The lines on Leicester Street in Port Chester, New York were lengthy, as the rain and sleet did not suppress. Yet weather this did not dishearten family, friends, educators, politicians, school officials, and well-wishers. It is the “dash” of Byron Womack as the motive.
The Dash of Byron Womack represents all the time he spent on earth. April 2, 1969 dash February 20, 2018. He was described as a son, father, brother, educator, school counselor, and active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He encouraged many to be tenacious and persevere. He made everyone feel special. He was a modern-day activist. The Portchester Community was fortunate to have Mr. Womack as a part of their school network for over twenty years. Students were accompanied by their parents. Family members who experienced motivating conversations with Byron were on the line. A parent shared that she stood in line for 2 1/2 hours in the pouring rain because she wanted to relate the kind of son the mother of Byron, Shirley Womack had. “My son was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and Mr. Womack told me that ADD was not the definition of my son’s future.” She hugged Shirley and continued, “Thank You.” Today, there are a number of boys who are incarcerated and drop out of school because of being diagnosed but not accommodated with their disability. This was not the case for any student who was in the presence of Byron Womack.
It is during his dash that Byron understood his purpose as the son of an Entrepreneur. His dad, Willie Womack owned his own barbershop located in the South Windsor area of Connecticut. Mom and Dad instilled in Byron how to organize, operate a business, and take on greater-than-normal risks. Welcoming academic excellence was a part of his daily journey. But embracing students who had a challenging time was a part of his passion. He was an assistant principal at the middle school in Rye Brook Port Chester for eight years and was a guidance counselor prior to that. Byron’s personal mission corresponded with the vision at Port Chester Public Schools which focuses on preparing every student to be college and career-ready, while also academically and emotionally prepared to choose their own future.
Mr. Womack was recognized when he was given the 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee Humanitarian Award at a celebration of the civil rights icon. Mr. Womack exemplified a famous quote by Dr. King, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” The award recognized both Womack’s longstanding mission as a Shepard for children and his leadership in the Steer For Student Athletes program. Steer’s mission is to help youngsters grow both personally, academically, and, of course, as athletes. The nonprofit organization and its sponsor role models provide funding and services that help student-athletes make it through high school and prepare for college or jobs.
As a member of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity Omicron Iota Chapter of Westchester County, Brother Byron exemplified Omega’s Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift and remaining active in the community through our Social Action initiatives. He was a champion of Education from an early age and hosted many scholarship brunch events with his daughter Carson Womack by his side. She became a huge part of Byron’s dash. The Scholarship Program is intended to promote academic excellence among undergraduate members. The Omega Psi Phi graduate chapter provides financial assistance to student members and non-members toward their journey of academic excellence.
As a graduate of Iona College Mr. Womack understood that playing sports was much more than just learning how to throw a football; it was about building character that framed the dash of his life. Those who experienced the sweet sweet spirit of Byron “BMackalicious” Womack will continue with filling their dash by carrying the torch of encouraging, motivating, being tenacious, and persevering. Byron Womack illustrated that it does not matter how much we own, but how we live and love in our dash.
Mount Vernon – Mount Vernon Mayor Richard W. Thomas was arrested and arraigned Monday morning on criminal charges, including grand larceny, as part of a corruption probe by the New York State Attorney General’s Office into campaign finance irregularities.
Mayor Thomas, the youngest City Councilman in Mount Vernon history who unseated Mayor Ernie Davis in 2015 to become the youngest mayor in of Mount Vernon. surrendered Monday morning at the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, accompanied by his lawyer.
Councilman in Mount Vernon history who unseated Mayor Ernie Davis in 2015 to become the youngest mayor in Mount Vernon. surrendered Monday morning at the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, accompanied by his lawyer.
‘The Allegations are not true,” Mayor Thomas, accompanied by his wife, attorney, a few clergy members, and supporters, said at the very brief press conference in front of Mount Vernon City Hall. “And I want to reassure the people of Mount Vernon that this has nothing to do with my service in office, as it relates to the campaign.”
Carl Bernstein, the Mayor’s attorney, echoed the mayor’s sentiments and stated they plan to vigorously contest all charges. “These charges relate to his campaign and have absolutely nothing to do with his performance as a mayor in Mount Vernon, where he has done an extraordinary job.” (see full press conference in video below – courtesy of Yonkers Voice).
Mayor Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony, and filing a false instrument. He is accused of stealing more than $12,000 from Friends of Richard Thomas, his campaign committee, and lying about it on his campaign finance filings. He is also accused of failing to report on his city ethics disclosure money he received from individuals and his inaugural committee, which he used to pay credit card bills for personal expenses. While innocent until proven guilty, Mayor Thomas could be forced out of office if convicted of a felony per the City Charter.
“Let us not forget, Mayor Thomas is innocent until proven guilty,” Councilman André Wallace, who has been one of the mayor’s strongest critics, shared with Black Westchester after the press conference. “We will have to sit back and let all the facts come out before rushing to judgment. It’s a sad day for Mount Vernon, but we must go about doing the business of the city and let this situation play out in court.”
At the suggestion of his lawyer, Mayor Thomas did not take questions at the press conference, nor did he address any of the criminal charges other than to say he expected to be fully vindicated.
The crowd was mixed with loyal die-hard supporters and family members, and many who felt the mayor should step down from office and let their voices be heard.
Sources tell us the New York State Attorney General’s Office will be holding its own press conference later in the day in Manhattan.
The judge ordered the mayor to surrender his passport. He is due back in court on May 1st.
Stay tuned to Black Westchester for more on this developing story.
***** Updated Monday, March 12, 2018, at 1:37 PM to include court documents below****
Thomas Accused of Stealing Campaign Funds, Establishing a Slush Fund for Personal Use from His Inaugural Fund, and Falsely Filing Disclosure Reports with the State Board of Elections and Mount Vernon Board of Ethics
MT. VERNON – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced thearrest of Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas for allegedly stealing campaign funds and lying about money he diverted from his inaugural committee for personal benefit. Mr. Thomas was arrested on a felony complaint this morning after an investigation that exposed the theft of approximately $12,900 from his campaign committee, the diversion of over $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use, and his failure to disclose it.
“As we allege, Mayor Thomas used his campaign and inaugural accounts as personal piggybanks – part of a long-running scheme that began during his 2015 campaign and continued throughout his time in office,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “As we detail in the felony complaint, Mayor Thomas treated these accounts as slush funds to pay off cars, dinners, and even a Chanel purse, and then lied about it in his filings. Public corruption strikes at the very heart of our democracy, and we’re committed to continuing to root it out across New York.”
“This official allegedly misused campaign funds and failed to report gifts,” State Comptroller DiNapoli said. “We will continue to fight public corruption wherever we find it.” (see press conference below, starts at 4:06 minutes into video)
The felony complaint filed with the Court today charges Thomas with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a Class D felony); two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree (a Class E felony); and two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree (a Class A misdemeanor).
The complaint details a scheme through which Thomas allegedly stole approximately $12,900 from his 2015 mayoral campaign committee, the Friends of Richard Thomas (“FORT”). After winning the mayoral election, Thomas established the Richard Thomas Inaugural Committee (“RTIC”), ostensibly to fund an inaugural celebration, but instead allegedly personally profited from RTIC by diverting over $45,000 for personal use and failing to disclose it.
An investigation further revealed that Thomas allegedly lied on his 2016 annual statement of financial disclosure with the City of Mount Vernon when he did not reveal that businesses controlled by an individual referred to in the felony complaint as “Individual 1,” as well as RTIC, paid Thomas’ personal American Express (“Amex”) bills. After his inauguration, Thomas appointed Individual 1 to a high-ranking position with a City agency that deals with public safety, although Individual 1 had no prior law enforcement experience. Additionally, and during the pendency of this investigation (which Thomas was made aware of in December 2016), Thomas allegedly lied on his 2017 annual statement of financial disclosure with the City when he did not reveal various sources of funding he received during the reporting period, including a tuition payment made to New York University on his behalf.
Theft from Campaign Committee and False Disclosures to the Board of Elections:
An analysis of Thomas’ personal and campaign committee bank accounts revealed that Thomas allegedly used FORT funds for personal use, stealing approximately $12,900.
Thomas claimed on campaign filings that two separate payments that he issued to himself from FORT, totaling $8,900, were “reimbursements.” An analysis of Thomas’ personal bank accounts, however, revealed that Thomas never laid out any money warranting reimbursement; instead, records of Thomas’ personal bank account show that Thomas was low on personal funds at the time he received the so-called “reimbursements” from FORT. He allegedly used that money for personal expenses, such as rent for his family residence, car loans, and a payment for three automobile insurance policies for two vehicles on which Thomas was listed as the owner, and another vehicle registered to one of Thomas’ relatives. Thomas also allegedly took an additional $4,000 payment from FORT, not disclosed to the New York State Board of Elections, that he used for personal expenditures.
As alleged in the complaint, not only did Thomas falsely report money he took as reimbursements to the NYSBOE, but he also falsely disclosed meals during a family vacation as campaign expenses. That includes a family breakfast at JFK Airport that Thomas listed on FORT’s NYSBOE 2016 January Periodic filing as a housekeeping expense for “food”; Thomas falsely listed the restaurant’s corporate address, 352 Park Avenue in Manhattan, on the disclosure as the place of expenditure. The complaint also alleges that Thomas falsely disclosed a meal at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant in Mexico during a family vacation; rather than truthfully disclosing that the expenditure took place in Mexico, Thomas falsely used the address of the Bubba Gump restaurant located in Times Square in Manhattan and falsely designated the meal as a “volunteer appreciation” event.
Inaugural Committee Slush Fund:
Thomas also allegedly diverted over $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose it.
After taking office in January 2016, Thomas allegedly used funds from the RTIC account to pay the monthly balance on his and his wife’s personal Amex. In mid-January 2016, a payment for $8,538.16 was made from the RTIC account to Thomas’ Amex; included in those expenses were charges incurred for a family vacation to Mexico. In late February 2016, a payment for $6,000 was made from the RTIC account to the Thomas Amex; included in this balance was the purchase of a Chanel purse that cost more than $2,000. In both March 2016 and May 2016, two separate $5,000 payments were made from the RTIC account to Thomas’ Amex, totaling another $10,000. In October 2016, a payment of $5,320.99 was made from the RTIC account to Thomas’ Amex account; in November 2016, another payment of $2,993.18 was made; and in December 2016, another payment of $3,685.14 was made.
As alleged in the complaint, Thomas took pains to conceal an additional $14,000 payment he received from RTIC by having two close personal relatives receive payments from RTIC and then kick those payments back to Thomas. Each of the two relatives owned companies that received payments from RTIC, ostensibly for services rendered relating to events sponsored by RTIC. According to the complaint, after receiving the payments from RTIC, the relatives then quickly issued checks to Thomas for close to the full amount paid to them.
Additional Ethics Violations:
According to the complaint, prior to Thomas filing his 2017 annual statement of financial disclosure with the City, he learned of the existence of the Attorney General’s investigation. In the 2017 annual statement, Thomas disclosed the RTIC payments to his American Express account as a “loan” from RTIC. Thomas, however, failed to disclose a $10,000 gift he received from a private individual that he had used to pay back the supposed RTIC loan. Additionally, he failed to disclose a $6,000 “gift” he received from another individual who paid his NYU Stern School of Business tuition bill.
The investigation is ongoing. The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Attorney General and Comptroller would like to thank the New York State Board of Elections Division of Election Law Enforcement.
The investigation was handled by Investigator Angel LaPorte, under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Sylvia Rivera and Deputy Chief Investigator John McManus. The Attorney General’s Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Dominick Zarrella. Assisting in the investigation and providing forensic auditing analysis was Forensic Auditor Alex Ozechowski, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro. The Forensic Audit Section is led by Chief Auditor Edward J. Keegan Jr. Also assisting in the investigation were Analyst Katharine Litka and former analysts Mollie Krent and Morgan McCollum.
Assistant Attorney General Brian P. Weinberg, Special Counsel to the Public Integrity Bureau, oversaw the investigation and is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Daniel G. Cort and Deputy Bureau Chief Stacy Aronowitz. The Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Margaret Garnett.
The Comptroller’s investigation was conducted by his Division of Investigations.
Since 2011, Attorney General Schneiderman and Comptroller DiNapoli have worked together to fight corruption through their Joint Task Force on Public Integrity. They have brought charges against dozens of individuals implicated in public corruption schemes around the state, resulting in the return of over $11 million in restitution to taxpayers through these convictions.
According to the Council for Economic Education (CEE), which promotes economic and financial education in the classroom, students who have taken a class in personal finance are more likely to engage in financially responsible behaviors such as saving, budgeting, and investing. 1
Parents can insulate their kids from some of the biggest money management mistakes and build their financial literacy by talking openly about the value of money and the benefits of good financial decision-making.
To yield the biggest impact on kids’ money habits, however, the lessons imparted must be age-appropriate.
Elementary School: Saving by Example
Younger kids, for example, may not be ready for a lesson on compounded savings growth, but they can benefit greatly by watching their parents model good financial behavior.
At this age, it’s important, too, to demonstrate the value of money and sound money management.
That’s best done by giving them a dollar to purchase something at the mall, a yard sale, or at the movies. Let them see what they can get for a buck.
Elementary school kids can also begin to set financial goals.
When they receive birthday money from Grandma, or an allowance, encourage them to save the cash for something bigger they really want.
Show them how to compare prices at the grocery store and explain how different brands cost more for the same product.
Middle School and Money Management
As your children mature, you can start letting them experiment with the money they earn through babysitting, shoveling snow or an allowance.
Help them set up three accounts – one for their savings, one for spending money, and one (if you choose) for charity. And explain how interest works.
These are the years to help children establish good saving and spending habits, and help them manage impulse-buying control.
To help close the knowledge gap, continue to build financial literacy, and reinforce the lessons learned at home, look for activities or public events that help build money awareness.
High School Kids: Debt Awareness
High school and college-age kids are ready for more sophisticated lessons in money management.
That includes debt. Many of the best and brightest graduates get themselves in financial hot water by spending money they don’t have and burying themselves in high-interest credit card debt.
You can save your kids from a similar fate by explaining how interest rates work, and how those $300 designer sneakers cost much more if you pay with credit and make only the minimum monthly payments.
By paying $30 per month on a credit card that charges 18 percent interest, for example, that $300 would take 11 months to pay off and cost an additional $27 in interest.
Now is also the time to impress upon young adults the benefits of good financial choices – and the cost of poor decision-making.
Banks and other lenders rely on credit scores, a number that reflects your debt-to-income ratio and repayment history, to determine whether to issue borrowers a credit card or loans for a car or home mortgage. They also use it to determine what interest rate they should charge.
By making payments on time and keeping your debt to a minimum, consumers are far more likely to qualify for the most favorable, lowest-interest loans.
Finally, there’s nothing like a lesson in compounded growth to motivate your adult children to save for their future.
Teaching kids to save is merely aimed at giving them the tools to become smart consumers, use debt wisely, and put money away for their future.
1 MassMutual State of the American Family 2013 survey
Provided by Rashad Bilal, a financial representative with The Bilal Group LLC, courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Danielle Henry from Orange County was a part of The Women’s March of 2017, except she is more than the average advocate for women’s rights. She is a daughter who was taught that you should give what you have to those who do not have it for themselves. Women in Power has been a significant topic of discussion since the current president of the United States was sworn in on January 20, 2017. There were an estimated 600,000 people present. However, the day after is what set record numbers and made history. On January 21, 2017, women from Mexico to Seattle to Florida straight up to Boston reached record numbers of five million in history. The Women’s March was a worldwide protest advocating for issues such as Black Lives Matter, immigration reform, health care, and women’s rights, to name a few. Most of the rallies were aimed at the current president, who has made and continues to make anti-women and offensive statements.
Danielle Henry is currently working for Dialogue Direct. Dialogue Direct is a fundraising provider for the best charities in the world. They do street canvassing while having a dialogue with great donors about causes they are passionate about. Charities such as Save the Children, ASPCA, and World Wildlife Fund have budgets ranging from $200,000 to $7 million. Danielle is all about helping donors make an impact with the best nonprofits in the world. On any given day, you will find her traveling to Portland, Los Angeles, Miami, or Philadelphia. Then back to Westchester County to sit in a room on a Saturday morning, mentoring girls.
“Working with people and working for the community is in my DNA,” said Danielle. Current president of Westchester County Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Alumnae chapter. “People would do a purge of clothing they no longer care for, go to a consignment store, or drop their clothing off and get a receipt for their taxes. I was taught to create a bag and set out to find the person who needed the items. The want is for them to have the same joy I had when I had them. This is a form of clearing the path and having the continuance of blessings.”
She was raised in Uniondale, Long Island, relocated to Orange County, and is an active member of the Junior League. “I wanted to meet people in Orange County, and a good friend of mine introduced me to the Junior League. I wanted to have another lens of how needs are met in other communities,” shared Danielle. She noticed that there was a need for volunteer services and joined in 2008, which is the smallest League in the country. The Associated Junior League International was founded in New York City by Catherine Harriman of the Harriman family in 1901. It is one of the oldest women’s volunteer organizations in the world with more than 150,000 women with 291 leagues in four countries. The Junior League was founded by women who were not College graduates. These women were found serving the women and children for the betterment of their community through volunteering. Identifying issues in the community such as pollution, illiteracy, domestic violence, and social reform while finding solutions is a part of their mission. Danielle emphasized that The Junior League has a strong focus on health and nutrition. The Junior League was predominantly white and has evolved to be a very diverse national treasure. There is now a high percentage of diverse women with a balance for the greater good.
Women in action is also what attracted Danielle to pledge Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. “We are some serious women who are strategic in nature and I clearly understand through my eighteen years as a member that we are relevant. It is not about wearing the para. It is about action. The first act of social action was the Delta’s participation in the Women’s Suffrage March in 1913,” explained Danielle. The march was for the rights of women to vote in elections. The Westchester Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was established in 1959 and will be 59 years old in October while serving the community in multiple ways. Programs such as The toast of Spring scholarship lunch which provides scholarships to female students from Westchester, Habitat for Humanities, movie screenings as it affect our African American community, addressing the Housing crisis in Westchester County, coming up with solutions as to why our first responders are unable to reside in Westchester county, mentoring girls and boys, and walking side by side with Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. in search for justice because his father Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. was fatally shot by White Plains police on November 19, 2011.
When asked about our female youth Danielle shared her thoughts. “I think the state of our young women are in a crisis. There will always be a need for our Black Boys to have programs that have been in need and battling the constant test of time. However, our young ladies are more aggressive, more violent, and suspended more, and incarceration is increasing as we speak. We do not have the traditional framework to show the delicacy. I am all for Girl power and enforcing standing, but they can show the delicate side of her as well. When was the last time you heard of a cotillion or a monthly tea party to balance off having to be so powerful? There is no balance. This society is currently either over-sexual or under-sexualization. With no proper balance, we are left with young ladies trying to find their way. There is no way for them to show which why they want to go. There has been a crisis by the opposite sex, business, health-wise, regulation of our reproductive system for the last ten years. There is a lack of having a worldliness about us. Exposure to classic arts, contemporary art, opera, and ballet. I want our young ladies to understand that it does not make you a nerd it helps build culture which is a disservice to our children in this day and age.”
Danielle ended with this…
“I remain to be a optimist by nature. But things will never be easy. You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable to progress.”
We don’t graduate students from high school until they know how to read and write, and we don’t give out driver’s licenses to people who can’t pass tests showing they know the rules of the road and how to handle a car.
Yet every day we put credit cards and bank accounts, paychecks and mortgages, stock options, and insurance policies into the hands of people who haven’t proven they understand how to use them. These financial instruments are powerful tools—sometimes even weapons in the wrong hands. Understanding how to use them properly demonstrates a high level of financial acumen.
Financial education is rarely taught in schools, although some states now mandate this as part of the curriculum standards. Parents want to educate their children at home but may lack the confidence or level of understanding themselves. They don’t know how or when to talk to their children or what lessons may be age-appropriate. People who understand how money works are better able to make sound decisions in their own lives, not to mention make sense of policies that affect our entire nation and the world.
There isn’t a single approach to making financial education work, but rather try to make it a lifestyle commitment, a long-term goal achieved via a series of small, manageable goals. Here are some steps you can take to achieve that long-term goal:
Get into the habit of thinking in terms of money. Everything has an economic aspect; start looking for it as you go through your day. When you add a cold drink to your tab as you pay for gasoline, think: “I’m spending two dollars to quench my thirst.” When you remember to register early for the conference, think: “I’m saving a hundred dollars by being organized and reaching a decision quickly.” Becoming conscious of what you spend and why helps you to become aware of your spending habits and of patterns you may want to change.
Keep track of what you earn and spend. Use a notebook, spreadsheet, personal finance software, or any other form that’s comfortable for you. (Most financial institutions and many sites on the Internet offer this software at no charge.) Write down every penny you get or give from any source, no matter how insignificant. Keeping track of your earnings and spending in this way demystifies money and gives you a sense of control over it.
Develop a budget. The money log you’ve been keeping will help you decide how much you need to allot to each category. (Find budget worksheets wherever you find your daily money log.)
Read about financial topics or attend informational seminars in your local community. Don’t skip over the finance section of the newspaper. Pick up magazines devoted to economics and finance. Even publications for women focusing mainly on fashion or homemaking will contain some articles related to personal finance.
Familiarize yourself with your pay stubs and billing statements. Do you know what rate you are being charged for credit cards and utility bills? Credit card companies may charge one rate for purchases and another, higher rate for cash advances. Customers with better credit ratings usually get more attractive rates. Utility companies may vary their rates depending on peak or off-peak usage, age or economic status of household members, or other factors. Look for hidden fees and determine if they are necessary.
Send for copies of your credit report from the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian). You are allowed one free report each year from each agency. Look them over and make sure everything on them is accurate. The U.S. government’s Federal Trade Commission website (www.ftc.gov) has lots of good information about understanding these reports and correcting any errors.
Ask questions. Are you taking full advantage of your benefits package at your place of employment? If you don’t fully understand your benefits, speak with your human resources manager about them. If you don’t understand your billing statements, call customer service and speak with a representative.
Educate your kids. Explain to them that money is a finite resource: every dollar spent for one purpose is a dollar not spent—or saved—for something else. Depending on their ages, allow them to make financial transactions. Give them allowances. Sign them up for financial education classes. Resolve to make the whole family savvy about money!
Gaining Confidence Through Financial Education There is no time like the present to improve your financial acumen. Take small, attainable steps an hold yourself accountable for achieving milestones. Guidance from a qualified financial professional can help you think about the best ways to plan for the future and manage your money.
Provided by Rashad Bilal, a financial representative with The Bilal Group LLC, courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
So Should Every Black Person In Westchester County
We don’t have to go south to be reminded of racist white people. They’re right here in New York.
The disrespectful, race-based language of Daniel Loeb, who is a top donor to Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and many other politicians, is unacceptable on many levels. For Loeb to compare Senator Cousins to the KKK, then apologize and blame it on their passion for education, insults our intelligence and our suffering as Black people at the hands of a racist organization like the KKK. Makes us wonder what they think about women and black people behind closed doors. All monies from Mr. Leob should be returned; racist money should not be accepted in the Democratic Party from Gov. Cuomo on down.
The black community of Westchester have watched for too long the subtle dog whistle Politics against Black Politicians including our sister in her position by sexist and racist elected officials, and some of them have the nerve to call themselves Democrats.
What makes Governor Cuomo think that Sen. Klein has a better understanding of the suburbs than the Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins? Sen. Cousins represents more of Westchester than Klein, is more known and has crossed ethnic boundaries throughout the county.
Maybe our Governor didn’t understand. Maybe the Governor forgot that living in Chappaqua, which has a 1.95% black population (according to the 2101 census) does not represent the rest of Westchester.
Maybe there is an underlining Racial Empathy Gap in the Democratic Party in the state of New York. To systematically deny a Black woman the power of the position is a denial of Black peoples’ pain of Slavery, Jim Crow, the fight for Civil Rights, unjust killing of Black man and Mass Incarceration. I believe it’s even worse. The problem is that the pain isn’t really felt its only identified with when they need our votes. And that’s being a Hypocrite!
Sen. Cousins has, since the beginning of her political career, faced two strikes against her: Being black in a predominantly white, male-dominant political system and being a woman in a historical system of oppression.
The Independent Democratic Caucus (IDC) was founded in 2011, a year before Sen. Cousins was voted in to be the first Black Legislative Leader. Was the creation of the IDC a preemptive strike to weaken her position? Was the establishment of the IDC a political attempt to keep a black woman from the seat of power?
These are the questions Sen. Klein and others must be asked. With racist donors like Leob, what are they thinking? We all know the old saying, birds of a feather, flock together. If the racist shoe fits; then wear it!
Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins has remained unbroken and continue to chip away from the glass ceiling of the New York State Legislature, even though it seems they have stacked the chips against her. She has remained strong throughout the adversity while remaining regal throughout – she is the embodiment of beauty in the struggle. As I stand, all Black Westchester should stand with Sen. Cousins because she has always stood for us.
If our Governor Cuomo fails to recognize Sen. Cousins and her seat of power as Senate Majority Leader, then maybe, just maybe he would recognize her if she primary him in the next election for a Candidate for New York State Governor. Would he see her then?
Starting with the end and working backward, the world was in shock when the news came that Big Pun suffered a fatal heart attack on February 7, 2000 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, White Plains, at the age of 28 years old. In a time most stories like this ended with a hip-hop artist dying by some act of senseless violence, if there was anything positive to find, many were happy that he wasn’t shot to death.
What made taking his death so hard was hearing the lyrics of his current single; “It’s so hard (It’s hard work, baby)/ Yeah (I just copped 100 pounds, I’m tryin’ to live, I ain’t goin’ nowhere).” Despite the loss of weight, a heavyweight in hip-hop was gone. It’s So Hard featuring Donell Jones played on not just heavy rotation, but every rotation like Hypnotize played right after Biggie died.
Now starting from the beginning, I knew Pun was gonna be a big star when he joined Fat Joe on stage to perform a track from Joe’s second album, Jealous One’s Envy. Joe was performing, Big Pun came out on stage at the Palladium that used to be located on the south side of East 14th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue. In mid-verse, Pun fell flat on his ass, laid on the floor of the stage, never missing a beat, a lyrics and rocked like it was a scheduled part of the show. I remember watching saying this dude gonna be a big star.
Big Pun was a surprisingly graceful and nimble rapper, delivering his often clever, tongue- twisting rhymes at a torrential pace. When he spit; “Dead in the middle of Little Italy little did we know/ That we riddled two middlemen who didn’t do diddly,” in Twinz (Deep Cover 98), everyone was speechless how Pun rode that classic beat from the Dr. Dre/Snoop Dogg collabo from the movie Deep Cover. You couldn’t deny his notably technical efficiency, his having minimal pauses to take a breath and his heavy use of alliteration as well as internal and multi- syllabic rhyming schemes.
In my first interview at Loud Records with Pun a year or so later for the release of his debut solo album, the one thing I remember was telling me, “AJ, I’m gonna be the first Latino rapper to go platinum. That will be like artists go 10 times platinum for me, to be the first.” He insisted he would be first; “cause Latins goin’ platinum was destined to come.” The other thing I remember was his sense of humor, he was very quick-witted and had jokes for days, making it hard to actually do the interview, cause he had my crying. Dude was madd funny.
Artwork by AL Dre originally appeared in The Last Word of The Source Magazine [Black Westchester]
Emerging from the underground hip-hop scene in The Bronx borough of New York City, in the early 1990s, he was the first Latino rapper to have an album certified platinum as a solo act. He first appeared on tracks from Fat Joe’s second album Jealous One’s Envy in 1995, and The Beatnuts’ second album Stone Crazy in 1997, prior to signing to Loud Records as a solo artist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. About.com ranked him #25 on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of All Time, while MTV2 ranked him #11 on its list of the “22 Greatest MCs”. In 2012, The Source ranked him #19 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.
Soundview, Pun’s hood is a neighborhood at the eastern edge of Bronx Community Board 9, with a population density about 45,000 per square mile (excluding Soundview Park, about 53,000 per square mile). Its total land area is roughly 1.3 square miles. The neighborhood predominantly consists of Latin Americans (mainly Puerto Ricans) and African-Americans and has a mixture of moderate single-family homes, low-income buildings and expensive condominiums. Just 10 miles or so, away from Money-Earning Mount Vernon where another Heavyweight hip-hop artist, Heavy D, called home.
In 1996 Big Pun began recording songs for his debut album Capital Punishment. In 1997 producer Knobody’s production partner Sean C took advantage of his new role as A&R at Loud Records to play Knobody’s tracks to Big Pun. Suitably impressed, the rapper hired Knobody to remix “I’m Not a Player”. The remixed song, featuring Joe and titled “Still Not a Player”, became Big Pun’s first major mainstream hit and major breakthrough for Knobody. The full-length debut Capital Punishment followed in 1998, and peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200.
Capital Punishment was also nominated for a Grammy, and went to No. 1 on the R&B/hip-hop charts. Big caught his first big break when he met successful rapper-producer Fat Joe in 1995. Recognizing Big Pun’s talent, Fat Joe asked him to appear on his song “Watch Out.” The two oversized talents formed a strong friendship and working relationship. Inspired by a comic book character, he took the new name, Big Punisher, and joined the Terror Squad, a group of Latino rappers associated with Fat Joe. Fat Joe even helped negotiate Big Pun’s contract with Loud Records.
In a short time, Big Pun developed a substantial fan base and became a hero in the Puerto Rican community. He was proud of his heritage and often mentioned it in his lyrics and even draped himself in the Puerto Rican flag at times. Christopher Lee Rios (November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000) better known by his stage name Big Pun (short for Big Punisher), was a legendary Latino lyricist!
Black Westchester presents The People Before Politics Radio Show Episode 120 with your hosts Damon K. Jones and AJ Woodson and co-host Robert ‘Dr. Bob’ Baskerville
Our guest this week: Rev. Dr. Stephen W. Pogue, Pastor of Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church in Mount Vernon, NY, Sunday, April 9, 2017
Black Westchester Magazine presents The People Before Politics Radio Show Episode 119
With your hosts Damon. K. Jones & AJ Woodson and Co-Host Dr. Robert Baskerville,
Our Guests This Week: Greenburgh’s own Atlantic Starr chops it up about the New Album, the Unsung Documentary, local politics, and their upcoming CD Release party, Sunday, April 2, 2017
