On International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8, 2026, Traci Furbert-Gardner, MD, joined Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson & Larnez Kinsey on the People Before Politics Radio Show to discuss making history as the first woman and African American Chief Medical Officer/Medical Director of Children’s Village‘s 175-year history, what it means to be the first, her journey, her days as a DJ and much more.
Black Westchester celebrates Dr. Traci Furbert-Gardner for making her-story and shattering the glass ceiling, stepping into a demanding role when she became medical director and chief medical officer of The Children’s Village in March of 2019.
Dr. Traci Gardner also appears in the book, “Black Westchester Celebrates Black Women Of Westchester,” available on Amazon or email BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com to purchase your autographed copies.
Join Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson, and Larnez Kinsey tonight as we bring you not just news, but context, accountability, and community-centered analysis you can’t get anywhere else.
LIVE from 6 PM to 8 PM on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, powered by Black Westchester Magazine.
This week, the United States House of Representatives quietly held a vote that most Americans will likely never hear about.
The question before Congress was simple: Should the public have access to records of sexual misconduct investigations involving members of Congress?
The answer from the House was equally clear.
No.
By a vote of 357–65, the House voted to send a resolution back to the Ethics Committee rather than force the public release of sexual misconduct reports involving members of Congress. In Washington procedure, sending a measure back to the committee is often the polite way of killing it.
In other words, Congress voted to keep the information inside the institution rather than in the hands of the public.
The resolution, introduced by Nancy Mace, would have required the House Ethics Committee to preserve and publicly release records related to investigations involving sexual harassment, unwelcome sexual advances, and sexual assault by members of Congress.
Instead, the House chose institutional protection.
The $17 Million Question
The vote is particularly striking given what is already known about the cost of misconduct inside Congress.
According to House records cited by Thomas Massie, members of Congress have spent roughly $17 million in taxpayer money to settle sexual harassment claims over the years.
The exact number of cases remains unclear because many of the settlements were handled through congressional administrative processes that shielded the identities of both the complainants and the lawmakers involved.
For critics, the issue is simple: if taxpayer money was used to settle these cases, taxpayers should know who the accusations involved and how Congress handled them.
That is precisely what the Mace resolution attempted to address.
The Number That Is Getting Attention
Among the members voting to block the release were 78 female members of Congress, a number that has drawn attention online because many lawmakers have built their political messaging around workplace accountability and protecting employees from harassment.
The vote itself was not strictly partisan or gender-based. The majority coalition that kept the records sealed included Democrats and Republicans, men and women alike.
Still, the optics are striking.
At a time when political messaging frequently centers around accountability and protecting employees from harassment, Congress voted overwhelmingly to keep its own disciplinary records confidential.
Washington’s Favorite Move: The Procedural Kill
To understand what happened, it helps to understand how Congress often avoids politically damaging votes.
Members rarely vote directly against transparency. Instead, they rely on procedural maneuvers.
That is exactly what happened here.
By voting to send the resolution back to committee rather than voting directly on releasing the records, lawmakers avoided a simple yes-or-no vote that could later be used in campaign ads.
Technically, members can now say they did not vote against transparency.
But in practical terms, the outcome is identical.
The reports remain sealed.
How New York’s Congressional Delegation Voted
According to the official House roll call vote, members of New York’s congressional delegation were largely aligned with the majority that voted to keep the records from being publicly released.
The motion passed 357–65, sending the transparency resolution back to committee and effectively blocking the release of misconduct investigation records.
New York members who voted “Yea” on the motion to refer — meaning they supported sending the resolution back to committee rather than releasing the records — included:
Yvette Clarke
Adriano Espaillat
Andrew Garbarino
Laura Gillen
Dan Goldman
Hakeem Jeffries
Tim Kennedy
Nick LaLota
George Latimer
Mike Lawler
Nicole Malliotakis
John Mannion
Gregory Meeks
Grace Meng
Joe Morelle
Jerrold Nadler
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Tom Suozzi
Claudia Tenney
Paul Tonko
Ritchie Torres
Nydia Velázquez
Only four members of New York’s delegation voted against sending the resolution to committee, meaning they supported allowing the measure to move forward toward releasing the records:
Nick Langworthy
Josh Riley
Pat Ryan
Elise Stefanik
Accountability for Everyone — Except Congress?
In nearly every other sector of American life, transparency has become the expectation.
Corporate executives lose their jobs over misconduct. University leaders face public investigations. Media organizations report aggressively on allegations involving powerful figures.
But when it comes to the legislative branch, the rules appear to change.
Congress writes the laws that govern the country, yet it often maintains its own internal system for handling ethical violations behind closed doors.
And when an effort is made to open those records to the public, the institution closes ranks.
The Real Question
The debate now is not simply about one vote.
The larger question is whether the public should have access to records involving allegations of misconduct by the very officials responsible for writing the laws that govern everyone else.
Because transparency in government is not just a slogan.
It is a test.
And this week, Congress decided that test would remain sealed.
America Is Preparing for the AI Economy — But Many of Our Schools Are Not Even Preparing Students for Today
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming the next major industrial expansion in the United States. Massive data centers, power plants, and electrical infrastructure are being planned across the country to support the computing power required for AI.
But while policymakers and technology companies are preparing for the next economic era, many school systems—particularly in Black communities—are struggling to prepare students even for the current one.
A recent comparison of high schools across Westchester County illustrates the problem clearly. The data compares graduation rates, SAT scores, college readiness, class sizes, and economic disadvantage across dozens of school districts. HIGH-SCHOOLS_Public
The numbers reveal two completely different educational realities operating only a few miles apart.
In some districts, students graduate from high schools with SAT scores that place them among the most competitive in the country. Schools such as Scarsdale report SAT averages around 697 in reading and 716 in math. Edgemont reports averages near 700 reading and 720 math, while Bronxville averages approximately 690 reading and 690 math.
These scores reflect school systems where college readiness is the expectation, not the exception.
But the picture changes dramatically when looking at several urban districts.
Mount Vernon High School reports average SAT scores of 520 in reading and 500 in math, with a college readiness index of just 17.8 percent.
Several Yonkers schools report even lower outcomes. Schools such as Gorton, Lincoln, and Riverside show SAT averages around 465 in reading and 435 in math.
That represents a gap of more than 200 points compared to some of the county’s top-performing districts.
This is not simply an academic difference. It is a difference in preparation for the future economy.
Students graduating from schools where average SAT scores fall in the mid-400s are entering a labor market that increasingly demands technical literacy, problem-solving skills, and specialized training.
Yet many of these same schools offer limited exposure to the skilled trades that could provide viable economic alternatives.
At the same time, another uncomfortable reality must be addressed.
In many Black communities, public conversations often focus on national political drama, celebrity scandals, and controversies dominating the headlines. Recently, many people have spent days debating the release of the Epstein files and what they might reveal.
But a difficult question must be asked.
How concerned should we be about documents and political scandals when many of our own children are graduating from school without the reading and comprehension skills necessary to fully understand what those files even say?
We are debating national intrigue while a growing number of students in our own communities are leaving school functionally below grade level.
This is not simply a policy failure. It is a priority failure.
For decades, the national conversation around educational disparities has often focused on racism as the primary explanation. But in 2026, that explanation alone does not fully address what the data is showing.
The more immediate problem is that many school systems serving Black communities are operating under an outdated educational model that has failed to adapt to the needs of the students they serve.
The economy has changed dramatically over the past twenty years.
Industries today demand technical skills, mechanical knowledge, electrical expertise, and specialized training in fields that did not exist a generation ago. The expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure will require electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, welders, network technicians, and power plant operators.
Yet many urban school systems continue to focus almost exclusively on pushing students toward four-year college degrees.
The result is predictable.
Students who struggle academically are often left without viable alternatives. Trade programs that once provided pathways into skilled professions have disappeared from many school districts. Career and technical education programs remain limited, underfunded, or disconnected from the industries that are actually growing.
In other words, students are being prepared for a labor market that no longer exists.
Artificial intelligence may dominate the headlines, but the infrastructure required to support it will depend on skilled workers. Data centers require cooling systems, electrical networks, ventilation systems, and constant maintenance.
These are not temporary jobs. They are stable industries that can provide middle-class incomes without requiring a four-year college degree.
But those opportunities will only benefit communities that prepare their students to participate.
If schools in Black communities continue operating under outdated educational assumptions while the economy moves in a different direction, the results will be predictable.
The AI economy will still grow. The infrastructure will still be built. The jobs will still exist.
But once again, the communities that need these opportunities the most risk watching the economic transformation from the sidelines.
How many times will the Black community find itself at the end of the curve when the economy changes?
Throughout American history, every major industrial shift—from manufacturing to technology to the digital economy—has created new opportunities. Yet too often, Black communities arrive after the systems, training pipelines, and ownership structures have already been established.
The result is predictable. By the time many students are prepared to enter the field, the most valuable positions and economic advantages have already been taken.
If our schools are always preparing students for yesterday’s economy, then our communities will always be chasing tomorrow’s opportunities instead of leading them.
Education policy, like any public policy, must ultimately be judged by outcomes.
And the outcomes reflected in these numbers should concern anyone who believes education is the foundation of economic opportunity.
While the official purpose of the White House event was to celebrate the 2025 MLS Cup champions Inter Miami and soccer star Lionel Messi, President Donald Trump used the moment to hint at something much larger: Cuba.
In the middle of remarks focused largely on Iran and global security, Trump made a brief but revealing statement suggesting that once the current conflict stabilizes, Washington’s attention could turn toward the Caribbean.
“We want to finish this one first,” Trump said while referencing the situation with Iran. “But that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba.”
He later added that Cuban leadership “wants to make a deal so badly,” suggesting negotiations or political changes could be approaching.
For many observers, the comment sounded less like casual rhetoric and more like a signal that the administration may soon shift its geopolitical focus closer to home.
Why Cuba Matters in U.S. Caribbean Strategy
For decades, Cuba has been the central geopolitical anchor of the Caribbean basin.
Located just 90 miles from Florida, the island sits at the crossroads of major shipping lanes connecting the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and the Atlantic. That position has historically made Cuba a focal point of U.S. national security policy.
The strategic importance of the island was most dramatically demonstrated during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when Soviet missiles placed in Cuba brought the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.
While the Cold War ended decades ago, Cuba remains influential across the region through diplomacy, medical aid programs, and ideological alliances with governments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
A Shift Back Toward Pressure
During Trump’s first administration, U.S. policy toward Cuba reversed the normalization efforts begun under Barack Obama. Travel restrictions were tightened, sanctions expanded, and Havana was placed back on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Trump’s latest comments suggest that the administration may again be preparing to exert pressure on the Cuban government.
That possibility carries major implications not just for Cuba but for the broader Caribbean.
Many Caribbean nations maintain close diplomatic and economic relationships with Havana. Cuban doctors, teachers, and technical workers operate across the region, particularly in smaller island states that rely on foreign expertise to support public services.
A dramatic shift in U.S.–Cuba relations could therefore ripple across regional politics, forcing Caribbean governments to navigate between Washington and Havana.
The Venezuelan Connection
Trump’s remarks also referenced developments in Venezuela, another key player in Caribbean geopolitics.
For years, the governments of Cuba and Venezuela have maintained a close alliance, with Venezuela supplying subsidized oil to Cuba and other Caribbean nations through regional energy programs.
Changes in Venezuela’s political or economic alignment could alter the balance of power throughout the Caribbean basin.
If Washington succeeds in reshaping relationships with either Cuba or Venezuela, the regional political map could shift quickly.
Why Caribbean Leaders Are Watching Closely
Caribbean governments have traditionally tried to balance relationships with both the United States and Cuba.
The United States remains the region’s largest trading partner and security provider, while Cuba maintains strong cultural, diplomatic, and humanitarian ties throughout the Caribbean Community.
Trump’s suggestion that developments in Cuba may be “just a question of time” will likely attract close attention from leaders across the region.
For small island nations, geopolitical shifts between major powers can quickly affect trade, migration patterns, and economic stability.
A Regional Story, Not Just a U.S. One
Trump’s comments came during a celebratory event for Inter Miami and Messi, but they carried echoes of a much larger geopolitical strategy.
If Washington does turn its focus toward Cuba after the current conflict cycle in the Middle East, the consequences will extend well beyond Florida or Havana.
They will reach across the Caribbean basin.
From Jamaica to the Dominican Republic, from Trinidad to the Bahamas, leaders will be watching carefully to see whether the president’s brief comment signals a new chapter in U.S.–Caribbean relations.
Because in geopolitics, sometimes the most important signals are delivered in a single sentence.
New facility aims to reduce wait times and expand access to behavioral health services
WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester County has officially opened a new Mental Health Safety Net Clinic in White Plains, restoring the County’s direct role in providing outpatient behavioral health services and expanding access to mental health care for residents.
Located at 112 East Post Road, the new state-of-the-art facility is designed to address service gaps that have emerged in recent years as demand for mental health services has grown across the region. County officials say the clinic will help reduce long waitlists and ease pressure on hospitals and emergency departments that have increasingly been forced to handle mental health crises.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said the reopening represents the restoration of a critical public service that disappeared nearly fifteen years ago.
“Nearly 15 years ago, the doors of Westchester County’s Safety Net Clinic were forced to close,” Jenkins said. “Restoring that system of care for our residents was not an option—it was essential. For too long, our hospitals and emergency rooms have been forced to carry a responsibility they were never designed to bear—but that ends now.”
According to county officials, demand for outpatient behavioral health services has increased significantly since 2020, creating longer wait times for treatment and adding strain to the healthcare system. The new clinic is intended to strengthen the county’s overall behavioral health strategy by providing community-based treatment and reducing unnecessary hospitalizations.
For many Black residents across Westchester County, the reopening of a county-operated mental health clinic carries additional importance. Communities such as Mount Vernon, Yonkers, and parts of New Rochelle have seen a rise in mental health–related crises in recent years, including increased calls for crisis intervention and behavioral health services. Historically, access to culturally responsive and affordable mental health care has been limited in many Black communities. Expanding county-run services helps close that gap by providing more accessible treatment options, earlier intervention, and connections to community-based support systems that can prevent crises from escalating.
Department of Community Mental Health Commissioner Michael Orth said the clinic strengthens Westchester’s behavioral health continuum of care and complements other crisis response programs already in place.
“This clinic represents a major step forward in strengthening Westchester’s behavioral health continuum of care,” Orth said. “The reopening of the Safety Net Clinic complements our crisis response system, including 988 services and hospital diversion efforts, and reflects our commitment to accessible, recovery-oriented, and integrated care.”
The facility will provide comprehensive outpatient services for adults 18 and older, with treatment designed to be trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and centered on long-term recovery and wellness.
Services offered at the clinic include:
Individual therapy
Crisis intervention
Medication management
Group therapy
Health assessments
Peer support services
Interfaith support
Referrals to community resources
Integrated treatment for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
Spanish-speaking services will be available, along with additional interpretation through Language Line for other languages.
Melanie Montalto, Assistant Director of Division Clinic Administration, said the project was the result of years of planning and collaboration.
“From initial planning through construction to state licensure, this has been a true team effort,” Montalto said. “We are proud to open a clinic that ensures individuals who may not otherwise have access to care can receive high-quality outpatient treatment.”
Local leaders also emphasized the importance of restoring county-run mental health services after previous closures left gaps in care.
Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi said expanding access to community-based mental health care is critical to the well-being of families across the county.
“Access to timely, community-based mental health care is essential to the health and stability of our families and neighborhoods,” Gashi said. “By expanding services and reducing barriers to care, we are strengthening the safety net.”
County Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson said reopening the clinic fulfills a long-standing goal to restore services that were closed during the Astorino administration.
“Today’s opening is more than a ribbon-cutting—it’s the restoration of care, dignity, and a promise our community has waited far too long to see kept,” Johnson said.
Mental health advocates also welcomed the new facility as a critical resource for residents who have struggled to find treatment.
Christopher Rivera, an advocate and team leader for the Crisis Stabilization Team at People-USA, said provider shortages and limited clinic capacity have long made it difficult for residents to access services.
“By expanding access and reducing barriers to care, the Safety Net Clinic helps fill a critical gap in the local behavioral health system,” Rivera said.
The clinic accepts Medicaid, private insurance, and uninsured individuals, and will operate in accordance with New York State Office of Mental Health Article 31 regulations.
County officials say the new facility represents an important step toward strengthening the mental health safety net in Westchester County and ensuring residents can receive the care they need within their own communities.
President Donald Trump has removed Kristi Noem from leadership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and tapped Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement, marking the first major cabinet-level shakeup of Trump’s second term.
The decision comes as immigration policy and border security continue to dominate national political debate. DHS oversees one of the largest and most complex responsibilities in the federal government, including border enforcement, immigration operations, disaster response through FEMA, cybersecurity coordination, and domestic security programs.
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, became one of the most visible figures in the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy during her time at DHS. Supporters praised her aggressive approach to border security and her willingness to publicly defend the administration’s policies. Critics, however, increasingly targeted her leadership during contentious congressional hearings over the department’s policies and spending decisions.
Rather than removing her from government entirely, the administration chose to reposition her within its broader national security strategy. The move allows Trump to bring new leadership to DHS while keeping Noem aligned with the administration’s international security priorities.
Trump’s choice of Mullin signals a different political approach. Before entering politics, Mullin built a successful plumbing and construction business in Oklahoma. In Congress, he developed a reputation as a direct and combative political figure who frequently engages in policy battles on Capitol Hill. Supporters believe that experience may help him navigate the increasingly tense political environment surrounding immigration enforcement.
But the nomination is already facing opposition in Washington.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer quickly voiced resistance to Mullin’s appointment. In a public statement, Schumer said he would not support the nomination and argued that leadership changes alone will not resolve deeper issues within the agency.
“I’ve been asked if I would support Sen. Mullin as Noem’s replacement. The answer is a resounding no. The rot in DHS goes far beyond Kristi Noem,” Schumer said.
The statement signals that Mullin’s confirmation could become another flashpoint in the ongoing political fight over immigration policy and federal border enforcement. Democrats have increasingly criticized the administration’s approach to immigration, while Republicans argue stronger enforcement is necessary to maintain national security and restore control over the border.
For the Trump administration, the leadership shift appears less about changing policy and more about strengthening the political management of one of the most scrutinized departments in the federal government. Homeland Security has become a central battleground in American politics, with its policies affecting everything from border crossings to disaster relief and cybersecurity threats.
Personnel changes inside presidential administrations are often interpreted as signs of weakness or failure. But in Washington, leadership reshuffles are frequently part of a broader strategy to reset political momentum while keeping core policies intact.
By moving Noem and elevating Mullin, the administration appears to be recalibrating its leadership team ahead of what is likely to be another intense period of debate over immigration and national security policy.
Whether Mullin ultimately secures confirmation will depend on the political battle that unfolds in the Senate. But one thing is already clear: the fight over who controls the direction of Homeland Security is far from over.
The Children’s Village Organization in Dobbs Ferry, NY, announced Traci Furbert-Gardner, MD, as its new Medical Director on March 13, 2019. Dr. Gardner makes history as the first woman and African American to hold this position in the agency’s 170-year history. Dr. Gardner is the current Chief Medical Officer for The Division of Immigration Services at The Children’s Village and will continue to hold that position. Dr. Gardner is also the first woman and African American to hold the positions of Director of Community Engagement and Director of Health Inequity/Anti-bias/Racism at New York Medical College and Medical Director for the Greenburgh Eleven Union Free School District in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be the first woman and African American or Person of Color to hold this position in the organization’s 160-year history,” Dr. Traci shared with Black Westchester.
Dr. Traci Gardner and AJ Woodson at Black Women Of Westchester book launch at Greenburgh Library, Saturday, March 4, 2023 [Black Westchester]
Dr. Gardner graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and New York Medical College with a Doctor of Medicine. Dr. Gardner is also a Fellow of The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, part of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, secondary to completion of the Supporting the Well-Being of LGBTQ Youth Certification Program. Prior to medical school, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. She has published articles on various topics on medicine, health, and trauma, and has been a contributing writer for the website, Fit! Live! Win! Her most recent article was published in Psychology Today on The Collective Trauma of the Black Community in 2020: What are the Implications for COVID Vaccines?
In her role as the Director of Community Engagement, she has partnered with the NAACP as well as other community organizations on topics that impact health disparities in the African American Community. She has written curricula for New York Medical College School of Medicine on patient-centered collaborative care focused on case coordination, population health, social determinants of health, and cultural competency/Implicit Bias.
Her current appointments include: Board of Directors -The Westchester Institute for Human Development, Associate Clinical Professor- New York Medical College, Adjunct Faculty Attending in the Department of Pediatrics- Westchester Medical Center, Member of Advisory Council for the Attorneys for Children for the 9th judicial District of the NY State Court System, Founding Member and current Chair of Policy and Procedure Committee of Gender Responsive Initiatives and Partnerships Court (GRIP Court), Access to Justice Sub-Committee on Immigrant Rights and Services for the Ninth Judicial District, and NYS Judicial Institute Think Tanks on Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice.
Dr. Gardner has done presentations and panel discussions on Adolescent Health, Trauma, ACES, Cultural Competency, Race/Implicit Bias, and COVID-19. In 2021, she was selected as one of the sixteen 2021 Westchester Magazine’s Healthcare Heroes for her COVID policy and implementation within the Child Welfare System locally and nationally. She has served as an expert Panelist for the United States Senate Finance Committee on the topic of Psychotropic Medications in Child Welfare on Capitol Hill, Guest Panelist for The AM Joy Show with Joy Reid on MSNBC, Black News Channel and Black Theatre United, Invited Workshop Presenter for the Child Welfare League of America’s National Conference in Washington DC as well as Invited Presenter and Panelist for a discussion on Programs and Policies to Prevent the Incarceration of Girls of Color just to name a few.
Dr. Gardner received the 2010 Greater NY Health Association Honor Recipient Award, recognizing Haitian Earthquake Medical Responders, and the 2013 NAACP Image Award (Health Care Provider of the Year for Community Contribution and Excellence) from the Greenburgh/White Plains Branch of the NAACP and became the Health Chair for this Branch in 2017. Dr. Gardner is the current Membership Chair of the White Plains Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, a community service organization.
Black Westchester celebrates Dr. Traci Furbert-Gardner for making her-story and shattering the glass ceiling, stepping into a demanding role when she became medical director and chief medical officer of The Children’s Village in March of 2019.
Artificial intelligence has quickly moved from the realm of science fiction into the center of economic and national policy. At a recent White House meeting with leaders from some of the largest technology companies in the world—including firms such as Google, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Amazon Web Services, and OpenAI—Donald Trumpoutlined a strategy aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence infrastructure across the United States.
Much of the political conversation surrounding artificial intelligence focuses on algorithms, software, and digital innovation. But the meeting revealed something far more practical. Artificial intelligence requires enormous amounts of electricity, and electricity requires physical infrastructure.
Data centers that power AI systems consume far more energy than traditional computing facilities. Estimates suggest electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence could double or even triple over the next decade. The policy proposal discussed during the meeting attempts to address that reality by requiring technology companies to finance the power generation necessary to operate their AI facilities rather than shifting those costs onto the public electricity grid.
In simple terms, if companies want to build massive data centers, they must also help build the power plants and infrastructure required to run them.
From a policy perspective, the logic is straightforward. When private firms demand large amounts of energy infrastructure, the financial burden should not automatically fall on ordinary ratepayers.
Whether this approach succeeds will ultimately depend on outcomes rather than intentions.
For Black communities across the United States, the more important question is not who proposed the policy but what economic consequences it produces. History offers a clear lesson: major industrial expansions often occur around Black communities without necessarily including them in the economic gains.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to repeat that pattern unless communities focus on measurable results.
One of the most immediate opportunities lies in the skilled trades. The physical infrastructure required for AI data centers and power generation is enormous. These facilities require thousands of workers to construct and maintain them, including electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC technicians, network technicians, and power plant operators.
Artificial intelligence may be powered by software, but it is built with pipes, wires, cooling systems, transformers, and mechanical infrastructure.
In other words, the AI economy will not only depend on computer programmers and software engineers. It will also depend heavily on skilled tradesmen.
This reality raises an uncomfortable question about the current direction of American education. For decades, the dominant message delivered to young people—particularly in urban school systems—has been that success requires a four-year college degree. As a result, vocational education and trade training were gradually pushed aside.
That decision had consequences.
Many industries now face severe shortages of electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians. These are not low-skill occupations. They are highly technical trades that require training, certification, and years of experience. They also offer incomes that often exceed the earnings of many college graduates.
The expansion of AI infrastructure will intensify this demand. Data centers require sophisticated cooling systems, advanced electrical installations, complex ventilation networks, and continuous maintenance. Power plants require skilled mechanical workers, welders, pipefitters, and technicians capable of operating large-scale industrial equipment.
These jobs cannot be outsourced overseas. They must be performed where the infrastructure exists.
If the United States intends to build the energy capacity and data center infrastructure required for artificial intelligence, the country will need a workforce capable of constructing and maintaining that system.
This is where education policy intersects directly with economic outcomes.
Schools that continue to push every student toward college while neglecting trade education are preparing students for a labor market that increasingly values practical technical skills. For many young people, particularly young men in urban communities, the trades may offer one of the most stable paths to economic mobility.
Black communities should therefore view the AI infrastructure expansion not simply as a technology story but as a workforce story.
If vocational programs, union apprenticeships, and technical training pipelines expand in Black communities, thousands of young people could enter well-paid skilled trades connected to the construction and operation of energy facilities and data centers.
If those pipelines do not exist, the projects will still be built. The jobs will simply go to someone else.
Another outcome worth watching is energy affordability. Many Black households already face disproportionately high energy costs relative to income. If technology companies truly finance the energy infrastructure required for their AI facilities, electricity costs for residential consumers could stabilize or even decline over time. If the costs ultimately shift back onto ratepayers through regulatory structures, the promise of “ratepayer protection” will prove largely symbolic.
Local economic development is another factor. Data centers require land, infrastructure, and proximity to energy supply. Many of these projects will be built near working-class communities where land and industrial zoning are available.
The relevant question is whether those communities receive meaningful economic benefits—jobs, training opportunities, and tax revenue—or whether they simply host facilities that generate wealth elsewhere.
None of these questions will be resolved by political speeches. They will be answered through measurable results.
Artificial intelligence is widely described as the defining technological transformation of the twenty-first century. That may well be true. But technological revolutions alone do not determine who prospers. Institutions, education systems, and workforce preparation often matter more.
For Black America, the critical issue is not whether artificial intelligence will reshape the economy. It almost certainly will.
The critical issue is whether our education systems prepare young people to participate in building that economy.
If schools continue to ignore the skilled trades, many young people will watch the infrastructure of the future rise around them while others fill the jobs required to build it.
Public policy should ultimately be judged not by the enthusiasm surrounding it but by the outcomes it produces. Employment levels, trade apprenticeships, energy costs, and local economic development will tell us far more about the success of this AI expansion than any announcement delivered in Washington.
The United States Senate held a vote this week on a War Powers Resolution intended to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military operations against Iran without explicit congressional authorization. After days of political debate and media attention, the final result was clear.
The resolution failed.
The Senate voted 53–47 against the measure, meaning the attempt to restrict the president’s authority did not pass. Because the resolution failed to gain a majority, it does not move forward and places no new limits on the administration’s current military posture.
The vote also revealed how sharply divided Washington remains over the issue of executive military authority.
Most Republican senators voted against the resolution, supporting the administration’s position that the president has the authority to act under the existing framework of the War Powers Resolution and the broader responsibilities of the commander in chief.
Most Democratic senators voted in favor of the resolution, arguing that Congress should have a direct role in approving continued military engagement.
However, the vote was not perfectly partisan.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican who voted in favor of the resolution, siding with Democrats who argued Congress should reassert its constitutional authority over military action.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat who voted against the resolution, joining Republicans in opposing the measure.
Those two votes illustrate an important reality about war powers debates in Washington. While the rhetoric often follows party lines, concerns about executive authority have historically existed in both parties.
But the final numbers matter more than the speeches.
53 senators opposed the resolution. 47 senators supported it.
In practical terms, that means the effort to force the president to seek congressional approval for continued military operations against Iran did not succeed.
The outcome also reflects a long pattern in American politics. Since the War Powers Resolution was passed in 1973 after the Vietnam War, Congress has repeatedly attempted to reclaim authority over military engagement. In practice, however, presidents from both parties have continued to conduct military operations abroad with limited direct congressional authorization.
President Barack Obama authorized military action in Libya in 2011 without a formal declaration of war. Drone strike campaigns expanded significantly during his administration. President Joe Biden authorized airstrikes in Syria and Iraq in response to threats against U.S. personnel. Earlier administrations under both Democratic and Republican leadership also relied on broad executive authority.
The debate over war powers has therefore existed for decades. Yet the outcome rarely changes the balance of power between Congress and the presidency.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has already suggested that a similar effort in the House of Representatives is unlikely to pass, especially after lawmakers received classified briefings from the administration regarding the security situation.
This illustrates the difference between political messaging and political outcomes.
Votes like this often serve a political purpose. They allow lawmakers to place themselves on record for their voters, signal support or opposition to military action, and frame the broader public debate. But the practical result of this particular vote is simple.
The resolution failed.
President Trump retains the authority he was already exercising under existing law.
Fossil Fuel Volatility and Infrastructure Costs are What’s Driving Higher Bills
New Yorkers opening their utility bills are asking a fair question: Why are energy costs rising?
In Albany, some policymakers are pointing to New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) as the cause and suggesting the state should roll back the law.¹ Those claims rely on contested cost projections and misleading narratives about today’s energy prices. More importantly, they ignore the real drivers of rising bills.
The primary factors pushing energy costs upward today are well understood: the cost of maintaining aging infrastructure and supply costs, including volatile fossil fuel markets. This very much includes the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Weakening New York’s climate law will not solve those problems. In fact, it risks locking them in.
To understand why, we need to look at what actually drives utility bills.
The Infrastructure We Are Paying For
A large share of what New Yorkers pay on their energy bills is the delivery system — pipelines, distribution networks, and other infrastructure required to move energy into homes and businesses.
Utilities recover the cost of building, maintaining, and financing that infrastructure through rates approved by regulators. These investments last for decades, meaning customers continue paying for capital projects long after they are built. Delivery charges, therefore, make up a substantial portion of many utility bills across New York.²
These costs are not the result of the CLCPA. They reflect decades of investment in fossil fuel infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry has lobbied aggressively to maintain and expand that infrastructure because it generates guaranteed returns through regulated utility rate structures. Those costs ultimately fall on customers.
Fossil Fuel Volatility Shows Up on Bills
Next are supply costs, including fuel prices. Because fossil gas is a large share of New York’s electricity generation, fluctuations in gas markets quickly translate into higher electricity prices. New York’s grid operator has noted that electricity prices in the state closely track fossil gas costs.²
Global events demonstrate how quickly those markets can shift. The Russia-Ukraine war disrupted global natural-gas supply chains and contributed to significant price spikes that affected electricity markets in New York.³ Now, the Iran war and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes — have rattled global oil and gas markets, pushing prices higher in ways that are likely to increase consumer energy costs.⁴
Fossil fuel volatility is not theoretical. It is already showing up on utility bills.
Our Climate Law Is Not the Cost Driver
Despite this reality, some critics now argue that New York’s climate law will make energy unaffordable. Recent critics have cited unsourced cost projects as proof that the CLCPA is too expensive.
But those projections rest on contested assumptions and fail to fully account for the economic and climate risks of continued fossil fuel dependence.⁵ More importantly, they are planning tools that don’t explain why bills are rising today.
Using those projections to justify rolling back the CLCPA confuses future modeling exercises with the structural drivers of current energy costs. Weakening the law would not lower today’s bills or future costs — it would simply eviscerate our climate commitments.
The Real Affordability Solution
If policymakers are serious about affordability, the solution is not to retreat from the clean energy transition — it is to manage it responsibly.
Energy efficiency, electrification and grid modernization can reduce long-term system costs while protecting consumers from fossil fuel price shocks.⁶ Studies consistently show that efficiency improvements and clean energy deployment lower overall system costs and reduce household energy burdens over time.⁷
For environmental justice communities, these investments are particularly important. Low-income households and communities of color often face the highest energy burdens while also bearing the greatest health impacts from fossil fuel pollution. Implementing the CLCPA will deliver cleaner air and healthier communities.
Done right, the clean energy transition is not only a climate strategy — it is an affordability strategy. Rolling it back will cause real harm.
The Wrong Moment to Retreat
New York enacted the CLCPA because the climate crisis demands urgent action and because the state recognized the long-term risks of continued fossil fuel dependence.
Today’s global energy instability only reinforces that logic.
Doubling down on fossil fuel infrastructure will leave New Yorkers exposed to the same cycles of volatility that have driven energy costs for decades.
This is not the moment to weaken New York’s climate law. It is the moment to implement it carefully, responsibly, and with a clear focus on affordability, stability, and justice.
New Yorkers deserve an energy system that is cleaner, more stable, and more affordable over time. Don’t roll back our climate law.
About the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center: EJLPC is Westchester’s energy, climate, and environmental justice organization, focused on building healthy and thriving communities. www.EJLPC.org.
Raya Salter is the Executive Director of the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center and Member, NYS Climate Action Council and the NYS Permanent Environmental Justice Advisory Council
