Speaking to Canarsie Counts




Seaview Resident Association Members: Shireen, Nicole, Steven and Sheryl.

Condo owners Nicole Brown, Steven Crawford, Shireen Jones and Sheryl Parker who live in the Seaview Estates complex in Brooklyn started the group, Seaview Residents Association, in the summer because they felt neglected  in the months following Hurricane Sandy that struck on October 29, 2012.

Seaview Residents Association, whose motto is "Canarsie Counts," seeks to empower their community, get the attention of lawmakers, and position themselves for federal or other emergency funding according to Mr. Crawford.

Ms. Brown said that the real turning point was the Wednesday after Hurricane Sandy when the condominium board and management group of Seaview Estates held a meeting at the complex to let them know that they were not a top priority.

“The thing that upset me was that our management company Douglas Elliman, who is this big conglomerate, said they had to help the Manhattan residents before they can help us here in Brooklyn,” recalled Ms. Brown who lives at a complex where a studio condo starts at $125,000.

She along with the other group members who have been there for an average of nine years all agreed that this was what Douglas Elliman told residents as they stood in the cold with their flashlights, since power had not been restored yet. However, there are no e-mails, voicemail messages or letters to confirm those allegations.

“When they called a meeting, everyone came out because we were asking, ‘how long are you gonna keep the water in the garage? All of the cars that were under there… had gas coming out of them. So that was of one the issues we raised, we said ‘if you light a match or a cigarette out there, we’re all in trouble,’” Ms. Jones said.

“They had nothing in place to pump out the water.  They said they were trying their best. So they tried their best for two weeks and left us with all that stagnant salt water sitting in the garage which affected the structure of the building,” Ms. Brown continued.

The condominium board hired contractors who began to remove water from the three garages in Seaview Estates but the local firehouse ended up finishing the job two weeks after Hurricane Sandy.

Since then the group has also had serious grievances with their local utility company.

A year later the Seaview Residents Association says the biggest challenge they are facing is getting their electricity back to working standards.

“We have been receiving humongous bills from Con Edison. They say it is for actual usage but meanwhile we have no meters. They’re basically forcing us to pay these bills. Mine is almost $2,000,” said Ms. Brown. She plans to pay her electricity bill once the cost is adjusted.

As shown in the pictures below, there are truly no working meters in the entire Seaview Estates complex. According to the association members, residents were told by Con Edison that they can refute their bills by presenting notarized letters from relatives or hotel receipts that showed how long they were away from their homes after the storm.

Electricity came back on fifteen days after the storm and all four group members along with their neighbors having been using a reduced amount of power since last year. For example Ms. Jones said she still does not put on her stove and heater at the same time.

Canarsie Assemblyman Alan Maisel is aware of the situation. According to Ms. Brown, he requested that the Seaview Residents Association send him a list of tenants with exorbitant bills  in an attempt to rectify the situation with Con Edison. In the meantime most residents of Seaview Estates have filed complaints with NYC Consumer Affairs.

While the fight to lower their electrical bill continues, Seaview Residents Association hopes to receive funding through the New York Build it Back program in order to restore the common areas of Seaview Estates such as the:

·    Roof (which leaks whenever there is heavy rain and causes mold to form on the wall in Ms. Brown’s unit as well as other units in the complex.)

·   Electrical gates for cars to enter the parking lot (Seaview Residents Association members said all three gates just began working the day I visited the property on November 9, 2013 .)

·    The falling balcony railings primarily located on the first floor of some buildings.

·    Eroding walkways especially on the side facing Jamaica Bay (as seen in the image above.)

Other common areas include the pool and laundry room which have been out of service since the storm.

Ms. Brown said that she  applied for FEMA aid but was denied. Ms. Jones and Ms. Parker said they did not apply.

As the group strives to bring the community together on important matters affecting their livelihood, Ms. Brown wants “Canarsie families and residents to stand up, put their pride aside and let their voices be heard. If not for yourself, for your children and their children.”

For more information about Seaview Residents Association, contact Nicole Brown via e-mail: canarsiecounts@gmail.com

Editor's Note: An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated that some Seaview Estates residents started a group called Canarsie Counts. The actual name of the group is Seaview Residents Association. Also, the follow-up action promised by Assembly Alan Maisel was updated to indicate that he has the names of residents with Con Edison issues. (11/20/2013)

Is America Ready for the Fourth Generation Soldier?

Law enforcement officials looks for suspects in the wake of the Boston Bombing.
Photo Credit: G.N. Miller

In the days following the Boston bombing, men like the one pictured above anxiously searched for the culprit or culprits.

For the record, the suspects are 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who was killed in gun fire fight with Boston police the Thursday after the Boston bombing. These two men are White, Russian Muslims.They do not fit the usual profile of Arab and/or Muslim extremist.

So I started thinking: “How can America stay safe if we don’t even know where the enemy is or how the enemy looks?”

All of these factors prompted me to go to Google and search the terms “Racial Profiling and Terrorism” to see what kind of results I got. During my research I came across an organization called “Protecting the Homeland Innovations” or PHI.

Ironically PHI co-founder and President Todd McGhee is a retired, 24-year veteran of the Massachusetts State Police.  He talks extensively on the topic of racial profiling and terrorism to the media. I decided to call the organization and ask Mr. McGhee for an interview. Thankfully, he responded.

Here is an excerpt of the interview where he talks about America’s real threat— the Fourth Generation soldier— as well as the need for civilian and community based security training and the fallacy of racial profiling.

Todd McGhee, Co-founder and President of Protecting the Homeland Innovations
Photo Credit: http://www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com

MzCEO: As a New Yorker, I wonder if the Tsarnaev brothers reached Times Square with bombs in their backpack ready to detonate, would they have raised a red flag since they do not fit the usual description of a terrorist?

McGhee: One of the things we teach in our training currently is that there is no set profile. We also teach that no race, no religion, or culture has a monopoly on terrorism. And one of the unfortunate issues we’re coming to understand in the world of terrorism is that we’re fighting a fourth generation of warfare. Right now the United States is dealing with… a new kind of soldier that has no national affiliation. A new soldier that does not wear a uniform. A new soldier that uses unconventional tactics.

MzCEO: This sounds scary when you break it down like that. How do we prepare for that type of warfare?

McGhee: Unfortunately, we’re not prepared. One of the dynamics that my company brings out is that there needs to be a paradigm shift. Law enforcement in of itself is not the only answer in responding to this type of threat. We need our civilian population working in unison with law enforcement. So we’ll have millions of eyes and ears enhancing the security protocol. The training that my company provides will bring a level of security awareness to average citizens as well as law enforcement.

Then the civilian population  can be of service to law enforcement so that when they articulate what is wrong to a police officer, that officer is propelled to say ‘if this person took the time to give this much detail about [a potential suspect], we have to respond to that.

Boston bombing suspects Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19 and his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26.
 Photo Credit: nbcbayarea.com

If more people had this training do you think the Boston attack could have been prevented?

It takes a lot of focus and attention to identify this level of threat. However we believe that our training absolutely could have minimized the attack. As the Tsarnaev brothers traversed through the crowds if … if someone had realized them dropping the back packs, which at that point were already in position, someone could have alerted the event staff workers and law enforcement…and move everyone away from the backpacks. Then the bomb squad could have quickly responded.

So we certainly believe the training could have minimized that attacks as far as prevention…Once an attack is underway, it’s very difficult to stop it. Unfortunately we don’t have that answer yet but certainly we can mitigate and minimize potential crime or loss.

Final Comments about racial profiling and terrorism:

Focusing on race and religion as a factor of suspicion will fail in keeping us safe from criminal behavior and terrorism. Secondly, I believe there needs to be a better balance in training versus technology. Our technology is training the human senses in addition to training civilian, frontline employees on a community level to work in unison with law enforcement.  My company has been around since 2003 and we’ve been very successful working in a niche market and training a greater level of awareness. 

Reflections On Kimani Gray's Funeral

Family and friends carry the casket of Kimani ‘Kiki’ Gray at his funeral held on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Photo Credit Demotix.com

Does this sound like the description of a gang member?

“[His] teachers and classmates remembered him as an energetic, kind, playful, independent young man who tried to learn and grow one day at a time. Kiki was a child with a passion for enjoying life. He loved to dance and joke around with his family and friends…”

Yet just today the New York Post newspaper reinforced the idea that Kimani was in a gang.  In an article titled “Older brother of B'klyn teen killed by cops…” the Post wrote “Cops said Kimani, 16, was a gangbanger looking to rob someone the night he was killed.”

These words describing Kimani ‘Kiki’ Gray were spoken by a family friend during the eulogy at his funeral held on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

I did not know 16-year-old Kimani so I do not know if he was in a gang. But after attending his funeral; I realized that the couple of 16-year-old males that I do know from East Flatbush shared some of Kimani’s likes and traits.

The family friend also told the crowd of approximately 250 people in attendance that Kimani’s “…favorite subject was English because he loved the power of words… At home, he could often be found watching the Avenger cartoons or the television show Supernatural. Kiki enjoyed listening to his favorite rappers Meek Mills and Chief Keef. Everyone around him knew that he loved to eat Chinese food and would eat it every day if he could. Kiki will always be remembered for his infectious smile and free spirit...” 

Kimani Gray and mother, Carol, at his junior high school graduation.                                        Photo Credit: newsone.com

I know a couple of teenage Black males like Kimani and I’m sure you do too.

Many of my East Flatbush neighbors have formed their own opinions about this incident. In fact, as I rushed out of the house on Saturday morning to go to St. Catherine of Genoa, a family member who I adore asked, “Why yuh wastin’ your time to go to his funeral, he was no choir boy. Is this helping you get the job you want? Give me a break.”

I respectfully responded “I know we have different views about this but that’s where I feel I should be this morning.”

As I walked to Church Avenue to catch a dollar van, I thought about the fact that Kimani probably was no choir boy. Just two Wednesdays before, Carol Gray, Kimani’s mother said at a press conference held in Councilman Charles Barron’s office, “He’s not a mother’s angel, but he was my angel. And he was slaughtered.”

Truth be told a 16-year-old boy SHOULD NOT be hanging out in the streets after 11 pm. Truth be told the couple of 16-year-old guys I know from East Flatbush would be with a parent or another adult if it were after 11 pm.

None the less, is 11 shots the appropriate punishment for a 16-year-old Black male that comes across a cop after 11 pm? I know what you’re about to say “But Shari, he had a gun.  He pointed it at the cops and that’s why the cops had to shoot back.”

A candle light memorial on the corner of  55th St and Church Ave in Brooklyn  for Kimani  Gray.                       Photo Credit: BET.com

But according to the Village Voice, witness Tishana King, 39, said “one officer stood ‘right over’ Gray, continuing to shoot him while he was on the ground, and that neither cop identified himself as law enforcement when the incident began. Now since the autopsy has not been completed, this cannot be confirmed.

However, think about this. If a suspect is on the ground, what threat is that person for the NYPD to shoot the suspect again?

I do believe that everyone has to take responsibility for their actions but Kimani is no longer alive to defend himself. Furthermore, I don’t believe the young man who enjoyed life as described in his eulogy would pull out a gun on anyone much less two plainclothes cops that identified themselves. That would be asking for death.

That is why this case has caught my attention. The story from the NYPD has some holes.  Plus, I feel so connected to this story because too often young Black men− like my cousin who has locs and wears urban inspired clothing− are stopped because they “matched the description of a suspect in the area.”

What is going to happen the next time a young Black man who is frustrated about something at home or on his job is approached by a cop for acting suspiciously?

Will he face an untimely death also?  

That should not be!!!

ACTION for Kiki

Kimani 'Kiki' Gray, 16,  was shot and killed by the NYPD on Saturday.

In response to the shooting and killing of 16-year-old Kimani ‘KiKi’ Gray by the New York Police Department (NYPD);
protests took place in East Flatbush, Brooklyn for the fourth consecutive  night on Thursday. 

Unlike the evening before, none of the protesters were arrested. Everything remained peaceful.

According to police sources, two plainclothes officers approached Kimani shortly after leaving a party on Saturday night because he was acting suspiciously and was fidgeting with his waistband. When the officers identified themselves, Kimani pointed a .38 caliber revolver. Then the cops drew their guns and shot Kimani seven times, four times in the back. Eleven shots were fired in total.

One community leader that I spoke to last night said they believe the story they were told by Kimani’s friends. According to Kimani’s friends, they were hanging out near the site of the party when the two officers approached Kimani and began to assault him. That is when Kimani began running. Next came the shooting by the NYPD.

As a resident of East Flatbush and as a Black woman who knows countless young men around the age of Kimani, I don’t want to see this happen again.  

Last night I attended an action plan meeting that was organized by Councilman Jumaane Williams, Jose LaSalle of the Cop Watch Patrol Unit, Community Activist Fatima and local clergy. Pastor Verold Matthew of the New Horizon Gospel Ministries located on 3818 Church Avenue opened the doors of his church to hold the meeting.

Although the meeting started off emotionally charged as people expressed their outrage with this shooting as well as other unjustified shootings by the police or people shared their own horror stories with the NYPD; a lot of solid ideas were discussed. Some of them included:

·         Eliminating stop and frisk. In turn writing down the badge name and number of police officers when they are in the process of a stop and frisk or an act of overt aggression against a community member.

·         Indictment for the cops that shot Kimani Gray. (The cops were Black and Hispanic)

·         Holding rogue police officers accountable. Ensure that every NYPD officer is operating within the justifiable limits of the code of conduct.

·         Advocate for more resources (monetary and/or educational) to be redirected  into East Flatbush.

·         Creating a community center for youth in East Flatbush. ( Excluding the activities of local churches in East Flatbush for their young people or the Boys and Girls club on Bedford Avenue,  there is no central community center that offers free activities for school aged children.)

·         Sensitivity training for NYPD officers and educational classes for our youth particularly our young men so they know how to interact peacefully with the NYPD. (That was my idea.)

·         How do we engage and attract community members to be more involved?

The only thing left to do now is to ACT. As Kenny Carter of FAITH (Fathers Alive in The Hood) said “They’re counting on us to lose momentum. We need to see this till the end.”

*****Also, there will be a meeting on Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m for "Kiki and Shantel" held by The Shantel Davis Committee for Justice and Beyond with the purpose "to build a movement &  fight back against a system of racist terror." Last summer 23-year-old Shantel was shot and killed in East Flatbush by a NYPD officer after being approached for driving erratically. The location for the meeting is 3910 Church Ave. (Cupcake It Up) between E. 39th & E. 40th Streets in Brooklyn.*****

Inauguration Weekend 2013...Part 2

As I write this, the nation is celebrating President’s weekend. In years past, I never gave much thought to the significance of this holiday. After all with the exception of a few presidents like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln; I really did not see how any other president impacted my life or my ancestor’s lives for the better. Of course, during the past four years, my view on this holiday has changed since an African-American man was now my president. So I would be remiss if I did not take the time to talk about my 2013 Inauguration Day experience once and for all. This is for my favorite president—Barack Obama.

(L-R) MzCEO, CNN Anchor Don Lemon and Stephanie on Pennsylvania Avenue for Inauguration Day 2013. 

I woke up on the morning of January 21, 2013 feeling refreshed and excited. Later on that morning President Barack Obama would be publically sworn into office for a second time. To add more excitement, I was in Washington DC; I was as close to history as I could have been. 

What a feeling! Emotions of pride, humility, hope, gratitude and happiness ran through my entire body.

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Then all of this took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A man who was killed in the name of equality and justice for all people. He must have been in heaven smiling.

For it meant that all the marches; all the fear felt by families when their house windows were broken by bricks or when burning crosses were placed on their lawns courtesy of the Ku Klux Klan; all the physical pain felt by little kids after fire hoses stung their skin; all the doubt that must have surfaced in minds of people who spent time in a jail cell; all the beatings; all the killings and all the tears shed in the fight for equality were not experienced in vain.

Nearly forty-five years after King’s death, a semblance of a “beloved community” elected a Black man to lead the United States of America. A sampling of those people surrounded my sister, Stephanie, and I as we waited an hour to get through a check point on the corner of 7^th and E Streets NW.

There were African-Americans, Asians, Caucasians including a couple speaking French, Hispanics, War Veterans, young and elderly, sisters and brothers, aunties and uncles. That beloved community grew larger as we made our way over to Pennsylvania Avenue to view the parade.

Anticipating a real-life glimpse of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Stephanie decided the best place for us to stand along the parade route was in front of the Newseum. Stephanie said that four years ago, that’s where they first got out of their limousine.

Speakers were placed along the parade route and through the glass windows of the Newseum

I saw Kelly Clarkson sing “My Country Tis of Thee,” Richard Blanco read his poem, “One Today,” and Beyonce sing the national anthem.

As I waited for the parade to begin, I listened and at times danced to a hodgepodge of music genres such as hip-hop, Latin, country, pop and R &B. Alicia Key’s “New Day” played repeatedly which was appropriate considering the occasion. Then I asked several people around me about their feelings on this significant day.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Front Row Family Members Nadine and Valencia. Back Row Aliesha,  Demetria and Valarie.

Valencia of Daytona Beach, Florida who arrived on the parade route at 8 a.m. that morning with her aunt, niece and cousins said that when she first arrived “I was thinking to myself, ‘am I really gonna stand here for six hours?’ Then I realized it’s worth it.”

Valencia is a teacher for 7^th and 8^th graders and she was anxious to see President Obama in real life and share the experience with her students.

“In four years some of them are gonna turn 18 years old and they’ll  be able to vote. I’m taking notes for them. I know some of them are gonna be like ‘whatever’ but I want them to understand what this is all about and how important it is to vote.”

Rosemary Stokes of Anniston, Alabama believes we are lucky to have President Obama in office for another four years because of his empathy for all of God’s people.

Rosemary and Billy Stokes.

“The president is a great guy and he sees the world as a free world. He sees no difference in people and wants to make sure we are all treated fairly. He works for the poor, middle class and rich. I pray for him every night so that he can make the best decisions for God’s people,” said Stokes who was there with her husband Billy, a retired serviceman.

Dave Rucker of Philadelphia is a photographer who said he took over 400 pictures that weekend at various historic sites like the Arlington National Cemetery, the National Mall and the Capitol building.

“I’ve been out here since 7AM. It’s just a big party and its fun out here. I’m looking forward to hearing the bands. But most of all I’m hoping that President Obama walks out of his motorcade right in front of me.”

Dave Rucker and his friend Melissa.

Unfortunately, President Obama and First Lady Michelle did not walk out in front of us. However, I did see First Lady Michelle wave to me, yes in my mind she was waving only to me, from behind her limousine window. LOL. For now that will be as close as I get to one of this nation’s historical figures. Then several marching bands and folk dance groups from across the country performed on Pennsylvania Avenue.

During this President’s weekend, I’m thankful for all the people including Black and White people that paved the way for President Obama’s time in office to be a reality. It is my hope that the beloved community —and I am not counting me out— who elected President Obama will continue the work to keep America a place where opportunity exists for those who are willing to work hard for it regardless of who you are or where you came from or who you love.

Inauguration Weekend 2013...Part 1

During the Inauguration weekend of President Barack Obama, I swung by my Alma Mata, Howard University, on Saturday to check out “ACTION: Roundtable Political Forum” presented the Young and Powerful Group.

The main panel discussion featured Natalie Madeira Cofield, President  & CEO of the Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce in Austin; Daniel Hernandez, School Board Member, Arizona’s Sunnyside Unified School District; Malia Lazu, Executive Director of Future Boston; Justin G. Tanner, Obama Victory Fund 2012, National Finance Committee and others. The panel was moderated by Mayor Oliver Gilbert of Miami Gardens, Florida.  Grammy nominated Recording Artist Anthony David was a member of the audience.

Natalie Madeira Cofield with MzCEO.

Some of the topics discussed included keeping African-Americans excited about upcoming elections, both local and the presidential race as well as getting African-Americans that do not vote involved in the political process; placing young Black professionals at the table while policies that affect our communities are being made; choosing one issue each of us can work on once we left the panel and of course the significance of President Barack Obama’s winning a second term.

One line that put that fact into perspective came from Mayor Gilbert when he said:  This [presidential election] is historic the second time, we weren't mesmerized by a speech. It wasn't a ‘fluke’ this time. A majority of people voted for President Barack Obama again. 

MzCEO, Daniel Hernandez and MzCEO's twin sister, Stephanie

Hernandez reiterated the importance of voter registration drives not just at crunch time before an election but more importantly in the between time. He said “Don’t stop voter registration in the off year. Instead of working two months, work two years so that we have a better base for our future elections.” 

Furthermore, where will our new voters come from? Together Lazu and Cofield threw some controversial thoughts into the discussion. Lazu asked “How do we get the 11-year old prostitute excited about Barack and the political process?” She went on to stress that the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) needs to be stopped.

Cofield wondered if more voters are needed from Black communities and if some Black communities have a hierarchy with “dope boys” at the top, is it time to recognize the influence they have over some community members and get them involved in the political process.

That would be a very different approach to say the least. But if it will bring significant changes in our communities, it’s an option worth exploring.

After I attended a breakout workshop called “Womenmentum” which analyzed the impact of women’s vote in the 2012 election and beyond. Stacey Chavis, Chief Strategy Officer, Campaigns Academy; Kelley Robinson, Manager, Youth Organizing Public Policy Division; Angela R. Garretson, Council President in Hillside, NJ and Kellie Hawkins, Budget Analyst. This session was moderated by Amber English, a  HU classmate of mine from Howard who works for Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates.

The first question asked was how do we get more women involved in the political process?

Chavis strongly believes that for more women to be engaged in the political arena, they need to get trained.

She went on to say “Women don’t serve because we don’t see ourselves as leaders. Were wives, mothers, girlfriends. We serve in helping roles. Very rarely are we the number one. So we have to change the way we see ourselves.

“But I think one of the most important things we got to do is we have to ask women to run. We have to say I need you to run for city council. I need you to run for mayor, congress.”

Rightfully so especially considering that there are women leaders in communities of color already such block associations to parent teacher associations to church committees to business owner whether it be a beauty salon or restaurant.

Angela R. Garretson, Stacey Chavis, Kelley Robinson and Amber Adams.

However, Garretson said “I was one of the people [where] I did not need to be asked to run. Sometimes we sit at tables and we want to know if we can sit there. Don’t ask. Just sit there. ”

She went onto say that running in a campaign is not pretty but encouraged joining national political organizations for support.

“I would argue that the best thing that’s really helped shaped me and mold so much of the work I’ve done has been the national networks I’ve been associated with.” She thanks a mock campaign presented by the Congressional Black Caucus Boot Camp that took place before she became a councilwoman in 2004 since it showed her the mechanisms to making a campaign happen.

I was very excited to be surrounded by such inspired and informed women. I learned after the day's events that support and coming together under a common purpose could allow many changes to happen in our community.