Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 161

Petition Drive to Biden Renews Calls for Garvey Pardon

his birthplace.

BY VINETTE K. PRYCE

Arenewed

effort to mobilize sup port for a presidential pardon for Jamaica’s first national hero is now in effect after recently re-launching during the anniversary birthday week of Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

Jump-started by Pulitzer Prize winning author Karen Hunter, the movement was resuscitated after the first Black presi dent of the USA failed to respond to the mostly-Jamaican-led campaign that called for the exoneration of the PanAfrican proponent who was charged with mail fraud, imprisoned and deported to

BY LINDA NWOKE

OnMarch 22, Brian Cunningham, a public servant with over fifteen years of political experience, won the special election for Assembly District 43 in Central Brooklyn. A stiff feat against a group of progressive reformers aiming for the same seat. In June, he won the Primary Elections and will now serve for two years. We recently spoke with

Prior to the Aug. 17 birth date, Hunter implored her Sirius XM listening audi ence to sign on to petitioning President Joe Biden for a pardon. The hope is to secure 100,000 signatures.

Hunter is reputed for calling to action, progressive reproach to wrongdoings. Her cutting edge approach to tackling offensive and racist issues has earned her numerous awards and respect from a grateful audience.

Seven years ago, she initiated a petition to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse building after

Hon Marcus Garvey

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 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor 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 630 Third Avenue, 7th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017

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, 4th 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 to www.cawnyc.com/directory

As COVID-19 Continues to Impact the Americas, Dwindling Vaccination Rates Leave Countries Susceptible to Polio and Other Preventable Diseases Washington

D.C., Sept 21(PAHO: While COVID-19 continues to take around 4,000 lives each week in the Americas, and monkeypox cases rise, the polio virus has now been detected among unvaccinated communities in New York. In light of this, the Pan American Health Organization Director (PAHO) has called on countries to urgently strengthen sur veillance and routine vaccination cam paigns.

Although the United States has mount ed a swift public health response follow ing the detection, polio is a disease that “I never expected to see in our region again,” Dr Etienne said during a media briefing today.

“It’s been nearly 30 years since the Americas became the first global region to wipe out wild polio,” but “dwindling vaccination rates, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, have left many of our populations unprotected.”

Polio, which can spread quickly among communities with insufficient vaccina tion coverage is not a treatable disease but is fully preventable with vaccines. Yet today, vaccination coverage has fall en below 80% in nearly all of South America, and 12 countries in the region are at High or Very High risk of experi encing an outbreak.

PAHO has been working closely with the United States and has issued several alerts to Member States to remain vigi lant and take measures to proactively reach unvaccinated populations with a

polio vaccine.

“We must not take the lifesaving power of vaccines for granted,” said Dr. Etienne.

The PAHO Director also urged coun tries of the region to step up their COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, par ticularly in the Caribbean, where a num ber of islands are falling behind. “If we remain committed, we can keep COVID-19 under control,” she said. “Not by ignoring it but by continuing to make use of the many tools we have at our disposal to trace, and most impor tantly prevent, infections.”

This includes public health measures that must be promoted, particularly “in places where many remain unvaccinated, or where cases are climbing.”

Turning to the monkeypox outbreak in the region, the PAHO Director warned that cases are also on the rise in parts of the Americas and while deaths remain extremely rare, those with weakened immune systems are at risk of complica tions from monkeypox infection.

PAHO has been working on the expan sion of testing capacity in the region but countries must “act now to control the spread,” particularly while vaccine sup plies remain limited.

Active engagement of affected commu nities is crucial, urged Dr. Etienne. Testing and contact tracing can also have a significant impact on reducing trans mission.

As PAHO prepares to meet with Ministers of Health from across the region at the Pan American Sanitary Conference, Dr. Etienne highlighted the opportunity to discuss challenges towards ensuring health in the region and make agreements on how to move for ward.

This landmark event is not only a chance to look back and learn from the past but also an “opportunity to look towards the future and our vision of a more equitable region, in which we work together to improve health for all,” she said.l

CARICOM Congratulates St Kitts & Nevis on 39th Independence Anniversary St.

Kitts and Nevis celebrates its thirty-ninth independence anniver sary on September 19, 2022.

I n extending congratulations on behalf of the Community, CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett, hailed the country’s progress since inde pendence and the valuable contribution it has made to the Community.

Here is the Secretary-General’s message to Prime Minster of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew.

“Honorable Prime Minister:

I wish to extend, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), congratulations to you and to the Government and People of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis on the

occasion of the country’s Thirty-Ninth Anniversary of Independence which is being celebrated under the theme, “Refocus, Re-create, Redesign: Independence 39”.

Honorable Prime Minister, the People of St. Kitts and Nevis can be proud of the progress the country has made since independence. Citizens of the Federation have made their mark regionally and globally, particularly in diplomacy, aca demia and sport, making their country proud.

The valuable contribution made to the Community, especially through leader ship on human resource development, health and HIV/AIDS for which you, Prime Minister, have lead portfolio responsibilities in the Quasi-Cabinet of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government is highly appreciated.

As the country progresses on its path to sustainable development, Honourable Prime Minister, you can be assured of the support of Community and its Secretariat.

In expressing best wishes for the contin ued advancement of St. Kitts and Nevis and the well-being of its People, the Community joins in the celebration of this anniversary.”l

Mayor Eric Adams Recognizes the Contributions of Immigrants at CGI 2022 Meeting

Thankyou, thank you so much.

And to my fellow mayors that are here as well, this engaging con versation… Welcome to the city. We only have one request of you and that is spend money, spend money, spend a lot of money. I was reading the board as I was sitting here and the answer I believe to the question is the last comment. The refugee crisis… I see it as refugee oppor tunities. And oftentimes it's about how do we look at the problems that are facing us. Yesterday I was at one of the events and I shared my days of… My family is from Alabama and we have a large farm there with over 100 acres. And from time to time I would go down and play the farmer, getting out of the city environ ment. And while I was there one day, the tractor broke down that we moved hay from one side of the farm to the next. And I connected a motorcycle to the wagon and drove it over to the other part of the farm. Why is that important? I learned that from Cambodia. They don't have a lot of cars, they use something called tuk-tuk. And I was able to solve a problem because I was able to take the cultural norm of another place on the globe and see how do I use it to identify a problem that's here?

In order to solve global problems, we must have global tables. If the people sit ting around the table to solve the prob lems of the future all look the same, talk the same, went to the same schools, speak the same language, eat the same food, do the same things. Then you're going to have a local solution and it's not going to impact the global problem. Our refugees that are now coming to our cities from all across the globe, 50 per cent of the population are living in cities. Those refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, they're going to bring some thing to our cities. And the answers to the questions clearly lies in the cities. Cities have to deal with the national problem. I walked down the hall today, someone is not going to stop a president and tell him about the failure of garbage pickup. They’re gonna talk to the mayor.

We are closest to the problem and we are closest to the solutions. But the solu

tions must come from a diverse environ ment. Take a recognition of running this event today. Not only listen to the speak ers, but turn on your observation cap. Look at who's serving us. Many of them are first and second generation New Yorkers, coming from somewhere. Walk into your hospitals during COVID. Look at who took care of every New Yorker. Overwhelmingly our nurses and our doc tors, many of them are foreign born but came here and stated they want to partic ipate in the American dream and experi ence. Look at who serves your Uber Eats in your cities. Listen to their dialect and their language. Acknowledge them not only for the delivery of what you asked for, but acknowledge them to see the diversity of who they are. Walk into your restaurants and peek inside the kitchen. Look at the face of your waiter. That's where we are.

You extract the refugees, the immigrant population, the migrants, asylum seek ers. You extract them from our cities and you will find out our cities will collapse. It's not so much they need us. We need them. We need them. And in the midst of COVID, in the midst of COVID, when third, fourth, fifth generation New Yorkers were remotely working, first generation, undocumented, recently arrivals were not home social distancing. They were making sure that you can social distance. And so when people say to them, our new arrivals, our brothers and sisters from across the globe no mat ter what city in America. We’ve all came from somewhere. I know it’s hard to believe. We’ve all did. And so whenever

someone says go back to your country, they should say “We will when you go back to yours.”

So as we embrace this dialogue, as we talk about the opportunities, it's right in front of us. The opportunity is being inclusive. That is why New York City is embracing our brothers and sisters that are coming from parts of the country to participate in the American dream. And that is why if you're from another coun try, embrace those who are bringing their ideas. Cities and countries will be left behind if they are not embracing the ideas of the new cultures that would sit around the table and participate in deal ing with these international and global problems.

COVID was a wake up call for us. The globe came together and say how do we find a vaccine? And because of that glob al participation we were able to save lives, we were able to find answers. So the COVID of housing, the COVID of ending sex trafficking, the COVID of ending homelessness, the COVID of end ing inequalities in healthcare, the COVID of ending how we treat our women across the globe. The COVID crises that we're facing just as we came together to find a medical solution, we can come together and find a global solution of those problems that are facing us. From climate to the climate that we bring in the room on how we treat each other. I'm excited about where we’re going, I'm excited about what we're doing. And the answer lies, in the end of the sentence, our refugees. Thank you very much.l

TEAM

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6

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Mayor Eric Adams. Editorial credit: lev radin

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham on his mission and views about pertinent issues in the community he represents and beyond.

The State Legislator

Cunningham projects a leader convinced that there is an urgent need for action. He said, "Dr. Martin Luther King had a phrase talking about the fierce urgency of the moment. One of those moments is now when you think about the recent shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and Philadelphia this past weekend. There is a sense that we must act quickly as legis lators and people who care about com munities. "

He can also be described as a "commu nity servant." He has almost two decades of service in a job he got into by chance. He revealed that the desire to discover who made decisions on public policy in schools led him to politics. "I remember when I first got involved in politics, I did not incline to want to do politics. I worked at a high school and wanted to find out who made decisions on public policy for schools. Found out it was state lawmakers 160 miles away in Albany."

Thus, his journey started from an internship to become a special assistant to a politician. He was then deputy chief of staff and city council chief of staff

before leading into his present position as a state legislator—all the while serv ing the people. "I was trying to figure out how to solve problems, then realized that policymakers had the capacity. Not only to affect one block, school, community but to reflect a state, became this journey and this hunger to want to do this."

Addressing the Concerns of Immigrant Communities in District 43 While there are several concerns within the immigrant communities, Cunningham says he intends to focus on promoting policies to improve three sig nificant areas of priority:

•Housing challenges for renters and homeowners: "Housing is a huge thing in our community. We've seen rents increase by over 90% in the last few years. So, it's becoming more expensive to live in that community. Property taxes are going up whether you're a renter or a homeowner."

•He also intends to support economic development through capital accessibili ty, "In a heavily dense Caribbean and black American community, we have a lot of people who are entrepreneurs. But they don't have access to capital to start their businesses. I think unleashing that capital to help them kick start that inno vation is essential.”

•A third priority is addressing the public health crisis by supporting the building of top-notch health facilities within the

communities." Over the last two years, Covid-19 ravaged our communities. But now, we are focusing on getting people to a strong health baseline. Health care facilities like Downstate and Kings County will be 21st-century hospitals to help address some of these issues, both in wellness and care."

Criminal Justice Reform

He shared his thoughts on other topics like criminal justice reform. Cunningham recalled his journey into a subject he spent over five years explor ing before becoming a state legislator. He talked about his work at Save Our Streets Brooklyn before moving on to the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, where he developed a better understanding of how to approach the issue. "I'm excited about that work because it gives me a lens on what kind of reforms are needed. People often look at criminal justice reform and conflate that with disregarding public safety. That is far from the truth."

Instead, he sees it as enforcing account ability in the right situation while giving others of less magnitude a second chance at doing right. "We ought to hold violent offenders accountable, but we also should give grace to people who've made mistakes in their youth or even as adults. We can delete those records that are not productive to who they are now after rehabilitation,” he said.

Another area of passion is caring about the seniors, especially as they fall within his district. "The 43rd Assembly District is positioned to be a naturally occurring aging community. So, we should ensure that we provide more senior housing, and we haven't had enough food assistance for seniors, particularly with increasing grocery prices. So those are things that my office is working on."

He is strongly advocating alleviating their housing burden and mitigating the effect of inflation on their nutrition.

"There are so many seniors who don't have children who are in a position to help because they're also rent-burdened. We must do more to provide resources for our seniors. Particularly on housing, which takes 50 to 60% of most people's incomes, salaries, pensions, or their Social Security," he explained.

Cunningham applauded the role of the New York Attorney General in protecting many seniors from defrauders and preda tors in the community. "The Attorney General, Letitia James, has been doing a phenomenal job leading the charge on that and making sure that seniors become victims of deed thefts in Brooklyn."

In closing, Cunningham promised to continue to humbly serve his constituents of the 43rd District.l

Listen to Assemblymember Brian Cunningham’s interview at www.pppradio.nyc Brian Cunningham/

Buying a Short Sale House

Itseems like many people have heard the term “short sale,” but few know what it really is. If the idea of pursu ing a short sale house intrigues you, you’re not alone. Short sales can result in bargains for buyers, but the process takes patience.

The personal financial website, Bankrate, defines a short sale this way: A short sale is when a house is sold for less than what the homeowner owes on it, and the lender or lenders don’t get all their money back. Short sales only occur with the lender’s permission when a home’s value has declined and the mortgage holder owes more than the home is worth. The homeowner not only has no equity, but in fact has negative equity.

Because the market is flooded with short sales, there’s a good chance you’ll run across more than a few anywhere in the U.S. But because the negotiations take time, many find the process — which typ ically takes four to six months — stressful to endure.

However, if you possess the right amount of fortitude, buyers can reap great rewards from a short sale.

It’s wise to remember than simply because a seller isn’t profiting from the sale doesn’t mean they’ll take the first offer that comes along. Bidding wars often erupt before an agent can present the seller with the best offer. Top dollar

doesn’t always rule the day either, as terms and financing play an important role.

While you can wind up with a great home at below market value, there are downsides to short sales. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, also known as Freddie Mac, outlined these pit falls to consider before deciding to bid on a short sale:

Short sales may take longer to close. Lien-holders may need to approve the short sale and that takes time, so if buyers are on a timetable, a short sale may not be ideal.

Short sale properties are often sold on an as-is basis, meaning the sellers won’t make any repairs to the property. The buyer may also incur higher closing costs because the approving lender usually won’t pay for any extras, like inspections.

Sellers may have to pay money at clos ing or agree to an unsecured debt to have the sale approved. If the seller balks, the sale may still fall through.

Need assistance? We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance. Schedule an appointment today. Call us at 888-670-6791.l

The Immigrant's Journal Celebrates 25 Years: Countdown Begins with FREE Immigration Boot Camp

Over the years, immigrants have been demonized, especially dur ing President Trump's adminis tration. Recently, the Texas State Governor, Gregory Abbott, exhibited deplorable behavior by sending many immigrants to New York and other states on buses. Other Republican governors have since joined him. The ongoing inhu mane treatment of immigrants has made them desperate for legalization while striving to survive and feed their fami lies. These have exposed them to fraudu lent schemes run by criminals who steal from them. In some cases, they are caught and sentenced to prison. District Attorney Alvin Bragg says it is one of the issues his office will be "invested in doing more of in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office."

Immigrants who seek to adjust their immigration status can be at risk of being scammed by companies or individuals who provide unauthorized and fraudulent immigration services. Unscrupulous individuals prey on immigrants knowing they are vulnerable and fear complaining

to authorities. The immigrant community is a fragile one. Brian Figeroux of the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates who has been practicing immigration law for almost 25 years and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA shared the following: "When people come to the office with immigration issues, it's a painful situa tion. If they have been taken advantage of and defrauded, they've been here for many years, undocumented, and exploit ed by their employers or fellow people from their own community. So, yes, pain is a common thing."

The Immigrant's Journal, founded in 1998, is about to celebrate 25 years of serving the immigrant community. The Journal proudly offers a FREE 5-week Immigration Boot Camp: An Introduction to US Immigration Law to start the celebrations. Over the five weeks, the topics are as follows:

Week 1, Sept 29: A History of US Immigration from 1869 to 2022. Why Congress Cannot Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Lobbying Techniques

Week 2, Oct 6: Paths to Legalization for Entries in the US With or Without Inspection

Week 3, Oct 13: Consequences of Criminal Activities and Defenses for Deportation

Week 4, Oct 20: Immigration Fraud: Consequences and Solutions

Week 5, Oct 27: Malpractice or Fraud: Lawyers, Notaries and Form Fillers

There will be special presentations from The Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates (AsktheLawyer.us), representatives from the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorneys' Offices, and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. The Boot Camp starts on Thursday, September 29 to October 27, on consecutive Thursdays at 6pm. Sessions are via Zoom. Interested persons can register at immi grationseminar.eventbrite.com l

Thursday, Sept 29-Oct 27 from 6pm via Zoom

Marcus Garvey/ continued from

a deranged racist massacred nine congre gants at a Charleston church. Listeners to her program responded by registering 500,000 signatures Gov. Nikki Haley could not ignore. Within two weeks the offensive banner was removed.

For Garvey’s 135th birthday anniver sary the radio personality decided on revisiting the process of exoneration Cong. Charles B. Rangel introduced in the House of Representatives in 2004, and one President Barack Obama failed to deliver throughout eight years of lead ership.

Using her self-titled, thought-provok ing talk show platform, Hunter invited filmmaker Roy T. Anderson to promote his 85-minute documentary titled “African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey.”

On the show, Anderson revealed how J. Edgar Hoover toiled to malign the repu tation of the Jamaican immigrant who dared to change the mindset of Black Americans.

Although primarily a stuntman/actor, Anderson said he was convinced to make the film by Garvey’s youngest son Julius who endeared him to collaborate.

Allegedly, Dr. Julius Garvey first made the proposition in 2013 while Anderson found himself knee-deep in completing his second film “Nanny: Queen of the Maroons” the follow-up to the docudra ma “Akwantu.”

Himself of maroon descent, the Ridge

Pen, St. Elizabeth native said at the time he was overwhelmed with depicting the true story of the fierce Africans who challenged the British Army.

However, when that document rapped, he pondered the idea, and with great compulsion to honor the Garveys he embarked on attempting to redeem the life and legacy of a misrepresented national.

Also, that the son of the legend would entrust confidence in his ability factored with influencing his decision to delve into another project.

Soon after making his decision, Anderson embarked on an intense expe dition to unearth untold information about the visionary.

He traveled to Ghana, Jamaica and Central America and wherever archives provided amplification of his revelations.

He spoke with Samia Nkrumah, daugh ter of Ghana’s first president Kwame

Nkrumah, Ilyassah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz, Samad Matias, Barbara Blake Hannah, Prof. Carolyn Cooper, Sir Hillary Beckles, actors Danny Glover and Louis Gossett, Olympian Usain Bolt, poet Mutabaruka, Sean Paul, Chronixx, Sister Carol, Queen Mother Marianne Samad, scholars, politicians, intellectuals and benefactors of the life and legacy of Marcus Garvey.

“For all his greatness, Marcus Garvey has often been portrayed as a caricature, and someone marginalized in history,” Anderson said. “Foremost in our minds was telling a story of this oft-misunder stood man, in a way that that was not objective and balanced but insightful and engaging. He may not be the most famous Jamaica (that title goes to iconic reggae singer Bob Marley). But who would have thought that this simple country boy, born almost 50 years after

slavery was abolished in the British colonies, would go on to provide the most comprehensive blueprint for the lib eration of his people…”

Throughout a solid eight months he invested time and his own finances to help in portraying an honest document he hopes will redeem the reputation of the revered Jamaican role model.

Garvey died in 1940.

In the film, Anderson asks intellectuals, entertainers, advocates and his surviving son to explain the psyche of the visionary whose dream was to reverse the mindset of a population dominated by negative perspectives of their heritage.

The fact that Garvey met with members of the Ku Klux Klan or that Malcolm X’s parents filed an appeal to President Calvin Coolidge for Garvey’s release from prison after he was convicted of mail fraud may not be common knowl edge.

His “One Aim, One Destiny,” mantra directly spoke to his mission of uniting Africans dispersed throughout the global communities and resonates with action from Hunter, Anderson and legions of Garvey’s admirers.

They believe his words mattered partic ularly when he said: “Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will.”

Hunter’s petition drive can be accessed at #freemarcusgarvey campaignl

The original article first appeared on Jamaicans.com.This is an excerpt. Read the full story at cawnyc.com

Marcus Garvey: National Heroes’ Park (Kingston, Jamaica)

Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates

Personal Injury Guide: Car Accidents

Addressing Personal Injury from Car Accidents in New York

BY LINDA NWOKE

Across the United States, vehicle accidents are the leading cause of personal injury claims. In a year, an average of 4.5 million people seek medical treatment for car accidents. These injuries range from minor bruises and scrapes to permanent disability and death. If you or someone in your family has been injured or killed in a car accident in New York City, you should consult with the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. We are a law firm wellknown for our track record of litigation success in car accident cases. Our experi enced personal injury attorneys have won large settlements for victims of car injuries.

Numerous examples of settlements on personal injury cases from vehicle acci dent lawsuits exist. For instance, there is a case against the City of New York for failing to repair a flooded roadway, which caused the motorist's accident and result ed in brain injuries.

A 35-year-old driver struck by another car that needed surgery filed a case for compensation for the treatment of injuries to her lumbar spine. Similarly, a 45-yearold passenger in her lane who stopped at a traffic light was hit from the rear. She required surgery on her neck and back.

Car accidents are commonplace in New York City, sometimes leading to traffic jams. They are more frequent during the weekday, especially around rush hours— lunchtime and evening commute leading to several crashes. Overall, thousands of vehicle crashes in New York State, with an average of 30 hits per hour around the Empire state.

Car Accident Statistics by Borough

The statistics of vehicle-rated accidents across the five boroughs in New York City show that Brooklyn (Kings County)

and Queens have the highest traffic-relat ed deaths. Bronx county records slightly higher deaths than New York County. At the same time, Staten Island has the least number and is considered the least dan gerous place. Interestingly most hospital izations and death occur among pedestri ans, while the vehicle occupants often end up seeking emergency treatment. Types of Accidents in New York City The frequently seen type of accident in New City is collisions between passenger vehicles. The most occurring factors are violating traffic laws and distracted driv ing. Another common accident in the city is pedestrian accidents, which have been traced to speeding, distracted driving, failing to see pedestrians, or yielding to someone in a crosswalk. Car-bicycle col lisions are also a significant cause of death in the city. An average of 3,800 bicycle-vehicle crashes in 2019 resulted in injuries or death to bicyclists.

What to Do After a Car Accident

Most vehicle collisions are unexpected and brutal, with most victims feeling con fused in the event's aftermath. Hence, the actions taken afterward can have both financial and health-related repercus sions.

Most personal injury cases from car accidents in New York are settled out of court. In contrast, some cases go to trial and are heard by a jury or judge. In cases where the driver was negligent, the victim may receive compensation for their expe rience of pain and suffering. However, many factors considered in passing judg ment include providing irrefutable evi dence that the injury was caused by acci dent and that the victim suffered a signif icant loss due to the accident.

Types of Personal Injury Occurring from Car Crash

In general, life for many car accident vic tims is never the same. While the impact can range from mild to severe, victims sometimes must endure long-term med ical treatments, including physical and psychological therapy. Some of the injuries caused by car accidents include soft tissue and bone injuries and traumatic brain injuries.

Some of these injuries are life-changing because they can take a long time before healing and is beside the unimaginable effect these accidents have on the victim's family members. However, the state of New York has laws that address some of the victims of personal injury from car

accidents.

No-fault' Insurance In New York

The No-fault insurance, also referred to as "Personal Injury Protection" (PIP) insurance, was approved by the state's lawmakers in the 70s. Car insurance low ers the cost of auto insurance by settling small claims outside the courts. The insurance companies handle paying the cost of up to $50,000 on behalf of their policyholders to victims. This will cover simple items like minor injuries, lost earnings, and medical bills, irrespective of who caused the accident. However, some conditions can make a person ineli gible for a no-fault benefit. They include driving under the influence, intentional accidents, committing a felony, getting injured while riding in a stolen vehicle, and having an uninsured vehicle. However, under New York State laws, a legal settlement can still be pursued over the victim's pain and suffering, injuries, and loss of personal property.

New York's Statute of Limitations

It is worth noting that when an individual sustains a personal injury from an acci dent, there is a three-year gap to file a case before the state of New York. Therefore, when an individual is serious ly injured in a vehicle accident, the amount of time they must file a claim after a car accident is up to three years from the date of the accident. It is expedi ent for the injured person to seek medical treatment soon after the accident and legal advice from a car accident lawyer to review their case.

Factors that Affect a Car Accident Settlement's Value

There is no uniform agreement or guide line on settling car accident settlements cases. Sometimes out-of-court settle

The Most Common Car Crash Injuries in New York

Various reports from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) shows that car acci dents cause the second-most common injury among New York residents. Traffic accidents cause more injuries and deaths, leading to a high number of hos pitalizations and a high number of visits to the emergency department visits. More than 1,900 New York residents die each year from fatal injuries caused by traffic accidents. Among them are many pedestrians (over 300), drivers and pas sengers (over 290), motorcyclists (over 100), bicyclists (over 30), and many unspecified persons.

Concerning hospitalizations from traf fic-related injuries, more than 12,000 New Yorkers become patients each year, with the most significant number of driv ers and passengers (6000+) as victims. Many pedestrians (3000+) and motorcy clists (1500+) make up most of the vic tims. More than 136,000 New York State Residents are reportedly treated and released from an emergency department each year due to traffic-related injuries, with the occupants making up the highest number of patients.

The Most Prevalent Car Crash Injuries in New York

Accidents have various types and levels of impact on drivers, passengers, and beyond. For vehicle occupants, some of the most common injuries among victims of a car crash in New York are bonerelated, internal, and psychological injuries. Referencing the data by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA), some of the frequently occur ring injuries are:

Bone Injuries: Neck, Knee, Back, Hip, Wrist, and other forms of broken bones in the body.

Broken Bones: A common, severe, and long-term type of injury sustained from car accidents in New York. It results from the strain against the seatbelt, blunt force trauma, and the crush between the car components and the surrounding environment. The arms and legs are often broken as they are least protected during a crash.

Whiplash/ Neck injuries: This is anoth er common injury from accidents in New York. Upon impact, the head is forced to bend and thrash around differently, caus ing muscles and ligaments to tear along the neck.

Back or Spine Injuries: The back mus cles are often torn, and victims experi ence dislocated discs due to the jolt to the body during the crash. This is because the spine experiences severe strain and stress.

Knee Injuries: This is a common injury found among drivers and front-side pas sengers who are slammed into the dash board, glove box, or steering wheel, causing severe injuries to the surround ing bones, ligaments, and the knee's patella.

Hip Injuries: The hip bone gets injured when the victims are hit from the side of the car during a crash, especially in a Tbone or side-swiping accident. Often, the upper body is thrashed and bends to one side, causing dislocation or ruptured areas of the hip.

Accidents from Head-on Collisions: These accidents also result in hip injuries. In this case, the victim's weight suddenly shifts forward, putting a strain on the lower part of the seat belt across the lap, causing severe hip injuries.

Soft Tissue Injuries: Although not typi cally life-threatening, soft tissue injuries which affect the eyes, mouth, skin, and other soft tissue are among the most painful and long-term injuries obtained from traffic accidents in New York.

Stomach Injuries: The injuries to the stomach are caused by the seatbelt. They are mostly experienced as internal bleed ing in the gut. They are not easily detect ed because the pain from these can be delayed for an extended period.

Nerve Damage: When the deep tissues are affected by blunt force trauma during an accident, the nerves can be damaged by debris, or exposed components, lead ing to partial or total loss of function in affected areas, either temporarily or per manently.

Chest Pain: Chest pains indicate many injuries following the car crash. The injuries are in the form of panic or heart attacks, rib cage or abdominal bruises, or more. These pains can also be delayed and arise afterward, depending on the type of injury causing the pain.

Emotional Suffering: Some emotional pain caused by traffic accidents result in anger, depression, and fear. Mood changes indicate traumatic brain trauma injuries from a car accident.

Psychological Trauma: Psychological trauma often occurs among the survivors of car accidents, and it is not related to the accident's severity. Victims often develop post-traumatic stress and other forms of association between driving and pain, fear, and sadness.

What Causes Car Accidents in New York?

Several factors lead to a car accident. However, in New York, car crashes are linked to two significant factors, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Drowsy Driving.

Driving While Intoxicated Drunk driving is a significant offense among New York drivers, and many accidents have been attributed to drunk driving. In 2018, official data from New York State government reported that over 8,900 casualties were linked to alcohol intake. The amount of alcoholic content in a driver's blood impairs the ability to stay alert, focused, and atten tive while driving. In New York State, the blood alcohol percentage (BAC) allowed is up to 0.18% while going, which is the equivalent of one drink. Anything above that number attracts a fine of over $1000, a one-year jail sen tence, or license revocation in some instances. This is ultimately one of the leading causes of pedestrian injuries in New York.

Drowsy Driving

In 2018, New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR) reported that over 4,000 drivers fell asleep behind the wheel, especially in late-night crash es. It is considered even more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. Some of the effects of drowsy driving are impaired decision-making, slow reac tionary time, and lowered attention to other road users. Hence driving becomes a danger to both self and other road users.

Settling Car Accident Injuries in New York

It is common practice for cases relating to a car accident to be settled in New York without trial. Many insurance com panies will offer to resolve accident cases quickly. These settlements are much smaller than the amount a victim can receive post legal representation and compensation in court. Some typical set tlements determined by courts include car repair costs, medical bills (past and future), lost wages, and time away from work.

However, suppose there is no injury from the collision. In that case, New York Law will not allow the victim to file a lawsuit against another person, even if the victim's car was damaged.

In delayed injuries, the victim can file a lawsuit for delayed damages even if they have passed the standard limit established by the statute of limitations but with a solid legal representation. Different car accidents create higher risks of sustaining specific injuries and can be used to determine the person at fault during a collision.

Suppose you're being sued after a car accident. In that case, you need the serv ices of an effective defense attorney who will help you build a solid chance to prove that you were at minimal fault for the accident. In such cases, the experi enced Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates can also help you prevent the issue from reaching the pay out stage. Call us at 855-768-8845 l

Personal Injury from Car Accidents/

ments from accidents can be reached with the attorney. In the case that goes to trial, the jury considers all aspects of damages — economic, non-economic, and punitive, especially in accidents caused by distracted driving and reck lessness.

The amount of settlement awarded in New York State is determined by per centage. For instance, it can be agreed that the driver is 80% at fault. At the same time, the other such as occupants, etc., is 20% at fault, otherwise known as pure comparative negligence. They are determining the cost of medical treat ment. All the documentation associated with the medical expenses during or after the accident must be considered for claims.

In determining the severity of personal injuries, settlements are largely deter mined by the level of the injury and seri ousness of the damage. A minor damage will receive less money than a perma nent, chronic, or severe injury. Furthermore, the jury also reviews other factors during a trial, such as the worth of the other party's insurance, i.e., how much the other party's insurance policy carries. To determine if the person who caused the presenting situation that led to the car accident doesn't take high-value insurance coverage. All these require an expert view to help determine alterna tives to obtaining an insurance claim or other revenue sources that will enable the defendant to provide a payout.

Therefore, some factors that influence compensation after a car accident are the law of shared fault and negligence, the number of economic damages, the sever ity of injuries, and the auto insurance pol icy limits. Most cases need legal support and expert advice, especially from per sonal injury attorneys.

A personal injury attorney specializes in helping victims obtain settlements by providing legal assistance and advice after a car crash. The attorneys at the Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates possess a wide range of expe rience and the expertise needed to advo cate for victims who have been placed in vulnerable positions from a car accident. Call us at 855-768-8845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.us

The Various Forms of Car Accidents in New York City

Ina recent incident, an older adult traveling in a black Honda CRV around 10:45 a.m. reportedly lost control and slammed into another car waiting for the traffic light to turn green, according to witnesses and cops.

The crash caused the driver of the car in front to jolt his knees, and the occu pants- kids, were quite shaken and trau matized from the crash. Such accidents occur daily around New York City. An average of 620 car accidents occur daily, and over 290 deaths are reported yearly from motor vehicle traffic-related injuries among vehicle occupants.

Furthermore, New York records cases of over 6,200 vehicle occupants hospital ized due to motor vehicle traffic-related injuries and over 106,000 vehicle occu pants visiting the emergency department annually due to car traffic-related injuries.

Yet, the frequency of car accidents remains ignored among New Yorkers, perhaps due to the hustling nature of the city. Arguably, the population size of the city, and the amount of congestion, make minor car accidents such as fender ben ders a regular and expected occurrence in

daily living. However, the number of crippling accidents in the city is quite substantial and surprising.

Types of Accidents

Based on the number of car accidents in the city, it is essential to clarify the most prevalent types of car accidents found on the city streets to the highways and other New York City roads as follows:

Single-Car Accidents

By description, any accident that causes damage to only one vehicle, even if another driver causes it. If the crash

involves one automobile and no one else's, it is considered a single-vehicle accident. Common incidents reveal that the driver, with or without passengers, can veer off the road because of one form of impairment, like being distracted or falling asleep. Sometimes, a single car accident can be because by falling into a pothole, dodging animals on the road, bad weather, or sliding off the road. Besides other cars and objects, the vehi cle can also hit bicyclists or pedestrians.

Rear-end Collisions

One of the most prevalent car accidents

in NYC is rear-ended collisions which account for over 28 percent of all car accidents in the United States. It describes car incidents where the front bumper of the car behind collides with the rear end of another vehicle in its front. The loss of control, bad weather conditions, and road defects can result in a crash.

Rear-end collisions have adjudged the fault of the rear vehicle driver, even though the driver in front of the vehicle is at fault for stopping suddenly. The reason is based on the premise that the rear driv er is responsible for creating adequate room for safe stopping between them and the car in front in case of an unexpected stop. The good news is that most rear-end collisions are not fatal because most driv ers are not at maximum speed; only a tiny percent is disastrous.

Sideswiping Car Accidents

Side swiping happens when a driver is tired, inattentive, or falls asleep on the steering and hits another vehicle, causing an accident. Sometimes, a driver's blind spot during a lane change can cause them continued on page 4

to crash into another car traveling in the same direction. This causes a sideswip ing accident from changing lanes, espe cially when one driver tries to make a lane change from a blind spot; thus, it is also referred to as 'blind spot accidents. In other instances, one of the drivers can join a line without looking carefully. Most sideswiping accidents are not fatal unless the drivers are slow to respond or traveling at high speed, which results in damaged vehicles.

Rollovers

Available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that over 15 percent of car fatalities are from rollovers. The majority (80+ percent) of rollover-related casualties occur in single-vehicle crash es.

Some factors contributing to rollover accidents include the location of the car's center of gravity, which depends on design or model. At the same time, oth ers, like the amount of load on the vehi cle, height, and environmental factors, can contribute to causing a rollover. Consistent with other car accidents, the chances of a car rolling over increases with speed, driver's impairment from alcohol, drugs, and distraction.

Side-impact Collisions

Accidents at intersections, parking lots

(sometimes), and on a multi-lane road way are typical, including when a car passes another vehicle on the road. Such accidents are popularly called T-bone collisions or broadside collisions. Upon occurrence, they are fatal and deadly from the severity of injuries — from the location of the impact on the vehicle and the passengers' seating position. A side impact collision occurs when a vehicle crashes at the side of one or more vehi cles, where the front of one car strikes the side of another.

In 2016, such accidents caused over 5,500 deaths from single and multi-pas senger vehicle T-bone crashes. Notably, these collisions are not well managed with child restraints. Several factors, including reckless or careless behavior by any or many motorists, significantly distracted driving, intoxication, speed ing, breaking traffic rules, and aggressive driving can lead to such collisions.

They can result in severe injuries, espe cially if the passenger or driver sits on the side of the vehicle where the impact occurs. Secondly, the lack of standard ized safety installations in different care designs and models also increases the severity. Some examples of the injuries are severe concussion, whiplash — neck injury from the rapid movement of the head, broken bones — hands, fingers, ribs, legs, spinal cord injury, and lacera tions.

People riding on the struck side of the car experience severe injuries on their neck, head, chest, legs, and

abdomen/pelvis. Car occupants on the car's non-struck side often suffer head and chest injuries.

Whiplash and concussions are the most prevailing injuries caused by side-impact car crashes. Injuries to the limbs and chest remain as common as those sus tained in rear-end or head-on collisions.

Occupants on the unstruck side of the car often suffer limb and chest injuries from another occupant's collision or the pillar anchoring the seatbelt.

Head-on Collisions

Head-on collisions often occur when two cars driving in opposite directions crash into each other. The NHTSA reports that it accounts for only 2 percent of car crashes. However, despite its rarity, it is hazardous and results in more than 11 percent of driving fatalities. They are often devastating for both parties and can result in wrongful deaths or permanent

damages. Most injuries that are from head-on collisions are very severe and traumatic. These include spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Sometimes victims become permanently impaired or paralyzed, with some sus taining a loss of motor, cognitive ability, or senses.

Some of the causes of head-on colli sions have been linked to lack of atten tion to road signs, flaunting traffic sig nals, drug impairment, sleepiness, and unintentional lane switching. They can happen because of a mistake, such as driving on the wrong side of the road, drunk driving, distracted driving, or brake failure.

Incidentally, identifying who caused the crash is challenging since the impact may put them in altered positions. Irrespective of the type of car accident,

Children & Car Accidents: Reducing the Risks!

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

According to statistics, car acci dents are among the leading cause of deaths among children in the USA. About 45% of deaths among children are because of car accidents.

What can you do if there is a car accident involving your child? During this diffi cult time, you need a strong advocate on your side like the attorneys at the Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates.

How can we deal with the greater risks that children face when it comes to car accidents? Child victims in car accidents can be placed in two categories. There are those who are passengers and there are those who are pedestrians. It is important to realize that a lack of precau tionary measures has been the main rea son for child victims of car accidents in both scenarios. Children need keen supervision whenever they are walking along the road, crossing a road or in any other situation where they are interacting with traffic. Further, they need to be looked after when in transit aboard a vehicle and the necessary precautions

taken so as to ensure they remain safe under any circumstances.

For child pedestrians the following meas ures can help reduce the risk of accidents among children.

1.Close supervision of children at all times when near a road.

2.Training of children in road safety and teaching them safe road use.

3.Educating drivers and other road users on “Child safe road use.”

Reducing the risk to child passengers can

be done by taking the following steps:

1.Always ensure that the child is safely secured in the vehicle.

2.Discourage risky activities and play while on board a car.

3.Avoid any showmanship and road rage as you drive because this will set a poor example for the children in your vehicle.

4.Train the children on safety while on board a vehicle.

While these measures will not eliminate child victims of car accidents, they will greatly reduce the risk children face while traveling along the roads or when in a car.

What Can You Do?

A personal injury attorney specializes in helping victims obtain settlements by providing legal assistance and advice after a car crash. The attorneys at the Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates possess a wide range of expe rience and the expertise needed to advo cate for children who have been in car accidents. Call us at 855-768-8845 or schedule an appointment at www.ask thelawyer.usl

the incident often leaves an indelible effect in the minds of those involved. Sometimes, the result has a far-reaching impact far beyond the immediate partici pants. In some cases, the incident can affect close family members and other dependents.

Legal Assistance

In such cases, the experienced Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates can interpret the laws and make a strong case that will provide some compensation for the victims, or the issue needs to be involved. Call us at 855-7688845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.usl

Various Forms of Car Accidents/

What Ser vices Can a Paralegal Provide?

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

The

legal profession includes many individuals who are not actually lawyers. This, however, doesn't mean that they cannot do any legal work. There are plenty of services that can be provided by a paralegal, and these serv ices can make all the difference in your case.

Paralegals can perform substantive legal work that has been delegated to them by a lawyer. They often have a mix of work experience, education, and pro fessional training that qualifies them for this job. Below are some of the services that you can request from a paralegal.

Preparation of Documents

Have you ever wondered how a lawyer is able to show up to different court cases on the same day and still have all the documents they need? This is usually because they have a team of paralegals to whom they delegate this work. Individuals in this profession are very good at preparing legal documents. From briefs and contracts to agreements, para legals have the knowledge and experi ence to get these documents ready in a short amount of time.

Providing Legal Information

Paralegals can't offer legal advice to someone. However, they can provide legal information to a general audience.

There are many individuals around the country who are unaware of their legal rights in various situations. Employees, tenants, and other parties might be forced to endure certain conditions simply because they are unaware that the law is on their side.

A paralegal can be brought in to provide some legal information to such an audi ence so they are more aware of where the law stands when it comes to certain issues or how they can go about getting

legal aid if they need it.

Explaining Procedural Issues of Law

Many people who have never been to court before will be surprised at how cer tain things are handled. You could spend a day getting ready to argue your case only for proceedings to be postponed. One reason for this is court procedures. There are many procedures that courts are required to follow and paralegals can explain these to you.

Representing Parties in Administrative Law Hearings

An administrative agency can allow a

paralegal to represent you at an adminis trative hearing. However, if the case is appealed to a court, you'll have to find a lawyer to represent you.

Rising Prestige

As paralegals perform more complex and challenging work, paralegal prestige is rising. Paralegals are no longer simply lawyer's assistants; they assume corpo rate management roles, leadership roles in law firms, and entrepreneurial roles in independent paralegal businesses. Over the years, paralegals have transcended the image of glorified legal secretaries to become respected legal team members.

Ready to Take the Leap?

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally and offers a unique opportunity to help others; options vary, depending on the parale gal's practice area. Paralegals in the pub lic interest sector help poor and disad vantaged segments of the population with legal issues ranging from protection from domestic abuse to assistance preparing wills.

Ready to take the leap, the next step? Call us at 718-722-9217 or visit www.freeparalegal.org to complete your registration which includes payment.l

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jamaica : Caribbean-American Woman of Influence

BY STEPHANIE KORNEY JAMAICANS.COM

An Evening of Elegance with Beres Hammond & Friends

Actress,

singer, author, and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in 1955 in Waterbury, Connecticut to Ivy Ralph, a Jamaican fashion design er, and Stanley Ralph, an American col lege professor. She was raised in Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York. DNA analysis has shown that she is descended from the Tikar people of Cameroon. She attended Uniondale High School in New York, where she was the star of the school’s product of “Oklahoma!” In 1972, the year of her graduation, she was named Miss Black Teenage New York. When she was 19, Ralph became the youngest woman to graduate from Rutgers University. During her time at Rutgers, she won the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and was also named one of the Top 10 College Women in the US by Glamour magazine.

She had originally planned to study medicine, but after winning the theater festival scholarship decided to pursue a career in the performing arts. Ralph’s screen debut was in the 1977 comedy “A Piece of the Action,” but her break through role was playing “Deena Jones” in the Broadway musical “Dreamgirls” in 1981. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. Ralph has appeared in numerous television and film roles, being best known for portraying “Dee” in the

television sitcom “Moesha.” This role led to her being named one of “TV’s Favorite Moms.” She won a Best Supporting Actress Award at the Independent Spirit Awards for her appearance in the film “To Sleep with Anger.” In 2003, she was the commence ment speaker at her alma mater of Rutgers and was inducted as an honorary member of the Delta Sigma Theta soror ity at its 47th National Convention in 2004. She received an honorary doctor ate of humane letters from Tougaloo College in 2008. Ralph also authored a successful book “Redefining Diva: Live Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl” in 2012. l

Ralph Wins First Emmy

Sheryl Lee Ralph won her first Emmy for her role as teacher “Barbara Howard” on the ABC television network program “Abbott Elementary.” Ralph's win became one of the biggest highlights of the 2022 Emmy Awards ceremony after she delivered an emotional and inspiring acceptance speech that included singing a verse from jazz singer Diane Reeves' 1993 song "Endangered Species."

While she may not have been expecting to win, she was certainly prepared. During her appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday, September 19 the Abbott Elementary star, 65, reflected on winning her first Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a com edy.

"You know what? Like many of you, I have had a speech prepared since I was 5 years old," she told Hudson. "I was ready, you know, ever since Tinker Bell came out of that steeple and was starting to make dreams come true, I've been practicing the speech."

However, Ralph admitted things didn't go exactly as planned. "When they called my name, all of it went out of my head," she shared. "I could remember absolutely nothing."

"And you know, center stage is my home so when I got there, it was like, 'Gather yourself, gather yourself because this is your moment!" she added.

Congratulations, our Caribbean star!l

Thispromises to be a great event! UWI graduates in the New York and surrounding areas aim to take advantage of this opportunity and buy tickets to see this show. It is a great way to both connect, as well as reconnect, with fellow Caribbean folks and to enjoy wonderful music and see Reggae Superstar Beres Hammond and friends.

Your support of this event will also ben efit UWI students through the American Foundation for the UWI (AFUWI). l

Caribbean Star Sheryl Lee Ralph. Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Grieving for a Grandparent: A Counsellor Explains How They Help People Through Such a Loss

BY JOHN FREDERICK WILSON THE CONVERSATION

Manyof us feel touched by the loss of our queen, but that is nothing compared to the loss of a beloved grandparent. The queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren have lost a wise and loving guardian. For most people their parent or parents are their main caregiver but grandparents can have a special role in our lives.

I know, from conversations with bereaved people, that the media coverage of the queen’s death has triggered many to revisit their own losses. If it means that they use the opportunity to explore the previously unresolved, that can only be a good thing.

Everyone’s grief journey is unique. But this is how I, in my practice as a bereave ment counsellor, guide clients through the loss of a grandparent. No experi enced bereavement counsellor makes assumptions, either about the relation ship between the lost loved one and their mourning relative, or about the thoughts

and feelings the client is experiencing in their grief.

The first step when I meet a new client, whatever their age, is to ask them to tell me, at their own pace, the story of the loss, including events that led up to it, such as a prolonged illness or sudden unexpected death.

The way they tell the story, in detail or rushed tearfully or in a matter-of-fact style, gives me important clues into their emotional state. Telling the story in a brief, dispassionate way is a signal that

they are dissociating from their grief, for example.

For young children, their account helps me understand how much they have been told by the grown-ups. However, even a teenage or adult grandchild may not have all the information they need to make sense of the loss. Unlike their parents, they may have not been present at the death.

Adults who hurried to be at their grand parent’s (or parent’s) final hours, but did not make it in time, can be left with a

profound sense of guilt. Making sense of, and finding meaning in, the loss is the most important part of grief resolution. This includes understanding and articu lating our feelings.

Helping young children grieve

Even the youngest child grieves in some way. The intellectual and cognitive stage of the child makes a big difference to how a counsellor will work.

A toddler does not understand the per manence of death. A young child’s mag ical thinking, the egocentric stage of believing that their actions can result in unrelated events, can leave them feeling that they in some way caused the death.

The child that reaches an abstract stage of thinking about death, normally between the ages of 11 and 16, may still struggle with an emotional vocabulary. Even a baby can sense family stress and that their parent, feeling the loss of their parent, is emotionally distant.

The depth of a grandchild’s grief may not be fully understood by their family,

continued on page 18

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because, understandably, they are wrapped up in their own grief. There are times when it is helpful for the counsellor to work in collaboration with the adult relatives. Counsellors who work with children often work with parents to help them support their child.

Parents and siblings of the deceased may have been expecting the death soon er or later, whereas to grandchildren, the loss may have come as a shock to their assumptive world. This means the per sonal world we know and take for grant ed: in this instance, a world in which grandma or grandad would always be there.

The seriousness of the grandparent’s condition may not have been communi cated to the children, and what they do know may have been gleaned by over hearing snippets of adult conversation. It is not always easy to recognise a young child’s grief because it is often expressed differently to an adult, including anger, mood swings, and regression into the behaviour of a younger child.

The way they tell the story, in detail or rushed tearfully or in a matter-of-fact style, gives me important clues into their emotional state. Telling the story in a brief, dispassionate way is a signal that they are dissociating from their grief, for example.

For young children, their account helps me understand how much they have been told by the grown-ups. However, even a teenage or adult grandchild may not have all the information they need to make sense of the loss. Unlike their parents, they may have not been present at the death.

Adults who hurried to be at their grand parent’s (or parent’s) final hours, but did not make it in time, can be left with a profound sense of guilt. Making sense of, and finding meaning in, the loss is the most important part of grief resolution. This includes understanding and articu lating our feelings.

Helping young children grieve

Even the youngest child grieves in some way. The intellectual and cognitive stage of the child makes a big difference to

how a counsellor will work.

A toddler does not understand the per manence of death. A young child’s magi cal thinking, the egocentric stage of believing that their actions can result in unrelated events, can leave them feeling that they in some way caused the death.

The child that reaches an abstract stage of thinking about death, normally between the ages of 11 and 16, may still struggle with an emotional vocabulary. Even a baby can sense family stress and that their parent, feeling the loss of their parent, is emotionally distant.

The depth of a grandchild’s grief may not be fully understood by their family, because, understandably, they are wrapped up in their own grief. There are times when it is helpful for the counsellor to work in collaboration with the adult relatives. Counsellors who work with children often work with parents to help them support their child.

Parents and siblings of the deceased may have been expecting the death soon er or later, whereas to grandchildren, the loss may have come as a shock to their assumptive world. This means the per sonal world we know and take for grant ed: in this instance, a world in which grandma or grandad would always be there.

The seriousness of the grandparent’s

condition may not have been communi cated to the children, and what they do know may have been gleaned by over hearing snippets of adult conversation. It is not always easy to recognise a young child’s grief because it is often expressed differently to an adult, including anger, mood swings, and regression into the behaviour of a younger child.

I also need to know the part the grand parent played in the grandchild’s life. Grandparents frequently pick up grand children from school, read them stories, teach them songs, help them with home work and take them on days out. The grandparent can be a role model for the children of single-parent families. A grandchild whose grandparent was a sig nificant part of their life needs time to adapt and relearn a world without granny or grandpa.

Adults and teenagers

I have worked with young adults who regarded a grandmother as a surrogate for an absent mother. I have been told: “On paper she was my Nana, but in reality, she was my Mum.” As it becomes com mon for people to live into their 80s and 90s, there will be more adults bereaved by the loss of a grandparent. To a great extent, the emotions of adults are the same, particularly in the early weeks and months of grief.

A grandchild of any age can be left with disenfranchised grief, a belief that they have no right to the thoughts and feelings they are experiencing.

Once I am confident that my client understands what happened, can make sense of the death and has the vocabulary to express their emotions, we begin the process of adapting to the loss. No longer do psychologists expect people to let go and move on. Instead we encourage them to preserve memories, which helps to to develop a new, symbolic bond with their grandparent.

For older children it can help to go through old photographs and talk with them about past events. For young chil dren we do this with memory boxes. These are boxes, which the child may want to decorate, filled with pictures and objects that represent their lost loved one, or their relationship.

Young children intuitively take time out from their grief, and to some extent adults do too, although guilt and social pressures may prevent this. It helps to validate the unique and creative ways older children and young people may choose to distract themselves from their grief, often with hobbies, films, computer games, or time on social media with friends. I let them know this is natural and doesn’t diminish the bond they had with their late grandparent.

Grieving for grandparents is a part of growing up, and for most of us, prepara tion for losing parents. The grief is always there. Effective bereavement counselling leaves the client aware that their grief will continue, but will become more manageable, and breaks the acute grief cycle of unresolved emotions.l

Grieving for a Grandparent/

John Frederick Wilson is an Honorary Research Fellow, Director of Bereavement Services Counselling & Mental Health Clinic, York John

Stacy Young Board

What Happens If You Die Without a Will?

BY MARY CAMPBELL

Youknow you should make a will, but you never seem to be able to drum up much enthusiasm for the idea. It seems like a big, complicated pain-in-the-butt undertaking and you’re not planning on dying anytime soon any way. You know that lawyers cost a for tune, and who knows if you really can legally use one of those online will kits? Differing opinions abound. So, you won der, what does happen if you don’t make a will? Can the government really take all your possessions that the bank doesn’t already own most of?

The short answer is probably not. Unless you are truly completely alone in the world with no blood ties whatsoever, there is likely a relative somewhere that is eligible to inherit, if they can be found. In fact, British television has aired a pro gram called Heir Hunters, which is described as “a series following the work of heir hunters, probate detectives look ing for distant relatives of people who have died without making a will”. In the U.S., private investigation firms will attempt to find a potential heir, but some one presumably must hire them before they will begin to look. Of course, if the estate is large, anyone may undertake to find lost relatives in hopes of receiving a

commission for the information from a grateful heir. In the end though, it is pos sible that if an heir cannot be found after a reasonable length of time has passed, then yes, eventually your estate will escheat (pass) to the appropriate govern ing body.

However, for an average individual with no shortage of relatives in line to legally inherit your worldly goods, the applica tion of the relevant inheritance laws cer tainly doesn’t mean that your estate will be distributed in a manner that you would approve of. Intestacy (the legal term for dying without a will) laws vary widely, depending on where you live. Your spouse, for instance, may find that the

laws of your state are not altogether favourable to him or her when you have children involved, perhaps from a previ ous marriage. Common law and same sex partners may or may not be recog nized as eligible to inherit. A close rela tive you cannot stand the sight of may be first in line if you have no spouse or chil dren. Read our informative website at www.willsandestates.nyc

Finally, it is important to note that in addition to the disposition of your estate, regardless of the value, your will also functions as the vehicle through which you will make your final wishes known. You will appoint a trusted executor/executrix to a position of author

ity to administer your final wishes, which may include instructions for your desired funeral arrangements and interment, the distribution of personal items of great sentimental but minimal monetary value, or your choice of a guardian for your young children.

Without a doubt, dying without a will robs you of your right to have a say in the settling of your affairs and creates unnec essary hardship for those closest to you, as they are left to deal with the legal tech nicalities on their own.

Changes in Tax Laws

It can be hard to stay up-to-date on con stantly changing tax laws, but it’s neces sary to keep your final document in good legal standing. Especially if your will takes actions to address estate tax issues, it’s a good idea to receive periodic reviews by an attorney.

Ask for Advice

A will is your ironclad way to disperse your assets to loved ones as you wish. Don’t be afraid to ask your legal expert for advice on other moments that may benefit your last will and testament. Remember, this document is incredibly important to keep accurate as it articulates your vision and solidifies your legacy.l

As Borough President, Making Healthier Childbir th a Priority

BY ANTONIO REYNOSO

Fouryears ago, I came to a chal lenging realization, as my wife and I were about to embark on the next exciting stage of our union: parenthood. As we were doing our research and preparing for the birth of our first son, Alejandro, we learned that my wife, an Afro-Dominican woman, was 9.4 times more likely to die of complications in childbirth than her white counterparts. To imagine that my wife was more likely to lose her life during or after childbirth was terrifying to me, and I knew then that I had to play my role in helping to close such disparities.

I’ve learned that there are many factors that contribute to these disparities. Some include:

•Implicit bias that leads medical profes sionals to treat patients of color different ly;

•Mental health conditions, which are the top cause of pregnancy-associated deaths;

•Social determinants of health like lack of access to healthy foods and stable housing; and

•The conditions of our hospitals and the limited resources they have to dedicate to this issue.

My wife and I say that her experience during childbirth (twice now) was posi tive and safe for one main reason: Being treated at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull for both of her preg nancies, my wife had access to excellent midwifery care, education, and other support services.

Midwifery services promote a shared decision-making model for birthing care and decrease unnecessary medical inter ventions, like cesareans.

We were lucky to have midwifery serv ices. Today my wife is healthy, and we have two happy and thriving sons, Alejandro who is four, and Andres who is almost two.

But people shouldn’t have to rely on luck to keep loved ones safe.

My family’s experience and what I’ve learned about childbirth’s associated dis parities have led me to my top priority as Brooklyn Borough President: To end maternal mortality and morbidity in this borough, making it one of the safest places to give birth.

During my campaign for office, I pledged to do something no other bor ough president has done in New York City’s history by allocating my entire annual fiscal funding in year one across the three Brooklyn public hospitals for the purposes of improving reproductive services, as well childbirth and postpar tum services in each.

This summer, I fulfilled that promise, giving Coney Island, Kings County, and Woodhull hospitals a total of more than $45 million — $18.5 million, $15.6 mil lion, and $11 million, respectively. This funding will go towards more than just new paint on the walls and new waiting room chairs. It’ll go towards state-of-theart baby-mother units, new equipment, and environments that will encourage care teams to better react in time of med ical crisis.

My commitment also goes further than just funding.

I’ve also established a maternal health

taskforce, currently made up entirely of Black women, that will help lay the foun dation for strategizing around my mater nal health agenda. I also look forward to supporting policies — such as lengthen ing the time periods covered by maternal health benefits and decreasing out-ofpocket expenses imposed on patients –that will increase health insurance access for all birthing people. And I intend to support the midwifery and doula pipeline, ensuring that these healthcare workers are culturally competent, while also increasing access to the same type of care my wife received.

I look forward to continuing to work with partners, medical teams, advocates, and others who are just as invested as I am in saving the lives of our pregnant loved ones and making other parents just as fortunate as my wife and I have been.l

Antonio Reynoso is the Borough President of Brooklyn. This is the first in Urban Matters, "Voices from the Boroughs" series of postings from the completely new cohort of borough presi dents who have taken office this year.

But people shouldn’t have to rely on luck to keep loved ones safe.

Why You Should Avoid a Rebound Relationship

BY MARY CAMPBELL

One of the best things in life is coming home to the person you love after a difficult day. You can share everything with them: They've seen you at your best and worst and know exactly how to cheer you up and make you feel better. They just get you, and everything is perfect — until it isn't. While no relationships can escape the ups and downs of life, if there are more downs than ups, it may be time to move on. Some people can walk away from years of marriage or relationship and instantly feel relieved and unburdened. It's like life is starting anew. For others, the end of a relationship brings on intense emotional trauma that lingers for months and even years. People react dif ferently to relationships ending. When a relationship ends you may feel many emotions such as anger, hurt and loneliness. You may feel needy and vul nerable. Such vulnerability may lead you to jump into another relationship before you have given yourself time to heal. Although the new relationship may work out just fine, the odds are that it probably won't. These quick fix relationships are known as rebound relationships. Here are a few reasons why you should avoid a rebound relationship.

You Need Time to Heal

You need time to heal before entering into a new relationship. Just as the body needs time to heal from a physical injury, the mind and emotions need time to heal from the injury of a breakup or divorce. Jumping into a new relationship too quickly can be like putting a bandage on a broken bone. People often enter into a new relationship because they are hurt ing and the new person makes them feel better. When you enter a relationship for this reason, you are not being honest with yourself and you are being unfair to the new partner.

Filling the Void

People often enter new relationships knowing that they are not over their expartner. They sometimes get involved with someone who has similar character istics or is similar in appearance to their

ex. This is a clear indication that they are not over their ex and are simply trying to fill the void left by the breakup. This type of relationship is likely to fail, especially if the new partner notices the similarities or if you are constantly making compar isons between your new partner and your ex. It will become apparent that the new partner is only a replacement for the old one.

Winning the Competition

Although it seems quite immature, one partner may enter a new relationship simply to beat the other one. In this case, a person may become involved with the first person who shows interest in them. They want to make their ex envious by showing them that they already have someone new. A person may also do this to make the ex jealous in the hopes that they will return to them. If it works, the new relationship may be tossed aside in favor of the previous one. This is one of the worst reasons for entering into a rebound relationship. It is the manipula tion of the new partner and the ex.

Distraction

People who aren't over their ex may get involved with someone new as a distrac tion. They simply want to get their mind off of their ex-partner. They usually aren't serious about the new relationship and are uncertain of what they actually want. They may just want reassurance that they are still desirable. These people usually haven't learned from their past mistakes and will fall back into the same patterns with their new relationships, and may experience another breakup. If you're just looking for a distraction after the dissolution of a relationship, seek a hobby instead of another relationship.

Conclusion

If your relationship has just ended, think twice before jumping into another one. Be fair to yourself and any potential part ner. Relationships should be valued and should never be used to fill a gap, or to manipulate your ex. Give yourself time to heal mentally and emotionally. Once you are healed and ready for a new rela tionship, then you can enter it with a fresh perspective and a renewed commit ment to give it your full attention.l

NOTICE OF DIVORCE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF KINGS, INDEX NO. 51230/2019 – Date Purchased: March 12, 2019 – SUMMONS WITH

NOTICE – Plaintiff designates Kings County as the place of trial – Basis of Venue: Plaintiff’s Residence –PETRACH LYNDONA ANDERSON against WIN STON GEORGE POWELL – ACTION FOR DIVORCE

- To the above named Defendant, YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to serve a notice of appearance on Plaintiff’s attorneys within thirty (30) days after the serv ice of this summons is complete and in the case of your failure to appear, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the notice set forth below. Dated: March 11, 2019, Brooklyn, New York. Law Offices of FIGEROUX & ASSOCIATES, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, New York 11242.

NOTICE: The nature of this action is to dissolve the mar riage between the parties on the grounds of: irretrievable breakdown of the relationship for at least six months pur suant to DRL §170(7). The relief sought is a judgment of absolute divorce in favor of the plaintiff dissolving the marriage between the parties in this action.

NOTICE OF ENTRY OF AUTOMATIC ORDERS. Pursuant to DRL §236(b)(2), the parties are bound by certain automatic orders which shall remain in full force and effect during the pendency of the action. For further details you should contact the Clerk of the Matrimonial Part, Supreme Court, 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201 Tel.: (347) 296-1714.

NOTICE CONCERNING CONTINUATION OF HEALTHCARE COVERAGE (DRL §255). Please be advised that once the judgment of divorce is signed in this action, both parties must be aware that he or she will no longer be covered by the other party’s health insur ance plan and that each party shall be responsible for his or her own health insurance coverage, and may be enti tled to purchase health insurance on his or her own through a COBRA option, if available.

NOTICE OF GUIDELINE MAINTENANCE. Pursuant to DRL §236(B)(5-a), there is an obligation to award the guideline amount of maintenance (spousal support) on income up to $175,000 to be paid by the higher income spouse to the lower income spouse after the divorce is final according to a formula, unless the parties agree oth erwise or waive this right.

New York’s $250 Million Lawsuit Against Donald Trump is the Beginning, Not End, of This Case - What’s at Stake

BY BRIDGET J. CRAWFORD THE CONVERSATION

New

York Attorney General

Letitia James hit former presi dent Donald Trump with a US$250 million lawsuit on Sept. 21, 2022, citing “staggering” amounts of fal sified business information and fraud.

The civil lawsuit alleges that Trump, his company – the Trump Organization –and three of his children lied to lenders and insurers about billions of dollars’ worth of assets. This follows a three-year investigation into Trump’s New Yorkbased real estate business.

What are Trump and his children accused of in the lawsuit?

The complaint is over 200 pages long and contains many specific claims. But, at its heart, the complaint says the Trump Organization made false financial or business statements in order to get loans or to keep those loans on favorable terms, in a way that was dishonest or fraudulent.

Trump didn’t allegedly overestimate the

cost of buildings, which is a technical term, but rather he is accused of inflating the value of certain businesses and prop erties.

How does overstating the value of properties help Trump?

Banks want to make loans to people who are likely to be able to repay them. And how does the bank measure whether someone is likely to repay? It’s knowing the recipient of a loan has enough collat eral to satisfy the bank’s concerns. Trump said he had collateral worth a certain amount. James is saying that the values are really wrong, and really wrong over a period of years, in multiple different fil ings. Moreover, the lawsuit says this is not just a mistake, or an, ‘Oops I got it wrong.’ Rather, the attorney general alleges a systematic pattern of fraud.

What should we make of this being a civil, not criminal, action?

James is bringing a lawsuit regarding the Trump Organization’s compliance with New York’s civil laws, meaning business and lending laws and the like – hence it is

a civil suit.

That said, James made clear that she has also referred certain matters to both the IRS and to the federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York for crimi nal investigation.

So this being a civil lawsuit does not mean we won’t potentially see criminal charges further down the line. Just, at this point, the New York attorney general is focused on the civil law violations.

In other words, this could be just the beginning of a longer story.

What does the lawsuit demand in way of relief?

This is where it gets interesting, I believe. James is calling for very dramat ic relief, including permanently prevent ing Trump, along with three of his chil dren – Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump – from serving as a direc tor or officer of any corporation conduct ing business activities in New York. It could preclude them from having any formal business ties in New York. This would be a severe blow to the family’s business interests.

How would an IRS investigation differ from the New York one?

It would be about federal tax laws, in par ticular. The IRS will be looking for an answer to this question: “Did Trump overstate the valuation of any property he gave to charity?” The New York attor ney general is concerned that he did.

The possible overvaluation relates to two different properties in Westchester, a county outside of New York City, and in Florida. What is at issue for the IRS is whether Trump correctly claimed the proper deduction, or whether he overstat ed, in a fraudulent way, the value of what he gave to charity. An overstatement of what he gave away would mean that the former president took a bigger income tax deduction than the one he was enti tled to. Again, this is not just a matter of, “Oops, I made a mistake.” The attorney general alleges a widespread and long standing pattern of misrepresentation of business values.

By handing this part of the investiga tion over to the IRS, the New York attor ney general is signaling that she intends to stay in her lane, so to speak. James is basically saying, “I am talking about fair business practices in New York. If there is a tax issue, I am referring it over to the IRS.”

But all of the issues grow out of the same core set of facts and practices –how is the Trump family valuing its busi nesses and properties, and is it being done in a way that is honest?

Does the lawsuit increase the chances of criminal charges?

It certainly increases the possibility there might be criminal charges in the future. It also fans the flames that Trump contin ues to stoke in claiming that he is being unfairly targeted, which appears to be part of his attempt to discredit the American legal system. In fact, he is being asked to play by the same rules that apply to everyone else.

I will be very interested to see whether and how the IRS responds – the IRS strives to be an apolitical organization, but unfortunately, anything involving this particular former president is treated by a vocal minority as inherently politi cal.

How common is it for this type of law suit to happen?

It is very unusual. There would have had to be evidence of an egregious pattern of fraud for any attorney general, of any political party, to file a complaint of this sort. In fact, the whole investigation, from the length of time it has taken to the amount of money involved, makes this a very uncommon case.

What happens next?

The New York attorney general has asked for a variety of actions, including the removal of the current trustees of cer tain trusts holding Trump Organization assets.

Trump has already responded, calling it a witch hunt, which is consistent with the way he has responded to lawsuits in the past. I expect he will employ any avail able procedural tactics to delay answer ing this suit as long as he can. Eventually, he will be called to respond, and he will have to answer the claims put to him.

If he refuses to respond, the attorney general can act to protect the public, and the Trump family businesses would not be authorized to operate in New York. Ultimately, the state can shut the busi nesses down, if need be.l

Bridget J. Crawford is a Professor of Law, Pace University

Donald Trump. Editorial credit: Al Teich / Shutterstock.com