New York Amsterdam News E-edition August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

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Vol. 117 No. 33 | August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

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STAYING ABOVE WATER

IS ENOUGH BEING DONE TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM STORMS AND FLOODING? (See story on page 6)

(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

2 • June 11,13, 2026 - June 17, 2026 August 2026 - August 19, 2026

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Major court-watching effort looks into low-level Lawsuit claims ACS emergency separations arrests undertarget Mamdani specifically Black and Brown families By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff

linowski. “We don’t want people home when they believe that the child is in to have to sleep on the trains; imminent risk to their life or health and there they should be housed. We don’t Criminal justice reform want family members to be is no time to get a court order,” said Melissa groups across the city spent this in conflict. But if you spend a Friedman, an attorney on the plaintiffs’ legal past week on court-watch duty couple hours in criminal court team. “That second piece is really important for misdemeanor arraignments you can’t help but understand because we believe, and our named plaintiffs in hopes of exerting pressure that putting the police, jails, show, that there are many circumstances in on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to and the court system onto these which ACS conducts an emergency removal scale back lower-level police issues is not an effective governbut did actually have time to get a court order.” enforcement, which dispro- ment intervention into actually Identifying under the pseudonym “Denise Archer,” one mother recounted how ACS alportionately affects Black New addressing these issues. In many legedly invoked the emergency policy to take Yorkers, according to statistics. cases, it makes things worse.” her three children and place them in foster Courtwatching efforts have Participants dedicated the care. The lawsuit filing alleges her then-prelong served as an accountabil- court-watch action to Black teen daughter, who is diagnosed with autism ity measure toward judges and August, which honors Black poand ADHD, was ultimately “involuntarily prosecutors by deploying volun- litical prisoners and freedom Woman walks hospitalized and forcibly medicated approxteer monitors topast deterfamily unfaircourt. legal struggles in the African dias(AP Photo/Mark imately 10 times” and that a male resident practices throughLennihan) public pres- pora. They pointed to Mamdaallegedly punched her in the face while she ence and track metrics regard- ni’s campaign promise for a By TANDY was in aCriminal pre-placement shelter.May 29, may invoke the ACS Emergency ing bail andLAU delays. This week’s then-Department of CommuPeople walkRemoval by the Manhattan Court building, An appellate court reversal reunited Amsterdam News Staff Policy when cannot 2024, obtainina New courtYork. order(AP Photo/Julia action also targets Mamdani be- nity Safety, which vowedthey to take Nikhinson, File) in timeapproach” without jeopardizing the child’s safety. Archer with her children roughly three years cause the NYPD is the first point a “public health to Black mothers from the Bronx headthe public’s trust. Ultimately, the Archer, who spent time TheBest plaintiffs and for their in lawyers the child after the removal. of Two contact that most New Yorkers public safety. known regardsay to homelessness. lined a class-action lawsuit filedthe against the city welfare proposal launched earlier in fosteracare herself,was is still rebuilding her employ im- blamed encounter when navigating reforming mentalsystem healthshould re- only Last year, these Mamdani kids’each “sense this of stability year asand theheal[ing] Office of their Comreon May 28, alleging thesystem. Administration for Chilasfor a last resort. criminal legal justice sponse, the mediate proposalintervention also looked powers “desire police to fulfill after the time apart. Safety, rather than as a dren’s (ACS)Yorkers illegally took However, ACS applies thisevery authority fre- lationships” “So Services many New wanttheir atchildren deploying civilian responders, and responsibility” for munity “ACS workers department. are wolves Police in sheep’s reform clothing, adwithout aincourt order. Both claim the agency March,social more than issues their communities rather exthanquently police,and to openly. addressAs aof frayed safety net and you have vocates to be around very cautious the city with publicly them ploited an emergency mechanism to circum- conduct half of approved removals thishis year did not and addressed,” said VOCAL-NY disorderly on the streets hoped Department of ComCOURT-WATCHING on page 29 whenback you’reSee a Black or Latino parent,” said vent constitutional and statutory red tape stem from a court order and only received organizer Nick Encalada-Maand when in the subways, particularly munity Safety would win conducting family separations against them judicial review after taking the child. The Archer in a statement. “I tried to go to ACS to and other Black and Brown parents. city’s own website says, “generally, removals seek some type of assistance when my family was going through a hard time, and it turned Taking a child from their legal guardians should be done with a court order.” typically requires a family court judge’s per“ACS has a very limited statutorily autho- into an almost three-year separation where I See ACS LAWSUIT on page 36 mission or parental consent. Caseworkers rized authority to remove a child from their

Black homeownership drops in NYC.

Why advocates say city needs a Black wealth plan New York’s 13th Congressional race gets heated By KAREN JUANITA city has several promising homeCARRILLO ownership programs, programs that the Mamdani administraAmsterdam News Staff as primary gets closer tion is also embracing. But what

ByNew ARIAMA LONG York C. has long been one it does not yet have is a scaled Amsterdam News Staff of the world’s most prized real homeownership strategy,” he estate markets, but Black people said. HomeFirst has helped just The 13th Congressional appear to be overlookedDistrict when election in over 3,000 households become homeowners in nearly two deNew Yorkto has evolved into a highly contenit comes owning and investcades, Dvorkin said. Open Door tiousinbattle between Rep. Adriano ing it. New numbers from Espaillat, has financed about 451 units a five-term incumbent, Darializa Avila the Center for an Urbanand Future since 2017. The Affordable NeighChevalier, an organizer Democratic So(CUF) show that Blackwith homeborhood Cooperative Program cialist backing. ownership in New York City fell has created roughly 700 affordAs 209,524 the Junein primary approaches, both from 2002 to 178,659 able homeownership units since campaigns camedecline. out swinging and slingin 2023, a 14.7% 2014. HomeFix, which provides ing their first head-to-head In accusations the past, fairinhousing prolow- or no-interest and forgivpublic radio forum last week. grams, low interest rates, and able repair loans, served fewer Democrats hoping toof at least theSheena bal- Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), says the wider availability mort-shift Dr. than 100 homeowners from 2019 ance of power away from a Republicangages and increased incomes that policymakers need to examine the obstacles preventing through June 2022. “What we controlled and House a lot of from entering the workforce. (Getty Images for The for Black Senate public-sector andput individuals have on the books today are proeyes on New York’s upcoming primary elecunionized workers helped Clean Slate Initiative grams that serve no more than tion. The right-wing to redistrict Black people buy homes ineffort neighborand Brown out of their hoods like communities southeast Queens, taxvoting liens, rising repair costs, a housing problem. It’s also a a few dozen to a few hundred power after the Supreme Court’s on issues have stripped wealth-building problem, a households each year,” added central Brooklyn, and parts of decision and estate the Voting of 1965 has also heightthe Bronx.Rights BlackAct homeownermany families of homes candidate they neighborhood Congressional Darializa Avila stability prob- Dvorkin, “which on their own can’t close a gap(Photo that’s measured enedin the political climate. ship New York City increased had expectedChevalier. to keep. (Photo contributed lem, and an economic U.S. mobiliby Chevalier Rep Adriano Espaillat. tens of thousands defend but immigrants am an should for“Idecades, the city’sbecause Com- I “That be a major ty problem.” campaign) contributedinby Espaillat office) of families.” CUF is urging the Mamdani immigrant,” said Espaillat WNYC’s Briansign that there’s somemission on Racial Equityon says warning Dvorkin said the city already can boost and formerly administration undocumented and City immigrant CounLehrer ShowBlack on June 4. “It was in my house my green havethat beencould the current homeownerthing wrongnot ingotten New York City’scard, hasI would programs to serve cil to setHis a goal re-election to help bid5,000 was that rate theyiscame for my market,” stuck over there. firsthand what it is to but ship only atknocking 32.7%. looking housing said I know Eli Black homeownership, thosein Congress. just congressional moderate-income colleagues sister. It was me that had to go back to the Do- editorial be undocumented, to beprograms afraid.” are too limited Predatory lending, foreclosure Dvorkin, and policy to endorsed help low-by and See “The 13TH CONGRESSIONAL See HOMEOWNERSHIP RACE on page 29 36 minicanafter Republic mytheft, green card. Had Iat CUF. Espaillat, is just the first Ameriwaves 2008,to get deed director “That’s71, not theDominican people who need them.

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 3

Will Brooklyn get faster, better buses? Mamdani says they’re coming

Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined a Central Brooklyn Bus Rider Town Hall at Brooklyn College on August 6, 2026. (Ariama C. Long photo)

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Mayor Zohran Mamdani seems focused on delivering on his promise of fast buses, albeit not free ones just yet. An Aug. 6 town hall at Brooklyn College invited Black and Brown commuters to talk about how the city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) can improve the borough’s major routes. “One level, the bus means family. On another level, a bus has meant frustration. Family because if you take a bus enough times and it’s part of your day-to-day routine, you will start to recognize other people on the bus,” said Mamdani at the town hall. “Frustration because there have been many times in my life where I’ve looked at the bus time app, and I’ve thought the bus is coming in eight minutes, six minutes, four minutes, and then somehow that bus disappears as if it never existed.” The city’s Next Stop Plan is a joint program with the MTA and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to come up with designs that improve bus speeds up to 20 percent on 50 priority bus corridors citywide. The plan will kick off in Brooklyn, specifically on Flatbush, Church and Utica Avenues. The area has over 150,000 riders across 13 bus corridors, some of which run as slowly as two miles per hour on very crowded, congested streets, said Moriah Richardson, a MTA transportation planner. According to a 2024 study by the Pratt Institute and Riders Alliance, Brooklyn’s Flatbush Avenue alone serves primarily Black (59%) and Hispanic (12%), along with women and low-income riders with annual household incomes of less than $80,000. The survey indicated that most of these

bus riders are local, essential workers or small business owners living in Flatbush or adjacent neighborhoods who frequently travel to Downtown Brooklyn, Kings Plaza, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Clinton Hill/Fort Greene, Crown Heights, and Park Slope, as well as Manhattan and the Bronx. In many cases, they take the bus to their closest train to transfer from what’s now colloquially called a “two-fare zone.” About 93 percent of Flatbush Avenue bus riders surveyed said that they would take it more often if it were faster and more reliable. “Specifically, two-thirds of people reported long waits in extreme weather. 48 percent reported having to pay for a car service. Nearly half of people [reported] emotional stress. A third of people lost pay, got reprimanded or even fired from work because of slow transit,” said Richardson. “These are neighborhoods that rely on the bus and public transit to get around and are being punished for it, which underlines the need for us to do better.” Don’t forget dollar vans The study also pointed out that in a thriving community of entrepreneurs, independently owned dollar vans — largely operated by Black American and West Indian drivers — have taken a central role in transportation in the area for a flat rate of $2. Despite adamant community support, two city council bills sought to crackdown on the dollar van imprint in Brooklyn in 2025. One bill was related to enforcing safety code violations, the other was to study the dollar van industry. The MTA has continued the push to get rid of “illegal commuter vans” that pose a “safety risk” with Mamdani’s plan. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and

transit organizers, like Riders Alliance, joined in on the MTA’s workshop to get feedback from hundreds of bus riders. “I’m aligned with what the mayor is trying to do, how the mayor’s putting this forth,” said Williams at the event. “My job, to be honest, is to make sure that these conversations are real and that they actually embed the community’s responses into the plan. Transportation is really important to us. I do want to remember our commuter vans as well; sometimes they get left out of the conversation. So, we want to be sure the commuter vans are involved and our New Yorkers with disabilities. Also, reminding us they would love to see more raised curbs; we saw a woman get washed away during a storm; with a raised curb, that might not have been the case.” Richardson said the long-term Next Stop plan is to potentially have fully separated bus lanes, bus priority through intersections, upgraded bus stations with greenery and public space, and fast, frequent bus service with longer stop spacing similar to Select Bus Service (SBS) in Flatbush, Utica and Church by 2030. Flatbush Phase Two will be between Grand Army Plaza and Avenue H, Richardson continued, with Flatbush Phase Three eventually extending from Avenue H all the way down to Kings Plaza. “We’re looking at Utica Avenue from Fulton Street all the way to Kings Highway. And we’re looking at Church Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Kings Highway as well. Improvements to these corridors will be designed to prioritize all of you, to prioritize the bus rider,” she continued. “And we’ll ensure that people are able to get around faster, safer and on more reliable buses. In addition to corridor-wide im-

provements, we’re also taking a closer look at potential circulation and safety issues at bus hubs, particularly in and around Flatbush Junction.” Problems with OMNY More immediately, the MTA has also come under fire from an onslaught of social media posts claiming that OMNY, the digital tap-and-go payment system, has charged them extra for what are supposed to be free subway-to-bus transfers. Riders also claim they can’t reach the 36 taps needed to trigger the unlimited weekly fare cap. Demetrius Crichlow, the president of the New York City Transit (MTA NYCT), said at the bus town hall that the MTA has heard the concerns and they’re working on solutions with Cubic Transportation Systems, the primary private military contractor for the MTA. “We’ve been working with Cubic, which is the company that handles a lot of OMNY transition,” said Crichlow. “But I think like any new technology that you will allow, you’re going to have some challenges on whether it is actual, real issues and sometimes it’s a perception of how we operate the system. We’ve acknowledged that there are some things that we could do better and working with Cubic.” Chair and CEO Janno Lieber defended the OMNY system, saying that he cautioned against relying on anecdotal accounts and social media at the MTA board meeting on July 29. “Everything that happens on OMNY is traceable. So if somebody has a problem, come to us, show us the fare medium that you’ve been using, whether it’s Apple Pay or Google Pay or credit card or an OMNYcard, and we can actually trace all of your usage,” said Lieber.

4 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Religion & Spirituality Pope Leo finally addresses slavery and his Black Ancestry By JOSEPH WILLIAMS Word in Black Since his election last year, Pope Leo XIV has sidestepped one of the most unexpected questions to emerge from his historic election: Is the first American pope also Black? Now, in his clearest public comments yet, the first American-born pope has acknowledged the complicated family history that spurred widespread discussions about race, identity, and belonging. Speaking to NBC News, the pontiff said his mother’s family included both enslaved people and slaveholders — a striking admission from a pope who had previously declined to publicly discuss genealogical research tracing his ancestry to the historic Creole community of New Orleans. “On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slaveowners,” Leo said. “There’s a history of … growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself — one of the greatest wealths of the United States.” America’s ‘greatest wealths’ The pope did not describe himself as Black, but he publicly confirmed his family’s mixed racial heritage, a fact that historians and genealogists uncovered within hours of his election. They also reopened one of America’s oldest, thorniest conversations about race. In a single sentence, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide confirmed that his lineage runs through both sides of the slavery ledger. The pope framed that history not as a statement about racial identity but as an expression of the American experience. “I come from a family [where] my grandparents were immigrants,” said Leo, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, a popular Great Migration destination. That history, the pope said, helps him to recognize the welcoming of migrants as “one of the greatest wealths of the United States.” The remarks, made during an interview to promote the Global Concert for Peace, represent the first time Leo has personally addressed the ancestry that first came to light after his election in 2025 through research led by New Orleans genealogist Jari Honora and later expanded by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.

that the family does not currently identify as Black. Leo himself remained silent, allowing speculation to flourish while refusing to define himself through America’s racial categories. That silence made Wednesday’s comments notable. Rather than embracing or rejecting a racial label, Leo acknowledged the historical facts while placing them in a broader American narrative of immigration, diversity, and shared history. No ‘one drop rule’ That approach echoes what many scholars argued from the beginning. Shortly after Leo was elected, both Boston University sociologist Phillipe Copeland, and writer and filmmaker Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni told Word In Black that Blackness goes beyond the so-called “one drop rule.” Copeland said Leo’s ancestry forces Americans to reconsider assumptions usually taken for granted while grappling with the question of how Blackness is defined. DNA alone doesn’t always cut it, he said: “Is having a Black ancestor sufficient? Is it perception from others? Is it how you self-identify?” Cox Giovanni, on the other hand, said Black identity is defined more by culture than skin color. “There’s no blood test that can tell you,” she said. “The way you receive it is by your community, by your parents, by your family, by the stories they tell.” Leo’s remarks neither resolve nor avoid that distinction. He did not say he identifies as Black, but he also did not deny his Black ancestry. Instead, he acknowledged a family history shaped by both oppression and privilege, reflecting the tangled reality of American history itself.

Oppressor and victim The timing is especially significant because Leo has already demonstrated a willingness to confront slavery’s legacy inside the Catholic Church. Earlier this year, he issued the Vatican’s most direct apology for its historic role in legitimizing slavery, calling the church’s record “a wound in Christian memory” and asking forgiveness for centuries of complicity. His acknowledgment of his own family’s connection to slavery now gives that apology an unmistakably personal dimension. By acknowledging ancestors who lived Pope Leo XIV meets with two nuns who had been kidnapped by separatists in area of Bemenda, Creole roots on both sides of America’s racial divide, the Cameroon, epicenter of separatist conflict, at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda. Those investigations found that Leo’s (Andrew Medichini/AP) pope has publicly embraced a truth that maternal grandparents, Joseph Martinez millions of Americans share: that the naGates’s subsequent family tree identified immediately triggered celebration, skepti- tion’s story cannot be neatly divided into and Louise Baquié, were identified in historical records as Black and lived in the at least 17 ancestors described in records cism, and soul-searching. Black and white, victim and oppressor, enSeventh Ward of New Orleans, one of the as Black, Creole, mixed-race, or free people Leo’s official Vatican biography made no slaved and enslaver. Sometimes, the same family contains all nation’s oldest centers of Creole and Black of color, but it also documented ancestors mention of his African American heritage. Catholic life. who owned enslaved people. The findings His brother, John Prevost, emphasized of them.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 5

Sister work: Turning an African market into a neighborhood cafe By NAFISSATOU YATTASSAYE Special to the AmNews For more than a decade, the storefront on 142nd Street near Malcolm X Blvd., in Harlem, was known to neighbors simply as the African market. Opened in 2014 by their Guinean parents looking to anchor their family in the community, it became a staple on the block. Twelve years later, their three daughters, Mariama Camara (28), Fantagbe Camara (27), and Sira Camara (26), decided it was time to continue the legacy. After pitching to their father to take over half the store as a pilot, the sisters opened Union Cafe. Today, the hybrid space blends West African heritage with classic New York City coffee shop culture. The cafe has hosted performances by breakout stars such as Jacquees, Kenyon Dixon, and Dawn Richard, and an expansion is already on the horizon. “We grew up in Harlem, so it only made sense to start in Harlem,” said Mariama Camara. “Our parents opened an African market here in 2014, and we wanted to add to its value 12 years later. We learned the importance of community and unity. Harlem hospitality means sharing Black experiences and celebrating through food, music, conversation, and fashion.” Growing up Guinean in Harlem was a unique experience, the sisters said they were grateful for. She said behind the counter, they exper-

“Whether you’re here to work, catch up with a friend, pray, read, or just enjoy a coffee, everyone should feel comfortable,” she said. Union Cafe adapts to the rhythm of the New Yorker neighborhood. A Tuesday morning can be calm, with coffee brewing and customers catching up. By Saturday afternoon, the space is filled with friends and families, pastries baking, and a soundtrack blending Afrobeats, jazz, R&B, and more from artists like Salif Keita, Oumou Sangaré, and Lauryn Hill. Of course, running a business in New York City comes with hurdles. For the sisters, realizing how quickly they outgrew half of the storefront brought both excitement and operational stress. “Every small business owner has moments where things feel impossible,” said Mariama. “We remind ourselves why we started, lean on our faith, family, and community, and keep showing up every day. Harlem has shown us so much love, and that keeps us going.” Mariama Camara (L), co-founder of Union Cafe in Harlem, with her sisters Sira Camara (R) For the founders, ownership in a rapidand Fantagbe Camara (not pictured). (Nafissatou Yattassaye Photos) ly changing city is about building a lastimented like “scientists in the kitchen,” tain latte and date latte. ing legacy. fusing West African staples into classic NYC “Ownership means creating something “African cuisine includes plantain in many cafe culture. Their menu features house- different ways, and we wanted to merge that that serves the community and can be made syrups and signature drinks like West into the cafe,” Mariama shared. passed down. We hope Union Cafe becomes African Café Au Lait, Baobab Lattes, and HiDesigned as a welcoming Black-owned part of Harlem’s story by bringing people biscus Ginger Juices. space, Union Cafe is built to feel like an ex- together, celebrating African culture, and Drawing on childhood memories, their tension of home where regulars are greeted proving businesses rooted in the community can thrive,” Mariama emphasized. signature recommendations are the plan- by name.

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6 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

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Is NYC’s storm defense enough to protect Black and Brown communities? By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

warning system through Notify NYC, 311, The depression when storms are hitting some of these neighborhoods.” and LinkNYC kiosks. Many New Yorkers reside in basement A waterlogged street corner. An impass‑ apartments of one- or two-family homes, Spotlight on Queens able block. A flooded basement. These seem Queens Borough President Donovan J. and some have even lost their lives to more commonplace than in the past, hap‑ Richards Jr. represents a borough that has, deadly flooding and storm surges. The city pening each time New York gets a heavy rain. in many ways, borne the brunt of the city’s pushed to legalize basement apartments It comes at a cost, too. According to a 2025 struggle to manage extreme flooding. “The under former Mayor Eric Adams’s City of report from State Comptroller Thomas P. Rockaways was hit very hard by Hurricane Yes for Housing Opportunity plan in 2024. DiNapoli’s office, disasters linked to severe Sandy, but I also represent inland commu‑ Mamdani said he’s staying the course with weather costing more than $1 billion have nities like Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, bringing these basement apartments up to occurred increasingly since 1980. and Laurelton, where even on a day with code to address risks like fire and flooding. That puts officials in the position of NYCEM said it specifically has a messag‑ the slightest hint of rain, their basements having to act proactively to prevent more ing category aimed at warning people who could be underwater,” he said. harm from catastrophes like Hurricane Richards was the first Black councilmem‑ live in basement apartments before storms Sandy, which caused more than $70 billion ber to chair the Environmental Protection and flooding and has done targeted signup in damage. Committee during his time there from campaigns for this group this year through “With the acceleration of the climate 2013 to 2020, when he noted the complete social media and community events to help crisis, we are seeing the intensification lack of infrastructure funding for south‑ mitigate some of the stress caused by these of these kinds of events. Within the past east Queens under former Mayors Mi‑ emergencies. The DEP said it has conducted month alone, we’ve seen our city deal with chael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio. He said “regular flood preparedness town halls” in hazardous air quality, extreme heat, flood‑ the extreme weather became a real crisis communities across the five boroughs with ing. We also know that hurricane season is for homeowners in the area who couldn’t high flood risk. It has handed out free flood on the horizon,” said Mayor Zohran Mam‑ afford to repair the leaks and other damage, preparedness kits that include reusable dani at his roundtable for ethnic media on flood barriers, a sump pump, a hose, and constantly leaving people in foreclosure. August 7, 2026. “We have been hard at work “If it rains, you got to fix your basement, a flood alarm. Richards added that there’s to prepare for this moment and all the mo‑ or your energy bills shoot up because you been improvement in language access in ments that will come after this.” have to pump when it rains. These are terms of the messaging system as well. However, longstanding underinvestment “It’s really important that we all prepare,” people who are buying sump pumps by in Black and Brown neighborhoods across themselves,” said Richards. “The anxiety. said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia at the roundtable. She reiterated the impor‑ tance of spray caps for fire hydrants to maintain water pressure for emergencies during heat waves and using a flood kit to protect a household. Richards is “cautiously optimistic” about the progress since his days as a council‑ member, calling the push for funding from the DEP now “tremendous.” According to the DEP, there is current‑ ly a $2.7 billion push to build out storm sewers in southeast Queens. Rosedale, a majority Black community in Queens since the 1970s, was originally built on swamp‑ land and has always been prone to flood‑ ing, even though it’s somewhat inland. The city aims to pour about $51.8 million into the neighborhood to manage stormwater, improve tapwater distribution, and recon‑ struct streets, said DEP. Richards confirmed that construction is underway in Rosedale at the moment. Mamdani’s office said it dedicated $108 million to modernize more than 6,700 catchbasins citywide to improve drainage and keep street litter out of the basins, and that work is starting in Queens this year. “I’m proud to say, in large part thanks to the incredible work of DEP, we have cleared over 7,100 catchbasins in the seven months that we’ve been in office,” said Mamdani. “We still have some challenges,” said Richards. “We have a groundwater issue in Residents of Peck Ave in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York use buckets to remove water from their basement places like St. Albans, where the water table apartment, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, in New York. The remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped historic rain over New York City, with several deaths is overwhelming and there’s no sewer that’s linked to flooding in the region as basement apartments suddenly filled with water and freeways and boulevards turned into rivers, submerging cars. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

the city has left many residents vulnerable to flooding, especially if their homes have basements, because of heavy storms. Sci‑ entists also predict more chronic tidal and coastal flooding in the decades to come with rising sea levels in several places, such as Brooklyn, parts of Manhattan, and Queens. “We are speaking about neighborhoods in our city that have either been last on the list, or not on the list at all,” said Mamdani. “I think the clearest way to show a recog‑ nition of that is to demonstrate a different course of action.” With the consistent threat of flooding and rainfall reaching record levels due to the unprecedented heat in recent sum‑ mers, New York City is sinking millions of dollars into improving the city’s stormwa‑ ter infrastructure in an attempt to protect flood‑prone neighborhoods. Mamdani recently allocated $43.2 mil‑ lion in the budget to expand the city’s De‑ partment of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Coastal Resilience. This includes hiring additional staff, engineers, field crews, city planners, and other flood experts to improve the city’s long-term coastal resilience plan. The city’s Emer‑ gency Management Department (NYCEM) has also worked to improve the flash flood

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 7

billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, which would raise parkland, floodwalls, and 18 swinging or sliding flood gates on the Lower East Side. Several other major coastal flooding protection systems will also come online in the next four years, including Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience, Seaport Coastal Resilience, and Red Hook Coastal Resiliency.

A man who gave his name as John, helps to clean a friend's basement, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York. The area was flooded Wednesday as rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida sent the New York City area into a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Continued from previous page

going to fix the issue because the groundwater is so high.” He added that “there’s been a substantial amount of growth around the borough and the city, and what they have to do is build out the sewer infrastructure. Some of these pipes haven’t been changed for nearly a hundred years. You’re going to have to widen the scope of those pipes to alleviate what I call nuisance flooding.” There are nearly 440,000 New Yorkers, 14,500 businesses, and roughly $250 billion in property value within the city’s 100-year floodplain, said the mayor’s office. Richards noted that he worries about storm surges in other areas, like Flushing, Forest Hills, and Rego Park, that traditionally haven’t been prone to flooding but are buckling with an increase in extreme weather overall. “This is abnormal,” agreed Queens Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson. In his district, there are flooding and sewer issues in Rosedale, Arverne, Far Rockaway, Edgemere, and Hook Creek. “Don’t get wrapped up in the proximity to water — it’s not just near bodies of water. It’s Crown Heights. It’s South Ozone. Our sewer system has aged.” Trump and climate change It’s no secret that President Donald Trump has withdrawn billions in funding toward climate change initiatives, but this has had tremendous effects on the city’s local stormwater resilience projects as well. Mamdani said it’s necessary to be “realistic” about the federal administration’s focus and policies on climate, and “leave the door open in case there’s a change in approach.” “To address climate, you have to address systemic racism and disinvestment in a lot of communities,” said Richards. “I’m not enthused with this federal administra-

New York’s storm legislation “We have to adjust to where we are now, climate change-wise,” said Cleare, who co-sponsors the Rain Ready New York Act (A7467A/S4071B) in the state senate. This bill would give water and sewer authorities oversight of stormwater management. It allows public authorities to adopt climate resiliency and water quality policies. Mamdani co-sponsored the Rain Ready Act while he was in the assembly. Richards, who is also in full support of the Rain Ready Act, said that statewide, the focus needs to be on stormwater but also green infrastructure, like trees, green roofs, green spaces, and embankments, for storm resiliency. “We need to look at holistic plans,” said Richards. “Your parks are like a sponge. They should be able to soak up a lot of the stormwater and groundwater to keep it from going into the catchbasin. That should minimize flooding in a lot of our communities.” According to Caleb Smith, policy manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice and a supporter of the city’s Five-borough climate adaptation plan under Local Law 122, “I think nature-based solutions help reduce the amount of water that is overwhelming our stormwater system. We need more funding for our green infrastructure program and eliminating any administrative barriers there may be, expanding funding for weatherization and things like roof repairs, so that in environmental justice communities, there’s more buildings and vegetation that are mitigating drainage. That’s an area that needs a lot more resources and attention.”

tion rolling back a lot of policies. … They don’t believe in climate change and that has a long-term impact on our community. We had hundreds of millions of dollars revoked by the Trump administration for the borough in places like East Elmhurst, which is predominantly communities of color.” Richards is still grateful that funding for many of the decades-long ongoing federal environmental studies hasn’t been halted. DEP confirmed that the newly expanded Bureau of Coastal Resilience is working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on coastal flood protection plans on the Atlantic shorefront and Jamaica Bayside in Queens to protect against sea-level rise and storm surge. Fighting the federal government for environmental funding has become the norm. On the opposite side of the city, Esplanade Gardens in East Harlem in Manhat-

tan, right near the East River waterfront on East 94th Street, has had electeds and advocates fighting for infrastructure improvements since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. “I remember Hurricane Sandy and how that water came up, especially over by Esplanade Gardens. People lost property, cars. It was really a mess and you could see where the seawall was being breached,” said Harlem Senator Cordell Cleare. “I and some other folks have been asking for that money from the federal government and others to try and get that repaired before we have some real disastrous conditions.” Cleare also expressed concern about rainfall and flooding on Harlem River Drive, and said she is determined to get the federal funding needed to get it fixed. In the meantime, there are currently 15 active infrastructure projects under the city’s DEP office. This includes the $1.45

A car wades through heavy flood waters as MTA New York City Transit responds to conditions caused by heavy rains and flooding on Friday, Sep 29, 2023. 9th Street near 2nd Ave. in Brooklyn (MTA)

MTA New York City Transit responds to conditions caused by heavy rains and flooding on Friday, Sep 29, 2023. (MTA)

8 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

NYC Council announces funding for tree canopy research to combat extreme heat

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced new funding for tree canopy research with council members on August 5, 2026. (Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit photos)

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff In an effort to combat extreme heat, particularly in vulnerable communities of color, New York City is funding a study to plant more trees as climate change creates new challenges for both residents and public officials. At present, the city’s tree canopy consists of more than 7 million trees across streets, parks, and private land, as reported in a 2026 NYC Comptroller’s report. Recent growth in canopy coverage has been driven largely by the maturing of existing trees and the passage of Local Law 148 in 2023, which established a long-term vision for expanding to 30% tree canopy by 2030. “Extreme temperatures endanger New Yorkers’ health and disproportionately affect vulnerable communities,” said City Council Speaker Julie Menin. “As temperatures continue to rise, it’s vital that we find creative solutions to tackle the climate crisis and protect New Yorkers from heat-related illnesses.” The overall parks department budget for fiscal year 2027 is $709 million. The council’s Generative Canopy project invests $250,000 in funding to use a combination

of AI, aerial imagery, existing tree census data, and climate forecasting to create unique block-byblock planting strategies. This will be accomplished through Cornell Tech, New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P), and the Technion–based in Haifa, Israel. The plan is to start in Hunts Point and Longwood neighborhoods in the Bronx; East New York in Brooklyn; and Corona and Elmhurst in Queens. The city’s trees are not spread equitably in many Black and Brown communities across the Five Boroughs, leading to what’s known as the “heat island effect,” or a lack of trees and greenery that can literally cause poor air quality, stress and heat-related illnesses, and in some cases, death. This can also heavily impact elderly or low-income residents. Temperatures in the city rose higher than 100 degrees last month, increasing heat-related 911 calls and emergency room visits, resulting in at least three deaths, according to the city council. “When we look at the data in terms of emergencies related to heat, what we find is that heat-related emergencies are the number one environmental emergency that New Yorkers face today,” said New York City Department of Health and

Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin at the Mayor’s office extreme weather roundtable with ethnic media on August 7. Martin said that over 500 New Yorkers every single year lose their lives to heat-related illness, the vast majority of which are because of underlying medical conditions that are often exacerbated by the heat. He added that it’s crucial to recognize the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, such as nausea, loss of consciousness, and fatigue. “We see it in the emergency room all the time, people coming in with shortness of breath, chest pain, their lung disease, their heart disease worsened by the heat. It’s important for folks to also know that heat itself can be a direct killer,” said Martin. “We are talking about a heat index of around 100 degrees. We know that the consequences for those who are outside can be serious,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the roundtable. Additionally, these neighborhoods are under constant threat of brownouts on the hottest days because of the city’s stressed and aging electrical grid supporting air conditioning surges. According to the Comptroller’s

Councilmember Ty Hankerson joined a press conference about tree canopy research on August 5, 2026.

report, data from 2014 to 2022 shows that power outages were concentrated in areas with lower-income households and high percentages of people of color like Northern Manhattan, Southern Bronx, Northern and Central Brooklyn, Southeastern Queens, and Northern Staten Island. A robust tree canopy is one of the most effective ways to mitigate the effects of extreme heat by driving temperatures down in vulnerable areas, the Comptroller’s report said. It can serve the dual purpose of a holistic approach to climate resiliency since trees and green spaces can reduce stormwater runoff as well as improve mental health outcomes. Also, strategic shading can reduce a single home’s cooling costs by 20% to 30% while the risks of a brownout can drop up to 10% for an entire neighborhood with a dense tree canopy, the report said. “In a city where neighborhoods that are majority people-of-color have up to 33% fewer trees on average than majority White neighborhoods, the Generative Canopy project will be essential as we work to combat historical underinvestment and plant trees where they are most needed,” said City Councilmember Ty Hankerson.

In a statement, City Councilmember Chris Banks said that he was especially pleased that East New York has been selected as an early site, “ensuring that one of our city’s most under-canopied neighborhoods receives the attention, resources, and investment needed to create healthier and more resilient streets.” Meanwhile, Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are looking for a more immediate way to beat extreme heat underground on the city’s stifling subway system, a longheld complaint from straphangers and commuters. They’re launching a study with new geothermal technology to lower temperatures on the platforms during the summer and then use that stored heat for buildings during the winter. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will begin with the Chambers Street stop on the J, Z line in Manhattan. “Anyone who has stood on a subway platform in August knows that our stations do not just get hot, they turn into underground saunas,” said Mamdani at a separate press conference about heat on August 10. “During the summer, the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall station becomes one of the hottest stations in New York City.”

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 9

Divine Nine News Black Greek-letter organizations unite for ‘We Are One Weekend’ KAYLYN KENDALL DINES, MBA Three days each year, love, unity, and service are foundational threads that bring members of Divine Nine Organizations together. This summer, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Central Jersey hosted the 16th Annual We Are One Weekend of activities. The conclusion on August 9 marked Liz Nolley’s first “We Are One Weekend” as president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Central Jersey. According to Nolley, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), the council covers Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties in the Garden State. Last Friday, members of Divine Nine Organizations gathered at a restaurant in Piscataway for the Greek Night Mixer. The next day, they held We Are One Cookout in Plainfield’s Cedar Brook Park. On Sunday, there was an outdoor worship service and block party at Shiloh Baptist Church of Plainfield. Nolley said the We Are One Weekend is about “love for our community through the service we provide. It’s love for each other as members of the Divine Nine and it’s a celebration of that. I think too often, you can go down a lot of negative rabbit holes on social media and other places when

National Pan-Hellenic Council of Central Jersey hosted their 16th Annual We Are One Weekend, which included a Greek Night Mixer, We Are One Cookout, outdoor worship service, and block party. (Photos courtesy of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Central Jersey)

the topic [of the] Divine Nine comes up. This [weekend] is just a great representation of the power that we have as a collective when we move as one to support each other, to make an impact on the community, and just make a difference. We’re going to have some fun. Yes, we like to step and stroll. Yes, we do our calls. Yes, there are friendly rivalries. But it’s about our collective impact. What I want us to leave behind is a feeling of love for each other and for our community.” Nolley, an immediate past president of the Phi Eta Omega chapter of the AKA, remembers when the council was founded in Central Jersey. Her Soror Patricia Arroyo became the council’s first president in 2010. Arroyo, a member of the Nu Xi Omega Chapter for AKA, marvels at how the

event continues to grow and how “no matter how many presidents we’ve had in the council and how many different committees we’ve had, it’s understood that NPHC We Are One Weekend is here forever.” They plan to serve the surrounding community every year. Currently, they are supporting a community-service initiative coordinated by the Beta Alpha Rho Zeta chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Beyond the weekend, diapers, baby care items, and books will continue to be collected for expectant and new parents in Central Jersey. Donations are being accepted at cutt. ly/BAPZCBSamazonlist and cutt.ly/ BAPZCBSDonations. One donation to the Zeta’s Baby Supplies Drive came from Todd Dowdy

To share your Divine Nine News, please contact us at d9@amsterdamnews.com and at amsterdamnews.com/d9news

Sloan, a high school teacher. Sloan, chaplain for the National Pan-Hellenic Council of New Jersey, has been the We Are One Weekend chair for six years. Rhonda J. Ransom, a member of the AKA, Inc. and former treasurer of the council in Central Jersey, was the event co-chair. Sloan, a member of the Chi Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., said, normally 300 to 400 people attend. This year, “the rain caused a lower turnout, but everyone enjoyed themselves as they usually do. We are different organizations, but there is a lot of love and respect that we have for each other. Many years ago, the Mecca of ‘Greekdom’ amongst Black Greeks [in this area] was the Philly Greek picnic. There were thousands of people back then.”

10 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Labor & Workplace Bronx Defenders end strike with tentative agreement after 11-day walkout By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Members of The Bronx Defenders Union (BxD)–UAW Local 2325 have returned to work after an 11-day strike. Management reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with the BxD late last week. The tentative agreement, announced Aug. 7, ended a BxD work stoppage that began July 27 and became the latest of several public defender strikes to hit New York City this summer. BxD Union members had authorized a strike after a July 12 vote that 92% of members voted for, and 95% approved a strike if needed. Workers said they walked out because they wanted wages and benefits that would keep the Bronx Defenders team whole: attorneys, social workers, investigators, advocates, and administrative staff working together under the same holistic defense model. Management said the new tentative agreement raises compensation for all staff roles, establishes new starting salaries and scales, expands leave, increases student loan support and retirement benefits,

adds compensation for investigators, advocates, and arraignment work, and provides a three percent annual cost-of-living adjustment. The deal now goes to union members for a ratification vote. The date of the union ratification vote had not been set early this week. The BxD strike was rooted in pay, retention, and whether the organization would keep an interdisciplinary model for its staff. Union members argued that management’s push to separate attorney and social worker salary scales would weaken solidarity inside the office. Before the agreement was reached, BxD members said separate salary scales for attorneys and social workers had become a major issue in negotiations. In an Aug. 6 statement, management said the union had accepted separate scales after more than 14 hours of bargaining over two days, and that management then agreed to meet the union’s proposed salary scale for administrative and support staff, to increase social worker salaries again, and to preserve other benefits. The final Aug. 7 announcement said the tentative deal

Bronx Defenders Union–UAW Local 2325 members reached a tentative agreement with management on Aug. 7. (Yulanda Lui photo)

includes $95,000 for first-year attorneys, $91,000 for first-year social workers, and $70,555 for first-year support and administrative staff. Bronx Defenders Executive Director Juval O. Scott said in a statement that she was “thrilled that we have found a path forward.” She said the agreement meets management’s goal of raising pay across the office and strengthening recruitment and retention. “These investments will strengthen the shared purpose that

brought us all to The Bronx Defenders: standing beside individuals and families across the Bronx when they need us most,” Scott said. “The people we serve deserve an office that is strong, united, and prepared to fight for them without exception.” Conrad Blackburn, a staff attorney in The Bronx Defenders’ criminal defense practice, told the Amsterdam News one of the hardest parts of the agreement was accepting that “the attorneys and social workers are going to be on different salary scales.” He said he was not in the bargaining room and did not know all of what led to that concession but understood that “there were long protracted negotiations between the bargaining committee and management,” and that management eventually returned with numbers “that I think the bargaining committee felt was acceptable.” Blackburn said the agreement also preserves important non-economic protections, like the office’s work-from-home policy, which he described as “still mostly intact,” except for people in their first year after an initial six-month in-person period. “I think it was management

moving on some of the non-economic issues and some significant increases in the salary that led to where we are,” he said. Blackburn said the walkout was difficult because public defenders wanted to be in court and with their clients. “Definitely nobody wants to be on a long, protracted strike,” he said. “What we saw mostly were people standing in solidarity with each other across the board.” BxD members, he said, understood the strike as part of the same fight as their client work: “the best way to really do that is for us to fight for each other so that we can be able to work in working conditions that are conducive to that.” After 11 days on the picket line, Blackburn said that workers were eager to return to work because client representation had suffered during the walkout; members returned tired but ready. “Despite being tired, despite being out for eleven days, people showed right back up to work and got back to doing what we do best, and that’s advocating and serving the people of the Bronx.”

Black workers still highest unemployed; Clean Slate one of many policies with an economic answer By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff As the Trump administration has made efforts to weaken or eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, Black workers have been watching the labor market weaken, leaving them with fewer options. July’s numbers show many Black households remain economically vulnerable. But Black jobseekers face some specific hindrances in unique ways. The U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July. Black unemployment stayed at 6.3%, the same as in June, but that percentage is still nearly twice the 3.6% rate of unemployment recorded for white workers. In New York City, state data shows Black unemployment at 8.8%, meaning more

than 100,000 Black New Yorkers are today looking for work. Dr. Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), says policymakers need to look at some of the barriers that keep people out of work. Meade’s essay in the National Urban League’s “2026 State of Black America” report notes that an estimated 20 to 30 million adults are eligible to have their court records against them sealed, yet fewer than 10% actually do. She noted that nearly half — 46% — of Black adults have an arrest or conviction record and research from CSI estimates that people with records lose a combined $440 billion in income each year. “These laws are not just for justice-affected people; I think it’s for our community, our economy, our state and our country,” Meade said in an interview. “The problem that

you have is that in the U.S., there are 70 to 100 million people who have an arrest or conviction. That’s one in three people who have some type of arrest on the record that prevents them from getting access to housing, jobs, school, and then other opportunities.” Clean Slate laws automatically seal people’s conviction records after they finish their sentences and stay crime-free. It means individuals won’t have to file paperwork, pay fees, or make court appointments to get their records sealed. Most Black workers live in the South, where they experience harsh policing and economic exclusion. Meade said nearly 40% of national annual lost earnings are tied to arrest and conviction records — more than $171 billion each year. In nine Southern states,

she said, “at least more than three million Black people” could be eligible to have their records fully or partially sealed. Clean Slate is, in this way, a workforce fix for employers, Meade insists: businesses need workers and workers need a fair chance to pass background screenings and get jobs. “So, we have a big business community like JP Morgan and other folks that are behind this that are supporting this work,” she said. “They’re putting people into jobs and realize that, you know, records should not hold people back, and they’re the most regulated business you could be in: banking.” New York has already begun fulfilling its Clean Slate Act. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the state’s Clean Slate law on November 16, 2023: it mandates a three-year rollout. The New York state court

system will be required to automatically seal all eligible conviction records by November 16, 2027. Meade said the rollout should be treated as a major public victory because more than 2.5 million New Yorkers could see their records cleared once full implementation begins. “The way we around the country and people in New York celebrated the Knicks is the way people should celebrate Clean Slate: it’s been a long time coming,” she said. “We should celebrate people having this victory when two and a half million people will be able to be a part of the community in a real way,” Meade continued, “contributing to the tax base, contributing to the economy, getting access to jobs, getting access to housing, getting access to opportunities. That is the win.”

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 11

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12 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Opinion Mr. and Mrs. In-Between Organ donation offers more than just hope — it brings out hold the balance in something that needs our attention elections, Democrats should take notice

EDITORIAL

A few of you old-timers probably remember Johnny Mercer’s lyrics to the 1944 song “Accentuate the Positive,” about latching on to the affirmative and not messing with Mr. and Mrs. In-Between. Well, it’s a song that the Democratic Party should adopt as it attempts to close the fissure that splits the party’s insurgents from the establishment. Unlike the lyrics, the party, to some degree, has to mess with Mr. and Mrs. InBetween, that is, the independents who have yet to decide how to mark their ballots. They may be undecided, but they are becoming increasingly influential in a political landscape that is currently as polarized as it has ever been. According to one poll, approximately 40% of registered voters identify as independents. This dissatisfaction with either of the major parties — coupled with a rise in progressives on the left — would appear to be a fresh crop of voters for the Democrats to harvest. One example of consideration for independents, particularly in deep-red Senate seats, is for Democratic candidates to step aside to give an edge to the more promising independent candidates, but there is a general reluctance for this gambit to gain any real traction. When the question is posed to several pundits as to the best strategy to win over the fence-sitting voters or independents, they suggest avoiding ideological solutions but to focus on living and quality-of-life issues. Such a move would set aside the concerns raised by the Trump administration about the insurgent socialists being characterized as communists. In other words, don’t get trapped in complex discussions about ideological differences; keep to the stuff on the kitchen table, cost of living, and the gas pump. We are betting that Mr. and Mrs. In-Between are more in tune with these matters, and as the recent elections indicate, they are ready to make a difference like never before.

Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher Member

Alliance for Audited Media

and Editor in Chief

Madison Gray: Executive & Investigative Editor Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor Damaso Reyes: Editor at Large Siobhan "Sam" Bennett: Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Advertising

Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus

(Pexels/Gustavo Fring photo)

By Dr. JAMES MCDONALD NYS Health Commissioner As a pediatrician, I have spent my career caring for patients and families during some of the most important moments of their lives. One lesson that has remained constant is that every patient has a story and every patient deserves to be heard. National Minority Donor Awareness Month is an opportunity to recognize those stories while encouraging more New Yorkers to consider organ, eye, and tissue donation. It is also a time to acknowledge the health inequities that continue to affect many communities across our state and to raise awareness about the lifesaving impact that donation can have for individuals and families. Today, more than 109,000 people across the United States are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and more than 60% of those waiting are

members of minority communities. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and kidney disease disproportionately affect Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous communities, increasing the need for transplantation. For many patients, a transplant offers the best opportunity to live a longer, healthier life. While anyone can register to become an organ donor, increasing the diversity of registered donors can improve opportunities for patients waiting for a compatible match. For kidney transplants, patients may have a better chance of finding a suitable match when donors share similar genetic ancestry. Expanding donor registration across all communities will help improve health equity and ensure more New Yorkers have access to the care they need. Prevention remains the most effective tool. The healthiest transplant is the one that

never becomes necessary because chronic disease was prevented or effectively managed. That is why New York State continues to invest in expanding access to quality healthcare, supporting preventive screenings, promoting healthy lifestyles, and ensuring New Yorkers can receive quality and compassionate care before an illness becomes life-threatening. Early detection, regular medical care, and healthy choices can help reduce the burden of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for individuals and communities. Behind every number is a person waiting for the opportunity to live a healthier life. Behind every donor registration is someone with the ability to offer hope to another family during an incredibly difficult time. Organ donation is one of the most meaningful gifts a person can give, offering a second chance at life for someone they may never meet.

This National Minority Donor Awareness Month, I encourage every New Yorker to learn more about organ donation, have conversations with loved ones about their wishes, and consider registering as an organ donor. These conversations can help ensure that your loved ones understand your decision and the legacy you hope to leave behind. One decision has the potential to save multiple lives and leave a trail of generosity and compassion. Together, we can strengthen our communities, reduce health disparities, and ensure more New Yorkers can receive the lifesaving care they need.

For more information on Donating and Transplantation: • New York State Donate Life Registry • Transplantation in New York State

Dr. James McDonald is the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS O P I N I O N

Trump’s birthright orders, one redundant, the other radical — both authoritarian By RICHARD T. HERMAN On Aug. 6, President Donald Trump signed two executive orders concerning birthright citizenship. One extends an enforcement policy that largely existed already. The other attempts something far more consequential: making a child’s citizenship turn on a parent’s identity or conduct. The first order, “Ending Birth Tourism,” is less novel than its title. Since January 2020, State Department regulations have prohibited issuing a visitor visa when an applicant’s primary purpose is giving birth in the United States to obtain citizenship for the child. The Foreign Affairs Manual already instructs consular officers to apply a rebuttable presumption when they reasonably believe an applicant will give birth during her stay. The 2020 regulation principally governed B visitor visas — the category that includes the B-2 tourist visa — and expressly left Department of Homeland Security admissibility standards unchanged. The new order moves the policy beyond the visa counter. It brings DHS into the initiative, delegates authority under Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and directs agencies to revise their rules and guidance. It contemplates visa revocation, denial of entry, removal, permanent exclusion, and action against anyone facilitating birth tourism “in any manner.” Its real significance is not a new ban but government-wide coordination and escalation.

The second order, “Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” crosses a different line. It directs federal agencies not to issue or accept documents recognizing citizenship when neither parent is a U.S. citizen and specified circumstances apply. Those include cases involving an “alien enemy,” a member of a designated terrorist organization, certain employees of foreign governments or international organizations, or a commercial transaction intended to obtain citizenship for the child. The order expressly reaches payments to arrange a U.S. birth and commercial surrogacy involving a U.S.-based surrogate. The timing helps explain the pairing. On June 30, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. Barbara that children born in the U.S. to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens under the 14th Amendment. Within hours, the Justice Department directed prosecutors to prioritize birth-tourism investigations. Five weeks later came the two orders: one controlling entry within the Court’s boundary, the other trying to redraw it. The familiar exception for children of accredited diplomats rests on diplomatic immunity, which places their parents outside ordinary U.S. jurisdiction. The new order goes further, extending that rationale to additional foreign-government and international-organization employees — and proposing to deny citizenship because a parent purchased services, committed

fraud, or used commercial surrogacy. The constitutional difficulty is straightforward. The Citizenship Clause asks whether a person was born in the U.S. and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” It does not condition citizenship on a parent’s virtue or financing arrangements. The government may punish visa fraud and prosecute businesses that knowingly facilitate it. Turning parental misconduct into a child’s constitutional disqualification is another matter — especially after Barbara reaffirmed that unlawful or temporary parental presence generally does not place an American-born child outside U.S. jurisdiction. Why issue two orders? Because they separate the administration’s stronger legal strategy from its weaker one. If courts block the citizenship order, the birth-tourism crackdown can continue under established immigration authority. Trump can claim an enforcement victory even if his renewed attempt to narrow citizenship fails. That is the real architecture of the Aug. 6 announcement. The first order gives an old visa policy more agencies, tools and political force. The second invites another constitutional fight. Signing them together lets Trump pursue the radical claim while protecting the more durable result. Richard T. Herman is an immigration attorney of more than 30 years, founder of Herman Legal Group, and co-author of Immigrant, Inc: Why Immigrant Entrepreneurs Are Driving the New Economy.

John Ali: A complicated remembrance of one-time Nation of Islam official By HERB BOYD My mother always taught me to say nothing but good about the dead, and the phrase was often extended perversely by the dead’s enemies. I thought about that old saying with the passing of John Ali, who served as the Nation of Islam’s national secretary in the 1960s and ultimately clashed with Malcolm X. Ali died on July 26 at age 96. Rather than saying anything good or bad about Ali, I choose to offer a few words about the complexity of his life and legacy, much of which I borrow from The “Seventh Child — A Family Memoir of Malcolm X” by Rodnell P. Collins with A. Peter Bailey, and its notso-favorable portrait, although reasonably rendered. To begin with, I took exception to several facts by Clay Risen in his obituary of Ali in the New York Times, pointing out that Malcolm was

not assassinated in Harlem but Washington Heights, and that he lived in East Elmhurst, Queens, not Elmhurst. Nor did he note that Ali and his wife once lived with Malcolm and Betty Shabazz, which Collins, leaning on the memory of his mother, Ella Collins (Malcolm’s half-sister), cited in the memoir. Moreover, in my letter to the editor, I quoted information compiled by the FBI that Ali, at least during one radio broadcast, according to Malcolm, stated that Malcolm should be killed. It was often suggested that Ali was an FBI informant, and a further implication of this is provided in the memoir where Ella recounts an incident in which officers of the Bureau of Special Services (BOSS) raided the home that Ali and his family shared with the Shabazzes, in search of a woman that none of them had ever heard of. It was during the in-

terrogation of Ali that Malcolm began to suspect that the raid was really a mission to recruit Ali. Interestingly, Ali was such an outstanding student in college that the university’s president arranged a job interview for him with the FBI; in effect, a much earlier contact than Malcolm’s suspicions, and an interview that needs further research. In the early 1960s, when rumors began to spread about Elijah Muhammad’s infidelities, and that he had impregnated some of his secretaries, the organization was unsuccessful in keeping this information from the FBI and other federal agencies. Ali, then national secretary of the NOI and Muhammad’s chief lieutenant, was particularly concerned about suppressing the accusation. Later, after Malcolm went public with the See JOHN ALI on page 28

August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 13

‘Give peace a chance’ … it’s hard to come by CHRISTINA

GREER PH.D. August is International Peace Month and I wish nothing more for it to be true, but right now, the world seems to literally be on fire. It appears that countries across South America have increasingly elected right-wing leadership, often in lockstep with policies and shared worldviews of MAGA conservatives, President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There seems to be a fast-growing expansion of aggression in the Middle East as the U.S. continues to bomb Iran with no clear vision or strategy for ending the baseless war. The president never explained to the American people why an Iranian intervention was imperative, and the loss of life in the region continues to grow. We must not forget about the civilian killed in Lebanon as well, due to Netanyahu’s aggression since the Israel/U.S. war on Iran began. The Middle East often captures the headlines, but we cannot forget about the unrest that continues in Haiti, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and countries across the continent of Africa. As international mining companies come to the continent to extract resources, the scarcities they create, in addition to political violence and instability, have contributed to civilian casualties in the thousands. It is a sad reality that barely makes it into the papers these days. I do not know how we will bring about peace. I have no idea what the future holds, but I sincerely hope we get changes in global leadership, and more presidents and

prime ministers want to come to the table and compromise, end these devastating wars, and attempt to build a future for the global population. We must begin with changes in leadership in so many countries and at varying levels of government. Peace will not be achieved overnight, but we must continue to aim for it and believe that some day, we will attain it. Ideally, the 2028 U.S. election cycle will usher in a president who is not as vindictive, insecure, corrupt, and bellicose as our current leadership. I hope the new president will not demand loyalty tests and look for ways to take goods, services, healthcare, and assistance away from the American public. There is always a level of optimism I continue to maintain because I have the privilege of teaching young people. We must keep a level of hope — something Rev. Jesse Jackson instilled in us for decades. We can do our part by participating in elections at all levels so we create and control the pipeline. State senators become members of Congress, who then become cabinet members and presidential candidates. We must do our part, no matter how big or small, to bring about peace on all levels. Christina Greer, Ph.D., is a professor at Fordham University; author of the books “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 co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.

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Caribbean Update Colleagues accuse Jamaican regional court head of interfering with decisions By BERT WILKINSON, Special to the AmNews Just last week, the main opposition party in Jamaica reminded the governing party that it would support stalled efforts for the island to become a republic if only the government agrees to ditch the British Privy Council as the island’s final court, and sign on to the umbrella, Trinidadbased Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) instead. The Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) did not publicly reply to the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) offer, but it has not in recent years changed its rather resolute stance that the British law lords are a better judicial fit for Jamaica as appeal court judges because they are far removed from political lobbying and local influences. The JLP worries that regional judges are too close to life in the Caribbean to remain impartial. Now, just days after the PNP reached out to the administra-

tion of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the influential Trinidad Express newspaper on Sunday published an explosive exposé about the court, saying it is becoming increasingly divided, quoting email threads from judges accusing Chief Justice Winston Anderson of being dictatorial and authoritarian. The judges also allege that Anderson has been trying to influence the outcome of particular cases, a development which has made quite a few of them uncomfortable, so they spoke out to him on the record via emails that are now in the public domain. The paper published a leaked thread showing at least two judges openly accusing Jamaica-born Anderson of trying to influence final court rulings. Both say they are angry about this. One came from Trinidadian Justice Peter Jamadar and the other from Nigerian Chile Eboe-Osuji. Eboe-Osuji was particularly brutal on Anderson, saying that

in a recent case for final ruling, “Winston tried single-handedly to override judicial independence and long-standing CCJ conventions that guided how decisions are rendered when judges disagree. In the Mohameds’ (Guyana extradition case) case, it was stunning to hear Winston pointedly inform us that he was going to announce a decision of the court at a time and in a manner in which a clear majority of his colleagues had very strongly communicated to him as inappropriate.” Jamadar, on the other hand, also lashed out at the chief justice, noting that in the Mohamed extradition matter, “ … what I experienced was an attempt to influence the opinions of colleagues that differed from yours in an authoritative manner. What I experienced was far beyond anything that I have ever experienced in all my years as a judicial officer sitting on appellate courts. Which experience, I may add, was also expressed by other colleagues who

were present at this meeting.” Jamadar also touched on Anderson’s management style, noting “emerging or creeping patterns of anti-democratic approaches to us as judges of the court in matters that directly and indirectly impact our core functions. I raise this inconvenient and uncomfortable concern, certainly for me because I care deeply about this institution that is the CCJ and believe that we ALL also do so.” For its part, the court issued a statement without directly refuting or commenting on the allegations by Anderson’s colleagues. It said it was mindful of the issues which have been presented without context, background, and an appreciation of the nature of deliberations. “For that reason, the court wishes to reaffirm that the judges of the CCJ remain committed to the tenets of judicial conduct enshrined in the United Nations Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct — independence, impartiality, integrity, propriety,

equality, competence, and diligence. The CCJ remains committed to providing accessible, fair and efficient justice for the people and states of the Caribbean Community,” the statement said. Anderson had served the region as the attorney for the Guyanabased CARICOM secretariat for several years before being appointed to the bench more than a decade ago, rising to court president a year ago. The latest row with his own panel of judges is the second major incident involving him in recent months. The New York-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy had publicly accused him of collaborating with the Guyana government to force out the head of the Guyana judiciary in favor of a colleague favored by the government. He did not respond to the allegations, but critics say that the latest exposed will only help to sow doubt about member states that still prefer the British court, Jamaica especially.

Before I could make a doctor’s appointment, they asked about my immigration status

FELICIA PERSAUD

IMMIGRATION KORNER I had one of the most disturbing experiences of my life last week, and I’m still mad about it. My primary care physician referred me to an endocrinologist within South Florida’s Memorial Healthcare System for additional testing on my thyroid. Like any patient, I picked up the phone to schedule the appointment. The scheduler asked for my name, my date of birth, and my insurance information. Then came two questions I had never been asked before: “Where were you born?” and “Are you a legal resident or a U.S. citizen?” I went silent. “Excuse me,” I stated with attitude. “Why do you need that information?” The young man on the other end of the line became instantly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he replied. “It’s the law. We have to ask.” For a moment, I considered

hanging up. Not because I had anything to hide. I am a naturalized United States citizen. But because something about that conversation felt profoundly different and disturbing. Before anyone asked why my doctor wanted me to see a specialist; before anyone asked about my symptoms; before anyone asked about my health, I was being asked about my immigration status and where I was born. When I got off the phone, I was livid. As an immigration journalist, I was stunned that I had somehow missed a law requiring healthcare providers to ask patients about their immigration status. Or perhaps I forgot or paid little attention because I didn’t think it would impact me. I immediately began researching it, wondering how something with such significant implications had managed to escape my notice. I learned the appointment scheduler had simply been following Florida law. Since 2023, under Senate Bill 1718, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 10, 2023, and effective July 1, 2023, hospitals that receive Medicaid

funding are required to ask admitted patients and emergency room visitors about their immigration status during registration. This requirement applies even if you have private insurance. Of course, medical treatment cannot be denied because of a response, and hospitals are required to tell patients that their individual information will not be reported to immigration authorities. Instead, only anonymous, aggregate data are submitted to the state. The requirement applies to hospitals, not private physicians’ offices or independent clinics, but somehow, because of the doctor’s association with a hospital system, this question is now being asked. Knowing that did not make the questions feel any less unsettling because laws are not experienced as statutes. They are experienced as conversations. And for many immigrants — documented or undocumented — the first conversation before receiving medical care is no longer simply about health. It may now begin with questions about immigration status. I found myself wondering if I, as a U.S. citizen, felt uneasy after

being asked those questions; how must they feel for someone without citizenship? Or to a lawful permanent resident, a refugee, an asylum seeker, or the parent of a sick child already terrified of drawing attention to their family? The law says patients may decline to answer, but fear does not always distinguish between what the law requires and what people believe it requires. Researchers have warned about precisely this concern. A 2024 analysis by KFF found that while Florida’s law requires hospitals to request immigration status, patients retain the right to refuse to answer, and hospitals must continue providing care regardless of a person’s response. Yet the researchers concluded that the requirement — combined with other restrictive immigration policies — would likely increase fear among immigrant families, discourage them from seeking needed medical care, and negatively affect both physical and mental health. Ironically, the same report notes that immigrants generally use less healthcare than U.S.-born Americans while contributing signif-

icantly to the healthcare system through taxes and insurance premiums. The report also found no clear relationship between undocumented patients and uncompensated hospital care in Florida. Florida’s immigrant workforce is deeply woven into the state’s economy. Non-citizen immigrants make up one-third of Florida’s construction workforce, nearly half of its farming and fishing workforce, and significant portions of its transportation, hospitality, and service industries. Many are the same people caring for our elderly, preparing our meals, harvesting our food, and helping build our communities. When those workers become afraid to seek medical care, the consequences extend beyond individual families. Untreated illnesses become medical emergencies. Preventive care becomes delayed care, communicable diseases become harder to detect, and communities become less healthy. I ultimately answered the questions because I needed the appointment; others may not. Some

See IMMIGRATION on page 28

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 15

Arts & Entertainment

Florence ‘Flo’ Anthony, longtime AmNews columnist, trailblazing celebrity journalist dies at 74 By LAPACAZO SANDOVAL Special to the AmNews Florence “Flo” Anthony, the pioneering celebrity journalist who broke barriers at the New York Post’s Page Six and became a defining voice in African American entertainment journalism, has died. She was 74. Jack Hirsch, biographer for her husband, boxing legend Michael Spinks, confirmed that Anthony died early Thursday, Aug. 6. The two had worked together on “Michael ‘Jinx’ Spinks: An Authorized Biography,” which was released in March. He said that she recently disclosed to him that she was battling cancer. Her weekly “Go With The Flo” column became a fixture in the New York Amsterdam News dating back to 2001, as well as in publications including the Philadelphia Sunday Sun and Columbus Times. She also contributed entertainment news to the New York Daily News, served as publisher and editorin-chief of Black Noir magazine, and was editor-in-chief of Black Elegance magazine. CNN entertainment journalist Lisa Respers France posted her reaction on social media upon learning of Anthony’s passing, saying in part: “As a Black woman who covers pop cul- Flo Anthony. (Facebook photo) ture, I am deeply indebted to Florence ‘Flo’ Anthony, a syndicated columnist and author media personalities, Flo worked in public who did more than just cover gossip. She was relations as a publicist for some of boxing’s so important to the culture.” most formidable figures, including Spinks, whom she began dating in 1987 and marA woman of firsts ried in January 2026; Muhammad Ali; Larry Anthony was known to walk into news- Holmes; Butch Lewis; Mike McCallum; rooms and departments whose doors had Matthew Saad Muhammad; Saoul Mamby; once been barricaded against people of color and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Her pub— and particularly against African Ameri- licity work gave her a deep understanding can women. She entered spaces where few of the relationship between journalists, people looked like her, where her presence publicists, and public figures, allowing her alone challenged entrenched ideas about to fight for a client’s visibility long before who could report the news, break a story, she sat on the other side of the desk. command a television screen, or become a Many publicists owe some portion of trusted voice on celebrity culture. their careers to Anthony, with a number She became the first woman to work in of young representatives securing an early the sports department of the New York placement because she answered their call, Post and the first African American to work opened their email, or recognized the poin the newspaper’s entertainment and tential in a story. world‑renowned Page Six departments, acA graduate of Howard University, Anthocording to her own account of her career. ny initially came to New York with dreams She also made history as the first African of becoming an actress and also worked American woman to write a column for a as a teacher. Her work with talent managsupermarket tabloid, penning “Eye on the er Tobe Gibson eventually expanded into Stars” for the National Examiner. publicity, sportswriting, and a position as For an African American woman rising an agate clerk in the New York Post’s sports through the overwhelmingly white, male, department. From there, she began a hisand notoriously insular world of tabloid toric ascent through sports, entertainment, journalism, these achievements were not and celebrity journalism. merely promotions, but breaches in a wall. Before becoming one of America’s most Legendary journalist recognizable celebrity journalists and Over the course of her career, she report-

Flo Anthony in 2019. (TVJunkie7 / Creative Commons photo)

Portrait of Betye Saar, from the 1989 Site Installations exhibition poster. (Public domain photo)

ed hundreds of exclusives, including the marriages of Mike Tyson and Robin Givens, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, and John McEnroe and Tatum O’Neal, as well as the news that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were adopting. Flo did not regard gossip journalism as the careless recycling of rumors. To her, a gossip columnist was a reporter who broke stories — and she took the responsibility of getting those stories right seriously. Her influence expanded far beyond print. During the 1990s, she became a familiar and authoritative presence on daytime television, appearing on shows hosted by Joan Rivers, Ricki Lake, Rolonda Watts, Geraldo Rivera, Sally Jessy Raphael, Maury Povich, Leeza Gibbons, Tempestt Bledsoe, Bertice Berry, Vicki Lawrence, and others. She appeared on Court TV, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, and HLN, and contributed to entertainment‑news programs including “Inside Edition,” “The Insider,” and “Entertainment Tonight.” For six seasons, she appeared as a contributor and later a co‑host on E! Entertainment Television’s “The Gossip Show,” and was featured in numerous installments of “E! True Hollywood Story.” She became a regular contributor to TV One’s “Unsung,” “Unsung Hollywood,” and “Life After.” Her television work placed an authorita-

tive African American woman at the center of national conversations about celebrity, scandal, and popular culture at a time when such visibility remained far too rare. Through her company, Dottie Media Group LLC, Flo extended her voice into syndicated radio with “Gossip on the Go With Flo” and “Flo Anthony’s Big Apple Buzz,” which aired in approximately 20 markets and introduced millions of listeners to her combination of insider knowledge, brisk reporting, and unmistakable personality. At the Amsterdam News, she was more than a byline. She was family. Anthony was also the author of four novels: “Keeping Secrets, Telling Lies,” “Deadly Stuff Players,” “One Last Deadly Play,” and “Last Call for a Deadly Diva.” The books transformed decades of observing fame, ambition, deception, and power into fiction, bringing the practiced instincts of a journalist to the suspense and intrigue of a novelist. “I’ve broken in roads that will never be broken in again,” Anthony said in a 2013 interview with Urbanbridgez.com, “so if I never wrote another sentence or got on radio again in life or got on TV, I would miss it, yes, but I feel I’ve done a lot of what God put me on this earth to do.” — with reporting from AmNews contributor Jason Gonzalez.

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AmNews FOOD Dinner in Harlem plants seeds for community to grow in East Harlem KYSHA HARRIS

FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC This past Saturday there were so many events to attend and possibly cover in these pages. Harlem Week activations; BEM | books & more, the nation’s first Black food bookstore, held a Friends and Family day as they intentionally pivot their new space away from in-person bookselling to online sales, programming, and more; Black women-owned The Crabby Shack celebrated its 12th anniversary amid troubling news they might have to close due to ongoing economic difficulties for small businesses in Crown Heights. There was no shortage of places I could have been. I chose Dinner in Harlem, a free bringyour-own-food gathering presented by Chef Lexis Gonzalez and the Blacklining Foundation, an organization working to counter redlining’s lasting effects on housing, health, education, economic opportunity, and community stability. They closed down 124th Street between Madison and Park Avenues, and lined the street with flower-strewn tables for guests to set up their feasts. I first met Chef Lexis years ago as a young entrepreneur with a bakery on Fifth Avenue (ironically right around the corner from this event) during my tenure as associate producer for Harlem EatUp!. After her bakery closed, she continued creating opportunities through events, social media, and an appearance on Food Network’s “Chopped Sweets.” I knew Dinner in Harlem was a

continuation of her growth. When I arrived more than two hours after the event began, the block was sparse. Most tables were empty. Music played, performers had appeared, and free produce was available. Despite the time and the low turnout, Chef Lexis stayed on mission, galvanizing young volunteers and making those in attendance feel welcome. I interviewed her about Blacklining Foundation, her connection to its work, and what she hopes Dinner in Harlem can become. I learned the adversity she faced in the early stages of planning this community event, the pride she has in her

East Harlem neighborhood, and the support that fortified her to continue. “Neighbors used to be our family,” Chef Lexis said. “So many people have moved out, and we want to bring the community back together. With Dinner in Harlem, one long table — meet a new neighbor.” After an hour, I had what I needed to write a story, but I wanted to see whether the afternoon could grow into the community Chef Lexis envisioned. Rather than leave, I sat down and observed. That decision became the story. Chef Lexis’s friends soon arrived carrying freshly prepared food of canapés, jerk chick-

Dinner in Harlem guests share food and conversation on East 124th Street.

The Blacklining Foundation presented Dinner in Harlem under the theme “Breaking Bread. Building Community.”

Chef Lexis Gonzalez presents Lady Lexis Sweets at the inaugural Harlem EatUp! festival in 2015.

AmNewsFOOD Editor Kysha Harris with Dinner in Harlem organizer Chef Lexis Gonzalez. (Kysha Harris photos)

en, rice and kale salad, plus wines and other beverages. They covered the once-empty table where I was sitting with it, and generously invited others to eat. I talked with strangers, played games, and discovered that one guest was a therapist from my physical therapy facility. Familiar and new faces found one another around the same table on a street in Harlem. Mission accomplished! And just as the gathering found its rhythm, police told Chef Lexis the street had to reopen at 6 p.m. — two hours earlier than her permit allowed and before other scheduled performers could appear. She weathered that disappointment as she had the lightly attended afternoon: by adapting. We began moving everything onto the sidewalk, where the gathering could continue after the street reopened. The afternoon was imperfect, but community rarely arrives fully formed. Sometimes it begins with empty tables, shared food, and people willing to stay. Redlining created barriers around communities like Harlem. Blacklining Foundation and Chef Lexis are finding ways around them — and making room at the table for everyone. Thanks for reading and happy eating! Kysha Harris is a chef, culinary producer, and food editor for the NY Amsterdam News. As a consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 23 years, she remains on the hunt for the city’s next great bite. Follow her on Instagram and on Facebook, @SCHOPnyc. Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@ SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, @NYAmNewsFOOD.

Guests unpack food to share at a communal table during Dinner in Harlem.

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 17

AmNews exclusive

New branches, old roots

Bassist, composer, and multi-Grammy winner Christian McBride on the continuing evolution of jazz By CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE Special to the AmNews Jazz has always evolved in cycles. In every generation, there are many who believe jazz is either dying or losing its identity, yet it continually absorbs new influences while its central rhythmic language — swing — remains its defining thread. You might be curious to know what I see in jazz right now, from my vantage point of the jazz world from many angles, as a bassist, an administrator, a broadcaster, a festival curator, and most of all, a fan. It was 57 years ago, in 1969, that a young eight-piece, soul-jazz outfit opened for Nina Simone at the University of Rochester. The band left such an impression on Ms. Simone that she is on record as saying to the audience, “Was it me? Or did you see those bad young brothers just now? I’m glad they’re on my side.” She was referring to not only their music, but the seriousness that those young Nation of Islam-trained brothers emitted. The name of that young band? Kool and the Gang. Between 1969 and 1971, a dramatic shift started to happen in Black music. A proliferation of bands started to emerge, combining the language of jazz and soul. Heavy on the soul … which quickly turned into funk. Kool and the Gang was just one of the first young bands that were unapologetically blending John Coltrane and Miles Davis with a heavy dash of James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone. Soon came Parliament/Funkadelic; the Ohio Players; Earth, Wind & Fire; War; Mandrill; B.T. Express; the Fatback Band, and more. Jazz musicians of an older generation were forced to either consciously rebel against the changing winds or join in. Most joined in, or at the very least, created their own version of this contemporary language. It was known as fusion. While the younger Black generation was leaning heavily into funk, some jazz musicians leaned more into avant-garde and rock — most famously, Miles Davis, who eventually started to lean more heavily into funk. However, there was also the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather

Christian McBride (Evelyn Freja photo)

Report, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock’s Sextet (now more famously known as the Mwandishi sextet), and later on, his all-out funk unit, the Headhunters. The ’70s were all about the powerhouse bands. Where did this leave the jazz icons of the older generation? Did Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Art Blakey, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Betty Carter, Max Roach, Horace Silver, Abbey Lincoln, and the Modern Jazz Quartet just become obsolete and irrelevant overnight? It depends on whom you ask. (Now I’m switching from my historian/fan hat to my festival administrator/curator/historian hat.) I consider myself quite fortunate to have held the keys to the historic Newport Jazz Festival from 2016 to 2025 as artistic di-

rector. To know, respect, and learn directly from (Newport Jazz Festival founder) George Wein — in both his wisdom and ironies — is something I value deeply. I came up being taught that “Jazz died in the ’70s.” In short, if you weren’t playing fusion, rock, or some sort of electric-based music, as a jazz musician, you were doomed. As (we) all now know, McCoy Tyner was just fine. Elvin Jones was just fine. Keith Jarrett was just fine. Dr. Billy Taylor, Charles Mingus, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Clark Terry, the Art Ensemble of Chicago — they all were just fine. They worked a lot and (for the most part) didn’t feel forced to play electric music or funk. (Thad and Mel got funky here

and there — even made an album for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff at Philadelphia International Records — but they mostly kept on swinging.) I’ve found George Wein’s lineups for the Newport Jazz Festival between 1969 and 1973 pretty fascinating from a historical standpoint: Rahsaan Roland Kirk, James Brown, Maxine Sullivan, Sly & the Family Stone, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Aretha Franklin, Buddy Tate, Sun Ra, Roberta Flack, Freddie Hubbard, Dionne Warwick, B.B. King, Ike & Tina Turner, Sonny Stitt, Donny Hathaway, Dorothy Donegan, Dizzy Gillespie, Curtis Mayfield, Jimmy Witherspoon, Mahalia Jackson, Ornette Coleman, and so many more were featured. As the decade progressed, more of the aforementioned young funk bands were also booked. From a historical/musical standpoint, I find the musical diversity to be awe-inspiring. Who wouldn’t want to see Sly & the Family Stone and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on the same stage? There was one serious question that was being asked by a broad number of people, though: Is this jazz? With the perfect storm of the growth of funk and fusion, and the reported demise of straightahead, acoustic jazz, it wasn’t an unfair question. In the jazz community, the word “jazz” itself was being loosely used to describe various forms of funk and rock, but there were very few funk or rock musicians or writers loosely calling their music “jazz.” They called it either “funk” or “rock.” They knew exactly where they stood. Latin musicians never had an argument about the clave. That was a rule never to be broken. Why was the word “jazz” seemingly thrown around so carelessly? Was the word “jazz” being exploited for commercial purposes? Was it a way to stave off the people saying that the Grim Reaper had visited jazz’s domain? Or … had jazz actually sprouted some new branches on its huge tree? I discovered jazz in the early ’80s just as Wynton Marsalis had become the face of a new, decidedly swinging, acoustic generation.

In the late ’80s, this is the jazz world that I’d entered into as a bassist. Being around Wynton helped me focus my goals on becoming a bassist who sought tutelage from the grand masters like Ray Brown, Milt Hinton, Al McKibbon — people who had been the mentors to the younger mentors: Ron Carter, Buster Williams, Stanley Clarke, and more. I was a fully sworn straightahead messenger, if you will. Then I got the gig with Freddie Hubbard. At the time, Freddie’s chops were still strong. He could play just as fast and virtuosically as he did with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in the ’60s or with the VSOP Quintet in the ’70s. But Freddie loved to get funky, too. For all the blazing swing we played, it was a must that we played “Red Clay” on every gig. That was Freddie’s hit. It had become a bigger hit while I was in his band, thanks to A Tribe Called Quest’s “Sucka Ni**a.” But then Freddie would also play a tune of his called “Managua,” which was a montuno. In one night, we’d play straightahead, funk, and Latin — and it all felt like jazz. It felt authentic. It didn’t feel like we were trying to be contemporary. It felt like we were strong musicians playing strong music — meeting each style head-on in its aesthetic. I feel like this is where the question “Is it jazz?” takes a turn. Perhaps there’s a bigger question. A simpler question. “Is it good?” Duke Ellington famously said that there were only two kinds of music: good and bad. I have absolutely no business adding an addendum to perhaps the most important, most prolific composer/intellect in American history, but if I may, I offer that there are two other kinds of music: What you like and what you don’t. The question of “Is it jazz?” I find less important than I once did. If it is jazz, does that automatically make it better? Is there no such thing as poorly executed acoustic jazz? Trust me, there is. Wouldn’t you rather hear a killer See JAZZ on page 28

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This week: Ron Carter review, Jazz in the Valley, Dizzy’s

As we celebrate Miles Davis’s centennial, some musicians are celebrating his fusion electric funk era, which, as we know, was an exciting period. For acoustic jazzheads, Maestro Ron Carter — NEA Jazz Master bassist, cellist, composer, educator, and mentor to many — carries Miles’s acoustic legacy as a member of the trumpeter’s Second Great Quintet (1963–1968). While most of the quintet’s original material was written by Davis, Carter did contribute two compositions — “R.J.” and “Eighty-One” (co-written with Miles) — that appear on Miles’s “E.S.P” album (Columbia, 1968). Wayne Shorter wrote the title tune “E.S.P.,” which reflected Miles’s notion that his joining the group fostered a collective intuitiveness. Together, they also recorded “Miles Smiles,” ”Sorcerer,” “Nefertiti,” ”Miles in the Sky,” and ”Filles de Kilimanjaro,” and the live set considered by “The Penguin Guide to Jazz” to be their crowning achievement, “The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965.”

Recently, at Echoes of Miles Jazz in July at 92NY, Carter’s enduring Foursight quartet (pianist Renee Rosnes, saxophonist Jimmy Greene, and drummer Payton Crossley) celebrated Miles’s centennial. “My tribute to Miles isn’t just about his music or him being a personal friend, but someone who understood composition and how to find the right guys to make the compositions last for years,” said Carter. “I think my group Foursight, with me having played six years or so with Miles, is a good way for them to understand the vehicle of choices that they have because of the ones I learned playing these songs back in the day with Herbie, Tony, Wayne, and/or George.” Miles’s spirit lives in Foursight, given his association with Carter. Playing “Sketches of Spain” and “My Funny Valentine” — unique renditions that swing — without trumpet is reason for Miles to smile. “Playing with the maestro Ron Carter is a great honor,” said Greene. “Because of his ties with Miles, over the years we have always paid tribute to him and his outstanding works, many compositions that Ron played on.” One of Carter’s signature concert pieces is the American classic “You Are My Sunshine.” One fan told me that she has recorded every version Carter has done over the last few years, saying, “it just gets better, so beautiful.” Carter said, “I knew that song as a sideman, but hearing it evolve in Bill Frisell’s hands during a duo gig a few years ago inspired me to play it. I tribute that song to any parent whose child has left the concert early; it is their song. I can’t tell you how many times I have left the bandstand and their parents said to me, ‘I remember my grandmother or mom singing me that song.’ It’s a very emotional review of their musical life. I added it to the songbook because it’s audience-friendly — a non-bashing song.” The three-time Grammy winner’s last recording with the quartet was the two-CD set entitled “Ron Carter Foursight: The Complete Stockholm Tapes” (In + Out Records, 2021). His most recent recording is his collaboration with Choirmaster Ricky Dillard, “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” (Blue Note, 2026). A gospel album — rousing, spirited, shout, clap your hands, stomp your feet, and praise; an emotional, soulful journey. A tribute to Carter’s late mother — a collection of her favorite hymns that rejoice in the cradle of gospel music embracing Carter’s brilliant bass lines. Hold on! This last month of summer is all aglow with flaming, combustive jazz sounds emanating from city parks to major outdoor venues. The annual one-day festival, Jazz in the Valley, has become a peaceful sojourn for many New York City dwellers making their way to Poughkeepsie’s Waryas Park on August 16. Music enthusiasts have a love affair with the park’s panoramic view and swinging music from noon to dusk or until the sun kisses the Hudson.

Maestro Ron Carter with his quartet, Foursight. (Richard Termine photos)

Randy Weston gets top billing as the festival celebrates WESTONALIA: A Centennial Celebration of the legendary pianist, composer, and Pan-African activist. The trio features his veteran bandmembers: bassist Alex Blake and Chief Baba Neil Clarke; pianist and composer Sharp Radway, who was a student and friend of Weston. “I learned so much from brother Randy over the years as a musician and human being,” noted Radway. Weston often played in the trio format, one of his favorite configurations. “The trio gives us the ability to invoke Randy’s spirit while shaping his music in new directions, as he would want us to do,” said Clarke. The festival’s intergenerational genrebending artists, who are reshaping the elements of jazz, will also include singer/ songwriter Lisa Fischer (Grammy winner and background vocalist for icons Luther Vandross, Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, and Sting); Camille Thurman, the voice of a sassy nightingale, and tenor saxophone riffs in the sea of Lester Young; the captivating Curtis brothers bassist Lugues and pianist/Latin jazz composer Zaccai (both studied at Jackie McLean’s Artists Collective School in Hartford, Conn.); and the festival’s artistic director, tenor saxophonist and composer Javon Jackson, who colors jazz with shades of R&B, soul, and traditional shades. For more information, visit jazzinthevalleyny.org. What’s different, what represents creativity in the now with truth and boundless flight, is what forms jazz. Such a magical moment takes place at Dizzy’s August 13–16, featuring Warren Wolf with Alex Brown and Strings performing Chick Corea’s Lyric Suite for Sextet, with the

piano of Brown, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and string quartet with violinists Lavinia Pavlish and Kobi Malkin, Edwin Kaplan on viola, and Eleanor Norton on cello. Together, they breathe life into the suite inspired by pianist Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton — bringing jazz and classical sounds into one vibing conversation. For reservations, visit jazz.org. The baritone saxophone is a big, boisterous instrument, extremely difficult to master. While appreciated for its bellowing low register voice, it is not the instrument that most run to play. No, it’s usually baritone’s little brothers, either alto or tenor. On August 17, Jason Marshall stands center stage at Dizzy’s with his baritone; he’s mastered the oversized horn that most shy away from. Two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. We trust that Marshall will not be drowned out as he leads his Big Band for one night only. He follows the tradition of such baritone icons as Harry Carney, a prominent figure in Duke Ellington’s band, and the instrument’s most influential artists, also prominent in Duke Ellington’s band: Gerry Mulligan Westcoast, cool jazz leader; Pepper Adams (Mel Lewis/Thad Jones Big Band); Hamiet Bluiett (recognized as one of the greatest baritone sax players in jazz history, co-founder of the World Saxophone Quartet); and contemporary artist Gary Smulyan (Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Dave Holland Big Band and Octet, and his working trio with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington. Marshall’s sound stirs traditional roots of bebop and beyond. His musical curiosity keeps him on creative paths of boundless engagement. A big baritone sound and Big band — exciting things will surely happen. For reservations, visit jazz.org.

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 19

Ocasio-Cortez says she’s freezing her eggs as she decides her next political moves By BILL BARROW Associated Press Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she is freezing her eggs as she decides her next political moves ahead of the 2028 presidential election campaign. “This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” Ocasio-Cortez, 36, said on Instagram about her decision regarding her reproductive options. The New York congresswoman, a leading figure of Democrats’ progressive left flank, did not say explicitly whether she plans to have children. She said in her social media posts that she was taking a “political risk” in talking so personally about her potential family plans. She said later on ABC “This Week” on Sunday that she has not ruled out running for president or for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrats’ floor leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, in 2028. She explained that she wants to normalize conversations about what women face in their professional and personal lives, while also highlighting the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration. “In this political environment, where this

administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy, I think it’s important for us as leaders to have these conversations,” she said. Trump’s administration opposes abortion rights, and the Republican president’s first-term appointees to the Supreme Court provided the margins in the 2022 ruling that struck down the Roe v. Wade decision that had established a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy. And in February 2025, Trump signed an executive order designed to lower the costs of in vitro fertilization. Ocasio-Cortez sponsored a Democratic bill in 2022, when the party controlled the House, to codify abortion rights into federal law after the Supreme Court’s abortion decision. As part of her weekend announcement, Ocasio-Cortez noted that women — in politics and other fields — face different standards and scrutiny about their family status. “Men run for office, or frankly they in9.6” terview for jobs, and people don’t think in the back of their minds, ‘OK, this guy’s running for office, how old is he? Oh, well, is he going to want to start a family?’” she said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaking with attendees at a “Fight Oligarchy” rally in Tempe, Arizona in 2025. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

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@HARLEMWEEK

30

YEARS OF MAXWELL HARLEM DAY AUGUST 16th

SPECIAL TRIBUTES @ HARLEM WEEK 2026 CELEBRATING THREE DECADES OF TIMELESS MUSIC

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CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

TWO DAYS OF FAMILY FUN, LEARNING & COMMUNITY Celebrate HARLEM WEEK at our FREE NYC 2-Day Children's Festival—where children and families come together for a weekend of culture, creativity, learning and fun. Enjoy live entertainment, interactive games, arts & crafts, face painting, sports clinics, wellness activities, educational experiences, back-to-school resources, community exhibits, food and family fun. AUGUST 15 + 16, 2026 Festival Opens at 12:00 PM HOWARD BENNETT PLAYGROUND W 135TH ST BETWEEN MALCOLM X BLVD + 5TH AVE HARLEM, NYC

DON'T MISS THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL PARADE! THEME Honoring Our Legacy: Passing the Torch—An Intergenerational Journey Featuring youth groups, marching bands, step teams, dancers and cultural organizations celebrating Harlem's legacy through music, movement and community. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2026 Gathering: 11:00 AM W 135TH ST & ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. BLVD., HARLEM, NYC HARLEMWEEK.ORG

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22 • August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026

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‘A Great Day In Harlem’ Takes Over 122nd & Riverside Drive

By NAFISSATOU YATTASSAYE Special to the AmNews It was a warm day but a great day in Harlem. As HARLEM WEEK, the annual summer festival celebrating Black culture, excellence, and heritage, approaches its midway point, the fun continues. ‘A Great Day In Harlem’ took place Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Ulysses S. Grant National Memorial Plaza from 12-7 p.m. The day featured music, vendors, and community programming, beginning with The International Village, where businesses and artisans offered international cuisine, handcrafted goods, and local fashion. Among the vendors were Soma Fashion, founded by Harlem resident Adama, with bags handcrafted in Senegal honoring West African culture. Clymer Metal Crafts, led by master silversmith Walter Clymer, a HARLEM WEEK staple since 2013- 2014, using fine silver from then to now, his partner shared and NURILENS, Dr. Juillet Nelson’s handcrafted eyewear line, attending for the first time. Nelson said she “discov-

A Great Day In Harlem, August 8. (Nafissatou Yattassaye photos)

ered that gamers wear blue-light-blocking glasses to protect their eyes from sitting in front of a screen for hours, and I thought it would be a great value add to students and professionals.” Community organizations such as Rethink Food also participated with Harlem food locations such as Manna’s, using money raised to make and give food throughout Harlem. Performances included spoken word artist Impact, African Mean Girls dance performances, and a Tony Bennett tribute to Richard Smallwood. A Great Day In Harlem brought together

Lahu Lend a Hand Uganda USA

Lend a Hand Uganda-USA presents

BBQ for a Cause

In support of our adopted school’s Chicken Coop Project in Uganda Saturday, September 19 • 5-10 PM Central Harlem • Near Strivers’ Row

Food + Open Bar Included

Good food. Great company. Lasting impact. Connecting Harlem & Uganda through community and impact.

Scan for tickets lahu-usa.org/events/bbq

all ages, races, and generations to celebrate legacy and support the Harlem community. As Ina Louise Morris, a long-time HARLEM WEEK supporter and representative of the Black Film Festival organization, said, “I feel really connected to HARLEM WEEK;

many good memories were formed here and will remain with me for a lifetime.” For more events, check out www.harlemweek.com for in-person and live-streamed events; only in Harlem can you celebrate for two weeks straight!

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August 13, 2026 - August 19, 2026 • 23

CL ASSIFIED ADS 100 PUBLIC NOTICES

RULES AND REGULATIONS CANCELLATIONS must be made in writing by 12 Noon Monday. 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. Rates and regulations subject to change without notice. No agreements as to position or regulations, other than those printed on this. Til forbid orders charged for rate earned. Increases or decreases in space take the rate of a new advertisement. 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

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK, STORMFIELD CAPITAL FUNDING I, LLC , Plaintiff, against 2647 BROADWAY APTS LLC; JONAH BAMBERGER; AMIR HELDI; ZVI CHALAMISH; AMACO MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION INC; IMP PLUMBING HEATING CORP; NYC FIRE SERVICES GUARDS LLC; CITY OF NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK; and JOHN DOE NO. 1 THROUGH JOHN DOE NO. XXX, inclusive, the last thirty names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises described in the complaint, Defendants. INDEX NO. 850438/2025. TO DEFENDANTS JONAH BAMBERGER AND AMIR HELDI: You are hereby summoned to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. The basis of venue is the location of the subject property, which is New York County, New York. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an Order of Francis A. Kahn, III, a Justice of the Supreme court, dated April 16, 2026, and filed with the supporting papers in the New York County Clerk’s Office. This is an action to foreclose on the property known as 2647-2649 Broadway, New York, New York 10025, legal description: Block 1872 and Lot 52 of the New York County Tax Assessment Map in the Borough of Manhattan, State of New York. The relief sought is the finding that Plaintiff has a first and best lien on the property; an Order finding that Plaintiff has the legal right and is authorized to foreclose on the Property; an Order finding the such foreclosure will vest in the purchaser thereat free and clear title to the Property, free of any and all interests that are or might be asserted by the De-

fendants; an Order that Plaintiff has the right to credit bid at such foreclosure sale any and all amounts due to Plaintiff under the Loan Documents; an Order directing that the Sheriff of New York County, New York, or any referee appointed in this action, foreclose the Property and deliver the title to the successful bidder at such foreclosure; an Order directing how to apply the proceeds of the sale; an Order that Borrower has no right of redemption or reinstatement with respect to the Property; and an Order finding that Plaintiff has preserved its right to pursue any deficiency that may exist. Dated: April 27, 2026, POLSINELLI PC, Aaron P. Davis, Esq., Attorneys for Plaintiff STORMFIELD CAPITAL FUNDING I, LLC, 600 Third Avenue, 42nd Floor, New York, New York 10016, adavis@polsinelli.com, (212) 803-9918.

(LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Shakeem E. Holmes: Shakeemh@ yahoo.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

06/10/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 370 Lexington Ave., 23rd Fl., NY, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Academy I Charter School Board of Trustees will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 4:30 PM at 245 West 129th Street, New York, NY.

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. Notice of formation of Good Timing Platform, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/11/2025. 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 Good Timing Platform, LLC: 110 West 40th Street, Suite 1500, New York, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Prompt Studios, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/02/2026. 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 Prompt Studios, LLC: 140 Broadway 28th Floor New York, NY 10005. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Revolutionary Therapeutic Services, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/30/2026. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company

Notice of formation of Lindi Gordon Photography LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/02/2026. 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 ZenBusiness: RA@ ZenBusiness.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. GALLIUM PRESS LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/03/26. 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, 15 West 67th Street, Suite 4FW, New York, NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of WHITTINGHAM LAW PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/29/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of PLLC: 3 Columbus Circle, Fl. 15, NY, NY 10019. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the PLLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Law. SKYLARK TALENT MANAGEMENT, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 07/16/2024. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 192 East 3rd Street, Apt, 4A, New York, NY 10009. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of CANNON MADISON LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/26/26. 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 VCW JV, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on

Notice of Formation of PHIPPS SOLAR I, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/04/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Phipps Houses, 257 Park Ave. South, 12th Fl., NY, NY 10010. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of LUCID MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/10/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 1 Saint St., Apt. 2, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of 65 CPW 1G LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/02/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Cindy Kadet, 65 Central Park West, Apt. 1G, NY, NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful activity. 108 HIGH POND RD LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/03/26. 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, 251 Central Park West, Apartment 8A, New York, NY 10024. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Authority of RLB Official LLC. App. for Auth. filed with SSNY on 12/3/25. Offc. Loc: NY Cty. SSNY desig. for service of process. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, c/o Square Seven Management, LLC, 15 E 26th St, Ste 602, NY, NY 10010. Purpose: any lawful purpose This is to announce that the next open meeting of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise

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 Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 4:30 PM at 245 West 129th Street, New York, NY. Notice of formation of Anil R Shah Medical NYC PLLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/ Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/26/2025. Off. loc.: NY Cnty. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 519 E. 87th St., Apt. D, New York, NY 10128. Purpose: Any lawful activity. M/WBE bids sought for 399 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on August 17th. Contact bidding@ taxaceny.com for details. NOTICE TO BIDDERS Pursuant to resolution adopted by the Town Board, The Town of Babylon, Commissioner of General Services, Division of Purchasing will receive sealed proposals for: BID NO. 26G61 SUPPLY & INSTALL KENNEL TOPS, SHOR-LINE OR EQUAL AT TOWN OF BABYLON ANIMAL SHELTER Until 10:00 AM on THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 at Babylon Town Hall, 200 E. Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst, New York, 11757, at which time they will be publicly opened and read in the Division of Purchasing office. Bids may be hand delivered or mailed to the above address. Bids will not be accepted after 10:00 A.M. on the date of bid opening. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED. Do not remove any pages, all bids are to be submitted intact. For information call (631) 9573025. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bidding and contract documents may be obtained on the Town’s website, https://bidsapp.townofbabylon. com on and after 9:00 AM on THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2026. Each Proposal must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Bid Bond made payable to the Town of Babylon, in the amount

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101 LEGAL NOTICES of, five percent (5%) of the total bid comparison price. Special NOTE: This project shall be funded in part through the New York State Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. A combined goal of 30% for New York State Certified Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Owned Business Enterprises and a 6% Service Disable Veterans Owned Business Enterprise have been established for this project. Bidders shall demonstrate their good-faith efforts to achieve this goal. An apprenticeship program approved by the New York State Department of Labor is required for all Public Work Projects in excess of $250,000. This requirement applies to all prime contractors and their respective sub-contractors, regardless of the sub-contract amount. Failure to comply with any of these requirements may be cause for your bid to be rejected. The Town of Babylon encourages minority and women owned businesses to participate in all bids. Joseph Ferrandino Commissioner of General Services Date: 08/13/2026 M/WBE bids sought for 62-11 Beach Channel Drive, Queens, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on August 17th. Contact bidding@ taxaceny.com for details SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTYHILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. TALIA N. PLAUT, Deft. - Index # 850015/2025. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 28, 2026, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 0.047201260419194% tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as 48TH STREET VACATION SUITES located at 12 East 48th Street, New York, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $23,658.41 plus costs and interest as of March 4, 2026. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Pursuant to resolution adopted by the Town Board, The Town of Babylon, Commissioner of General Services, Division of Purchasing will receive sealed proposals for: BID NO. 26G60 SUPPLY OF VARIOUS APPLICANCES, ACCESSORIES AND

101 LEGAL NOTICES SMALL EQUIPMENT FOR TOWN OF BABYLON ANIMAL SHELTER Until 10:00 AM on THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 at Babylon Town Hall, 200 E. Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst, New York, 11757, at which time they will be publicly opened and read in the Division of Purchasing office. Bids may be hand delivered or mailed to the above address. Bids will not be accepted after 10:00 A.M. on the date of bid opening. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED. Do not remove any pages, all bids are to be submitted intact. For information call (631) 9573025. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bidding and contract documents may be obtained on the Town’s website, https://bidsapp.townofbabylon.com on and after 9:00 AM on THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2026. Special NOTE: This project shall be funded in part through the New York State Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. A combined goal of 30% for New York State Certified Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Owned Business Enterprises and a 6% Service Disable Veterans Owned Business Enterprise Goal have been established for this project. Bidders shall demonstrate their good-faith efforts to achieve this goal. Failure to comply with any of these requirements may be cause for your bid to be rejected. The Town of Babylon encourages minority and women owned businesses to participate in all bids. Joseph Ferrandino Commissioner of General Services Date: 08/13/2026 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS SUCCESSOR TO LASALLE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HOLDERS OF THE MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-FF2, Plaintiff AGAINST JOSE BUCO A/K/A JOSE H. BUCO A/K/A JOSE SANDY H. BUCO A/K/A JOSE SANDY HAYAG BUCO; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 3, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, see posted location outside room 130, at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on September 15, 2026 at 2:15 pm, premises known as 350 West 42nd Street Unit 57D,

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101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

New York, NY 10036. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County, City and State of New York, Block: 1032 lot: 1517. Approximate amount of judgment $3,064,889.44 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850001/2023. For sale information, please visit ServiceLink Auction at https:// www.servicelinkauction.com or call (866) 539-4173. Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 SPSJC189 90984

Referee will sell at public auction in Room 130 at the

SUANT TO ARTICLE 9-B OF THE REAL PROPERTY LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (THE “CONDOMINIUM ACT”);

reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee's attorney, or the Referee.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK , Mary Djurasevic , Plaintiff, vs . Marcy Ellin Boucher, a/k/a Marcy Ellen Boucher, a/k/a Marcy E. Boucher a/k/a Marcy Boucher ET AL. , Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion dated January 30 , 2025, and duly entered May 21, 2025 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Court, Room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on September 15th at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 406 West 25 th Street, New York, N.Y. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of New York, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 722 and Lot 45. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850003/2024. Approximate amount of judgment is $5,298,632.71, together with interest and costs. Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., Referee Law Offices of Morrison Cohen LLP, Joaquin Ezcurra, Esq., 909 Third Avenue, 27 th Floor, New York, NY 10022-4784, (212) 735-8600 SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK JG FUNDING CORP., Plaintiff -against- 1363 FIRST OWNER LLC; 453 EAST 83RD STREET LLC; PERL WEISZ; CHESKIE WEISZ; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; SHARESTATES INVESTMENTS, LLC; LEVON CAPITAL LLC; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #99,”, Defendant(s). Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale dated October 4, 2024 and entered on October 15, 2024, I, the undersigned

portico of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on September 8, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., the premises known as 1363 1ST AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021; Block 1448, Lot 24 and 453 E 83RD STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10028; Block 1563, Lot 121 as more fully described in the complaint and Judgment. Approximate amount of lien $7,490,500.00 plus interest and costs Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850430/2023 ELAINE SHAY, ESQ., Referee MENASHE AND LAPA LLP, ATTORNEY(S) FOR PLAINTIFF 400 RELLA BLVD., SUITE 190, SUFFERN, NY 10901 DATED: June 22, 2026 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK MEB LOAN TRUST VII, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE, -againstLEWIS WU, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York on January 3, 2025, wherein MEB LOAN TRUST VII, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE is the Plaintiff and LEWIS WU, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the NEW YORK COUNTY CIVIL SUPREME COURTHOUSE, 60 CENTRE STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10007, on September 8, 2026 at 2:15PM, premises known as 80 ELIZABETH ST, UNIT 6J, A/K/A 80 ELIZABETH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10013; and the following tax map identification: 1-2391075. THE CONDOMINIUM UNIT (THE “UNIT”) KNOWN AS UNIT NO. 6J IN THE BUILDING (THE “BUILDING”) KNOWN AS THE ROYAL ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM (THE “CONDOMINIUM”) AND BY THE STREET NUMBER 80 ELIZABETH STREET, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, COUNTY, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK, SAID UNIT BEING DESIGNATED AND DESCRIBED BY THE ABOVE UNIT NO. 6J, IN A CERTAIN DECLARATION DATED SEPTEMBER 12, 1990, MADE BY 159 HESTER STREET REALTY ASSOCIATES, L.P., PUR-

TOGETHER WITH AN UNDIVIDED 0.8358% INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS; 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, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 850209/2016. Scott H. Siller, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. M/WBE bids sought for 588 Thomas S Boyland Street construction project. A scope meeting will be held on August 17th. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details. M/WBE bids sought for 5304 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Queens, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on August 17th. Contact bidding@ taxaceny.com for details NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , CITIMORTGAGE, INC. , Plaintiff, vs. NICOLE M. CHRISTIE, ET AL., Defendant (s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 21, 2025 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 September 1, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 300 W 135TH STREET, UNIT 7E, NEW YORK, NY 10030. The Condominium Unit (the “Unit”) in the Building known as Strivers Gardens Condominium located at and known as by street number 300 West 135 th Street, New York, New York, Block: 1959, Lot: 1053 formerly part of lot 31 with an undivided .4094 percent interest in Common Elements of the Condominium. Approximate amount of judgment is $136,087.19 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850043/2024. If the sale is set aside for any

SOFIA BALILE, Esq., Referee Halliday, Watkins & Mann, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK LAELIA, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST LUIS ROYER, HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LUIS A. ROYER; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 20, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, see posted location outside room 130, at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on August 25, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 68 Bradhurst Avenue, Unit 8D, New York, NY 10039. 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, County and State of New York, Block: 2045 Lot: 1136. Approximate amount of judgment $771,297.43 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #113514/2009. Georgia Papazis, Esq, Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 LHFJC040 90091 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK Index No. 153744/2026 Purchased: 3-252026 SUMMONS Address of Subject Premises: Unit PH3-D 222 Riverside Drive New York, New York 10025Block: 1253 Lot: 1172 BOARD OF MANAGERS OF 222 RIVERSIDE DRIVE CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff, -againstPATRICK VIDAVER, Defendant. To the Above Named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the complaint of the plaintiff in this action and to serve a copy of your answer on the plaintiff's attorneys at the address indicated below within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons (not counting the day of service itself) or within thirty (30) days after ser-vice is complete if this Summons is not delivered personally to you within the State of New York. You are hereby notified that, should you fail to answer or appear, a judgment will be entered against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. The basis of the venue designated is the county in which the subject of the action is situated, as required by CPLR § 507. Dated:

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New York New York March 24, 2026 The Grun Law Group, P.C. By: Karen E. McArthur, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff 424 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, New York 10017 (212) 973-3332 kmcarthur@grunlawgroup.com NOTICE: This is an action to foreclose on a statutory lien for unpaid condominium common charges. The relief sought is to have the condominium unit described below sold according to law, and that the proceeds arising from the sale be brought into court, and that there be paid therefrom, insofar as the monies properly applicable thereto will pay the same, the expenses of the sale and the other sums due to plaintiff pursuant to the lien, together with interest, attorneys' fees and disbursements of this action to the date of payment. The subject of this action is the following property:

ignates New York County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject premises is situated in New York County. To the above named Defendants– YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance upon the Plaintiff's attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the date of service or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. If you fail to so appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated July 9, 2026. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME – If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (CITY NATIONAL BANK) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Francis A. Kahn III J.S.C. Dated: July 9, 2026 Filed: July 9, 2026. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 493 Manhattan Avenue, New York, NY 10027. Dated: June 16, 2026 Filed: July 27, 2026 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Raspreet Bhatia, Esq.1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105 P: (212) 5245000 F: (212) 524-5050 (No Service by fax)

$58,196.37 plus costs and interest as of December 30, 2025. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Christy M. Demelfi, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY.

Sangha. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/04/2026. 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 Florence Homolka: 110 W 86th St # Apt 5D. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of 360 Event Supplies, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/21/2026. 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 The LLC: 228 Park Avenue South #201242 New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

The condominium unit known as Apartment PH3-D at 222 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025; Block 1253, Lot 1172 SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. ROBERT WALDEN, Deft. - Index # 850171/2025. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 18, 2026, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the New York County Courthouse located at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 0.0171734803822393% tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as 48TH STREET VACATION SUITES located at 12 East 48th Street, New York, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $62,445.21 plus costs and interest as of April 14, 2026. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale which includes annual maintenance fees and charges. Harvey Steven Mars, Esq., Referee. Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston, & Zimet LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 341 Conklin Street, Farmingdale, NY. SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS– SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK – CITY NATIONAL BANK, Plaintiff, -against- BRENT BOYCE AKA BRENT T. BOYCE, if he be living and if he be dead, the respective heirs-at-law, nextof-kin, distributes, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, lien or otherwise any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the complaint; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, Defendants - Index No. 850569/2025 Plaintiff Des-

SUPREME COURT-NEW YORK COUNTY- HILTON RESORTS CORP., Pltf. v. ROWENA VILLAMAR, Deft. - Index # 850088/2025. Pursuant to Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 28, 2026, I will sell at public auction in Room 130 of the NY County Courthouse located 60 Centre Street, NY, NY on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 2:15 pm, an interest of an undivided 0.07412762675592057% tenant in common interest in the timeshare known as Phase II of HNY CLUB SUITES located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York. Approximate amount of judgment is

Notice of formation of Cavu Books LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/10/2026. 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 Elizabeth Anne Savery: 105 West 13 Street, Apt. 16D, New York, NY 10011. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of WSA Culinary LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/11/2026. 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 c/o United Agent Group Inc.: 600 Mamaroneck Avenue #400, Harrison, NY 10528. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Manvi Mittal PR. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/19/2026. 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 Manvi Mittal: manvimittal.pr@gmail. com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Fushia Financials, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/16/2021. 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 The LLC: 99 Wall Street Ste 5301, New York, NY 10005. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of VELOR FILMS, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/27/2026. 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 Northwest Registered Agent LLC: 418 Broadway, STE N Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Sutra

Notice of formation of DROPPINGJEMZ LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/05/2026. 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 LEGALZOOM USCA, INC. 45 MAIN STREET, SUITE 238 BROOKLYN, NY, 11201, USA: DROPPINGEMZLLC@outloo. com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of 10 Topaz EH, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/22/2026. 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 Andrew Koff: PO Box 111 New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Platinum Lux LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/26/26. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Jose David Mora: 2600 Marion Avenue. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Litmatic, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/02/2026. 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 Kenneth Musante: 127 W83rd St, #227, New York NY, 10024. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of DEMI LINGO STUDIO LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/18/2026. 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 Demi Lingo: 6634 108th Street Apt. 2B, Forest Hills, New York 11375. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/18/2026. 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 Mohammad Sadeghi Ghahareh: m.sadeghi@msgwe. com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Imagine F&B NYC LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/07/2026. 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 REGISTERED AGENT SOLUTIONS, INC.: 99 WASHINGTON AVENUE, SUITE 1008, ALBANY, NY, 12260. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of KW Consulting LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/19/2026. 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 Kaizheng Wang: 500 W 120th St #419, New York, NY 10027. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Brookdale Farms LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/02/2026. 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 Matt DeGraw: 2 Brookdale Place, Rye, NY 10580. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Douceur from the heart LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/1/2026. 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 the State of New York: 356 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10075. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

101 LEGAL NOTICES Notice of formation of Julia Stevens LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/14/2026. 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 Julia Stevens: 82 IRVING PL, 6A, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Aura Medical Management LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/09/2026. 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 Zhaonan Wang: 9 SHADETREE LANE, ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NY, 11577. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of MACLLAREN & CO. BARBERS N.Y. LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/19/2026. 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 New York Secretary of State: 35 E 1ST ST, WEST STOREFRONT, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Verse Architecture PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/01/2026. 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 Dyuthi Prakash: 1350 Ave of the Americas, Fl 2-1047. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Qualification of SUREGO TECHOLOGIES LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/01/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed on 04/20/2026. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Registered Agent Solutions, Inc: 195 Canal St Suite 203 New York, NY 10013. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 1603 Capitol Ave Suite 310 Cheyenne, WY 82001 Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Qualification of Alexander White Agnecy, LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/01/2026. Office location: New York County

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(Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed on 07/30/2013. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Alexander White: 12 E 49th Street, Floor 11, New York, NY 10017. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 999 Peachtree Street NE , Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30309 Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Radio Man, LLC at PO Box 778, NY, NY 10013. Reg. Agent: eResidentAgent, Inc. 1 Rockefeller Plaza Ste 1204, NY, NY 10020. P/B/A: 205 Hudson St, Ste 1002, NY, NY 10013. Purpose: any lawful activity.

filed with Secy. of State of FL located at R.A. Gray Building, 500 S Bronough St, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Purpose: any lawful activity

PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39098

5, 2011, made by the sponsor pursuant to Article 9-B of the real property law of the State of New York (the “Condominium Act”), establishing a plan for condominium ownership of the Building and land (the “Land”) upon which the Building is situate, which declaration was recorded in the New York County Office of the Register of The City of New York on December 30, 2011, as CRFN 2011000453432, as amended by first amendment to declaration dated as of April 10, 2012, recorded June 27, 2012, as CRFN 2012000254472 (which declaration and amendment thereto are collectively referred to as the “Declaration”). These Units are also designated as tax lots (see attached Unit Schedule) in block 1028 of the Borough of Manhattan on the tax map of the Real Property Assessment Department of The City of New York and on the floor plans as filed with said assessment departments as condominium plan no. 2306 and also filed in the City Register’s Office on December 28, 2011, maps recorded on December 30, 2011, as CRFN 2011000453433, as amended by condominium plan no. 2306A, maps recorded on June 27, 2012 as CRFN 2012000254473. TOGETHER with an undivided interest in the general common elements (as such term is defined in the Declaration) (see below “Unit Schedule”). 224 WEST 57 LEASEHOLD CONDOMINIUM UNIT SCHEDULE

and is further subject to the provision of the Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850134/2024. JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee New York, NY 10019

Notice of Qualification of Highmark Building Systems LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/02/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed on 11/26/2025. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Highmark Building Systems LLC: 49 West 45th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801 Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF STUDIO JONES DESIGN LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/12/26. Office Loc. New York County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Studio Jones Design LLC at 340 E 66th St, Apt 3G, NY, NY 10065. Reg. Agent: eResidentAgent, Inc.1 Rockefeller Plaza Ste 1204, NY, NY 10020. P/B/A: 340 E 66th St, Apt 3G, NY, NY 10065. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Restorative Retreats, LLC . Arts. of Org. filed w/ Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/13/2026 . Off. loc.: New York Cnty. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 220 East 65th St, #11EF, New York, NY 10065. Purpose: Any lawful activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF VNESS, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/19/26. Office Loc. NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Vness, LLC at 1001 Ave of the Americas, 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10018. Reg. Agent: eResidentAgent, Inc. 1 Rockefeller Plaza Ste 1204, NY, NY 10020. P/B/A: 1001 Ave of the Americas, 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10018. Purpose: any lawful activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF RADIO MAN, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/29/26. Office Loc. NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon

169 OXFORD BLVD LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/2/2026. 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: c/o St. Marks Hotel, 2 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: any lawful act. VTID LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect'y of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/6/2025. 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, 2 Cornelia St, Apt 801, New York, NY 10014. Purpose: any lawful act. HOMES AND MORE LLC. App. for Auth. filed with the SSNY on 06/25/26. Originally filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on 06/22/26. 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, 122 East 42nd Street, Ste 2405, New York, NY 10168. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. HIGH FALLS PARTNERS LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 02/09/2026. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 500 W 30th St Apt 18C, New York, NY 10001. United States Corporation Agents, Inc. desig. as agent for SOP 7014 13TH Avenue , Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Any lawful purpose. YS NEXUS LAW PLLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 05/28/2026. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of PLLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 1608 Nogales Street, Suite C13, Rowland Heights, CA 91748. Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF MILLS VINTAGE LLC. Appl. for Auth. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/3/26. Office Loc. NY County. LLC formed in FL on 12/11/14. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: MILLS VINTAGE LLC at PO Box 65063, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Reg. Agent: eResidentAgent, Inc. 1 Rockefeller Plaza Ste 1204, NY, NY 10020. P/B/A: 2532 Garfield St, Hollywood, FL 33020. Cert. of LLC

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF SUKHADAA NY, LLC. Appl. for Auth. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/21/26. Office Loc. New York County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 7/21/26. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: Sukhadaa NY, LLC at 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., #946, Studio City, CA 91604. Reg. Agent: eResidentAgent, Inc.1 Rockefeller Plaza Ste 1204, NY, NY 10020. DE address of LLC is 500 Delaware Ave., 903, Wilmington, DE 19801. P/B/A: 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., #946, Studio City, CA 91604. Cert. of LLC filed with Secy. of State of DE located at 401 Federal St, 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activity NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -against- MEMG INTERNATIONAL, LTD, A REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUS COMPANY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 28, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on September 1, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .015838% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $73,393.97 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850124/2023. JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY - MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK. QPTF LLC, Plaintiff against 224 SAPPHIRE LLC, et al., Defendant(s). Pursuant to that certain Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision + Order on Motion dated May 28, 2026 and entered on June 5, 2026, , as amended by the Order Correcting the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated July 21, 2026 (collectively, the “Judgment”), I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises as follows. Parcel I: Overall Description 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, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the Easterly side of Broadway with the Southerly side of 57th Street; RUNNING THENCE Easterly along the Southerly side of 57th Street, 141 feet 4 inches to a point on the Southerly side of 57th Street distant 310 feet 1 inch Westerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Southerly side of 57th Street with the Westerly side of Seventh Avenue; THENCE Southerly parallel with Seventh Avenue and along a line forming an exterior angle of 90 degrees 05 minutes 00 seconds with the last mentioned course, 116 feet 10 ¼ inches to the Northerly line of land heretofore conveyed by the Century Realty Bond and Trust Company to The Broadway Tabernacle Society; THENCE Westerly along the Northerly line of said land conveyed to the said Broadway Tabernacle Society and along a line forming an interior angle of 96 degrees 09 minutes 35 seconds with the last mentioned course, 91 feet 3 3/8 inches to a point on the Easterly side of Broadway distant 80 feet Northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Easterly side of Broadway with the Northerly side of 56th Street, measured along the said Easterly side of Broadway; and THENCE Northerly along the Easterly side of Broadway, 136 feet 2 1/8 inches to the point of place of BEGINNING Parcel II: Block 1028 Lots 1101, 1103, 1104, 1106 The Condominium Units (the “Units”) in the building (the “Building”) known as The 224 West 57 Leasehold Condominium said Units being designated and described as (see attached “Unit Schedule”) in a certain declaration dated December

Units Tax Lot Percentage Interest in General Common Elements OFF 1101 96.7500% RET-A 1103 2.4672% RET-B 1104 0.7827% ROOF 1106 0.0001% For information only: Old Tax Lots 45, 47, 48, 49 and 50 which became base tax lot 47 n/k/a Tax Lots 1101, 1103, 1104, and 1106 f/k/a tax Lots 1101 through 1106. Interested bidders must appear at the aforementioned location, time, and day of the public auction with at least ten percent (10%) of the sum bid, with all certified and bank checks made payable to Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., as referee. Interest bidders who do not appear with funds, pursuant to the Foreclosure Judgment, may not be permitted to bid or otherwise participate in the auction. The approximate amount of the lien, pursuant to the Foreclosure Judgment is $158,741,981.64 plus interest and costs. Said premises (the “Premises”) will be sold together as a single parcel

Holland & Knight LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 787 Seventh Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10019 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstTHIRUNAVUKARASU THAYAPARAN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 12, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $26,609.81 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850293/2023. DORON LEIBY, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39268 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -against- MARY C. REGAN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 21, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse,

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60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on September 15, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .009864% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $74,553.96 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850166/2023. ROBERTA ASHKIN, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39133

to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 453275/2022. TOM KLEINBERGER, ESQ., Referee Offit Kurman, P.A. Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 590 Madison Ave, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022

undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided .009864% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block: 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $16,974.11 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850321/2023. HARVEY STEVEN MARS, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39174

East 74 th Street, Medical Unit No. 1, New York, New York. Approximate amount of lien $251,391.84 plus attorney’s fees and costs as awarded in the judgment, along with interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 156127/2024 JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee Levin & Glasser, P.C., Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 551 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 1200, New York, NY 10176

against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

900, Springfield, VA 22150. 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. Cert. of Form. filed with Commissioner, 333 Willoughby Ave., 9th Fl., Juneau, AK 99801. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. TICO INVESTMENT VEHICLE VIII, LP., Plaintiff -against- GOJKO BARICEVIC, MARCIA BARICEVIC, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated June 15, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on August 25, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the southerly side of 32nd Avenue, distant 100.75 feet westerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the southerly side of 32nd Avenue with the westerly side of Jordan Street; being a plot 100 feet by 23.25 feet by 100 feet by 23.25 feet. Block: 6024 Lot: 15 Said premises known as 198-32 32ND AVENUE, FLUSHING, NY 11358 Approximate amount of Judgment $3,739,319.68 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -againstPEARLIE DIANE MANNING A/K/A DIANE MANNING AS HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT L. MANNING, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 8, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on September 15, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant-in-common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $28,982.63 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850082/2023. HARVEY STEVEN MARS, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39064 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff -against- JODY ANNE FLEISCHMANN, THEODORE WILLIAM FLEISCHMANN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 14, 2026, I, the

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK BOARD OF MANAGERS OF SAGA HOUSE CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff -against- HANNA JESIONOWSKA PRACTICE L.L.C , et. al., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 8, 2025 and entered on September 10, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on September 1, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., in the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York, New York 10007, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, or at such other location within the Courthouse as may be designated by the Clerk of the Court and/ or the Office of Court Administration, the premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known as Medical Unit No. 1 in the condominium building known as "Saga House Condominium" together with an undivided 6.19% interest in the common elements as described in the Declaration of Saga House Condominium. Block 1409 and Lot 1001. Said premises known as 157

Notice of Formation of SWIRL PROJECTS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/26/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 41 Fifth Ave., Apt. 15A, NY, NY 10003. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Isabelle D. Conner at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of RHODES CREDIT PARTNERS II LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/23/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 120 W. 45th St., 2nd Fl., NY, NY 10036. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of 130E6312B, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/26/26. 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 JOANNA VARGAS MANAGEMENT LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/08/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 501 5th Ave., Fl. 3, NY, NY 10017. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of OFF THE COUCH CLUB HOLDINGS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/24/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/23/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 40 E. 83rd St., Apt. 6S, NY, NY 10028. DE addr. of LLC: 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 DATAMINER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/18/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Dr. Albert Sebag, 145 East 76th St., Apt. 5A, NY, NY 10021. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of AVID RISK PARTNERS, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/16/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: Avid Holdings, LLC, 14 East 33rd St., Ste. 7S, NY, NY 10016. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of CIG DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/17/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/11/25. Princ. office of LLC: 2101 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 525, Arlington, VA 22201. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Attn: Marisa McGaughey at the princ. office of the LLC. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808-1674. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of STRETCH WANNIGAN 2, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/30/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 97 Perry St., Apt. 4, NY, NY 10014. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process

Notice of Qualification of BOWHEAD MISSION SOLUTIONS, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/21/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Alaska (AK) on 01/23/14. Princ. office of LLC: 6564 Loisdale Ct., Ste.

Notice of Qualification of SARA ADLER ADVISORY, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/23/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/27/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 40 E. 83rd St., Apt. 6S, NY, NY 10028. DE addr. of LLC: 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 GOLAN CONSULTING LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/11/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/22/26. Princ. office of LLC: 217 W 18th St. #81, NY, NY 10113. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. DE addr. of LLC: c/o Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of DE, Dept. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of BLACKSTONE TACTICAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND (VG CO-INVEST) L.P. Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/15/26. Office location: NY County. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 05/28/26. Princ. office of LP: 345 Park Ave., NY, NY 10154. Duration of LP is Perpetual. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Name and addr. of each general partner are available from SSNY. DE addr. of LP: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of LP filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of 5FLR23, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on

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charges, it created an even deeper rupture in his relationship with Malcolm. This set in motion an anti-Malcolm cabal that, in the words of Ella Collins, included supreme captain Raymond Sharrieff and two of Muhammad’s children, Herbert and Ethel. They forged the Chicago clique that would eventually bring a reluctant Louis X (later known as Louis Farrakhan) into the fold. The deal against Malcolm was sealed after his “chickens coming home to roost” statement after the assassination of President Kennedy. “No matter the accuracy of Malcolm’s statement, the Chicago crew had the smoking gun they had longed for,” the memoir concluded. “Malcolm was suspended. The split was made public, but Ms. Collins believed that Muhammad would not have suspended Malcolm for the comment if he was acting on his own

Immigration Continued from page 14

may postpone seeing a doctor; some may avoid hospitals altogether; some may wait until a manageable illness becomes a medical crisis. That may never have been the intention of Florida’s law. But history has shown that fear rarely announces itself with handcuffs or headlines. More often, it begins

Jazz

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07/10/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/09/26. Princ. office of LLC: 211 S Main St., Joplin, MO 64801-2307. 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 CHARTBOOST, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/06/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 12/10/24. Princ. office of LLC: 26 O'Farrell St., 10th Fl., San Francisco, CA 94108. 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: Mobile in-app programmatic advertising and monetization platform. Notice of Qualification of AI Infrastructure OpCo II, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/01/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/04/26. Princ. office of LLC: 500 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105. 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, DE Div. of Corps., PO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

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said the crew had convinced Muhammad that Malcolm was a serious threat to the NOI that ‘had cut a deal with white supremacists and to money continuing to pour into headquarters.’” A lot more would have been known about the split if, according to the memoir, Betty had not ordered the destruction of Malcolm’s papers, especially the conflict and turmoil with Muhammad and the Chicago faction. Of all the research and books about Malcolm and his life, “Seventh Child” has not received the attention it deserves; along with the declassified FBI and CIA files, it would fill in the blanks and possibly raise even more questions about Malcolm’s consequential life. Yes, John Ali is with the ancestors — he died on July 26 at 98 — and whether that’s good or bad, he is no longer around to hear all the accusations about his antipathy toward Malcolm and connections to federal agencies. quietly — with a question, hesitation, a second thought. Sometimes it begins with a simple phone call, when a patient seeking medical care is asked about immigration status before anyone ever asks: “How are you feeling?” 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

ing the end of jazz. Every generation worries that the music has drifted too far from its roots. Then another generation comes along, rediscovers those roots, adds its own vocabulary, and the conversation starts all over again. Maybe that’s the point. Jazz isn’t a museum exhibit. It’s a living language. It argues with itself. It borrows. It reinvents itself. It remembers where it came from while constantly trying to discover where it can go. Which brings me back to Nina Simone. That night 57 years ago, she looked at eight young musicians who were carrying Black music somewhere new and, instead of fearing it, she smiled. Looking back, I think she understood something we’ve spent decades debating. I’ve stopped worrying about whether jazz is dying. History suggests that it never does. I do believe there is one ingredient that has always connected Louis Armstrong to Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker to Art Blakey, Betty Carter to Roy Hargrove, and, yes, even many of the young musicians finding their own voices today: Swing. However broadly the branches grow, never forget the roots.

funk band than a bad acoustic jazz quintet? Today, I find jazz in exactly the place I’d expect it to be. Jazz, in terms of swinging, seems to have mellowed among many younger musicians. There are certainly wonderful exceptions, but it also feels like another generation of groove-based bands has taken center stage. Instead of Kool & the Gang, War, and Earth, Wind, & Fire, today you have Butcher Brown, Ghost-Note, the Nth Power, the Fearless Flyers, and many others carrying that tradition forward in their own way. Meanwhile, our Latin brothers and sisters have never once broken the thread between the stage and the dance floor. They never argued over who they were. They simply kept playing the music. After spending my life looking at jazz from so many different angles, as a bassist, a broadcaster, an educator, a festival curator, an administrator, and most importantly, a fan, I think I’ve finally made peace with the question “Is this jazz?” Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is no. More often than not, the answer is, “It’s complicated.” Christian McBride is a bassist, comJazz has always grown new branches. It poser, broadcaster, educator, and 11-time always will. That’s what living art does. Grammy winner. For more info, visit chrisEvery generation believes it’s witness- tianmcbride.com.

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or privately backed Mamdani’s campaign as a result, typically with genuine enthusiasm. However, Gothamist reported surges in criminal summonses issued under the new administration earlier this year, particularly for fare evasion. When NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch was retained, so were her quality-oflife enforcement initiatives launched under former Mayor Eric Adams, which cracked down on these lower offenses, all while violent and serious crime numbers plummeted in the city. Frustrations boiled over this year among police reform advocates, particularly after a woman named Samantha Randazzo, in custody for minor charges, gave birth on a Brooklyn courtroom bench she was shackled to in May. Activist Robert Gangi, who heads a similar court-monitoring initiative year-round through his nonprofit PROP, released a report in April concluding that “the first 100 days of Mamdani’s mayoral term demonstrate how NYPD arrest practices remain as marked by a stark racial bias as the numbers we observed during Adams’s recent term. In fact, they may even be worse.” However, police reform proponents also see Mamdani as more amenable than Adams, as evidenced by a recently successful push to axe an additional police headcount increase. Many groups involved with this week’s action also participated in the efforts against the

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS NYPD hirings. They hope courtwatching will show the real human impact, as well as provide a real-time demographic snapshot of who gets funneled into courts for minor offenses, rather than relying on city data, which is released much later. When asked about it during a press conference, Mamdani said he looked forward to the release of the findings. “They're going to observe these kinds of proceedings, that's an important part of our criminal legal system,” said Mamdani. “And I've made very clear that I don't believe New Yorkers should have to choose between safety and justice. We have to be able to deliver both of these things. And, I was sharing earlier about some of the achievements that our administration is proud of when it comes to the fewest murders on record and comes to the fewest shooting incidents on record. And also, we know that every single day is an opportunity to do better. So I look forward to the findings and we'll review those.” Among the organizations was the Justice Committee, which advocates for families affected by police violence. The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and VOCAL-NY, which focus heavily on preventing overdose deaths, also participated because low-level enforcement is linked to increases in deadly opioid use. The country’s oldest public defender law firm, the Legal Aid Society, which often represents the same defendants facing these minor offenses, also participated. Toni Smith, DPA’s New York State director, recalled a small number of defendants going

up to the judge during her shift at the Manhattan courts. They were exclusively Black New Yorkers who faced minor offenses like petty larceny. “Court-watching really highlights [that] every single one of these arrests has a human impact,” said Smith. “From having to go through the trauma of being arrested, waiting [to come] before a judge … even short periods of detention can be really harmful and sometimes deadly, and that is definitely true for people who are in active substance use who don’t always receive adequate medical care when they are detained and if they go into withdrawal or experience other health complications.” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who long advocated for an agency like the Office of Community Safety, also joined the morning courtwatch. He called what he witnessed a “disconnect between what we want to see happening and what’s happening with lowlevel arrests.” “My staff saw what appeared to be an older Black gentleman who’s experiencing chronic homelessness, and from their vantage point, [he] seemed fairly incoherent,” said Williams. “He was given conditional release as long as he doesn’t have any police contact for six months. He wasn’t connected to any kind of support system or services. Seemed that he struggled to understand some of the instructions that would be given to him after, and I can almost bet that he is going to reoffend in the next six months. I don’t know [if]

Homeownership Continued from page 2

households buy their first home, and help 5,000 current lower-income homeowners keep their homes and build wealth by 2028. Dvorkin said this will require more homes for sale and support for existing homeowners. The Mamdani administration’s current housing plan, Dvorkin said, already pushes for payment assistance, the creation of permanently affordable co-ops through an Our Home initiative, the expansion of HomeFix, and support for community land trusts that allow nonprofits to take charge of land for long-term affordability. Dvorkin noted that “one of the biggest barriers isn’t just assembling the down payment; it’s also being able to afford that monthly payment at a time with significantly higher interest rates than we had just a few years ago.” On the preservation side, CUF wants scaled repair assistance, estate planning, title clearing, foreclosure prevention, deed theft counseling, and aid for multigenerational households. Dvorkin said programs do not have to be race-exclusive to aid Black homeowners. “Policies that are designed to promote neighborhood stability and wealth preservation in lower and moderate-income communities will benefit Black New Yorkers,” he said, “without necessarily having to be designated as such.”

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the system’s working to be a deterrent and folks are ending up here who actually need some kind of care and support.” On Monday afternoon in Manhattan, Freedom Agenda advocates took on shifts, including campaigns coordinator Ryan Acquaotta. The organization stems from the Campaign to Close Rikers and remains generally complimentary of the Mamdani administration’s plans to improve city jail conditions and install several leading criminal justice reform leaders into official city government positions, but its members believe these efforts start on the front end by reducing low-level enforcement and general public interaction with police. That afternoon in the Manhattan courtroom went by rather quietly, with Acquaotta jotting down details as a barely audible judge read out the charges. Each courtwatcher carried sheets to keep track of defendants, along with their race or ethnicity, gender, and charges. They also recorded whether the person in front of the judge experienced mental health or housing concerns. The findings will be published and announced on August 13 outside the Manhattan Criminal Court. Two progressive council members, Sandy Nurse and Lincoln Restler, and Democratic socialist state assemblymember Emily Gallagher are scheduled to unveil the data collected from the courtwatch. All three electeds, along with Williams, originally endorsed Mamdani last year in the Democratic primary and remain key political allies of the left-wing mayor.

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Despite a loss to the Fever, the Liberty are trending upward By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews After the New York Liberty had their way with the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces at home on Sunday at the Barclays Center, cruising to a 111-71 victory as the Aces rested A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young to the disappointment of the fans that expected to see the star trio, particularly Wilson, who entered the league’s slate of games last night first in points per game (26.3) and third in rebounds (9.8), they were the recipients of a spanking on Tuesday in Indiana. The Fever controlled the game from the outset, pushing the pace and shooting 3-pointers with frequency and proficiency in both halfcourt sets and in transition, knocking down a blistering 64% of their attempts (16-25) in taking down the Liberty 106-92. All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, arguably the most dynamic guard in the WNBA, led the Fever with 28 points, going 4-4 from behind the 3-point line, and her backcourt partner, fellow All-Star Caitlin Clark, netted 22. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 apiece for the Liberty. The Liberty, who entered Tuesday’s matchup having won seven of their previous eight games, are 20-14 and the league’s No. 7 overall seed. The 21-12 Fever are the No. 4 seed. The top eight

seeds of the league’s 15 teams will advance to the postseason. “I think everyone knows we’re not a traditional eight seed,” said Ionescu. “Even if we are an eighth seed, like we know we can go out and we’re playing our best basketball, you know, especially in a series, I feel like we can go up against anybody. But it’s also understanding how important the wins are, and we can’t let easy ones slide. And I think, you know, you look back at some of the ones we lost that we should have won and you’re like, oh, we’d be at a completely different position if we took care of those.” Liberty first-year head coach Chris DeMarco addressed the team’s defense after the Fever shot 54% (37-69) against them. “If we are going to commit to taking the paint away, which I think we’ve done a pretty good job of, as evidenced by our rebounding and our lack of putting teams on the line, I think at times, people are going to get open threes and of course we have to do a better job and get better contests, but a tough game for us in the way they shot the ball,” he said. New York Liberty legends were honored at the end of the first quarter of Sunday’s game in celebration of the franchise’s 30th season. Honorees included Liberty alumnae and current Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon, Kym Hampton, ESPN WNBA Analyst Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Weatherspoon,

and Sue Wicks. The Liberty, who will take on the Los Angeles Sparks tonight in Brooklyn, will play six more games before the 17-day league-wide break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will be held in Berlin, Germany, from September 4-13. Stewart is the lone Liberty on the U.S. roster. The Liberty will be in Connecticut to play the Sun on Sunday. This is the Sun’s final season in Connecticut, as they are moving to Houston. They will adopt the name Comets. The Comets were founded in 1997 as a WNBA charter team with Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson, and Sheryl Swoopes, as the league’s first dynasty, winning the WNBA’s first four titles and defeating the Liberty in three of the finals — 1997, 1999, and 2000. Cooper was named MVP in all four.

New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones rises for a jumper against the Las Vegas Aces at the Barclays Center on Sunday in the Liberty’s 111-71 win. (NY Liberty)

Long Island native Sydney Taylor making history in the WNBA By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the Chicago Sky, who have been without key players Rickea Jackson, Skylar Diggins, and Courtney Vandersloot for most of their schedule due to injuries. The Sky were 12-21 and the No. 11 seed in the 15-team WNBA going into their game last night on the road versus the Golden State Valkyries, seven games behind the No. 8 seed Dallas Wings, who were 19-14 and holding on to the last playoff spot. With 10 games remaining, the Sky’s playoff hopes are bleak. But one of their bright lights is rookie Sydney Taylor from South Huntington, Long Island, who was averaging 14.7 points per game before facing the Valkyries — making her the most prolific scoring undrafted rookie in WNBA history. On August 1, Taylor’s 29 points, including a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer, brought the Sky an exuberant victory over the three-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. While she grew up on Long Island and played high school basketball at St. Anthony’s, she credits her New York City grit to AAU ball, playing with the New York City Heat. “It definitely helped build my game.

I played alongside a lot of good players that really helped instill confidence in me at a young age,” Taylor said. “New York City basketball is a different type of basketball; it’s aggressive, you play confident, you play freely, and that translates onto the court.” Despite some solid results, including helping the St. Anthony Friars to CHSAA championships in her first three seasons and a state title as a freshman, she wasn’t heavily recruited. As a result, she selected the academically rigorous University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning a bachelor’s degree in public health sciences. Graduating in 2023, Taylor still had a year of eligibility, which she spent at basketball powerhouse Louisville. Undrafted by the WNBA, Taylor was committed to pursuing her dream. “I was given two great opportunities to play overseas, so I played in Lithuania and Poland,” she said. “When I’m not over there, I’m grinding every day with my trainer. Any gym we can get into, we were putting in an hour and a half on the court and then I’d probably put in another hour in the weight room or some type of conditioning. Staying ready for when my name was called.” In April, she signed a training camp contract with the Chicago Sky. Two weeks later, she scored 23 points in a preseason

Long Island product Sydney Taylor is making WNBA history with the Chicago Sky as an undrafted rookie. (Courtesy of Chicago Sky)

game. Making the roster was a dream come true. Chicago hosted the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, so her season has included participating in the activations and festivities.

“I get to live out my dream every day,” said Taylor, who will play in Turkey in the offseason. “It feels really good to be out there and to have that feeling that my teammates and coaches trust me.”

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Howard alumna Nicole Hutchison builds sports broadcasting career By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews As the NFL season approaches and college football teams ready for the fall, Nicole Hutchison deftly balances her work as team host for the Dallas Cowboys and a sideline reporter for HBCU GO, a digital platform broadcasting HBCU sports. Multitasking is nothing new to Hutchison, who as a student-athlete at Howard University balanced playing Division I tennis with internships that helped her build a resume in sports broadcasting. “When I graduated from Howard University [in 2019], I got my first job, which was at MLB Network recalled the Houston native. “I got my reel together from there to go on air. I started applying for TV jobs, and I got my first opportunity in Alexandria, Louisiana, where I was covering LSU, which won a national championship that year. I got to cover the Saints a little bit.” Hutchison’s father, Anthony Hutchison, played in the NFL, so she knows football well. Her next move was to Lexington, Kentucky, where she was a sports anchor/reporter covering the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, and high school sports for local news. In 2023, she moved to Dallas to be a team reporter and now also team host for the Cowboys. This position is year-round, including ongoing podcasts.

“We have our own in-house broadcast media team where we do shows,” Hutchison said. “I will be hosting the pregame shows and the postgame shows. I was already doing sit-down interviews with players, but now I will be doing both.” Having attended and been a studentathlete at an HBCU, she feels an affinity for the student-athletes that HBCU GO covers. In addition to sideline reporting assignments during football season, Hutchison appears on the platform’s studio show during basketball season. “For me, it’s always telling the stories,” she said. “It looks like that’s what they want to do more of, and that’s my specialty, telling the stories of athletes. Not just their successes on the field but finding interesting things about them.” The one sport she hasn’t yet covered is the sport she played. “The dream is still to be a host on the Tennis Channel,” said Hutchison, who while competing for Howard’s women’s tennis program was named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tennis All-Academic Team in 2018 and 2019. “The work with the Cowboys is so beneficial,” she added, “because the shows I get to do and the caliber of production and broadcasting they have equips me with the necessary skills. I love telling stories. I love interacting with athletes and finding the true meaning of why they do what they do.”

Former Howard University tennis standout Nicole Hutchison is forging a successful career in sports broadcasting. (Courtesy of Nicole Hutchison)

The Protect College Sports Act remains unsettled as the Senate adjourns By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Three questions that have been intensely debated regarding the Protect College Sports Act are: Who exactly is going to save college sports? From what and who is it being saved? Is the federal bill in the best interests of studentathletes or the rich and wealthy (and there is a distinction between the two) men and women who wield the power and economic might that has shaped the current college sports landscape? There is inarguably a miasma hovering over big-time college athletics which is a massive business. A report published last month by the U.S. Government Accountability Office states the 352 Division I athletic programs spent a total of $20.8 billion in the 2023-24 academic year and produced revenue of $13.1 billion. So control of money and student-athletes, the latter which can be a euphemism for human labor considering that college athletes in revenue-generating sports such as football and basketball are valuable commodities, is the most logical cause of calls for reform. Money for the top college athletes is plentiful. Their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals exceed the contracts of some professional basketball and football players. For example, University of Miami quarterback Darian Mensah received an NIL deal worth roughly $10 million dollars to transfer from

Duke to Miami this past winter. Prior to that agreement, Mensah had signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Duke in December of 2024. He epitomized America’s free-market, capitalist system championed by those who now seek to restrict the liberties exercised by college athletes. The United States Senate adjourned on Sunday for a recess without voting on the Protect College Sports Act. However, a vote will be held when the legislative body returns from its break on September 14 after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican representing South Dakota, filed a cloture motion on August 5 for a vote to proceed. The PCSA, a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington, requires that at least 60 of the 100 senators vote for its passage. If successful in the Senate, the bill would then be sent to the House of Representatives for a vote. Passage in the House would move the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. The President, who has characterized the college sports system as “a mess,” signed an executive order on April 3 titled “Urgent National Action to Save College Sports,” that according to an April 7 White House press release, “protects college sports by using federal authority to support enforcement of clear, consistent, and fair rules on eligibility, transfers, and compensation, while promoting sustainable revenue sharing and stronger

University of Miami quarterback Darian Mensah received an NIL deal worth roughly $10 million dollars to transfer from Duke to Miami. (AP Photo/ Lynne Sladky)

protections for student athletes.” While President Trump has implored the senators to vote for the PCSA, numerous elected officials and organizations oppose the proposed legislation, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, better known by its acronym AFL-CIO, and the AFL-CIO Sports Council. Many of the PCSA’s critics point to the bill granting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) an antitrust exemption for rules entailing, among others, media rights pooling,

transfer restrictions and athlete eligibility. The PCSA would afford the NCAA the ability to autonomously establish and enforce policies, assert its dissenters, while preventing a means for student-athletes to collectively bargain. One can plausibly contend that the PCSA would shift power and control back to the NCAA after athletes gained substantial economic liberation and freedom of choice with the advent of NIL rules on July 1, 2021, and the unlimited transfers rule in 2024, the latter amended by President Trump’s aforementioned executive order.

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Sports The Jets and Giants look to rookies to help drive expected turnarounds By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor For most of the past decade, the Jets and Giants have been near the top of the draft year over year as a result of finishing near the bottom of the NFL standings. This past April, the Jets and Giants held the No. 2 and No. 5 overall picks, respectively. They both selected on the defensive side of the ball, the Jets taking Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey and the Giants choosing Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. Then the Giants strengthened their offensive line by drafting Oregon tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. Six picks later, the Jets snagged Mauigoa’s college teammate, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, at No. 16, and secured their third first-rounder of the 2026 draft, plucking Indiana’s Omari Cooper at No. 30. The hope is the youngsters will be instrumental in moving the teams’ needles forward. The Jets haven’t made the playoffs in the last 15 seasons and the Giants just twice (the 2016 and 2022 seasons) since winning the Super Bowl to end the 2011 campaign. With both teams playing their first preseason games this weekend

Giants linebacker Arvell Reese (No. 52) and Jets edge rusher David Bailey are rookies who may significantly help change the fortunes of their teams. Arvell Reese (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) David Bailey (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

— the Jets will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tomorrow night at MetLife Stadium (7 p.m.) and the Giants will host the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Saturday (1 p.m.) — first-rounders will have an opportunity to make their cases for prom-

inent responsibilities heading into the regular season, and late round picks impressing to earn spots on the 53-man rosters or practice squads. One exception is Sadiq, who had hernia surgery in May and suffered what Jets head

coach Aaron Glenn described, a little over a week ago, as “a little setback” while participating in training camp. Yet Glenn is confident Sadiq will be ready for the start of the regular season. The Jets open on September 13 on the road against the Tennessee Titans, facing Robert Saleh, the team’s former head coach who is in his first season as the Titans’ head coach. Glenn said every rookie, regardless of their draft position, will have to seize placements by performing effectively in practice and games. “The expectation is for all those guys to have a role, but they have to decide that themselves,” Glenn said a week ago. “We’re out there trying to compete and no one’s given anything. They determine their role.” Among other rookies, Giants head coach John Harbaugh has noted the play of cornerback Colton Hood, drafted in the second round out of Tennessee, and wide receiver Malachi Fields, a third-round pick from Notre Dame. “Both guys are pushing,” said Harbaugh last Friday via Giants.com. “I’d say both those guys are pushing for playing time. Both have done well.”

“Stop the Killing” basketball tournament spreads message of peace in Harlem By SHANNON CHAFFERS Special to the AmNews

“Stop the violence. Stop the killing. That’s the message,” said Rondo Bonilla as he emceed the Stop the Killing basketball tournament held this past Saturday at Fred Samuel playground in Harlem. “Shootings are down in New York City, but the shooters are getting younger, and we have to be able to make sure that we remember that this is the reason why we came together,” he added. This year marked the sixth iteration of the Stop the Killing tournament, which was created by Aaliyah Guillory-Nickens, founder of the youth-focused organization More Than A Statistic. Guillory-Nickens, 23, said the idea for the tournament emerged after she organized a rally in 2020 in response to the shooting of a one-year-old in the city that summer. “A lot of the rhetoric on the news was about, we have to get these youth and the guns out the streets and basically lock them up. And I wanted to combat that narrative by having a rally with young people to come out and speak their piece about what they actually need, rather than just cops and incarceration,” she said.

a safety team for the event and spread awareness about their work. Marisol Rivera, program manager of community response at Save Our Streets Bronx, said that sporting events like these help keep youth engaged and out of trouble. “We need more resources, more events like this because… when [youth] got something to do, whether it’s sports, whether it’s a job, that will keep them off the streets,” she said. Basketball wasn’t the only activity on offer. Attendees also had the opportunity to get their hair braided free of charge, courtesy of Shataya Scott, founder of the organization Braids 4 Grades. She was one of four residents recognized for their work with City Council citations, City councilmember Yusef Salaam presented City Council citations to Shataya Scott (left) presented by Harlem City Councilmember and other community members. (Photo by Shannon Chaffers) Yusef Salaam. But when turnout was lower than expect- [of] gun violence, and my older cousin as “When you see things like this happening ed, she decided to change tack. well, my brother-in-law. I lost some people in our community, people being uplifted, it “Everybody loves watching basketball, to gun violence… I feel like this should just says there’s hope. And that’s what we need to believe in,” Salaam said. and being from Harlem, you know Harlem stop,” he said. is historical for basketball. So that’s why I Part of the solution, Guillory-Nickens chose it. It’s a great way to bring people to- believes, is community violence intervengether,” she explained. tion. More Than A Statistic partnered with Bronx native David Honore came out to SAVE East Harlem and Save Our Streets play in the tournament after hearing about Bronx, two violence prevention organizait from a friend. tions that make up the city’s Crisis Man“Growing up, my older sister was a victim agement System. Their staff served as