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Brooklyn Celebrates Malcolm X on Centennial of His Birth

Mary Alice Miller
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Brooklyn Celebrates Malcolm X on Centennial of His Birth

Momentum Grows for Co-Naming of Malcolm X Blvd/Utica Ave A-Train Station

By Mary Alice Miller
“As Long As You Speak My Name, I Will Live Forever,” African Proverb
Gone too soon, our Black Shining Prince would have celebrated his 100th birthday on May 19. Malcolm X gave us an example of manhood guided by ethics, family, and a deep love for his people. It is only fitting that the greater Bedford Stuyvesant community calls for commemorating his name at the Utica Avenue A-train station.


An idea first championed by community activist Kazembe Batts has evolved and now Assembly member Stefani Zinerman has introduced legislation that will instruct the MTA to use specifically committed funds to rename the Utica Avenue subway station on the A and C lines in Bedford-Stuyvesant of the New York City subway to the Malcolm X Boulevard-Utica Avenue station.


Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso expressed his support for the creation of permanent tributes in Brooklyn to celebrate Malcolm X in honor of his 100th birthday on May 19, 2025.


“Malcolm X’s legacy holds a special place in our borough, where his powerful voice for justice and self-determination deeply resonates with Brooklynites, especially communities in Central Brooklyn. His call for Black empowerment and pride in African heritage inspired generations to stand against systemic racism and fight for equality,” said Reynoso. “His influence can still be felt throughout Brooklyn’s cultural institutions, educational initiatives, and grassroots movements.”


Reynoso outlined three objectives of the Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project: 1. Changing the official name of the Utica Avenue A-train subway station to Malcolm X Boulevard; 2. Co-naming Utica Avenue from Fulton Street up to Eastern Parkway to Malcolm X Boulevard North and a Malcolm X Boulevard South, bisected by Fulton Street; and 3. Erecting a statue in the plaza, across from Boys & Girls High School at the intersection of Malcolm X Boulevard and Fulton Street.


“I am proud to stand behind these objectives and honor a figure central to our borough’s history and identity [that celebrates] Malcolm X’s enduring fight for justice and liberation,” Reynoso said.


The proposed subway station co-naming would intersect the districts of State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jabari Brisport along Fulton Street. Both legislators support the initiative.
“I’ve already reached out to the MTA for guidance on their process for renaming a subway stop and am eagerly watching the community support that the Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project is building,” said Brisport. “I’m looking forward to being a collaborator as this project evolves.”


Myrie, in collaboration with Assembly member Stefani Zinerman and City Council member Chi Osse, wrote a letter to MTA President Demetrius Chrichlow requesting consideration of the requested co-naming.


“This year, Black Americans will mark one hundred years since the birth of Malcolm X. A towering figure in the struggle for civil rights, Malcolm X was born in Omaha but spent the most influential years of his career in New York City. Here, he campaigned against police brutality, in support of organized labor and for the economic, educational and political empowerment of Black New Yorkers,” the letter stated.

“The MTA’s Utica Avenue Station on the “A” and “C” lines is in the heart of the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, a historically Black community. In 1985, the extension of Utica Avenue north of Fulton Street (formerly known as Reid Avenue) was renamed Malcolm X Boulevard. To mark the 100th anniversary of his birth, we write to respectfully request the installation of signage at the Utica Avenue Station identifying Malcolm X Boulevard and acknowledging this important figure in New York City history.”


In a separate communication to Community Boards 3 and 8, Osse offered his full support for the establishment of permanent tributes in Brooklyn to honor Malcolm X in celebration of his 100th birthday on May, 19, 2025.


“The legacy of Malcolm X holds significant importance in our borough, where his influential voice advocating for justice and self-determination resonates deeply with residents, particularly in Central Brooklyn,” said Osse. “His message continues to inspire to this day. The impact of his work remains present across Brooklyn’s cultural institutions, educational programs, and grassroots movements. I strongly support each of the proposed actions to honor his legacy.”


Community-based institutions and religious organizations also gave their full support.
“We are sending this letter to support the Brooklyn Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project as they seek to create permanent symbols to honor him and his legacy of empowerment in Central Brooklyn,” said Wayne Devonish, Chairman, 500 Men Making a Difference Inc. “We urge the Community Board to endorse the three items that are listed in order of priority and feasibility. By signing below my organization is in favor of the project.”


“We are in full support of the movement to commemorate Malcolm X’s tribute to American history and culture on his 100th birthday (May 19, 2025) by renaming the Utica Avenue Subway Station in his name,” said Stefanie Siegel Executive Director and Founder, Bailey’s Cafe. “Renaming the station is aligned with ours and others’ efforts to preserve and archive the history and culture of Bedford-Stuyvesant, an important enclave of Black Culture.”


On behalf of Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey, Senior Pastor, and the disciples of the Bethany Baptist Church of Brooklyn, thank you for inviting us to be a part of the Brooklyn Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project,” said Reverend E. Tyrone Pittman, Executive Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church of Brooklyn. “We stand in support of this important event as it speaks to one of our core values, that of social justice – a concept on which the life and legacy of Malcolm X firmly rests.”


“Bridge Street Development Corporation is proud to join with a broad coalition of community leaders and organizations in Central Brooklyn who are coming together to support the Brooklyn Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project as they seek to create permanent symbols to honor Malcolm X and his legacy of empowerment,” said Gregory Anderson.


“The International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM), joins a broad coalition of community leaders and organizations in Central Brooklyn who are coming together to promote this project. We urge elected officials representing the area, local community boards, the MTA, and any decision-making entity to affirm and support the Brooklyn Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project,” said Ikemba Ojore, Secretary International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement New York City Branch. “Support the initiative to recognize Malcolm X’s 100th birthday and create permanent symbols in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, as a lasting tribute to one of America’s greatest leaders.”


“On behalf of the Rev. Al Sharpton, President and Founder of the National Action Network, Officers and Members, I would like to first thank you in advance for inviting us to be a part of the Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project,” said Dawn L. Jones, Chair, NANPAC. “On the Sixtieth Anniversary of his Assassination, we stand in support of this important event as it speaks volumes to one of our core values that is social justice – a concept to which the life and legacy of Malcolm X firmly stood.”


“We are sending this letter to support the Brooklyn Malcolm X 100th Birthday Project as they seek to create permanent symbols to honor him and his legacy of empowerment in Central Brooklyn,” Omowale Clay, Chairperson, D12M.

People Power Across the City

Editor, Our Time Press
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People Power Across the City

A CELEBRATION OF MALCOLM X’s 100th ANNIVERSARY New York – On Monday, May 19, 2025, Harlem was on fire with a tremendous showing of love and respect during the 35th straight year of “Shut ‘Em Down” when stores across West 125 Street, Harlem’s major shopping district are made to close by the unity of Black people. Ninety-nine percent of the stores this year accepted the community’s demand to honor Malcolm X and kept their doors locked!


Over the last 35 years, this occasion has become recognized as a commercial moment of silence. This year’s celebration was special because it also marked the 100th anniversary of the legendary leader and freedom fighter Malcolm X (El Hajj El Malik Shabazz).


There was only one big fast-food store, Chick-fil-A, which disrespected Black people’s celebration of Malcolm X …and with a nasty attitude. As word got around, folks began talking about organizing to get this Chick-fil-A location out of Harlem permanently.

  • Submitted by December 12th

Malcolm X – New York Influence, Global Impact

Nayaba Arinde
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Malcolm X – New York Influence, Global Impact

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor-at-Large
“What would Malcolm X do?”
Hundreds of New Yorkers asked as they came out to honor Malcolm X, who would have been 100 years old on Monday, May 19th, 2025.
From the Brooklyn Utica Avenue subway Malcolm X renaming request to the annual 125th Street, Harlem rally, to the Audubon Ballroom—now The Shabazz Center event—to the annual pilgrimage to Ferncliff Cemetery, New Yorkers commemorated the birthday of the man, the renowned actor Ossie Davis, called “Our Shining Black Prince.”


Sixty years ago, on February 21, 1965, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz—Malcolm X—was assassinated while giving a lecture in the Audubon Ballroom. Brooklyn’s December 12th Movement, other grassroots activists, and the community fought for the ornate building on 165th Street, Washington Heights, to be landmarked as the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.


Brooklyn’s Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman calls for “Renaming the Utica Avenue station after Malcolm X is about honoring one of our greatest civil rights leaders, where his legacy still lives—in the heart of Bed-Stuy,” she told Our Time Press. “This change is a powerful step toward cultural recognition and historical justice.”


The Friends of Malcolm X Plaza are asking for the same effort to be made for the 110th Street subway stop in Harlem.
Born in Nebraska, Malcolm Little began preaching to the masses in New York; he lived with his young family in Queens. Alongside hosts Ilyasah and Malaak Shabazz, two of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz’s six daughters, singer Lauryn Hill and NBA star Kyrie Irving both attended the Centennial Celebration at The Shabazz Center (former Audubon) on May 19th.

There, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams presented the Shabazz family with a proclamation.
In the streets was a sea of red, black, and green black solidarity flags as New Yorkers remembered the internationally-respected Pan African, Black nationalist.
Then there was the annual shutdown of stores on 125th Street in Harlem.


Most of the stores closed. The couple who resisted received gentle–but loud encouragement by organizers December 12th leadership Omowale Clay and Attorney Roger Wareham to do so. Chick-Fil-A was one of the stores who refused, and even had a flank of NYPD uniformed and Community Police posted up outside the door.

Marchers shouted chants such as, “No Respect for Malcolm X,” as most stores on the 125th Street thoroughfare adhered to the 35-year tradition of closing down for a few hours in the afternoon to honor the man.


Barbara Ra traveled from Staten Island, “By bus, boat, and train to be with other people with the same mindset,” she told Our Time Press. “This is the anniversary of our beautiful, enlightening, eternal Malcolm. People come because of his sincerity, his dedication to the cause and his people collectively.”


As the 125th Street marchers gathered at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, Workers World Party’s Larry Holmes told Our Time Press that Malcolm “was the father of the modern Black liberation movement. Without Malcolm, we wouldn’t have the Black Panther Party, and that wing of the struggle. He would be pleased with the world because people of color are rising up–in Africa and the Middle East, in Asia and we are pushing back against US imperialism and colonialism–and Malcolm would be pleased.


“Young people are in the streets, whether it is fighting police brutality, or for fair or reduced fares, or to support Palestinians, or fighting to defend South Africa which is under attack. Malcolm is part of that inspiration. They took Malcolm from us before he was 40. Malcolm was not only evolving, he was forward looking. Just because a leader is cut down does not negate the forward looking legacy. The youth get that.”


A one time member of the Nation of Islam, Muslim minister, Malcolm X became a world renowned public speaker, and courageous advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the face of institutionalized racism, was a local, national, and world leader who was also a husband, a father, and a son. Malcolm X founded Muslim Mosque Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity.


Operation POWER co-founder Charles Barron told the paper, “Malcolm because he was a prophet in his own time. He introduced African liberation to us. He made the emphasis in his last speech when he came back from Africa, he met with Kwame Toure, Kwame Nkrumah, he met with Sekou Toure, he met with Gamal Abdel Nasser from Egypt, he met with Julius Nyerere, and he was admonishing to us that the thing that the white man feared most with their capitalism and imperialism was African liberation, and at that time he was saying to us that we should come together because we are over a 100 million strong in the Diaspora, 50 million in America, 30, 40, 50 million in Brazil and in the Caribbean.

If we have connected to Africa they would be scared to death their days would be numbered. I mentioned all of that because he has to be smiling in heaven because here he said that in 1965, and here we are in 2025 talking about the Sahel revolution. We’re talking about Ibrahim Traore Abraham. We are talking about African liberation and all over the world.

Africa is at the top. This is what Malcolm was talking about. It’s our job to connect our people in Brownsville, in Harlem, in Bedford Stuyvesant and in The Bronx with Africa and the Sahel revolution, and let them know when they win–we win.”


The 125th Street shut down co-organizer December 12th Movement chairman Omowale Clay told the crowd, “Malcolm’s struggle was a lifelong struggle.” He raised the case of Robert Brookes, the man incarcerated in Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County who was beaten to death on camera by several prison guards on December 10, 2024.


“You all saw them kill Robert Brookes on TV didn’t you?” The crowd bellowed in pained response. “We said this May 19th, this centennial, let’s remember that Malcolm went to prison. Malcolm wasn’t always a revolutionary…he said ‘Y’all still in prison.’..there is a high school to prison pipeline that is taking our children to jail forever, and the only fact they have is us in the street.”


Clay walked with the crowd of perhaps 100 plus back to Chick-fil-A, saying that “they just got here 5 minutes ago, and already they are disrespecting the Black community. But all we have to do is stand right here and be united, and Chick-fil-A won’t be here. All it requires is our discipline, consciousness, and love for El Hajj Malik El Shabazz.”


Chick-fil-A’s corporate office in Georgia said it was unaware of the incident but did not respond to an Our Time Press request for a comment by press time.


Chair of the Malcolm X Commemorative Committee Zayid Muhammad told the paper that young people are still drawn to Malcolm X because of his “clarity, his courage, his incorruptibility.”
Muhammad said they will ” do actions to honor Malcolm throughout the entire year.”

Candice Anderson: Bringing Cool Culture To Underserved New York Families

Fern Gillespie
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Candice Anderson: Bringing Cool Culture To Underserved New York Families

Fern Gillespie
New York City is considered the cultural capital of the world. However, for low- income New Yorkers taking a family trip to a fun famed New York cultural institution can be a financial nightmare. For 25 years, the Brooklyn based nonprofit organization, Cool Culture, has made it a mission to ensure that families of color with small children and other historically marginalized families enjoy the city’s famed museums, science centers, zoos, botanic gardens, and historical societies for free with the Cool Culture Family Pass.


“Cool Culture wants to ensure that families have a wonderful experience,” Candice Anderson, Executive Director of Cool Culture, told Our Time Press. “The Cool Culture Family Pass is key because it addresses issues of cost. It gives families a sense that they are a member of a wide net of cultural resources and institutions across the city. So, they feel these are places that they can go with young children.


For parents it’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce your child to a place that they may not have seen before and really stimulate their curiosity and love of learning. As well as experience something new.”


Through the Cool Culture Family Pass, a family of five receives unlimited free access to almost 90 museums, historical societies, science centers, botanic gardens, and zoos in New York City–including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Studio Museum in Harlem, Brooklyn Museum, Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.


Cool Culture works exclusively with educators in early childhood programs in underserved communities. Child Care, Head Start, and Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs and select Title I public elementary schools are sites for membership. Annually over 50,000 families of color and those experiencing poverty are able freely explore museums, festivals, and cultural activities without financial barriers on the Cool Culture Family Pass.


It’s important for families to carefully plan their cultural trip. Anderson stresses checking the hours of the exhibition. Also, be aware that some special museum exhibits are an extra fee not covered by Cool Culture. Pack a bag with pencils, paper and art supplies. She even recommends making a telescope out of a paper towel roll to look closer. Also, to pack snacks.


“You don’t need to know who the artist is. That’s an added plus,” she explained. “Young people have a sense of exploration and curiosity and you don’t need to go through the whole museum, because the museum is free. Look at a single exhibit and enjoy it with your children and come back multiple times.”


Over the past 25 years, Cool Culture estimates there have been one million participants. Adults who were part of Cool Culture as children are returning. “We have a generation who had enjoyed the Cool Culture Family Pass who are now bringing their children,” said Anderson. “There are so many benefits for families visiting a museum. They are creating great memories. Also, getting out of their neighborhood or borough.”


Anderson joined Cool Culture in 2017 and has been a nonprofit child advocate and executive in New York City for over 20 years. She holds a bachelor’s from Oberlin College, a master’s at the New School and graduated from Columbia Business School’s nonprofit management program. Growing up in Washington DC’s Maryland area, she was surrounded by culture.


“There are a lot of people who went into the arts and cultural field because they were interested in making sure that the arts were available to everyone,” she said. “Cool Culture offers that opportunity. It really addresses the financial barrier but, probably more important than that, it signals a sense of belonging. It extends the child’s learning experience from the classroom. It advocates for families to get out of their comfort zone.”


In addition, Cool Culture holds between four and five festivals every year. “They are wonderful high energy events that provide opportunities to check out the galleries, do scavenger hunts, to listen to performances and to make art,” said Anderson. “Our families are primarily people of color and folks who have limited means.

We are very diverse staff. So, children and families can see other folks that look like them. We bring a large core of volunteers to the events that speak a lot of languages. Working in partnerships with museums, we’ve been very effective in helping museums receive families that are diverse.”


Upcoming Cool Culture events include June 10 at Museum Mile at the Museum for the City of New York. For Juneteenth, there is an event at the historic Lewis Latimer House in Queens.
Currently, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Cool Culture is collaborating on the Parent Power Project for Cultural Equity.

“We’re working with a group of families to have a conversation about the importance of arts and culture in their lives to the communities. To really envision and imagine what an arts abundant community would look like,” said Anderson. “We anticipate a request for city funding to support that vision. We know that arts and culture are so closely tied with the community’s well-being.”


For more information on Cool Culture or to become a volunteer, check out:
https://www.coolculture.org

Brooklyn is the Epicenter of New York’s Deed Theft Crisis, But Legal Service Providers are Strained for Capacity

Editor, Our Time Press
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Brooklyn is the Epicenter of New York’s Deed Theft Crisis, But Legal Service Providers are Strained for Capacity

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, NYC Council Brooklyn Delegation, Advocates, and Homeowners Rally to Demand Major Investment Into Fight Against Deed Theft

New York, NY – Tuesday – Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, NYC Council Members and Brooklyn Delegation Co-Chairs Chi Ossé and Farah Louis, and NYC Council Member Sandy Nurse rallied with advocates and homeowners at City Hall to demand a major investment into the fight against deed theft as part of the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Deed theft, the fraudulent acquisition of property without a homeowner’s knowledge or consent, has become a rampant issue in Central and Eastern Brooklyn where there is a large concentration of older homeowners and homeowners of color.


“Brooklyn will not tolerate scammers coming to our borough to prey on vulnerable Black and brown homeowners and steal their homes from right under their nose,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “This investment offers the City Council an opportunity to keep our communities whole and give Brooklynites a fighting chance to remain in the homes they’ve owned for generations.

I am so thankful to the Brooklyn Delegation for joining us in this demand and to the homeowners and advocates who are making their voices heard today.”


Borough President Reynoso is leading the charge to secure a $5 million investment to fund legal services for deed theft victims fighting to retain their homes. According to the New York Legal Assistance Group, deed theft is especially resource-intense to litigate given the unique complexities of each case and high evidentiary burdens in court.

It’s estimated that a typical deed theft case may require upwards of 300 attorney hours and 7 years to complete. As property values rise and small homeowners face growing risks of deed theft, Brooklyn’s network of free legal service providers is strained for capacity and many lack grant funding to explicitly tackle deed theft head-on.


At the rally, Council Member Nurse announced legislation she plans to introduce with the support of Co-Prime Sponsors Borough President Reynoso and Council Member Ossé to require the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to create a website that publicly lists all individuals that have been convicted of committing larceny by deed theft.

The legislation is set to be introduced at the upcoming City Council Stated Meeting on May 28.
According to the New York State Attorney General’s office, nearly 3,500 complaints of deed theft were made to the New York City Sheriff’s Office from 2014-2023, and more than 1,500 came from Brooklyn –the most of any borough.

According to Brooklyn Legal Services, the most common scams these homeowners may face are refinancing scams, equity stripping, and foreclosure bail out loans. Black and brown homeowners are particularly at risk for deed theft schemes given speculation in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, limited access to legal services, and a tendency to lack a formal will or estate plan.


“Deed theft is one of the most cruel crimes committed in our city. It is abuse, inflicted primarily on the seniors who built our communities. Brooklyn’s progressive elected officials are proud to take the lead on combatting this scourge, and committed to the defense our neighborhoods,” said Council Member Chi Ossé.


“Deed theft is hitting Black and brown communities in Brooklyn hardest, stripping families of the homes and generational wealth they’ve spent their lives building. This isn’t just paperwork — it’s a predatory practice targeting our seniors, immigrants, and longtime homeowners. The City must meet this crisis with urgency,” said Council Member Farah Louis. “That’s why I’m proud to stand with Borough President Antonio Reynoso and my Brooklyn delegation colleagues to call for a $5 million investment in this year’s budget — to expand legal services, support community outreach, and help Brooklyn families fight back and stay in their homes.”


“The city has not done enough to stop the increase of criminals who are preying on our older adults to steal the American dream away from Black and Brown families in New York City. These deed thieves are parasites, who are destabilizing communities in Brooklyn,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse. “We’re demanding a $5M down payment in the FY2026 budget to adequately fund the free legal service providers protecting our neighborhoods from these white collar thugs.”


“Because of the multiple scheming parties, perverse financial incentives, and devious tactics involved, unwinding deed theft is a painstaking and complicated process. Bringing scammers to justice and getting homes returned is resource-intensive and can take over a decade. Free legal help is needed now more than ever to counsel vulnerable homeowners, combat these scams, and restore title to victims,” said Shabnam Faruki, Director of the Neighborhood Economic Justice Project at Brooklyn Legal Services.

“Free legal help is also the most important tool for preventing deed theft and other equity-stripping scams because the scammers target vulnerable homeowners desperate to avoid foreclosure – if these homeowners can connect with the network of free legal services providers early on, they can avoid getting scammed in the first place.”


“Every day NYLAG sees the impact that deed theft has on our communities. Deed theft has spiraling impacts on individuals and their families, taking their home and an asset that provides stability and access to financial opportunity across generations. In Brooklyn, NYLAG works with first and second generation homeowners, senior citizens, and others who may struggle to pay property taxes or a water bill and look for help to make it through a short time period to preserve their homeownership.

Too often, nefarious actors prey on their vulnerability and desperation to save their home with unfair and overly burdensome conditions that place their homeownership at risk. We need more resources for communities to protect homeownership and ensure that families are not driven from their homes. We applaud Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso for his efforts to provide organizations needed resources for this critical work,” said Julie Anne Howe, Esq., Supervising Attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group.


“Deed theft is reprehensible and the thieves who scam vulnerable and unsuspecting homeowners, stealing their homes and the generational wealth their families built, need to be brought to justice. Funding for legal services is critical to putting a stop to deed theft, ensuring people don’t lose their homes. NHN and FAC stand with BP Reynoso and our City Counsel Leaders to call for critical legal services funding to protect the homeowners we serve,” said Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director, Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Fifth Avenue Committee.

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