Workers' World Today - Issue 25

October 2021 INSIDE

Second Chance to Qualifying US Employers for H-1B Petition Approval ...15

4-page Insert Estate Planning Guide: ...17

Protecting Yourself in a Dangerous World ...22

Issue #25

Eric Adams is the Mayor That New York City Needs Right Now

Labor Supports Eric Adams for Mayor!

BY WWT EDITORIAL STAFF

N

ew York is a Democratic City, and we will elect a Democratic Mayor on November 2. It was a grueling primary in June, and with rank choice voting implemented for the first time, we saw Eric Adams emerge as the winner.

On Election Day, November 2, 2021, the best choice New York‐ ers can make for the city is to se‐ lect Democratic candidate Eric Adams as the next Mayor of New York City. Over the last few years, New Yorkers have been continued on page 4

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Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

NYC ELECTIONS: THE ONES TO WATCH

Antonio Reynoso: My Mandate as the Next Brooklyn President ... 6

Crystal Hudson: A Bold Fighter for District 35 ...9

Darlene Mealy: Back and Ready to Serve ...5

INSIDE:

AG James Fights to Keep New Yorkers in their Homes ...12

Rita Joseph: A Ray of Hope for District 40 ...8

Time-Saving Shortcuts for Working Moms ... 13

Why You Need to Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Expanding the Franchise & A Seat at the Table ...3

A Conversation with Candis Tolliver, SEIU 32BJ ...10

W

hether you are hurt on the job, involved in an automobile accident or become the unwitting victim of a defective product, protecting your rights is impor‐ tant. You can never be too careful when a personal injury has occurred, and one of the best ways to protect yourself is by hiring an attorney who specializes in this part of the law. Get a FREE consultation. Call 855‑768‑8845 or visit

www.askthelawyer.us

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

October 2021

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In Solidarity

Voting Rights for Green Card Holders: Expanding the Franchise and a Seat at the Proverbial Table

BY RICCI L. NILES

Supports Workers’ World Today

R

ecently, I was in Al‐ bany fighting and seeking support of A1261/S1947, legislation that will create a clear defi‐ nition of public work and level the playing field for New York’s contractors.

District Council 9 Painters and Allied Trades Union (DC9), the union for painters, prides itself on being a strong advocate for workers’ rights and safety.

We are excited about this new publication, Workers’ World Today, which covers the issues of relevance and concern for all workers. We are encouraged that all workers: blue and white collar will have a voice and platform.

Congratulations on your inaugural issue. We wish much success to the leaders and team of Workers’ World Today and pledge our support.t Davon Lomax Political Director, DC9

F

irst uttered by lawmaker James Otis, the expres‐ sion, “Taxation without representation is tyranny”— this the bold exhortation that captured the resentment felt by early American Colonists to‐ wards the British, thereby sparking the American Revolu‐ tion. The expression exempli‐ fied the grievance of a voiceless people required by law to pay taxes, yet they had no “say” in the governance or application of those very same laws.

Some two hundred years later, this same sentiment still res‐ onates within the country’s im‐ migrant population in the face of the proposed Bill, NYC Coun‐ cil Intro 1867, also known as The Municipal Voting Rights Bill.

In January 2020, Intro 1867 was authored and introduced by the New York City Council; in its current iteration, it is spon‐ sored and supported by 34 NYC council members. The passage of this legislation would have a resounding impact, nationally, perhaps even globally, as within it holds the hope of changing the lives of almost one million members of the mosaic New York City. mmmThis important bill con‐ tains the muted immigrant voices that wish to exercise their democracy—having “a say” in their immediate society and civic participation—influ‐ encing the local laws that bind and galvanize us in this metrop‐ olis.

Int. 1867, as it is commonly re‐ ferred to, is a reform bill that

TEAM Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Contributing Writers Victoria Falk Erin Telesford Jennine Estes, MFT Travis Morales Mary Campbell Janet Howard Linda Nwoke Chris Tobias Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Telephone 1-866-435-3286 Email info@workersworldtoday.com

Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock.com

seeks to expand the New York City voter base amongst the im‐ migrant population of lawful Green Card Holders, the ability to vote at the city and state lev‐ els. The bill would potentially and positively impact the civic engagement and participation of nearly one million people in New York City.

From a historical perspective, immigrants in the United States were stakeholders in US gov‐ ernmental affairs. They were granted the right to participate in the electorate for the first 150 years by voting. This prac‐ tice changed when the begin‐ ning of the nineteenth century welcomed a vast influx of Euro‐ pean migrants; however, gradu‐ ally, xenophobic sentiment began to take root, and immi‐ grant voting rights were re‐ pealed. At the local level, New York City, non‐citizens partici‐ pated in school board elections for more than forty years. This practice lasted until 2003 when school boards were disbanded within the five boroughs.

Of course, Int. 1867 is not met without its critics and resist‐ ance to passage. In a September 20 hearing, New York City

Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his reservations on passage of the nascent bill. De Blasio ques‐ tioned the “legality” of the bill and stated to WNYC that he had “mixed feelings,” preferring that only people who underwent the entire naturalization process should be granted the right to participate in their local democ‐ racy practice civic engagement.

To give context to Mayor de Blasio’s words, we must take into consideration the arduous path to citizenship that immi‐ grants are required: that natu‐ ralization process can average 6‐8 years; that generally, one must possess a Green Card for a minimum of five years, and that citizenship can be a costly, com‐ plex, lengthy, and cost‐prohibi‐ tive legal process that, ideally, incurs the cost of lawyer ex‐ pertise to navigate.

Intro. 1867 seeks to mediate that space between full citizen‐ ship and Green Card status, thereby expanding the voting franchise. As it stands now, there exist no federal nor state mandates that explicitly pro‐ hibit New York City from ex‐ panding the right to vote in conitnued on page 4

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October 2021

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Civil Rights Voting Rights / continued from page 3 local elections.

So, then, what exactly are the encumbrances to the passage of Intro 1867? We can speculate that some resistance to the bill may lie in the current climate of anti‐immigrant sentiment, strongly conveyed from the fed‐ eral level in the present and past administrations. The anti‐im‐ migrant sentiment is also echoed in mass media and ‘sim‐ ple politics. Many politicians and elected officials believe that the privilege to vote should be granted solely to American citi‐ zens. Anything counter to those beliefs would be to “dilute” the notion of democracy in action.

To give a broader perspective, other municipalities across the country have restored the vot‐ ing franchise to their immigrant residents. These places include school board elections in San Francisco, CA, a few towns in Maryland, and five Massachu‐ setts towns that have passed legislation in support of immi‐ grant voting rights. Globally, greater than 45 countries allow immigrants to participate in their local elections.

In the October 26, 2021, May‐

oral Candidate Debate, Democratic and Re‐ publican nominees, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and his opponent, Curtis Sliwa, were opposed to Green Card voting. Asked his opinion if voted mayor, Adams conveyed: “I think it’s so important that documented Green card [holders} should have the right to participate in local elections. My understanding, the law de‐ partment states that the state must carry that out; that’s not going to be the power among the city council; hopefully, the state lawmakers will look at that and decide what’s the best thing for the city.” By con‐ trast, Curtis Sliwa is vehemently opposed to restoring the immigrant franchise if elected mayor.

Given the history of voting rights in the United States—from Black Civil Rights to the Women’s Suffragist Movement, to the now restoral of immigrant voting rights, perhaps it is not improbable to state that New York City is engaging in blatant voter suppression.

Here is a segment of our city population that is vibrant and necessary—working and contributing to the tax base and main‐ tenance of municipal services, educating their children, and otherwise contributing to the coffers of this great and mighty city.

Democracy needs an “all hands on deck” approach for the greater whole to simply “work”; a divided city is a is fallen city. So then, who are we to deny this opportunity?

The fate of Intro. 1867 is expected to be decided upon within the next 30 days of its September 20, 2021 hearing date.t

Eric Adams/ continued from page 1 facing multiple challenges due to the need for COVID‐ 19 pandemic recovery, high unemployment rates, in‐ creased overall crime and gun violence, high rents, high cost of living, and the need for police reform. Ac‐ cording to the United States Census Bureau, 126,000 people moved out of New York between 2019 and 2020. Reportedly their reasons for leaving the city in‐ clude poor job growth, increased crime, high taxes, and overall high cost of living. While the city is des‐ perate to recover, strong leadership is needed.

Adam’s opponent, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, is most known as the Founder of the vigilante group, the Guardian Angels. He is also known as an activist and radio show host. However, he has not ev‐ idenced himself to be much of a leader. Many New Yorkers do not take Curtis Sliwa seriously as a candi‐ date for Mayor. It is one thing to speak about the chal‐ lenges of a city, such as Sliwa has done repeatedly.

Sliwa can be heard on the radio and seen on the news spewing rhetoric about the problems with New York.

However, he has not said much about addressing these challenges and providing viable solutions for the people.

Sliwa is willing to stand next to people to show his solidarity. During his campaign, Sliwa has been seen standing on parade floats to show solidarity with the Latino community, standing in the Bronx subway talk‐ ing about the need to decrease crime, and standing in solidarity with those who lost their job due to the city’s vaccine mandate, etc. But New Yorkers are not convinced that Curtis Sliwa has the experience and leadership needed to help the city recover. New York‐ ers want more than someone to stand next to them while they suffer. New Yorkers want the next Mayor

Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

to be a strong leader, offering so‐ lutions and acting as a catalyst to spark change for a better fu‐ ture for New York.

Eric Adams is the people’s choice for New York City Mayor.

According to current polls, Eric Adams has a “commanding lead over Curtis Sliwa.” Early voting has begun in New York City, and reportedly, 61% of voters said they would most likely vote for Eric Adams. There are still days left for early voting, and New Yorkers prepare for Election Day. There is reportedly con‐ cern that voter turnout will be low because voters will assume that Adams already has a defi‐ nite win. However, it is essential for all those who are eligible to do so to vote. Your vote is your voice, so make sure that you vote. t

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October 2021

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One to Watch

Darlene Mealy: Back and Ready to Serve

BY WWT EDITORIAL STAFF

D

espite several misgivings by some members of the society, Ms. Darlene Mealy, an experienced politician, emerged as the preferred win‐ ner to replace Council Member Alicka Ampry‐Samuel.

With the district voters' ex‐ pected confidence to continue on November 2, she will be con‐ firmed as the Democratic coun‐ cil member, representing Brooklyn's District 41, encom‐ passing parts of Bedford‐ Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, and Ocean Hill.

In a recent interview with Peo‑ ple, Power and Politics, she ad‐ dressed the different issues to be tackled within her con‐ stituency, her winning strategy, and future plans as detailed in the excerpts from the conversa‐ tion.

Ms. Mealy acknowledged the voters' support, whom she has always prioritized as the heart of her campaign, recollecting how she served without reser‐ vation in the community during the COVID‐19 pandemic, despite not being in office. According to her, "It was a phenomenal race, and what I ran on then was peo‐ ple first and, that was during a pandemic. Also, people were getting thrown out of their homes. So, I made sure the health issue and food were my number one priority; keeping seniors in their homes, and their NYCHA apartments, which no one was thinking about as our seniors had to get recertified to stay in their apartments during the pandemic. I still had my city council office in which I kept.

After I got out of office, people would come in there. And I must say, I never closed my office dur‐ ing the whole pandemic." She expressed gratitude for the abil‐ ity to provide resources for the most‐in‐need citizens in the community at one of the most crucial moments in the city's history.

When voted into office to serve in the next few weeks, she intends to promote affordable housing, especially for the sen‐ iors, and education. According to Ms. Mealy, "So one thing we are working on right now is af‐ fordable housing. NYCHA is practically trying to turn over all NYCHA developments to HUD, and then HUD will give it to CBOs (community‐based organ‐ izations). That's our bad actors.

So that's what I'm working on right now: we could keep the

housing in Brooklyn to keep people in place to re‐ cover from the pandemic. So, I definitely will focus on that."

Moving on to discuss her views to open enroll‐ ment as a solution to tackling the long‐standing New York City's segregated school system, Mealy expressed her support for the proposed option.

She was quick to mention that giving community members the 'choice' remains the best option.

People can choose without restrictions based on their personal circumstances and need rather than the place of residence or zip code. "I'm going to be fighting for choice now. But at its best, we need to do what's best for our young people that they can have a full and bright future."

Addressing the issue of domestic violence and in recognition of 'the Violence Awareness Month,' she reveals a strong commitment to supporting domestic violence programs and shares some of the strategies they use to reach various women.

"I used to sponsor (domestic violence program) when I was in the city council. So as soon as I get in there once again, I'm going right back to that.

We did things like we would go to the train sta‐ tion give lipstick out. I shouldn't tell, but we give out the lipstick to women. But inside that lipstick is a little note saying if you think you're experi‐ encing domestic violence, please call these num‐ bers for help. So little ways like that. We have to know how to help out indirectly. And don't forget men also undergo domestic violence."

Ms. Mealy revealed that from experience, hard work with tangible results remains the best for‐ mula for winning voters' confidence. She recol‐ lected various evidence‐based successes recorded through support from community members, which seen past evidence, and decided to support the vision. "Thank God, they saw that.

And I started doing Facebook Live at that time also."

In all, she appreciates the community's recog‐ nition of her contributions and a recommitment towards seeing the communities thrive. "I thank the community for seeing that and believing in me because I believe in my community. I want to bring back the stores that they can feed their fam‐ ilies again, open up again, vibe, and thrive."

In another discussion, Mealy shared some of her plans as an advocate for women in business, partly recognizing October as a National Small Business Month for Women Entrepreneurs.

She recalled that while serving as a City Council

member, she led a committee committed to women's issues, working toward ensuring that women have access to resources that can help them stay in business. A goal she intends to pur‐ sue as she goes back to the office. "Yes, it's signif‐ icant for me. Once I was in the city council, I was the chair of the woman's issue committee in the New York City Council. And that was one of our major goals to make sure that the women get the resources and the finances to help them stay in business. And I know, going back on day one, that will be a top priority. And one thing we could think about with the women in business, we have to start supporting one another."

In recognition of the effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on businesses, Mealy plans to help small and women‐owned businesses recover by focusing all effort on rent – employing different strategies like: *Rent‐renegotiation with property owners *Space‐sharing is also another option to address the challenges created by the high cost of rent in the city *Promotion of bills to support accessibility to pay the rent that will enable them to have access to relaunch their businesses. "So, I'm trying to make sure that people get in and can afford to stay there… like the gas bill just to open up a business, so, we need them to get that money upfront to help them continue forward and to open success‐ fully."

Encouraging the provision of small business

loans remains a major plan, "And going forward, I'll try to make sure we have small busi‐ ness loans. Because to me, it was redlining for a while for women‐ owned businesses that will go to a bank and cannot get a loan. So, we will try to fast‐track them.

And when an African, American, Chinese woman they go through much scrutiny than everyone else. So I'm looking forward to making sure we get them on a fast track. And I hope our new mayor can help us. That should be his top priority."

The discussion ended with the affirmation of her passion and commitment towards ensuring that the needs and voices of the most vulnerable members of her community (women, youths, and seniors) are heard and addressed. "I hope every‐ one can see, feel and hear my passion. Know that I put people first. I can tell you, and I will be your voice, your choice. I'm try‐ ing to bring us back to the fulfill‐ ment of what life used to be before the pandemic." t

October 2021

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One to Watch

Antonio Reynoso: My Mandate as the Next Brooklyn President

BY WWT EDITORIAL TEAM

O

n November 2, the likely next leader of Brooklyn will be in office. The South‐side Williamsburg‐born Brooklynite, Antonio Reynoso has represented his con‐ stituents, Bushwick and Ridge‐ wood, from District 34, will be elected into office as the 19th Brooklyn borough president.

During an interview with Peo‑ ple, Power & Politics, he shared the focus and how he intends to execute his bold, ambitious, and progressive plan for the whole of Brooklyn borough. The dis‐ cussions focused on what his administration's key areas of accountability will be when he becomes elected.

According to him, the central theme of his tenure remains the issue of maternal health and health equality for black women. A problem he reveals is of great importance to him, hav‐ ing experienced firsthand the

dangers black women face dur‐ ing their pregnancy and birthing." I want to make Brook‐ lyn the safest place for women to have babies. It's going to be a goal for us to achieve from day one. It is a personal story for me. My wife had a baby in a public hospital, and, sadly, my wife is eight times more likely to die during their pregnancy and the birth of our child than her white counterpart. It is a sad thing to realize, and I want to do my part as an ally".

His strategy will focus on im‐ proving facilities, processes and making sure the voices of women and those concerned are heard. Working collabora‐ tively with NYC Mayor‐elect, he will devise ways of actualizing the plan. "…we are going to have a conversation about em‐ powering midwives and doulas.

I think that is the best way for us to effect meaningful change.

And the way that we are going to do that is by centering black

women's health and making sure that the facilities and the processes and the voice of black women mostly are centered in their birthing experience."

Being an offspring of immi‐ grants, his plan for documented immigrants in New York in‐ cludes a commitment to ensur‐ ing that they can participate in deciding the future of their bor‐ ough by ensuring that they have the voting rights to contribute in choosing leaders in a city where they live. "…If you have a green card and you are a resident of

New York, then you should have an opportunity to vote in elec‐ tions. If you live in the city and you have been contributing in any way, shape, or form, you should have access to be able to hold your elected officials ac‐ countable at least choose who they are." He acknowledges this importance among documented immigrants, especially amongst Latino, African and Caribbean communities, which are left out of active participation in shap‐ ing the political landscape. "The current Borough President,

soon to be Mayor Adams, I've heard that he initially said he is supportive of it. Given that his victory was mostly a black and brown coalition, it would be great for him to do, to show ap‐ preciation to the Latino, Caribbean, and black communi‐ ties that he is grateful, and wants to give them a larger voice in the New York political landscape."

Also, upon his assumption of office, Mr. Reynoso's top five pri‐ ority issues besides maternal and black women's health in‐ clude education, housing, open space, and celebration of cul‐ tural diversity.

On education, ensuring that students in the borough are healthy and safe remains crucial in his agenda."Given what is happening in COVID, we must look out for the interest of our children, we can protect our children through vaccines, so we have to hold them (principal, continued on page 7

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One to Watch Antonio Reynoso/ continued from page 6 supervisors, and teachers) ac‐ countable to do that." Jointly, promoting educational attain‐ ment for the average black and brown student, most of whom are not getting the quality of ed‐ ucation they deserve, remains paramount. "But outside of just their health and safety, because of COVID, it is just education at‐ tainment. Black and brown have been getting some subpar edu‐ cation, and they are not meeting reading proficiency for decades, and we need to do more. We need to hold people accountable as to why our children are not getting the highest quality of ed‐ ucation," he states.

Remarkably, the future seems bright with promises of afford‐ able housing in the borough, with plans to create a place where there will be no more dis‐ placed persons, where home‐ owners will be able to keep their homes, and newcomers can find a place for themselves.

Reynoso intends to "keep peo‐ ple in their homes, in their neighborhoods, while also al‐ lowing for new people to come in. They don't need to be mutu‐ ally exclusive. You don't need to

build and displace our people.

We can protect our people and build moderate housing, and I think I want to focus on that."

He also aims to ensure ade‐ quate green space, recreational facilities, and parks, especially for poor black and brown peo‐ ple communities. "Right now, Farah Louis's district has the least amount of park space in the entire city of New York, which means that her con‐ stituents are not getting the green space and recreational opportunities that other com‐ munities get. So, I want to help those types of communities get more green space." He considers this important to promote the health and quality of life of com‐ munity members. "People un‐ derestimate the value and quality of life improvement of green space in these communi‐ ties. Look, you go anywhere, wherever there is the least num‐ ber of parks are, you will proba‐ bly go to find poor black and brown people. I want to ad‐ dress this as well," he said.

Recognition and celebration of the diverse cultures in the bor‐ ough remain paramount given the diverse cultures that exist and are showcased. According to him, "The Caribbeans all have

their days, and I want to make sure we celebrate them, and we could all appreciate it. I want people celebrating with us for every single culture and com‐ munity. I don't think we need to isolate a Dominican event for Dominicans only. There is no reason why we can't all cele‐ brate it. So I am really looking forward to shining a light on the beautiful culture and beautiful people of Brooklyn."

Ultimately, the presumptive Borough President, Mr. Antonio Reynoso, plans to be a hands‐on leader, devoting his attention to areas in the community that most need his help, especially in the black and brown communi‐ ties. He states, "So, I want to spend my time in areas that did‐ n't necessarily vote for me, I lost these places, I didn't get all the votes there, and I am going to show people that it is not about where the vote comes from, it is about where the needs are. I want to show this community that I want to be there for them.

I want to be present, so I want to go again to the areas that need my help. Where they have the lowest education attainment, the lowest amount of park space, the worst type of hous‐ ing, no jobs, that is where I am

“Here in Brooklyn, we succeed by never giving up and never giving in. Right now, we need to be tough and pull together in the aftermath of COVID to finally address our affordable housing shortage, dismantle systemic racism, save our small businesses, fix our schools, and stop overdevelopment and gentrification. Brooklyn makes us all who we are; and together, we’ll make Brooklyn stronger and fairer for everyone.” ‑ Antonio Reynoso going to spend my time. They will see me, and I hope that I can make a difference in their lives."

Building equity remains a uni‐ versal language for his adminis‐ tration, as he wants to build an all‐inclusive community across the board. He believes that "If I can take care of the poor and the people that need me, then all of Brooklyn rises. So, I really want to build equity into the work that I am doing. I was a young black boy from the south

side that had welfare, food stamps, section 8, housing. The government did a lot for me. I want that to be the standard, I don't want that to be a privilege, I want everybody to have that opportunity, so I am going to use the government to help the peo‐ ple that need the help."

As the days gradually draw near for the final election, we look forward to seeing him con‐ firmed as the borough president and sworn into office.t

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October 2021

8

One to Watch

Rita Joseph: A Ray of Hope for District 40

BY WWT EDITORIAL STAFF

I

n an interview with People, Power & Politics, the leading candidate and Democratic nominee for District 40, Rita Joseph discusses the issues and her vision for the district, roll‐ out, and priority areas of inter‐ est. District 40 covers Flatbush, Midwood, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens ad Ditmas Park.

As an introduction, she clari‐ fied that despite appearing as a newcomer, she had been a be‐ hind‐the‐scene politician with years of experience that spans several years. She recounts her first experience acting as an ad‐ vocate in her community in the '90s. "Well, Rita Joseph is not new to politics, but only that Rita Joseph has always been be‐ hind the scenes. I started advo‐ cating and organizing since I was 19. Back in the 90s, the FDA had said Haitians could not donate blood, hemophiliacs, and homosexuals. They could not donate blood. We were part of that 'four h.' So, at 19, I was a high school student. And when I heard that as a Haitian Ameri‐ can, I knew that in the future, if

I had children, if I was ever sick, no one in my family, none of my family members could donate blood. So, I organized a rally with my college counterparts.

And we were able to galvanize over 150,000 people. That was the first time in the history that New York had ever seen a rally like that." She recalled.

As a community member, she feels drawn to serve and give back to the community that supported her growth, educa‐ tion, and productivity in society.

"I grew up in Ditmas Park, and

I went to PS 139. Middle School.

I've been an educator and a teacher. I saw so many needs.

And I started working and part‐ nering up with elected officials to bring much‐needed re‐ sources to my school. And well, you know what, I can take this lived experience with me to City Hall because I know the is‐ sues very well. I know the needs and wants of the commu‐ nity. And I watched how my dis‐ trict just went downhill."

Hence, when elected, her top priorities in the first 100 days into office by January 2022 will focus on education, housing, police reform, and maternal health, issues that have re‐ mained core to her agenda. Ac‐ cording to her, "My priorities are education, housing… and of course, as a mother of four black boys, police reform and social and criminal reform is also top on my priority. And an‐ other priority I have, I am very passionate about maternal health for black women. In Cen‐ tral Brooklyn, it's a crisis. So I will be at that table fighting for those issues as well."

When asked about the issue of segregation in the New York

City school system and the op‐ tion of open enrollment as a strategy to tackle the endemic problem, she explained that as an educator, she believes there is a need to promote accessibil‐ ity and equity in district schools and the state education system as a whole. "We need to do a better job in how we operate.

You would think Brown vs.

Board of Education never hap‐ pened. Some of the doors have been locked against the black and brown community, and we need to open them.

In addition, she believes in gathering support and collabo‐ ration among similar‐minded policymakers who will actual‐ ize the goals. "That's why I'm super excited that I'm going into City Council for the first time with 31 women; some of them are mothers. This makes the demand for certain goals like childcare, education, men‐ torship through lobbying at‐ tainable. We want universal after‐school programs. We want internships, and we want men‐ torships, we want to make sure our girls are taken care of, we want to make sure our young boys cared for."

Despite their differences, she would like everyone working to‐ gether towards making a change in their community, "I said by the time we get in, I don't want us meeting on the first day. I want us already meeting, talk‐ ing, engaging and our next step for everybody needs to work to‐ gether."

Joseph recognized the health challenges that have remained a challenge within the black and brown communities. When asked how she intends to make a difference tackling these con‐ cerns, especially among the black community of Brooklyn, she reiterated that education, significantly raising awareness, and encouraging partnership between healthcare providers and community‐based organiza‐ tions (CBO) will make a huge difference. "I'm partnering up with healthcare, with CBO's that are already doing some of the work on the ground, make sure they are fully funded."

Acknowledging that although they often confront various challenges, including bureau‐ cracy, and the need to meet dif‐ ficult procurement conditions, which makes their operation te‐ dious, they remain crucial, espe‐ cially in raising awareness and focusing on prevention in the communities. "Just as an educa‐ tor, I always educate the whole child; we will address these things in our communities as a whole. What is the underlining condition? Why is this happen‐ ing? Where is it coming from?

And we address these things to make a dent in those areas hopefully."

Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of working with functional organizations that are keen on working in the com‐ munities. "One that works, one that does the outreach to the community, one that is working with the communities. Normally we have organizations that come in, but they're not work‐ ing. So, you have to be a real partner in working in prevent‐ ing and providing education."

The discussions ended with a request for voters to vote her into office, where she would protect the interest of her con‐ stituency members without compromise. "So, know that when I'm going in, I'm going in for you: your voice, I'm bringing your issues, your dreams, your aspiration… I want to make sure your children are your Ameri‐ can dream. So going into City Hall, you have an ally. You will have a friend and a voice in City Hall."t

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October 2021

9

One to Watch

Crystal Hudson: A Bold Fighter for Dist. 35

BY WWT EDITORIAL STAFF

I

n an interview with People, Power & Politics, the leading candidate and Democratic nominee for District 35, Ms. Crystal Hudson, addressed is‐ sues facing her vision for the district, rollout, and priority areas of interest for the con‐ stituency. Below are excerpts from the interview.

Ms. Hudson revealed that as a first‐generation American with immigrant ancestry, the difficul‐ ties experienced while caring for a family member propelled her into a career in public serv‐ ice that has spanned the past years across the city council and the public advocate office.

"My mother had Alzheimer's disease for the last eight years until she passed. I was the only child of a single mother. And it was through the caregiving ex‐ perience that I got into public service. I spent over ten years working in sports marketing in a completely unrelated field.

Still, I saw firsthand how in‐ credibly difficult it was for my family to access resources and services and even just basic in‐ formation. And that's what pro‐ pelled me into my career in public service."

During the Democratic candi‐ date nomination bid, she ex‐ pressed a crucial interest in changing her district in four key areas—COVID‐19 recovery, ed‐ ucation, housing, and homeless‐ ness.

Issues She intends to tackle the vari‐ ous issues by gathering support in addressing the dispropor‐ tionate impact of the pandemic, especially on women." Firstly, with COVID‐19, and recovering from that, we have to acknowl‐ edge everything that we've been through, not just the pan‐ demic, but also the economic crisis, the racial reckoning, you know, everything we've seen in the past year and a half. One of the things we have to do is ad‐ dress the fact that black and brown folks, in particular, have been disproportionately im‐ pacted by the pandemic, not only from a health perspective but also from an economic per‐ spective. Women of color, in particular, have lost the most jobs than any other demo‐ graphic. And so we need to start with ensuring we are investing in our public hospital system and health care system, that our communities are getting access to quality, healthcare and cul‐

Editorial credit: Katrina Hajagos

turally competent health care."

Secondly, she says creating jobs with good wages will enable people to take care of their fam‐ ilies. "We also need to ensure you know that we have job op‐ portunities that… have good wages, and aren't, paying peo‐ ple less than a living wage, and something that they can actu‐ ally support their families on."

Pertaining to education, get‐ ting full funding for education, especially among the minority communities, remains a crucial tactic.

According to Hudson, "I think the pandemic has obviously im‐ pacted our school communi‐ ties. And we saw early on in the pandemic that students didn't have the devices and the re‐ sources they needed to con‐ tinue their studies. And so, coming out of everything going into the new year, I think we need to ensure that. We need to work with the administration to make sure that our schools are fully funded, particularly the schools in our black com‐ munities, and brown communi‐ ties and immigrant communities, and working‐ class communities have the full resources that every other school has."

When asked about the issue of segregation in the New York City school system, and the op‐ tion of open enrollment as a strategy to tackle the endemic problem, she proposed a com‐ bination of options including appropriate allocation of funds, investing in educational activi‐

ties and after‐school programs that are robust and builds the children and recruiting teachers that look like the students. "We need to invest more in our chil‐ dren and our youth. We need to provide after‐school activities and programs, you know, so many of our schools don't have access to dual‐language pro‐ grams. For example, we have so many kids who speak multiple languages. And so, we need to make sure we have a curriculum that reflects those students' cur‐ riculum that talks about all of our rich histories. So, thinking about funding, the curriculum, and recruiting teachers, more teachers that look like the stu‐ dents. All of those are ways that I think we can improve our edu‐ cation system."

We must also ensure that the schools in the communities be‐ come appropriate for learning ‐ more accommodating and bet‐ ter equipped. "And that's some‐ thing that's really stuck with me.

You know, our schools don't look like schools in white neigh‐ borhoods and white communi‐ ties. We don't have access to the same devices, the computer labs, the hydroponic labs, like all of the resources white schools generally tend to have.

We don't even have the appro‐ priate textbooks. You know, sometimes we don't have air conditioning in the summer or heating in the winter. Our gyms are broken. Our facilities are in‐ adequate. And there's no reason why our kids should not have access to the best of everything.

The same way white kids gener‐ ally tend to have."

On housing, homelessness, and gentrification problems in the communities in District 35, Hudson asserts that the focus will be to address existing hous‐ ing problems like holding land‐ lords accountable, encouraging the building of affordable houses for low‐ and moderate‐ income citizens, promoting safety, and maintaining afford‐ ability. According to her, "I think our district lacks both low‐in‐ come housing and middle‐in‐ come housing. We need to create housing that allows those who are already in these com‐ munities to stay in these com‐ munities. We also need to address the fact that there are so many predatory landlords.

We don't hold those landlords accountable. And so thinking about both how we're address‐ ing existing housing, making it safe and actually affordable, and maintaining affordability. With new housing, what we're actu‐ ally building and building for people who are low and moder‐ ate‐income folks so that we can actually keep more people in our neighborhoods."

Black Agenda Addressing her bold recommen‐ dations made in the 'Black Agenda for black New Yorkers, Ms. Hudson affirms that she wrote the agenda as a call for all elected City council members to

cause a change deliberately. "I wrote the Black Agenda, be‐ cause I thought it was important to put something out that actu‐ ally calls on everybody else who's also been elected, and, serving in a public role. It's about the full city council, 51 members. We have the ability to actually address and undo all of the really racist, but in particu‐ lar, anti‐black policies, practices, laws that we have on the books.

And so now that we are in posi‐ tions of power, we have the abil‐ ity and honestly the responsibility to undo a lot of those laws."

A collaboration she intends to promote during the first 100 days in office. According to Ms. Hudson, "Within my first 100 days, I hope to, you know, part‐ ner with several other elected officials that we can start to im‐ plement some of those bold ideas, some of which don't even require funding. Those are the types of things we're talking about in the black agenda that need to be addressed and need to be undone and need to be re‐ versed."

Ahead of the November 2 gen‐ eral elections, she encouraged all eligible voters to vote again as it is crucial for electing the leadership they want. "It's the next step and ensuring we have the leadership that we want, and the leadership that you know will deliver for our peo‐ ple," she adds.t

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October 2021

10

Union In Action

A Conversation with Candis Tolliver, VP & Political Director, SEIU 32BJ tileveled intricate endorsement process, built on two‐way com‐ munication between the candi‐ dates and different union members. "And so we talk to each candidate, we sit down with them, we have them talk to members, and then our mem‐ bers recommend whether or not we want to endorse that person. And that goes through the leadership, and the execu‐ tive body of our organization to finalize those decisions, then, we make endorsements."

BY WWT EDITORIAL STAFF It is common knowledge that re‐ sults from this year's November 2 elections will elect a new mayor, city controller, borough presidents, and council mem‐ bers for New York City.

Candidate endorsement con‐ tributes significantly to the se‐ lection; primarily when a recognized and reputable or‐ ganization endorses a candi‐ date(s), it often boosts the candidate's campaign and chances of winning.

One of the organizations, whose endorsement means a lot, includes the Service Em‐ ployees International Union, Local 32BJ,(SEIU), headquar‐ tered in New York City, mainly representing workers (mainte‐ nance, custodial, janitorial, win‐ dow cleaners) and has about 90,000 members in New York.

In a recent discussion with People, Power and Politics, the Vice President and Political Di‐

rector of the union, Ms. Candis Tolliver, explored the endorse‐ ment process, the union's ex‐ pectations, and next steps. She

shared her political insight, and excerpts from the interview are as follows: Ms. Tolliver explained the mul‐

Expectations In terms of expectations, she re‐ vealed that the union is keen on seeing the candidates help the City get back on its feet and con‐ tribute to the new normalcy – work, security, good wages, ben‐ efits, and good health care.

"Folks can start to experience New York and life the way that you know; we've experienced before. But it's important that along with that recovery, we

have strong communities, and we have good jobs. We want to make sure that folks are paid a real wage that allows them to live, take care of their families, have good housing, safe hous‐ ing. And so we care about a strong job with good benefits. If nothing, if we have learned through this COVID pandemic, we know having good health care and going to the doctor and taking care of yourself is so im‐ portant. And so we want to make sure that folks have good health care, they have retire‐ ment benefits. Our members still have pensions. They're still able to retire with dignity. And we want that for our members.

And we want that for other workers across New York. And so those are the things that we fight for."

City Council Speaker While the union is interested in continued on page 11

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October 2021

11

Union In Action Candis Tolliver/ continued from page 10 the selection of their preferred candidates, however, choosing the right City Council Speaker is of utmost importance because the candidate wields a lot of power in determining the City's agenda. According to Tolliver, "we really care about the speaker because the speaker sets the tone for the City Coun‐ cil. The speaker has a lot of power over what bills are heard and what issues are taken up.

And so, we play heavily in that conversation. It will look a lot differently this time because it's not a general election. And so we use our influence, and we have our members talk to the current members about what it is that's important to them, and how they should be using that information to decide who best represents that, and then choose that person to be the speaker."

Interestingly, the union is keen on having the right candidate regardless of the candidate's color and gender. "But for us, the most important thing is that whoever becomes the next speaker understands essential workers, understands labor, un‐ derstands that working people

are the backbone of the City and puts their needs first; essential workers kept the City alive dur‐ ing the pandemic. When you think about essential workers, we were part of a strong union and other labor unions, includ‐ ing hotel workers, city workers, nurses, communication work‐ ers, and all of our workers who went to work every single day.

And all of our workers are ma‐ jority black and brown and im‐ migrants. We want someone who is thinking about that de‐ mographic, first and foremost.

And so, if it's a man, if it's a woman, if it's a person of color, that should be their priority."

American Dream Fund The discussion moved to the 'American Dream fund,' a fund that Ms. Tolliver explained that members of the union fund to‐ wards supporting any political project that benefits the union."

The American Dream fund is a

fund that is created at 32 BJ, which allows members to give money toward the union to work on politics. And so we have to be able to communicate with all types of folks, people who look like us, and people who don't look like us, and make sure they understand what's im‐ portant in that election. And so the American Dream fund al‐ lows us to do that work."

Rank Choice Voting Concerning the use of rank choice voting in New York poli‐ tics, there is room for much im‐ provement." I think rank choice voting did in a lot of ways what it was designed to do. But there were a lot of snags or snaffles if you will. I think we have a long way to go to educate our com‐ munities on what rank choice voting is and how we can use it to better our community," she says.

Voting Rights for Green Card Holders On the issue of supporting the bill in the City Council to allow green card holders to vote in municipal elections, Ms. Tolliver believes that it is complicated as it has a more significant impli‐ cation at the state and federal levels. Hence, all angles are being explored." So, we are sup‐ portive of the idea of having green card holders vote in mu‐ nicipal elections. Here's the problem. There are significant consequences for non‐citizens' voting in elections, especially federal elections or state elec‐ tions, there could be criminal consequences. So, we want to make sure that whatever sys‐ tem we have protects those in‐ dividuals and does not put them in trouble while giving them any liability for voting and doing something that we all do. And once it's done right, then I think we could be fully on board sup‐ porting that progress."

Governor’s Race When asked about her thoughts about the New York governor‐ ship election, she noted that it is an 'interesting race' to watch as things unfold in the future, es‐ pecially with the potential can‐

didates that will be vying for the position. She explained that "There are a lot of players this time around. We have a lot of other names and speculations around who's running. Once all the candidates have announced and officially started running, we'll know more, and we'll have a better take on who can win this thing. I think the thing we forget in New York City is that a governor's race is statewide, not just in New York City. And so whoever becomes the next gov‐ ernor has to have votes from all corners of New York State. And whoever can do that will be our next governor.

Importance of Voting She reiterated the importance of voting because a person's vote is their voice. "One thing I always say to our members at 32 BJ is if we don't vote, we don't get to say. We have to vote. We have to make our voices heard to change the system if we want it to be changed or make it better.

And so, our voice is our vote.

And so there's a lot of new ways to make sure you can get to vote.

And so I employ people to use one and make sure you vote this time," advised Ms. Tolliver.t

www.workersworldtoday.com

October 2021

12

Know Your Rights

Attorney General James Fights to Keep New Yorkers in their Homes

N

EW YORK: New York At‐ torney General Letitia James recently took ac‐ tion to protect the homes of hundreds, if not thousands, of New Yorkers. In a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Attorney General James calls on the City of New York to post‐ pone its water and tax lien sale — which could force many New Yorkers out of their homes be‐ cause of an unpaid water or tax debt — until the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pan‐ demic is over, or at least until federal funds allocated already to prevent foreclosures have been dispersed.

“New Yorkers must be given the chance to recover from the COVID‐19 pandemic without being forcibly removed from their homes,” said Attorney General James. “New York City should be more attuned to the precarious state of New York‐ ers’ budgets as the pandemic continues to bear down on its residents. Putting homeowners

Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

in a position where their homes are like to be foreclosed upon in the midst of the pandemic is wrong and short‐sighted given that federal funding will be re‐ leased in the coming weeks or months to prevent foreclosures.

This public health crisis has ex‐ acerbated the impact of lien sales on our vulnerable com‐ munities, and we must do all we can to allow them time to apply for federal funding, while also supplying them with the re‐ sources to help them recover.

That’s why this water and tax lien sale must be delayed. Now

is the time for New York City to look ahead and come up with something more than a short‐ term fix for the tax lien sale. It’s time to create a better and more just system for New York‐ ers.”

Though federal funding for homeowners to avoid foreclo‐ sure is impending, the City of New York plans to move for‐ ward with the water and tax lien sale in December. As the city works to quickly remove New Yorkers from their homes, this program will offer hun‐ dreds of millions of dollars in homeowner relief in New York and will undoubtedly save the homes of hundreds, if not thou‐ sands, of New Yorkers. In today’s letter, Attorney General James requests that any lien sale is delayed until these fed‐ eral funds are fully disbursed.

Additionally, the city’s efforts to remove New Yorkers from their homes is being made de‐ spite the fact that 90‐day no‐ tices sent out last month from

the city did not include a copy of the hardship declaration that would allow exemptions for people who have experienced economic hardship related to COVID‐19. Further, there have been no in‐person outreach events that would allow for New Yorkers to ask questions and obtain resources that could help them be removed from the lien sale.

Attorney General James re‐ quests that the city hold until the COVID‐19 pandemic has passed, or at least until federal funds allocated already to pre‐ vent foreclosures have been distributed.

In the past, Attorney General James has repeatedly advocated for reform to the lien sale pro‐ gram to remedy its effects on New York’s most vulnerable communities and help stabilize neighborhoods across the city.

In December 2020, Attorney General James sent a letter to Mayor de Blasio and City Coun‐ cil Speaker Cory Johnson urging

New York City to utilize commu‐ nity land trusts and land banks for delinquent properties, in an effort to ensure residents could stay in their homes.

In August 2020, Attorney Gen‐ eral James — joined by 57 local, state, and federal officials — urged the delay of the city’s an‐ nual tax and water lien sale.

Four days later, the former gov‐ ernor temporarily halted the sale with an executive order.

Get Assistance Don’t become a victim of this an‐ tiquated system. If you are a ten‐ ant or a homeowner who may be affected by the upcoming lien sale scheduled for December of 2021, do not wait until the last minute to seek assistance.

Schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney, such as Brian Figeroux of Figer‐ oux and Associates, to find out what could be done, if anything, before you lose your home. Call 888‐670‐6791.t

October 2021

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13

Family: The True Modern Relationship

Time‑Saving Shortcuts for Working Moms

BY JANET HOWARD

W

orking moms essen‐ tially have two jobs: their work and their family. It can be difficult to keep up with the combined tasks be‐ cause there are only so many hours in a day, 24 to be exact.

That's why shortcuts are so im‐ portant for working moms.

A time‐saving shortcut can be anything related to work tasks or home tasks that saves you time but still delivers the out‐ come you need. For example, using a grocery delivery service saves you the time it takes to go to the store, shop, wait in line, and drive home. However, the end result of having groceries is the same, and you can check that item off your to‐do list while pocketing those freed‐up minutes.

Most of your daily tasks as a working mom can be stream‐ lined. The more you take advan‐ tage of these shortcuts, the more time you will get back in your day for things like exer‐ cise, self‐care, therapy, or med‐

itation. It could even be time you spend watching TV and eat‐ ing ice cream on the couch!

Whatever you choose to do with your bonus minutes is up to you.

How to create a time‑saving shortcut Identify some of your most time‐consuming tasks and write them down. This will vary from mom to mom, so it's im‐ portant that you really nail down what is relevant for you and your life.

For inspiration, here are a few common time‐sucking tasks that could be streamlined: packing lunches, driving kids to activities, meal planning, clean‐ ing the house, and cooking. For work, tasks could include an‐ swering emails, attending meetings, and phone calls with colleagues.

It's important to put thought into where time is lost in your day and where it could be re‐ gained. However, if some of your time‐sucking responsibili‐ ties aren't flexible and can't be

streamlined, don't get frus‐ trated. There should be at least one or two tasks that can be streamlined. Start there, and that may help you become more creative in how to save time in other areas.

Once you have identified the tasks you want to streamline, brainstorm how you could cre‐ ate a shortcut. This should be done thoughtfully for each item.

For example, if meal planning and cooking take too much time out of your day, consider sub‐ scribing to a meal service. If that isn't the right solution for you, consider other ideas, such as cooking larger batches on the weekend.

For each task, you should have at least two possible time‐sav‐

ing solutions. You don't have to tackle all of your tasks at once though. Consider streamlining just one task, feeling the pride in regaining those minutes and a bit of sanity, and letting that mo‐ tivate you to move on to another task.

The motivation you find will come from using your saved minutes wisely. Therefore, it's important to really think about what is missing in your day. Is it self‐care time? Is it more sleep?

Putting even just five regained minutes towards something you desperately need will be impact‐ ful for your life. It will also lower your stress.

Tips for shortcut solutions Although there is no one‐size‐ fits‐all solution to saving time in your day, there are many op‐ tions. Some of these options may work for you, and some might not work. Start with what seems plausible for you and your life. From there, try to add some solutions of your own that aren't already on the list.

Here are some solutions to time‐sucking tasks:

•Hire a housecleaner •Start a carpool •Try a meal delivery service •Try a grocery delivery service •Hire a babysitter •Hire a tutor •Use the hot lunch option at school •Sign up for activities within walking distance of your home or child's school •Block off work time for deliver‐ ables on your work calendar •Skip or ask to cancel meetings if they aren't important •Multi‐task during meetings that aren't important •Start work 10 minutes early to catch up on email •Ignore phone calls if you are busy, and return calls when you have time

Most people don't think about how they can streamline their day because they don't realize how much time they can save.

Motivate yourself to want to save time by identifying exactly how you would spend that time and how it would improve your life.t

October 2021

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14

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

Domestic Violence Is Real

BY WWT STAFF WRITER

A

ccording to the website, www.domesticviolence.org, do‐ mestic violence takes place in our nation every minute of every day, occurring just about every 15 seconds.

Most Americans don’t realize just how real domestic violence is and how many lives are affected by it.

Most of these cases are left behind closed doors. That’s why the Domestic Violence Awareness Month was intro‐ duced to not only educate and raise that awareness but bring the support and strength that domestic violence victims need.

Domestic violence awareness month was first introduced back in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domes‐ tic violence. It was created not only to bring more awareness to others but to connect and unify the millions of af‐ fected victims that had been battered due to domestic violence. Its hope is to break the chains of violence that currently have such a strong grip on our nation.

Every year, right around 10 million people become victims of domestic vi‐ olence, which equates to just about 20 people every minute. Those are some

pretty big and startling numbers.

It affects not only women, but men and children, of all different races, status, religions, and culture. No one is im‐ mune to it.

Domestic violence shows itself in a number of different forms, whether it’s punching, slapping, choking, or threat‐ ening, manipulating, yelling and many others. No matter the situation, do‐ mestic violence is never okay.

The Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA) Protects Immigrants Immigrants are particularly vulnerable because many may not speak English, are often separated from family and friends, and may not understand the laws of the United States. For these reasons, immigrants are often afraid to report acts of domestic violence to the police or to seek other forms of assis‐ tance. Such fear causes many immi‐ grants to remain in abusive relationships.

Immigrants in the US. have the right to live a life free of abuse. Due to the victim’s immigration status, abusive partners have additional ways to exert power and control over their victims. If you are an immigrant or refugee in an abusive relationship, you may face unique issues that make it hard to reach out for help.

VAWA is a landmark piece of legisla‐ tion seeking to improve criminal legal, and community‐based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sex‐ ual assault, and stalking in the United States. This federal law provides nu‐ merous forms of protection for noncit‐ izen women—and men—who are the victims of domestic violence or other

qualifying crimes. There are three forms of protection: “U” visas for vic‐ tims of crime, “T” visas for victims of severe forms of trafficking, and “self‐ petitions” under the VAWA. Any victim of domestic violence — re‐ gardless of immigration or citizenship status — can seek help. An immigrant victim of domestic violence may also be eligible for immigration‐related pro‐ tections. If you are experiencing do‐ mestic violence in your home, you are not alone. A specialized immigration attorney should always be your first point of contact regarding immigration questions and concerns. You can also listen to Ask the Lawyer Radio Pro‐ gram on WVIP 93.5FM on Thursdays, 10pm‐11pm, and Sundays, 11pm to 12am. The program provides excellent information and also an opportunity for a FREE, no‐obligation legal consul‐ tation. The number to call is 855‐768‐ 8845.

You can also visit www.askthelawyer.us Domestic violence is against the law regardless of one’s immigration status.

Be a loving family member, good friend, and caring neighbor: please share this information.t

October 2021

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15

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

Class Action Settlement Gives Second Chance to Qualifying US Employers for H‑1B Petition Approval

BY LESLIE DELLON

A

recent class action settle‐ ment is expected to result in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approving more market re‐ search analyst H‐1B petitions.

The lawsuit was filed by four U.S. employers whose H‐1B pe‐ titions had been denied when USCIS determined that market research analysts were not a “specialty occupation” as re‐ quired for an H‐1B visa classifi‐ cation. Jobs in the H‐1B category require a worker to possess highly specialized knowledge acquired through a bachelor’s or higher degree in a “specific spe‐ cialty” or equivalent at the entry level. USCIS based its determi‐ nation on a flawed interpreta‐ tion of the market research analyst entry in the Occupa‐ tional Outlook Handbook, a De‐ partment of Labor publication

that includes information about how to enter an occupation.

The plaintiffs requested relief for themselves and other U.S. employers like them whose pe‐ titions USCIS would have ap‐ proved if the agency had not made this decision about the OOH market research analyst entry.

If a U.S. employer can establish that it is a MadKudu class mem‐ ber, USCIS will reopen and re‐ adjudicate the denied H‐1B

petition if there is time left in the validity period of the certi‐ fied Labor Condition Applica‐ tion (LCA) submitted with the denied petition. USCIS officers will re‐adjudicate such denied H‐1B petitions and adjudicate pending and future H‐1B peti‐ tions using forthcoming guid‐ ance.

Per the settlement agreement, the new guidance will address the first regulatory criterion and the OOH entry for market

research analyst, the statutory and regulatory definition of “specialty occupation,” and re‐ lated considerations in deter‐ mining whether a petitioner’s job is within the market re‐ search analyst occupation.

Potential class members will have 180 days to file a request to reopen. The 180‐day time pe‐ riod starts when USCIS an‐ nounces on its website the directions for filing. However, potential class members should file as early as possible within the 180‐day period to minimize the risk of the LCA expiring be‐ fore the request is filed.

To be a MadKudu class member, a U.S. employer must meet the following requirements.

• The market research analyst H‐1B petition was filed with USCIS during the period from January 1, 2019 through Octo‐ ber 19, 2021.

•USCIS denied the petition based on a finding that the OOH entry for market research ana‐ lyst (as it exists on October 19, the date the court approved the settlement agreement) does not establish that market research analyst is not a specialty occu‐ pation, and thus does not meet the first regulatory criterion (as it exists on October 19).

•But for this finding, USCIS would have approved the H‐1B petition.

The MadKudu class action set‐ tlement is a milestone in em‐ ployment‐based immigration lawsuits. It provides an oppor‐ tunity for many employers, rather than just one, to benefit after challenging a petition de‐ nial. But no relief would have been possible without the named plaintiffs, who were will‐ ing to sue. t

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October 2021

1

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Estate Planning Guide The Emotional Side of Estate Planning

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BY LINDA NWOKE

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here are two schools of thought in the field of psychology when it comes to discussing emotions. One of the theories argues that emotion causes behavior. Thus, one's emotional state results in action. On the other hand, another argument posits that conscious emotion results from behavior that serves as a source of feedback mechanism. Irrespective of which theories we choose, we know that emotions affect behavior and vice versa. They are interrelated and form part of human life.

Definition of Emotions, Causes, and Consequences Emotions form due to the interplay among various chemical reactions that occur inside the body, which regulates the mind and body. They assist us in coping with life, such as during interactions with others, when seeking direction, and making decisions.

In particular, emotions significantly affect how we think, see, focus, reason, learn, and solve problems. Our feelings often influence our focus or object of attention, which inadvertently affects the level of motivation and exhibition of behavior toward the object. In all, emotions help us to survive.

Going back to the school of thought, we learn that emotions activate fixed behavior "patterns" such as fight, flight, or avoidance actions. This belief works on the premise that while emotions influence behavior, it depends on the person's past experiences and the present context. For instance, when faced with a potential family feud resulting from a decision, the panic you feel may lead you to respond

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aggressively. If this strategy worked for you in a similar circumstance in the past; or it may cause you to form alliances with other family members to gather support for your decision.

What is Estate Planning?

Based on judicial decisions, a person's estate refers to the totality of their assets, without liabilities. So, when an individual, while alive, decides to plan by organizing and distributing their assets in the case of incapacitation or death, it is called estate planning. This concept involves planning the management and allocation of one's estate ahead of any eventuality.

Importance of Estate Planning Trusts and Estates are two acknowledged legal means for transferring assets to one's beneficiaries, including heirs. Ideally, every adult who has any form of assets should try to have an estate plan which usually includes a Living Trust.

However, while a Trust allows you to transfer your asset in an ongoing manner

before and after death, an Estate only allows a one-time transfer of assets, specifically after death.

Trust planning, in particular, helps the family in two ways: one is to help secure a family financially, and the other is for better control and protection of a family's assets. According to an article, a U.S. Bank senior vice president and regional trust manager explain that "Trusts are vital to helping support people throughout their lifetimes and put plans in place for the next generation," says Nancy Hermann.

An individual can also decide to draw up a Will that explains their intentions for distributing their estate upon their death.

The document must be signed, dated, and notarized or witnessed by two people in compliance with the 'Wills Act.' In some states, parents of minor children use Living Wills to elect guardians for their children in the case of unfortunate circumstances. In contrast, they use a living trust to command how their other ascontinued on page 2

Medicaid Planning

Avoiding Estate Planning Scams

Planning Tips for Newlyweds

October 2021

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Estate Planning The Emotional Side of Estate Planning/continued from page 1 sets, including real estate, will be distributed and managed.

Realistically, anyone who wants to transfer their assets to one or more surviving loved ones after their death should both consider and set up a formal estate plan.

The importance of planning ahead safeguards the family's future, fortune, and legacy and contributes to creating peace of mind.

Careful estate planning is achieved by having a Living Will, Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and putting financial plans in place for managing financial commitments like taxes, debts, and loans. This essential set of legal documents makes it easier for family members to carry out the wishes and needs of the one who passed away or their wishes met if they are unable to speak for themself.

What Prevents an Individual from Engaging in Estate Planning?

Despite the apparent merits of planning, why do people still hesitate or downright avoid having such documentation, you would ask. Several reasons can be attributed to the cause; however, fear remains central. This emotional reaction has been discovered as the main facilitator for this avoidance behavior—the fear links to three major areas—loss, cost, and appearing ignorant.

The fear of death and giving up control is entrenched in superstitious beliefs and

an unrealistic belief in one's immortality.

They believe that talking about death is taboo because they feel that they are jinxing themselves by attracting 'negativity' that runs contrary to their belief. They undergo various reactions like anxiety, depression, anger, and sometimes hostility when the issue of death arises, especially when linked to them. Similar responses are expressed when confronted with the possibility of losing control in situations like becoming incapacitated or memory loss.

At best, this line of thought is a myth because every living thing must expire or die at a given point. People need to face the reality that death is all part of living and the concept of estate planning is merely an extension of the caring role they have played while alive towards their loved ones. Also, the act of planning their estate ensures that what they have spent a lifetime building serves others, which in return keeps their memory alive, hence protecting their immortality though 'only in memory.' In the case of Trust plan-

ning, it ensures things are cared for while alive and, this action gives a sense of control.

Sometimes, the fear of potential cost for the services deters people, especially those with low income, who often consider that estate planning is for the affluent and benefits those left after their death. For them, the cost and benefit are not worth the trouble. After all, the assets are not really worth all the emotional energy and time spent sorting things out.

However, for any individual who genuinely cares for the family, estate planning is truly a reflection of the level of love for their family members regardless of how much it is worth. After all, one can argue that the kind of gifts we give members of our family reflects how much we care for them, not in terms of the price tag, but actually in the effort made toward choosing the right gift.

Another considerable fear that evokes an emotional reaction like procrastination

or denial is the fear of dealing with an attorney. Sometimes, people associate dealing with attorneys with inviting trouble or engaging with the law, so they develop anxiety over how to work with a lawyer without becoming overwhelmed or rail rolled into making decisions that are not consistent with their values and beliefs. Just like the attorney's fees also serve as a significant concern.

The estate planning issue also raises some complex and knotty issues, which accompany various family types and circumstances, such as blended families and extended families. Such complexities require tough and sometimes hard decisions that bring on some hesitation.

Unfortunately, the consequences of dying without an estate plan mean that any asset or property in your name becomes probate assets, subject to laws of intestate succession. This process is not only time-consuming but also often leads to family feuds and sometimes avoidable wastage.

How to Manage Emotions Associated with Planning Your Estate Consistent with anything related to fear, the first step towards addressing any 'fear-filled situation is becoming informed, which is a way of confronting the issue. Therapists often use two psychological methods to treat any anxiety-related problem- exposure therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.

In this case, the best measure of treatment in addressing the fear of death, losing control, meeting an attorney, or cost is the use continued on page 3

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Estate Planning

Avoid Estate Planning Scams

The Emotional Side of Estate Planning/continued from page 2

U

nscrupulous actors sometimes try to entice unaware victims into financially crippling scams. One of the most common types of scam deals relates to living trusts.

Fortunately, by doing your research and ensuring you are entering a valuable contract, most scams are easy to see through and avoid.

A living trust is a written legal document into which you place some or all of your assets. The belongings are managed by yourself or by someone whom you dedicate the responsibility to at the time of death or until a specific date. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, you can choose from two types of trusts.

A revocable trust is an adaptive deposit account managed by one or more people designated as a beneficiary who receives the assets upon an owner’s death. It can be revoked, terminated or changed at any time, at the discretion of the owner. An irrevocable trust is when the owner contributes deposits or properties to the trust but gives up power to cancel or change the account.

When determining the right plan, keep an eye out for common types of scams.

Fraudulent Activity Typically, the beginnings of a dishonest living trust begin with a phone call. Unsuspecting people, often elderly, are solicited to attend seminars or receive an in-home visit to discuss living trusts.

Once the meeting starts, trustors are often put under extreme pressure to secure their assets through pushy sale pitches. In most cases, a con artist will play on the worry that your beneficiaries will be unprepared to deal with your death or that a court will decide what happens to your belongings. continued on page 4

of cognitive-behavioral therapy. This method employs actively confronting the issue, for instance, in the case of fear of death which is a natural phenomenon and must occur. Everyone needs to understand that it must happen. One has to face the fact that no one is immortal. Confront the fact that death, dying, transitioning is all part of living.

Whether you choose to discuss death or not, it will happen. While it is not advisable to keep thinking of death, planning for when it happens gives one some form of assurance.

On issues relating to working with an attorney, finding the right lawyer to work with matters significantly in this case. Investigating and depending on referrals often works in addressing the challenge. What's more, the fear of cost remains unaddressed until one conquers all the other concerns.

The cost for service differs from one person to another based on their varying circumstances and dynamics. While some estate planning follows a flat fee rate, getting an estimate requires speaking to an attorney about your unique family situation.

Lack of information is also a significant obstacle to be overcome in the long run through education.

Indoctrinating financial literacy and values between children and family members remains vital. Parents need to train their children about the importance of money and responsibility early in life. Teach them to respect money by saving and using family games as the monopoly, especially for younger-aged kids.

Beyond that, making planning 'integral' as a family value is crucial. It is essential to make sure that planning because part of the family practices so that discussing issues like 'Trust planning' later does not

cause any anxiety.

In the real sense, estate planning is a gift to your family, a way of showing care for the family. The act of arranging your affairs to serve your family and loved ones, and interests is indeed the most precious gift you can give of yourself now and after. In addition to protecting minor beneficiaries, or adult beneficiaries from creditor problems, debts, change in marital status, poor judgment, and other external influences. After all, life happens! t

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Estate Planning

Planning Tips for Newlyweds

Avoid Estate Planning Scams/ continued from page 3

M

aking estate or end-of-life planning is likely the last thing on your mind after beginning life as a married couple.

However, with the new unity, the responsibility of protecting your spouse in case of an untimely death is critical. Experts say that thinking about estate planning early in the marriage process can actually be a bonding experience.

Discussing estate planning isn’t always easy. However, the journey must be traveled together. If your spouse is hesitant to approach the subject, share the importance of its meaning and the peace of mind gained once it is achieved. Begin your life together by following these tips to secure the future for both parties and any children involved.

Combine Your Documents After your marriage, you will receive a certificate that shows the legality of your union. Take this opportunity to combine it with other vital documents and keep them in a secure, fireproof safe. It’s also a good idea to make separate copies and store them in an off-site location like a deposit box.

A few forms you should include are birth certificates, social security cards, passports and documents that represent your children. You will also need to be honest

In most cases, these salespeople are merely attempting to access your sensitive financial information. They will often make illegal withdrawals from your accounts or sell your data to other con artists to pursue more fraudulent sales. about financial information like bank accounts, life insurance policies and retirement plans.

work with an expert estate planning attorney who can provide the right steps you should take.

Set a List of Goals Writing a list of goals for your estate can help you meet milestones and make more significant attempts to save to meet your vision. Consider deciding on a set amount that will benefit your loved ones and a sum that goes to a chosen charity.

Work together to make a plan, set achievements and reach your accomplishments. One significant advantage is to

Create a Will and Trust A secure will or trust is an excellent place to begin when drafting your estate plans.

The documents or accounts can express your desires for distributing your assets or finances without loved ones facing drawn-out probate processes.

Of course, remember to update your final wishes as you welcome children into the world or life situations change.t

Ways to Avoid a Scam Keep these tips in mind to avoid falling victim to an unruly financial trust.

• Recruit your own trusted attorney or reputable estate planner.

• Never sign documents that you don’t fully understand.

• Ensure you have the option to update your trust periodically.

• Verify any affiliation or endorsement by a government agency or senior association.t

October 2021

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Home Ownership

Four Signs You Are Ready to Purchase a House don't know if you want a house or a condominium, it's vital that you do a lot of reflecting and fig‐ ure out what works best with your lifestyle. The last thing you want to do is become stuck in a condo and soon after you realize you want a dog and a big yard.

Find a home that matches your life goals prior to going house hunting.

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

B

uying a house is always a good choice. For New American households, buying your first home can be the pathway to stability. Ja‐ maican immigrants have one of the highest rates of home own‐ ership in the U.S., according to a report from the Center for Im‐ migration Studies. Before you go house hunting, consider if you meet the following require‐ ments for buying a house.

1. You Won't Be Moving for Awhile One factor few people consider when analyzing whether they should buy a house is whether they want to move within five years. If you do plan to move within a few years, it's probably not time to buy a home. You might be thinking it will be easy to sell it or rent out your new house when it's time to move but it's not that simple. The market may make a downswing

in the next five years and if it does, you could lose money on your home making it impossi‐ ble to sell and move to a new city. And if you decide to move far away, it can be difficult to deal with renters. Wait until you're confident you will be set‐ tling down in the same location before buying a home.

2. You Make Enough Money Just because you can afford to rent does not necessarily mean you can afford a mortgage. You should talk to a mortgage lender and take a hard look at the numbers to see if home

ownership is an option. There are a lot of hidden costs in home ownership. Besides the down payment and closing costs that buying a house re‐ quires, you'll be responsible for all upkeep and care for the home. If your boiler stops working, that is a potential ten thousand dollar cost you are now responsible for covering.

In addition to saving for a down payment, you need to have ad‐ equate savings for any unex‐ pected housing costs.

3. You Have Good Credit If you don't have good credit,

the option to buy a home likely won't be on the table unless you have someone willing to cosign. If you're in your early twenties or younger, you may simply not have a long enough credit history to qualify to buy a home. You'll have to raise your credit score or wait a cou‐ ple years before you can pur‐ chase a home yourself.

4. You Know Exactly What You're Looking For Because you'll be settled in your next home for at least five years, it's important that you know what you want. If you

Assistance If you don't think you meet the financial or emotional require‐ ments for buying a new home, there is no reason not to wait.

Make sure you are completely ready before you buy a home so that you don't end up feeling trapped mentally or financially.

In the meantime, continue to do your due diligence and plan ac‐ cordingly. We are happy to help and share our insight and expe‐ rience to help you with the buy‐ ing process. Schedule an appointment today. Call 888‐ 670‐6791.t

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October 2021

22

Love, Health & Travel

Protecting Yourself in a Dangerous World: What to Do Before Seeking a PFA

BY JANET HOWARD

F

inding yourself in an abu‐ sive or otherwise volatile relationship can be frightening and disconcerting.

When the person you should be able to rely on to have your back turns on you, it is easy for your emotions to run wild, but losing control is the last thing you need.

If you want to protect yourself from the danger, you need a plan of action, and a protection from abuse (PFA) order. A pro‐ tection from abuse order can provide a legal shield, one that your abuser must respect or face possible jail time. And while this type of protection is not perfect, it can be a vital first step in extricating yourself from a dangerous situation.

Whether your abusive rela‐ tionship has been going on for years or is still relatively new, the sooner you seek a protec‐ tion from abuse (PFA) order the better, and safer, you can be.

Even so, asking the court for a PFA should not be a snap deci‐ sion, and it is important to plan carefully. This careful planning can increase the effectiveness of your PFA while affording you an extra layer of personal and legal protection.

If you are planning to file a protection from abuse (PFA) order, it is important to gather the documentation you will need to defend the action in court. While you may be able to get a temporary restraining

order based on your word alone, when your court date arrives the judge will be looking at the evidence you provide. Having that evidence in hand before you file, and before you leave the home you share with your abuser, will make everything that follows much easier.

That brings up another impor‐ tant preparatory step ‐ leaving the situation. If you share a home or apartment with your abuser, finding a safe place to stay after the protection from

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abuse (PFA) order has been filed can be a smart decision. That safe place could be the home of a trusted friend, a shelter for battered women or even a hotel.

If you have children, you will need a plan for taking care of them. If you plan to stay with a friend, you will need to arrange childcare while you are working.

If your plan includes a shelter, you will need to make sure the place you have in mind can ac‐ commodate your children as well as yourself.

Once you have made your plans and filed your protection from abuse order, you will want to be even more careful, espe‐ cially if your partner is violent or explosive. While a protection from abuse order can convince some abusive partners to back off and leave their victims alone, others may react with even more rage.

Filing a protection from abuse (PFA) can provide an important protective shield when you are being abused, but as with any legal maneuver the right prepa‐ ration will be key. If you are planning to file a PFA, following the steps outlined above can keep you safer and protect you in a dangerous world.

Domestic violence is never okay, no matter the circum‐ stances. If you or someone you know is in desperate need of help, contact the National Do‐ mestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.l

The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

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