New York Amsterdam News Issue: October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

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Vol. 117 No. 43 | October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW BLACK VIEW

THE NIGHT WHEN MAMDANI-MANIA QUIETLY BEGAN (See story on page 6)

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Criminal justice reform advocates offer blueprint on fixing extreme problems in state prisons By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Eight organizations, ranging from criminal justice reform groups like HALT Solitary and Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) to the National Action Network, will soon release a collective blueprint about how the state should address the prison system. The report delineates suggested legislative and executive action to tackle what activists call an ongoing “five-alarm fire.” These recommendations follow deaths earlier this year at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, a women’s prison, as well as a New York Times investigation into more than 120 instances of use-of-force by corrections officers while the incarcerated person was restrained. Nearly two years ago, body-camera footage captured prison guards fatally beating Robert Brooks, a Black incarcerated man, while his hands were behind his back. Harlemite Messiah Nantwi was similarly killed a few months later. “This blueprint lays out clear solutions,” said RAPP director Jose Saldana. “Gov. Hochul and lawmakers must deliver real and fair pathways to release while transforming conditions inside and ending the

Women walking on road at women-only Taconic Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, N.Y. (Seth Wenig/AP photo)

abuse. The whole world watched that horrific video of a mob of white guards and sergeants brutally murdering Robert Brooks and now no one can feign ignorance — especially not those giving $5 billion of taxpayer money to this system every year.” An illegal wildcat strike among correc-

tions staff occurred shortly after Brooks’s death. As prison guards walked off the job, conditions worsened, and visits became increasingly limited. The recommended bills largely stem from See PRISON REFORM BLUEPRINT on page 36

NYC school bus shortage still leaving students and families stranded By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff New York City schools continue to wrestle with an ongoing bus shortage amid city contract issues as Black and Brown families, especially children with disabilities, suffer. Parents and advocates emphasize that these transportation delays have been a long-standing problem and want bus companies held accountable. More than 80,000 school bus delays were reported during the 2023-24 school year, according to Advocates for Children of New York (AFC). Among them were special education students, and others who live far from their chosen schools and rely on the buses for transportation. The AFC said this school year has started off equally rough for thousands of students. Randi Levine, policy director for AFC, attributed the bulk of school bus delays to outdated city contracting and the fact that bus companies can choose their routes, often leaving out kids with longer or farther-out routes. “Most of the bus contracts were signed in 1979 and that is what we are using today. Unfortunately, those bus contracts do not meet the needs of today’s students,” said Levine. Under New York State law, the city’s school bus contracts have employee protection provisions. Levine explained that

Mayor Eric Adams and the DEP announce new electric buses for New York City Schools at City Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

if the city were to rebid the contracts and eliminate those bus worker protections, there would likely be a massive strike. A situation that crippled school bus service for tens of thousands of students under the administration of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2013. The current problems follow a standoff

with school bus companies over a contract dispute from last year that ended with a three-year contract extension. “We are calling on the state and the city to work together to ensure that New York City can rebid the bus contracts to provide more See NYC SCHOOL BUS SHORTAGE on page 36

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 3

New housing promises in Brooklyn brush up against fears of unfamiliar transformation

Farragut residents came out for a “fight or fright” community meeting to discuss prospect of new market-rate towers being built across the street from them. (Karen Juanita Carrillo photo)

By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff

Farragut Houses residents showed up at Brooklyn Borough Hall on Oct. 14 to speak out about the prospect of new residential towers rising across the street from them, on Downtown Brooklyn’s Navy Street. Several community members also showed up to make their voices heard at the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) hearing that’s required for zoning and land-use changes. Along with Farragut dwellers, people 5from the Ingersoll and Whitman Houses and other area residents who live on streets

in the pathway took part in the meeting. Alloy Development, the real estate company that purchased the former Boys & Girls Navy Yard Clubhouse at 240 Nassau for $15 million, has plans to build a 1.4-millionsquare-foot development across from the NYCHA property that will feature both a 73- and a 63-story building. Alloy’s project would take over 240 Nassau and the neighboring building that houses P.S. 287 at 46 Navy Street. The Alloy project is expected to bring the community 1,502 new apartments, a new public school building, a brand-new community center, and new cultural and open spaces. The developer’s plans for the area have

supporters, but also opponents who feel it threatens to remake the neighborhood and could both price out and make people who have lived in the area for generations feel unwelcome. Many neighbors have also said this kind of project seems out of scale with the lower heights of buildings in the area and that the market-rate rent pricing expected for the new units will only accelerate the erasure of working-class Black people in Downtown Brooklyn. Alloy Development and the New York City Educational Construction Fund, which is partnering with Alloy to reconstruct P.S. 287, need a special rezoning permit to build the 1.4-million-square-foot project.

The night before the hearing, NYCHA community organizers Samantha Johnson and Dorian Muller joined Rev. Mark V.C. Taylor of the local Church of the Open Door in putting together a meeting at the Farragut Community Center to allow residents to talk about the urgency of the situation. Alloy representatives told the ULURP hearing that three years of outreach helped shape their plan. They promised to construct 300 permanently affordable apartments, including 95 for seniors from nearby NYCHA developments; a 120,000-squarefoot pre-K-to-8 school to replace P.S. 287; a new community center; a 15,000-squareSee HOUSING on page 25

United Justice Coalition and Rocnation host 4th Annual Summit at The Shed BY NAFISSATOU YATTASSAYE Special to the AmNews The United Justice Coalition (UJC) and Roc Nation returned to New York City for the fourth year of the UJC Summit at the Shed on Oct. 17, welcoming more than 1,500 attendees to an emotional and eventful day focused on criminal justice reform, mental health, and education as a tool of prevention and opportunity, while allowing people to share their stories. “We all need support. We all need that village, even though we repeat the saying … it doesn’t wear the truth out,” said Kempis Ghani Songster, a member of the summit’s Mental Health and Justice System panel. More than 40 changemakers, policymakers, legal activists, organizations, and community members, including Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Rye, Dr. Jelani Cobb, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and Tamika Mallory, came together to discuss the issues within our communities, especially those of color. The summit was filled with difficult but much-needed panel discussions featuring families of victims affected by police brutality, the criminal justice system, and mental health challenges, as well as conversations about how to move forward. The Family Matters panel, moderated by Angela Rye, was a moving discussion with families affected by police violence, highlighting the systemic barriers they face in

seeking justice and support. Social justice activist Tamika Mallory made an introduction before attendees heard stories from Vel’lesiya Wiley, who lost her oneyear-old son, Kohen; Nicole Paultre Bell, whose fiancé, Sean was killed by police just hours before their wedding; and Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, whose twin brother, Terence, was killed by police in Tulsa, Okla. “When the cameras go away and people move on to the next thing, we’re sitting in our home alone grieving, because the grief doesn’t go away. We may have a foundation, and it looks good, and we have the logos, and we’re doing community events,” said Crutcher, “but that’s a part of our healing, and we’re doing that with the hope [of justice], because that’s all we have.” Since 2019, the UJC’s mission has focused on asking how to help those who need it. Akua Williams, a first-year brand ambassador for the UJC and recent CUNY Law graduate, expressed what being a part of this summit meant to her. “I am here today to teach everyone about the summit, the event, and all the amazing nonprofits we collaborate with to put this together,” Williams said. “Year-long, we do a lot of focus on advocating within the criminal justice space.” Attendees had the opportunity to connect with 40 national and local nonprofit organizations, such as the Battered Women’s Justice Project, Children of Promise, Center for Po-

licing Equity, National Alliance on Mental Illness, REFORM Alliance, People’s Advocacy Institute, and more. The exhibition provided families of all backgrounds and experiences with access to valuable resources, and opportunities for community engagement and advocacy. Scott Fedonchik, vice president and director of marketing and communications Family Matters. (All photos courtesy of the United Justice Coalition) at the REFORM Alliance, a policy-driven organization, said it we are here to showcase our youth art to is important for students to know about the the public and also spread word about our resources available in their communities. programs.” He noted that all students in “So much of what goes on in the world now his organization receive an hourly rate of is digital, [but] being in person, being able $19.50 and that people can purchase the to meet with advocates and people who are art pieces, with students receiving 100% really involved, means more than clicks and commission. Discussions included a mental health follows,” Fedonchik said. Nonprofit organizations such as Artistic panel featuring Charlamagne Tha God as Noise and Hudson Link were there to share moderator, with Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren and Dr. Jessica Clemons. They explored their work directly with students. Executive Director Calder Zwicki of Ar- how treatment and community-based tistic Noise spoke about the Harlem- care can transform mental health crisis rebased program: “We work with impacted sponse and reduce unnecessary arrests and young people from [ages] 14–22. Today incarceration.

4 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

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Black Veterans share their stories and concerns as ceremony honors them at the Intrepid

Photo of the Intrepid Museum at Pier 86 in Manhattan on Thursday, Oct. 15. (Ariama C. Long photo)

By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff The Intrepid, a historic WWII aircraft carrier and museum parked at Pier 86 on the west side of Manhattan hosted state elected officials and advocates on Oct. 15 to honor Black veterans at their first Veterans Summit. The event kicked off with the marching of the military color guard, songs, and a solemn ceremony to honor prisoners of war, missing in action soldiers, and those killed in action. “You’ve taken an oath to defend the Constitution and you don’t serve a President, you don’t serve a person, you serve the United States of America. I think that’s something every military person has ingrained in them. I know it’s in my father,” said Bronx Assemblymember Landon Dais, “and I think at the end of the day, threats foreign or domestic, our veterans are the ones that will stand up.” As one of the organizers for the summit, he surprised his father, Larry Dias, who served as a U.S. Army Sergeant E5 in the 1960s, with an honorable state citation. Long Island Assemblymember Kwani B. O’Pharrow served in the Navy from 1990 to 1994 as Radioman Petty Officer 3rd Class-Intel and is also a retired NYPD detective. Sim-

ilar to Dais, his veteran father also served as the Department of Corrections, and I retired inspiration for the summit event. from the military. But you know, once you’re a veteran, you’re always a veteran.” Their Stories Sweeting-Lindsey is currently the Post 483 Attendees at the summit event included vet- First Vice Commander at the Rosedale-Lauerans from several American wars and con- relton American Legion in Queens, which flicts going all the way back to World War II. operates as a food pantry and delivery meal “One thing that we do have is a desire to service for veterans and the elderly. She also transform and impact the lives of the vet- founded the J-Cap Veterans Program and erans in this great state,” said Harlem As- V.E.T.S. Inc. semblymember Al Taylor, a former military Another veteran, Blossom Ferguson, is a Repolice officer. “And so I want to salute you tired Lieutenant Colonel for the United States all for what you’re doing and never stop. Army Nurse Corps. She is Treasurer & ChapNever stop doing what you’re doing, never lain of the National Association of Black Milistop giving a damn.” tary Women. “My favorite thing about being a Major Retired Sharon Sweeting-Lindsey veteran was the time serving the country, and served in the military for 26 years. She said the friends that I’ve met and have still mainshe misses the camaraderie and instruction tained since my service,” said Ferguson. “I the most, but was happy that she was able to went in in 1985 and I still have those friends apply her experience to a career as a New York until now.” City Department of Corrections (DOC) food Similarly, Joan R. Davis was an Army nurse service manager. and a Retired Colonel in the United States “When I went for an interview at the DOC, Army. She enlisted in 1986 and retired in which is very, very much like the military in the 2018. She loved going places, meeting people, sense of structure. I got that job because of my and caring for fellow soldiers. She serves as military experience. When I walked into the the vice commander in the Bronx post for the food service kitchen, all of the equipment was American Legion, and volunteers as a transfamiliar to me because I had used it in the mil- port assistant at the Veterans Affairs (VA). itary…,” said Sweeting-Lindsey. “I retired from “I help my brothers and sisters after their

operations. I take them to their vehicles. I serve them their meals, and I’m proud to serve,” said Davis. “I just want to say thank you to my family, relatives, and friends because if you don’t have support, it’s hard for you to serve.” Kevin C. Meggett was a combat Navy veteran of both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Gulf War in 1990. His job was to do damage control if something happened to the ship, he said. He currently is the Regional Commander of the National Association of Black Veterans (NABVETS) and founder of End Veteran Poverty Now. He is deeply disappointed with President Donald Trump and the federal administration’s handling of veterans. “It’s criminal. [Trump] should be arrested, both him and Pete Hegseth,” said Meggett. “But we have, as a country, divested of our veterans, and it became a trickle down effect. … Particularly and especially Black American veterans, we fought in every single conflict and war since the Revolutionary War, all the way up until what’s going on in Iran. So we’ve been great neighbors. We’ve done extraordinary things for the country to push it forward.” See BLACK VETERANS on page 27

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 5

Veteran journalist Cynthia Horner boasts 50 years of promoting Black culture and excellence By JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews

Cynthia Horner has built a massive career at the intersection of Black culture and media for 50 years as the head of Right On! Magazine. But her story boasts a who’s who of Black cultural royalty. “I’m an overachiever. I’ve always been taught that excellence is important,” said Horner, 71, who also serves as president of the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ), stating that the message was from her dear friend Michael Jackson, who would often tell her how, as Black professionals, they must be the best of the best. Born in Indiana, before moving to California at age five, Horner was always interested in reading the news as a child. “Journalism was ingrained in me,” she said. She soon began winning writing contests and, by age 11, became the editor of her school’s newspaper. After skipping grades, Horner received full scholarships to Pepperdine University. In 1976, she accepted a position as an assistant at Right On! maga-

zine, created to be a Black-centered teen entertainment publication. Within a few months, when a vacancy opened, she became the magazine’s editorial director. Horner expanded the magazine’s model to cover a wider range of African American culture, highlighting lesser-known and up-and-coming stars. She now holds the title of CEO, editor-in-chief, and co-owner of the publication, which she purchased in 2014 with her husband, photographer Kenneth Harris, now called Right On! Digital. A galaxy of Black stars Alongside Jackson, Horner’s close friends in the Black entertainment industry spanning over five decades include the entire Jackson family, Mariah Carey, Prince, New Edition, LL Cool J, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, and scores more. While covering the Jackson family, Horner says a lifelong bond formed between them as she would often stay at their home, eat dinner together, and participate in fun activities like going to the movies. “It was more

than just a business relationship between the Jacksons and Right On! magazine. We are completely entwined,” Horner said. “We were really like family.” Horner recalls stories of how, as a young girl, Janet Jackson would often call her on the phone asking to play. She remained close friends with Michael through his life, and fondly recalls him bringing her along during his “Bad” album tour. “We really bonded,” Horner said. “He just liked being around someone who didn’t care that he was Michael Jackson.” Another prominent name Horner would work with was Prince, who she says was insistent on being interviewed by her early on. “Prince reached out to me personally so that he could secure some coverage in the magazine because he thought that might be a way to help him jumpstart his career, which it did,” Horner said. In the 1980’s, Horner would be at the forefront of spotlighting hip hop music and culture despite pushback from company leaders and other editors. Some of them See BNY on page 25

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Right On! Digital CEO and Editor-in-Chief and NYABJ president Cynthia Horner (Courtesy of Cynthia Horner)

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The night when Mamdani-mania quietly began Mayor Zohran Mamdani reflects on launching his Cinderella campaign two years ago to this week.

Mamdani’s campaign launch in 2024. (Tandy Lau photo)

By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Long before he started filling the city’s potholes, Zohran Mamdani built his political platform on unpaved footing. “Half-gravel, half-ground,” he described the lot on 49-09 5th Street in Long Island City, Queens, where, on Oct. 23, 2024, he officially launched the campaign that ultimately made him New York City’s 112th mayor and quickly one of the country’s most influential figures. Two years later, Mamdani caught up with the Amsterdam News about the fateful day he announced his run. Even months after his campaign launched, he polled at around 1% according to Emerson College. So the trek from an early-career assemblymember, who once pursued a hip hop dream under the moniker Young Cardamom, into citywide politics and ambitions to lead the nation’s most populous city could be called deeper than grassroots. “For many of the first months of the campaign, people did not know who I was,” said Mamdani. “Which, [at] that time, was a challenge.” No coverage, no problem A food justice nonprofit, the Connect-

ed Chef, called 49-09 5th Street home at the time and cultivated a cozy community space where people could purchase fresh produce at a “sliding-scale” discount, a short walk from Mamdani’s old assembly district – 36, before moving to Woodside last year. Set under Edison bulb string lights and a wooden pergola, the site felt more suited for poetry night or an open mic rather than the formal galas often held to announce political candidacy and attract mega donors. Nonetheless, a roughly estimated 150 people — many eager to lend their support by knocking doors rather than just opening a checkbook — packed the lot for Mamdani and watched their step on the uneven gravel as the relatively unknown state lawmaker announced his intent to become mayor of the biggest city in America. A Connected Chef member kicked the night off by informing the crowd that a porta-potty and a handwash station were available “around the corner to the left” for those looking for a bathroom. Not a single TV camera turned up, to Mamdani’s recollection. But the humble beginnings of his historic run were somewhat by design. Mamdani’s campaign intentionally referred to it as a “block party” rather than a “launch event,”

hoping to attract the broader New York City public, who he believed his policy platform resonated most with. “I think many people saw it almost as a community event,” Mamdani remembered. “The thing to always look for is [if a] campaign is reflecting [what] people are saying and feeling in the streets around them. So much of our campaign was built around what we had heard from New Yorkers: it was cost of living, cost of living, cost of living…” Several speakers preceded him, including now-Democratic assembly nominee Illapa Sairitupac, who MC’ed the campaign launch, and New York Communities for Change’s (NYCC) James Inniss, who connected Mamdani’s policy platform on affordability with the concerns Black and Brown New Yorkers faced. Congressional primary nominee Claire Valdez, then an assembly candidate for the surrounding neighborhood, was also present. Many of the campaign’s most famous elements, now thoroughly studied and shamelessly copied by political consultants across the country, date back to Oct. 23, 2024. Its first signature “walk-and-talk” social media video hit YouTube that day to announce the run. At the launch, his cam-

paign’s DIY merchandise were buttonmakers and coloring sheets for attendees of all ages to create their own Mamdanithemed gear, while his focus on affordability became readily apparent. He vowed to freeze the rent, bring no-cost universal childcare and “eliminate the fare on every single bus line across the five boroughs.” These now-familiar promises were made with an acknowledgment that they would not come without a fight. But the young lawmaker, just days removed from his 33rd birthday, felt the city was ready for a change. For years, Mamdani championed a “Fix the M.T.A.” package headlined by a free city bus system while he served in the state assembly. The idea ultimately grew into a pilot, which he frequently credited for bolstering affordability and reducing assaults by eliminating the need for drivers to confront fare evaders. Meanwhile, the Rent Guidelines Board under then-mayor Eric Adams allowed landlords to increase housing costs annually for tenants in rent-stabilized units, even as many meetings were largely inaudible, thanks to furious protesters. “He said he was a mayor for the working class, and he sold them out to the donors See story on next page

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS Continued from previous page

and the lobbyists,” said Mamdani that night. “I stand before you from a different political tradition in this city: like many of you, I wasn’t born in this country. I was born in Uganda and immigrated to this city when I was seven years old. As a Muslim kid in the aftermath of 9/11, I was looked after by my teachers in another moment of xenophobic panic…but it’s not my biography that makes me different. “It’s the movements that elected me, the working people I put at the center of my politics and the socialist tradition I belong to.”

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 7

crease earlier this year. “The relationships with those organizations…are critical to us delivering on our agenda,” said Mamdani. “And ensuring that we do not get lost in the world of City Hall, but ensure that City Halls are a reflection of the world outside of it.” “We believe in the job he’s trying to do and want to help him do that,” said Inniss. “Part of our role is also, if he’s doing something that we don’t agree with, to bring that up as well.” Oct. 23, 2024, also earmarked the start of a new chapter in Mamdani’s life. The next June, he won the Democratic primary just hours after the polls closed, notably upsetting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo stayed in the race as an independent, and by the end of September 2025, Adams, who also ran third-party, dropped out of the increasingly messy field. The contest was left between the veteran politician, the young upstart, and Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who had already staged an unsuccessful run in 2021.

The lead-up and look back Two years later, Mamdani’s voice swells with pride while reflecting on that day, which received almost zero media coverage at the time. In the back of a Brooklyn community center this week, he wistfully recounted how he started at the crack of dawn with his then-communications director Andrew Epstein — around 5:30 to 6:00 a.m., by his estimate. They spent that day reaching out to Then the results came in: 1.1 million New as many news outlets as possible, while Yorkers voted for Mamdani, more than half also fitting in a Taxi Workers Alliance rally of all voters. His victory party took place in around the Javits Center in Midtown. He re- the baroque Brooklyn Paramount the night called catching his breath at the O.G. Shake of Nov. 4, 2025, piled up with celebrities, Shack in Madison Square Park, where he influencers, and every major news network frequented as a high schooler. Then, the in America and beyond. Today, he cannot day culminated with the launch in Long step out in the city without a crowd followIsland City. “We all came together and cel- ing him for selfies and handshakes. And ebrated the beginning of this campaign right-wing outlets will write hit pieces if alongside organizations that endorsed us he so much as breathes wrong. So it seems on that first day,” said Mamdani. unfathomable now that Mamdani once felt But these efforts technically started immense gratitude for any basic media covbefore October 2024. Inniss recounted how erage during those early campaign days just Mamdani made his case for an NYCC en- two years ago. dorsement to about fifty members in the “We were introducing ourselves,” said preceding months. There, he pitched his af- Mamdani. “But at a personal level, it also fordability agenda around housing, child- meant that you could retain your personal care, and transit. “And they believed him,” life alongside your political life. We would said Inniss. “And they still believe him be campaigning, and then at a certain point today, as he’s working towards it.” in the day, the campaign would end, and Several other groups ultimately joined I would go have dinner; I’d go to Duane NYCC that night. Of course, the city’s Dem- Reade. Whatever it might be. ocratic Socialists of America chapter (NYC“The more successful the campaign DSA), which Mamdani is a member of, was became, the less that distinction existed. represented. So were working-class Asian It’s a good problem to have.” American organizations DRUM Beats and CAAAV Voice. These organizations later aligned themselves with tenant groups and labor unions to establish the “People’s Majority” alliance, which backed Mamdani and championed multi-racial working class politics. They also serve as accountability partners for his administration, particularly towards policing and mental health response. In particular, several of the day one endorsers successfully pushed back against Mamdani’s campaign launch in 2024. (Tandy Lau photo) an NYPD headcount in-

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An East Harlem garden grows food and community By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Angela Maull has found a satisfying purpose in the simplest manner: planting a garden. She revived East Harlem’s Diversity Edible Farm Garden in July 2023, and now the kale, collard greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other vegetables growing there have put fresh food within the community’s reach. Located at 1673 Madison Avenue, near East 111th Street, the garden features several individual plots and has a place for food distribution, cultural exchange, and neighborhood gatherings. The DEFG grew from an older garden, the Chenchita’s Group Garden, which used to be located at 1691 Madison Avenue. Maull describes today’s DEFG as its replacement following building developments in the area. “This is the garden that was re-

placed from the building there. The big, tall building,” Maull told the AmNews while pointing to the high buildings surrounding the garden. East Harlem’s gardens are part of a long tradition — residents have traditionally turned neglected plots of land into gardens and sheds. NYC Parks traces the modern community garden movement to the 1970s, when abandoned lots marked neighborhoods including East Harlem. GreenThumb began in 1978. Hunter College’s NYC Food Policy Center describes neighborhood gardens as places for food growing, outdoor learning, and community connection. NYC Parks lists the 3,000-squarefoot DEFG site as city-owned and supported by GreenThumb. Maull said she took part in restoring DEFG because it helps her celebrate the memory of her daughter. DEFG members maintain their

own plant beds: returning gardeners have assigned plots and pay for them, helping purchase supplies rather than waiting for outside assistance. “So everybody pays for their bed. We buy all of the supplies we need. That’s why it looks so beautiful in here because we’re not waiting for parks or anyone else to actually buy stuff for us.” Food access extends beyond the growers. Maull said the garden has a partnership with the East Harlem Community Partnership and monthly pantries involving the community board. Asked whether pantry visitors have to live nearby, she answered: “No, anyone can come from anywhere and just sign up for it.” Alongside the fruit and herbs listed by Just Food, the DEFG garden offers opportunities for people to participate in growing food and connecting with people who tend it.

Angela Maull revitalized and brought life back to DEFG. (Karen Juanita Carrillo photos)

Photos show sections of East Harlem’s Diversity Edible Farm Garden (DEFG).

From ideas to impact: Bronx Black and Brown creators showcase tech solutions By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Bronx Tech Hub recently wrapped up its third annual Bronx Tech Week, showcasing the talent of local Black and Brown creators, students, organizers, entrepreneurs, and engineers with a desire to give back to their communities. George Nuñez, the founder of Bronx Tech Hub, launched the event in 2023. He aimed to leverage the power of technology to create economic opportunities, address societal challenges, and help bridge the digital divide. “I left finance, tech, startups, and being in product management, and I decided I wanted to come here and pay it forward, which is why we ended up starting Bronx Tech Hub,” said Nuñez at his Tech Build-a-thon at Sankoufa Haus last Friday. Tech Week featured a series of engaging activities, including panel discussions, networking sessions, small business workshops, a job fair, and an intimate hack-athon. Participants competed to build a workable application using Amazon Quick, an AI-powered assistant platform, that benefited the Bronx community in under an hour for a cash prize. “I’m not a fan of banning AI, but I’m more supportive of leveraging it to get where you need to go,” said Nuñez.

Bronx Build-a-thon winner Amelyza Blanco on Friday, Oct. 16. (Ariama C. Long photos)

Bronx Tech Hub holds Tech Build-a-thon at Sankofa Haus in the Bronx on Friday, Oct. 16.

The event was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, Sankofa Haus, and Fordham University. Judges this year included Abran Maldonado of Create Labs; founder and CEO of Matchstick Muhammad Saleh; and Silvia Diaz-Roa, who works in startup banking for the financial institution. “I don’t think the big models or engineers always have this community in mind when they’re building, because this isn’t the billion dollar market here [in the Bronx] — this is boots on the ground, grassroots communities here,” said Maldonado. “Not Bronx Tech Build-a-thon judges watch a presentation. every idea needs to be a billiondollar idea. Nowadays, you can or just serves the small businessCreators used their competition build for nuance. You can build a es on the Grand Concourse in the time to come up with a wide range product that just serves NYCHA, South Bronx.” of ideas. Adam Martinez, 22, cre-

ated the Bronx Tenant organizer to help residents in the Mott Haven community find legal and housing assistance. Hector Bonilla, 29, presented Civil-It, which is a mashup of Reddit and the city’s 311 service for residents to report quality of life issues. Gerson Castillo, 32, created the Bronx Bike Safe app, to help cyclists track road hazards citywide. Jannelle Cortes came up with Bronx Walks to curate self-guided tours of Mott Haven for Bronx visitors. “I don’t actually have anything specifically going on other than wanting to come into a space that is comfortable or familiar — being in a space with the culture, See BRONX TECH on page 29

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 9

Mississippi AG says officer’s force was justified during shoplifting call in which boy was killed

Police killing of Kohen Wiley (pictured) causes racial injustice concerns to surface in Mississippi. (GoFundMe photo)

By SOPHIE BATES and JACK BROOK Associated Press Mississippi’s attorney general says a Senatobia officer was justified in using force when he responded to a shoplifting call and fired at a moving vehicle that investigators said was driving toward police, killing a 1-year-old boy who was inside the car. The conclusion of the state’s investigation into the shooting death of Kohen Wiley follows months of mourning and calls for justice, both nationally and in the small town where the shooting took place, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee. The shooting occurred in midJune as Senatobia officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Walmart, where they saw Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen’s mother, carrying her son as she and a friend left the store, got into a car, and began driving away. Wiley and her friend are both Black. Police believed they stole diapers and baby clothes. Kohen’s mother has denied she or her friend stole anything, and neither of them

have been charged with shoplifting or any other counts, according to online state and county court records. According to a statement released shortly after the shooting by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the car drove toward law enforcement, prompting an officer to fire into the car, striking Kohen and his mother’s friend. Martin Zummach, an attorney who represents the officer who fired the shot that killed Kohen, says the attorney general’s findings cleared his client of criminal wrongdoing. He said the driver of the vehicle “tried to kill” his client and other officers who were present. “He had no choice but to fire his weapon,” Zummach told The Associated Press. In a video released days after the shooting, Vellesiya Wiley disputed that her friend, who was driving, headed toward the officers.

nowned civil rights attorney who is representing Kohen’s family, has said results of a preliminary independent autopsy indicate Kohen was shot from the side of the car, not the front, contradicting officers’ claims that the car was heading toward them. Crump on Monday pointed out that authorities have yet to release video footage of the encounter to support the attorney general’s finding that the shooting was a justified use of force. “How can anyone accept that conclusion when Kohen’s family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage?” Crump said in a statement. “If the footage supports the state’s decision, release it. We will not stop fighting until this family gets the truth.” A photo of the car after the shooting shows that the passenger window was shattered and an apparent bullet hole pierced the windshield on the passenger side. The other woman in the car was badly wounded, authorities said. Lawyer calls for release of bodyJohn P. Gross, an expert on worn camera footage police use of force on moving veBen Crump, a nationally re- hicles, said that if the vehicle had

been moving toward officers, the best practice would have been for them to get out of the way. “This shooting was almost certainly unjustified,” Gross told the AP. “In terms of both officer safety, the safety of the occupants of the vehicle and general public safety, you don’t shoot vehicles.” Charles “Joe” Key, a firearms and ballistics expert and former Baltimore police lieutenant who typically testifies in defense of police, said the image of the vehicle after the shooting suggests that the officer fired from the side. “That indicates that the officer who did the shooting was not personally at risk at the time he shot,” Key said. “The only way it would have been justified is if officers had been in the path of a car driving directly at them.” “The body-worn camera’s going to have to tell if anybody was in danger,” he added. Marquell Bridges, an activist who has been working with Kohen Wiley’s family, called for the release of video footage of the shooting in a statement. “His family deserves the truth. The public deserves transparen-

cy,” Bridges said. “We will not be silent. We will not look away. And we will not allow the life of a Black child to be treated as though it means nothing.” Child’s death stokes simmering tensions The shooting is the latest in a string of incidents that have eroded trust between the Senatobia police department and the city’s Black residents. Last year, a Senatobia officer threatened a Black woman with a Taser, pulling her from her car and onto the ground and arresting her during a confrontation over an accessible parking space in the same Walmart lot where Kohen was shot. Two years earlier, a Senatobia police officer was fired for arresting a Black 10-year-old for urinating in public. More recently, former Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired by the city’s board of aldermen, after reporting by The New York Times, Mississippi Today, and Verite News alleged he used racist slurs in private text messages. Brook reported from New Orleans.

10 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Labor & Workplace Bronx businesses to bring affordability concerns to legislative summit By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Bronx business owners often have problems covering rent, keeping workers, and trying to make it through the regulations needed to keep their businesses intact. Those looking to ask lawmakers for guidance about what to do to keep their neighborhood businesses alive are invited to attend the Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Legislative Summit “Bronx Forward: Setting the 2027 Agenda for Bronx Business.” Officials from Washington, Albany, and City Hall will be at the gathering scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Maestro’s Caterers, 1703 Bronxdale Ave. in the Bronx. The event is designed to connect business owners with policymakers whose decisions affect their operating costs. “Our elected officials understand that the success of any corridor and residential area is really dependent on the commercial corridor that supports them, right?” Bronx Chamber President Lisa Sorin said in an interview. “Before we had major malls and the whole nine yards, people who live in areas wanted to do their shopping locally: they wanted to go to the corner bodega, or, you know, their corner stationery store, which still exists, believe it or not. So it boils down to strong commercial corridors, meaning strong residential impact and quality of life. As businesses close, what you’re seeing is that not only are you impacting the families that own these businesses, but you’re also impacting the community in which they serve. Residents depend on that.” The Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative event began as a small, complimentary breakfast restricted to Corporate and Chairman’s Circle members. Sorin said they had a smaller summit last year; this year’s four-hour program will in-

Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Legislative Summit “Bronx Forward: Setting the 2027 Agenda for Bronx Business.” (Bronx Chamber of Commerce photo)

clude a congressional fireside chat and separate state Senate, Assembly, and City Council-oriented panels. The event’s new “Washington Update” section features U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres and George Latimer. Others scheduled to appear include senators Robert Jackson, Luis Sepúlveda, Nathalia Fernandez and Jamaal Bailey; assemblymembers Landon Dais, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Amanda Septimo, Yudelka Tapia, John Zaccaro Jr., Karines Reyes, George Alvarez and Emérita Torres; and councilmembers Justin Sanchez, Kevin Riley, Shirley Aldebol and Eric Dinowitz. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson is also scheduled to deliver remarks. Representatives for Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are also scheduled to appear. The summit will feature discussions about economic development, workforce needs, small-business

policy, public safety, transportation, and housing. There will be time set aside for breakfast and networking as well. Sorin said questions submitted by registrants will be collected and asked of elected officials. She said there is already a list of concerns Bronx Chamber members want the lawmakers to talk about. Economic uncertainty is one: businesses need clarity about city, state, and federal decisions before they can plan investments. Affordability is another: rent, insurance, labor, and compliance expenses accumulate. Hiring and retention form a third, including whether employers can afford benefits. Housing is the fourth, linking residents’ stability with the businesses serving them and the costs faced by housing providers. Black and Latino entrepreneurs drive the Bronx economy. According to Census estimates, Blacks and Latinos own 65% to 75% of all registered businesses in the bor-

ough, mirroring the borough’s population which is more than 85% Black or Latino. Latino-owned businesses are 40% to 45% of total businesses, while Black-owned businesses account for 25% to 30%. Small operations — like sole proprietorships, street vendors, and independent contractors — make up more than 80% of local businesses. Sorin highlighted local establishments like corner bodegas and stationery stores as essential neighborhood commerce. She said their survival directly supports local families and workers. A 2020 Center for an Urban Future analysis found that Latino-owned Bronx businesses with employees declined 23% between 2012 and 2017. And in 2023, the city comptroller’s office reported that Blackowned and Latino-owned vendors each received less than 2% of city contract dollars in fiscal 2022. The Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Legislative

Summit is open to anyone who wants to attend, but advance registration is required through the Chamber’s event page and registrants are being asked to submit questions for the lawmakers due to be in attendance. Sorin said people unable to attend can still send questions to the Bronx Chamber because their advocacy will continue beyond the breakfast. “Although they’re hearing directly from lawmakers, this is an opportunity for them to have face-to-face meetings, exchange numbers, concerns, and questions. The onus, I like to say, falls on the Bronx Chamber because our job is to assist in the economic growth of this borough, and the way we do that is really by providing support, and part of that is really looking closely at the policies that are being put forward, and you know, some of them are great, some of them are not, and so we make sure to keep our finger on the pulse.”

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 11

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12 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Opinion Rev. Al Sharpton to receive NYABJ’s Legacy in Civil Rights and Media Award

EDITORIAL

Cheers for Rev. Al Sharpton, who was saluted on his 72nd birthday earlier in October with a rousing speech by Mayor Mamdani at the National Action Network (NAN) House of Justice in Harlem, may resound even louder at Harlem’s historic Alhambra Ballroom on Oct. 23. The NAN founder will have a chance to smell the roses once more, when he will be honored by the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) with its Legacy in Civil Rights and Media at its Sneaker Ball & Awards Ceremony. Sharpton will share the podium with Tiffany Cross, journalist and media personality, as a speaker, and radio personality Lenny Green serving as co-host. A’ndre Davis, producer and star of the stage production “Man of the House,” will join the presenters. The event will be a grand opportunity for younger NYABJ members to mingle and munch with veteran journalists, activists, and community leaders whom Sharpton symbolizes. During a recent interview, “the Rev” put the upcoming midterm elections in historical context, noting that the “marches in the past were the first stages that led to the galvanizing of the movement. The recent ‘No Kings’ rally energizes people, and this is the same thing that galvanized and energized our movement. If you study history, you will see that’s always been the pattern.” Tickets for the gala can be acquired online through Eventbrite or by visiting nyabj.org

Cornell 7: Why is New York leaving rape to be a matter of opinion? By ASHLEY STAGGERS As the Cornell 7 case dominates our headlines, a familiar pattern has started emerging. There is a predictable lifecycle to these cases. First, there is the shock of the allegation and the immediate outrage for the survivor, but after the shock wears off and weeks pass, the debate becomes an examination of every action the survivor has made in search of evidence that consent was, or was not, communicated clearly. With Jane Doe, we’re watching as her text messages are dissected and her alcohol consumption levels are scrutinized, while netizens debate whether she was truly raped for seven hours or if she somehow misled seven men into believing they were engaged in a consensual act. The fact is that every sexual assault case begins with a question of consent, and yet New York law has no definition for consent in its entire sex crimes penal code. The oversight seems small and inconsequential — until a jury is left to determine what constitutes justice, even in a case as serious as a serial rapist like Harvey Weinstein. While deliberating his verdict, jurors sent a note to presiding Judge James Burke asking for a definition of consent, and the judge responded simply with “Use your common sense.” However, what is common sense worth when our collective understanding of consent is wrong and shaped less by reality than by myth?

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

Chi Phi lodge at Cornell University. (Public Domain)

For decades, we have researched and documented the divide between how Americans understand and experience sexual violence, to the point where many survivors never describe their experiences as rape. One meta-analysis found that more than 60% of women whose experiences met the most restrictive legal definitions of rape did not identify or label their experiences as rape. This number is even higher for college-aged women and does not include the number of unlabeled sexual assaults. The unwillingness to label comes from a deeply flawed cultural understanding of what a “real” rape looks like. In the American story, a rape occurs when a sober stranger attacks a sober woman in a dark alley. She fights back physically and repeatedly through obvious violence, but is eventually overpowered and subdued; there is no room for the slightest sense of ambiguity about what took place. The problem is that real life often varies from this narrative. Rapes occur between classmates

and friends, dating partners, and spouses. They unfold in situations where coercion and social expectation matter just as much as physical force. They happen in houses, bedrooms and parties, and it is not uncommon for one to involve alcohol. The script we have written for rape, however, still influences perpetrators, survivors, witnesses, law enforcement officers, and jurors — and the farther away a situation moves from this narrative, the less likely we all are to label it as rape. What happens when this twisted accepted version of common sense enters our legal standards? We are effectively asking 12 strangers to bring their personal assumptions into the deliberation room in a game of legal roulette. Equal justice under the law must depend on facts and evidence, rather than 12 jurors miraculously sharing the same unwritten definition of consent. Definitions tell people where the legal boundaries are and provide a framework for accountability when those boundaries

are crossed. New York Assembly Bill A1140 and Senate Bill S5521 would finally provide New York with a statutory definition of consent, defining it as “a freely given, knowledgeable[,] and informed agreement by a person with the capacity to reason.” Of course, this proposal would not, by any means, eliminate sexual violence or resolve every difficult case, but it would establish a consistent standard. The legislation would not tell a jury whom to believe, but it would give jurors a common legal standard by which to evaluate the evidence before them. New York can continue pretending that consent is so obvious that it needs no definition, but we have decades of evidence showing that it is anything but. Until the law defines consent, rape in New York will remain, in part, a matter of opinion. Ashley Staggers has worked in federal and state policy, advancing reforms related to trafficking and sexual exploitation through national organizations.

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

When Latino community is targeted, everyone’s rights and safety are jeopardized By ROBERT WILLIS The recent Hispanic Heritage Month provided an opportunity to celebrate Latino communities and uplift their histories, cultures, and contributions. It was also a chance to think about the country we want to live in and whether we’ll stand up when our neighbors’ rights are under attack. As a Black man who grew up in the South Bronx, I know what it feels like when law enforcement treats a whole community as suspicious. When I was just 11 years old, armed cops came into my sixth-grade classroom and hauled away my friend David. A week went by before we saw David again. When I was a teen, the police would harass my friends and me while we played basketball in the playground. We never felt safe. Today, Latino families are living with a different version of that same fear. In August, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 50,925 undocumented people across the country. This surpasses the previous record for July 2026, which saw 50,208 arrests. In total about 400,000

people have been detained by immigration agents since Donald Trump returned to office in 2025. Undocumented people are pursued and detained, while the rhetoric about immigration paints entire communities as threats. The harm doesn’t stop with the person taken into custody. Children wonder if a parent will come home, and families may avoid schools, healthcare, and other places where they should feel safe asking for help. A recent report by ProPublica estimated that roughly 200,000 children, including 145,000 American kids, have had a parent detained. According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the New York Times, the number of immigrant families who are delaying or skipping medical care rose from 22% in 2023 to 29% in 2025, while students who have grown up here are also facing barriers to education and the chance to build a future. I recognize the same tactics that have been used against Black communities for generations: Call a group dangerous, say some people deserve less protec-

tion and less freedom, mention arrests and detentions are needed for public safety, and hope everyone else looks away. That logic has also been used against Indigenous people and other communities of color. The names and policies change, but the message and violence are the same. Black Americans know what it’s like to have to fight for our rights under a system in which our ancestors could be legally kidnapped, bought, and sold. Enslaved people, Black sailors, abolitionists, women, and organizers who gathered at Colored Conventions all helped push the country toward a more honest and inclusive vision. The Reconstruction Amendments weren’t gifts from a nation that had already achieved equality. They came because people demanded change and helped build it. The 14th Amendment is part of that unfinished promise. It guarantees citizenship to people born or naturalized in the United States, and promises due process and equal protection to any person in a state’s jurisdiction. That matters today. Constitutional protections shouldn’t

depend on status, color, or background. When the government strips dignity and fairness from one group, it puts everyone’s rights and safety in jeopardy. Black people should care when Latino neighbors are targeted. The Black community has seen fear, laws, and systems used to excuse surveillance, family separation, unequal schools, and denial of opportunity. We shouldn’t watch those tools turn against another community and assume we’re safe. Solidarity means showing up, speaking out when elected officials use dehumanizing language, supporting students’ access to education, and demanding fair treatment for all people. Hispanic Heritage Month reminds us that Latino history is part of American history. Black and Latino communities have both worked to make America’s promises of freedom and equality real. Those who came before us fought to expand those rights, and we have a responsibility to continue their work. Robert Willis is a justice advocate coordinator at LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

Two women who were more than just footnotes in the history of the struggle

In “Malcolm X, the CIA, and Other Blacks,” a book I co-authored with former AmNews Executive Editor Don Rojas, Frances Stonor Saunders is both literally and figuratively a footnote. Saunders, a writer who detailed CIA propaganda, died Aug. 31 in a hospice facility in England. She was 60. Her life is important within the annals of Black history, not only for ghostwriting Eartha Kitt’s

book, “Confessions of a Sex Kitten,” but also for exposing the extent to which the CIA created front organizations such as the Congress for Cultural Freedom, which helped finance Encounter magazine. Reading her belated obituary, I also thought of Elaine Mokhtefi, who died on Sept. 21. She, too, is a footnote in our book, and is remembered mostly for helping members of the Black Panther Party to acquire political sanctuary in Algiers in 1969. But regarding Saunders, Don and I noted that it was during the height

of the Cold War that the U.S. government created the Congress of Cultural Freedom with the aim of thwarting the influence and spread of communism. In her book, “The Cultural Cold War: The CIA and the World of Arts and Letters,” Saunders wrote, “At its peak, the Congress for Cultural Freedom had offices in 35 countries, employed dozens of personnel, published twenty prestige magazines, held art exhibitions, owned a news and features service, organized high-profile international conferences, and rewarded musicians,

and artists and public performances.” All of this was done, she concluded, “to assure the continuance, if not the dominance of the ‘American way.’” James Baldwin was among the notable writers duped by Encounter. Both Saunders and Mokhtefi were extraordinary women whose dedication and insight helped Black American activists understand the international implications of culture and politics, particularly as it resonated through U.S. governmental agencies.

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 13

Looking at NYC’s ballot proposals: Five things your vote will decide CHRISTINA

GREER, PH.D. In just a few days, early voting in New York will begin, running Oct. 24–Nov. 1. If you can’t get out to vote early, you can always vote on Election Day, Nov. 3. While there are very important races on the ballot, including governor, attorney general, and numerous congressional seats, it is just as important for you to turn over your ballot and look at the five ballot proposals being presented. The AmNews ran a longer piece recently explaining what these are, so we’ll summarize them here. Proposal 1: Save small businesses time and money by making it easier to open outdoor dining and build accessible ramps. This means simplifying the process for businesses to obtain permission to use public spaces, like sidewalks and roadways, for outdoor dining, as well as making it easier to build accessibility ramps. Proposal 2: Speed up city contracts so small businesses and nonprofits can deliver services more quickly. This means reducing the burdens on small businesses and nonprofits that are contracting with the government. Proposal 3: Fast-track street safety projects and generate revenue from the sale of surplus lots and air rights by simplifying the review process to shorten construction timelines. Proposal 4: Simplify construction permitting to speed up housing and bring the 40 approvals from 18 separate offices and agencies into one place. Proposal 5: Set a target for the city’s rainy-day savings to strengthen our fiscal stability, aiming for 12% of total tax revenue to ensure long-term fiscal stability. If you are looking for more information about the five ballot proposals, go to the Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) website to read more at www.nyc.gov/ site/charter/index.page If you are looking for information about where to vote, go to www.elections.ny.gov/early-voting. If you are interested in registering to vote so you can participate in this election season, you must hurry because the final day for voter registration in New York is Oct. 24. Go to www.vote. nyc/page/registration-deadlines to find out more. Christina Greer, Ph.D., is a professor at Fordham University; author; senior policy fellow at Brooklyn Org; and cohost of the podcast FAQ-NYC.

14 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Caribbean Update China now sanctioning Caribbean nations By BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews Among the 15 nations in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), only a handful still maintain diplomatic and other relations with Taiwan. The others steadfastly support mainland China. However, in the past week, China gave a strong indication that it is willing to punish those who still prefer to deal with its breakaway province rather than Beijing. Setting its sights on Belize, Chinese officials announced economic and administrative sanctions against Belizean Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca, accusing him and Paraguayan Communications Minister Gustavo Villate of being pawns of Taiwan and its ambitions to remain a breakaway province and a staunch ally of the U.S. and western nations. For Caricom member nations, this marks the first time one of their own, at the level of a senior cabinet minister, has been targeted by Chinese sanctions, as China moved to underscore its displeasure with Belize, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, and Haiti — the only regional member states maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

“Certain politicians in Paraguay and Belize have willingly served as pawns of the Taiwan authorities in their attempts to seek Taiwan’s independence by soliciting external forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters as the sanctions were announced. The sanctions on the two are linked to a freeze of any assets of the ministers in China, Hong Kong, and Macau; restrictions on Chinese firms and individuals conducting business with them; and travel bans to cities and provinces controlled by China. The sanctions kicked in on Monday of last week, Beijing stated. Belizean officials said the moves by the Chinese will probably be of no effect, because the minister individually has no real assets in China, nor commercial bank accounts or other business activities. The government of Prime Minister John Briceno is standing by its minister and doubling down on its choice of Taiwan over China as far as diplomatic recognition goes. “These measures will not alter Belize’s foreign policy, nor will they deter the government from carrying out its responsibilities,” the government said in a statement. “The

government of Belize continues to stand fully behind Minister Fonseca. Belize is a sovereign and independent state. The principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention in the affairs of other states are the foundation of the international order on which small states depend for their security and development. The principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention in the affairs of other states are the foundation of the international order on which small states depend for their security and development.” The Caricom nation also moved to remind China of actual development projects involving Taiwan, noting that the “partnership has delivered cooperation in development, health, education, infrastructure, the environment, and agriculture for the benefit of the Belizean people. Measures directed at an individual for carrying out the lawful duties of his office are unwarranted, and we reject them.” Among those nations that prefer Taiwan, the incumbent administration in St. Vincent had pledged on the campaign trail, before winning general elections in late November 2025, that it would have dumped Taipei but

it is yet to do since Taiwan quickly stepped up aid levels to the federations with the Grenadines and increased the number of scholarships. On a recent visit to Taiwan, Prime Minister Godwin Friday received a red carpet welcome as he publicly played up Taiwan’s usefulness as far as development aid is concerned. The move against the Belizean minister appears to underscore the fight between the two for national hearts and minds as the U.S. has been stepping up its efforts to reduce China’s growing geopolitical influence in the Caribbean. For example, Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne publicly compared national relations with China and the U.S. over the weekend, making it clear that it is much easier to deal with Beijing than the U.S. “I can’t even get a call from President Trump, but I can get a meeting with President Xi,” Browne said. “China is the nation’s most important development partner. That shows you the degree of respect that China has extended to Antigua and Barbuda and other small states. There is no other country that has contributed more to our development than the People’s Republic of China during the last three decades.”

Is your American citizenship next? FELICIA PERSAUD

IMMIGRATION KORNER First, it was undocumented immigrants. Then came the attacks on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), humanitarian parole, and asylum protections. Now, the Trump administration is pursuing an aggressive denaturalization campaign, while federal investigators are examining whether a sitting member of Congress obtained her American citizenship legally. As a result, I have a question: When does becoming an American stop being enough? On Oct. 5, the Justice Department announced that it had filed 40 denaturalization cases in federal courts between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2. The department described this as its largest volume of such filings in a single period under this administration. Earlier, the department reported filing 123 civil denaturalization complaints since Jan. 20, 2025. These are not merely immigration enforcement actions against people without legal status. They are lawsuits seeking to take citizenship away from people who have already become Americans. To be clear, federal law permits denaturalization when citizenship was illegally

obtained or secured through material fraud or deliberate misrepresentation; some of the government’s complaints involve serious criminal convictions and allegations of concealed offenses. Those allegations deserve examination, and the government has a legitimate interest in addressing proven naturalization fraud. However, filing a complaint is not proving a case. Citizenship cannot simply be canceled because the government announces an investigation. That distinction becomes especially important when the person under investigation is an elected member of Congress. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born American who arrived as a refugee and acquired citizenship through her father’s naturalization in 2000, is now the subject of a federal investigation examining decades-old immigration paperwork. Federal agents searched her Washington, D.C., home. Investigators have reportedly examined whether her family misrepresented her age or other information during the immigration process. Omar denies wrongdoing and has said the investigation is politically motivated. The Washington Post has also reported that officials previously examined similar allegations and found no citizenship violations. Now, consider what this means. A woman

who became an American more than two decades ago, was elected to Congress by American voters, and has served in the institution that writes this nation’s laws faces an investigation that could lead to an attempt to revoke her citizenship. No court has established that Omar obtained citizenship unlawfully, yet the possibility of denaturalization and eventual deportation is being publicly discussed — and that raises a question much larger than Ilhan Omar. What message does this send to millions of naturalized Americans who took the oath, pledged allegiance to this country, built businesses, raised families, paid taxes, and believed their citizenship meant they finally belonged? Does their American identity remain permanently conditional? The Constitution and federal law provide substantial protections. Citizenship cannot legally be revoked simply because someone criticizes a president, belongs to an opposition party, or holds unpopular views. The government must establish a lawful basis in court. Those protections matter — but so does public confidence that they will be applied fairly and consistently, without political retaliation. For Caribbean immigrants, African immigrants, and other naturalized Amer-

icans, citizenship has long represented something more than a passport. It promises that, after navigating an often punishing immigration system, they have finally become full members of the American family. The government can investigate genuine fraud without making an entire class of citizens question whether they are secure. It can enforce the law without letting citizenship become a political weapon. The government must distinguish proven wrongdoing from allegations, however loudly those allegations are repeated. Because if naturalized Americans begin to fear that their citizenship can be revisited whenever they become politically inconvenient, what happens to the promise of equal citizenship? First, the undocumented. Then people with temporary protections. Then asylum seekers. Now, naturalized Americans are watching. The question is no longer simply who America will deport next. It is whether becoming an American still means you get to remain one. Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily syndicated newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 15

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

International

News

Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling By MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Tech giant Meta denied accusations on Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign, less than a day after the country’s electoral court ruled the platform must give equal treatment to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro before their October 25 runoff. The lawsuit was triggered by Lula’s campaign, which claimed that the company owning Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp was using biased algorithms and AI restrictions to favor Bolsonaro. The suit in Brazil echoes related European cases in Romania and Germany, where courts previously intervened to correct platform imbalances. Meta said in response that a series of recent platform issues stemmed from unrelated global technical glitches, strict anti-fraud measures, and regulatory compliance rather than targeted suppression. It insisted its systems do not distribute content based on political ideology and emphasized that rules are applied equally. The company said it had two global technical disruptions earlier in October: One froze view counts on Instagram Reels in more than 100 countries while content Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, takes part in campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, distribution remained normal, and anoth- Brazil. (Silvia Izquierdo/AP photo) er briefly disrupted ad creation from existing Instagram posts in one of its tools the same rules to all candidates, parties, and last year, platforms like Google, Meta, and requiring mandatory tracking codes on for one day. political viewpoints in Brazil, just as it does TikTok have to monitor and remove hate all political social media messaging, for elections worldwide. We do not suppress speech, racism, and incitement to vio- shifting the paradigm toward structural Meta says each incident cited by Lula cam- content to disadvantage any side, nor do we lence in Brazil. transparency. paign is explainable grant preferential treatment to any side. That stance has unsettled relations with Addressing the Lula campaign’s con- Each of the incidents cited by the Lula cam- the Trump administration and drawn Study found Meta allowed hundreds of ircerns about Meta AI, the company ex- paign has a direct and documented expla- criticism from those concerned it could regular political ads plained that a loophole involving generic nation, as described above. None of them threaten free speech. Meta said in its stateAdding to Meta’s challenges in Brazil, a first names combined with electoral num- reflect political bias.” ment that it will continue to defend itself study released this week by a research group bers briefly prevented some users from Earlier on Friday, the daily “Folha de S. against the lawsuit. at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro generating images of the president, while Paulo” reported, citing leaked internal The allegations in Brazil align with inter- revealed that the platform allowed at least still allowing them to do so for Flávio Bol- communications, that Meta employees ac- national precedents about tech platforms 1,613 irregular political ads — totaling 171 sonaro for another day. knowledged the incumbent campaign’s ac- and elections. In 2019, before European million views and generating roughly 2 milMeta did not, however, address why counts were indeed restricted from boosting Parliament elections, Germany’s Consti- lion reais ($400,000) in revenue between July Bolsonaro’s Instagram and WhatsApp certain posts due to technical glitches and tutional Court issued a landmark decision and September — funded primarily from channels received algorithmic recom- algorithmic limitations, although compa- against platform censorship by forcing the United States. mendations, a practice ruled illegal by ny engineers insisted the issues came from Facebook to restore the blocked page of “In Brazil, it is prohibited for any entity Brazil’s electoral court. system failures and automated errors. a political party, establishing that tech other than a political party, a candidate, or “Brazilian voters deserve facts, not a pogiants must abide by constitutional prin- a coalition to purchase electoral advertiselitical narrative constructed by combining Lula’s administration has tried to regulate ciples of political equality. ments. No company should be able to buy unrelated technical issues. Meta will con- Big Tech companies Five years later, Romania faced covert ads on Meta, whether from within Brazil or tinue to enforce its rules, comply with BraSince taking office in 2023, Lula has en- algorithmic manipulation during its 2024 abroad, to promote an electoral campaign,” zilian electoral legislation, correct errors acted online protections for women and presidential election, which was annulled said communication professor Marie Santiwhen they occur, and ensure a level play- minors, issued decrees about platform ac- due to hidden TikTok amplification and ni, who was involved in the study. “It is not ing field for everyone who uses our servic- countability, and partnered with the Su- bot networks favoring pro-Russia can- the first time that Meta is negligent with the es,” Meta said. preme Court to hold companies liable for didate Călin Georgescu; Romania subse- electoral law, not the first country. It is a sysThe company added that “Meta applies illegal content and misinformation. Since quently enacted emergency legislation tematic behavior of the company.”

16 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

George Clinton debuts new nonprofit, honored with Newark’s key to city at Newark’s Avon Elementary By JOHNNY KNOLLWOOD Special to the AmNews George Clinton, the godfather of funk and mastermind behind influential music collective ParliamentFunkadelic, returned home to Avon Elementary in Newark, N.J. The funk pioneer, who conceived the idea for Parliament-Funkadelic in the playground more than six decades ago, was onsite at the school’s annual back-to-school barbeque to debut a new nonprofit, Protecting Our Legacy, and receive the key to the city. Clinton changed the landscape of popular music by fusing funk with psychedelic rock, jazz, and soul, eventually laying down what would become the “DNA” of hip hop when much of his work was sampled by artists like Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and De La Soul. Clinton, who brought the world monumental works like “Maggot Brain,” “Flashlight,” and “Give Up the Funk,” has famously been embroiled in a longstanding legal battle involving the rights to his music, and former partner Armen Boladian, which Clinton largely describes

in his autobiography, “Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You?.” Protecting Our Legacy was “born out of Mr. George Clinton’s passion for musicians and their rights,” according to the organization’s Instagram. “We support musicians in obtaining and protecting the rights to their works.” The new organization hosted the George Clinton Youth Empowerment & Creative Legacy Summit at Avon Elementary’s annual back-to-school barbeque. Clinton participated in educational panels and discussions, met community members, and took pictures with kids. The organization gave away items such as backpacks, sneakers, and hats, and hosted a tent for community resources, a DJ, and free food. The event culminated with a performance by the Malcolm X Shabazz High School Marching Band and a ceremony honoring Clinton with the key to the city, presented by Mayor Ras Baraka. Stay up to date with Protecting Our Legacy on Instagram @protecting_our_legacy and at protectingourlegacy.org.

George Clinton meeting community members at Avon Elementary in Newark, N.J., on Sept. 5, 2026. Influential bandleader, who conceived idea for Parliament-Funkadelic in playground, returned to school to debut a new nonprofit, Protecting our Legacy. (Johnny Knollwood photo)

Less sick time. More together time. COVID-19, Flu, and RSV can cause serious illness and make you sick for days or even weeks. The good news is there are many ways to protect what matters most. GET VACCINATED

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 17

Arts & Entertainment Commentary:

Solange and what it means to have a seat at the table By MATTHEW ALLEN Special to the AmNews The co-existence of Black Americans and white Americans has been one of modern society’s most curious and contradictory conundrums of the past five centuries. The incorporation of Black people into white American society after the fall of formal slavery in 1865 has come with roadblocks, barricade brakes, and shady backdoor padlocks. From Plessy v. Ferguson to Brown v. Board of Education; from the Civil Rights Act to the Voting Rights Act, Black people have received their due, all but completely via provocation. Black people requested the same representation and protection from the government that those same white Americans literally went to war over to gain, only to become the same type of victimizers that the British government had been to them. Music provided the kind of mental freedom to Black Americans, both during and postenslavement, when they were denied the land to cultivate and a seat at the table of the nation. By September 2016, singer/songwriter Solange Knowles was poised to release an album that would join the annals of Black music history. Before that, she had emerged from the overwhelming shadow of her superstar older sister, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. She abandoned attempts to assimilate into the charts with typical Black producers and 2000s sonic tropes. She carved her trail with projects that challenged those tropes by first paying homage to the past (2008’s “Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams”) and then looking to the future (2012’s “True” EP). For Solange’s next project, she did what many Black legends did before her: fused the past and future. The result was “A Seat at the Table,” an album that was both a relevant and prophetic manifesto of affirmation for her people. However, instead of singing about her white oppressors, she decided to sing to them. The album had the audacity of Nina Simone and Tupac Shakur, who had no qualms about addressing white supremacists with no fear and full of righteous rage. The album begins with the words “Fall in your ways so you can crumble/Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night/Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise.” Writer Nelson George said in his memoir, “City Kid,” that “Failure is a path to clarity.” “Rise” is a prayer of embracing failure. Stepping out on your own can be scary because you fail; you’re alone. There’s more pressure when you are by yourself, but you learn valuable wisdom when those mo-

Solange performing at Coachella on April 19, 2014. (Neon Tommy photo)

ments happen. Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” told a binary story. On one hand, the album gave agency to Black people to embrace their existential feelings of living as Black Americans. She sang, over soulful production from herself, along with the likes of Raphael Saadiq, Q-Tip, and Sampha, about the importance of allowing yourself to feel pain and confusion while repelling forces that tried to take advantage of or diminish their Black pride. The thematic subtext, underscored by interludes from her parents and No Limit Records founder Master P, speaks to Black entrepreneurship and fending off outsiders who want to leach off the culture for profit. Songs like “Cranes in the Sky,” “Mad,” and “Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)” found Solange purging her own journey of doubt, loss, and disillusionment, giving the listener the agency to lean into their sadness and confusion; don’t avoid those emotions, but accept them, and use them as fuel to fight against the real enemies. On the other side of the coin, she spoke directly to those who wish to keep us shackled, telling them to back TF off. “Don’t Touch My Hair” and “F.U.B.U.” called out white folks, who wished to commodify the culture, saying that it was no use. No matter how much wealth and power they accumulated, they would never be able to create Black culture and revel in the shared fellowship that Black society receives. Now, 10 years in the future, the notion of what it means to have a seat at the table isn’t what it did in the past. The surrounding landmark albums of 2016 not only deviated from the sonic convention of the time, but

were symbols of independence; of being untethered from conglomerate thinking. Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” shocked critics and fans, expecting the organic funk and quirky hip-hop of his 2012 major label debut, “channelORANGE,” or his 2011 mixtape, “Nostalgia, Ultra.” The album was ethereal and revealing. Ocean’s finessing of Def Jam by fulfilling his contract with a visual ambient album, “Endless,” and then releasing “Blonde” the next day exclusively on Apple Music, with an eight-figure payout and 70 percent royalty rate, was a business coup. Rihanna released “Anti,” whose title alone invited a suspension of past expectations. It stands as her most progressive, experimental output. After it achieved high-charting singles and universal critical acclaim, she put music on the back burner to launch and run her own Savage Fenty company, elevating her to billionaire status. Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, completely obliterated the preconceptions of what people expected of him musically with “Awaken, My Love,” like “Blonde” and “Anti.” Tackling his own cerebral and cynical brand of rapping on projects like “Camp” and “Because the Internet.” “Awaken, My Love” was a tribute to the foundational funk of George Clinton and Sly Stone. Befpre the album’s release, he created and released “Atlanta,” a surrealistic comedy series on FX like nothing anyone had seen before from a Black show. As the star, executive producer, writer, and one of its directors, he wanted a show of his own image and imagination after his stint on the NBC sitcom “Community.” “I just don’t wanna have a job anymore.

I don’t want to have a boss,” Glover told Vibe Magazine in 2013, after leaving the show after five seasons. “‘Community,’ I think, is one of the best shows on television. But it’s not mine.” That year, Solange’s big sister, Beyoncé, dropped “Lemonade,” a multidisciplinary presentation that displayed the duality of dealing with marital infidelity and honoring Black heritage. Beyoncé financed the album’s accompanying film herself via her Parkwood Entertainment production company, with her record label, Columbia, distributing it. That meant “A Seat at the Table” came out as Black ownership was happening through artists like Beyoncé, Ocean, Glover, and Rihanna, providing proof of concept. Rather than working for the labels, they are partnering with them, or circumventing them altogether. Today, the Black man and the Black woman are finally forced into the corner of becoming entrepreneurs. Media companies are laying off Black creatives left and right, and concurrently erasing remnants of Black history from the internet. Respected reporters and journalists Joy Reid and Don Lemon lost their jobs at MSNBC and CNN, respectively, and have had to create their own platforms online via social media. Roland Martin started his own weekly news show from home after years of working on CNN and TVOne. Former NFL star Ryan Clark co-founded his own media company, “The Pivot,” while working at ESPN; when the network fired him early this year, he was able to make his own NFL show and do “The Pivot” full-time, forming a distribution deal with Netflix. The courage that Solange displayed on “Don’t Touch My Hair” and the open vulnerability of “Weary” can be seen in every empowered Black creative now working independently. “A Seat at the Table” implied that there had to be a re-evaluation of how Black people cultivate their place in the world — with new business models. More than a century after Black communities like Tulsa’s Greenwood, Seneca Village and San Juan Hill in New York City, or Rosewood in Florida, self-sufficient Black neighborhoods and cities were burned, bombed, or buried when neighboring whites realized the Blacks didn’t need them as much as they thought. Thankfully, Solange helped remind so many of us that we can fall, feel weary, get mad, and try to drink away those feelings, as long as we do so to purge them from our bodies so we can learn from mistakes and misdeeds, and build ourselves beyond the help of our oppressors. Having a seat at the table means making our own tables.

18 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Travel & Resort Black history and culture still thrives in D.C. By TRACY E. HOPKINS Special to the AmNews Visiting Washington, D.C., has become my annual combination of solo and girlfriend getaway. This time, I scheduled my trip around the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Although this was my fourth visit to the nearly 400,000-squarefoot museum, which opened its doors in the nation’s capital on Sept. 24, 2016, I’m always moved by the thoughtful curation that chronicles our painstaking path and phoenix-like rise as a people. As a creative, I’m especially drawn to the rich contributions made by African Americans in the arts. On this trip, I took note of pearls of wisdom posted throughout the regal institution’s cultural galleries that resonated with me, including quotes by author bell hooks — “People resist by … telling their story” — and jazz musician Herbie Hancock — “The beauty of life is to be outside the box, so that the box doesn’t exist … to limit a human being to one mode of expression is really a crime.” I also never miss the chance to savor the freshly made soul food at the museum’s cafeteria-style Sweet Home Café, and the fried catfish with hearty sides of baked macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and yams didn’t disappoint. The legacy continues This moment in the museum’s legacy is crucial. Before the 10th anniversary kickoff, dubbed “The Reunion,” Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the NMAAHC (2005–

walk into it, which a lot of people have said, the space reminds [them] of old D.C.” The Canadian restaurateur with Jamaican roots decorated the swanky eatery’s dining room with local Black artworks and an eye-catching pink chandelier centerpiece. Since Isla’s opening in fall 2025, Murdock has made the District her home and is proud of the inclusive space she’s created. “I’m actually honored that this is my space, and I have it here for everybody. Even though I’ve had this kind of space on a smaller scale in Toronto, I have never sat down with so many amazing human beings in my life — doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians — and every night, I meet somebody and I’m amazed by what they do in their profession, and (they’re) just like the most humble people. It’s been really wonderful.” NMAAHC exterior. (Alan Karchmer photo)

2019) and 14th secretary of the Smithsonian (2019–2026), announced his retirement. “[Lonnie] envisioned a museum of which the American people and their descendants could be proud, a place that would serve as a beacon of hope, reflection, and remembrance for future generations,” said Shanita Brackett, acting director of NMAAHC, in a statement. Bunch and Brackett gave optimistic speeches at the milestone fundraiser, “The Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl,” named to honor the 77 freedom-seekers who boarded the schooner Pearl from the District Waterfront in 1848. The event at the Wharf’s Anthem music venue was hosted by comedian Bill Bellamy, and attracted guests who

NMAAHC’s Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl. (Tracy E. Hopkins photos)

dressed to impress and danced the night away to the sounds of producer Jermaine Dupri and DJ D-Nice. Free events on the waterfront concluded the multi-day celebration, including performances by Tamar Braxton and the Roots. Where to eat When in D.C., dine in style at Isla (pronounced Eye-luh), perfect for a sophisticated lady outing or date night done right. Menu standouts include the Isla crab patties, firegrilled branzino, and Miss Paula’s carrot cake. “I think Isla came at a time where Afro-Caribbean cuisine is definitely having its true moment,” said owner and executive chef Lonie Murdock, “and I think when people

More arts and culture Step Afrika!’s “The Fruits of Our Labor,” at Arena Stage through Nov. 1, is an electrifying body percussion work that examines what it means to build, to belong, and to believe in a nation still in the making. The National Museum of Women in the Arts has a compelling exhibit, “Routed West: 20th Century African American Quilts in California,” through Jan. 17. Enjoy free admission on community days: the first Sunday and second Wednesday of every month. Where to stay Hotel Zena is a centrally located boutique hotel with a feminist art theme, near Thomas Circle and about a 15- to 20minute walk to the Smithsonian museums and the National Mall.

Dressed to impress: Attendees at the NMAAHC’s The Purple Ball.

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Soul food at Sweet Home Cafe. (Tracy E. Hopkins photos)

NMAAHC Founding Director Lonnie G. Bunch III. (Robert Stewart photo)

NMAAHC lobby.

Isla crab patties.

20 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

AmNews FOOD At Creola, Chef Lana Lagomarsini welcomes you to her grandmother’s table KYSHA HARRIS

FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC A recent Wednesday evening dinner with a friend began with something Chef Mavis-Jay Sanders said during my interview with her at Briscola in Brooklyn. She said she was looking forward to Black women chefs opening their own restaurants like Chef Camari Mick’s Calabash and Chef Lana Lagomarsini’s Creola. I was too, but today I can say I have just one more to go. The time had finally come to experience Creola (1261 Park Ave.), named for her grandmother. After picking up my friend Melba and a quick cab ride, we arrived for our 6:30 p.m. reservation. Creola’s blue exterior and curtained window stopped me. It looked like a tiny French bistro, with a little 1950s diner charm. Quaint. Inviting. I wanted in. Lana greeted us warmly, delighted to have us there, and showed us to our table near the kitchen. From there, I could see the cooking and the whole dining room: five tables, about a dozen seats by my count, and the stately blue hutch from which Lana personally serves each guest everything else that doesn’t come from the small but mighty kitchen. We settled in for the tasting menu. Melba also chose the $65 wine pairing; mostly NA these days, I ordered freshly made hibiscus soda. When Lana delivered it, she mentioned the importance of a “red drink” at a meal like hers, always honoring the ancestors. I did take a couple of sips of Melba’s wines because Lana was so proud of the selection, assisted by a friend. She was not wrong. The pairing moved through whites from Spain and elsewhere in Europe, ending with a lovely Syrah-Grenache blend. First came snacks: miniature empanadas, compressed watermelon with almond brittle and herbs, and oysters with mignonette, tasso ham and greens. We ate them in that order. The watermelon’s acid, sweetness, and crunch caught my attention, followed by the oysters’ vinegary brightness. Lana knew how to wake up a palate. As we ate, I kept noticing details of the petite room. The whitewashed and exposed brick walls adorned with family photographs, the yellow-and-black toile curtains — which I later learned Lana had sewn herself — the delicately embroidered monogrammed napkins and coasters that looked like pressed handkerchiefs fresh off the clothesline, and the eclectic plates that felt chosen with care all caught my eye. She had hand-created a space meant to recall the home of her grandmother, Creola.

Chef Lana Lagomarsini, left, with AmNewsFOOD Food Editor Kysha Harris at Creola.

Creola’s softly lit exterior, with the restaurant’s name on the window. (Kysha Harris photos)

Smoked succotash followed: chilled corn soup with smoked cream, basil oil, marinated tomatoes and okra chips. The okra, sliced lengthwise and exceptionally thin, had a wonderful nuttiness. The tomatoes supplied the tang. Corn, basil, smoke and crunch — a lot was happening, beautifully. Next, potato salad, crazy style connected to her grandmother’s version and the potato salad every gathering needs. Potato pavé arrived with bright celery salad, bacon-fat hollandaise, and bacon. Lana generously added caviar, normally a $30 supplement. Those precise potato layers, that celery, that rich sauce. What a course. Those thin, beautiful layers of pavé showcased Chef Lana’s skill and the experience she has garnered — from Gramercy Tavern, Daniel, Momofuku Ko, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns to an apprenticeship with Chef Francis Mallmann in Patagonia, cooking in Italy and Colombia, and her recent turn as a semifinalist on “Top Chef: Destination Canada.” You could see the precision of her training and taste her history in the way she made familiar flavors her own. The second shift brought head-on shrimp in red-eye gravy. I tasted something I couldn’t place. Maple? Coffee, Lana explained, with butter enriching the sauce. Alongside came benne bread, her take on milk bread, and shrimp-head butter. Benne is sesame, with deep roots in West African foodways and the gardens of enslaved people in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. She described a roughly five-hour bread-making process. Its salted crust and soft interior were ready for that gravy. We put them to work and they got overtime!

The last savory course was Midnight Train. A mustard-green-stuffed pork collar with summer peach Jezebel, Southern pecan dukkah and bitter greens. Tender pork, juicy peaches and a pecan topping that ate almost like savory toffee. How were these peaches so good in October? Lana put the boom-bip to ’em. We were getting full, if not already there. I left a little pork on the plate and Melba, a little peach. A bite for the angels, we told Lana. However, banana pudding of spiced molasses cake, white-chocolate crémeux, and caramelized bananas still got, got. By the time our meal came to an end, every table was occupied, and Lana was in her flow state. She told us a new menu was coming, but kept the details to herself. Invitation accepted! For anyone longing for the feeling of being cared for at a grandmother’s table — or a familiar meal that makes you feel at home — Creola offers that invitation. Lana’s food and the room she created deserve a visit. I’m already looking forward to my next seat. 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.

Opening snacks: oysters with mignonette and tasso, miniature empanadas, and compressed watermelon with almond brittle and herbs.

Smoked Succotash: chilled corn soup with smoked cream, basil oil, marinated tomatoes, and thin okra chips.

Midnight Train: mustard-green-stuffed pork collar with summer peach Jezebel, Southern pecan dukkah and bitter greens.

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 21

AmNews jazz writer Ronald E. Scott honored at 47th American Book Awards By JASON PONTEROTTO Special to the AmNews Amsterdam News jazz columnist Ronald E. Scott was honored at the annual American Book Awards by the Before Columbus Foundation at the University of California, Berkeley, on Sept. 26. Scott, author of the Jazz Notes column, whose career spans more than 30 years, received the Walter and Lilian Lowenfels Award for Criticism for his work in examining jazz music and writing reviews of Black theater, and other forms of cultural production. Writer, playwright, and scholar Ishmael Reed, founder of Before Columbus Foundation, who presents the award ceremony each year, presented this year’s award to Scott. They have been friends for a decade. Overcome with emotion, Scott thanked Reed and the foundation in his remarks. “I didn’t want to be a writer. It was something I liked to do on the side, but I didn’t see it in my life,” Scott said at the start. “To be honored with all these exceptional poets and writers — it’s one of those days I wish my parents were here to see this.” Scott discussed the power of writing and jazz music as a way to give voice to the oppressed. “Jazz is America. Black American music is the backdrop of what America could be if we weren’t screwed up with such idiots,” Scott said. “[Music] is not only to tell you what’s going on in the world. It’s also to make us feel better … It gives us the gumption to move on and get through another day.” The award ceremony honors contemporary authors and includes various recognitions. Among the 19 other awardees were Deborah Willis for “Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers: 1840 to the Present”; Matthew Shipp for “Black Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings”; John Fugelsang for “Separation of Church and Hate”; and several others. Foundation chairperson Justin Desmangle noted that the board of directors unanimously decided to honor Scott, which is rare in the organization’s history. The board includes Reed; Wajahat Ali, who serves as president; and Viet Thanh Nguyen, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Marlon James, among others. It boasts several former Pulitzer Prize winners, three former U.S. Poet Laureates, three MacArthur Fellows, a Booker Prize winner, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. Scott has reviewed some of Reed’s latest plays, including “The Shine Challenge,” a satirical play that ran at the Theater for the New City in Lower Manhattan, and “Blues Lyrics,” a blues CD composed by Reed, both in 2025. Reed spoke to the Amsterdam News about his friendship with Scott and why Scott is so deserving at this juncture when the arts and writers face attacks from right-wing leaders. “They’re trying to eradicate our culture. [Ron] is a tradition-bearer, a bearer of tradition, the wise person who keeps our culture and resists any attempt to stamp it out,” he said.

Before Columbus Foundation founder Ishamael Reed (left) with friend Ron Scott after presenting Scott with Walter and Lilian Lowenfels Award for Criticism during 47th Annual American Book Awards, held Sept. 26, 2026, at Alumni House at University of California, Berkeley campus. (Jason Ponterotto photo)

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Mount Neboh Church and Harlem say goodbye to Freddie Jackson

Friends gather to show love. (Bill Moore photos)

By MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS Special to the AmNews African American adherents of the Baptist faith believe wholeheartedly in making a “joyful noise unto the Lord.” On Monday morning, for none was this ever a truer imperative than among members of Mount Neboh Baptist Church who gathered with loved ones and admirers to celebrate the welllived life of their dearly departed brother, Frederick Anthony “Freddie” Jackson. A legend to devotees of R & B music, never married, to those who questioned his sexuality, Jackson insisted his “relationship with God was the only thing that mattered [regarding my] personal identity.” In September 2024, saying he wanted to “help raise awareness,” Jackson disclosed that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease. Renowned for their gospel choir, Mount Neboh is a favorite destination of European and Asian tourists visiting from abroad. Like many Harlem houses of worship, it inhabits a highly historic edifice. Designed by Edward I. Shire as Temple Ansche Chesed, a synagogue, it was erected in 1909. Because of the builders’ desire to obscure their identity as outsiders, as Jews were often considered then, it was deliberately designed

to resemble a neo-Classical early-18th-century London church. Reflecting rapidly changing demographic shifts, the dignified pillared building was sold in 1927. As Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Spanish Roman Catholic Church, it served Puerto Rican immigrants. Since 1980, the building, which still retains architectural details indicative of its Jewish and Roman Catholic heritage, has served as the home of Mount Neboh, a Baptist congregation first established 81 years ago. It was clear from the 10 a.m. start that Jackson’s leave-taking would be a moving occasion, but we were under no illusions about being committed for the long haul. Early on, one speaker admonished us, “Just because this is a tribute to Freddie Jackson, and Melba Moore and Valerie Simpson have come, do not be mistaken, it is not a concert. We are a part of a worship service here. The proceedings won’t be over in an hour.” At this, I laughed loudly. Joined with the guffaws of a couple hundred others, also aware of the ways of Baptist churches, I was completely drowned out. Aptly described by Mount Neboh’s well-known pastor, Rev. Johnny Melvin Green, as the church’s most famous congregant, the acclaimed singing artist, actor, and songwriter was extolled

Program from the service.

as a native son. “He grew up, right here in the Village of Harlem, right here in our church,” proclaimed Green. His sermon was a stirring one, taking as its scriptural text Psalm 96: a mandate to “Sing a new song to the Lord, and let the entire Earth join in …” For those who know Black preaching traditions, it was no surprise that Green began by joking. Directly appraising her as he spoke, he said, “I saw Valerie Simpson seated on a plane coming home once. I wanted to ask her for her autograph, but in my mind, I heard my son saying to me, ‘Daddy, don’t act like you don’t know nothin.’” As he continued, there was a dramatic buildup. Entire segments of Green’s message started to be sung with a roaring cadence. His sermon became as emotion-filled and laden with musical emphasis as any of the songs that were sung. “Freddie was more than a singer,” Green said. “He bestowed comfort and he helped others, too. He gave them memories of the events highlighting a lifetime. He helped them to articulate feelings they otherwise did not know, with mere words, just how to express.” Prompting yet more knowing laughter, he continued. “Many of you ’80s and ’90s babies — Freddie was responsible for that, too!” He was referencing Jackson’s

oeuvre of chart-topping classics. Invariably outpourings of love and passion, they include “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” (1985), “Have You Ever Loved Somebody” (1986), “Jam Tonight” (1986), “Do Me Again” (1990), and, perhaps most memorably, “You Are My Lady.” This love ballad is so associated with Jackson that when it was sung during the service, everyone present joined in, leaping to their feet for an ovation at its end. If Melba Moore spoke of her mentorship helping to guide a young Jackson, of the depths of their friendship, and his great generosity, Valerie Simpson reiterated it. She spoke of how he stepped up and aided her when she needed help most. In her widowhood, when she so often needed an escort, or the humor of a joke to maintain sanity when facing an overwhelming loss, he was there. I asked my longtime colleague and friend, State Senator Cordell Cleare about her fondest memory of Freddie Jackson. “It was his always being so real and down to earth,” she said, smiling. “There was nothing brand-new about him.” Explaining just how Jackson’s signature song came into being, composer Barry Eastmond was movingly poignant. “‘Can he sing?’ I asked when requested to write a song for him,” he recalled. “I was

instructed to go hear Freddie on the Piers where he was performing with Melba Moore. I was so blown away. I thought, ‘I have never heard a voice like this.’ I determined, ‘I must write a song for him’ and did, in just a couple hours. Ordinarily, I don’t do the lyrics for a song. I have someone else do that. But when I finished the music, I couldn’t let the song go. “Then I called and asked if he could come by to hear the song. The next day, he comes to the house. That first time we met, Freddie was so full of energy, but after I sang the song for him, silence! ‘Oh, no, he doesn’t like it. I’ll have to write a new song for him,’ I thought. But then he said to me: ‘If you give that song to anyone else, I’ll never speak to you again!’” Paul Lawrence Jr., responsible for writing Jackson’s first big success, “Rock Me Tonight,” was similarly warm. In concluding her resounding rendition of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” Alyson Williams quipped, “What am I going to do about potato salad? Freddie always brought the best potato salad.” Was it all a big performance, a concert, or devout worshipping? What did it matter? Monday, from 10 a.m. to half-past 1, Freddie Jackson’s funeral was the best place to be to experience love and joy in Harlem.

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Fans and mourners outside to show love and support. (Bill Moore photos)

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Fans, mourners, and supporters gather outside Mount Neboh Baptist Church to honor passing of Freddie Jackson.

Pallbearers carrying casket.

Jackson family members. (Michael Henry Adams photos)

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State Senator Cordell Cleare.

Portia Pinkney with Chet Whye Jr.

Michael McMillon Jr.

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This week: Sistas’ Place, the Cookers, Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble

Vocalist, songwriter, and producer Eugenie Jones is known for bringing her own teacup to the jazz scene, filled with sparkling soul that she mixes with her every song — a straight-ahead blend that enhances her original compositions, as well as traveled standards. Jones, residing in Seattle for more than a decade, will make her way to Brooklyn for one night only at Sistas’ Place (456 Nostrand Avenue) on Oct. 24 for two sets, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. She’s recorded six albums to date and collaborated with NEA Jazz Master Reggie Workman, Bernard Purdie, Lonnie Plaxico, Julian Priester, and Bobby Sanabria. She has won two Earshot Jazz Vocalist of the Year awards, received the Jazz Journalists Association’s Jazz Hero Award (2023), and is a Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame inductee. This will be a night of intimate soulswinging music that will linger into memorable moments. For reservations, call 718-398-1766. After 17 years, the Cookers remain one of the most exciting collaborative ensembles today. Many of these cats were on the NYC 1960s transformation scene, when jazz was busting loose in all directions. Their then-roaring young voices extended those musical forms into new dimensions and inventions. The members of the Cookers represent their own personal university of the now that features trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, tenor sax Azar Lawrence, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Hart. This dynamic collective will perform at the Smoke Supper Club (2751 Broadway) Oct. 21–25. Each member of the Cookers has spent time leading his own series of groups as well, and each has a keenly individual sound, but it’s the unmistakable power of teamwork that makes this music so commanding and resonates with a kind of depth and beauty that speaks of the seasoned track record of its principals (combined, the group has more than 250 years of experience in the jazz world and has been a part of more than 1,000 recordings). “It’s a joy after all these years with these great cats to still find ways to sound different, and keep the music moving forward with new interpretations,” said Hart. “We keep looking for the new based on our past experiences that push us into new territories.” For showtimes and reservations, visit smokejazz.com. Attending concerts, being captivated by good music, and leaving in a positive state

Eugenie Jones. (Sienna Kyle photo)

of mind is what concerts are all about. Such will be the case when witnessing the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band jazz ensemble on Oct. 22 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The internationally acclaimed Native American singer, bandleader, and actor Keefe has performed with the likes of Tony Bennett, Bonnie Raitt, and Esperanza Spalding. Her performances celebrate the diversity and vitality of Indigenous people in jazz, past, present, and future. The ensemble also celebrates the legacy of underrated pioneers like Coeur d’Alene jazz icon Mildred Bailey and Jim Pepper (Kaw and Mskoke heritage). Keefe grew up on the Nez Perce Reservation; was introduced to Billie Holiday at an early age; and later discovered Bailey, who became a major inspiration. Bailey gained her reputation as the “Queen of Swing” early on, and was one of the first female vocalists to be regularly featured with a big band, joining Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra in 1929. Billie Holiday didn’t join Benny Goodman’s Orchestra until 1933 — two years before Ella Fitzgerald joining Chick Webb’s Big Band at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom.

Pepper, saxophonist, composer, and singer (who died in 1992), was also a fierce jazz contributor who played with saxophonist Joe Lovano in drummer Paul Motian’s band. Motian described Pepper’s playing as “post-Coltrane.” Don Cherry was among those who encouraged Pepper to infuse more of his Native culture into his music. “It is estimated that there are more than 370 million indigenous people spread across 70 countries worldwide,” according to the “Who Are Indigenous Peoples?” fact sheet of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. “Practicing unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic, and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Considering the diversity of indigenous peoples, an official definition of ‘indigenous’ has not been adopted by any U.N.-system body.” In essence, “Indigenous” becomes yet another buzzword, like “colored,” “ethnic,” “people of color,” or “Hispanic.” Oddly, Indigenous, in describing a people, coincides with W.E.B. Du Bois’s statement: “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line.” In America, as Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr. noted, people unfortunately are judged by the color of their skin, despite their achievements or contributions to society. Keefe is part of a historically rich legacy that is ever-evolving through many before her, including Bailey and Pepper — Native Americans whose ancestors lived in the Americas for thousands of years, developing a variety of cultures, languages, and political systems long before Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492. As a source of reference, read Roxanne Dunbar‑Ortiz’s “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States,” which reframes U.S. history through Native resistance, colonial violence, and Indigenous sovereignty. Keefe’s ensemble represents the resilience of her ancestors; their relentless insistence on freedom; a musical story of triumph and pain, joy and hope; a vibrant tapestry of unique nuances — all of which she effortlessly blends with jazz sounds. She sings with passion and charisma, leaving audiences both inspired and educated. Those in South Florida should take time to experience Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band. For tickets, visit Kravis.org.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Housing Continued from page 3

foot African art museum; retail; and publicly accessible open space. Alloy representatives said affordable apartments would match market-rate units in size, finishes, and appliances, and that they would continue to do local hiring and work with minority- and women-owned businesses. However, the representatives said they could only afford the $470 million in public benefits if the market-rate portion of the project went through –– they argued that increasing the number of affordable units would hurt their ability to fund the project. They said some of Community Board 2’s 45 recommendations would require cooperation with city agencies, and several others were not realistic. In public testimony at the ULURP hearing, LaShawn Doyle, who attended and later worked at the Boys & Girls Navy Yard Clubhouse and is now CEO of the basketball-centric Bucketfam, said. “I was raised in this place, so from being a youth leader to getting my first job to the present day, this is a full circle moment. Alloy has allowed my company Bucketfam to use the facility for free. “The community center is what I’m

standing for, to make sure that we continue to have this as a safe haven. Alloy provides the facility for free, allows us to have the place open so kids are not just outside. I believe since we’ve been there … hundreds of students [have] come in; they have a good time. This is not just a project. This is home for me because I am from the Fort Greene-Farragut area and for the last 30 years, we’ve watched developments go up around us, and we have no say-so. [Now] we actually have someone that we know personally there where we can voice our opinions, and it doesn’t feel like we’re just at a panel.” Union members, contractors, and nonprofit leaders said there would be jobs, training, and youth programming with the new development. Justice Favor of the Mason Tenders District Council spoke in support of the Alloy project, saying it was because union work helped change his personal trajectory: He was born and raised in a NYCHA project, but union work helped him to progress. He sees the Alloy project as potentially transformative for locals. “When we talk about the young men and women that are coming up in these communities … we could talk about programs, we could talk about all of that, [but] I was once one of those young individuals. [W]

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hat changed my life and transformed my life and [is] transforming the lives of my members is having that good union career — making money to be able to shift the paradigm and change my circumstances. So let’s not throw that conversation out. Let’s not do that. I’m proud to say that I stand in support of this project.” People who spoke against the project said they were not arguing for no construction; they were asking for less height, more affordability, and enforceable protections. Sam Blackwell said the project “should be half the proposed size and twice the amount of affordable housing.” He warned: “You bought a building. You didn’t buy our history; you didn’t buy the right to control our future.” Samantha Johnson said promises from Alloy should not cloud the fact that the proposed project will mean years of disruption in the neighborhood. “Through my 20 years of advocacy in Brooklyn, I have seen many projects, and yet this project shows that this is a community that is willing to be up for sale. Our own people, who we trusted and relied on to take on this fight, are now using our children as bargaining chips,” she testified. Deacon Jeffrey Flowers, speaking for the Church of the Open Door’s Rev. Taylor, urged Alloy to go back to the drawing board,

citing the affordable-housing ratio; demolition of P.S. 287; and the absence of a clear plan for dust, noise, traffic, and parking. Longtime Farragut resident David Banks said while the developer has acknowledged some potential impacts on transportation, open space, and construction, there are other aspects that concern him. “There are substantial matters requiring more than assurances of good intentions,” Banks said. “I recognize the value of a new school, affordable senior housing, and community facilities, but the question before us is whether these proposed benefits are supported by enforceable commitments and adequate protections for the existing residents. As someone who has witnessed decades of change in Fort Greene, I believe development must be measured not only by what gets built, but by its lasting consequences for the people who live here.” Latrell Masso, founder of Farragut Stakeholders, said the concern was for the community’s fabric: “These are the people I grew up with. These are the people I fight for,” she said. She did not reject the building of new housing but questioned whether the towers would deepen the divide between new private development and NYCHA residents: “Think about the whole community,” she said.

BNY

Through NYABJ, the media advocacy organization Horner has led since 2024, Horner looks to use her network to connect members with employment opportunities during a period in which Black media professionals have fallen victim to the anti-DEI wave and a changing media landscape. “If I can move the needle at all. I plan to do it,” Horner said. Between NYABJ, Right On! and other projects, Horner says she will continue making history. “I’m not out here seeking glory,” she said, “ because the glory seeks me.”

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were Public Enemy, NWA, and the Juice Crew collective, including Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie, designed by Dapper Dan, who was able to reach new exposure as a result of Right On! She began to notice newer outlets such as Vibe and The Source, and shows like Yo! MTV Raps were following in Right On’s footsteps, covering hip hop and Black culture, and with a stronger budget. “Right On just meant a lot to me because I knew it meant a lot to the culture,” Horner said. Early next year, she looks to begin printing Right On! once again on a bi-monthly basis.

The New York Association of Black Journalists’ 50th Anniversary Sneaker Ball & Awards Ceremony Gala takes place at the Alhambra Ballroom, 2216 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., in Harlem on Friday, Oct. 23. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.

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26 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

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Flossy Pet Pawlor keeps Brooklyn’s dogs warm By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff For Richard and Tiffany Kelley, a furry friend in need is a furry friend indeed. The couple, who own Downtown Brooklyn’s Flossy Pet Pawlor, held the store’s second annual dog coat and shoe drive on Oct. 11. A torrent of heavy rain was not enough to stop dog owners from Harlem, Dyckman, the Lower East Side, and Flatbush from making their way to them. The Kelleys said they had more than 200 coats for the event and were able to give away more than 40 by the end of that day. The drive, organized through the Kelleys’ nonprofit, Pets Lives Matters Inc., is quickly becoming a staple for their five-year-old grooming, daycare, and boarding business — and has turned their store into a community gathering spot. Flossy is open and welcoming to residents moving into Downtown Brooklyn’s new towers and maintains ties to longtime Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene families. The shop promotes pet care and encourages local youth to look toward pet grooming for employment, while sponsoring programs that connect animals with area kids and older adults. Richard and Tiffany are Brooklyn-born and raised: Originally from Bedford-Stuyvesant, they now live in Fort Greene. After spending some time in North Carolina, they returned home and wanted to start a business. Richard said the idea for Flossy Pet Pawlor came to him when he realized there was a scarcity of nearby pet grooming options. “I would walk my dog, and I realized that there’s no grooming in the area,” Richard said, “and [there] should be one closer in this area. I thought we could get one of these containers that was on the next block and convert it.” Before working with pets, the Kelleys ran a record label business. That taught them how to create a business concept, organize, promote, and build a team, but Richard said the record industry wasn’t really a fit. “I couldn’t be the best version of myself in that industry,” he confessed. “I was being a lesser me and I knew it.” Flossy began in two side-by-side shipping containers at Downtown Brooklyn’s Fleet Place. The Kelleys converted the shipping containers into a grooming operation and improvised through a lean first year; Richard estimated they saw about one client a week. A last-minute groomer cancellation forced him to study grooming videos overnight before handling nine dogs the next day. Nail-trimming, once his biggest fear, became a special-

Richard and Tiffany Kelley, owners of Flossy Pet Pawlor, with some of their clients. (Flossy Pet Pawlor)

ty that now brings clients from as far away as Prospect Park and even New Jersey. The couple used the container as their store for three years. They said the clientele grew from roughly 2,000 customers there to more than 4,000 after they moved to their current downtown location on Prince Street. Tiffany said Flossy now gains “at least two to three new customers every day,” including residents moving into nearby buildings — Richard said they are getting 15 to 20 new customers a week. Flossy Pet Pawlor’s staff includes relatives and young people referred through nonprofit and at-risk programs; one employee who arrived through a summer placement has been working with them for four years now. Tiffany said some young workers arrive withdrawn, but animals help draw them out. “The pets help more than not

with their demeanor,” she said. That’s one reason the couple established their nonprofit, Pets Lives Matters, in October 2025. The Kelleys want to reduce barriers that can prevent lower-income owners from obtaining vaccinations and grooming for their pets. In the future, they want to be able to provide mobile vaccine services, youth instruction in pet care, and eventually create a grooming school. “Pets saved my life. 100%,” Richard told the AmNews. Working with animals, “changed the core of me. It changed the person I am –– my life’s 100% changed from five years ago.” The business, he said, made him more patient, more grounded, and more intentional about giving. The Kelleys are also developing “Bingo and Pups,” an event to bring older adults together for games, prizes, and time with dogs.

During the coat drive, some visitors told the Kelleys they had lost jobs and could not afford winter gear for their dogs. Others found out about the event through TikTok and Instagram, where the store’s grooming videos are reaching a wide range of audiences. Every three days, Flossy Pet Pawlor’s owners post a compilation of all the dogs they’ve groomed on social media. “At the end, if it’s the right dog, I rub their nose with my nose. I do a compilation of those, and I post it,” Richard said. “I’m getting over 200,000 likes, 180,000 views; stuff like that, so that’s trending right now on our TikTok, on our Instagram. “A lot of people come in; I see them in the comments, they’re like, ‘Oh my dog, I’ve got to come and get a little nose kiss for my baby.’ That’s how they’re finding out about us all over.”

Black veterans Continued from page 4

Hard Conversations New York State estimates it has over 600,000 veterans, the seventh-largest veteran population in the country, according to the state’s Department of Aging. The summit discussed pressing issues Black and Brown veterans face, such as the concerning suicide rate, poverty, homelessness, racial barriers to benefits, access to workforce development and union jobs, and mental health resourcing while transitioning back into “civilian life.” “What we’re seeing today is that a veteran is four times as likely to die by suicide than on the battlefield. … We’ve lost 31,177 men and women to suicide, post 9/11,” said Ken Fisher, whose uncle is Zachary Fisher, the man who founded the Fisher Houses organization and the Intrepid Museum Foundation. “Behind every one of those families, every one of those victims is a family. A name, a family, and their service, and their sacrifice that has been forgotten.” According to the 2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, there was a dip in the number of veterans who died by suicide (6,398) in 2023, compared to the previous year. Data show that 61% of those veterans who died by suicide were not receiving VA health care bene-

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS fits. Other factors include homelessness, health problems, and chronic pain. “Housing would be at the very, very top of the list,” said Meggett. “We don’t have access or equity in a state that we fought and defended. We don’t have the opportunity to build in a country we fought for.” Other panelists spoke about the disparities that women veterans in particular have to endure regarding rates of sexual assault and lack of adequate healthcare. According to the VA, about 1 in 3 women veterans have experienced sexual harassment or assault while in the military. “One of my experiences as a woman coming out of the military was visiting one of our OB-GYN, women’s health clinic in the Brooklyn VA Hospital. It was dirty, grimy. It was worse than being on the military base at their facility,” said one panelist who shared her story. “I’ve had four or five healthcare providers because we’re constantly losing people.” Panelists offered that at least in New York State there’s been movement to end overall veteran homelessness through programs and legislation, like active duty property tax exemptions for veteran homeowners and property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans in certain counties. Additionally, the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services has the Vallone Veteran Resource Center Initiative, which is a free service designed to help veterans get their benefits and mental health resources.

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 27

Long Island Assemblymember Kwani B. O’Pharrow (left) and Bronx Assemblymember Landon Dais (right). (Ariama C. Long photos)

A crowd of Black Veterans at the summit held in Manhattan on Oct. 15.

28 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

Health

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How federal SNAP cuts are threatening survival of NYC’s bodegas By TRENTON DANIEL Healthbeat - New York

SNAP benefit redemptions in 2021, according to the U.S. Department This article was origof Agriculture’s Food and inally published by Nutrition Service. “We play real big roles Healthbeat, a nonprofit newsroom covering in the community, and public health published that’s why we are so iconic,” Marte said. by Civic News Company However, that role in and KFF Health News. their neighborhoods Data analysis by could become harder Thomas Wilburn. to sustain as more New Yorkers lose their SNAP New York City’s bodegas benefits, advocates say. have long been hailed as “Stores will start losing good neighbors — small more revenue, and it mom-and-pop instituwill become more like a tions that provide basic chronic issue, and maybe food items like milk and stores will start closing in eggs in a pinch. They’re communities that need often vital community rethem the most,” said sources in neighborhoods Angela Trude, a profesignored by traditional susor in the Department of permarket chains. Now, as Nutrition and Food Studthousands of New Yorkers ies at New York University who studies SNAP benewho shop at these stores fits and bodegas. lose food benefits due Families who have lost to federal rule changes, SNAP benefits are already some bodega owners are Customer in bodega in Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx on Oct. 5, 2026. Bodega owners across the city are concerned confronting those finanworried about their stores’ about how SNAP cuts might affect their businesses. (Trenton Daniel/Healthbeat) cial pressures in their survival. About 26,500 New Yorkers recently lost drops, and toothpaste. Cardboard boxes of administering SNAP to state and local own grocery budgets. access to the Supplemental Nutrition As- holding plantains, red onions, and pota- governments. New York City — where 1.8 Outside St. Ann’s Church in the South sistance Program (SNAP) under new fed- toes were nearby at the entrance. million residents rely on the benefits — ex- Bronx, Mency Tejesus lined up on a recent eral work requirements tied to President pects to absorb nearly $111 million in ad- Wednesday morning with dozens of others seeking food at a weekly food bank. PushDonald Trump’s sweeping tax and spend- Federal rules push thousands off SNAP ditional costs. ing package, H.R. 1. For many, that means The new work requirements took effect City officials are urging people who lost ing a metal cart, the 62-year-old mother about $200 less a month to spend on food; March 1 and gave certain SNAP recipi- their benefits to reapply for three more from Puerto Rico had collected tomatoes, a loss that could have an outsized effect ents ages 18 to 64 three months to comply months by visiting a Human Resources Ad- cans of black beans, a bag of oatmeal, and on the city’s small grocery stores. SNAP before losing assistance. Some recipients ministration office. several cans of tuna. The food has become purchases generally make up 15% to 20% began losing benefits in June after failing “These federal rules are having an impact especially critical after her adult son, who of a bodega’s revenue, depending on the to meet the requirements. As of October 1, well beyond the people who were receiving relies on SNAP benefits, received a notice number of recipients in the neighbor- they can reapply for SNAP benefits. SNAP,” said Erin Dalton, commissioner of saying he needed to meet the new work hood, said Francisco Marte, president Of the 26,500 people who lost SNAP ben- the Department of Social Services, in an in- requirements. His loss of benefits cut the family’s food budget in half, to $298, Tejeand founder of the Bodega and Small efits, 40% involved Brooklyn residents and terview with Healthbeat. sus said. Business Group. 26% involved Bronx residents, according to At a corner bodega on the Grand Con- the Department of Social Services. Slight- SNAP losses squeeze bodegas and families Tejesus said she relies on bodegas for course, a thoroughfare that cuts through ly more than half involved single adults Marte estimated there are between some of the family’s groceries, comparing the heart of the Bronx, Yomary Pichar- between the ages of 18 and 35, with men 10,000 and 12,000 bodegas in New York prices with supermarkets as she tries to do said SNAP benefits make up as much accounting for nearly 6 in 10 case closings. City. Many are owned and operated by im- stretch the reduced food budget. “Believe me, I was so mad,” Tejesus said. as 30% of her revenue. Her store is on the The Bronx has the city’s highest share migrants, including many Latinos. The ground floor of an apartment building in of residents relying on SNAP, at 33%, fol- stores have become community institu- “I said, ‘Why are they doing this?’” New Yorkers who have lost their SNAP the Tremont neighborhood, where bode- lowed by Brooklyn at 22%, according to tions where residents can run a tab, leave gas outnumber supermarkets. About 44% city data. About 14% of residents in Queens keys for their children, or find a sympa- benefits or believe they may qualify for an of residents in the area rely on SNAP bene- and Staten Island rely on the benefits, along thetic ear at the counter. Many stayed exemption can call 718-SNAP-NOW (718fits, according to city data. with 13% in Manhattan. open during the height of the pandem- 762-7669) for assistance. More information Pichardo said it’s too soon to see the full Although the Bronx qualifies for an ex- ic, when major supermarkets closed, and is available through the ACCESS HRA app impact on her store, but she expects the fall- emption from Medicaid work require- even managed to sell toilet paper when or at nyc.gov/ACCESSHRA. out to be significant as fewer shoppers pay ments because of its high unemployment shelves elsewhere were empty. Trenton Daniel is a reporter covering with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. rate, that exemption does not apply to For many families receiving SNAP, bode“If I didn’t accept EBT, I’d be forced to SNAP, which has separate rules, a spokes- gas and other convenience stores are also public health in New York for Healthbeat. close the store,” Pichardo said from behind person for the New York State Department places to buy groceries. Nationwide, con- Contact Trenton at tdaniel@healthbeat.org the counter, her face framed by a clear par- of Health told Healthbeat. venience stores made up 44% of SNAP-au- or on the messaging app Signal at trentontition stocked with candy bars, gum, cough The law is also shifting more of the cost thorized retailers and accounted for 5% of daniel.88.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 29

Build-a-thon was awarded to Emelyza Blanco, a 23-year-old Houston native and Continued from page 8 biomedical student at the University of Texas Health. Her winning entry, the Healthbut getting dedicated time to build things,” bridge application, is designed to connect said first-timer Phillip Ellison, 40. He creat- low-income families with essential health ed an accountability app to help his family services at local clinics and hospitals. build healthy exercise habits. “Whatever goals you have … sky’s the Ultimately, the grand prize for the Tech limit,” said Blanco.

Bronx Tech

Competitive participants at Bronx Tech Build-a-thon on Friday, Oct. 16.

Participant Jannelle Cortes (left) and Bronx Tech hub Founder George Nuñez (right) at Tech Build-a-thon at Sankofa Haus in the Bronx on Friday, Oct. 16. (Ariama C. Long photos)

Participant Hector Bonilla presents his idea, Civil-It.

Jamaal Thomas, founder of Create The Future A.I., working on his app during Bronx Tech Build-a-thon.

Participant Gerson Castillo presented his idea, Bronx Bike Safe.

30 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Religion & Spirituality From hip hop to gospel, Bible has brand-new beat

(Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk photo)

By REV. DOROTHY S. BOULWARE Word in Black Genesis can now come as hip hop. Psalms can sway to reggae. The Gospels can be sung by a children’s choir, delivered as African dance music, or performed by a barbershop quartet. With a few clicks, listeners can hear any of the Bible’s 1,189 chapters sung, word for word, through TheSinging.Bible, a free, artificial intelligence-assisted website that is turning scripture into something people can carry into the car, kitchen, gym, or hospital room. Its creators say the site surpassed 1 million song plays in 194 countries within two weeks of its August 25 launch — without paid advertising. The popularity points to something larger than the novelty of hearing Leviticus as a sea chanty. At a time when churches are wrestling with whether artificial intelligence belongs in ministry, TheSinging.Bible demonstrates how the technology could expand access to scripture, strengthen biblical memory, and reach people who may never open a printed Bible. Founder and executive produc-

er Ron Forseth said the project began as more than a technological experiment. “For me, it was one of those things that simply came from above,” he told Word in Black. After experimenting with AI music generation, he wanted to set the entire Bible to music — and do it in multiple styles. “In that process, I discovered that each style helped bring different passages to light,” he said. “From the first moment, it felt like it had the fingerprints of God on it.” The website offers 16 musical styles, including praise, country, hip hop, African dance, jazz, reggae, children’s choir, sea chanty, barbershop quartet, and Spanish alabanza. Each version is available in male and female voices. Together, the choices amount to 38,048 recordings and approximately 3,600 hours of music. Forseth emphasized that artificial intelligence did not do the work alone. “I have to emphasize that this wasn’t thrown together overnight in a basement,” he said. “It was built by a global team of more than 20 people, many of them working passionately for 70 or 80 hours a

week because they wanted to give this gift to the world.” The lyrics come from the Singing Bible Edition, which is derived from the Berean Standard Bible. Visitors do not have to register, subscribe, or pay. They select a book and chapter, then choose a style and voice. Forseth said the interface was intentionally designed to fit on one screen and remain “elegantly simple and approachable.” Mobile apps for Google Play and Apple’s App Store are in development and should be available within a couple of months, Forseth said. The apps will offer offline listening and other features while retaining the website’s basic appearance. The team is also expanding its music for Black audiences. “Styles currently on the site that my Black friends have embraced are hip hop, reggae, African dance, jazz, and rhythm and blues/soul,” Forseth said. “We’ve also got rap and gospel coming out in the coming weeks, and the whole Bible in a spiritual style is in the works as well.” Black Christian listeners interviewed by Word in Black responded enthusiastically.

“Genius is my immediate thought,” said LaTeka Graham, a minister at the Hill in Jessup, Maryland. “I hear music differently, so this would sink into my head much differently than someone simply listening. This is awesome. It reminds me of spoken word, which I also thoroughly enjoy.” Executive Pastor Ronald Covington called the website “an excellent evangelism tool.” “The kingdom of heaven is blessed with some talented and creative people,” Covington said. “This is a game changer.” Dr. Ernestine Anderson, also a minister at the Hill, said,”It’s another teaching method. It’s unique and I like that. That’s another way for young and old to learn the Word. It’s effortless.” Dalerie Davis-Green, a singer and musician, said the format could carry scripture beyond its usual audience. “It serves as another vehicle by which a group that normally won’t pick up the Bible will get the word,” Davis-Green said. Aneyah Nieves, minister and math teacher at Edmondson Westside High School in Baltimore, said she would definitely listen more. “I like the vibe. It sounds like something you’d hear on the radio.”

Atlanta author Tahiese Adale Wells praised the range of music and the site’s ease of use. “Music is a universal language, just as the word of God is universal,” Wells said. “What a great addition to reading, studying, and teaching the word of God!” Pastors have also embraced the project for congregational use and personal devotion, Forseth said. The website offers a free guide detailing 23 ways churches can use the recordings, including children’s ministry, Bible memorization, and hospital visitation. Dr. Wanda Bynum Duckett, senior pastor of Eastern United Methodist Church in Baltimore, immediately circulated the site among her young adults. “That’s a whole vibe! I love it!” TheSinging.Bible will not replace the preached Word, personal study, or scripture read aloud in community, but it might carry the Word into everyday places where someone needs something sacred to remember. Music has always helped believers hide the Word in their hearts. The instrument may be new, but the impulse is ancient: Sing the story until somebody hears it.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 31

CL ASSIFIED ADS 100 PUBLIC NOTICES

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RULES AND REGULATIONS

Notice is hereby given that a license, serial #NA-0340-26117699 for beer, wine & liquor has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine & liquor at retail in a restaurant under the ABC Law at 1569 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10029 for on-premises consumption; Fork & Cork 2 LLC

ily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB63 , Plaintiff, vs . 291 Pleasant Ave LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 3, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 22, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, the room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 17, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 291 Pleasant Avenue, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1709 and Lot 24. Approximate amount of judgment is $2,764,450.60 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850172/2024. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Wilmington Trust , NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF WELLS FARGO COMMERICAL MORTGAGE SECURITIES, INC., MULTIFAMILY MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2019-SB60 Plaintiff, vs . 233 East 111 LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 30, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 23, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, the room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 233 East 111th Street, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1661 and Lot 16. Approximate amount of judgment is $2,778,715.67 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850219/2024. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910

sions of filed Judgment Index #850168/2024. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910

Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1786 and Lot 27. Approximate amount of judgment is $5,523,727.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850204/2024. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910

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Notice of formation of MSGWESOLUTIONS 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. M/WBE bids sought for 8 Underhill Avenue, Brooklyn, NY construction project. A scope meeting will be held on October 26th. Contact bidding@taxaceny.com for details. NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortage Securities, Inc. Multifamily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB68 , Plaintiff, vs . 411 East 118 LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 3, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 23, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 411 East 118th Street, New York, NY 10035. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1806 and Lot 7. Approximate amount of judgment is $9,778,359.34 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850203/2024. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Multifam-

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Multifamily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB63 , Plaintiff, vs . 124 East 103 LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 12, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 22, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 17, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 124 East 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1630 and Lot 63. Approximate amount of judgment is $7,557,570.66 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850171/2024. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Multifamily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB63 , Plaintiff, vs . 102 East 103 LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 5, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 22, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 17, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 102 East 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1630 and Lot 72. Approximate amount of judgment is $6,844,225.78 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provi-

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc. Multifamily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB60 , Plaintiff, vs . 204 East 112th LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 31, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 22, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, the room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 204 East 112th Street, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1661 and Lot 44. Approximate amount of judgment is $7,830,885.16 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850218/2024. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for the Registered Holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Multifamily Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SB68 , Plaintiff, vs . 2371 2nd Ave LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 4, 2026 and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 22, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 2371 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10035. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF New York , Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee for the registered holders of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Securities, INC., MultifAmily Mortgage Pass-Through certificates, series 2019-SB60 , Plaintiff, vs . 122 East 103 LLC , ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Order Approving Consent Judgment for Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 30, 2026 , and a Consent Order Extending Deadline to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on July 23, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, the room assignment will be posted outside of room 130, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 on November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m., premises known as 122 East 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, Block 1630 and Lot 65. Approximate amount of judgment is $4,710,408.21 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850217/2024. Clark Whitsett, Esq., Referee McCarter & English, LLP, 250 W 55th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Tel: 203-3995910 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF STRAZZELLA PROSTHODONTICS LLC. STRAZZELLA PROSTHODONTICS LLC filed an Application of Authority with the New York State Department of State on 07/23/2026. LLC formed in NJ on 05/30/2024. Its office is located in NEW YORK COUNTY. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the Company upon whom it may be served and a copy of any process shall be mailed to THE LLC, 279 GOFFLE ROAD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ, 07450. Certificate of Formation filed with the NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, 33 W. State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608. The purpose of the Company is any lawful purpose.

32 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NEW YORK, Index #153737/2022, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE 491-497 GREENWICH STREET CONDOMINIUM, suing on behalf of the unit owners, Plaintiff, -againstGABRIEL INCHAUSPE et al., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgement of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered in the New York County Clerk's Office on August 6, 2024, and pursuant to the Decision and Order on Motion entered on 10/13/2026, served with Notice of Entry on 10/16/2026, which said Decision and Order on Motion extended Plaintiff's time to sell at auction, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in a room designated by the Court and posted outside Room 130 of the New York County Supreme Court, located at 60 Centre Street, New York, New York 10007 on November 24, 2026, at 2:15pm, the premises known as 491-497 Greenwich Street, Unit 2C, New York, New York 10013, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being designated on the tax maps of the City of New York, County of New York as Block 594, Lot 1206. The approximate amount of the Judgement is $143,867.06, plus continuing future charges, interest, costs, disbursements, expenses, legal fees and other fees. The premises will be sold subject to the provisions of the aforesaid Judgement of Foreclosure and Sale and Decision and Order on Motion. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the New York County Covid-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices if such rules are in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Index #153737/2022 Colbert Law LLC Sabbir Ahmed, Esq., Of Counsel Attorney for Plaintiff 315 Madison Avenue, Suite 4032 New York, NY 10017 646-880-3000 Elaine Shay, Esq., Referee CHICAGO TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY SCHEDULE A DESCRIPTION The Condominium Unit (in the Building located at and known as and by Street Number 491-497 GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK), designated and described as Unit 2C (hereinafter called the "Unit") in the Declaration (hereinafter called "Declaration") made by the Sponsor under the Condominium Act of The State of New York (Article 9-B of the Real Property Law of the State of New York), dated 5/20/2004 and recorded 7/27/2004 in the Office of the Register The City of New York, County of NEW YORK, in CRFN 2004000462082 establishing a plan for Condominium ownership of said Building and the land upon which the same is erected (hereinafter sometimes collectively called the "Property") and also designated and described as Tax Lot No. 1206 Block 594 Section 2, Borough of MANHATTAN on the Tax Map of the Real property assessment department of the City of New York and on the floor plans of said Building certified by Michael Zenreich on 6/4/2004 and filed as Condominium Plan No. 1379 on 7/27/2004 in the aforesaid Register's Office. The land upon which the Building containing the Unit is erected as follows: PARCEL 1 ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being all of Lot No. 597 and part of Lot No. 598 on the map made by the Commissioners who divided the Estate of Anthony Lispenard among his heirs, which map was filed in the Office of the Register of the City and County of New York by James A. Hamilton, Master in Chancery on the 13th day of January 1818, the said parcel of land hereby described being bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of Greenwich Street at the distance of 130 feet 6 inches northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the easterly side of Greenwich Street with the northerly side of Canal Street; RUNNING THENCE easterly at right angles to Greenwich Street, 90 feet; THENCE northerly, parallel with Greenwich Street, 44 feet to Lot No. 596 on said map now or lately belonging to James Owens; THENCE westerly along said Lot No. 596, 90 feet to the easterly side of Greenwich Street; and THENCE southerly, along the easterly side of Greenwich Street, 44 feet to the point or place of BEGINNING. CHICAGO TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY Title No.: 3104-00028 LEGAL DESCRIPTION -- CONTINUED PARCEL 2: ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of Greenwich Street, distant 174 feet 6 inches or thereabouts northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the easterly side of Greenwich Street, with the northerly side of Canal Street; THENCE easterly and parallel with Spring Street 90 feet; THENCE northerly and parallel with Greenwich Street 24 feet 9 inches; THENCE westerly and again parallel with Spring Street, 90 feet to the easterly side of Greenwich Street; and THENCE southerly and along the easterly side of Greenwich Street 24 feet 9 inches to the point or place of BEGINNING. Notice of formation of ELITE GROUP & CO STAFF SERVICE LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/7/2026. 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. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

101 LEGAL NOTICES

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of New York ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE Index #: 850202/2025 U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee For RCF 2 Acquisition Trust Plaintiff, vs Sybil J. Patrick, RBS Citizens, N.A. A/K/A Citizens Bank, N.A., New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Environmental Control Board, Sustainable Neighborhoods Llc, Unknown Heirs Of Ella Senior If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, City Register Of The City Of New York, New York County, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 367 West 117th Street New York, NY 10026 To the Above named Defendant: 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 Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). 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 Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of New York. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs Of Ella Senior, Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Francis A Kahn of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the First day of October, 2026 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of New York, in the City of New York. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated September 9, 2013, executed by Sybil J. Patrick to secure the sum of $266,000.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2013000432627 in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County on October 21, 2013. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 12, 2019 and recorded on September 23, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County at CRFN 2019000305990. Said Mortgage was subsequently modified by a Loan Modification Agreement executed by Sybil J. Patrick on October 5, 2020 and recorded May 26, 2021 in CRFN 2021000194888 in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed July 20, 2022 and recorded on August 25, 2022, in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County at CRFN 2022000333497. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed October 14, 2025 and recorded on October 17, 2025, in the City Register of the City of New York, New York County at CRFN 2025000282650. The property in question is described as follows: 367 West 117th Street, New York, NY 10026 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or visit the department's website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to "save" your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner's distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE 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 your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: October 14, 2026 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 91817 Notice of Qualification of Take Coast LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/28/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed in Delaware on 08/11/2026. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc.: 131 Continental Drive, Suite 305 Newark 19713. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). 2810 N Church St PMB 977166 Wilmington, Delaware 19802-4447 US. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Akanksha Kevalramani, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/03/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Akanksha Kevalramani: 170 Amsterdam Ave, Apt 13D, New York, NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Davis & Kwong LLP. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Brendan Davis: brendandavisesq@proton.me. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of The Lenox Project, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/15/2026. 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 Emma Stamm: 2248 Broadway #1206 New York NY 10024. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Pixmersion, 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 Xian Wang: 535 W 43rd Street, Apt S6G, NY, NY, 10036. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK 1SHARPE OPPORTUNITY INTERMEDIATE TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST YEN-CHUN CHEN, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 9, 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 November 10, 2026 at 2:15 PM, premises known as 302 E 96th St. Unit 401, New York, NY 10128. All that certain plot

101 LEGAL NOTICES 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 1558 Lot 1005. Approximate amount of judgment $566,806.24 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #850099/2025. Gerard Geisweller, Esq., Referee McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC 420 Lexington Avenue-Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 24-18445NY 91577 Notice of formation of STATSTRAT LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/25/2026. 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 Mingyu Zhang: 508 51st Street, Apt 1112, West New York, NJ 07093. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of ASHLEIGH THURSTON LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/22/2026. 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 LEGALCORP SOLUTIONS, LLC: 11 BROADWAY, SUITE 615 NEW YORK CITY, NY, 10004, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of ALOCALSAID LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/22/2026. 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 CT CORPORATION SYSTEM: 28 LIBERTY STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Rebecca Brown Marriage & Family Therapy, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/11/2026. 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 Rebecca Brown: 220 5th Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Blue Bonnet Studio, LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/06/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Bonnie Maxey : 45 e 22nd st. APT 18B New york, NY 10010 . Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of RT 42 4446 LLC. Articles of Organi-

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zation filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/12/2026. 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 RT 42 4446 LLC: 269 W 87 Street, 11A, NY NY 10024. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

process to Northwest Registered Agent: 418 BROADWAY, STE N, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

(Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to SOFIA ROSALES: 171 Suffolk Street. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of Table Stakes LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/01/2026. 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 Kelly Bennett: 130 East End Ave, Apt 14d, New York, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of CHRISTOPHER SALE DESIGN LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/06/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to LEGALZOOM USCA, INC. : 45 Main Street, Suite 238 Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Mind Waves Psychiatry of NY, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/22/2026. 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 Sachin Soni: 220 5th Av, 11 FLR, New York. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of ANIVA LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/09/2026. 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 Registered Agents Inc.: 418 Broadway, Suite R, Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Creswell Jewelry, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/0426. 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 Birkley Sigband: birkley@creswelljewelry.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of LEYLLE LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/02/2026. 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

Notice of formation of Haley Venn LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/15/2026. 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 Haley Venn: hvenn@compass.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Art Eyes LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/21/2006. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Legal Zoom: galarzagal@gmai.com . Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of PERFUMAROMA LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/13/26. 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 Onlis Junior Henriquez Polanco: 1250 Leland Ave 3L. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Millan Worldwide LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/05/2026. 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 New York Secretary of State : info@ millamworldwide.com . Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Hyacinth's Flowers, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/24/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Karina Singh: 159 west 122nd st, apt 4 New York NY 10027. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Living Passport LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/18/2026. 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 Kit Lam: 1 Irving Place, Unit V20D, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of SOFIA ROSALES CONSULTING LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/01/2026. Office location: New York County

Notice of formation of Vital Essence Wellness LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/09/2026. 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 The LLC: 310 EAST 23RD STREET, APT. 5G, NEW YORK, NY 10010-4703 . Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Ivolv LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/13/2026. 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 Laurice Lusane: Laurice. lusane@gmail.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of RollaHamper, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/17/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Tyler Evick: Tyler.evick@yahoo.com. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Pepperworks LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/02/2026. 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 The LLC: 450 W 42nd St Apt 17A, New York, NY 10036. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION of ABC LEE LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on November 15, 2022. Office located in New York Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process to: 30 Wall Street, 8th Floor Attn: Jamie A. Forman, Esq., New York, NY 10005. Purpose: any lawful act. NOTICE OF FORMATION of THE PHONE MOVIE LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on June 22, 2026. Office located in New York Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process to: 418 BROADWAY STE R, ALBANY, NY 12207. Purpose: any lawful act. Formation of 311 W BROADWAY 3G LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/9/2026. Office loc.: NY County. SSNY designated as

101 LEGAL NOTICES agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail to Ilya Kagan, 19 Orchard Dr., Woodbury, NY 11797. Purpose: Any lawful activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION of BOOKSNCUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on March 13, 2025. Office located in New York Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process to: 28 liberty street, NEW YORK, NY 10005. Purpose: any lawful act. MINETTA PRIVATE CAPITAL LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 08/24/2026. Office in New York Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 300 Mercer St., Apr 15J, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. RMA CONSULTING GROUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/22/26. 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, 22 E 41st Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. CJW 123 LLC Filed 8/17/26 Office: New York Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: USA Corporate Services Inc, 98 Cuttermill Road, Ste 466, Great Neck, NY 11021. Registered Agent is at the same address. Purpose: all lawful INVITEDIN LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 10/09/26. Office: New York Co. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served & shall mail process to: 206 W 21st St #1, New York, NY 10011. Purpose: any lawful act. Veraxian LLC articles of organization filed with NYS Dept. of State Sept. 10, 2026. Office location: New York County. Secretary of state designated agent for process service, shall mail to 606 W 30th St Apt 12M, New York NY 10001-0647. Business purpose: any lawful. HELIOSIGNAL LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/4/26. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 228 Park Ave S #155945, New York, NY 10003. Registered agent LegalZoom USCA, Inc., 45 Main St., Ste. 238, Brooklyn, NY 11201, upon whom process may be served. Purpose: any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of FONTANA LEGAL PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with NY Secretary of State (SSNY) on 09/22/2026. Office located in NY County. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 97 Chestnut St, Andover MA 01810. Purpose: Prac-

101 LEGAL NOTICES tice of law. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DIVA POLITE WBE LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/17/2022. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: Diva Polite WBE LLC, 3915 Orloff Ave 10B, Bronx NY 10463 Purpose: any lawful purpose. Jules Power LLC, Arts. of Org. filed SSNY 7/9/26. Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail process to: David Jaramillo, 7E 86th St, Apt 16A, NY, NY 10028. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Formation of TRAVIS DEEN LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/14/2026. Office location: New York County. Principal business location: 208 W 149th St, Apt 2F, New York, NY 10039. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 208 W 149th Street, Apt 2F, New York, NY 10039. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice: Blackhall Equipment Services LLC, a foreign limited liability company. Application for Authority filed with the NY Secretary of State on 07/21/2026. County: New York. LLC organized in Delaware on 3/15/2021. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served; SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: Blackhall Equipment Services LLC, 1415 Constitution Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30316. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity for which limited liability companies may be organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. YALLA HOSPITALITY LLC, filed App. for Auth. with the SSNY on 7/2/2026. Office: New York County. LLC formed in DE on 4/8/2024. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 153 Second Ave, New York, NY 10003. Address required to be maintained in DE: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 131 Continental Dr, Ste 305, Newark, DE 19713. Cert of Formation filed with DE Sec. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg, 401 Federal St, Ste 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Qualification of FROZI LLC. Application for Authority filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/29/2026. Office location: New York County. LLC formed in Delaware on 06/26/2026. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: LegalZoom USCA, Inc., 45 Main St. Ste 238, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Address required to be maintained in DE: 131 Continental Drive, Suite 305, Newark, DE 19713.

101 LEGAL NOTICES Purpose: any lawful act or activity. SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff, -against- UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF FRANK STANLEY SEIFRIED, if living, and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, Defendants. INDEX NO.: 850117/2023 FILED: October 15, 2026 Plaintiff designates New York County as the place of trial pursuant to CPLR §507. 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 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 completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. 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 foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant an Order of the Hon. Francis A. Kahn III, a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York County, dated and entered October 9, 2026. Dated: October 6, 2026, Westbury, New York. Maria Sideris, Esq. DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC, Attorneys for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, New York 11590 (516) 876-0800 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff, -against- SUMIE TAKEUCHI, if living, and if she be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown

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persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to Plaintiff, Defendants. INDEX NO.: 850059/20024 FILED: September 21, 2026 Plaintiff designates New York County as the place of trial pursuant to CPLR § 507 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 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 completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. 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 foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant an Order of the Hon. Francis A. Kahn III, a Justice of the Supreme Court, of New York County, dated August 26, 2026 and entered August 26, 2026. Dated: August 17, 2026 Westbury, New York, Maria Sideris, Esq. DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorneys for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, New York 11590 (516) 876-0800

costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 151896/2025. GREGORY M. LASPINA, ESQ., Referee Schneider Buchel LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 60 Crossways Park Dr West, Suite 340, Woodbury, NY 11797

of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/01/26. 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.

DE Dept. of State Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of 264 BROOKLYN AVE, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/01/26. Princ. office of LLC: 25 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10012. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, DE Dept. of State Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE 75 KENMARE STREET CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff ‑against‑ KOK KIT LEE, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated July 7, 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, November 17, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, The Unit known as Unit No. 2G in the Building known by 75 Kenmare Street, known and designated as Unit No. 2G in the condominium known as "The 75 Kenmare Street Condominium". Together with an undivided 1.65 percent interest in the common elements. Block: 480 Lot: 1310 Said premises known as 75 KENMARE STREET, UNIT 2G, NEW YORK, NY Approximate amount of lien $70,040.78 plus interest &

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 175 WEST 76TH STREET LLC, Plaintiff ‑against‑ LICHTER REAL ESTATE NUMBER ONE, L.L.C., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Decision and Order on Motion and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 14, 2026 and entered on September 22, 2026, and that certain Amended Order and Judgment (Motion Related) dated September 30, 2026, and entered on October 1, 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, November 10, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of New York, County of New York, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of 76th Street with the easterly side of Amsterdam Avenue (Formerly 10th Avenue); being a plot 100 feet by 102 feet one-half inch by 100 feet by 102 feet one-half inch. Block: 1148 Lot: 1 Said premises known as 175‑179 WEST 76TH STREET a/k/a 341‑347 AMSTERDAM AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY Approximate amount of lien $57,710,750.76 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850233/2024. SOFIA BALILE, ESQ., Referee KRISS & FEUERSTEIN LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 360 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10017 {* AMSTERDAM, NYLJ*} Notice of Qualification of MIZUHO AMERICAS FINANCE LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/28/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/18/26. Princ. office of LLC: 1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10020. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporate Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: Corporation Service Co., 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, Div. of Corps., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Issuance of medium term notes. Notice of Formation of CULTER RIVERSIDE FL DEVELOPER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy.

Notice of Formation of MVMH IP LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/10/26. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP, 605 Third Ave., NY, NY 10158. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of JESSUP LANE 101 LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/11/26. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 500 Park Ave., Apt. 36 A/B, NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Ellen Aschendorf-Shasha at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of DONCASTERS US 2 LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/18/13. 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 Dept. of State Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of 375 DENNYTOWN ROAD LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/20/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 11/13/25. Princ. office of LLC: 767 Fifth Ave., 42nd Fl., NY, NY 10153. 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: 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 DONCASTERS US 3 LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/30/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State,

Notice of Qualification of 756 GREENE AVE, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/01/26. Princ. office of LLC: 25 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10012. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of STRIDE HOSPITALITY PARTNERS, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/01/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 07/30/26. Princ. office of LLC: 1370 6th Ave., Ste. #1902, NY, NY 10019. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Charuni PatibandaSanchez, 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Passive Investments in Private Companies. Notice of Qualification of 222 MONROE ST, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/01/26. Princ. office of LLC: 25 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10012. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., #4, Dover, DE 19801. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of ALCOVA YPF JUNIOR INVESTMENTS LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 11/26/24. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Alcova Capital Management LP, 570 Lexington Ave., 43rd Fl., NY, NY 10022. 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 Dept. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of STAMFORD TENT, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/18/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Connecticut (CT) on 01/02/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Cogency Global Inc., 122 East 42nd St., 18th Fl., NY, NY 10168. CT addr. of LLC: 10 Red Court Ln., Redding, CT 06898. Cert. of Form. filed with CT Secy. of State, 30 Trinty St., Hartford, CT 06106. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of DOMAIN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/30/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/08/25. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: c/o CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. 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 345 PARK F&B OPERATOR LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/02/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/08/25. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Rudin Management Co. Inc., 345 Park Ave., 32nd Fl., NY, NY 10154. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Dover St., #4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of DONCASTERS US LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/11/13. 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

SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. EMIGRANT BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER WITH EMIGRANT SAVINGS BANK‑MANHATTAN, Plaintiff ‑against‑ FLORENCE SOMMER a/k/a FLORENCE T. SOMMER, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on October 23, 2025, 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 November 24, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premise situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known as Unit No. 9P in the building known as "Continental Towers Condominium" together with an undivided 0.168% interest in the common elements. Block: 1542 Lot: 1116 Said premises known as 301 EAST 79TH STREET, #9P, NEW YORK, NY Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850681/2023. JEFFREY R. MILLER, ESQ., Referee Terenzi & Confusione P.C. Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 401 Franklin Avenue, Suite 304, Garden City, NY 11530 {* AMSTERDAM*}

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Activist Mahmoud Khalil asks Supreme Court to let U.S. judges quickly reverse immigration detentions

Mahmoud Khalil. (Office of Rep. Jim McGovern/Public Domain photo)

The Associated Press Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let federal judges quickly determine the legality of immigration-related detentions so that people cannot be held for months or years without judicial oversight. In papers filed with the high court, Khalil asked it to overturn a ruling earlier this year by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia that found federal courts do not have jurisdiction to review the legality of the detentions until immigration courts had fully considered each case. Khalil, a lawful permanent U.S. resident, was detained by immigration authorities last year because of his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University in the spring of 2024. The U.S. government argued at the time that Khalil’s presence in the U.S. was harmful to the country’s foreign policy interests.

As a result, the former Columbia graduate student spent over three months in detention before a federal judge in New Jersey ordered him freed after finding that the federal government had acted unconstitutionally. Khalil told a remote news conference on Monday that the appeal was “bigger than just my ability to stay here.” He said he wanted to ensure that thousands of immigrants, documented or not, can challenge the Trump administration’s “unlawful” attempts to stop protected speech. He said the administration knows “all too well its baseless allegations and smears against me cannot survive the slightest scrutiny in federal courts,” so it wants to channel it into “kangaroo” immigration courts where it can control the outcome. In a statement on Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said: “It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America. The Trump Administration

acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority with respect to Khalil, as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews, and damages property. We would encourage him to use the CBP Home app and self-deport.” The 3rd Circuit has put its ruling on hold so that Khalil could appeal to the Supreme Court. He remains free. Although the Supreme Court typically agrees to grant only a small percentage of appeal requests, the U.S. government has already asked the high court to overturn a federal appeals court decision that upheld a judge’s decision to release Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri. That ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, directly conflicted with the 3rd Circuit decision in the Khalil case. Sometimes, conflicting appeals court rulings can increase the chances that the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case. If it does, oral arguments before the justices would likely occur sometime next year.

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 35

36 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

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Prison reform blueprint Continued from page 2

advocacy led by many of the blueprint’s authoring organizations and focus on safely reducing the prison population by cutting down the red tape keeping incarcerated people who otherwise have proven they are ready to return home. However, these campaigns were often previously organized independently, rather than through pushing a unified package. The Fair & Timely Parole and Elderly Parole bills would allow more opportunities for parole eligibility. The Earned Time Act would create opportunities to reduce sentences for good behavior and partic-

ipation in rehabilitation programs. The Second Look Act would allow more discretion toward resentencing. While these address different elements of the prison system, the advocates believe they can collectively motivate good behavior and develop a safer environment for both incarcerated people and staff. On the other hand, the HALT Solitary campaign already successfully pushed the state legislature into passing its keystone bill, which former governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law to limit solitary confinement. However, the advocates say

NYC school bus shortage Continued from page 2

flexibility, capacity and accountability. And to meet the needs of today’s students and families,” Levine continued. The NYC Department of Education (DOE) has responded by providing families with bus trackers and a prepaid rideshare service that has been a “lifeline,” said Levine. But even for students with access to school buses, there have been reports of pupils arriving late, spending hours to go a few miles, or overcrowding on buses because they can’t utilize rideshare, said Levine. This innovative solution of using car services is unhelpful for many working class parents, said Levine. The service requires a parent or adult to ride with the student in rideshares like Uber or Lyft, usually necessitating that someone call out or inform their job in order to get their child to school on time. It can also be tricky if a parent has more than one child to transport at a time. Deon Jones, the founder and executive director of Uniquely Me Creative Arts (UMCA), runs a special education, arts, and sensory zone in Brooklyn dedicated to empowering children with disabilities and strengthening families. Her son, Elijah, 19, has Down syndrome, autism, and Sensory Processing Disorder. “Last week, Monday, I had to take him to school because there was no bus route. No one from the bus company called me. And when I called them to ask where the bus was, they said that the driver is out so they won’t have a bus for the entire day,” said Jones. “So if I didn’t have a car or any other type of transportation to get him to school, he would be at home, missing his education services, and also his related services like occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy.” Jones said that she has had to let her supervisors know she will be late to work at the last minute many times. In those instances, it’s difficult to use the DOE’s rideshare because it has to be scheduled ahead of time. “There should be laws against these bus companies who are contractors. How do we put measures in place — they already get

citations for complaints,” said Jones. “How [are] the bus companies feeling the heat when they don’t pick up children or they’re extremely late? What is the true repercussion of this? How do we now hold the bus companies responsible?” Perhaps the most egregious example of how dangerous the bus shortage can be is when a bus reportedly “disappeared” with six nonverbal children for more than four hours from P.S. 289 The Brower School in

the state is not in compliance. Over the past few years, the Legal Aid Society has filed lawsuits over the issue and the campaign petitioned the United Nations to get involved. “This blueprint provides clear, concrete, and achievable solutions to the crisis in New York prisons,” said HALT Solitary campaign member Anisah Sabur. “As long as this crisis continues, more lives will be lost.” The blueprint also calls on executive action from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who faces another general election next month against a Long Island Republican challenger. She notably played a personal hand in firing and prosecuting the officers involved in killing Brooks and Nantwi, but advocates long called for Hochul to exact her clemen-

cy powers toward releasing more incarcerated people. “I stand in full support of this Blueprint. It expands real pathways for release while demanding an end to the abuse and the punitive culture inside New York’s prisons,” said Thomas Gant of the Center for Community Alternatives. “We have to advocate with urgency — and our elected officials must lead with that same urgency — because every day without action is another day of harm behind those walls. “The Blueprint is the solution, and it was built the right way: by the people closest to the problem; they are closest to the solutions. I’ve lived this system, and I know transformation is possible — but only if we have the courage to act now.”

Brooklyn last year. The elementary students, ages 6 to 8, were supposed to be dropped off at the school in the morning but didn’t arrive until late afternoon. It was reported that “one student was found wet and lying down on a bus seat after she urinated on herself and removed her own diaper and leggings” during the time the students were unaccounted for. “It is highly disturbing that six nonverbal children were left on a school bus for hours while their whereabouts remained unknown to school officials,” Special Commissioner Anastasia Coleman said in a statement to the New York Daily News. “These particular-

ly vulnerable students rely on the adults entrusted with their care to ensure their safety.” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a press conference on the first day of school that his administration is doing everything it can to remedy the situation. There’s also the DOE’s Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT), which deals with yellow buses and OMNY services for students. And, outside of the education department, there’s the Parents to Improve Transportation (PIST NYC). The Amsterdam News reached out to the NYC Department of Education but didn’t receive a response by press time.

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October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 37

Giants try to find firm footing in the weak and muddled NFC East By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Consider this for a moment: The Giants are first in the NFC East with a 3-2-1 record. It’s more a product of poor play by the other teams in the division, the 2-4 Philadelphia Eagles, the 2-4 Dallas Cowboys, and the 1-4-1 Washington Commanders than it is the Giants operating at a high level. The squad’s first year head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who was the Baltimore Ravens head coach from 2008 to 2026, is trying to establish a foundation upon which a championship team can be built. As with any construction project, there are always issues that have to be rectified. For Harbaugh, stabilizing the quarterback position in the absence of Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ would-be franchise quarterback, is paramount. Dart is out for the season after tearing the meniscus in his left knee, as well as sustaining damage to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and posterior

collateral ligament (PCL) on Sept. 21 against the Los Angeles Rams in the second game of the season. Jamis Winston’s performances in Dart’s absence have been a microcosm of his 12-year pro career. The Giants’ QB2 has been simultaneously spectacular and frustrating. He lifted the now 3-2-1 Giants from a 14-point deficit against the Commanders for a 27-27 tie on Oct. 11 in Week 5, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. But this past Sunday in a 34-27 home loss to the New Orleans Saints, the 32-year-old Winston was 14-26 for 152 yards, one touchdown and two costly interceptions before being pulled for J.J. McCarthy, who the Giants obtained from the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 28 for a 2027 5th round draft pick. The Vikings finally gave up on the 10th overall selection in the 2024 draft as he sat out his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus in his right knee and in 10 games last season displayed poor decision making and a general lack of

acumen in analyzing defenses. But against the Saints, the 23-year-old former Michigan Wolverine had the best quarter of his early professional career, throwing for 243 yards and one touchdown (he also had an interception) and running for 26 in just the fourth quarter in nearly pulling the Giants out of a 24-point deep sinkhole as they trailed 34-10 with under 10 minutes left before closing the gap. A pass from McCarthy to Giants tight end Isaiah Likely in the Saints’ end zone on fourth down with 12 seconds to go was successfully defended by the Saints. So what does Harbaugh do now? “Well, probably I would say absolutely like every other personnel decision we make, what gives us the best chance to win the football game at this given time, or what combination of players and schemes and things like that give us the best chance to,” said Harbaugh on Monday. “In this case, move the ball, score points, protect the football, et cetera. So, all the things that

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) runs off the field after a 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

help us win, whatever it is that furthers us and helps us, just to use the basic obvious point, that’s what we want to do.” Will Winston be given more

runway or will McCarthy be handed the controls? With a division ripe for the Giants to win, it is a decision in which Harbaugh must have foresight and conviction.

HBCU D2 poll gets shakeup with Benedict’s win over Edward Waters By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor The Edward Waters Tigers had a chance to make a statement. Traveling from their home in Jacksonville, Florida, to Columbia, South Carolina, to meet up with the Benedict Tigers at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, they entered the game ranked No. 2 through Week 6 of the HBCU D2 Football Coaches Poll, four spots ahead of No. 6 Benedict after an eye-opening 61-42 home victory over Kentucky State on Oct. 3. Edward Waters took a fourgame winning streak into their matchup with Benedict for a deserving spot behind then-No. 1 Johnson C. Smith. The best laid plans of mice and men, though … Benedict disrupted the other Tigers’ intentions with an overpowering first half, stunningly leading Edward Waters by 35-3 going into the locker room at halftime, and maintained their advantage until the final whistle for a 45-24 win. The new poll in the lead-up to this week’s games has Edward

7-1 Virginia State Trojans hold No. 1 spot in this week’s HBCU D2 Football Coaches Poll. (Virginia State Athletics photo)

Waters (5-2) dropping to No. 5, while Benedict (6-1) has risen to No. 4. Virginia State (7-1) jumped from No. 4 to No. 1, followed by Johnson C. Smith (6-1) at No. 3 and Virginia Union (6-1) at No. 3. The Virginia State Trojans are off

this weekend and return on Oct. 31 to face Johnson C. Smith on the road. FCS Morgan State (5-2) of the MEAC was upended by Tennessee State 25-16 to descend from No. 1 to No. 4 in the HBCU DI

polls. Jackson State (6-1) is now back at No. 1 with Alabama A&M and South Carolina State, both 5-2, No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Tennessee State, an HBCU that’s a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, is one of just

three D1 HBCUs that are not part of a Black college conference. North Carolina A&T and Hampton, both which were once members of the MEAC, are in the Coastal Athletic Association conference.

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Legends gather at dedication of Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews Last Thursday morning, a multitude of basketball icons, including Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers and Knicks champions Earl Monroe and former United States Senator Bill Bradley, Mel Davis, John Starks, Stephon Marbury, and Long Island University men’s basketball head coach Rod Strickland, along with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, gathered at the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in the South Bronx for the dedication of a new $39.5 million, 69,000-square-foot building. The Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School is the first public charter high school in the country with a focus on exposing and preparing students for careers associated with basketball. ESPN broadcaster Mike Greenberg served as master of ceremonies. Other notable figures in attendance were Peabody Awardwinning filmmaker and playwright Dan Klores and comedian/ actor Tracy Morgan.

Former New York Knicks champion and United States Senator Bill Bradley speaks to audience at Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School with former teammate Earl Monroe (far right), NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (immediate left), and other luminaries. (Photo courtesy of Derrel Johnson)

“First of all, I’d like to say welcome home, guys; it’s been a long time coming,” Monroe said to the school’s students, educators, and guests. “I’ve been involved with this since 2012, and we started talking about this … and look what we’ve done in that span of time. I’d like to just say it’s great to be here.” Monroe then thanked his wife Marita, sister Teresa, daughters Maya and Daniell, niece Tijuana, grandsons Champ and Monroe,

and great-grandson Noah. Ground was broken on the construction of the new five-story building at 153rd Street and 3rd Avenue in 2024 when former Knicks All-Star forward and current Brooklyn Nets starter Julius Randle was a contributor to the initiative. “The most important thing about this is that we’ve got this great building, and the most important thing about this building is you guys,” Monroe said, speaking

directly to students. “I just want to let you know how proud I am to be a part of this, for my name to be on this school, and not only for me just to be a basketball player, but for me to be known somewhat about education.” The 81-year-old Monroe was born and raised in Philadelphia and first gained fame on the courts of South Philadelphia before a legendary college career at HBCU Winston-Salem State. “Earl the

Pearl,” as he was commonly known, was the 1968 NBA Rookie of the Year and five years later formed one of basketball’s all-time great backcourts with Walt “Clyde” Frazier in helping lead the Knicks to the 1973 NBA title. “I want to thank Earl for inviting me today to this celebration,” said Bradley, also a member of the memorable 1973 squad, “because that is what it is. It’s not only a celebration of Dan Klores and his great team, and all those people that helped raise the money and all the teachers that are here, but it’s a celebration of each of you, and it comes with a little obligation.” That obligation was a challenge for the school’s students. “If you wanna say, ‘I went to Earl Monroe,’ then you not only have to do well in the time you’re at Earl Monroe, but you’re gonna wanna take what you learned here and take it on to college and on to even more,” Bradley said. “I think the ambition of this school is what is exciting to see: you guys making it happen out there, having confidence that you can advance, that you can learn, that you can grow …”

Brooklyn Basketball expanding to three new locations By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews Brooklyn Basketball, the official youth basketball program of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, recently announced a significant expansion. Not only is it adding to its school programming to include high school students, introducing more competitive opportunities, and launching a new community partner program, it will be opening three new locations in Brooklyn in 2027. Since opening the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center near the Barclays Center last year, Brooklyn Basketball has welcomed more than 16,000 people and served as a home for clubs, camps, clinics, and community events. The three new locations will be in Greenpoint, Bushwick, and Gowanus. “We’ve been so delighted by the response to [our first location] and the fact that it’s really become a community hub,” said Marissa Shorenstein, chief operating officer of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “We wanted to create opportunities around the borough.” Expanding Brooklyn Basketball and making it more accessible has

hope to be able to host some youth clinics,” said Shorenstein. “The space will have a beautiful rooftop, so there is going to be a lot of opportunity for community engagement. Also, adjacent to the facility, there are two smaller buildings under construction as part of the project, one of which is really going to be fan-facing.” At the current Brooklyn Basketball facility in Downtown Brooklyn, there is after-school programming for ages 6 to 17 with two tracks. One is for kids who just want to learn the basics of basketball and the other is a performance track that involves league play. All of the programming is coed, but Wednesday is girls-only programming day. Nets and Liberty coaches provide input about all of the programming, and players sometimes drop by to share insights with participants. “The goal of the program is to offer specialized feedback to each student and to give them smaller, increBrooklyn Basketball, official youth basketball program of Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, helps girls mental opportunities to continue to develop on and off court. (Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment photos) grow and move up in the program a positive impact on its program- as league play, tournaments, and players, coaches, and basketball op- so that if they’re excelling, they don’t ming. It will add a new performance championship opportunities. erations staff year-round, and will need to wait until the next school track with three sessions per week The New York Liberty’s training also host community activities. year to move into the next phase focused on skill development, team facility is also expected to open in “In addition to the practice court, of the program,” Shorenstein said. practice, and game days, as well 2027. It will be available to Liberty there is an outdoor court where we “They can move at their own pace.”

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S

October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026 • 39

Tiffeny Parker returns to track and medals at World Masters Athletics Championship By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews After taking a pause from track and field, Tiffeny Parker enjoyed a satisfying return at the recent World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. In addition to winning a silver medal in the javelin, she found a sense of peace and purpose along the way. After the championships concluded, Parker stayed in South Korea for about a week, exploring Seoul and other exciting locations. “I had this crazy idea that I was going to come out of retirement for the elite section, which is still the plan, but my first stop since I hadn’t really trained for two years was to not put that much pressure on myself,” said Parker, 38, a heptathlete. “Let’s see what my body will do, especially working full-time, which I didn’t do when I competed pro-

fessionally. … My goal is to get healthy and really get back to the heptathlon.” After her freshman year of college, Parker took on the heptathlon, an event comprising seven track and field events. She made it to the U.S. Olympic trials. In her early 30s, she moved to bobsled, a transition other track and field athletes have made. She gave it her all for four years, but ended her time in that sport in 2022. “I decided I’m going to go into real life,” Parker said. “I stepped into what I thought the next chapter of life was going to look like.” With a bachelor’s and three master’s degrees, Parker moved into a corporate role. It was a phenomenal experience, but she felt herself longing for something more fulfilling. Eventually, she returned to training, changing her focus to finding internal satisfaction

in performance. Today, in addition to training and executive leadership coaching, which she does through her company Side Tracked, she works with doctors in a functional health practice. Functional medicine is a personalized system that looks for the root causes of chronic illness. “I investigate what the root cause is and I look at all … these pieces of data. I’m very good at finding the patterns and the similarities. I get a chance to help people feel better,” she explained. “Executive leadership coaching, I love helping people elevate who they are. It’s part of being an athlete, you always want to be the best version of yourself. I’m very fortunate to have a gift to see that in people and also be able to communicate it in a way that allows them to hear what I’m saying and put action to it.”

Tiffeny Parker, pictured during her days as a bobsled athlete, won a silver medal at the World Masters Athletics Championships held this past August in Daegu, South Korea. (Photo courtesy of Tiffeny Parker)

New York native Jamel Herring victorious in first BKFC title defense BY DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews Last month, Jamel Herring, a former WBO junior lightweight boxing champion and current Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World bantamweight champion, opened up to the AmNews. “They say in boxing, you’re not a real world champion until you defend your title, and right now, I have a real good opponent in front of me and that’s where my focus is at,” he said at the time. Herring is now a real world champion. The 40-year-old Marine veteran defended his title in a toughly contested bout versus John Dodson at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, this past Saturday, with one of judges disagreeing with the two others. Two judges scored the fight for Herring (3-0) 48-47 and 49-46, while one scored it for Dodson (4-1-1) 49-46. Dodson, 42, retained his BKFC flyweight championship despite the loss while pursuing a second title. Although Dodson’s aggression may have won him the fight on one judge’s scorecard, Herring’s

Jamel Herring, right, emerged victorious against John Dodson on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, in his first defense of the BKFC bantamweight title. (Photo courtesy of Feldman Boxing)

ability to avoid heavy damage and keep Dodson, who frequently charged in at bay, with jabs and body punches that ultimately won him the fight. “I think this is my first big test and I’m still getting better,” Herring said in a post-fight interview. “I understand it’s a decision, but

it is what it is, the right man got the victory.” On July 9, Zuffa Boxing head and UFC President and CEO Dana White announced the signing of undefeated four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson. A little over three months later, the Newark native is no

longer with Zuffa. “Fans, how you doing? It’s the one, the only, one of the best boxers in this sport,” Stevenson said in a YouTube video he released Monday. “Actually, I feel as though I’m the best boxer in the sport, but I’m here to tell y’all about my wild journey that

I’ve been on these past couple of months. Since his professional debut in April 2017, Stevenson is 25-0 (11KOs). “I’ve been working my ass off, staying focused, staying in shape. But I’ve been in camp for like eight weeks preparing for fights that I was told were going to happen, and it has not happened; but look … This is the business of boxing. I’m not mad at anyone. I’m not pointing no fingers. But upon all of these issues and things that’s been going on, I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing. Now, over the weekend, my request has been granted, and now I am officially a free agent.” Additionally, Stevenson said he is starting his own promotional company and will work with other promoters to get the biggest fights possible. On Saturday, in a highly anticipated unification bout, WBO and IBF super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) battles WBC super featherweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster (25-3, 12 KOs) at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio for featherweight supremacy.

40 • October 22, 2026 - October 28, 2026

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

Sports The Knicks celebrate their title and experience the weight of being champions By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Tuesday was another memorable night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks raised the franchise’s third NBA championship banner and the team received the customary championship rings in a ceremony worthy of the adulation showered upon them by the sellout crowd. Then the game began. The opponent on opening night of the 2026-27 season was the Philadelphia 76ers, projected as one of the Knicks’ primary challengers for Eastern Conference supremacy. They prevented the Knicks from having a flawless evening, defeating the reigning champions 106-100, driven by guard Tyrese Maxey, one of the sport’s brightest young stars, who scored a game-high 28 points. The Knicks didn’t seem to be caught up in the emotions of such a historic moment. Rather, their uneven performance is likely attributable to early season kinks. Their collective execution, sharpness, and intensity were, by and large, unsurprisingly substandard. This was also the case for the 76ers, who earned the win by being slightly better than the Knicks in the closing minutes of the game. “I want to give a shoutout to [76ers head coach] Nick Nurse and his team a lot of credit,” said Knicks head coach Mike Brown, after the game. “It was a long night and they came out and they tried to do what they needed to do to get a win so you have to give them credit first of all. But you know, there were some things that we could have done better. Our transition defense was not good. … We were walking everywhere, which hurt our spacing and then when we didn’t get to the paint, we couldn’t finish. And we have to finish with authority.” “…For me,” Brown continued, “it’s about trying to keep taking steps or climbing forward and not giving any excuses. I’m going to call it like I see it, so hopefully we can be a little bit better next time we step on the floor. … I mean, the teams are good, you know, and like I said before, Nick Nurse is a great coach. He’s got at least four All-Stars on the team.” On paper, the 76ers are stacked. This past summer they signed LeBron

James, a four-time NBA champion and one of the greatest players ever. At 41 and in his unmatched 24th season in the league (the most all time), James still remains one of the game’s best practitioners; he appeared in his record 22nd All-Star Game last season. The 76ers also acquired 29-year-old guard-forward Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Boston Celtics in July. Brown was the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals and Finals MVP with the Celtics in leading AM News AM News them to the championship. Last season, he was All-NBA second team and finished 06/25/26 09/10/26 sixth in MVP voting. Plausibly, Brown should have been top three in the MVP balloting and a first-team selection. Yet, as they proved a season ago, the Knicks can be the most formidable team AM News AM News in the league when at their best. Jalen Brunson has ascended to superstar 07/02/26 09/17/26 status. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby are force multipliers, and fellow starters Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges have shown they can elevate the entire group on any given night on both ends AM News AM News of the court. Surprisingly, the Knicks’ best per07/09/26 09/24/26 formance of Game 1 was put forth by newcomer Andre Drummond. The 33-year-old Mount Vernon native, who New York Knicks team watches the title banner raised before playing the Philadelphia played for the 76ers the past two sea76ers Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II photos) sons, came back home when he signed AM News AM News a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the 07/16/26 10/01/26 Knicks in July to fill a void at center after former Knick Mitchell Robinson agreed to a 3-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics in July. Drummond, one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history, had 14 boards AM News AM News in addition to 12 points in his Knicks reg07/23/26 10/08/26 ular season debut. Now he will face Robinson tomorrow night when the Knicks play in Boston against the Celtics, another contender aspiring to unseat the Knicks from the throne. AM News AM NewsBeing the king requires constant defense of the kingdom against the invading 07/30/26 10/15/26 forces at the gate, and the Knicks’ ambitious adversaries are now on the attack.

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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, left, shows his championship ring to his father Rick Brunson Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

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