WWW.AMSTERDAMNEWS.COM
Vol. 117 No. 16 | April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW BLACK VIEW
©2026 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City
THE UNDENIABLE, IMPROBABLE RISE OF NYCC’S JAMES INNISS (See story on page 6)
Mayor’s Agenda May Drive Property Tax Reform Urban Agenda by David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York - See page 5
2 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
USPS 382-600/ISSN#00287121 2340 Frederick Douglass Boulevard New York, New York 10027 (212) 932-7400 / FAX (212) 222-3842
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Temperature Check: After 100 days are Black New Yorkers still feeling NYC Mayor Mamdani?
DIRECTORY EDITORIAL Executive Editor – Madison J. Gray Madison.Gray@AmsterdamNews.com Managing Editor – Kristin Fayne-Mulroy KFM@AmsterdamNews.com Digital Editor - Josh Barker Josh.Barker@AmsterdamNews.com Editor at Large – Damaso Reyes Damaso.Reyes@AmsterdamNews.com
STAFF WRITERS Karen Juanita Carrillo Karen.Carrillo@AmsterdamNews.com Shannon Chaffers Shannon.Chaffers@AmsterdamNews.com Ariama C. Long Ariama.Long@AmsterdamNews.com Tandy Lau Tandy.Lau@AmsterdamNews.com DIGITAL, BRANDED CONTENT & HYBRID ADVERTISING MANAGER Ali Milliner (347) 350-4316 Ali.Milliner@AmsterdamNews.com DISPLAY & DIGITAL ADVERTISING CONSULTANT William “Bill” Atkins (212) 932-7429 William.Atkins@AmsterdamNews.com LEGAL, LLC & CLASSIFED ADVERTISING Brian Lawrence (617) 704-3735 Brian.Lawrence@AmsterdamNews.com CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTION Benita Darby (212) 932-7453 Benita.Darby@AmsterdamNews.com
The Amsterdam News assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Photographs and manuscripts become the property of The Amsterdam News. Published weekly. Periodicals Class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to NY Amsterdam News, 2340 Frederick Douglass Blvd., New York, NY 10027. MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS INFORMATION
U.S. Territories & Canada weekly subscriptions:
Foreign subscriptions:
6 months $30.00 1 year $49.99 2 Years $79.99
6 Months $40.00 1 year $59.99 2 Years $89.99
Dr. Darrick Hamilton (left) interviewed NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (right) for a town hall on Black issues at the NYPL Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem on April 13, 2026. (Ariama C. Long photo)
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff At just over 100 days into his first term, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has generally garnered positive reviews from social media’s toughest critics and charmed New Yorkers with a hard work ethic and quippy comebacks. But the question remains, is he living up to promises made to the Black voters who helped put him in office? Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, is the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor. After the late Mayor David Din-
kins and former Mayor Eric Adams, both of whom were Black American, Mamdani is the third person of color to lead the city in its 400-year history. There is an immense amount of hope and pressure for Mamdani to succeed as a representative of multiple communities of color as well as a novel religious and political leader. “Look, I’ve been in office for 103 days. Could we have solved everything? No. But my job is to listen. And when somebody asks me something, it’s a reminder to me of the urgency of that topic,” said Mamdani at a Harlem town hall convened by D9 Harlem
Votes at the Schomburg Center on April 13. The event focused on following through on campaign promises made to the Black community. According to the latest polling from Marist, about 55% of registered Black voters approve of the job Mamdani is doing as mayor. About 31% polled said they were unsure and 13% disapproved. Among Latino voters, 49% approved, 26% disapproved, and 25% were unsure. Generally speaking, Mamdani “underperforms” Adams, in terms of the months leading up to Adams’ first 100 days in 2022. Considering the exceptionally chaotic and scandalous one-term Adams left the city with last year, this may turn out to be a good thing in the long run. Abdal Karrien, who also attended the town hall, is a Black Muslim New Yorker. He said that he’s known the Mayor to visit the Malcolm Shabazz Masjid on 116th Street. “And he’s always proven he’s been with us,” said Karrien. “Mamdani also went to the National Action Network events to connect with our leadership. He invited some top luminaries to his transition meetings and had them have a voice about what happened with the transition, and the plan for this event.” Many of the city’s Black leaders were pretty late to support Mamdani on the campaign trail, only endorsing him in full force after he won last year’s primary and captured the hearts of younger Black and Brown voters. See 100 DAYS on page 36
Advocates call for Mamdani to commit to abolishing the NYPD gang database By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Organizers against the NYPD’s Criminal Group Database fear Mayor Zohran Mamdani may soften his stance on abolishing the policing tool which almost exclusively surveils Black and Brown young men after comments made during a press conference on April 6. This “gang database” can label individuals as gang members without an arrest or conviction. “So, I’ve made my critiques of the database clear, and the NYPD has also implemented a number of reforms as per the recommendation that came through,” said Mamdani during the press conference. “And the implementation of those reforms and the results of that are part of the active discussion that we’re having.” Those reforms stem from findings by the Office of the Inspector General-NYPD (OIG-NYPD) published over the past year. In 2023, the police oversight agency provided 17 recommendations on how the department should reform the database.
Since then, the number of names registered fell by nearly half. Former Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber, who oversaw the OIGNYPD last year, told the AmNews that the police department cooperated thoroughly with the probe back in October. But even with the reforms, the racial makeup remains ostensibly the Activist Kraig Lewis speaks outside City Hall against gang same: overwhelmingly database. (Tandy Lau photo) Black and Brown. The G.A.N.G.S. Coalition, which is com- past hearings, police officials could not proposed of several civil rights law firms and vide exact numbers on how many shootings pro-privacy groups like the Legal Aid So- the database prevented during a 2024 city ciety and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund council hearing, while claiming the tool was (LDF), maintains that the database cannot key for gun violence prevention efforts. be reformed. While the NYPD efforts seem to “How do you reform a database that is address the most flagrant concerns, which 99% Black and Hispanic targeted?” said often involve monitoring minors, the racial NAACP LDF community organizer Obi disparities seem immutable. And during See ABOLISHING GANG DATABASE page 15
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 3
Rep. Yvette Clarke kicks off ‘personal and existential’ re-election bid in Central Brooklyn By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Longtime Brooklyn congressional representative Yvette D. Clarke officially launched her re-election campaign last weekend, signaling the rapid approach of the June 2026 congressional primaries. For her, the stakes are high, given what Democrats are facing in Congress. “The 9th District of New York is right in the bull’s eye of every cruel policy that this administration has cooked up,” said Clarke, who has held office in Congress since 2007 and currently serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “When you think about those communities across the U.S. that have drawn the hatred and bigotry of this administration…whether it’s around birthright citizenship or anti-DEI initiatives, it has really impacted the 9th District of New York, so the battle for me is not one that is remote. It is very personal and it’s existential.” The midterms this year will ultimately determine if Democrats can shift the balance of power away from the current Republican control of the Senate and House under President Donald Trump. Clarke has two main challengers this
Congressmember Yvette Clarke at her campaign launch at Progressive Democrats Political Association of Central Brooklyn headquarters in Brooklyn on April 11, 2026. (Contributed by Congressmember Clarke’s office)
year in the primary and the election: Democrat Mike Goldfarb and Republican Jean Fritzner Depalis. Clarke’s concerns before the midterms center on the potentially dire impacts of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require all voters to show proof of their citizenship at the polls. Political organizers say that move could disenfranchise millions of Black and Brown voters, married women, youth, seniors, rural voters, and transgender voters. It was passed in the House this February, but is not law as of this April. In addition, the current Supreme Court case Louisiana vs. Callais, a redistricting case that focuses on the constitutionality of Louisiana’s congressional map, may “gut” certain Voting Rights Act protections, said Clarke. “Being an outspoken voice around voting rights; being an outspoken voice around diversity, equity, and inclusion; being someone who is willing to be on the ground in community, helping to organize and empower the voters and the people of the community, is something that I get a lot of joy in doing, quite frankly,” she said. “I would say that that’s a See CLARKE on page 27
High hopes for HOPE: Hochul’s new gun violence prevention program offers $5 million toward citywide efforts By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Gov. Kathy Hochul promised up to $1 million per borough through the state’s new Havens of Opportunity, Peace and Empowerment (HOPE) program to prevent gun violence in an announcement last Friday, April 10. The money will go toward establishing or bolstering “havens” in New York City for residents aged 24 and under to safely drop in during weekday evenings and weekends when shootings often peak. These community centers will offer hot meals, counseling, and activities ranging from coding workshops to martial arts. “Public safety is my top priority and our nation-leading gun laws and prevention programs are making real change across New York’s communities,” said Hochul in a state-
ment. “In 2025, shootings fell to the lowest levels on record statewide. To build on that progress, we’re continuing to invest in the communities most impacted by gun violence. The HOPE initiative will create safe, supportive spaces for young people and families, helping break cycles of violence and making our state safer for all.” In total, roughly $5 million will be spread across the boroughs to create or expand one haven in each. These centers, which will be operated by established community-based organizations, should “foster healing, connection, and skillbuilding” and promise to be culturally relevant and trauma-informed as gun violence overwhelmingly hits lower-income neighborhoods of color the hardest. New York State Office of Gun Gov. Kathy Hochul hosts gun violence roundtable discussion in Brooklyn. (New York State Executive Chamber)
See HOPE on page 27
4 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
The church where MLK gave his final speech is getting a $1.2 million renovation By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Mason Temple, a church in Memphis where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech, will be upgraded with a $1.2 million federal grant to preserve a treasured piece of the Civil Rights Movement, officials are expected to announce Monday. It’s part of a nearly $18 million package for Memphis projects included in the annual congressional appropriations process. The package also includes $3.1 million for the restoration of historic Clayborn Temple, the staging area for the 1968 sanitation workers strike that brought King to
Memphis. It was heavily damaged by a fire, investigators say was intentionally set in April 2025. The grant for Mason Temple is for longterm facility improvements and technology infrastructure upgrades, with more details set to come at a Monday afternoon news conference by Church of God in Christ leaders and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Memphis who first announced the grant in February. The two churches being renovated are located near the former Lorraine Motel, where King was fatally shot on the evening of April 4, 1968. Fighting an illness, King visited Mason Temple the night before and made what was his last speech, the stirring
“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” address. King, 39, gave an impassioned account of his life experiences and seemed to foretell his own death. “I’ve seen the Promised Land. ... I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land,” King said. In a 2018 Associated Press story about the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination, witnesses described how King captivated the audience in the packed church during a thunderstorm. “It’s a tin roof, so that’s banging. There’s rafters up there above us, and the rafters are blowing with the wind and hitting each other and hitting the walls from the fierceness of
the wind and the rain,” said the Rev. James Lawson, a prominent civil rights activist. When he finished, King slumped into a chair. To Mike Cody, one of King’s lawyers, he looked like a “toy that had the air taken out of it.” “Ministers, men were crying,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson told the AP in the 2018 story. The Mason Temple was completed in 1945 following the destruction of the original church by fire. It serves as the world headquarters for the Church of God in Christ. It was also the site of a January 2023 memorial service for Tyre Nichols, a 29-yearold Black man who died after he was brutally beaten by Memphis police officers after he fled a traffic stop.
People attend a ceremony commemorating the final speech of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Mason Temple of the Church of God in Christ, April 3, 2018, in Memphis. (Mark Humphrey/AP)
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Aaliyah Guillory Nickens is making a difference for young people in Harlem and everywhere else
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 5
THE URBAN AGENDA
By David R. Jones, Esq
Mayor’s Agenda May Drive Property Tax Reform For decades, politicians have criticized New York City’s property tax system as unfair, outdated and overly complex. And in that time, little was done to fix it. It has become the ultimate political third rail. Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s opening bid to pay for his ambitious agenda provides the best opportunity in years to tackle property tax reform. The mayor’s gambit provides our elected leaders an opening to finally inject fairness into a system that is a thorn in everyone’s side. By necessity, Mamdani’s calls for affordability would require property tax reform, and there is every indication the mayor will float a proposal in the days and weeks ahead. Just about everyone involved — real estate barons, small landlords, homeowners, and politicians from both political parties — largely agrees that New York City’s property tax system needs a makeover. The mayor’s proposals to pay for his agenda appear aimed at forcing the issue. His strategy, which calls for a 9.5 percent increase in property taxes on all NYC real estate or a two percent income tax hike on roughly 34,000 individuals earning more than $1 million annually, is straightforward. The play is to make tax hikes on high earners more palatable than the broader, extremely unpopular property tax increase. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin has already said the property tax proposal is dead on arrival, and last week the City Council countered with a budget proposal that focused on savings from efficiencies and reforms.
Black
New Yorker
Penalizing Poverty and Upholding Racial Disparities
Aaliyah Guillory Nickens. (Photo courtesy, Aaliyah Guillory Nickens)
By JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews Harlemite Aaliyah Guillory Nickens has gone from being arrested on and off for fighting as a teenager to being a fighter on behalf of young people who deal with the same struggles she did. “Nobody wakes up as a bad kid … there are things that lead to that,” said Nickens, 23, who found herself in handcuffs four or five times between the ages of 15 and 16. She said that for her, there was no one addressing how young people get to that point of falling into crime and bad habits, and because she dealt with it firsthand, she decided to address it herself. “I’m going to be that person for these other young people,” Nickens said she
Governor Kathy Hochul, who is campaigning for reelection, and the State Legislature, which has a say in any tax hikes, have not fully endorsed the mayor’s tax increase on high earners. However, the specter of Mamdani’s tax proposals may open a pathway for property tax reform that has eluded prior New York City mayors.
told herself at the time she chose to redirect her life. Today, Nickens runs several organizations, working to improve her community and Black communities across the country, all while being a student — currently a criminal justice major at BMCC and an intern at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. She’s considering Howard Law School as her next step. She founded More Than a Statistic (MTS) in 2020 after the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery, working with young people who are often viewed as a statistic and building them into justice leaders. “Whether it’s them being an activist, entrepreneur, artist, political … we train them into See BNY on page 25
New York City has an unacceptably regressive property tax structure. Reforms should include a combination of abolishing some abatements, increasing levies on vacant land, transitioning to a true-value land tax, and giving tax credits to homeowners and tenants alike. My organization, the Community Service Society of New York (CSS), has conducted several studies and polls showing that the current property tax system penalizes poverty and upholds racial disparity. It punishes owners of multifamily apartments while charging high-value buildings a lower effective tax rate. It also rewards speculators who sit on vacant lots and underutilized land.
Single-family homes — including mansions and brownstones in neighborhoods like Forest Hills, Queens, and Prospect Park South, Brooklyn — have an effective tax rate 2.4 times lower than small rental buildings and more than five times lower than large rentals, a 2025 CSS study found. The last remaining predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city — Canarsie, East New York, and Cambria Heights — are paying tax rates double those paid in gentrified Park Slope or the East Village. The current real estate tax system dates to 1981, when the State Legislature passed a law dividing property in the city into four classes: residential properties with one to three units; residential properties with more than three units; utility company equipment and special franchise property; and all other real property, such as stores, offices, and factories. The system is broken because New York City has not conducted a comprehensive, citywide property tax reassessment in decades. Instead, the system has relied on historically based assessments rather than current market values. As a result, there are wide disparities in what owners pay, both between property classes and from one neighborhood to the next. A long list of New York City mayors have tackled, but failed to change, a property tax system they all agreed needed reform. David Dinkins named a commission that flatly concluded “the property tax in New York City not only appears unfair, it is unfair.” It called for uniform residential valuations. The report, however, was published two days before Dinkins left office. Rudolph Giuliani shelved the Dinkins commission findings and, at the urging of the real estate lobby, won passage of a two-year tax abatement that helped apartment owners, which was repeatedly renewed. Michael Bloomberg, who did not take up reforms, signed an 18.5 percent tax hike to close a $1 billion budget deficit. Bill de Blasio appointed another commission that, late in his second term, recommended changes in the assessment methods for co-ops and condominiums and the removal of caps on tax increases for small homes. No changes were adopted. Eric Adams floated a proposal that would have reduced tax rates for 275,000 households that coincidentally formed his political base in the eastern Bronx, eastern Queens, and southern Brooklyn. He then proposed tax rebates. Both plans, which faced intense criticism and legal challenges, were never enacted. Now the property tax reform issue will test Mamdani’s leadership. Regardless of where lawmakers land on his funding proposals, now is the time for sorely needed reform — for once and for all.
David R. Jones, Esq., is President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York (CSS), the leading voice on behalf of low-income New Yorkers for more than 175 years. The views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer. The Urban Agenda is available on CSS’s website: www.cssny.org.
6 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
The undeniable, improbable rise of NYCC’s James Inniss
James Innis fights to protect discovery reform at rally for Kalief’s Law. (Photos courtesy of James Inniss for credit)
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff
James Inniss at bail reform rally in Albany.
What does a childless organizer know about childcare? New York Communities for Change’s (NYCC) James Inniss asked himself the question on the uncharacteristically warm evening of Oct. 23, 2024. He faced the unenviable task of stepping in at the last minute for a colleague slated to open for a relatively unknown assemblymember’s long-shot mayoral campaign launch, thanks to the MTA’s delays. Ironic, given the speaker before him talked about fixing public transit. While Inniss lacked parenting experience, he could talk all about what affordability meant for Black New Yorkers. So he took the stage — or more accurately, stood under a humble pergola — and went off the cuff. Thankfully, the absence of TV cameras and elected officials relieved some pressure. And there were friendly faces around: other NYCC peers, and members of Asian American organizations DRUM Beats and CAAAV Voice. All packed into a small outdoor space hosted by Queens nonprofit the Connected Chef. He addressed why a public safety organizer was speaking about childcare and mentioned how he was a product of the New York City public school system. When people cheered, Inniss chided them. “That’s something normal,” he said. “Everybody should
do that. That is not an accomplishment.” Laughter ensued. But he really got the crowd excited when explained why he and NYCC were offering their endorsement. “The cost of childcare in New York City is insane,” said Inniss during the event. “The cost of everything in New York City is insane. But if a person who’s struggling to make ends meet has to also pay more than their car note to make sure their kids are being educated and being safe after school, that’s a public safety issue…it’s particularly Black and Brown New Yorkers who are being affected by this.” Ten minutes later, then-assemblymember Zohran Mamdani came out to announce his run for New York City mayor. Emerging into the spotlight Inniss boasts his own remarkable comeup as NYCC’s current interim political director. He hails from the North Bronx but comes from a long line of Harlemites dating back to the early 1900s. His formative years played a big role in unofficially laying the groundwork for his organizing ways, pointing to events thrown by the neighborhood’s “oldheads” back in the day. While he was never a parent, Inniss, 44, knows all about bringing up the next generation. “Generationally, I was raised by OGs; I have younger people who I’m raising so to speak,” said Inniss. “That’s how communities are built, and that’s how mine was built.
The Bronx isn’t the most organized place in the world coalition-wise, but we all know our neighbors. We know each other. “We might not be organized in the regular sense of the word, but we are community-based. We all are throwing community basketball tournaments and taking care of each other during Thanksgiving and backto-school holidays.” Yet he did not professionally organize until the COVID-19 pandemic struck. He witnessed people in his building struggling to get resources like food. So Inniss got involved through the Democratic Socialists of America. Back then, Inniss still worked at FedEx. He would come home from shifts to hop on DSA calls, which he credits for a “doctorate in organizing.” In 2022, Inniss landed a paid gig at NYCC as a public safety campaigner. He did not come in with a policy background on criminal justice reform. His job training kicked off with running to Strand Books and reading Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” and Ruth Wilson Gilmore’s “Golden Gulag.” He sat in on NYU Law meetings and listened. “Everybody can do what I do,” said Inniss. “I didn’t get a degree to do this. I just decided to do it and try. And I put the work in.” As he learned on the go, Inniss grew his reputation in the criminal justice reform world. He played key roles in crafting and promoting bills to decarcerate and bolster the rights of See story on next page
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Continued from previous page
incarcerated individuals. Currently, Inniss is focused on sentencing reform like the Earned Time and Second Look Acts. Today, Inniss’s work also includes managing NYCC’s newfound respect as one of three organizations to initially endorse Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The nonprofit stems from New York City members from Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a substantial international grassroots group that played a direct hand in forming the Working Families Party but disbanded in the 2000s after right-wing attacks. While Inniss knew Mamdani, NYCC already pledged its endorsement months prior after the democratic socialist lawmaker pitched himself to members including Political Director Alicé Nascimento. The administration recently reached its 100th day and a recent Marist favorability poll found stronger approval rates among Black New Yorkers surveyed. Mamdani expressed grat-
itude for Inniss’s advocacy and maintained his affordability agenda would platform Black residents. “I’m grateful to [Inniss] and to the organizers at New York Communities for Change, who continue to remind us that Black New Yorkers have long carried the heaviest weight of New York City’s affordability crisis,” said Mamdani. “If we are serious about solving that crisis, we must dismantle the systemic inequities that created it. That means expanding 2-K, and investing in early childhood educators and caregivers in Canarsie and Brownsville, building truly affordable housing in East Harlem, and investing millions to rebuild parks in neighborhoods that have been historically neglected.” As for Inniss, the moment of speaking during Mamdani’s campaign launch is not lost on him. “I wish we took more pictures, more photos,” he said. “I wish we documented it a lot more. Because now, in hindsight, that was a really big day.”
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 7
James Inniss outside City Hall rally.
8 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Former Assemblyman Michael Blake calls for more NYCHA funding as he challenges Torres in primary By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Federal funding cuts to New York’s already beleaguered public housing system last year may leave the city’s NYCHA buildings in an even more dire state. So congressional candidates are loudly proclaiming that not nearly enough is being done about as the June primaries approach. “Not only are they cutting funding and cutting benefits to communities who need it, their actions and policy decisions are harmful,” said former Bronx Assemblymember Michael Blake, who is vying for a chance to unseat Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, the first openly gay Afro-Latino member, in the Bronx’s 15th Congressional District. This would be the second time Blake is up against Torres in a congressional race for the same seat. NYCHA provides housing to more than 500,000 residents in over 177,565 apartments within 335 developments, according to their 2025 numbers. These buildings have suffered from decades of disinvestment at the city, state, and federal levels, which has led to crumbling infrastructure, lead paint, heat outages, and extensive repair backlog. According to the city’s Independent Budget Office (IBO), NYCHA’s
budget “relies heavily on federal funds.” Unless the city and state can make up for it in their budgets, the situation is likely to get worse under President Donald Trump. Since Trump’s big tax bill was enacted in July 2025, crucial funding for public housing has been cut or threatened, said IBO. Blake says it’s time to outline how that bottom line is hurting public housing and the people who live in it. “You’ve had decades of federal neglect through Republican and Democratic administrations. We got to call that out. But we are in a moment right now where there is an administration that is actively taking steps to hurt people within NYCHA,” said Blake. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees NYCHA because of a federal monitor in 2019, first ended the Emergency Housing Voucher program for Section 8 tenants last year and planned to eliminate $108 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for NYCHA repairs. The federal fiscal year 2026 budget argued to reduce $27 billion in funding from Section 9, Section 8, and other HUD housing vouchers. They also proposed a two-year cap on rental assistance for all “ablebodied adults,” said IBO.
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) McKinley Houses across 161st Street in November 2020. (Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons photo)
“Ritchie has brought in money. But you still have elevators broken. You still have explosions happening. You still have people who don’t have heat. Money alone is not the solution. It is accountability,” said Blake. “And this is a humanity question. If you have your apartment. And your landlord, your super, did not repair things consistently. You would either fire that landlord, or you would sue that owner. Residents are effectively being told to deal with it.” Blake is proposing a digital repair ticket system so that any person can track their repairs in real time, cutting utility bills with green upgrades, and training and hiring res-
idents in the community to do the repair work through trusted local nonprofit partners. Meanwhile, congress members are celebrating little wins to bring NYCHA developments in their districts direct federal resources through Community Project Funding. Torres announced that he secured about $18 million through this funding source. The funding will support several investments including $5 million for NYCHA’s Patterson Houses to address plumbing failures, water intrusion, and mold remediation; $850,000 to replace outdated fire alarm systems at Gun Hill Houses; and $850,000 to modernize fire detection systems at
Parkside Houses. “These investments seek to address many of the priorities I hear directly from my constituents in the Bronx,” said Torres in a statement. “Community Project Funding allows us to direct federal resources toward urgent local needs, from safe housing and violence prevention to climate resilience, education, and access to technology. This funding will deliver tangible improvements to quality of life across our communities, and I am so proud to have worked to bring these dollars home to the Bronx.” Additionally, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries was able to secure about $1 million in CPF for NYCHA’s Van Dyke II Senior Center, Carter G. Woodson Houses, and Kingsborough Extension in Brooklyn. “These Community Project Funding checks represent just a small down payment on the work that we need to continue to do in this city to make sure that all of you who worked hard, played by the rules, and helped get the situation moving in a better direction, can bear the fruits of your labor. So each and every opportunity that presents itself to stand up for public housing residents and to stand up for seniors, I’m going to stand for public housing residents and stand up for seniors,” said Jeffries in a statement.
Union & Apprenticeship Fair at Brooklyn Navy Yard gives access to skilled trades jobs By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff The Brooklyn Navy Yard is set to host its third annual Union & Apprenticeship Fair on April 16. The event is the Navy Yard’s attempt to give New Yorkers access to stable, well-paying, skilled-trades and industrialunion careers. The Union & Apprenticeship Fair is a chance for those attending to connect with union recruiters from the city’s leading industries. It offers access to training, apprenticeships, and jobs in a city known for its labor history. The Brooklyn Navy Yard wants to tap into that labor lore and have its fair known as a route to union employment opportunities. When it initially launched, the Union & Apprenticeship Fair was in response to community calls for access to real jobs. It has since grown, welcoming hundreds of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students and community members each year. Last year, nearly 100 CTE students and about 200 residents participated. And organizers expect an even higher turnout this year. Nikki Evans, senior vice president for workforce development and education at the Navy
Yard, has directed the fair for the past two years. Under her lead, the event has broadened its focus, welcoming not only traditional trade unions but also public utility and preapprenticeship programs. “We wanted to create a space where unions could present what they have uninterrupted,” Evans explained, emphasizing the importance of equitable access; she notes that job seekers, especially people of color and women, face many challenges. “This is something that its time has come, and we’ve just been lucky to get a running start at it.” “It’s critical that we build equitable pathways for our community members to access those jobs,” said Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. “The Union & Apprenticeship Fair is a great opportunity for job seekers to build their understanding of what careers in skilled trades look like today: higher tech, but still highly accessible, and also cool!” Both Evans and Greene emphasize the importance of the one-on-one connections that can be made at the fair and the fact that it is designed to foster relationships, instead of merely one-off encounters. Participants this year can expect to connect with more than 20 union organizations like
Pathways 2 Apprenticeship, National Grid, Non-Traditional Employment for Women, District Council 9 NY - IUPAT Painters & Allied Trades, DC 19 Cement & Concrete Workers, National Association of Power Engineers, Construction Skills, and others. Attendees are encouraged to bring resumes, prepare for networking, and sign up for union mailing lists to stay informed about future openings. Pre-apprenticeship programs will also be present to help job seekers build foundational skills and prepare for union entry exams. The Brooklyn Navy Yard’s fair is from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the ninth floor of Building 303. A panel discussion titled “Navigating Union Careers” begins at 4:30 p.m. The event is intentionally structured to be inclusive, offering morning sessions for CTE students from several local schools and afternoon programming for the broader community. Evans encourages job seekers to take advantage of the fair’s pre-apprenticeship offerings: “These programs help folks get ready to take the tests and everything that goes into joining a union. Connect while you’re here, get your skills up, and prepare for the next step.” Establishing connections with labor unions will also be crucial for the job seekers who
show up. Unions provide stable wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement in traditional trades like electrical work, plumbing, and construction, as well as in emerging areas such as climate technology and sustainability infrastructure. Starting wages in machining, for instance, range from $24 to $25 an hour and rise with experience. Evans notes, “There’s a really interesting intersection between climate tech and unions. Apprentices are coming in to learn the technology, and existing union members are making decisions about upskilling into new fields.” With the city’s labor industry shifting toward high-tech and sustainable industries. Evans said she wants the Union & Apprenticeship Fair to become an event known for its commitment to workforce equity, community engagement, and economic opportunity. “The conversations around unions, especially in low-income and communities of color, are needed. The Navy Yard offers a wonderful starting point to push that conversation forward and help both unions and the local community see the benefits in each other.” People interested in attending the Union & Apprenticeship Fair can register online or visit https://tinyurl.com/mrxp6y5a.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 9
Divine Nine News Recognizing service, scholarship, and community excellence in Essex County By A’DORIAN MURRAYTHOMAS Special to the AmNews It is with gratitude that the office of Vice President A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, within the Essex County Board of Commissioners, hosted the second annual Essex County Divine Nine Day on March 18 at the Essex County Hall of Records in Newark, New Jersey. During the event, we reaffirmed a powerful truth that the Divine Nine did not simply participate in history, they helped shape it. As the first commissioner in county history to establish an official celebration honoring the extraordinary legacy, service, and leadership of Black Greek-letter organizations, my vision was to uplift the Divine Nine’s impact on education, civic engagement, and community empowerment. It has grown into a standing-room-only
tradition that unites leaders across generations. As mistress of ceremony, I opened the program by honoring the Divine Nine’s historic role in civic life. Leadership is not a title; it’s a commitment. The Divine Nine has always modeled what it means to serve with purpose, uplift communities, and build pathways for those coming behind us. Special remarks were delivered by Orange, New Jersey, Mayor Dwayne Warren, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and Newark Municipal Council President Lawrence Crump, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. This year’s honorees represented the full breadth of the Divine Nine’s legacy of service: • Malcolm Minor, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (@brickcityalphas) • Natalie Guy, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (@aka. bao1934) • Jared Adams, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (@montclairnupes)
The second annual Essex County Divine Nine Day was held last month in Newark, New Jersey. Commissioner A’Dorian Murray-Thomas (seated, center) is pictured with this year’s honorees. This picture also includes distinguished leaders who are not members of Divine Nine organizations. (Photos courtesy of Essex County Commissioner A’Dorian Murray-Thomas)
• Dylan Coq, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (@thee_ montclairques) • Tia Morris, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (@ montclairdeltas) • M. Anthony Cardona, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (@pbs_1914) • Sandra Florent, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (@goz_ zphib1920) • Shazneka Blue, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (@gammanusigma_ sgrho) • Myron J. Covington, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (@dmoiotas) • Hillside Mayor Emeritus Dahlia Vertreese, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (@ zphibinc1920) • Sharon Thompson, National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., which is not a Divine Nine organization. (@nspdk_deltapi) • Calvin W. Souder, Esq., was honored for his extraor-
dinary service. Souder is ing teacher of KIPP NJ, and not part of a Divine Nine proud member of Delta fraternity. Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Hillside Mayor Emeritus reflected on having taught Dahlia Vertreese, who is a and mentored me as a young member of Zeta Phi Beta Sostudent. Her words inspire rority, Inc., was recognized me to do more for the resifor her exceptional and fardents of Essex County. reaching service. Although a Phi Beta Sigma FraterniHillside resident and elected ty, Inc. member Miguel Anofficial in Union County, she thony Cardona is a Newark was honored for her distinnative and board member guished career as an educaof the Boys to Leaders Fountor in Essex County, and for dation. He was also recogher unwavering advocacy in nized for his commitment to the union on behalf of workmentorship and educational ing men and women stateaccess. As co-founder of Boys wide. She was selected as an to Leaders, he has helped emhonorary awardee for her power young men through distinguished and outstandleadership development and ing service to the Townacademic support. Cardoship of Hillside. Vertreese’s na has mentored more than impact embodies the spirit 5,000 students nationwide of service that Divine Nine through Michelle Obama’s Day was created to celebrate. Reach Higher initiative. He The evening personally also has championed equity gave me a full-circle moment throughout his academas honoree Tia Morris, execic and professional journey, utive director of Teach For America New York, found- See DIVINE NINE NEWS on page 31
To share your Divine Nine News, please contact us at d9@amsterdamnews.com and at amsterdamnews.com/d9news
(Public Domain photo)
10 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Union Matters 32BJ SEIU building workers prep their strike captains, rally on Park Ave
32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich speaks at strike captains’ meeting in Brooklyn and urged union members to stay strong: “We’ve got 11 days, 11 days to make this happen.” (Karen Juanita Carrillo photo)
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Leadership from 32BJ SEIU, the union that represents more than 34,000 NYC residential building workers, attended meetings in Manhattan, Queens, and Downtown Brooklyn last week. They came together to coordinate efforts for an upcoming rally on April 15, and a possible full-blown strike set to start on April 20. Union organizers handed out posters announcing the rally and stickers for their 1,400 strike captains to wear, identifying them to fellow workers and building residents as local leaders for a strike action that could start soon. With the deadline drawing near for the end of their last contract with the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), which speaks for residential building owners, building workers say they’re ready to hit the streets to demand better wages and full healthcare coverage. The existing contract for doorpersons, porters, superintendents, handypersons, and resident managers was approved in 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It guarantees full employer-paid family health care, pension benefits, paid leave, and job training. Members of 32BJ SEIU want to keep their employer-paid health care, plus get wage increases that keep pace with inflation, strengthen their pension benefits, and improve working conditions. Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ SEIU spoke at the strike captains’ meeting in Brooklyn, urging union members to remain strong: “We’ve got 11 days, 11 days to make this happen,” he said on
April 9. “… in the next 11 days, the employers are going to try to see if they can wait us out. … It can’t be the way it’s going to go, because for the next 11 days, we’re going to fight for what you all deserve, fight for the wages that you all deserve so you can take care of your families, fight to protect the health care, fight to get a pension improvement that you all deserve for … the years and years you put in.” Contract negotiations began on March 5, with both sides presenting opening proposals. The union raised its primary concerns, followed by management’s response on March 24. Despite an initially friendly atmosphere, union representatives say RAB’s counteroffers threaten key contract protections. To garner support before the contract expires, the union will hold a major rally at Manhattan’s Park Ave. & 79th Street on April 15, featuring speakers such as SEIU President April Verrett, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Comptroller Mark Levine, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. RAB has stood firm so far in its representation of residential building owners. It argues that rising operational costs and the possibility of 0% rent increases on nearly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments won’t allow it to support wage increases. “We are committed to working with 32BJ to reach a fair contract, but there is still significant distance between the parties,” RAB President Howard Rothschild said in an April 13 statement. “Co-ops and condos basically operate as nonprofits and they are already contending with rising tax burdens
and increased common charges. “32BJ has recognized these facts across the table,” he added, “and we hope that we can work together to confront the economic realities facing the industry.” RAB says its average doorperson or porter earns about $62,000 annually, while the total annual cost to the employer exceeds $112,000; for a handyperson, the total annual cost to the employer exceeds $119,000. All employees receive top-of-the-line benefits packages that exceed those available in virtually all other union and non-union workplaces. They say these benefits include full family health insurance covering medical, dental, optical, and prescription drugs, with no employee premium contribution. RAB’s new contract proposals include wage increases, but they also want employees to pay toward their healthcare premiums. Building owners note that the average U.S. employee pays more than $6,850 per year for family coverage, unlike 32BJ SEIU members. RAB has also suggested establishing a new “Tier II” workforce for hires after April 20, with different pay and benefits, along with greater reliance on temporary workers. Union members say that RAB’s proposed contract is “insulting” and doesn’t uphold the standards of their last labor agreement. Many workers feel they are falling behind due to inflation and rising costs, despite the industry enjoying high rents, soaring property values, and low vacancy rates. “Three in four New Yorkers have had to cut back on necessities and savings due to rising prices,” union representatives note.
32BJ SEIU’s strike captains meet on April 8 and 9 to receive stickers, posters, and organizational support for April 15 Park Avenue rally.
32BJ SEIU April 15 strike stickers. (32BJ SEIU photos)
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 11
12 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Opinion Why Artemis II was a successful pushback against anti-Blackness
The Trump administration experienced a recent double setback with the defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the failure to reach an agreement with Iran on the ceasefire. In both instances, Vice President JD Vance was a key player — his visit to Hungary to shore up the prime minister’s re-election bid was for naught, as was his leadership of the U.S. negotiating team to Islamabad, Pakistan. It raises the question of just how long the vice president will continue to do the bidding of his boss and do more than mildly voice his opposition to the war with Iran, which he has done on several occasions, expressing his concern about the collateral damage it would bring, as well as the exhaustion of the supply of munitions. Of course, to expect Vance to be too forceful in his skepticism about Trump’s policies is unthinkable, particularly given reports that he is the current front-runner candidate in the GOP presidential race in 2028. Even so, there is plenty of time for him to separate himself from Trump and his declining popularity, and return to the position he held before Trump’s third presidential run. There could very well come a time when a step is taken away from between the rock and a hard place, and to join the growing legion of prominent conservatives critical of Trump’s warmongering. So much of that will depend on the overall impact and fallout from the Iranian conflict. If the dissent continues to escalate from Trump’s base and the midterm elections provide an even less promising one for the Republicans, along with being blamed for all the problems, Vance’s choice will be a lot easier, and his opportunistic stripe will leave but one option.
By G. LAMONT BLACKSTONE
EDITORIAL
Will Trump blame Vice President Vance for the failures?
Member
Alliance for Audited Media
Just when we dearly needed something to counter “make America great again” narratives attacking workplace diversity, the Artemis II crew splashed down in the ocean, completing a spaceflight for the ages. And with crew staff Victor Glover and Christina Koch, the social epidemic of anti-wokeness — with its virulent strains of racism and sexism — was administered in inoculation. Think of it as a temporary vaccine against human resources’ stupidity. With a Black man piloting the spacecraft, there was no crashing into the dark side of the moon. That was notwithstanding fears prominently expressed (by a famous MAGA advocate) of flying on commercial flights with Black pilots. Why the anxiety? Because he doubted Black pilots were qualified for their roles. Perhaps he was unaware of the Tuskegee Airmen’s glorious legacy. Also, to all the purported “manly men” populating the dank abyss known as the manosphere, I pose two questions. Could they possibly summon the intestinal fortitude to endure the rigors of space that Christina Koch endured for ten days? And would their manly bravado have equipped them to serve, among other roles, as the flight’s “space plumber” — as she did? Thus, America should be grateful that NASA is not part of the Department of Defense. For we would likely have seen Secretary Pete Hegseth purging Glover, a former Navy aviator, and Koch from Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher the mission —just and Editor in Chief as he has repeatedly Madison Gray: Executive & Investigative Editor purged other Black and Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor female talent in his culCyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor ture war against diversiDamaso Reyes: Editor at Large ty. So because of Glover Siobhan "Sam" Bennett: and Koch, maybe, just Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Advertising maybe, one day the diWilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): versity, equity, and inChairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus clusion haters will
NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover (left) and NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch, talk with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman aboard USS John P. Murtha after they were extracted from their Orion spacecraft on April 10.
understand that Black and female excellence is — dare I say? — out of this world. American social epidemics can be enduringly malevolent (e.g., Jim Crow, 20th-century anti-Asian sentiments, and 21st-century antisemitism). Or they can be uplifting. The diversity of the Artemis II mission offers us the latter. But it will be essential to continuously circulate images of all four crew members together. American eyeballs should see them in our schools and in Congress. But the Artemis II mission offers yet one additional high note. Over the past centuries, Black Americans have experienced multiple divides—barriers either created intentionally or by the absence of empathy. There were the racial embargoes of segregation that hindered the pursuit of higher education, decent homes, and many jobs. In the early years of the Internet Age, a digital divide had evolved, characterized by limited access to computing power. That was based on the affordability of the technology or disparities in broadband availability in certain urban and rural communities.
Most recently, we are seeing yet another digital divide regarding access to and proficiency with artificial intelligence (AI). As we march toward the year 2030, many Americans may face the threat of functional obsolescence or competitive disadvantage unless they are AI adept. There is also, however, the risk of a “cosmic divide.” This would involve the absence of Black Americans in future opportunities generated by space exploration. Will the USA, Russia, and China monopolize the contests to exploit the resources and possibilities of lunar exploration and, years later, even Mars? Might this even echo that voracious scramble at the Berlin Conference of 1884, which carved up Africa among the competing European powers? So, here is the stark political reality. It confronts Black Americans and technical professionals of color — i.e., military officers, scientists, and engineers. NASA’s future objectives include establishing a long-term, continuous presence on and around the Moon. The Artemis II crew’s staffing, inclusive of Glover and Koch,
had been established during the Biden Administration. Yet I suspect that any attempt by Donald Trump to change the Artemis II crew would have delayed the recent mission. And that likely would have disrupted the timeline for subsequent lunar missions. But that doesn’t mean that his anti-Biden and anti-diversity instincts won’t attempt to bar a future Black presence in outer space. There were no Africans or Black Americans at that Berlin Conference of the 19th century. There was, however, a Victor Glover on the 21st century’s Artemis mission. And we should insist that Congress ensures that there are other Victor Glovers and Dr. Mae Jemisons involved in future space exploration and its economic ripple effects.
G. Lamont Blackstone has led talent cultivation and diversity initiatives as a volunteer for organizations such as the Urban Bankers Coalition, AfricanAmerican Real Estate Professionals of New York, and Project REAP. He is the former chief investment officer of the first national equity investment fund to target inner-city neighborhoods.
O
P I
N
I
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS O N
New Yorkers are paying the price for Medicaid cuts, despite the warnings By ANTHONY RANDOLPH
There was a time when I was sleeping on subway cars and struggling to survive with HIV, diabetes, and high blood pressure, unsure if I would live to see the next year. I cycled in and out of treatment. I didn’t trust the healthcare system. I was battling depression and suicidal thoughts, and for a long time, I felt like I had nowhere to turn. Access to consistent care changed everything. It is the reason I am alive today — and why I spoke out last year in these pages, warning about the devastating harm that proposed federal Medicaid cuts would cause for Black New Yorkers like me. I warned that these cuts would strip coverage, destabilize care, and deepen racial health disparities. Unfortunately, too many members of Congress, including seven from New York’s delegation, did not heed those warnings. Now, we are beginning to see the consequences — and unless Congress acts, things are about to get much worse. The federal budget law passed last year — a massive transfer of wealth from working people to the richest Americans, paid for by slashing healthcare and food assistance — is already undermining Medicaid in New York. The state stands to lose an estimated $8.4 billion in federal funding each year. That loss doesn’t just exist on paper — it means fewer people covered, fewer services provided, and more barriers to care. We are already seeing the early warning signs. More than 1 million New Yorkers are at risk of losing affordable coverage due to changes to the Essential Plan, long a critical pathway to care for low- and moderate-income residents. Many of those pushed off will be forced into private insurance they simply
cannot afford, as premiums continue to rise, leaving people to choose between paying for coverage or going without care altogether. Others will lose coverage entirely, while new red tape makes it harder just to sign up or stay enrolled. Lawfully residing immigrants — people who are part of our communities and workforce — are now being shut out of coverage altogether. These are not minor policy tweaks. They are structural changes that will push people out of the healthcare system. When people lose access to preventive care, they do not stop getting sick. They end up in emergency rooms, sicker and in crisis, driving up costs and straining an already burdened system. Hospitals and clinics that serve Medicaid patients — especially in Black communities — will face impossible financial choices, leading to layoffs, service cuts, or closures. We have seen this before. We know how this story goes. Black Americans already face higher rates of chronic illness and shorter life expectancies due to systemic inequities in access to care. Medicaid has been one of the most effective tools we have to close those gaps. Cutting it now will reverse years of progress and widen disparities that should have been eliminated long ago. It will also undermine New York’s leadership in the fight against HIV. Medicaid is the largest source of coverage for people living with HIV in this country. It funds the medications, preventive care, and support services that have helped reduce new infections and keep people like me healthy and alive. Rolling back that support will not just harm individuals — it will set back public health across the state. None of this was inevitable. It was a
choice. However, it is not too late to make a different one. While President Trump may be doubling down on domestic cuts and increased military spending in his proposed 2027 budget, Congress must stand up. They should act now to reverse the enacted cuts to Medicaid, restore funding, and protect access to care before more people lose coverage and more lives are put at risk. New York’s leaders must also do everything in their power to mitigate the damage and ensure that no one falls through the cracks. When I was finally able to access care through Medicaid, I began to rebuild my life. With consistent coverage and the right support, I stayed in treatment, managed my conditions, and regained stability and dignity. My story is not unique. Across New York and the country, millions rely on Medicaid for lifesaving care — for HIV, chronic illness, mental health, and more. It allows people to get healthy, stay healthy, and live full lives. Without it, many would fall through the cracks, ending up in crisis, in emergency rooms, or worse. For countless Americans, Medicaid is not just coverage. It is the difference between surviving and truly living. That is what is at stake. Last year, I asked: How much is my life worth? Today, we are seeing the answer reflected in policy decisions already costing people their care — and, soon, their lives. We cannot afford more warnings ignored. The damage is here. The question now is whether our leaders will act before it is too late. Anthony Randolph is a longtime health advocate and peer worker in business development for Harlem United.
The pope vs. a dope By HERB BOYD
certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: I have repeatedly stated that no place or ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’” He said person is immune to Trump’s insults and this without impugning Trump, but clearcastigation. With his recent mocking of ly underscored everything about his belliIslam and now Christianity, he has drawn cosity. Moreover, Pope Leo said, “I will not furor from Pope Leo XIV and a few of his shy away from announcing the message of loyal followers. the Gospel and inviting all people to look To begin with, he removed an image for ways of building bridges of peace and from his Truth Social account depict- reconciliation, and looking for ways to ing him as Jesus Christ, garbed in a robe avoid war any time that’s possible.” and his hand on the forehead of an ailing These suggestions cut to the heart of person. “I thought it was me as a doctor,” Trump’s attacks on governments and he explained when asked about the image. people — ones that unfortunately fall on There was no image to dispute in his deafened ears. Trump may have been adcriticism of Pope Leo, in which he deliv- ditionally incensed by Leo’s charge that ered a scathing broadside, saying he didn’t “a delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the believe the first U.S.-born pope was “doing US.-Israel war in Iran. a very good job.” Trump’s response was stinging: “Pope The pontiff told the press, “I will not Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for enter into debate. The things that I say are Foreign Policy,” he wrote. “I don’t want a
Pope Leo XIV. (Wikimedia Commons photo)
Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” Nor, I might add, do we need an unhinged dope with his finger so close to a nuclear holocaust.
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 13
Why the latest August Wilson play ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’ is a must-see CHRISTINA
GREER, PH.D. Every year there seems to be a Broadway play that really brings people in by the busload to New York City to support the arts. Last year so many people saw the brilliant Branden Jacobs-Jenkins family drama “Purpose.” The year before, people couldn’t wait to see Samuel L. Jackson back on stage in August Wilson’s “ The Piano Lesson.” This year, another August Wilson play has become the play to see this season: “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.” “Joe Turner” is the second play in Wilson’s ten-play cycle and follows couple Seth and Bertha Holly, whose lives are turned upside down once a mysterious stranger and his young daughter arrive at their boardinghouse in Pittsburgh. Debbie Allen directs Cedric the Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson in this Wilson classic. Per usual, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who in many ways is the keeper of the August Wilson legacy, is brilliant on stage. I was curious to see Cedric on Broadway. I’ve seen glimmers of him as a thoughtful and serious actor and he did not disappoint. His chemistry with Henson and the rest of the cast was worth every penny. Wilson is best known for “The Pittsburgh Cycle,” which serve as a detailed exploration of the experiences of the African American community in the 20th century. You may be familiar with some like “Fences,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “Jitney,” as well as “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Many of Wilson’s plays have been produced in theaters large and small and even on the big screen. It is so important for our community to support the arts so more producers uplift artists and actors of color. It is important for us to go to theaters, large and small, to see ourselves, our experiences, and our histories on stage. However, we do need to have a collective conversation about theater etiquette at some point. Actors are there to bring stories to life and I imagine it is very difficult to do so with candy wrappers, cell phones chiming, the bright light of texting, and the myriad of side conversations. If we want more of our stories on stage, we must support this endeavor financially and also once we are in the building. I do hope you will make time to see “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” this season. It is being held at the Barrymore Theater until July 26. Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of book “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream” and is co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.
14 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Caribbean Update Nasty row erupts in CARICOM; Trinidad quits attending any meetings BY BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews In what is perhaps the worst public rift in the region since a row over the U.S. invasion of Grenada back in 1983, Trinidad has said it will not attend any future meetings of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) until a disagreement over the reappointment of the secretary general is resolved. The announcement by Foreign Minister Sean Sobers came after the bloc at the weekend denied that the Trinidad and Tobago’s delegation to the late February leaders summit in St. Kitts had disinvited the country from attending a closed-door caucus meeting in neighboring Nevis where Secretary General Carla Barnett was reappointed for a second five-year term. The Trinidad government had blamed flaws in the process for retaining the Belizean econo-
mist but bloc chairman and St. Kitts’ Prime Minister Terrance Drew said in a late Saturday statement that Sobers did not attend the meeting because of his fear of “seasickness” on the brief boat ride from St. Kitts to sister isle, Nevis. He was not in fact barred from the meeting as alleged, Drew said. Countering Drew’s allegation of seasickness, the Trinidad and Tobago government published pre-conference memos showing that Drew and the Guyanabased regional secretary had made it clear that only leaders or heads of government would have been entitled to attend the closed-door caucus, so Sobers would have been excluded because Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had left after the first day of the summit. The prime minister made it clear that she wants to see the back of Barnett, 68. She has also made it clear that her stance has
to do with a formal complaint she had made to Barnett back in 2022 over the capture of a Trinidadian businessman by Barbados police in Barbados. The prime minister had publicly complained at the St. Kitts meeting that Barnett had not had the decency to even acknowledge her letter apparently because she was in opposition back then. Barnett has so far remained silent on the escalating feud in the 15-nation bloc even as her future hangs in the balance. In his statement late Saturday, Chairman Drew stated that all member nations were made aware of the work program and the draft agenda that had included the caucus meeting in Nevis. Minister Sobers, who was leading the delegation at that time, “indicated that he had a problem with seasickness so he may not be able to attend,” according to Drew, noting that Sobers “did not subsequently indicate to the
chairman or the secretary-general that he would be willing and able to attend the retreat.” Drew’s statement came hours after Trinidad’s government announced its withdrawal from future regional meetings until it was convinced that the process to reappoint Barnett was fair and transparent. Leaders had met late Friday in an emergency session to discuss the embarrassing row among neighbors. Drew’s statement was issued after the meeting. “Trinidad and Tobago maintains the position that the matter of the reappointment of the secretary-general is of grave importance and should be openly and transparently discussed by all heads of government, not a select few, at an appropriately scheduled meeting with a pellucid agenda. Trinidad and Tobago, therefore, declines to attend any meeting proposed until Trinidad and Tobago is furnished with the
relevant information requested in previous missives issued to your good self,” the government announcement noted. It also stated that the country will not recognize her position after her initial term ends in late August “as the process undertaken was surreptitious, corrupted and flawed.” But Sobers made it clear the country will remain a member even though it has serious problems with the operations of the Guyana-based secretariat and how the region functions generally. Giving an indication of its mindset in the bloc, the government there has reminded all and sundry that Trinidad contributes 22% or about $20 million of the regional annual budget but it has so far not taken any steps to withdraw or alter the level of its financial contributions. Its portion is the largest single among members.
3.3 million cases later: What justice looks like in America’s immigration courts FELICIA PERSAUD
IMMIGRATION KORNER America’s immigration system is often described as “broken,” but that word does not quite capture what is happening inside U.S. immigration courts right now. What we are witnessing is not just dysfunction. It is delay — on a scale so large that it is quietly reshaping what justice even means. According to new data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), there are more than 3.3 million cases pending in U.S. immigration courts as of February 2026. Think about that number for a moment. More than 3 million people — families, workers, asylum seekers — are waiting for a decision that will determine whether they
can stay in the United States or be forced to leave. And many of them will wait not months, but years. In fact, more than 2.3 million of those cases involve asylum seekers, people who have come to the United States seeking protection from violence, persecution, or instability in their home countries. Yet, the narrative about immigration continues to focus on crime. The data, however, tells a very different story. Only 1.64% of new immigration court cases involve any alleged criminal activity, beyond possible illegal entry. That means the overwhelming majority of people caught in this system are not criminals. They are waiting. Waiting for a hearing. Waiting for a decision. Waiting for a future that remains indefinitely on hold. And that waiting comes at a cost. It means children growing up in uncertainty. Parents unable to plan
their lives. Workers unsure if they will be allowed to remain in the country they are helping to sustain. This is not just a legal backlog. It is a human one. Because justice delayed, as we have long been told, is justice denied. In immigration courts, delay has become the system itself. As TRAC noted: “The latest caseby-case Immigration Court records show that at the end of February 2026, the Immigration Court backlog stands at 3,318,099 active cases, a decrease from the 3,377,998 cases pending at the end of December 2025. The court has closed 333,957 cases so far in fiscal year 2026 as of February 2026, while receiving 201,878 new cases during the same period. This represents a case completion rate of approximately 1.65 times the rate of new case intake.” Importantly, the consequences are not evenly felt.
Black and Brown immigrants — including those from the Caribbean and throughout the African diaspora — are disproportionately caught in this limbo, navigating a process that is often complex, under-resourced, and increasingly politicized. At the same time, enforcement continues. New cases are filed. Detentions increase. Deportation efforts expand. But the system tasked with deciding these cases cannot keep up. The result is a growing gap between enforcement and resolution — a space where people exist not as citizens or non-citizens, but as something in between. Waiting. Uncertain. Unresolved. That raises a deeper question: What does justice look like when it takes years to arrive? Because immigration policy is often framed around who should be allowed to stay and who should be removed, but far less attention is
paid to what happens in between. What happens when millions of people are left in legal limbo, neither accepted nor rejected? What happens when a system meant to deliver decisions becomes a system defined by delay? The answer is already unfolding. A generation of immigrants living in uncertainty. A court system under strain. A definition of justice that is slowly being stretched beyond recognition. Because when more than 3 million cases are waiting to be heard, the issue is no longer just immigration. It is whether the system designed to deliver justice can still do so at all. Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily syndicated newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 15
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
International
News
Court blocks Trump admin’s attempt to end TPS for South Sudanese By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese immigrants. U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris ruled that the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) actions were unlawful when it tried to terminate South Sudan’s TPS designation. When DHS tried to end TPS, the civil rights group African Communities Together (ACT) brought a lawsuit to stop the action. On Nov. 6, 2025, DHS announced that TPS for South Sudan would end on Jan. 5, 2026. “After reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate U.S. Government agencies,” the notice said, “the Secretary determined that South Sudan no longer continues to meet the conditions for the designation for Temporary Protected Status.” Despite the then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s contention that South Sudan was becoming safer, that idea was challenged as recently as this week when the Associated Press reported that the UN Mission in South Sudan is facing worsening humanitarian conditions and more fighting between government forces and fighters for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition. Judge Saris ruled the government’s attempt to terminate South Sudan’s TPS unlawful, stating that the government’s efforts did not comply with Congressional pro-
sterdam News. “We were able to get a lower court judge to grant the motion that paused the termination date, and now, essentially, this means that the termination is on pause and that South Sudanese TPS holders should continue to enjoy the protections and benefits of TPS.” The lawsuit against DHS was initiated by Communities United for Status & Protection, a national alliance of immigrant-led groups, and was filed by African Communities Together along with individual South Sudanese plaintiffs. Muslim Advocates, Haitian Bridge Alliance,
of the vast dragnet has meant the inclusion of New Yorkers on the basis of whether they go out late, photos they put on social media, so much of the facts of life of being a young New Yorker. And yet it then becomes a mark of suspicion.” Critics of the gang database largely see the city’s Crisis Management System, which deploys credible messengers to leverage their trust and ties to squash feuds and prevent retaliatory shootings, as the alternative solution. Mamdani pledged to bolster
the network through his Department of Community Safety proposal, which recently got off the ground after an executive order, drawing praise from groups like the NAACP LDF. But Afriyie says the gang database contradicts these efforts and worries that Mamdani’s potential support of the NYPD practice may erode the trust for his administration in the neighborhoods where credible messengers, many with former gang ties themselves, operate. “You’re telling people that you
want to invest in them, that their lived experiences are not their faults,” said Afriyie. “That we need to have all these things and this is what true safety looks like and then you’re still surveilling and criminalizing them…part of the importance [and success] of having CMS workers and credible messengers is that they are very connected to these communities. Sometimes they are formally gang-impacted themselves. It’s those key members that are the ones criminalized by the NYPD in those ways.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy meets Sudanese refugees in Chad in the border town of Adre on 24 January, 2025. (Russell Watkins/FCDO via Wikimedia Commons photo)
cedures. In the African Communities Together vs. Noem case, Judge Saris paused the TPS termination for review and later refused to postpone her order, giving temporary protection for TPS holders from South Sudan despite an ongoing appeal. “This decision brings muchneeded relief to South Sudanese families who have been living in fear and uncertainty for months,” said Amaha Kassa, ACT’s executive director. “Judge Saris recognized what we’ve been saying all along: the government’s justifications for termination are baseless and pre-
Abolishing gang database Continued from page 2
Afriyie. “What does reform look like? Taking away one aspect of the many harmful aspects of the database will never do anything to stop those racial disparities. The database policing will always disproportionately affect Black and Brown bodies. The idea of reforming this is nonsensical to me [and] a non-starter for the coalition.” Currently, a city council bill
textual. South Sudan remains devastated by war and famine. Our community members have built lives here, raised families, and contributed to their communities for over a decade. ACT is prepared to continue fighting until they have permanent protection.” The decision temporarily stops the cancellation of protected status for about 232 South Sudanese TPS holders named in the lawsuit, and 73 others who have pending applications. “So it means that the postponement is still in effect,” Nils Kinuani, ACT’s federal policy manager, told the Am-
and Covington & Burling LLP represent the plaintiffs. Kinuani said ACT was not afraid to confront the administration in court, based on past experiences and a refusal to be intimidated. “This is not the first time. We filed lawsuits in the past against the first Trump administration, also, and we were actually successful then. We filed lawsuits on the TPS for Sudan back in 2019-2020 when the TPS for Sudan was terminated. We won that case; it took a few years, but we ended up winning. We also filed a lawsuit on the rule related to the DV, the Diversity Visa Lottery system. We were also successful there. So it’s not our first time. “Of course, there are concerns,” Kinuani noted. “We’ve seen how this administration has gone after law firms, even nonprofit organizations, not just for-profit firms. But ultimately we do what’s best for our members, and at this moment, this lawsuit is the best thing we can do for our members.” The South Sudan win is part of a broader legal strategy. ACT is also challenging the administration’s efforts to end TPS for other predominantly Black immigrant communities, including Ethiopians and Somalis. Regarding Ethiopia, Kinuani said ACT also persuaded a judge to pause the termination date. “With Ethiopia, we were able to motion to postpone and that was also granted. With Somalia, we have a hearing on May 4, a court hearing with regard to the motion to postpone. So, the judge will hear arguments at that hearing,” he said.
sponsored by Councilmember Althea Stevens would abolish the gang database and prevent the NYPD from refashioning it under any other name. Last September, Mamdani openly backed the legislation abolishing the database during a sit-down with Errol Louis at Columbia University. “I have supported that proposal,” he said during the talk. “It’s one that I’ve supported because
16 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Save on Windows and Doors!
40
Buy One, Get One
%
AND
OFF AND
Take an Extra
$
200OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE
NO Money Down, NO Monthly Payments, NO Interest for 12 months Minimum purchase of 4 – interest accrues during promotional period but is waived if paid in full within 12 months.
4.7 OUT OF 5 BASED ON 95,000+ REVIEWS “My overall experience was great. I love the window, and from sales to scheduling, the experience was very good. The installers are highly skilled professionals and I would recommend Renewal by Andersen to all my contacts.” – LYNN F. | RENEWAL BY ANDERSEN CUSTOMER
KEEP THE HEAT IN AND THE COLD AIR OUT! Solving your window problems and having a comfortable home is easy and enjoyable when you choose Renewal by Andersen. Take advantage of this great offer to save money on your window project – and help save on high energy bills for years to come!
49%
2 ICIENT MORE EFF
Keep the heat in and the cold out.
Call by March 31
to schedule your FREE consultation.
833-987-0195
1
DETAILS OF OFFER: Offer expires 3/31/2026. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Buy one (1) window or entry/patio door, get one (1) window or entry/patio door 40% off, and 12 months no money down, no monthly payments, no interest when you purchase four (4) or more windows or entry/patio doors between 12/1/2025 and 3/31/2026. Additional $200 off your purchase, minimum purchase of 4, taken after initial discount(s), when you purchase by 3/31/2026. 40% off windows and entry/ patio doors are less than or equal to lowest cost window or entry/patio door in the order. Subject to credit approval. 12-month Promo Period: while no payments are due, interest accrues but is waived if the loan is paid in full before the Promo Period expires. Any unpaid balance owed after the Promo Period, plus accrued interest, will be paid in installments based on the terms disclosed in the customer’s loan agreement. Financing is provided by various financial institutions without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or familial status. Savings comparison based on purchase of a single unit at list price. Available at participating locations and offer applies throughout the service area. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. License numbers available at renewalbyandersen.com/license. Some Renewal by Andersen locations are independently owned and operated. 2Values are based on comparison of Renewal by Andersen® double-hung window U-Factor to the U-Factor for clear dual-pane glass non-metal frame default values from the 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 International Energy Conservation Code “Glazed Fenestration” Default Tables. “Renewal by Andersen" and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2026 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. RBA14301
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 17
Arts & Entertainment
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s ‘Firebird’ rises like a phoenix
DTH Company Artists Alexandra Hutchinson and Derek Brockington in “Firebird.” (Nir Arieli photos)
By ZITA ALLEN Special to the AmNews Dance Theatre of Harlem’s iconic “Firebird” ballet, which took Paris by storm a few months ago, has now landed in New York where it promises to light up New York City Center (April 16-19) with the remount of the signature ballet critics declared “an instant hit” when it premiered back in 1982. At the time, “Firebird” was dubbed one of DTH’s signature works and a surefire sign that the groundbreaking Black ballet company had come into its own. Today, the remount of this iconic work is a powerful indicator of both the company’s impeccable artistry and the legacy project launched by founder Arthur Mitchell, with teacher and mentor Karel Shook, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1969. The story of the “Firebird” remount of this 40+ year old ballet is indicative of both the power of Mitchell’s vision and current artistic director Robert Garland’s organizational acumen. At its heart, it’s indicative of the familiar saying that it takes a village to raise a child, only in this instance it applies to the organizational reach needed to remount a ballet like “Firebird” after decades. Here the village is DTH, the Harlem-based institution, its leadership, its dancers, both present, past, and future, and the far-flung community of Blacks in ballet DTH has created over the years. In many ways, the remount was possible because all of the pieces of an intricate
DTH Company Artist Derek Brockington as The Prince in “Firebird.”
puzzle fell into place at the right time, DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland said during a recent interview. “The remount started, believe it or not, when American Ballet Theatre announced that Kevin Mackenzie was retiring and ABT’s Board chose Susan Jaffe, then Director of the North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), to take over. UNCSA chose former DTH ballerina Endalyn Taylor to replace her,” Garland said. Endalyn Taylor says the journey for the folks at UNCSA started several years ago, “when a colleague, Dean Saxton Rose of the School of Music, came to me and asked if I could suggest a Stravinsky piece for the school’s symphony orchestra, preferably something they could do live, perhaps a ballet.” Without skipping a beat, Taylor suggested Stravinsky’s “Firebird.” And, since DTH’s “Firebird,” choreographed by John Taras to the Stravinsky score, was for her one of “the most magical,” things went from there. “We got the support of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute of the Arts, an organization that helps bring projects like this to life to create experiences for our students and faculty that elevate the art form and the educational experience and bring art to a higher level in the community.” Community was the glue that held the project together — namely the far-flung community of present and past members of Dance Theatre of Harlem. While two of the ballerinas who originated the leading roles — Stephanie Dabney, the critically acclaimed first Firebird, and Lorraine Graves,
DTH Company Artist Alexandra Hutchinson in “Firebird.”
the first Princess of Unreal Beauty — are no longer with us, former DTH dancer Charmaine Hunter played a key role in the remount. “I danced every role from the monsters and maidens and even ended up dancing the ‘Firebird,’” Hunter says. “I learned the roles because I hung out in the studio when Taras was staging the ballet on Stephanie,” Hunter says. Company members used to joke that she just needed to watch a dance to know it. Though she stopped dancing a few years ago, Hunter continued working in dance, first as DTH Ballet Mistress, then as Rehearsal Director, and more, for other productions. So, when she was asked to help restage “Firebird,” she leaped at the opportunity and worked with Alexandra Hutchinson, the star of the current production. Alexandra Hutchinson’s star has been on the rise for quite some time, and now with the lead role in “Firebird,” it’s reached new heights. Hutchinson says she appreciates the invaluable coaching Hunter provided for such a technically challenging role. “Charmaine encouraged me to take it to new heights,” Hutchinson said when discussing the difficult task of stepping into a role created for another ballerina. Hunter describes the young Alexandra as “selfmotivated and smart,” saying, “You can tell her something once and she gets it. If she doesn’t, by the time you catch her the next day, she’s perfected it. I have never worked with anyone so brilliant and so humble. And when she did the full run through,
there was no ‘Oh let me stop. I need to start over.’ No, no, no. Her spirit is old-school. From the time you start, she’s in character from beginning to end.” Like Charmaine, former DTH principal Donald Williams had the privilege of working with John Taras and Arthur Mitchell when the role of the Prince/Young Man was created for him decades ago, and now he has been able to share his insights with Derek Brockington, who dances the lead in the current production. Brockington says Williams was “a great mentor for the role.” He adds, “One of his biggest notes was to really listen to the music, to go home, listen to it. He insisted that whatever you see on stage, you have to convince the audience that they can see it too. I have to fully believe the fantasy in order to make the audience believe it.” He also says watching the videos of former “Firebird” dancers Mel Tomlinson, Duncan Cooper, and Kip Sturm was eye-opening: “Watching the different versions allowed me to take inspiration for how to make the character my own.” The community that makes “Firebird” possible also involves the far-flung network of former DTH dancers who dedicated their lives to the company but had to find new avenues for their passion when the company went on hiatus in 2004. Dancers Naimah Willoughby and Iyun Ashani Harrison, both once members of DTH’s corps de ballet, returning to help reconstruct key aspects of “Firebird” See FIREBIRD on page 31
18 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
M
E
N
T
L. Kasimu Harris’ images of vanishing New Orleans now part of MoMA’s permanent collection By MALCOLM JOHNSON Special to the AmNews
were anchors, sites of connection, exchange, and recognition. “These spaces at one point had a civic Open for business. Anticipating visi- value,” Harris said. “You could meet with tors. A place to lay your troubles down. the DA or the mayor. You might not have And yet, fewer souls are bearing their bur- had a country club, but you could go to dens in Black bars in Black neighborhoods this space, be respected, and make busiacross the country. What remains isn’t life; ness happen in a relaxing environment. It it’s the imprint of it. These powerful narra- was that third space where you could talk tives are on display in a powerful group of to your neighbor, or someone from anothdocumentary photographs from L. Kasimu er part of the city could come in.” Harris that have recently been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In “Mr. Victor’s Routine: Open Door. Turn on TV. Jerry, Jerry! (The Other Place),” viewable at MoMA’s website, Harris captures something harder to name than absence. The image doesn’t simply document a place; it holds onto what that place used to be. A watering hole reduced to a damp center, yet composed in a way that refuses to let the past disappear entirely. The life that once filled the room lingers What Harris documents is not just disapin the frame, pressing quietly against its pearance, but displacement of function, of present stillness. memory, and of access. In the absence of Harris, a New Orleans-born photog- formal institutions built for and by Black rapher and writer, has built a career on communities, third spaces like bars carthat tension. His series “Vanishing Black ried a different kind of weight. They were Bars & Lounges,” now part of the perma- informal, but essential. Now, the infranent collection at MoMA, traces the slow structure they quietly upheld is fading erosion of spaces that once functioned along with them. as more than just places to gather. They Harris’ work as a writer shines through
in his photography. Each click of his camera captures a narrative. “You have an entryway to a memory that’s already within you, and you connect to it,” he said. “And that’s like the ladder of abstraction that you just hope people get. You hope that it’s work that people allow into their hearts.” Each frame captures pain, longing, amnesia, delusion, rejection — a waning. Each image feels like the manifestation
“‘I’m in the same permanent collection as Van Gogh, Basquiat, and Picasso. Full stop,’ he said.” of a last gap, a space suspended between what was and what remains. That tension carries into “Come Tuesday (Marwan Pleasant at Sportsman’s Corner),” the most colorful of the works now housed at MoMA. At first glance, it reads as a celebration, community, light, and presence. But the longer the viewer sits with it, the more the image resists that simplicity. When I see the pleading on the face of the
subject, the perceived celebration begins to feel closer to a celebration of life. The past is not gone, but it is being carried, unevenly, into the present. Our minds drift to what was and the grief that accompanies us as we step into what will be. This year, Harris became the first Black, New Orleans-based photographer to have work added to MoMA’s permanent collection, an achievement that places him among artists whose names have long defined the institution’s walls. “I’m in the same permanent collection as Van Gogh, Basquiat, and Picasso. Full stop,” he said. Still, the recognition does not appear to have altered the work itself, although it has extended his reach. “I’m still the same person. The difference is — it’s validation,” said Harris. “When a museum acquires your work, it’s evidence of what they believed was important at that moment.” The images remain grounded in the same intention: to document, to remember, and, perhaps most importantly, to leave something behind that others can still enter. Not to explain what has been lost. But to make sure it can still be felt. While the exhibit that launched the acquisition has concluded, you can find out more at moma.org.
In ““King” Joe Lindsey and his Royal Setup (Robertson’s Vieux Carré Lounge),” from the series Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges 2022, the accessories of this Black man redefine both luxury and royalty. (Photo courtesy of L. Kasimu Harris)
A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 19 M
E
N
T
In “The Monday Faithfuls (Purple Rain Bar),” from the series Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges 2019, an eerie image shows the bar patrons enjoying their safe space. (Photos courtesy of L. Kasimu Harris)
In “Mr. Victor's Routine: Open Door. Turn on TV. Jerry, Jerry! (The Other Place),” from the series Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges 2020, the empty bar is reminiscent of the vanishing Black third spaces.
In “Come Tuesday (Marwan Pleasant at Sportsman’s Corner),” from the series Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges 2018, Brown faces painted in celebratory colors partake in a spirited celebration in a New Orleans bar.
“Precious (Purple Rain Bar),” from the series Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges 2019, is a close and emotional image showing a woman frozen in time, perhaps deep in thought, although she’s at a bar to escape.
20 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
AmNews FOOD
Talking SCHOP! Black food, an interdisciplinary experience the beginning, his grandmother’s 7-foot hutch. He recreated it as part of his installation “The Table and the Larder: Feeding the People, Remembering the Future” at The Berkeley Art Museum. From sourcing produce from Black farmers and using ancestral food preservation techniques, to treating the wood of the hutch and leaving the sides open to communicate open access for all, to the school chairs inscribed with quotes from children with food insecurity, this work preserves lifetimes of resilience and a deep respect for those who made a way when the path wasn’t clear. With a purchased and signed copy of “Black Food” in my hands and food for thought in my spirit, I returned home feeling full and feeling honored to have met one of the most prolific interdisciplinary minds today, who uses food to reflect, to honor, and to connect us all. Bravo and thank you to co-sponsors The Food Studies programs of The New School and NYU.
KYSHA HARRIS
FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC For me, food continues to be a great connector in so many ways, with people both new and old. I get so much joy when I experience chefs, writers, makers, and others in their element, grounded yet showing out unapologetically. So, when my friend Mimi sent me a link for a talk at The New School with the celebrated chef, artist, and cookbook author Bryant Terry, entitled “a multimedia discussion of food, art, and Black agrarian thought,” I had to go. On a Monday night last week, I put on some vintage terrycloth that reflected the colorful cover of Bryant Terry’s book, “Black Food,” some suede Wallabees, and tipped downtown. There is always a little trepidation reemerging into spaces, but my fears were allayed when I saw Gabrielle, then her sister Danielle, of BEM Books & More, the nation’s first Black food bookstore (now open in Brooklyn), pop up selling a collection of Terry’s cookbooks. I love witnessing their evolution and always welcome a purchase to support. Terry’s talk opened with a wonderful monologue about his grandmother’s 7-foot-tall hutch and all that was preserved (amongst other things, greens, beans, jams, and a great call-and-response moment for chow chow), what it represented to him, and what it inspired in his future career; what he calls his
Sensory table of herbs and spices.
Bryant Terry. (Kysha Harris photos)
“practice.” He captured his mother in the cooking process for knowledge, yes, but more so to capture the spirit of who she was while doing it, her singing a hymn, before playing a version he created by mixing the hymn with “Money Jungle” by Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, and Max Roach. The strokes of Terry’s practice around the power of food and community lay in honor to the ancestors who bore the responsibility in spite of what they faced, like the Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for Children program and Fannie Lou Hamer’s Freedom
Farm Cooperative. As a result, he’s created a community cooking program, a Black food summit, and owns a book publishing imprint, 4 Color Books, producing some truly outstanding titles. Terry then invited the audience to visit one of the sensory tables filled with herbs and spices to touch, smell, and discuss what memories they evoke. Rosemary was clearly the star of the night with culinary and medicinal stories; cinnamon and thyme got some shine too. Finally, Terry brought us right back to
“Black Food” by Bryant Terry.
Thanks for reading and happy eating! Kysha Harris is a chef, food writer, and editor, culinary producer, consultant, and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 23 years. Follow her on Instagram, @SCHOPnyc and on Facebook, @SCHOPnyc. Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@ SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD.
Terry’s artistic recreation of his grandmother’s hutch.
A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 21 M
E
N
T
Pratt’s Black Dress Talks highlight the creativity and realities of the fashion industry
From left to right, Professor Adrienne Jones, who moderated the panel, and jewelers Shara McHayle, Lorraine West, Angely Martinez, and Jameel Mohammed.
Marking 10 years since the original Black Dress exhibition at Pratt Manhattan Gallery, Black Dress II: Homage, curated by Pratt Institute Fashion professor Adrienne Jones and alumna Rachelle Etienne-Robinson, celebrates the transformative influence of Black creatives in the fashion industry. (Dahlia Dandashi photo)
By MARIELLE ARGUEZA Special to the AmNews Over a decade ago, Adrienne Jones, an artist, fashion designer, and professor at the Brooklyn-based Pratt Institute, received several scrapbooks from her godmother, Clara Branch. Like Jones, Branch was also a professor and connoisseur of fashion. She taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology and was well-known on campus for starting the Soul Fashion Club in the 1970s. The club gained a reputation of its own, hosting some of the biggest and boldest fashion shows on campus through the 1980s. Flipping through the pages, Jones was in awe. “I thought I had a pretty good knowledge of Black designers,” said Jones, remembering the first time she came across the scrapbooks. “I realized how very little I knew.” Inspired by Branch’s legacy and the early works of Black designers she found within the scrapbooks, Jones founded and curated the
Black Dress Project at Pratt Institute in 2014. “It felt like information that needed to be shared, not just through the books, but through my eyes. It was also around the time when discussions around the lack of diversity in the fashion industry,” she said. Eventually, she added another dimension to the exhibition with accompanying panels, the Black Dress Talks. She brought together Black creatives and entrepreneurs who could talk about their work, the business, and the challenges and joys of the industry. But Jones also wanted the masses to realize, as she did, that Black influence was everywhere in fashion but was underacknowledged and, at worst, invisible — and that needed to change. “We’re bringing to light all of these creative people who, you may know their work, but not necessarily know their face. Or know that they’re Black,” she said. “The majority [of Black work] has been behind the scenes.” On April 9, more than a decade
later, at the Pratt Student Union, she organized another panel, this time spotlighting jewelry, which she originally intended to group together in a panel about accessories. But Jones said the feedback was so overwhelming and so specific, it needed its own separate panel. It featured accomplished jewelry designers — many of whom already had seasoned careers elsewhere in the fashion world — Shara McHayle, Lorraine West, Angely Martinez, and Jameel Mohammed. Panelists began by speaking about their origins in jewelry. McHayle, who created Hoop88Dreams, had perhaps the most unconventional start. She began her career in marketing and sales in the 1980s with the legendary streetwear brand PNB (Proud Nubian Brothers). Though her start was on the back end of the business, her experience with streetwear emboldened her to create and pay homage to the urban culture she had grown up with, specifically to the figure of the Fly Girl. “The Fly Girl is often
Audience members listen intently to the Black Dress Talks panelists at the Pratt Institute Student Union. (Marielle Argueza photos)
borrowed from, but rarely celebrated,” she said. “I’m reclaiming her for us.” Mohammed, the youngest of the panelists, creates jewelry, in part, also as an act of reclamation and shifting the dominant narratives in fashion. Inspired by the Black diaspora and the cultures of adornment that Black people come from, he hopes his jewelry will eventually become treasured heirlooms within families. “To see European culture, and to not see the residual Blackness, is a choice. Black people have always been luxurious,” he said. But jewelry isn’t all about artistry and messaging. It is also about numbers, survival, and business. Martinez and West, who are neighbors in Manhattan’s Diamond District, spelled out some of the realities. Martinez explained that sometimes it was important to just take salaried contracts despite knowing the worth of their work. “You have to pay your rent, you have to eat, you have to live. Then you can focus on creating,” she said.
West remembered her excitement about her first $40,000 month, but being told by her peers that she needed to make those figures and more to survive the pandemic. For her, it was a lesson that she needed to be surrounded by people who would not only better her business but also be real with her. “Be around people about their business. I came late, but I’m still entitled to be better,” she said. For Jones, the balance of bringing people who are not only experienced artists but who also embody the entrepreneurial spirit is what Black Dress is all about. “The importance for me in bringing this to the students at Pratt is so they know there are other options. You get a degree in fashion design; Does that mean you’re going to come out and be a designer? Or a creative director? There are so many different avenues you can go into,” she said. As for the future, Jones said they’ve already touched on most categories. “It may be time to bring something back.”
22 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
M
E
N
T
‘CATS: The Jellicle Ball’ will have you purring with pleasure BY LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” will have everyone purrrfectly satisfied at the Broadhurst Theatre. It is a sexy, vibrant musical ride with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot, but it has been brought into a new day and time, and updated to identify with the needs of today’s society and cultural desires. Steeped in ballroom culture, the production pays homage to those who founded this validating and reaffirming performance art that involves drag, vividly colorful costumes, risky, revealing clothing, and just being yourself with others accepting and appreciating you for who you are. You come into the theater and the vibe is deliciously delightful and fun. The musical is stunning, brilliantly directed by Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, and has some of the most captivating choreography you will see on stage created by Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons. The mood from the time you enter the Broadhurst is that you are there to enjoy yourself with this group of very flexible, sexy, beautiful talented performers, and to get your fashion sense on! I loved how so many people had fans, as did cast members, and they were not afraid to flip them open and wave. There are so many moments where the audience was dancing at their seats and rocking to the beat, while shouting, screaming, and clapping for the extraordinary dance moves being performed with such ease. “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” tells the story of the origins of Ball culture which began in 1970s Harlem in the LGBTQ+ community, especially within the Black and Latinx communities. The Jellicle Cats are members of competing houses. It is tremendous fun to see them use authentic elements of Ball culture, including a lot of voguing and runway. By the end of the evening, the oldest and most respected Cat, Old Deuteronomy, will pick the cat who will get to go and start their next life. Imagine coming onto a stage, not saying a word and everyone going wild — shouting, applaud-
Robert “Silk” Mason in “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” at the Broadhurst Theatre. (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman photos)
André De Shields in “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” at the Broadhurst Theatre.
ing, screaming. Well, that’s what happened when the legend, the perfectionist, the Tony-winning actor André De Shields took to the stage as Old Deuteronomy. André was definitely the cat’s meow, not only in his spectacular stage presence, but that man can definitely hold a note beyond your wildest expectations — and do it effortlessly. He can also bust a move and do it with accents that are quite impressive. Prior to us seeing De Shields, we all get to become immersed in the sensual, gorgeous cast who can strut, vogue, and dance their a—s off. Everyone in this ensemble brings their A game to the table and leaves you shouting for more. The cast De Shields leads includes Chasity Moore as Grizabella, Robert “Silk” Mason as Magical Mister Mistoffelees, Jonathan Burke as Mungojerrie, Baby Byrne as Victoria, Tara Lashan Clinkscales, Sydney James Harcourt as Rum Tum Tugger, Dava Huesca as Rumpleteazer, Dudney Joseph Jr. as Munkustrap, Junior LaBeija as Gus, “Tempress” Primo Thee Ballerino as Tumblebrutus, Xavier Reyes as Jennyanydots, Nora Schell as Bustopher Jones, Bebe Nicole Simpson as Demeter, Emma Sofia as Cassandra/Skimbleshanks, Garnet Williams as Bombalurina, and Teddy Wilson Jr. as Sillabub. The cohesive, superb performances of this cast will have you dazzled, charmed, and at times touched. The creative team behind this scrumptious treat does a phenomenal job of creating an atmosphere of pleasure, passion, respect, and fun. The creatives include Rachel Hauck, scenic design; Qween Jean, stunning, provocative, costume design; Adam Honoré, lighting design; Kai Harada, sound design; Brittany Bland, projection design; and Nikiya Mathis, hair and wig design. I wish “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” could be NOW and FOREVER! This musical is what we all need so badly. It is about accepting everyone for who and what they are. Everyone is beautiful. Everyone has a story to tell, and we all need each other. It is a moment to enjoy life! My memories of it will live on and on. For tickets, visit catsthejellicleball.com. You will be thrilled you did!
A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 23 M
E
N
T
‘You, Me & Tuscany’ serves up some fun, rom-com vibes By DWIGHT BROWN NNPA News Wire She loves him. She loves him not. He loves her. He loves her not. One woman. Two men. She’s living a lie and falling in love under the Tuscan sun. How did that happen? That premise, by Kristin Engle, involves a young woman, an Italian villa, and a big fib. That notion was turned into a script by Engle’s screenwriter husband, Ryan Engle. It’s not the kind of project that usually includes a Black female lead character. But that unique possibility drove producer Will Packer (“Girls Trip”) to build a love story around that atypical casting. Something in the mold of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” or “Mamma Mia!” Something that meets rom-com genre requirements but also adds a fresh spin. The night the very unprofessional house sitter Anna (Halle Bailey, “The Little Mermaid”) winds up in a hotel bar alone, not much is going right. She’s just lost a job for wearing her last client’s clothes (Nia Vardalos, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”). A depressed Anna catches the eye of an Italian tourist, Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor). He casually mentions that he owns an empty villa in a small Tuscan town. Before you can say “arrivederci,” she’s on a plane to Italy — and he has no idea. With director Kat Coiro (“Marry Me”) at the helm, all the production pieces are assembled in a very simple and commercial way. The bright lighting and glossy cinematography (Danny Ruhlmann) make Tuscany look like a shiny, postcard-perfect setting. However, it’s not as impressive as the cinematography in “The Equalizer 3,” which made Italy’s Amalfi Coast so dramatically beautiful you’d want to grab your passport and go. For a broke twenty-something, Anna dresses awfully well (costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini) and has lots of clothes for someone who arrived in Italy with just a purse and a shoulder bag.
The cast of “You, Me & Tuscany.”
Regé-Jean Page, Halle Bailey, and Lorenzo de Moor in “You, Me & Tuscany.” (Images courtesy of Universal Pictures)
Another hiccup is the bland, mediocre rom-com score (composer John Debney). By comparison, the very catchy playlist is more successful, and mirrors Anna’s journey and helps to create a hip, romantic mood: Grammy-winner Olivia Dean crooning “So Easy (To Fall in love),” Ari Lennox’s ode to Black women “Soft Girl Era,” “Let Me Love You” by Mario, and Estelle’s meditative “Live, Love, Learn.” Production designer Elena Albanese (“The Spiderwick Chronicles”) is a champ at making the villa gorgeous. Also, momentum is never an issue because editors Zene Baker and Troy Takaki (“Almost Christmas”) give the film a steady, engaging rhythm. What’s on view is sometimes formulaic, sometimes unpredictable. Anna arrives in Matteo’s hometown of San Conessa (actually Pienza in Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia region). She barely has a dime in her pocket. Stranded, with all the hotels booked, a friendly taxi driver, Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), drives her to Matteo’s
villa, Casa Luna. She sneaks in and spends the night. In the morning, she encounters his family and lies about why she’s there. Surprisingly, they embrace her. There’s Matteo’s mom Gabriella (Isabella Ferrari), the very wary grandmother Nonna Alessia (Stefania Casini, “1900”), dad Vincenzo (Paolo Sassanelli), and the wild sister Francesca (Stella Pecollo). But the relative that catches Anna’s eye is Michael (Regé-Jean Page, “Bridgerton”), Matteo’s very suave cousin — and rival. Coiro handles what’s in front of her well. Her directing style is pretty standard for the genre. No striking artistry, just proficient filmmaking, and she builds the romance, jealousy, and drama efficiently. But for a romantic comedy, the romance far outweighs the funny stuff. It misses opportunities for physical humor or biting satire. Most of the comedy comes from Anna’s smart-mouthed friend Claire (Aziza Scott, “Home Before Dark”). But there’s some-
thing so cliché about the character, the mannerisms, and dialogue that Claire borders on being a sassy Black woman trope. Coiro is far better with the flirting, googoo eyes, heart-yearning elements, which is good news for those, especially female audiences, who like involving love stories. They’ll find it easy to put themselves into Anna’s shoes and ogle the man she adores. Why? Because there’s no shortage of glam shots of the very photogenic Page. Shirt on. Shirt off. Smiling bright enough to light up the screen. His “Bridgerton” fans get all the Regé-Jean they can handle. There’s a weird part to Engle’s script. Basically, the lead character is a con artist with little remorse. Unethical and hardly a role model, it’s a bit unsettling. But her masquerade gives the movie its distinct verve. And along the way, the duplicitous interloper mends a family that’s in great discord. Gabriella says, “You are the key to bringing our family together.” Also, Anna’s secondary trait as a wannabe chef, trained but not a professional, adds a cuisine angle that’s oh so perfect for Italy. Halle Bailey has an accessible, young woman quality and plays a habitual liar in the most charming way. Casting her instead of a supermodel makes Anna very approachable. However, some may wonder what could have been if a comic actress were in the role, someone with the comedic instinct of Tiffany Haddish or Melissa McCarthy, who knows how to milk the humor out of scenes. It’s a thought. Meanwhile, Page, who’s matinee idol handsome and very debonair, gives a performance that lacks depth and layering. Pecollo, as the very saucy, twerking sister, is hysterical. The rest of the supporting cast is vivacious and very amped up, like they’re on a TV show. It’s easy to ignore the flaws and just have a good time under the Tuscan sun. She loves him. She loves him not. She lies. She mends. She entertains.
Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page in “You, Me & Tuscany.”
24 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 A
R T S
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
M
E
N
T
Gateways Festival Orchestra, Record Store Day
The Gateways Festival Orchestra, the festival’s flagship ensemble comprised of 58 Black professional classical musicians drawn from leading symphony orchestras, conservatory faculties, and the international freelance community, will perform Igor Stravinsky’s iconic score for ”Firebird” live for the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH)’s acclaimed production, April 16–19 at New York City Center. The collaboration marks a rare artistic convergence between two legacy institutions — the musicians’ collective artistry elevating Stravinsky’s masterpiece with cultural resonance and depth, amplifying the power and brilliance of DTH’s dancers. They will take the stage in costumes designed by the late Geoffrey Holder — the same designs seen on Misty Copeland at the Oscars. Renowned award-winning conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson will conduct the orchestra on April 16, 18, and 19. Tania León, Pulitzer Prize-winning conductor, composer, and first music director of DTH, will conduct the orchestra on April 17. Included will be works by Black composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Margaret Bonds, and George Walker, as well as Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. For tickets and more info, visit dancetheatreofharlem.org and nycitycenter.org. The 2026 Gateways Spring Festival is honoring its founder, classical pianist Armenta Hummings Dumisani, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. This season includes a triumphant return to Winston-Salem, where Dumisani founded the group in 1993. She shaped it as a space where Black classical musicians could gather in affirmation, artistry, and shared culture. Despite American classical orchestras’ closed door policy to Black musicians for many years, the music remained instrumental in many Black communities, particularly here in Harlem, where for over three decades, the AmNews featured a column written by Raoul Abdul, who covered classical music and opera performed by prominent singers and composers such as William Grant Still, soprano Camilla Williams, and baritone Simon Estes. Some of these renowned artists were among the many classical/opera artists who performed in his weekly Coffee House series in Harlem. It is likely that Abdul, having passed away in 2010, may have been aware of Gateways and wrote about them in their fledgling stage. If so, he would be pleased to see what they have accomplished to date. “At Gateways, Black culture and classical music are not in conversation from a distance — they’re inseparable — and
Gateways Festival Orchestra. (Todd Rosenberg photo)
you don’t just hear it, you feel it. It moves through the room, connecting people across time, tradition, and lived experience,” said Gateways Music Festival President and Artistic Director Alex Laing. For ticket info, visit gatewaysmusicfestival.org. Technology, with its music downloads, smartphones, artificial intelligence, social media, and music links, has contributed to the silent disappearance of most record stores around the world. Ironically, one has to be a senior citizen to even understand the concept of a record store and how they once blossomed and thrived in every community like buzzing beehives. Independent record store owners and employees felt an urgent need to form Record Store Day in 2007. It’s a way to celebrate the unique culture of record stores and the special role they still play (in a much smaller capacity) in their communities for nearly 1,400 independently-owned record stores in the U.S. and thousands of similar stores internationally. The annual event is held on a Saturday, this year April 18, and on Black Friday in November to celebrate independent record stores and the smaller neighborhood stores recognized as Mom & Pop record shops. Today, Record Store Day is celebrated at independently owned brick-and-mortar record stores internationally. It features exclusive vinyl/CD releases, live performances, and in-store events, bringing fans and artists together to support local, brick-andmortar music shops. The first record store in the United States
was George’s Song Shop in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which was opened in 1932 by brothers Eugene and Bernie George; the first known Black-owned record store in the United States was Bill Hawkins’s shop in Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1950s. His store became a community hub where African American families — and those arriving during the Great Migration — could buy records, attend live performances, and meet artists. The Record Shack, owned by Sikhula Shange, formerly on the corner of Eighth Ave. & 125th Street (across from the Apollo Theater), like Hawkins’s shop, served as a community hub where stars like James Brown, Carmen McRae, and Stevie Wonder appeared for autograph signings. Friends hung out at record stores; it was a good place to meet girls and buy hit 45 RPMs or albums (for $2–$4). It was so cool then; salesmen played requests in hopes of a purchase — once he played Pharoah Sanders’s “Karma” (Impulse! 1969) for me, it was a done deal. For Record Store Day on April 18, co-president of Resonance Records, Zev Feldman, pushes out a treasure chest of 11 releases. Five of these albums are from the massive archives of the late Chicago National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Joe Segal, who operated the legendary Chicago club Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase. They’re the first in an ongoing series Feldman will release as he digs through some 10,000 tapes to find the real jewels six days later on April 24, which would have been Segal’s 100th birthday. All of these albums will be
available on CD. Four of the albums from the Segal archives are released on Resonance Records, and one is on Time Traveler Recordings. We begin with saxophone innovator Joe Henderson’s “Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase,” a three-LP set, and his quartet with pianist Joanne Brackeen, bassist Steve Rodby, and drummer Danny Spencer captured in February 1978; Ahmad Jamal, “At the Jazz Showcase: Live in Chicago,” a two-LP set featuring the iconic pianist with bassist John Heard and drummer Frank Gant on March 20–21, 1976; and Yusef Lateef’s “Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase,” a three-LP set featuring Lateef with pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Bob Cunningham, and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, captured live in June of 1975. Liner notes are by Lateef biographer, esteemed journalist, and author Herb Boyd, plus interviews with Bennie Maupin, Wayne Segal, and more. Roy Hargrove’s “BERN,” recorded at the International Jazzfestival in Bern, Switzerland, in May 2000, captures a vital, previously unissued Roy Hargrove date showcasing the then 30-year-old trumpeter/bandleader at the height of his powers. On Time Traveler Recordings, Terry Callier’s “At the Earl of Old Town,” is a two-LP set featuring the influential singer/songwriter at just 22 years old — a compelling, never-before-released 1967 solo performance. Stream or download “At The Earl of Old Town” at https://s.disco.ac/grmduparqupv. For complete listings and more, visit recordstoreday.com.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
BNY Continued from page 5
being that by teaching them how to get involved in a community and how to be a leader in a positive way,” Nickens said. Nickens and her father, Larry Nickens, who dealt with similar struggles when he was a teen in Harlem, co-lead the Heir B&B Best & Brightest Academy, a youth development organization, and his street apparel company, Goody Graphics. They released the popular “Make Harlem Great Again” line of hats and hoodies last summer. Redemption story As a teenager, Nickens found herself involved in trouble often, getting into fights at school and lashing out, despite being a good student. She understands the root of it was that she was angry about her circumstances, which she says are not unique to many young Black kids in Harlem and beyond. She struggled with poverty, being surrounded by crime, and other issues; having to move from place to place; and watching her father have to work instead of being able to spend time with her. “When it came to that quality time that other families may receive because they’re able to just live freely, I wasn’t receiving that because my dad had to work a lot,” Nickens said. Her father did
make sure to attend all of her recitals and performances, she clarified. “When you look at my dad, you wouldn’t even assume that I was getting arrested, because my dad is such a great dad, but nobody really looks into the root causes of the issue. … People weren’t really understanding me or trying to understand me,” Nickens said. “I was so angry because I felt like I was stuck. … I felt like I was born into it, so this is how my life is going to go. I don’t have any other choice but to get arrested … have kids early, be on welfare.” It was after her last arrest, when she saw how abysmal the conditions would be behind bars due to how young people were treated, and also seeing her father break down in tears during his testimony on her behalf, that she was inspired to change things. Being introduced to programs like Soul Sisters Leadership Collective made Nickens understand the school-to-prison pipeline and that her conditions as a young Black girl were systemic and designed in a way for her to fall into those destructive patterns. “Everything started clicking,” Nickens said. “You make the choices of how you want to move and how you want to live in life. Yeah, you’re dealt these ‘Carter hands,’ but you don’t have to stay in those circumstances.” Nickens went on to join civic and justice organizations like the New York
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 25
Justice League and National Action Network. She later accepted a paid opportunity as a campaign organizer with Youth Represent from 2022 until this past January. She said she was selected over older candidates who may have had better academic resumes, because none of them had her type of lived experience. As her first order of business, she created a youth committee of 13–20 young people. It was here that she was able to deliver resources to young people such as food, MetroCards, and stipends. She also learned the ins and outs of organizing, and carries that knowledge today. In More Than a Statistic, Nickens works with and brings young people aboard with similar stories to hers, with the intent of transforming their lives, whether from gang involvement, jail, homelessness, etc. Since February, she and the cohort have traveled to several cities, including Chicago and Boston, speaking to students in public and alternative schools, which have the most youth facing barriers, and engaging them in becoming civically involved and bettering their lives. They also collaborated with other social justice organizations in those cities. In addition to her justice work with her own group, working with her father, and being a full-time student, Nickens also runs a haircare business.
With her father’s “Make Harlem Great Again” brand, Nickens says she taught him the importance of telling a story to connect with audiences in marketing, which bolstered its growth in popularity in the last eight months. It is important for Nickens to praise her father and highlight the image of Black single fathers because the media doesn’t do that. “When I’m sharing about my story and how far I got, it wouldn’t have been this way if it wasn’t for my father,” Nickens said. “A lot of people fail, and they crash out because they just don’t have a great support system. My support system wasn’t 10 people; it was one person, and that one person was my dad. … That’s how much support he gave me. “He was a single parent, but he was a single father raising a daughter. … It’s not like he knew the ropes on how to raise a young girl,” Nickens said. “There were a lot of things he could have done wrong that he did right … it’s important for me to name that.” Nickens is grateful and proud to be alongside her greatest support — her father — in the work they are doing together and individually. “It feels like we’re building a legacy to me,” Nickens said. “It gives me a wholesome feeling, like we’re doing this work together, and we’re building a name for both of us. … It just feels genuine and authentic.”
Opening your door to home. When you’re ready to buy your first home, refinance, or renovate your current home, talk to us. As the largest certified minority depository institution in the U.S., we’re here to support your success and the communities we proudly serve. With every open door, you can take the future further. Scan QR code or call 888.726.8885 to learn more.
Ranked #1 Performing Bank in the U.S. by Bank Director.* All rates, fees, products and program guidelines are subject to change or discontinuance without prior notice. Other limitations and restrictions may apply. All loans are subject to East West Bank’s application, underwriting, appraisal, and credit approval. Program is available in selected counties of California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas and Washington. *2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Bank Director’s RankingBanking studies, $50 billion and above asset category. Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC NMLSR ID 469761
26 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
Education
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
NYC public school suspensions dropped 8% in first half of school year
After spiking in wake of pandemic, NYC public school suspensions are falling below pre-pandemic levels, according to city data. (Monica Disare/Chalkbeat)
By ALEX ZIMMERMAN Chalkbeat This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters Suspensions among New York City’s public schools plunged in the first half of this school year, according to new city data released this month. From July to December 2025, schools handed out nearly 9,200 suspensions, 8% fewer than the same period in 2024. The decline included a nearly 22% drop in longterm superintendent suspensions, which run six days or more and are served at outside suspension sites. Principal suspensions, which last five days or fewer and are typically completed in school, fell about 5% to nearly 7,600. Suspensions were already on the decline in the run-up to the pandemic and cratered when school buildings shut down during it. They came roaring back after school buildings reopened, and educators raised fears that student behavior was deteriorating. However, the punishments have since declined steadily over the past two school years, falling below pre-pandemic levels. Schools handed out 27% fewer suspensions
in the first half of this school year compared with the same period the year before the pandemic forced buildings to shutter. Enrollment in the city’s K–12 schools has declined about 15% over that period (the data do not include charter schools). It’s unclear what is driving the significant drop in suspensions even as concerns about student mental health grew in the wake of the pandemic. There have not been any major changes to school discipline policies in recent years under former Mayor Eric Adams, although lengthy suspensions have drawn scrutiny. A Chalkbeat investigation found that schools have routinely suspended students with disabilities for longer than legally allowed. The decline could reflect changes in student behavior and broader social trends. (Violent crimes, including murders, shootings, and robberies, have dropped sharply.) Chronic absenteeism remains elevated, meaning students are in school fewer days on average. Advocates who represent families in suspension proceedings contend that investments in mental health support and restorative justice, which can include peer mediation and other approaches to resolving conflict, are bearing fruit. “The efforts to introduce alternatives to suspensions and to use restorative practic-
es to help lift the social-emotional well-being in schools — that is taking greater root,” said Nelson Mar, an attorney at Bronx Legal Services. Still, he said, “it’s really hard to say” whether there has been more subtle pressure on principals to reduce suspensions. (Multiple school leaders said they were unaware of any new districtwide efforts to clamp down on suspensions.) Some observers feared that a new ban on cellphones in schools, which took effect last fall, could lead to a spike in disciplinary incidents, although it does not appear to have caused an uptick in suspensions, at least for now. Chyann Tull, an Education Department spokesperson, echoed that the decline in suspensions reflects that “schools are increasingly using restorative practices, peer mediation, in-school counseling, and referrals to external mental health providers to respond to student needs, helping keep students engaged in their learning while maintaining safe school communities.” Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not include funding for some of those initiatives in his preliminary budget: He did not extend $6 million in city funding for restorative justice programs, and his budget does not include $5 million to provide access to mental health clinics and other support at 50 high-
need schools in the Bronx and Brooklyn, an initiative known as the Mental Health Continuum. In prior years, advocates and local lawmakers have pushed for those programs to be restored in the final city budget that is due by July 1. Advocates are watching closely, because Mamdani has said little about how his administration intends to approach school discipline policy. Under Adams, “they had not emphasized these programs but didn’t go out of their way to cut them,” said Mar. “It may be the same song and dance.” Advocates have also long raised concerns about stark disparities in suspension rates; Black students and those with disabilities remain disproportionately removed from their classrooms even as suspensions have dropped. The mid-year suspension data does not include demographic breakdowns; those statistics should be available when full-year suspension statistics are published in October.
Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact him at azimmerman@ chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Clarke Continued from page 3
part of my living legacy.” Clarke is a Flatbush native and the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. Her district includes 10 communities, very heavily populated by the West Indian community. In Congress, she co-chairs the Congressional Caribbean Caucus. Before being elected to the House of Representatives, she served on the city council succeeding her mother, former Councilmember Dr. Una S. T. Clarke. The district Clarke has served for so long is heavily affected by the current economic crisis, so she also plans on hyperfocusing on immigration reform, the affordability crisis in the city, and regulating artificial intelligence (AI). “The escalating costs of groceries, everyday provisions that people need to enjoy a quality of life to meet the needs of their families, [are] compounded by what is taking place right now in Washington,” said Clarke. “The tariffs were one thing. Now you add to that the war in Iran, and again, it’s compounded. The affordability crisis has not let up, and doesn’t show any sign of letting up.” Pinpointing Trump’s “unnecessary” spat with Iran, Clarke slammed his plans to make critical budget cuts to help fund the war: $10.7 billion for housing, $8.5 billion for K–12 programs, $2.5 billion for clean drinking water, and $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health.
Hope Continued from page 3
Violence Prevention (OGVP) Director Calliana S. Thomas, whose agency will administer the fund, told the Amsterdam News that HOPE is a “passion project” for her. She sees brick-andmortar spaces as key to curbing shootings through centralized services and a social space for fellow community members to commiserate. “What’s very special about this initiative is that it hopes to develop and/or enhance current spaces where people already go, to expand the amount of programming that’s available,” said Thomas. “There’s also some special additions that we’re looking to add in therapeutic services, government navigation, hot meal provision, as well as extended hours. “Every summer, we’ve seen an uptick in violence and it’s normally around evening hours. How do we create more spaces for our young people that are safe, organized, and supervised? And this is one of those initiatives that aims to open these community centers even later into the evening, up until 9 p.m.” HOPE will target 25 specific zip codes,
Clarke added that immigration reform is an issue that’s been deeply personal to her since her start in Congress. She said that the “foot-dragging” is why the country is in the state it is in with rampant hostile anti-immigrant rhetoric. “Finally, for me, I’ve been very focused on the emergence and integration of technology in the lives of the people that I represent and the nation at large, starting with how the tech firms have exploited the lack of regulatory framework,” she said. In the tech field, Clarke hopes to create more equity in AI spaces and has pushed to combat misinformation with legislation, such as the DEEPFAKES Accountability Act, to stop the spread of malicious deepfakes, and the REAL Political Ads Act, which increases transparency about political AI-generated advertisements. Even with everything that’s happening at the federal level, Clarke said she was excited to continue her storied career in Congress. “It was wonderful to have so many members of the community come to validate and uplift my re-election. It was heartwarming. I’m in Washington most of the time, battling it out,” Clarke said about the launch. “To know that it reverberates with my constituency is a point of pride for me. I felt gratitude to the people. [They] have not overlooked or undervalued the work that I do.” The New York State primary election takes place June 23, and early voting is from June 13 to June 21.
including 11206 in Brooklyn’s Eastern Williamsburg where a stray bullet killed infant Kaori Patterson-Moore earlier this month. The programming also plans on “cross-pollinating” with other gun violence prevention efforts like survivors and faith-based groups to ensure trust and authenticity. The winners are mandated to subcontract 40% of the overall award to smaller grassroots organizations. Qualified nonprofit providers can apply for the funding by the July 1 deadline at noon. The state will inform winners on Aug. 1 and the contracts are expected to start in October, according to the application. As with all New York State grants, prospective applicants should complete their Statewide Financial System Prequalification. Applicants can send in questions about the fund until April 29 at dcjsfunding@dcjs.ny.gov. For Thomas, whom Hochul appointed as the inaugural OGVP head in 2022, HOPE is also a full-circle moment as a lifelong Harlem resident. “To now be in these spaces and able to use that experience and voice and the support of the communities that brought me here, as well as the communities that I continue to uplift and work with. It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to give back to those same communities.”
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 27
28 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Health Closing the Gap: Local leaders tackle Black maternal health crisis By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff
McDonald added that the state has had to reexamine certain programs, like the Black parents across the Birth Equity Improvement U.S. continue to face stark Project (Respectable Care), racial disparities when it and change their names to ensure they aren’t tarcomes to maternal health. geted by the federal govIn an effort to raise awareness, the heads of the city ernment’s anti-DEI cuts. and state’s health departWords like ‘Black,’ ‘health ments and public hospitals equity,’ ‘accountability,’ hosted a panel of experts ‘indigenous,’ or even ‘lowincome’ are now an issue. at a local doula headquarters during Black Maternal “What are the better Health Week. paths forward? Because “I want to thank every the status quo isn’t workdoula in this space, every ing,” said New York City health advocate, every Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commisnurse, every doctor, midwife, who has pushed to sioner Dr. Alister Martin. get us to the space. BeHowever, multiple electcause we know that for too ed officials and advocates many years there was no are working to make sure recognition of the disparBlack mothers have what ities,” said Assemblymemthey need. ber Stefani Zinerman at the “We understand that event. “And you guys did we need to decenter the hospital system in birththe work, and you hit the ing,” said Assemblymemstreets, and you expanded ber Michaelle C. Solages, each circle across the state The New York State Department of Health in collaboration with the Ancient Song Doula Services organization held a Black who chairs the Black, Histo make sure that there was Maternal Health Week Roundtable in Brooklyn on Monday, April 13, 2026 panic, Puerto Rican, and recognition of the inequi(From left to right: Ancient Song Doula Services Founder Chanel Porchia-Albert, Midwife Trinisha Williams, NYS Maternal ties in the system, and you Asian Caucus. She is also Health Council Co-Chair and OB-GYN Dr. Wendy Wilcox, Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, and NYS Maternal Mortality declared that we were not a mother of three. “And and Morbidity Advisory Council Co-Chair Cheryl Hunter-Grant) (Ariama C. Long photos) gonna take it anymore.” we need to make sure that For the last 24 years, the we’re listening to midoverall rate of maternal mortality has re- giving birth and not we don’t have the nec- wives, and doulas, and other caretakers, mained steadily high in New York City, and necessarily in a hosessary support in place and healthcare professionals, about how extreme disparities between racial groups pital, said Wilcox. to really support some- we can bring more to the conversation. And persist, according to Department of Health This could be from one who is pregnant we’re moving that conversation in Albany.” (DOH) data. a variety of issues, At the state level, Solages has fought to and parenting. Like, From 2011 to 2020, there was an increase such as late-stage why would I want to expand doula coverage, improving access in maternal deaths among Black women. pre-eclampsia or a bring my child into to donor breast milk, changing the materThey are still about five times as likely to hemorrhage from a this world without the nal screening programs, fighting for home experience a pregnancy-associated death C-section, mental necessary support in visiting, Medicaid coverage for lactation than whites, based on a DOH report from health struggles and consultants, and for temporary disability place?” 2018 to 2022. Hispanic women were about suicide, or domestic Standards of care insurance for alternative pregnancy outtwo times as likely to have a maternal death partner and gun vioare expected to be im- comes. McDonald said one of the other from 2016 to 2020. These staggering dispar- lence, said Wilcox. pacted by President things the state health department has ities are due to structural racism, implicit “We are living in unDonald Trump’s big done is financially incentivize hospitals to bias, and sexism more than anything, said precedented times,” tax bill, which gutted lower the scheduling of unnecessary C-secNYS Department of Health Commissioner said Ancient Song about $1 trillion from tion rates by at least 1%. At the city level, the mayor and city counDr. James McDonald. Doula Services FoundMedicaid and the AfDr. Wendy Wilcox is the Chief Women’s er Chanel Porchia-Alfordable Care Act. cil have been working to expand proven Health Officer for NYC Health + Hospi- bert. “The ways in Nearly a third of all solutions, including providing free baby bastals and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecol- which structurally, we people of color, and kets to new parents, integrating midwifery ogy at Woodhull Hospital. Based on recent currently have an adwomen make up the models into hospital settings, delivering on research, many of the pregnancy-related ministration saying, majority of adults na- universal childcare programs, and expandBrooklyn Assemblymember Stefani deaths occurring among Black moms are ‘have more babies, tionwide, are covered ing the city’s newborn home visit programs. Zinerman speaks at Black Maternal Health Week panel on April 13. See story on next page in the two-year post-partum period after have more babies,’ but by Medicaid.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS Continued from previous page
Martin said that he wholly believes in the city’s By My Side Doula program. Over the last three years, the program has served over 3,900 mothers. He has seen the results work for women in real time on his spot visits as doulas are adept at navigating the healthcare system for their patients. “And not only that, it’s not just the direct service. It’s also the policy work that they do, the
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin (left) and NYS Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald (right) attended the Black maternal health panel in Brooklyn.
advocacy work that they do to make sure the structures and the systems are different and better for our patients,” said Martin. Longtime midwife Trinisha Williams focuses on advocating on the ground for an increase in access to midwives and doulas, birth options, and education. “One of the things that I would love to have more access to is preconception care. People need to know about birth options, menstruation, and all the rest of it before they become pregnant,” said Williams, “So this way they can be able to then have that conversation clearly with either their OB or their midwife about how they can have a healthy pregnancy.”
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 29
From left to right: Ancient Song Doula Services Founder Chanel Porchia-Albert, Midwife Trinisha Williams, NYS Maternal Health Council Co-Chair and OB-GYN Dr. Wendy Wilcox, Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, and NYS Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Advisory Council Co-Chair Cheryl Hunter-Grant.
9.6” Crowd packs Ancient Song headquarters for Black maternal health panel on Halsey Street in Brooklyn on April 13, 2026.
DOWNLOAD THE APP WIN UP TO $50,000 WITH SECOND CHANCE PRIZES
Always laying on the cold ground to snuggle dogs? Play for a chance at
Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY. PlayResponsiblyNY.com. Dogs generated using AI.
30 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Rev. Al Sharpton says killing of Brooklyn toddler is a ‘wake-up’ call By LLOYD B. DAVIS Special to the AmNews Grieving family members and mourners packed a funeral home in Bedford-Stuyvesant on April 14 at the memorial service for a seven-month-old baby who was slain in Brooklyn, the victim of a stray bullet. With them was Rev. Al Sharpton, who condemned the killing and called for stronger community mentorship so these types of situations never happen again. “This is a wake-up call. God gave this child a life and took it away to wake you up,” said Sharpton in his eulogy speech. After the service, Sharpton spoke to reporters outside the funeral home. “About 37 years ago, I did a eulogy in the same funeral home for Yusef Hawkins who was killed in Bensonhurst in a racial incident. We marched when others killed him; we need to have that same vigor and energy when people are killing each other.” Kaori Patterson-Moore was out with her family April 1 when a drive-by shooting took place near the corner of Moore and Humboldt Streets in Williamsburg. Two suspects, driving a moped scooter, shot into a crowd and Kaori was struck. Her father rushed her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her two-year-old brother was grazed in the back by a bullet but survived. Two suspects have been taken into custody. On Tuesday, one of the suspects,
A mourner carries a photo of seven-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore outside her funeral at the Lawrence H. Woodward Funeral Home in Brooklyn. (Lloyd B. Davis photo)
Mathew Rodriguez, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. He is currently being held without bail. Police say Rodriguez drove the moped while the alleged shooter, Amuri Greene, rode on the back. He was scheduled for arraignment April 15. Meanwhile, family members at the funeral expressed their grief in heartfelt speeches, recalling moments with Kaori. Some
mention moments where she could look up and sense people’s presence and energy. New York Attorney General Letitia James, also in attendance, said she hopes the justice system will prosecute the murderers to the fullest extent of the law. She also remains hopeful that brighter days are to come and that the community will recover. “Death will not be victorious today, “
said James. “This crime will not define this community.” Sharpton also said that the National Action Network will do whatever it can to support the family, even if they are in need of financial help. He said, it’s more than just a stray bullet that killed Kaori. “The problem is that we have a stray theology,” said Sharpton.
IFY T’S L P AM EVEN R U O Y CT A P IM
ALL FOR
FREE
ER
ARG L A H REAC NCE IE D U A
COMMUNITY CALENDAR powered by
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Divine Nine News Continued from page 9
including leadership roles at George Washington University, and his work advancing health equity through the Governor’s Hispanic Fellows Program and the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute. The celebration highlighted the next generation of scholars through the inaugural 2026 Community Service Scholarship, which was presented in partnership with Souder Law Group, the A’Dorian Murray-Thomas Civic Association, and SHE Wins! Inc. Two exceptional students were honored: Taniyah Ferrell, a nursing major at Simmons University and peer coach at SHE Wins! Inc., received a $2,500 scholarship. Dorian Hunter IV, a computer engineering major at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., received a $1,000 scholarship. Each recipient will also receive mentorship to support their academic and leadership development. We also launched a countywide collection of prom dresses and suits for Newark youth. This was done in partnership with Essentially Yours From The Heart because we want to ensure young people can celebrate their milestones with confidence and dignity. The second annual Divine Nine Day stood as a testament to the power of community, the strength of legacy, and the
Firebird
Continued from page 17
is proof that, as Iyun says, “reconstruction is a community effort across multiple generations.” Their memories helped complete the delicate act of breathing new life into a masterpiece to make sure it is not lost. But the beauty of the community that made this production possible is its breadth. “Firebird,” after all, is a major ballet that requires a large cast, elaborate scenery, and costumes, and pulling that together was a massive undertaking. It takes a village. Garland drew on dancers from Endolyn Taylor’s North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) to augment the company’s talented corps de ballet and appear as monsters and maidens. Then there are the amazingly stunning costumes and sets originally designed by the brilliantly multi-talented Trinidadian artist Geoffrey Holder, who passed in 2014. Leo, the son of Holder and dancer Carmen de Lavallade, took on the awesome task of restoring the costumes and the vividly colorsplashed enchanted forest located on some unnamed Caribbean island. With a deft hand and brilliant eye for detail, Holder made the Firebird’s world come to life, pulling the audience into its enchanting environment. Adding to it all was yet another, but essential, component: the music. This time, Stravinsky’s music comes to life with the help of the
(Photo courtesy of Essex County Commissioner A’Dorian Murray-Thomas)
enduring truth that service is the highest form of leadership. A’Dorian Murray-Thomas is vice president of the Essex County Board of Commissioners (NJ). 58 Black classical musicians of the Gateways Festival Orchestra, who are drawn from leading symphony orchestras, elite conservatory faculties, and the international freelance community. “We share a focus and mission similar to DTH,” says Gateways Artistic Director Alex Laing. “We too are dedicated to enlightening and inspiring communities through the power of performance.” While the orchestra appears, most nights, under award-winning conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson, on April 17 it will be led by Pulitzer-Prize-winning conductor/composer Tania León, whose storied career was launched when, shortly after arriving here from Cuba, Arthur Mitchell made her DTH’s first music director. And, if the DTH community couldn’t get any bigger, even before the curtain goes up at City Center, an international audience of millions of viewers of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony was invited to join DTH’s community when Ballerina Misty Copeland received a standing ovation wearing Geoffrey Holder’s historic “Firebird” costume, during a presentation spotlighting the movie “Sinners.” As former DTH dancer Naimah Willoughby said during a recent interview, “Mr. Mitchell groomed us to perform for something larger than ourselves,” and in this case, that something is a legacy that lives on because of an ever-growing community of Black ballet dancers and the audience that appreciates and supports them.
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 31
32 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
CLASSIFIED ADS 100 PUBLIC NOTICES RULES AND REGULATIONS
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF Against All Odds Entertainment LLC.
SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. RIO, THE CONDOMINIUM & SPA, BY ITS BOARD OF MANAGERS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ LINA POLYAKOVA, et al De‑ fendant(s). Pursuant to a Judg‑ ment of Foreclosure and Sale dated November 18, 2025 and entered on December 9, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, known as Rio, "The Condominium and Spa and buy the Street Number 304 East 65 Street, together with an undivided .5914% in‑ terest in the common elements. Block: 1439 Lot: 1123 Said premises known as 304 EAST 65TH STREET, UNIT 10D, NEW YORK, NY Approximate amount of lien $37,637.54 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 153301/2025. ELAINE SHAY, ESQ., Referee Schwartz Sladkus Reich Green‑ berg Atlas LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 444 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Notice of Formation of 713 MADISON 28 TIC OWNER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/31/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543, regd. agent upon whom and at which process may be served. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank, National Association as Legal Title Trustee for Truman 2016 SC6 Title Trust , Plaintiff, vs . Moshe Rahimi , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order On Motion entered on February 15, 2024 and a Decision + Order on Motion entered on March 9, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on May 19, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 635 West 42nd Street, a/k/a 627-635 West 42nd Street, Unit 15J, New York, NY 10036. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1090 and Lot 1351 together with an undivided 0.12612 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $570,028.95 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850111/2020. Paul R. Sklar, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 201235-1
CANCELLATIONS must be made in writing by 12 Noon Monday.
Application for Authority filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/3/2026. Office Location: New York County. LLC formed in Delaware on 2/12/2026.
The forwarding of an order is construed as an acceptance of all advertising rules and conditions under which advertising space is sold by the NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS. Publication is made and charged according to the terms of this card.
SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: 625 W 57th St, Apt 306, New York, NY 10019.
Rates and regulations subject to change without notice. No agreements as to position or regulations, other than those printed on this.
The principal business address of the 625 W 57th St, Apt 306, New York, NY 10019.
Til forbid orders charged for rate earned. Increases or decreases in space take the rate of a new advertisement.
Certificate of LLC filed with Secretary of State of Delaware located at: Division of Corporations 401 Federal Street, Suite 4 Dover, DE 19901.
The New York AMSTERDAM NEWS reserves the right to censor, reject, alter or revise all advertisements in accordance with its rules governin g the acceptance of advertising and accepts no liability for its failure to insert an advertisement for any cause. Credit for errors in advertisements allowed only for first insertion. CLASSIFIED • Classified advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Four line minimum on all ads except spirituals and horoscopes (14 lines). CLASSIFIED DISPLAY • Classified Display (boarder or picture) advertisements take the regular earned rate of their classification. Display (boarder or picture) advertisements one column wide must be 14 lines deep; two columns, 28 lines deep; 3 columns, 56 lines deep. Classified Display (boarder or picture) placed as close to classifications as rules and makeup permit. CLASSIFICATIONS All advertisement accepted for publication is classified according to the standard classifications. Misclassification is not permitted. BASIS OF CHARGE Charges are based on point size and characters per line. Upon reaching 15 lines the rate converts to column inch. Any deviation from solid composition such as indentation, use of white space, bold type, etc., will incur a premium. In Case of error, notify the Amsterdam News 212-932-7440
Delaware address of: Not applicable.
Dissolution date: None. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. NOTICE FOR FORMATION of a limited liability company (LLC). The name of the limited liability company is 350 W42 8L LLC. The date of filing of the articles of organization with the Department of State was February 9, 2026. The County in New York in which the office of the company is located is New York. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the company upon whom process may be served, and the Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the company served upon him or her to The LLC, 30 Riverside Boulevard, 31B, New York, NY 10069. The business purpose of the company is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York. Notice of Qualification of BLACKSTONE ABF WHOLE LOAN ASSOCIATES LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/19/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/25/21. Princ. office of LLC: 345 Park Ave., NY, NY 10154. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: The nature of the business and purpose of the Company is to act as general partner for certain limited partnerships that invest in privately originated credit and other income-generating investments in the asset based finance market.
{* AMSTERDAM*} Notice of Qualification of EDGE EDGECOMBE OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/31/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 02/16/26. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Edge Property Group, LLC, 3 West 57th St., 8th Fl., NY, NY 10019. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of Preventive Health Medical NY, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/17/2026. Office location: New York County. SSNY is designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: The LLC, 100 Christopher Columbus Drive, #2210, Jersey City, NJ 07302, USA. Purpose: to engage in the practice of medicine and any lawful act or activity for which a professional limited liability company may be organized under the laws of New York.
Notice of Qualification of GO HUDSON YARDS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/25/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 80 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1201, NY, NY 10011. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of 63 MADISON DF PARTICIPANT LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/12/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/05/26. Princ. office of LLC: 1 Vanderbilt Ave., NY, NY 10017. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of NEUBERGER BERMAN LOAN ADVISERS EUROPE II LP Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/19/26. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/26/25. Princ. office of LP: 1290 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10104. NYS fictitious name: NEUBERGER BERMAN LOAN ADVISERS EUROPE II L.P. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the Partnership at the princ. office of the LP. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with Secy. of the State of DE, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NEW YORK COUNTY U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 2023-3, Plaintiff against SUGAR HILL 473, LLC; BIAGIO BELMONTE, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered December 12, 2024, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at Room 252 at the Supreme Court, New York County, 60 Centre Street, New York, New York on May 12, 2026 at 2:15 PM. Premises known as 453 West 140th Street, New York, NY 10031. Block 2057 Lot 138. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $2,648,459.02 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 850143/2024. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District's Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee. Roberta Ellen Ashkin, Esq., Referee File # 24000687-01
101 LEGAL NOTICES
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME OF THE COUNTY OFCOURT NEW YORK STATE OF NEW YORK HSBC BANK USA, COUNTY OF NEW YORK HSBC BANK USA, -againstKAREN KENNEY A/K/A KAREN KENNY, ET AL. -againstNOTICE OF SALE KAREN KENNEY A/K/A KARNOTICE IS HEREEN KENNY, ET AL. to a Final BY GIVEN pursuant NOTICE OFofSALE Judgment Foreclosure entered in the NOTICE Office of IS theHEREClerk BY GIVEN pursuant to York a Final of the County of New on Judgment of Foreclosure enJuly 3, 2023, wherein HSBC tered inUSA the Office of the Clerk BANK is the Plaintiff and of the County of New York on KAREN KENNEY A/K/A KARJuly 3, 2023,ET wherein HSBC EN KENNY, AL. are the BANK USA is the and Defendant(s). I, Plaintiff the underKARENReferee, KENNEY signed willA/K/A sell atKARpubEN KENNY, ET AL. are the lic auction at the NEW YORK Defendant(s). underCOUNTY CIVILI, the SUPREME signed Referee, will sell at pubCOURTHOUSE, ROOM 252, lic auction at the NEW YORK 60 CENTRE STREET, NEW COUNTY CIVIL SUPREME YORK, NY 10007, on May 19, COURTHOUSE, ROOM 252, 2026 at 2:15PM, premises 60 CENTRE NEW known as 144STREET, WEST 123RD YORK, NY NEW 10007, YORK, on May 19, STREET, NY 2026 premises 10027; atand2:15PM, the following tax known as 144 WEST 123RD map identification: 1907-53. STREET, NEW YORK, NY ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, 10027; OR andPARCEL the following tax PIECE OF LAND map identification: 1907-53. SITUATE, LYING AND BEING ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, IN THE BOROUGH OF MANPIECE ORCOUNTY, PARCEL CITY OF LAND HATTAN, AND SITUATE, AND BEING STATE OF LYING N.Y. IN THE BOROUGH Premises will beOF soldMANsubHATTAN, COUNTY, AND ject to provisions of CITY filed JudgSTATE OF N.Y. ment Index No.: 810040/2012. will be subElainePremises Shay, Esq. - sold Referee. ject to provisions of filed JudgRobertson, Anschutz, Schneid, ment Index No.: 810040/2012. Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Elaine Shay,Concourse, Esq. - Referee. Merchants Suite Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, 310, Westbury, New York Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Merchants Concourse, Suite All foreclosure sales will be 310, Westbury, New York conducted in accordance with 11590, Attorneys Plaintiff. Covid-19 guidelinesforincluding, All foreclosure sales will be but not limited to, social distancconducted in wearing. accordance with ing and mask *LOCACovid-19 including, TION OF guidelines SALE SUBJECT TO but not limited social distancCHANGE DAYto, OF IN ACCORing and mask *LOCADANCE WITH wearing. COURT/CLERK TION OF SALE SUBJECT TO DIRECTIVES. CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. Notice of formation of What's Underneath Media, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/24/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to WHAT'S UNDERNEATH MEDIA, LLC: 101 PARK AVE, SUITE 1700 NEW YORK, NY, 10178, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF Vertigo Autos, LLC Application for Authority filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/20/26 . Office Location New York. LLC formed in DE on 07/10/2014. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Vertigo Autos, LLC at 135 W 50th St, Fl 17, NY, NY 10020. Cert. of LLC filed with Secy of State of DE located at 401 Federal St, 4, Dover, DE 1990.Purpose: any lawful activity.
101 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF WFRBS COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE TRUST 2014- LC14, COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2014-LC14, acting by and through its special servicer, Rialto Capital Advisors, LLC, as Special Servicer under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of February 1, 2014, Plaintiff, -againstCOHEN RITZ RETAIL COMPANY, LLC; CHARLES STEVEN COHEN; BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE 465 PARK AVENUE CONDOMINIUM; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; and NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that, pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion of the Honorable Francis A. Kahn III, J.S.C., dated March 24, 2026, and entered in the Office of the New York County Clerk on March 26, 2026 (NYSCEF Doc. No. 148), the undersigned Referee will set at public auction in Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, Supreme Court, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, New York 10007, on May 19, 2026 at 2:15 pm, the fee and ground lease interests in the real property located at 465 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, also known as 101 East 57th Street, New York, New York 10022 (Block 1312, Lots 1301 and 70) (the “Property”), as more particularly described as follows: As to Parcel I, Tax Lot 1301: The Commercial Unit ("Commercial Unit") in the condominium ("Condominium") known as The 465 Park Avenue Condominium and also known by the street number 465 Park Avenue, Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, said Commercial Unit being designated and described as the Commercial Unit in the declaration dated December 27, 1990, made by The Ritz Tower Hotel, Inc. pursuant to Article 9-B of the Real Property Law of the State of New York ("New York Condominium Act), establishing a plan for Condominium ownership of the building (the "Building") and the land (the "Land") upon which the Building is situate (which Land is more particularly described below), which declaration was recorded in the New York County Office of the Register of The City of New York ("City Register's Office") on January 30, 1991 in Reel 1759 page 1919, as amended by First Amendment to Declaration dated as of December 16, 1991 and recorded in the City Register's Office on July 29, 1993 in Reel 1993 Page 299 as further amended by Second Amendment to Declaration dated as of February 28, 1997 and recorded in the City Register's Office on April 29, 1997 in Reel 295 page 500 as further amended by the First Amendment to the bylaws dated as of February 28, 1997 recorded in the City Register's Office on April 29, 1997, in Reel 2451, Page 507
page 500 as further amended by the First Amendment to the bylaws dated as of February 28, 1997 recorded in the City Register's Office on April 29, 1997, in Reel 2451, Page 507 (the "Declaration"). The Commercial Unit is also designated as Tax Lot 1301 in Block 1312 of Section 5 of the Borough of Manhattan on the Tax Map of the Real Property Assessment Department of The City of New York and on the Plans of the Building, certified by Hurley & Farinella, Architects, and filed in the Register's Office on January 30, 1991, as Condominium Plan No. 756 and also filed in the City Register's Office on January 30, 1991, as Map No. 5058/91; TOGETHER with an undivided 33-1/3% interest in the Common Elements as such term is defined in the Declaration; The Land: ALL that certain lot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the northerly side of 57 th Street, distant 17 feet 6 inches easterly from the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of 57 th Street with the easterly side of Park Avenue; RUNNING THENCE northerly parallel with the easterly side of Park Avenue, and part of the way through a party wall, 80 feet 5 inches; THENCE easterly parallel with the northerly side of 57 th Street, 52 feet 6 inches more or less, to a point distant 70 feet easterly from the said easterly side of Park Avenue; RUNNING THENCE northerly again parallel with the easterly side of Park Avenue, 20 feet; RUNNING THENCE easterly again parallel with the northerly side of 57 th Street, 60 feet; RUNNING THENCE southerly and again parallel with the easterly side of Park Avenue and part of the way through a party wall, 100 feet 5 inches to the northerly side of 57 th Street; and RUNNING THENCE westerly along the northerly side of 57 th Street, 112 feet 6 inches to the point or place of BEGINNING. TOGETHER with the Benefits but also subject to the terms and burdens contained in a certain Light and Air Easement recorded in Liber 3558 Cp. 151, as partially modified by Reel 374 Page 1757. As to Parcel II, Tax Lot 70: Leasehold interest in the land described below created pursuant to the Ground Lease described on Exhibit B hereto: ALL that certain lot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the northeasterly corner of 57 th Street and Park Avenue; and RUNNING THENCE northerly along Park Avenue, 80 feet more or less; THENCE running easterly, and parallel with 57 th Street, 17 feet 6 inches; THENCE running southerly and parallel with Park Avenue and partly through a party wall 80 feet more or less; THENCE westerly along said 57th Street, 17 feet 6 inches to the point or place of BEGINNING. Together with all personal property located on the real property on the date of the auction. Approximate amount of lien $24,063,716.05 plus interest and costs. Property will be sold in separate parcels but in one judicial public foreclosure auction subject to the provisions of the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion and Terms of Sale, Index No. 850108/2025. ELAINE SHAYE, ESQ., Referee
101 LEGAL NOTICES
the provisions of the Judgment Common Elements, as well as of Foreclosure Sale and AMSTERDAM THEand NEW YORK all personal NEWS property of DefenDecision + Order on Motion dant as identified in that cerand Terms of Sale, Index No. tain Consolidation, Extension 850108/2025. ELAINE SHAYE, and Modification Agreement, ESQ., Referee dated as of May 16, 2023, and Dated: New York, New York, recorded on May 23, 2023, as April 1, 2026 HOLLAND & CRFN 2023000126995, and KNIGHT LLP, By: /s/ David V. excluding any funds held by Mignardi Keith M. Brandofino, Plaintiff in any reserve, escrow, Esq. David V. Mignardi, Esq. or suspense fund, and excludMaryanne Pedersen, Esq. Ating any funds held by Plaintiff torneys for Plaintiff, Deutsche in any cash management acBank Trust Company Americas, count. Approximate amount of as Trustee for the Registered judgment is $1,197,719.00 plus Holders of WFRBS Commerinterest and costs. Premises cial Mortgage Trust 2014-LC14, will be sold subject to proviCommercial Mortgage Passsions of filed Judgment Index # Through Certificates, Series 850019/2025. 2014-LC14, acting by and Sofia Balile, Esq., Referee through its special servicer, Polsinelli PC, Aaron P. Davis, Rialto Capital Advisors LLC, Esq., 600 Third Avenue, 42nd as Special Servicer under the Floor, New York, New York Pooling and Servicing Agree10016, Attorneys for Plaintiff ment dated as of February 1, 2014. 787 Seventh Avenue, 31st Floor New York, New York NOTICE OF SALE 10019 Tel: (212) 513-3200 SUPREME COURT COUNFax: (212) 385-9010 TY OF New York , 188 East 64th PH2 Funding Associates , Plaintiff, vs . 188 E 64 LLC NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME a/k/a 188 East 64 LLC , ET COURT NEW YORK COUNAL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to TY MCLP ASSET COMPANY, a Judgment of Foreclosure and INC., Plaintiff against KEVIN C Sale and Decision + Order on LAU, et al Defendant(s) AttorMotion (the “Judgment”) duly ney for Plaintiff(s) Knuckles & entered on March 10, 2026 , I, Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains the undersigned Referee will Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, sell at public auction in Room NY 10591. Pursuant to a Judg252 of the New York County ment of Foreclosure and Sale Supreme Court, located at 60 entered February 6, 2025, I Centre Street, New York, NY will sell at public auction to the 10007 on May 19, 2026 at 2:15 highest bidder at Room 252 at p.m., premises known as 188 the Supreme Court, New York East 64th Street, Unit PH2, County, 60 Centre Street, New New York, NY 10065. All that York, New York on May 19, certain plot, piece or parcel 2026 at 2:15 PM. Premises of land, with the buildings and known as 200 East 94th Street, improvements thereon erected, Unit 2012, New York, New York situate, lying and being in the 10128. Block 1539 Lot 1516. Borough of Manhattan, County The Condominium Unit (the of New York, City and State of "Unit") known as Residential New York, Block 1398 and Lot Unit 2012 in the building (the 1076 together with an undivided "Building") known as Carnegie 0.9941 percent interest in the Park Condominium ( the "ConCommon Elements. As of the dominium") and by the street date of the Judgment, the apaddress 200 East 94th Street, proximate amount of judgment New York, New York, Borough of is $4,636,331.71 plus interest Manhattan, County of New York, and costs. Premises will be sold City and State of New York. Apsubject to provisions of filed proximate Amount of Judgment Judgment and terms of sale. is $755,529.61 plus interest, Index # 850126/2025. fees, and costs. Premises will Paul Sklar, Esq., Referee be sold subject to provisions Norris McLaughlin P.A., 7 Times of f iled Judgment Index No Square, 21st Floor New York, 850624/2023. Cash will not be New York 10036 accepted at the sale. The foreAttorneys for Plaintiff closure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME District's Covid-19 Policies and COURT COUNTY OF NEW foreclosure auction rules. The YORK U.S. BANK NA, SUCReferee shall enforce any rules CESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK in place regarding facial covOF AMERICA, NA, SUCCESerings and social distancing. SOR IN INTEREST TO LAReferee will only accept a cerSALLE BANK NA, AS TRUSTtified bank check made payable EE, ON BEHALF OF THE to the referee. Paul Sklar, Esq., HOLDERS OF THE WAMU Referee File # 2296-004151 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES NOTICE OF SALE 2007- HY7, Plaintiff AGAINST SUPREME COURT COUNTY TERRE SIEPSER SIMPSON OF New York , Stormfield SPV A/K/A TERRE S. SIMPSON IV, LLC , Plaintiff, vs . Bowery A/K/A TERRE SIMPSON A/K/A Shed LLC , ET AL., DefenTERRE SIEPSE-SIMPSON; dant(s). ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant Pursuant to a Judgment of to a Judgment of Foreclosure Foreclosure and Sale and Deand Sale duly entered August cision + Order on Motion duly 4, 2025, I, the undersigned Refentered on March 9, 2026 , I, eree will sell at public auction the undersigned Referee will at the New York County Courtsell at public auction in Room house in Room 252, located at 252 of the New York County 60 Centre Street, New York, NY Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, on April 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM, New York, NY 10007 on May premises known as 106 Central 19, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premisPark South, Unit 3B, New York, es known as 354 Bowery, Unit NY 10019. All that certain plot 3, New York, NY 10012. All that piece or parcel of land, with the certain plot, piece or parcel buildings and improvements of land, with the buildings and erected, situate, lying and being improvements thereon erected, in the Borough of Manhattan, situate, lying and being in the City, State and County of New Borough of Manhattan, County York, Block: 1011 Lot: 4089. Apof New York, City and State of proximate amount of judgment New York, Block 531 and Lot $1,863,650.44 plus interest 1203 together with an undividand costs. Premises will be sold ed 16 percent interest in the subject to provisions of filed Common Elements, as well as Judgment Index #850164/2023. all personal property of DefenAllison Furman, Esq., Referee dant as identified in that cerFein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 tain Consolidation, Extension East Main Street Rochester, NY and Modification Agreement, 14614 SPSNC846 89363 dated as of May 16, 2023, and
195LEGAL HELP WANTED 101 NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 33
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NEW YORK COUNTY U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 2023-2, Plaintiff against NYLOFLAT LLC; FERNANDO MIGUEL ANTONIO LAURIA; FERNANDO ANTONIO LAURIA, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 19, 2026, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at Room 252 at the Supreme Court, New York County, 60 Centre Street, New York, New York on May 19, 2026 at 2:15PM. Premises known as 200 East 66th Street, Unit B1503, New York, NY 10065. Block 1420 Lot 1176. The Condominium Unit (the "Unit") known as B1503 in the building ("Building") known as THE MANHATTAN HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ("Condominium") and by the street number 200 East 66th Street, New York, New York, Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $2,281,311.48 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 850652/2023. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District's Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee. Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee File # 23-001284-02
NOTICE OF LEGAL POSTPONEMENT OF SALE SUPREME COURT NEW YORK COUNTY U.S. BANK TRUST BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 20222, Plaintiff against RAMON N. VELOZ, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered January 14, 2026, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at Room 252 at the Supreme Court, New York County, 60 Centre Street, New York, New York on April 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM. Premises known as 4260 Broadway, Unit 604, New York, NY 10033. Block 2164 Lot 1067. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $432,147.86 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 850078/2025. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 1st Judicial District's Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee. Sale originally scheduled on March 31, 2026. Jason Paul Sackoor, Esq., Referee File # 25-000329-01
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR BNC MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2006-2, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-2, Plaintiff AGAINST REGINALD BORGELLA, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 1, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse in Room 252, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on April 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 140 7th Avenue, Unit 7R, New York, NY 10011. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, County of New York, State of New York, Block 768, Lot 1203. Approximate amount of judgment $1,043,907.05 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850069/2014. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 00-299477 89438 Notice of formation of Bring It Back Boutique LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/16/2023. Office location: Schenectady County. SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Diane Rositano: dlee123789@gmail.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Qualification of NORWEST LIMITED, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/19/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/28/98. Princ. office of LLC: 90 South 7th St., Minneapolis, MN 554027506. NYS fictitious name: WF NORWEST, LLC. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of 1315 Madison Street LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/16/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Katzner Law Group, P.C.: 1407 Broadway, Room 4002, New York, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of FORTUNE AND GLORY LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 509 E 83rd St., #3W, NY, NY 10028. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
34 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
101 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York, U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, on behalf of the holders of the Harborview Mortgage Loan Trust 2006-1 Mortgage Loan Passthrough Certificates, Series 2006-1, Plaintiff, vs. Elizabeth Hazan, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on October 6, 2025 and a Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on February 26, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on May 12, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 1 East 62nd Street, Unit 1A, New York, NY 10065. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1377 and Lot 1100 together with an undivided 5.03 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $2,525,544.33 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850240/2014. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff Notice of Qualification Plante & Moran, PLLC Plante & Moran, PLLC (the "PLLC"), a professional service limited liability company formed on October 1, 2002 under the laws of the State of Michigan, filed an Application for Authority with the New York Department of State on December 30, 2025, pursuant to Section 1306 of the New York Limited Liability Company Law. The county in New York in which the office of the PLLC is located is New York County (Manhattan Borough). The PLLC is authorized to practice the profession of certified public accountancy and public accountancy in the State of New York. The Secretary of State of the State of New York has been designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process served upon it to: 3000 Town Center, Suite 100, Southfield, Michigan 48075. NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff AGAINST DOUGLAS E. SEWER, INDIVIDUALLY AND SURVIVING JOINT TENANT OF JOSEPH K. SEWER, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 1, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse in Room 252, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on May 12, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 81 West 119 Street, New York, NY 10026. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the City, County and State of New York, Block 1718 Lot 108. Ap-
certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the City, County and State of New York, Block 1718 Lot 108. Approximate amount of judgment $1,333,945.21 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850001/2010. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832. Christy M. Demelfi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 00-161915 89484
101 LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York, SIG CRE 2023 Venture LLC, Plaintiff, vs. 126 Retail, LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion duly entered on March 26, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on May 12, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 126 University Place, Unit 1, New York, NY 10003. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 571 and Lot 1401 together with an undivided 18 percent interest in the Common Elements, as well as all personal property of Defendant as identified in that certain First Mortgage, Consolidation, Extension, Modification and Security Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2017, and recorded on December 29, 2017 as CRFN 2017000474724, and excluding any funds held by Plaintiff in any reserve, escrow, or suspense fund, excluding any funds held by Plaintiff in any cash management account, and excluding any funds held by the court-appointed receiver. Approximate amount of judgment is $4,813,580.15 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850257/2024. Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee Polsinelli PC, Alina Levi, Esq., 600 Third Avenue, 42nd Floor, New York, New York 10016, Attorneys for Plaintiff Notice of Qualification of PI2 HOLDINGS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/20/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/11/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 500 Washington St., Ste. 400, San Francisco, CA 94111. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, DE, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Bray & Yaffe LLP Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on March 5, 2026. Office Location New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLP served upon him/her is: 119 West 23rd Street, Suite 900 New York, NY 10011.The principal business address of the LLP is 119 West 23rd Street, Suite 900 New York, NY 10011. Purpose: Law
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. TOORAK CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC, Plaintiff ‑against‑ WEST 125 STREET REALTY LLC, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated February 24, 2026 and entered on March 18, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in Room 252 of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, Coun‑ ty of New York, City and State of New York, bounded and de‑ scribed as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the northerly side of West 125th Street, distant 100 feet easterly from the cor‑ ner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of West 125th Street with the easterly side of Old Broadway; being a plot 72 feet by 100 feet by 64 feet by 100 feet 2 1/2 inches. Block: 1982 Lot: 5 Said premises known as 543 WEST 125TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10027 Approximate amount of lien $8,114,375.69 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850311/2024. TOM KLEINBERGER, ESQ., Referee Offit Kurman, P.A. Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 590 Madison Ave, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Notice of Qualification of GUAPO MEDIA, LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/30/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed on 01/29/2026. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to eResidentAgent, Inc: 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1204, New York, NY 10020. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE,19901 Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
CLEARHOME LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 03/01/2026. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 228 Park Ave S #927698, New York, NY 10003. United States Corporation Agents, Inc. desig. as agent for SOP 7014 13TH Avenue , Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Firm of Kenneth M. Berman LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/10/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Kenneth M. Berman: 228 Park Ave S. #547283, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
{* AMSTERDAM*} Notice of Qualification of Intentional Funds LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/23/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed on 07/25/2022. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to ZenBusiness Inc.: 41 State Street, Suite 112, Albany, NY 12207. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF THE KADDU LAW FIRM, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/10/2026. Office Location New York, County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The principal business address and the Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the PLLC served upon him/her is: 244 Fifth Ave Ste K252, New York, NY 10001/Allan Kaddu. Purpose: Legal Services. Notice of formation of SORAVELLE LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/02/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Secretary of State of New York: 603 W 184TH STREET APT 1EF, NEW YORK, NY, 10033. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Qualification of CS RESORT MANAGER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/19/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/30/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of PLG INSURANCE SERVICES LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/31/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/29/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Atelier ADW, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/24/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to ERESIDENTAGENT, INC. : 1 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA, SUITE 1204 NEW YORK, NY, 10020. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of STONE AND BLOEM LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on FEBRUARY 19,2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to JENNIFER M. STONE: 2109 Broadway New York, NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. MTA REAL ESTATE Request for Proposals RFP No. TG04092026: Opportunity to lease three (3) retail units at NYCT’s Gun Hill Road (Dyre Avenue Line, 5 Train), Bronx, New York. For information on this RFP, please go to https://new.mta.info/agency/ real-estate/
Notice of Formation of Logistics Q&M LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 4/1/2026. Office Location: New York County, New York. SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to 45 Main St. Suite 238, Brooklyn, NY, 11201. Registered Agent: LegalZoom USCA, Inc. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.
Notice of formation of Studio 258 LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/17/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Angelina DeSimone: 258 St. Nicholas Avenue #3C, New York, NY 10027. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Lumavec Group, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/12/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc.: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Carter & Stanley LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/01/26. Office Location New York County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Carter & Stanley LLC at 888 7th Avenue 4th Floor, NY, NY 10106. The principal business address of the LLC is 888 7th Avenue 4th Floor, NY, NY 10106. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of formation of The Picture Palace LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/26/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to SSNY: 228 PARK AVE S #603848, NEW YORK, NY, 10003, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of FRESH WATER POND DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of WEQUONNOC VILLAGE DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Afterglow NYC, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/09/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Katie Rue: 45 Orchard St, Storefront, New York, NY, 10002. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Sarah Shin Productions LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NY DOS 03/20/26. County: Kings Co. SSNY is agent for process & shall mail to: 565 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221. Purpose: any lawful.
Notice of formation of Allen Signature Services, LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/20/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Khadeidra Allen : 121 Saint Nicholas Ave, Apt. 5D, New York, NY 10026. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. CYNDE IVERSON DESIGNS, LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/17/2025. Office: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 263 W 136th St, New York, NY 10030. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of formation of HARBINGER ADVISORY LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy of State of NY on 010/8/2026. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Cassiope Sydoriak, 99 John Street 1107, New York, NY 10038. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 35
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES
Notice of formation of Mestun Cosmo LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/26/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Elif Ozyurekoglu : 145 East 48th Street Apt 32B New York, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Epj Psych LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/15/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Legal Zoom: 9000 Spectrum Drive Austin Texas 78758. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of mackenzie.jpg LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/20/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Secretary of State of New York: New York Department of State Division of Corporations One Commerce Plaza 99 Washington Ave Albany, NY 12231. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of GALA Notice of formation of FL NYC, DINNERS LLC . Articles of OrLLC. Articles of Organization ganization filed with the Secfiled with the Secretary of State retary of State of NY (SSNY) of NY (SSNY) on 3/23/2026. on 03/06/2026. Office location: Office location: New York CounNew York County (Manhattan). ty (Manhattan). SSNY desigSSNY designated as an agent nated as an agent of Limited of Limited Liability Company Liability Company (LLC) upon (LLC) upon whom process whom process against it may • February 20, - February 2025 mail against it may be served.1SSNY be2025 served. SSNY 26, should should mail process to eResiprocess to eResidentAgent, Inc: dentAgent, Inc.: 1 Rockefeller 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1204. 101 LEGAL NOTICES 101 LEGAL NOTICES Plaza, Suite 1204, New York, Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NY 10020. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF FORMATION of Myka NY LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/17/2025. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Registered Agents Inc., 418 Broadway, Ste R, Albany, NY 12207. R/A: Registered Agents Inc., 418 Broadway, Ste R, Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Social Atlas Media LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/10/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to United States Corporation Agents, INC. : 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY, 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Wifi Shark LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/23/2024. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Joshua Ryan Gerson: 326 Columbus Ave Apt 5J, New York, NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Cap Studio. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/24/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Leyla Ozden: 959 First Ave, 19C. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of CT INVESTOR 2026, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 30 Hudson Yards, 72nd Fl., NY, NY 10001. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity. This is to announce that the next open meeting of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy I Charter School Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 4:30 PM at 245 West 129th Street, New York, NY.
Notice of formation of Equus Arcadia LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/16/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to eResidentAgent, Inc: 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1204, New York, NY 10020. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Heights Mental Health Counseling PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/16/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Anita N. Sung: PO Box 307, New York, NY 10040. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Arlen Joy Caranay, NP in Psychiatry PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/30/2025. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Arlen Joy Caranay : Arlenjoy.caranay@gmail.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of LA MAISON DE SOHO, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/24/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Cohen Edderai LLP: 14 East 4th St., Suite 501, New York, NY 10012.. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of CUE Hospitality LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/06/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Sebastian Lysen: 460 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of Olive Tree Creative LLC, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/16/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to NY Department of State: New York Secretary of State, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Spiral Staircase Editions LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/23/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to SSNY: jdd17@me.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of TH135 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/12/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Treehouse Creative LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/03/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Corey Green: corey@treehousecreativenyc.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION of Herbie Law PLLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/25/2026. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against PLLC to 413 W 14th Street, Suite 200, New York, NY 10014. Purpose: any lawful act.
This is to announce that the next open meeting of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 4:30 PM at 245 West 129th Street, New York, NY.
101 LEGAL NOTICES
Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #NA-0340-25for beer, wine & liquor Notice of formation of 103028 MIMIbeen has applied for by the AGENCY LLC. Articles ofundersigned Orto sell beer, wine ganization filed with the &Secliquor at retail in a restaurant under the ABC Law at 994 retary of State of NY (SSNY) Columbus Ave., New York, NY on 01/06/2026. Office location: 10025 for on-premises conNew York County (Manhattan). sumption; Limone LLC SSNY designated as an agent
of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY NOTICE is hereby given that a license, number NA-0370-24should mail process to Gillian 135212 for liquor, wine, beer & Schutzer: Gillian.Schutzer@ cider has been applied for by gmail.com. Purpose: Any lawful the undersigned to sell liquor, purpose. wine, beer & cider at retail in a bar/tavern under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 4371 3rd Ave; Bronx, NY 10457 in Bronx County for on premises consumption. Zion Restaurant and Lounge Corp d/b/a Zion Immigration Legal Services Restaurant and Lounge
The Law Office of Kate E. Roberts, PLLC
101 NOTICES 195 LEGAL HELP WANTED
Notice of Qualification of AP CREDIT SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS (AIV) II, L.P. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/08/25. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/26/24. Princ. office of LP: Attn: General Counsel, 9 W. 57th St., 43rd Fl., NY, NY 10019. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the Partnership at the princ. office of the LP. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with The Secy. of State of the State of DE, Dept. of State, Div. of Corps., John Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
THE NEW
195LEGAL HELP WAN WAN 101 NOT 195 HELP
Occupational Thera ority Care Staffing. F Bronx. 75,712/yea hour) Evaluate conditions; Develo implement treatmen Demonstrate exerc help relieve patien Evaluate results an ress of occupationa on patients; Educa givers and family m of clients on patient otjobs@prioritycare com.
Business Address: 232 W. 116th Street, Unit 1645 New York, NY 10026 774-279-0190 MARLOW 1 LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/04/26. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Blumenson Accounting, 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 300, New York, NY 10170. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Neinstein Consulting LLC filed w/ SSNY 2/1/26. Off. in NY Co. Process served to SSNY desig. as agt. of LLC & mailed to the LLC, 1 Central Park S PH 2011, NY, NY 10019. The reg. agt. is United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste. 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Any lawful purpose. Affirmed Medical, PLLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 03/17/26. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of PLLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 125 W 31 St, Apt 55B, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Simple Spaces Real Estate LLC, Arts of Org filed with SSNY on 10/18/24. Off Loc: New York County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 89 Division St, New York NY 10002. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act. WWK Realty LLC, Arts of Org filed with SSNY on 07/25/23. Off Loc: New York County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 15 Division St Fl 2, New York NY 10002. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act.
To display your Legal, LLC, and classifieds ads contact: Brian Lawrence (617) 704 - 3735 TO DISPLAY YOUR LEGAL, LLC, AND brian.lawrence @ CLASSIFIEDS ADS CONTACT:
ALIamsterdamnews.com MILLINER (347) 350-4316 ALI.MILLINER@AMSTERDAMNEWS.COM
Or schedule your own Legal and LLC SCHEDULE YOUR OWN BY Code advertOR ising by scanning the QR SCANNING THE QR CODE
36 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Mayor Zohran K. Mamdani (center) with several members of D9 Harlem Votes on stage at the Harlem town hall on April 13. (Ariama C. Long photos)
100 Days
Continued from page 2
One major thing caused undue tension between Black voters and City Hall, particularly Black Americans who largely supported his campaign over previous community favorite former Governor Andrew Cuomo, out the gate. Mamdani’s administration was criticised for not naming any Black deputy mayors. He’s seemingly made up for it by naming Renita Francois to be the new Deputy Mayor for Community Safety as well as Black city commissioners, like Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, Chief Equity Officer Afua Atta-Mensah, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Jahmila Edwards, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Alister Martin, and Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner Stanley Richards, among others. At the town hall this week, Mamdani fielded questions about plans that specifically impact the Black community. This included his proposed tax the rich hike versus a raise in property taxes in the city budget, housing displacement, the tax lien sale, deed theft, Black unemployment among women, reducing domestic violence, and health equity. “Every time I talk about the need to increase taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers, I’m told, what if they leave? And what I say is the
a brief break from budget negotiations in Albany to attend the town hall. “More interaction with our housing problems and more interaction with my office. I look forward to collaborating with him to get the affordability agenda through among many other things.” Arva Rice, president & CEO of the New York Urban League (NYUL), appreciated the Mayor for coming into the heart of Harlem to answer community questions. She said that there could have been more clarification around the proposed millionaire tax since it falls squarely on Governor Kathy Hochul to approve. And, she felt that he didn’t address education and public safety issues or mayoral control. “I think that Black people want Mayor Mamdani to do well for the city because we love the city. There’s no upside to him not doing well,” said Rice. ”So we’re • Appointing a racial justice gonna continue to cheer for him, and equity officer and we’re gonna be more ac• Releasing a long-awaited countable for making sure that racial equity plan he’s cheering for us.” • Pausing the city’s prejuAnnelisa Johnette Purdie, andiced tax lien sale other attendee, acknowledged • Establishing the Office of that many of the issues impactDeed Theft Prevention ing the Black community were • Establishing the Office of systemic problems that predate Community Safety Mamdani’s tenure in office. “One • Rollout of universal childthing that I do wish that he had care, 2k and 3k programs talked more about was just more “[After these 100 days] I expect detail about the housing situamore interaction with Black folks. tion,” said Purdie. “Just to hear He’s done a good job, but I need more from people who are in more,” commented Assembly- the neighborhood and who have member Jordan Wright, who took faced threats of displacement.” Harlemites pack the Schomburg Center auditorium for the town Hall with Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
last time we increase taxes on millionaires, we now have more millionaires,” said Mamdani. “But the exodus that is actually happening, not just the one that is imagined or feared, the one that is actually happening, is Black working-/ middle-class New Yorkers that have been leaving the city.” As is often repeated, more than 200,000 Black working class families left the city in the past two decades, a staggering blow to the city’s Black population in communities like Harlem and BedfordStuyvesant. “Black New Yorkers have the
lowest life expectancy of any racial group in New York City,” he continued. “And what we need to do is ensure that we first are operating from the baseline of fact that everybody understands this, and then we develop policies in response to this, to actually address these things.” Naturally, Mamdani couldn’t address everything in a two-hour town hall and a few were disappointed that they couldn’t question the Mayor directly from the audience. But he told attendees about what he’s managed to accomplish so far. These include:
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 37
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S
Is the new Muhammad Ali legislation worse for boxing? By TONY PAIGE Special to the AmNews
er, handle everything. “It’s a new way of doing business. It’s adapting the UFC/WWE Once in a while, some brainiac model for boxing. It’s allowing the figures they have to save boxing, UFC [led by Dana White and his improve boxing, and maybe just Zuffa Boxing] to use their model to cheat boxing. It’s a never-ending attempt to dominate boxing procycle. motion.” Now here comes the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Reviv- Is the new Ali Act enough? al Act, passed by the House with “We need a national commisa 30-4 vote, that it is hoped will sion with one national set of improve boxing with more safety, rules,” said Bruce Silverglade, better pay, health care, pensions, owner of Gleason’s Gym in Brookand the United Boxing Organiza- lyn. “It’s very tough when you can tions (UBO) to oversee the sport go to New York and train and box, on a state-by-state basis. It will and then get a different set of rules not be part of boxing’s four gov- if you go to Texas or Nevada, or if erning bodies. This bill, now you go to one of the states and it heading to the Senate and if doesn’t even have a commission. passed will be signed by President “There’s got to be a nationTrump, follows the Professional al commission with one set of Boxing Safety Act (1996) and the rules, one set of medicals. EvAli Boxing Reform Act (2000). erything should be uniform and “They’re gutting the Ali Act,” then the communication would said Lou DiBella, former boxing be proper.” executive at HBO and head of DiHall of Fame trainer and broadBella Entertainment, which has caster Teddy Atlas agrees. produced the “Broadway Boxing” “I’ve been in the business 50 series since 2009. “It’s allowing the years. I’ve called for a nationsame entity to make the ratings, al commission for 40,” said Atlas, give out the belts, be the promot- who trained champions such as
Newark, New Jersey, native Shakur Stevenson, WBO and Ring Magazine world welterweight champion, with his fellow professional boxers, face changes in sport with new Muhammad Ali bill. (AP Photo/ Frank Franklin II)
Michael Moorer, Shannon Briggs, and Timothy Bradley. He’s known for speaking his mind and taking no prisoners. “I got fired from ESPN because I was critical [of the sport].” Atlas was working with the late Senator John McCain on fixing boxing with early legislation. What he told the senator then still res-
onates today: “Senator, this [bill] would be tantamount to putting forward a bill to stop the transportation of drugs into this country and then passing it by [Pablo] Escobar to see if he approves.” Atlas believes a national commission is paramount to boxing’s survival. “All the other major sports have
a national commission. We don’t have one,” he said. “We’ve got to have a standard unilateral healthcare and demand on what the insurance should be.” If anyone can speak about what boxing needs, it is Marian “Lady Tyger” Trimiar, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021 in the Women’s Trailblazer category. She, Cat Davis, and the late Jackie Tonawanda filed a lawsuit in 1978 to get boxing licenses in New York State. They won and Trimiar went on to capture a lightweight title in 1979. Now 72 years old and using a wheelchair, but very mobile, Trimiar wants more from politicians than lip service. “The most I ever made was $1000,” said the bubbly Harlem resident. “A pension for fighters. That’s an excellent idea that would be helpful to people like me.” Does boxing have a future when it’s not even on free TV? “That’s a hard one,” Trimiar said. “It depends on how much coverage we get.” Both in and out of the (political) ring.
PFL Africa: Pretoria showcases the continent’s best By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews The Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa season began last Friday with a stacked card at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. Headquartered in the United States, PFL, a mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, is growing globally with events taking place in North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. South African bantamweight Nkosi Ndebele (12-3) made sure the home fans went home joyous when he defeated Italian Michele Clemente (7-2) via unanimous decision in the main event. In a battle between Nigerian women, Juliet Ukah, a police corporal by day, defeated Jane Osigwe by split decision. In a heavyweight contest that featured another South African competitor, Justin Clarke defeated Senegal’s Abdoulaye Kane by TKO. PFL Africa’s next event will be on June 13 in Nigeria at the Eko Arena in Lagos, featuring 2025 PFL Africa featherweight champion Wasi Adeshina fighting in his native country against Spaniard
Ignacio Campos. In the co-main event, Nigerian lightweight Patrick Ocheme will face Cameroonian Octave Ayinda. Dominican UFC star Waldo Cortes-Acosta, a former minor league pitcher from 2010 to 2012 with the Dominican Summer League Reds (an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds), who defeated MMA legend Derrick Lewis earlier this year, is scheduled to battle Alexander Volkov in the co-main event at UFC 328 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Saturday, May 9. Meanwhile, on Friday night at the same venue, 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hebert Conceicao Sousa (11-0, 5 KOs) overcame a third-round knockdown to defeat Johan Gonzalez (36-5, 34 KOs) by unanimous decision. For a second straight weekend, London, England, hosted a major boxing promotion. On Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (35-2-1) returned from a 16-month absence to dominate Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-3), 120-108, 119-109, and 120-108. Fury, who suffered the only two losses of his career in
Strawweight fighter Juliet Ukah (left) strikes Jane Osigwe at PFL last Friday in Pretoria, South Africa. (PFL photo)
2024 to Oleksandr Usyk, directly challenged Anthony Joshua, who was seated ringside. Joshua (29-4) has also lost to Usyk twice, after he was victorious. “Here’s the thing: If it ain’t An-
thony Joshua next, I’m not interested in boxing,” Fury said of the England native, who was previously a two-time unified world heavyweight champion. “I’m not interested. It’s either him
or I’m gone again … I don’t care about rankings. I don’t care about belts. I only care now about AJ — that fight. That’s the defining fight for British boxing. It’s either going to happen, or it’s not.”
38 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S
For the Brooklyn Nets, NBA Draft lottery is the next big date By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews The Brooklyn Nets season ended on Sunday in Toronto with a 136101 loss to the Raptors. It was a conclusion that placed the the Nets 13th in the Eastern Conference standings at 20-62. Only the Indiana Pacers (19-63) and Washington Wizards (17-65) had worse records in the 30-team National Basketball Association. Now, the Nets look ahead to the May 10 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the spot at which they select a player — barring a trade of the pick — on June 23 at the draft, taking place at the Barclays Center, their home arena. Perhaps that player will change the trajectory of the franchise. If the Nets are lucky enough to land the number one pick, Anicet Dybantsa Jr., better known as AJ, who turned 19 in January, should be the team’s selection. The versa-
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez (third from the right) and his coaching staff watch team fall 123-94 to Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center last week. (Bill Moore photo)
tile 6’9” forward led NCAA men’s Division Basketball in scoring this past season as a freshman, averaging 25.5 points. He also grabbed 6.8 rebounds and dished 3.7 assists for Brigham Young University. Freshman Cameron Boozer, the 2026 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year, averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in
38 games for the Duke Blue Devils. Another freshman, Darryn Paterson, a 6’6” guard who averaged 20.2 points for the Kansas Jayhawks, and Dybantsa, are viewed by many NBA general managers and talent evaluators as the three potential franchise players in the draft. The Nets have had the No. 1 overall pick twice. In 1990 and 2000 as
the then-New Jersey Nets, taking Derrick Coleman and Kenyon Martin respectively. The Brooklyn Nets entered this season in a transparent state of building from the ground up. They had five rookie first round picks on the roster. The young veterans — 27-year-old Michael Porter Jr.; Nic Claxton (26); and Noah Clowney (21), who has played
three seasons — were expected to lead the first-year group and collective squad while making steady individual progress under head coach Jordi Fernandez. The results were mixed. The 6’10” Porter averaged a career high in points per game at 24.2 but missed 30 games due to various injuries. Claxton (6’9” and 11.7 points), starting at center, was solid, yet at times, appeared destined to be a valuable second unit center. Clowney, playing power forward, had stretches during which he showed the ability to be an effective rotation player, averaging 12.3 points, but shot just 39.6% from the field and rebounded at a low 4.1 per game rate for someone with a long 6’10” frame. Now, team owner Joseph Tsai has to decide a path forward and whether it will include Fernandez, which it should, and general manager Sean Marks, who has been in his current position since 2016. Winning the draft lottery would be a decisive marker.
The Armory College Prep provides youth pathways to achievement By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Pathways. Whether it is literally on the pristine surface of The Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, or proverbially in classrooms inside the cavernous building, numerous youth have been developed there into the essence of scholar-athlete. Since its inception 25 years ago through the vision of the legendary distance runner Dr. Norbet Sander, the former president and CEO of The Armory, who passed away in 2017, and in its current model implemented in 2016, The Armory College Prep program — which operates year-round and offers paid internships during the summer months — has provided academic enrichment, college application guidance, and writing and arts instruction. The latter curricula entail personal essay writing, reading skills, and acting classes. Diagnostic assessments, one-onone tutoring, and PSAT-SAT prep are also key features of the program, which is composed of student-athletes from ninth through 12th grade who must actively train at The Armory to be eligible. “We’re doing our level best to continue to his work and the spirit which he [would] be proud of,” said
Alberto Aquino, director of youth programming, conducts a class at The Armory College Prep program. (Armory College Prep photos)
Mary Rose Synek, director of writing and arts achievement for The Armory College Prep program, instructs two attentive youth participants.
Rita Finkel, The Armory’s co-president and director of the College Prep program, of Dr. Sander in a phone interview with the AmNews. Finkle began her tenure at The Armory in 2006 and bears witness to the longterm value of the program. With a staff of five full-time educators and administrators, including Alberto Aquino, the director of youth programming, and Mary Rose Synek, director of writing and arts achievement, and an aptly named academic achievement team, The Armory takes a holistic
dren who live or go to school in Washington Heights, Inwood, and Harlem. … The younger program is just to develop a lifelong love of learning,” she underscored. Both the Great Minds and College Prep programs are free and funded by various businesses and corporations. “The goal,” for the College Prep component, explained Finkel, is to get “every senior into a four-year college, which we’ve done since 2016. “… One-hundred percent of our seniors have been accepted into
approach to aiding the growth of its participants. They are augmented by Columbia University graduates. “We have five postdoctoral students that work with the head of academic achievement,” said Finkel, “and they really have, almost an algorithm that helps these students find their very best self and very best fit for colleges.” Finkel noted that 11 years ago, The Armory piloted a program named Great Minds, which now serves youth from fourth to eighth grades, “and is only open to chil-
four-year universities with enough funding — this is the big piece — to make a college degree a reality. … The Armory spends years, two years probably, helping the students find financial aid.” Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) are part of the College Preps calculus. It’s demonstrated by The Armory’s annual January HBCU Showcase track and field meet, headed by Zakia Haywood, the director of college track and field/special events, at which an HBCU college fair is held.
April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026 • 39
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S
Iconic Paralympian Tatyana McFadden wins AAU Sullivan Award By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews
said Valencia, who has competed in meets at the NYAC and knows about its strong wrestling history. Moments before the winner of “Everyone here is just so amazthis year’s Amateur Athletic Union ing,” said Babcock, a volleyball (AAU) Sullivan Award was anstandout at the University of Pittsnounced last week at the New York burgh, who has received AVCA DiAthletic Club (NYAC), I turned to vision I National Player of the Year Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kerhonors. “Just being surrounded by see, a past winner of the Sullivan, these athletes, it teaches me a lot and asked her who she thought about myself and how to continwould win. “Tatyana McFadden,” ue progressing and getting better she replied, noting that McFadden every day. I’m really grateful to be embodies the genuine amateurism here. It’s an honor to be part of such and pure love of competitive sport an amazing legacy.” on which the award was founded. Despite having won 22 ParalymIn a group of finalists that includpic and 20 World Championship ed gold medalists from the recent medals, this was McFadden’s first Olympic Winter Games (Alysa Liu time as a finalist for the Sullivan Past Sullivan Award winner Jackie Joyner-Kersee (r) and Mikaela Shiffrin), collegiate Sullivan Award finalists (l–r) Olivia Babcock, Tatyana Award “I’m honored to be nomiwith Maicel Malone Green, Olympic gold medalist in basketball stars (Azzi Fudd and McFadden (winner), Zahid Valencia, and Blake nated among such a great group track and now president of Florida Sports Foundation. Braden Smith), football stars Blake Horvath. (Lois Elfman photos) of athletes, especially women athHorvath and Fernando Mendoza, letes; it’s very cool to see,” said Mccollege volleyball star Olivia Bab- the AAU was founded more than year in their sports … is a complete versity, Valencia is an NCAA, Amer- Fadden. “This is huge, especially for cock, and World Champion wrestler a century ago, was vibrant for the honor for our institution to be rec- ican, Pan American, and World Paralympians, being under one catZahid Valencia, it seemed some- four finalists in attendance. “To be ognized on that level,” said Horvath, Champion freestyle wrestler with egory of sports, instead of a separate what unlikely, but indeed, McFad- a Naval Academy guy recognized a senior who begins Navy flight the goal of competing in the 2028 category. This award really means a den was named the winner. with Olympians, a Heisman Trophy school in November. Olympics. “I’m looking forward to lot because … we’re athletes comThe evening at the NYAC, where winner, and national players of the A graduate of Arizona State Uni- continue learning about everyone,” peting for Team USA.”
UICL provides affordable access to sports for Harlem youth By MAXI MALONE Special to the AmNews
“We barely spend anything — we just have to buy their gear,” said Yelenh Aponte, whose son attends UICL’s instructional program. “A lot of other programs cost a mortgage.” Since joining UICL, her son has traded video games for baseball. “He always wants to play now,” she said. For families with multiple young athletes or children who play multiple sports, the financial aspect of youth sports becomes even more of a constraint. “My son does swimming, he does karate, and he does this,” said Jeff Rojas, who brings his 6-year-old son Jax to UICL. “These guys helped me put baseball into his life, just because of how affordable they are. They do it for the community.” Rojas, who attended P.S. 161 for elementary school, said that as a coach, he loves seeing how quickly players improve in the program. “That’s the beauty of it,” he said. Some parents also help out by giving back with their time or mon-
etary contributions. “I just try to be a part of it and to help them out however I can,” said Ozzy Ortiz, who brings his four-year-old son Lucky to UICL. “It”s so inexpensive, and Kelvin does a great job getting the community and local businesses involved,” he said. Ortiz has a long relationship with the McAllister family, dating back to 2008, when Ortiz coached McAllister Sr.’s son Kerry in high school. He always told the McAllister family that he would bring his own children to UICL programs. Now, Lucky Ortiz is one of the participants in UICL’s instructional program. “They take their time with the kids and they celebrate the kids,” said Ortiz, who lives in Baldwin, Long Island. “They clap it up like it is a live game situation. There is so much encouragement and teaching, it really gives my son a different adult voice to learn from.” Sponsors in the community like Hartley Pharmacy and Henriquez
Deli, and McAllister’s connections of UICL programs include doctors, with the NYC Parks Department lawyers, engineers, and professionand Columbia University help keep al players like Candelario. UICL affordable. “I am a professionFormer players often tell him, al beggar,” said McAllister about his “Thank you, Coach. I don’t know if efforts to secure sponsorship from this would have been possible withlocal businesses. out your program in the community.” Although UICL has provided affordable access to youth sports for decades, McAllister said there is room for growth. “In the future, work needs to be done in the direction of education, from the field to the classroom,” he said, explaining his focus on helping players secure scholarships and career pathways. McAllister knows he has done well when he is recognized by former players and families while walking the streets of Harlem. “Some- UCIL coach Jeffri Batista provides guidance times I get on the bus and the to one of program’s youth players as driver says, ‘Hey, Coach,’” founder and director Kevin McAllister Sr. McAllister said. Graduates looks on. (Maxi Malone photo)
coach Quinn Snyder, who steered the Utah Jazz to the playoffs six Continued from page 40 times as their head coach from 2014–2022. These metrics portend a tightCollectively, the Knicks are playly contested series. Brown, a two- off battle-tested, with veteran stars time NBA Coach of the Year (2009, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony 2023), will be countered by the Towns the ascribed force multiplivastly experienced Hawks head ers, charged with ensuring every-
one is pulling in the same direction while on the court. With this current group’s championship window ostensibly becoming narrower, there is a palpable sense of urgency for the Knicks to reach the finals. Conversely, the Hawks have a young core, centered around 24-year-old Jalen Johnson, an
emerging superstar who spent one year at Duke before being drafted by the Hawks as 20th overall in 2021. He has considerably outperformed his draft position, playing more like a No.1 overall selection than a bottomthird first-rounder. The 6-8 pointforward in the mold of the Pistons
Part II of two-part story The Uptown Inner-City League (UICL), led by Founder and Director Kelvin McAllister Sr., is a Harlem nonprofit that has provided mentorship and role models through youth sports for decades. In an increasingly pay-to-play youth sports landscape, UICL also works to keep athletics accessible for hundreds of children aged 2 to 16 each year. Harlem and Hamilton Heights, the neighborhoods served by UICL, had a median household income of $56,580 in 2023, according to the New York University Furman Center, 29% lower than the citywide average of $79,480. In 2024, the average American family spent $1,016 on their child’s primary sport per year, according to Project Play. After paying NYC rent and grocery prices, youth sports are often out of reach for many families.
Knicks
Cade Cunningham averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists this season and was named a first-time All-Star. However, the Knicks’ homecourt advantage — four games to three — and Brunson’s mastery of late game situations should be enough to get them by the Hawks 4-2.
40 • April 16, 2026 - April 22, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Sports Knicks’ quest for title must first go through the Hawks By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum and New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, facing each other on April 6, will meet again in opening round of NBA playoffs. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
On Jan. 5, James Dolan, executive chair and CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment, issued what can plausibly be construed as an implicit edict. During an interview on New York City-based radio station WFAN, the principal owner of the New York Knicks articulated his expectations for the team. “I’d say we want to get to the finals and we should win the finals,” the 70-year-old Dolan firmly asserted. “This is sports. Anything can happen. Getting to the finals, we absolutely have to do. Winning the finals, we should do.” Ironically, the Knicks haven’t played in the finals since 1999, the year Dolan assumed management of the franchise. One
of the central reasons former head coach Tom Thibodeau was fired last June after taking the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers 4-2, was that he fell short of taking them to the NBA’s finish line. Now the onus is on his replacement, Mike Brown, who guided the Knicks to a 53-29 record, their most regular-season wins since 2013, and the most by a Knicks head coach in his first season leading the team, exceeding Pat Riley, who won 51 games in his debut 1991-1992 campaign. If the Knicks are to meet Dolan’s standard, they first must get past the Atlanta Hawks, who they will face in the opening round of the playoffs in a best-of-seven series beginning with Game 1 this Saturday (6 p.m.) at Madison Square
Garden. The Knicks are the No. 3 seed, finishing third in the East behind the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons (60-22) and No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. The Hawks (46-36), winners of the Southeast Division, enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. Statistically, the two squads are evenly matched. The Hawks average 118.5 points per game compared to the Knicks’ 116.5 rebounds. The Knicks have 45.6, the Hawks 43.5. Atlanta knocks down 14.6 3-pointers at a 37.1% clip and New York is 14.2 on 37.3% shooting. Defensively, the Knicks concluded the regular season seventh in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) at 113.3 and the Hawks ninth in the 30-team NBA, giving up 113.7, a razor-thin differential. See KNICKS on page 39
UConn’s Azzi Fudd headlines the 2026 WNBA Draft By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews
their debut. The new CBA also allows each team to carry a 12player active roster and two develIt was a hectic few weeks for the opmental players, who will receive WNBA leading up to the league’s a stipend and benefits. 30th draft held at The Shed at On draft night Azzi Fudd of the Hudson Yards in Manhattan this University of Connecticut joined a past Monday. decorated group of Huskies — Sue A new collective bargain- Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, ing agreement (CBA) was finally Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, agreed upon on March 20 and the and Paige Bueckers — in being league’s free agent signing period No. 1 overall picks. Fudd was sehas been extremely active. Of par- lected by the Dallas Wings, which ticular interest to New York Liber- is rebuilding mode with new head ty fans was the expected signing coach Jose Fernandez. of New York City-born, Germa“I know how to play with great ny raised power forward Satou players,” said Fudd, whose mother, Sabally, who last season played for Katie, was drafted by the Sacrathe Phoenix Mercury. Her younger mento Monarchs in 2001. “I know sister, Nyara Sabally, was a Liberty how to space the floor. I know how mainstay from 2023 through last to move without the ball. So, I’m season. Additionally, major trades just excited to go in to learn.” were made such as the WNBA’s The Liberty’s lone pick came in 2024 and 2025 rebounding leader, the third round, selecting ManuAngel Reese, being traded from ela Puoch from Australia. The local the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta name in the draft was Olivia Miles, Dream for two first-round picks a New Jersey native who played her AM News college basketball at Notre Dame (2027 and 2028). The league will open the 2026 and Texas Christian University, 11/27/25 regular season on May 8 with more who was the second overall pick, roster spots, as the expansion Port- going to the Minnesota Lynx. land Fire and Toronto Tempo make “I’m a Jersey kid,” Miles said. “I
01448
have a lot of people waiting for me at the watch party. I can’t wait to go over to them. … Thank you to the Minnesota Lynx for believing in me and taking a chance. I’m excited to get to work.” The draft also produced a historic night as five players from this year’s NCAA Champion, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) — Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalić, and Gianna Kneepkens — were selected in the first round, which tops the four UConn players who were first-round picks in 2002. Furthemore, all six UCLA seniors were selected, with Charlisse Leger-Walker going early in the second round. “I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m not because I just know how talented all my teammates are, and they deserve every single bit of this night,” said Betts. “They’ve worked so hard and I’ve seen their journeys.” AMnight Newswas also very much Draft about2/12/26 fashion and style, with multiple players thanking their stylists. None was chicer than Flau’jae Johnson of Louisiana State Univer-
UConn guard Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA basketball draft held this past Monday. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
sity, who said she wanted a look that reflected “WNBA Draft and 6 and Met Gala at 6:30.” Chosen byAM theNews Golden State Valkyries, 4/16/26 by evening’s end, she had been traded to the Seattle Storm.
01506
01117