the New York “Arming Black Millennials

With Information"

N B A
“Arming Black Millennials with Information" 75 Cents
Vol. 27 No. 31 August 6 – August 12, 2020 website: NewYorkBeacon.com

IN SOLIDARITY

At the restart of the NBA season, the NBA makes a major statement
about social justice, racial equality and the right to peacefully protest, as
players, coach and staff all took a knee for the National Anthem, page 3
 2 Calls grow for Republican
Alabama State Rep to resign
after celebrating the birthday
of KKK leader
A
Newyorkbeacon.com
labama State Rep. Will
Dismukes (R-Pratt-
ville) recently posted on
Facebook that he had a “great
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
time” celebrating the birthday
of Confederate General and
Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan
Bedford Forrest.
According to AL, the Al-
abama Democratic Party has
called on Dismukes to resign
from office. This is the second
time the party has called on
Dismukes to resign, the first
being in late June when Dis-
mukes advocated for the state
to continue funding the Con-
federate Memorial Park. Dis-
mukes is a chaplain for the
Prattville Dragoons, a chapter
of the Sons of the Confederacy,
and gave the invocation for
the event, held at Fort Dixie
in Selma, Ala. A picture post-
ed by Dismukes shows him
standing behind a podium with
a Confederate flag and portrait
of Forrest behind him.
  Alabama Democratic Par-
ty Executive Director Wade
Perry has labeled Dismukes
an “extremist” that is “unfit to
hold office” as a result of the
incident, AL notes. “Will Dis-
mukes has demonstrated yet
again why he is unfit to hold
public office. Americans don’t
celebrate racists or traitors. Na-
than Bedford Forrest was both.
Cedric Richmond to William
Barr: Keep John Lewis’
name out of your mouth
Newyorkbeacon.com
“O
n behalf of the
Department of Jus-
tice, I want to pay
my respects to your colleague
John Lewis, an indomitable
champion of civil rights and
the rule of law,” Barr said.
Barr ― who later said that
“violent rioters and anarchists”
had “hijacked” protests ― also
emphasized Lewis’ “unwav-
ering commitment to nonvi-
olence.”
   Democrats were in no
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And a founder of the Klan. The
Alabama Democratic Party
renews our call for Dismukes
to resign. It’s 2020 and it’s time
for racial extremists like Will
Dismukes to go away,” Perry
said in a statement.
Alabama Republican Party
Chairwoman Terry Lathan
has said that it should be up
to the voters to decide what
happens to Dismukes while
also condemning the post. “It
is one thing to honor one’s
Southern heritage, however,
it is completely another issue
to specifically commemorate
the leader of an organization
with an indisputable history
of unconscionable actions
and atrocities toward Afri-
can-Americans,” Lathan said.
mood for flimsy shows of
bipartisan niceties. During the
hearing, they hammered Barr
on issues of racial justice and
his willingness to politicize the
Department of Justice to ben-
efit President Donald Trump.  marks, donors and others who
“When you all came here
and brought your top staff, you
brought no Black people. That,
sir, is systematic racism,” Rep.
Cedric Richmond (D-La.) said.
“You really should keep the
name of the Honorable John
Lewis out of the Department
of Justice’s mouth.”
Is the Postal Service slowing mail
delivery?
By Stacy M. Brown,
NNPA Newswire Senior
Correspondent
A lready frustrated with
late, delayed or lost
mail?
Residents who depend on
the U.S. Postal Service can
expect even more frustration.
As first reported by the As-
sociated Press, mail deliveries
could be delayed by a day or
more under cost-cutting efforts
being imposed by the new
postmaster general.
“The plan eliminates over-
time for hundreds of thousands
of postal workers and says em-
ployees must adopt a different
mindset to ensure the Postal
Service’s survival during the
coronavirus pandemic,” The
Associated Press reported,
citing a confidential memo cir-
culated throughout the postal
service.
Late trips will no longer be
authorized. If postal distribu-
tion centers are running late,
“they will keep the mail for
the next day,” Postal Service
leaders wrote in a document.
“One aspect of these chang-
es that may be difficult for em-
ployees is that — temporarily
— we may see mail left behind
or mail on the workroom floor
or docks,” another document
says, the AP reported.
In a livestream interview,
Obama unleashes on Trump
privately as he raises $24M for Biden
Newyorkbeacon.com
A
t fund-raising events
where he has pulled in
more than $24 million
for Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s cam-
paign in the past two months,
former President Barack
Obama has privately unleashed
on President Trump to party
donors, bringing up past ac-
cusations of Mr. Trump’s “as-
saulting women” and warning
of his efforts to push “nativist,
racist, sexist” fears and resent-
ments.
With less than 100 days un-
til the presidential election, Mr.
Obama has laid out the stakes
of 2020 in forceful fashion.
He has urged support for Mr.
Biden, his former vice presi-
dent, while worrying about the
state of American democracy
itself, even making an oblique
reference to Nazi Germany,
according to notes made from
recordings of Mr. Obama’s re-
have been on the calls.
Even three years out of
office, Mr. Obama remains
one of the Democratic Par-
ty’s biggest draws for giant
contributors and small donors
alike. A virtual conversation
on Tuesday with the actor
George Clooney sold out of
Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) told
BlackPressUSA that Congress
had approved new funding for
the U.S. Postal Service and
hoped to do more.
Congress authorized a $10
billion loan to the postal ser-
vice as part of a coronavirus
relief package. Still, Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin
steadfastly has refused to hand
over the money until the USPS
turns over much of its opera-
tions to him.
Reports of significant prob-
lems at the postal service under
newly appointed postmaster
general, Louis DeJoy, a major
Trump donor, has exacerbated
claims that the slowdown is
intentional.
“The Week,” an online pub-
lication, called it “yet another
example of how Trump’s au-
thoritarian rot is dissolving the
American state – and raising
the possibility of interference
with the 2020 election.”
Trump has voiced strong
tickets that ranged from $250
to as much as $250,000. (The
biggest donors got access to a
small “virtual clutch” with Mr.
Obama.)
   Donors who have paid
six-figure sums to see Mr.
Obama on Zoom — he held
two other, more intimate, con-
versations for donors with
Reid Hoffman, the founder of
LinkedIn and a major Demo-
cratic donor, and J.B. Pritzker,
the billionaire governor of
Illinois — have been privy to
wide-ranging Q. and A. ses-
sions about the state of politics
and unvarnished analysis from
the former president.
On Tuesday evening, during
the event with Mr. Clooney,
Mr. Obama was asked what
opposition to mail-in voting.
Additionally, many said the
slowdown impacts minorities
more than anyone else.
“As a small business owner
who utilizes USPS to ship many
of our products to customers,
this will significantly affect us,”
Calvin Harris, the founder and
managing director of Reveille
Trading Company, a coffee
importing operation that offers
specialty coffee and single-ori-
gin by partnering directly with
farms around the world.
Continued on page 4
keeps him up at night these
days. He cited fears of voter
suppression and an effort by
Mr. Trump to question the
election’s legitimacy.
Mr. Obama, who has care-
fully calibrated his public
statements since leaving office
to avoid being pulled into one-
on-one combat with a current
president looking for a foil,
is considerably more caustic
when the cameras are off,
according to people who have
been on the calls and notes
made from recordings.
During his conversation
with Mr. Pritzker, Mr. Obama
spoke about how Mr. Trump
has a core base that “filters
out any contradictory infor-
mation.”
“It’s just glued to Fox News
and Breitbart and Limbaugh
and just this conservative echo
chamber — and so, they’re
going to turn out to vote,” Mr.
Obama said. “What he has un-
leashed and what he continues
to try to tap into is the fears and
anger and resentment of people
who, in some cases, really
are having a tough time and
have seen their prospects, or
communities where they left,
declining. And Trump tries
to tap into that and redirect in
nativist, racist, sexist ways.”
LeBron James and other players kneel Obama calls filibuster ‘Jim 3

for National Anthem to make a statement Crow relic,’ backs new Voting
Rights Act
about racism as NBA season resumes Newyorkbeacon.com

F
Newyorkbeacon.com

T
ormer President Barack
he NBA has official- Obama called the Sen-
ly started again af- ate filibuster rule a “Jim
ter being suspended in Crow Relic” and said it should
March as the COVID-19 pan- end, especially if that’s what’s
demic erupted, and it began with needed to pass legislation re-

BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

a major statement about social
justice, racial equality and the
right to peacefully protest.
The Los Angeles Lakers
faced the Los Angeles Clip-
pers on Thursday, July 30, in
Orlando’s Walt Disney World
Resort, and all players, coach
and staff knelt for the national
anthem, which was performed
by musician and activist Jon
Batiste. Some of the players
locked arms, others put their
hands around each other’s
soldiers and some raised a fist.
LeBron James and other
NBA players protested racism
by kneeling for the national
anthem before a game.
The kneeling, done to make
a statement about racial in-
equality, took place behind
large letters that read Black
Lives Matter, and all players
wore Black Lives Matter shirts.
In Thursday’s previous
game featuring the Utah Jazz
and New Orleans Pelicans,
both teams, their coaches and
staff protested in the same way
Push back by republicans after Trump
floats idea of delaying elections
(Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Sports Images via Getty Images)
before tipoff.
Nationwide protests sparked
after George Floyd died at the
hands of a Minneapolis police
officer in May. Some NBA
players joined those marches,
while others have supported
them on social media.
When the NBA announced
in June that play would resume
in Florida, some players voiced
concern that playing would
take away attention from the
current fight for racial equality.
Perhaps starting both games on
Thursday by kneeling was the
players’ way of showing that
social justice comes before
basketball.
Los Angeles Lakers
star LeBron James spoke
about kneeling directly after
the game and said basketball
is far more than just a sport or
form of entertainment.
“The game of basketball
has always been bigger than
just a ball and a rim and 10
guys on the floor, four refer-
ees,” he explained. “We used
this platform to spread a lot of
positive, a lot of love through-
out the course of the whole
world.”
Kneeling for the national
anthem to protest racism and
police brutality was started by
Colin Kaepernick, who began
doing it in 2016 while playing
for the San Francisco 49ers.
storing a key provision of the
Voting Rights Act.
According to The Hill,
Obama made the remarks
during his eulogy for civil
rights legend John Lewis (D-
GA) who died at the age of
80, earlier this month. The pro-
vision, which is named after
Lewis, would make it harder
for states to enact racially sus-
pect voting restrictions.
“Once we pass the John
Lewis Voting Rights Act,
we should keep march-
ing,” Obama said Thursday.
“And if all this takes eliminat-
ing the filibuster—another Jim
Crow relic—in order to secure
the God-given rights of every
American, then that’s what we
should do.”
  Obama’s support for elim-
inating the Senate filibuster,  a
procedural tactic that requires
60 votes for legislation to pro-
ceed, could spark intense polit-
ical debate with the upcoming
With 150,000 dead, polls in free
fall, Trump seeks a culture war
By Lauren Victoria
Burke, NNPA Newswire
Contributor
election less than 100 days
away. If Democrats win the
Senate and the White House,
they could get rid of the fil-
ibuster to push high-priority
legislation into law.
Democratic Nominee Joe
Biden said he might support
eliminating the filibuster if
Senate Republicans were to
adopt a hard-line stance on
opposing proposals from a
Democratic majority.
The Lewis voting rights
measure is a response to the
Supreme Court’s 2013 deci-
sion in Shelby County v. Hold-
er. A 5-4 ruling struck down
Section 5 of the 1965 Voting
Rights Act. The provision
required states with a recent
history of racism at the ballot
box to get federal approval,
known as pre-clearance, before
changing their voting laws.
ly-tinged campaign unlike any-
thing we have seen before, like
George Wallace,” said Stuart

W
Stevens of The Lincoln Project
By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA ith less than 100 on July 26 during a television
Newswire Contributor days left until Elec- appearance.

W
ith polls tanking and prognosticators
openly stating President Trump is like-
ly to lose to former Vice President Joe
Biden on November 3rd, the President floated
the idea delaying the November 3rd election.
Trump’s suggestion lines up with several
other comments he has made undermining the
legitimacy of mail-in ballots. Massive job less
since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
which the Trump White House has offered
no sustained plan to confront, has led to a re-
cord-breaking 9 percent loss in gross national
product.
Over 150,000 Americans have died during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Infection numbers
continue to spike in many states. No compre-
hensive federal plan for testing, treatment and
funding has been put in place by the Trump
Administration. Trump’s suggestion regarding
delaying the November 3 election arrives after
more evidence.
“Never in the history of the country, through
wars, depressions and the Civil War, have we
ever not had a federally-scheduled election
on time. We’ll find a way to do that again this
November 3rd,” Republican Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell during an interview
with WNKY.
“I think that’s probably a statement that gets
some press attention, but I doubt it gets any se-
rious traction. I think we’ve had elections every
November since about 1788, and I expect that
will be the case again this year,” Thune said.
Early on July 30, Trump tweeted, “With
Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting,
which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCU-
RATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history.
It will be a great embarrassment to the USA.
Delay the Election until people can properly,
securely and safely vote???”
What has been less inaccurate are polls
Senator Chuck Grassley
and other indicators leading many to believe
Trump is staring into an electoral college and
massive popular vote loss. Many fear he may
not recognize the legitimacy of the election
but few have a specific answer regarding who
will enforce his departure if he loses which is
followed by a formal change of power at noon
on January 20, 2001.
“It has become increasingly clear, at least to
me, that the majority of Republicans in Con-
gress and in the White House are an existential
threat to this Republic,” wrote Princeton pro-
fessor Eddie Glaude on July 30.
“Over the past 20 years there’s been .00006%
cases of fraud in all mail-in ballots cast in pres-
idential elections. Trump wants to delay the
election because he knows he has a .00006%
chance of winning,” wrote Ron Perlman on
social media.
“The inability to imagine Donald Trump has
always been one of Trump’s greatest strengths,”
said Republican strategist Stuart Stevens who is
part of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project.
tion Day, President
Donald Trump has increased
his references to uncertainty
around the election results.
Trump responded, “I have
to see” after journalist Chris
Wallace asked him if he would
respect the results of the 2020
election. Trump has disparaged
mail-in voting at a time when
it looks as if in person voting
may not be possible because of
COVID-19.
“If Trump does try to hang
on to a presidency he’s lost.
However, he can’t actually
do very much all by himself.
Running the executive branch
requires help. Thankfully,
there are laws that stop others
from using the authorities of
the executive branch on be-
half of anyone other than the
legitimate president,” read an
article in the Minneapolis Star
Tribune.
“He’s gonna run a racial-
“He’s always over promised
and under-delivered. That’s
what he’s done his entire life,”
Stevens added on July 26.
Trump’s poll numbers in-
dicate he will have an uphill
battle defeating Joe Biden. In
2016, Hillary Clinton lost the
electoral college but won the
popular vote over Trump by
2.8 million votes. Trump’s poll
numbers in vital battleground
states are in freefall and he
continues to ratchet up conflict
in the U.S. in what appears to
be an attempt to drive bring out
Republican base voters.
A Fox News poll from
July 23 showed Biden was
ahead of Trump in Michigan
49% – 40%, in Pennsylvania
50% to 39% and in Minnesota
51% to 38%. On July 26, with
100 days until the election,
President Trump was behind in
Continued on page 4
 4 Ghislaine Maxwell trained underage
Hondurans demand safe
return of four abducted
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
Afro-indigenous
environmental activists
Newyorkbeacon.com
A
Honduran community
is outraged over the
abduction of four Black
Indigenous men who were
taken from their homes by
gunmen in police uniforms.
According to The Guardian,
witnesses say men with guns
wearing face coverings arrived
in the town of Triunfo de la
Cruz in the early morning of
July 19 in three different vehi-
cles. The gunmen went into the
homes of the men and forced
each of them out before fleeing
the scene. None of the vehicles
carried license plates.
The four men captured are
fishermen from the Afro-In-
digenous Garifuna communi-
ty. The Garifuna people, also
called the Garinagu, are the
descendants of Afro-Indige-
nous people from the island of
St. Vincent who were exiled in
the 18th century and migrated
to Belize, according to the
Minority Rights Group.
The abducted men have
been described as “land de-
fenders” by Democracy Now,
or a group of people who
speak up on environmental
issues on behalf of their com-
Is the Postal Service slowing
mail delivery?
From page 2
“It is my opinion that it will
disproportionately harm mi-
nority businesses. Black-owned
businesses often have harder
times securing financing, and
we generally secure financing at
higher rates than white-owned
companies,” Harris opined.
“This means that we run
on tighter margins, so many
businesses will be forced to
either have slower shipping
or decrease our already small
margins if possible, to offer
faster shipping.”
Harris added that USPS pri-
ority mail had enabled his com-
pany to offer free shipping on
all orders. He noted that UPS
and FedEx are more expensive
options and are much slower.
“For many minority busi-
nesses, we have to compete
with much larger companies,
and we need every advantage
that we can get. If I can at least
offer free shipping, then it’s
one less customer objection
that we have to overcome,”
Harris said.
munities. Local leaders said
the kidnappings illustrate the
government’s lack of concern
for the Garifuna community.
According to The Bay State
Banner, for decades, large
mining companies and other
businesses have disrupted the
Garifuna community by in-
timidating, threatening and
even killing activists who
have tried to stop their land
projects. Since President Man-
uel Zelaya was overthrown
in 2009, activists say corpo-
rations and drug cartels alike
have increased their activity
and intimidation.
On July 21, protesters were
seen gathering in Tegucigal-
pa, Honduras, to demand the
men’s safe return in video
captured by Al Jazeera.
“We have been demanding
that the Honduran state respect
Black people in Honduras,”
one protester said.
Local leaders believe
the environmental activists
were targeted by the gov-
ernment. Al Jazeera pointed
out that in 2017, Honduras
was named one of the most
dangerous countries for envi-
ronmental activists by Global
Witness.
Elizabeth Weatherby, who
works for the integrated mar-
keting development company,
Youtech, recanted a recent
move across the country from
Massachusetts to Arizona.
She said she sent her secu-
rity deposit overnight via the
post office and expected it to
arrive long before her week-
long journey.
“By the time I had arrived
in Arizona, the check was still
not delivered to my housing
management company. What’s
even more strange is that when
I called USPS, no matter what
number, what office, what lo-
cation, I could not get through
to anyone,” Weatherby stated.
“I was waiting on hold
forever and couldn’t even
speak with a representative.
In-person, I had to go to every
single post office in my new
town to track down my check.
I am lucky my housing man-
agement still let me move in.
I definitely think this could be
due to the Trump Administra-
tion slowing down the ability
to vote by mail.”
girls as sex slaves, documents allege
Newyorkbeacon.com
G hislaine Maxwell sex-
ually abused underage
girls and joined Jeffrey
Epstein in directing Virginia
Roberts Giuffre to be sexual-
ly abused by others, Giuffre
claimed in a cache of docu-
ments that has been unsealed
in the US.
She “trained me as a sex
slave”, Giuffre is quoted as
saying.
The documents were part
of now-settled civil litigation
against the British socialite
and include claims about her
alleged involvement in the
sex-trafficking scheme of Ep-
stein, her longtime confidant
and a convicted sex offender.
The documents stem from
a 2015 civil action brought
against Maxwell by Giuf-
fre, who has claimed Maxwell
lured her into Epstein’s orbit as
a teenager under the guise of
offering work as a masseuse.
She said the couple sub-
sequently pressured her into
having sex with numerous
rich or notable men, including
Prince Andrew, US politicians,
wealthy entrepreneurs, a fa-
mous scientist and a fashion
designer.
Maxwell and all of the ac-
cused men have long denied
those allegations.
The files include personal
emails between Epstein and
Maxwell, as well as informa-
tion from a discussion between
Giuffre and her lawyer.
“‘It is your contention that
‘Ghislaine Maxwell had sex
with underage girls virtually
every day when I was around
her’, correct?” Giuffre was
asked during a May 2016
deposition contained in this
document cache.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre
With 150,000 dead, polls in free fall,
Trump seeks a culture war
From page 3
CNN’s polls conducted in Ar-
izona, Florida and Michigan.
In a tumultuous year dom-
inated by a deadly pandemic
that has taken the lives of over
150,000 people and created
massive job loss and econom-
ic uncertainty, Trump is slow-
Virginia Roberts Giuffre (centre) holds a press conference in
August 2019. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP
(centre) holds a press confer-
ence in August 2019. Photo-
graph: Bebeto Matthews/AP
Maxwell and all of the ac-
cused men have long denied
those allegations.
The files include personal
emails between Epstein and
Maxwell, as well as informa-
tion from a discussion between
Giuffre and her lawyer.
“‘It is your contention that
‘Ghislaine Maxwell had sex
with underage girls virtually
every day when I was around
her’, correct?” Giuffre was
asked during a May 2016
deposition contained in this
document cache.
“Yes.”
“All right. With whom did
Ghislaine Maxwell have sex
in your presence?” she was
asked.
“Well, there’s a lot of girls
that were involved. We weren’t
on a first-name basis with each
other. I wouldn’t be able to
give you lists of names of girls.
It was continuous,” Giuffre
ly creating an environment of
hostility and suspicion around
the coming election.  States
are now grappling with the
question of in-person voting
vs. mail in ballots. Recent
primary day controversies in
Georgia and Kentucky have
alarmed voting rights advo-
cates.
answered.
Shortly after saying Ep-
stein’s US Virgin Islands estate
was “a place where orgies
were a constant thing that
took place”, Giuffre said she
“had to” perform oral sex on
Maxwell, in Epstein’s presence
by the pool.
When asked whom Max-
well directed her to have sex
with, Giuffre said: “I’m going
to continue to tell you that
they both directed me to do
it. It was part of my training.
They both told me: ‘You’ve
got tickets to go here. This is
who you’re meeting, and this
is what you’re doing.’
“I’m trying to tell you that
they both did, Ghislaine and
Jeffrey both directed me. They
both paid me and they both di-
rected me,” Giuffre said when
pressed.
“You have to understand
that Jeffrey and Ghislaine are
joined hip by [the] hip, OK?
So they both trafficked me.
Ghislaine brought me in for
the purpose of being trafficked.
Jeffrey was just as a part of it
as she was. She was just as a
part of it as he was,” Giuffre
said. “They trafficked me to
many people. And to be honest,
there is people I could name,
and then there’s people that are
just a blur. There was so much
happening.
“Ghislaine Maxwell
brought me into the sex-traf-
ficking industry. She’s the one
who abused me on a regular
basis. She’s the one that pro-
cured me, told me what to
do, trained me as a sex slave,
abused me physically, abused
me mentally,” Giuffre also
said.
Lauren Victoria Burke is
an independent journalist for
NNPA and the host of the
podcast BURKEFILE. She
is also a political strategist
as Principal of Win Digi-
tal Media LLC. She may be
contacted at LBurke007@
gmail.com and on twitter at @
LVBurke
 BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
5

fatherhood.gov
#DanceLikeaDad

6
One more reason to vote
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
By Dr. E. Faye
Williams(TriceEdneyWire.
com) —  based upon her experiences as
B
y the time you read this, it
will no longer be Break-
ing News that one of the
cancers which has plagued
Supreme Court Justice, Ruth
Bader Ginsberg, has returned.
Thankfully, she has declared
her intention to remain on The
Court and, prayerfully, her
longevity will extend well-be-
yond the January 2021 Pres-
idential Inauguration.  I have
no doubt that if, before then,
she should no longer be able
to fulfill her responsibilities
Without accountability, there is no true reform
Guest editorial
By Mark A. Wilson
–opinion—
P
olice reform legislation
has been passed in a num-
ber of states, but none get
to the heart of the issue. Bills
introduced in Houston and
New York City ban the use of
chokeholds. Other proposals
would strip law enforcement
agencies of qualified immunity,
and even going as far to defund
police departments.  Paige Pfleger/WOSU
As a counterargument to
defunding the police, I would
suggest using designated police
budgets to settle any miscon-
duct or wrongful death suits.
Instead of doubling down on
taxpayers, settlements should
come directly from police de-
partment budgets. I would bet
this action would curve miscon-
duct and inspire more efficient
and constitutional policing in
this country. More efficient
policing will benefit all Ameri-
cans, and in this sense, all lives
will truly matter.
These legislation reform
bills only serve as a band aid.
Banning chokeholds is all well
and good, but what happens
when police officers are found in
violation of using a chokehold?
What are the consequences?
More importantly, who will
determine the outcomes? The re-
cent legislation reform bills fail
to answer any of these questions.  murder, where was the ac-
  True police reform can
only be achieved when po-
Editorial
as an Associate Justice, Mitch
McConnell would attempt to
push a Supreme Court nominee
through Senate confirmation
with mercurial speed.
Justice Ginsberg has prov-
en herself to be a woman of
character, strength, integrity
and endurance.  Her judicial
decisions have identified her
as a champion of the people
and a staunch proponent of
real justice.  “The Notorious
R.B.G.,” has been a force for
equal rights and justice for
decades – long before her
confirmation to the Supreme
Court.  I can only assume that
her commitment to women’s
rights, civil rights and rights
for the LGBQT community is
a victim of discrimination.  For
all citizens of conscience, the
news of the recidivism of her
cancer should be met with
deep regret and, especially
for political progressives, pro-
vides one more reason to vote
against #45!
Justice Ginsberg’s deci-
sions and declarations from
the bench have commonly
met the test of practicality and
good judgment.  For me, her
most notable quote referenced
SCOTUS’ 2013 dissolution of
Section 5 of the Voting Rights
lice misconduct is directly
addressed and corrective ac-
tion is taken. Since the world
witnessed a police officer
tortuously press his knee into
George Floyd’s neck, there has
been a flood of stories about
police misconduct. Unsurpris-
ingly, a fair amount of cases
involve police officers with
prior records of mistreatment
and excessive use of force.
Derek Chauvin, a former Min-
neapolis police officer, had 18
prior complaints for miscon-
duct. Evidently, Mr. Chauvin’s
record of complaints didn’t
alarm the Minneapolis police
department enough to take
action. Having faced no conse-
quence for any of the prior alle-
gations, Mr. Chauvin remained
on active duty and eventually
took the life of George Floyd.  accountable for their actions.  Even when misconduct is
Prior to this despicable
countability? Was there a dis-
ciplinary process to address
Act.  In her dissent, she wrote:
“The sad irony of today’s
decision lies in its utter fail-
ure to grasp why the [Voting
Rights Act] has proven effec-
tive Throwing out preclear-
ance when it has worked and
is continuing to work to stop
discriminatory changes is like
throwing away your umbrella
in a rainstorm because you are
not getting wet.”
With the 2020 election and
the prospect of a new adminis-
tration in 2021, the health and
well-being of Justice Gins-
berg looms large.  Notably,
she is one-fourth of the Lib-
eral Wing of the Supreme
Court.  She’s reliable in her
support for liberal positions
of juris prudence.  Her deci-
sions have always been based
upon protections and greater
inclusiveness for individuals
without regard to race, gender
or gender identification.  Cur-
rent administration and Senate
dispositions guarantee that any
replacement for her would hold
a judicial philosophy that was
diametrically opposed to hers
and would work to reverse
many of the hard-won civil
rights gains of the past fif-
ty-years.
Understanding this gives us
one more reason to vote.  Al-
any of the complaints levied
against Derek Chauvin?  prised of both law enforcement
The answer to these ques-
tions is resoundingly simple:
There is no accountability. And
this holds true not only for Der-
ek Chauvin but for many police
officers throughout the country.  clearly not suited to police
Police misconduct has been
an issue in this country for
years. And as illustrated by the
protests in recent weeks that
have gripped the nation, police
misconduct disproportionately
impacts African Americans.
However, police misconduct
goes beyond the African Amer-
ican community as it affects
all races in this country. This
is an issue where anyone’s
civil liberties are at risk. There
will be no real police reform
until police officers are held
New York Attorney General
Letitia James has proposed po-
lice reform legislation that sets
a path for tackling accountabil-
though we specifically vote for
president and vice-president
in a national election, our
vote for them means so much
more.  This is demonstrated
by the election of #45, and his
supporting cast in the Senate.
Many, even his niece, Mary
Trump, have labeled #45 a
virulent racist, but he’s not
the only one in the White
House.  Stephen Miller, the
identified architect of the Mus-
lim Ban and Family Separa-
tion/Border Detention has been
identified as a racist in the ilk
of his president.
Over twenty-thousand
times, #45 has been a docu-
mented liar. I have watched
innumerable cabinet members
and members of the executive
staff, who serve on the inside
of the administration’s revolv-
ing door, lie with the same vig-
ity. It would establish a com-
mission to monitor policing
and designate the commission
to hire police commissioners
instead of the Mayor.  policing in this country.
While these are steps that
are worth examining, the board
would be worthless absent
clear guidelines that enforce
accountability. A commission
should have enough power to
administer true consequences
for police misconduct.  lieves the recent police legis-
Moreover, a civilian board
will only be effective based on
its makeup. This means con-
structing a commission com-
and civilians. Such a makeup
will lend balance when examin-
ing misconduct issues brought
before the commission.  ed to Attorney General Letitia
Police departments are
themselves. The NYPD, which
is the nation’s largest police
force, has faced little to no
consequences for police mis-
conduct issues.  President Trump, and Mayor
The widespread use of body
cameras has reinforced the
ineffectiveness of the cur-
rent system. In many cases,
the cameras have provided
clear evidence of inappropriate
police actions, and yet, that
misconduct has resulted in no
significant disciplinary action
or termination.  rently a graduate student at
captured by civilians, as the
case with Eric Gardner, the
wheels of justice as it relates
to the thin blue line culture, is
or as their chief.  In reflection,
we have generously paid three
consecutive press secretaries to
lie to us whenever and how-
ever ‘the boss’ determined it
necessary. And they aren’t the
only ones!
We should not need a rea-
son to vote beyond our civ-
ic responsibility; but, with
#45’s lies and self-promo-
tion, his mis-management of
COVID-19, the growth and his
promotion of racial injustice,
and, now, the potential for
molding the Supreme Court in
his malignant image, we must
vote.  Voting must be a person-
al and collective imperative!
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is
President of the National Con-
gress of Black Women.  She’s
also host of “Wake Up and Stay
Woke” on WPFW-FM-89.3
FM.) 
non-existent. The need for in-
dependent commission boards
is more prevalent than ever
if we are to truly reform the
NYPD commissioner, Der-
mot F. Shea, comments on the
anti-police backlash but refuses
to acknowledge the existence of
police misconduct, especially
as it pertains to the NYPD.
President Donald Trump be-
lation will only weaken law
enforcement nationwide. As
Congress looks to push federal
police reform legislation, the
president accused Democrats of
wanting to “weaken our police”
and “take away immunity.”
Mayor Bill De Blasio respond-
James commission proposal,
“when you create any kind of
commission, when you create
diffusion of responsibility,
things don’t work.” 
Commissioner Dermot,
De Blasio, represent the essence
of why there is an ongoing
problem with police miscon-
duct…no accountability. Police
officers are able to hide behind
immunity, which diminishes
any effort to hold officers ac-
countable for misconduct. 
  Mark A. Wilson is cur-
the Columbia University SIPA
program in New York. He lives
in Harlem, is a NY resident,
and earned a BA degree from
Fairfield University. 
Florida’s youngest to die from
COVID-19 is a little Black girl
Newyorkbeacon.com
H
ealth officials in Florida
say that a 9-year-old
girl is the youngest
person in the state to die from
COVID-19.
Kimora “Kimmie” Lynum
from Gainesville died from
coronavirus complications
on July 17. According to a
GoFundMe created by her
family to cover medical bills
Reckoning with the feminist,
Eugenicist founder of Planned
Parenthood
Newyorkbeacon.com
M
argaret Sanger was
a walking contradic-
tion.
The founder of the birth
control movement spent her
life arguing that women’s lib-
eration was predicated on their
ability to control their own
reproduction. “No woman can
call herself free until she can
choose consciously whether she
will or will not be a mother,”
she wrote in 1919. At the same
time, she bought into the ide-
ology of eugenics — the belief
that genetics could improve
through selective breeding —
and supported sterilization of
those who were deemed unfit
to reproduce. In other words,
she believed the choice to be a
mother was reserved only for
those who were deemed worthy
by society, a judgment inher-
ently shaped by her contempo-
raries’ racism and prejudices
against people with disabilities.
   Sanger’s complicated leg-
acy and the long shadow it has
cast over Planned Parenthood,
the organization she founded,
is now under the microscope.
Last week, the greater New
York chapter of Planned Par-
enthood (PPGNY) announced
it was renaming a Manhattan
building that bears her name.
The removal of Sanger’s name
“is both a necessary and over-
due step to reckon with our leg-
acy and acknowledge Planned
Parenthood’s contributions to
historical reproductive harm
within communities of color,”
Karen Seltzer, board chair at
PPGNY, said in a statement.
“Margaret Sanger’s concerns
and funeral expenses, Kimmie
was taken to hospital with a
high fever about a week before
she died but was not tested for
COVID-19 at the time.
From People:
The young girl started feel-
ing ill on July 11 and was
brought to a local hospital
days later, Young-Holmes
said. Though her daughter’s
temperature was 103 degrees,
Kimmie was diagnosed with a
and advocacy for reproductive
health have been clearly doc-
umented, but so too has her
racist legacy.”
The national organization,
which supports PPGNY’s de-
cision, said it is also embarking
on a historical self-evaluation,
examining Sanger’s place in its
origin story as part of a larger
reckoning around institutional
racism at its health centers.
The rejection of Sanger
comes amid an electrified
movement for racial justice
that has brought new scruti-
ny to once-revered historical
figures, monuments and in-
stitutions. In a short span, the
nation has witnessed scores of
urinary tract infection and sent
home, according to the mom.
“We took her to the hospi-
tal, the children’s pediatric,”
Young-Holmes recalled, tell-
ing local new station WCJB
that Kimmie was not tested for
coronavirus while they were
at the hospital. “I thought they
would have jumped on that
when they saw her fever.”
   Young-Holmes said her
daughter was diagnosed with
coronavirus after her death. She
is the fifth minor in the state to
die from COVID-19, accord-
ing to CNN. Local authorities
are still trying to determine
how the little girl may have
gotten infected and say she did
not have any underlying health
conditions that would make her
more susceptible.
Kimme’s death comes as
Florida’s Health Department
continues to record increases
in the number of children
there with COVID-19—at
last count, 31,000 have been
infected, and hospitalizations
have increased by double digits
in the past week.
statues torn down, a football
team change its racist name,
and NASCAR ban the Confed-
erate flag. Progressive heroes
with complicated pasts, like
Sanger, have not been spared.
Her groundbreaking work ulti-
mately ushered in reproductive
health for millions of women,
but her association with eu-
genics has also shaped how
Planned Parenthood serves
Black women today.
HuffPost spoke to scholars
who have studied Sanger to
understand how she went from
promoting women’s reproduc-
tive freedom to embracing an
ideology inextricably connect-
ed to racism.
“Always Rejoice1”
convention of Jehovah’s
Witnesses continues
streaming platform
By Stacy M. Brown,
NNPA Newswire Senior
Correspondent
F
or more than 100 years,
the annual convention
of Jehovah’s Witnesses
packed venues like the old Me-
morial Stadium in Baltimore,
Yankee Stadium in New York,
and Qualcomm Stadium in San
Diego.
Because of the COVID-19
pandemic, the religious orga-
nization’s Governing Body
canceled the annual gatherings
and, for the first time, moved
the event to a virtual platform.
Congregations, families,
and guests can now view the
convention titled, “Always
Rejoice!” during July and
August on the organization’s
website, www.jw.org.
“The convention will con-
tinue to teach us that joy is
a quality of the heart. It is
something that we have inside
even when things around us
maybe crumpling,” said Robert
Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for
Jehovah’s Witnesses. “This
message for our community is
absolutely vital.”
Hendriks added that the
two Christian principles that
guided the Witnesses’ historic
decision to cancel their annual
convention are respect for the
sanctity of life and love of
neighbor.
“As much as we long to
meet together, life is far too
precious to put at risk,” Hen-
driks stated.  “Life trumps a
place, and a building. Life
transcends our desire to meet
together. Life is paramount
and we recognize that even if
one life was taken because of
a public meeting, that would
be one life too many. We love
our brothers, and we love our
communities so when you
think of carrying the virus,
that is contrary to love of
neighbor. The principles that
move us to knock on doors
and talk to our neighbors
about the gospel and to invite
people to our public gather-
ings, are the very principles
we used to stop the convention
and hold it virtually.”
In 2019, more than 14 mil-
lion people in 240 lands attend-
ed conventions of Jehovah’s
Witnesses, including roughly
2 million in the United States.
7
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
“Our worship is centered on
our mutual love for our God
and for each other, irrespec-
tive of where we are physi-
cally,” said Robert Hendriks,
U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s
Witnesses. “This year’s con-
vention program underscores
the unity of our international
family and the joy that people
can have against a backdrop of
stress and despair.”
The conventions of Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses are usually
held over three days – Friday
through Sunday, with a morn-
ing and afternoon session each
day.
Witness officials said they
would release the program on
their website in six install-
ments, each corresponding to a
morning or afternoon session.
Many congregations and fam-
ilies have already viewed the
first convention session, which
debuted July 11.
The final weekend of the
virtual event takes place Au-
gust 29 and August 30.
Hendriks noted that this
year’s program explores ques-
tions that include, what con-
tributes to finding and sustain-
ing joy? How can you cultivate
joy in the family? How can
you remain joyful in difficult
times?
A key feature of the pro-
gram is a Bible-based drama
that considers Nehemiah’s life
and how he helped the ancient
nation of Israel find joy in their
worship of God.
Those interested in viewing
the convention can contact
their local congregation or
access the program on www.
jw.org, available under the
“Library” tab.
There is no charge for view-
ing the convention, sign-ups,
or email addresses also aren’t
required.
Each year many who are not
Jehovah’s Witnesses attend the
annual conventions, Hendriks
said, adding that there are more
than 8.6 million active Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses worldwide.
Yet, the 2019 conferences had
a peak attendance of more than
14 million.
“With the program avail-
able online in hundreds of
languages, this may be the
most attended convention of
Jehovah’s Witnesses to date,”
Hendriks stated.
 Health
8

Should you volunteer for a

COVID-19 vaccine trial? Here’s
what you need to know.
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

Newyorkbeacon.com

W hat it’s like to be a

vaccine trial partic-
ipant.
Before you get accepted as

Woman receives first

a volunteer for a vaccine trial,
you will get screened to ensure
you’re in good health. First up

known double-lung
is a brief phone screening, and
if you pass that, you’ll undergo
an in-person screening, which

transplant in the US
may include a physical. If you
get the green light (and some
will on the same day as the

after battling Covid-19

in-person screening, depend-
ing on the trial), you will have
blood drawn and receive the
first dose of the vaccine via an
(CNN) There was one option to injection, Kublin explained.

M
ayra Ramirez says she
was careful about fol-
lowing every health
precaution she could before the
day she was admitted to a Chi-
cago hospital with coronavirus
symptoms.
The 28-year-old arrived at
the Northwestern Memorial
Hospital’s emergency room on
April 26 and within minutes
— giving her barely enough
time to call her family — her
harrowing experience began.
“All I remember was being
put to sleep as I was being in-
tubated and then six weeks of
complete nightmares,” she told
CNN. “Some of the nightmares
consisted a lot of drowning and
I attribute that to not being able
to breathe.”
Coronavirus had taken a
deadly toll on her body: her
lungs had been irreversibly
damaged and other organs
were beginning to fail, she
said. After Ramirez spent
more than a month on a ven-
tilator, her family flew from
North Carolina to say a final
goodbye after she says doctors
announced they were unsure if
she’d survive.
save her life: a double-lung
transplant.
“Without the transplant,
she would not have made it,”
Dr. Ankit Bharat, the chief of
Thoracic Surgery at North-
western Medicine in Chicago,
adding Ramirez had multiple
complications linked to the
virus.
The fact that she was
young and had otherwise been
healthy, he says, made her a
good candidate for the rare
procedure.
“I looked at myself and I
couldn’t recognize my own
body,” Ramirez said, after
waking up in the hospital
following her procedure. “I
couldn’t talk, I could barely
lift a finger, I couldn’t move. I
was in a lot of pain, I was very
confused.”
Ramirez is now the first
known American to have un-
dergone the procedure after
a battle with coronavirus, ac-
cording to a news release from
Northwestern Medicine. It’s
been now nearly two months
since the surgery and she’s
recovering at home. She says
she’s still weak and struggling
to breathe.
Then, you go home and
record any symptoms or side
effects (think: a rash, pain
at the injection site, a slight
fever). This goes on for a few
weeks, at which point you go
back to the trial site for a quick
health exam, have some more
blood drawn and receive the
second dose, which boosts the
vaccine’s effect. You continue
tracking your symptoms for a
few more weeks.
After that, unless you have
symptoms or side effects that
require further evaluation, all
that’s required from you is a
quick blood draw every three
to six months for up to two
years to see if your immune
response holds up or wanes,
according to Kublin. (Some
trials may involve more fre-
quent blood draws; it depends
on what the researchers are
looking for.)
Andrew Rubin, the senior
vice president for clinical af-
fairs and ambulatory care at
NYU Langone, has been par-
ticipating in a Phase 1 clinical
trial. He said the process has
been relatively simple. Other
than the first appointment,
which lasted three hours, each
subsequent appointment was
only a half-hour long.
After both injections, Rubin
developed mild flu-like symp-
toms — a slight fever, some
aches and pains.
“Prepare yourself to feel
not 100% for a day, for 24
hours,” said Rubin, adding that
he didn’t know if that would
happen in other trials.
In any case, Rubin said he’d
do it all over again. He said
he felt “totally safe, totally
monitored, and exceptionally
well cared for.” (Note that in
Rubin’s trial, researchers were
testing various dosage levels
of the vaccine, so he may
have received a higher dose
than what participants in sub-
sequent trials of that vaccine
would receive.)
If you happened to get in-
fected with the virus (say, from
a family member or on the job)
while you were participating
in the vaccine trial, you would
either quarantine at home or
be treated in a health facility.
“We’re paying an immense
amount of attention and effort
to ensure that participants in
these clinical trials who do
get infected are monitored as
closely as possible,” Kublin
said.
But keep this in mind: The
vaccines themselves cannot
give you COVID-19 as they
don’t actually contain any of
the coronavirus itself. A vac-
cine is designed to turn on your
immune system and go after
the virus if you are exposed.
Rubin said he got involved
because he wanted to give back
to all the health care workers
on the front lines who’ve
been battling COVID-19 and
putting their own lives at risk.
“I wanted to be able to say I
contributed to the effort to stop
this crisis,” he said.
Volunteers do get compen-
sated for their time. Kublin
said most trials pay about $50
per appointment, which can
amount to anywhere from $500
to $1,200 for the full trial.

Subscribe to the New York Beacon 405

Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York,
NY 10174. $35.00 per year 212-213-8585
www.newyorkbeacon.com
 International
9

French cathedral fire set by asylum

seeker, prosecutor says
(GIN) – of locking up when he lit three contain the Nantes blaze after

A
fires:  two on cathedral organs just two hours and save the
fire that consumed a and one on an electrical box. cathedral’s main structure.

BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

famed church organ
which dated from 1621
and had survived the French
Revolution and the bombard-
ment in World War II was
set by an asylum seeker from
Rwanda, according to a lawyer
for the suspect.
  “My client has cooperat-
ed,” lawyer Quentin Chabert
told the Presse-Ocean news-
paper on Sunday, without
elaborating on motives for
attempting to burn down the
Cathedral of Saint Peter and
  He was taken in for ques-
tioning the day after the fire but
released without charge, with
the cathedral’s rector saying,
“I trust him like I trust all the
helpers.”
  But Nantes prosecutor
Pierre Sennes said in a state-
ment that the suspect was
re-arrested after unspecified
new evidence had been ac-
quired. He has been charged
with “destruction and damage
by fire” and faces up to 10
years in prison and 150,000
However priceless artefacts
and paintings were lost, includ-
ing a work by the 19th-centu-
ry artist Hippolyte Flandrin
and stained glass windows
that contained remnants of
16th-century glass.
 Work on the cathedral Crisis in the Zimbabwean
began in 1434 and continued
over the following centuries
until 1891.
government endangers
  It had already been dam-
aged by a more serious fire in
freedom of expression
1972, when officials added
concrete reinforcements while By Viviane Faver   In a video shared on Twit-

Saint Paul.
  “He bitterly regrets his ac-
tions ... My client is consumed
with remorse,” Chabert said.
  The 39 year old Rwandese
whose name was not made
public was a church volunteer
at the Gothic cathedral in
Nantes, western France. He
had been tasked with the job
euros ($175,000) in fines.
  “He admitted during his
first appearance for question-
ing before the investigating
judge that he set three fires
in the cathedral: at the main
organ, the smaller organ, and
the electrical panel,” Sennes
told Presse-Ocean on Sunday.
  Firefighters were able to
redoing the roof over the next
13 years.
  The French government
said it will ensure the cathe-
dral’s restoration, though few
elements of the main organ
are likely to be saved, said
Philippe Charron, head of the
regional DRAC state heritage
agency.
S
ter, Chin’ono’s lawyer, Be-
pecial to the New York atrice Mtetwa, said the police
Beacon entered Chin’ono’s apartment
Investigative journalist by breaking a patio door and
Hopewell Chin’ono was arrest- kidnapping her client without
ed this week by Zimbabwean a warrant.
officials. In his latest job, he    According to Amnesty
helped unravel a network of International and the United
corruption that led to the resig- Nations High Commissioner
nation of a government Health for Human Rights, the Zimba-
Minister Obadiah Moyo, for bwean government uses state
allegedly profiting from coro- security forces to silence and
navirus’s essential supplies intimidate its critics.
that overcharges cost the gov-   “The Hopewell Chin’ono
ernment $60 million.  and Jacob Ngarivhume pris-
  Minister Moyo was freed ons designed to intimidate
on bail and scheduled to appear and send a scary message to
in court this Friday, July 31.  journalists, whistleblowers,
The anti-graft commission and activists who call attention
concluded that he illegally to matters of public interest
awarded the contract to a in Zimbabwe,” said Deprose
company based in the United Muchena, director of Amnesty
Arab Emirates to provide per- for East and Southern Africa in
sonal protective equipment and a statement.
COVID-19 test kits.   Due to the economic crisis
     The journalist, Chin’ono, in recent months, there has
was also charged and arrested been an increase in govern-
last week with opposition ment critics’ repression and
leader Jacob Ngarivhume for kidnapping. Many detainees
encouraging citizens to “par- were beaten, humiliated, or
ticipate in public violence” threatened, and several were
during protests. Both denied instructed not to criticize the
the government’s accusations.  government.

Mass graves found in Sudan; army officers killed under

order of Al-Bashir among the dead
By Victor Trammell forensic procedures would be deposed president about the 28

T
he national public prose-
cutor who serves one of
Africa’s most war-torn
countries in world history re-
cently announced a horrifying
discovery.
According to a Monday
(July 27) report by the Irish
Times, Sudan’s public prose-
cutor confirmed last Thursday
(July 23) that a mass grave was
discovered, which contained
the dead bodies of 28 Suda-
nese army officers. The mass
grave was uncovered not far
from Sudan’s capital city of
Khartoum.
The Sudanese officers are
believed to have been killed
in 1990 under the direct order
of Omar Al-Bashir (pictured),
Sudan’s ousted president. The
officers were executed and
buried in a formerly top-secret
Dabanga Sudan
site following a rapid military
trial, which took place after Al-
Bashir seized power in a 1989
military coup.
likely the graveyard where
the bodies of the officers who
were killed and buried in a
brutal manner,” said Sudan’s
public prosecutor in an official
statement.
Twenty-three field experts
worked for three weeks at the
site where the mass grave was
discovered. Sudan’s public
prosecutor also stated that
additional investigative and
undertaken regarding this case
in the near future.
“The families of these of-
ficers who were executed will
see that such crimes will not
pass without a just trial,” the
public prosecutor also said.
Al-Bashir, 76, made a court
appearance last Tuesday (July
21) at a hearing where his trial
was scheduled to begin. The
once-feared dictator faces
charges related to the force-
ful 1989 coup that began his
30-year reign of terror in Su-
dan. Al-Bashir (the so-called
“Butcher of Khartoum”) faces
the death penalty in a Sudanese
court if he is convicted of his
crimes.
In April 2019, Al-Bashir
was ejected from his throne of
bones after months of unrelent-
ing protests. Sudan’s public
prosecutor has questioned the
dead officers but no word has
been heard from Al-Bashir’s
attorneys. The public prosecu-
tor has also been tight-lipped
about the details surrounding
Al-Bashir’s questioning while
in custody.
In June 2020, another
mass grave was previously
discovered in Sudan, accord-
ing to its public prosecutor.
These bodies were found just
east of Khartoum at a sepa-
rate burial site. The public
prosecutor stated authorities
believe that the bodies were
those of dead Sudanese stu-
dents who were presumed to
be killed in 1998.
Allegedly, the students were
brutally murdered after trying
to abandon their military duty
at a Sudanese Army training
camp, the public prosecutor
said.

10
Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation appoints Tonya
Veasey new CEO
Newyorkbeacon.com
E
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
arlier this month, the
Congressional Black
Caucus Foundation
(CBCF), a non-partisan non-
profit and educational insti-
tute focused on advancing
the global Black community,
announced Tonya Veasey as
its new president and CEO.
Her hope is to create a frame-
work to guide the community
through these tumultuous po-
litical times.
After running her own busi-
nesses for over 14 years, Vea-
sey sees her appointment as a
natural progression given her
connections and work with
the foundation. “My husband
is actually a member of Con-
gress, so for a while I was
heavily involved in the spouses
organization [and] served on
the [CDCF] board,” Veasey
said in an interview with Black
Enterprise.
   “Our [current] board
chair, [Congressman Cedric
Richmond,] said, ‘You could
you step in on an interim basis
and help us really assess what
do we need to do to move the
foundation forward to build
a strong infrastructure.’ So, I
did that for about four months
and really enjoyed the work…I
knew the team, so I wasn’t a
stranger coming in. I not only
know the members, but I also
know our internal team as well
as a lot of our sponsors and
partners, [so] it was a great
Malik B, founding
member of The Roots,
has died at 47
L
OS ANGELES (AP) —
Malik B, a rapper and
founding member of The
Roots, has died. He was 47.
The group announced the
death of the Philadelphia-born
emcee in a social media post
Wednesday. The cause of death
was not released.
Malik B, whose real name
is Malik Abdul Basit, was
a major contributor to the
group, which includes Ahmir
“Questlove” Thompson and
Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter.
He appeared on four albums
before departing the group in
1999. The group won its first
Grammy the following year.
The Roots, who also per-
form as the house band on Jim-
my Fallon’s “Tonight Show,”
paid homage to Malik B for his
rap talents and faith.
   “We regretfully inform
you of the passing of our be-
loved brother and long- time
Roots member Malik Abdul
Basit,” the group said on Twit-
Culture
opportunity.”
In a time where public poli-
cy around Black issues is more
critical than ever with the up-
coming elections, Veasey plans
to use her leadership skills to
shape new initiatives to move
the foundation forward.
“I think we have an [unique]
opportunity…because people
are at home and we are starting
to do more virtual programs. I
think we have an opportunity
to connect with our community
in a much broader way,” she
explains.
“[We believe] that what
we know is best and then it’s
time for us to really listen and
make sure that we are aligned
[with] amazing energy with
our younger brothers and sis-
ters that are out here…I am
[currently launching] a nation-
al racial equity initiative and
I’m very excited about [it].
That was really in response to
what we are currently facing
in society.”
ter. “May he be remembered
for his devotion to Islam and
innovation as one of the most
gifted MCs of all time. We ask
that you please respect his fam-
ily in our time of mourning.”
Malik B returned as a fea-
tured guest on the group’s 2006
album “Game Theory” and
“Rising Down” in 2008. As
a solo artist, he released two
studio albums named “Street
Assault” and “Unpredictable.”
When art represents life
By Viviane Faver
O ne of the most exten-
sive African Ameri-
can art galleries in the
United States, the ZuCot Gal-
lery in Atlanta, announced
this week an exhibition by
Chukes, one of the most dy-
namic artists in the country
in mixed media, painting,
and sculpture. Using music
as inspiration, he creates his
works combining his visions
with musical rhythms to
sculpt what he hears through
creative influences like Earth,
Wind and Fire, Miles Davis,
and George Clinton and the
Funk Parliament.
In an exclusive interview
with the New York Beacon,
Chukes told us the majority
of the art pieces come from
the Identity Theft exhibit at
the beginning of 2016 and
some date earlier than that.
“Initially, I created this work
as a protest against television
brutality and the murders of
black people. The work in this
exhibition is my artistic rep-
resentation of what happens
when people are stripped of
their indigenous identity and
re-educate a dishonest story
with an incorrect version of
the past and present injus-
tices”, says Chukes.
The story was used against
the black community as a
weapon of self-destruction,
according to the artist. Be-
cause of this, he changes
his creative work direction,
which no longer focuses on
hatred and ignorance of kill-
ing darker-skinned people.
“Our existence on this planet
depends on our perceptions
of each other. The art in this
exhibition is my truth, and
that truth must begin to be
re-taught”, explains the artist.
When the New York Bea-
con asked if this moment of
crisis is influencing his work,
Chukes explained that the
racial tension that the world
is facing today is not new to
him. He has seen and experi-
enced it all his life. “I didn’t
become immune; I just took
enough!”
  Since the beginning of
his artistic career, which
spans more than 35 years, he
has always included world
events, negative or positive,
in his creations. “My art feeds
the energies of the world as
they affect my emotions. If
I don’t create how I feel, my
art will have no life! I use
music and nature as an influ-
ence on my art because they
inform me of the beauty in
it. Life is also the terror that
is destroying our planet. It
is of great importance to me
that I create art that sends a
positive message and warns
of the destructive path that
leads to nothing but a void of
despair. Nobody wins in war,
for can’t people see that?”
reflects Chukes.
The beginning of Chukes
artistic career was marked
by self-determination and
focus.  The first step was to
find a place to create, then I
built a relationship with his
materials used for creation,
and when he felt comfortable
enough with the work he was
creating, he looked for the
right people to represent and
commercialize his art.
It was not easy, and this
process took years to find.
“The reality of becoming an
artist is full of pitfalls, set-
backs, and disappointments.
I had to fight for all the neg-
ativity that tried to confine
me or silence my creative
voice. Later on, I realized that
everything I went through to
become the artist that I am
today was a test of my con-
victions. The last and longest
time was to finish my univer-
sity education. I felt that I
received extraordinary gifts
and wanted to take the steps
that I considered necessary to
be a complete artist without
excuses.”
The challenge for the artist
now is to reach the world with
his art, sending a creative
message that tells the truth.
He says he wants to heal the
world from terrible wounds
and believes that art can do
that, and also wants to leave
a legacy that inspires others
to express their creative voice
in search of positive change.
  For this future exhibition,
he hopes that people who see
his work will share or connect
with his artistic creations to
find their own voice.
“If we don’t speak now
and start telling the truth
about our history and the
greatness that we, as blacks,
have contributed to our
world, our voices will never
flock in the future. I create art
to teach, that has always been
my philosophy. Start teaching
the truth: we live a lie for a
long time!”
For this special exhibi-
tion, Chukes favorites in-
clude Statue of Limitations,
Unarmed, Target Practice,
Brotha and Sista, and Sublim-
inal Man, and two new works
titled Protector of the Next
Generation and The Answer.
“I would not say the Por-
trait of a Nigger is my fa-
vorite piece, but I do think it
encompasses the entire body
of the Identity Theft exhibit.
You see a wooden picture
frame, lifeless with nothing
inside it. When you call an-
other Black person, Nigger,
you are truly saying that they
don’t exist! As a Black man,
I didn’t come from a planet,
continent, state, city, town,
or tribe called nigger! Did
you? For all those who want
to justify calling another
Black person Nigger as if
it is some loving title, why
not go all the way with it
and play your nigger-card by
changing your name to Nig-
ger. To make sure you pass
down your God-given right
to use Nigger as a represen-
tation of so many lost and
unknowing souls, try this:
When your sons or daughters
bring a newborn baby into
the world, demand an iron
fist that they name their child
Nigger! See how far that will
take that family’s and child’s
life! If the Black race is to
be seen as part of the human
race, the lifeless title of Nig-
ger must be erased from our
vocabulary.”
    His work has appeared
in many galleries around the
world – from the Boribana
Museum in Senegal, West
Africa, to the Hearne Fine
Art Gallery in Little Rock,
Arkansas, to the Skirball
Cultural Center in Los An-
geles and Oprah Winfrey’s O
Magazine. 
Collectors of his art in-
clude the likes of Archbishop
Desmond Tutu, advertising
mogul Carol H. Williams, and
actress CCH Pounder
 Wednesday's Woman
Nona Hendryx to host global, multi-platform
virtual event for 'Radical Healing' with JASS
I n the spirit of powerful
political activists such as
singer/songwriters Nina
Simone and Joni Mitchell,
Nona Hendryx tackles social
issues, love and politics with
a smoky vocal tessitura some-
where between funk and the
end of the stratosphere. Noting
that women’s role at the fore-
front of many movements has
been powerful and consistent,
singer, songwriter and activist
Hendryx says that “some of
the most amazing music ever
created has been birthed from
struggle.” As a result, she is
an activist and vocal support-
er for women’s rights, social,
political and criminal justice
and helps to raise funds and
awareness of HIV/AIDS from
the outbreak of the epidemic.
Her involvement knows no
end. Most recently, Hendryx,
in conjunction with Nubian
Q.U.E.E.N.X. (Quantum,
Unique, Evolving, Essence of
Nubian Sistas), have partnered
with the international feminist
group JASS (Just Associates)
to present a “Musical Med-
itation and Celebration of
Radical Healing” on Friday,
August 14, 2020.
This global, multi-artist vir-
tual online event is designed to
share and affirm women’s con-
nections and power in a time
of uprising and crisis through
music, dance, poetry, and guid-
ed meditations. Featuring fe-
male performing entities from
around the world, including
noted activist, academic, and
author Angela Davis, this one-
of-a-kind event will be live-
streamed on the StreamYard
Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx’s legendary
career spans six decades of
sound and style evolution.
Fans know her as a founding
member of the girl group, Patti
LaBelle & the Bluebelles (with
Sarah Dash, Cindy Birdsong
and Patti LaBelle), and as “the
Sweethearts of the Apollo The-
atre” who was inducted into
the R&B Hall of Fame in 1999.
In the 70s, the group morphed
into the Rock & Funk Glam
Diva’s ‘Labelle’ with the #1
record Lady Marmalade with
Hendryx credited with being
the chief songwriter of the
Nona Hendryx, Angela Davis (Photo by Dennis Manuel)
platform beginning at 4:00
p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST/2:00
p.m. MT and 7:00 p.m. UCT.
JASS is a feminist move-
ment support organization
rooted in communities in 20
countries working closely with
grassroots feminist organizers
to transform the beliefs, cul-
ture, and structures that break
us and the planet.  JASS works
group’s socially conscious and
illuminating message songs.
When LaBelle disbanded,
Hendryx embarked upon an
impressive solo career emerging
as the revolutionary art-rock,
new-wave goddess. Her solo
career, which spanned eight
studio albums and engaged her
with an impressive lineup of
collaborators (Prince, Peter Ga-
briel, Talking Heads, Laurie An-
derson, Bono, Cameo), resulted
in top ten hits and a Grammy
nomination (Rock This Houses
with The Rolling Stones’ Keith
Richards on guitar).
with women who day in and
day out lead transformative
change, who despite being on
the frontlines of every crisis
bring joy, healing, vision, and
strategies to transform the
world.
At a time of deepened crisis
and pandemic lockdowns that
cut us off from one another,
JASS has organized a series of
About Nona Hendryx
Today, Hendryx remains
the Queen of Transformation:
writing music for theatre (the
Roundabout’s BLUE, written
and directed by Charles R.
Wright and starring Phyli-
cia Rashad); film (the Lee
Daniels 2010 Oscar-nominat-
ed Precious); producing and
collaborating in the works of
a new generation of artists;
and co-writing songs and ap-
pearing on the Terri Lyne
Carrington Grammy Award
winning, Mosaic Project with
Esperanza Spalding, Cassan-
dra Wilson, Diane Reeves and
Sheila E.
Dreaming of being an ed-
ucator because of her English
Teacher and mentor Mrs. Lot-
tie Dinkins, she worked with
education organizations sup-
porting women in prison, a
school in Chicago founded by
Monica Haslip, Little Black
Pearl, taught Stage Craft at
The Clive Davis Recording
Academy and founded in 2016
her own Non Profit, SisterS-
MATR.org to bridge the gap
in Science, Math, Art, Tech-
dialogues focusing on Wom-
en Radically Transforming
a World in Crisis. “We were
moved by a collaboration
with Nona Hendryx and the
Nubian Q.U.E.E.N.X. to go
beyond words, to the core of
our work – the heart, body, and
soul – radical healing through
music and spoken words that
both heal and sustain us for the
work ahead, says Shereen Es-
sof, JASS Executive Director.
Hendryx – a former mem-
ber of Grammy Hall of Fame
trio LaBelle – has long wanted
to collaborate politically on
an event spotlighting wom-
en’s often invisible role in
the ongoing fight to address
unfinished struggles of our lib-
eration – violence, inequality,
racism, discrimination, stigma,
and more. “By radical healing,
we’re acknowledging the pow-
er of music to lift our spirits
and connect us across all our
differences,” says Hendryx.
“We recognize that we can’t
build and sustain strong move-
ments for the long haul with
broken people who bear the
brunt of crises and violence.
We need moments of shared
joy and connections as much
as information and strategy.”
Hendryx will perform with
New York-based collective
Nubian Q.U.E.E.N.X., a mu-
sical meditation on the affir-
mation of healing traumas
of the past and present while
answering questions and ex-
ploring ways to move forward.
First presented at the Kennedy
Center in Washington D.C.
in September 2019 with spe-
cial guests Divinity Roxx,
nology and Robotics for young
women of color.
Hendryx added Ambas-
sador for Artistry in Music
at Berklee College of Mu-
sic in Boston to her career.
Working across three de-
partments; Music Ensemble,
Music Theater and Berklee’s
Electronic Production and
Design Department with the
guidance of the EPD Chair
Michael Bierylo. She recently
collaborated with Berklee’s
Dr. Richard Boulanger and
Students and currently de-
veloping with Hank Shock-
lee (Public Enemy) a multi
discipline performance with
the merged schools, Berklee
College and Boston Conser-
vatory which will include Bo-
Co’s Hip Hop Dance Teacher
Duane Holland
Hendryx presented
multimedia performances
at MoogFest and MASS
MOCA. Having made yet
another transformation into
a multimedia ‘CyberDi-
va’, she still writes music
across genres with politi-
11
By Audrey J. Bernard
Be Steadwell, Liza Jessie
Peterson, the group will be
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
joined by Sophia Ramos for
the August 14 performance.
Q.U.E.E.N.X. is a multi-gen-
erational, multi-disciplinary
blending of music, spoken
word, hip-hop, funk, rock,
traditional, and avant-garde.
The group has been hailed for
its unique performances that
embrace a broad range of audi-
ences, particularly the African
American, Latinx, Indigenous
Natives, and LGBTQI com-
munities.
“In the face of crises and
violence, feminist organizers
believe that our collective heal-
ing is vital to building strong,
agile movements for the future.
Songs, music, dancing, and po-
etry are part of a long tradition
of activism and communities
organizing for justice globally,”
adds Essof. “We are incredibly
excited to co-create this mo-
ment of radical healing with
these extraordinary artists.”
Also joining Nubian
Q.U.E.E.N.X. for this special
presentation in radical healing
will be noted women artists
from around the globe, includ-
ing South African actress and
poet Lebo Mashile; indige-
nous Guatemalan singer Sara
Curruchich; Zimbabwean
singer and Mbira player, Hope
Masike; and Filipina theater
actress and singer Monique
Wilson.
For more information and
reservations for this event,
please go to https://nona-hend-
ryx.squarespace.com/nubian-
queenx and https://www.jus-
tassociates.org.
cally and socially relevant
lyrics wrapped in neo-funk
grooves, other worldly and
soulful vocals, and art-rock
charged rhythms. Performing
in and writing a song ‘Grace’
(Trust and Believe) for Car-
rie Mae Weems’ Grace Notes
marks the beginning of an-
other artistic collaboration.
Not slowing down, 2018
proved to be an even busier
year for Nona with the hon-
or of being Joe’s Pub’s first
Vanguard Residency Artist
and curating a series of shows
over the full year. Hendryx also
created a new multimedia work
inspired by Carrie Mae Weems
‘Kitchen Table and Ulysses
Dove’s ‘Urban Folk Dance’,
titled “Refrigerated Dreams,
which premiered at Joe’s Pub
and will be developed in its
format to come to life more in
2019 and 2020. Exploring an-
other form of communication
Hendryx has created a Siri-
usXM Radio show ‘The Nexus
with Nona Hendryx’ featuring
her three passions — Music,
Art and Technology.
 12

FILL OUT THE

CENSUS WITH
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

CONFIDENCE.
By law, all
responses are
private.

My2020census.gov
844-330-2020
 BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
13

14
Dillard delivers "Let There be Peace on Earth"
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
Ricky Dillard and New Generation
Posted By Don Thomas
G
RAMMY Award nom-
inated Choir Director
Ricky Dillard brings
choir music back to the fore-
front with his Motown Gospel
album debut, Choirmaster,
available for preorder across
all digital platforms.
Jonathan Traylor makes major label debut
Posted By Don Thomas
M
otown Gospel/Capitol
CMG emerging Art-
ist Jonathan Traylor
breathes new energy into the
faith-based music scene with
his major label debut, The
Unknown. The innovative
playlist-styled album that will
continuously be updated with
new songs and video content
over the course of the year.
Writing from a place of
transparency and authenticity,
Traylor has been celebrated for
music that is both compelling
and relevant. Inspired by a
personal season of blindfolded
trust, the project celebrates the
constant faithfulness of God
in the midst of uncertainty.
Opening track “You Get the
Glory” is a worship song that
serves as a heart cry of Tray-
lor’s faith journey. “I Trust
You” reflects a commitment
to not lean on our own under-
standing, while “Purpose Over
Pleasure (Live)” is an anthem
for unashamed believers to live
for God.
“I want to do something
different in music that peo-
ple have never seen or heard
Gospel Music
Joined by his choir, New
Generation, the new project
includes the radio single “Re-
lease” featuring Tiff Joy and
the remake of “More Abun-
dantly Medley.” As a prayer
for the uncertain times the
world is facing, Dillard also
releases the fourth song and
live performance video from
before. I want to help raise a
generation of wild worshippers
that don’t hold back anything
the new album “Let There Be
Peace On Earth.”
Recorded live to a sold-out
audience in Chicago last Fall,
Choirmaster returns to the
sound and style of choir music
in 11 spirit-filled and soul-re-
freshing tracks. The project is
classic Dillard and New Gener-
ation in every way, harkening
and worship with an intense
passion and fire.” says Traylor.
The triple-threat Singer/
back to the innovative sound
that elevated his career and
established him as a pioneer
choir force.
Dillard has been sharing his
gift with the world for more
than three decades. Recently
celebrated for his contribution
to choir music in Rolling Stone
and TIME magazines, he has
Songwriter/Producer/Musi-
cian, and dancer rose to na-
tional prominence last year,
made an immeasurable mark
on the genre and inspired some
of the most successful artists in
the music industry.
In addition, he has shared
the stage with the likes of
Patti LaBelle, Jennifer Hud-
son, Queen Latifah, Debbie
Allen, Bonnie Raitt and P.
Diddy.
following a string of tour dates
and high-profile appearances,
including the pre-show stage
at Kirk Franklin’s Exodus
Music and Arts Festival in
Traylor’s hometown of Dallas,
Texas.
He has become known for
his passionate lyrics, catchy
hooks, and dynamic stage
performances that infuse the
culture with the message of
the Gospel. Follow Jonathan
Traylor on Social Media: Face-
book, Instagram, Twitter and
YouTube.
Motown Gospel is one
of the most prominent gos-
pel music companies in the
world, boasting more than
two decades of chart-topping
and award-winning artists,
albums, and songs. A division
of Capitol CMG/Universal
Music Group, the world’s lead-
ing Christian music company
and market leader in recorded
music, distribution, and music
publishing, Motown Gospel’s
artist roster has included Tasha
Cobbs Leonard, Smokie Nor-
ful, Tye Tribbett, Brian Court-
ney Wilson, Kierra Sheard,
The Clark Sisters and many
others.

During NYFW LaQuan Smith rocked New York City's runway!
Q uintessential designer
LaQuan Smith’s Fall/
Winter 2020 collection
during New York Fashion Week
at Gallery Ii at Spring Stu-
dios was a strong & powerful
statement! The sexy all-black
collection – with a hint of white
LaQuan Smith walks the runway
during New York Fashion Week
at Gallery II at Spring Studios on
Feb. 8, 2020 in New York City.
Model Daphne Groeneveld
Model Katlin Aas
Model Mayara Moreno
Fashion
-- paid tribute to his hometown
Queens, New York where he’s
treated like a rock star. “Ev-
erybody from New York wears
black. And I just wanted to do
something super, super rele-
vant in today’s time, but also
still a level of representation
Model Alva Claire
Model Dipti Sharma
Model Lameka Fox
Model Myrthe Bolt Model Tara Falla
of who I am and that’s just
creating beautiful things for
women who want to feel truly
beautiful and sexy,” he says.
Smith’s choice of textures and
fabrics included silky smooth
nylon, velvet, leather and furs.
Fashion is a visual sensation
Model Blanca Padilla
Model Elizabeth Ayodele
Model Lameka Fox2
Model Yun Xie
and this collection did not
disappoint as eyes popped!
As each of his models hit the
runway they were met with
riotous applause. Smith’s dra-
matic approach to fashion is a
testament to his showmanship
as a designer who has respect
Model Brandon Harris
Model Hilary Rhoda
Model Lia Pavlova
Models Alanna Arrington, Nyarach Abouch Ayuel,
Herieth Paul
15
By Audrey J. Bernard
for women and how they look
and his models showed him
uppermost respect when they
stepped on the runway and
strutted like this was the great-
est show of all! (Photos by
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
Getty Images for NYFW: The
Shows)
Model Danielle Herrington
Model Kareem
Model Mason McKenrick
Models Nya Gatbel,
Sabah Koj
 On the Tube
16

By Audrey J. Bernard

Television’s biggest night will be a virtual reality for many Blacks

BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

T he 72nd Emmy Awards

nominations were an-
nounced on Tuesday,
July 28, 2020 and reimagined
as a virtual event due to pro-
duction restrictions resulting Emmy hosts Leslie Jones, Laverne Cox, Josh Gad, Tatiana Emmy nominees “Watchman,” “The Mandalorian,” “Schitts
from the COVID-19 pan- Maslany (Getty Images) Creek,” “Little Rires Everywhere”
demic. Television’s biggest
night will broadcast Sunday,
September 20, 2020, 8:00-
11:00 p.m. EDT/5:00-8:00
p.m. PDT on ABC, and host-
ed by Jimmy Kimmel, who
will serve as an executive
producer along with Guy
Carrington, David Jammy,
Ian Stewart and for the first
time award-winning producer
Reginald Hudlin, who will
be the first-ever Black Emmy
executive producer!
“I’m excited to collaborate
with this outstanding team as
we produce a show that cele-
brates the best of what we do Host Nick Cannon and the Frog on the season finale of “The Eddie Murphy scored a nomination for outstanding guest actor in a
and reflects this moment in Masked Singer” (Getty Images/FOX) comedy series after he hosted Saturday Night Live (Getty Images)
history,” said Hudlin.  There
is still no confirmation if the
show will be held completely
virtual or where some in-per-
son elements as the industry
is still navigating around so-
cial distancing rules amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The nomination ceremony
was hosted by “Supermarket
Sweep” star and Saturday
Night Live alumnus Les-
lie Jones with presenters
Laverne Cox (“Inventing
Anna”), Josh Gad (“Central
Park”), and Tatiana Maslany
(“Perry Mason”).
The Emmy Awards will
recognize a distinct number of
groundbreaking new programs A scene from “The Mandalorian” on Disney+ (Disney+/via Reuters) RuPaul (VH1)
and up-and-coming talent,
along with beloved performers which begins August 21 and Son,” Dime Davis earned a The Mandalorian (15), Schitt’s ment industry, it has been an
and hit shows that have been runs through August 31, leading directing nod for her work Creek (15), Saturday Night extraordinary year for televi-
integral in helping television into the Creative Arts ceremony on “A Black Lady Sketch Live (15) and The Crown (13). sion,” said Television Acade-
viewers navigate a changing which will be in some virtual Show” and first lady Michelle Netflix lead the nominations my Chairman and CEO Frank
world. The event will break form this year. The 2020 Cre- Obama’s documentary Be- in totals by platform with 160, Scherma. “Television has
another record with the nomi- ative Arts Awards will air on coming earned nods for out- setting a record previously inspired, united and comforted
nation of 37 Black actors in a FXX on Saturday, September standing director and cinema- held by HBO with 137 nomi- a global audience this season.
record 767 diverse programs 19 at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT. tography for Nadia Hallgren, nations in 2019. HBO had the We are honored to be recog-
in the running for Emmys in Making history will be the Outstanding documentary. second-most nominations with nizing so many of the talented
more than 100 categories this nominations of many Black HBO’s Watchmen took the 107, and rounding out the top programs, producers, directors
season, with overall submis- actors from the drama catego- top spot for program nomina- five were NBC with 47, ABC and craftspeople behind the
sions increasing 15% over the ries to the comedy categories tions with 26 followed by The with 36 and FX with 33. remarkable storytelling that
previous competition year. including “Insecure,” Kerry Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (20), “Despite the unprecedented has brought us together while
Final-round Emmy voting Washington’s “American Ozark (18), Succession (18), challenges facing the entertain- we remain apart.”

Host Eddie Murphy as Buckwheat

Dave Chappelle in “Sticks & during the “Masked Singer” sketch on
Mahershala Ali in “Ramy” (Hulu) Reginald Hudlin Host Jimmy Kimmel Stones” (WireImage) “Saturday Night Live” (Will Heath/NBC)
 What's going on
17
By Victoria Horsford

SUMMERTIME IN AMERICA ARTS/CULTURE

America today is akin to
being wide awake in an un-
ending nightmare. There is
a plague, coronavirus which
has claimed the lives of more
formula” are spot-on about
the magnitude of our crisis,
which could be manageable.
NYU Economics Professor
Nouriel Roubini, aka Dr.
numbers in the 3 month old
Democratic Stimulus plan.
They see no room for nego-
tiation. What happens if all
the President’s men, Treasury
SOUL! the PBS-TV news
and entertainment show,
was Black America’s “60
Minutes,” which aired on
Wednesdays, from 1968 to

BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com

than 150,000 Americans. At Doom, because of his accu-
least 41 million Americans rate call of the 2008 economic
are unemployed. The GOP crash, laments, “The govern-
US Senators are tone deaf ment is playing with fire by
to the nation’s myriad eco- not acting on an agreement on
nomic/public health realities. the fourth round of stimulus
Headlines like “Families talks. Intransigence will lead
across the country cannot to a recession.” Senate Re-
afford wipes, diapers and publicans are impervious to
POLITICS 101
When Biden appeared on Mayor Lance Bottoms?
REIDOUT with Joy Reid, Abrams’ name has mysteri-
he said that there are four ously disappeared routine TV
Black women on his VEEP pundit talks. Biden continues
short list. We know of Sta- to push back the VEEP an-
cey Abrams, Georgia; Su- nouncement. To be sure, he
san Rice; Rep.Val Dem- will announce by August 17,
ings, Florida; Rep. Cynthia the Democratic Convention
Bass, California; US Senator opener.
Kamala Harris, California.
What happened to Georgia President Barack Obama
is aggressively engaged in
the 2020 elections. He raised
$24 million for the Biden
candidacy and recently an-
nounced his endorsement of
118 candidates in 17 states,
including candidates for state
legislators and five Demo-
cratic US Senate challengers
in Colorado, Iowa, Maine,
NC and SC.
Maya Wiley begins a leave
of absence from her MSNBC
legal chores to explore op-
portunities for a 2021 NYC
Mayoral run. New to elected
politics, Ms Wiley was gener-
Val Demings al counsel to Mayor de Blasio
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
INDEPENDENCE: The rican development and policy
Commonwealth of LIBERIA issue, working in concert with
celebrated its 173 year of In- African people to build sus-
dependence on July 26. The tainable, healthy and produc-
West African country declared tive communities, is going
its independence from the into retirement. A new Afri-
American Colonization Soci- ca-based organization is born,
ety on July 26, 1847. …….. this year, PANAFRICARE,
JAMAICA, Caribbean nation, which will replicate the Af-
celebrates its independence ricare model, and which will
from the United Kingdom be headquartered in Dakar,
which occurred on August 6, Senegal with satellite offices
1962….. The twin island Ca- in Nigeria, Angola, Chad,
ribbean nation of TRINIDAD Kenya, Burkina Faso and
and TOBAGO celebrates its Zimbabwe. The organiza-
independence from the United tion’s assets, including its
Kingdom which occurred on building was sold and its art
August 31, 1962. collection was donated to
US based AFRICARE, a the Smithsonian Museum of
non-profit 50 year old NGO African Art and to the Uni-
committed to addressing Af- versity of Maryland,_Eastern
Subscribe to the New York Beacon 405 Lexington
Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10174. $35.00
per year 212-213-8585
www.newyorkbeacon.com
A Harlem-based management consultant, Victoria Horsford can be reached at Victoria.horsford@gmail.com
Secretary Steve Mnuchin and
Chief of Staff Mark Mead-
ows come to an agreement
with the Democrats? Will the
GOP Senators fail to sign on
or will the invisible hand of
POTUS 45 scare them into an
agreement midway between
$1-3 trillion.
Maya Wiley
and chair of the NYC Civilian
Complaint Review Board, an
independent agency which
monitors complaints about
NYPD. A New School Uni-
versity Professor, she earned
a BA at Dartmouth and a Juris
Doctor from the Columbia
University Law School.
There are three Blacks eyeing
a NYC mayoral run, Brook-
lyn Boro Prexy Eric Adams
and Ray McGuire, Citigroup
vice chairman.
Shore campus. A Friends of
PANAFRICARE office will
open soon in the U.S.
MALI, a Francophone
nation, is in political cri-
sis as President Ibrahim
Keita attempts to appease
local opposition calling for
his resignation because of
perceived government cor-
ruption. Regional heads of
state, ECOWAS, Economic
Community of West African
States) have intervened on
behalf of President Keita,
who recommended that he
form a unity government and
share power, an idea rejected
by the opposition. Crisis must
be resolved without war or a
coup.
1973, is back. The brainchild
of Black culture curator El-
lis Haizlip, SOUL! was the
only prime time TV platform
for Black artists, entertain-
ers and newsmakers, at that
time. Haizlip was show’s
host/producer who had his
fingers on the pulse of Black
Americana. SOUL! guests
included Muhammad Ali,
Gladys Knight and the Pips,
Rev Jesse Jackson, Ruby and
Ozzie, Lee Morgan, Miriam
Makeba, Harry Belafonte,
Sidney Poitier, Stevie Won-
der, James Baldwin in France/
Nikki Giovanni talk, and
Alvin Ailey. SOUL! has been
the subject of a book and a
documentary. Amazon Prime
has licensed the rights to 24
episodes of SOUL!, which is
a wonderful indulgence down
memory lane and the origins
of Black TV.
American billionaire
MacKenzie Scott, former
Mrs. Jeff Bezos, was gen-
erous to a fault recently as
she cut $1.7 billion checks
for 116 organizations. Six
HBCUs, historically Black
colleges and universities,
were key beneficiaries, who
will each receive checks
between $20 to $40 million.
The schools are Howard Uni-
NEWSMAKERS
RIP: Annette Averette, 75,
died in New York on July 26.
A proactive grandmother, she
was woman who mixed busi-
ness with community service.
A vegan and health connois-
seur, she founded the Organic
Soul Café. A She touched the
lives of many as an outspoken
political and community ad-
vocate for civil and housing
justice; as a former Commu-
nity Board 7 member and as
a Bellevue Hospital Commu-
nity Advisory Board member
and her work with the Six
Street Community Center
and she was Director of the
Les Anti-Displacement Proj-
ect. She will be funeralized
and interred in Columbus,
Georgia. She is survived by
children, Liza Averette and
Katwy Heru, granddaughter
Anakhu Heru and her daugh-
ter in-law Athena Moore.
RIP: GOP Presidential
2012 contender, Herman
AUGUST CALENDAR
August 15 is National
Reparations Day in the Unit-
ed States. In New York the
December 12 th Movement
hosts a National Reparations
Day rally in NYC, assembling
at 2 pm, at Trump Internation-
al Hotel at Columbus Circle at
Ellis Haizlip
versity; Morehouse College;
Spelman College; Hampton
University, Xavier Universi-
ty and Tuskegee University.
Howard’s President calls the
gift “transformative.” Other
recipients of the MacKen-
zie Scott cash gifts include
the NAACP Legal Defense
Fund, the Thurgood Marshall
College Fund, the UNCF, the
National Urban League and
Harlem’s Children’s Zone.
After 20 years, Oprah
Winfrey and Hearst, the O
Magazine publisher will retire
the O Magazine print edition
effective with December is-
sue. For 20 years, Oprah has
been the exclusive O cover
girl. The September issue on
newsstands next week dons
the image of Breoona Taylor,
26, the Black EMT techni-
cian, fatally shot in her home
by Louisville, Kentucky po-
lice on March 13.
Annette Averette
Cain, 74, died on July 31 after
a month long hospitalization
battling COVID19, which
was diagnosed a few days af-
ter his return from the Trump
campaign rally in Tulsa Okla-
homa, an indoor event. Born
in Jim Crow Georgia, Cain
was a Morehouse man, a busi-
ness executive, former CEO
of Godfather’s Pizza, Board
Chair of the Federal Reserve
Bank in Kansas City, an au-
thor, a syndicated columnist,
talk radio host and frequent
contributor to Fox News.
59th Street, Manhattan. Event
commemorates the first NRD
rally in the USA on August
17, 2002. The flyer reads.
“They Stole Us, They Sold
Us, They Owe Us.” For more
info visit D12m.com or call
718.398.1766

18
Film Director Hezues R focuses on mental health
N ot many filmmakers
have been honored by
one President of the
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
United States, let alone two.
Then again Hezues R isn’t your
average filmmaker, as none
other share the combination of
his adversity and accolades, all
the more reason why the en-
tertainment industry is taking
notice of this film protégé’s
next project, which he claims
will be his masterpiece, titled
“Suicide Saint.”
If you haven’t heard of
Hezues R, it’s because he’s
been making an intentional
effort to stay low. In every
artistic endeavor, he’s always
committed himself to serving
and elevating the brand (and
not himself).
If you know Hezues R, then
you’ve likely been inspired,
as his own life is bigger than
a movie. At 22, he survived a
barrage of bullets fired at him
point blank 22 times by three
would-be assailants.
His survival is nothing
short of a miracle but still not
as miraculous as his meteoric
rise in entertainment–from
high school dropout and drug
dealer to self-made creative
titan. No college, mentor,
backers or connections–just a
relentless work ethic and pure
undeniable talent.
From creating the official
fragrance for the royal wed-
ding of Prince William and
Kate Middleton to running
Sean P. Diddy Combs’ adver-
tising campaigns (Ciroc, Sean
John, and Deleon) as an exec-
Entertainment
Hezues R
utive producer, while finding
creative ways to give back and
interject social impact in his
content, like the critically ac-
claimed film, “April Showers.”
With suicide rates rapidly
increasing and almost half of
adults experiencing mental ill-
ness, Hezues R says “Rome is
burning and as a society we’re
not giving enough concern to
the media we create–which in-
fluences how we see ourselves
and each other.”
Hezues R mission is to
save lives by making the film
“Suicide Saint” and in the
process, change the protocol
of Hollywood. He believes in
art over algorithms and that
films shouldn’t just be made
for profit but the added value
of social good and the sake of
creating something beautiful
and inspiring. He is gaining
followers, including the United
Nations, as they’ve selected
his upcoming film as the sole
movie they’re endorsing in the
International 40 Days Safer
Cities initiative- with “Suicide
Saint” being day #20 which
also falls on Oct 10th–World
Mental Health Day.
The year of 2020 has en-
dured several months of tur-
moil in the world, almost
resembling seasons in hell.
The COVID-19 pandemic has
taken hundreds of thousands
of lives, with social distancing
and wearing protective gear
such as face masks and latex
gloves being the new normal.
Then, the issue of police
brutality with the murders of
George Floyd and Breonna
Taylor, among others, at the
hands of bad cops being the
final straws – with the majority
By Don Thomas
of the world yelling enough is
enough and rallying around
Black Lives Matter.
Resistance towards change
at the hands of those who
operate out of hate and fear
resulting in rioting and de-
struction, while those who are
peaceful are maintaining their
non-violent stance through it
all. And let’s not get started
about the dysfunction in Wash-
ington, DC.
Through all of this madness
is one issue that has plagued
people of color with very few
having the courage to address
– mental health. The World
Health Organization (WHO)
states more than 800,000 peo-
ple commit suicide every year
– that’s one person every forty
seconds.
Also, the National Council
for Behavioral Health notes
that 46% of adults in the USA
experience mental illness. In
communities of color, accord-
ing to the non-profit com-
munity organization, Mental
Health America, out of 13%
of Black Americans in the
USA (according to the Census
Bureau), 16% reported having
mental illness – that’s over 7
million people (more than the
overall populations of Chica-
go, Philadelphia and Houston
combined).
Finally, the Center for Dis-
ease Control published that
suicides and attempted sui-
cides cost the nation almost
$70 billion per year in lifetime
medical and work-loss costs
alone.

John Ridley's Nō Studios offers a
variety of virtual events in August
John Ridley
T
he month of August is
filled with fabulous cul-
tural events! Academy
Award winner and Wisconsin
native John Ridley and the
exclusive Nō Studios cultural
phenomenon he founded for
art aficionados. Nō Studios is
both a member-driven physi-
cal space based in Milwaukee
as well as a digital platform
geared toward artists and art
lovers. Nō Studios is dedicated
to supporting talent, elevating
artists, and most importantly to
bridging communities through
the shared appreciation of
interpersonal expression.  Nō
Studios believes that the cur-
rent business interruption of-
fers a chance to connect, enjoy
and appreciate the value that
artistic expression delivers in
times of need. Nō Studios has
begun hosting a slate of virtu-
al events to highlight people
working in the arts/creative
industries, both established
and up-and-coming.  These
select events are exclusive to
members. Membership is $5 a
month and available at RSVP
online. For additional infor-
mation please visit:  https://
www.nostudios.com/events.
Nō Studios Members + Ten-
ants only. RSVP (Become a
member HERE. (Photos cour-
tesy Nō Studios)
Ryan Alexander
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 @ 6
PM CDT  ants only.  place on the Nō Studios website
Nō Studios Unplugged x Next
Showcase with Ryan Alex-
ander.
This Nō Unplugged is open
to the public. LIVE view-
ing will take place on the Nō
Studios website and You-
The Reel
Tube. RSVP encouraged. Ryan
Alexander is an artist that pro-
duces and writes his own music
as well as a musician that plays
the piano and drums. He’s been
playing the piano for 16 years,
and the drums for 17 years.
Ryan also has been producing
for 11 years. He produces a
mixture of Hip-Hop, R&B, and
Soul, creating his own genre
called, New Wave Soul! He
believes in making music for
the future. Quality over quan-
tity. Getting better than before,
working harder than the next
person, and not just creating,
but innovating.
Beverly Jenkins
MONDAY AUGUST 10 @ 4
PM CDT  on Grey’s Anatomy where she
Nō Backstage: Stage Manage-
ment with Beverly Jenkins.  Catherine Avery.
Are you interested in the busi-
ness of stage management? Do
you want to understand those
behind-the-scenes jobs? Skill
shares are all about connecting
with folks that do the work
to create content. These may
be jobs that are unfamiliar to
most of us but they are vital
in ensuring a quality product.
This session will feature the
very important work of stage
management.
Beverly Jenkins has been a
Broadway stage manager for
over 25 years. Currently, she
is the production stage man-
ager for the TONY Award
winning Best Musical “Hade-
stone”. Some previous shows
include “A Bronx Tale”, “Miss
Saigon”, “The Lion King”,
“Shrek: The Musical”, “In The
Heights”, and “Avenue Q”.
Jenkins has a BFA in Theatre
from Howard University. A
native New Yorker, Beverly
was born in Queens and now
lives in upstate NY.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 @
4 PM CDT
Debbie Allen: In Conversation
with John Ridley.
Nō Studios Members + Ten-
Debbie Allen is an award-win-
ning director/choreographer
who has choreographed the
Academy Awards a record ten
times. She has directed and
choreographed for legendary
artists such as Michael Jack-
Debbie Allen
son, Mariah Carey, James Earl
Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Janet
Jackson, Whitney Houston,
Gwen Verdon, Lena Horne,
and Sammy Davis, Jr. Ms. Al-
len received the Golden Globe
for her role as Lydia Grant in
the 1980’s hit series Fame and
is a three-time Emmy Award
winner in Choreography for the
series Fame and The Motown
25th. She has ten Image Awards
as director, actress, choreogra-
pher, and producer for Fame,
A Different World, Motown
25th, The Academy Awards,
The Debbie Allen Special, and
Amistad. Her directing credits
include Scandal, How To Get
Away With Murder, Jane The
Virgin, and Empire. She is
currently Executive Producer
also holds a recurring role as
Denim Richards
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 @
4 PM CDT  rican American string players.
Nō Studios Backstage: Skill
Share with Denim Richards  schools and youth centers teach-
Nō Studios Members + Ten-
ants only.
Denim Richards is an upcom-
ing actor who was recently
casted in a  modern-day West-
ern drama “Yellowstone,”
starring Kevin Costner.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 @ 6
PM CDT  Nō Backstage: Music Licenc-
Nō Studios Unplugged x Wis-
consin Music Ventures with
Steve Burks
This Nō Unplugged is open to the
public. LIVE viewing will take
and YouTube. RSVP encour-
aged.  Steve Burks is a vocalist,
emcee, keyboardist, songwriter,
composer, producer, and remixer
from Gary, Indiana, now residing
in MKE. Performance highlights
include 3 seasons with the House
Steve Burks
of Blues Music Forward Foun-
dation in Dallas, and 8 years as
a solo performer with the cruise
industry. He’s a proud graduate
of the Indiana University Jacobs
School of Music.
SistaStrings
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21 @ 6
PM CDT 
Nō Studios Unplugged with
SistaStrings
This Nō Unplugged is open to the
public. LIVE viewing will take
place on the Nō Studios website
and YouTube. RSVP encour-
aged. The sound of SistaStrings
can’t be described in one word.
The Milwaukee based sister duo
combines their classical back-
ground with R&B with a touch
of gospel influence that culmi-
nates in a vibey, lush sound.
With thick string harmonies
between violin and cello and
soulful voices, SistaStrings takes
you on a journey.  Outreach and
representation are important to
these two young ladies as Af-
They can be found performing in
ing, performing, and encourag-
ing educators and students alike.
The ladies are advocates for
diversity in the arts and promote
social justice in all that they do
musically.
MONDAY, AUGUST 24 @ 4
PM CDT
ing with Rashad Richardson
Nō Studios Members + Tenants
only. Are you interested in the
business of Music Licencing?
Do you want to understand those
behind-the-scenes jobs? Skill
shares are all about connecting
with folks that do the work to
create content. These may be
jobs that are unfamiliar to most
of us but they are vital in ensuring
a quality product. This session
will feature the very important
19
By Audrey J. Bernard
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
Rashad Richardson
work of music licensing. Rashad
currently resides in Los Angeles
and helps operate an Indie Music
Licensing agency that represents
music from a diverse range of
talented creators from around
the world. He studied at Berklee
College of Music in Boston,
MA. On a daily basis, Rashad
does creative music searches,
licensing and clearance. 
David Henry Hwang
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 @
4 PM CDT
Nō Studios Wine Down with
David Henry Hwang
Nō Studios Members + Ten-
ants only
David Henry Hwang’s theatri-
cal works include the plays M.
Butterfly, Yellow Face, Chin-
glish, Golden Child, The Dance
and the Railroad, and FOB, as
well as the Broadway musicals
Aida (co-author), Flower Drum
Song (2002 revival) and Dis-
ney’s Tarzan. He is America’s
most-produced living opera
librettist, whose works have
been honored with two Grammy
Awards, and co-wrote the song
Solo with the late pop legend
Prince. From 2014-2019, he was
a writer/Consulting Producer for
the Golden Globe-winning TV
show, The Affair. His feature
films include M. Butterfly, and
he’s currently penning the live
action musical film adaptation of
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
for Disney Studios. Hwang is a
Tony Award winner and three-
time nominee, a three-time OBIE
Award winner, a three-time Fi-
nalist for the Pulitzer Prize,
and has been inducted into the
Theatre Hall of Fame. His latest
musical, Soft Power, written with
composer Jeanine Tesori, was
a Finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer
Prize in Drama. Born in Los
Angeles, he has lived most of his
adult life in New York City.
 Disc-chat
20

Lunay is a Latin artist on the rise

Posted By Don Thomas “It’s obviously been such a

A
long with the recent
surge in global success
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
challenging year with every-
thing that has been happenings
around the world, but I am very

of Reggaeton, Latin excited that I’ve been able to get

Trap and other Rhythmic music
in Spanish, it was natural to see
a similar surge in new artists in-
fluenced by the genre. But even
amidst an astounding number
of young new artists looking to
make a name for themselves, it
was evident that Puerto Rico’s
dynamic, Lunay19, was the
genre’s undisputed 2019 new
generation superstar.
After bursting into the play-
lists and video streams fans
with “Soltera” and it’s fol-
low-up, “Song of Summer”
remix with Daddy Yankee and
Bad Bunny, Lunay’s credits
were quickly boasting two
Latin Airplay #1 singles, a rare
#1 full album debut with the
14-track ÉPICO, with more
than a Billion views collected
on YouTube, and a trophy case
full of breakthrough artist rec-
ognition awards.
Beginning 2020 with a
focus on his first sold-out con-
certs, and then the adjustment
of making follow-up music in a
drastically changed world due
to the COVID-19 crisis, Lunay
is now returning with his first
new (made in quarantine) track
“Relaciones.”
Lunay is currently working
with his go-to production team
of Chris Jeday and Gaby Mu-
sic, with the continued label
support of Star Island, and
new support from Latin music
powerhouse management team
Lionfish Entertainment, with a
video helmed by Stillz.
Lunay and his team have
promised fans that this will be
just the first of an wealth of
upcoming new music releases
consisting of both individual
singles and high-profile col-
laborations.
back to creating music again
and release my first new song
since my debut album EPICO.
“I hope that new music can
help us all reconnect and stay
connected no matter all the
changes we are facing. That’s
why I’ve been working hard
these last months, and I have
lots of new music to share. I
can wait for the world to hear
all of it,” said Lunay.
“Lunay is Urbano’s Next
Superstar! When a new artist
does manage to cut through the
fray, we really should pay atten-
tion, [and Lunay is] one of the
freshest upcoming Latin trap
stars in the game. Every single
he’s released thus far has been a
hit. The 19-year-old from Puer-
to Rico is on a rapid ascent, and
ÉPICO was a 14-track wonder
of Reggaeton, Dancehall and
Trap influences that mark a
young artist who is already well
on his way to mainstay status,”
states Remezcla.
“Lunay’s ‘Soltera’ was the
summer soundtrack of 2019,
and he got a boost from Daddy
Yankee and Bad Bunny on the
“Soltera (Remix). The Wun-
derkind won New Artist of
the Year at the Latin AMA’s”-
Rolling Stone.
“A Latin Artist On The Rise,
Lunay became a household
name with his 2019 hit ‘Soltera’
and its remix featuring Daddy
Yankee and Bad Bunny.”–Bill-
board. “Watch out, because he’s
on his way. Lunay has all eyes
on him. The Puerto Rican Reg-
ggaeton artist is following in the
footsteps of those who came be-
fore him and is receiving their
seal of approval.” Connect with
Lunay@Instagram/Twitter/
Facebook/Tiktok.

Grace Garland
is definitely still
a triple threat
Posted By Don Thomas they can. for her. Last year at the Big Red

A
ctress/Composer/Sing-
er Grace Garland is
definitely a triple threat
who has spent her life giving
of herself, on the stage and
off but there is something
significant about that which
she gives from her place in the
spotlight. Garland entertains
the audience as an entity, en-
gages the audience members
as individuals, and emboldens
all to live in the light as best
This has long been her mis-
sion as a performer singing in
cabaret rooms, nightclubs, jazz
joints, theaters, and high-rise
lobbies in every borough of
New York City and beyond
bringing her sass, style and
sexiness, to audiences looking
for a little light in their lives.
The audience was buzzing
with anticipation because they
knew what was coming next.
They knew who was coming to
the stage, and they were ready
and The Boys Christmas show
at the popular Feinstein’s/54
Below supperclub in Man-
hattan Jazzy Singer Meghan
Murphy (left) invited Grace
Garland a/k/a Lady G. (right),
the writer of the holiday tune
“Single Jingle Mingle” to join
her and the boys on stage.
The ladies rocked the holiday
crowd down. Together they
gave the best they had from the
moment they appeared center
stage.

Playwright Nambi E. Kelley joins Phenomenal Woman: Maya Angelou
Posted by Audrey J. Bernard
P
roducers David Mi-
chael Rich & J. Todd
Harris, in collaboration
with Jackie Alexander and the
North Carolina Black Reperto-
ry Company are proud to an-
nounce that playwright Nam-
bi E. Kelley (Native Son, “The
Chi”) has signed on as the
playwright of Phenomenal
Woman: Maya Angelou, a
world premiere play with mu-
sic in development for Broad-
way about the life of the late
poet, author, civil rights activ-
ist, and Presidential Medal of
Freedom recipient, Dr. Maya
Angelou. Phenomenal Wom-
an: Maya Angelou is executive
produced by Guy Johnson,
Dr. Angelou’s son, for Caged
Bird Legacy. Cast, additional
creative team, and dates will
be announced at a future date.
Phenomenal Woman: Maya
Angelou will have its world
premiere in the spring of 2021
at the North Carolina Black
Repertory Company before
playing Hattiloo Theatre
(Memphis) and The Ensemble
Theatre (Houston). Phenom-
enal Woman: Maya Angelou,
formerly known as Phenom-
enal Maya, was the recipient
of the Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin
Rolling World Premiere Award
at North Carolina Black Rep-
ertory Company’s 2019 Na-
tional Black Theatre Festival,
which guarantees at least three
regional productions over a
two-year period.
“It is a dream come true
to work directly with people
who knew and loved Dr. An-
gelou, including her son Guy,
her sister friend Ms. Lydia
Stuckey, and the good peo-
ple at Corstoria and Branded
Pictures Entertainment,” said
playwright Nambi E. Kelley.
“It is especially poignant to
present the world premiere
of our collaboration in Dr.
Angelou’s chosen home city
of Winston-Salem at North
Carolina Black Repertory
Company. This collaboration
has truly been orchestrated by
the heavens.”
“Dr. Angelou was chairper-
son of the inaugural National
About Nambi E. Kelley
Playwright Nambi E. Kelley
was chosen by literary legend
Toni Morrison to adapt her
novel, Jazz, for the stage (Bal-
timore Center Stage, Marin
Theatre Company). Several
of Nambi’s plays have had
multiple productions across
the country including Xti-
gone (African-American
Shakespeare Co.), Hands Up:
Seven Playwrights Seven Tes-
taments: Dead of Night... (Al-
liance Theatre 2020) and Nam-
bi’s adaptation of Richard
Wright’s Native Son. Nota-
ble Native Son productions
include the Off-Broadway
Theater talk
Black Theatre Festival (NBTF)
in 1989 and an international
champion of Black Theatre,”
said Jackie Alexander, Artistic
Director of the North Carolina
Black Repertory Company. “To
have Black institutions, NC
Black Rep, Hattiloo Theatre,
and The Ensemble Theatre, be
the birthplaces in developing a
play inspired by her life for the
Broadway stage, beautifully
pays homage to her memory.
It’s the reason the NBTF Sylvia
Sprinkle-Hamlin Rolling World
Premiere Award was created,
Premiere at The Duke on
42nd Street (Acting Company),
Yale Repertory, and the world
premiere at Court Theatre in
Chicago where it is the highest
grossing non-musical produc-
tion in the theatre’s 65-year
history. Nambi has also au-
thored plays for Steppenwolf,
Goodman Theatre, Lincoln
Center (Director’s Fest), and
internationally. Nambi is a
former playwright in residence
at the National Black Theatre
in New York and the Goodman
Theatre in Chicago. She most
recently served in residence at
New Victory Theatre and as a
and signals a much-needed re-
turn to Black Theatres having a
voice in defining future classics
of the genre.”
  “We are so excited to be
collaborating with the theater
that meant so much to Maya
Angelou, the North Carolina
Black Repertory Company,”
said producers David Michael
Rich and J. Todd Harris. “It
seems the planets have per-
fectly aligned bringing us
together with the theater’s
gifted artistic director Jackie
Alexander, and after a careful
Dramatists Guild Foundation
Fellow. She’s been recognized
with several awards, most no-
tably The AUDELCO Award
for Best Production and a
Drama League nomination
for Best Revival for Native
Son; the Prince Prize 2019,
Writers Alliance Grant 2018-
19, the Francesca Primus
Award 2015 and 2019 (final-
ist). Nambi is a season three
writer on Showtime’s “The
Chi.” Nambi earned a BFA
from The Theatre School at
DePaul University, and an
MFA in interdisciplinary arts
from Goddard College.
year-long search, the brilliant
playwright Nambi E. Kelley.
These talented collaborators
bring us further forward in the
promise we’ve made to Guy
Johnson, of approaching this
project as careful stewards of
our beloved heroine’s legacy of
heart, wisdom, and the fight for
justice. We all feel her spurring
us on in our quest.”
Phenomenal Woman: Maya
Angelou, is an inspiring jour-
ney of memory, song, poetry,
dance, and wisdom that will
bring Maya’s work into present
21
relevance. The play is a lyrical
memory-play, combining Dr.
Angelou’s poetry and autobi-
ographical writings, previously
unreleased anecdotes from
those who knew her well,
original material, and music, to
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
explore fundamental yet timely
questions about human nature,
giving the gift of Dr. Angelou’s
brilliance and inspiration to the
next generation.
Phenomenal Maya was
set to premiere during the
2020 North Carolina Black
Repertory Company season,
but was postponed due to
the coronavirus. The North
Carolina Black Repertory
Company (NC Black Rep)
was founded in 1979 and is
the state’s first professional
Black theatre company. It
exposes diverse audiences to
classics and new works of Af-
rican-American drama through
seasonal productions, while
nurturing the talents of future
performers through its Teen
Theatre Ensemble program.
NC Black Rep is universally
recognized for its world-re-
nowned outreach program,
The National Black Theatre
Festival ® (NBTF). Presented
every odd numbered year the
first week in August, NBTF
attracts upwards of 65,000
visitors to Winston-Salem
and has contributed over $235
million dollars to the Win-
ston-Salem economy since its
inception in 1989. NC Black
Rep is also involved in a broad
range of community outreach
programs and partnerships,
and is committed to sustaining
Black theatre on a global scale.
The company received the
2019 George A. Parides Pro-
fessional Theatre Award from
the North Carolina Theatre
Conference, the 2020 Distin-
guished History Award from
the Southeastern Theatre Con-
ference, and was one of two
Lifetime Achievement Hon-
orees at the 2020 Theater
Communications Group Gala.
NC Black Rep’s mission is to
engage, enrich, and entertain
with innovative programming
that resonates across the com-
munity and challenges social
perceptions.
 22
Playlist honors Icons John
Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
(L-R) Rev. C.T.Vivian, Congressman John Lewis and Congressman Andrew Young
Posted By Don Thomas
G
lobal Communicator,
the e-publication for
communications pro-
fessionals, has once again
teamed with Music Producer
Brennan Williams, founder
of Coloan Records, to create
a specially curated playlist
highlighting the theme for
the July 2020 issue: Social
Justice. Dedicated to the lega-
cies of recently departed Civil
Rights Icons, Congressman
John Lewis and the Rev. C.T.
Vivian this month’s special
30-track collection available
on Apple Music, Spotify, and
YouTube.
Included on the playlist are
inspiring and time-honored
recordings by artists who paint
musical portraits of a nation
in dire need of change and
healing. Such tunes as Marvin
Gaye’s “What’s Going On,”
The Isley Brothers’ “Fight
The Power,” James Brown’s
“Say It Loud, I’m Black and
I’m Proud,” Kendrick Lamar’s
“Alright,” Gil-Scott Heron’s
“The Revolution Will Not Be
Televised,” and Public Ene-
my’s “Fight The Power” from
this year’s BET Awards are all
on the list.
Also heard are handpicked
tunes by Aretha Franklin,
Childish Gambino, War, Don-
ny Hathaway, Beyoncé, Queen
Latifah, Curtis Mayfield, Bob
Marley and The Wailers, Nina
Simone, the Impressions, and
others. As with last month’s
well-received playlist for
June, Williams programmed
the YouTube list with live
performance videos where
possible.
Gwendolyn Quinn, the
Chief Content Officer of Glob-
al Communicator, says she
wanted to honor the late Rev.
C.T. Vivian and the Hon. John
Lewis who both died on July
17, 2020 with this collection.
“Two of Black America’s
leading heroes changed the
direction of this country with
their bravery, courage, and
lifelong commitment to Civil
Rights and social justice. Their
leadership has inspired gener-
ations,” she notes.
The July 2020 Global
Communicator: Social Jus-
tice Issue features long-form
profiles of communications
professionals on the front-
lines of the nation’s cur-
rent struggle for justice and
equality: Civil Rights Attor-
ney/TV Commentator Areva
Martin, PR Expert/Media
Activist Rachel Noerdlinger,
and PR Professional Dreena
Whitfield, who represented
a founder of the Black Lives
Matter movement. Martin,
Noerdlinger, Whitfield, and
Quinn selected the songs for
the July Playlist.
Williams’ playlist for the
June premiere relaunched
Global Communicator remains
available to listeners as well.
Handpicked by the commu-
nications professionals and
Quinn, the collection can still
be heard on YouTube, Apple
and Spotify.
Global Communicator is
a monthly e-publication for
people of color that features
in-depth profiles of publicists,
public relations and com-
munications professionals,
journalists, marketing and
advertising executives, and
content creators. The magazine
is published on the Medium.
com platform.
Founded by Brennan Wil-
liams in 2008, Coloan Re-
cords creates theme mixes that
combine original and remixed
tracks to deliver eclectic and
complex music programming.
With unparalleled expertise in
sensory branding and cultural
programming, Coloan Re-
cords delivers unique viewing
and listening experiences that
captivate and move audiences
across the globe.
Coloan Records has cre-
ated musical experiences for
such clients as The Recording
Academy, Harvard Univer-
sity, Toyota, McDonald’s,
Black Portraiture Conferences
(presented in New York, Ita-
ly, and South Africa), Misty
Copeland’s Dance Tribute
to Wynton Marsalis, and the
African American Museum
of Philadelphia’s 40th Anni-
versary Gala honoring media
trailblazers Cathy Hughes and
Alfred Liggins. For the current
and past issues of Global Com-
municator magazine, please
visit www.medium.com/glob-
al-communicator. Gwendolyn Quinn, CCO of Global Communicator

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Bad Sprain Sidelines
Sabrina
By Leila Tai Brown
N
BEACON, August 6 – August 12, 2020 newyorkbeacon.com
ew York Liberty’s new-
est edition and first
round draft
pick, guard Sabrina Ionescu
sustained an ankle injury in last
Friday night’s matchup against
the Atlanta Dream when she
collided with forward Betnijah
Laney of the
Dream. Ionescu fell to the
court in obvious pain and had
to be helped off the court by
teammates. Ionescu’s injury
was classified as a Grade 3
ankle sprain. Said New York
Liberty head coach Walt Hop-
kins, "it's a massive loss." The
injury comes just three games
into an already COVID19
shortened WNBA season.
Ionescu is expected to miss at
least three weeks.
In addition to the injury, the
Liberty suffered their third loss
of the season, 84-78. It was
followed by a disappointing
fourth straight loss
(96-67) in their August 2nd
meeting against the Phoenix
Mercury. Ionescu season debut
was not memorable as she only
scored 12 points missing all 8
Take time to
be a dad today.
fatherhood.gov
877-4DAD411
Sports
Liberty Loses Sabrina For
Weeks
Photo: Special to the New
York Beacon
of her 3-point attempts. She
followed that up by scoring 33
points in 34 minutes showing
why she was the #1 pick in
the WNBA draft. It was bit-
tersweet as the Liberty fell to
Dallas Wings 93-80.
The Liberty continued the
hunt for their first victory of
the season when they faced the
Minnesota Lynx led by former
Liberty Head Coach Katie
Smith this last night.
WWE Superstar
Roman Reigns and
daughter Joelle
Andrew
Rosario,
Sports
Editor
Scorching Judge Solid
Cole Leads Yankees
By Andrew Rosario
T
here have not been many
positive stories as the
Pandemic has cost the
lives of more than 155,000
Americans. Professional and
college athletes have tested
positive impacting their partic-
ular sport. The delay to the start
of the baseball season gave
Yankees Aaron Judge time to
recover from a rib injury and
bruised lung that carried over
from the previous September.
If the season would have start-
ed on schedule, Judge would
have been on the injured list.
In the team's first 9 games in
this 60-game season, Judge has
been as hot as the weather. The
Bronx Bombers upped their
record to 8-1 after defeating
the Philadelphia Phillies this
past Monday night 6-3. Newly
acquired free agent Geritt Cole
won again going 6 innings,
striking out 4 and only giving
up one run.
The night before, Judge
blasted 2 home runs (5 rbi's)
in the 9-7 win over the divi-
sion rival Boston Red Sox
sweeping the series. It was the Healthy Judge is Hot
5th straight game that Judge Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
reached the seats. It earned
him American League Player travel down I95 to play a member of the Houston Astros.
of the Week honors. He leads doubleheader Wednesday. His next win would put him in
the team with 6th homers this Both games will be only 7 a 4-way tie for third place on
short season. The last Yankee innings. the all-time winning streak for
to hit home runs in 5 consec- Getting back to Cole. He a starting pitcher.
utive games was Alex Rodri- has been everything the Yan- The way some teams and
guez in 2007. "I really think kees thought he would be when players have tested positive,
he's on a mission now," said they signed him to a 9-year, the next game could be the last
manager Aaron Boone. "When $324 million dollar contract. ending the 60 games season.
he got that clean bill of health Cole has thrown 17.2 innings It would be a shame as Judge
in summer camp, he started with 16 strikeouts against just could put up numbers no other
ramping up." 1o hits, 4 walks, and 5 ER player has in the abbreviated
Because of the impending against 16 strikeouts in 2020. season. Let's hope things get
storm scheduled to hit New Cole has not lost a game since under control. It would be a
York Tuesday, the game was last May as his streak is now shame to not finish what was
postponed. The Yankees will at 19 games which began as a started.
Cole Earning His Pinstripes
Photo: Special to the New York Beacon