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End of The Mendoza Era

Eddie Castro
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End of The Mendoza Era

By Eddie Castro
We are a little over three weeks into the Major League Baseball season and there have been a few surprises already to begin the season. Teams that were expected to run the table in their respective divisions are off to slow starts and teams that had losing records last year find themselves knocking on the door for first place. The one team that had a collapse last year but was expected to show signs of improvement coming into the 2026 season was the New York Mets. It is safe to say it has been April showers for the team so far.


About 2 weeks ago, their star player Juan Soto went down with a calf strain. Since then, the Mets have struggled to score runs. Soto’s replacements have not been productive during his absence, but again, it is unfair to ask anyone to fill in the shoes of a Juan Soto.

The defense, which was supposed to be a significant upgrade for the Mets with newly acquired players such as Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette. Francisco Lindor who is well known for his bat and exceptional play at shortstop has had some rare uncharacteristic miscues at the position in the early going.

To put it simply, the Mets’ offense needs Juan Soto back in the worst way. New York ranks 29th in the majors in runs scored per game at 3.27, second to last in that category only to the Kansas City Royals. They’re 29th in WRC+ (weighted runs created plus) and 27th in extra base hits.

In fact, their most recent three-game set in LA against the defending champion Dodgers, the Mets only scored three runs on 12 hits and struck out 27 times as a team. All of this has led to a current 12-game losing streak as we go to press and fans are wondering if Manager Carlos Mendoza has already lost the locker room in just his second year as skipper of the Mets.


If you are a Mets fan, the word patience is not a word you want to hear. It’s just the New York fan way. It is well-documented New York sports fans tend to be spoiled and expect fast results especially with players that come with the big name and contract. The season is still young even though this current Mets team more than likely provided an extra grey hair or two.

For this team to have this high payroll and no results is inexcusable, which is why Met fans need to be optimistic. The bright spots so far have been Francisco Alvarez and Luis Robert Jr. Have been some bright spots thus far. Lindor will pick things up. As Mets fans are accustomed to knowing, he is a notorious slow starter out of the gates. The hope is that Bo Bichette will figure out the holes in Citi Field. He is without a doubt one of the best contact hitters in baseball. He is for sure here the boos rating him down now.

Although Marcus Semien is not the player, he once was in Oakland and his early days in Texas, he is more than capable of contributing to a team at this point in his career. All three players are scheduled to make a combined $102.1 million for the 2026 season. Obviously, this current losing streak has a lot to do with pitching as well. Freddy Peralta has pitched like an ace despite his current 4.05 ERA. He has struck out 28 batters in 26.2 innings pitched.

He’s also allowed three runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. His teammate the young phenom Nolan McLean is proving that his short-season performance last year is no fluke. The 24-year-old right-hander is showing he is here to stay and has been nothing short of dominant. He has a 2.2. ERA in four starts this year and he recently became just the third pitcher since 1900 to have 80 strikeouts with 20 or fewer runs in his first 12 career starts (Matt Harvey and Paul Skenes). McLean has a career ERA of 2.13 in 12 career starts ranking second in franchise history.

In his recent start against the Dodgers, he pitched a beauty, throwing 7 innings and allowing just 1 run while striking out 8. Unfortunately, the offense did not provide him with much run support to seal the win for him. We shall see if the Mets can still build on improvement this year once Soto returns to the lineup. As we go to press, the team currently has a win-loss record of 7-15, the worst record in the league.


Sports Notes: (Basketball): As we go to press, the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks’ playoff series is tied at a game apiece. New York will now head to a hostile State Farm arena in Atlanta for Game 3. (Football): The 2026 NFL draft is live tonight. The Jets have the No. 2 and No 16 overall picks, while the Giants now have the 5th and 10th overall picks after trading defensive end Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals. Will both beloved New York teams strike gold in the draft?

(Baseball): The Yankees will close out a three-game set with the division rival the Boston Red Sox, while the Mets look to turn things around as they conclude their three-game set with the Minnesota Twins. Both teams are in action tonight. After a few weeks away due to the birth of my daughter, Sports Talk With Eddie returns with an All-new episode. Call in live during the show at 917-319-5481 as there is a lot to cover in the New York sports world.

April is International Black Women’s Month Empowering, defending, supporting and embracing the women in your life

Nayaba Arinde
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April is International Black Women’s Month Empowering, defending, supporting and embracing the women in your life

By Nayaba Arinde, Editor at Large

This month celebrates the 10-year anniversary of International Black Women’s Month. Created by Sha Battle from Atlanta. “We deserve it,” she told Our Time Press. “First, I just wanted to really honor the women around the United States, and then I thought about the women from around the world who have contributed to Black history. So, I named it International Women’s History Month, which serves as a time to celebrate, educate, and reflect on the profound and often under-recognized role that Black women have played in shaping history.

“It was really divinely inspired,” said Ms. Battle, founder of Atlanta’s Black Women in Jazz & Arts initiative and award show in Atlanta. “So I was looking for women in jazz to celebrate, and as I was doing my research, I looked at Black History Month, and I said, ‘They celebrate the same five, ten, fifteen women.’ And then it was the same for Women’s History Month. I knew that there are way, way, way more women who need to be honored. I woke up in the morning with this idea in my spirit of Black Women’s History Month.”

Ms. Battle wants to highlight the unsung contributions of generations of Black women in disciplines such as STEAM, literature, music, and visual arts. Malcolm X once proclaimed, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman.” In his 1962 speech “Speech to Black Women,” the icon charged, “The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

Currently, this is a disturbing period where several Black women have been murdered by their partners. “The disrespect and killing of Black women have increased. April 2026 was a brutal and horrific month of violence against several Black women who were killed by their spouses, significant others, or children. This needs immediate attention,” Sister Tiesha X Muhammad Mosque 7C, in East New York, told Our Time Press. Quoting Minister Louis Farrakhan, saying the Black woman is the Mother of Civilization. Ms. Muhammad said, “Our nation will never be great, nor will our communities be a decent and safe place to live until women are protected and respected.” 

Farrakhan she continued, “teaches that ‘A nation can rise, no higher than its woman.’ In order for our nation to rise, and for our communities to become a decent and safe place to live.”
New York has seen assaults on women this year, but across the country, there have been several deadly attacks this month. Listing nine recently killed women, in a post 21Ninety, the Black women’s health and wellness site on Blavity.com stated, “In the last 30 days, far too many Black women have been taken from us—by husbands, by exes, by sons.”

Included is Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer-Bowen, allegedly shot to death on April 1st, by her husband Stephen Bowen, and social media influencer Ashlee ‘Jenae’ Robinson, who reports say was found hanging in a closet in a Zanzibar, Tanzania hotel room. Her fiancé Joe McCann has been questioned, and his passport withheld. In Texas, Tynice Friday was killed in front of her two children, and her husband, Keith Washington, has been charged with her murder. Last week, dentist Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax, the wife of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, was shot to death, police said, before he turned the gun on himself. Shreveport, Louisiana, father, Shamar Elkins, allegedly shot 7 of his own children, and another child aged between 3 and 11-years-old. He also shot and injured their mother and another woman. Last week, Chicago Public Schools speech pathologist Barbara Deer was fatally shot, reportedly by her son Kaleb, who police say then used the gun on himself.

More shootings on the other end, in New York City this month, has several mothers grieving the loss of their children to gun violence victims; like Jaden Pierre, the 15 year old who was shot and killed in Roy Wilkins Park; 15 year old Quacere “Chase” Hagans shot in Eisenhower Park this weekend; and 7 and half month old Kaori Patterson-Moore shot in her stroller in Bushwick.

The Black Women’s Health Imperative posted, “There is too much grief in the air right now…This time, children’s lives were taken…It is devastating in a way that reaches beyond words and settles deep in the heart.”

They continued, “We are sitting with the weight of it and holding space for the families and communities who are carrying more than anyone should have to carry.” 21Ninety said of the slain women that they were not just their abusers’ victims… They were sisters. Leaders. Friends. Women building lives, loving deeply, and showing up for their communities every single  day…This is a reminder—and a call:

To protect Black women.

To believe Black women.

To check on Black women.

To create spaces where we can live fully, safely, and without fear.”


Meanwhile, the youth are organizing on every level to build community, and combat negativity.. For example, former BRIC Youth Media alum, 17-year-old Mahadevi “Devi” El Muhajir Bedford, is hosting an “inspiring event uplifting and empowering young women.” This is the 2nd annual DeviFest with the tag “Giving back–be inspired,” promoting service-focused initiatives,  with powerful speakers from diverse professions who will share their stories under the theme “Resilience–the moments that shaped a journey to success.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring gently used clothing and shoes for a Clothing Swap, with items also to be distributed to local homeless shelters. A lively atmosphere is the goal, with music, food, fashion, and interactive activities. The event is on Saturday, April 25, 2026 

mnnon38th@mnn.org 212-757-2670 509 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018
Those in need can contact: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community ujimacommunity.org

At Long Last, “Freedom” Comes to Brooklyn

Editor, Our Time Press
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At Long Last, “Freedom” Comes to Brooklyn

NAACP New York State Conference to Launch NY Freedom School — a Culturally Affirming Learning Environment Centered Around African and African American History and Culture — at Medgar Evers College

New York, NY – Today, the NAACP New York State Conference announced the NAACP NY Freedom School, a Saturday enrichment and civic leadership program in partnership with Inspiring Minds NYC, Breaking the Cycle Consulting Services and the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College. Designed to provide young people with a safe, supportive, and culturally affirming learning environment, the program centers African and African American history, culture, and lived experiences while preparing participants to think critically about their racial identity, contemporary social issues, and their responsibility to effect positive change.


Grounded in the historic legacy of the NAACP and the tradition of Freedom Schools during the Civil Rights movement, the program introduces young people to the history of civil rights advocacy, community organizing, and the role of institutions like the NAACP in advancing justice through litigation, public policy and civic engagement.


Students will gather on Saturdays at Medgar Evers College for a dynamic 5.5-hour program day. Starting with a healthy breakfast, the day will feature structured academic instruction, tutoring, and various enrichment activities. Core academic areas include history, reading, writing, and critical literacy, with intentional emphasis on African and African American contributions and perspectives. Parents, caregivers and community members will also receive advocacy training to enhance their civics and community organizing skills.


“The NAACP NY Freedom School is more than just an academic program. It’s a sanctuary for young people to see themselves reflected in the history they study. By grounding students in our rich legacy and our ongoing fight for civil rights, we are empowering them to develop a positive sense of self and the confidence to lead their communities toward a more just future,” said L. Joy Williams, NAACP-New York State Conference President.


“It’s been a long time coming! During the school week, we often don’t have enough time to invest in our youth as holistically as we’d like. The NAACP NY Freedom School creates the space on Saturdays to go deeper, strengthen relationships with students, and deliver a more meaningful, transformative experience.

We’re incredibly grateful to the NAACP for this opportunity to expand our impact and help equip the next generation with the knowledge, confidence, and sense of purpose to lead.” — Katrena Perou, Executive Director, Inspiring Minds NYC


“Every student deserves an educator who truly understands them. Through our training with the NAACP NY Freedom School educators, Breaking the Cycle Consulting Services is committed to ensuring that every instructor walks into that classroom equipped to meet students where they are culturally, academically, and personally. When educators are prepared to serve the whole child, transformative learning becomes possible.” said Brian Favors, Principal of Breaking the Cycle Consulting Services.


“The next generation of leaders is not some distant promise; they are here, right now, waiting for spaces that will meet them with truth, purpose, and an education designed with their needs in mind. The NAACP NY Freedom School is that space. We are proud to collaborate with the NAACP and to extend that investment to parents and families through our Advocacy Academy where Freedom School parents will learn tools and skills to become powerful advocates for their families and communities. When we strengthen families, we strengthen the entire pipeline of change.” said Lurie Daniel Favors, Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College.


Facilitated by a diverse team of educators, professionals, college students, and subject-matter specialists who serve as instructors, mentors, and role models, the instructional methods are interactive and project-based, encouraging students to connect learning to their lived experiences and community contexts.


The latter portion of each program day is dedicated to extracurricular and experiential learning opportunities designed to foster creativity, confidence, and practical skills. Activities include visual and performing arts, debate, dance, financial and business literacy, film, and educational field trips. These components reinforce academic learning while promoting self-expression, collaboration, and leadership development.
Through participation in NAACP NY Freedom School, youth participants will:

  1. Strengthen literacy, critical thinking, and academic skills
  2. Develop a positive and informed sense of racial and cultural identity
  3. Gain awareness of social issues and their role in community change
  4. Build confidence, leadership capacity, and a commitment to service
  5. Understand the role of civic engagement, voting and public policy in community change
  6. Develop pathways into continued civic leadership through NAACP Youth Councils and College Chapters
    NAACP NY Freedom School also functions as a pipeline for civic leadership development. Participants will be connected with their local NAACP Youth Councils and College Chapters, creating opportunities for them to gain hands-on leadership experience. This structure strengthens the long-term leadership pipeline of the NAACP while building civic knowledge and engagement within the community. By nurturing both intellect and identity, NAACP NY Freedom School prepares young people to become thoughtful, engaged, and empowered servant leaders – equipped to contribute meaningfully to their communities and beyond.

AACEO Members Gather to Celebrate the 17th Anniversary of Dee Bailey’s Watchful Eye

Mary Alice Miller
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AACEO Members Gather to Celebrate the 17th Anniversary of Dee Bailey’s Watchful Eye

By Mary Alice Miller


In commemoration of HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, the African American Clergy and Elected Officials (AACEO) celebrated the 17th anniversary of Watchful Eye, founded by Dr. Dee Bailey.


Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Dee Bailey “an activist extraordinaire. Her spirit, her intellect, her commitment to community is second to none. We are so appreciative for her work with Watchful Eye and the health and wellbeing of this community.”
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed the standing room only crowd.


“Public safety is a shared responsibility. When tragedy strikes, it is shared through loss and grief and the sense that something has gone wrong,” said Tisch. “We saw in Bushwick a 7 month old child was shot and killed while sitting in her stroller on a Brooklyn street. There is nothing that makes that acceptable. A life that had barely begun taken in an instant. Moments like that demand something from us: action.”


Tisch spoke of the record reduction in violent crime in New York City.
“The NYPD has removed more than 1,000 guns from the streets so far this year. Through the first three months of 2026 murders in New York City are at the lowest levels ever. Major crime is down across all five boroughs and we have matched last year’s record low levels for shooting incidents and shooting victims,” said Tisch. “Those numbers reflect real progress and represent lives saved, people who made it home, families that stay whole and ordinary days that just stay ordinary.

That is part of NYPD building trust and partnership with the community. Trust means enforcing the law fairly, owning our mistakes, holding ourselves accountable because it is the right thing to do.”


“People talk about democracy as if it began with the Declaration of Independence. I submit to you that the true democracy in the United States of America began with the passing of the Civil Rights Act. Until then, there was no true democracy in America for all of its inhabitants,” said Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.


Clarke explained the seriousness of our current moment.
“But we have allowed a subculture of white supremacy to talk us out of a true democracy. They have used every method, every mechanism, from violence to voter suppression to mid-decade gerrymandering, to maintain their power,” said Clarke. “We are in a battle, not just for this generation, but for future generations to come. The dismantling of the federal enterprise is about how they can reshape this nation in a form that will perpetuate white supremacy for generations to come.”


Clarke asked, “How do we combat that? We look forward to exercising our right to vote with joy. We unleash generations of voters. The only way to stop the madness and get some accountability. It is wrong for us to sit back and watch this nation implode after all we have sacrificed, after all we have contributed, after all we have built and made possible for this nation. to be great.”
“We have to prepare for the spring and summer to be able to channel some of the negative energy that we see and repurpose it with something positive,” Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.


Gibson continued, “We had a meeting with Bronx DA Darcel Clarke and contacted social media – TikTok, and SnapChat and Instagram and Facebook – and we met with them and said ‘you have to hold yourselves accountable, too, because you monitor activity. If we see violence perpetuated on social media we have a responsibility to stop that.”


Gibson added, “Also, a lot of young people who were taking over malls across the city said they were bored, they had nothing else to do. A young person should never be bored in our community. We address that with jobs and programs and activating spaces for young people, and making sure that schools that are closed during the holidays should be open.”


“Before there was a watchful Eye, Dee Bailey was on the ground making sure we understood what was going on,” Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Rev. Kim Council. “I came here to give honor where honor is due for the least of these.”
“Dee Bailey made sure that people got treatment, resources, and medicine,” said Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman. “That is why we are doing better but among our seniors and some of our young people we need to do more to make sure that we conquer AIDS.”


“Luck was the only thing that stood between my status and so many people standing around us,” said Assemblywoman Latrice Walker. “HIV is still strong, still growing, people are living longer, but people are still being diagnosed at incredible numbers. We want to honor Dee Bailey who keeps that on the front of our minds.”


Dee Bailey closed the event by introducing Bishop Stacy Latimer, a long time collaborator.
“This man has been to funerals with me when nobody wanted to touch the body when people thought HIV could be spread after the person was dead. No, it is not a white male disease. It is right here in our congregations and communities,” said Bailey. “Dr. Monica Sweeney sent me to school to learn all I could able this infectious disease. I was the person who did bereavement counseling when no one else would. It is unfair for us to die in secret. It is unfair to not say what they passed away from.”


“This year will be 39 years that I have been diagnosed with HIV,” said Bishop Stacey Latimer. “I have never had an opportunistic infection, never been sick until 2019 when I was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. There is a connection between prostate cancer and HIV. But a lot of people don’t know that. Some of the insurance companies don’t want to pay for trials and medicines. You have to become your own best advocate.”

Baby Kaori Tragedy Inspires Drive to Save Youth & Protect the Village

Nayaba Arinde
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Baby Kaori Tragedy Inspires Drive to Save Youth & Protect the Village

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor at Large


More stabbings, shootings, and property damage have been in the news these past few days. But, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani insists that Major Crime declined 5.3% Citywide, with the “Safest start to the year in public housing in recorded history with fewest murders, shooting Incidents, shooting victims, and robberies.”


Celebrating his first 100 days in office, he declared, “Our approach to public safety is working. These numbers speak to an NYPD using every lever at its disposal to deliver a safer New York City to all who call it home.”
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, the family of fatally shot 7-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore just laid her to rest this week.
The tragedy brought up the community response to youth violence.
“If this doesn’t shake you up–this baby, this casket–how much do we need to see before we start cleaning up our community?” Rev. Al Sharpton said at the funeral.


“The solution is in our own hands. These are our children. Our communities,” Brownsville founder of Men Elevating Leadership Daniel Goodine told Our Time Press. “We must regroup, analyze, and act on agreed methods to save and secure our neighborhoods. We need the teams out here walking these streets to make sure that we do not turn a blind eye to harmful behavior. We have to check ourselves. We want our families to be protected and be able to move freely without fear.”


On the bright afternoon on April 1st, 2026, Lianna Charles-Moore and Jamari Patterson were walking with their baby Kaori Patterson-Moore in a stroller and their toddler son in Bushwick. Then, allegedly with Matthew Rodriguez, 18, driving a moped, Amuri Greene, 21, on the back, shot at them, fatally hitting the baby in the head. As they sped away, they hit a vehicle. Greene was hospitalized and arrested, and Rodriquez fled to Pennsylvania but was later apprehended and brought back to the city.

In court on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge they both face. Rodriquez said, “I didn’t know he was going to pull the trigger.”
Kaori’s grandfather, Pastor Godsking Oyinkoinyan, said, “Why would someone take a gun and point it at a stroller? A stroller?”
The community has been grieving with the family ever since with a vigil and the funeral.


“She was innocent…This is my little baby angel…She was innocent,” said Kaori’s grandmother, Pastor Linda Oyinkoinyan. “She was just learning how to take a few steps, and she was starting to talk. She was always smiling. This is devastating….I will never get over this.”
There were masses of white flowers and pink balloons at the Lawrence H. Woodward Funeral Home on Monday, April 13th, 2026. The signature color was pink, worn by family and friends. The muffled crying was heart-wrenching.


On Tuesday morning, a white horse-drawn carriage took the tiny pink casket through the Brooklyn streets.
“It is heartbreaking that we are burying a baby today. We are going to hold the individuals accountable,” said DA Eric Gonzalez, who was at the funeral seated next to Attorney General Tish James and Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman.
Rev. Sharpton delivered the eulogy. It was a powerful indictment in how society operates right now, standing in front of “The casket does not even need pallbearers.”


The room was packed. Adults standing in front of the tiny open pink casket were fighting back tears and blessing the baby with praise.
Some of the youth standing towards the back responded with held-back tears when family members spoke, and songs were sung, and looked at each other with uneasy frowns during the repeated critiques of perpetrating negative behavior in the streets.
Sharpton advised, “Don’t let how people define you confine you.”
They responded with nods and awakening.

“We must have a movement come out of this from all religions, from all ranks. We were not born to be gangsters and thugs. We were born to be kings and queens…even if you are not responsible for being down, you are responsible for getting up,” the President of the National Action Network continued. “We need to take responsibility for our community… We don’t just need to take the guns out of these kids’ hands; we need to get those selling the guns.

I wonder why they don’t sell guns in other neighborhoods…and don’t have tragedies like this in other neighborhoods. They don’t permit certain things in their neighborhoods. We permit ourselves to glorify being hoodlums, rather than tell our children that you were not born to sit up in Riker’s Island…to call your women out of their name. You can be whatever it is God made you to be.”


At the funeral, grandparents, family members, and speakers like Attorney General Tish James told the youth to stand up and do something productive, and avoid the violent subculture in these streets.
While the police said that Kaori was shot by a stray bullet from the individuals caught up in a gang beef, others close to the family say it was not.


Abdul Hakeem from Family Unification told Our Time Press, “Gang violence is not the solution. They have to go. Can they name one successful individual in a gang? It leads to incarceration or the grave. You’ve got to make a conscious decision to change your life, and then stand on that. This is a harsh reality.”


On Sunday, April 19th, 2026, Student Minister Henry Muhammad told Our Time Press that Muhammad Mosque #7C will be hosting an 11am service in Restoration Plaza on Fulton Street in Bed Stuy.


Muhammad is scheduled to deliver a keynote address which will include “Guidance on the Proper Handling of People, Conflict Resolution, Cleanliness, Respect, and Gang Violence in relation to our Youth.”
There is a plan to create a “Comprehensive Movement this Summer to put in place systems to ‘Make Our Community a Decent and Safe Place to Live.’”


It can be done, Muhammad determined, as they are “planning to go throughout different communities in Brooklyn, with this clarion call…with all of the investments that are being made in the inner cities to rebuild structures of housing, businesses, schools and hospitals.”


Solution-focused, Muhammad noted, “There is not a real focus on building the most valuable asset of the city, state or country, and that is the people. Particularly, Black people. And, most importantly, our youth. The death of little Kaori is a prime example. We must rebuild the family structure in our community. Getting back to basic moral values and respect.

Minister Farrakhan said that family is the cornerstone of a nation … We cannot make our Community a Decent and Safe Place to live if we don’t take control of our community. …Economically, we have much potential in every Black community. But we are disunited and manifesting a lot of ignorance…the Black Community is colonized all throughout New York City. We must put a stop to this and take control of ourselves and our spending power as a people.”

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