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Vol. 117 No. 41 | October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
THE NEW BLACK VIEW
©2026 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City
MAKING THE HARD CHOICE
PARENTS AND EDUCATORS DISCUSS NYC’S SEGREGATED SYSTEM (See story on page 6)
(Photo illustration by AmNews; Photos by Pavel Danilyuk, Safari Consoler, & Lee chinyama via Pexels.com)
2 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
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Who is Brooklyn’s party boss? By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Brooklyn Democrats, the largest county party in the country, is still rudderless as infighting continues in courts over who the next elected county chairperson is and what authority they have moving forward. This Tuesday, Oct. 6, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who has opted not to run for re-election as Brooklyn’s party boss, appeared opposite New Kings Democrats-backed Congressmember Nydia Velázquez, both armed with lawyers. At the last county committee organizational meeting, on Sept. 23, members technically named Velázquez, who was the vice chair at the time, as replacement party boss since they failed to put another candidate on the ballot. Bichotte Hermelyn announced she was not going to seek re-election and instead supported Assemblymember Nikki Lucas as her successor on Sept. 28. Meanwhile, the appellate court tossed out the controversial rule changes Bichotte Hermelyn made that set the chaotic feud in motion and slapped a temporary injunction on a party chair vote slated for Sept. 29. As of Oct. 2, Velázquez was ruled in Kings County Supreme Court as the sole power over the party and its attorneys. Through her power, she fired the party’s long-time law firm, Abrams
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, during House Financial Services Committee’s hearing on overhauling nation’s financial rules. Tuesday, May 2, 2017. (AP Photo/ Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Fensterman, according to City & State reporting. Despite this, Bichotte Hermelyn called a committee meeting on Sunday night, Oct. 4, forcing a vote for Lucas to be the new chair under the “party’s governing bylaws.” Also “elected” were First Vice Chair Kenesha Traynham-Cooper, Second Vice Chair Félix W. Ortiz, Secretary Donald Day, and Assistant Secretary Chris Durosinmi. “I am deeply honored by the vote of confidence from my fellow District Leaders and our Executive Committee,” said Lucas in a statement. “Brooklyn is the powerhouse of the Democratic coalition in New York, and our party is at
its strongest when we are united, transparent, and rooted in our neighborhoods.” Lucas’s victory was short-lived as the factions returned to court this week. Immediately after the hearing, Bichotte Hermelyn was served contempt papers because of the night meeting she called to elect Lucas. “I just got served with a contempt order signed by a Judge for invoking my constitutional rights. Punished for the 5th. Ignored for the 14th. Erased for the 13th. #Justice is on Life Support — and somebody’s pulling the plug. #haters,” posted Bichotte Hermelyn. The contempt hearing is set for Oct. 19.
NYPD is underreporting stop-and-frisks, says monitor By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Apparently, the camera adds 10 pounds and almost 10,000 underreported stop-andfrisks by the NYPD last year. A recently published review of body-worn camera footage found the frequent mislabeling of Level 3 encounters — better known as Terry stops or stop-and-frisks — as Level 1 and Level 2 encounters, which do not require stop reports. “Accurate documentation is foundational,” wrote the monitor. “Without it, neither the NYPD nor the Court can determine whether constitutional policing requirements are being met. To guard against officers ‘gaming’ the system by mislabeling stops, the NYPD’s own auditing methods must assess how many stops labeled Level 1 and Level 2 encounters should have been labeled Level 3 Terry stops.” The audit findings stem from the city losing a class action lawsuit against the NYPD over unconstitutional stop-and-frisk practices more than a decade ago. Named after lead plaintiff David Floyd, the Floyd litigation went through a nine-week trial and featured testimony from many nonwhite New Yorkers, including thenstate senator Eric Adams. A judge ultimately found the city engaged in racial profiling against Black and Brown New Yorkers, which violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. The ruling also found the city violated the Fourth Amendment, a broader protection against unreasonable searches.
This photo from Sunday, June 17, 2012, shows Rev. Al Sharpton, center, with demonstrators during a silent march to end the “stop-and-frisk” program in New York. During the Bloomberg administration, civil rights groups went to court to end the NYPD’s use of a tactic known as “stop and frisk,” which involved detaining, questioning and sometimes searching people deemed suspicious by officers. (AP Photo/ Seth Wenig, File)
An independent monitor, who authored this report, was subsequently appointed by the court. Additionally, the case mandates the NYPD’s bookkeeping on stop-and-frisk numbers. But the audit’s findings undermine the data’s validity and allow undocumented stops to “evade supervisory review and judicial oversight.” “The NYPD’s systematic failure to document stops, frisks, and searches is not an oversight,” said attorney Jonathan Moore, who represented the Floyd class litigants. “It reflects a deliberate indifference to the constitutional rights of the residents of this city. The court needs to take aggressive action to remedy this deliber-
ate neglect on the part of the NYPD.” However, the report mentions an improving compliance rate and ongoing communication on the issue between the NYPD and the monitor. A police spokesperson pointed to a 20% decline in underreporting in the fourth quarter of 2025. The monitor directed the NYPD to finalize an action plan within 45 days of the audit’s release. “The NYPD has made tremendous progress in connection with the monitorship, with stops decreasing by more than 90%. There is still more work to do, and the department is working closely with the monitor to address those issues.”
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 3
The fight to get racial equity back on track in NYC By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Nothing about New York City’s inaugural racial equity plan has gone to plan, but the long-awaited report finally came out early last month, and with the November budget update talks coming up, the city might put its money where its mouth is to fight systemic racism. In short, the plan should shape city spending toward bettering the lives of Black and Brown New Yorkers, who face the starkest disparities, for years to come. Afua Atta-Mensah, the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (MOERJ) commissioner and NYC chief equity officer, who leads the racial equity plan, echoed Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s belief in “hugging the cactus,” or confronting the hardest issues first. She did not shy away from “rightful critiques” over the city’s perpetual delays, but believes the cycle is getting in an iteration of action. The plan looks ahead as far as 2034, when Mamdani terms out if he is re-elected. “There are things all across the different agency plans that we absolutely are starting now,” said Atta-Mensah. “Even for the ones that have longer term deliverable dates, if we look at the citywide goals, we’re asking to be judged by 2034. A lot of these issues [took] a long time to accrue. There [aren’t] problems that started in a day and will not end there, but that doesn’t mean we wait to start on our action steps and strategies for how to mitigate those issues. “We’re going to be measuring the disparity, moving from measurement to action of removing those hurdles that have been keeping those systems of disparate treatment and impact happening, and then assess how we’ve done in that and continue to improve and shift as needed.” Mamdani himself pointed to addressing disparities in maternal health mortality, unemployment, and housing when the Amsterdam News asked him about the racial equity plan last month. “This is an all-of-city-government approach that has to include every single agency, and so that will be something that informs our budget as we get into it,” he said. The NYC Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) needs more convincing, however. The independent commission, which exists as a counterweight to MOERJ, reviewed the plan and found that it does not “meet the basic legal re-
CORE executive director Linda Tigani (front right) announces lawsuit against Adams administration last year. (Derek Evers/Courtesy of the NYC Comptroller’s Office)
quirements.” The response called for a clearer outline about how policymakers could improve, invest in, and measure “racially equitable outcomes in the lives of Black and Brown New Yorkers.” By almost every measure, class-related disparities in city resources and services negatively affect them the most — and historically, by design. “Enslaved Africans literally built every part of the city. This is a moment where … we are legally required to focus on race,” said CORE Executive Director Linda Tigani. “We have an administration that is focusing on class and is using a universal approach to policies. That is essentially allowing us to escape our responsibility by law to invest in Black and Brown neighborhoods.” CORE’s response also suggested that the MOERJ should develop a broader citywide plan and present uniform guidance about data disaggregation, which would specifically indicate the disparities that Black and Brown New Yorkers face at a more granular level. To be clear, the criticisms largely stem from the city’s legal requirements for the plan. Atta-Mensah said MOERJ and the broader Mamdani administration are “aligned on the importance of disaggregated data” but that different agencies may need uniquely tailored guidance about collecting numbers. “The city of New York is a big bureaucracy,” she said. “That’s not an excuse. That’s just a reality. We know that there’s not a right size fits all.” Tigani long maintained that
“racial equity was law” here in New York City. The Racial Equity Plan stems from democratic practice: a successful ballot measure in 2022. Now, the city charter, New York City’s municipal equivalent of the Constitution, enshrines both a biennial plan structured around the city budget timeline and the existence of CORE as an independent city commission tasked with reviewing the plan. Problems date back to former Mayor Eric Adams, who defied the mandates. The city’s second-ever Black mayor never released a plan and slow-walked his appointments to the commission. CORE sued him last year over the delays. The lawsuit carried over this year when Mamdani took office and a recent ruling in favor of the independent commission pressured the plan’s release and ordered the city to cover CORE’s legal expenses. It also found that both administrations allegedly violated the law. Fair or not, Mamdani was legally mandated to release the preliminary racial equity plan by roughly his second week in office this past January. He instead promised, and delivered on, publishing the preliminary plan within his first 100 days after appointing Atta-Mensah in his first month. Tigani criticized the timeline, which she says still violates the charter and prevented the plan from its intended purpose of dictating spring budget talks. The NY Supreme Court judge’s ruling affirmed her stance. The city law department filed a notice of appeal on Sept. 25.
Despite the name, the NY State Supreme Court is not actually “supreme” — two higher appellate courts exist in New York, with the NY Court of Appeals receiving final say. Tigani questioned why the Mamdani administration planned to appeal and called the move “deeply upsetting.” The city law department did not respond to requests for comment by press time. “I have constantly been told, particularly under the Trump administration, [that we] have to be careful because we as a city may get sued for our racial equity work,” said Tigani. “Instead of being scared of being sued, we sued. In this moment, we are not going to fall back [or] be quiet. We are not going to fly under the radar. We’re going to step up and make sure that Black and Brown New Yorkers know that we’re here [and] have their back. “The ability to take the city to court on racial equity law is critical because it also sets a model for the nation, and Mamdani will set a model with his response. As an independent commission, it is our job to do everything humanly possible to hold the city accountable.” Like Mamdani, Tigani also faced right-wing media attacks for her pro-Palestinian beliefs and progressive advocacy, but she believes no mayor is above criticism or accountability, even one she reveals she had initially high hopes for. As an independent commission, CORE is not beholden to the mayor or City Council like other municipal entities. However, appointments come from such of-
fices and the lawsuit will dictate how these independent bodies can take on the city. “Independent commissions and accountability to the public [are] essential for a multiracial society,” said Tigani. “If you’re going to tell us that you believe in co-governance, community voices, and the people, you actually have to honor your word by stopping the appeal.” Tigani herself faces uncertainty about Mamdani keeping her in the role. CORE executive directors can serve up to three terms totaling nine years, but Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin can remove her and handpick someone else as executive director in the upcoming days. If they do not make an official appointment soon, Tigani will be automatically retained for a year. CORE will protest outside City Hall this Thursday, Oct. 8, about the notice to appeal, but the rally also intends to tackle police reform, which Tigani believes the racial equity plan does not address enough. In particular, she pointed to recent Legal Aid Society findings that the NYPD is again on pace for nine figures in police misconduct lawsuit payouts this year. The rally will also call on Mamdani to deliver on his police reform-related campaign promises, such as disbanding the controversial Strategic Response Group (SRG) and the criminal group database. The SRG, a militarized police unit often seen at protests, faces legislative scrutiny for use-offorce tactics allegedly deployed against Black Lives Matter and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. It was also involved in the 2018 killing of Black Brooklynite Saheed Vassell. The NYPD’s criminal group database, better known as the gang database, surveils almost exclusively Black and Brown men living in low-income communities without needing criminal charges or a warrant. Mamdani promised to abolish both while campaigning for mayor last year. “The [plan] is the floor, not the ceiling, for racial justice in this administration,” said Atta-Mensah in response. “There’s been a long history of … communities of color voicing our concerns about treatment from the NYPD and I think CORE is moving as an accountability entity to ask those hard questions. Our role internally in the administration is to both work across government and alongside community to try and shift things.”
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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Manhattan borough-based jail site resumes ‘after-hours’ construction as Rikers closure deadline approaches
Cells line the walls of an unoccupied housing unit on Rikers Island in New York, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig photo)
By TANDY LAU Amsterdam News Staff Weekday construction for the Manhattan borough-based jail will extend to midnight as pressure mounts for the city to finish four new detention facilities to replace Rikers Island and ensure its legally-mandated closure, according to an upcoming announcement. An NYC Department of Buildings permit now allows builders to continue working on the project located at 124-125 White St. past 6 p.m. and until 12 a.m., although the noisiest work will stop by 10 p.m. The city expects the polarizing Chinatown-based facility to open in early 2032, which falls nearly five years after the legallyset deadline to close Rikers Island by next summer. Close Rikers czar Dana Kaplan told the Amsterdam News the additional hours are required to prevent further delays.
“This is part of our broader commitment to close Rikers Island on the fastest timeline possible,” she said. “It is a legal requirement for the city but it’s also a moral imperative for us that we move ahead with the closure as quickly as we can and bring on-line this borough-based jail system that will have significantly improved conditions for people in custody and the staff who work there every day. Beginning the after-hours work allows us to be on the fastest timeline possible towards completion.” Beyond the after-hours construction, start time remains at 7 a.m. on the weekdays and adds Saturday work between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The city also pointed to noise-mitigating measures like sound blankets, equipment mufflers, and temporary sound barriers. The Brooklyn borough-based jail is also under after-hours construction. Rikers Island is where the ma-
jority of the city’s jails are and overwhelmingly holds people on pretrial detention who remain “innocent until proven guilty.” Most people in custody are also Black or Brown. Proponents vow the new jails will provide significantly more humane conditions and allow for faster transport to court hearings, with most adjacent to a corresponding municipal courthouse. Mayor Zohran Mamdani inherited the Rikers closure plan from the de Blasio administration and setbacks from the previous Adams administration. From one side, he faces opposition from local Chinatown advocates who have protested the jail for more than half a decade. Meanwhile, criminal justice reform advocates fear the city is severely off track from the Rikers closure plan and regularly raise concerns with low-level enforcement outpacing releases, as the four facilities combined are
scheduled to hold just more than 4,000 beds (Rikers regularly hovers around 6,000 people in custody). Kaplan, who worked on the plan under de Blasio, joined the Mamdani administration as a foremost expert on the issue and to identify how the city could get back on track as all four jails are scheduled to open after 2027. For years, she served on the Independent Rikers Commission and called on the Adams administration to implement measures to speed up construction and safely reduce the incarcerated population on Rikers Island. In April, Documented reported how the city initially paused after-hours construction plans. The Mamdani administration mentioned ongoing conversations with the local Chinatown community, which frequently staged protests against the new jail. Opponents of the jail range from frustrated residents and local
business owners to abolitionist activists and critics of the multibillion-dollar price tag. Some say keep Rikers open. Others want the city to move the jail to a nearby site, where an empty federal detention center sits. And from the left, some organizers want the city to close Rikers without opening any replacement facilities. But the Mamdani administration maintains it will “comply with law” in regards to the borough-based jail plan, which most criminal justice reform organizations around the city support. According to Kaplan, the city will address environmental concerns when rolling out after-hours construction. “They’re concerned and we are putting in place a comprehensive plan to address them,” she said. “Our focus is being able to address the neighborhood’s concerns while remaining focused on closing Rikers Island as quickly as possible.”
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 5
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Ina Norris: Building community through storytelling and playwrighting
Black
125th Street Subway Tunnel
125th Street Subway Public Scoping Sessions Tunnel Public Scoping Sessions TheMetropolitan Metropolitan Transportation (MTA) to The Transportation AuthorityAuthority (MTA) is proposing is proposing to construct a tunnel new east-west subway construct a new east-west subway beneath 125th Street in Harlem. A Draft Scoping Document is available for public comment tunnel beneath West 125th Street in Harlem. until November 13, 2026 at mta.info/project/125-street-subway.
New Yorker
A Draft Scoping Document is available for public comment November 13, 2026sessions at Attend one ofuntil our upcoming public scoping to learn more about the proposed 125th Street Subway Tunnel, get project updates, mta.info/project/125-street-subway. and share your feedback.
Attend one of our upcoming public scoping sessions to Virtual Sessions via Zoom learn more about the proposed 125th Street Subway Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm OCT 22 Zoom +1 646 828 7666 Tunnel, get project updates, and share your feedback. Webinar ID: 165 350 9093
2026
Virtual Sessions via Zoom Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm Zoom +1 646 828 7666 Time: 12 noon to 2 p.m. Webinar ID: 165 740 5876
Thursday
Ina Norris at the Schomburg Center. (Photo courtesy of Ina Norris)
BY NAFISSATOU YATTASSAYE Special to the AmNews Ina Norris, 65, an educator, filmmaker, author, playwright, mother, and founder of the Kwanzaa Film Festival, has dedicated years to sharing stories, preserving culture, and helping young people find their voice in the arts and entertainment sector. Born in Staten Island and raised in Long Island in the 1960s, and a member of the first migration of Black people coming to Long Island, Norris describes her early childhood as a time filled with anxiety. “All I knew was that I wasn’t wanted. I didn’t understand anything,” she shares, describing her experience as a woman of color during this time. As the idea of integrating schools began to arise, Norris describes her experience and difficulty getting an education. “During my first year of first grade, my mother had to take me out of school because she got a phone call saying that these white parents are getting ready to kill your kids. Come and get her.” Because school was a difficult space to gain connection and find her passions, Norris attended dance school, where she learned about Black history. “At dance school, we had to learn poems by all of the greats, such as Langston Hughes and many others,” noting this experience as highly valuable and needed because Black history, culture, and art wasn’t just something she read; it was a part of her everyday life. “There was nobody during that particular time in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, that didn’t have a Black history encyclopedia in their house. Black history was so important during that particular time.” Norris went on to North Babylon High
School in Long Island and later attended Hampton University, where she majored in psychology and received a B.A. Alongside her studies, Norris always wrote poems and anything else that came to mind. She recalls taking a test to determine what life after graduation would look like. As several students had many different career options, Norris had two. “I was like, ‘What?’ It was a clinical psychologist and a playwright. At the time, I had never written a play.” After graduation, Norris left Virginia, eventually returning to Long Island for only a year before moving to the Bronx, where she has been living for 45 years. Years after returning to the city, Norris didn’t know exactly what she wanted to pursue but found herself writing again. In 1991, she began using her previous poems and writing pieces to raise money for a Black independent school called The Learning Tree Preparatory School in the Bronx. “I wanted to raise money because they were getting ready to close down, and my friend said, ‘Well, don’t you have all these poems and all this stuff you’ve been writing? Let’s go through the box.’ And I went through the box, and that’s when ‘Nobody Loves a Black Little Girl When She Becomes a Woman’ was born,” Norris said. “Nobody Loves a Black Little Girl When She Becomes a Woman,” Norris’s first play and now published book, focused on selflove and examining oneself and society through the lens of a Black woman. The production of this play marked the creation of her production company, In A Woman Productions, and set the foundation for a decades-long career in playwriting, directing, and community organizing. See BLACK NEW YORKER on page 28
OCT 22 OCT 27 2026 2026
Zoom +1 646 828 7666
Webinar ID: 165 350 9093 In-Person Session Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building* Time: 6 to 8 p.m. 163 W. 125th Street Zoom +1 646 828 7666 Community Room, Second Floor Webinar ID: 165 740 5876 New York, NY 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday
In-Person Session
Time: 6 tophoto 8 p.m. *All attendees must bring government issued ID.
OCT 27 Register here: mta.info/project/125-street-subway 2026
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building* 163 W. 125th Street Community Room, Second Floor New York, NY
S C A N H E R E
For more information, visit: mta.info/project/125-street-subway or email: 125StSubwayTunnel@mtacd.org
*All attendees must bring government issued photo ID
Register here: mta.info/project/125-street-subway
For more information, visit: mta.info/project/125-street-subway or email: 125StSubwayTunnel@mtacd.org
S C A N H E R E
6 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Making the hard choice: Parents and educators discuss NYC’s segregated system By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff New York City’s deeply segregated school system is shaped by race, class disparities, and the historic impacts of redlining. This often forces Black and Hispanic parents of all backgrounds to make difficult decisions to secure a “quality” education for their children. The late civil rights attorney and subsequent Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall won Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, successfully making the case that segregation was unconstitutional. The tipping point was research collected by Harlem’s own Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark, two pioneering psychologists and education advocates who fought for integration in the city and nationwide. The law changed — but the practice remained. The city’s latest data for public schools indicates that the bulk of the system’s racial makeup is Hispanic/Latino students (41.6%), followed by an almost even percentage of Black (19.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander students (19%). White students are in the smallest chunk (16.4%). Howev-
er, not many community school districts (CSDs) reflect racial demographics, according to NYU’s Research Alliance for New York City Schools in an equity report. At the elementary school level, 25% of all schools were “racially representative” of their communities. The ones with greater representation were concentrated in the Bronx and parts of Brooklyn. At the middle school level, representation was higher overall at 37%, and K–8 schools had the lowest overall at 22%, said the Research Alliance report. Although there has been some progress since the 1950s, it’s been more than 70 years and New York City still struggles to meaningfully integrate its public and private schools, instead sorting its youngest into an “educational apartheid” that often subjects Black and Hispanic students to under-resourced and underfunded institutions. Decades of research show that this crippling inequality in educational experiences “reinforces differences in socioeconomic outcomes, from student test scores and high school graduation rates to income and wealth in adulthood and even life expectancy.”
“With the work of integration, it is often difficult. If it was easy, somebody would have done it already,” said NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels in an interview with the Amsterdam News. “When we are approaching this work, we are to approach this work[do so] from a space of listening, from a space of ensuring that we are thoughtfully engaged, because we want all the perspectives to be understood.” Samuels launched an on-theground initiative to fully integrate schools by 2028 through school district working groups in Districts 3, 7, 13, 16, and 25, representing the Upper West Side and West Harlem, South Bronx, Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, BedfordStuyvesant, and North-Central Queens. The working groups are made up of teachers, principals, parent leaders, and community organizations. They are tasked with coming up with strategies to address structural and instructional inequities in their districts. The plan is to eventually have working groups in all 32 school districts.
Rasheeda Brown Harris The Bronx “We definitely looked at a couple of private schools, but … I was not trying to put her in a school that would be predominantly white and not [have] a lot of Black kids … I wasn’t comfortable with any of that, so we stayed at a [Gifted & Talented] school, a K through 8 school.” Parent advocate Rasheeda Brown Harris, 45, works at a “healing center” school in Bronx. (Photo Contributed by Rasheeda Brown Harris)
Navigating NYC schools as a parent In NYC, parents have what’s called “school choice” — they can select from a range of options about where to send their children, whether in the public school system, schools inside or outside
Leslie Ann Murray East Flatbush, Brooklyn “I think the question that should be discussed is why do we have so many divided, unequal schools? Why [are] our neighborhood and our tax dollars tiedtoward how our schools get funding? Why are Black and Brown kids from birth slated — this is a caste system — slated to do poor, slated to do bad, slated to not become something because of the educational system and where they were born … I hope this spurs us on not only thinking about the unequal system we’re in, but how do we change it and how do we create tangible change.” Fiction writer Leslie Ann Murray, 45, is an educator and creator of the Brown Girl Book Lover series. (Photo Contributed by Leslie Ann Murray)
their zoned neighborhood districts, or private charter schools. Black and Hispanic students, in particular, were the most likely to attend charter schools over public schools, according to the Research Alliance. The Independent Budget Office (IBO)’s race and ethnicity data for 2023–2024, charter schools comprised 45.9% Black, 43.3% Hispanic, 4.5% White, and 3.5% Asian students. It’s a daunting process for any parent, but Black and Hispanic parents of various income levels have long complained about the choice between under-resourced local schools or long daily commutes to “better” and “safer” school districts. The choice between an education centered in community and culture or academic rigor and access; seemingly, between all Black and Hispanic, or mostly white schools. “People are talking to me all the time from all over, and especially about the story,” said Samuels, about the debate over New York
Times Magazine reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones’s story about choosing to have her daughter educated at a “poor Black” public school in 2016. “It was a heartfelt story; it landed with me. It brought up some of [my own] experiences, but most importantly, reminded me of the work that we have ahead and brought it into full focus.” Samuels, 48, who is Jamaicanborn, recalled having to make a similar choice as a parent when his first child was born before he became chancellor. His family was living outside of the city at the time and he thought that an independent, mostly white school would provide his son with the “rigorous” education and access to a network he was looking for. However, he realized the school wasn’t meeting the cultural needs of a “young Black boy.” He moved his son to a public middle school with more diversity and “more affirming experiences.” See THE HARD CHOICE continued on next page
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 7
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Marlon Rice Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn “I believe that all of us as parents are constantly looking to make decisions about where to put our kids, and there is this decision based on class and resources. … Unfortunately, a lot of our parents in the district are not wealthy and so the options are not as vast. Many of them simply have to send their kids to zone schools because they don’t have the resources or opportunity to go outside of that. ... We find inequity when people without resources are forced to deal with the educational inequities of schools that are underfunded and underprepared.”
cording to Department of Education data. “I believe that all of us as parents are constantly looking to make decisions about where to put our kids, and there is this decision based on class and resources,” said Rice. “Unfortunately, a Entrepreneur Marlon Rice, 50, runs Stoop Set block party series in Bed-Stuy, lot of our parents in the Brooklyn. (Photo Contributed by Marlon Rice) district are not wealthy and so the options are not as vast. Many of “He was one of two Black kids in be sheltered in Blackness. We want them simply have to send their kids his grade when he was in a private you to have an education that’s to zone schools because they don’t school, and in public school, he’s deeply rooted in Blackness,’” said have the resources or opportuniconnected with more kids of color Rice about his upbringing. “I went ty to go outside of that. … We find and kids from all over the city, from to an all-Black elementary school. inequity when people without reall walks of life,” said Samuels. I went to a Gifted & Talented junior sources are forced to deal with the Naturally, not every parent can high school that was all Black. I educational inequities of schools afford or wants to choose this path. went to Brooklyn Tech (a special- that are underfunded and underOne parent, entrepreneur Marlon ized high school) at a time [when] it prepared.” Rice, 50, runs the Stoop Set block was 35, 40% Black, and then I went Another parent advocate, Raparty series in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. to an HBCU (Historically Black Col- sheeda Brown Harris, 45, works A Brooklyn native, he was raised, leges and Universities).” at a “healing center” school in went to school, lives, and works in The community overall is in a the Bronx. She was raised in Bed-Stuy. In addition to his festival state of transition and far more New York City by an active single event, he’s been a Department of gentrified than when Rice was Black father. She is half-Black and Education (DOE) vendor for about younger. He said “new white Korean, but identifies as a Black 18 years, has taught programming neighbors” in the district don’t woman. Her 16-year-old daughin various school districts, and re- always send their kids to local ter is currently a junior at the Lacently ran for the State Assembly. schools, though. His daughter Guardia High School of Music He has always attended majority- graduated from P.S. 11 and his and Performing Arts. She said the Black public schools and considers son now attends third grade in the thought of putting her daughter in himself middle-class. He also firmly same school in District 13, which a predominantly white school, or believes that education starts in the is one of the districts on Samuels’s even a majority-Spanish–speakhome with homework, studying, working group list that he oversaw ing and South Asian environrole models, and extracurricular as a superintendent. About 97% of ment similar to her neighborhood activities, whether a child attends students at P.S. 11 met state stan- in Jackson Heights, Queens, made mostly Black or white schools. dards for the English test and 96% her uneasy. “My parents said, ‘We want you to met state math test standards, ac“In hindsight, knowing that she
would have been around Spanishspeaking peers, and would have had that exposure, I do believe that it would have helped her to … build empathy for any other-language– speaking child — to know [that] these are my neighbors, these are my classmates,” said Harris, about some of her regrets, “but at the time, I was just thinking about the teachers not being able to ‘teach’ because they would be so busy … maybe trying to communicate with the kids or teach them how to speak English … and of course, the test scores weren’t that great.” Harris enrolled her daughter in a Black-owned daycare in East Elmhurst when she was younger. Her daughter then attended the city’s Gifted & Talented (G&T) program, an advanced track for public school students, at the Talented and Gifted School for Young Scholars in East Harlem (TAG). TAG’s student population is about 46% Asian, 10% Black, 17% white,
and 17% Hispanic; 98% of students met state standards for the English test and 96% met state math test standards, according to the DOE. Most students from TAG matriculate and attend the city’s specialized elite high schools: 30% go to Bronx High School of Science, 15% to Brooklyn Technical High School, and 8% to Stuyvesant High School, said the quality report, although significantly fewer Black and Hispanic students are admitted to specialized schools each year. Harris had her daughter tested for G&T at 4 years old, happy that the daycare had prepared her for it. Her daughter stayed there for kindergarten through eighth grade. Although she received prep for the Specialized High School Admission Test (SHSAT), she decided to opt out of that and state exams. “Some parents don’t have options,” said Tanesha Grant, 50, an avid education advocate from See THE HARD CHOICE on page 8
Dr. Shango A. Blake Brooklyn “I was taught by my parents, who were children of the Black Power movement, about Black empowerment and history. However, I grew up in Southeast Queens, and went to an integrated school. I ended up going to school in Bayside and … realized that things I was taught at home were not being validated in the classroom … so I want to push back against this concept that integration will solve everything.” Dr. Shango A. Blake is an education advocate and president of Black Edfluencers-United (BE-U). (Photo Contributed by Marlon Rice)
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The Hard Choice Continued from page 7
Harlem who founded Parents Supporting Parents New York. Grant grew up in the city’s foster care system after she was left at Lincoln Hospital. She has three children who attended public schools and two in college. She worked hard at home to supplement her kids’ education, especially when it came to learning about Black history. She never trusted any “white-facing institution” to educate her children about her culture and her Blackness. She was among the first parent advocates to fight for culturally responsive education and curricula in public schools. She said she’s currently working on keeping her grandchildren informed about their history as well. Fiction writer Leslie Ann Murray, 45, is not a parent but does vividly remember her experience of attending Thomas Jefferson High School, a majority-Black school with a challenging reputation in East New York, in the 1990s. Her mother was an “illiterate” working class immigrant from Trinidad who barely knew how to navigate the city when her family settled in Brooklyn. Murray said the trauma she experienced at Jefferson was a direct result of underfunding and systemic racism that landed many students from the neighborhood either in jail or dead. “I was impacted by the lack of education. I had a high school teacher, Black guy, just like the students who would say, ‘I don’t give a f*** about you n***ers.’ He would sit there in his classroom in my 10th grade English class, eating, while we just sat and talked and slept,” she said. “People were blamed for their poverty.” She said her experience was one of acceptance and not advocacy in her youth, but now she is an educator and creator of the Brown Girl Book Lover series. “I think the question that should be discussed is: why do we have so many divided, unequal schools? Why is our neighborhood and our tax dollars tied toward how our schools get funding? Why are Black and Brown kids from birth slated — this is a caste system — to do poor, slated to do bad, slated to not become something because of the educational system and where they were born?” said Murray. “I hope this spurs us on, not only thinking about the un-
equal system we’re in, but how do we change it and how do we create tangible change.” “Poor” and Black are not synonyms Many of the parents the AmNews spoke to acknowledged that there are, of course, amazing majorityBlack institutions and Black and Brown educators across New York City. It’s not just the presence of Black or Latino students, or placement in a certain neighborhood, that determines the quality of a school. Diverse enrollment coupled with student-teacher ratio; parent engagement; total counselors, social workers, and security guards, and overall safety; academic rigor; level of discipline; afterschool programming; mentorship; community-based partnerships; and low absenteeism all play a factor, they said. “I vehemently am opposed to this notion that all Black somehow means poor performing and less than — my whole career has been about opposing that very notion,” said former NYC Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, who resigned in 2024 before former Mayor Eric Adams’s indictment; was previously president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation; and was principal and founder of the first Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, an all-boys, majorityBlack public school that currently has a 92% graduation rate for the class of 2025. There’s also been a mass exodus of Black families from the city, and therefore fewer Black students in the public school system overall, said Samuels, largely because of affordability. In 2016, when Hannah-Jones was first putting her daughter in school, the system was 27% Black compared to the current 19.3%. “We see that 30,000 kids across the city are in largely Black and Brown populat[ed] schools that are below 200 kids, and those schools, we know, won’t be able to get the resources that our kids need,” said Samuels. “That means that they won’t have the strong, necessary extracurricular activities. They won’t have the advanced courses. Their teachers don’t necessarily have other teachers to collaborate with and push students. That is part of what contributes to this idea in predominantly Black schools, they don’t necessarily have the resources and are
ly and economically integrating P.S. 307, as described in HannahJones’s article. In 2017, the DOE formed the New York City School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG) to make recommendations about how to make more schools more racially representative, define what that means, and measure it. The SDAG proposed that elementary and middle schools better reflect the demographics of their districts’ residents. Districts 1, 2, 3, 13, 15, 22, 27, 28, and 31 were identified as racially diverse and recommended to be prioritized for developing integration plans, said Research Alliance. “People should recognize that there’s no one policy that is going to be a silver bullet,” said Samuels, when asked about specific policies beyond the working groups. “When you do start these policies, [and] we don’t have the input of the local community on what that is and what the impact is going to be, that’s when we often see huge backlash against such Tanesha Grant policies. The goal of Harlem the working group is to be able to work “There should be a partnership between the with communities family and schools, but I’ve never trusted a — to tease out soluwhite-facing institution to educate my daughter tions and get to policies that work for on her Blackness. That’s why I’ve fought so hard people, because they for cultural responsiveness in schools.” were designed with people.” Tanesha Grant, 50, is avid education advocate from not getting access to Banks said he’d be Harlem who founded Parents Supporting Parents NY. a high-quality educa“shocked” if there (Ariama C. Long photo) tion. That’s what Mayor was a “real” timeline Mamdani, and I are for the integration committed to making plan. He criticized sure that we disrupt.” tor Kathryn Hill and data analyst Mamdani, Samuels, and the DOE Banks said that he “intention- Erin Readling added that histor- for the lack of Black leadership in ally” didn’t prioritize an integra- ically, this “burden” to integrate the education department and the tion policy while in office and he schools has been placed on Black recent resignations of administrarecalls disappointing some advo- students in terms of travel, and ex- tors, such as former Deputy Chancates. He preferred front-loading periencing discrimination and vi- cellor Simone Hawkins. the NYC Reads and NYC Solves olence when they did. NYU Research Alliance anaprograms to boost math and lysts said it’s important to focus reading scores, as well as usher- NYC schools’ integration plan on research and evaluation, iming in the Black Studies curricuTo be “truly integrated,” said plementing the Five R’s of Real Inlum citywide. Samuels, involves more than just tegration, and it’s “not enough to “It’s very hard to define what in- Black, white, Asian, and Hispan- just move bodies around.” tegration even means, number ic demographics. He wants to see Other parents and advocates one, and number two, when you inclusion of multilingual learn- said they’d like to see the adminlook at the demographic pat- ers, students with disabilities, stu- istration’s plans focus on building terns, it’s a challenge in and of dents in temporary housing, and equitable funding and resources itself. Number three, look at hous- other vulnerable populations. for lower-tiered schools; support ing patterns in America — it’s His working group plans proba- more G&T programs and specialalways been challenged,” said bly build on a movement to inte- ized high school prep at younger Banks. “Generally, when people grate schools that gained traction grade levels; and make it easier talk about integration, that’s what under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. to visit a school site before adthey’re talking about: How do you De Blasio signed the School Di- missions time. Both Grant and allow a few more Black kids to go to versity Accountability Act, which Rice also emphasized that city schools with more majority-white required the education depart- and state leaders should reform kids … because to be very clear… ment to track and publish school- the Fair Student Funding formuthey’re not talking about white segregation data, in 2015 and la so school allocations are no kids coming into Brownsville.” was in office when white and longer tied directly to enrollment NYU Research Alliance direc- Black parents fought over racial- numbers.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 9
Queens Assemblymember Anderson launches statewide food drive as new requirements hit SNAP benefits
Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson at the Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy task force meeting in Albany in 2026. (Photos contributed by Anderson’s office)
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff Amid major changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Oct. 1, Queens Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson launched a 45-day food drive to support emergency food providers and food banks across the state. “No New Yorker should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” said Anderson, who chairs the state’s food, farm and nutrition policy task force, in a statement. As part of the Trump administration’s big bill that was signed into law in 2025, states will have to pay at least 75% of SNAP administrative costs while the federal government pays less beginning on Oct. 1. Additionally, the law changes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents aged 18 to 64, and families with children aged 14 and older are no longer eligible for an exemption from those work requirements. In response, Anderson’s office has partnered with Feeding New York State, City Harvest, and the Alliance for a Hunger Free NY to help coordinate with local food banks serving their districts. Natasha Pernicka, executive director at The Alliance for a Hunger Free New York, said in a statement that a food drive raises awareness now more
for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), $9 million for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP), and $2 million for Double Up Food Bucks, a program that matches SNAP recipients’ money to help them afford more fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets and grocery stores. This coming year, he plans to introduce and support bills that help fund nutrition programs, like the Responsible Fast Food and Public Health Act (A10309), which would impose an annual fee on fast-food chains to fund nutrition literacy programming for children and families. “My colleagues and I will be pressuring state leadership to ensure we do not cut funding and services to SNAP recipients as a result of the federal government’s terrible decision to shift 25% of the program’s administrative costs onto the state,” said Anderson. “New Yorkers are facing challenges when it comes to feeding their families, and helping them means working Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson attends an Anti-Hunger Advocacy Day press conference in together,” said Assemblymember MiAlbany on January 28, 2026. chaelle Solages in a statement. than ever during these “unprecedent- collective commitment into direct supTo participate, communities can ed times.” port for families and individuals facing donate canned and nonperishable food “This food drive is an opportunity for food insecurity across New York,” An- items at the district offices of particiour offices to come together under the derson continued. pating assembly members across the task force, to work alongside our local In this year’s state budget, Anderson state, between Sept. 29 and Nov. 13, food banks and pantries, and turn our said, there was $72 million allocated 2026.
10 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
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Labor & Workplace September’s weak jobs report shows widening strain on Black workers By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO Amsterdam News Staff Black workers were hurt the most by the weak September job market: The Black unemployment rate jumped from 6% to 7%, the highest among the major racial groups tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. added only 29,000 jobs last month — a major number below the 84,000 economists had expected — and the overall unemployment rate edged up to 4.2%. In September, white unemployment slipped to 3.6%, Asian unemployment fell to 2.9%, and Latino unemployment eased to 4.7%. “The September jobs data highlights the economic vulnerability and insecurity facing Black workers,” Dr. Gabrielle Smith Finnie, senior research analyst at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, told the Amsterdam News. “As the labor market weakens from August to September, the Black unemployment rate increased from 6% to 7%. The unemployment rate for Black men, Black women, and Black youth aged 16 to 24 also increased.” Stats show that Black employment has been uneven this year. Joint Center research found that unemployment among
that Black women are heavily represented in healthcare and Black men in construction, but warned against treating national industry gains as proof of equivalent gains for Black workers. Since October 2021, the national unemployment rate has been at or below 4.5% — the longest streak in modern history. However, Smith Finnie said that even with that low national unemployment rate, economists have to look at related aspects such as the numerical data collected from the Census Bureau Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey (HTOPS) from July 15 through August 3 “to really capture the not improving or weakening; rather, the in- full experiences of Black communities ecdicators are just moving a little bit different- onomically.” The HTOPS survey found ly,” Smith Finnie said. “I think the decline in that more than 7 million Black adults said Black unemployment has been encourag- paying household expenses was somewhat ing to see, but sustained improvement will difficult, while more than 1.5 million found depend on if the lower unemployment is it very difficult. More than 2.5 million reaccompanied by stronger employment and ported sometimes or often not having also labor force participation over time.” enough to eat; 5.8 million described recent September’s few employment gains were price increases as very stressful. in fields where Black workers have a signif“I think, as always,” Smith Finnie said, icant presence: Healthcare added 17,000 “we just must continuously acknowledge jobs, construction added 11,000, and man- the disparities in data and then also advoufacturing added 9,000. Financial activ- cate for targeted solutions to specifically ities lost 7,000 jobs. Smith Finnie noted address Black unemployment.”
Young Black workers saw the widest swings, moving from 13.7% in January to 16.6% in June, then falling to 12% in July and 11.5% in August before rising to 14.4% in September. Black men generally declined from 8.1% in January to 6.2% in August, after a brief March increase, before rising to 6.7% in September. Black women had a rockier employment path: 6.5% in January, 7.7% in February, 6.3% in March, 6.9% in April, then 5.8% in July and 5.9% in August, before climbing to 7.3% in September. Young Black workers saw the widest swings, moving from 13.7% in January to 16.6% in June, then falling to 12% in July and 11.5% in August before rising to 14.4% in September. “I think the takeaway is that the market is
Black workers have a significant presence in healthcare, construction, and manufacturing jobs. (Karen Juanita Carrillo photo)
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 11
National
Midterm maps changed. So could Black political power By JOSEPH WILLIAMS Word In Black When millions of Americans vote in November’s midterm elections, they may find that the district they knew — and the political power they once held — has disappeared. Congressional maps have changed in nine states since the last federal election, shifting roughly one in 10 voters into newly configured districts, according to the Associated Press. New boundaries will be used in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Redistricting typically is done once a decade, after the census determines where people have moved and how many congressional seats each state receives. This time, however, many changes occurred mid-decade — without a new census, in red states — at the urging of President Donald Trump, who sought Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson at the Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy task force meeting in Albany in 2026. an advantage in the battle for (Photos contributed by Anderson’s office) control of Congress. Democrats retaliated, prompting a redis- ways to diminish Black voters’ Black voting strength in the dis- voting power can shape whose tricting arms race. influence. trict represented by Democrat- hospital remains open, whose One is “packing” — concen- ic Rep. Shomari Figures. Rep. neighborhood receives disaster ‘Packing’ and ‘cracking’ trating as many Black voters as Terri Sewell’s district retained a aid, whether a polluted commuMost of the new maps favor possible into a small number narrow Black majority. nity gets federal attention, and Republicans. In several South- of districts. Those districts may Louisiana offers anoth- which schools receive resourcern states, the changes came reliably elect Black representa- er warning. The state is nearly es. after the U.S. Supreme Court tives, but surrounding districts one-third Black, but its latest reEven voters who understand weakened a central protection become whiter and less com- districting fight created the pos- the stakes may not know that of the Voting Rights Act that al- petitive. sibility that Black voters could their district has changed. They lowed maps to be challenged if The other is “cracking” — di- end up without a district where may have a new representative, they dilute the political influ- viding a Black community they have a realistic opportuni- unfamiliar candidates, or a difence of Black voters. among several districts so its ty to elect their preferred can- ferent polling location. CamFor Black America, this is voters are a minority in each didate. Similar battles have paign organizations may have not simply another fight be- one. A neighborhood may unfolded in Florida, North Car- to rebuild voter lists and comtween Democrats and Repub- remain physically intact, yet olina, Tennessee, and Texas. munity relationships. Churchlicans. A congressional district become politically fragmentThe changes can affect more es, fraternities and sororities, determines which communi- ed and represented by lawmak- than the racial makeup of Con- and civic groups that have spent ties vote together, which can- ers whose electoral survival gress. Representatives help years organizing in one condidates can realistically win, does not depend on listening to determine federal spending gressional district may suddenand whether Black voters have those voters. and policy about Medicaid, ly find their members scattered enough collective strength to public schools, environmen- across several. elect someone responsive to Locking out Black voters tal enforcement, voting rights, That confusion can suppress their concerns. That danger is particular- housing, and criminal justice — participation without anyone What Black voters could lose ly clear in Alabama. The state’s issues that routinely have a dis- being formally denied a ballot. is not only a seat in Congress. revised map eliminated one of proportionate effect on Black A voter who arrives at the wrong They could lose leverage. its two majority-Black congres- communities. Therefore, a dis- precinct, cannot identify the Mapmakers have two reliable sional districts and reduced the trict designed to weaken Black candidates, or believes a famil-
iar representative is still on the ballot may decide the process is not worth the trouble. Don’t wait. Have a plan For Black voters — who have long faced barriers, including strict identification requirements, polling-place closures, voter-roll purges, and limits on mail voting — a last-minute map change adds another hurdle. Black voters should not wait until Election Day to discover whether their district changed. Check registration, review an official sample ballot, and confirm the current polling place through state or local election offices. Voters also should ask candidates direct questions: Which Black neighborhoods are now in the district? What relationships have they built there? How will they protect voting access? What is their record on healthcare, schools, environmental justice, and economic opportunity? The courts may describe redistricting as a dispute over lines, procedure, and constitutional authority, but those lines determine power. When those lines divide Black communities or reduce their ability to elect candidates of their choice, what disappears from the map is more than a familiar district. It measures the political voice Black Americans fought generations to obtain — and now may have to fight to keep. A veteran journalist, political analyst, and essayist, Joseph Williams has been published in a wide range of publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Politico, Boston Globe, Atlantic, and U.S. News & World Report. A California native, Williams is a graduate of the University of Richmond and a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He lives and works in metro Washington, D.C.
12 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
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Opinion A birthday salute and marching orders
EDITORIAL
Mayor Mamdani used Rev. Al Sharpton’s birthday to praise him not only for his steadfast commitment to justice, his persistence, but as someone he felt is also prescient. The mayor was joined by several elected officials at the National Action Network who took turns lavishing the minister with glowing accolades, although none took the time to delve into his resume like the mayor. Mamdani recounted an incident back in 1978, long before he was born (his 35th birthday is on Oct. 18), when Sharpton, along with other ministers, asked Mayor Ed Koch for 200,000 summer jobs. Koch told them that wasn’t possible. When the ministers refused to leave the Blue Room, “it took a dozen policemen to get these four men out of City Hall and into a patrol van,” Mamdani said. “Well, the same number of jobs he was calling for nearly 50 years ago is the same number of Black New Yorkers who’ve been pushed out of this city since the year 2000.” What Sharpton asked for back then was not given, and from the current mayor’s vantage point, it was the beginning “of a reverse of a great migration.” “We are speaking about our neighbors; we are speaking about people who have left this city because it costs too much here to live a dignified life, because opportunity always feels too far away, no matter how many buses you get on or trains you take,” Mamdani said. He had the full attention of his audience, and continued to use the reverend’s birthday to hammer on some additional points: “So, as we celebrate the Rev’s living legacy … in his life, what I see also is an urgency for all of us to understand our own responsibilities on that path. That is the path for making sure we have the strongest tenants’ rights in the country. That path is ensuring that people can not only afford to rent, but also afford to buy, and that is a path to ensure that a grocery bag is never out of reach for somebody who’s working hard in the city. What I ask is that as we celebrate an icon of this city, and frankly, of this country, we do also by standing up to injustice whenever we see it. When you do so also, by understanding that the reason the Rev. had been able to do so much is that he has also inspired a generation after generation, that our place is not simply to watch the rebel. It is to stand alongside him, and thank you for having set the example. Thank you for having set the pace. Now it’s up to the rest of us to catch up.” We thank the Rev. for giving the mayor an opportunity to touch on some issues with such passionate resolve. What we need is more birthdays for the Rev.
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
New York’s children need mental healthcare that doesn’t end at school bell By DEBORAH GIORDANO and WARREN KENT Schools may be the first places where we see a young person struggling, but they should not be the only place where we respond. The New York Amsterdam News recently documented a painful gap in our city, illustrating that far too many students require mental health support, yet far too few receive it. A stunning three-quarters of our public schools do not even meet the recommended staffing ratio for social workers. Our young people don’t experience life in institutional compartments, so staffing at our schools isn’t the only solution. Anxiety doesn’t end at dismissal and depression doesn’t end when the afternoon school bell rings to end the day. Sadly, a family crisis or an unsafe home or housing instability follows a young person into their home. What works is a continuum of support: one that begins wherever young people first reach out and supports them in their homes, their families, and their communities. At the Children’s Village, we see the value of that approach day in and day out. Through our Inwood House division, staff work in more than 34 New York City middle and high schools. That’s where we combine classroom-based education, small-group conversations, and individual counseling. This process surrounds our youth with adults who get to know them, notice when something troubles them, and connect them to help before a conflict can become a crisis. We stress that this support must reach children before they even get to middle school. Our staff have seen, over the last few years, a number of elementary school-age children, including ones as young as 6 years old, struggle with family conflict, abuse, bullying, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Schools and youth programs can be among the first places where concerns emerge, yet a brief conversation or referral may be insufficient. While assigning existing staff to support children can help, those responsibilities must be backed by training, as well as clear pathways to qualified mental health professionals and resources to connect children and families to the care they need. This matters deeply because the first person a youth trusts may be a teach-
(Pexels / Andy Barbour photo)
er or coach, a counselor or mentor, or even a neighbor. We should not ask those adults to replace the work of a therapist, but we should equip them to listen and take a young person seriously, recognize warning signs, and know where to turn next. In our work at the Children’s Village, we’ve learned that one dependable adult relationship can significantly alter the trajectory of a young person’s life. Relationships that get a young person connected to that care are as valuable and as essential as clinical care. How do we remedy this? Our city and state leaders need to take a broader approach. Yes, they should invest in more school-based clinicians. However, they also must invest in community-based organizations that embed staff in schools and maintain effective
relationships outside of the classroom walls. We also need sustained funding for prevention, early intervention, family engagement, and the everyday work of building trust. The question shouldn’t be whether schools or community organizations are responsible for young people’s mental health. The answer, actually, is both. Youth truly need professionals and they also need people who know them, notice them, and consistently show up for them. Building a stronger mental health system means making sure they have both. Deborah Giordano, LMSW, is vice president of the Inwood House division at the Children’s Village. Warren Kent is senior vice president for communitybased services at the Children’s Village.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS O P I N I O N
Transforming the specialized high school admissions process By DR. JONATHAN GREENBERG and DR. KALIRIS SALAS-RAMIREZ It’s become a ritual, every year, for news outlets and pundits to express their shock at the minuscule number of Black and Latine students admitted to New York City’s oldest and most famous specialized high schools. “Small percentage of Black students given offers to NYC’s specialized high schools” was an amNewYork headline this year. Last year, the New York Daily News wrote: “Racial disparities widen in NYC specialized high schools.” Going back to 2018, The New York Times’ headline was “Elite Schools Make Few Offers to Black and Latino Students.” The number of Black and Latine students admitted to specialized high schools has not changed much in the past decade; yet every year,
when the latest data are released, we are expected to be shocked all over again. These headlines miss the story we should be telling. New York City Public Schools remain segregated. Black, Latine, and poor students, as well as students with disabilities, English-language learners, and students in temporary housing see different opportunities than their neighbors. The SHSAT and the complex, competitive admissions processes for middle and high schools compound historical patterns. Year after year, the numbers speak for themselves: our NYC school system is deeply inequitable and racially unjust. Every student in the system deserves schooling that meets their needs and aspirations, whether or not they prepare for the SHSAT or game out a strategy for admissions. The mayor and the
chancellor should be working to create schools and enrollment processes that support this goal. While this story breaks each year, this time we have the opportunity to do something different. Mayor Mamdani fought for an extension of mayoral control of NYC Public Schools despite grassroots opposition, and he can use that outsized power to put the system on a more equitable path. Here are some actions he can take: First, Mayor Mamdani can implement multiple criteria for admissions at the five Specialized High Schools whose enrollment systems are not under state control. Multiple measures would better recognize achievement across New York City’s diverse middle schools. He can also lobby the state to return control over Brooklyn Tech, Stuyvesant, and Bronx Science to the city.
The mayor can invest in the high schools across the city that serve the majority of our students, including struggling small schools, large comprehensive schools that often feel like an afterthought, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. That investment should be monetary as well as human, and the city’s school funding formula should not provide less per pupil to any high school than it does to the specialized high schools. Institutions like Bryant High School in Queens and the Heritage School in Manhattan could thrive if we supported them as we do Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech. When the city concentrates exceptional programming, additional funding, and institutional prestige See HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS on page 28
Happy birthday, Rev. Al
Last Saturday, Oct. 3, was a busy day for me, beginning with attending the 72nd birthday celebration of Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network at its new location, and then on to Riverside Church for a memorial service for attorney Clarence B. Jones, who died on May 22 at 95. I had no idea how the two events would later interconnect. Sharpton’s birthday tribute, as expected, saw a strong turnout of elected officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and several others who praised the civil rights activist for his ongoing commitment. After recounting her experience with the late John Lewis, the governor brought the moment to the present, observing how Sharpton “em-
bodies the spirit of fight that’s in this room. He takes it all over the national news … and without him, I do not know where we would be,” she said. There were several testimonials via video, one from attorney Benjamin Crump and others from Attorney General Letitia James; James Brown’s daughter Deanna BrownThomas; Martin Luther King III and his wife, Andrea; Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.; and even from Spike Lee and actor Robert De Niro. Sharpton, as is his wont, used his birthday to put the moment in historical context. “When I was born in 1954, that was the same year as Brown v. Board of Education,” he began. “My parents had grown up in the Deep South, under Jim Crow laws … and when I was born, Thurgood Marshall and the lawyers at that time had a breakthrough … to understand
what happened then obligates us now, because too often we operate outside of context.” Before delivering lessons from American history, Sharpton cited a bit of biblical history, connecting passages to the necessity of civil rights activism. “We cannot come in the name of the Bible and take out what the Bible tells us to do, and that is to stand up to wickedness and high praise,” he declared. Then it was back to Black history: “You have to remember that for 100 years preceding … Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, we only had 12 years of Reconstruction and the forces that were against us came back into power.” He then touched on the Civil War, Dred Scott Decision, and advent of Jim Crow, to the murder of Emmett Till, courageous acts of Rosa Parks, and emergent Civil Rights Movement. After evoking Dr. King’s legacy, Sharp-
ton dealt with some of the current problems, noting “you [have] rightwing Christians, rather than right Christians … you cannot be a Christian and not stand up for God’s children.” It was vintage Sharpton: a little taste of religion, a portion of politics, and a heavy dose of important history. As usual, the right reverend ended the ceremony, lecture, and celebration with the crowd joining him in song. I only heard a verse or two before bolting out the door to Riverside Church for Clarence B. Jones’s service. I wasn’t in my seat there for only a few minutes before Rev. Al and his crew marched down the aisle. He was listed on the program and they had changed it to accommodate him. (If you’re interested in his comments, see my article about Attorney Jones). Happy birthday, Al.
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Autumn in New York CHRISTINA
GREER, PH.D. I can’t help it: I am totally in love with autumn in New York. There’s a reason Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong sang about the thrill of it all … the smell of crisp leaves and hot apple cider, and the feeling of being at home. They sing about autumn bringing the promise of new life, a place for dreamers, and what a blessing it is to live it again. We didn’t really ease into autumn. Summer made her abrupt exit and all of a sudden, I was unpacking wool sweaters and fleeces, eating apples nonstop, and watching the beautiful trees transform, some shedding leaves completely and others changing in an array of colors before taking their winter slumber. I attended school in New England, one of the greatest places in the U.S. to enjoy and appreciate the changing of the leaves and the crisp damp air, signaling winter’s arrival just around the bend. While attending university, I would collect some of the largest and most beautiful leaves, and mail them to my grandparents in northern Florida. They both taught me so much about the land and the beauty and bounty of nature that I wanted them to experience the wonders all around me in Medford, Massachusetts. I knew they would never make it to Massachusetts to visit, but I wanted them to feel like they were a part of my daily life even though I was more than a thousand miles away. This fall, I am going to make a concerted effort to observe the leaves around
me. I have been moving at a breakneck pace. From the conversations I’ve had with various friends and colleagues, it seems like many of us are going at a pace that is unsustainable. Far too many of us are treading water due to hectic schedules. It is my hope that as the leaves gently fall from the trees, we will see the passage of time as a means to slow down instead of speed up. In my efforts to spend more time outside and observe more around me, I did the “color challenge” the other week. I chose a color of the day — for me, it was orange — and for the entire day, I took pictures of items around me that were the color orange or had a sliver of the color orange in them. I took pictures of everything from building awnings to a Knicks hat, a man selling oranges, a cellphone case, a traffic cone, and more. It was such a fun personal exercise to help me slow down for the day. I’ve seen friends go out for the day where each person chooses a different color. I’ve even seen friends in different cities choose the same color for the day and share photos of their differing surroundings. However you choose to usher in autumn, I hope it will involve some time spent outside, enjoying the crisp air and the changing leaves. Even if only for a short time. Christina Greer, Ph.D., is a professor at Fordham University, author, senior policy fellow at Brooklyn Org, and co-host of the podcast FAQNYC.
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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Caribbean Update Two key election issues attract attention in Caricom in coming weeks By BERT WILKINSON Special to the AmNews
One of the key electoral issues attracting attention in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) these days is the possibility of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Godwin Friday being kicked out of office because he holds dual Canadian and Vincentian citizenship. In the other, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has named Thursday, November 5, as the date for general elections in the federation with Petite Martinique and Carriacou. However, even as Mitchell announced the date at a major rally on Sunday, all attention is being paid to a landmark court battle in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where Friday and Foreign Minister Fitz Bramble are fighting for their political futures — both are sitting in cabinet and parliament positions while holding Canadian passports and citizenship. For a lawmaker, to hold dual citizenship is frowned on in the constitution of most of the member states of the 15-nation bloc, especially if becoming a foreign citizen requires the applicant to swear allegiance to the foreign power. Both leaders have admitted in court that they had to swear al-
legiance to Canada, but both also contend that the local constitution allows for a candidate who is also a Commonwealth citizen to hold dual citizenship and still be a local lawmaker. Based on arguments in the case, this is the main issue that Justice Gertel Thom will have to consider when hearings resume on November 10 and when she makes her ruling thereafter. Arguments by attorneys for the petitioner and the respondents wrapped up in the capital last week and the teams will be required to make their closing arguments on November 10. Should the judge rule that their election to the parliament was illegally done, that would be nullified and the prime minister would be forced to step down, because only an elected lawmaker can run the country. The two would also have to compete in a special election to win back their seats, but that can only be the case if the court rules that they would have to renounce their Canadian citizenships. Friday’s legal team, led by former Trinidad Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, argues that the constitution allows for a local who is also a Commonwealth citizen to be eligible to be a parliamentarian and, by extension, a cabinet member. The petitioner’s
team, led by former Trinidadian Prime Minister and attorney Stuart Young, contends that swearing allegiance to a foreign power is unconstitutional and disqualifies the PM and Bramble from holding office. The New Democratic Party (NDP) holds all but one of the 15 seats in elections held in late November last year. As both sides rested their case last week, both legal teams exuded confidence, with Friday joining in as well, even though he could lose his job and be forced to compete in a fresh election to retain his head of government position. “I’m very satisfied based on how things are going and I am well-satisfied,” Friday said outside the courtroom. “You saw what the result was in the election. The people were waiting for the opportunity to bring about change in this country. We have been elected to deliver that change and nothing is going to stop us from doing so. Our job is to rep the people of this country to the best of our ability and we will do so. There are naysayers and there are people who can’t take their licks and who are going to raise all kinds of obstacles in the way, but ultimately, on November 27 last year, the people made their decision.“ Stuart Young told reporters that “we come
back in November for the judge to decide in this very important case, but I have to say, from the petitioner’s point of view, that we could not have asked for a better week with our cross-examination of the respondent’s witnesses. We feel very, very confident from an evidence point of view.” Meanwhile, Mitchell in neighboring Grenada has called a general election for early next month, giving the main opposition New National Party (NNP) a mere four weeks for intensified campaigning. Mitchell’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) holds nine of the 15 seats. A political carrot being offered to voters has to do with renewed efforts in the coming months to attract oil and gas explorers to the country, just as neighbors Guyana, Trinidad, and Venezuela have done with great success in recent decades. “The fact that we announce the date [on October 4] is a clear indication that we’ve been preparing and know what we have, and in a sense, I think we’ve been preparing for the last four years,” Mitchell said. “I think we’ve worked hard. We’ve tried to be accessible, we’ve tried to be accountable, we’ve tried to deliver on the things in our mandate. Now it’s time to go back to the people and get their validation on this.”
Who really pays when America deports an immigrant? FELICIA PERSAUD
IMMIGRATION KORNER A few weeks ago, News Americas Now received a reporting grant from URL Media that sent me down a path I thought I understood. We proposed examining the economic impact of immigration enforcement on Black Caribbean immigrant families. I expected to find lost wages, mounting legal bills, and struggling businesses. I found all of that — but after interviewing immigrant families, advocates, attorneys, and researchers, I discovered something much bigger. America may detain or deport one immigrant at a time, but the economic consequences are rarely confined to one person. They move through marriages and households. They reach U.S.-citizen spouses and children. They reach businesses, churches, and communities. Sometimes, they travel thousands of miles beyond America’s borders. I saw that clearly in Minneapolis, where Haitian-born U.S. citizen Choupa Char-
lemagne and his American-born wife, Kelsey, are raising four children. The couple told me they are also helping to support at least 11 Haitian relatives and friends who have lost work authorization or are facing immigration proceedings. Two young Haitian men they helped establish lives in America now face immigration court and thousands of dollars in legal fees. Kelsey returned to work. She and Choupa started a car-rental business. They launched fundraisers to help cover legal costs and prepare for the possibility that family members may have to relocate. “We’re literally hanging by a thread here,” Kelsey told me. Then Choupa told me something that expanded the story beyond America’s borders. Before this financial crisis, he had been helping a cousin in Haiti attend law school. As the expenses facing his family in America mounted, that assistance had to stop, and his cousin could not continue his second year. “All of that stops now because now I have more pressing situations on my hands,” Choupa said. That stopped me. I began this reporting thinking about the economic consequences of immigration enforcement inside America, but another con-
sequence was unfolding in Haiti: One family’s immigration crisis in Minnesota had reached a university student thousands of miles away, and theirs is hardly the only ripple. In Pennsylvania, Omara is now supporting herself and her two U.S.-citizen children after her husband, Haitian-born Pastor Molis Augustave, was deported to Haiti on September 24. Before his detention, she told me, he helped support her financially through nursing school and cared for their children. “His absence has made everything very much harder,” she said. Jossie Flor Sapunar of We Are CASA told me housing is often among the first pressures families confront. Rent that once came from two incomes suddenly must be paid with one. Then comes food, childcare, transportation, and immigration attorneys. The consequences don’t stop at the front door. My reporting uncovered immigrant-owned businesses struggling after workers lost authorization to work, while other businesses have been affected as frightened immigrant customers stay away. David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of the Immigration Research Initiative, told me the damage can reach U.S.-born workers as businesses lose employees and custom-
ers reduce spending. I began this reporting because a URL Media grant gave News Americas Now an opportunity to investigate the economic impact of immigration enforcement on Black Caribbean families. I finished it wondering whether we have been calculating that impact incorrectly. We count the immigrant detained; we count the immigrant deported. Do we count the spouse who returns to work? The child who suddenly needs childcare? The relative absorbing another household’s bills? The business losing workers and customers? The family in Haiti losing remittances? The student who can no longer afford university? Immigration status may belong to one person, but its economic consequences do not. That leaves a question America should be asking whenever another deportation becomes simply one more number: Who really pays when America deports an immigrant? 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.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 15
Arts & Entertainment
Freddie Jackson, Harlem’s hitmaking R&B crooner, dead at 70 By MATTHEW ALLEN Special to the AmNews
Beloved singer and Harlem native Freddie Jackson, a two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist who released a long string of hit R&B songs throughout the 1980s and 1990s, has died at 70. News of his death was confirmed on his official Instagram page, on Tuesday morning. “It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Freddie Jackson, who went home to rest last night,” read the statement from the Instagram posting. “Freddie was more than a legendary voice. He was a kind, generous soul who loved his fans, his family, his friends, and his music with everything he had. For decades he gave us the songs that became the soundtrack to our love stories, our celebrations, and our most treasured memories. That gift will live on forever.” The cause of Jackson’s death has yet to be disclosed, although he did reveal in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease. “This journey has had its challenges but I’ve decided to face it with openness and resilience,” Jackson said in a video message to his fans. “It’s important to me that I share this with you, not just as a part of my personal story, but as a way to make a positive difference.” Jackson was one of the most prolific hitmakers of his generation. He made his mark as an icon of classy sensuality. He was best known for lending his warm tenor vocals to romantic love ballads. In an era when
Freddie Jackson (Press photo)
Luther Vandross, James Ingram, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson ruled the quietstorm airwaves, Jackson stood out as one of the most consistent hitmakers of his peers. Born in Harlem, New York, on Oct. 2, 1956, Jackson found and honed his voice in the church choir at White Rock Baptist
Church on 127th Street. It was there that he met Paul Laurence and joined Laurence’s singing group, LJE. After years of singing in the New York club circuit, Jackson ventured to California, where he joined the funk band Mystic Merlin. His stint with Mystic Merlin was
Freddie Jackson interviewed by Sister Circle TV in 2019. (Sister Circle TV/Creative Commons photo)
brief; after three albums, he returned to New York City, reuniting with Laurence and singing backup for singer/actress Melba Moore. In 1985, a year after landing a contract with Capital Records, Jackson released his solo debut album, “Rock Me Tonight,” with Laurence producing the leading “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Time’s Sake).” The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. Barry Eastmond, a Moore collaborator, handled the bulk of the album’s production, as well as “You Are My Lady,” another chart-topping R&B hit from the LP. “Rock Me Tonight” earned Jackson the lone two Grammy nominations of his career, for Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for “You Are My Lady.” Jackson’s first two albums, “Rock Me Tonight” and 1986’s “Just Like the First Time,” went platinum. That marked the beginning of his dominance on Black radio. With Laurence and Eastmond by his side, Jackson achieved 10 No. 1 singles on the Billboard R&B charts from 1985 to 1992, including “Jam Tonight,” “Tasty Love,” and “A Little Bit More” with Melba Moore. During that run, he racked up a total of 19 Top 10 singles on the Billboard R&B charts. He released his final album, “My First Love,” in 2023. Despite having kidney disease, Jackson continued to record and tour. His last performance took place on June 6 at City Winery in Philadelphia.
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October 2026 Dance Calendar By CHARMAINE PATRICIA WARREN Special to the AmNews The season of dance just keeps getting better. Be sure to see what shows are still running since the September calendar. Highlighting this month’s calendar is “Toi, moi, Tituba…” by Dorothée Munyaneza to be presented at New York Live Arts, Oct. 23 - 24. “Toi, moi, Tituba…’ “is based on French philosopher Elsa Dorlin’s essay on Maryse Condé’s heroine Tituba. As a Black woman and so-called witch, Tituba gives a voice to those who are silenced by force. Inspired by this story, Munyaneza uses her own body as an archive, and with composer Khyam Allami, presents a multiplicity of silenced voices and perspectives to revive memories and celebrate them through dance and music,” according to the release. “Toi, moi, Tituba…” is presented in association with BAM, L’Alliance New York’s Crossing The Line Festival, and Villa Albertine. Find out more at https:// newyorklivearts.org/. STILL RUNNING: Sept. 15 - Nov. 21: The multidisciplinary festival that celebrates the convergence of Black and Latinx artistry through dance, theater, music, literature, ritual, and performance, The BlakTinX Performance Series, returns to BAAD! Find out more at baadbronx.org. Sept. 22, 2026 - May 30, 2027: New York City Ballet’s 2026 - 27 Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center with repertory works, premieres, plus additional works by Kyle Abraham, Jamar Roberts, and more. Find out more at nycballet.com. ALSO THIS MONTH: Oct. 6 - 10: Celebrating their 80th anniversary, the Limón Dance Company returns to The Joyce under Artistic Director Dante Puleio. Slated for this season is José Limón’s “Mazurkas” (1958), choreographer Aszure Barton and composer Ambrose Akinmusire’s who join their take on Limón’s description of a lost Doris Humphrey work created. Find out more at joyce.org. Oct. 7: The intergenerational dance company, Dances For A Variable Population returns to
“Toi, moi, Tituba…” by Dorothée Munyaneza. (©Elodie Paul photo)
The New York Botanical Garden with a free performance of “REVIVAL 10: Retrospective,” choreographed by Artistic Director Emerita Naomi Goldberg Haas. Find out more at nybg.org. Oct. 8: For “OPEN AiR” at CPR, Erica Enriquez: MOVING COMPANY explores how bodies and memories are carried through movement. Find out more at cprnyc.org.
at danspaceproject.org. Oct. 9 - 10: MODArts Dance Collective will present the ninth annual Move to Change Dance Festival in Speyer Hall at University Settlement. Find out more at modartsdance.com.
Oct. 9 - 10: Waves of Korean Contemporary Dance brings together three voices in contemporary dance, presenting works by WHITE WAVE Young Soon Kim Dance Company, Andamiro Art Oct. 8 - 10: Benjamin Akio Kim- Company, and choreographer Lee itch will be at New York Live Arts Dongha. The event is free. Find and will “conjure a fantasy Japa- out more at koreanculture.org. nese American court dance where history presses against memory, Oct. 15: The Kuchipudi dancer, and memory against imagina- choreographer and researchtion,” the release notes. Find out er Sreelakshmy Govardhanmore at newyorklivearts.org. an will present an evening of performance and conversaOct. 8 - 10: At Danspace Proj- tion with Marina Harss at Dansect, the Vietnamese choreogra- pace Project in partnership with pher Anh Vo will present “a sign, FourOneOne. Find out more at a signal, a delivery, a deliverance danspaceproject.org. a sign, a signal, a delivery, a deliverance,” revisiting Vo’s upbringing Oct. 15 - 17: Japanese-Ameriin Vietnam to channel the strange can artist Kimiko Tanabe and poetics of living under the spell of Moroccan American artist Nora authoritarianism. Find out more Alami will offer “Warm Greetings
from one long day in the desert,” an evening-length multidisciplinary dance and performance duet at TRISK. Find out more at triskelionarts.org.
during sisterhood are chronicled in Karen Valby’s, “The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History.” The cast will inOct. 16: As part of Lincoln Cen- clude the four surviving “Swans,” ter’s Legacies of San Juan Hill fes- Marcia Sells, Sheila Rohan, Karlya tival, Sekou McMiller & Friends’ Shelton-Benjamin and Lydia will premiere of “Urban Love Abarca Mitchell and in memory of Suite,” a music-driven celebra- Gayle McKinney-Griffith, alongtion of the cultural connections side former DTH dancers, coland shared histories among leagues, and collaborators. Find Black and Brown communities at out more at 14streety.org. Alice Tully Hall. Find out more at lincolncenter.org. Oct. 24: Victoria Lynn Awkward and JOYBOY will share worksOct. 16 - 17: At 92NY, drawing on in-development at Danspace’s his upbringing in the Black Bap- DraftWork, facilitated by Ishmatist church Johnnie Cruise Mercer el Houston-Jones. DraftWork is brings “The Good News Suite,’ free, open to all, and followed by “...rooted in memory, ritual, and questions and conversation beshared experience,” according tween the artists, curator, and to the release. Find out more at audience. Find out more at dan92ny.org. spaceproject.org. Oct. 16 -18: At the Theater at the 14th Street Y, Clark Center NYC and From the Horse’s Mouth will celebrate the legacy of five trailblazing Black ballerinas whose groundbreaking careers and en-
Oct. 22: For “OPEN STUDIOS” at CPR, Anh Vo invites Sol Cabrini, Bao Nguyen, and Karwaan Kotwal for an evening of performance exploring the desire for the incommensurable. Find out more cprnyc.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
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AmNews FOOD Beyond the post: Turning restaurant visibility into sustainability KYSHA HARRIS
FOOD EDITOR, @SCHOPNYC There is visibility, and then there is sustainability. That distinction became clear to me during a recent evening at The Edge Harlem, where Mastercard gathered small business owners, food creators, and community members to celebrate a social series designed to bring attention — and resources — to independent restaurants. For me, the location made the conversation particularly meaningful. I knew sisters Juliet and Justine Masters before they opened The Edge Harlem at 101 Edgecombe Avenue, and I remember when their Jamaican-and-British-inspired restaurant first became part of the Harlem landscape. Returning years later to see their business celebrated and supported in its next stage of growth felt full circle. And who better to bring as my plus-one than another Harlem restaurateur, Melba Wilson? The evening brought chef and television personality Carla Hall together with the Masters sisters, while NYC-based food creator Nicolas Nuvan was there in support of Lorena Jorge and her family, owners of Morena’s Kitchen & Bar in Corona, Queens. Mastercard’s initiative pairs creator amplification with grants, mentorship, educational tools, and other resources for small businesses. But I kept coming back to one question: What happens after the post? What is the conversion from visibility to sustainability? For Nuvan, visibility starts with something that can’t be manufactured. “I think just being yourself — there’s nobody like you,” he said. “Try to figure out who you are first before you try to go sell something. So that way, when people show up, they can
Carla Hall delivers remarks about the Mastercard program as The Edge owners Justine and Juliet Masters stand nearby. (Kysha Harris photos)
see that you truly love yourself, and they want to enjoy that with you.” Carla Hall understands why that kind of first-person storytelling connects. “[Customers] may not know food, but they know an experience,” she said. Attention alone does not keep the doors open. “Visibility is really important. But sustainability is a very different thing,” said Amber Dawkins, vice president of small business product management at Mastercard. “Sustainability is around having access to capital — the funds businesses need to operate on a daily basis, but also to grow and expand.” Carla knows that distinction firsthand from her own entrepreneurial journey. “I had support — I had moral support,” she said. She continued, “I didn’t have financial support, and I don’t think I realized what tools I really needed. And I gathered those along the way.” At The Edge, those resources have a tangible destination. Juliet and Justine used the
From left: Mastercard’s Amber Dawkins, Juliet Masters, Carla Hall, and Justine Masters.
Mastercard grant funds to expand the restaurant’s outdoor space and welcome more of the community. This support arrives after 12 years of the less glamorous work of simply staying open. Justine described the recognition and grant as a reminder to keep going — a particularly meaningful one after more than a decade of the daily grind. The visibility-to-sustainability question looks different at Morena’s Kitchen & Bar. Lorena describes the ongoing tension in their family business. “One of the biggest hassles was the cost of food and also the ability to make a profit, because we also want to make it accessible to our community,” she said. Mastercard’s support has helped Morena’s invest in the business, while mentorship has helped them examine costs and opportunities for growth. The details matter. Sustainability isn’t always a splashy expansion. Sometimes it is equipment that makes service faster, the ability to absorb rising ingredient costs, or having the capi-
tal to make the next decision. Of course, this was still a celebration, and The Edge fed us accordingly. My favorite codfish fritters were passed along with shrimp — which the kitchen was happy to give me some extra of — before dinner of jerk wings, plantains, festival, BBQ chicken, and more. I spent so much of the evening talking and interviewing that I barely ate dinner. In true Harlem fashion, I eventually asked Juliet whether I could take some food home. Containers appeared with a quickness, and their coconut curry chicken over white rice and those beautifully cooked plantains became lunch and dinner the next day. Small acts of hospitality like this also get at what can disappear when a neighborhood restaurant closes: not simply a place to eat, but relationships, memories, and people taking care of people. As Juliet Masters said, “If you don’t support these businesses today, there’s no guarantee they’ll be here tomorrow.” A creator can introduce thousands of people to a restaurant in one post. A post can get them to the door. But visibility is just the beginning. Turning visibility into sustainability takes fortitude, capital, tools, customers who return, and a strong community that decides the businesses it values are worth supporting. 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.
Food content creator Nicolas Nuvan with members of the family that owns and operates Morena’s Kitchen & Bar.
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Celebrating 250 years in Harlem
Out and about, from Red Rooster to Angel of Harlem By MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS Special to the AmNews On any given Harlem evening, there is so much to see and to do. Here are just three events I felt compelled to attend towards the end of last week, due to the great significance of each. Tuesday, Sept. 23, I was off to the 7th annual Maysles Documentary Center Albie Awards dinner. It was held in the festive Red Rooster Restaurant venue so evocative of a 1930’s Uptown nightspot, the atmospheric Jenny’s Supper Club downstairs. Before feasting on delicious fried chicken, catfish and greens, followed by a lemony mousse. Guests enjoyed assorted cocktails and canapés. Named in honor of legendary filmmaker and MDC founder Albert Maysles (1926– 2015), the Albie Awards recognizes visionary artists whose films help illuminate the world with beauty, righteousness, or both. Challenging the status quo and hopefully inspiring meaningful dialogue and responsive action, these are works indicative of just how meaningful art can be. Proceeding the hoopla of the New York Film Festival, many fail to appreciate just what a big deal of international importance this seemingly modest award has become. Both locating his educational film center here, that introduces youth to the basics concerning New York’s most lucrative industries, and hosting the Albi Awards, Albert Maysles gave Harlem a new institution with worldwide impact. The three movies recognized this year are Brydie O’Connor’s “Barbara Forever,”
chronicling the heroism of an LGBTQ+ pioneer, Barbara Hammer; Pegah Ahangarani’s “Rehearsals for a Revolution,” juxtaposing the simple sweetness of ordinary Iranian family life amidst the exigencies of banality and the evil of war; and David and Liani Greaves’ poetic “Once Upon a Time in Harlem,” an elegiac musing remembering the Harlem Renaissance. The effectiveness of Greaves’ movie, which was started by his father, celebrated filmmaker William Greaves, lies in the fact that, in the tradition of Albert Maysles’ “Gray Gardens” or “A Hard Day’s Night,” it is a brilliant work of cinéma vérité. We become that proverbial ‘fly on the wall,’ as it were, at a long ago, booze-fueled party
held in Duke Ellington’s Upper West Side townhouse. All these greats and near-greats of the Harlem Renaissance have foregathered to spill the tea and dish the dirt as they replay the highlights and hotspots of their lives, producing wonderful work, which changes the world forever. Old and in some cases, no longer active, they know they were “fire.” And, watching the footage roll by, we know it too. No wonder this magical time capsule reunion, like its two fellow Albie winners, has already gained critical acclaim on the film festival circuit at Sundance and Cannes both. Another night, last Thursday, there was another dinner. Again below stairs, but, in the lofty and imposing stone Riverside
Church Assembly Hall. The Morris-Jumel Mansion’s annual George Washington Dinner this year commemorated the role Manhattan’s oldest surviving house (built in 1765, it’s been a city-owned museum for about 120 years), played in the American Revolution and the crucial Battle of Harlem Heights. One of the first white columned temple-fronted houses built high on a hill in America (the builder’s father was an English architect), the museum’s mission is to preserve history and to serve the community. Initially, household servants working here were enslaved Africans. Even after New York State’s final emancipation circa 1830, free Blacks were still employed here. Included among them was Anne Hampton Northup and her daughter Elizabeth. They cooked here during the captivity of their husband and father, Solomon Northup, of “Twelve Years a Slave” fame. Funds raised by the dinner help support the year-round free and low-cost exhibitions, concerts, and educational and other cultural programs the museum produces. As we ate our entrees, we were addressed by Dr. Robert Snyder, former Manhattan Borough historian and professor emeritus at Rutgers University. He related how at the start of the War of Independence, the British Armada landing on the East end of Long Island, routed American troops again and again. In Brooklyn, it looked like the end would come at the beginning. But then, much like at Dunkirk two centuries later, shielded by fog and aided by boat rides from sympathetic civilians, the troops were ferried to safety.
Catherine Hughes, executive director, MorrisJumel Mansion.
Vivian Ducat and Robert North.
Michael Unthank and Brian Cooke.
Karen Murray & Temple-Jene Fleming.
Celebrating with Kathleen, Chris and Linda Adams, my make-believe family from Shaker Heights. (Michael Henry Adams photos)
A At least, temporarily. The superiorly equipped redcoats, who outnumbered the patriots, still rapidly, successfully pushed their way northward. But then they reached Harlem, at about today’s 110th Street. Fighting raged all the way up to where 146th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue are. Making their way behind the British, Patriots caused the Brits to retreat. That was how, for the next six weeks, Washington was able to establish his headquarters between today’s 160th and 162nd Streets at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Ordinarily, this dinner is in memory of one hosted by George and Martha Washington to bid farewell to his Cabinet and their wives in 1790. But, this year, it’s a tribute to the United States’ 250th birthday. With an eye to the future, the house is closed temporarily for a comprehensive exterior restoration. Two Harlem leaders were honored as recipients of the museum’s Community Service Excellence Award. Laurie Cumbo is the former commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA). Under her distinguished leadership, public art funding tripled and publicly subsidized cultural organizations grew to include five new groups. Is there any Harlemite who does not know or know of Curtis Archer? Is it necessary to explain that he is a public service and community development powerhouse who served for nearly two decades as President
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Wayne Benjamin, Karen Murray and Washington Dinner honoree Curtis Archer. (Michael Henry Adams photo)
of the Harlem Community Development Corporation (Harlem CDC), from which he only recently reluctantly relinquished the helm. Certainly no one on hand needed to be told who either honoree is. Each year, I get an email inviting me to yet another anniversary celebration at Angle of Harlem Restaurant. I love to go, because co-owner Kathleen Adams is a dear friend. We are both from Northeastern Ohio and share the same surname; we
call each other ‘cousin.’ But, this year, for the 11th birthday bash, I’d first thought I couldn’t make it. Why? Well, it’s my custom to take a big beautiful bouquet to Kathleen at these events, as a token of my admiration for her tenaciousness as a businesswoman, restaurateur, brand strategist, and community patron. ‘Why is it!’ I thought, recalling Path Mart being open 24/7, ‘that, unlike other neighborhoods, after nine o’clock, there is no place to buy either food
or flowers in Harlem?’ I’d noticed right away what elegant arrangements were on the tables for the George Washington dinner, enormous white roses and hydrangea, like a wedding. And then I recalled that on top of everything else, Kathleen, whose parents were both doctors, pursues philanthropy as a member of the Junior League. This group started when some rich New York debutantes, regretting all the exquisite flowers they got from boys attending their coming out parties, decided to take them to patients in hospitals. So, grabbing a big bunch of perfect blooms from the bar, off I went. I’m so glad I did. A jumping place with good food, drinks, and happy music, Angel of Harlem is one of the area’s most popular places for Black young people to meet. Guests had already been eating, drinking, dancing, and laughing for hours, and there was my ‘cousin’ right in the middle of things. We hugged; she loved my ‘thrifted flowers’ and so did her lovely mother. I had never met her brother before, and we all took a picture. ‘What do you think of Kathleen, leaving the lap of luxury in Shaker Heights and coming to make a name for herself in Harlem?’ I asked? “We knew she would do great things,” Dr. Adams answered, “and as unusual as some of her ideas seemed, we always supported her!” To which I could only respond, ‘Our parents’ support is something we all should have. Bless you and your husband for giving it.’
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This week: Jazz Boxx, Sistas’ Place, Jazz Clubs in L.A.
Sistas’ Place (456 Nostrand Avenue), where jazz takes a revolutionary stance — profound music, soaring with passion and fury, interpreting moments of the now and beyond. On Oct. 10, the noted Brooklyn community mecca features organist Gregory Lewis’s Organ Monk trio with guitarist Kevin McNeal and drummer Russell Carter. Two shows, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Lewis’s moniker Organ Monk took shape more than two decades ago when Thelonious Monk’s music became the core of his repertoire. Lewis’s Hammond B-3 organ delivers a vigorous harmonic style to the off-tempo bent notes of Monk. His sound is saturated in organ blues, flourishing melodic grooves that can only be captured by his amazing B-3, singing soul and jazz drifting back to Harlem’s organ bars in the tradition of Larry Young, Brother Jack McDuff, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Organ Monk may break the Monk tradition to play a few bars of “Happy Birthday” in honor of Omowale Clay — Sistas’ Place cofounder and music director, and co-founder of the December 12 Movement — when the house celebrates his 80th birthday. Continuing the celebratory mood, this writer will present the Jazz Journalists Association 2026 Hero Award to Robert “Bob” Myers. For more than 30 years, Myers has been a dedicated jazz servant, ready to do whatever the job required, no matter how small or large. Although he has retired to Arizona due to health issues, he remains a resilient advocate for jazz in Brooklyn. For reservations, call 718-398-1766, and for more info visit sistasplace.org. Some of the most creative music is performed by Craig Harris and Harlem NightSongs every Thursday (7–8:15 p.m.) from now through January 2027 at Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church (15 Mt. Morris Park West at 122nd Street). For more than three decades, Harris has been committed to the tradition of using art as an active cultural voice to comment on social injustice and inhumanity in
Omowale Clay. (Roger Wareham photo)
an effort to promote change. The trombonist, composer, bandleader, community activist, and music instigator Harris has put together an intriguing large ensemble he calls Harlem NightSongs to play original music that stimulates movement — not just to swing, but ideally to inspire folks to stand up for the cause. Music heals, but in these desperate times, it hollas out. Some of his distinguished cohorts will include saxophonist, flautist, producer, and arranger Jay Rodriguez; pianist and composer Yoichi Uzeki; drummer and percussionist Damon Duewhite; and vocalists Milton Suggs and Zakiyyah Modeste, who can pull emotions while singing on the outskirts of jazz. Community tickets are only $15/person and can be purchased at the door. Harlem Jazz is in dire need of support. Jazz is a cultural legacy;
the resilience to move forward with defiant intention. It’s not enough to say you like jazz — as the cliché says, actions speak louder than words. Abbey Lincoln’s song-titled album “You Gotta Pay the Band” (Verve, 1991) sums it up. Harlem Nightsongs are playing to keep the music going, playing for now and the next generation — music to be witnessed and enjoyed; “rhythms of resistance.” Visit harlemjazzboxx.com for more info. On a recent visit to Los Angeles, I learned that L.A. has more Blackowned jazz clubs than New York City, the hippest spot on the globe. It is most crucial for Black people to present this music called jazz in all forms in their own venues; New York and Harlem have to catch up. L.A. boasts a number of Blackowned clubs in the community, such as World Stage Performance Gallery in Leimert Park Vil-
lage, founded by legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins and poet/ arts activist Kamau Daáood. The World Stage was created to fill a cultural gap in the Los Angeles African American community. Somerville is an intimate/ upscale restaurant on Slauson Corridor in Historic View ParkWindsor Hills (South Central), built for nights that need to feel like an occasion, featuring live jazz and delta blues in an upscale art deco supper club co-founded by South L.A. creators and actress/producer Issa Rae (from my favorite HBO series, “Insecure”). The Lavender Blue Sports Lounge is a lively neighborhood lounge and restaurant in Inglewood with live jazz and blues nights. Jiji Jazz Club has a grassroots monthly jazz and arts pop‑up series curated by multidisciplinary artist Tída Norasingh, blending live music, open jams, and community‑driv-
en events in various Los Angeles venues with regular live jazz and R&B bands. Sam First Jazz Club & Bar’s swanky atmosphere features major touring and local jazz artists five nights a week in the listening room of a sleek mid-century environment. Contact venues for their specific schedules. Blue Note LA, the latest addition to the franchise on the storied Sunset Blvd., is much more spacious than its New York City counterpart, the flagship and oldest of the Blue Note franchise. Ironically, the evening we attended the noted venue, R&B, rather than jazz, was on the menu. Although I was totally oblivious to Baby Love’s reputation as a singer and songwriter, the audience was locked into her groove, singing along to every word as if they had seen her 1,000 times and memorized her every song — all originals. She was equipped with a six-piece ensemble, who were no strangers to the art of hardcore swing, R&B, soul, and blues, prompting folks to get on their feet to move and groove. Baby Love knew how to captivate a crowd. She said in her introduction, “I’m a yearner, yearning for love. Tonight, this is our safe space to talk and express our feelings.” The room, with its mellow ambiance, wasn’t congested. The tables and chairs on the floor in the center of the club are surrounded by a long couch along the wall with tables and chairs; very comfy. The friendly waitress pointed out that extremely busy nights could necessitate extra chairs at tables, but added that the atmosphere is pretty much controllable. What really caught my attention in driving around Los Angeles were those driver-less Waymo cars; actually cabs, like Uber or Lyft, but with no driver and folks just sitting in the back seat. No, I am not ready for AI to chauffeur me around town. Then one night, while sitting at the red light, this little wagon with bright blinking blue lights rolls across the street directly in front of us. “Hey, what’s that?” I asked, with a puzzled Octavia E. Butler-style sci-fi gaze. Without missing a beat, my friend said, “Oh, that’s a delivery cart.” More specifically, they are AI delivery carts from Serve Robotics and Coco Robotics, currently operating in 40 L.A. neighborhoods. What’s next — AI operated jazz clubs with bartenders and live AI music? Now, that’s scary.
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Black creators and highlights at New York Comic Con 2026 By JOHNNY KNOLLWOOD Special to the AmNews New York Comic Con returns to the Javits Center Oct. 8-11. The event, which has united fans across comics, TV, art and beyond since 2006, will host panels, signings, and screenings featuring fan-favorite creatives, special guests, and tons of vendors. Here’s just a few highlights to keep an eye out for. Rosario Dawson, known to fans for her portrayal of Ahsoka in the Star Wars universe and starring roles in cult classics like “Clerks 2” and “Kids,” will participate in autograph signings and photo ops on Thursday and Friday in the Autograph Hall. She will appear alongside fellow Star Wars universe alum Ahmed Best, who will participate in a panel by Lucasfilm Publishing and book signing on Friday, as well as Hayden Christensen and Ian McDiarmid, who portrayed Anakin Skywalker and the Emperor, respectively. Basketball superstar Shaq will also participate in a private signing to
celebrate the release of a new comic, “Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar,” on Friday. Actor, singer and writer Wayne Brady will return to host two panels, “Improv Nerdvana,” a comedy show on Friday, and “Young, Gifted, and Whack,” a panel which highlights Black creators, on Saturday. Last year’s discussion featured artists like Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and TV screenwriter Rodney Barnes. Actor Gabourey Sidibe will appear alongside co-stars Sarah Paulson and Billie Lourd for a discussion on “American Horror Story,” and queer stars from the diverse and currently running production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will participate in panels on Friday. Other standout panels include “The Black Comic Lords Live,” “Capes, Curls, and Culture: Black Women in Comics, Media, and Pop Culture,” and “Race, Gender, and the Comic Book Medium.” Limited tickets remain. For more information and for a list of all the happenings taking place, visit newyorkcomiccon.com.
Laurence Fishburne and Joe Pantoliano discussing “The Matrix” at NYCC 2025. The convention returns to the Javits Center Oct. 8-11. (Johnny Knollwood photos)
DMC signing autographs at NYCC 2025. The convention returns to the Javits Center Oct. 8-11.
Wayne Brady at the “Improv Nerdvana” panel at NYCC 2025. The convention returns to the Javits Center Oct. 8-11.
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Religion & Spirituality Loving memories of Dr. Clarence B. Jones at Riverside Church
(L-R) Keisha Sutton James, Ben Hill, Elinor Tatum and Kevin Khadavi.
Friends and attendees gather to pay respects. Friends and attendees. (Bill Moore photos)
Rev. Adriene Thorne with attendees.
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews
vise like a jazz musician. “During the second part of his speech,” Clarence wrote, “he was like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Stitt, and Lionel Hampton rolled into one. Martin’s words seemed to ignite the spark Mahalia had struck.” The musical references came easily to Clarence, as his son noted in his reflections; he was deeply rooted in Black music, especially jazz. And much of his artistic knowledge was cited by Ben Proudfoot and embellished by Raymond McGuire and Carl Dickerson. When the video of Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry appeared, viewers got another dimension of Clarence’s versatility, which both Lisa Weitzman and Dr. Shari Rogers underscored with their passionate memories, and they produced a documentary of Clarence’s life, each of them mentioning Clarence’s intimate ties between Black and Jewish culture and history, a veritable double
The birthday salute to Rev. Al Sharpton last Saturday took a little longer than I expected, so when I arrived at Riverside Church for the “In Loving Memory of Dr. Clarence B. Jones” service, it was just in time to hear the obituary by Michele Norris. Her recounting of his remarkable life and legacy was something I was quite familiar with, given the several times I interviewed him, most memorably during our appearance on C-SPAN. Even so, it was good to hear Ms. Norris note his importance to the civil rights movement. “I think all of us, in this beautiful sanctuary, today, can agree on one thing, that we will continue to fight, to make sure his legacy goes on,” she said. To a great extent, his legacy continues through the work of his son, Clarence Jr., who shared a few personal and precious mo-
ments he had with his father. He recalled sitting by him in his office at the Amsterdam News (of which, at one time, he was part owner), “watching him hold court, with his fancy suit, silk tie, and perfectly soled shoes.” There were the things only the two of them together shared, Clarence stated, “and it was from these things we did together, the things that quietly shaped me.” “When he chose the hospice in Cupertino, California, we quickly gathered around him,” his son remembered. “This time, the cubs came alone to honor (the lion king) … to share stories, and provide comfort to the leader. Alongside his beloved friend Bill Hill, many generous supporters, we built scaffolding for him to reach out and say farewell to those he loved, and find himself one last time in music, in movies, in moments big and small.” Before I interviewed him for the C-SPAN recording, I read over
his resume, and from his birth in Philadelphia to a stint at Juilliard where he distinguished himself on the clarinet, excelled on the cinder path as a track star, to a military vet, lawyer, and — most outstanding — a speech writer and attorney for Dr. King, I didn’t know which facet of his remarkable life to focus on. He helped me make that decision by putting the emphasis on the latest of his four books, “Behind the Dream: The Making of the Speech That Transformed a Nation.” For the first time I heard how Dr. King departed from the script during the March on Washington in 1963, which Clarence had helped compose and improvise on what he had delivered earlier in Detroit. In his book, Clarence walked readers through that historic moment step by step, beginning with Mahalia Jackson’s words, “Tell them about the dream, Martin!” More than anyone, Clarence knew of Martin’s ability to riff and impro-
helix. Rev. Sharpton’s comments, unlike his speech at NAN, were as brief as they were poignant in pointing out some of the powerful contributions Clarence made during the civil rights movement. Former Ambassador Andrew Young, during his remarks, said that the memorial was not the final story of Clarence’s journey. “We are writing this story every day,” he said. He thanked Clarence for pulling him into the struggle, “and we are only in the midst of it.” Take it as far as you can, he added, “and I’ll meet you in the promised land.” The vocal interludes by Brandie Sutton and Derrick James gave melodic resonance to the words from the various speakers, including the call to worship by Rev. Adrienne Thorne. As I took my leave from the service, I could still hear the sound of Ms. Sutton’s rendition of “Ave Maria,” and the finely tuned musical ear of Clarence would have loved that treatment.
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Ben Proudfoot.
Brandie Sutton.
Clarence B. Jones Jr. (Bill Moore photos)
Andrew Young.
Michele Norris.
Rev. Adriene Thorne.
Rev. Al Sharpton.
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Education Nonprofit Mentor A Promise is helping those in need By NAFISSATOU YATTASSAYE Special to the Am News Beranobel Melo is changing the way children and families gain access to educational support and resources, one promise at a time. Melo, 46, is the founder of Mentor A Promise, a nonprofit organization established in 2021 to bridge the gap for students experiencing housing instability by connecting them directly to academic support and mentorship. Melo arrived in New York City — Harlem specifically — in the late 1980s as a young Spanish-speaking boy from the Dominican Republic, and described his journey as a traditional immigrant story. “You are an outsider for a number of years, and then you learn the language and start to assimilate customs and identity,” he said. After moving between Harlem, the South Bronx, and Washington Heights through the mid-’90s, Melo found that his environment was actively shaping his life’s direction. “Navigating those different neighborhoods and experiences crafted what I try now to have a passion for: working with different communities and different social services areas. It definitely shaped my future.” Melo attended college in the Midwest, majoring in philosophy and sociology, before returning to New York City to apply his education to community advocacy. Although finding immediate jobs in his exact niche was difficult, college shifted his trajectory. He credits his studies with opening his “mind to different concepts and the sociological experience — not only of immigrants, but of different groups. That stuck with me, which is why it led me back to New York City and back to where I felt comfortable, but with a different lens.” Over the years, Melo worked in various sectors of social services. “I worked in mental health, food insecurity, street homelessness, and family shelters. That’s where the nonprofit idea came about.” While working at a family shelter on the Lower East Side to help parents secure employment, he noticed that their children faced severe educational hardships as a result of prolonged shelter stays, some lasting up to three years. Melo quickly realized that securing a job alone wasn’t enough to solve a family’s instability, since systemic housing shortages make affordable units extremely difficult to secure. Frustrated by the lack of educational support resources for these students, he took matters into his own hands and researched how to start a nonprofit. After a three-year effort to officially launch the organization, the progress
Bernabel Melo speaking at a conference. (Photo courtesy of Bernabel Melo)
was suddenly halted with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, Melo transitioned professionally into affordable housing work, but he couldn’t ignore the escalating reports of student housing instability. Driven to act, he pivoted Mentor A Promise to a virtual model in 2021. “With Mentor A Promise, we want to make a positive impact in the lives of students and children who are in the middle of all these very complex issues — not only affordability, but education, transportation, and food insecurity,” Melo said. He began purchasing tablets out-ofpocket, delivering them to families in shelters, and matching students with ded-
icated remote mentors. Today, the program’s success is demonstrated by parents returning to ask for additional tutoring sessions and services. “So many families out there need help and don’t trust any sort of institution to help them without making a request back,” Melo noted. “When parents continue to come to me, not only to thank me but to request more people to join the organization, that makes me really happy because they see the benefit.” The organization’s ongoing operation is the work of its passionate volunteer network. “There are a lot of constraints and challenges when it comes to running a volunteer-based organization,” Melo ac-
knowledged, “but on the flip side, it’s one of the most rewarding and amazing experiences of my life.” From a young immigrant boy navigating New York City to leading an organization that empowers local youth, Melo remains focused on expanding the nonprofit’s reach. “We are open to coming together as a community to make a positive impact in the lives of our students,” Melo said. “We hope to continue to grow and spotlight their challenges, not only through the work we do, but by highlighting their stories.” To support Mentor A Promise or learn more about their educational programs, visit their website at mentorapromise.org.
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October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 25
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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 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 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
for proper reporting in accordance with the terms of sale. Scott H. Siller, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-095756-F00 91257
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
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
Ahern Painting Contractors, Inc is seeking M/WBE and SDVOB Subcontractor Proposals for the following MTA Project: “VN-9A: Finger Joints and Miscellaneous Steel Repairs at The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge”. Please contact Anna at 718-639-5880 for details. NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NEW YORK JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Allison Scollar; Brook Altman; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 20, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the New York County Courthouse, see posted location outside room 130, at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY on October 20, 2026, at 2:15PM, premises known as 59 John Street, Unit 11A, New York, NY 10038. The Condominium Unit (“the Unit”) in the premises known as Five Nine John Lofts and by the street Number 59 John Street, Borough of Manhattan City, County, and State of New York, Block 78 Lot 1667. Approximate amount of judgment $1,264,998.16 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 850317/2024. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: August 12, 2026 91159
NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of New York Citibank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Thomas N. Pieper, Carol Ann Foley, et al, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 1, 2024, 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 10007 on October 20, 2026 at 2:15 PM premises known as 250 South End Avenue, Unit 4D, New York, NY 10280. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of New York, City and State of New York, BLOCK: 16, LOT: 2222. Approximate amount of judgment is $28,099.34 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 850158/2023. This sale may be subject to the US Dept of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Real Estate Reporting Rule. In such event, all purchasers are required to provide the information needed
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 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 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
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 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
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 RT 42 4446 LLC. Articles of Organization 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. 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.
26 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
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101 LEGAL NOTICES
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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.
Crest Facility Services LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/15/2026. 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 Aldiana Hot: 105 Pinehurst Ave, Apt. Super, New York, NY 10033. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
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.
(Manhattan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Dana Cwaigrach: 27w 72nd st , 10023 NY. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
tan). SSNY designated as an agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Valerie Simms-Dixon: 156-20 Riverside Drive W apt 5i New York, New York 10032. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
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 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 Great Northeast Properties, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/25/2026. 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 Secretary of State of New York: 53 Union Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040. 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 process to Northwest Registered Agent: 418 BROADWAY, STE N, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. 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 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 Eagle
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 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 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 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 Art Eyes LLC . Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State
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 (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 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 803 Street, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/172026. 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 803 Street LLC: 66 Saint Nicholas Place Apartment 36A New York NY 10032. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of formation of VYSE RENTALS , LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/27/2026. 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 LegalZoom USCA. INC : 45 MAIN STREET, SUITE 238 BROOKLYN, NY, 11201, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Sancta Tribeca, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/24/2026. 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 LegalZoomUSCA, Inc.: 124 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Show Stop Tickets, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/29/2026. 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 ENTITY PROTECT REGISTERED AGENT SERVICES LLC: 447 Broadway 2nd Fl. - #3000, New York, NY 10013. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Legal Management Tools, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/29/2026. 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 Jacob Richman: jrichman@legalmgmttools.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 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 Hostage Families NY Story Project LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/20/2026. Office location: New York County
Notice of formation of Word of Mouf Catering LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/31/26. Office location: New York County (Manhat-
Notice of Qualification of Turbineco, LLC. Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/2/2026. Office location: New York County (Manhattan). Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed in Delaware on 8/24/2023. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The Corporation Trust Company: Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Articles of Organization originally filed with Secretary of State (SOS). DE SOS, 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 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 Notice of Formation of SHARFFI LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/30/2026. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Eric Sharff, 140 7th Ave Apt 6P, New York, NY 10011. Registered Agent: Dimov Associates LLC, 211 E 43rd Street, Ste 628, New York, NY 10017. 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
STUDIODYKAS LLC Articles of Org. For Any Lawful Activity filed w/ SSNY 08/25/2026 New York County. SSNY designated agent whom process against to be served. SSNY mail all docs: 447 Broadway 2nd Floor #1476, New York, NY 10013 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. 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. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 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. 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,
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101 LEGAL NOTICES
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101 LEGAL NOTICES
-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 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
ate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, known and designated as Unit No. 3B in the Condominium Building known as 312 East 22nd Street, New York, New York, Block 927 Lot 1008 together with a .42734 percent undivided interest in the common elements. Said premises known as 312 EAST 22ND STREET, UNIT 3B, NEW YORK, NY 10010 Approximate amount of lien 24,395.69 plus interest & costs. Approximate amount of lien $24,395.69 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 162976/2025. SCOTT H. SILLER, ESQ., Referee TROIA & ASSOCIATES Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 59 MAIDEN LANE, 41ST FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10038
242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39266 {* AMSTERDAM*}
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 SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 57TH ST. VACATION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ EBRAHIM OSMAN, MIRIAM OSMAN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 11, 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 October 20, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, City and State of New York, being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.00986400000% common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 10, 2008 and October 31, 2008 as CFRN # 2008000426142 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1009 and Lot 37. Said premises known as 102 WEST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $19,425.00 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850341/2023. SCOTT H. SILLER, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39286 {* AMSTERDAM*}
County. Princ. office of PLLC: 130 East 35th St., NY, NY 10016. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the PLLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Medicine.
SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. BOARD OF MANAGERS OF GRAMERCY EAST CONDOMINIUM, Plaintiff ‑against‑ THE ATARAXIA REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST DATED SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 c/o MICHAEL WALLACE, AS TRUSTEE, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated July 14, 2026 and entered on August 28, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the New York County Supreme Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY, in the courtroom designated by the posting outside of Room 130, on October 20, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises situ-
{* AMSTERDAM*} NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT ‑ COUNTY OF NEW YORK. HNY CLUB SUITES OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., BY AND THROUGH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Plaintiff ‑against‑ HANS J. HENRICI, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 11, 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 October 20, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. premises being an undivided ownership interest as tenant‑in‑common with other owners in the Timeshare Unit in the building located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; known as The NYH Condominium. Together with an appurtenant undivided 0.0381% in common interest percentage. This is a foreclosure on ownership interest in a timeshare unit, a studio penthouse on a floating use basis every year, in accordance with and subject to declarations. Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions dated October 27, 2003 and November 3, 2003 as CFRN # 2003000442512 as recorded in the Office of the City Register, County, City and State of New York. The Timeshare Unit is also designated as Block 1006 and Lot 1302. Said premises known as 1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10019 Approximate amount of lien $19,470.73 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 850292/2023. ROBERTA ASHKIN, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff
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 Formation of EVIA NANO MEDICAL, PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/18/26. Office location: NY
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 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 ETHMOS, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/18/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/16/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qualification of 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.
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101 LEGAL NOTICES
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 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 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. 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 QUALIFICATION OF SCHMEISSER LAW, PLLC. App. for Auth. filed with SSNY 08/11/2026. Off. loc.: NY Co. PLLC formed AZ 04/03/2025. SSNY desig. agent for process & shall mail: 43 W. 43rd St., NY, NY 10036. AZ off.: 14362 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, Ste 1107, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Cert. of Org. filed with AZ Corp. Comm., 1300 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007. Purpose: law. 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 StruXure Outdoor, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/06/26. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Georgia (GA) on 04/01/09. Princ. office and GA addr. of LLC is: 154 Ethan Allen Dr., Dahlonega, GA 30533. 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. Cert. of Form. filed with GA Secy. of State, 313 West Tower, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., Atlanta, GA 30334-1530. Purpose: Manufacturer of automated outdoor living systems.
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 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 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.
28 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
101 LEGAL NOTICES
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195LEGAL HELP WANTED 101 NOTICES
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.
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.
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
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
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,
{* AMSTERDAM, NYLJ*}
101 LEGAL NOTICES
101 LEGAL NOTICES 101events, LEGALand NOTICES films, plays, and how to
Black New Yorker Continued from page 5
Norris later served as Director of Performing Arts at The Learning Tree for 11 years, guiding youth in drama, public speaking, and social-emotional learning through the arts. Once she realized she wanted to get into community organizing and impact work, she also worked for the Special Services for Children. She went on to write many more plays, such as “A Secret Lies Inside My Sister’s Womb,” “Ain’t Yo Mama Crying on a Pancake Box-Car,” “Don’t Play That Song for Me,” “A Turnstile Warrior,” and “Danny’s Wolf,” which was about the late Danny Simmons. She also produced two short films called “First Fruits” and “Last Chamber in Harlem.” Many of Norris’ works have been featured in Harlem and throughout NYC. To name a few, “A Secret Lies Inside My Sister’s Womb” debuted at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and “Ain’t Yo Mama Crying on a Pancake Box-Car” earned her the Gregory Millard New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship and made its debut at the Henry Street Settlement Playhouse. Norris, founder of the NYC Young Producers Project and the Kwanzaa Film Festival, strives to give back to her community. Through the Young Producers Project, she worked “with young people, teaching them how to produce
High school admissions Continued from page 13
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inside schools that systematica lly exclude Black, Latine, multilingua l, disabled, and low-income students, it creates a self-perpetuating system. We first ration opportunit y and then point to competition for that opportunit y as proof that rationing is necessar y. Our children should not have to w in a contest to receive an excellent public education. The system also needs better support for students from marginalized communities across the system. The few Black and Latine students at high schools like Stuyvesant have often felt unwelcome, and this in turn discourages others from applying. The mayor can ensure that all schools are taking measures to make their curricula and school cultures culturally relevant and sustaining, including building capacity to support English-language learners and students in temporary housing. Finally, the mayor and his schools chancellor can work to simplify what has become an overwhelming admissions system, especially for high school and middle school; at the same time, they should bolster efforts at helping families learn about and apply to schools.
become producers. Also teaching them how to really actually know how to raise the money, how to approach people for sponsorship, and all of those kinds of things you do.” In 2017, the Kwanzaa Film Festival was born. Inspired by her mother’s constant Kwanzaa celebrations, Norris wanted to build a community of filmmakers inspired by this holiday. “I wanted to build a film festival around the community and Black people around the world. We come together for seven days showing films and holding discussions, leaving with a spirit of helping one another and sharing opportunity, rather than competition.” A lot of these events are based in Harlem. Many of her works through these programs have been featured in the Schomburg Center, Dwyer Center, Magic Johnson, and the Harlem Community Center. The Kwanzaa Film Festival’s 10th anniversary will run in person from Dec. 26–30, followed by a virtual program on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, featuring films centered on the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba). When reflecting on her past and wanting to give advice to the next generation of filmmakers or creators, Norris says, “Don’t be afraid to ask someone to mentor you, no matter your age. If you’re starting out in the arts, whether it’s playwriting, filmmaking, or editing — get a mentor and choose them wisely.” Mayor Mamdani sought and received enormous authority over New York City’s public school system through mayoral control. With that authority comes responsibility. End SHSAT-only admissions at the five schools where the city has the authority to act, adopt multiple measures, Invest the same extraordinary resources we associate with specialized high schools in neighborhood high schools across New York City, and make the system more welcoming and less complicated for students and their families. We do not need another repeated headline next year. Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels have the power to be transformative and change the lives of young people through simple amendments to this policy. Dr. Jonathan Greenberg is the parent of a high school student in NYC Public Schools (NYCPS), former president of the District 30 CEC, and a board member of the Education Council Consortium (ECC). Dr. Kaliris SalasRamirez is a parent of two NYCPS students, one of whom is in high school, president of District 4 CEC, and a former PEP member. Both serve on the Steering Committee of New Yorkers for Racially Just Public Schools.
October October8,1,2026 2026- -October October14, 7, 2026 • 29 11
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30 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S
Julius Randle returns to New York with the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews Julius Randle started his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014. His five seasons with the Knicks, from 2019 to 2024, were a fruitful period for the 31-yearold native of Dallas, Texas. Randle was key in elevating the Knicks to three playoff appearances and was a three-time All-Star and twotime All-NBA selection before the Knicks traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in October 2024 in a deal that acquired center KarlAnthony Towns. The 6’9” Randle is back in New York, this time as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, after being dealt to the franchise by the Timberwolves this past July as part of a four-team trade. Now in his 13th season and on his fifth NBA team, Randle reflected on his journey, including wisdom imparted to him by the late NBA great Kobe Bryant, at Nets Media Day held on Sept. 28 at the HSS Training Center in Brooklyn. “When I was that age early in my career, I had the best example you could have in Kobe,” Randle said. “I feel like those lessons, and just that example that he set for me,
Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle, a three-time All-Star with the Knicks, is now charged with uplifting his new team. (AP Photo/ Seth Wenig)
have carried me throughout my career to where I can be here in year 13 and I’m still trying to improve every single day.” “It was the biggest blessing for me being around him, being able to carry those lessons into my daily life,” Randle added. “It has become a part of who I am, become part of my fabric, and I try to carry it that way … when you are around somebody that great, and they teach you all that he has taught me, the biggest thing I can do is just pass it
along. So, I try my best to do that.” Randle will apply his knowledge and experience in being a central player in the Nets rebuild. He came into a similar situation with the Knicks, who were 17-65 the season before he arrived and went 21-45 in his first season with the team under former head coach David Fizdale and interim head coach Mike Miller, who took over the team when Fizdale was fired 22 games into the 2019-20 campaign. Brooklyn was 20-62 last season
guided by second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez. Randle has already been impressed by Nets 6’5” point guard Mikel Brown Jr., selected sixth overall in June’s draft. “For a young player that is a 19-year-old rookie (Brown turned 20 in April) to be able to come off a pick and roll and understand how to make every single read at a young age. Usually when you’re a young player, you want to try to get a basket every single time, but
he’s coming off a pick and roll and really understanding how to read, play the game; and [last year’s No. 8 overall pick Egor Dёmin] does the same: shoot the ball. He’s six-foot nine-inches, athletic, moves really well with and without the ball. “He has a great background obviously playing in Spain early in his career, so he really understands how to play the game. So, these guys are gonna be great for a long time.” Randle also gave a preview of how he envisions he and Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. will develop chemistry and form a potentially potent frontcourt duo. The 28-year-old, 6’10” Porter, a 2023 champion with the Denver Nuggets before being traded to Brooklyn in July 2025, was the Nets’ top scorer last season at 24.2 points per game. “I think it will be great just because of our playstyles. I feel like [we] mesh with each other very well,” said Randle. “Obviously, we both can score the ball, but I can create in multiple ways with how I attack the basket.” With Randle in the fold and promising young talent, the Nets should be a much improved team this season.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract status could determine the Knicks’ future By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Let’s call it the KAT delimma. Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns wants to get paid. Clarification: He wants to be paid much more. The 30-yearold Knicks center is beginning his 12th season in the NBA. According to Spotrac.com, a noted online platform providing data on player contracts and team salary caps, Towns has earned approximately $285,198,217 in his professional career. He’ll add $57,078,728 this season, pushing his earnings to $342,276,945 going into next summer, when the six-time AllStar and 2026 NBA champion will have a $61,015,196 player option on the final year of a four-year $220,441,984 extension. The Piscataway, New Jersey, star signed the extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2022, and it took effect in the 2024-25 season. He was traded to the Knicks in October 2024. (Note: I’m not rounding the numbers to add context that
Philadelphia 76ers. “Simply put, I want to do something to keep the team together, work with the Knicks and also values me. … And none of those things are close to happening.” Towns is represented by Jessica Holtz of Creative Artists Agency, where Knicks president Leon Rose co-headed the basketball division before James Dolan, CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports and MSG Entertainment, hired him in March 2020. The KAT dilemma. Signing Towns to a $276 superNew York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (left) greets Philadelphia max, which would carry an AAV 76ers’ center Joel Embiid before their preseason game Monday night (average annual value) of $69 milin Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) lion, or a deal significantly above $441,984 alone is almost seven come to an agreement with him that, could compromise Rose’s times more than the $65,052 by then, he could exercise the capacity to maintain and continannual median average salary of aforementioned player option for ue to build out a roster that can a full-time United States worker the 2027-28 season and become compete for a title over the life of according to the Bureau of Labor an unrestricted free agent in the Towns’ contract. Statistics.) summer of 2028. To be clear, KAT is a proven star Towns is eligible for an aptly The Knicks are reportedly offer- and future Hall of Famer. He arnamed supermax deal that could ing Towns a four-year, $200 mil- guably had the best stretch of his pay him $276 million over four lion extension which as of today, career in the second half of last years. He became eligible for he seems to be rejecting. season and the postseason, during the contract last August and will “It don’t look good,” Towns said which Knicks head coach Mike remain eligible to sign a deal until on Monday before the Knicks’ Brown transformed the team’s ofJune 30, 2027. If the Knicks don’t preseason opener against the fense, making Towns the hub. His
defense also improved substantially, evolving into an empirical factor in the Knicks winning the championship. However, he’s not a superstar. In fairness, only a handful of players are, whatever their salaries suggest. A little over a week ago, when asked if a deal should be quickly reached between him and the Knicks, Towns succinctly responded to a reporter, “No sh*t Sherlock. I just won a championship. You’d think it was pretty easy. Unless you guys think I have something else to prove.” Dolan is rightly adamant the Knicks will not enter the NBA’s punitive second apron salary cap. The Knicks also have to pay Jalen Brunson, who the franchise has given every indication will deservedly be offered a four-year, $290 million extension in 2028. Brunson left $113 million on the table when he signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension in July 2024. It helped yield the Knicks’ first title in 53 years. Will KAT make a similar sacrifice? The court of public opinion is now in session.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS S P O R T S
October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026 • 31
SBJ Game Changers conference addresses crucial topics in women’s sports By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews Last week, the 2026 Sports Business Journal (SBJ) Game Changers conference brought women who work in sports together at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan with expertise and experience in a wide range of areas, from analytics to ownership, sharing their paths, innovative approaches, and advice about how to persevere and succeed. On the panel “The New Playbook for College Athletics—and Why It Matters to Everyone,” three leaders spoke about the ever-changing landscape of college sports. In the wake of name, image, and likeness (NIL) and revenue sharing, “we see a huge change in the way that schools are wanting to commercialize their venues and facilities,” said Kim Damron, president of Learfield’s sports properties division. While it is important to remain clear about values, said Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor, athletics and university affairs and athletic director at Vanderbilt University, it is also essential to be thoughtful about how those values are executed. “Even
Candice Storey Lee, athletic director at Vanderbilt University, was a featured speaker at last week’s Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers conference at Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. (Vanderbilt Athletics photo)
Kim Ng, former Major League Baseball executive and current commissioner of Athletes Unlimited Softball League, participated in SBJ Game Changers conference.
as you’re building new buildings … it has to be something we use for multi-purpose reasons and we also make money off of,” she said. Vanderbilt Athletics has created a roster and finance division, with staff including a capologist (a sports-business specialist who manages and analyzes a professional team’s salary cap), an executive general manager, and a data analyst. Lee said there has to be a separation between coaches and those who negotiate deals for a “structure so that people can op-
erate in spaces where they can be their best.” Colleen Garrity of Excel Sports Management said the relationship between student-athletes and an athletic department has definitely become more transactional. “There is more of a focus on the revenue that student-athletes can make versus …‘This is the system I can play in,’” Garrity said. Lee said athletic directors cannot lose sight of the complexities involved with serving the sports that generate the most revenue while
ensuring all student-athletes are served. “If we’re not careful, people will lose opportunities, and those will be Olympic sports and women’s sports,” she said. Garrity noted that while brands are spending more on women athletes, gender disparity remains. “Women have better engagement on social media, they are better content creators than the men, they tend to get more deals than the men do…but the dollars are not always apples to apples,” she said.
The panel about “Creating Opportunity, Inspiring Change: Leadership Lessons from a Trailblazer” involved Kim Ng, commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, speaking about being the first woman to serve as general manager of a Major League Baseball team (Miami Marlins) and her recent shift to women’s sports. “The whole movement of women’s sports was just so intriguing,” said Ng, who played softball in college. “What an exciting time.”
St. John’s and Seton Hall women’s basketball squads embrace their rankings By LOIS ELFMAN Special to the AmNews The two local Big East Conference teams have solid spots in the Big East Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll, with St. John’s University in Queens at No. 4 and Seton Hall University in New Jersey at No. 5. With recent men’s basketball graduate Zuby Ejiofor (now with the Atlanta Hawks) named the 2026 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year by The EDU Ledger, Edward Kull, St. John’s director of athletics, is pleased that the university’s student-athletes are also committed to academics. “At St. John’s we have our Vincentian mission where they’re doing community service,” said Kull at Big East Basketball Media Day, held last Thursday in Manhattan at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. “We’re creating young leaders of the future. Doing it in the classroom, in the community, and athletically is what our athletics department is focused on.
ties for teams to get a chance to compete.” Also relevant this year is that the NCAA has decided that all student-athletes have five years of eligibility. Many student-athletes want to remain for the NIL money. Female student-athletes also have their eyes on earning a graduate degree. Anthony Bozzella, in his 14th year as Seton Hall head coach, said next year will be interesting. “It’s made recruiting look a little different,” he said. “There are going to be a lot more kids in the portal, but obviously we have a kid like Savannah Catalon (senior guard) who hopefully will take advantage of it and get her master’s at Seton Hall. Let’s see how it This women’s basketball team is Preseason All-Big East Team, able to show our personalities works. I still believe in recruiting a good group with great chemis- paired a Ralph Lauren sweater outside of basketball.” freshmen. It’s important for your try,” he added. with a classic shirt, a contempoMoore is thrilled by the expan- culture, for your development, Part of today’s collegiate land- rary patterned skirt, and loafers. sion of the NCAA Division I Wom- and for sustainability of being scape involves the opportunities “I wanted to pop a little bit, sep- en’s Basketball Tournament to 76 successful.” around name, image, and like- arate myself from the crowd, and teams. “I love it. There’s a bigger As always, Bozzella appreciates ness (NIL). The players all came still come very chic,” Wyatt said. chance for us to get into the tour- his hardworking players. “I literimpeccably styled for media day. Senior guard Brooke Moore said, nament,” she said. “That’s always ally go home from practice every St. John’s junior forward Sa’Mya “I feel this era is amazing for us a goal and motivation for us every day happy because I really enjoy Wyatt, who was named to the as far as marketability and being season. It opens more opportuni- coaching this group,” he said. St. John’s basketball players Brooke Moore, Daniela Abies and Sa’Mya Wyatt pose at Big East Media Day held last week at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. (Lois Elfman photo)
32 • October 8, 2026 - October 14, 2026
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Sports NFL Week 4: The Giants snatch first place for the first time in a long time By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Jaxson who? When the Giants lost their second-year starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season due to a severe knee injury in Week 2 of their NFL campaign, their hopes to have a resurgence and make the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 season seemed bleak. Facing the Los Angeles Rams on the road on Sept. 21, the 23-yearold Dart suffered injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and meniscus in his left knee in the first quarter of the Giants’ 28-6 loss. Veteran Jameis Winston, second on the quarterback depth chart for the Giants, looked unsteady and unready to take the reins, going 11-27 for 111 yards with an interception playing the remainder of the game. Yet, heading into Week 5 this Sunday versus the 1-3 Washington Commanders on the road, the 32-year-old Winston, ever the optimist, is persevering as are the Giants. After defeating the Arizona
Cardinals 36-24 at home at MetLife Stadium Sunday, Oct. 4, the Giants are 3-1 and in first place in the NFC East. It is the first time they have held sole possession of the top spot in the division four games into a season since 2015 and the first time the Giants have been 3-0 at home in 18 years. The win against the Cardinals featured superlative performances from rookie linebacker Arvell Reese, wide receiver Malik Nabers, and punter Jordan Stout, solid ones from edge rusher Abdul Carter and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and a functional outing from Winston, who threw three touchdowns and two interceptions. But the unlikely standout for John Harbaugh’s squad was cornerback Deonte Banks. The much maligned fourth-year cornerback experienced his signature moment as a pro. A firstround pick (24th overall) by the Giants in the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Maryland, Banks’ career to this point has been uneven to put it mildly. He has often been a target and avatar
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks walks off the field after his interception sealed the Giants’ 36-24 win Sunday, Oct. 4, at MetLife Stadium. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
of Giants fans’ frustration. But as he learned on Sunday, narratives and perceptions can be dramatically altered in a moment’s time. The MetLife crowd showered adulation on Banks after he intercepted Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett with 11 seconds left in the game on 4th and goal from the Giants’ four-yard line as Arizona was threatening to score. With the Giants leading 30-24, barring a near miracle, a Cardinals touchdown would have AM News virtually assured a win for them.
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But Banks, nicknamed Tae, ended the final scene a hero, four plays after being called for a dubious pass interference call covering Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with 22 seconds remaining that placed Arizona in a favorable first-and-goal position from the four-yard line. In that moment, the inescapable thought was “same ole Banks.” But Banks returned the interception 98 yards and inspired AM News the Giants faithful into a state of shock
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and euphoria. Usually the movie concludes with the Giants and their loyalists disappointed and disheartened, with players somberly untangling their failings in the post-credit scene. “That’s what winning is. That’s what winning teams do,” said an exuberant Harbaugh following the victory. “They find ways to win games…I was praying and I guess God came through. And you know who else came through? Tae Banks! Tae Banks came through with a huge play after a crazy pass interference penalty. I thought you had to touch the guy for it to be pass interference.” Winston shared Harbaugh’s enthusiasm. “It feels great. It feels great, man. Praise God. I just love the way we’re playing complementary football right now. And honestly, that’s all that matters at the end of the day.” There are still 13 games to go in the regular season and some tough stretches are sure to arise without Dart. However, living in the present, the Giants are showing signs of having staying power.
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The Liberty try to avoid a nightmare facing the Dream in WNBA semifinals By DERREL JOHNSON Special to the AmNews The Liberty rightly entered Game 1 of their WNBA semifinals matchup with the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, Oct. 4, with supreme confidence. And why not? They had knocked off the Minnesota Lynx 2-0, six days, earlier in their best-of-three opening round series, becoming the league’s first ever No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed. But the No. 4 seeded Dream ended any consideration that the Liberty would make quick work of them. The Dream took the opening game in Atlanta 92-82 and put the Liberty in a seemingly mustwin situation in Game 2 last night (Wednesday) in Atlanta. The best-of-five series will move to the Barclays Center for Game 3 on Friday (7:30 p.m.). A win by the Liberty in Game 2 would ensure a Game 4 in Brooklyn on Sunday,
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MVP, dominated Game 1 in the AM News squad’s victory against the Min07/02/26 09/17/26 nesota Lynx, scoring 34 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, she scored 19 points with just two rebounds in Sunday’s loss. Stewart played all 40 minutes of AM News News the last two LibertyAM games before last night, logging 38 minutes in 07/09/26 09/24/26This Game 1 versus Minnesota. is after she was named the MVP of last month’s FIBA Women’s World Cup, with the United States New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (center) drives to the basket taking home the gold. against Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard and forward Angel AM(left) News AMtoo News Is Stewart playing many Reese (5) during Game 1 of their WNBA semifinals playoff matchup on minutes? Sunday, Oct. 4. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard) 07/16/26 10/01/26 “It is just going to depend Oct. 11 (2 p.m.). Game 5, if nec- and sat out for the remainder of on the rest days,” said Liberty essary, will be back in Atlanta at a that contest. Her status for the rest first-year head coach time yet to be determined. of the series is uncertain but her ab- Chris DeMarco ahead The Dream were without four- sence would be a major factor for of Game 2. “It’s tricky News time All-Star Allisha Gray last night. headAM coach Karl Smesko’s team. sometimes. ThereAMisNews Gray, who led Atlanta in scoring But07/23/26 the Liberty’s focus is on their a rhythm to it. We10/08/26 are this season averaging 19.0 points own players. While forward Bre- just going to continue per game, injured her hand in the anna Stewart, a three-time WNBA to monitor it and make second quarter in Sunday’s game champion and two-time WNBA sure she’s good to go.”
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Stewart, for her part, had her attention on Game 1. “They did what they were supposed to do; they protected home court,” she said. “…The goal in the series, like everybody always says, is to steal one [road game], right? So, that is what we will try to do [in Game 2].” In Game 1, the Liberty underperformed on both ends of the court, turning the ball over 19 times and allowing both 5’6” point guard Jordin Canada (25 points and five steals) and reserve forward DeWanna Bonner (23 points and nine rebounds) to make up for the loss of Gray’s production.
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