By becoming a member of the Eastern Farm Workers Association, you give to receive  By Isabelle Tavares A purple scarf swings across her hunched shoulders as her eyes narrow on the stack of papers in front of her. The room smells like the inside of a million old books. She shuffles through the papers, muttering about utility shutoffs and food …

Nominated by David Chaplin By Sydney Gold Q: What did it feel like when you first became a father?A. I’m a pretty new father, as my son was born April 4, 2019. He is nearly 2 years old now. And it’s been an interesting ride — very fun and challenging, especially during these times. It has been everything that I’ve …

Delivered From A Snare By Julius Lawrance COVID-19, like a snareA hidden trapWhich catches its preyEach and every wayCOVID-19, like a wildfireConsumes in every waySpreads quickly every dayDry and woody land Furiously spreading like sandCOVID-19, a disaster it standsA natural catastrophe inlandCauses great damageAs it goesCOVID-19, virulentExtreme severeHarmful in its effectsBitterly hostile to the touchHard to describeCOVID-19, viciouslyDeliberately cruelUnable to control …

More than 90 students entered The Stand’s writing contest aimed at documenting how COVID-19 has affected our community’s youth. In partnership with the Syracuse City School District, students in kindergarten through 12th grade were asked to reflect on how the pandemic has impacted their daily life and community.  Younger students drew pictures or created audio responses, while older students wrote …

The Stand’s February Issue continues our Couples in Love series, spotlighting couples Paula Johnson and Shantanette Patrice-Johnson along with life-long South Siders Patrona Jones-Rowser and Sam Rowser. Paula Johnson and Shantanette Patrice-Johnson have been married since 2014. | Mike Greenlar, Staff Photographer Continuing the love theme, music columnist Reggie Seigler highlights local married musicians. Each feature shares how these couples …

Meet the woman bringing a holistic approach to the new Brady Market By Isabelle Tavares Kelsie Montaque typically ends phone calls with her brother by saying: “It’s a lot, but I’ll figure it out.” A flurry of to-do lists line her desk, full of organizations to consult. Her 6-year-old daughter, cozy in an all bubblegum-pink outfit, happily putters in the background …

By Reggie Seigler I had taken a few months hiatus from writing this column as I sometimes need to do to keep my ideas fresh. But when Ashley, (The Stand’s director), told me that in honor of Black History Month and Valentine’s Day, the February print edition would carry the theme of love and Black history, I knew immediately what …

By Matthew Nerber What is it they say about history and being doomed to repeat it? In 1965, the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles was subject to one of the worst riots in the history of the United States. Stores were looted. Buildings were burned, and over 30 people lost their lives. The inciting incident? A young Black man was …

By Violet Lazarus Tomorrow’s Neighborhood Today Southside group granted $3,750 for special projects throughout the community during its monthly meeting held Feb. 1.  Five projects were proposed, and while all received funding, no project got the full amount requested.  The largest grant of $1,150 was awarded to The Greater Southside Homeowners Association (Project S.O.U.L.) in partnership with the Syracuse Community …

By Violet Lazarus  Three separate links for new vaccination wait-list programs in Onondaga County will go live at noon Thursday. Two offer sign ups for vaccination clinics the county and Kinney Drugs will host. Eligible Onondaga County residents can sign up when the online site goes live to receive the vaccine later in the week: the county’s clinic is set …