Senator Rubén Díaz Celebration of the Abrazo Boricua

  The Abrazo Boricua Banquet by Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. took place on Thursday night at the Eastwood Manor. Honorees included Santos Seda “Papichy” the Mayor of Guanica, Puerto Rico; Ms. Aida Rosario Director of Communication Univision 41; and Mr. Hector Ramos Reporter and Senior Citizens’ Advocate. 

   This annual activity sponsored by Senator Rubén Díaz together with Senator Jeffrey Klein, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo and Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda, was completely free of charge for the community. There was an estimated 500 plus people in attendance 

  According to Senator Díaz, “many people in our community lack the necessary resources to pay for the different activities that the Puerto Rican Parade organizes during this Puerto Rican week. Therefore, in order for some of them to be able to attend a banquet and socialize with the people who are coming to participate in the parade, we organize this banquet free of charge for the first five hundred people who arrive and offer them a night of Puerto Rican culture, food, entertainment and the opportunity to meet the Mayors and dignitaries who come from Puerto Rico.”  

   Below are a few photos of the event. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

Left - State Senators Ruben Diaz Sr. and Jeff Klein and a few of the 500 plus attendees. 

Right - Team Diaz plus State Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein. 

Ms. Yolanda Cruz sang both the U.S. and Puerto Rican National Anthems. 

 

Bronx LGBTQ Center Christine Jorgensen Trailblazer Award

The Christine Jorgensen Trailblazer Award

Ms. Kim Watson,
Christine Jorgensen Trailblazer Award recipient

We are pleased to announce that the our Christine Jorgensen Trailblazer Award will be presented to Ms. Kim Watson. This is the first of five community pride awards we will present at our 2014 Bronx LGBTQ Pride & Health Fair on Saturday, July 19th from 12-6pm at the amphitheatre at Crotona Park in The Bronx.
Christine Jorgensen, a former GI who was born and raised in The Bronx, was a pioneer of transgender rights. She was the first person ever to undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS) in the United States, and spent her later years working as a successful Hollywood actress.
Kim Watson is a proud wife and mother of a 4-year old daughter. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the transgender community, having founded and become the chief executive of CK Life, which is the first specifically transgender medical clinic in The Bronx to serve all transgender individuals. Additionally, she became the first person to make history by adapting the H. O. W. (HEALING OUR WOMEN) intervention to the transgender community, which was created by Gayle E. Wyatt, Ph.D., a Professor at UCLA.
Please join us on Saturday, July 19th, from 12 noon until 6 pm at our 2014 Bronx LGBTQ Pride & Health Fair to recognize and honor Kim's work. We will present four additional awards, which will be announced in the coming weeks. The pride committee is still accepting nominations for award recipients; please send an e-mail to bronxpride2014@bronxlgbtqcenter.org with your suggestions!

Stay tuned as we continue to announce our line-up of entertainers, speakers, and special guests in the coming weeks, or visit our event page for pride at http://bronxpride2014.eventbrite.com/. You can also join the event on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/events/559875584095127/.

Advertiser, Vendor, Sponsor & Exhibitor opportunities are still available for our 2014 Bronx LGBTQ Pride & Health Fair. Ads start as low as $25, full details and pricing for advertisers, vendors, and sponsors can be found at http://bronxpride2014.eventbrite.com/ or contact the pride committee chair, Peter C. Frank at bronxpride2014@bronxlgbtqcenter.org or 914-417-9579.

 

Yes Virgina, There are Park Rangers at Van Cortlandt Park

   It was a strange site Friday Afternoon as I spotted these two park Rangers on horseback by the Classic Playground section of Van Cortlandt Park. The rangers are strolling on Van Cortlandt Avenue across from the Amalgamated Houses. Below the rangers ride off down the sidewalk, I guess to avoid the speed bump.

Community Board 8 Election June 10th

  Tuesday June 10th is the date of the full Community Board 8 meeting at the Riverdale Presbyterian Church located at 4765 Henry Hudson Parkway, and the meeting begins at 7:30 PM. On the agenda is the election of officers and committee chairs to Community Board 8.

  As Vice-Chair of the Traffic and Transportation Committee I have been asked why I did not go for the position of Chair of the committee. My answer was that the Vice-Chair does not always make the best candidate for the Chair's position. 

  An article on the election can be found in the Riverdale Press about the two candidates who are running for Chair of Community Board 8. One is the current Vice-Chair and the other is the current Traffic and Transportation Chair. One thing odd in the Riverdale Press article however is that the Chairman of Community Board 8 Bob Fanuzzi is stated to have thrown his support behind the Vice-Chair. By stating that he is behind the Vice-Chair, the board chair can no longer be impartial if he is to conduct any part of the election for Chair of CB 8. I also wonder at the end of this Riverdale Press article why they spoke to one of the members of the nominating committee. 

  While Bob Fanuzzi will no longer be Chair of CB 8 he will still be a member of its Executive Committee as the past Chair of the board, but it is stated that he is running to become chair of the Environment and Sanitation Committee. One has to wonder why he is keeping someone else off the Executive Board and just what Mr. Fanuzzi's motive is. 

  In the last three years under Bob Fanuzzi's leadership of CB 8 it is obvious that he and his Vice-Chair have not involved people from Kingsbridge and Marble Hill. Why else would the Riverdale Press write that the Vice-Chair of CB 8 wants to "involve more residents of those neighborhoods in CB 8's activities." The Vice-Chair is also listed in the Riverdale Press article as saying that she reduced the number of days for alternate side parking throughout CB 8, and creating network events for small businesses. I guess the articles that said former CB 8 Chair Anthony Cassino and Brad Trebach were the ones who got the alternate side parking changed were wrong. I am not going to go into the networking with small business and leave that to the conflict of interest board.   

  Since CB 8 Chair Bob Fanuzzi has publicly come out in support of the current Vice-Chair by name in the Riverdale Press article I will now state that I have been amazed of the job Mr. Dan Paderncht has done as Chair of Traffic and Transportation. He is hard working, thoughtful, and has reached out to all parts of the community board and other committee. That is why I know that Dan Padernacht is the best candidate for chair of Community Board 8. As a member of CB 8 I will be voting for Dan Padernacht for chair of Community Board 8.

   I will also be running from the floor for Chair of the Environment and Sanitation Committee against former Croton Filtration Monitoring Committee Chair Bob Fanuzzi, because he has done a lousy job as chair of the CFMC allowing over 150 trees to be cut down at the Jerome Park Reservoir by the DEP.

   If anyone has said to you that I am voting for the vice-Chair of CB 8 Maria Khury to get their vote, they are lying, because I am voting Dan Padernacht for Chair of CB 8. 

ROBERT PRESS.

Seven Wonders of VCP & Special Offer from BJ's on 6/12/14

Seven Wonders of Van Cortlandt Park: Van Cortlandt Lake Thursday June 12th from 6:30-8:30pm
Visit and learn more about our next wonder- Van Cortlandt Lake- in our continuing series of the Seven Wonders of Van Cortlandt Park. This family friendly event will include plenty of hands-on activities and an opportunity to relax on the deck of the Van Cortlandt Golf House and enjoy the beautiful view of the lake. Activities include the collection and identification of aquatic invertebrates, fly casting demos/lessons by L.L. Bean and a tour around the lake. Finger Foods and Refreshments will be served. At this event, BJ’s Wholesale (which will be opening on  Broadway & W. 238th in August) will be selling discounted memberships and FVCP will receive $5 for each membership sold.    4. Great Reasons to JOIN or RENEW!!!                      1.   Get $10 Off BJ's $50 Annual Fee                             2.  3 Additional Months of Membership =15 months. 3. FREE Second Household Card 4. Easy way to support Friends of VCP! ***Already a member? We will ADD 15 months to your  expiration date WITHOUT losing months that you currently have!  We will extend ANY Membership at the discounted rate! Meet at the Van Cortland Golf House-  enter the Park at Bailey Avenue and  Van Cortlandt Park South.  Please RSVP to info@vancortlandt.org or (718)601-1460 by June 9th 2014.

Dinowitz, Klein Introduce Legislation to Designate Jerome Park as Parkland of NYC

  Today Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) and State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) were joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and a host of community activists near the Jerome Park Reservoir to introduce new legislation intent on designating Jerome Park as parkland of the city of New York. The bills, A.9681 and S.7467, would set in motion a public process by which most or all of what is known as Jerome Park can either become designated as park lands or lands that can be readily accessible to the general public for recreational use. The space could also be used as an urban wildlife or nature sanctuary.

The perimeter of the Jerome Park Reservoir, which is the area that would be turned into New York City Parkland as a result of this legislation, is currently owned by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  Access to the land around the reservoir, which is enclosed inside fence, is currently off-limits to the general public.

"The New York City DEP has for years denied our community access to one of our most precious resources-the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir,” Assemblyman Dinowitz said. “Even after the community defeated DEP's plan to build a giant water filtration plant in the Jerome Park Reservoir, The DEP refused to allow residents to get closer to the reservoir. It was only after the strong community opposition to DEP's subsequent plan to construct its monstrosity in Van Cortlandt Park that they decided, suddenly, there was a security risk in allowing people closer to the reservoir. (They didn't believe there was a security risk after 9/11, only after the community stood up to them.)

“This legislation would set in motion a plan that would hopefully designate the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir as parkland. Having grown up across the street from the reservoir, I know firsthand the amazing resource we have and its great potential."  

Senator Klein said: "In a city as large and rich with culture as New York City, open space is an invaluable asset for any community. That's why, partnering with Assemblyman Dinowitz, I am proud to introduce legislation that will help to do just that in Jerome Park in the Bedford Park area of the Bronx. By designating all of all of the green space surrounding the Reservoir park land, in conjunction with launching a community group dedicated to boosting recreational opportunities, we can ensure more local residents and New Yorkers from all neighborhoods experience all that Jerome Park has to offer." 

“The Jerome Park Reservoir is an incredible resource that should be enjoyed by our residents. This community treasure has been left unused for far too long. Northwest Bronx families have a right to enjoy the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir and I am glad that this new legislation will help make this area available for public recreational use. This has been a priority of mine since I became borough president, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues in calling for greater access to the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir as well as greater community involvement in determining the future of one of our Borough’s crown jewels,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

 

Editor's Note - 

There were no photos taken by me, because I was one of the community activists, and now a Community Board 8 member that were recognized for their hard work in stopping the DEP from building the water filtration plant in the reservoir in the late 1990's. I have stayed vigilant advocating for the JPR area and continued as a member of the Environment and Sanitation Committee of Community Board 8, which I hope to Chair after the Community Board 8 elections Tuesday night June 10th.

 

 

That Blue Sky, That is not Blue and is not a Sky

What You Should Know
Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz  -  32^nd Senatorial District

That Blue Sky, That is not Blue and is not a Sky
You should know that with the endorsement of the Working Families Party to the re-election efforts of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, the hopes and aspirations of our Democratic State Senate Conference of becoming the majority and ultimately take control of the Senate have gone all the way up to the sky.

You should also know that back in my college days at Lehman College in the Bronx, I used to have a philosophy teacher that used to tell us “Oh my dear children, that blue sky that is not blue and it is not a sky.”

Now, with the endorsement of the Working Families Party, people are saying that now the Governor will put pressure on Senator Jeff Klein and the other four run away Democratic members of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) to break their alliance with the Republicans and to come back to join the Democratic Conference and in order to be able to take control of the Senate.

It is well published in every newspaper that there were some negotiations between Governor Cuomo and the Working Families Party in order for the Governor to receive their endorsement. They came to an agreement that the Governor will support their liberal agenda, issues and will help the Democrats to take back the Senate. ( I remember back in 2009 when the Four Amigos were in negotiations with people to decide who would take control of the Senate. They called the Four Amigos outlaws, thieves, crooks, blackmailers, opportunists, and many other things.) I remember Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, then a State Senator, demanding an investigation into the requests made by the Four Amigos. ¿Que pasa ahora, Mr. Attorney General?

No one has asked me, but I will put my two cents into the possibilities of Senator Jeff Klein coming back to join the Democrats.

Right now, Senator Klein is facing a tough Democratic Primary by ex-State Attorney General Oliver Koppell and the same goes for Senator Tony Avella, who is equally facing a challenge by ex-City Comptroller John Liu. There are no benefits for Jeff Klein and his Conference if their Democratic Primary challengers, Oliver Koppell and John Liu continue in the run. They must drop out of the race!  But it will be illegal to negotiate such a thing. Hmmm!

If Jeff Klein and Tony Avella have to go through a bruising Democratic Primary and win, I assure you that there is no way in heaven for them to come back. They have proven to be unbeatable and will have nothing to gain by coming back.

You should know that my Senate Democratic Conference, for the past four years, has been played out, taken for granted and lied to by people in authority. The effort, cooperation and outstanding spirit of unity shown and offered to the Governor by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and the Leaders of the Regular Senate Democratic Conference have been out of this world but they not been appreciated or rewarded for it in the past, and I am afraid that now one more time people may be playing them out and taking advantage of their spirit or cooperation and understanding.

You should know that this is a business full of hypocrisy and imaginary friends. People do all kinds of things to save face. In this occasion, with this agreement, the Working Families Party has saved face and Governor Andrew Cuomo has saved face, but in the process there are and there will be collateral damages because that blue sky is not blue and is not a sky.

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know. 

 

Wave Hill Events Jun 20–Jun 27

  SAT, JUNE 21    TAI CHI CHUAN

Quiet like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature. In this beginner-level class, Irving Yee, a member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School, introduces students to the internal martial arts and promotes an awareness of its benefits. Sessions are held outdoors; indoors in inclement weather. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SAT, JUNE 21    WAVE HILL HISTORY WALK
Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Illustrious Residents event.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, JUNE 21    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of three current exhibitions. In the main gallery, Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies series is being shown for the first time in its entirety. Crewdson’s photographs capture the fleeting light of these nocturnal creatures. Experience the natural landscape from the comfort of a domestic interior in Marek and Kristyna Milde’s Sunroom Project, an installation of planters shaped as couches and chairs. In the Sun Porch space, listen to With Hidden Noise, a traveling exhibition featuring evocative sounds, some recognizable from traditional instruments and field recordings, and others masked through electronic processes. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, JUNE 22   FAMILY ART PROJECT: SUCH ARE SNAKES
Learn about these limbless creatures, how they move and which ones can be spotted at Wave Hill. Use recycled materials to make your own snake, and bring it outdoors while you enjoy musician and songwriter Jeffrey Friedberg from the musical group The Bossy Frog, as he sings about snakes and other creatures. Interactive performance at noon. Free with admission to the grounds.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, JUNE 22    HATHA YOGA

Reduce stress, increase your energy and bring strength and flexibility to mind, body and spirit with a yoga practice. Classes are led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other certified instructors. Ms. Dewji is certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga from The Yoga for Health Foundation, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute, NYC. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors, indoors in inclement weather. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11:15AM

SUN, JUNE 22    MEDITATION

This spring, take a moment to release stress and reconnect with your inner self while practicing meditation. Each session includes instruction in simple techniques followed by 20 to 30 minutes of meditation. Classes are led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other certified instructors. All levels welcome. Sessions are held indoors. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11:30AM‒12:45PM

SUN, JUNE 22    NATURE PRESENTATION: SNAKES OF NEW YORK

Do you think snakes are cool or creepy? Gain a new appreciation for these misunderstood reptiles with an Environmental Educator from the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum. Find out how snakes play an important role in our local ecosystem and see live snakes up close. Audience members have the opportunity to handle skins, skulls and other artifacts. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. Space is limited; reservations strongly recommended, at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x251 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 1PM and 2PM

SUN, JUNE 22    MEET THE ARTISTS: KRISTYNA & MAREK MILDE

Join us at this artist talk to gain insight into the creative practice of artists Kristyna and Marek Milde. Their work examines the effects of architecture, design and interior space on our perception of, and relationship to, the outside world. At Wave Hill, they will develop the idea of transplanting the natural site indoors in the gallery space. Their Sunroom Project includes planters filled with vegetation and shaped as couches and chairs, making visitors feel as though they have stepped into a lounge to experience the natural landscape from the comfort of the domestic interior. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1:30PM

SUN, JUNE 22    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, JUNE 23

Closed to the public

TUE, JUNE 24    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

TUE, JUNE 24    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of three current exhibitions. In the main gallery, Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies series is being shown for the first time in its entirety. Crewdson’s photographs capture the fleeting light of these nocturnal creatures. Experience the natural landscape from the comfort of a domestic interior in Marek and Kristyna Milde’s Sunroom Project, an installation of planters shaped as couches and chairs. In the Sun Porch space, listen to With Hidden Noise, a traveling exhibition featuring evocative sounds, some recognizable from traditional instruments and field recordings, and others masked through electronic processes. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

TUE, JUNE 24    NATURE WALK & TALK: FIREFLIES AND OTHER INSECTS OF THE NIGHT

Every year in late June, a spectacular light show takes place at twilight. Stroll the grounds with naturalist Paul Keim to see and hear fireflies, katydids, moths and other nocturnal creatures. Use a sweep net to collect and view insects, then release them back into the night. The evening begins in Glyndor Gallery with a short tour of our current exhibition Gregory Crewdson: Fireflies. Don’t forget your flashlight! Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Space is limited. $18/$10 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, 718.549.3200 x251 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

MEET AT FRONT GATE, 7:30–8:45PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—4:30PM. Closes 5:30PM, March 15—October 31.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free until noon on Tuesdays in June. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242^nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.