CNW August 16, 2023 Edition

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble/HBE

“...born into music royalty”

Terri

Darnell Pulphus Art

Dr. Mila K. Marshall Cannabis Corner Editor Staff Writers Dr. Sharice Braford

Liz Lampkin

Marti Worell

Wanda Wright Contributors NNPA Newswire

Mare Evans

Melanie Mainor Eric Grant Photography Dot Ward

There are Gangs & There are GanGs I

was thinking about culture, and I pondered why is it that Americans really like the ‘bad boy’ stories. Why are we fascinated with the “Godfather,” movies? And why do we empathize with the lead character? Do we root for the underdog just because? Well, I think not. I think that the Godfather whether it was Marlon Brando, or Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino, the character represented several things that Americans revel in. First of all, he was a self-made man who started out with the odds against him. He observed the world around him and made choices in a world that did not show him much compassion. He chose to win which included providing for his family first. Second he created a business to insure that, which was built upon family principals. He created and extended family and within that was a hierarchy that served to award everyone based on loyalty to the Godfather, principles and or the first family.

We can all appreciate that primarily because it is the basic reality of the underdog who is much of the American population. As much as we like to think of the land of opportunity and it is, there is the opposing reality of racism, and the lack of equity and equality grounded in the securing of classism that maintains the status quo for the American wealthy who of late has transcended from its initial high brow foundation. Who the rich were and how they behave and saw themselves is very different than who the rich have become. Families like the the Rockefellers, the Fords, the DuPonts, the Vanderbilts, the Carnegies, the Mellons, and the Kennedy’s, and the Hughes.

Old money” applies to those of the upper class whose wealth separates them from lower social classes. Old money

families are founded upon inherited wealth families or lineage possessing inherited wealth able to maintain their wealth over multiple generations, often referring to perceived members of the de facto aristocracy in societies that historically lack an officially established aristocratic class (such as the United States). Within this status is a culture and behavior norms. Such emerges the reference ‘the privileged.’ In the early 20th century, the upper-class were seen as more prestigious than the nouveau riche even if the nouveau riche had more wealth. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the nouveau rich flaunted their wealth by building Gilded Age mansions that emulated the palaces of European royalty, while old money was more conservative. This holds true today. However, our point today is that of the decaying mores of culture. What we really like about the Godfather is that there were rules that were grounded in respect and loyalty. Harm was never done to another just because or out of emotion. But an ‘eye for an eye’ was understood as necessary transgressions. Behaviors of the old money did not mean that ‘they didn’t do,’ but it mean that what was not acceptable was done in the dark or kept hidden and swept under the rug because it was unacceptable.

‘women and children’ are not included in the business of retribution. This is sacred. And yet today we read about the petty beefs between gangs that result in the murder of innocent women and children. This can be likened to Congress which is made up of two maybe three or four gangs who have thrown out the rules of engagement and have given birth to the total disregard of the truth, but first to their responsibility as elected officials.

Many are in the position for the sole purpose of joining the ‘new rich ‘and are not interested in the well-being of America or what’s good for the country. Some have taken on the demeaner of Donald Trump and have no loyalty, no rules other than self-preservation first.

We no longer have a majority of elected or appointed officials in the position to provide direction and protect the sovereignty of American democracy. Too many are chasing their own personal pursuit of power. All we must do is look at congress and now the Supreme Court and we know that we are facing trouble.

The outlandish escapades and exhibitions of the nouveau rich, of today is a far cry from the current rules of engagement today on every level.

We had gangs, we’ve always had gangs and they were notorious, but their leaders were grounded in rock solid mores like

We may not be perfect but the Constitution as written provides a solid guidelines to achieve what is close to perfection. We just have to get the Congress back in fit form. We must show them that they work for us. We will discuss ‘how,’ next week.

Dollars & Sense

August is Black Business Awareness Month

August is Black Business Awareness Month and celebrates the contributions and success of diversity in entrepreneurship.

When we acknowledge

Black owned and operated companies, we respect the decades of work invested in ensuring equitable access to capital, diversity in the supply chain and workforce development for African Americans. Supporting Black owned businesses is seen by many as an effective tool and strategy for gaining equality. In a Pew Research poll of Black Americans 58% of respondents said supporting Black owned businesses were effective at promoting equality followed by 48% agreeing that volunteering with organizations that prioritize Black issue was effective and fewer agreed that protesting (42%) and contacting elected officials (40%) was impactful.

U.S. Census Annual Business Survey there was 140,918 Black-owned companies with $141.1 billion in annual receipts and 1.3 million employees with $42.2 billion in annual payroll. Nearly 30% of companies were in the Health Care and Social Assistance sectors. Despite the metrics there still is no metro area in the nation with a share of Black-owned businesses that match or exceed the Black population. In Illinois Blacks own 11% of business but only 2% of employer businesses. A first of its kind query of Black businesses was the result of a unique partnership between Chicago State University, Chicago Urban League and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The survey is a sample of the Black owned businesses and was executed in 2021 during the pandemic when companies were at peek tensions. The following data was retrieved from the Illinois Black Business Survey published in February of 2023.

Top Industries:

• Professional services – 12.22%

• Food and Restaurant-Bar – 10.75%

• Education/Social Services – 9.72%

• Retail – 8.98%

• Personal services – 6.77%

• Arts entertainment – 6.33%

Time in Operation:

• 10+ Years – 30.8%

• 3-9 Years – 37.8%

• 2 years or less – 31.4%

Business Size, Revenue & Operations:

• 66% of respondents are micro-enterprises and solo entrepreneurs who reported no part- time or full-time employees other than themselves.

• Of the 34% of the companies that did have full-time employees, 85% had

Black employees working for their business.

• 53% of respondents are home-based

• 60% of respondents reported their annual revenues before the pandemic were $50,000

• 33% reported no impact or an increase in revenue after the onset of the pandemic while 66% reported losses.

Gender:

• 64% of survey respondents were Black women business owners. The primary sources of startup funding for survey respondents:

• Personal Savings (71%)

• Gifts/Loans from Family and Friends (8%)

• Credit Cards (6%)

Challenges Related to Growth

In terms of challenges related to growth and expansion, respondents identified the following aspects of business most difficult.

• Implementing technology (32%)

• Marketing their products or services (30%)

• Attracting customers (21%)

• Diversifying their client/customer base (17%)

Findings illuminate important trends to consider when strategizing on economic development, diverse hiring, and industries in which there are opportunities for Black ownership.

Now, More Than Ever, Chicago Needs Civility

Dear Reader,

August is National Civility Month, and more now than ever, we need civility in our city. People being civil to others makes the world a whole lot better and is the key focus of National Civility Month. The designation of National Civility Month helps the world remember to treat others how we wish to be treated. The recent illegal behavior of looting and destruction of the city is civil unrest and should be appropriately labeled. This behavior cries out for lessons in civics in our schools. Teaching civics is crucial for developing informed, engaged, and responsible citizens who can contribute positively to their communities and participate actively in democratic processes.

This message to young people comes with utmost seriousness and concern for our youths’ future and well-being. Growing up in the Austin community on the West Side of Chicago, I understand that life can be challenging, and circumstances may seem overwhelming, but the choices you make now will shape the rest of your lives. It is time to stop the cycle of violence and destruction that has plagued our city for far too long.

Your actions have consequences that affect you and your families, friends, and innocent bystanders. The violence and crime tearing your city apart do not solve any problems; they only perpetuate pain and suffering. It is time to break free from this destructive path and choose a different direction.

Education, discipline, and compassion are the keys to a better future. Seek out opportunities for personal growth and improvement. Embrace learning and education as tools to unlock your potential and create a positive impact in your life and the lives of others. Surround yourselves with mentors and positive role models who can guide you towards a better path.

Rather than resorting to violence, channel your energy into positive outlets like sports, arts, or community service. Contribute to society meaningfully by actively rebuilding and uplifting our communities. We can create a safer and more prosperous Chicago by working together.

Remember that your life matters and there is hope for a better tomorrow. Take responsibility for your actions and be accountable for the choices you make. Seek help if you are struggling with anger, addiction, or mental health problems. There are resources and support available to help you through difficult times.

Let us unite as a city to end this cycle of violence and save lives. Embrace unity, respect, and empathy as the guiding principles in your lives. Together, we can create a Chicago where young people can thrive and achieve their dreams.

The power to change lies within each one of you. Choose wisely, for your decisions will shape the destiny of our beloved city and the lives of generations to come.

Peace Be With You, Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

CNW Around Town Highlights from the 2023 Rainbow Push Convention

This year’s 57th Annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition international convention featured some of America’s best and brightest. Soo Kim who currently serves as Chairman of Bally’s Corporation and has been an Independent Director of Bally’s Corporation since 2016 and was the guest speaker at the Annual breakfast which also featured addresses by John W. Rogers, Jr. Founder, Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Congressman Jonathan JacksonIL-01 and other Titans of Business were also honored. Vice President Kamala Harris and other high-profile panelists included Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham, former local Congressman Bobby Rush (D-1st) and Fred Waller, Chicago’s interim police superintendent. Farmers and workers from the Missouri Rural Crisis Center also spoke throughout the convention.

Band of Brothers

Yosh (Jafar Baji), one of the seven, sometimes eight members of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble/HBE of brothers and fifth from the youngest. Our interview hadn’t begun, but the conversation surely had. The uprisings in Paris were a result of a police shooting on June 27th of Nahel Merzouk. The 17-year old of African descent had been shot and killed during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a Parisian suburb. Five of the tribe were able to join the call, as they are spread across Chicago, New York, and Paris. Brothers on the line drew connections between

George Floyd and the teen expressing their positions on the unfortunate events while being empathetic towards the plight of young adults and teens. It wasn’t too long before the conversation shifted towards the Canadian wildfires, the devastating impact of air pollution and the human displacement that comes along with disasters. We dove into discussions about their childhood, born into music royalty, the influence of hip hop and how being from Chicago seasons their sound and allows them to invite others to connect with their higher selves.

“Paris is burning,” said

“...born into music royalty”

Composed and Conscious

Their conversation is rhythmic like their music and to an outside ear it sounds like everyone is talking over each other but uniquely everyone is being heard. It’s quite fascinating to be an audience to them as they speak. Each is an embodiment of self-awareness inherited no doubt from their famous father Phil Cochran, watered by their mothers and pruned by the creative community that grounded and nourished them.

“The elevation begins. We always seek to bring anybody around us to their highest form of self, our music is designed to help you break through any barriers that stop you and help you to achieve your highest potential in whatever you do, or want to do” - HBE on FB

Paternal adoration is strong. “He was a pioneer in afro awareness, Black music awareness and health here in Chicago. Our father started the Afro Arts Theater on 39th and Drexel where artists like Chaka Khan, George Benson, Curtis Mayfield, members of Earth Wind and Fire and other well- known artists came to focus on Black awareness and the arts,” said Hudahhh (Gabriel Hubert). The 63rd street is called “Bongo Beach’’ because of Cohran’s influence. In the 1960’s he curated an event which celebrated Blackness through music and the arts; and was one of the founding members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians/ AACM. Not to mention that he was a member of Sun Ra’s cutting edge Astral Infinity Arkestra where he played trumpet, zithers, and harp. Even Pulitzer Prize and Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks memorialized Cohran in her poem “The Wall” If afro awareness were a fabric, Phil Cohran was the needle and thread.

“Women in wool hair chant their poetry. Phil Cohran gives us messages and music made of developed bone and polished and honed cult.

It is the Hour of tribe and of vibration, the day-long Hour. It is the Hour of ringing, rouse, of ferment-festival. “

All 21 of Cohran’s children are the next generation and members of the HBE inherited the charge of liberating minds through music. Hudah describes what it was like being raised by the pioneer and spiritual

revolutionary. “We grew up vegetarian. Our mothers sewed our clothes and baked our bread. We were eating wheat bread before it was even available in regular stores. Kids at school would make fun of us calling it dookie bread, they had never seen brown bread before,” he shared. Their father was meticulous and curated a disciplined lifestyle. “We were up at 4 in the morning to practice on our instruments at five, we would go to school and come back and practice some more,” Hudah said. Culture came first in their household.

First Generation Dope

Their parents wished for them to be examples to their peers untethered to societal norms of holidays and capitalistic traditions. “We celebrated Kwanzaa in our home and never Christmas and on Halloween instead of asking for candy we were learning the origin. “We were expected to be beacons of light,” said Hudah. “It was also so that people could see that where we come from we aren’t all killers, thieves, and drug addicts. In the 80;s and 90’s kids from Chicago were seen as unteachable. We were the examples to the world,” chimed in Yosh, “that it wasn’t true.”

“Hypnotic started the first day our pops made us create a song,” said Yosh. He remembers being 9 years old having to perform an original piece after the brothers told their father they weren’t feeling his style of music. “We were playing our fathers music. When we became teenagers a lot of us put our instruments down for 3-5 years. We still played music in school, but we stopped playing with our father,” said Baji (Baji Hubert). One by one the brothers returned to their instruments and in the interim even had formed a hip-hop group, ‘The Wolf Pack.’

Some of the brothers began to play on the downtown streets of Chicago and the subway and would cover songs that you would hear high school bands play. Seba shares how it all began.

“ In high school we would create music in the back of the band room. In class we would play the curriculum the band leader had for us but afterwards we would stick around and compose our own works. Our brother Tyco was excited and insisted that we share our music on the street. We didn’t want to play on the street but ultimately he convinced us. We went outside with our horns and buckets, made a little bit of money but what was infectious was the community we formed around our music,” shared Seba (Seba Graves). “We were moving pass communicating with words and touching people on a level that language couldn’t penetrate,” added Hudah.

The brothers acknowledged that HBE is an evolution of their hip hop group ‘The Wolf Pack’ which was grounded in the philosophy and teachings received in the Phil Cohran Youth Ensemble.

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Continued from page 9

The Rhythm of a Revolution

“Our religion is music. If we aren’t playing music I know that each one of us feels a void in our life,” said Hudah. The generational divide between the brothers and their father is exactly the tensions many families experience. How does one allow themselves to be rooted and grounded in the established teachings while building a relationship with expression that is in alignment with who you are? HBE has mastered balancing finding their own rhythms while led by the legacy of their father. “All of our music we play is from the spirit,” said Baji but their interpretation and translation was indeed different from their dad’s as young Black men in the era of crack and gang culture on Chicago’s Southside.

“Putting it into layman’s terms, pops came up during the time where jazz was more relevant and the music of the streets. But we come from a time where hip-hop was more relevant and that was more influential. You must learn how to evolve and move with the time and as artists. 90’s hip hop music was a pivotal part of our creative expression, we were heavily into NWA,” said Hudah. The brothers laughed when invited to drop a few bars to freestyle, but hip hop is in their heart and is the canvas to their musical art, yet they are rooted in the knowledge bestowed upon them by their father. Their influences from the golden era of hip hop are plenty, and their features and collaborations are even more impressive. They have performed with Phil Cohran, Wu Tang Clan, De La So0ul, Prince, Gorillaz, The B-52’s; and recorded with stars like Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Childish Gambino, and others. Their celebrity is not in question. Covid created a new space for each of them and an evolved vision for the next revolutions around the sun.

Of stardust and southside vibes

“A lot of hip hop fans defer to 90’s hip hop when it wasn’t so commercial and not all about money. There is something missing from the music now. Once money flushed into the industry it feels like the artistry disappeared,” said Seba. The commercialization of rap music has left some feeling hip hop is dead, even though this is the 50th year of Hip Hop. While the brothers’ banded together as a hip-hop group their evolution beyond lyrics gave them access to connect with listeners beyond the lyrics and wrapped in the rhythm of their horns. The brothers’ global reach while a testament to their success may leave many wondering why they are not as well-known at home.

Chicago’s music scene is for sure diverse but there is more to the story at least from Hudah’s’ perspective. “We never really had a U.S. agent. Shows here in Chicago have been mostly one offs and through acquaintances,” said Hudah. Don’t get it twisted when they do pop-ups the fans pull up as noted by their 2021 August show at the Promontory in the Hyde Park that sold out, “We were and are still dead set on not being categorized as a “jazz band,” shared Hudah. They are firm believers that their vibes are all encompassing and cross genres. Yet commercialization of sounds requires categorization as one genre or another. The classification of

music creates a hierarchy of preferences and consumers for the most part, are marketed music via genres; “Music appreciation is different here in the United States more than other countries,” Hudah believes. There is only one continent Hypnotic has not performed on and that is Antarctica and while touring the world brings their sound to the masses, Bodi expresses the challenges and realities beyond being known…it’s being away from home. “A frustration with touring and being a band is that we have to move around and be away from our families. Our tours are stretched for months at a time,” - Bodi. T

The band has performances scheduled in the UK, France, and Europe for the rest of 2023. “For our live performances people get the novelty and the special sauce when they see us perform,” says Bodi. Their familial comradery has been their calling card. But they are working on translating the live experience through modern ways like using social media. All the brothers are thrilled at setting up a Chicago base for re-establishing their roots and carrying forth the legacy of the House of Kelan with an exciting new release and collaboration.

A Hypnotic Joint

The first hypnotic installment was released about seven years ago. The concept was simple and designed to create space for others to sing, rap or recite… in essence to catch a vibe…to be hypnotized. Curating a project that invites listeners to add flavor of their own was well received, so much so that they followed it up with a second installment comprising 11 songs. “We already have released a few songs with videos earlier this year and we’ve decided to go a different route since Yasin Bey {also known as Mos Def) has different legs and it is a dope song,” said Hudah. “We want that Grammy reach,” added Yusef. The track is called, “Space,” has been released on streaming platforms along with visuals and is available for downloads for creative jam sessions and fly vibes.True to their intention they wish to reach as many people as possible and are looking to inspire and get as many voices heard as possible. At the moment the band is finishing the final touches working with local Grammy award winning poet J. Ivy and while they are heavily rooted in jazz, hip hop, funk, soul, house, blues, reggae, samba, calypso they are making sure they stay true to their Chicago flavor.

• Members are: Gabriel Hubert (“Hudah”)trumpet

• Saiph Graves (“Cid”) - trombone

• Amal Baji Hubert (“Baji” or “June Body”)trumpet

• Jafar Baji Graves (“Yosh”) - trumpet

• Seba Graves (“Clef”) - trombone

• Tarik Graves (“Smoove”) - trumpet

• Uttama Hubert (“Rocco”) - baritone horn

• Hashim “Hash” Bunch - bass

• Kevin “Vo Era” Hunt - guitar

• Christopher Anderson - drums[3]

Check them out: https://youtu.be/vDU9-m1Epo0

https://youtu.be/MazALw2cC8s

https://youtu.be/Sg9shWegoWU

Mayor Johnson Chooses Chicago’s Next Top Cop

Mayor Brandon Johnson

has announced Chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism Larry Snelling will serve as Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The announcement comes after a months-long, deliberative search and process led by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.

Chief Snelling was formally introduced by Mayor Johnson at a press conference on Monday. at City Hall.

“Today, a new chapter begins in our journey to create a better, stronger and safer Chicago as Chief Larry Snelling has been charged to lead the Chicago Police Department,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Chief Snelling is a proven leader who has the experience and the respect of his peers to help ensure the safety and well-being of city residents, and address the complex challenges we all face related to community safety.”

“I am confident that by working collaboratively with the superintendent and all vested stakeholders inside government and beyond, we can develop and implement comprehensive strategies that address the unique needs of each community and improve public safety

throughout our city.”

Chief Snelling was raised on the South Side of Chicago. He is a product of Chicago Public Schools, graduating from Englewood High School, and holds a bachelor’s degree in adult education from DePaul University.

He joined CPD in 1992 as a patrol officer in his home community of Englewood. This type of community-based policing experience remained core to his values and his experience as he ascended through the department.

“It is a tremendous honor to answer the call to serve my hometown and the people of Chicago as superintendent of the Chicago Police Department,” said Chief Larry Snelling. “It is also a tremendous responsibility, and one that I do not take lightly.”

“In order to continue to make progress as a department, we must embrace innovation, continue to strengthen morale, and go further in strengthening bonds of trust between police and community,” Snelling said. “While I am humbled by this moment, I stand ready to lead and uphold Mayor Johnson’s ‘three Cs’ of competence, compassion and collaboration, and keep that vision at the forefront in addressing safety on every street, every block and in every neighborhood,” Chief Snelling said.

After serving as a patrol officer in the 7th (Englewood) District, Chief Snelling was promoted to sergeant, serving in the 22th (Morgan Park) District and Physical Skills and Operations sections for recruit training at the Police Academy.

He returned to the 7th District as watch operations lieutenant before being promoted to commander, and later, deputy chief of Area 2.

Chief Snelling redesigned the Department’s

current force training model around national best practices and constitutional policing and has testified as an expert in federal use of force cases. Additionally, he was a lead trainer for field force training for the 2012 Chicago NATO Summit.

In 2022, Chief Snelling was promoted to chief of the Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism, which coordinates with the Office of Emergency Management and Communication and other city agencies, as well as other local, county, state and federal emergency responders, to respond to city emergencies.

The selection of Chief Snelling was part of a nationwide search for the next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department led by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. On July 27, 2023, the Commission nominated Chief Snelling, Madison, Wisconsin Chief of Police Shon Barnes and CPD Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform Angel Novalez to Mayor Johnson for consideration.

Mayor Johnson held extensive meetings and field interviews to understand each of the candidates’ goals and priorities, and their vision for the Department. Finalists for the position were asked to share implementation plans for the consent decree, approaches to violence reduction and community collaboration, along with several other areas related to community safety.

“I’d like to thank President Anthony Driver and the Commission for Public Safety and Accountability for their thoughtful and diligent work throughout this entire process, and to every applicant who put themselves forward to serve our great city,” Mayor Johnson said.

“And I want to give special thanks to Chief Barnes and Chief Novalez, exceptional officers who I was honored to meet and engage with around their views on policing and public safety.”

The mayor’s selection for superintendent is now subject to City Council approval.

Why the FDA Menthol Ban is Not Good for Communities of Color

With the FDA’s pending ban on menthol cigarettes growing ever closer, it’s important that policymakers contemplating passing legislation that will impact the interactions between Black and Hispanic Americans and law enforcement better understand the unintended consequences of this decision.

For Those Who Are Uninformed

This August, the FDA could announce a nationwide ban on all menthol cigarettes, ending the legal sale and purchase of menthol-flavored tobacco. Some advocates falsely claim that menthol products are more harmful, but research shows that menthol cigarettes are no more dangerous than any other cigarette. A JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute study found that “menthol cigarettes are no more, and perhaps less, harmful than nonmenthol cigarettes.” Toothpaste, gum, and other products can add menthol, but this does not make the products more harmful or addictive. Moreover, menthol cigarettes are not the preferred cigarette in America; non-menthol cigarettes are. So why would the FDA aim to ban only menthol-flavored tobacco products, especially considering the majority of Black and Latino smokers prefer menthol? The reasoning behind the ban is misguided, non-scientific, and rooted in the historical targeting of people of color.

For Those Who Claim That the Ban is Solely Motivated by Health

The best solution for a public health issue like tobacco smoking is education, treatment, and counseling. The government knows this approach well, as it’s led to tremendous declines in smoking since the 1960s. According to Statista, from 1965 to 2019, the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the U.S. has decreased from about 42 percent to 14 percent. Resources like quit-smoking websites, hotlines, medications, and text message programs contributed to this decrease, as well as common tobacco control policies like warning labels, advertising bans, and smoke-free environments.

For Those Who Don’t Understand That Prohibitions are Police Matters

The federal government has not yet released its blueprint for enforcement of this proposed ban; however, under federal guidelines, tobacco-related incidents fall under the jurisdiction of the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), an agency that works both independently and in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies to combat tobacco-related offenses. For advocates and policymakers to tell the public that the health department will enforce the ban, they are ignoring one key fact: anything banned becomes illegal and, therefore, a police matter.

Ban advocates acknowledge that there will be an increase in the trafficking of unregulated cigarettes nationwide. This creates a roadmap for organized criminal enterprises to expand

their operations within Black and brown communities where individuals will be seeking their tobacco product of choice due to the ban. History has shown that nothing is better for expanding organized crime than prohibition. In addition, this could force traditionally law-abiding citizens, particularly elderly individuals, who prefer menthol products to the streets to seek illegal, unregulated tobacco products, and in turn, increase their risk of being victims of street crime.

Police officers I have spoken with say this will become one more reason for officers to stop individuals in communities of color impacted by the ban, leading to more negative interactions and less community trust where it’s already sorely lacking. This means a proactive police approach to solving the trafficking concerns will target individual possessors of contraband and illegal cigarettes to get the larger organized criminals. This is a police tactic that will, unfortunately, target individuals whose only crime is their choice of cigarette.

As a Former Director of the New York State Police Employee Assistance Program (EAP), I travel the nation speaking to policymakers, citizens, and other distinguished law enforcement professionals to further clear up misconceptions about the unintended consequences of the menthol ban. Many smokers and non-smokers (like myself) are unaware of the ban, and many are perplexed by the rationale behind banning products that are not the most widely smoked but instead are preferred by Blacks and Hispanics.

In conclusion, please remember that information is power; we must understand the unintended consequences of the menthol ban. Health concerns are more effectively managed through education, treatment, and counseling, not by police.

Cannabis Surplus Smoke

Striking the right balance in the bud economy is crucial. A surplus occurs when the quantity of marijuana in the market exceeds the quantity demanded by consumers. The imbalance is indicative of a struggling industry looking to strike the right balance to protect profits while investing in social equity entrepreneurs. Trapped in the borders of the state due to federal laws prohibiting interstate commerce and transport leaves business owners and industry experts wide open for creative problem solving. Public pressure on Congress for federal legalization would be ideal, yet it appears as though cannabis legalization still brings with it mixed support.

California

Favorable growing conditions coupled with expert growers at first sounds like a favorable situation. However west coast weed giants in California are all but stoked because there is just too much weed to toke. The state’s 37% tax rate makes it increasingly challenging to turn a profit, with the legacy market thriving legally operating businesses. The state also reportedly had an 8.2% decrease in sales in 2022 from the previous year, showing the economics of the marijuana market is more predictable than not. Without ways to relieve the pressures for growers, manufacturers and retailers, the small businesses and big will surely go bust.

Oregon

The downward spiral of prices is evidence of the weak market for marijuana in Oregon. Since 2016 the industry has seen a steady decline in the cost of weed going from $10.5/ gram to $4/gram early 2023. While lower prices favor buyers and provides some relief during a period of inflation, businesses on the other hand are not able to afford to operate under such weak market conditions across the supply chain. The industry saw a 17% decline

in pot purchase from 2021 greater than that of California and further demonstrating that even more mature markets are susceptible to the pressures of this mixed legislative market. Some companies have cut their losses like Curaleaf which announced closing of business in Colorado, California and Oregon as well as reducing their workforce by 4%.

Michigan

In December of 2022 the record low prices were crippling small businesses after dropping 50%.At any time in the Great Lakes state there can be upwards 1.5 million marijuana plants. Only a fraction of the 1,733 communities allow the sale of cannabis, concentrating competition and driving a price drop competition between bud businesses. In 2020 an ounce would run customers $393, in 2021, $204/ounce and by September of 2022 about $110 according to the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency, a 73% decrease in just two years.There is still room for the prices to go lower but buyers are helping the state sell with record revenue despite the surplus. With more growers than retailers to sell to, the market is still stabilizing and despite the volatility and challenges of recouping investments not many businesses are closing their doors.

New York

Retail woes have inspired a novel solution for the newbies to cannabis. NY has been overcoming the adversities of surplus and complex regulations quite consistently. A recent initiative announced this past July was approved by the Cannabis Control Board allowing a minimum of three growers to consolidate their products for sale outside of dispensaries at local, adult centered events like festivals with municipal approval. The state has the luxury of watching other states be inactive on problem solving through creating pathways that deviate from the initial laws. Governor Kathy Hocul also doubled down on supporting the legal indus-

try through signing a law increasing civil and tax penalties for illicit and unlicensed cannabis companies. The state has a nation-leading model and is rapidly responsive to protect the investments and profits of their nascent market.

Oklahoma

A recent study in the past month unearthed the state’s marijuana industry as anything but OK as it produces 32 times more weed than it actually needs. While Oklahoma City was named in the top 100 most loved destinations in 2021, their cannabis surplus hasn’t driven tourists to the sooner state. The study found that there is 64 grams of marijuana for every 1 gram demanded. Oklahoma’s cannabis supply and demand ratio has been for the most part consistent. There is so much weed in the okie dokie that it would benefit from interstate commerce. Complicating matters is the mislabelling of cannabis products as safe. Scale Laboratories license was immediately suspended as nearly 100 products on retail shelves were recalled due to failed secondary contaminant tests.

As Illinoisains continue to press forward to open craft grows, the state as of the publication of this article, has not reported a surplus of marijuanna. Traceability allows for the state to see how many plants are being grown giving regulators an opportunity to essentially get in front of a situation in which there is too much product. In May of 2023, Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer announced Metrc as the new seed to sale tracking system departing ways with BiotrackTHC. While craft growers are still not opening doors due to challenges in raising capital there has been little conversation on yields and potential quality of products from first time commercial scale growers.

Food & Wine

Celebrating 25 th Anniversary of the “Barbecue Bible” with

cookbook author Steven Raichlen

There’s nothing like the smell of the grill wafting through the air in anticipation of enjoying that mouthwatering delicious dish. As we enjoy grilling season and outdoor entertaining, we want to not only have the best grilled dishes but be mindful of good safety to ensure a memorable gathering.

Demystifying the art of grilling is a passion of cookbook author and BBQ aficionado and educator Steven Raichlen. The five-time James Beard Award winning author has penned an impressive array of New York Times bestselling cookbooks. Besides being a Barbecue Hall of Famer and truly an indefatigable barbecue anthropologist, not to mention the host of several PBS TV programs, “Project Smoke and Project Fire; Primal Grill and Barbecue University, and his newest series called Steven Raichlen’s Plant Barbecue, Steven Raichlen is all about everything Barbecue.

Raichlen’s book “The Barbecue Bible” published by Workman Publishing celebrates its 25th Anniversary. This extensive 500-page tome is dedicated to global live fire cooking with tools and techniques to help inspire and educate you to a great grilling experience. He is one of the very first journalists to shine a light of a myriad of iconic dishes that have become a part of the American barbecue experience. His excitement and enthusiasm for BBQ revolutionized the grilling experience while introducing us to unfamiliar and diverse flavors and different cultures.

Speaking before an audience of barbecue enthusiasts at WTTW- Channel 11 studios, where you can watch his programs, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Raichlen, to find out what inspired him to delve into the world’s oldest form of cooking.”

“Having visited over 70 countries and 6 continents, I realized that you could bring a logic and a system to the world’s oldest cooking method – and least understood cooking method, it brought me great enthusiasm and promise.”

Raichlen says while he uses charcoal and gas, he enjoys barbecuing with wood as well. “ I like oak because it’s a clean flavor. With chips I soak them beforehand for smoking and with chunks I do not soak them, he adds.”

For the novice or grilling master, I asked him what they should have in their arsenal. He spoke

1. A good stiff wire brush

2.Long handle spring loaded tongs

3.Suede or leather gloves to protect your hands

4.Instant read thermometer

I asked him what the latest trends in the world of barbecuing. “The rise of the pellet grill, as it is great food smoking. Wood grilling is another trend as now more and more people are grilling over wood. And, interestingly, different meats, he adds. “With inflation is so high we are looking for cheaper cuts of meat. The influx of different types of meats are also trending. And he added that “we’ve gone crazy for grilling vegetables!”

Raichlen’s favorite recipe in the “Barbecue Bible” is the Catalan Tomato Grilled

Citrus Coconut

Steamed Cod

Ifyou’re looking for a recipe to wow your family when you’re short on time but still want something big on flavor, do I have the recipe for you, perfect for the hot summer months. It’s light, healthy and wonderfully tasty. It’s even beautiful to look at before you dive in to partake in a wonderful wholesome meal prepared with love. Complimentary veggies include broccoli, spinach or Asparagus; or a fabulous blue curly kale salad with red plum tomatoes and a wonderful dressing of your choice.

Bread. Simple and easy, it has 5 ingredients. Rub bread with garlic, tomatoes, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. He says it is very simple and he loves it because your guests can participate in the experience and grill their own bread. It is so interactive and so welcoming. As noted in his book, Raichlen educates us that this bread belongs to an ancient family of grilled breads such as the Italian Bruschetta and the Indian naan. This dish from Spain “Pa Amb Tomquet” typifies the “irrefutable proof” that the best dishes are often the easiest. It requires the freshest raw ingredients: Crusty country-style bread, ripened tomatoes extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic, it’s optional. Here are two methods of preparing this quick and easy dish – perfect for Summer grilling.

First method; Rubbing and drizzling and adding the ingredients. The second allows your guests to make their own. Set out a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and a small bowl of coarse (kosher or sea) salt. Give your guests a clove of garlic and half a tomato and let them create their own masterpiece.

Catalan Tomato Bread

Serves 8

4 very ripe tomatoes, cut in half 4 clove garlic (optional), cut in half 8 slices country-style bread, cut ½ in thick

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets (6 ounces each)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 cup canned coconut milk

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

Extra virgin olive oil

Small bowl of coarse (kosher or sea) salt Freshly ground black pepper (optional

1. Place a half tomato and half a garlic clove on each serving plate

2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and pre-heat to medium high.

3. When ready to cook, arrange the bread slices on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned,

2-4 minutes per side. NOTE: Do not take your eyes off of the grill as grilled bread burns very quickly.

4. Place a piece of bread grilled bread on each plate. To eat, rub the bread with the cut side of the garlic, then with the cut side of the tomato, drizzle olive oil over each slice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired on top.

This book is truly a celebration of sizzle and smoke while giving you the secrets of live-fire cooking with some of the most sought-after dishes, mouthwatering sauces and insider tips and techniques. For more information about this book or Steven Raichlen’s books, TV programs, tips, and techniques, visit stevenraichlen.com and www.barbecuebible. com.

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

• 1 green onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• Minced fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, place a steamer basket over 1 in. water. Place cod in basket. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low boil; steam, covered, until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 8-10 minutes.

Ritual, Pageantry, Fashion

The question is which came first the pageantry of ritual or the gaiety of performance? We note the religious and or costume regalia to denote, baptism, weddings, death, and the crowning of royalty. And then there was the festivity celebrating the festivity. The costumes of both were in some way complimentary whether it was the colors or the shapes of the clothing designs that evolve from the foundation of each culture, whether it was Chinese, Japanese, Irish, English, Nigerian, Egyptian, or Sudanese. The nature of the geographical landscape providing the colors, the fibers for fabric, textures and lines all helped to contextualize the designs that emerged to marry the two.

Today we see our entertainers dressed on stage come to life off stage. The world has become a stage of performers, and everyone dresses for that stage. The uniforms of IBM, The Chicago Tribune, AT&T, and most corporate entities have all but Vanished, starting with the ‘Casual Friday’ movement in the workplace and now women go to work barelegged and unprotected by undergarments. LV had initiated the men’s suit which replaces long pants with shorts. It’s definitely the freedom of the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius when women burned bras. Today the casual unrestrained attire at the workplace is unsettling to those born before the 70’s.

The exposure of body parts other than faces, necks, arms, hands, and legs, exposing tattoos is daunting.

INSPIRATION

So, enter the Masqueraders wearing carnival costumes with wings and crowns leading a star studded performing cast to

the backdrop of sweeping angel wings that drape and drag to the ground with gigantic clusters of butterflies, and capes of feathers, sequence you must make the connection of what fashion is all about.

Valmiki Maharaj, the creative director, and bandleader of the Lost Tribe is also a designer, editor, strategist, and visionary. Explains what we know, by adding their own spin on the theme and constructing their own costumes become fashion. It’s sort of like the Met Gala.

The streets of Victoria Square become the runway for the Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival known as largest in the Caribbean. . “We’re a strange mix of costuming, performance, entertainment, party, all in the same thing,” says the 37 year old Maharaj, who hails from Barataria, a borough east of Port of Spain. The celebration began as a humble tradition blossomed into a magnetic ritual that draws the diaspora home, and costuming is at the root of the spectacle.

The Lost Tribe is a young carnival troupe that put on its first road march seven years ago. Since their beginning, the costumes departed from the feather and headdress bikini mas (costume) most wretched trim has seen or worn. The Lost Tribe costumes are distinctly theatrical yet flattering and require more fabric than the standard bikini costume, thus striking a balance between cool and camp is a must. It is an intentional departure, insist Maharaj as explained to Vogue . It’s not surprising that

‘The Washing,’ designed by Peter Elias and Jeneile McCarthy, looks like something Wakanda royalty might wear to a mass. Not to be left out, there’s something for everyone. You will see yourself in the carnival in some colorful exaggerated form.

The theme for the next carnival season Maharaj suggests will signify freedom; shades of blue would symbolize its essence. According to him, blue soap is

part of Caribbean heritage and is used to wash away, “bad mind,” akin to the Turkish Nazar (The Evil Eye or “Nazar” is an eye-shaped talisman which is believed to protect you against evil. The evil eye dates back thousands of years as one of the strongest symbolic images in the world.). Maharaj lets us in on a secret when he tells us that the carnival is a blessing performance where people come and experience something that, in some which way, changes their existence for the rest of the year, increases their energy, or recharges you.