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Constance E. Taylor-Hagan Passes

Editor, Our Time Press
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(Reprinted from OTP Feb. 1997)

Holding in their hearts and minds nearly 450 years of collective memory, these six Elders pictured here represent the strength and endurance that has characterized a people who have lived without a crystal stair. They were among the 1938 congregation of Bridge Street Church who left the old building at 309 Bridge St. in Downtown Brooklyn and marched to meet the future at their new home on Stuyvesant Avenue. These 3O9ers, are a link to the past, surviving wars, economic depression, and the statistical evidence of the forces arrayed against them.
As Black History month fades, continue to remember the Elders. They are Our Stories and Our Songs.
From left: Mother Victoria Overton, 97; her daughter Vivian Bennett, standing left; Vivian’s husband (of 54 years) Darrell Bennett, seated; Connie Hagan, center; Clarence Fraser, 79, and Mother Edwina Singleton, have attended Bridge Street Church in Brooklyn for more than one half-century each. The Bridge Street family celebrates its 23 1st. anniversary as the oldest black church entity in Brooklyn, February 23., at 277 Stuyvesant Ave.

 

Constance E. Taylor-Hagan, born on December 18, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Henry and Marion Taylor, passed Wednesday, August 1, 2012.
Services were held at her beloved Bridge Street AWME Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, yesterday, (Wednesday, August 8). Reverend David B. Cousins, Sr., officiated.
“Connie,” as she was fondly known, was educated in the New York City Public School system.  She graduated from Bushwick High school.
At an early age, Mother Hagan was baptized and became a member of Bridge Street at the original location, 309 Bridge Street in Downtown Brooklyn.  She worked hard in the church, serving in many capacities.
She joined the Girl Scouts at an early age and worked her way up to Girl Scout Leader of Troop 304, where she became known as Captain Connie.  She served in scouting for 60 years, helping young girls grow and develop into womanhood.
Mother Hagan also was Assistant Director of the famous Pop and Cappie Fields Memorial Drum and Bugle Corps that represented Bridge Street Church in the Brooklyn Day parades on Stuyvesant Avenue.
At Bridge Street, Mother Hagan was also a past-president of the New York Club;  a member of several service groups including, the Senior Steward Board, the Lay Organization,  the Relief Society; and the church’s elite 309ers.
She was employed for 26 years by the Joseph E. Seagrams Company.
She leaves to mourn: three nieces, Beatrice Shaves and Marion Green of Brooklyn, NY; Audrey Teacher-Taylor of Orlando, Fla.; nephew Carl F. Taylor of Orlando, Fla.; and a host of relatives and friends.
Before a packed sanctuary she was hailed for her good works by the Senior Board of Stewards, the Relief Society, the Lay Organization, The New York Club Girl Scouts (Valerie Carr), Class Leader Linda Jones, and many more.  Goddaughter Cheryl Johnson delivered special remarks and Carl Taylor read the obituary.
Reverend Maurice Douglas sang her, “I Won’t Complain” and “Jesus is the Best Thing That Ever Happened Me”, and the congregation and guests joined together in the hymn, “Jesus Keep me near the Cross” and one of Mother Hagan’s favorite hymns, “Do Not Pass Me By.”
Mother Hagan was interred at The Evergreen Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Services were entrusted to Arthur Brown & Son Funeral Directors, LLC of 1078 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, New York.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembering joy.
Acknowledgement
The family of Constance Hagan wishes to express their deep appreciation an sincere thanks for all acts of kindness shown to them in their time e of sorrow.

Chris Banks Challenges Incumbent Inez Barron on Jobs, Has No Job Plan of His Own

Mary Alice Miller
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By Mary Alice Miller

Chris Banks is challenging incumbent Assemblywoman Inez Barron on her record of jobs and developing relationships that Banks said could help foster improvements in the district. “ENY is facing a high unemployment rate,” said Banks. “My opponent has no plan to bring jobs to our community.” When asked if he has his own jobs plan for the district, Banks responded: “I don’t have a written plan. We are working on something.”
During an OTP interview in June, Banks promised to issue a written jobs plan by the end of July. “We will produce a plan and present it by the end of July,” he said. As of the second week in August, the paper has received no plan. A statement from Banks’ campaign manager Vanessa Hughes said, “The Job piece is ready and it will be released through a press release from the campaign… We are still working on a date… you will be the first to get a copy.”
The East New York section of Brooklyn is a living contradiction. As new multifamily housing units surround the flourishing Gateway Mall, other areas of the 60th Assembly District are overwhelmed with poverty, disease, crime and unemployment. Chris Banks, the 27-year-old founder and executive director of East New York United Concerned Citizens, provides an array of services to the young and the elderly in ENY through his not-for-profit. He is a member of Community Board #5 and president of his block association. When asked why he decided to run, Banks said simply, “We need new leadership in the community.”
Banks has a litany of complaints about the incumbent’s representation of the district; chief among them is a lack of resources. “On the Assembly level, we haven’t gotten as much resources as needed coming from the current state assemblywoman. We haven’t gotten any member items,” said Banks. “Nothing.”
Banks seems to think the district can obtain member items through the magic of relationships while acknowledging fiscal and executive constraints. “The governor has put a stop to a lot of member items, nevertheless, I think through relationships that can be fostered and built through the assemblyperson or any elected official, we should be able to fund certain programs if those relationships exist,” Banks said. “I think through her inability to foster those relationships, the district has suffered with bringing resources in and bringing money to support our organizations that are in dire need of help.”
Charging that suffering in the district is directly attributable to how the Barrons relate to other people, Banks said. “I hate to say it, but the Barrons have a history and record of being controversial, of being radical, and not being approachable. Because of their rhetoric, it keeps people away. And it has hurt the community. There are a lot of opportunities we could have had that could have benefited the community.”
“As the executor of ENY United Concerned Citizens, I built relationships,” Banks added.

Banks also alleges the community missed opportunities during Barron’s tenure. He pointed out the assemblywoman’s vote against the “Millionaire’s Tax” last December, the only member of the Central Brooklyn Assembly delegation to do so. Banks is referring to a comprehensive package of tax amendments that also included appropriations for summer youth work, funds for programs to help people going through foreclosure. That vote was “against the community’s interests,” said Banks.
Underneath Chris Banks’ complaint about jobs is his view that Wal-Mart is an opportunity for the Gateway expansion, as well as NYC, despite the company’s track record across the country for tax-dodging, union-busting, gender discrimination and paying employees wages so low that they qualify for food stamps, Medicaid and housing subsidies.
“One of the things we could have done to create jobs as a legislator is look at the land developed by Related Companies. There were potential tenants to bring jobs to the community. We missed a golden opportunity to negotiate with folks,” said Banks. “Wal-Mart was a potential candidate. So were JC Penney and ShopRite.”
Banks said he doesn’t “want to make this election about Wal-Mart.” But it is about Wal-Mart. “We had a golden opportunity. This would have been the first time Wal-Mart would have come into NYC,” Banks said. He acknowledges Wal-Mart’s “major issues with labor violations.” He said he is “in support of a living wage for part-time and full-time workers.” And he believes “any employer that comes into Gateway or ENY must pay a living wage.” But Banks said, “we must have a dialogue,” as if any dialogue with a local community will impact Wal-Mart’s predatory corporate policies.
OTP reminded Banks that the City Council held hearings and invited Wal-Mart. They didn’t come. And when Related and Wal-Mart were invited to a meeting of Community Board #5 of which Banks is a member, they didn’t show up. “How are you going to have a dialogue with no-shows?” OTP asked.
“I agree. They haven’t been open to have talks with us even though the community is open to talks. I find that egregious,” said Banks. “If you want to come into our community and be a partner with us, you need to sit down and talk.” Banks couldn’t resist adding another dig at Barron. “But the assemblywoman has no plan.” OTP asked, “How do you know she has no plan?” “Because they said no to Wal-Mart or any of the other tenants that could come,” said Banks. “There has been no alternative presented.” Pressing further, OTP asked, “Isn’t Wal-Mart saying no? If you are going to accuse the sitting assemblywoman of not producing dialogue, couldn’t the same be said of Wal-Mart and Related or any of the other companies?” Banks responded, “She is the elected official. Her job is to help the community and she hasn’t done that.” One more time OTP asked, “If Community Board #5 or the City Council couldn’t respectfully compel Wal-Mart or Related to come, how is it one assemblyperson’s fault?” Banks answer: “She has made no attempt that I know of to produce a plan to bring jobs.”
At that point, OTP asked again, “Where is your plan to create jobs?”

Kings County Poilitics (KCP)

Stephen Witt
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By Steve Witt

Male District Leader wanted
While people are knocking over each other to succeed 57th District Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries in Albany, and likewise, it’s a crowded field for the District’s female Democratic leadership position, nobody’s signed up to run for district’s male leadership position.
In the highly Democratic Brooklyn, each assembly district elects a male and female district leader. While the positions are unpaid, they often are a stepping stone to elected office or a well-paying government or union patronage job.
Additionally, district leaders wield power in picking judges, hiring poll workers, and voting for the Kings County Democratic Party boss – currently Vito Lopez.
Often in Brooklyn, paid elected officials hold the duo role of district leaders. For instance, Bed-Stuy Assemblywoman Annette Robinson is also the female district leader, and Lopez himself is both a male district leader and an Assemblyman.
With Jeffries, the presumptive Democratic nominee for Congress, the current male and female district leaders, Walter Mosley and Ola Alabi respectively, have filed petitions to replace him. Also running is Haitian-American educator Martine Gurrier.
Some time ago, Alabi said she would step down as the female district leader. Three women filed to replace her including Renee Collymore, Faye Moore, and Wendy Washington.
Mosley was expected to keep his leadership position, but said he only filed signatures to run for the assembly and not the male leadership race.
This was news to Lopez, who said he thought Mosley filed for both positions.
This was also news to election attorney and longtime area resident Andre Soleil, who had considered running, but opted not to because he has lifetime ties with outgoing Congressman Ed Towns and thought running against Jeffries protégé Mosley would be both an expensive and losing proposition.
“I thought I would be squeezed like a blister in the middle of all this and I can’t say Hakeem and I have any love for each other. He (Jeffries) is very much aligned with Vito Lopez and Vito Lopez is certainly a master politician,” said Soleil.
Soleil said that if nobody runs then Lopez gets to pick the next district leader, and now that he knows the seat is open, he might consider lobbing Lopez for the job.
Soleil last ran against Assemblyman Joe Lentol two years ago. Lentol is a good friend of Lopez.
Soleil also said he represented Cenceria Edwards, when she ran against Annette Robinson for the assembly in 2008 after Robinson challenged her petition signatures in court. Robinson and Lopez are also allies.
But on the other hand, Soleil is a vocal opponent of current Williamsbug/Greenpoint male District Leader Lincoln Restler, who is in a battle to get re-elected against Community Board 1 Chair Chris Olechowski, who in turn has the support of Lopez.
“Lincoln is a backstabber and he’s a future boss,” said Soleil. “He’s of the ilk of Democrats that turn my stomach because they know better then what I know for my own community.”
In a classic case of politics making strange bedfellows, Lopez might look favorably on Soleil for such a comment.
But with an open seat to fill, Lopez will probably entertain for consideration all comers that might want to become a district leader.
Odds & Ends
Speaking of Restler, he has raised over $50,000 to maintain his unpaid district leadership position, and will probably wind up spending a considerable amount of more money in his bid to get re-elected.
Although only 28, Restler, is showing he can be a brawler, and being able to raise money sits well with a lot of established Brooklyn politicians. Among those backing him are Borough President Marty Markowitz, Congress people Nydia Velazquez and Jerry Nadler, state Sens. Daniel Squadron, Velmanette Montgomery, and Eric Adams, Assemblymembers Jim Brennan, Karim Camara, and Joan Millman, and City Councilmembers Diana Reyna, Tish James, Jumaane Williams, and Brad Lander.
That being said, he only moved into the district a few years ago and is running against lifelong Greenpoint Polish-American Chris Olechowski in a Polish neighborhood and a borough that has not had Polish elected representation in decades, if at all.

Diversity of judges in city’s family courts called into question

Stephen Witt
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Bloomberg appointed only one Africa-American to city’s family court

 

By Stephen Witt
Of the 20 judicial appointments that Mayor Bloomberg has made to the city’s Family Courts, only one was African-American, this paper has learned.
That one Bloomberg appointee is Judge Edwina Richardson-Mendelson, who was appointed in 2003 and who works in Queens Family Court. She is the only African-American judge of 11 in Queens Family Court.
Both the city’s family court and criminal court judges are mayoral appointments, although the state’s court system can also assign judges elected to preside over state civil and supreme courts to criminal and family court as needed.
“Obviously given the diversity in the city he (Bloomberg) should appoint more African-American judges,” said Fort Greene City Councilwoman Letitia James. “I continue to raise issues of diversity with him (Bloomberg) from judicial appointments to appointments in his administration.”
James, an attorney, said unlike the city’s fire department, which the federal Department of Justice is now investigating because of lack of diversity, the court system could not be looked at by the federal government because there’s not test involved.
“It (judicial appointments) is clearly the sole discretion of the mayor. I don’t know how many lawyers of color have applied, but I’m sure it’s a lot,” she said.
The city’s Corporation Counsel Spokeswoman Kate O’Brien Ahlers responded via email that Bloomberg interviews all judicial candidates but that it is a culmination of an appointment process that can take up to eight months to complete.
“The mayor has “followed the process to a T,” said Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo in the email.
The mayor steps in to appoint a new judge only from a list of three “highly qualified” candidates nominated for each position by the 19-member advisory committee,” he added
However, one knowledgeable Kings County Courts source, said that the Family Court judicial nominees often come from a tight-knit network of Brooklyn Family Court prosecutors and/or who work with the Administration of Childrens Services (ACS), and for the most part this network consists of white females.
“While there are a number of good family court judges in Brooklyn, a majority of the cases involve people of color and it would be good to have a bench more reflective of this,” the source said.
Although Brooklyn is more than a third black, only one of the 16 judges in Kings County Family Court is black.
That judge is recently elected Manhattan Civil Court Judge William Franc Perry, who was appointed to Kings County Family Court earlier this year by New York State Unified Court System Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti.
Additionally there is one Asian-Pacific judge and one Hispanic judge in Kings County Family Court.
In the Bronx, Bloomberg reappointed the one African-American judge out of 17 that presides over Family Court.
In Manhattan, Bloomberg reappointed the two African-American judges of 10 that preside over family court.
In Staten Island there are four family court judges and none are African-American.
The lack of diversity in the city’s family courts comes as the Bloomberg Administration continues to defend its controversial NYPD stop-and-frisk tactic that has put thousands of youthful people of color in the judicial system – many for the first time.
According to the court system’s guidebook, family court judges hear a range of legal issues, including child abuse and neglect (child protection), adoption, child custody and visitation, domestic violence, guardianship, juvenile delinquency, paternity, persons in need of supervision (PINS) and child support.
A “juvenile delinquent” is someone at least 7 but less than 16 years old who commits an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult and is found to be in need of “supervision, treatment or confinement.” The act committed is a “delinquent act.” Juvenile delinquency cases are heard in Family Court.

– Lucia Jean contributed to this story

On The Right Track with Diane Dixon: The London Olympics 2012

Diane Dixon
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“It’s really difficult to control your emotions when you want something so badly,” Richards-Ross said, not long after she crossed the finish line in 49.55 seconds Sunday night, August 5 to capture Olympic Gold, just ahead of Great Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu (49.70) and fellow American DeeDee Trotter (49.72).  Richards-Ross has been dreaming of winning an Olympic Gold Medal since the age of nine.  In 2008, in Beijing, she ran a disappointing third to capture Bronze and was favored to win.
Sanya Richards-Ross delayed her 400-meter victory celebration for a few moments, glancing anxiously at the supersized results board at Olympic Stadium. She wanted to be certain of the official order of finish. Down the final stretch, Richards-Ross felt US teammate DeeDee Trotter close on her left, but didn’t sense the approach of defending Olympic Champion Christine Ohuruogu on her right. Cheered lustily by a home crowd of 80,000, Britain’s Ohuruogu accelerated toward the line, but fell just short of repeating.
In the Men’s 400 Meters, American Lashawn Merritt pulled up in the heats with a slight injury and was unable to advance to the next round while teammates Bryshon Nellom and Tony McQuay failed to make it out of the semifinal round.  The U.S.A. Men have won the last seven Olympic titles in this event since 1984 and this was the first year that no American was in the final.  The race was won by nineteen-year-old Kirani James from Grenada (and favorite to win) in an unprecedented time of 43.94.  Only seven other men have broken the 44-second mark and all are from the U.S.A.
The Men’s & Women’s 100 Meters are the highlights of these Games thus far as Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce continued to defend her Beijing Olympic Gold Medal and came out with the win in 10.75, ahead of American Carmelita Jeter (10.78) and Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.81).  American Allyson Felix finished in fifth with a personal best time of 10.89.
On Sunday, August 5 lightning did strike twice as Jamaican Usain Bolt became the second man to American Carl Lewis to win back-to-back Gold Medals in the 100m.  He blistered an Olympic record in 9.68 while his teammate Yohan Blake was second in 9.75.  American Justin Gatlin captured third in 9.79, just .01 seconds ahead of teammate Tyson Gay who finished in fourth and out of the medal stands in 9.80.  This was the fastest 100-Meter final in history as seven men dipped under 10 seconds.
When he won the 100-meter dash in the second-fastest time in history on Sunday night, Usain Bolt sent the 80,000 who witnessed his feat in person and the millions more who watched it on television into a state of delirium. Bolt’s feat raised the old grade-school axiom “Wanna race?” to athletic nirvana.

“People were counting me out because of my past performances, but I know how to turn it on when I have to.  When Yohan (Blake) beat me in the 100 Meters at our Trials, I knew I had been slacking.  But then he beat me again in my dominant race and then I said to myself there is work to be done and I’m glad he did beat me because I went out there and trained harder,” he told NBC Sports Analyst Lewis Johnson.
In victory, Bolt wore the Jamaican flag around his shoulders like a superhero’s cape. He did a somersault. He did his famous archer’s pantomime and bathed in the adulation and camera flashes of the crowd, roaring in approval after it had been hushed only moments before at the start.
Quotes from the Medalists:
Sanya Richards-Ross – “I’ve dreamt about this moment for so long! It is the BEST feeling in the world! #OperationGold Complete!!!”
DeeDee Trotter – “I got snipped at the line for the Silver, but to get a Bronze Medal and an individual medal has been the highlight of my career. I couldn’t be prouder, all the glory to God for giving me the opportunity.”
Carmelita Jeter – “I am so blessed to be there. It was a tough race. I gave it my all. I got a medal at the Olympics, and it feels so good. The crowd was alive and my family are all here; it means a lot to me. It was a power-filled final. I’m just glad I got to the finish. I hope I represented the USA. It was my first Olympics and I ran a season best and got Silver.”
On Tuesday, August 7 the other most anticipated race was in the Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles.  Highly favored Australian Sally Pearson blazed to Olympic Gold in a time of 12.35 (Olympic record), beating defending champion American Dawn Harper by .02 seconds for second place in 12.37, a personal best for her and closing out with a Bronze Medal was American Kellie Wells in 12.48 (personal best).
Dawn Harper – “To make history it was great and I said Lord  I am running  for my life,  It was difficult to come out here and repeat myself but I had God on my shoulders.
Kellie Wells – “God is so good! I had surgery this year and people overlooked me for a medal and I think I came here to prove myself to get a medal. And I am so glad I got the chance to make me & my family proud.”
Congratulations to Gabrielle Douglas in becoming the first African-American to win an individual all-around Gold Medal in  Women’s Gymnastics.  It has been reported that Douglas signed a $90 million deal with Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
Good luck to Team USA at the London Olympic Games until August 12.  For more information, please visit:  http://www.london2012.com
For more information or questions, please contact OlympianDianeD@yahoo.com
Check out my blog website at http://blog.dianedixonfoundation.org
Follow me on https://twitter.com/DianeDixon

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