Story by: Samantha Isaac & Felicia Romain
Photos by: Keziah Green
Video by: Danielle Pierre

Just four days before Veterans Day, the USS New York, a ship made in part out of steel from the World Trade Center wreckage, was commissioned at Pier 88 on the Westside of Manhattan. The ceremony included speeches by Governor David Paterson and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Inside the gates at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Naval seamen were lined up along the edges of the USS New York. A few feet away on land, an honor guard of Marines and the Navy were stood in front of a line of several flags that were half-mast. President Obama ordered the flags in that position after the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, Texas early this week.

An assembly of boy scouts, sailors, policemen, Marines and many more took part in the day’s event, which honored the only service ship that bears the name of a state. The ship was named to honor 9/11 victims.

“The event was beautiful, and it brought tears to my eyes,” said Marie Houanche, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S Army.

The ship, which arrived in New York on Monday, November 2nd, will be used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies. “It was the ultimate symbol of resilience,” Governor Paterson says about the USS New York.

He mentions that to take the steel from the World Trade Center and then build a ship out of it is amazing. “There were many many people who perished at 9/11 who were never recovered,” he continues. “So it not only bares their spirit, it bares their DNA.”

After the ship was commissioned, a new 9/11 memorial was unveiled. The memorial consisted of two 12-foot-tall, 3,000-pound pieces of steel recovered from the fallen World Trade Center, closely resembling how the Towers once stood.

One Marine Corp veteran, Roland St. Paul, 71, also came to the event. He said that it is a great experience. Although he did not have a ticket to be part of the commissioning ceremony, he did have his Marine Corp hat that read “I Served With Pride.”

“Excellent idea,” St. Paul says about the ship being made out of the metal of the World Trade Center building. “I know the sacrifices that [the soldier's] are making. I respect that.”

The USS New York will be in dock for visitors until Wednesday, November 11th 2009.

A workshop about gang violence was held in the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan for concerned parents and teens. Gang violence has always been a huge problem. The host, Carlos Ortiz, an officer of the NYPD Division of School Safety Special Projects Unit, says that “there are over 500,000 members worldwide” pertaining only to a new gang called the MS13 alone.

The workshop consisted of the staggering gang violence statistics, gang related clothing, jewelry, hand signs, tactics, logos and more. As videos were played to show gangs—Bloodz, Cripz and The Latin Kings in particular—advocating their affiliation, the audience was appalled and speechless.

One video, for example, was a clip from a Fox News report that talked about gang members joining the army just to learn warfare tactics to teach their fellow gang members. Ortiz explained that this is not new but has been happening for a long time. “This is what is happening–this is what this is all about,” he says. “Gang members are growing. They’re not going anywhere. We need to be aware of things.”

But the question is: What causes youths to join these dangerous gangs? Ortiz says who gang members target to join them. “The people that they aim for [are the] kids that has a lot of idle time on their hands, not doing anything.” Barrington Polite, a correctional officer and a father of five, says that young people learn by example. “The problem is not just gangs in this world. The problem is that America is a violent nation; it is the most violent nation on the planet,” he says. “What other example do you have to go by when you see us going to war all the time and you’re telling us not to be violent in our communities.”

Polite says that there needs to be more workshops like these and he couldn’t have been more correct. Gangs are a serious problem and parents need to be more aware of their children’s actions and behavior.

By Avery Akoto, Marlon Brown and Ashley Rodriguez

In the 1980s gang life was simple. Each gang was identified by single, solid colors, making them easy to distinguish from one another. Modern day gangs are more complicated. They use an assortment of colors, beads, sports teams, clothing brands, neighborhoods, hand signs and dances to distinguish themselves, according to Carlos Ortiz of the NYPD school safety division.

This mixture can be dangerous because a person may not realize that their outfits could send the wrong message to gang members, Ortiz said.

“You can wear what you want to wear its just that you have to be aware,” Ortiz said. “You have to be observant and careful and just use common sense.”

Ortiz discussed these issues at the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday during the 12th Annual parent Conference Workshop. His workshop, titled “Gangs: What Every Parent Should Know,” drew a crowd of parents and teachers and focused on keeping young people safe from gangs.

Today people are being forced into gangs at younger ages, Ortiz said. They are usually picked because they have a lot of free time, he said. Normally the targets are young students who skip school and regularly hang out on the streets. Ortiz said that these students should “S.H.O.U.T.,” an acronym that means, “stay in school, hang out with positive friends, observe your surroundings, use time productively, and talk to an adult”.

Ortiz showed a video that illustrated gang customs. It explained how gangs have transformed regular forms of clothing into symbols for their own culture. For example, if someone was wearing a Chicago Bulls jacket, it would mean that person was a Blood, or if someone was wearing a Dallas Cowboys jacket, that person would be considered a Crip. The video also discussed the popularity of gang life in the military. Gang members would be recruited into the marines and trained with marine weaponry and war tactics, which they would then bring home to their fellow gang members.

Ortiz also showed off various beads that gang members wear. The beads they wear to show off the diverse colors of the gangs. The Bloods, for instance, will wear beads with the colors red, green, black, tan, brown, white and camouflage, with each color representing different sects of the gang.

Reporting by: Bianca Bergeron and Claudia Balthazar
Photos by: HM Papon
Video by: Keziah Green

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — On the eve of the 39th ING New York City Marathon, not only are the runners preparing for the race but so are residents and business owners in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

At the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Lafayette Avenue, spectators are expected to cheer on the runners along the route.

“The whole community gets involved,” said David Schulhoff, a resident of Fort Greene. “People who you wouldn’t normally say hi to on a daily basis would be the ones you’d be cheering on in the marathon.”

Businesses such as Ralph’s Meat Corp., a deli on the corner of South Portland and Lafayette Avenues, are also preparing for the marathon by stocking up on pastries, rolls and coffee.

“That’s the day we make money. We depend on getting the customers out the store as quick as possible because the faster you get them out, the more business you get,” said Ralph Jawat, owner of Ralph’s Meat Corp.

Though there are many businesses along Lafayette Avenue, those that serve lunch and dinner will not benefit from the event due to the time of the race passing through the neighborhood.

Ed Tretter, owner of 67 Burger on the corner of South Elliot Place and Lafayette Avenue said since the race usually passes his restaurant around 10 a.m. spectators usually don’t stick around by lunch time.

“I think if the race would bypass again at 1 p.m., it would have a major impact on our business,” he said.

The 26.2 mile-race goes through all five boroughs, starting at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island, and ending in Manhattan at Central Park. Last year 37,899 runners participated.

For spectators like Schulhoff, the race is very inspiring to him.

“When I see 80 year-olds chugging out there, it makes me feel that everything is possible,” he said.

Reporting by: Bianca Bergeron, Danielle Pierre, and Ashley Rodriquez
Video by: Cho Connor
Photography By: Bianca Bergeron

(Harlem, New York) The Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) recognized Joe Jackson, father of the late Michael Jackson and the patriarch of the Jackson family Saturday, October 24 at the House of Justice, the organization’s headquarters in Harlem, New York.

Sharpton presented Jackson with a certificate to acknowledge his leadership in music and entertainment. Sharpton finds Jackson’s ability to bring his children to stardom despite unfavorable socioeconomic conditions inspiring.

“The Jackson family beat the odds and didn’t use an excuse to surrender,” Sharpton said.

Sharpton hopes Jackson’s example will influence today’s black youth.

“If a Joe Jackson can produce a Michael Jackson, then (today’s youth) can reach the stars,” Sharpton said.

Jackson felt honored to be recognized by the NAN.

“I feel fantastic, like I’m worth something,” said Jackson with a big smile. “I feel great.”

The House of Justice was filled with more than 100 community and organization members. The mostly African-American crowd was comprised of all ages, as well as a local school for the deaf, equipped with a translator to sign Sharpton’s words. A band consisting of a drummer, pianist, and guitarist energized the crowd.

According to their website, the NAN, an organization founded by the Rev. Sharpton in 1991, promotes civil rights and social justice and decency.

This recognition occurred four days before the Michael Jackson documentary, “This is It,” is scheduled to release. According to the official website, the movie is a compilation of filmed rehearsals that will provide a behind-the-scenes look at what would have been Michael’s final tour, which was scheduled to be held at the O2 arena in London, England.

Joe Jackson expressed excitement about the number of tickets sold thus far. However, he has concerns about critics who may not like the movie.

“They think there’s gonna be a lot of nicer acting in there…it’s just him rehearsing. So I’m worried about that,” Jackson said.

Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop, died on June 25 at his Los Angeles home. The Los Angeles Coroner’s office attributed his death to a drug overdose of the anesthetic propofol and the sedative larazepam, administered to Jackson by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

In regards to what should happen to Dr. Murray, who is currently charged with the singer’s homicide, Joe Jackson is content keeping his opinions to himself and leaving the matter in the hands of others.

“The jury will take care of that,” Jackson said. “It’s for the Lord to take care of.”

By Tyra Frances, Tiayana Logan,  Edwina Bien-Aime

(Harlem, New York)  At Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Harlem, New Yorkers turned in their guns for cash and a good cause in the city’s first Cash for Guns program Saturday.

About 60 people were dropping off their guns at Mt. Carmel for a variety of reasons, including to make the streets safer, pick up some extra money or get rid of an old gun. “There are no age limitations to bringing in an uninsured gun and there are no questions asked,” a police officer said.

The gun donors received a $200 gift card per gun.

“I found this program beneficial because it will help the crime rate (decline) in New York City,” said John Defalco, a 43-year-old Long Island resident, noting he learned about the program from Fox News.

Continue Reading

Cindy Yahya and Kimberley Banjoko contributed to this story

(Prospect Park, Brooklyn) Known for its scenic views, Prospect Park held a scarier theme Saturday for the upcoming Halloween. Despite the windy weather, the park was lively with The Monster Mash song blasting for its annual Halloween Haunted Walk and Carnival.

One of the hundreds of parents at the park with their children, Rebecca says that this event is great for kicking off the holiday. “We like Halloween, so we’re down here to give the kids more nature,” she said as she pulled her tot from an open brook in the park. “We enjoy the park.”

Children dressed as Batman and Princesses walked through the walk where ghouls and goblins bolted from out the blue ready to surprise any little victims brave enough to walk the path. But these spooks were not the typical malevolent ones, they were all volunteers hoping to make the best of everyone’s Halloween this year.

Continue Reading

If you are going to check out a book or do some research at the brooklyn public library you’ll notice that the building is undergoing some major changes. There has been an expansion at the brooklyn public library located on grand army plaza. Continue Reading

College is a time for growth mentally as well as socially. It is very important that College is an option for young people after high school, as many fall by the wayside. The reality is that we do not know all of the answers, and that we are not those perfect people that our parents may see. Our generation, generation X is overstimulated, over-indulgent, overeating, and just over-the-top. Many kids are not graduating school on time, which made President Bush institute the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002. The Act puts pressure on individual schools for overall academic achievement, and makes sure that there are well-educated teachers in the classroom as well as updated textbooks among other things. Continue Reading

In Fort Greene Park, artisans gather together to display and sell their contemporary and innovative peices of work. Natasha Harsh, a genuine artisan in her own right, invites various artisans and their work to her show, which runs from spring to mid-autumn. Continue Reading

Back when Grease was the must see musical, and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was the start of new generation of Horror movies the Brooklyn Tech Football Engineers were the kings of Brooklyn. It was the late 60′s thru the early 70′s. Continue Reading

                What is gentrification? Gentrification is the upgrading of an urban and often economically challenged neighborhood. It usually results in the displacement of lower income families because they are not able to compete with the more affluent class that is trying to replace them. Continue Reading

A walk-a-thon will be held this Sunday in Prospect Heights by the group Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn to protest developer Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project. Continue Reading

For a few hours last week, Lower Manhattan traded the noisy clamor of taxis and the chatter of attorneys for drumming, singing and dancing as a throng of people properly put their ancestors to rest after hundreds of years. Continue Reading

Are You That Person To Make A Difference? We do have chances as Young Black Individuals you know! Don’t let an opportunity pass you by. Change for the better. “LAMBS is the first of many steps taken by our young people. It is where the child receives Guidance and Understanding of God, Fellowshipping, Bible, Drama, History, Mannerisms and Knowledge of self to name a few. We serve a mighty God and to continue empowering our children”, says Nelson Keir who started with the program in 1995. Continue Reading

A Brooklyn church is planning an event to keep teenagers focused on faith and away from the street. Continue Reading

Despite an age of political correctness in the U.S. most people still stereotype people based on race, according to a survey at World Journalism Preparatory School. The 11-question survey answered by 25 students showed that 92% of students make assumptions about a person’s intelligence, culture and other abilities. Continue Reading

On any given weekday you will find youngsters attending Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill, not for service but to complete their homework and participate in other fun activities. Ministry in Action, a religious-based program that prevents young people from going into gangs and other criminal activities was created by Rev. Carl Callendar. Its many features include basketball, roller skating, track, bowling, dance, music, and other things that young people enjoy. Continue Reading