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WHAT’S GOING ON

Victoria Horsford
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USA/MIDTERMS

The Marcia Davis March 6 Washington Post magazine essay, “BLACK POLITICS 2.0: How the post-Obama Generation is so done with the Democratic Party’s Old Ways,” is required reading for politics cognoscenti and the 2018 Black voter.   It lends insights into Black groups like Woke Vote, BlackPac, Collective PAC, Three Point Strategies political consultants and office seekers working ensemble to get out the Black vote, get more Blacks elected to statehouses and Congress, to get more respect and resources from the Democratic Party. These activists, who work under the NY/DC media radar, are basically progressives who work hard at fundraising without the benefit of philanthropists. They have interfaces with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic National Committee and the Black Democratic Old Guard.

One of the post-Obama Generation leaders observed that “Blacks should be considered swing voters,” mindful of the power of the Black vote and the Democrats’ consistent attitude of taking Black voters for granted. In late 2016, about 23% of Black voters listed themselves as independents. The 2016 Black millennial vote was anemic. BLACK POLITICS 2.0 is an informative read.

Emmitt Till

CURRENT EVENTS: The U.S. Justice Department reopened the 1955 Emmett Till murder case in March 2018. Till, a 14-year-old Black boy, was savagely killed by two Mississippi white men after Carolyn Bryant, a white woman, accused him of flirting with her.  An all-white jury acquitted Till’s two white murderers. The Emmett Till murder galvanized the American civil rights movement. Bryant recanted her original story about Till in 2007 while talking with the author of the book, THE BLOOD OF EMMETT TILL, which was published in 2017. This is an odd undertaking for AG Sessions!

The Trump White House veers off course.   Last week, about half a dozen media outlets reported that Trump was considering a presidential pardon for the late Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican-born 20th century Pan-Africanist. Don’t know to which constituency the pardon will appeal.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Hey, Forbes magazine, forget about Kylie Jenner as the first self-made billionairess, who is trying GOFUNDME to reach her goal. Does Forbes know about self-made billionaires like cosmetics diva Pat McGrath, 53, whose line, Pat McGrath Labs, boasts a valuation north of $1 billion. British-born Pat McGrath, of Jamaican parents, has been a makeup artist/consultant and product developer for Giorgio Armani, Proctor and Gamble, Cover Girl and Max Factor. She launched Pat McGrath Labs in 2015.

Now the story is out about media mogul Shonda Rhimes and her multiyear production deal with Netflix, the on-demand streaming company. The NY Times reports that Shonda signed a 9-figure deal with Netflix. Forbes magazine reports the deal at $150 million. Shonda will deliver eight creative series running a gamut of subjects from sci-fi to romance novels themes and peeking into the private lives of US Presidents. Two series in the Rhimes’ production arsenal of special interest to African-Americans is filming the Isabel Wilkerson book, “The Warmth of Other Suns,” about the great 20th century Black migration from the US South and the other is a documentary series, “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” about choreographer Debbie Allen and “her re-imagining of the holiday ballet.” Guess that Rhimes will bring a few million new subscribers to Netflix!

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The good news out of Africa today is the recent Ethiopia and Eritrea peace accords, which formally ends their 1998-2000 border war which claimed more than 100,000 lives.   The accord opens business opportunities between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which have already reopened their shuttered embassies which lay dormant for almost 20 years and have named ambassadors.

The 34th Annual Africa-America Institute Gala will be held on September 25th at the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. The AAI Gala is held (coincidentally) with the new session of the UN General Assembly that is attended by world leaders representing member nations.

By 2020, Guyana, one of South America’s poorest nations, will join the ranks of the America’s richest nations, owing to its recently discovered oil reserves. ExxonMobil, Guyana’s partner, guestimates that in 3-4 years the nation could be generating $20 billion annually in oil revenues. Guyana’s prosperity was the subject of a 7/22 NY Times Business cover story, “GUYANA’S $20 Billion Question.” The nation is evenly populated by Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese.

 NEWSMAKERS

Debi Jackson (Mrs. Hal) and her girl squad escaped to Antigua with its 365 beaches for a few days of sun and fun……can’t wait to see Debi’s photos… Former Schomburg chief Howard Dodson was in France last week during the World Cup Finals and their dramatic victory. Howard posted pictures of the French team which looked like a group of African Union delegates with players who hailed from Senegal, Togo, Guinea, Mali, Congo, Angola and Cameroon.

President
Barack Obama

Zodiac’s sun sign of Leo arrived on 7/23.   Birthday wishes to Leo lions and lionesses: Angela Bassett, Kobe Bryant, Dawn Parks-Anderson, Halle Berry, Usain Bolt, Laurence Fishburne, IMAN, Sarah Dash, Ambassador Alice Dear, Ramona Grey-Harris of Edward Sisters Realty, Michael Horsford, Magic Johnson, Vernon Jordan, Woodie King, NJ doyenne Lois Knox, real estate mogul Lisa Marquis, Mari Alistine-Moss, Professor Obi Nichols, President Barack Obama, real estate mogul Yvonne Stafford, Dr. Keith Taylor and Meghan Markle-Windsor (the Duchess of Sussex).

RIP: Dr. Carlos Russell, 84, has passed. The Panamanian-born, Brooklyn-based trailblazer was an educator, historian, social justice advocate, community activist and ambassador.   He began college studies in Panama before relocating to DePaul University in the US, where he earned advanced degrees. Panama Ambassador to the UN and to the OAS, Dr. Russell was a professor at SUNY-Old Westbury, Brooklyn College and BMCC. He was the founder of Black Solidarity Day, which calls for African-Americans to boycott school, work and white-owned businesses before US November elections.

SUMMER PLEASURES

The Newport Jazz Festival 2018, at Fort Adams State Park, runs from August 3-5 in Rhode Island. The NJF 2018 talent lineup includes musicians like Jon Batiste, Pat Bethany, Andrea Day, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, The Diva Jazz Orchestra, Harold Mabern and Eric Alexander, Gregory Porter, Black Art Jazz Collective and Roy Hargrove. [Visit newportjazz.org]

THE NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch hosts its 17th Annual Freedom Fund Luncheon on Saturday, September 15, and will honor Rodney Williams, Moet Hennessy, NA; Attorney Michael A. Hardy, EVP, National Action Network; Shawn Outer, EVP, Macy’s, Inc.; John Chen, VP, Prestige Management; and Wilma Jordan, Columbia University retiree. Held at the Marina Del Rey in Throgs Neck, (BX, NY), the benefit festivities include a sumptuous lunch, the Warren Daniels Band, dancing and networking. [Visit midmanhattannaacp.org]

A Harlem-based management consultant, Victoria Horsford can be reached at Victoria.horsford@gmail.com.

Deadline Today to Reunite Immigrant Children with Parents

Maitefa Angaza
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Deadline Today to Reunite Immigrant Children with Parents

It Won’t Be Met and Kids Are Still Being Separated As We Speak

The Trump Administration was ordered to reunite all the immigrant children separated from their parents with those parents by today. That won’t happen. Judge Dana Sabraw of the U.S. District Court of Southern California (whose own mother was an immigrant from Japan) ruled that children under the age of five had to be reunited with their parents by July 10, 2018 and older children by July 26th. As we know, the first deadline was not met. Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy has shocked citizens of this nation and of the world, creating a crisis of epic proportions with an abusive impact.

Families crossed the border from Mexico, many of them following the process to seek lawful asylum due to violence and death threats at home. But still, they were turned away. Children were processed through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement while their parents were processed through Immigration and Customs Enforcement and held in criminal detention. The entire process has been so chaotic that the government appears unsure of the numbers, did not know where the children were and has already deported over a number of their parents.

The Department of Homeland Security’s official numbers say that “fewer than 3,000” children had been separated from parents: 450 of them between the ages of 5 and 17. It said 1600 parents would be eligible for reunification, 900 were not expected to be eligible and 863 have final deportation orders.

But a report earlier this month by Peter Lemieux for politicsbythenumbers.org looked exhaustively at the stats (and the gaps) to determine that an estimated 4,290 children were separated from families between October 2016 and July 5th of this year. His report states:

“The Department of Homeland Security’s own reports indicate that nearly 5,000 children have been separated at the border. Some 4,300 remain in custody, many more than the current official figure of ‘fewer than 3,000.’  Also, there must be many more than 102 children under five years of age.”

And what would make a parent “ineligible” to be reunited with a child by the court-imposed deadline? According to the government, these are parents who have not been located, who are in criminal custody, who have an alleged criminal history that would endanger the child, and parents who have a communicable disease. The government says these parents would become eligible for reunification if they are located, if their disease passes or if they are released from criminal custody into ICE custody. However, the latter example is a Catch-22 in some cases. In Texas, immigrant parents were transferred from detention facilities to a local federal prison. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) takes exception to this notion of fitness.

“As we’ve argued in court (an ACLU statement says), the government’s word alone on this determination is not sufficient, which is why we’ve asked the court to order the government to provide details about the nature of the charge, conviction or warrant for each parent whom the government excluded so that we can verify that not reunifying the child is truly in their best interest.”

In a recent conference call with reporters facilitated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Royce Murray, policy director with the American Immigration Council, spoke of coercive measures being taken against immigrant parents.

“They were being pressured by ICE to sign papers,” said Royce, “that it would be the fastest way that they could see their child again, that if they choose to fight their case they would be kept in detention for many months longer, prolonging their separation from their children.”

Meanwhile, an estimated 450 parents have already been deported, another 900 have “final deportation orders” and the government has not articulated a plan to have them reunited with their children.

In a recent segment of the news program “A.M. Joy” on cable station MSNBC, Pramila Jayapal gave host Joy Ann Reid a harrowing account of the scenario and of her recent visit to a detention facility for immigrant children.

“Families are still being separated,” said Jayapal. “We went to the Ursula Processing Center [in McAllen, Texas] and that is still happening. Sixteen hundred square feet and they are still in cages, it’s important that the American people know that.” And if the children are over 10, they are placed in cages on the opposite end of the facility from their parents. Parents are only allowed to see those children one hour a day, and we were told that hour was something like 6 in the morning. Additionally, if you are not a parent, that does not apply to you. We sat on the floor with a sobbing grandmother who had not seen her grandchild for four days. She does not know where he is, and she raised him, has effectively been his parent. If you are over 18 and you come with a 12-year-old sibling, you are separated as well.

“A child who was reunited with his mother told us that he was told by government agents that his mother had abandoned him and that was why she was not there. As they spoke to us, mother and child were weeping, and so were the rest of us. Can you imagine the child abuse, the government-sanctioned violence that we are doing to these children… by telling them things like that? A lot of top psychologists are saying this is child abuse.”

As the Trump Administration appears unable to rectify the horrible mess it has made, we await the next, and likely missed, deadline and hope that the ACLU and outraged citizens will throw lifelines to these families.

 

 

 

Talking About Rent

Akosua Albritton
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Talking About Rent

The pace at which new construction and housing rehabilitation is occurring in Brooklyn is literally unsettling for many people. Three- and four-story walk-ups are being reconstructed to stand six-stories and taller. Soon, housing costs will be out of reach for households with incomes below $75,000. It’s essential that Brooklynites get side hustles or upgrade job skills to stay competitive in the job market and thus, make ends meet.

This reporter selected the outdoor seating near the Q/B Parkside Avenue subway station to query the public about rent and in general, how they are living. On July 24, 2018, 55 year-old Shakima (last name withheld) was willing to answer five questions. Shakima lives in the neighborhood in a 3-story SRO on Winthrop Street. She moved there November 20, 2017. She had been incarcerated and once released, chose to live on the streets rather than in a women’s shelter. Subsequently, she moved into the SRO.

“I would prefer to find my own housing and job but, instead, I must rely on my case manager because the information is on the Internet. I don’t have access to the Internet and I’m not schooled on how to get online.” This lady did not know that public libraries were outfitted with PCs and she could be taught to use a computer to meet many needs.

She is pleased with the conditions at her SRO; however, she recognizes there’s a lack of participation by the SRO tenants. Shakima admits that she’s not participating. She is most interested in maintaining her relationship with her husband. She enjoys a common law marriage. Her husband lives in another part of town and was traveling by subway to meet her during the time of this interview.

When asked about her rent, Shakima explained that HASA pays her rent directly to the SRO. Therefore, she does not know how much her rent is or whether it has increased. When queried about Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE), she stated that she did not know about the programs. At the current moment, Shakima is content with her situation but would prefer to do more on her behalf. She closed the conversation by talking about homeless shelters. “People are choosing the streets over the shelters because some shelters are dangerous. It feels safer living on the streets than living in a shelter.” She pointed to someone nearby where we were talking to identify the person as homeless. The person had set up a few umbrellas around himself as a shield from the sun.

A gray-haired woman with a Caribbean accent agreed to be interviewed under the condition of anonymity. She lives in Bergen Beach to be near her adult son and because where she had been residing the rent was regularly increased. She explained that “A lot of people have to move because the rent is a lot. It is anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 per month.”

She travels to the sitting area in front of the Q/B Parkside Avenue station to socialize. She lives in a building containing 60 units. In the five years she has been there, she has not had her rent increased. She does not know of an active tenant association. She stated, “We used to have tenant meetings but they stopped awhile ago. The building management did not explain but I know the tenants were too busy to turn up.” Her response to the question about SCRIE and DRIE was. “I don’t know what SCRIE is. I’ve heard of DRIE but don’t know what it is.” Upon hearing the words Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and Disabled Rent Increase Exemption, she stated, “I know about the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption but I haven’t heard of the Disabled Rent Increase Exemption.”

The next person who was willing to be interviewed was Ms. Wyndene Foster. Ms. Foster is married and lives with her husband in a NYCHA building in Canarsie. Mr. Foster works at Barclays Center. Both husband and wife receive SSI.

The Fosters have been living in Canarsie for the past seven years. “We did not choose to live there. Rather, we used a voucher to find a place. Some places you don’t want to live in and we did not get back to them.” The identification of their current home came at a point when Mr. Foster and his brother were developing intolerance for one another.

When they first moved in 2011, the rent was approximately $125.00. Currently, it is more than $400 due to the husband’s employment. They receive one-year leases and every December they are required to report their income. “Depending upon the income, our rent is increased or decreased.” When queried about their involvement with the tenant association, Ms. Foster responded “I believe there is a tenant association but I never joined it.” Ms. Foster was pleased to be informed about SCRIE and DRIE.

Daphne Joseph was another person interviewed at the Parkside Avenue sitting area near the Q/B subway station. Ms. Joseph has been a resident of East New York since 1993. She does nutritional education in Flatbush and Prospect-Lefferts Garden. Ms. Joseph was an enthusiastic interviewee. She stated: “Rents are going up. I have friends looking for a place to live and they tell me about one bedroom apartments going for $1,800 per month! Can you imagine a one bedroom going for $1,800 in East New York? No one should ever have to pay $1,800 for a three-bedroom apartment much less a one bedroom place. How do you eat or travel?” Ms. Joseph added that “Some places are requiring proof that one’s annual income is at least $60,000.”

It was Mr. Joseph who was informed about New York Community for Change (previously known as ACORN). In 1991, Mr. Joseph assured his wife that “In five years the place will not look the same.” What drew them to that part of East New York was the promise “You can have your own home,” “Learn sweat equity and homeownership.” Mrs. Joseph affirmed that they did perform sweat equity to acquire their home. Their housing cost was $305.60 in 1991. In 2018, it is $605. “The current housing company desires more money to earn and, therefore, instituted bi-annual rent increases,” explains Ms. Joseph.

There is a tenant association in many of the New York for Community Change buildings because not all households chose to own their homes. An important perk is the ability to pass one’s unit onto a family member thus fostering generational wealth. When queried about SCRIE and DRIE, Mrs. Joseph explained she was familiar with the programs. The interview was ended because Joseph had to resume her nutritional education.

QUEENS EMBRACE THEIR CROWNS

Editor, Our Time Press
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QUEENS EMBRACE THEIR CROWNS

30,000 Women Celebrated Hair and Beauty in Prospect Park

By Yaasantewa Mensah with Bernice Elizabeth Green

Sunday, July 15th may have been loaded with a number of exciting events throughout the city, but none matched the energy of this year’s 5th Annual Curl Fest event in Brooklyn.

Photo: Winston Wharton

Some 30,000 women of color – of all ages and nationalities — showcased their beautiful black hair in Prospect Park, and it seemed as though every media form showed up to cover them, their glorious crowns and this powerful movement designed, according to the Curl Fest website, “to create innovative experiences that harness the energy of the natural hair movement.”

You only need to look at the photos on this page to see that Curl Fest is an event that reminds us of the 50th Anniversary of the “Black is Beautiful” movement begun in Harlem with the pioneer Grandassa Models, presented by Elombe Brath and Kwame Brathwaite, and the movement will not relax on its mission to empower and uplift women of color.

Yet, in these so-called “post-racial” times, attempts prevail to mold the thinking of women … and men … of color to the European standards of pulchritude. In fact, the beauty industry is now capitalizing on the multimillion-dollar buying power of Black women who subjugate their own naturalness for bleaching and weaving, and Black women who go natural.

Photo: Winston Wharton

While trendwatchers look at this year’s emphasis on natural hair coloring, the publisher of Our Time Press salutes Curl Fest founders in inspiring and promoting the small, and micro, Black women business owners who’ve found a niche in the industry.

We also salute the remarkable, ingenious and beautiful queens who created this outlet and have kept it going. They include: PR Director Charisse Higgins, the media maven who’s responsible for amplifying the Curl Fest brand around the globe; Creative director and design guru Melody Henderson; Events director and strategic multicultural marketer Tracey Coleman; Strategic project manager Simone Mair; Creative marketer and community activist Gia Lowe.

Photo: Winston Wharton

Curl Fest is perhaps the most culturally significant of all of America’s beauty pageants –one where every participant embraces a crown.

For more information, visit www.curlygirlcollective.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Culture Passes Give Library’s New Life

Editor, Our Time Press
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Culture Passes Give Library’s New Life

As time progresses, it becomes extremely evident that institutions such as libraries are not really taken advantage of. This is likely because advances in technology have allowed people to access whatever books they want at the swipe and click of a finger. The people that do still visit libraries tend to only do so for computer access. Most people often think to themselves, “Who needs to go to the library anymore, right?” A statement proved evident in an interview with Michaela Johnson who stated, “I can’t remember the last time I went to a library. I don’t even know where my library card is!” Well folks, it’s time to find and dust off those good ol’ library cards and get ready to put them to great use! The Brooklyn Public Library announced its new addition to the establishment that will serve as a great tool for all New Yorkers. This new addition spoken of is the Brooklyn Public Library Culture Pass! According to its website, a Culture Pass is a program for cardholding individuals aged 13 and up.

In addition to the Brooklyn Public Library, other participating libraries include the Queens Library and the New York Public Library. Using their library card, people are granted free access and admission to several of New York City’s best museums, centers, gardens and so much more. With an opportunity this amazing, everyone should try to obtain one as quickly as possible, here’s how. In order to retrieve a Culture Pass, one must log in with their library card information and simply browse for passes by date and/or venue. After this, one would make a reservation and download or print their pass before their visit to whichever establishment covered by the BPLCP. Of these establishments are:

  • Brooklyn Botanic Garden
  • Brooklyn Children’s Museum
  • The Drawing Center (Manhattan)
  • Historic Richmond Town (Staten Island)
  • Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (Manhattan)
  • New York Transit Museum (Brooklyn)
  • Queens Museum
  • Wave Hill (The Bronx)
  • Brooklyn Museum
  • Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum (Manhattan)

Those are only to name a few! Culture Passes will help ensure a fun-filled summer with family and friends. Great experiences and at the price of nothing, you truly cannot beat that. If you do not already have a valid library card, in order to qualify for one, one must be a resident of New York State or work for a company or go to a school in New York City. Visit your local library’s website to start now!

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