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Dealing with Grief:

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From the Mourning the Death of Loved Ones to Black History Icons

by Fern Gillespie
On March 1, the first day of Women’s History Month 2025, death came in “threes.” Three high profile Black women, who were political, music and business icons died. The legendary Civil Rights shero Hazel Dukes, who was President of the NAACP New York State Conference, former President of the NAACP Board of Directors and prestigious Spingarn Medal honoree.

Angie Stone, Grammy Award nominee and winner of two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, who also wrote and performs TV’s “Girlfriends” theme song. Juanita Stephens, the first Black female Vice President of Publicity and Artist Development at MCA Records and renowned for mentoring and managing Bobby Brown and many other music artists.


Within the last two weeks, the music industry lost “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” Roy Ayers; “Soul Man” Sam Moore of Sam & Dave; and Tony! Toni! Tone! Co-founder D’Wayne Wiggins. For Black History Month in February, history making Harvard psychiatrist Dr Alvin Poussaint passed away. The “Iceman” Jerry Butler died. The deaths of disco queen Gwen McCrae and Voletta Wallace, mother of Hip-Hop icon The Notorious B.I.G. And of course, the loss of the incomparable Roberta Flack’s death felt like “Killing Me Softly.”


In 2024, there was a profound, seismic loss of cultural icons. Black historic figures who were changemakers in American culture passed away. This included: James Earl Jones, Erica Ash, Frankie Beverly, Tito Jackson, Quincy Jones, Cissy Houston, John Amos, Willie Mays, Tony Dodd, Judith Jamison, Nikki Giovanni, Richard Parsons, Greg Gumbel, Lou Donaldson, Hinton Battle, Carl Weathers, Louis Gossett Jr, Faith Ringgold, Wally Amos and Richard Parsons.
Within two days during March, legendary funerals were held in Harlem.

The music world gathered at Abyssinian Baptist Church on March 10 to mourn and the loss of the remarkable Roberta Flack and celebrate her life. Streaming services brought audiences to the live presentation with speakers and performers including Rev. Al Sharpton, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Valerie Simpson, Phylicia Rashad and Dionne Warwick.

On March 12, New York and national politicos honored Hazel Duke at her Mother A.M.E. Zion Church funeral, which was broadcast on CBS-TV. She was saluted by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Leticia James, Mayor Eric Adam s and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton.


These funerals were homegoing celebrations. “We have a group, the Ausar Auset Society that we serve for funerals that comes in with drums and laughter,” said attorney Renaye Brown Cuyler, co-owner of Sealy Cuyler Funeral Home in Brooklyn, told Our Time Press. “The drumming was a transition into another realm. Their program is a celebration of life.”
“That’s the beauty of working in a funeral home.

We recently had a Muslim family with a service of washing of the body and a simple prayer and then they took the body to the cemetery,” she said. “We have families that keep coming back. They tell me they come back because they felt a sense of being at home. In a comfort zone. We can give people even in grief a sense of family.”


Since opening the funeral home 19 years ago, Cuyler and her partner Maria K. Sealy, have branded the business the only funeral home in New York State built from the ground up by two women of color.


Cuyler has been around the funeral home business since childhood. Her grandfather, George E.B. Tabb, was the first African American to own his own funeral service in Williamsburg Virginia in 1926. “My grandfather would take me to the funeral home,” she recalled. “He would let me go into the display room where families were about to see the body for the first time. I would go to church with him and stand with the body. That’s where I developed my non-fear of death.”


Helping people deal the with grief of death is a mission for Patricia Hunter-Bunyan, a Brooklyn psychoanalyst. She is a volunteer counselor with Brooklyn’s Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Healing Our Hearts bereavement counseling ministry.

It’s under the management of servant leader Dominique Stewart. The church holds grief counseling sessions on Zoom twice a year for eight-week sessions. It’s open to the public for free with licensed therapists and social workers helping attendees dealing with grief.


The first session focuses on Mother’s Day, which begins in May. “Many people who have unresolved issues about the death of their mothers usually need to process that and work through it. To try to get some closure or to just understand the relationship of the mother and how it impacts their lives,” Hunter-Bunyan told Our Time Press.

The November sessions begin around Thanksgiving. “It’s usually a family-oriented holiday with family members who come together to celebrate,” she said. “If they are not with their loved ones around that time sometimes it causes grief, pain and suffering.”


Signs when the grief is overwhelming and it’s important to seek professional help, according to Hunter-Bunyan, are losing interest in things that brought you pleasure, not connecting to people, not maintaining personable relationships and sleeping, eating, and drinking a lot.
As a memorial to the legacy of her late husband Legacy.

John Bunyan, who was a coach at Erasmus High School, there will be a street naming in his honor by the school on May 16.
“The best thing that a friend can do for another friend, who is grieving is to listen to them. And don’t make comments,” said Hunter-Bunyan. “Let them know that it’s a safe place. Just let the friend talk. And they will talk through and get out your feelings.”

For more information on Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Healing Our Hearts
contact www.ebcconnects.com

Meet Carlotta Walls LaNier

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Meet Carlotta Walls LaNier

of the Little Rock 9 – A Book Review and Study Guide

By Yvette Moore
Carlotta Walls LaNier lived the historic and traumatic story of U.S. school desegregation as one of nine African American students who integrated Arkansas’ Little Rock Central High School in 1957. For years she declined invitations to talk about that tumultuous experience because reliving her time a one of the Little Rock 9 was just too painful. Instead, she buried the hurt, avoiding discussions about those years even with family.

That changed in 1987 when she and her comrades returned to Little Rock Central for a 30th anniversary commemoration of their struggle. There, the dam burst, tears flowed, and new memories began to surface. After that, when a high school teacher told her students needed to hear from her, Ms. LaNier “found her voice” and began speaking at schools and other venues about her experience.

Carlotta Walls LaNier


Sixty-six years later, she joined with co-author Liza Frazier Page to write A Mighty Long Way, her powerful narrative for young adult readers about her part in events that changed America.
Ms. LaNier begins her story with context, introducing readers to her family, just a few generations from slavery.

Actually, life in her working-class Black community and family was quite comfortable and joyful with enough roots, love, and income to shield her from the most virulent racism of the Jim Crow South. However, the city built the state-of-the- art Little Rock Central High School for White students but had to solicit private donations for the Black school, which was smaller and used hand-me-down books from the White school.

When the Supreme Court ordered school desegregation through its historic 1954 Brown v Board of Education decision, Central High, which was near her home, became an option for Ms. LaNier, and she took it. Her parents supported her decision.


Much of the book details the daily costs of her decision to attend Central High, an experience Ms. LaNier called “hell.” In the school orientation for Black students, the principal informed said that, for their safety, they had to leave the school after classes.

This meant no extracurricular activities. No sports teams, no chorus, no student government, no clubs. This caused many of the Black students who had signed up for Central to change their minds and go to Dunbar instead. The first day of school they were met by violent mobs outside the school and National Guards barring them from entering the building.

Above: The dress Ms. Lanier wore on the first day of school, September 1957, escorted by armed guards, is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

Weeks later when President Dwight Eisenhower sent U.S. Army troops to escort Ms. LaNier and her fellow students inside the school, they were met with physical and verbal assaults from a steady stream of White students. The principal prohibited them from retaliating and most of the teachers overlooked the attacks.


While black and white news reels show some of these harrowing scenes, in this book Ms. LaNier shares with readers an equally compelling account of how she felt as the actions of racists against desegregation went from bad to worse, including bombing of her home. Ms. LaNier shares with readers how and why she pushed through the daily blows to her spirit and came out on the other side.


A Mighty Long Way is an important addition to the written history of the Civil Rights Movement that may help young adults better understand our nation today.

A Mighty Long Way Study Guide

Introduction
In 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v the Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education made racially segregated public schools illegal. Prior to that, the law stated schools could be racially segregated, but equal. The court’s landmark decision in Brown established the doctrine that “separate but equal is inherently unequal.”


This ruling set the stage for the desegregation of schools the played out in Little Rock Central High School in 1957 by Ms. LaNier and her other Little Rock “comrades.”
Show students this 3-minute videos about Brown v Board of Education. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRYK4RWyUAo

Segregated Living
Have students read chapters 1-4, discuss:
What was Ms. LaNier’s daily life like
under segregation?
How was Ms. LaNier’s daily life under s
egregation different from America today?
Why did Ms. LaNier decide to go to
Little Rock Central instead of the Black school?
Show students this 3-minute synopsis of
Little Rock 9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodolEmUg2g

Living History
Have students read and discuss chapters 4-6 then watch these short videos of Little Rock 9 telling their stories.

Carlotta Walls LaNier speaking, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLN-UhaJzGQ
Ernest Green speaks about first day of school, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk1tTCk2Kks

30 Years Later
Thirty years later on the Oprah Winfrey Show, some of the Little Rock 9 meet some of the students who tormented them at Central High. Have students view and discuss the short clip.
Show clip of Little Rock 9, now adults, meeting some of the students who tormented them in 1957, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWmMI2gEKw

Other Resources
Eyes on the Prize clip on Little Rock, 1957, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISA6B_Pxqko
Little Rock 9 Commemorate 66 Years https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0_T6aHAI0I

Yvette Moore is the author of Freedom Songs and its sequel Just Sketching, both are available on Amazon.com

The Legacy of Myrna D. Williams

Editor, Our Time Press
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The Legacy of Myrna D. Williams

Brooklyn’s Stylish Educator

By Dior Williams

Myrna D. Williams, my grandmother, was a trailblazer in every sense of the word—an educator, community builder, world traveler, entertainer, and renaissance woman of style, creativity, and elegance.


Born and raised in Brooklyn, she grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant in a family of artists. Her mother, Eleanor Boyce Edwards, was a pianist and poet who, with her husband, James Edwards, my stern, disciplined grandfather, instilled in Myrna a deep love for culture and the arts. Through them, she learned focus, work ethic, organization, grace, and an appreciation for her Bajan heritage.


Myrna was the beloved sister of Milton Edwards, the well-known musician, and Eric Edwards, executive director of the Cultural Museum of African Art housed at Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration. Myrna was a straight-A student, attending P.S. 3, M.S. 258, and Erasmus Hall High School.

She was valedictorian of M.S. 258, a proud accomplishment that showcased her dedication to academic excellence. After high school, Myrna attended Brooklyn College, where she earned her degree in early childhood education, becoming a reading specialist and mathematician.

Myrna’s badges from Nathaniel Macon JHS 258.


At the age of 17, Myrna gave birth to her first child while working at Dime Savings Bank in downtown Brooklyn. Even with the challenges she faced as a young mother, Myrna excelled in her studies and continued her academic journey. After earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in reading from Brooklyn College, she pursued an advanced graduate study degree in Administration and Supervision from City College.

For more than three decades, Myrna dedicated herself to the education of minority children. She was known for her innovative teaching strategies, which included an interdisciplinary approach that integrated subjects like current events, poetry, social studies, and African history.


Her passion for education led to her appointment as Reading/Language Arts Coordinator for Community School District 17 in 1987, where she provided professional development to elementary- and middle-school teachers. Myrna also introduced the Lincoln-Douglass Debates and worked tirelessly to revitalize school libraries through the Library Power projects.


Whenever the opportunity came, Myrna would emphasize to her staff that ALL teachers are teachers of reading, and therefore, every teacher needed to incorporate reading skills into their lessons. Her belief in the power of reading across all subjects led to her promotion to Assistant Principal at Middle School 246 in 1990.

She later became the Principal of Public School 399, where she continued to inspire her faculty and students, all the while maintaining a firm belief that every child could succeed if supported by caring, dedicated educators. As a principal, Myrna encouraged her teachers to show up for their students with style, poise, and grace through fashion, believing that the way one presents themselves has a lasting impact on students’ development.

Myrna’s JHS Honors


Beyond her work in education, Myrna was a true citizen of the world. She had an adventurous spirit and a deep curiosity about different cultures. She traveled extensively to countries across Africa, India, Istanbul, Italy, China, France, and Russia, always eager to immerse herself in the rich histories and traditions of these places. She also took a special interest in learning about her ancestry in Barbados, reconnecting with her roots and deepening her appreciation for her heritage.


Among her many destinations, the Caribbean held a special place in her heart, with St. Thomas being her absolute favorite. She frequently visited other Caribbean islands, as well as Hawaii, where she indulged in the beauty, warmth, and traditions of island life. Her travels were not just vacations—they were experiences that shaped her worldview, reinforced her love for history, and fueled her passion for education.


Myrna was also deeply involved in her community. As the president of the Gates Avenue Block Association (GABA), she organized some of the most memorable block parties in Brooklyn, where her passion for community and celebration came to life.

The events were filled with more food than anyone could eat, the best music, and a lively atmosphere. Myrna went all out—arranging for horses from Black cowboys, providing double Dutch ropes, and setting up bouncy houses to keep the children entertained. Whether it was a family gathering or a block party, Myrna created an ambiance of joy and luxury, making sure everyone felt welcomed and included.


Myrna was a huge founding investor in the New Museum of Modern African Art at Restoration Plaza in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, just two blocks from M.S. 258, where she had once been valedictorian. She played a critical role in shaping the museum’s educational initiatives, working alongside her brother, Eric Edwards, to co-found and develop the institution until her passing.


Myrna was passionate about uplifting Black people, particularly the youth, through education, self-worth, and confidence. Her dedication to this mission led her to collaborate with Brooklyn’s most influential leaders and politicians, earning her the respect of one of NYC’s mayors, who personally attended her wake to honor her contributions.


She also had the opportunity to work for many years with the Honorable Sidique Wai and the United African Congress, supporting their efforts to eradicate Ebola. Myrna was also Chair of Delta Sigma Theta’s International Awareness Committee, where she helped raise funds to support Doctors Without Borders in their fight to save African children from starvation. Despite her busy schedule, she always found time to tutor children for free and contribute to Delta Sigma Theta’s Black Book Fair.


Myrna was also known for her impeccable style. She had a love for fashion and a remarkable eye for pairing pieces together. Her skill extended beyond clothing—she was a talented seamstress, often creating costumes for her brother Milton, also known as Boobie Knight, for his performances and album covers. She also designed outfits for herself and always presented herself with elegance and flair.


In 1962, Myrna met her husband, Thomas Williams, with whom she built a beautiful life until his passing in 1984. She is survived by her son, Deryl, and daughter, Charisse; six grandchildren: Dior, Malik, Trayvon, Amira, Dakarai, and Kalyn; two great-grandchildren: Peter and Mekhi; along with a host of relatives, former faculty members, students, sorors, neighbors, and friends.


Her dedication to education, her sense of style, her love for travel, and her commitment to community will continue to influence those who knew her for years to come. Myrna’s legacy is one of empowerment, beauty, and grace, both in the classroom and beyond.
For more information, or to post a reflection, on Myrna D. Williams, please visit: http://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/27062472/myrna-d.-williams

Run It Back

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Run It Back

By Eddie Castro
The New York Mets come into the 2025 campaign with more expectations than they’ve had in some time. After getting into the playoffs last year as a Wild Card team, New York was just a few outs away from punching their ticket to the first Subway World Series in 24 years.

Although many questioned if the core of Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Brandon Nimmo could put it all together, the Mets as a team made an exciting and impressive playoff run until they fell to the Dodgers in the NLCS (National League Championship Series) in 6 games. With the 2025 season just a week away, is this the year where the Mets can finally break through and take the next step?


During the off-season, the team knew they would have to stay competitive to go head-to-head against powerhouse teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the Atlanta Braves, to name a few. How do you go about doing that? Well, you go out and sign a generational type of player like Juan Soto.

The 26-year-old inked a 15-year/$765 million deal with the Mets in the off-season, making it the largest contract in professional sports. Soto is coming off an impressive 2024 year. In his lone season with the Yankees, Soto batted .288 with a career-high 41 home runs and 109 RBIs, finishing 3rd in the American League in MVP voting.

The team also re-signed Pete Alonso to a 3-year deal. Third baseman Mark Vientos had a tremendous breakout season which included 14 RBIs in the playoffs. As for Francisco Lindor, he is still putting up Lindor-like numbers. It is safe to say the Mets will go into 2025 with one of the most dangerous offensive lineups in baseball.


The weakness for the Mets last year was their pitching, especially their bullpen. The Mets finished 17th in the majors in bullpen ERA (earned run average) at 4.03. The bullpen performance was notably worse in the playoffs showing signs of fatigue as a unit. The Mets hope to find some magic in their pen aside from their star closer, Edwin Diaz.

The team will already be out with starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas to begin the season. Luis Severino left the team to sign with the Athletics in free agency, and their Ace pitcher, Kodai Senga, had an injury-plagued 2024 campaign.

As dynamic as the offense appears to be, manager Carlos Mendoza knows that pitching will be key, especially in the National League. Spring is in the air finally and so is Mets baseball. The fun begins March 27th when the team heads to Houston to play the Astros.


Sports Notes: (Basketball) update on Jalen Brunson: this past Monday, the team announced that Jalen Brunson will be out for at least another 2 weeks as he recovers from a sprained ankle. The team will head to Charlotte tonight to play the Hornets. The Brooklyn Nets are in Indianapolis tonight to play the Pacers.

Federal Employees React to Mass Firings

Mary Alice Miller
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Federal Employees React to Mass Firings

By Mary Alice Miller


Since Inauguration Day, Trump has unleashed Elon Musk and his DOGE team on the federal career workforce, leaving chaos in their wake. To date, approximately 225,000 jobs have been cut, with more anticipated.
The layoffs were not reflected in the February Jobs Report, which tracks the total number of workers in the U.S. (Minus farm jobs), their average hourly earnings, and the number of hours worked weekly.


This has led to unease among federal employees and contractors who have lost their jobs and those who still have them.
Some have filed suit in federal court with mixed results.
Many have taken to social media to anonymously express their anxiety.
One wrote, “It is a little depressing to have people say such hateful things about government workers. They need to keep in mind that everything we do is because Congress tells us to do it.”


Another said, “Most of us believe in what we do and have been making it happen amid budget cuts, understaffing, and disrespect for years.”
And yet another chimed in, “I (and millions of others) literally do the exact same job in the federal government as I did in the private sector. The only difference is I do for all citizens, and I get paid less.”


Several took issue with “staffers were told the reason for their dismissal was that they didn’t take the Trump administration’s ‘Fork in the Road’ deferred resignation offer.” One wrote, “You were fired because you didn’t quit.” Another wrote, “It’s all part of the greater psyop being played to demoralize those that remain.”
A military veteran wrote, “I have veteran’s preference, but even with that, I’m so freaking nervous about getting laid off!”


One poster said, “Now is the time for all eligible federal employees to join a union. We must blow those union numbers out of the water. Our only way we can hang onto any power is through our collective action.”


One poster who identified as “a Black female DoD fed” wrote, “Every mention of stifling DEI achievements feels like a slap in the face. It feels like a personal attack. Every damn day.”


Another Black female fed said, “I get it. It’s rough. But this is not our lesson to learn. I am tired of having to do it but we have to and can stay strong. We always do.” Another added, “I sometimes feel like Sophia, ‘All my life I had to fight…’”


A Black Latino federal employee said, “The attacks on our community feel almost unbearable. The elimination of employee groups has taken a deep toll on me. I know they want to dehumanize us, and honestly, it’s working. Worse, they are chipping away at our credibility and questioning our ability to do our jobs. It’s beyond demoralizing.”


Yet another wrote, “Honestly, whatever is coming our way, we have been through worse before. We can’t just forget the past and older generation of Black employees who came before us to get here. We are being called to do the same. I am ready for that challenge.”
One commented, “640 days ‘til the midterm elections.”


This poster wrote, “Worked my ass off the get my dream job. I’ll be damned if I quit on my family, the American people, or the Constitution. I will continue to protect and defend against evil.”
Another poster lamented, “What is weighing on me mentally are the memos, Eos, and the quick dismantling of the checks/balances.”


This poster wrote, “I am pissed about the whole situation, We told people what was going to happen. We warned others, and now everything our ancestors fought for is gone with the stroke of a pen. The actions of others are harming us. I witnessed people vote for him and now they and their people are being hunted by ICE.”


They added, “The government is one of the best employers for Black people, We work local, state, and federal. We are 19% of the federal workforce while being 13% of the population of the United States. The federal hiring practice really does not allow discrimination. Your resume is scored according to the position description. Each interviewee has the same question, and the answers are scored. Baby, you earned that position based on your skills, not your color.”


A Black woman in leadership at FEMA wrote, “This man is doing exactly what he said he would do. Don’t act surprised now. Good luck during wildfire and hurricane season, when you have no one to respond because you’ve reduced the force, the state and locals have maxed out their capacity, and the private sector has no idea how to coordinate any of it.”


This Black poster said, “I am enraged that, yet again, we’re asking Black people to clean up everyone else’s mess. Every. Damned. Election. Black Americans, particularly Black women, do the work. Then the rest of us screw it up and have the audacity to ask Black women to fix it.”
She added, “True patriotism is standing firm and fighting for a country that has failed to adequately reciprocate your care and protection.”


One poster said, “A MAGA acquaintance just called me in tears. He and his wife were positively gleeful when Trump won. He wanted to tell me he is being forced out of his federal service job by the new Trump mandates. He can’t afford to retire and thinks he won’t be easily employable at age 66. Cry me a river.”


Another wrote, “Had an obnoxious MAGA acquaintance two days ago whining on FB that they were going to lose their job because of the DOGE cuts (they work for a federal contractor). And they were begging for help.” The poster added, “Every single person was saying something to the effect of, ‘No, we warned you, you voted for this, you deal with it.’”


Another wrote of a Project 2025 plan to issue reports “loaded with language meant to anger a base and make them feel like firing federal workers is justified. Especially since they just purged a lot of information that could be used to research facts independently. Stay vigilant and stay strong.”


One poster suggested, “If a member of the public complains about the level of timely service, it’s totally ok to tell them that your agency is understaffed and to please contact their congressional representative(s) to file a complaint about poor service levels due to a lack of staffing.”

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