nationals which included children were rounded up at the Hugo Chavez Centre in Berbice and told to get their belongings and board the two buses in the compound. At that moment, they were unaware that they were being released."

The buses brought them into the city just after 10:30 pm. According to one of the Haitians, they were given their passports as they were allowed to leave the buses close to the hotel where they had been staying before their detention.

Some of them complained that their treatment was humiliating."

The Haitians arrived in Guyana in November and were admitted to stay for six months. However, the day after their arrival, they were rounded up by the police and taken to Berbice's government facility, where they remained.

The Government said the Haitians were being held in "protective custody" as they were suspected to be victims of human trafficking. However, through their lawyer Darren Wade, the Haitians, acting on behalf of the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana, denied that they were victims of human trafficking

and voiced their displeasure over their detention.

The Government moved to the Magistrates' Court and was granted deportation orders to remove the Haitians from Guyana. However, Wade applied to the High Court and was granted a hold on the deportation order as he argued that the order was unlawful.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, in a statement, said Haitians were not entitled to visa-free entry to Guyana or consideration under sections of the Fundamental Rights provisions of Guyana's constitution as Haiti had not signed onto the free movement aspect of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He was, however, rebuffed by Opposition Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amanza Walton Desir. He pointed out that "on January 11, 2019, President Granger signed "Immigration Order 2019" amending Part B, Schedule 1 to the Principal Act, to insert Haiti as a CARICOM Member State.

Haiti's nationals "Shall be permitted by an

immigration officer to enter and remain in Guyana, either for a definite or indefinite period," subject to the caveats under Cap.14:02 of the Immigration Act of the Laws of Guyana.

It was also pointed out that in July 2018, at the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Haiti signed on to the CARICOM Protocol on Contingent Rights. The Protocol covers the rights of persons moving to another country under the free movement of skills regime and the spouses and dependents of those who move to another country.

On Thursday afternoon, the Government said the 26 Haitians were released from custody Wednesday night because authorities do not know when a court case about their immigration status will end.

"Since it cannot be determined when the legal proceedings will be concluded, the Haitians were offered either to remain at the facility or to be released at an address of their choice. They chose the latter," Government said in a statement.

The Guyana government said after their meals, Wednesday evening, the Haitians were dropped off at the address requested, and their valuables and passports were delivered to them.

But their lawyer, Darren Wade, says the Guyana government will be sued for inhumane and degrading punishment and several other human rights violations. He also says the Guyana government will be taken to the Caribbean Court of Justice.l —Last modified on December 11, 2020

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3

THOUGHTS

New and Old Challenges Loom in a Divided U.S. Society

BY MARIBEL HASTINGS AMERICA’S VOICE

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ow, at the end of one of the most difficult years we have experienced at a collective and personal level, I ask myself how will we, as a society, overcome the profound divisions, bad blood, and lack of civility that has so affected this nation. And, which has been pushed by the very president that has also led, with help from the Republican Party, an assault on democracy and the will of a majority of voters.

This weekend followers of President Trump, in Washington, DC and in the state of Washington, demonstrated against an invented “election fraud,” carrying knives, wearing bulletproof vests and firearms, ripping flags of the “Black Lives Matter” movement from churches.

Even the white supremacist “Proud Boys” made an appearance, showing their worst side with a vulgar message against “Antifa.” There were several injuries.

But no one is surprised that these people act in this way, since they have the support of a president who promotes the false idea of “fraud” just to continue taking money from these same followers.

They also have the support of a Republican Party that in Congress played the same dangerous game as Trump, uniting with the ridiculous lawsuit from the state of Texas, asking that the results of the elections in other key states that Biden won be dismissed, a lawsuit that the highest court, with a conservative

Historic Moment/ continued from page 1 conference. The needle that went into her arm contained genetic instructions that would prime her cells to recognize and defend against the coronavirus. "This is the weapon that will end the war," Cuomo said shortly after her shot.

Speaking to the media, Lindsay, who works in the Intensive Care Unit at Long Island Jewish Medical Hospital in New York, is Jamaican and urges her countryfolk to get it. Her message: "My hope is that this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic. I have seen what it has done

majority, did not even want to hear for lack of legal basis. The thirst to maintain power at all costs has proved to be more powerful for the Republicans than the Constitution and democracy.

This is, in fact, one of the unknowns for the new year that is upon us: What will become of the Republican Party? Better put, what will sensible Republicans, who have seen their collective hit bottom with Trump in command, do, no matter how far they have fallen? Because the gutter politics that Trump imposed has unfortunately been profitable and effective among a wide swath of the electorate.

Trump just has to snap his fingers for his 74 million loyalists to support or undo the political aspirations of other Republicans. The question is how long will the cult of Trump last once the Biden Administration is in place and new battles emerge. Or whether Trump will continue to be present in a type of shadow government, with his Republican lackeys torpedoing the legislative agenda of Biden.

and what it is doing to our people, and I just want it to be over."

Having seen first-hand the suffering and pain COVID-19 has caused in New York, Lindsay said she was ready to get her shot. She confirmed that she was not pressured or paid but volunteered because she desires to see this pandemic end.

"I feel the healing is coming. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of the very painful time in our history," said Lindsay.

Lindsay added that it was essential for her to as a Black woman, to take the vac-

The saddest part is that this entire Republican spectacle is occurring in the middle of a pandemic that has claimed around 300,000 American souls and continues to count its victims. A pandemic that Trump and those Republicans minimized, with catastrophic consequences.

Regarding the pandemic, a light can already be seen at the end of the tunnel.

With the approval of a vaccine its distribution across the United States and its territories begins, and although it will be months before results are seen, at least there is hope.

For COVID-19 there are already various vaccines, but for the other virus of prejudice, xenophobia, lies, and falsehoods that Trump and the Republicans spread throughout their allies, there is none.

This will be one of the principal challenges of the Joe Biden presidency: governing a divided nation with a divided Congress, but it will also be an enormous challenge for us as a society.

New Year, both old and new challenges.l

Maribel Hastings is a Senior Advisor and columnist at America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund.During her career, Maribel has received numerous awards, including the 2007 Media Leadership Award from the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) for her coverage of the immigration debate in the U.S. Senate. Maribel is an expert on immigration, politics and the Latino vote. cine as an example to those who distrust the medical system because of historical wrongdoing or sufferings from medical racism. "Unfortunately, due to history, my population — minorities, people that look like me — are hesitant to take vaccines," she said. She wants to send a message that science can be trusted. She pointed out that the vaccinations won't work "if only some people take the vaccines."

It is historic also that a Black woman, Dr. Michelle Chester, director of employee services for Northwell Health, administered the injection.l

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

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

Why Getting Back to ‘Normal’ Doesn’t Have to Involve Police in Schools

BY STANLEY S. LITOW THE CONVERSATION

S

ince COVID-19 forced many of America’s schools to teach kids remotely, parents and elected officials have been rightly concerned about when things will get back to normal.

But there are certain aspects of education where a return to a prepandemic “normal” may not be in the best interests of America’s students.

I believe that stationing large numbers of police officers inside public schools is one reality ripe for reform. I say this not only as a scholar of the politics of education, but as former deputy chancellor of New York City’s public schools. I served right before New York City’s mayor at the time – Rudolph Giuliani – moved to have the police department take over school security for the city’s school system.

A look back at that decision – and its consequences – can help inform the ongoing discussion about whether or how police belong in America’s schools.

Police takeover Upon becoming mayor in 1994, Giuliani moved forward with the extraordinary

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

step of shifting the responsibility for school discipline to the New York City Police Department, which he ultimately got the then-independent Board of Education to approve in 1998.

Giuliani wanted schools to have a more visible police presence, even though there was evidence that violence in the city’s schools was rare.

As the city’s deputy schools chancellor in the early 1990s, I opposed this move, as did then-Chancellor of Schools Ramón Cortines, and his successor, Rudy Crew. We all expressed concerns that it would not make schools safer, but would negatively affect the entire school climate and impede educational progress.

At the time, when the Division of School Safety reported to me, it had roughly 2,900 school safety officers – none of whom were police officers – and a budget of about US$72 million. By 2020 under New York City’s police force, staffing for school safety officers roughly doubled in size, growing to 5,511.

And some budget reports now document spending growing to over $400 million. But the massive spike in staffing and spending is part of a larger social justice problem known as the “school-toprison pipeline,” in which exposure to the justice system takes place as a result of even minor infractions at school.

Disparities in discipline Nationally, Black boys get suspended once or more during the school year at more than three times the rate that white boys do. In one state, Indiana, Black students’ probability of being suspended or expelled in a school year is roughly 16% higher than it is for white students.

Research has shown that Black students are “more likely to be seen as problematic and more likely to be punished than white students are for the same offense.”

In the 2018 school year, roughly half of U.S. schools had some law enforcement officials stationed in them. This is evidence that many U.S. school systems have been following a more visible form of school discipline with closer and deeper connections to policing and law enforcement than in the past.

Alternatives to police I believe there is a different way.

School districts such as Oakland, California, and Denver, Colorado, have moved to eliminate or phase out police presence in schools.

There are plans to use the savings, at least in the case of Oakland, toward more counselors, social workers and workers continued on page 5

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5

IN THE NEWS Police in Schools/ continued from page 4 who focus on restorative justice, which involves practices such as peer mediation, restitution and community service instead of punitive measures, such as suspension or expulsion.

The results of pilot studies in both Oakland and Denver were quite positive.

In Oakland, graduation rates increased 60% in schools that implemented restorative justice practices, and suspensions fell by 56%.

The incoming administration – through the U.S. Department of Education – has an opportunity to focus attention and resources away from having more police in schools. Instead, the administration of President-elect Joe Biden can provide funding incentives that would encourage school districts to increase school safety and school success, by investing more heavily in counselors and other forms of student support.

As I see it, by doing so, America’s schools will be safe, but also more students will graduate and fewer young people will be fed into the school-to-prison pipeline.l

Stanley S. Litow taught as an Adjunct Professor at the New School University and Long Island University. He currently serve as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and as a Visiting Professor of the Practice at Duke University.

Survey: Nearly 70% Of Americans Will Not Travel For Christmas

A

recent national survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that nearly two-thirds (69%) of Americans will not travel for Christmas.

With a new surge in COVID-19 cases, the CDC recommending that Americans do not travel over the holiday season and new stay-at-home orders in place in states across the country, the holiday season will compound the challenges already facing the hotel industry during this public health crisis.

“We understand the importance of following CDC guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and support the government’s actions. However, with the dramatic decline in travel, hotels will face a harsh winter through no fault of our own. The hotel industry needs aid to survive until travel demand returns.

Given this current environment, Congress cannot nor should not contemplate recess until a relief bill is passed now,” said Chip Rogers, President and CEO of AHLA. “Millions of Americans are out of work, and thousands of small businesses are struggling to keep their

doors open. We cannot afford to wait until the next Congress is sworn in for relief. We need help now.”

The survey of 2,200 adults was conducted November 2-4, 2020 by Morning Consult on behalf of AHLA. Key findings of the survey include the following: •74% of those traveling overnight for Christmas report they will stay with a family or friend •Only 3 in 10 (32%) respondents have taken an overnight vacation or leisure trip since March •Looking ahead to next year, 24% are likely to travel for spring break •44% say their next hotel stay for vacation or leisure travel will be a year or more from now or they have no plans to stay in a hotel

•Business travel has been even more impacted as only 8% of Americans say they have taken an overnight business trip since March •Only 8% of all adults expect to travel for business within the next six months •62% of employed Americans have no plans to stay in a hotel for business The hotel industry is facing record job loss if Congress does not provide relief.

Every hour Congress doesn’t act hotels lose 400 jobs, with up to 3 million permanent jobs lost. Seventy-one percent of hotels will not be able to last another six months without immediate assistance according to a recent AHLA survey of hotel owners and operators.l

STAY SAFE, STAY HOME! DO NOT TRAVEL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

Traveling puts you, your loved ones and our community at risk of getting sick and spreading COVID-19.

If you must travel, be prepared to get tested for COVID-19 and to quarantine when you return.

For more information about COVID-19, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus.

For the latest information regarding NYS travel restrictions, visit ny.gov/traveladvisory.

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6

CARIBBEAN STAR

Celebrating Sir W. Arthur Lewis

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n December 10, Google honored Nobel Prize winner, Sir Arthur Lewis with a Doodle.

The Doodle, illustrated by Manchesterbased guest artist Camilla Ru, celebrates St. Lucian economist, professor, and author Sir W. Arthur Lewis, considered one of the pioneers in the field of modern development economics. A trailblazer not only in his research, he was also the first Black faculty member at the London School of Economics, first Black person to hold a chair in a British university (at Manchester University), and the first Black instructor to receive full professorship at Princeton University. On this day in 1979, Lewis was jointly awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his pioneering work to model the economic forces that impact developing countries.

William Arthur Lewis was born on January 23, 1915, in Castries on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, at the time a British colony. Despite facing challenges with racial discrimination, in 1932 he won a government scholarship and set out to study at the London School of Economics, where he eventually earned a doctorate in industrial economics. Lewis quickly ascended the ranks of academia and by 33 was a full professor—one of the highest distinctions of a tenured pro-

The Doodle was illustrated by Manchester-based guest artist Camilla Ru who admired Lewis as a historical figure for his vast influence on the development of so many countries’ economies and especially his willingness to teach and share his knowledge for the betterment of others.

fessor.

Lewis shifted his focus to world economic history and economic development and in 1954 published his foundational article “Economic Development with Unlimited Supplies of Labour.”

Among many valuable accomplishments, Lewis contributed influential work to the United Nations and shared his expertise as an adviser to governments in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. He also helped

establish and served as the first president of the Caribbean Development Bank.

In honor of his lifelong achievements, the British government knighted Lewis in 1963.

When asked if she drew inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle, Ru explained, “I especially connected with his Caribbean roots and how he helped the economic growth of African countries. I loved the fact that I

could incorporate the vibrant colours from both cultures into the Doodle, as well as play around with mathematical elements to highlight his work as an economist and professor.”

She added, “I hope the artwork and Sir Arthur Lewis’s story help people understand the importance of sharing knowledge and how this can inspire others and aid in their growth.”l —Google.com

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7

MONEY MATTERS

Behind on Car Payments Because of the Coronavirus?

BY AMY HEBERT FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC)

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hances are you rely on your vehicle to get you where you need to go — and when you need to go — whether it’s to work, school, the grocery store, or the soccer field. But if you’re late with your car payments, or in some states, if you don’t have adequate auto insurance, your vehicle could be taken away from you. Are you worried that you won’t be able to make your next car payment because you’ve lost your job or income because of the Coronavirus?

Or are you already behind on your payments? You’re not alone. Here’s what you can do: •Contact your lender now. Some banks, credit unions, and auto financing companies are letting people delay payments or renegotiate their payment schedules. If your lender agrees to any changes, make sure you have them in writing for later.

•Find out what rights you have in your state. Check with your State Attorney General or local consumer protection agency. States have their own rules about how cars can be repossessed and what

happens after. If lenders break the rules, they might lose other rights against you or have to pay you damages.

•See if you can refinance your loan.

This makes sense if a lower interest rate or longer loan could make your car payment doable. Just make sure you refinance with a credible lender or company.

Depending on how much your car is worth and how much you owe on it, you also could look into selling your car or trading it in to get something cheaper before you miss a payment.

•Don’t do nothing. Even if you have to miss a payment, don’t be afraid to talk to

your lender to learn about your options.

If you miss payments, you could be charged a lot more in fees and hurt your credit. While many lenders have begun to voluntarily forego repossessions during the pandemic, if you get behind on your payments, your lender still could repossess your car — sometimes without warning.

If your car gets repossessed, check your state’s laws to see what options you might have to buy it back or get any personal property left in the car.

You also might still owe money after your car is repossessed. You could be on the hook for any “deficiency” — the dif-

ference between what your car sells for and how much you still owe on it, plus any fees related to the repossession. In most states, your lender is allowed to sue you for it. An attorney can tell you whether you have grounds to contest a deficiency judgment.

The important thing to remember — you could have more options than you think, so don’t wait to talk to your lender. The sooner you do, the better the chance you can work something out.l Amy Hebert is a Consumer Education Specialist at the FTC.

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8

EDUCATION

NYC’s ‘Situation Room’ is Supposed to Respond Quickly to School COVID-19 Cases. It’s Not Working, Council Members Say.

BY AMY ZIMMER & CHRISTINA VEIGA CHALKBEAT

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eachers at P.S. 63 anticipated their Bronx school would shut down last week when they learned from a company conducting on-site COVID19 tests that three students were positive for the virus.

Two cases are supposed to trigger a building shutdown for at least 24 hours to investigate any possible links. But the building stayed open, and while some classrooms were closed, families didn’t hear about it until well into the night, a staff member at P.S. 63 told Chalkbeat.

“I feel like they’re just making it up along the way and it doesn’t make sense,” the staffer, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said.

“This type of inconsistency is going to get people sick.”

New York City launched its so-called Situation Room this fall with the goal of

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza observed a school’s ventilation system on Aug. 26, 2020.

Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

quickly alerting school communities to positive COVID-19 cases.

Ever since, the program has been riddled with glitches — long waits for test results, failures to let “close contacts” know that they may have been exposed,

conflicting guidance for principals, and confusing letters to families.

As coronavirus cases rise throughout the city, and schools ramp up testing for students and staff, it’s crucial that the Situation Room finds its footing, two Brooklyn City Council members said Thursday.

‘Improve this Vital System’ In a letter sent this week to schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, Brooklyn Council members Brad Lander and Mark Treyger wrote: “We have heard from principals, families, and Learning Bridges partners that the communications from the Situation Room can be frustrating and opaque — far from what you characterized in the mayor’s initial press release as ‘resulting in quick, decisive action for our schools and clarity and transparency for all families.’”

With in-school testing increasing from monthly to weekly, and with the results determining whether a school can stay open or must close, “it is critical that we work together to improve this vital system for school safety,” the letter stated.

In response, education department spokeswoman Miranda Barbot said the city has beefed up Situation Room staffing to reduce callback times, and that it errs on the side of over-communicating with parents. She said Situation Room employees “have made the safe reopening of schools possible.”

“This entirely new system has been adjusted and strengthened over the weeks, and we’ll continue to adapt as needed and address isolated incidents that may arise,” she said.

Elementary schools as well as District 75 schools, serving students with significant disabilities, returned this week after nearly two weeks learning fully remotely. Already, cases have sparked hundreds of targeted closures.

More than 489 classrooms were closed as of Friday, while 30 buildings were closed for 24 hours, and 28 more were shuttered for two weeks, according to Situation Room data. That means about 7% of buildings that reopened quickly closed again by week’s end. By Monday, the percentage was 10%.

It’s a lot for principals to manage, and they need better support, the Council members said. Within 30 minutes of a school case being identified, principals should have a dedicated team of contacts, Lander and Treyer urged.

Their letter cited the case of a public school with five positive coronavirus cases within 24 hours.

The principal reported calling the Situation Room more than 50 times that day before speaking with someone who could tell her how to proceed, according to the letter. (She would have to close her building for two weeks, it turned out.)

Conflicting Information Meanwhile, someone who runs one of the city’s Learning Bridges child care centers, as well as a pre-K program in the same building, told the Council members she received 14 calls and several emails with conflicting information from various Situation Room staffers on how to respond to two cases at her center.

(To make matters worse, she received different information from the city’s youth services department, which oversees her child care program, and from the education department.)

Principals shared a litany of other complaints with the Council members about problems with Situation Room communications.

Detailed information they need to send quickly to families about cases is often late or incomplete. Form letters they’re given often fail to explain necessary information, so schools rewrite them.

There’s been confusion, for example, over whether the dates for quarantining are based on when the cases were first reported or when the person was likely infected.

“As a result of this disorganization, school leaders report that COVID cases take over their lives leaving them little or no time to focus on instruction,” the Council members wrote.

An Uptick in Cases School leaders are leaning on information from the Situation Room more than ever.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is no longer using a 3% positivity rate over a rolling sevenday average as the threshold for closing all continued on page 9

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9

EDUCATION

How Schools Can Reduce Parents’ Anxiety During the Pandemic

BY LUCY (KATHLEEN) McGORON & JULIE WARGO AIKINS THE CONVERSATION

P

arents who felt their child’s school supported them during the transition to remote learning reported less anxiety and depression, according to a recent survey. Our recent survey found that schools can affect the mental health and well-being of not just students but their parents, too.

From April through June 2020, we surveyed 152 parents – primarily mothers – in Detroit, Michigan, who were managing the new demands of remote schooling for their children. Not surprisingly, they reported high levels of anxiety (34%) and depression (27%) during this stressful period, but some indicated that support from their child’s school played an important role in reducing their mental health difficulties. Generally speaking, the more school support parents in our survey felt they had received, the less anxiety and depression they reported.

However, this finding did not extend to families that were highly affected by COVID-19 due to lost income, food insecurity or lost access to health care.

Our results have not yet been peerreviewed.

Typically, about 8% of adults experience anxiety, whereas 7% of adults experience depression, according to census surveys.

To understand the amount of school support parents received during this transition, we asked about the ease and frequency of contact from their child’s school and whether they felt overwhelmed by their responsibilities to help with their child’s schoolwork.

Interestingly, parents who reported high levels of school support also reported having more routines and feeling less chaos in their homes. It may be that school systems, even when students are learning remotely, can help create structure for families, and this has a positive impact on parents’ well-being.

However, schools can do only so much.

For parents dealing with significant stress associated with the pandemic, school support might not be a sufficient buffer from anxiety and depression.

Sixty-five percent of parents who completed our questionnaire were Black, 11% were white, 3% Middle Eastern, and others reported another race. Thirty percent of parents had shifted to working from home, and another 22% were dealing with the added stress of job loss due to the pandemic.

Why it matters As the pandemic continues, schools will continue to affect children’s and parents’ well-being. When schools communicate clearly, provide adequate educational

resources and help parents feel prepared to support their children’s remote learning, our research shows parents are better able to structure their home and their child’s learning experience.

These results have policy implications: Schools need resources to best support families during the pandemic. Moreover, schools in areas where families are hardest hit by the pandemic may need additional support.

Community assistance like food banks and health centers in concert with school support may be necessary to meet the needs of the parents and children who are most vulnerable during this global crisis.

What isn’t known Reported results come from one point in time. It may be that parents who are less depressed and anxious are prone to more positive perceptions generally, which also influenced their perceptions of school support. Some parents who participated in our spring study completed a second survey at the end of the summer. Analyzing this data will help us determine if school support continues to relate to parents’ mental health over time.l

The Situation Room Is Not Working/ continued from page 8 city public schools.

Instead, families must consent to in-school COVID-19 testing to return to buildings, and schools will screen a random sampling of 20% of students and staff for the virus each week.

One positive case will result in quarantining that student’s or staffer’s class, while two or more cases could cause the whole building to close, depending on how those cases are related.

There were a total of 4,791 positive cases among students and staff from Sept. 14 to Dec. 11, according to public data that includes testing done off-site as well as on-site.

The number of positive cases identified among school communities is rising as more tests are conducted on campuses, data show.

There were at least 166 positive cases among students and staff uncovered this week through Thursday, according to public data. Those represent 27% of cases found through on-site testing since the program began on Oct. 9.

Schools are not believed to be major sources of transmission, public health experts have emphasized, and as cases rise across the city, it’s not surprising to see an uptick in schools as well. The five boroughs have seen a 6.26% positivity rate over seven days, as of Dec. 10, figures show.l (Correction: About 7% of school buildings were shut as of Friday. This story originally said a higher percentage had closed.)

This story was published on December 13, 2020 by THE CITY.

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HOUSING

10

NYCHA Managers Allegedly Lied on Lead Cleanup Reports for Hundreds of Apartments. At Least 19 Kids in Those Units Were Poisoned by Lead

BY GREG B. SMITH, THE CITY

A

t least 19 children contracted lead poisoning while living in public housing apartments that NYCHA supervisors falsely claimed had been properly cleaned of lead paint, according to the city Department of Investigation (DOI).

The kids, all under age 6, lived in 18 of the hundreds of apartments that managers running the authority’s lead paintabatement unit said had undergone work approved by employees authorized by the federal government to handle removal of the toxin.

In fact, a three-year DOI probe found, workers with the necessary credentials were forced to sign off on cleanup jobs they hadn’t overseen.

DOI’s report, released Thursday and spurred by a whistleblower, found 900 cases between 2016 and the summer of 2018 in which NYCHA lied — swearing

A mother walks with her son through the Queensbridge Houses NYCHA complex, where apartments have been inspected for lead in recent weeks. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the apartments had been abated under the watchful eye of a qualified supervisor.

“NYCHA managers involved in the lead abatement process had a total disregard for the facts, for the law and integrity, and most importantly for the wellbeing of NYCHA residents,” DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said in a statement.

In an interview with THE CITY, Garnett revealed that DOI, as a result of its investigation, cross-referenced all the apartments affected by the false-signature scheme with city health department records of children with elevated bloodlead levels living in NYCHA. They discovered the 19 youngsters.

The City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene intervened to ensure the children’s needs are being addressed, Garnett said.

She added that the kids were “living in apartments that we could identify where there was the presence of lead after abatement had supposedly been done and that there is reason to believe that that contributed to the child’s elevated blood lead level.”

On Thursday, NYCHA revealed that Ralph Iacono, one of two supervisors involved in the alleged scheme, had been suspended from his job earlier this week.

The authority said it’s moving to fire him. The other supervisor, Robert Stern, has already retired.

Iacono and Stern were not immediately reachable for comment.

No Criminal Charges No charges were filed based on DOI’s investigation, which paralleled a federal probe by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney that revealed in 2018 NYCHA had falsely claimed for years it was performing all required lead paint inspections in its aging portfolio of 172,000 apartments.

Garnett said DOI turned the case over to the U.S. attorney but the federal prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney did not respond to inquiries Thursday.

The U.S. attorney’s lead paint probe spurred the appointment last year of an independent federal monitor, under a deal between Mayor Bill de Blasio and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The monitor, Bart Schwartz, is now overseeing reforms to the authority’s handling of the lead crisis, which is among the top woes affecting the nation’s

largest public housing system.

The DOI report comes more than two years after the city health department was forced to reveal in 2018 that more than 1,100 children living in NYCHA had been lead poisoned in the prior six years.

NYCHA is now inspecting thousands of apartments and recently dramatically increased its estimate of how many of those units are home to or regularly visited by young children, to 9,000. In late October, THE CITY reported that number is on pace to hit 20,000.

Whistleblower’s Sign of Trouble During its nearly three-year probe, DOI investigators found a longstanding pattern of deception in the Housing Authority’s lead paint unit.

They tracked down 163 work orders with false signatures certifying that the apartments had been abated of toxic lead paint in accordance with federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations. And they learned the bogus certifications allowed NYCHA to claim 323 apartments were exempt from annual inspection for lead paint, according to DOI. The investigation launched in December 2017 after a NYCHA worker with EPA certification contacted DOI and alleged Iacono made him sign off on jobs he didn’t supervise. The whistleblower wasn’t even in the lead unit at the time the documents with false signatures were filed with EPA. DOI found that Iacono and Stern — both longtime NYCHA supervisors overseeing required lead paint cleanup in thousands of apartments — had “caused NYCHA to file hundreds of EPA notifications falsely stating that an EPA certified supervisor oversaw each abatement job.”

The DOI report states that Iacono tried but failed repeatedly to acquire EPA certification himself, and was only able to obtain temporary six-month certificates that he let expire regularly.

Iacono only occasionally would show up at abatements, and relied almost exclusively on making two NYCHA staffers with actual EPA certification sign off on the lead paint jobs, according to the report.

One turned out to be the whistleblower.

‘Okay to Sign the Papers’ Neither of the two EPA-certified supervisors was present at any of the cleanup jobs, DOI found.

At one point, according to DOI, the continued on page 11

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11

HOUSING 19 Kids Poisoned by Lead/ continued from page 10 whistleblower asked Stern whether “it was okay to sign the papers” since his understanding of EPA rules was that he was required to be present for the lead abatement jobs.

Stern told him it was fine to sign, DOI’s report alleges.

When the whistleblower showed up at Iacono’s office in the Jacob Riis Houses on the Lower East Side, the veteran manager presented him with a “large stack of papers” and told him to sign half — and that “someone else” would sign the rest.

The whistleblower complied.

The other employee, who also was EPA certified but did not supervise any of the lead cleanup work, signed dozens more of the papers, according to DOI. DOI investigators retrieved the 163 work orders filed with false signatures between 2016 and 2018. In its report, DOI made a point of noting: “Given all the evidence of policy and practice at NYCHA’s lead unit, the true number is likely much higher.”

In some cases, the whistleblower told DOI, he “suspected that his signature had been forged on a number of these documents.”

A Private Warning The report suggests at least one higherup at NYCHA was aware of the scheme.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYCHA’s top

New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett .

Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

management, including then-NYCHA Chairperson Shola Olatoye, have said they first learned in April 2016 that the authority had failed for years to perform required lead paint inspections. At the time, they did not notify the public or tenants about this.

That month Jay Krantz, a NYCHA employee who was then one of the authority’s top executives, wrote to a subordinate about the problem.

Krantz asked the supervisor if lead paint unit employees signing off on inspections had EPA certifications. The lower-level employee responded that in some cases, Iacono had signed off on inspections even though his temporary EPA certification had, once again, expired, according to DOI. Krantz ordered the employee to “Please have the EPA notification changed to one of the other supervisors immediately,” the report said. Krantz was terminated by NYCHA in late 2017, shortly after a DOI

report that first revealed NYCHA was falsely claiming it was meeting its lead paint remediation requirements.

In the next three years, NYCHA submitted 900 notifications to EPA falsely claiming that abatements had been supervised by EPA-certified staff, DOI found.

Both the whistleblower and the other EPA-certified worker told DOI they were unaware they had been listed as the certified supervisor on all these jobs.

Abatement work continued without the supervision of an EPA-certified supervisor until June 2018, when the existence of DOI’s investigation surfaced in the press after then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced the findings of his long-running probe into NYCHA malfeasance.

In an August 2018 letter sent shortly before de Blasio fired him, then-DOI Commissioner Mark Peters privately warned NYCHA to re-test hundreds of apartments that had received city lead

paint law exemptions and to make sure that going forward, an EPA-certified supervisor would be personally involved in all further abatements.

DOI made the letter public Thursday.

At the time, NYCHA did not notify the public or tenants about the re-testing or Peters’ warning. On Thursday, Barbara Brancaccio, a NYCHA spokesperson, said that NYCHA took action in response to Peters’ letter.

A Promise of ‘Accountability’ In response to DOI’s report, NYCHA stated that all lead-paint abatement work is now assigned to an EPA-certified supervisor who is required to perform an on-site inspection before signing off on the work.

“NYCHA cooperated with this investigation and has made significant systemic changes to its lead abatement program,” Brancaccio said. “NYCHA continues to work with the federal monitor to establish the highest standards for its policies and programs, not only to fulfill the terms of the 2019 HUD Agreement and bring the authority into compliance but also to rebuild a culture of employee service and accountability; regain resident, employee, and public trust; and ensure this never happens again.”l

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

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FAMILY MATTERS

12

Parental Factors that Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect

BY K. MITCHAM

R

eports of crimes against children are featured in every newspaper, in every country, on a regular basis. Understanding the parental factors that contribute to the crimes of child abuse and neglect can help focus services. And, properly focused services could reduce many of the contributing factors.

Isolation While no event happens in isolation, isolation itself can be a strong parental factor that contributes to child abuse.

Parents that lack a connection to other people, or who have had their connections to others severed, lack a basic support system.

Without this important support system, the adult has no one that will listen to their concerns, fears, or allow them to vent about their anxieties. Feelings of isolation can lead to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Isolated from society’s support structure, the individual is also isolated from society’s behavioral expectations. With no support and no

imposed limits, the isolated parent can find it easy to physically or emotionally victimize their children.

Drug or Alcohol Abuse It is no longer easy to assume that drug and alcohol abuse only happens within low socio-economic families. Alcohol and drugs, even over-used prescription medication, can lower inhibitions.

Chronic abuse leads to withdrawal symptoms which often increase aggressive behaviors.

Eventually, the desire the medication, the drug, or the alcohol becomes the focus of the addicted adult. Once the focus shifts from the needs of the family, neglect and abuse can quickly occur.

Domestic Violence Violence in the home takes a drastic toll on the abused spouse and the children in the home. Often, the child may not be the direct target of the abuse. However, the emotional toll and chaotic home life damages the child’s emotional growth and development.

The abused and the abuser play an

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equal role in the harm done to children living in a home filled with domestic violence. In addition to the emotional damage, children living in the home are often unintended victims and are hurt “just by accident.”

Economic Stressors Not every child in a low-income family is abused. But, the current state of the economy has had a negative impact on many families. Homes, jobs, and dreams have been lost. The underlying emotion during

difficult economic times is fear and fear often leads to aggression.

While socio-economic status is not an automatic indicator of abuse or neglect, how a family copes with economic stressors is a clear indicator. A family that focuses on hope instead of loss is less likely to abuse or neglect their children and more likely to manage the economic stressors successfully.

Physical Health Fewer people have access to medical care than in the past. Physical pain and trauma can become a considerable factor, especially when the family has no resources to obtain the medical care necessary to meet their needs.

The adult’s inability to accept or provide for their child’s physical disabilities can lead to abuse. The parent grieves for the future the disable child will not have and sometimes resents the child for the loss of those dreams.

Cranky, colicky children or children that cry excessively make it harder for the parental bond to develop. And, without that bond, becoming abusive is easier.

Parental Age Very young parents often lack the reasoning skills and experience that comes with maturity. That same lack of experience may lead a young parent to have unreasonable expectations of their child’s developmental skills.

Aging parents, or grandparents serving the role of parents, have less energy and may be living on a fixed income. Their expectations of young children may be out-dated and can lead to conflict with younger adolescents—conflicts that can quickly escalate into abuse.

History of Abuse “We parent the way we were parented” is a scary thought if the parental history includes abuse or neglect. Children that were abused too frequently grow to become abusive.

While none of these factors taken individually guarantee that abuse will occur, these factors seldom appear as a single contributor to abuse or neglect. continued on page 13

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FAMILY MATTERS

13

The Importance of Premarital Counseling

Child Abuse and Neglect/ continued from page 12

BY MARY CAMPBELL

A

ccording to th Mayo Clinic, premarital counseling is a type of therapy that helps couples prepare for marriage. Premarital counseling can help ensure that you and your partner have a strong, healthy relationship — giving you a better chance for a stable and satisfying marriage. This kind of counseling can also help you identify weaknesses that could become problems during marriage.

Premarital counseling is often provided by licensed therapists known as marriage and family therapists. These therapists have graduate or postgraduate degrees — and many choose to become credentialed by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Counseling might be offered through religious institutions as well. In fact, some spiritual leaders require premarital counseling before conducting a marriage ceremony.

If you are engaged, you probably don’t feel like your relationship has many problems, and as the wedding approach-

es, divorce is the last thing on your mind.

Yet with about half of marriages ending in divorce, you have to be realistic and remember that ‘until death do us part’ is rarely the case. The point is not that divorce is inevitable, but that marriage is not always easy, and that to stay together requires work. One important step you can take to give your marriage a better chance of lasting is to go to premarital counseling.

‘Counseling’ is a dirty word for a lot of people, something associated with the last desperate attempt to save a marriage, but it shouldn’t be. Don’t wait until the situation is dire. Take care of little issues

now, before they become big problems.

Counseling is primarily a way of helping two people communicate with the guidance and perspective of an outsider.

The weeks and even months before a wedding are a stressful period of planning. When writing invitations and picking out dresses, it’s easy to forget that the wedding is just the beginning. Amid the excitement, it’s possible to lose sight of why you are together. This is a crucial time in your relationship. Putting aside an hour a week to make your bond even stronger can prevent years of heartache and financial disaster in the future. l

Community Considerations Communities can work together to offer resources such as parent education, food banks, job re-training, drug and alcohol rehab with a goal of reducing child abuse and neglect.

Resources need to be made available through a wide-variety of avenues including visits to the home, on-line training, and centralized community support agencies.

While no single community program can meet all of the needs for all of the people, coordinated efforts could help meet theneeds of a greater number of people.l

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IMMIGRATION

14

A Judge Fully Reinstated DACA, But Dreamers Are Still in Danger instead issued a memo severely limiting DACA. The memo excluded first-time applicants, required renewal annually instead of every two years, and eliminated most advanced parole, a procedure that let DACA recipients travel outside of the country.

BY KATY MURDZA

A

federal judge in New York has overturned the Trump administration’s latest effort to limit the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.

DACA temporarily protects certain people without immigration status from deportation and provides them with a work permit. The Trump administration’s previous effort to end the initiative altogether was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. DHS responded by attempting to severely limit participation in the initiative, which the court in New York rejected. The latest decision means that starting December 7, hundreds of thousands of people should be able to apply for DACA for the first time.

History of DACA In 2012, after years of pressure from immigrant youth, the Obama administration implemented DACA through executive action. Applicants must meet certain age, physical presence, and academic requirements to qualify, in addition to passing a criminal background check.

Editorial credit: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com

In 2017, the Trump administration attempted to terminate DACA, claiming it was illegal. Lawsuits forced the government to continue granting renewals from people already enrolled, but the administration was allowed to refuse any new applications.

In June 2020, the Supreme Court found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not adequately

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explain its decision to end DACA and its reasoning to do so was faulty. However, the Court left the door open to the Trump administration ending DACA so long as it did so properly.

Following that decision, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should have—but did not—start accepting first-time applications after the Supreme Court decision. In July, DHS

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Recent Federal Court Decision Judge Nicholas Garaufis’ December 4 court order states that DHS’ July memo is void because Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf signed it without having the authority to do so.

Judge Garaufis had previously ruled that Acting Secretary Wolf was improperly serving at DHS because the administration did not follow succession laws.

Another federal judge and the Government Accountability Office have come to similar conclusions.

Judge Garaufis’ decision requires that DACA be returned to its original 2012 form. Recently granted 1-year renewals will be automatically extended an additional year. USCIS’ website must be updated with application instructions by December 7.

Future of DACA The lives of hundreds of thousands of people are affected by these back-andforth court decisions. Over 645,000 people were enrolled in DACA as of June 2020. Another 685,000 were eligible, including many who have aged into eligibility in the time USCIS has not been accepting new applications.

While the recent court decision is good news, DACA is still in danger.

The next hearing in a separate lawsuit against the initiative is scheduled for December 22 in a federal court in Texas.

The case, filed by 10 state attorneys general, argues that DACA is illegal, and that it burdens state healthcare and education.

The Biden administration has committed to reinstating DACA in 2021 if it is still blocked, an action supported by most Americans. However, if the Texas lawsuit or another legal challenge determines the initiative to be illegal, the administration’s options will be far more limited.

Even if DACA survives, it is not a permanent solution.

The initiative provides temporary relief from deportation but no permanent immigration status, leaving its recipients in constant uncertainty. The program also leaves out millions of other undocumented people living in the United States.

In addition to ending DACA, the Biden administration should use executive authority such as Parole in Place and Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure to prevent unnecessary deportations in the short term.

However, legislation with a path to citizenship will be necessary for any longterm solutions. l

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IMMIGRATION

15

Cuomo Signs “Protect Our Courts Act�

Protecting Immigrants

G

overnor Andrew M. Cuomo today, [December 15] signed the Protect Our Courts Act (S00425A/A2176A) to ensure New Yorkers can freely access the justice system without fear of being targeted by federal immigration authorities. The legislation addresses longstanding concerns that federal immigration enforcement was deterring immigrants from appearing in New York State courts and impeding the fair administration of justice. It builds upon a prior executive order by the Governor and a directive by the chief judge of the New York State Unified Court System.

"Unlike this federal government, New York has always protected our immigrant communities," Governor Cuomo said.

"This legislation will ensure every New Yorker can have their day in court without fear of being unfairly targeted by ICE or other federal immigration authorities."

The bill would not prohibit an arrest warrant from being authorized by a judge.

However, an immigration-related courthouse arrest based on an administrative warrant, or without a warrant, would not be permitted. This is currently the requirement on state land and in state

Assemblymember Solages. Photo: NYS Assembly

buildings per Executive Order 170.1, issued in 2018 to protect New Yorkers who are accessing essential services on state property to do so without fear of arrest.

Senator Brad Hoylman, Chair of the New York Senate Judiciary Committee said, "This new law is a powerful rebuke to the outgoing Trump administration and their immigration policies that have undermined our judicial system. After today, New York's courts will no longer be hunting grounds for federal agents attempting to round-up and initiate deportation proceedings against immigrants. The Protect Our Courts Act bars ICE from making warrantless civil

Senator Hoylman. Photo: NYS Senator

arrests of immigrants attending court proceedings and gives New Yorkers the peace of mind that our courthouses remain sanctuaries of justice. I'm grateful to Governor Cuomo for signing this bill into law and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for making immigrant rights a priority issue, as well as Assemblymember Michaelle Solages and the coalition of advocacy organizations that fought for this bill, including the Immigrant Defense Project, Make the Road New York and the New York Immigration Coalition. I'm also thankful to Attorney General Tish James for her successful legal challenge to ICE's outrageous courthouse arrest practices."

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, Chair-elect of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus said, "The individual rights granted to all New Yorkers by the U.S. Constitution should not be dependent upon who holds the office of the presidency. There is a real and tangible fear among the immigrant community that the courts are not safe from ICE intervention, often creating a dangerous barrier for justice. The Protect of Courts Act reaffirms our commitment to the principles of justice that our courts were founded on. All New Yorkers regardless of income, race, religion, or immigration status should have the opportunity to use the court system to advocate for themselves and their interests. This bill would not have crossed the finish line without my partner, Senator Hoylman, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the immense efforts of all of the advocacy organizations that make up the Justice Roadmap Coalition, specifically the Immigrant Defense Project and the New York Immigration Coalition. This victory is for every person seeking justice in a New York court of law." l

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Jamaican Swimmer, It’s In the Hair!

Alia Atkinson, Becomes The First Caribbean Special Olympics Ambassador H i. I'm Tarsha Gibbons, your lead stylist for everything fashion, color, and fun. Today let's talk about the holiday parties that are coming up. Please keep COVID-19 guidelines in mind. It can be such a difficult time because you want to look fantastic and not break the bank. What is a woman to do? You do find a cute black dress if you do not already have one in your closet.

Next, map out the parties and who is going to be there. You can get away with wearing this dress at least twice if you know the people who will be at each party. It will save you in excess shopping because you are going to recycle that dress. Want to know how? Change your HAIR!! That will be a game-changer for you. Most women only change the accessories, but the hair will make the most difference. You know why because it causes people to focus on your face and not the dress.

BY STEPANIE K, JAMAICANS.COM

J

amaican Olympic swim star Alia Atkinson has been named as a Champion Ambassador of the Special Olympics Movement. Her appointment was announced on December 3, 2020, during the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She is the first competing Olympic athlete to be named to this role in the Caribbean.

In an interview with The Gleaner newspaper, Atkinson said that the role of Champion Ambassador “defines the power of real purpose� and recognizes that Special Olympics athletes “meet the challenge each day to realize their full potential.� She added that she was honored to have the opportunity to learn from these athletes and to share experiences as they all “strive for inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities.�

In her career, Atkinson has not only represented Jamaica, but also the dreams and hopes of athletes worldwide. Her achievements have raised a whole population that is frequently denied not only access to a swimming pool, but to quality health care, education, and job opportunities. She has stated that the sport made her the person she is today, motivating her to want to set a positive example for others. The sport has helped her to build character, discipline, and sportsmanship, she added, telling The Gleaner that sport has a powerful role in the empowerment of those who live at the margins of their communities. It has shown her, “as it has shown the athletes of Special Olympics, that there are ups and downs in life, “but that through all the challenges, they “can and will persevere.�

Atkinson serves as Champion

I have done this so many times, and it makes me giggle inside while feeling super smart.

Do you know what else works wonders if you can't change your hair? Sparkle. If you put on pretty hair accessories with rhinestones or a sequin jacket, you will get noticed for all the right reasons. The key to this working is the same as the hair. It keeps the focal point up around your face. Want to try it out? Get dressed and put your hair in 3 different styles, add some bling to your hair, or neckline, then try it with a stylish blazer and a rhinestone pendant. Do you love yourself right now? Should you be? The possibilities are endless. It now becomes a game to see how many outfits you can create with the dress, and no one is the wiser.

Enjoy your holidays and look fabulous without the hefty price tag. Who is the smart woman this holiday season? YOU! Until next time friends đ&#x;˜Šl

Photo Source: Alia Atkinson Instagram

Ambassador at a critical moment in history as the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the serious vulnerability faced by people with intellectual disabilities. As many of them have underlying health conditions, they suffer a disproportionately negative and often fatal impact from the virus.

Special Olympics has more than 6 million participating athletes around the world in over 190 countries and territories. It represents the largest grassroots sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities. The organization is eager to harness the power of Atkinson’s new role and is honored that the champion swimmer decided to give her support to Special Olympics athletes. According to Lorna Bell, the executive director of Special Olympics Caribbean, Alia Atkinson is the perfect person to help the group attain greater public and social awareness.l

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

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18

BOOKS

Light for the World to See—A Thousand Words on Race and Hope

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rom NPR correspondent and New York Times bestselling author, Kwame Alexander, comes a powerful and provocative collection of poems that cut to the heart of the entrenched racism and oppression in America and eloquently explores ongoing events. A book in the tradition of James Baldwin’s “A Report from Occupied Territory,” Light for the World to See is a rap session on race. A lyrical response to the struggles of Black lives in our world . . . to America’s crisis of conscience . . . to the centuries of loss, endless resilience, and unstoppable hope.

Includes an introduction by the author and a bold, graphically designed interior.

Review "The widely acclaimed author of nearly three dozen books for children, Alexander turns his poetic attention to three milestones in recent U.S. history: the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, the kneeling protests of Colin Kaepernick during the national anthem before NFL games, and the election of Barack Obama. Alexander works through these events in reverse

chronological order, committing one long poem apiece to each of the three turning points. The poems are defined as much by their direct language and stark imagery ("we can’t hold a gun / we can’t stop that whip / we can’t wear this skin") as by the highly stylized typography: much of the text appears on yellow banners against black backgrounds, mimicking police tape at crime scenes. Other pages include broken chains in grayscale and the American flag with its stars replaced by X's. One of the most powerful passages occurs when Alexander lists the names of Black individuals murdered by police and white vigilantes and stirs his readers to action. A brave intervention by a talented writer of conviction...Alexander's uniquely designed poems offer a useful entry point for conversations about racism in America."—Booklist About the Author Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times best-selling author of more than thirty-five books, including Rebound, the follow-up to his Newbery medal–winning middle grade

novel, The Crossover. Some of his other works include Booked, which was longlisted for the National Book Award, The Playbook: 52 Rules to Help You Aim, Shoot, and Score in this Game of Life, Swing, and the picture books Out of

Wonder and The Undefeated, which was longlisted for the National Book Award and won the Caldecott Medal, a Newbery Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

A regular contributor to NPR's Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, The NCTE/Charlotte Huck Honor, Three NAACP Image Award Nominations, and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. He believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people around the world through The Write Thing, his K-12 Writing Workshop.

Kwame is the founder of Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.l —amazon.com

Available at Amazon.com

AFTER YOU HAVE A LUNG REMOVED, TAKE SHORT BREATHS. Annette, Age 57, Diagnosed at 52 New York

Smoking causes immediate damage to your body.

For Annette, it caused lung cancer. You can quit.

For free help, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

19

Is Your Relationship Sick? Time to Give It a Health Check

BY JANET HOWARD, 311DIVORCE.COM

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nce your relationship has progressed past the exciting early days, it can be tricky to take a step back and assess whether your relationship is a healthy one. You may still view your partnership through rose-tinted glasses and shrug off little niggles about his or your own behavior. If you have had problematic relationships in the past, it can be even harder to gauge whether your new relationship is a good one because any relationship is probably an improvement on your old one. The following are components of a healthy relationship. Consider them carefully and then review your relationship with clarity.

Trust When you’re out with your girlfriends, do you receive calls and messages from him all evening, or do you not hear a peep from him? Similarly, when he’s out with his guy friends, are you pacing around your living room wondering what he’s up to? A healthy relationship is one which is built upon trust. Without it, the constant questioning and second-guess-

ing can cause its destruction. If one partner, or both, are experiencing trust issues, be honest with each other and talk about it.

Honesty People in relationships tell lies for a variety of reasons. It could be to protect their partner if they had overhead nasty criticism or something positive, such as planning a surprise. When withholding the truth or lies have a more deceitful motive, it affects trust and exacerbates existing problems. If you’ve spent $200 on a dress, be honest. If you’ve been invited to lunch by an ex-boyfriend who’s in town, tell you current partner.

You may think that honesty will cause arguments, but if you lie, the damage to your relationship will be far worse.

Give and Take A loving relationship is an equal union where both partners put in as much time and effort as they receive. When the relationship sways to the benefit of one partner, it can leave the other feeling hard done to and disrespected. If he goes with you to see your mom every week, don’t be a sourpuss when he asks you to spend time with his family. If he goes for drinks

every Friday night with work colleagues and then starts doing the same on Saturday, ask him to compromise and choose just one evening. When both partners are fair, reasonable and willing to give and take, the relationship will have a far higher success rate and longevity.

Support You shouldn’t wholly depend on one person for your emotional support, but having a partner who is supportive and willing to listen can make all the difference.

When you’re going through a tough time, does your boyfriend belittle your concerns, brush them off as nothing or completely ignore your anguish? Are you there for him when the going gets tough?

Do you get him to open up about his problems or convince yourself that he’s fine? A healthy relationship is one where a couple works through their problems together.

Being your own person You and your partner are separate identities with your own friends, family and interests. Your relationship should not affect that. If you find yourself drifting away from friends or not engaging in activities that you once loved, ask your-

self ‘Why?’ Is he disapproving or controlling? Do you both have the same freedom to do what you want within the boundaries of trust? When you can both be yourselves, you have more to talk about, less predictability and more excitement in your relationship. A controlling partner is an emotionally abusive partner. Nothing about the relationship will be fair or loving without the ability to be your own person.

A relationship should bring out the best qualities in both partners and not be a hotbed of negative emotions and behavior. Take a close, hard look at your relationship and review it with a critical eye.

If there are problems, work with your partner to solve them sooner rather than later. You deserve nothing more than a healthy and happy relationship, so don’t settle for anything less.l

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KITCHEN CORNER

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Smoked Salmon for Holiday Soirees Recipes and tips for seasonal, socially distanced entertaining FAMILY FEATURES

A Seafood Superfood

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Smoked salmon is a nutritional powerhouse full of antioxidants, omega-3s and protein. A 2-ounce serving of Blue Circle smoked salmon contains 1,000 mg of health-boosting omega-3s, which meets the daily requirements recommended by the FDA’s 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To make the most of a healthy choice, look for smoked salmon that does not contain sugar or added preservatives.

elicious, colorful and versatile, smoked salmon can make it easy to elevate your holiday festivities, which might look shockingly di昀erent this year.

Whether it’s your family or a small group of friends, you can feel good about serving sustainable smoked salmon to your guests. Highlight smoked salmon at socially distanced gatherings with these recipes and tips from chef Nora Pouillon, a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and her daughter, Blue Circle Foods product director Nina Damato.

Ready, Set, Serve There’s no need to prep or cook smoked salmon – it’s sliced and ready to eat so you can impress your guests in no time with a colorful smoked salmon platter.

1. Arrange smoked salmon layers on a decorative platter.

2. Garnish with your favorite charcuterie sides like olives, capers, pickles and sliced lemon, tomato, cucumber or radish.

3. Season with dill sprigs, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

4. Serve with an assortment of crackers or buttered triangles of crustless brown bread.

A Sustainable Protein To ensure your smoked salmon is sourced with the environment and your health in mind, purchase products that are free from antibiotics, GMOs, added hormones and synthetic colorants.

A Dietary Chameleon From traditional tastes to keto, glutenfree or dairy-free canapes, smoked salmon 昀ts the bill. Its clean ingredient pro昀le means it satis昀es many common dietary restrictions.

For mouthwatering appetizers, try Pouillon’s Smoked Salmon Cucumber Boats. If you enjoy pairing smoked salmon with traditional 昀avors like cream cheese and capers, consider her Smoked Salmon Rolls with Cream Cheese and Caper Filling.

To access more recipes and tips, visit bluecirclefoods.com.

Smoked Salmon Rolls with Cream Cheese and Caper Filling Smoked Salmon Cucumber Boats Recipe courtesy of chef Nora Pouillon 1 English cucumber (about 1 1/2 inches thick and 10 inches long) 1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into tiny pieces 1/4 cup scallions, 昀nely chopped

1 tablespoon dill sprigs, 昀nely chopped, plus additional for serving (optional), divided 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 ounces Blue Circle Smoked Salmon, chopped or pulsed salt, to taste pepper, to taste Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and use spoon to scoop out seeds. If cucumber skin is too thick, peel before slicing.

Gently mix tomato, scallions, 1 tablespoon dill, lemon juice and smoked salmon until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Fill cucumber halves with smoked salmon mixture.

Slice cucumber boats into 1/2-3/4-inch pieces crosswise.

To serve, place pieces on platter and garnish with additional dill, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of chef Nora Pouillon 4 ounces Blue Circle Smoked Salmon olive oil 6 ounces cream cheese 2 tablespoons small capers, drained, plus additional for serving, divided (optional) 1/2 medium red onion, 昀nely diced 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley salt, to taste pepper, to taste Layer smoked salmon slices on lightly oiled aluminum foil, overlapping slightly.

Mix cream cheese with capers, onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place thick line of cream cheese mixture along long side of salmon.

Roll up salmon carefully with help of aluminum foil, similar to sushi roll.

Chill in refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight to 昀rm up roll.

To serve, use sharp knife to slice salmon roll into 1/2-inch long pieces.

Place rolls on serving plate and garnish with additional capers, if desired.

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GENERATIONS

21

Staying Safe and Joyful: Tips for a Dementia-Friendly Holiday Celebration

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EW YORK: With the holiday season in full swing, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is providing tips on how families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can adapt holiday gatherings to make them safe and dementia-friendly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After the challenges of 2020, many families are really looking forward to some holiday cheer,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “There are simple steps families can take to make the holidays enjoyable, safe and dementia-friendly for their loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease.”

Families caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease should consider the following steps: Before the celebration Do not over-decorate/over-stimulate.

Too many flickering lights or decorations can lead to overstimulation or disorientation, both of which can be challenging for someone living with dementia. Be aware of the person’s sensitivity to factors such as loud noises.

Avoid safety hazards. Substitute electric candles for burning candles. If you light candles, do not leave them unattended.

Avoid fragile decorations or decorations that could be mistaken for edible treats, such as artificial fruits. If you have a tree, secure it to a wall. Eliminate loose wires or floor clutter that can be a potential fall hazard.

Keep the person involved in the season. Playing favorite holiday music at a low volume, wrapping gifts, holiday puzzles, decorating cookies or going outside with a blanket and hot chocolate (if it is cold) are great activities to involve the person in the holiday season.

Adapt past favorite traditions or create new ones. If the person used to do all the holiday cooking, make it a new tradition to cook together as a family. If they oversaw hanging holiday lights, make it a group effort. To the most practical extent possible, ask the person what traditions are important to them, so you can prioritize and plan, focusing on what they enjoy and are able to do.

Be open with loved ones. Make sure family/friends who will be part of the celebration understand the disease and if it has progressed since they last saw the person (this is especially important for those who do not see that individual reg-

ularly). This will enable them to be more helpful and supportive. Provide tips for communicating and interacting with the person. Suggest appropriate gifts (i.e., clothing that is easy to put on/remove).

During the celebration Maintain the person’s normal routine.

Changes in daily routine can cause challenges and stress for someone living with dementia. Planning can be the key to ensuring a person’s comfort. If the person usually takes an afternoon walk, build in time for that. If they go to bed earlier in the evening, hold the celebration earlier in the day so that everyone can participate.

Connect with loved ones through technology. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that the safest way to celebrate during the COVID-19 pandemic is at home with the people who live with you— larger gatherings increase the risk of spreading or contracting the coronavirus. However, you can involve loved ones who would normally be present at an in-person celebration using digital platforms like FaceTime, Zoom or Skype— to converse, play games, sing songs, and open gifts together virtually. Spending time with loved ones is what the holidays are continued on page 23

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

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TAKING CARE OF YOU

22

A Dangerous Mix: The Holidays & Domestic Violence

BY JANET HOWARD Domestic abuse always seems to increase during the holiday season, the week of Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, as families and couples spend more time together at home.

Coupled with Coronavirus lockdown measures, too, have led to increased incidences of abuse as couples and families are further isolated from the outside world. Now, advocates are concerned that a combination of the two will have dire consequences.

Also, social distancing measures have also made it more difficult for victims of abuse to seek help and remove themselves from abusive relationships. Thus, counseling, shelters for battered women and other outreach programs are more crucial than ever.

While nearly everyone will busy with family, for some other people, the holidays are just another reason to remain in isolation. They're not hiding by choice though. They live in isolation out of fear for their safety. That's because unlike friends and families, domestic abuse doesn't stop and take a break during the holidays. Unless a victim does some-

thing about it, domestic abuse can continue from Thanksgiving until far beyond New Year's Day. Defining Domestic Abuse While each state has its own definition of domestic abuse, they're in general agreement that it can consist of a single isolated incident or a pattern of harassing, threatening, intimidating, or violent behavior toward intimate or former intimate partners, household members or family members. Gender and sexual preference are irrelevant. Some typical examples of domestic abuse would be emotional, psychological, physical, and sexual aggression along with financial exploitation.

Domestic Violence Orders A court order commonly known as an order of protection, a domestic violence or restraining order can be sought and entered when a person has been a victim of domestic abuse. A court might even enter an order if an individual has a reasonable fear of domestic violence. Along with other protections, the rules operate to prevent an abuser from contacting a protected person either directly or indi-

rectly by phone, email, or through a third party. The orders can also prohibit the abuser from coming near the home, place of employment or school of any protected person. Any violation of an active domestic violence order can be prosecutable in the criminal courts. Conviction comes with the possibility of a jail sentence.

Victims of physical or sexual abuse need only dial 911. When the abuser is under arrest, arrangements can be made for an appropriate order and then leaving.

By moving, the risk of further domestic violence is reduced drastically. It's not going to be easy, but it's likely to provide a victim and his or her children an opportunity to heal both physically and emotionally. Resources are out there for victims of domestic violence. A trusted friend, relative, police officer, or attorney can get you pointed in the right direction.

They all want to see you and your children healthy and happy again.

Immigrants and Domestic Violence Immigrants in the US. have the right to live life free of abuse. Due to the victim’s immigration status, abusive partners have additional ways to exert power and control over their victims. If you are an immigrant or refugee in an abusive relationship, you may face unique issues that make it hard to reach out for help. A specialized immigration attorney should always be your first point of contact when it comes to immigration questions and concerns. You can also listen to Ask the Lawyer Radio Program on WVIP 93.5FM on Thursdays, 10pm-11pm and Sundays, 11pm to 12am. The program provides great information and also an opportunity for a FREE, no obligation legal consultation. The number to call is 855-768- 8845. You can also visit www.askthelawyer.us Domestic violence is against the law regardless of one’s immigration status. Be a loving family member, good friend, and caring neighbor: please share this information.

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TAKING CARE OF YOU

23

Vaccine/continued from page 1 mask even after I get vaccinated.

Why? It will likely be the continued recommendation that everyone wear a mask when in public even after receiving the vaccination for COVID-19. While these vaccines appear to be highly effective in preventing infection from the disease, even at 95% efficacy, that means approximately 5% of people receiving the vaccination may still become infected. Wearing a mask helps decrease the transmission of the virus in those situations in which the vaccine does not prevent the illness.

Further, continuing to wear a mask may help prevent the spread of other respiratory illnesses, which can help prevent overwhelming the health care system, as we are already seeing during the pandemic. Finally, it is possible that some individuals receiving the vaccine may have an asymptomatic infection, and wearing a mask also helps prevent the spread of illness in that situation.

If I get the Pfizer vaccine for the first dose, how can I make sure I get the Pfizer vaccine the second time?

The distribution of the Pfizer vaccine is meant to match the need for the second dose. The clinic, hospital or pharmacy where you are vaccinated will keep a record of the vaccine that you received, as will you, to help ensure that your second dose matches the first dose.

Safe and Joyful/ continued from page 21

all about—let technology help!

How will public health experts track the safety of the vaccine as it rolls out to bigger groups of people?

Public health experts as well as the vaccine manufacturers will continue to track the safety of the vaccine in multiple ways. First, the people who are vaccinated in the clinical trials will continue to be followed to ensure there are no long-term safety issues. Further, there is what is called a phase IV post-marketing surveillance trial, which will allow many people who are vaccinated to be followed long term to ensure no safety complications arise and to ensure that the vaccine remains as effective as originally thought.

How will I know when it’s my turn to get a vaccine?

To know when it is your turn to be vaccinated, contact either your state department of health or your health care

provider. They will be receiving updates and further information about who is to be vaccinated and when. If you have questions about the vaccine and timing of administration, contact your health care provider.

Where will I get a vaccine?

While the exact distribution of vaccines is not yet solidified, and is dependent on the state in which you reside, most vaccines will likely be sent to hospital systems, health care providers’ offices, and some pharmacies. To find out the nearest location where you can be vaccinated, contact your local health department or your health care provider.l

Jason R. McKnight is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Primary Care and Population Health, Texas A&M University

Practice COVID prevention protocol.

If family or friends want to stop by for a brief visit, meet them outside the house, maintain recommended social distancing (six feet or greater) and wear masks.

Avoid hugging, shaking hands or any other close contact. Wash hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol). If someone is delivering a care package/gifts or you are ordering food from a restaurant, have the delivery left at your doorstep.

Be positive. Focus on what you and the person can do and the pleasure of connecting in whatever form possible with family and friends.

Families who have questions or would like additional information can contact AFA’s Helpline at 866-232-8484 or through AFA’s website, www.alzfdn.org, and speak with a licensed social worker.

The helpline is open seven days a week.l

NYC, masks and social distancing are working!

WHAT’S NEXT

IN THE COVID-19 FIGHT? NOW, WE ALL NEED TO GET TESTED OFTEN, even with no symptoms, to keep reducing the spread.

TO FIND EASY AND SAFE TESTING AT NO COST TO YOU,

VISIT NYC.GOV/COVIDTEST OR CALL 212-COVID19

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TAKING CARE OF YOU

24

Mental Health During the Holidays: Five Tips to Ease the Struggle

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he holiday season is often a time of year for social activities, holiday shopping, and quality time with loved ones. This year, however, COVID-19 threatens to make those activities more difficult.

Keeping up with activities, staying positive and — especially in 2020 — safely socializing can be overwhelming.

In addition, 40% of U.S. adults face a mental health or substance use challenge, making a complicated holiday season even more difficult time for many people. Regardless of whether you are living with a mental health challenge or know someone who is, you can take steps to prepare for the holidays and prioritize your mental health in the coming weeks.

Use these tips to get started:

those around you some grace – none of us have been through a time like this before, and we’re all trying to balance staying safe with feeling “normal.”

Manage your expectations. Remember that this year is different and may not feel like the holiday season we are used to.

Whether you are sharing a meal over Zoom or sending well wishes to family across the country, managing your expectations for yourself and others will help you stay positive. Give yourself and

Pull back when you need to. If, at any point, you feel overwhelmed or anxious, know that it’s perfectly fine to take a step back. Healthy boundaries are necessary for your mental health. Practicing selfcare can also help soothe feelings of anxiety or stress. Take a walk, watch a funny movie, or meditate.

easy to put others before yourself during the holiday season but remember that how you’re feeling matters too.

Practicing mindfulness, journaling, or even rating how you feel every day can help you better understand your emotions. Pay attention to what makes you happy and incorporate it into your daily life. And remember: It’s OK to not be OK, and you’re not alone.

Reach out to loved ones. In times like this, living in a digital age can feel like a saving grace. Stay connected with your loved ones via text, social media, video or phone. Make yourself available for those you cannot see in person and offer your support to loved ones who may be struggling — a simple text or email can make a difference.

Monitor your moods. The “holiday blues” are real, so it is important to stay in tune with how you’re feeling. It can be

Ask for help. If the holidays become more than you can handle, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Talk to a loved one, trusted peer, or even your primary care physician about how you’re feeling. If you notice a family member or loved one having a difficult time, encourage them to seek help too.

Even though this year’s holiday season may not look like it has in the past, you can still make it special and comfortable by prioritizing your mental health and well-being. Take it one day at a time and #BetheDifference for yourself.

Have a wonderful holiday season this year. Happy Holidays! l —Mental Health First Aid

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TAKING CARE OF YOU

25

6 Ways to Keep Holiday Anxiety From Spiking Your Blood Sugar Laugh more. Once again, this might be difficult, but spending time laughing with friends or family on Zoom or Facetime can strengthen your immunity, increase blood flow, and reduce stress. If you don’t have anyone to share your laughter, go for a funny podcast or movie and feel yourself relax.

BY ILENE RAYMOND RUSH, WEBMD

‘

Tis the season for joyous celebrations, but this year, many of us are skipping our traditional holiday gatherings to keep friends and family safe.

While a vaccine for COVID-19 sits on the horizon, visiting loved ones, shopping in-person, and sharing indoor meals remains risky behavior. And whether you take the chance of entertaining or cancel this year’s events, the 2020 holiday season can bring more anxiety than joy — anxiety that can boost your blood sugars.

How to cope? You may be able to avoid stress-driven blood sugar spikes by building happiness into your daily routine. A few suggestions: Treat yourself, but don’t abandon your diabetes plan. After this lousy year, everyone deserves a holiday treat or two. If you want to be super diabetesfriendly, go for a non-food treat. But if what you really crave is some eggnog and a butter cookie (or two), work that extra carbohydrate load into your diet. If

you do overdo it (and overindulgence is common in this season, so be kind to yourself), make certain it’s a one-time affair. Keep track of your sugars and get back on your plan with your next meal.

Exercise to improve your mood. A brisk outdoor walk can lift your spirits and keep sugars in check. Walk with a masked friend or listen to an uplifting podcast or exercise program as you move. The app store is filled with walking music and personal coaching that can banish boredom.

Put a clock on worry. It may be impossible to abandon anxiety in the midst of

the pandemic that has been marked with job losses, food insecurity, and grief, but sometimes it helps to limit your worry time. Listing your concerns in a notebook for 20 minutes a day can help clarify your thinking and, once done, provide a break from constant stress.

Appreciate small things. Staying in the present moment can help you find little moments of joy. Whether it’s admiring a snowflake or a sitting down with a soothing cup of chai tea, take time to hold onto things that give you pleasure. They can add up.

Practice self-care. Self-care has a bad rap, bringing up images of spa visits and fancy bath balms. Holiday self-care can be less luxurious but equally soothing: take a break from social media or political news, fix a healthy (but delicious) vegetarian meal, or read a book. Or, for you, self-care may mean sitting on your sofa and doing absolutely nothing at all.

The important thing to ask yourself what would feel good and nurturing, and then do it. l Ilene Raymond Rush is an award winning health and science freelance writer. Based on her own experiences with type 2 diabetes, she brings a personal take and a reporter’s eye to examine the best and newest methods of treating and controlling the disease.

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26

CONVERSATIONS

With Harris And Yellen Showing The Way, 5 Tips For Women To Reach The Top

W

omen are making history as President-elect Joe Biden organizes his administration.

Biden has nominated women for some Cabinet positions, including ex-Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary. If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the first woman ever to hold the post.

Starting with Kamala Harris as the first woman to become vice president, Biden has chosen women for prominent leadership roles. Such historic advancements reflect the progress women have made across society over several decades, and it’s important that momentum continues for them in high-profile leadership positions throughout industries and government, says Allison Nolan, author of the upcoming book, Madam Chair.

“We need to make sure we are maintaining and expanding the opportunities for women going forward,” Nolan says.

“We can’t let the role of women in leadership, in finance and on boards, slip down the priority list.

“This whole pandemic has been like pressing the reset button as a culture. We can’t let gender equality fall by the wayside.”

Yellen’s nomination is a proud moment for women working in the financial and

siveness can hold women back on the career track. “Be clear to the company about what you’re striving for,” she adds.

“Compared to men, women often are hesitant to self-promote. Men generally overestimate their ability and performance, while women generally underestimate theirs and consequently don’t visualize a detailed direction on a career path.”

Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris. . Editorial credit: NumenaStudios / Shutterstock.com

economic sectors, Nolan says, noting that women leaders in her industry have inspired trust and shown steadiness in these challenging times. Hedge funds managed by women outperformed those run by men during the first four months of the year.

“While some industries such as finance lack progress in fixing gender imbalance, women have proven to be exceptional in leadership roles,” Nolan says. “Female managers often have a better approach to managing risk.

“But it still holds true in many industries

that it’s harder for a woman to be promoted to a top position. Persistence and a passion to excel at the highest level are as vital as abilities and skills.”

Nolan offers tips to women about pursuing leadership roles in the financial industry: Plan the next career move. Men tend to have a very specific vision for the progression of their careers, whereas women, Nolan says, “often don’t plan well in advance about what role to take on next.” This lack of clarity or indeci-

Build confidence. “What many women do is hope that their talents, experience, and recommendations will shine through and be rewarded with a higher position,” Nolan says. “But part of the problem has been they have not consistently been recognized and rewarded, so their confidence has flagged. Confidence means standing up for your achievements, owning what you don’t know, and having the courage to ask questions and the courage to fail. Failing is simply a step on the path to success. Be conscious of what you want to change and grow into that better version of yourself.”

Embrace technology. One reason the financial industry is changing quickly is because of digital transformation. “It’s much easier to be nimble,” Nolan says.

“With everything online, it’s opening up opportunities for women to take on different kinds of roles, one reason being that women are very good at juggling multiple tasks and picking up new things quickly. These abilities can help them become the translators between the old ways and the online ways of doing business.”

Expand your network. “If you build relationships with colleagues in other divisions, it’ll give you a support network you can turn to for career advice,” Nolan says. “It also helps you do your job better, because you are better connected to the wider business.”

Have a mentor. “This is invaluable,” Nolan says. “A mentor can give you the perspective of the big picture, keep your eye on the goal, and help develop the skill of dealing with people, which is such a key aspect of any executive leadership position.”

“Don’t strive for perfection,” Nolan says.

“Strive to be prepared, to keep progressing, and to be you.”l

26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn

Allison Nolan is the founder and managing director of Athena International Management Limited. She is also the author of the upcoming book, Madam Chair, which discusses the transformation that enhanced gender diversity and inclusion can bring to the hedge fund industry. She has contributed to several legal journals and industry publications.

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GET YOURSELF ON THE PATH TO U.S. CITIZENSHIP TODAY!

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

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SPORTS

28

Kyrie Irving Ready for the Journey with Kevin Durant

BY TOM DOWD, STAFF WRITER BROOKLYNNETS.COM

J

ust so you know, Kyrie Irving was waiting for this night too. Sunday’s preseason win over the Washington Wizards brought Irving back to an NBA court for the first time since the first night of last February, brought him together with Kevin Durant for the first time in an NBA game, and brought the Brooklyn Nets to the start of a journey he’s looking forward to taking.

“Now that we have everybody — a full collective group — I am just excited to continue to grow and build,” said Irving after Monday’s practice session. “It is not just me. I am grateful that I get to share the floor with just so many other great players, just good players with high IQs and you know, it is just so different here.

I love it.”

It is the Irving/Durant pairing that has been charging the imaginations of Nets fans since they chose Brooklyn as free agents in the summer of 2019. Both were coming off All-NBA Second Team selections, among the top 10 players in the league, while the Nets were coming off a return to the playoffs with an energetic and rising young core.

Irving and Durant, teammates on a gold medal USA Basketball Olympic team in 2016, had built a growing connection off the court, and seized the opportunity to do the same on it.

“I really want to implement – this group is what makes us even more special,” said Irving. “They follow – I’m not even going to say follow – they’re alongside of us for this journey to aid us in our goals. And, yeah, me and K, we have a great relationship – as you can see on Sitting With KAI that I did on my platform. We have a great relationship. But our synergy carries over to everyone else and we allow each other to teach, to learn, to do it every single day.

“When I first became close with Kev, it was just built on that. It was talking about our circumstances that we grew up, our journeys. And then it transferred to our activities that we wanted to be a part of outside – whether it be business, whether it be playing together. And we were like man, this thing can happen.

And we had to wait, maybe a year-and-ahalf. And it came to fruition and now you guys get to see a product that has been worked on for the last few months. So, we do things to continue to be closer as brothers but as well as keep everyone else engaged with us. Because our greatness is even better together than alone, which is why we’re together.”

While Durant worked his way through a steady rehab of his injured Achilles’ during the 2019-20 season, Irving navigated a more turbulent injury experience.

Shoulder pain first pushed him out of the lineup in early November, but he returned in January after receiving a cor-

Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

Editorial credit: Oleksiy Naumov / Shutterstock.com

tisone shot in late December. After a string of spectacular outings, including a 54-point game in his final game of the season at Barclays Center, Irving opted in February for shoulder surgery. Over the 20 games he played last season, Irving scored at a career-high rate of 27.4 points per game.

“It’s not the first time I had a significant injury you know where I’ve been out a long period of time,” said Irving.

“So, I've had to build myself back up quite a few times in my career, you know, getting hit down in 2015 Finals with my fractured kneecap and then, you know, just having minor injuries and couldn't really avoid the injury bug, just being able to play a high level for a system at a time. And it was very disappointing. You know, having disappointing seasons the last few years hasn't necessarily been the best reflection that I wanted to put out.

But you know it's a different show, it was a different stage and it's a new beginning in terms of what we're building and moving forward with the pieces that we have here. And that includes 7-11, so get to know us.”

As of Sunday night, here they are, together. Irving and Durant combined for 33 of Brooklyn’s 68 first-half points, powering the Nets to a 26-point lead in the second quarter. Irving’s night ended at halftime after 17 minutes of action, shooting 7-of-9 overall and 2-of-3 from 3-point range.

“Kyrie looked incredible,” said Durant.

“He’s unstoppable. He’s a master at his craft, so he can pretty much do whatever he wants for us on the floor. He set the tone for us.”

Overall, the Nets shot 63.9 percent in the first half, including 40.0 percent from 3-point range. With the offensive pressure they applied, the Nets drew 14 fouls and took 24 free throws in the first half alone, 45 for the game. For reference, the Nets averaged 24.1 free throws per game last season.

This was without the dynamic LeVert, who was out with a patella contusion.

Spencer Dinwiddie started and went across the board with 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Having Dinwiddie or LeVert on the floor with Irving and Durant gives the Nets three players highly capable of operating as a lead guard and creating offense.

“Our offense is predicated on guys just being efficient in space,” said Irving.

“Some of us don't necessarily have the target of shooters — you know, catch and shoot — and we're kind of one-on-one guards you know, sort of say we can get our own shots. Guys can do so many things intangibly with the game. But, when you have Caris, myself, Spence and KD out there — just that four, you know, alone in one group, it is hard to match up. We see mismatches all over the floor and then you add in the versatility of the other guards that we have that

can play multiple positions with Tyler Johnson coming off the bench — being able to play defense and being able to play that lead guard. We got (Chris) Chiozza who is a great back-up as well.

Guys are showing great things in camp and we just want that to translate into the season so we can just plug in guys whenever we see fit — or coach (Steve) Nash can plug in guys.”

With Nash in his first season as Brooklyn’s coach, Irving has a Hall of Fame point guard to collaborate and strategize with, and he was equally effusive about the addition of assistant coach Mike D’Antoni and the full Brooklyn staff, with its combination of returning coaches and new additions.

“Steve’s been amazing,” said Irving.

“And it really is a reflection of the type of person he is, and the IQ he has for the game. He commands the respect and it's not through just coming in and being the kind of typical rah-rah coach being on us.

It’s just giving us a comfortable space to grow, to communicate, to throw ideas out there. And then you’ve got a two-time MVP coaching you. You know, I think I’ve got to take back my comments in terms of the head coach back a few months ago. But it's just like, man, we have such a great synergy. Everyone feels like we're coaching one another to be better, so I'm grateful for that.”

In a week, after one more preseason game against the Celtics on Friday night, Irving and Durant will make it count when the Nets open the regular season against the Warriors. Both have won NBA championships, with three NBA Finals appearances for Irving and four for Durant. So, they’re matching high aspirations with the knowledge of a challenging road ahead.

“You can't make up experience,” said Irving. “You can't make up time, you can't make up trying to get this whole thing as a championship collective train right away. As much as I would like to put aspirations, expectations on us like, hey we get to this point we're going to be a championship team and we know, that's just not true.

“We gotta continue to make progress every single day and craft and that's just doing little things every single day in terms of when you get to that level which is ultimately the NBA Finals, which is the biggest goal for us, to compete at that level and we know the monsters that are getting together and all these different teams which I'm excited for. I mean, the league is going to be that much more exciting and as a competitor you want to build your team the best without anything mattering when it comes down to putting that ball in the hoop Game 1 through 7 in the Finals. This is the beginning of the journey, use every day to get better.”l

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High blood pressure, diabetes & your heart Type 2 diabetes puts you at higher risk for heart disease, but there are steps you can take to lower your risk. Managing your blood pressure is one way to lower your risk of heart disease.

High blood pressure is anything above 120/80 mmHg.

What can you do?

Start simple

What’s the connection?

Ask your doctor to check your kidney function and blood pressure.

Adults with diabetes are

Know your numbers

MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE THAN PEOPLE WITHOUT DIABETES.

The combination of high blood pressure and diabetes drastically increases your risks. That’s why it’s vital to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

If you have diabetes, there is a lot you can do to manage your high blood pressure.

Talk to your doctor about your next steps.

Keeping your blood pressure and blood glucose in your target ranges is vital for your overall health.

Keep it up Take care of yourself with exercise, healthy diet and taking your medications as prescribed.

You’re not in this alone. Find answers to your questions and join the initiative at: https://KnowDiabetesbyHeart.org/join © 2020 American Heart Association, Inc. and American Diabetes Association, 501(c)(3) not-for-profits. All rights reserved. Know Diabetes by Heart is a trademark of the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association. Unauthorized use prohibited. Citations available upon request.

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The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

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