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A Tribute to Sensei Vinson Grace

At the Southwest Community Center, Saturday, Oct. 23, were family and friends of Vinson Grace, gathered together to remember and celebrate his life-long achieved accomplishments. The tribute began with a prayer by Min. Mark Muhammad, after which, Keith and Brenda Muhammad welcomed family, students, colleagues neighbors and all-around friends.

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From the Street to the Classroom

A former gang member turned first-generation college student wants to lead by example David Trapps can’t be stopped. His motivation is his time spent in prison. Trapps is 31 years old and the first person in his family to go to college. Though his journey toward becoming a first-generation college student is not a picture-perfect success story, he recalls it …

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A Young Equestrian

Jovan Daniel began riding at a young age and wants to become a professional trainer For as long as he can remember, South Side resident Jovan Daniel loved horses. While his mother attended school at the University of Minnesota, 3-year-old Jovan would tag alongside her and visit the place on campus where students could board horses. He fed them and …

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Chief Frank Fowler Makes Request for Second Study on Racial Profiling

The city of Syracuse and the Syracuse Police Department will be releasing separate studies that examine the extent of racial profiling in the community. A co-author of the city study, economist Shawn Rohlin, said he was insulted that the police chief had commissioned a separate study of his own — saying it was “complete ridiculousness.”

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Play Creates Dialogue Around Education

The critically acclaimed one-woman play “No Child” opened for its first public performance on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Syracuse Stage. It was a special performance for educators and people interested in arts education. Following the matinee show in the intimate Storch Theatre, audience members were invited to participate in a wrap-up discussion, where numerous Syracuse educators in attendance discussed the …

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South Side Resident Runs for New York State Governor

Living on the South Side of Syracuse since 1991, Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for New York governor, has a strong connection and affinity for the South Side neighborhood. Hawkins is a board member of the Southside Community Coalition, where one of his key goals is to develop a community-based food cooperative to help supplement the lack of grocery …

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Changing one mindset at a time

The Junior Frontiers of the Mohawk Valley teach students skills for ultimate success Many minority students go through school unaware of their potential and capabilities. They also don’t take advantage of all the resources that are available to them. One organization that is working to awaken and expose students to a world beyond their neighborhoods is The Junior Frontiers of …

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Shoe Store Steps Up

Fitting people with proper shoes has been the mission for this South Salina Street store Amatullah Yamini and her husband, Hassan, owners of Salina Shoe Salon, Inc., witnessed a man walking to the bus in shoes so grungy that the heels flopped with every step. The couple invited him into their shop, fitted him with a pair of boots and …

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After losing sight, Donna Reese adapts and brings her message to others

Donna Reese said she used to have problems with both her night vision and her peripheral vision, but she didn’t think about it much. Then, one night, driving home from work, she found she had trouble seeing. Reese, former president of Syracuse’s chapter of the NAACP, blamed it on simply being tired.

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