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What’s Going On By Victoria Horsford

Victoria Horsford
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THE 2016 ELECTIONS

If my polling site in Central Harlem exemplified the Black voter turnout across America, then tomorrow will be less dystopian than it was this morning. Psychologists talk about a disease afflicting America known as “election stress”. Both print and electronic mainstream and African-American political pundits, by their own admission, have been consistently wrong for 18 months about the 11/8 election outcome. They would be wise to run to the nearest drugstore or convenience store to get some new, more accurate instruments to gauge the American pulse and consciousness. Who would have believed that this great republic was this close to electing the Donald. Those things only happen overseas in undeveloped countries….until we read about Brexit.    I submit my column before the polls close and wish the best for my beloved nation. With my prayers answered, we have navigated the scariest presidential race in our lifetime and again, we have made history, electing America’s first woman president.

ELECTIONS/FAIT ACCOMPLI

Jesse Hamilton

In a perfect world, US Senator Chuck Schumer is reelected and becomes the new Majority Leader of the Senate……… Harlem Councilwoman Inez Dickens is NYS Assemblywoman-elect………. NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat is the 13th Congressional District Representative-elect.   Will Congressman Espaillat join both the Black and Latino Caucuses? Optics aside, Espaillat did tell NY1 News anchor Errol Louis, on Inside City Hall, that his mother’s brother is Afro-Latino?

Marisol Alcantara

It seems that the elusive Democratic majority in the NYS Senate is not to be. Senator Klein and his 4 Democratic cohorts, known as the Independent Democratic Conference(IDC), who caucuses with the Republicans, making Klein co-leader of the Senate with the GOP head. NYS Senator from Brooklyn, Jesse Hamilton, says that he will join the IDC renegades. Moreover, Dominican Republic-born Marisol Alcantara, who will succeed Senator Espaillat, says that she will join the IDC. It was not a choice. The IDC fed $130,000 into her primary victory campaign in September. Alcantara and Hamilton brings the IDC total to seven out of 63 Senate seats. Politics makes for strange bedfellows.

What happens to Brooklyn Assemblywoman Diana Richardson who won a special election last year and who was recently charged by the Brooklyn DA with assault for beating her 13-year-old son with a broom, for which he had scars.  She ran unopposed on Tuesday. She has a January court date. She and the son are separated.

It is a great day in Brooklyn….The street on Rogers Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Union Street will be co-named Rev. Dr. Clarence Norman, Sr. and Ellen Norman Way.  Rev. Dr. Norman, Sr. and his wife Ellen Norman were a power couple who were proactive in Brooklyn’s faith and business communities. Reverend Norman was the founder of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, which has 2000 congregants, for more than 60 years. An invaluable community treasure, Dr. Norman founded the Local Development Corporation of Crown Heights, which created more than 800 units of housing for seniors and low-income families.

 

 

 

 

MILLENNIALS INFO

NY/NJ:   The New York Urban League hosts its 30th Annual HBCU Fair on November 12th from11am to 3:30 pm at the Riverbank State Park, 145th Street, Harlem.    More than 45 HBCUs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will participate, some providing on-site admission and scholarship assistance. Last year, more than $1.1 million was awarded in scholarships as a result of the HBCU Fair.    Pre-registration recommended. Tell HS Seniors in the tristate area about this event. Call 212.926.8000, X136, or E-mail tmacfarlane@nyul.org.

Tech Row Communities in Motion, Accelerating Success in Youth Communities is a seasonal speaker series for youth to explore their potential through global engagement and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The next series will be held on Wednesday, November 16th at 6 pm at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, located at 163 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor, Harlem. Topics on the agenda include STEM & University Life, Financial Aid, A Live Q&A on Studying Abroad, and Careers in TECH. Speakers are affiliated with St. John’s University, CUNY: Stony Brook and Queens College, and the founder of Media Disruptors. E-mail: tfelder@techrow.org. Text: 917.282.1916. [Visit techrow.org]

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

GQ Men of the Year awards 2013 at Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France on January 16, 2013

The Academy Awards should have an overabundance of Black film nominations for the 2016 distribution, not the least of which is August Wilson’s play, FENCES, which Denzel Washington toplines and directs, co-starring Viola Davis, which opens on Christmas Day. Paramount Pictures bought a 5-page, 4-color FENCES ad in the 11/6 NY Times Arts and Leisure section, which signifies that the studio feels it is Oscar material.

Documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson, 2013 National Humanities Medalist, begins his next film project soon. The documentary will focus on what could become an endangered species, America’s HBCUs, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Nelson produced and directed THE BLACK PANTHERS: Vanguard of the Revolution.

The Apollo Theater presents HENDRIX IN HARLEM, a concert celebration of his influence and legacy on November 26th at 7 pm and 11 pm. The Jimi Hendrix show toplines Fishbone with special guests Ernie Isley, Nona Hendryx, Saul Williams and Liv Warfield. Show will chronicle the Hendrix music phenomenon from its early R&B influences to his pioneering Rock and Roll experimentation.

The musical confection, ON KENTUCKY AVENUE, is a story set in Club Harlem and is a joyous noise about Black entertainment in segregated Atlantic City in the 60s and 70s. There will be one show at Kingsborough College in Brooklyn on 11/12 at 8 pm.

 

 

 

Ghirmay Ghebreslassie

 

NEWSMAKERS

Africans continue to dominate the NYC Marathon. Kenya’s Mary Keitany, 34, finished first in the woman’s division, clocking 2 hours-24 minutes-26 seconds. This is her third straight NYC Marathon win. Eritrean Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, 20, won the men’s race in 2:07:51. He is the youngest winner in NYC Marathon history. Blacks won the race but all of the mainstream papers published close-ups of white people.

CHARLIE RANGEL TRIBUTE

George Hulse

Health First, the NY Christian Times and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a Power Breakfast and Citywide Tribute to Congressman Charles Rangel on November 3rd at the Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem which was filled to overflow. The organizers, George Hulse of Health First and Reverend Dennis Dillon, Christian Times, publisher were consummate hosts.   The invitational tribute attracted more than 250 local elites – clergy, politicians, business and community leaders. Breakfast dais speaker roster included Dr. Marvin Moss, Salem Methodist; Rev. Kenneth Barrett, Freedom Hall Church of God; Bishop Cecil G. Riley; Bill Hawthorne, Macy’s SVP; Roderick White, NY Life; Reverend Evelyn Manns; Curtis Archer, HCDC; NJ Congressman Donald Payne, Jr; Voza Rivers, GHCC; former Mayor David Dinkins and Councilwoman Inez Dickens, who seems to have had the political baton passed on to her.   A-listers who attended the tribute included real estate developer Walter Edwards, Fourth Estaters; NY Carib News’ Faye and Karl Rodney; Harlem News publisher Pat Stevenson; Dr. Marcella Maxwell; Michael Garner, NYS, MTA and One Hundred Black Men; politico Robert Jackson and David Walker, UNCF. Messrs. Hulse and Dillon commissioned a Charlie Rangel bust and a lightweight duplicate was unveiled.

 

 

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

Donald Trump wins the presidency and America loses

Editor, Our Time Press
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Donald Trump wins the presidency and America loses

By David A. Love | November 9, 2016, via www.thegrio.com

The “silent majority” that we had been hearing so much about throughout Trump’s campaign spoke loudly on Election Day.

Trump is their guy — his vitriolic, offensive and racially inflammatory approach to the presidency be damned.

Exactly how it happened will be debated in the coming months and years. But two things are for certain: Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton badly and will become the next president of the United States. And Black America has some mighty difficult days ahead.

Now that a fascist and a white supremacist has seized the reins of power in America, we need not think too long and hard about what a Trump presidency will look like for Black America. We need not look any further than the man’s own words. He said he would “Make America Great Again,” which means “Make America Great Again, Like When it was White.”

The slogan emblazoned on the tacky baseball caps reminds us of a time when white folks reigned supreme and held all the cards and people of color were kept in their place.

Like Nixon, Trump ran a “law and order” campaign, which for communities of color generally means a draconian criminal justice policy — including a continuation of the war on drugs, mass incarceration and increased monitoring of the black community.

 

Read at:

Donald Trump wins the presidency and America loses

Black Women Were the Only Ones Who Tried to Save the World Tuesday Night

Editor, Our Time Press
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Black female voters—when they had no real cultural or social obligation to do so—stayed on course with Hillary Clinton in ways where white women coolly abandoned her.

By: Charles D. EllisonPosted:

With dust settling on the biggest political upset in U.S. history, the hazy day after is an atom-bomb-drop mess of circular firing squads, blame games and armchair quarterbacking analysis of what just happened.  And while the top line analysis pretty much points to white America’s collective anti-black streak as the primary culprit, we are now getting a detailed rich picture of Tuesday night’s results broke down by factors such as age, race, gender, education and income.

While large slices of most key demographic groups crazily skipped to the apocalypse with their support for Donald Trump, one rather intriguing and tragically poetic polling point stands out: Black women tried, desperately, to save the world Tuesday night.

READ MORE: Black Women Were the Only Ones Who Tried to Save the World Tuesday Night

Brooklyn’s Democratic Elected Officials React To Trump Win

Editor, Our Time Press
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Brooklyn’s Democratic Elected Officials React To Trump Win

By Kings County Politics News Service

As the shock of Donald Trump being elected president of the United States wore off today, several Democratic Brooklyn and citywide elected officials weighed in on the president-elect.  Of note, Clinton trounced Trump in the heavily Democratic Brooklyn, 595,086 to 133,653.

 

“Obviously we’re disappointed with the outcome of the election, but also understand people living in our community and neighborhoods on how their lives are playing out. As elected officials, we have to recalibrate how to govern in our office and find a way to work with the Republican-controlled legislative and executive branch at the federal level,” said Assemblyman Walter Mosley (For Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights).

 

Mosley said as Democrats on the state level it is also incumbent to work with colleagues across the aisle and fellow Democrats to continue to deal with issues such as systemic poverty, mass incarceration and income equality.

 

“There are issues and matters that need to be overcome regardless of who sits at the table or across from the table. These issues transcend party politics,” he said.

 

Mosley said from a political perspective, the Trump campaign showed the power of the media and particularly social media has to be given equal consideration when we deal with the issues of identifying voters, and getting them active and participating in the electoral process.

 

“The presidential election process lasted nearly a year and a half and there is little time to sulk. We have to get over the election and use time wisely in an effort to advance politically and governmentally,” Mosley said, adding the county will not fall because of the election of Trump.

 

“There have been presidential elections where people were enslaved and when we were at war, and at civil war when we were killing each other. We’ve lived in far more desperate times than this. Our resilience should be highlighted and relied on during this time. As difficult as it seems, we’ve overcome far more than this and that’s what makes this country special,” he added.

 

Central Brooklyn State Senator Jesse Hamilton said, “Not to deny the fear, anxiety, and grief that tens of millions of our neighbors feel this morning – but despair is not the answer, because our Muslim, our LGBTQ, our Latino, and our African-American brothers, our fellow Americans need our support.”

 

Hamilton said Democrats must begin to organize and rebuild, “Because democracy is about what happens on Election Day and every day in between. Because we still need the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement in our politics. Because social justice needs champions. Because our ideals of human rights for women, people of color, the disenfranchised, and the downtrodden still matter. Because these ideals matter all that much more under a presidency that poses profound challenges to the direction we envision for our country.”

 

City Comptroller Scott Stringer said, “The voters have spoken, and we have a new President-elect. As Hillary Clinton said this morning, what makes America special is that we treat the transfer of power from one President to another, regardless of party, as sacred. I agree.

 

“But make no mistake: this new administration, with a Republican-controlled Congress, will present major challenges. From a common-sense approach to immigration, to women’s health, to smart gun laws, to fair wages, and everything in between, we’re going to face obstacles on the issues that matter most to us as a City.

 

“New York City must continue to be a bulwark against hate and a model for all that America still can be. In our great City, we are guided by fairness for every family – we do what’s right when we see wrong. We know that diversity doesn’t divide us – it makes us stronger. The President may change from one election to the next, but our values do not. It’s more important than ever to remember that at this moment.”

 

Public Advocate Letitia James said yesterday Americans across the country exercised their fundamental right to vote, the results are in, and the country elected the next President.

 

This decision has come at the end of a long, bitter, and challenging political season. We must now come together and begin to heal as a nation, together as the United States of America.

 

“I know that many Americans — women, Muslims, members of the LGBT community, Hispanics, immigrants, and people of color — are scared and shaken after a divisive campaign. We must remember that we all have a place in America, and we must continue to engage for the sake of our families, our communities, and our nation.

 

“We must not give up or give in, we must move forward and we must work together to ensure that promise of a better tomorrow is achievable to every woman, man, person, and child from every corner of America.”

The Black Lady Theatre’s Restoration

Editor, Our Time Press
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The Black Lady Theatre’s Restoration

By Akosua K. Albritton

In the pioneering spirit of barn-raising, The Black Lady Theatre at 750 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn is being renovated. Leading the extensive rehabilitation are Clarence, Jr. 2X and Omar Hardy, the father and son team who dedicate themselves to realizing the wishes of the deceased Supreme Court Judge John L. Phillips.

The theater encompasses much of the 5,325-sq.-ft. lot. The 500-seat theater space is located in the basement where carpenters have recently installed a new wooden stage. The balcony and lobby are on the first floor and the conference area is on the second floor. Omar Hardy explained, “The plan is to build two additional floors. The roof will hold a garden and an event space”.

This project comes together through a friends-helping-friends construction process. Mark “The Builder” Douglas is the construction manager. Douglas is a licensed and insured electrical contractor who secures the subcontractors. Douglas explains, “The objective is to uplift our people to be self-sufficient. Professionalism, being on time and qualified are essential”. Douglas brought on Sheldon Douglas, who is a carpenter, and CSGN Contracting’s Johnny E. Robayo, a glass and façade contractor. It is Robayo’s installation of the glass front that achieves the visual impact of the rebirth of “The Black Lady”.

Given the low level of financing, the team has relied heavily on volunteer labor. For example, Omar’s younger brothers, Devon and Isaiah Howard, do “soup to nuts…from site preparation to finishing”.

The marketing firm Open House New York promoted the grand reopening weekend of October 15-16, 2016 free of charge. Standing in front of the gleaming glass doors that reveal many murals in the lobby, Mark Douglas estimates the work will be completed by December 2016. To mark this milestone, the Hardys and Douglas are in preliminary discussions with the producer of “Oz Comes to Brooklyn”. Douglas gives the last Sunday in December as the tentative performance date.

“I was born for this task and my father always wanted to do business with his family,” muses Omar Hardy. He believes getting to this point where the public can see the theater is coming back to life is due to “remaining on our square and staying true to the mission”.

The complete development team includes Clarence, Jr. 2X Hardy, Omar Hardy, Administrator Christie Williams, Construction Manager Mark Douglas and Byron Wilson. Wilson does not state his title. Rather, Wilson explains his plan to “establish renewable energy technologies that take the premises off the grid”. Wilson estimates the cost amounting to $10,000.

Further, Wilson intends to use smart building procedures. He plans to set up solar canopies and an aquaponic greenhouse that grows food. Wilson asserts, “This will be a farm-to-table operation where we sell to local bodegas. The aquaponic greenhouse uses the waste of tilapia fish. The fish itself will not be sold for consumption”.

Between April and October 2016, the team has accomplished clearing the theater of rubbish. “We’ve filled 20 containers with trash. We financed the carting company’s services through fundraisers. One hundred bags of rubbish were picked up by the NYC Sanitation Department,” explains Hardy.

This reporter had a sit-down interview with Omar Hardy on October 27, 2016. In preparation of the meeting, records within the NYC Finance Department, Buildings Department and the Environmental Protection Department on the premises were reviewed.

Q: Has your organization contacted Brooklyn Community District Office No. 8 to request to make a presentation before the community or to just leave event notices at community board meetings?

Hardy: Information drop-offs would be done through Zulika Bumpus (another team member). I’m not sure whether the event notice was left at the district office or at a general meeting. I recognize that I should present to the community what is happening at The Black Lady Theatre.

Note: Zulika Bumpus was contacted by telephone and e-mail on October 27, 2016 to inquire about outreach to local high schools, houses of worship and Brooklyn Community District Office No. 8. Bumpus explained on the telephone that she was leaving for an event and has not answered the e-mail.

Q: Have you contacted any local houses of worship to notify them about the rehabilitation occurring at the theater?

Hardy: We haven’t had contact with the local houses of worship. As far as having them know about the rehab, No. We’ve reached out to individuals, organizations and anyone who I believe should know. I’ve been thinking in terms of after the construction is completed and the place is ready for rental.

In all, the Q-and-A session was driven by 13 questions. It was revealed the development team’s community outreach was limited due to the decision to postpone community outreach until after the construction is complete. They have not communicated with Crown Heights North Association (CHNA). This organization has a successful track record of historic landmark district designation. Given the artistic and historic value of this theater, developing a strategic alliance with CHNA would be prudent. From April 2016 to October 2016, the work consisted of site preparation, painting, glass front installation and floor tiling. Hardy could not say which floor would be 75% complete by December 31, 2016.

The types of trades that have been on-site at any given time include security (provided by a private company and internal surveillance), electricians, carpenters and a plumber.

A New York City research agency uncovered two critical conditions: 750 Nostrand Avenue, Block 1240, Lot 38 was part of an assignment of a tax lien, document date April 30, 2016, where Party 1 is Bank of New York Mellon and Party 2 Bank of New York Mellon. A Tax Lien Sale Certificate was entered into record on August 10, 2016. Mr. Hardy acknowledges, “The tax issue needs to be handled. It is part of the reason for his focus on completing key rehabilitation areas”.

“Opening the doors to the community is critical [because] it permits us offering programs to the community that generates revenue” may be a guiding mantra that Omar Hardy keeps in the forefront of his mind. In view of this direct action, it behooves this committed team to direct its legal counsel to respond to the property vesting action.

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