Establishing a New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies as actually becoming law is still in a waiting mode.

Passed in the state assembly as bill number A07691, the legislation awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.

This was a polemical bill, authored by State Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, who chairs the assembly’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, & Asian Legislative Caucus. The bill was not universally accepted, even by caucus members, until it was rewritten to specifically identify the community to receive reparations.

Assemblymember Nikki Lucas told the Amsterdam News that she was not initially willing to support Solages’s bill. 

In an impassioned speech before the bill’s final vote, Lucas had declared: “It is essential to advocate for lineage-based reparations to ensure justice and equity for American Freedmen who are direct descendants of enslaved individuals in the United States. Reparations should be targeted toward those who directly experienced harm and their descendants due to slavery and its enduring effects.”

Lucas felt Solages’s bill was not specific enough about specifying that the Community Commission would study ways to endorse reparations for the descendants of people who suffered chattel slavery and later Jim Crow discrimination in the United States.

Solages’s bill had to make clear that this was not going to be a reparations commission that would factor in the concerns of all Americans of African descent, Lucas said. 

Lucas had drawn up a separate bill to create a New York State American Freedmen Equity Task Force on Reparations Remedies. Her bill was designed to “[examine] all aspects of slavery, subsequent de jure and de facto racial, social, and economic discrimination against American [F]reedmen and the impact of these forces on living American [F]reedmen.” 

“This is more lineage-based, not race-based,” Lucas explained. “I wanted to make sure that it aligned with constitutional principles of equal treatment. Without having a lineage-based community of eligibility, other groups like Jewish and Chinese and Middle Eastern groups would be able to participate in reparations.” 

Assemblymembers Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst), who is Jewish, and Lester Chang (R-Brooklyn), who is of Chinese descent, had each pointed out on the assembly floor that their communities could also participate in reparations. Brown reportedly noted that he has family members “of African descent” and Chang spoke about how Chinese Americans were forced into indentured servitude in the mid-19th century.

“And that was exactly my point,” Lucas said. “That was my exact thing: I referenced Elon Musk.” The tech billionaire was born in South Africa. “Without defining what African descent was and without defining a specificity, these are the things that you’re risking when putting together a very broad-scope bill like this.

“It would have watered down the purpose of a bill like this, which is intended to repair damage. I believe that, for me, after my speech and after clearly explaining things during the session, those backroom discussions of why it should be so broad…came to a head on the floor, with people recognizing. A lot of my colleagues were talking about their personal experiences with their great-grandmother or their grandmother and wanting to repair some of the wrongs. Once the sponsor herself acknowledged and responded on the assembly floor that the Commission would in fact conduct a study that included lineage-based reparations, I felt like I was able to change my vote.”

Lucas represents the Brooklyn neighborhoods of East New York, Starrett City, Brownsville, and Canarsie. She talked about how New York state once played a major role in facilitating the enslavement of African people. New York City-based companies like New York Life Insurance Company, Aetna, JPMorgan Chase, Domino Sugar, United States Life Insurance Company of New York, Citibank, Brown Brothers Harriman, and Columbia University were each financially buttressed by revenue from the labor of enslaved Black people. Even after the official end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808, New York City remained a hub of illegal slave trading until the 1860s.

“These are the reasons why it was important that New York State be one of the leads in having a reparations bill,” Lucas added.

“I wish that the language was much tighter,” she said. “I wish that there was more specificity within the bill. But we’re here and these are the cards we’re dealt. Once the acknowledgment of the intention of the author of this bill was actually displayed on the assembly floor, I was slightly satisfied that we would at least have the beginning of a repairing of those who have been enslaved on American soil.”

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The New York Liberty faced the Indiana Fever on the road Wednesday in a rare weekday 12 p.m. tip-off for their last game before the WNBA All-Star break. They went into the game at 13-4, holding the second best record in the league, trailing only the 17-2 Las Vegas Aces.

The Liberty suffered a 98-81 defeat to the Aces in Las Vegas on June 29, the first matchup between the teams this season, but then won three straight before yesterday’s meeting with the Fever. One of those wins came against the Seattle Storm this past Saturday.

New York finished with 29 assists on 33 field goals against Breanna Stewart’s former team in a 80-76 win at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 6-4 forward, in her first season with the Liberty, has been sensational. The 28-year-old former UConn star was averaging 24.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game before taking on the Fever and was a leading candidate for the WNBA’s MVP award. She was the league MVP in 2018 and a two-time Finals MVP with the Storm’s 2018 and 2020 championship teams.  

Stewart finished with 25 and guard Sabrina Ionescu added 20 for the Liberty. They are two of the Liberty’s All-Stars for Saturday’s game in Las Vegas. Stewart was named a starter and captain along with the Aces A’ja Wilson. Ionescu and her backcourt partner Courtney Vandersloot will also represent the Liberty.

Jewell Loyd, the WNBA’s leading scorer as of Tuesday at 23.9 points per games, and the Storm have struggled in their first season after Sue Bird’s retirement and Stewart’s departure in free-agency. They were just 4-14 entering their game versus the Washington Mystics on the road on Tuesday.

It has been announced that Ionescu will be the next featured cover athlete for the popular video game NBA2K. 

The Liberty hosted its second annual Sneakerhead Game on Saturday at the Barclays. Fans were treated to a complimentary Jason Markk sneaker-cleaning station, presented by American Express. The first 2,000 fans received exclusive pairs of New York Liberty socks.

In the spirit of community, NY Liberty also partnered with Soles4Souls, a nonprofit dedicated to turning unwanted clothing and shoes into opportunities. Fans can bring new and used sneakers in good condition to Barclays on game day and drop them in a Soles4Souls donation box that will be available on the arena concourse. In exchange, donors will receive two complimentary tickets when the New York Liberty face off with the Fever at home on Sunday, July 23.

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The Brooklyn Nets will play their fourth of their five NBA2K23 Summer League games in Las Vegas Thursday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 when they face the Toronto Raptors. The Nets are 2-1 going into the contest after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 92-71 on Tuesday. 

Brooklyn opened summer league play with a 101-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers last Friday. Jalen Wilson, a 6-8 forward from the University of Kansas and the 51st overall pick in the second round by the Nets in last month’s draft, led the team with 17 points, adding five rebounds and two blocks. Wilson signed a two-way contract with the organization last week. Armoni Brooks, who last played in the NBA during the 2021-2022 season for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors, also scored 17 points while grabbing six rebounds.

18-year-old first-round pick Noah Clowney (No. 21 overall) struggled in the opener, scoring four points on 1 of 9 shooting from the field, missing six of seven three-point attempts. The 6-10 forward/center from the University of Alabama had seven rebounds.

In the second contest against the Knicks, Brooklyn came away with a 98-80 victory. Armoni Brooks led the team with 21 points, while David Duke Jr. chipped in with 19 points and four assists. Wilson, who won the 2022 NCAA championship with Kansas, finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. Clowney added eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

While Clowney hasn’t shot the ball well in two Summer League games thus far, with a combined 5-18 through three games, he has shown the athleticism, mobility, and force to be a plus rim protector, rebounder and floor runner that translates well to the NBA. With only one year of playing college basketball and weighing around a slim 210 pounds, he has much room for physical growth and skill development. 

The Nets’ other first-round pick, Dariq Whitehead, an 18-year-old 6-7 forward from Duke, is sitting out the summer league. The Newark, New Jersey native is recovering from foot surgery performed in New York last month.  

Brooklyn announced they re-signed Cam Johnson, who came to the team from the Suns in the Kevin Durant trade. The deal is reportedly four years and close to $95 million.

Brooklyn also signed Whitehead, former Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr, who was a lottery pick by the Dallas Mavericks in 2017, and shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV, the 18th pick in 2018 who spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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The Knicks’ NBA2K24 Summer League team is devoid of a 2023 first round pick. That’s because the Knicks didn’t have any picks in last month’s NBA Draft. So most of the focus in discerning which players have the potential to be part of the team’s future rotation has been on second-year guard Trevor Keels and undrafted free-agent Jaylen Martin. Both are on two-way contracts.

After being one of the highest rated high school basketball players in the class of 2021 out of Paul VI Catholic in Chantilly, Virgina, Keels spent one year at Duke before being taken by the Knicks in the second round (No. 42) in last year’s draft. The stout, 6-foot-4, 19-year-old shooting guard from Clinton, Maryland, split time this past season with the NBA squad and their G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.  

Martin’s path next season will also be in the NBA and G League. The 19-year-old from Florida was coached in high school at the Florida State University School in Tallahassee by former Knicks player Charlie Ward before transitioning to the Overtime Elite (OTE) program. While playing for the YNG Dreamerz, he faced Amen and Asur Thompson—who were drafted No. 3 (Houston Rockets) and No. 4 (Detroit Pistons), respectively, last month, in this year’s OTE championship. The Dreamerz lost 3-0 to the twins’ City Reapers.

Heading into the third of their five summer league games last night (Wednesday) against the Orlando Magic, Keels has so far not stood out in the Knicks’ two summer league games this weekend against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets. In the Knicks’ 110-101 loss to the 76ers, Keels was 1-6 for two points in 14 minutes playing in the starting lineup. He was 3-7, including 2-6 on 3-point attempts, for eight points in 19 minutes versus the Nets in a 98-80 Knicks defeat.

The 6-foot-6 Martin showed more upside, scoring 12 points in 26 minutes versus the Sixers coming off of the bench, and then 15 points, logging a team-high 34 minutes as a starter facing the Nets. Although Martin shot poorly, missing eight out of 11 3-pointers and going 5-14 overall, he said he found his footing as the contest progressed.

“I feel like as the game went on, I loosened up and was able to play my game,” he said.
Knicks summer league head coach Dice Yoshimoto said there will be inherent highs and lows for young players as they navigate a learning curve.

“He did some good things and things he needs to work on,” Yoshimoto said, referring to Martin. “Anybody coming into this league…has to learn how to be a pro. Since the draft he’s done that. He’s been in the gym all day. He’s a gym rat.”

The Knicks play the Boston Celtics tomorrow (7 p.m. ESPN2) and will finish their schedule against a yet to be determined opponent, date, and time.  

Knicks forward Josh Hart, who opted into the final year of his contract at $12.9 million at the start of this year’s free-agency period, which began at the end of June, will represent Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, which will take place from August 25 to September 10 in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

The Team USA roster also includes Hart’s Knicks teammate Jalen Brunson, the Nets’ Mikal Bridges, 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, and NBA All-Stars Tyrese Haliburton, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Anthony Edwards. 

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During a visit last month to the Bronx’s Universal Hip-Hop Museum (610 Exterior Street), its co-curator, Prime Minister Pete Nice (from 3rd Base), guided DMC, half of the legendary Run DMC duo, through a mini-tour. Chief curator Paradise Gray also shared some valuable history as the three legendary artists traveled through time while detailing some of the vintage memorabilia on display. The full gallery is scheduled to open across the street next year.

At one point, they came across a pair of “like new” vintage red, black, and white Adidas-sponsored Run DMC sneakers in a glass case.  

“Where’d you find them?” DMC asked. “Me and Dise got ’em off eBay,” Nice answered. ”Some guy in Japan had them.” Nice showed DMC a late-1980s Video Music Box event flier that “you and (DJ Jam Master) Jay signed to Paradise.” An astonished DMC glanced and reacted with “Yep. Wow.” 

They went to another section where there was a flier of Run DMC performing at the legendary Disco Fever night club up in the Bronx. “A lot of people don’t know that Jay missed that,” Nice said. “Yep, cuz he went to the avenue to get fly,” DMC agreed. “How crazy is that?”

Next, they viewed some more classic memorabilia by several other “Golden Era” artists, such as Joe Ski Love, Salt & Pepa, and Rakim, among others.

Thanks to the museum, “people have the wherewithal to save stuff,” DMC surmised.

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* This article was originally published here