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New York Presidential Primary
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By Wendy Gomes
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Jamaican-American Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and Grenadian Olympian Kirani James are EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American magazine, Persons of the Year for 2023. In recent years, they have been steadily receiving a sizable number of votes from our readers. In 2023, Ralph and James garnered the most nominations. We thank all who nominated someone.
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, singer, producer, activist and “Jamaican to the bone,” is one of the most respected and admired women in the United States. When Miss Ralph sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the opening ceremonies at the 2023 Super Bowl, millions of Americans, including young Black people, thought it was a new song. They were oblivious that for almost a century within African America “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was referred to as “The Negro National Anthem” or “Black National Anthem.” The song, written in 1900 by James Weldon Johnson, was rendered up to the 1960s to open meetings of Black organizations.
Until she came of age, Sheryl Lee may have sung “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with her dad, Stanley Ralph, or heard him rendering it at events in Uniondale, Long Island, NY, in churches and at West Indian organizations meetings in Harlem.
Reviews of DIVA 2.0 are in EVERYBODY’S April edition, other print publications and in the electronic media.
For Kirani James of Grenada, 2023 was not his most successful year. Track and field historians will say that in 2012, James won a Gold Medal at that year’s Olympic Games. But 2023 may have been his most significant year. After winning Gold in 2012, Silver in 2016 and Bronze in 2020 (21), and when considering his years in regional competitions long before his Olympic debut, it was unbelievable that James competed in global premier track and field events in 2023 and won the 400m dash in September at the Diamond League held in Xiamen, China.
Grenada – consisting of three islands, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique – is a nation of approximately 100,000 persons. Yet, in proportion to its size and population, it boasts that it received three Olympic medals courtesy of Kirani James. His victories have inspired young Grenadians, and they are creating their legacy in global sports. For example, the world of sports expects Grenadian Anderson Peters to win a medal in the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled in Paris, France. James plans to compete in Paris, his 4th Olympian presence, now in his thirties; he hopes to give his Spice Island and the people of Gouyave, his hometown, another Olympic medal.
EVERYBODY’S commenced its Person of the Year Award in 1978 upon the suggestion of Helen B. Lucas to celebrate the magazine’s first anniversary. That year, Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago who in 1977 became the first woman of color to be crowned Miss Universe received the accolades. She shared the honor with Calypso Rose, the first woman to shatter the male domination of Calypso by winning the 1977 National Calypso King title, thereby forcing the renaming of the prestigious competition to the National Calypso Monarch. Sir Arthur Lewis and his wife attended the magazine’s 1980 dinner in his honor, celebrating his 1979 Nobel Prize. Sir Lewis, a Saint Lucian, was the first Black person to win the Nobel prize for economics. Recent EVERYBODY’S Person of the Year include Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
Several authors are hosting a book fair on Sunday, March 26, 3pm-7pm, at the Coal Pot, 1466 St. John’s Place, Brooklyn, NY. Authors include:
Pat Chin, VP Records cofounder. Her book, My Reggae Music Journey, is cherished worldwide.
Herman Hall, a recipient of a national journalism award and publisher of EVERYBODY’S Magazine. His two easy reading history books on revolutionary leader Julien Fédon have attracted major book reviewers.
Burnett Coburn was celebrated last July at the St. Maarten Book Festival.
The Skatalites were revered in pre-and-post independence Jamaica. James Haynes, Jah Jerry: Legacy of an Original Skatalites, is a must read.
Claudette Joy Spence, an inspirational speaker, has written several books.
Grenada’s Anthony W. Deriggs, Jamaica’s Keisha-Gaye Anderson and Trinidad & Tobago’s Dr. Meagan A. Sylvester have penned thrilling short stories and novels.
Miss Pat Chin and Herman Hall who are organizing book fairs remind everyone of renowned authors the Caribbean and the diaspora have produced such as Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, Shirley Chisholm, George Lamming, historian Dr. Eric Williams, Jamaica Kincaid and Césaire, Aimé.
“Many local authors have exciting novels and poems but they believe by placing their publication on Amazon it will automatically sell; they do not promote and then authors are disappointed by lack of sales,” explains Hall.
He continues, “Bestselling authors frequently promote their books in spite of their fame. Millions of people worldwide saw actress Sheryl Lee Ralph singing The Negro National Anthem at the 2023 super bowl. Her portfolio includes her 2022 Emmy Award from the TV show Abbott Elementary, on Broadway in Dreamgirls, Modern Milli and Wicked, a Tony Award and in several big screen movies. But the icon is realistic. She understands promotion. She was at Restoration Plaza in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, on Saturday marketing her book, DIVA 2.0: 12 Life Lessons From Me For You.” Visit Sheryl Lee Ralph on social media to know when she is visiting your city. (Photo: Sheryl Lee and Hall. Her parents were early subscribers of EBM. She displays her 1985 EBM cover last Saturday in Brooklyn.)
[email protected] or (718) 930-0230 – VP Records (718) 297-5802
(L to R) Mayor Eric Adams listens to remarks by Herman Hall, Publisher of the 45-year-old Caribbean-American magazine, and Judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix and Corporation Counsel for the City of New York . 2nd Photo: Mayor Adams displays 2021 EVERYBODY’S Magazine Person of the Year plaque and Herman Hall
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro announced an additional eight Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation sites that will be opened across the five boroughs, in an effort to continue supporting newly arrived individuals and families seeking asylum. Eight community-based organizations have been chosen and granted $2.1 million to run these sites that will build on the ongoing work of the city’s first Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center, operated by Catholic Charities of New York.
“The city’s first Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Centers has served nearly 7,000 individuals since opening a few short months ago, and I’m proud to expand the footprint of this important work across all five boroughs to support the asylum seekers arriving in our city every day,” said Mayor Adams. “In partnership with these eight community-based organizations, these additional centers will help support the more than 26,000 asylum seekers who have arrived here in New York City with a range of services including legal assistance, medical care, and school enrollment. New York City will continue to do all we can to meet our moral and legal mandates and welcome and support asylum seekers arriving here, and these sites will play an important role delivering critical services directly to families and individuals who need them.”
“Throughout the city’s response to the asylum seeker crisis, we have worked in partnership with community-based organizations,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Today’s announcement builds upon that work and offers additional layers of support for individuals and families seeking a new home in New York City. Thank you to our partners who will continue to serve asylum seekers at satellite locations in all five boroughs.”
“New York City has led the nation’s response to the influx of asylum seekers, launching the first Asylum Seeker Navigation Center,” said MOIA Commissioner Castro. “Today, we take another stride forward by announcing several community organizations that will serve as satellite sites across the five boroughs to support our new neighbors. Through this effort, our administration will continue to lead with care and compassion and empower our newest New Yorkers with resources and services.”
The selected organizations will provide individuals and families with in-person support — in Spanish and in other languages — including a variety of supplemental services, comprehensive case management, and immigrant rights workshops:
The city’s first Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center — located at the American Red Cross of Greater New York headquarters — will continue to operate on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and provide individuals and families with in-person support. Services at the navigation center and Catholic Charities sites will be available by appointments and walk-ins are accepted in all other locations. Appointments can be made by community-based partners and certain city agencies, including city shelter staff. Since this humanitarian crisis began, the city has — largely on its own — taken fast and urgent action, managing the arrival of a rapidly increasing number of buses across New York City with virtually no coordination from states sending them — opening 57 hotels as emergency shelters and three humanitarian relief centers already.
2nd from L: Candidate for Lt. Governor Alison Esposito.
Head Table-L-R: Joe Pinion, Candidate for the U.S. Senate whose mom is Jamaican, Alison Esposito and Congressman Lee Zedlin. (Photo Leonard McKenzie)
CUNY Interns conducted proactive outreach, reaching hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.
New York –The Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU) held a celebratory send-off event for the more than 100 CUNY Career Launch interns who spent their summers conducting outreach about critical governmental benefits with their team. Interns gained practical skills as they implemented PEU’s innovative and grassroots outreach strategies, including targeted phone calls, peer-to-peer text messaging, and door-to-door canvassing. This outreach was designed to identify New Yorkers in need and connect them to critical City, State, and Federal resources.
CUNY interns share an informational flier with a passerby while canvassing at PEU and Univision’s Contigo A Salvo event in Astoria Park. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
After an intensive three-day training program, interns jumped right in, distributing information and resources to more than 50,000 NYers on a range of topics, from tenants rights to health insurance enrollment to MetroCard discounts. During their time at PEU, interns attended over 40 tabling and outreach events, canvassed alongside Mayor Adams, appeared on television promoting NYC’s Fair Fares program, and used social media to get the word out about various benefits. They hit the pavement to promote GetCoveredNYC, NYC Care, Univision Nueva York’s Contigo A Salvo campaign, and more. Interns also offered free benefits screening to New Yorkers across the City using the ACCESS NYC screening tool.
CUNY interns alongside Mayor Eric Adams PEU’s Access to Care Week of Action, hosted with NYC CARE. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
CUNY intern poses with her Certificate of Completion during the closing ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
Last week, as the students left their posts to return to school, PEU held a goodbye celebration with speakers, a photobooth, and presentations. Interns reflected on their favorite memories during their internship and shared their testimonials of how they were able to make an impact in different communities.
One of those interns was Nate, an incoming first year student at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Reflecting on his time with PEU, Nate shared, “[The internship] helped me to be more open to people, it also helped me to build my confidence.” Nate canvassed across New York City and found that New Yorkers were excited to hear about the many resources he and his fellow interns were sharing information about. “At the end of the day,” he said, “I always wanted to help people.” As he prepares to start his first semester, Nate’s excited to begin taking theater classes for his major, during which, he said, he’ll be applying what he learned in his internship. “When we’re out canvassing, you’re the center of [attention] and you have to be bold. I’ll take that with me into my acting classes as well.”
Another intern, Jen, reflected on her time canvassing with that Mayor, spreading information with New Yorkers about tenants rights and NYC’s rent freeze programs. They canvassed together in her home borough of the Bronx. “As he shook my hand,” she said, “I was inspired.” A medical student at Hunter College, Jen noted how important it was to learn about tenants rights and programs like rent freeze, which contribute to the collective well-being of communities like hers. She closed by saying, “As a community, we should come together and stay together, and that’s what I learned from being part of the Mayor’s PEU team.”
CUNY intern, Jen, shakes hands with Mayor Eric Adams during their Rent Freeze canvass in the Bronx. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
As New York continues to recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, investing in both outreach connecting New Yorkers to City services and the futures of young people is key to ensure that our city gets back on its feet, better than ever.
“Through this program, CUNY interns are harnessing the real education. You are getting a peak into the lives of everyday New Yorkers,” said NYC Mayor Eric Adams. “There’s nothing more difficult than engaging with a stranger. But when you’re doing outreach like this for the City, you’re not only engaging with a stranger, you are also giving them the resources they need to thrive.”
“Proactively meeting people in their communities is a key component of PEU’s mission to connect New Yorkers to city services,” said Adrienne Lever, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), “we’re delighted to have partnered with the CUNY Career Launch program in order to expand our outreach capacity, while supporting talented CUNY students launch their careers. We are sad to see them go but are so proud of the work we did together, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for these bright New Yorkers.”
“Paid internships put our students on the pathway to careers, helping them gain experience and make connections while making money they need. Internships also help our students secure jobs upon graduation, which is why I was thrilled to partner with Mayor Adams to launch CUNY Career Launch,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “The 100 interns in the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit continue CUNY’s long history of civic engagement and I know that what they learned will benefit them for years to come. I’m proud we have a Mayor who has faith in our CUNY students to make a difference and who continues to find ways to engage them in meaningful work-oriented opportunities.”
“I learned that a lot of New Yorkers don’t know about these programs being offered and getting to help them made me happy,” said CUNY Career Launch Intern Noely Guzman. “I became more outspoken. Talking to strangers is scary and challenging but it was a good experience to get out of my comfort zone.”
CUNY intern Noely Guzman poses with her Certificate of Completion. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
About the Public Engagement Unit
The NYC Public Engagement Unit (PEU) was created to develop a new model for government outreach, using community organizing principles to re-envision how the City provides services to its most vulnerable communities. Rather than expecting constituents to navigate a complex City bureaucracy to get the help they need, PEU adopts grassroots tactics to meet residents where they are — at their doors and on their phones, in their social media feeds and in their communities. PEU combines this proactive outreach with comprehensive case management, and in doing so, combats disillusionment and builds long-term relationships between New Yorkers and their government.
About CUNY Career Launch
Career Launch provides 2,000 CUNY students with an opportunity for valuable paid work experience that connects to their major and career goals, as well as the opportunity to grow their professional networks. CUNY Career Launch is part of the City’s broader summer 2022 youth employment campaign.
About The City University of New York
The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving over 260,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 55,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “Genius” Grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background.
PEU staff and CUNY interns pose together at PEU’s Access to Care Week of Action, hosted with NYC CARE. Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU).
By Herman G. Hall
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