Welcome to our May 15, 2021 Issue.
This month we focus on the ongoing investigation into the Mount Vernon Police Department and the Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the MVPD for pervasive and persistent alleged civil rights violations, including unlawful strip searches, excessive use of force, and other misconduct (pages 14-15), we share the homegoing of hip-hop artist Black Rob who passed away just eight days after DMX (page 17) and highlight Efua Forson, the valedictorian at Mount Vernon STEAM Academy, has accepted a full scholarship to the prestigious Ivy League academic powerhouse, Harvard University, and will be attending the fall (page 16). Ms Forson was also awarded full scholarships to Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, University of Notre Dame, and Swarthmore College. Other universities and colleges, including Fordham University, Northeastern University, and Binghamton University, awarded Forson partial scholarships.

Damon continues our health and wellness section on page 23 and I share the first two articles written for my journalism fellowship – Rank Choice Voting – Do Bronx Voters Understand The New Voting System? (page 9) and a spotlight on Nathalia Fernandez and Venessa Gibson are each vying to make history in the race for borough presidency in the Bronx (page 22).

We would like to take this time to thank all the readers, listeners, supporters, sponsors, contributors, and advertisers for their support in our effort to deliver the “News With The Black Point Of View,” since 2014. Send us your feedback, let us know what you think of this issue. Let us know subjects/topics you would like to see us cover in the future and send your letters to the editor to BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com.

Peace and Blessings
AJ Woodson, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Owner