East Rock Record reporters met April 22 with Babz Rawls Ivy, Editor-in-Chief of The Inner-City News, a 30-year-old Black newspaper published weekly in New Haven. It is a print newspaper distributed in Southern Connecticut. She is also a community organizer, media personality and host of LoveBabz LoveTALK radio show on WNHH-LP FM (103.5).

Ms. Ivy spoke about her career and work, about the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, and about combating racism. “These are not easy times and we should not be looking for easy answers,” she said. “We should be looking for deep conversations.”

She said the verdict showed that this is the “moment for good police officers to say ‘I won’t be silent.’” Reporters asked questions, including what inspires her. “What gives me purpose,” she said, “is when I see young people who are interested in journalism, interested in truth-telling.” It means, she said, that “we have another day to get this thing right.”

Find out more about The Inner-City News here: https://issuu.com/johnthomas45/docs/04_14_21

Progress on Racial Equity, but It Is Not Enough

Opinion By Ayaan Riaz

I agree with Babz Rawls Ivy on the idea that black people should receive the same respect that white people do. In fact, all people should be treated equally: African-Americans, brown people, etc. African-Americans and many other groups are dying because they are not respected. Earlier in U.S. history, there used to be slavery. Then, Black people were not respected. After slavery, protesters and upstanders changed some opinions, leading to Black people receiving some respect, but not all of the respect that they should. Right now, there are protests and still, Black people do not receive the full respect they should, although their treatment is better than it was a century ago. Progress is still slow. You would expect that Black people would have received all of their rights in a century. However, there are still unfair rules and laws. We are making progress and Black people are receiving more rights. I predict that by 2100, everyone will have all of their rights.

Babz Rawls Ivy Brings Good News to the Black Community

Opinion By Lanaya Gore, Nayala Conroe, Tusker Pickett

Babz Rawls Ivy came to the East Rock Record for a reason. She came to tell the East Rock Record reporters how she edits the Inner-City News, the oldest Black newspaper in Connecticut. She said that they report on more than just the shootings and arrests in the Black community. Instead, she writes about good things people are doing and ways to make things better.

“I am about the preservation and uplift of Black people,” she said. “I try to show images that combat news outlets that always want to show us in handcuffs, in derogatory ways.”

But not only that, Ms. Ivy talked about the movement called Black Lives Matter! She said that some people don’t like Black people, which we can see today. But skin color should not matter! We are all equal. I think “being racist” is like when you don’t like someone because of their skin. It’s not taught, but it still makes people not treat certain other people fairly.

“I am about the preservation and uplift of Black people.”

It was very fascinating to hear from Ms. Ivy and to learn that so many people care about her newspaper. The East Rock Record reporters would definitely read it. It seems very cool! Her newspaper is positive, never negative and it helps her community.