Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 131

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ISSUE 131 VOLUME 21

August 12, 2021

SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES!

Complicity and Silence Around Sexual Harassment Are Common – Cuomo and His Protectors Were a Textbook Example Editorial credit: Devi Bones / Shutterstock.com

BY SANDY HERSHCOVIS, IVANA VRANJES, JENNIFER L. BERDAHL & LILIA M. CORTINA THE COVERSATION

Biden’s Administration Immigration Moves....13

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ew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation came after more than a week of bad news, starting with a damning report from the state attorney general’s office that detailed his sexual harassment of 11 women, some of whom worked in his office. An executive assis-

Governor Andrew Cuomo Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

continued on page 6

Life, Death and Compassion .... 23

National Battle for Citizenship Path Marches Through New York City

BY EILEEN GRENCH AND CHRISTOPHER ALVAREZ THE CITY

AG James Issues Consumer Alert to Protect New Yorkers .... 5

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Hochul’s Past Push to Arrest Immigrants Resurfaces ....25

S Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

8 Signs You Shouldn't Tie the Knot ....17

enate Democrats on Monday unveiled a $3.5 trillion-dollar budget reconciliation bill that included a proposed path to citizenship for “qualified immigrants” — and New Yorkers are poised to help lead the fight for passage. continued on page 12

How Rihanna Became a Billionnaire....15

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

Trelawny Has Produced More Olympic Medal Athletes ....22

PAHO Director Appeals to Get Vaccinated ....2

Remembering Former PM Sir Lester Bird ....3

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CARIBBEAN SPECIAL 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

PAHO Director Appeals to Caribbean People to Get Vaccinated, Observe Protective Measures

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ashington, D.C.: Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), expressed concern about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Caribbean countries and made a strong appeal to people to get vaccinated.

Speaking at her weekly media briefing, Dr. Etienne, who is from Dominica, said, "I am truly very concerned about what is happening in the Caribbean” with people reluctant to get vaccines and relaxing their adherence to public health measures.

“So please, please, please take your vaccines and please wear your masks properly, social distance. I know the Caribbean people like to be close, and we like fetes, and we like to congregate, but please avoid congregation. Observe respiratory etiquette and wash your hands frequently.”

She noted that small islands in the Caribbean have limited bed capacity in intensive care units, along with limited numbers of specialized doctors. “Our health systems will become overwhelmed very quickly,” she said.

In the English-speaking Caribbean, more than 1,315,197 COVID-19 cases and more than 16,136 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic. Cases are rising in Jamaica, Martinique, the Bahamas, and Dominica.

“Over the past month, infections

increased 30-fold in Martinique and there has been a significant spike in hospitalizations,” Dr. Etienne said in her briefing.

To date, over 1.1 million people in the Caribbean, comprising about 15% of the population have been fully vaccinated, according to PAHO figures. This does not include Haiti, which recently began its vaccination effort.

“What we are seeing now is persons totally relaxing on the public health measures and a high level of vaccine hesitancy," Dr. Etienne said. "Even when vaccines are available, persons are not coming forward. We are seeing vaccine hesitancy in healthcare workers.”

I don’t know the sources of the information that is triggering this level of vaccine hesitancy. I can tell you that they are not scientifically proven, and I want to appeal to you to listen to the sources

where you have truthful, scientifically based information and evidence,” she added.

She reassured Caribbean citizens that the vaccines work, particularly those that received emergency use listing (EUL) from WHO. The proof, she said, "is that of the people that are now hospitalized, in severe illness and death, more than 95% of those have not been vaccinated.”

To be protected, you need to receive the full regimen," she continued. "If it is two doses, you need to receive the full doses.

One dose does not protect you. And please, the best vaccine for anyone is the one available to you. So, please make use of available vaccines.”

She said not getting a COVID-19 vaccine is “foolhardy” because the vaccines are safe and protect against severe illness and death.l —PAHO.org

The US Government Donates 5.5 Million Pfizer Vaccines to CARICOM

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he US Government has generously gifted the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) with 5.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccines.

This is the culmination of efforts initiated by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr the Honorable Keith Rowley, who as Chair of CARICOM, wrote to President Joseph Biden of the United States earlier this year requesting a supply of vaccines for the Community.

President Biden subsequently announced that the US was donating a supply of vaccines to the Region as part of its world-wide distribution of 80 million doses. US Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke with Prime Minister Rowley in June confirming the allocation to CARICOM. Fifteen CARICOM Member States

will receive the much-anticipated Pfizer vaccines, with 1.5 million doses being allocated to Haiti and the other 4 million doses for distribution among 14 CARICOM countries. The donation from the White House also includes 3 million ancillary kits containing needles, syringes, diluent and other supplies which have already been received.

This donation follows months of discussions between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Pfizer, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the CARICOM Secretariat. At the beginning of those discussions, the total number of persons vaccinated in CARICOM countries stood at a meagre 515,000, which emphasizes the importance of the donation by the US Government.

CARICOM Secretary General,

Ambassador Irwin LaRocque expressed his appreciation to President Biden for his generosity and to his team at the White House for their commitment to delivering the vaccines. “This end result is due to the hard work put in by the White House staff, the staff of CARPHA, the staff of the Secretariat and the team at Pfizer,” the SecretaryGeneral said. “These vaccines would contribute significantly to the Region’s ability to control this pandemic and place the Caribbean on a path to economic recovery. Importantly it would also allow for schools to be re-opened given that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for emergency use for children 12 years and over,” Ambassador LaRocque added.l —CARICOM.org

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3

THOUGHTS

Remembering Former Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda Sir Lester Bird

BY HON. CHARLES FERNANDEZ

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he name Lester Bryant Bird will forever feature prominently in the annals of Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean’s history. He will long be revered as an architect of the postcolonial development of Antigua and Barbuda. Our nation, and the people of the Caribbean have lost a stalwart and visionary with the passing of Sir Lester Bird, athlete, and beloved statesman.

Sir Lester who was first elected to parliament in 1976 served as Antigua & Barbuda’s second Prime Minister for a decade beginning in 1994. On behalf of the staff at the Ministry of Tourism and Investment as well as The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority along with the entire tourism fraternity, I offer sincere condolences to the former Prime Minister’s immediate and extended family and to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

From 1976-1989, Sir Lester served as Minister of Economic Development, Trade, Energy and most notably Tourism during a long and distinguished political career.

I had the privilege of witnessing the former Prime Minister’s dedication to the region, as validated by his work as chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and more

Sir Lester Bird. OECS Pressroom

importantly, to the people of Antigua and Barbuda. It was Sir Lester’s vision and his leadership that, as our sugar industry waned, laid the foundation for the development of our tourism industry. His vision ultimately provided employment and positively changing the quality of life for so many in our society. An extraordinary public servant who cared genuinely about people, it was under his leadership, in his capacity as Prime Minister, that an ombudsman was appointed to deal with the complaints of citizens. A series of foreign direct infrastructural investments in Tourism during the 1980’s and 90’s, led by Sir Lester, created an economic boom, making

Antigua and Barbuda a mecca of prosperity which attracted thousands of our Caribbean neighbors to share in this growth.

In his long and distinguished career, Sir Lester will be remembered for his negotiating skills as he championed tourism partnerships from which the industry has benefitted, including the construction of the Royal Antiguan hotel, the expansion of the industry to include cruise tourism, the building of the Heritage Quay and Nevis Street cruise piers and the development of the Heritage Quay shopping center which was a game changer for our cruise industry.

In 2014, Sir Lester was conferred with Antigua & Barbuda’s highest honor, a Knight of the Most Exalted Order of National Hero (KNH), for his contribution to national development as an outstanding sportsman, lawyer and parliamentarian for 38 years. Our tourism industry has benefitted significantly from his governance. To continue to build on that strong foundation and enduring legacy that he has left us, is a most fitting tribute to this colossus of a Caribbean stateman and true National hero of Antigua and Barbuda. May his soul rest in peace.l Charles Fernandez is the Tourism Minister for Antigua & Barbuda.

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Statement by the Chairman of the OECS Authority, The Rt. Hon. Dr. Keith Mitchell

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he Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority is deeply saddened by the death of Sir Lester Bird, former Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and extends sincere condolences to his family and to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

After the OECS came into being through the signing of the Treaty of

Basseterre in 1981, Sir Lester Bird served as its first Chairman in 1982. He served as Chairman for a second time in 1989. We are thankful for his service and contribution to the development of the Caribbean Region.

It is through distinguished leaders like him that the baton has been passed as we continue the valiant pursuit of regional integration.

The OECS Authority joins Prime Minister, Hon. Gaston Browne, the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda in mourning the loss yet celebrating the life of former Prime Minister and Regional Statesman, Sir Lester Bird.

May he rest in peace.l —OECS Pressroom

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4

CIVIL RIGHTS

Merrick Garland: It Is Time for Congress to Act Again to Protect the Right to Vote

BY MERRICK B. GARLAND US ATTORNEY GENERAL

O

ur society is shaped not only by the rights it declares but also by its willingness to protect and enforce those rights. Nowhere is this clearer than in the area of voting rights.

Fifty-six years ago, Friday (August ), the Voting Rights Act became law. At the signing ceremony, President Lyndon B. Johnson rightly called it “one of the most monumental laws in the entire history of American freedom.”

Prior attempts to protect voting rights informed his assessment. The 15th Amendment promised that no American citizen would be denied the right to vote on account of race. Yet for nearly a century following the amendment’s ratification, the right to vote remained illusory for far too many.

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 marked Congress’s first major civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. That law authorized the attorney general to sue to enjoin racially discriminatory denials of the right to vote. Although the Justice Department immediately put the law to use, it quickly learned that bringing caseby-case challenges was no match for systematic voter suppression.

Things would not have changed with-

out the civil rights movement’s persistent call to action. By the time a 25-year-old John Lewis was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., the Justice Department had been embroiled in voting rights litigation against the surrounding county for four years. Although the county had approximately 15,000 Black citizens of voting age, the number of Black registered voters had only risen from 156 to 383 during those years.

By 1965, it was clear that protecting the right to vote required stronger tools. The Voting Rights Act provided them.

Central to the law was its “preclearance” provision, which prevented jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting practices from adopting new voting rules until they could show the Justice Department or a federal court that the change would have neither a racially discriminatory purpose nor a racially discriminatory result.

By any measure, the preclearance regime was enormously effective. While it was in place, the Justice Department blocked thousands of discriminatory voting changes that would have curtailed the voting rights of millions of citizens in jurisdictions large and small.

One thwarted change involved McComb, Miss. A large group of Black residents in the city had long voted at the

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, which was close to their homes on the east side of railroad tracks that run through the city. In 1997, the city tried to move that group’s assigned polling place to the American Legion Hut on the west side of the tracks. To cross those tracks, Black voters on the east side — many of whom lacked transportation — would have had to travel substantial distances to find a safe crossing. Recognizing that difficulty, the Justice Department blocked the change.

While the Voting Rights Act gave the Justice Department robust authority, it also imposed checks on that power.

Jurisdictions had the option to go to federal court to show that their voting changes were lawful. This ensured fairness and accountability, but without the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness that existed prior to 1965. It was a balance that worked and received broad support: Congressional reauthorizations of the act were signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon in 1970, President Gerald Ford in 1975, President Ronald Reagan in 1982 and President George W. Bush in 2006.

That invaluable framework was upended in 2013, when the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder effectively eliminated the act’s preclear-

ance protections. Without that authority, the Justice Department has been unable to stop discriminatory practices before they occur. Instead, the Justice Department has been left with costly, time-consuming tools that have many of the shortcomings that plagued federal law prior to 1965.

Notwithstanding these setbacks, the Justice Department is using all its current legal authorities to combat a new wave of restrictive voting laws. But if the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance provision were still operative, many of those laws would likely not have taken effect in the first place.

In a column published after his death, Lewis recalled an important lesson taught by Martin Luther King Jr.: “Each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out. When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.”

On this anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we must say again that it is not right to erect barriers that make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to vote.

And it is time for Congress to act again to protect that fundamental right.l This OpEd originally appeared in The Washington Post.

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5

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

AG James Issues Consumer Alert to Protect New Yorkers From Dangerous, Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards

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EW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James issued an alert to protect New Yorkers from the dangers of fake coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination cards. The sale or distribution of blank or fraudulently-completed vaccination cards to individuals who have not actually received a vaccine poses a serious threat to the health of New York communities, and will impede the progress that has been made in combatting COVID19. Falsifying vaccine cards and records, as well as the unauthorized use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) seals, also violate various federal and New York state laws and is subject to civil and criminal enforcement.

“As the Delta variant becomes more prominent, it is more important than ever for New Yorkers to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Attorney General James. “Not only do fake and fraudulently-completed vaccination cards violate

Editorial credit: M21Perfect / Shutterstock.com

federal and state laws and the public trust, but they also put the health of our communities at risk and potentially prolong this public health crisis. I strongly urge New Yorkers to reject these fake vaccination cards and get the COVID-19 vaccine, so that we can move forward from this pandemic and return to normalcy as soon as possible.”

COVID-19 vaccines are now available to all New Yorkers 12 years of age and older, and must be administered free of charge. To find a New York state operated vaccination site, please visit this the state's COVID-19 vaccine tracker website. Other vaccination sites can be found online.

Legitimate CDC vaccination cards are provided to individuals once they receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If an individual receives the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines — which require two doses — they will receive a vaccination card after their first dose that will be updated after the second dose. Those getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will receive their vaccination card after their single dose. New Yorkers are urged not to share pictures of this card online or on social media, or to at least blur out private information (date of birth, vaccination lot number, etc.).

Scammers can use New Yorkers’ personal information to steal their identity, and use pictures to create fake cards.

New Yorkers can access proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result digitally on their smartphone using one of the two Excelsior Pass apps, which are available for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Use of the Excelsior Pass apps are voluntary, and with these apps, New Yorkers can easily retrieve and store a digital form of vaccine records or negative test results and avoid misplacing or damaging their vaccination card. New Yorkers can learn more about the Excelsior Pass apps online.

Relatedly, this past April, Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general sent letters to a number of companies asking them to act immediately to prevent the sale of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards on their platforms.

Any New Yorker that believes they have been a victim of a COVID-19 vaccination card scam should contact the Office of the Attorney General by calling 1-800-771-7755 or filing a complaint online. l

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6

IN THE NEWS Cuomo Resigns/ continued from page 1 tant to Cuomo, Brittany Commisso, filed a criminal complaint against him with the Albany County sheriff’s office. The state Legislature readied impeachment proceedings.

Then, top aide Melissa DeRosa resigned amid a flurry of questions surrounding her role in protecting Cuomo. Attorney Roberta Kaplan also resigned from the #MeToo advocacy organization Time’s Up after the attorney general’s report revealed that she helped draft a letter that denied Cuomo’s wrongdoing.

As news emerged about the silence from Cuomo’s staff, who had long protected him, and his victims who feared blowback, our thoughts turned immediately to our research on harassers.

“See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” is the title of our new article for the Journal of Applied Psychology, which describes the role witnesses play in helping and protecting harassers. Evidence suggests that, rather than helping victims, witnesses often protect the harasser.

The report on Cuomo’s sexual harassment is replete with examples that showcase how members of Cuomo’s top staff, known collectively as the “Executive Chamber,” silenced victims. One victim explained in the report: “I was terrified that if I shared what was going on that it would somehow get around … and if senior aides Stephanie Benton or Melissa DeRosa heard that, I was going to lose my job.”

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Although #MeToo gave voice to millions of women to speak up about sexual harassment, it remains rare for victims to report sexual harassment to employers.

They are afraid of blowback. They think management won’t believe them. They fear being blamed or shamed. And these fears are warranted.

Silent complicity Research shows that reporting mechanisms rarely work and often backfire.

For example, employees who speak up about workplace harassment frequently face retaliation, both personal and professional. This is evident in multiple victim accounts in the Cuomo investigation.

One victim was quoted in the report saying that “she did not feel she could

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safely report or rebuff the conduct because, based on her experience and discussion with others … it’s kind of known that the Governor gives the seal of approval who gets promoted and who doesn’t.”

But what about bystanders? Colleagues?

Leaders? Why don’t they speak up when they see sexual harassment?

Part of the problem, we have found, lies with social networks – the webs of interconnections among victims, perpetrators, co-workers and managers. The way these networks are configured encourages members to be silent, silence others and not hear victims who voice concerns about sexual harassment.

One of Cuomo’s 11 alleged victims, a state trooper, described a conversation she had with Cuomo while driving him to an event. The governor questioned her clothing choices, asking why she wasn’t wearing a dress. After the conversation, the victim’s state police superior, who was in the car during the interaction, messaged her, saying that the conversation “stays in the truck.”

‘Textbook example’ Why do people protect harassers? A number of factors are at play.

First, a harasser can establish a central status by having many strong ties to others in the network. Strong relationships within a tie require an investment of time and resources on both sides, and in turn, they yield loyalty and reciprocity. So network members close to the harasser are more likely to stay silent about his misdeeds, and to silence or manipulate those who speak up into questioning their sanity.

Also, when the harasser is the sole link between disconnected members of the network, he can isolate victims, control information and conceal wrongdoing.

The result of all this: Victims, witnesses and would-be supporters stay silent.

In the case of Cuomo, he had many

loyal ties. The attorney general’s report states that the Executive Chamber had “an intense and overriding focus on secrecy and loyalty that meant that any and all perceived acts of ‘disloyalty,’ including criticism of the Governor [Cuomo] or his senior staff, would be met with attacks of a personal and professional nature.”

The second reason people protect male sexual harassers lies in how certain network beliefs prize men and masculinity.

These beliefs normalize male dominance over women, encouraging support for those who enact displays of masculine superiority.

When these beliefs pervade a social network, and central men sexually harass women, network members stay silent.

They also rally to defend and protect harassers by silencing and not hearing those who speak up.

Because women are devalued in these networks, powerful witnesses have little motive to hear sexual harassment complaints or take action to support female victims. The investigation into Cuomo’s conduct concluded: “This culture of fear, intimidation, and retribution co-existed in the Executive Chamber with one that accepted and normalized everyday flirtations and gender-based comments by the Governor.”

Finally, mythologies about sexual harassment are frequently found in social networks such as the one that surrounded Cuomo. These common myths deny that sexual harassment has happened, often by questioning women’s complaints – for example, suggesting that false allegations are common. Or they downplay the gravity of these offenses.

When harassment becomes undeniable, myths lead network members to move on to justify it: absolving harassers of responsibility or blaming victims – asking what women did to invite sexual advances.

Myths such as these silence network members because speaking up is likely to be futile or even dangerous. Throughout the report, senior staff members in Cuomo’s office denied wrongdoing by Cuomo. One victim, Ana Liss, testified that Cuomo had held her hand, kissed her cheek and been flirtatious. She did not want to report it because “the environment in the Executive Chamber deterred her … she was fully expecting the Governor’s team would deny, deny, deny, character assassinate.”

It is rare that scholarly research and current events so perfectly reflect each other.

But the Cuomo case is – no metaphor here – a textbook example of a network of complicity and silence around sexual harassment.l

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HOUSING

8

Gowanus Could Become More Diverse After Rezoning, Racial Impact Study Finds

BY RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH THE CITY

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rooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood would likely become more diverse and less segregated under a proposal to allow more development in the neighborhood, according to a first-ofits-kind study on the contentious rezoning’s potential racial impact.

The analysis of the Gowanus Neighborhood Plan, conducted by a Columbia University professor with City Council staff, comes as the controversial proposal — previously delayed for months by a lawsuit — now makes its way through the city’s public review process.

The study also offers the first glimpse at the potential value of a Council bill passed just weeks ago requiring “racial equity reports on housing and opportunity” for rezonings in the future.

While that legislation will not take effect until mid-2022 and does not apply to the Gowanus plan, those backing the rezoning thought it was best to study the issue

Panoramic view of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn with the Gowanus Expressway and Manhattan in the background.

Editorial credit: Felix Lipov / Shutterstock.com

anyway. Those supporters include area Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steven Levin as well as the local housing nonprofit Fifth Avenue Committee, which helped fund the study.

“If our goal is a more inclusive neighborhood, with meaningful opportunities for New Yorkers of color, then we need

to find the courage to move forward thoughtfully. And I really believe this provides clarity about that,” Lander said of the new research.

The Gowanus plan aims to change development rules within an 82-block area along Fourth Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and 15th Street and stretching west to Bond and Smith streets.

The idea is to allow more residential construction in a neighborhood that has for decades been an industrial enclave centered on the toxic Gowanus Canal, which was designated a federal Superfund site in 2010.

The “Racial Equity Report,” produced

by Columbia urban planning professor Lance Freeman, concluded that the rezoning would likely cause Gowanus, currently one of the whitest neighborhoods in the five boroughs, to “much more closely match the diversity of New York City rather than the [current] population of the local area.”

That’s partly because, under the zoning proposal, the neighborhood could gain as many as 2,950 housing units rented at below-market-rate prices through the city’s affordable housing lottery, out of a total 8,495 newly constructed apartments.

All but 380 of the lottery units will be set aside for households making no more than 80% of the area median income, which comes to $85,920 for a family of three.

The researchers analyzed the demographics of households eligible for those apartments as well as the racial makeup of previous affordable housing lotteries in majority white neighborhoods using data from an ongoing lawsuit over city policy to give “community preference” to lottery applicants already living in a neighborhood where new affordable housing is to be built.

Taking that all into account, the report estimates that 20% to 25% of the new lottery apartments under the rezoning would be rented by Black households,

and 25% to 37% of them will be rented

by Hispanic households The neighborhood is currently one of only 10 districts in the city with more than 60% white residents.

Because of that, the report’s authors recommended the city give preference for the lottery to “more diverse community districts” beyond just Gowanus,” they said.

‘Low’ Displacement Risk Touted Even with the new market-rate apartments, the report found, the neighborhood is set to become more diverse as measured by the “dissimilarity index,” a measure of segregation that quantifies the distribution of people by race.

“For all nonwhite groups, but especially Blacks and Latinos, residential segregation from whites will decrease,” the report said.

Gowanus is also a place where prices have risen so much already in the past 15 years or so, there are few lower-income tenants to push out. Many low-income families who remain in the area live in “protected” housing, such as rent-stabilized apartments and public housing.

“The risk of displacement by rising market-rate rents for Black and Latino families in the area is low,” the report found.

“This is now a majority white, upperincome community,” said Michelle de la Uz, executive director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, which is part of the development team for a 100% affordable housing complex, Gowanus Green, included in the rezoning plan. “It wasn’t a number of years ago when I moved into the area, but it is now.”

Freeman of Columbia, who led the research, hopes the next administration sees the report “as a template” for New York’s big zoning projects in the future — especially because the city remains among the most segregated places in the country, he said.

“It is important to consider racial equity when undertaking these types of large land use projects,” he said. “Simply taking a race-neutral neutral approach is not always sufficient.”

Long-Due Analysis Housing advocates have for years been pushing the type of analysis in the Gowanus report, and the mindset behind it could lead to big change in the way New York expands.

“That we are now, front and center, talking about race as tied to rezonings and what their impacts are — and how we should be considering the racial impacts in a rezoning — is, in and of itself, a huge shift,” said Barika Williams of the housing advocacy group Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development. continued on page 9

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9

HOUSING Gowanus/ continued from page 8

NYC Councilmember Brad Lander Editorial credit: rblfmr / Shutterstock.com

The change follows years of protests over rezonings that looked very different from the one in majority-white and wealthy Gowanus — an outlier in the recent history of neighborhood land use proposals.

Under the de Blasio administration, all neighborhood-wide rezonings have taken place in “low-income communities of color,” said Lander — East New York, Far Rockaway, East Harlem, Inwood and the Jerome Avenue corridor in The Bronx.

Before that, similar actions were taken during the Bloomberg years, including along Fourth Avenue in Park Slope, adjacent to the Gowanus rezoning area of today.

At the time, Lander led the Fifth Avenue Committee, a community development corporation founded in 1978. He said he remembers asking city officials, “If we want to keep this a diverse neighborhood, where are we doing that?”

“The answer was ‘nowhere.’ We didn’t do it anywhere. And there was no study and relatively little conversation,” said Lander, now the Democratic candidate for city comptroller.

More recently, locals in Manhattan’s Inwood asked similar questions during that neighborhood’s controversial rezoning process held between 2015 and 2018.

Cheryl Pahaham, an Inwood resident and member of local coalition Inwood Legal Action, said people were losing leases, being harassed by landlords or dealing with huge price increases. Black and Dominican families were hardest hit, she said.

“The displacement was happening, and we were afraid it would accelerate,” she said.

Pahaham and others asked city officials to look at the rezoning’s potential impact on housing for locals of different races.

But “the city just ignored it,” she said.

“They said they didn’t have to.”

Since then, Inwood Legal Action has been part of a coalition — which included Public Advocate Jumaane Williams as a major backer — pushing to pass the recent City Council bill.

Pahaham does not consider the Gowanus report perfect. She is concerned with its conclusions about the rezoning’s potential impacts on local industrial jobs — displacing businesses that often employ Black and Latino people at higher rates than whites — and

questions whether future affordable housing will realistically go to Black and Latino households given that higherincome tenants have better chances of winning the housing lottery.

Still, she called it a report “done with integrity” and a good first step — that would have been very useful to her own community as they tried to negotiate with the city during their rezoning.

“It would have leveled the playing field.

We would have had more honest conversations with our Councilman. And we could have together advocated for more deeply affordable housing,” she said.

Next Steps The Gowanus report has come late in the rezoning process, which has been in the works for years and has already begun the formal Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, necessary to get a final green light.

Critics have questioned the environmental safety of the plan, particularly the Gowanus Green project, which will be built on a cleaned-up contaminated site once home to a gas plant.

They have also called for more units of affordable housing, as well as apartments available to even lower-income families, and pushed for the plan to address $274 million in needed repairs and maintenance at Gowanus’ two public housing complexes.

Some of those concerns appeared in a resolution from the Gowanus community board, which approved the land use changes with conditions under ULURP in June.

Next, mayoral hopeful Borough President Eric Adams must weigh in with an advisory opinion on the rezoning.

Then it will go to the City Planning Commission, City Council and mayor for final approval.

The Gowanus rezoning and a similar effort to rezone SoHo — also a majority white neighborhood — are major pieces of de Blasio’s final attempt to cement his legacy on land use rules and housing.

As the process moves forward in Brooklyn, the report’s authors make a series of recommendations to “further advance racial equity” — a step beyond what would be required from racial equity reports under the City Council bill enacted recently.

The study calls for more efforts to preserve and maintain Gowanus’ public housing complexes, lowering income levels on future affordable housing and investing more in workforce development services to make up for industrial and auto-related jobs the rezoning will likely displace.

De la Uz of the Fifth Avenue Committee believes there is still time to take those recommendations and “be more rigorous in what we request and demand of government” — especially on behalf of people who don’t yet live in Gowanus, but could.

“Future people who are going to benefit from the affordable housing are often not a part of the conversation,” she said. “I’m hoping the report literally brings those folks to mind.”l

DON’T LET SOMEONE STEAL YOUR HOME.

Criminals prey on unsuspecting homeowners to illegally transfer property deeds.

Anyone can be a victim. Be on the lookout: check the status of your property with the NYC Department of Finance and sign up for alerts on any changes to your property documents.

Act now to check your deed!

Visit www.nyc.gov/deedfraud or call 311 for more information.

This story was published on August 8, 2021 by THE CITY.

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10

EDUCATION

Back-to-School is on the Horizon, So Plan Ahead: Get Vaccinated by Aug 9

BY MEISHA PORTER AND DR. DAVE A. CHOKSHI

I

n early July, we were elated to welcome students to classrooms for Summer Rising, the City’s free summer academic and enrichment program.

Children were clearly excited to be back with their teachers and friends, and those feelings have only grown over the past few weeks. In an elementary school in East Harlem, youngsters proudly displayed the solar-powered ovens they’d built to cook s’mores. In a school in Chinatown, students gasped with joy over the “magical” science experiments performed by Jason Latimer of YouTube’s Impossible Science channel.

And in a school in the Bronx, students dove into their lessons and demonstrated an outdoor mindfulness activity.

Experiences like these are reflected in the smiles of hundreds of thousands of children who are in school to learn, play, connect, and grow this summer. Both children and their parents are grateful to have this bridge to the next school year.

We see the first day of school—Monday, September 13—as a homecoming. In fact, it comes shortly after NYC Homecoming Week, a five-borough cel-

Dr Chokski Photo: NYC DHMH

Chancellor Porter Photo: NYC DOE

ebration of the city’s resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we think ahead to the fall, the health and safety of students and school communities are at the forefront of our planning. We are asking New Yorkers to help with a crucial part of this work: get vaccinated. If your child is between 12 and 17 years old, August 9 is the last day for your child to get the Pfizer vaccine in order to be fully vaccinated in time for school.

This date is important to remember because the vaccine for adolescents

involves a two-dose regimen, and it takes two weeks from the second shot for someone to be considered fully vaccinated. So, think of this as your doctor’s orders: Schedule your vaccine today if you have not already.

Safely and fully reopening schools this fall is a milestone for our city, and we are eager to see students back in their school communities. We are doing everything in our power to create a safe learning environment—from disinfecting every school, to re-configuring classrooms and improving ventilation, to stocking up on

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face masks and hand sanitizer.

And last week, Mayor de Blasio announced that school staff must show a one-time proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 tests. The new requirement recognizes that the single most important way we can help our children go back to learning, and save lives, is with vaccination.

As parents ourselves, we know the decision to vaccinate is important, and we would do anything to protect our children. The vaccine is safe and very effective. Over 250,000 young New Yorkers have now gotten the shot.

At school, vaccination allows children to be in the classroom, participate in afterschool activities and sports, and gather with friends—safely. It also provides a more stable learning environment, (for example, students who are considered fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine).

Getting the shot has never been easier in New York City. Access to vaccination is widely available in all five boroughs, and the City is offering a new $100 incentive for anyone (including children) who gets their first dose at a City-run site. Nearly all New Yorkers live within half a mile of a public vaccination site, and everyone is eligible to request and receive at-home vaccination.

Pediatricians and other health care providers can also help answer questions, and many are able to give the COVID-19 vaccine at a back-to-school check-up, along with other routine immunizations.

If you need a provider, call 1-844-NYC4NYC and you will be transferred.

We’re so excited to welcome all New York City students back into classrooms in September. Because of vaccination, our buildings will soon be fully open and our young people will be learning. We deeply appreciate the partnership of the city’s families and the commitment to keeping our school communities safe and healthy. l Meisha Porter is Chancellor of the NYC Department of Education Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc, is Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

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FAMILY MATTERS

11

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

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

BY MARY CAMPBELL

A

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

especially if your spouse has hired legal help too.

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

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

3. Objectivity When you are going through a tricky

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

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

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

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12

IMMIGRATION Road to Citizenship/ continued from page 8 The National TPS Alliance came to the city last week to rally the roughly 25,000 New Yorkers who benefit from Temporary Protected Status, a federal program that allows some immigrants to work and live in the United States as their home countries recover from natural disasters or political crises — and sometimes both.

Now, the National TPS Alliance hopes to recruit immigrants and advocates in New York to put pressure on a very powerful local politician: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime TPS supporter who had assured them in April he’d make sure a path to permanent residency was on the horizon.

“It’s important that politicians, members of Congress, and New York senators realize that we understand their work, that we understand the responsibility that they have to us,” Oscar Rodriguez, a 48-yearold TPS holder and head of the new local chapter of the Alliance, told THE CITY. Born in Honduras, Rodriguez has lived in the city for 25 years, most of that time in Kew Gardens, Queens. He works as a truck driver — and was one of an estimated 12,500 essential-worker TPS holders in the city who toiled through the pandemic.

Now, he is putting what little free time he has towards heading up the new New York City chapter in a push to enlist Schumer’s help in the battle for citizenship.

“We pay taxes so that [elected officials] can have the jobs they have. It sounds intense if we say it like that, but it’s true,” said Rodriguez. “We understand that power comes from the people, the vote.

And we chose [these politicians] so they would fight for our rights, not to kick us out of the country. They must realize that TPS-holders have children that vote.”

New Hope As previously reported by THE CITY, many New Yorkers with temporary legal status have expressed renewed optimism, given the Biden administration’s early promise to provide them permanent residency and a clear path to citizenship.

Soon, even more TPS-holders from Haiti will benefit after the program was expanded for the residents of the Caribbean country last week following intense advocacy.

National TPS Alliance committee members were banking on that hope to reel in fellow TPS holders to join the fight for permanent residency as they spent last week door-knocking and handing out flyers, in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole across the city.

At an event held Saturday afternoon in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, their canvassing was rewarded with a small but steady stream of people looking to help.

Some were drawn over by the giant blue flag being waved by Jose Palma, a NTPSA coordinator from Massachusetts.

“I know that many of us are tired,” Palma yelled to the crowd. “Let’s fight

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

US Senator Chuck Schumer Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

these next months because we are close.”

One woman who came to join the fight was Evelyn Zavala, a single mother from Central Islip, L.I. She arrived in New York 20 years ago hoping to keep her sons from falling “prey to the gangs” in El Salvador.

“It’s unfair that she has to be advocating to stay here, we should be allowed to stay here,” her 13-year-old son, Ismael, told THE CITY. “She hasn’t committed any crimes, she’s not a criminal, she’s a hard worker. She should be able to stay here not having the fear of getting deported.”

The recent moves in Washington are only the latest in a decades-long rollercoaster of uncertainty for many TPS holders.

TPS recipients who hail from El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti and other countries must wait every few months to find out if the program has been renewed — a cycle that has repeated in some cases for over 20 years.

For many TPS holders like Zavala, that represents the majority of their adult life.

Some parents’ last option is to wait until their U.S.-born children turn 21 and can petition for residency for them.

“It is a psychological problem that our children are being put through,” said Palma. “Not being able to be enjoying their day to day, enjoying their life and developing normally, but rather being anxious to reach an older age to be able to help their parents.”

Relying on D.C. Since the beginning of his term, Biden has made no unilateral moves toward immigration reform.

Instead, TPS holders’ hope and advocacy have hung on a bill introduced earlier this year that would ensure residency for so-called Dreamers — DACA recipients who came to the country as children — and TPS recipients, as well as immigrants with so-called Deferred Enforced Departure status.

That bill, the American Dream and Promise Act passed through the House of Representatives in March, but has so-far stalled in the Senate.

So, too, were TPS holders’ hopes stalled until last week when Biden finally spoke out publicly to support a citizenship pathway — not through an overhaul bill, but in the budget package.

“I think we should include in the reconciliation bill the immigration proposal,” he told reporters after a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Soon after, Schumer and Senate Democrats took action to include immigration reform in the budget package — albeit with no promise to any particular immigrant group.

Now, advocates are scrambling to hold Schumer to promises he’s made to the immigrant community, like when he called on the Senate to pass the American Dream and Promise Act for both DACA and TPS holders in June.

The memo Senate Democrats released on Monday describing what should be in the budget reconciliation package doesn’t mention TPS or Dreamers — and only uses the word “immigrants” once, where it says the Judiciary Committee wants to create “Lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants.”

In response to questions regarding whether the majority leader supports TPS holders’ inclusion in the bill, a spokesperson with Schumer’s office told THE CITY the senator is a “longtime supporter of TPS and believes in the program.” But the spokesperson would not comment on specifics of the bill, which remains in negotiations, or a clearer path to citizenship.

Advocates Want More Than Just Belief “We hope that it’s not just words here, that we can have him actually deliver on the promise,” Erik Villalobos, communications director for the National TPS Alliance, told THE CITY. “We’re in New York, and there’s a responsibility for the community here in New York to push Schumer as much as we can.“ Looking for Star Power One way that Villalobos’ organization hopes to apply pressure is by focusing on the high-profile Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez’s constituency in Queens and The Bronx.

At a Monday news conference, members of the Alliance’s nascent New York committee stood shoulder to shoulder with national members. Rodriguez and others called on Ocasio-Cortez to support their efforts and join them in a march on Washington in September, when Congress is aiming to vote on the budget package.

A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez, Lauren Hitt, told THE CITY that “the congresswoman does support a path to citizenship for TPS holders being included in reconciliation.” Hitt added that Ocasio-Cortez has held multiple meetings with local advocates in Queens and The Bronx, including one in just the last two weeks.

Hitt did not specify the organizations, or respond to questions about the September march.

For Rodriguez, a path to citizenship would mean that he could finally buy a house without the worries of deportation, and gain stability for his mixed-status family who depend on him financially.

He also hopes his son, a DACA recipient, would also benefit from the bill.

“I always use the example of Rosa Parks, who is an icon, a symbol of human rights and for her community as well,” he said. “I want us to be strong, to be one voice and must be listened to, to make it known that we are here. That we are going to fight for the rights owed to us.”

He added, “We want our families to sleep peacefully.”l

This story was published on August 9, 2021 by THE CITY.

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13

IMMIGRATION

USCIS Has Been Busy Expanding Access to Legal Immigration and Restoring Some Humanitarian Protections

BY WALTER EWING

U

.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun implementing policies in recent weeks which expand access to lawful immigration status, employment, and humanitarian protections for people who were previously under assault by the Trump administration. ‘ These latest developments include a redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, a new policy on U.S. citizenship for children born abroad to surrogates, faster and easier access to Social Security cards for green card applicants, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for residents of Hong Kong.

Temporary Protected Status for Haitians On July 30, USCIS announced how eligible Haitians currently in the United States can apply for TPS. TPS is a temporary immigration status provided to certain nationals whose home countries are experiencing prob-

lems that make it difficult or unsafe to be deported to those countries. TPS allows eligible nationals of the designated countries to live and work in the United States for a specified period.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last designated TPS for Haitians in 2010 following an earthquake in that country that killed thousands of people.

That designation was renewed until 2017 when the Trump administration tried to let it expire. A court blocked this decision throughout the remainder of the Trump presidency.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the renewed TPS designation for Haiti on May 22. The new designation will permit both those Haitians who already have TPS to renew it, and those who were not granted TPS in 2010 to apply for the first time. In explaining the reasons for the designation, Mayorkas pointed to the country’s “serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Haiti’s TPS designation will be in effect for a period of 18 months. USCIS estimates that the designation will allow approximately 155,000 Haitians currently living in the United States to remain and work in the country until February 3, 2023.

The TPS redesignation for Haiti follows similar actions by the Biden administration for Burma, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Deferred Enforced Departure for Residents of Hong Kong USCIS will soon begin accepting applications for DED from certain residents of Hong Kong. DED, like TPS, allows ben-

eficiaries to remain and work in the United States for a specified period of time.

President Biden announced the DED designation for Hong Kong residents on August 5. The president explained the designation by pointing to the erosion of “human rights and fundamental freedoms” of Hong Kong residents under a national security law imposed by the Chinese government. The DED designation will remain in effect for 18 months (until February 5, 2023).

Earlier this year, the Biden administration reinstated DED for Liberia on January 20, and the Trump administracontinued on page 14

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14

IIMMIGRATION This policy ends unjust discrimination against same-sex couples whose children are born outside the country through surrogacy.

tion designated Venezuela for DED on January 19.

New policy on U.S. citizenship for children born abroad to surrogates On August 5, USCIS announced a revised interpretation of U.S. immigration law that will allow children born abroad to parents who used “assisted reproductive technology” (ART)—such as surrogacy—to qualify for lawful permanent residence and U.S. citizenship.

Previously, the agency required that a child’s genetic parents be married to one another for the child to be considered eligible for permanent residence or citizenship.

Under the new policy, children born abroad to married couples that include a U.S. citizen will not need to have a biological connection to the U.S.-citizen parent in order to be meet the eligibility requirements. The child will be considered eligible as long as one parent is a U.S. citizen and one parent is either genetically related to or gave birth to the child.

Social Security Cards for Green Card Applicants On August 9, USCIS announced that green card applicants can now apply for a Social Security number or a replacement Social Security card as part of the application process. Before this announcement, individuals had to apply for a Social Security number or replacement card at a Social Security office— completely separate from the immigration process.

Thanks to the change, the form for a green card—the “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,” or Form I-485—will now include questions which provide the information needed to apply for a Social Security number or replacement card. That information will be transmitted electronically to the Social Security Administration, which will then automatically assign an original Social Security number or issue a replacement card, saving immigrants a visit to the Social Security office.

USCIS has been busy this year restoring the access of noncitizens to some of its programs, while also increasing the efficiency of other programs. Although much work remains to be done, these are steps in the right direction.l

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Fenty Beauty: How Make-up Helped Rihanna Become a Billionaire

BY MANISH PANDEY & LINDSAY BROWN NEWSBEAT REPORTERS, BBC NEWS

W

hen Rihanna released her single ... Better Have My Money in 2015, you might have thought she was talking about royalties from No.1 hits like We Found Love or Diamonds.

But it's the income she makes from her Fenty Beauty cosmetics company that was largely responsible for her officially becoming a billionaire last week.

Rihanna, 33, launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in a partnership with luxury goods company LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton).

Radio 1 Newsbeat has been speaking to beauty experts to find out the secrets to Fenty's massive success.

'Diversity with no barriers up' Rihanna said the aim of Fenty was to appeal to "every type of woman" with "all skin tones".

"In every product I was like: 'There needs to be something for a dark-skinned girl; there needs to be something for a really pale girl; there needs to be something in-between,'" she told Refinery29 in 2017.

That commitment is what stands out for beauty writer Jessica Morgan.

"Rihanna's approached diversity with no barriers up. She ensured there were plenty of ranges across the board that were accessible to everyone," the 28-year-old says.

Fenty foundation is now offered in 50 shades and has led to the so-called "Fenty

Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

effect" where rival brands broadened their shade ranges for make-up products.

Jessica uses foundation from the range and says though it shouldn't have felt like it at the time, it was "revolutionary" when it launched in 2017.

"I was able to find the exact shade match to my skin, which has been the bane of my life since I was born," she says.

"There are other brands who have championed diversity, but this was something fresh that Fenty really brought on."

It wasn't just about the darker shades either.

"I remember some of my friends who were super pale growing up and their foundation always had an orange hue," says Chinazo Ufodiama, who hosts the Unpretty podcast. "[Rihanna] was like: 'Hey pale sisters, I've got you too.'"

Fenty was one of the first brands not to

market their make-up exclusively to women too.

"The whole idea of not targeting beauty and fragrance to a particular gender has really taken off," beauty journalist Amber Graffland says.

"The old-fashioned idea of a beauty hall for affluent women of a certain age is dead and buried."

— and it's clearly in cruelty-free, diverse, inclusive brands," she says.

Jessica adds that the cruelty-free label is a great marketing strategy because it keeps it out of the limelight for controversy-loving social media users.

"Being in 2021, there's no excuse to not have all those ethical elements in your products."

The rise and rise of Fenty Beauty Rihanna is worth $1.7bn (£1.2bn), with an estimated $1.4bn coming from the value of Fenty Beauty. Forbes—the business magazine that announced she'd become a billionaire - says she owns 50% of the cosmetics company. The star launched Fenty Beauty in 1,600 stores across 17 countries in 2017. The company reportedly made $100m (£72m) in its first 40 days.

It makes more money than other celebrity-founded beauty brands such as Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics, Kim Kardashian's KKW Beauty and Jessica Alba's Honest Company, Forbes says.

The rest of Rihanna's fortune mostly comes from her stake in her lingerie company, Savage X Fenty, worth an estimated $270m (£194m), and her earnings from music and acting.

'It feels like you're part of a gang' Fenty's social media strategy also makes it stand out from the crowd, Chinazo says.

"It almost reminds me of the days where I was getting ready with my girls before a night out and we were passing around make-up—that's how it feels when you're scrolling through that Instagram feed."

Amber agrees Fenty's social media game has made it shine.

"Fenty was the first brand to really rip up the rule book and talk to a generation in the way they wanted to be spoken to."

Cruelty-free ethics Fenty's website states it's a cruelty-free brand that doesn't test products or ingredients on animals.

Amber says it "really has led the way", showing up bigger brands as "out of touch" for not acting sooner.

"Consumers are more savvy and knowledgeable than ever. They shop around and only put their money where their heart is

The Rihanna factor It's hard to discount the star power of Rihanna in making Fenty a business phenomenon.

While many fans have been waiting eagerly since 2016 for new music, a quick look at her Instagram page with 103 million followers shows more Fenty than music.

"I think what people really love about her is the connection to the brand. You can see she uses and speaks about the products in a really authentic way," says Jessica.

And in case you missed it, Rihanna's just added a perfume to her Fenty collection.

It seems becoming a billionaire hasn't stopped her entrepreneurial drive. l

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17

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

8 Signs You Shouldn't Tie the Knot

G

that eventually, your secrets will come out. It might be five, fifteen, or thirty years down the line, but it will happen.

It's not fair to marry someone if you have secrets that affect them and may be a determining factor in getting married to you.

1. Don't get married if you don't want to be married That might seem obvious, but if you aren't ready to be married or have always known you don't want to be married, don't do it. If you're not dating with the intention of ever getting married, the people you date should know this and accept it. If someone pressures you to change your mind, this may result in you getting married when you don't want to.

5. Don't get married if you can't compromise Marriage is not about giving up who you are, but being willing to compromise is crucial. You might be passionate about video games or movies, but you cannot spend all your free time with these things. It's unreasonable to expect your partner to accept that you play video games non-stop for six or eight hours. If you feel that you can't limit the amount of time you spend on specific activities, getting married isn't fair to your spouse.

BY MARY CAMPBELL 311DIVORCE.COM

etting married isn't a decision you want to take lightly. Many factors go into deciding if you should tie the knot. Here are eight signs you shouldn't consider marrying the person you're dating.

2. Don't get married if you want to stop dating Getting married isn't an excuse to stop dating your spouse. It's as essential to date after you're married as it is before.

If you've already finished the dating phase of your relationship, it's unreasonable to expect things to get better after marriage. Dating helps to keep a relationship exciting. It's a chance to spend time alone together and try new things.

3. Don't get married if you think it will end your loneliness Getting married will not end your loneliness. If you're already lonely in your life or your relationship, marriage is not a cure for that. It's vital that you learn to be comfortable being alone and not feeling lonely when you are your only company.

You cannot rely on your spouse to keep you constant company if you don't have friends, family, or hobbies of your own.

4. Don't get married if you have secrets Going into a marriage with secrets is a recipe for disaster. It's safe to assume

6. Don't get married if you hope your partner will change If you have the idea in your head that getting married will cause your spouse to become domestic suddenly, stop hanging out with friends, or want lots of babies, then you should think again.

Marriage doesn't change a person. If the person you are marrying says they don't want children, believe them. If they are messy and don't do dishes, this will stay likely stay the same.

7. Don't get married if you feel like you have to keep up with friends If your friends all seem to be getting married and having kids, you might feel the pressure to do so as well. You should only get married when you've met someone you love and with whom you see a future. Getting married because you don't want to be the last single person in your group is the worst reason to do so.

It means you will probably end up marrying someone who isn't right for you. If you want a successful marriage, don't rush into it just because everyone else is getting married.

8. Don't get married if you can't discuss anything with the person you're dating It's easy to have fun, laugh, and discuss happy topics, but can you talk about the more difficult things with them? You can't avoid the hard subjects forever.

When you're going through a difficult time, you should be able to talk to your partner and lean on and feel comfortable crying in front of them. If you need to hide these moments, they might not be the person you want to marry.

Before you decide to get married, make sure you understand what goes into a marriage. l

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18

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

The Barbados Evening at Son Cubano a Huge Success

BY VICTORIA FALK

O

n Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. hosted a fabulous event at the upscale Son Cubano Restaurant and Bar, located in West New York, New Jersey. The premier award-winning restaurant was a great choice of venues for Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. to meet with valued Travel Agent partners from New York and New Jersey. In addition to Travel Agent partners, the Editor of Caribbean American Weekly, Ms. Pearl Phillip, and the founder of the Barbados-American International Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Brian Figeroux, were specially invited guests for the evening.

The Barbados Evening was scheduled to start at 6:30 pm. However, Travel Agents began pouring into the venue early and mingled while they waited for the event to start. By 6:10 pm, the event space was already filling up with smiling Travel Agents who were eager to hear updates on Barbados travel and tourism.

The Travel Agents who entered the room around 6:30pm were surprised to see they had to search for open seats because

Deborah Millington. Photo: Mario Figeroux

the venue was already packed with their Travel Agent partners.

Guests were welcomed with rum punch and hor d'oeuvres, and a trade show event. Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.'s Business Development Officer, Ms. Deborah Millington, worked double duty that evening as the event host and one of the event's presenters. Ms. Millington

Travel agents.. Photo: Mario Figeroux

kicked off the program with her presentation that reminded guests of some of the reasons why Barbados is an excellent choice of travel destinations. "Barbados is the culinary capital of the Caribbean.

Food is good everywhere," said Deborah Millington to the New York and New Jersey Travel Agents and specially invited guests, as they enjoyed guacamole

with plantain and taro root chips, watermelon salad, roasted chicken, jerk spiced halibut, toasted coconut flan, rum punch, and more; compliments of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and their sponsors.

In addition to Ms. Millington, several presenters in the room representing major hotels and resorts in Barbados attended the event to share updates and information about their properties. Each of the presenters appeared ready and eager to speak to the crowd of Travel Agents and specially invited guests.

Lynette Dmuchowski and Crystelle Casimir were there representing Hilton Barbados. Albert Oliveto represented Elegant Hotels of Barbados by Marriott International.

Kristen Moore and Lindsey Sciandra updated the crowd on Destinations by Distinction representing Port Ferdinand, St. Peter's Bay, O2 Beach Club and Spa, and Sea Breeze Beach House. Tevin Stewart and Beatriz Peneda represented Sandals Royal and Sandals Barbados, while Rick Troiano gave an update on Bougainvillea Beach Resort and Sugar Bay Barbados.

Important updates shared regarding Barbados travel: The 12 Month Barbados Welcome Stamp is available now. The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, encourages remote workers who want to work and live in Barbados to apply online for this special Visa. Visit https://barbadoswelcomestamp.bb Before your next trip to Barbados, download the BIMSafe App. The mobile app was developed by the Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness and is a tool to assist in stopping the spread of Covid-19.

The app monitors a location and Covid19 symptoms.

Go to https://bimsafe.gov.bb l Victoria Falk is the award-winning CEO of Passionate Travel Inc

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19

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

Gratitude: Pass It On been on your mind lately, give them a call and ask how they've been doing.

Even doing someone as small as sending a text or email to let them know you care can mean a lot.

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

T

here's nothing more rewarding — for yourself and those around you — than to live your life with an attitude of gratitude. Not only does being grateful for what you have make you a happier person — but it also shows others in your life just how much you value them. Here are some tips on how to show your gratitude toward others.

Thank People When They Do Something Nice for You One of the easiest ways to express your gratitude to someone after they have done something nice for you is to simply tell them thank you. For instance, whenever someone gives you a gift, invites you to join them on an outing, or offers you their well wishes, you need to make it a point to personally thank them. By thanking them, you let them know that you appreciate their act of kindness and generosity. While handwriting a thank you note might sound a bit old fashion, don't overlook its power in expressing gratitude. Most people consider a handwritten note more thoughtful than sending an electronic (text or email) message.

Include Others In Your Plans Another way to express your gratitude to

others is by including them in your plans.

For example, you can likely think of someone to invite when you are planning an outing like catching a ballgame, attending a concert, or even just going out to eat at your favorite restaurant.

Take the time to invite someone.

Chances are, they will really appreciate you asking. It's common for people to feel left out when all of their family and friends seem really busy. Therefore, you can make someone feel good by knowing that you want to include them in your plans.

Buy or Cook a Meal for Someone as a Thoughtful Gesture Food is one of the best ways to warm someone's heart, as well as show them how much you appreciate them. If you

have a friend, family member, or colleague who has been especially busy, surprise them with a meal. For instance, if you know their favorite food, you could cook it for them or buy a meal from one of their favorite restaurants.

Very few people will say no to a free meal. In fact, most people will feel really special after you take them time to cook or buy food for them.

Reach Out to Others As mentioned, people can feel left out sometimes in life. Furthermore, it isn't that uncommon for people to also get lonely — especially if they don't have a lot of friends and/or family around.

However, you have the power to make people feel cared for and appreciated by reaching out to them. If someone has

Lend a Helping Hand to Those in Need Lastly, one of the best ways to show your gratitude toward others is by offering to help them when they have a need. For example, let's say that a friend is moving to a new apartment. You could ask them if they need any help packing and moving. If you aren't able to help them pack/move, you could offer to get them some moving boxes and packing material. Even if they decline your offer for assistance, they will likely still appreciate it. Plus, they might return the favor by helping you someday.

In short, don't go through life without expressing your gratitude for those who mean a lot to you. Take the time to tell others thank you when they do something nice for you, as well as include them in your plans. If you know someone who has had a lot on their plate lately, cook or buy them a meal. Furthermore, you should reach out to those who might be lonely and isolated from others. If you know someone who has a need, offer to help them meet it if you can.l

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HEALTH

What Are COVID-19 Variants and How Can You Stay Safe As They Spread? A Doctor Answers 5 Questions The World Health Organization uses similar classifications, but their definitions may differ from the CDC’s U.S.based ones, as variant features and effects may differ by geographic location.

BY LILLY CHENG IMMERGLUCK THE CONVERSATION

W

ith the delta variant making up over 93% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. at the end of July 2021, questions arise about how to stay protected against evolving forms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Dr. Lilly Cheng Immergluck of Morehouse School of Medicine answers some common questions about variants and what you can do to best protect yourself.

1. What are variants and how do they emerge?

Viruses mutate over time to adapt to their environment and improve their survival.

Over the course of the pandemic, SARSCoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has mutated enough to change both its ability to spread through the population and its ability to infect people.

These new strains are called variants.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently classifies variants into three categories, listed in order of least to most concerning: Variant of Interest (VOI): Have features that may reduce your immune system’s ability to prevent infection. For example, you might have heard of VOI eta, iota or kappa.

Variant of Concern (VOC): Are less responsive to treatments or vaccines and

more likely to evade diagnostic detection. They tend to be more transmissible, or contagious, and result in more severe infections. Alpha and delta are VOCs, for instance.

Variant of High Consequence (VOHC): Are significantly less responsive to existing diagnostic, prevention and treatment options. They also result in more severe infections and hospitalizations. There have not been any VOHCs identified so far.

2. Are variants always more harmful?

A variant may be more or less dangerous than other strains depending on the mutations in its genetic code. Mutations can affect attributes like how contagious a viral variant is, how it interacts with the immune system or the severity of the symptoms it triggers.

For example, the alpha variant is more transmissible than the original form of SARS-CoV-2. Studies show it’s somewhere between 43% to 90% more contagious than the virus that was most common at the start of the pandemic. Alpha also is more likely to cause severe disease, as indicated by increased rates of hospitalization and death after infection.

continued on page 21

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HEALTH COVID-19 Variants/ continued from page 20 Even more extreme, the delta variant is reported to be nearly twice as contagious as previous strains and may cause even more severe disease among those who are unvaccinated. The viral load of those infected with delta – meaning the amount of virus detected from the nasal passages of an infected person – is also reported to be over 1,000 times higher than in those infected with the original form of SARSCoV-2. Recent evidence also suggests that both unvaccinated and vaccinated people carry similar viral loads, further contributing to the especially contagious nature of this variant.

3. Which variants are most common in the US? Over the course of a few months, the delta variant has become the predominant strain in the U.S., accounting for the vast majority of COVID-19 cases at the end of July 2021.

But there are regional variations across the country. As of July 31, the CDC estimated that the alpha variant represented over 3% of cases identified in a region of eight states that includes Georgia, Florida and Tennessee, compared with less than 1% in the region that includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

The CDC tracks variants in cooperation with state health departments and other public health agencies. COVID-19 infection samples from across the country are

genetically sequenced each week to identify existing and new variants.

And new variants will likely continue to appear as the virus evolves. Delta plus, for instance, is a sub-lineage of delta. The effects of this subvariant are yet to be determined.

4. How are vaccines holding up against variants?

Researchers are working to figure out how effective the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use in the U.S. are at preventing infection from variants in “real-world” conditions where variant distribution and frequency constantly change. Several preliminary studies that have not yet been peer-reviewed suggest that these vaccines are still effective in preventing COVID-19-related serious infections and death.

No vaccine is perfect, however, and breakthrough COVID-19 infections are possible in those who are vaccinated.

Older adults and those with immunocompromising conditions may be at increased risk to have these breakthrough infections.

Thankfully, fully vaccinated individu-

als generally experience milder COVID19 infections. For example, a study analyzing COVID-19 cases in England estimated that two doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine are 93.7% effective in preventing symptomatic disease from the alpha variant and 88% effective from delta. A different study in Ontario, Canada, that is not yet peer-reviewed reported that the Moderna vaccine is 92% effective in preventing symptomatic disease from alpha.

5. How can I stay safe?

How cautious you should be depends on a number of individual and external factors.

One factor is whether you’re fully vaccinated. Nearly all - 99.5% - of COVID19 deaths in the U.S. over the past few months were among unvaccinated people.

The most recent CDC guidelines recommend that everyone wear a mask in areas of substantial or high transmission, regardless of whether or not they’re vaccinated. More caution should especially be taken if you aren’t fully vaccinated or have a weakened immune system.

Another factor to consider is the level of community transmission and the proportion of unvaccinated people in your local community. For example, someone who lives in an area that is below the national average for COVID-19 vaccinations may have a higher chance of encountering someone who is unvaccinated – and so more likely to spread the

coronavirus – than someone in an area with higher vaccination rates.

Finally, there are still a significant number of people who are at high risk of COVID-19, including children. As of Aug. 3, 2021, only 29.1% of children ages 12 to 15, and 40.4% of those ages 16 and 17, had been fully vaccinated. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association note that 4,292,120 total child COVID-19 cases had been reported as of Aug. 5. Children make up 14.3% of reported COVID-19 cases. If your child is unvaccinated, the best way you can protect them and other unvaccinated members of your household is to get yourself vaccinated and have everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

Guidelines provided by public health agencies are simply that – general guidelines. They are not tailored to be prescriptive for each individual and their personal risk assessments.

Vaccines remain the best protection against every strain of the novel coronavirus. But masking, social distancing and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces add extra layers of protection against breakthrough infections and lower your risk of inadvertently spreading the virus.l

Lilly Cheng Immergluck is a Professor of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine

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here’s something about Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, that produces world-class athletes. Jamaica began competing in the Olympics in 1948. Since then, the country’s athletes have accrued a total of 78 medals in summer games – 22 gold, 35 silver and 21 bronze.

One medal was in cycling and the rest were in track and field events. Thirtyseven of those 78 medals were won by athletes born in Trelawny, Jamaica. That number doesn’t reflect wins in the 2021 Olympics games. Here is a list of a few notable athletes born in Trelawny.

Merlene Ottey The sprinter is of Jamaican-Slovenian ancestry. She represented Jamaica for 24 years before representing Slovenia from 2002-2012. She earned 3 second place medals at the Olympics and 6 third place medals. She was known as the Bronze Queen due her number of bronze medals.

She’s tied with Allyson Felix for the most medals of any woman in track and field history.

Veronica Campbell-Brown She represented Jamaica, winning 3

Bolt celebrates winning gold medal Editorial credit: Salty View / Shutterstock.com

gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals, competing in sprint and relay events. In 2000, she made history in the women’s 4x100m, marking the first time that Jamaica won the event in the Olympics.

Sanya Richards-Ross Representing the U.S., she won 4 first place and 1 third place medal in the individual and team 400m relay. She ranks as the No. 7 woman performer of all time.

and is the first to hold two world record times at the same time at the Olympics.

Usain Bolt Dubbed “Lightning Bolt” due to his extreme speed, he represented Jamaica when he won all 8 of his gold medals.

Considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time, he holds several world records

Michael Frater Representing Jamaica in the 2012 Olympics, the sprinter took the gold in the 4×100 relay. He also set the world record and Olympic record at the 2012 and 2008 Olympics, respectively.l

Warren Weir A sprinter, he earned 3 bronze medals in the 200m at the 2012 Olympics while representing Jamaica. His win made it a clean sweep for Jamaicans, the first time Jamaican men achieved that distinction at the Olympics.

Jamaica's Women Mine Olympic Gold in 4x100m

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he Jamaican female quartet of Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson comprising the women 4x100m team, gave their country an independence gift on August 6, clocking a national record 41.02 seconds at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, for Jamaica's first gold in the event since 2004 in Athens.

Hunting victory for Jamaica, Briana Williams was fast out of the blocks putting Jamaica narrowly ahead at the first changeover, with the 19-year-old handing the baton to Thompson-Herah.

Running in lane eight, Thompson-Herah handed over to Fraser-Pryce, who then ran a smooth bend and was ahead as she reached Shericka Jackson on the final leg.

Jackson couldn't be caught running a powerful sprint on the anchor leg, and

Photo courtesy:WiredJA.com

she strode towards victory, staying well ahead of the USA's 200m bronze medalist, Gabby Thomas. Thomas brought the US team home second in 41.45 for the nation's record-extending 16th Olympic medal. A solid final leg by Daryll Neita saw Great Britain, who had run a national record of 41.55 in the heats, come through for bronze in 41.88.

Jamaica had been second in the last two

Olympic Games, 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio, while winning the gold at the most recent World Championships in Doha in 2019.

It was the third gold for ThompsonHerah to add to her sprint double triumph earlier in the Games.

The USA was second in 41.45 seconds and Great Britain third in 41.88 seconds.l

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23

GENERATIONS

Life, Death and Compassion: Education and Empowerment at the End of Life

BY LINDA NWOKE WILLSANDESTATES.NYC

F

rancis Bacon, an English philosopher, once wrote that 'knowledge is power and "It is natural to die as to be born."

Arguably, the notion of life and death is an oxymoron, but in reality, death is a part of life; none can exist without the other. Yet, the topic of death is difficult to discuss. Thoughts of the death of a loved one or oneself evoke an array of tumultuous emotions, including an avoidance behavior that often puts one's loved ones in the wrong place in case of this eventuality.

According to a 2017 Center for Disease Control (CDC) report, before the COVID 19 pandemic, an average of 7,708 deaths occurred each day in the United States, with January, February, and December recording the highest average daily number of deaths according to the National Vital Statistics System.

In August 2021, CDC reported over 600,000 COVID 19 related deaths, with close to 42,000 deaths in New York State. The incredible number of deaths

caused by the virus, especially among the aged and elderly, buttresses the importance of planning for times where one is incapable of making certain decisions about one's quality of life.

Around the United States and particularly in New York, the coronavirus pandemic forced many people to confront the issue of death and dying in numerous ways, including discussions about life and death issues among family and friends. Many people had to question their beliefs about death, and some began to question the concept of what makes a good death. Thoughts about dying among loved ones, saying goodbye, passing away peacefully with minimal pain are some of the evidence of a great

transition. A luxury that was denied to many loved ones who died during the pandemic.

Besides the pandemic, the diagnosis of a terminal illness often connotes an end, typically accompanied by episodes of excruciating pain and intolerable suffering, with no effective treatment or palliative care. This situation is often the reality for those living with advanced cases of lung, breast, brain cancer, Parkinson's, or heart disease. The type that Mrs. Stone, who lives in Brooklyn, faced.

After the diagnosis of stage 4 ovarian cancer, which had spread into her lungs and pancreas, she became incapacitated, and the medication only made her feel worse. She desperately wanted an end to

the intolerable pain and agony.

Yet, like others in over 40 states in the US, her team of doctors could not offer any relief beyond the 'ineffective' treatments nor provide other alternatives like medical-aid-in-dying or assisted dying.

An option that would have helped her die quickly but not suggested because of pending legislation. Thus, patients like Jack Gray (Pseudonym) are denied the opportunity to die with dignity on their terms rather than suffer fast-spreading cancer in their internal organs. Such patients, often diagnosed with a terminal illness, have only a few months to live and choose death by dignity or medical aid in dying, enabling them to remain in control of when and how they die. It is an empowering option that allows them to choose to be surrounded by loved ones, bid farewell, and transit peacefully.

In collaboration with the Compassion and Choices Senior Campaign Director, Corinne Carey, Senator Roxanne Persaud organized a forum that discussed the issue of education and empowerment at the end of life. According to the Senator, the forum will help members of the constituents to gather information continued on page 24

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GENERATIONS Life, Death & Compassion/ continued from page 23 and have conversations that enable them to make informed decisions about medical aid in dying.

Across the country, currently, only nine states and the District of Columbia have joined Oregon in passing the Death with Dignity Act (1997), permitting doctors to assist patients who have less than six months to live. Patients are professionally certified to be sound-minded and can self-administer the medication without assistance to choose how and when to end their lives.

New York State has not signed the law despite repeated introductions and deliberations, pending since 2016. The director, Ms. Carey, affirmed that if signed, it will not give doctors a blank check to operate, advocating that NYS should follow what other states are already doing.

She explained that across the states, the eligibility requirements remain consistent. Patients must have a terminal illness, be 18 years and above, have at least two doctors confirm the 'less than six months to live' status, be mentally competent to make the decision, and selfingest the medication.

Despite the arguments, the issue of death and dying remains a sensitive one.

However, not acknowledging, addressing, or preparing for this eventuality is foolhardy for anyone, especially the

communities most affected by health disparities.

Dr. Jeff Gardere, a psychologist, and ordained Interfaith minister, explained that studies have shown that black women with breast cancer are likely to die four times than white women. So does the lack of palliative care, where black Americans are more likely to die on machinery in ICU more than white.

The proclaimed "America's Psychologist" reiterated the need for people of color to become empowered with knowledge and information on endof-life care. "… health disparities are caused from lack of information, lack of compassion in our health care … poverty, an implicit bias which has all led to us not trusting our health system … Fewer people of color have put their end of life in place. People of color don't know about the treatment of hospice care; they think they cannot afford it…" he says.

"Advance care planning is essential because it focuses on the patient's treatment preferences, personal values, and care advocate. It's about the individual's values, goals and generally experiencing less distress towards the end of life," he explained. As a minister, Dr. Jeff revealed support is rendered through the process.

Most practitioners struggle with the option from a medical perspective because of the training and oath to protect lives. Dr. Sonja Richmond, a practic-

ing Internal Medicine and Hospice Physician noted that providing end-oflife care should be part of the medical training curriculum since informing patients about the option is part of their duty. "Health care providers need to have this training in medical school…they need to realize that they are not a failure by not providing a cure since we have been trained to be that anchor and solve problems."

She explained that from experience, the discussion about hospice care often takes place under stressful circumstances and is shrouded in misconceptions. "The discussions surrounding hospice care often happens in a stressful environment and do not give people time to mourn and grief properly. Hospice care is a treatment option. It is electing to be in charge, deciding to have the quality of life, it gives the patient a voice, and it goes wherever you call home. The goal of a hospice is that you are in charge. You create a community and environment for support."

Addressing some of the misconceptions of hospice -care, such as the perception that hospice care means no treatment can be rendered and confinement to living in a facility. Dr. Richmond elaborated that "…it is electing treatment, given under the option of being cared for, ending your suffering, and it is not assisted death by a medical aide." The hospice provides a presence and creates a beautiful envi-

ronment. There is no end but transitions."

The Senior Campaign Director explained that even if State lawmakers in NYS authorize the option of death with dignity for New Yorkers, she reassured members of the public that there are safeguards against abuse, reiterating the advantages to members of the public. "The law will empower people to relieve their suffering and serve as a strong conscience protection."

She also clarified that patients could not be forced into taking the option because there are several milestones before the final step. "There are a lot of steps to be followed, every step gives the room for an evaluation, there is a mental capacity check, and the person who has the prescription must lead on the entire process."

She acknowledges that families and patients are often hesitant to adopt the option out of their belief system despite all the benefits. "We don't want to have the conversation because we don't want to acknowledge that it is the end, we believe in miracles, families have a hard time facing the fact that it might be the end, and trained doctors to provide a cure." Yet, it is the patients' right to know. Expanding end-of-life care options allows medical practitioners to share alternatives that could give dying terminally ill persons the choice to avoid unnecessary end-of-life suffering.l

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CONVERSATIONS

Hochul’s Past Push to Arrest Immigrants Resurfaces as She Readies to Replace Cuomo Kathy Hochul the former congresswoman,” said Sen. Jessica Ramos (DQueens), who represents a district with a large immigrant population. “We see what legislators are made of in the same way that we see what human beings are made of over time. I’m hoping she continues this pattern of acknowledging and respecting not only the existence but the ability of all New Yorkers to thrive.”

BY SAMANTHA MALDONADO AND JOSEFA VELASQUEZ, THE CITY

L

t. Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking publicly for the first time as New York’s governor-to-be, insisted Wednesday she’s “evolved” since fighting against driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants by threatening them with possible arrest and deportation.

Her political record has drawn new scrutiny in the wake of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation announcement Tuesday amid a sexual harassment scandal. She’s slated on Aug. 24 to become the first woman to lead New York’s 19 million residents — more than a fifth of whom are foreign born.

“Our immigrants need that,” Hochul told THE CITY during a news conference in Albany, referring to the licenses.

“They need to be able to get to their jobs and parents need to take kids to doctor’s appointments.”

The Buffalo Democrat’s remarks represent an about-face from a stance that originally helped launch her into a statewide political spotlight.

In 2007, while serving as the Erie County clerk, Hochul threatened to arrest

Albany, NY - August 11, 2021:Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul Addresses People of New York at State Capitol Building Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

undocumented immigrants who applied for driver’s licenses. Then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer sought to reinstate access to driver’s licenses for all after his predecessor, George Pataki, began requiring Social Security numbers for applicants in the wake of 9/11.

“I had taken a position that has now evolved,” Hochul said Wednesday in the most-watched appearance so far of a long career in politics. “And that evolution coincides with the evolution of many people in the State of New York.”

In recent years, Hochul, who briefly represented Buffalo in Congress before

first being elected lieutenant governor in 2014, has changed course as Democratic politics have shifted leftward. She wrote an op-ed in May 2019 seeking to reassure New Yorkers on the fence that any safety concerns are quelled by the state’s so-called Green Light law.

As Hochul promised to “fight like hell” for New Yorkers in her new role, immigration advocates eyed her past with equal parts skepticism and hope — saying she’ll now have the power to show how far she’s come.

“I’ve been much more fond of Kathy Hochul the lieutenant governor than

‘Making Up to Do’ One of Hochul’s biggest challenges as she takes office will be spearheading New York’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Advocates say the key to her success may come down to how she incorporates New York’s approximately 4.4 million immigrants in that effort.

“She will not be able to rebuild our state’s economy if she does not step up for immigrant New Yorkers who have always been essential for our recovery effort and essential to our state throughout history,” said Murad Awawdeh, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “She has a lot of making up to do…. This is an opportunity for her to really partner with us to figure out what is going to really transform our state and allow everyone in it to thrive.”

Aside from being the first female governor, Hochul would be the first in generations not to hail from New York City or the surrounding suburbs, areas of the state with a rich immigrant population.

Hochul’s reputation as a center-right Democrat is in part rooted in her 2007 fight against Spitzer’s proposal to issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

In her capacity as the Erie County clerk, she and the Niagara County clerk, a Republican, worked with law enforcement to cook up a plan to arrest undocumented New Yorkers when they applied for licenses.

At the time, Hochul said the threat of arrest would deter undocumented immigrants from seeking licenses, a form of ID that could “[give] them cover.” She couched her plan as a way to uphold both state and federal laws.

In 2014, as a candidate for lieutenant governor, she released a video defending her Democratic record, touting her work drafting “a law that gave a path to citizenship to millions” as an aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Monyihan, as well as her support for the Dream Act, which would allow undocumented college students access to state financial aid.

‘Putting Up Barriers’ But Hochul’s history opposing licenses for the undocumented again came under fire during the 2018 gubernatorial race, continued on page 26

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CONVERSATIONS Hochul’s Past/ continued from page 25 when actress Cynthia Nixon and city Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — who were candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively — pushed for the cause.

By then, Hochul, running alongside Cuomo for re-election, had flipped. She indicated she supported granting licenses for undocumented New Yorkers, following the governor’s lead. The reason she gave was that times had changed — but that she still believed the federal government should lead on immigration reform.

Only two years later, in 2019, did Cuomo reluctantly sign a bill allowing undocumented New Yorkers to get licenses. He dragged his feet after raising safety concerns about the bill, punting the responsibility to State Attorney General Letitia James.

At the time, the governor’s office had privately told the attorney general’s office that allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses didn’t poll well and could hurt the administration politically, according to people with knowledge of the talks.

James, in her first big break with Cuomo — who had endorsed her run for attorney general — deemed the legislation constitutional, effectively forcing the governor’s hand.

It was James’ report detailing multiple sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo that led to his plan to resign,

Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon and NYS senate candidate Jessica Ramos Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

turning over the state’s most powerful office to Hochul.

Immigration advocates have chalked up the victories out of the Cuomo administration to pressuring him to do what they see as the right thing. They say passing the driver’s license bill fit into that pattern — as did securing Excluded Workers Fund, a $2.1 billion pool of aid for undocumented workers who weren’t eligible for pandemic assistance through unemployment benefits and stimulus checks.

“What we’ve seen from the executive chamber for the last decade has been effectively putting up barriers to [supporting] the communities’ needs, and there needs to be an immediate course correction to prioritize the needs and rights of community members,” said Daniel Altschuler, co-executive director of Make the Road Action.

A spokesperson for Cuomo did not immediately comment.

Opportunities to Act A top priority for the Hochul administration should be to make the Excluded Workers Fund more accessible for those who need it, Altschuler and Awawdeh said. The same goes for easing the process of securing a license.

“We did licenses-for-all here, but the reality is there’s a lot of bureaucracy and red tape that has limited us. What can she do to push to facilitate that?” said Melissa Mark-Viverito, a former City Council speaker who has long supported Hochul in spite of their stark differences on immigration.

“There’s an opportunity here for her to really lay out…how she can be an ally towards immigrant communities in the state of New York and really work towards repairing that harm she inflicted in the past,” Mark-Viverito added.

Other priorities on immigration advocates’ agenda for Hochul include allowing undocumented immigrants to pur-

chase health insurance from the state exchange and creating a statewide right to counsel for low-income immigrants facing deportation.

They also want her help in passing the New York for All Act, which would limit how state and local law enforcement officials share information with federal immigration enforcement authorities.

A Democratic majority in both the Senate and Assembly — many of whom are pro-immigrant and part of the party’s left wing — may push Hochul to further protections for New Yorkers no matter their citizenship status.

“She’s going to be working with a state Legislature that has more women and more people of color than ever before in the history of New York, and she’d be wise to have an agenda that reflects the needs of all New Yorkers,” Ramos said.

She reflected on a recent visit Hochul made to Corona, Queens — a neighborhood at the epicenter of the pandemic and where residents are struggling to recover — as a hopeful sign of the soonto-be governor’s progress.

Hochul, Ramos noted, had connected well with “many of my neighbors, regardless of documentation, and regardless of whether they can speak English or not.”l

This story was published on August 5, 2021 by THE CITY.

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