By Milette Millington and Austin Santiago

In a press conference Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson and others, called on the state to help New York City give better opportunities to small businesses run by minorities.

“We are pushing today for changes at the state level that would help us empower small businesses. We see tremendous opportunity if we can just get the tools we need from the state of New York,” said the mayor.

“It’s time for the state to help us go farther.”

Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson, left, and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Credit: Austin Santiago

Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson said, “This is about creating real opportunity, not for a handful of people or a minority. Eighty-five percent of New Yorkers are women or people of color, so this is an 85 percent program.”

The mayor wants the state to allow the city to award more contracts by allowing them to increase their limit “from $150,000 to $1 million.”

The mayor said that for small business owners, this means that they “will spend less time filling out paperwork and more time growing their businesses and jobs.”

He added, “The doors of opportunity close in the city and this nation because of structural racism,” de Blasio said. “The game is rigged.”

The goal, according to the mayor, is “to see a whole lot of New Yorkers benefit.” He went on to say that “we cannot do it alone in the city of New York – we need the state to support us.”

The mayor added, “We will be the fairest big city in America. And there is nothing more fair than putting money in the hands of communities who for so long didn’t get their chance. Now they will.”

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By Zainab Iqbal

Even though that country is 8,929 miles away, the effects of the massacre in New Zealand are still being strongly felt in New York City.

Students, neighbors, and community centers have been holding vigils this past week for the 50 victims of the New Zealand shooting that took the lives of Muslims inside two mosques. Communities and neighborhoods all across Brooklyn have been on edge, many with the same questions in mind: What if something awful happens here? What if we were New Zealand?

The Al Noor school in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Credit: Tywanna Webb

The president of the Arab-American Federation, Zein Rimawi, said that he, like so many others, was deeply pained when he heard what happened in Christchurch, New Zealand.

“I felt very sad like everybody, not because I’m a Muslim, but because I’m a human being,” he said. “I would like to say that we are now used to these things. Every day, you have something new happening. Like what’s happening in Palestine. Every day, people get killed. Look at what’s happening in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. We’re used to it.”

The bonding with the pain experienced by New Zealanders is evident throughout New York City, a place of so many faiths. In Brooklyn there are special emotional ties. There is, in fact, a Muslim school in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, named Al Noor, the very name of one of the mosques attacked by the acknowledged white supremacist.

After the mass shooting, the New York City Police Department increased its patrolling around the city. During Friday prayer services, there are patrol cars standing outside various mosques throughout the city.

“To the Muslim community here in New York, we stand with you always, and we will remain vigilant in keeping you safe—and making sure you feel safe, too,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill said in a statement after the killings. “We are connecting with area mosques and Muslim community leaders, and increasing patrols and high-visibility counterterrorism presence at locations around the city,” he continued.

There are mosques that have hired or are thinking of hiring armed guards to stay during Friday prayers, Rimawi said, though he added that he believes the danger of hate attacks remains.

“If somebody want to do these things and he’s coming in with a machine gun, nobody can stop him,” Rimawi said, “especially people that are praying.”

Community organizer and co-founder of the Pakistani American Youth Society, Kashif Hussain, spoke about how it does not matter if the attack took place over eight thousand miles away. He said Brooklyn and Christchurch have many things in common: Both are diverse, both offer freedom and refuge.

“What we witnessed in Christchurch felt like it happened here in Brooklyn and in our own local mosque,” he said. “You can’t help but cry because like those who died in the tragedy, we were all so helpless.”

He said that despite feeling helpless, everyone is hopeful. “Love will always prevail over hate,” he said.

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By Alfonsina Venegas

Teamsters Local 237 on Thursday held its first Marie Colvin Awards ceremony at the union’s building in Manhattan.

Marie Covin was an American war correspondent who was killed while reporting on the Syrian civil war in 2012.

Colvin worked briefly for the Teamsters Local 237, before she started her journalism career at United Press International, a year after graduating from Yale.

The Marie Colvin Award was created to honor courageous women from New York like Marie, who make a difference in the world.

Today the awards went to three School Safety Agents who fought in court for equal salaries, doing so on behalf of

Cathleen Colvin, Marie Colvin’s sister, is presented with award by Teamsters Local 237 president Gregory Floyd. Credit: María Venegas

women working in other city agencies.

The president of the Teamsters Local 237, Gregory Floyd, opened the ceremony with a few words:

“Marie Colvin is an assassinated war correspondent. She walked the halls of this building. She spoke to many people, some are in this room today. Colvin was a Teamster and none of us could ever wear the shoes she walked among us. Marie was murdered in Syria. She wrote about innocent women and children caught in the crossfire  of civil war.  She was reporting from a country that did not want the true story of suffering to come out. She was in a country that called the media the ‘enemy of the people.’”

Joe McDermott, president of the Consortium for Worker Education, met Colvin years ago when she applied for a job as a journalist at the Teamsters Local 237. He said that now he remembers her with pride:

“I interviewed her and she was smart and beautiful and funny. She liked being around tough guys. She went from the UPI (United Press International) to Washington, then to London. She interviewed (controversial assassinated leader of Libya, Muammar) Gaddafi. Then she became a professional, reporting on violence . . . and talking about doctors and nurses operating with only a lamp light. She saw what a journalist could do when a story was available. She saw that words could carry the tragedy. Then there’s the explosion that took her left eye. Amazingly so, already famous, with the eye patch she became an icon.”

The emotional tone of the reunion got the guests to give a round of applause to McDermott.

Cathleen Colvin, Marie’s sister, received the award from Teamsters Local 237 president Floyd.

“Marie always cared about the people struggling and about the challenges they were facing, and she didn’t make a distinction between children being killed in a war zone and the children not having enough food here in New York. I have three kids, and Marie often saw the faces of my children in the victims of war that she was covering.”

Among the political figures attending the event were Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Comptroller Scott Stinger, and National Organization for Women’s President Sonia Osorio.

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By Zainab Iqbal

“No Contract, no peace! Same struggle, same fight! Student, faculty, staff unite!”

Dozens of CUNY professors, staff members and students rallied on the steps of City Hall Thursday afternoon to demand a new contract and a living wage for adjuncts. Currently, adjunct professors receive less than $3,000 per course, resulting in about $26,000 a year. They are demanding at least $7,000 per course.

“What we need in this contract is to get the resources in CUNY, the people’s university, so that we can serve CUNY’s 275,000 students as they should be served,” Barbara Bowen, the president of the Professional Staff Congress-CUNY (PSC) union. “There is no reason in this rich, rich city and this rich, rich state that we cannot prioritize the education of the working people, of the people of color, of the immigrants.”

Dozens of people held red and white posters with phrases like “CUNY needs a raise,” “7KorStrike” and “United for a good contract.”

The executive director of DC37, New York City’s largest municipal public employee union, Henry Garrido, showed his support and said this fight was an important one, especially since he is a product of CUNY.

“Right here in New York, we talk the good talk about how we are different, how we’re the progressive city of New York,” he said. “We are demanding the mayor and the governor to step up . . . If we’re going to be the progressive city they say we are, then put your money where your mouth is.”

Student tuition has increased 40 percent since 2011. Haris Khan, the only student on the CUNY Board of Trustees, spoke on behalf of the students, saying, “We’re paying more, but we’re seeing less every day. We’re paying more, but there are less faculty full-timers. We’re paying more . . . but, adjuncts are not getting the pay they deserve.”

Credit: Zainab Iqbal.

At the end of the press conference, everyone walked around in a circle chanting and demanding a better contract.

Brooklyn College Adjunct Professor Conor Tomás Reed said he was really proud that PSC is taking a stand on achieving $7,000 a course for adjuncts.”

“More and more students around CUNY are demanding $7,000 for adjuncts,” Reed said. “Students and workers at CUNY coming together can have the impact to transform this university.”

Brooklyn College Professor and PSC Chair James Davis said, “We are here to make a fuss at the mayor’s workplace because he needs to see the strength of this union.”

He also spoke in awe of students who are supporting professors.

“Students are why we do this. Fully funding the university means paying faculty better, means paying adjuncts better, means having more courses, and more advisors,” Davis said. “We believe in our students, which is why we’re out here.”

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By Jonathan Wilson

Former Brooklyn College professor Arturo O’Farrill was one of the latest inductees to the Irish American Hall of Fame. He was a professor in the Conservatory of Music and the founding director of the Global Jazz Studies Program.  In O’Farrill acknowledged a certain disconnect or irony in his induction.

“I’m known for something that’s not Irish-American – Afro-Cuban Jazz,” he said in his acceptance speech.

“But it is true that the most Irish trait that I carry is to be headstrong proud and defiant.”

Jonathan Wilson and Arturo O’Farrill.

That last remark was in reference to his family’s background in Cuba. The O’Farrill family settled in Cuba in the 1700s, according to O’Farrill, and his ancestors became businessmen and lawyers.

O’Farrill described himself and his father, who was a well-known musician and was nicknamed Chico, as the black sheep of the family, because of the mark they made in the music arts. O’Farrill conceded he showed himself to be very much unlike his ancestors, who built homes and hotels throughout Cuba’s capital city of Havana.

According to O’Farrill, the Irish community and the Latino community have always been close. He recalls an Irish Latino band in Ireland called Salsa Celtica. He said that “they just kind of fit musically.”

O’Farrill is a six-time Grammy award-winning Afro Jazz artist. When asked what went into getting so many Grammy awards, he said, “The first time I got a Grammy I made no effort whatsoever. I released the record and apparently it found favor with the academy members and then as time went on every record we submitted we did a little campaign for, but you really can’t guarantee any of those things. It’s a democratic process and you just have to make music that is integral and we really make lovely music that is very honest and real and I think that appeals to the members of the academy.”

When asked how he felt about being recognized in the Irish American Hall of Fame, O’Farrill replied, “Any honor is humbling because it gives you an opportunity to speak your mind and share from your heart and I think that’s what life is about.”

When asked about the generation of O’Farrils after him, he said, “My sons are musicians now. But more importantly, way more importantly, they’re really nice people.”

That last statement of O’Farrill’s echoed in the words of his speech, and also in the soul of the music he played at Thursday’s ceremony.

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Credit: María Venegas

By Alfonsina Venegas

On Thursday, a dozen people gathered outside New York Criminal Court in Manhattan to protest the inaction of District Attorney Cy Vance toward reform of the criminal justice system. Representatives from the #FREEnewyork campaign, a state-wide effort to end the jail crisis in New York, as well as JustLeadershipUSA, stood with banners to demand Vance leave the District Attorneys Association of New York (DAASNY).

They asserted that the association “has opposed criminal justice reform for decades.” The protesters said they were “calling on Cy Vance to support critical bail discovery and speed trial legislation in Albany.”

“Since when has it become a crime to be black, brown, or poor?” shouted Al Johnson, one of the campaign organizers. “We are here to hold our elected officials accountable and to send a message that our communities have been disproportionately devastated by the antiquated, unjust and unfair laws that govern cash bail, discovery, and speedy trial. ”

As the others cheered his words, the African-American activist went on: “Mr. Vance, although you claim to be progressive, the organization that you have aligned with has opposed every bit of progressive legislation that will advance justice and equality in our state. DA Vance, despite claiming to support reform, you have lobbied against critical legislation that will eliminate money bail, and protect pretrial liberty and stop the withholding of evidence and to act true on speedy trial laws. Your claim of being progressive sharply contrasts with your apparent loyalty to DAASNY.”

Protesters believe that the DAASNY uses fear rather than facts to block progressive reforms to the criminal justice system. They maintained the DA should use his powers for the good of all his constituents, especially those who are directly impacted. “People languishing in jail at Rikers Island waiting for their trials, are being abused. They get mentally and physically abused by the system!” shouted a woman standing behind a #FREEnewyork banner.

The activists entered the court building, took the elevator to the 7th floor, and delivered their letter to the office of the District Attorney. They shouted, “Free New York!” as the clerk there listened to them with an air of impatience.

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By Alexander Parisel

The Open Society Foundations hosted an event discussing the causes of and solutions for drug overdoses in the United States. According to Open Societys, the crisis is the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.

“The Real Causes of (and Solutions to) Drug Use and Addiction” discussion took place at the host’s New York office, located on West 57th St. and Broadway.

The discussion was led by Johann Hari, New York Times best-selling author of “Chasing the Scream”’ Jasmine Tyler, advocacy director for the U.S. Program at Human Rights Watch; and Matt Wilson, deputy director of the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program. Wilson moderated the conversation.

Hari is a former drug addict who decided to write books about his personal experiences.

Matthew Wilson, deputy director for the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program, was the and moderator of Thursday’s discussion about drug abuse and addiction. Credit: Open Society Foundations

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By Joseph Leo

“No Veteran is ever turned away,” said Loree Sutton, chair of New York City’s Department of Veteran Services (DVS,) during a budget hearing Thursday at City Hall. The budget in question totaled $5.2 million.

The hearing was conducted by the City Council’s Committee on Veterans.

Sutton and DVS are trying to surge toward in their efforts to better life for military veterans living in New York City. DVS was formed in 2016 and now gives services to more than 200,000 veterans.

“Veterans are our north star,” Sutton said.

During the hearing, some of the topics dealt with were need for housing, job vacancies at DVS, the needs of LGBTQ vets, and suicide as a big concern among veterans. According to Sutton, there has been a 90 percent increase in the number of veterans getting accepted into NYCHA, housing since DVS was started in 2016.

DVS does not know how many homeless veterans currently are on the streets of New York City. But officials said they are “continuing . . . efforts to get an accurate number.”

LGBTQ veterans have been a hot topic recently. Some LGBTQ veterans around the country have been discharged and haven’t been able to get the resources they need when coming back from service and transitioning back into civilian life. Sutton assured the committee that regardless of sexual orientation or gender, DVS will work with veterans to give them the help they need.

Testimony at the hearing showed that DVS spent on $3.6 million of the $4.4 million it has been allotted in the 2018 budget. Department Commissioner Jeff Roth said this was because there was a shortage of employees. Out of the 47 full-time positions, only 36 are filled. DVS told the committee they are going through interviews to try to fill those positions and get the spending back to where it should be.

Regarding suicide, DVS indicated it was not sure how many veterans commit suicide on a yearly basis but said they are “actively working” on getting that number as well as creating a plan to combat veteran suicide.

There will be another hearing where the budget will be officially announced. That hearing has no date currently.

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Brooklyn College Professor Robert Cherry. Credit: CUNY Grad Center website.

By Milette Millington

Purim is celebrated every year on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which for us this year will be the evening of March 20. It will continue through the evening of March 21.

What does it mean to those who celebrate the holiday?

In a phone interview Thursday, Brooklyn College Robert Cherry said, “There is a phrase in Judaism saying ‘They tried to kill us, but we won.’” He said that Purim signifies “Jewish success against adversity.”

The professor added: “Purim deals with entertainment and the embracing of popular culture, which makes it more than a holiday.”

The holiday signifies the salvation of Jews in ancient Persia, now southwest Iran, from the plot by Haman to “destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day,” found in the Megillah, which is the biblical book of Esther.

It came the day after the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies on the thirteenth day of Adar. Along with reading the Megillah, as an observance, Jews must donate money to at least two poor people, and send gifts of two kinds of food to at least one person.

Blessing in the Megillah recited. After each blessing is recited, the congregation responds with “Amen.” After the reading, there are several blessings, one of which is, “Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, (the God) Who takes up our grievance, judges our claim, avenges our wrong; Who brings just retribution upon all enemies of our soul and exacts vengeance for us from our foes. Blessed are You Hashem, Who exacts vengeance for His people Israel from all their foes, the God Who brings salvation.”

There is also a feast that includes wine and other beverages. In terms of food, a tradition during the holiday is hamantaschen (or oznay Haman), which are three-cornered pastries bursting with poppy seeds or another sweet fillings.

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